1 Hour Maximum! 1 hour workouts 3 - 5 times a week is all you need!
Weight Lifting how often - 3 times a week; every other day
Strength Training the body increases its strength lifting capabilities with the level of workout that is placed upon the muscles
Weight Training Reps for maximum strength loading should be high (85-100%) of 1 rep max, and repetitions few (1-5)
Weight Training Systems Start with Simple Sets (3 x 8/12 with 70%) the high number of repetitions enables the lifter to learn correct technique, and thus reduce the risk of injury.
Reviews What works? What are the best Health, Exercise and Body Building programs? Which should you avoid? P90X and Insanity are good, but take diet, plus lots of time.
Spartacus Workout: Goblet, Mountain Climber, Single-arm Dumbbell Swing, T-pushup, Split Jump, Dumbbell Row, Dumbbell Side Lunge and Touch, Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation, Pushup-position Row, and Dumbbell Push Press. Do the Spartacus "Burn Fat Faster Than Ever" circuit 3 days a week. Perform 1 set of each exercise (or "station") in succession, 60 seconds, as many reps as you can, 15 seconds break between stations, and rest for 2 minutes after 1 circuit of all 10 exercises. Use a weight that's challenging for 15 to 20 reps. Do 3 sets. Similar to FiTTrax From Men's Health.
Turkey Burner Workout: Jumping Jacks, Plie Squats, Burpees, Pushups, and Bicycle Crunches from Coach Nicole.
5-minute Butt Workout: Donkey Kicks, Kicks, Stability Ball Leaning Lunges, Tabata, Stability Ball Bridge, Reverse Lunges, Balance from Coach Nicole. High reps - 20 x 3.
Strong Lift Exercises superb weight lifting and exercise vids and explanations from Mehdi Hadim in Belgium. See his 5x5 demo vid on Squats (the king of exercises), the Bench Press and the Barbell Row.
Healthy Skin NO sun. Use mineral sun screen. Shower less. NO soap. NO hot water; use lukewarm water. Hydrate by drinking water. Eat salmon, spinach, nuts, avocado, carrots, squash, and papaya.
What Is the Difference between Abduction OUT and Adduction IN?
Turning Out or In: Abduction Versus Adduction. In physiology, abduction and adduction are opposites. Abduction carries the object away from the body, like raising an arm from your side. Adduction moves the body part closer. Adduction works your inner thigh muscles and Abduction works your outer thigh muscles
Standing hip abduction and adduction video demonstrating standing hip abduction and adduction exercise with resistance tubing. 2.14 min. from Stacy Munn
The Effectiveness of a Hip Abduction and Adduction Exercise Machine
Machines Explained
The adduction and abduction machines look very similar on first glance. With both machines, you seat yourself and put your legs next to padded levers. For the hip adduction machine, you press against them as you squeeze your legs together. The opposite happens with the abduction machine, where your legs are on the inside of the pads and you press against them as you move your legs away from each other.
Muscles Worked
The adductor machine primarily targets your three adductor muscles: the adductor brevis, longus and magnus. It also activates your gracilis in your inner thighs and your pectineus or hip flexors. Critics argue that it is less effective than other adduction exercises, because the glute muscles have a harder time activating while you are in the seated position. The abductor machine targets the muscles that are used for hip abduction, namely your tensor fasciae latae and your three glute muscles: the gluteus medius, minimus and maximus. Skeptics note that while the machine does strengthen these muscles, it also tightens the iliotiibial band, connective tissue that helps your hips with abduction. The risk with this, however, is that a tight IT band can throw your knee out of place.
Spot Reduction Myth
The adduction and abduction machines are often mistakenly used in hopes of slimming down thighs. This can't be done with a strength-training machine, especially one for which you have to sit down and isolate just a few muscles. Since muscle and fat are two different types of tissue, strengthening your muscles will not reduce the fat that covers it. Even if you do burn calories while performing the exercise, you cannot spot reduce or target specific areas for fat loss.
Alternative Exercises
Squats and lunges are effective alternatives to the abduction and adduction machine exercises. According to ExRx.net, not only will these exercises activate your adductor magnus, but because they are compound exercises, they will also target a larger group of muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and erector spinae in your lower back. The side lunge is also particularly effective exercise for targeting your abductors. These exercises are also superior to the abduction and adduction machines, because they actually mimic movements you make in real life.
Stretching or the slow lengthening of the muscles. Stretching the arms and legs before and after exercising can help prepare the muscles for activity and helps prevent injury and muscle strain. Regular stretching may also increase your range of motion and flexibility. See more about [Stretching]
Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is steady physical activity using large muscle groups. This type of exercise strengthens the heart and lungs and improves the body's ability to use oxygen. Aerobic exercise has the most benefits for your heart. Over time, aerobic exercise can help decrease your heart rate* and blood pressure and improve your breathing. Aerobic exercises include: walking, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling (stationary or outdoor), cross-country skiing, skating, rowing, high or low-impact aerobics, swimming, and water aerobics.In general, to achieve maximum benefits, you should gradually work up to an aerobic session lasting at least 20 to 30 minutes, at least three to four times a week. Exercising at least every other day will help you keep a regular aerobic exercise schedule.
Strengthening exercises are repeated muscle contractions (tightening) until the muscle becomes tired.
* Note: According to Tony Horton, normal resting heart rate should be between 60-80 bpm, For a woman of 73, maximum should be 147.
American Fitness Index a program developed by American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2007 to provide an evidence- and science-based measurement of the state of health and fitness at the community level throughout the U.S. Communities, organizations and individuals will be able to assess factors that contribute to health and fitness and measure the progress.
Get Fit You is a great resource for fitness news, views and advice for seasoned fitness enthusiasts as well as beginners starting out on their journey to a better, fitter self.
Daily Hit http://www.dailyhiit.com/ free vids and more on this site accessed November 12, 2013 HEAVY ON ADS YUK
BodyRock.Tv, a daily fitness show, hosted by certified personal trainer Zuzana Light, focuses on fat burning strength training workouts that can be done at home or at the gym with little or no equipment. short NO ADS HURRAH http://www.youtube.com/user/BodyRockTv/videos accessed November 17, 2013
Source: Arizona Central: Healthy Living at http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/ great site for fitness, exercises, nutrition; includes good techniques for routines such as squate; accessed November 17, 2013
Body Rock TV videos http://www.youtube.com/user/BodyRockTv/videos daily fitness show focused on fat burning strength training workouts that can be done at home or at the gym with little or no equipment. BodyRock.Tv is hosted by certified personal trainer Zuzana Light accessed November 17, 2013
Quick 5-Minute Upper Body Workout with Obi Obadike; A quick medium-level upper body workout consisting of push ups, chair dips, dumbbell bent over rows and upright rows; from Up Wave Videos Workout Collection EXCELLENT See List Up Wave Vids (local file DRAFT 11/26/13)
ExRx aka Exercise Prescription, EXCELLENT / THE BESThttp://www.exrx.net/index.html, a site for coaches and other fitness professionals, includes lots of advice, exercise descriptions, accessed 11/27/13 and 5/14/14
Muscle & Strength Forums to learn about how to build muscle, burn fat, increase strength, and reach your health and fitness goals. Search engine. Membership possible. Site was accessed July 31, 2014
New Abs Diet by David Zinczenko Related materials are The Abs Diet for Women Workout DVD and New Abs Diet for Women. See more about New Abs series.
The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene, exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer Bob Greene, who worked with Oprah Winfrey; recommended by WebMD, see article (outside link)
Body Express Makeover by Michael George
2-Week Total Body Turnaround: The 14-Day Plan That Jumpstarts Weight Loss, Maximizes Fat Burn, and Makes Over Your Fitness Mindset Forever by Chris Freytag 2010
CRUNCH: A Complete Guide to Health and Fitness by Liz Neporent Based on the belief that being healthy involves understanding your own body first--your capacity for aerobic exercise, as well as your genetic makeup, muscle-to-fat ratio, flexibility, posture, and overall strength--the book begins with charts and tests to help you customize an exercise program that will meet the goals you've set. Goals that are realistic for your body, not some super-deluxe supermodel's. Once you know what you want to achieve, Crunch tells you how to achieve it. From aerobic exercise to strength training, nutrition to posture, Crunch gives you the latest information. And over 150 photos of easy-to-follow, proven exercises help you mix and match moves that will have you firming up, slimming down, getting strong, and--most importantly--having fun working out!
Strong Women Stay Young by Miriam Nelson and Sarah Wernick Ph.D. 2000
Strong Women Stay Slim by Miriam Nelson and Sarah Wernick Ph.D. 1999
The Step Diet: Count Steps, Not Calories to Lose Weight and Keep It off Forever by James O. Hill Ph.D., John C. Peters Ph.D., Bonnie T. Jortberg M.S. R.D. and Pamela M. Peeke M.D. 2004
The Last Five Pounds: How To Lose Them And Leave Them Forever by Jamie Pope, registered dietitian who teaches nutrition at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. 1995. This book by coauthor of The T-Factor Fat Gram Counter presents realistic, practical weight management techniques - a plan for developing a new lifestyle that lasts a lifetime. Fitness, taking care of one's body, should be the ultimate goal of a health regime. Losing those last five pounds will result inevitably. Pope advocates a sensible balance of exercise, low-fat foods, and emotional health to permanently remove excess weight. She provides concise guidelines for menu planning, shopping, cooking, portion control, eating patterns, and exercise. The book offers sample menus, 50 pages of recipes, and a "Fat Master Food Guide" that categorizes over 1600 foods by their level of fat content. Jamie is that author of Coursera 7-week course Nutrition, Health, and Lifestyle: Issues and Insights begins January 2014
Eat More, Weigh Less by Dean Ornish
Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease by Dean Ornish (See [Ornish Spectrum]
Change One: The Breakthrough 12-Week Eating Plan: Lose Weight Simply, Safely, and Forever by John Hastings, Reader's Digest Editors, Peter Jaret, Peter Jaret (With), Mindy Hermann See more about Change One
Weight Training For Dummies (Paperback) by Liz Neporent 2006; purchased for 50 cents at Middletown Library book store 12/30/13
The Parisian Diet by Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen, purchased for $1.00 at Middletown Library book store 6/24/14
The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, purchased for $1.00 at Middletown Library book store 6/24/14
Mario Lopez's Knockout Fitness by Mario Lopez, purchased for $2.99 at OSJL 8/30/14. Beautiful color photographs, practical illustrated exercise programs, good nutrition information and dietary suggestions; variety of different activities, including yoga, dancing, and boxing. Program is broken down in three phases, each section is clearly outlined: workout, exercise technique plus images and daily menu. Note that exercises do not mention body part. See Mario Lopez Sample Workouts and Recipes
Note: What is the difference between the Parisian Diet ? The Parisian Diet is based on restricting calories and when I say restricting, I mean restricting. When I counted my Bistro calories allowed, it amounted to just 800 calories and I was advised to take a multivitamin as I wouldn't be getting the nutrients I needed on calories alone. I'm sorry, but that's unhealthy.
The South Beach Diet, however, is pretty soundly based on good nutrition and uses the Glycaemic Index - or foods with a low glycaemic index in order to induce weight loss. You won't be eating many carbohydrates initially, in order to have the body go into a fat burning 'ketosis' stage, but the diet will gradually reintroduce healthy carbs which won't spike your blood sugar.
Tank top arms, bikini belly, boy shorts bottom: tighten and tone your body with as little as 10 minutes a day by Minna Lessig available at Middletown Library and at Watertown Public Library.
A 30-day program, laid out well which offers solid strength training programs that will appeal to a variety of exercisers, whether you're just getting started or are looking for something to perk up your current routine. Beginners will find information for getting started and moves suitable for novices, while advanced exercisers will find a variety of new and challenging exercises to try. The 4-week programs offered are easy to understand and offer many options for workouts that allow progression over the course of the program.
There is a matching video which I could not find in any libraries.
See more about Tank top arms, bikini belly, boy shorts bottom at About.com.
The new rules of lifting for women: lift like a man, look like a goddess by Lou Schuler; mixed reviews at Amazon; available at Bristol Library.
The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier YOU! by Adam Campbell is the essential workout guide; it is the most comprehensive collection of exercises. a makeover manual which is a body-shaping power tool for both beginners and longtime fitness buffs. 480-pages, 619 Exercises, hundreds of useful tips, the latest findings in exercise science, and cutting-edge workouts from the world''s top trainers.
available at Watertown Library 613.71 CAM 2010 and Middletown Library 613.7 CAM PB.
Abs Revealed: exercises and programs for six-pack success by Jonathan Ross; REVIEW Chiseled abs, a defined midsection, and a powerful core require more than sit-ups, crunches, and the latest miracle diet. To achieve true six-pack success, you're going to need a plan - one based on the most effective exercises and sound programming. In Abs Revealed, award-winning personal trainer Jonathan Ross provides a complete program for strengthening, sculpting, and maintaining your midsection. More than a collection of exercises, Abs Revealed shows you how to fire your ab muscles regardless of your current fitness level, identify your goals, and develop a personalized workout program to fit your schedule with progressions built in for quick and clear results.
This results-oriented, step-by-step guide also includes more than 60 core exercises, ready-to-use workout plans, and advice on integrating abdominal development into cardio and strength routines. Moreover, you'll discover str It is available by request from the Smithfield Library. See Abs Revealed 613.7 ROS OVERSIZE
Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You by Jillian Michael; REVIEW "Michaels, who gained recognition as a trainer on NBC's The Biggest Loser, pushes to get you in "the best shape of your life." Assuming you are already in fairly decent shape, if you have 20 or less pounds to shed and are willing to make the commitment, Michaels promises to have readers "feeling comfortable running in a bikini." Determining body fat percentage and taking a "fit test" is par for the course in this sort of book. What separates Michaels' program is that she bases the diet on whether a person is a "slow oxidizer, balanced oxidizer, or fast oxidizer." The idea is that slow oxidizers require more carbs, while fast oxidizers need higher percentages of protein. Michaels provides three different sets of menus and recipes (she claims that there is sound science behind this, but don't expect to see helpful footnotes quoting clinical studies). The majority of the book is list-like and not invigorating to read. A glut of trainer-driven fitness books seem to be hitting stands lately; this one only stands out if you accept her notion of oxidizing." This book is, in Lee's opinion, more geared to very fit young people who would like to compete in body building contests. It is available at Middletown Library 613.25 MIC.
Recipes include Arizona Turkey with Chipotle Sauce on Pg. 98 or online at FoodNetwork.
See nutritional information for some recipes For more about this book, see Amazon.com's description and customer reviews.
Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss by Jillian Michael 2013; I borrowed this book in November 2013 from Newport Library RM222.2.M4834. So far I am not impressed. Jillian repeats much of the material in Making the Cut, but she leaves out the useful charts. This book is also on cd at the Belmont Library and I will try listening to it to see if I learn anything.
Bring it!: the revolutionary fitness plan for all levels that burns fat, builds muscle, and shreds inches by Tony Horton 2011 In December 2013, borrowed Tony's book from Middletown Library 613.7 HOR. In my opinion, Tony Horton gives very readable and clear instructions on why and how to excercise. See TOC (opens separate window so view and close) See [About Tony Horton]
Tony's DVD Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer [videorecording]: includes 3 workouts can be requested from the Ocean State Library system.
View Bring it! [PDF] downloaded from http://f3.tiera.ru/1/genesis/570-574/571000/16759982ae673f6f3bf98fde2208371c
Tony Horton, creator of P90X is from Westerly, Rhode Island. See VIDEO Tony Horton in Rhode Island. and Review P90X by WebMed. (outside link) P90X3 is coming out in December 2013. Research is needed on the P90X3 phases, the P90X3 workout names, and key differences between P90X3 vs. P90X vs. P90X2.
50 Ways to Build Muscle Fast: The Ultimate Guide to Building Bigger Muscles by Dave Tuttle Belmont Public Library 646.75 TUT
Dave Tuttle teaches the latest proven strategies and secrets to building a superior physique. He answers the most common questions about bodybuilding. His recommendations build upon one another, creating mental and physical synergies that will allow you to achieve the greatest improvements in your physique. When all of your energies are focused in the same direction, you will can enjoy more strength, more lean muscle, and more effective workouts. See Table of Contents
Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training by Mark Vella provides magnificent visual insight into what happens to your muscles when you exercise. You'll be able to isolate specific muscle groups and design the most targeted program possible.URL
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe M.S., and Alwyn Cosgrove URL
Get Moving by Chris Freytag A low-impact program which includes cardio, upper-body toning, lower-body strengthening, core building, and yoga to mix and match for a shorter workout or to do all on one day. EQUIPMENT: mat, chair, 3-5 lb weights (Prevention Fitness Systems - 2006) btw Chris Freytag is a very versatile trainer; she uses playground equipment for a pullup bar, Check out Chris Freytag's YouTube Vids
ABS Advantage: four 12-minute routines to flatten your belly by Chris Freytag, tummy-tightening, belly-flattening workout that will target your abs and other torso muscles, using pilates, core training, classic abs, and a ball workout. Note Special bonus tips on smart ways to live well: Quick tips for a flatter-looking belly -- Yoga moves to beat stress (Prevention Fitness Systems - 2006)
Drop It In 30 by Chris Freytag (Prevention Fitness Systems - 2006) a high-intensity, dance-oriented workout designed to blast fat and boosting metabolism. By focusing not just on melting away the pounds but improving cardiovascular fitness as well, Freytag covers the two most common areas of concern for those looking to whip their bodies into shape. An additional diet plan shows viewers how the right workout combined with the right foods can prevent the fat from returning once they have reached their desired weight.
Slim, Strong & Firm by Lara Hudson Unique routine, designed to strengthen, tone and stretch every muscle in your body. The Pilates Core routine works the muscles in your abs and back while sculpting your hips, shoulders and legs. The Ballet Core workout elongates and firms your entire body so you'll stand taller and look slimmer. To achieve maximum results with these exercises, you can use the included resistance band, your own body weight, or hand weights for added intensity. Includes "Smart Ways To Live Well" bonus segments. (Prevention Fitness Systems - 2007)
Perfect Body Workout with Amy Dixon This workout provides strength training segments based on sports inspired moves to tone and tighten the entire body. Bonus segment: Yoga athletic stretch. EQUIPMENT:5-pound hand weights, floor mat, towel, and remote control. (Women's Health 2007)
Total Workout in Ten! with Amy Dixon Contains four 10-minute routines that focus on cardio blasts to burn fat, upper-body training to tone arms, lower-body training to slim bum and legs, flexibility and balance moves to firm abs. (Women's Health 2007)
Train for Your Body Type with Jessica Smith Whether you want to whittle your waist, build your upper or lower body, balance proportions, or just get stronger and more toned all over, this plan will help you get your best body ever. Bonus segments: the ultimate eat-for-energy plan; salads that slim you down and fill you up. 3 pre-programmed workouts allow you to select the day and go, plus you can also create you own, fully customized routines by mixing and match any of the above individual segments. The cardio is very challenging: although it is short, it is high-intensity, high-impact. It is presented in four rounds, which each round consisting of three 30-second intense intervals and then a single 30-second recovery interval. Brief jogs are used to facilitate the quick transitions between intervals, and each round is performed twice total. Instructor Jessica Smith works out with two background exercisers who show easier and more difficult modifications for most of the moves. EQUIPMENT: mat and 2-5 lb weights (Women's Health 2006)
30 day shred DVD by Jillian Michaels TV's toughest trainer, Jillian is committed to getting big results. Jillian will guide you through her exclusive 3-2-1 Interval System that combines strength, cardio and abs to blast through calories for a dramatic shred. Includes three complete 20-minute workouts which progress by level of intensity. (Lions Gate Entertainment, c2007)
Contents: 2-minute warm-up; 3 minutes of strength; 2 minutes of cardio; 1 minute of abs; 2-minute cool down.
Ripped in 30 DVD by Jillian Michaels 2011 Comprehensive 30-day diet and exercise plan designed to get you in the best shape of your life! Ripped in 30 is comprised of four 24-minute workouts based on Jillian's best-selling body shredding 3-2-1 interval system: 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs. Each incredible routine has fresh, fun new moves that progress in difficulty over a four-week period (a new workout each week). Start with workout level 1 and advance to workout level 4. Jillian also shows modified moves for both beginners and advanced athletes in each workout.
See Jillian's Ripped in 30 Meal Plan (local pdf file opens separate window so view and close) and Routine for Ripped in 30 DVD (opens separate window so view and close).
Hard Body DVD by Jillian Michaels 2013 comprised of two 45-minute body-blasting workouts that progress in difficulty. These quick paced routines have fun, fresh new moves to deliver an incredible workout and turn your body into a lean and sexy high performance machine. Jillian also shows modifications for both beginners and advanced athletes in each workout, See Jillian's Hard Body.
Xtreme Timesaver training: Minimum Time Maximum Results DVD by Jackie Warner (Personal training with Jackie) TV star and owner of Beverly Hills gym, Sky Sport & Spa, known for sculpting Hollywood's best bodies provides highly-effective, complete head-to-toe circuit workout that's just 30 minutes. By using compound moves to train multiple muscle groups at one time, Jackie has cut workout time in half. Besides toning your entire body more quickly, engaging more muscles means you are automatically torching extra calories with every minute. Plus, these compound moves drive your body straight into the cardio zone - giving you both strength training AND cardio at once. It's like two workouts in one. Contents: 32-minute Good form is crucial to the effectiveness of this workout. Each exercise works multiple muscle groups, so for the short amount of time, Jackie gets a lot done. See Breakdown of the Multi-Joint Circuits (Anchor Bay Entertainment, c2010)
Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga For Beginners DVD by Yogi Tamal Dodge 2011 EXCELLENT The routines Tamal uses are geared for beginners for sure, but could be used as a nice, contemplative alternative for more seasoned yoga students as well. Tamal's calm demeanor and conscious approach enhance the flow of asanas that are both easy to grasp and also challenge you to listen to your body to find your own place to deepen each pose. Yoga beginners are sometimes confused by the names of poses and find certain DVDs hard to follow. Not so with Tamal's instruction. Every movement and pose is very clear and easy to follow. See Yoga
Winsor Pilates: Super Sculpting & Body Slimming Maximum Burn Advanced Series DVD by Mari Winsor 2003
Winsor Pilates: Super Sculpting/20 Minute Workout Maximum Burn 20 Minute Series DVD by Mari Winsor 2003
Winsor Pilates: Sculpt Your Body Slim Maximum Burn Basicsmand Fat Burning DVD by Mari Winsor 2006
Billy Blanks: This Is Tae Bo DVD by Billy Blanks 2010 Best overall body workout combines cardio, sculpting and ab training for maximum fat burning. Shed pounds, lose inches and shape your body; change the way you think about fitness forever. DVD includes an intense 1 hour workout plus a basics tutorial where Billy will teaches proper form on Tae Bo basic moves. Mixed reviews: e.g. "Billy rambles too much about himself". Lee likes this DVD. NOTE: 1-hour Tae Bo burns 500 to 800 calories, compared to 300 - 400 calories burned with a more conventional aerobics workout. With a healthy diet, the burned calories should translate into primarily fat loss. As an aerobic and cardio workout, Tae Bo helps practitioners work out more sweat and lose weight at a faster pace when working out constantly during a week. See Tae Bo WikiPedia (outside link opens separate window) and Billy Blanks Official Website (outside link opens separate window).
Dance Off the Inches - 15 Minute Express DVD by Lydia Haskell 2006 mixed reviews
The Firm Body Sculpting System 2: Firm Abs DVD by Nancy Tucker 2004 Lots of variety in 3 progressively-more-intense ab programs (both classic Firm and Pilates-inspired). Recommended equipment: Fanny Lifter to increase the range of motion and the Sculpting Stick to add intensity. Mixed reviews.
The Firm: Upper Body Sculpt DVD by Janet Brooks 2003 Firm instructor Janet Brooks leads viewers through a timesaving blend of yoga, Pilates, and Firm exercises specially designed to sculpt and shape the muscles of the upper body while fitting into even the busiest of schedules. NOTE: Equipment needed 37 minutes
The Firm: Body Sculpting System 2 - Maximum Cardio Burn Plus Abs DVD by Allie Del Rio 2003 combines kickboxing, dance, step aerobics, and a short abdominal workout in hopes of encouraging the body to burn its maximum amount of fat. NOTE: Equipment recommended: Sculpting Stick and Fanny Lifter (a small square stepper); 93 minutes. See Preview and Suggested 4-week Routine Firm Systm 2 DVD's
Power circuit training DVD by Jackie Warner (Personal training with Jackie) TV star, Jackie Warner, owner of Beverly Hills gym, Sky Sport & Spa, known for sculpting Hollywood's best bodies. Contents: 15-minute total body circuit, 40-minute total body circuit, 15-minute abs only circuit, 15-minute upper body circuit -- 15-minute Lower body circuit. (Anchor Bay Entertainment, c2009)
The complete book of abs for women : the definitive guide for women who want to get into the ultimate shape / Kurt Brungardt.
The abs diet for women workout with Jessica Smith Based on the program developed by David Zinczenko; Recommended equipment: 3lb-5lb hand weights and mat. Designed to maximize fat burning while minimizing workout times, and focuses on strength training to build lean muscle, cardio to burn fat and ab exercises that hit all five regions of the abdominal muscles; Special features: "The abs diet" eating plan; 30-day trial to absdietonline.com.
Build up your muscles: four weight bearing exercise workouts for every body by Gin Miller HOLLISTON/Adult DVD 613.71 Build
Jillian Michael's Extreme Shed and Shred DVD consists of two 45-minute workouts; includes a 30 day menu plan online.
Focus T25. Core speed [videorecording] / Beachbody by Shaun T. RI libraries https://catalog.oslri.net/record=b2325558~S1 requested 6/29/14 (21 on list!)
See Shaun's T25 Nutritional GuidePDF downloaded 6/29/14; includes oatmeal with blueberries and almond butter, plus some quinoa recipes.
See also Shaun's Fast Belly Blast (outside link), circuit-style, no-equipment exercises, 2:38 min sample; see script Shaun T's Fast Belly Blast
Jillian Michaels is among my favorite celebrity trainers. I own 3 of her dvd's: 30 Day Shred, Hard Body, and Ripped in 30; see [Lee's DVD's by Jillian Michaels] Jillian is a very vivacious exercise trainer who explains all the moves. I have read, but do not own any of Jillian's books. She is a proponent of a metabolic diet. Jillian also has a website of which I am a member. There is an option to belong to a group $$.
Hard Body DVD See Hard Body DVD consists of two workouts: Level 1 and Level 2. Each is about 45 minutes and is made up of the circuit-training style that Jillian is known for that pits strength and cardio back-to-back for maximum calorie burn and effectiveness. See Jillian's Hard Body. (local html file opens separate window).
30-Day Shred DVD
In her 30-Day Shred DVD, Jillian guides you through her exclusive 3-2-1 Interval System that combines strength, cardio and abs to blast through calories for a dramatic shred. Includes three complete 20-minute workouts which progress by level of intensity. (Lions Gate Entertainment, c2007) Contents: 2-minute warm-up; 3 minutes of strength; 2 minutes of cardio; 1 minute of abs; 2-minute cool down. See Jillian Michaels Routine Body Shred
Very short vids - see Jillian Michaels vids from The Routine taken from Jillian's website Russian Twist: Using the abdominals and lower back for support, this exercise focuses on the rotational motion through the obliques. If you want to make this exercise a bit more challenging, lift your feet up off of the ground and you will also more heavily engage the hip flexors and quads, as they are called on to help you keep your balance. This is a full-on abdominal routine that works the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and transverse abs. Jillian Michaels has an excellent 90 second vid demo of the Russian Twist. Click on image right. (outside link)
Jillian Michaels advises eating a healthy snack 45 minutes to an hour before training. Aim for something with carbohydrates and protein like a whey shake, low-fat yogurt with berries, or a banana or apple with natural almond butter.
Jillian's Explanation of her DVD's
No More Trouble Zones DVD is a kick-ass circuit-training workout that can be done on strength training days, Killer Buns & Thighs targets your lower body and can also be used on strength-training days, and Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism can be done on any cardio day. If you're short on time, Ripped in 30, which is a follow-up to the popular 30-Day Shred DVD, is a circuit-training workout that's compressed into about 20 minutes, but has different levels of difficulty, so you can progress. her latest follow-up to 30-Day Shred is Extreme Shed & Shred and it is comprised of two 45-minute workouts that will whip your body into shape. Jillian's DVD, Kickbox FastFix also consists of three 20-minute kickboxing routines, focusing on different parts of the body, while Hard Body has two results-driven, 45-minute total-body workouts that aren't for the faint of heart. In Yoga Meltdown, Jillian use hard-core yoga power moves in a heart-pumping circuit training fashion so you'll get a workout that shreds you fast! her newest DVD, One Week Shred, is designed to get you in shape for a special event in one week. It's a comprehensive diet and exercise plan to shed those last few pounds!
In addition to variety, Jillian's DVDs will also provide a different type of motivation, because Jillian will actually be personally pushing you in your home through your TV screen! So it's up to you on what gets you moving the most.
His first step might be a little slower now, and his 40-inch vertical may have lost some air, but Tony Gonzalez, 37, still beats his man. Last season he caught 93 passes for 930 yards, earning his 13th trip to the Pro Bowl. In part, his success is due to his football savvy. "I'm smarter now with finding angles and using techniques to create separation, so I can go out on the field and exert a lot less energy and earn the same results," he says. It's also because he's fit enough to go hard every down. "In the NFL, you earn or lose respect on every play: I've seen players go from dominating to dominated in a heartbeat." He's also extremely durable: Gonzalez has missed only two games ever-that's from Pop Warner to the pros. Here's how he trains to outblast-and outlast-his opponents.
Ignite Your Warmup Gonzalez is fanatical about warming up for 20 minutes before his workouts and practices (and cooling down for 20 minutes afterward). It starts with jumping rope. In the off-season, he does 7 sets of 100 jumps with 30 seconds of rest in between. During the season, he cuts back to 4 sets. Along with the obvious cardiovascular benefits, jumping rope enhances your coordination and trains you to be light on your feet-a vital skill for running routes and catching passes. Gonzalez then does a series of bends and body-weight exercises, sometimes while holding light kettlebells. "Holding a weight helps me get deeper into a lot of stretches and makes me work my core harder," he says. He also does his warmup and stretching routine on rest days.
Make Intervals Fun Gonzalez hates running. But in college, he also played hoops-his Cal team made the Sweet 16 in 1997. Now in the off-season he plays three times a week, participating for an hour or two in a pickup game near his home in Huntingdon Beach, California, with high school all-stars and some college players. "Nothing gets you in shape like running up and down the court with younger, quicker guys," he says. "It hurts that I can't dunk every other time down the floor like I used to. But now I'm more like Michael Jordan in his later years-I pick my spots."
Swing for Time This off-season, Gonzalez did more kettlebell work than ever before. But don't get the wrong idea: "I'm not one of those grinders who is in the gym for two hours," he says. "I want my workout to last 45 to 60 minutes. Kettlebell swings give the best bang for your buck. They're great for football because they build endurance, explosiveness, and athleticism-and you're working your quads, glutes, and hamstrings and your balance." One of his tougher drills involves doing timed swings to exhaustion: He sets a timer to count down from 10 minutes and starts doing swings as fast as he can with a 24-kilo bell. When his form falters, he does pushups, planks, and wall sits to stay active while he recovers. When he feels ready, he does another set of swings to failure. "By the end, you will be sweating. Heavily," he says. To mix things up, he'll do single-arm swings with a lighter weight.
Early Morning Workout with pushups, planks, pikes, squats by former football great, Tony Gonzalez. 21 minutes (2 rounds of 10 min routine) note that vid ends in non-stop ads
Fit Test timed to assess current level of fitness.
Jumping Jacks 45 secs
Elbow Plank 45 secs
Plank to Downward Dog 10 reps
Kneeling Pushups 15 reps
Bodyweight Squats 10 reps
Split Stance Back Extensions 15 reps
The 7 Minute Workout is a total body exercise.
See Tony Gonzalez' All Pro Diet 92 pages; includes diet, recipes, and workout with photos.
Fellow Rhode Islander Tony Horton is one of the today's most popular fitness gurus. Tony is the author of Bring it!: the revolutionary fitness plan for all levels that burns fat, builds muscle, and shreds inches 2011 which is available from Middletown Library 613.7 HOR. See TOC (opens separate window so view and close)
Tony's DVD Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer [videorecording]: includes 3 workouts can be requested from the Ocean State Library system.
View Bring it! [PDF] downloaded from http://f3.tiera.ru/1/genesis/570-574/571000/16759982ae673f6f3bf98fde2208371c
Tony Horton, creator of P90X is from Westerly, Rhode Island. See VIDEO Tony Horton in Rhode Island. and Review P90X by WebMed. (outside link) P90X3 is coming out in December 2013. I need to do research on the P90X3 phases, the P90X3 workout names, and key differences between P90X3 vs. P90X vs. P90X2. See
[Tony Horton's Blog Spot] (outside link)
Kelsey Lee is among my favorite on-line personal trainers. Kelsey Lee is all over the net. Kelsey Lee Hollenbeck was born in Seoul, South Korea, and adopted when she was three months old into a family in theKennewick, Washington
(See Kelsey's bio outside link). Kelsey has great vids and a delightful site and blog. Her vids have perfect directions and are so easy to follow and learn techniques.
To make a fitness schedule it is essential to know how hard we should work out and how long and how often.
Fitness trainers recommend 3 times a week on alternating days for weights plus 3 times a week for cardio. You can do more on cardio if you want. Remember that slimming down and being fit will be 70-80% diet. One option is to eat small meals consisting of protein and non-fat sugar-free foods 5-6 a day. Always include lots of vegetables. Eat a smaller amount of fruit which contains a lot of sugar.
"Resistance training (three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions at 10 repetition maximum, 3 days a week) appears to significantly improve blood pressure, whereas combination exercise training (15 minutes of aerobic and 15 minutes of resistance, 5 days a week) is beneficial to vascular function, but at a lower scale. Aerobic exercise seems to better benefit blood pressure and vascular function."(ASH)
Working at Proper Intensity - How to Judge Your Effort
It is important to find the right balance between exercising conservatively to prevent injury and exercising consistently progressing to increased strength. This easy-to-use scale will help you determine the proper intensity of your workout.
It's important to adhere to your strength-training regimen as much as you can. You may find that you make a few false starts before you succeed at making this program a regular part of your life. There may be times when interruptions such as vacation, illness, family or work demands conspire to prevent you from doing your exercises for a week or two - or even longer. Try not to feel guilty or disappointed in yourself. Just restart your routine as quickly as you can. You may not be able to pick up exactly where you left off - you may need to decrease your weights a bit. But stay with it, and you will regain lost ground.
If you have trouble getting back into the swing of things, start back into the program slowly. Remember why you started strength training in the first place, why you chose your particular goals. (It may help to reassess your goals and make new ones; as time passes, your motivations may change.) Most important, remember how your past successes made you feel: healthy, strong, independent, and empowered!
Jillian Michaels says that 30 to 45 minutes a day, five times a week, is a completely adequate workout schedule. Your intensity is the most important part. To burn the most calories in the least amount of time, Jillian recommends high-intensity interval training. The HIIT method alternates periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. Work out at 85 percent of your target heart rate. Find your Target Heart Rate Calculator (outside link). Note that for someone 73, this site recommends a Training Heart Rate Zone of 74 - 88 Beats Per Minute.
Exercise Intensity Indicator
Ask yourself these questions after each exercise.
Were you able to complete two sets of ten repetitions in good form? No: Reduce the weight to an amount that you can lift ten times in good form; rest for one or two minutes, then repeat for a second set. Yes: Please continue to question two.
After completing ten repetitions, do you need to rest because the weight is too heavy to complete more repetitions in good form? Yes: You are working at the proper intensity and should not increase weight. No: Please continue to questions three and four to determine how to safely increase the intensity of your workout.
Could you have done a few more repetitions in good form without a break? Yes: If you can do only a few more repetitions (not the entire next set of ten without a break), then at your next workout you should do the first set of repetitions with your current weight and your second set with the next weight up. For example, if you're currently using one-pound dumbbells, use two- or three-pound dumbbells for your second set.
Could you have done all twenty repetitions at one time, without a break? Yes: At your next session, use heavier dumbbells for both sets of repetitions.
Notes:
Complete each repetition in proper form, using the "two-up, four-down" count.
With adjustable ankle weights, you can increase intensity by adding 1/2-lb, or 1-lb weights, to each leg.
Increasing Resistance
How to Increase Your Resistance
Increase the resistance by no more than 10%. If you're currently lifting 50 pounds, increase by 5 pounds (10% of 50 pounds = 5 pounds) to lift 55 pounds. This should automatically feel more challenging to you, but even if it's not noticeably more difficult, 10% is a pretty safe place to start. Increasing the weight more than 10% at a time increases the likelihood of injury, so progress slowly. Tip: When using free weights and machines, an exact 10% increase isn't always possible (sometimes 10% results in weird fractions or levels of weight that don't exist at the gym). In those cases, round down to the closest weight available instead of rounding up to the closest weight.
With your newly adjusted weight, aim for 1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions. With your 10% increase, you'll be working harder than usual.
Once you can complete 2-3 sets of 15 reps in good form, whether it takes you just a few workouts or even a few months, it's time to go back to Step 1 and increase your weight by 10% again.
Note on Reps and Sets: The goal in strength training is first and foremost to fatigue the muscles. Completing the exact number of reps is secondary,. All too often people become too focused on reaching a certain number of reps without paying attention to the weight itself or how it feels. Instead of absolutes (i.e. 10 reps), give yourself a range, such as 8-15 reps. This way you can choose a weight that allows you to do at least a minimum number of reps (a sign that the weight isn't too challenging) and no more than a maximum number of reps (a sign that the weight isn't too easy). As long as you reach fatigue (but keep good form) within that range of repetitions, you're doing great.
Lastly, accept the fact that you will have good days and bad days. Sometimes you will feel like the Incredible Hulk, where the weight you lift is light as a feather, and other days you will feel like Pee Wee Herman, when what was easy two days ago feels like a ton today! Take it as it comes and adjust accordingly. Commit yourself to work hard when it is time to workout and you won't regret that time well spent.
Jilliam Michaels' Recommends 1 Hour Max
The Truth: Exercising at a high intensity for 30 minutes is a perfectly effective way to work out.
When it comes to fitting exercise into your busy life - the key is to make it happen. Does it need to be a 90-minute yoga class or a 60-75 minute DVD workout like P90X or Insanity? Absolutely not. If you only have 30 to 45 minutes to train, here are some rules to live by.
Your workouts should be no longer than two hours. Most of Jillian's DVDs are 30 to 45 minutes because that's the appropriate amount of time to work out intensely, at least four to
five times a week. This range is also recommended by the World Health Organization (for adults ages 18 to 64). In fact, when you exercise for more than two hours straight, even at a moderate intensity, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol, which inhibits weight loss, causing your body to react by storing fat and retaining water out of self protection. A recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that 30 minutes of daily training provides an equally effective loss of weight and body mass as does a 60-minute workout.
Intensity counts more than the length of your workout. HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is an exercise strategy that alternates periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. HIIT burns more fat and creates a greater afterburn (the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or calories expended after exercise) than steady training at a lower heart rate does. To perform HIIT, you want to workout at 85 percent of your target heart rate, and then recover. Mountain climbers, butt kicks or high knees are great HIIT exercises to work into your daily circuit-training routine (circuit training works different muscle groups with short bursts of resistance exercises using moderate weights and frequent repetitions). When you're using HIIT on a cardio day, perform 30 seconds of max intensity, followed by 30 seconds of lower intensity.
Cardio sessions count as extra credit.Biggest Loser contestants, who spend multiple hours per day working out, are in a completely different situation from the average person. They are morbidly obese to life threatening degree. The reason they work out is to lose weight, under medical supervision. For people like us, with jobs, families, and lives, and who are NOT on The Biggest Loser, a 30 to 60 minute cardio workout is enough to accomplish weight-loss goals. In books (and real life), Jillian advocates four sessions of resistance training a week and cardio is extra credit. By adding cardio on two more days a week you will increase your weekly burn, thus accelerating your weight loss.
The Bottom Line: A 30 to 45 minute workout, five times a week, is the ideal way to manage your weight. If you want to lose weight at a faster rate, add more cardio to your routine, but never exceed two hours in a single workout session.
The human body increases its strength lifting capabilities with the level of workout that is placed upon the muscles. If the body's muscles are not worked through changes in lifestyle, such as driving to work, sitting at a desk, then the body will become weak and unhealthy. In order to improve your strength, a change is needed to be made, otherwise if you simply lift the same weights, the same way, then you will stay the same - your training is maintenance based.
To improve your strength training, apply a number of different variations into your workout routines to avoid letting your body become adapted to your current strength training workouts. A muscle will only strengthen when forced to operate beyond its customary intensity (overload). Overload can be progressed by increasing the:
(1) Resistance e.g. adding more weight. (2) Number of repetitions with a particular weight. (3) Number of sets of the exercise. (4) Intensity, i.e. reducing the recovery periods.
Which weight training exercises? The exercise must be specific to the type of strength required, and is therefore related to the particular demands of the event or aim of the individual (specificity).
Design your routine to work your larger muscle groups first, such as your chest and back, prior to working the smaller muscles like the biceps and triceps. This aids in warming up your smaller muscles, and allowing you to lift heavier weights, simply because your smaller muscles aid in both the lift, and keeping correct technique.
The sections below give valuable advice as too how much weight to lift - how many reps, and how often. The final page explains the different training systems that help you make massive progress in both your strength and appearance of your muscles.
Weight Training Reps: For maximum strength the loading should be high (85-100%) of 1 rep max, (the maximum load that you can lift) and the repetitions few (1-5).
The number of sets used will reflect the number of repetitions used (e.g. 6-8 sets of single repetitions is within reach, but to perform eight sets using five repetitions is physically very difficult to do).
Elastic Strength is obtained by working with moderate poundage's (65/80%) Permitting faster movement with 8-12 repetitions, 3 sets are adequate for substantial gains.
Strength Endurance is achieved by repeating exercises for the highest possible number of repetitions in total, with resistance representing 40% to 60% of maximum recommended, (Circuit training is a suitable activities).
Handling heavy weights in the pursuit of strength will require a recovery of 2-3 minutes between sets, but only minimum recovery should be taken if strength endurance is the aim, 30 60 seconds.
Avoid allowing your muscles a chance to cool down, however give them enough rest before you start your next set.
How often? This is really linked with recovery since the body must be allowed to recover from the strenuous demands of strength training. As a 'rule of thumb' 48 hours should elapse between sessions, avoid training sore muscles.
If training strenuously, you will find it extremely difficult to maintain the same level of lifting at each session, and the total poundage lifted in each session would be better to be varied (e.g. a high, low and medium volume session) each week.
Remember muscles don't grow in the gym, they grow through proper rest and nutrition.
What sort of weight lifting equipment? There are variable resistance machines and free weights.
Variable resistance machines are effective tools for building strength and muscle tone and are designed to work the target muscle in isolation, without the assistance of the surrounding muscles.
Free weights barbells, dumbbells allow you not only to target a particular muscle group but also to engage other muscles that assist in the work.
Lifting free weights improves your co-ordination by improving the neuromuscular pathways that connect your muscles to the central nervous system.
Now the final page will teach you different training systems that will enable your workouts to become more productive, giving you greater strength and variety of exercise workouts.
Beginners should start with Simple Sets. The Pyramid and Forced Reps systems are for high intensity training, and should be done only by individuals with a good lifting background. These should be used sparingly to shock the muscles or to help get over a plateau. Allow for adequate warm-up and rest and go to positive failure on each set with these systems.
See List NetFit Workouts for a complete list of exercises for the body. This section is open for all to see, not just Netfit member, they will be getting a lot more in the form of exercise programs, motivation, competitions, plus all my ideas for keeping fit and healthy.
Simple Sets: 3 x 8/12 with 70%, meaning three sets of 8/12 repetitions with a weight of 65% of maximum for one repetition.This is the system all novice lifters should work on, because the high number of repetitions enables the lifter to learn correct technique, and thereby reduce the risk of injury.
Pyramid System: The load is increased and the repetitions are reduced (e.g. 100kg x10, 120kg x 5, 130kg x 4, 140kg x 3, 150kg x 2, 160kg x 1). Pyramid lifting is only for experienced lifters who have an established good technique.
Forced Reps: After positive failure is reached spotters assist you in doing a couple of more reps.
Partials: Doing a movement through a small range of motion. Usually used to strengthen the weak part of a lift. Also commonly seen when the person is using too much weight and can't do the full movement.
Negatives: Using a weight that's above your max and only perform the negative portion (The part of the activity where the weight is moving with gravity). Spotters lift the weight through the positive area and you do the negatives.
Stripping: Doing a set to failure then the spotters remove some weight and you do a few more reps to failure. This can continue for many reps.
Burns: After positive failure occurs, continue doing mini-reps (a few inches of movement) to keep stress on the muscles.
Super Set: To further fatigue a muscle an isolation movement is followed immediately by a basic movement. i.e. Fly's followed by doing a Bench press.
Tri Set: Similar to Super Sets only three exercises are used instead of two.
21's: Do half of the movement for 7 reps, then do the other half for 7 reps then do 7 full reps. i.e. Barbell curl: Curl from arms straight to 90 degrees for 7 reps. Then curl from 90 degrees to arms perpendicular to floor for 7 reps. Then do 7 full reps.
Warning! Do not over-exercise. Let muscles rest 48 hours.
You can lift weights as often as you want as long as you don't work the same muscle group without at least 48 hours of rest in between. Here are your choices:
Work your entire body every other day (48 hours between) 3 times a week.
Do 6 days a week, alternating days between upper body and lower body.
The 48 hours rest is so that the muscles can repair themselves and get stronger. When you lift weights, you create micro tears in the muscles. When the tears heal, your muscles are stronger.
Weight Training Intensity - How Many Reps Per Set of An Exercise?
Weight training intensity basically refers to how much weight you will be lifting and how heavy or light that weight is for you on a given exercise.
The lighter the weight/easier it is for you, the lower the intensity. The heavier the weight/harder it is for you, the higher the intensity.
And, all of this intensity stuff is usually predicted by one thing: how many reps you're doing per set.
Reps (short for "repetitions") are the number of times you move a weight from point A to point B during a set of an exercise. The lighter the weight, the more reps you will be able to lift it for. The heavier the weight, the fewer reps you'll be able to lift it for. So, reps and intensity go hand in hand most of the time:
The more reps you can lift a weight for = the lower your training intensity is.
The fewer reps you can lift a weight for = the higher your training intensity is.
The reason this is important to us is because certain levels of intensity are more ideal for certain goals than others (due to factors like time under tension, muscle fiber recruitment, etc.) See "Time Under Tension, Rep Speed/Tempo and Eccentric vs Concentric".
And this leads to an important question: what weight training intensity is best for your goal?
Or, to put it another way, how many reps should you do per set of an exercise? Let's find out:
The Ideal Rep Range For Various Weight Training Goals
Here now are the most commonly used rep ranges along with their primary training effect:
1-5 Reps Per Set = Mostly Strength
5-8 Reps Per Set = Strength AND Muscle Equally
8-10 Reps Per Set = Muscle with Some Strength
10-12 Reps Per Set = Muscle with Some Endurance
12-15 Reps Per Set = Endurance with Some Muscle
15-20 Reps Per Set = Mostly Endurance
So, as you can see:
Lower reps (high intensity) is most ideal for increasing strength.
Higher reps (low intensity) is most ideal for improving muscle endurance.
Moderate reps in the middle of the two (moderate intensity) is most ideal for building muscle and really anything related to improving the way your body looks (rather than performs).
Now, the key word I'm using here is "ideal." Just because I didn't put "strength" next to the 10-12 rep range doesn't mean you will never be able to increase strength when doing 10-12 reps of an exercise. That's not true at all.
In fact, each rep range shown is capable of producing some amount of strength, muscle, and endurance results. However, the objective here is to choose the rep range that is most ideal for your specific goal, because that's the one that will work best for the results you want.
Oh, and if you're wondering why there is no rep range that is ideal for "tone" or "definition" or "fat loss" or anything similar, it's because, metabolic training aside (a topic for another day), there really is no such thing.
The whole "high reps makes you toned/defined/ripped/lean/etc." concept is pure bullshit. I cover this in more detail in my post about muscle tone.
The take home message is that, from a training intensity standpoint, these goals all fall into the same category as "muscle" on the chart shown above. The same rep ranges are ideal.
Weight Training Intensity Recommendations
So, when it comes to intensity and figuring out how many reps you should do per set, here are the most widely accepted recommendations based on science and real world results:
If your primary goal is increasing strength, then you should mostly train in the lower rep ranges (between 1-8 reps per set) and therefore at a higher intensity.
If your primary goal is building muscle (or anything related to improving the way your body looks), then you should mostly train in the moderate rep ranges (between 5-12 reps per set) and therefore at a moderate intensity.
If your primary goal is improving muscle endurance, then you should mostly train in the higher rep ranges (between 12-20 reps per set) and therefore at a lower intensity.
Two Other Intensity Related Factors
There are two other subjects/questions that are directly influenced by rep range:
Determining How Much Weight To Lift
Once you know how many reps you'll be doing per set of an exercise, the next thing you need to determine is how much weight you need to lift for each exercise to end up in that ideal rep range. I explain how to do that here: How Much Weight Should You Lift For Each Exercise? (outside link from AWorkoutRoutine)
Training To Failure
Another topic directly related to training intensity is training to failure (the point where you can't complete another rep). The question is, should you train to that point, or should you end a set before reaching that point? I cover this topic right here: Should You Train To Muscle Failure?
What's Next?
Now that you know how many reps per set is most ideal for your goal, the next thing you need to figure out is how many TOTAL reps, sets and exercises you should do per workout, per week and per muscle group. See Weight Training Volume - How Many Sets, Reps & Exercises?
In weight training, volume refers to the amount of work being done.
The "work" will of course come in the form of the exercises you do and how many sets and reps you do for each.
That means volume can be measured in a lot of different ways, the most important of which are:
How much volume is being done per muscle group/body part both per workout AND per week.
How much volume is being done per exercise.
How much total volume is being done per workout.
How much total volume is being done per week.
The reason this information is so important is because volume is one of the key factors influencing the effectiveness of your workout routine:
If you do too much volume, you run the risk of hindering (or completely destroying) your body's ability to repair and recover at an ideal rate. And if the repair/recovery process isn't happening at the ideal rate, the results you want probably won't be happening at all.
If you do too little volume, you run the risk of not providing enough of the training stimulus required to signal your body to actually make the changes/improvements you want it to make.
As you can clearly see, the goal here is to find the amount of volume that is high enough to provide the training stimulus needed to get the results you want, yet low enough to avoid negatively affecting your ability to recover.
For the best results possible, we need that optimal middle ground.
So, How Much Volume Is Best For Me?
To figure out how much volume is best for you, i.e. how many exercises one should do per muscle group/workout/week, is complicated. Here's why:
Exercises Don't Accurately Measure Volume
You see, even if there is an exact number of exercises recommended, the total amount of volume being done can still vary GREATLY.
For example, let's say I just said the best volume is 3 exercises per muscle group, and three different people take my advice.
Person A might do 2 sets for each exercise, for a total of 6 sets altogether.
Person B might do 3 sets for each exercise, for a total of 9 sets altogether.
Person C might do 4 sets for each exercise, for a total of 12 sets altogether.
So right there you have three clear examples of how doing the same number of exercises per muscle group can still lead to very different amounts of volume being done.
For this reason, trying to measure or prescribe volume using exercises is a pretty horrible idea.
Sets Don't Accurately Measure Volume, Either
The next thought then is that sets should be used to measure and prescribe volume. Then I could just say to do 6 sets for each muscle group per workout, and you could divide those sets up over however many exercises you want.
Using 6 sets as the example, you could do 3 exercises for 2 sets each, 2 exercises for 3 sets each, 1 exercise for 4 sets and 1 exercise for 2 sets, and so on and so on.
Unlike before, the number of sets being done remains the same either way, which makes sets a MUCH better way to measure/prescribe volume than exercises were before.
However, a very similar problem still exists: how many reps are you doing per set?
For example, I said the 5-12 rep range is best for people looking to build muscle/get toned/look good, which is probably most of the people reading this.
Using the same 6-sets-per-muscle example from before:
Person A might do 6 sets of 6 reps for a total of 36 reps per muscle group, per workout.
Person B might do 6 sets of 10 reps for a total of 60 reps per muscle group, per workout.
As you can see, that's still a pretty significant difference even with the same ideal rep range (5-12) being used.
For this reason, measuring or prescribing volume in terms sets is still not the best idea. It's a million times better than exercises, but it's still pretty flawed.
So then, what's left? Reps!
Reps Are The Most Accurate Measurement Of Volume
If you recommend a certain amount of reps to do per muscle group or per workout or per week, it can be divided up into 1000 different combinations of exercises and sets.
But, in the end the number of reps being done always remains the same.
For this reason, the best way to measure and prescribe weight training volume is by the total amount of reps being done per muscle group, per workout, and per week.
So, What Total Amount Of Reps Is Best For Me?
Now that's the question we're looking for. Let's get down to the specifics and answer it:
A break down of the 4 steps of a typical rep of a typical set of a typical exercise:
The starting position. This is where the weight is when you begin a rep of an exercise. For example, with a barbell biceps curl, this is the point when your arms are down at your sides and the barbell is down in front of your upper thighs.
The ending position. This is where the weight is when you finish a rep of an exercise. For example, with a barbell biceps curl, this is the point when your elbows and biceps are flexed and the barbell is up in front of your chest.
The concentric portion of the movement. This is the lifting or "positive" portion of a rep, when you are moving the weight from the starting position to the end position (against the resistance). With a barbell biceps curl, this is when you actually do the curl and flex your elbows/biceps to move the weight up towards your chest.
The eccentric portion of the movement. This is the lowering or "negative" portion of a rep, when the weight is moving from the end position back to the starting position (with the resistance). With a barbell biceps curl, this is when you are extending your elbows and the barbell is being lowered back down towards your thighs.
Two related topics involving exactly how these 4 steps should go.
Rep Tempo/Speed and Time Under Tension
Rep tempo (sometimes called rep speedÂ) refers to the tempo (or speed) at which you perform a rep of an exercise. For example, 2 second concentric, 1 second pause at the top, 3 second eccentric, 1 second pause at the bottom (this is just one completely random example, by the way).
Time under tension (aka TUT) refers to how long each set lasts, or really the total amount of time your target muscles are under tension during a set of an exercise. For example, you might see something along the lines of 1-20 seconds being ideal for strength, 20-60 seconds being ideal for muscle growth, and 60+ seconds being ideal for muscular endurance.
Time under tension can generally be increased or decreased two ways. The first is by simply doing more or less reps in a set. So, a set of 10 reps will (typically) lead to more time under tension than a set of 5 reps on a given exercise.
The second way is by adjusting the rep speed. If you perform that set of 5 reps with a slower tempo and/or the set of 10 reps with a faster tempo, the set with fewer reps can become capable of providing a larger time under tension than the set with more reps.
How Important Is Time Under Tension?
I think the idea of Time Under Tension is an important aspect of training, especially when the goal is muscle growth. Because, after all, you do want your muscles to be under a certain amount of tension. But at the same time, I don't actually think you need to wory about it. Not at all, in fact. If you're exclusively doing a bunch of REALLY short sets, I don't think you'll be training optimally for muscle growth. Similarly, if you're exclusively doing a bunch of REALLY long sets, I also don't think you'll be training optimally for muscle growth. It's why exclusively doing really low reps (like 1-5) or really high reps (like 15+) wouldn't be ideal for muscle growth either. And it wouldn't. The first would be more ideal for strength. See Strength vs Size: How To Get Big, Get Strong or Do BOTH, and the second would be more ideal for endurance.
This of course is why I recommend 5-15 as the ideal rep range for muscle growth, along with a rep tempo that is neither too slow nor too fast (more on that in a second). You don't need to focus at all on how long sets are taking. No need to set a watch. No need to count in your head. No need to purposely make your sets last a specific number of seconds. What you should focus on is making sure your overall workout program is designed intelligently for your goal (optimal volume, frequency, intensity/rep ranges, exercise selection, etc.), that you're using good form/properly training the target muscle group(s), and that you're creating progressive overload.
That's the stuff that matters. And as long as you're doing that stuff right, your time under tension will automatically end up being whatever it should be and the rest will take care of itself.
How Important Is Rep Tempo/Speed?
important, but not enough to turn it into a mess of over-complicated specifics.
There is a right way and a wrong way to perform each rep of each exercise. There is a "good" general speed and tempo, and then there's the opposite of what can best be described as either stupidly fast and stupidly slow. And as long as you're avoiding those stupidly fast/stupidly slow extremes and fall somewhere in the middle, you're probably doing your reps just fine. Simple as that.
So while rep tempo can certainly have its uses, I honestly don't put much emphasis on it and almost never use or prescribe a specific number of seconds for the concentric or eccentric portion of a rep, which is distractinge. I'd much rather see 100% of the focus during a set be on proper form, using the target muscle(s), and progression, not counting seconds.
Recommendation
For most of the people, most of the time, I like to see the weight lowered under control on the way down, and then exploded back up.
Allow me to break that down:
The Eccentric
Regardless of the exercise being done, you should lower the weight in a slow, smooth and controlled fashion. Definitely NOT super slow (that's a whole other idiotic training method for another day). Just slow enough so that you and the target muscles are fully in control of the weight rather than just gravity alone.
This would mean that the weight is NOT just dropping and you're NOT just letting it fall and lower on its own. You're controlling it the whole way down.
The Concentric
As for the lifting portion, this can vary depending on the exercise being done. In most cases however (especially most compound exercises), you should explode the weight, i.e. Hit your reps with a purpose!
Don't intentionally slow down the speed of this part of the rep. Try to move it from the starting position to the end position in a quick and explosive manner. This DOES NOT mean throw the weight, or bounce the weight, or swing the weight, or use momentum to get the weight where it needs to go. It just means, in a controlled fashion where proper form always remains intact and nothing funny/stupid makes an appearance, you should move the weight from point A to point B in a powerful, forceful, swift motion. Hit that rep with a purpose.
Are There Exceptions?
Yes, some exceptions to these recommendations do exist. For example, calves tend to benefit from a slower eccentric and a pause at the bottom. And certain exercises are just less suited for being exploded (e.g. isolation exercises where the focus should be more on contracting/feeling/fatiguing the muscle rather than maximal strength output and progression). Plus, certain goals warrant doing certain things (such as speed benching). But for the most part, controlled eccentric, explosive concentric is what I recommend.
No need to make it any more complicated than that.
Jillian Michaels stresses how important proper form is for weight lifting. If you rush through sets, swing weights, or use poor form you not only lessen a workout's effectiveness but you could potentially be causing your body harm. Jillian says: "How well you lift is way more important than how much you lift." This is especially true when it comes to following the advanced workouts in Jillian's program. Jillian would wants you do reps with lighter weights and better form than heavier weights with poor form.
Proper form and technique consists of 4 things: precision, concentration, control, and breathing.
Precision. Use very light weights when trying an exercise for the first time, and go through the motions slowly. Once you understand how the exercise is performed and commit the movement to muscle memory, then you can progress to heavier weights and faster completion.
Concentration. To achieve maximum results, you must focus on the specific muscles you are training, really feel the work you are doing, and make every rep count.
Control. From the beginning of the exercise to the end, you must perform the movements in a deliberate, steady manner. As well as increasing your flexibility, this will ensure that you are stimulating the entire muscle, not just a portion of it.
Breathing. It's very important to breathe properly during each repetition that you complete. When you are exercising, as a general rule, exhale during the lift, and inhale as you lower the weights.
You do not have to spend hours to get more fit. If you do not have, or do not want to spend, hours to get fit, it is better to do something rather than just nothing. Everything counts. How about getting fit during a TV commercial? You can do challenging routines pretty fast. See Angela Parker's Back Yard Boot Camp video which is challenging, but only takes 16 minutes + some stretching, and HIIT training at health clubs.
Lying Abduction
Starting Position: Lie on left side, legs straight, knees together, resting head on right hand or extended arm. Place right hand flat on the ground in front of you for balance.
Action:
EXHALE: Squeeze the right thigh to raise right leg until it forms a 45 degree angle with the ground. Hold for 2 seconds.
INHALE: Return to start.
Complete reps and switch sides.
Special Instructions: Keep foot flexed through entire movement, toes facing forward (not up).
Based on article from BBC "Five exercises for the 30% of Britons who never exercise"
About 30% of Britons never exercise, according to research by Mintel. But what can people do to get slightly fitter without incurring costs, inconvenience or embarrassment, asks Lucy Townsend.
1. Jog up and down stairs. Exercise doesn't have to take an hour, short quick bursts of activity can be beneficial. Fitness guru Rosemary Conley suggests jogging up and down the stairs 5 times at home. "It's free, it's easy, it doesn't take very long and it gets you out of breath," she says.
2. Do the plank. [Plank] Face to the floor, arms locked in an L-shape, legs straight and bottom firmly in line with the rest of your body and not under any circumstances sticking up into the air. The plank, loathed by many, is the best exercise for improving core strength, according to Elliot Lake, general manager of Bootcamp Pilates. "Aim for 30 seconds, three times a week and that would huge help," he says. The core comprises all the deep muscles that connect the upper and lower body, including stomach, back, hips and buttocks. Benefits include a flatter stomach and a better posture, as well as strength around the spine. "The idea is that you work up to a minute three times a week," Lake adds.
3. Work You don't have to "work-out" to get fit. Work at home: washing your car, vacuuming your carpets, gardening, mowing the lawn, and similar activities will raise the heart rate plus your house and car will look and feel much nicer. The NHS (National Health Service in Great Britain) advocates at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week.
4. Write the alphabet with your leg. Another of Conley's methods. "Sit on the front half of the sofa, lift one leg and draw the alphabet in the air with your toe, then do it with the other leg," she says. "It's easy to do while you're sat down watching television."
5. Set an alarm. "A regular reminder to stand up or walk can be helpful," says Dr Lauren Sherar, senior lecturer in physical activity and public health at Loughborough University. "Put a reminder in your phone to regularly get up and stand for five minutes. Or go for a five-minute walk." Doctors have warned that sitting down for too long can shorten lives, and regularly standing can improve health. "Standing for five minutes every 30 minutes is an achievable goal," adds Sherar.
The truth is that strength training for women does not differ all that much fromstrength training for men. Though men naturally produce testosterone in their body, thus giving them an advantage when it comes to getting a "ripped" look, there are many exercises that both men and women can do to improve their strength. IMPORTANT NOTE: Without the use of steroids or some form of supplemental testosterone, women will never be able to achieve the bulky results that men do through bodybuilding exercises. But, they can use many of the same exercises, and lift some of the same weights for toning muscles and adding muscle mass to their bodies.
Strength Training Exercises for Women to Try
If you are a woman looking to strength train in order to tone your muscles or simply to stay in shape, you don't have to be stuck in the cardio room running on the treadmill. Instead, you can try a few of these exercises to get the job done:
Curls: For both men and women, curls are a great way to exercise the arms through the use of weights. Women will not build much muscle mass, but you will tone your arms.
Tricep pulldowns: Again, you are going to be focusing on toning your arms through the use of tricep pulldowns. You will not add much muscle mass to your arms, but females can keep their triceps from getting flabby by completing this exercise. Note that triceps bench exercise is considered dangerous.
Squats: While men will increase the muscle mass of their thighs by completing squats, females will simply tone theirs by completing an exercise like squats. This is also particularly effective for toning hamstrings, glutes and calves.
Bench press: Bodybuilding's fundamental exercise is the bench press. In addition to working and adding muscle mass to the pectoral muscles, it also targets the triceps and biceps as well. However, women will not wind up with bulky pectoral muscles if they choose to do this exercise. It will result in toned pectoral muscles. See more about Bench Press below.
START: Lie back on bench. Your feet should be either flat on the floor, flat on a foot rest, or up in the air to protect your lower back from injury. Hold a weighted barbell with arms straight up toward the ceiling.
INHALE: Allow elbows to bend to 90 degrees, lowering the barbell down toward your chest (but not touching it).
EXHALE: Extend the arms, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. Don't lock elbows completely.
Special Instructions: Keep spine in a neutral position. Don't lift head off the bench during exercise.
Muscles Worked: Chest
If you can bench press 80 percent of your body weight, you will be strong enough to do Pushups.
Reverse Grip Bench
The bench press is definitely the most popular chest exercise and a staple of almost every chest workout. The problem is, many men can't do them without pain. Unless you are careful, the bench press exercise can injure shoulders, wrists or elbows joints. In a quest to bench more weight people perform the lift without proper form. They arch their backs way off the bench or bounce the bar off the chest. Obviously both of those things are wrong. Even touching the bar to your chest during the barbell bench press is not the best idea long term. The extra few inches you get by touching the chest puts the AC joints in your shoulders at a much greater risk of injury.
There is an alternative bench press exercise.
The Reverse Grip Bench Press
The underhand bench or reverse grip bench press is not only a safer option but one that could add more size to your chest! Research shows that you get incredible upper chest and mid chest activation during the lift (some even say more than during the incline bench press!) In fact, using the exercise is one of my best bench press tips for pro athletes to add mass to their chest and save their shoulder joints in the process. Of course with any video on how to bench press, form is key. Take a few moments to watch VIDEO from Athlean-X includes "How to Bench Press WITHOUT Pain - Reverse Grip Bench".
Click here to read about selecting the proper amount of weight.
For more tips and videos on exercise technique and workouts frin Athlean-X, see Athlean-X youtube channel at http://youtube.com/user/jdcav24
Maximizing Strength Training for Women
If you are a women looking to get more out of your workout, you're going to have to do more than just hit the gym. While men use their natural testosterone to bulk up, women often focus on toning over muscle mass. But if you're looking for that extra muscle mass, try making adjustments to your diet in order to achieve your desired results. For instance, add eggs to your daily food intake, a food product that's known to help improve hypertrophy in both sexes. Hypertrophy is the increase in tissue surrounding your muscles. You also should be sure you're getting enough lean meats. This will help you burn fat and add some muscle mass to your body during your workouts.
Note that strength training for women and strength training for men is really not all that different. The real difference is in the results. Regardless of what sex you are, it's important that you know what your body is capable of before you start strength training. Then, set realistic goals for yourself and start achieving them.
Click here to read about selecting the proper amount of weight. If you can bench press 80 percent of your body weight, you will be strong enough to do Pushups.
To work out your approximate 1 REP MAX bench press, use Bench Press Calculator (outside link). Examples: if you can bench press 20 lbs for 10 reps, your approximate 1 rep max bench is 27.74.
if you can bench press 20 lbs for 20 reps, your approximate 1 rep max bench is 32.32.
Push-ups are one of the best compound exercises you can do. The simple act of pushing up uses your chest, shoulders, triceps and back muscles which few other exercises can do as well. The downside to push-ups is that they can be really hard to do. But don't worry! Even if you can't do even one push-up right now, within two weeks you can be getting an amazing push-up workout if you just follow the simple plan below. Note that pushups are hard to do, especially for women. A good exercise as a precursor for pushups is the bench press. If you can lift about 80 percent of your body weight for 1-2 sets of 10-12 repetitions in good form, you will be able to do pushups.
See Bench Press.
You don't need to join the Army to enjoy the many benefits of doing a proper push up. A basic push up is an effective way strengthen the chest and arm muscles, and can be easily scaled as you get strong. Simple push ups require no equipment other than your own body weight and your arms, and they can be done anywhere there is a firm surface with enough space for you to stretch out flat in.
See illustrations at http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Push-Up 10/18/13
Assume a face-down prone position on the floor. Keep your feet together. Your weight should be on your chest.
Position hands palms-down on the floor, approximately shoulder width apart. They should be about next to your shoulders, with your elbows pointed towards your toes. If you are on a relatively cushioned surface, such as a carpeted floor, you may also support yourself on your fists between the first and second knuckles for a greater challenge. If you are on a less forgiving surface, consider investing in some pushup grips (they look like handles you put on the floor).
Curl your toes upward (towards your head). The balls of your feet should touch the ground.
Raise yourself using your arms. At this point, your weight should be supported by your hands and the balls of your feet. Make a straight line from your head to your heels. This position is called a "plank," which is used for other various exercises. This is the beginning and the end position of a single push-up.
Pick the type of pushup that works best for you. There are actually three types of basic push up variations that use different muscles. The difference is where you place your hands while in the plank position. The closer your hands are together, the more you will engage your triceps. The wider apart they are, the more you will engage your chest. A modification of the pushup is on the wall rather than the floor.
Types of Push-ups
Closest-hand: keep your hands directly under your shoulders or perhaps in slightly. This will require you to engage your arms much more than a standard push up.
Regular: your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders. This works both your arms and your chest.
Wide-arm: place your hands a good way's out from your shoulders. This version mostly works the chest and requires less strength in the arms.
Wall Pushup which is very easy and can be done by beginners and older people.
How Much of Your Body Weight Do You Lift in a Pushup?
One of the best bodyweight exercises to help build muscular endurance and develop muscle, the pushup is a mainstay in exercise and calisthenics. The amount of bodyweight lifted in a pushup depends on the technique used. Depending on which type of pushup you do and the angle of your feet and hands, you can lift anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent of your bodyweight.
How to Do a Pushup Lie on the floor face down with your your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core tight, extend your elbows so only the balls of your feet are touching the ground. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ground and then extend your arms again. Your body from your head to your heels should be in a straight line throughout the entire motion.
Body Weight Test To find out how much of your body weight you lift during a pushup, perform a pushup on a scale. Lay the scale on a flat surface and then put your hands on the scale. Perform a pushup and the weight listed on the scale will tell you how much weight was lifted. To find the percentage of your bodyweight that you lifted, divide the weight on the scale by your weight. For example, if the scale reads 100 lbs and you weigh 165 lbs, you lifted about 60 percent of your bodyweight.
Notes on Push-ups
There are many variations on pushups ranging from standard to modified to outrageously difficult, bordering on dangerous. See Marc Perry's article "10 Push Up Variations: Can You Do Them All?" (outside link). Definitely watch the video where Marc personally demonstrates all 10 variations.
Day 1: For the very first day, don't expect to be able to do a push-up, but give it a try anyways! Assume the proper position and go as low as you can before pushing up. Keep your butt and abs tight, and push back up. Focus on keeping your position proper. Do as many as you can force yourself to do in this position, going just half or most of the way down. Once your muscles give out, give yourself two minutes to cool off, and get into the kneeling push-up position (your knees on the ground, and feet in the air). Do as many as you can--with your goal of doing no fewer than 10.
Day 2: Repeat the efforts of Day 1, trying to do as many regular-push-ups as you can, only going down as far as you possibly can. This will strengthen your chest muscles. Then do a set of 10 kneeling push-ups. Now, you're going to give it a second try! Once again, get into the position for regular push-ups and do as many as you can. Follow this up with a second set of 10 kneeling push-ups, and push yourself until you crack that second 10!
Day 3: Take a day to give your chest muscles time to recover. Do some aerobic exercise--it will help improve muscle repair and recovery.
Day 4: This is the first day that you will do a real push-up! Assume the position and force yourself to do it correctly. Go all the way down and come back up with your butt clenched and your abs tight. Don't doubt that you can do it, but just do it without thinking. It is 100% possible simply because you've strengthened your chest on Days 1 and 2. All you have to do is one of these--if you can do more, great! But get one perfect push-up completed. Give yourself a break and do two sets of 10 kneeling push-ups.
Day 5: Cool out. You've got a day of rest.
Day 6: Do two regular push-ups in a row. If you can't, do one regular push-up before your first set of 10 kneeling push-ups, and do a second one before a second set of 10 kneeling push-ups.
Day 7: Another day of rest.
Day 8: Do three push-ups. Your chest muscles can handle the rapid strengthening, so push yourself. If you can't do three, do one or two before two sets of 12 kneeling push-ups.
Day 9: Rest up.
Day 10: Stay at three push-ups, but really do them right. Dip down properly with each push, and keep your core tight as you push back up. Once again, do another two sets of 12 kneeling push-ups, or, push yourself and increase that number.
Day 11: Rest again.
Day 12: Add another push-up to make it four in total! You should be able to do four push-ups in a row by now, as you've built your chest strength. Do two sets of at least 12 kneeling push-ups to finish off your workout.
Day 13: One more day of rest.
Day 14: Do five regular push-ups in a row. Congratulations! Celebrate your success with two more sets of 12 kneeling push-ups each.
Doing five push-ups isn't pushing your body too hard, so you can easily make these steps of progress within two short weeks. Keep up the rhythm of adding one more regular push-up every two days, as well as increasing the number of kneeling push-ups you do every set. By the end of the month, you'll be doing 10 regular push-ups.
Make your fitness dreams come true once and for all, starting with the classic pushup!
Pushups tend to be much easier for men, since they have greater muscle mass and strength than women. But you don't have to be G.I. Jane to master the "boy" pushup. Before you can perform real pushups, you have to build enough strength in your upper body to handle your body weight, and a strong core (a variety of crunches (outside link) and plank exercises (outside link) will help) to stabilize your body in the pushup position. The following exercise progressions will help strengthen the major muscles involved in pull ups until you're strong enough to do them on your own.
Time Involved: Two 10-minute sessions a week, for several weeks Muscles Worked: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
How to Train at the Gym
A variety of gym machines and equipment can help you build strength for your pushups.
Phase 1: Start by strengthening your "pushup muscles" by using the chest press machine (outside link), or by doing chest presses with dumbbells (outside link) or a bar (outside link). Start with any weight you can handle until you can perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions in good form. Then move to Phase 2.
Phase 2: Continue to gradually increase the amount of weight you press over time, until you can lift about 80 percent of your body weight for 1-2 sets of 10-12 repetitions in good form. Once you can lift this, you can do real pushups—guaranteed!
Phase 3: Pushups (outside link). Once you've mastered Phase 2, you should be able to perform about 4-6 pushups or more. Congratulations!
Phase 4: To perform more pushups, or perform them with ease, work on your pushups regularly. If they still feel difficult, focus on the negative (lowering) phase of the pushup, lowering slowly for about 5 counts. This will help you build more strength so you can perform more pushups in good form.
Starting Position: Begin by getting down on yours hands and knees with your hands just outside shoulder width and slightly forward of your shoulders. Your knees should be directly aligned with your hips. Keep your abdomen tight and your spine in a neutral position.
Action:
EXHALE: Bend your elbows and lower chest to 90 degrees at the elbows.
INHALE: Push up so that your arms are straight, making sure your elbows aren't completely locked.
Try doing 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Special Instructions: If you cant' go to 90 degrees at the elbow, just go to a comfortable position until you can work up to 90 degrees.
Muscles Worked: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Challenging Push-ups
There are many push ups which can be dangerous to do. Watch shoulders.
Get into Start Position. Using a barbell, with a supinated grip (palms facing forward), get your elbows close to your torso and back.
Breathe OUT on the way up; IN on the way down
As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you drag the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso.
Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
As shown in the videos: - Do not keep elbows pinned to your sides, but bring them back. - Do NOT lift your shoulders.
Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks on Bench YouTube video from fitlopedia (outside link) 23 seconds - NO ads. JS Exercise
A shaping and toning movement for the triceps which helps to target the lateral head in particular. Important! Keep the shoulder held static throughout the movement to ensure correct technique and, when the body is bent forwards, keep the spine set into neutral.
NOTE: Fitlopedia's YouTube Channel is an excellent source for short, to the point vids of exercises demos with NO ads Note: when a vid finishes it moves on to another.
Triceps dips on bench work the triceps, pectorals and front deltoids.
Among the different variations of "Dips", the Tricep Bench Dip is suitable at a gym with a bench or at home with any other type of support, including a simple chair.
Keep elbows close to body. Keep body close to bench.
Directions
1. Position yourself on a bench and place your hands on the edge of the bench right next to your hips. Then slide off of the bench until you're supporting yourself with only your arms and legs.
2. Place your legs so your thighs and shins are at a 90-degree angle to each other. Position your thighs hip-width apart and keep them parallel with the ground.
3. Lower yourself slowly by bending your elbows and allowing your knees to bend. Keep your lower legs perpendicular to the ground.
4. Raise yourself to the starting position, pausing at the top and contracting your triceps.
5. Complete 12 to 15 repetitions of the tricep bench dip, then take a brief rest. Do 3 to 4 sets, or fewer if you reach exhaustion before then.
WARNING! Do not extend arms upon ascent and do not widen elbows upon descent. See vid #4.
For a more advanced version, stretch your legs out (see model at right) plus do more reps. For more info watch videos below, esp. #4.
WARNING! Greg Brooks (London-based personal trainer) warns that the bench triceps dip is dangerous. Greg says: "The human body is a highly sophisticated organism but when it comes to our muscles and joints they are only designed to work in a very specific way. A basic anatomy book will show you that moving a joint in the wrong direction will damage the joint and surrounding soft tissue. So performing bench triceps dips, that are so common during Boot Camps, is totally destroying the shoulder capsule because the arms are not designed to go backwards to that extent. All the exercises that you perform must work inline with your body and not against it so as to reduce the potential for injury."
Starting Position: Grab each handle and place feet on band, hip-width apart. Stand tall with back straight, abs engaged, arms at your sides, palms facing each other. Bend knees slightly and with a straight back, bend forward slightly from the hips.
EXHALE: Keeping arms straight and close to the sides of your body, lift your hands up towards the ceiling behind you.
Special Instructions: Do not arch or round the back. Keep the abs engaged to protect your lower back. Keep wrists straight and in line with the forearms. Make it easier: Bring legs together (closer to center of band) for less resistance. Make it harder: Open legs wider (closer to handles) for more resistance.
INHALE: Slowly lower arms back down to start position to complete one rep.
Starting Position Sit on floor with knees slightly bent, feet hip-width apart. Keep back straight, abs in, heels on the floor. Loop band around the soles of the feet, then cross the ends/handles over shins so right hand holds left handle and left hand holds right handle, palms facing down.
Action EXHALE: Pull hands toward chest so elbows and fists are at or near shoulder level, pinching shoulder blades together at the end of the movement. INHALE: Slowly return to starting position to complete one rep.
Special Instructions Make it harder: Spread feet apart so they lie on the band closer to handles for more resistance. Make it easier: Do not cross handles and keep feet close together at center of band. Make sure the band is secure around your feet.
A simple exercise to tone arms:
When you have sculpted triceps you can wear short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts. A terrific beginner exercise for sculpting the backs of upper arms is tricep kickbacks. Anna suggests using bands. Jillian Michaels recommends dumbbells.
How to Do Tricep Kickbacks with Dumbbells
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend to your knees.
Bend over at the waist so that your torso is slightly above parallel with the floor. Bend both elbows so that your upper arms are locked at your sides parallel to the floor.
Keeping your arms still, straighten your arms behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down toward the floor with your palms facing in towards your body.
Hold for a beat and inhale, slowly lowering your arms back to the starting position, and repeat.
To do this properly, remember to keep your abs tight and your back flat.
Lunges are a great leg exercise to do at home or at the gym. They not only work hamstrings, quads, and calves but additionally require a lot of stabilizing musclesl for balance. There are many variations but here are the basic for lunges.
Stand straight
Take a big step forward with left leg
Lower trailing knee to floor (right knee)
Push explosively with leading leg (left leg) to propel you back to the standing position
Repeat with the right leg
One step forward and back with the left leg and one step forward and back with the right leg is one rep. Do 12-16 reps if you are starting out, do 4-8 reps if you are advanced and working on strength/mass.
The ball forces you to do a lunge with correct form.
Keep your back straight and your abs engaged. When lunging, make sure your feet are spaced far apart so that you can lower straight down without leaning forward. Begin without weights and add dumbbells to this exercise as you get stronger over time.
Watch Lunges with Ball from Coach Nicole at Spark People.
Fitness Level: Beginner to Advanced
Equipment Needed: Stability ball and dumbbells;
Muscles Worked: Legs (quads, hamstrings) and butt (glutes)
In VIDEO! How To Do a Lunge
Kelsey Lee demonstrates a lunge with the proper form. Kelsey breaks it down, step by step, shows you what muscles are used, how to do it the right way, and all the basics of the lunge. It is important for your knee not to go past your big toe to avoid future knee injuries. Lunge exercises tone your thighs which include the quadriceps (front muscles) and hamstrings (back muscles) and your glutes (butt) which we all want nice and firm! To kick up the workout, simply hold some dumbells in your hands.
Movement: Step forward onto your heel, keeping your knee behind and in line with your toes and your hips level. Brace through your stomach and do not allow your lower back to round. Descend until just before your knee touches the floor. Then, pressing the heel of your front foot, lift your back leg up and step it forward with the same technique.
Repetitions: When both legs have completed one full step, this counts as one repetition.
Alternate Directions
Stand with your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step forward in an elongated stride and place one foot in front of you. Most of your weight is on your front foot. Your other foot stays behind you with your heel off the floor.
As you lower your body, bend both knees. Go as low as you can and pause at the bottom. You don't want your front knee to go past your toes and you want the trail knee as close to the ground as possible.
Raise to the starting position in an elongated stride and repeat.
After doing the recommended amount of repetitions, change legs.
Tips:
Advanced: Use weights to add more resistance.
Make sure your stride is not too short because you could hurt your knees.
Make sure your stride is not too long because you will put additional pressure on your hamstrings.
Make sure your front knee does not pass your toes because you could injure knees in the long run.
Keep your back straight with your shoulders always positioned squarely over your hips.
Exercise variation: Alternate legs as you perform this exercise.
Inhale while lowering yourself and exhale as you raise.
Beginners: 10 repetitions with each leg
Intermediate level: 15 repetitions with each leg
Advanced level: 20 repetitions with each leg.
Everything is "core" so most exercises work the core. Abs exercises and squats will work core. Group Core has pushups, squats and ab exercises. Check ABS and Core - a whole page!.
I am obsessed with getting a "6-pack"! Abs involve so much that I added ABS whole page! 45 and More ABS10. See also Core, Crunch, and Plank. Scroll down to see links to videos and to almost everything I have collected about Abs and check exercise books and Lee's DVD's for yet more about ABS. The bottom line is that Abs are created in the kitchen so check out Diet to learn how to reduce body fat. There are two ways to address the ABS flab problem: either burn the fat off or suck it in with stronger muscles. Even if you don't lose fat, you can improve your waistline by toning your ABS muscles.
10 Best Foods for Flat Abs: almonds, eggs, soy, apples, berries, greens, yogurt, vegetable soup, salmon and quinoa.
Power 12 from The New Abs Diet Cookbook by David Zinczenko.
Power Abs Workout directions and images of a circuit of clamp, wiper plank, sprinkler, twister, skinny dip and jackknife; links to 30 second vids (awful ads)
Strengthen Your Abs: 5 Great Abs Exercises: Knee Crunches, Easy Bicyles, Bicycles, Reverse Crunches, and V-Ups; excellent directions plus video by Marc Perry, Personal Trainer
ABS vids (outside links from Passion 4 Profession site)
ONLINE ABS VIDEOS - a great place to start
VIDEO Abdominal Crunch Test From Australia, this one-minute test measures strength and endurance in your abdominals.
DIRECTIONS ABS CRUNCH TEST
Lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your heels about 18 inches away from your behind. Place your arms at your sides, palms down, fingertips next to your hips.
Place a ruler next to your fingertips in this position and measure 6 inches further. Put a piece of tape at that 6-inch marker.
Keeping your hands on the floor throughout the test, (just like abdominal crunches) engage the abs to lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor, but allow your fingertips to slide toward the 6-inch marker.
Return to the starting position to complete one rep.
Repeat this as many times as you can in 60 seconds, counting only the number of repetitions that your fingertips successfully reach the 6-inch marker. You may rest in the starting position (relaxed), but clock continues to run.
When the minute is up, score yourself. For women over 45 years of age, 4 is a low score and 30 is excellent. See Crunch Test for more about this Spark People test and its scoring.
VIDEO 5-Minute Abs Workout from Fitness magazine by Sadie Lincoln of Barre3 who shares her 3 moves for a fast, quick 5-minute ab workout. Equipment: a mat, a core ball. See Video Script for 5 Min Abs.
Perform all abdominal exercises one after the other with no rest in between sets. Only rest 30 seconds after the leg raises.
3-minute home ab workout routine: Triset: Bicycle Crunches 2 sets of 10-30 repetitions concentrating on form (no rest) Crunches 2 sets of 10-30 repetitions concentrating on form (no rest) Leg Raises 2 sets of 10-30 repetitions concentrating on form (30 sec rest)
If you have more than 3 minutes to work your abs you can do as much as 3-5 sets of each exercise. Concentrate more on form and exercise execution than on the amount of repetitions.
DIET! Acquiring a six pack completely depends on the amount of body fat that you have. Thus, while this ab workout will get your abdominal muscles hard and in shape, you need to burn the body fat off. To burn body fat, use the right fat burning diet.
See Hugo's Hugo's Fat Burning Diet (outside link opens in separate window). For more information and FREE articles on Training, Nutrition, and Supplementation, visit http://www.HugoRivera.net plus sign up for Hugo's FREE Weekly Newsletter and FREE E-book How to Gain Muscle as You Get Your Abs.
VID FitnessFlat-Abs Formula Workout Top trainers share their best belly-tightening moves. Add any one of their three- to 12-minute combos to your routine, or stack them all for the ultimate waist-cinching session. Do three-move mini circuits: Match a faceup ab exercise (your fave, whether it's bicycles or the Teaser -- we know you have one) with either a facedown or side-lying move (like the Loaded Hip Dip) and a standing one (try the Upright Supercrunch).
Upright Supercrunch Targets lats, abs, and obliques
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a 4-6-lb medicine ball overhead; lift right leg slightly behind you.
Engaging abs, hinge at waist to do a crunch as you bring right knee up toward chest and lower ball diagonally toward right hip.
Return to start. Do 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.
Loaded Hip Dip
Scissor Ball
Sphinx Plank Crunch
Rolling Pin
Dancing Bug
Reach Under
VIDEO How To Get Six Pack Abs In 6 Minutes On Your Couch from South African Peter Carvell of Sixpackfactory offers a good alternative if you have no equipment but do have a sturdy couch (see photo right). Better to have weights and of course you need diet; check out Peter Carvell's Protein Caffè Mocha Shake, a healthy, energizing morning pre-workout drink. NOTE: this vid is posted on 2 sites: YouTube and SixPackFactory. YouTube version is sometimes down and the Six-Pack Factory version has a lengthy ad on both ends. To avoid the ad on SixPackFactory version, start 1:00; stop 2:18.
4 - 6 times per week, do each of these exercises for as many reps as you can. Rest 1 minute between each exercise.
At the gym do weight lifting exercises like Squats, Lunges, Push-ups. See also Pull Ups
Eat a healthy clean diet, no junk food.
VID FM Prone Plank from Fitness magazine "10 Best Ab Exercises". One of the best ABS exercise is the plank position. A plank is the pushup position only with elbows/forearms on floor instead of hands. HOLD, make sure to tighten your abs (your glutes will simultaneously tighten). Keep the back really straight. Start with approximately 15-20 seconds. Then rest for 30-45 seconds and repeat. It works EVERY core muscle without spending a lot of time.
Get into a full pushup position with your palms on the floor beneath your shoulders. Hold here for 30 seconds, with your abs contracted and your arms and legs extended and your head aligned with your spine.
As you build strength, hold this position longer, up to one minute. Go deeper: Try the one-arm stable switching plank.
VID YT 8 Min Abs Workout, how to have six pack (HD Version) from passion4profession Excellent! The workout has been designed to specifically work on the abdominal area. It can be done by anyone who exercises regularly, both men and women. There are no particular requirements for this module; you just need to know how to properly perform the exercises involved.
PROGRAM Perform this workout every second day (e.g. Mon-Wed-Fri) for at least two weeks. Then you'll be ready to perform the next level of this workout. Good Luck to get six pack!
HOW THIS WORKOUT WORKS 1. Working aerobically on your abdominal muscles for over 7 minutes stimulates the capillaries in this area. These in turn increase the blood flow. 2. A greater blood flow means a greater flow of oxygen - and fat only burns in the presence of oxygen. 3. Toned muscles need more calories (kcal) to stay active. Our organism tends to release these calories from the area near the active muscles. So it burns fat in that area.
HOW TO USE THIS WORKOUT 1. The module is designed to work the abdominal area "aerobically". Performing it straight after an aerobic workout (e.g.: running, spinning, swimming or other aerobic activities) will improve the positive effect. 2. Learn the instructions for each exercise of this workout. Ensure you perform exercises properly. 3. Pay attention on the correct breathing while performing the exercises. It is very important and will help you achieve the best results possible.
Core & Lower Stomach Exercises Boot Camp Workout excellent YouTube vid from personal trainer Rachel Buschert Vaziralli in Howcast workout video short 2 1/2 minutes; shows how to plank; accessed December 30, 2013 Planks are great for core. Rachel goes over how you do a plank.
To do a forearm plank come on on to your elbows, with your feet about a hip width apart amd your elbow right underneath your shoulders. Do not the belly just hang out! If you just hang out in plank position, without engaging your core, you're not getting the benefits of the plank, which is to pull the belly muscles in, fire up what most people are talking about when they say lower stomach, and then, pulling your abdominals in even deeper. Just breathe and maintain this position. You could hold it for 30 seconds. You could hold it for a minute. Just as you get stronger, you would maintain the length of time longer and longer.
To modify, lower the knees, making sure you don't collapse. It's like you had a vest on and you were going to button the vest, together. You want to make sure the buttons on that vest don't burst open and collapse.
Pulling the belly in, engaging, careful not to sink in your shoulders but maintaining the alignment through the shoulder joint.
If you wanted to make it harder, again, coming either just one knee would be the next progression. Last progression would be here, or even raising one leg. As long as you can do it without changing the position of your pelvis.
Great ways to engage your core, lower stomach, and you can even take that plank into a side position, still keeping in mind, the pulling in of the [?] TBA, the transversus abdominis, and then raising up to engage along the whole side of your body.
You could do it here. You could raise one leg. There are lots of different variations, but the purpose is to strengthen your core muscles, which is going to help you have better posture. It's going to aid in any other exercise that you do. It's going to be what supports your spine through all different types of movement.
Two things to keep in mind when attempting to work the lower abs:
The most important thing to remember is that a lower abs workout will NOT aid in losing fat in the area being worked. Fat has to be lost over the entire body in order to lose fat in this area.
An effective lower abs workout will however strengthen and tone the core muscles.
Three exercises to include in a lower abs workout for maximum results:
Alternating supine leg walk Lie on the floor and place your hands under the buttocks. The legs are lifted vertically and the ads contracted to tense up the midsection. Next one leg is lowered to within a couple inches of the ground and the position is held for approximately one second. Return the start and alternate legs for a few more repetitions.
Supine reverse crunch Lie on the floor and place your hands under the buttocks. Bend the legs ninety degrees once you have them vertical to the body. Tense up the midsection by contracting the abdominal muscles while keeping the legs at a ninety degree angle. Keeping the angle lower the legs slowly until the back of the feet are a couple inches off the ground then pull the knees toward the chest while squeezing the abs. Repeat for a full set.
Leg Lift Lie down on your back with hands placed beneath the buttocks and lift the legs vertical to the body. In this lower abs workout the upper abs are utilized to contract the midsection. Both legs are then lowered until the back of the feet are just above the ground and this position is help for a few seconds. Then return the legs to their vertical position and repeat the exercise.
Remember that the combination of losing fat over the entire body and incorporating these three exercises will give you an effective workout of the lower abs that provides results.
Use a resistance band to increase effects of crunches. See Low Mount Crunches with Band (outside link from Spark People)
Pulse Up is a less prominent stomach toning workout than, say, the crunch. However, thanhe pulse up involves first putting your body into a crunch like position. Then, keeping your upper body flat on the floor you will raise both of your legs into the air so that they are essentially vertical. From this position you will press or pulse your legs further upward into the air, such that your buttocks are lifted a few inches off the ground. In doing this workout your abdominal muscles will be forced to exercise since they are necessary for that upward vertical motion of your lower body.
For a short YouTube clip plus many more abs vids, go to: RandomAbs Routines accessed 11/15/13
Directions for Dead Lift (aka Straight-Leg Deadlift)
The straight-leg deadlift is a a good classic exercise to use when starting out. If you have back issues, start without weights, using only your body weight. As you increase strength and add weight, drop the weight at the bottom of the exercise should your back begin to ache. The deadlift is one of the few exercises that develops legs, abdominals, lower back and upper back all at once. Deadlifts increase power and strength plus improve posture. Mix up a deadlift regimen by switching leg or hand placement to change the focus of the exercise and increase its difficulty.
Get into Set Position:
Stand tall with your legs hip-width
apart, knees soft but straight and
chest lifted. Keep your abs engaged
throughout to support your lower
back.
Bend at Hip, keeping your back straight, like bending over to pick up a paper see Deadlift Hip Hinge.
Grip the barbell with hands, using an overhand grip,
shoulder-width apart and pick it up
by squatting and lifting with your legs. Lift the weight to a standing position with your legs is important in order to to avoid straining your lower back.
With your knees straight, drive hips back, hinge forward
at the hips and slide the bar down
toward your toes. Keep core tight! Keep your spine
long and straight. Resist the urge
to round your back.
When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, stop the movement.
Stand back up slowly. Note that you return to the
standing position with shoulders
back and down and chest lifted.
Before repeating, pull shoulders back if they have rounded
Complete three sets of 10.
What Percentage of Body Weight Should You Be Able to Deadlift? If you are a new lifter, don't focus on the amount of weight you lift. Focus instead on developing good technique to prevent injury and so that the weight you can lift increases naturally. Novices are starting lifters. You fall into this category if you have been training less than a year but know the fundamentals of the lift. On average, a woman who is a novice may lift roughly 100 percent of her body weight, a man roughly 133 percent of his body weight...... an elite deadlifter should pull 200 percent her body weight or, for men, 260 percent of his body weight! See source below to read more on this.
These variations will not be used by me in the near future.
Single-Leg Deadlift
Using a similar movement to a straight-leg deadlift, the single-leg deadlift adds challenge by forcing you to balance. Stand with your feet together and hold the weight in front of you, arms straight with an overhand grip. Lift one leg slightly so your foot is just above the floor. Lower the weight toward the floor while raising your lifted leg straight behind you. Keep your back straight, abdominals tight and a slight bend in your supporting leg. When you feel a stretch in your supporting leg, return to the starting position by raising your torso as you lower your lifted leg. Complete three sets of 10 on each leg.
Trap Bar Deadlift
The trap bar deadlift is the same exercise as a straight-leg deadlift. The only difference is that instead of a barbell or dumbbells, you use a trap bar. The change in the bar allows for a different grip and hand placement. Once you are at the bottom of the exercise, your hands end near the sides of your ankles. Not all trap bars are appropriate for this exercise: It works best with a square open-ended trap bar. Complete three sets of 10.
Sumo Deadlift
In the sumo deadlift, you stand with a wide stance and grasp the bar between your legs when you bend your legs to reach down. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder stance and position your feet under a barbell. Squat, keeping your abdominals taut and your head high, and place your hands between your legs on the barbell with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Lift the bar by bringing your hips and knees to full extension, but do not lock your knees. If your shoulders round during the lift, pull them back. Keep your knees pointing in the same direction as your feet throughout the exercise. Complete three sets of 10.
The barbell squat is the undisputed king of all leg exercises. This compound movement engages the hip flexors, gluteals, quadrilaterals, hamstrings and calf muscles for a lower-body workout like no other. The downward squatting motion of the lift seems simple enough, but proper form is necessary for maximizing your efforts and avoiding injury.
The experts at Georgia State University suggest performing this lift inside a squat rack, and that's sound advice. The heavy-duty construction of the rack will support almost any weight and prevent the bar from hitting the floor if dropped.
Place the bar on the squat rack at a height just below your shoulders. Center the barbell behind your head and between your shoulders, resting just below the base of your neck. Grip the bar outside of your shoulders in a comfortable position.
Put one foot in front of your body and the other foot behind. Lift the bar off the rack and step forward with your rear foot so both your feet are beneath you again. Position your feet shoulder-width apart, with your knees and toes pointed forward. Related Reading:Air Squat vs. Squat
Begin the downward motion by contracting your abdominal muscles and hinging forward at the hips as you bend your knees. Inhale on the way down, keeping your back straight and your head pointed forward.
Ensure that your toes stay in front of your knees as you squat down. Keep the weight centered in your heels and lower the barbell until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Avoid bouncing at the base of the movement.
Exhale as you bring the weight back up by pressing your feet into the floor. Maintain form as you straighten your legs and rise to a standing position, keeping your head pointed forward and your back straight. Repeat the motion for the desired amount of repetitions.
Tips
Warm up before you lift. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology recommend performing at least five minutes of a moderate cardiovascular activity to get the blood pumping. Loosen your joints by rotating them in slow, circular movements, then stretch out each muscle group. Repeat the process after your weightlifting session to cool down.
If you're a novice, practice your squatting form using a broomstick or your own body weight. Once you have the motion down, you can add the barbell and begin to increase the weight as your strength improves.
Avoid straightening your knees completely between repetitions. This will maintain tension on the leg muscles and prevent unnecessary joint stress.
Confusing! Article "How to do a Deadlift Squat" by The Nest. seems to be describing a deadlift because it specifies to NOT arch back.??
Dead Lift or Dead Lift Squat "How to do a Deadlift Squat" by The Nest
Want to find out how strong you really are? Try a deadlift. The exercise in which you squat, then lift a weight off the floor is commonly called a deadlift, to distinguish it from a standard squat in which you typically begin with a barbell across your shoulders. Bodybuilders particularly appreciate deadlifts because they help build muscle mass. If you're looking to build your back, hip or leg muscles, the deadlift is a good place to start.
With Barbell
Set your feet shoulder-width apart, or a bit wider, with the balls of your feet beneath the barbell.
Squat and grasp the barbell so your palms face your body. Alternatively, try an alternating grip by turning one palm away from your body, particularly when you're lifting heavier weights. Your arms should be straight and positioned just outside your legs and your shins should be about an inch behind the bar. Keep your head up and your feet flat on the floor at all times.
Exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles and rise to an erect, standing position with your shoulders back. Move your hips, knees and shoulders simultaneously and keep your arms straight as you rise. Keep the barbell close to your body throughout the lift.
Inhale as you squat slowly and lower the barbell to the floor. As with the upward move, keep your arms straight and your hips, knees and shoulders in sync. Don't arch your back.
Perform two sets of eight to 12 repetitions, or work up to that level.
ATTENTION VIDEO!VIDNAME Get into Start Position.ONE
TWO
THREE
Squats
Squats
Starting Position: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed forward.
INHALE: Slowly lower your body and remember to bend slightly at your hips. Keep your weight back on your heels and your back as upright as possible. Make sure your knees do not cross the plane of your toes.
EXHALE: Straighten legs and come up to the starting position to complete one rep.
Special Instructions: Go to 90 degrees! Do not go past 90 degrees to avoid too much stress on joints. If you feel pain in your knees, go down only to where you don't feel pain and come back up. If you have difficulty performing this exercise, use a chair or wall to help with balance until you build sufficient strength.
Wall Squat: Stand with your back about 1 1/2 feet from a wall, feet hip-width apart, your weight on your heels. Lean back until your shoulders and upper back touch the wall. Now slowly lower yourself (as if you were going to sit on a chair) until your thighs are parallel with the floor and your legs form a 90-degree angle. In the seated position, your back, from the shoulder blades to the lower rib cage, should rest lightly against the wall. Hold this position for as long as you can, stand back up, and repeat. When you've mastered the form, you can add resistance with hand weights. Once you've developed quad, glute, and hamstring strength with this beginner move, you can do more advanced leg exercises.
Air Squat Definition: The air squat serves as both a strength-training exercise and a functional movement that mimics real-world activities. The air squat (also called body weight squat) uses only body weight for resistance and is more functional than the standard squat, which typically incorporates external resistance, such as a loaded bar or dumbbells. Use the air squat to learn proper squatting technique and advance to the standard squat as you become stronger. Follow the directions below plua view GMB YouTube video Mastering Bodyweight Squat Technique, a short, 4.5 minute, tutorial on how you can improve your squat in just a few minutes a day. btw Check out all All GMB Videos..
Air Squat Technique: The air squat and the standard squat are performed with the same basic exercise technique.
1. Stand upright with your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Keep your chest up, your shoulders back and your neck in nuetral alignment with your spine. Initiate the downward movement by pushing your hips back, transferring your weight to your heels.
3. Continue lowering your body until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
4. Pause for a count before pressing through your heels, extending your knees and hips and returning to a standing position.
Purpose: The air squat is the most basic version of the squat and is an appropriate movement for beginners and individuals learning proper squatting form. The air squat does not provide enough resistance for advanced lifters, who add external resistance and perform a standard squat to strengthen the muscles of the legs, hips, butt and core. Some workout programs incorporate a fast-paced air squat as an aerobic exercise to work the cardiorespiratory system.
Proper Form: During the air squat, lift your arms to the front to counterbalance your body. As you lower into the squat, keep a natural arch in the lower back; do not round out the back or shoulders. For the standard squat, hold the barbell on your traps -- across your upper back -- not on your neck. You can also hold dumbbells by your sides or in front of your shoulders. Although pushing your hips back may feel counterintuitive and unbalanced, it protects your knee joints, keeping the tension on the thigh muscles. Pushing your knees forward past your toes places excessive pressure on the knee joints.
Workout Routine: Make sure you can complete 15 to 25 repetitions of the air squat with good form before you add external resistance and advance to the standard squat. Complete eight to 12 repetition for two to three sets of the standard squat. The air squat and standard squat are the most fundamental squat exercises. After perfecting proper squat form, change up your leg routine by incorporating other squat movements, such as the front squat, hack squat, one-legged squat, the pistol squat and the split squat.
More Related Reading from AZCentral:
Squat to Leg Extension Ratio (Outside Link) Squats and leg extensions exercise the legs, but not in the same way. Squats are a compound exercise that works multiple muscles at once, while leg extensions focus solely on strengthening the quadriceps. Because the squat exercise involves nearly every muscle in your legs, you can lift more weight compared to leg extensions which only target the quads. By determining your squat-to-leg extension ratio, you can track your leg workout progress and get a clearer picture of your quadriceps vs. full leg strength.
More about the Air Squat:
The Air Squat is a body weight movement exercise that promotes leg strength and endurance by targeting the quadriceps, gluts and hamstrings.
For a lengthy (10+ minutes) but very informative video on proper squat technigue, see James Wilson's YouTube vid How to squat. James points out the mistakes that people make. James specializes in mountain bike training, but his training tips can be useful for anyone interested in exercise. See List of James' YouTube videos
Squat Instructions from Mayo Clinic w/ vid [Squats] [Legs]
Definition: The squat is a body resistance exercise that works leg muscles. It targets the quadriceps and hamstrings. Strengthening these muscles can help protect the knees and boost performance in a variety of sports.
Instructions: To do a squat, stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing ahead. Slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles. Stop when your knees reach a 90-degree angle. Then return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in your legs and buttocks.
Keep back in a neutral position. Don't flatten the curve of your lower back, and don't arch your back in the other direction. Make sure that your knees stay centered over your feet on the way down. Don't let your knees roll inward or outward. If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can. Use your arms for balance and support. Stop when you're fatigued or your form begins to suffer.
One set of 12 to 15 repetitions is usually adequate.
For best results, keep your back in a neutral position and your abdominal muscles tight during the exercise. Keep your knees centered over your feet on the way down. Keep movements smooth and controlled.
Personal Trainer Rachel Buschert Vaziralli demonstrates very clearly in this short 2 1/2 minute video how to do a proper basic body weight squat. Start with feet shoulder width apart. The wider you feet are apart, the easier it is to balance. Make sure that knees do not abduct nor aduct. Knees should stay neutral. Rachel describes You do squat by sitting back in a chair. Spine should be neutral. Inhale as you lower body and exhale as you come up.
Using a band increases the challenge of squats. See Resistance Bands
Starting Position Grab each handle and place feet on band, slightly wider than the hips, toes forward. Stand tall with back straight, abs engaged, legs straight and arms at your sides.
Action INHALE: Slowly bend at both knees to lower down towards the floor, not exceeding 90-degrees at the knees. EXHALE: Slowly straighten the knees to push back up to the start position to complete one rep.
Special Instructions Minimize any forward leaning from the waist and keep chest lifted. You should feel resistance only when pushing up to the start position. Make it easier: Bring legs closer together (closer to center of band) for less resistance. Make it harder: Place legs wider (closer to handles) to increase resistance.
Muscles Worked: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves) and glutes
Sumo wrestlers are powerhouses of strength and balance. In the beginning of a match, the two opponents face off while performing a special type of squat in slow motion. Lifting one leg while leaning to the side, the wrestler uses his full weight and power to strike the mat. After repeating this move with the other leg, the wrestler then sinks down into a deep, wide-legged squat.
How To Do Sumo Squat
Stand with your feet as wide apart as possible while pointing your toes outward.
Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Hold for a beat, exhale, then press back up to starting position. Repeat.
VIDEO Wide Sumo Squat:
Firm legs and butt with this wide-stance squat.
Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder- width, and your feet turned out. Interlace your fingers and put your hands on your belly. Beginning with soft knees, come into a deep squat with your knees pressing out. Hold here and squeeze through your glutes back up to the start. Do this deep squat ten times. Be sure to keep your knees tracked over your toes and your chest lifted.
The second time you do this exercise, place your hands behind your head instead of on your belly for ten reps.
The third time you do this exercise, extend your arms overhead in a V shape, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Do this wide sumo squat for ten reps. This move works your legs and your butt.
Special Instructions: Keep shoulders directly over hips at all times. Do NOT let knees extend beyond toes. For best results, don't lean forward. Keep abs drawn in and don't arch your back.
The wider stance and point the toes outwards brings the inner thighs into play. You can hold a weight.
Works: inner and outer thighs
Sumo Squat with Weight
This is one of the many variations of the sumo squat. Place most of the weight in your heel and outer part of the foot.
Keep chest up. See vid.
Wide Sumo Squat: Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width, and your feet turned out. Interlace your fingers and put your hands on your belly. Beginning with soft knees, come into a deep squat with your knees pressing out. Hold here and squeeze through your glutes back up to the start. Do this deep squat ten times. Be sure to keep your knees tracked over your toes and your chest lifted. The second time you do this exercise, place your hands behind your head instead of on your belly for ten reps. The third time you do this exercise, extend your arms overhead in a V shape, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Do this wide sumo squat for ten reps. This move works your legs and your butt. See video but be prepared to endure dull ad. Do sumo squat with a bar. See Sumo Squat w/ Michelle.
VIDEOSumo Squats, also called Plié Squats, are just the same as a regular squats, except the legs are a lot wider. Use the squat rack and a bar. Legs are wider than shoulders w/ toes pointed out. Chest high; ABS tight. INHALE on way down; EXHALE on way up. Squeeze glutes at top.
8 - 12 reps.
Variations:
Make it harder by holding for a while at bottom.
Make it easier by doing plain Wide Sumo Squat with no equipment or do Iron Sumo with a medicine ball.
Iron Sumo Squat
The Iron Sumo exercise works your arms, shoulders, butt, and thighs. Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest the entire time and lower into a deep squat. Make sure you squeeze your glutes and your legs as you return to start.
Do 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
The key to this exercise is to stand with feet beyond shoulder width. The wide stance forces the inner thigh muscles to work harder. Toes should be turned out.
Once feet are in position, hold the medicine ball in front of your body. The arms should hang freely during the first part of the movement.
Squat down until legs are parallel and ensure abdominals are engaged. A partial movement (half way down) is okay for those with limited mobility. Be sure to keep back straight and head up.
Exhale as you stand up.
Raise medicine ball above your head, keeping abdominals engaged and elbows soft, shoulders relaxed and down; squeeze glutes as you raise ball above your head, pause and lower to starting position. Repeat.
Reps Recovery Sets 12 to 15 reps x 3 sets; 30 seconds recovery between sets
Stability Ball Squats are a great exercise for beginners, or people who have postural deviations which prevent them from performing a squat with safe, proper form.
Position the Stability Ball against your upper back and lean against the wall, maintain a neutral spine and walk your feet forward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and keep your chest open, and rib cage elevated. Slowly lower your body by bending your ankles, knees, and hips. The range of motion will depend on the strength of the individual, but it should not exceed a 90 bend of the knee. Keeping your knees on top of your ankles and in line with your toes relieves undue stress on your patellofemoral joint which is prone to overuse injuries from excessive weight, and cardio training. Avoid arching your back or pushing your buttocks too far back towards the ball by "bracing" your deep abdominal muscles.
Add resistance in the form of dumbbells, once you have mastered the mechanics of this movement. For a demonstration see Personal Trainer Brianna Larson's 30 second YouTube video "Stability Ball Squat". Note: sometimes Brianna's vids are not available. ew 4/17/14
Hack Squat Definition: A hack squat is an exercise performed on a machine by using the legs to move weight resting on the shoulders, thereby moving the weight as the legs are straightened and the feet remain stationary. This variation by Jillian Michaels uses the body ball to strengthen your quad muscles.
Step 1: Standing with your back to the wall, place the body ball between your back and the wall and lean against the ball so that it is supporting your lower back.
Step 2: Hold for a beat, exhale, and press back up to your starting position and repeat.
"How to Do a Squat Boot Camp Workout" YouTube vid from personal trainer Rachel Buschert Vaziralli in Howcast workout video short 2 1/2 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXJrBgI2RxA accessed December 30, 2013
"Stability Ball Squat" description and video from Brianna Larson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL5BLv2tWh0 accessed December 31, 2013. Note: sometimes Brianna's vids are not available. ew 4/17/14
Body Weight Squats Proper Form Technique - Anywhere Exercise
Body Weight Squats Proper Form Technique - Anywhere Exercise
The air squat is also called body weight squat. The squat is a fundamental exercise. In order to master weighted back squat or any form of the squat with weights, you must be able to properly squat with your own body weight. Here are the steps:
Keep your weight flat on the floor so you can feel every part of your foot which is touching the floor.
Your first motion is not bending your knees, but tilting your pelvis anteriorly bringing your butt backwards like you are sitting on something behind you.
Most importantly, your back should not round and be completely neutral for the duration of your squats.
Inhale as you squat down to a parallel or below (with just body weight) position. Hold your breath until you are about 2/3 up and exhale as you finish the motion, squeezing your butt.
Your core should be drawn in tight for the duration of the motion. Stop if you feel any knee or back pain. Remember, your knees should be pointing in the same direction as your toes.
If you need help, you can hold on to something in front of you so you can practice the anterior pelvic tilt.
Also try the stability ball squat which will help you balance and practice the anterior pelvic tilt.
Sources:
YouTube "Body Weight Squats Proper Form Technique - Anywhere Exercise" http://youtu.be/Up_48p-BMug accessed December 20, 2013
Squat exercises are great for a total lower body workout. They effectively work most of the major muscle groups of the butt, hips and thighs. Squats are also a versatile exercise. They can be done in almost any location, with or without the use of weights or equipment.
Tones the Legs Squat exercises thoroughly engage the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles, which helps to tone and strengthen the legs. Slowing the motion down makes the workout that much more intense.
Lifts the Butt Doing squats gives the glutes a powerful workout, helping to tighten and lift the butt. To increase this effect, give your glutes an extra squeeze when returning to a standing position.
Strengthens the Core Squats engage the core muscles of the body. Abdominal and back muscles are needed to keep balance during the movement. The result is a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back. Make a conscious effort to hold in your abdominal muscles while squatting down to increase this effect.
Increases Flexibility Doing squats increases joint flexibility. The ankles, knees, hips and lower back are all utilized in the squatting motion. Be sure to maintain proper form to avoid injury. If you feel any pain in these areas, stop doing the exercises until the pain is gone.
Upper Body Workout Adding weights to your squat routine engages the muscles of the upper body, essentially giving you a full body workout in one exercise. You can accomplish this with the use of a barbell, dumbbells or a weighted vest. When adding weights to your routine, start with lighter ones and build as your strength increases.
How to Do a Common Squat Exercise
Stand with your feet hip width apart.
Tighten and pull in your abdominal muscles.
Lower your body as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep the motion slow.
Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor.
Stay in this position for a few seconds.
Now press down onto your heels and slowly rise back up to a standing position.
Repeat the exercise for a total of 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Be sure to rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
Once you're comfortable with doing squats, you can increase the difficulty by adding weights. Try holding dumbbells at shoulder level or use a barbell across your shoulders. You can also use one dumbbell; hold it in front of you with both hands while squatting. It's especially important to maintain proper form when using weights. Keep your knees aligned with your feet and don't squat beyond the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Squat exercises are a motion that your body uses often in real life. Whenever you bend down to pick something up, you'll be thankful that, because of your squat exercise routine, you'll have the strength and flexibility to get the job done.
The Clean and Press works the legs, core, back, shoulders, and triceps. Push your hips forward and look up at the barbell as it goes up and your bring the chest in as well. An Olympic-style lift once primarily performed by power athletes, the dumbbell clean and press has made its way into many regular exercisers' strength and conditioning routine. This advanced move works most of the muscles in your body and enhances neuromuscular coordination. Learn proper form before executing a clean and press as the explosive nature of the move increases the risk of injury.
Important! Hip-hinge to pick up bar! Bend the knees with the presses!
For women, a great dumbbell clean and press goal is twelve reps with two 30-pound dumbbells. The clean and press requires little equipment, two dumbbells, two kettlebells or a barbell, and can be done just about anywhere.
Assume a shoulder-width stance, with knees inside the arms. Now while keeping the back flat, bend at the knees and hips so that you can grab the bar with the arms fully extended and a pronated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width. Point the elbows out to sides. The bar should be close to the shins.
Position the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture. This will be your starting position.
Begin to pull the bar by extending the knees. Move your hips forward and raise the shoulders at the same rate while keeping the angle of the back constant; continue to lift the bar straight up while keeping it close to your body.
As the bar passes the knee, extend at the ankles, knees, and hips forcefully, similar to a jumping motion. As you do so, continue to guide the bar with your hands, shrugging your shoulders and using the momentum from your movement to pull the bar as high as possible. The bar should travel close to your body, and you should keep your elbows out.
At maximum elevation, your feet should clear the floor and you should start to pull yourself under the bar. The mechanics of this could change slightly, depending on the weight used. You should descend into a squatting position as you pull yourself under the bar.
As the bar hits terminal height, rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders while keeping the torso erect and flexing the hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.
Stand to full height, holding the bar in the clean position.
Without moving your feet, press the bar overhead as you exhale. Lower the bar under control .
For urls of sites used for this page, see Sources below.
Hold a pair of dumbbells below your knees as shown. Pull the dumbbells up and catch them at shoulder height. Then press them overhead, keeping your knees slightly bent. Return to the starting position. Perform three sets of three reps.
STEPS:
Place two dumbbells on the floor just outside of your feet. Rip them off of the floor and get them to your shoulders in one motion. This is the lower body portion of the drill. If you swing the dumbbells back behind your feet to initiate the clean you place the focus on the hamstrings. If you rip them straight up, the quads come more into play.
Once your legs are locked out, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms lock out. No leg drive is permissible. The legs must be locked out during the duration of the press.
Lower the bells back to your shoulders and take the dumbbells back to the starting position. You just completed one rep. Huffing and puffing already? You are in big trouble as you have eleven more reps to go. Get your puke bucket ready!
"Dumbbell clean and presses require stabilization from your trunk, and thus work the muscles of the abdomen, particularly the rectus abdominis, the obliques and the transverse abdominis. When you squat to pick the weights up off the floor and extend the hips, your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps activate. The jump that helps you bring the weights to your shoulders targets the muscles of your calves -- the gastrocnemius and soleus. Your back extensors, which are attached at the back of the spine and include the erector spinae, also engage as you move into a standing position. The middle back, primarily the trapezius muscles and rhomboids, and the shoulders drive the movement of curling the weights toward your shoulders and then up overhead. The triceps assist in the pressing up action."
Executed with heavy weights and low reps, the clean and press is an incredible strength developer. Done for high reps (12-15) the clean and press is an incredible strength-endurance builder. Done with heavy weights and high volume the clean and press is a great size and strength developer.Regardless of what your goals are, the clean and press has a place in your program. It is a great exercise for both men and women and if you only have time to do one exercise, you cannot do much better than the clean and press. An additional benefit is that
Through many years of training clients (and himself), Personal Trainer Max Barry shares some of his all time best fitness and workout tips with you. He also posts some good healthy recipes like his "Coconut Keto Protein Shake with Green Tea" and his Minute Scallops au Limon, simply seared, flavored with some hot pepper, garlic, lemon and herbs.
Schedule your workout times, just like other important appointments. Use your cell phone's calendar.
Belly fat is very stubborn. Once there, it wants to stay there. Only eating clean real food and training with intensity burns it away.
Want strong bones? Exercise increases bone density. High intensity activity is most effective for preserving bone mass.
Free weights reign supreme. Training without anything to support your body onto, forces you to engage your core the whole time.
Focus on compound movements. You will work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which will increase your lean muscle mass and therefore increase your metabolism. Favorites include: squats, lunges, deadlifts, good mornings, pushups, bench presses, pullups, rows, dips.
Do cardio after weights to burn fat. Your weight training will be more intense and you'll exhaust your glycogen storage. It's all fat burning from there! Try finding a sport/activity that you enjoy after your weight training sessions that will keep your body moving; think hiking, jogging, tennis, basketball, volleybal, etc.
Don't compare yourself to others' fitness levels. Invest in yourself, commit, train hard and you will reach your goals.
Listen to your body! Some days you feel like you can lift a car, while other days just 15 minutes seems like a stretch.
Proper form is a top priority. Knowing how to perform an exercise will allow you to train smarter and prevent injuries. Learn from the best: certified personal trainers, fellow gym enthusiasts, online resources.
Plyometrics torch more calories and fat than their traditional counterparts. Add jumping elements to these great basics: squats, lunges, pushups. Plyometrics, also known as "jump training" or "plyos", are exercises based around having muscles exert maximum force in as short a time as possible, with the goal of increasing both speed and power. See more about plyometrics benefits and risks. Note: Plyometrics shoud not be used by older people.
Coconut Keto Protein Shake with Green Tea
Makes 1 20-oz. Shake
Ingredients
2 Green Tea Bags
4 oz Water (boiling)
16 0z Water
1 Tbs Coconut Oil
1 Scoop Protein Powder (plain/vanilla)
Pinch Himalayan Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Stevia (optional)
Directions:
In a mug, brew green tea with 4 oz. boiling water. Only brew green tea for 60-90 seconds, otherwise it will become bitter.
Add the salt, stevia, and coconut oil. Stir to combine/melt.
In a 20+ oz protein shaker, add 16 oz. water and protein powder.
Peter Carvell's healthy, energizing morning pre-workout drink is ready in only 90 seconds! Make either cold in a shaker or hot in an electric frother/heater. Combine cocoa powder, Nestle instant coffee, skim milk, chocolate protein in your choice of container and shake/froth. My own idea is to make my own mix for travel using powdered milk. Add mix to the frother with water for a fast, easy morning drink right in your hotel room.
After you have finished your protein shake, do Peter Carvell's 6 Minute Abs Exercise on Your Couch
Fitlopedia's YouTube Channel excellent source for demos of exercises; short, to the point vids, and NO ads. Note: when a vid finishes it moves on to another.
How to Do a Lunge [Lunges with Weights]
XHIT Channel Fitness trainer Kelsey Lee demonstrates a lunge with the proper form. Kelsey breaks it down, step by step, shows you what muscles are used, how to do it the right way, and all the basics of the lunge. Note: To kick up the workout, simply hold some dumbells in your hands. 2 minutes
Cellulite does not go away, but "How to Reduce Cellulite with Exercise" by Chris Freytag with lots of lunges and Jillian's advice.
Early Morning Workout with pushups, planks, pikes, squats by former football great, Tony Gonzalez. 21 minutes
The MedX Adductor and Abductor machines Fitness Instructor, Erica of Mike Arteaga shows how to use the Adductor and Abductor machines. These machines should be used together. These exercises are good for the hips. Trainer recommends using middle position. Those with ostoporosis should use these machines.
Work Out Box YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/workoutbox/videos hundreds of short vids! Looks great. See also Work Out Box Exercises site.
REVIEW Pros: Workouts are separated into three categories, making it clear which workouts are at beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. Cons: not much nutrition Overall Work Out Box is an easy-to-use site that provides clear instructions, video tutorials and explanations of how to get fit in a straightforward fashion. It may cost 1.50 wk ? EileenLee joined 11/20/13
Group Power YMCA Demo Oct 13 good sound but good demos on form and no ads :-) Blast all your muscles with this high-rep weight training workout. Using an adjustable barbell, weight plates and body weight, Group Power combines squats, lunges, presses and curls with functional integrated exercises. Dynamic music and a motivating group atmosphere will get your heart rate up, make you sweat and push you to a personal best! Power up! SHORT 1 1/2 minutes
Personal Training With Jackie: Upper Body Excellent! In this one out of two power packed workouts you'll perform pyramid sets that combine Jackie's handpicked, dynamically sequenced moves with high rep progression to put you in the ultimate fat burning zone. You'll overload every major muscle group which is the fastest way to build lean muscle and turn your body into a fat burning machine! You'll work hard, but it's worth it for these results. Stick with this program for 30 days and take your body to the lean extreme. 24 minutes.
20 min Core Workout with Jackie Blast fat and your midsection with ab-chiseling moves that will help you achieve Jackie's famous washboard stomach! 20 minutes accessed 11/9/13
How to Work Out Properly: Mason Twist Exercise by Amy McCauley. The mason twist exercise is a seated, rotating stretch that opens up the oblique muscles and waistline; for a more intense workout, do with free weights. This short one minute vid, posted by Expert Village, was accessed 12/15/13
Knockout Body Blast Total body tightening workout w/ kickboxing 10 minutes accessed 11/9/13
Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism Complete Workout An intense calorie-blasting, total body-sculpting exercise series that is made up of 7 cardio strength training circuits that are designed to build lean muscle, obliterate fat, and push your weight-loss potential to the highest level with America's Toughest Trainer, Jillian Michaels. Get ready to sweat and lose that extra weight as you strengthen your abs and core, tone your arms, chest ,shoulders, legs, back, and butt through Jillian's fierce, sure-fire formula that combines strength , abdominal, plyometrics, and dynamic cardio moves to kick-start your heart rate and achieve maximum results. All you will need is a yoga mat, a light set of hand weights, and the determination to shape the strong and sexy body you have always dreamed of. Tighten and lift your problem areas as you slim your waistline and boost your confidence with this full 55-minute circuit workout from Jillian's "Banish Fat Boost Metabolism" Fitness DVD, which includes a warm-up and soothing cool down to prevent injury and increase results. Whether you're just getting started or ready for a hardcore workout, this program will ignite your metabolism and melt away the excess pounds to reveal a ripped, shapely body and lean muscle that you never knew you had! Be sure to try Jillian's "No More Trouble Zones" series next, only on the BeFit Channel! Check out more workouts from Jillian here: http://bit.ly/H3SuaK 55 Min accessed 11/9/13
List Exercise Videos from Expert Village by Amy McCauley, Katie Bowers, Kristie La Tray - lots of good vids but they are introd with ads; also do not bother to read comments which are mostly trashy ads
List Exercise Videos by Amy McCauley posted on Expert Village. Amy is a certified personal fitness trainer who specializes in Pilates, combat cardio, core conditioning and overall strength training.
Brianna Larson's YouTube videos are short with no ads. Brianna is a Personal Trainer. See also her inspirational Pinterest Posters. Note: sometimes Brianna's vids are not available. ew 4/17/14
Many Different Ab Exercises 6 minute vid of intense ab exercises plus a few on the dip bar (4:40) from Freddy Fox Jaramillo, personal trainer from South Beach, Miami. Freddy has another abs video with advanced abs exercises on the chin up bar.
Coach Nicole 8 - 10 Minute Workouts 8-Minute Arm Toning Workout from Nicole Nichols at Spark People, an easy-to-follow upper body workout that you can do anywhere, with a pair of dumbbells and a stability ball These targeted exercises and stretches will help you develop tighter and firmer muscles over time.
Length: 8 minutes Equipment: Stability Ball and dumbbell Type of Workout: Strength training (toning) & flexibility
Muscles Worked: Back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest
Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced
Impact: No impact
Safety Precautions: Use a weight that is appropriate for your fitness level, where you feel challenged but can maintain good form.
Extra Tip: When lying on the ball, keep your knees above your ankles and you feet flat on the floor. While on your back, bend your knees 90 degrees and bridge your hips towards the ceiling, engaging your abs.
Works back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and chest. Free of complex choreography, this workout is appropriate for people of many different fitness levels and abilities. Tip: When lying on the ball, keep your knees above your ankles and you feet flat on the floor. While on your back, bend your knees 90 degrees and bridge your hips towards the ceiling, engaging your abs.
8-Minute Lower Body Workout with Band from Nicole Nichols at Spark People, a series of 5 exercises (plus stretches) that will work your entire lower body. Perfect for travelers or home exercisers, the exercises in this workout require very little space and can be done virtually anywhere. Because all of these exercises involve balancing on one leg, this workout will help improve balance and core strength, too.
Length: 8 minutes
Equipment: Resistance Band, a chair for balance (optional)
Type of Workout: Strength training (toning) and flexibility
Muscles Worked: Lower body (hip flexor, quads, hamstrings, outer thigh, inner thigh)
Fitness Level: Intermediate to advanced
Impact: No-impact
Safety Precautions: Warm up before starting this workout and wear athletic shoes. Make sure the band is secure around your shoe or ankle when performing these exercises. Note that this workout may not be suitable for beginners or people with balance issues. EXHALE up; INHALE upon release.
Extra Tip: To better maintain your balance, remember three key things: 1) Keep your abs engaged. 2) Find a focal point and keep your gaze fixed there. 3) Don't lock out your knee joint. When balancing on one leg, keep that knee slightly bent. Accessed May 6, 2014. Alternate same vid on YouTube site Balancing Lower Body Workout with Band.
See List Coach Nicole's YouTube Workout Vids and Coach Nicole's Facebook Page
10-Minute Abs Shredder with Ball from Nicole Nichols, part of SparkPeople's New YOU Bootcamp Workout plan,
easy-to-follow upper body workout that you can do anywhere, with a stability ball. These targeted exercises and stretches will help you develop tighter and firmer muscles over time. Free of complex choreography, this workout is appropriate for people of many different fitness levels and abilities.
Length: 10 minutes
Equipment: Stability Ball and a mat
Type of Workout: Strength training (toning) & flexibility
Muscles Worked: Abs, obliques, lower back, hips
Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced
Impact: Low-impact
Safety Precautions: Be careful when leaning or lying on the ball, especially if you are new to using one. If you need to make the ball moves easier, you can do the same movements lying on the floor, knees bent, and feet flat.
Extra Tip: Make sure your ball is well-inflated. This will help you balance more easily and keep you safe, too.
A sample of 3 Spark People vids which could make a half hour morning workout routine. I would some ABS work w/ bicycles, jackknives and planks.
VIDEO8-Minute Cardio Intervals Workout (outside link) This short and simple cardio workout will elevate your heart rate to burn calories and fat in just minutes!
Length: 8 minutes
Equipment: None
Type of Workout: Cardio (aerobic) & flexibility
Fitness Level: Beginner to Advanced
Impact: Medium impact
Safety Precautions: Wear proper footwear. Exercise at your own intensity level, using tips provided to lower your intensity if necessary. Only complete as much of the video as you can, taking a break to recover (by marching) when necessary. Never stop abruptly--if you get tired, try to stay moving--even if you're just walking in place. As you progress, try to finish the entire video or to repeat the video several times.
VIDEONew YOU Bootcamp: 9-Minute Core Workout (outside link) Easy-to-follow core workout that you can do anywhere, with a stability ball and a mat. These targeted exercises and stretches will help you develop tighter and firmer muscles over time. Free of complex choreography, this workout is appropriate for people of many different fitness levels and abilities.
Length: 9 minutes
Equipment: Stability ball and mat (optional)
Type of Workout: Strength training (toning) & flexibility
Muscles Worked: Abs, obliques, lower back, hips
Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced
Impact: No impact
Safety Precautions: Exercise with slow, deliberate movements, not momentum. Always engage your abs to protect your lower back.
VIDEO10-Minute Beginner's Pilates Workout (outside link)
Learn how to work your core with proper form in this short, easy-to-follow excerpt from Kristin McGee's DVD, "Pilates for Beginners." A regular Pilates practice will help you sculpt a more toned midsection.
Length: 10 minutes
Equipment: Mat for cushioning (optional)
Type of Workout: Pilates (toning) & flexibility
Fitness Level: Beginner
Impact: No-impact
Safety Precautions: A mat will help cushion your body while lying on the floor. Always work at your own pace and level, using modifications whenever necessary.
Learn more and save 30% off this DVD by purchasing it from this link. SparkPeople members can save 30% on all Acacia titles by visiting acacialifestyle.com/spark.
Excellent series by Golds Gym PT Michelle Trapp. Many of these vids use Machines and demonstrate Heidi's Exercises used in her Fit Camp routines. Intro Ads.
How to Do Arm Raises with dumbbells, standing; front raises and side raises; strengthens arms and increases flexibility; full range of motion, stop at shoulder height; 8-12 reps; start w/ lighter weight
VIDEO 65 How to Choose Resistance Tubing from Mayo Clinic (outside link)
Resistance tubing is a lightweight, portable, inexpensive strength training tool. The tubing provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.
In general, the lighter the color of the tubing, the lighter the resistance. Likewise, the darker the tubing, or the shorter you make the tubing, the greater the resistance.
VIDEO 66 Biceps curl with Resistance Tubing from Mayo Clinic (outside link)
The biceps curl is an exercise you can do with resistance tubing to build strength in your upper arm.
Specifically, the biceps curl targets the bicep muscle in the front of the upper arm.
When you do the exercise with resistance tubing, you'll also be working the core muscles of your trunk and abdomen at the same time.
To do a biceps curl with resistance tubing, stand on the tubing with the ball of your foot.
VIDEO 67 Triceps Kickback with Resistance Tubing from Mayo Clinic (outside link)
The triceps kickback is an exercise you can do with resistance tubing to strengthen and tone the back of your upper arm.
As the name implies, the triceps kickback targets the triceps muscle, located here in the back of the upper arm. Strong triceps can help you with activities that require you to push away from your body.
To do the triceps kickback with resistance tubing, start by standing on the tubing with the ball of your foot.
VIDEO 77 Chest Press with Dumbbell from Mayo Clinic (outside link) [Heidi Exercises ]
The chest press is an exercise you can do with dumbbells to work the chest muscles. The chest press strengthens the muscles on the front of your chest, which can help you improve your performance in a variety of sports.
To do a chest press with a dumbbells:
LIe on your back with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold your upper arms perpendicular to your body and your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Slowly press the weights upward until your elbows are almost straight. You'll feel tension across your upper chest.
When you're doing the chest press, be careful not to lock your elbows or push with your feet. Hold your head in a neutral, relaxed position. To protect your shoulders, don't let your elbows drop below the horizontal line of your body during the exercise. The chest press is usually done lying on a weight bench, but you can also try it lying on the floor. You can hurt your shoulders if you let your elbows drop too low during this exercise. While you're lying on your back, don't let your elbows drop below the horizontal line of your body. Keep your movements smooth and controlled.
VIDEO 83 Lat Pull Down with Weight Machine from Mayo Clinic (outside link)
The lat pull-down is an exercise with a weight machine to work the muscles on the sides of your chest wall and upper back. Done properly, the lat pull-down targets the latissimus dorsi, a muscle on the outer side of the chest wall. A strong back with balanced muscles helps you maintain good posture. To do a lat pull-down with a weight machine, start by sitting on the weight bench. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bar. Slowly pull the bar toward your chest, moving your elbows behind you. Keep your chest high, and pinch your shoulder blades together. Stop when your elbows can go back no farther. The bar won't necessarily reach your chest. Then slowly return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your arms and back. When you're doing the lat pull-down, don't bring the bar down behind your neck, which can stress neck and shoulders and lead to injury. One set of 12 to 15 repetitions is usually adequate. For best results, bring the bar to the front of your chest while keeping your back straight. Keep your movements smooth and controlled.
VIDEO 84 Seated Leg Press with Weight Machine from Mayo Clinic (outside link)
The leg press is an exercise you can do with a weight machine to work a variety of muscles in the lower body. Specifically, the leg press targets the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thighs, the gluteal muscles in the buttocks, the hamstring muscles in the back of the thighs, and the calves, all in an integrated fashion. Since the leg press works several muscles at once, it's an especially efficient way to strengthen your lower body.
To do a seated leg press with a weight machine:
Start by sitting on the weight bench. Place your feet on the platform about shoulder-width apart, and grasp the handles with your hands. Slowly push the platform away with your legs. Keep your feet firmly planted on the platform and stop just short of full knee extension. Then slowly return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your legs and buttocks.
When you're doing the leg press, stop just short of full knee extension when you push on the platform. When you return to the starting position, do not let your thigh drop below the level of 90 degrees at the knee. If you dip your thighs too low, you may hurt your knees. It's also important to allow your kneecaps to follow the path of your feet during the exercise. Bringing your knees too close together could also injure your knees.
One set of 12 to 15 repetitions is usually adequate.
For best results, stop just short of full knee extension when you push on the platform. When you return to the starting position, do not let your thigh drop below the level of 90 degrees at the knee and keep your movements smooth and controlled.
Starting Position: Lie on ball with your legs bent and feet flat. Keep your upper body in a straight line and your hips raised. Hold dumbbells with arms extended upward, elbows slightly bent, palms facing in.
Action:
INHALE: Lower dumbbells until elbows are at shoulder height.
EXHALE: Raise the dumbbells up until they meet above chest.
Special Instructions: This is not an exercise for heavy weights. Keeping arms slightly bent will less the stress on the elbow.
Starting Position: You will need two Swiss balls. Bring both balls together, side by side. Place one of your lower arms on each ball. Your body should be approximately at a 45 degree angle with normal curvature of your lower back.
Action: Roll the balls outward, allowing your arms to open up. Continue until you feel you have reached a comfortable range of motion. Squeeze your arms back together, bringing the balls back to their original position. Try doing 2 sets with 10-12 repetitions.
Special Instructions: Keep your spine in a neutral position.
The triceps kickback is a terrific beginner exercise for sculpting the backs of your upper arms:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend to your knees.
Bend over at the waist so that your torso is slightly above parallel with the floor. Bend both elbows so that your upper arms are locked at your sides parallel to the floor.
Keeping your arms still, straighten your arms behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down toward the floor with your palms facing in towards your body.
Hold for a beat and inhale, slowly lowering your arms back to the starting position, and repeat.
To do this properly, remember to keep your abs tight and your back flat.
Biceps are worked with curls, which can be done seated.
Directions:
Starting Position Begin seated on a bench or chair. Hold a dumbbell with an underhand grip, resting that elbow on the inner side of your thigh..
Action INHALE: Curl the dumbbell to your shoulder, keeping upper body still.
EXHALE: Lower weight back down until your arm is straight but elbow is not locked.
Special Instructions This is a great exercise if you have trouble keeping proper form on seated or standing curls.
Muscles Worked: Biceps
Select the Proper Weight Although the amount of weight will vary from person to person, the feeling you experience will be similar. A good starting point is two sets of 12 repetitions (resting 30-60 seconds in between sets). The 12th repetition should be the last one you can do with proper form. If you cannot reach 12 without a significant struggle, the weight is too heavy. If you can continue past 12 without a problem, the weight is too light. The feeling you experience should fall somewhere in the middle- it is a challenge, but not so difficult that you risk injury. It is better to start with a light weight and add more as you become stronger and the exercises become easier.
After three or four weeks, you might notice some exercises becoming easier. At this point it is a good idea to increase the weight, in small increments of 2-5 pounds. This way your muscles will continue to be challenged without being overworked.
It is important to wear appropriate shoes and gear. See How to Select the Right Athletic Shoes (outside link) from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society
Athletic Shoes
Aerobic Shoes should be lightweight to prevent foot fatigue and have extra shock absorption in the sole beneath the ball of the foot (metatarsal area), where the most stress occurs. If possible, work out on a carpet.
Kettlebell Shoes should NOT be spongy, raised=heeled running shoes. Note that shoes with raised heels change your center of balance. The forward leaning and shortened posterior chain is counter productive to many exercises that utilise the muscles at the back of the body. Flat soled shoes or no shoes are appropriate for kettlebell training.
Gear
Plates How Much Do Plates Weigh? Determine how much weight you are lifting by adding up the plates + the bar (about 2 1/2 lbs)
2.2 lbs 1 kg plate
4.4 lbs 2 kg plate
8.8 lbs 4 kg plate
5.5 lbs 2.5 kg plate
11 lbs 5 kg plate
22 lbs 10 kg plate
Dumbbells
Kettlebells
Weight lifting gloves
Mats
Steps
Resistance Bands are great for travel. Trainer Anna says you can get a great workout with bench pushups and pullups plus resistance band exercises. For information about the differences in resistance bands and how to use them, see more about resistance bands.
Definition of a Pull Up: In essence, to do a pull up, grab a bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, with your hands facing away from you. Hang all the way down. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Slight pause Lower yourself all the way back down. Go up, and really concentrate on isolating your back and biceps. Don't swing!
Once you can do a single pull up, work on doing them in sets. Do one pull up, then wait a minute or two and do another one. Then wait a few more minutes and do another one. A few days later, try to do two in a row, and do a few sets of two. You need to start somewhere, but as soon as you can do one, you can find a way to do two. After that, find a way to do three, and so on. Remember, don't cheat by only going halfway down and not going all the way up. Straighten your arms out at the bottom, and get your chin over the bar!
Note that you can start by doing pull ups on a machine (see below) or use rubber bands (see AussieStrengthEquip YouTube VIDEO Power bands for pull ups progressions. See Wikipedia's Definition of Pull Ups
Assisted Pull Up with Machine
Starting Position
Follow machine instructions for set up and select desired weight. Grip the handles above your shoulders with palms facing outward. Straighten the arms and place knees on the pad, so that your body is upright and abs are engaged.
Action
EXHALE: Bend the elbows to lift your body up until chin is above the height of your hands.
INHALE: Slowly straighten the elbows to lower to the start position to complete one rep.
Special Instructions
Remember that on this "assisted" machine, when the weight you choose is heavier, you're lifting less of your body weight and the exercise is easier. When the weight you choose is lighter, you're lifting more of your body weight and the exercise is harder. You can experiment with different grips (such as palms facing inward, hands closer, hands wider, etc).
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, upper back
Assisted Pull Up Machine
How To Do Pull-ups and Chin-ups With Proper Technique
from StrongLifts
Pull-ups on a Power Rack
Pull-ups and Chin-ups force you to lift your own body-weight. They are the best strength training exercises you can do for upper-body strength and muscle mass. Unfortunately Pull-ups and Chin-ups are hard. Very hard.
If you're a beginner, chances are you can't do 1 Pull-up or Chin-up. This article will not only teach you how to do Pull-ups and Chin-ups with proper technique, but also how to get stronger at them so you can do the weighted versions.
What are Pull-ups and Chin-ups? Hang on a pull-up bar with straight arms and pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. The difference between Pull-ups and Chin-ups is in the grip:
Pull-ups. Palms facing away. Less biceps, more back. Harder.
Chin-ups. Palms facing you. Work your biceps more. Easier.
Other Pull-up variations include: palms facing each others, thumbless grip, towel Pull-ups, Fat Bar Pull-ups, Mixed Grip Pull-ups, Horizontal Pull-ups, Kipping Pull-ups, etc. This article deals with Pull-ups and Chin-ups.
Pull-ups vs. Chin-ups.
Benefits of Pull-ups and Chin-ups. StrongLifts 5x5 program includes Pull-ups and Chin-ups for the following reasons:
Build Muscle. Pull-ups and Chin-ups force you to lift your own bodyweight. This stresses your body, building the muscles of your arms and back.
Grappling Strength. Pull-ups and Chin-ups help any sport which involves gripping, grappling and pulling, like MMA or Rock Climbing.
Carryover. Get stronger at Pull-ups and Chin-ups and you'll get stronger on the opposite movements: the Overhead Press and Bench Press.
Shoulder Health. Balancing press exercises like the Bench Press with pull exercises like Barbell Rows (outside link) and Pull-ups prevents muscle imbalances. See article "How to Master the Bench Press" from StrongLifts (outside link)
What Do You Need for Pull-ups and Chin-ups? A Power Rack with a Pull-up bar works best. Or a Doorway Pull-up bar Any surface where you can hang from at arm's length will do for Pull-ups and Chin-ups.
What if You Can't Do 1 Pull-up or Chin-up? Whatever method you choose: pull yourself up as if nothing/nobody was helping you. Pull-ups and Chin-ups feel very different without assistance. And always try to beat your previous record.
Chin-ups. Chin-ups are easier than Pull-ups. If you can't do 1 Pull-up, try Chin-ups. Alternate Chin-ups with Pull-ups when you get stronger.
Resistance Band. Attach a resistance band to your pull-up bar and loop it around your knee.
Ask For Help. Ask someone to grab your side with his hands. Let him help you on the way up by squatting down and pressing up.
Kipping Pull-ups. Swing your hips while pulling yourself up until you get stronger. Check how Jesse Marunde uses his hips on the last reps.
Use Momentum. Jump up and use momentum. Control yourself on the way down. This one will get you a sore back and arms. You're warned.
I'm too Heavy For Pull-ups and Chin-ups. Body-weight is not the problem. Strength is. If you want to get stronger at Pull-ups and Chin-ups, do them more. Jesse Marunde at 310lbs body-weight can do 21 Pull-ups.
VIDEO Jesse Marunde 21 Pull-ups
Assisted Pull-up Machines and Lat Pulldowns. Stay away from both. If you want to get stronger at Pull-ups and Chin-ups, do Pull-ups and Chin-ups. The strength you build on machines doesn't convert to Pull-ups and Chin-ups.
No Balance. You don't have to balance yourself on machines. You'll lose strength when switching to Pull-ups and Chin-ups: they're harder.
Mental Factor. You're using less strength on the Assisted Pull-up Machine because you know the machine is helping you on the way up.
Once again: if you want to get stronger at Pull-ups and Chin-ups, do Pull-ups and Chin-ups. You're losing time with machines. If you can't do 1 rep, try the above methods. You'll be able to do 1 Pull-up/Chin-up within a month.
Weighted Pull-ups and Chin-ups. Once you can do 10-15 Pull-ups or Chin-ups in a row, add weight to keep the exercise challenging. Here's how:
Dumbbell Between Legs. Gets you an ab workout too. Doesn't work once you're using more than 10-20kg.
Rucksack. Wear a rucksack and put plates in it.
Belt and Chain. What I do. Wear a belt. Suspend plates from a chain, attach the chain to your belt.
Pull-up and Chin-up Technique. Start each rep from a dead hang with straight elbows. Clear the bar with your chin on every rep.
Squeeze The Bar. And put the bar close to your fingers, not in the palm of your hand. It minimize callus formation.
Breathe at The Bottom. It's easier to breathe at the bottom. Take a big breath before pulling yourself up.
Chest Up. Don't let your shoulders go forward: it's unhealthy for your shoulders. Lead with your chest up and keep your shoulders back.
Look Up. Never look down during Pull-ups and Chin-ups. Look at the bar. Look where you're pulling yourself up to.
Elbows to The Floor. Drive with your elbows to the floor. This involves your stronger back muscles more.
Bend Your Legs. And cross your feet. Letting your legs hang means less strength in my experience. Squeeze your glutes on the way up.
Australian Pullups
Australian pullups are the same exercise as an inverted row. Lie beneath a sturdy, horizontal bar that's at about waist height when you're standing. Grasp the bar in both hands, either overhand or underhand, and keep your body straight as a board. Have your heels on the ground as you pull your chest up toward the bar. Lower back to starting position, keeping hold of the bar, to complete one rep. Australian pullup, more commonly known as an inverted row, and regular pullup both offer a host of benefits for your back muscles.
Common Errors. Most common error on Pull-ups and Chin-ups is cheating the range of motion by not going low or high enough on each rep.
Not Straightening the Arms. Start from a dead hang with straight elbows, like on the picture above. No partial Pull-ups/Chin-ups.
Shoulders Going Forward. It's bad posture and bad technique. Lead with your chest up while driving your elbows to the floor.
Using The Hips. Keep your legs inline with your torso, unless you're doing Kipping Pull-ups.
Chin Over Bar. Nose or forehead against the bar is a partial Pull-up/Chin-up. Chin over bar unless you're not strong enough yet.
See More on Pullups below at section "Workout to Sculpt Arms and Back" which includes excellent video of 4 exercises to help you build upper-body strength and correct form to eventually do a pull-up.
Inverted Bodyweight Rows help build muscle on the back and forearms. You will need a parallel bar to lie underneath in order to perform this exercise. I have seen the exercise performed under sturdy tables too! Keep your body tight, and palms pointing away as you row up to your sternum. To increase the intensity you can raise your feet off the floor and onto a bench or Swiss Ball. Shoot for 8 - 12 slow and controlled repetitions. See Inverted Rows - What They Are, and Why You Should Do Them (outside link) from Nerd Fitness and 9 Muscle Building Bodyweight Exercises #3 which includes from Greg Brooks
In order to get the most out of group exercise classes, I personally think it is a very good investment to enlist the services of a personal trainer. You do not want to be doing the exercises using poor form. Yes, it is very good to read books and to watch videos, but nothing can replace having a knowledgeable person watch you and show you the tricks. I have gone to sample presentations by most of the personal trainers at the NAC. They are all good. In addition to the personal trainers the NAC has a crew of part-time class instructors. They all are very knowledgeable and helpful.
In October 2013, I set up personal training with Anna, the Group Power instructor at NAC. Anna who competes in women's bodybuilding has years of exerience in helping peope reach their fitness goals. I have learned a lot about form for dead lifts, dead lift squats, and clean presses which are among the most effective strengthening exercises. It is not easy, but with Anna's help and encouragement, some practice and reading I am slowly making progress and am very confident that I will succeed. Anna stresses that diet is 70%. She recommends very little or no alcohol, lots of water, plus healthy food. Her method of weight trainings consists of doing a routine, then repeating with increased weights, then again with the lighter weights.
Abs Crunches NOTE: Inhale on way down; Exhale on way up
Lower ab exercises: Leg-raises are very effective in working out the lower half of the rectus abdominis and intercostal muscles. They also exercise the muscles in the buttocks. Here is the procedure for doing leg-raises.
Warm up with cardio exercises for 5-10 minutes before starting with leg-raises.
Lie on your back, and press your abdominal muscles against the floor to keep the lower back flat.
Straighten both legs. Raise one leg slowly off the floor as high as you can until you begin to feel a stretch.
Hold in this position for 10-20 seconds and slowly lower the leg but do not touch the ground.
Repeat 10 times and switch to the other leg. Do 3-4 sets of 10 raises on each leg 3-4 times a week.
Do not arch the lower back during this exercise - if you do, all the weight will have to carried by the lower back and this can be very stressful.
Add weights to your legs when you are comfortable with the leg-raises.
A tougher variation is to raise and lower both legs together.
Crunches
Crunch with Stability Ball
See Stability Ball Abdominal Crunch (30 seconds) from Brianna Larson.
Sit on a stability ball, then roll down to a reclined position with your feet wide and knees directly above your ankles. Position your body that that your lower back creates a wedge at the ball and does not move, from this position slightly tip your pelvis towards the sky to contract your deep abs and avoid arching your back(hold this position throughout the set). Allow your head to fall gently into your hands as you lean back. The movement is not a crunch, per se, rather a curling upward and forward from the upper part of the spine. Focus on feeling the your ribcage opening when you lean back and close as you curl up. The movement should be felt in the abdominals from the breastbone to the top of your pant line. Remember to breathe when you curl upward.
Stability Ball Exercises and other recommended exercises by Brianna Larson include: [Brianna's List Stability Ball Exercises]
In March 2014, I achieved one of my goals by becoming a member of Heidi's Fit Camp. Heidi has written articles for magazines, won a number of competitions, and has had about 20 years of experience helping people meet their fitness goals. Heidi is very engaging and she really has the key of motivating people.
Golds Gym PT Michelle has produced a series of excellent videos. Many of her exercises are used in Heidi's Fit Camp which I attended from March through July 2014. I am currently developing my own routine using what I have learned from Heidi and Michelle's vids.
Ernestine Shepherd, personal trainer from Baltimore, Maryland, is the world's oldest female body-builder. Married for 53 years and a grandmother to a 13-year-old, she is exactly where she wants to be.
Ernestine's diet onsists of 1,700 calories a day, comprised mostly of boiled egg whites, chicken, vegetables and a liquid egg white drink. She runs about 80 miles per week, bench presses 150 pounds, does bicep curls with 15 to 20-pound dumbbells. She wants to meet Michelle Obama and would like to train her if she is willing.
Sample average day in the life of this septuagenarian bodybuilder extraordinaire:
2:30 a.m. Wake up. Meditate and read devotions from the Bible. Eat a snack of a bagel with peanut butter and hard-boiled egg whites. Drink 16 oz. of water.
3:45 a.m. Head to nearby park and run 10 miles. Go home and eat breakfast of oatmeal, three hard-boiled egg whites and a tablespoon of walnuts. Drink 8 oz. of liquid egg whites.
8 a.m. Head to the gym and work out for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
10 to 11 a.m.: Train a group of senior men and women. The oldest woman is 89 years old.
11 a.m.: Train four to five women in the gym. Drink another 8-oz. glass of liquid egg whites.
1 p.m.: Go home and eat a can of tuna, a cup of spinach, 1/2 cup of sweet potato and drink an 8-oz. glass of water. REST.
6 to 7 p.m.: Teach another class at the gym. Head home and eat turkey, brown rice, broccoli, more egg whites and drink lots of water.
10 to 10:30 p.m.: Drink one more glass of liquid egg whites. Go to bed.
Once upon a time a smug young reporter tried to nail down old-time film star Mae West on her actual age; the unflappable Mae responded using her famous deadpan delivery, "It ain't the age sonny boy, it's the mileage." We all
Ernestine Shepherd
know people who look a whole lot older then they actually are. These unfortunate folks age prematurely and take on the characteristics of someone much older. Stress, poor health habits, lack of exercise, bad genetics and illness can all contribute to premature physical aging. We all know people that look, act and feel much younger than they actually are. These freaks of nature bounce and bound and pad about with the coiled energy of a fit twenty-year old. The scuttle-butt whirls around these folks wherever they go as people secretly attribute the preserved condition to something other than brains amplified by hard work; plastic surgery being the most commonly mentioned. Onlookers cannot be convinced that such unbelievable results can be obtained by something as simple and natural as adopting the bodybuilder lifestyle. Bodybuilding procedures dramatically retard the aging process and real results always occur when a sound fitness game plan is combined with hard physical effort and disciplined eating.
Few people have the gumption, grit and tenacity to find the right program and then work hard enough to turn the plan into reality. In the city of Baltimore 66-year old Ernestine Shepherd has discovered the right combination of training and eating and effort and wrestled the hands of her biological clock to a standstill. Ernie, as her friends and family call her, was sixty-two years old in 1999 and registered a body fat percentile of 32% body fat, not bad! In 2003 at age sixty-six she has whittled and chiseled down to a lean 19% body fat. She looks decades younger than her actual age. Outstanding progress when you consider that when Ernie was born Hitler was just getting started and The Great Depression was still raging. Ladies like Ernie Shepherd and another Parrillo-powered golden oldie, 72-year old Kelly Nelson (see Sept. 2001 issue), along with men like Bill Pearl and Arnold (now 55) are redefining our definition of old.
These well-preserved elders all share common practices: they all lift weights hard and heavy, they all perform cardiovascular exercise on a regular basis, and they all practice precision eating. If you can correctly combine and balance all of these interlocking disciplines, muscles grow, posture improves, body fat decreases, mobility and endurance improve dramatically. The truth is plain to see that anyone who lifts weights, does consistent cardio and modifies dietary habits for the better will experience a significant physical change for the better. That's just plain common sense. Most people talk a good game of fitness but when it comes time to bust gluteus maximus in the gym, few are willing to expend the effort necessary to trigger gains.
Ernie Shepherd works like a plough horse in planting season when she trains: her favorite form of cardiovascular exercise is power-walking. She walks for two solid hours a day, five days a week, rain or shine; she walks for four straight hours on Saturday. That's no typo. "I love to walk outside and during the week I get up at 4am, put on my Walkman, go outside and speed walk for an hour around my neighborhood. Then I turn around and speed-walk back home for another hour." Asked if she had any favorite music for her power-walks, and half-expecting that she would indicate Duke Ellington or Count Basie, Ernie responded that, yes indeed, she did have a favorite tape, "I speed walk to a Marine Corp platoon tape training cassette. Sergeant Joe Bob Cobb calls out the cadence and I walk with the Marines! It's quite inspiring!" On the weekend Ernie walks for four solid hours around scenic downtown Baltimore. She puts her cardio training to good use, "I will be entering the 26-mile Baltimore marathon in October of 2003.
I wanted to enter the race last year but had to miss it on account of a scheduling conflict." At the 2001 Baltimore Marathon the modest Mrs. Shepherd entered and won her age group by finishing the 26- mile race in a little over six hours. "It was such fun and I was disappointed I had to miss last year but I intend to enter this year and improve upon my previous marathon best." Ernie works at a local elementary school as school secretary during the workweek and puts in a long, full day. After work, most nights she heads to the local gym. Three nights a week she weight trains herself and two nights a week she works as a personal trainer teaching others. "On Tuesday I work as a personal trainer at Sherita's body on-line and on Thursday I work with clients at Kenny Reid's Fitfor- life facility." Ernie weight trains three days a week and sessions last upwards of two hours. and four sets per exercise; staying in the 6-10 rep per set range. Her training partners are serious male bodybuilders and Ernie's training is hardly a mellow senior citizen body pump class.
Her training mates, Raymond Day and 72-year old Ernest Jones follow a serious bodybuilder training routine and they demand of Ernestine what they demand of themselves. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Ernie said. Top sets are nearly always taken to failure and occasionally forced reps are used to increase intensity. Her cardio is done first thing in the morning to maximize body fat oxidation. Science has shown that performing cardio before eating breakfast (in the absence of glycogen), causes the body to burn stored body fat at an accelerated rate. Is it any surprise that Ernestine uses the eating and supplementation tactics of sport's nutritionalist Todd Swinney? It seems anyone of any note connected to bodybuilding and living in Baltimore or the surrounding suburbs has a connection to Todd. "I met Todd at a Mr. Olympia competition a few years back and began working with him on my diet.
Todd customized me an eating schedule that I have adhered to for almost four years and with excellent results. My diet is high in protein, very low in fat and with a good amount of carbohydrates." It comes as no surprise that Ernie is remarkably disciplined in her eating. She eats the same basic foods each day: lean protein, fibrous and starchy carbohydrates and not much else. What is surprising is how much food this 5-5, 135-pound woman consumes; she eats often and she eats a lot. "It seems as long as I eat good clean food, I don't get fat." Todd's tactic is to use multiple meals and super select foods in ample quantity to "build the metabolism." Todd eliminates all sugar, all manmade refined carbohydrates and dietary fat intake is reduced to a negligible 5-10%. "My husband Collins does the cooking and prepares my meals and oh my, can that man cook!" The expert home cooking makes it even easier to love the cook. It's a heck of a lot easier to stay on a strict bodybuilder-style diet if the foods needed are prepared in tasty and expert fashion.
The problem with diet foods is the menu of acceptable foods is limited and a real challenge to prepare different dishes in imaginative ways using a limited number of ingredients. Ernie is lucky; her Trophy Husband knows just how to put taste and pizzazz into the small rotation of repeat dishes that a serious bodybuilder must continually contend with. This 66-year old can pack away the victuals: she eats a 9-eggwhite omelet plus a baked potato and a chicken breast for breakfast. Then she eats this same identical mighty meal again three short hours later. This sleek elder eats twenty-seven egg whites each and every day; along with three pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast and a small mountain of steamed vegetables. Ernie has built a blast-furnace metabolism and her body thrives on lots of super clean calories. Ernie has been featured in Essence Magazine and appeared on the "The View" with Barbara Walters and Star Jones. She was scheduled to appear on Oprah in September of 2001 and has yet to be rescheduled.
Her amazing physique has attracted considerable attention in the local Baltimore newspapers and several have done feature articles on this amazing athlete. It seemed only natural to ask if we would ever see her compete in a bodybuilding competition. "I've been asked that question a million times and have been told by people whose opinions I respect that I could do quite well. I love to watch bodybuilding and perhaps if I had started as a young person I would compete but I would feel terribly uncomfortable posing onstage now." Ernie and a small group of friends travel every year to the Mr. Olympia extravaganza and have been doing so since Lee Haney was winning back in the late 80's. "Our group goes every year and I love to watch all the bodybuilding shows; men, women and fitness. We have a wonderful time and I had a lovely conversation with Ms. Olympia Lynda Murray last year." With her dynamic personality, fantastic physique and upbeat outlook on life, Ernestine Shepherd is truly redefining our definition and expectations of advanced age.
The bodybuilder lifestyle as practiced by Ernestine Shepherd is without doubt the finest system ever devised for improving the quality and extending the duration of life. Ernie, Todd & John Ernestine has been influenced by John Parrillo both directly and indirectly. "I use John Parrillo's Optimized Whey every single day. It tastes wonderful and contains 33 grams of protein (and only four carbohydrates) in every serving." Ernie uses the Parrillo approach to diet and supplementation as taught her by master trainer and nutrition guru, Todd Swinney. "I visit Todd often and he checks my body fat percentile and we might make some adjustments in my diet plan." After four years, the Parrillo approach, as taught by Todd, has become second nature to Ernie. "I have great energy and I think that this is because even though I train very hard and have a full-time job, I eat plenty and I eat often; this seems to recharge me as I go through the day."
Her weight training is intense and serious and as a result her bones, usually weakening and becoming brittle in females her age, are instead thick and osteoporosis-resistant. Ernie's high intensity cardio has ensured her heart and lungs are in peak working order. She flushes nutrient enriched blood through her circulatory system six days a week. As a result she has the endurance of a steam locomotive and her low fat intake keeps saturated fat globules from coagulating in her arteries and clogging heart valves. All in all, Mrs. Shepherd has custom devised for herself a nearperfect life-extension system, ironically as an unintended sideconsequence of adopting a serious bodybuilding regimen. Ernestine Shepherd is a walking talking billboard, a testament to the advantages of maintaining a serious approach to fitness in our golden years. "I love to train and walk and so value the camaraderie of the regulars at the gym." Ernie's advice would be to fall in love with the "process" and the rest will take care of itself.
Jim is a former University of Arizona football star who has squatted 1000 lbs in competition. Jim is the author of 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training Method for Raw StrengthPDF (opens separate window).
Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting system is rapidly growing into one of the most popular powerlifting and strength building training routines. In this guide to Wendler's 5/3/1, you will find information on 2, 3, and 4 day splits.
Wendler's 5/3/1 Core Components
4 to 5+ Week Mesocycle. A mesocycle of Wendler's 5/3/1 lasts 4 weeks if you train 4 days per week, and 5+ weeks if you train 3 days per week. If you workout three times per week (Monday-Wednesday-Friday), you will rotate between 4 core workouts. If you workout 4 days per week, you will hit each workout once a week on the same training day.
4 Core Workouts. Wendler's 5/3/1 consists of 4 core workouts:
Workout A. Squat and assistance work. (outside link)
Workout B. Bench Press and assistance work. (outside link)
Workout C. Deadlift and assistance work. (outside link)
Workout D. Overhead Press and assistance work. (outside link)
Pushups great resistance workout for chest and arms; can be performed anywhere, anytime; no equipment but your own body weight
Exercise Demos from Sparks People Upper, Lower, Core and Stretching (OUTSIDE LINKS); complete list including small image of all exercise directions from Spark People; easy to search for a specific exercise
Jumping Jacks work glutes, core, calves, hamstrings, cardio; do 3-5 minutes - See Demo Jumping Jacks from Kyle Brayer at Expert Village YouTube, accessed November 13, 2013
Mountain Climbers In-Home Cardio Exercise - See Demo Mountain Climbers from Kyle Brayer at Epic Fitness YouTube, accessed November 25, 2013
In-Home Abdominal Workout - Bicycle Crunch - See Demo Bicycle Crunchs from Kyle Brayer at Epic Fitness YouTube, accessed November 25, 2013
Top 3 Core Exercises - See Core Exercises including Superman-Banana, from Daily Hiit accessed November 25, 2013
Group Power Demo Jan 14 from bodytrainingsystems; good sound and good demos on form and no ads :-)
Blast all your muscles with this high-rep weight training workout. Using an adjustable barbell, weight plates and body weight, Group Power combines squats, lunges, presses and curls with functional integrated exercises. Dynamic music and a motivating group atmosphere will get your heart rate up, make you sweat and push you to a personal best! Power up! SHORT 1 1/2 minutes
Group Power YMCA Demo Oct 13 good sound but good demos on form and no ads :-) Blast all your muscles with this high-rep weight training workout. Using an adjustable barbell, weight plates and body weight, Group Power combines squats, lunges, presses and curls with functional integrated exercises. Dynamic music and a motivating group atmosphere will get your heart rate up, make you sweat and push you to a personal best! Power up! SHORT 1 1/2 minutes
Dead Row and Dead Lift Fitness Instructor, Erica of Mike Arteaga explains these routines SHORT 2 minutes
Group Power Routines with Song Titles / October 2013 release
Warm-Up: Finally Found You // Weight Factor: Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 30lbs; includes Dead-Squats, ...
Legs: Suave (Kiss Me) // Weight Factor: Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 60lbs; includeis tons of over-lapping levels (ie: top, middle bottom, and up) and then these scorcher 16 full singles! And when you think your done, no, there are more singles! This was an awesome track!
Chest: Urgent // Weight Factor: Increase to Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 35lbs You start with an increase on the bar and keep it for most of the track, then switch to normal, but Rebecca just kept her increase the whole time. It is tons of traditional chest presses. You have full, top halves, bottom halves, etc. And then at the end you finish it off with a zillion bottom pulses! It burns so good!
Back and Legs: Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye // Weight Factor: Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 30lbs A pretty repetitive track, but the Back and Legs usually are. Consists of the Dead-Squat, wide dumbbell back-flies. Then we have tons of double clean and presses which Rebecca hates. You have to do 2 in a row with out a row in between and it can get a little stressful for the back.
Triceps: Don't Stop The Party // Weight Factor: Increase + Dumbbells // Rebecca's Weight: 25lb Bar and 8lb Dumbbells; consists of Tri-Presses with the bar so it doesn't hurt wrists and grip like the over head extensions usually do. After the bar work you stand up and do the dumbbell/plate work which is over head extensions. They also do a pull down in front of the face; they finish, just like the chest track, with DB OH extension bottom pulses until the song ends.
Biceps: The Stroke // Weight Factor: Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 25lbs Unilateral work with the bar. You start with wide grip curls and then bring one hand in which will be the arm doing all the work. The other is just balancing the bar. Then you switch sides and do the same sequence of curls. Then you go back to wide and then normal. Anna refers to this as "offset". It is over pretty quick, but Rebecca says she definitely won't be increasing her Weight for this one just yet. It is very challenging!
More Legs: Don't You Worry Child // Weight Factor: N/A // Rebecca's Weight: N/A Rebecca considers this one of the most dangerous tracks they have come up with! - crazy weird. 4 short rounds You start with a round for each leg doing step ups with a knee raise using the step. You progressively get faster and so on. Then you do a few lunges, then transition to kicking you back leg back and then the danger comes. You do these weird lunge jumps from the step. Rebecca is scared her foot won't land right back on the step and she will twist her ankle and fall. but for the older women in the class she is really concerned some one will hurt themselves. We then do the same sequence except we have one foot up on the side of the step and do squats. But then we eventually transition to those crazy one leg on the step jumps from the squat position. Again, if your foot doesn't land back down on the step correctly, you could twist and ankle. You can use modifications. You don't have to jump, and you don't even have to use the step if you don't want! This is definitely a track where you need to listen to your body and ability.
Shoulders: Work // Weight Factor: Increase // Rebecca's Weight: 25lbs (DBs: 16lbs) You have 3 rounds in this track. you do some short bar work which consists of upright rows and over heads, then a rest while you pick up your dumbbells. For the first dumbbell round you do this weird monkey arm move, but with out swinging your arms or torso. Then you repeat the bar sequence and transition to the dumbbells, this time doing bent lateral raises which she adore. Bar for the last time then dumbbells doing under hand front raises which are absolutely killer at this point. And just like chest and triceps your do extra pulses at the end for that solidifying power finisher! she always like the shoulder tracks. Shoulder are her favorite part of the arm to train because of all of the options and she see the most results there!
Core: Soul Man // Weight Factor: Normal // Rebecca's Weight: 15lb plate Rebecca considers this track is weak! She was so disappointed because it had so much potential. She loves using plates to train the core, but the moves we do with the plates which are lying on your back and bring one leg out and the arms back and switching. Then place the plates on your chest for normal crunches, then some roll-ups and repeat 4 times. Her core is just too strong for this track. At least we end with some planks but the first plank we do is a weird bend the knees and bring the hips back then pop up to push-up position. Then we finally go down to an elbow plank and end it there. Not her favorite.
Stretch: Diamonds
All in all Rebecca liked this release. It was really different and incorporated new moves and sequences. It is nice to have a total switch up and confuse the body so we can continue to grow, build, and strengthen. And guess what? she was so surprised that there were no push-ups of any kind in this release! Man, one of her faves was not included, but some of her over faves came back so she will allow it she can't wait to see what the bonus chest and bicep tracks are like eventually. Chest is to Blinded By The Light and the Bicep is to Rock And Roll. The chest is increase while the bicep is just normal. Her favorite tracks were Squats, Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders!
Rebecca's Post Workout Shake consists of about 1/2 cup of Almond Milk, 1 small banana, 1 Scoop of Plant Fusion, a massive quantity of Spinach, and some ice. See Rebecca's recipe list.
You have to lower body fat and tone muscles to become fit.
Burning fuel requires oxygen. Your cardiovascular system delivers the oxygen, so get your cardiovascular system in shape to BURN a lot of calories. It takes about 6-8 weeks of intense cardio to get in good cardiovascular shape.
More muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate, but the difference is rather insignificant unless you put on massive amounts of muscle, which takes a LONG time and LOADS of work. Even then, muscles don't burn a lot of calories unless you use them.
If you eat well, plus work out properly for about 1 1/2 hours a day, 6 - 7 days a week, it will take less than 2 years to be fantastically fit. Your workout program should include cardio, weightlifting, and stretching.
Lentil Soup Mix fast and healthy; lentils with dried onion, sweet pepper, thyme, parsley, and red pepper. Just add water, low-sodium chicken broth, a can of diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, and some fresh spinach.
Lee's Smoothies very healthy with almond milk, water, 0% yogurt, tofu, banana, avocado, kale, spinach, whey powder and frozen fruits. Lee's technique is to whirl all ingredients, except the milk and protein whey, with just plain water on high until well blended. Stop. Then put blender on lowest speed possible and add some almond milk and plus protein whey powder and mix until just blended.
Healthy Substitutes Use Black Beans, Quinoa, Avocado, Greek Yogurt, Ground Turkey, Agave Nectar, Pureed Cashews, and cut fat, calories, and sugar.
According to NAC trainer, Anna, fitness is 70% diet, 30% exercise. She recommends 0 alcohol, and eating 6 small healthy meals which include protein. Heidi recommends very little alcohol and eating greens and protein. She eats egg whites. See List of foods on Heidi's diet.
Portion Control is essential! According to Peter Carvell, portion control is the most important factor for a 6-pack. He gives a practical option to tedious time-consuming calorie counting, the hand -palm - fist method which is fast and visual. Watch Peter's 11-minute video Is Calorie Counting the Best Way to Determine Portion Size? (outside link). Here's what works: portion control, regular exercise, and group support. Nothing replaces a low-calorie diet and exercise for weight loss. Because a pound of muscle burns more calories at rest than a pound of fat, an increased muscle mass is the key to a revved metabolism, plus it helps you look more sleek and svelte. Don't skip strength training which is one of the most important components of your weight-loss plan. Schedule strength training into your routine two to three times a week, along with at least three 30-minute cardio sessions.
Healthy, Filling Foods Eating healthy, filling foods helps you lose weight. Here are four foods Jillian says will help you reach your goal weight by making you feel full so you don't end up overeating:
Protein. One study found that increasing protein to 30 percent of your total daily caloric intake can improve you sensitivity to leptin, which makes you feel less hungry. Good sources of protein are low-fat yogurt, salmon, turkey, eggs, and almond butter.
Whole foods containing zinc. Zinc is a mineral that also raises leptin levels, keeping your hunger hormones balanced. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, poultry, beans, nuts, red meat, whole grains, organic dairy products, and fortified breakfast cereals.
Complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs break down more slowly than simple carbs so they release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly, keeping insulin levels stable and enabling you to feel full longer. Complex carbs include whole grains like barley, amaranth, brown rice, whole oats, beans, peas, lentils, and quinoa.
Fresh, non-starchy vegetables. In addition to all their vitamins and minerals, low-carb veggies are packed with fiber, so they not only fill you up, they slow your digestion and reduce the release of sugars into the bloodstream. Some examples are leafy greens, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, and pumpkin.
The Sugar Busters diet focuses on eliminating foods containing refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour, and white rice, as well as naturally occurring carbohydrates rating high on the glycemic index like potatoes and carrots. Among foods to avoid are beets, corn, potatoes, carrots, white rice, white pasta, white bread. Instead eat brown rice, whole grain pasta, salads, oatmeal, dairy. See Sugar Busters Page
Web MD is guarded in their review. Read Web MD Review of Sugar Busters
Pasta is fattening, but you can keep the tomato sauce without the wheat pasta. Substitute spaghetti squash and zucchini shreds or use whole grain pasta. Dilute the pasta with lots of vegetables. Add steamed green beans to linguini alle vongole. Add sauteed mushrooms and red pepper strips to rotini.
Healthy cooking methods are easy:
Grill Meats, Seafood and Vegetables Chicken, beef, turkey burgers, and meaty fish like salmon are all great cooked on the grill. Add some marinated vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and peppers for a healthy side dish. If you don't have an outdoor grill, use a grill pan on the stovetop, or the oven's broiler.
Steam Vegetables Steaming is an excellent way to cook vegetables because it preserves more of their nutrients, and it's much easier to test their doneness so you don't overcook them. Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and green beans are just a few examples of vegetables that steam in just a few minutes. If you don't have a steamer, simply place vegetables in a metal colander and put the colander in a pot with an inch or two of water in it. Turn the heat high to bring the water to a boil, and cover the colander with the pot's lid. After a few minutes, test the vegetables with a fork to see if they're done.
Use a Slow Cooker Put organic chicken, organic vegetables, and water or low-sodium organic chicken broth into a slow cooker and switch it on. In 6-8 hours, a healthy stew will be waiting for you.
Virgin Diet
A new fad diet? JJ Virgin, author of The Virgin Diet, 7 Foods, 7 Days, 7 Pounds claims you will lose weight and feel better if you omit the following inflammatory foods from your diet.
Gluten
Soy
Dairy
Eggs *
Corn *
Peanuts *
Sugar
NOTES:
*Lee will never give up Eggs, Corn, Peanuts and Peanut Sauce. She won't give up dairy either.
Ms. Virgin is not a registered dietitian but rather someone who has taken an eclectic mix of coursework from a variety of non-traditional institutions. See "New Diet Fads - What You Need To Know" Medpage Today
Learn how to properly time meals and workouts to build lean muscle and burn more calories.
Every Day Health by Kristen Stewart, medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Food is fuel, so it only makes sense that a proper fill-up is critical to a rewarding workout. Even if you're looking to lose calories, skimping on calories before exercise is not the path to success. Not only will it result in a lack of energy, but more muscle mass will actually be lost than created.
"Basic exercise does not burn all that many calories," says William D. Hart, PhD, assistant professor in the department of health sciences at Rogers State University in Claremore, Okla. "You cannot get rid of the three pieces of pumpkin pie at the gym tomorrow. But exercise adds muscle, so that over time your body naturally burns more calories per day." See "Burning Calories at the Gym" (outside link)
For a healthy diet, Hart recommends following the United States Department of Agriculture My Pyramid guidelines, emphasizing whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while avoiding fried and fatty foods.
As for exercise, it's critical to combine weight training with high-intensity interval work during aerobic activities such as walking or jogging on a treadmill or using an elliptical machine.
Pre-Workout Meal Plan
While it's important to eat something before exercising, be careful to allow enough time for digestion. A good blood supply is required to process food, so conflicts can occur when the same blood is needed to bring nutrients to muscles during a workout. "Your goal is to make sure that the meal is essentially gone when you start the exercise," says Hart. "A good rule of thumb would be eating no closer than one and a half to two hours ahead of time."
Keep in mind that the amount of fat in the meal and the intensity of the exercise can also affect digestion time. The more fat, the longer it takes to be digested and the more time should be allowed. How taxing the workout is can change the amount of blood needed for the muscles. If the exercise is mild, eating closer to the start time is acceptable.
As to the type of food, Thomas A. Fox, an exercise physiologist and author of The System for Health and Weight Loss, recommends fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread. An ideal pre-workout meal consists of protein - 10 to 35 percent, carbohydrates 45 to 65 percent, and fat - 20 to 35 percent.
And what about those who exercise in the morning vs. the evening? The timing really shouldn't affect the diet. Many people have a preference for foods appropriate to the time of day, but as long as the right amount and type of calories are ingested, the specific selection is not important. For more about the benefits of morning exercise and ways to stay motivated, see "Rise, Shine, and Get Some Exercise" (outside link).
Post-Workout Meal Plan
If the exercise has been intense, it's crucial to eat within an hour of the end of the workout in order to refuel the body's cells. "A decent-sized meal within that 60-minute post-workout period will greatly increase the ability to recover and help build lean muscle tissue," says Jonathan Mulholland, DC, a chiropractor, exercise scientist, and consultant for the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. An ideal ratio is 4:1 carbohydrates to protein, with an easy option being a glass of chocolate skim milk.
For mild workouts, a light snack is sufficient to tide you over until the next meal. Another good idea is eating less but more frequently, since consuming more than can be digested and burned at one time translates to the extra food turning into fat.
Finally, no matter when or how vigorous the exercise, be sure to always eat breakfast. A variety of studies have shown people who ate the most in the morning are generally thinner and consumed fewer calories the rest of the day. Turns out, Mom was right all along.
According to several experts, sugar is what is making so many Americans fat and sick. One in seven Americans has Metabolic Syndrome. One in three Americans is obese. The rate of diabetes is skyrocketing and cardiovascular disease is America's number one killer. Cut out anything with an added sweetener: table sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, agave or fruit juice. Also cut out anything made with fake sugar or sugar alcohols. Unless the sweetness was attached to its original source (e.g., a piece of fruit), we don't eat it.
What Is Metabolic Syndrome? Metabolic Syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease. Note that "heart disease" refers to coronary heart disease (outside link) (CHD, a condition in which a waxy substance, plaque builds up inside the coronary (heart) arteries.). Plaque hardens and narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, a heart attack, heart damage, or even death.
Metabolic Risk Factors
The five conditions described below are metabolic risk factors. You can have any one of these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together. You must have at least three metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
A large waistline. This also is called abdominal obesity or "having an apple shape." Excess fat in the stomach area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
A high triglyceride level (or you're on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
A low HDL cholesterol level (or you're on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called "good" cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease.
High blood pressure (outside link) (or you're on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup. A blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher (or being on medicine to treat high blood pressure) is a metabolic risk factor. (The mmHg is millimeters of mercury, the units used to measure blood pressure.) If only one of your two blood pressure numbers is high, you're still at risk for metabolic syndrome.
High fasting blood sugar (or you're on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.
Overview
Your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke increases with the number of metabolic risk factors you have. In general, a person who has metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes as someone who doesn't have metabolic syndrome. Other factors, such as a high LDL cholesterol level and smoking (outside link) are major risk factors for heart disease, but they aren't part of metabolic syndrome.
Having even one metabolic risk factor raises your risk for heart disease. Control every risk factor you can to reduce your risk.
The risk of having metabolic syndrome is closely linked to:
Other Risks: Insulin resistance (condition in which the body can't use its insulin properly) also may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells where it's used for energy. Insulin resistance, which is closely linked to overweight and obesity, can lead to high blood sugar levels. Genetics (ethnicity and family history) and older age are other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome.
Outlook: Metabolic syndrome is becoming more common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults. Metabolic syndrome may, in the future, overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease. It is possible to prevent or delay metabolic syndrome, mainly with lifestyle changes. A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Successfully controlling metabolic syndrome requires long-term effort and teamwork with your health care providers.
It's not all about genetics when it comes to metabolism speed. You've heard this before: Thin people have fast metabolisms and overweight people have slow metabolisms. Experts say it isn't so and that weight loss can be boosted if you know how to ramp up your natural fat incinerators. Your metabolism converts food into energy - and it's just waiting to unleash itself, so go for it! Here's what you can do today to take your metabolism up a notch.
Quit "dieting." Eating clean is a lifestyle (not a fad diet) you can start today. Make simple changes like swapping fatty cuts of meat for lean ones and passing on calorie-laden salad dressings for a tangy balsamic vinegar, a natural appetite suppressant, that has fewer calories yet all the flavor (one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar contains approximately five calories).
Eat small meals, five to six times a day. This will help satisfy hunger, plus leave room for another small meal in two to three hours. Your metabolism will be on high all day! As a tip, try to keep each meal between 300 and 400 calories and read nutrition labels to give you a hand.
Combine right. Eat lean protein (e.g., fish, chicken, turkey and flank steak) and complex carbohydrates (e.g., Ezekiel bread, sweet potato and whole grains) together at every meal. This super-charged combination keeps metabolism balanced and insulin levels in check.
Portion control. Getting clean food is just part of the full clean eating picture. You have to apply the basic principles of serving sizes, too. Although all food servings are not created equal, Oxygen's Tosca Reno, author of The Eat-Clean Diet, states in her book that following these simple rules can help you navigate the right portion sizes for your needs: A protein serving should be the size of your palm; complex carbs from whole grains and starches is the amount you can hold in a cupped hand; and complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies is the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.
Eat spicy food. Spices (or "thermogenics") including taste-bud pleasers like cinnamon and cayenne, actually burn fat by keeping metabolism in drive. Consider thermogenic foods when looking to add some personality to your meals.
Train major muscle groups at least three times per week. Now that you have all this food energy stored up, it needs somewhere to go! Be sure to work out, hitting all muscle groups, at least three times per week.
Myth: Some foods, like grapefruit, celery and cabbage, will actually make you burn fat.
Fact: "You can't chew celery twice and lose 100 calories when the celery has 10 calories," says Liz Applegate, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of California. There's no real evidence that this works.
Myth: You can eat whatever you want, as long as you create a caloric deficit.
Fact: "You can have 150 calories of white rice or 150 calories of brown rice, but the brown rice is more nutrient-rich and has more fiber," says Susan J. Hewlings, Ph.D, RD, CSSD and exercise psychologist. What you're eating matters just as much as how much of it is going on your plate if you're planning on burning fat.
Myth: You have to stop eating fat to burn fat.
Fact: "When people cut out all fats, they usually fill in with lots of refined carbs," says Rob Huizenga, MD. Cut saturated fats and trans fats, but keep healthy monounsaturated fats like the ones found in avocados. (Just watch your portions.)
Myth: Eating twice a day is the best way to lose fat.
Fact: "Eating fewer but bigger meals promotes fat storage and zaps your energy," says Hewlings. Make sure you're eating every three to four hours to keep your metabolism revved and the weight coming off.
If 1 lb of fat is the equivalent of 3500 calories, then mathematically, 3500/7 = 500, we conclude that to lose ONE pound per week, we must either eat 500 less calories per day or burn 500 more calories more per day. Optimally, the daily 500 calorie deficit should come from a combination of increased exercise and decreased calories consumed. Here's the run down on eating 500 less calories per day. Note that the key to 6-pack Abs is shedding fat which means eating less. The key to imcreasing metabolism rate is adding more muscle which means weight-lifting.
QUESTION: How do I do that? ANSWER: Track your calorie intake!
Use Internet calorie count sites to track very SINGLE Calorie!. Input your food and it calculates all the calories for you!
The DailyPlate from Live Strong (outside link opens in new window)
Now, once you have a few days under your belt, take a look back and determine an average for what you've been eating and how many total calories you've been eating daily. To lose a pound a week, knock 500 calories out of that diet per day. If you want to lose half a pound a week, knock 250 calories out of your diet per day. It might mean one less snack, ordering a smaller lunch, or cutting back on soda (liquid calories are BRUTAL).
If you are wondering how many calories you SHOULD be eating, calculate your BMI using BMI Calculator (outside link). Basal Metabolic Rate from Nerdfit (outside link opens in separate window), and then adjust for how active you are (outside link opens in separate window). According to Mayo Clinic calorie counter, at 5' 3", 141 lbs, my calorie needs are 1600 calories. My calorie goal is 1221 a day. (calculated from LIVESTRONG.COM's MyPlate $). According to Calorie King my healthy weight is between 4 - 140 lbs and I should only have 1100 to 1300 calories per day in order to lose weight. For my on-line food log/ calorie counter, see Calorie Count eileenvideo joined 10/25/13
BMI (Body Mass Index) and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 years. BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal. See BMI Chart.
A healthy BMI score is between 20 and 25. A score below 20 indicates that you may be underweight; a value above 25 indicates that you may be overweight.
It is important to keep in mind calorie requirements to maintain ideal weight. According to Every Day Health, women over age 50 who are very active women need 2,000 to 2,200 calories each day, women whose activity levels are average need about 1,800 calories, and inactive women who get little to no exercise need about 1,600. See Diet.
Calculate your BMI by using the BMI Calculator (outside link), or by using the
BMI FORMULA BMI Formula.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of energy expressed in calories that a person needs to keep the body functioning at rest. Some of those processes are breathing, blood circulation, controlling body temperature, cell growth, brain and nerve function, and contraction of muscles. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) affects the rate that a person burns calories and ultimately whether you maintain, gain, or lose weight. Your basal metabolic rate accounts for about 60 to 75% of the calories you burn every day.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate is influenced by several factors:
Body Composition: The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be even at rest. Muscle burns 3-5 times more calories than fat does.
Age: The metabolic rate is highest during the periods of rapid growth. As you get older, the amount of muscle decreases and metabolism naturally slows about 2-5% per decade after age 40 due to decrease in lean mass and a greater percentage of body fatness.
Weight: The heavier you are, the more calories you need. That's one reason it's easier to lose weight at the start of a diet, and harder later. The less you weigh, the fewer calories you need.
Gender: Women in general, have a metabolic rate about 5-10% lower than men even when of the same weight and height. Men generally burn more calories at rest than women because they naturally have more muscle.
Body Surface Area: he greater your body's surface area or skin area, the higher your BMR. Tall, thin people have higher BMRs.
Endocrine Glands: The thyroid hormones are the principal regulators of the metabolic rate. When the supply of thyroxin is inadequate, the BMR may fall 30 to 50%. If the thyroid is hyperactive the BMR may increase to twice the normal amount. The BMR in women fluctuates with the menstrual cycle. There is an average of 359 calories per day difference between its high point and low point. Pregnancy also increases metabolic rate.
Secondary factors can also affect metabolic rate. If the body perceives starvation either by real starvation or by extreme dieting, a person's metabolic rate can go as much as 50% below normal. Diets below 1,000 calories a day can decrease metabolic rate. The body is programmed for survival and interprets the reduction in calories as starvation, and all systems slow down to conserve energy. During sleep, the rate falls about 10% below that of waking levels. Fever increases the metabolic rate about 7% for each degree rise in body temp. How much a person's muscles as relaxed affects the amount of energy used. The less relaxed the muscles are, the greater the metabolic rate. Emotional strain can cause increased tension and thus increase metabolic rate. That being said, do relax and get adequate sleep. People with sleep deprivation tend to have slower metabolisms and higher levels of cortisol, the hormone that can cause fat storage. You use energy no matter what you're doing, even when sleeping. The BMR Calculator (outside link) will calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day.
If you've noticed that every year, it becomes harder to eat whatever you want and stay slim, you've also learnt that your BMR decreases as you age. Likewise, depriving yourself of food in hopes of losing weight also decreases your BMR, a foil to your intentions. However, a regular routine of cardiovascular exercise can increase your BMR, improving your health and fitness when your body's ability to burn energy gradually slows down.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) The BMR formula uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is more accurate than calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).
BMR FORMULA BMR Formula.
FORMULA Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years* ) 655 + (613.35 + 296.1 - 305.5) which for me is 1259 (ONLINE CALCULATE = a BMR of 1221.35.
Please remember, however, that this is only one of many possible ways to assess your weight. If you have any concerns about your weight, please discuss them with your physician, who is in a position, unlike this BMI calculator, to address your specific individual situation. See about other statistics below.
Not everything on medical reports is useful! Your report contains a number of stats. Some, such as BMI and BMR which shows if we are at a healthy weight, are meaningful for determing our fitness. Other stats, although useful for doctors, are useless for us to know.
Stats You Can Ignore:
Sp02 refers to Oxygen Saturation which is a term referring to the concentration of oxygen in the blood. The human body requires and regulates a very precise and specific balance of oxygen in the blood. Normal blood oxygen levels in humans are considered 95-100 percent.
Body Surface Area is used by doctors for determining dosages of medications. It is not an important statistic for knowing about fitness. Just ignore it.
Lean Body Weight is what your muscles and bones weigh with 0 fat. This is not at all what you should weigh! We all need some fat! "Ideal Body Weight" is what you should weigh! However, to be healthy look at the range. It is fine to weigh a bit more or less.
A greater waist circumference is associated with a higher risk of death than your BMI. Researchers today say that BMI has definite limitations as an indication of overall health and a new Waist Circumference and Mortality research published by the Mayo Clinic suggests that waist circumference be another key number we look at. Researchers looked at data on 650,000 participants (collected during 11 previous studies), comparing their waist circumference measurements to their risk of all-cause mortality. Turns out, a larger waist was strongly linked to a higher risk of death: Women with a waist circumference of at least 37.5 inches, for example, were 80 percent more likely to die during the studies' follow-up periods (the median of which was nine years) than women with a waist circumference of less than 27.5 inches. What's more, each two-inch increase in waist circumference was correlated with a nine percent increase in mortality risk for women. Why is waist circumference so key? BMI says nothing about the distribution of fat in your body, but waist circumference indicates abdominal obesity. Researchers say greater levels of abdominal fat in particular have been linked to various diseases. While BMI isn't completely worthless as a measure of health, other measurements are also important, and waist circumference is definitely one among them.
Note that Americans' waist size is a deplorable 39 inches. See American Waist 39 Inches, Visceral Fat, Flat-Belly Day Meal Plan and how to Get a Flat Stomach Fast
Americans' belt size continues to inch up, and women's waistlines are widening faster than men's, according to new government research. The average waist size ballooned more than an inch -- from 37.6 inches to 38.8 inches -- between 1999 and 2012, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers found. Based on their waist circumference, 54 percent of Americans were abdominally obese in 2012, up from 46 percent 13 years earlier. "Waists are still expanding in the U.S., and particularly so among women," said study researcher Dr. Earl Ford, a medical officer at the CDC. While men's waists increased less than an inch -- about 0.8 of an inch on average -- women's midriffs grew about twice that, or 1.5 inches, Ford said. Waistlines larger than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men are considered abdominal obesity, a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Waist circumference is a simple tool that reflects the amount of total body fat and intra-abdominal body fat. Like body mass index (BMI), which is a calculation based on height to weight, it is used to predict heart disease risk. For the study, published Sept. 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Ford and his colleagues used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on nearly 33,000 men and women ages 20 and older. The finding that waist sizes are still increasing was surprising, Ford said, since the prevalence of obesity seems to have reached a plateau recently. Even so, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, according to the CDC. No single reason for the bulking up stood out. But the researchers speculated that sleep disruption, certain medications and everyday chemicals known to be endocrine disruptors may possibly play a role. Why women's waist sizes are enlarging more than men's isn't clear, Ford said. Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, said the study "seems to reflect a few things which we know contribute to body fat gain." "As baby boomers age, the natural decrease in muscle mass and slowing metabolism leads to more body fat. In addition, given the size of the baby boomer generation, these aging changes will impact statistics," said Diekman, who wasn't involved in the study. Diekman agreed that insufficient sleep may be partly to blame. Inadequate activity is probably a factor, too, as it leads to body fat gain, she said. Diekman reminds her clients that getting at least five or six hours of sleep nightly may help regulate hunger and help prevent more weight gain. Also, current guidelines call for at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, "a figure few Americans achieve," she said. Weight loss would be the main strategy to reduce waist size, Ford said. Children and teens in the United States may be faring better, according to another study published in July 2014. For that report, University of Minnesota researchers used the same NHANES data and found the proportion of children ages 2 to 18 classified as obese based on waist size held steady at nearly 18 percent from 2003 through 2012.
Nearly one-quarter of Americans have metabolic syndrome which
dramatically raises their risk of developing other serious health
conditions. You probably have metabolic syndrome if you meet three or more of the qualifying criteria listed below.
Qualifying Criteria for Metabolic Syndrome:
A waist circumference greater than greater than 35 inches in women. (greater than 40 inches in men)
High triglycerides: 150 mg/dl or higher
Low HDL cholesterol (the "good" kind): less than 40 mg/dl in men; less than 50 mg/dl in women
High blood pressure, defined as a reading of 130 mm Hg or higher for systolic pressure (the top number), or 85 mm Hg or higher for diastolic
pressure (the bottom number)
High blood sugar: a reading of 100 mg/dl or higher for a fasting blood glucose test
If you have metabolic syndrome, your risk of developing
heart disease doubles, and you're five times more likely to develop
diabetes. You also have a higher chance of developing fatty liver
disease or polycystic ovary syndrome.
There are ways to fight metabolic syndrome and lower your
risk for its related conditions. Metabolic syndrome is linked to insulin
resistance, and many of the strategies for combating insulin resistance
are helpful for people with metabolic syndrome. For example, if you're
overweight, losing 10 percent of your body weight can cut your risk of
diabetes and heart disease and raise your life expectancy. Eating four
small meals a day, without going longer than four hours between meals,
can help you stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels. And one of
the most important changes you can make is to get more exercise, which
can increase your cells' ability to use insulin.
If you think you might have metabolic syndrome, talk to your doctor. While
it's a dangerous condition, the consequences are not a foregone
conclusion. With diet and exercise you can take control of your
metabolism and get healthier.
The worst fat is not the ugliest fat. We hate how that extra padding on our hips and butt looks, but it's not necessarily bad for us. Visceral Fat is the worst fat! It's the fat surrounding our gut which is the bad stuff. In fact, visceral fat can be deadly. The fatty layer just beneath the skin in the lower half of our body is the subcutaneous fat. Although it may be ugly, it's not necessarily the worst thing to have. It can even be "good fat". Subcutaneous fat gives rise to two beneficial metabolic hormones: leptin, the hormone that tells the body to hang onto or let go of weight, and adiponectin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar. A Harvard study found that subcutaneous fat might help improve sensitivity to insulin and prevent diabetes. Fat in the stomach area, visceral fat, on the other hand, is bad. hidden deep down, so even if you don't have a protruding belly (a signal for some that they have it), you could still harbor this "bad" kind of fat. Visceral fat lies far beneath your skin, where it surrounds your organs and sets off a harmful hormonal firestorm. Having this metabolically horrific fat slows your metabolism, lowers growth hormone, raises cortisol, creates insulin resistance, and increases your risk of all kinds of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease. You increase your risk of having visceral fat when you're overweight. Lose visceral fat with diet and exercise.
See Waist Circumference, Flat-Belly Day Meal Plan and how to Get a Flat Stomach Fast
There are several reasons why losing a slow and steady one or two pounds a week is the ideal rate at which to lose. Saving your skin's elasticity is one of them: The more quickly you lose your weight, the more likely you are to have a problem with excess skin. Most people who lose 100 pounds (or more) will have an issue with excess or "hanging" skin upon reaching their goal weight. This is usually abdominal skin that can reach down well past the belly area. It can happen on other areas of the body as well. Because skin naturally becomes less elastic as it ages, the older you are when you lose weight, the less likely your skin will "snap back" to its original shape. How long you have been overweight or obese will have a bearing on your skin's ability to rebound from being stretched out. The less time you have spent overweight, the more likely it is that your skin will return to normal.
When someone is overweight, the skin stretches to accommodate the increased volume of weight. After weight loss, when the skin fails to tighten back and is loose, here are some solutions:
Skin Care
Start by exfoliating your skin daily in the shower. The outer layer of your skin is made up of old, dried, dead cells. Exfoliating will help the skins circulation and the balance of skin growth.
Treat yourself to a hot hour-long bath once or twice a week. While the bath is being drawn, add 1/2 lb of pure sea salt to the water and allow it to dissolve. Besides relaxing your body and muscles, it will draw toxins out of your skin and will improve your overall skin tone.
Aloe vera extract, soy protein and yeast extract can improve your skin's elasticity by increasing your body's production of elastin and collagen. It not only tightens your skin but your skin's natural defenses as well.
Change Body Composition
This means working on the ratio of your body fat to lean body mass. You should gain muscle to replace some of those lost pounds while preventing loss of lean body mass when dieting. This will dramatically improve loose skin from appearing. Also, loose skin is one thing, but still having body fat is another.
Lunges are great for sagging skin on the upper thigh. In order to tighten loose skin by exercise, you need to pinpoint the right exercises that will target the area you wish to tighten the skin on. The upper thigh requires lunges, in which you tone the gluteus, upper thigh and hamstring, pulling the skin tighter to the thigh and creating a more attractive thigh area.
Squats also assist with your lower body sagging skin. Squats are a dream to tighten loose skin by exercise. They provide an ultimate lower body workout for the gluteus and thighs. With your feet shoulder length apart, you simply keep your back straight as you lower yourself into a sitting position as if you were sitting in a chair.
Bicep curls target that nasty underarm hang. The arm skin that hangs down has been called many things by its biggest haters. This problem seems to be one of the ladies' biggest woes and can be targeted with bicep curls. It is important that when you tighten loose skin by exercise you perform exercises that are toning the muscle, and therefore the surrounding skin.
Planks work that stomach flab. With your hands under your shoulders, hold your arms out with your legs straight and toes holding your legs up. You get the most abdominal toning with this exercise the longer you hold the stance. The recommended time is 20 to 30 minutes.
Crunches are painful but highly effective. When you are seeking the ultimate way to tighten loose skin by exercise and targeting the stomach skin flap, crunches can be the most effective. Crunches provide complete toning for the abs if performed appropriately. The back should be straight with the chin level, and you will raise your torso to your knees, fighting the resistance. This will be one exercise you will feel later.
Surgical Reduction
If neither fixing your lifestyle, changing your diet, or using the above products didn't give you results. There is surgery, it is expensive, but well worth the money if you get it done right and by a good surgeon (research your doctors).
If you have lost a lot of weight in a small amount of time, loose skin might be a problem for you. From excess skin hanging from the arms, to flabby skin around the belly and sides, to skin sagging from the thighs and legs, loose skin is present in all the areas where there was excess fat. This can be a cause of some discomfort and is quite an embarrassing problem. Loose skin is not the end of the world. There are ways to tone it up and make it look more normal.
Reasons For Loose Skin
First of all, we need to realize why skin becomes loose so that we can target the core issues. Well, it's because you've lost all this fat, the skin that was surrounding that fat has nowhere to go. There are many factors which control skin's elasticity, and quickly losing weight means that these factors do not have time to adapt to the change in your physiology and as a result, the skin stays at its original position despite all the fat being lost. Secondly, the fatty areas also stretch out your skin and it is not easy for the cells to return to their original position.
Tighten Loose Skin
Since most of these problems are caused by losing weight too quickly, the best advice is to try to lose weight at a constant and low pace. Try to follow specific diets and exercises which can not only help you lose weight but also build muscle so that skin has something else to rest against. Exercising can also help the cells stretch out and relax and thus, in a way, help them return to their shape.
A factor that controls skin elasticity and is in our control is the diet. High protein foods are ideal for helping the skin gain its elasticity since collagen is something which helps in keeping the skin firm, and is made using proteins. So try taking lots of dairy products like cottage cheese and tofu, plants such as beans and seeds, and meat including that of fish and chicken. All of these high protein foods can help.
Second, stay hydrated. Take in lots of water as water helps the cell maintain their shape and turgidity. 8 glasses of water are a must. Together, high protein and water intake can make a noticeable difference in loose skin.
Finally, something that you can do externally for your skin is to apply lots of moisturizer and creams. Cheap, inexpensive creams work just as well as any other creams so do not worry about the cost. Try out certain organic products which contain fruits extracts and are rich in vitamins. Orange peel, cucumber extracts, rose petal extracts and aloe Vera based creams are some examples of natural and organic creams that can be used. Daily exfoliation of the skin is also something that can help as it not only removes dead skin, but also improves blood supply, bringing more nutrients to your skin.
Do not give up, and do not stay depressed. This is something you can fix. Just give it time and follow these tips and you would be rid of loose skin.
More Excellent Articles from "Get Fit You!" :
3 Toning Exercises To Tighten Loose Skin After Losing Weight Tightening loose skin must be a part of your weight loss plan. Crunches, Triceps Kickbacks and Squats are among best exercises to address the loose skin problem. (outside link accessed 5/20/14)
Source: "How to Tighten Flabby Skin After Weight Loss?" from Get Fit You by Linda Hamilton, certified dietician and life coach at http://getfityou.com/how-to-tighten-flabby-skin-after-weight-loss accessed May 20, 2014 NOTE: Get Fit You is a great resource for fitness news, views and advice for seasoned fitness enthusiasts as well as beginners starting out on their journey to a better, fitter self.
Drink water throughout the day. Drinking water during the day can help keep you feeling full without consuming high-calorie coffees and snacks. You may also eat less when you do have a snack, as you should already have the sensation of being full. Consuming fewer calories on a daily basis can help speed weight loss.
Drink a glass of water before every meal. In several studies of weight loss in overweight adults, those who drank water before eating a meal regularly consumed fewer calories and saw improved weight loss results. The effect of water on meal calorie consumption has been shown to be more effective in older adults than in young adults. Regardless of your age, if you use water before a meal to increase weight loss, do not forget to monitor quantities and calorie intake of your food as well. Some reports of the water diet recommend drinking a full glass of water before, during, and after a meal to aid digestion and speed weight loss from the water.
Replace sweetened drinks with water. Instead of drinking soda, alcoholic beverages, smoothies, or other high-calorie drinks, grab a glass or bottle of water. Swapping in a zero-calorie beverage for high-calorie alternatives can spare you hundreds of calories per day, further aiding in weight loss.
Drink cold water to speed your metabolism. In a study on water-induced thermogenesis, researchers found that drinking water caused an increase in energy expenditure in both men and women, likely caused by the body's efforts to warm the water to body temperature. In the study, men burned fats to provide the energy to warm the water, and women burned carbohydrates.
The effects of elevated metabolism began about 10 minutes after consuming the water and peaked at 30-40 minutes after drinking.
Match any alcohol consumption with equal amounts of water. This matched fluid intake should not count toward your daily water intake, according to the Water Diet. Any water you drink to match alcohol should be in addition to your daily water goal.
Drink water and cut salt intake to lose water weight. Reducing the amount of dietary salt you consume (by cutting table salt, canned or frozen foods, and lunch meat from your diet) can help you lose water weight quickly, particularly when combined with an increase in daily water intake.
Follow a short water detox diet. Water detox and diet plans often include short periods that involve significant fluid intake to flush toxins from the system and reduce bloating.
Consider a plan like the Sassy Water anti-bloat diet jumpstart, which involves drinking an entire pitcher of specially flavored water each day for 4 days at the beginning of a diet plan.
Water detox plans also typically promote foods naturally high in water, such as watermelon, soups, and leafy green vegetables.
Combine a calorie-restricted diet and a water diet. Drinking 16 ounces of water before each meal and limiting daily calorie intake (1200 for women and 1500 for men) can jumpstart weight loss and help dieters maintain weight loss successfully for up to a year.
Water Fast
24-hour water fast. Prepare for 7 days before a 24-hour fast. Start by removing foods and drinks high in sugar, fat, and caffeine 7 days before you intend to begin your water fast.
Replace unhealthy foods with lean proteins, salads, and fresh produce. Increase your water intake each day until you are comfortable consuming at least a half-gallon each day.
Consider taking herbal supplements or finding a safe water additive to balance electrolytes. Although the water fast does not permit sweeteners or solid food during the fast, it often recommends prune supplements or natural salts to prevent water intoxication.
Sip unsweetened green tea for breakfast and seltzer water for lunch. Any time you feel discomfort or hunger pains, drink additional water. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the green tea or seltzer to add some flavor if desired.
Making substitutions when cooking, picking the right beverages, and switching to lower-calorie condiments are just a few tricks to cut calories.
While healthy food choices are key, it's also important to eat the right
amount of food. Cutting calories is one easy way to stop weight
gain. Eating an extra 100 calories a day can cause you to gain 10
pounds a year, whereas eating 100 calories less than usual may result in
a loss of 10 pounds. Here are 10 simple ways to reduce calories and
still enjoy eating.
Make Oil Substitutions Changing your cooking methods is a good way to cut 100 calories
or more. Use low-salt chicken broth to keep vegetables or chicken from
sticking to the bottom of a pan instead of oil or butter. Another option
is to use cooking spray. This is one of the easiest ways to cut
calories, says Tara Harwood, RD, a registered dietitian at the
Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Just one tablespoon of oil has 120
calories.
Drink water or zero-calorie beverages. Obvious drinks to avoid are soda,
sweet teas, and sugary sports drinks, but this also includes cutting
out the sugar-free beverages that only have 10 calories per 8 ounces.
Even though they seems harmless, these low-calorie drinks can still add
up, warns Harwood. Most bottles are 16 ounces, and if you drink five
bottles per day, that adds up to 100 calories!
Change Up that Coffee Fancy coffee drinks are filled with calories. Switch from a Frappuccino to just regular coffee and lose 100 calories or more. Next, skip the sugar or use a zero-calorie sweetener instead. Just three sugar packets equal 33 calories, so all it takes is three cups of coffee to reach 100 calories in sugar intake alone.
Make Smart Food Substitutions
Substitutions make it easy to cut calories and enjoy your favorite food:
Use skim milk instead of 2 percent; buy wheat crackers instead of
butter crackers; choose cereal instead of pop tarts; replace a bagel
with an English muffin; order chicken grilled instead of crispy; cook
with lean ground turkey breast instead of ground turkey meat; and enjoy
yogurt instead of ice cream. This approach can be adapted to any cuisine. if you love Chinese food, have your mu shu chicken with lettuce wraps
instead of pancakes.
Modify the Recipe In baking, substitute applesauce for the oil in the recipe, says Dana M. Ellis, MPH, RD, a cardiac transplant dietitian at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. That could save much more than just 100 calories. When making pancakes, leave out the oil entirely. Using a nonstick pan will prevent sticking and will not affect the taste.
Portion Size Counts With supersized French fries, bottomless sodas, and a general explosion of portion sizes, it's hard to know how much to eat. According to the National Institutes of Health, 20 years ago a typical muffin was 1.5 ounces and 210 calories. Today it's 4 ounces and 500 calories. Two slices of pepperoni pizza used to be 500 calories. Now they're 850. Eat a 3-ounce bagel instead of a 4-ounce one and save at least 100 calories.
Learn to Say No Cut the cheese from your sandwich, recommends Harwood. From ordering a sub or hamburger when dining out to making your own sandwich at home, leaving off the cheese cuts 100 calories fast. The restaurant bread basket is another place to cut calories. Stop at just one piece of bread or one dinner roll to help keep calories under control.
Beware of Condiments Those little sauces and creams seem so harmless, but watch out. One small serving of mayonnaise has almost 100 calories, and often people eat more than one serving on their sandwich or hamburger. Cream cheese is another calorie-rich spread. Use low-fat whipped cream cheese on your bagel instead of full-fat, non-whipped cream cheese, says Ellis. The whipping alone reduces calories by about half and the low-fat reduces them even further.
Watch Out for Toppings, Dressings, and Dips They seem so healthy, but salads can be full of hidden calories. Measure salad dressing (stay under two tablespoons) to cut calories. Even better, use a low-fat dressing or switch to a vinaigrette. And leave off the croutons! As for dips, try hummus instead of sour cream or cheesy options to top vegetables.
Make Smart Food Substitutions Substitutions make it easy to cut calories and enjoy your favorite food: Use skim milk instead of 2 percent; buy wheat crackers instead of butter crackers; choose cereal instead of pop tarts; replace a bagel with an English muffin; order chicken grilled instead of crispy; cook with lean ground turkey breast instead of ground turkey meat; and enjoy yogurt instead of ice cream. This approach can be adapted to any cuisine. If you love Chinese food, have your mu shu chicken with lettuce wraps instead of pancakes.
Drink Responsibly Alcohol can be another source of hidden calories. For health reasons as well as a way to cut calories, women should have no more than one drink a day, while men should stop at two. Both a 5-ounce glass of wine and 1.5-ounce serving of distilled spirits have 100 calories each, while a 12-ounce beer has 150 calories. Decrease alcohol intake by one drink and there goes 100 calories right there.
NO Pasta Lee adds this tip and she suggests that you replace pasta with whole grain pasta, or vegetables, such as spaghetti squash or zucchini shreds.
It's NOT about how many calories in a Lb of fat. First of all there are experts who question the notion that one pound of fat equals 3,500 calories See [One Pound of fat = 3500 Calories]. It can be another number. More important is the fact that many fitness trainers advise to not depend totally upon weight. From what I read, "body fat percentage" is the most important statistic. It can be cumbersome and expensive to test for your accurate body fat percentage. A simpler method is to use the Body Fat Calculator below or better still to use the photo method. I use both. For more details, consult Wikipedia Body Fat Percentage (outside link) and NerdFitness Everything You Need to Know About Body Fat Percentage by Steve Kamb (outside link).
Tracking weight loss with a scale does reveal whether you've lost or gained weight. But, a scale does not tell you how much fat
you have or how much fat you've lost. Knowing your body composition can ensure
that you're losing fat and not muscle. The About.com body fat calculator will give
you an estimate of your body fat percentage based on your height, plus neck, hip, and waist measurements.
In addition to the health club and following books such as Chris Freytag's 2-Week Total Body Turnaround, I have enrolled in some fine on-line memberships. They all have some good features. Some have too many ads. I take notes (plus I use my books and dvd's).
Fitness Pal joined 10/29/13 excellent calorie counter / food diary
To change your Fitness Pal email preferences or to unsubscribe, click Fitness Pal Change.
Fitness Train EileenLee poor layout, but good vids; will try to duplicate links in a good layout joined 11/14/13
Fitness Blender EileenLee Started and maintained by a husband and wife trainer team Daniel and Kelli; programs$$; recipes free; excellent free
Fitness Blender YouTube videos joined 11/9/13
George St Pierre Workout consists of just two weight workouts every seven days. However they are VERY arduous. See Men's Health - GSP George St Pierre Workout
Fat-loss phase
Perform burpees for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. That is one set.
Complete eight sets.
Burpee
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Lower your body until your palms rest on the floor in front of you about shoulder-width apart.
Kick your legs backwards to a push-up position.
Perform a push-up, then quickly reverse the movement and perform a jump as you stand up.
Blogger Steve Kamb has created one of the best fitness sites. Here is a sample of one of his postings.
Stop doing crunches and sit ups. I know you want a flat stomach, but you won't get there with 1000 crunches and sit ups every day. It doesn't work that way. Believe it or not, sit ups can mess up your lower back, as can crunches. They're also an incomplete exercise, as they don't work out your entire core (stomach AND lower back). But that's missing the point: a flat stomach is made in the kitchen, and 90% of your results will come from clean eating. My favorite "ab exercises?" Squats, deadlifts, pull ups, and eating right. Yoga, handstands, planks, push ups, and other full body exercises all contribute to a strong core. In order for you to see those stomach muscles though, you need to lose the fat on top of them!
Stop doing side bends. Boy, I'm ripping both side bends and situps to shreds? Doing side bends might make you think you're getting rid of your love handles. Nope. You're building up the muscle UNDER your love handles. Want to get rid of the love handles? Make better food decisions!
Stop doing "power curtsies" (half-ass squats), especially in the Smith Machine. If you're going to squat, do it right! Not in a Smith machine. Do it with a bar across your shoulders, and dropping until the tops of your legs are bellow parallel! Squat deep, or it's a "power curtsy," which is an incomplete exercise. In my 13 years of training in a commercial gym, I have probably seen less than twenty people do a proper squat. By simply putting in a bit of effort and learning to squat properly, you'll be ahead of 99% of the general public. See Why you NEED squats in your workout and how to do them right (outside link from Nerd Fitness).
Stop doing exercise you hate! If you don't like running, get the hell off the treadmill! If you don't like gyms, get the hell out of there! If you don't like weight machines or picking up weights, get stronger with just your bodyweight or yoga. I get my exercise from basketball, yoga, strength training, hiking, and walking. You might get yours from Yoga, playing with your kids, walking your dog, and rock climbing. Life is too short to spend time doing stuff you don't enjoy!
Stop doing the wrong exercises for your goals: Are you trying to look like Daniel Craig by running 30 miles a week? Are you spending your time in the weight room training for a triathlon? Make sure you are doing the right exercises for your goals. If you're trying to build muscle, then build muscle. If you're training for a race, then train. If you're just looking to look and feel better, then get started with the basics that will get you there. Far too many people spend their time and energy on the wrong exercises for the goals, simply out of habit or they try to fix and improve everything at the same time! Keep it simple! Boring gets results.
Stop over-complicating your exercise: Despite what the fancy trainer tells you, you don't need to be doing all your exercises on a bosu ball. Most of the time beginners overcomplicate a simple exercise or workout routine by adding in unnecessary complications.
Instead of barbell squatting on the bosu ball, do a normal squat and focus on form, increasing the weight each week.
Instead of coming up with a routine that looks more like an interpretive dance, stick to the basics: whole body, compound movements that build the most strength (and burn the most fat) in the least amount of time.
Not sure what I mean? Start with the training routine here.
Stop multi-tasking and wasting time: Instead of spending 90 minutes in the gym reading a magazine while working out, checking your phone and talking to people, why not get your workout done in 30-45 minutes and get home to your family/friends/Xbox One/PS4?! If you look like NF Team Member Staci having some fun here while working out, you're doing it wrong :)
Seriously, stop freaking out!
Stop weighing yourself every freaking day. Definitely not more than once a day. The scale can lie, and it's a SMALL part of your progress. Depending on how you ate the night before, the day of the month, or how much water you've retained, that scale can fluctuate.
Stop freaking out over calorie totals! Not all calories are created equal. Who cares if you eat 2050 calories when the Daily Plate says you should eat 2000? Your body is a finely tuned piece of machinery that can handle a tremendous amount of fluctuation. We're all for educating yourself on macronutrients and figuring out how much food you are eating, but don't become neurotic about that amount each day. If you find yourself eating too much one day, eat a little next the day next. Our body doesn't reset our stats each day after going to sleep! Don't feel like counting calories? Cool, me neither! Just fill yourself up with the right foods, and make adjustments as you go based on your goals.
Stop calling it a cheat meal which assumes you're cheating and doing something wrong while on a diet. Eating properly does not have to be totally rigid.
Stop letting one bad decision ruin everything! Having an unhealthy breakfast does not mean the day is ruined and lunch and dinner are lost causes. If you missed yesterday's workout doesn't mean the week is ruined. One bad decision will not derail your efforts. One bad decision is only a problem when you let it dictate the rest of your day/week/month. No more "eh, I'll just start tomorrow/next month." Start now.
When you make a "bad" decision (and it's only bad if you make yourself feel guilty about it), just don't make it two days in a row.
Stop perpetuating that mindset!
Stop saying "I can't." When you say "I can't eat that" or "I can't do that," you are telling your brain to focus on that one thing you can't do. "I can't eat cake" is making you think about the one thing you're depriving yourself of eating. Besides, the cake is a lie. Instead, say "I don't." When you do this, you've got the power. It's science.
Stop collecting underpants. There's no perfect moment. More information at this point isn't going to help. You read Nerd Fitness, which puts you in the top 1% of potential superheroes on the planet. Take action. Try stuff. Learn as you go. That's how we all do it. There's no master blueprint for everybody to follow. It's trial and error, self experimentation, and adaptation based on results!
Stop going on diets.' Congrats! You never have to go on another diet for the rest of your life. A diet assumes you're making non-permanent, drastic changes that you don't like to quickly achieve a goal before going back to your old ways. Stop that! You don't have to be miserable. What you're going to do instead is make a series of teeny tiny, lifelong adjustments. Over time, you're going to gradually shift your eating habits to line up with the goals you're interested in.
Stop thinking that it's all or nothing - Small changes lead to big results. You don't have to hop on a nutritional program and revamp your diet overnight, eating radically different for the next 30 days. This is a recipe for failure. Instead, try starting by just drinking one less soda tomorrow. Wait until that change feels normal before making another one.
Stop making excuses - It's amazing what we can justify to ourselves when we don't feel like exercising. "Well I only have an hour, and I need 70 minutes for my workout. I'll just go tomorrow." "But it's cold out!" "I had a really bad day at work" "But there's a zombie apocalypse." Identify what your priorities are, and MAKE THEM A PRIORITY.
Stop using "I deserve this" to sabotage your efforts! "I worked out for 30 minutes today! I deserve these six donuts." "I worked out three days in a row! I deserve this pint of ice cream." Stop rewarding your good behavior with bad prizes that send you back three steps! Reward yourself with things that reward you back.
What you should doing
It takes about 1 1/2 hours a day, 6 days a week, for about 2 years.
DIET is 70-80%!
Not tomorrow. Not after breakfast. NOW.
Find a way to be better each day, just a little bit.
Big simple movements. No overreacting and beating ourselves up over a bad day. No self-sabotage.
Small changes. Experimentation. Constant improvement.
Every change counts.
You got this.
Be honest: What's one thing you need to STOP doing?
What's one step you're going to take to help you stop doing it?
Me: I need to stop getting distracted online and pushing my workouts back by hours, thus messing up my schedule for the rest of the day.
Solution: Over the past two weeks, I put my workouts IN my calendar and my phone alerts me when it's time to exercise. That one change alone has forced me to get to the gym sooner than I usually do.
Your turn. No judgment.
-Steve
Founded by Izumi Tabata in Japan, Tabata is a form of quick and high-intense training developed in Tokyo. It requires you to perform a movement, like a squat, in perfect form as fast as you can in a 20 second set. Then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 7 times for a total of 8 sets. You will need a stop watch and a log to record results.
Tabata is a form of interval training. In a Tabata set, you alternate 20-second bursts of all-out effort, followed by 10 seconds of recovery, for four straight minutes. Tabata is done in reps of eight.
Tabata sets should be intense. The 20 seconds should be all-out. If you don't feel like you need the 10 seconds of rest, you're not giving your full effort during the 20 seconds of work
The 10 seconds of rest isn't moderate activity - it's full-out rest. Do nothing for 10 seconds
Always do a thorough warm-up before your Tabata sets. Any type of cardiovascular activity will suffice
After your Tabata set is finished, cool down with some light cardiovascular activity. Then stretch the muscles groups you worked during the workout
Slowly work your way into Tabata training. Start with two Tabata activities and work your way up to four or five total. The trick to not getting injured is gradual progression of activity
In Tabata training, volume isn't important. Quality is. You don't have to do 10 different Tabata sets to get a good workout. In fact, the more you do, the less likely you're doing the sets with maximum effort
As a beginner, you may want to start with four repetitions of the intervals (two minutes) and work up to all eight repetitions (full four minutes)
Be careful with Tabata if you have hypertension, high blood pressure or any type of heart condition, as it will bring you close to your maximum heart rate without significant time to recover. If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, you need to be careful of working in high heart-rate zones.
If you do have high blood pressure or a heart condition, I suggest doing more traditional cardio, where you stay in a moderate heart-rate zone. Make sure you do an exaggerated warm up and cool down. If you really want to do Tabata sets, modify the workout. Do a really long warm-up of 15 minutes, and then do 20 seconds of moderate intensity work followed by 40 seconds of easy work.
Sample Tabata Exercises
Mountain Climbers
Start in a plank position on your hands and toes.
To perform the exercise, alternate "running" your knees into your chest.
Form Tips:
Think about mountain climbers as predominately a core exercise. Keep your bum down, your pelvis stable and shoulders positioned above your hands. Your abdominals should work throughout the entire exercise.
Up/up/down/downs
Start in a plank position on your hands and toes.
Keeping your pelvis stable, lower your right and then left forearm down onto the mat.
Then return to your starting position by placing your right and then left hand on the mat, which should bring you back to your original plank position.
Form Tips:
The "up/up/down/down" exercise works the core, shoulders and triceps. Keep your bum down, your pelvis stable, shoulders positioned above hands and abdominals engaged throughout the entire exercise.
To make it easier, do the exercise from your knees.
Jumping jacks and shoulder press
Start standing with your feet together, holding one 5-lb weight between both of your hands at chest height. To perform the exercise, jump both legs wide as you press the weight above your head. To finish, bring your feet back together and your hands back down to chest height.
To lessen the impact of your jumping jacks, tap one leg at a time out to the side as you press the weight above your head.
Burpees
Start standing. To perform the exercise, bring your hands down to the ground and jump your feet backwards so that your body forms a plank. Hold for one second, and then jump your feet back towards your hands and stand up.
To make it harder, add a push-up when you're in the plank position.
To make it easier, instead of jumping, step one leg at a time backwards into a plank position.
A pull up is a very challenging exercise. If you're new to pull ups, try using an assisted band (outside link) to help you achieve a pull up.
Grab hold of the bar and let your body hang. Make sure your hands are a little wider than your shoulders.
Engage your core and begin to pull yourself up toward the bar.
Once your chin is above the bar, hold for 1 to 2 counts and slowly lower down.
As you lower, don't extend your arms completely. This will keep your body engaged.
Do Pull-Ups Correctly!
4 exercises to help you build upper-body strength and correct form to do pull-ups.
from Joe Vennare
How to Do a Bent-Over Row
Bend your knees about 10 to 20 degrees. Keep your back flat (parallel to the ground) and your head aligned with your spine.
Hold a set of weights, arms are straight down and palms face your body. Begin to lift your elbows toward the ceiling. Lift until your elbows are parallel to your back. At the same time, pull your shoulder blades together.
Starting Position: Grab each handle and place feet on band, hip-width apart, toes forward. Stand tall with back straight, abs engaged, and knees soft. Bend forward from the waist with a flat back, arms extended under the shoulders, palms facing the body.
EXHALE: Row the handles towards your chest, bringing the elbows up towards the ceiling and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
INHALE : Slowly return to the start position to complete one rep.
Special Instructions: Do not arch or round the back. Keep the abs engaged to protect your lower back. Keep wrists straight and in line with the forearms. If you can't bend parallel to the floor with a flat back, only bend as far forward as you can with a straight back. Make it easier: Bring legs closer together (closer to center of band) for less resistance. Make it harder: Place legs wider (closer to handles) to increase resistance.
Back isolation exercises are vital for developing a strong lower back. However, the muscles of the lower back (the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum) are often overlooked in a training plan. For athletes, increased spinal erector and quadratus lumborum strength can help prevent injuries and develop muscle, and for the general public, a strong lower back prevents back pain or can help manage it. An effective exercise to target these muscles is the lower back extension.
Back Extensions Beginners
If you're recovering from a lower back injury or training your lower back directly for the first time, start with basic back extensions. Your first step is prone extension. Lie on your front, prop yourself up on your elbows and arch your lower back slightly. Start with a five-second hold and work your way up to 10 sets of 30-second holds. Once you're comfortable with this, progress the move by lying on your stomach with your arms at your sides and lifting your head, torso and legs off the floor.
Back Extensions Intermediate
Lie on stomach with forehead resting on the floor. Extend legs. Place hands on the buttocks. Slowly and gently lift the upper body, pressing hands into buttocks as you lift. Exhale on exertion and return to starting position. Repeat for 8 times.
Back Extensions with Stability Ball
Your next step is to progress to stability ball back extensions. These are performed in exactly the same way as the more challenging version of the floor back extensions, but you lie with your stomach and thighs on a stability ball. The added element of balance means your lower back has to work harder not only to perform the extension movement, but to stabilize you as well.
Advanced Back Extensions
Once other forms of extension become too easy, you can do more advanced lower back moves. Using a body-weight extension machine, you can perform many different types of weighted back extensions. These can be done by holding a weight plate to your chest, draping weighted chains over your shoulders or securing a resistance band under the apparatus and over your upper back to add tension. Alternatively, perform the single-legged back extension for a real challenge. For this, simply position yourself on the body-weight back extension machine, then take one leg from underneath the support pad, let it hang to the side and perform back extensions.
Starting Position: Lie facedown on the floor, legs together and straight, arms straight and extended above your head. Keep your head/neck in a neutral position.
Action: Keeping limbs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form a gentle curve with your body. Hold for a slow 30 counts.
Special Instructions:Don't hold your breath! Try to keep breathing steady and even. Make it easier: Hold for fewer counts and don't raise legs/arms quite as high. Change it up: Lower to the ground to complete one rep and do a 2-3 sets.
Shrink your silhouette fast by giving some TLC to the muscles you don't see in the mirror. According to celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, the creator of the new Precision Toning and Dance + Cardio DVDs, these moves not only tone your back but also lift your posture so you appear taller and thinner. Anderson shares (and demos) her top picks for back and booty sculptors on the next page, so you can get the same workout as her hard-bodied clients like J.Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow. Use a set of three-pound weights to do two nonstop circuits in 15 minutes flat.
Back-Flab Buster
Targets shoulders, back, abs, and butt
Start on floor on all fours; lift left arm out to side, palm facing up, and lift bent right leg behind you a few inches off floor, flexing foot.
Simultaneously pulse left arm and right leg up and down a few inches; your back should arch slightly with each pulse.
Do 40 reps. Switch sides on next circuit.
Row and Twist
Targets back, biceps, abs, and obliques
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in right hand, arms by sides.
Extend right arm across body diagonally, palm facing down.
Drive right elbow back at shoulder level, twisting torso slightly toward right as you go, and rotate forearm to point up.
Twist torso to face forward as you punch right arm across body; repeat.
Do 30 reps in a continuous flow. Switch sides on next circuit.
Pull-Down Plus
Targets shoulders, back, triceps, abs, and butt
Kneeling on floor, hold the ends of a towel in each hand (pull for tension), palms facing thighs.
Slowly raise extended arms in front of you and then overhead; bend elbows to lower towel behind head.
Straighten arms overhead again, then lean forward to place hands on floor under shoulders (in all-fours position).
Lift right leg behind you, raising it as high as possible, toes pointed.
Lower right knee and foot to floor, then return to start.
Do 40 reps. Switch legs on next circuit.
Cheerleader
Targets back, chest, triceps, and biceps
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms by sides.
Punch arms diagonally forward, crisscrossing left arm above right arm, palms down.
Pull weights back, bending elbows out to sides and rotating forearms to form a wide W, then extend arms diagonally overhead, palms forward (arms form a V).
Lower arms back to W position, then reverse motion back to crisscross punch, this time with right arm above left arm.
Do 30 reps in a continuous flow, alternating top arm as you punch.
Power Attitude
Targets back, obliques, and butt
Stand holding a dumbbell in right hand, arm extended overhead, palm facing forward, left arm by side.
Balancing on left leg, bend right knee out to side and cross right calf behind left calf.
Bend right elbow and bring it down to touch right hip as you lift bent right leg behind you as high as possible (squeezing glutes).
Press dumbbell overhead and lower bent right leg to touch left calf to return to start position.
Do 40 reps. Switch sides on next circuit.
MAKE IT EASIER: Stand behind a chair and hold onto it with left hand for support.
Ruby SlippersTake one foot on either side of the hose. Drop down into the bottom of a squat position really in your heels. Keep abdomen tight. Take a big inhale and on exhale, jump up as fast as you can and click heels together and then land back into this position. Do 3 or 4. You do not have to get too high.
Bridge and Curl Take the soccer ball and place it right in the back of your legs where your calves and the back of your thighs meet. Squeeze that soccer ball in as tight as you can. Draw your knees into your chest, really working the low belly. Move forward, place your sneakers down on to the mat, press into your heels and lift your booty up. Lower back down. Do a few reps of this. Draw your knees in with booty high. It's all about getting your butt up as high as possible.
Super Skater Go on to your right foot. Take left leg back behind and tap the ground with the left hand, so it's opposite hand and foot. Get as low into this position as you possibly can because in a second you will jump super fast to the other side. Land exactly in the position just on the other side. Stay loose in the body. Do 5.
Bottoms Up As you build into this exercise, it's really important to have a foundation and simply be able to hold this first. The key is shoulders are directly above wrists. Hips are at the same place as your shoulders and ABS are super tight. Reach your right leg out to the side. Yourr arms are still in the same position and then switch the other leg and lift up the other side. Notice that nothing is changing in the center of your body and that is super important. Do a few reps on this, one side to the next. Nothing should change in the center and your shoulders should still above your wrists. If you can, instead of placing one foot down and lifting up the other, swing it to the other side as quickly as you can and replace it.
Olympic Rings The key is keeping your ABS as tight as you can. The more you move your arms, the easier this exercise becomes. Land in the front heel. It's all about staying in that heel.
High Plank Roll Come into high plank. Go ahead and reach those legs back. Place the ball under your shins and then bring your knees into your chest, tucking your knees in all the way and then lengthening back. Do 2 more. ABS tight. Freeze. Take away the ball and go into a high plank position. and just draw a knee into your chest. So bring one knee in towards your chest and squeeze your ABS as tight as you can and then take that leg back. Do 5 reps of those. This is the same exercise. We're just getting rid of the soccer ball and making it a little bit easier but still the work is happening especially in that low belly.
Lift Off Stick your chest out. Really engage that belly as tight as you can. Now, float your leg down just a little bit and I now need to lift your arms and your leg up at the same time so that everything is hip high. So float your arms up as well as the leg. Keep your ABS super tight and then take it back down to the bottom. Do a few reps of that. This exercise is fantastic, not only for developing balance but getting that tushy super strong, engaging the core all the way from the top of the tush to the middle of the back, and the best part is this part of the top. Engage all the muscles in the back.
Air Crunch Start in a high plank position with your shoulders directly above your wrists, keeping your ABS as tight as she can. Do a side plank. In the side plank's position, try to reach your arm up towards the sky. This might be where most people stop. This is already really hard, but if you're up for the challenge, lift your top leg off the other shoe. Reach in towards your body and then extend it long. The hardest thing is keeping your ABS so tight because the side walls want to work, but your abdominals actually are trying to push forward. Fight that feeling and pull your belly in as tight as you possibly can.
YOUTUBE version "Thin Thighs Plyo Workout - Best Exercises to Tighten & Slim Lower Body"
from Body Inspired Fitness, Angela Parker with assistant Eliza demonstrate some of their favorite exercises. published on Feb 25, 2013
The "Jump Baby Jump" workout is all about getting to fly. ONLY 16 minutes! This workout will make you sweat, make your butt higher and tighter, your belly smaller, and your strut sexier :) To Angela nothing feels more powerful that jumping.
Move One - Ruby Slippers Jumps
Move Two - Super Skaters
Move Three - Jump & Switch (3 versions)
Move Four - One-Eighty Jumps
EQUIPMENT All you need is a gymboss interval timer and a mat. Do each move for 40 seconds with a 20 second transition (recovery). Do the whole routine for 4 rounds. Do 4 complete rounds. It only takes 16 minutes to complete the whole workout.
TIPS: Go BIG! Go HARD! And get done! Wear your gymboss interval timer, and of course, your heart rate monitor & make sure you are getting that heart rate UP! My goal is always 10 calories per minute for a total burn of 160 calls during the 16 minute workout. Add in the cals of your 5 min warm up, and your cool down cals, and you should be between 250-350 depending on your age and weight. Use your calorie burn as your motivation!
Ruby Slippers Jumps - Keep your head up!. Make sure your power comes from your butt and the back of your legs. Want a challenge? Jump over a rolled up yoga mat!
Super Skaters: Keep your belly tight! Do NOT fold your upper body over. Instead sink down into your legs. Keep your heart lifted, do NOT look at the ground. Once you have this part down, go far, go high, go fast. Make sure your sneakers are tied snuggly to support your feet.
Jump & Switch: It's all about getting as low as you can to get as high as possible. The power comes from your bootay. Do not drop your upper body.
One-Eighty Jumps -- Make sure the weight is in your front heel. Keep your chest lifted and your belly tight! Only jump if you feel confident in your body. Land so softly it makes no sound at all. Drop your ass instead.
STRETCH -- I want a major stretch when you are finished! The workout is so intense for ONLY 16 mins, which means you have at least 15-20 mins to stretch. Make it happen. The stretch is the KEY to making this workout effective. I'd focus on hips and legs. Pigeon stretch, splits, foam roll your quads.
Source: "Angela Parker from Body Inspired Fitness" from YouTube by Angela Parker w/ Eliza "Thin Thighs Plyo Workout - Best Exercises to Tighten & Slim Lower Body" online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ5pGR4TPTw accessed September 8, 2014
Back Sculpting / Exercises for Beginners, Intermediates, and Advanced
Make a memorable exit with these super-fast sculpting moves from Mike Fitch, a trainer at Equinox Fitness in Miami.
Beginner Exercises
1. Cobra
(targets lower back)
Lie facedown on the floor with arms at sides, palms down.
Keeping abs and glutes tight, lift chest off floor and raise arms up and back toward hips, rotating thumbs up.
At the same time, lift legs about 3 inches off floor. Hold for 3 counts and lower back to starting position.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug
(targets upper back)
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms at sides with your knees slightly bent.
Hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand with palms facing in.
Keeping abs tight, slowly shrug your shoulders up toward your ears, keeping elbows straight. Hold for 3 counts and lower.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
3. Seated Row with Bands
(targets upper back)
Sit in a chair and tie a resistance band around a sturdy structure, such as a doorknob, at elbow height, 2 to 3 feet in front of you.
Hold one end of band in each hand, palms facing each other.
Bend elbows and pull band toward your ribs, pressing shoulders back and together. Hold for 3 counts.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
Stability-ball Leg Raise
Intermediate Exercises
1. Stability-Ball Leg Raise
(targets lower back)
Lie with your hips on top of a stability ball with legs extended behind you, hands shoulder-width apart on floor.
Lift both legs toward the ceiling as far as you comfortably can without overarching spine. Hold for 3 counts and lower.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
2. Stork-Stance Flye
(targets upper back)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in.
Bending from the hips, lean forward, keeping your lower back flat, then raise right leg off floor with left leg slightly bent. Extend arms out to the sides to about shoulder height, elbows straight.
Lower arms to center. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Switch legs and repeat.
3. Rolling Ball Pull
(targets upper back)
Kneel on the floor with hands and forearms resting on a stability ball about shoulder-width apart.
Roll ball away from you and extend arms forward, dropping chest and pelvis toward floor. When you're fully extended, hold for 3 counts.
Roll ball back to starting position, contracting shoulders.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
Advanced Exercises
1. Quadruped on Ball
(targets lower back)
Lie on top of a stability ball, legs extended behind you, hands on floor about shoulder-width apart.
Lift and extend left arm and right leg simultaneously. Hold for 3 counts and return to start; switch sides.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
2. Lower-Trap Dip
(targets upper back)
Sit on floor between two sturdy chairs. Place a hand on the edge of each chair, legs extended, arms straight.
Press up, legs at a 90-degree angle.
Shrug shoulders toward ears and lower body toward floor.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
3. Single-Leg Row on Ball
(targets upper back)
Place right knee and right hand on a stability ball, left foot on floor.
Hold a dumbbell in left hand, palm in.
Keeping your back flat and arm close to your body, squeeze your shoulder blade and bring elbow back toward your hip. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Aerobic Kickboxing can improve your fitness by following a routine that includes many elements of martial arts, boxing, and aerobics.
What are the Pros of kickboxing?
Cardiovascular kickboxing is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise. You can burn up to 400 calories per hour with this fitness workout. This is great if you are looking to increase your calories expenditure for weight loss purposes. Calories are burnt as you kick, box, an move to the tunes of your favorite dance music.
Aerobic kickboxing is an excellent way to relieve stress. Stress can be successfully reduced after an hour of punching and kicking. Many cardiovascular kickboxing routines include kicking and boxing with a punching bag, which allows you to alleviate any type of rage you may experience at any time. After a while of practicing this workout routines your self-control will increase significantly.
Practicing regularly cardio kickboxing will increase your stamina and physical strength. Also, it will improve your reflexes and body balance. Coordination, balance and strength will get to the fullest as you practice the moves and routines of aerobic kickboxing.
What are the cons of cardio kickboxing?
Kickboxing may result in injuries if moves are not performed well. Always practice kickboxing under the guidance of a certified cardio kickboxing trainer to avoid unnecessary injuries. Go easy or slowly as you start the moves so you can comprehend them completely and perform them safely.
People who have been inactive for long periods of time should be aware that this workout is of a high intensity. Thus, you should always ask your doctor if you can do it or even with doctors approval go easy on the for the first few session and possibly do not do the full work out the first few days. You may not be prepared for the high intense workouts of this fitness method.
There are positives and negatives aspects of cardio kickboxing as a method to improve your fitness level. To fully understand aerobic kickboxing you should be able to evaluate the Pros and Cons of this fitness workout. There are many positives in terms of fitness and health. You will burn calories (outside link) (up to 400 Per hour), improve body strength and balance, reduce stress, and increase fitness. The possibility of injuries and the high intensity of the routines may be a negative aspect of the sport if moves are done improperly or by a novice.
Warm weather is great for outdoor activities. Exercise at a playground and burn lots of calories swinging on the swings, especially if you pump your legs to go higher and higher, and do pull-ups on the monkey bars. Climb the ladder to reach the top of the slide a dozen times or more. A half-hour at the playground is as good as a half-hour workout at the gym. Many playground activities work more than one muscle group at a time. You can also hike, bike, play Frisbee, and swim. You're more likely to stick with activies that are fun. As with all workout sessions, warm up sufficiently, wear proper clothing, stay hydrated, and stretch before and after "childhood" activites. Celebrity PT Chris Freytag encourages working out in your local playground. See Turning play into a serious workout (outside link includes vid w/ ads).
BIKING How many calories you burn biking depends on your weight and the intensity of the exercise, such as whether you're going up and down hills. As a general rule, a 150-pound biker burns nearly 450 calories at 12 to 14 miles an hour for 45 minutes. Biking is an enjoyable aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate up.
HULA HOOP intently for an hour to burn the same amount of calories as you burn with an hour on a treadmill. If you were good at hula hooping as a kid, it will come back to you quickly. But even if you're a novice, hula hooping doesn't require a whole lot of coordination to get in shape. Try different moves so that it doesn't become routine, and the time you spend with your hoop will fly by. Adult-size hula hoops are available online or at fitness stores.
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014, I purchased a child size 6 Wave Hoop at CVS. The Wave Hoop has water inside. See more about my Hula Hoop.
TRAMPOLINE Jumping on a mini trampoline, also called rebounding, is a low-impact cardio workout that improves muscle tone and balance while torching 160 calories per 30 minutes of bouncing.
JUMP ROPE You get similar workout benefits from a jump rope as from a trampoline. You burn the same number of calories jumping rope for 10 minutes as you do jogging for 30 minutes (about 120 calories, depending on your size and the intensity of your workout). Jumping rope is a great exercise if you're short on time. Jump ropes are inexpensive and easy to store. When you're traveling, you can pack a jump rope in your suitcase. It doesn't take up much room and will not weigh you down.
SWIMMING is a terrific aerobic exercise and calorie burner. A 145-pound swimmer burns about 200 calories in 30 minutes of moderate swimming. Do the breast stroke, crawl, backstroke, or join an AquaAerobics class.
HIKING burns about 300 calories if you do it for 45 minutes and you weigh about 150 pounds. Make the hike more challenging (and fat-burning) by including hills and rougher terrain. Hiking provides a great cardiovascular workout and builds strength and endurance.
Greg Brooks, London-based Personal Trainer, ran a 30-day kettlebook challenge on his Facebook Page from Monday, January 13th through Tuesday 11th Feb 2014. I joined up. lol. See Greg Brooks and Kettlebell Challenge page for details and Greg Brooks Facebook for sign in.
Not a personal trainer Keith Horan is a superb bodybuilder, gymnast, and wannabe stuntman who shares his routines on his Youtube channel. Keith posts good descriptions so he is easy to follow. See Keith Horan's YouTube Videos. Below are links to some of his workout vids. Note that many of Keith's vids demonstrate gymnastics and stuntman moves. Not so useful, but really fun to watch.
OPEN VID LINKS IN SEPARATE WINDOW FOR ACCESS TO DESCRIPTIONS.
Drill 1 3 minutes, 30 second intervals
0:00 - 5 pull ups
0:30 - 6 alternating from left to right pull ups
1:00 - 10 scapula pull ups (arms straight, retract shoulders to lift with rhomboids)
1:30 - 5 pull ups
2:00 - 6 alternating left to right
2:30 - 10 scapula pull-ups
at the 3 minute mark start drill 2 and reset stop watch to 0
Drill 2 3 minutes, 30 second intervals
0:00 - 5 body rows to dip bar. Belly button to bar
0:30 - 10 scapula dips (reverse shrug)
1:00 - 5 body rows under dip bar
1:30 - 5 body rows to dip bar
2:00 - 10 scapular dips
2:30 - 5 body rows under dip bar
3:00 move to Drill 3
Drill 3 4 mins 30 seconds, 1:30 second intervals
0:00, 1:30, 3:00
Jump a comfortable distance to a bench or object of that height. Land softly on balls of your feet, turn around. bend your legs and keep your core low, and softly hop down and recoil back up into a vertical jump as soon as hitting ground. Bring knees to the chest for the jump, land on the balls of your feet and run in place trying to get your knees at least to waist height, for 20 exhale counts. Do 3 times at the designated time, and then do a set of 10 box jumps at the 4:30 mark. Rest a minute and start Drill 4.
Drill 4 3 minutes 30 second intervals.
0:00,0:30,1:00.1:30,2:00,2:30-3:00
A set of 5 pull ups, and on the "rest time" do a set of toe raises until the next set of pull ups.
Rest for 5 minutes and do the ENTIRE program again, and that will be a good back, bicep, leg workout for the day.
Routine
Basic Crunch
Twist Up
Push Through
Left Side Crunch
Right Side Crunch
Up and Twist
Leg Raise
Leg Tuck
90 degree ankle reach
Left Crossover Crunch
Right Crossover Crunch
Kick-Ups
Head Raises
Scissors
Left Crossover Twist
Right Crossover Twist
Head Leg Crunch
Alt shoulder lift
180 Ankle Reach
Side Bends
Alt Leg Tucks
Alt Push Throughs
"Nutrition Data" at http://nutritiondata.self.com detailed nutrition information, plus unique analysis tools that tell you more about how foods affect your health and make it easier to choose healthy foods accessed February 9, 2014; March 12, 2014
Fitness Instructor, Dena from Austin has great vids which are available from her "Today I Will Be Fit" blog (outside link). Dena's blog has no ads!. Check out the drop down menu for detailed descriptions of each video along with muscle groups worked and modifications! Dena says "Don't have time? You have 8 minutes, right? Try this at home, no equipment needed!"
According to Austin, Texas Fitness Trainer Dena, "Nobody wants flabby arms. And if Madonna can do it in her fifties, you can too." Her 10 minute workout will get you started. Don't let the short length fool you, the burn is inevitable. The exercises, which utilize multiple muscle groups, are efficient and very effective. Modifications are available during the video and in the description of exercises below.
ROUTINE FOR WORKOUT ARMS
Plank with alternating rows (1 minute)
Childs pose (Rest 30 sec)
Dip kicks Left Leg (1 minute)
Shoulder stretch (30 seconds)
Dip kicks Right Leg (1 minute)
Shoulder stretch (30 seconds)
Pilates push up: Right leg (30 seconds)
Childs pose (Rest 30 seconds)
Pilates push up: Left leg (30 seconds)
Childs pose (Rest 30 seconds)
Rocking plank (30 seconds)
Downward Dog to Upward Dog with Left Leg extended (45 seconds)
Childs pose (15 seconds)
Downward Dog to Upward Dog with Right Leg Extended (45 seconds)
Childs pose (15 seconds)
Tricep and shoulder stretches: right arm
Tricep and shoulder stretches: left arm
EQUIPMENT: Bodyweight
EXERCISES: DESCRIPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS
Plank with alternating rows: works shoulders, chest, triceps, core, and back (modify on knees)
Childs Pose: releases/stretches chest and shoulders, opens up lower back and hips
Dip Kicks: work triceps, shoulders, chest, abs, quads and hamstrings (modify without kick, keep feet in closer to make it easier and walk feet further away from body to increase difficulty)
Pilates push up: work chest, shoulders, and triceps (modify on one or both knees) *KEEP CORE TIGHT, DO NOT SINK HIPS WHEN FATIGUED!)
Rocking planks: work chest, shoulders, triceps, core, and back (modify by just doing plank, dropping to knees, but keep hips and lower back in line with shoulders and hips; keep core engaged!)
Downward dog - strengthens arms, shoulders, and core; stretches calves, hamstrings, glutes, and back (modify without leg raised, drop to elbows if too much pressure on wrists)
Upward dog: strengthens spine, arms, and wrists; stretches chest and lower back (modify without leg raised or keep hips on ground and drop to elbows to alleviate pressure on wrists)
Muscles Worked: biceps, lower body and core making it a great full body exercise. As you step your foot across, aim the toes back on the diagonal taking a really wide stance and then curl the arm straight up.
Muscles Worked: shoulders and core. As you perform the exercise, maintain a slight bend in your knees and keep your shoulders back and down. At the end of the movement, you should feel the band pulling you strongly back towards the origin point and your core has to really brace to prevent you from twisting towards the door. As you work, make sure your tailbone stays relaxed and down. Your spine should be in a neutral position, so you really feel that challenge in your abdominals.
Muscles Worked: triceps Pitch slightly forward with your torso that your band makes a diagonal from your hands down to the door. As you work here, make sure that your shoulders stay plugged down your back and that your elbows stay still. You should also feel a lot of added benefit for your core if you're working those arms with enough resistance overhead.
Muscles Worked: chest and triceps As you work here, you should have a slight hinge forward so your torso makes a 45-degree angle and your front leg remains slightly bent. Make sure that, at the end of the motion, you feel a lot of tension in your strap. You should feel as though you're being pulled back towards the door. When you release backwards with the arms, they stop inline with your shoulders. And then as you extend forward, the elbow is pushed fully straight.
Side Plank Pull-Down - Muscles Worked: back as well as the muscles in your core, specifically your obliques. In this position, be sure your shoulders and your hips are stacked. Imagine you're sitting between two panes of glass. Then, feel your back lift up away from the floor so you feel a lot of activation in the back. As you press down, maintain the height of your hips, pushing using those muscles right underneath your shoulder blades. 3 sets x 10 reps
Muscles Worked: back, biceps You're also getting great bonus work for your lower body at the same time. Be sure that before you start the movement, you retract your shoulder blades, drawing them together towards your spine and then pull your elbows behind your back. At the bottom of position, your hips should be right inline with your front knee creating a right angle with your legs. You should feel the arms and legs move together in this exercise.
Tricep Kickbacks, Tricep Dips, and Tricep Push-ups, 2-3 sets of each exercise, 2-3 times a week, are the key to sleek arms. These exercises were chosen based on a test using triceps kickbacks, overhead triceps extensions, bar push-downs, rope push-downs, closed-grip bench presses, lying barbell triceps extensions, tricep dips, and triangle push-ups. After analyzing the real-time muscle activity during each of the moves, researchers found tricep dips, triangle push-ups, and tricep kickbacks to be the most effective exercises. Triceps kickbacks and triangle push-ups not only produced high levels of muscle activation, but these exercises can be safely performed by the vast majority of exercisers, and require little to no equipment and a relatively short amount of time to produce a positive result when included in a regular fitness routine.
1. Tricep kickbacks. With a 5- or 8-pound weight (or more, depending on how strong you are), stand with your right leg in front of your left, knees slightly bent. Keeping your back straight, bend at the waist to a 45-degree angle, and rest your right hand on your right thigh for support. With the weight in your left hand, create a 90-degree angle with your arm. Press the weight backward until your left arm is straight, without moving your upper arm or shoulder. Then, lower the weight back to the starting position. Perform 8 to 12 reps with your left arm, and then switch sides.
2. Tricep dips. Sit on a weight bench or chair with your hands, palm down, on either side of your hips. While you support your body weight with your hands, scoot forward until your seat is off the bench. Keeping your shoulders down and relaxed, lower your body. Using the strength of your arms only, press your body back to your starting position. For the lowest modification, keep your knees bent and your feet close to your body. For a more challenging exercise, straighten your legs out in front of you. Perform 8 to 12 reps.
3. Triangle push-ups. A difficult move, a triangle push-up can also be performed on your knees until you build your strength. For the full version, assume an all-fours position on the floor or on a mat. Place your hands on the floor below your chest with your index fingers and thumbs touching to form a triangle, arms straight. With your torso straight and your back flat, lower your body as close to the ground as you can, bending your elbows back along your torso. Push back up until your arms are straight. That's one. Perform 8 to 12 push-ups.
Source: "The Three Best Exercises for Sleek Summer Arms" from Everyday Health accessed September 7, 2014
Strong wrists (and shoulders) are necessary for strengthening exercises, such as pushups, pull ups and weight lifting.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls
Starting Position: Sit with forearms resting on your thighs or a bench. Take an underhand grip on one dumbbell, passively extending your wrists downward. Place the other hand on top of your wrist (not pictured) to hold the arm in place.
Action: EXHALE: Curl your wrist up, keeping the rest of the arm still by using your free hand.
INHALE: Slowly lower to the starting position to complete one rep. Finish all reps on this side and switch hands.
Special Instructions: Can also be done with both wrists simultaneously.
Note: Although the amount of weight will vary from person to person, the feeling you experience will be similar. A good starting point is two sets of 12 repetitions (resting 30-60 seconds in between sets). The 12th repetition should be the last one you can do with proper form. If you cannot reach 12 without a significant struggle, the weight is too heavy. If you can continue past 12 without a problem, the weight is too light. The feeling you experience should fall somewhere in the middle- it is a challenge, but not so difficult that you risk injury. It is better to start with a light weight and add more as you become stronger and the exercises become easier. After three or four weeks, you might notice some exercises becoming easier. At this point it is a good idea to increase the weight, in small increments of 2-5 pounds. This way your muscles will continue to be challenged without being overworked.
9 Exercises for Strong, Sculpted Arms (outside link) (local)
Hot Arms Made Simple "You don't need fancy equipment to get strong, sculpted arms and shoulders," says trainer Todd Durkin, who created this 360-degree arm-toning routine exclusively for FITNESS. "You just need the right moves." And here they are, using only a set of 5- to 12-pound dumbbells, a handled resistance tube, and a sturdy bench or chair. His rules for speedier results: (1) Opt for heavier weights, not the three-pounders. (2) Do two rear-delt moves for every front-delt exercise; we've labeled these specific targets so you can shuffle the moves. Do these exercises three times a week every other day, along with your usual cardio. Perform one or two sets per move in the first two weeks and add weight every two weeks. Starting with week three, do two or three sets of the biceps and triceps moves.
Why Do Burpees? For arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and ABS!
Burpees work nearly every muscle in the body except those of the back and biceps, which are covered by pull ups.
Every rep works arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. Burpees are an excellent cardio as well; they turn your body into a virtual a fat burning machine that lasts through your whole day by speeding up your metabolism. Is there any simpler full body workout than this? Burpees are named after Royal H. Burpee, the physiologist in New York City who, in 1939, invented mild version of the movement, intending it to be done just four times in a row as part of a fitness test. In fact, he even advised against performing burpees in high volumes.
Where Do Burpees Come From? tells all about the history of the burpee, invented by NYC physiologist Royal H. Burpee in 1939. (outside link) accessed May 7, 2014
Video How to Do a Burpee off the chart excellent explanation and demonstration (outside link) accessed May 7, 2014
Stand with feet together. Slowly bend from hips to lower torso, touching fintertips to ground.
Action
EXHALE: Lift right leg behind you to hip height, keeping hips level. Bend left knee slightly if needed. Hold for 5 counts. INHALE: Return to start and repeat on other side for one rep.
Special Instructions
Try to keep weight on left leg and only slightly on hands (fingertips). Keep abs tight.
Muscles Worked: Abs, Lower back, Hamstrings
Balancing Exercise to Tone Legs, Thighs, Butt, and Strengthen CORE
Balancing leg exercise to tighten and tone your legs, thighs, butt, glutes, quads, and hamstrings which helps strengthen your core (abs , back and internal stabilizers which are engaged through the balancing).
Stand on both legs.
Raise right leg.
Hold.
Repeat with other leg
Balancing can be a challenge to master, so don't give up right away if you cannot balance on one foot for more than a second because with practice you will get better and better. There are balance disorders which require professional treatment. As we age we lose balance. We can counteract this by doing exercises which our balance and by strengthening our core.
Start: Slowly and cautiously step onto the balance board, one foot at a time, holding on to a wall or sturdy object for balance if necessary. With both feet on, take your time adjusting your balance until you can stand upright with legs together, back straight, abs engaged, and arms extended at your sides (pictured).
Action:Breathe steadily as you balance in this standing position for 15-30 seconds. Gradually work your way up to holding this exercise for 1-3 minutes for an isometric core challenge.
Special Instructions: Try to keep your legs together and your spine lengthened at all times. Engage your abs and stare at a focal point in front of you to help with balance. Make it harder: As you get better, try to lift your arms higher instead of extending them at your sides. The higher your arms are lifted (such as next to your ears), the more challenge you'll add to this exercise.
BOSU stands for "both sides up". BOSUs help users to develop the core and to improve balance. It is essentially a half exercise ball on one side, and on the other it is a a hard plastic base. This exercise equipment was invented in 1999, and is now widely used in gyms around the world. Fitness trainers often use the BOSU as part of their balance training sessions. Bosus are not for beginners. They are not for anyone with balance issues or weak ankles. They have a weight limit of 500 Lbs, so heavy people, especially using weights, should be mindful. TIPS: Make sure your BOSU is well inflated. It should feel hard. When using the bosu, keep ABS engaged, concentrate on a focal point.
According to "Workout Guy"
"The BOSU is a versatile piece of equipment, but the problem is that not enough people know what kind of exercises to do on it, or the health benefits of using this strange tool. Here os a list of the fitness benefits of the BOSU and some fundamental exercises on the BOSU you can add to your workout routines. The BOSU is not just great as a warm up tool, but you can use the BOSU for your entire workout if you want.
Benefits of the BOSU
Benefit #1: Enhanced Workout Intensity
Weight machines at the gym allow you to focus on building muscle strength and endurance. They force you to follow a particular track when you push or pull. If you are doing free weights such as dumbbells or bar bells, these equipment allow you more freedom and flexibility when doing exercises. This is where the BOSU comes in as the extra challenge. It forces your core to be stabilized throughout the entire exercise, thus adding a secondary focus. Doing simple exercises such as lunges, dumbbell raises, or squats become more difficult with the addition of the BOSU trainer.
Benefit #2: 1 BOSU, Full Body Workout
The BOSU trainer can be used for flexibility, balance, and even strength training. The ability to use both sides of the BOSU gives it amazing versatility. Push ups on a BOSU is a good example. One can use either side of the ball to enhance the difficulty in different ways. Given 30 minutes a day, one can complete a full body workout with the BOSU ball alone.
Benefit #3: Keep Workouts Fun!
We don't want to do something if it's no fun. Working out and exercising should be the same way. I disagree with doing the same thing and hitting the same muscle groups week after week. It's easy to hit plateaus this way and stunt your growth in reaching your workout goals. The instability of the BOSU is a constant challenge, and even pro athletes use it to keep their workouts entertaining.
Benefit #4: Easy to Store, Maintain, and to Keep at Home
I recommend that people have a BOSU ball at home, and use it on a regular basis. It requires a one time set-up of about ten minutes, and takes up minimal space. The BOSU weighs only about 20-30 pounds so it's very easy to move around from one place to another.
Some Exercises to Try on the BOSU
For those who wish to try the BOSU, there are some simple exercises you can use to test out how it feels for you.
1) Front Plank: [Plank] Put your elbows on the round side of the BOSU. Flex your core and plank your body like so. Try to keep your whole body level, as your bum may try to stick up or your back will arch downwards.
2) Push-ups on a BOSU: [Push-ups] Place your hands on the flat side of the BOSU. Get in push up position, and do about 10-30 push ups. Keep your body level on this one as well.
3) Lunges on a BOSU: [Lunges] Perform some simple lunges, about 10-30 lunges.
I would have to say that the BOSU Trainer offers a lot more benefits and versatility than traditional dumbbells or barbells. Whether you want to enhance your workout at the gym or wish to do great exercises at home, a BOSU Trainer, in my point of view, is definitely a worthwhile fitness investment.
Books about BOSU Training Routines and Exercises include: BOSU Workout Routine Made Easy and Get On It! BOSU Balance Trainer Workouts for Core Strength and Super Toned Body.
BOSU Squat with Press (outside link by Coach Nicole from Spark People #90)
Fitness Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Equipment Needed: BOSU Balance trainer and dumbbells
Type of Exercise: Strength and balance training
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Core (abs, obliques, lower back) and legs (glutes, quads, hamstrings)
Safety Tip: This is not an exercise for beginners, or for people with balance issues.
The truth about bosu balls, balance disks, and wobble boards.
from Simplicity Training blog
Does your group training class, personal trainer, or personal training studio use bosu balls for "balance work?" These instruments are among the oldest aids used in balance work. The first time you stand on a bosu ball, you'll find it hard to stabilize your stance when your leg begins to shake. After completing exercises on bosu balls, balance disks, and similar equipment you'll notice that your leg begins to stabilize after time.
This must mean you're gaining amazing balance, right? No! What is really happening is that your body has simply learned to stabilize on an uneven surface. While it appears you've gained amazing balance because of your bosu ball exercises, you've actually achieved better balance suited for a surface that you hardly use in daily life.
Have you ever tested to see whether or not you have gained balance on hard surfaces?
Self Test: You might think that your balance has improved after mastering the bosu ball, so try this exercise to test the truth of your belief.
Stand on one foot. Still balancing easily? Now, try standing on one foot while looking to the left. Hold that position. Move to a neutral position (look straight forward). Then look right and return to the neutral stance. Look down and hold that position. Return to neutral. Then look up, and hold, then return to neutral stance. While switching positions, try to turn your head as fast as you reasonably can.
Could you achieve all these positions while maintaining balance? If so, try the same drill with your eyes closed.
In another method designed to test the efficacy of balance balls, disks, and wobble boards, a muscle test is employed. For this method, test the strength in a joint before and after standing on a bosu ball for ten seconds. You should see a significant difference in strength.
Why doesn't overall balance improve when you practice on uneven surfaces?
The Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand (S.A.I.D) training principle is the most important standard for people in training to consider. It explains that a certain exercise or type of training produces adaptations specific to the activity performed and only in the muscles (and energy systems) that are stressed by the activity.
When you train on a bosu ball, you achieve better balance on surfaces like a bosu ball. But what type of surface do we stand on primarily? We stand on hard ground and flat surfaces. If most activities take place on hard, even surfaces, then those surface types should be used in your training.
The bosu is definitely not for anyone with balance issues or weak ankles.
Some sports like skiing or surfing take place on uneven ground. Athletes in these kinds of sports may benefit from some use of bosu balls and balance disks, yet it's important to realize that most activities aren't performed on a wobbly surface.
The vestibular system is an important part of our keeping our balance. It is very complicated. A definition is that the vestibular system detects motion of the head in space and in turn generates reflexes that are crucial for our daily activities, such as stabilizing the visual axis (gaze) and maintaining head and body posture. In addition, the vestibular system provides us with our subjective sense of movement and orientation in space. The vestibular sensory organs are located in the petrous part of the temporal bone in close proximity to the cochlea, the auditory sensory organ.
Read more about the vestibular system on Wikipedia (very technical) or use Google to find more.
Source: "The truth about bosu balls, balance disks, and wobble boards." from Simplicity Training blog January 21, 2011 at http://www.mysimplicitytraining.com/blog/?p=1362 accessed May 14, 2014
The bosu ball crunch is a fitness ball exercise that primarily targets the abs and to a lesser degree also targets the obliques. The only bosu ball crunch equipment that you really need is the following: bosu ball. There are however many different bosu ball crunch variations that you can try out that may require different types of bosu ball crunch equipment or may even require no equipment at all. Learning proper bosu ball crunch form is easy with the step by step bosu ball crunch instructions, bosu ball crunch tips, and the instructional bosu ball crunch technique video on this page. The bosu ball crunch is a n/a exercise for those with a beginner level of physical fitness and exercise experience. Watch the bosu ball crunch video, learn how to do the bosu ball crunch, and then be sure and browse through the bosu ball crunch workouts on our workout plans page.
VIDEO BOSU Ball Crunch with Proper Form
Learn Proper BOSU Ball Crunch Form
Step 1: Put your lower back on the bosu ball and your hands behind your head.
Step 2: Use your abs to crunch inward then back out.
BOSU Ball Crunch Variations and BOSU Ball Crunch Alternatives
Variation 1: Weighted Bosu ball crunch
Alternative 2: Swiss ball crunch
Alternative 3: Crunch
BOSU Ball Crunch Tips
Tip 1: Do not pull on your neck, let your abs do the work.
You can work out anywhere. The ideal is the gym, but with minimum equipment, you can do a lot at home. My own equipment consists of a stability ball, a set of bands and Figure 8 Band, a yoga mat, 2 lb ankle weights and 2-lb dumbbells, and ahula hoop.
To improve your fitness without straining your wallet, try these everyday ways to torch calories.
If a gym membership is not in your budget and a personal trainer is too pricey, you can still get fit and lose weight, for free. Wherever you exercise, whether at the gym, outdoors, or at home, it doesn't really matter, says Mickey Harpaz, PhD, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist and author of Menopause Reset!. What does matter is that you exercise regularly. "The trick is consistency over a long period," he says.
When planning your fitness routine, remember that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week, through activities such as brisk walking, biking, jogging, and swimming, and two to three strength-training sessions per week. See "Why You Need Aerobic Exercise" (outside link). To be safe, talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a health condition. Once you get the go-ahead to work out, try these budget-friendly options.
Park far away. It's tempting to park as close as you can to the entrance of your destination. Instead, you can squeeze some exercise into your day just by parking at the end of every lot and walking the rest of the way, whether you're going to work, shopping at the mall, or seeing your doctor.
Get off the bus early. Another way to encourage working out is by walking to your destination. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do, says Bob Sallis, MD, a family physician and sports medicine expert for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. "It requires no special equipment other than a pair of comfortable sneakers, and it can be done anywhere," he adds.
Choose the stairs. Whenever you have the option of taking the stairs instead of an elevator, go for it. Climbing a few flights of stairs several times a day is a great way of working out for free. If you run up the stairs or take them two at a time, you can give your glutes and thigh muscles a toning boost.
Volunteer. Devote time to organizations such as Achilles International, which supports athletes with disabilities through free walking and running work outs alongside able-bodied volunteers. Lend your legs to the organization or another like it a few times a week to improve your physical and emotional health.
Turn on the TV. If you have a TV, you can work out from your living room. Most cable packages come with free exercise programs either at set times or on-demand, and you also can find free work outs on YouTube and other Internet sites.
Work out online. If you're not sure where to start without a personal trainer to guide you, check out the American Council on Exercise's free fitness library (outside link). The step-by-step instructions for exercises for every body part, abs, hips, shoulders, arms, and more, will having you toning at home in no time. Many ACE exercises don't require equipment; for the ones that do, consider investing in a pair of free weights, or improvise by holding canned foods or gallons of water in each hand.
Exercise in the park. Walk, jog, or bike through your neighborhood park, and up your calorie burn through body-weight exercises, such as walking lunges and tricep dips. Check with your city to find out if the public parks in your area ever offer free fitness class: From coast to coast, yoga, aerobics, Pilates, and Zumba classes are now available for free in outdoor spaces. You can also check social networking sites such as MeetUp.com to see if there are any local free-to-join exercise groups.
Go dancing. Dancing is great exercise, whether you're grooving around your living room or out at a club with friends. Depending on your weight and how strenuous the moves are, you can burn from 60 to 140 calories in just 15 minutes. If you are out on the town, remember to skip calorie-laden cocktails to avoid spoiling your weight-loss efforts.
Do chores around the house. Scrub the floors. Rake leaves. Garden. Clean out the attic and the garage. Mow the lawn. Wash the windows. All these chores make great calorie-burning work outs. As an added benefit, your house will look "toned," too.
Visit your library. Many libraries have exercise videos or DVDs and books that you can borrow and use to work out on your own. Of course, you'll find an even better selection at your local fitness store, and even if you buy a few, they still will add up to less than a gym membership.
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Billy Blanks: This Is Tae Bo DVD by Billy Blanks 2010 Best overall body workout combines cardio, sculpting and ab training for maximum fat burning. Shed pounds, lose inches and shape your body; change the way you think about fitness forever. DVD includes an intense 1 hour workout plus a basics tutorial where Billy will teaches proper form on Tae Bo basic moves. Mixed reviews: e.g. "Billy rambles too much about himself". Lee likes this DVD. NOTE: 1-hour Tae Bo burns 500 to 800 calories, compared to 300 - 400 calories burned with a more conventional aerobics workout. With a healthy diet, the burned calories should translate into primarily fat loss. As an aerobic and cardio workout, Tae Bo helps practitioners work out more sweat and lose weight at a faster pace when working out constantly during a week. See 
The human body increases its strength lifting capabilities with the level of workout that is placed upon the muscles. If the body's muscles are not worked through changes in lifestyle, such as driving to work, sitting at a desk, then the body will become weak and unhealthy. In order to improve your strength, a change is needed to be made, otherwise if you simply lift the same weights, the same way, then you will stay the same - your training is maintenance based.
Starting Position: Lie on left side, legs straight, knees together, resting head on right hand or extended arm. Place right hand flat on the ground in front of you for balance.
Starting Position: Begin by getting down on yours hands and knees with your hands just outside shoulder width and slightly forward of your shoulders. Your knees should be directly aligned with your hips. Keep your abdomen tight and your spine in a neutral position. 
WARNING! Do not extend arms upon ascent and do not widen elbows upon descent. See vid #4. 
When you have sculpted triceps you can wear short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts. A terrific beginner exercise for sculpting the backs of upper arms is tricep kickbacks. Anna suggests using bands. Jillian Michaels recommends dumbbells. 
Air Squat Definition: The air squat serves as both a strength-training exercise and a functional movement that mimics real-world activities. The air squat (also called body weight squat) uses only body weight for resistance and is more functional than the standard squat, which typically incorporates external resistance, such as a loaded bar or dumbbells. Use the air squat to learn proper squatting technique and advance to the standard squat as you become stronger. Follow the directions below plua view GMB YouTube video 
Using a band increases the challenge of squats. See 
Sumo wrestlers are powerhouses of strength and balance. In the beginning of a match, the two opponents face off while performing a special type of squat in slow motion. Lifting one leg while leaning to the side, the wrestler uses his full weight and power to strike the mat. After repeating this move with the other leg, the wrestler then sinks down into a deep, wide-legged squat. 
Type: Resistance Exercise
Step 2: Hold for a beat, exhale, and press back up to your starting position and repeat.
The air squat is also called body weight squat. The squat is a fundamental exercise. In order to master weighted back squat or any form of the squat with weights, you must be able to properly squat with your own body weight. Here are the steps: 
Plates How Much Do Plates Weigh? Determine how much weight you are lifting by adding up the plates + the bar (about 2 1/2 lbs) 
In October 2013, I set up personal training with Anna, the Group Power instructor at NAC. Anna who competes in women's bodybuilding has years of exerience in helping peope reach their fitness goals. I have learned a lot about form for dead lifts, dead lift squats, and clean presses which are among the most effective strengthening exercises. It is not easy, but with Anna's help and encouragement, some practice and reading I am slowly making progress and am very confident that I will succeed. Anna stresses that diet is 70%. She recommends very little or no alcohol, lots of water, plus healthy food. Her method of weight trainings consists of doing a routine, then repeating with increased weights, then again with the lighter weights. 
Golds Gym PT Michelle has produced a series of excellent videos. Many of her exercises are used in Heidi's Fit Camp which I attended from March through July 2014. I am currently developing my own routine using what I have learned from Heidi and Michelle's vids. 
Sp02 refers to Oxygen Saturation which is a term referring to the concentration of oxygen in the blood. The human body requires and regulates a very precise and specific balance of oxygen in the blood. Normal blood oxygen levels in humans are considered 95-100 percent.
Repeat for 8 times.
Your next step is to progress to stability ball back extensions. These are performed in exactly the same way as the more challenging version of the floor back extensions, but you lie with your stomach and thighs on a stability ball. The added element of balance means your lower back has to work harder not only to perform the extension movement, but to stabilize you as well.
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Starting Position: Sit with forearms resting on your thighs or a bench. Take an underhand grip on one dumbbell, passively extending your wrists downward. Place the other hand on top of your wrist (not pictured) to hold the arm in place. 
Burpees work nearly every muscle in the body except those of the back and biceps, which are covered by pull ups.
Every rep works arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. Burpees are an excellent cardio as well; they turn your body into a virtual a fat burning machine that lasts through your whole day by speeding up your metabolism. Is there any simpler full body workout than this? Burpees are named after Royal H. Burpee, the physiologist in New York City who, in 1939, invented mild version of the movement, intending it to be done just four times in a row as part of a fitness test. In fact, he even advised against performing burpees in high volumes.
Balancing leg exercise to tighten and tone your legs, thighs, butt, glutes, quads, and hamstrings which helps strengthen your core (abs , back and internal stabilizers which are engaged through the balancing). 
Start: Slowly and cautiously step onto the balance board, one foot at a time, holding on to a wall or sturdy object for balance if necessary. With both feet on, take your time adjusting your balance until you can stand upright with legs together, back straight, abs engaged, and arms extended at your sides (pictured). 
Exercise
BOSU stands for "both sides up". BOSUs help users to develop the core and to improve balance. It is essentially a half exercise ball on one side, and on the other it is a a hard plastic base. This exercise equipment was invented in 1999, and is now widely used in gyms around the world. Fitness trainers often use the BOSU as part of their balance training sessions. Bosus are not for beginners. They are not for anyone with balance issues or weak ankles. They have a weight limit of 500 Lbs, so heavy people, especially using weights, should be mindful. TIPS: Make sure your BOSU is well inflated. It should feel hard. When using the bosu, keep ABS engaged, concentrate on a focal point. 
