Showing posts with label Weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weight. Show all posts

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Body Solid Free Standing 210 lb. Weight Stack

Body Solid Free Standing 210 lb. Weight StackOVERVIEW:Weight stacks blend the versatility and safety of a weight resistance system with the proven durability of free weights.For use with GIOT or GLP. Turn your Gym attachments into freestanding selectorized machines. Body-Solid built these weigh...

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Body Solid Fusion Weight Assisted Chin Dip Attachment

Body Solid Fusion Weight Assisted Chin Dip AttachmentWeight Assisted Chin Dip Attachment for use with the FUSION 500 or FUSION 600 Personal Trainer Gyms.Chin-ups and Dips have long been a standard for increased upper body strength and conditioning. The benfits of these exercises can now be achieved by fitness enthusiasts of every strength level. With its weight-assisted knee-pad mechanism the FCDWA provides the same benefits of chin and dip exercises to everyone regardless of their current fitness level or weight. Attaches directly to the weight stack of either the FUSION500 or FUSION600 Personal Trainer Gyms to allow the user to counterbalance their own bodyweight. Additionally the FCDWA features Vertical Knee Raise capabilities designed to provide an intense ab workout while eliminating strain on the lower back. Easy and convenient step entry makes getting started a breeze. Thick comfortable DuraFirm back pads and arm supports reduce fatigue and discomfort allowing you keep working on your abs and obliques. Features Dip Station handles with oversized handgrips for a killer triceps/ deltoid/ lower pec workout. Rock solid support and stability is delivered via heavy-gauge steel frames with all-4-side welded construction. For use with the FUSION 500 or FUSION 600 Home Gyms only.WarrantyHome-Lifetime partsLight Commercial-Frames Welds Weight Plates & Guide Rods - Lifetime of the original purchaser.Pulleys Bushings Bearings & Hardware - Two Years Cables Upholstery Grips and all other components - One Year

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Sunday, July 3, 2011

Vibration Training For Weight Loss

Vibration training requires the use of a whole body vibration trainer - a piece of gym equipment with a platform that moves intensively to create vibrations which give your body a thorough workout. It has really taken off in the last few years as a means of giving the body a short but powerful workout, making it ideal for busy people.

Vibration training has seen a real trend in recent years as being the workout of choice for fitness professionals and celebrities alike. It is now one of the hottest workouts because it promises to deliver much in a very short space of time.

Typical vibration training workouts lasted around 10-15 minutes, creating instant appeal for those who needed a superfast but intensive workout in as little time as possible. The brilliant thing about it is that it's ideal for those who want to lose weight and lack the time to do longer workouts.

To understand how it helps you lose weight, you first need to understand how vibration training actually works. Vibration trainers work by vibrating thousands of times a minute, transmitting bursts of energy throughout your body. This energy forces your muscles to contract and relax repeatedly as your muscles try and stabilise your body.

It's these contractions which give your muscles a workout and means that even if you stand or lie still on the machine, you get a super-intense workout at a fraction of the time taken to complete a traditional gym workout.

What's more is that it can specifically aid weight loss by helping to burn off fat and increase your flexibility, as well as helping with overall weight loss goals. It's important to note that true weight loss and especially fat loss happens when you undertake any type of physical training in conjunction with a healthy diet.

Advocates of vibration training swear by it to help them achieve their weight loss goals faster and it also offers them other health benefits - all in a nifty but intense 10-15 minute workout. One of the 'side effects' of vibration training is that it decreases the stress hormone cortisol in the body.

Cortisol is the culprit behind many a bulging middle, since it encourages fat to store around your abdominal area. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that if it decreases cortisol levels, then this will in turn decrease your wobbly middle!

But perhaps the best part of vibration training is that it's an ideal form of training to help the elderly and the sick to attain their weight management goals, since it places minimal impact or stress on the joints. This makes vibration training the perfect solution for people who find it painful or difficult to do traditional movements.

If you are serious about your weight loss and fitness goals and you're busy, then vibration training is the ideal type of workout for you.

Liam Miller is the Managing Director of Health Station Group Pty Ltd - a leader in vibration training and whole body vibration machines that are designed to stimulate the muscles, and helps to firm and tone your body. For Innovative Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Machines and great health and fitness information and advice and to learn more about vibration trainers and what they can do for you, please visit http://www.vibrationtrainer.com.au/ and discover the extensive health benefits that whole body vibration training can give you.


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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Weight Benches - The Best of the Gym Equipment

In any exercise center, the need for work benches is a must. Of all the equipment that is present, the weight benches are very important. These give the people who exercise a lot of versatility and many options for exercise. There are many types of benches that are available but most often they come as flat types. These can be adjusted according to the needs of the person and the type of work that is given to them. Most often a weight bench is the most important tool in the gym equipment. With just these benches one can gain fantastic results.

Previously there used to be only flat benches, now there are many developments in the types that are available. These were the best form of exercise in those days. Many different forms were practiced using this as the bed and a form for stretching the body also. But for those who have a wide chest, they should opt for the weight bench. This will give them the method to strengthen their chest as well as their abdomen by lifting weights. One can lift weights either by the hands, or the pulleys can be attached by means of weights to the legs, and this can help you improve the strength of the abdomen. Many men make use of this to develop abs. If you just need to exercise, then the best ay is to do it on a weight bench. Many people can be accommodated in the same gym if there are many weight benches that are available as most of the exercise and weight lifts can be done on this bench itself.

To increase the strength in the muscles, the people make sure that they can use the inclined benches. These give a more strenuous routine to the person and this can be very good to use even during the daily exercise quota at home. With just one of the weight benches, one can exercise from home and there will be no need to go to the gym.

If you are working out from home, then a pair of dumbbells to go along with the weights that you lift by the leg would give you a complete work out. This has become a very helpful tool in the market and hence provides the ability to do a wider range of exercise. All the more reason why this product has to be a part of the house is that one will have to spend only a one time investment on the machine. There are no electrical parts, hence there is no wear and tear and replacement of the parts will not be necessary.

With the usage of the minimum number of equipment one can easily lose weight with the weight bench and you can check at http://www.weightbench.org/

-Syed Amaan Ahmad


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Saturday, June 25, 2011

What Is Shake Weight - Shocking Shake Weight Review

Modern technology has contributed a lot to elite muscle toning and body shaping. Today, another product has been making a buzz in the health and fitness market. That is Shake Weight.

Shake Weight was recently introduced on the market and it has been recognized as an all new method of toning arm muscles. Its principle is based on the concept of traditional weight lifting but it has an extra twist. It actually produces vibration when being used. It's designed to maximize and intensify weight lifting.

You probably have heard about this or maybe you have seen it in ads, on TV or demonstrations in malls and other places. It could be that you just did not pay attention to it because you don't know exactly what this thing is supposed to do to your body. Well, people been have going crazy over this product because it's a new and fun innovation to add to your weight plan.

What's the hype all about and is it worth it? It was designed based on the science of muscle activity while lifting weights. It actually uses vibration plate technology wherein it produces vibration when being used for workouts. The vibration from shake weight makes weight lifting even more effective. It causes the muscles to relax and contract many times during a short workout session. Because of the vibration, it's more effective than the traditional lifting of dumbbells. Actually, using it six minutes a day can surpass the mount of workout that can be achieved with multiple repetition and sets of lifting ordinary dumbbells. This is what they claim, but I believe the best results will be gained from using it in conjunction with other unique and easy workouts.

The Shake Weight for women is designed a little lighter than the one for men. The women's model weighs 5 lbs or 2.3 kgs. and the men's model weighs 10 lbs or 4.5 kgs.

Initially, it was designed only for women. Yet, after realizing that it may also be beneficial for men, a heavier version was created. With proper use, you will be able to tone your forearms, biceps and triceps. Using Shake Weight is like total workout for your arms. They say by regularly using it the way you are supposed to, you can forget about the various exercises that you do for your arms. You will be cutting down the amount of time that you have to spend working out on your arm muscles while still getting great results. So go get to work.

Ultimately though, if you really want to get great results, there are a few different tricks and tips that you have to use to get the best looking arms and upper body. If you use it while still doing a few other exercises, you can see really amazing results.

Get your FREE video and Work Out Tips Here => Shake Weight Review Where you'll discover how to burn fat and get firmer abs and arms quickly.

Click CLICK HERE to get started.


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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

York Barbell 300 Pound Olympic Weight Set - Best Home Gym Exercise Equipment You Can Get?

Want to get serious with your weight training? Thinking about buying a set of weights and a barbell? Tuck them away in a spare room or garage, and you've got the beginnings of a home gym right there. Which is always ready and available whenever you feel like a workout - and isn't that better than paying time and again to belong to a gym that gets so crowded you can't even see the machines?

The York Barbell name has been associated with weightlifting since the firm began in 1935. What you get with this offering from them is a 300lb Olympic set of black metal plates, along with a 7' chrome bar and spring collars. The bar is a real 45 lb Olympic bar, unlike many other "value" weight sets that substitute a 35 lb bar.

As someone who's used a set of York weights since starting out with weight training, I can recommend the brand. Imagine your own ideal home gym set up, then add this set of York weights to it. And they're all the exercise gear you'll ever need. The 300 lbs of weight plates is enough to provide a challenging workout for most gym users, and the hefty Olympic bar isn't going to wear out any time soon. The weight plates and the total package are as follows:

2 of the 45 lb plates2 of the 35 lb plates2of the 25 lb plates2 0f the 10 lb plates4 of the 5 lb plates2 of the 2.5 lb plates

- plus one 45 lb chrome Olympic bar (700 lb test), and one set of Olympic spring collars. Which, taken all together, makes it a great set for the home gym owner. It's as well to note that the plates are rough cast, and some variation in color is possible.

You're ready to work out. So you load up your York Olympic bar and try a warm up set, just to get the blood pumping. Solid, well made gear, with a reassuring heft to it. The product is, as advertised, a nice Olympic weight set with a solid 45 lb bar. Good quality for the price, and most reviewers report that the delivery was quick and efficient and they're happy with their purchase.

And that's it. Want to get serious with your weight training? Want the convenience of your own weights set, and the security of a quality, well built product that will serve you through a lifetime of getting in shape and staying that way? Try the York 300 lb barbell set.

Trying to get in shape? Interested in that York barbell set? Check out Get In Shape now.

Check out the articles for exercise tips and workout advice.


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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Using "Psych-Traps" to Help You Make a New Memory For Fitness and Weight Loss


When you start to think about the reasons why people don't make the time to exercise, everything begins to sound like one excuse after another. But, if you take a closer look into the true psychology behind what is keeping people from getting their fitness in full swing; excuses are not the problem.

As a matter of fact it's gone beyond the ideas of inconvenience. It's gone past the point of laziness. It's gone past the point of excuses. It's gone past the point of not having built a habit or having built a habit of not exercising. It has progressed beyond any and all of those stages. The concept of exercise and healthy habits has declined so much (an actual retrogression) that people have legitimately hard-wired their minds to avoid exercise.

And this situation creates a significantly bigger and almost insurmountable obstacle to overcome, because the typical "motivational" or "convenience" approaches or solutions used by the fitness industry lack the finesse to overpower the human mind. Hence why most every exercise program fails and the individuals that purchase them never receive the intended results.

The programs do in fact fail the people that buy them.

It is not a simple matter of 'motivating" people or making the workouts "convenient" to do based on time or location. It is so much bigger and deeper than that. The standard fitness program is designed from it's inception to cause failure on behalf of the majority of people who buy them.

Why? Because the mind is no longer wired to receive that type of stimulus. It is not ready to fire off all of those connectors or sustain the mindset of exercise and healthy eating and a wellness lifestyle.

This is a problem that cannot be solved with "mind over matter" or cognitive thought or forced discipline. The type of memory needed to reinforce a repetitive lifestyle, has either never existed or the memory that has been built when it comes to fitness and health is bad or negative and counter productive.

The solution? You need to rebuild, replace or install a new memory.

You need to install a memory of exercise and health. This way when the time comes during the day for you to exercise, you won't find yourself trying to work your way out of your workout.

By installing this new memory of health and fitness you will be propelled to continue to workout and eat correctly because this new memory dictates, "this is who you are... working out is what you do."

The problem is that this memory has to be created instantly. This new memory has to be created with the same process that creates every memory you have. And this is the reason why most people that buy exercise and workout programs, equipment, gym memberships, DVD's and weight loss pills and potions; end up quickly quitting and returning to their "old ways" of wellness, regardless of how much money they've spent or how advanced the breakthrough being branded.

The approach of the entire fitness world is "physical" in nature, with the idea of "psychology" as a simple emotional effect to motivate you.

This approach doesn't help to correct the main problem that I have previously described.

The entire purpose of the industry is to create an environment that is conducive to people exercising and becoming fit. The "physical" only approach can't correct the real deep down "psych" problem.

These products and programs not only leave their buyer deflated and disinterested in their products and exercise, but it leaves them feeling negative about fitness in general. It also actually reinforces their current mental state because these so-called solutions are perceived as yet "another thing" they bought, that got their hopes up only to find it quickly end in failure.

This "physical" only approach is perceived mainly as a way for these "celebrity instructors" to aggrandize themselves in the media and marketplace. The true benefit to the marketplace is never a central consideration when creating these programs.

Michael Banks with his Body By Banks program stands apart from the entire industry and corrects this inaccurate dynamic that has been perpetuated for years.

The Michael Banks method is different. He approaches fitness and wellness "first" from the psychological side and builds what I call "psych-traps" into the actual workouts in the form of verbal expressions, exercise movements, and the way he structures and schedules the actual workout.

Since a person who doesn't exercise either has no memory or a bad associative memory when it comes to exercise, health or fitness, Michael Bank's unique approach (which you would never notice conscientiously, but the results prove it to be true) instantly builds or re-builds those neuro-connections and gets all of them firing within seconds of turning on his DVDs. In short, his "fitness therapy" approach instantly builds a memory that says, "I love to exercise, this is fun, I can do this! This is who I am."

This allows the mind to desire and want to repeat this feeling, thereby repetitively doing the workout, weight is lost and the person's life changes forever.

*All of this happens in 10 minutes... in the first DVD, which is during the most critical memory building stage of the mind called "the Chalkboard Phase" which is where we are installing hard and permanent memory into the hippocampus, which is the hard drive of the mind.

Listed below are a series of "psych traps" that Michael uses during the first workout DVD called Total Body Transformation. Read them, then do the workout and see if you recognize them. Better yet, pay attention to how you feel from the beginning of the workout to the end and see if you too don't get caught in his "trap".

Before I explain the actual "Psych Traps" Michael uses during his workouts, let me first explain your brains actual process for building a memory. This is important to understand because it will easily illustrate why Michaels programs create the type of results I have describe in the before mentioned text.

Your Brains Process of Building a Memory

0.2 seconds: Attention

Attention causes the neurons that register the event to fire more frequently. Such activity makes the experience more intense; it also increases the likelihood that the event will be encoded as a memory.

0.25 seconds: Emotion

The emotional information increases attention. The emotional information from a stimulus is processed initially along an unconscious pathway that leads to the amygdala; this can produce an emotional response even before the person knows what they are reacting to, as in the "fight or flight" response. Pre-cognitive decision making.

0.2-0.5 seconds: Sensation

Most memories derive from events that included sights, sounds and other sensory experiences. The more intense the sensations, the more likely it is that the experience is remembered.

0.5 seconds -10 minutes: Working Memory - "Chalkboard Phase"

Short-term or "working" memory is like text on a blackboard that is constantly refreshed. Working memory is thought to involve two neural circuits around which the information is kept alive for as long as it is needed. One circuit is for visual and spatial information, and the other for sound.

10 minutes-2 years: Hippocampal processing

Particularly striking experiences cause neural activity that loops around coiled layers of tissue; the hippocampal neurons start to encode this information permanently by a process called long-term potentiation. The strongest information "plays back" to the parts of the brain that first registered it.

2 years onward: Consolidation

It takes up to two years for a memory to become firmly consolidated in the brain; the neural firing patterns that encode an experience are played back and forth between the hippocampus and the cortex. This prolonged, repetitive "dialogue" causes the patterns to be shifted from the hippocampus to the cortex. The dialogue takes place largely during sleep.

The Body By Banks Psych-Traps

Here are some of the things you might notice during a workout with Michael banks. I will explain the significance of each of these "Psych Traps."

"Only 10 minutes!" - Michael keeps repeating this phrase throughout the workout. The result is that your mind remembers that the workout is short and sweet and can be fit anywhere into your day. Many times when people are just watching the workout the response is, "Hey... I could have already been halfway through!" They then immediately get up and start doing the workout.

In addition, the number 10 has certain symbolism. It is one of 4 perfect numbers (3,7, 10, 12) It also is symbolic of completeness and order and that they cycle is complete. It is the same number as the number of fingers and toes. Since the beginning we have grown up using our fingers to count. This is our simple math. Being able to use that kind of associative memory is a great "psych trap" for helping us feel that working out and being fit is childlike simple and easy.

10 repetitions per exercise - Based on the same symbolism, which repetitively reinforces the ease and simplicity of the program.

"Fun and simple" - Michael mentions the word fun and or simple at least 17 times in the first DVD workout. This is more than one repetition per minute. He keeps verbally repetitively reinforcing that this IS fun and simple. You are starting to see that Michael is using all of the senses to get all of your neuro-connections firing at the same time. This more easily reinforces and builds a new memory of fitness success or replaces a bad one.

"Relax!" - The word relax doesn't seem to fit into a workout program. As a matter of fact most programs are doing the exact opposite. Yelling at you to "get off your butt!" These typical instructors are similar to an old school, hard-nosed Marine drill sergeant. Not effective at all for the majority of the marketplace. By telling you to "relax" your mind has hard wired memories attached to the word "relax", and it instantly brings up the feelings of relaxation, which allows you to not feel like you are working hard when you actually are. It's a more advance version of reverse psychology plus distractionary technique.

"You and I, everyday" - This is so personable of an approach that it helps people feel that Michael is there for them... there with them, supporting them everyday. He is talking to you saying, "I am here with you. It's you and I... every day!"

"Wait! Stay there!" - This is a great technique that keeps you off balance psychologically and creates a push and pull situation in the mind. Several times during the workout right when Michael's got you excited and you are ready to move to the next exercise... Michael tells you "Stop! Wait! I know you're excited..." This verbal "psych-trap" reinforces the concept of relax and take your time, don't push yourself and at the same time, makes you even more, want to push on. It's brilliant!

"Take a seat!" - This is one of the biggest "psych-traps" used in Michaels programs. He uses this 6 times in his first DVD workout. From our earliest days we have heard the words, "Take a seat." From our teachers, to any meeting or one-on-one situation where we are being instructed, we have heard the words, "Take a seat." And every time we heard those words, we took a seat and we heard our minds say, "great... time to relax."

Our minds are hard wired and our long- term memory that send chemicals to the brain that makes you feel like it's over it's time to chill or relax. An even more advanced version of reverse psychology and a distractionary technique. It makes the workout go by extremely quick and make you feel like you didn't really workout at all. Then a little later that day, or the next morning... you start to realize, "Hey! I did workout! Let's do that again!"

This is just a few of the "psych-traps" that Michael Banks uses in his fitness programs. His background in psychology really shows when you start to understand the breakdown of his unnoticeable approach to helping you create the kind of healthy life you desire. He truly is the best in the business.

Edward A. Earle








You can join the Body By Banks Wellness Program free of charge. It includes his Top Selling DVD, "Total Body Transformation" (as seen in Walmart store) and his weekly live coaching calls and bi-monthly health newsletter. Go to http://www.bodybybanks.com and register free.


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Weight training for bodybuilding





If you really want to focus on body building, weight training is an important part of their training program. In the body building weight training is a large part of any exercise regime, but is not the only part. However, when you have a training plan of weight, easier to achieve its objectives for the promotion of the organization.




To work certain muscle groups, you lift weights, offering resistance to these areas. When you start your body weight training program, remember to start and your way of working. That means start with a weight that is difficult to obtain, but it will with little effort. As the weight gets easy lift, add. The idea is to slowly build by which does not run the risk of injury to your body.




When you are weight training, you must ensure that they are doing the exercises correctly. Extreme caution and feel the muscles work to lift the weight. Its form is also important that much weight are elevation, so special attention to how exercises are made and kept safe.




It will do some heavy weight work, security is therefore very important. When you perform squats or dead lifts, you put pressure on the lower back. It is a good idea to use a weight belt to perform these exercises to minimize the risk of injury. Weight belts support your lower back and keep your spine aligned therefore it is not an exercise incorrectly.


An important result of weight in the body of training building is a greater physical performance. Muscles literally use energy to produce the movement, as the engine or the power of the body. Strength training increases the size of the muscle, strength and endurance, which contribute to the improvement of our work, our favorite sport and recreation and our daily activities in General.


His physical appearance will improve with a weight training program as your body uses fat for weight lift power. When you burn fat, lose weight and gain muscle tone. Fitness also prevents loss of muscle which can lead to a flaccid body. Obviously, the resistance that is obtained through weight training will help develop muscles of new and exciting way.




Weight training is a large part of a management program. If you have well defined muscles, should include weight training exercise plan. Get you excellent results with their efforts and have a better body, healthy appearance in the process.


Sunday, April 3, 2011

Guide to a Great Weight Workout


There is always a lot of confusion over how to do a proper weight workout so I will try to explain what I think is important. There are five parts to your workout; the warm-up, stretching, weight workout, cool down, and post workout meal.

First when you walk into the gym or basement it is always important to warm up and then stretch. If you think about how you are doing a workout and what kind of stress you are putting on your muscles then you have to be aware of how if they are not warm they can stretch or rip...this is not a good thing.

To do a proper warm up you should probably use all of your muscle groups. Do not warm-up by doing hard cardio for a half hour as this will tire you out for your weight workout. For a warm-up the best machine I have found is an elliptical trainer. An elliptical trainer will allow you to use all of your muscles, is low impact and forces you to focus a little on your balance so you can get focused on what the workout will bring. Only do your muscle warm-up for about 5 to 10 minutes and not at a high intensity but rather medium intensity so you only break a little sweat and get your muscles warm.

Next get water and do some stretching. I am in favor of stretching all of my muscles before a workout not just the muscles that I will be training that day. Find some good stretches and spend another 5 to 10 minutes stretching and focusing on your breathing, you want to be sure to have good oxygen in your system during your weight workout so that you always feel that you energy is up.

Next get a drink again and the start your weight workout. I will not delve into the sets and reps as that can be covered better by itself. During your workout though make sure that you are waiting one to two minutes between sets and taking in water whenever necessary. Your weight lifting portion of your workout should take about 40-60 minutes. To short a workout and you will not have time to really hit your muscles hard enough but at the other extreme if you workout too long you will have to little energy at the end of your workout and you also risk not being able to recover between workouts.

After you finish your weight workout it is a good idea to stretch again as stretching will allow the muscles to stop cramping, increase blood flow throughout the muscle and relax you before you get back into the car. In the past I found that if I did not stretch after my workout then my arms would be shaking when I got behind the wheel of the car to go home (not much better when I got on a bike instead).

It is important to remember that you do not make your gains in the gym; you make strength and mass gains while your body recovers with proper rest and exercise. One of the critical things that you can do diet wise after your workout is to take in lots of carbohydrates to replenish the energy lost during the workout. Some people take Creatine or a Gatorade/sugar drink which can be expensive but if you are trying to replenish your carbs the best thing to take is some sugar in water. Kool aid would be good if you could drink enough but a potato or rice are not good as they will take to long for your body to be able to use the sugar.

About an hour after your workout you can take in some protein, some people try to get in the protein even earlier with some people trying to get in a double sized meal within an hour of the end of the workout. I on the other hand usually can not stomach a large heavy meal that quickly after a workout and am not rich enough to take in a $5 energy drink after every workout.

Follow these simple workouts and you will get better results, have better workouts, recover better, and have a better, healthier time in the gym.








Bill Nadraszky is a lifelong fitness nut. His fitness ramblings can be found at his fitness tips weblog and more at fitness articles


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Types Of Workouts: Which Weight Training Workout Program Is Best For Beginners?


Many people starting out in muscle building go to the gym and lift weights in a sporadic manner, without any consistency and without targeting certain areas and muscle groups in a planned and carefully executed approach. This is a fatal mistake. It is essential to build a workout program that can be continuously followed but first you must understand what the different types of workouts are so that you can evaluate which type best suits your specific body type and goals in order to maximize your results. Muscle building programs can be categorized into three main types of workouts namely, full body workouts, upper or lower split workouts and body part split workouts and below is a briefing on each one.

A full body workout is basically meant for beginners, who are trying to do lifting, or working out for strength gains. Generally a full body workout distributed evenly in about three sessions per week, will target muscle groups with a high frequency allowing the individual to get a speedy outcome. However, it is important to note that a full body workout demands a wholesome capability for muscular recovery, as the entire range of muscle groups will be targeted after a time interval of say forty-eight hours. The intermediate one-day rest allows for CNS recovery.

So every session involved in a full body workout course will require the exercise of all muscle groups, and it is particularly for those who wish to strengthen and shape the overall body structure. It is not a specialized program, and those intending to focus on specific muscle groups such as shoulders or arms won't benefit from this program.

The upper or lower split workout requires you to workout for four sessions per week with a one-day rest, after a two day session. The first day would be for an upper body workout, the second for a lower body workout, the third day for rest, and again the fifth and sixth days corresponding to upper and lower body workouts. With five days assigned thus, the next two days would be for rest. This type of workout program is suitable for those who like to frequently visit the gym, besides having an efficient CNS recovery.

The upper or lower split workout offers complete sessions focusing distinctly on the upper and lower body. Therefore it allows a specialized program, targeting on specific muscle groups. The only limitation of this program is that being involved in additional sporting activities may be tedious and struggle some. The sessions involved per week are demanding and the body would not be able to manage with further activities.

The body part split type of workout is a method where each session focuses on distinct parts of the body. The program involves a day's training for the chest, and each subsequent day thereafter for the legs, back, shoulders/neck and finally the arms. This is considered an out-dated method, incapable of producing the desired outcome. Increasing progress in the field of weight training and body workouts, suggest that full body workouts and upper or lower splits workouts are far better in qualitative aspects, with regard to progress and recovery.

The few people who can handle body part split workouts are those who use HIT (High Intensity Training), which involves a few sets in each workout, but pushing it to the maximum. Their main purpose is to focus fully on a single muscle group, keeping the volume very low, so that the CNS is not actually taxed. They return to the gym the following day, and concentrate on the next muscle group, and give almost a week's rest to the exhausted muscle group, before targeting on it again. However, this kind of training is not normally suggested, though a few find it effective. Body part split workouts do not offer the required frequency for building muscles to the maximum possible extent, because each muscle group is worked out approximately once in seven days.

You can start with a full body workout and then move on to any of the other methods. The resultant outcome of the workout program is more effective, if the workout methods are varied to a slight extent after six to eight weeks to keep the muscles guessing. Alternating between workout techniques keeps the body flexible, without leaving it to get used to a specific type of workout.








Steven Tyrie is an exercise science and general health and fitness expert who specializes in helping beginners reach their muscle building goals. To learn more FREE muscle building tips, sign up to the FREE BuildUpYourMuscles weekly newsletter or to download the complete 'Beginners Guide to Muscle Building' ebook just visit www.buildupyourmuscles.com.


Monday, March 28, 2011

Weight Lifting Workouts For Insane Muscle Growth


Weight lifting workouts are the cornerstone of any successful muscle gain program. Without the proper stimulation, your muscles simply will not grow. If you're trying to build muscle mass but don't know how to structure your weight training workouts for muscle growth look no further.

While everybody knows that weight training is the way to go if you want to build muscle mass. Very few people understand the basics of designing a growth stimulating workout. Listed below is the framework that I use to put together 90% of my weight lifting workouts.

Before we get into the workout structure, It's important to talk about the muscle building process and how it works. Here's a simplistic overview of how the muscle building process works:

In order to build muscle mass you must first stimulate muscle growth with intense weight lifting workouts. After you have given your body a reason to grow, you must then focus your attention on fueling muscle growth. Just like your car, your body will not function properly without the right fuel (nutrients). After you have put in the hard work to stimulate and fuel muscle growth, you must give your body a chance to actually grow. The fancy term for this process is rest and recovery.

That's really all there is to the muscle building process. Armed with this knowledge, you should have a better than average idea of what it takes to build muscle.

Here's the formula for growth stimulating weight lifting workouts

1.) Always perform a complete warm up prior to jumping into any weight lifting workout. If yo decide to skip the warm-up and jump right into your workout, you will get hurt!

2.) limit the duration of your weight lifting workouts to 60 minutes max. I personally like to design them to complete in under 45 minutes. There are two reasons that I strictly follow this methodology.

The first reason is that studies have shown that the muscle building hormones begin to spike withing 30 - 45 minutes. If you continue to train past the 60 minute threshold the muscle building effect of your workouts will not be as effective as an intense weight training session during your bodies peak hormonal period.

The second reason is that you'll have a very hard time maintaining the proper muscle building intensity level for more than 60 minutes. Another way to say it is - If you are able to train for 2 - 3 hours, chances are your workouts are not intense enough to stimulate muscle growth.

Besides, who has the time to commit to 2 -3 hours a day in the gym anyway?

3.) Design the majority of your workouts around compound exercises like squats, bench press, dead lift, rows etc. If you really want to add an isolation exercise into the mix, make sure that you only perform it after you have completed at least 1 heavy compound movement.

4.) Train heavy to stimulate muscle growth. If you're serious about building as much muscle mass as quickly as possible you need to train with heavy weights through a complete range of motion. I've found the 6 - 8 repetition range to be effective for most body parts.

5.) Incorporate stretching and flexibility into your weight training routine by stretching between sets.

6.) Focus on only 1 or 2 body parts per workouts max! If you want to stimulate muscle growth you need to hammer each muscle group with heavy weights. If you're trying to cram in 3 or 4 different body parts you will not be able to train heavy enough towards the end of your workout.

7.) Perform between 2 - 4 sets of each exercise beginning with your heavy compound exercises first and moving on to your secondary isolation exercises second.

8.) Rest for 2 - 3 minutes between sets. This is enough time to allow for complete muscle recovery, but not so long that your body cools down between sets.

9.) Train each body part only 1 time each week. This will allow for full muscular recovery between workouts.

Here's what a typical chest and bicep workout looks like following this model:


Bench Press - 4 warm up sets, then 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps.

Dumbbell Incline Press - 2 sets of 6 - 8 reps.

Straight Bar Curl - 4 warm up sets, then 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps.

Alternating Dumbbell Curl - 2 sets of 6 - 8 reps.

While it may seem counter intuitive to limit your weight lifting workouts to 60 minutes, you'll soon find that you can actually train with heavier weights and wind up stimulating more growth in the process!








If you're ready for more top notch bodybuilding workouts and weight lifting tips, check out Gain-Muscle-Workout-Less.com. While you're there, sign up for the Free "5 Secrets To Building More Muscle In Less Time" Mini-Course and learn how to gain muscle mass quickly, easily and naturally in less time starting today!


Weight Loss Cardio Workout - Why Your Current Cardio Workout Can Make You Fatter


Do you know the absolute best way to use a weight loss cardio workout to permanently lose weight?

Have you ever lost weight in the beginning from doing a lot of cardio only to hit a frustrating plateau?

If you are like most people the answer is yes and no and usually in the order!

This article is going to go over a few reasons why the average weight loss cardio workout might actually be preventing you from losing weight. Please pay special attention to this article because it can save you lots of time, help you enjoy exercise more, and give you a new outlook on losing with with cardio.

By using "cardio", I am talking about using cardiovascular exercise on a basic cardio machine such as treadmills, rowing machines, upright or recumbent bikes, ellipticals, or any other common cardio machine you see at the gym or at a department store. This also refers to things such as walking outside or going for a bike ride.

It is very common see someone try to lose weight in the gym by getting on a cardio machine and trying to go for 30-60 minutes at a slow pace. They may try to do this 3, 4, or 5 days per week!

For the first 2-3 weeks, there is usually an immediate result. The weight on the scale goes down and you are feeling great. Soon after however, the weight loss slows down and your progress comes to a crashing halt.

Let's go over 3 quick reasons why your hit a frustrating plateau with the normal cardio workout, and more importantly, how to avoid it completely.

Reason #1: It Is Boring!

Unless you are a long distance runner who loves running with all their heart, you probably would rather spend your time doing something other than going at a slow pace on a cardio machine for 30, 45, or 60 minutes. A 60 minute cardio workout 3-5 days a week is a sure way to lose all enthusiasm for exercise and be really bored throughout the whole process.

So many people who do this type of workout try to read a magazine, watch TV, talk on the phone, cover the timer with a towel, or do just about anything else to distract them from their workout.

Reason #2: You Burn Fewer Calories Each Time You Workout

Your body will adapt very quickly to doing a very slow and long weight loss cardio workout. Think about it like this. If you went outside and ran a mile right now it would feel pretty difficult if you were not already a conditioned runner. But what if you ran the same mile 5 days per week for the next two months? It would get easier. Your body would adapt to it because that is what it does best.

The same goes for the average weight loss cardio workout that lasts for 30, 45, or even 60 minutes. At first you might burn a lot of calories, but after doing the same type of cardio workout for too long, the body will become more efficient and will adapt.

This means that the workout that burned 300 calories in January might only be burning 150 calories in March! The only thing you can do it so longer or work harder. Neither one sounds like a very appealing option.

Reason #3: The Average Weight Loss Cardio Workout Does Not Stimulate Your Metabolism

Instead of focusing on the number of calories you burned during a single workout, I want you to instead focus on burning calories during the workout and for hours afterwards!

Research has shown that slow same speed cardio does next to nothing to stimulate your resting metabolism. This means that you workout for 45 minutes, burn 300 calories, and then negate the whole workout with a Gatorade afterwards.

How to Fix This Problem

Did you know that you can use a different type of cardio called interval training that can burn a lot of calories during the actual cardio workout and for hours afterwards as well?

When performed correctly, interval training is faster, more fun, and most importantly, has been shown in research to have a dramatic effect on your resting metabolism. This means that you might burn 300 calories during the actual workout, then another 300 the throughout the rest of the day!

Interval training is an excellent weight loss cardio workout option for this very reason. Interval training simply consists of using both high and low speeds and intensities at set points in your workout. It can be done on any cardio machine and can even be done walking outside!

If you are truly serious about achieving weight loss with a cardio workout, then learning more about interval training is an absolute must. Your will feel like you got twice the workout in half the time and have a lot more results to show for it!








For more information, visit http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com to learn about the biggest myths about nutrition, cardio, strength training, and more.


Sunday, March 27, 2011

Yoga For Weight Loss for Beginners

Yoga For Weight Loss for BeginnersReshape your body and feel great with these easy to follow routines. Now you can burn calories while toning and stretching your entire body. These practices will leave you feeling invigorated, more energetic and de-stressed.

Three Sections Of Routines

Getting Started Routines

As You Progress Routines


With the variety of of routines, this DVD is perfect for both the beginner and seasoned student alike. You will feel younger, more fit and in shape with these targeted and effective routines.
This stunning and beautiful DVD was shot at one of the most majestic, tranquil beaches in the world, Half-Moon Bay, Antigua!
This revolutionary, interactive DVD allows you to choose from 12 customized routines ranging from 15-60 minutes to get you toned and feeling great. This special, easy to use system allows you to find the routine that is just right for your needs. Veteran instructor Maggie Rhoades gently guides you through these proven and effective routines.

Price: $19.99


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Saturday, March 19, 2011

The 10 Essentials For Amazing Weight Lifting Workout Routines


Bodybuilding is a lot more than just lifting up some heavy weights. Good weight lifting workout routines consists of several different aspects. If you want to build yourself a nice body, your weight lifting workout routines need to have proper nutrition, daily cardio workouts, plenty of water throughout the day, nutrition, and a good amount of rest between each of your workout days.

Warm-up
To start off, your workout needs to have some sort of cardio warm-up and little bit of light stretching before you do any of the heavy lifting. It doesn't have to be anything intense; all you have to do is about five minutes of running on the treadmill and then about five additional minutes of stretching. This essential to get your blood flowing and to prevent any injuries from occurring when you're doing your weight lifting.

Another type of warm-up you should include in your bodybuilding program is warming up with your main exercise. After you do your cardio stretching, you need to warm up your muscle groups, and the best way to do that is by doing light versions of one of your weight lifting exercises. For example let's say you wanted to do upper body workouts for the day and your main exercise is going to be the bench press. Your first set should be 50% of your normal weight for 10 repetitions. In your next rep should be 60% for six reps. And then keep on doing something similar for about three more sets. If you look at the end of this article, you'll see a sample workout session where I'll be describing this in more detail.

Don't try to work on your muscles in the same day; spread them throughout the week
Good weight lifting workout routines need to have a certain focus on each day of the workout. You should be grouping some your larger muscle groups together on each of the days. For example, on Monday, you should do triceps, chest, and shoulders; on Wednesday you should do biceps and back; and on Friday, you should do legs and abs. By working out each year muscle groups one time per week you'll give them enough time to repair themselves and grow.

One common newbie mistake is overtraining. They workout the same muscles more than once per week, which sometimes doesn't allow the muscles to repair. Remember that muscle growth doesn't happen during the workout itself. Muscles only grow in mass when they repair themselves and have a proper amount of rest in between each your workouts. The more time you give your muscles to rest in between your workouts, the more time they will to have to repair and grow.

Workout until exhaustion for each of your days
Your muscles are only going to build if push yourself. With each new weekly should be pushing yourself by either increasing your weight slightly (2.5 or 5 pounds) or by increasing your reps by 2 to 4. For weight lifting to be effective, you have to keep on working until your muscles are exhausted. Exhaustion is defined as when your muscles can no longer do an exercise properly. Keep in mind that you should always use proper form and to use steady movements in order reduce the risks of injury.

Repetitions
If you're using the correct amount of weight, you should only be doing about 8 to 12 reps per set when you're working on your muscles. 8 is a pretty good number, and if you reach 12 then you should probably grab some heavier weights. If you go any higher than 12 then you're less likely to build muscle mass and more likely to tone it.

Sets
A proper weight lifting workout routine should have about 4 to 7 sets for each exercise (this is assuming that you have approximately 4-6 different exercises for the day; if you have many more exercises, then you'll want to reduce the amount of sets per exercise so that you don't completely drain yourself before you complete the workout). It shouldn't take you hours in order to finish your weight lifting workout routines; in fact, they should only take you one hour to finish. Write down what you are able to perform so that you can keep track of your progress.

Resting period in between each set
After you finish each of your sets, you need a resting period. For the best time efficiency, your resting period should be about 60 seconds to 90 seconds. If you feel that you need to rest longer for the next set, then do so.

Water
Drinking water during a workout is essential. Need to keep your body hydrated because if your body is just even slightly dehydrated this could be a drop in your performance. If you drink enough water before during and after the workout, then you'll feel to get the most out of your weight lifting efforts.

Nutrition
Diet is another important element of your weight lifting workout routines. To give your muscles enough energy for the workout, you should be eating high glycemic carbohydrate foods right before the workout. For example, a fruit would be good before the workout. Including some protein in your workout will also help control your blood sugar levels.

After-Workout Nutrition
Within one hour immediately after your workout, you should be consuming protein and good carbohydrates. Liquid whey protein and high glycemic carbohydrates absorb quickly, so they're the best things to eat/drink right after your workout. This is also an important time to consume a lot of calories; your muscles need calories in order to repair themselves and grow.

Protein
As I said before, your body needs protein (especially after the workout) as part of its weight lifting workout routines in order to repair itself. To get the protein absorbed into the body as quickly as possible, many bodybuilders bring along protein shakes or protein powders with liquid to drink right after the workout is done.

You should try and avoid eating fatty foods during the 1 hour after your workout, because they will slow down your body's absorption of essential nutrients.

Sample Routines
Do all of your sets until your muscles fail. Write down your progress, so that you can push yourself the next week and beat the previous week's. Remember to increase your weights and/or reps each week.

Warm-Up
- 5 minutes of running/jogging
- 1st set of an exercise: 50% of normal weight, 10 reps
- 2nd set of an exercise: 60% of normal weight, 6 reps
- 3rd set of an exercise: 70% of normal weight, 4 reps
- 4th set of an exercise: 80% of normal weight, 2 reps
- 5th set of an exercise: 90% of normal weight, 1 rep

Remember, as I said before in the article, you should aim for 8-12 reps and about 4-7 sets for good weight lifting workout routines. 1 hour is enough time to work out your muscles; spending hours at the gym isn't necessary! If you feel that you can push yourself, then increase your sets!

Monday (Chest, shoulder, triceps)
- Warm up
- Flat Barbell Bench Press
- Incline Dumbbell Press
- Lateral Raises
- Barbell Shoulder Press
- Bench Dips
- Triceps Pull downs

Wednesday (Back and biceps)
- Warm-up
- Dead lifts
- Standing Barbell Curls
- Seated Dumbbell Curls
- Wrist Curls

Friday (Legs and abs)
- Warm-up
- Squats
- Leg Curls
- Calf Raises
- Abdominal Crunches








Want to learn more about how I build my body and lose fat? I've been working on my own fitness blog, which contains free articles about weight lifting, diet & nutrition, weight loss, and just about every topic you can think of in regards to sculpting your body. Read articles and get more free advice by visiting my fitness blog, Elite Fitness Zone.

I've also written up helpful reviews of bodybuilding programs that can help you out within weeks. One of my recommended programs is "Your Six Pack Quest", which is a program designed specifically to build muscle mass on the average guy. It gives you a full workout routine for 52-weeks, along with full diet schedules to maximize your muscle growth. Learn more about it here: Your Six Pack Quest review


Monday, February 28, 2011

Loose Skin After Losing Weight

QUESTION:

Well, about 1 1/2 years ago I was overweight. Being 15 years old I was at 236 lbs. I now train everyday (cardio, weight lifting, etc) and I actually started boxing as well. I'm now 6' tall and down to 175 lbs. But here's the problem... I have quite a bit of excess skin in my abdominal area. How do I get rid of the loose skin after losing weight? From the hanging bag at the bottom, nearly all the way up to my chest. Do you have any idea how I can at least reduce this extra skin?
-Thanks, Jacob Z.


ANSWER:


First, let me congratulate you, Jacob, on your successful weight loss. Good job!


Getting rid of loose skin after losing weight is a common concern and a difficult problem to deal with. Over time you should see some improvements in your skin's elasticity, thus reducing the looseness of your skin. Unfortunately, you may not think it's enough and then surgery becomes the only way to remove the excess skin.


There are steps you can take to improve the elasticity of your skin and reduce the looseness.


The factors that affect your skin's elasticity are:


(1) Age. Young skin is more elastic than older skin. That's good for you.
(2) Genes. You can't change this, but your genes control how firm your skin is as you age.
(3) Smoking. Hopefully you don't smoke. Smoking ages your skin badly.
(4) Sun Exposure. Too much sun exposure damages your skin.
(5) Diet. Eating a balanced, healthy diet with vitamins and minerals (especially Vitamins C & E) will help you maintain healthy skin.
(6 ) Water. Make sure you drink enough water to stay hydrated.


So make sure you avoid smoking and the sun, while eating healthy and staying hydrated. Keep working out hard and building muscle. By continuing to add muscle you can improve how the skin looks, and may be able to reduce some sagging. If you are doing all of these things, you know you are doing everything possible, short of surgery, to reduce your loose skin.


One of the best things you have going for you (aside from your work ethic and dedication) is your age. Give it some time. Your body will continue to change as you get into your 20's. If at that point you're still not satisfied, you could consider surgery. In the meantime, you may be surprised how time, a healthy lifestyle, and hard work can pay off and greatly reduce your loose skin problem.


Good Luck


Bill


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Friday, February 11, 2011

How To Build Muscle and Gain Weight Quickly - And Stop Feeling Frustrated At Your Lack Of Progress

Frustration is a very common emotion amongst naturally skinny people who feel that they have been dealt the dud genetic hand, and simply cannot seem to gain any weight. They are left wondering why it is that most people seem to be able to effortlessly put on weight, and yet they cannot. They have tried all the usual suspects like eating more, copious amounts of exercise and eating weird and wonderful supplements that claim to be able to stimulate weight gain, and yet they stay skinny and shapeless.

The problem is that they are approaching gaining weight in the wrong way. The best way to build muscle and gain weight quickly is not to randomly try eating lots of different things (until you have no idea of what you actually ate!) Or do randomly do lots of exercises, or down supplements on an ad-hoc basis.

The best way to overcome your frustration at your lack of progress is to instead take a totally different approach, and first of all ditch random snacking and exercise. And instead seek out carefully designed programs that were put together by naturally skinny people who have then found (often through lots of trial and error), the best combination of methods to gain weight if you are not a normal weight gainer.

Seeking structured help is essential, because it can help to combat the feelings of frustration that you are otherwise probably experiencing right now, and will help to alleviate them, and instead give you the quick weight gain that you want.


View the original article here

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Is Going From Being Skinny to Gaining Weight Fast Really Achievable? (What's The Best Approach?)

Often times it can almost cause a brain freeze in people who are skinny and want to gain weight when they hear from their friends and colleagues who want to lose weight. The natural thought that comes to mind is "Give it to me!" Because if you are naturally skinny you know that gaining weight fast is not something that you have been able to do in the past, and you may even be a little sceptical about how possible it really is.

Even if you aren't sceptical (perhaps because you haven't been trying very long), you are still aware of how difficult it is for you to gain any pounds, because you yourself have been faced with the reality of it for your whole life. You eat fatty food, a cream cake or lots of chips, and yet you never seem to gain weight.

You exercise with weights all the time and yet whilst you may feel good, you never look any different. And yet you know other people who train for two weeks and look like Mr Universe! It's just not fair.

The best approach to take if you find yourself in this position is to first of all realise that the reason that you haven't succeeded up until now is most likely because you have been following the advice dished out by people who are not naturally skinny, and have no problems gaining weight, and so simply are not on the same page as you.

So you first of all need to bin everything you have already tried, and instead try new approaches from people who are naturally skinny, but found ways to gain weight quickly.

They do exist and if you seek them out then your results will very quickly improve.


View the original article here

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Weight Training Programs Are The Best Way To Change Your Muscle Mass

There are two types of Weight Training Programs, the Off Season and Pre Contest. With each program comes two entirely different types of training. We will break down what you need to do in each program such as techniques, reps, sets, etc. and what kinds of nutrition you need to get the best results.

When we talk about weight training programs, we are talking about a lot more than just lifting weights. There is a system involved that professionals use to get the most out of every workout. This system include two different weight training programs.

The first program is called Off Season Weight Training Program. In this program, you will add muscle mass. That means having a caloric surplus while lifting very heavy weight to add muscle size and density.

The second program is called Pre Contest Weight Training Program. This program requires you to lower your calorie intake and include cardiovascular exercises along with your weight training. For this Pre Contest Program, your weight training will not be the same as the Off Season Program. The poundage of weights used will be less and the techniques will be different.

Off Season Weight Training Program

Off Season Diet Your diet should have plenty of...

...spaced evenly every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day.Protein is key in both weight training programs. The amino acids found in protein help rebuild the cells that have been broken down and split during the workout. Having a fast absorbing protein, like whey protein is great right after a workout. Other then post workouts, all you really need is a protein source found in natural foods. Some great choices should consist of...

eggsmilkfishchickenturkeysteak.

Carbohydrates give you the energy needed during the workout to pump out as many reps as you can with loads of energy. Complex carbohydrates should be consumed all throughout the day in moderation.

In this diet plan for Off Season Weight Training, you want your carbohydrates to be equal to or more than your protein intake. But, be careful you don't over consume your carbohydrates because unused carbohydrates will be stored as fat.

Speaking of fat, your fat intake should be low. Fat yields 9 calories for each gram. So beware of your fat intake. Also, do not consume any saturated fats or trans fats. This is true for both weight training programs. Instead, focus on unsaturated fats like monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Off Season Training Training for the Off Season Program requires you to go heavy on the poundage and low on the reps. It's all about breaking down the muscle and then rebuilding it with the food you eat afterwards.

The exercises you pick should be ones that target the entire muscle area instead of those that target specific areas. An example of this would be...

Flat barbell bench press targets the entire chest muscleDecline barbell bench press only target the lower part of the chest.

To build the most muscle mass possible, focus on exercises which favors entire muscle stimulation.

Off Season Techniques It is always wise in the beginning of both weight training programs to develop good form. This is why we recommend using a technique called negatives.

Negatives require you to slowly lower the weight, forcing you to use good form and work against gravity. The normal time it takes to lower a weight will usually be around 2 to 3 seconds. When performing negatives, your aim will be for a total lowering time of around 10 to 12 seconds. Once you have perfected this technique and developed good form on your exercises, you should switch to descending sets or another technique.

The one important thing to remember in both weight training programs is, always switch up your routine once your body becomes adapted to it.

Pre Contest Weight Training Program

Pre Contest Diet For the Pre Contest Program, the diet could be your best friend or your worst enemy. Most people think you need to drop your calories dramatically. But you don't. Once you learn that a calorie is not just a calorie and you find out different foods have a different hormonal response within your body, you will notice that it isn't the amount of calories but the quality of calories that you consume.

You still need to watch the amount of calories you consume. But 2000 calories consisting of cupcakes and cookies versus 2000 calories of fish and chicken will have a completely different effect on how those calories are stored in your body.

Pre Contest Training A big difference between the two weight training programs is that the Pre Contest Weight Training Program will have you more out of breath when the workout is over. By reducing the rest intervals between sets and adding aerobic exercises, you will be burning fat while still maintaining your muscle mass. The poundage of the weight will have to be less than your Off Season Program but, you still want to lift as heavy as you can.

Pre Contest Techniques For weight training, you want to use a circuit based workout. Compound movements that use more than one muscle group to complete the task is preferable for this circuit training. Jumping from one exercise to the next with little to no rest and engaging both the upper and lower body will maintain your muscle mass while shedding layer after layer of fat.

For your cardiovascular exercise, you do not want long distance cardio. Long distance cardiovascular exercise will sabotage both of your weight training programs. After an hour of this type of cardio, your body will start to break down muscle tissue to use as fuel.

When performing your cardiovascular exercise, you want the time to be around 20 to 40 minutes. A good cardiovascular technique for burning fat and maintaining muscle mass is called high intensity interval training. This technique is based on sprinting for as long as you can and then resting until you are able to repeat the same intensity for your next sprint. 20 minutes of this kind of cardio is great for getting ripped and lean.

Both of these weight training programs will be cycled for a certain length of time. This means you will not be on the Off Season Program for one week and then cycle on the Pre Contest Program the next.

Usually, when you've built up enough muscle mass during your Off Season Program which could take anywhere from 6 months to a year on average, you will then cycle to your Pre Contest Program and strip away stored fat you have gain during your Off Season. This is when you'll show off the new muscle you worked hard for. These weight training programs are just a simple starter for anyone who wants to build muscle mass and then get ripped.


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What Is Plyometrics? 3 Body Weight Plyometric Exercises

Plyometrics is a special type of exercise training that combines speed and power to produce explosive movements. Made popular by many athletic programs, plyometrics conditions your body by forcing the muscles to react in rapid succession at a high intensity for multiple intervals. This type of training will produce what is known as fast twitch muscle fibers. The result is enhanced athletic performance that will help you to run faster, jump higher, become much stronger and extend muscle endurance.

So now that you know what plyometrics is, you might be wondering what kind of exercises constitutes plyometrics, right? Not to worry, here is a list of 3 full body exercises that can easily be incorporated in any workout without any additional equipment. All you need is your own natural body weight and a space that measures roughly 7x6.

Jumping Lunges - Start in the regular lunge position with you left foot in front and your back and shoulders straight. You can help to balance yourself by putting your hands on your hips; this will assist with centering your weight with correct form. Now as you slowly kneel make sure that your left knee is parallel with the floor. Now EXPLODE up and jump in the air while switching legs. When you land your right leg should now be in the front position. When exploding up from the kneeling position, swing your arms up to assist with your momentum.Plyo-Pushups - Start in the regular push up position. Body completely straight and hands on the floor slightly outside shoulder width. Slowly lower the body to the floor and explode up so that your hands are no longer touching the ground. Now quickly clap your hands together and return your hands to the starting position and repeat.Mountain Climbers - Start in the traditional runners position. Both hands on the floor and your left leg underneath you supporting your body weight while the right leg is fully extended behind you. Now explosively switch legs so that your right leg is now underneath you and your left leg is now fully extended behind. Rapidly repeat this movement while keeping your hands on the floor throughout the entire time.

Being that plyometrics is very intense on the central nervous system it should only be trained 2 or 3 times a week. Make sure to drink plenty of water after wards as well.

The most important thing to remember when training plyometrics is to practice perfect form. Don't worry if you stumble and lose your balance in the beginning, it happens to the best of us. Just keep focusing on technique and in time you will be able to perform them with tremendous confidence not to mention you'll notice increase in strength and a much leaner overall physical appearance.


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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

What Is The Most Important Step To Take As A Naturally Skinny Guy Looking To Gain Weight?

Weight gain gets a lot of coverage, but is most typically looked on as a bad thing. This is because most of the population find gaining weight easy, and hence don't give a second thought to the 'problem' of how to gain weight, or how they should go about the process. They are too busy looking at weight gain as a negative.

However, if you are naturally skinny guy then you will most likely have a completely different take on the issue. For you weight gain is something that you probably fantasise about, because the fact is that you find it impossibly hard to pull off, and instead are constantly trying out new methods to try to gain some pounds. If however you are like the majority of skinny guys you will find that these methods generally don't work.

The most important step then that you can take as a naturally skinny guy looking to lose weight is to stop looking for the answers to your problem in the places that you are currently looking. Namely, at diet, methods and solutions for weight gains that are aimed squarely at normal weight gainers, and not at naturally skinny guys like you.

It is a completely different physiology, and so you need to approach things totally differently. This doesn't however mean that you should stop your efforts. Merely that you should change your approach, and instead make use of methods that were specifically designed for guys like you who are naturally skinny.

In that way you will find that it is finally like putting a square peg in a square hole, and will finally start to gain weight almost effortlessly, because you will be doing the right things at last.


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