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Life Skills Main •
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Physical Well-Being
Physical Well-Bring
PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN
BEFORE STARTING ANY DIET
AND/OR EXERCISE PROGRAM.
Not making progress in your workout? Change it! Your muscles like — and need — to be challenged. Doing the same workout Monday/Wednesday/Friday will ultimately make your muscles complacent, and you'll see only minimal results.
It's All SAID and Done
Your muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons all react to the SAID Principle: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. In other words, they adapt in response to whatever demands you place on them. So if you work a muscle the same way over and over, it will adapt to that constancy and will not gain in strength or size. Conversely, your body will also adapt to not working out, resulting in building a better couch potato!
So how do we challenge our muscles in order to improve and make great gains? Here are a few ways to try:
Change your workout every four to eight weeks. This will help your muscles and your mental attitude. And staying fresh mentally is important to your workout.
Change the days you work out. Instead of Mon/Wed/Fri, try Tue/Thu/Sat.
Rearrange the days the days you work different muscle groups. For example, your Mon/Wed routine is now on Tue/Thu and vice versa.
Regroup the muscles you are working. Most people do a traditional Chest/Triceps regimen on day one and Back/Biceps/Legs on day two. Try working opposing muscle groups like Chest/Back on day one and Biceps/Triceps on day two.
Note: When working Biceps/Triceps, alternate your sets. Perform ten reps of bicep curls, then quickly switch to ten reps of triceps extensions as one set, then repeat for a total of three sets. This is very challenging, so you'll probably want to start at a lighter weight, but you will see and feel a difference.
Change the Order of Your Exercises
Bench Press. If you're like most guys, when you walk into the gym the first exercise you do is the flat bench press. STOP! Too many people forget about incline and the much underused decline benches. On the days you bench, start with the incline or decline bench press, followed by flat bench press. Your upper and lower pectoralis muscles will be stronger at the beginning of the workout, so you'll be able to lift more and get better results. The major part of the pectoralis will fatigue sooner during the flat bench press, but that is how a muscle grows. Fatigue it, then make it work beyond fatigue to recruit more muscle fibers for added muscle development and strength gains.
Abdominals. We all hate working our abs even though that's one of the major muscle groups we all want to improve. Instead waiting until you're tired and ready to leave the gym, hit your abs at the very beginning with all you've got. They also like to be challenged. You'll have a more productive abdominal session and will hopefully start to develop that non-alcoholic six-pack we all crave.
Fatigue Is Fun
Ever have one of those days or nights where you think you just can't go on, then all of a sudden you get a burst of energy? Well, we want the same thing for our muscles. The object is to fatigue them, then push them even further beyond the point of fatigue.
Negative Resistance
When doing this type of workout it's imperative to have a partner. Take the flat bench press as an example, doing three sets of ten reps. The weight should be heavy enough that the last two or three reps are difficult and the very last one is extremely difficult. It should be fatiguing to perform the exercise, meaning the muscle will not give you any more strength to move the bar.
Now, with your partner's help, work with negative resistance. Against the pull of gravity, slowly lower the bar to your chest. Your partner will then pull the bar back up to the starting position. He is not spotting, but is doing all the work to lift the bar up. You then slowly lower the bar back to your chest and repeat for two to five reps.
The reason for going beyond fatigue is to recruit more muscle fibers. Doing the same workout over an over you use the same muscle fibers. The ones relaxing don't want to work unless they absolutely have no choice. So by going beyond fatigue and utilizing negative resistance, the resting fibers must go to work to help lower the bar. Eventually the newly recruited fibers will start working in conjunction with the others. Increasing the number of active muscle fibers increases your muscle size and strength.
This technique can be used for almost every exercise you do. Experiment with it, but remember to use a partner for your benefit and safety.
PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING
ANY DIET AND/OR EXERCISE PROGRAM.
 For many men feeling physically fit and strong is part of being a well-rounded, confident person. Weight training (also referred to as resistance training) can play an important role in the development of self-confidence and a positive body image by increasing strength, building and toning muscles, and increasing muscular endurance. It can also help maintain lean body mass (important for individuals attempting weight loss), decrease the risk of osteoporosis, develop coordination and balance, and prevent injuries resulting from weak muscles.
Before You Start
The degree of muscularity considered physically attractive can vary greatly from person to person and between genders. Understanding how your body will respond to a training program can eliminate many of the myths associated with lifting weights and will enable you to design a program specific to your needs.
Although illegal and potentially very harmful, many professional bodybuilders take performance enhancing anabolic androgenic steroids, which upset their hormonal balance and build more muscle. The risks associated with taking these drugs include testicular atrophy in men, the development of male characteristics in women, acne, liver damage, and mood swings.
It's important to understand that your body will not respond to lifting weights in the same way as someone taking anabolic steroids. Every individual also has genetic characteristics that will affect the way they develop strength and change their body shape in response to weight training.
It is also important to note that weight training may be dangerous if performed improperly or without supervision. Individuals with high blood pressure, back problems, or hernias should consult a physician prior to engaging in a weight training program.
Getting Started
Entering a weight room or gym full of people who have been training for a while can be intimidating for a beginner. Most beginners are concerned about how other people in the gym will see them. Remember, at one time or another everyone was a beginner. The majority of experienced lifters are too involved with what they're doing to notice if you're only using 25 pound plates on the barbell. At the same time, they people will respect and understand that you are a novice and often will be happy to help you. Be sure to address qualified instructors with any questions you may have or participate in an orientation class if one is available.
Repetitions and Sets
A repetition or "rep" refers to how many times an exercise is repeated during one set. For example, doing 3 sets of 10 repetitions on a bench press means doing 10 bench presses, resting, and then repeating two more times. Once you have learned the technique of the exercise, you should find a weight you can do 8-12 times for 1-2 sets. If you can't do eight, the weight is too heavy. If you are comfortably completing 12 repetitions, you may wish to increase the weight you're working with.
Warm-ups and Cool-downs
Warm-up activities should precede each training session. A proper warm-up includes 5 minutes of light aerobic activity (walking, cycling, stair machine) followed by stretching of all the major muscle groups. In addition, a warm-up set with a light weight should be performed before each exercise. A cool-down should always consist of stretching all the major muscle groups. Stretching after lifting weights helps maintain flexibility and prevent injuries.
Resting Between Sets
In general, resting approximately 1 minute between sets is recommended for beginning weight training. The rest period can be varied according to your goals for muscular strength or endurance development.
Order of Exercises
Exercises which work several muscle groups should be done prior to exercises which isolate a single muscle group. For example, bench press and squats should be done before tricep push-downs and leg extensions.
Avoiding Beginner Burn Out
Too often beginning lifters — or even experienced ones who have taken a break and are getting back into the gym — burn out and stop exercising. This usually happens when they try to do too much too quickly, thinking that more is better and complete a full two hour workout. Your muscles, having gone from sedentary to very active, will respond with some aches and pains. This alone is enough to deter some beginners and even experienced ones. Plan to start easy and ramp up as you get stronger and more confident. The hardest exercise most times is just getting to the gym. So get there!
Beginnner's Option No. 1
Day 1: Run/bike for 20-30 minutes, then leave.
Day 2: Repeat your run/bike routine add 5 minutes on to your time. Continue to increase your time over the week then start adding in weight training.
Beginnner's Option No. 2
Day 1: Chest workout. Do 2 or 3 different chest exercises, with 3 sets of 10 repetitions each. Add your triceps if you feel up to it. Then leave.
Day 2: Do 2 or 3 different chest exercises, with 3 sets of 10 repetitions each. Over the weeks increase the number of different exercises of the body part and/or the number of body parts worked during the session. Slowly add in a cardio program as described in Option No. 1.
Strength vs. Endurance
When repetitions are low with heavier weights (3-5 per set), strength development is primarily promoted. Higher repetitions with lighter weights (15-20 per set), muscle endurance and toning can be achieved. For most people, however, working with a weight that can be done 8-12 times per set is most appropriate because muscle growth, strength and endurance improve. For maximum strength and muscle development, sets should be done with a weight great enough to cause muscle fatigue (the inability to do another repetition).
Workout Frequency
For most people, lifting 2 to 3 times per week, with each training session separated by a day off, is appropriate to make significant gains in strength. On these days, all the major muscle groups should be exercised. Different exercises that work the same muscle groups can be alternated from workout to workout. More advanced weight trainers or bodybuilders often lift weights 4 to 6 times per week, exercising different muscle groups on different days.
Circuit Training
Circuit Training consists of a series of resistance exercises performed one after another with little rest between exercises. Its major advantage is the ability to perform a lot of different exercises in a short period of time. Circuit training can improve both strength and muscular endurance, however strength development is generally greater when longer rest periods are used. Little cardiovascular benefit is gained from circuit training if the "circuit" is made up of only resistance exercises from free weights or weight machines. However, many circuits consist of resistance exercises and aerobic equipment (cycles, rowers etc.), and therefore can provide significant cardiovascular benefits.
Gaining Weight Through Resistance Training
Many recreational and competitive athletes use weight training to help them gain muscle mass. However, individuals many times train hard without the proper diet to add the extra muscle they seek.
Because muscle is mostly water, only 2500 extra calories are needed to gain a pound of muscle, compared to 3500 excess calories to make a pound of fat. Most of the extra calories needed for weight gain should come from complex carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, potatoes, and pasta.
The need for extra protein has been highly publicized in bodybuilding magazines and gyms around the country. The body does use more protein with weight training, compared to being sedentary. However, because the average American diet is already high in protein, most individuals do not need to worry about eating extra protein.
In general, eating meals and snacks that contain a variety of foods from all the food groups will ensure adequate protein for muscle development. For most people, protein supplements or amino acid tablets are not needed and are simply a waste of money. A good rule of thumb when trying to gain weight is to add 300-500 calories per day for a goal weight gain of 1/2 to 1 pound per week.
Keeping Weight Training In Perspective
Remember that weight training is meant to supplement other activities within a fitness program. Although there are many benefits associated with resistance training, aerobic exercise (walking, cycling rowing, swimming etc.) is still best to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, develop cardiovascular endurance and burn extra calories.
Defining Stress
Stress is simply the body's non-specific response to any demand made on it. Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension or anxiety. Stress provides the means to express talents and energies and pursue happiness; it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or psychological; heart attacks and accidents. The important thing to remember about stress is that certain forms are normal and essential.
As the body responds to various forms of physical or psychological stress, certain predictable changes occur. These include increased heart rate and blood pressure as well as secretions of stimulatory hormones. These responses to stress will occur whether the stress is positive or negative in nature.
Symptoms of Stress
Since stress is often cumulative, learn to recognize the signs so you can take appropriate steps early in the progression. Indicators of stress include:
- General irritability
- Elevated heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased accident proneness
- Anxious feelings for no specific reason, referred to as "floating anxiety"
- Trembling
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Indigestion
- Pain in neck and/or lower back
- Changes in appetite or sleep pattern
Stress Management Suggestions
Here are a few tips on how to maintain a healthier lifestyle and to prepare you to cope with the stress of everyday living:
- Structure each day to include a minimum of 20 minutes of aerobic exercise.
- Eat well balanced meals, more whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Substitute fruits for desserts.
- Cut back on caffeine. It may aggravate anxiety, insomnia, nervousness and trembling.
- Reduce refined sugars, which cause frequent fluctuation in blood glucose levels, adding stress to the body's physiological functioning.
- Eliminate alcohol and drugs. These substances add to headaches and swelling, decrease coping mechanisms and add to depression.
- Get a least 7 hours of sleep nightly.
- Spend time each day with at least one relaxation technique — imagery, daydreaming, prayer, yoga or meditation.
- Take a warm bath or shower.
- Go for a walk.
- Physical contact is a great way to relieve stress — hug someone, hold hands, or stroke a pet.
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