In 1948 a group of exercises which help to develop or restore the muscles of the pelvic floor were first used by Dr. Arnold Kegel. These are known as the Kegel exercises. The pelvic area is made up of three muscles with some rather important functions like controlling the evacuation of urine. Due to incontinence in women following childbirth the good doctor searched for a method to help women strengthen the pelvic muscles and Kegel exercises were born.

Kegel exercises are simple and easy to perform and can play an important role in pelvic muscle strength especially in rehabilitation. The focus of Kegel exercises are the same muscles which would prevent urine from passing if you tried to halt evacuation. If you try it once you can isolate the muscles involved. Isolating the proper muscles is important for maximum benefit from Kegel exercises.

Kegel Exercises for Women

Women can engage in Kegel exercises with or without an apparatus once the proper muscles have been isolated. Often after childbirth the pelvic muscles are compromised and need to be strengthened to order to avoid a lengthy period of urinary incontinence. Kegel exercises allow the pelvic muscles to be strengthened through isolation and resistance the same as any other muscle would be exercised. Through the use of a cone or phallic shaped apparatus which is inserted into the vagina, pelvic muscles are contracted in order to hold the apparatus in place. Of course the pelvic muscles can be contracted and strengthened without the use of any apparatus as well.

Kegel Exercises for Men

Following prostrate surgery many men experience urinary incontinence and Kegel exercises can restore strength back to the pelvic muscles. Incontinence can be experienced due to the weakening of the pelvic muscles also. Through Kegel exercises the muscles can be strengthened and urinary control can be maintained or restored. The pelvic floor muscles can be felt as those muscles residing between the genitals and the anus. A further extension of the pelvic muscle can be felt in front and above the penis. Through lifting, contracting and holding movements the pelvic muscles are worked and strengthened thereby allowing for better bladder control and health.

How to Do Kegel Exercises

First, be certain to empty your bladder prior to engaging in Kegel exercises. Next, remember to go easy, especially if you are performing them for restoration purposes. There is no rush and better benefits will be achieved if slow and steady is the pace. Another option is to sit in a straight back chair with both hands on the arm rests. Gently contract your pelvic muscles and use your arms to isolate the muscles. Lifting your backside from the seat will help to isolate the proper muscles also. Use these steps: isolate, contract, lift, hold and relax.

Here are two good Kegel exercises to try:

Exercise #1 – The Wave: Slowly contract the muscles for a count of 10, hold for a count of 3 and then fully relax like a crashing wave.
Exercise #2 – Knock-Knock: Contract and relax the pelvic muscles in a 1-2, 1-2 count. This will develop the quick twitch effect in the muscles of the pelvic floor.

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What are proteins? They are one of the basic building blocks of our bodies, and make up about 16 percent of our total body weight.  Protein also plays a major role in the proper functioning of our cells and bodily fluids. Without proteins, cuts and abrasions would not heal quickly, muscles would not grow strong, and blood wouldn’t clot correctly.  Our bodies need proteins to build hormones, antibodies and enzymes.

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Our bodies are unable to produce nine amino acids, so it is vital to include them in our diets.  Animal proteins such as eggs, dairy, and meats contain all the needed amino acids – and many plants contain some too.  Therefore, vegetarians must combine certain groups of vegetables and legumes in their diet if they are to meet their bodies’ requirements for amino acids and proteins.

The amount of protein we require depends upon our size, age and activity level.  Nutritionists measure the amount of proteins we need by multiplying our body weight in pounds by .37.  This is the minimum number of grams of protein that we should consume.  Therefore, a 150 lb. person should eat 55 grams of protein each day.

Those of us who are endurance athletes or engage in strength training exercise benefit from additional protein in our diets.  Many exercise scientists say that 10 percent to 20 percent, of our daily calories should come from high protein foods. This is a rough estimate of a person’s minimum protein needs as the larger and more active you are, the more calories you need including proteins.

Our bodies have little capacity to store proteins. If we were to stop eating protein, our body would start to break down muscle for its needs within a day or two.

On the other side of the coin, the National Academy of Sciences reported that high protein diets are only dangerous for individuals with kidney disease.  Many of them say that up to 35 percent of our daily calories should come from protein-rich foods.

Researchers have also found that extra protein may help prevent osteoporosis. Scientists conducting these studies have been surprised to find that high levels of protein in our diets may actually improve our bone densities. Intuitively, this makes sense as our bones are one of the most protein-dense tissues in our bodies.

Several of the studies have found that proteins increase calcium absorption from foods. To what degree protein improves bones may be decided upon how much protein a person consumes to begin with. Yet, several studies found that those eating more than the daily-recommended protein requirements enjoyed less bone loss than those consuming average protein amounts.

Extra proteins are broken down into glucose via process called gluconeogenesis. When you’re on a low carb diet, this happens continually with the benefit of slowly accumulating glucose in the bloodstream an avoiding rapid blood sugar increases.

With this kind of evidence, we all ought to eat more high protein foods for our health, energy, endurance, strength, and bones, however you’ll want to make sure you avoid overdoing protein sources high in saturated fats such as red meat.

Workout Focus

A basketball player’s workout focus would of course be improved strength levels but also explosive power and endurance. The first signs that a player’s strength level might be diminishing is an inability to jump as high or move off the mark explosively. Resistance training that targets building strength in the legs will rebuild muscle tissue that may have been lost due to high endurance requirements of the sport. A player’s focus in strength training can be the development of new strength levels or the maintenance of strength. The introduction of strength training into a basketball player’s workout schedule will continue to produce benefits all season.

Strength Training

An effective and efficient regime for building strength and improve basketball skills is participation in a weight training program. Naturally the aim of a weight training program for basketball players is not to bulk up but to increase strength and power. Of course the pursuit of these goals will produce some new muscle mass. But because of the high aerobic element of the sport it will be short lived. Power and explosiveness can be developed or maintained using high weight-low repetition exercises. Squats and dead-lifts are ideal for the development of power and explosiveness. The low weight-high repetition exercises would also help to strengthen muscle endurance.

Sample Strength Training Exercises

Lunges are an effective exercise to improve basketball skills and will develop the strength of the quads, hamstrings and gluteals. This exercise can be very beneficial for developing leg strength but will also develop balance while a load is being applied to the legs. To perform a lunge; start from a standing position with a dumb bell in each hand, step forward until the front and back knees bend 90 degrees. Finish the repetition by pushing off with the front foot and return to the original standing position. If more weight is desired the lunge can also be performed with a barbell straddled across the shoulders.

The Leg Press machine really helps to isolate the leg muscles and will develop the explosiveness needed in bounding and jumping. To perform the exercise; start by sitting down on the machine with legs bent at the knees. The cycle of this exercise is to straighten the legs allowing the quads, hamstrings and gluteals to bear the weight load. The leg press is a great exercise for basketball players looking to improve their leg strength and endurance. This exercise can be rotated to include high weight-low reps for strength or low weight-high rep workouts for endurance.

The one repitition maximum (1RM, one rep max, 1 rep max) measurement is a method for calculating proper strength training weight loads for various resistance exercises. A lifter’s 1 rep max is the amount of weight that he or she can lift 1 time only and no more. This weight is the threshold weight to muscle failure and the limit of their lifting strength. The 1 rep max provides the top-end weight which will be used to determine workout weight amounts for achieving a consistent strength training effect. As proper training increases strength the 1 rep max will increase and a new benchmark for weight amounts will be established.

Importance of the one repetition maximum

The importance of the one rep max is that it provides the top-end weight load to be utilized during strength training programs. Just as the target beats-per-minute (BPM) is used in cardiovascular training, the one rep max is used in strength training. Obviously if a lifter only lifts his maximum for each of the 8 basic resistance exercises the workout would be short and the recovery time long. The one rep max allows the effective management of workloads and recovery times associated with strength training. One rep max amounts should be established for the following resistance exercises; bench press, bent-over row, standing press, biceps curl, triceps extension, squat, leg curl and twisting crunch curl.

Percentages of the one repetition maximum

The 1RM weight will be used to calculate the percentage of weight that will be used during a workout that consistently improves strength. If a lifter’s 1RM for the bench press is 200lbs then a workout weight of 120-140lbs for 8-10 repetitions will be used to increase strength. This weight is between 60 and 70% of the 1RM amount. This is the acceptable percentage for performing repetitions and sets with the lowest amount of recovery time needed. If the 1RM percentage is too high, say over 80%, then an extended or lengthy recovery time will be needed due to the impact on muscle and the need to repair and rebuild new tissue.

Calculating Basic one repetition maximum

The most direct approach toward calculating 1RM weight amounts is to attempt lifts with the maximum amount of weight possible. This is alright for those with extensive weight lifting experience but for others it can lead to injury. A more indirect approach is to use the 10 repetition approach. If a lifter can perform 10 repetitions satisfactory with a low end weight amount then an increase of weight in increments of 15lbs would be made until the lifter is unable to complete ten repetitions. This does not have to be performed in one workout but can be spread out over 3 workouts.

Using the one repetition maximum effectively

Once 1RM weights are established a workout using a 60-70% of the 1RM can be programmed for those in average or better physical condition or 50-65% for those in below average physical condition. Again if the 1RM percentage is increased too rapidly the risk of personal injury increases along with recovery time. Progressive resistance training means no more then a 5% increase in percentage of the 1RM weight per month. Weight amounts can always be decreased if recovery times become problematic. This will allow the shortest recovery time and the most consistent strength training results.

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Here are four strength training supplements that can help speed your recovery and boost your strength:

L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine, for example, is a super supplement helps your body move fatty acids into the energy-producing sections of the cells called mitochondria and plays a big role in converting fatty acids into energy. If you’re weight training and dieting, this super supplement may lessen your appetite while helping you to build muscle. As early as the 1930’s, scientists found that carnitine benefits our cardiovascular system by accelerating the heart’s energy supply. Carnitine supplements also enable athletes to exercise longer without fatigue. One study found that when trained runners were given 2 grams of this supplement each day they increased their peak running speed by 5.7 percent. Carnitine can also help prevent muscle damage during vigorous weight training sessions.

Glutathione

Premature aging, of course, can damper anyone’s strength training routine, and is a key hindrance to living a life of optimal health. This is where the super supplement glutathione will help. Glutathione is an anti-oxidant enzyme that is absorbed in the liver and it fights the kind of free radicals that cause aging. Deficiencies in this glutathione can cause age related macular degeneration, diabetes, lung diseases, as well as Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Tribustol

In the late 1980s, when exercise scientists were able to penetrate the Iron Curtain, they found irrefutable evidence of steroid abuse among their hapless athletes. Amid these documented stories of cruelty and exploitation, they found a hidden gem; the super supplement Tribustol. Tribustol was given to athletes between their steroid injections, and some Eastern European coaches deemed this natural substance to be just as effective in building muscle and endurance. This super supplement is a formulation of Tribulus Terrestus, a natural herb, combined with proper ratios of potassium and B-complex. It produces superior sports performance by increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. Many exercise scientists are calling this super supplement the new creatine, which leads to a new finding that . . .

Creatine

While creatine aids body builders . . . it may also help their grandmas. This super supplement – long taken by weight trainers to increase strength, endurance, and energy – may do the same for seniors. In the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, doctors found women ages 60 – 80 years who took .3g of creatine per kilogram for seven days had a noticeably easier time the sitting and rising from chairs as well as walking down stairs. This is great news since this super supplement, as well as others, will not only benefits our grandparents now, but will help us run, lift, hike, and paddle into our nineties and beyond.

We all want to be strong, but we also want to be safe . . .

But before you run out and purchase these strength training supplements by the boat load, a word of caution. Unlike medicines, the government does not regulate vitamins and supplements. That is why we must be very careful when buying these products. If you’re concerned with a supplement, ask your doctor or a qualified nutritionist. Give him or her a list of the exact ingredients listed on the bottle. We all want to be strong, but we also want to be safe.

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