Alan John - Weight Lifting and Weight Training: A Scientifically Founded Beginners Guide to Better Your Health Through Weight Training

Weight Lifting and Weight Training

A Scientifically Founded Guide to Increasing Your Health Through Weigh tlifting

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Copyright 2020 by Alan W. John

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Alan John, 2020

Table Of Contents:

Whether you call it weightlifting, pumping iron, or bodybuildin g, lifting weight , both light and heavy ,has long been the method to get in shape and stay in shape. Weightlifting, or weight training , has many health benefits for both men and wom en. We ightlifting routines exist which are appropriate for men, women , and even children of any age, any size, and any body type. If you want to build muscle mass, increase stamina, improve cardiac function, even stave off the symptoms of osteoporosis - you can accomplish all of that and so much more by adding a good weight training routine to your regular workou t. To get the most health benefit out of lifting weights, you need to combine your weight training with other exercises . If you are not already doing some kind of aerobic or cardio workout everyday, you must do this in addition to weight lifting. It is not healthy to just begin to lift weights without a proper warm up. Of course before starting any workout routine, check with your doctor. Prior to starting your weight lifting workout you need to "get the blood moving" and your muscles primed for some heavy lifting. Just before hitting the weights do a good ten minutes on a bicycle, take a short jog, or jump rope. Do a few legs and arm stretches as well. The key to successful weight training involves what are called repetitions. In lifting it is not so important how much you lift, but how many times you can lift the weight. A proper weight lifting routine will be designed to work out all of the major muscle groups of the body, which include: The Shoulders, Neck and Back, Biceps, Triceps, Quadriceps Chest, Abs, Hamstrings, Calves, and of course the Gluteus.

The next question on your mind is likely to be "should I use free weights or machines?" and "how much weight should I work out with?" You can use free weights or machines or maybe a little of both. If you are working out in a gym, of course they will have both and will likely be able to recommend a "circuit" of weight lifting exercises for you. If you intend to lift weights in the home, it all depends on your budget and physical space to determine if you want to buy a "Home Gym" type resistance trainer such as Bowflex - or a good set of free weights and barbells - or both. Weight machines are great for beginners because they have been designed to work a specific muscle or muscle group, and will ensure that you are seated or standing in the right position to target that group when you lift. Free weights are the traditional barbells and dumbbells that have been around for centuries, and they work great. In fact some would argue that once you learn how to use them properly you get a better workout than machines because it is only the force of your muscles and your ability to balance the weight that keeps the weight and your muscles moving properly. There is no aid from the machine, so you are effectively using more muscle with free weights.

Lifting weights improves your strength and stamina. Lifting weights builds muscle and confidence, improves cardiovascular health and can actually help prevent other sports injuries. And lifting weights can help you lose extra pounds and keep them off - so what are you "weighting" for? Come on, and get pumping!

We all know that lifting weights leads to bigger muscles, harder muscles, and more definition. But just how does weight lifting do that? What is the physiology of weight lifting?

Basically weight lifting is a method of strength training. Lifting weights uses the force of gravity to oppose muscle contraction. Overcoming that opposition increases strength and builds muscle. The concept was simply and elegantly summed up by Hippocrates centuries ago That which is used develops, and that which is unused wastes away. He was correct and his contemporaries while not sure of the anatomical science behind it, also understood the basic weight lifting and strength

training concept of progressive resistance. It has been said that ancient Greek wrestler s, when training for the early Olympic Games, carried a newborn calf on their back everyday until it was grown. While that may not go over very well at your gym, the concept is sound. Weight lifting builds strength and muscle mass through progressive resistance. The reasons our muscles grow and become stronger when we workout with weights is due to the body's response to injury. Muscle growth from weight lifting is basically a healing process. When we lift weights, we do (when done correctly) a small amount of microtrauma to our muscle tissue. The bodys response to the trauma is to rebuild the weakened or torn muscle fibers, and in doing so build them even bigger and stronger then they were prior to the microtrauma so as to prevent repeat of the injury. So that is how progressive resistance works in weight lifting and weight training. We add more weight, do more reps, and tear down more muscle fiber - the body keeps responding by healing the muscle eventually pushing the muscle to its ultimate limit, which is genetically determined.

Professional powerlifters , other athletes, and experienced weightlifters will use this concept when training or working with weights by adding weight to the point they cannot lift and then backing off just a bit and then push the maximum weight possible. This is called progressive overload and it forces the muscles to grow stronger and larger to lift the heavier weight. However working out by lifting weights at the ultimate limit of your strength is not recommended for novice weightlifters . Professionals say beginners can achieve the same results a lot safer, by progressively adding repetitions to the workout, and not lifting heavier weights. This will still fatigue muscles, wear down fibers, and result in the progressive microtrauma required to build muscle, strength and stamina.

So what does all this mean? In order for weight lifting to result in building muscle and increasing strength, you must allow the body some down time to heal. Because it is this healing that is really the process of building renewed and strengthened muscle tissue. What that means is that you should not lift everyday especially in the beginning of your weight lifting regimen. Muscle growth can take anywhere from 2 to 4 days. So beginners generally will workout out every other day. The more experienced you are the longer the recovery period actually can be. Professional or very experienced weight lifters require more strength to push the limit, and cause more damage when they do, and therefore require longer time to build and repair muscles to greater strength. The pros will use a weight lifting routine that works any given specific muscle group only every 4 days.