Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 1

NASM®: True Metabolic Conditioning Fabio Comana, MA., MS., NASM CPT, CES & PES; ACE CPT & LWMC; ACSM HFS, NSCA CSCS; CISSN

National Academy of Sports Medicine – fabio.comana@nasm.org

What is metabolism?

Complex series of life-sustaining chemical reactions that are all finely regulated by enzymes to

maintain a constant set of conditions within cells – homeostasis. Allows organisms to grow,

reproduce, and function via:

o Catabolism – break down organic matter in order to sustain life.

o Anabolism – use of energy to construct components of cells or store energy reserves.

Reality: Client only cares about how to burn more calories to lose weight and attain a desired

body shape.

NOTES

Why do most exercise (choice or obligation)?

Improve overall health and fitness?

Trade-off for eating behaviors?

To burn calories for weight loss?

Is exercise really enough?

Measure Men

(195.5 lbs. / 88.9 Kg)

Women

(166.2 lbs. / 75.5 Kg)

Weekly Kcal Goal (Health) 1,000 kcal 1,000 kcal

Weekly Kcal Goal (Weight

Loss) 2,000 kcal 2,000 kcal

Daily Caloric Intake 2,502 kcal / day 1,778 kcal / day

Weekly Caloric Total 17,514 kcal / week 12,446 kcal / week

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 2

A New Global Approach v. Traditional Local Approach

168 hours in a week:

o 49 – 56 hours spent sleeping

o 3 – 5 hours spent exercising o Remaining 107 – 116 hours? – Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

NOTES

Application into Practice

Measured Parameter Male (195.5 lbs.) Female (166.2 lbs.)

Kcal expended sitting (light office work) 2.3 kcal / minute 2.0 kcal / minute

Kcal expended standing (light office work) 3.6 kcal / minute 3.3 kcal / minute

Adding 2 hours standing / work day 192 more kcal / day 156 more kcal / day

Weight change in one year (260 days) 14.3 lbs. 11.6 lbs.

Time to Retrain the Way we Think? Time to Rethink the Way we Train?

Trending: HIIT workouts – why?

Weight loss – potentially increased caloric burn during session + EPOC (afterburn)?

Time-efficiency – shorter workout sessions (as short as 3 x 20 sec)?

o Up to 90 % less training volume (amount of work performed).

o Up to 67 % lower training time.

Improved performance – aerobic and anaerobic improvements?

Improved health – blood glucose control?

Increased metabolism – fat burning ability?

Big Question: Are you delivering HIIT programs or HVIT Programs?

HIIT = High-intensity (Movement Quality – performance).

o Work intervals > 3 – 4 minutes or work intervals < 75 % of maximal performance (i.e., 1RM

or VO2max) is not HIIT

o Body weight training is not HIIT – HVIT (Movement Quantity – calories?).

NEVER confuse maximal performance with maximal effort – very different!

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 3

HIIT Example: (> 75% of maximal performance (1RM test)

Goal: Improve performance

SS: Bb Clean and Press (45-sec) + Bb Side Lunges (30-sec each way)?

~ 105 seconds of work = 1:3 (315 sec recovery) - generalized recovery – lactate buffer

Active Recovery:

o Light Movement – walking (30-sec)

o Plank walk-ups (40-sec) / Rotational Planks (40-sec) / transition.

o Single-leg Leg Swings and Hip Drivers (3D) (40-sec per leg) / transition.

o Turkish Get-up (40-sec each side) / transition

o Light Movement – walking (20-sec)

SS: Bb Deadlift (30-sec) + Standing Kb Rear Rotational Presses (30-sec / side)

NOTES

HVIT Example: (< 75% of maximal performance)

Goal: High work-rate – kcal burn?

SS: Burpees with OH Wall Ball (45-sec) + Push-ups (45-sec)

~ 90 seconds of work = 3:2 (60-sec) - Generalized recovery – lactate buffer?

Active Recovery:

o Plank walk-ups (30-sec)

o Rotational Planks (30-sec) / transition.

SS: Box jumps (45-sec) + Pull-ups / Kips (45-sec)

Technique and injury?

Energy Systems:

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 4

NOTES

Recovery within

Blood !!!

Women – Physiological Differences:

Women have smaller concentrations of type II (fast-glycolytic) fibers

o 3.5 – 5.0 % less than men.

Reduced Glycolytic Capacity:

o Reduced glycogen loading capacity = less glycogen.

o Reduced glycolytic enzymes.

o Reduced LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) activity

* Men: For HIIT in women, use shorter intervals (<2 min) + shorter recoveries (1:2)

Anaerobic Systems – Performance Training Principles

Specificity utilizes the following variables (FITR / FIVR):

o Number of repetitions (F)

o Intensity (I)

o Interval duration (time – T / volume – V)

o Recovery length (R)

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 5

Potential consequence of movement quantity over quality: NOTES

What Happens if the Body Loses / Lacks this Relationship?

Step One: Law of Facilitation = ‘Dyskinesis’

o Compensation: Compromised stability to facilitate mobility.

o Compensation: Movement into other planes.

Example: Seated Leg Extension - why?

Example: Bird-dog - why?

Step Two: Increased potential for chronic injury

Effect of

Fatigue on

Form?

EPOC:

Influenced by intensity (1st) then duration (2nd).

~14 % of exercise energy (research don’t account for EPOC between intervals).

Consensus: 7 % of exercise energy up to 37 % (11 – 190 kcal).

o EPOC for light-to-moderate activity = almost 0 kcal.

Training Modalities (Intensity – Duration)

Tempo Training – continuous, aerobic exercise @ 70-85% VO2max: 30-60 min.

LSD Training – continuous, aerobic exercise @ 60-70% VO2max: 60+ min.

Split Routine Training – 2 to 4 HI bouts @ 70-85% VO2max: 15-20 min with 5-min to 6-hour

breaks

HIIT – HI bouts @ 80-90% VO2max + 3-min recovery bouts @ 30-40% VO2max: 30-60 min.

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 6

Supramaximal Interval Training (SIT) – 60-sec HI bouts @ 105-110% VO2max + 2-5 min

recovery: 15-20 intervals (Tabata?).

Heavy Resistance Training – 2-4 sets x 3-8 reps @ 80-90% 1RM + 2-3 min rest; 8-10 exercises.

HVIT / Circuit Resistance Training – 2-3 circuits x 10-12 reps @ 50% 1RM + 30-sec rest; 6-10

exercises.

NOTES

Hormonal Response to Resistance Training

Hypertrophy: 6 – 12 rep range to POF (67 – 85-90 % 1RM)

Strength: 1 – 5 rep range to POF (85 % + 1RM)

Power: 1 – 6 rep range, explosive (70 – 95 % 1RM)

Hormonal Response to Cardio

Increasing Lean Mass (2 – 4 lb.) = increased RMR (7-8%) = 100 kcal /day = 10½ lb. per year.

So How Do I Bulk Up?

Minimize/eliminate cardio (temporarily) – aerobic training inhibits satellite cell proliferation v.

additional expended calories.

Resistance Training:

o 4 sets x 6-12 reps to point of failure (67-70% to 85/90% 1RM).

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 7

o Slow eccentric tempos = muscle damage (DOMS experience?).

o Shorter recovery intervals = metabolic stress – never compromise form!!

o Larger muscle groups = greater post-exercise anabolic surge (TST, HGH)

o Allow 48 – 72 hours recovery between muscle group sessions.

o More experienced exercisers – drop down set format to overload all fibers

o 10 – 15 % reduction = Type II(b) – Type II(a) – Type I overload.

NOTES

Are women fearful of bulking up? Myth or Reality?

So How do I Shape and Tone?

Increase overall caloric burn – higher work-rates (HVIT or Power Endurance)

o Multi-joint, compound exercises.

o Integrated training format design – shorter bouts, shorter recoveries.

o Superset or circuit format.

o Cardio?

Target Type 1 or Type II fibers?

o High-volume, low-intensity = Type I fibers (endurance + little growth).

o Low-volume, high-intensity = Type II fibers (strength, size, but little kcal burn).

NASM OPT Model

Phase 1: Stabilization Endurance Training

Foundational:

o Improved stability – neuromuscular efficiency, intramuscular / inter-muscular coordination.

o Improved mobility.

o Improved muscular endurance.

Programming:

o Higher volume + appropriate recoveries (2-3 sets x 12+ reps).

o Progress to proprioceptively enriched or controlled-unstable environments.

Developed by Fabio Comana, MA., MS., ® All rights Reserved Page 8

Phase 2: Strength Endurance Training

Hybrid phase – improves muscular strength (hypertrophy, strength) + increased stabilization

endurance under fatigue (builds good form).

HVIT – alternate type II / I training:

Superset format:

o Stable strength exercise (type II).

o Biomechanically similar stabilization exercise (type I)

NOTES

Phase 5: Power Training

Power = strength x speed

Developed increased rate of sub-maximal force production

Hybrid – Power Endurance:

Superset format:

o Strength exercise

o High volume power (30-45% 1RM/10%+ BW)

HIIT or HVIT?

Identify your goal and train appropriately

Never compromise movement quality (technique) for movement quantity (reps or perceived kcal).

2 Important Rules Governing Programming

Exercise Experience: Physiological v. Psycho-emotional Impact?

o Ask.. Listen ..Understand… Respond.

o Are you Tell-orientated or Ask-orientated – Permission v. Assumption.

Train Smart or Train Hard?