Tag Archives: weights

Benefits of Weight Lifting

There are a number of benefits to weight lifting that you might want to implement into your fitness routine. However I also strongly urge you to first make sure that you have established some cardio into your routine first. Making the transition from cardio to weight training might be a challenge but there is no reason that you can’t have a little of both. You might break up your routine with 15 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of weight lifting. It’s really all up to you. One of the things you will notice right off the bat with weight … Continue reading →

Weight Lifting and the Elderly

It’s never too late to start lifting weights. At least that’s what the authors of a new fitness study maintain. A recent study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that individuals should be hitting the weights as they age. The reason: As time goes on people gradually lose muscle mass and become more prone to falls. Researchers say as individuals age they lose fast-twitch muscle fibers, used for activities such as running, kicking a ball, or getting up and down from a chair. To reverse the effects, scientists say older people need to … Continue reading →

Weightlifting: It’s Not About the Weight

How many times have you seen guys at the gym try to lift as much weight as they can without paying attention to form or technique? They’re grunting and sweating and throwing weights up instead of lifting them correctly and later that day they’re limping around because they tweaked their back. Experienced weightlifters know that the sport is more about good form and technique than it is about how many pounds of steel you can throw around. Professional weightlifters are the first to chastise guys who are in need of a serious ego check because they know first hand the … Continue reading →

Is One Really Enough?

I got into weightlifting when I was a freshman in college. I was dating a guy who was obsessed with bodybuilding. He was competing for Mr. Wisconsin… or was it Mr. Universe? In any event, A. couldn’t go a day without working out (or eating egg whites), so needless to say, much of the time we spent together was at the gym. And while our relationship may have failed (he loved his body way more than he loved me) I left with a great parting gift—-a toned body and tight grip on how to design a fitness routine that worked … Continue reading →

Body-for-Life Day #5 Training: Upper Body

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Although the exercises are the same as the workout from Day #1, this workout should be just a little different. You’ll find that the exercises are a little bit easier every time you do them. You’ll also find that you are capable of using more weight. Perhaps not today but eventually you’ll start gaining muscle and find that the weights you began with just aren’t as challenging any more. Most women are hesitant to start weight training. If you are one of them, there are some very important things that you should be aware of: 1. Muscle burns fat. This … Continue reading →

Body-for-Life Workout Day #1

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We’re ready to start the Body-for-Life program! If you haven’t started with the initial Day #1 instructions in the Weight Loss Blog, please click here. Every day will begin with the Weight Loss Blog and link to the next day’s workout (in the Fitness Blog) as well as the day’s food tip in the Food Blog. The great thing about the Body-for-Life program is that you don’t need to join a gym to participate. In fact, you can do every workout in the privacy and comfort of your own home without the hassle of having to join a gym, pay … Continue reading →

Using Perceived Exhaustion

It doesn’t matter what your fitness experience is, you can use perceived exhaustion to help measure your fitness experience. Remember, perceived exhaustion is how hard it is for you to do the workout. It’s not about walking the furthest or running the fastest. It’s about how you feel when you are doing the exercise. Think for a moment, when you go to a doctor and they ask you to tell them on a scale of 1 to 10 – how badly does something hurt? A 10 being excruciating and a 1 being discomfort. This is using a perceived pain scale … Continue reading →

Spring Forward to Action 30-Day Challenge – Day 18: Circuit Training

Remember, you need to be sure to hydrate before, during and after your workout. Set aside about 30 to 35 minutes. You will be performing circuit training today and there will be no more than 30 second breaks between your different exercises. Take a deep breath and have a drink of water! Let’s get started! Begin your workout by marching in place. Put on some music with a good beat. This can help you march. As you march, swing your arms forwards and back lightly. You are trying to get your heart rate up and warm up your body. Perform … Continue reading →

Personal Trainers – Answering the Why

It sounds simple to hire a personal trainer and build a body that is the equivalent of one of those you see in a highly rated film. However, there are better reasons to hire a personal trainer and we’re going to talk about those. Why? Simple, one of the first things people do when they talk about getting in shape is say one of the following: “If I only had more time …” “If I had the money … “ “If I really had someone to show me what the heck to do … “ The answer to all of … Continue reading →