Personal Trainers NYC Clarifies Definition of ‘strength Training’

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Personal Trainers NYC Clarifies Definition of ‘strength Training’ – Health – Fitness

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A trend towards minimalism and ‘old school’ training methods has brought strength training back into vogue even for the non-athlete and is an integral part of successful training methods of Personal Trainers NYC. In order to understand the benefits of strength training and the reasons for its efficacy, it is important to first understand the proper definition of what strength training is.

The common misconception amongst many who participate in an exercise program is that when ‘strength training’ is referenced, it is being used as a generic term synonymous with ‘resistance training’ or ‘weight training’ or any similar words used to describe any type of general exercise that employs the use of an external load (dumbbells, barbells, bands, cables etc). This misconception is further propagated by inexperienced personal trainers, popular fitness media personalities, magazine writers, and even doctors and physical therapists whose knowledge of exercise was garnered mostly from the shallow pool of knowledge the commercial fitness industry was based on, and not one specifically based on fundamentals of muscle physiology, biomechanics, and the increase of human performance.

As any legitimate strength coach, competitive lifter or athlete that has trained to enhance his performance knows, this generic concept of strength training could not be further from accurate. In exercise science terms ‘strength training’ specifically refers to applying stress to the body in a method designed for increasing force output- how much force the body’s muscle system is capable of generating, as measured and expressed usually by 1 repetition maximum or a series of repetitions with a very high estimated percentage of 1 repetition max.

Now how does this apply to the general population, someone that is not a competitive athlete or lifter? The answer is multi-fold. First and foremost, maximal strength (force output) is the only aspect of fitness that has a positive effect on every other aspect of one’s fitness. Increased strength improves your muscular endurance, it improves your cardiovascular capacity, and when achieved properly through the use of full range of motion compound exercises (the type most people are sadly completely unfamiliar with) it increases one’s flexibility and mobility as well. Further, it is simply hard to imagine anyone of any population that would not want to be stronger and the simple benefit of this is readily apparent in everyday life.

The other more overriding factor for the importance and efficacy of actual specific strength training in the general population is a bit more complicated scientifically and has to do with the actual adaptive response muscles have to strength training. Training for strength causes an increase in myofibrillar hypertrophy. What this means is that the number of myofibrils, the actual contractile units in a muscle, increase as a result of the training. Increasing the number of contractile units allows more force to be generated. The greatest myofibrillar hypertrophy is induced by lifting heavy weights over multiple sets of low reps -5 or fewer repetitions and 3 to as many 10 or more sets.

Body building protocols which prioritize mass and size gain aim to induce sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Sarcoplasm is the fluid-like filler of muscle cells. Increases in sarcoplasm and therefore muscle size and volume result from training with moderate weights in a medium set and rep range, 6-12 reps and usually no more than four sets.

High rep low weight training, sets of 12-15 and beyond, is inefficient at best and largely ineffective except for burning calories and inducing some fat loss when accompanied by a sensible diet because of the resulting calorie deficit. This is because the stress applied in this type of training is not great enough to induce significant myofibrillar or sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and most adaptive response of the muscle body ceases to occur within several weeks of beginning training. Some progressive increase in load on a high rep protocol can continue to increase some adaptation, but this will become incrementally less and less as training continues.

So a strength training protocol will deliver the results most clients’ male, female young or old desire: Aesthetically a physique with more prominent firmer muscles that aren’t excessively large, and the addition of greater strength, stamina, mobility and overall health. Depending on the individual needs of the client, training protocols can be adjusted by an Personal Trainers NYC and other methods utilized, but it is clear to see why a basis and emphasis on ‘strength training’ is highly important and in its absence any other training methods will be compromised in their efficacy.

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What Is Circuit Training? And How It Will Add Muscle Definition

Article by Timothy Downey

What Is Circuit Training? And How It Will Add Muscle Definition – Health – Fitness

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It’s funny that anytime I talk with men and women when it comes to working out and bring up the expression Circuit training I always get a similar reaction. What is curcuit training? Most people have an understanding but just can’t explain exactly what it is or how it works. In case you’re new to this term perhaps you might want to learn what it is and how you can use it to increase muscle, shed fat and enjoy a more effective overall body workout.

What is Circuit Training?

Well, it’s really quite simple to understand. Circuit training is actually a kind of conditioning combining resistance training and high-intensity aerobics. It’s meant to be simple to adhere to and target strength building together with muscular endurance. An exercise “circuit” is one completion of all suggested exercises inside the program. When one circuit is finished, one can start the first exercise over again for another circuit. Usually, the time in between exercises in circuit training is quick, often with swift movement to another exercise.

Combining resistance training and cardiovascular training

This really is one of the things I really like about circuit training. Any time you include resistance training and aerobic training it helps save you time in the gym. You’re getting the two of them finished in one workout. You can do resistance training with light weight and high repetitions or by simply employing your bodyweight. Both versions of training will provide the level of resistance required to boost muscle growth. The cardiovascular training is from the fast rest periods involved when switching from one exercise to the next. You can also include more cardio training by adding in an exercise in the circuit which involves getting the heart rate up rapidly.

Why I favor body weight workouts when circuit training?

Bodweight workouts are an excellent way to get resistance training and aerobic training all at once. They require minimal floor space (you could do them in your living room) and mimimal equipment. Bodyweight circuits seem like they could be easy but wait until you see how tough they are when a qualified personal trainer puts one together.

Circuit training and muscle definintion

So if somebody were to ask me what is circuit training I would give them the definition that I mentioned previously then immediately go on to discuss the advantages of body weight workouts carried out in a circuit fashion. And why combining this along with your regular gym program is what will provide you with the muscle definition of an athlete.

About the Author

Tim Downey has been a fitness consultant for over 18 years. He specializes in giving advice to men and women who want to develop a lean and toned body that appeals to the opposite sex. I write and develop well thought out and researched articles on my popular website The Lean Look.

“I believe that most people would rather have the build of an underwear model, instead of looking like a bodybuilder. I think that there is a major gap in the fitness industry that I’m looking to fill. You must train differently than a bodybuilder if you want a lean sexy body.”

Tim also practices what he preaches…

“I have nice six pack abs 12 months out of the year and I’m very defined without being overly muscular. My goal is to help as many people as possible reach their goals of looking like a Calvin Klein -or- Victoria’s Secret Underwear Model.”

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Timothy Downey

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Find More Definition Muscular Endurance Articles

A Definition of Isometric Exercise

Article by David Nordmark

There is a lot of confusion out there as to just what constitutes an isometric exercise. Many people believe that Charles Atlas built his great physique using isometric exercise. This is not the case. Charles Atlas taught a series of moving self-resistance exercises that he called “dynamic tension” combined with bodyweight exercises like pushups. The key thing about an isometric exercise is that it involves no movement at all. Let’s say that you press your two palms together as hard as you can. Obviously you can really work your muscles (especially your chest muscles) with this kind of exercise. However when you do this there is no movement at all. This is called an isometric contraction. When done correctly neither the joint angle or muscle length changes.

Why does this form of exercise work? Essentially what isometric exercises allow you to do is to trick the body into using as many of the muscle fibers as possible all at once. This is called the “Synapse Effect” and this is how it works.

Every muscle in your body is made up of hundreds of individual muscle fibers of varying length and abilities. When you go to perform any action your mind activates the bare number of muscle fibers required to accomplish the task. So if you pick up a coffee cup your mind will only activate those muscle fibers that are absolutely needed. If you pick up a heavy weight it will activate that much more, but always the bare minimum.

Now lets say you engage in an isometric exercise which utilizes and isometric contraction. The example above of pressing your palms together is a good one. When you do so your mind is trying to move both of your arms at the same time. It has no idea that they are opposed to one another so it assumes that the object you are trying to move is very heavy. Therefore it continually recruits more and more muscle fibers in a vain attempt to move your arms. This is why it’s possible to exhaust ALL of your muscle fibers with isometrics within 12 seconds, whereas it takes 3 sets of 12 (for example) using conventional weight lifting.

Isometrics Exercises have several advantages over more conventional exercise methods. Among these are:

They are extremely safe – There’s no fear of lifting too much weight or twisting a limb in an awkward direction.Isometrics will save you a lot of time – There’s no need to go to a gym and it’s remember there’s only one movement vs 3 sets of 12.They are amazing for building strength – Many old time strongmen, such as Alexander Zass, only used isometrics. They never touched weights.They are great at sculpting the body – They make it possible to achieve a fitness / bodybuilder look without spending hours upon hours in a gym.Isometric exercises can be done anywhere – At home, in the office, in hotels when traveling. There’s no excuse not to get your workout in!

At any rate there you have it. To sum up isometric exercise is a form of physical activity in which the muscle length and joint angle do not change. Although they have fallen out of favor somewhat in recent years they remain an incredibly effective exercise system. You may want to give them a try yourself!

Know the Exact Definition of Circuit Training Workouts for Women

Article by Along Parker

Circuit training workouts for women are composed of short weight-bearing exercises that require women to use medium weights and do many repetitions to attain great results. Each of the designed exercises is immediately followed by another set of routine that targets a different muscle group, which is also performed at a different station having 9 to 12 exercises that will make up a complete circuit. Circuit training workouts for women allow the exerciser to avoid waiting her muscles to rest between sets by changing muscle groups. The routine will allow the exerciser’s heart rate up all throughout the workout.

Over the past years, circuit training exercises for women has become popular because of its great results for both weight loss and general self-esteem. These workouts are designed specifically for maximum flexibility by allowing women to create a resistance circuit by using free weights, exercise machines, resistance bands and even their own weight. The nine to twelve stations that complete the circuit focuses on all the major groups such as: legs, arms, chest, arms, back and abs. The workouts that complete the circuit can be performed in any order as long as the woman switches her muscle group between each exercise she performs and she does not take breaks. Some other circuit training workouts for women includes added routines that are effective in burning calories, which are usually jogging and jumping k jacks. These added calorie-burning burst is incorporated in 15- to 30-second cardio circuits that will allow a woman to attain great results.

Since a lot of muscles are being used in every circuit, circuit training workouts for women usually have cross-training workout that will give less strain on the joints, making the workouts to have smaller chance of injury that the traditional weightlifting exercises. The program’s adherence rate is also good because it will not bore the exerciser as it has quick changes in the routine.

However, all workouts have limitations and circuit training for workouts for women is not an effective way of building bulk muscles or increasing someone’s strength because of its design where more repetitions are done with lighter weight. That is why such program is not advisable for weightlifters who aim to increase their strength and muscles.

In addition, people who wish to try these circuit training workouts and are not informed of weightlifting are more likely to injure themselves during the program than performing several programs of traditional weight lifting. An instructor will also find it difficult to emphasize form because of the quick changes between the exercises.

In the United States, where such program is very popular for women because of its flexibility, circuit training workouts for women can be found in such titles: Muscle Work, Body Sculpt and Burn and Firm.

hotandhealthyliving.com With summer just around the corner I thought Id ask my good friend and fitness expert Marissa Lysaght, co-owner of Fitness Redefined (www.fitnessredefined.com), to create an intense circuit training workout combining cardio bursts with resistance training. I can assure you this type of training is the fastest and most time-efficient way to blast fat, boost your metabolism and get a full-body workoutin the shortest time possible. One of the best things about this workout is that you dont need a gym or any fancy equipment (a stop watch and pair of 5 or 8 pound dumbbells is all you need.) But, when I say the workout is intense, Im not kidding. This is not the sort of workout you can not do while chatting with a friend or zoning out watching your favorite TV show. After doing just one 6-minute circuit I was so out of breath I could barely talk (which was most embarrassing considering Marissa is 5 1/2 months pregnant and was breezing through the workout while describing how to do the exercises.) How the Workout Works In a nutshell, this workout will elevate your metabolism and help you lose excess body fat. The short and intense cardio bursts in this 30-minute workout program are one of the most effective ways to boost the after-burn, or the number of calories you burn after your workout is over. So, with this workout, you wont just be burning calories during the time you spend exercising, youll be burning calories for up to 48 hours after your workout …
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