My squat form isn’t that great. Its acceptable but not great at all. I’ve always had a stiff back and have to do regular stretches to get better range. Another culprit I believe that’s causing my limited range of motion is my tight Psoas muscle. A good way to increase your range of motion is by following a dynamic stretching routine and adding mobility exercises.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Lunges , if done properly is a great lower body exercise. Too keep yourself upright you have to tighten your core and still maintain both the leading leg and trailing leg in proper position. In my 15 years of lifting weights, I have never heard anyone say that they love lunges. I absolutely hate them myself. But I know they’re good for me so I make sure they’re always part of my lower body routine.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
I love running.
It just makes me feel so good and robs me of all energy, that I feel I can gobble up one whole pizza after.
Yup that’s the kind of effect running gives me.
Whether it be on a basketball court when I go for a fast break or just jogging outdoors, the feeling of being able to release every ounce of stress you have after a rigorous workout is unparalleled.
So let me highlight the benefits of this cardiovascular wonder called running.
Running can improve cardiovascular health.
Regular running can help lower blood pressure and helps arteries maintain their elasticity. When you run, your arteries expand and contract approximately 3 times as much as they do when you are not doing anything. This means that a lot of changes are happening at the physiological level. This translates into reducing the risk of heart attach and stroke.
Running makes you look younger.
Yes, running slows down the aging process. It’s bad enough that we’re aging and losing muscle mass and bone. Running helps improve bone density because your whole body is in a continuous process of getting stronger by responding to its physical demands. Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle do not put this kind of demand on their bones and as a result, their bones become weaker. This leads to osteoporosis as they get older. On the other hand, those who run regularly are constantly challenging their muscles and bones so that they are stimulated to remain stronger and don’t weaken with age.
Running has great psychological benefits.
A lot of runners report being happier and less stressed than their counterparts who do not run or exercise at all. Running has the ability to alter an individuals moods because hormones called endorphins are released throughout the body while running. Have you every heard of the the word “endorphinated“? Its a euphoric feeling often referred to as a runner’s high and can result in an improvement in an individuals mood.
Running has also been reported to alleviate stress in people. One of the reasons is because running allows the person to focus on the task at hand instead of being stressed of life’s real problems. It serves as an escape that serves the moment ( Wow I can’t believe I just said that!) . Furthermore, it can be challenging on the body which can result in the individual sense of fulfillment especially if its a marathon or a 10K that can give one a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Improved coordination.
Another worthwhile benefit why one should go into running. I know running is so simple, but there is still a lot of coordination involved in running. Have you ever tried trail running? The uneven surface combined with obstacles such as rock,trees, dung and roots can make running quite difficult! You’d be surprised how your body will quickly learn to maintain better control to avoid tripping and stumbling. Running on a regular pavement on the other hand can also result in improved coordination because it forces the body to work together to keep your body upright and travelling in the correct path. That’s why people who run regularly run more fluidly than those who don’t run or engage in any type of regular exercise. How do you think they beat their personal time records? It’s efficiency and coordination!!
These are just some of the great reasons why you should start running. But don’t get too excited and immediately sign up for the 10K this weekend. Just like anything, you need a continuous build-up that focuses on foundation.
Try to build on your endurance first by starting small with light jogging and eventually move up to more serious running. Your body is a very intelligent machine that will definitely crave for more. And when it does, feed it!
Speaking about craving, I think I want some pizza!
Here’s my buddy Geoff demonstrating a proper deadlift. This guy can easily deadlift 225 lbs for 10 reps with great form!
Level-Intermediate to Advanced
I started lifting weights when I was 19 years old. I was a skinny kid who was told by many that I had a good frame to start with. So , armed with my oversized head ( It’s the encouragement I suppose that made it swell ), I acted with haste and lifted away.
Nobody really guided me. But I did read Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding from cover to cover and used it as reference to construct my own training programs. Training programs? Yeah right.
I weighed 130 lbs. back then and if I remember it correctly , was already pressing my own body weight within a month. That’s a 100% strength increase over 4 weeks! Not bad for a guy who couldn’t even do 10 strict push-ups right?
Then my shoulders started hurting. It hurt so much that I couldn’t lift the bar above my chest. So I went to the doctor and had a check-up. His diagnosis was tendinitis. Apparently my shoulders weren’t strong enough yet to handle the weight. My muscles adapted very fast to the weight increases over the 4 weeks I’ve been training but my tendons couldn’t take it. Because of that, I had to take time off for 2 months. It was grueling not to be able to lift weights especially if you’re peaking that fast! Well, pain is always part of the learning process. But you don’t have to experience it as long as you start right.
Major Concerns in Resistance Training
As with any physical activity, there is always a degree of risk in weight training. However , the risks involved are generally lower than most sports. Rates of injury are the highest when it comes to running and aerobics and lowest for cycling, walking and resistance training.
The Back
If you scroll back, I have an article on back problems that emphasize on strengthening your core for a stronger back. Back injuries are debilitating and difficult to remedy.So a lot of effort should be focused on avoiding back injuries during weight training….especially in the lower back.
It’s extremely important to maintain a flat-back lifting posture whenever the lower body is being trained. Furthermore , research has shown that a normal, slightly arched back has been found to be more superior to a rounded back for avoiding injury to vertebrae , disks , facet joints , ligaments,and muscles of the back.
The Shoulders
The shoulders are very prone to injury due to its structure and the forces that its subjected to during weight training. Because it has the greatest range among all joints in the human body , its excessive mobility also contributes to its vulnerability. No matter how small the injury is to the shoulder joint, it can bring about friction with adjacent structures that can worsen the original injury.
The Knee
Ah the knee. Just on top of my head , I know more people with knee injuries than I have fingers. The knee is very prone to injury because of its location between two long levers ( The upper and lower leg ). Just by the structure of it (The knee is a hinge joint ) , its really not built to move laterally. Imagine how you open and close a door? Well, its the same range of motion as your knee. That’s why its very important to strengthen various components of the knee because in real life, your knees are exposed to forces coming from different directions.
Nobody wants to get injured. Aside from setting you back from your fitness goals , it also deters your from doing everyday activities. So I hope my explanations above can help guide you start right. What’s the rush anyways?
