Treadmill, This Pad Can Hurt

TREADMILL

BE A BRUTE, SOMETIMES

I still remember the first time a gym instructor showed me how todo super sets. It was my 'leg day' at the gym and, as usual, I set upthe squat rack for my first set. After a 12-repetition first set ofsquats, as I was adding weights for my second set, the instructorstopped me. "Try something new," he said, leading me to the leg pressmachine. "Do a quick set of leg presses," he said and before I knewit, there I was doing 10 moderately heavy ones on the machine. As Istaggered off the leg press machine, my quadriceps blasted, hepointed me back toward the squat rack. "Now do another set ofsquats," he commanded, "and follow that up with another set of legpresses." Most gym-goers will know what I mean if I said that thefollowing day was hell for me. Walking was impossible.

What my instructor made me do that morning is known as'supersetting'. It is also the most brutal shock you can subject yourmuscles to. Supersetting is high-intensity weight training and thereare a number of benefits to be had from it. First, it's quick.Jumping from one to another exercise without rest makes workoutsshorter and tougher. Supersets put more pressure on your muscles andhelp them grow faster. And because of their intensity they canoverload your muscles without resorting to very heavy weights.

There are different kinds of supersets. You could do one where themovement of the first exercise isolates the muscles, while the seconduses compound movements. For example, you could do leg extensionsthat isolate the quadriceps and follow it up with squats, whichinvolve not only the quads but the glutes (your butt), hamstrings andinner thighs. Or you could do the opposite: a compound movement,followed by one that isolates the muscle. Example: bench pressfollowed by lying dumb-bell flyes. Then there are tri-sets, which Icall the father of supersets: you do three sets of three exercisestargeting the same muscle, without resting in between. A set ofsquats, then, quickly, a set of leg presses and then, again without apause, a set of leg extensions. Oh, boy! That's one helluva workout.Believe me, I do it sometimes and then forget about walking for thenext couple of days.

Muscles Mani

write to musclesmani@intoday.com

THIS PAD CAN HURT

The pad we're referring to here is peripheral arterial disease,which is caused by blockages to the arteries that supply legs withblood. Such blockage can result in acute pain and, in severe cases,even lead to gangrene. Here's an FAQ on PAD:

Symptoms: Fatigue, discomfort or persistent pain in the muscles ofthe calves or the thighs. "Another clue that a walking impairment maybe due to PAD is a wound in the legs that refuses to heal," says DrS.K. Gupta, Cardiologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.

Causes: Since PAD is caused by arterial blockage, smoking,diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol are prime suspects.

Who's at risk: If you're 50 or older and have a history ofsmoking, or are diabetic, you're in the danger zone. Further, PADpatients face a six- to seven-fold increase in the risk of a heartattack or a stroke.

Cure: First, treat the underlying causes. If it doesn't work,angioplasty or bypass surgery for the legs may be required.

-Indrani Rajkhowa