Jumpstart Your Strength Training Routine With This

Pulldown exercise to the front (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It's tough to get a strength-training regimen going when you're not sure where to start, but when I saw this print-out this morning, I thought it was a great way to at least introduce a few exercises to those who have yet to take the plunge—particularly if you have a gym membership at your disposal.

While I don't believe in remaining stagnant in your strength-training plan, I do believe in incorporating as many muscle groups as possible in order to give your body the balanced, toned, and strong look so many of us crave.

My suggestion is to use the above routine as a template—a nice starting point—and then, as you gain strength and confidence, vary it to make it more amenable to what you need and want for your body.

For those who might be wondering if it can be incorporated into a home workout, trust me it can.

If you don't currently subscribe to a gym, your best bet is not to concentrate on the exercises, but rather on the muscle groups they are meant to train. For instance, the wide-grip pulldown (shown in the picture above) focuses on the upper back and the shoulders. Exercises like tricep push-ups, wide grip pull-ups (using a chin-up bar), incline/decline push-ups, and dumbbell flys all offer a great alternative to those same muscles.

It might take a little extra research on your part to find the home alternatives that work for you, but it certainly can be done.

Abs: They Take Time and Patience

If I could take a pill that would take my mid-section from what it is to what I intend it to be—minus the 1,000's of crunches and pain-inducing planks and ab workouts—believe me I would. However, even I know that these things take time and a lot of patience.

Keep at it, you'll get there if you stay the course and keep working hard.

Source: google.com via Kimberley on Pinterest

Incorporating More Functionality Into Your Routine

The other day when I attempted to open a particularly stubborn bottle of nail polish, I found that I simply could not get the job done. So, I decided to stop wasting my energy on a task so simple and just hand it to the hubby. He took one look at me and said, "please don't tell me those things are for nothin'." 

The "things" he was referencing were the muscles in my arms and the thought I immediately had was, he's right! All the weights I lift and exercises I do and I can't open a friggin' bottle of nail polish—what gives?!?

Well, I found my answer this morning while browsing the web; a task like that would be labeled a "functional" activity. Or basically an action that includes movements and muscle groups you wouldn't normally target in your fitness routine. 

So how does one begin to incorporate more functional exercises into their regimen to ensure they aren't short-changing themselves?

You first start by thinking about common actions you take on a regular/semi-regular basis, and then determine what you can do to closely replicate that in your routine.

"Functional fitness exercises can be done at home or at the gym.

Health and fitness facilities may offer classes that include functional fitness components like boot camp classes, while personal trainers will utilize tools like free weights, fitness balls, steps or kettle bells in functional fitness workouts.

Think about when you pick up a box in your garage and lift it to store it on a shelf above shoulder level. An example of a functional exercise that would address this type of physical challenge might be a squat, while holding dumbbells in each hand, and moving directly into an overhead press. This type of real life movement is not generally achieved using cardio or weight machines."

Read more: http://www.lompocrecord.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/put-more-focus-on-functional-exercises/article_da4de0c4-73e0-11e1-9ab6-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1pr41gNgg

I swear, I learn something new about this old body of mine every day.

The Side Effects of Good Exercise Habits

You want another benefit to regular exercise...better sex.

Testosterone or "T" is a powerful hormone produced naturally in both men and women. It's responsible for sexual arousal and can be increased through exercise.

Fit adults have more electrifying sex lives than individuals who lead sedentary lives. A fitness lifestyle involves healthy nutritional practices and adherence to regular exercise. Exercise done properly enhances sexual functioning because it can naturally increase testosterone levels in both males and females.

Testosterone (T) is an androgen secreted mostly from the testicles of males and the ovaries of females (small amounts produced in adrenal glands of both sexes). It is best known for its affects on increasing lean muscle mass, reducing body fats and slowing aging processes. T also plays a central role in promoting sexual desire.

Read more at Suite101: How Exercise Improves Love Life: Weight Training And Sex Hormone | Suite101.com http://de-stanelli.suite101.com/how-exercise-improves-sex-a23795#ixzz1pZFDIfiQ

I can't speak for everyone, but I can personally attest that there is truth to that claim.

Prior to my decision to change my lifestyle, I suffered from a relatively low libido, but with an increase in the intensity and regularity of my exercise habits, my libido returned with a vengeance and I was more than happy to welcome it back—as was the hubby.

So, what's considered a good level at which to train and increase these T-levels, naturally?

...For women to spike exercise-related testosterone levels, they must train hard using compound exercises, moderate reps of 8 - 12, and rest periods of 30 - 180 seconds between sets---similarly to men overall. However, women generally train longer than is required for men to boost testosterone levels. Simply stated, women increase T-levels through participation in grueling workouts and require more time to yield exercise-related T-levels sufficient enough to increase their libido.

Read more at Suite101: How Exercise Improves Love Life: Weight Training And Sex Hormone | Suite101.com http://de-stanelli.suite101.com/how-exercise-improves-sex-a23795#ixzz1pZI6V5Ou

In simpler terms, regular exercise (4-5 days a week), using compound exercises (exercises that involve training more than one muscle at a time, i.e. squats, lunges, chest-presses, dips, etc.) for at least 70-80 minutes, is recommended in order for women to achieve optimum results.

As we get older, as women, we have to contend with the rigors of keeping our hormones in balance. However, regular, daily, exercise can help to naturally keep everything in check—many times without a need for an over-the-counter or prescription medication.

That said, it's up to you to carefully craft a routine that suits not only your lifestyle, but your life; and in so doing maybe you can reap the rewards of your good choices.

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Tuesday Triumph: Two Workouts Down, Three To Go

After pushing through my Monday routine, it was nice to feel energetic and ready to take on another, more focused, one today—it was all about the arms and shoulders this time.

The one thing I'm willing to guess most every woman loves to have are those nicely toned, beautifully sculpted, arms to flaunt when wearing that sleeveless top or dress. But those things don't come easy and you have to be willing to put in the time to get those showstoppers.

Here's a small sample of my routine from this morning. Using 25lb dumbbells (lighter is fine, too, just increase your reps):

Standing Dumbbell Shrugs (4 sets of 12): lots of women scoff at this exercise because it seems like such a "man" thing. However, it does wonders for helping to build that sleek neckline and accentuate the collarbone (or clavicle) which gives most women that "hey, I DO work for this body" look.

Standing Alternating Hammer Dumbbell Curls (4 sets of 10): I love curls! I'm obsessed with them, quite frankly, and I try to incorporate a set into nearly every routine—no matter what I'm working on that particular day. It's a phenomenal exercise for the biceps and a must do in my opinion.

Standing Overhead Tricep Press (4 sets of 8): My cousin used to comment that the one thing she didn't want to have was "flabby arms"—somehow having them just made wearing a tank top seem pointless to her.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises (4 sets of 10): I transition back to my 5 lb dumbbells for this one because my focus is more on form than repetitions. You really want to make sure you're giving your deltoids (that muscle just along the back ridge of your shoulders) a good workout.

Strengthening the deltoids can not only give your upper body a more statuesque look but also aids in forming great posture.

Aside from that, cardio is always a must for me. I never know what kind of mood I'll be in when it gets to that point, though, because I detest cardio—DETEST! I've never been a runner (although I have a great deal of respect for those who can do it on a regular basis) and biking is only fun if you're in a scenic landscape.

That said, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, high knee runs, lateral hops, wall sits, and other such exercises can be every bit as challenging, particularly when done in quick succession, and don't require much beyond a few feet of space and your own body weight to get the job done. 

Lastly, the abs. I'm on a mission to get the tummy as lean and flat as possible and that means a lot of attention to every muscle hidden within.

I stopped relying on crunches long ago to get the job done and, instead, look to a number of different exercises to target the various points in the abdominal area. As of now, I do a cocktail of reverse crunches (lower abs/side obliques), plank poses (both side and basic), boat crunches (lower abs), etc., but there are literally hundreds of exercise that can help you strengthen you core.

Start here for ideas and then just keep being creative and mixing them up.

Well, that's me for today—what are you going to do to get moving?

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Pain: The Body's Way of Saying "I'm Challenging You"

It's not easy to work out five days a week and, I admit, some weeks I don't reach that goal—being a mother, wife, and woman of infinite responsibility can make that hard sometimes—but I put forth the effort to do something everyday no matter what; as long as I'm physically able.

That said, you can only do so much of the same thing before your body gets bored and requires something more to produce results. So I am always challenging myself to do more, push harder, and test the limits of what is thought possible.

Sometimes that approach is met with resistance of both the physical (sore muscles, a deep burning sensation—hint, hint, that's your muscles saying "gimme more", and fatigue) and mental kind (questioning your ability to do the routine and wondering if it's actually worth all the physical consequences).

I cannot tell you the number of times I've felt like doing nothing or opting for the easier, more manageable routine, that I know can be completed with ease. After all, if I believe those around me, I should be in "maintenance mode" now, so there is purpose in coming up with more challenges for my body to meet.

For those of you who can understand the latter point, here's a word of wisdom from a simple woman of faith: there is nothing wrong with being satisfied with where you are, physically, but if you're not, you will never get to that point without finding new ways to both challenge yourself and present your body with a reason to get stronger, leaner, and more physically fit.

Part of the beauty of learning a new exercise routine or fitting in one additional set is the great feeling you get from the knowledge that you are progressing.

Maybe last year you couldn't last five minutes on the elliptical machine before bailing on it altogether but, as you did more, your body became accustomed to the rigor and now, maybe, that five minutes is what you do to warm-up your body before advancing to the more intense levels of your regimen.

Progression makes you feel good. Progression is what keeps us all fired up to do more and you should try to never lose your desire to do more.

Your body is your temple to build and glorify. There is nothing arrogant or conceded about doing that if your intent is the overall goal of being balanced on every level and feeling as good about yourself on the outside as you do about the inside.

Celebrate yourself, challenge your will, and try to be better everyday.

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Exercise Jolt: Don't Fall Victim To Laziness

I get tired.

I get so tired, in fact, that sometimes I don't want to eat right, exercise, or put on one piece of exercise gear—some days I just don't feel good. And, it is on those types of days that I choose to do one of two things: 1) not exercise at all, or 2) exercise more vigorously than usual.

You don't have to be a workout warrior 5-6 days a week—every week—no one will flog you if you miss a day, but you should choose to take breaks when they are necessary, not simply as a result of laziness or lack of motivation.

If you're mood is due to fatigue or health issues, then maybe you should listen to your body and accept that day as one that's long overdue—there's no glory in pushing a tired body past the point of exhaustion. That type of dedication might impress some, but your body will pay for your overeager ways at some point.

However, if you're just having a bad day or feeling lazy because you broke your nutritional routine by having that extra slice of chocolate cake, well, maybe you need to let that be your motivation instead of your reason to stagnate.

It's on those days, that we feel the least ready to get going in our routines, that we should strive the hardest to do so—trust me when I tell you that you will feel so much better if you do than if you don't.

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