Strength Training :

Strength training is a very important component of a balance fitness program. People often commit the mistake of thinking that including a cardio workout into their lifestyle is sufficient to give their body the workout it deserves. You do not need to be a body builder to benefit from strength training. A well-designed strength-training program can provide huge benefits.

STRENGTH TRAINING HELPS TO :

• Increase muscle strength
• Increase endurance
• Sculpt the body
• Decrease subcutaneous body fat
• Increase flexibility
• Increase bone density
• Increase ligament and cartilage thickness
• Delay onset and slow osteoporosis in women
• Boost performance in sports,swimming,athletics
• Reduce risk of heart disease,diabetes,arthritis and lower back pain
• Relieve tension and stress
• Increase self-confidence
• Improve sleep
• Induce discipline and motivation
• Increase cardiovascular fitness
• Normalise blood pleasure
• Increase life expectancy
• Increase haemoglobin level and red blood cell count (the loss being due to menstruation birth)
• Improve quality of life
• Rehabilitate the injured or handi capped
• Decrease cholesterol levels
• Improve reflex actions
• Increase alertness
• Decrease menstrual pain,correct menstrual disorders
• Improve posture
• Increase fertility

You lose fat and inches:
When embarking on a strength training programme,start off gradually with two-three times a week.Research shows that depending on your programme and level of Commitment,you can lose approximately one Kg,fat a month intially.

Long-Term Fat Control:
Weight training increases metabolism,In other words,it helps burn a lot more calories,both at rest and at work.For each pound of muscle gain,it burns approximately 35-50 calories on daily basis. So,for instance,if you gain three lbs of muscle and burn 45 extra calories a pound,you'll burn 135 more calories a day.This approximately means about 4,000 more calories a month,which in turn amounts to a loss of 12lbs in a year!

Risk of getting following health disorders is reduced:

Low back pain:A recent 12-year study demonstrated that strengthening the low-back pain. A combination of strengthening and stretching exercise contribute to a strong,healthy, trouble-free back.

Heart diseases:
Weight training improves cholesterol profile and blood pressure status,which in turn,keeps the heart healthy.For maximum effect,combine the training programme with cardiovascular activity.

Diabetes:
Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem.Recent studies show that weight training can increase glucose utilisation in the body by 23 per cent in four months.

Cardiovascular Training :

Cardiovascular Training also known as aerobic training is the process of raising the heart rate to a target zone and sustaining it at that level for a period of time. The target zone related to cardio training will vary depending on the goal for that particular cardio session. E.g. if your goal is fat loss then the target heart rate will be different than if the goal is endurance training. The target zone or range has an upper bound and lower bound, your goal is to keep your heart rate within this range when you workout.

There are many ways of getting a cardio workout. Some are better than others based on the amount of muscle groups involved and the intensity of the workout that one can get but each one can be used effectively to meet your personal goals. The following are some activities that give good cardio workout:

• Walking (outdoors or treadmill)
• Jogging/Running (outdoors or treadmill)
• Stair Climbing (indoor)
• Elliptical training (indoor)
• Nordic track Skiing (indoor)
• Rowing
• Swimming
• Sports (tennins, racquetball, volleyball, inline skating, skiing,..)

To get the benefits of cardio training it is important that you sustain the target heart zone for atleast 30 mins. That means a cardio session should last atleast 30 mins at a minimum. The reason is, when you start the cardio session (aerobic workout) your body starts burning calories to generate energy for the workout. Most of this energy for the first 15-20 mins comes from the carbohydrates stored in your body from previous meals and from glycogen stores in your major muscle groups. Once these reserves are exhausted the body need to break down alternative sources of energy. There are 2 major alternative sources of energy in our bodies where this energy will come from: fat and muscle.

When cardio workout is done at 65 to 70% of Max Heart rate the body will burn fat more efficiently. The reason for this is, at higher Heart rates the body cannot break down fat fast enough to generate energy, so it starts breaking down muscle. Always remember muscle is more easier to breakdown than fat. At lower than 65% heart rate the body does not break down fat fast enough so as to be optimum for the duration of the workout.

Having said that, there is a lot of research being done in this area and recent studies show that even shorter bouts of cardio training give as much benefits as prolonged cardio sessions if number of calories burnt is the same.

Training Zones:

Target Heart Rate 1: General Health - A great deal of research indicates that being active at 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate, consistently and for a total of 30 minutes on most days, reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases. Low intensity activities like walking, gardening, household chores or easy cycling will achieve this. If someone does not need to lose body fat and they are not training for a sporting event, this may be all they need to do to stay healthy.

Target Heart Rate 2: Weight management - If your goal is to reduce body fat and you have been relatively inactive, you will need to train at a level of 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is still within your comfort zone and allows you to exercise at a steady pace for a long enough time to burn off a substantial number of calories.

Target Heart Rate 3: Aerobic Conditioning/Weight Management - If your goal is to improve your cardio-vascular conditioning for better stamina and endurance, you should train within a zone of 70-80 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is also a good zone for fat burning if you are already fairly fit. This heart rate zone represents a more vigorous level of activity.

Target Heart Rate 4: Advanced Conditioning - If you are in top shape and training for a sporting event like a 10km race, a triathlon or tennis, you might need to include some workouts that are 80 percent and above your maximum heart rate. This level of training is both physically and mentally demanding so it is not something you would do on a daily basis. And it is not for everyone. Only the real fit should consider working in the range. This zone is also a fat burning zone if you are extremely fit.

STRETCHING :

Stretching is very important for both injury prevention and injury treatment, Stretching increases flexibility and this directly translates into reduced risk of injury, when performed correctly. The reason for this is that when a muscle or tendon group has a greater range of motion passively, it is less likely to experience tears when used actively. Stretching also improves recovery and may enhance athletic performance.

The goals of stretching are to gently lengthen muscles before and after exercise. Stretching also improves elasticity/flexibility.

Some Key Points to Remember while stretching:

• Begin with gradual mobility exercises of all joints (i.e. simply rotate the wrists, bend the arm or rotate your shoulders). This will allow the body's natural lubrication to protect the surface of your bones at these joints.
  
  
• Never stretch a COLD body. Always warm up the body prior to stretching. Warming the body will increase blood flow around the body, which in turn makes muscles more supple.
  
  
• Post exercise stretching should also be performed after your heart rate has come down form the high levels during exercise (especially cardio). This will prevent blood pooling within the muscles, which can lead to cramp and dizzy spells.
  
  
• If you are wet and sweaty, then stretch after you take a bath to prevent the body from catching a chill.
  
  
• Never bounce of jerk your body while you stretch, unless you are doing specific stretching called dynamic stretching. Please keep in mind dynamic stretching is for the experienced athlete and should be done under good supervision and training.
  
  
• Always hold your stretch for atleast 15-20 seconds or until you feel the muscle loosin off, then repeat for a further 15-20 seconds.
  
  
• While stretching you should feel a slight discomfort in the muscle group you are targeting. If you don't feel anything, then you may be doing the stretch incorrectly or simply the muscle has eased off.
  
  
• Stop immediately if you feel any severe pain.
  
  
• Always breathe normally while you are stretching. Never stop breathing.
  
  

Desi-Fitness.com exercise library provides various stretching techniques for different muscle groups.