You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July 2007.
Often, when we start something new, there are expectations and uncertainties that can make our journey fraught with difficulty. This is certainly true with strength training. In the years that we have worked with new clients, here at our clinic in Santa Rosa, CA, we have discovered what makes the difference between success and failure with PRE.
If you are about to start a new program, the first thing you should do is make a commitment. Too often, people believe that they should experience the 6 week miracle that is hyped by the media, and perpetuated by the fitness industry. If you wish to experience profound, life changing results, you need to make this program part of your culture. You need to make a commitment of 6 months at the minimum to accomplish this. Any less is a disservice to you and your trainer.
During the first six weeks you will experience the learning phase of PRE. The resistance is light at first, but quickly progresses to a level that is equal to more than 60% of what you could do in one repetition. As you move towards this amount resistance, it is common to believe that the weights are becoming too heavy. If you focus on your breathing and use good form, you will notice that the extra resistance doesn’t cause any more stress than is necessary. The goal is reach a point of maximum fatigue, or fail at moving the weights. The 2:30 seconds that you perform in the first few weeks quickly becomes less than 2 minutes, and at that time the progression of resistance slows. Push any thoughts of doubt from your mind, have faith in the program and your trainer, and you will grow comfortable at working with the amount of resistance necessary to create the results you desire.
As you begin to work at higher levels of intensity during these first few weeks, it is not uncommon to be a little sore. You might even be quite a bit sore. This is normal, and though you might not like it, the soreness is no reason for concern. As your body adapts to the skills you are learning and practicing weekly, you will experience very little soreness. If you are rehabilitating an injury, or trying to eliminate chronic pain (such as low back pain), it is possible that you will exacerbate the pain in the beginning. If you are cautious, but committed, you will be successful. Refuse to give up! Do not listen to the voices of doubt, which will only serve to deter you from the path to success and keep you in pain. As you gain strength, your body will become more resilient, and the general discomfort from your injuries or impairment will fade.
Once you are through the first 6 weeks of the program, you will be working at the intensity level that requires more rest. It is at this time that you will only need to strength train once a week. The progression of resistance, during this phase of the program, slows to about 1/2 lb. per week. At that rate of progression, you will continue to have excellent strength gains for 1 to 2 years, until you have reached your maximum genetic potential. It’s at this time that you will be maintaining the strength that you have attained for the entirety of your life.
After 6 months of strength training your body will begin to change, permanently, in ways that will be noticeable to you and others. You will have put on enough muscle to heighten your metabolism, therefore burning more calories at rest. Your muscle tone will have improved making your more firm, and less prone to soreness and injury. Your clothing will fit differently, and if you have followed the path of Nutritional Excellence, you will have lost (and continue to lose) some body fat. You will notice that your day to day activities, as well as your occasional recreational pursuits, will be easier. Overall, life will begin to change.
Soon the workouts will become routine. This is the first sign that you are beginning to make this PRE program a part of your life. It is not uncommon to desire change at this point, and again I will say, don’t listen to this voice. Although the workout will have some slight variance, there is no need for constant change. Your desire to change out of boredom will only sidetrack your potential results. The best results from this program come from consistent effort over time.
After 1 to 2 years of strength training, most individuals have put on all the muscle their bodies will allow. Once you have accomplished this, you will be in the management phase of PRE. This means you will need to strength train weekly to keep all the muscle you have. Experts in Sarcopenia (the gradual loss of muscle due to aging) all agree that people should put as much muscle on their bodies as possible before 40, and then keep it on for the entirety of their life, for a full, functional lifestyle. PRE is a very effective program for this need.
For those individuals who stick with PRE long enough to experience the results, a lifetime of strength is realized. We have seen people use this method for over twenty years who don’t seem to have aged a day. We have seen people experience the joy of rising from their wheelchairs and walk again. We have seen people end their low back pain.We have watched the magical transformation that takes place when someone combines this program with Nutritional Excellence. Strength. All it takes is a commitment, and it is yours…for life.
The great Alberto Salazar, former champion marathon runner suffered a heart attack while coaching his distance runners at the University of Oregon. After having a stent inserted to open an artery, his condition was upgraded from serious to fair condition this morning. He informed his doctors that he had a family history of heart problems. As a 49 year old athlete, one would think he would be in great cardiovascular condition. Yet lifestyle choices catch up with everyone eventually. If you are eating the way the rest of America eats, you will experience the same results. As reported by all of the major publications in recent history, the most likely cause of death, for any American, is heart disease. No amount of aerobic exercise will protect you from a poor diet. Alberto Salazar’s experience helps illustrate the myth that fitness = health. Being fit is fun….being healthy is essential.
