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Atricle Dump - Weight Lifting 101
Working on the basis that you are dealing with the MAN (the person with the Money, the Authority and the Need) you must very quickly assess if you have a potential prospect or not. In other words can their needs be met by the products and services you have to offer. It may not always be obvious to the prospect that they can use your products but your industry experience tells you that they can. In this instance we are looking for an opportunity to uncover some needs. You cannot create needs - but you can uncover them.The key to uncovering needs lies in good questioning techniques. Questioning is a skill that requires much practice and concentration but once mastered serves you well because it allows you to:Sell Not TellMost emerging salespeople talk too much. They’re good talkers, they must be salespeople or all you need to be a salesperson is the gift of the gab, are often heard misnomers. Most prospects, at the sales stage, come to expect that a salesperson will probably talk at them, for too long and about very little, especially their needs. You want to do the unexpected with your prospects and sell not tell. Do remember that customers and prospects are most comfortable when they are part of the process and not part of the audience.ListenIf you are talking you are not listening! If you do not listen you will never find out enough information about the prospect or their needs. Apply the 80/20 rule, you should use questioning techniques so that the prospect is doing 80% of the talking and you are only doing 20%.God provided us with two ears and only one mouth and we should use them in that order.Uncover Needs, PainlesslyRarely do you receive information unless you ask for it. You need information to sell your services or products and look for future sales possibilities. Skilful questioning means that you do not seem to be imposing on the prospect by asking too many questions.Maintain ControlUsing questioning techniques you can control the prospect in almost any given situation. You can guide the prospect towards acceptance of your solution. Should you need to, you can use questioning techniques to regain control.Probably the single most important skill that a salesperson can possess is good questioning techniques and it is certainly one of the most under estimated and under used selling skills. Several other sales techniques also rely heavily on your ability to ask questions effectively.Types Of Questions:There are basically two types of questions, open and closed (sometimes called indirect and direct). Open questions are used to get people to open up and provide information whilst closed questions are used to solicit commitment and will prompt a yes or no answer.Once again our 80/20 rule comes into play. You should analyse your questioning so as to make sure that you ask 80% open and 20% closed questions.Unfortunately closed questions are easier to ask and if we have a compliant client, we lapse into the bad habit of reversing the 80/20 rule and asking mainly closed questions. When
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mist
As of the time of this article, Gmail still does not allow you to use images in your signatures - which is really for security reasons as placing HTML codes in signatures can lead to abuse and the transmission of viruses. So for the time being, Gmail will only allow you to use plain text as your signature - which many people use right now.There is however, a manual way to add an image to your existing text signature in Gmail, or even as the header of your email (does not require the use of scripts or Firefox).Here's how:1) First create your image and upload it to any free image hosting service, such as Photobucket.2) When your image is uploaded, simply copy the entire image itself as you see it on the page.3) Create a new message in Gmail and paste in the image anywhere you want. Make sure the image is loading properly.4) Type in a subject line such as "Email Sig" or anything else that will identify the contents of the email.5) Click "Save Now", which saves the message as a "Draft".Now, anytime you want to send out an email with your special image, all you have to do is first open up the draft message, copy the image and then paste it anywhere in your new message.There may be other ways to accomplish this in Gmail, but the above method works and does not take very long to set up.Now go ahead and spice up those Gmails!
What's the one thing that you can do to lose weight, re-shape your body, improve muscle tone, become stronger, fight off osteoporosis, lower blood pressure, etc.?
Weight Lifting! Or as it's also called, Strength Training!
For the rest of this book I will refer to the art of weight lifting as strength training. One of the reasons a lot of people don't lift weights is because they are intimidated by the word weight lifting.
It amazes me to see how many people avoid lifting weights for one reason or another.
Let me make sure you are clear of one very important fact.
LIFTING WEIGHTS IS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR OVERALL HEALTH!!!
Let's jump right in and start off by covering exactly "what" strength training is.
It's actually very simple. Strength training or weight lifting is the lifting of heavy weights and/or resistance in a prescribed manner as an exercise or in athletic competition.
Notice I said weights and/or resistance. It doesn't have to necessarily be a weight plate or a dumbbell. We'll get into that more later.
As simple as that definition of strength training sounds, why are you and so many other people not doing it?
The answer to that is probably one of these two:
- You're not sure what to do, or you're confused about what to do.
- You have never realized that strength-training can and will build muscle, which in turn will help you look and feel great.
You very well could be on a strength-training program right now.
Even if you are, I want you to really pay attention to what we're going to talk about for the rest of the book. I'm sure it is going to have you thinking differently about why you should be lifting weights from now on.
We're going to talk about why developing a strength training program will ultimately help you lose weight, add some muscle tone, look better and feel better about yourself.
We will go over some "myths" about strength training and the real facts behind them.
So, whether you're new to strength training or you've been doing it for years, pay close attention.
MYTHS
Let's first clear up some of the misconceptions about strength training and the truth behind these myths.
This first myth is the "biggie" and it has prevented many of you from weight lifting (especially women).
It sounds a little something like this; "I don't want to lift weights because I don't want to get big and bulky."
It's a shame that a lot of people think like this because it is so far from the truth. Let's explore that myth a little.
When you think of weight lifters, you probably think of body builders, right?
You think of the men and women on ESPN parading around in little swimsuits with big bulky muscles popping out all over the place.
There are three reasons for this:
- These people are an extremely minute percentage of the population.
- That is their livelihood and they spend 4 to 5 hours a day in the gym.
- Some of them are using performance-enhancing drugs (steroids, etc.) to look like that
So if you can get that image of the "bodybuilder" out of your head and think in terms of the average everyday person, you will see why the myth about getting bulky is just that, a myth!
What we're going to talk about next I will try to explain to you in an easy to understand way, without using any medical or professional terminology.
When you lift weights your body builds muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest). The more calories you burn the less you weigh.
It's as simple as that!!!
Let me give you an example of this that might make it a little easier to understand. We'll talk about 2 women in this example.
Let's say you and your best friend are sitting on the couch watching some T.V. You personally strength-train 3 times a week, but your friend does not.
After an hour of watching T.V goes by, who will have burned more calories?
The common answer to that would be that you both burned the same (almost nothing), since you weren't doing anything.
But the actual answer would be that you burned more calories, and I'll tell you why for one simple reason. THE MORE MUSCLE YOU HAVE THE MORE CALORIES YOU BURN!!
Now you might say to yourself, "But if I lift weights, my muscles will get bigger and I will appear big and bulky."
This does have a tendency to happen to men sometimes, and that is because of the male hormone testosterone. But what also happens to men, just like the women, is that they will get rid of the fat and replace it with lean muscle.
So the lean added muscle will now be there instead of the soft jelly-like fat.
With that said, keep this in mind. Evan though men have more testosterone, it would still be very difficult for a man to get big and bulky. You would have to train like a real bodybuilder in order for this to occur. Being genetically blessed doesn't hurt either.
And if you did see yourself starting to "bulk" up a little, and that's not what you want, just decrease the amount of weight you are lifting. Very simple.
Women on the other hand, do not have enough testosterone to even come close to "bulking up".
Which brings us to another myth.
That myth being one of the most popular in the world of exercise, which is, "Muscle weighs more than fat."
How ridiculous is that saying?
That's like the old joke, "Which weighs more--10 lbs. of steel or 10 lbs. of feathers?"
Hopefully by now you know that the answer to that question is that they both really weigh the same. 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. no matter what it is made of.
Let's go over this in a little more detail.
Muscle is much more compact and dense than fat. It actually takes up less space than fat does because of that. That makes sense, right?
Fat, on the other hand, is very soft and jelly-like and is a lot bigger than muscle. By that I mean it takes up more space than muscle does.
Let me give you another example to clarify this a little more.
If you were to take 10 lbs. of fat and 10 lbs. of muscle and roll each of them into a ball, the 10 lbs. of fat might be the size of a bowling ball. In comparison, the 10 lbs. of muscle would be about the size of a baseball.
Let's take this a step further and use you and your friend in an example. You and your friend, for argument sake, are both 5' 5" tall and both weigh the exact same weight of 130 lbs.
Your friend, as we mentioned, does not lift weights or do any kind of strength training. Her dress size is a size 12.
You, on the other hand, lift weights and follow a strength-training program 3 times a week. Your dress size is a size 8.
If you and your friend were standing side by side people would definitely think that you weighed less than your friend. But in reality you both weigh exactly the same.
How can that be?
It all relates back to what I said earlier. Muscle does not weigh more than fat, it weighs the same. It is more compact than fat and it takes up less space. So you, the strength trainer, have more muscle than your friend does which means you will take up less space.
That's why it's also not a good idea to let the scale be your judge of your progress. You can very well have lost weight, but it won't show up on the scale sometimes. A good indication of progress is how your clothes fit. If you are getting smaller, or should we say more compact/dense, you will notice that your clothes are getting a little looser.
Well all right you say, "I'll lift weights, but I'm only lifting light weights and doing lots of repetitions."
This is another mistake a lot of you are making. Now I'm not saying that this is the wrong way to lift, but it is not the optimal way to go about strength training if you are looking to lose weight and change your body.
So, is it all right for you to lift heavy weights and fewer repetitions? ABSOLUTELY!!
There's another statement you need to clear your head of---"I shouldn't lift heavy weights because that is for bodybuilders."
You absolutely can and should be lifting heavy weights if you want to change your body!
Let's take a moment now to recap some of the main ideas we have just covered;
- Lifting weights will not make you bulky (it will make you leaner and more toned)
- Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat; it's simply more compact and denser than fat. (Remember, muscle actually takes up less space than fat)
- The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest!).
Now you are well informed of why strength training will help you look and feel great. Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you might have had and now you are ready to "hit the weights."
"WHAT DO I DO NOW"?
So you now know what strength training is and you know why it will help you change your body.
"But how do I actually go ahead and get started?"
As I said before, this is one of the main reasons if not THE main reason that most people don't lift weights.
But what if I was to tell you that it's not nearly as complicated as you might think.
What we're going to discuss now is the "nuts and bolts" of designing a strength-training program.
Let me first start out by saying that if you are out of shape, haven't exercised in awhile, suffer from any kind of medical condition (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) or are over 40 years old, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get a physical to make sure you are ready to start lifting weights.
With that said, here we go!
One of the very popular questions is what equipment do I need to strength train? Or better yet, what equipment is the best?
Luckily, there are plenty of options; machines, free weights (dumbbells), elastic bands, using your own body weight, which is called isometrics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.).
I guess the best way to decide what equipment you are going to use is to first decide exactly where you'll be working out.
Will you be at home, or will you be at some kind of gym or fitness center?
Let's first explore the many options you have at a gym or fitness center.
Depending on your particular gym, you will probably have the choice of using free weights (dumbbells, weight bars, weight plates, etc.) or machines.
If you are a beginner to lifting weights, I highly recommend you use the machines for a few reasons.
- Almost no chance of injury
- Much easier to use proper form
- Easily change weights via a pin
Also when using machines, especially the newer ones, there is usually a picture on the machine that demonstrates someone doing the actual exercise.
There is also a great product out now that is a ring of 50 pocket-sized exercise cards. They not only show a full color photo of each exercise, but each card also contains easy-to-read instructions as well as helpful trainer's tips and common training mistakes, which are found on the back of the cards.
These cards are excellent and I highly recommend them.
Log on to my web-site at www.thefitnessleader.com and go to the "Products" page. There you will see a link for the cards. Click on that link and order your set of cards today. There is a lot more that comes with your set of 50 cards, and they are definitely worth having.
Another option is to purchase some really great books.
There are hundreds of great picture books out there to help you get started.
If you go to my web-site (www.thefitnessleader.com) and go to "products", there you will find a link to Amazon.
Once you click on the link, you will find some great books that I recommend that are very helpful for the beginner exerciser.
There is of course the third option, which is to hire one of the personal trainers that works at your gym or an in-home personal trainer, like myself, who comes to your house and sets you up on a program.
One word of advice if you decide to get a trainer. Make sure this person has the right credentials (personal trainer certification and/or fitness related degree). Don't just assume that since they work in a gym or because they call themselves a personal trainer, that they are qualified.
It's always best to watch the trainers for a couple of weeks if you are at a gym, or get a free session from an in-home trainer. See how they operate, how they get along with their other clients, what kind of personality they have, etc. Make sure you think that they will be a good fit for you.
I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.
Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.
Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."
"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"
ABSOLUTELY!!
A lot of people feel the same way that you do. Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.
Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.
For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.
The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).
It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.
Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.
Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need. First off is a bench.
BENCH
The bench you purchase should be multi-functional. In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat. Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline. It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.
It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.
FREE WEIGHTS
There are numerous types of free weights to choose from. There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.
Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.
One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System. It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a space saver. It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial. So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair.
This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.
You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link. It is called the ProBell Classic.
Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.
For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises.
I personally use these myself and with all my clients. I love them!!!
BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package. It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet. At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50. It's a great value.
You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.
Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:
- How many days a week?
- How many sets and repetitions?
- When do I change my routine?
These are all very good questions. Let's take a look at the first question now.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question. It really all comes down to two things:
- How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?
- How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mista
Most of the time, the planet we live on seems like a safe and stable place. But as recent events have proven, colossal forces determined by the physics of the earth slowly build up to be suddenly released in catastrophic earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis that spawn yet more science and environment concerns for many inhabitants.Vision was in the process of preparing an article on this subject when the Asian tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, with the catastrophic results we all know too well. Before a horrified worldwide TV audience, the Indian Ocean basin reeled following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami, which together may have obliterated as many as 300,000 lives. All of us were forcibly reminded that Earth--and all of us along with it--is in fact quite vulnerable.Bill McGuire, a volcanologist and professor of geophysical hazards at University College, London, expresses it this way: "The Earth is an extraordinarily fragile place that is fraught with danger: a tiny rock hurtling through space, wracked by violent movements of its crust and subject to dramatic climatic changes as its geophysical and orbital circumstances vary" (A Guide to the End of the World, 2002 ).Each week approximately 10,000 detectable earthquakes shake our planet. About 2,000 of them can be felt, and on average, two of them cause damage. In addition, around 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given moment. Those who find themselves in the way of such traumatic events often wonder whether God is punishing them or whether the world is coming to a cataclysmic end.ALL SHOOK UPEarthquakes and volcanoes are probably the most spectacular of all natural disasters.It is a fact that earthquakes and their aftereffects have caused multiple millions of deaths over the course of human history. In terms of loss of life, one of the most catastrophic was the one that struck China in 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. And one of the most devastating in modern times struck Japan on September 1, 1923, registering 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake, which shook Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding area, was followed by a tsunami, numerous landslides, and devastating fires. Within two days at least 140,000 people had died and the two cities lay largely in ashes.With regard to volcanoes, nearly everyone is familiar with one of the most famous events in history--the 1883 explosions of Indonesia's Krakatau (or Krakatoa), an island consisting of three volcanic cones between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Volcanic activity began in May and continued through August. Pressure built up inside the cones because gas escaping from the magma had no outlet, and like a steam boiler with its safety valve closed, they exploded with a series of powerful blasts on August 26 and 27. Four great explosions over the course of a few short hours hurled rocks into the air, some of which showered down on nearby ships. Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean island of Rodriguez, 3,000 miles away, reported hearing the noise. The force was so great that the northern half of the island (including two of the volcanic cones) collapsed an
But the actual answer would be that you burned more calories, and I'll tell you why for one simple reason. THE MORE MUSCLE YOU HAVE THE MORE CALORIES YOU BURN!!
Now you might say to yourself, "But if I lift weights, my muscles will get bigger and I will appear big and bulky."
This does have a tendency to happen to men sometimes, and that is because of the male hormone testosterone. But what also happens to men, just like the women, is that they will get rid of the fat and replace it with lean muscle.
So the lean added muscle will now be there instead of the soft jelly-like fat.
With that said, keep this in mind. Evan though men have more testosterone, it would still be very difficult for a man to get big and bulky. You would have to train like a real bodybuilder in order for this to occur. Being genetically blessed doesn't hurt either.
And if you did see yourself starting to "bulk" up a little, and that's not what you want, just decrease the amount of weight you are lifting. Very simple.
Women on the other hand, do not have enough testosterone to even come close to "bulking up".
Which brings us to another myth.
That myth being one of the most popular in the world of exercise, which is, "Muscle weighs more than fat."
How ridiculous is that saying?
That's like the old joke, "Which weighs more--10 lbs. of steel or 10 lbs. of feathers?"
Hopefully by now you know that the answer to that question is that they both really weigh the same. 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. no matter what it is made of.
Let's go over this in a little more detail.
Muscle is much more compact and dense than fat. It actually takes up less space than fat does because of that. That makes sense, right?
Fat, on the other hand, is very soft and jelly-like and is a lot bigger than muscle. By that I mean it takes up more space than muscle does.
Let me give you another example to clarify this a little more.
If you were to take 10 lbs. of fat and 10 lbs. of muscle and roll each of them into a ball, the 10 lbs. of fat might be the size of a bowling ball. In comparison, the 10 lbs. of muscle would be about the size of a baseball.
Let's take this a step further and use you and your friend in an example. You and your friend, for argument sake, are both 5' 5" tall and both weigh the exact same weight of 130 lbs.
Your friend, as we mentioned, does not lift weights or do any kind of strength training. Her dress size is a size 12.
You, on the other hand, lift weights and follow a strength-training program 3 times a week. Your dress size is a size 8.
If you and your friend were standing side by side people would definitely think that you weighed less than your friend. But in reality you both weigh exactly the same.
How can that be?
It all relates back to what I said earlier. Muscle does not weigh more than fat, it weighs the same. It is more compact than fat and it takes up less space. So you, the strength trainer, have more muscle than your friend does which means you will take up less space.
That's why it's also not a good idea to let the scale be your judge of your progress. You can very well have lost weight, but it won't show up on the scale sometimes. A good indication of progress is how your clothes fit. If you are getting smaller, or should we say more compact/dense, you will notice that your clothes are getting a little looser.
Well all right you say, "I'll lift weights, but I'm only lifting light weights and doing lots of repetitions."
This is another mistake a lot of you are making. Now I'm not saying that this is the wrong way to lift, but it is not the optimal way to go about strength training if you are looking to lose weight and change your body.
So, is it all right for you to lift heavy weights and fewer repetitions? ABSOLUTELY!!
There's another statement you need to clear your head of---"I shouldn't lift heavy weights because that is for bodybuilders."
You absolutely can and should be lifting heavy weights if you want to change your body!
Let's take a moment now to recap some of the main ideas we have just covered;
- Lifting weights will not make you bulky (it will make you leaner and more toned)
- Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat; it's simply more compact and denser than fat. (Remember, muscle actually takes up less space than fat)
- The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest!).
Now you are well informed of why strength training will help you look and feel great. Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you might have had and now you are ready to "hit the weights."
"WHAT DO I DO NOW"?
So you now know what strength training is and you know why it will help you change your body.
"But how do I actually go ahead and get started?"
As I said before, this is one of the main reasons if not THE main reason that most people don't lift weights.
But what if I was to tell you that it's not nearly as complicated as you might think.
What we're going to discuss now is the "nuts and bolts" of designing a strength-training program.
Let me first start out by saying that if you are out of shape, haven't exercised in awhile, suffer from any kind of medical condition (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) or are over 40 years old, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get a physical to make sure you are ready to start lifting weights.
With that said, here we go!
One of the very popular questions is what equipment do I need to strength train? Or better yet, what equipment is the best?
Luckily, there are plenty of options; machines, free weights (dumbbells), elastic bands, using your own body weight, which is called isometrics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.).
I guess the best way to decide what equipment you are going to use is to first decide exactly where you'll be working out.
Will you be at home, or will you be at some kind of gym or fitness center?
Let's first explore the many options you have at a gym or fitness center.
Depending on your particular gym, you will probably have the choice of using free weights (dumbbells, weight bars, weight plates, etc.) or machines.
If you are a beginner to lifting weights, I highly recommend you use the machines for a few reasons.
- Almost no chance of injury
- Much easier to use proper form
- Easily change weights via a pin
Also when using machines, especially the newer ones, there is usually a picture on the machine that demonstrates someone doing the actual exercise.
There is also a great product out now that is a ring of 50 pocket-sized exercise cards. They not only show a full color photo of each exercise, but each card also contains easy-to-read instructions as well as helpful trainer's tips and common training mistakes, which are found on the back of the cards.
These cards are excellent and I highly recommend them.
Log on to my web-site at www.thefitnessleader.com and go to the "Products" page. There you will see a link for the cards. Click on that link and order your set of cards today. There is a lot more that comes with your set of 50 cards, and they are definitely worth having.
Another option is to purchase some really great books.
There are hundreds of great picture books out there to help you get started.
If you go to my web-site (www.thefitnessleader.com) and go to "products", there you will find a link to Amazon.
Once you click on the link, you will find some great books that I recommend that are very helpful for the beginner exerciser.
There is of course the third option, which is to hire one of the personal trainers that works at your gym or an in-home personal trainer, like myself, who comes to your house and sets you up on a program.
One word of advice if you decide to get a trainer. Make sure this person has the right credentials (personal trainer certification and/or fitness related degree). Don't just assume that since they work in a gym or because they call themselves a personal trainer, that they are qualified.
It's always best to watch the trainers for a couple of weeks if you are at a gym, or get a free session from an in-home trainer. See how they operate, how they get along with their other clients, what kind of personality they have, etc. Make sure you think that they will be a good fit for you.
I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.
Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.
Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."
"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"
ABSOLUTELY!!
A lot of people feel the same way that you do. Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.
Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.
For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.
The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).
It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.
Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.
Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need. First off is a bench.
BENCH
The bench you purchase should be multi-functional. In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat. Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline. It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.
It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.
FREE WEIGHTS
There are numerous types of free weights to choose from. There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.
Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.
One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System. It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a space saver. It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial. So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair.
This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.
You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link. It is called the ProBell Classic.
Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.
For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises.
I personally use these myself and with all my clients. I love them!!!
BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package. It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet. At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50. It's a great value.
You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.
Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:
- How many days a week?
- How many sets and repetitions?
- When do I change my routine?
These are all very good questions. Let's take a look at the first question now.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question. It really all comes down to two things:
- How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?
- How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mist
As our resources for recording video have become more commonplace, a number of photographers now offer the service of wedding videography to their clients. Supplied in conjunction with the more common still shots, there are two forms that this videography can take to create memories for your special day. Here are some details of those two options.The first option is to record key portions of the wedding ceremony and also the reception and use the recordings to create a special memory of the day. The scenes can be interspersed with music that you enjoy, as well as adding in some comments from persons who were present at the wedding and the reception. The idea is to create a format in which you and your spouse can sit down and remember your wedding and also some of the special moments at the reception. One thing to keep in mind is that some houses of worship do not allow videocameras to be operated during the ceremony, so you may have to settle for some recordings of before and after the ceremony takes place and have the photographer insert some stills into the video record.Modern technology will also allow a wedding videography collection of digital shots that are assembled and move from one photo to the next. Background music and voice-overs can be added to the product, so that family and friends can provide you with permanent warm thoughts as you review the pictures of your big day. The choices for music can vary throughout the presentation, beginning with something still and quiet for the shots of the ceremony and then building into something more exciting during the reception. The overall mood of your wedding and reception can aid greatly in deciding what types of music to use with your electronic photo album.Wedding videography is a great way to keep the vitality and excitement of your wedding day captured for the years to come. If you have a wedding coming up soon, ask your photographer about the possibility of including videography in the proceedings.
Now you are well informed of why strength training will help you look and feel great. Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you might have had and now you are ready to "hit the weights."
"WHAT DO I DO NOW"?
So you now know what strength training is and you know why it will help you change your body.
"But how do I actually go ahead and get started?"
As I said before, this is one of the main reasons if not THE main reason that most people don't lift weights.
But what if I was to tell you that it's not nearly as complicated as you might think.
What we're going to discuss now is the "nuts and bolts" of designing a strength-training program.
Let me first start out by saying that if you are out of shape, haven't exercised in awhile, suffer from any kind of medical condition (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) or are over 40 years old, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get a physical to make sure you are ready to start lifting weights.
With that said, here we go!
One of the very popular questions is what equipment do I need to strength train? Or better yet, what equipment is the best?
Luckily, there are plenty of options; machines, free weights (dumbbells), elastic bands, using your own body weight, which is called isometrics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.).
I guess the best way to decide what equipment you are going to use is to first decide exactly where you'll be working out.
Will you be at home, or will you be at some kind of gym or fitness center?
Let's first explore the many options you have at a gym or fitness center.
Depending on your particular gym, you will probably have the choice of using free weights (dumbbells, weight bars, weight plates, etc.) or machines.
If you are a beginner to lifting weights, I highly recommend you use the machines for a few reasons.
- Almost no chance of injury
- Much easier to use proper form
- Easily change weights via a pin
Also when using machines, especially the newer ones, there is usually a picture on the machine that demonstrates someone doing the actual exercise.
There is also a great product out now that is a ring of 50 pocket-sized exercise cards. They not only show a full color photo of each exercise, but each card also contains easy-to-read instructions as well as helpful trainer's tips and common training mistakes, which are found on the back of the cards.
These cards are excellent and I highly recommend them.
Log on to my web-site at www.thefitnessleader.com and go to the "Products" page. There you will see a link for the cards. Click on that link and order your set of cards today. There is a lot more that comes with your set of 50 cards, and they are definitely worth having.
Another option is to purchase some really great books.
There are hundreds of great picture books out there to help you get started.
If you go to my web-site (www.thefitnessleader.com) and go to "products", there you will find a link to Amazon.
Once you click on the link, you will find some great books that I recommend that are very helpful for the beginner exerciser.
There is of course the third option, which is to hire one of the personal trainers that works at your gym or an in-home personal trainer, like myself, who comes to your house and sets you up on a program.
One word of advice if you decide to get a trainer. Make sure this person has the right credentials (personal trainer certification and/or fitness related degree). Don't just assume that since they work in a gym or because they call themselves a personal trainer, that they are qualified.
It's always best to watch the trainers for a couple of weeks if you are at a gym, or get a free session from an in-home trainer. See how they operate, how they get along with their other clients, what kind of personality they have, etc. Make sure you think that they will be a good fit for you.
I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.
Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.
Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."
"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"
ABSOLUTELY!!
A lot of people feel the same way that you do. Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.
Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.
For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.
The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).
It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.
Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.
Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need. First off is a bench.
BENCH
The bench you purchase should be multi-functional. In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat. Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline. It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.
It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.
FREE WEIGHTS
There are numerous types of free weights to choose from. There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.
Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.
One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System. It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a space saver. It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial. So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair.
This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.
You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link. It is called the ProBell Classic.
Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.
For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises.
I personally use these myself and with all my clients. I love them!!!
BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package. It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet. At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50. It's a great value.
You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.
Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:
- How many days a week?
- How many sets and repetitions?
- When do I change my routine?
These are all very good questions. Let's take a look at the first question now.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question. It really all comes down to two things:
- How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?
- How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mist
Why does health insurance cost so much? Year after year, many of the articles that appear in print detail the specific factors driving the cost of healthcare.These factors include: general inflation, advances in drugs and other medical devices, rising hospital and doctor expenses, government mandates, increased consumer demand, litigation, fraud, and cost shifting.The basic answer is that a magic bullet to solve the cost of insurance does not exist because the real difficulty is controlling the cost of healthcare. A simple way to dramatically decrease the dollars spent on healthcare is to reduce the demand for healthcare.I have seen estimates that up to 40% of all healthcare related expenses result from preventable conditions. These preventable conditions are caused by lifestyle choices such as tobacco, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and poor diet.Most of us, myself included, make lifestyle choices everyday that eventually increase our demand for healthcare. We are never going to be able to totally eliminate all lifestyle related healthcare costs. However, improved lifestyle choices would cause a dramatic reduction in demand. This would then result in a similar reduction in the dollars spent on healthcare.Lower demand for healthcare would result in lower health insurance costs, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism. If your organization has not done so already, your organizational leaders need to seriously consider the benefits of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Your return on investment will most likely be as high as 2:1 in the first year.
I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.
Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.
Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."
"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"
ABSOLUTELY!!
A lot of people feel the same way that you do. Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.
Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.
For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.
The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).
It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.
Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.
Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need. First off is a bench.
BENCH
The bench you purchase should be multi-functional. In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat. Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline. It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.
It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.
FREE WEIGHTS
There are numerous types of free weights to choose from. There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.
Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.
One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System. It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a space saver. It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial. So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair.
This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.
You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link. It is called the ProBell Classic.
Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.
For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises.
I personally use these myself and with all my clients. I love them!!!
BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package. It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet. At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50. It's a great value.
You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.
Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:
- How many days a week?
- How many sets and repetitions?
- When do I change my routine?
These are all very good questions. Let's take a look at the first question now.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question. It really all comes down to two things:
- How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?
- How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mist
Some writers are just too kind.They hate to put their characters under any kind of pressure. They hate to see them losing, or struggling to survive. That's quite understandable - after all, they've become friends with these people. They're cheering for them. They want them to win through!Now wait a moment. Wa..a..i..t.It's your readers who are supposed to be cheering your characters on. It's your readers who want things to turn out for them. And it's your readers that you have to make suffer - because if you do, they won't be able to resist turning the page to see what happens next. They'll feel bad for your characters... heck, they may even shed a tear or two... but they will keep turning pages. They have to. They need to know how this all turns out!Conflict is the engine of your story. It keeps the wheels turning; it keeps the characters moving. Take away conflict, and what have you got? A cheerful little afternoon tea-party, that's what. And like all afternoon tea parties... it can get a little boring. A few cream cakes and a few hours of conversation, and you've had enough. You want to go home.At all costs, you must prevent your readers from packing up and going home. Or more accurately - to close the book that represents the cozy (but boring) tea party. Here are a few tips on building and sustaining conflict in your story.1. Think "Drama"In one corner of a restaurant you have a happy couple, gazing into each other's eyes. They're smiling. They're happy. In the another corner you have couple No. 2. Their body language is enough to tell anyone that there's trouble brewing. At first, they argue in low voices. Then things start to escalate. Their voices start to rise, and it ends when she throws wine in his face, sends her chair flying back, and storms out.Which couple is attracting all the attention?No contest! Naturally, it's the one involved in all that DRAMA. We're all drawn to conflict. We wonder about the reasons for it. We're eager to hear about the outcome. We HAVE TO KNOW MORE.Give your readers drama, and you can be sure they'll keep coming back for more.2. Portray Strong EmotionsIf you don't allow your characters to experience emotion - and to show their emotion - then you're losing readers. One of the chief reasons that editors give for rejecting a novel is "lack of emotional punch". By making sure that you let your characters experience a full range of emotions, you are dramatically increasing your chances of acceptance.In any one day, we all go through a whole lot of emotions. We're happy. We're sad. We're gloomy. We're ecstatic. We're jealous or envious or embarrassed.Make a point of getting into your viewpoint character's skin. Become that character. First, imagine your character's appearance. Then climb inside. Look out through this person's eyes. See what she sees; hear what she hears; feel what she feels. And share those emotions with the reader.If your viewpoint character is engaged in a conversation, make sure you give the reader more than talking heads by filtering everything through
Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.
Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.
Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding. That's actually another big mistake that a lot of people make. They do the same thing over and over again, day in and day out.
That will work for a beginner just starting out, and you will see some improvement, but after about 6 to 8 weeks you will start to plateau.
Your muscles need to be challenged or "shocked" in order to stimulate them.
On the other hand, you also want your muscles to adapt and improve to the increasing weight.
By that I mean you want to give your muscles a chance to get stronger and you want to be able to increase the weights on the same exercise and see what the most weight is that you can actually lift on that same exercise.
For that reason you don't want to change your routine every time either.
"So what's the bottom line then? How often should I change my routine?"
A good rule of thumb to follow is to keep your routine relatively the same for about 6 to 8 weeks, then make some changes.
"What exactly do you mean by change the routine?"
The best way to change your routine is to do totally different exercises. Let's say for example that for your leg muscles you've been doing leg presses, lunges and leg extensions. For a complete change you can now do squats, leg curls, and abduction (for the outer thigh).
Other changes include;
- changing from using a free weight to a machine for a particular exercise.
- doing 4 or 5 sets instead of 3.
- switching the order of your exercises. Instead of training your chest, back, biceps, shoulders, legs and triceps, you can do just the reverse. Triceps, legs, shoulders, etc.
The possibilities are endless. The nice thing is that there is no "wrong" way.
Which brings up a good point. There is no wrong routine, but your form and/or technique can be wrong.
Always remember to use a slow, controlled motion. Don't use momentum or "jerk" the weights around.
It should take you approximately 2 to 3 seconds to lift or push the weight (which is called the positive) and 3 to 4 seconds to lower or let down the weight (which is called the negative).
That's right, it should take you a little longer to lower the weight than it takes to raise it.
Most people do the opposite and that's why you see a lot of people using momentum and jerking the weights around. You're not using your muscles when you do it like this.
And that's really it! As you can see, it's not all that difficult. What it does take is a COMMITTMENT. If you can make a COMMITMENT and be consistent with your strength training program, I GUARANTEE you that you will be successful and notice considerable changes in they way you look and feel.
With that said, just take a moment now and look over the main areas of a successful strength-training program:
- The optimal strength training routine should be performed 2 to 3 days/wk.
- you should do 2 to 3 sets for each exercise.
- use a weight that will fatigue or challenge you to do between 8 and 12 reps.
- change your routine approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to prevent plateaus.
- always use proper form; slow, controlled movements. No jerking the weight or using momentum.
- and most important, make sure to visit your doctor and get a physical so you know you have no medical conditions that would prevent you from participating in a strength training routine.
There you have it, a nice little introduction to the world of strength training. Something that I hope will help you get started.
So give strength training a try, you have nothing to lose (except for maybe a few pounds of fat!!!).
If you're a woman and you'd like to learn how to lose weight by exercising and eating healthy, please go to: http://www.booklocker.com/books/1370.html
This is a great book that will have you looking and feeling better than you ever have.
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