Beta-Alanine increases High-Intensity Exercise Performance

Alanine is an amino acid that provides energy during exercise and prevents neuromuscular fatigue by increasing tissue carnosine levels. Carnosine, which is made from alanine, is an important antioxidant that protects cells from destruction and buffers acids that cause fatigue. A research review by Brazilian researchers concluded that beta-alanine was an effective supplement for preventing fatigue during high-intensity exercise. The optimal dosage of beta-alanine appears to be 6.4 grams per day, divided into four doses of 1.6 grams. This dose will increase blood carnosine levels by about 30 percent. Beta-Alanine supplements may improve perfomance by increasing muscle strength and size, and by preventing acid buildup during intense exercise.

Incorporating Failure Training into your workouts

Training to failure occasionally can trigger gains in muscle hypertrophy and strength. Using this method too frequently, however, can depress anabolic hormones and lead to overtraining, suppression of the immune system, and overuse injuries. Athletes interested in failure training should periodize their workouts by combining periods of exhaustive and sub maximal workouts to promote adaptive changes and allow recovery. While failure training has a machjo appeal., it prolongs recovery time and interferes with other activities, such as learning sports skills. Failure training can also severely injure muscle cells, creating a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Myoglobin from muscle cells leaks into the bloodstream and can cause kidney failure. While sometimes useful, training to failure excessively is inefficient, inefective, and protentially dangerous.

The Value of Advanced Swiss Ball Exercises

Swiss ball exercises are widely used to build core muscle strength and promote spinal stability. Several recent studies found that whole-body exercises such as squats, cleans, and snatches overload core muscles better than isolation exercises performed on Swiss Balls. An Australian study of advanced Swiss ball exercises led by Paul Marshall found that Swiss ball rolls and bridges caused significant activation of the abdominal and spinal muscles. While these exercises caused enough muscle activation to trigger a training response, people in the study had trouble maintaining a neutral spine, which could make advance Swiss ball exercises dangerous. The goal during most sports movements, particularly those involving rotation, should be to maintain a stiff, neutral spine and generate power from the legs and hips. Good technique is critical for maximizing force and reducing the risk of injury to the spine.

Supersets increase workout efficiency

Supersets usually pair two exercises, typically with opposing muscle groups, in rapid succession with no rest within each superset. An Australian study led by Daniel Robbins found that supersets increased workout efficiency without influencing the total volume of the workout. Trained males performed a workout consisting of 3 sets of 4 reps of bench pulls and bench presses using either traditional training (i.e., 3 sets of bench pulls followed by 3 sets of bench presses; three minutes rest between sets) or superset training (i.e., 1 set of bench pulls followed by 1 set of bench presses; three minutes rest between supersets; repeated supersets until workout completed). Researchers found no difference in muscle activation between the two training methods, but subjects could complete the superset workout more quickly. They noted that in oth workouts, three minutes rest between sets was inadequate for full recovery.