By Marc David (from the Build Muscle & Gain Weight Fast Guide)
As discussed in some previous articles, muscle soreness can be caused by three hypothesis( muscle damage, tissue damage, muscle spasms) resulting in cumulative micro trauma resulting in some type of cellular damage. At times, this can be the leading cause of overtraining and being uncomfortable for a few days after training.
Continual cellular damage over and over to the point where the body cannot recovery can result in overtraining.
Don't worry...
Here's a quick checklist for helping to reduce the amount of muscle soreness you may experience. You can use one or all of these the next time you feel a little too sore from your last workout.
Phase 1 - Pre Training Recovery
Leg Elevation:
Many of us stand or sit for long periods of time before going to the gym and training. This is a less than optimal condition because your overall circulation is less than ideal. What you can do is 20-30 minutes before you train, lay down with your feel against a wall or other object and get the blood back to your upper body and heart.
You'll improve your circulation especially when you train legs or your lower back.
If you want, you can take this opportunity to listen to music or take a quick nap and begin the mental transition into training.
Phase 2 - Recovery During Training
Rest Intervals Between Sets:
A great way to boost the intensity of any workout without changing a single thing is to decrease the rest time between sets. You'll instantly get more work done in less time. If you feel that the intensity is too high, you can increase the time between sets and help reduce the build up of lactic acid as well. The time you take to rest between sets has a significant impact on your next set as well as future performance.
Movement Between Sets:
Just think about it. It's like a warm up and cool down all over again but between the sets. Most people understand the importance of warming up before lifting weights. They also know about a proper cool down after working out.
But did you know that you can use those sample principles on a minute level in between your sets?
This movement not only serves as a 'transition' between an all out effort and recovery but it aids in better circulation and helps reduce the swelling of muscular tissues.
Periodization:
Remember that soreness can be caused by a few hypothesis (tissue damage, muscle damage, spasms). But did you stop to think that if you keep on training "heavy" you just keep on damaging the muscle at a micro level over and over without a change to recover?
Incorporating a light day or week into your training can help flush the area with new blood, reduce the formation of scar tissue and flush waste from the area.
Planning these type of workouts in your training program will speed up the time needed to recover as well as add variety to your program which in turn provides overall recovery.
Phase 3 - Post Training Recovery
My strong hunch is that most people will be unable to avoid soreness at some point and seek treatment.
So that's why there's a few ways you can help reduce the severity of soreness during your training as well as aid in the recovery process after your training.
Contrast Showers:
Done on your lumbar area, this involves using short bursts of hot and cold water to improve the circulation. You can further stretch during this time to flush new blood to the area.
Post Workout Nutrition:
Needless to say...
After your workout your body is in a prime time to devour nutrients. This is an ideal time to give it the protein it needs with the carbohydrates for energy recovery.
You see, if muscle soreness is caused by micro trauma resulting in cellular damage then obviously you want to give your body plenty of materials quickly to repair itself.
Proper post workout nutrition can reduce the amount of soreness you can experience.
Therapeutic Modulaities:
This can encompass such things as massage, sauna, whirlpool, chiropractic adjustments, acupressure and others are among the more popular therapeutic modalities. Make no mistake....
Recovery really begins when you leave the gym. Depending on factors such as your level of fitness, age, medical conditions, you may be wise to use some or all of these post workout recovery methods to speed up overall recovery.
There's no magic formula per se but anything you can do to help speed the recovery process will result in less muscular discomfort and quicker recovery for the next workout.
Have you heard that 90% gym-goers overtrain 90% of the time?
Could it be that simply "under-recovered" and could easily stand to train more if only they could recover quicker?
Sleep:
While there is not a set number of hours you need to sleep as that depends on the individuals schedule, personal preferences and level of stress it's still clear that sleep is vital to recovery.
This is the time your body repairs all that micro trauma.
If you aren't getting enough quality sleep, it can affect your overall recovery and body's ability to repair itself. That can lead to prolonged muscle soreness. The amount of sleep each person needs will vary.
Make no mistake about muscle soreness...
It's uncomfortable!
But using any or all of the above recovery methods you can significantly reduce the duration of muscle soreness.
More important than that...
Create a periodized program that helps to keep your body in a state of recovery and avoid overtraining.
Showing posts with label Lower abdominal workout that works fast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lower abdominal workout that works fast. Show all posts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Meal Diet Myths
Myth #1 - “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.”
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.
Myth #2 - Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat versions of the same foods—or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used to eating. For more information about reading food labels, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration online at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html.
Myth #3 - Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.
Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.
Tip: Avoid supersized combo meals, or split one with a friend. Sip on water or fat-free milk instead of soda. Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or small hamburger. Try a “fresco” taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce) at taco stands. Fried foods, like french fries and fried chicken, are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or split an order with a friend. Also, use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese.
Myth: #4 - Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods. For more information about healthy eating, read the Weight-control Information Network brochure Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Tips for Adults.
Myth #5 : Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.
Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.
Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night—it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.
Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.
Myth #2 - Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat versions of the same foods—or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used to eating. For more information about reading food labels, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration online at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html.
Myth #3 - Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.
Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.
Tip: Avoid supersized combo meals, or split one with a friend. Sip on water or fat-free milk instead of soda. Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or small hamburger. Try a “fresco” taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce) at taco stands. Fried foods, like french fries and fried chicken, are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or split an order with a friend. Also, use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese.
Myth: #4 - Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods. For more information about healthy eating, read the Weight-control Information Network brochure Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Tips for Adults.
Myth #5 : Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.
Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.
Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night—it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Slim Down That Belly!
Slim Down That Belly!
In order to slim down your belly, you need to combine good exercise and a healthy diet.
Don't get frustrated after you many core exercises but don't the results. You’ll never see the result of all that work without fat-burning cardio madness. So you’ll have to trade in that time doing ab work or resistance training for more cardio to make this happen for you.
Nevertheless, you will have to commit some time to a lower abdominal workout that works fast. Upper ab workouts involve bringing your pelvis to the sternum while lower ab work is generally the opposite, bringing your pelvis to the sternum. Now both kinds are going to of course work all of your abdominal muscles to some extent but the specific exercises I will pinpoint will be an excellent lower abdominal workout.
It’s also a good idea to do a little bit of core work with every workout above and beyond the times once or twice a week that you concentrate on them with a series of exercises. But vary it up because this muscle group is smart and they’ll acclimate to repeating the same exercises over and over which will reduce the effectiveness of your efforts. By utilizing this strategy, you’ll maintain a conscious connection with the role diet and nutrition has in slimming down your belly. You might think a little bit harder about eating that extra helping when you remember all the hard work you put in to this quadrant of your body.
Finally, all these abdominal exercises aren’t exclusively for aesthetic purposes. That fat that accumulates down there is not good for you and it can cause all kinds of trouble later in life such as increased risk for heart disease. Being steadfast with an exercise to slim down your belly is an extremely daunting task for most humans so set your goals realistically and feel good about the work you do.
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