Health News from Mike Arteaga's Health & Fitness Centers

      We lose muscle every year unless we are doing regular strength training. Why should we be concerned about muscle loss? Here are just a few reasons to consider:
     * A recent study found that men who performed regular strengthening exercise and maintained their muscle as they aged, had a 40% lower incidence of death from all cancers!
      * Strong muscles are associated with a lower incidence of knee arthritis, as well as a lower incidence of joint problems throughout the body.
      * Maintaining muscle is the key to controlling body fat since one pound of muscle burns 16 times more calories than a pound of fat.
      * Higher levels of muscle are associated with a lower incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
       * Muscle helps to control blood pressure, since blood vessels increase in number and size as muscle tissue is added to the body.
       * As the muscles grow, so do the bones. As muscles shrink, so do the bones.
       * Muscle strength and fitness are directly related to maintaining a healthy, pain free back.
        * Strengthening exercise is related to lower incidence of colon cancer.
      * Strengthening prevents the accumulation of fat within the muscle. As the muscle fibers shrink the body tends to store fat within the muscle.
      * Muscle, or lack of it, gives the body its shape.

As it turns out, muscle is critically important for maintaining good health and vigor!
A strengthening program shouldn't take a lot of time each week if you understand certain principles. As Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the father of aerobic exercise, has said, strengthening is so important that it is even worth taking some time away from your aerobic activity to make time for strengthening each week.
What are the principles we should know?

Number 1: The whole point of a strengthening program is to EXHAUST the muscle in a 60 to 90 second window. Many people get little or nothing out of their program because they use weights that are to light.

The weight should eventually be heavy enough to prevent you from doing more than 8 to 10 repetitions in good form. When you can do 8 or 10, you must move the weight up. With the heavier weight, you will only be able to do 6 or 7 repetitions. Keep it there until you get stronger and can again do the 8 or 10. The last repetition should be impossible or nearly impossible to complete.

Number 2: You should fail to complete the last repetition and NEVER jerk it to try and complete it. Muscular failure is the point! Muscular failure stimulates the strength gains, which will now occur during your rest period before your next workout.

Number 3: Move the weight slowly! This makes every muscle cell that contracts throughout the full range of the movement, work against the weight. When the weight is moved with speed, momentum helps you complete the movement depriving many of the muscle cells of the stimulation they need to grow!

Number 4: Don't be afraid to add weight as you get stronger. It isn't the weight that causes injury; it is how you use it. You could try to lift 1000 lbs. and not injure yourself, as long as you move slowly and avoid rapid, jerky movements. If you jerk the weight to try and move it you will very likely injure yourself. Even light weights will cause injury if you use rapid jerky movements to lift them.

Number 5: There should be no pause between repetitions! Each exercise should be continuous until you are unable to complete the last repetition. Hold the last repetition at whatever point you run out of strength, squeeze against the weight for a full second, slowly lower it, and you are done with the set. Move to the next exercise.

Number 6: Lowering the weight is a very important part of the exercise. Always lower the weight slowly.

Number 7: Do one set of each exercise, one exercise after another with 60 to 120 seconds between each. Your total workout should take no more then a half an hour.

Number 8: Lift twice a week for the rest of your life. You may have a good excuse for skipping workouts but you can't explain to your muscles why you didn't. The muscles either get the stimulation and grow, or they don't and will deteriorate!

Number 9: If you fall out of the habit, don't beat yourself up; just get restarted. Even intermittent workouts are better then none. They keep you focused on a healthier lifestyle, which will eventually lead you back to a more consistent exercise routine.
For comments or questions please email me at marteaga@libertybiz.rr.com.