Spiraea Magic Carpet, also known as Spiraea japonica 'Walbuma' or Japanese Spiraea, is a compact shrub that belongs to the Rosaceae family. This shrub is renowned for its colorful foliage, dense habit, and vibrant blooms, making it a popular choice for gardens and landscapes. One of the main attractions of the Spiraea Magic Carpet is its stunning leaves. The foliage emerges in spring with shades of vibrant red, orange, and yellow, resembling a magic carpet hence the name. As the season progresses, the leaves transition to bright green, creating a beautiful contrast against the clusters of flowers. Speaking of flowers, this variety of Spiraea produces clusters of small, flat-topped blossoms that are a deep pink or magenta color.
Speaking of flowers, this variety of Spiraea produces clusters of small, flat-topped blossoms that are a deep pink or magenta color. The flowers bloom in summer, attracting butterflies and other pollinators to the garden. These blooms not only provide visual interest but also contribute to the overall ecosystem by supporting beneficial insects.
Why leg training HURTS
Every day, at least one of our clients comments that leg training hurts!
“Why do they hurt so dang much?!
With our upper bodies, it’s much easier to achieve a deep fatigue, because we don’t have to overcome so much discomfort. As we fatigue, our arms simply stop working, as the muscle fibers become exhausted. And as we know, recruiting and exhausting our strongest (fast twitch) muscle fibers is key to reversing sarcopenia and retaining muscle mass as we age.
But with our legs, and especially in the quadriceps muscles in our thighs, it is far harder to get to this beneficial level of fatigue. As you may have experienced, we feel the strong urge to quit long before we actually *can’t* do another rep. I want to explain why this happens, and why it is so important to deal with it.
Legs hurt to train because of their size.
Part of the issue lies in the sheer size difference. Being much larger and stronger, our legs can burn huge amounts of energy in a short time. In an emergency, we’ll burn energy faster than oxygen can be delivered, which is called “anaerobic” (without oxygen) metabolism. This gets us energy quickly, but inefficiently, resulting in “waste” products such as hydrogen ions that make our muscles burn from the acidity.
And beyond the waste products, there is also the physical pressure within the muscles. When we deny blood flow (and thus oxygen) to a muscle, it can hurt. This isn’t unlike the discomfort we feel when we hold our breath – the body cries out for oxygen! And the muscles of the thighs are so large that, when they contract against heavy loads, they create enormous pressures within themselves. These pressures are so high that the heart can’t pump blood into a muscle that is actively contracting against a load above 60-70% of it’s maximum strength (also called MVIC). This means that when we are working hard on a set of leg extensions, the muscles essentially have to “hold their breath” because the pressures involved limit blood flow. As a result, the denial of oxygen greatly enhances the metabolic stress of the exercise, and can result in that painful burning sensation.
It’s important to note that this is not a harmful process. In fact, deliberately denying blood flow to a muscle (ischemic preconditioning) is likely to improve our resistance to fatigue , and even to improve outcomes and reduce the damage associated with blood flow restriction during surgery. The muscle “learns” to tolerate the stress of a low oxygen environment, and becomes more fit and durable as a result.
Burning legs helped our ancestors survive!
Beyond these two mechanistic reasons, there is also an insight we can draw from natural selection. For as long as we have walked the planet, humans have been at risk of getting eaten … at least until the past few centuries. We aren’t very fast, but our ability to flee to shelter, or back to our group, would have been crucial for survival for most of our existence as a species. And in order to run away, we would have needed our legs to remain “fresh” most of the time.
What this means is that people whose legs ached and burned from fatiguing exercise would tend to avoid such activities, and thus would be more likely to keep their legs ‘fresh’ enough to run away when disaster struck. People whose legs never hurt from exercise, on the contrary, would be more likely to exhaust their legs frivolously during foraging, hunting, or play. And as a result, they would be more likely to get eaten when chased, as their legs would be too tired to carry them to safety. This is a “just so” story, admittedly. But the thought experiment offers at least a plausible explanation for why muscle pain in our legs would have been advantageous to our ancestors. Your legs burn because you are descended from people who needed fresh legs to survive.
We aren’t adapted to our easy modern lifestyle.
Unfortunately, that ancestry leaves us ill-prepared for maintaining our strength into old age. As Daniel Lieberman highlights in his fascinating work, “ Exercised, ” we are naturally averse to the very types of exercise that give us benefits. We are hard-wired to avoid discomfort, which would have served us well when calories were scarce and predators were everywhere. But now, we must work against our instincts to avoid fatigue, because we live in a sea of hyperpalatable and calorie rich food, and our daily lives never force us to run, sprint, jump, throw, and wrestle like our lives depend on it.
Given that our legs simply hurt worse than our arms when we attempt to fatigue them, it’s probably no surprise that our legs atrophy more than our arms as we age . The very muscles we most depend on to stand, walk, drive, and escape danger are the most likely to atrophy, precisely because our instincts are to avoid working these muscles.
Effectively training your legs is easier with a personal trainer to coach you.
This is why, at StrengthSpace, we work so hard to help you deeply fatigue your legs. Knowing all this won’t make training legs any easier, I know. But by understanding this, hopefully you will feel motivated to place your trust fully in your trainer when they try to coach you through one more rep of leg press. Believe me, we know how much it hurts! But we also know how essential it is that we fight the fatigue-avoiding instincts to heave and bounce weights, or take rest breaks as we near muscle exhaustion.
Left to their own devices, our legs will get weaker and weaker, until we lose our ability to live and function on our own. Thankfully, with a safe, and challenging regiment of strength training once or twice per week, we can hold sarcopenia at bay, and preserve our muscle mass throughout the entire course of our lives.
With our upper bodies, it’s much easier to achieve a deep fatigue, because we don’t have to overcome so much discomfort. As we fatigue, our arms simply stop working, as the muscle fibers become exhausted. And as we know, recruiting and exhausting our strongest (fast twitch) muscle fibers is key to reversing sarcopenia and retaining muscle mass as we age.
In terms of size, the Spiraea Magic Carpet is a compact shrub that typically reaches a height and width of around 2 to 3 feet. Its dense, mounding habit makes it a great choice for edging, borders, or mass plantings. Additionally, its low maintenance nature makes it suitable for both beginner and experienced gardeners. To ensure optimal growth and performance, the Spiraea Magic Carpet prefers well-drained soil and full to partial sun exposure. It can tolerate a range of soil types, including clay and loam, as long as they are not overly saturated. Regular watering, especially during hot and dry periods, will help the shrub thrive. Pruning is generally not required for the Spiraea Magic Carpet, but if desired, it can be done in early spring to maintain its shape or remove any dead or damaged branches. This shrub is also relatively pest and disease resistant, adding to its appeal for low-maintenance gardens. Overall, the Spiraea Magic Carpet is a delightful addition to any landscape, bringing a burst of vibrant colors and attracting pollinators. Its compact size, easy maintenance, and stunning foliage make it a popular choice among gardeners. Whether used as a focal point or as part of a larger planting scheme, this shrub will surely add a touch of magic to any garden space..
Reviews for "Spiraea Magic Carpet: A Drought-Tolerant Wonder"
1. Emily - 1 star
I was really disappointed with the Spiraea magic carpet shrub that I recently purchased. The plant did not live up to its name at all. Despite following all planting and care instructions, this shrub did not perform well in my garden. The foliage was lackluster, and the flowers were few and far between. It certainly did not create the eye-catching carpet of color that was promised. Save your money and opt for a different flowering shrub if you're looking to add beauty to your landscape.
2. John - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the Spiraea magic carpet, but it ended up being a letdown. While the foliage did have some interesting colors, the overall appearance of the plant was underwhelming. The flowers were sparse and not as vibrant as I had expected. Additionally, the shrub did not seem to thrive in my garden and struggled to grow. I would not recommend this plant to others unless they have very specific conditions and are willing to invest a lot of extra effort in its care.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was excited to plant the Spiraea magic carpet in my garden, but it did not live up to my expectations. The foliage did change colors throughout the seasons, but it wasn't as vibrant as I had hoped. The flowers were not very abundant, and they didn't stay on the plant for very long. Overall, the shrub did not make a significant impact in my garden and I felt that there are better options available for a more impressive display.