Incorrect movements can cause problems in the muscles tissue. They are usually the result of improper exercise instruction and inattention. As examples, a single, jerky backwards walkover or incorrect use of exercise equipment (especially free weights and rowing machines) can cause serious back injuries. To prevent this, when trying a move I am unsure about, I will ask someone to support me and make sure I carry out the move correctly.
Everyone should drink lots of fluid during intense exercise. Thirst is often a poor indicator of dehydration in people who exercise, and people often underestimate the amount of fluid they need. During a tough workout in a hot environment, the body can lose two litres of fluid per hour through perspiration. Anyone who exercises intensively should take the following precautions: Drink six to eight ounces of fluid about 15 minutes before a workout, and then pause regularly during exercise for more.
Water is the best choice for replenishing body fluids. Glucose-sodium-potassium solutions, the so-called “sports drinks,” that promise instant energy are apparently no better than water at improving endurance during prolonged intense running. Caffeinated beverages like coffee and soft drinks give short bursts of energy but can actually reduce fluid. According to one study, caffeine before a workout temporarily raises blood pressure and reduces blood flow to inactive limbs.
Contrary to popular belief, drinking fluids will not cause cramps. Adequate hydration, in fact, helps prevent the painful involuntary muscle spasms that sometimes occur during exercise. Overheating, or hyperthermia, can be a problem with strenuous exercise or when working out in hot weather. This is particularly a problem as I am doing my training programme in the summer time. Individuals should rest in a cool, dry place, drink plenty of fluids, and bring down their body temperature with ice packs pressed against the skin.
Heatstroke is the most dangerous complication of hyperthermia. The victim may suddenly cease perspiring, after which symptoms such as altered consciousness, seizures, and even coma, may quickly follow. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and requires immediate cooling of the victim in an ice-water bath or with ice packs. One study suggests that risk for serious complications from exercising in high temperatures may persist as late as the following day, even if the weather has cooled down.
Order of events: In my training programme I plan to do my circuit so that the muscle groups I use are varied. No muscle groups will have two exercises focused on them in a row. This is because then you have time to work on each muscle group and concentrate on the individually. Also it gives the muscles time to rest, so you don’t do them damage by overworking them. Cool down: I must do a cool down at the end of each training session. The main aim of the cool down is to promote recovery and return the body to a pre exercise, or pre work out level. During a strenuous work out, your body goes through a number of tough processes. Muscle fibres, tendons and ligaments get damaged, and waste products build up within your body.
The cool down, performed properly, will assist your body in its repair process. One area the cool down will help with is “post exercise muscle soreness.” This is the soreness that is usually experienced the day after a tough work out. Most people experience this after having a break from exercise, or at the beginning of their sports season. This soreness is caused by a number of things. Firstly, during exercise, tiny tears called micro tears develop within the muscle fibres. These micro tears cause swelling of the muscle tissues which in turn puts pressure on the nerve endings and results in pain.
Secondly, when exercising, your heart is pumping large amount of blood to the working muscles. This blood is carrying both oxygen and nutrients that the working muscles need. When the blood reaches the muscles the oxygen and nutrients are used up. Then the force of the contracting (exercising) muscles pushes the blood back to the heart where it is re-oxygenated. However, when the exercise stops, so does the force that pushes the blood back to the heart. This blood, as well as waste products like lactic acid, stays in the muscles, which in turn causes swelling and pain. This process is often referred to as “blood pooling.”
So, the cool down helps all this by keeping the blood circulating, which in turn helps to prevent blood pooling and also removes waste products from the muscles. This circulating blood also brings with it the oxygen and nutrients needed by the muscles, tendons and ligaments for repair. The Key Parts of an Effective Cool Down There are three key elements, or parts, which should be included to ensure an effective and complete cool down. They are; 1. Gentle exercise; 2. Stretching; and 3. Re-fuel. All three parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. I will spend 5 minutes on each of these. All three elements work together to repair the body after exercise.
I will do: I will then re-fuel. Both fluid and food are important. I will drink plenty of water. The best type of food to eat straight after a work out is that which is easily digestible. Fruit is a good example. Seasons: Gymnastics is not a seasonal sport. It is performed all year round and generally performed inside. If the weather is pleasant I may do my warm up and cool down jog outside. I may also train my speed/ anaerobic work outside, using the parachute used for causing air friction; this improves leg strength and anaerobic work. Chute proponents claim that the device strengthens leg muscles and leads to more powerful performances, especially over competitive distances of one mile or less.
My circuit: I am going to do a repetition circuit. 20 repetitions of each exercise for the first session, adding 5 extra repetitions per session. I have designed this special circuit-training programme with the following objectives in mind: (1) Circuit efforts will enhance your overall body strength, including the strength and resiliency of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, the integrity of your joints, and the strength and density of your supporting bone structures (strength improvement).
(2) The circuits will improve your movement skill and body awareness, because you’ll perform exercises that utilise body weight as the primary form of resistance (skill improvement). (3) The circuit programme will increase your lean muscle mass by a moderate amount and decrease your body- fat levels through high levels of energy expenditure (body composition improvement). This is how I arranged my circuit, so that the muscle groups got a rest between exercises so not to strain them. (1) Total-body exercise (2) Upper-body exercise (3) Lower-body exercise (4) Core/trunk exercise (S) Total-body exercise (6) Upper-body exercise (7) Lower-body exercise (8) Core/trunk exercise