Weight Training Unit

WEIGHT TRAINING UNIT

Basic Vocabulary needed for understanding of material

Exercise - planned, structured, repetitive movement designed specifically to improve/maintain physical fitness

Muscle Hypertrophy- muscle growth

Muscle Atrophy- breaking down of muscle or muscle loss

Wellness - a positive approach to life incorporating physical, mental, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects with the potential to improve the quality of life and results in increased health, happiness, and productivity.

Physical Fitness - the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue Fatigue, and with ample energy to engage in leisure time pursuits; the ability to physically perform above average in emergency situations.

Rep -( repetitions) or the number of consecutive times a specific activity is repeated

Example- John bench pressed 100 lbs 10 times- the 10 times he lifted the weight is the number of reps/ repetitions.

Set - a group of repetitions.

TYPES OF SETS

A "set" is one series of repetitions. If you bench-press a certain weight 12 times, rest 5 minutes, and then bench-press it again 12 more times, you have done 2 sets of 12 reps. Here are some terms for other types of sets:

• Straight Sets: the "standard" weight-lifting workout: a number of reps followed by a rest period, then one or more sets of that same exercise.

• Super Sets: a set of each of two different exercises performed back-to-back without resting between each one.

• Tri-Sets: Three different exercises performed one after another, without any rest in between.

• Drop Sets (aka, descending sets): Three or four sets of one exercise performed without rest, using a lighter weight with each successive set.

• Circuit Sets: a series of exercises (usually 6) that are completed in succession without rest

Intensity - effort in which the rep/repetition is completed

Frequency - training sessions performed in a given time period (i.e. week)

Duration - length of time of a given exercise or workout

1 rep/repetition max- the maximum amount of weight that you can lift once of a given exercise.

CALCULATING YOUR 1-RM

So, how are 1-RM values determined? One method that is NOT endorsed is to load up a barbell with the most weight you have ever lifted and see if you can lift that weight once. Not only do some health clubs prohibit this, but you can get injured.

Instead, use a weight that you know you can lift 4-10 times in a row. (Collegiate and NFL football players are typically tested using a standard 225-lb bench press test.) Do as many reps with that weight as you can. Then, plug the weight and the number of reps into this equation:

Weight / [1.0278 - (0.0278 x no. of reps)] = 1-RM

For example, if you can bench-press 120 lbs five times in a row, then your 1-RM for the bench-press is 135 pounds.

While your personal 1-RM values might be worth bragging rights, the real purpose for knowing these limits for each exercise is to have a basis for designing your training regimen (see below). There is more to lifting weights than simply picking up a barbell and trying to lift it as many times as you can. Serious body-builders and weight-lifters often have elaborate regimens that they follow.

THE FIVE COMPONETS OF HEALTH RELATED FITNESS

These five components are the measure by which you are considered physically fit and your exercise program should address each component

Muscular Strength: is the ability of the muscles to produce force against an increased workload (resistance).
Muscular Endurance: is the ability of the muscles to maintain an increased level of activity for a sustained period of time, without fatigue.
Cardiovascular Endurance: is the ability of the cardiovascular and respiratory system to supply oxygen and other essential nutrients to the muscles while at the same time removing waist products during an increased level of extended activity.
Flexibility: Flexibility is the ability of a joint to move through a full range of motion.
Body Composition: Body Composition is the ratio of lean body mass to fat body mass.

THE BASIC PRINCIPALS OF WEIGTH TRAINING

Overload: To build muscle, you need to use more resistance than your muscles are used to. A muscle will only strengthen when forced to operate beyond its customary intensity. The load must be progressively increased in order to further adaptive responses as training develops, and the training stimulus is gradually raised. This is important because the more you do, the more your body is capable of doing, so you should increase your workload. You should choose a weight that allows you to be able to finish your last rep with difficulty but also with good form.

Progression. To avoid plateaus (or adaptation), you need to increase your intensity regularly. You can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, changing your sets/reps, changing the exercises and changing the type of resistance. You can make these changes on a weekly or monthly basis.

increasing the resistance e.g. adding weight
increasing the number of repetitions with a particular weight
increasing the number of sets of the exercise (work)
increasing the intensity- more work in the same time, i.e. reducing the recovery periods

Specificity. This principle means you should train for your goal. That means, if you want to increase your strength, your program should be designed around that goal (e.g., train with heavier weights closer to your 1 rep max.

Rest and Recovery. Rest days are just as important as workout days. It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change, so make sure you're not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row

Three types of training programs

Muscle endurance- the ability of your muscles to perform work over an extended period of time. You want to lower the amount of weight that you lift in order to perform more repeititions/reps. This will allow your muscles to adapt to longer periods of work. 20 reps will take longer to perfrom then 10 reps as your muscles adapt to performing 20 sets the more endurance your muscles are building. The same principels of weight training still apply. Make sure you are progressing i.e. increaseing weight, intensity, number of sets or decreasing the rest time between sets.

Goal is to choose a weight that you can do 16-20 reps of for three sets with little rest inbetween sets 15-45 seconds.

Muscle growth/ Muscle Hypertrophy- choosing the correct weight sets and reps to promote the muscle to grow. Everytime your perform exercises your muscles are being torn, ripped and broken down. Muscles get slightly bigger everytime they are repaird after weight training provided that your provide your body with enough rest and proper nutrition.

Goal is to choose a weight (70-80 % of your 1 rep max) that you can do 10-12 reps and three sets of a given exercise. Rest should be between 1-2 minutes.

Muscular strength/ Power- ability of your body to perfrom explosive movements. For this type of training you want to choose a weight (75-90% of your 1 rep max) that you can perform explosivly 5-8 reps and perform 3-4 sets of that exercise. This is a high intensity type of training that requires 2-3 minutes of rest inbetween sets.

NUTRITION

Weight loss/ fat burning

Burning fat is done through Cardio-pulmonary exercises such as walking/jogging - it takes 12-15 minutes of this type exercise before fat stored in the body begins to burn. Think of the body as an oven it needs time to heat up before you can start to cook. Running does not burn fat as well as walking or jogging because the body needs oxygen to convert fat to energy. While running the oxygen is transported to the working muscles and the body does not have the oxygen needed to burn fat and instead uses different sources for energy.

Sources of energy for our body-

The food we eat is broken down into different energy sources depending on the types of food. When training it is important to consume enough calories for the body. When we training we burn calories for energy on days you train you need to consume enough calories to ensure the body will operate to the best of its ability. Put good quality food in your body. Think of your body like a car if you put bad or poor quality gasoline into your car it wont run right. Our bodies are the same way. Try to eat foods that are low in saturated fats and stay away from processed foods.

Carbohydratesthat are ingested are broken down and stored as glycogen. This is a major source of energy for the body for all types of activities. Carbohydrates should account for 55-60% of daily food intake

Fatsare broken down and stored in our body and are the most efficient form of energy. Fats are burned for energy during mild to moderate levels of exercise.

Proteinsare broken down and used to repair cells that are damaged. Muscles cells are constantly being broken down and repaired during physical activities. Without enough protein you will loose muscle mass, feel fatigued and not be able to perform at your best. Proteins should make up 12-15% of daily food intake

Water – one of 6 essential nutrients makes up 60-65% of total body weight. 15 ml of water should be consumed every 20-30 minutes during exercise.

Nutrition -breakfast should be the meal containing the most calories of the day; then, five (5) smaller meals should be consumed throughout the remainder of the day.

KEY POINTS-

If you don’t challenge your muscles and follow the principals of overload and progression than you wont see any changes in muscle growth, strength or endurance.
If you don’t supply your body with the proper nutrients then it wont have the ability to build muscle
You have to be motivated and dedicated to making a change. Must workout at least 3 times a week for a total of three hours.
Myth- doing crunches will reduce the fat deposits in the stomach area. You cant spot train fat- example doing crunches will not reduce the fat deposits in the stomach region it will only strengthen the abdominal muscles.
the more active you are the more calories or food your body needs. Not providing the body with enough calories will leave you weak, fatigued, malnourished and more likely to get sick.

WEIGHT ROOM RULES:

ALWAYS use spotters
A supervisor must be present at all times
Return all equipment to the proper racks when finished
Report any injuries to the attending supervisor immediately
Collars must be used at all times
Proper attire (shorts, t-shirt, sneakers) must be worn while working out, no street clothes
Clean equipment after use
Report any broken equipment to the supervisor immediately

Appropriate behavior is required at all times