Muscle-building exercises
Muscle building consists in building resistance to movement commanded by a group of muscles. This resistance, adapted to each person, can be obtained by lifting weight, using muscle-building machines, or simply using one's own weight (push-ups, sit-ups, etc.). During the exercise, a series of a dozen identical movements are repeated two to four times, with a pause between each series to let the muscles rest and avoid muscular contractions and tears. Contrary to endurance exercises, the demanded effort is intense, but of a short duration.
Benefical effects of muscle building
Muscle-building exercises, when they are practiced in a regular manner, lead to the formation of new muscle fibers, which increase the strength and volume of muscles. Blood capillaries develop to carry out better oxygenation of muscle mass. The increase in muscle force, which is exerted on the bones by the tendons, also stimulates the formation of bone tissues. It therefore slows down osteoporosis and also reduces the risk of fracture in older individuals. Muscle building also helps control weight by reducing the mass of adipose tissue. It decreases the risks of type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. It also improves movement coordination and contributes to reducing back pain symptoms.
Changing lifestyle habits
Daily life is filled with opportunities to exercise. Moreover, such exercise provides the added advantage of being affordable and beneficial to the environment. Thus, using public transportation instead of a car increases the time dedicated to walking, a natural exercise that should be practiced at least 30 minutes per day. Bicycling is another means of transportation for short trips. At work or in public buildings, taking the stairs more often than elevators or escalators is excellent for endurance and building leg muscles. At home, a manual lawn mower is a better choice than a motorized lawn mower for building arm muscles. In general, gardening provides an opportunity for limbering and relaxation. Come wintertime, shoveling provides more effective cardiovascular exercise and muscle building than pushing a snowblower, assuming you warm up and respect your limits.
Also see:
In the Virtual Human Body:
In the Visual Dictionary:
- "human being" section
- "sports and games" section
In the encyclopedic capsules :
- Physical activity: how to avoid injuries
- The benefits of exercise
- Endurance Exercises
- A balanced diet
- Nutrients: essential to good health! (1st part)
- A Spring detox in your plate
- Infographic: Blood's long journey
- Sleep disorders
- Stress control
In the ikonet games:
