The New Rules of Lifting Book Review - Relevant For Runners?

The New Rules of Lifting is was written by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove and presents the basic premise that it is not which muscles you work out at the gym that makes a real difference in your body, but how you move those muscles.

The New Rules of Lifting are based upon using muscles in tandem and in very natural ways, rather than isolating your muscles and working your muscles in a way that your body will never need outside of a gym. I think that the programs in the book could be especially relevant for runners looking to cross train. The book provides a year's worth of workouts comprised of 6 basic movements:

The Squat


The Deadlift


The Lunge


Pushing


Pulling


TwistingThe book is divided into six sections, but it can easily be broken into three basic parts.

Part 1

The first part of the book contains the "Facts" and "Techniques" sections, which give a very broad overview of weight lifting in general and The New Rules of Lifting specifically. There are 20 rules spelled that make up the "new rules", the first 19 of which appear in these two sections.

The six basic movements are introduced and briefly explained, and there is a specific warm-up plan that prepares the body for those six movements. I do not completely agree with how the authors feel on the importance of flexibility, but my main athletic pursuits are on the road and not in a gym.

I feel that better flexibility is important for preventing injury, and especially as a runner it can give you a competitive edge.

Part 2

The second part of the book contains the "Exercises" and "Programs". The "Exercises" section is broken into each of the six movements, where a detailed description of the movement is given. The muscles that are used to complete the movement and the necessary technique to safely complete the movement are provided for each, as well as describing the functional importance of that movement outside of the gym. There are a few different exercises shown for each movement with variations and descriptions. Most of the exercises are illustrated with black and white photos.

One of the things that bothered me about the "Exercises" section was that each exercise lists which programs that it is used in. That is a good thing, but there has been nothing but passing references to those programs up to that part of the book so the reader is left with no idea what those programs are about.

Granted, the names are not particularly complicated (Break-In, Fat Loss, Hypertrophy, and Strength levels I through III), but the first page to the "Programs" section should have been included before the "Exercises", followed by all of the exercises and then followed by the programs.

Part 3

The third part of the book contains the nutritional information. Explaining how carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are processed by the body was fairly straightforward and basic. There is a good description of how the metabolism works and time is spent describing how too much of a caloric deficit is counterproductive.

Unfortunately, the actual food lists were not particularly useful. Throughout most of the book, humor is used sparingly but well. The humor in the "Clean Eating" chapter makes the food lists next to worthless. You can go off of the "A" list of things you should definitely be incorporating into your diet, but past that the author even tells you he doesn't agree with what he is writing.

Mention of his own favorite foods would have been fine as an example that deviation is all right, but I do not want to have to read an entire description to find out that something is ranked higher than it is supposed to be.

I also completely disagree with the author's stance that caffeine is harmless.

Conclusion

The book is a great primer for beginners that will get them set off in the right direction for runners who want to cross train and incorporate a weight routine. I also think that this book would be well received by intermediate lifters such as college athletes, who may know a few programs to help them with their sports but who have not spend a lot of time developing their own programs. If you are in a funk, then it may be worth taking a look at the book no matter how experienced you are, if only for the specific programs listed in the book.

However, most experienced lifters should probably either give The New Rules of Lifting a pass or just skim it at the library as most of it is very foundational.

In my own experience, I've used a few of the fat loss programs during my marathon training to good effect and would recommend that you should start there if you are looking to improve your own racing.

Blaine Moore is a running coach in Southern Maine with 20 years of training and racing experience, which he shares on his blog at http://news.RunToWin.com - If you would like to watch one of Blaine's coaching session DVDs online for free, head over to: http://www.RunToWin.com/freesessions/.

The Role of Back Exercises in Your Bodybuilding Program

There are two primary reasons for getting into a bodybuilding program: Trying to increase muscle mass, or trying to increase functional strength. Key to both of these is building core strength, which lies in the abdominal muscles, and, just as importantly (and often neglected) the muscles of the upper, middle and lower back.

Your back (and spine) are the primary stabilizing muscles in your body, and the ones easiest to injure when lifting weights. From a biomechanical perspective, your back consists of the spine, the ribs, the scapula and the ligaments that string them all together, like parts of a mobile or kinetic motion structure.

Injuries to the back are almost always compression or rotation injuries - they're damage to the soft tissue that lets your back move. Good weight lifting practices (and muscle group isolation) are key to avoiding back injuries, many of which won't show up for years after you've done them to yourself.

Muscle groups that you need to work on in the back are your traps, lats and deltoids, and you need to take them slowly. Yes, you can get a ripped looking back by overdoing it, but it's better to focus on practical strength increases over physical appearance and muscle building when dealing with your back.

The trapezius muscles (traps) are the ones that form the bulk of your back; the basic exercise for them is a shrug motion, where you take a pair of dumbbells, one in each hand, and shrug your shoulders as high as they will go (don't roll them - go straight up) and hold them for a breath, then let them down slowly.

A related motion, which helps the traps a bit, but mostly works on your deltoids, is a straight-arm lift. Hold a dumbbell in your hand with your elbow at your side, and your forearm out level with the map. Extend your arm until it's at shoulder height, in one fluid motion, and look down your arm at the dumbbell, like you're sitting on a pistol range. Then bring it down slowly. (This is a common exercise in martial arts groups that emphasize punching). This will work on your deltoids and the yoke of muscle linking your shoulders.

To build up the lower trapezius muscle (the part of the trap that runs down your ribs), you're going to want a sitting down 'V-bar pull down', where you're pulling down against resistance; this is better than a straight pull up because it isolates the muscle thoroughly.

Building definition, and most importantly, strength, in the lower back requires shoulder arches. Hold a light dumb-bell over the back of your neck and lay down on your front. With your hands clasped, arch your back, lift, and hold for a count of three, then lower slowly. Do these sparingly; it's very easy to overdo them.

As with all muscle building exercises, it's important to do stretches and a bit of cardio before and after doing them to maintain flexibility.

Are you sick and tired of being weak and underweight? Let us take you by the hand with the best weight training routines to gain on pound after pound of ripped, firm muscle weight in the shortest period of time possible.

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Top 5 Most Important Nutritional Supplements for Weight Lifters

Proper nutrition is vitally important to reaching your fitness goals. Quite often, it is necessary to use supplements to ensure that all essential nutrients are being consumed to satisfy a weight lifter's requirements. Below are listed the five most important nutritional supplements that every weight lifter should consider taking.

Although we present a common dosage level for the supplements below, always follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage found on the label of your supplement.

Whey Protein

Few forms of protein can match whey protein for its ability to help your body pack on muscle. Whey protein is absorbed very quickly by the body, and is the perfect post-workout supplement. Most protein supplements that come in powder form contain whey protein, and it is extremely affordable.

Note that whey protein supplements should not be used in lieu of other proteins that your body absorbs from food. Keep eating those eggs, chicken breast and lean fish. Only use whey protein as a supplement to a balanced weight lifting diet.

Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) supplement

We've mentioned that protein is the building block of muscle. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are over 20 amino acids, but only three of them are branched chain amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine) and they make up 30-35% of an average person's muscle mass. The standard recommended dose 5-7 grams taken immediately before and immediately after a workout.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate has been shown to provide significant gains in both muscular strength and size in weight lifters who use it as a supplement. The common recommended dose is 3-5 grams / day, optimally taken immediately after a workout. There is a debate as to whether a "loading phase" is necessary for weight lifters who first begin taking the supplement. The loading phase usually lasts five days, and the recommended dosage is 20-25 grams / day, taken throughout the day. Always consult the label on your supplements, and follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage.

Multivitamin

It is almost impossible to provide your body with all the vitamins and minerals that it requires to function at peak performance. The addition of a quality multivitamin supplement to your diet regimen can help provide your body these missing nutrients. Although it's a more expensive option, it is recommended to find a multivitamin that is taken during different times during the day, optimally one in the morning and a different one in the evening.

Glutamine

L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is shown to help muscles perform better during workouts. Studies have shown that glutamine slows down the rate at which your muscles break down during exercise, thus enabling the weight lifter possibly lift heavier weights or perform more reps. A common recommended dosage level to take 5 g in morning, post-workout and before bed.

By adding the supplements listed above to your weight lifting nutrition schedule, you could greatly enhance the way your body builds muscle and burns fat. As always, a sensible weight lifting diet is the most important part of your nutrition, so only begin adding supplements after you've established the best possible eating habits.

Look for my next article........"Be Your Best"

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Top Six Boot Camp Exercises For Weight Loss

Over weight restricts you from doing many things in the normal manner and it puts you down both physically as well as mentally. There are various types of exercises which can help you lose weight but boot camp exercises are the most effective ones which can help you lose fat, and help you keep fit. When you lose weight you naturally tend to become flexible, have good endurance level, and you will be more active and healthy. These exercises are based on military techniques such as simple sit-ups, push-ups, marching, weight lifting etc. used to keep oneself in shape. Listed below are top six effective boot camp exercises.

Push-ups

Push ups are the most effective exercises and are very good for the upper body. This is a core-strengthening exercise that can help you improve balance by shaping up and strengthening the most important muscles. This is the best exercise which can help you tone your body without gaining extra mass. This is one among the most convenient exercise which does not require any equipment or there is no need for the person to go to a gym to do them. Pushups are the best exercise for the whole body which includes cardiovascular training, muscle stretching, and weight lifting and helps you maintain total body fitness.

Squats

Squats is another important boot camp exercise which can help you strengthen your legs and squatting can improve the overall body workout by several percentages which are very effective for the whole human body. The major advantage of squats is that it helps you to work all the major muscles in the body, and burn lots of calories which in turn can help you tone up the thighs and increase the lower body flexibility. The other advantages are that they help in increasing the power of heart and lungs and strengthen your knees as well.

Jump Rope

Jumping rope is considered as one among the best boot camp exercises and the most beneficial and efficient workout that a person can do. Jumping rope is really a fun filled exercise which can be done anywhere and it suits everyone who is interested in. This way of exercise can help you burn about 1000 calories per hour. The workout helps you lean muscles both in the upper and lower body and it tones all the body muscles when it is performed. It can also help in optimizing cardiovascular condition. For athletes it is the best one because it helps improve athletic skills and builds stronger muscles. This exercise helps you combine different muscle activities, coordination and helps you become swifter.

Dumbell Dead-lift Row

Dumbbell Dead lift row is a complete boot camp workout for the calf muscles and the arms. It helps toning muscles from all the possible ways thus making it strong. They help preventing the body lag to a single side. This exercise helps in building complete body strength improving specific areas like the gluts, lower back, upper back, and core.

Lunges

Lunges are an effective form of exercise which is very effective in the areas such as psoas and quadriceps muscles which can also help you improve balance coordination and digestion. These exercises will help you broaden your shoulders and strengthen your leg muscles. The arms and the chest become stronger and so are the core muscles.

High Knee Drill

High Knee Drill is one among the simplest form of exercise which is most effective when it comes to the knee. This boot camp exercise is widely used to warm up the body before you could go for an intensive workout. This exercise can help the individual reduce tension in the areas such as the hips, the lower back body and the shoulders. This is a very simple form of keeping your body fit and healthy.

Dan Clay is the owner of Dangerously Fit Boot Camp. If you would like to book a free 2 week trial to his boot camp Sydney or would like to try boot camp Coogee contact us today.

Two Questions With Answers About Using Weights

Q. I am overweight and over 65. My muscles are getting flabby and I want to start using weights. I have some arthritis but am otherwise in good health. What size weights should I start with? How will I know when to add more weight - I don't want to be a bodybuilder.

A. Good for you, being willing to work with weights. Be sure to check with your physician before starting a new exercise program. I am sure that he or she will be delighted. It has been noted that exercise is a cornerstone of therapy for persons with arthritis. No matter how severe the condition, it is extremely important for older adults with arthritis to participate in physical-activity programs since a deterioration in fitness will clearly worsen their condition. People with arthritis who are de-conditioned lose strength, flexibility and endurance.

You will need to determine the size of weights to use. You need them to be heavy enough that they challenge you and yet not so heavy that they cause pain (Remember, you will feel some soreness in the beginning, which is usually located in the muscle and eases after a few weeks into training. Pain that originates in the joint will last longer than a few weeks, generally indicating that you have exercised that joint too strenuously, so pull back.)

To build strength, one uses a heavier weight or added resistance, lifting slowly with fewer repetitions, but continuing until you feel true muscle fatigue. To build endurance, use lighter weights with more repetitions, but again repeat until muscle fatigue. You should work with weights three times a week with at least 48 hours in between muscle work. You start increasing the size of your weights, along with the number of sets of repetitions as the workout becomes easier and/or you notice that you have reached a plateau. Don't worry, you will not become a body builder!

Q. Why should I rest a day between lifting weights? I am eager for results.

A. It is commendable that you are eager for results, but be cautious not to overdo. It is recommended that we rest our muscles for at least 48 hours between working them. The reason for this is that it gives the muscles and muscle fibers that we have challenged a chance to revive and also reduces the chance of overtraining.

However, this rule/suggestion pertains to heavy weight lifting where the goal is to build muscle size and strength. A bodybuilder who wants to create size purposely trains for brief, very intense periods, followed by rest days so that the muscle can grow. On the other hand, if your goal is to become stronger and increase your lean muscle mass without building size, then it is suggested that you exercise for longer durations on a daily or high-frequency basis with moderate intensity. Allow your muscles to fatigue, and when you feel you can't complete more than three to five more repetitions, stop.

Perfect form is essential - the body will find ways to cheat and perform less work. When using weights, do not rely on momentum by swinging the weights or working too quickly. And whether or not you are using weights, always hold for a two-count beat at the top and bottom of every movement. This type of control in your training stimulates the deep muscle fibers and ensures maximum results from your efforts.

Remember to have patience!

When we are in a hurry for results we can easily overdo and sustain injury and/or pain. With practice and consistency it won't take too long for you to start noticing and feeling the changes in your body and physical condition. Keep up the good work!

Chris King of Creative Keys is an A.C.E. (American Council on Exercise) Certified Group Fitness Instructor. She teaches twelve classes a week for all ages. She loves her "Portfolio Career" (many careers at the same time). For her Special Reports about fitness visit, http://www.creativekeys.net/specialreports.htm Or if you would like to find out if you could handle and love having a "Portfolio Career" visit http://www.creativekeys.net/portfoliocareertest.htm