I don’t generally recommend doing weight training in a fasted state first thing in the morning. It’s a good idea to have a light snack before a workout (something with glucose: some raisins, a protein bar, apple, etc). Even worse: eating nothing, then drinking water during weight training. That’s a recipe for nausea.

Ever since I first discovered bodybuilding in 1992, I’ve been amazed at how lifting weights truly grounds me. It’s kind of similar to what my friends say about yoga or meditation: it brings me a sense of clarity and peace.

In an eastern sense, my “western” weight room is my dojo; the weights are my sensei. Students of karate or meditation may relate to encounter some of the same lessons I’ve learned in my western dojo:

Enter only when you’re ready. Lifting weights is hard work, and doing it properly requires focus and discipline. Anything less, and at best you’ll have a lousy workout. At worst, you’ll thoroughly embarrass yourself or die. Enter the dojo only when you are 100 percent ready to give it your all—including your mental concentration.

Leave the Blackberry behind. The dojo is no place for texting.

Be in flow. During a hard, effective set, I feel a certain unawareness of the activity around me. Musicians, actors and athletes call it being in the “zone.” Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, a Croatian born psychologist and author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience defines being “in flow” using the following characteristics:

1. Concentration and focus: a high degree of concentration with a limited field of attention (you will have the opportunity to focus, and to delve deeply into it).
2. A loss of self-consciousness.
3. A distorted sense of time: (your subjective experience of time is altered).
4. Direct and immediate feedback (success and failure in the course of the activity are apparent, so that your behavior can be adjusted as needed).
5. The activity is neither too easy nor too difficult (challenge and ability level are balanced).
6. A sense of personal control over the situation or activity.
7. The activity is intrinsically rewarding, so there’s an effortlessness of action.
8. You become absorbed in the activity, and focus of awareness is narrowed down to the activity itself.

Do it for the sake of. When you’re in the gym, remember: this is all for you, so make the time in the dojo your own. You’re not there to impress your trainer, your spouse, or other gym goers. Do it because you choose to.

Clean up after yourself. After a workout, dojo trainees conduct a ritual cleaning of the space. This reinforces the fact that aside from the obvious hygenic benefits, the dojo are supposed to be supported and managed by the students themselves, not the instructors. So pick up that spray bottle and wipe down your equipment. It’s just good karma.

WITH ITS ORIGINS IN YOGA, THE “SIDE PLANK” is a great way to build core stability and upper body strength. It’s easy enough for a beginner, but can be modified for even the most seasoned athlete. Great if you travel, ’cause it can be done anywhere. You need no special equipment.

>>the name originates from the position of the body, resembling a “plank” laid on its side.

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WITH ORIGINS IN YOGA, THE “FORWARD BRIDGE” or “PLANK” is an excellent exercise for building core strength. It’s mild enough for a beginner, and hard enough for even an advanced athlete. The best part? It can be done anywhere—you need no special equipment.

The name for this exercise originates from the position of the body, which looks like a “bridge” or “plank.”

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THE “FARMER’S WALK” IS A CLASSIC BODYBUILDING LIFT and one of my favorites. It will create tremendous size and strength in your forearms, as well as overall power and strength.

>The name for this exercise originates from the close resemblance to farmers carrying heavy buckets of slop or milk great distances.

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Hey Sam. I’m a 32-year-old guy and I lift weights three days a week. Last week I heard that there a link between weightlifting and glaucoma. Is this true? —JV, West Hollywood

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Lifting weights can increase lean body mass (LBM) which has numerous beneficial effects, including (for men) greater testosterone output and more energy. When beginning a weight training program, it’s especially important to pace yourself. Choose weights that you can manage for three sets of 10-15 repetitions. When you’re able to lift this weight, and this many repetitions for two consecutive workouts (with proper form) then you can safely increase the weight. An increase of 5-10% of the total weight will continue to provide you with an appropriately challenging workout without being too heavy.

When lifting weights, make sure you listen to the signals your body is giving you. Pay attention to how each rep makes your muscles feel. In general, a burning sensation is normal, but sharp pain is not. If you begin to feel very fatigued, then stop and rest. It’s important to allow your body three minutes of rest between each set.

Sometimes people become nauseas or dizzy while weight lifting. This isn’t uncommon. During exercise, blood flow patterns change. Much of the blood, which usually goes to serve your brain and stomach, is moved to the muscles you’re working. If you feel nauseas, hypoglycemic, exhausted, or dizzy: Stop and rest until the feeling subsides. One easy remedy is to lay on the ground with your legs elevated against a wall. This helps your heart move your blood throughout the body.