Sure You’re getting Older, But Are You Aging Well?

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Someone once said that all human beings, from the earliest age, are on a slow road to death. By that it was meant that we have a limited lifespan which eventually ends, though many young people don’t seem to realize it. Fact is, everything around us has limitations – beginnings and endings. We are aware of infants being born and of grandparents dying. We also observe animals, plants and insects go through this cycle of life. We speak of the birth and the death of cultures and civilizations, even ideas, trends and fads. We are accustomed to seeing things get old. Clothing and furniture wear out. Automobiles fall apart. Buildings deteriorate and yes, our bodies become wrinkled and old.

To humans, everything is measurable by hours, days and years. At the beginning of our life, time seems eternal, lazy and endless as we enjoy the blessing of youthful vitality and dynamism. As we grow into adulthood, the excitement of careers, marriage, and family life dictate that our minds are pre-occupied with being busy. But then something happens as we reach middle age. We realize that half our life is over and that we have achieved a measure of financial success. But we are also bothered by pains, illness or handicapped by some physical ailment which prevents us from enjoying life as we should. What happened? How did we get to feeling lethargic, achy and physically uninspired?

Part of our problem is lack of exercise. Anaerobic and aerobic are the two basics types which are a big part of the solution. Generally, anaerobic activities build muscles, and aerobic activities strengthen the cardiovascular system. A typical anaerobic exercise is weight lifting. It involves little continuous deep breathing, though it certainly can be done at a rapid pace to encourage faster oxygen intake. One of the benefits of weight-bearing exercise is the fact that it strengthens bones, which is good news to women who tend to lose a lot of calcium and develop osteoporosis.

The kind of exercise vital to building and maintaining our cardiovascular system—the heart, lungs and liver—is aerobic exercises such as jogging and brisk walking. The heart contracts and dilates at an average rate of 72 times a minute, 100,000 times a day, and close to 40 million times a year, and aerobic activity strengthens your heart to do this job efficiently. For some reason though, we believe that the needs of the human body have changed in our modern society. But of course it has not, and in fact, the adage of “use it or lose it” applies even more today as we slave away at sedentary jobs. When muscles are not used they deteriorate, our heart becomes smaller and less efficient, pumping less blood, delivering less oxygen to tissues, and eliminates less waste. In short, we’re in big trouble.

But exercise can turn fat into fitness, fatigue into vitality, and worry about health into energy filled living! So what do we do for exercise? I know for a fact that many people can only walk due to health concerns. Keep in mind that even walking revives tired blood and helps lessen the danger of arterial blockage. Plus, our cells will convert food and oxygen into energy more rapidly, firm up muscles, improve posture, and contribute to a better physical appearance.

Remember, exercise may not add years to your life, but it will add life to your years.

14 Myths About Fitness, Exercise And Working Out!

Myths are stories, legends or invented explanations that are retold so often that they are accepted as truth. They should not be that way, and they have no place in any individual’s fitness routine. Below are 14 of the most common myths on fitness, exercises and workouts that you and I should know about.

When you stop working out, muscles will turn into fat

It’s the most typical workout myth in the world. Muscle has never and will never turn into fat and neither does fat turn into muscle. During weight training, more energy is required, hence a bigger appetite. When a person stops working out, the need for extra energy stops as well. But because the stomach size has increased due to a bigger appetite, the need to feel full has become a habit. Those extra calories that were once used as fuel while training is now stored as fat. It may seem like the bulk of muscle has turned into fat, but the truth is that the body became fatter due to eating more than previously needed.

Be it protein or carbohydrates, both turns into fat when not used. Cutting back on training requires you to cut back on food consumption as well.

Food eaten after 8 at night will turn into body fat

Not entirely true. For people who workout during the later part of a day, it is important to eat accordingly. Whenever there is a need for the body to repair and rebuild, fuel is needed and the body most actively repairs during during sleep. However, it is more important to eat healthier foods during the later part of a day like lean meat, unsaturated fats, vegetables and fruits to avoid the risk of unwanted fat deposits. Give the body at least 2 hours to digest the food before going to bed.

Six pack abs equal six hundred sit ups and crunches daily

Everyone has six pack abs. Abdominal exercises do not lead to clearly visible six pack abs but fat reduction does. The first place that fat goes to in the body, is the last place fat comes off. Tummy for men and hips, butt, thighs for women. Spot reduction of fat has never and will never work. Here are some of the lesser known facts about losing weight that people ought to know about.

A six pack abs is a definite want for any man working out for it is a social muscle. Ab exercises will definitely strengthen and tone the abs but does not rid the fat. A better use of time would be to spend it on interval cardio sessions and making sure that proper food is fed to the body.

I actually have a personal digital body fat analyzer that I use from time to time that gives me a rough idea of my body’s current state. Accuracy may not be as good as a DXA but it’s good enough for me. You can easily get one at less than $US 10 from online auction sites like ebay.

Stretching and warm up isn’t necessary

I hit the gym every day, and I’ll take up 10 minutes to stretch and warm up my body from head to toe daily. It is necessary to avoid sprains and injuries. Even after a good day’s workout, I stretch. It greatly reduces the severity of DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which will be pretty much appreciated the morning after. 

Supplements will boost muscle growth and strength in no time

There are only 2 ways to make the most gains in mass and might.

1. • A good training program.
   • A well planned out diet.

Time and energy should be focused on the 2 methods mentioned above rather than on supplements that claim to be able to bring out the Arnold in you. Some supplements may have serious and irreversible side effects if taken wrongly. For example, steroids taken wrongly may lead to a loss of appetite, constipation, intestinal irritation, vomiting, nose bleeding, headaches, increased aggression and even liver cancer. It’s way better to attain the results we want naturally. Think safe, think long term. Our body’s health should not be taken lightly.

Weight training will make women look beefy

To look beefy, you’d need testosterone. Lots of it. Hundreds and hundreds of nanograms per deciliter of blood. The average testosterone levels for a human being are :

1. • Male : 300-1,000 ng/dl
   • Female : 20-80 ng/dl

Women just do not have the testosterone levels necessary to look like The Rock in Scorpion King. As a matter of fact, weight training is the fastest and easiest way for women to look leaner, sculpted and toned. Light to moderate weights and many repetitions are the most effective for toning and strengthening and make you look like Megan Fox in Transformers.

Vegetarians will not make it in bodybuilding

It’s so wrong. There is Bill Pearl who won Mr Universe twice, first in 1953 kicking Sean Connery’s butt (6th), and in 1971 before retiring. 1951 Mr America, Roy Hilligenn is another perfect example who still looks young as hell at 77 years old. You can see more of today’s vegetarian bodybuilders at veganbodybuilding.com.

Vegetarians get their protein from nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. B12 vitamin and iodin are 2 other essential nutrients available through seaweed.

Your body weakens with age

It’s all in the mind. Think old and you’ll look old and act old. The fact is, body building doesn’t only improve your physique and rejuvenates your spirit, but also gives you a healthy perspective on people and the world around. Some of the older bodybuilders include :

1. • John Pasco, born 1928
   • Bill Pearl, born 1930
   • Steve Holt, born 1954

With regular exercise, weight training and a low-fat diet, you’ll gain increased energy levels, leaner body mass and an optimum body fat percentage. With the big 90 around the corner, people still do experience renewed strength, increased mobility, stronger bones and greater flexibility by exercising.

The longer time I spend at the gym, the fitter I become

For me, it’s 60 minutes of weight training plus another 30 minutes of cardio, 5 times a week. The focus here is on efficiency and effectiveness like this super cool 15 minutes workout that works every muscle in your body. An average bodybuilder does not spend more than 1 hour working out. People who just don’t have the time to workout that much will lose interest and motivation to exercise, if the myth were true. The point is, any exercise, at all, done correctly is better than none.

If I don’t feel pain in the morning, I didn’t work out hard enough

When we lift weights, our muscle fibers will tear a little. Muscle soreness is expected, but normally heals within a week. Anything more than a week is an indication of over working out. Committing to a fitness program will eventually lead the muscle into getting used to it. Changing a fitness program regularly will ensure that all muscles are worked on and experiencing growth.

However, what happens in the gym is only meant to promote muscle growth. The real process begins only when a person is recovering. Pain should not be used as a measurement of a workout session’s effectiveness. Some soreness, yes, but not pain. Always remember to stretch before and after. Get enough rest and work on different muscle groups on different days. Rest a day if the muscles are still sore.

1. • shoulders
   • upper back
   • arms
   • chest
   • abs & lower back
   • legs

Avoid drinking water when your body is over heated

An average human body’s water content is 60% for men and 55% for women. In my body, 86 out of 143 pounds is water. If the body’s water content drops 5%, it’s already considered dehydration. An hour of vigorous exercise is enough to drain a quart (~1 liter). Drinking before, during and after is pretty important.

During exercise, muscles generate heat that will cause a rise in body temperature. This heat is doused by water when it is carried in the bloodstream and pushed to the surface as bullets of sweat. It continues to drain water from the body until it is replenished. Thirst is already a sign of dehydration. Drink a cup every 15 minutes. Keeps the muscles oiled and the body productive.

There is no need for doctors if I don’t plan on biting off more than I can chew

If you have never done any resistance training before in your life and you’re above 40, it’s best to consult your doc. Go for a physical exam that examines the temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate. Things that concern your cardiovascular fitness, blood cholesterol levels and medical history should also be taken into account. Ask doc about the best exercise given your medical profile.

The prime time for exercising and working out is in the mornings

Correction. The best time to exercise is the time that works with the individual’s body clock and fits their busy days. People working out in the morning are more likely to stick to their fitness plans as they are able to get it in before the various demands of life compete for their time.

Many, many people believe that the best way to lose fat is to start pushing your body right after waking up in the mornings, on an empty stomach. I say no. Exercise is meant for toning the muscle and burning fat. Inability to draw energy from the main source will only force the body to go to other sources of energy, which are your muscles and fat. More muscles are used up as fuel as their composition is much simpler compared to fat.

It is okay to cover a week’s worth of workout during the weekend

It’s also much better spreading a workout all over the week instead of pounding the body during weekends. A weekend warrior will lose out on other health benefits. Blood pressure and glucose levels are temporarily lowered during each exercise, which are beneficial in the long run. Exercising regularly also keeps a person’s appetite consistent.

Original Source: http://odyb.net/fitness/myths-about-fitness-exercises-workouts/

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Is Pain A Normal Part Of Aging?

Pain and aging – it seems that we see these two words together more and more these days. And for good reason. The health benefits of an appropriate fitness program are well documented – but on the face of it all – largely ignored with seniors.Well, what happened? Are you so different than you were in your younger years?

Ah yes, that was a time so unique, so special. You were strong then, and full of promise; thinking you would live forever. Well, forever sure ain’t what you thought it would be. Along came college, marriage, kids, jobs, more kids, grandchildren and the inevitable wow-what-happened-to-the-time reflection.

Remember when you used to look at your parents and marvel how age was creeping up on them? Well guess what – you’re now in their place and no longer the person you used to be. It seems everything works begrudgingly, if at all. Perhaps a little bit more unsteady, weaker on the stairs; and less energy. And the brain now seems to have a mind of its own, often telling the body to walk into a room only to let it wonder why it’s there.

So does it all have to be that way? Is the body designed to give out and give pain? Does your brain really need to take inventory of every new creak, twinge, ache, and strain that now assaults your body? Not at all! It’s just that many seniors think, “Well, if I had known I was to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.”

And that’s the crux of the matter. Our body becomes frail because we have not used it properly, the way it was designed to be used. And interestingly, those who need it most partake of it least. There’s enough information available for seniors today to understand that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand to build strong bones and muscles. Together they help reduce blood pressure and that nasty gunk that tends to build up in the arteries. It’s that stuff your doctor keeps hollering at you about – called plaque. Yechh.

Anyways, it’s been said (by your doctor – remember?) that exercise is good for you in many ways. But I’m willing to bet that many seniors already know every reason why they should avoid it.

Well, let me also give you a few reasons why you should partake of it. When you carry a sack of groceries up a flight of stairs, your heart will not feel like it’s pounding a mile a minute. Your leg and hip muscles will be strong enough to actually propel you up the stairs without having to hang on to the railing. And when you come down again, you won’t have to worry about doing a nose plant down the first five steps because your strength gave out.

So now you’re ready to get going? No more beating around the bush, right? You’re going to lift yourself up by the bootstraps and get all fired up? I can see you pushing it to the limit and pulling out all the stops; get the ball rolling and let it all hang out.

What’s that, right after your morning paper? C’mon now, you’ve already had your coffee, took your pills and feigned a couple of squats and stretches. If you’re waiting for something to fit your lifestyle, then you should have done that 30 years ago. Your concern now is to lose a few pounds and get moving in order to avoid shortness of breath, weak knees, painful arthritis and high pharmaceutical bills.

Ok, so we’re mobile, now what’s in the exercise plan? There’s lots to do out there that fits into the category of fun. You can walk or take a daily swim, bike a blue streak, or yoga and Tai Chi till you’re wobbly with serenity. Ask at your local YMCA or Parks & Recreation Society about available programs for seniors. These places might even have qualified instructor who will teach you to become one with your “Inner Arnold.”

If that doesn’t sound like fun, then you can accept chronic pain and get cranky to the point of curmudgeonism. But I pity the next salesman that rings your doorbell.

The Famous 20 Minute (Have It All) Exercise Session

Editors Comment: There are a lot of fancy exercise systems available today, and it seems the prices keep rising, along with the zen-like oceans of fancy rhetoric and half-page pull quotes. However, the best systems are still the most simple. The article below gives a great workout by Bryce Lane

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The Famous 20 Minute (Have It All) Exercise Session

The basics

I have thougth many times about one workout that could give you “it all” or as close to it as possible. A simple, short, to the point workout where you would get stronger in a very practical sense, increase your work capacity and conditioning level and add bulk if you eat like you mean business. A no-nonsense workout that could take you from dweeb to superhuman for the price of blood, sweat and twenty minutes of your TeeVee time a few days a week. I got the basic idea for this from an article by Charles Staley called “Escalating density training” which was more about bodybuilding. This is a great deal more general and is aimed at people who want “the big picture”, and the bigger the better.

Here’s how it works. For twenty minutes you do as many reps as you can of your chosen compound exercise, squats, deadlifts, power cleans or snatches, clean & presses etc. You do this twice a week. You use the same weight throught the twenty minutes. About 75-80% of your gym-maximun in good clean form is fine to start. Begin with something you can easily do and add as you can.

Do sets of twos, threes or even fives or tens, your choice, mix it up if you need to. Do a set and when you are able to focus again, then do another. When you can get the right number of reps in that twenty minutes then up the weight 5-10% next time and work up again. I like 10% jumps since I tend to do better with a bigger drop in volume and more of a challenge with the weight. However if you like the more gradual approach then by all means, use it.

I try to shoot for fifty in that twenty minutes since that number both keeps up my heart rate and breathing and makes it possible for me to use heavy weight in the 75-85% range. However the number you choose could just as well be anywhere between 20 (anything less than this isn’t really doing much) and 100 reps (higher than this and the weight may be too small). If you can do 100 reps with 1.5 x bodyweight in 20 min. in the squat then you are one very conditioned individual with plenty of useful strength as well. That’s something to shoot for; or 50 reps 2 x bodyweight in 20 min. in the squat or 50 reps x bodyweight in the barbell clean and press are other worthy goals. I’m sure you can see the idea.

Here are a few exercise combinations you might consider:

My Favorite:

Mon/Thur.– Barbell Clean & press-20min

Tues/Fri– OL Squat -20min

Another:

Mon/Thur–Deadlift–20min

Tues/Fri–Dips + chins supersetted-20min. (there are many combinations to do this way)

Or:

Mon/Thurs–DB Clean & Press–20min

Tues/Fri–DB Farmers walk–20min (intervals of as long as you can go instead of reps)

For odd object fanatics

Mon/thur–Barrel or sandbag clean & press–20 min.

Tues/fri–heavy object carry for distance–20min (intervals of as long as you can go instead of reps)

Or:

Mon/thurs–Rock or barrel lift –20min

Tue/Fri–Sandbag curl& press, Farmers walk each 20min. (if you are very-very serious)

You get the idea. Use compound exercises that will get your heart and lungs going along with everything else. If you want to do an assistance exercise or two, do them afterwards and not too many of them. For most of you that won’t be much of a problem for obvious reasons. I like doing rockovers (tilt up barbell then support in balance with one hand) and curls. When you are finished, lay down, get your breath back and go have a carton of milk, a protein drink, or eat a nice big meal. You just earned it.

At the same time you have done many lifts with a high percentage of your max, you have gotten your heart and lungs working “overtime-plus”, you have done a great deal of “work” in the mechanical sense, and you have only used twenty minutes to do the whole job.

If you start by doing 30 reps with say 300# in the squat and after a couple of sessions you get fifty, You are of course stronger, you have increased your conditioning and work capacity and if you eat enough decent food you will likely increase your muscle mass also. You can pretty much forget about all the complicated set/rep and weekly schemes and simply concentrate on doing more work in your alloted time. When you reach fifty reps or your chosen number, then you increase the weight and work up again.

Helpers

Is it really that simple? For the most part, yes. However not everything is so smooth sometimes, you will have staleness and reverses eventually. Here are a few little detours to make sure your progress continues.

The first is to take a week off from the regular work and do only heavy singles. Go in and work up to one to three reasonably heavy singles in your chosen lifts, You can do this every day or every other day. I like every day, but some people don’t get along well with that and should go every other day or monday/wed/friday. Some of you may find it useful to do three weeks of the regular twenty minute sets and then on the last week of the four, do the singles, find out how much stronger you are now and get a little bit of a rest before you go full out again.

Another approach is suppose you simply can’t get past 300# x40 in your twenty minutes of squatting? You can keep hammering away or you can increase the weight to 325# or 330#, then work up to thirty with that, then drop back to the 300#’s and get the fifty much easier. You can also take all the time you like to get the correct number of reps and then aim for decreasing the time it takes you to do them till you get down under 20min.

Yet another is for if you are more interested in the conditioning aspect or tend to run out of breath quicker than you might like. You drop the weight a bit and work towards doing many more reps than fifty. Use that as a starting point and shoot for the moon. Work up to one hundred reps if you can. If you can do that with anything over 1.5x bodyweight then there is not much in nature, sports, work or life that will wear you out.

One more idea is to pick a similar exercise and change to that one for awhile. It should be very similar though. Switching from full squats to leg presses, isn’t going to be a big help, but changing from squats to, front squats or deadlifts would be fine. You will still be getting plenty of work, that’s for sure!

One way to arrange a program using a couple of these strategies is:

Three weeks:

Mon/Thurs –BB Clean & Press–20min

Tues/Fri–OL Squats–20 min

One week

M,W,F,–BB Clean & press–work up to near max single

T,Th, Sat,–OL Squat–work up to near max singl

Three weeks

Mon/thur–Bench press–20min

Tues/Fri– Deadlift, trap bar Deadlift or high pull–20min

One week

Mon/thur–Bench press– work up to near max single

Tues/Fri– Deadlift, trap bar Deadlift or high pull– work up to near max single

And so on in a two month repeating cycle. There are other ways using these ideas also that you can easily imagine on your own.

This is “the whole enchilada” so to say. I could make this a much longer article but it really is this simple. You can get stronger, better conditioned, and even bigger in twenty minutes a day, four days a week. If there is a better deal out there, buy it, then write me!

Source: www.ironsports.tv