IPL'S LETS GET FIT~TRAINING MYTHS

[IronpumpedLady]

TweetWhile cardio exercise is important for burning fat and losing weight, it isn't the only type of exercise that can help you lose fat. Strength training helps you preserve the muscle you have as well as increase your muscle mass and the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn all day long.
Remember, muscle is more active than fat. In fact, a pound of muscle can burn anywhere from 10-20 calories a day while a pound of fat burns only 2-5 calories a day. And, don't forget, muscle is more dense than fat and takes up less space. That means when you lose fat and gain muscle, you'll be slimmer and trimmer.

Plenty of people, especially women, avoid strength training like the plague, either because they think they'll gain weight or because they like cardio better. But strength training has a number of benefits such as:

* It builds lean muscle tissue
* It strengthens muscles, bones and connective tissue
* It keeps your body strong and injury-free for your cardio workouts
* It raises metabolism

An effective fat loss program will include regular strength training and cardio workouts, done either separately or together, depending on your schedule and goals. Another important component is, of course, eating a healthy diet as well. By implementing all three components, you can maximize your weight loss and your health.
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SHOULD I BE SORE AFTER EVERY WORKOUT?

How do you know if you've gotten a good strength training workout? A lot of people would measure their workouts by how sore they are the next day, but that isn't the best way to gauge your workout.
Soreness (often called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS)is normal if you're a beginner, if you've changed your usual routine or if you're trying new activities. But, that soreness should lessen over time and, if you're sore after every workout, you may need more recovery days or to reduce the intensity of your workouts to allow your body time to adapt and grow stronger.

Soreness is actually caused by small tears in your muscle fibers, which is how muscles respond when overloaded. Rest and recovery are essential for growing stronger and building lean muscle tissue. If you're sore after every workout, you may need more time to recover or you risk overtraining and injury.

So, if soreness doesn't work for measuring effectiveness, how do you know if you're getting a good workout?

* Lift enough weight. When strength training, you always want to choose a weight heavy enough that you can only complete the desired number of reps. If you stop at the end of a set and realize you could do more, increase your weight so that the last rep is difficult, but not impossible to complete.

* Work all your muscle groups. Whether you do a total body workout or a split routine, make sure you hit all your muscle groups 2-3 times each week, with at least one exercise per muscle group (more if you're more advanced).

* Change your program. Make sure you change your routine every 4-6 weeks to avoid plateaus.
To prevent soreness, you should warm up before your workout and cool down and stretch the muscles you've used after the workout.
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STRENGTH TRAINING MAKES WOMEN BULK UP~

This is another popular myth that persists despite the fact that women typically don't have the amount of hormones (namely, testosterone) necessary to build huge muscles. In fact, even men struggle to gain muscle which is one reason steroids are such a popular drug with men who want to build big muscles.
This myth goes hand in hand with convincing women that strength training is for men and that, if they do lift weights, they should stick with the pink dumbbells.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Lifting heavy weights can benefit both men and women and, in fact, challenging your body with heavy weights is the only way you'll really see results and get stronger. I've been lifting heavy weights for years and have never even come close to looking like a bodybuilder...most women who lift weights would agree. Remember, muscle takes up less space than fat. When you add muscle, that helps you lose fat (along with your cardio and healthy diet, of course), which means you'll be leaner and more defined.

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I'M TOO OLD TO LIFT WEIGHTS AND TO BENEFIT FROM IT~

My grandmother is 89 years old and when she says she's too old to do something, I know that's just an excuse for getting out of something she doesn't want to do. I know this because she walks every day and she does water aerobics twice a week. She also keeps some light dumbbells lying around for exercising while she watches TV.
If asked, what my grandmother would say is: "If I can do it, anyone can do it," and she would be right. Obviously, if you have medical issues or conditions you would need to visit the doctor to get clearance but, beyond that, there's no age limit on beginning a strength program and, even better, the improvements you see will make your life better, including:

* Better functioning
* Improved balance and coordination
* Greater strength and flexibility
* Weight management
* More confidence
* Lower risk of falling down

In fact, the risks associated with not exercising and lifting weights are much greater than a safe, effective strength program. In fact, without exercise, we could lose 3-5% of our muscle mass per decade after age 40, what experts call sarcopenia. This loss of muscle doesn't just cause weight gain, but it also contributes to reduced functionality and strength.
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SPOT REDUCTION~

If you've ever done crunches to get six-pack abs or leg lifts to get thin thighs (and haven't we all?), you've fallen prey to the myth of spot reduction.
This myth suggests that doing specific exercises for specific body parts will help you lose body fat there. But, the truth is, how and where we lose fat depends on, among other things, genetics, hormones and age. If you want to lose fat around the thighs or belly, you have to create a calorie deficit (through exercise and diet), lose body fat and see how your body responds. What you'll find is that, wherever you store excess fat is that last place you'll lose it. For women, that's often the hips, thighs and lower belly and for men it's often the belly and waist.

One reason this myth is still hanging around is because of how aggressively it's perpetuated by the infomercials, diets and magazines promising thin thighs, flat abs and other extreme results for very little work.

Instead of wasting money on false promises and silly gadgets, try a healthier approach so that you can get your best body rather than an idealized body that always seems out of reach:

* Regular cardio exercise in your Target Heart Rate Zone.
* Strength training for your entire body 1-3 non-consecutive days a week.
* A healthy low-calorie diet.

Stay Strong~~!!!
IPL

[BABY1]

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