Aerobic exercise is characterized by the duration and intensity of muscular contractions. Aerobic exercise causes glycogen to be broken down into glucose, providing energy. When all of the glycogen has been utilized, fat is metabolized instead. At this point, continuing the aerobic exercise becomes a little more difficult since metabolizing fat is a slower process. You will experience a decline in the level of your performance.
Since aerobic exercise facilitates the hearts pumping efficiency and can reduce blood pressure, the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems is significantly lowered. Individuals that engage in high-impact aerobics can reduce the risk of osteoporosis since it can stimulate bone growth. Aerobic exercise increases the storage of energy molecules, like fats and carbs, in your muscles which increases your endurance. Increased metabolism, increased blood flow through the muscles, and improved ability of muscles to use fats during exercise are all attributed to the performance of aerobic exercises.
Examples of aerobic activities include long distance running, bicycling, tennis, rowing, and dancing. There are a multitude of videos on the consumer market today that provide a variety of aerobic exercise programs. Aerobic exercises provide many benefits, but to achieve the best results, you will want to include some form of weight training in your exercise regiment. This will provide a balanced program and expedite the achievement of your fitness goals.
Trying to find the best abdominal exercises to attain a flat, muscular stomach is difficult. How do you know which abdominal exercises are effective and which abdominal exercises are ineffective? Adding to the difficulty are the many recommendations and criticisms by the ‘experts’. By comparing the recommendations from several experts, a pattern of frequent recommendations emerges.
1. Crunch on an exercise ball: This exercise requires you to use your abdominal muscles to stabilize your body throughout the exercise. You will lie back on the exercise ball, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Slowly contract your abdominals as your raise your torso up 35 to 45 degrees. Slowly lower your body back down. Perform this exercise for 8 to 15 reps.
2. Bicycle maneuver: Lying flat on the floor with your hands at your sides or next to your head, bring your knees up to a 45 degree angle. Slowly touch your right elbow to your left knee as you mimic the bicycle pedaling motion with your legs. Repeat by touching your left elbow to your right knee. Perform this exercise for 8 to 15 reps.
3. Basic Crunch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands in a position behind, or on the side, of your head, whichever is more comfortable for you. Slowly lift your shoulders off the floor as you press your lower back into the floor. Hold your body in the lifted position at a 45 degree angle for 1 to 3 seconds. Then slowly lower your body back to the floor.
4. Side Crunch on exercise ball: This exercise will target your obliques. By using the exercise ball you will increase the difficulty of the exercise. The muscles will have to work harder to stabilize your body while performing this abdominal exercise. Position yourself on your side, lying on the exercise ball with your feet touching the ground. With your hands positioned on each side of your head, near your ears, slowly lift your body up towards your feet until you reach a 30 to 45 degree angle. Your elbow should be parallel to the ceiling. Slowly lower your body back towards the floor. You should do 8 to 15 reps of this exercise on each side.
To maximize the benefits of the exercises, make sure you exhale as you lift. Continuously move from one exercise to the next with very little rest between. Pay attention to your form as you perform each exercise. You will not receive the full benefit of the exercise if you sacrifice form and try to rush. And perform each exercise slowly for optimal results.
Weight lifting or resistance training programs require adherence to specific principals in order to generate results. These fundamental aspects of a good weight lifting program are overload, progression, specificity, and rest and recovery. Adherence to these key facets throughout your weight lifting regiment will assure results.
· Overload is a weight lifting term that refers to the concept of using more resistance than your muscles are used to lifting. The more weight you use to challenge your body, the more your body will be capable of lifting. You will need to continually increase the amount of weights you use to avoid plateaus. Your final repetition should be difficult. If you are able to finish without difficulty, you need to increase the amount of weight you are lifting.
· Progression, also referred to as intensity, refers to regular increases in the amount of weights you lift. By increasing the amount of weight you lift, you will avoid plateaus. Plateaus are when you are no longer seeing advancement towards your goals. You should make these changes on a regular basis. It could be weekly, bimonthly, or even monthly.
· Specificity connotes striving toward your specific goals. You want to tailor your programs to allow you to lose the weight, or increase your strength or your muscle mass. Whatever it is you are working to accomplish, make sure you are using a program that meets the needs of your objectives.
· Rest and Recovery is just as important as actually lifting the weights. Your muscles grow and change during this period. If you do not allow time for your muscles to rest, you will inhibit the results of your efforts.
Using the above principles, you will be able to create a weight lifting program that best meets the requirements of your specific goals. Without taking these factors into consideration, you may actually hinder the results. Make sure you are always lifting enough weights to make your exercise difficult. Allow enough time before exercising specific muscle groups to allow the muscles to grow and recover. And make sure you continuously evaluate your weight lifting program to ensure it is producing the results you are seeking.
Minerals are elements that originate in the earth and cannot be produced by our bodies. We must derive our mineral intake from the foods and liquids we consume. Chromium is a mineral used by your body to enhance the effects of insulin. The actual functioning of Chromium in the human body is still unknown. But researches believe chromium may be used in the process of binding the insulin receptors in your body to the insulin.
Many claims have been made concerning the possible health benefits of chromium supplements. Weight loss and increases in lean body mass were among the benefits credited to chromium supplements. Chromium Piccolinate was touted as a great weight loss supplement. But studies have unveiled these claims as fallacious. There was no evidence that chromium piccolinate resulted in any weight or fat loss. Studies measuring the effects of chromium supplements on lean muscle mass found no evidence to support the claim that individuals would experience a significant change in body composition.
Chromium Piccolinate has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Individual with this type of diabetes tend to experience elevated blood glucose levels and are considered insulin resistant. Chromium Piccolinate was given to individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Studies found a decrease in their blood glucose levels by 15% to 19% of individuals that ingested 1000 mcg/day. Lower levels of Glycosylated hemoglobin were also attributed to the chromium supplement.
The amount of chromium recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board depends on age and sex. Adolescent and adult males should consume 35 mcg/day. Females should strive for 24 mcg/day for adolescents and 25 mcg/day for adults. Food sources known to contain chromium include broccoli, grape juice, waffles, processed turkey ham, potatoes, beef, English muffins, and orange juice. The amount of chromium content in the food has been found to vary significantly in different batches of the same foods. There is some concern over possible adverse health conditions from long term use of certain chromium supplements. It may be best to ingest your chromium from foods or discuss chromium supplements with your health professional.
Could you tell me how to find the right balance between reps and sets for weightlifting? If I don’t want to bulk up, should I be going for more reps? How many reps are too many?
An important aspect of any weight training regiment is determining the correct amount of sets and repetitions to perform during your workout. Determining what is right for you depends on your goals. Are you lifting weights to create definition or bulk? Do you want to increase strength or stamina?
The ACSM Weigh Training Guidelines indicates that multiple sets elicit only slightly increased strength gains. Studies evaluating the effect of one set verses multiple sets have found that one is just as effective as the other in increasing strength and muscle hypertrophy. A warm up set should be included in your regiment. But multiple sets do not provide a significantly increased benefit compared to single sets.
The key factor in developing strength and muscle and in fat loss, which results in greater definition, is a progressive intensity program. Increasing the amount of weight increases the intensity of your workout. Since weight training burns calories for several hours after training, lifting weights will result in fat loss. And fat loss results in better definition because increased muscle mass expends calories at a higher rate, regardless of activity level.
Weight training results do vary based on the amount of weight and the number of repetitions. To prevent ‘bulking up’ you should perform more repetitions. Find the highest amount of weight you are capable of lifting for a set of eight repetitions. Once you find this benchmark, decrease the weight by half and triple your repetitions. You should find the results will increase your muscle tone without increasing your body mass.