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Ask Ade: Follow doctor's orders, learn to listen to your body
Wed, 06/11/2008 10:37 AM | Health
Ade Rai is Indonesia's most famous bodybuilder and a passionate advocate of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Every second week, he will be offering professional advice and answering your questions through this column.
Hi Ade,
I enjoy reading your articles in The Jakarta Post and in your last edition you replied to a question on isolation movements and compound movements. I have recently joined a gym in Makassar and this weekend met your brother-in-law Ricky, who was very helpful with lots of useful tips and advice.
Are isolation movements and compound movements related to free-weights training versus machine training? Please keep up with your regular articles. I look forward to hearing from you. Warm regards, -- Rod
Hi Rod,
Thanks for your question and encouragement. You have come up with an excellent question.
Isolation movements are resistance exercises that involve the movement of a singular joint. Some exercises that spring to mind are overhead extensions and dumbell kickbacks (for triceps), cable crossover and dumbbell flys (chest), leg extensions (quads, or front of thighs), lateral raises (deltoids) and leg curls (hamstrings).
Compound movements are resistance exercises that involve the movement of two joints or more. Presses and push-ups for chest and shoulders, rows for back, and squats are some examples of compound exercises.
As you can see from the exercises I have mentioned, there are actually no boundaries to where either of these movements belong as far as equipment is concerned. You can find isolation and compound movements in machines and free-weights. Hope this helps.
Dear Ade,
I am a 38-year-old male and would like to ask you some questions. My belly looks quite big and has a downward slope to it. I never had that 10 years ago before I got married. Besides that, due to a static seated position at work, my posture is a little hunched.
What exercises should I do and what foods should I eat to rectify these problems? I greatly appreciate your good work with The Jakarta Post. -- SETIAWAN
Dear Mr.Setiawan,
Thanks for your kind words and questions. I'll just get straight to it.
It is quite obvious that your stomach seems to store most of the accumulated body fat. You need to understand that fat accumulation doesn't happen overnight and it is due to consistent surplus of caloric intakes. I has much to do with your lifestyle, what you do as far as physical exercise is concerned, and what & how much you eat over the past 10 years.
It is quite clear to me that aside from the fat accumulation, your metabolism (the rate your body burns energy) has also slowed down, quite possibly from muscle shrinkage, lack of exercise and poor eating habits. You can reverse this problem by doing exactly the opposite for the things that got you in your condition today.
I recommend you the following:
1) Get a general health checkup, especially on your blood-sugar levels, heart, triglycerides, HDL & LDL cholesterol and body-fat level. You may need a separate physical assessment concerning your hunched posture. I believe an orthopedic surgeon is the expert to go to.
2) Follow the doctor's orders. If you are allowed to begin an exercise and diet program, do so immediately.
3) Join a gym nearby to where you live or work, and if your budget allows, hire a personal trainer to devise a workout program for you.
4) Start eating more vegetables and lean proteins more often to replace all the floury, sugary and fatty foods.
Dear Ade,
I always enjoy reading your Jakarta Post column "Ask Ade". I love exercise, as I am a firm believer that exercise is the most effective anti-aging tool -- a point that you always stress to readers.
I am in my late 40's and never in my life have I done as much regular exercise as I am doing now, especially as I can afford the time now that my children have grown up and I no longer work full time. I go to the gym three times a week -- I usually take two classes per trip. My favorites are step and bodypump, although from time to time I do sculpt or yoga or running on the treadmill.
In the last few months, I have experienced pain in my right heel; not surprising my x-ray shows a heel spur which is causing the pain. I read on the Internet that this is a common condition, especially with athletes that do a lot of running.
I have bought heel "seats" that ease the pain during my exercises. I have some questions:
1) Is two hours, three times a week of weight and step exercises enough for me?
2) Can I continue doing weight (bodypump) and step classes given my heel pain?
3) How can I cure the heel spur problem?
4) Should I wear ankle and knee supports while doing these exercises?
Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your feedback. Regards, -- Lindri
Dear Lindri,
I commend you for living such a healthy life, setting an example for your loved ones on how one should live his/her life.
1) Before your heel problem, you may have regularly been doing up to nine hours of exercise per week. So, yes I think you have been doing a little more than you need to. Your injury quite likely built up over a long period of time without you noticing it until lately.
2 & 3) You should consult with your physician on whether or not you can still do certain exercises. As I am not the expert on this area.
4 & 5) If you are allowed to resume exercise, I believe the first thing you should do is to cut back on the volume of exercise you do to 4 x 1-hour sessions per week. Then, with the help of experts (your physician should definitely be one of them), select which exercises you can do safely with minimum potential of aggravating your heel spur.
Looking forward, you may want to try supplementing with Glucosamine & Chondroitin (with your doctor's permission). I also urge you to listen more to your body: It gives signs to you everyday, and you need to pay close attention to those signs. Hopefully by doing this, you will have much better success with your training. But first things first, have a speedy recovery.
Thank you for all your letters. Please keep them pouring in at ask_aderai@yahoo.com, it's my pleasure to answer your questions.
