An Introduction to Strength training

[Disclaimer:  Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise.]

Strength training is defined as the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction to build endurance and strength.

A good strength training plan requires three steps:

1.       Fitness objectives

2.       Choosing the exercises

3.       Monitoring your progress

Fitness objective

Fitness objective will be typically based on increasing endurance or increasing strength, which is dictated by the sports or activities you are involved in. 

For example, if you are a long-distance runner, your fitness objective will be to increase endurance. Conversely, if you are a body-builder your fitness objective will be to increase strength.

Endurance is defined by your ability to perform muscular action for a prolonged period of time.

Strength is defined by your ability to perform muscular action against force.

Once you have decided on your fitness objective, the next step is choosing the right exercises.

Choosing the exercises

The exercises you choose should aim at a full body workout with a focus on specific areas. For example, I run and therefore try to focus on exercises for my lower body that build endurance.

You could also want to focus on a part of your body purely for aesthetics. For example, a lot of men focus on their upper body because they want a physique that looks visibly muscular. 

So what does a strength training exercise look like? Let’s use the example of a bicep curl using a dumbbell as resistance. The weight of the dumbbell would depend on your fitness level, start with a weight that lets you ensure good form i.e. performing the exercise correctly.

 

If you are aiming for endurance, do 20 - 25 repetitions twice or in 2 sets.

If you are aiming for strength, do 8 -12 repetitions thrice or in 3 sets.

An exercise focused on endurance will involve more repetitions done in fewer sets and lighter weights versus an exercise focused on strength will involve fewer repetitions done in more sets and heavier weights.

Monitoring your progress

Once you have a plan in place, ensure you monitor your progress as follows:

Always keep good form otherwise all that time exercising is useless – consult a personal trainer if you are not sure.

Challenge the muscle by periodically increasing the weight as you become stronger.

Listen to your body – you know best how your body feels when you feel good. If you are exercising and feel something is wrong - stop, see your doctor or take a break.

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How hygienic are New York City restaurants?

I am sure most of you have noticed letter grades in front of eating establishments  around NYC that are a result of an inspection done by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

I think it is important to know what they mean since they are an indicator of the hygiene and sanitation levels of the restaurant. Some of you may not care about the conditions the food is prepared in but for those that do, here is a quick review of what to watch out for.

One of three grades can be assigned to the restaurant: “A”, “B” or “C”. However I consider “Grade Pending” the fourth category - read on and you will see why.

• Grade “A”: Highest grade by the Health department, i.e. safe to eat. Note that this means that the restaurant scored  0 - 13 violation points so they are not perfect.

• Grade “B”: I personally world not eat here unless there is absolutely no other alternative, which is rare since this is NYC we are talking about. The restaurant scored 14 – 27 violation points.  

• Grade “C”: Rarely seen and I would not touch any place that received this grade with a ten-foot pole. 28 or more violation points! - enough said.

• “Grade Pending”: This means that the restaurant is contesting the grade assigned to them (probably received a “B” or “C”). I would consider the worst case scenario i.e. “C” and completely avoid the restaurant.

The grades of all inspected restaurants can be viewed on the Health department’s website. They recently introduced a handy iphone and ipad app as well.

If you would like to read more about the inspection process, go here.

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A day in the life of a commuting female student in Delhi

Delhi or at least women in Delhi have  reached the tipping point of dealing with patriarchy and its resulting barbaric attitudes towards women. I do not live in New Delhi anymore but a few days ago I had a very vivid nightmare about walking through a stretch of land in a salwar kameez and feeling immense panic as I try to avoid the leers from Indian men. The events of the past couple of months have rattled my head and  I cannot begin to imagine how the women currently living in New Delhi must feel.

I spent a year in Delhi University in 1998-99 in one of the women-only colleges. The trek to the bus stop was a good 10 minute walk through a barren stretch of road. All the girls in the college were advised to walk in groups to ensure safety in numbers. I remember a few instances when I walked to the bus-stop by myself, sprinting to make it there so that I am not alone on that ominously empty road for too long. 

What do you get when you reach the bus stop?  - leers from the men on that continue even when you board the bus. If the bus is crowded, you would have to patiently wait (in Delhi heat) for the next less-crowded one because entering a crowded bus will most certainly subject you to molestation by some of the men on the bus. Also, you know how everyone tells you to cover up when you are on the bus? Trust me, it does not make a difference, you could be clothed in a burkha and you will still get molested. Eventually after a few months of this crap, a few of us got together to carpool or share an auto-rickshaw. Unfortunately, not all women have the choice to stop taking the bus.

Sadly, the scenario I have described is a mild version of the commute that a lot of women in Delhi had to deal with 14 years ago. What are the women in Delhi going though today, every single day?

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