RossTraining.com Blog

Tell Mom and Dad to pick up some weights…

The American Heart Association (AHA) has updated their statement on the benefits of weight lifting, or resistance training, for people with heart disease to help doctors assess and instruct patients in its safe use.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.185214v1

As stated within the link above:

Research shows that when properly supervised and prescribed in the light of a patient’s history and condition, whether they have cardiovascular disease or not, resistance training increases muscular strength, endurance, independence, and ability to perform a large range of activities. It reduces disability and enhances quality of life. Other benefits include increase in bone mineral density and lean body mass.

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To read the revised report, please refer to the link below:

AHA Updates

Enjoy,

Ross Enamait

New research from Yale University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa suggests that overweight children are stigmatized by their peers as early as age 3 and even face bias from their parents and teachers, giving them a quality of life comparable to people with cancer.

Overweight kids face widespread stigma

This analysis comes after reviewing all of the research on youth weight bias over the past 40 years.  In other words, this study was not based on a week’s worth of research.  This is a credible report that parents should notice.

The next time little Johnny asks for a twinkie it is okay to say NO and instead opt for a more nutritious snack.  Children don’t go grocery shopping.  Parents need to step up to the plate and act like parents.

When I was younger, I didn’t pick what we ate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  My mother ran the show.  I was just a guest star, but definitely not the director or producer.  In today’s world, it seems like children are starting to run the show.  What gives?

Since when did little Johnny or little Susie start choosing the menu? 

As stated within this recent study:

“The quality of life for kids who are obese is comparable to the quality of life of kids who have cancer. These kids are facing stigma from everywhere they look in society, whether it’s media, school or at home.” 

Keep this in mind the next time you give in and buy the box of twinkies.  You may not realize it now, but your actions will determine how your children grow up and live.  Children imitate their parents. 

Lead from the front!

Ross

A new link has been added to the homemade equipment sticky within the message board. 

Here is a direct link:

http://allaroundstrength.com/2007/05/02/home-made-medicine-ball/

Here is the full list of homemade equipment sites:

http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=157

Train hard!

Ross

Those who keep up with “new” trends in the strength and conditioning industry have likely noticed a recent increase in the use of one arm barbell lifts.  For example, the one arm barbell snatch is beginning to gain popularity (again).

I say “again” simply because these lifts are not new.  Contrary to what many believe, these lifts have been around for years and years.  The lifts may be new to many upcoming athletes and coaches, but have actually been demonstrated for many years.

For a prime example, refer to the link below from the old Bob Hoffman “Weight Lifting” text:

http://sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Hoffman/wl/wl07b.htm

As you will see, many one arm variations are demonstrated.

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The full 206 page book is available here:

http://sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Hoffman/wl/wl-intro.htm#index

As has been said before, when looking for breakthroughs in the strength world, it is often to look back in time, rather than forward.

Ross Enamait

According to Swedish researchers exercise may stimulate the production of new brain cells in the area of the brain that is important to memory and learning.

Exercise is good for brain cells

As stated within:

“The new study conducted by Dr. Astrid Bjornebekk, of the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, Sweden, found that both exercise and antidepressants increase the formation of the new brain cells and exercise is a good complement to medicines.”

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Who needs medicine when you can exercise instead?  And for the parents reading this blog, encourage your children to exercise!  It is not only good for the body, but also the brain!

Ross

A new study suggests that it is almost never too late to start improving your health.

Late Starters Can Benefit

As stated within the report:

“Middle-aged adults who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and risk of death by 40 percent in the four years after they started.”

As stated by Dr. Dana King (in regards to the study):

“The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviors all along.”

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Ultimately, the lesson to be learned from this study is simple.  No one is perfect.  If you have not lived a healthy lifestyle in the past, it is no reason to give up on yourself.  We all have the ability to improve.  Don’t count yourself out.  Get up and start using your body.  Clean up your eating habits as well.  2 1/2 hours of exercise per week is a minimal investment.  There are 168 hours in a week.  There are 10,080 minutes in a week.  Can’t you make some time to exercise?  You can certainly find 140 minutes out of an available 10,080 minutes.  That is only 20 minutes a day.

And to those of us who have family members who are not keen on exercise (trust me, I do too), please share the information from this study.  Encourage them that it is not too late to make a change for the better!

Ross Enamait