Essentials Of Weightlifting And Strength Training - Softcover

El-Hewie, Mohamed F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0971958106 ISBN 13: 9780971958104

Publisher: Shaymaa Pub Corp, 2004

Synopsis

It is the first complete reference on the subject of Weightlifting training that bridges the gap between health science, medicine, and physical education. It is written by an author who is a physician, an engineer, and a weightlifter, with forty years of practical experience in training.

The book is intended to serve as a compendium of the following subjects: o Resistance training that is essential to the development of physical strength. o Pros and cons of the sports of Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, general weight training, and Weightlifting. o Education of all folks who are interested in advancing their physical strength, with special emphasis on children, women, and elderly people. The book presents diverse exercise plans, with exercise description, plan of managing daily, monthly, and annual load volume and intensity. o Elaborate personal tales of successful athletes who climbed to the top with persistent training, planning, and experimentation. Those are documented with photographs, tables, charts, and figures. o Scientific arguments on the benefits of structured exercise program for individual and public health advancement.

About this title

About the Author

Mohamed F. El-Hewie, born 1950 in Alexandria, Egypt. Awarded postdoctoral National Research Counsel awards 1986 and 1987, Ph.D. engineering (1983), medical doctor (M.B, CH.B.) 1981, M.Sc. engineering (1978), B.Sc. engineering (1974). Practiced Weightlifting for forty years.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1.1. RECOGNITION OF A FORGOTTEN SPORT

Weightlifting is becoming a well-structured field of knowledge that is forcing its way on modern everyday society. There are many reasons that make Weightlifting a superb method of resistance training and an adjunct to health and fitness, as follows.

1.1.1. RAPID EXPANSION OF URBANIZATION

Many people find it unbearable to endure the drastic weight-gain and muscular weakness as a result of diminished physical activity in today¡¦s urban and industrial communities. Yet, many others have succumbed to modern day diseases of obesity, hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and psychological stress. These maladies result, partially, from diminishing our metabolic ability to assimilate the food we consume, constructively. Most probably, such altered metabolism is a direct result of a decline in the activities of the many enzymatic complex, gene expression, and hormones that regulate every biochemical reaction in our cells. Alteration of the expression of our genetic moieties in response to lack of both constant and lengthy physical activity on daily basis, might explain the decline in our ability to maintain proper body composition. The ultimate effect of urbanized life style is the loss of muscle mass, diminished strength, and improper function of many of our vital organs. In other words, urbanization becomes a synonym for stagnation and ill health. Weightlifting offers a natural stimulus to rejuvenate the functions and conditions of our cells, tissues, organs, and systems.

1.1.2. INCREASED ACCESS TO MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE The new era of fast spread of information has contributed to the herd conviction regarding fitness as a ¡§PLUS¡¨ to health. Other cultures have based its conviction on heroic figures. Some view smoking as a manly habit of strength and toughness that is associated with soldiers smoking in times of battles, leaders smoking in dealing with crises, and scientists smoking when discussing complex intelligent endeavors. The constant change in herd conviction is even apparent on the highest level of the social hierarchy. In the 1940¡¦s, it was acceptable to photograph a president of a nation wearing formal uniform while fishing in his leisure time. Forty years later, presidential candidates would strive to appear in a modest athletic style, jogging, working out, or wearing casual sports outfit. Today, we see increase in gym attendance of both young and old women that was unheard of few decades ago.

1.1.3. INCREASED AFFORDABILITY OF STRENGTH TRAINING Strength training in the form of Weightlifting is becoming an affordable commodity on the personal level. The cost of buying a ticket to watch a baseball or a football game would suffice to pay the fees of an entire month in a modest health club. That, in addition to the added benefits of being in the center of the picture as a player, you are performing personal rituals, instead of being marginalized as a spectator in a frantic stadium. Closely meeting people and communicating with them in health clubs, away from the emotional drama of fanatic spectators, and the joy of using many amenities modern gyms provide; all make participation in health clubs a pleasant experience.

1.2. MYTHICAL THINKING AND SPORT

1.2.1. MYTHICAL THINKING AMONG ATHLETES

The myth of what is a ¡§plus¡¨ to health and what is not is still as vivid today as it was since the early times of our existence. Many athletes seek awkward ways to enhance their performance, even when it is evident that such ways are harmful to long-term health prospects. Anabolic steroids and many of the so called ¡§energy boosting¡¨ supplements are among few in the jungle of relentless search for mythical strength. Apparently, the main enforcer of mythical thinking is the conviction of the greater society of the plausibility of such ideas. You would not step into any gym without observing the common trends of mythical believes, vividly apparent to the casual observer, as follows.

ß You may notice the common practice of lifting weights to strengthen the part of the body that the person feels needs strengthening. For centuries, Weightlifters, farmers, factory workers, and household workers have long learned that performance of the whole body is the way to develop strength.

Edition details

• Publisher: Shaymaa Pub Corp
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0971958106
• ISBN 13: 9780971958104
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 543