Saturday, 8 October 2011
Friday, 7 October 2011
Muscle Power and Endurance
Hello freinds!!
People adopt various ways to stay fit. They go to a gym or yoga classes, aerobics classes..There are other interesting forms of exercises like Pilates, Tai chi.. or just their usual walking or jogging, cycling. As we all know the exercises.. let them be of how many ever types.. they can be subdivided into two main groups:-
Aerobic Exercises- This would include all the exercises that are of low intensity and long duration and would include majority of the above mentioned exercises like aerobics, pilates, yoga, Taichi, walking jogging cycling, swimming. These exercises improves the Cardio-Vascular system as well as the respiratory conditioning. Meaning- They would help in fat loss, intake of oxygen in the body is increased, making the heart and lung function better.
Anaerobic Execises- These are the exercises of high intensity but of very short duration. Exercises like Push ups, sit ups, and other exercises done in the Gym with weights and resistance. And to a certain extent exercises done in Pilates, yoga also have an anaerobic content too.
Most of us prefer doing the Aerobic exercises, as they are convenient. But just doing that component isnt enough! These exercises maintain the muscle performance upto some levels. But to improve the muscle performance in today's world demanding more output from the body at the workplace and day-to-day activities, one should perform specific muscle strengthening and endurance exercises as well.
Body parts that demand for power- The arms, and the legs demand more strength/power. We need to strengthen the major muscles of the arms and forearms, and the thighs and legs. These are not sufficiently strengthened by aerobic exercises and by just doing few anaerobic exercises. Each muscle needs to be addressed properly, and there are specific movements to strengthen different muscles.
Please note- to avoid any kind of joint pain and injury. there needs to be a balance in the muscles on the opposite sides of a body part. for example- Thigh- the muscles we strengthen are in the front of the thigh (Quadriceps), the muscles that is on the back of the thigh need to be strengthened as well (Hamstrings). And if any of these muscles are tight, like if hamstrings are tight, the quadriceps get weakened again n again, until the tight hamstrings arent stretched. This is called as the Muscles balance. Same way the muscles on the inner side of the thighs (Adductors) are usually tight, making the muscles on the outer side of the thigh weak (abductors) and thats a usual cause for knee pain or ankle pain. I can go on n on for each body part but I hope the point is understood.
Body parts that demand endurance- This includes the back, the abdomen, the neck. These body parts are the base for allowing symmetrically perfect movements of the limbs. If this base is weak in endurance the limbs are unable to move symmetrically ( such minimal detectable change that wont be visible but can harm the joints on repetitive movements). Thus exercises that improve the endurance ( maintaining a low level of muscle activation for a prolonged period of time) need to be performed to make the base ( also called as core) strong. The postures we work in like standing, sitting, bent forward to reach the table, kitchen platform.. all these require that the endurance of the back, neck and abdomen are maintained.
Do leave in ur feed backs, suggestions and queries! I would be happy to receive n respond.
People adopt various ways to stay fit. They go to a gym or yoga classes, aerobics classes..There are other interesting forms of exercises like Pilates, Tai chi.. or just their usual walking or jogging, cycling. As we all know the exercises.. let them be of how many ever types.. they can be subdivided into two main groups:-
Aerobic Exercises- This would include all the exercises that are of low intensity and long duration and would include majority of the above mentioned exercises like aerobics, pilates, yoga, Taichi, walking jogging cycling, swimming. These exercises improves the Cardio-Vascular system as well as the respiratory conditioning. Meaning- They would help in fat loss, intake of oxygen in the body is increased, making the heart and lung function better.
Anaerobic Execises- These are the exercises of high intensity but of very short duration. Exercises like Push ups, sit ups, and other exercises done in the Gym with weights and resistance. And to a certain extent exercises done in Pilates, yoga also have an anaerobic content too.
Most of us prefer doing the Aerobic exercises, as they are convenient. But just doing that component isnt enough! These exercises maintain the muscle performance upto some levels. But to improve the muscle performance in today's world demanding more output from the body at the workplace and day-to-day activities, one should perform specific muscle strengthening and endurance exercises as well.
Body parts that demand for power- The arms, and the legs demand more strength/power. We need to strengthen the major muscles of the arms and forearms, and the thighs and legs. These are not sufficiently strengthened by aerobic exercises and by just doing few anaerobic exercises. Each muscle needs to be addressed properly, and there are specific movements to strengthen different muscles.
Please note- to avoid any kind of joint pain and injury. there needs to be a balance in the muscles on the opposite sides of a body part. for example- Thigh- the muscles we strengthen are in the front of the thigh (Quadriceps), the muscles that is on the back of the thigh need to be strengthened as well (Hamstrings). And if any of these muscles are tight, like if hamstrings are tight, the quadriceps get weakened again n again, until the tight hamstrings arent stretched. This is called as the Muscles balance. Same way the muscles on the inner side of the thighs (Adductors) are usually tight, making the muscles on the outer side of the thigh weak (abductors) and thats a usual cause for knee pain or ankle pain. I can go on n on for each body part but I hope the point is understood.
Body parts that demand endurance- This includes the back, the abdomen, the neck. These body parts are the base for allowing symmetrically perfect movements of the limbs. If this base is weak in endurance the limbs are unable to move symmetrically ( such minimal detectable change that wont be visible but can harm the joints on repetitive movements). Thus exercises that improve the endurance ( maintaining a low level of muscle activation for a prolonged period of time) need to be performed to make the base ( also called as core) strong. The postures we work in like standing, sitting, bent forward to reach the table, kitchen platform.. all these require that the endurance of the back, neck and abdomen are maintained.
Do leave in ur feed backs, suggestions and queries! I would be happy to receive n respond.
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