Children and Weight Lifting - Important Things You May Not Know

Introducing your child to sports at an early age is one way of leading him to healthy lifestyle habits. Lifting weights or strength training is one of the many exercises that have been proven beneficial even to children. Weightlifting for children helps grow their muscles promoting stronger bones. The metabolism of the body is increased as its cholesterol level goes down. If your child is already into sports, this exercise can make him gain more endurance and at the same time develop tougher muscles which can prevent joint and muscles injuries. Other than these physical benefits, your child will also get a boost in his or her self esteem.

Do not confuse weightlifting for children with power lifting or body building. While lifting of weights or weight training is beneficial to children, the latter can be very dangerous. Power lifting puts excessive strain on the muscles, joints, cartilages and tendons of your child's very fragile body and puts him at risk for major injuries. These dangers are aggravated when your child is not well- acquainted with the proper lifting techniques and procedures in weight training. More muscles will be damaged and irreparable injuries will be sustained. It is essential that you explain to your child the concept of strength training and power lifting. Put added emphasis on safety and the realistic goal of simply improving his muscle strength rather competing with other power lifters. Giving him the impression that he is going to be the next muscle man of the world compels him to over shoot his marks.

The ideal age or this activity is around 8 or 9 years old. By this time many children can already grasp the concept of strength training and integrate it in their own lifestyle. Exposing your child at a younger age, especially when cannot yet get a strong grasp of the whole concept of strength training, makes them prone to injuries.

In order to prevent injuries make sure that your child has a good understanding of the activity. Hire a coach if you cannot supervise him yourself or if you feel that you do not have sufficient knowledge about it. Check with your child's doctor before undertaking the strength program especially if you suspect that your child has certain heart condition such as juvenile hypertension.

The amount of weight is dependent on your child's body strength. Never overwork your child. A good way of determining the ideal weight for your child to work on is to make him choose a weight that he or she can lift 8 to 15 times. If that is not possible for him to do then that means that the weight is too heavy for your child and you should find a lighter load. Weightlifting for children should never be rushed. Start with a light weight. There should be no problem about starting at a very light weight since this can be increased over time when your child has already increased muscle strength. Consult a trained professional when you are in doubt.

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Diet and Exercise for Weight Loss - Guidelines

To lose weight you need to understand that weight loss is a lifestyle change and not a short term fix. Healthy eating and exercise should become a part of your regular routine, doing this will make results noticeable sooner.

Eating before exercise

Before you workout make sure that you eat some good food which will help you workout more efficiently. Don't skip a meal before your workout as you won't be able to exercise as well as if you had eaten something beforehand. Your body may also hold onto its fat after your workout, this is because the body will lower its metabolic rate when it thinks that it's short on food.

Having complex carbohydrates is the best kind of snack whilst high sugar foods should be avoided. The body does not require high amounts of sugar in one go, so the sudden rush in sugar has to be turned into fat. This will make weight loss significantly harder.

A good snack approximately 1-2 hours before your workout could be a brown breaded sandwich, pasta, porridge or muesli. These slow burning foods will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and allow you to do a good workout. The portion size should not be too big in case you get a stitch.

How to workout

30-45 minutes exercise 3-5 times a week is a reachable target. The treadmill, cross trainer and rowing machine all burn the most calories at the gym. You can try doing all of them or focus on doing one each workout.

Try not to make the common mistake of starting your exercise too fat. If you do this you probably won't be able to workout as long as if you had started slower. For weight loss you should be training for as long as you can which will burn more calories.

When exercising you should aim to keep your heart rate at 60-65% of your max heart rate to keep you in the fat burning zone. When you become fitter and find everything easier, you can try increasing the intensity.

Remember you don't have to always do cardiovascular exercise to help with weight loss. You can also do weight training which burns a considerable number of calories, about half compared to cardio. Once you gain muscle this will also raise your resting metabolic rate, meaning you will burn more calories even when you're just sitting down.

How to burn extra calories

Try changing your lifestyle a bit with these tips which will help you burn some extra calories when you're not working out:

Don't take transport and walk where possible.

Walk up the stairs instead of using the lift.

Try doing sit ups, press ups, squats and lunges in your free time at home.

Taking part in more sport is in my opinion the best form of exercise. If you enjoy playing a sport you will have a lot of fun whilst burning loads of calories.

There's still a lot more to learn about weight loss, but you can find my other articles which teach you the best way to lose weight and build muscle by clicking on this link: muscle building tips.

Consuming the Right Weight Lifting Supplements

Weight lifting is practiced by bodybuilders to develop size, strength and

power in their muscles. However, it is not enough to just do weight

lifting - it may be necessary to take supplements as well.

Bodybuilders need to adhere to 3 synergistic principles in order to

continuously build muscles. These principles should be incorporated

into a weight training program that will permit you to steadily develop.

These principles are: practicing intelligent weight training; using

quality nutrition in a smart way; and resting adequately. Many weight

lifters, bodybuilders and athletes have used these principles for years

with discernible effects.

If you are having trouble gaining muscle despite following the right

weight training practices and resting well, chances are you haven't been

feeding your body the right amount and kind of nutrients. You must

steadily increase your calorie intake to produce a caloric surplus which

will fuel your growth in size and strength.

The most important meal is breakfast since you need extra calories in

your system that early in your schedule, before you start working out.

It would help if you actually had eaten 2 solid meals before going to

the gym. Your muscles need more glycogen running through your bloodstream

for strength.

It is also important to consume the top five favorite supplements of

bodybuilders. These can be consumed throughout the year. These

supplements are: protein powder, creatine, greens, Essential Fatty Acids,

and multivitamins.

Of course, whether or not you take supplements, you must still consume a

healthy well balanced diet. However, it is best if you subscribe to a

healthy diet and quality supplementation.

Protein powder is important because it is a very convenient method of

consuming extra protein at less cost. A weight training practitioner

should consume a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight

daily. You can see that drinking several protein drinks throughout the

day is easier than eating huge amounts of food just to bring in that much

protein into your body.

Creatine is known to improve protein synthesis and decrease protein

breakdown. The aftereffects are an increase in lean muscle mass, higher

performance levels during high-intensity exercise, boosting energy levels,

and hastening recovery rates. Creatine is a natural product that can be

found in many foods though for convenience weight training practitioners

should take supplements.

Phytonutrients are antioxidants that are found in greens. Examples of

these phytonutrients are carotenoids, polyphenols and chlorophyll.

Phytonutrients are important since they shield the body from free radical

damage. Greens therefore bolster the immune system of the body, while

detoxifying and nourishing it. One serving of greens supplements

amounts to around 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Essential Fatty Acids can be described as good fats. These good fats are

actually long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids produced from oleic,

linoleic, and linolenic acids. These help counter aging, and are

beneficial for circulatory function, soft and smooth skin, adequate brain

function, digestive support and building the immune system. However,

these are necessary fats that the human body fails to synthesize, and

should be consumed orally.

For some people, getting their Daily Recommended Values for vitamins and

minerals is easy since their diet is adequate. However, for others it

might not be so easy since their diet lacks certain vital nutrients. Thus,

multivitamin supplements are necessary to avoid problems like nerve

damage, weakened bones, or heart disease.

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Do You Exercise For Weight Loss?

Do you know that sometimes in the year 2003 it was reported that obesity costs the world a whooping sum of $75 billion to treat collectively? Do you want to spend your life saving on treating obesity when there are other many things you can use your money to do? Why not start tackling your obese problems today? Do you know that if you take a regular exercise for weight loss, you soon will achieve results?

Now, with the growing acceptance on the preventive medicine coupled with the ever increasing cost of health care would you not rather agree with me that exercising to lose your weight is one of the very few options left for to consider in other to check that weight problem of yours?

Yes, exercise will not only be of great help to those suffering from weight problems but also aid in burning calories which is hitherto stored in your body. But there are some things I will like you to take note before you start your exercise for weight loss program, one is that your wanting to lose weight is not primarily because you want to please anybody, but only because you want to please yourself.

Another is that exercise for weight Loss is different from exercise for already fit people.  You must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits to lose significant weight and keep it off.  Exercise for weight loss is your goal, you should exercise longer.

Here are some tips for your exercise program

1. Have a 30-minute brisk walk four days a week; you can increase the walking to 45 minutes as time goes on.

2. And if that may seem impossible because of your office works then try to take the longest walking route to get to your class or office as a form of exercise for weight loss.

3. Health experts say that healthy eating which includes counting calories and a low fat diet are essential for long-term healthy weight loss, so eat foods that will help you.

4. Do weight-lifting exercises that bring the weights toward the body and do not hurt.

5. Cutting back on calories is easier if you focus on limiting sugar and other refined carbohydrates and some types of fat.

More importantly, I will want you to know that you didn't get all that weight in your body in one day so you might want to take things slow as they come, a healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily.

I will want to wish you a happy exercise for weight loss. Though there are many weight loss programs out there, but the one i will recommend for you here.

This article was written by peter toyin jon, a knowledgeable professional in health matters.

Do Nitric Oxide Supplements Work? Nitric Oxide Supplements For Body Building and Weight Lifting

Nitric Oxide increases the blood flow in our body that can easily pump up muscles. Nitric Oxide supplements can encourage sculpting and add muscle mass to our body. It is considered to be the most important body supplement. Nitric oxide is a gas that is produced in our body. This gas controls the blood circulation and also maintains our nervous system.

Importance of Nitric Oxide in Bodybuilding

* Bodybuilding mostly emphasizes on muscle mass. Most of the weight training exercises need strength and endurance. In order to improve your performance in your weight training workouts such as lat pull-ups, barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press etc, you should consume Nitric Oxide supplements. These supplements not only provide you enough endurance but also repair your wounds easily.

* It is always advisable to include Nitric Oxide and protein supplements between your diets for attaining a well-toned body. You can easily mold your upper arms, biceps, chest, abs, legs, back, hips, thighs, fore arms, and triceps easily by undergoing weight training exercises.

* Nitric oxide supplements can also prevent heart attacks and diabetes. It increases your immune system and increases your life span. The ability to deliver blood to your muscles is enhanced by consuming this supplement.

* Most of the body builders are taking this supplement for achieving fast results. They are doing their regular workouts, eating at least 6-8 small meals and consuming this supplement.

* There are no side effects while it is always advisable to consult a doctor before taking up this product.

* Nitric Oxide rejuvenates the overall body. It can easily increase mental focus and stimulate kidney cleansing.

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Differences Between Nylon and Leather Weight Lifting Belts

One of the first decisions that you'll have to make upon deciding to buy a weightlifting belt is whether to opt for a nylon belt or a leather one. There are pros and cons to going both routes. What you choose will depend on your personal preferences and what type of lifting that you are doing.

Leather belts are the mainstay of weight lifting belts. They have been around since the first person decided to wear a belt while they were lifting and still continue to be a favorite today for good reason. These belts don't just look tougher than their nylon counterparts, they are tougher. They offer unmatched support to help you lift the biggest weight possible and for this they are a favorite among people doing deadlifts and squats.

On the downside, many times the rough edges of the leather will irritate some people's skin, particularly if their skin is sensitive. Today though, you can find many padded leather belts with softer edges that are designed to literally take the edge off of this. Leather belts also aren't always able to be closed to fit certain body types because they need to use a pin and hole system to close the belt. Because of this, you should always try on your belt before you leave the store or shop at an online realtor that has a good return policy.

While nylon belts don't have the same history that leather ones do, they are becoming increasingly popular with weight lifters. They are generally a little softer on your skin, which appeals to many people. They also grant you a little bit more freedom of movement than leather belts do. This is a plus for many power lifters, who need extra support, but are also trained and do not want their belt restricting their explosive movements.

The downside of nylon belts is that they don't offer nearly as much support as leather belts do. Because of this many people shun them in favor of what are sometimes equally comfortable padded leather belts.

Getting the right weightlifting belt will make you more comfortable during your workout and help you lift more. However, make sure that you know the proper times to use your weight lifting belt and when you're better off going without it. Using your belt at the wrong time could risk a serious injury later on.

Exercise for Weight Loss - What Time of the Day Should You Work Out?

I get asked all the time whether it makes much of a difference when you do your working out. Many will tell you that it doesn't matter when you do your exercising. I'm here to tell you that it DOES make a difference. The human bodies ability to lose weight can be leveraged and this is the reason why.

When you wake up early in the morning, your body is just finishing a full night of burning calories while you sleep. The main thing to point out here is that while you are sleeping you aren't eating. Therefore, when you awaken in the morning your body is at it's optimal potential to burn calories. You have little to no food in your immediate digestive tract, and any working out you do will burn an amazing amount of calories.

Alternatively, many people choose to work out in the evening. Saying that this doesn't help is not a fair comparison. The only problem with working out in the evening is you are more likely to have food in your stomach from the day time and your body will naturally burn that storage first before going after your fat stores.

Exercising in the morning allows you to be fully rested and at the same time able to burn an abundance of calories. If you ever get the choice between exercising in the AM compared to the PM I can safely and wisely suggest the AM.

If you give this a try you will most definitely begin to notice remarkable changes in your exercising and progress as you continue on your weight loss journey! Good Luck!

Tyler Boshears is a weight loss survivor, having lost over 100lbs. and keeping it off for 5 years! To learn how YOU can drop those unwanted pounds and keep them off, visit his website at: http://www.simple-weightloss.com

High School Wrestling: Weight Lifting Options

Weight lifting (i.e. resistance training) is merely one component of the conditioning that a wrestler needs to do to prepare for competition. Nonetheless, it's an extremely important component.

Resistance training is valuable because it can increase one's strength, power, and endurance. Resistance training not only increases muscular strength, it also works the ligaments and tendons that are connecting bones and muscles thereby reducing the chance that they become injured when participating in wrestling. In addition, resistance training increases bone density which may keep you from developing stress fractures. The famous strength and conditioning coach Dan John writes, "I've come to describe building muscle as 'armor building' for the sport athlete.

With so many weight lifting options out there, what is a wrestler to do? Perhaps you've seen television infomercials for P90X and have been tempted to try it. Maybe you've looked at bodybuilding routines in magazines like Flex, Muscle and Fitness, and Iron Man. Maybe you've even looked at a copy of Powerlifting USA. Some of you may have watched Olympic Weightlifting when the Olympics are televised. Seeing a man clean and a jerk a huge amount of weight is very impressive.

But, what is best for a wrestler?

First, I would like to mention a man named Tudor Bompa. Bompa states, "Strength training programs for sports must recognize that almost each sport involves different and specific muscle groups. These muscles are called 'prime movers' or the muscles performing the actual technical moves. Therefore, strength training exercises have to target the prime movers." The sport of wrestling involves a lot of pulling. You pull your opponent's legs during a takedown. You pummel and fight for position. This is why exercises designed to strengthen the muscles that help you pull are really important. Your biceps, shoulders, and back muscles are all important for pulling strength. You also need grip strength for hand fighting and securing holds. You need hip and leg strength throughout a wrestling match. Therefore, focus on exercises that strengthen those particular muscles.

You may also want to consider whether it's off-season or in-season training. That's where the concept of periodization comes into play.

Well, that still leaves the question of what the best resistance training plan is for a wrestler.

Let's explore some of the options.

High Intensity Training (HIT)

High Intensity Training (HIT) was popularized in the 1970s by Arthur Jones, the founder of Nautilus. HIT usually involves doing only one set of a particular exercise as opposed to multiple sets. This one set is done in a slow and controlled manner. One performs the set until he can't possibly do another rep. In other words, he trains until muscular failure. This is believed to build muscular strength and size. HIT workouts are usually brief and intense and done only two to three times per week. Champion bodybuilders Dorian Yates and Mike Mentzer were HIT advocates. Other HIT advocates include Matt Brzycki, Ellington Darden, Ken Leistner, and Drew Baye.

HIT workouts are ideal if you are busy and have little time to train because they are brief (i.e. 30 minutes or less). However, some believe that always working to failure with limited sets has many drawbacks. There seems to be much debate about whether ones set or multiple sets produce greater strength gains. Studies have shown one set to be just as effective as three sets. Other studies have shown this not to be true. So, you may want to do some research before doing HIT. Some athletes have experienced great success utilizing HIT workouts so it may be worth a try.

Bill Starr 5x5 Training

Bill Starr was the strength coach to the Baltimore Colts when they won the Super Bowl in 1970. He was the strength coach at several US universities. He was also a US Olympic weightlifting champion and national record holder in powerlifting and Olympic lifting.

Starr focused on what he called The Big Three - the bench press, the squat, and the power clean. You can find different versions of his workout online.

As you can see, Starr's program used five sets of five repetitions. The workout also involved heavy, medium, and light days. Although he may be associated with football, his training will certainly work for wrestling. Starr is a legend in the field of strength and conditioning.

Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a strength sport that involves three lifts - the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Powerlifters usually perform multiple heavy sets of low repetitions, focusing on strength and power as opposed to size. These three lifts are all good for wrestling. But, doing only those three lifts may not meet all of your needs. And, focusing only on heavy weights and low reps may not be best if done exclusively.

5/3/1 Workout

This strength building routine was developed by former powerlifter Jim Wendler. The 5, 3 and 1 refer to repetitions. The 5/3/1 workout involves basic multi-joint lifts. Wendler states, "The bench press, parallel squat, deadlift, and standing press have been the staples of any strong man's repertoire. Those who ignore these lifts are generally the people who suck at them. If you get good at those, you'll get good at other stuff, as they have such a huge carryover." According to the T Nation website, along with the bench press, squat, shoulder press, and deadlift, 5/3/1 includes assistance exercises to build muscle, prevent injury, and create a balanced physique. Wendler's favorites are strength-training staples like chin-ups, dips, lunges, and back extensions.

Power to the People/Pavel Tsatsouline

Pavel Tsatsouline has written a few books one of which is entitled Power to the People: Russian Strength Training Secrets for Every American. Paevel isn't fond of HIT or bodybuilding.

Pavel states, "if you look at the training of the strongest people in the world, be it weightlifters, powerlifters, strongmen, whatever, there's one universal truth. They always lift heavy, in terms of percentage of one rep max, they always keep their repetitions low, and they never, ever train to failure." His workout promises strength without bulk.

Pavel doesn't care how much you can bench. The amount you can bench is irrelevant to your wrestling abilities. Pavel states, "Unless you are training purely for looks, you must focus on the strength needed for your sport, job, or lifestyle. When I got the contract from the state of New Mexico to develop new strength tests for their select Special Weapons And Tactics Teams, I did not contemplate the bench press or curls, but enforced ten pull-ups, ten rock bottom one-legged squats, and ten hanging leg raises." Pavel is about functional strength. Pavel also likes to do "ladders." For example, you do one push up, rest a second, do two push-ups, rest briefly again, do three push-ups, and so on. You work your way up the ladder until it starts getting difficult. Then you can rest and do another ladder.

You can some of his interviews, workouts, and articles online.

Density Training

Density training involves doing more work in the same amount of time or the same amount of work in a shorter period of time. For example, you could rest less between sets or perform more reps in the same amount of time.

According to Tom Venuto, some benefits of density training include increased time efficiency of workout, increased intensity of workout, enhanced fat loss by burning more calories in same time period, enhancing post exercise calorie burn, and increased natural growth hormone release.

Density training is touted to improve strength, power, and overall conditioning. Density training could help you to increase your push-ups or pull-ups.

Some names associated with density training are Charles Staley, Ethan Reeve, Bryce Lane, and Matt Wiggins. You can easily find articles about density training online.

Controlled Fatigue Training

Controlled Fatigue Training was developed by Ori Hofmekler. CFT involves combining strength and speed together in one workout. For instance, a CFT drill might involve running or sprinting with your hands in front of your face or stretched overhead. This is not as easy as it may sound. CFT is touted to make your muscle fibers stronger, faster, and tougher.

Every wrestler wants muscle fibers capable of generating and sustaining strength for extended periods. A guy named Mike Westerdal wrote a report entitled The Warrior Physique: Building the Hybrid Super Muscle you may want to check out. He states, "By combining cardio and resistance activities it causes the composition of muscles to transform from predominately type II or type IIb into Type III. By doing this, we are able to push beyond our genetic limits, much like the ancient Spartans, Gladiators and Vikings did."

You may want to research CFT and super hybrid muscle.

Circuits and Complexes

Circuits and complexes are very similar. You do a series of exercises, one after the other without resting. After you have completed a circuit or complex, you may take a short rest before you do another round. Circuits usually involve going from one exercise to the next with no rest. Complexes often involve barbells or dumbbells. The exercises in the complex are all done with the same weight and you don't stop until you've completed the complex.

Some names associated with circuit training are Bob Gajda, Steve Maxwell, John McCallum, and Matt Wiggins.

You can find plenty of articles on circuit training online.

Steve Maxwell states this about circuit training, "This type of training is extremely demanding! Not only does it bring into play a fair amount of muscular strength and endurance but it creates tremendous systemic fatigue, which some people have termed metabolic conditioning or met-con, for short. "

A name associated with complexes is Istvan Javorek.

Here is an example of a barbell complex. This is Istvan Javorek's Complex 1.

Barbell Upright Row x 6

Barbell High Pull Snatch x 6

Barbell Behind the Head Squat Push Press x 6

Barbell Behind the Head Good Morning x 6

Barbell Bent Over Row x 6

I wrote about High Intensity Interval Training (HIT) earlier. Well, HIT has its own twist on circuit training called 3x3 workouts. You do three exercises one after the other and repeat this sequence for three rounds. This is supposed to improve your metabolic conditioning.

Circuit training and complexes can be great for strength and cardiovascular conditioning. These kind of workouts can time saving as well. They may not be the best if your goal is mainly building brute strength.

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training, of course, uses the weight of your body for resistance. You have probably performed push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and dips before. But, have you ever done dive bomber push-ups, Hindu push-ups, hand stand push-ups, Hindu squats, or one-legged pistol squats before?

Some people swear by bodyweight training. Others claim that barbells and dumbbells are better. Some say that resistance is resistance and it doesn't really matter.

Some good bodyweight training books areCombat Conditioning by Matt Furey and The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline.

If weight training isn't your thing but you like push-ups, pull-ups and climbing ropes then I say, "Go for it."

Body for Life

Body for Life was a book written by a man named Bill Phillips. He founded Muscle Media, a bodybuilding magazine as well as the EAS supplement company. You may have read or heard about MRPs (meal replacement products). Well, his company produced one of the most popular.

Body for Life outlines an exercise and diet program aimed mainly at people trying to lose weight or simply get in shape.

I've seen the Body for Life workout referred to as a half pyramid with a drop set and a superset. It's very easy to understand. For example, if you were going to work your chest, you would choose two exercises like the bench press and dumbbell flies. You would do five sets of bench presses. You would do one set of 12, 10, 8, 6, and 12 reps for the bench press. That final set of 12 reps on the bench is the drop set. Then, you would immediately do a set of 12 reps for dumbbell flies. That is the superset.

Pyramiding weights is nothing new. Drops sets and supersets are nothing new either. People have indeed used this workout to get stronger and more muscular.

Body for Life is more of a bodybuilding routine although it doesn't use an excessive number of sets. You work your upper body twice and your lower body once during the first week. The second week, you work your lower body twice and your upper body once. You continue to alternate each week. This keeps you from overtraining.

This is not the perfect workout for a wrestler by any means. But, it's better than sitting on your couch doing nothing. You can find this workout online.

Bodybuilding

Bodybuilders are primarily concerned with size, proportion, and symmetry. They care mainly about how their muscles look as opposed to whether or not they are functional for a sport like wrestling. Bodybuilders attempt to build mass (hypertrophy).

A bodybuilder may use a large number of exercises, sets, and repetitions to achieve the size and look he is seeking. A bodybuilder typically stays in the 10-12 rep range. But, does bodybuilding provide any benefits for a wrestler?

Most wrestlers aren't trying to gain muscle mass. Wrestlers generally want to get stronger without gaining much weight. A wrestler doesn't really care how defined his quadriceps are or how big his triceps are as long as he is strong, quick, and powerful on the mat.

If you want to gain some muscle mass, then you might consider doing some German Volume Training (10 sets of 10 reps) or some other bodybuilding program for a short time. But, don't employ bodybuilding training all year round.

Wrestlers really needn't bother with dumbbell flies, triceps kickbacks, concentration curls, leg extensions, or other isolation exercises.

According to Professor Yuri Verkhoshansky, "In many sports, in many countries, bodybuilding is used to develop strength. This is a big mistake!" He goes on to write, "In sports where success is decided by split seconds and where victory hinges on speed of movement, power of muscular effort, and one's endurance for intensive work, bodybuilding is not effective."

A wrestler needs a strong, functional body. Bodybuilding can make you bigger and stronger. However, you can get strong using better methods more suited to a wrestler. And, gaining muscular weight may be of little value to you. Therefore, bodybuilding is probably not the best choice for a wrestler.

Strongman Training/Miscellaneous

Have you ever trained with a sledgehammer? Have you ever pulled around a weighted sled? Have you ever used a kettlebell, Indian clubs, Clubbells, or a Macebell? Well, it might be fun to try something new.

How Did I Train?

Unfortunately, I didn't know a lot about weight training back in high school.

At our high school we had an old Universal Weight Machine. Sometimes I would do a circuit around the machine, hitting each station one after the other. I might do the circuit a couple of times. I always enjoyed doing push-ups. At home, I had a bench and some weights. One summer, I followed a course my dad had called Bob Hoffman's Simplified System of Barbell Training. It simply involved doing ten exercises of one set each. The exercises were military presses, curls, rows, shrugs, and other multi-joint compound movements.

I wish I had known more about proper weight training. I was never really organized when it came to my weight training.

I grew up on a farm in the Midwest, so I also performed a lot of physical labor like carrying bales of hay and pails of corn and building fences.

Periodization

You may want to keep periodization in mind when designing a lifting routine. You may want to lift for strength, power, and endurance at different times. Or, you may want to try to build all three of these at the same time. So, research linear periodization and concurrent or conjugate periodization.

Conclusion

Well, I hope I have given you some options to consider when designing your resistance training program. Resistance training is an important component in your wrestling conditioning. You can combine different options as well. You can lift weights and do bodyweight training as well. Just be sure to include some type of resistance training so you will be strong, quick, and powerful on the mat.

Tharin Schwinefus is a former high school conference wrestling champion and state qualifier. He maintains a passion and interest in all things related to the sport of wrestling. If you would like to read more articles about different aspects of wrestling then please visit http://wrestlingforglory.blogspot.com and http://essentialwrestler.webs.com.

Improve Your Weight Lifting With Stronger Hands

Do you have trouble lifting heavy weight and know you should be able too? How about improving your grip strength, this may be the missing link in your strength training. If you think you have been training your grip by lifting weights, you are probably not targeting the forearms the way your should. If you can get a strong grip you would be able to hold onto those heavier poundage's that you want.

The most basic exercise you can do for your grip is with hand grippers. But you want to do more than just squeeze them for reps, and get one of the really good grippers. You can do a multitude of exercises with them that will develop some awesome forearms. How about something as simple as squeezing a gripper shut and holding on as long as you can before opening it

Try pinch gripping heavy objects such as the end of a dumb bell. Grip it, pick it up and hold on. Try to progress up to heavier weight every chance you get and find other objects you can pinch grip also. Take your grippers and hold the handles with your finger tips, now try to squeeze them; it's a little harder this way.

Do not work your grip strength every day, 3 or 4 times a week will suffice. You need to give your forearm muscles time to recuperate just like the rest of the body. Each work out, try to push it a little more than the last time. You will find your forearm strength will develop fairly quickly and you will see a difference in the amount of weight you can hold onto during your regular workouts.

Discover how to develop Gorilla Grip Strength by using the methods shown at http://www.squidoo.com/gorillagripstrength. Tim Archbold's lifelong interests are fitness training and health.

How to Design a Weight Lifting Workout Program for Women

Women tend to think that weight training means bulking up to look like body builders. Nothing could be further from the truth. For one, women body builders take steroids to pump up like men. And two, when women gain muscle, the muscles are lean, giving the body a slim and toned appearance. Adding a weight workout to your fitness regime is what you need to get that nice slender body that you want. And if you are in the process of trying to lose weight, weight training will give you what you need to drop the extra pounds. Training with weights, builds muscle and muscle burns fat. And once that fat sheds away, you will be delighted to see a feminine sculpted body begin to emerge.

Gym or Home, Where to Train?

Now to get started, you of course know that you will need some weight training equipment. If you have a gym membership you can use theirs and if not you can buy your own at any sporting goods store. Alternatively, you can order a weight training machine to place inside your home. You will want to get three sets of weights: light, medium and medium-heavy. How you determine the heaviness of the weight is based on your own strength.

Always, always remember that before you begin your weight training routine you must first warm up. A good warm up should last for about 15 minutes to get your muscles good and prepared. First stretch your whole body to warm your muscles. Then you need to get your heart ready with some form of light aerobic activity such as walking or cycling. Now you want to prepare your arm muscles by raising your arm over your head with your fingers laced together. Then rotate your palms facing the ceiling and pull your arms back slightly. Next you'll move to your legs and place one hand on the wall, while the other hand grabs a foot on the opposite side of the body. Bring the foot up toward your back, hold for 20 seconds and repeat the same stretch with your other leg.

Next, here are some basic safety tips to keep in mind. It always a good idea to have a weight training partner. This is a matter of safety. With a partner, you two can spot one another and help each other out with lifts. Also think carefully about your gym apparel. You should only wear gym shoes and clothes that are not too baggy. If your clothes are too big, they can get tangled in the weight machines. In addition, never go outside of your personalized training routine. Trying to follow another person's routine can cause you injury that can lead into pulled muscles or worse.

Finally, here are some ideas to help you structure your weight training workout. You can always tell if you are working with the correct weight, if you have difficulty completely the last rep. Let muscle exhaustion at the end guide you on which weight amount you should use. If you want to gain endurance, use light weights and use them for 12-16 reps. If more strength is what you are after, the you need to concentrate on doing a lower number of reps and using heavier weights. Finally for building lean muscles use medium to heavy weights at 8-12 reps

Weight Training for Women can be a real blessing. Download Abdul Matynne's Weight Training Commandments ebook absolutely free here.

Learn More About Weight Lifting Programs

Women who lift weights will develop too much muscle

Perhaps if you are a woman weight lifter who is a professional body builder and her main game is hypertrophy (the art of growing big muscles), and by following a strict eating for muscle mass nutritional plan, and competes regularly in body building competitions, has an elevated level of the hormone testosterone over the average Susie, and may possibly be using steroids or other performance enhancing drugs, - um, short answer is no - you won't develop too much muscle. It's not genetically possible.

Men and women whilst anatomically similar in biostructure have differing degrees of the amount of muscle fibers that they are born with. This means that men are genetically geared up to have more muscle mass then women and this goes right back to prehistoric times when we were hunter gatherers.

Having said this though, it is important that women do lift weights simply because it revs up your metabolic rate and burns more calories even while you are sleeping! This keeps you lean muscle is smaller, tighter and toned in appearance to fat, is known to ward off osteoporosis because it increases bone density through mineral laying deposits, protects your joints, improves performance as well as giving your self esteem and confidence a real kick not to mention a whole host of other goodies to boot.

So move on from the pink weights and get into the black!

You can lose weight on specific areas of your body by focusing on a specific muscle group.

As stated in the first myth about sit ups and flattening that tummy we discussed that its not possible to simply spot reduce fat deposits from certain areas of the body. For you to see any improvement you need to lower your body fat percentage down i.e..this means to lose weight from all over the body.

Spot reduction is a myth and time and time again, we are bombarded with advertisements, news articles, glossy magazines, and those dreaded infomercials on TV that we are duped into thinking that it is possible because we become so convinced that we just have this stubborn fat that we cant ged rid of. (incidentally the fact is these areas on the body that are considered to be made up of stubborn fat are usually the last place that you will lose from). How many hard earned dollars do think are absolutely wasted with this notion by consumers who are targeted by these fitness scams? Probably billions! Science has not yet produced anything that is a miracle cure to spot reduction, so people please - don't waste your money on gimmicks - they don't work!

The good news is that you can help yourself by combining cardio, resistance training, flexibility training coupled with certain exercises targeting those challenging areas which you then add to your normal exercise routine. specific exercises say for your thighs, hips and the backs of your arms for toning and strengthening and follow a low fat, sensible healthy nutritional eating plan and drink plenty of water. Being consistent and committed will pay off for you in the long run but there are no instant prizes - so get to work!

Muscle turns to fat when you stop exercising

Muscle can not turn into fat - they are two different tissues entirely - it's that simple. However, what does happen over a period of time is that your muscles become victims of what us fitness professionals call atrophy - meaning they will get smaller once you stop weight training or using them in exercise.

When you suffer from an injury, for example, breaking a leg, and you have it in plaster, the muscles are not used and therefore basically ''waste'' away. This simply means that through less use your muscles will become smaller and slow your metabolism down. Remember- the more muscle you have the more calories burned!

Once this occurs a person can quite easily put on weight because there is no muscle to support the activity of eating. Therefore excess food consumed is stored as fat if it is not burnt off. WE guess that's why it was always understood that once a person stopped lifting weights they automatically became fatter, and as we mentioned before, fat is much less compact and can appear spongy and soft - hence the backward thinking!

Dean Piazza is the resident personal trainer @ http://www.homegymequipment.com.au. Australia's Biggest range of Home Gym Equipment at Cheap prices. Dean Is the expert personal trainer on NineMsn, Australia's largest website portal and regularly appears in magazines with his training tips, weight loss comments and fitness equipment reviews.

Part II: Yoga and Weight Lifting Go Perfectly Together

In Part I, I discussed how working out with free weights, or bodybuilding in general, your muscles would shorten and cause inflexibility. I pointed out how yoga will provide an alternative for the off days to give relief to sore muscle tissue, eliminate toxins and lengthen the muscles once again.

In this segment, I'd like to offer that our body and mind aren't always balanced evenly. Did you ever notice that one side of your body is stronger than the other? Well, this comes from being right or left-handed. If we were all ambidextrous we might be better balanced, but we're not, so we favor one side over another. By the same token, the mind will only push through so much pain before giving up, so the weaker parts fatigue earlier in repetitions.

If you are right handed, you favor the left leg and vice versa. This applies to your workouts too. You will see that you struggle with one arm over the other when doing bicep curls, or one leg over the other when doing quad extensions. Yoga will greatly assist you in achieving equality in strength and flexibility.

Yoga done in a class situation, works each side of the body, so they experience the same stretch, balance and strength poses. In this way, the ancient yogis designed the poses to achieve balance in body and in mind.

By performing yoga just twice a week, you will notice a significant increase in strength in your previously weaker muscles. This will give you a sense of growth and achievement that you won't experience any other way. Yes, working the weaker muscles harder in the gym will eventually produce the same result, but without the "balance of the mind" to go with it. Plus, you lose the flexibility overall, if yoga isn't adapted as part of your routine.

In many gyms I notice a lot of testosterone flowing, and hence, a lot of ego. In that atmosphere the mind is prone to an excited state, which often produces poor form and ultimately accidents. When poor form is present while working out with weights, you are more likely to hurt yourself, tear a muscle, tendon or even dislocate a joint.

By incorporating yoga into your regular regime, you learn about quieting the mind, achieving your goals with proper form through focus and concentration. These qualities will enhance your workout experience in ways you aren't prepared for. We've all been taught that building muscles in a gym is the pinnacle of body preparedness and fitness, well, once you've experienced yoga taught properly you will gain in your overall fitness in greatly.

When the mind is allowed to function without chaos it focuses on the task at hand with clarity of purpose. Concentration is heightened and quantum leaps are made both physically and mentally. Yoga provides a doorway to that area of the brain, which brings astounding results no matter what you are pursuing, add it to your exercise routine and you will see improvements in all areas of your body.

I realize that a lot of huffing and puffing and grunting go along with weightlifting, but you might be amazed to find what you can do with a quiet mind and a focused body. Yoga will provide that edge to do more than ever before.

As the old saying goes, "There are more than one way to skin a cat." Well, there are many ways to obtain a taut and lean body, combining yoga with any of them will get you to your goals more quickly.

Keith Edwin Renninson is co-owner, along with Jeffrey Forman, of Golden Years Videos, LLC a production company dedicated to offering exercise videos for those over 50 or of any age who are rehabilitating from an accident or illness.

Renninson is an avid exercise and yoga enthusiast. Now in his late 50’s, he still races bicycles and regularly skis the black diamond runs in Colorado where he lives. For many years, a bona fide gym rat, Renninson still loves to lift free weights and use exercise machines.

You can contact Renninson or read more about his company and the videos they have available at: [http://www.goldenyearsvideos.com]

My Weight Lifting Advice

This page is for anybody who needs a couple pointers on how to lift weights. First off, if you are a beginner do not be afraid to step into the weight room. I know some guys you feel embarrassed because they cannot lift a lot, and they feel more advanced lifters will look down on them. Most of the time people are more then welcome to give advice or help you out with a lift, and besides everybody has to start somewhere.

Before you attempt lifting any weight you need to get a proper stretch in. This is a must or otherwise you are more than likely going to hurt yourself. Now most experts would advise getting in a long, deep stretch, and that is definitely the best way to go. But I must admit that I only take about a minute or two and get in a light stretch and that usually works for me. You just got to know how your body feels, and certain factors like age, can determine if you need to stretch longer. Never skip this step!

Once you are done stretching you can get to the good part, lifting. Depending on how many days you lift you are going to be working different muscles a different day. I personally work out five days a week, Monday through Friday, so I will be going through a week of lifting for me. For some people five days might be a little too much for them, and it might be a good idea to take a day off in the middle of the week to get some rest. Once you start lifting consistently you will be able to get a feel for how much and how long you can lift. I would say that an hour is a good estimate, but some workouts will take longer and some will be shorter.

Mondays I work the triceps and chest muscle groups, and repeat that again on Thursday. Tuesday I work the biceps and back muscles, and then repeat them again on Friday. Wednesday I work my shoulders and sometimes I will work my legs. Each day I also try to get a run in, and do an ab workout. Now I have heard different views on whether you should work triceps and chest together, and biceps and back together, or you should work triceps and back together, and biceps and chest together. Im not sure if it really makes that big a difference either way, but the way I see it is when you work your chest you usually are working your triceps, and the same with biceps and back, so you might as well work them together on the same day. I am not going to go through specific exercises here, you can learn about exercises through my newsletter.

As with any lift you want to go through the exercises with the right motions, otherwise you can seriously hurt yourself. I will give you a few tips on how the correct lift should be. First, anytime you are performing the lift you want to take the correct breaths. You should exhale when pushing or pulling, and inhale when you are relaxing. Oxygen needs to be brought to the muscles so if you are not breathing correctly you are going to tire easy. Second, you should extend your arms and bring them back as far as you can when doing exercises such as pull-downs or dumb-bell rows. For bench you should push the bar all the way till the arms are extended and bring the bar down til you touch your chest. When performing a lift on a bench you never want your butt to lift off the bench, and if you can try to keep your lower back down as well. When you touch your chest with the bar do not bounce if off your chest. You want to slowly bring it down to the point you barely touch your chest. Bouncing the bar off your chest can seriously injure you. With any lift you want to do it in a nice slow, and steady motion. Doing the exercise fast and wild can injure you, and it is not the best way to gain muscle.

Now everyone has different goals when you step into the weight room. Most of them consist of getting stronger, bigger, or more toned. There are different reps and sets you need to do depending on what your goal is. If you want to get stronger you want to do less reps, but more weight. For example, when you are bench pressing your sets might look like this: 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, and finally 2 reps. Each time your weight should be increasing, and on the last set you should struggle to get it twice otherwise you need to move up. If you want to get bigger you can do a set such as 4 X 6 reps ( each example is for the bench press). Each set around the same weight, but you can move up the weight each time if you like. And if you want to get more toned do high reps, low weight. The set can be 15 reps, 12 reps, and 10 reps, but you can switch it up to however you like such as 3 X 12 reps. Personally, I will switch up between all three different combinations. Usually I will work out a month of each different set before switching.

My name is Mike Kleinick, I am 21 years old and I currently go to Illinois State University.