Train without shoes, kidney belts, joint braces (all within reason). Shoes influence proprioceptive feedback back from the feet and influence natural gait. Investigate "barefoot technologies" and make the gradual transition.
Avoid all fixed machines found in gyms (this excludes free motion cable pulleys). Machines are used to create non-functional muscle mass, and may lead to muscular imbalances. They may be useful in certain rehab situations.
Regular self-myofascial release and deep tissue work (removing fascial adhesions, scar tissue, neuromuscular trigger points and metabolic waste) is fundamental for all advanced athletes, and is avoided by the layperson alike at their own peril.
Create instability (swiss balls, wobble boards, bodyblades, closed eyes, single dumbbells) to maximize muscle recruitment. Instability taxes the nervous system, as well as greater muscle & connective tissue.
Train functional movement patterns, not static isolated "bodybuilding" exercises. Explore olympic weight-lifting technique.
Master the fundamental movement patterns which the body ordinarily blends "on the fly": deep squats, lunges, pushing, pulling, bending & torso twisting. Functional movement screening can pinpoint which to focus more time on.
Move onto sports specific adaptation training as required. Olympic weightlifting, swimming, dancing, sprint intervals and gymnastics are great ways to mix it up and create genuine all round fitness.
Train a joints full range of motion, and do so in all planes.
Use bodyweight (inc. suspension cables ), free-weights (dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, tornado balls) & resistance bands.
Train until you loose form @ a weight relative to your repetition range. Rep range & tempo are important.
Ranges: Neural strength (1-6 reps); Hypertrophy (8-12 reps); Endurance (12-20 reps).
Power is work done per unit time i.e. applying a force at speed = plyometric training. Ensure an appropriate base level of conditioning before attempting plyometric drills.
The health of your internal organs affects the nearby muscle (viscero-somatic reflex) due to a shared nerve root and can account for inexplicable lack of progress when suffering from inflammation or disease.
Hypertrophic training in particular inflects (micro tears etc.) stress upon the body, good nutrition and rest creates the adaptations. Allow 24 - 48hrs recovery from intense exercise, and at least one day of rest p/wk for the nervous system.
The body rapidly adapts, so patterns must be varied regularly. Generally alter you routine every 4 - 6 weeks and alter resistance loads constantly.
Although slightly different to skeletal muscle, the heart responds to stress like all muscle. Aerobic activity increases blood volume. The volume stress increases the size of the heart, as further muscle sarcomeres are laid down in series, effectively increasing ventricular volume. Whereas anaerobic activity increases blood pressure, leading to an increase in the thickness of the heart wall (i.e. ventricular thickness increases). Heart muscle rapidly becomes Hypertrophic/atrophied relative to skeletal muscle.
Hormone levels (altered my stressors) affect the bodies ability to absorb nutrients from our diet, and determine our propensity to store fat and repair muscle tissue. This is why modern "CV exercise regimes" (which are endured for far longer than intense resistance training) leads to a prolonged release of stress hormones. This limits muscle repair and lead to fat storage.
Our physiology is synchronized to several biorhythms - circadian rhythm (24 hr), lunar (monthly)&seasonal (quarterly). The established use of periodized training schedules(used by advanced & elite athletes) to an extent acknowledge the bodies seasonal biorhythms.
Women lack the testosterone required to build "masculine" muscle bulk..
Resistance training is more effective & safer form of weight management than CV training.
Marathon running distances are unnatural and most people nowadays lack the requisite bio-mechanics to even attempt this. Interval sprints are natural and far more beneficial.
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