A DIFFERENT EFFECT?
In my lengthy workout career, I have often found reasons to change resistance, reps, sets, equipment and exercise movements. Age is certainly a factor. As an octogenarian, I usually prefer high reps/less resistance. There are several reasons for this:
- Lighter weights now feel more challenging
- Definition or muscle sculpture is still possible
- Cardiovascular fitness is more attainable
- There is less risk of injury
When I was in my teens and much later, my routine was centered around low reps with as much weight as I could handle, usually 5-6 reps. With consistency, my progress was fast and noticeable. I had to build up to heavier weights. Beginning with heavy weights would have been disastrous. I remember an occasion when I was bench pressing alone and had to extricate my neck from underneath the bar.
Beginners must begin with lighter resistance and spotters when bench pressing. The results will come quickly with consistency. Here is a simple routine for beginners:
- Squats – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Bench press – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Military presses – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Barbell curls – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Barbell rows – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Abdominal work – 3 sets of 20 – leg raises, crunches, or maybe 3 planks of one minute each
The triceps may be addressed by narrowing the grip on the bench press or military press at times.
If there are time limitations, squats and abdominal sets may be done on alternate days, along with calf raises (3 sets of 20)
Beginners will generally be surprised by their progress and may need to revamp their shirts, coats and pants. After a couple of months, they will see the need to assess their muscle groups and make changes accordingly.
FRANK ZANE
Frank Zane is considered one of the greatest of all bodybuilders, though always at a weight of under 200 pounds. His physique focus was on symmetry and proportion. He won the Mr. Olympia contest (the ultimate bodybuilding competition) in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Before then he was Mr. Universe 5 times and Mr. America 3 times.
Frank was known as an advocate of lighter weight resistance. He wanted to make light weights feel heavier by controlling the movements and lengthening the negative phase (the lowering of a weight after it was lifted, as an example).
Frank’s workout principles were these:
- Control the negative – this gave him more time under tension
- Mind – muscle connection – he concentrated on the muscle contraction instead of just moving the weight
- Higher repetitions – he could pump his muscles and stimulate growth with higher reps
- Listen to your body – he wanted to avoid unneccesary pain, which could result in injury
- Focus on aesthetics – his method resulted in more than just strength, a sculpted physique
The rest of this post will address the business of affiliate marketing and the importance of Amazon in this endeavor.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
This is a marketing arrangement by which an Online business pays commissions to an external website for generating sales through links. It’s all about promoting a company and sharing in the value of a sale.
Check my upper menu – BECOME AN AFFILIATE MARKETER – for details on this business opportunity. Also, see the diagram below for a much simplified account of affiliate marketing.
AMAZON
The perfect company to represent as an affiliate seems to be Amazon. There are compelling reasons – Amazon offers fast delivery and excellent service in general. No business has a greater choice of products. The pricing is fair and any issues are addressed immediately.
Here are a few links to products relevant to today’s topic. Each link will show pictures, prices, descriptive information and further links to similar or supplementary items. I will begin with books by Frank Zane.
Train like Frank Zane, paperback
Frank Zane – Personal training diaries
The Zane Body training manual – Kindle
Frank and Christine Zane – Super Bodies in 12 weeks – hardback
Resistance bands with handles – for full body workout
Loop resistance bands – good for physical therapy and light workouts
BULLWORKER
Bullworker Fitness gives us workout products that can be used for isotonic resistance, isometric resistance or both within the same set of reps. I have used the Bow Classic and Steel Bow for 7 years and can recommend them highly for these reasons:
- They are made of high quality steel and they last forever
- They are relatively small and don’t require much space at home
- The Steel Bow is especially effective as a fitness tool to take when traveling
- Bullworkers can be used in dozens of fitness applications
- Exercise handbooks are included with all shipments
See my Bullworker link at the siide of this page. Click on the red link for full information on their products.
FINAL THOUGHT S
Fitness workouts, whether at home or at gyms, have always been important to me to stay in shape or to make improvements in sports. At this point, I do a 20-30 minute workout every morning before breakfast. It’s an ingrained habit.
Here is a thought: a daily workout of 30 minutes represents roughly 2% of a 24 hour day, leaving us 98% for everything else. Doesn’t better fitness and strength justify that minimal amount of time?
Please leave me any comments or questions in the “Comments” section below.
Let’s stay active!
