*This is Part II of this edition of the BDP newsletter, and some passages are repeated. Part I was previously released on December 29, 2003.

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What’s a set, and why does it matter?

A set is composed of multiple reps, or cycles, of an exercise performed consecutively. Most people who are into weightlifting know there are multiple types of sets that can be performed and are almost certainly familiar with doing warmup sets, straight sets, and failure sets, even if they don't know what to call them.

If you’re doing some kind of resistance training, understanding the different set types will enable you to improve your sessions by making them safer and more varied in terms of intensity, timing, and technique. Just as importantly, it’ll keep your sessions interesting. After all, it becomes extremely hard to keep achieving gains in your physique or physical capacities if you’re doing the same tired exercises and set types every time you train.

Please note that these six set types in Part II are a bit more advanced and would probably be used less frequently than those in Part I. They’re listed in alphabetical order for simplicity.

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AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)
A timed set in which you perform as many reps of an exercise as possible before time is up. AMRAP is a form interval training that is good for improving your cardiovascular endurance in particular, and your strength to a lesser degree. This is because the focus of AMRAP is performing a massive number of repetitions, which means the load needs to be moderated. (Vitality, 2020) Although there are no built-in rest periods, if you rep until failure with time still remaining, you are permitted to rest briefly during the set and then resume repping as soon as you recover enough energy to do so. (MasterClass, 2021)

Sample AMRAPs:
●Cycle of 5 pullups + 10 pushups + 10 squats + 5 sit-ups for 10 minutes
●Maximum possible reps of seated leg extensions within 90 seconds

Cluster Set
A set in which you perform a predetermined number of reps of an exercise, pause during the set for a moment (generally 10~45 seconds), and then perform another predetermined number of reps. This creates a clustered pattern of reps, called a subset, within a single set, which typically has at least two or three such pauses. (Tzur & Roberts, 2022) Importantly, the pauses are not necessarily taken at the point of muscular failure but rather after you perform the predetermined number of reps, regardless of whether you have repped until failure or not.

The key characteristic of a cluster set is the interruption of accumulated muscle fatigue while the set is in progress, which allows you to resume repping with greater power (i.e., explosiveness) than would be possible if you were performing the entire set with no pauses between reps. Due to mitigated muscle fatigue, you are also able to maintain better form throughout the entire set, handle heavier weight, and perform more total reps per set than when performing a straight set. (Cheung N., 2022) However, cluster sets provide no significant advantage in terms of achieving gains in strength or muscle size compared to compared to straight sets. (Davies, Tran, Hogan, Haff, & Latella, 2021)

Sample cluster sets:
●9 total reps of bent-over dumbbell rows divided into 3 subsets (3 reps each) with 10-second rest intervals in between
●16 total reps of squats divided into 4 subsets (=4 reps each) with 15-second rest intervals in between

Drop Set
A single exercise you begin performing until failure at a relatively high amount of weight, and, without taking a break, adjust the weight lower and continue performing until failure. Ideally, maintain the cycle of adjusting the weight lower and repping until failure each time until you have no choice but to stop and rest.

Drop sets also allow you to pack more exercises into a shorter time frame on days when your time is limited or when you want to increase the density of a workout.

Sample drop sets:
●Barbell curls at 30 kg, 20 kg, 10 kg, and 5 kg, repping until failure at each weight
●Seated dumbbell shoulder presses at 26 kg, 22 kg, 18 kg, 12 kg, and 6 kg, repping until failure at each weight

Failure Set
A set in which you keep performing reps until concentric failure, which is the limit at which you can no longer complete another rep with the correct form. (Lee, 2023) Simply put, you keep repping until you have no choice but to take a rest.

Important: Have a spotter assist you when performing a failure set of an exercise where you might drop the weight on your body when you fail (e.g., bench press, squat). Broadly speaking, doing a failure set on a machine can be safer because most machines are designed to prevent the weight from collapsing onto your body.

Sample failure sets:
●Set of chin-ups, repping until failure
●Set of leg curls, repping until failure

Giant Set
A set of four exercises targeting the same muscle that you perform in succession with little to no rest in between. Performing giant sets acutely fatigues the muscle, burns fat, and improves your cardiorespiratory fitness. (Schildhouse, 2022) Due to the lack of recovery time between exercises, giant sets are not conducive to maxing out the amount of weight you’re lifting and increasing your strength, but rather more effective for achieving hypertrophic gains. (Dale, 2022) As such, they’re good for increasing the size of a muscle that is underdeveloped and correcting imbalances in your physique.

Sample giant sets:
●5 reps of back squats + 10 reps of walking dumbbell lunges + 10 reps of leg extensions + 5 reps of leg presses (muscles targeted: quadriceps)
●12 reps of preacher curls + 10 reps of pronated barbell curls + 10 reps of chin-ups + 7 reps of spider curls (muscles targeted: biceps, brachialis)

Tri-set
A set of three exercises performed in succession with little to no rest in between. You can target a single muscle group, opposing muscle groups (i.e., antagonistic pair), or two different parts of the body when performing a tri-set. Like giant sets, tri-sets are more effective for achieving hypertrophic gains than increasing strength because they focus more on training volume than maximizing weight. They can also raise your cardiorespiratory capacity, muscle endurance, and the intensity of your workout because you’ll pack more exercises into a shorter time frame on days when your time is limited or when you want to increase the density of a workout. (Endres, 2020)

Sample tri-sets:
●10 reps of pullups + 12 reps of lat pulldowns + 10 reps of seated rows *for single muscle group (back/lats)
●10 reps of incline bench presses + 10 reps of inverted rows + 10 reps of flat bench dumbbell flies *for opposing muscle groups (chest and back)
 

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References:

Cheung, N. (2022, May 12). Cluster Sets: What Are They? How To Use? (Complete Guide). Retrieved December 12, 2023, from powerliftingtechnique.com: https://powerliftingtechnique.com/cluster-sets/

Dale, P. (2022, September 16). Giant Sets for Building Muscle: What, Why, and How to Use Them. Retrieved December 28, 2023, from fitnessvolt.com: https://fitnessvolt.com/giant-sets/

Davies, T., Tran, D., Hogan, C., Haff, G., & Latella, C. (2021). Chronic Effects of Altering Resistance Training Set Configurations Using Cluster Sets: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Auckland, NZ: Sports Medicine. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01408-3

Endres, L. F. (2020, August 28). What is a Tri-Set? Retrieved December 12, 2023, from wegetfitdone.com: https://www.wegetfitdone.com/post/what-is-a-tri-set#:~:text=Updated%3A%20Dec%208%2C%202020%20A%20tri-set%20is%20a,an%20adequate%20rest%20between%20tri-sets%2C%20usually%201-5%20minutes.

Lee, K. (2023, June 29). What Does Failure Mean In Exercise? Retrieved December 12, 2023, from faq.keleefitness.com: https://faq.keleefitness.com/what-does-failure-mean-in-exercise/

MasterClass. (2021, October 30). AMRAP Guide: What Is an AMRAP Workout? Retrieved December 28, 2023, from masterclass.com: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/amrap-guide

Schildhouse, J. (2022, September 23). 3 Big Moves: Drop Sets, Supersets and Giant Sets. Retrieved December 28, 2023, from oxygenmag.com: https://www.oxygenmag.com/training-tips-for-women/drop-sets-supersets-giant-sets-10196/#:~:text=Giant%20sets%20increase%20the%20intensity%20of%20a%20workout,to%20burn%20fat%20and%20boost%20the%20cardiorespiratory%20response.

Tzur, A., & Roberts, B. (2022, October 10). What is a Cluster Set? A Complete Guide. Retrieved December 12, 2023, from sci-fit.net: https://sci-fit.net/cluster-set/

Vitality. (2020, July 22). What is an AMRAP workout and why is it so good for you? Retrieved December 28, 2023, from vitality.co.uk: https://www.vitality.co.uk/magazine/what-is-an-amrap-workout-and-why-is-it-so-good-for-you/

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Go to the Bounce Pep Dictionary

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What’s a set, and why does it matter?

A set is composed of multiple reps, or cycles, of an exercise performed consecutively. Most people who are into weightlifting know there are multiple types of sets that can be performed and are almost certainly familiar with doing warmup sets, straight sets, and failure sets, even if they don't know what to call them.

If you’re doing some kind of resistance training, understanding the different set types will enable you to improve your sessions by making them safer and more varied in terms of intensity, timing, and technique. Just as importantly, it’ll keep your sessions interesting. After all, it becomes extremely hard to keep achieving gains in your physique or physical capacities if you’re doing the same tired exercises and set types every time you train.

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How many different kinds of sets are there?

There’s no universally agreed number of set types, but this edition of the BPD newsletter will be divided into two parts since there are so many. In total, twelve set types will be covered, including the six below in Part I and another six in Part II of this newsletter, to be released at a later date.

The first six set types that follow in Part I are generally the ones you would use as staples of your training regimen. These are basic and intermediate-level set types, and they’re listed in alphabetical order for simplicity. Part II will feature set types that are a bit more advanced and would probably be used less frequently than those in Part I.

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Compound Set
A set of two exercises targeting the same muscle group, performed in succession with little to no rest in between. The second exercise is often performed at a lower load than the first due to the muscular fatigue accumulated during the first exercise. (Luna, 2023) You can perform compound sets to increase your muscular endurance and strength. They’re also good for providing extra stimulation to an underdeveloped muscle group. (Lerwill, 2017)

Sample compound sets:
●10 reps of leg presses + 10 reps of leg extensions
●12 reps of skull crushers + 12 reps of triceps rope pulldowns

Straight Set
A round of sets you perform with the same number of reps and using the same weight for all the sets. GVT (German Volume Training), for example, is based primarily on performing straight sets with regular rest intervals in between. The amount of weight you lift during a straight set can be heavy, moderate, or light, depending on whether you are trying to increase strength, power, muscle size, or muscle endurance.

Sample straight sets:
●3 sets of 12 reps of pullups at bodyweight
●5 sets of 10 reps of biceps curls using 20-pound dumbbells

Superset
A set of two exercises targeting either opposing muscle groups (i.e., antagonistic pair) or two different parts of the body, performed in succession with little to no rest in between. You can perform supersets to induce hypertrophy, improve your cardiorespiratory capacity, and increase the intensity of your workout. Supersets also allow you to pack more exercises into a shorter time frame on days when your time is limited or when you want to increase the density of a workout.

Sample supersets:
●10 reps of leg extensions + 10 reps of leg curls *for opposing muscle groups (quadriceps and hamstrings)
●15 reps of chest presses + 15 reps of lat pulldowns *for different parts of body (chest and back)

Top Set
A set you perform at the highest weight or load for a given exercise. Since “load” is not always the same thing as weight, a top set could even be a timed set or AMRAP. The aim is to work at the peak intensity level for that exercise on that day. Since the difficulty of a top set can fluctuate from day to day based on your fatigue levels and nutrition, another reason you would perform a top set is to evaluate your preparedness and capacity for physical exertion on that day. (Cheung N. , 2022)

Top sets should feel difficult enough to perform—for example, 85% of your one-rep max—so that it’s not possible to do more than a few reps without resting. Typically, performing one or two sets will suffice. Therefore, you can include some working sets, usually after but perhaps even before your top sets, to increase your volume of training.

Sample top sets:
●1~3 reps of bench presses at 90% of 1RM
●3~5 reps of squats at 85% of 1RM

Warmup Set
A set of an exercise you perform with a light weight or load to practice the movement for good form and prime your nervous system, joints, and muscle group(s) you are targeting before proceeding to train with your working weights. A warmup set does not count towards your training volume or rep count during a workout session.

Sample warmup sets:
●15 reps of bench presses with 20-kg barbell with and no plates attached
●8 reps of dips at bodyweight (before attaching dip belt for weighted dips)

Working Set
A set of an exercise you perform for a certain number of reps with a load that is challenging but a bit less taxing than your top set, with the intent of completing multiple sets. They’re usually performed following a warmup set and provide the majority of your training volume. The load should be appropriate for you to maintain good form through each rep. (Johnson, n.d.)

Sample working sets:
●3 sets of 10 reps of seated rows at 75% of 1RM + 2 sets of 10 reps of seated rows at 60% of 1RM
●4 sets of 15 reps of machine hip abducts at 25 kg of resistance
 

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References:

Cheung, N. (2022, May 12). Top Sets vs Straight Sets vs Working Sets: How To Use Them? Retrieved December 12, 2023, from powerliftingtechnique.com: https://powerliftingtechnique.com/top-sets-straight-sets-working-sets/

Johnson, J. (n.d.). Weightlifting 101: What is a Working Set and How to Use It. Retrieved December 28, 2023, from lifttilyadie.com: https://lifttilyadie.com/what-is-a-working-set-in-weightlifting/

Lerwill, S. (2017, March 13). Compound Sets. Retrieved December 12, 2023, from seanlerwill.com: https://www.seanlerwill.com/compound-sets/

Luna, D. (2023, April 12). Superset vs Compound Sets: Differences in Training Explained. Retrieved December 12, 2023, from inspireusafoundation.org: https://www.inspireusafoundation.org/superset-vs-compound-sets/#:~:text=A%20compound%20set%20is%20the%20performance%20of%20two,that%20ordinary%20training%20set%20methods%20struggle%20to%20replicate.

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Go to the Bounce Pep Dictionary

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What are they, and why do you need them?

A mitochondrion (plural: mitochondria) is one of the organelles of a cell. An organelle is a specialized part of a cell that fulfills a particular function. The main job of mitochondria is to produce energy for biochemical reactions and metabolic processes in cells. The main effect you feel from mitochondria functioning properly is having energy available to move your body, think, and keep your organs functioning. The cells in organs that require a lot of energy, such as muscles and the liver, have a relatively high quantity of mitochondria. (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2023)

In fact, mitochondria do a lot more than just produce energy, and it cannot all be covered here. However, their roles in cell destruction and repair are briefly discussed below as well.

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How do they produce energy?

You can think of mitochondria as the digestive system of a cell. (BYJU'S, 2023) When you eat food, mitochondria break it down into nutrients to release the energy to carry out biochemical reactions inside the cells of your body. That process is called oxidative phosphorylation, which is combining a substance with oxygen and adding a phosphate molecule to it, and the molecules of energy produced by mitochondria are called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

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They giveth and they taketh away.

Mitochondria truly power life. You might then be surprised to know that they also decide when to kill cells inside your body. To ward off ailments such as cancer, for example, old or damaged cells need to be purged from the body and replaced by healthy ones. Mitochondria release a compound called cytochrome C, which in turn triggers an enzyme, or a protein that speeds up metabolic processes within a cell, that promotes the destruction of unhealthy cells. That process is known as apoptosis.

However, it’s not always necessary to throw the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. Through a different process called mitophagy, mitochondria can help repair damaged cells instead of destroying them altogether. Mitophagy works by removing unhealthy organelles within a cell while it’s still not too late to save the cell. The removed organelles are then regenerated to reinvigorate the health of the cell. (Oliveira A, 2021)

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Why spending energy creates even more energy

Exercise is known to be a natural and effective way to increase the quantity of mitochondria in your body’s cells through a process called mitochondrial biogenesis. (Golen T, 2021) Think about that for a second. If mitochondria are directly responsible for producing the energy molecule ATP, and if exercising naturally leads to an increase in the quantity of mitochondria in your body, then exercising naturally increases your overall energy levels. (Mateo, 2020)

Another thing to know about exercise’s effect on mitochondria is that mitochondria join together in a reticulum, or network, within your skeletal muscle via a process called fusion. (Oliveira A, 2021) By creating new mitochondria through exercise, the reticulum grows longer and larger, resulting in stronger, healthier muscles. Think about that for a moment as well. The stronger you become, the less strenuous mundane physical tasks become, leading you to perceive having higher energy levels.

So, while it may be counterintuitive, spending energy won’t deplete it, assuming you continue to eat and take in adequate nutrients to keep your body’s cells nourished. Mitochondria, by and large, respond favorably to the physical exertion required from training, with increased mitochondrial respiration that leads to better muscle endurance. (Huertas J, 2019) This is why, for someone who’s sedentary and wants to start feeling more energetic, taking the initiative to exercise vigorously is a natural and proven way to overcome a low-energy state.

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References:

BYJU'S. (2023). Mitochondria. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from byjus.com: https://byjus.com/biology/mitochondria/

Golen T, R. H. (2021, July 1). Does exercise really boost energy levels? Retrieved October 11, 2023, from Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/does-exercise-really-boost-energy-levels

Huertas J, C. R. (2019). Stay Fit, Stay Young: Mitochondria in Movement: The Role of Exercise in the New Mitochondrial Paradigm. Hindawi. doi:10.1155/2019/7058350

Mateo, A. (2020, December 17). 5 Ways to Boost Your Mitochondrial Capacity. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from www.bicycling.com: https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a34825600/5-ways-to-boost-your-mitochondrial-capacity/

National Human Genome Research Institute. (2023, October 9). Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms / Mitochondria. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from www.genome.com: https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mitochondria#:~:text=Mitochondria%20Mitochondria%20are%20membrane-bound%20cell%20organelles%20%28mitochondrion%2C%20singular%29,triphosphate%20%28ATP%29.%20Mitochondria%20contain%20their%20own%20small%20chromos

Oliveira A, R. B. (2021). Exercise Is Muscle Mitochondrial Medicine. York University, Muscle Health Research Centre, School of Kinesiology and Health Science. Toronto, Ontario: American College of Sports Medicine. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000250

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Go to the Bounce Pep Dictionary

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First things first.

Right off the top, you should know that highly processed foods (pre-packaged salty and sugary snacks, breakfast cereals, frozen or instant meals, soft drinks, fruit juices, white bread, etc.) have a high glycemic index (GI). This is because they’re full of simple carbohydrates, which are sugars made up of one or two molecules that can be digested and released into the blood stream quickly. On the other hand, whole foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains tend to have a low GI because they’re complex carbohydrates made of long strings of molecules, and heavy processing and refining have not removed their fiber and nutrients. Fiber in particular slows digestion and therefore slows down the release of sugar into the blood stream.

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So, what is the glycemic index anyway?

Glycemia is the presence of sugar in the bloodstream, and the glycemic index is a measure of how quickly particular foods, specifically carbohydrates, get digested and release sugar into the bloodstream. David Jenkins, M.D., is a scientist at the University of Toronto who led the team that introduced the glycemic index in 1981. (Shamard Charles, 2022) It’s graded on a scale from 0 to 100. 55 or lower is considered low, 56 to 69 is medium, and 70 or above is high, with 100 being equivalent to pure glucose.

A low GI correlates with lower spikes in blood sugar. Foods that have no carbs, such as meats, fish, poultry, seeds, and nuts, are excluded from the glycemic index. The ideal, especially for people at risk or already dealing with blood sugar issues such as diabetes, is to eat more foods with a low GI and fewer with a high GI. However, GI can present a misleading picture of how likely a food is to affect your blood sugar levels, so looking at glycemic load provides a more practical yardstick.

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What, then, is glycemic load?

Some limitations of GI are that it doesn’t account for portion sizes or the overall nutritional contribution of foods. Because portion sizes aren't considered, GI can’t estimate how much a particular food will raise your blood sugar, which is really what you want to know. Glycemic load (GL) partially rectifies this by considering the typical serving sizes of different foods, together with their GI, to quantify the expected effect on blood sugar levels when foods are eaten in a real-world situation.

GL is calculated as GI multiplied by the grams of carbs in a serving size divided by 100, or GL = GI x available carbs (g) ÷ 100. A GL of 10 or less is low, 11 to 19 is moderate, and 20 or more is high. (Michelle Severs, 2023) The result is that many foods, such as fruits and vegetables, with a high GI turn out to have a low GL, meaning they’re not likely to suddenly spike your blood sugar levels. See the tables below, and you’ll get the idea.


Graphs: Comparison of GI and GL for various sources of carbs. Source: Reproduced unmodified from Harvard Health. (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021)

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Do I need to be concerned about glycemic ratings every time I eat?

It depends. If your dietary preferences skew heavily towards refined carbs and sugar, and ultra-processed foods in particular (fast food, white bread, soda, pasta, breakfast cereal, pastries, fruit juice, pretzels, TV dinners, etc.), then monitoring your blood glucose levels could help to lower your risk of developing diabetes. Of course, if you already have diabetes, then monitoring and managing your blood glucose levels is a necessity, and it would be wise to have some knowledge of the GI and GL of specific foods. This also applies if you’re not necessarily diabetic but simply trying to lose weight.

If you are interested in managing your GI and GL more intently, pay attention to the characteristics and methods of preparation of the foods you eat. While they are not hard-and-fast rules, below are some general guidelines:

• High-fiber foods (peas, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) tend to have lower glycemic ratings because fiber slows down digestion and the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
  
  
• Highly processed foods (i.e., junk food and fast food) tend to have higher glycemic ratings.
  
  
• The riper a fruit becomes, the higher its glycemic rating is likely to be because the amount of resistant starch decreases. (Resistant starches are carbohydrates that resist being digested in the small intestine and pass into the large intestine, where they ferment and nourish healthy gut bacteria.)
  
  
• Fats and proteins, which are digested more slowly, tend to have lower glycemic ratings.
  
  
• The method of cooking can also affect a food’s glycemic ratings.

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References:
Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, November 16). Glycemic index for 60+ foods. Retrieved October 5, 2023, from www.health.harvard.edu: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

Michelle Severs, M. (2023). Glycemic Index vs. Glycemic Load: What’s the Difference? Retrieved September 28, 2023, from www.veri.co: https://www.veri.co/learn/glucose-glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-explained

Shamard Charles, M. M. (2022, February 2022). Difference Between Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from www.verywellhealth.com: https://www.verywellhealth.com/glycemic-index-vs-load-5214363
 

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Go to the Bounce Pep Dictionary

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What is it and why is it important?

As you grow from infancy and absorb calcium into your body, your bones continually grow stronger throughout your youth and early adulthood. That’s because bone density, or the solidity and mass of your bones, increases during those years as new bone tissue is added faster than old bone tissue breaks down. The process of breaking down old or damaged bones and replacing them with new ones is called remodeling. However, that building process peaks around age 30 and then naturally begins declining for the rest of your life, leading to a gradual loss of bone density as you get older.

Graph: Bone mass across the lifespan with optimal and suboptimal lifestyle choices. Source: Reproduced unmodified from Weaver et al. (C. M. Weaver, 2016)

A strong skeletal structure to hold your body upright requires healthy bone density. Bones are hard on the outside but not actually solid because they have tiny pores on the inside to allow proper blood flow. The consequence of low bone density is an increased risk of breaking your bones because they have become too porous inside and their outer walls have thinned. Osteopenia is the onset of low bone density, relative to the norm for your age, that’s a precursor to osteoporosis, which is a metabolic bone disease characterized by dangerously low bone density that can easily lead to fractures. Neither has a cure.

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Signs of low bone density

Knowing whether your bone density is low is a challenge because you can't see your own skeleton and certainly not what's happening inside your bones. For that reason, low bone density can develop over time with few clues, if any. However, if your height declines by 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) or more or your back begins to hunch, it could be a sign that you need to see a physician about your bone density. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022) Breaking a bone in a low-impact fall or collision would also be a clear warning sign.

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Can bone density be measured?

Yes, it can. Physicians perform a BMD (bone mineral density) test to measure the amount of calcium hydroxyapatite in your bones. Calcium hydroxyapatite is a form of calcium your body easily absorbs, and it accounts for roughly two-thirds of the weight of your bones. (Tutut Ummul Habibah, 2022) The test is performed by taking a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan of a section of bone, typically in the spine, hip area (the femur, specifically), or forearm, to then determine how many grams of calcium it contains, as those are the bones a person would most likely break due to osteoporosis. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022)

The test produces both a T-score and a Z-score. The T-score tells how your bone density compares to that of a healthy young adult of the same sex, regardless of your age at the time of the test. The Z-score compares your bone density to that of someone of the same age, sex, body type (height, weight, etc.), and ethnicity. For example, if your T-score is anything less than -1, it’s an indication of the onset of osteopenia or even osteoporosis.

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Why low bone density is a higher risk for women

Osteopenia, simply put, means that one’s bones are starting to become too porous. Left unchecked, it can progress to osteoporosis. Middle-aged women are at higher risk than men of developing these conditions because of the hormonal changes, particularly decreased estrogen, they go through post-menopause that lead to a significantly faster rate of bone density loss. In fact, women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. (National Council on Aging, 2022) That said, it doesn’t mean that men aren’t at risk for low bone density as well. The fact remains that the gradual loss of bone density due to aging occurs in both sexes.

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Vitamins, minerals, and dietary choices that aid bone density and health

In terms of your diet, vitamins and minerals work interdependently, so you need to be eating a variety of healthy foods and covering as many bases as you can. For your bone health, consume foods with calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, protein, phosphorous, and zinc.

Your body needs to keep enough calcium in the bloodstream, or else it will siphon calcium out of your bones. That, of course, would cause your bones to grow more porous and weaker. Some good sources of calcium are beans, broccoli, dairy, kale, nuts, spinach, seafood such as sardines, and seeds.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium so it can be supplied to the bloodstream. Not only does it regulate the amount of calcium in the bloodstream, but it also regulates the amount of phosphorous. Many people don't realize it, but the best way to get vitamin D is by going outside. Your body absorbs vitamin D directly from sunlight, making regular walks outdoors doubly beneficial. Vitamin D is not widely available from food sources, but you can get some from cod liver oil, eggs, herring, milk fortified with vitamin D, salmon, and sardines. Plant sources of vitamin D are scarce, with the exception of some kinds of mushrooms that receive a lot of sunlight exposure.

Magnesium is a mineral vital to synthesizing the aforementioned vitamin D. Without magnesium, vitamin D is not bioavailable (i.e., absorbed and usable by the body) and will simply be stored inside your body. Avocados, bananas, beans, fish, legumes, nuts (especially cashews and almonds), seeds, spinach, and whole grains supply good amounts of magnesium.

Most people know protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle, but it’s less well known that it’s essential for bone health as well. 35% of bone is actually made of protein (Andrea L. Darling, 2020), and when you work out, protein provides the amino acids to build both muscle and bone mass at the same time. Asparagus, beans, beef, broccoli, dairy, fish, legumes, nuts, poultry, seeds, tofu, and whole grains are some good sources of protein.

85% of the mineral phosphorous in your body is contained in your bones (Colby J. Vorland, 2017), and it’s readily available from food sources, so there is very little risk of having a phosphorous deficiency. It’s abundantly available in beans, dairy, lentils, liver (especially chicken), nuts, pork, poultry, seafood, seeds, and whole grains.

Zinc plays multiple roles in your bone health. It prevents existing bone from deteriorating and helps new bone form. It also boosts your immune system and mitigates inflammation that can cause damage to your bones. Zinc is commonly found in asparagus, chicken, beans, beef, dairy, eggs, lamb, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, pork, seafood, seeds, turkey, and whole grains.

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Could I be unknowingly doing things to increase my risk?

Yes, and a lot of people are, in fact. Most people think rarely, if ever, about their bone density, and as mentioned earlier, the loss of bone density is not visible to the naked eye, so it’s easy to be oblivious to it. Some common risk factors under your control are smoking, alcoholism, low-calorie diets and diets deficient in calcium and vitamins, an unhealthy weight (either too low or too high), and a low-energy, sedentary lifestyle.

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How to lower your risk through activity

Obviously, you want to go in the opposite direction from the risk factors above. Our first recommendation is that you engage in strength training on a regular basis. This point cannot be overstated because bones rebuild themselves stronger as an adaptation to bearing heavy loads, allowing you to significantly slow the rate of bone density loss as you get older.

Another even simpler thing you can do is just walk a lot. Whenever you walk, your skeleton supports all your weight, which helps to keep your bones strong. Here again, your bones will adapt to the loads you place on them. So, unless you have a physical impairment that prevents it, you should make it a habit to walk more often. That includes taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator as well.

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References:

Andrea L. Darling, D. J.-N. (2020, November 13). Dietary protein and bone health: towards a synthesised view. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665120007909

C. M. Weaver, C. M. (2016, February 9). The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s position statement on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors: a systematic review and implementation recommendations. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3440-3

Colby J. Vorland, M. E. (2017, October). Effects of Excessive Dietary Phosphorus Intake on Bone Health. doi:10.1007/s11914-017-0398-4

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, September 21). Bone density test. Retrieved September 13, 2023, from www.mayoclinic.org: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-density-test/about/pac-20385273

National Council on Aging. (2022, May 12). What Is Bone Density? A Practical Guide for Older Adults. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from www.ncoa.org: https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-bone-density-a-practical-guide-for-older-adults

Tutut Ummul Habibah, D. V. (2022, September 12). Hydroxyapatite Dental Material. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513314/
 

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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What is it?

Intense exercise, particularly when it involves resistance training such as weightlifting, breaks muscle proteins down into the amino acids they’re made of. That process of muscle protein degradation, or muscle loss, is known as muscle protein breakdown (MPB). But during exercise, MPB stimulates a natural, counteracting metabolic process called muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which creates new protein to repair the damaged muscles. As such, MPB must occur before MPS can. Intense exercise always stimulates more MPS than MPB, resulting in muscle growth, or hypertrophy.

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What happens when MPS and MPB are equal?

Basically, nothing. When your MPS and MPB balance out, you’re simply in a state of homeostasis, or equilibrium, meaning that you’re neither gaining nor losing muscle mass. The difference between MPS and MPB is called your net muscle protein balance (NBAL). If it’s positive, it means your MPS is greater than your MPB and you’re building more muscle. The reverse is true if it’s negative.

Note that low-intensity exercise typically does not cause muscle damage and will not stimulate MPS. This is why people who leisurely work out don’t develop bigger muscles, although they might achieve small gains in strength and muscle endurance by doing so. Therefore, if you want to become more muscular, the key is to work out with relatively heavy weights and resistance and embrace the discomfort that comes along with it. In fact, the greater the intensity of your workout, the more it stimulates MPS. As a guidepost for weightlifting, lifting less than 40% of your 1-rep max is unlikely to increase your MPS. (Leal, 2022) The old adage "no pain, no gain" is the truth about improving your physique.

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Can you intentionally increase MPS relative to MPB?

Yes, you can. As explained, MPS occurs naturally inside your body as a result of strenuous exercise and resistance training in particular. However, even though it’s a natural process, you can increase it by training harder and, more specifically, by applying the principles of progressive overload:

1. Volume (increase the number of reps and sets)
2. Intensity (increase the weight or the time under tension)
3. Density (reduce rest time between sets)
4. Frequency (work out more frequently)

In addition, consuming protein after an intense workout feeds MPS by providing a source of amino acids that bind to your skeletal muscle proteins. A good rule of thumb is to consume 0.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight within an hour after a workout. (ISSA, 2022) But it’s also true that a good workout will sensitize your muscles to amino acids for at least the next 24 hours. So consuming protein any time within 24 hours after your workout is likely to contribute to synthesizing more proteins that increase your muscle mass. (Oliver C. Witard, 2022)

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Not to be confused with the "pump.”

Keep in mind that the hypertrophic effects of MPS are generally not visible from one training session to the next. When you experience hyperemia, or the “pump,” during and immediately after a workout, it’s just the sensation of your muscles swelling due to increased blood flow to the muscle group(s) you’re working out at the time. It is not the actual repair and growth of skeletal muscle tissue, which is what MPS does. MPS is a lagging indicator of intense training, and you must train consistently over a period of weeks or months before changes in muscle mass become noticeable to the naked eye.

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References:

ISSA. (2022, December 2022). Muscle Protein Synthesis: What It Is and How to Maximize It. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from www.issaonline.com: https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/muscle-protein-synthesis-what-it-is-and-how-to-maximize-it

Leal, D. (2022, October 17). Is Muscle Protein Synthesis the Same as Growth? Retrieved August 08, 2023, from verywellfit.com: https://www.verywellfit.com/muscle-protein-synthesis-and-muscle-growth-4148337

Oliver C. Witard, L. B. (2022). Making Sense of Muscle Protein Synthesis: A Focus on Muscle Growth During Resistance Training. Human Kinetics, Inc. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. doi:https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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What are they?

There is no universally agreed definition of “ultra-processed.” However, a team of researchers led by Brazilian scientist Carlos A. Monteiro produced a working definition in 2009 when they devised the NOVA system to classify food types by their degree of processing. They defined ultra-processed food as “industrial formulations made mostly or entirely with substances extracted from foods, often chemically modified, and from additives, with little if any whole food added.” (Brown, 2022)

Basically, they’re relatively cheap, edible concoctions, usually packaged in plastic and/or boxed, that are produced through industrial processes for mass consumption. In most cases, they are ready to eat or require minimal preparation by the consumer, such as heating in a microwave, boiling briefly, etc. Extrusion (forcing food ingredients through a small hole to form them into shapes) and hydrogenation (adding hydrogen to harden oils or extend the shelf life of a product) are some common processing methods. As such, they are not something you would be able to produce in your own kitchen.

Some typical UPFs:
Breads (not homemade or bakery-made)
Breakfast cereals
Candy
Canned soup
Chicken nuggets
Cookies
Corn chips
Crackers
Energy drinks
Fast food (generally)
Fish sticks
Frozen pizzas
Fruit drinks
Ice Cream
Jam
Jelly
Margarine
Plant-based meat substitutes
Potato chips
Protein bars
Reconstituted meats (bologna, sausage, hot dogs, etc.)
Soda pop
Soy milk
TV dinners
Vegetable oils (canola, corn, soybean, safflower, palm, sunflower oils, or blends of these oils)

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What’s in them? (And what’s not?)

UPFs typically contain little, if any, whole foods and plenty of chemical additives to increase shelf life and add flavor, texture, aroma, and color. Sugar, salt, saturated fat levels, and calorie density (the number of calories for a given weight of food) tend to be quite high. They often contain large amounts of refined carbohydrates as well. You can identify a UPF by reading the ingredients on its packaging, which will include various chemicals most people can barely pronounce correctly and don’t understand.

The chain of processes a UPF undergoes removes most of the fiber and nutrients and breaks down the cell structure of any natural food ingredients it contains. Producers compensate for the lack of nutrients by fortifying UPFs, which is the practice of adding vitamins and minerals that don’t naturally occur in a product. (Of course, the fact that a product needs fortification suggests that it is intrinsically unhealthy.) However, the deficiency of fiber in UPFs enables the gut to digest them faster than whole foods, making them easy to overeat. In other words, they do not satisfy the appetite effectively. By contrast, the cellular structure of whole foods remains intact, so your gut understands how to digest them properly and more slowly, reducing your risk of overeating.

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You can eat them, but…

Eating UPFs in large amounts can cause chronic inflammation inside your body, and obesity and diabetes are correlated with a high intake of UPFs. The eye test confirms those outcomes as well, as large percentages of the population in the U.S. and the U.K. are visibly overweight. In fact, the majority of caloric intake in both the U.S., the U.K., and Canada now comes from UPFs. (Anthony, 2022) (Monteiro, 2019) In Australia, about 60% of packaged foods are ultra-processed. (Clemons, 2020)

UPFs can be quite tasty and convenient, hence their popularity. However, we recommend that you limit how much and how often you eat them. Long-term, it’s wiser to feed yourself whole, healthy foods more often and in greater proportions than UPFs. One tactic you can use is to avoid stocking a lot of UPFs in your home, as ready availability makes them all the more tempting. Instead, opt to buy fresh, whole ingredients at the grocery store and prepare meals from scratch as often as you can.

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References:

Anthony, A. (2022, October 16). Fast food fever: how ultra-processed meals are unhealthier than you think. Retrieved July 19, 2023, from www.theguardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/oct/16/ultra-processed-food-unhealthier-harder-to-avoid-than-you-thought

Brown, S. (2022, July 06). What Does "Ultra-Processed Food" Actually Mean? Retrieved July 18, 2023, from www.verywellhealth.com: https://www.verywellhealth.com/defining-ultra-processed-foods-is-debated-5509462

Clemons, R. (2020, September 15). Ultra-processed food and why its bad for you. Retrieved July 18, 2023, from www.choice.com.ua: https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/nutrition/nutrition-advice/articles/ultra-processed-food

Monteiro, C. (2019). Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. University of São Paulo, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/S1368980018003762

*This newsletter has not been authored in whole or in part by any artificial intelligence tools.

*No content on this site, regardless of source or date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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Go to the Bounce Pep Dictionary