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Women's Special Needs of Strength Training |
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Perception: She never been into a gym before, neither did she learn that sport or weightlifting could benefit women. But she learned that lifting weights causes muscles to grow and that is inappropriate for women. She was comfortable with the fact that women have to have slender shoulders and arms. It took a lot of work to convince her that muscles belong to all animals and perform the same function of movement. Weak muscles mean weak body, regardless of the gender. Weakness deprives people from free and healthy living. The Magic of Resistance Training: She started with 5 pound discs which made her heart races due to the feeling of the heavy solid steel. Her adaptation to increasing the weights was very slow in the first few weeks. She did not believe that steel belongs to women's life. After few weeks, she was able to lift the 35 pound plates from the floor to an arm stretch above her head. Before the end of the sixth month she lifted 65 pounds (a 45 lb bar and two 10 lb plates) from the floor to an arm-stretch above her head, for few sets of 3 repetitions each. Now she can run on the treadmill machine comfortably and with confidence. Put to Test: Her first accident was falling while running on the side walk resulted in few scratches and strained wrist and lower back. Had she not engaged in such six month gradual weight training she might had fractured her hip, forearms, or even her back. Strength training was the magical approach to bring this woman to her peak health. Above all she was very determined to learn and learn she did. |
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Common Sense Training: Strength training is crucial to woman's' health. Gaining strength by wise weight training increases the tensile strength of the ligaments and fortifies the bones. Even at the first few days of strength training most women feel the euphoria of becoming healthy once again. Free style lifting from the floor of 30 pounds could do all the magic in enhancing general health. Five sets of 5 to 10 repetitions of classical snatch from the floor to an arm-length above the shoulder is an over-all essential exercise. In this exercise, the major body girdles are strengthened instead of strengthening individual muscles. Thus the entire extensor group of muscles are targeted by a simple, common sense exercise. It also mimics real life activities. |
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Medical History: After 2
years of distressing hyperthyroidism (attributed to the side effects of
hormonal treatment of uterine fibroids) severe anemia and calcium
deficiency ensued due to steroid therapy. Steroid had brought
hyperthyroidism under pretty control in few months. The entire body
tremors, the racing heart, the insomnia and anxiety had all been
alleviated by intense steroid therapy. Yet the most distressing
problem was the swelling of the eye balls, the double vision, and the
tearing which made everyday living intolerable. Now all these are
over but the calcium deficiency has left this 52 year old lady in
severe weakness. She was unable to bend her back without the fear of
tearing her body into two halves. She was not able to left her own
head without getting tired after few minutes.