Active Muscle Control the Male Quest

Men traditionally enjoy physical exercise that buffs the muscles in their arms, back and legs. Muscles consist of 80 percent water and most of the rest is protein and about ½ of our body weight is muscle. There are three types of muscles: (1) The Voluntary muscles move our body when we will them to move, (2) The Involuntary muscles working inside our body without our direct control, and (3) The Myocardium is our heart muscle. Even when we are resting, our muscles are at work responding to the nerve impulses sent by our autonomic nervous system Nerve impulses travel and trigger a chain reaction directing our actions and reactions, but there is a lag between when we feel something cold and when we move our hand off, because of the travel time it takes for the nerve impulse in the hand to get to the brain and back to ignite the hand to make the muscles contract. To make this nerve ignite requires energy from the muscle. Muscle energy or contraction produces heat. That heat helps the body regulate temperature. Every form of activity helps enlarge the muscles individual cells, and maintain the health of our rigid muscles. It could be a simple walk in the park, a game of golf, a workout in the gym, or playing shuffleboard.

Engaging active muscle control of the back by using postural exercises is a good idea for strength and prevention. Postural exercises should be done twice a day to help the body learn to lift itself in the line of gravity. (1) When standing contract abdomen and buttocks and put head upward for 10 second hold. (2) Lean backward, raise your head, bring shoulder blades close together while sitting erect and clasp arms behind your back and hold for 10 seconds. (3) Lie face down on the floor with arms at you side, contract abs and buttock and bring shoulders together and hold for 10 seconds. Having active voluntary muscle control is the key to muscle restoration and maintenance.

Active muscle control of the arm, neck and hand muscles can be done with inexpensive household items. Holding onto the ends of a yardstick, broomstick or pipe and holding the yardstick above the head and moving it back and forth from the front to back of the neck is a very effective exercise to loosen shoulders and neck. Squeezing a rubber or sponge ball while watching TV or reading the newspaper is effective finger exercise. Buttoning, zipping, typing, and picking up small coins on a counter will improve finger dexterity and coordination. Pretending your arms are walking up the wall help to strengthen the arm muscles.

Active muscle control of the legs can be as simple as walking on tiptoes, goose-stepping, running, jogging, suspending your legs and pretending to ride a bike or adding sandbags or other types of lightweight (up to 10 lbs) to the legs while exercising to increase stamina. There are many types of equipment available to add a challenge to specific muscular movements of the legs and thereby improve the range and effectiveness of the muscle.

Improving muscle control with weight training equipment is usually done in a gym. Equipment can include: dumb bells, wall pulleys, over head pulleys, neck traction devices, electrical exercise cycles and rowing machines, whirlpool baths and punching bags. Weight training has always been a big favorite with men, but whatever form of exercise is chosen, consistency is the key to continue to maintain active muscular strength and control. Having a coach is a good idea as lifting weights can be dangerous if someone is not there to help you in case "you bite off more weight, than you can chew." Exercise with a pal or trainer.

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