A

em>Ade Rai is Indonesia’s most famous bodybuilder and a passionate advocate of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. As a big man with a lot to say, he enjoys going against stereotypes.

Every second week, he will be offering professional advice through his column.

Hi Ade,

I like to play badminton with my buddies at work. We usually play once or twice a week. Can I use weight training to improve my performance? I’ve heard people say weight training can make me muscle bound so that I won’t have the necessary agility and flexibility to perform well at certain sports. Is that true? Thank you.

D. Kurniawan

Hi Mr. Kurniawan,

Numerous studies have proven that weight training, or rather more aptly called resistance training, is a safe and effective way to improve many components of fitness like strength, speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, anaerobic endurance, flexibility and body composition. The only thing that resistance training is not very good at improving is aerobic endurance. So we can use resistance training to improve performance in almost every competitive sport.

Many legendary athletes like Michael Jordan, Oscar de la Hoya, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Lin Dan and even elite martial artists have included resistance training in their training programs.

So it is safe to say you can add resistance training to your exercise routine and expect to see some improvements in the way you play your favorite sport. Please keep in mind, if you are new to resistance training, please start out with light exercise focusing on controlling movements by making sure the targeted muscle groups are moving and doing most of the resistance.

The keys to building up one’s ability to control the weights are by performing all movements slowly without jerking or relying on momentum, and being generous with warm-ups. As a newcomer to resistance training, you can enjoy rapid results despite not being immaculate with your exercises and programs. Besides the rapid gains in many of the nine components of fitness, you also learn proper exercise techniques and the right amount of warm-ups to build up the quality of each workout.

Please keep in mind, although instinctively you want to improve certain areas of your badminton game by strengthening certain commonly used muscle groups, exercise scientists and Olympic coaches have recommended training less used muscle groups to develop balance and prevent injuries. It is important to use resistance-training as the essential foundational work for all sports before progressing to specific sporting needs.

Hi Ade Rai,

Are you holding any fitness events this year or do you have any books coming out soon? I am a fan and would love to come to one of your events. On a side note, do you have any tips on how to increase my biceps. Thank you.

Dayat

Hi Dayat,

Your question came just at the right time! I will be holding the Bandung Fitness Conference on Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Aston Tropicana Hotel in Bandung. Many expert speakers will be giving talks on fitness, exercise, nutrition and the proper mindset.

I will also be launching my newest books 101 Bakar Lemak (101 Fat-Loss) and, hopefully, 101 Natural Bodybuilding, both in Indonesian. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. and finishes off at 6 p.m. It is FREE. As seats are limited, please register by texting us your name (space) BFC2011 to 087877124242.

As to your biceps question, first and foremost you need to start making sure you warm up properly and start out with the curling exercises that allow you to move the heaviest weights that can be performed maximally for 8-12 repetitions. One group of these 8-12 repetitions is called one core set.

Make sure you do five-to-six core sets with about three-to-five minute rest between each core set. You can also separate these core sets into three different bicep movements, with each movement getting an equal share of two core sets. Typically, you would start with two warm-up sets and two core sets of barbell curls then move on to perform two core sets of alternate dumbbell curls and finish off with two core sets of barbell preacher curls.

Always maintain proper exercise form and make sure you take in enough quality foods for fuel prior to exercise (mainly complex and fibrous carbohydrates and some protein) and replenish after exercise (a simple carbohydrate drink or meal followed by a meal of vegetables and proteins).

Thank you for all your questions. Please keep them coming to my email at ask_aderai@yahoo.com. I will be more than happy to answer them for you. Stay strong and stay healthy!

Note: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. Suggestions provided are strictly individual and may not be suitable for others with similar conditions. Ade Rai and The Jakarta Post have exercised good faith in presenting the safest measures known at the time of writing. The writer and/or the Post do not assume responsibility for any injury or loss from the information presented in this column.