Author: Ryan
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Your body is like a house, with the exception that it’s the only one you get for your whole life!
Think about the investment that your body is compared to a house…
On average, building a house takes between 7 and 12 months with factors like the complexity of the design, location, and whether it’s a custom build impacting the overall timeline; a standard contractor-built home can be completed in approximately 6-9 months, while a fully custom home might take 10-16 months.
Conversely, it will take at least seven weeks to establish the workout habit and at least 7 to 12 months to build a decent body, and at the low end, the minimum time. This is where you start to lose a lot of people, because they don’t want to accept that their timeline is going to be quite a bit longer than they would hope. You see, people wanna get away with doing the least amount of work possible and getting the best outcome these days. Somehow, having a disconnect from the fact that it took a long time to end up in the condition they are currently in.
If you take a look above, you can see the custom home portion saying ten to sixteen months – and use this as your bare minimum baseline to manage your expectations.
Let’s be honest – this is under the best of circumstances, so you better tack on some extra time, because you know right now that you’re not gonna be perfect, and you’re probably gonna have some regressions along the way.
I’m picturing a couple houses in the process of being built right now in the winter, with the freezing temperatures…it isn’t a great time to be out there finishing these houses. But I’ll tell you this, everyday these houses sit out there in the weather unfinished, they’re deteriorating slowly…much like you will if you neglect to finish building your physiological house.
Imagine a guy like me as the general contractor and you essentially as the future homeowner and the laborer that has to do all the work and pay for your house. Reading those above lines just can piss some people off – because you can’t just buy this outcome for yourself. You have to pay for it and you have to earn it—and that is bc this is a process, and not a product.
I’d also like to point out that just because you’re showing up “to work,” in quotations, on the daily doesn’t mean your house is gonna end up being built very well. So you could be putting in a whole hell of a lot of time, $, & effort and not even ending up with a desirable outcome—expending all those resources for a home that you are unhappy with.
The sooner you can start viewing your physiological self (you are a living breathing piece of real estate) as the aforementioned, you can be psychologically equipped to know what to expect, and the work that’s ahead.
Lastly, you need to stop fantasizing about what the finished product could be or look like and start obsessing about the daily work that needs to be put in in order to get that sort of outcome.
Your body, unfortunately, is the house you have to live in your entire life….you can’t sell it…all you can do is continually make improvements and updates to it, and build the equity of it—or you can diligently neglect it and watch it depreciate in value, right in front of your own eyes and everyone else’s.
‼️ FYI ‼️
I offer FREE INSPECTIONS & APPRAISALS right in the gym.
You don’t need to pay me any money for this valuable service— just arrive in a clean pair of sneakers and some clothes that you can move around in well….Because I’m gonna put your body to the test, not sit there and visit with you about your entire life’s history or gloat about the things that I’m capable of doing for you.
1️⃣ You will need to sign a digital waiver in case you die (hasn’t happened ever…I promise & I’ve actually saved lives!).
2️⃣ I won’t hurt you in any way other than maybe your ego, so please leave that in your high school gym class or with your fantasy football league.
3️⃣ More than likely you are going to leave having learned some new things about yourself, and probably an elevated level of curiosity as to what it could look like training like this on a regular basis.
So get a good night’s sleep…pack yourself a healthy & nutritious lunch, and be prepared for some Iron Therapy.
Life is short, Let’s BEEfit!
I’m ready to help you!
-Ryan
The All Natty Muscle Coach, nutritionist, performance, & fat loss specialist @ BEEfit
What do I do for you as a personal trainer is a lot like what a master builder does for a home:
Physique & Movement Assessment: Gather data.
Diagnose: Pinpoint the issue and address needs.
Build/Intervene: Create a plan.
Monitor & Evaluate: Track progress and adjust plan as needed for progress.
I work with you to build a training system that drives real results.
Based upon your body, your schedule, your goals/needs, and your access to equipment.
You get an expert guide to be there with you, rep by rep, day by day. This does more than provide accountability. This is hiring a master builder versus a guy that builds rudimentary bird houses.
This is how you make sure your efforts and time are focused on the right things at the proper time.
Fitness success and your best version is right here.
WHAT IS IN A PLAN? Typically covering a 6-12 week span. The plan will cover your workouts, nutrition, supplementation, recovery, philosophy, psychology, cardio regimen and everything you need to know to affect your physiology (how you look and feel). Your custom plan will address all these factors to achieve your desired outcome. Most importantly, we build a sustainable habit and an outcome that you are happy with.
Let’s BEEfit!
Schedule your FREE 30 minute consultation today!
Do you represent a business/HR department? Let’s set up a Corporate Wellness Plan?
Email or call to schedule your FREE assessment/appraisal!
Email: ryanbeefit@gmail.com
Phone: 360-524-2078
National Girls & Women in Sports Day!

Free lifting Clinic for ladies at BEEfit to celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day!
🗓️When: Tuesday, January 28th
⏰Time: 4-5:30pm
📍Where: BEEfit 311 State Street Sedro-Woolley
💰Cost: FREE
🏋️♀️Ages: 10+
Sign up & secure your spot today!
Clinic open to all women!

Under 18: Parent must fill out a training waiver in their name as well.
Great for athletes, moms & daughters!
Clinic focus on legs and abdominal training with take home information on nutrition.
Clinic taught by our lead trainer and certified all natural professional!
Format:
Intro
Warm up
Abs
Execute 3 compound motions:
Dead lifts, Squats, lunges
Conclude with Q&A
This is a fabulous opportunity to learn the most important lifts for leg day and your abdominals!
Register via email or text/call:
Ryanbeefit@gmail.com
or
360.524.2078
**Training waiver will need to be filled out before clinic.
Waiver available on this website from the main page: under the “JOIN” tab
ryanbeefit.com under the “JOIN” tab
Email or call with any questions!
Ryanbeefit@gmail.com
360.524.2078

Age 43 birthday reflections from Coach Ryan…
What have I learned?
There is a principle that rules over us–
“Aphercotropism: The response an organism has as it grows to overcome an obstacle in its way.
I have learned that perception shapes perspective.”
Self determination is a blessing and a right but it might just be more like a muscle than anything else: exercise it, recover/exercise it consistently so it grows stronger…use it or lose it.
Life is a combination of a maze and an obstacle course.
You only lose when you quit trying.
It’s not how many times you get knocked down that matters,
it is how many times you are willing to pick yourself back up.
You can learn as much from a ‘miss,’ as you can a, ‘make.’
Keep taking shots…unless you’re drinking–and know that a ‘drunk’ is a ‘wasted’ human.
You must be your own best friend,
Greatest advocate,
Loudest fan and source of counsel,
Empowered by curiosity,
do your best to find a balance between life coach and a minister of grace.
Discipline, determination, and discernment are your tools for evaluation and action–
They will dictate your ability to navigate through life.
An attitude full of gratitude will take you to the highest altitude.
Be thankful for every day and embrace the beauty.
Without a strong body and mind,
your time on earth is significantly more challenging:
protect and build these two up as much as you can: they are intertwined.
You will not regret the time you give your mind and body to get healthier, stronger, and more resilient…the two together are utterly brilliant.
The mind and soul exact a powerful toll–
Payments are investments and deposits in your standards.
Your standards, though set, will adapt as you adopt new perspectives.
You probably won’t change the world, but you can change and decide how you react and interact.
Identity and break generational curses.
Don’t leave your descendants with your decadent disasters, messes, and lousy habits…your DNA is a campsite that you leave for your offspring…don’t leave them wondering why you did nothing to improve the site.
No one is coming to save you and the world is self centered–yet not completely self absorbed.
You show the world and people how to treat you by how you treat the world and people you interact with.
Don’t let any realization make you anything other than exactly who you want to be.
Self determination isn’t easy when it is worthwhile.
Struggling is usually an indication that you are doing something worthwhile.
If things are going smoothly–you have either set yourself up for success or you are drifting with the current–make sure you are going the right way.
I have learned
That your habits and environment dictate your future more than anything else.
Examine and evaluate these two things constantly.
Don’t hold on to anger.
Dislike where you are? Change your habits, change your environment.
Habits are investments. Invest wisely.
Do not tolerate habits or environments that aren’t aligned with your principles.
BEE intentional with who you are and what you do.
BEE kind.
BEE the change you want to see.
BEE consistent.
Keep promises to yourself and you will be as happy as you can be.
Instead of accumulating lots of friends, make lots of investments in the friends you have.
EVERYTHING is temporary. PAIN, LOVE, LIFE…make sure you experience them fully in order to learn from them. The more you embrace PAIN, LOVE, and LIFE, the more you can appreciate, recognize, and empathize.
BEE succinct and pithy.
BEE WHO YOU WANT TO BEE.
Simple Eggnog Smoothie
360 mL of eggnog
(340 cal, 57 g of carb, 12 g protein, 27 g fat)
DotFIT brand all natural vanilla Whey smooth
(one serving equals 140 cal, 2 g carb. 25 G protein)
= 480 cal, 59 g carb, 37 g protein
dotFIT 20% off link for All Natural Vanilla Whey Smooth
RyanBEEfit.com for our 20% off dotFIT link and supplement explanations.
MEN OVER 30! TIME TO PRIORITIZE YOUR HEALTH!
Men over 30! Stop putting your health on the back burner. Putting your physical health first will make you more capable in every facet of your life!
Don’t fall for the, “Dad body” death trap!
Don’t fall into the trap of becoming weak, fat, undermuscled, and unhappy!
We are meant to level up physically, emotionally, and financially.
Don’t let society make you feel “Toxic” for driving to achieve these values.
Separate yourself from people that don’t want you to be stronger and healthier physically, emotionally, and financially.

Men who want to be their best/ would do anything for their families are willing to do what is necessary to be their best physically (resistance training), emotionally (resilient and articulate), and financially (stable, supportive, and accumulative).
From age 30 onward, the body rapidly loses muscle without the intervention of, and institution of resistance training. You can choose to get weaker and dramatically age, or you can do resistance training to promote muscle growth and take charge of your physique. Without resistance training you will get weaker, your metabolism will slow down, you age more dramatically and you are lessening your independence.
Men are happiest when they are improving themselves physically, emotionally, and financially. An idle man is a depressed man.
Now I cannot directly improve your financial situation.
But in my experience,
When a man levels up physically, he levels up emotionally as he becomes more resilient and better at managing stress and various emotional states.
This leveling up carries over to finances.
It is very common to essentially level up physically, emotionally, and financially simultaneously.
The common trait?
Consistency.
Men, if you are ready to get the most from yourself and BEE your best version, you are ready for the BEEfit Men’s Health Program!
Men: it is time to prioritize our physical and emotional health. It is time for action. It is time to BEEfit and not look back!
Message me or post a “🔥“ in the comments today to schedule your FREE evaluation and goal setting call!

(Pictured above is your 40+ year old, lifetime all natural, certified all natural professional bodybuilder with over 20 years of personal training and coaching experience = a real practitioner and pioneer in the fitness industry!)
About the program:
A BEEfit training program will be designed for where you are at and set up to get you where you want to be.
We will take into account your equipment access, schedule, prior experience, limitations, expectations, and create a personalized program to consistently commit to and develop your discipline upon.
This is about setting a new standard around firmly established principles.
We eliminate the guesswork so you can improve physically and get control of your health.
We can set up for a gym program at our gym or one that you chose.
We can set up the ultimate home gym program if that is your preference.
We can even do a no equipment program if that is what is needed!
You let us know what you have consistent access to and how many days and how much time you can consistently dedicate to, and we design, outline and guide you through the best program for you!
Who is this course for?
The man that, “Will do anything for his family”, and the man that, “wants to be his best version.” The result? A happy man that is physically, emotionally, and financially stable. This is a man that establishes his own happiness and can best contribute to society.
What do you need to start?
1-Self-Determination
2-Contact us for a FREE consultation and evaluation.
Email: ryanbeefit@gmail.com Phone: 360-708-8214 Website: ryanbeefit.com
Don’t Just Keep Grandma/Grandpa Alive…let’s Thrive with The HIVE!
Muscles and Strength promotion is essential for those over 60…
Weak muscles equate to brittle bones, increased health risks, premature aging, falling risks, and a shortening of one’s play span.
BEEfit started off as strictly personal training. Designing and implementing a strength and resiliency program for our owner’s mother was a primary goal.
Our BEEfit “Grandma” was born in the 40s, had a catastrophic ankle injury/surgery in 2008, and hadn’t lifted weights before starting off on her resistance training journey.

Our Goals & Expectations:
-Improved strength and capabilities so she can travel independently through Europe, take care of and play with grandkids, and continue to do the things she enjoys.
🦴Stronger bones
💤Better sleep
🔥Lower mortality rate/ longer play span.
🤷♂️Less anxiety
🎓Sharper cognition
🏋️♀️ Peak performance potential
🚑Lowest risk for injury!
📈Improved health and increased play-span!

This program meets the trainee where they are and modifications and progressions of motions:
Hip hinge, squat, vertical pull/push, horizontal pull/push, core strength, ankle flexion with calf strength, stairs/steps, lateral raises, rear delt fly…& more to address the global muscle development.
Top three moves that I use to take my mom from, “Too Old” to “Able Bodied”.
-Goblet Squat
-Reverse Lunge
-Romanian Deadlift
-We do more than just these three moves, but these are definitely foundations for movement.
Just a few other important movements:
Plank, crunches, Lateral steps, lat pulldown, row, pressing, leg extensions, leg curls, & many more movements to increase strength and independence!

If leg muscles are weak, then our activity levels are low, injury risks from falling and falling increase, social connections weaken (not getting out as much), and overall health suffers. Lifting weights is less about vanity and more about functionality. It is proactive health instead of reactive sick care. It is the best way to offset the effects of aging.
If you are looking to help your elders live a longer and happier life…then it is time to BEEfit!
Our introductory Senior training offer is on SALE! Purchase now, redeem later!
-Comprehensive physical evaluation: 30 minute in person evaluation.
-Four Personal Training Sessions in a private setting.
-One Month of UNLIMITED GYM ACCESS.
-12 weeks of written programming with app support.
-Discounted training rates going forward and $0 gym enrollment!
-Just $300 for over $500 of training and gym access!
Purchase the “Senior Training Package,” & show your mom/dad/grandparent that you love them and want them around and active for years to come!
The aging process can be less restricting, far more graceful and less painful with consistent resistance exercise. Maintaining strength and independence is best promoted via resistance training and we can make progress at any age! It is not too late to start!
BEEfit will set you up with the right training plan for where you are at! We BEE-lieve BEEcause we have learned through experience and empirical evidence that this is the best way to BEE!
MESSAGE US DIRECTLY TO SET UP YOUR SENIOR TRAINING SPECIAL! YOUR LOVED ONE WILL BE TREATED WITH THE CARE WE PROVIDE OUR VERY OWN GYM (GRAND) MOTHER!
ryanbeefit@gmail.com

Ugly X Mas Sweater Sweat Fest year 6!
Ugly X Mas Sweater Sweat Fest year 6!
📍BEEfit 311 Sedro-Woolley, WA
🗓️12/21 Saturday @ 9 am.
🎅Wear your most festively inspired outfit—not limited to Xmas sweater (Grinch, Santa, Buddy the Elf, rudolf…)
🏆Trophy for most festively dressed —prior winners —“John McClane” , “Mrs. Clause”.
👉Non-Members fill out the training waiver.
🐝Bee ready for a phenomenal abdominal training experience plus Xmas themed HIIT stations!
💡RSVP/ Q via email: ryanbeefit@gmail.com
Waiver link👉https://beefit.clubautomation.com/member-portal/locations/1/memberships
Ryanbeefit.com membership, fitness articles, & 20% off supplement link.
20% OFF SPECIAL!
20% OFF SPECIAL!!
Good until 12/8/24!
Current BEEfit membership Specials:
🍎Personalized meal guide.
💻Individualized training app for 12 weeks!
🏋️♀️Three 90 minute personal training sessions to cover every major muscle!
👶Youth discounts & FREE training app!
🧑🧑🧒 Family Rates.
📍Corporate & Small Business rates.
🔥Expert personal training for all levels!
⏰ 24/7 Access!
🚫No contract. Cancel anytime.
Take advantage of our 20% off small business discount on memberships purchased between now and December 8!
Put this code in the employer field: 20off
https://beefit.clubautomation.com/member-portal/locations/1/memberships
Save Your Muscles, SAVE YOUR LIFE!
Your Body NEEDS RESISTANCE TRAINING…
You are a soul in a body. Not a body in a soul. Your body is a vessel and you are trapped inside this vessel for all your mortal time. While you’re trapped in this vessel, you might as well make it the best it can be, right? This vessel is highly capable and adaptable–it will bend and be shaped by the consistency of your habits…the body needs your agency to help with the upkeep of this vessel–this mortal machine that is the human body.
A lifelong hobby we should all be engaged in is the promotion and maintenance of our muscles. Why? Muscles are directly tied to mortality, longevity, and your ability to do the things you enjoy. From your brain to your heart, every organ of your body benefits from resistance exercise. Your very genetic code that you pass on to your offspring is either improved from resistance exercise, or weakened by the lack thereof! Yes, that has been proven! Even though you’ve been with your body your whole life, you probably don’t understand all the proper ways to engage the muscles of the body or how or what to eat to maximize muscle recovery and thus growth.
Metabolism = muscles.
Most people decide to increase cardio and decrease food intake to lose FAT…THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST WAYS TO LOWER BODY FAT AND IMPROVE HEALTH.
Cardio is for your HEART! It is not going to change how you look! (You burn more calories doing resistance training and you promote and maintain metabolic rates far greater via resistance training–henceforth why ALL NATURAL BODYBUILDERS can produce such amazing physiques–UTILIZE THE BEST PRINCIPLES FOR THE BEST RESULTS).
Resistance training, in particular, HYPERTROPHY, is how you adapt MORPHOLOGICALLY.
HYPERTROPHY + NUTRITION + SLEEP (AND STRESS CONTROL) W/ CONSISTENCY=RESULTS
BEEfit’s role in this process?
Set you up with the program to support your principled habituation…it isn’t simply a goal, it is the standards we set and the process built around proven principles so you can put your full efforts behind the best health investment strategy! Your time is valuable. We make sure you spend your time on the fitness aspects that bring you the greatest returns.
How am I so confident in this process?
For over 10 years, this is how I have helped thousands of “regular” people go from ZERO gym experience, OVERWEIGHT, ON MEDICATIONS, & MOVING POORLY to MOVING EFFICIENTLY, WITHOUT PAIN, AND CONFIDENTLY PROGRESSING AND TRAINING INDEPENDENTLY….
FOR over 20 years, coach Ryan has been his own client and testing ground for the best practices. We are happy to say that we practice what we preach! These principles are why coach Ryan is one to the top ALL NATURAL BODYBUILDERS in the UNITED STATES. So we take all that we have learned and we help others.
COACH RYAN also draws upon his experience as a physical education teacher of 5 years spent in Early Childhood Education. Combining this experience with competitive athletics and multiple injury and surgery recoveries, makes for a unique and holistic perspective that allows for far reaching insights into the human condition, what it means to be healthy, and what it takes to progress into optimal health where one is their most resilient and the most capable.
To…
BE IN CONTROL OF THEIR VESSEL (BODY COMPOSITION), ESTABLISH A PROGRAM OF PROTOCOLS = THEY HAVE REPLACED OLD HABITS WITH NEW HABITS! & WE’RE OFF MEDS AND MOVING BETTER!
HOW MANY MUSCLES ARE IN THE HUMAN BODY?
There are 639 muscles in the human body—good luck counting them all. Although there are three different types of muscles, the type that many of us are most familiar with is the skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles attach to our bones, pushing and pulling our body in different directions so we can move.
-THREE OF THE FIVE LARGEST MUSCLE GROUPS IN YOUR BODY ARE IN YOUR LEGS! DON’T SKIP LEG DAYS! (GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS)
1-GLUTES
-The gluteus maximus, more commonly known as your “glutes,” is one of the most powerful muscles in the body. It’s critical in almost every big movement you perform, including walking, jumping, sprinting, and climbing the stairs.
-Best Glute Moves
1.Deadlift
2.Lunge
3.Hip thrust
-(add a lateral movement and if you really want to add another, a glute kickback motion on a cable or using the lying leg curl as a kickback machine).
–I go into greater detail and explanation in my full article on this matter.
2-LATS
Found just below the armpit (below the teres and rhomboid muscles) and running all the way down to the obliques (hip) and gluteus medius, the fan-like latissimus dorsi is the largest muscle in your upper body.
To properly work the lats, we need to do pull up and row motions.
Most importantly, we need the scapulas to be engaging to move the resistance.
PULLDOWNS/PULL-UPS
Rows
-My full article goes into great detail and provides video examples for all these motions…
3-QUAD
some of the strongest muscles in the body, your quadriceps are with you every step of the way. Literally. These massive muscles located on the front of your thighs are critical for walking, running, and lifting your legs. Your “quads” also help you extend your knees and bend your hips.
If you suffer from knee pain, weak quads could be the culprit. Your quads function as shock absorbers when you run or jump. Weak quads put more pressure on your knees, which can lead to pain and knee-related injuries.
-FRONT SQUAT VARIATIONS AND BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS
FRONT SQUAT VARIATIONS progress from goblet to bar to hack squats (and combo of other tier one quad movements: Pendulum, Leg Press, Belt Squat, Smith). With all three of those being in play from advanced lifters. The biomechanics of the motion are best learned with the goblet squat. Lifters that skip the phase of learning the goblet squat form and building strength in that motion will simply have more issues later on down the road. Simply put, get good at goblet squats before moving on to other quad dominant squat variations.
-Leg Extension machine is a must do! Why? Ask your Rectus Femoris. Since yours isn’t likely speaking these days, I’ll let you know about this particular head of the quads…it doesn’t get stimulated much in the front squat or the bulgarian or hacks or leg press. It needs this motion for proper stimulation!
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x56-r4gnL0U
4. HAMSTRINGS
On the other side of the coin (or legs rather )you have your hamstrings. This large muscle group consists of three muscles that run from your hip down to your knee. These muscles help you walk, climb stairs and squat down. If you have hip or knee pain, you might want to give a little extra attention to your hamstrings, as they help bend the knee and rotate your hip.
A lot of gym goers remember to work out their quads but overlook their glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors. These muscles all work in harmony, so make sure you work them as well. Your hamstrings get primary focus with these exercises.
5. PECS
One of the largest muscles in the upper body. The pectoralis major links the front of the chest to the shoulder and upper arm. You engage these muscles anytime you do a pushing movement, such as pushing open a door or throwing a ball. However, your pecs are responsible whenever you move your arms. Most lifters can make great progress on their chest muscles with three to four exercises.
-Focus on 1-2 pressing variations and see what you get from them. Overall, most people benefit from incline pressing variations most. For overall development, some flat or decline angle pressing is recommended.
PRIORITIZING on the largest muscles in the body can net you the best return on your exercise investment. Working your large muscle groups reduces your injury risk while also improving your performance in all your fitness-related undertakings. Whether you’re looking to set a new personal record or just keep up with your kids/grandkids. Whether you’re young or old, or healthy or ailing–resistance training is your key investment strategy and your large muscles will yield the greatest returns.
Full Article:
http://ryanbeefit.com/breaking-down-the-largest-muscles-in-the-body
Sarcopenia
“No decline in structure and function is more dramatic than the decline in muscle mass that develops as we age.”
What is sarcopenia and why are we seeing earlier onset Sarcopenia?
Sarcopenia is a musculoskeletal disease in which muscle mass, strength, and performance are significantly compromised with age. Sarcopenia most commonly affects elderly and sedentary populations and patients who have comorbidities that affect the musculoskeletal system or impair physical activity.
Sacropenia has been shown to start as early as the third decade of life (around your 30s), with a noticeable decline becoming more apparent in the fifth decade (around your 50s) according to most research; meaning muscle mass gradually decreases throughout life, but becomes more significant with advancing age.
Simply put, if you haven’t started doing resistance exercise by age 30, (particularly Hypertrophy Strength Training), you are losing your lean tissue and this is happening at a rate of no less than 1% per year–previously believed to start at age 50, but studies have shown that the decline in lean tissue without resistance training begins far sooner–at age 30 on average!
WHY ARE WE SEEING EARLIER ONSET SARCOPENIA
Sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, lack of resistance exercise, and a culture that doesn’t promote or support wellness or resistance training or proper physical education. For example: we are raising the youth without providing them the education on how to properly develop their 639 muscles in their bodies or how important protein intake is!
HOW DOES SARCOPENIA AFFECT THE BODY?
Generally, a significant decline of type II, but not type I muscle fibers are observed in sarcopenic patients.[28] Several mechanisms of the underlying pathophysiology of sarcopenia have been described:
- Age-related declines in anabolic hormone serum concentrations: Normal physiological serum levels of anabolic hormones such as testosterone, human growth hormone (HGH), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been demonstrated to function in the development, maintenance, or rejuvenation of muscle tissue.[29][30][31][32] Age-related declines of such hormones are observed in patients with sarcopenia and thus, support this underlying pathophysiology of the disease.[33]
- Insulin resistance with “sarcopenic obesity”: Aging patients often experience changes in body composition represented by increased adipose tissue alongside decreased muscle mass, coined as “sarcopenic obesity.”[34] These changes are associated with metabolic dysfunction, including insulin resistance (IR), leading to the accumulation of visceral fat mass.[35] Additionally, IR is inversely associated with skeletal muscle mass.[36]Such pathophysiology is likely mediated via dysfunction of insulin’s exerted effects on skeletal muscle – insulin resistance impairs the anti-proteolytic and MPS enhancing properties of the hormone on skeletal muscle tissue.[37] Similarly, diminished lean body mass reduces uptake of glucose into skeletal muscle, further propagating IR.[38][39]
- Age-related neurodegeneration: Progressive neurodegeneration is a commonly observed phenomenon in aging populations.[40] Aging is accompanied by a decline of alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord, loss of peripheral nerve fibers, and reduced number of neuromuscular junctions.[33][41] Considering the role of the neurological system in muscle fiber recruitment, current evidence supports neurodegeneration as underlying pathophysiology for reduced muscle strength and size in sarcopenia.[41]
- Age-related increase in inflammatory markers: Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1 are observed in elderly populations.[42] The catabolic effects that may be exerted by these cytokines on skeletal muscle are well documented and may present a mechanism in which sarcopenia develops with age.[43][44][45]
Basic testing methods for Sarcopenia:
Screening Tools to Identify Probable Sarcopenia
- Strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls (SARC-F) questionnaire: The SARC-F questionnaire is a screening tool that can be rapidly implemented by clinicians to identify probable sarcopenic patients. The questionnaire screens patients for self-reported signs suggestive of sarcopenia, which include deficiencies in strength, walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and experiencing falls.[46] Each of the self-reported parameters receives a minimum and maximum score of 0 and 2, respectively, with the greatest maximum SARC-F score being 10.[47] Data suggests that a SARC-F score of ≥4 best predicts the need for further, more comprehensive evaluation.[1][46]
Assessing sarcopenia: muscle strength
- Handgrip test: Generally, handgrip strength is one of the two methods utilized to quantify muscle strength in patients with suspected sarcopenia. Handgrip strength correlates with strength in other muscles and is therefore used as a surrogate to detect deficits in overall strength.[48] Additionally, decreased handgrip strength predicts poor patient outcomes, including increased lengths of stay (LOS), functional deficits, and death.[48][49] Accurate grip strength measurement and interpretation of results rely on a calibrated dynamometer and relevant reference populations.[50] The Jamar dynamometer is a validated tool in measuring grip strength and may be used for this assessment.[51] The suggested cutoff point for handgrip is <27 kg and <16 kg, for males and females, respectively.[52]
- Chair stand test: The chair stand test may be used as a proxy to gauge lower extremity strength, particularly the quadriceps muscles. The chair stand test measures the number of times a patient can stand and sit from a chair, without the use of their arms, over 30 seconds.[53] This test has been established as a valid indicator of lower extremity strength in community-dwelling populations.[54] The suggested cutoff point for the chair stand test is >15 seconds for five rises.[53]
Can you pass the tests?
The fact is that the majority of the population have increasingly sedentary jobs, fail to get two or more resistance training sessions per week, do not consume enough protein on a consistent basis, and then many add sleep deprivation, stress, and alcohol/or other drug uses to the mix. You are your habits and a product of your environment. You need to change what is making you sick. With any habit, it must be replaced, not merely extinguished. A habit left unattended will habituate itself back in. One must adopt the identity of the new habit they want. Commit. One day at a time to the new, healthier habits. When it comes to the muscle addition and retention habit, you have the ultimate healthy habit.
Keys to muscle addition/retention:
-Nutrition (Protein, carbohydrates, and Fats, plus your micronutrients and hydration)
-Hypertrophic Resistance Training (style of training that best promotes muscle growth and stimulation of type 2 muscle fibers): 2 x Week minimum! …There are 639 muscles in the human body—good luck counting them all. Although there are three different types of muscles, the type that many of us are most familiar with is the skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles attach to our bones, pushing and pulling our body in different directions so we can move.
-Proper recovery (rest, sleep, mobility, clearing up tissue, addressing over/under training)
Once you get your hypertrophy strength training in 2 x week or more, are consistent with your nutrition, and regularly get adequate sleep–you get to keep the muscles you build!
Treatment: “Physical activity, particularly resistance training, effectively attenuates muscle loss and improves strength in sarcopenia, providing a means of both preventing and managing the condition.[74][75] Additionally, increasing total protein intake through supplementation or food sources can help prevent and manage sarcopenia. Specifically, consuming 20-35 grams of protein per meal is advised, as such amounts provide sufficient amino acid content to maximize MPS, thus minimizing age-related muscle loss.[76] Additionally, patients with sarcopenia are recommended to consume 1.0 – 1.2 g/kg (body weight)/day.[77] Furthermore, the greatest effects are observed when resistance training and high protein diets are combined and appear to act synergistically.”
Prevention appears to be the most effective way to deal with the potential issues that sarcopenia presents in the elderly. Nonetheless, prevention, management, and treatment of sarcopenia are most effectively achieved by maintaining physical activity and increased protein intake. Specifically, patients should be educated on the daily and per meal basis protein recommendations. Furthermore, patients should be educated on the benefits of resistance training, in combination with the aforementioned recommendations, to avoid developing or treat or manage sarcopenia.
“Currently, the most effective modalities available to fight sarcopenia are physical activity and nutrition optimization.”
The National Library of Medicine in this article fails to cite the best practices for adding lean tissue (hypertrophy strength training) or delve deeply into the most important muscle groups to focus on. This is where your experienced trainer/coach comes in! All the principles and best practices are available for those that want Sarcopenia prevention and to age gracefully and not wastefully!
Do not wait to begin a Hypertrophy Strength Training program! It is never too late or too soon! We all benefit from resistance training–regardless of age! Everyone can benefit from meeting with a trainer that is experienced in Hypertrophy Strength Training! Whether you are a beginner or an advanced trainee or somewhere in the middle, getting an evaluation and then an optimized training program based upon where you are at, can help provide the proper framework to progress your muscles and movement, while providing you with the guidance and support to maximize your results from your efforts.
Our BEEfit gym and trainers are ready to help you make the most out of your body and fitness habit!
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