Question from member:
How important are the warm-up and cool-down portions of a workout?
Answer from Joe Erwin, General Manager/ Head Trainer:
Warm-up and cool-down activities should be an essential part of all exercise programs.
The purpose of warm-up activities is to prepare the body, especially the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, for the conditioning or stimulus phase of the exercise session. The cool-down phase assures that venous return to the heart is maintained in the face of significant amounts of blood going to the previously working muscles.
Light aerobic endurance activities, coupled with activities, provide the fundamental basis for both the warm-up and cool-down phases. The length of the warm-up and cool-down periods depends on several factors, including the type of activity engaged in during the conditioning period, the level of intensity of those activities, and the age and fitness level of the participant.
In general, the warm-up and cool-down phases should last approximately five to ten minutes each. If the individual has less time available to work out than usual, it is recommended that the time allotted for the conditioning phase of the workout be reduced, while retaining sufficient time for both the warm-up and cool-down phases.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Best Workout for Seniors
Question from member:
As a senior citizen past 60, I get conflicting information about maintaining simple body strength. For example:
What's your advice about either system and pointers to some basic guidelines to get started in either option?
Answer from Joe Erwin, General Manager/ Head Trainer:
I always recommend that people try to include both free weights (dumbbells) and machines in their training workouts.
Here are some of the advantages of using machines:
The disadvantages of using machines are directly related to the advantages. Most of the things we do in daily life involve using multiple muscles and joints at the same time. Because machines isolate muscles and work them separately, you end up making individual muscles stronger but are not training yourself for “functional fitness.” Likewise, because machines are adjusting, balancing, and supporting your body, the smaller muscles that would normally do these tasks in real life often don’t get exercised or strengthened.
But, by incorporating both free weights and machines into your workouts, you can utilize the advantages of both and avoid the limitations of relying on either one by itself.
The Case for Machines
Machines are great if you're new to strength training or unfamiliar with how to target specific muscles. Most will have instructions and a diagram so that you can see how to use them properly. It's also easier to maintain proper form using a machine because the equipment is designed to support your body as you do the exercise. Machines are good choices if you don't have much time (assuming there's not a crowd of people waiting), as it can be quicker to adjust the weight on a machine than with free weights. Sometimes people are intimidated to try strength training because they aren't sure what to do, but machines can help overcome that barrier since they are so user-friendly. The negative is that machines do not give the variation or range of motion that free weights provide. Most machines have a two-dimensional movement pattern.
The Case for Free Weights
Free weights require you to stabilize and balance your body (using additional muscles), giving you a better workout in the same amount of time. You can also do a larger variety of exercises instead of being limited to the machines your gym has available. If you have a stronger side (for example, your right triceps group is stronger than your left), machines typically allow the dominant side to compensate for the weaker one. With free weights, you force the weaker muscle to do its share of the work. The negative of using free weights is that your risk of injury increases because it's easier to do exercises improperly. And because the number of exercises is endless, it's easy to create a program that's not balanced or omits exercises that target important muscle groups. There are pros and cons to both machines and free weights, so a combination of the two can yield maximum results.
If you need assistance making a workout plan or even making adjustments to the workout program you already have, setting up a time to meet with a trainer is a great way to spice up your workout.
Contact Joe Erwin
joe@allaccessfa.com or stop by the front desk.
As a senior citizen past 60, I get conflicting information about maintaining simple body strength. For example:
- Use the "nautilus" circuit and build from easy to more resistance over time. A program here is pretty obvious: start low and build up with 3x per week.
- Don't use the "nautilus" circuit but use free weights as it's far more beneficial. A basic program here is not so obvious and there must be some basic "circuit" of exercises that are similar to the "nautilus" circuit. One can obviously pay a personal trainer to design a program but for those of us with no extenuating physical circumstances, a basic program must be pretty straightforward.
What's your advice about either system and pointers to some basic guidelines to get started in either option?
Answer from Joe Erwin, General Manager/ Head Trainer:
I always recommend that people try to include both free weights (dumbbells) and machines in their training workouts.
Here are some of the advantages of using machines:
- They are easier to use (proper technique, form, etc.).
- They better isolate one muscle for a more intense workout.
- They ensure that you move with proper form through the full range of motion.
- They allow you to lift heavier weights.
- They reduce workout time (less time spent setting up, changing, and putting weights away).
- You are less likely to injure yourself when using machines.
The disadvantages of using machines are directly related to the advantages. Most of the things we do in daily life involve using multiple muscles and joints at the same time. Because machines isolate muscles and work them separately, you end up making individual muscles stronger but are not training yourself for “functional fitness.” Likewise, because machines are adjusting, balancing, and supporting your body, the smaller muscles that would normally do these tasks in real life often don’t get exercised or strengthened.
But, by incorporating both free weights and machines into your workouts, you can utilize the advantages of both and avoid the limitations of relying on either one by itself.
The Case for Machines
Machines are great if you're new to strength training or unfamiliar with how to target specific muscles. Most will have instructions and a diagram so that you can see how to use them properly. It's also easier to maintain proper form using a machine because the equipment is designed to support your body as you do the exercise. Machines are good choices if you don't have much time (assuming there's not a crowd of people waiting), as it can be quicker to adjust the weight on a machine than with free weights. Sometimes people are intimidated to try strength training because they aren't sure what to do, but machines can help overcome that barrier since they are so user-friendly. The negative is that machines do not give the variation or range of motion that free weights provide. Most machines have a two-dimensional movement pattern.
The Case for Free Weights
Free weights require you to stabilize and balance your body (using additional muscles), giving you a better workout in the same amount of time. You can also do a larger variety of exercises instead of being limited to the machines your gym has available. If you have a stronger side (for example, your right triceps group is stronger than your left), machines typically allow the dominant side to compensate for the weaker one. With free weights, you force the weaker muscle to do its share of the work. The negative of using free weights is that your risk of injury increases because it's easier to do exercises improperly. And because the number of exercises is endless, it's easy to create a program that's not balanced or omits exercises that target important muscle groups. There are pros and cons to both machines and free weights, so a combination of the two can yield maximum results.
If you need assistance making a workout plan or even making adjustments to the workout program you already have, setting up a time to meet with a trainer is a great way to spice up your workout.
Contact Joe Erwin
joe@allaccessfa.com or stop by the front desk.
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