The harm of static exercises is muscle acidification. How to remove lactic acid from muscles

For professional athletes The phenomenon of muscle acidification is well known. Amateurs and beginners of running are a little less aware of this, but they have probably experienced the effects of acidification more than once.

Acidification is the process when excess lactic acid is formed in the muscles as a result of glycolysis. We will not go into details of biochemical processes and bore you with complex chemical terms, but will try to talk about the main aspects of this issue in a simple and accessible form.

How does muscle acidification manifest?

The most common symptom is a burning sensation in the working muscle. Some people mistakenly believe that post-workout pain indicates the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle fibers. In fact, “late” pain within 2-3 days after a strenuous run indicates overtraining and the presence of microtears in muscle fibers.

Accumulating in the body, lactic acid impedes nerve conduction and muscle contractions.

If during an exercise (or during a running workout) acidification reaches a critical level, so-called muscle failure occurs. During this period, coordination may be impaired and the likelihood of injury increases sharply. This condition does not last long: lactic acid leaves the working muscles fairly quickly. Its removal occurs due to:

• exit into the bloodstream
• oxidation in mitochondria and partial neutralization in blood buffer systems

However, even such short-term critical acidification can negatively affect the athlete’s results.

Lactic acid - friend or foe

On the one hand, lactate acidifies muscles, causes a lot of unpleasant symptoms and sometimes makes the athlete experience not the most pleasant sensations: burning in working muscles, cramps, oxygen starvation, deterioration of attention and even loss of orientation.

On the other hand, lactic acid itself is a source of energy. Approximately 75% of the acid produced is subsequently used by the body as fuel, which means it is necessary for a full workout.

How to deal with muscle acidification

For a long time it was believed that lactate removal could be accelerated with a warm bath and a good massage. However, research conducted at the University of Iowa (USA) refuted this version.

A group of experienced runners was assembled who, in 4-6 minutes, gave their all on the treadmill, sharply raising the level of lactic acid salts in their blood. Then some of them were offered passive recovery (rest with complete relaxation in a supine position). Another group received a massage, and the third group received a ride at a slow pace for 15 minutes on an exercise bike.

After 20 minutes, the scientists took a control blood sample from all three groups. It turned out that among passive resters and those who received a massage, the level of lactic acid decreased very slightly. But in the third group it turned out to be much lower.

Therefore, scientists recommend that in order to quickly get rid of the products of glycolysis, the body must be provided with normal recovery in a mode of light physical activity. For example, during a running workout, you should not stop abruptly - just switch to a calm step and lactate will begin to leave your muscles faster.

Another important point is the overall speed of recovery of the body. For intense loads, it is at least 48 hours. Do not try to jog for many hours every day - they will not add strength and endurance to you. But training at intervals of 1-2 days will quickly lead you to the desired physical shape with minimal “sacrifices”.

And remember, muscle acidification and a burning sensation in them is not a reason to stop jogging, because tolerance to this phenomenon can be easily developed through regular training.

I’ll tell you how to effectively adapt your training to your diet to quickly lose fat while maintaining muscle.

Attention! This method is not for beginners

Before moving on to the diet and training regimen described below, I conducted three preparatory months, which gave both a noticeable increase in strength indicators and a fat-burning effect. In addition, we adapted cardiovascular system for increased load, which is present in some types of training used.

Anyone can do this if they really want to get in shape and change their life for the better (and it is changing, believe me). Maybe not in three months, but, say, in five or six (for complete beginners in the general physical training mode it is better to spend 4 months, not two), but everything is possible.

I described the first two stages of nutrition and training in detail in the following articles:

1. (this is what I meant when I mentioned general physical training and 4 months of work for beginners)

Cardio plays an important role in all preparation, and not just any way. There is also a simple one here, but efficient system, described in the three articles below (read in this order):

If you decide to give preference to running, pay attention to this material too:

He who is forewarned is forearmed! Now let's move directly to the topic of conversation.

Briefly about the first three months of the zhirotop

During my practice of lifting weights and experimenting with diets, I received the most noticeable effect in terms of fat burning. I spent almost half a year in a low-carbohydrate regime, maintaining a fairly lean shape and a comfortable diet. No hunger, eat only 3-4 times a day, you can eat a lot of tasty things (hard cheese, heavy cream, nuts, dark chocolate, fatty meats in any form) without consequences for the stomach, plus once a week I did a small carbohydrate load, to shake up your metabolism.

How I started and what I came to at LCHF. I kept approximately the same shape as on the right for six months

It was a comfortable state and at the same time stagnation. You won’t be able to build muscle mass and increase strength without carbohydrates (at least it didn’t work out for me), reduce the percentage subcutaneous fat below a certain level - too, since too much fat comes from outside, which is used as an energy source. There is no point in the body using its own reserves. So he kept them in my case at the level of 10–12%. To break out of this stagnation, I had to radically change my training and nutrition system.

In the first two months I switched from doing three FullBody workouts a week. That is, every time I pumped my whole body. If I didn’t have enough time (training took about two hours on average and sometimes I got to the gym too late), then I skipped the training small muscles(arms, shoulders, calves), but always worked on the legs, back and chest.

The convenience of specialized trackers is that they are cheaper than smartwatches, and heart rate is measured more accurately. The same optical MIO models, including the flagship, sports bracelet and low-cost option, read readings every 3 seconds, and Apple smart watches - every 5 seconds. Plus, specialized cardiac monitors can warn about a transition from one pulse zone to another with sound or light signals.

By the end of the third month, the weight dropped another couple of kilograms and plateaued. In principle, the result is already excellent...

...But if you’re going to work, then work until the bitter end. The initial plan was to dry out to the level of a fitness model. To move on, something had to change again. I changed it by switching to a rotational keto diet and literally “pulling” my training onto it.

Attention! Information for diabetics, people with pre-diabetes and those who have not read the above

Carry out any manipulations with the diet only after consultation with your doctor. The keto diet is highly not recommended for you.

In addition, I repeat, this training and nutrition regimen is NOT FOR BEGINNERS!!! If you only looked at the photos above, please go back and read what it says. Otherwise, rushing to make gestures in pursuit of a quick result, you can harm yourself by not achieving what you want.

Rational keto diet - carbohydrates once a week, but a lot

The keto diet is far from a new thing, it has been known for a long time, and is actively used by some epileptics throughout their lives to reduce the number of epileptic seizures. By the way, it was originally developed for them, and only decades later was it picked up by athletes.

Its meaning is that the body uses fat both for brain function and for energy needs. In the first case, this is a product of its breakdown - ketone bodies, on which the brain works even more efficiently than on glucose. To do this, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced to a minimum - 40–50 g per day from green vegetables.

But the classic keto diet is when there is quite a lot of fat in the diet. The ratio to protein can vary from 30% to 70%. A famous bodybuilder talks about this well Sergey Shelestov:

In my case, the fat in the diet is less than the recommended classical norm for the simple reason that if it is enough to cover all the energy needs of the body, then the body will not use its own reserves in the stomach, buttocks and other loin areas.

In particular, the number fat I'm holding on level 0.7–1 g per kg body weight, you can’t go lower so that your hormonal system, skin, hair and nails don’t suffer. Squirrel I consume a little more than usual - 2.5–3.5 g per kg body weight. Carbohydrates comes out 50–60 g per day from vegetables. According to the classics, tomatoes are not allowed, but I didn’t bother with that and ate them as well (plus cucumbers, Chinese and white cabbage, and other green vegetables).

Having switched to a keto diet, I reduced my caloric intake by another 10% to 2300–2400 kcal per day (with my own weight of 97–98 kg). In this mode, I eat from Monday to Saturday, and on Sunday I do the so-called carbohydrate loading.

This is not a whim, but a necessity to shake up the body, which in such a stressful diet begins to slow down metabolic processes, reduce the production of certain hormones, which is why fat burning suffers. Having received a lot of carbohydrates at once, he again starts all metabolic processes to the fullest, and before that he manages to burn a decent amount of his own fat. I got from 0.5 to 1 kg per week at first.

The most interesting thing is that with such a strict diet for six days, on a carbohydrate load, you don’t have to worry about what you eat. That is, you calmly throw everything you want and crave on a diet into the firebox: rolls, candies, pizza, cookies, etc. You just need to eat less fatty foods. The amount of protein on this day can also be reduced, the main thing is more carbohydrates. There are no calorie restrictions, but you should not use enzyme preparations (mezim, festal, pancreatin, etc.) and eat to the point of mechanical distension of the stomach (when it begins to hurt and it is difficult to breathe).

Why are there no restrictions and carbohydrates, including simple ones, do not go into fat? Because they are used to restore wasted glycogen in the muscles. To restore it with a reserve, you need to eat up to 16 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight. This is very difficult no matter how hard you want. Just don’t eat more than 300 g of carbohydrates at a time, otherwise the speed of metabolic processes will not be enough to transport all the glucose to the muscles and the remainder will still go into fat.

Naturally, glycogen itself will not be used up; to do this, you need to properly load the muscles for a week and below I will tell you how to do this. In the meantime, a little about what did I eat on the keto diet?.

In the morning I usually did it for myself and my wife curd dessert(I also got her hooked on the fat burning program). My portion is as follows: 250 g of cottage cheese (low-fat, although sometimes I indulged in homemade one) + 30 g of protein + sweetener tablet + 30–40 ml of milk or sour cream + blender.

After a couple of hours - baked chicken fillet + 150 g of cucumbers + 150 g of tomatoes + 5 g of sesame seeds + 10–15 g of soy sauce and the same amount of lemon juice. Mix everything and it turns out great salad:

The next meal usually tricky scrambled eggs or I drink a portion of protein an hour before training. Scrambled eggs consist of 2–3 whole eggs, 4 egg whites, 30 g of low-fat hard cheese (20–30%), 30 g of low-fat meat balyk or finely chopped chicken fillet, 100–150 g of tomato - all this is mixed and poured into a frying pan. It takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare the dish.

In the evening after training, either scrambled eggs or low-fat cottage cheese again. In addition, during the day I take 30 g of dietary fiber and drink at least 2.5 liters of clean water.

This is such a simple and not boring diet for me personally. The only problem was the feeling of hunger, which I often had to endure. Especially after a brutal workout, supplemented with cardio. But on Sunday I had a blast and once set a record by consuming 11,000+ kcal in a day:

But we are all about food, and about food, it’s time to talk about training.

Effective adaptation of training to diet

When, nutrition adapts to training, when we burn fat, it’s the other way around.

For a better understanding of the issue, I suggest you watch the video Yaroslava Brirna, where he clearly and clearly explains the principles of adapting training to a diet:

Now about how I adjusted it to my realities and what happened in the end.

When “drying” the body, one of the important tasks is retention muscle mass . Indeed, in a calorie deficit, the body, at any opportunity, begins to get rid of energy-consuming tissue - those same muscles. The only thing that will not allow him to do this on a particularly large scale is serious power load. Muscles work, which means they are needed for the survival of the body, that is, the body will burn them to a minimum even at a minus in calories.

In addition, for effective strength work you need glycogen (fuel for muscle work), which is more than enough after a Sunday day of unrestrained carbohydrate gorging. True, provided that strength training is carried out in the late afternoon. Glycogen is restored within 24 to 48 hours (and even longer in some people). If we start eating on Sunday morning, then by Monday evening more than 30 hours will have passed.

So, in Monday I have power training for all large muscle groups (plus deltoids, there are never too many deltas), to maintain maximum muscle mass during drying. This is 6-8 reps for 2-3 work sets, but I did more reps in my warm-up sets to further challenge the muscles. Important point- the rest between approaches should be long, from 3 to 5 minutes, so that the supply of creatine phosphate in the muscles is restored (due to it, the main strength work is carried out).

The load is severe, so on Tuesday rest or lazy cardio for an hour. I usually rested, leaving cardio for later strength training.

Wednesday and Thursday - high volume training, aimed at maximizing the burning of glycogen in the muscles. That is, the weight of the weights is less, but there are more repetitions, with little rest between approaches. Specifically, I perform 3-4 working sets of 15-20 reps with no more than a minute of rest between sets. Since the training is very, very exhausting, I divided the whole body into two days (excluding the legs, I load it normally on the strength training), more detailed in the split below.

The next workout is aimed at acidifying the muscles. Also known as static-dynamic. The point is to acidify the muscle as much as possible with lactic acid. This is the basis of the training methodology Viktor Siluyanov.

The trick of the workout is that the body responds to the abundant secretion of lactic acid by producing an increased amount growth hormone. It is both a lipolytic and an anabolic hormone, meaning it simultaneously burns fat and grows muscle, as well as repairs other damaged tissue. In addition, the training is very energy-intensive, which is what we need - the more energy we spend, the more it will be replenished from the body’s fat reserves.

The essence of the training is to keep the muscle under load for 50–70 seconds.. With such long-term implementation exercise it begins to burn unbearably - this is the work of lactic acid. I pump my whole body during the workout and perform 2-3 working approaches with light weight (50-60% of the maximum). Rest between sets no more than 30 seconds. In order not to fall into the trash even in the first minutes of training, I distribute neighboring exercises among the most distant muscle groups, which will be visible in the split below.

At the end of high-volume and oxidation workouts, do 30-40 minutes of cardio. I prefer an orbitrek with a load of 7–8 units.

Thus, during the week I use four types of training - strength (preservation of muscles), high-volume (maximum consumption of glycogen in the muscles), acidification (increased production of growth hormone and maximum drawdown of the body's energy systems) and cardio (burning released from fat reserves and trapped fatty acids into the bloodstream).

Now the split itself for men.

MONDAY (strength - all large muscle groups and deltoids):

1. Squats with a barbell on your shoulders.
2. Deadlift 4 sets.
3. Wide-grip pull-ups with weights or vertical pull-downs.
4. Bent-over row of a barbell (or one dumbbell).
5. Barbell (dumbbell) bench press.
6. Dips with weights on the belt
7. Standing barbell (dumbbell) press (military press).

WEDNESDAY (high volume #1 - back, triceps, abs):

1. Wide grip pull-ups (no weight).
2. Bent-over row of two dumbbells.
3. Shrugs.
4. Close grip press.
5. French press.
6. Twisting.
7. Reverse crunches.
8. Cardio 30–40 mmmin.

THURSDAY (high volume #2 - chest + biceps + shoulders + calves):

1. Bench press.
2. Dips.
3. Barbell curl for biceps.
4. Barbell row to the chin.
5. Standing dumbbell press.
6. Calf raises with dumbbells or in a hack.
7. Hyperextension.
8. Cardio 30–40 mmmin.

SATURDAY (for acidification - whole body):

1. Platform leg press.
2. Pulling the block to the belt.
3. Calf raise.
4. Bench press.
5. Leg bending in the simulator.
6. Pulldown of a vertical block to the chest.
7. Leg extension in the simulator.
8. Barbell curl for biceps.
9. Close grip press.
10. Crunches
11. Hyperextension.
12. Cardio 30-40 minutes.

SUNDAY (rest)

Split for women.

Strength and acidification training are identical to those for men, but high-volume training is slightly different - since it is divided into the lower and upper body.

MONDAY (strength - men's training)

TUESDAY (rest or hour of cardio)

WEDNESDAY (high volume No. 1 - buttocks + back surface thighs + calves + abs):

1. Lunges.
2. Lifting the pelvis.
3. Platform press with a wide stance and turned out feet.
4. Leg abduction on the simulator.
5. Swing your legs in a crossover (with cuffs), a simulator, or while standing on your knees.
6. Calf raises.
7. Twisting.
8. Reverse crunches.
9. Cardio 30-40 minutes.

   THURSDAY (high volume #2 - back + pecs + shoulders + triceps + biceps):

10. Horizontal block thrust.
11. Bent-over dumbbell row.
12. Dumbbell bench press.
13. Barbell row to the chin.
14. Standing dumbbell flyes (swings).
15. Any French press.
16. Lifting barbells (dumbbells) for biceps.
17. Hyperextension.
18. Cardio 30-40 minutes.

FRIDAY (rest or hour of cardio)

SATURDAY (for acidification - men's training):

SUNDAY (rest)

The exercises above are just examples; you can use any others you choose. I showed my spouses what I use in my training.

What are the results

I was at my lowest weight at the height of the keto diet. 95,4 kg, but my strength began to fall, lethargy appeared - I clearly went too far with cutting calories (reached 2200–2300 kcal), accordingly increased it to 2400–2500, returned 96–97 kg, and life got better.

By the end of the fourth month of cutting, the form after a day of gluttony with glycogen-filled muscles and after strength training was like this:

And I turned into this “cracker” by Saturday; I took the photo a few hours after an acidifying workout, that is, not on a pump and having used up all the glycogen in the muscles:

Of the interesting observations, in addition to the noticeably improved relief, I also drew attention to strength growth. For several years I did not work in a strength regime, limiting myself to 12–15 repetitions. Now I tried it. As a result, I gradually reached a squat and deadlift from 160 kg x 6 times, to bench press 120 kg x 6 times and dips with 50 kg on the belt x 8 times. The results are average for the hospital, but for me personally this is a great achievement, especially with my own weight of 96-97 kg, and even on a decent calorie deficit.

So, slowly, over the course of 4.5 months, I reached a new form for myself, in the process I learned a lot of interesting things, and shared the information with you.

In addition to everything that has been said, I also experienced such a thing as “ eyeliner", which is used by all bodybuilders, fitnessists, pop stars and actors before important filming, photo shoots and other events where you need to shine in all your glory. But this is a completely different story, the result of which is below:

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Hi all! Very often, many athletes have a very vague idea of ​​the processes occurring in the muscles when working with various weights. For example, the concept of lactic acid is perceived by many athletes almost as the main “infection” that prevents muscles from growing. Why this is happening and whether this is really so is what we have to figure out today.

So, everything is assembled, so we can start...

Lactic Acid: Introduction to Theory

I think you know this feeling when, after working out well in the gym or just exercising (after long break) unaccustomed to work, the next morning you simply can’t move “an arm or a leg.” Well, how was it? So, often all the negative factors of “non-canting” are attributed to lactic acid. Whether this is true or not, let's find out.

Meet lactic acid (aka “milk” in common parlance)- a clear liquid that is a by-product of those physiological processes, which flow in the exercised muscles during their training. The accumulation of lactic acid occurs as a result of an athlete training a specific muscle, and the more repetitions/approaches of an exercise are done, the more the lactic acid “acidifies” the muscles. In general, the body uses glucose to produce energy, which when physical activity splits (without the participation of oxygen), and the final product of its oxidation is the lactic acid ion - lactate. Subsequently, the ion does not oxidize, and if the load is intense, then all the lactate, accumulating, does not have time to be excreted.

Thus, at the end of the set, the concentration of this lactate reaches a critical level, which “burns” pain receptors and a characteristic muscle burning occurs. After rest, the milk level drops, but not to its original level. Thus, the more and more intensely an athlete trains, the more lactic acid accumulates in his muscles.

Note:

It is believed that the mechanism of lactic acid accumulation is activated after 30 sec. working the target muscle group with weights.

It is generally accepted that “milk” has a negative effect on the muscles, preventing them from working at full capacity, however, this is not so. Almost immediately after you put the projectile down, blood almost instantly rushes to the muscle limbs and flushes lactic acid into the general bloodstream, which then enters the liver, again turning into glucose (during the process of gluconeogenesis). Next, glucose is re-entered into the blood for further use. This process is called the Cori cycle (see image).

This “cycle” of lactate overall increases blood acidity and has a stimulating (rejuvenating) effect on the entire body.

Note:

It has been scientifically proven that pain is not an indicator of the effectiveness of the exercise and the quality of the load on the muscle.

Lactic acid and MBA

There is such a thing as delayed muscle pain ( ZMB) – a feeling that always occurs when you give yourself unusual physical activity (trying a new exercise, increasing the intensity or duration of training). Mechanism ZMB– the occurrence of microtraumas (ruptures) in muscle fibers. These small wounds encourage the body to activate its protective reserves, the secretion of hormones responsible for healing and suppression of inflammation increases, and protein synthesis increases. At the exit, the muscle adds its volume and weight.

A completely reasonable question arises here: ...since ZMB promotes muscle growth, then should it occur after every workout? In general, it is worth saying that the body is a highly adaptive structure that can adapt to any changing conditions. So don't blame yourself that after 3-4 workouts Your muscles stop hurting. Apparently, the body just got used to the load, and this exercise no longer affects him with its original effectiveness.

In general, if you want to achieve a constant burning sensation in your muscles, you should not practice the same training program for longer 2-3 months, it is also necessary to perform the exercises quite intensively.

Now let's deal with the myths (not powder :)) about lactic acid. Very often you can hear the following phrase from bodybuilders and fitness athletes: lactic acid is simply killing my muscles. Is it so? It turns out that she was during physical exercise Helps produce energy for muscles and serves as fuel for the liver to produce glucose and glycogen. Its production is a completely natural process, so to speak, the body’s reaction to overcoming stressful situations. Therefore, such a statement is fundamentally incorrect.

Of course, lactic acid also has its “dark” side. In particular, when produced by the body, it breaks down into lactate anion and hydrogen ion (which lowers the pH level). The latter is an acid in milk that interferes with the transmission of electrical signals from the brain to the muscles, slows down energy reactions and weakens muscle contractions. These hydrogen ions accumulate in the muscle and cause a characteristic burning sensation. This is why some blame lactic acid for muscle fatigue, but in fact (as you now know) the reason for this is the accumulation of hydrogen ions.

Lactate lactate, on the contrary, is very useful for our body, because it is the “jet” fuel that muscles prefer during their workouts. It is also important for providing the body with a constant supply of carbohydrates. If you take lactate in its pure form, it can significantly increase overall performance and speed up recovery processes.

Thus, by skillfully managing lactic acid, you can easily increase your energy levels and also prevent muscle fatigue.

Lactic Acid: 5 Key Facts

To take advantage of such a powerful tool for increasing the effectiveness of training, you need to arm yourself with the appropriate theoretical knowledge. So let's break it down 5 facts that every athlete needs to know about milk.

No. 1. Lactic acid does not cause muscle pain or cramps

Unpleasant painful sensations in the muscles the next day after intense training is only the result of damage and micro-tears of myofibrils (thin muscle filaments). Dead pieces of dead tissue accumulate in the muscles and are then eliminated by the immune system. Cramps occur due to overexcitation of the nerve receptors of the muscles, which is caused by the accumulation of fatigue in the latter.

Therefore, it should be remembered that lactic acid (or rather lactate)- This is not motor oil that remains in the muscles after exercise, it is a quick source of fuel that is consumed during exercise and during the recovery process.

No. 2. Formation of lactic acid during the breakdown of glucose

As a result of this process, cells produce ATP, which provides energy for most chemical reactions in the body. “Milk” is formed as a result of anaerobic metabolism – i.e. the process occurs without access to oxygen. ATP production associated with lactate is small but very rapid. This makes it ideal for meeting the energy needs of the body working with intensity 60-65% from the maximum.

No. 3. Lactic acid can form in muscles that receive enough oxygen

We all know that as the intensity of exercise increases, white (fast) muscle fibers are activated more and more, which (mostly) use carbohydrates for their contraction. When they are broken down, the muscles begin to produce lactic acid. So, the more intensely you exercise (run faster, swim, lift weights), the more carbohydrates are used as fuel, and the more “milk” is produced.

The latter simply means that the rate of its entry into the blood is higher than the rate of removal, while oxygen does not have any effect on this process.

No. 4. Lactic acid is produced when carbohydrates are broken down and energy is produced.

The more lactic acid will be formed, the faster the process of breakdown of glucose and glycogen occurs. During the rest period after high-volume training with large scales, the body (mostly) uses fats as a fuel source. However, the more often you train with submaximal weights, the faster the body switches to “carbohydrate rails” as a source of fuel. In turn, the more carbohydrates are used as fuel, the more “milk” the body produces.

No. 5. Properly organized training can speed up the process of removing lactic acid from muscles

Yes, indeed, it is possible to achieve this “acceleration” effect by increasing the intensity of exercises, sufficient rest between sets and alternating loads. To effectively use lactic acid, you need to include exercises in your training program that help remove lactate from your muscles. These exercises include the principle of supersets and sets with weight loss. In addition, in almost any training program there are a couple of exercises that contribute to the accelerated “excretion of milk.”

In general, the removal of lactic acid is enhanced by alternating cardio and weight training. It turns out that the more “milk” you accumulate during the exercise, the better, because this stimulates the body to produce enzymes that accelerate its use as fuel.

Thus, we can conclude that your training program should develop in you the ability to remove lactic acid already during classes. To somewhat summarize all of the above, I would like to say that in general the body “loves” lactic acid (particularly lactate), and I would even say that I cannot imagine a single quality workout without it. This is understandable, because lactate:

• provides ultra-fast fuel, so necessary for the heart and muscles during exercise;
• used for liver glycogen synthesis (carbohydrate storage form);
• is an important component of sports drinks;
• simultaneously promotes and prevents muscle fatigue.

Well, as always, according to tradition, at the end we will summarize and voice some practical advice.

Lactic acid: how to get rid of it

Many are new to gym Very often they experience discomfort from high-volume training, leading to muscle burning. Therefore, by following the simple tips below, you will significantly increase the level of comfort of your exercises and will not be “stressed” by the accumulation of lactic acid. So, here's what you need to do to keep its accumulation to a minimum:

• start your workout with a light, warm-up warm-up;
• stretch your muscles after each repetition or at the end of a set;
• increase the working weight gradually, as your muscles are ready;
• do not skip training (if possible), let the muscles get used to the load;
• Recover fully after your workout.

Actually, that's all.

By taking the above information into account and following simple tips, you can easily subdue and learn to manage the most powerful catalyst for training intensity.

Afterword

Today you learned a little more about what lactic acid is. I think it's now pretty clear that it's responsible for the burning sensation during exercise, but not the pain the next day. So, take full advantage of all the benefits of lactic acid and see that progress in your training will undoubtedly come.

With this I say goodbye, all the best, come back again, you are always welcome here! Bye.

PS. Don't pass by, pay attention to the comments, they still crave your notes :).

Muscle acidification is the main horror story in the gym. “You’ll get sour and you won’t be able to train anymore”, “You’ll get sour and you’ll experience hellish pain” - sounds threatening, but is it true?

What is muscle acidification? Why it is dangerous, why it is useful and how to use acidification for the benefit of training progress. About all this " Soviet sports“said Dmitry Melnikov, professional fitness trainer, representative of the X-FIT fitness club network.

What is muscle acidification?

Acidification is a process in which, as a result of intense work, lactic acid or lactate, as it is also called, accumulates in the muscles. Conventionally, lactate is a byproduct of muscle activity. Its level in the blood is directly related to the intensity with which you exercise. And the more you force your muscles to work, the more lactate accumulates in them.

How to determine that you are “sucked”

The main indicator of muscle acidification is a burning sensation. It becomes painful for you to do the exercise, you can no longer do repetitions. When lactic acid accumulates in the body, it significantly impedes nerve conduction, which in turn creates problems with the production of new muscle contractions.

An extreme form of acidification is muscle failure, a condition where you can no longer complete a single repetition of an exercise.

Why is muscle weakness harmful?

First of all, these are unpleasant sensations and pain in the muscles you worked on. They begin already during training and can continue the next day.

Secondly, if you always work at a critical level of acidification, push yourself to complete failure, and then get sick, this can stop all training progress. The muscles will take longer to recover, you will load them with subsequent workouts - all together this will quickly lead to overtraining. Lack of results, fatigue, sleep problems, increased blood pressure, malfunctions of internal systems. This is a consequence of the fact that you are too busy.

At the same time, you need to know: if the pain does not go away 2-3 or more days after you have completed the training, this no longer indicates the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, but the presence of micro-tears in the muscles, and, possibly, injuries.

If we're talking about about micro-tears, then this is rather good: they heal, heal - and this is how muscle growth occurs, as the most common opinion says about why muscles grow. If the pain is traumatic in nature, do not delay and go to the doctor: until it is healed, there will be no benefit from the training.

What is the benefit of fermentation?

Despite all the negative symptoms, there are benefits to acidification. Lactic acid acts as a source of energy for the body: the body uses approximately two-thirds of the lactate produced during training as fuel.

In addition, acidification is an indicator that the muscles have really worked hard and received a stimulus for growth. Without the burning there will be no progress. But! It is important to use acidification correctly and not overdo it.

How to control acidification levels

If your goal is simply to maintain physical fitness, then it is not necessary to bring yourself to a debilitating burning sensation in your muscles. Perform the exercises without pushing yourself to the point of muscle failure: stop doing repetitions as soon as a burning sensation appears - leave 1-2 repetitions in reserve.

For beginners who have just started training strength training, it is also not recommended to bring the muscles to strong acidification. For them there should be a preparatory stage of 2-3 weeks, where they put a load on the entire body: they start with very small loads and gradually increase them, adapting the nervous system.

Upon completion of this preparatory stage You can’t do without acidification – the loads increase significantly. To avoid extreme acidification, it is recommended to do a cool-down and stretching after training, use a massage roller - this will help improve blood circulation and quickly remove residual lactic acid.

Also, you don't have to do every exercise to failure. In some cases, it is recommended to avoid refusing basic movements, which involve several muscle groups. This puts a lot of stress on the body and makes recovery difficult. Isolation movements that involve only one muscle are easier for the body to tolerate: therefore, beginners can do “isolation” to failure.

Reduce the intensity of your workout if you feel groggy and sore afterwards. In this case, it is better to slightly reduce the working weights in the exercises or reduce the number of approaches. Maximum intensity does not always benefit progress.

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I set myself the task of briefly telling a complete course of training methods for athletes of any sport where the physical abilities of the muscles play a decisive role. Today we will pay maximum attention to the muscle fibers that are responsible for aerobic capacity. I won’t go too deep into the terminology; on the contrary, I’ll try to tell you as much as possible in simple language what needs to be done for increased aerobic capacity.

Aerobic muscle fibers allow us to perform prolonged work without significant negative signs for the body and in particular for the muscles themselves. These muscle fibers work for hours in: running, cycling, biathlon, rowing. Aerobic muscle fibers are also called oxidative muscle fibers (OMF). In the same muscle there are both GMFs, which do not get tired for a long time, and they are called glycolytic muscle fibers (GMFs).
So, OMVs are characterized primarily by long-term work, they never get tired. GMVs get tired much faster; these muscle fibers are not able to work for more than 1 minute, usually within 20-30 seconds.

Let's take an example: a person starts running at an average pace for himself, runs for one minute/another, everything is fine. Further, depending on the preparation, muscle acidification may or may not occur. Once acidified, it becomes very difficult to run. The runner starts to feel acidic calf muscles, or the back of the thigh; for a cyclist or skier - quadriceps hips (quadriceps). In other words, sooner or later there comes a moment of acidification of the muscle that is most actively involved in a particular physical activity.

Acidification is the process of formation of hydrogen ions in a cell. So-called lactic acid is formed in muscle fibers. If you ignore acidification and forcefully continue the exercise, within 2 minutes you can completely destroy the active muscle fiber. That's why, prolonged acidification is unacceptable.

However, acidification may not occur if the imposed load is completely covered by the OMV. This leads to an important conclusion: the more GMV, and the smaller the GMV, the higher the aerobic capacity in a specific muscle. OMVs are always the first to start working, this explains the fact that with minor physical exertion our muscles do not become acidic, for example, when walking.

One of the main tasks for the development of aerobic abilities is conversion of GMV to OMV. It's very easy to do. To do this, we need to include the GMW in our work. For example, we want to increase the amount of OMV in the muscles responsible for running, so that in the future we can run faster and easier (without acidification). Accelerating or running uphill is ideal for this. For cyclists - riding uphill at low cadence or acceleration. You can use other exercises, the only requirement is high intensity exercise, the GMV should begin to acidify. However, acidification should not last more than 30 seconds, so at the first signs of acidification, it is worth reducing the intensity to the level of easy running/walking. After 3-5 minutes, lactic acid will leave the muscles and you can repeat the approach. You can also learn to acidify just a little, then slightly reduce the pace, and then raise it again to a slight acidification. In a month of such training, you can rearrange the ratio of RMV and GMV beyond recognition, which will certainly affect aerobic abilities.

True, this training method is designed for no more than 2 months, because... During this period, you can completely rebuild your muscles. Further such training is ineffective. To continue to progress, you need to train OMV. However, it is difficult to train OMV, because they do not become acidic in regular training. OMV cells have a large number of mitochondria, which, together with oxygen, release hydrogen ions, as a result of which it does not acidify. However, if we “cut off” the oxygen for the OMV, they will begin to acidify! This is why training in the mountains, with a lack of oxygen, is very effective in those sports that require aerobic endurance. In order to cut off the oxygen in the OMV, it is not necessary to go to the mountains; special static-dynamic exercises have been invented to solve this problem. Unlike any exercises we are used to, when the muscle alternately contracts and relaxes, static-dynamic exercises imply constant tension of the muscle. To achieve this, you do not need to come up with any new exercises; it is enough to do well-known exercises, only with partial amplitude. For example: incomplete squats with a barbell, incomplete - this means that the barbell must travel a shorter distance, the amplitude must be reduced, and the muscles must be constantly under tension. A burning sensation in a muscle is an excellent sign of a job well done, these are the same hydrogen ions that create acidification in the muscle, but again, we do not allow acidification for more than 30 seconds, 10-20 seconds is enough. Oxygen does not participate in the work of HMF, which is why they acidify so quickly; there is oxygen in HMV, which quickly takes away hydrogen ions, but static-dynamic exercises - good way deprive the OMV of oxygen for the duration of the exercise.