Train Smarter Not Harder

World class athletes have given us valuable exercise knowledge that can
help increase the effectiveness of your training techniques. With only
minor modifications, what is good for the Olympians is also good for you.
The human body requires regular activity for proper blood flow, hormone
balance, bone strength and digestion. Don't look to activity as an
effective way to lose weight. Instead, see it as the best possible method
to remain vital and healthy as you get older. Making the time to be active
and following these simple steps helps you take your activity sessions up a
notch.

The Key Ingredients to a First Class Workout

Balance, Functional Strength, Stamina and Flexibility are the four
essential elements that should be included in any well designed activity
program. Other key ingredients that are important to long term success are
fun social interaction, mental and physical challenge, variety and
motivation. As you continue reading, think about your current workout and
compare it and see how close it comes to a world class activity program.

Balance

Balance is the most important and also the most overlooked activity in the
workout. You may believe that your balance is worse because you're getting
older. In truth, your balance mechanisms are stimulated less as you age
because you sit more. Balance requires regular practice or you'll lose the
ability at any age. Challenging your balance mechanisms keeps them sharp
and in tune. In you next activity session instead of sitting or lying down
to do a chest press; use the cable crossover and do it standing. Try doing
curls while balancing on one leg or do a standing over head press while
lunging. Mix in some games like tennis, basketball, Frisbee and racquetball
to further stimulate your balance mechanisms.

Functional Strength

By definition, strength is "the physical or mental power that makes
somebody or something strong." In this case, functional strength is a term
used to determine how usable your strength is in work and play. Functional
strength involves good core strength (lower back and abdominal muscles) as
well as the ability for the heart, lungs and skeletal muscles to work
together efficiently. The more functional your activity program, the more
usable your strength. Good functional strength helps you serve a better
tennis ball, lift heavy boxes while cleaning out the garage or carrying the
kids all day at the amusement park. Functional strength requires
multi-muscle activities that strengthen the heart as well. A good example
would be free squats combined with a single arm dumbbell press or walking
lunges while twisting a medicine ball. These exercises work the muscles and
the heart simultaneously.

Stamina

We already addressed stamina indirectly when we talked about functional
strength. Functional strength demands that the heart, lungs and muscles
work together as a unit. To build better stamina, include aerobic activity
during your strength training sessions, not separately. You save time and
it is more functional that way. Circuit training is a good way to build
stamina or just use multi-muscle activities that place a high demand on
your heart and the rest of your body. Try this next time you are at the
gym. Do a minute of jump rope followed by a minute of standing row followed
by a minute of push-ups. See how your heart feels then.

Flexibility

Full body stretches at the end of each activity period (when you are hot,
never at the beginning when cold) is crucial to keeping muscles loose and
preventing overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, lower
back pain, shin splints and rotator cuff injuries. Regular activities
tighten muscles and increase pressure on your joints and ligaments. Regular
stretching loosens your muscles, protects joints and actually leaves
muscles longer and stronger and ready for the next activity session. At the
end of every activity session, stretch your whole body while holding each
stretch for at least 30 seconds for the best flexibility benefits.