Most people here are trying to lose weight using advice and support from others, but very few here are professionals. This is an attempt to bring in the professionals. THINGS COULD GET NASTY!
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I'm sure you've said it 1000 times here - or I read it somewhere else - and it's stuck in my head... but what I thought what determined the proper weight was if you could do more than 10 -12 reps while maintaining proper form (and the maintaining proper form was crucial) then you needed to graduate to the next weight...
Although the most recent diet of the week book that I read - insisted that you shouldn't be able to do more than 4 reps at a particular weight.. (much conflicting info) so i tend to go with somewhere in the middle... if I can do 10 without breaking form - then I'm good.. 11 and 12 - are usually making me work harder...
Moving up at 11-12 sounds good. I go with, if you're able to complete 15+ reps without form or tempo breakdown.
At the same time I assume you aren't saying that visibly bulgy muscles = fitness. A glance at the top ballet dancers suggests that would be way off the mark. (Or even that physical strength = fitness).
This is a pic of Darcey Bussell:
Hope no one would suggest she isn't fit.
Prima ballerinas like Bussell train every day of their lives at levels that would leave the average male body-builder crying into his anabolic steroids.
She is too thin and will probably have health problems later in life (i.e. Osteoporosis).
I've never heard this...and I could just see myself getting injured trying to do it.
When you go to the gym, the idea isn't to move at the same pace that you do outside the gym (if you're interested in changing your body composition). The key words are 'controlled manner' or 'good form'.
I'm sure you've said it 1000 times here - or I read it somewhere else - and it's stuck in my head... but what I thought what determined the proper weight was if you could do more than 10 -12 reps while maintaining proper form (and the maintaining proper form was crucial) then you needed to graduate to the next weight...
Right, and it doesn't have to be 10-12.
If you can complete your goal rep range (which can be anything, depending on goals and program), then it's time to graduate.
But that doesn't really say anything about tempo.
And in most situations, the concentric portion of a lift should be done as fast as possible, while maintaining good form. Granted, fast isn't going to look fast in many cases.
Think about when I bench something like 315. I'm moving the weight as fast as I possibly can upward with good form, but the bar is still moving slow.
The tempo part is interesting -one workout book I was reading recently -not for advice but just pretty much for amusement sake - the author of the book insisted that the tempo of the up/down movement should be 10 seconds to raise the weight - hold for 2 seconds -then 10 seconds to lower the weight - repeat 4 times and you should have fatigued your muscles - 10 seconds is a seriously long time...
The tempo part is interesting -one workout book I was reading recently -not for advice but just pretty much for amusement sake - the author of the book insisted that the tempo of the up/down movement should be 10 seconds to raise the weight - hold for 2 seconds -then 10 seconds to lower the weight - repeat 4 times and you should have fatigued your muscles - 10 seconds is a seriously long time...
If fatigue was the stimulus for growth... I'd say that author is spot on.
I wasnt reading the book for actual advice - some people read harlequin romance novels - I read mainstream diet books - for entertainment value... though it probably is no wonder my thought process is as messed up as it is
If you can complete your goal rep range (which can be anything, depending on goals and program), then it's time to graduate.
But that doesn't really say anything about tempo.
And in most situations, the concentric portion of a lift should be done as fast as possible, while maintaining good form. Granted, fast isn't going to look fast in many cases.
Think about when I bench something like 315. I'm moving the weight as fast as I possibly can upward with good form, but the bar is still moving slow.
Follow me?
I like the way you train and 315 is quite impressive.
She is too thin and will probably have health problems later in life (i.e. Osteoporosis).
Can I assume from that, that you've never seen her apart from that one photo? Do you know who she is?
You say "To have true fitness"; for a simple soul like me could you define what you think "true fitness" is?
You also seem very centred on just one method yet there are many very fit people who would regard lifting weights as just a very small part of their fitness regime.
A top marathon runner like Paula Radcliffe, the world record holder, maintains her fitness mostly by road training, not lifting. She runs around 140 miles a week (reduced to just 70 miles a week when she was 7 months pregnant), much of that in the Pyrenees mountains, each session followed by an ice-bath to help her muscles recover. Is she "fit" by your definition? What's your time for a marathon?
Darcey Bussell, mentioned earlier is a big advocate of pilates, as are many other dancers, which tends to involve those "pink" weights you despise. Now as you'll know "Those who can, do; those who can't teach." so you'll excuse me if I'd put my money on her any day before any unknown "fitness trainer". Fitness for a professional dancer is a little different to that required by an Olympic weight-lifter.
At the other end of the scale a man I know in his seventies ran a half marathon a short while back and still regularly plays tennis. He's never lifted a weight in his life but still has amazing fitness for his age.
Many people also keep fit by playing squash or similar sports which they find a lot more fun than sweating in a gym lifting weights which probably requires a degree of masochism to enjoy. I hope you wouldn't encourage anyone with high blood pressure to lift heavy or you could kill them off.
So what I'm suggesting is that if you want to be a decent fitness trainer shouldn't you be widening your horizons a little and recognise there are "courses for horses" so you can give your clients the best and most appropriate advice whatever their needs or abilities?
Last edited by Ned; February 19th, 2008 at 10:30 AM.
Many people also keep fit by playing squash or similar sports which they find a lot more fun than sweating in a gym lifting weights which probably requires a degree of masochism to enjoy. I hope you wouldn't encourage anyone with high blood pressure to lift heavy or you could kill them off.
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