The Power of Magnesium

Normally supplemented (for different reasons, which we'll cover in a moment), in dosages up to 1000mg per day.

One use is to aid restful sleep. Famously, professional bodybuilders of the 70's and 80's performing double-splits (training twice in one day) would take 1000mg of Magnesium after a morning session to help them sleep deeply, in order to aid their recovery. My (GP) favorite bodybuilder of all time - Frank Zane - was an advocate of this. Many sports supplements manufacturers today have a product amongst their range containing a large dosage of Magnesium with instruction of supplementing before bedtime, normally coupled with Zinc and sometimes Boron. The calming effect of Magnesium supplementation means that it's often used to help with anxiety and insomnia, which can be caused through Magnesium deficiency.

Another common supplemental use of Magnesium, although more popular with endurance athletes, is to avoid muscle cramps. Again, Magnesium deficiency (most likely due to excessive sweating in an endurance endeavor) being a likely cause of muscle cramps and muscle twitches/ spasms. Other electrolytes - Calcium, Potassium and Sodium - are also important to replenish, hence the popularity of isotonic drinks for endurance events, but Magnesium can often be depleted first, due to a lesser amount being consumed within many diets. The late Dr. Mildred Seelig (a renowned researcher of Magnesium - you should be able to find her book on Amazon!) believed deficiency was wide spread amongst Western countries. There's many food sources (see some below) that provide good levels of Magnesium though. The reason for me typing this page tonight is that a running friend had mentioned yesterday that they'd started supplementing Magnesium and asked about food sources. My friend’s diet already contained almost all the sources I've listed below.

Two other more unlikely supplemental uses are firstly for a hangover, as alcohol depletes Magnesium levels. Try an isotonic drink after a night out - you'll feel far better! Secondly, in order to ease muscle cramps and sugar cravings. Again, cramps and low sugar levels being an indication of low levels of Magnesium.

Magnesium's functions also include formation of bone and teeth, where, along with calcium and phosphorus, Magnesium provides both structure and strength.

Food sources include: Wholegrain (bread & cereal), Dairy Products, Fish and other Seafood, Meat, Nuts.

For a wealth of free information on all things relating to nutrition & exercise - diet, supplements, weight training, fitness programs, gym workout routines, exercise diagrams, kinesiology, steroids, and far more besides - please visit the www.gymprofessor.com free on-line resource.

Free advice comes with our compliments,

GP

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Sport-Specific Gym Workout Routines

For those of you familiar with periodization, it's general practice to perform sport-specific gym workout routines & exercises in both the preparation and competitive phases of your meso training cycle. Below are a list of sample gym workout routines and relevant exercises that I (GP) have prepared for varying transitions in the past and are amongst the many featured in the top-selling book Gym Workouts - Maps to Success. As mentioned on many other posts, you should allow for sensible transitions between gym routines. Likewise, during these phases other supplementary training (such as cardiovascular & plyometrics) should follow similar transitions, therefore complimenting one another - with the goal of improving performance during competition (not the gym!). If you are unsure how to structure a periodization plan, please consider purchasing Gym Workouts - Maps to Success, which provides easy-to-use process maps with hundreds of gym workout routines for you to follow (whatever your ability, sport or goal). 

Sport-Specific Sample Gym Workout Routines:

NFL Football - Advanced Power Training Gym Workout 

Basketball - Circuit Training Gym Workout 

Boxing - Basic Endurance Gym Workout 

Ice Hockey - Intermediate Endurance Gym Workout 

MMA/ UFC - Intermediate Strength Training Gym Workout 

Rugby - Advanced Power Training Gym Workout 

Soccer - Basic Strength Training Gym Workout 

Sprinting (Track) - Intermediate Power Training Gym Workout 

Triathlon - Elite Endurance Gym Workout

GP

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Gym Workout Routine General Rules of Thumb

The sample gym workout routines provided on www.gymprofessor.com and within the new top-selling book (Gym Workouts - Maps to Success) take certain factors into consideration. Although there's many different ways you can train, you should consider these factors and follow the suggested general rules of thumb (listed below) when creating your own gym workouts & routines.

Exercise Choices
The exercise choices should be appropriate in relation to both the participant ability and goals. For example, a soccer player may perform exercises that mimic movements used on the pitch, whereas a strength athlete is likely to perform mainly compound exercises.

Exercise Order
Many muscle groups will work together to perform an exercise (whether in unison or other), it must be considered the roles that these muscle groups play and the subsequent order in which we perform exercises within our gym workouts. For example, as our core muscles (lower back & abs.) stabilize us during most exercises, ab. and lower back exercises should be performed at the end of a workout. The exercise diagrams listed on www.gymprofessor.com indicate the functions different muscles play during exercise, which will help toward designing your own gym workouts. 

Sets & Repetitions
Although some people are predisposed to be or look a certain way, thanks to their genetic make-up, our body still adapts to the stimulus we place upon it, thereby making it more efficient. So, in terms of sets & repetition ranges, these should be relative to our goals. For example, many would-be bodybuilders like to perform an infinite number of repetitions in order to feel a "pump". Given that this "pump" is lactic acid build-up, they are increasing the endurance capabilities of their muscles by attempting to lift the same weight for a longer duration each time. Their muscle will only adapt & grow if their weight training warrants it - frequently & consistently subjecting the muscles to a greater load (or greater control of that load!). The sample gym workout routines provided (online and in Gym Workouts - Maps to Success) suggest what I would call "sensible" set & repetition ranges. With the aforementioned in mind, you may also want to take note of the suggested working load (1 RM %) on the sample gym routines. 

Training Days
Avoid over-training, but, be aware that not training often enough will not bring about the desired physiological changes. Again, this subject is open to debate, but certain circumstances will indicate whether you are training too little or too much. For example, a common under-training mistake for a gym newbie to make is to revert immediately to a split gym routine, whereby they train a body part once a week. Their muscles ache for several days afterwords and yet the weights they're lifting remain the same. Why? They are not training frequently enough for their muscles to warrant adapting (growing) to cope with the load being lifted, therefore, each week they suffer the same muscle soreness and can only lift the same weight. In this instance, a greater frequency of training (perhaps each body part twice a week) and an increase of dietary protein would be advisable.

The above article has been taken from the book Gym Workouts - Maps to Success courtesy of the publisher: Gym Professor. This article, and the contents of the book, are subject to copyright. 

If you have found this article useful, please consider supporting the www.gymprofessor.com free gym advice resource by visiting our advertisers or purchasing our recommended books.

Best regards,

GP

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Free Gym Workouts & Gym Routines

Happy New Year!

I have added categories below for various gym workout routines that are likely to be of interest. These are sample gym workouts only. Your training should follow a gradual progression (as your planned season allows), with sensible transitions from one gym routine to another. I have covered more on periodization of training (& training transitions) amongst other newsletters and articles on the www.gymprofessor.com website and more comprehensively within the newly released book Gym Workouts - Maps to Success, which details sensible process maps to follow with your training & hundreds of gym workouts to follow.

Gym Workout Routines:
Toning Gym Workout Routines (for men)
Toning Gym Workouts (for women)
Endurance Gym Routines
Strength Gym Workouts
Circuit Training Workout Routines
Bodybuilding Gym Workouts  
Powerlifting Gym Routines

Over the next week, I hope to add a variety of sports-specific weight training gym workouts. When these have been uploaded, I'll post a quick newsletter advising. In the meantime, enjoy the remainder of your holidays & happy training this year!

GP

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The web's FREE gym advice resource!
W: http://www.gymprofessor.com/
B: http://gymprofessor.blogspot.com/
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