This workout focuses on endurance, muscle awareness, and
very basic muscle strengthening for the arms, chest, back, and shoulders. With
the use of light dumbbells, this program is designed to aim at each of these
important muscles. Even beginners who
have never tried lifting weight can follow this easily and benefit greatly.
With regards to muscle training, many people choose to focus
on the abdomen, legs, and buttocks. But for day-to-day life, it will greatly
help, especially for women, to tone the upper body as well.
When lifting weights, it's crucial to concentrate on the
specific muscle movement: steady tension must be produced by conscious
contraction the muscle during the exercise. This may not be the most efficient
or fastest strength-building method; if that is your aim, graduating to heavier
weights and, in some cases, specific position should be done during exercise.
Every time you learn a new movement, whether a biceps curl or a dance step,
your brain must first learn which muscles to stimulate for the action to be
done correctly. An significant part of strength training is the use of the
muscles specified to do the work. Fresh movements form neural pathways through
the brain and spinal cord to the muscle. These nerve pathways dictate which
muscles to fire, or contract. This is called "neuromuscular
facilitation."
With the use of light weights, you can focus on using the
proper muscles. Although the neural pathways will be different as you begin
this weight program at home or at the gym, this exercise may be a much more
enjoyable introduction to the program. You could go through the primary
learning process lifting a three-pound weight rather than a heavier barbell.
As you adjust to the movements and progress to heavier
weights or machines, you will use your muscles variedly and build new
neuromuscular pathways. For example, when you do the cable row in the gym, a
resistance is formed by the cable in front of you. Your back and upper arm
muscles will then work against the resistance while you draw the cable. In a
standing stance, carry two dumbbells and pull them back in similar motion, the
greatest resistance will come from the gravity pulling downward on the
dumbbells, a resistance that requires the muscles on the front of the shoulder
a lot more than the muscles at the back. Your back muscles will work primarily
to stabilize your arm position. You can intensify your muscle awareness by also
bringing in tension in these muscles while executing the movement.
You'll have a great starting point on building the muscles
that are essential to your posture and your lifestyle by using the basics of
strength training for the upper body. Enjoy the experience of feeling
stronger. Later, you will be more aware
of muscles that you never knew existed.