Danny O’Dell’s
Explosivelyfit Training News
Strength and power knowledge
01-March-2009
ISSN:
1550-2643: Library Of Congress,
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Topic discussed:
A beginning routine is made up of large
muscle group exercises featuring balanced applications of sets and repetitions
for both agonist and antagonist groups. After a movement specific warm up where
each exercise is performed ten to twelve times do eight to twelve repetitions at
your workout weight for two to four sets. A set is one group of eight to ten
repetitions.
Follow each set with a rest period of
sixty to ninety seconds, depending on your present conditioning status and then
begin the next set of the same exercise. Move through the list at a steady pace.
You should not be in the weight room much longer than forty five to fifty
minutes.
The decision to do them all at one time
will be a personal matter, one that takes into consideration the time you have
to exercise. The full body workouts are good at helping to improve your general
physical conditioning. This schedule would be done on alternate days so you have
a recovery period interspaced between workouts.
If you make the decision not to do them
all in one session then consider doing the upper and lower body exercises on
different days. Following this exercise schedule allows you to exercise five
days in a row with the weekend off for active recovery activities.
These are the essential ten and form the
foundations of any strength program regardless of how you decide to do them.
10. Calf raises
Start out with one set
of eight to twelve repetitions and after a week or two add an additional set.
Several weeks later add one to two more sets until you reach four to five sets
of each exercise. Begin with sets of eight and as you get stronger and can
tolerate the stress of lifting gradually add more reps until you’re at twelve
repetitions for four to five sets.
After three to four
weeks have elapsed on this schedule begin to dramatically increase or decrease
the repetitions on one of the days each week. This will shake up your body and
make it realize that every day will not be the same. This is how growth takes
place.
Once at the five sets of
twelve it will be time to drastically change your entire program. But that is
not what this article is about so I won’t address it now. Suffice it to say this
will be the time in your program that new exercises, new reps and set schemes
and different work to rest ratios will be needed to up the intensity necessary
to continue your steady progress towards greater physical fitness.
After the exercises have
been completed it’s time to start the cool down phase of the session. This
period allows your body to readjust back to its normal temperature, pulse and
breathing rates.
Midway through this cool
down process do one or two static stretches for the various areas you’ve just
worked out. Avoid, if possible, doing the same stretches each time by selecting
a different one from any of the vast movements that are available.
Several of my favorite
books are the
Stretching Handbook by Brad Walker, Stretching by Bob Anderson, The Whartons’
Stretch Book by Jim and Phil Wharton, Stretching for Athletics by Pat Croce and
Sport Stretch by Michael J. Alter.
After you have cooled
down then it’s time to replenish your muscles with fuel. Eat a protein and high
glycemic carbohydrate snack to help get your muscles back into the positive
growing zone.
Summary
Start out by learning
how to do the exercises correctly, be consistent in your exercise sessions,
maintain the intensity, stick with the basics and eat well.
There you have it; a
full schedule to get you into shape safely and effectively. But don’t get in a
hurry to leave the gym just yet because you still have to cool down
That’s all for this time. I hope your training is going well and wish you happiness in your life.
Stay strong, and remain passionately committed to your hearts chosen path.
By Danny M. O’Dell, MA. CSCS*D
I hope you have enjoyed this issue of the Explosivelyfit Training News. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding these articles, or any other aspect of the web site, please feel free to contact me at Danny@explosivelyfit.com
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