Thursday, October 11, 2007

Strength Training - More Than Just Getting Ripped

We know that strength training is an important part of a Power 90 or P90X routine. Why? It makes you stronger, and I'm not just talking about the shape of your biceps or the size of your pecs. Resistance training strengthens bones, ligaments, and tendons as well as your muscles. All together, a well oiled internal machine improves your balance and power, while shortening recovery time and risk of injury.

The difference between a full spectrum workout like Power 90 or P90X and an all-aerobic workout regimen is huge. People who perform aerobic only routines run the risk of overuse injuries and their fitness is imbalanced. Runners for example work their calves and hamstrings hard, but the quads and upper body get off easy. It’s important to strengthen all the major muscle groups for overall fitness balance and reduce injury risks. No matter how careful they are (varying their workout intensity, the terrain, wearing good shoes, etc.), runners who do not balance with strength training are likely to suffer from some kind of running related injury sooner or later.

Strength and power start at the core. Your core strength, which comes from your abdomen, back and trunk is the center for most of your power, agility and balance. That’s why we bust out the crunches, lunges, and squats. Strengthen the core and you’ve got a lot more umph to rock out the outer, sport specific muscles. Another major benefit to muscle training is creating muscle density. The denser your muscles, the higher your metabolism – and you know what that means. You can consume more calories without gaining weight. Now that’s incentive!

9 comments:

Readus said...

Tony, My wife and I recently started P90X and I do feel it's actually gonna take us to that ultimate level of fitness that I've been seeking since my last bodybuilding show and pretty soon we're going to St.Lucia for a film event for Nutrisystem and I want to keep my muscle mass and I'm curious about incorporating some weight training to maintain the mass in big areas and I'm wondering would this cause any conflict with the X program. Also wondering do you do any heavy weight training such as Bench Press, Dumbell Press, etc..

Anonymous said...

Yo Tony!

You know, the late, great Joseph H. Pilates based his whole self-proclaimed philosphy of training and exercise on observing animals in the wild or in cages. For instance, he would note how big cats stretched and balanced on rocks and benches every day. These "simple" exercises always kept the cats in peak condition. He eventually incorporated many of these animal moves and the six principles of control, center, concentration, precision, flow and breath into the 500 plus exercises that constitute the Pilates method today.

And, just as you say, Tony, Pilates believed the source of power, agility and balance was the core or the "powerhouse." Just as a tree originates from the roots to the trunk and then to the branches, a person's foundation of strength comes from the trunk or core. Whether you play golf, tennis, baseball, football, soccer or any other sport for that matter, the true power of movement begins with the core and moves out to the arms and legs.

It's just like you say in Plyo X, Tony. Engage the core, don't engorge the cage!:) Thanks for the IMI, brutha!

Seth Miller said...

I love to hear the guys at work come in the day after playing a softball game and complaining how they can't move after only sprinting a few feet. I just have to laugh. The only thing that has made me sore in the last eleven weeks is an hour of P90X the night before.

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony

I just saw the P90X program on television this past week. It's great! I want to get it ASAP! I have a long way to go, but I know I can do it. The execs of Beach Body look awesome. I can't to show myself, my family, and friends what I will accomplish. Take care. Rodney age 38 from NV

Anonymous said...

I love this!! As a lover of running, I have to say that I run better, stronger, faster, without aches and pains when my whole body is balanced. I can hold a better posture as I run, and I've developed the strength in my joints and the surrounding muscles because of the core and strength training from Power90 and the X. :)

One more reason I love your style...its about incorporating fitness into SPORT & LIVING! :) Living an active, balanced life means a WHOLE healthy person; internally & externally!!
xo
TRACI :)

9_Reps said...

More statistics...Just heard it on the radio on the ride home...62% of Upstate New Yorkers are overweight or obese...a great opportunity to again extend my thanks to Tony and everyone else from the NY fitness camp...since I started officially WOWY'ing on August 6th...56 workouts, start weight 200 - current weight 170 = 30 lost...start waist 39.5 - today 35...plates of bacon eaten = zero...processed sugar = zero...etc, etc...

Thanks everyone...only like 9 months and we can do again...

ps - Tony, Terry finally found a local distributor of agave nectar...

-Johnny and Terry

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony: I just wanted to share with you about my son. He's a baseball player and he found 7th period PE with the baseball players and coach on his own initiative and now he's also staying after school with them and doing extra weight training. I'm so excited for him. I had encouraged him to work on weight training and even suggested doing some x workouts but he wasn't too interested in working out with mom...now he has all those baseball guys to hang with and it's really cool...he's getting really strong and he's needed to strengthen his throwing arm for a couple years and he's finally doing it. He's really tall and lean and he uses 50lb. free weights he says...my baby lifting 50 lbs 12 reps!!! They do a lot of other stuff too as it is a couple hours a day 5 days a week.

Anyway it just reminded me of you and your workout buddies a bit...one of these days I want to see my son climb that rope and stuff.

Have a great day!

~Hugs, Lauren

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