Home Gym

Setting up a gym at home instead of going to a health club? Setting up a home gym is very useful. It can allow you to train as and when you want making it a 24hour fitness gym. I mean, why waste time travelling to a gym when you could save the travelling time on doing more workouts? You could invest a small amount of money to buy affordable fitness or gym equipments and turn your house into a gym. It really isn't that difficult. You could also look out for discounts in exercise equipment when buying gym equipments.

3 Muscles in Your Legs to Consider With Your Body Building Workout

When putting together a body building workout, it is vital you workout your legs and upper body. There are three main muscles you want to focus on with your legs; your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. By working out these muscles, you will build strong and durable legs.

Luckily, many leg exercises will workout each of the three muscles. Squats are great for building strong and powerful legs. It involves you placing weight on a barbell and squatting down with the weight rested on your neck. It is important you perform this with good technique. Other exercises for your quadriceps include leg press, leg extensions, dumbbell lunges and dumbbell squats.

Moving along to your hamstrings, there are three great body building workouts you can do. The first is lying leg curls in which you lye face down on a leg curl machine and lift up. The other two exercises are stiff legged dead lifts and dumbbell stiff legged dead lifts.

The last of the muscles to include with your body building workout is your calves. There are several exercises you can do to build up your calves giving you muscle for leaping abilities. The most common exercises include standing calf raises, seated calf raises, leg press calf extensions, and standing one legged calf raises. All calf raises consist of you simply standing on your toes and raising yourself using your calf muscles.

Putting together a quality body building workout for your legs is essential. You want to have strong, powerful legs to support your upper-body. Unfortunately, far too many bodybuilders focus solely on their upper-body.

Take these exercises and apply them to your workout regimen to build strong legs. You can work your quadriceps into your bicep, tricep and shoulder workout day and place your calves and hamstrings with your back and chest workout day. This makes for a perfect workout schedule.

5 Minutes a Day to Build and See Your Six Pack Abs

Having a visual six pack mid section is the number one goal of almost everyone who works out and is the top indicator of a fit person. Having abs that ripple and show is not as hard or as complicated as some would have you think. It comes down to 3 simple steps that requires less than 5 minutes per day.

Your mid section is comprised of basically two muscle groups, the external obliques and the rectus abdominis. The rectus abs are the "six pack" muscles and the obliques fill in between your abs and your back muscles. To have a visually appealing ab area you must train both muscle groups. The three largest mistakes people make are over training the abs, under training the obliques and using poor form. These muscle groups work in tandum and to get the most development they must be trained equally. Neither will develop fully with imbalanced training, a lot like bi's and tri's or quads and hamstrings.

The most important single aspect of effective abdominal training is good form. It's more important than the amount of weight used and harder to do with core work because they are not really large muscles, meaning they tire quickly, and for most people they aren't "visible" so you can't see them work as easily. Tired muscle overworked with poor form exercise, trains nothing.

The first step is to train the rectus abdominals. There are plenty of good ab exercises, but I use a cable machine and do Kneeling Cable Pull Downs. These are effectively crunches but done kneeling and pulling a cable down towards the floor. These are excellent because you can keep adjusting the weight, either up or down, to get the best full range of motion while allowing your form to stay good.

The second step is to again use a cable machine and do Woodchoppers. Place the cable high and assume a position that allows you to swing your torso around and down as if to swing an ax chopping wood. Again, using cables allows for correct weight choice.

For the above exercises you could do crunches and use a dumbbell for chops if a cable machine isn't available. Do an AVERAGE 30 good reps of abs, and on each side of obliques taking as many sets as you want every day, meaning today do 60 reps, tomorrow none, and so on. Or do 30 every day.

The third and final step is to get the abs to show. This requires you to, with all else in your life equal, burn an extra 300-500 calories a day. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to not eat it in the first place.

Muscle Building Guide - You Can Build Muscle Without Weights

Though most people do not even consider this option it is actually very easy to build muscles without the use of weights. There are various kinds of exercises which can be done so that the body can get the ideal shape that you desire and that without the use of weights. In ancient times the concept of weight lifting was very restricted but there were people who had well built bodies and muscles in spite of not lifting weights. There are many exercises which you can perform without the use of weights and still get some good muscles.

There are many advantages of building muscles without the use of weights. The main advantage of the same is that there are fewer risks to the body since weights are usually some of the main reasons for hurting and tearing of the muscles. These exercises have a lower chance of injury to the muscles and the body. Also these exercises can be performed anywhere and at anytime so even if you are on vacation or are unable to go the gym then you can try out these exercises at home without any kind of trouble.

But these exercises also need to be performed with the right breathing pattern and control so that you are able to exercise in the right manner and get the maximum results for the same. To begin these exercises you need to the simple warm up session which needs to be followed with the basics of muscle building exercises. These include the traditional simple forms of exercise that help in building muscles without weights like the sit ups, press ups etc. Also these exercises are the ideal options for those who are not used to exercising and can begin from here.

After these basic exercises are done the focus of the body should be on training the different muscles of the body. These exercises are beneficial and to see real results you will need to concentrate on specific muscle groups. For example, the biceps can be build through doing push ups which work out the muscles of the chest and the arms. The other exercise is doing dips on one arm, which lays focus on the muscles of each arm. Instead of weights bottles of water can also be used to intensify the movement.

The chest is one of the most important aspects of muscle building. These chest needs to be well built to provide the body with a well shaped structure. The muscles of the chest are called the pectoral muscles which are also referred to as the pecs. One of the most basic exercises to tone up these muscles is regular press ups. Increase in repetition of these press ups helps in intensification of the muscles.

The muscles of the shoulders benefit from the basic exercises like press ups, and inclined press ups. Pull ups can also be done to train the muscles of the shoulders. The grip of the hand while performing these exercises is essential so that the body does not go through any sudden imbalances or other injuries.

Burn More Fat by Building More Muscle

The best way to burn more fat is to build more muscle. Muscle uses extra calories to stay strong, so, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn and the more fat you lose. Incorporate these simple tips into your workout to boost your muscle mass.

Tighten Those Muscles

Tightening your muscles while exercising can build extra muscle fast without extra work. Try this during your next workout:

• Tighten your core muscles by drawing your stomach in. Pretend your belly button is getting closer and closer to your spine. Hold your stomach there while you exercise. You are sure to notice the extra burn, and if you do this regularly, soon enough, you'll also notice some extra definition.
• Just like your core muscles, you should clench your glute muscles, as well. Not only will this build extra muscle, but it will also lift and firm the butt area.

Check Your Posture

Most people don't think about posture when they think of building muscle and losing fat, but they should. Good posture makes your back and core muscles contract, building the muscles.

To achieve better posture, think of a string pulling your head upwards, straightening your neck, lifting your rib cage, and straightening your shoulders. To keep your good balance, imagine yourself trying to hold something between your shoulder blades while you exercise.

Try combining these tips with a good exercise plan. If you're conscious of your muscles, and make sure that your exercises are always giving them a good workout, you will end up leaner and trimmer than ever before.

Muscle Building Exercise

The greater effort you put into something the better results you will have. For a long time this has been a universally accepted maxim that has applied to many varied parts of life and from a historical perspective has usually been regarded as the standard in muscle building exercise. The more time you spend fine-tuning yourself using muscle building exercise, the more athletic you will become. Therefore it only makes sense that the longer you spend in the gym with muscle building exercise, the stronger and more muscular your body will become. Contrary to what you might think, the answer with respect to muscle building exercise is a resounding no! It is in this area of bodybuilding that popular wisdom goes straight down the plughole.

When we look at the muscle building exercise from its roots, it is very clear why this is so.

All processes that occur within the human body are centered around keeping you alive and healthy and this applies doubly to muscle building exercise. Through thousands of years of evolution the human body has become a finely tuned organism that can adapt efficiently to virtually all conditions that are placed upon it. Our body sends signals when we are hungry or thirsty, we get suntanned when high volumes of Ultra Violet rays are present, we build calluses to stop our skin from wearing and so forth. So what happens when we break down the body's muscle tissue in the gym using muscle building exercise? To put it simply, the muscles get bigger and stronger. By battling against resistance over the muscle's existing capacity we have posed a threat to the musculature. The body sees this as potentially harmful therefore as a intuitive adaptive response the muscles will increase in size (hypertrophy) effectively protecting the body against this threat. As we constantly intensify the resistance from week to week using muscle building exercise the body will keep on growing and adapting.

It appears to be simple and ultimately it is. However, the crucial thing to appreciate in relation to all of this is that the muscles can only grow healthier and stronger if they are given proper time to recover between muscle building exercise. If not given proper time to recover, the process of muscle growth simply cannot occur.

Your target in the gym needs to be to use muscle building exercise with the minimum amount of volume needed to give an adaptive response. When you have pushed your muscles over their existing capacity and have started your thousand year old evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. Any further pressure to the body with muscle building exercise will merely intensify your time to recover, degrade the immune system and force your body into catabolic overdrive.

Most people do muscle building exercise far too often and with far more sets than they need to. High intensity muscle building exercise is much more stressful to the body than many people think. Many people structure their muscle building exercise programs in a manner that actually counteracts their gains and stops them from making the progress that they need. There are some guidelines to help you to achieve maximum gains using muscle building exercise:

Do muscle building exercise no more than three days every week.

Do not let your muscle building exercise last for longer then 60 minutes.

Perform between 5-8 sets of muscle building exercise for large muscle groups (thighs, back, chest) and between 2-4 sets of muscle building exercise for smaller muscle groups (biceps, shoulders, calves, triceps, abs).

Push all sets to the brink of muscular failure and concentrate on moving forward in either weight or reps each seven days. If you really train hard and keep a consistent schedule, doing muscle building exercise more often or for a longer time than this will be counterproductive to your gains.

Muscle building exercise, like all good things in life, should be done in moderation!

What You Should Know Before Buying Any Nutritional Supplements

A few years ago the options of choosing nutritional supplements were limited by the stock of your local stores and perhaps if you were lucky enough to know any manufacturers, then you would have more success. The internet has changed everything, although most people would argue whether it has really made our lives easier.

You can use the internet to search online for all kinds of vitamin and mineral food supplements that exactly match your body needs. You can even read reviews of other consumers who are satisfied with a particular manufacturer of nutritional supplements.

Before buying any kind of nutritional supplement keep some important points in mind. The first and foremost consideration should be the quality. You should always find a manufacturer that is certified in providing health services to customers. The product should conform to the strict quality standards that are set by the government and specialists. It's a good idea to ask a dietitian before going for a particular food supplement product. It's also important to remember that high quality food supplements are usually much more expensive than the low quality, cheaper products. As with most things, you get what you pay for!

You should always keep in mind the purpose you are buying a vitamin, mineral or other supplements for. Vitamin supplements are composed of many different types of vitamins, including vitamin A, B, C, D, K, folic acid, pyridoxine, thiamin, orotic acid and many others. Of these, vitamin B is further divided into many separate categories. Similarly mineral supplements are categorized as iron, copper, sodium, magnesium, calcium citrate and so on. Different vitamin and mineral supplements serve different purposes.

Antioxidants are a type of flavonoid product that helps to protect the body against free radicals (the by-products formed by certain activities of body cells). It is a popular anti-aging food supplement. Cranberry juice is also known to be another natural anti-aging food supplement.

There are also supplements for sexual enhancement, cure for arthritis, cure for skin cancer, and lowering cholesterol level in the body. Policosano is an important natural food supplement helpful in lowering cholesterol. There literally are supplements that can help everyone. Also arthritis sufferers are catered for, being that there are supplements that can actually prevent swelling and inflammation.

Vitamin food supplements often contain a vitamin (no surprise there), a mineral, herbal extracts, and amino acids. Some of these supplements are popular treatments for all kinds of cancer, especially skin, lung and prostate cancer. These products can come in both liquid and tablet form depending on your personal preference.

Supplements for sexual enhancement are also rich in vitamins and some therapeutic herbs. Sexual problems can be caused by many different things, it can be caused by psychological, or physiological reasons. Although it is widely known that most of the sexual problems faced by men and women are psychological, there are sexual enhancement products available for all kinds of sexual problems. Energy and vitality supplements are available for both men and women to help them enhance their love life.

Various herbal products for the treatment of obesity, under-development of breasts, and un-timely ovulation are available. You can search on the Internet to find a particular kind of product and read its description to decide whether it's suitable for you or not. Omega 3 is a popular and well known food supplement.

There are unlikely to be any side effects associated with the use of these supplements because they are extracted from natural plants. However it is still advisable to consult a health professional before buying any kind of nutritional supplement. Keep the above-mentioned factors in mind and also do a little research of your own to find more about the nutritional supplements available today.

6 Weight Gain Tips Without Getting Fat

After you read this short article, you will have leaned some quick tips to start gaining healthy weight.

Here's 6 simple ways on how to gain weight without getting fat:

Tip 1: Eating Enough Quality Calories

Have you ever asked somebody who's trying to gain weight what they eat?

I did. And the response I received was shocking.

"I just eat."

That's what he said. I just eat.

You MUST know how many calories a day you need for your weight gain goal.

This person desperately wanted to gain weight and every time I saw him the gym he had some excuse as to why it wasn't going his way. And it was usually related to his metabolism.

Let me tell you...

If you want to gain quality weight, you have to eat high quality dense foods and ENOUGH of them. Furthermore... if you want to gain weight without getting fat, then you bulk with the same principles as if you were on a cutting diet. Choose higher-calorie foods when given a choice.

In my years of experience, when I bulked up and gained weight and fat, the biggest mistake I made was not tracking what I ate. I always tracked my diet when I was on a calorie restricted phase (that was a given) but when I wanted to gain weight I just ate everything I could.

Have you ever felt that way?

In order to gain weight, you need to eat more than your usual maintenance calorie intake but not so much as to just store the excess calories and get fat. And you need to eat consistently.

That should have been your "ah -ha" moment.

Gaining weight isn't your cue to eat everything under the sun. In order to gain weight, lean mass and not get fat, you need to eat just over what you body needs to maintain. In this manner, you'll provide your body with all the calories it needs to build muscle but you won't give it so much as it stores the excess as fat.

[ Remember that anything in excess, even protein, can be stored as fat. ]

The key is to gain healthy weight and minimize the fat gains.

Tip 2: Grocery Shopping 101

If you are looking to gain weight, then don't have bare cupboards. Go to your kitchen right now after reading this section and take a look at what you've got in stock.

Make sure your kitchen is fully stocked with the foods you need to eat. Dense foods work wonders for putting on the weight.

Examples are whole-grain breads, vegetables such as avocados and potatoes, kidney beans, lean red meat, poultry and fish.

Bare cupboards = no weight gain!

Bodybuilding doesn't have to break the bank. Many times you can get bulk items for much cheaper than you think. Packages of tuna, turkey, chicken legs, pasta all are great bulking items that don't cost a ton of money.

Perishable items like fruits and sugary laden items and condiments are usually things that cost the most.

Tip 3: Meal Planning for Dummies

Part of performance nutrition is eating 5-6 times a day. Every 2-3 hours you should be consuming a meal consisting of a lean protein, fibrous/starchy carb and potentially a healthy fat.

If you really want to gain weight, you need to eat 5-6 times a day! And it needs to be consistent. This means no skipping meals.

Eating 3 times a day full of bacon and eggs might have worked for some of the past legends but it probably won't do you any good.

Keeping your metabolism high and your system flushed with nitrogen (protein) will ensure you keep all the muscle you are working to build and that you are consuming slight excess calories for weight gain.

If you eat a big dinner but skip snacks and have light breakfasts, that is part of the problem. Healthy weight gain only comes from people who are consistent in their eating and don't skip meals.

Failure to plan your meals ultimately means you won't be eating enough to gain weight.

Tip 4: Nutrient Variety is Key

It happens to the best of us... We get used to eating certain foods and we don't budge. For a bulking diet, this can be a killer as it drastically limits the number of calories you can eat. Plus, you will limit the nutrients and vitamins you will be able to intake. Both are essential to maximum healthy weight gain.

Did anybody ever tell you that nutrients are essential for growth?

Tip 5: Essential Meal Timing

While it might be socially acceptable to eat just 3 times a day, that is not acceptable for those who are serious about putting on lean muscle mass without putting on fat.

You've heard all the benefits of performance nutrition and eating 5-6 times a day but re-read this...

Quality muscle gain without putting on fat requires a high metabolism AND an excess number of calories.

In order to do just that, you need to eat frequently.

That means 5-6 times a day (or more).

Tip 6: Eat, Eat and Eat [ did I mention eat ]

Don't feel hungry?

Eat. Now in most cases, that is against the current movement but in reality, if you want to put on quality mass you have to eat regardless of your hunger levels. Eating based on your mood is not the path to healthy weight gain.

Countless people tell me they cannot eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.

That's because they are not a 200 lb bodybuilder.

Once they eat more, gain muscle mass, they will be and it will seem like nothing to eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.

This doesn't mean stuffing yourself, gorging on food or getting sick. It means eating more and more gradually over time in order to prime your body for more frequent meal times. Slowly start adding more food to your portions until you've nailed your perfect weight gain calorie needs.

As you eat more and small but frequent meals, you won't feel stuff and your body will become more efficient at digesting and breaking down foods.

All this means to you is...

A higher metabolic rate and more calories!

The two essential keys to putting on weight without the fat.

:: Additional Tips ::

* Drink plenty of water. With your additional meals and workouts, you'll want to ensure you are properly hydrated.

* Engage in a weight training program. Building muscle is a priority during your bulking phase. Since you will have plenty of energy from your carb sources, you should be fueled and primed to get some of the best and most intense workouts of your life. Now is an opportune time to build muscle.

* Limit your cardio workouts. Cardio workouts are a tool. Use it sparingly depending on your metabolism. If you feel like you aren't putting on weight, reduce the amount of cardio you are doing. If you feel like you are putting on a bit too much fat, increase the cardio.

* Take weekly weight and body fat measurements. By taking a weekly measurement, you can see if the weight you are putting on is fat or muscle.

3 Amazing ways to Shape up in Less than 7 days!

Imagine you need to look great to get all the attention at the biggest party of the year. The cloak has already started ticking and you have got 7 days to fix yourself for the D-Day. If you can take out 15 to 30 minutes in the next few days, you can be ready for action.

Step 1:

>> Exercise: Start with skipping and jogging and chin-ups by hanging from a rod for warming up.

>> Two steps of crunches or sit-ups for strengthening and toning your abdominal muscles.

>> Then go for Flat bench press and dumbbell flyers for the entire chest area, focusing mainly on the inner chest and followed by 2 sets of push-ups.

>> Work on your trapezium for the collar muscle and shoulder pressing.

>> For biceps the exercise to be followed is standing barbell curl.

>> Next you can work out on your Triceps with Single dumbbell or French press and fore forearms.

>> Skipping will have an effect on your legs, other wise you can go for Squats and back with lat pull down.

Step 2:

Diets are just as important as exercise, because it is the most important part of getting the body you want. You have to eat good to look good. You need protein, and you don’t need fat. Stay away from junk and fatty foods. Not all fat is bad; there is a healthy fat. This fat can be found in fish, Nuts and some oils. Have Lots of fibers such as leafy vegetables, salads and daily products.

Step 3: The results though wont come easily and they wont come very fast either, So Stay dedicated, motivated and consistent, and do all 3 steps correctly to get the desired result.

How to Build Chest Muscle Lightning Fast in 3 Easy Steps

If you’ve been trying to build chest muscle but aren’t seeing the gains you were looking for then there are a few key steps you can take to build chest muscle in lightning speed.

How to Build Chest Muscle Step I – Dissect your chest work out

If you want to build chest muscle you have to dissect your chest workout. Your chest which consists of your pectorals “pecs” are pretty big muscles, which means you’re going to have work out different parts of your chest “one at a time” if you want maximum results and the fastest gains possible.

It’s real simple. All you have to do is break down your chest workout or chest exercises to work out the 4 main parts of your chest.

These 4 parts are your upper chest, your lower chest, your inner chest and your outer chest.

Here are a few exercises you can use to build chest muscle very quickly.

Upper Chest Muscle Exercises

- Incline Barbell Bench press - Military Dumbbell Presses - Incline Dumbbell Flyes

Lower Chest Muscle Exercises

- Decline Barbell Bench press - Parallel Bar Dips - Decline Dumbbell Flyes

Inner Chest Muscle Exercises

- Standing Cable Crossovers - Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes

Outer Chest Muscle Exercises

- Flat Bench Barbell Presses - Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes

By dissecting your chest workout in this way you will not only build chest muscle fast but you build ALL the different areasof your chest muscle which leads to a bigger, stronger and wider chest.

How to Build Chest Muscle Step II – Work Your Chest to Failure

If you want to build chest muscle, you have to train your chest to failure. If you don’t know what I mean, it’s very simple. You have to push your chest muscles to the point where it is unable to do any more reps on its own during that set.

This is why you also NEED a spotter – someone to help you when your muscles fail during an exercise. For example, if you’re bench pressing and your muscles fail halfway on your last rep, you want someone there to assist you, so you can keep pushing even though your muscles have failed – that’s the key to unlocking HUGE muscle gains.

When you train your chest muscle to failure like this, your body says “Woe, I better start sending more nutrients (protein, water, calories, etc.) to build my chest muscles so next time we deal with this stress (weight training to failure), it won’t be as strenuous as last time”. Training like this can and will lead to HUGE chest muscle gains quickly.

How to Build Chest Muscle Step III – Don’t Cheat on Your “Negatives”

What are “negatives”? – Negatives are the eccentric or lowering phase of your particular exercise. For example, if you were bench pressing, your negative would be when you are lowering the barbell once you’ve reached the top. In other words, negative is the motion you take after you have contracted your targeted muscle (in this case lowering the barbell after we have contracted our chest muscle to push the barbell to the top).

Most people use gravity during negatives instead of having a controlled movement downward. This is what I call “cheating your negatives” and it’s also hazardous to your muscles. Think about it, if you just finished pushing a 150lb barbell upward, it’ll be pretty dangerous and “useless” when you’re trying to build muscle if you just relaxed your chest muscles as soon as you were about to lower that barbell it.

Instead, take your time and bring the weight down in a controlled motion and try to really feel the burning in your chest muscle as you lower the weight thus stretching and really targeting your chest muscles as a result.

Remember, it’s not quantity but quality. Think about it, you could lift 30 pounds ten times with poor form or 30 pounds six times with proper form, and you would notice much better results with the latter example

So don’t cheat yourself out of building the massive chest you desire by cheating on your negatives – this is when much of the pressure is being put on your muscles, so don’t “wimp out”.

To anyone who wants to learn how to build chest muscle and quickly at that simply follow these 3 simple steps and you’ll be on the road to a massive chest in no time.

Six Keys to Successful Bodybuilding

To make clear the simplicity of bodybuilding I've arranged a list of six basic keys to successful weight training. They're nothing new and read like the same stuff in any motivational book on the market today. Yet they offer valuable insight and are essential to getting started with your exercise program... and sticking to it.

1. Set a realistic goal - short and long term.

2. Plan an orderly and thorough routine to train the entire body.

3. Make a commitment to stick to your routine for 4-5 weeks - - to begin to see changes and benefits, develop perseverance and create a habit.

4. Enthusiasm for training must be recognized as the main and driving force to perform successfully.

5. Ease into a training program with a wholesome, thoughtful nutritional plan - proper food, order and amount of consumption.

6. Be confident from the beginning that the application of these sound principles will produce the desired results.

GOAL SETTING

Be realistic in your goal setting. It's important from the very beginning and throughout your training to experience victory in each and every workout. Ease into your training with good energy, being careful not to overload yourself and fall victim to mental and physical burnout. Planning to look like Rambo by the end of summer will be frustrating and you may give up your training entirely.

ORDER IN TRAINING

Decide how much time you have to devote to your training - how many hours per day and how many days per week. Based on this schedule, design an orderly and efficient routine that includes only basic exercises. Working your mid-section first, followed by chest, back shoulders, biceps, triceps and legs is always a good rule of thumb. Choose two exercises per bodypart, three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps with a day's rest between muscle groups if you're just getting started.

In organizing an exercise program, keep your eyes and ears open. Scan the Web, magazines and books, visit the gyms and get input from your friends and mentors. An orderly and intelligent training routine is the major tool in achieving your bodybuilding goals.

COMMITMENT

We now come to commitment, the Big Power Switch of our mental mechanism to see if we have the juice to crank over the engine and keep it running. Commitment is your personal promise - your word of honor - to realize your challenge and is vital in aspiration. The naturally occurring ingredients of commitment are consistency, persistence and determination. These gut disciplines engaged with patience and faith set you in positive motion toward your muscular goals.

ENTHUSIASM

Each workout is a unique and separate experience unto itself. Events of the day, mood, energy levels and tensions effect every performance differently. Gather up as much enthusiasm as possible before each workout so you enter the gym with energy and a positive attitude. Your training must not become drudgery or a chore that has to be done. This is negative energy, producing negative results and must be willfully resisted.

PACE AND ATTITUDE

Keep your workouts tight and efficient, leaving no room for boredom or idle thought. You should quickly develop a mature training attitude allowing no interruptions in the flow of exercise from start to finish. This is not to suggest that you hurry in your training. A hurried attitude produces anxiety, nervousness and agitation, resulting in negative performance and loss of concentration. Quite the opposite, here I encourage a steady lean on your training - setting a vigorous pace that reflects excitement, confidence and determination.

Become totally involved with each workout, each set and each rep. Focus on the performance of the exercise, the muscles involved and the feelings that result. Look for your particular groove and sense the burn. Training form is your priority and practice makes perfect. Learn to lift weights smoothly, sacrificing the poundage used to gain quality in your performance. Don't be anxious to overload your body and struggle to lift more than you can handle. This will create poor style and result in disappointment. These register as failures and drain your resources.

These oh-so-basics points will determine the success of your new exercise program.

7 Reasons Why Your Muscles Stop Growing. How To Get Muscle To Grow Again

Have ever wondered why your muscles stopped growing after a few months of training even though you are training very hard? Here are 7 reasons why your muscles stopped growing and how to get your muscle to grow again.

• You are training too hard – Every time when you train your muscles intensely, you are actually breaking down your muscles. So your muscles need to recover from the damages you inflicted on them. So train each muscle group only once or at most twice a week.

• You are training too long – Keep your workout intense but do not workout more than an hour each time. After 45 minutes of intensive training, your cortisol level will increase. This hormone is known to destroy muscle cells.

• You are sleeping too little – You need to sleep more for good muscle growth. Your muscles grow when you sleep. So sleep more than 8 hours a day and watch those muscles growing fast.

• You are abusing alcohol – Alcohol is known to break down muscle mass plus many other body destruction ability.

• You do not change your workout routine – You must change your workout routine every 6-8 weeks. Your muscles adapt to your routine and stops growing.

• You do not progressively overload your muscles – You must try to increase your reps or weight every time you next train a particular muscle group. Otherwise, there is no reason for your muscles to grow.

• You do not eat sufficient protein – If you want to build bigger muscles, you must eat more protein. Protein is the building block for your muscles. It is recommended that you need 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight equivalent. If not enough protein is consumed with your normal diet, do supplement with protein shakes.

There you are, the 7 reasons why your muscles stopped growing even though you are training hard. There are many more methods on how to grow your muscles bigger but these 7 reasons and how to overcome them will be sufficient for an average bodybuilding beginner.

How And Why We Get Fat

Have you wondered what exactly the process of gaining fat is? If "yes", then keep reading.

There are two main reasons for getting fat:

* Consuming calories in excess

* Consuming high-glycemic carbohydrates

Calories in excess can come from fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The human body has two ways of getting fats into the blood stream. Here is how that happens and how the actual process of storing fat occurs.

The first way: Dietary fats pass through the lining of the intestines in the form of chylomicrons (long chain fatty acids) and are subsequently converted to triglycerides. This is the main form, in which they travel in the blood stream.

If the fats are in excess they are readily stored in the fat cells. The process is called lipogenesis.

The second way: Fats are also manufactured in the liver in the form of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and again are converted to triglycerides.

The liver has the ability to convert carbohydrates and proteins to fats as well, if they are eaten in excess and the body doesn't need so much of them for recovery and tissue repair.

The chylomicrons (fats, coming from the intestines) and the lipoproteins (the fats, made in the liver) have the ability to stimulate the synthesis of Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL). LPL is an enzyme, manufactured in the fat cells, for the conversion of the triglycerides to free fatty acids and glycerol.

Fats can enter the adipocites (fat cells) only in the form of free fatty acids.

Once inside the fat cell the free fatty acids need glycerol to be converted back into triglycerides (re-esterification), in which state they are stored.

Here is where insulin comes to play. Insulin, other than lowering the blood sugar levels, acts also as a stimulus for the fat cells to produce more LPL. It also decreases the ability of the fat cells to give out the fat, stored in them.

Another property of insulin is to carry glucose over to the fat cells. This glucose is the main source of glycerol for the conversion of the free fatty acids to triglycerides.

And yet another role of insulin in the body is to facilitate the conversion of carbohydrates to fat in the liver through the activation of enzymes, needed for this process.

In other words insulin is a main contributor for the process of storing adipose tissue (fat).

Why the consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates makes us fat? Because it stimulates the release of larger quantities of insulin for a short period of time.

Conclusion: In order to prevent all of the above from happening we must:

1. Ingest total daily calories at or below maintenance level in order to avoid the conversion of carbohydrates and proteins to fat, as well as the introduction of large amounts of triglycerides from dietary fats in the blood stream.

2. Eat lower-glycemic carbohydrates and eat them in moderation in order to avoid spiking the insulin levels.

The famous Flex magazine

Flex magazine covers the sport of bodybuilding and is perfect for a competitor or a fan of the sport. Flex closely examines the many facets involved in sport of men and women's bodybuilding including workout routines and nutritional discoveries and even sponsor stage bodybuilding events and competitions.

There are also exclusive articles included in Flex such as the secrets of the champions, competitive tactics and strategies, and even how to manage a successful bodybuilding career. Flex also covers hardcore bodybuilders and shows readers how to add size and symmetry for the most amazing fast results. Flex also provides the readers with champion level workout routines, competition profiles, scientific nutrition updates, and competition coverage and results.

You can count on every issue to be filled with useful information that covers training, training, and includes pictures that are sure to inspire you to get off your butt and rush to the local gym.

Flex is undoubtedly the most accurate information filled bodybuilding and weight lifting magazine you can buy. All you need is the time and discipline to do what you need to do to get the results you desire. Not only will you be improving your appearance but you will all be much stronger.

Flex is well worth the investment of time and money when because it will motivate you to go to the gym, watch what you are eating, and inspire you to stick to your workout plan. Many say that Flex helped them develop the discipline they needed to go the extra mile for self improvement.

Flex magazine is well known as being the voice for the champions of the bodybuilding world and is a must have for any hard core body builders. Flex doesn't stop at simply explaining how to workout. Weight lifting breaks down muscle mass then when it rebuilds itself it grows larger.

However, if you don't eat right and give your body the important nutrients it needs to make up for those that were lost during your exercising then you shouldn't expect your muscles to feel or look better. Flex discusses nutrition in depth with more details than everyone else. Flex strives to teach its readers the principles behind and training theories they teach which include details such as high reps and eight week arms programs.

Each year Flex publishes a supplement guide and even rates every herb, protein, and hormone on the market. They also tell you what the purpose of each supplement is and how the body reacts to them. Flex will also discuss the important benefits and negative side effects to using anything they write about.

The best part about Flex is that the articles inside clearly explain how the body works. There are qualified professionals who provide plenty of information on nutrition and supplement information and include many colorful inspiring pictures for men and women. What more could you ask for?

5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Destroy Your Muscle Gains

I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I�m asked is �does drinking really affect the muscle growth process?� I�m sorry to say it, but yes, too much alcohol will almost definitely have a significant negative impact on your muscle-building results. Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and it�s very important that you understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress. This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you�re serious about achieving a truly impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains�

1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis is the process where amino acids are joined together to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down by up to 20%, and since your muscles are made up of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) It lowers testosterone levels and increases estrogen.

Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) It causes dehydration.

The kidneys must filter very large amounts of water in order to break down the alcohol, and this can result in severe dehydration within the body. Water plays an absolutely crucial role in the muscle-building process, and being even slightly dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% water.

4) It depletes the body of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, the B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid rates. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) It increases fat storage.

With 7 empty calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Kreb�s Cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It�s important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you�re serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation. A few drinks here and there shouldn�t be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.

I don�t recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so don�t be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish yourself to lessen its effects. As long as you monitor what you�re doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at the same time.

For Better Muscular Gains, Use Intensity Cycling

Over the years, there have been countless numbers of people getting exercise with the use of weights and weight machines in an effort to increase strength and muscle size. They know that training with resistance is the only way to accomplish this goal.

All too often however, after a certain period of time, their progress seems to come to a halt. Suddenly they find that they can�t add any more weight to their exercises, even by 1 or 2 pounds without their repetitions going down.

Often when this plateau is reached, it is just assumed that they have reached their maximum ability in strength and from there on out they perpetually continue to do the same exercise routines using the same weights and the same amount of repetitions.

Well this plateau not only can be overcome, it can be shattered! The first step is to understand why this plateau occurs. When you exercise with resistance and progress by adding small amounts of weight each week to each exercise, at some point (usually between 3 to 6 weeks), you will reach a point of approaching overtraining.

At this point your muscles simply can not progress because they need a period of rest for full recovery. This is where intensity cycling comes in. Once that plateau is reached, you need to take one full week off and not exercise with weights at all. After your week off, reduce the weights used for each exercise, and keep the repetitions the same as you were using so you will not reach fatigue.

This workout should be done for around 2 weeks, then start progressing back to where you were when you hit your plateau. You should take about 1 to 2 weeks to get back to using the weights you were using for each exercise when you hit your plateau after the 2 weeks of light workouts.

If you take this 3 to 4 week cycle after your week off, the recovery time your muscles will have had will allow for you to progressively add more weight to each exercise than you were using before you hit your plateau.

Now keep in mind that this cycle will eventually come to another plateau, and you will once again have to take a week off, and then begin another 3 to 4 week recovery cycle. By using this method you can make good gains in your exercise routine that will really add up in the long run.

Now while this sounds like �periodization�, there is actually one difference with �intensity cycling�. Periodization is where you start with an exercise routine of light weights using high repetitions, then after 3 to 4 weeks you increase the weights used and reduce the amount of repetitions and even the rest periods between sets and the rest periods between exercise days. Essentially you continue to vary the weights, repetitions, routines, and rest periods every 3 to 4 weeks to prevent the muscles from adapting to one weight and repetition scheme.

With intensity cycling, whether you are on your all out cycle or your recovery cycle, you always stay with the same repetition schemes and also the same rest periods between sets and the same amount of rest days between exercise days. You also stay with the same type of routine throughout both cycles and the same routine for repeated cycles. Intensity cycling is excellent for muscle gains because if you exercise all out all the time, it will always end up in overtraining.

4 Harmful Muscle-Building Myths Uncovered

If you�re serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called �experts� out there really don�t have a clue of what they�re talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and �miracle programs� on you that you don�t really need. If you don�t watch your step you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I�m going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.

Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.

For those of you who are just starting out, a �pump� is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.

Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.

This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being �muscle bound� and �bulky�. Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.

Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.

While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It�s very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will actually work against you rather than for you.

Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must �feel the burn!�

This is another huge misconception in the gym. The �burning� sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above.

10 Simple Steps To Skyrocket Your Natural Testosterone Production

There are many factors that determine how much muscle a person can ultimately build. Training intensity, nutrition, supplementation and rest; these are just a few of the many variables that will contribute to your overall muscle-building "bottom line". Another major factor in this giant equation is your body's natural levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone.

Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with:

- Increased muscle size and strength.
- Decreased body fat levels.
- Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
- Improved mood.
- Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Well it is, and I'm going to show you exactly how to achieve all of these benefits step by step. Before I do that, let's cover some basic biology so that we're all on the same page here. Here are the general steps that the body goes through in order to produce this incredible hormone:

First, the brain releases a substance called Luteinizing Hormone, or "LH" for short. LH basically "tells" the body to start producing testosterone. Once this occurs, the adrenal glands release DHEA into the bloodstream. LH and DHEA then travel together to the testes where testosterone production begins. Testosterone can now be released into the bloodstream to perform its magic.

So, without further ado, here are some basic methods you can implement in order to naturally raise your body's levels of testosterone and take advantage of all of its amazing benefits.

1) Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I'm talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. This will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress in the gym and will force your body to increase testosterone production.

2) Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.

3) Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

5) Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body's levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

6) Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

7) Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of "cortisol", a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.

10) Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.

So there you have it, 10 basic, easy-to-follow guidelines for increasing your testosterone levels naturally.

Start implementing these techniques on a consistent basis and get ready for some dramatic muscle size and strength gains!

Ten Steps to Improve Your Fitness Health

The following are 10 steps to improve your fitness health. Even athletes who are incredibly fit may not be really healthy. They often tread a fine line between health and illness or injury.

1) Your health will improve if you minimize the number of tablets that you take. Paracetamol may seem okay, but you will be surprised how often a headache can be cured by drinking water, having something to eat or sitting in a quiet room.

2) Limit the number of supplements you take. Adequate amounts can in fact be absorbed by modifying the diet without the risks involved by taking a dietary supplement. Consult a professional dietician. Many sprinters and power athletes, for example, take creatine supplements because it gives them a legal edge. There is a risk, though, as it is possible that they have been contaminated by banned substances. This is a risk to your fitness health, and a risk financially if you are a professional athlete.

3) Take a complete day off from exercise every once in a while. It doesn't have to be every week, but doing extra training when you are tired may have a detrimental effect on your health and fitness. You become fitter and healthier through rest as much as exercise.

4) Listen to your body. As you are training it is easy to become preoccupied with the repetitions you are doing, or the time you've been exercising. Leave your watch at home and slow down or walk when your body hurts.

5) To improve your fitness health you need to eat a varied diet. Five fruit and vegetables a day should be your minimum target. Your health will improve if you eat at least five different kinds of fruit, then any vegetables will be a bonus.

6) You will improve your health and fitness by stretching more. Your muscles get shorter through exercise, and if you never stretch you will get injured. One method is to warm up slowly first, then spend several minutes stretching before the main workout. Stretch thoroughly after exercise as well.

7) You need to stay hydrated if you are exercising more. This means drinking water and sports drinks if you are sweating a lot. You lose minerals in your body while sweating. It is recommended to drink five glasses of water a day, but if you are working out you need to drink more than this. Don't get carried away, though, because it can be just as dangerous to drink too much as too little.

8) Exercise with other people. You will meet new friends, and your fitness will improve if you have other people to motivate you.

9) Don't become too competitive as this may harm your health. Motivation from other people is good, but you should only compete against yourself. Try too hard to keep up with someone else, and you could become injured.

10) Have fun! Your health and fitness will improve if you are having fun because you will stick to your exercise program.

7 Simple Props For Stronger Core Muscles

If you are reading this article, you know that strong core

muscles are the cornerstone of physical and mental health.

Our challenge is to keep a level of excitement and intensity

on a long term basis that gives us the results we want to

see. These 7 props provide simple, fun and challenging

solutions.

Do you want to know the best part? They are all easily accessible in your gym

or if you prefer, at home.

Prop 1: The Swiss Ball

The Swiss ball is a fun and challenging prop. It is made of

elastic rubber with a diameter of 55 to 85 cm (22 to 34

inches). Once you are able to develop a level of comfort

using this unstable surface, your self confidence will shoot

through the roof.

Most often, you will see people in the gym use this ball to

do abdominal crunches. One simple exercise to get started

on the Swiss ball is the Russian Twist. Lie on the ball,

with shoulder blades on the ball and your hips pushed up

high off the ground. Place your hands together. Keep your

hips up and turn your shoulders to the right so that they

are perpendicular to the ground. Twist back to the starting

position and then twist to the other side.

Prop 2: Medicine Ball

A Medicine ball is roughly the size of a volleyball. It is

much smaller and heavier than the Swiss ball. Medicine balls

are normally sold as 8lb, 10lb and 12 lb balls. They are used

effectively in core training to increase explosive power for

sports such as basketball and boxing.

Medicine balls are beneficial because of their concentrated

weight. The ball can be used in a variety of swing

exercises where the trunk remains stable and the arms move

from side to side. Also, you can use the medicine ball to

increase the intensity of your push ups. Simply place a

smaller ball under one of your hands to create uneven push

ups. Do 10 reps and place the ball under your other hand.

This uneven motion forces the core to balance your body.

Prop 3: Pilates Mat

The mat can be used extensively for flexibility and core

strength. A variety of exercises can be performed lying on

your back, side or front. Some of the exercises can done

seated on all fours. The mat exercises target the deep

abdominal and spine muscles in order to provide core

strength.

A few exercises that will get you started right away include

flutter kicks. Lie on your mat with both knees bent and

flat. Place your hands at sides. Brace your abdominals

continuously to stabilize your trunk. Your lower back

should be neutral. Now straighten both legs so that they

are perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower one leg to

about 45-90 degrees. Return to start position and repeat

with other leg.

A second mat exercise for you core involves lying flat your

back with your hands at your sides. Now, point your legs up

to the ceiling so that your body forms a 90 degree angle.

Keeping both ankles together, move your legs in a circular

motion while keeping your trunk stable. Try this motion for

10 seconds and then reverse it in the other direction.

Prop 4: Resistance Bands

Like the other props, resistance bands are inexpensive and

flexible. You will be surprised at how intense this

simple looking workout can be. Unlike other traditional

strength training routines, using these bands will engage

your core automatically.

I often use my bands as a warm up to stretch before

performing other core exercises. Stretching is

fundamental to proper fitness regardless of your training

method. Use the bands to increase your flexibility before

performing exercises on the mat or Swiss ball.

Prop 5: Dumbbells

You all know dumbbells from pumping up those biceps and

building that chest. Dumbbells can be a great prop for core

training.

You can use them to intensify simple exercises like pushups.

For example, instead of doing basic military push ups with

your hands flat on the floor; use dumbbells as your hand

support. After one rep, lift one side of your body extending

the dumbbell up to the ceiling while trying to balance

yourself. Come down to do another rep. Then come up on the

other side. Another tremendous way to use dumbbells is to

complement it with a Swiss ball. Instead of doing a flat

bench dumbbell press, use the Swiss ball. This will create

instability which will activate the hidden core muscles.

Prop 6: Jump Rope

We all know jump rope as kids and trying to get our rhythm.

However, this prop when used creatively can have a huge

impact on our core muscles. The amazing thing about jump

rope is that you could structure your whole workout around

it. By using different weighted ropes combined with various

time intervals and speed, jump rope can be the most

efficient work out available.

Have fun while jumping rope. This exercise calls for your

creative side. Be sure to change tempos, move from side to

side and change legs. The more you change your routine, the

better your core muscles will react to development.

Prop 7: Bosu Ball

The Bosu ball is a great prop for creating instability for

beginners. It is not as challenging as a Swiss ball but

still creates a great platform for core training. It�s like

a big round ball cut in half. It is a ball on top with a

stable flat bottom. If you are unsure what it looks like,

ask a trainer next time you are at the gym.

Try this one to get yourself started. Lie down over the

bosu so that it is on your belly. Begin the superman

movement. That is, lift one arm and the opposite leg. Then

reverse. For example, as you lay down, lift your left arm

and right leg and try to stabilize. This is a great way to

strengthen your lower back and add core stability.

Now that you know these 7 props, you should never have a

boring core workout again. The best piece of information you

can take is the knowledge that these props are all

interchangeable and can be used together. Concentrate on one

prop per week for seven weeks and then go through the props

again but change your exercises.

Now put these 7 props in to practice. Concentrate on a new

prop every week for 7 weeks. Master the basics of core

training on these props and you will see the results you desire.

How To Develop Best Treadmill Exercising Plan?

The popularity of treadmills have made them the best exercising options to the people worldwide. They are not only a good investment to make but they also provide you with an impeccable workout environment. But just a good treadmill will not do wonders to you. With it you also need a good and an effective exercising plan.

With technological innovations, the new age treadmills are now equipped with more features and are more durable. They are made such that they can stand any type of rigorous running. Apart from this they have all the features that will keep you occupied. Other than just walking and running, they will give you other exercising pattern that you will surely enjoy.

So it becomes important for you to develop a good exercising plan for yourself. There are certain things that you should keep in your mind before getting involved in a particular exercising plan. The most important factor is the fun element. Following a particular exercising plan can be boring and mundane. And gradually you can loose interest. So to avoid such a situation, there are certain things that you can include while walking or running on a treadmill. For example, you can read a magazine or some book during the warm up exercising. You can even watch your favorite television show or listen to your favorite sound track. Apart from this, there are certain treadmills that come with inbuilt laptop stand where you can continue your work while exercising.

Some people are however serious about their exercising regime. So they do not like any kind of distraction. With these kind of people, some good ideas for working out are:

You should always start your exercising slowly. The stretching should be properly done.

Once you are over with your stretching, start with a normal walking on the treadmill. Then gradually, take up a faster walk. You can also have a slow jog and then a hard running. Follow it with a reverse exercising process which involves the cool-down stage.

Use interval treadmill exercise plan. This will make your fitness regime more fun and exciting.

But an interval exercising plan will not help you enough. You also need a sustained speed exercising plan. Incorporating sustained speed in the treadmill exercising plan will help you develop stamina.

Following a plan of brisk exercising will help you maintain a moderate level of good HDL cholesterol that will protect you from heart attacks.

Everybody have their personal preferences while choosing the best exercising regime for themselves, be it the sustained or interval exercising. And if you can make an exercising program that will be able to match your preferences, your whole workout time will be enjoyable. But remember not to be much rigid with your exercising schedule. Give it some flexibility. And also try to modify your exercising program with time to time.

Taking Your Bodybuilding Workout Past The Plateau

Taking Your Bodybuilding Workout Past the Plateau

You've been working your workout plan and are experiencing some frustration because you have noticed that you are maintaining your weight, staying at the same strength for months now and it's worrying you! Stop the frustration - you are not doing anything wrong, you have just experienced a "plateau" you need to take your workout plan to the next level; here is how to do that:

Your Warm up:

It is important to do a warm-up before each of your exercise sets. Utilize approximately 50% of the weight you are going to be using for your main workout. A good warm-up is to do 4 to 6 reps of this 50% weight. You want to do enough to just warm up your muscles.

Exercise Sets:

Work your plan of exercise sets based on your routine, which should include the following:

Abs, barbell bicep curls, barbell overhead shoulder presses, bench presses, dumbbell pullovers, leg curls, leg extensions, standing calf raises, squats, weighted dips, and also weighted pull-ups.

Workout Tips

Never, ever workout without a workout partner

Time your workout to last no longer than 45 minutes. This includes your rest periods in between sets. The caution here is that if you workout longer than 45 minutes the hormone, cortisol will increase and this will be counter-productive to your goal. The best results are seen when you make a time goal along with your workout goal. Stay focused on working your sets with rests in between sets and accomplishing your workout plan within your 45 minute time limit; get in, work hard, stay focused, get out.

Choose your weights based on achieving the number of reps and not any more than that number. You will know you have chosen wisely because you will physically be unable to complete another rep.

Do not cheat on your form - concentrate on achieving perfect form each and every rep. Use full range of motion and on the way down (2 seconds time span with 2 seconds on the way up). Absolutely no weight jerking allowed. You want a smooth up and down motion. If you experience jerks, move back down to the lighter weight.

Stay in motion during each set. Rest periods are for resting not during your sets. Watch especially during your squats to not lock your knees, arms or legs and rest even for a second. Keep the smooth motion going without a hesitation.

Do not stop when you reach bottom of any exercise. It's tempting at the bottom of a curl to stop - but do not give in to this temptation.

Taking Your Workout Plan Up a Level

3 day a week workout plans

Example:

Monday workout

Tuesday no

Wednesday workout

Thursday no

Friday workout

Saturday and Sunday no

Intermediate bodybuilders will benefit from a 2.5-day workout plan

Example:
Monday workout

Tuesday and Wednesday no

Thursday workout

Friday and Saturday no

Sunday workout

Monday and Tuesday no

continue with this one day workout, 2 days no workout.

Plateau Tips

You must increase your workout for your body to increase in strength.

Example:

Last workout 220 lbs for 10 reps

This workout 225 lbs for 8 reps

Next workout 225 lbs for 9 reps

Then next workout 225 lbs for 10 reps

Repeat the pattern with 5 lb increments on weight

In order to remember your workout plan, write it down. Do not rely on memory. Follow your plan, stay focused, and take rests in between sets and above all use a workout partner!

How to Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally: The Benefits of Physical Exercise

Although the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension)
increases with age, there are some things you can do to
combat it. One of the biggest is exercise. Regular
physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger
heart can pump more blood with less effort. And the less
your heart has to work, the less force, or pressure,
that's exerted on your arteries.

In fact, becoming more active can have as much impact on
lowering your blood pressure as some blood pressure
medications. For some people, it's enough to reduce the
need for blood pressure medication altogether.

If your blood pressure is at a desirable level�less
than 120/80�exercise can keep it from rising as you age.
And there�s more. Regular exercise also helps you maintain
a healthy weight, another important way to control blood
pressure.

The caveat? You need to keep it up. It takes about one to
three months for regular exercise to have a stabilizing
effect on blood pressure. The benefits last only as long
as you continue to exercise.

While flexibility and strengthening exercises are an
important part of an overall fitness plan, it
aerobic activity to control high blood pressure. And you
don't need to spend hours in the gym every day to benefit.
Simply adding moderate physical activities to your daily
routine will help.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days
of the week. If you can't set aside that much time at once,
remember that shorter bursts of activity count, too. Start
with shorter sessions of five to ten minutes and build from
there.

Examples of moderate activity include brisk walking, cycling,
swimming, or doing home repairs or yard work. Choosing more
than one type of physical activity will give your body a
thorough workout and help prevent boredom. You might want to
choose one indoor exercise and one outdoor activity to allow
for changes in your schedule or for bad weather.

If your blood pressure is moderately elevated, 30 minutes of
brisk walking most days a week may be enough to keep you off
medication. Your exercise plan can be as simple as a 15-minute
walk around the block each morning and evening. The important
thing is to find something you enjoy, and do it safely. And
remember�trying too hard at first can lead to injury and
cause you to give up. Gradually build up your program and
set new goals to stay motivated.

Listen to your body. If you experience unusual symptoms
(e.g., have difficulty breathing or experience faintness or
prolonged weakness during or after exercise) consult your
physician.

The key to making a long-term impact is consistency. Here
are some tips to help make regular exercise a habit:

� Choose an activity you enjoy that fits your lifestyle.
� Set realistic goals, and tailor your program to your own
fitness level.
� Give your body a chance to adjust to your new routine.
� Stay positive even though you may not see immediate results.
� Don't give up if you miss a day; just get back on track
the next day.
� Build some rest days into your exercise schedule.

The important thing to remember is move, move, and move!
Incorporate as much physical activity as you can into your
daily life, through exercise and routine activities. Once
this behavior becomes a habit, the amount of conscious effort
required on your part is minimal.

Dont Stop Untill You Acheive The Body You Want!

It's okay, you can finally admit it. It's been two months since you've seen the inside of the gym. Getting sick, family crisis, overtime at work and school papers that needed to get finished all kept you for exercising. Now, the question is: how do you start again?

1)Don't Break the Habit -

The easiest way to keep things going is simply not to stop. Avoid long breaks in exercising or rebuilding the habit will take some effort. This may be advice a little too late for some people. But if you have an exercise habit going, don't drop it at the first sign of trouble.
Reward Showing Up - Woody Allen once said that, "Half of life is showing up." I'd argue that 90% of making a habit is just making the effort to get there. You can worry about your weight, amount of laps you run or the amount you can bench press later.

2)Commit for Thirty Days -

Make a commitment to go every day (even just for 20 minutes) for one month. This will solidify the exercise habit. By making a commitment you also take pressure off yourself in the first weeks back of deciding whether to go.
Make it Fun - If you don't enjoy yourself at the gym, it is going to be hard to keep it a habit. There are thousands of ways you can move your body and exercise, so don't give up if you've decided lifting weights or doing crunches isn't for you. Many large fitness centers will offer a range of programs that can suit your tastes.

3)Schedule During Quiet Hours -

Don't put exercise time in a place where it will easily be pushed aside by something more important. Right after work or first thing in the morning are often good places to put it. Lunch-hour workouts might be too easy to skip if work demands start mounting.
Get a Buddy - Grab a friend to join you. Having a social aspect to exercising can boost your commitment to the exercise habit.

4)X Your Calendar -

One person I know has the habit of drawing a red "X" through any day on the calendar he goes to the gym. The benefit of this is it quickly shows how long it has been since you've gone to the gym. Keeping a steady amount of X's on your calendar is an easy way to motivate yourself.

Preparing For Fitness

So now you have decided exactly what you want to achieve with your new fitness regime. You have your objectives, you have your motivation and the time is right for action. The next thing to do is to make sure you have all the resources you need to get going. There are a few vital items you need to give a little thought to.

Clothing

Footwear

Equipment

Training environment

Clothing

Make sure you have the right clothing for every type of exercise you will be doing. There is no need to spend a fortune on loads of fancy gear but you do need to be comfortable and you need to be supported in all the right places. Invest in the right underwear for your body shape, and some light clothing that allows you to move freely and keep cool. If you intend to exercise outdoors, having some waterproofs, or at least some items that protect you when it rains, will ensure you still take exercise when the weather is not being kind. Fitness is not fashion and you may not look as trendy as you might like in your workout gear, but there are some really great clothing lines for fitness on the market so you should be able to find gear that makes you feel confident as you exercise. And remember, with better fitness and a more toned body, you will look great in anything.

Footwear

Footwear is very important and worth spending a bit of time thinking about. Avoid choosing trainers just on looks and think instead about what you will be using them for. If you are intending to do a variety of exercise including visiting the gym and taking part in some classes, cross-trainers will be best for you. They can vary quite a lot in weight and in the shape of the shoe around your foot, particularly the height of the shoe around your ankle, so tryon a few different pairs and move around in them to ensure you will be comfortable when exerClsmg.

Hidden Dangers at the Gym for your Back and Body...

If you go to the gym to get healthy and fit, look good, feel good and pamper your ego, then I urge you take a minute to think about something,

Do you remember the old adage, "People like to do what they are good at and comfortable with"? Are you living that old adage at the gym? Most people do. They have a set routine at the gym and it's that routine coupled with the mechanics of the equipment that can lead to trouble--either very quickly or over time.

Here is the problem. Working out can lead to injury, no question. The challenge is in knowing how it can happen and how to prevent it. There are two basic categories of injuries: the sudden accident (a.k.a. trauma) and what can be described as the Process Injury (in other words, the long, slow development of a condition.) My goal is to protect you from both types of injury.

Traumatic Injury at the Gym

Let's start with the 5 basic concepts of working out in order to show you how easy it is to injure yourself in a traumatic way.

* Intensity: How hard you work out.
* Frequency: How often you work out.
* Duration: How long you work out.
* Progressive Resistance: Using more resistance with each set you perform.
* Progressive Overload: Starting at a higher level of resistance at subsequent workouts.

Each one of these principles has the ability to cause injury. But when you couple them with having a trainer or workout partner egging you on to eek out one more rep as you get fatigued, you go into all kinds of contorted positions to get the job done.

All of a sudden, Bam-O! A hundred different injuries can happen. And they will take a long time to heal. You will have defeated the entire purpose of going to the gym in the first place.

Please understand that the body can tolerate a lot of abuse before you pay the penalty of an injury. Just know that injuries can happen in seconds and the effects can last a lifetime.

Injury as a Process

Traumatic injuries do happen. But more often it is the slow progression injuries that are far more sinister and very well may be the root cause of some traumatic injuries. So I would like to focus on what happens over the long term so that you can make a change now to prevent injuries.

I have spent the last 10 years of my life dealing specifically with what are called muscle imbalances and their effects on the back and body. In describing the concept I will use some examples and try to make you aware of what possible injuries you could be facing.

Let me begin by describing what muscle imbalances are and then give you an example. Muscle imbalance can be defined as strength and flexibility of one muscle group compared to the opposite muscle group. So if you compare the strength and flexibility of the quadriceps to the opposite muscle group, the hamstrings, in nine out of 10 people the quads will be overly strong and overly tight compared to the hamstrings. That's the definition of having a muscle imbalance.

How Back and Body Injures Start!

The quads are always going to be stronger then the hamstrings, so you may be wondering what is wrong with that. Let me give you some possible examples of what can happen if your quads are out of balance with your hamstrings. As I give this example, understand that there are other imbalances that often happen at the same time to develop this condition. For example, the hip flexors and the glutes can be out of balance too.

When the quads are out of balance with the hamstrings, there can be uneven and excessive wear and tear on the cartilage and ligaments of the knee. The knee will not function correctly and conditions will develop to the point were running or physical activity will be impossible.

Second, balance between the quads and the hamstrings keep the pelvis in a neutral and stable position. But when you have overly strong and overly tight quads, your pelvis will be pulled in several different directions. In some cases the whole pelvis is pulled excessively forward. In other cases one side of the pelvis comes even more forward and the hip goes too high, causing the pelvis to rotate. This is very common in physically active women over 40.

When the pelvis is not in the most neutral and most stable position possible, the spine may go into abnormal curvature. It is that abnormal curvature caused by the muscle imbalance that can set you up for hip problems, SI joint problems, back problems and sciatica.

How Does This Happen?

The very equipment you are using at the gym is either directly or indirectly helping you develop your muscle imbalances and setting you up for future problems.

Let me give you some examples. You cannot help but develop raw quad strength when you use the leg extension machine. As I asked you before, do you stick to exercises that you like to do? Let's face it, everyone hates to work the hamstrings because they are weak and it is hard to do. So most people overwork their quads and under-work their hamstrings.

Another example is the calf raise machine. Again, the calf muscle will always be stronger then the muscles in front of the shin, but when you blast your calves and do not work the muscles in the front of the shin you are setting yourself up for planter fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and even knee problems.

Let me recap. Working out with gym equipment puts enormous unnatural force through the joint, restricts movements to linear motions and can very easily overdevelop muscle groups. This combined with the development to muscle imbalances�is a hidden root cause of most if not all physical injuries at the gym.

Action Steps

As with any new desire to make a change in your life, you must first have a starting point. There is no easer way to get started then to take an inventory of where you are right now. It will not help you at all to make subjective assessments about yourself and not be honest, so I have a few suggestions:

* Take photos of yourself. I would not always recommend this. But in cases were your health and wellness are at stake, why not? Here is what you can do. Put on a bathing suit and have someone take photos, front, back and both sides, making sure that you see head to toe. Then take a look--not with a judging eye but a caring eye, looking for areas that are not in balance. For example, is your head straight? Is your head over your shoulders or is it forward of your shoulders? Are your shoulders level? What about your hips, are they level? (Look at your side view and suit line as a guide.)

Those are just some of the areas that you can gauge yourself on. You can also use the photos as a reference of how you are now so you can look back at how you were then.

* Feel the pain. The best way to assess pain is by asking yourself how you feel in the morning, during the day and at night. With this one you will need to be honest with yourself, and I suggest that you write this down. You can even mark up the photos you took by writing on them at the body part or parts where you feel pain.

* Listen to your body. If you are working out and you feel a little something and you're not quite sure what it is, rest assured it's your body telling you it does not like what you are doing to it.

* Build your awareness. If you live with fear, worry or doubt about your weight, health or medical condition, the best way to overcome that it is to build your knowledge on the subject. Study what others already know. And remember to always stay enthusiastic about the process. That is the secret to achieving your goals.

If you do not mind I would like to end with a short story of a one of my clients. She is a 43-year-old professional with a desk job. One day she decided that she was going to lose 20 pounds by summer. So she joined the gym, where she took a spinning class, used weights and at the same time trained for a 6K run on Memorial Day. She did this for about four months. Fast-forward to race day. She starts the race and within the first mile she knows she is in trouble. But she decides to finish the race because the pain is not that bad.

I get a call that night. She tells me that she cannot walk and asks if massage would help. I go over that same night. When I get there she is on churches. She cannot walk. She has foot pain

, knee pain and the effects of Piriformis irritation. I agree to work with her and only do what she can tolerate. I then urge her to see a doctor. On Monday morning, she does.

At the appointment she was diagnosed with a bone spur in her heal, a stress fracture on her tibia by the knee and wicked Piriformis Syndrome. As I write this, two months later, she still has not been able to return to any physical activity.

Listen to your body its telling you something...

Quick Muscle Gain - How Long Should You Rest in Your Muscle Mass Building Routine?

You've developed a quality and efficient muscle mass building routine. You've taken the preliminary steps to make sure you see the process through. You've investigated the foods that build muscle and stocked your fridge with these essential items. You've laid out your routine for each muscle group, that is, you've planned what to do on what day of the week. But before you can accurately schedule your workouts, you inevitably wonder, "how long should I rest before I continue building body mass?"

Hopefully you've discovered that to achieve quick muscle gain you need to be working your muscles to failure. For those that don't know what this means, it's simply performing a final set of whatever exercise you're doing until you can't do it any longer (you'll need a spotter). This is vital in that it causes significant microscopic damage - actual microscopic tears -- to the muscle tissues. It is only during this period of recovery that protein synthesis undertakes the process that results in new muscle fibers. Confused? To simplify, you are literally creating tiny tears in your muscles when you lift weights. During recovery, the body literally repairs these tears, creating new muscle that fill-in the tears and cover them. This is why muscle size increases.

But how long does this process take? When is it safe to expose these same muscle groups to further intensive exercise?

Scientific studies suggest that muscle fiber degradation takes approximately five to seven days to repair and recover. Any further exposure of the affected muscle to intensive activity will interfere with the recovery process and prevent you from achieving quick muscle gain. However, using the muscle(s) to assist in exercising other body parts or even taking part in low intensity aerobic exercise will not prevent recovery. Therefore, work each muscle group one day a week in your muscle mass building routine.