Independent
Articles About:
1. Weight Training for Women
2. Causes of Osteoporosis
3. Benefits of Weight Training
Weight Training
By Kirsten Hawkins For those that would like a more vigorous workout
plan, weight training is a viable option that can combine building muscle
tone and working the cardiovascular system. Weight training tones your muscles
and raises your metabolism, which helps your body burn more calories not
only when exercising, but also while you sleep. Weight training reverses
the natural decline in your metabolism, which begins around age 30; therefore
this is something to think about for all those who have reached that age.
Working with weights can produce a great deal of energy, and a full workout
works almost all of the 650 muscles in your body. Looking toward long-term
benefits, weight training strengthens bones, which can reduce your risk
of developing osteoporosis. This of course is of very big concern amongst
women, since osteoporosis afflicts women much more than men.
Many women worry that weight training will make them muscular and bulky
like a manÕs; yet you must keep in mind that men and women have different
muscular structures, therefore weight training will not develop big muscles
on women, just toned muscles. Not only is weight training a routine that
makes you strong, it is a routine that trains the body to build muscle instead
of fat, takes stress off key areas of the body such as the lower back, making
you less prone to injury in that area. Since high blood pressure or hypertension
is a big concern with those who are obese, it is welcome news that weight
training decreases your resting blood pressure. Weight training has also
been proven to increase your blood level of HDL cholesterol, which is commonly
referred to as Ògood cholesterol. Overall health is definitely improved
through weight training.
It is best to start with a plan, which may be joining a gym where you can
regularly go to get a full workout, or purchasing a home workout system
that uses resistance instead of weights but produces similar results. You
must assess what type of person you are, and make the appropriate decision
from there. If you like the idea of going out somewhere daily for your workout,
welcoming the change of scenery and benefiting from the comradery of others
who are also training, then you may want to opt for a gym membership. However,
if you know you are the type that enjoys working alone and will not work
out unless its in the convenience of your home where you do not have to
get dressed and go out, then the home gym system option is for you. Only
you can make this assessment of yourself. Some popular home gym systems
include CrossBarTM and BowFlexTM. Many quality home workout systems exist,
but of course none work when not used, so be sure that you remain focused
and dedicated to your plan. Whatever exercise plan you choose, it is best
to exercise first thing in the morning, every morning. Our bodies were made
to be active daily, and when exercise is performed in the morning, people
are more successful at exercising consistently. Make your exercise as enjoyable
as possible. Consider utilizing music, a book on tape, or watching television
during your workout, depending on the type and location of your workout.
If you're a walker for example, you may want to get a good CD player to
listen to music or books on tape. If you're exercising inside, you may want
to setup a television set or a stereo so that you can watch or listen while
exercising. Whatever you do, make your exercise experience one you look
forward to each day.
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Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments on popular diets.
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Dispelling the Myths
By Physicallyelite Attention women: Do you not lift weights because
you think it will make you become muscle-bound? Do you only do a couple
sets of 15 reps on exercise machines because you only want to "tone"?
If so, this article will show you that these and other myths aren't true
and also explain why lifting weights using barbells and dumbbells is the
best workout possible. As an added bonus, this article also has a workout
to help you begin building the body you desire.
Dispelling the Myths
1. Lifting Weights Makes You Muscle-Bound
While strength training will help you build muscle, women simply don't have
enough testosterone, a key hormone for building muscle, to become muscle-bound
and appear masculine. The muscle you are able to build lifting weights will
only improve your appearance and femininity.
2. If You Lift Weights, Do High Reps to "Tone" Your Muscles
Most strength training workouts for women prescribe 2-3 sets of 12 or more
repetitions. While higher repetitions have their place in your workout,
they do little to improve your appearance. If looking and feeling your best
is your goal, most of your workouts should utilize sets of low to moderate
repetitions (5-8) for multiple sets. Performing 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps is
especially beneficial when dieting, as it is the best rep range to use to
ensure you hold onto your muscle. The more muscle you can hold onto when
dieting helps you burn fat faster and keep it off once you achieve your
weight loss goals. Sets of 12-15 reps will only make you look and feel worse
during your diet.
3. You Should Use Machines Instead of Dumbbells and Barbells
While training with machines has its place, such as helping you learn the
basics of strength training, workouts using free weights (barbells and dumbbell)
are the way to go. Free weight training produces greater benefits than machine
only workouts for many reasons with the most important being the fact that
it enables you to perform exercises that train many large muscle groups
at once. This means you burn more calories for every set you perform and
will get better results faster. The following example illustrates this,
doing a set of barbell or dumbbell squats trains your calves, quads, hamstrings,
glutes, lower back, and abs. Compare this to a popular machine exercise
for legs such as leg extensions which targets only your quadriceps. Other
benefits of barbell and dumbbell based workouts is that they are superior
to machines for improving your strength, balance, and bone density. These
benefits become especially important as you get older, since being stronger
and maintaining balance will help you better perform daily tasks and decrease
the risk of injury from falls. Increasing bone density will help decrease
your risk of osteoperosis and its related complications.
4. You Must Lose Weight First Before You Lift Weights
Last but not least is the myth that you should lose weight before you start
lifting weights. This myth exists because women often become discouraged
when they diet and lift weights since the weight loss that occurs isn't
reflected on the scale. This is because the weight lost is body fat, not
the muscle you need to stay healthy. Lifting weights while dieting will
help you keep the muscle you have ensuring the weight you lose is body fat.
Studies confirm this showing that combining aerobic exercise, dieting, and
strength training leads to greater losses of body fat and weight than when
you only diet or diet and do aerobic exercise.
Getting Started
Below is a workout that will help you build the body you desire. It's a
3-day a week workout that should be performed on alternating days, Monday,
Wednesday, Friday for example. Each workout includes exercises for the entire
body, and uses sets of 8 reps to help you burn as many calories as possible
at each workout while building, or at a minimum, holding onto your hard
earned muscle when dieting. Combine this workout with 2-3 days of aerobic
exercise and a proper diet and you will get the best results of your life.
Guidelines
1. Always use correct technique. If you need any of the exercises explained
to you, consult with a qualified personal trainer. If one isn't available
there are many web sites that give animated demonstrations of correct exercise
technique. One good source is http://www.exrx.net.
2. Use a weight that you can perform for 2-3 more reps than what is prescribed.
There is no need use a weight that causes you to 'fail' at the end of each
set. You should leave the gym feeling energized, not exhausted.
3. Increase the weight used when you can do 2-3 more repetitions than the
8 prescribed on the last set of a given exercise. Only increase the weight
used if you can do so without sacrificing proper technique.
4. Start a new routine after doing this one for 4-6 weeks. This will help
keep your progress on track and keep your workouts enjoyable.
5. Lift weights before aerobics. If you want to do an aerobic workout on
the same day you lift weights, that's fine. Just make sure to do it after
you lift. This ensures you have ample energy to perform all of your exercises
with correct form.
6. The exercises in the workout below are divided into groups (A1/A2, B1/B2,
etc.). Each group is to be performed one after the other with about a minutes
rest between sets for the total number of sets given. Once you have completed
all of the prescribed sets for each exercise in a group, move on to the
next group of exercises after 1-2 minutes rest. Doing the workout this way
burns more calories, and you'll accomplish more in less time. Also, if you
are just getting into shape you may need more than a minutes rest between
sets and groups of exercise. If this is the case, rest for as long as you
need in order to perform the exercises with proper form, decreasing the
amount of rest as your conditioning improves until you reach 1 minute.
Below is an example of how this workout is to be performed.
* A1 Lunges: Set 1
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 1
* A1 Lunges: Set 2
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 2
* Rest 60 seconds
* A1 Lunges: Set 3
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 3
* Rest 60 seconds and move onto the next group of exercises.
The Workout
Monday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
A1 Lunges 3 8 60 sec
A2 DB Bench 2 8 60 sec
B1 Leg Curl 3 8 60 sec
B2 DB Row 2 8 60 sec
C1 Crunches 3 8 60 sec
Wednesday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
Seated Row 3 8 60 sec
Stiff Leg DL 2 8 60 sec
Inc DB Fly 3 8 60 sec
Dumbbell Squat 2 8 60 sec
Back Extension 3 8 60 sec
Friday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
DB Shldr Press 2 8 60 sec
DB Step-Ups 3 8 60 sec
Reverse Fly 2 8 60 sec
Calf Raise 3 8 60 sec
Reverse Crunch 3 8 60 sec
Breathing For Optimal Weight Training
By Sherri L Dodd In the world of fitness, there can be a vast difference
in the method of which an individual will chose to maintain their health.
For many, even a healthy combination of different exercises throughout the
week will center around a preferred exercise. These favorites can range
from the serenity of a low impact yoga session to the grunt work of a steel-assisted
resistance program. Through all the different tastes, there is one crucial
element that applies for all - breathing. Correct breathing will insure
that plenty of oxygen makes its way through your body and sustains your
essential bout of exercise.
Weight lifting specifically has many rules of thumb when performing each
repetition. One common mistake is the urge to hold one's breath, most often
referred to as the Valsalva Maneuver. While the Valsalva Maneuver is utilized
in the medical field (to measure the autonomic reflex of cardio-pulmonary
functioning), recreation (diver's use it for clearing ears), entertainment
(a modified version is used by trumpeters) and even in our daily life (in
the bathroom...if you catch my drift), the combination of breath-holding
mixed with lifting weights puts your health and safety at risk. Holding
your breath heavily increases your blood pressure, may cause headaches,
dizziness or lead to unconsciousness and even land you in the hospital with
a stroke.
Another common mistake is chest breathing. When a person breathes through
their chest, their upper body will rise with each inhalation. This method
takes a lot of energy to execute as you will need far more breaths per minute
and still be less oxygenated than if you were to perform the correct method
which is stomach breathing. You may have learned this if you are a fan of
Yoga class, in which Pranayama uses controlled and deep cleansing breathing.
When you breathe through your stomach, you will notice your stomach expands
and your chest, nor upper body, will move much at all. As a woman in snug-fitting
workout attire, the last thing we want to hear is let our tummy expand when
inhaling, but if you want to insure an effective routine throughout your
session, you will need to supply your body with adequate oxygen which is
done through stomach breathing.
To assist you with your breathing, remember to breathe through pursed lips.
After an invigorating inhalation, exhaling through pursed lips will maintain
air pressure in your airways. In effect, it will help your airway clear
out more stale air, in addition to controlling your breathing rate (include
shortness of breath), increasing the flow of air out of your lungs and reducing
your bodily energy required to take the next breath.
Finally, a good rule of thumb is that when performing a repetition, the
hardest part necessitating focus for good form and strength is when you
will be exhaling. Most often, you will find it is during the contraction
of the movement. As an example, when performing a Bicep Curl, you will exhale
as you pull the weight toward your shoulder. After pausing for a moment
at the shoulder, you will begin your inhalation as you slowly lower the
weight back to starting position.
Though breathing is an involuntary process, it can enhanced by your own
conscientiousness. Proper breathing takes practice as studies show that
up to 83% of adults have developed improper techniques. Collectively, all
the facets of proper breathing will not only insure an effective workout,
but also lower your stress (including all of its disease-ridden effects),
rid your body of a fair amount of toxins and lead to overall better health.
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Sherri L Dodd is the creator and author of the newly-released book, Mom Looks Great - The Fitness Program for Moms. She is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant with over fifteen years of exercise experience. She has lectured to groups on her fitness plan and is a freelance writer on the topics of fitness and general nutrition as well as the humorous side of motherhood.
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What Causes Osteoporosis?
By Gray Rollins According to the U.S. News & World Report Health
Center, "Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and
more likely to break. Literally meaning 'porous bone,' it results in an
increased loss of bone mass and strength." Osteoporosis debilitates
millions of people every year, but there is good news - prevention is possible!
The skeletal structure of the body provides support for our muscles and
protection for our vital organs; our bones are also a storehouse of calcium
and other minerals. More than 99 percent of the body's calcium is stored
in our bones and teeth, the other 1 percent travels throughout our body
in our blood. Calcium is vital for heart and muscle function.
Our skeletons are made up of a smooth, tough outer layer of dense bone,
a spongier mid section and a soft core of marrow where new cells are made
to rebuild our bones. Our bones are constantly changing because our bodies
depend on a steady supply of calcium to function properly. When we don't
get enough calcium from our regular diet our bodies break down and rebuild
bone to meet our needs. This is called "bone remodeling."
Many things can influence bone remodeling, like injury, illness, medications,
exercise, diet, hormonal changes, smoking, heavy drinking and of course
the normal aging process. When the body requires more calcium than we are
able to consume, or if we aren't able to store the calcium we consume adequately
it is leached from the spongy mid layer of our bones. They gradually lose
their density making them weak and porous, and more prone to fractures.
This is osteoporosis.
Most of our bone mass is established before the age of 30, and after about
age 35, as a part of the normal aging process, our bodies begin to breakdown
our bone faster than we are able to rebuild it. The natural decline in hormonal
production is another contributing factor. When women reach menopause and
their ovaries stop producing estrogen and bone loss accelerates. In men
a reduction in the hormone testosterone also encourages bone loss.
There is no cure for osteoporosis, so disease prevention is vital to maintaining
bone density. There are three key areas to consider when it comes to preventing
osteoporosis: diet, lifestyle choices and medications. http://www.osteoperosishelp.com/howtopreventosteoporosis
To maintain strong healthy bones a diet sufficient in calcium and vitamin
D are important from preadolescence and throughout adulthood. Calcium needs
become greater in older adults whose bodies can no longer rebuild bone mass.
Recent studies suggest that bone fractures can be reduced by 30-50% in individuals
with low dietary calcium simply with the addition of a calcium and vitamin
D supplement.
A few easy lifestyle changes can also influence our risk of getting osteoporosis.
Smoking, low body weight and a lack of exercise are all contributing factors
to raising our susceptibility to the disease. Weight-bearing exercises like
walking, stair climbing, dancing and weight training help to increase bone
density, keep muscles flexible and ensure better physical balance in people
of all ages. Exercise also helps to regulate body weight to a healthy level.
There is a direct link between tobacco use and lower bone density so smoking
cessation is also recommended.
The use of medications can and does play an important role in the prevention
of osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D supplements as mentioned previously
are often paired with bisphosphonates like Alendronate and Risedronate,
selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like Raloxifene, and hormonal
replacements like Estrogen and Testosterone. All medications have some side
effects and these are best discussed with your doctor.
Though there is no known cure for osteoporosis there is hope and help in
preventing this common and often debilitating disease of the elderly. By
starting now and working to prevent bone density loss you'll have a stronger,
healthier future.
What Is Natural Women's Health?
By Emmanuel Aubrey Obviously, the anatomy of the human body is different
for both men and women; however, most people see evidence for this in the
actual physical appearance of the body. This is certainly the most distinguishable
difference, but there are many other different internal factors as well,
such as the regulation of hormonal secretions and the type of secretions;
in addition, women are more prone to certain diseases than men.
If you decide to take natural health approach as a woman, you will need
to address these differences in the regimen you design. You might know that
it is important to eat low-fat foods, unrefined foods that do not contain
preservatives, but do you know what vitamins and nutrients women are more
likely to lack?--And do you know why not addressing those needs can significantly
decrease your performance at work or at home?
You know from experience that a poor health regimen will manifest itself
in everything you do. It will show on your skin and in your eyes. You will
lack energy and it will show. Your body will reveal your lifestyle.
Natural women's health is one method you can use to reverse the effects
of your poor health regimen. In addition to getting more sleep and drinking
more water, a natural women's health regimen will include proper nutrition.
This is especially important if you are pregnant or planning to conceive
in the future. If you want to have a child, you must ensure your body is
functioning properly by restoring yourself to good health through natural
methods; and if you are currently pregnant, you need to ensure that your
body is replacing the nutrients your baby is consuming.
That is, however, not the only reason natural women's health should focus
on nutrition. It is also because there are certain foods that normally benefit
women's metabolisms, which can be very beneficial, as it is often harder
for women to lose weight than men.
Natural women's health is also an important part of regulating your PMS
and menstrual cycle. It is a way of ensuring that while your body is performing
all its natural functions it is still able to get all the nutrition it needs
to keep going.
One excellent place to find free information about natural women's health
is the Internet. There are a number of websites that offer a significant
amount of information on natural health regimens that could greatly improve
your quality of life.
That is why so many women are thinking about changing their lifestyles
to focus on a more natural approach to health. That will help them deal
with all the other issues other than having to worry about whether or not
they are taking care of their bodies. This is the best proactive treatment
you can give your body.
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Emmanuel Aubrey
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