Train Muscular Strength, Muscular Power and Muscular Endurance for Functional Strength Performance… Not Muscular Size for “Appearance”.

Training for muscular strength, power and endurance will bring about more functional improvements than training for muscular size or appearance.

There is a big difference between training for muscle mass and training for muscular strength, power and endurance.

Each type of muscular strength must be trained for optimum performance under any circumstance.

Fitness is a compromise between the physical abilities of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, power, speed, flexibility, balance, coordination, agility, accuracy and toughness… and muscular strength is a compromise between maximum strength, power and strength endurance.

Maximum Strength

Maximum strength is how much force can be generated by the muscles and skeletal system for one, all-out effort.

You One-Rep Max is an indicator of this type of muscular strength.

Power

Power is strength per unit of time… I like to call this Explosive Power.

This type of muscular strength is measured by the ability to move a weight from one point to another with speed… therefore it is often called Speed Strength.

Strength Endurance

Strength endurance is the ability to be as strong as possible… for as long as possible.

This type of muscular strength is characterized by the ability to perform a strength movement repeatedly for an extended period of time without giving into fatigue or sacrificing form.

An effective physical training program should address the improvement of each type of muscular strength… Not just one type of strength at the expense of the others.

Bodybuilding type training focuses on building muscle mass… and improvement in performance and muscular strength is secondary.

This leads me to an interesting question… will your muscles get bigger by training all aspects of strength?

The answer is yes… they will get just as big as they need to get to optimize performance!

Optimize muscular strength performance… don’t Maximize muscle mass.

After all, it is always better to be stronger than you appear… than to appear stronger than you are!

One final note…

You must always keep in mind that muscular strength training is only one of many components of a well balanced physical fitness training program.

You should strive to optimize your muscular strength in conjunction with the other physical abilities… Not maximize your strength at the expense of them.

After all, meeting the challenges of sport, work and life with excellence is done through the combination and seamless flow from one physical ability to another… Not by relying on one physical skill at the expense of all the others.

Coach Lomax is a strength, conditioning and fitness coach dedicated to building better humans for sport, work and life. Learn more at Optimum Physical Training or take his FREE Tabata Calisthenics Workout Mini Course.

Tags: fitness, muscular size, muscular strength, physical training, strength, strength trainingfitness, muscular size, muscular strength, physical training, strength, strength training

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Building a strength training routine can be one of the trickiest parts of a fitness program. Ask 10 personal trainers what the best strength training routine is and you will get 10 different answers. Below are 7 must-know guidelines to use when building a strength training program. Each guideline provides the basic foundation that all strength training programs abide by. Learning the proper way to use free weights will greatly improve your strength, fitness, and health levels.

1) We cannot strength train a muscle today and tomorrow. We have to allow at least 24-36 hours of rest. Lifting on consecutive days leads to overtraining, muscle fatigue, and possible injury. All of our strength gains are made during the rest time!

2) We cannot spot reduce. This means if we want to lose weight in our stomach, doing 100 crunches a day will not make our stomach flab disappear. To reduce stomach fat, we need an overall reduction in body fat. Reducing overall body fat results from eating well, regular exercise, and proper rest.

3) We can spot tone. If we want bigger biceps, we can strength train for hypertrophy (fancy word for muscle growth). It is possible for us to focus on one specific muscle group. This is sometimes called targeted training. Studies have shown that machines isolate a muscle better than free weights.

4) Our strength training routines must be regular and consistent for results to take place. It took us years to put on the weight. We shouldn’t expect it to all fall off in three weeks. The best outcome from your fitness and strength training program should be a lifestyle change. Replace bad habits with healthy ones and reap the rewards.

5) Realize that our strength training routine must be changed every 4-6 weeks. This will prevent our body from hitting a plateau and it will keep things interesting. We can change our method, our exercise or our intensity level. Not changing our routine on a regular basis will eventually stop producing results. We will continually grow stronger as we progress with our fitness program. Be sure your body is challenged on every workout.

6) Our strength training routines must be built according to our specific goals. Specific goals may be: fat loss, hypertrophy, maintaining weight or adding bulk. Each goal will have a different method that is best suited for optimal results. Someone who is interested in losing body fat will strength train differently than someone looking to increase muscle bulk. Knowing what your specific goals are will aid in creating the best strength training program possible.

7) Our strength training routines must work all of the major muscle groups in our body 1-3 times per week. This includes our biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, abs, quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. Leaving out muscle groups will create an imbalance.

By using these 7 guidelines, anyone should be able to build a decent and effective program. The idea is to develop a safe strength training routine that provides us with major health and fitness benefits. Strength training has certainly increased in popularity over the past few years. Knowing how to build a strength training routine for our specific goals will move us one step closer to a fit body.

Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com

Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://strength-training-woman.com
You may receive your free strength training log and routines by visiting her site. Her newest ebook has been voted the #1 fitness ebook on the net. Learn more about it by visiting
http://strength-training-woman.com/31-no-holds-barred-answers.html

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For far too long we have believed that pleasure is something to be justified or earned. Pleasure, we are convinced, is only what we can allow ourselves to experience after we’ve lost weight, achieved a fitness goal, or competed and won.

So many people approach their workout as though it were an unpleasant chore. Sometimes it’s thought of as something that is to be endured, not enjoyed. You need to have a good time when you work out. Pleasure is vital if you want to stick with and succeed at a program.

The secret to a great workout is to take away boredom and bring contentment into it making the experience interesting and satisfying.

Our state of mind can never be kept a secret. It’s constantly reflected throughout the body. Frustrations about the past and worries about the future manifest themselves into muscle tension. The best way to deal with life stresses is to live in the moment. There’s no better, safer, more emotionally secure time to live in the moment then during your workout.

While it takes practice, living in the moment brings a new vitality to a workout program. Paying attention to your mind, body, and environment creates a new appreciation for the process of transformation you have devoted yourself to.

-Consider taking your workout as seriously as other areas of your life such as your job or relationships

-Consider taking the focus off of instant results and think about what changes you need to make to ensure your workouts are more enjoyable

-Consider making your workouts something special rather than treating them as though they were a separate part of your life

Your workout is a time for you to escape. Give yourself permission to give love and nurturing back to the person who deserves it the most-yourself.

There are three steps to take to prepare for your healthy escape. First, have a regular place to workout. Being in familiar surroundings that you enjoy to be in will help you to relax and to concentrate. Second, wear comfortable clothes you only wear for your workouts. It’s the same as using china on special occassions. The more meaning you put into the experience, the more you’ll gain from it. And finally, have all the equipment you may need ready to use so you won’t have to be interrupted during your workout.

Rather than rushing into a workout and then spending most of the time diverting your attention from the activity by watching TV, listening to music, or reading, be open to the idea of communicating with your body instead.

At the start of your workout begin by wakening the body through a simple breathing exercise. Sit on a chair or on the floor with your spine straight. Keep your eyes closed and breathe deeply. Hold for four counts. Release your breath slowly. Again, inhale deeply and hold. Repeat this exercise ten times.

Once you have restored your energy balance through breathing, move on to stress-reducing warm-up stretches to relax and energize the body.

Not enough can be said about the importance of stretching. Neck rolls, side stretching, shoulder stretching and numerous other soothing stretches not only relax your body, but they ground you mentally and physically leaving you more aware of being in the moment. That feeling of being in control, and your mind and body being as one, is the most wonderful peaceful feeling that you’ll want to sustain while you’re putting your body through the paces during the rest of your workout.

Most of us think of exercise as being as only means to an end.

Workouts do not have to be a boring regime of endless minutes we approach with resentment and dread. The mind works best when the body is in motion, and exercising is an excellent time to give both an adequate workout.

There are many ways to make a workout more interesting. Having a workout partner is effective as is adding the element of competition to your program. And of course, you can change your activity until you find one that you do find interesting.

Try visualization. During most aerobic activities you can allow your imagination to run wild. If you want to solve a dilemma, plan something for the future, or just enjoy a stream of consciousness, a workout is the best place to stimulate your mind. You forget about the repetitiveness of the exercise and you let your creative process do what it was meant to.

Before a workout, choose a question, a situation, or an issue to meditate on during your workout. While your body is in motion you may find yourself straying from your chosen reflection. Gently bring your mind back into focus. By the end of your program, you’ll have enough new thoughts to inspire change.

Always remember that fitness is a gift you are giving yourself. Treat that gift as a privilege rather than a burden. Take the time to really get into your workout and at the core of your experience you will find endless pleasure.

With a never-ending list of interests and a great deal of experience and knowledge, Wendy Wallace is an intuitive counselor offering sessions which combine psychic reading, life coaching and counseling–all to help heal your mind, body, and spirit. What changes might you make in life if you could know what the future holds? Sign up for a chance to win
a free session. Gain the insight you need.
www.ifyoucouldknow.com

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