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Resources Workouts

How much should you work out?

Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.

Australian Health Guidelines

Overview

  • When is the best time to exercise
  • How to motivate yourself to exercise
  • Special goals will have special requirements
  • Be consistent and thorough when trying to get into a routine
  • Use a combination of discipline and short term goals to connect the dots as you move forward in your journey

To begin: Consider your goals

When considering any exercise program the first thing you have to consider is exactly what you want to get out of it. People exercise for a variety of different reasons including weight loss, mental and physical wellbeing, stress release, or a specific goal like building endurance or strength.

Where do you fit? Answer that question first and everything will fall into place. Sometimes it’s best to talk things over with a professional and get their insight. You can offer your own views and find some common ground as to the best course of action.

Once you have a general target area, you need to find a way to take whatever knowledge is at your disposal and turn it into something fruitful and productive. Whether you go down the personal training route, are happy to do this on your own and consult with others when you see fit, it’s now about putting specific plans in place.

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Fitness Journey Resources

6 steps to starting your health journey

Man running on beach to start his fitness journey

Starting your health journey can be overwhelming and daunting, so we have outlined a step-by-step guide to get you on your way:

  1. Health assessment
  2. Goal setting
  3. Planning
  4. Create a support network
  5. Beginning your journey
  6. Checking your progress

Step 1: Health Assessment

Before starting on any journey, you want to know where to begin. Doing a comprehensive health assessment helps identify some risks, frame realistic goals, and set a benchmark from where you are beginning (that is your baseline measures).

The assessments that are recommended are:

  • Weight
  • Body Mass Index
  • Waist circumference
  • Waist-to-hip ratio

You can calculate these using our online tools. These measurements enable you to identify if you are at a higher risks of health issues like cardiovascular disease / heart conditions or type 2 diabetes.

Secondly, look at your past injuries – have you strained any muscles, broken bones, have joint or muscle pain. When starting an exercise program, these injuries can get in the way of your progress, and if left untreated, an exercise program could exacerbate the problem further.

Conducting a baseline assessment for strength, flexibility and aerobic endurance, which is repeatable after your exercise program, is a great way to see if your training program has been effective and how far you have come. Seeing if the assessment is relevant to your goal can often be a challenge. With some research, or a chat with an allied health practitioner, you can soon identify what is appropriate. If you are a beginner, a push-up test, wall squat and plank are simple assessments that are easy to do and measure, and are a great way to begin. Generic advice has often been, ‘go to the gym’ or ‘go for a run.’ Although, you may think, ‘what do I do at the gym?’, ‘why am I doing it?’, or ‘am I doing it correctly?’ Take time to analyse your own skill level and rank it from beginner, intermediate or advanced. This process determines how much support you may need in developing your skill-set.

Step 2: Goal Setting

When done correctly, goal setting can be a significant motivating factor and keep you focused. Thinking about what you want to achieve, and more importantly, why you want to achieve it, will create motivation. There is no right a wrong goal; and goals could certainly be improved or tweaked over time. Some examples of common goals are:

  • I want to lose weight
  • I want to get stronger
  • I want to run a marathon
  • I do want not to get injured during a soccer season
  • I want to feel good
  • I want to feel better 
  • I would like to make exercise part of my daily life

Once you have your goal, think about your why. Answering the why helps you create motivation and gives you a purpose and drives you forward in the moments where you feel like you cannot do it anymore. No one else needs to see this, but be authentic about this.

For example:

Goal: I want to lose weight to feel healthier and I do not want to put my health at risk. 

Why:

  • I have a young family and a loving partner. I don’t want my health to get in the way of experiencing all that life has to offer
  • I want to play sport with my son when he is 18
  • I want to be able to see them graduate

Next, ask yourself on a scale of 0 – 10, how committed am I to this goal? If it is a 1 – 6, you may likely do it for a short period of time. If it is a 7 and above, it is likely that you would be more committed. Changing your goal from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must-have’ is the key. Once you have your goal and your ‘why’, double-check that it is a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-framed) goal with a why.

For example:

I want to reach 72 kg in the next 6 months so that I can feel strong and healthy and engage in more activities with my children.

  • Is my goal specific – Yes
  • Is it measurable – Yes
  • Is it achievable? Do I have the resources to carry out the goal? – Yes
  • Is it realistic – Yes
  • Do I have a time frame on the goal – Yes
  • Is my why motivating enough? If it is a 8 out of 10, then Yes

Now that you are hopefully motivated, and have a goal that drives you forward, clearly defining when you reach your goal is essential as it gives you an anchor point. You can distinguish if you are getting closer or further away, and if you do achieve these milestones, you have something to celebrate!

Step 3 – Planning

Step 3 is broken down into three parts of internal reflection and how will I get there, exercise, nutrition and mindfulness and checking with a health practitioner. You will want to develop a develop a tailored program that is applicable to your goals.

Step 3 – Part A: Internal reflection, how will I get there?

When planning on how to achieve your goals, you do not have to have all of the answers – part of your plan could involve researching how to get there. Checking your capacity to achieve the goal is a step that is often overlooked. Do you have the time, finances, skill-set and resources to accomplish your goal? Are you realistic about your capacity and your starting point? You do not have to rush your goal, you can take baby steps.

Some questions you could ask yourself:

  • Do I have the time to address my goals?
  • What financial resources do I have, and what is appropriate for me to invest in my goal – a personal trainer, a gym membership, a skipping rope?
  • Do I have the expertise and knowledge to carry out my goal?

Think about and obstacles in advance, such as ‘I have a gym membership, but do I know what to do on the machine?’, ‘I have an injury’, ’Is this exercise ok for me to do, or will it cause more pain?’ After you find your obstacles, think about ways that you can overcome them.

Think about how you would achieve your goals and if it falls within your capacity, example:

  • Self-taught
  • Online trainers
  • Mentors
  • Friends
  • Personal trainers
  • Gym membership
  • Guided by Health professionals
  • Nutrition guidance
  • Psychologist

Finally, create your programs in 6-week blocks, this way, you have an end date to see if you are closer to your goal. Re-doing your assessments again after your 6-week block will make sure you are tracking and getting closer to your goal. 6 weeks block are a good time frame as they have been shown to be the minimal amount of time for neural programs to be established and muscles to recondition in response to load.

Step 3 – Part B: Incorporate Exercise Nutrition & mindfulness – Create Habits

A health program ideally has three components – exercise, nutrition and mindfulness.

Exercise programming is essential and is based on your goal. Programs can range from strength building, weight loss to cutting weight (for body builders). As this piece is aimed at beginners, the best advice is to do something you enjoy, instead of it feeling like a chore. If it is enjoyable, you are more likely to engage with it. Also, start with realistic times in a week that you will engage in physical activity rather than having goals like, ‘I will exercise 3 hours a day, 7 days a week to get my six-pack’. Start with a few times a week for 30 minutes and one of those days could incorporate a leisurely walk.

Research has shown that weight loss specifically, a large component has to do with diet. Become familiar with the Australian guidelines for healthy eating and build healthy habits. A strategy that has been shown to be effective is keeping a diet diary. Instead of journaling your food take pictures of everything you eat and drink for three weekdays and the weekend. Having a visual representation of what you have eaten over the course of the week gives you insight into your portion size, how much junk food you are having and gives you a benchmark of where you are starting from.

Mindfulness tends to get overlooked, however as we become more aware of our mental health and its benefits. Mindfulness can take many forms such as meditation, journaling your progress and feeling or writing your goals down daily. Do what helps you best and helps you remain centred and focused on your goal.

Step 3 – Part C: Check with a Health professional

Now that you have baseline health assessment, your goal, and your plan, check it with a health practitioner like a doctor, physiotherapist, exercise scientist, or personal trainer. This process ensures that you are not putting yourself at risk and the journey you are about to embark on is safe for you, most importantly. Speaking to a health practitioner will also highlight if the strategy you have outlined in reaching your goal is the best way forward. It is worth noting that allied health practitioners (physiotherapists, personal trainers etc.) would be able to conduct an assessment, help you identify goals and develop a plan to help you achieve your goal. You do not have to do it all on your own, and you can be assured you are getting the right advice. 

Step 4: Create a Support Network

Having a support network has multiple benefits, such as keeping you accountable and motivated. It enables you to express and share your journey and troubleshoot your problems and barriers and have people around you who can share your accomplishments. If you do not have a support person or group, think about some less conventional options like:

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Trainers
  • Online groups
  • Community groups

Step 5: Beginning Your Journey

Now that you have done all the preparation work – you are ready to begin your health journey. This day can be confronting and you may be experiencing some fear and anxiety. If so, break the task down into smaller manageable tasks

Day 1 – Go to the gym and park the car outside and leave 

Day 2 – Go to the gym, park the car and walk inside. Pretend like you forgot something and walk back out.

Day 3 – Go to the gym, park the car and walk inside , get on the treadmill and walk for 5 mins, then pretend like you got a call and walk out.

Keep building on the previous day’s success and move forward until you feel comfortable. It’s important to develop a growth mindset to try and push beyond your comfort zone. If you do nothing, nothing will change. The current recommendation for maintaining fitness is a minimum of 3 sessions of moderate intensity exercise per week.

We recognize that the hardest part of any exercise program is the 2 or 3 weeks after you start the program. The body takes time to adapt and you will need to rely on your resilient mindset to get you over that hurdle. If you still find that you have a barrier, see what support systems you could tap into, or speak to someone like a psychologist or counsellor. Having a personal trainer can be very helpful as they provide you with one-on-one support and encouragement.

Step 6: Checking your progress

So, it has been 6 weeks since you have started your program, and it’s time to do your re-assessment. Do the same baseline test as you did at the beginning of the program and see how far you have come. Are you closer to your goal or further away? After your first 6-week block, you could go through the 6 steps again and refine your goals and strategy. During this re-assessment, reflect on how things have gone over the six weeks. What went well? What could we improve upon? What can I celebrate? The more you engage in the process, the more you will find what works for you and what keeps you engaged and motivated. Take all these factors and incorporate them into your next 6-week blocks. From Tier 1 Training, we would like to wish you good luck on your health journey, and if there is anything we can do to assist you, please contact us.

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Health Conditions Resources

Body Mass Index (BMI) – what is it and why is it important?

What is BMI

Overview

  • BMI is a health tool to determine if individuals are within a healthy weight range
  • If their weight places them at higher risks for health issues
  • Heart disease and cardiovascular disease is associated with those who are overweight

BMI Overview

Body mass index or more commonly known as BMI, is one of the most searched terms in health and fitness. But what does it mean and why should you pay attention?

BMI is a measure that health professionals use as a standardized tool to determine if an individual is within a healthy weight range for their height. This measure has been used by health professionals for over 100 years and is widely accepted in classifying whether individuals fall in the underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese range, and in turn determine the health risks associated with being in the underweight, overweight or obese range.

There are however limitations of this tool, as it does not give an indication of the amount (mass) of fat or lean muscle an individual has and does not take into consideration different body sizes. For example, athletes who use this tool may be categorised as being in the overweight BMI range due to their high muscle mass, even though they have very little body fat. Hence, even though they may have a BMI in the overweight range, they would not be associated with greater health risks.

BMI is calculated by taking an individual’s weight in kilograms and dividing it by their height in meters squared – that is weight (kg) / height (m2).

For example:

An individual with a weight of 67 kg and height of 170 cm (1.70m), would have a BMI of 23.2 kg/m2.

67kg / (1.70m x 1.70m) = 23.2 kg/m2

Alternatively, you can use our online BMI calculator

What does my BMI mean?

You have now completed the BMI assessment. You will fall into one of four categories:

  • Underweight – Less than 18.5 kg/m2
  • Health weight – 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2
  • Overweight – 25.0 – 29.9 kg/m2
  • Obese – 30 kg/m2 and over

Underweight (BMI Less than 18.5 kg/m2)

While much of the research has focused on individuals in the overweight / obese BMI range, research shows that there are health risks associated with being underweight. Those who are underweight have greater risk of heart or cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart attack and coronary artery disease, decreased immune function, respiratory disease, digestive disease, fertility issues, cancer and osteoporosis.

Healthy weight (BMI 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2)

Being in the healthy weight range is fantastic and is what we should aim to achieve. Keep going and think about how else you can do to improve or maintain your health. Some goals may include increasing flexibility, improving strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Overweight / obese range (BMI 25.0 kg/m2)

Overweight / obesity refers to the amount of excess body fat, it has become a major health problem in our community due to its association with health risks. The amount of excess fat, as well as where it is distributed around the body is important to take notice of.

There are many health risks associated with being overweight / obese including:

  • Heart disease or cardiovascular disease which includes, coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke
  • Hypertension, that is increased blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Gastrointestinal abnormalities
  • Sleep apnea and Sleeping problems
  • Quality of life
  • Certain types of cancers

I Have My Results – Now What?

The simple answer is to try to either gain weight or lose weight, depending on where you are on the BMI scale. Being in the underweight or overweight range have both short-term and long-term implications. If you do find yourself outside of the healthy weight range, all is not lost and with consistent effort and the right strategy you can move yourself towards the healthy weight range.

References

  1. Segula D. (2014). Complications of obesity in adults: a short review of the literature. Malawi medical journal : the journal of Medical Association of Malawi26(1), 20–24.
  2. Park, Donghwi MDa; Lee, Jong-Hak MDb; Han, Seungwoo MD, PhDb,* Underweight, Medicine: December 2017 – Volume 96 – Issue 48 – p e8769 doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000008769
  3. NHLBI. 2013. Managing Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Systematic Evidence Review from the Obesity Expert Panel
  4. Roberts, Robert E., et al. “Prospective association between obesity and depression: evidence from the Alameda County Study.” International journal of obesity 27.4 (2003): 514-521.
  5. Luppino, Floriana S., et al. “Overweight, obesity, and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.”Archives of general psychiatry 67.3 (2010): 220-229.
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Health Tools

Anxiety and Depression Checklist (K10)

Question All of the time
(score 5)
Most of the time
(score 4)
Some of the time
(score 3)
A little of the time
(score 2)
None of the time
(score 1)
1. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?
2. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel nervous?
3. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?
4. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel hopeless?
5. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel restless or fidgety?
6. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so restless you could not sit still?
7. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel depressed?
8. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel that everything was an effort?
9. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?
10. In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel worthless?
Learn about the K10 interpretation.
(Note: Questions three and six does not need to be answered if the response to the preceding question was ‘none of the time’. In such cases questions three and six will receive an automatic score of one. )

Why is this important?

These ten questions measure how distressed you’ve been recently by looking at signs of depression and anxiety.

It’s a measure of distress commonly used by Australian GPs and mental health professionals to determine the level of support you may require.

After completing this checklist, you can print your score for your records or give it to your GP.

Categories
Health Tools

Calorie Converter

Cal
kJ

Enter a value in either box above, and we will convert it.
Formula: 1 Cal = 4.184 kJ, rounded to the nearest whole number

Why is this important?

Food provides the body energy for its functions, including internal body function and your day-to-day activities. Energy is measured in units of kilojoules or calories. By knowing the energy value of foods, you can estimate how much you are taking.

Enjoy a wide variety of foods focused on fresh food. A diet with plenty of vegetables along with fruit, lean proteins and rich in wholegrains, fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats is ideal. Avoid a diet low in unhealthy fats, salt and added sugar. 

How much you eat is another important part of eating well and healthy. The amount you should eat depends on factors, including the type of food served.

Keen to start healthy eating and getting fit? Try our personal training program so we could look after your nutrition and fitness.

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Health Tools

Ideal Weight Calculator

I am a
Calculate according to
Learn about the different formulas base on the gender.
(Note: You can switch the gender options above to see the respective content based on the gender)

For women, the ideal weight calculator uses the following equations:

Robinson formula: 49 kg + 1.7 kg per every inch over 5 feet
Miller formula: 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per every inch over 5 feet
Hamwi formula: 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per every inch over 5 feet
Devine formula: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per every inch over 5 feet

Why is this important?

Being a healthy weight has important benefits, not only for how you feel, but also for lowering your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, joint pain and other health conditions. As a general rule, a healthy weight for your height would mean your body mass index (BMI) would be between 20 and 25kg/m². It’s important to remember that your ethnicity, gender and body composition can influence what will be an ideal weight for you. 

Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your weight. If you are not yet at your ideal weight, try setting some achievable goals to improve your health risks, with the support of your doctor or other health professional.

You can also find out more and calculate your BMI with Tier1Training’s BMI calculator.

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Health Tools

Waist To Hip Ratio

I am a

According to the World Health Organization, a healthy WHR is:

  • 0.9 or less in men
  • 0.85 or less for women

In both men and women, a WHR of 1.0 or higher increases the risk for heart disease and other conditions that are linked to being overweight.

Waist-to-hip ratio chart

Health riskWomenMen
Low0.80 or lower0.95 or lower
Moderate0.81–0.850.96–1.0
High0.86 or higher1.0 or higher

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one of several measurements a health professional can do to see if you’re overweight, and if that excess weight is putting your health at risk. Unlike your body mass index (BMI), which calculates the ratio of your weight to your height, WHR measures the ratio of your waist circumference to your hip circumference. It determines how much fat is stored on your waist, hips and buttocks.

Not all excess weight is the same when it comes to your health risks. People who carry more weight around their midsection (an apple-shaped body) are at higher risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature death than those who carry more of their weight in their hips and thighs (a pear-shaped body). Even if your BMI is within a normal range, your risk for disease may be increased.

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Health Tools

BMI Calculator

Why is this important?

BMI is a useful measurement for most people over 18 years old. A BMI of 20-25 kg/m² is considered a healthy weight for most adults. However, BMI is only an estimate and doesn’t take into account age, ethnicity, gender and body disposition. It is not an accurate measure of healthy weight for pregnant women, children, older people or athletes.

Being underweight may affect important body functions such as your immune response to infection and fertility or it can lead to health issues from heart disease to bone problems.  

Being overweight or obese can lead to increased risk of heart disease, bone and joint problems as well as increasing your risk of some cancers, sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes.

Putting on weight and trying to lose weight can be hard. Don’t be disheartened or de-motivated if progress is slow. It’s important to decide on small, practical changes that you feel comfortable with and that you’ll be able to stick to. It’s helpful to get support from family or friends when you’re trying to change your weight.

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Resources Workouts

Progression and resistance training

Progression and resistance training.

Overview

. Set clear goals in regards to progression and resistance training

. Volume builds endurance and intensity builds power

. Work at your own pace

To make progress with resistance training you first have to establish what you’re trying to achieve. The target and the pace you move at is heavily intertwined because of the work and commitment required. It’s a good idea to ease yourself into your work and lay a foundation first. Try and build for the long haul without attempting a quick fix.

The first thing we will look at is volume and intensity and how to balance those variables. As a general rule, volume in fitness is directed more towards increasing endurance while intensity is geared towards power, strength and explosiveness. How you structure your resistance training program will be determined by what you are trying to accomplish and the balance you’re trying to strike. There are different studies available that outline how different fitness programs have performed.

How to structure your program

This study suggests that ‘high-intensity (3–5 RM), low-volume resistance training program utilizing a long rest interval (3 min) is more advantageous than a moderate intensity, high-volume (10–12 RM) program utilizing a short rest interval (1 min) for stimulating upper body strength gains and muscle hypertrophy in resistance-trained men.’

It goes on to say that ‘These results are consistent with previous comparative studies in resistance-trained individuals showing high-intensity programs were more conducive for increasing strength while producing similar magnitude of muscle hypertrophy.’

To sum up, a high intensity workout is the fastest way to burn fat, lose weight and build strength. But this type of high intensity workout is something you should ease yourself into. It’s not always suitable for those starting out or those susceptible to injury. Ideally, you want to build up to this point by getting experience under your belt before you move into the high intensity phase.

When you feel that your body is strong enough you can start to add weight and add repetitions. You should only do so when you have enough confidence in your own body. As this study states: ‘Progression in resistance training is a dynamic process that requires an exercise prescription process, evaluation of training progress, and careful development of target goals.

Specificity when progressing

The single workout must then be designed reflecting these targeted program goals including the choice of exercises, order of exercise, amount of rest used between sets and exercises, number of repetitions and sets used for each exercise, and the intensity of each exercise.’ They conclude by saying ‘The resistance training program design should be simple at first for untrained individuals but should become more specific with greater variation in the acute program variables during progression.’

So these are the basics of formulating and progressing through a resistance training program. We have talked about why resistance training is important and how you can vary the program but in regards to working through your progressions specificity is possibly the key. You need to clearly define what you want to achieve as you start to meet more challenging goals.

References

NCBI: The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562558/

NCBI: Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15064596/

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Exercise Resources

Different forms of resistance training

Different forms of resistance training.

Overview

. Isotonic, Isometric and Isokinetic are all different forms of resistance training

. Important to incorporate a program that is diversified and not one-dimensional

. Elastic resistance is a useful alternative to conventional resistance

Why is it important?

Resistance training is designed to make your muscles, tendons and joints stronger and more flexible. It can act as some combination of injury management and injury prevention as well as helping with your general health and overall quality of life by developing flexibility, stamina, strength, self-confidence, endurance and weight loss. If you are looking to understand the benefits of a comprehensive resistance training program this is a good overview, but in this article we will be specifically looking at the different forms of resistance training available to you.

What are the different variations?

Isotonic, Isometric and Isokinetic exercises are considered some of the different classifications of resistance training. Isotonic refers to exercise where you apply weight and then ask the muscle to complete a full range of motion. Most exercises at the gym fall under this category as do sit-ups and push-ups and everyday activities like walking and swimming. It covers quite a broad range of activities. The benefits include the improvement of muscle strength, endurance and bone density. These are great exercises to improve your overall quality of life and functionality.

Isometric exercises are generally lower impact and more body friendly. They are designed to be not quite as strenuous and perhaps a great option for those suffering from injury, illness or overuse. The biggest difference is perhaps the range of motion you put your body through with your own body weight used as resistance from a stationary and stable base. The benefits are that of convenience (they can be done from anywhere) and time (they can be done quickly). Examples include planks, bridges and yoga. These sort of exercises are great to improve flexibility, balance and core strength.

And finally, isokinetic exercises are speed controlled exercises where the muscle contracts and shortens under a controlled environment at constant pace. However, it has to be said that while these type of exercises can diversify your program they aren’t quite as important if you’re just starting out. Initially, it’s perhaps best to lock down the basics first as these are slightly more advanced exercises or more tailored towards specific clients in regards to injury rehabilitation or elite athletes looking to boost a specific muscle group by developing power at speed. It also often requires specialised equipment to carry out the function. As a general rule, it’s fine to work exclusively with isotonic and isometric exercises.

Structuring your program

In terms of how you formulate and structure your program there are different options available but what often emerges is that the best way to achieve optimal benefit is to diversify your program to cover as many bases as possible. As this study suggests it’s important to consider all the variables when compiling your program: ‘Variables that should be considered include motor performance increases, amount of strength gains and range of motion of the strength gains.’

The next point to consider is what specific exercises to put into your program. This study states: ‘One of the many variables that coaches and researchers face when designing RT programs is exercise selection. They can be classified as multi-joint (MJ) or single-joint (SJ) exercises. Most popular recommendations postulate that RT sessions should involve 8 to 10 exercises performed in multiple sets with both single (SJ) and multi joint (MJ) exercises.’

Both are certainly beneficial but because they are a little more challenging multi-joint exercises are great for a more holistic workout and will perhaps result in the most benefit. Give your body time to recover, let your muscles rest and recuperate and make it a point to apply the correct technique when doing any exercise. Start with a smaller weight if necessary but make sure you apply the correct body motion as you work through your program to prevent injury and accidents.

Load building

The next concept is load building. Load management is an important concept to consider when deciding if you want to place the emphasis on increasing strength or building endurance. A large load with low repetitions will build strength while a smaller load with more repetitions will develop endurance. In terms of your overall goals, a high intensity workout is the fastest way to burn fat, build strength and lose weight, while a steadier program is great for injury prevention, injury maintenance and building long term stamina.

This study looked at the difference in impact between moderate load resistance and low load resistance. The program ran for six weeks, eight exercises, four times a week. The study concluded that both variables help to achieve muscle strength and achieve body composition: ‘RT performed with moderate-to-heavy loads is recommended to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibres…RT with a low  number of repetitions and intermediate RM is considered an appropriate stimulus to increase strength and skeletal muscle mass. Alternatively, RT performed with a higher number of RM is well recognized to increase muscular endurance.’

Elastic resistance and Medicine balls

And the final point we will look at is the use of Medicine balls and the difference between elastic resistance and conventional resistance. One of the benefits of using elastic bands is versatility and portability. You can take them wherever you go and it’s a great cost-effective option that provides a holistic and total body workout. The drawback is that you might not get as strenuous of a workout as you would with free weights and conventional resistance but it’s certainly a piece of equipment that is worth the investment because of the convenience and options they provide.

This study suggests that elastic resistance is a very valuable tool and doesn’t lose anything in comparison to conventional resistance: ‘Evidence from this study suggests that resistance training with elastic devices provides similar strength gains when compared to resistance training performed from conventional devices. These findings allow coaches, physiotherapists, and even patients to opt to use devices with low costs, ease of handling, and which can be used in different places, such as elastic devices, for maintenance and gain in muscular strength.’

Medicine balls are a great vehicle to achieve total body fitness which is a large part of what resistance training is all about. All of the things that you want to achieve like strength, endurance and power are possible through the use of Medicine balls along with flexibility, balance and weight loss. When used properly, this is one of the most simple, convenient and most functional pieces of equipment that can be incorporated into your weekly exercise program. The reason why it is so effective is because it is a high impact workout that covers a broad range of movement that touches every aspect of your body. Healthline gives a rundown of some excellent exercises you can incorporate to achieve your full body workout.

References

NCBI: Types of strength training

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6843979/

NCBI: Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5744434/

NCBI: The Effect of Different Resistance Training Load Schemes on Strength and Body Composition in Trained Men

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5548165/

NCBI: Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6383082/

Healthline: 10 Medicine Ball Moves to Tone Every Muscle in Your Body

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-nutrition/medicine-ball-workout#10.-Toe-touch

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