Saturday 31 March 2018

Back Squat Follow Up

Back Squat Follow Up

About two weeks ago I posted a video of Lochlann's first ever squat session. The above video is his 4th session and 17 days later. Here he got 45kg x 8 reps and 50kg body weight. In the first session he got 27.5kg. He is learning the movement quite well which is why there is such an increase in weight lifted in such a short time period. Beginner gains are great. We still have a lot to work on so it is going to be really good to see how he comes along over the coming months. 

After just 8 weeks of training Lochlann said he already feels his speed has increased on the field. This is the end goal for us, improving performance on the field. It really doesn't matter how much you squat, deadlift, or bench if you are getting injured or if the work you are doing isn't carrying over to your sport performance. 

With a consistent year of lifting under his belt I think Lochlann will be setting himself up for a successful club season and will be giving himself the best opportunity to make the Harold Matthews team when that time comes. 

Consistent hard work. 



Tuesday 27 March 2018

Choline and Betaine for Body Comp

Choline and Betaine for Body Comp

I am not a huge science guy and don't understand a lot of the studies out there and the way they are conducted etc. but I do still try and read and understand as much research as possible. This morning I came across this study and found the results quite interesting.

"In conclusion, the present study provides solid evidence for the first time, in the large Newfoundland population, that higher dietary choline and betaine intakes were associated with a more favorable body composition (lower body fat and higher lean body mass) in both women and men. In addition, this favorable association was independent of age, gender, total calorie intake, physical activity level, menopausal status, smoking status, medication use, and alcohol consumption. The beneficial correlation for choline seems better than betaine."

Choline is often seen as a member or relative of the B family of vitamins. It is involved in the metabolism (breakdown) of fats and is involved in the stability and functioning of cell membranes. It also plays a role in cell signalling and supports the synthesis of acetylcholine. Personally, I use Alpha-GPC to support healthy brain function and noticed great improvements by taking it after suffering many concussions. It helps improve memory, and also strength gains when taken before a workout. Before bed I have take Phosphatidylcholine with good success too. These are the two ways I get some choline in supplemental form. The most common dietary source of choline is through egg yolks. 

Betaine is a derivative of glycine. It supports cellular hydration and increased cell volume. It can also support aerobic and anaerobic energy production. This could be due to its role in creatine biosynthesis. Betaine is also a strong methyl donor which may reduce the risk of heart and liver diseases, as well as cancer. When you have low levels of methyl donors, it can result in high levels of homcysteine and reduced metabolism in liver, among other things. Betaine can be found in spinach, beets, and shellfish.