Personal Trainer Newsletters
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HealthFX America
http://www.healthfxamerica.com
Vol. 38 Newsletter March 2006 - for [Column #2] [Column #3]
by Mandy Sosnowski
(If you no longer wish to receive this newsetter please opt-out here REMOVE)
In this issue:
* Breakdown
* Featured HealthMax Pro Exercise - Lat Pulldown
* Featured Recipe
***Breakdown ***
So you feel like you need to add a little spice to workout, do ya? Winter is droning on and you want some
heat in your basement… or where ever you have your HealthMax Pro. Give breakdowns a try.
A breakdown is strength training technique that allows you to dig just a little deeper into those muscles.
Remember, safety is always most important, but the harder you work, the better your results. So, if you
fatigue that muscle as deep as you can, you will stimulate more muscle growth and, consequently, more
strength, endurance, power… all the good things that come from adding muscle to your body. I want to
emphasize the safety factor though. More sore is NOT always better. More fatigued is better and that
doesn’t have to equal sore. If you are sore in a way that somewhat debilitates you, than you are causing
too much damage to your muscle and you should take a look at the technique in your strength training.
Breakdowns are for more advanced exercisers, so save this newsletter for later if you feel satisfied with
your current level of intensity.
What you are doing in a breakdown is subsequent sets of the same exercise but with lighter and lighter
resistance. The idea is that you are working your muscle to near failure (the point where you can barely
do another rep) on the first set and then dropping the resistance, so it is doable again, then working to
failure; tiring out the muscle even further. You can do this for two or three sets.
I would recommend starting the resistance so you can complete 12 to 15 repetitions with perfect form.
Work to failure and then decrease the resistance to about half if what you started with. Do as many reps
as you can. If you did eight to 12 reps with that set, decrease the resistance one more time to almost
nothing and see what you can do. Remember to maintain perfect form at all times! That is always more
important than getting the rep.
Have fun and happy experimenting!
***Featured HealthMax Pro Exercise***
Bench press
The muscles being used in this exercise are the pectorals (chest) and triceps (back of the upper arm).
This is the easiest, safest and most effective way to work the chest muscles. This is a good exercise to try
breakdowns with because the pecs are very large and you have the triceps helping as well.
To get ready for the exercise, choose any of the four positions for the inner handles on the Y bar. When
in position for the exercise the handles should be oriented so they make a line across the middle of your
chest. Adjust the bottom cylinder to 1 and adjust the top cylinder to desired intensity level.
Begin the exercise lying on your back on the bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the bench.
Putting your feet up on the bench makes it easier to keep your back flat during the exercise. It can be
dangerous to arch the small of your back and put unnecessary pressure in that area while doing the
exercise. Your hands should be comfortably gripping the handles with elbows pointing away from your
body. Start with the handles as low as you can comfortably bring them. You should feel a slight stretch
across the front of your chest. Push up on the handles and extend your elbows until they are almost
straight then return to the starting position. Be sure to go all the way back down until you feel the stretch
again.
Exercise Quick-Reminders
If you do happen to “accidentally” workout to the point where you are so sore that you can barely function
properly, here is something you can try. A LIGHT workout the day after you realize you are sore can do
wonders. It helps to get rid of some of the lactic acid build up that is causing some of your soreness and
should also help to relieve some of the stiffness. The key is a light workout.
***Featured Recipe***
Meatloaf
(I guess I am quite the mom now that I am making meatloaf. The kids love it though! )
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
3 slices fresh bread, crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ pounds ground beef
2/3 cup milk
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded carrots
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
¼ cup brown sugar
Soak bread in milk and egg mixture. Add remaining ingredients except catsup, mustard and brown sugar.
Pack into 9x5 pan. Top with mixture of catsup, mustard and brown sugar. Bake for one hour at 350
degrees.
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