Sensible Health-Related Fitness Blog

The Sensible Health-Related Fitness Blog is your fitness resource focal point. It will advise you:

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Jul 21, 2010, Low-Fat Meals - Synonymous with the Sensible Healthy Eating Plan

Sensible Healthy Eating and Low-Fat Meals - Plan flexible and enjoyable Super-nutrition to fuel your physical activity and give you otpimal results.

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Jul 21, 2010, Frequently Asked Questions

An in-depth look at Sensible Health-Related Fitness

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Jun 30, 2010, How to lose weight successfully

How to lose weight successfully? What more can be said except that 'sensible' is the only way.

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Jun 10, 2010, It's already June. This means we're on the cusp of summer.

Don't miss the next article on making some useful 'last-minute' shape-up strides so you can wear your bathing suit with confidence. It's quite uncanny, but when deadlines approach, human nature invariably spurs us into motion.

Apr 4, 2010, Training alone or with a Partner?

What are the basic advantages of the two options?

In my life I have done my training both ways and I can say from my personal experience that there are definite advantages from either way.

It all depends on what your particular needs are. For instance, if you’re one who has a rather unpredictable lifestyle, then it will probably suit you better to train on your own in line with your erratic program. On the other hand, if you participate in exercise on a regular basis, then you’re probably a good candidate to pair up with a partner, especially if you have specific gains you want to achieve.

Let’s take a look at these two options in a little more detail:

Some of the benefits of going it alone

• You can pretty much dictate your own pace and schedule;

• You can decide what time to hit the gym, especially if you work out at a busy facility which has peak hours (and thus can be avoided);
• You would probably manage to get through your workout program in less time and with less dialogue BUT, you do need to be rather disciplined to keep to that time schedule.

Some of the benefits of working out with a partner

• If you’re inclined to struggle with your sense of discipline, then having an arrangement to work out with someone will mean that you’ll be less likely to skip training sessions;
• If you’re trying to break through a plateau and therefore are hitting the real heavy stuff, then you’re more likely to be training to ‘failure’ on parts of your program. A training buddy will be very instrumental in giving you some much needed egging on;
• In addition to moral support and encouragement on a very heavy program, a partner is essential to have on hand in the event someone has to grasp and safely stow weights when your weary muscles can’t hold out anymore.

The bottom line

Although you’re less likely to have the same ad hoc flexibility as you would when training alone, working out with a partner is important when you’re looking to make particular gains. However, you will need a reliable person who has similar goals as you have, or this system may become counterproductive.

My next article will explore this issue further, the respective disadvantages and also look at the typical candidates for both methods of training.

In the meanwhile - Happy Easter!

Mar 27, 2010, Is it better to train alone or with a Partner?

There are several pros and cons to going it alone, or with a training partner. Although I always had my own opinion on this, I tried training with a colleague this week and was pleasantly surprised when I recalled what it is like having an extra pair of 'hands' on hand.

Be sure to pay this page a visit next week, when I reveal all on this subject.

Mar 22, 2010, Is Aspartame safe?

Is Aspartame safe? Is it friend or foe? Let's see what people are saying.

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Mar 10, 2010, ASPARTAME - Friend or Foe?

You either use or you don't, or you use it and try not to think about it, hoping that all the claims that it is not safe, are unfounded.

Find out more about this topic in next week's webpage article entitled "Is Aspartame safe?"

Mar 9, 2010, How to get along with the good old Squat

The squat is an exercise which uses primarily the quadriceps (thighs) and gluteus maximus (buttocks), not to mention incorporating the abs and hamstrings for stability.

This exercise is considered by many as one of the cornerstones for increasing all round strength and size. However, several trainers seem to concentrate their exercise programs only on the upper body, predominantly the chest, biceps and shoulders. Little do they realize that well-trained and conditioned legs are just as much part of an in-shape body than any other part.

Sadly though, a lot of individuals seem to think they look great by having the top half taken care of. That's literally a half-truth because nothing looks more odd than someone with bulk and muscle on the upper body and neglected legs. And besides the natural appeal of looking balanced, let's not forget the much-needed strength and functionality required of the legs in many types of sports (for power and speed), as well as in cardio training. So try not to leave this exercise off the list!

Proper Form

Take due care when executing the squat (especially if you're going heavy). Ensure that your legs are shoulder width apart and firmly 'planted' on the floor surface, with your toes pointing slightly outwards. Breathe in deeply and evenly as you lower your body over a count of 3, keeping the weight directly over the feet, the back straight while you assume a very slight forward inclination. Pause for a second before driving the body up again to the starting position while exhaling over a count of 2. Try to stop short of locking the knees to maintain the load on the legs. Ouch, I know this is tough but hey, nothing good comes without sacrifice. Remember, they don't call this one of the granddaddy weight training exercises for nothing.

Keep in mind also to maintain the head and neck still and your eyes fixed on the area straight ahead of you. Proper alignment of the body and positioning of the legs is crucial with the squat in order to prevent pain and/or injury to the lower back, hips and knees. Although there are advocates of the 'deep' squat, I would recommend stopping when the legs are parallel to the floor.

As with all resistance exercises, make sure you perform this exercise correctly by always employing smooth form, timing and breathing techniques.

Rep range

Depending on the specific goal of your program, aim for 6 to 8 reps for strength training and 8 to 15 reps for muscle development objectives.

Variants

There are other types of squats aside from the 'basic' version described here. Try alternating among the hack squat, wide squat and sissy squat to keep your program stimulating and your body challenged. The lunge is another excellent exercise for solid leg development. Again, always ensure proper form and execution of the reps.

Best wishes with your training!

Feb 26, 2010, Proper execution of the Squat

Don't miss next week's article on one of the most important exercises for building and shaping the legs, as well as contributing to core strength.

Do this exercise right and you'll gain massive benefits and advantages. However, do it wrong and you will surely be risking the ill-effects of poor training form, or worse - serious injury.

Feb 24, 2010, Resisitance Workouts

I have been noticing that Gyms in general are quite busy these days. That's a good sign and I'm pleased that there seems to be renewed sense of urgency to get into better shape by Spring/Summer.

Although there are a lot of people training, I am not so sure they are making concerted efforts with their weight training. Why do I say this? Because I have noticed many just going through the motions and not handling the weights like there is a purpose to it.

There are some very basic, yet overlooked vital points which are intrinsic to successful weight training. These center on proper execution of the respective resistance exercises and include important elements such as smooth, even form, and full range-of-motion. Naturally, there are other method like "forced" and "negative" reps, but these are specialized techniques for advanced trainers.

So I just wanted to post a short article to draw attention once again to these basics. They will ensure you get the most out of your workouts.

Besides your training methodology, make sure you go into the gym with a plan to help you maximize your gains from your workout routines (here's an interesting and relevant article). Also keep in mind the importance of planning and recording your workout program activities.

As always, best wishes with your workouts!

Jan 30, 2010, A Flat Abdomen Can Be Yours

A flat abdomen is the pinnacle of a lean and powerful body. And we haven't mentioned what it does for your confidence.

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Jan 30, 2010, Sensible Health Related Fitness, workout routines, lose weight, gain muscle mass

Health related fitness is possible using sensible healthy ways to lose weight and gain muscle mass. Valuable resources on health fitness articles, healthy eating and benefits of exercise.

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Jan 28, 2010, The REAL reason behind Health Related Fitness and Working Out?

It’s an important question to ask yourself now-and-then.

It begs another question: "Are you making efforts and reaping the rewards, or simply going through the motions?"

Aside from being a Personal Fitness Trainer, I also occasionally supervise the cardio and weight training areas at a nearby Gym. So today, it dawned on me again that many gym goers seemingly have less than appreciable enthusiasm in doing their workouts.

I was reminded of this when approached for advice by a certain exerciser and asked to explain what a “barbell shrug” is, and what muscle areas it targets. In fact, the person wanted to know whether it was possible to omit the exercise from future workouts because she did not really enjoy doing it, and felt it was a timewaster.

“People, what are we doing!?”

Okay, one can substitute exercises, but there's something seriously wrong with this attitude.

What I have just described here is a reminder and testimony that the general level of commitment (or seriousness if you prefer) to working out is not quite what it could or should be.

If you’re simply performing your exercises in a “brain-dead” manner like described above, you’re doing it wrong. Rather give up your fitness program and put your money to better use. Sorry, there’s really no other way to phrase it.

To embark on a training program and succeed in transforming your body, you need to carefully plan and live your workout routines. For more details on these topics, see my related articles on planning workouts and how to make the most out of them.

Think about it, feel it and look forward to it. If you get to the gym, change into your training clothes and find yourself on the training floor wondering what you need to do next, then you need to reassess things.

Remember, nothing good (or worthwhile investing time and money for) comes without a measure of commitment.

The message I want to send out is simple: Do your reality check more often than you usually do, so you can remind yourself of why you’re working out and the promise you made to yourself to get into shape. Keep abreast of your progress and know your goals at all times.

Make it happen!

Jan 21, 2010, So, getting into good shape means giving up your bed-of-roses, right? Not quite.

Don’t miss next week’s feature article, which takes a look at the mindset of those who yearn to be in better shape, but think they’ll have to give up too much of the “good life” to succeed.

Find out why the “sensible approach” to health related fitness means good news for you if you thought you had to sacrifice and stop living, in order to shape up.