Fast-Muscle-Building.org is a blog that was setup by Greg Rouse (a former college profressor of Physical Education, football player, coach, and health club owner) as FREE resource to share the training methods that build muscle fast.

Friday, September 11, 2009

The Benefits of Flexibility Exercise and Training

A gymnast stretching to increase flexibility.Image via Wikipedia

The Benefits of Flexibility Exercise and Training

Flexibility exercise and training allows the body the activity it needs in order to achieve a wider range of motion. The joints as well as the muscles surrounding it can deteriorate or can only enjoy limited range of movement over time if seldom used. With exercise and regular training, the joints can become more flexible and the muscles build up to help support each movement. Besides increasing the joint's ability to move, flexibility exercises also help provide balance to various muscle groups during periods of exercise and physical activity. This can be effectively improved through regular flexibility training and stretching exercises. This can help provide various benefits:

Flexibility training helps improve physical performance. If done regularly, it can help improve a person's physical performance by improving the range of movement. By putting the joints into regular physical activity, they can be made to move better than before. It is common for unused muscle groups to become stuck up when not being used for long periods. This can further limit one's range of movement. Stretching and flexibility exercises can help the muscles perform a certain amount of activity to help them develop more flexibility. Flexibility exercises can help increase the range of motion. Not only that, such exercises can also improve one's general physical performance.

Regular flexibility exercises can also help reduce muscle strain and soreness such as what the muscles go through when they are suddenly being put into considerable physical activity. Muscles can react better to strenuous physical activity and then can adapt to them if done on a regular basis. A good way of helping the muscles adapt to strenuous activity through stretching. Stretching exercises helps the muscles go through a slow and controlled but an increasing range of motion. This process allows the muscles to gradually adapt to strenuous physical activity. It helps lessen the risk of developing strain and soreness in the muscles used.

Flexibility exercises can also help improve blood circulation. Regular stretching exercises not only help improve the body's muscle tone. It can also help increase the blood that is circulating through them. With an improved blood circulation in the muscles, there are several things that happen. First, the improved blood circulation helps the nutrients to be transported in the tissues more efficiently and nourish the muscles. Another thing that happens with improved blood circulation is that more oxygen gets into the muscles to fuel it through physical exertion.

Regular flexibility and stretching exercises and training can also help increase the production of synovial fluid in the joints. This fluid that is found in the joints acts as the joints lubricating fluid that lessens the friction between the joint's moving parts. Aside from that, the synovial fluid also helps transport the nutrients into the joint tissues.

Flexibility exercise and training is one of the most overlooked forms of fitness program around. Some people often neglect getting into stretching exercises as a form of their fitness regimen. The ultimate result would usually be muscle strain and injury. Without stretching exercises, it can easy for muscles to become strained. That is why it is important for such exercises to be included into any fitness and wellness program.


See you in the gym,
--Greg

"Please notify me of any new posts"

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Basics of Exercise and Training Basics

The leg press is a compound exercise.Image via Wikipedia

The Basics of Exercise and Training Basics

In following an exercise and training regimen, it is important that certain guidelines be followed in order to get more effective results. Knowing about exercise and training basics will provide the basis on what and what may not be considered as good practice in the training regimen. Here are some of the general training guideline basics to keep you properly guided fitness-wise.

Cardio Exercise And Training
Cardio training programs help strengthen the heart muscles as well as the lungs. Not only will such training do that, it will also help in improving a person’s endurance. Cardio training can also help the body burn calories more efficiently which in turn aids in losing weight. But not all cardio training programs can be ideal for everyone. It can usually be set according to a person's personal fitness level and would vary from person to person.

But as a general rule, a regular cardio training program should consist of at least 15 to 30 minutes of exercise sessions. It can either be continuous or in short bursts. Cardio training should also become a regular part of the complete fitness program at least for 3 to 5 days a week. The aim should at least get your heart to reaching 70 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to be effective.

Flexibility Exercise And Training
Stretching exercises to improve flexibility is considered by most fitness experts to be one of the most overlooked exercise program. A lot of people never seem to bother working on their stretching exercises thinking that it would not matter that much. But having them as part of the general fitness program can help promote better movement and improve flexibility. Flexibility exercises can also help promote better muscle relaxation after finishing up on cardio or strength work outs.

Stretching the different muscle groups should be practiced while they are warm in order to be effective. By warm, what is meat is that they should have undergone to a certain period of activity. Stretching exercises can be done after doing some warm-up exercises or even after the whole fitness and exercise program. Stretching the muscles is especially good when focused on commonly tight muscle areas like the hamstring and the lower back. These exercises can be done for at least two to three times a week although its daily practice would also be suggested. Stretching exercises should be done within your full range of motion. The right stretching exercises would feel comfortable and would not feel painful.

Strength Exercise And Training
Strength training usually involves working with free weights in order to strengthen the muscles, bones and the connective tissues surrounding them. It is important since strength training builds up muscles, help increase body metabolism and reduce body fat.

The usual strength exercise and training comprises of at least 8 to 10 exercises, each focusing on the different major muscle groups of the body. Building up strength and the muscles in the lower back, shoulders, chest, and the arms can be achieved with at least 8 to 16 repetitions for each set of the exercises. Muscle groups can be build up for two to three days each week. But it should not be consecutive to allow much needed rest periods. Proper form is also important in doing the exercises in order to avoid injury.


See you in the gym,
--Greg

"Please notify me of any new posts"

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Monday, September 7, 2009

Common Gym Exercise and Training Mistakes

Common Gym Exercise and Training Mistakes

Going to the gym for some fitness exercise and training should only have one main purpose- to stay fit and healthy through exercise. Going to the gym should be trying to achieve that purpose and nothing else. But sadly, there are certain mistakes that many people going to the gym make that can keep them from fulfilling this purpose. There are certain mistakes that even experienced gym rats make that prevent them from getting the very best benefits that going to the gym offers. Here are some of them:

Socializing at the Gym
True, it can be easy to get to know a lot of people while visiting their neighborhood gym. But the mistake that they make is that many tend to focus more on socializing with friends and other gym members instead of trying to keep fit. It seems that a lot of gym members may have the wrong notion of going to the gym if it is socializing they're after. The gym may be a good and ideal venue to meet up with other people who are also eager in eventually getting fit and healthy, it isn't really what the gym's purpose is. One should try to keep their socializing at the gym in check because it can just as easily prevent one from using the gym to the utmost advantage to stay fit.

A Goal-less Exercise
Another mistake that most people at the gym make is having no fitness goals to begin with. It can be easy for many to try and get into a fitness regimen without any goal in mind. They can go through the necessary work out without ever hoping to get anything from it. Many think that just going through the motions would be sufficient enough. But this is where many can be wrong.

Many may think that going to the gym to work out would be good enough to keep fit. It can help provide some visible results, but such a practice would not last without having fitness goals. The important part of going to the gym is to try to make it a regular habit. Making it a habit allows one to get into a fitness regimen more regularly. Without a fitness goal in mind when going to the gym, a person can be quite difficult to make the gym visits become enjoyable and worthwhile. In short, going to the gym can easily become boring after just a number of visits.

Without a fitness goal in mind, any fitness program would easily just be considered as something to get over with. Proper motivation to keep going would lack in the very serious sense. And without getting one's heart into the fitness regimen can easily make it become even more boring to do. A simple fitness goal can help provide the necessary motivation since there is a sense of accomplishment attached to the fitness regimen. Too Much Exercise Without Rest Becoming too engrossed in a fitness program can also be a mistake. Some very serious gym rats can sometimes be so into the program that they try to outdo themselves to the point of exhaustion just to see results. And at times, this can mean not getting enough rest after bouts of too strenuous exercises. It may be good that some people take their training seriously. They are motivated enough to get into the highest levels of fitness. But with everything, too much can be a mistake. Some can be put at risk of getting injured in the process.

Serious fitness buffs can easily do very strenuous exercise and training routines without breaks. "No Pain No Gain"- that can be the attitude of some gym people. But it can also work at a rather negative way. The result of too much exercise is strained muscles. The body can break down faster than it can be repaired. A balance should always be made between physical activity and some recovery time. That would be the only way to enjoy the best benefits of any fitness program.


See you in the gym,
--Greg

"Please notify me of any new posts"

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner