Strength Training: A Must For All

 

                                                                                                                                                                              

Have you been shying away from strength training? Do you think you are too old to start a strength training program? Reverse that thought because strength training is what your body needs to combat the loss of strength, muscle and bone mass that comes as you age.

No matter how young or old you are, you should engage in regular strength training exercise. This you can do in the gym or at home making use of little equipment. Hand weights, dumbbells, resistance band and even your own body weight can be used as resistance during strength training program.

Here are some ways strength training can make a difference in and add more quality to your life.

Helps Increase Calories Burn

Strength training increases the metabolic rate of the body, causing it to burn more calories throughout the day. This aids weight loss significantly.

Improves Your Balance And Stability

This decreases your risk of fall accidents because the more resilient and stronger your muscles are the sturdier your balance.

Increases Your Ability To Carry Out Your Day To Day Activities

The stronger your muscles, the easier for you to carry heavy loads, move things around and many more.

It Helps To Build Muscle Strength

From research, adults lose between five to seven pounds of muscles every decade after age 20. This you can prevent by strength training. You can also rebuild lost muscles by engaging in strength training.

It Decrease Your Risk Of Osteoporosis

Studies have shown that consistent strength training can increase bone density as well as prevent osteoporosis, which is a disease that affects inactive and aging people as there bone density reduces causing brittleness.

Strength training can help you feel younger each day. Start with one set of each exercise of about 10 to 15 repetitions and increase to 2 and then 3 sets as you improve. Taking it slow and steady, have about 30 second to one minute rest in between each exercise.

Always warm up and stretch before embarking on the main exercise. You also stretch after each exercise. Use weights that are heavy enough for you to feel the muscle working and the difficulty increases as you get to the last repetition. The weight should equally be light enough for you to do the last repetition without pain or breaking proper form. Stop whenever you experience pain.

Your age, work or schedule must not stand between you and strength training because of the benefits you derive from it. Always remember to consult your doctor before engaging in any form of exercise program.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Exercising Properly

There are two main types of exercise that you can do -aerobic and anaerobic.  The first one, aerobic, means with oxygen.  Aerobic type exercise has an important distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel.  

Anaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel.  Despite common myths, exercise does not have to be drastic in any way to provide massive benefits.  Even if you choose light exercise, you will still burn fat.

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is a waste of the body, and stimulate your cells to regenerate.  To be sure that you are burning fat rather than sugar, it's very important to make sure that you are doing several things as you exercise.

The most important thing you can do as you exercise is breathe deep.  You should always breathe in deep into your stomach through your nose, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale hard through your mouth.

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level.  You should exercise at a level of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise.  You should do this for at least 45 minutes each day, and then you’ll begin to notice just how much your energy will explode.

Even if you don't have the time to exercise, think of the enormous benefits you will derive from exercise and create time for exercise. If you have to, use the time that you would normally spend sleeping.  With exercising, you will actually need less sleep than before.

You can also use the time of your lunch break to exercise as well.  The increase in productivity will have you more on the ball, and you can save your time through the dramatic increase in your overall productivity.  Use any break you have at work to engage in some type of movement and deep breathing.

Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart.  It will make it a stronger and larger organ.  Deep breathing will help your lungs become stronger and larger as well.  There is research now that links exercise to helping benefit and almost prevent each and every type of disease or ailment.

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood flow and create energy, as sitting down all day will rob your body of much needed energy.  If you sit down all day, it's very important that you promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain flow, and the strength of your heart.  With just a little bit of your time devoted to exercise, you'll find yourself healthier than you have ever been in the past.

Exercise As Power Source

This day and age it can be very difficult indeed to go to the gym due to so many factors.  Life is very hectic and busy, which has created a serious challenge for remaining consistent with exercise each day.  Exercise is however, one of the major things we all need to reduce stress, and give the body the extra energy it needs to carry out normal living.

The best results of exercise are achieved through the use of refined techniques, functional exercises, cardio, the right nutrition, variety, awareness, consistency, and motivation over a period of time.

The refined techniques mean correct form to isolate muscles or to target areas of the body.  Efficiency is needed to ensure stimulation of the muscles.  With weight lift training, which is also known as resistance training, you'll need to eliminate any type of momentum.  

It is also important to move the weight about using a full range of motion.  Full range of motion causes the muscle to contract for the right amount of time and help to ensure the right length of the tendons.  The goal here is to strengthen the joints of your body by stimulating the muscles.

Cadence is also helpful, as it is a term that refers to the rate in which the resistance or the weight moves.  The best results with cadence are gained by slow movements which will cause the muscle to contract for a longer period of time.  You can mix in a series of fast and slow cadence, which is very beneficial with sports type training.

Using the correct angles will achieve muscle isolation in target areas and help to decrease the risk of injuries, which is great for those using heavy weights. 

Functional type exercise is a popular technique that will stimulate the core and torso of your body while you work on another muscle group at the same time.  As an example, when you perform a dumbbell press while lying on an exercise ball.

Your abdominal muscles and the core muscles will contract to hold your body into this position, while your chest and triceps muscles will push the dumbbells up.  This type of exercise and challenge will cause maximum stimulation to your body and keep the workout interesting and refreshing.

Cardio is another exercise that is great for the heart and lungs.  The total number of calories you burn is very important along with maintaining the right heart rate.   Cardio will help detoxify the body and also help to strengthen the immune system along with other benefits.  The muscles will contract and pass the lymph along, which will allow the immune system to clear away dead cells and bring new ones in.

Anytime you exercise, warming up is very important, as it will prepare your body for the more demanding workout of cardio.  You should always allow 15 - 30 minutes prior to weight lifting and 10 - 15 minutes prior to cardio exercises.  You should also stretch as well, as this will help get the blood flowing through your muscles and get them limber as well.

An ideal schedule for working out is to warm up then follow with cardio.  Even though you may think your schedule is simply too busy to maintain a schedule for working out, you will find that adding exercise will actually add more time, as you will have a lot more energy in your normal everyday life.  You can think of exercise as the batteries that will help to give your life power.

Exercise And Your Complexion

It is an established fact that exercise does the body a lot of good.  It can help you stay trim, tone muscles, and help to boost energy as well.  What you probably don't know, is the fact that exercise can actually help you achieve the complexion you have always wanted.

It is true that regular exercise will nourish the body and skin with fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients.  Also, the increased blood flow and circulation that come with working out will help to draw toxins out of the body and improve the condition of all your vital organs, including the epidermis.

A lot of people think that sweat can trigger acne flare ups.  The fact is, sweating is great for any type of congested skin, as it helps promote the flushing of impurities from the epidermal layer and also clean out the pores.  The vigorous exercise can actually correct the hormonal imbalances that can trigger blemishes, therefore reducing the likelihood of outbreaks.

Any physical routine that you like to do, such as yoga, running, biking, spinning, Pilates, jogging, goju, karate, taekwondo, boxing and  any such activity, will help to lessen the stress that you encounter on a daily basis and help to prevent stress related issues.

Exercise is great for some skin conditions that may or may not have to do with the presence of acne. Your skin losing its elasticity or becoming thin and less resilient is something that we all encounter.  This is a common problem for many of us as we get older.

As we all get older, we start to lose collagen, which will make us look tired.  As many of us don't know, physical activity can actually help to promote the growth of collagen in your skin cells, which will plump up your facial skin and make you look younger and more vibrant.

If you are worried about wrinkles, you should consider relaxation that comes after you exercise. This has the effect of making your muscles, facial muscles included, soften up.  What this means, is that your lines will appear less pronounced, helping you to achieve a youthful look.

With exercise you can achieve a smaller waist, better muscle tone, softer skin, fewer blemishes, and an overall younger, fresher look.  If you wanted a change to your complexion, you shouldn't hesitate to exercise.  Exercise will help you feel more alive as well as improve your body.  All you need to do is taking a little bit of time out of your schedule to exercise .

Buttocks Exercises

Most people are not happy with their buttocks. Many think they are too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby and so on. Engaging in the right cardio exercises and weight training activities can give you your desired backside, depending on your body type and genetics. This should include thighs exercises, hip exercises, glutes exercises and lower body exercises. Here are the best cardio and strength training exercises for strengthening and toning your glutes, hips and thighs.

1. Squats

One of the best exercises you can do for your hips, buttocks and thighs are squats. They are functional exercises that help us in building strength for our daily activities.

How to squat:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and, you can, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides for added intensity.
2. Bend your knees, and lower into a squat, keeping the knees behind the toes and  keeping the torso upright and contracted.
3. Put Pressure into the heels to stand up.
4. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps

2. Lunges

These are challenging exercises because they work on so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you work the glutes and hamstrings while on the back leg, you work the quads and calves. There are a variety of lunges to choose from such as:

• Static Lunges
• Side to Side Lunges
• Sliding Lunges
• Low Lunges
• One-Legged Lunge
• Step by Step  Lunges

3. Step Ups

This is another great exercise for the glutes. Place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel to lift the body up. To get the best result concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. Lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. Take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

4. Hip Extensions                                                                                 
 Hip extension is an exercise that specifically targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus. You can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity.

5. Biking

Bike riding is great for the heart. It targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and buttocks. You burn a lot of calories biking.

6. Running

Running is easily accessible, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and also makes you feel good. Added to that, it works your buttocks, especially when you run on a hilly route. Sprints are another option if you want to burn more calories. 

7. karate/Taekwondo

Karate and taekwondo are excellent workouts for the entire body, including the hips, glutes and thighs.  Controlled front kicks, roundhouses, sidekicks and back kicks work your hips, thighs and buttocks while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger.

Eating And Exercise

The main purpose of engaging in regular exercise is to maintain good health. To have the energy needed to exercise and to carry out your day to day activities properly, you need a proper diet and a healthy eating habit. To get the best of your exercise, what you eat before and after you workout is very important.

It does not matter if you are doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout, always make sure you eat a balanced diet containing a mix of protein and carbohydrates.  What determines the percentage of carbohydrate and protein you consume is the type of exercise you are doing and the intensity level you plan to work at.

The ideal time for you to eat your pre workout meal is at least one hour before your workout time.  If you plan to work at a low intensity level, your calories intake during your pre work out meal should be kept low.  If you plan to exercise at a high level of intensity, you will probably need a high level of calorie intake in your pre workout meal.

Eating a mixture of carbohydrate and protein will give a longer sustained energy from the carbohydrates while the protein will keep the muscles from breaking down during exercise workout. 

Eating after you exercise is just as important as your pre workout meal.  Anytime you exercise, regardless of the form or type of exercise you went through, you deplete energy in the form of glycogen.  The brain and central nervous system rely on glycogen as their main source of fuel, so if you don't replace it after exercise, your body will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids, and then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and the central nervous system.

Keep in mind that mostly during resistance exercise, you'll break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears.  What this means, is that after a workout, your muscles will instantly go into repair mode.  Protein is the key here for muscle repair, and you don't want further muscle breaking down even to create fuel to replace lost glycogen.

Once you have finished an exercise session, you'll need to consume mainly carbohydrates and protein, preferably those with high fiber.  Rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and fruits are excellent sources. The protein will help to build up and repair muscle tissues so that the muscles can increase in size and strength. The carbohydrate will not only replace the lost muscle glycogen but will also help the protein get into muscle cells.

Steps To Six Pack Abs

To most people, getting six pack abs is almost impossible. However this is achievable. All it requires is dedication. Follow this 2-step guide below religiously for 3 months to get your required results. 

Step 1: Nutrition

This is the single most important part to getting a six pack abs. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they're covered with a layer of fat, you cannot see them to admire them. Eat about 5 or 6 mini-meals a day as this will enhance your metabolism. Avoid foods that slow down your metabolism such as white bread, loads of pasta, soda, candy, fast food and foods that are rich in saturated fat.

Foods that enhances metabolism such as oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, chicken, fish, protein and water should replace those mentioned above. Let’s be realistic- you'll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.

Step 2: Exercise

Regular exercise on its own is very beneficial to the body and health generally. To get a six pack ab you have to follow these 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises aiming to workout 3- 4 times a week.

The cardio can be walking, running, biking, swimming, whichever cardio you enjoy doing so that you'll stick with it. Aim for 30-45 minutes, a minimum of 2 times a week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog and this is while you're just sitting around. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part, do a search on the internet for it.

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout is ab exercises. Aim to work your abs a minimum of 3 times a week. There are tons of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing so you can combine them all.

Follow the above tips strictly for 3 months to get six abs even though results will vary from person to person. All you need is dedication on your part.

Children And Exercise

If you have a child of about 6 to 8 years old that wants to start exercising and lifting weights, you may be wondering what to do.  While some think it is perfectly okay for children to exercise, others think differently.

The fact is that it is  beneficial for your child to partake in exercise  or a weight training regimen, however there are few things you should keep in mind.

No matter how you look at it, children are not adults therefore you can't use the same methods and intensity for adults also for children, as children are different from adults emotionally, anatomically, and physically.

The skeletal bones of children don't get mature until they get to between 14 - 22 years of age.  Exercising during childhood can have a very critical effect on their bone health that can last for their entire lives. 

Children have immature temperature regulation systems due to their having a large surface area compared to their muscle mass which will cause them to be more susceptible to injury when they are not properly warmed up.

Children don't sweat as much as adults do, so they will be more susceptible to heat exhaustion.  Due to their low muscle mass and immature hormone system, it makes it harder for them to develop strength and speed. Their breathing and heart response during exercise are also different from that of adults, which will affect their capacity to exercise.

Before setting up exercise programs for children, first and foremost you should obtain a medical clearance.  The first approach to designing a program is to establish a repetition range of 8 - 12 and keep the work load appropriate for the range.

You should ensure that workouts are spread out enough to have at least 1 - 2 full days of rest between workouts. The main focus when working out should be on the form of every exercise performed, and not on the amount of weight being lifted.

Before weight training, warm up and stretching should be done.  Start your children off with light loads and then make adjustments accordingly.  No more than 3 non consecutive exercise sessions should be done in a week.   

You should also see to it that they drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.  Getting enough water is very important with exercise, as it is often times very easy to get dehydrated, especially with children.

Choosing The Right Exercise For You

The type of exercise you do depends on activities you like and the ones you dislike. Do you like using or buying exercise equipment or not, can you afford to pay gym membership subscription fees, these are some of the things you need to consider when choosing the type and place of exercise suitable to you.

If you choose activities you don't enjoy doing, it is likely you are not going to keep doing it for a long period of time.  Think about it - if you don't like jogging, it would be difficult for you to get up at 6 AM and go running.  If you can't find activities or sports you like doing, walking is a very good alternative.

Walking is a very great exercise, as it suits all levels of fitness.  Anyone can start a walking program at anytime. It is only the intensity and duration that differs.  Walking is also a social exercise, as it is not difficult to find a training partner to chat with while exercising.  Walking with a partner will make it less boring and fun to partake in.

No matter what exercise you choose you should start at a low intensity and build up over a period of weeks, this is very essential to the longevity of your exercise program.  If you start off too hard, you could end up with an injury which will require time off to heal and may discourage you from starting all over again.To make it more interesting, you should try walking a different course every few days.  You can also roster a different partner to walk with each day of the week.

If you don’t enjoy walking, then you may try a fitness center or gym.  They have loads of variety and normally have trainers on hand to answer any question you have.  When choosing a fitness center or a gym, make sure that they give you the needed good service.You should make sure that the equipment they use is up to date and well taken care of. 

If you still are not sure of what exercise or activity you should do, take a look at tennis, football, handball, and basketball. These are all good social activities in most areas, and you can even meet new friends.  Tennis is great for fitness although it is not for beginners.

You are advised to see your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

REASONS YOU MUST STICK TO YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAME

When you set out on an exercise quest, you are ready and determined to go. However most people give up when the going gets tough.With the following reasons in mind, you will keep going and not give up.


FEELING GREAT ABOUT YOUR BODY
You tend to be more confident when you have a better looking and fit body. This also help boost yourself esteem. The mirror becomes your friend regardless of where you are.


HEALTHY LOOKING
One of the benefits of regular exercise is good health.Sticking to your exercise program makes you look healthier internally and externally, always admired any time any where.


ATTRACTING THE OPPOSITE SEX
The first impression when you are meeting people for the first time is physical. When you are fit and good looking, you stand a better chance of getting more looks and admiration from the opposite sex.


STICKING TO YOUR GOALS
Sticking to your exercise program can help you cultivate the habit of following your set goals through. This is one of the best habits of successful people.


YOU WILL BE ENERGIZED
When you stick to your exercise program you become energized and strengthened. You will be able to carry out your day to day activities without easily getting tired and stressed up.


Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE TO HEALTH AND WEALTH

Generally people agree that health is wealth which is true. Health is paramount to wealth as long as both are concerned hence the saying that HEALTH IS WEALTH and not the other way round.

Regular exercising like jogging, skipping, running, swimming, cycling, playing sports, long walks and many more can improve your health, self confidence, quality of life and most importantly lower the risk of you developing serious health issues.

For you to be wealthy and keep your wealthy you must be healthy and for you to be healthy you need to have an active life style, be physically and mentally fit and alert. To achieve all these mentioned above exercise and fitness are major factors.

Engaging in exercise helps increase our energy level which actually mean that we will have more energy to work and do business. In other words exercise helps us to create wealth. People often say that health is more important than wealth but in practical they do the opposite. They spend much time at work and in business and give little or no time for exercise and other activities that will actually improve their health. This eventually breaks them down and they will be spending their wealth to regain their health. 
This cycle continues unless you strike a balance between their quest for wealth and staying healthy. To achieve this, apart from diet, a program of exercise should be an integral part of your daily or weekly activity that must not be ignored as it will enhance your physical, mental and internal well being.

Health is dependent on exercise, wealth is dependent on health. EXERCISE! BE FIT!.......Give your health the required attention so that you can keep your wealth.

MAKE YOUR HOME A BETTER GYM

The explosive growth of home exercise equipment is an ample proof that home exercise is the new phenomenon in fitness and living an active life style. Great results can be achieved exercising at home as long as you determined, focus know what you are doing.

Your rug/carpet or an exercise mat, some light weight dumbbells, exercise tubing, determination and commitment are all it takes to get a good result exercising at home. Individuals with erratic work schedule, stay-at-home moms and individuals who work from home can simply set up a gym atmosphere in the comfort of their homes as this is a perfect solution to their exercise and fitness needs. 
 Determination, commitment, self motivation and discipline are very vital factors for you to get very good results exercising at home since you will be on your own.

The intimidating social atmosphere of a health club or a paid gym, waiting in line for equipment coupled with the fact that most people flirt more and exercise less discourage people from exercising at health clubs or gym. A hectic schedule, a long stay in transit and domestic engagements can also discourage you from exercising at home. However studies have shown that people exercising at home are more likely to stick to their program than those exercising at a club.

To obtain the best result, warming up for about 10 – 15 minutes with light aerobics exercise, walking, jogging, cycling, taking deep breaths and stretching before starting strength training is necessary as it helps the muscles relax and rejuvenate. An exercise like pushups, abdominal, stretching and some flexibility exercises does not require equipment.

Get that physical outlook and internal wellness; be fit while relaxing at home. Make your home your gym now.

HOW TO FIT EXERCISE INTO YOUR DAY

One of the major problems facing humans no matter their age, race or religion today is how to strike a balance between their job, family and well being. Some people work in different organization while others engage in one form of business or another. In all they want to take care of any need of theirs whenever it arise. This makes it difficult if not impossible for them to engage in one of the best activities that will help them remain healthy “EXERCISE”.

However, one should not compromise when it comes to issues regarding health and wellbeing generally. Exercise should be made a routine and kept like an appointment just like your job and/or business. The busy and tight work schedule is always a discouragement to exercising. Most people complain that when they get home after the day’s work coupled with other house chaos at home they become too tired to engage in exercise.

No matter how busy you are, endeavour to fit exercise into your work day to get energized. The following tips will be very useful for you to fit exercise into your work day.

WAKE UP EARLY. You can exercise in the morning before going out for the day. Exercising in the morning helps keep your mood elevated, recharges you physically, mentally and emotionally. It helps you get ready to face and seize the day. Make it a point of duty to wake up early in the morning to exercise before heading out for work or any other business.

EXERCISE WHILE WAITING. Another way you can fit exercise into your busy work day is to exercise while waiting for something else to happen. When running a copy you can stretch your arms and legs, walk around, while waiting for the micro wave you can step side by side, run or jog in place and squat. Instead of going to the closest rest room, go to the distant one.

USE THE STAIRCASE. Using the staircase instead of the elevator is another sure way of getting good doss of exercise at work or home. Studies have shown that using the staircase reduces the risk of developing heart disease. Try skipping a step when using the stairs it is good for the thighs.

MULTI-TASKING. You can multitask to get some exercise at work or home. You can do calf raises, squat; stretch your arms legs while brushing your mouth. In the shower you can do flexibility exercises and pushups. In the office you can during break hours you can walk around the office premises. When you have a cause to reach out to a colleague, walk to his or her office instead of calling or sending a mail. When going to the office in the morning you can stop a bus stop before your office and walk the rest. At the car park you can get a little exercise before proceeding to the office or stepping into the house.

These words from Mahatma Gandhi says it “Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.

CUT OUT those EXCUSES NOW!......NEVER give up!……..YOU will surely get their.