Physical fitness

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Physical fitness is an attribute required for service in virtually allmilitary forces.

Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness (a state of health and well-being) and specific fitness (a taskoriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations). Physical fitness is generally achieved through exercise, correct nutrition and enough rest. It is an important part of life. In previous years[when?], fitness was commonly defined as the capacity to carry out the days activities without undue fatigue. However, as automation increased leisure time, changes in lifestyles following the industrial revolution rendered this definition insufficient.[citation needed] These days, physical fitness is considered a measure of the bodys ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resisthypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations.

Components of physical fitness

A personal trainer performing fitness exercises.

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sportsa study group sponsored by the government of the United States declines to offer a simple definition of physical fitness. Instead, it developed the following chart:[1]

Physiological

Health related

Skill related

Sports

Metabolic

Body composition

Agility Balance

Team sport Individual sport Lifetime Other

Morphological Bone integrity Other

Cardiovascular fitness Flexibility Muscular endurance Muscle strength

Coordination Power Speed Reaction time Other

Accordingly, a general-purpose physical fitness program must address the following essentials: [2][self-published source?]

Cardiovascular endurance Flexibility score Strength training Muscular endurance|stamina Body composition General skill training

However, along with these essential components, a comprehensive fitness program that is tailored to an individual will probably focus on one or more specific skills,[3] and on age-[4] or health-related needs such as bone health.[5] Many sources[citation needed] also cite mental, social and emotional health as an important part of overall fitness. This is often presented in textbooks as a triangle made up of three points, which represent physical, emotional, and mental fitness. Physical fitness can also prevent or treat many chronic health conditions brought on by unhealthy lifestyle or aging.[6] Working out can also help people sleep better. To stay healthy it's important to participate in physical activity.[7]

Specific fitness
Specific or task-oriented fitness is a person's ability to perform in a specific activity with a reasonable efficiency: for example, sports or military service. Specific training prepares athletes to perform well in their sports. Examples are:

400 m sprint: in a sprint the athlete must be trained to work anaerobically throughout the race. Marathon: in this case the athlete must be trained to work aerobically and their endurance must be built-up to a maximum. Many fire fighters and police officers undergo regular fitness testing to determine if they are capable of the physically demanding tasks required of the job.[8]

Members of the United States Army and Army National Guard must be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).[9]

Fitness components Components of fitness. There are five components of fitness: 1. social 2. mental 3. physical 4. emotional 5. spiritual. Social fitness A person can interact with the community and contribute positively to self, family, community and country. This component is to strengthen the community, creating unity that brings peace and prosperity of the country. Mental Fitness The ability to think and act in a rational and wise. A person who has a good mental fitness will be able to contribute energy and ideas towards the welfare of the community and country. Physical Fitness Divided into two aspects, namely, health and behavior-based motor. Based on the physical aspects of health: a) resistance kerdiovaskular b) muscle strength c) muscular endurance d) stretching and flexibility e) body composition Aspects of physical fitness is based on motor behavior consists of: a) speed / pace b) balance c) mobility d) the power e) the response time f) coordination Emotional Fitness basic construction requirements for physical fitness, social and mental is emotion. A person who has a stable emotional fitness will be able to control themselves very well and did not act on feelings. Spiritual Fitness Is the internal keupyaan believe, patience, sincerity, humility and others. This component is to produce individuals with high human values, noble, highly disciplined and respected.

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1. Cardiovascular Endurance
What is Cardiovascular Endurance ?
Cardiovascular, which is synonymous with cardiopulmonary exercise or "Cardio" is aerobic physical activities that last longer than 90 seconds. Physiologically, cardiovascular endurance deals with the efficiency of your body's (heart, lunges and vascular system) ability to transfer oxygen rich blood to your working muscles during activities that last longer than 90 seconds.

2. Muscular Strength
What is Muscular Strength ?
Muscular strength is the amount of force your muscle can exert against resistance for short duration, anaerobic (without oxygen) activities. Resistance includes external objects such as free weights or household objects as well as your own body weight. Physiologically, muscular strength it is the ability to your body to supply ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate or muscle energy) to your muscle fibers for concentric, eccentric and isometric contractions in short times, which range from 0 to around 15 seconds.

3. Muscular Endurance
What is Muscular Endurance ?
While muscular strength deals with short duration muscle contractions muscle endurance deals with sustained muscle contractions and other anaerobic activities lasting less than about 90 seconds.

Physiologically while muscle strength deals primarily with type II, fast twitch muscle fibers, muscular endurance deals with primarily type I, slow twitch muscle fibers. Your body contains both but only anaerobic exercises which last longer than around 15 seconds and less than 90 seconds strengthen your type I muscle fibers.

4. Flexibility
What is Flexibility ?
Flexibility is the range of motion possible for each of your joints or groups of joints.

5. Body Composition
Why is Body Composition ?
Body composition is the percentage of your body's tissues which you exhibit. The easiest way to look at body composition is with a 2 compartment analysis which estimates the amount of body fat you have with lean body mass which includes muscle, bone, water, and organs. It takes expensive equipment for a 3 compartment analysis which isolates bone mass which can also be considered an important part of body composition.

Circuit training
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Circuit training is a form of conditioning combining resistance training and high-intensity aerobics. It is designed to be easy to follow and target strength building as well as muscular endurance. An exercise "circuit" is one completion of all prescribed exercises in the program. When one circuit is complete, one begins the first exercise again for another circuit. Traditionally, the time between exercises in circuit training is short, often with rapid movement to the next exercise.

Example
A good circuit training course works the different sections in the body individually. A good example of a circuit may be:

ArmsPull-ups AbsSit ups LegsStep ups ArmsShoulder press AbsPlank LegsBurpees SpeedSkipping

History of circuit training and fundamentals

Circuit training is an evolving training exercise program that was developed by R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson in 1953 at the University of Leeds in England.[1]

Fundamentals
Morgan and Andersons original circuit format included nine to 12 stations. Today, this number varies according to the design of the circuit. The program may be performed with exercise machines, hydraulic equipment, hand-held weights, elastic resistance, calisthenics or any combination. Themed circuits are possible, for example with boxing exercises (boxercise). A 15-second to three-minute aerobics station is placed between each station, allowing this method to improve cardio-respiratory and muscle endurance during the workout. A simpler form of the exercise consists of a group running round a gym with a trainer simply calling, for example, "ten push-ups", "ten sit-ups" at intervals. Studies at Baylor University and The Cooper Institute show that circuit training is the most time efficient way to enhance cardiovascular fitness and muscle endurance. Studies show that circuit training helps women to achieve their goals and maintain them longer than other forms of exercise or diet.[2] And research from Morgan and Anderson showed:

Perhaps a most profound finding of this study, from a health perspective, is that this investigation clearly shows that performance of this circuit of exercises, at this level of intensity elicited oxygen consumption values (39% to 51.5% of VO2max) that meet established guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for the recommended intensity (40% to 85% of VO2maxR) of exercise for developing and maintaining cardio-respiratory fitness (Pollock et al., 1998). Thus, this circuit not only provides a suitable muscular fitness stimulus but also helps to meet ACSM cardiovascular guidelines and the newly published Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 for physical activity.[1]

Advantages of circuit training

May be easily structured to provide a whole body workout. May not require expensive gym equipment. Participants normally work in small groups, allowing beginners to be guided by more experienced individuals, as well as benefiting from the supervision of the instructor.

Can be adapted for any size workout area.

Circuit training is a complete fitness training program; Helps to tone muscles; Improves your level of fitness; Increases your endurance; Improves your over-all health; Helps to off-set fatigue; It can be done outside, at home, a gym or almost anywhere you can think of; It doesn't have to cost you any money; You can do many different exercises and circuit training routines so you're less likely to get bored and quit your fitness training program; You can do it in a group or with your family; It's a good way to increase your strength; It's proven to be a very efficient way of fitness training; You can improve your aerobic conditioning, strength and fat burning ability all at the same time.

Can be customized for specificity; easy to adapt to your sport.

Disadvantages of circuit training

Circuit training is well-suited for developing strength endurance or local muscular endurance . It is less suitable for building muscle bulk and despite some potential strength gains, circuit training is going to provide less results in the way of maximal strength than outright weight training.[citation needed]. The duration of some circuit training stations can be in the region of 45 to 60 seconds, and in some cases as long as two minutes. These circuits typically mean that the number of repetitions performed on each station is relatively high, putting each exercise further towards the endurance end of the intensity continuum. Those wishing to optimize increases in strength or muscle bulk (hypertrophy) can reduce the number of repetitions performed and increase the weight to be lifted or increase the intensity, when hydraulics or elastics are used. On the other hand, longer station length is quite appropriate for any cardiovascular (aerobic) stations included in the circuit. Station times can be reduced to 75 or 100 seconds when all of the participants have an adequate level of experience. Reduced station times will encourage the participants to lift heavier weights, which means they can achieve overload with a smaller number of repetitions: typically in the range of 25 to 50 depending on their training goals.[3] However, this provides little time for an instructor to ensure that the activity remains safe and effective by observing technique, posture, and form.

Fartlek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Speedplay" redirects here. For the bicycle pedal, see Speedplay (bicycle pedal). Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish,[1] is a form of interval training which puts stress on the whole aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. It differs from traditional interval training in that it is unstructured; intensity and/or speed can be varied whenever the athlete wishes.[2] Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise.

Gsta Holmr
Fartlek training was developed in 1937 by Swedish coach Gsta Holmr (18911983) and has been adopted by many physiologists since. It was designed for the downtrodden Swedishcross country running teams that had been thrashed throughout the 1920s by Paavo Nurmi and the Finns. Holmr's plan used a faster-than-race pace and concentrated on both speed and endurance training.

Fartlek sessions
This is the first session that was designed by Gsta Holmr for a cross country runner. This is also an example of what a fartlek session might look like, but fartlek sessions should be designed for an athlete's own event or sport, as well as catering to their individual needs. Sessions should be at an intensity that causes the athlete to work at 60% to 80% of his or her maximum heart rate (estimated at 220 minus age), as outlined by the Karvonen Method. This should mean that the body will not experience too much discomfort while exercising. An athlete should also include a good warm up at the beginning of the session, and a cool down at the end of the session, to improve performance, minimize post-workout muscle soreness, to decrease the chances of injury and for other reasons.

Warm up: easy running for 5 to 10 minutes. Steady, hard speed for 1.52.5 kilometres (0.931.6 mi); like a long repetition. Recovery: rapid walking for about 5 minutes. Start of speed work: easy running interspersed with sprints of about 5060 metres (160200 ft), repeated until a little tired.

Easy running with three or four "quick steps" now and then (simulating suddenly speeding up to avoid being overtaken by another runner).

Full speed uphill for 175200 metres (574660 ft).

Fast pace for 1 minute. The whole routine is then repeated until the total time prescribed on the training schedule has elapsed.

Advantages of fartlek
Fitness benefits
One of the main reasons for the success of fartlek training is that it can be adapted to the needs of the individual. Unlike continuous training, fartlek training can benefit participants of field games such as football, field hockey, ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, basketball, tennis and rugby, as it develops aerobic and anaerobic capacities which are both used in these sports. To take this a step further, athletes can make the most of the flexibility of fartlek training by mimicking the activities which would take place during their chosen sport or event. It improves aerobic capacity.

Fartlek in American Culture

Fartlek Hill in Quantico, Virginia, on the grounds of United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, is named after fartlek training.[3] The hill is the central part of fartlek-type physical training evolutions regularly throughout the training cycle. The fartlek training done at Officer Candidate School differ from traditional fartlek training, however, by incorporating a number of calisthenic exercises at various intervals.

Interval training
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interval training is a type of physical training that involves bursts of high intensity work. This high intensity work is alternated with periods of rest or low activity, the eponymousintervals. The term can refer to any cardiovascular workout (e.g. cycling, running, rowing, etc.) that involves brief bouts at near-maximum exertion interspersed with periods of lower-intensity activity. Interval training is often practiced by long distance runners (800 meters and above). Sprinters and footballers have also been known to use this type of training. Distance runners often practice interval training on tracks, running hard at a certain pace for a specified distance (or, less often, time) and jogging, walking, or resting for a set distance or time before the next speed burst. Distances can also vary; one example would be a "ladder" workout consisting of a 1600-meter, two 1200-meter, three 800-meter, and four 400-meter repetitions, each at an appropriate speed and with an appropriate amount of recovery.

Effectiveness
Interval training is a favorite of coaches because of its effectiveness in cardiovascular build-up and also its ability to make more well-rounded runners / riders. However, it is also applicable to exercisers as it helps improve exercisers aerobic capacity to exercise longer at varying intensities (Mayo Clinic, 2009). This method of training may be more effective at inducing fat loss than simply training at a moderate intensity level for the same duration.[1][2]

Examples
Provided below are three examples of the most common interval workouts completed by exercisers and athletes alike.[4]

Interval Variation I: Standard

3 5 minutes warm-up (light ride, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warm up period) 1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6-8 times) 3 5 minutes cool down (light ride, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period)

Interval Variation II: Pyramid

3 5 minutes warmup

30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 90 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 30 seconds high intensity 3 5 minutes cooldown

Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning

3 5 minutes warmup 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once) 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times) 60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times) 3 5 minutes cooldown

Variations
"Walk-back sprinting" is another example of interval training for runners, in which one sprints a short distance (anywhere from 100 to 800 meters), then walks back to the starting point (the recovery period) to repeat the sprint a certain number of times. To add challenge to the workout, each of these sprints may start at a predetermined time interval, e.g. 200 meter sprint, walk back, and sprint again every 3 minutes. The time interval provides just enough recovery. Fartlek training, named and developed by Swedes, is intermediate between true interval training and regular distance training. The name means 'speed play', and consists of distance running "anywhere", with bursts of harder running at more irregular points, lengths, and speeds compared with interval training. Not only is it an efficient training method, fartlek training can help one avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity, and provides the opportunity to increase one's intensity without burning oneself out in a matter of minutes.[citation needed]

Are there any disadvantages to interval training?

loss of strength speed, endurance, or other elements of performance, loss of appetite, inability to sleep well, chronic aches and pains or soreness, chronic colds or respiratory infections, overuse injuries like tendinitis, unusual fatigue, occasional increase in resting heart rate, irritability, and malaise and you don't feel like exercising anymore.

What are the advantages of interval training?

There are several advantages. 1. Fitness and performance improves quickly with interval training, typically in just a few weeks. I've known athletes who reported an improvement in speed after just two interval workouts. 2. Recovery time improves with interval training. Recovery is critical for athletes in sports like tennis, basketball, soccer or hockey, where the sport demands continuous stops and starts, or an endurance bike ride or road race where you hit hills and need to catch up quickly at the top in order to keep your pace. You'd never perform well if you sprinted all-out or climbed a hill and then needed two minutes to recover (also known as sucking wind). It would never work. 3. Research confirms that interval training improves fitness similarly to traditional aerobic training in much less time. a. In one study comparing interval training to traditional training, subjects increased their fitness and the activity of many of enzymes that contribute to using oxygen efficiently with two and a half hours of intervals over two weeks compared with 10 and a half hours of traditional endurance training over the same time period. b. In another study comparing the two methods of training, subjects increased the use of stored glucose (glycogen) and fat by the same amount after five days a week of training for six weeks, but the interval subjects trained only one and a half hours per week compared with four and a half hours per week for the endurance subjects. c. Some interval training schedules can be too rigorous. In a study of subjects who did interval training every day for two weeks, the oxygen capacity increased, but anaerobic capacity did not. The investigators suggested that this was due to overtraining and exhaustion from daily interval sessions.

Weight training
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. For basic principles on increasing the strength of muscles, see strength training.

This article is missing citations or needs footnotes. Please help add inline citations to guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (October 2010) This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (October 2010)

A complete weight training workout can be performed with a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a set of weight disks (plates).
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the force of gravity (in the form of weighted bars, dumbbells or weight stacks) to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric oreccentric contraction. Weight training uses a variety of specialized equipment to target specific muscle groups and types of movement. Weight training differs from bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman, which are sports rather than forms of exercise. Weight training, however, is often part of the athlete's training regimen.

Weight training versus other types of exercise

Strength training is an inclusive term that describes all exercises devoted toward increasing physical strength. Weight training is a type of strength training that uses weights rather thanelastic, Eccentric Training or muscular resistance to increase

strength. Endurance training is associated with aerobic exercise while flexibility training is associated with stretching exercise like yoga or pilates. Weight training is often used as a synonym for strength training, but is actually a specific type within the more inclusive category.

History of weight training

Main article: History of strength training

An early plate-loading barbell andkettlebell

Hippocrates explained the principle behind weight training when he wrote "that which is used develops, and that which is not used wastes away." The genealogy of lifting can be traced back to the beginning of recorded history where man's fascination with physical abilities can be found among numerous ancient writings. Progressive resistance training dates back at least to Ancient Greece, when legend has it that wrestler Milo of Croton trained by carrying a newborn calf on his back every day until it was fully grown. Another Greek, the physician Galen, described strength training exercises using the halteres (an early form of dumbbell) in the 2nd century. Another early device was the Indian club, which came from ancient Persia where it was called the "meels". It subsequently became popular during the 19th century, and has recently made a comeback in the form of the clubbell. Ancient Greek sculptures also depict lifting feats. The weights were generally stones, but later gave way to dumbbells. The dumbbell was joined by the barbell in the later half of the 19th century. Early barbells had hollow globes that could be filled with sand or lead shot, but by the end of the century these were replaced by the plate-loading barbell commonly used today.[1] The 1960s saw the gradual introduction of exercise machines into the still-rare strength training gyms of the time. Weight training became increasingly popular in the 1970s, following the release of the bodybuilding movie Pumping Iron, and the subsequent

popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Since the late 1990s increasing numbers of women have taken up weight training, influenced by programs like Body for Life; currently nearly one in five U.S. women engages in weight training on a regular basis.[2]

Basic principles
Main article: Strength training The basic principles of weight training are essentially identical to those of strength training, and involve a manipulation of the number of repetitions (reps), sets, tempo, exercise types, and weight moved to cause desired increases in strength, endurance, and size. The specific combinations of reps, sets, exercises, and weights depends on the aims of the individual performing the exercise; sets with fewer reps can be performed with heavier weights. In addition to the basic principles of strength training, a further consideration added by weight training is the equipment used. Types of equipment include barbells, dumbbells, pulleys and stacks in the form of weight machines, and the body's own weight in the case of chin-ups and push-ups. Different types of weights will give different types of resistance, and often the same absolute weight can have different relative weights depending on the type of equipment used. For example, lifting 10 kilograms using a dumbbell sometimes requires more force than moving 10 kilograms on a weight stack if certain pulley arrangements are used. In other cases, the weight stack may require more force than the equivalent dumbbell weight due to additional torque or resistance in the machine. Weight training also requires the use of 'good form', performing the movements with the appropriate muscle group, and not transferring the weight to different body parts in order to move greater weight (called 'cheating'). Failure to use good form during a training set can result in injury or a failure to meet training goals; since the desired muscle group is not challenged sufficiently, the threshold of overload is never reached and the muscle does not gain in strength.

Comparison to other types of strength training

The benefits of weight training overall are comparable to most other types of strength training: increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, bone density, flexibility, tone, metabolic rate, and postural support. There are benefits and limitations to weight training as compared to other types of strength training.

Weight training versus resistance training

Resistance training involves the application of elastic or hydraulic resistance to muscle contraction rather than gravity. Weight training provides the majority of the resistance at the beginning, initiation joint angle of the movement, when the muscle must overcome the inertia of the weight's mass. After this point the overall resistance alters depending on the angle of the joint. In comparison, hydraulic resistance provides a fixed amount of resistance throughout the range of motion, depending on the speed of the movement. Elastic resistance provides the greatest resistance at the end of the motion, when the elastic element is stretched to the greatest extent.

Weight training versus isometric training

Isometric exercise provides a fixed amount of resistance based on the force output of the muscle. This strengthens the muscle at the specific joint angle at which the isometric exercise occurs, with some lesser gains in strength also occurring at proximal joint

angles.[3] In comparison, weight training strengthens the muscle throughout the range of motion the joint is trained in, causing an increase in physical strength from the initiating through to terminating joint angle.

Weight training and bodybuilding

Although weight training is similar to bodybuilding, they have different objectives. Bodybuilders use weight training to develop their muscles for size, shape, and symmetry regardless of any increase in strength for competition in bodybuilding contests; they train to maximize their muscular size and develop extremely low levels of body fat. In contrast, many weight trainers train to improve their strength and anaerobic endurance while not giving special attention to reducing body fat far below normal. The bodybuilding community has been the source of many of weight training's principles, techniques, vocabulary, and customs. Weight training does allow tremendous flexibility in exercises and weights which can allow bodybuilders to target specific muscles and muscle groups, as well as attain specific goals. Of course, not all bodybuilding is undertaken to compete in bodybuilding contests, and, in fact the vast majority of bodybuilders never compete, but bodybuild for their own personal reasons.

Safety
Weight training is a safe form of exercise when the movements are slow, controlled, and carefully defined. However, as with any form of exercise, improper execution and the failure to take appropriate precautions can result in injury.

Maintaining proper form

A dumbbell squat.[4]
When the exercise becomes difficult towards the end of a set, there is a temptation to cheat, i.e., to use poor form to recruit other muscle groups to assist the effort. This may shift the effort to weaker muscles that cannot handle the weight. For example, the squat and the deadliftare used to exercise the largest muscles in the bodythe leg and buttock musclesso they require substantial weight. Beginners are tempted to round their back while performing these exercises. The relaxation of the spinal erectors which allows the lower back to round can cause shearing in the vertebrae of the lumbar spine, potentially damaging the spinal discs.

Stretching and warm-up

The cross trainercan be used to warm up muscles in both the upper and lower body.
Weight trainers commonly spend 5 to 20 minutes warming up their muscles before starting a workout. It's common to stretch the entire body to increase overall flexibility; however, many people stretch just the area being worked that day. Warm up sets are also important. For example the same lifter working on his chest would also be advised to complete at least two warm up sets prior to hitting his "core tonnage." Core tonnage refers to the heavier lifts that actually strain your muscles. For example if the lifter's main sets were at 205 lbs, 225 lbs and 235 lbs on the bench, then a warmup of 5 reps of 135 and 5 reps of 185 would be advisable. When properly warmed up the lifter will then have more strength and stamina since the blood has begun to flow to the muscle groups.

Breathing
Breathing shallowly or holding one's breath while working out limits the oxygen supply to the muscles and the brain, decreasing performance and, under extreme stress, risking a black-out or a stroke by aneurysm.[5] Some people advise weight trainers to conscientiously "inhale on effort" and to exhale when lowering the weight. This technique ensures that the trainer breathes through the most difficult part of the exercise, where one would reflexively hold one's breath.[6] Other coaches advise trainees to perform the valsalva maneuver during exercises which place a load on the spine, since the risk of a stroke by aneurysm is astronomically lower than the risk of an orthopedic injury caused by inadequate rigidity of the torso.[7]

Hydration
As with other sports, weight trainers should avoid dehydration throughout the workout by drinking sufficient water, even while not thirsty. Unless you are sweating to an extreme degree, being thirsty is not a sign that you have already become dehydrated. However, if an athlete relies on thirst alone for when and how much to drink, it may lead to their becoming dehydrated. This is particularly true in hot environments, or for those older than 65.[8][9][10][11][12] Some athletic trainers advise athletes to drink about 7 imperial fluid ounces (2.0 dL) every 15 minutes while exercising, and about 80 imperial fluid ounces (2.3 L) throughout the day.[13]

However, a much more accurate determination of how much fluid is necessary can be made by performing appropriate weight measurements before and after a typical exercise session, to determine how much fluid is lost during the workout. The greatest source of fluid loss during exercise is through perspiration, but as long as your fluid intake is roughly equivalent to your rate of perspiration, hydration levels will be maintained.[10] Under most circumstances, sports drinks do not offer a physiological benefit over water during weight training.[14] However, highintensity exercise for a continuous duration of at least one hour may require the replenishment of electrolytes which a sports drink may provide.[15] Some may maintain that an Energy drink improves performance in weight training and other physical exercise, but in fact, these energy drinks can cause dehydration, tremors, heat stroke, and heart attack when consumed in excess. [16] The above reference refers to 'Energy drinks' such as Red Bull that contain caffeine, it does not refer to 'Sports drinks' that contain simple carbohydrates & water only which do not cause the above ill effects. However it is also important not to consume too much water in a short time, as this can lead to water intoxication and other electrolyte disturbances which in turn can lead to nausea, vomiting, convulsions, brain swelling, unconsciousness and possibly death in extreme cases. Insufficient hydration may cause lethargy, soreness or muscle cramps.[17] The urine of well-hydrated persons should be nearly colorless, while an intense yellow color is normally a sign of insufficient hydration. [17]

Avoiding pain
An exercise should be halted if marked or sudden pain is felt, to prevent further injury. However, not all discomfort indicates injury. Weight training exercises are brief but very intense, and many people are unaccustomed to this level of effort. The expression "no pain, no gain" refers to working through the discomfort expected from such vigorous effort, rather than to willfully ignore extreme pain, which may indicate serious soft tissue injuries. Discomfort can arise from other factors. Individuals who perform large numbers of repetitions, sets, and exercises for each muscle group may experience a burning sensation in their muscles. These individuals may also experience a swelling sensation in their muscles from increased blood flow (the "pump"). True muscle fatigue is experienced as a marked and uncontrollable loss of strength in a muscle, arising from the nervous system (motor unit) rather than from the muscle fibers themselves. Extreme neural fatigue can be experienced as temporary muscle failure. Some weight training programs actively seek temporary muscle failure; evidence to support this type of training is mixed at best[citation needed]. Irrespective of their program, however, most athletes engaged in high-intensity weight training will experience muscle failure during their regimens. Beginners are advised to build up slowly to a weight training programme. Untrained individuals may have some muscles that are comparatively stronger than others. An injury can result if, in a particular exercise, the primary muscle is stronger than its stabilising muscles. Building up slowly allows muscles time to develop appropriate strengths relative to each other. This can also help to minimise delayed onset muscle soreness. A sudden start to an intense program can cause significant muscular soreness. Unexercised muscles contain cross-linkages that are torn during intense exercise.

Other precautions

Anyone beginning an intensive physical training programme is typically advised to consult a physician, because of possible undetected heart or other conditions for which such activity is contraindicated. Exercises like the bench press or the squat in which a failed lift can potentially result in the lifter becoming trapped under the weight are normally performed inside a power rack or in the presence of one or more spotters, who can safely re-rack the barbell if the weight trainer is unable to do so.

Equipment

A pull-up, a type ofbodyweight exercise that requires no dumbbells or other weights but does require equipment - a pull-up bar.
Weight training usually requires different types of equipment; most common are dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines. Various combinations ofspecific exercises, machines, dumbbells, and barbells allow weight trainers to exercise body parts in one or more ways. Some exercise approaches use only bodyweight exercises such as press-ups that require no equipment, while others such as a pull-up require no weights but do require a pull-up bar that is strong enough to support the weight of the trainer. Other types of equipment include:

Wrist strap

Lifting belt

Lifting straps, which allow more weight to be lifted by transferring the load to the wrists and avoiding limitations in forearm muscles and grip strength

Weightlifting belts, which are meant to support the back (though there is controversy regarding the safety of these devices) [18] Weighted clothing, bags of sand, lead shot, or other materials that are strapped to wrists, ankles, torso or other body parts to increase the amount of work required by muscles

Types of exercises
Isotonic and plyometric exercises
These terms combine the prefix "iso" (meaning "same") with "tonic" (strength) and "plio" (more) with "metric" (distance). In "isotonic" exercises the force applied to the muscle does not change (while the length of the muscle decreases or increases) while in "plyometric" exercises the length of the muscle stretches and contracts rapidly to increase the power output of a muscle. Weight training is primarily an isotonic form of exercise, as the force produced by the muscle to push or pull weighted objects should not change (though in practice the force produced does decrease as muscles fatigue). Any object can be used for weight training, but dumbbells, barbells, and other specialised equipment are normally used because they can be adjusted to specific weights and are easily gripped. Many exercises are not strictly isotonic because the force on the muscle varies as the joint moves through its range of motion. Movements can become easier or harder depending on the angle of muscular force relative to gravity; for example, a standard biceps curl becomes easier as the hand approaches the shoulder as more of the load is taken by the structure of the elbow. Certain machines such as the Nautilus involve special adaptations to keep resistance constant irrespective of the joint angle. Plyometrics exploit the stretch-shortening cycle of muscles to enhance the myotatic (stretch) reflex. This involves rapid alternation of lengthening and shortening of muscle fibers against resistance. The resistance involved is often a weighted object such as a medicine ball or sandbag, but can also be the body itself as in jumping exercises or the body with a weight vest that allows movement with resistance. Plyometrics is used to develop explosive speed, and focuses on maximal power instead of maximal strength by compressing the force of muscular contraction into as short a period as possible, and may be used to improve the effectiveness of a boxer's punch, or to increase the vertical jumping ability of a basketball player. Care must be taken when performing plyometric exercises because they inflict greater stress upon the involved joints and tendons than other forms of exercise.

Isolation exercises versus compound exercises

The leg extension is an isolation exercise.

An isolation exercise is one where the movement is restricted to one joint only. For example, the leg extension is an isolation exercise for the quadriceps. Specialized types of equipment are used to ensure that other muscle groups are only minimally involvedthey just help the individual maintain a stable postureand movement occurs only around the knee joint. Most isolation exercises involve machines rather than dumbbells and barbells (free weights), though free weights can be used when combined with special positions and joint bracing. Compound exercises work several muscle groups at once, and include movement around two or more joints. For example, in the leg press movement occurs around the hip, knee and ankle joints. This exercise is primarily used to develop the quadriceps, but it also involves the hamstrings, glutes and calves. Compound exercises are generally similar to the ways that people naturally push, pull and lift objects, whereas isolation exercises often feel a little unnatural. Compound exercises generally involve dumbbells and barbells (free weights), involving more muscles to stabilize the body and joints as well as move the weight.

The leg press is a compound exercise.

Each type of exercise has its uses. Compound exercises build the basic strength that is needed to perform everyday pushing, pulling and lifting activities. Isolation exercises are useful for "rounding out" a routine, by directly exercising muscle groups that cannot be fully exercised in the compound exercises. The type of exercise performed also depends on the individual's goals. Those who seek to increase their performance in sports would focus mostly on compound exercises, with isolation exercises being used to strengthen just those muscles that are holding

the athlete back. Similarly, a powerlifter would focus on the specific compound exercises that are performed at powerlifting competitions. However, those who seek to improve the look of their body without necessarily maximising their strength gains (including bodybuilders) would put more of an emphasis on isolation exercises. Both types of athletes, however, generally make use of both compound and isolation exercises.

Free weights versus weight machines

Exercise balls allow a wider range of free weight exercises to be performed. They are also known as Swiss balls, stability balls, fitness balls, gym balls, sports balls, therapy balls or body balls. They are sometimes confused withmedicine balls
Free weights include dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, sandbells, and kettlebells. Unlike weight machines, they do not constrain users to specific, fixed movements, and therefore require more effort from the individual's stabilizer muscles. It is often argued that free weight exercises are superior for precisely this reason. As weight machines can go some way toward preventing poor form, they are somewhat safer than free weights for novice trainees[citation needed]. Moreover, since users need not concentrate so much on maintaining good form, they can focus more on the effort they are putting into the exercise [citation needed]. However, most athletes, bodybuilders, and serious fitness enthusiasts prefer to use compound free weight exercises to gain functional strength.

The weight stack from aCable machine.

Some free weight exercises can be performed while sitting or lying on an exercise ball. This makes it more difficult to maintain good form, which helps to exercise the deep torso muscles that are important for maintaining posture [citation needed]. There are a number of weight machines that are commonly found in neighborhood gyms. The Smith machine is a barbell that is constrained to move only vertically upwards and downwards. The cable machine consists of two weight stacks separated by 2.5 metres, with cables running through adjustable pulleys (that can be fixed at any height) to various types of handles. There are also exercise-specific weight machines such as the leg press. A multigym includes a variety of exercise-specific mechanisms in one apparatus. One limitation of many free weight exercises and exercise machines is that the muscle is working maximally against gravity during only a small portion of the lift. Some exercise-specific machines feature an oval cam (first introduced byNautilus) which varies the resistance so that the resistance, and the muscle force required, remains constant throughout the full range of motion of the exercise.

Health benefits
A study published in 2009 revealed that weightlifting may reduce the symptoms of lymphedema in women who have undergone a mastectomy.[19] For decades prior to the study, women were told to "avoid heavy lifting" as it was thought that it would increase the risk of developing lymphedema.[19] Weight training has also been shown to benefit dieters as it inhibits lean body mass loss (as opposed to fat loss) when under a caloric deficit.[20] Weight training also strengthens bones, helping to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. By increasing muscular strength and improving balance, weight training can reduce falls by elderly persons as well. [21]