Maximizing Muscle Fitness: Techniques and Benefits

1. Chap. 5 Muscular FitnessChap. 6 Flexibility

2. Health Benefits • Increased bone density • Increased HDL-C • Increased muscle mass which increases BMR • Decreased risk of low-back syndrome • Greater stability and balance • Improved self-image

3. Muscular Strength • Muscular strength is the maximal force that can be generated by a specific muscle or muscle group. Muscle strength is specific to • The muscle group • Type of contraction • Speed of contraction • Joint angle

4. Muscular Endurance • Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to develop repeated force over a period of time or to maintain a specific percentage of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for a prolonged period of time.

5. Types of Muscle Contractions • Dynamic (a.k.a. isotonic) • Concentric • Shortening contractions • Moves mass against gravity • Eccentric • Lengthening • Resists gravity acting on a mass • Static – muscle does not change length

8. Gradation of Muscle Force • Increased frequency of discharge (rate coding) • Increased number of motor units recruited

9. Factors Determining Torque Produced by Muscle • Physiological Factors • Number of motor units recruited • Types of fibers recruited • Length of muscle • Mechanical Factors • Length of lever arm • Angle of pull

12. Strength Testing Modes • Static • Dynamic • Constant resistance • Variable resistance • Isokinetic

13. Muscular Endurance Testing Modes • Static (% of 1 RM) • Dynamic • % of 1 RM • % of body weight • Isokinetic

14. Fundamental Concepts of Progression • Progressive overload • Specificity • Variation • Periodization • Classic (linear) model • Undulating (nonlinear) model

15. Interaction of Loading & Reps Power?? Strength Endurance 1 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16.. Repetitions Maximum Heavy(100%) Moderate (70%) Light (50%) Resistance

16. Program Variables • Muscle action • Loading • Training Volume • Exercise selection • Exercise order • Rest Periods • Velocity of Muscle Action • Frequency • Free weights vs machines

17. Muscle Action • Novice: Concentric and eccentric • Intermediate: Concentric and eccentric • Advanced: Concentric and eccentric

18. Loading • Novice & Intermediate • 60-70% of 1 RM or 8-12 RM • 2-10% increase for RM loading • Advanced • 80-100% of 1 RM or 1-5 RM • Periodized schedule • 2-10% increase for RM loading

19. Training Volume • Novice: 1-3 sets • Intermediate: 2-3 sets • Advanced: 3-6 sets • Training volume increase should be no more than 10% every 2-4 weeks

20. Exercise Selection • Both single and multi-joint exercises should be used • Less risk of injury with single joint exercises • More transfer to performance with multi-joint exercise

21. Exercise Order • When training all major muscle groups in a single session • Large muscles before small • Multi-joint before single • Split Routine • Large before small • Multi-joint before single • Rotation of agonist/antagonist

22. Rest Periods • For all levels • For multi-joint, high resistance and large muscle exercises: 2-3 minutes • For single-joint, small muscle exercises or lower resistance: 1-2 minutes • May alternate muscle groups with little or now rest in order to shorten total exercise time

23. Velocity of Muscle Action • Novice • Slow (2-4 sec for each phase) • Moderate (1-2 sec for each phase) • Intermediate should use moderate velocities • Advanced should use slow to fast (<1 sec for each phase)

24. Frequency • Novice should train the entire body 2-3 days per week. • Intermediate • 2-3 days per week for total body • 3-4 days per week such that each muscle group is trained 1-2 days per week • Advanced • 4-6 days per week with 2-3 days per week for each major muscle group • Multiple sessions per day may be used if recovery is optimized

25. Factors Affecting the Ability to Hypertrophy Muscle • Muscle Type • Genetics • Hormones • Nutrition • General nutrition • Supplementation • Training

26. MODEL OF NEURAL AND HYPERTROPHIC FACTORS

27. Training for Hypertrophy • Loading • 70-100% of 1 RM • 1-12 Reps with majority 6-12 • 3-6 sets • Periodized • Rest periods of 1-2 minutes except in heavy loading of core exercises when 2-3 minutes of rest are recommended

28. Training for Muscular Power • Power = Work/Time • Power is optimized using more explosive movements on top of a good strength base • Light to moderate loading (30-60% 1 RM) performed at an explosive velocity

30. Common Causes of Back Pain or Syndromes • With age, the disk degenerates and the space for the nerve root is reduced. • Bone spurs and arthritis can impinge on the nerves and cause pain.

31. Exercise movements that cause full lumbar flexion and extension should be avoided, especially the older you get.

32. What is Good Posture? • Minimal stress on the vertebral joints and supporting ligaments. • Body segments balanced around the center of gravity.

33. Lumbar Lordosis (Sway Back) Weak abdominals and short hip flexors tip the pelvis forward and increase back strain.

34. Proper Posture (Neutral Pelvis) Strong abdominals and longer hip flexors keep the pelvis neutral.