Saturday, February 20, 2010

Weights

'They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks' or should that be that 'There are none so blind as those that will not see'.

I have been weight training off and on for 30 odd yeas now (more off than on it has to be said!) and while I have known all along it is better to use less weight and better form, I am not 100% sure I have really applied this until recently but now know without a shadow of a doubt that this is the truth.

How can I be so sure? Well if you take squats and lunges for example I have dropped a fair bit of weight off the barbell and really relly concentrated on form, both in keeping my back in the correct position and getting the 'drop' in both exercises as far down as I can while retaining good form and balance. Result DOMS in my legs for two days that I have not had before (and bear in mind that I have been doing these exercises for some months before) and in the case of lunges my heart rate was hitting plus 170 which certainly never happened before.

So my conclusions are two fold, firstly that I may have known something logically for years but it wa not until I really experienced it did it finally become a belief and secondly that there is no fool like an old fool!

Also would add that a good steady 10K run (this ime on the treadmill due to snow and ice) is a great cure for DOMS!

With the weekend here and nothing to get in the way intend to do a Shoulders, Chest and Triceps session this afternoon, and a Legs,Back, Core, Biceps session tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

4 comments:

  1. It's so tempting to add a bit more weight on to make you feel like you're "progressing". I'm doing a new shoulder routine at the moment. Have never been able to lift much for shoulder exercises anyway but now doing a dedicated shoulder routine I've had to knock the weights back bigtime! Bit of a blow but at least I can complete the reps without flinging them around and working the wrong muscles! I look forward to seeing small improvements too :)

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  2. The fact is though the prolem is only in out heads! Who really cares how much we are lifting?? Much better to get the results we are all after!

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  3. As my trainer says:

    Soild base, if your stood for an exercise(will tap your knees to check this)

    Abs/core braced

    Chest up!

    For most exercises this promotes a neutral spine which is what you want as this will mean your less susceptable to injury and that you will be working the right muscles.

    It is annoying to have to drop weight, but I've had to do it for everythign but my squat, because if my forms bad then I will get pulled up on it, as my trainers both agree teaching clients bad form is the best way to wreck them and niether are in the business of training PT's that go out and wreck people.

    If you want serious DOMS I highly reccomend power training, but don't plan to do much for a week after doing it! I honestly stuffered the worst DOMS of my life after a power training day, even three days later I had bad DOMS, although that was an improvement on the first 48 hours after were I had severe DOMS.

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  4. Running is great for getting rid of DOMS. It is just the first bit that is a bit uncomfortable but then it is all good again. Sounds like the running is coming along well if you are up to 10K on the treadie now!

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