Tout dans la vie est une question d'équilibre d'où la nécessité de garder un esprit sain dans un corps sain.

Discipline-Volonté-Persévérance

Everything in life is a matter of balance therefore one needs to keep a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Discipline-Will-Perseverance.

E. do REGO

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Un nageur et sa mécanique


La mécanique humaine, Alexandre Leduc en fait son... (Photo: Ivanoh Demers, La Presse)
La mécanique humaine, Alexandre Leduc en fait son leitmotiv.
PHOTO: IVANOH DEMERS, LA PRESSE
Simon Drouin
La Presse
Lundi matin, 6h55, piscine du Parc olympique. Alexandre Leduc s'extirpe de l'eau après un entraînement de 4000 mètres en compagnie d'une vingtaine de collègues de maîtres nageurs. On nous avait dit qu'il avait 53 ans, il en paraît 10 de moins. Ou 15. Épaules larges, pas une once de gras, on voit les veines courir sur ses biceps définis. Il nage depuis son enfance, mais il bat aujourd'hui les meilleurs temps qu'il faisait à 19 ans.
«Depuis que j'ai 40 ans que je me dis que ça va régresser. 13 ans que ça dure. Ça me surprend moi-même», dit Alexandre Leduc, qui nous accorde cette entrevue en pleine séance d'étirement. «À mon âge, il faut entretenir la mécanique», explique celui qui pratique aussi le triathlon et la course à pied.

La mécanique humaine, cet informaticien de Montréal-Nord en fait son leitmotiv. «Je veux aller chercher 100% de moi-même, dit-il quand on lui demande la source de sa motivation. Pas tellement pour battre quelqu'un ou faire un podium, même si ça arrive plus régulièrement en vieillissant. J'ai beaucoup de respect pour la mécanique du corps humain. J'essaie de la garder au maximum le plus longtemps possible.»
Pour y arriver, il mène une vie d'ascète. La semaine, il se lève à 3h50 pour des échauffements de vélo ou de musculation. Les lundis, mercredis et vendredis, il se rend invariablement au Stade olympique pour un entraînement d'une heure et quart avec le club des maîtres nageurs. Il prend ensuite le métro pour se rendre au travail au centre-ville. Retour en fin d'après-midi au stade pour sa routine de musculation. Il complète la journée avec une séance de yoga. Les mardis et jeudis sont plutôt consacrés à la course à pied et au vélo. Il réserve ses sorties plus longues pour les week-ends.
Alexandre Leduc calcule consacrer de 20 à 24 heures d'entraînement par semaine. Malgré son emploi à temps plein, il n'y voit rien d'exceptionnel. Il s'étonne de faire l'objet d'un article. «Des gens comme moi, j'en côtoie tous les jours à l'entraînement, relève-t-il. J'en vois d'autres aussi qui vont plus vite que moi dans les triathlons.»
Alexandre Leduc accorde aussi une attention particulière à son régime alimentaire, qu'il qualifie de «caveman diet» (diète de l'homme des cavernes). «Si ça ne pousse pas dans les arbres, je n'en mange pas, résume-t-il. Légumes, fruits, graines, noix, that's it. Poisson. Rien de raffiné. J'ai la shape d'un gars de 15 ans. C'est pas autre chose que la nutrition»
Il ne consomme pas de sucre, une restriction qu'il s'impose depuis l'âge de 16 ans. «Je dis souvent en niaisant que ce sont les 10 premières années les plus difficiles. Après, ça va bien!»
Son talon d'Achille? Le sommeil. «J'ai un peu de misère avec ça, juge-t-il. Chaque année, ça fait partie de ma liste de choses à améliorer.»
Infatigable, Alexandre Leduc participe chaque année à plus d'une vingtaine de compétitions de natation, de course à pied et de triathlon, principalement au Québec. Il n'était pas un champion dans sa jeunesse, et ce n'est pas son but de le devenir de sitôt. «Le plus tard sera le mieux. Parce que si je deviens champion canadien à 85 ans, ça voudra dire que j'aurai été en forme jusqu'à 85 ans...»

Wikio

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Le gingembre diminuerait les douleurs musculaires causées par l'activité physique



26 mai 2010 – L’effet des suppléments de gingembre se comparerait à celui des anti-inflammatoires offerts en vente libre (aspirine, ibuprofène, acétaminophène, etc.) pour soulager les douleurs musculaires causées par l’activité physique, selon un essai clinique américain.
L’étude a été menée auprès de 74 participants souffrant d’une lésion modérée au muscle fléchisseur du coude, induite en laboratoire. Chacun recevait, durant 11 jours, un supplément de gingembre à raison de 2 g par jour, ou un placebo. Les chercheurs ont testé 2 types de préparation : du gingembre cru séché en capsules et du gingembre qui avait été cuit avant d’être séché et mis en capsules. Ces 2 formes de suppléments sont couramment offertes dans le commerce.
Selon les résultats, les 2 types de suppléments ont permis de réduire les douleurs inflammatoires d’environ 25 % par rapport au placebo. À la lumière d’essais semblables menés avec des anti-inflammatoires vendus sans ordonnance, l’effet du gingembre serait supérieur à celui qu’on attribue à l’aspirine, à l’ibuprofène ou à l’acétaminophène, font remarquer les chercheurs.
Les 2 préparations de gingembre renferment divers composés phénoliques, principalement des gingérols et du shogaol. Par rapport au gingembre cru, celui qui a été soumis à la chaleur renferme moins de gingérols et davantage de shogaol. Certains herboristes croient que ce dernier serait plus efficace pour combattre l’inflammation, ce qui n’avait pas, jusqu’ici, fait l’objet d’essais cliniques systématiques.
L’inflammation musculaire induite en laboratoire a été produite à l’aide d’exercices avec surcharge durant des mouvements de flexion du coude. Les participants ont pratiqué les exercices, sous la surveillance des chercheurs, jusqu’à l’apparition de signes permettant de diagnostiquer une lésion musculaire modérée (douleur, inflammation, enflure, perte de flexibilité, etc.).

Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net

1. Black CD, Herring MP, et alGinger (Zingiber officinale) Reduces Muscle Pain Caused by Eccentric ExerciseJ Pain. 2010 Apr 23.

Wikio

Friday, May 21, 2010

3 règles pour vieillir moins vite


3 règles pour vieillir moins vite
Vous pensez qu’il n’y a pas de remède aux effets du temps ? Eh bien, vous avez raison. Si vous ne faites rien, le temps vous prendra tout. Pourtant, près de 70 % des facteurs du vieillissement dépendent de vous. « Les gens se résignent à l’idée d’avoir l’air et de se sentir plus vieux, mais il n’y a pas de raison », affirme Steven Austad, spécialiste du vieillissement à l’université du Texas.
Si vous voulez atteindre votre 85e anniversaire, limitez l’alcool à deux verres par jour. Cela peut diminuer, selon des chercheurs japonais, le risque de mourir d’une maladie cardiovasculaire. Mais privilégiez le vin rouge. Une récente étude conjointe singapouro-écossaise suggère que le resvératrol, un composé chimique fréquent dans le vin rouge, préserverait l’organisme des réactions inflammatoires, et donc de maladies potentiellement mortelles. D’autres conseils pour accompagner votre verre de madiran.
1/ Perdez du ventre au petit déj
Prendre de la bedaine avec l’âge ne nuit pas seulement à votre aspect, mais aussi à votre virilité. Selon une étude parue en 2007 dans le Journal d’endocrinologie clinique et du métabolisme, les hommes connaissant une augmentation de 5 points de leur masse corporelle (environ 13,5 kg) présentent des taux de testostérone comparables à ceux qui ont dix ans de plus. Prendre un bon petit déjeuner – avec beaucoup de protéines – vous empêchera d’attraper du ventre, d’après nombre d’études. Pourtant, 19 % des quadras sautent ce repas. « J’ai vu des hommes perdre sérieusement du poids rien qu’en mangeant des protéines au petit déjeuner », déclare Louis Aronne, directeur du programme de contrôle du poids au Westchester Medical Group, à New York. Au cours d’un régime, manger des œufs le matin fait perdre 65 % de poids en plus qu’avaler un bagel aussi calorique, selon une étude du Journal international de l’obésité
2/ Maintenez vos muscles
Si on n’utilise pas ses muscles, ils fondent. Et avec le temps, ils ont toutes les chances d’être remplacés par de la graisse, d’après une étude du Journal of America College of Nutrition. Qui plus est, un kilo de gras occupe 18 % d’espace en plus qu’un kilo de muscles. Même si vous maintenez votre poids en vieillissant, votre taille peut quand même s’épaissir. De recherches récentes ont montré qu’une hormone présente dans les épinards augmentait la synthèse des protéines. Les épinards sont aussi riches en vitamine K, potassium et calcium, ce qui peut contribuer à vous prémunir contre l’ostéoporose.
3/ Faites-vous un cœur d’acier
Si vous voulez rester jeune, renforcez votre cœur. Avec un entraînement approprié (exercices intenses du type vélo ou rameur), vous pouvez accroître votre volume d’éjection systolique (le volume de sang que le cœur éjecte à chaque contraction, soit en moyenne 70 ml au repos et 150 ml chez le sportif en plein effort). Cela permet à votre cœur de pomper le sang plus lentement et efficacement. « Une vie humaine, c’est environ 3 milliards de battements de cœur, précise Michael Lauer, de l’Institut national américain du cœur, du sang et des poumons. Si vous faites baisser votre rythme cardiaque, vous augmentez votre espérance de vie. » C’est aussi simple que ça

Wikio

Thursday, May 20, 2010

10 conseils pour mincir en se faisant plaisir



Que l’on soit très enrobé, que l’on souffre d’un léger embonpoint ou qu’on ait tout simplement envie d’affiner sa silhouette, le régime est la meilleure solution avant de sortir les maillots de bain. Pourtant, ce mot fait peur tant il est synonyme de privation. Voici dix astuces très simples pour perdre du poids sans mourir de faim et continuer à se faire plaisir.
1/ Mangez un vrai petit-déjeuner :
Pour tenir toute la journée, le premier repas est essentiel car vous avez besoin de graisses et de protéines. Pour une fois, prenez exemple sur les anglo-saxons. N’hésitez pas à manger des œufs brouillés et des saucisses. Cela remplace avantageusement la tartine de pain beurrée avec plein de confiture.
2/ Mangez plus :
Un repas léger a certes des vertus, mais en aucun cas il ne peut réellement combler un estomac affamé. Plutôt que de risquer des fringales, il vaut mieux faire de vrais repas équilibrés. Votre estomac vous assaille ? Ayez toujours une poignée de noix dans les poches, elles sont un excellent coupe faim et sont très bonnes pour les muscles.
3/ Dites non aux féculents :
Les pâtes, le pain blanc et les pommes de terre rendent gras ! Si vous voulez vraiment manger des pâtes, n’y ajoutez pas de beurre. Faites de même pour la baguette et les patates.
4/ Soulevez des poids :
Ce n’est pas nouveau, mais faites du sport ! Plutôt que de lever le coude... faites travailler tout votre corps. Cela a l’avantage de renforcer vos muscles immédiatement et de bruler vos calories. De plus votre métabolisme continue d’en bruler après l’effort même si en apparence vous êtes au repos.
5/ Réfléchissez avant de manger :
Ne vous jetez pas sur le premier paquet de gâteau ou de sucreries à portée de main. Essayez plutôt de trouver des aliments qui sont réellement bons pour la santé et qui calmeront votre faim. Prenez aussi le temps de déguster, votre impression de satiété durera plus longtemps.
6/ Faites vous plaisir au moins une fois par semaine :
Si vous ressentez trop l’envie de manger, tôt ou tard vous craquerez. Trop d’hommes commencent un régime et l’abandonnent au bout de quelques jours voir quelques semaines. Alors si un plat un peu trop gras vous tente vraiment, essayez de le manger le dimanche et surtout restez raisonnable.
7/ Résistez :
Au début il est normal de ressentir des fringales et des envies de manger tout ce qui est gras ou sucré. Progressivement ces sensations s’atténuent. Résistez et vous serez de plus en plus motivé.
8/ Variez les plaisirs :
Il est beaucoup plus facile d’alterner des efforts tantôt difficiles tantôt faciles que de maintenir en permanence un rythme élevé. Ce d’autant plus si vous détestez le jogging. Pensez à varier vos courses et les lieux d’entraînement, vous vous lasserez moins.
9/ Oubliez les breuvages sucrés :
Les boissons gazeuses sont mauvaises. Pire les fabricants leur ajoutent souvent du sucre. Fuyez les. Si vraiment vous en mourrez d’envie, tentez un verre d’eau ou une boisson allégée en sucres.
10/ Ne fuyez pas le gras :
Bien qu’il soient très décriés, les aliments gras ont tout de même des qualités. Ils permettent d’avoir la sensation d’être rassasié, de contrôler l’appétit. Enfin votre corps a aussi besoin de matières grasses. Ensuite tout est une question de quantité...

Wikio

5 Foods You Should Be Eating

by Brian St. Pierre
If you want to build a healthy, muscular physique, the quality of your food matters more than the quantity.
As the nutritionist at Cressey Performance, I see the diets of a lot of guys who want to get bigger and stronger. They run the spectrum from excellent to atrocious (mostly atrocious), but there's one commonality shared by almost all: every guys thinks his diet is perfect.
Every day I have guys tell me that they don't actually need any nutritional advice, because they "already eat really well."
Bullshit.
Talk with any nutritionist worth his salt (ha!), and he'll tell you it's rare to find someone who consistently makes good food choices. In my mind, it's the true linchpin to body composition success—improving the quality of the foods you eat has just as big of an impact on your physique as the quantity you eat.
With that in mind, here are five foods that you can immediately add to your diet to improve the quality of your calories and take your physique to a whole new level.


1. Sprouted Grains

Yeah, you've probably already switched to "whole-grains" instead of white bread. Unfortunately most whole-grain breads in supermarkets today are complete crap. They contain added sugar, fructose or high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten the product, as well as tons of dough conditioners to give it the mouth-feel of white bread.
While the glycemic index is overrated, it still reflects how quickly your blood sugar is raised by a food, and conventional whole-grain bread is barely any better than white. So really, you're not getting that much benefit from whole-grain bread.
This is where sprouted grains come in. Sprouting grains and seeds before baking them creates a vastly superior product. The sprouting causes the composition of the grains and seeds to change dramatically by increasing vitamin content and diminishing phytic acid content. (Phytic acid, by the way, binds to minerals and prevents their absorption. The sprouting process breaks down these bonds and increases the digestibility of the grain and its mineral content.)
Sprouted grain products are also a complete protein source, are higher in fiber, and have a much smaller impact on blood sugar than conventional whole-grains. Because these products are generally made with other grains and legumes, they have a lower gluten content, which is also a good thing.
Most sprouted-grain products don't contain any preservatives so you gotta stick these products in the fridge if you don't want to have a freaky science experiment in your cupboard.
I also suggest toasting them as it causes an enzymatic browning process that really brings out the flavor of the bread.


2. Pasture Butter

Butter, because of its high saturated fat content, generally gets a bad rap in health-conscious circles. Fortunately TMUSCLE readers are a little more enlightened and know that saturated is not nearly the enemy it has long been made out to be. From the right sources it's actually very beneficial.
As with all animal foods, not all butter is created equal. Conventional butter from factory-farmed animals is garbage and is to be avoided. You'll often see the ingredient annatto in the nutritional profile. This is because the beta-carotene content is so low the butter is hardly yellow at all, so annatto is added to give it some semblance of the rich yellow that real butter has.
However, butter from pasture-raised grass-fed cows is an excellent food choice. Pasture butter is high in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2. Butter is also the richest known source of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. Butyrate was recently shown to reverse the effects of metabolic syndrome in rats. (It helped the rats lose bodyweight, decrease cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting insulinwhile increasing insulin sensitivity.)
Butyrate is also the primary energy source for your large intestine and may have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits as well.
Pasture butter, unlike conventional, also contains a nice dose of omega-3's, as well as the cancer-fighting CLA. In fact, pastured dairy products are among the richest sources of CLA on the planet, containing 3-5 times more CLA than conventionally produced dairy products.
The best part about pasture butter, though, is that it tastes freakin' incredible.


3. Coconut Oil

Just like with butter, the source of the coconut oil is of utmost importance. I highly recommend the unrefined organic extra virgin type, as it has undergone the least amount of processing and should provide you with the most benefits.
Coconut oil is also very high in saturated fat, but it's made up of a unique saturated fat called medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT's. MCT's have some incredible unique properties: they do not need bile to be digested, they are digested and absorbed intact rather than broken down, and they're more likely to be oxidized as fuel rather than stored as fat.
One of these MCT's is a fatty acid called lauric acid. Lauric acid (which is also found in FA3makes up about 44% of the fatty acid content of coconut oil. It's converted into monolaurin in the body, which has powerful antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
It makes an awesome addition to stir-fry's, omelets, and smoothies.


4. Chia Seeds

A long time ago chia seeds were a staple food of some of the world's most dominant civilizations like the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. It was so prized it was actually used as a currency. (Today it's made for people who apparently can't take care of real pets.)
Chia seeds are very similar to the more common flax seed and may even be better since chia contains more soluble fiber (6 grams), a higher antioxidant content, and roughly equal omega-3 content.
The great thing about soluble fiber is that it's fermented by the intestines and made into short chain fatty acids like butyrate, which as we learned earlier, may improve health and body composition.
Chia, mainly due to its soluble fiber content again, is considered highly hydrophilic. This means that the seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water and form a viscous gel (much like glucommannan), greatly increasing satiety and creating long-lasting energy. It's also a source of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. Recent research has shown that chia seeds can be beneficial for diabetics, celiac's disease, and can lower cholesterol.
So toss a tablespoon or two into your next protein shake or Greek yogurt.


5. Cacao Nibs

This is dark chocolate for men. No pussy-footing around with a high-sugar "dark" chocolate. This is the real deal, 100% cacao dark chocolate, and nothing but.
Cacao nibs are a fiber heavy-weight, providing just under five grams in 2 tablespoons, which is as much as flax. Besides its high fiber content cacao nibs contain a boatload of magnesium, as well as some copper, iron, and manganese. But the antioxidant content is where cacao nibs really shine.
They're rich in powerful antioxidants such as catechins, like in tea, and polyphenols, like in red wine. These antioxidants help cacao to lower LDL cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, improve vascular and platelet function and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Cacao nibs are perfect to add to some Greek yogurt, a smoothie, or home-made protein bars.
By itself, 100% dark chocolate tends to be a little bitter, so make sure to add it to something a little sweet to knock down that bitterness and bring out the chocolate flavor.


Wrap-Up

Like I said earlier, it's not necessarily the quantity of calories you take in but the quality. These five foods have the ability to greatly impact your health and body composition since the added fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will all greatly contribute to improving your health and vitality.
And while I can't guarantee that adding these foods to your diet will make you jacked instantly, I can say that optimizing your health will always help you to maximize your performance and your physique.
So get to eating!

Brian St. Pierre is a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He received his degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a focus in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Maine. He is the Nutrition Consultant and a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Cressey Performance in Hudson,MA. With his passion for seeing his clients succeed, Brian is able to use his knowledge, experience, and energy to create highly effective training and nutrition programs for clients of any age and background. For more information check out his website.

Sprouted Grain Bread
Toasted sprouted grain bread is an excellent source of protein and fiber.


Chia Seeds
 Stop watering the stupid Chia pet and eat the seeds for a good dose of fiber
Cacao Nibs
Cacao nibs: chocolate for non girly-men.

Wikio

Inside the Muscles - Best Ab Exercises





First, I apologize if I left out one of your favorite exercises. Don't take it personally. I performed these experiments in my garage, and while I have one of the baddest garage gyms in Arizona, I don't have a lot of machines. Furthermore, there are probably 200 different ab exercises and variations that I'd need to test in order to please everyone, which wouldn't be feasible for a single experiment. Plus, I've had my fill of "crippled abs" and never want to go there again!
I regret to inform you that I could only test four muscles at a time due to the fact that the instrument I used to measure EMG activity only has 4-channels. I'm also sorry I couldn't test more individuals. These experiments are very labor-intensive; in order to measure every exercise on every muscle part using a variety of subjects would be a project of colossal proportions. Just remember this: people are different, but not that different. What's true for me is probably true for you.
Finally, I'm not going to make any judgments regarding the safety of any exercise. I realize that certain exercises pose greater risks to the joints than others, but every guy has the right to train however the hell he chooses. As lifters, we can choose to assume a lot of risk or little risk since we're the owners of our bodies.
Oh, one more thing: good form, a natural tempo, and a full range of motion were always used in these experiments.
Now that the pre-flight safety announcement list of warnings is over, let's get to it. Are you ready to get ripped-up abs and a strong lower back?

What You've Been Waiting For! The Exercises
Since this is a bodybuilding experiment, I used weight that was light enough to allow me to perform at least five repetitions. The mean number is on top and the peak number is on bottom. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, please read What Are Mean and Peak Activation?
Exercise
Lower Rectus AbdominisInternal ObliqueExternal ObliqueLumbar Erector
Front Plank22.4
33.5
31.2
42.6
21.7
26.7
2.8
5.8
RKC Plank88.0
115.0
76.2
99.5
71.0
104.0
2.9
5.4
35 lb Plate Squat7.8
19.8
21.0
67.9
7.0
21.1
65.5
137.7
Bodysaw92.2
188.0
105.0
208.0
71.9
143.0
4.4
15.0
Side Plank33.1
48.8
52.4
77.6
57.6
73.8
18.8
29.2
Ab Wheel from Knees103.0
145.0
112.0
184.0
63.4
97.2
4.9
10.6
Ab Wheel from Feet103.0
191.0
114.0
220.0
90.0
130.0
4.7
9.8
Lying Leg Throw64.9
116.0
69.8
150.0
57.3
98.7
5.6
10.2
100 lb Suitcase Carry13.2
31.2
21.4
33.2
46.7
85.5
65.6
107.0
Band Pallof Press6.8
11.5
16.8
27.1
29.6
44.3
22.5
32.5
120 lb Pallof Press9.9
15.0
9.2
15.7
25.0
34.8
10.9
29.3
90 lb Landmine7.7
12.5
101.0
154.0
18.1
26.3
99.0
168.0
BW Tight Rotation15.1
18.6
75.4
133.0
35.8
63.6
49.6
66.0
10 lb Tight Rotation13.5
17.3
64.2
135.0
27.7
35.8
72.4
130.0
10 lb Overhead Tornado Twirl12.9
25.8
58.0
104.0
29.7
52.0
85.4
160.0
120 lb Half-Kneeling Cable Chop27.2
68.2
60.4
155.0
21.2
39.6
17.7
54.7
100 lb Half-Kneeling Cable Lift6.0
8.8
83.4
144.0
16.2
36.7
103.0
248.0
10 lb Tornado Ball Slam13.0
18.0
89.4
187.0
28.7
53.1
77.8
189.0
50 lb Turkish Get Up31.0
133.0
37.9
138.0
38.5
191.0
40.7
139.0
BW Straight Leg Sit Up78.2
122.0
28.2
45.7
57.7
89.6
1.7
3.1
BW Hanging Leg Raise124.0
300.0
30.2
92.8
76.3
163.0
4.2
6.9
100 lb Crunch55.3
83.2
28.8
45.2
40.7
80.5
9.5
23.0
50 lb Swiss Ball Crunch102.0
231.0
22.8
55.6
47.1
95.8
4.0
11.0
100 lb Side Bend35.1
80.1
15.6
33.2
69.9
108.0
41.0
60.8
BW Dragon Flag56.1
102.0
27.8
59.0
28.7
71.4
7.3
46.7
200 lb Farmer's Walk13.2
34.0
8.9
19.5
5.9
15.6
24.8
41.2
Overhand Sledgehammer Swing34.8
71.6
20.3
41.6
43.2
77.7
27.7
64.3
Rotational Sledgehammer Swing12.2
46.8
17.7
60.2
14.7
29.6
28.7
52.1
BW Hand Walk Out47.2
79.1
17.3
40.1
44.8
86.1
7.1
27.3
275 lb Parallel Squat25.0
103.0
8.2
16.0
8.4
17.2
75.5
109.0
225 lb Front Squat14.4
59.7
16.6
33.1
7.2
16.1
69.3
140.0
225 lb Good Morning14.0
58.5
4.8
9.7
5.6
12.5
46.4
94.6
275 lb Zercher Squat15.7
44.5
18.2
36.7
11.7
25.8
62.9
82.0
405 lb Deadlift31.0
97.3
13.1
32.3
12.4
28.6
52.5
73.9
405 lb Hip Thrust23.6
64.4
10.7
56.4
14.2
31.9
42.5
122.0
60 lb Lumbar Extension16.0
38.9
7.4
16.7
23.1
33.9
81.4
172.0
10 lb Weighted Bird Dog11.2
22.0
4.0
6.8
14.6
25.4
52.4
112.0
100 lb 45 Degree Hyper25.7
81.5
9.9
41.9
3.8
10.8
60.0
132.0
100 lb Back Extension28.4
84.3
18.8
49.9
5.7
10.4
63.7
139.0
185 lb Bulgarian Squat27.7
74.8
6.2
8.8
8.3
17.5
60.2
107.0
90 lb Pendulum Quadruped Hip Extension29.2
119.0
5.0
6.9
9.1
15.2
56.9
112.0
BW Chin Up249.0
461.0
40.4
60.7
32.3
61.7
14.1
36.9
90 lb Chin Up162.0
301.0
51.1
73.6
42.1
65.1
14.2
29.8
135 lb Barbell Curl18.5
92.7
19.1
36.2
10.0
18.4
71.4
111.0
100 lb Cable Tricep Extension70.2
148.0
32.5
62.8
34.1
71.7
8.3
13.6
100 lb Pullover34.6
70.5
28.9
51.5
31.4
102.0
19.0
75.2
BW Push Up7.1
20.3
8.9
13.8
16.4
24.2
3.4
10.9
275 lb Bench Press (with arch)2.9
4.7
9.1
25.0
8.0
18.8
50.3
93.5
45 lb Barbell Push Sit Up19.4
36.9
18.5
48.4
63.6
121.0
7.2
10.5
180 lb Reverse Hyper3.5
11.1
9.4
38.2
6.5
11.5
98.6
141.0
BW Reverse Hyper2.5
32.4
4.1
16.2
10.6
14.9
78.8
159.0
270 lb Reverse Hyper7.2
27.5
13.9
53.6
13.0
33.2
95.2
150.0

The Winners
Based on this experiment, here are the top three exercises in terms of mean and peak activity for each muscle part:
Rectus Abdominis
  Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel
   Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Swiss Ball Crunch
Internal Oblique
  Ab Wheel from Feet, Ab Wheel from Knees, Bodysaw
   Ab Wheel from Feet, Bodysaw, Tornado Ball Slam
External Oblique
  Ab Wheel from Feet, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw
   Turkish Get Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw
Erector Spinae
  Kneeling Cable Lift, Landmine, Reverse Hyper
   Kneeling Cable Lift, Tornado Ball Slam, Lumbar Extension

Can We Isolate the Upper vs. Lower Rectus Abdominis?
Since I could only test four muscles at a time, I opted to go with the lower rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and erector spinae.
Last year I conducted a test where I placed electrodes on the upper and lower rectus abdominis and the study proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is indeed possible to place more tension on the upper or lower rectus abdominis depending on the type of ab exercise you perform. For example, shoulder-to-hip flexion (think crunch) movements hit the upper abs harder than they work the lower abs, whereas hip-to-shoulder flexion (think leg raise) movements hit the lower abs harder.
Below is an example from last year's study that illustrates this phenomenon. Please note that the MVC for this experiment was obtained by simply flexing the abs as hard as possible from a standing position, which explains the relatively large percentages.
ExerciseUpper Rectus Abdominis ActivityLower Rectus Abdominis Activity
50 lb Weighted Swiss Ball Crunch438.0 mean %
1205.0 peak %
136.0 mean %
248.0 peak %
Lying Leg Throw224.0 mean %
474.0 peak %
273.0 mean %
595.0 peak %

Advantages and Disadvantages
Some exercises have inherent advantages in terms of EMG activity while other exercises have inherent disadvantages.
For example, weighted uni-planar isolation core exercises with high levels of stability almost always equate to high levels of muscle activation. Case in point: the weighted crunch. How could it not activate a ton of rectus abdominis musculature? You're lying on your back on a stable floor while isolating sagittal plane trunk flexion.
On the flip side, total-body multiplanar integrated core exercises with a degree of instability sometimes equate to lower levels of activation. Case in point: half-kneeling cable chops and lifts. These lifts are integrated diagonal patterns based on PNF principles that teach the core how to produce quality movement that isn't specific to any single muscle.
Although these total-body multiplain exercises don't necessarily elicit high levels of core EMG activation, they're very worthwhile because they correctly train the stabilization and force transferring function of the core (as Gray Cook has touted for ages).
A lot of guys need to get away from rectus abdominis dominance (trunk flexion, posterior pelvic tilting) in order to allow for the inner core unit to effectively perform its task of stabilizing the spine during movement.
Also, the external oblique activity of every rotational exercise was at a disadvantage because I placed the electrodes on the same side as each other for each muscle tested. So I tested right-side external oblique activity along with right-side internal oblique activity.
Although both sides of the internal and external obliques are active during rotational exercises in each direction of rotation (right and left), the external obliques are known to be more active inopposite side rotation while the internal obliques are known to be more active in same side rotation.
For example, a half-kneeling cable chop to the right would activate more left-side external oblique and right-side internal oblique. Since I tested both right-side internal and external oblique for each rotational exercise and failed to test the activity going in the opposite direction, external oblique activity may not be truly represented for rotational exercises in this experiment. However, past research that I have conducted indicates that the difference isn't as pronounced as one would think.
Isometric core exercises have a distinct advantage for mean activity because there are no periods of reduced muscular activity at the start or end of the repetition. The muscles are highly activated right at the start until the end of the set.
On the contrary, an exercise like the Turkish Get Up is at a disadvantage in terms of mean activity because the lift is so complex and has so many phases that there are periods where certain muscles aren't working very hard, which reduces the levels of mean activation.

Confirmations
The good ol' ab wheel
We've always known that crunches and hanging leg raises work a ton of rectus abdominis muscle. Anyone who's performed a couple of sets of ab wheel rollouts can attest to the intense levels of rectus abdominis activity that are necessary to prevent the lumbar spine from extending throughout the exercise—and the soreness they produce the following day or two.
The bodysaw (see video at right) is similar to the ab wheel rollout in that it's an anti-extension core exercise that involves increasing the lever arm throughout the movement to place more tension on the core.
Kettlebellers were right?!
The kettlebell community has praised the core-activating benefits of the Turkish Get Up (TGU) for many years. It's taken quite a while for some strength coaches to catch on but nowadays most coaches are having their athletes perform the TGU in their warm-ups. The TGU was the only exercise in this experiment that had over 100% peak activation in all four core muscles that were tested. Good job kettlebellers!
A final confirmation is the reverse hyper. Louie Simmons has been touting its lumbar-targeting abilities for ages. He too was right—it's one hell of an erector spinae exercise.

Surprises
A hardcore plank?
A while back a colleague of mine named Joe Sansalone taught me how to do an RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) plank. Basically, he had me get into my normal plank position and then made adjustments. First, he had me place my elbows slightly further out in front of me and closer together to increase the lever arm length and reduce the width of the base of support. He then had me forcefully lock out my knees by contracting my quads.
Finally, he had me contract my glutes as hard as possible to the point where my pelvis posteriorly rotated. These adjustments left me quivering like a school girl. I highly recommend experimenting with this new variation as it blows away the core activation of a normal plank. (In fact, I suggest you stop reading right now, drop down to the floor, and try it for yourself.) Chalk up another one for the kettlebellers! (See video at right.)
Chin-ups for core strength?
Probably the most shocking result of this entire experiment was the level of rectus abdominis activity elicited by a bodyweight chin-up! It beat out any other abdominal exercise, weighted exercises and all, in mean and peak rectus abdominis activity.
Chin-ups are ultimate "anti-extension" exercise for the low back. Some lifters let their lower back arch excessively, which is not only unsafe, but sub-optimal. If they brace their lower back and keep a straight line from their shoulders to knees, the core musculature has to work very hard to prevent the low back from extending.
Another surprise was that using extra weight on chin-ups via a dip belt didn't increase rectus abdominis activity—it lowered it. If you're aiming to get a great core workout via chin ups, I recommend performing slow, controlled repetitions while focusing on keeping the hips and spine perfectly neutral throughout the set.
Another surprise is that sagittal plane anti-extension core exercises were the leaders in external oblique and internal oblique activity. Most individuals assume that frontal plane lateral flexion (think side bend), lateral stabilization (think side plank) core exercises, or transverse plane rotary (think woodchop) core exercises activate the obliques the best.
This is simply not true. If you look at the directions of the fibers, especially the external obliques, you'll notice that many have almost a vertical line of pull which lends support to the data.
I was extremely surprised to see the results for the erector spinae. First, spinal rotation exercises were the leaders in erector spinae activity. It appears that even when rotating at the thoracic spine, the lumbar erectors have to work overtime to stabilize the spine. Louie Simmons has mentioned that using the grappler (like a landmine) will strengthen one's deadlift, and now we have some clear data as to why this would happen.
More on the erector spinae: I was shocked to see such high levels of activation from the Bulgarian squat. I assumed that the reduced load in comparison to that used in a bilateral squat would greatly reduce the erector spinae activity, but it appears that that notion may not be true. The erector spinae activity was indeed reduced but not by as much as I'd assumed.
Another shocking finding was the low back activity of a heavy barbell curl. The barbell curl appears to be an excellent total body lift when you factor in the upper back and biceps activity seen in the third part of this article series. Now you have some data to justify isolating your biceps via barbell curls and no longer have to tell people, "I do them because Jim Wendler told me to."
Very surprising was the fact that back squats, front squats, and measly plate squats activated more lumbar erector muscle than deadlifts, good mornings, and Zercher squats. I would have never guessed that. Arnold always felt that back squats were his best lower back exercise; it looks like he might have been right.
Finally, I was amazed that certain exercises that cause me to feel a deep burn in my core such as cable triceps extensions, dumbbell pullovers, and bodyweight push-ups didn't elicit much core activation. I would have guessed that these exercises would have turned out higher levels for sure.

What If?
During experiments like these, one is often left with much curiosity. How exactly would all of the exercises fared had I placed the electrodes in different areas. For example, what if I had positioned the electrodes on the upper rectus abdominis as opposed to the lower rectus abdominis? How about the thoracic extensors as opposed to the lumbar extensors?
Stuart McGill has stated in Low Back Disorders: Evidence Based Prevention and Rehabilitation that the thoracic extensors are actually the most efficient lumbar extensors since they have the largest moment arms and their tendons pass over the lumbar region thereby giving them extreme mechanical advantages.
To back this up, In Musculoskeletal Interventions: Techniques for Therapeutic Exercise, the authors state that the proportion of contribution during round-back lifting breaks down to 20 percent for the multifidi, 30 percent for the lumbar erectors, and 50 percent for the thoracic extensors.
Had I tested the thoracic extensor activity of the same exercises in the chart above, I have a hard time seeing how any exercise could beat out the deadlift and good morning in muscle activation.
What if I had tested opposite directions in rotational movements? Would the activity in the external obliques been significantly higher?
What if I had been able to test the multifidi, quadrati lumborum, and transverse abdominis? Wouldn't that have been an extensive study? Oh well!
All in all, it was still an extremely productive experiment, and there's always time for more testing down the road. Clearly more research is needed, as it's impossible to anticipate everything prior to an experiment, no matter how prepared and organized you seem.

The Best Damn Core Workout
Based on the results of this experiment, I bet the following would be one kick-ass workout that'd target the abdominals, obliques, and lower back. Enjoy!

The fibers of the external obliques run vertical.
The Turkish Get-up. A girl is fine if you don't have a dumbbell handy.
The Turkish Get-up. A girl is fine if you don't have a dumbbell handy.
The hanging leg raise hammered the rectus abdominus and external oblique.
The hanging leg raise hammered the rectus abdominus and external oblique.
The barbell curl just happens to be a pretty damn good ab exercise.
The barbell curl just happens to be a pretty damn good ab exercise.