With so many exercise and fitness options readily available these days, there really is no valid excuse (except for the rare few) not to be physically fit.
Additionally, it’s no secret that resistance exercise or strength training of some sort must be included in our regimen because aerobics alone will not get the job done. You want to be using your muscles and building muscle tissue if you want a strong, lean body with a healthy metabolism.
Although there is a variety of ways you can use resistance exercise, one version, “Slow Weight Training” seems to work well for many people.
The concept is simple – the slow movement allows your muscle at the microscopic level to access the maximum number of cross-bridges between the protein filaments that produce movement in the muscle.
Those who support “slow lifting” say it has a decided advantage over standard weight[-training techniques because it puts greater demand on the muscles thus burning calories faster while minimizing the jerking motions that can otherwise lead to injuries. This is intense training – you will know you have worked your muscles after participating in this “slow-mo” type of strength training.
Since most of us have our schedules maxed out, this type of training is a perfect fit because only one session a week is required to see positive results although you can do the program as much as twice a week.
You can perform these type of “slow-mo” exercise using either free weights or machines. Using a resistance training machine gives you the benefit of focusing our mind on the effort as opposed to the movement.
The weight you begin with should be light enough so you can perform between 8-12 repetitions. Anything above that means you need to work with a heavier weight.
Use 4-5 basic compound movements per set – for example:
Chest press
Chin up or pull-down
Overhead press
Compound row
Squat or leg press.
Start by lifting the weight to a slow count of four to bring the weight up and another four seconds to lower it. Stop about 10-15 degrees before your limb is fully straightened; smoothly reverse direction. Lower the weight back down slowly to the slow count of four.
Repeat to exhaustion, around 4-8 reps but don’t try to get one last repetition by heaving or jerking the weight once you’ve reached exhaustion, instead, just keep trying to produce the movement even if it’s not going anywhere for another five seconds or so. Using the correct amount of weight or resistance you should be able to produce between 4-8 repetitions.
Immediately switch to the next exercise on your list and target the next muscle group repeating the first three steps. A complete workout should take no more than 12-15 minutes.
Combine your exercise program with a satisfying whole-foods nutrition plan that supports your strength training program and rid yourself of those low calorie, metabolism dropping deprivation “diets” and you have the perfect formula for sustaining a healthy slim body for life.
It’s time to throw away all the false statements you’ve accepted about dieting and exercise and learn what it really takes to take weight off and keep it off for good…
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