Getting Started: Safety

If you feel your body is not ready for strength training for any reason, talk to your physician. Here is a list of risk factors to help you decide if you should talk to a physician before beginning a strength training program:

    * any cardiovascular disease including chest pains at rest or exertion
    * family history of coronary heart disease before the age of 55
    * high cholesterol, generally above 200
    * abnormal ECG, or cardiac arrhythmias
    * smoking
    * chronic hypertension
    * extreme obesity
    * any chronic muscular or joint problem
    * currently pregnant, or within 3 months of delivery
    * recent surgery
    * arthritis
    * diabetes
    * asthma
    * years of a sedentary lifestyle
Getting Started

    * If you're not familiar with the basic principles of strength training, Weight Training 101 is your starting point for learning about the rules and guidelines for lifting weights.
    * Start with a program that works all muscle groups 1-3 non-consecutive days a week.
    * Warm up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio or with warm up sets of each exercise using a light-medium weight.
    * Choose 1-2 exercises for each muscle group (see below) and do 1-2 sets of 8-16 repetitions of each exercise. As a beginner, you may want to start with about 15-16 reps until you feel comfortable with the moves and build some strength. After that, you can add more weight and reduce your reps for a different challenge.
    * If you exercise in a gym, you may want to start with machines so you have more stabilization for the movements.
    * Give yourself at least a day of rest (though you may need more after the first workout) to recover.
    * Each week, add either 1 repetition and/or a few pounds of weight to each exercise to progress. Just keep your reps at about 16 or below. Once you hit 16 reps, increase your weight and drop your reps down to 10 or 12 reps.
    * You want to challenge yourself, not kill yourself. The first few weeks, focus on learning how to do each exercise rather than on how much weight you're lifting or how many exercises you're doing. You have plenty of time to build muscle.
    * After 6 or more weeks of consistent strength training, you can change your routine to make it more difficult.()

[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-16 10:51 AM 编辑 ]

10 Quick Tips To Help You Get Started:

   1. Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient rich blood to areas about to be exercised, to actually warm the muscles and lubricate the joints.
   2. Stretch - Increases or maintains muscle flexibility.
   3. During the first week of starting an exercise program keep it light. Work on technique-good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.
   4. Quick tips to maintain good body mechanincs: go through the complete range of motion, move slowly and with control, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never sacrifice form just to add more weight or repetitions.
   5. The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level and goals.
   6. Listen to your body. Heart rate is not a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights, it is important to listen to your body based on an overall sense of feeling of exertion.
   7. The MINIMUM amount of strength training recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine is eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You will get more overall gains with more days per week, sets and resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.
   8. Strength training session are recommended to last one hour or less.
   9. As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further in order for the fatigued muscles to rebuild.
  10. "No pain, no gain." This statement is not only false, but can be dangerous. Your body will adapt to strength training, and will reduce in body soreness each time you workout.

A Basic Strength Training Program:

    The American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand (1990) on "The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness in Healthy Adults" outlines several basic guidelines for strength training programs. "Strength training of a moderate intensity, sufficient to develop and maintain fat-free weight, should be an integral part of an adult fitness program. One set of 8-12 repetitions of eight to ten exercises that condition the major muscle groups at least 2 days a week is the recommended minimum." The following are example exercises for a basic strength training program:

Prime movers/Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, deltoid

* This exercise can be performed using dumbbells and/or with free weights.

Beginning Position:

    * Lie face up on a bench with feet flat on the floor.
    * Eyes should be below the edge of the bar.

Beginning Position
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip, and remove the bar off the shelf.

Ending Position
Lower bar/free weights slowly and with control to the chest keeping the wrists straight.

[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-15 06:05 PM 编辑 ]

Prime movers/Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, deltoid

Beginning Phase:
    * Start face-down on the floor with arms extended and shoulder width apart, back flat and feet together.


Movement Phase:
    * Lower body towards the floor until chest just touches floor, while keeping back parallel to the floor.

Ending Phase:

    * Push your body back to starting position slowly and with control until your elbows are fully extended.

[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-15 06:06 PM 编辑 ]

Prime movers/Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi

Beginning Phase:

    * Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip that is wider than shoulder width apart.

Downward Phase:

    * With torso erect, head slightly down and arms fully extended slowly pull the bar down slightly touching the base of the neck.

Upward Phase:

    * Control the bar during the upward phase allowing the arms to fully extend.



[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-15 06:13 PM 编辑 ]

Prime Movers/Muscles worked: Biceps and elbow flexors

* These exercises can be done with a bar, free weights, or as an alternative, water bottles.

Beginning Phase:

    * Grasp the bar with a closed, supinated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Stand erect with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent.

Movement Phase:

    * Raise the bar in an arc by bending arms at the elbow moving upward to the front of the shoulders
    * (Do not swing the bar).
    * Lower the bar in a slowly with control until the arms are fully extended.


[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-15 06:17 PM 编辑 ]

Tricep Pulldown
Prime Movers/Muscles worked: Triceps（肱三头肌）

Beginning Phase:

    * Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip that is about 10-15 cm apart.
    * Feet should be shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent and torso erect.

Movement Phase:

    * Arms should be bent at the elbows, pull the bar down slowly toward the lower trunk of the body without forcefully extending the elbows.
    * Allow the bar to raise slowly under control until you are at start position.

[ 本帖最后由 bing2008 于 2008-7-15 06:19 PM 编辑 ]

Tricep Extension
* This exercise can be done with free weights or water bottles.

* This exercise can be done standing or using a bench for support.

Beginning Phase:



    * Place one hand on opposing leg or a bench for support with the other leg on the floor for stability.

Movement Phase:



    * Raise the weight up to the front of the body at hip height by bending the arm at the elbow.
    * Straighten elbow so that the weight is at the back of the body.

Flat Dumbbell Fly——飞鸟
Prime Movers/Muscles worked: Pectoralis major

Beginning Position:

    * Lie face up flat on a bench
    * Grasp dumbbells
    * Press dumbbells straight up over your chest keeping your palms facing each other
    * Point elbows out and keep them slightly flexed

Downward Movement Phase:

    * Allow arms to move out in a wide arc
    * Keep palms up and elbows pointed out
    * Keep dumbbells in line with chest
    * Lower dumbbell under control until they are level with your body

Upward Movement:

    * Pull dumbbells up in a wide arc to your starting position above the chest
    * Keep the elbows slightly flexed during the entire movement