The Global Health and Fitness Strength Training Online Book
In this online "how-to" manual, you'll find information on:
- The benefits of strength training
- Ways to stay motivated
- Your body type and what results you can expect
- The importance of concentrating during your workout
- The best ways to measure progress
- How to best combine cardiovascular exercise, flexibility training, and good nutrition into your strength training program
- The factors that affect strength
- What to expect if you discontinue your strength-training program
- The disadvantages and dangers of steroids
- Safety precautions and basic gym safety
- Pain, soreness and injury
- Differences among types of strength-training equipment
- Principles and guidelines for :
- Warming up, cooling down, and stretching
- The importance of blood supply to your muscles and common mistakes that hinder the process
- How to select the best exercises for a safe and effective program
- The proper lifting speed for maximum effectiveness
- The importance of proper form/technique and how to achieve it
- How to be sure you're exercising through the full range of motion
- The best exercise sequence for maximum effectiveness
- How to calculate the number of sets and repetitions and the amount of weight you should use to reach your goals
- The importance of progressive resistance
- How to avoid overtraining
- How to develop a program that is right for you
- How to overcome plateaus through intermediate training techniques that alleviate boredom and produce new results
- Advanced (intense) training techniques that overcome plateaus, prevent boredom, and produce new results
All the examples in this component are linked to video demonstrations that will enhance your understanding.
Muscle Map and Explanation
This section includes an anatomical map and a detailed explanation of each major muscle group, its exact location, functions and common activities that the muscle is used for, and the best strength training exercises for that muscle.
Exercise Instructions and Video Demonstrations
More than 130 strength training exercises (including 21 exercises that you can do at home, in a hotel, etc.) categorized by muscle group are provided. Each exercise description includes:  A video demonstration to view on your PC. The beginning and midpoint images can be printed out so you can take them to your health club (along with your customized 12-week program and exercise and stretching instructions). Detailed instructions of each exercise including a list of the specific muscle groups you'll be working, common mistakes to avoid, and a list of alternate exercises that work the same muscle group. Also, to assure safety and effectiveness, exercises that require a weightlifting belt or a spotter are so indicated. These can also be viewed on your PC or printed out and taken to your health club.
Customized Strength Training Programs
The Global Health and Fitness (GHF) Strength Training Programs are customized to your experience and fitness level, goals and personal interests, and time and equipment availability. You can choose from the below workouts to implement a very effective program that is right for you.
As a GHF member, you can also receive "6 days per week" programs, "dumbbell workouts", and special routines customized specifically to the equipment you have available. This is easily done through the unlimited personal fitness consulting we offer all members.
Simply select the results you wish to achieve, your fitness/experience level, and the number of days per week you want to train from the following list of workouts.
Please note that some of the exercise's video demonstrations and instructions require membership access. To find out more about GHF membership, please visit our Membership Information section.
Each program is 12 weeks in length (except the Home/Travel program). When you've completed your first 12 weeks (Phase 1), you can go on to the next 12-week program (Phase 2), and on to Phase 3 and Phase 4, and so on; or develop your own program by following the principles and guidelines in the Strength Training Component (online "how-to" manual) and the exercise instructions and the video demonstrations. And feel assured, our fitness experts will personally help you every step of the way! Phase 12 is coming soon!
Each 12-week program includes the exercises you should do for each muscle group, the number of sets and repetitions you should do to achieve your goal, and the order in which you should perform the exercises. In addition, you'll find a program explanation (what, why, when, in which order, how often, etc.) for each of the 12-week programs. You can even print the entire 12-week program with one click of a button! You can also print out each workout and take it, along with the exercise instructions, to your health club.
Each of GHF's 12-week Customized Programs can be downloaded and used with Protrack 2005 as workout templates, making it very easy and convenient to document your workouts and the results you'll soon achieve. Protrack 2005 is an easy-to-use fitness tracking software that keeps detailed records of your workouts, personal measurements (e.g., bodyfat, bench press max, etc.) and nutritional information, while letting you view, print, or analyze this information with graphs and reports on your computer.
Protrack 2005 has a retail value of $32.95 but is absolutely FREE to you as a GHF member! Personal Fitness Consulting
As a Global Health and Fitness member, you can enjoy unlimited personal fitness consulting directly from all 34 of GHF's fitness, medical, and nutritional experts.
Now, 24 hours a day, you can get answers to questions like:
Should I do my weightlifting program before or after my cardiovascular exercise and stretching routine? How can I increase the intensity and produce new results without increasing the frequency or duration of my workouts? Which muscle groups should I train together and how much rest should I have between sets and workouts for the results I want to achieve?
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