My workouts generally include weights and aerobic exercise (running, stationary bike, etc.). Is there any advantage to doing one before the other, or does it not matter?
It's generally recommended to do a five to ten minute cardiovascular warm-up before engaging in any sort of exercise, be it resistance training (weightlifting), aerobic exercise, or anything else.
Studies have shown that doing a cardio workout before a weight training session effectively reduces muscular strength, lowering the amount of weight one can lift. In the opposite case, lifting weights before doing cardio does reduce the capacity to perform (this is obvious... the muscles are tired), but does not, however, reduce the effectiveness or the cardiovascular benefit gained through aerobic exercise.
In other words, whichever workout completed first affects performance in the subsequent one.
For most people, the goal of weight training is to lift the heaviest weight possible with the strictest form possible. The goal of aerobic exercise, however, is usually to achieve either fat loss or cardiovascular benefit. In that light, I recommend that you consider your fitness goals and perform whichever workout you deem most important, first. If you are looking for gains in strength, start off by lifting. If you are looking primarily to increase speed, reduce fat, etc., and not specifically to increase strength or muscle mass, do the cardio first.
I need some new exercises for my biceps. I usually do standing dumbbell or barbell curls, ending with one-handed cable curls. Now, I'm bored. Any ideas?
There is one basic movement for which the bicep is used: the bending of the elbow joint. However, that is not to say there aren't a plethora of different and effective exercises that will make your biceps bigger and better than ever. Standing curls are the standard biceps exercise. These can be varied by doing them sitting (this is possible only using dumbbells) at either a right angle or at a slightly lower incline. Doing seated curls with the bench tilted back a little bit hits the part of the bicep closest to your forearm, and helps round out the muscle.Another great resource is the cable machine. Instead of plain old one-handed curls, you can do reverse curls, in which you grip the bar with a palms-over grip, or quick twenty-ones, to really burn.
Another good exercise utilizing the cables is the following: Position each cable stack so the pulley is a little bit higher than your head. Attach a handle to each stack, and grab the weight, one hand holding each side. Position yourself so you are pretty much equidistant from both sides. Holding your arms straight out, parallel to the floor, slowly bend at the elbows until your fists are as close to your ears as your biceps will allow. At the same slow pace, lower the stack until your arms are almost straight. Do not let the weight rest, and repeat. This is a real burning exercise, so lighter weight is recommended, along with a rep range of 12-16, although heavier weight and lower reps can be substituted.
Recently my shoulder has been bothering me while I am bench pressing. I've never had shoulder problems before, so I have never dealt with this type of injury. What could be wrong, and how can I fix it?
Shoulder problems are serious, and are often more complex than they seem. If your shoulder is bothering you while benching, there are a few possibilities.Should problems often occur when a nerve is pinched in the joint, causing pain and discomfort. This is common in people who perform repeated motions, such as throwing a baseball.
It also might be a bruise, which can happen if your shoulder pops out momentarily while lifting.
But chances are that if you are benching heavy, your shoulder joint isn't strong or stable enough to deal with the stress of the weight. A solution would be to concentrate on physical therapy exercises to strengthen and stabilize your shoulder. These include light seated cable rows, lying dumbbell extensions, and front shoulder raises.
In the case of a shoulder injury, however, always consult a doctor.
