Six-Pack Abs Muscle Building Program
Before we get into the exercises, let’s get one thing straight. If you have a layer of fat around your midsection then you’ll never see your abs. You could have the best six-pack in the world, but no one will ever know it if it’s obscured by fat. If this is the situation you’re in, you need to first focus on losing fat by cleaning-up your nutrition and getting on a solid muscle building program.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s get to some ab-ripping exercises!
Exercise #1: V-ups
Lie on your back on a semi-soft surface. A thin mat on a hard floor works well. Straighten your legs and raise your arms overhead. With your knees straight, raise your feet a few inches off the floor. This is your starting position.
From this position you are going to simultaneously raise your legs up and sit up with your upper body. This is basically a combination of a leg raise and a crunch. In the top position you should touch your toes with your fingertips, or at least come very close.
From this position you reverse the motion and go back to the starting position. Remember that in the starting position your feet are off the floor. This keeps constant tension on the muscles, making this exercise even more effective.
Exercise #2: Hanging Knee Raises
You’ll need a chin-up bar or other object you can hold on to without your feet touching the floor. Your starting position is simply hanging from the bar with your arms straight.
From this position, bend the knees and bring them up towards your chest. You want to bring your knees as high as possible. In fact, if you are strong enough you should curl up into a ball by leaning back slightly and bringing the knees up as high as possible.
Don’t make the mistake I see most people in the gym making. Most people bring the knees up and then stop when the thighs are parallel to the floor. If you do it this way you only get about 10% of the benefit from the exercise!
When you get really advanced you can do these with the knees straight. From the starting position you raise your feet up all the way until they touch the chin-up bar. You should see the looks you get at the gym when you do these!
Exercise #3: Ab Wheel Rollouts
Remember those “ab rollers” that used to be on all the late-night infomercials? Well, these were just knock-offs of the old school ab wheel you can buy for $10 at any fitness store. If you haven’t seen this before it just looks like a small wheel with a stick through it. If you can’t find one of these, you can simply use a bar with a plate on each side.
Kneel on the floor with the ab wheel in front of you. Hold on to the handles and put the wheel on the floor directly in front you. From here you simply roll the wheel out as far away from you as possible.
The key here is to make sure you don’t roll-out so far that your back arches. If your abs aren’t very strong then you won’t be able to roll-out very far without this occurring. This puts all the stress on your lower back and off of your abs. This is dangerous and ineffective. Only go as far as your current abilities will allow you to maintain the proper position.
When this becomes easy, you can move on to the super-advanced version. For this version you stand on your feet and bend-over to hold the handles of the ab wheel. From this position you roll-out as far as possible. This is much more difficult from the kneeling version.
Summary
These exercises should be complimented by a well-designed muscle building program for the entire body. Remember that one exercise isn’t the answer to achieving your goals. A complimentary training and nutrition program must be designed with your goals in mind. Get more information on muscle building programs for the abs and a FREE muscle building report on “The 13 Reasons You Suck at Gaining Muscle.”
by TONY SCHWARTZ
Six-Pack Abs Muscle Building Program
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Strength And Stamina Exercise Equipment
Strength And Stamina Exercise Equipment
Finding the best strength building and stamina exercise equipment is a little easier than cardio equipment. In many cases, strength training will help maintain cardio as well.
Strength building and stamina exercise equipment can include weight machines, Bowflex machines, free weights and a few other methods as well.
Free Weights
Free weights are arguably the best way to increase muscle mass and build strength. Weights can be used on their own or with dumbbells and barbells.
Free weights allow you to focus on building strength and stamina in separate areas of your body.
Weight Machines
Weight machines are another popular way of increasing strength. They have a few advantages over free weights in that they are much easier to use, do not require a spotter and are safer to use.
Weight machines have a pin that you place in the weight stack that allows you to select the amount of weight that is right for you. Other Strength And Stamina Equipment
When it comes to building strength and stamina, exercise equipment is not the only way to do it. Pull up bars can build biceps and triceps as well as any piece of equipment. Even simple push ups will increase strength. Bowflex
Resistance exercise equipment such as Bowflex is also very good at building strength. It provides a very quick, efficient workout without weights. You can read much more about Bowflex elsewhere on our website.
by FRANCIS ADAM
Strength And Stamina Exercise Equipment
Finding the best strength building and stamina exercise equipment is a little easier than cardio equipment. In many cases, strength training will help maintain cardio as well.
Strength building and stamina exercise equipment can include weight machines, Bowflex machines, free weights and a few other methods as well.
Free Weights
Free weights are arguably the best way to increase muscle mass and build strength. Weights can be used on their own or with dumbbells and barbells.
Free weights allow you to focus on building strength and stamina in separate areas of your body.
Weight Machines
Weight machines are another popular way of increasing strength. They have a few advantages over free weights in that they are much easier to use, do not require a spotter and are safer to use.
Weight machines have a pin that you place in the weight stack that allows you to select the amount of weight that is right for you. Other Strength And Stamina Equipment
When it comes to building strength and stamina, exercise equipment is not the only way to do it. Pull up bars can build biceps and triceps as well as any piece of equipment. Even simple push ups will increase strength. Bowflex
Resistance exercise equipment such as Bowflex is also very good at building strength. It provides a very quick, efficient workout without weights. You can read much more about Bowflex elsewhere on our website.
by FRANCIS ADAM
Strength And Stamina Exercise Equipment
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Exercise At Home Or Gym
Exercise At Home Or Gym
Making the decision of where you will go to exercise
is a very important step in reaching your goals of fitness. A lot of factors will go into this decision, and each one should be evaluated well before you start exercising. Once you have made a decision on where you will go to exercise, you can move on to deciding how you plan to work out. As you probably know, exercising at home has many advantages. The finance department is one of the best advantages. With the gas prices being what they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on your vehicle by choosing to exercise at home. Memberships to a gym can often be quite expensive and may include other things that you don't need such as child care or swimming pools. You also won't need to be concerned about the latest trends of exercise gear as you most likely will be exercising by yourself at home. Keep in mind that working out at home does require a bit of financial obligation. Even though you may plan to run, it is very important that you have high quality running shoes. This statment applies to any type of equipment that you may purchase to use at home. If you go out and buy cheap equipment, you'll probably end up getting hurt or getting frustrated because you aren't making any progress. Along with the financial gains, exercising at home may also help those who don't like to work out in public. If you are worried about how you look in gym clothes, it is very comforting to know that the only person who has to be with you when you exercise at home is you. Also, when you exercise at home, you don't need to worry about time at all. Those of you who are motivated by being with people you know or come to know while working out away from home, a gym may be a better idea than working out at home. At the gym, you'll also have more of a selection of equipment as well, far more than you'll have at home. If you need other services than just weights and equipment, the gym may have just what you need. If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need to prepare yourself. Swimming is also a great exercise for your body and cardio, as it will work muscles in your body that you probably didn't even know you had. Gyms will also offer you classes that you may find very motivating. If you attend class on a regular basis, you may be motivated enough to continue so you don't have to defend yourself when asked where you've been or what you have been doing. You can also meet new people in class, or just help others along if you choose. All in all, making the choice of exercising at home or at the gym is a choice you should make based on your goals and personal preference. The most important decision you'll need to make is to determine what type of environment you want to be in and how you want to accomplish the fitness goals in your life. Once you have given it some thought and weighed out the pros and cons, you'll have no problem making the choice. Always keep in mind that once you've made your choice, you can always switch if you aren't happy with the choice you made.
by GRAHAM SCARISBRICK
Exercise At Home Or Gym
Making the decision of where you will go to exercise
is a very important step in reaching your goals of fitness. A lot of factors will go into this decision, and each one should be evaluated well before you start exercising. Once you have made a decision on where you will go to exercise, you can move on to deciding how you plan to work out. As you probably know, exercising at home has many advantages. The finance department is one of the best advantages. With the gas prices being what they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on your vehicle by choosing to exercise at home. Memberships to a gym can often be quite expensive and may include other things that you don't need such as child care or swimming pools. You also won't need to be concerned about the latest trends of exercise gear as you most likely will be exercising by yourself at home. Keep in mind that working out at home does require a bit of financial obligation. Even though you may plan to run, it is very important that you have high quality running shoes. This statment applies to any type of equipment that you may purchase to use at home. If you go out and buy cheap equipment, you'll probably end up getting hurt or getting frustrated because you aren't making any progress. Along with the financial gains, exercising at home may also help those who don't like to work out in public. If you are worried about how you look in gym clothes, it is very comforting to know that the only person who has to be with you when you exercise at home is you. Also, when you exercise at home, you don't need to worry about time at all. Those of you who are motivated by being with people you know or come to know while working out away from home, a gym may be a better idea than working out at home. At the gym, you'll also have more of a selection of equipment as well, far more than you'll have at home. If you need other services than just weights and equipment, the gym may have just what you need. If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need to prepare yourself. Swimming is also a great exercise for your body and cardio, as it will work muscles in your body that you probably didn't even know you had. Gyms will also offer you classes that you may find very motivating. If you attend class on a regular basis, you may be motivated enough to continue so you don't have to defend yourself when asked where you've been or what you have been doing. You can also meet new people in class, or just help others along if you choose. All in all, making the choice of exercising at home or at the gym is a choice you should make based on your goals and personal preference. The most important decision you'll need to make is to determine what type of environment you want to be in and how you want to accomplish the fitness goals in your life. Once you have given it some thought and weighed out the pros and cons, you'll have no problem making the choice. Always keep in mind that once you've made your choice, you can always switch if you aren't happy with the choice you made.
by GRAHAM SCARISBRICK
Exercise At Home Or Gym
Saturday, 14 July 2007
Dumbbells - a leading way to fitness
Dumbbells - a leading way to fitness
Smartness and god looks are today’s need of the hour. It can be said that the era is of strong and healthy people. It has been stated that healthy or fit people are the ones who can give their best to every task that they undertake. A lot many kinds of exercises are undertaken in order to get good health and remain healthy. Some exercises like running or walking or yogic exercises are mostly done without any appliances or equipments but special exercises like the target exercises require equipments. The exercise in which an individual wants to target some specific part of the body often requires special exercising equipments
Dumbbells are one of the commonly found exercising equipments. It can even become a part of your home gym. Due to handy size dumbbells can easily become a part of your home gym. You can do exercises with you dumbbells while hearing and enjoying music. Dumbbells act as one of the most renowned equipments to reduce fat and gaining muscles. The more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest - it's a fact about dumbbells. Dumbbells and dumbbell sets are extremely versatile and one of the best investments you can make for your body. From shoulder presses to dead lifts, dumbbell workouts and dumbbell exercise can be used for both the upper body and lower body to strengthen all your muscle groups. There are many kinds of dumbbells to name a few are Pro-Style Dumbbells, Compact Dumbbells, Hex Dumbbells, Rubber Dumbbells, Chrome Dumbbells, Solid Steel Dumbbells, Neoprene and Vinyl Dumbbells.
There are a number of dumbbell exercises that can be done which are helpful in attaining fitness in true meaning. Hence, dumbbells act as a leading way to attain fitness. It is important to have a guide always with you so that there remains minimum room for injuries or any kind of negative experience.
by JOHN PARKER
Dumbbells - a leading way to fitness
Smartness and god looks are today’s need of the hour. It can be said that the era is of strong and healthy people. It has been stated that healthy or fit people are the ones who can give their best to every task that they undertake. A lot many kinds of exercises are undertaken in order to get good health and remain healthy. Some exercises like running or walking or yogic exercises are mostly done without any appliances or equipments but special exercises like the target exercises require equipments. The exercise in which an individual wants to target some specific part of the body often requires special exercising equipments
Dumbbells are one of the commonly found exercising equipments. It can even become a part of your home gym. Due to handy size dumbbells can easily become a part of your home gym. You can do exercises with you dumbbells while hearing and enjoying music. Dumbbells act as one of the most renowned equipments to reduce fat and gaining muscles. The more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest - it's a fact about dumbbells. Dumbbells and dumbbell sets are extremely versatile and one of the best investments you can make for your body. From shoulder presses to dead lifts, dumbbell workouts and dumbbell exercise can be used for both the upper body and lower body to strengthen all your muscle groups. There are many kinds of dumbbells to name a few are Pro-Style Dumbbells, Compact Dumbbells, Hex Dumbbells, Rubber Dumbbells, Chrome Dumbbells, Solid Steel Dumbbells, Neoprene and Vinyl Dumbbells.
There are a number of dumbbell exercises that can be done which are helpful in attaining fitness in true meaning. Hence, dumbbells act as a leading way to attain fitness. It is important to have a guide always with you so that there remains minimum room for injuries or any kind of negative experience.
by JOHN PARKER
Dumbbells - a leading way to fitness
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Butt exercises
Butt exercises
If your goal is toning your gluteal muscles there are several butt exercise to achieve the desired results. Working your gluteal muscles, as with any other muscle can make them toner, and more beautiful. Whether you want to take inches off and tone or turn a flat tush into a nice round one these exercises can do the trick. The gluteal muscles are the center of the body. It helps with your balance because it is the biggest muscle in the body. Butt exercises provides lower body strength for lifting as well as other movements such as pedaling a bicycle. If your goal is a bigger butt then add more weight and do less reps. These butt exercises will definitely add quality muscle to your rear. If your goal is toning then light or no weight is the key. This will firm what you have plus burn the fat off.
Butt exercise 1 Standing kickback with no weights
Stand facing a walk, lightly holding on with your hands for balance. Lean slightly forward so that your whole body is in a straight line. Shift your weight onto your left leg. Slowly raise your right leg as far behind you as you can, feeling the contraction in your butt. Your knee should be slightly bent. Don’t arch your back or over extend yourself. Hold on for a second, then slowly lower your leg. Finish the set, then switch to your left leg.
Butt exercise 2 Duck squat with dumbbell
With your feet farther than shoulder-width apart, your knees unlocked, and your toes pointing out, hold a dumbbell by the end, using both hands with your arms extended. Your chest should be out, your shoulders back, your abs tight, and your back straight. Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight ahead. There will be a slight forward lean to your upper body, which is natural. Slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Don’t bounce, and don’t let your knees turn in. Hold for second. Then, keeping your feet flat on the floor, rise slowly with your hips slightly forward and your abs tight.
Butt exercise 3 Kneeling Kickback
Get down on your hands and knees. Keeping your right knee slightly bent slowly raise you right leg behind you until your thigh is parallel to your torso. Hold for a second, then slowly return almost to the starting position. Immediately raise your leg again before it touches the floor. Finish the set then switch legs.
Butt exercise 4 Alternation Lunge
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands on you hips. Keep your upper body uright and your head in line with your spine. Take a long step forward with your right foot. Plant that foot firmly on the floor an bend your knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Don’t let your right knee extend past your right foot. Your left leg should be extended behind you, the knee slightly bent and the heel raised. Immediately step back with your right foot, pressing your left heel to the ground. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Repeat the exercise with your left foot. That makes one repetition.
I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years. This includes the study of kinesiology at the University of Alabama. You may visit Fitness website for additional questions.
by CLINTON WALKER
Butt exercises
If your goal is toning your gluteal muscles there are several butt exercise to achieve the desired results. Working your gluteal muscles, as with any other muscle can make them toner, and more beautiful. Whether you want to take inches off and tone or turn a flat tush into a nice round one these exercises can do the trick. The gluteal muscles are the center of the body. It helps with your balance because it is the biggest muscle in the body. Butt exercises provides lower body strength for lifting as well as other movements such as pedaling a bicycle. If your goal is a bigger butt then add more weight and do less reps. These butt exercises will definitely add quality muscle to your rear. If your goal is toning then light or no weight is the key. This will firm what you have plus burn the fat off.
Butt exercise 1 Standing kickback with no weights
Stand facing a walk, lightly holding on with your hands for balance. Lean slightly forward so that your whole body is in a straight line. Shift your weight onto your left leg. Slowly raise your right leg as far behind you as you can, feeling the contraction in your butt. Your knee should be slightly bent. Don’t arch your back or over extend yourself. Hold on for a second, then slowly lower your leg. Finish the set, then switch to your left leg.
Butt exercise 2 Duck squat with dumbbell
With your feet farther than shoulder-width apart, your knees unlocked, and your toes pointing out, hold a dumbbell by the end, using both hands with your arms extended. Your chest should be out, your shoulders back, your abs tight, and your back straight. Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight ahead. There will be a slight forward lean to your upper body, which is natural. Slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Don’t bounce, and don’t let your knees turn in. Hold for second. Then, keeping your feet flat on the floor, rise slowly with your hips slightly forward and your abs tight.
Butt exercise 3 Kneeling Kickback
Get down on your hands and knees. Keeping your right knee slightly bent slowly raise you right leg behind you until your thigh is parallel to your torso. Hold for a second, then slowly return almost to the starting position. Immediately raise your leg again before it touches the floor. Finish the set then switch legs.
Butt exercise 4 Alternation Lunge
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands on you hips. Keep your upper body uright and your head in line with your spine. Take a long step forward with your right foot. Plant that foot firmly on the floor an bend your knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Don’t let your right knee extend past your right foot. Your left leg should be extended behind you, the knee slightly bent and the heel raised. Immediately step back with your right foot, pressing your left heel to the ground. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Repeat the exercise with your left foot. That makes one repetition.
I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years. This includes the study of kinesiology at the University of Alabama. You may visit Fitness website for additional questions.
by CLINTON WALKER
Butt exercises
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Treadmill Buying: How To Read Treadmill Reviews And Compare Treadmills?
Any number of treadmill comparisons can be found on the Internet and elsewhere, but none of them can really be of much help if you wish to depend upon them to pick your next treadmill or the first one. For, you have to depend upon your own comparison to ensure that you get a machine that is best suited to your purpose and does not compel you to expand your budget even a small bit.
By saying this, I do not intend that there are no good treadmill reviews or consumer reports available. There certain are, but you still have to make your own comparisons because your requirements are your own and it is only you who could decide whether or not a treadmill can be a part of the health scheme you have designed for yourself.
The first thing that needs to be considered is the motor of the treadmill. A treadmill is as good as its motor. This is the heart of the treadmill and also its soul. Consider it very carefully because it is not only the most important part but also the most expensive part of a treadmill.
You need to compare the size and quality of the motor in a treadmill. Once you are satisfied with it, compare the power it could generate. Find out how much of horsepower could the motor supply at peak duty as well as at continuous duty. Peak duty means the maximum power generated by the machine for a short duration of time while continuous horsepower means the amount of power the machine can consistently manage.
While buying a treadmill you should consider the continuous duty instead of the peak duty. If you want to use the machine for running, it is around 2.0 HP to 2.5 HP of continuous duty that you would need. But if you just want to have walk, around 1.0 HP to 1.5 HP should be sufficient.
After the motor, it is the speed that you must consider. A speed of around 10 miles per hour is enough for seasoned athletes. Running surface is also an important aspect of a treadmill, and you decide on this according to your height and overall physical structure. Do not compromise on the running surface because nothing is more bothersome than “not having enough space to run.”
Also consider the incline facility in a treadmill. This feature is there to make your walk or run harder by elevating the surface because one cannot run faster than a certain speed. The only way out is to elevate the surface. Consider how smoothly the elevation of the surface takes place. Most of the machines that come with this facility provide ample incline.
Last comes, the control panel. Now, this part can provide you the feedback regarding the number of calories burnt; the speed at which you ran and the distance you covered. These are not indispensable part of the machine and should be given at least the little importance. A carefully purchased treadmill would be a part of your exercise regimen for a very long time. So, make a wise decision after considering all the aspects.
by KANISHK MANCHANDA
By saying this, I do not intend that there are no good treadmill reviews or consumer reports available. There certain are, but you still have to make your own comparisons because your requirements are your own and it is only you who could decide whether or not a treadmill can be a part of the health scheme you have designed for yourself.
The first thing that needs to be considered is the motor of the treadmill. A treadmill is as good as its motor. This is the heart of the treadmill and also its soul. Consider it very carefully because it is not only the most important part but also the most expensive part of a treadmill.
You need to compare the size and quality of the motor in a treadmill. Once you are satisfied with it, compare the power it could generate. Find out how much of horsepower could the motor supply at peak duty as well as at continuous duty. Peak duty means the maximum power generated by the machine for a short duration of time while continuous horsepower means the amount of power the machine can consistently manage.
While buying a treadmill you should consider the continuous duty instead of the peak duty. If you want to use the machine for running, it is around 2.0 HP to 2.5 HP of continuous duty that you would need. But if you just want to have walk, around 1.0 HP to 1.5 HP should be sufficient.
After the motor, it is the speed that you must consider. A speed of around 10 miles per hour is enough for seasoned athletes. Running surface is also an important aspect of a treadmill, and you decide on this according to your height and overall physical structure. Do not compromise on the running surface because nothing is more bothersome than “not having enough space to run.”
Also consider the incline facility in a treadmill. This feature is there to make your walk or run harder by elevating the surface because one cannot run faster than a certain speed. The only way out is to elevate the surface. Consider how smoothly the elevation of the surface takes place. Most of the machines that come with this facility provide ample incline.
Last comes, the control panel. Now, this part can provide you the feedback regarding the number of calories burnt; the speed at which you ran and the distance you covered. These are not indispensable part of the machine and should be given at least the little importance. A carefully purchased treadmill would be a part of your exercise regimen for a very long time. So, make a wise decision after considering all the aspects.
by KANISHK MANCHANDA
Thursday, 31 May 2007
Advanced Workout: Sets & Reps
After you have figured out your form and become more than a beginner, it’s time to re-vamp your routine. The number of sets and repetitions (reps) may be considered more important than the exercises being performed. In the avenue of bodybuilding there is a variety of routines that can be effective. Effectiveness of a routine usually lies in the ability of your workout to put as much strain on a muscle without over working it. This is done much easier when keeping most of the factors in a workout constant and only making one change. This leads to the explanation on how to choose the number of sets and reps to do and how it affects your muscles. The goal of bodybuilding is to increase size and mass of a muscle. This means every set is going to be to what is called muscle failure (except the warm up). Muscle failure being the point at which you can’t move the weight anymore. Having a spotter is essential for this type of workout. For the most part the reps are going to stay consistent, meaning the variable is the number of sets. The ideal number of times your muscle needs to go to failure per exercise is four. Meaning four sets per exercise. For the purpose of this article it’s assumed that there is a proper warm up and stretching before the first four sets. The next step is to determine the number of reps per set. Each set will be to failure so technically you don’t need a number of reps to do because you are going to push the weight until you can’t anymore. This means the proper amount of weight is more important. Rather than trying to complete a certain number of reps, use an amount t of weight to hit a target range of reps. The first set’s range is 10-12. This means you want to stack enough a weight so that your muscles need to stop at 10 or 11 reps. If you can do 12 that’s ok. If you can do more than 12 you need to increase the weight. If you can’t do 10, you need to decrease the weight. The second set’s range is 8-10. The third and fourth set’s range is 6-8. The only factor left is the number of sets to do per exercise. You want to do between 12 and 20 sets per muscle. This is 3-5 exercises per muscle. In all honestly doing less than 4 exercises (16 sets) will be significantly less effective. At first glance it looks like 3 muscles would be 60 sets, which would take hours. Remember though some exercises use more than one muscle. For example 4 sets of chest press would go toward your chest sets and your triceps sets. You still want to isolate muscles when possibly. This helps track muscles so you don’t overwork them. Certain muscles can be worked as secondary muscles and primary muscles on different days. For example the biceps have a fast recovery. A lot of back exercises involve the biceps. You can work back on one day and then isolate biceps on the next day and that muscle should be able to take the extra strain. Learn your muscles to find out the right range for you. Find your body type and work with it to build massive lean muscle. Use the range suggestions for sets to fit a number of sets to each of your muscles. Because of the way your muscles are used in your body, you shouldn’t need to change the number of reps or sets you do unless your goals change. For the most part once your body adjusts to your new workout you will only need to change the actually exercises you do. This will work the muscles from different angles activating dormant muscle fiber, while still pushing them to failure so that you can gain the maximum amount of muscle.
by TOM BISHOP
by TOM BISHOP
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Dieting doesn't cure cellulite
An estimate 85% of women are plagued by cellulite, and new research from the US has shown weight loss isn't always the solution for orange-peel thighs. The study showed that most women's cellulite improved with weight loss, but that is worsened for some.Women who saw the biggest improvements were those who lost the largest amounts of weight and lowered their percentage of thigh fat. Women whose cellulite worsened, started with a singnificantly lower BMI, lost smaller amounts of weight and had no change in percentage of thigh fat.Regular exercise and balance diet and daily dry skin brushing are still your best defence against those dimples!
by JIRI KADERABEK
by JIRI KADERABEK
Home fitness, home gym as perfect solution to attain fitness in busy life
If you get tired by just climbing a fight of stairs or after running for a minute then you are not absolutely fit. A fit person is capable to do some amount of physical activity without getting tired at all. Fit body is free from every kind of ailment. A fit person would not get unwell or sick every third day. In fact, he has the capability to fight against every kind of change in the environment, diet etc. He would not be affected by small changes in diet, lifestyle or environment. In the busy life, where it becomes difficult to give time to your dear ones; imagining taking time to go gymnasiums etc seems something next to impossible. The only solution to maintain fitness is by doing exercise at home. Various kinds of strategies are adopted in order to attain fit body. Working out at home has become popular in recent years and health & fitness equipment and home fitness machines continue to be a common mode of exercise. Convenient, safe, and effective, home gyms are very practical. Home fitness has emerged as an easy and convenient way to get fit body. Home fitness is fitness at home. Home fitness does not mean fitness without exercise; infect it means exercising at home with taking care of diet and other factors.
Fitness without exercise and physical activity is not possible. In home fitness one can get hold of the equipments at home and perform various exercises. Home fitness machines are a way of exercising that comes with the convenience of being right at home. Some activities like running, skipping, swimming, cycling, and aerobic exercises are helpful in maintaining fitness. Home gym is another option in which you just require to join any station from the multi station home gyms near your home. Here you can get the quality of the health club strength training in the comfort of your home. A home gym offers a complete strength building workout for the entire body.
Home fitness acts as a perfect solution for the people who wish to remain fit but due to busy schedule can not afford to go to gyms or health clubs. People interested in home fitness can take some handy sort of machines like portable cycle, walking, jogging etc. even small weights can be kept in the home gym that would enable an individual to have weight lifting exercises. In nut shell the idea behind is to attain fitness and in this busy life home fitness or working out at home comes out as the perfect option to maintain good health.
by JOHN PARKER
Fitness without exercise and physical activity is not possible. In home fitness one can get hold of the equipments at home and perform various exercises. Home fitness machines are a way of exercising that comes with the convenience of being right at home. Some activities like running, skipping, swimming, cycling, and aerobic exercises are helpful in maintaining fitness. Home gym is another option in which you just require to join any station from the multi station home gyms near your home. Here you can get the quality of the health club strength training in the comfort of your home. A home gym offers a complete strength building workout for the entire body.
Home fitness acts as a perfect solution for the people who wish to remain fit but due to busy schedule can not afford to go to gyms or health clubs. People interested in home fitness can take some handy sort of machines like portable cycle, walking, jogging etc. even small weights can be kept in the home gym that would enable an individual to have weight lifting exercises. In nut shell the idea behind is to attain fitness and in this busy life home fitness or working out at home comes out as the perfect option to maintain good health.
by JOHN PARKER
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
Pre-workout Exercise for Peak Performance
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Pre-workout Exercise for Peak Performance
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Achieving your peak performance, your body goals, or any goal for that matter, is determined by the behaviours that you engage in, and I don't just mean exercise.
Your behaviour is determined by the emotional state you are in. In this case the behaviour is dragging your feet over getting into your exercise workout, but it applies to any behaviour - how you feel directly affects what you do and how well you do things.
If you want to behave differently, you have to feel differently. The problem is we might want to behave in a certain way but we sometimes seem unable to. It's almost like we have no control over how we feel and therefore no choice over how we behave. Consequently we succumb to urges, lack discipline and react to stimuli that trigger undesired behaviours and are then at the mercy of our habits.
Now most people try to change this state directly, through sheer effort of will. Unfortunately willpower is a very difficult way of changing behaviour. It involves increasing struggle within oneself and has little likelihood of success. Willing yourself into a peak performance state is impossible. Willing yourself to exercise results in a poor effort and sets you up for injury. So if discipline and willpower don't work, what does?
Well if you really want to change your behaviour you have to change your emotions. Any top athlete will tell you that if their emotional state is not right they won't even come close to peak performance. Once you have different feelings you will automatically engage in different behaviours.
With these 3 steps you can take charge of your mind to direct your power to make a peak performance exercise workout.
Step 1:
Once in your workout gear and ready to start find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. Take three deep slow breaths. Clench your fist as you recall (with eyes closed) previous occasions when you felt strong and motivated. It can help a lot to set up this trigger mechanism beforehand by creating the mental association between the clenched fist and the feeling of enthusiasm, motivation and power. You mentally anchor these feelings to the action of clenching your fist so that when you clench your fist it triggers off the feelings like a conditioned response. Feeling the feelings is most important.
Step 2:
Once you feel the sensations, mentally see yourself performing your exercise routine. See it in specific detail and feel what your body would feel exactly as you know it would be if you were actually working out.
Step 3:
Now think of a word that encapsulates your peak performance at the degree of workout intensity you desire. This power word could be anything but you might choose a word like "power", "force", "focus", "impact", "drive" or "yes!" etc.
Keeping your fist closed, mentally exclaim the word several times, letting its meaning sink into your consciousness. Then unclench the fist, open your eyes and take a deep centering breath before getting into your exercises.
Through this process you are programming your subconscious mind to deliver the mental and physical power you need to drive your behaviour for a peak performance workout.
Your power word serves as your workout reminder trigger. If you find your mind wandering or your enthusiasm flagging, simply repeat your power word (out loud or mentally) three times with emphasis.
Each time you perform this refocusing technique you are reinforcing the conditioning and strengthening the neuromuscular link to promote peak performance. For more details on exactly how to create powerful triggers beforehand so that you can almost instantly create a change in emotional state and your behaviour, read my article "Peak Performance Shape Up".
You don't have to be a top level athlete to aim for peak performance. Aim for peak performance in all areas of your life and you will find more success and satisfaction all round. Trigger techniques enable you to nip the problem times in the bud so your peak performance is not only more achievable but easier to do.
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Pre-workout Exercise for Peak Performance
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Achieving your peak performance, your body goals, or any goal for that matter, is determined by the behaviours that you engage in, and I don't just mean exercise.
Your behaviour is determined by the emotional state you are in. In this case the behaviour is dragging your feet over getting into your exercise workout, but it applies to any behaviour - how you feel directly affects what you do and how well you do things.
If you want to behave differently, you have to feel differently. The problem is we might want to behave in a certain way but we sometimes seem unable to. It's almost like we have no control over how we feel and therefore no choice over how we behave. Consequently we succumb to urges, lack discipline and react to stimuli that trigger undesired behaviours and are then at the mercy of our habits.
Now most people try to change this state directly, through sheer effort of will. Unfortunately willpower is a very difficult way of changing behaviour. It involves increasing struggle within oneself and has little likelihood of success. Willing yourself into a peak performance state is impossible. Willing yourself to exercise results in a poor effort and sets you up for injury. So if discipline and willpower don't work, what does?
Well if you really want to change your behaviour you have to change your emotions. Any top athlete will tell you that if their emotional state is not right they won't even come close to peak performance. Once you have different feelings you will automatically engage in different behaviours.
With these 3 steps you can take charge of your mind to direct your power to make a peak performance exercise workout.
Step 1:
Once in your workout gear and ready to start find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. Take three deep slow breaths. Clench your fist as you recall (with eyes closed) previous occasions when you felt strong and motivated. It can help a lot to set up this trigger mechanism beforehand by creating the mental association between the clenched fist and the feeling of enthusiasm, motivation and power. You mentally anchor these feelings to the action of clenching your fist so that when you clench your fist it triggers off the feelings like a conditioned response. Feeling the feelings is most important.
Step 2:
Once you feel the sensations, mentally see yourself performing your exercise routine. See it in specific detail and feel what your body would feel exactly as you know it would be if you were actually working out.
Step 3:
Now think of a word that encapsulates your peak performance at the degree of workout intensity you desire. This power word could be anything but you might choose a word like "power", "force", "focus", "impact", "drive" or "yes!" etc.
Keeping your fist closed, mentally exclaim the word several times, letting its meaning sink into your consciousness. Then unclench the fist, open your eyes and take a deep centering breath before getting into your exercises.
Through this process you are programming your subconscious mind to deliver the mental and physical power you need to drive your behaviour for a peak performance workout.
Your power word serves as your workout reminder trigger. If you find your mind wandering or your enthusiasm flagging, simply repeat your power word (out loud or mentally) three times with emphasis.
Each time you perform this refocusing technique you are reinforcing the conditioning and strengthening the neuromuscular link to promote peak performance. For more details on exactly how to create powerful triggers beforehand so that you can almost instantly create a change in emotional state and your behaviour, read my article "Peak Performance Shape Up".
You don't have to be a top level athlete to aim for peak performance. Aim for peak performance in all areas of your life and you will find more success and satisfaction all round. Trigger techniques enable you to nip the problem times in the bud so your peak performance is not only more achievable but easier to do.
by ALWYN BEIKOFF
Pre-workout Exercise for Peak Performance
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Achieving your peak performance, your body goals, or any goal for that matter, is determined by the behaviours that you engage in, and I don't just mean exercise.
Your behaviour is determined by the emotional state you are in. In this case the behaviour is dragging your feet over getting into your exercise workout, but it applies to any behaviour - how you feel directly affects what you do and how well you do things.
If you want to behave differently, you have to feel differently. The problem is we might want to behave in a certain way but we sometimes seem unable to. It's almost like we have no control over how we feel and therefore no choice over how we behave. Consequently we succumb to urges, lack discipline and react to stimuli that trigger undesired behaviours and are then at the mercy of our habits.
Now most people try to change this state directly, through sheer effort of will. Unfortunately willpower is a very difficult way of changing behaviour. It involves increasing struggle within oneself and has little likelihood of success. Willing yourself into a peak performance state is impossible. Willing yourself to exercise results in a poor effort and sets you up for injury. So if discipline and willpower don't work, what does?
Well if you really want to change your behaviour you have to change your emotions. Any top athlete will tell you that if their emotional state is not right they won't even come close to peak performance. Once you have different feelings you will automatically engage in different behaviours.
With these 3 steps you can take charge of your mind to direct your power to make a peak performance exercise workout.
Step 1:
Once in your workout gear and ready to start find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. Take three deep slow breaths. Clench your fist as you recall (with eyes closed) previous occasions when you felt strong and motivated. It can help a lot to set up this trigger mechanism beforehand by creating the mental association between the clenched fist and the feeling of enthusiasm, motivation and power. You mentally anchor these feelings to the action of clenching your fist so that when you clench your fist it triggers off the feelings like a conditioned response. Feeling the feelings is most important.
Step 2:
Once you feel the sensations, mentally see yourself performing your exercise routine. See it in specific detail and feel what your body would feel exactly as you know it would be if you were actually working out.
Step 3:
Now think of a word that encapsulates your peak performance at the degree of workout intensity you desire. This power word could be anything but you might choose a word like "power", "force", "focus", "impact", "drive" or "yes!" etc.
Keeping your fist closed, mentally exclaim the word several times, letting its meaning sink into your consciousness. Then unclench the fist, open your eyes and take a deep centering breath before getting into your exercises.
Through this process you are programming your subconscious mind to deliver the mental and physical power you need to drive your behaviour for a peak performance workout.
Your power word serves as your workout reminder trigger. If you find your mind wandering or your enthusiasm flagging, simply repeat your power word (out loud or mentally) three times with emphasis.
Each time you perform this refocusing technique you are reinforcing the conditioning and strengthening the neuromuscular link to promote peak performance. For more details on exactly how to create powerful triggers beforehand so that you can almost instantly create a change in emotional state and your behaviour, read my article "Peak Performance Shape Up".
You don't have to be a top level athlete to aim for peak performance. Aim for peak performance in all areas of your life and you will find more success and satisfaction all round. Trigger techniques enable you to nip the problem times in the bud so your peak performance is not only more achievable but easier to do.
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Pre-workout Exercise for Peak Performance
Ever get those less-than peak performance days when you just can't seem to get switched on to your exercise program? You did manage to drag yourself off the couch and even get started, but you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Achieving your peak performance, your body goals, or any goal for that matter, is determined by the behaviours that you engage in, and I don't just mean exercise.
Your behaviour is determined by the emotional state you are in. In this case the behaviour is dragging your feet over getting into your exercise workout, but it applies to any behaviour - how you feel directly affects what you do and how well you do things.
If you want to behave differently, you have to feel differently. The problem is we might want to behave in a certain way but we sometimes seem unable to. It's almost like we have no control over how we feel and therefore no choice over how we behave. Consequently we succumb to urges, lack discipline and react to stimuli that trigger undesired behaviours and are then at the mercy of our habits.
Now most people try to change this state directly, through sheer effort of will. Unfortunately willpower is a very difficult way of changing behaviour. It involves increasing struggle within oneself and has little likelihood of success. Willing yourself into a peak performance state is impossible. Willing yourself to exercise results in a poor effort and sets you up for injury. So if discipline and willpower don't work, what does?
Well if you really want to change your behaviour you have to change your emotions. Any top athlete will tell you that if their emotional state is not right they won't even come close to peak performance. Once you have different feelings you will automatically engage in different behaviours.
With these 3 steps you can take charge of your mind to direct your power to make a peak performance exercise workout.
Step 1:
Once in your workout gear and ready to start find a quiet place where you won't be distracted. Take three deep slow breaths. Clench your fist as you recall (with eyes closed) previous occasions when you felt strong and motivated. It can help a lot to set up this trigger mechanism beforehand by creating the mental association between the clenched fist and the feeling of enthusiasm, motivation and power. You mentally anchor these feelings to the action of clenching your fist so that when you clench your fist it triggers off the feelings like a conditioned response. Feeling the feelings is most important.
Step 2:
Once you feel the sensations, mentally see yourself performing your exercise routine. See it in specific detail and feel what your body would feel exactly as you know it would be if you were actually working out.
Step 3:
Now think of a word that encapsulates your peak performance at the degree of workout intensity you desire. This power word could be anything but you might choose a word like "power", "force", "focus", "impact", "drive" or "yes!" etc.
Keeping your fist closed, mentally exclaim the word several times, letting its meaning sink into your consciousness. Then unclench the fist, open your eyes and take a deep centering breath before getting into your exercises.
Through this process you are programming your subconscious mind to deliver the mental and physical power you need to drive your behaviour for a peak performance workout.
Your power word serves as your workout reminder trigger. If you find your mind wandering or your enthusiasm flagging, simply repeat your power word (out loud or mentally) three times with emphasis.
Each time you perform this refocusing technique you are reinforcing the conditioning and strengthening the neuromuscular link to promote peak performance. For more details on exactly how to create powerful triggers beforehand so that you can almost instantly create a change in emotional state and your behaviour, read my article "Peak Performance Shape Up".
You don't have to be a top level athlete to aim for peak performance. Aim for peak performance in all areas of your life and you will find more success and satisfaction all round. Trigger techniques enable you to nip the problem times in the bud so your peak performance is not only more achievable but easier to do.
by ALWYN BEIKOFF
Friday, 20 April 2007
Building Muscle: How is it really done?
Most people believe that in order to build noticeable muscle size, they have to devote many hours in the gym, 5 or 6 days a week for many years. This is untrue, yes, hard work is required, but to devote that much time is unnecessary.
Substantial muscle growth can be achieved with 40-minute sessions 3 days a week, sometimes much less if done correctly. Muscles will only grow in size when they have fully recovered from the gym workout, then, and only then will muscle growth happen. If your goal is to achieve maximum muscle growth in the shortest possible time then there needs to be more rest days than actual workout days.
It's difficult for some people to believe that substantial muscle growth can be induced with only 2 or 3 days a week at 40 minutes a session, or less. It can be done and it is being done by many, however, there is a catch:
These "few and far between" gym sessions will have to be short and extremely intensive. More intense than ever, you have to justify your days off. You have to give your body a very good reason to grow bigger muscles. The sessions will be about what you thought you could not do, but somehow managed to do.
Eg: if you're lifting a certain weight and you know you can only get 8 reps, you will push yourself further than ever before and squeeze out another 2 reps of that weight, with the help of your training partner or someone else of course. You will need help with the last 2 reps but the idea is to execute a greater effort than you are used to doing, this creates the environment for greater muscle growth (all other things being equal).
Below is an example of an 8 Week "every other day" muscle building routine. It's an example of how short the training sessions should be. It can also be done taking 2 days rest in between training sessions. I am assuming that you have weight training experience behind you, and also that you are familiar with the jargon. If not, then I would not recommend that you push yourself too far until you have built up your strength and fitness level. You should always get the go-ahead from your GP or health professional before starting or changing any physical exercise program. Warm ups are not included in the below.
Day 1: Chest - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Biceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 2: REST.
Day 3: Thighs - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Hamstrings - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Calves - 2 sets 12 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 4: REST.
Day 5: Shoulders - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Triceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 6: REST.
Day 7: Back - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Abdominals - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 8: REST.
Day 9: Start again.
Notes: You will need someone to help you for the last 2 or 3 reps of every set. So if you're doing a set of 10 reps, the weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps on your own, and you will need help to get the other 2 reps to make it 10. If you're doing a set of 8 reps, it's really only 5 or 6 reps that you can get on your own; help will be needed to complete the 8 reps. Increase the weight every week, even if it's only 5lbs in total. Safety takes priority over ego. On the 4th week reduce the rep range by 2 for all sets and continue.
The idea is to put forth a much greater intensive effort than you imagine you can. The reward for these infrequent efforts is, shorter training sessions and more rest days away from it and of course much Greater Muscle Growth. Many people are now achieving greater results through smarter training methods, spending less time in the gym with more free time to enjoy other activities. Excessive hours and days in the gym is, at last! No longer the way to go.
by DARREN O CONNELL
Substantial muscle growth can be achieved with 40-minute sessions 3 days a week, sometimes much less if done correctly. Muscles will only grow in size when they have fully recovered from the gym workout, then, and only then will muscle growth happen. If your goal is to achieve maximum muscle growth in the shortest possible time then there needs to be more rest days than actual workout days.
It's difficult for some people to believe that substantial muscle growth can be induced with only 2 or 3 days a week at 40 minutes a session, or less. It can be done and it is being done by many, however, there is a catch:
These "few and far between" gym sessions will have to be short and extremely intensive. More intense than ever, you have to justify your days off. You have to give your body a very good reason to grow bigger muscles. The sessions will be about what you thought you could not do, but somehow managed to do.
Eg: if you're lifting a certain weight and you know you can only get 8 reps, you will push yourself further than ever before and squeeze out another 2 reps of that weight, with the help of your training partner or someone else of course. You will need help with the last 2 reps but the idea is to execute a greater effort than you are used to doing, this creates the environment for greater muscle growth (all other things being equal).
Below is an example of an 8 Week "every other day" muscle building routine. It's an example of how short the training sessions should be. It can also be done taking 2 days rest in between training sessions. I am assuming that you have weight training experience behind you, and also that you are familiar with the jargon. If not, then I would not recommend that you push yourself too far until you have built up your strength and fitness level. You should always get the go-ahead from your GP or health professional before starting or changing any physical exercise program. Warm ups are not included in the below.
Day 1: Chest - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Biceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 2: REST.
Day 3: Thighs - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Hamstrings - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Calves - 2 sets 12 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 4: REST.
Day 5: Shoulders - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Triceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 6: REST.
Day 7: Back - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Abdominals - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 8: REST.
Day 9: Start again.
Notes: You will need someone to help you for the last 2 or 3 reps of every set. So if you're doing a set of 10 reps, the weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps on your own, and you will need help to get the other 2 reps to make it 10. If you're doing a set of 8 reps, it's really only 5 or 6 reps that you can get on your own; help will be needed to complete the 8 reps. Increase the weight every week, even if it's only 5lbs in total. Safety takes priority over ego. On the 4th week reduce the rep range by 2 for all sets and continue.
The idea is to put forth a much greater intensive effort than you imagine you can. The reward for these infrequent efforts is, shorter training sessions and more rest days away from it and of course much Greater Muscle Growth. Many people are now achieving greater results through smarter training methods, spending less time in the gym with more free time to enjoy other activities. Excessive hours and days in the gym is, at last! No longer the way to go.
by DARREN O CONNELL
Thursday, 19 April 2007
In-Home Personal Training NYC is best to get impressive personality
Fitness training is necessary for everyone to lead a healthy life. After all, the question is regarding your health and no compromises can be made at any cost. Training in NYC or any other state can be taken in different ways. You can either join a gym or call the trainer for in-house personal training or even visit dance classes to stay in shape. The means of getting that perfect shape and figure is not necessary, the main thing is about the desired results that you get. In-home personal training is, generally, carried out for those people who do not get enough time to visit a physical instructor in gym.
Are you a fitness freak? Is that you are willing to spend some extra time on fitness session to get the desired body, but not having time to go to gym? I think that in-home personal training is the best and the most suitable option for you. There are a variety of advantages that are associated with this form of personal training. Firstly, you will be able to save on the time that you had to take out everyday and that too specially taken for this purpose. Another advantage that makes in-home personal training in NYC famous is that you get personalized attention.
Everyone in this world loves to stay a healthy life and sweating out in in-home personal training sessions is not a tough task. Just tell me who wants to look fat or have a bulge coming out. Well, no one wants to feel embarrassed while walking in social gatherings and hear the comments against them. In-home personal training session will not only shed out that extra weight, but will also tone up your body to your satisfaction. In this type of weight loss sessions, personalized attention enables you to converse well with your trainer about the regular diet and things to be done.
Generally, in-home personal training process includes taking care of back injury prevention, body toning and sculpting, traditional strength training, Pilates and many other fitness programs. The present scenario is that, more and more people are becoming health conscious. They have understood the fact that staying fit is the key to live a healthy life. Who wants to have troubles and ailments? It is the fitness programs that help to avert all sorts of ailments. In-home personal training also enables you to cut down on the heavy fees that gym instructors charge. Living healthy is what has become the need of today and this form of training process is a boon for everyone.
The main thing of consideration in in-home personal training is that your trainer would be able to tell you newer methods of doing exercise and lose weight. In fact, the trainer may also make a diet chart for you to follow. The diet chart is quite useful in maintaining and regularizing your diet to lose those extra pounds that have been put on. As far as the busy lifestyle of NYC citizens is concerned, the idea of in-home personal training is liked by everyone. Busy professionals think that this is the best way to get back into shape, without devoting time for it specially
By SMITH CAROL
Monday, 16 April 2007
Triple threat: get the benefits of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic weightlifting in one super program
Think back to the first time you heard the word weightlifting. The term probably brought to mind images of curling dumbbells, bench pressing, and pumping iron until your veins popped out. But take a little time to flip through our workouts and you'll realize that there are all kinds of ways to lift weights, for any number of end goals.
The term weightlifting is very specific, and if you want to sound intelligent in a room full of athletes or strength and conditioning coaches, you should know that it technically refers to the kind of lifting done by those guys you see wearing singlets in the Olympics. Olympic-style weightlifting involves every muscle in your body to move the bar at high speeds--usually lifting it from the floor to above your head--and it's one of the best training methods there is for building sport-specific strength and power.
A more popular weight-training style, is powerlifting, in which a trainee works to lift as much weight as he possibly can on the squat, bench press, and dead-lift exercises. (Note: Eking out sets on the bench with poor form and weights that are too heavy for you does not constitute powerlifting.) Finally, there's bodybuilding, in which guys train for maximum muscle size and leanness and then step on a stage in little more than a G-string in order to be judged on their progress. Bodybuilding training involves blasting each of the body's muscle groups with ever-changing workouts to develop a muscular, aesthetic look.
While most guys lifting iron utilize just one of these methods, we don't see any reason you can't have your cake and eat it, too, combining all three for an athletic, strong, and awe-inspiring body. The following program is designed to deliver just that--the best results the whole of weight training can produce.
BODYBUILDING
Except for the G-string part, it's what most of us start doing intuitively from the moment we first pick up a weight. Well, sort of. Mindlessly repping out curls with a dumbbell can yield some decent size gains for a beginner, but to develop well-proportioned muscles, a true bodybuilder must train his whole body with a variety of exercises and intensity levels. Bodybuilding requires short to moderate rest periods between sets (no more than 90 seconds), and moderate to high rep ranges, such as eight to 12. You also need a good number of sets and a slow lifting tempo to exhaust the muscles and see that they repair themselves to become larger. It should be noted that in our program, you won't be isolating any muscles (as many bodybuilders try to do). One reason is that, despite what our forebears on Muscle Beach may have thought, you can't isolate a muscle--even raising one eyebrow requires a coordinated effort from several muscles. So why waste time trying? Another reason is that research has shown that the more muscle you work with a single exercise--and in one training session overall--the greater hormonal response you generate within the body that tells muscles to grow. That means greater gains and shorter workouts.
POWERLIFTING
The point is to develop maximum strength, so you'll need to use very heavy weights and longer rest periods (up to five minutes). As a result of the intensity of each set, you won't be able to do many of them (you'll thank us), so three sets will suffice. You'll get plenty of work in on the squat, bench press, and deadlift, but since we know you're not likely to start competing as a powerlifter, we're not going to train you to peak in these lifts alone--we've tailored this part of the program to developing overall strength. However, notice Exercise 6 in Workout B (powerlifting day), as it will be the only exercise on that day that you won't want to load up the bar on. This move is designed to develop great strength and stability in the hips and quads, which will improve your performance in all three styles of lifting. It will be particularly effective in preparing your body for the posture and core strength you'll need to be a good Olympic-style weightlifter in Workout C. Start with an empty bar, and make sure you complete all your reps without losing your position.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
If you played high school football or basketball, you're probably already familiar with the barbell clean or one of its variations. It's among the best exercises for total-body power, and it has been used for decades to make athletes more explosive in a number of sports. It's also one of the first steps lifters take in preparing for the clean and jerk and the snatch--the two lifts contested in weightlifting competitions. The goal for the clean, as well as every other exercise in Workout C, is not to lift heavy but to lift with maximum speed, ripping the weight off the floor and/or thrusting it overhead. We're serious about lightening the weight here, as too heavy a load will reduce the power you can generate. Ideally, you would use bumper plates (rubber weight plates that bounce when you drop the bar, allowing you to abandon a missed lift and land the bar safely on the floor) for this kind of training. Nevertheless, we've modified certain weightlifting exercises so that you can still reap the benefits of all-out explosive training without risking injury to yourself, those around you, or the gym floor. (You'll make good use of a medicine ball, which you can fire into the floor without incident.) Because you're moving so fast with these exercises, you won't be able to do many reps; you should end your set when you can no longer maintain your rep speed.
THE PAYOFF
Here are the specific benefits you'll reap from working all three types of lifting into your overall fitness training
BODY BUILDING Apart from greater muscle size and leanness (we can probably stop right here, can't we?), you'll increase your capacity for maximum strength, as increased strength is partially correlated with gains in muscle size. You'll also prevent injuries and ensure muscular balance, since bodybuilding allows you to focus on weak points and the proportional relationship between muscles.
POWERLIFTING You'll develop great strength, and, if you're eating generously, appreciable gains in muscle size. Powerlifting also hardens up bones, tendons, and ligaments, making you more resistant to injury and aging. Want to be the guy in the gym who can lift the most weight on any given exercise? This is the way to get there.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTNG You'll improve speed and, ultimately, strength. You'll be able to jump higher on the basketball court, get off the line quicker in football, and hit harder when you block guys on the other team. With the exception of the heavier weight classes, weightlifters also tend to be very lean--a testament to the fat-burning properties of the training.
WORKOUT A BODYBUILDING
1A DUMBBELL OVERHEAD SQUAT
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 REST: 30 SEC. TEMP: 302
1B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING CHEST PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2A ALTERNATING BACKWARD LUNGE W/ ROTATION
SET: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2B SINGLE-LEG DUMBBELL DEADLIFT W/ROW
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3A ALTERNATING FORWARD LUNGE W/ROTATION
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING ARNOLD PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
DIRECTIONS
FREQUENCY: Perform each workout once per week. resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Follow the specific instructions for each workout below.
WORKOUT A (BODYBUILDING): Perform each pair of exercises (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 30 seconds after the first exercise in the pair and 60-90 seconds after the second one. (So you'll do one set of 1A, rest 30 seconds, then one set of 1B, rest 60-90 seconds, and so on for all the prescribed sets for that pair.) Afterward, move on to the next pair.
WORKOUTS B (POWERLIFTING) AND C (OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING): Perform each exercise as straight sets, completing all sets for one exercise before moving on to the next.
WEIGHT: For Workout A, use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions, plus one. for each set. Be careful not to go to failure. For Workout B. use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions. For Workout C, be conservative and start every exercise with a weight that you're sure allows you to complete every rep with maximum speed. You may want to start with an empty barbell, or a five- or 10-pound plate on each side.
TEMPO: The first digit is how many seconds you should take to lower the weight. The second digit is how long you should pause at the bottom (when your muscles are under the most tension). The third digit is how long you should take to lift the weight. A "O" means to move right to the next digit, and a tempo of "X" means to complete each rep as quickly as possible while controlling the weight.
WORKOUT B POWERLIFTING
1 SQUAT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
2 DEADLIFT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
3 DUMBBELL ALTERNATING LATERAL LUNGE
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 (EACH SIDE) REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
4 BENCH PRESS
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
5 WIDE-GRIP SEATED ROW
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
6 CROUCHING BARBELL SNATCH PRESS *
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
* For the crouching barbell snatch press, perform a squat, and then, from the bottom position, press the bar overhead for three to six reps. That's one set.
WORKOUT OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
1 BARBELL CLEAN *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
2 SNATCH PULL *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
3 PUSH PRESS
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
4 ALTERNATING MEDICINE-BALL PLYO PUSHUP
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
5 MEDICINE-BALL DIAGONAL SLEDGEHAMMER *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
6 PRONE MEDICINE-BALL SOCCER THROW
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO X
By Dave Difabio
The term weightlifting is very specific, and if you want to sound intelligent in a room full of athletes or strength and conditioning coaches, you should know that it technically refers to the kind of lifting done by those guys you see wearing singlets in the Olympics. Olympic-style weightlifting involves every muscle in your body to move the bar at high speeds--usually lifting it from the floor to above your head--and it's one of the best training methods there is for building sport-specific strength and power.
A more popular weight-training style, is powerlifting, in which a trainee works to lift as much weight as he possibly can on the squat, bench press, and dead-lift exercises. (Note: Eking out sets on the bench with poor form and weights that are too heavy for you does not constitute powerlifting.) Finally, there's bodybuilding, in which guys train for maximum muscle size and leanness and then step on a stage in little more than a G-string in order to be judged on their progress. Bodybuilding training involves blasting each of the body's muscle groups with ever-changing workouts to develop a muscular, aesthetic look.
While most guys lifting iron utilize just one of these methods, we don't see any reason you can't have your cake and eat it, too, combining all three for an athletic, strong, and awe-inspiring body. The following program is designed to deliver just that--the best results the whole of weight training can produce.
BODYBUILDING
Except for the G-string part, it's what most of us start doing intuitively from the moment we first pick up a weight. Well, sort of. Mindlessly repping out curls with a dumbbell can yield some decent size gains for a beginner, but to develop well-proportioned muscles, a true bodybuilder must train his whole body with a variety of exercises and intensity levels. Bodybuilding requires short to moderate rest periods between sets (no more than 90 seconds), and moderate to high rep ranges, such as eight to 12. You also need a good number of sets and a slow lifting tempo to exhaust the muscles and see that they repair themselves to become larger. It should be noted that in our program, you won't be isolating any muscles (as many bodybuilders try to do). One reason is that, despite what our forebears on Muscle Beach may have thought, you can't isolate a muscle--even raising one eyebrow requires a coordinated effort from several muscles. So why waste time trying? Another reason is that research has shown that the more muscle you work with a single exercise--and in one training session overall--the greater hormonal response you generate within the body that tells muscles to grow. That means greater gains and shorter workouts.
POWERLIFTING
The point is to develop maximum strength, so you'll need to use very heavy weights and longer rest periods (up to five minutes). As a result of the intensity of each set, you won't be able to do many of them (you'll thank us), so three sets will suffice. You'll get plenty of work in on the squat, bench press, and deadlift, but since we know you're not likely to start competing as a powerlifter, we're not going to train you to peak in these lifts alone--we've tailored this part of the program to developing overall strength. However, notice Exercise 6 in Workout B (powerlifting day), as it will be the only exercise on that day that you won't want to load up the bar on. This move is designed to develop great strength and stability in the hips and quads, which will improve your performance in all three styles of lifting. It will be particularly effective in preparing your body for the posture and core strength you'll need to be a good Olympic-style weightlifter in Workout C. Start with an empty bar, and make sure you complete all your reps without losing your position.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
If you played high school football or basketball, you're probably already familiar with the barbell clean or one of its variations. It's among the best exercises for total-body power, and it has been used for decades to make athletes more explosive in a number of sports. It's also one of the first steps lifters take in preparing for the clean and jerk and the snatch--the two lifts contested in weightlifting competitions. The goal for the clean, as well as every other exercise in Workout C, is not to lift heavy but to lift with maximum speed, ripping the weight off the floor and/or thrusting it overhead. We're serious about lightening the weight here, as too heavy a load will reduce the power you can generate. Ideally, you would use bumper plates (rubber weight plates that bounce when you drop the bar, allowing you to abandon a missed lift and land the bar safely on the floor) for this kind of training. Nevertheless, we've modified certain weightlifting exercises so that you can still reap the benefits of all-out explosive training without risking injury to yourself, those around you, or the gym floor. (You'll make good use of a medicine ball, which you can fire into the floor without incident.) Because you're moving so fast with these exercises, you won't be able to do many reps; you should end your set when you can no longer maintain your rep speed.
THE PAYOFF
Here are the specific benefits you'll reap from working all three types of lifting into your overall fitness training
BODY BUILDING Apart from greater muscle size and leanness (we can probably stop right here, can't we?), you'll increase your capacity for maximum strength, as increased strength is partially correlated with gains in muscle size. You'll also prevent injuries and ensure muscular balance, since bodybuilding allows you to focus on weak points and the proportional relationship between muscles.
POWERLIFTING You'll develop great strength, and, if you're eating generously, appreciable gains in muscle size. Powerlifting also hardens up bones, tendons, and ligaments, making you more resistant to injury and aging. Want to be the guy in the gym who can lift the most weight on any given exercise? This is the way to get there.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTNG You'll improve speed and, ultimately, strength. You'll be able to jump higher on the basketball court, get off the line quicker in football, and hit harder when you block guys on the other team. With the exception of the heavier weight classes, weightlifters also tend to be very lean--a testament to the fat-burning properties of the training.
WORKOUT A BODYBUILDING
1A DUMBBELL OVERHEAD SQUAT
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 REST: 30 SEC. TEMP: 302
1B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING CHEST PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2A ALTERNATING BACKWARD LUNGE W/ ROTATION
SET: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2B SINGLE-LEG DUMBBELL DEADLIFT W/ROW
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3A ALTERNATING FORWARD LUNGE W/ROTATION
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING ARNOLD PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
DIRECTIONS
FREQUENCY: Perform each workout once per week. resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Follow the specific instructions for each workout below.
WORKOUT A (BODYBUILDING): Perform each pair of exercises (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 30 seconds after the first exercise in the pair and 60-90 seconds after the second one. (So you'll do one set of 1A, rest 30 seconds, then one set of 1B, rest 60-90 seconds, and so on for all the prescribed sets for that pair.) Afterward, move on to the next pair.
WORKOUTS B (POWERLIFTING) AND C (OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING): Perform each exercise as straight sets, completing all sets for one exercise before moving on to the next.
WEIGHT: For Workout A, use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions, plus one. for each set. Be careful not to go to failure. For Workout B. use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions. For Workout C, be conservative and start every exercise with a weight that you're sure allows you to complete every rep with maximum speed. You may want to start with an empty barbell, or a five- or 10-pound plate on each side.
TEMPO: The first digit is how many seconds you should take to lower the weight. The second digit is how long you should pause at the bottom (when your muscles are under the most tension). The third digit is how long you should take to lift the weight. A "O" means to move right to the next digit, and a tempo of "X" means to complete each rep as quickly as possible while controlling the weight.
WORKOUT B POWERLIFTING
1 SQUAT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
2 DEADLIFT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
3 DUMBBELL ALTERNATING LATERAL LUNGE
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 (EACH SIDE) REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
4 BENCH PRESS
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
5 WIDE-GRIP SEATED ROW
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
6 CROUCHING BARBELL SNATCH PRESS *
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
* For the crouching barbell snatch press, perform a squat, and then, from the bottom position, press the bar overhead for three to six reps. That's one set.
WORKOUT OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
1 BARBELL CLEAN *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
2 SNATCH PULL *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
3 PUSH PRESS
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
4 ALTERNATING MEDICINE-BALL PLYO PUSHUP
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
5 MEDICINE-BALL DIAGONAL SLEDGEHAMMER *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
6 PRONE MEDICINE-BALL SOCCER THROW
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO X
By Dave Difabio
Friday, 13 April 2007
Leg Firming Exercises for Shaping Sexy Legs
Are you interested in easy, but greatly effective, leg toning exercises that you can do anywhere, anytime - without having to deal with the hassles of 'going to the gym'?
Fitness centers and health clubs are filled with big, expensive machines.
No matter what kind of leg exercise program you are looking for, the instructors are going to put you through a typical general lower body workout circuit doing one set on each machine for twelve reps and so on.
Of course, they are not going to show you a workout routine that doesn't need a single exercise machine. They'd be out of business!
The truth is, toning and firming up your leg, hip and thigh area is not achieved by using all those weight machines, and heavy dumbbells and barbells that could get you all pumped up with much more muscle than you were looking to build, or cause serious, long term injuries! (we've all heard these horrible stories, right?)
The real magic of a properly structured leg exercise program lies in the combination of non-weighted and body weight exercises, put together in a sequence that targets all the muscles in AND around the legs, hips and thighs. The program should also emphasize proper form AND speed of movement along with breathing - these are elements that are lacking from most 'modern' leg workouts and fitness programs.
Here is an example of a highly effective, but simple leg toning and shaping exercise:
First you'll need a staircase or a utility step - 9 to 12 inches high is good.
You may have one you can use in your garage or a closet - just make sure it is sturdy.
If using a staircase - stand on the second step with both feet. If using a utility step - try to use one that is about 10 - 15 inches high & stand on it with both feet. This is one of the simplest yet most effective leg exercises for women.
Place your hands on your hips or hold them out in front of you, or out to the side. SLOWLY, step down with your left foot & LIGHTLY touch the floor with your toes & the ball of the foot (keep your heel off the ground).
Then bring your left foot back up & lightly touch the step and repeat this 15 times with the left foot.
Take a 10 second rest and then do the right leg.
IMPORTANT - The leg that stays on the step is the one doing the most work & you should feel a nice 'burn' in that leg.
This means you are doing the exercise right.
If it is too easy - you may be moving too fast - the key is to move slowly to 'use the muscles properly'.
Or the step may be too low - try a higher step to increase the intensity of this leg toning exercise.
Try to build up to 3 sets of 15 reps (per leg) with 20 seconds rest between sets. If you haven't been exercising your legs, or are a beginner - you can do this 2 or 3 times each week.
If you have been exercising you can simply add it right into your current leg workout routine.
Often times, too much focus is placed on machines, gadgets and high intensity, 'no pain - no gain' concepts. Most of this is for marketing reasons and sometimes just a pure lack of understanding of what the female body needs in terms of the correct leg exercises and overall fitness
by JOEY ATLAS
Fitness centers and health clubs are filled with big, expensive machines.
No matter what kind of leg exercise program you are looking for, the instructors are going to put you through a typical general lower body workout circuit doing one set on each machine for twelve reps and so on.
Of course, they are not going to show you a workout routine that doesn't need a single exercise machine. They'd be out of business!
The truth is, toning and firming up your leg, hip and thigh area is not achieved by using all those weight machines, and heavy dumbbells and barbells that could get you all pumped up with much more muscle than you were looking to build, or cause serious, long term injuries! (we've all heard these horrible stories, right?)
The real magic of a properly structured leg exercise program lies in the combination of non-weighted and body weight exercises, put together in a sequence that targets all the muscles in AND around the legs, hips and thighs. The program should also emphasize proper form AND speed of movement along with breathing - these are elements that are lacking from most 'modern' leg workouts and fitness programs.
Here is an example of a highly effective, but simple leg toning and shaping exercise:
First you'll need a staircase or a utility step - 9 to 12 inches high is good.
You may have one you can use in your garage or a closet - just make sure it is sturdy.
If using a staircase - stand on the second step with both feet. If using a utility step - try to use one that is about 10 - 15 inches high & stand on it with both feet. This is one of the simplest yet most effective leg exercises for women.
Place your hands on your hips or hold them out in front of you, or out to the side. SLOWLY, step down with your left foot & LIGHTLY touch the floor with your toes & the ball of the foot (keep your heel off the ground).
Then bring your left foot back up & lightly touch the step and repeat this 15 times with the left foot.
Take a 10 second rest and then do the right leg.
IMPORTANT - The leg that stays on the step is the one doing the most work & you should feel a nice 'burn' in that leg.
This means you are doing the exercise right.
If it is too easy - you may be moving too fast - the key is to move slowly to 'use the muscles properly'.
Or the step may be too low - try a higher step to increase the intensity of this leg toning exercise.
Try to build up to 3 sets of 15 reps (per leg) with 20 seconds rest between sets. If you haven't been exercising your legs, or are a beginner - you can do this 2 or 3 times each week.
If you have been exercising you can simply add it right into your current leg workout routine.
Often times, too much focus is placed on machines, gadgets and high intensity, 'no pain - no gain' concepts. Most of this is for marketing reasons and sometimes just a pure lack of understanding of what the female body needs in terms of the correct leg exercises and overall fitness
by JOEY ATLAS
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