This Saturday Ultimate Exercise manager Ed Garbe called to see if I could come down for a workout. Sort of a “can Doug come out and play” call. I was cleaning of the patio and was about to help Wendy clean out the garage. Wendy said “you should go…I’ll take care of the garage”. What a great wife! I had a great workout under Ed’s evil supervision. I did a “little 6” with modest TUL increases, but it felt much more intense with Ed’s supervision. I had a kink in my neck which I think was due to tapping on a computer screen (our new way of charting) for 4 straight days. I did the 4-way neck before may workout which seemed to eliminate the problem.

Heel Raise on MedX leg press
MedX abdominal
Nautilus plateload bicep
Tricep pushdown
Thick bar wrist flexion
Thick bar wrist extension

I have include another study about NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) that just came out. It appears that this observation holds true even in kids who have not yet developed the hormonal environment for what we believe is needed for optimal response to weight training. I see this in my own kids. On weeks where they ask to do their own workouts after I finish mine, they seem to crave physical activity in the days that follow. I truly believe that the epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle are the source for “the active genotype”.

For the next WOW, I would like to see if Doug Holland could send me a word file of the RT Edwards story. I think you all will find it interesting and inspiring.

Post your WOW’s and your thoughts
J Pediatr. 2010 Feb;156(2):242-6. Epub 2009 Oct 20.
High-intensity training increases spontaneous physical activity in children: a randomized controlled study.
Eiholzer U, Meinhardt U, Petrò R, Witassek F, Gutzwiller F, Gasser T.
Center for Pediatric Endocrinology Zurich, Mohrlistrasse 69, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland. urs.eiholzer@pezz.ch
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that resistance training may increase spontaneous physical activity in children. STUDY DESIGN: Two junior ice hockey teams were randomly assigned to unchanged training schedules (team ZSC, 21 boys; mean age, 13.2 years) or to participate twice weekly in guided resistance training for 4 months (team GCK, 25 boys; mean age, 13.4 years). Spontaneous physical activity energy expenditure (SpAEE; 3-axial accelerometry for 7 days), muscle strength, and body composition (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) were measured at 0, 4, and 12 months. RESULTS: Baseline measures did not differ in the groups, except for higher leg and trunk strength in team ZSC. In the intervention group compared with the control group, SpAEE significantly (P < or = .02) increased at 4 months (+25.5% versus 0%) and 12 months (+13.5% versus -9.5%). Leg and arm strength increased because of training intervention; all other variables were unchanged. None of these variables correlated with changes in SpAEE. CONCLUSION: In boys who play ice hockey, spontaneous physical activity is inducible with resistance training; this effect seems to be independent of changes in body composition and strength. If this was confirmed in unselected children, resistance training might be a new strategy for childhood obesity prevention programs. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.