's motd Sat Nov 27, 2010 - Resistance Training

[Guest guest]

PUMP IT UP!

Saturday, 27 November 2010

When I opened Slimmons 35 years

ago, in the beginning, my emphasis was on aerobics.

Back then, I was teaching five classes a day.

And let me tell you, I was one tired little aerobics

instructor by the end of the day. Whew!

I did do a little bit of

toning back then using very light free-weights. And

I'll admit, I wasn't as knowledgeable about toning

then, as I am today. But that all changed when I

researched the benefits of weight-lifting. Whether

you're using free-weights, toning cords or bands, when

you use any of them, you're pumping blood into your

muscles to help them grow strong.

One day, I purchased a set of heavier weights and

brought them up to my gym. I worked with an exercise

physiologist who taught me all about the muscle groups

and which toning exercises I should focus on to build

my muscles. That first day in the gym, I picked up

the ten pound-free weights and worked my triceps,

biceps, chest, back and shoulders.

Before I began pumping my muscles, I drank some water,

cranked the music up really loud and went to work.

And hey, I've gotta tell you, working-out with those

ten-pound weights for the first time was really a

lot harder that using the three-pound

weights at Slimmons. LOL. Still, I finished all of

my sets. But oh, the next morning? I was so sore, I

could hardly even reach for the telephone! I said to

myself, "Oh, the pain. This hurts so much!"

But you know me...I'm no

quitter. Two days later, I was right back at

it, working-out with those ten-pound weights again.

And I've been toning three-days-a-week ever

since. But I don't work with ten-pound weights

anymore. I graduated to working with 15-pounds and

today, I workout using 20-pound weights. I do my

biceps curls, triceps push backs, chest presses,

overhead lifts for my back and a series of shoulder

rolls.

When you're toning consistently. two things happen.

1)You begin seeing muscle definition in your upper

body. And, 2)You build strength in your bones and

that's so important as we all grow older.

Now I know that a lot of women don't like to lift

weights thinking they're going to "bulk-up". Well

truth is, you don't get bulky unless you're

chest-pressing a coupla hundred pounds! 10 and 15

pound weights are only going to get you

delicious-looking, firm muscles. And when your

muscles are firm, you look more solid and

healthy.

One more thing. When you're doing your cardio

workouts and your muscles are toned, you'll also burn

more calories. (Now there's a really big

incentive for you, I know!)

This morning before I leave to

teach class, I'll do my chest and back workouts. I'll

do five sets of twelve of two exercises focusing on

those body parts. And let me add just one more

thing. When you lift weights, getting your muscles

firmed and toned, you'll really improve your posture,

too.

So you see? Resistance training is a

win-win proposition for you and your body. I have

several toning workouts available in my store. You

should take a look and try

some of the toning DVDs and equipment in my store.

Oh yeah, that's right baby. Get to work. It's time

for you to...pump it up!

Love,

[Guest guest]

On 11/27/2010 9:06 AM, Sue in NJ wrote:

>I did do a little bit of

toning back then using very light free-weights. And

I'll admit, I wasn't as knowledgeable about toning

then, as I am today. But that all changed when I

researched the benefits of weight-lifting. Whether

you're using free-weights, toning cords or bands,

when you use any of them, you're pumping blood into

your muscles to help them grow strong.

This is what I've been concentrating on since my last doctor's

visit. My muscles are turning into mush from this heart pill, a

common side effect of this med, and the doc said the little bit of

toning in the Sansone videos (hand weights and stretchy bands

as part of the walking routine) that I've been doing isn't enough. I

reminded him that I tore that chest muscle using just 2 pound

weights earlier this year and how I dislocated my shoulder using

just a toning cord doing a toning video over 10

years ago and he shrugged. I've had muscle problems for around 30

years now. He suggested I go to Curves, but at $50/month, last time

I priced it a few years ago, that's just not going to happen. That's

what the other gyms in the city charged, too, with the exception of

Planet Fitness, but they don't have anyone qualified to show you how

to use the machines, just some kids hired by the manager to remind

people to wipe down the machines when finished. One of my neighbors

went on a free pass, asked how to work one of the weirder looking

machines, and was told to read the directions posted on the side of

it, because the girl at the desk had no idea how and she was the

only worker in the whole place at the time, the other kid was out

getting soda. Of course they also have signs posted all over how

they're not responsible for injuries.

So, out came my Strong Women Stay Young book and my 1 pound hand

weights again. I can do the routines easily with the one pound so

moved up to the 2. OK, a little struggle but still do-able. My left

arm, the one I broke multiple times as a kid, is my weakest, and

it's that side most affected by the pinched nerve in my neck. I

tried the three pounders and my arms trembled during the second set

and there was no way I could do a third. The next morning I couldn't

move my right arm nor twist, my entire right side was a painful

knot, worse than after the doc did a osteopathic treatment at my

last visit! I could barely use my hand for a few days, I was in such

pain! I must have done something not just to the muscles but to my

neck and arthritic spine for it to be this bad. Back to the 1-pound

weights last week and my right arm trembled during the first set.

Tomorrow I'll try the 2 pound weights again.

I do more damage to my body by trying to improve it than if I did

nothing!

Don't get old, ladies! LOL Nah, I shouldn't say that, for my body

was giving me trouble back when I was a kid. Years of rough and

tumble play with the neighborhood boys and multiple broken bones on

top of chronic malnutrition from constant very low calorie dieting

as a child play havoc with the musculo-skeletal system.

>Now I know that a lot of women don't like to

lift weights thinking they're going to "bulk-up".

Well truth is, you don't get bulky unless you're

chest-pressing a coupla hundred pounds! 10 and 15

pound weights are only going to get you

delicious-looking, firm muscles.

Does anyone here use hand weights even *this* heavy? I could barely

lift a 5 pound weight and could never imagine lifting a 15 pound

dumb bell in each hand!

>One more thing. When you're

doing your cardio workouts and your muscles are

toned, you'll also burn more calories.

(Now there's a really big incentive for you, I

know!)

The past few weeks I kept seeing mentioned how people trying to lose

weight should spend as much time doing toning as they do aerobic

workouts, the reason being that you may not lose more weight but the

weight you do lose will be fat and not lean tissue (muscle). It was

also just reported that weight training helps in keeping a

diabetic's blood sugar at a more stable level, too:

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/23/news/la-heb-diabetes-exercise-20101123

How about the rest of you? Are you tonin' as well as sweatin' a few

times a week?

Sue in NJ