What is stopping you from strength training?

June 3, 2010

When ever something comes along that you think that you want to do or should do and it’s a challenge to do it, do you hesitate? It seems that your mind always has plenty of reasons not to do something. If that activity is strength training, what is stopping you?

Is it your age? Are you worried that since you are a little older that strength or resistance training might be too much for you? Or maybe you are afraid that you might injure yourself lifting weights? Those are legitimate arguments but they shouldn’t stop you from trying. Lifting weights is like running or walking in one respect, you have to start out slowly and then gradually increase your activity. Light weights or even no weights are the way to start out. After a while you will find yourself becoming stronger, and then you can increase the weights.

As for injuries, they may happen and they may set you back but they shouldn’t end your attempt at strength training. If you are careful and only lift weight that you feel comfortable with you’ll avoid most injuries.
What else could be stopping you from strength training? Maybe you don’t want to lift weights and feel that it wouldn’t help you anyway. Now more than ever folks in the medical field are recommending strength training for older people. Why? Because the benefits are wonderful, you will feel healthier, stronger, and more confident, you’ll probably sleep better and those are just a few benefits from strength training.

So give strength training a try!

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Mistakes that older people make when strength training

May 25, 2010

Getting started in strength training, especially if you are older is a great idea. What is just as important as doing strength training is to do strength training right, avoid making common mistakes that beginners usually do.

  • Check with your doctor first. This is important because your doctor can advise you on how much exercise to do and what not to do.
  • Lifting too much weight at first. You are probably gung-ho about strength training and you want to lift as much weight as possible in the beginning. When you lift you want to be comfortable with the weight at first. When you feel that you can do 2 sets of 10 repetitions then gradually increase the weight. If you increase too fast you may injure your self.
  • Proper technique will insure that you are getting the most out of your workouts. Lifting the wrong way could lead to injuries.
  • Not lifting on a regular basis. Lifting twice a week should be enough times to do strength training just make sure you don’t miss a session.
  • Becoming discouraged because it seems that you aren’t making any progress. Give yourself time to build muscles and strength Rome wasn’t built in a day.
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Functional fitness for older adults

May 20, 2010

Getting older doesn’t mean that you can’t take care of your self. You want and need to be self-reliant. The everyday chores and activities that you have been doing for years shouldn’t be a problem, but for some it is. So what is the solution? Functional fitness for older adults who need to build up their strength in order to be able to do the things that they have always done. It also helps prevent injuries and possible illnesses.
We all know of the benefits of exercise, a strong heart, strong muscles, keep weight down, more energy and an increased feeling of well being. You should also add to that list independence from needing help to do everyday activities.

Functional fitness can be achieved by 2 things:

  • exercise – Not only aerobic which is great for the heart and keeping your weight down but also strength training which strengthens muscles and improves bone mass. Strength training can also improve balance which is vital in older people.
  • Keeping active – Don’t be a couch potato! Try to stay as active as possible when you are older. Participate in sports, garden or do any hobby that gets you moving around.
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What is circuit strength training?

May 14, 2010

In order to have a complete workout regimen you have to incorporate both strength training and aerobic training. Each benefits you in a different way. Strength training builds muscles and helps prevent bone loss in older people and countless other benefits. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming and bicycling strengthens your heart muscle which is extremely vital. Is there any way to combine the two types of exercise? Yes it is called circuit training.

According to Wikipedia circuit training was developed by R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson in 1953 at the University of Leeds in England. The idea behind circuit training is to have a fast paced exercise program where there is little or no rest time between exercises. The exercises could be anything from weigh machines to calisthenics. One key advantage of this type of program is that it can work the muscles areas that would help with what ever sport that you engage in.

Circuit training is probably more suited for those who are advanced in training and in better shape. It isn’t for beginners. And as for the strength training there is question as to whether it is as productive as a regular strength training program.

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Can strength training make you happy?

February 11, 2010

Exercise, whether it is strength training or aerobic exercise, has always played an important part in maintaining good health. Along with eating right, you certainly increase your chances of living a long and healthy life. But what does all that exercise do for your emotional state? Does it do anything at all? Can strength training make you happy?

Before we talk about happiness and exercise you need to know about endorphins. Endorphins are brain chemicals that are called neurotransmitters. What neurotransmitters do is transmit electrical signals to the brain. The pituitary gland is where the endorphins are located.

Why are endorphins released?
The body will release endorphins when there is pain or stress as a natural defense. Like a drug the endorphins help us cope with the pain and the stress.

What sets off the endorphins?
As you probably guessed exercise is one thing that sets off endorphins. Think of endorphins not only as a protection against pain and stress but also a type of reward. But it isn’t just exercise that produces endorphin certain foods like hot chili peppers and chocolate also are stimuli. That is way chocolate is such a comfort food for so many people. Of course exercise is the better way to make you feel better than chocolate.

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What are Body weight exercises?

January 10, 2010

Lifting weights isn’t the only way to build strong and toned muscles, there is also a technique called bodyweight exercises where instead of weights you use your own body weight as the resistance to build muscles.

You probably are thinking that bodyweight exercises sound a lot like calisthenics, what we used to do in gym. You are right they are one in the same thing. But they aren’t the same as isometrics exercises which involves muscles contracting against resistance.

There are 2 big advantages to doing bodyweight exercises. One, there is no equipment to buy or gyms to pay membership fees to, which is great if you are on a budget. The second advantage is that you can do these exercises anywhere, at home, in a motel, in a park, anywhere.

Some people believe that you just can’t get a good strength workout without lifting weights. They think that since you can continue to increase the weights with weight lifting and you are limited with a certain weight (your body weight) with body weight exercises, it is the only way to get stronger.

Well that isn’t true, bodyweight exercises if done on a regular basis and done correctly can be effective in building muscles and gaining strength.

In fact you may want to start out doing calisthenics first before venturing into weight lifting.

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