A Glossary For The Strength Trainer

November 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Photo by borrower time | demi-brooke
What is the definition of strength training?

I realize that many of my readers may at times, while reading my articles, run across strength training related words which they may not be familiar with and which leave them flashing a great big question mark.  So I recently prepared a glossary of commonly used words as a quick reference in the hopes that readers will find it useful.  I will update it as I think of more words to add.  Click here to go to the glossary now, or find the link in the category list in the column on the right for easy access to the glossary when you need it.

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Glossary For Strength Trainers

November 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Photo by Andréia

No need to Google it … and there are no dumb questions.  If you can’t find it here, please contact me.  I will get the definition to you as well as add it to the list.

  • Abdominal Muscles (or abs): Front of the stomach.  Often referred to as the upper abs and lower abs, but truthfully the abs are one long, flat, continuous sheet of muscle.
  • Abductors: The outer thighs.
  • Adductors: The muscles inside the upper leg or inner thighs.
  • Aerobic Exercise: Lower intensity exercise performed for longer periods of time, such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming.
  • Anaerobic Exercise: Intense exercise used by athletes in non-endurance sports to build power and by body builders to build muscle mass.  Muscles develop differently leading to greater performance in short duration and high intensity activities.
  • Biceps: Span the front of the upper arm.  Often referred to as guns, the biceps bend the arm.
  • Caliper: A devise used to measure body fat.
  • Circuit Training: Machines placed in a logical order (usually in a row or circle) so that one may move from one to the other without having to determine which exercise to do next.  Usually good for beginners.
  • Compound Exercises: Exercises that call into play multiple muscle groups rather than focusing on one.
  • Core: The anatomic center of the body.  Also referred to as trunk or torso.
  • Core Muscles: Deep muscle layers that lay close to the spine and provide structural support.
  • Core Training: Training the body’s center and building a strong foundation.  The objective of core training is to improve muscle endurance.
  • Creatine: An amino acid that occurs naturally in the body and is found in meat, poultry and fish.  Often taken by strength trainers and bodybuilders in supplement form, it is believed to increase exercise performance, muscle size, and strength.  It is also believed to speed up recovery between workouts.  Creatine only works for those who maintain a serious weight lifting program.
  • Bodybuilding: The act of building muscle mass by working out and shaping one’s diet. May be done for recreation, personal betterment, or as a competitive sport.
  • Endurance Training:
  • Glutes: Or gluteus maximus.  It makes up a large portion of the shape and appearance of the buttocks.
  • Hamstrings: Muscles which reside directly behind the thighbone.  They bend the knee, bringing the heel toward the buttocks, and they help the glutes.
  • Hip Flexors: Muscles located on the front of the body that are involved in raising the legs.  Most important muscles in the running process.
  • Obliques: Muscles that run diagonally up and down the side of the abs.
  • Plank: Basic core stabilization exercise that works the abs, back, glutes, and shoulder stabilizer muscles.
  • Quadriceps (or quads): Located at the front of the thighs.  The purpose of these four muscles is to straighten your leg from the knee.
  • Resistance Bands: Flat strips of latex rubber which provide resistance.
  • Resistance Training: A form of strength training in which effort is performed against a specific opposing force generated by resistance.
  • Stabilizer Muscles: Muscles that hold the joints together properly to improve movement efficiency, prevent injury, and promote stability.
  • Strength Training: Exercising with resistance with the goal of increasing physical strength.
  • Tabata: An interval training routine which consists of 8 rounds of 20 seconds maximum intensity exercise with a 10 second rest in between each round for a total of four minutes.  Named after Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., this training was first developed for Olympic athletes therefore it is not for the beginner exerciser.
  • Triceps: Span the rear of the upper arm.  They are located directly behind the biceps and they work together with the biceps.
  • Weight Training: A common type of strength training for developing the size and strength of muscles.  Uses the force of gravity in the form of weighted bars and dumbbells.
  • Whey Protein: A derivative of milk protein, it is the highest yield of protein currently available.  Often taken by bodybuilders and strength trainers as protein is the single most important nutrient for building and healing muscle.

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The Reverse Lunge: The Best Lower Body Exercise For Women

November 23, 2008 | 1 Comment

Photo by kretyen
In order to achieve the shapely proportions that most women desire, training should be focused on the hips, buttocks, and thighs as this is an area where 90% of all women gain the majority of their weight.

Therefore, it only makes sense that a woman’s exercise routine should have specific exercises aimed at working the larger muscles of the lower body.  Working the larger muscles will burn calories at a faster rate than will working the smaller muscles.  And there is no better exercise for working the lower body than the reverse lunge.

Why the reverse lunge vs. the forward lunge?

The forward lunge itself is a great exercise for women.  It works nearly every major muscle group in the lower part of the body. Plus, it improves flexibility in the hip flexors, which can become tight during aerobic exercise, which could pull your spine out of alignment thereby increasing your risk of back injury.  When done properly, the lunge is safe for joints, it is back friendly, it burns maximum calories for the energy expended, it promotes lean muscle tone, and it works!

But the safest and most effective variation of lunging is the reverse lunge.   When you reverse your lunge, the effects on the muscles are the same, but less stress is placed on the knees because they cannot extend beyond the toes.  And by taking a step backwards instead of forwards, it is easier to maintain balance because your weight is primarily centered upon your forward leg, which remains stationary.  The main purpose of the reverse lunge is to develop the quadriceps and hamstring muscles in the thighs and to shape the glutes.

How to do the reverse lunge.

First of all, remember these proper form rules.

  1. Always keep your head up, shoulders back, chest out, and back straight.
  2. Never allow the knee to touch the floor.
  3. Your striding knee and thigh should always line up with your foot as misalignment can cause injury.

Stand upright with feet close together.  Keeping your torso erect, take a controlled step backward with one foot as you bend the knee of your forward leg. Step back far enough that your knees don’t pass your toes. After your toes and the ball of your rear foot contact the floor, continue into a deep lunge until your front knee forms a 90-degree angle. At this point, your forward thigh should be parallel with the floor and your knee should be positioned over your ankle and your foot. Your forward leg should bear most of the weight and your shin should be vertical. Your trailing knee should be extended so as to stretch your hip flexors. The greater the stretch, the better the butt!  Don’t let the trailing knee touch the floor. Push off with your rear foot and return to standing position in one fluid motion. Alternate legs on each rep or do a set of reps on one leg before switching to the other.  If you want to build more muscle tone, hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides for added resistance.

FOR YOUR GYM BAG: ALL-NATURAL MUFFINS-100 Delicious Calorie VitaMuffins

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10 Ways To Intensify Your Walking Workout

November 17, 2008 | 5 Comments

Photo by mikebaird
Walking is one of the most natural forms of exercise.

It is safe, it is easy, and it provides many health benefits, such as . . . it helps control weight management, it reduces the risk of heart attack, it eases depression and anxiety, it reduces the risk of diabetes, and it reduces blood pressure. Especially as we get older and other forms of exercise become more challenging, walking is a great exercise that can help maintain wellness goals.

But walking can also help us stay strong, help achieve good overall physical fitness, and even assist with toned and strong abs.  No matter what pace you walk, you will build strength.  But for those of you who want to push it to the next level, here are a few ways to increase the intensity of your walk for better overall health.  Some of these are not for the elderly.

  1. Walk briskly. A brisk walk usually means 3.5 to 4 miles per hour.  The longer and more vigorous the walk, the more calories you’ll burn and the more strength you’ll build.  Try to walk briskly for an hour four times a week and you will burn approximately 1000-1200 calories per week from walking alone.  If an hour is too much for you, break it down into shorter walks.
  2. Walk up and down hills. Great way to tone your legs!  When walking up, lean slightly forward to ease the stress on your legs.  Walking down is harder on the knees, so be sure to bend your knees slightly and go down at a slower pace.
  3. Do interval training. Interval training builds muscle and burns more calories.  Examples of this type of training are:  walk one block fast, one block slow, and repeat.  Or walk on flat terrain for one mile and then on rough terrain, or up and down a hill, for the next mile.
  4. Add hand weights to your walk. Hand weights are not always recommended as they increase stress on your shoulders and arms.  And because they change the swing of your arm, they can lead to muscle soreness and injury.  That being said, they also result in more calories burned during your walk.  Start with one-pound weights and increase gradually.  Do not use hand weights if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.
  5. Try retro walking. That is, walking backwards.  It looks a little bizarre, but walking (or jogging) in reverse puts less stress on the joints than regular walking.  In fact, therapists began recommending retro jogging to injured athletes in the 1970s in rehabilitation programs.  However, retro training takes some practice and it can turn your walk into a more intense workout, and therefore it is not for everyone.  It is especially not for those who have difficulty with balance.  Be sure you are on a smooth surface with no potholes, obstacles, or traffic (cars or people).  A walking partner comes in handy during retro walking as one of you can walk backwards while the other acts as a spotter.
  6. Use walking poles. Walking poles can boost calorie burn during your walk by increasing your upper body workout.  They work your chest, your arms, and your abs.  At the same time, they assist you in maintaining good posture.  Walking poles are excellent for older people who struggle with balance problems.
  7. Pump those arms. Swinging your arms during walking provides a good workout for your upper body and burns up to 10% more calories.  Bend your arms at a 90 degree angle with your elbows close to your side.  Pump them from the shoulders and move them in opposition to your legs.
  8. Walk with good posture. Chest lifted, upright back posture, shoulders pulled back but relaxed.  Your stomach should naturally contract thereby working your abdominal muscles.  Poor posture increases the risk of injury.
  9. Find different walking terrains. The more difficult the terrain (asphalt vs. grass) the more calories you’ll burn.  We all know that walking on sand is more difficult than walking on a road.  But did you know that walking on sand at a good pace can burn up to 50% more calories?
  10. Skip the elevators and take the stairs. In fact, add steps whenever you can.  Park a few blocks from work, and walk the rest of the way.  Walk to school, to the store, or anywhere you can.  Walk around the building before you go in.  Heck, walk around it backwards and give onlookers something to talk about.

FOR YOUR GYM BAG: Accurately measure your walking, hiking, or jogging distance with an AccuFitness Pedometer.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Strength Training