Author: exercisedoc
-
Why Leucine Should Be Your Favourite Amino Acid
What is leucine and what does it do? How do I get stronger? A question echoed in gyms across the world! To get stronger, cross‐sectional area of muscle fibres, muscle strength, and muscle function must increase. Muscles are made of protein, so to increase muscle mass we need to be making more protein (protein synthesis)…
-
Do Muscle Stimulators Enhance Recovery?
What is a Muscle Stimulator? Also known as an electrical nerve stimulator, or TENS machine, these are devices which stimulate low frequency electrical pulses through electrodes placed on the skin, inducing short and low intensity muscle contraction. The most common brand-named devices used in the functional fitness world are Compex and PowerDot, however it is…
-
What is VO2 Max?
What is VO2 max? VO2 max is the maximal amount of oxygen an individual can utilize, typically over one minute during an intense, maximal effort. It reflects the maximal capacity of the individual to perform aerobic work. It is generally seen to be the gold standard measure for a person’s aerobic fitness. (1) Oxygen is required by skeletal muscles for the aerobic metabolism of glucose and fatty acids, our bodies…
-
Does Nasal Breathing Really Improve Performance?
Does the way we breathe during exercise affect our performance? I think most of us probably don’t think too much about it, when we’re mid workout, gasping for breath, we’re just doing everything we can to keep moving. For elite competitors however, for those fighting for that extra 1%, these kinds of considerations can be extremely important. I’ve noticed a few high-level athletes…
Exercise Doc 