Be Broncho Fit!

Tag: weight

Weight Training during Pregnancy

Research regarding weight training during exercise can cause quite a controversy. Despite the controversey, there are a few tips that can help pregnancy women workout more safely and comfortably. I urge you to keep an open mind. After all, getting back into an exercise routine after you have a little one can be pretty tough.

1. Keep up your routine. Just be advised to lower the intensity, not working as vigorously . If you did not exercise before becoming pregnant, you need to make sure you get the green light by your doctor first.

2. Even though every pregnancy is different, and you may feel normal, only workout when you are feeling well. If for some reason you feel light headed, stop what you are doing and call the doctor. Even though you are already in shape, some things may be saying something different on the inside.

3. If you are trying to find exercises to strengthen your body, avoid doing exercises on your back. There are numerous Pilates and yoga DVD’s made for woman during your pregnancy to help with strengthening of your body. These can relax you and strengthen your abdominals which can lead to an easier delivery. Strengthening your abdomen is also great for helping with lower back pain! I mean, what woman doesn’t want a strong core to help support the little one.

4. If you want to work on cardiovascular fitness, opt for using the treadmill or elliptical. The elliptical is great if you have joint problems, because it is a low impact exercise. The treadmill is great too, because you can choose how fast, slow and the incline you want to accomplish that day.

5. Stay hydrated!!!!! Staying hydrated helps reduce swelling, constipation, braxton hicks contractions, nausea, bladder infections and even headaches!

6. The most important one: Listen to your body. Everyone has a different experience being pregnant. Even each pregnancy a woman has can be completely different. If you ever feel light headed or think you can not go anymore, do not chance it. Call your doctor and tell him or her how you are feeling.

Krystal Nelson

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Buddy Broncho

Weight Machines vs. Free Weights

There are so many different types of resistance training equipment that it can be hard to determine what’s best for you and your own personal fitness level. There are many different weight machines for all of the major muscle groups, resistance bands, and free weights, so how do you choose what’s right for you? Below is a list of some of the advantages for machine weights and for free weights to help you decide.

Machined Weights Advantages:

Better for beginners
- Instructions on how to use them
- Pictures for muscle education
Less risk of injury
- No spotter needed
- Guide you through the proper range of motion
Good for isolating muscles
- If you are injured and want to avoid working a particular muscle group or specifically want to work a specific muscle group

Free Weights Advantages:

Functional
- Many of the exercises that can be done with free weights are more realistic for everyday life, however using free weights also requires a more knowledgeable user who knows the proper techniques and forms to reduce the chance of injury
Larger range of motion
- A greater range of motion may feel more comfortable or natural for your body
Balance, coordination, and bone loading
- You have to work harder to maintain balance and coordination with free weights which is better for your body, and bone loading strengthens your bones
Recruit more muscle groups
- Train more than one muscle group at a time

Casey Robertson ~Blogistics!

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Buddy Broncho

Strength Training and Weight Loss

Most people think that when trying to lose weight, cardio is the way to go. What most people don’t understand is that cardio is exactly what the word means—it’s for your heart. Although improving your heart health is great, cardio itself does not burn many calories. The best way to lose weight, burn fat, and build muscle is to incorporate strength training into your regular exercise regimen.

The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 2-3 days of strength training per week with about 48 hours of rest in between sessions. You should perform 2-4 sets of 8-10 reps each session. Sessions should include exercises that work major muscle groups. Compound exercises are a great way to add in strength training without having to put in extra time. An example of a compound movement would be a squat with an overhead press. Regardless of how you strength train, remember that it is an important component to your overall health, fitness, and body composition.

So, if you’re really looking to lose weight, incorporate strength training into your existing exercise regimen if you’re not already doing so. Be sure to give your muscles time to recover, and properly fuel your body to help muscles recover even faster. If you are just starting out, you can slowly progress as you become stronger and your muscles become better trained.

Hannah Miller-Blogistics!

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Buddy Broncho

At Home Body Weight Workout

You’re always on the go. Between work, school, grocery shopping, house cleaning, and possibly keeping up with kids, there never seems to be a right time to go to the gym. With this workout, you will be able to get a quality workout in without worring about any weights, mats, medicine balls, or gym rats. All you need is an open space and 30-45 minutes. This body weight workout will be sure to get your heart rate up, burn some calories, and not take too much time out of your busy schedule.

Body Squats
With feet shoulder width apart, perform a sitting motion with hands behind head. Be sure to keep back straight and do not let knees move forward past the toes. To minimize strain on the knees do not bend past a 90-degree angle at the knee. Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Glute Kickback
Beginning on hands and knees, place hands under shoulders. Begin the movement by kicking one leg back and up, keeping a 90-degree angle in the knee. Stop the movement when the thigh is parallel to the ground and return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Continue alternating legs until you are completed 10 repetitions on each leg. Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Lunges
Begin with feet shoulder width apart. Step forward with right leg keeping back straight and chest out. Continue until there is a 90-degree bend in the forward knee and the back knee touches the ground. Do not let the forward knee move forward past the toes. Return to the starting position and complete 10 repetitions for each leg. Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Super-Set of Isometric Wiper/ Push-Up
Begin in the push-up position with the hands shoulder width apart. Begin by shifting your body weight as far to one side as possible, allowing the elbow on that side to flex as you lower your body. Reverse this motion to the opposite side in a smooth wiper like motion. Repeat these steps for a total of 10 repetitions, each side being 1 repetition. After one set of 10 immediately move into 1 set of 5 pushups. Rest for 30-45 seconds and complete 10 more Isometric Wipers immediately followed by 5 push-ups. Rest for 30-45 seconds and complete one more round of the super-set.

*If push-ups are too challenging perform with knees on the ground.

You can add intensity to any of these exercises by making more controlled explosive movements or by taking bigger steps or movements, such and taking a larger step with a lung or turning the lunge into a jumping lung. You can also minimize the rest time between exercises and sets to maintain an elevated heart rate.

By Kyle Knouse–Blog Bros.

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Buddy Broncho

A Body Weight Chest Workout

Having strong chest muscles is essential to everyday life. You use them anytime you push such as pushing a lawn mower or baby carriage.

F(frequency): 2 times per week

I(intensity): Once you can complete the modified push up and standard pushups for 3 sets of 8-10 reps, progress to the workout by choosing one or two of the variations below. Start with three sets with as many push-ups as you can do and progress to 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

T(time): The workout should take no more than 20 minutes.

T(type): Toning/strength training

Push-Up Progression:

Modified Push-Up: Lay down on the floor like you were going to attempt a regular push up. Keep your knees on the floor as you push up, and have your lower legs elevated as in the picture. This push-up can be used for exercises 1 and 3 pictured below. This push-up should be performed until your ready to progress to the standard pushup.

Standard Push-Up: This will be the next step in the push up progression. This is your basic push up position, hands shoulder width apart, feet together, legs straight out. This push-up should be performed for 3 sets and should do as many as you can. Once your comfort with this push-up you can progress to actual workoutbelow.

Exercise Routine:

1. Incline Push-Up: Start in a standard push up position with an elevated box directly in front of you. Place hands on the elevated box or surface, and have your feet close together. Now perform a push up. Try to do 3 sets of 8-10 reps. This workout should progress from the modified version in the picture to a standard push-up.

2. Wall Ball Push-Up: Standing in front of a wall place the swiss ball on the wall in front of you. The swiss ball should be at the height of your chest. Hands should be placed about shoulder width apart, now walk your feet out to a comfortable position, and now perform a pushup. To make this more difficult you can move your feet further away from the wall.

3. Stabilization Push-Up: Place the stabilization ball on the ground with the ball part touching the ground. Now get a standard push-up position with hands a little closer then shoulder width, now perform the push up. This pushup should progress from the modified version to the picture seen above.

SOURCE: www.physiotec.org

Kyle Moseley
Blog Bros.

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Buddy Broncho

Machine vs. Free Weight Resistance Training

So you are looking to find the right workout plan to get your body summer ready. Whether we are interested in bulking up or getting toned, many of us face the question of whether free-weights or machine weights are a better choice. There are pros and cons to both, but neither hinders fitness, unless used wrong or beyond one’s ability.

Free weights are any object or device that can be moved freely in a 3-dimentional space. These “free-weights” include dumbbells, resistance bands, medicine balls, and body weight exercises. Machine weights are stationary equipment that uses “simple machines” such as pulleys and levers to generate a resistance for strength training. A leg press among the numerous machines is a perfect example of a machine weight.

So which is best?

Machine weights:

Have a fixed range of motion
Minimal need for a spotter
Easier to learn
Easy to change resistance
Expensive
Require upkeep & maintenance
Only targets specific muscles

Free weights:

Free range of motion
Bone loading
Versatile
Lower cost
Convenient/ portable
Fit everyone
Greater neural contribution
Some exercise may require education or knowledge

So how do you choose? For example, let’s say a football player wants to improve the strength of his chest to improve his performance on the field. When using the bench press, the football player is not only using the chest muscles to push the bar up, but also using muscles in the shoulder to stabilize the bar throughout repetitions. This is referred to functional strength because this effort of the muscles mimics those that will be used, in football player example, on the field.

However, if the same football player wants to add muscle mass to his chest, he could add in a machine chest press to increase the structural strength of the pectoral muscles. However, the chest press will not improve his functional strength because it does not require 3-dimensional stability.

An ideal way to add function and structural strength to your program would be to add in a few machine exercises at the end of a free weight workout to isolate the specific muscle you are looking to improve. Whether you choose free weights or machines, any physical activity is better then no physical activity.

Kyle Knouse

-Blog Bros

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Buddy Broncho

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