Empower Blog

If it gets you interested in lifting weights and developing muscle, I don’t care what you call it, but since you asked…

Body building typically involves lifting weights with the primary goal to sculpt the body so that every muscle is much defined. Many bodybuilders participate in competitions where they are judged on the body symmetry and muscle definition.

Power lifting is primarily a competitive sport that focuses on the amount of weight lifted with little regard to technique or precision. Unlike bodybuilding, power lifters are judged on strength only and not on their appearance.

In contrast, traditional strength training’s purpose is generally more broad-based, focusing on working the muscles in order to develop muscular strength and endurance. It’s what most people mean when they refer to lifting weights, and it’s a vital part of any well-rounded fitness program. Strength training exercises involve resistance, but may or may not include the lifting of “weights”. For example, a traditional push up, one of the most effective upper body strength training exercises, requires only the weight of the body to serve as resistance.

A post-workout meal or drink after strength training is important to help the body to recover quickly and will maximize your results.

Timing is key: this should be consumed within 30-90 minutes of your workout.

Best bets? Carbohydrates, lean protein, potassium-rich foods, and fluids!

• Carbohydrates are important in replacing depleted glycogen stores after a workout.
• Lean protein such as chicken breast or tuna helps the body rebuild muscle tissue that was broken down during a workout.
• Potassium-rich foods such as bananas or raisins can help replace the potassium lost through sweating.
• Fluids such as water or fruits that contain a lot of water such as watermelon, oranges or grapes help the body rehydrate after exercise.

Sample Post-Workout Meals

• Sandwiches are one of the easiest and quickest meals to put together after a strenuous workout. Two slices of whole grain bread, four ounces of a lean protein such as chicken breast, and any type of vegetables desired.
• A baked potato topped with salsa and low-fat cheese and a side of fruit
• A bagel with peanut butter

Post-Workout Recovery Drinks

If you have trouble eating solid food soon after an intense strength training session, a post-workout recovery drink specifically designed to replace both glycogen and lost fluids may be your best choice.

Easy post-workout recovery shake

• 1 scoop of any flavor whey-protein powder
• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk or soymilk
• Blend in a blender until smooth!

There are different schools of thought on this question, but in my opinion it comes down to what your goal is.

• If you want to develop cardiovascular endurance – such as training for a 5k – then do your cardio workout first.
• If you want to gain strength or build lean muscle, then do your strength workout first.

For the general cardio enthusiast who wants to be able to do a long-term, sustained cardio workout with ease and comfort, it may be best to perform the cardio workout while the muscles are fresh. An appropriate workout might be to perform the cardio portion first, then progress into a light strength program working all the major muscle groups involved with that activity (walking, jogging, biking, swimming, etc).

If your primary goal is strength/build lean muscle, it would be best to do the strength component of your workout first. This allows the muscles optimal energy to complete the workout at the highest level and without early fatigue. Performing the cardio work right after the strength workout can also help with recovery by removing any waste products accumulated by strength training and by supplying the muscles with oxygen and nutrients.

Regardless of which you do first, it is important to warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout. The best choices include mild cardio exercise such as walking on a treadmill, or dynamic movements such as calisthenics.

My short answer is “the ones you are most likely to do.”

But let me back that up a bit of fitness know-how. We know that to actually experience a training effect you need to:

1. Overload the specific system of the body you are trying to improve (cardio-respiratory/muscular strength/joint mobility and flexibility)
2. Work towards the ACSM guidelines for recommended frequency, duration and training intensity. This should include 3 to 5 days of cardio training (20 to 60 minutes worth) and 2 or more days of strength and flexibility exercise (for each and every muscle group)

The novice or currently sedentary person may find this a bit overwhelming. Therefore I like to get people simply moving without rules in first. Good options include:

• A few minutes of brisk walking
• Counter top push-ups

The goal is to start feeling and seeing yourself as a body in motion. Once you feel good moving, you will naturally want to increase what you are doing to include more variety and intensity.

Experiment. Start with 10 minutes and move up from there. Try a dance workout DVD or a strength or yoga workout. Your body will let you know which it likes best.

Find a friend and get moving! It helps to find a friend or partner to join your fitness journey. Research shows that one of the key influencers in a successful behavior shift is ‘helping relationships’.

See Empower’s great list of portable home equipment and build your own neighborhood workout center. Move over CrossFit—Empower is here! ;)

There seems to be the belief that a total body routine is the best solution for a hectic schedule.

I used to feel that a total body workout would ensure l hit every muscle group even if I was only able to strength train twice that week. It’s true I was touching on every area but I wasn’t feeling like I worked each muscle well enough.

So I decided to try splitting my body parts. Yes, this does mean that during hectic weeks each area may only be trained once however, I find the training is more effective and more intense.

If you’re feeling like you simply aren’t achieving the intensity you want with your total body routine then try dividing the muscle groups into different days. You can break up the body parts in several ways. One option is legs and back one day, chest and shoulders the next, and biceps and triceps on the third. Or you can try legs on their own day, back and chest a second day, and shoulders and arms the third day. To boost the intensity and the results, try to divide and conquer when it comes to your strength training.