Strength Training
Strength Training/Muscle ToningStrength training is also one of the proven ways to reduce the risks associated with osteoporosis, because strong muscles can support the bones more effectively. Strength training also slows the aging process, improves posture and balance, and increases energy, strength, and stamina
Getting Started with Your Strength Training ProgramStrength training exercises are performed using free weights, resistance machines such as Nautilus or Universal equipment, resistance bands and tubing, or your own body weight as resistance.You can rent or buy a strength training video to workout at home or take a strength training class. Exercise specialist or personal trainers are available at most health clubs or gyms. It will cost a little bit of money, but if you have never used weight before it is well worth the time and money to work with a trainer once or twice before starting out on your own.
The Components of Your Strength Training ProgramFor building muscle strength and endurance, at least two to three sessions of strength training exercise routines per week are necessary to yield improvement. A range of exercises that work all the major muscle groups should be selected. Each exercise should be done for eight to twelve continuous repetitions, constituting one set. Doing two to three sets of each exercise is recommended.Proper form should be emphasized; that is, you need to raise and lower the resistance in a controlled manner and avoid “throwing” the weights or moving in a jerky manner. Resistance training should be rhythmical, be performed at a moderate-to-slow pace, involve a full range of motion, and not interfere with normal breathing. The beginner should start by using light weights (low resistance) and gradually increasing the resistance as fitness improves. The level of resistance should be set so that the muscles feel fatigued after one set and the fatigue limit’s the number of sets to two or three. If you can’t do two or three sets, lighten the resistance. If you can easily do more muscle mass and more body fat. Both muscle strength and muscle endurance are improved with resistance exercise, such as weight training. Weight training involves using your muscles to move some form of resistance, which can be provided by free weights (which is what I use), a machine, or your own body. This resistance puts a load on the exercised muscles causing extra blood to rush to them, which in turn causes them to adapt and grow. Resistance training of moderate intensity (that is, sufficient to develop and maintain muscular fitness and lean body weight) should be a regular part of an exercise program aimed at achieving increased fitness. In addition to increasing muscle strength and endurance, it improves bone mass and the strength of connective tissue, an especially important benefit for middle-age and older adults and, in particular, postmenopausal women, who rapidly lose bone mineral density.
Some research indicates that weight training can be more effective than endurance exercise in preserving or increasing fat-free mass, although a combination of both is deemed best for overall fitness. Other health benefits of resistance training include a reduction in body fat, improved glucose tolerance, and improved blood lipid and lipoprotein profiles, as well as a modest improvement in cardio respiratory fitness and a modest reduction in blood pressure. A beginner exerciser or an obese individual should avoid high-intensity weight training using heavy resistance until overall fitness improves, because it carries a higher risk of injury. Total fitness involves these components: aerobic capacity, muscle strength and endurance, and flexibility. Before beginning a program of vigorous exercise, you need to assess your current level of fitness and decide whether you need to get clearance from your doctor. To develop your personal exercise action plan, you should consider any physical problems that need to be addressed, your special fitness needs, your perceived limitations, and your personal strengths and deficits in order to decide on your overall fitness goals. To achieve these goals, you must define your exercise preferences and the specific actions you need to take. Finally, decide how you will track your fitness progress and set a date to begin. Your weekly action plans should be set forth exactly what you plan to do in the initial weeks.
Natural Health Ebooks That I Recommend ( Including one on Fit At 40! )
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