Tag Archives: weight training

Do You Want Big Muscles?

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When you think about exercise and fitness, do you think about big muscles? Do you concentrate on a workout that builds muscle and strengthens the body? Do you a chest that would do Atlas proud? If building muscle is your priority, then it’s important for you to understand everything you can about muscle strength, strength building and more. Hypertrophy Bulky muscle is caused by muscle hypertrophy. So what is it, you ask? Hypertrophy is what happens when muscle cells thicken, but don’t get longer. Your muscle cells may divide and create more, this can also create a thick appearance without … Continue reading →

Weight Training: Progression and Overload

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We talked about exercise principles yesterday and the importance of doing it right the first time in order to promote your success. One of the principles we discussed was the concept of overload. I know from at least one reader’s note that I wasn’t exactly clear on what overload is, so today I want to talk about progression and overload. Overload Your body is designed to adapt to stress and to load. For example, when you’re pregnant, you get progressively heavier. You don’t go from being 1 month pregnant to 9 months pregnant overnight. This important because the progressive gain … Continue reading →

How to Weight Train for Running & Cycling

Last week, we discussed the fact that runners and cyclists need to weight train in order to maximize their performance and to get the most out of their workouts. Running and cycling are both aerobic training sports and while they can help you stay fit and lose weight, you don’t train your muscles up evenly and that can lead to injuries. I got a note from a reader after that blog that wanted more information on how to weight train if you’re already running and cycling, so this is an attempt to answer that request prior to our Dear Heather … Continue reading →

Runners & Cyclists Need Weight Training, Too

Are you a runner or a cyclist? A lot of athletes who run regularly or cycle regularly whether they are in training or not sometimes resist the idea of weight training because they get plenty of exercise when they are riding their bikes or running daily. In fact, I know one runner who regularly participates in marathons and she didn’t like the idea of weight training, until a personal trainer proved to her that weight training actually improved her endurance and running. Weight Training Adds Muscle Tissue Most cardiovascular activities, including running and cycling, are great for building heart and … Continue reading →

Weight-Training and Weight-Training Safety

When it comes to working out, we explore the different options in order to give ourselves the best opportunities at health and fitness. Weight training is just such an opportunity. The primary rule of any weight training you do whether you are a beginner or more advanced lifter is to be safe. So let’s talk about weight training and weight training safety. Never Lifted Weights Before? If you’re a beginner who’s never lifted weights before, you need to work with a teacher or a personal trainer to learn how to lift weights correctly. The majority of injuries related to weight … Continue reading →

Men’s Fitness: Why You Have to Lift Weights

Are you the weight lifting type? Do you look in the mirror and see Atlas? You know the old advertisement that used to be in the back of magazines and comic books of the well-defined musculature on the tall figure and more. We see the weight lifting type when we look Arnold Schwarzenegger and at professional wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and more. It’s important to understand that weight lifting, weight training, resistance training and strength training are interchangeable because they all involve stressing your muscles, tearing your muscle fibers in order to have them repair and become stronger. So let’s … Continue reading →

Post-Natal Fitness: Workout Week Number 1

I promised the new moms out there some workout advice and a few posted routines to help kick start your fitness program. In an effort to cover all areas of fitness, we’ll talk about cardio and weight training this week. Next week, we’ll tackle an aerobic recommendation. Ideally, you should schedule a workout time for being 9 a.m. For most of us, when we work out first thing in the morning, we get our exercise in and we are less likely to be distracted from completing the workout later in the day. For new moms, you should have consulted with … Continue reading →

Weight Training Leads to Longer Term Results

As you begin to explore your fitness options, you will discover that there are different answers to different fitness needs. Weight training is good for men and women and despite what many women may think, lifting weights can help with weight loss and toning shape so that clothes fit better and look better. Weight training is also a great way to build endurance, health and more. Before you start weight training, however you need to figure out where to start. Weight training requires proper form and execution; it’s also something you build up to. Before you dive into any fitness … Continue reading →

We Need To Feel Pain

There is a reason that the body feels pain. Pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong or that we’re in danger of something being wrong. We feel pain after a workout because we’ve done damage to our muscles. The muscle damage is necessary to build muscle strength because when torn muscle fibers repair themselves they are stronger than before. The repair job also burns more calories, that is part of the reason strength training helps in not only muscle building, but also in weight loss. You may experience your muscle soreness after the workout in … Continue reading →

10 Reasons You Should Strength Train

I gave my 10 reasons you should do cardio every day last week and today I am going to give my 10 reasons you should strength train. Strength training is important to your overall fitness and while many people resist strength training when they are working on losing weight using cardio and a low-fat diet. Learn why in these 10 reasons you should strength train. Strength training helps to build muscle, muscle can turn your body into a fat burning machine, burning calories more efficiently and steadily 24 hours a day and help you achieve your weight loss goals more … Continue reading →