Your Workout Questions, Answered!

We asked DG’s Top Coaches to set the record straight on some common exercise questions and myths.

Hey Folks,

Students and trainees are asking us stuff like this all the time. Right now, there is an overload of information and it’s tough to know who and what to trust. So, I asked a couple of the most sought-after coaches at Dragon Gym for their thoughts.

Here’s their advice:

Light or Heavy? (Weights and Kettlebells)

Coach Eric: I always try to incorporate both but it’s more fun to do heavy if I had to choose one.

Coach Christa: Combination of both. Lighter weight with higher rep for muscle endurance. Heavier weight, few reps for muscular strength.

Coach Lonnie: As a 40 year old dude heavy weights have had an incredible impact on vitality. Its pretty well known that taxing the nervous system with load will support increased hormone production. Add the fact that getting stronger makes you feel good its a win-win.

Coach Chris: Heavy, feels better to grind through a few killer reps than fight the burning of a longer/ lighter set

Ice or Heat?

Coach Eric: Heat. Ice only prolongs the time it takes to recover. The guy who came up with the RICE method even retracted it recently, supporting heat as the method towards recovery.

Coach Christa: A combination of both. Ice immediately to reduce inflammation and heat after or heat only to help circulate blood to promote healing.

Coach Lonnie: I prefer ice to reduce inflammation and swelling. Heat too soon after a workout or injury will promote blood flow to the area. Although this does feel good the increase of blood and fluid to an area will not allow for proper healing.

Coach Chris: Heat usually hot water on the base of my neck and shoulders. Seems to help my sinuses too.

What’s the Best Pre-Workout Drink or Food?

Coach Eric: A good mix of protein, carbs, and sodium. A small seasoned steak meal or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich an hour and a half or so before hand is always good for me.

Coach Christa: Protein shake and banana. Banana give you long sustained energy and helps with muscle cramping (potassium) and protein helps rebuild muscles during and after workout.

Coach Lonnie: I really prefer black coffee mixed with nitric oxide and creatine.

Coach Chris: Pre work out drink for lifting. Small cup of yogurt for BJJ

Should you work out if you are sore?

Coach Eric: Yes, being sore is fine here and there but not if you’re consistently sore day-to-day.

Coach Christa: Low impact cardio and/or stretch areas of soreness to get the blood circulating to those areas. This will help regain flexibility back to those sore muscle groups and help promote healing. If only specific muscle groups are sore, you can lift the muscle groups that were not targeted and not sore.

Coach Lonnie: Walking will help the muscle loosen up and regain homeostasis.

Coach Chris: Depends on how sore and how much working out. Walking is great for heavy soreness, increasing difficulty in work out as soreness diminishes

What should you eat post-workout?

Coach Eric: A big meal that’s protein-heavy but also has a mix of everything else (carbs, fat, even quick sugars are good post-workout)

Coach Christa: Protein (poultry, fish, meat-not all the time), carbs- sweet potatoes, jasmine rice, and veggies.

Coach Lonnie: ON days I go really heavy I like to have a mix of carbs and protein. My go-to is a chicken breast sandwich on either whole wheat bread or Ezekiel bread with fresh lettuce and tomato.

Coach Chris: Meat.

Thanks guys, that was a big help. Some simple, straightforward answers that you can put into action…now.

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Somnath Sikdar [email protected]

Master, 7th Dan Black Belt