Table of Contents:
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1. Feature Article - Benefits of Strength Training
2. Fitness Tip of the Week
3. Recommended Book of the Week
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1. Feature Article
Benefits of Strength Training Part I
By Chad Tackett, president of Global Fitness
Strength training is exercise that uses resistance--for example, weights--to
strengthen
and condition the musculoskeletal system, improving muscle tone and
endurance.
"Strength training" is used as a general term synonymous with other
common terms:
"weightlifting" and "resistance training." Physiologically, the benefits
of consistent
strength training include an increase in muscle size and tone, increased
muscle
strength, and increases in tendon, bone, and ligament strength. Strength
training has
also been shown to improve psychological health as well, by increasing
self-esteem,
confidence and self-worth.
These improvements have a great influence on our physical performance,
metabolic
efficiency, physical appearance and risk of injury. I'll go into each
of these in detail,
outlining some very exciting benefits of a good strength-training program
that most
people overlook or don't realize.
Improved Physical Performance and Appearance
One important result of strength training is increased physical performance.
Muscles
quite literally utilize energy to produce movement, functioning as
the engine or
powerhouse of the body. Strength training increases the muscles' size,
strength, and
endurance, which contribute to improvements in our work, our favorite
sports and
hobbies, and our general day-to-day activities.
Another benefit of a good strength-training program is its effect on
our overall
appearance and body composition, which can directly influence self-esteem,
self-worth, and level of confidence. Take, for example, a 170-pound
man who has 20
percent body fat--34 pounds of fat weight and 136 pounds of lean body
weight
(muscle, bones, organs, water, etc.) By beginning an effective strength
training
program, he replaces five pounds of fat with five pounds of muscle.
He still weighs
170 pounds, but he is now 17 percent fat--with 29 pounds of fat weight
and 141
pounds of lean body weight. Although his body weight remains the same,
his strength,
muscle tone, and metabolism have improved, giving him a firmer, more
fit appearance.
Both our physical appearance and our physical performance can be improved
by
muscle gain or hampered by muscle loss. Research indicates that unless
we strength
train regularly, we lose more than one-half pound of muscle every year
of our lives
after age 25. Unless we implement a safe and effective strength-training
program, our
muscles gradually decrease in size and strength in the process called
"atrophy."
Strength training is therefore important for preventing the muscle loss
that normally
accompanies the aging process. A common misconception is that as we
get older, it is
normal to stop being active and to start using ambulatory aides like
canes and
wheelchairs. Many people think we have no choice; they think this is
normal.
But this couldn't be further from the truth. There is absolutely no
reason why all of us
can't be physically, mentally, socially, and sexually active, living
a healthy vibrant life
until the very day we die! The reason many elderly people rely on ambulatory
aides
and become slower and fatter is simply that over the years their muscles
are
decreasing, so their physical performance and metabolism also decrease,
becoming
less efficient.
In Part II, I'll discuss Metabolic Efficiency and Decreased Risk of
Injury
2. Fitness Tip of the Week
Neutral Wrist Position
As a bodybuilder, you should focus on muscular contractions
when training, not the resistance your muscles are moving.
Unless you are training your forearms, you should strive to
maintain a neutral wrist (neither flexed nor extended)
while lifting. Pay attention to your wrists the next time
you train back or biceps. Are you flexing your wrists at
the end of the movement? If you are, you are probably
focusing on the weights more than your body and not
realizing the full potential of a lot of exercises.
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fitness, health and nutrition tips,
magazines visit:
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3. Recommended Book of the Week
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody
A complete, illustrative, colorful and practical guide about the healing properties of herbs by an expert in the field- Penelope Ody- Member of National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) with a special foreward by Mark Blumenthal (Executive Director of the American Botanical Council). It contains over 120 full-color photographs of medicinal herbs and plants with therapeutic properties. Each different component of the herb is described and its corresponding use towards a treatment of an ailment is explained in a clear and concise manner. Penelope Ody includes over 250 safe and effective home remedies for a wide range of ailments. She even includes a brief history on the use of herbs from ancient times to our present day. An ideal reference guide for the use of herbal remedies!
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