News :
Fitting Fitness
KANSAS CITY.COM, July 7 2005 -- Before you make
a schedule, decide what your goals are
By NANCY COLE Knight Ridder Newspapers
To train or not to train is not the question. When and
how often to train is the appropriate query. To determine your optimal
training schedule really requires that you figure out your fitness goals.
■ If your primary goal is to lose body fat, then frequent,
full-body resistance training sessions that include a cardiovascular
element will help you meet your goal quicker. In addition, frequent
cardiovascular sessions are critical.
■ If your main goal is to get fit, gain strength and definition
and improve your body composition, then the following will apply.
Beginners should start out twice a week with full-body
training and increase to three times a week once their bodies have adjusted
to the training stimulus. Novices naturally feel some soreness in the
initial six to eight weeks of training. Cardio training the day after
your resistance training can help relieve some of the soreness.
If you’ve been training for several months very regularly,
start dividing your training sessions, alternating between upper-body
and lower-body training. If you’re a purist, you can get your cardiovascular
training separately.
If you’ve been training intensely for some time and are
very comfortable with your strength, form, fitness level, endurance
and knowledge of kinesiology, you may consider yourself advanced. You
probably are already training four to five times a week, concentrating
on two body parts per session. Your biggest challenge lies in diversifying
your training sessions enough to keep your muscles from adapting.
Now that you know how often to train, when is the
optimal time to train? Morning, afternoon or evening? That’s simple.
The best time to train is when you will train consistently. Consistency
in training is the quintessential key to becoming fit. Set aside a time
to train and stick to it. Results will be your reward.
(source : www.kansascity.com)
