Anabolic steroids can do plenty of harm, some of it permanent (such as breast growth in males and stunted of growth in males and females).
Hormonal Read more »

If your club serves members who are 60 or older, a new study may change the advice you give them about resistance training. The study found that, with a three-times-per-week strength-training program, varying the intensity throughout the week allows older exercisers more recovery time, compared to always performing lifts at 80 percent of maximum strength.

The six-month study, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (Vol.33, No.10, 2001), involved 36 men and women ages 60 and older. Subjects were either placed in the control group (no weight training), the high-resistance group (training three times per week at 80 percent of maximum strength) or the variable-resistance group (training three times per week, once at 80, once at 65 and once at 50 percent of 1RM).

At the end of the study, both exercise groups had similar improvements in strength and body composition.

The difference, based on heart rate and perceived exertion, was that the variable-resistance group showed better recovery times and, therefore, could perform activities of daily living better.

Say study authors, “This study adds to the list of studies demonstrating resistance training in older adults can be used to increase muscle mass and strength, and make performance of daily tasks easier. It also suggests that older adults who train at variable resistance on different days of the week may reduce difficulty in [performing daily tasks] than older adults who train at high resistance.”

The more familiar you are with the muscle groups that benefit from each gardening activity, the more efficient you’ll become at conditioning your body. Think of your gardening agenda as a fitness plan – you’ll want to make sure you incorporate strength training, stretching and a decent aerobic workout. Read more »

The Arthritis Foundation recommends performing range-of-motion exercises to help keep your joints flexible and reduce stiffness. Range of motion is the normal amount your joints can move in certain directions. Typical daily activities such as housework, climbing stairs and bathing do not move your joints through their full range of motion and are not a substitute for range-of-motion exercises. Read more »

Strengthening/Toning
Muscular fitness exercises help to firm your body and aid in weight loss. For now, I just want you to perform abdominal curls. (More exercises will be added as you progress.) Begin with one set of 10 to 15 reps, add one or two reps each time. Read more »

Hello, Ken,

Welcome to the Four Get Fit program. I’m glad you realize how important it is for you to improve your health — and that you are willing to put forth the effort to make positive changes in your life. Being aware of what’s wrong and being committed to doing what’s right are two crucial elements for succeeding in any fitness program.

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In order to get athletes who are “stuck” in one sport (e.g., runners who only run, tennis players who only play tennis, swimmers who only swim, etc.) to start moving into other programs and use different areas of your facility, you will want to promote the success they’ll have within their sport through cross training. Read more »

Before starting a group cycling program, consider the following suggestions.

* It is important that your new indoor cycling program has a distinct name, logo and identity. All of the pre-packaged programs provide clubs with ready-made media kits to expedite your marketing efforts. Creating a separate name and schedule for the new program will help differentiate it from your other group exercise classes. Read more »

Hello, Mary! Based on the information you provided, I recommend the following exercise program for you. Good luck.

Your Program
First, I would like to see you set aside four 30-minute time blocks per week that you can devote to exercise. Try to perform your exercise sessions at the same time each day to help you establish a set routine.

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While a fitness center at a country club is not a new concept, the degree of personalized service offered at the DuPont Country Club’s new fitness center is, and it is the key to the club’s success. As part of the club’s Total Fitness Offering program, the fitness center opened in January 1997 as a means of providing professional, personalized fitness and preventive medicine programs for each member, thereby offering service superior to other country club fitness centers. Read more »