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Weight Training Basics
KEY POINTS: Every muscle group in your body comes in pairs, front and back, inner and outer, top and bottom. It is very important to balance your workout to work each part of the pair. Pay as much attention to your inner thigh as your outer thigh, your triceps as your biceps, your back muscles as your abdominals, and so on. LISTEN to your body. If you begin to feel any grating or popping at any of your joints, or any stress in the back, look for a modification to that exercise. Lastly, stretch your muscle groups when you are finished working them. See Flexibility Training for specific stretches and Flexibility Basics for more information on stretching.
Weight Training Basics
•Use slow, deliberate movements. No jerking. Take as much time releasing as you do lifting (i.e., count 1 & 2 & 3 up; count 1 & 2 & 3 down).
•Use full range of motion, but DO NOT lock joints. Always keep a nice flex at the joint. Concentrate on good body alignment.
•Plan to rest 1 full day between exercising any muscle group, to allow for recovery. You can alternate the muscle groups. For instance, Arms, Chest, Abs on Monday, Legs, Butt, Back on Tuesday.
•Start with a weight you can lift comfortably 8 times (that may be your own body weight) and slowly increase your weight by no more than 10% after you can easily do 12 repetitions. Dr. Ed. Laskowski, co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., reports that a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build muscle just as efficiently as three sets of the same exercise: GOOD NEWS for people with busy schedules.
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