|
|
| |
A Matter of Exercise Principles.
Weight training: Do's and don'ts of proper technique Weight training looks easy. But for best results, proper technique is essential. Here's help maximizing your weight training program. You don't have to be a bodybuilder or professional athlete to reap the benefits of weight training. When done correctly, weight training can help you lose fat, increase your strength and muscle tone, and improve your bone density. But if done incorrectly, weight training won't give you these benefits — and may even lead to injury. Why is proper weight training technique so important? You might learn weight training techniques by watching friends or others in the gym. But sometimes what you see isn't safe. Incorrect weight training technique can lead to sprains, strains, fractures and other painful injuries that may hamper your weight training efforts. If you're just getting started, work with a knowledgeable weight training specialist — a physical therapist, athletic trainer or other fitness specialist who's familiar with proper weight training technique. If you've been using weights for a while, consider scheduling time with a trainer to demonstrate your technique and identify any changes you may need to make. What are weight training do's and don'ts? Here are some simple do's and don'ts to help you maximize your weight training program — and reduce the risk of injury. Do: Lift an appropriate amount of weight. Start with a weight you can lift comfortably 12 to 15 times. For most people, a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build strength just as efficiently as can three sets of the same exercise. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight. Use proper form. Learn to do each exercise correctly. The better your form, the better your results — and the less likely you are to hurt yourself. If you're unable to maintain good form, decrease the weight or the number of repetitions. If you're not sure whether you're doing a particular exercise correctly, ask a personal trainer or other fitness specialist for help. Breathe. You might be tempted to hold your breath while you're lifting weights. Don't. Holding your breath can lead to dangerous increases in blood pressure. Instead, breathe out as you lift the weight and breathe in as you lower the weight. Seek balance. Work all of your major muscles — abdominals, legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms. Strengthen the opposing muscles in a balanced way, such as the front of the shoulder and the back of the shoulder. Rest. Avoid exercising the same muscles two days in a row. You might work all of your major muscle groups at a single session two or three times a week, or plan daily sessions for specific muscle groups. For example, on Monday work your arms and shoulders, on Tuesday work your legs, and so on. Don't: Skip your warm-up. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles. Before you lift weights, warm up with five to 10 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic activity. Rush. Move the weight in an unhurried, controlled fashion. Taking it slow helps you isolate the muscles you want to work and keeps you from relying on momentum to lift the weight. Overdo it. Remember, completing one set of exercises to the point of fatigue is typically enough. Additional sets may only eat up your time and contribute to overload injury. Work through the pain. If an exercise causes pain, stop. Try it again in a few days, or try it with less weight. Forget your shoes. Shoes with good traction can keep you from slipping while you're lifting weights. Remember, the more you concentrate on proper weight training technique, the more you'll get from your weight training program. Source: Mayo Clinic
|
PAIN?
Physical Activity Is Natural Pain Reliever for Boomers and Seniors. It does not seem to make common sense – to exercise when suffering with joint pain – but a recent study in Arthritis Care and Research concludes that regular exercise is an effective way to “significantly” improve and manage arthritis pain. The study specifically measured results of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program. This is good news for the aging population of U.S. baby boomers who want to get back to basics with a natural remedy for pain, according to the foundation. Arthritis is projected to increase by 40 percent, affecting 67 million Americans, in the next two decades. Read more on Fitness & Exercise The in-depth study looked at the effectiveness of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, developed in 1987 to reduce pain and stiffness by keeping joints flexible and muscles strong. Key findings of the study include participants reporting a decrease in pain and fatigue, an increase in upper and lower extremity function, and an increase in strength after participating in the basic, eight-week exercise program. Also, participants who continued the exercise program independently, beyond eight weeks, sustained improvement in reduced stiffness. "The study showed that the exercise program is suitable for every fitness level, even inactive older individuals," said author of the study Leigh Callahan, Ph.D., Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Many people believe the myth that exercise exacerbates their symptoms. The truth revealed in the study is that symptoms improved with exercise." Exercising for joint health is different than exercising for cardio health. People living with arthritis don't have to sweat to achieve success. The basic eight-week Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program consists of low-impact routines with gentle range-of-motion movements that can be done while sitting or standing. "Even minor lifestyle changes like taking a 10-minute walk three times a day can reduce the impact of arthritis on a person's daily activities and help to prevent developing more painful arthritis," explains Patience White, M.D., chief public health officer of the Arthritis Foundation. "Physical activity can actually reduce pain naturally and decrease dependence on pain medications." The program, as designed, however, is not a magic bullet, according to the author’s of the study. “Our findings indicate that the basic 8-week PACE program is a safe program for sedentary older individuals with arthritis to start exercising without exacerbating their symptoms,” they write. “In fact, we actually found that symptoms improved in these persons.” As offered two times per week, the program “modestly improves symptoms and strength but does not improve function, increase exercise endurance, or increase physical activity.” But, they did not find as much improvement as they wanted and suggested that for “more substantial benefits” the frequency and intensity may need to be increased.” And, they added, “As with any exercise program, it appears that individuals need to stay with the program to maintain their benefits over time.” About the study The objective of the study was to evaluate the basic eight-week Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program for improvements in symptoms, functioning, level of physical activity and psychosocial outcomes. A total of 346 individuals with self-reported arthritis from 18 sites participated in a randomized controlled trial. The eight-week exercise program consisted of exercise twice weekly for one hour. The study participants had a mean age of 70 years (ranging from 32 to 94 years old), 90 percent were female, 75 percent were white and 60 percent had more than a high school degree.
Source: atrhritis.org
|
YOU HAVE TIME!
What's the number one reason you don't exercise? If you said lack of time, I hear ya. Everyone is busy and we all want ways to squeeze our workouts into an already full day. Well, you'll have to look for a new reason to skip your workouts because I've found the answer. I surveyed personal trainers all over the U.S. and asked them: "If you only had five exercises for your clients, which ones would they be?"
1. Squats.
Most trainers agree that squats are one of the best exercises you can do. Squats work your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves all at once. How to Do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes facing straight ahead or angled slightly outward. Slowly bend the knees and lower hips towards the floor, keeping your torso straight and abs pulled in tight. Keep your knees behind your toes; make sure everything's pointing in the same direction. Do not go lower than 90 degrees. Do this move 2-3 non-consecutive days a week for 12-16 reps. See how it's done or check out more in-depth info. 2. Push Ups. Push ups, like squats, are compound movements using almost all the muscles of your body. You'll work your chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abs. How to Do It: Position yourself face down on the floor, balancing on your toes/knees and hands. Your hands should be wider than shoulders, body in a straight line from head to toe. Don't sag in the middle and don't stick your butt up in the air. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body to the floor, stopping when your elbows are at 90 degrees. Exhale and push back up. Variations include incline, decline, wall pushups or, for masochists, one-armed pushups. Do this move 2-3 non-consecutive days a week and add a rep each time you do the exercise. See how it's done. 3. Lunges. Like squats, lunges work most of the muscles in your legs including your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. How to Do It: Stand in a split-stance (one leg forward, one leg back). Bend knees and lower body into a lungeposition, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90 degree angles. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up (slowly!) to starting position. Never lock your knees at the top and don't let your knee bend past your toes. Variations: front lunges, back lunges and side lunges. Do this exercise 2-3 times per week for 12 to 16 reps. See how it's done. 4. The Plank. The plank (or hover) is an isolation move used in Pilates and Yoga and works the abs, back, arms and legs. The plank also targets your internal abdominal muscles. How to Do It: Lie face down on mat with elbows resting on floor next to chest. Push your body off the floor in a pushup position with body resting on elbows or hands. Contract the abs and keep the body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat as many times as you can. For beginners, do this move on your knees and gradually work your way up to balancing on your toes. See how it's done. 5. Lat Pulldown The lat pulldown works on the major muscles of your back (the latissmus dorsi), which helps you burn calories and, of course, strengthen your back. How to Do It: Sit on the lat pulldown machine and hold the bar with palms out and wider than shoulders. Pull your abs in and lean back slightly. Bend your elbows and pull the bar down towards your chin, contracting the outer muscles of your back. Do this exercise 2-3 times a week using enough weight to complete 12-16 repetitions. If you don't have access to a gym, try bent over rows. See how it's done. If you have a busy schedule, incorporating these five moves 2 or 3 times a week will help strengthen your muscles and bones, as well as burn more calories. Don't forget to do some cardio exercise as well! For more workout ideas, visit my Workout Center. Source: Paige Waehner, About.com
|
AL OERTER
(USA) Al Oerter, born in 1936 in West Babylon, New York, is one of only three men to have won the same Olympic event at four consecutive Games.
His successes in the discus - from 1956 to 1968 - did not come without considerable pain: he would later list the catalogue of injuries that had dogged his long athletic career, including the side-effects of acute nervous tension, a ripped cartilage in his rib cage, and a strain to the abductor muscle in his leg.
Each of his Olympic performances was better than the last, and all established Olympic records, his last throw, in 1968 reaching 64.78m and making him the first athlete to win four consecutive titles in the same event.
Oerter, who set his first world record in 1962, attempted to make a comeback for the 1972 Games but neck pains forced him to abandon his efforts. He tried again in 1976, this time with the help of anabolic steroids. He later explained: "I wanted to put some bulk on and a physician put me on a light program. But it caused my blood pressure to go through the ceiling and made no difference at all to my performance."
He did not make the 1976 team but, amazingly, in 1980, at the age of 43, he tried yet again to earn Olympic selection. The anti-Soviet boycott was one force he could not contend with, the other was time - Oerter finished fourth at the US Olympic trials and a throwing career that had lasted more than a quarter of a century came to a natural end.
CRAIG LORD – London Times
|
What Were the Life Altering Moments of My Life?
The temptation to answer this question with a momentous life occasion, such as a birth, death, or any of the high or lowlights in between that take us from alpha to that final omega, is not easy to resist, but then my answer would not be as truthful as it might be. It would be an answer, while true on one level, conformed to one of the expected answer that such a deep question often elicits. Yes, I have had those events, those junctures, in my life, but did they change my life in any particular way? Yes and No. Did they alter the direction that I had already chosen? Yes and No. My life, while it has been rich in experience, has not been historic: I have not discovered the cure to an illness, written words, painted a canvas, or composed music that will last in perpetuity, or explored the unknown of far away places, but in its ordinariness, there is a time each day that allows me to shape my life, for the better hopefully. That is the moment that I, who have not always been the most virtuous of man, yet honest to and about myself, can awaken at age 72 healthy, but also lucid of the fact that time is finite, making it precious. Therefore, it is finally a moment in time worth recognizing for its uniqueness in the here and now and seizing it to shape as I want, a life-altering moment each instant I take another breath, marveling that I am here.
Cliff Eggink
Cliff & Tatjana Irongeezer Video > http://rl.tv/VideoLibrary/TheArtofLiving/tabid/494/channel/2/scid/2875/Default.aspx |
IT TAKES DIET & EXERCISE!
Eat Healthier Foods If you want to get into better shape, you need to consider your diet as well as your exercise program. Eat a balanced diet with more fruits and vegetables and less fat. Changing eating habits can be difficult, but all it takes is a little time and a willingness to eat new foods.
The U.S. government's general food pyramid recommendations include the following:
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat more whole grains (which provide a multitude of health benefits, including reducing your risk of coronary disease . Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats. Consume less sugar.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also put together a website where you can find out how many fruits and vegetables you should be eating each day.
Also heed advice from other respected sources. For example, the Harvard School of Public Health believes that individuals' grain intake should primarily be from whole grains. Whole grains have their complete grain kernel. They are higher in dietary fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Refined grains have had the bran and germ of their grain kernels removed, which gives the grains a finer texture but also removes some nutrients.
The USDA's food pyramid recommends that at least half of your grain intake should come from whole grains.
The Mayo Clinic states that there are many food pyramids to choose from, which include: Mediterranean Diet Pyramid Latin American Diet Pyramid Asian Diet Pyramid Vegetarian Diet Pyramid The same principles guide all food pyramids: eat a balanced diet that contains nutritious foods from all the major food groups. Source: Mayo Clinic
______
IrongeezerSays: Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, or increasing your present activity.
______
August 24,2008. 10 people over 70 started Ironman Canada, 6 finished.
______Ford Ironman Arizona, Tempe 11/23 2008
I'll be doing it, see you there!
I live just a few miles from the race site, any questions, email me: Cliff irongeezer@irongeezer.com
______
Need a training plan for Ironman Arizona 2009? It's not too early!
See our "Beginner 5K & Tri" page.
____
11/09/08 a 2.4 mile open water swim in Tempe Town Lake will be presented by DCB Adventures. www.dcbadventures.com
______
Tempe Town Lake, Tempe, Arizona
SPLASH & DASH - 2008 Fall Schedule
Saturday, September 13
Thursday, September 25
Saturday, October 4
Friday, October 17
Sunday, November 2
Saturday, November 15
www.4peaksracing.com
______
POTOMAC VALLEY TRACK CLUB
TO HOST 2009 USA MASTERS INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH WORLD RECORD HOLDERS AND OLYMPIANS. For more info: www.pvtc.org
To have this free ezine sent to you monthly send an email, subject, "ezine," to: irongeezer@irongeezer.com
Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise activity, or increasing your present level of activity.
______
|
|
|
