Tips
are added on a semi-regular basis. Before
you start training always check with your
primary health care provider first.
If you are just beginning your journey toward
a stronger body then here are a few tips to
start you off on the right track. You will
find out how to lift safely and become stronger
in the process.
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Key
words to remember for the following section:
Read, study,
learn, apply and succeed.
Old school vs new school
Are you still living in the dark ages when it comes to figuring out your maximum heart rate? You are if you're still subtracting your age from 220.
A knowledgeable trainer knows the resulting answer can leave you with a reading that may be ten beats off, high or low, in either direction . And if that is off, then so will be the target heart range percentages.
The most accurate method uses the revised Karvonen formula:
206.9 - (0.67 X your age) = Maximum heart rate (MHR)
Working out within the target ranges of 65-85% of your MHR is the recommendation for enhanced cardiovascular health. Once you determine your MHR then multiply it by any number between 65-85% to find your target heart rate number (THR).
The THR is where you need to exercise for best cardio effect. Keeping your pulse within the range your decide upon for five to six sessions a week for 30-45 minutes will get your aerobic capabilities up to par.
Neurons and sarcomeres
In the neuromuscular system the neuron provides the link between the nervous system and the muscles. Without this interaction no activity would take place.
The sarcomere is the smallest and most basic muscle unit. It contains all of the contractile and regulatory mechanisms necessary to function as part of the muscular system.
Muscle fibers contain hundreds to thousands of sarcomere. The muscles themselves are made up of numerous fibers.
Moderation is NOT the key to getting stronger
Moderation in all things in life has been the advice of many a parent over the years. It is almost a certainty that you have been exposed to this as you grew up. In most cases the saying has merit but not when it comes to getting stronger. When it comes to getting stronger, throw moderation[1] out the window. Your muscles don’t act in a moderate manner, so why should you?
Now just because I said to throw moderation out the window I did not say to throw caution out with it. Use your head while you train or suffer the consequences of your imprudent actions.
The all or nothing theory of muscle activation
Before we move on let’s review the all or nothing theory of muscle activation. This states that when a specific set of muscle fibers within a motor unit reaches its threshold of activation either all of the fibers in that unit fire or none do. There is no such thing as a ‘maybe firing’. This is similar to a woman being pregnant; she either is, or is not…there is no middle ground.
Once this concept is understood it’s time to consider what happens when the motor units are all firing to move the weight. Without something to protect the body from excessive loads it would be possible to damage the integrity of the joints.
The protective joint sensors
The body has built in feedback loops to help protect it from harm. The most significant are the Golgi tendons and the muscle spindles. Both of which are ultra protective of the joints. Resetting the levels of activation for these protective mechanisms may be the key to greater lifting achievements.
The muscle spindles are located, actually intertwined within the muscles themselves and can sense when the muscles are being stretched (lengthened) rapidly. When this happens a signal is sent to the spinal cord which then tells the motor neurons to tighten up, i.e. to ‘reflexively contract’. (Strength Training, Brown, L. E. et al 2007). This helps prevent the muscle from being over stretched to the point of injury. However this only works during rapid lengthening of the fibers. A fiber that is slowly stretched doesn’t receive the signal to contract and is thereby susceptible to damage. The opposite reaction to the muscle spindle comes from its counterpart in the joint protective association; the Golgi Tendon.
The Golgi tendon, located at the junction of the tendon and muscle fibers intersection, senses when there is high tension on the tendon. When this sensation of excess is noted a signal is immediately sent to the spinal cord to inhibit further contraction of the muscles attached to the tendon. Additionally another signal is sent to the antagonist muscles telling them to contract. Here in lies the problem of moderation.
It may be that the Golgi tendon response is set too low. Readjusting this could be the answer to greater strength outputs. But this is dangerous territory as injury is just around the corner if the limits are pushed to far upward and the joint is damaged by a disproportionate, in relation to training experience, weight. The question before us now is how can we make these two seemingly incompatible protective devices work for us, and not against us, in our training.
The relationship between strength training and muscle activation
Since we know that the smallest and lowest threshold muscle motor units activate first we have to figure out a way to bypass this process. Secondly we have to figure out how to reset the Golgi Tendon response so more weight can be lifted. Is this a possibility? Yes to a certain extent it is. The answer is through proper training practices.
Periodization of the training load intensity, volume and rest to work ratios will allow this training effect to take place. Remember only those motor units that are recruited to lift the weight are trained. If they aren’t activated they won’t be exposed to the stress of the training. Recruitment of the type two fibers is the goal for the strength athlete.
The order of recruitment is thought to be genetically fixed however this may be altered by using heavy weight and/or placing a high power demand on the muscles. Variations in the recruitment order and small changes in fiber type composition are also thought to be possible through a well designed training program.
A competent strength coach will be able to design strength program for you that meets the needs of the prior discussion. If you are interested and motivated enough to follow through with the plan you will reap the benefits.
Summary:
Resistance training, i.e. strength training can be a valuable asset in your sports activity program. These strength cycles will generate changes in the physiological make up of the body if they are properly planned. Moderation is not what will elicit these changes. Only maximal training effort will lead to maximal change in the muscle fiber recruitment and composition. The plan should involve periodization principles for the greatest effect and outcome.
[1]] Moderation is a relevant term in this context. Don’t be stupid with your weight training or you will get hurt.
A guide to determining sets, reps and rest periods for the beginner
Hypertrophy of the muscle fibers.
The recommendations here are non specific as to sarcoplasmic or myofibril hypertrophy. However, if you want to add strength to your muscles instead of just cosmetic size then stay on the shorter end of the rep ranges for this training cycle.
Due three to four sets of ten to twelve repetitions and rest between each set for approximately one minute. A shorter rest will be more along the lines of the bodybuilding programs, i.e. a 1:1 work to rest ratio. Whereas the longer one will help the muscles recover so more weight can be used thereby increasing the strength and size of the fibers and not the fluids in and around the cells.
For the strength and power training stick with four to five sets of three to five reps with longer rest periods between each set. The rest times during this training phase will be between three and four minutes. This allows the muscles to recover nearly 100% so they can continue putting out the effort necessary to push the weights the next set.
The strength sessions involve three to four sets of between six to eight repetitions with shorter rest periods than the strength and power cycle. Rest for pure strength is between two to three minutes.
A person starting out on a strength program will realize in a short time that these suggestions are the pathways to success.
Fat-the
good and bad of it.30067
A
key component in assessing an individual’s
health and physical fitness is knowing the
body composition makeup. Obesity (excessive
body fat relative to body mass index (BMI)
of 30 kg/m2 or more) and becoming overweight
(Adults with BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2 or
with children being in and over the 95th percentile
for their age and sex) is at epidemic proportions
in the United States and the trend is gathering
momentum.
Right
now we are at the top of the fat list compared
to the majority of the nations in the world-an
unfortunate but sad fact.
Being
obese brings serious health consequences and
reduces life expectancy by increasing the
risk of developing serious diseases such as
coronary heart disease, hypertension, aka
the silent killer, type 2 diabetes, obstructive
pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis and even
certain kinds of cancer.
Just
as too much fat in the body can cause problems,
so can too little. Our body needs fat to operate
in a normal physiological fashion. For example
the essential lipids such as the phospholipids
are vital to cell membrane formation. The
non essential lipids such as triglycerides
which are found in the adipose (fat) tissue
protect the body by providing a layer of thermal
insulation. Fat tissue assists in storing
metabolic fuel in the form of free fatty acids.
These
same lipids are also involved in the storage
and transport of the fat soluble A, D, E,
and K vitamins and in helping to maintain
the functionality of the nervous system. The
menstrual cycle in females and the reproductive
systems in both male and female rely on these
cells, as does the growth and maturation processes
of the pubescence child.
Thus
too little body fat as seen in those with
eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa,
or someone with an exercise addiction or even
certain diseases such as cystic fibrosis can
lead to serious physiological health related
consequences.
The
best option is to be in the normal range for
body fat, not over or under the recommendations
if you desire to have good health.
Testing
the body fat levels
The
previous article briefly discussed the near
crisis issue of being overweight and the staggering
rise of obesity in our nation. Here we are
going to look behind the scenes at the testing
methods that determine fat or fit.
A
classification of the level of body fat relies
on the standard relative body fat percentages
commonly used across the world. These classifications
are in turn then broken up into age, sex,
and activity body fat percentages at recommended
levels. Across the scale women carry more
body fat than males and younger people of
both sexes carry less fat than older adults.
This is due to the role women have in the
reproduction of our species.
What
are the body composition measures used for?
Body
composition measures are useful in estimating
a healthy body weight and figuring out a recommended
nutritional plan. Both of these components
are essential in designing an exercise program
that will be beneficial to the trainee. Athletes
who participate in weight bracket sports such
as bodybuilding and wrestling need to know
their ideal weight in order to be competitive.
Pediatricians and other health care professionals
make note of these measurements while monitoring
the growth of children and to identify those
who are at risk of being under or over weight.
The
population of our country is getting older
and the changes in body composition are important
indicators of whether the person is remaining
healthy or not. In each case the assessment
of body fat helps to determine the nutritional
and exercise prescription intervention strategies
that play a prominent role in charting a course
of action to improve health and fitness levels.
Background
on the measurement procedures
The
body is made up of water, protein, minerals
and fat substances. Most body fat identification
procedures rely upon the two component model
which divides the body into two sections:
fat free and the fat tissue. The fat free
is made up of all the chemicals and the tissues
including water, muscle and the bones. The
rest is fat. The testing methods separate
the water, protein and minerals from the fat
and then give a percentage of lean body mass
to fat mass. In the next article I will be
briefly discussing the various testing methods.
Until then, stay active and healthy in your
life.
Listening
to your body 27067
Your
body tells you what is going on…if you
pay attention to it. Sometimes it is obvious;
a muscle tweak or worse, an injury. Often
it is just a feeling that you can’t
quite describe or put your finger on. In the
latter case it’s the status of your
homeostasis being disrupted. You know it on
a subconscious, internal sensation, level.
In
order to recognize these inputs you must practice
paying attention to them. This observational
attitude has to be developed. It is not easy,
but can be done with practice. Notice how
your body responds to different stimulate,
or how the bar feels in your hand as you lift.
How does it feel or what is your body doing
during these activities that are creating
these sensations?
With
practice you will become more and more aware
of these ambiguous signs from within your
body. You’ll be amazed at the detail
provided by the movement and postures that
take place during the exercise.
Learn
to listen to these vague signals. You will
be the recipient of valuable lessons and information.
This will enable you to grow stronger and
more powerful, both in body and mind.
The
Five Rules of Strength Training
Reading
through these will be the ONLY part of your
strength training that's going to be easy.
RULE
# 1: THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO STRENGTH!
You
probably don't want to hear it but that's
a fact.
A
strong foundation is built up from basic hard
earned strength and is a critical first step
to improved physical fitness.
You
have to work hard to be strong.
RULE
# 2: It's a rough road filled with pitfalls
If
you are just starting out then we can help
you avoid the common pitfalls of training.
These are the ones the magazines NEVER tell
you about, like spending your hard earned
money on the 'supplement of the month', or
the ones that will give you 'bulging biceps
in twenty days' or those that proclaim doing
one set to failure will make you huge.
What
a crock!
We
are not talking rocket science here; Its as
simple as these twelve basic principles:
1.
You have to work hard at getting stronger.
2.
You have to have a solid and properly designed
training program.
3.
You have to overload the muscles of your body
in order to become stronger-soups cans won't
cut it unless working the shoulder rotator
cuff muscles.
4.
You have to be under the loaded bar a certain
amount of time in order to stress your muscles.
5.
You have to do multiple sets and multiple
repetition.
6.
You have to pick the right exercises for your
particular goals.
7.
You have to struggle; it is not easy.
8.
You have to sweat and it isn't pretty.
9.
You have to train more than once every seven
to fourteen day.
10.
You have to rest to build strength.
11.
You have to eat five to six times a day-not
huge buffet style eating, but responsible
portions.
12.
You have to eat the right amount of calories
and the proper nutrients at each meal.
RULE
# 3:You have to exercise your body every single
day.
But too much, too soon leads to a shorter
career due to injury, overtraining or peaking
before your potential is reached.
RULE
# 4: Follow the advice of a certified strength
coach
RULE
# 5:Persistence counts-stick to it and you
will become stronger.
The
rise in obesity in our nation is costing each
one of us a fortune in increased health care
premiums, lost hours at work, and a poorer
quality of life. Do your part to maintain
your correct weight by exercising each day
following the fitness triad recommendations
and eating a healthy well balanced diet.
Following
the Pro's Routines
by Jon
Miller
I thought about all the people who go pick
up bodybuilding magazines and base all they
do from the information they find there. It's
a very unfortunate situation. I say this because
bodybuilding magazines do have some good information.
However, not all the information is good.
The main items that are not good information
are the pro bodybuilder's routines. You know
what I'm talking about. Every single issue
has more than one of these.
"Yes, yes, I know what you're talking
about, Jon. But what's so wrong with them?"
To put it bluntly, the articles are full
of crap. First of all, we have probably never
seen one of these articles that lists a pro's
real training routine. I have even spoken
with a few different people who told me of
their days in California where people would
look at magazines and say things like, "I
know that's not how he trains, I have trained
with him before!"
The problem is that most of these articles
are written by ghost writers. These ghost
writers create the articles. Then the pro
bodybuilder (who is under contract with the
specific magazine publisher) is credited with
the article. They throw in a few pictures,
put their name at the end and voila! And the
mags sell like crazy. Please believe me, I'm
not making this stuff up. This is common knowledge
in the bodybuilding world.
The main problem with these training routines
is they will over train you big time. For
example, a shoulder routine will usually consist
of 12-16 sets of exercise for one muscle.
Way too much! You could make it work by using
2 of the 3 or 4 sets per exercise as warm-ups,
but most people do not know this. They just
go into the weight room and start pumping
out 12-16 hard sets (usually after too few
warm-ups, if any at all). It will take no
time at all until a person becomes over trained
and probably injured. These routines would
be able to hurt you even if you were pumping
yourself full of illegal steroids.
Another problem is that now days these articles
are written more to advertise some nutritional
supplement products. Many times it's more
like an advertisement with a little bit of
horrible training advice thrown in. People
see that this huge guy claims to take this
product and follow this routine. "Look,
he's huge; I better do it, too!" Yep,
I'm sure there's not a big money industry
behind all this...
So, since I have ripped on these magazines,
I will say that there is some good information
in them as well. Usually the diet information
is good. They push the idea of eating smaller,
more frequent meals. They always tell the
importance of high protein and moderate carbohydrate
intake. Some are even getting better about
accepting fat into diets. Just get past each
magazine pushing its own product and you can
see good information to use.
The point is to remember these magazines'
main objective. Keep a close eye on them.
Remember that the articles are almost always
just another ad for their products and/or
their professional bodybuilder. Look past
the stuff that you know is junk and absorb
only the good basic information. Keep this
in mind, enjoy the pictures and be on your
way to a strong healthy life.
Training
for Strength
The only way your muscles will ever develop
maximum strength is by training them to be
stronger. Training like a bodybuilder is NOT
the way to do it.
The muscles need to be over loaded in such
a manner that the contractile properties of
the muscle fibers are increased.
Bodybuilding will not overload the muscles
filaments in the same fashion as strength
training. The percentage of the 1RM is lower
and thus will not engage the myofibril hypertrophy
mechanism of the body.
The conjugate system
that is working so well in the strength field
is an off shoot of the Russian coupled successive
system. In fact this evolved from the multi-lateral
skill development approach favored by the
eastern block countries of years past.
Beginning with the premise that everyone
has specific skills and these skills can be
developed with proper training at the appropriate
ages of maturity.
This type of selection process is valid only
at the low end of the qualifications and not
for the advanced athlete as their needs are
much more specific in nature. Thus a multifaceted
approach to training is necessary for these
young athletes.
Is your heart on top of your training?
Do you know if you and your heart are training
at a sufficient level to make progress by
encouraging the heart muscle to get stronger?
If not then the next time you train try counting
your heart beats and find out where you stand.
This is a quick and dirty way of finding out
if you are on track to achieving higher levels
of fitness.
To begin the test make sure you have the
right equipment on hand. You will need a clock
with a sweep hand, or a digital one with an
internal stop watch or better yet an actual
stop watch. As soon as you are finished exercising
take your pulse. Do not wait even two to five
seconds to do so or the results will be misleading.
Now that this figure is noted take your pulse
again in exactly one minute-not a minute and
two seconds but precisely one minute. If for
example you decide to count right after your
exercise is done and do so for one full minute
then the second minute would begin immediately
with not interruptions between the two.
The next step is to subtract the second reading
from the first and then divide the answer
by 10. The resultant answer is then compared
to the following chart to determine your level
of cardio-over all physical fitness.
If your calculations come up less than the
number 2 then you are in poor shape and need
to work out a bit more and a bit harder by
upping your cardiovascular workouts. Raise
the target heart rate percentages up into
the 70% HR for your age and gender.
Numbers between 2-3 indicate a fair fitness
position but it definitely could be improved
with higher workout intensities.
Good readings start to appear between 3-4
and get even better at ranges of 4-6. Superior
fitness is indicated when the numbers are
above 6.
If you are already in superior shape then
the dividend number changes. In this instance
take your pulse immediately after exercising
as before and then again at the thirty second
mark. Now rather than dividing by 10 you will
divide by 5 to arrive at the answer.
If you are concerned about overtraining take
your pulse three mornings in a row as soon
as you wake up. If by chance you are entering
the overtraining phase of things your pulse
may be up higher than normal. Some of the
literature suggests these higher pulse rates
can be as much as ten beats more per minute
than normal. If this is the case then it’s
time to lower your level of training until
your body has a chance to recover.
General
Upper Torso Stretches 22017
Shoulder
front
Standing
upright with good posture put your hands together
behind your back, keeping your arms straight
raise them slowly upward to the rear. Hold
for a moment then lower back down and begin
again.
Shoulder
rear
Continue
standing with good posture in an upright position.
Take one arm and hold it horizontal and parallel
to the ground. Now move it across your upper
chest so the hand is on the opposite side.
With the opposing hand hold the elbow of the
horizontal arm and begin pulling in a gentle
manner toward your chest. Hold the stretch
for a moment and release then repeat.
Favorite
shoulder stretch
Stand
facing a wall with outstretched arms. Lean
into the wall and rest on your hands now look
between your arms and lower your head toward
the floor. Feel the nice stretch in your shoulders.
This can also be done by placing your fully
extended arms onto a bench or chair and leaning
downward toward the floor.
Floor
stretch
Get
on your hands and knees. While keeping your
arms straight set back on your calves with
your buttocks touching them. Put your head
between your arms and touch the floor with
your head.
Towel
stretch
The
old standby for working the shoulder range
of motion is the towel stretch. Starting with
a bath towel or dowel rod slung over your
shoulder and dropping toward the floor hold
the top with one hand the bottom with the
other in your other hand. Now you can go one
of two ways: either pull down with the back
hand or pull up with the hand at the top.
In both instances, the pull should be gentle
as your shoulders are in a vulnerable position
and easily damaged. A soft pull is what you
are looking at achieving, just enough to stretch
the shoulders. The ideal is to be able to
touch your hands together in the middle of
your back. This may be nearly impossible if
you are heavily muscled.
Chest
In a standing position interlace your fingers
on top of your head. Now move your elbows
and hands to the rear.
Chest
favorite
Standing
next to the wall, a door frame or better yet
a power rack, reach behind and hold onto the
surface. The stretch begins as you turn your
shoulders and upper torso away from the wall,
door or power rack. This works really well
with the power rack.
Power
production from the squat
Information
gleaned from the NSCA Journal of Strength
Conditioning and Research by Zink, A. J.,
Perry, A. C., Robertson, B, L, Roach, K. E.
and Signorile J. F.
Peak
power, reaction forces with the ground and
velocity are affected by varying the loads
used in the squat. All of the squats in the
research were performed by experienced lifters
and were at parallel with as much explosiveness
as their individual technique allowed.
The
results were calculated using the barbell
velocity and the ground reaction forces that
were generated by the force velocity curves
arrived at from the peak power, peak ground
reaction forces and the peak barbell velocity
established during the lift. The differences
were not significant for loads used in for
peak power. But it is interesting to note
that the greatest peak power developed occurred
with loads of 40 and 50% 1RM. Higher loads
generated the greatest peak ground reaction
forces and greater force at the time of peak
power production. These figures held true
for all loads outside of the 60-50%, 50-40%,
and the 40-30% ranges of 1RM for peak ground
reaction forces and then again between loads
of 70-60% and 60-50% 1RM for the force at
the time of peak power. Higher loads showed
up in the calculations with a lower peak barbell
velocity and velocity at the time of peak
power, as would be expected.
The
exceptions to these loads were in the 20-30%,
70-80%, and the 80-90% 1RM.
Summary
Knowing
the loads that have an impact on velocity
of movement, peak power or peak ground reaction
forces will enable the strength coach to develop
appropriate training plans for the athlete,
regardless of the `sport.
Men’s
muscle measurement guidelines
If
you are lifting heavy and are interested in
how you stand up to the next guy in relation
to body measurements then here is the information
you have been waiting for. It is taken from
an old chart developed by the long time strong
man, weightlifter, bodybuilder and physical
culture icon John C. Grimek.
These
are figures that he came up with for determining
the ideal measurements for the average trainee.
They not based on the steroid bloated aberration
of physical fitness so often depicted in the
magazines sold on the newsstands. Take each
listed body part and multiply by the co-efficient
as directed to see where your physique compares
to his standards.
Note:
All of the measurements are taken at the smallest
part on the knees and wrist.
The
normal trainee measurement figures
Biceps-the co-efficient 2.10 inches
is multiplied by your wrist size
Chest- 5.62 multiplied by your wrist
size
Waist-equal to at least 64% of girth of your
chest
Thighs-the co-efficient is 1.44 multiplied
by the measurement taken around the small
part of the knee
Calves-67% of the thigh size taken
at the largest part
Bodyweight-2.55 is multiplied by your
height in inches. This particular one seems
really, really low. So take it with a grain
of salt as you compare yourself to the figures.
You may also want to take a long look at yourself
in the mirror especially if you think you’re
buff but in fact are carrying an excessive
amount of body fat.
The
measurements for the serious trainee
Biceps-the co-efficient 2.32 inches
is multiplied by your wrist size
Chest- 6.42 multiplied by your wrist
size
Waist-equal to at least 71% of girth of your
chest
Thighs-the co-efficient is 1.63 multiplied
by the measurement taken around the small
part of the knee
Calves-72% of the thigh size taken
at the largest part
Bodyweight-3.1 is multiplied by your
height in inches. Now this is more like it,
at least for the body weight.
Maintaining
range of motion
Strength
training and stretching go hand in hand towards
increasingly better fitness levels. A loss
of flexibility brings with it a loss of functionality
in daily living activities as well as in the
weight room.
Stretching
is not meant to hurt-unless you are in the
active stages of recovering from a surgery
to one of your joints or muscles. In which
case the stretches will hurt; but a successful
outcome depends on regaining the lost range
of motion.
This
involves loosening up the areas around the
surgery and daily motion of the joint or muscle.
It should not swell afterwards because if
it does then you have pushed it too far, too
fast. Back off and get the swelling under
control and then work the movements again
being careful not to cause swelling again.
Ice and compression are important tools to
use after surgery and after exercising the
area.
Prevention
of the loss of joint range of motion depends
on following a pattern of stretches that follow
these minimal guidelines.
1.
Static or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
general stretching programs involving the
major muscle and tendon groups such as the
shoulders, chest, upper and lower back, and
the legs.
2. Do your stretching two to three times a
week or after each strength training session.
3. Hold each stretch to a point of mild discomfort
unless working past a surgery limitation then
it will be a bit tougher and deeper into the
discomfort zone.
4. Each stretch needs to be held a minimum
of ten seconds for each static stretch and
up to six seconds for each PNF contraction
which are immediately followed by the assisted
stretch.
5. Perform each selected stretch for three
to five times each.
A
little bit each day will produce amazing results
in a very short time.
Rest
Intervals Between Training Days
It
is a well established fact that training days
separated by two non training days is effective
at restoring the muscles ability to produce
force. The two day split is significantly
more effective than the normal one day break
so commonly seen in the weight rooms.
Balancing
out your exercise program
It
is well established that exercise benefits
us in many areas such as increased self confidence,
improvements in our moods, and longer healthier
lives. Simply being able to do what you want
to do physically and mentally may be made
easier by engaging in a long term pattern
of running, weight training, stretching/balance,
and recreational sporting exertions.
During
spring time the runners start hitting the
road, especially those who are getting ready
to run Bloomsday here in Spokane, Washington.
While running is an admirable endeavor, it
is not enough to keep your body in top physical
condition. Our body needs physical and mental
stimulation which is only achievable through
the use of a variety of methods.
Cyclic
exercise, similar to running, stresses
the cardiovascular abilities thereby increasing
the capacity to engage in lengthy activities
through enhanced oxygen transfer to the working
muscles. However, exercising in this manner
will not increase the lean muscle mass composition
of our body. In order to do that resistance
training is necessary.
Weight
training helps build strong bones.
Bone
density responds directly to increases in
intensities of load and site specifically
to the greater pressures required to move
the load. Adaptations take place within the
structures of the bone that make it more resistant
to the imposed loads and thus stronger.
Women
in particular need this load bearing weight
on their long bones, the spine and hips to
stave off and help prevent osteopenia and
osteoporosis from occurring. Osteoporosis
is a degenerative disease that progressively
decreases the bone density which in time leaves
them weakened and vulnerable to fracture.
Flexibility
Getting
stronger helps in other ways too. The strength
to recover from a slip may prevent a bone
damaging fall. Postural muscles that are strengthened
through weight training inevitably lead to
improved posture and a reduced potential of
lower back problems. Even though strength
training is high on the list of maintaining
a strong fit body other pieces of the equation
are important too. For instance being flexible
enough to tie your shoes or even scratch your
back is an important part of living a full
and healthy lifestyle.
Work
the joints normal range of motion each day
by following a stretching program. But be
cautioned that static stretching performed
before a strength training session has been
found to lower the power output by as much
as 8%. If you are a sprinter, thrower or recreational
handball or tennis player stay away from these
at the start of your activity. The proper
place for a static stretch is at the end of
the workout when the muscles are warm and
receptive to change. Doing so before hand,
is an invitation to injury.
Find
a good stretching book; read up on the proper
way to stretch and start applying these to
your exercise program. Brad Walker’s
‘Stretching Handbook’ or Bob Anderson's‘Stretching’
are two of the premier ones on the market
and each one has stood the test of time. Even
though flexibility is important it is not
the end of the line. Maintaining your balance
becomes harder as we age.
Balance
Beginning
around the fourth decade, we start to lose
a small percentage of the ability to keep
our equilibrium . Losing your balance leads
to falls and possible fractures, or other
injuries if not prevented.
Prevention
begins with daily practice. Standing on one
foot or with heel to toe for multiple seconds
at a time (60-120) will help stave off this
decline in balance. Leaning toward the floor
on one leg with arms to the side or rear will
change the center of gravity and will change
the feel of the exercise. In each instance
it is important to have the ability to catch
yourself on something solid to prevent a dangerous
fall from happening in the event you do lose
your balance while doing these.
Balance is critical to our daily living activities.
Without balance, we would be constantly reaching
and grasping for stable objects to prevent
falling, stumbling or injuring ourselves.
Here are several variations of a basic exercise
to help develop and maintain your sense of
balance. Once you are able to do one exercise
example for up to one minute without movement,
then progress to the next example.
Make certain you are standing near a sturdy
chair, or wall, to help catch your balance,
if need be, in the following sequences of
movement.
Basic
example:
• Stand with your feet touching one
another in a side by side or heel to toe fashion.
• Hold your hands at your side and close
your eyes.
• Maintain this position, without swaying
side to side or backward to front, for several
seconds up to one minute.
Novice example:
• Assume the same position with your
feet as the basic example above.
• Move your arms to the sides in a random
fashion, still maintaining your balance.
• Tip your head back and continue to
move your arms.
• Now close your eyes and continue the
arm movements.
Intermediate example:
• Maintain the feet in the same pattern,
side to side or heel to toe.
• Reach down to the front, side and
the rear with one arm then the other.
• See how far you can reach down before
losing your balance.
• Remember to keep your feet together
and don't sway as you reach, just reach, keep
your balance and then reach in another direction.
Advanced example:
• Keep the feet in the same position
as the rest of the examples.
• Tip your head back and now close your
eyes.
• Move your arms in a random fashion,
one arm at a time.
More advanced example:
• Feet are still in the side-by-side
or heel to toe position.
• Head tipped back and eyes closed.
• Lift one leg off the floor and maintain
your balance for 10-15 seconds, gradually
build up your ability to remain in one position
without moving about to stay upright.
Another advanced example:
• Set up is the same as the more advanced
example with the simple change now of adding
the reaches as mentioned in the intermediate
example.
• Or you can move your head from side
to side in a rapid manner while maintaining
your balance.
Of course there are many other ways to practice
balance training but this article is not being
written to list them all. Suffice it to say
balance is a critical part of living a healthy
life.
Before
engaging in any exercise program, check with
your primary care provider.
Strength
Training Isometrics Revisited
Holding
a maximum isometric contraction for longer
than six seconds may cause injury to your
muscles, ligaments and tendons. A better way
to incorporate isometrics into your program
is to use the dynamic method. This involves
stopping at various points in the movement
for several seconds then continuing on with
the exercise.
Picking
your Weights
