Aug
21
How does weight lifting make me stronger?
Filed Under Ask the Trainer, Personal Training, Weight Lifting | 1 Comment
A good strength training program is based on a principle called progressive overload – which calls for progressively placing greater-than-normal demands on the muscles you are working.
When you lift weights, you do a little bit of damage to your muscles. For a couple of days after the exercise, your body recovers and repairs the damage you did to it. And when the muscle repairs itself, it makes it bigger and stronger than before.
So you are breaking down the muscle, so your body can build it back up.
Jul
19
What happens when I stop exercising?
Filed Under Ask the Trainer, Weight Lifting, Weight loss | Leave a Comment
So you have been working out for a while, seeing great results and loving the difference you see and feel in your body. But what happens if, for some reason — injury, vacation, burnout, or something else — you have to stop for a while.
What happens?
Well first, let me tell you what doesn’t happen. Your muscle does not turn to fat. That would be like saying if you stop driving your car, your tires will turn to marshmallows. You may lose muscle mass and gain some fat, but your muscle does not turn to fat.
Here is what does happen:
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Cardio: You begin to lose aerobic endurance in as little as two weeks.
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Muscular Strength: Studies have shown that muscular strength will return to pre-exercise levels after four to 12 weeks off.
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Muscular Size: Muscles will shrink after 4-12 weeks off.
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Metablism: As your muscles atrophy, your metabolism will slow. This means that if you eat the same amount, you will gain weight.
Jul
13
Exercise: Signs of Overtraining
Filed Under Weight Lifting | 1 Comment
More is better right? If exercise is good for you, than more exercise is automatically better, right? Well, yes, to a point. But, it is possible to exercise too much.
When you exercise more than your body can handle, you can reach a state of overtraining. In the past overtraining was no big deal. You were just “hitting a plateau”, or “burning out”. But if you continue to exercise in a state of overtraining, your performance will continue to get worse, not better.
How can you tell if you are overtrained? Well here are some common symptoms:
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Decreased performance
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Irritibility
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Lack of desire to exercise
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Depression
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Sleeplessness
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Increased muscle soreness
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Higher Resting Heart Rate
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Higher submaximum heart rate
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Lowered testosterone levels
Jun
28
So you are at the gym and you sit down at a weight machine. You figure out how much weight to use, but now you are stuck on how many reps to do. How many reps you perform really depends on why you are lifting and what you are trying to accomplish.
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To build strength: Aim for 3 sets of 3-5 reps.
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To build muscle mass: Aim for 3 sets of 6-12 reps.
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To build muscular endurance: Aim for 3 sets of more than 12 reps.
Jun
27
So you are at the gym and you sit down at a weight machine. You take the pin out of the stack to add some weight. How do you know how much weight to use? It really depends on why you are lifting and what you are trying to accomplish.
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To build strength: Use more than 85 percent of your one rep maximum.
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To build muscle mass: Use 67-85 percent of your one rep max.
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To build muscular endurance: Use less than 67 percent of your one rep max.
Jun
25
So you finish a set while weight lifting. How long do you rest before starting you next set? It really depends on why you are lifting and what you are trying to accomplish
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To build strength and power: Rest 2-5 minutes between sets. You want your muscles to completely recover between sets.
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To build muscle mass: Rest 30-90 seconds. You want to begin the next set before you are fully recovered.
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To build muscular endurance: Less than 30 seconds. You want your muscles to stay fatigued throughout the workout.