Slow Twitch and Fast Twitch Muscles
Slow Twitch Muscles – these muscles are perfect for endurance but lack power. They are much more efficient at using oxygen to generate fuel for muscle use over an extended period of time. The are nicknamed the “red” muscles because they are dense with capillaries which help give the muscle a red appearance. You should work these muscles if you are training for a marathon, long bike race, or other endurance activities.
Fast Twitch Muscles - these muscles are the opposite of slow twitch muscles, offering bursts of energy but only for short periods of time. Slow twitch muscles use oxygen to generate energy, while fast twitch muscles use anaerobic metabolism to create energy. They serve to provide quick powerful bursts of energy consequently the muscles fatigue quicker than slow twitch muscles.
What Happens When You Lift Weights?
What’s up ya’ll? So, several of my readers have been wondering what happens when you lift weights. . . here is a brief answer;
When you lift weights tiny tears occur in your muscles fiber. In response to these tears, your body begins the process of repairing them just like your body repairs cuts to your skin by creating a scab. The repair process includes the formation of proteins on the tear sites, which leads to increased muscle size. One of the reasons drinking a protein shake after a session of lifting is so important is because protein aids in the muscle repair and formation process. Give yourself a few months of lifting weights regularly and you too will begin to become a tighter and toner version of yourself.
An Introduction to Muscles
There are three tyes of muscles in your body. These muscles are the following
- cardiac muscles – the muscles found in your heart
- smooth muscles – the muscles that line your organs (i.e. stomach and esophagus)
- skeletal muscles – the muscles that attach to your bones via tendons.
The muscles you focus on when you work out are the skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles make up 30-40% of your body and are the muscles that you use when you move. They are made up pf many strands of muscles fibers. Muscle fibers look like a dry spaghetti stick and when bundled together they form both small and large muscles.bThe actually number of muscles fibers that you have is determined in puberty, but exactly how big these muscles become (i.e. how strong and toned you feel and look) is totally within your control. Strength training, cardiovascular exercise , and a healthy diet will help you tone and sculpt your muscles into the body you have always wanted.
Why Should You Lift Weights?
Advice from The First Lady of Fitness, Fashion, and Fun and Pittsburgh Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Independent, Beachbody Coach, TurboKick Instructor, and life coach, Jackie Omotalade.
Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and condition the musculoskeletal system, improving muscle tone and endurance. Strength training is used as a general term synonymous with other common terms: weightlifting and resistance training. So many women tell me that they don’t lift weights. Most say it is because they don’t want to bulk up and look like a guy. Others say that they have no idea where to start. A study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that only 21 percent of women strength train two or more times a week. The benefits of strength training are plentiful and most women are missing out on a valuable opportunity to get in the best shape of their lives by not lifting weights. The following are a few of the proven reasons why women should lift weights in additional to their cardiovascular exercise.
(1) You will lose more fat and burn more calories. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. On average, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. Muscle accounts for about a third of the average woman’s weight and because muscle, unlike fat, is metabolically active you burn fat even when you are resting.
(2) You will improve the health of our heart. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type). It also can lower your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.
(3) You will be in a better mood. A University of Alabama at Birmingham study fund that people who performed 3 weight workouts a week for 6 months significantly improved their scores on measures of anger and overall mood.
(4) You will get stronger without getting bulky. Women do not possess enough testosterone to significantly increase muscle size unless they use some sort of synthetic supplement. Lifting weights can however make you stronger, which will improve how you function in every aspect of life from work productivity, to chasing your kids around, to helping you sleep better etc.
(5) You will reduce your cancer risk. A University of Florida student found that people who did 3 resistance training workouts a week for 6 months had significantly less oxidative cell damage than people who did no resistance training. Damaged cells can lead to cancer and other diseases, so these result show that lifting weights can help lower your cancer risk.
(6) You will decrease your chance of injury. Lifting weights helps you to strengthen not only your muscles, but your bones, tendons and ligaments, which causes an overall increase in strength that can help reduce or prevent the development of arthritis, osteoporosis, aging, injuries and other degenerative diseases.
(7) You will improve at sports. Professional athletes follow some type of strength training program to keep them strong and avoid injuries. Sport specific weight training can help you improve your power, strength and speed to make you a better athlete.
(8) You will look better. Weight training helps you develop toned muscles, which will make your body look leaner and you feel sexier. Lifting weights is the sure fire way to get sexy toned arms and legs.
(9) You will improve your flexibility. Your flexibility over time can decrease by up to 50%. A study in the International Journal of Sports indicated that 3 full body workouts a week for 16 weeks increased flexibility of the hips and shoulders as well as improving the sit-and-reach test scores by 11 percent.
(10) Your bones will thank you. Strength training increases bone density, which in turn lowers the risk of later developing osteoporosis and brittle bones.
Ice Skating – A Great Way to Burn Calories
I am a person that does not like the cold AT ALL! I’m also a person that LOVES to work out. I am a self proclaimed gym rat, but even I get sick of the gym sometimes Recently, I rediscovered ice skating as a fun and exciting way to exercise and socialize with friends! Plus, you can burn around 350 calories an hour ice skating.
A friend of mine held an ice skating party – nothing formal – just a text message to lots of friends to meet at the local rink for two hours of fun! I must admit that I was reluctant – I HATE being in the cold and have not ice skated since I was in high school. I was willing to try it because I liked the idea that I could really work out my lower body, so “Just Did it” and had a blast.
I encourage you to try it as well. It is a fun work out that will have you feeling a little sore that next day, but will also give you great stories and bring you closer to your friends and family. It also brings you one step closer to achieving your fitness goals!
How Long Will It Take Me To Get Into Shape?
I’m sure that you are not surprised that I get asked this question ALOT! The most honest reply is that it varies. Fitness is journey that occurs day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. It requires dedication and persistence. It is not just about working out, it is also about what and how much you eat. Without a proper diet, you may find your hours of hard-work in the gym futile. The average person may start seeing results in as little as 6 weeks if they are exercising 4-5 times per week and sticking to a healthy diet. To become truly fit is a life-long pursuit, not a couple weeks of exercise. It is not an easy journey. . .let’s face it. . if it was easy, everybody would be walking around looking like a Victoria’s Secret swimsuit model. However, the sacrifice and dedication are worth it, because as you workout you will find that you not only look better, but you feel better as well. Getting in shape in something that is well within your power – YOU JUST HAVE TO WANT TO DO IT! I provide on my website lots of advice, tips, videos and motivation to help you achieve your health and fitness goals! Read. Learn. Do.
Advice from The First Lady of Fitness, Fashion, and Fun and Pittsburgh Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Independent Beachbody Coach, TurboKick Instructor, and life coach, Jackie Omotalade.
Six-Pack-in-Time-For-Summer® Abs Workout Series
Do you want a wicked six-pack for summer? Do this workout every other day combined with a sixty minute cardio workout on days that you do not do this workout and you will have a six-pack in no time. Also, replace all sugary and friend foods in you diet with fruits and vegetables.
Jog in place 60 seconds
Burpees 30 seconds
15 second rest
Inner thighs 30 each side (toes toward you)
25 WEIGHTED LEG RAISES
50 standard crunches
10 push ups
Inner thighs 35 reps each side (toes away from you)
X – I 25x
Windshield wipers
Mary jane lunges 30 seconds
15 second rest
spider crawl 25x
Bicycle crunches 25
25 jane fondas
10 Wide hand push ups
Heels to the heavens 25x
Backward lunges kick ups 10x each side
Y I T 30 seconds each set
12 x Diamond push ups
mason twists 25x
Front Plank 60 second
Motivational Quote for Feb. 21-27
A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.
Paul Dudley White
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. (Source: CDC)
|
Video Hottie Abs Workout
Do you want to shed some fat around our abdominal area? Well, I have the work out for you? In just 30-45 minutes per day, 3 days a week, you can mold your abs into the ones you see on the hotties in your fav music videos.
Round A
In & Outs – 20x
Leg Climbs 15 x each leg
One Leg reverse crunches 10x each leg
Superman 30 seconds
Child’s pose
Oblique V-ups 20 x each side
Jumping Jacks 30 seconds
Repeat Round A 2x
This workout should take you about 30-45 minutes to complete all three sets.
