Author: Chris Ritchie

Weight training builds muscle mass, which, contrary to what many women believe, does not necessarily mean bulking up. Most women do not have the body type to attain large, bulky muscles, even if they weight train excessively. What a strength training program can do is create lean muscles, which helps not only with strength but also with overall fitness. Muscles also give you stability and better balance, and having more muscle means that you burn more calories when at rest. How to Begin Your Weight Lifting Program Remember: You don’t need fancy strength training equipment. Start lifting weights with a…

There are basic differences between Standard as opposed to Olympic weight sets that anyone aspiring to get into weight lifting ought to be aware of. As the saying goes, “you get what you pay for,” and this is reflected in the strengths and weaknesses of standard vs. Olympic benches, bars, and weights. Standard vs. Olympic Benches, Bars, and Weights: Physical Properties There are a number of physical differences between Standard vs. Olympic benches, bars, and weights which are important to consider before making any purchase. The first issue is pure strength. Olympic bars can handle more, and correspondingly, so can…

Cybex. Nautilus. Life Fitness. Hammer Strength. These are just a few of the brands of strength training equipment made popular by their ubiquity in health clubs, and for good reason: they offer options for lifting a variety of large muscle groups, are relatively easy to use, and don’t take up too much space. Just because they’re there, however, doesn’t mean they’re right for you. When selecting exercises for your strength routine, consider your desired results. Are you trying to put on mass? Lose weight and gain strength? Are you training for an endurance event like a triathlon? Also, are you…

If one were to lose all muscle mass (starvation) he would surely die, yet other less severe complications can arise from sarcopenia. With limited amounts of muscle mass reserve, individuals do not respond well to stress. In various studies it was noted that lung-cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy showed that the recurrence of cancer was predicted by levels of body protein; there is a clear link between diminished muscle mass and cardiac failure; and the survival from severe burns was lowest among individuals with reduced muscle mass. In 2005 the Mediterranean Intensive Oxidant Study determined there was a direct link between…

One of the most well known physiological principles that govern physical training is the SAID acronym. The acronym stands for “Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands”. It means that as the body is physiologically stressed, the systems of the body will adapt and change to meet the specific demands of the stressors. This works for all systems of the body including the cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, and musculoskeletal. When muscle tissue is stressed beyond what its normal capacity to respond to work is, the muscle tissue will undergo specific physiological changes. These physiological changes include an increase in the size of the…

Exercisers just starting a weight training program may have questions about which workout method is best – free weights or machines. Both of these forms of strength training have their pros and cons. Strength Training With Free Weights Free weights include both dumbbells and barbells. Many veteran exercisers consider free weights to be the “gold standard” of strength training. Free weights “simulate real-life lifting situations and promote whole-body stabilization,” according to Dr. Edward Laskowski, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic. In addition, free weights tend to work several muscles at the same time within a given…

The body’s primary advantage is its ability to adapt to its environment. When related to lifting weights, progressively increasing resistance equates to large muscles with striated definition. Benefits of Resistance Training Anaerobic exercise, weight lifting, is the best way to lose weight. Its fat-burning and metabolism-raising effects put it on a completely different level than cardiovascular exercise. The muscle-building benefits which result from weight training extend beyond metabolism. New-found size and muscular definition tends to produce a desirable physique, and can therefore lead to higher confidence levels. Whether or not it’s politically correct, people view somebody who is fit differently…

When designing a workout regime for body transformation, there are a number of factors to contemplate. What are your goals, your age, your current fitness level, do you have any orthopedic challenges, how much time will you devote to your regime, etc. Once you have answered those questions you’re ready to begin. I would like to devote the next few articles to exercise selection, more specifically, the most effective exercises for each muscle group. Let’s start with the legs. So, what are the best exercises for leg development? But, before I answer that I would like to point out that…

Training your glutes is an often neglected part of bodybuilding workout routines. Adding a few glute exercise 1-3 days a week can offer substantial gains in the aesthetics department. One key element to obtaining tight, round glutes is putting your mind into the muscle. Evidence shows that focusing on the muscle working, especially at the point of contraction, greatly increases the effectiveness of the workout. You could perform glute exercises all day and show minimal improvement if you fail to focus. Regardless of whether your derriere is carrying extra baggage, or if there is evidence of pancake-bottom syndrome, the follow…

A Long and Healthy Life Can be Yours There are several reasons why exercise regimes often fall by the wayside as one gets older. The problem is not the exercise routine itself, usually. The problem may actually be in the imbalance of hormones and nutrients in a middle-aged woman’s body. Aerobics Fail There comes a day when many women are tempted to throw in the towel regarding regular exercise. After years of pumping iron, peddling for miles, pounding the pavement, aerobicising with Jane (or Denise, Debbie, Gilad et al) it seems that the battle of the bulge is an uphill…