Fitness Tips (page one)

Safety Precautions

1. Warm up thoroughly. (2 sets of 15 reps each exercise slow).
2. Master the exercise techniques with light sets.
3. Stand close to the bar and lift with erect, straight back.
4. Breathe correctly.
5. See that the collars are tight each time.
6. Resist the temptation to compete against others, keep to the code, and be content to improve at your own level.
7. Don't train when very tired or with asthma attack, flu, etc.
8. Get at least eight hours sleep every night.
9. Train in warm clothing, jersey, track suit, etc.
10. Keep warm after training.
11. Men and boys, when doing the heavy sets in the bench press and squat, make sure equipment with a safety rail is used or someone stands by in case you can not get the weight back on holder. Women and girls disregard heavy sets.
12. Any person under medical care should liaise with doctor prior to starting any of the courses.

How often to train on these courses

Regularity is vital: It is the consistent trainer that gets the best results. The courses are designed for training 2 or 3 times per week thus allowing the muscle to repair and the waste to clear from the body. Training on these courses more than once every 48 hours seriously enlarges the possibility of excessive lactic acid build up thus resulting in physical an mental fatigue. It is better to be a little under-trained than over-trained.

Over-training: Some people feel if they train on these courses twice as much as outlined they will get results twice as fast. This is not the case as the body is created to need recovery, clearing of body wastes and rebuilding or reshaping to cope with the extra demand given to it. To help with recovery sleep, diet, massage (sauna, hot pools) and running do help.

Learn how to gauge the correct weight to use

The correct weight used by the individual for each exercise is very important. By learning and following the code below, and keeping to it as outlined in the schedule section, you will guarantee maximum results.

Light Sets: Take a weight which makes all repetitions easy to perform.

Medium Sets: Take a weight which makes the first repetitions easy, the last three or four comfortably hard.

Heavy Sets: Take a weight which makes the first repetitions comfortably hard, the last two or three taking all your strength and concentration.

Super Sets: Take a weight which makes all repetitions very hard and should be able to repeated only one to five times.

Understand sets and repetitions

Remember when reading your weight training schedule that the word set means a group and the word repetitions means times. Therefore if you were asked to perform any exercise, e.g. the Press, two sets of twelve repetitions, you simply do the Press twelve times, rest and then repeat the Press another twelve times.

Tired or short of time

Often we find we can neither spare the time or we may feel too tired to exercise, in each case reduce each main exercise by one set. Remember you cannot afford NOT TO EXERCISE.

Family and children

Children can work out on these programmes but remember TRAIN don't STRAIN.

Rhodos Health & Fitness
Mobile: +64 (0)21 482 006
Fax: +64 (0)9 817 4485
email: rhodos@ihug.co.nz
Postal Address:
P.O. Box 20502, Glen Eden,
Auckland 1007.