This quote is so true!!!! I realize I only have so many hours in a day, but I can only do what I can do. I try to make sure I always give my best whatever it is…..then I give myself grace for the rest.
“A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.” Albert Schweitzer
Did you ever wear one of these? Gotta love the workout attire of the 80’s!
I have so many people argue that they don’t need resistance in their training program. I hear all the time “running is my thing”. Don’t get me wrong, running is great cardiovascular exercise. I can guarantee you that same runner will be asking why they can’t seem to get tone or why they seem to be flabby. The answer is there is no resistance training. Resistance is weight moved. It is the training that produces muscle tone (building muscle, not toning fat). The weight must be small enough to perform an exercise through the full range of motion with proper form yet heavy enough that it makes the muscle tired or taxed for the desired number of repetitions. Without resistance you can’t build or tone muscle. So…….pick up those weights!!!!!!
God has you right where he wants you to be. Enjoy it…….even if its hard!!!!
You hear it all the time in the gym or see it in magazine articles. “Get the full range of motion.” What does it mean and how does it help you? So glad you asked.
When you hear “range of motion” it means the complete movement capability of the joint. In other words from the full stretch of the targeted muscle to a fully contracted position. Think of the bicep curl……the full stretch would be when your arm is fully extended downward. The contraction is when you bring the weight curled up to to the top of the shoulder and you get the squeeze on the bicep muscle. Working the muscles through the full range of motion will allow the joint to work properly…..to maintain and improve its range of motion. If the muscles surrounding the joint do not have the capability of full range o motion then the joints it surrounds will not either.
An example- think about when you have your arm in a cast for several weeks and you don’t use it. When the cast comes off you cant straighten the arm very well. You have to go to therapy not only to strengthen the muscles that have not been used but to work on their range of motion so you can fully extend and use your arm the way it was before. If you do not you will not have full use of that arm.
Same holds true in your workouts. If you do not use the full range of motion when you work the muscles then you will not have full range of motion in the joints.
One word of caution……. be careful and Make sure you go through the full range of motion on all exercises without hyper-extending or going past full extension. Be careful not to lock knees or elbows.
As you may have noticed I did not post yesterday. I am trying to make a commitment that I will leave Sunday as a day of rest to reflect on my week and to honor God. I truly believe God loves it when we take the time to honor him by spending time with him, by being with our family, and just resting from the work we have done……He did! I am so glad I did too. At our church yesterday, while I felt very convicted (not condemned), our minister talked about how Satan attacks us little by little and that the main way is through unforgiveness which leads to bitterness. It could come from the smallest incident to a life changing event. It leads to abusive behavior that we could direct toward ourselves and even towards others. It can lead to addictions we never thought possible. It can also directly affect our health. It can cause so much stress that our body reacts to it. I realized in my own self just how damaging it can be. It made me step back and check out my own attitude…..and when I did I didn’t like what I saw. So, how do we learn to forgive and let go…….well it’s easier said than done……but the answer is to look to the example of Jesus and how he went to the cross for us. He had no sin and took on mine. He forgave those who put him on the cross when he’d done nothing to deserve it. Pretty sober example, huh?!!!
All beginner and intermediate training programs whether bought, put together by a trainer, or put together by you should encompass the 5 R’s. those 5 R’s are: Range of motion, Resistance, Repetition, Rest, and Recovery. I will discuss each one over the next few days individually. So check back!!!!!
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Figuring out a good training split is hard and should be individualized. I have found for me it works best when I weight train every other day with cardio I between. I usually take 2 consecutive days off to let my body rest (during off season). During my training for competition I usually add a day of cardio and only rest one day.
The following is my split:
Monday – chest, tris, shoulders
Tuesday – cardio (I vary the type up all the time)
Wednesday – back and bi’s
Thursday – cardio
Friday – legs
I work abs and core every day I weight train
Hope this helps to give you a place to start.
Have an amazing weekend! Check out Hebrews 12:1-3.
Use this weekend to refocus on goals. Keep working hard and don’t give up! Don’t make excuses!!!! The only way to get results is to get busy!!!
