Rant and Tip for August 31, 2011

Watch the USAPL Bench Press Nationals Live Stream My class starts at 2:00 Saturday September 3rd.

Quote of the day: Fall seven times, stand up eight.

- Japanese proverb

This proverb applies to many aspects of life. Think about how many times you have started a new eating plan only to fall off the wagon. The people who are successful are the people who recognize that just because you fall off it does not mean you have failed. It just means it is time to get back up. An animal is does not learn a new trick the first time you try to teach it to them. You start over and over again with the animal till they get it correct. Why would you sell yourself short and deny yourself the opportunity to succeed.

Yet another day off for me today as I get mentally ready for Saturday. I keep playing my lifts over and over in my head and I keep reminding myself to wait for the commands. Start, Press, and Rack! I cannot let my head get to psyched out because then I have a tendency to push the weight up immediately with out waiting for the command. I need to be Cool Hand Luke. I need to wait for the press command and throw the weight up at that point. I have been in the gym this week just not hitting the weights. I may get some cardio in today. My weight is perfect at 162.4 this morning.

Yesterday I ranted about the importance of strength training as we get older. Today I thought I would discuss strength training for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not have a set age for when to get children into lifting. “The AAP’s position on strength training supports the implementation of strength and resistance training programs, even for prepubescent children, that are monitored by well-trained adults and take into account the child's maturation level. The only limitation the AAP suggests is to avoid repetitive maximal lifts (lifts that are one repetition maximum lifts or are within 2-3 repetitions of a one repetition maximum lift) until they have reached Tanner Stage 5 of developmental maturity. Tanner Stage 5 is the level in which visible secondary sex characteristics have been developed. Usually, in this stage adolescents will also have passed their period of maximal velocity of height growth.” This above is courtesy of ProTrainerOnline.com. In addition to the above statement the article stated that strength conditioning could help increase bone density and help reduce sports related injuries. For children under the age of 8 body resistance exercises are what are suggested. Push-ups, pull-up, and body squats are very effective for young children. As they get older you can introduce weight training. Higher Reps and proper form are the recommended exercises.

Have a great workout!

Tip for the Ladies

Don't worry—you aren't going to get huge.

It's not easy even for men to get so they look like those folks on the cover of Muscle & Fitness magazine. For women, because of your lower levels of testosterone, it's definitely not going to happen, unless you have some off-the-charts genetic propensity to pile on muscle and are spending your entire day working out. Don't worry that lifting will make your muscles burst out of your clothes.