Training Facts Every Bodybuilder Should Know

August 23, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment
There are several factors that are very individualized to body builders. Still, there are other factors that affect body builders across the board in total disregard to personal taste and goals. Some other factors are variable depending on individuals, programs, muscle mass, level of body building and so on. However, other factors are static and can only be referred to as facts about body building. The following five are such facts about body building. Each body builder must be aware of these five constant facts of body building.

The first is that better muscle gains result from comprehensive exercises. Isolated exercises can not on their own help build big muscle mass and proportional physique. Comprehensive exercises that work out the entire body and stimulate muscle growth on each individual body part are actually the most effective and fast means of achieving a masculine physique. Multi-muscle exercises stimulate groups of muscle, or even more than one group of muscles thereby uniformly distributing stress and workload to the body proportionally.

Another constant fact of body building is that the old favorite free weights still reign supreme in swift and effective muscle mass generation. When compared to machines, free weights impose more strains on the muscles and therefore end up stimulating more growth. Supporting muscles are fully engaged by free weights and their strength power fully concentrated to lift, control and pump the weight. The old maxim of no pain no gain still rings true. Indeed this is the other of the constant facts of body building.

One of the reasons why most body builders attend gym sessions for years and still lack the muscle mass to show for it is because of the fear to go heavy. These body builders remain at the same level of intensity, lifting the same weights over and over, year after year. The result is that instead of the muscle gaining in mass, body building workouts become rigorous labor. A body builder must perpetually increase the intensity of the workouts to correspond to the continuous gains in muscle strength and mass. With time, the body builder gets into really heavy weights that ultimately recruit the IIB muscle fibers. This type of muscle fibers if stimulated prompts the largest muscle mass gains possible in humans.

The fourth constant body building fact is that the length of weight training duration does not correspond directly with muscle gains. To the contrary, long hours of intensive training leads to muscle loss, overtraining and irreparable muscle injury. Training sessions should be aimed at stimulating growth not exhausting all muscles from every possible angle. Unusually high catabolic hormone levels usually accrue after very long sessions of intensive training, with the effect being muscle tissue breakdown. Ideally, weight training should last for 70 minutes at the very most.

A consistent three square meals a day diet is the best way to build muscles. This is a constant fact of body building. Eating a good breakfast rich in proteins helps activate the metabolic rate and revive it to a level where the next meals are readily broken down both effectively and completely. Meals should be eaten after every three hours or less. Small but frequent healthy meals across the entire day amplify muscle assimilation and make muscle growth and repair possible. Food is, has always been and will always be the raw material for muscle growth.

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Filed Under: Weight training programs Tagged With: Bodybuilder, Every, Facts, Know, Should, Training

How Strict Should Your Exercise Form Be

August 22, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

When it comes to weight training there are generally 2 schools of thought when it comes to exercise form. 1) you have the typical personal trainers who say you should use slow and controlled movements. Then you have the power and strength athletes who like to use more explosive movements and looser training form. Which one is right and which one should you use in your training?

Well like a lot of things when it comes to working out there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends on the individual, the training situation, the level of training, and the fitness goals.

Obviously for beginners and people who are new to the gym, they need to learn how to perform the exercises with proper form using light weights. At this stage they need to get used to the whole working out process and learn how it feels to work their muscles with weight training.

But gradually as you get stronger and start lifting heavier weights in your workouts with the progressive overload principle. You’ll find that your technique will have to change as well. The technique needed to bench press 100 lbs. is totally different then the technique needed to bench press 300+ lbs. As you get stronger different muscles come into play, you need to pay a lot more attention to your set up, how you actually contract the muscles to lift, the mental preparation, etc.

If you have the opportunity to watch advanced lifters train you’ll notice that they are NOT going to be using an exaggerated slow and controlled type of exercise form. In fact lifting slow and controlled is not really natural. It doesn’t carry over into real world strength and it is not how our muscles are meant to work.

Now I realize what I’m saying here is going to piss some people off. There are those die hard “fitness experts” out there who insist that slow and controlled is the only way and that if you use any speed or momentum in your lifting that you are cheating and that you are going to hurt yourself. But the fact is our bodies are designed for fast and explosive movements.

Real World Strength

Before we move on let’s just look at some activities from real world examples. Things such as running, jumping, throwing, etc. all require speed, momentum, and explosiveness. To prove my point, just stand up right now and try to jump as high as you can, but do it in a slow and controlled fashion… you won’t even be able to lift off the ground.

And for a few examples from outside of sports, think of trying to pull start a lawn mower or kick start a dirt bike. You have to do both very fast and explosive or else the engine won’t get enough RPM’s to turn over and start. Bottom line is that real world stuff requires strength, speed, explosiveness, and even momentum. So why are so many people dead set against training this way in the gym?

Now I know some folks (usually young ego driven guys who are full of piss and vinegar) like to go overboard and use too much weight with absolutely crappy form. You can see examples of this when barbell curls become reverse grip power cleans. And bench presses become a team effort push / pull exercise as the lifter drops the bar to his chest and his trusty spotter deadlifts it back up.

But there is that grey zone in the middle of the 2 extremes whereby you are training on the edge, pushing it hard, and also keeping relatively good exercise form at the same time. To see some examples of this type of training just go to YouTube and watch some videos of top bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren, and Johnny Jackson.

In these videos you’ll see that the guys are powering up big weights and they are also using a bit of “Body English” to handle such poundages, but the form is still pretty good. Even through they are not lifting “slow and controlled”, they are certainly placing maximum workload on the targeted muscle groups. This type of training will stimulate muscle growth in ways that endless slow and controlled reps with the pink dumbbells will never achieve.

Even in the great Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia Of Bodybuilding he refers to this as “Power Reps”. Joe Weider calls it the “cheating principle”. Basically it’s just using a bit of umph in your movements in order to handle maximum workloads.

Power Reps For More Muscle & Strength

The use of any weight training technique will depend on the level of the trainee. So to keep it simple I’m going to cover all levels from beginners to advanced and outline how you can incorporate “Power Reps” into your own workouts.

Beginners (less then a year of training)

Beginners should focus on simply learning proper exercise form. The easiest way to do this is to use light to moderate weights and really focus on feeling the muscles flexing and contracting with each rep. The best way to do this, especially at the beginner stage is by using slow and controlled form all the time.

Intermediates (more then a year of training)

As you progress with your training you will notice the naturally tendency to use more force and momentum to try and complete your reps as the weights get heavier. This is something you want to pay careful attention to. Used in the right way this can help you work the muscles harder. Used in the wrong way it will take stress off the targeted muscles.

My advice here is to start with a weight that allows you to maintain strict control for at least 6-8 reps Then you can use a bit of “Body English” to power out a few more reps at the end. This will allow you to perform extra reps that you normally wouldn’t have been able to do if you were “too strict” with your form.

Advanced (several years of progressive training)

Advanced lifters already know what works best for their body by the time they make it to this level of training. After all that’s what it means to be advanced. However for the purpose of this article I’ll outline some “Power Rep” guidelines here.

At the advanced stage you’ll have developed your own unique exercise groove from years of lifting. You’ll instinctively know if a little swing here, or a little leg drive there, will provide more muscle stimulation and deliver the maximum workload to the muscles. You’ll also know if you are over doing it and using too much momentum.

Some common things that advanced lifters do to handle maximum poundages include:

Bench Press: A slight bounce off the chest at the bottom to help rebound the weight up and not fully locking out the elbows at the top. This tends to allow for more weight and / or more reps to be lifted and also provide maximum muscle stimulation.

Squats: A slight rebound out of the bottom will help you get the weight back up. Again sometimes advanced lifters will not fully lock out the knees at the top and keep going, almost like a piston type of up and down motion.

Standing Presses: A slight leg drive will help move maximum poundages while actually cushioning the impact from the exercise. This absorbs some of the stress from the spine down through your legs.

Bent Over Rows: Like with the standing press a bit of leg drive will allow for heavier weights and can help move more weight and / or more reps.

Curls: A little swing at the start and even a slight back arch at the half way mark can help get past the sticky point in the middle of the exercise.

Lateral Raises: A little leg drive at the start and a slight swing in the middle will help you get more weight up. Also holding the dumbbells in the front vs. to the sides will help you lift more weight.

Lat Pull Downs: Arching your back will help you move more weight and actually help you fully contract your lats. Trying to keep your back totally flat when doing any pull down or rowing exercise actually prevents you from getting a peak contraction in the back muscles.

These are some common exercises that work well for “Power Reps”. However, your own discretion is advised. This isn’t a free for all to go out and use crappy form. It’s just another tool in your tool box that can help you take your strength and muscular development to a higher level.

If you are going to use “Power Reps” in your training save them for the final all out work sets. Do your warm up sets using perfect form. Then as you work up to your top weight for a particular exercise you can give it that extra push to maximize the weights lifted and the stimulation to the muscles.

Lee Hayward is a Physique Transformation Specialist who is committed to helping aspiring bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts gain muscle, burn bodyfat, and develop the lean muscular body that they desire. Visit www.LeeHayward.com to download a F.R.E.E. copy of Lee’s 10-Part Muscle Building Tips e-Course.

Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: Exercise., Form, Should, Strict, Your

What P90X Equipment should you buy so you can complete the system

August 20, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

If you’re similar to me, you’ve switched on the television on a Saturday and have noticed those television ads for the P90X workout. It’s a very alluring commercial and they convinced me to call up! When I got P90X though, I truly had no idea what type of P90X equipment I should get effectively complete the program. I did not want to buy products that I did not need, but I also wanted to obtain the highest results from the program and have the ability to do every one of the movements properly. You may be in the same situation I was in and are clueless on what equipment you need for P90X. What is the total investment you’re going to have to make to be able to complete the program? I have completed the P90X workout twice now, so I will tell you exactly what P90X equipment you need, and what is optional so you can save your money and focus on your workout.

First, I simply wanted to provide you an summary of the P90X system. It is an extremely rigorous system that will give you a sculpted, muscular body in the convenience of your home in ninety days. You most likely are wanting to know who P90X is good for. It’s for anybody (all ages, any kind of physique) who’s looking to shed weight and for men and women aiming to tone up and/or develop muscles.

You must possess a strong need to get healthy, and be prepared to make the commitment to the system to achieve success with it. It is a absolutely no bs, straight to the point system that will get you in the greatest shape of your life.

The following is the P90X equipment that is a must have for P90X:

P90X DVD’s (“P90X Training System”). Contains the 12 workout P90X DVD’s, a healthy eating plan, and a fitness manual.

Resistance Bands or some Dumbbells. Either of these is fine, but you need to have a minimum of one or the other. I actually have each, so even if I travel I can do the P90x workout plan. A Set of dumbbells that increases up to 20 pounds is a great weight to get started with.

Pull Up Bar or Resistance Band Door Attachment. I just have the pull-up bar, and it works terrific. You must have one or the other though. Some though might possibly not have a door frame that they can use a pull up bar on. For those folks, you’ve got to get hold of a resistance band door attachment system in order to perform a altered version of the pull-ups.

This is optional equipment that’s not required to successfully complete the program:

Yoga Mat. This helps make the P90X abdominal exercises and the P90X yoga exercises a lot more pleasant (a hard wood flooring or carpet rubbing against your epidermis does not feel all that good).

Yoga Blocks. In case you are a novice at Yoga like I was, then these will definitely be a great help. These will help strengthen you when you are performing complicated poses.

Push-up Bars. Should you have difficulties with your wrists, then these will relieve strain on your wrist joints when doing pushups (you will perform a large quantity of pushups when using the P90x workout plan ).

Make sure to check out my website now to learn where to buy your P90X equipment, and how to get a discount on it. Click the following link now to learn more–> P90X equipment

Wouldn’t you like a trim, hot body? Then head to my website straight away to find out about the best work out there is: <a href=”http://trek2befit.com>P90X workout</a>.

Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Equipment, P90X, Should, What

Why Every Woman Should Include Weights in Their Fitness Routine

August 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

There is a popular misconception that when women begin to lift weights they lose their femininity and look too bulky, which could not be farther from reality. The vast majority of women all over the world are always seeking the fastest and most convenient new methods to lose weight. After spending a small fortune on shakes, exercise equipment and dangerous diet pills they come to the harsh realization that they must workout and eat properly to achieve success shedding pounds.

Perhaps you have strolled into your local health club and decided to get your exercise in by doing cardio such as running on the treadmill a few days per week. After the third week you become discouraged because all the miles you have ran are now starting to plateau and you are not losing the weight as quickly. This is exactly why every woman should include weights in their fitness routine. Cardio activities such as running, walking, step aerobics an spinning are all fantastic for getting your heart rate up and shedding pounds. However, just as your brain becomes bored with the ever-exciting steps on a treadmill after the first two miles, your muscles do as well.

To just lose inches and have your body shrink in size but maintain the same shape, the cardio workouts will be suffice. For example, if your body is in the shape of a pear and you perform the same activity repeatedly it will become nothing but a smaller pear shape. If you are seeking to become more toned and lose fat versus pounds, then you must mix it up a bit and utilizing weights is the best thing you can do. Women do not become bodybuilders overnight, the ones that are ripped and have bulky figures work at weight lifting as if it was their full time career. A female that uses weights twice a week will never look similar to those bulkier ladies.

When you incorporate weight training into your routine, you are building muscle which dissolves fat. Building muscle should be a female’s best friend when aiming to lose fat. Losing fat and losing weight are actually two different practices. Losing weight is just making your body smaller and can come in the form of losing water weight. Losing fat is when your body sheds that fatty tissue that is so hard to get rid of and causes cellulite on your frame as well. By weight lifting small amounts of weight for high repetitions you will become a more toned individual, and by lifting heavier amounts of weight for smaller reps you are burning fat quicker and changing the shape of your body over time. Weights are very inexpensive to purchase at any local sporting goods shop or you can begin a program at your gym. Be sure to train with weights at least twice per week and never two days in a row to allow your muscles to rest. Your body will begin to even burn more calories while you are sleeping after lifting weights and you will notice the results much faster and by taking part in a healthy form of weight loss.

 

Jesus coaches a league basketball team. He works with younger guys and is always having them run drills to keep in good shape. He writes on his website about being a coach. He also writes about Drills for Basketball and Basketball Shooting Drills

Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Every, Include, Should, Their, Weights, Woman

The 3 Cardio Exercise Equipment You Should Use

August 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Each time I walk into my local gym, I always see a variety of cardio exercise equipment to the right of the entrance. Not surprisingly, they have a lot of them and they are almost always packed with people. Every now and then, I wonder if these people actually know how to use these machines effectively or if they’re even feeling that they’ve worked out. In this post, you will find that there are no good or bad cardio machines. To get the most benefit out of them, you just have to know how to use them more efficiently.

Not all cardio exercise equipments are made equal. So, I’m going to categorize them into their level of effectiveness. Here they are:

#1 The Treadmill

The treadmill is the king of cardio exercise equipments. But, you’d have to know how to use it to your advantage. Obviously, running would burn more calories compared to walking. The common mistake that a lot of people make when they’re on the treadmill is to either run at a steady, medium speed or hold on to the side rails while walking on an incline or both. There’s probably other mistakes out there but these two are very common.

To use the treadmill to more effectively, you’d have to give yourself a little bit more challenge by running at different intensities. For instance, you can warm-up at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes. After warm-up, you can run at a faster pace at 4.5 mph for 20 seconds then increase your speed to 6 mph for another 20 seconds. You can then repeat this sequence without the warm-up section 4 more times then end with a cool-down. This protocol is called high intensity interval training or HIIT and its intensity will help you burn more calories during and after your workout. Beginners can usually follow these instructions without a problem. Once you’ve been doing these intervals for 2-3 weeks, you can progress by increasing your speed or your interval time.

So, the next time, you’re at the gym, head for the treadmill first and use these instructions for running more effectively.

#2 The Stairmaster

The stairmaster is a great equipment and for good reason. This cardio equipment provides a great, effective alternative when you want to take a break from running. To use the stairmaster, think of high intensity intervals again. Warm-up for a few minutes and climb at a higher speed for your intervals. You can start with 4 intervals at 20 seconds and go up from there. Remember to always cool down or move on to the Elliptical as detailed below.

#3 The Elliptical

The elliptical is probably the busiest cardio machine in the gym. A lot of people tend to like it simply because they don’t have to run or lift their foot off the ground when they use it. I put it as the #3 machine because it has its place if you’re trying to lose weight. But, it definitely shouldn’t be your “go to” equipment if losing fat is your goal.

To use the Elliptical more effectively, you would have to use it after you’ve done your high intensity intervals on the treadmill or the stairmaster. As soon as you’re done with your intervals, you can then use the Elliptical for another 20 minutes. This helps you burn any fat that is floating in your blood system so that you don’t end up storing it again. When you do your cardio in this sequence, you will be very efficient at burning more calories and more fat in less time.

In conclusion, you interchange the stairmaster or the treadmill when you want to do your high intensity intervals but only use the elliptical after the intervals. The rule is not to use the elliptical as a supplement to your cardio routine but not as the only cardio exercise equipment you use. If you use these machines as directed in this article, you will see the fat melt off your body in all the right spots.

Anna Dornier is a certified personal trainer who specializes in fat loss. Get your free 4-week fat loss jumpstart plan and e-book, The Fat Loss Primer, by visiting her blog at www.pathtofatloss.com
Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Cardio, Equipment, Exercise., Should

The 3 Cardio Exercise Equipment You Should Use

August 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Each time I walk into my local gym, I always see a variety of cardio exercise equipment to the right of the entrance. Not surprisingly, they have a lot of them and they are almost always packed with people. Every now and then, I wonder if these people actually know how to use these machines effectively or if they’re even feeling that they’ve worked out. In this post, you will find that there are no good or bad cardio machines. To get the most benefit out of them, you just have to know how to use them more efficiently.

Not all cardio exercise equipments are made equal. So, I’m going to categorize them into their level of effectiveness. Here they are:

#1 The Treadmill

The treadmill is the king of cardio exercise equipments. But, you’d have to know how to use it to your advantage. Obviously, running would burn more calories compared to walking. The common mistake that a lot of people make when they’re on the treadmill is to either run at a steady, medium speed or hold on to the side rails while walking on an incline or both. There’s probably other mistakes out there but these two are very common.

To use the treadmill to more effectively, you’d have to give yourself a little bit more challenge by running at different intensities. For instance, you can warm-up at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes. After warm-up, you can run at a faster pace at 4.5 mph for 20 seconds then increase your speed to 6 mph for another 20 seconds. You can then repeat this sequence without the warm-up section 4 more times then end with a cool-down. This protocol is called high intensity interval training or HIIT and its intensity will help you burn more calories during and after your workout. Beginners can usually follow these instructions without a problem. Once you’ve been doing these intervals for 2-3 weeks, you can progress by increasing your speed or your interval time.

So, the next time, you’re at the gym, head for the treadmill first and use these instructions for running more effectively.

#2 The Stairmaster

The stairmaster is a great equipment and for good reason. This cardio equipment provides a great, effective alternative when you want to take a break from running. To use the stairmaster, think of high intensity intervals again. Warm-up for a few minutes and climb at a higher speed for your intervals. You can start with 4 intervals at 20 seconds and go up from there. Remember to always cool down or move on to the Elliptical as detailed below.

#3 The Elliptical

The elliptical is probably the busiest cardio machine in the gym. A lot of people tend to like it simply because they don’t have to run or lift their foot off the ground when they use it. I put it as the #3 machine because it has its place if you’re trying to lose weight. But, it definitely shouldn’t be your “go to” equipment if losing fat is your goal.

To use the Elliptical more effectively, you would have to use it after you’ve done your high intensity intervals on the treadmill or the stairmaster. As soon as you’re done with your intervals, you can then use the Elliptical for another 20 minutes. This helps you burn any fat that is floating in your blood system so that you don’t end up storing it again. When you do your cardio in this sequence, you will be very efficient at burning more calories and more fat in less time.

In conclusion, you interchange the stairmaster or the treadmill when you want to do your high intensity intervals but only use the elliptical after the intervals. The rule is not to use the elliptical as a supplement to your cardio routine but not as the only cardio exercise equipment you use. If you use these machines as directed in this article, you will see the fat melt off your body in all the right spots.

Anna Dornier is a certified personal trainer who specializes in fat loss. Get your free 4-week fat loss jumpstart plan and e-book, The Fat Loss Primer, by visiting her blog at www.pathtofatloss.com
Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Cardio, Equipment, Exercise., Should

The 3 Cardio Exercise Equipment You Should Use

August 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Each time I walk into my local gym, I always see a variety of cardio exercise equipment to the right of the entrance. Not surprisingly, they have a lot of them and they are almost always packed with people. Every now and then, I wonder if these people actually know how to use these machines effectively or if they’re even feeling that they’ve worked out. In this post, you will find that there are no good or bad cardio machines. To get the most benefit out of them, you just have to know how to use them more efficiently.

Not all cardio exercise equipments are made equal. So, I’m going to categorize them into their level of effectiveness. Here they are:

#1 The Treadmill

The treadmill is the king of cardio exercise equipments. But, you’d have to know how to use it to your advantage. Obviously, running would burn more calories compared to walking. The common mistake that a lot of people make when they’re on the treadmill is to either run at a steady, medium speed or hold on to the side rails while walking on an incline or both. There’s probably other mistakes out there but these two are very common.

To use the treadmill to more effectively, you’d have to give yourself a little bit more challenge by running at different intensities. For instance, you can warm-up at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes. After warm-up, you can run at a faster pace at 4.5 mph for 20 seconds then increase your speed to 6 mph for another 20 seconds. You can then repeat this sequence without the warm-up section 4 more times then end with a cool-down. This protocol is called high intensity interval training or HIIT and its intensity will help you burn more calories during and after your workout. Beginners can usually follow these instructions without a problem. Once you’ve been doing these intervals for 2-3 weeks, you can progress by increasing your speed or your interval time.

So, the next time, you’re at the gym, head for the treadmill first and use these instructions for running more effectively.

#2 The Stairmaster

The stairmaster is a great equipment and for good reason. This cardio equipment provides a great, effective alternative when you want to take a break from running. To use the stairmaster, think of high intensity intervals again. Warm-up for a few minutes and climb at a higher speed for your intervals. You can start with 4 intervals at 20 seconds and go up from there. Remember to always cool down or move on to the Elliptical as detailed below.

#3 The Elliptical

The elliptical is probably the busiest cardio machine in the gym. A lot of people tend to like it simply because they don’t have to run or lift their foot off the ground when they use it. I put it as the #3 machine because it has its place if you’re trying to lose weight. But, it definitely shouldn’t be your “go to” equipment if losing fat is your goal.

To use the Elliptical more effectively, you would have to use it after you’ve done your high intensity intervals on the treadmill or the stairmaster. As soon as you’re done with your intervals, you can then use the Elliptical for another 20 minutes. This helps you burn any fat that is floating in your blood system so that you don’t end up storing it again. When you do your cardio in this sequence, you will be very efficient at burning more calories and more fat in less time.

In conclusion, you interchange the stairmaster or the treadmill when you want to do your high intensity intervals but only use the elliptical after the intervals. The rule is not to use the elliptical as a supplement to your cardio routine but not as the only cardio exercise equipment you use. If you use these machines as directed in this article, you will see the fat melt off your body in all the right spots.

Anna Dornier is a certified personal trainer who specializes in fat loss. Get your free 4-week fat loss jumpstart plan and e-book, The Fat Loss Primer, by visiting her blog at www.pathtofatloss.com
Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Cardio, Equipment, Exercise., Should

The 3 Cardio Exercise Equipment You Should Use

August 13, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Each time I walk into my local gym, I always see a variety of cardio exercise equipment to the right of the entrance. Not surprisingly, they have a lot of them and they are almost always packed with people. Every now and then, I wonder if these people actually know how to use these machines effectively or if they’re even feeling that they’ve worked out. In this post, you will find that there are no good or bad cardio machines. To get the most benefit out of them, you just have to know how to use them more efficiently.

Not all cardio exercise equipments are made equal. So, I’m going to categorize them into their level of effectiveness. Here they are:

#1 The Treadmill

The treadmill is the king of cardio exercise equipments. But, you’d have to know how to use it to your advantage. Obviously, running would burn more calories compared to walking. The common mistake that a lot of people make when they’re on the treadmill is to either run at a steady, medium speed or hold on to the side rails while walking on an incline or both. There’s probably other mistakes out there but these two are very common.

To use the treadmill to more effectively, you’d have to give yourself a little bit more challenge by running at different intensities. For instance, you can warm-up at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes. After warm-up, you can run at a faster pace at 4.5 mph for 20 seconds then increase your speed to 6 mph for another 20 seconds. You can then repeat this sequence without the warm-up section 4 more times then end with a cool-down. This protocol is called high intensity interval training or HIIT and its intensity will help you burn more calories during and after your workout. Beginners can usually follow these instructions without a problem. Once you’ve been doing these intervals for 2-3 weeks, you can progress by increasing your speed or your interval time.

So, the next time, you’re at the gym, head for the treadmill first and use these instructions for running more effectively.

#2 The Stairmaster

The stairmaster is a great equipment and for good reason. This cardio equipment provides a great, effective alternative when you want to take a break from running. To use the stairmaster, think of high intensity intervals again. Warm-up for a few minutes and climb at a higher speed for your intervals. You can start with 4 intervals at 20 seconds and go up from there. Remember to always cool down or move on to the Elliptical as detailed below.

#3 The Elliptical

The elliptical is probably the busiest cardio machine in the gym. A lot of people tend to like it simply because they don’t have to run or lift their foot off the ground when they use it. I put it as the #3 machine because it has its place if you’re trying to lose weight. But, it definitely shouldn’t be your “go to” equipment if losing fat is your goal.

To use the Elliptical more effectively, you would have to use it after you’ve done your high intensity intervals on the treadmill or the stairmaster. As soon as you’re done with your intervals, you can then use the Elliptical for another 20 minutes. This helps you burn any fat that is floating in your blood system so that you don’t end up storing it again. When you do your cardio in this sequence, you will be very efficient at burning more calories and more fat in less time.

In conclusion, you interchange the stairmaster or the treadmill when you want to do your high intensity intervals but only use the elliptical after the intervals. The rule is not to use the elliptical as a supplement to your cardio routine but not as the only cardio exercise equipment you use. If you use these machines as directed in this article, you will see the fat melt off your body in all the right spots.

Anna Dornier is a certified personal trainer who specializes in fat loss. Get your free 4-week fat loss jumpstart plan and e-book, The Fat Loss Primer, by visiting her blog at www.pathtofatloss.com
Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Cardio, Equipment, Exercise., Should

Exercise During Pregnancy What Every Women Should Know

August 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Exercise is truly important in keeping health body. Doing exercise during pregnancy helps your body best handle labor, delivery and recovery. Exercise also prepares your body for the rigors of childbirth, and it allows you getting back into shape faster after the birth.

It also stabilize your emotion and staying active increases your overall health.Utilizing  the incorrect type of exercise during your pregnancy can be detrimental to both you and your baby.

You should consult with a health-care professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

Discontinue exercise if any of the following do exist such as pregnancy induced hypertension, ruptured membranes, incompetent cervix, vaginal bleeding, intrauterine growth retardation and multiple pregnancy.It is advisable to stop or adjust your exercising routine due to some medical health condition. Some women should not exercise during pregnancy for health reasons.

Do not eat for two hours prior to an exercise session. If you exercise first thing in the morning, have a liquid snack while exercising then follow this with breakfast after the exercise session has ended. No matter when you exercise, try to have a small snack immediately after an exercise session.

Consume lots of fluids to make sure you stay hydrated. Drinking eight ounces (226 g) of water before exercising, and an additional eight ounces for every 20 minutes of exercise will help with hydration.Vitally important for you to dose up your caloric intake, approximately 350-500 calories per day, to insure the growth of your baby and the calories burned during exercise.

It is important to exercise sensibly at a comfortable intensity and do not exercise to exhaustion or at an anaerobic (or breathless) pace. Remember to start gradually and do not ever jumped to a breathless pace of exercise. All exercise should be accompanied by a proper warm up and cool down session. Wear light comfortable and loose  clothing, drink plenty of water, avoid exercising in very hot temperatures or humid conditions and do not exercise if you are sick.

Generally, the best pregnancy exercise is low impact and includes activities such as walking, swimming, stationary bicycling, yoga, pilates, aerobics and weight training. Exercises like yoga, pilates even swimming can be both relaxing and meditative, which are important to counteract the tired physical and mental rigors of pregnancy. Exercise should be pitched towards maintaining your fitness level instead of increasing it.

After every exercise, make sure to cool down by slowly returning to your resting rate by doing cool down exercises and stretches.Concentrate and pay attention to how you are feeling and remember that you may not be able to exercise at your pre-pregnancy level.

Women who are used to being overweight may choose to plan a healthy diet and exercise plan to help control the total of weight gained.

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Filed Under: Weight training exercises Tagged With: During, Every, Exercise., Know, Pregnancy, Should, What, Women

Bodyweight Training VS. Joining a GymWhich Should you Choose

August 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

For millions of people all over the world, the decision to get in shape means one thing: Joining a gym. Your local gym or workout facility will have all the equipment you will ever need as well as a staff of fitness experts who can help you reach your goals.

For all the good results you can achieve through joining a gym, they also have their downsides as well. In fact, a growing number of fitness buffs have taken to working out outside of the gym environment and focusing on bodyweight exercises that they can do anywhere to get in shape. For many of the diehard gym rats out there, this decision may seem almost sacrilege, but as we will see below, there are some valid positives to taking this NO GYM route and pursuing a Boot Camp training program.

First of all, gyms can be expensive. Fees upwards of $75 per month are not uncommon and often times this fee is paid for the privilege of waiting until someone else is done using the equipment that you need. If you are waiting, you are NOT working out. Focusing on using your bodyweight to stay in shape, needless to say, will cost you nothing.

The next benefit of choosing bodyweight training vs. joining a gym is the lack of distractions. Look, I love watching THE OFFICE as much as the next guy, but I don’t really need to relive every hilarious moment WHILE I am working out. There are always at least 2 or 3 folks at the gym who are more interested in what they watched last night than what is going on right in front of them. They often show complete lack of respect and needless to say, this is an annoyance you won’t have to deal with if your program revolves around bodyweight training. All you need to think about really is breathing to keep yourself alive most of the time!

One of my favorite reasons to cite for leaving the gym atmosphere behind is just that…the atmosphere. Gym walls, no matter how pretty they are painted, are still gym walls. The world is a wonderful and glorious place that must be experienced and getting out in nature to exercise beats the confinement of a stuffy gym ANY day.

So, now that we have listed some of the reasons why using bodyweight training in a Boot Camp program may be a better alternative than joining a gym, you still may have ONE little nagging question…what the heck is bodyweight training? Simply put, bodyweight training is performing any exercise where your bodyweight provides the main source of resistance. These exercises can be performed anywhere you go and there is a huge list that don’t require ANY apparatus to receive the full benefits of the workout. Bodyweight squats are great to add to your regimen as a foundational exercise. Pushups, either traditional or elevated, will give you perhaps the greatest upper body results of any exercise out there. Add in some jumping jacks, calf raises, and a set or two of plyometric jumps and your bodyweight workout will allow you to burn fat, build muscle and get into incredible shape at no cost to you and without the shortcomings of gyms that we spoke about.

Emile Jarreau, aka,Mr. Fat Loss is fascinated by health, nutrition and weight loss. For more great Boot Camp Information for losing weight and keeping it off visit http://www.MrFatLoss.com

Filed Under: Weight training Tagged With: Bodyweight, GymWhich, Joining, Should, Training
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