Weight Training Exercises | Weight Training Guide

A Closer Look At Weight Training Exercise.

April 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Even though there are several sites that claim that they will show you weight training exercises online, in truth this is not the way to go. For those who want to start a weight training exercise program, you really need to be working with someone else. You will find that there are many options available. If you prefer you can go to the gym, use free weights at home with a buddy, or get a hold one of those machines, however if you do not do your weight training exercise with correct safety precautions, it is quite likely for you to get seriously injured.

I suggest regularly doing your weight training exercise at the gym. There are a number of good reasons for this, and I will go ahead and let you know some of the very best ones. Firstly, you can get a spot at the gym. Of all of the weight training exercise injuries, majority of them could have been avoided with a proper spotter. This is particularly true with free weights which can either hurt or even kill you if you are forced to drop them based on muscle fatigue. This is one of the main reasons to go to the gym, but it is really far from the only one. The fact is that it is easier to psyche yourself up for your weight training exercise when you do go to the gym. Especially with all of those people around you devoting their time to getting in shape, there is just no way you will feel like slacking off in your weight training program while you are at the gym. Lots of gyms even have personal trainers available, who will assist you to meet your personal best, by working you harder than you will yourself, and helping to chart your goals. In addition they can even suggest which weight training exercises you should use and how many, to build up the muscle groups that you prefer.

Before you begin doing weight training exercise, make sure you do some cardiovascular stuff. Although you can get by quite well without weight training exercise, cardio is absolutely essential to your health. With cardio, you will live longer, be healthier, and happier, and even have more energy if you do some aerobic activities every day to keep you on the go. The fact is we do not stay young forever, but for all those who get sufficient aerobic exercises do stay young for longer than those who do not. Once you start doing that, then you can also include your weight training exercise program.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for fitness, wellness as well as other related information.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Closer, Exercise., Look, Training, Weight

6 Potentially Dangerous Weight Training Exercises

April 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

There are many weight training exercises recommended today that are potentially dangerous. These exercises are still being prescribed simply because of word of mouth, ignorance, and unfounded generalisations passed down from generation to generation. However, many scientific studies, along with the basic laws of anatomy and physiology prove that many of these exercises are not only ineffective, they are potentially dangerous.

LEG EXTENSION
The leg extension is a classic example of an isolated exercise. (Stimulates only one muscle). It is not a functional exercise that is performed in our daily activities. The actual movement draws the patella (knee cap) back onto the femur (thigh bone) causing a grinding type motion. This causes anterior knee pain, which is the most common place for knee pain. A very good reason why this exercise should be avoided. Tests have also proved that they aren’t merely as effective at stimulating the quadriceps as compound lifts, such as squats, leg press and lunges.

PECK DECK
This weight training exercise places the shoulder joint in its least stable position, which makes it susceptible to injury. This shoulder positioning is also ineffective in creating maximal force about the shoulder joint. Compound exercises like, dips, push ups or the bench press are much safer and more effective alternatives.

BACK HYPEREXTENSION
This exercise, because of the dysfunctional range of motion, puts a lot of stress on the intervertebral discs of the lumbar region. Isolating the back muscles, by not letting the ab muscles support in the exercise is potentially dangerous. To improve your back strength and decrease back pain, it would be a lot more beneficial to strengthen your abdominal muscles. The erector spinae muscles this weight training exercise aim to strengthen are rarely weak. They are used all day long to maintain posture and carry out activities.

BEHIND THE NECK SHOULDER PRESS
The starting position is very unstable for the shoulder joint. The shoulders are placed in their weakest position. The range of motion during this weight training exercise places the shoulder in a position that can cause impingement of the rotator cuff. The poke neck posture also encourages rotator cuff impingement. Lifting weight while having this poked neck posture also puts a lot of undue stress on your cervical spine (neck vertebrae). These stresses can be a lot worse in people who have bad posture, lack shoulder flexibility and have poor control of their scapula (shoulder blades).

BEHIND THE NECK WIDE GRIP LAT PULLDOWN
This weight training exercise is very similar to the shoulder press. Hence the problems are the same, rotator cuff impingement and stress on the cervical spine. This exercise is also very easily performed incorrectly if you lack flexibility in the shoulder joint. This can drastically increase the risk of injury to the neck and shoulders. A much better weight training exercise would be to do close grip lat pulldowns to the front, pulling it down to your collarbone.

HAMSTRING CURLS
Just like the leg extension, hamstring curls are also extremely dysfunctional. When would you perform this movement in real life? Your legs are built to work as one collective unit. The joints and tendons of the knee (Or any other joint for that matter) are simply not built to be isolated then overloaded with weight. Hamstring curls, pulls the tibia back onto the femur, putting a lot of strain on the knee joint. A much better way to train the hamstrings is the way they are meant to function, by extending the hip. Much more efficient exercises would be squats, lunges or deadlifts.

Based on sound, scientific principles, these 6 weight training exercises increase the risk of sustaining an injury. So do yourself a favour and stop doing them. There are plenty of alternatives that are not only safer, but deliver better results.

Luke Johnstone managed to lose 39 pound of fat and get a six pack for the first time in his life. He did this eating absolutely anything he wanted and training only 90 minutes a week. He now has a website helping others to get in shape. For photo proof and more info outlining how he did it, check out http://www.junkfooddietsite.com

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Improve Your Athletic Training 100% Just By Understanding How to Train for Your Body Type

August 26, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Everyone’s body is different, I am sure you will agree. All bodies look different, smell different, work different, move different, etc… Why would you train like someone who is genetically gifted to be a bodybuilder, if you are genetically gifted to be a Kenyan endurance runner? It does not work. Let me explain how you can better target your daily routine to your body type.

What is a Body Type?

A body type describes how easily it is for you to gain and lose, fat and muscle. Some people are just predisposed to being large, like Ronnie Coleman for instance. While others tend to stay skinny no matter what they do. Let us get into the details. There are three kinds of body types; ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Ectomorph Body Type

Ectomorphs usually refer to themselves as hard-gainers, which means that in order for Ectomorphs to gain muscle, it takes significant hard work, dedication, and lots of food. These folks usually carry very low levels of bodyfat, tend to have smaller muscles, and often have a smaller skeletal structure.

Training for Ectomorphic Body Type

Ectomorphs should be lifting heavy weights. That is all there is to it. These guys need to build a strong core, a strong foundation, upon which to build the physique they desire. Compound exercises with a rep range from 3-5 should be used to facilitate strength gains. After a stable base is built, Ectomorphs will want to incorporate hypertrophy training, which is about 8-10 reps of slightly more isolationist exercises, like seated dumbbell shoulder press, or dumbbell bench press, single arm triceps extensions, perhaps single-leg extensions, and maybe a few curls. Since maximal intensity is needed during sets, and since stored ATP should be replenished as much as possible, rest periods between exercises should last about 2 minutes.

Diet for Ectomorphic Body Type

You skinny bastards have metabolisms faster than a bullet. If you are not eating, you should be. When you are not hungry, eat. If you just ate and you are full, eat some more or drink some milk or a protein shake. Pick the high calorie, high protein, healthier foods, and constantly be eating. Foods that are highest in healthy fats should provide the biggest bang for the buck since the Omega 3’s and calories will go a long way to putting on some bulk. Try 95% fat free beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and all-natural peanut better. Keep milk, yogurt, kidney beans, and fruit on hand for snacks. Protein bars are good too, if you can stomach them. I prefer Pure-Protein bars and Chef Jay’s Trioplex.

Mesomorph Body Type

Mesomorph bodies are more inclined to gaining muscle mass quite easily. These folks are considered the ‘genetically gifted’ when it comes to bodybuilding. They are not necessarily easy gainers, but they are definitely not hardgainers either. Mesomorph body types are very athletic looking and are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. These are the guys that people refer to as jacked, ripped, and cut; and they usually walk with good posture. Mesomorphs can build muscle faster than Ectomorphs and can also lose fat much faster than Endomorphs, as long as they eat and train properly.

Training for the Mesomorphic Body Type

The best form of training for a Mesomorph would be heavy weight lifting utilizing maximal force. This would include the kind of explosive training found in powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Different exercises should be utilized in each and every training session targeting every muscle in the body with heavy weights to increase size and strength. Full body training probably works best for Mesomorphs since they can recover quickly and adapt to traditional training programs easily. Cardio should still be performed, but kept to a maximum of 2 sessions a week. This will keep the heart and lungs healthy, and the fat at bay, while not impeding muscle growth. 30-40 minutes for each cardio session is ideal. Intensity should be kept at a high intensity to focus more on the fat burning process rather than the chance of minimizing muscle mass. Interval sprints and other explosive exercises should be mandatory.

Diet for the Mesomorphic Body Type

For the mesomorph, a balanced diet should be maintained. A 30/30/40 balance of protein/fat/carbs should be utilized. This will give the trainee a full supply of nutrients and enough diverse calories to facilitate muscle growth and to maintain a lean physique.

Endomorph Body Type

‘Hey fatty, having trouble getting lean?’ You don’t want to say this to an endomorph because most likely he is stronger than you and will either crush you with his fist or sit on you. This body type is more likely to gain fat but is also more likely to be big, strong, and large boned. Endomorphs usually have a soft and squashy appearance, and they have much tougher time losing fat than the other two body types. The most can be made of this body type with a dedicated workout routine, and a dedicated nutrition plan. It is not that bad to be a big fat guy, as long as you know how to turn it into a jacked, ripped, son of a bitch through diet and exercise.

Training for the Endomorphic Body Type

Weight training should be kept to a higher rep range for most workouts. I recommend 1-2 complexes per week with several exercises strung together and little rest between sets. An example of a complex might be a deadlift into a hang clean into a push press into a back squat into a rear push press, and back to the floor. This will train for endurance, strength, and will keep the metabolism elevated. Endomorphs will still want to dedicate one day a week, one week a month, or two months a year, to serious strength training. The majority of the training though, should focus on the 8-12 rep range. Cardio is a big plus for endomorphs. 3-4 sessions of cardio per week is recommended, for 40-50 minutes at a time. At each cardio session, different types of cardio exercises should be utilized. Sprints, complexes, jumping rope, cycling, and kickboxing classes are all examples of decent cardio exercise.

Diet for the Endomorphic Body Type

It is best to eat about 7 or 8 small meals through the day. The key phrase here is SMALL MEALS. I am talking like 300-400 calorie meals. This type of eating increases your metabolism and your body burns additional calories when it is digesting food, so keeping your body in a constant state of digestion is a bonus. Concentrate more on protein and carbs, and keep fat to a bare minimum, especially saturated fats. Fats are the higher calorie nutrient and should be kept to only 20% of your overall diet.

Now that you know where you stand and have a better idea of how to train for your body type, I expect that you will examine your current diet and exercise plan. Make the changes that you need to make in order to maximize your efficiency, and get back in the gym! Be sure to contact me with any questions.

Steve Hanson has 10 years experience in the fields of exercise science and sports nutrition. He writes articles on all forms of athletic training and nutritional theories. View the blog to learn more about your favorite exercise and nutrition topics.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: 100%, Athletic, Improve, Just, Training, Understanding, Your

3 Good Weight Loss Fitness Exercise

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Losing weight is hard especially as there are so many different methods on the internet of what to do. All these methods are good, however, how would you narrow them down to the top 3? With the help of this article I will tell you 3 good weight loss fitness exercises.

Fitness Exercise One
Cardio exercises. Cardio is a great way of losing weight as it burns calories. By burning more calories than you take in you are shifting those unwanted pounds. The most popular cardio exercise is walking. Everyone does it and burns calories, however, if you want to take it to the next step you could go for a run, a swim, cycling and even dancing. There are loads of other cardio exercises these are just a handful.

Fitness Exercise Two
Weight training is a good way to lose weight and gain build up your muscle. Weight training is thought to lose less calories than cardio which it does, however that is only during the exercise. When you finish a cardio workout the calories start to stop burning. When you finish a weight training workout your body is still burning the calories as your muscle fibres are repairing themselves which needs energy, so in the long run weight training burns calories for a longer period of time plus you build a larger muscle mass.

Fitness Exercise Three
Doing a physical activity. This can lead into fitness exercise one but still is another good point. Physical activities like football or martial arts are great for losing weight. Instead of going to the gym everyday and doing this same thing, you could go and play football (or whatever sport you enjoy). The reason you should do a physical activity is that you are doing something you like. Going to the gym everyday isn’t that fun whereas doing your favourite sport is; you stay fit and have fun with your teammates. If you don’t do any sports then find something to do. There are plenty of physical activities that you will be good at, try them, you never know, you may have some fun.

These 3 exercises are things you can fit into your everyday life. Read through them again and see which point (or points) you need to improve. What’s the worst that could happen? I give this advice and it works? Doesn’t sound that bad to me.

James Pswarai is an enthusiastic internet marketer. If you want more information on weight loss and how to lose 10 pounds over and over again check out http://information-on-losing-weight.blogspot.com/

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Exercise., Fitness, Good, Loss, Weight

Build Muscle and Lose Weight

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Muscle is living tissue, unlike fat which is just stored energy. Just like any other living thing muscle requires calories to survive. Muscle uses calories just to stay on your body. So the more muscle you have the more calories you will use to keep it there.

When people want to lose weight they automatically turn to cardio exercise. This will help you lose weight but most people are not aware of the fact that much of the weight that they will lose will be muscle and not just fat. This is a mistake because the smaller the muscles, the fewer calories they will burn, and because of this weight loss results will begin to slow down and become more and more difficult. You will have to do more and more cardio to keep the results coming. This will leave you a body with little muscle tone which is not always attractive.

Many years ago weight training was considered to be a method of training used only by strongmen and bodybuilders. Many people would look at the large muscular bodies of these athletes and find them freakish and unattractive. Many people looked down on this type of training because they felt that having lots of muscle slowed you down, made you muscle bound, and made you look like some sort of freak.

Even today there are some people who think along the lines that weight training will make them too big and bulky. This is especially true where women are concerned. This type of thinking is laughable because to get to the level of professional bodybuilders is not easy. Nobody and I mean nobody is going to look like a bodybuilders after a few months of weight training.

To look like a bodybuilder you will have to have tremendous discipline, commitment, and motivation. On top of this it would take many years of training to get to that sort of level. Even that can only be achieved if you have near perfect genetics. So you can forget the myth that you may become too muscular, because it isn’t going to happen. If by some miracle you find yourself piling on too much muscle, all you have to do is change the way you weight train.

Lifting heavy weights in a rep range of between 6-10 will give you size and strength. Lifting lighter weights in a rep range of between 12-20 will give you muscle tone and muscular endurance. So whatever your goals are, you are in charge. It is your decision as to what you want. Big muscles will not magically start to appear on your body from every angle if you don’t want them.

Some people will say that they want to increase their endurance levels and only cardio will do that. It’s true that cardio exercise will increase your endurance and stamina; cardio will work your heart and lungs. However if you were to do a circuit using weights such as picking 4 or 5 exercises of 20 reps without rest, you would be panting like a dog on a hot day. This would give you the benefits that cardio could give you, but the added extra would be more muscle tone, an increase in strength, and more calories being burned.

Training with weights will give you a multitude of benefits, which will include weight loss, muscle endurance, strength, muscle tone, increased ability to burn calories, provide protection for your joints by having more muscle around them, and more bone density which reduces the risk of bone diseases in later life. Apart from all these you will look great, people will notice you, you will feel more confident, look more attractive, and clothes will fit you perfectly instead of hanging off you. The bottom line is that if you don’t weight train then you are really selling yourself short.

In the modern world it is not only bodybuilders and power lifters that use weight training. Boxers, footballers, track athletes, racing drivers, basketball players, and a whole host of other sportsmen include weight training in their training routines. These sportsmen understand the immense improvements that training with weights will add to their individual sports and the increase in their levels of achievement. So if weight training is so important to the sportsman, don’t you think that you may get some benefits from building muscle?

Learn how you can lose weight without torturing yourself with our popular weight loss course,which can be found athttp://www.easierwayz.com

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Is Weight Lifting Without A Workout Partner The Key To Bodybuilding Success

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Bodybuilding is a hobby that requires significant weight training discipline and consistency, and many feel that having a partner with similar goals can increase mental focus and enhance the effectiveness of each weight lifting workout. This theory is true for many, but there are also some who actually find that solo weight training workout sessions provide an environment for superior consistency and dedication when compared with relying upon a weight lifting workout partner. In fact, surprisingly to many, there are those who feel that weight training partners are detrimental to long term consistency, and are able to achieve far better muscle building or fat loss progress alone, without the benefit of a weight training companion.

Despite certain bodybuilders experiencing a desire to train with a partner, locating a man or woman who has a comparable schedule and who adopts a desire to attend on the agreed upon time each week is a difficult task. Even when locating a prospective candidate, in a world where we all seem to experience agenda conflicts regardless of how well intentioned we may be, two seemingly synchronized bodybuilders are likely to conflict with one another. In addition, many bodybuilders have their own individual weight training time preference, with some feeling more energized in the morning hours, prior to beginning their work day, and others feeling far more capable of pursuing an intense weight lifting session during afternoon or evening hours. This disparity naturally makes finding another bodybuilder with identical preferences cumbersome.

In addition to the likelihood of scheduling conflicts, a set of similar goals is required, meaning that a bodybuilder who wishes to achieve massive muscle gain cannot comfortably train with one who seeks fat loss and tone, as the two are performing different routines. Although, technically, both could train at the same time, because they are performing different types of workout sessions, motivating one another without wasting a large amount of time bouncing between different weights and exercises becomes difficult, and before long, the two will find that they experience far more focus and efficiency when training alone.

Even if two bodybuilders have the exact same muscle building goals, the amount of weight used in each exercise will likely differ, sometimes dramatically, and the two bodybuilding partners will feel as if they are swapping free weights on the bars more frequently than they are actually training their muscles, leading to excessive workout length. Weight training workouts can become mentally grueling when distractions begin to monopolize gym time, and making drastic workout weight changes each set is a quick way for any bodybuilder to become disgruntled with the time required to complete each weight lifting session.

Another roadblock towards finding the ideal training partner is workout pacing, as some wish to rush through a weight lifting session seemingly at the speed of light, while others feel far more comfortable with longer rest periods. This will create a significant pacing conflict, and considering that intense weight training is sufficiently difficult to endure when all environmental variables are perfect, just imagine when a weight training partner decides that he or she wishes to execute a workout at a speed which you personally despise! In such a scenario, the weight lifting session will become unnecessarily stressful, and the two partners will try to find a way to relinquish the obligation to train together in order to preserve sanity.

Lastly, regardless of how dedicated two may be towards achieving muscle building or fat loss, the chances are extremely high that idle chatter will occur between sets, extending rest time, and the workout itself, far beyond what is necessary. Amazingly, two friends can discuss a topic between sets and allow a time period that seemingly feels insignificant to reach several minutes, and the lengthy workout sessions that result are notorious for sapping motivation and desire to train.

I personally am one who has always performed my weight lifting workout sessions alone, and have found this to be the most effective method for my personality and individual preferences, but during the few times I have trained together with either one partner or a group, I cannot recall any individual ever returning to train with me for a second time, and those particular workouts with partners were, for me, far less intense than when I am able to train alone, without distractions, at my own pace, with the music I enjoy, and without conversation that extends workout length beyond reasonable levels.

Francesco Castano authors the www.MuscleNOW.com web site, which is a bodybuilding routine for muscle building without supplements or drugs. He also owns the www.IncrediBody.com online fitness superstore selling fitness equipment at the guaranteed lowest prices.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Lifting, Partner, Weight, Without, Workout

Instant Strength Training Strategies That Anyone Can Use

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Ever wondered how over the years there has been a surge of different strength training techniques that have come onto the market and then just faded away. Are you sick and tired of getting nowhere in the gym?

Well here we discuss the strength training strategies that will gain the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest time possible and have stood up to the test of time.

1. Training Frequency

The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size in the shortest period of time.

The latest research has repeatedly shown that muscles over-compensate (become stronger) up to a week after the previous workout, provided that the muscles are trained to failure.

Remember it’s not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that are important when it comes to gains in strength and muscle.

2. Exercises Per Session

Tests under strict gym conditions have revealed that you’ve only got a limited amount of (readily available) energy to use for a weight training session. Blood tests on individuals have also revealed that blood sugar levels (available energy) drop dramatically after 20 to 30 minutes of high intensity training.

As you only have a short period of time to train before our blood sugar level drops, “Exercise Selection” is crucial. You have to use Multi-Joint or Compound movements, as these offer the most training stimulus for the available amount of time.

In other words, we can train many muscles simultaneously and thus use our energy more efficiently.

Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what most people are capable of. All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time. Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The fact is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.

3. Number of Sets per Exercise

After performing one complete set a compound exercise to total failure, it should be just about impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another complete set of the same exercise.

If you’re able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then it’ll be pretty obvious that not enough effort has been put into the first set. Thus you’ll have to raise the intensity level you put out for the first set.

If you give the first set 100% effort and work the exercise hard to total failure (eg. you cannot move the bar after the last rep) then there will be not more requirement for further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise.

If you think that volume training (multiple sets) is more effective then you’re wrong! The latest research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training. Training one set will decrease the chances of over-training. It will also allow you to save more energy for other exercises required during the workout.

4. Number of Repetitions per Set

The development of muscle and strength is interrelated, it always has been. Strength training Sessions produce increases in strength that is equal to increases in functional muscle. (You’ll become stronger and grow muscle).

Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and weight throughout a ten-week program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus (slumps in strength).

Repetitions can be cycled, the higher repetition range will stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibres and promote endurance. Moving further down the scale, the lower repetition range will activate the fast twitch muscle fibres and increase strength and muscle size.

Now its time to start putting these principles to work, Believe me once you start to apply these to your strength training workouts you will start to catapult your muscle gains like never before.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ muscle building e-course.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Anyone, Instant, Strategies, Strength, That, Training

The Effects of Exercise on the Relationship Between Low SelfEsteem and Obesity in Children May 2000

August 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Finding A RelationshipIn order to establish a relationship between obesity and self-esteem, a Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale was administered to 550 14 and 16 year old girls. Self-esteem scores were categorized by weight and weight by height. Scores on the Quetelet Index for Obesity were correlated with self-esteem scores. Mean self-esteem of the low-and-middle weight by height group was higher than the mean of the high weight group. In analyzing weight alone, the self-esteem of the middle-weight group was significantly higher than the self-esteem of the high-weight group. The correlation of the obesity index and self-esteem indicated that as weight increased, self-esteem decreased (Martin, Housley, & McCoy, 1988).In another study, the relationship between obesity and self-esteem was examined cross-sectionally and prospectively over three years in a cohort of 1278 adolescents in grades 7 to 9 at baseline. Cross-sectional analysis revealed an inverse association between physical appearance self-esteem and body mass index in both males and females. In females, body mass index was inversely associated with global self-esteem, close friendship, and behavioral conduct. In males, body mass index was inversely associated with athletic and romantic appeal. These results suggest that low self-esteem may be an important factor in preventing or reversing obesity (French, Perry, Leon, & Fulkerson, 1996).Q^P)A study by Strauss supports data from Martin, Housely, and McCoy. Straus’s data demonstrates that negative weight perceptions are particularly common among young adolescent white females, which reveals that young obese adolescent females show the lowest levels of self-esteem. Nevertheless, negative perceptions of obesity also exist among adolescent boys. The data also demonstrates significant social consequences of decreasing self-esteem in obese children. Obese children with decreasing levels of self-esteem showed significantly elevated levels of loneliness, sadness, and nervousness. Although these efforts are not unique for obese children, they are nevertheless quite important because nearly 70% of white obese females demonstrated decreasing levels of self-esteem by early adolescence (Strauss, 2000).Additional studies need to focus on whether positive family or social interactions can alleviate the negative psychosocial effects of adolescent obesity. Strauss concludes that children with obese mothers, low family incomes, and lower cognitive stimulation have significantly higher risks of developing obesity, independent of other demographic and socio-economic factors. In contrast, increased rates of obesity in black children, children with lower family education, and non-professional parents may be mediated through the confounding effects of low income and lower levels of cognitive stimulation (Strauss & Knight, 1999).

Effects of Exercise

The case for exercise and health has primarily been made on its impact on diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, there has been increasing research into the role of exercise in improving mental well-being, including global self-esteem.Sufficient evidence now exists for the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of clinical depression and low self-esteem. Additionally, exercise has a moderate reducing effect on state and trait anxiety and can improve physical self-perceptions and in some cases, global self-esteem. There is also good evidence that aerobic and resistance exercise (weight training) enhances mood states, and weaker evidence that exercise can improve cognitive function (Fox, 1999).One study which supports the fundamentals of CHAMP is revealed in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. In the study, 37 males and 28 females participated in a 10-week exercise program. Participants were selected from existing classes forming weight training, aerobic exercise, and activity control group. Results revealed change in physical self-perception, strength, and body composition. Improvements in physical self-perceptions and fitness occurred independent of the exercise group. Correlations among the measures revealed relationships among physical self-perceptions, body satisfaction, global self-esteem, and fitness (Caruso & Gill, 1992).

Study of Motivation

In order to study motivation among obese children, a study used a body video distortion method to compare their body image with the body perception of non-obese peers. A standardized series of body size estimations were used: cognitive (what subject “think” they look like), affective (what they “feel” they look like), and optative (what they “wish” they looked like). Forty-one obese children (16 boys and 25 girls; average 12 years old) and 42 age-matched control subjects compared percentages of deviation from the accurate body image. The results showed that obese children were more accurate in estimating their real body width, but desired to reduce their body size by about 25% (Probst, Braet, & De Vos, 1995).The significance of exercise as a healthy related behavior has brought forth the need to address motivational problems associated with its adoption and maintenance. In this respect, exercise psychology research would appear to provide potential for guiding significant public health initiatives. Cognitions about self-perceived quality of life vary across the stages of change, with those who are least prepared to adopt regular exercise reporting the lowest levels of quality of life. These finding suggests that cognitive-motivational messages designed to emphasize quality of life benefits associated with exercise may be useful intervention strategies for people who are less motivationally ready for change (Laforge & Rossi, 1999).To remedy the localized problem of motivation, CHAMP has incorporated the use of one-on-one fitness specialists who act not only as instructors, but as mentors also.In general, research has demonstrated that engaging in exercise and physical activity significantly enhances mental health and can increase self-esteem. Extensivemeta-analysis states that exercise has a positive impact on enhancing mood, self-concept, and self-esteem. In addition, feelings of depression, anger, and anxiety tend to dissipate after exercise (Greenberg & Oglesby, 1999).

Need for More Research

Many questions still exist regarding the combination of specific modes of exercise with different intensities and their resulting productivity. Studies show that resistance training is beneficial, but not much is known on intensity and duration.The relationship between self-esteem and obesity has not received a great deal of empirical evaluation using strong research methodologies. Thus, it is not clear:

â€¢ whether self-esteem is consistently related to obesity,â€¢ whether the relationship is global or specific to physical appearance, whether the relationship differs by demographic variables such as age, gender, or race/ethnicity, orâ€¢ whether self-esteem moderates weight changes during weight loss treatment programs (French, Story, & Perry, 1995).

More studies need to be done to clarify whether increases in self-esteem are related to enhanced weight-loss. Many studies are methodologically weak primarily due to small and select samples and lack appropriate comparison groups.Although some inconsistencies still exist and much research remains to be done, the pursuit of exercise therapy to treat obese children is well underway. All of these research efforts work towards improving the future of preventative medicine and better the well being and lifestyle of children suffering from obesity and low self-esteem.

John Izzo is the founder of standAPARTfitness.com, a unique website geared at providing information and products to help personal trainers, strength coaches and fitness enthusiasts become better at what they do: training clients…training athletes…training yourself.”

ReferencesBiddle, S & Fox, K. (1989). Exercise and Health Psychology: Emerging Relationships. British Journal of Medicine and Psychology, 62(3), 205-216Caruso, C. & Gill, D. (1992). Strengthening physical self-perceptions through exercise. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 32 (4), 416-427Fox, K. (1999). The influence of physical activity on mental well being. Public Health Nutrition. 2(3). 411-418French S, Perry C, Leon G, & Fulkerson J. (1996) Self-esteem and changes in body mass index over 3 years in a cohort of adolescents. Obesity Resource, 41(1). 27-33FrenchS, Story M, & Perry C. (1999). Mental Health Disorders. Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Report. 4(1). 10-12Hunter S, Larrieu J, Ayad F, & O’Leary P (1997). Roles of Mental Health Professionals in Multidisciplinary Medically Supervised Treatment Programs for Obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association (2), 97-113. Retrieved from the World Wide Web February 24, 2000: http://www.sma.org/smj/97/iune2.Laforge R & Rossi J. (1999). Stages of regular exercise and health related to quality of life. Preventative Medicine. 28(4). 349-360Martin S, Housley K, & McCoy H. (1988). Self -esteem of adolescent girls as related to weight. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 67(3). 879-884Probst M, Braet C, & De Vos P. (1995). Body size estimation in obese children: acontrolled study with the video distortion method. International Journal of Obesity Related to Metabolic Disorders. 19(11), 820-824Sheslow D, Hassink S, Wallace W, & Delancey E. (1993). The relationship between self-esteem and depression in obese children. (Abstract). Annual New York Academy of Science. Oct. 29 L699), 289-291fV/-wvâ„¢*Â»Strauss, R (2000). Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics, 105(1), 15. Retrieved February 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.pediatrics.orgStrauss, R & Knight, J (1999). Influence of the home environment on the development of obesity in children. Pediatrics, 103(6). 85. Retrieved February 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.pediatrics.org

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Between, Effects, Exercise., Relationship

Health Fit Exercises

August 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Strength Training Exercises require diligent attention to form to achieve ultimate effectiveness. Images of strength training exercises graphically display the correct method. Muscles gain strength by progressively increasing intensity. Strength training affects the whole body. Having strong core muscles impacts overall health, including reducing the chances of developing coronary problems. Doing exercises like the plank and crunches develop the abdomen muscles. But these are exercises that have to be done properly to have any benefit.

You can do sit-ups all day long and probably see very little impact on your core muscle group. You can do crunches that don’t use your abdomen muscles. You can do a plank that does not engage the core muscle group. Strength training should be an integral component of any exercise program. Images of strength training exercises can help you make sure that these critical exercises are done correctly.

Muscles are built by overloading weights. This is accomplished by adding increasing amounts of weight over a period of time. Strength training Exercises will show a lot more than weight lifting. Whether you are a beginner at strength training or one who is already advanced, needing alternate exercises to add variety, increase intensity or overcome a frustrating plateau, the Move to Get Fit Strength Training program will help you develop your own program step-by-step, educating you in the safest and most effective ways to strength train.

Many people don’t realize the numerous benefits of a sound strength training program. Increases in muscle size (if desired) and tone; increased muscle, tendon, bone, and ligament strength; increased physical performance and appearance; improved metabolic efficiency; and decreased risk of injury. The Move to Get Fit Strength Training program provides clear explanations, exercise instructions, video demonstrations, and customized strength training programs that will allow you to achieve the results you desire. Please click on each of the three links below to get started with your strength training progam. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

Representing Health Fit Exercises in the website www.soundbodytrainer.com

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Exercises, Health

Exercise and Recovery

August 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

The importance that exercise plays in the health of the individual is now universally recognized. Everyone should be incorporating exercise into their life as a regular part of their life routine. As true as this is, there are special reasons why regular exercise helps those in recovery lead a healthier life. Exercise improves a person’s outlook on life and raises their sense of well being. This eliminates any desire to reach for a drug to artificially improve how you feel in life. Many people have used drugs in the past to compensate for negative feelings. However, if you greatly alleviate, or even totally eliminate these negative feelings, your need to compensate for them with drugs will no longer exist. This is exactly what happens to most people when they embark on and carry through with a program of regular exercise.

When you hear the word “exercise” do you think of it as something that is pleasant or unpleasant, as fun or work? How you feel about exercise plays a role in how often you will do it? Have fun when you exercise because if you are having fun when you exercise, you will automatically find it more pleasant. Focus on how good it feels to move your body. Remember also, if life makes you stressed and tense, exercise automatically releases stress and tension and gives you more energy. You can’t help feeling better about life and yourself too. So think of exercise as a wonderful way to make yourself feel better in just a short amount of time.

If you’re feeling stressed and down, exercising will pick you up and make you feel better and more resourceful. And by releasing stress, you will no longer be drained of energy from stressors and tension creating situations that occur in your daily life. What did you do in the past when you had a stressful day? Did you hurt yourself by doing unhealthy things like overeat, drink, smoke or worse? Now you will be making a conscious choice to do what makes you healthier, while achieving the exact same goals of relieving your daily stress and making yourself better, with fun exercise. You’ll have made a new commitment to yourself to treat yourself better by respecting your physical being and becoming healthier and healthier.

Later on in this article I will discuss an often neglected aspect of the health promoting qualities of exercising, but first I want to discuss what types of exercises are best for you.
The most valuable exercise and the most valuable piece of equipment for doing this exercise is obvious, but usually not known by most personal trainers, who often seem to have a particular favorite regardless of the individual they are advising. It is, to put it succinctly, any exercise that you will enjoy doing regularly. People often ask fitness advisors what piece of equipment they should buy to work out on. Well, the correct answer is the one you will enjoy using and thus will use consistently and regularly. For example one person might enjoy a rowing machine in their home, while another might enjoy a treadmill. While, again, another might enjoy using a climber or stair-like workout piece of equipment. People have different tastes, and that must be recognized and acted upon. Just because your friend has an exercise bike at home, doesn’t mean you should get one instead of say, an elliptical trainer that you would find more fun.

Often people are being advised to “watch television when you work out,” I, on the other hand, typically advise my clients, to “work out when you watch television.” When you are listening to your favorite music, you can also work out at the same time. If you have time to watch your favorite TV shows or again, if you have time to listen to some of your favorite albums, then, right there, you DO have time to work out, which can be done at the very same time. You probably have noticed that there are television sets in fitness centers. This strategy can easily be applied within your home. So have the equipment right there in your television room, and get on it whenever you watch television. In fact, a sedentary life style created by people spending hours sitting in front of a TV can be totally turned around, so that watching TV becomes the thing that propels you along the new path of getting a lot of exercise into your life. You don’t even have to go to a gym, you don’t even have to go outside, and you don’t even have to set aside extra time, just do it while you are watching your favorite TV programs in your own home.

Of course, you can also get good exercise and fresh air at the same time with an outside exercise such as walking, jogging or biking. However, you should only do these if you enjoy them. Since running can leave some people with wear and tear injury because of its impact nature, walking is more highly recommended because it is much safer.

It might surprise some of you that I believe that strength training is equally as important to good health as aerobic exercise. Doing aerobic exercise can improve the strength of your muscles, but only up to a certain point because a particular aerobic exercise will provide only so much resistance, so that after awhile, you are only maintaining the muscle you have already developed and not building any more muscle. The value of strength training for the health of every individual is becoming more and more recognized in the fitness world. It is now accepted that working out with heavy resistance provides benefits far beyond just being stronger and looking better.

Today using heavier resistance, moving at very very slow tempos, in both directions, and quickly reaching the point of failure, when you just cannot move the resistance any longer, is considered the best form of strength training. At the moment when your body tries but cannot overcome and move the resistance any longer, your muscle will signal your body to stimulate muscle growth to increase your muscle’s strength, and also improve the metabolic functions employed in the use of your muscles, so that any future challenge can be more easily met. Maintaining a slow rate of movement in both directions eliminates the effects of momentum, and counters the effects of gravity as the weight inside the workout machine is being lowered. This system of slow training with heavy resistance creates a more intense and productive workout while lessening any potential injury to the body, both through the very slow speed of movement and the reduced number of repetitions. This is the form of strength training I recommend, both to achieve the results you desire and protect you from any injuries. Because of the large increase of the resistance you will be dealing with, this method of working out is best done only using exercise machines, rather them free weights. In addition, proper form must be maintained at all times, both to prevent injury and insure you will get a proper workout that will provide all the benefits that are intended. When people hurry through their strength training by doing many rushed repetitions instead of going slowly, and jerk the weight, twist their body, clench their teeth and hold their breath, they are doing wrong things that will only keep them from making good progress in a safe way. I want to further reiterate that no matter what type of weight training you do, it is essential that you breathe freely and never ever hold your breath.

The positive side of this increased effort from using much heavier resistance, and slower and fewer repetitions in your fitness center’s machines, is that your sessions working out can be much much shorter in duration. With this new method that is more and more recognized as the best way to train, you can be finished with your complete workout in a surprisingly short time while achieving better results than you might have experienced the regular way. Strength training this way strengthens your bones, improves your cardiovascular health, improves your flexibility, makes your joints more stable and less prone to injury, and by improving your metabolism, helps you replace fat with muscle! Your added muscle will make everything in life easier to do and make you feel more energetic, thus, raising your spirit and mood.

Some people promote weight training as the complete answer to becoming and staying fit and insist that there is no additional need to be active. The truth is that even were you to work out with very heavy weights a couple of times a week, if you aren’t staying active the rest of the week you will not be able to maintain your health. The reason for this is that an integral part of keeping yourself healthy and young is the working of your body’s lymphatic system. Unfortunately this aspect of staying healthy has not received the attention it really deserves. This system is particularly important for the health of anyone in recovery since its main role is detoxification. Most people who have abused drugs have taken in and inundated their body’s systems with toxins. It is very important for those in recovery to do all that they are able to remove these substances from their bodies as quickly and thoroughly as possible. And then, because of a need to continue to feel and be healthy to stay away from drugs, those in recovery should remain on a program that keeps their bodies detoxified and clean.

The lymphatic system is the metabolic cleanser of the body. It draws in and carries toward disposal the many substances that need to be removed for the cleansing and detoxification of the body’s systems, including toxins, dead cells, cancer cells, nitrogenous wastes, fatty globules, pathogenic bacteria, infectious viruses, foreign substances, heavy metals, and other waste byproducts that the cells give off. However unlike the blood’s circulatory system which has the heart to pump the blood through its system, the lymph system lacks a pump to move the lymph fluid with all its waste through its many capillaries and ducts toward disposal. It is absolutely vital that the lymph fluids continue to flow in order to eliminate waste from the body, otherwise the toxicity of the body will increase leading to poor health and disease. Using a set of one way valves, lymph is moved along the vessels of the lymph system by the movement and contraction of the muscles during activity. Now you understand why just working out once a week, is not enough even though that will give you more muscle, stronger bones and a better working metabolism to burn calories to become and stay thinner. Spending the rest of the time sitting in your office 9 to 5 during the day, and in front of your television as a passive and sedentary person during the evening, will not keep your lymph system properly active to promote health. Without regular exercise, the toxicity of the body would build up because of a relatively inactive lymph system.

One very good exercise that is fun and can be done while watching television or listening to music is rebounding. Running or jumping up and down in place on a rebounder burns calories effectively. Using one of these mini-trampolines is remarkably gentle on ones joints and avoids the wear and tear of other similar activities, and it can burn as many or even more calories as other similar activities like running and jumping rope.

But more importantly, in regard to our present discussion on detoxification during recovery, this bouncing activity, running or jumping on a rebounder, effectively moves and recycles the lymph within the lymphatic system. In the end, it is very effective for detoxification and for continuing to keep your body in a cleaner less toxic state.

Those of you who have not been exercising and keeping your body in the best of health are going to be surprised and delighted with how much better you will be feeling and enjoying life when you have a stronger body and you are getting a lot of health enhancing exercise.

Jeffrey Rose, CMH, is New York’s leading doctor-referred, Certified Hypnotist , and is the director at The Advanced Hypnosis Center, (www.ahcenter.com), in New York City. He has practiced hypnosis for many years, successfully helping people with a wide variety of challenges to make important changes in their life and achieve their goals. Mr. Rose is not only a skilled practitioner of the art of hypnosis, but he is very knowledgeable in a wide variety of health-related fields. He has written many articles for health magazines, including being a staff writer for Recover Magazine, and is currently writing a book on weight loss.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Exercise., Recovery

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