November 21, 2008

Resistance Training: The KEY To Reshaping Your Body

Resistance training is simply training your muscles against a resistance of some kind. The resistance can come from…

• Your own body weight.
• Free weights.
• Exercise machines (Note: not suggested for women).
• Resistance tubing.
• Medicine balls.
• Etc.

The whole purpose of resistance training is to overload your muscles by forcing them to do more work than they are normally accustomed to doing. Your body will react to this through adaptations that cause your muscles to get stronger, sleeker and more firm.

These adaptations to resistance training are what ultimately lead to the changes you will see and experience in your body. In short, resistance training is the KEY to reshaping your body.

By forcing your body to overcome an increasingly greater and greater resistance, you’ll burn more calories (even while you sleep) and speed your metabolism, leading to less bodyfat and an overall improvement in your appearance.

If you do nothing else in the way of exercise, make it resistance training. Resistance training alone will do a lot to change the way your body looks, feels, and operates…

…much more so than aerobics classes, walking on a treadmill, using a stair machine, or any other types of exercise combined.

But just like anything else…

It’s Not Just What You Do…It’s How You Do It!

For resistance training to exert its powerful body-changing effects, you must do it correctly. Like anything else in life, if you don’t do it right, you won’t experience the exact results you’re after.

Below you’ll find some very important tips for getting the most out of resistance training. By following these simple tidbits of advice, you’ll be sure to achieve significant results without expending tons of sweat equity, or wasting hours (maybe even months) of your valuable time doing things the wrong way.

Proper Exercise Form: Producing Results, Not Injuries

Proper exercise form cannot be overstated. By performing your exercises the right way, you’ll ensure you get the results you’re after as fast as humanly possible.

Perform resistance exercises the wrong way and not only will you not achieve the desired results…

…you run a high risk of injuring yourself along the way!

If you’re ever in doubt about how to perform an exercise the right way, or how to use any piece of fitness equipment PLEASE seek out a qualified fitness professional. Don’t just try to perform a free weight exercise if you’re not sure exactly what you’re doing.

By doing so, you’re not only depriving yourself of an effective, result-producing workout…

…you’re flirting with disaster.

If you need any help at all, PLEASE ask a qualified trainer. We take exercise very seriously. We’re highly trained in proper exercise form and performance, and most importantly…

We’re always happy to help you!

Tempo: The Right Way To Workout

If you’ve spent any time in the health club, you’ve no doubt seen people lifting free weights (or even using machines) by flinging the weights up and down as fast as they possibly can.

For some reason, these people think that using momentum, “body English”, and a severe jerking motion will lead to greater and faster results. While it’s true that using momentum will allow you to use heavier weights, it will NOT lead to faster results or even an improved appearance.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s not so much what you do…it’s how you do it that really counts when it comes to faster and better results. And one of the most important “how to” tips I can give you is the concept of proper exercise tempo.

Tempo simply means how fast you perform an exercise or lift a weight.

As I’ve already alluded to, going as fast as you can and using momentum is NOT the most effective way to do things. Each repetition of every exercise should be performed in a slow and controlled manner. Anything else is not only ineffective, it can lead to pulled/strained muscles, back pain, or a host of many other serious injuries.

Here’s a general rule you should follow when performing most free weight exercises…

Take roughly 2 seconds to lift the weight and 3-4 seconds to lower the weight under strict control. This will not only ensure you get the most benefit from the exercise…

…it will go a long way toward preventing any injuries!

By lifting the weight to a count of 2 and lowering it to a count of 3-4, you virtually eliminate any momentum from the exercise. This also allows you to place a greater demand on the muscle group you’re training, thus producing a better adaptive response. And that’s just a fancy, technical way of saying you’ll get better results with less wasted effort, in a much shorter time frame.

And better results in less time is the name of the game.

How To Breathe During Exercise

For many people, breathing seems to be the hardest part of exercise to grasp. While proper breathing is very important, it doesn’t have to be complicated or confusing.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to breathing is DON’T hold your breath. Holding your breath can lead to elevated blood pressure during your workout routine, which can result in dizziness or even fainting.

Here’s an easy way to make sure you’re breathing correctly while you workout…

Exhale on exertion. That means breathe out while you’re lifting the weight and breathe in while you lower the weight under control. For example, if you’re performing the overhead dumbell press, you should exhale as you lift the weight upwards above you and inhale as you lower it back down.

By following this simple breathing technique, you’ll not only perform each exercise more effectively, you’ll also be more comfortable while you’re working out. And that makes for a more enjoyable fitness experience, which will ultimately lead to better, faster results.

Now, Go Lift Something!

You now have some very valuable tips that are guaranteed to get you phenomenal results in your training routine. Don’t let all of this valuable knowledge go to waste. Go lift something.