Strength training: Intro

Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward R. Laskowski, M.D

cathe.com

Strength training is a type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. Training commonly uses the technique of progressively increasing the force output of the muscle through incremental weight increases and uses a variety of exercises and types of equipment to target specific muscle groups. Strength training is primarily an anaerobic activity, although some proponents have adapted it to provide the benefits of aerobic exercise through circuit training.

Sports where strength training is central are bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, Highland games, shotput, discus throw, and javelin throw. Many other sports use strength training as part of their training regimen, notably football, wrestling, rugby, track and field, rowing, lacrosse, basketball, and hockey. Strength training for other sports and physical activities is becoming increasingly popular.

The basic principles of strength training involve a manipulation of the number of repetitions (reps), sets, tempo, exercises and force to cause desired changes in strength, endurance or size by overloading of a group of muscles. The specific combinations of reps, sets, exercises, resistance and force depend on the purpose of the individual performing the exercise: to gain size and strength multiple (4+) sets with fewer reps must be performed using more force. Exercise selection should be limited to the basic foundational barbell movements such as the squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press and bent-over row.

In one common method, weight training uses the principle of progressive overload, in which the muscles are overloaded by attempting to lift at least as much weight as they are capable. They respond by growing larger and stronger. This procedure is repeated with progressively heavier weights as the practitioner gains strength and endurance. Commonly, each exercise is continued to the point of momentary muscular failure. Contrary to widespread belief, this is not the point at which the individual thinks they cannot complete any more repetitions, but rather the first repetition that fails due to inadequate muscular strength. Training to failure is a controversial topic with some advocating training to failure on all sets while others believe that this will lead to overtraining, and suggest training to failure only on the last set of an exercise.

Split training involves working no more than three muscle groups or body parts per day, instead spreading the training of specific body parts throughout a training cycle of several days. Training all the muscles in the body individually through their full range of motion in a single day is generally not considered possible due to caloric and time constraints. Split training involves fully exhausting individual muscle groups during a workout, then allowing several days for the muscle to fully recover. Muscles are worked roughly twice per week and allowed roughly 72 hours to recover.

Three important variables of strength training are intensity, volume, and frequency. Intensity refers to the amount of work required to achieve the activity, and is proportional to the mass of the weights being lifted. Volume refers to the number of muscles worked, exercises, sets and reps during a single session. Frequency refers to how many training sessions are performed per week.

It is widely accepted that strength training must be matched by changes in diet in order to be effective. Adequate protein is generally believed to be required for building skeletal muscle with popular sources advising weight trainers to consume a high-protein diet. Protein that is neither needed for cell growth and repair nor consumed for energy is converted by the liver into fat, which is then stored in the body.

Due to the androgenic hormonal differences between males and females, the latter are generally unable to develop large muscles regardless of the training program used. Normally the most that can be achieved is a look similar to that of a fitness model.
*****Muscle is denser than fat, so someone who builds muscle while keeping the same body weight will occupy less volume; if two people weigh the same (and are the same height) but have different lean body mass percentages, the one with more muscle will appear thinner.

Weightloss: Hypertrophy serves to maintain muscle mass, for an elevated basal metabolic rate, which has the potential to burn more calories in a given period of time compared to aerobics. This helps to maintain a higher metabolic rate which would otherwise diminish after metabolic adaption to dieting, or upon completion of an aerobic routine.
****Muscle hypertrophy involves an increase in size of skeletal muscle through an increase in the size of its component cells. Hypertrophy can be broken down into two types of categories: myofibril and sarcoplasmic. Each of these specific types of muscle hypertrophy will result in increasing size of cells, but not of equal effect. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is focused on increasing the actual size of the muscle, and less on increasing strength. Myofibril hypertrophy will focus more on strength increase and less on an increase in the size of the skeletal muscle.


Basically, strength training helps you::

• Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more efficiently. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
• Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily. Building muscle also contributes to better balance, which can help you maintain independence as you age.
• Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
• Sharpen your focus. Some research suggests that regular strength training helps improve attention for older adults.

Related Articles:

Strength training: Metabolic window

Getting the athletic body

Anabolic state, Catabolic state and your Weight

Know your Supplements: Weight/Mass Gain supplements

The key difference between FAT-LOSS and WEIGHT-LOSS

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Strength training: Metabolic window

Hello again,

The metabolic window is a term used in strength training to describe the 45-minute period after exercise during which nutrition can shift the body from a catabolic state (state of actively breaking down components to perform physical activity) to an anabolic one (During an anabolic state, tissues found within the human body obtain energy for growth and maintenance aka building up).

The "metabolic window", or what is also referred to as the “anabolic window”, is considered by gym goers and supplement companies to be a 45-minute opportunistic period to increase muscle. Many athletes believe in ingesting proteins and carbohydrates to take advantage of this state. This is however disputed since there has been no difference between those who eat during this state and those who eat even three hours later.

Tipton (2001) found that weight lifters may actually benefit with respect to muscle anabolism by taking in carbohydrates and amino acids before working out. This is because weight lifting increases blood flow, which will increase the transportation of amino acids to the muscles. This makes sense, since as the body is shifting into the anabolic state, the nutrition required for this purpose is already present in the bloodstream.
Eating after a workout may prove futile, since the food will have to be digested before the nutrients are assimilated, a process that will require more than 1 hour after meals.

This is where the pre-workout nutrition comes in. Athletes are advised to ingest nutrients before exercise so as to have significant muscle gain and fat loss from the workout. If you are susceptible to digestive issues and stomach cramps/stitches, then nutritional supplements will come in handy. The nutritional supplements ate easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Most preferred are protein shakes that are easy to prepare and drink. The shakes can also be prepared with milkshakes and smoothies, and make for very tasty snacks. Actually they provide the most convenient way of 'stacking' up on the amino acids in readiness for the 'window of opportunity'.

Even missing a meal here or there will not hinder your efforts to gain muscle. The body is very resourceful, so should you miss an occasional meal, your body will simply make up for it by absorbing and utilizing more of the nutrients the next time you eat. As mentioned before, muscle recovery and growth is full-time operation your body is running, 24 hours a day and 7 days per week.

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Getting the athletic body

hello again,

So, after extensive reading here and there, i have come to one realization on WWE divas and other sexy athletes out there. They work out!! Simple and clear!! No special powers or genetics!! Simple exercises and god diet.

The key, as I realized, is the RIGHT exercises and the RIGHT diet.

Build more muscle:
 Building muscle goes hand in hand with losing fats, not losing weight. Muscle is denser and more compact than fats, so two people can weigh the same but one may be extremely lean, while the other may be bursting out of the skin. Being lean means that the amount of subcutaneous fat is at its minimal. On the other hand, being skinny will mean being fatty, but not in a 'noticeable' way.
To build more muscle, these athletes normally include strength training in their schedules. The strength training will 'urge' the body to build itself some.
***you can grt your proteins here***

Eat well:
The athletes will also up their protein uptake through regular diets as well as supplementation. Professional athletes are not afraid of food. Provided that the meal is balanced, preferably with more proteins per serving, they will eat regularly, as well as having healthy snacks in between the main meals.
Many professionals prefer the protein supplements since they are able to easily carry it around to the training centers. The nutritional supplements are also popular since a snack-sized meal will provide the body with nutrients servings equal to a normal light meal.This is important, since many cardio activities as well as swimming will require an almost empty stomach otherwise indigestion and throwing up may likely occur. The supplements are also absorbed very fast so the nutrients are availed to the cells in record time when compared to the normal digestion process. They also make for tasty snacks, for example, why not have a healthy protein-packed vanilla or chocolate ice cream smoothie before and after your work out, and not worry about the sugars, carbs or additives? (Honestly, why not?? I definitely would!!)

Build strength and endurance: More lean mass will mean more muscle mass hence more strength. This is also achieved mainly through strength training exercises.These exercises will cause the body to work the muscles, as well as regenerating new muscles and tendons etc. This should be done in a stage-by-stage process.
The strength training will also help in maintaining the strength and endurance you will have built up. You can always up your endurance by amplifying your cardio work outs.
***This is where being skinny will have to be tossed to the bin. You cannot be strong without muscles to do the work. You cannot aim to run on the treadmill for a whole hour if you do not have sufficient muscles to carry the body and endure through the process.

Sculpture the body: Each fitness model will have their own physique they desire to achieve and maintain. A WWE diva will not look the same as Miss Olympia, nor will a swimming fitness model look like Mr. Universe. But, they all have one thing in common, they work towards having a stronger and more muscular body. They do both strength training and cardio exercises. How the body looks depends on how you sculpt its muscles.
So, you will embark on activities that sculpt individual muscles. To have  bigger chest and arms, you will lift more weights, to sculpt the waist, you will have to twist and turn that body during cardio, and so on.

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Know your Supplements: Weight/Mass Gain supplements

Hello again,

In the world of fitness, healthy weight gain is usually a big concern. This is because, the more lean weight you pack, the more fats you burn and the stronger you get.
Weight gain is an increase in body weight. This can be either an increase in muscle mass, fat deposits, or excess fluids such as water.There are mainly two ways to gain lean weight,
1)eat extra nutritious food, with more protein per serving]
2) Add weight gain supplements to your normal diet

So, what of mass gain supplements? 
"If it helps you get the calories you need, drink it.There's nothing "unhealthy" about mass gainers. People say they're overpriced. Most agree real food is better. But if you've only had 1700 calories and you're looking to pick up and extra 550 without preparing a meal, sure: just mix up a mass gainer." ( source )

For an underweight person to build lean muscle, you will need extra calories, extra proteins and extra carbohydrates. You will also need to exercise - mainly circuit training/strength training. The extra nutrition can be achieved through an amplified diet. This may mean adding extra two meals to your regular meals and snacks. Increasing food intake is a progressive thing. You cannot go from three meals a day to five meals within a few days. Your digestive system will need to adapt to it, and you will have to factor in allergies and foods that make you want to throw up.

The other way is to simply add a mass gainer nutritional supplement to your diet. The mass gainer supplement is actually a nutritional complex similar to those found in health and grocery stores (like meal replacement shakes, lunch bars, vitamin shakes etc). The mass gainers, however, usually contain more protein and calories per serving, so one serving will top up your body with nutrients equivalent to one square meal. This is also cheaper, since it will cost a lot less to prepare the extra balanced 'meal', and time-saving too.
***NOTE: using mass gainers without exercise will cause you to gain fats. Your body will end up storing the proteins and calories as fats since it will not have an avenue to use them. Strength training is best since the body will be in an anabolic state much longer, hence effectively using the nutrients to build itself in readiness for the next session. If you will not exercise, DO NOT use mass gainers.

The main ingredients in most mass gainers are usually:

• whey protein
• casein proteins
• carbohydrates
• vitamins (basically the entire alphabet..)
• minerals
• creatine
• calories' boosters

***you can get mass gainers here***
Most quality mass gain supplements come in many tasty flavours. you can mix them up for a normal or extra creamy shake, Mix them with fruits like bananas and make tasty smoothies. You can also prepare your home-made ice cream or chocolate bars with them. Or add to your fruit dessert or frozen yoghurt. The list is endless.

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Athletic Steroids: a.k.a Anabolic Androgenic Steroids

Athletic Steroids: a.k.a Anabolic Androgenic Steroids

10 August 2013 at 00:03

hello again,

Anabolic androgenic steroids:
    - A group of synthetic hormones that promote the storage of protein and the growth of tissue, sometimes used by athletes to increase muscle size and strength.
    - (Medicine / Pharmacology) any of a group of synthetic steroid hormones (androgens) used to stimulate muscle and bone growth for therapeutic or athletic purposes
 (source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Anabolic+androgenic+steroids )

These drugs can be legally prescribed to treat conditions resulting from steroid hormone deficiency, such as delayed puberty, as well as diseases that result in loss of lean muscle mass, such as cancer and AIDS. They are however widely abused. Some athletes, bodybuilders, professional models and others abuse these drugs in an attempt to enhance performance and/or improve their physical appearance.

How Are Anabolic Steroids Abused?
Anabolic steroids are usually either taken orally or injected into the muscles, although some are applied to the skin as a cream or gel. Doses taken by abusers may be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed to treat medical conditions.
Steroids are typically taken intermittently rather than continuously, both to avert unwanted side effects and to give the body’s hormonal system a periodic chance to recuperate. Continuous use of steroids can decrease the body’s responsiveness to the drugs (tolerance) as well as cause the body to stop producing its own testosterone; breaks in steroid use are believed to redress these issues. “Cycling” thus refers to a pattern of use in which steroids are taken for periods of weeks or months, after which use is stopped for a period of time and then restarted. In addition, users often combine several different types of steroids and/or incorporate other steroidal or non-steroidal supplements in an attempt to maximize their effectiveness, a practice referred to as “stacking.”

Steroid abuse may lead to serious, even irreversible, health problems. Some of the most dangerous consequences that have been linked to steroid abuse include kidney impairment or failure; damage to the liver; and cardiovascular problems including enlargement of the heart, high blood pressure, and changes in blood cholesterol leading to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack (even in young people).
Steroid use commonly causes severe acne and fluid retention, as well as several effects that are gender- and age-specific:

• For men—shrinkage of the testicles (testicular atrophy), reduced sperm count or infertility, baldness, development of breasts (gynecomastia), increased risk for prostate cancer
• For women—growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice
• For adolescents—stunted growth due to premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes, and risk of not reaching expected height if steroid use precedes the typical adolescent growth spurt

****NOTE: While some products are marketed to promote athletic mass gain, they will NOT contain steroids. Due to the high protein and caloric content of these gainer products, they will be used together with the anabolic steroids, thus muscle and strength gain in a very short period of time.

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Know your proteins: Whey protein (part C): functions of key amino acids found in Whey protein

Know your proteins: Whey protein (part C)

Whey protein: functions of key amino acids found in Whey protein
***you can get your protein and amino acids here***
 

·         Branched-chain Amino acids (BCAA’s);

o   Improved mental performance

o   Increased energy levels

o   Increased endurance

o   Decreased levels of fatigue

·         Phenylalalnine:

o   Decreased pain

o   Maintains health of nervous system

o   Elevated moods

o   Provides memory boost

o   Suppressed excessive appetites

·         Tryptophan:

o   Reduced overall pain

o   Provides relief for insomnia

o   Relief for mild to moderate depression

o   Suppressed excessive appetite

·         Arginine:

o   Protection against heart disease

o   Lowered blood pressure

o   Improved circulation

o   Increased levels of growth hormones

o   Assists in creatine production in the body

·         Glutamine:

o   Improved immune system function

o   Prevents muscle breakdown

o   Maintaining of muscle mass

o   Enhancing glycogen storage (muscle cells use glycogen as a form of energy)

o   Assists in post-work out recovery

o   Promotes healing

·         Proline:

o   Helps rebuild cartilage in bones

o   Speeds up the repair of injuries

o   Promotes tissue recovery following exercise

*** Whey protein also promotes the production of glutathione, which is the body’s most powerful natural anti-oxidant. Whey also has the highest levels of BCAAs which boosts the functionality of the immune system.

*** whey protein is best consumed before, and after exercise, since it gives a quick rise in levels of amino acids, which is important during exercise and recovery.

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Know your proteins: Whey protein (part B) : Health benefits of whey protein

Know your proteins: Whey protein (part B)

Health benefits of whey protein

NOTE*****Let me start by clarifying that: Not all proteins will have equal nutritional benefits to the body. Different proteins will usually have varied sources, like milk, soy, rice, beef and so on. The benefits will also vary depending on your activities, for example, athletes have more success losing weight by supplementing their proteins when compared to the non-athletic counterparts.

Whey protein is a very popular protein supplement due to its wide array of benefits. Whey protein is useful not only to athletes and body builders, but also people who are battling or recovering from an illness or injury, as well as those who wish to improve the quality of health.

Whey protein has numerous benefits, which include:

·         Assistance in building lean muscle as well as losing fats in the body

·         Improvement of physical performance, whether in sports of recovery from injury

·         Enhancing circulatory (cardiovascular) system function and health

·         Mind sharpening

·         Anti-aging effects

So, we look at some of the benefits in detail, and how they are achieved by consuming whey protein.

·         Source of essential amino acids (EFAs): Whey protein is an important source of essential amino acids (EFAs) for the body. Essential amino acids are solely derived from the diet, since they cannot be synthesized by the body. This makes them quite easy to be deficient if a proper diet is not followed at all times. The EFAs are important for growth and repair of tissues and organs, like nails, hair, muscles, ligaments, teeth, body fluids and so on.

·         Boost immunity and well being: Whey protein has been proved to promote new skin growth, which promotes faster wound healing especially for post-surgery patients of burn victims. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels as well as slowing down growth of cancer cells. The essential fatty acids also promote healthy cell regeneration hence increased well being. The anti-ageing effects are realized since the body is able to repair itself hence elastic skin, thicker and stronger hair and nails, as well as the boosted immunity which prevents degeneration due to disease.

·         Boost muscle growth: Whey protein is very popular with weight lifters and body builders. Since the whey proteins are absorbed directly without requiring digestion, whey is very popular as a post-work out protein supplement. After physical straining, the body will need to repair the tissues and organs that were involved in the exercise, and protein is needed for this. By delivering the essential fatty acids to the cells in record time, whey encourages the muscles to repair as well as regeneration of more muscular cells without having to tax the body for the proteins required for this process.

·         Weight loss: the body usually requires more energy to digest and assimilate proteins, when compared to other foods. This creates a ‘thermic’ effect, where more calories are burnt after a protein meal. Whey protein is low in fats, sugar and calories, hence promoting a lean body mass. Whey protein also improves satiety by reducing the glucose absorption tome into the bloodstream. This helps negate the urge to snack in between meals due to depletion in blood sugar. This helps stick to a proper diet for those who are trying to reduce their food intake so as to lose weight.

·         Stress Reduction: Stress is a common contributor to feelings of emotional draining and over-eating for comfort. Whey protein is helpful in releasing of the hormone serotonin, which is a calming hormone and promotes feeling of wellness. Whey protein also slows down the production of the stress hormone cortisol. ***you can buy your whey proteins + others here***

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