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Training Questions
As a strength and conditioning coach working with
athletes in a variety of sports, I am often asked questions about
strength training and general fitness. This article will attempt
to address a few of the most frequently asked questions.
"I want to be in shape for tennis. Should
I run?"
If you are very deconditioned and need to establish
an aerobic base, then any type of sustained aerobic activity is
a good place to start. Aerobic fitness enables one to recover quickly
between points, and to last for three sets. However, tennis is a
game of short explosive bursts and once your base is established,
you need to add short sprints, (preferably multi-directional), if
you want the running to benefit your tennis. This doesn't mean "
don't run." It means that once you've got a solid foundation,
sustained running should not be your primary training focus.
Women often ask: "I want to be strong but
I don't want to bulk up. What should I do?"
Our present culture reinforces an unrealistically
thin female body image that wreaks havoc on most women's self-esteem.
Instead of doing endless aerobics to burn fat, women should focus
on the fact that an increase in Lean Body Mass (LBM, which is muscle),
means that your body will burn fat more efficiently. Lifting adequate
amounts of weight progressively will help you create a more efficient
fuel and fat burning body. It will also make you look and feel better.
However, this is not so easy. What exercises, in what
order, with how much weight, how many times a week, and using what
technique; these are all valid questions. If you're going to go
to the gym, at least give yourself the benefit of results. This
means: find and work with a professional who can design a weight
training program for you that utilizes the principles of progression
and periodization (variety, peaks and valleys, changes in training
stimulus) to keep you interested, motivated and moving towards your
goals. The NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association)
website at www.nsca-lift.org
lists Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) or
Certified Personal Trainers (CPT) in your area. Using this resource
will assure that you work with someone well qualified.
Another important reason that women should lift weights
is the high incidence of osteoporosis. The media talks endlessly
about calcium intake, but bone mass works via a stimulus-response
mechanism. When an external weight is applied to a bone, the bone
responds accordingly by increasing its density. No additional stress
applied - no response. The result: bones with diminishing mass.
To insure you are doing everything you can to avoid osteoporosis,
eat properly and, before bone density is compromised, establish
a strength training program that includes standing, weight bearing
exercises such as squats and lunges. To effect a response, the stimulus
(weight) must be in addition to one's body weight.
Should I work my upper and lower body on different
days?
Isolated body-part oriented workouts, long popular
with bodybuilders, have trickled down to the general fitness culture.
Bodybuilders, interested in attaining muscle mass, use this protocol
which allows for several days of rest between body parts worked,
for optimal strength gains. While there certainly is a place for
workouts where Chest, Shoulders, Triceps are done on Day 1, Back
and Biceps on Day 2 and Legs on Day 3, this method is neither sport-specific
nor time efficient.
As an alternative, try to incorporate more multi-joint,
free-weight exercises as well as working the whole body each workout
while varying daily emphasis (i.e. Day 1: whole body with emphasis
on upper body. Day 2: Whole Body with emphasis on legs. Day 3: Rest
or Cardio, etc.) . And more importantly for overall strength, power
and injury reduction, mix in core (torso/trunk/abdominal) exercises
with the rest of your workout.
Remember to lift smart, lift progressively and always
use proper technique. Happy Training.
The following are two sample programs.
Basic Whole Body Workout:
1. Squats :3 X10
2.DB Press: 3 X10
3. Standing Side Bends: 3 X 10
4. Treadmill walk/Run: 2-3 mins
Do 1-4, then repeat 2 times.
5. Lunges: 3 X 16 alternating
6. Pulldowns: 3 X10
7. Bent Knee Raises: 3 X10
8. Bike: 2-3 mins
Do 5-8, then repeat 2 times.
9. Step-ups 3 X16 alternating legs
10. Push-ups: 3 X10
11. Back Hyperextensions: 3 X10
12. Stair Climber/Elliptical Trainer: 2-3 mins.
Do 9-12, then repeat 2 times.
Whole Body Program: Emphasis on Legs
1. Squats: 3 X 8
2. Bench Press: 3 X 8
3. Step-ups: 3 X 8 each leg
4. Standing Side Bends 3 X 8
Do 1-4, then repeat 2 times.
5. Crossover Lunges: 3 X16
6. Bent Arm Rows: 3 X 8 each arm
7. 1 Leg Squat & Touch: 3 X 8
8. Stability Ball Body Twists: 3 X 20
Do 5-8, then repeat 2 times.
9. DB Jumps 3 X 16
10. Shoulder front/side/inverted flye: 3 x8 each way
11. Calf Raises: 3 X 8
12. Single Leg Exchanges: 3X 30
Do 9-12, then repeat 2 times.
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