Don’t Miss These Important Weight Training Variables

Weight training is critical to your success as an athlete, and by becoming stronger and increasing your muscular endurance, you’ll be able to perform more efficiently. It also lowers your risk of injury, along with a number of other benefits to your workout regime. The strength of your tendons and ligaments will be increased, your bone density gets higher so you’ll be less susceptible to fractures and breakages, and your maximal heart rate will be improved, which increases your metabolism. All in all, any workout regime you do should include some weight training. There are various variables to consider though when designing a weight training programme, which include a needs analysis, exercise selection and training frequency, among others. Here are some to consider when you begin weight training.

Needs Analysis

This refers to a two-stage process which considers the activity or sport you’re doing and the history of your training record. The unique characteristics of the sport you’re training for needs to be considered in your planning, so that you can make your training as specific as possible. Specific muscular patterns, cardiovascular endurance levels and your flexibility requirements are all things to think about. Likewise, your current level of fitness, training experience and medical history should all be taken into account. If you’re training with a personal trainer, these are things that you can discuss with them when setting up your programme.

Exercise Selection

This deals with choosing the exercises which reflect your needs, whilst considering the training history you have. There are two different types of weight resisted exercises; core exercises and assistance exercises. Core exercises use larger muscles which are primary movers at one or more joints, and these stabilise your proximal segments of the body. Assistance exercises use smaller muscles, such as the biceps or calf muscles, which are considered less important in athletic performance. Exercise should be as sport specific as possible, so that it can be transferred to the athletes performance. For example, forward and lateral lunges would be a sports specific exercise for tennis or baseball players – be sure to set the right exercises to your needs.

Training Frequency

Training frequency looks at the number of training sessions in a given period of time, where the goals and experience of the athlete should be taken into consideration. Traditionally, three workouts each week are recommended for many athletes, as the intervening days are used to recover and rest. If you have less experience with weight training, you should begin with fewer sessions and build up slowly.If you’re new to exercise in any capacity, you should speak to your GP to ensure you’re safe to embark on physical activity and then you should take things slowly so as not to put too much strain on your body and risk injury.

 

Rest Intervals

This refers to the amount of time between your exercises, and generally rest intervals are based on your experience and goals of the training itself. Typically, an athlete with a limited amount of weight training exercise will need more time for muscle recovery between sets. The other thing to consider is the goal of training. When you’re training for power or strength gains, you should set your rest interval between two to five minutes. But if muscle endurance is the goal, the rest interval should be 30 to 90 seconds. Be sure to know your goals before embarking on your regime so that you can make the correct choices for your needs.

Categories: Advice, core exercises, exercise selection, exercises core, fitness, rest interval, rest intervals, training, training frequency, Weight Training, workout regime

Are Your Scales Lying to You? Measure Your Progress Better

As soon as you begin to watch your weight loss wellness, your eyes become transfixed by the number on the scales. However, while the scales technically show you how much weight you’re losing, they’re not actually the most effective tool for monitoring your progress. In fact, the scales can actually be detrimental to your wellbeing as well as your progress, making  you think you’re no closer to getting the body you want when, in actual fact, you’re doing great!

 

According to fitness author and natural bodybuilding champion Cécile Bayeul, ‘When we start a diet, we see immediate improvements on the scale just by changing our food habits. Every beginning of a diet and training programme is very motivating. We are so happy to see the pounds going down that we don’t really try to understand the why behind it…However, weight training (yes, you should be weight training if you are looking to lose fat) will also make you gain muscle. In addition, because a large part of your initial weight loss comes from losing excess water weight and glycogen (excess carbohydrates), eventually you will start to lose only 1-2 lbs a week, and at times the scale might even stay the same. And this is when we start losing our motivation.’

 

Once you see the number on the scale stop moving, you can think your diet isn’t working anymore and logically ask yourself; “What’s the point?” This thought process is what makes dieters give up the battle for a better body, start eating bad foods again and eventually gain twice the amount of weight.‘When you reach a plateau, stop using the scale,’ Bayeul urges. ‘The scale is a very good motivator at first, but it becomes a big psychological obstacle after the weeks go by. What I want you to do instead is to use progress pictures. Start from the first day of your diet. Take these progress pictures every two or three weeks with the same position and the same clothes. If you want to, you can also take some measurements with a tape measure and write them down on your progress pictures. Measure your hips and your waist at the very minimum. You can also add to that some thigh measurements and some arm measurements as well.’ That way, you have an accurate picture of how your body is changing.

 

The key thing to remember is that weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing. When people say they are “big-boned,” they’re not (always) in denial about their size; they really do just have larger bone mass which equates to a higher number on the scale. Likewise, when you’re gaining muscle through your fitness regime, you’re losing fat and looking great but the scale can distort that perception of yourself, and discourage your efforts. Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton lost five kilos whilst doing Strictly Come Dancing, but that was all muscle loss (she had hardly any fat on her to begin with, let alone five kilos worth!) There’s no reason for women to fear building their muscles. In fact, you should embrace it for the following reasons:

 

1. Gender differences: ‘Women don’t produce the amount of testosterone that guys do,’ Bayeul asserts. ‘Because of this you will not get manly looking muscles. Thus, do not be afraid of lifting those weights.’

 

2. Faster weight loss: Bayeul points out, ‘Every pound of muscle burns up to an additional 50 calories. So ten pounds of extra muscle not only will give you some killer curves, but the ability to burn up to an additional 500 calories a day!’

 

3. Curves to die for: ‘Building muscle is the key to not only permanent weight loss, but also to the fit curves you are looking for,’ Bayeul assures.

Categories: loss, Muscle Gain, nbsp, Progress, progress pictures, scale, Scales, weight, Weight Loss, Weight Training

What Everyone Ought to Know Before Starting Weight Training

When you are new to the world of weight training and fitness, it can seem very confusing. You know that you want to benefit your wellness and wellbeing by lifting some weights, but you are not sure how to push your body, and how far you should push it.

 

There are dangers to be aware of, though, and pushing your body to the limit is not always a good idea. As a newbie, you could well fall victim to your own over-zealousness. Fortunately, there are a few simple things that you can do to make sure that you look after your body as you are gradually easing yourself into the world of weight training.

 

First and foremost, never start cold. You must always take time to warm up and stretch your muscles and to get your blood flowing before a session. This may seem like a chore but it gets your body warm, activates your fat-burning mechanisms and makes your limbs nice and supple, avoiding potential injuries.

 

You should always look for intensity in your workout, too (without hurting yourself of course). If you’re going to lift weights, then train until you find muscle failure, and gradually push those limits. This way you will tone up and build muscle in the shortest period of time. Visit the gym regularly for shorter periods of time, rather than long workout only once or twice a week.

 

Don’t snack during your workout either – it will make you feel sluggish and lazy. It’s best to avoid eating before a workout too, unless it’s a marathon of course, but do have a light snack of around 200 – 300 calories after your intense workouts to replace any calories that you may have used up. This will also teach your body to replace muscle energy but not to store any extra fat.

Categories: body, fitness, Muscle, nbsp, push, training, weight, Weight Training, Workout

Improve Your Wellness Using Weight Training Techniques

Improving your physique is about more than just weight loss and fitness – it is about toning up your body and changing the shape of it. Until you feel that your body is taking shape in the way that you want it to, you will not experience the feelings of wellness and wellbeing that should come alongside making important lifestyle changes.

 

If you have seen friends or relatives using the weight training machines or free weights at the gym you will be able to see for yourself that it does work, but you may still have no idea really where to start or feel that you don’t have enough time.

 

First of all, you don’t need to do a lot of weight training to see results; most people find that a short session a couple of times a week is easy to fit into their schedule and is enough for them to see results. Just two or three 30 minute weight sessions can make a marked difference to your physique.

 

Weight training also offers important health benefits and is recommended by the government as part of a healthy lifestyle. In order to get it right, however, you must make sure that you know what you are doing, as incorrect weight lifting can lead to injuries such as fractures or sprains.

 

If you’ve never worked out before, the best place to start is with a session or two of personal training. You can then learn the correct techniques to carry on on your own, even if you don’t want to continue working with a trainer. Using the proper size of weight can also be important – don’t use anything that is too light or you will not see a difference, and a weight that is too heavy will not allow you to do the exercise properly whilst maintaining good form. The correct weight will enable you to do 12 – 15 reps but you will be very tired by the last rep.

Categories: body, exercise, nbsp, session, training, weight, Weight Training

Cardio or Weights: Which is Better For Weight Loss?

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll no doubt be wondering which exercise regime provides the best and fastest results. Is it cardio or weights? Well, the truth it that it’s both. A combination of the two provides you with each set of health and weight loss benefits, which you’ll be missing out on if you limit yourself to just one kind of exercise. Most cardio workouts these days involve some element of weight resistance training, as the results you’ll see are astounding. Likewise, weight training is generally done in circuits which gives you your cardio element. Many people fall foul to the myths about weight training, in that it will make you bulky and muscular – this isn’t true. Similarly, cardio can actually help you to build muscle – these myths could be stopping you from benefiting from a great workout.

The myth that weights make you bulky has been thrown around for years, but there is little truth to it – gaining muscle is hard work and takes a long time to achieve. In the early stages of a new workout, your body produces a hormone known as cortisol which leads you to retain water. People think this is muscle and believe that they are bulking up, but they’re actually just adapting to a new regime. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, this will happen every time – it has nothing to do with your muscle mass though, so don’t panic. Once your body adapts, you’ll be able to see the real results of your efforts.

Cardio is a term used for exercises which get your heart rate up for the entirety of your workout. Modern cardio training is generally interval training, which is a combination of aerobic and anaerobic workouts. This form of exercising does build muscle, contrary to popular belief. And adding muscle can build your metabolism, which leads to more weight loss (as long as your diet is balanced and you’re not overeating). The best way to lose weight is to vary your exercise regime and eat healthily to reap the rewards.

Categories: Cardio, Muscle, Weight Training

Can Weight Training Help Keep Your Diabetes In Check?

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you are usually told to exercise. With insulin and a good diet however, the idea of exercise can seem somewhat redundant. A study done by researchers in the Life Sciences Institute in Michigan however, say otherwise.

Weight training is found to actually keep blood sugar in check. Bench presses, biceps curls and other body building exercises maybe the right go-to when trying to manage diabetes and blood glucose.

The study was to look at the effects of metabolic disorders when teamed with weight training and exercise. According to NewsMaxHealth, Jiandie Lin, a Life Sciences Institute faculty member and associate professor at the UM Medical School said that, ”We wanted to figure out the relationship between muscle types and body metabolism, how the muscles were made, and also what kind of influence they have on diseases like type 2 diabetes.”

The body has two types of muscles, comparative to red and white meat. Red muscles are often prominent in marathon-runners and endurance sports, whilst white muscles dominate weight lifters and sprinters – people that engage in short bursts of energy.

The reason why endurance sportsmen have red muscles is due to the mitochondria in the nucleus. Mitochondria takes the oxygen that you breathe and converts it into energy, which is then pumped through the body as a red blood cell. In other words – more oxygen, more red.

As you grow older, your muscles will become whiter; originally, this was thought to suggest that less blood was being transported around the body. The research in Michigan found however, that the increase in protein meant that blood glucose could be controlled.

As it turns out, curling your guns may be the best thing for your diabetes. When your doctor advises you to do exercise, there is method to their madness, where your body can respond well – not just to exercise, but also to insulin. In the end, the body will thank you – and you will thank yourself.

Can Weight Training Help Keep Your Diabetes In Check?

Categories: Diabetes, exercise, Weight Training