Heavy Metal - Lift it up! Trivia Quiz

Answer: I should do fewer sets - 4 is enough for each muscle

Strength-stamina training is a good introductory training style. You use relatively low weights - about half of what you can just barely lift - but keep on moving quickly but smoothly (slower movements are used when training for maximum strength). For each muscle or group, 3 to 4 sets of about 20 repetitions is a good number, then move to the next group. Breaks between sets should be long enough for you to loosen up and take a few deep breaths. If you want to train pure endurance, you don't want to do strength-stamina but rather a cardio workout.

Answer: Exhale when lifting, inhale when letting down the weight

You can support your lifting with the right breathing. Most people instinctively do it right when working with larger weights, but when using less weight they often forget about the proper rhythm: Exhale in the concentric phase (while lifting), inhale in the eccentric phase (when returning to the resting position).

Answer: The number of workouts per week

Before increasing the intensity of each exercising session, it is recommended to first increase the number of sessions - a good target is to exercise every other day and to do some light endurance training (walking, cycling or swimming) on the off days. Once you have achieved this rhythm, increase sets and repetitions and only in the last step graduate towards higher weights.

Answer: 80% and 10 repetitions

Both 65% at 15 repetitions and 80% at 10 repetitions are good targets for a strength-building workout, but do yourself a favor and do not exceed the 80%. Your muscles may be able to lift the higher amount, but the strength of your joints and tendons will increase less quickly than your muscle power and you can cause yourself unnecessary injury. Also, you should always do at least 10 repetitions per set - if you can't manage those, you need to use a lighter weight.

Answer: The back

Being the point to which all other muscles are anchored, the torso and in particular the back and spine are always under load even while working a peripheral muscle. Thus, it is vital to have a stable, comfortable position for your back while exercising to provide your body with the needed anchor points from which to exert the needed force.

Answer: Neck muscles

You can train almost every muscle group with weights, but never ever attempt to lift weights with your neck! If you fail at a lifting movement (because you overexerted yourself or you slipped), there is a high risk of the weight coming down out of control and exerting a sudden undue force on your body. If this happens to your neck, you could get whiplash injury or worse and, in the worst case, be debilitated for life. From the shoulders down, there are exercises available for every muscle group.

Answer: Smoothly lift and gently release over most but not all of the available movement range

When working a muscle, you should use long, gentle motions with gradual acceleration and deceleration of the weight - working only a partial range runs a higher risk of cramps and unwanted contraction. However, don't extend or bend a joint to the absolute maximum due to risk of injury and also, for best results, don't entirely set down the weight. You should always be in control and actively lifting even while you set down the weight - slow it down and catch it in a smooth transition to the next repetition without letting it all the way down. Your joints will thank you for avoiding any sharp spikes!

Answer: There is no specific best order - just don't work the same muscle twice in a row

One of the advantages of individual, self-guided training with a power center is that you're in control of your workout and can freely determine which exercise you want to do next. You can keep them in a set order that requires you to make the fewest machine adjustments between individual exercises or you can vary the order according to your mood as you see fit. You should just try not to stress the same muscle twice in a row - give it a chance to rest between the individual exercises. (This sometimes requires a bit of planning since the areas of effect of some exercises overlap.)

Answer: Keep a quiet environment without noise or music

While a well-constructed modern power center is very safe to use, it is still possible to get caught in a moving part, so make sure others are not in a position to reach into the workings of the machine while you exercise (and also, if you have long hair, make sure it's well tied up and can't catch in the mechanical parts).

The manual for the machine will show you a large variety of safe and approved exercises (and, due to the fact that manufacturers want to promote their machines with the largest number of different exercises possible, they'll be rather creative), so you don't need to invent your own.

However, it's not required to keep silence - on the contrary, some uplifting music can help. (As a personal recommendation of mine, however, use some flowing music without too strong a rhythm - strong rhythms can tempt you into following the rhythm of the music instead of listening to your body when determining movement speeds).

Answer: Significant weight loss

Almost everyone who works out using a power center will feel an improvement in muscle strength. Also, while the effect may not be as pronounced as with other forms of exercise, the fact that I'm doing something instead of nothing will promote my well-being and cardiovascular endurance.

However, I should not expect to lose much weight - on the contrary, I might experience some limited weight gain due to the growth in muscle. Overweight persons, however, can benefit from strength training as part of an overall weight reduction plan - it ensures the body will burn fat instead of muscle and of course also contributes to the overall amount of calories burned.