Nuggets of Wisdom

 

(Stolen from James A. Peterson, PhD and Cedric X. Bryant, PhD
1992 Daily Planner and Training Diary)

  • Research suggests that all other factors being equal, every hour you exercise extends your life by approximately two hours.
  •  Exercising more frequently that five days per week is associated with an increased injury risk.
  • Muscles should not be trained in isolation; if the muscles on one side of a joint are exercised, then the muscles on the opposite side of the joint must also be trained.
  • When a muscle group is disproportionately stronger than its antagonist, the latter is predisposed to injury.
  • Water is the most essential of all nutrients inasmuch as it takes priority over all others in the need for a constant and uninterrupted supply.
  • Replacing fluids after exercise requires a deliberate effort because your thirst is quenched before body water is replaced fully and because intense exercise blunts the sensation of thirst.
  • Ensuring adequate fluid intake is one of the key elements of avoiding risk of heat stress.
  • Consuming generous amounts of fluid during exercise in the heat can extend endurance time while keeping the body temperature at lower levels.
  • Thirst is not the true indicator of your body's need for fluids; when exercising the three key factors to sensible strength training are safety, effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Stretching exercises are best (in terms of safety and effectiveness) when performed after the body is warmed up.
  • Strength training is based on the overload principle in which the muscle is required to perform more work than it is accustomed to handling.
  • Well-conditioned muscles reduce your risk of injury, increase your physical capacity and enhance your personal appearance.
  • When a muscle is stressed beyond its normal demands, it reacts to that stress. If the stress is within reasonable limits, the muscle adapts to that stress; if the stress is excessive, an injury can occur.
  • When a muscle is stressed beyond its normal demands, a certain amount of time is required for the tissues to recover and undergo positive changes. 
  • Momentum is involved in virtually all strength training exercises: the faster the movement, the greater the momentum.

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