Dedicated to the promotion of general health and well being. Aimed at the attainment of enhanced levels of physical fitness through a thrust on weight training.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

TARGET MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS (332 words)

One of the secrets to better results from weights is to target major muscle groups (MMG). It must be understood right from the initiation that the biceps aren’t the only muscles that constitute the human body.

The MMGs (also some of the strongest ones) are predominantly the thighs & the lower back (the back in its entirety is itself a huge muscular portion). The pectorals & the deltoids together constitute another perceivable portion.

All that I’ll take up in this post is the benefits of working out the MMGs on the body, as well as on the supporting muscles.

To begin with, high intensity free weights workout like the squat, the deadlift, bent over rows, the bench press & to some extent the shoulder press stimulate a greater production of testosterone & other growth enhancing factors in the body. Increased hormone production evidently leads to increased muscular bulk & a general feeling of bodily well being.

At this juncture, I wish to bring to your notice an easily observable physiological phenomenon. Any organ that is put to greater use; pressed for increased productivity will undergo an increase in size (& strength) to meet the changing scenario.

Therefore the demand for increased androgenic activity placed through the targeting of MMGs will see a not so spectacular increase in the size of the testes (among other such changes). The other conceivable change in the body would be the increased rate of metabolism.

Exercising the MMGs has a comprehensive effect; in the sense that the supporting minor muscles are also strengthened. The bench press will build up the triceps & the anterior deltoids, the shoulder press takes care of the forearms as well as the triceps, the deadlift has an effect on the biceps, the trapeziuus & the biceps femoris (the hamstrings) & so on. Therefore, followers of this approach may cut down their training of the minor muscle groups to an extent to only strengthen them for higher yields on the MMG targeting power moves.



Saturday, October 21, 2006

WOMEN & WEIGHTS (382 words)

So if you are a member of the fairer sex & have chanced upon this page & are feeling that this isn’t the site for you; then let me tell you that I’ve so far made no distinction between the two sexes. All that I’ve posted so far on this cybernetic existence holds for you as well. Let me state categorically that there is hardly any divide between the male & female strength athletes (or even merely fitness enthusiasts) when it comes to training methodologies.

But there is a popular misconception (among many others) that the everyday women looking to just rein in the tummy should not touch weights. As I’ve stated in my very first post, the three essential paths to physical fitness are strength, cardiovascular health & flexibility. And there is no better-known strength training method than weights.

To begin with girls doing weights will not acquire the amount of muscular bulk that their male counterparts do. This is simply because they don’t have the amounts of testosterone to reach there. This is also the reason why women can’t lift anywhere close to men.

If you are just looking to lose weight; even then a form of strength training is a must. The best way to lose weight is to gain muscular mass. Besides, of what health value is a lean, emancipated look without the basic build and well being?

I now move into my last leg of this post. This is for those who wish to look sexy through some fancy & well marketed health club services. The sexiest look that can be acquired is the muscular look. The two most oomphed sexual attributes of a girl—the derriere & the breasts can go through an unbelievable makeover with weights. If the pectoral muscles are toned & strong, then the breasts will be given a natural ‘up—lift’. Besides well—toned pecs will prevent sagging going into the middle ages. The same is true with the buttock. Dedicated weighted squats will make it beefy & cheeky down there. All these apart, routine of weights (along with some form of cardiovascular workout like dance, swimming—mind you swimming alone is a complete form of exercise or running) will replace the flab with the fibre: what an exchange to the sexier side!

Friday, October 20, 2006

THE CONCEPT OF OVERTRAINING (342 words)

To begin with, overtraining should not be equated to ‘pushing the limits’ albeit; pushing the limits is an innate ingredient of the concept of overtraining. Overtriaining is essentially a bodybuilding principle manifested in such techniques as Drop—Sets and Mega—Set. Once the term bodybuilding comes in, it’s needless to state that the concept is looks oriented.

As discussed in my numerous preliminary posts, the method of muscle growth is NUERO—MUSCULAR shock triggering an adaptive temporal rebuttal of which increased fibrous mass is an aspect. As seen in the training programmes of Olympic athletes, elite troops, commands and et. al. the participants are forced to perform even after their bodies have rebelled to a period. Clearly this is the realization of the yet uncharted influence of human will & the evolutionary entities of physical existence—what we popularly understand as ‘pushing the limits’. And overtraining seductively flirts with these limits.

Let me illustrate with the biceps’ workout. It normally is 3-5 sets of the basic movements of barbell curl & hammer curls, either stopped here or an additional pumping exercise like the preacher curls is added. With this, muscle fatigues, and the basic mass building requirements of even the professionals for this (probably the smallest trainable) muscle is fulfilled.

But here begins overtraining. The biceps are further subjected to seated dumb-bell curls, reverse barbell curls, standing cable pulls & so on & so forth until you are devoid of any arm movement. These of course, needs the help of a spotter.


The benefits is two fold. It results in a sudden bulge of the targeted body part & will also gradually provide for those elusive muscular separations. These methods are generally used to gain a ‘built up’ look over a relatively short period. Is practiced chiefly by upcoming & professional bodybuilders, (only for short, planned training weeks) requires high levels of stamina & fitness. Can be considered beginning only at the intermediate stages. Is excessively draining on the recovery mechanisms of the body & is not uncommon to involve periods of anabolic steroids.