What is Glutamine and What is It For?

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the human body, making up about 60% of the skeletal muscle amino acid pool. 

 

Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid, which means that normally our bodies don’t need it from our diet. Exogeneous glutamine (in other words, glutamine we supplement or consume in food) is essential only under certain conditions, which include stress, trauma, muscular dystrophy, and illness, which can decrease glutamine levels by up to 50% (in severe cases). Because glutamine is a precursor for the structural unit of DNA and RNA, rapidly dividing cells are most likely to suffer from a shortage.

When we aren’t experiencing stress, trauma, muscular dystrophy or illness, our body produces enough glutamine on its own to supply our needs. The major part of endogenously produced (in other words, stuff our body makes) glutamine comes from skeletal muscle. Vitamin B3 and B6 are necessary for the production of glutamine from glutamic acid.

Why is glutamine so important?

Glutamine is a vital fuel source for the intestines and immune system that helps to keep defenses up against microbes. By nourishing these cells, it maintains the integrity of the GI tract.

   Since the immune system is necessary for recovery from stress, glutamine may help during intense bouts of training. It may play a role in:

• Normalizing growth hormone
• Promoting glucose uptake after workouts
• Enhancing the hydration state of a muscle
• Reducing acid buildup with exercise (more on acid-base balance)

Yet it doesn’t seem that exercise decreases glutamine concentrations enough to compromise regular immune functions. This makes sense, since those who consume adequate energy from their diet tend to have a high glutamine intake. However, some people whose training and diet causes physical stress may benefit, e.g. people who are eating less food than necessary to modify body composition (in other words, dieting) or people whose training is extremely strenuous (such as elite athletes).

What you should know about glutamine

Where to find it

Cabbage and beets contain high concentrations of glutamine. (Eastern European grandmothers everywhere, rejoice! You have one more reason to encourage your “too skinny” grandchildren to eat the buraczki, borscht and holubtsi!) Other food sources include fish, beans and dairy.

Glutamine supplementation and dose

Typically, the consumption of any solo amino acid in high doses may hinder the assimilation of other amino acids. High doses of single amino acids can also result in bloating and diarrhea since they have osmotic properties. Yet glutamine supplements appear to be absorbed adequately and don’t create GI distress.

Glutamine supplementation has become routine to promote gut health in those with GI disorders, or those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other severe illnesses. Because glutamine has a rapid turnover rate, even high amounts (up to 30 grams each day) can be given without side effects. Most people will have a normalized plasma glutamine concentration by adding 20-25 grams over a 24 hour period.

In studies, glutamine supplement dosages have varied, including:

• 18 to 30 grams per day, by mouth
• 10 grams three times per day, by mouth
• 0.6 grams per kg of body weight per day (thus a 100 kg/220 lb person would consume 60 g daily)
• 14 grams of glutamine per day in combination with arginine and HMB for up to 24 weeks

Dr. Wilkins's personal experience: I have found that supplementing with Glutamine was most beneficial for me at 5-10 grams per day after workouts (especially long, hard ones lasting more than 30 minutes). I usually will supplement during times of high stress and when everyone around me is sick. If you are an endurance athlete, make glutamine a regular supplement for your longer training days and stay healthy.


Reprinted with permission of Precision Nutrition; John Berardi.

Take the 100 Day Burpee Challenge with Advanced Fitness

What is the 100 Day Burpee Challenge?

Beginning Monday, January 9th, we are going to do one burpee on day one and add one each day until we get to 100 burpees on the 100th day! See a burpee performed here.

Send us an email at info@fit224.com or text your trainer so we can get you registered. We will send you a tracking sheet. Anyone who completes the challenge will get an Advanced Fitness workout t-shirt.

The rules to the challenge are very easy. On day 1, you would perform 1 burpee. On day 2, do 2 burpees and so on and so on until day 100. You don't have to perform all of the burpees at the same time though. You can partition them (break them up) and do them throughout the day or in different sets. But don't miss a day of burpees. If you miss a day, you have to make the burpees up the next day which is a tall order. So if you miss day 60, on day 61 you would make up the 60 burpees that you missed then do 61 burpees.

A couple of other rules are if you perform burpees in a regular workout (separate from the challenge and thank you Everett, Kelly or Vicki) you can count those towards your total for that day. Also, if you want to start the challenge, you don't have to start on day one. All you have to do is "buy in" the number of burpees you missed up to that day. So if you wanted to start on day 15 you would have to do 120 burpees on your first day! The next day would be day 16 so you'd do 16, then 17 and so on. A "buy in" on day 10 would only be 55 burpees (10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1).

Track Your Progress As You Go

Over the course of 100 days you will perform a total of 5050 burpees. That is a lot! Track your progress by timing how long it takes you on days 20, 60, 80 and 100. If you are a burpee stud, you should be able to complete 100 burpees in less than 8 minutes. Anything under 10 minutes is amazing and less than 5 minutes is out of this world and only possible for a select few people.

Take a little pleasure knowing that you are not the only one doing this. Misery loves company.

Burpee Challenge Form Standards:

1. Start out standing, then move into a deep squat position by shifting your hips back and down. Then place your with hands on the ground in front of your feet. Keep your back straight.

2. Kick feet out behind you into the top of the push-up portion of the burpee. Your body should be straight and tight in a flat plank.

3. Lower your body into the lowest part of a push-up. Your chest and thighs should ultimately touch the ground at the same time. Remember to keep your whole body, especially your midline, tight. While throwing your body on the ground and therefore touching both chest and thighs to the ground is acceptable by some standards, we feel that more is to be gained from doing a strict push-up in this Challenge.

4. Push up into the top of the push-up position again.

5. Jump your feet up to your hands into your starting position.

6. Jump into the air and clap your hands overhead so that your ear is exposed in front of your arms. Your feet should leave the ground.

The Rules (one more time):

1. Use our video to understand how to do a burpee and the description above (Burpee Form Standards).  

2. You can complete each day’s burpees all at once, or broken up and done at different times throughout the day

3. If for some reason you miss a day, you have to make up all the missed burpees the following day

4. If you don’t start the challenge with us today, you can “buy-in” at any time by doing ALL the missed day’s burpees on your first day

5. Any burpees you complete during your regular workout can count towards that day’s Challenge burpees, if you want them to

6. Have fun doing burpees and getting stronger doing it!

Follow us with this fun event on our facebook page here.

A little info about The Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

FMS for Exercise Professionals (Find a Certified FMS trainer below)

The FMS signifies an intuitive evolution of the fitness profession. The system is the product of years of innovation and groundbreaking research. The FMS provides a standardized approach to assessing fundamental movement, identifying limitations and asymmetries, and developing individualized corrective exercise programs.

The philosophy behind the FMS is rooted in the concept that, in order to maximize performance, the whole body must be functioning properly. When the body is considered as a chain of individual elements, it’s reasonable that a weak link weakens the entire chain. Ignoring a weak link increases the potential for disaster, and strengthening the wrong links will not improve the integrity of the chain. The FMS provides the means to identify and resolve any weak links that may be jeopardizing the body and its healthy motion.

The FMS is applicable to any population in fitness or sports conditioning. Its standardization streamlines assessment and makes recommending exercises more efficient. And the language of FMS makes it easy to communicate with physicians, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis and redundant work.

Benefits of the FMS

• Focus on the fundamentals of movement
• Facilitate communication with both clients and physicians
• Identify physical imbalances, limitations, and weaknesses
• Establish a functional baseline to mark progress
• Improve fundamental movement patterns with simple corrective exercises
• Individualize training and conditioning programs for specific results
• Reduce the potential for training and sports injuries

Orgainzations that Utilize the FMS (Functional Movement Screen)

Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Brigham Young University
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Indians
Cooper Institute
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts Mayo Clinic
Montreal Canadians
New York Jets
Oakland Raiders
Orange County Fire Department
San Francisco 49ers
Secret Services
Stanford University
Texas A&M University Recreational Sports
Toronto Blue Jays
United States Government Organizations
University of Georgia
United States Military
University of Maryland
University of Texas
University of Wisconsin

  

Find a Certified FMS trainer here in Pennsylvannia. You will see Advanced Fitness and Dr. John Wilkins, CSCS listed (owner of Advanced Fitness).

Advanced Fitness has been using the FMS to understand how to personal train clients in the most effective way possible. By identifying and rehabilitating movement deficits, you can ensure a person will be able to train at the highest level and get the best results.

Top 10 Fitness Myths

I came across this article a little while ago reading the news on my iPhone. It really hits the bulls-eye. Every day I appear to be doing battle with one of these Top 10 Fitness Myths. Briefly read through this list and check out the full version on the Foxnews.com website. If you read this list and have a hard time believing that any of these are myths, send us and email or comment on this list. We can offer some insight or answers on what to do.


The Top 10 Fitness Myths (summarized)


1. Static stretching decreases risk of injury
Pre-activity static stretching increase the risk for injury. This doesn't mean static stretching is not good. Static stretching should be a part of every persons recovery and rehabilitation plan.

2. Getting in shape is good for fat loss
Your body will accommodate to whatever training method you utilize after a certain time period. Doing your everyday aerobic video, run or body pump class will have diminishing returns after a little while and not provide the benefit of fat loss. Confuse the body as some infomercials say. If you're confused, email us.

3. Long-distance cardio is good for fat loss
The only people that should ever do long-distance cardio are competitive endurance athletes. For those of you that aren't competitive endurance athletes, pay close attention. Long distance cardio can do more to de-train your body than you may have imagined. Long duration cardio can cause a significant loss in lean body mass (muscle) which will make a person more prone to tendonitis. Also, if your lean body mass is diminishing, your ability to burn calories is diminishing too! Ask any marathoner about theit IT band or hamstrings. Also, marathon runners have been often compared to sprinters with regard to body fat composition and found to have a higher body fat percentage and less muscle. 

4. Pasta is the ultimate pre-workout meal
This was popular when I was watching the Flinstones and people still believe it today. Evere wonder why 2/3 of America is overweight, consider our infatuation with carbs. 

5. A quick jog and a few stretches is a sufficient warm-up
Not even close. But then again, why go with what works, stick to whatever your used to doing everyone else does. But actually, a dynamic warm-up is the best way to go. Ask Everett, Vicki, Kelly or myself about dynamic warm up.

6. More is better
Training more is not better. Running longer is not better. Adding another training day to your regime is not better. The key to improved athleticism and better performance lies in your bodies reaction to training. In order for your body to adapt, it needs sufficient recovery time.

7. Strength isn’t important for distance running
Why are endurance athletes always dealing with some type of ache or pain? It’s true that every distance runner doesn’t need to be and, well, shouldn’t be built like a powerlifter. With that said, every distance runner should be doing some form of resistance training. Google some images of sprinters and marathon runners, which one has more muscle.

8. Basketball shoes protect against injury
High-top basketball shoes were invented in an attempt to minimize the risk of rolling an ankle as a result of landing on someone’s foot. These shoes, which increasingly have ankle support that mirrors ski boots, effectively limit side-to-side ankle motion. A loss of normal movement at one joint (the ankle) will cause an increase in movement at an adjacent joint (the knee).

9. Squatting is bad for your knees
People that don't like to squat, have never learned to squat correctly or tend to be experts on things they know nothing about. Those anit-squatters hold this ancient belief that squatting is bad for your knees. The reality is that for most people, squatting is bad for their knees and here is why. The average person that I come across in my office doesn't squat correctly. So the average person is not a candidate for squatting in their workout. Throw the baby out with the bathwater. Who needs to squat? Well, do you ever expect to bend down to pick something up or sit down in a chair?

10. Crunches are the best way to get a six-pack
Everyone believes that to get great abs you need to work your abs. Hmmm. And just how fit is America? I could go on for days on how and why classical abdominal training is bad for you, but just ask one of our trainers.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/03/17/10-fitness-myths/#ixzz1HPve6S7K