Answer To Your Fitness Questions" />Strength Training Without Weights
July 29, 2008
You probably have your own reasons for strength training without weights, such as an injury, or you are just beginning a program, or that you are aging and you are not comfortable in using weights anymore. But there are some keys to strength training without weights and build actual strength.
1)Progressive muscular resistance, in other words, intensity! Increase in intensity progressively using your own body’s weight and resistance. The best way is body awareness and repetitions.
2)Minimal rest periods. Do not use lag time, keep moving through your muscle groups!
3)Use supersets. These are exercises that increase your intensity, for example do push-ups and then immediately do pull ups. It is a form of muscle confusion, shocking the muscles into reaction.
4)Absolutely stretch. Keep your ROM active and increasing to get stronger in your program. Remember, tightness limits strength.
5)Eat a diet rich in protein, veggies, fruits, and some complex grains. Keep your body rebulding, repairing and nutritiously feeding the cells.
Most of these keys up above are very familiar to you! As strength training without weights makes sense to you, give it a try, it really is the old exercise format, called calisthenics. It does work and it does bring more variety to your program to give you the results you are working towards. I believe we all need this from time to time, it doesn’t matter if you are beginning or advanced, you are always in a position that needs muscle confusion!!
A Great Exercise
July 14, 2008
Some keys to getting a good night sleep can be found in nutrition, meditation, specific yoga poses and breathing. Did you know that this muscle tension can be causes by too much AND too little activity during the day? If you are one who works out a lot and are overactive during the day, you need some great restorative poses. Make sure you get poses such as:
Bridge Pose
Child’s Pose
Legs up-a-wall
Corpse Pose
These will release tension and restore vitality and health. Be sure to always include your breathing, which can be done lying down or seated. But I prefer lying down because of my high activity level. So take long, deep inhales without any pause, filling the lungs up and releasing completely without force.
If you are underactive, you need more of a dynamic workout. It’s purpose is to remove the built up tension you have been working on for some time. May I suggest three Sun Salutations A and B, and maybe supported shoulder stand and Corpse Pose.
Our nutrition is very important to help promote sleep and I think we all know what to stay away from and what to eat, but for just a quick review, emphasize the foods that settle you down such as grains, vegetables, and beans. Always drink lots of water as we need to keep fluid balance! We especially lose this in the summer.
Hopefully, everyone, the above mentioned suggestions will help you get a sounder sleep. I know I need one!
