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Go light or heavy?

Photo: BY AUTHOR

Fuller triceps Pressdown works all the three heads of the muscle

Training with weights helps to build not only lean muscle but also coordination, explosive power, speed and flexibility. The best thing, of course, is that it makes the body metabolically more active and burns calories round the clock.

Researchers say that combining weight training with cardiovascular training burns more calories than either of the two performed singly.

When it comes to weight training, many trainers say that to burn maximum fat, a client needs to use very light weights and go for a higher count (known as repetitions or ‘Reps’) on isolation exercises. However, studies suggest that this may not be the best way.

Though training with a medium weight using high reps on isolation movements has its own place in the programme of an athlete or even the average person, intense workouts done with “respectable poundage” on basic exercises such as squats, deadlifts, barbell row and bench press (about 6 to 10 reps each set) burn considerably more calories.

Such intense training makes a person burn calories even 4-6 hours after he or she finishes the workout. Researchers from Truman State University (Kirksville, Missouri) made eight college girls perform two sets each of squats and leg presses.

The subjects used a weight heavy enough that would allow them to perform only 10 reps in textbook form.

Each set was an all-out effort by the test subjects. Scientists found that those who did squats burned almost 50 per cent more calories than those who did leg presses. Squats recruits the maximum amount of muscle fibres in the thighs, hamstrings and involves a lot of stabiliser muscles, which makes it tougher and highly productive.

Modern research suggests that movements such as squats, lunges (using a barbell), standing dumbbell shoulder press, standing dumbbell curl, barbell row, dumbbell bench press and standing dumbbell triceps extension help lose body fat. A full routine should be based on an individual’s needs.

Grab a short handle attached to a high pulley with your hands about 10 inches apart. Keep your elbows stationary and close to the body.

Press the handle down, using the strength of your triceps (backside of the arm) without leaning forward.

Press the handle down until your elbows are locked and the triceps muscle is fully contracted. Release the handle under full control to the starting position, which is generally a little above the nipple-level.

This movement works all the heads of the triceps muscle and develops the horse shoe shape.

takeupsculpting@yahoo.com

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