Is the Future of Cognitive Therapy Similar to Training One's Abdominal Muscles?

The Wall Street Journal had a very interesting article yesterday, titled To Be Young and Anxiety-Free, focused on the value of cognitive behavioral therapy to help children with high levels of anxiety learn how too cope better and prevent the snowball scenario, when that anxiety grows and spirals out of control resulting in depression and similar

- "...new research showing that treating kids for anxiety when they are young may help prevent the development of more serious mental illnesses, including depression and more debilitating anxiety disorders."

- "But the use of antidepressants in children has come under fire because of recent evidence showing an increase in suicidal thoughts in kids taking the drugs. Partly as a result, many doctors and psychologists employ as a first line of treatment cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, which is often just as effective as medication."

What is Cognitive Therapy (the most common type of cognitive behavioral therapy) and what are its cognitive and structural brain benefits? Judith Beck guides us here, explaining that "Cognitive therapy, as developed by my father Aaron Beck, is a comprehensive system of psychotherapy, based on the idea that the way people perceive their experience influences their emotional, behavioral, and physiological responses. Part of what we do is to help people solve the problems they are facing today. We also teach them cognitive and behavioral skills to modify their dysfunctional thinking and actions."

Cerebrum, a publication by the Dana Foundation, just released an excellent article titled A Road Paved by Reason, with background on cognitive therapy: how the technique was developed and refined, its short and long-term benefits, and future trends. A few quotes:

- "Psychological problems result from the erroneous meanings that people attach to events, not from the events themselves."

- "In cognitive therapy, patients learn through a variety of strategies to test their faulty beliefs. They then learn to appraise themselves and their futures in a way that is realistic, unbiased and constructive."

- "Various managed-care companies and mental health centers now expect their therapists to be trained in cognitive therapy. The British government has recently set up a large program for training over 6,000 mental health workers to do cognitive therapy. There are now dozens, if not hundreds, of researchers focusing on the theoretical underpinnings of cognitive therapy, or on its applications."

In short, here we have a number of major societal problems (anxiety, depression...) that affect people of all ages, and an intervention that teaches people cognitive skills to be able to manage those related challenges better. Talk about "teaching how to fish" vs. simply handing out fish (which we could argue is what antidepressant medications do).

Why don't more people benefit today from that approach? A major problem, in my view, is the lack of a scalable distribution model. Meaning, using the traditional face-to-face approach, one needs to create, train, certify, ensure quality of, a very large network of practitioners. Which is what, as mentioned above, the British government is doing: training 6,000 mental health workers.

This is certainly a worthy initiative. Now, is it the most scalable one to deliver results while being cost and resource efficient? Perhaps not.

We can view cognitive therapy as a method for well-structured cognitive exercise, where a key factor of success is practice. Same as training your abdominal muscles: if you just join the local club, which has a set of superb machines for abdominal training, but don't use abdominal training those machines in a disciplined manner, your abdominal muscles are unlikely to become very impressive.

We can then view the therapist as the personal trainer who motivates you to stay on track, to propose the right exercise routine based on your personal goals. If the trainer is with you the whole time, encouraging you to do and monitoring your abdominal exercises, you are most likely to complete them. But it is a very expensive approach.

Perhaps a hybrid approach makes more sense: the personal trainer helps you define goals, supervise progress and make modifications to the training regime, AND you do your own abdominal exercises with the machine that has been designed precisely with that goal in mind. There were no such mainstream machines only 50 years ago, before physical fitness became a popular concept and practice. Now there is one in every health club and TV infomercial.

Let's go back to cognitive therapy. Of course there is a need for more and better trainer professionals who can help patients. But of course technology will help complement existing approaches, reaching corners we can not even predict now, and helping more people of all ages better cope with change, life, anxiety, a range of cognitive and emotional challenges. Without any stigma. Just as naturally as one trains abdominal muscles.

There is already research showing the value of computerised cognitive therapy. A recent systematic review published in the British Journal of Psychiatry concluded that "There is some evidence to support the effectiveness of CCBT for the treatment of depression. However, all studies were associated with considerable drop-out rates and little evidence was presented regarding participants' preferences and the acceptability of the therapy. More research is needed to determine the place of CCBT in the potential range of treatment options offered to individuals with depression."

Yes, more research is always needed. However, we also need to refine the questions. Not so much "Will computerized cognitive therapy leave thousands of therapists out of work?" but "How can computerized cognitive therapy be used to increase the reach and effectiveness of therapists" and "Can computerized cognitive therapy help reach populations that receive no intervention whatsoever today?"

Please think about that next time you see someone training his or her abdominal muscles.


Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains.com, which offers resources for brain fitness and brain games. SharpBrains has been recognized by Scientific American Mind, Newsweek, The New York Times, and more. Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University, and teaches The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alvaro_Fernandez

Best Abs Exercise - 2 Sexy Abdominal Training Secrets

Anytime someone asks me what the best abs exercise is, they are almost always looking to lose stomach fat.

If this is the reason that you are researching abs exercises, then there are a few things that you should know before you go off looking for a new ab workout routine.

This article will show you why the best abs exercise is not necessarily the missing link to losing belly fat OR getting a six pack.

REASON #1: The best abs exercise in the world is not enough to lose stomach fat.

This is an important concept to understand. If you want to lose fat in the midsection, then doing hundreds of crunches is definitely not the way to go. Why is this?

The reason is that when most people try to lose fat in the midsection, they try to do it with hundreds of crunches. The thought is that the more the abs are worked, the more fat loss will occur.

This is a common myth known as "spot reduction". Spot reduction refers to the thought that if you want to lose fat in a certain area, you can do so by working the muscle underneath.

When it comes to fast loss, you are not able to lose it in a specific area! This is why the best abs exercise in the world is not enough to make this happen.

If you are going to lose fat, you lose it all over your body. Have you ever seen someone walking at the beach with a ripped six pack and flabby love handles and a big butt? Of course not! But when trying to lose stomach fat with doing abs exercises, this is essentially what you are trying to accomplish.

This bring us to the next reason...

REASON #2: Since you lose fat all over your body, you train that way too.

Instead of concentrating on trying to find the best abs exercise, try to concentrate on total body strength training instead.

Remember, the goal here is to lose total body fat. The real key to doing this is to reduce the calories from diet and raise your metabolism through exercise.

The best way to raise your metabolism through exercise is to add lean muscle mass through total body resistance training. Muscle uses stored fat as fuel when your body is primed to do so.

With resistance training, your body will be stimulated to add more muscle mass. Don't worry, it is impossible to get "big muscles" while on a fat loss program. If you are eating and training to make your body smaller, your body simply cannot respond by getting big muscles!

Raising your metabolism through exercise is the best way to lose body fat with resistance training. A great addition to this is also high intensity cardio to burn calories and rev up your metabolism.

CONCLUSION

Instead of trying to find the best abs exercise to lose fat, concentrate instead on losing total body fat through the right diet and raising your metabolism through exercise. Once you shift your focus and put these concepts into action, you will be on the fast track to having slim and sexy abs!

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Personal Training Abdominal Workout

How to obtain the mid-section you've always wanted!

Why does everyone want the six pack? Easy - it is way more attractive than the more common, spare tyre or beer belly! There are thousands of articles everywhere you look on how to achieve the "perfect" torso. Most of them promising results. If it was as simple as just going to the gym three times a week whilst following a low carb diet, we'd all be flying out to Ibiza every summer, prancing around shirtless showing off our prize assets! Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Let's face it, everyone wants a flat stomach! The problem is, it's not that simple. There are so many factors that have to be considered when looking achieve this. Every single person has abdominal muscles. If you didn't, you would not be able to get up from a horizontal position. The problem is trying to get rid of that sheet of fat so that you can actually see them.

Obtaining the most wanted body part for men and women is quite the challenge. It takes 100% dedication to training, the near perfect diet along with targeted supplementation (BioSignature) and an optimal lifestyle. In order to succeed you must acquire some basic knowledge of how the abdominal's and core work.

To keep this simple so that you stay focus, I will summarize the torso up in a couple of sentences:

1. Core muscles - These are the muscle that you don't see but hold precedence when training your torso. The primary role of the core is to stiffen the spine, rib cage and pelvic girdle so that the head, arms and legs have a stable working foundation. If you are suffering from some kind of inner abdominal dysfunction, you will not get that flat stomach.

2. Abdominal group - These are the ones that you do see (assuming you have low enough body fat). Performing crunches, leg raises, sit-ups etc...will all hypertrophy these muscles. However, you MUST have a solid core before you start direct abdominal training.

ACHIEVING THE IMPOSSIBLE

If you really want to look your best, walking around shirtless for your next summer holiday, start working on them now! With a combination of physical training, good nutrition, BioSignature and an optimal lifestyle, you can flatten your stomach for summer!

TRAINING

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got! Change your weights training programme every 3 to 4 weeks. I'm not talking about just ab training you must change your whole routine!

Whether your goal is hypertrophy, strength or fat loss, you should never stick to the same exercises and exercise variables for longer than 3 to 6 weeks. Train with free-weights, NOT machines (unless instructed by a health care professional).

When training on machines, you do not stimulate the core and stabilizers. Squats, Lunges, Deadlifts, Military presses are all excellent and safe exercises when performed correctly! They train the abdominal's indirectly, stimulating the core, resulting in a flat strong torso. If you are retaining a layer a fat around your stomach but are relatively lean elsewhere, you will need to look at your nutrition and lifestyle. Avoid crunches and sit-ups for at least a couple of months, especially if you're a crunch fiend and perform them religiously!

The chances are you're in need of some structural balancing. Your trunk flexors will be tight and strong in comparison to your trunk extensors which will be weak. Instead, work on your lower back muscles and stretch out your abdominal's. Perform exercises like Deadlifts, and back extensions (not necessarily on the same day). If you never train the mid section and have gotten rid of most of the fat then you could start training them directly.

Below is a sample routine you can try out twice a week. Side note: Abdominal's are composed primarily of fast-twitch muscle fibres, which in laymans terms, mean they usually respond better to the rep rang between 6 and 12, with a total time under tension of 30-50 seconds.

A1 - Incline leg raises. 8-12 reps. 4.1.1.1 tempo. Lying face up on an incline bench of about 30 degrees, grab the bench behind your head. Lifts hips off the bench trying to keep legs straight as possible. Try kick the ceiling and slowly lower down for 4 seconds. Rest 30 seconds then...

A2 - Decline crunches. 8-10 reps. 3.0.1.0 tempo. Using the same bench as before, anchor your feet at the top somehow so that your head is below your feet. Perform a crunch towards your feet and slowly lower down for 3 seconds. After you have done 10 reps rest 30 seconds then..

A3 - Side bends - 8-10 reps. 3.0.1.0 tempo. Using a swiss ball or a back extension chair, anchor feet. If you are working your left side, have your left foot back and your right foot in front for better balance. Lower for 3 seconds and up for 1. Aim for 10 reps, rest then....

A4 - Back extensions - 8-10 reps. 3.0.1.0 tempo. Using the same chair or ball as above, anchor feet. Slowly lower your face towards the floor for 3 seconds, up for 1 and pause in an extension position (NOT HYPEREXSTENDED) for a second then down again. Aim for 10 reps then rest 2 to 3 minutes and repeat the super set for another 2 rounds!

By the end of this routine your abdominal's should be in a little pain. If not then you should look at increase the intensity next time, NOT reps. This can be done by holding a weight behind or in front of your head, or between your feet (leg raises).

NUTRITION

Without proper nutrition you will probably never get the results you're after. I'm not going to say that you should cut carbohydrates or fat as this may not work for you. However, if you have been relying on certain carbs and sugars for energy for a long time but have not seen a reduction in the waistline, maybe you should change to good fats and proteins. Here are some simple tips that can help with the stomach, along with increased energy levels:

Think before you eat - "that cake looks good, but I will regret it after" Eat as often as you can - 4 to 6 smaller meals instead of 2 or 3 big ones. Don't skip meals - If you do, your body will think there's lack of food around and prepare itself for this. Your metabolism will slow down and you will burn off muscle and retain fat! Eat Organic whenever possible - There's plenty of info out there on the importance of consuming organic, free-range products. Avoid processed foods and drinks - These are high in sugar, additives, bad fats and chemicals which our bodies are not designed to live on. Keep well hydrated - Drink at least 2 litres of bottled filtered water everyday. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption, especially beer.

BIOSIGNATURE

Please refer to my BioSignature article for more details.

SUMMARIZING UP

Follow these steps in order and you will have a much greater chance of losing that spare tyre compared to what you are probably doing right now:

1. Nutrition - Cut out all carbohydrates and sugars and focus on animal (and whey) proteins and vegetables (not potatoes). Stay well hydrated

2. Supplementation - For best results, I strongly recommend getting a BioSignature assessment done.

3. Lifestyle - Get to bed by about 10:30 ish every night (try your best here) and wake up at the same time every day. Find ways to control stress, if needed.

4. Training - Avoid excess sit-ups, crunches, leg raises and focus on big, compound movements, such as Deadlifts, Squats, Military Presses etc. This will burn more calories than direct abdominal exercises, and speed up your metabolism! Avoid, or limit sustained aerobic activities such as long runs. Trust me on this one!


Darron is the founder and Director of djd-training.com - a Private Personal Training company operating in Central and North London. His specialty lies with targeted fat loss using BioSignature and strength training. Darron's clients consist of busy Executives, stay-at-home mum's, Doctors, business owners, and more. For more info please go to djd-training.com or email direct at darron@djd-training.com

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4 Critical Steps For An Ectomorph Workout

How many Calories

Are you eating enough calories? So many ectomorphs get this wrong, they think they can follow the same diet plan their buddies in the gym are following and that's why they are not seeing weight gain.

The ectomorph has to eat more per pound of body weight than the average guy. There is some debate on the exact number but here is a good place to start.

The skinny guy should multiply each pound of body-weight by 20-24. So if you weigh 150 lbs. times 20 equals 3,000 calories a day.

This is where you should start, and if you don't see weight gain at this level than start adding 150 calories a week until you do.

The other part of this equation is the diet break-down. Now most people would limit the carbohydrate intake so the diet based on percentages of calories a day would be 45% protein 30% carbs and 25% fat. Because the average guy is scared that carbohydrates will put on body fat.

The ectomorph doesn't have to worry about that because of a high metabolic rate. So for the ectomorph I would start with a 40% protein 40% carbs and 20% fat. This should aid in packing on weight and muscle.

You can always make adjustments to this as you see how your body responds.

How much sleep is right

Too many weight lifters under estimate the importance of rest and sleep. They put so much concentration on their training they end up hurting their gains because of lack of rest.

When you are sleeping your system releases natural growth hormones that help build and repair muscle fibers that get broken down during your workout.

Without this very important process that only happens when resting, the less you rest the less you gain.

Of course the other side of the coin is too much sleep. Because an ectomorph has such a high metabolism, it makes it more difficult to gain weight and muscle. Getting a solid 8-10 hours is sufficient rest to help your gains.

Once you start to go over this amount, you risk hurting your gains.

Remember you need to eat a lot of calories a day and you need to eat often. When we are sleeping we are not eating. If you sleep too long your body will start needing fuel to survive, remember that fast metabolic rate?

While you are over sleeping, that is more than 10 hours your body is looking for energy to keep going and muscle mass is what it is going after.

So you have to maintain a healthy balance between calorie intake and resting to make sure you are getting the optimal muscle building process.

Full body workout

Something that happens far too often for ectomorphs is following a workout that just doesn't address the needs of a skinny guy.

The ectomorph will not benefit from a workout you find most bodybuilders doing these days. It's not their fault they just don't know any better.

They go to the gym and follow what ever workout their buddies are doing. They see their friends packing on muscle each week and they can't figure out why when they look in the mirror after months of training they see the same body they had when they started.

This is what makes most skinny guys give up, they believe that they just can't gain muscle, end of story.

But it is just a matter of using the right exercises in combination with the right amount of reps and sets. You see, an ectomorph body type responds to compound exercises and a full body workout.

Compound exercises allow you to get the most joints and muscle groups to work at the time. An example of a compound exercise is the squat. Think of all the joints and muscles involved when doing a squat.

You have your hips, knees, and ankles involved, and at the same time your quads, glutes, back, hamstrings, and core are involved, and that is not even counting all the small stabilizing muscles that are connected.These are the types of exercises that an ectomorph thrives on. When you do a full body routine with compound exercises you will start to see muscle gain.

Less is More

What do we mean by less is more? Well this is a very important point to understand if you are a skinny guy. Because just like the skinny guy who is doing the wrong exercises by following his buddies he is also working out as long as they do.

The problem is the ectomorph frame is not designed for a lot of stress. Your buddies might be putting in 2 or more hours during a workout and they might be doing this 4-5 times a week.

This is a disaster for the skinny guy. Because your frame and bone structure is smaller and frailer the amount of stress this type of workout will put on your body will assist in hurting not helping in any kind of muscle gain.

That's why for the skinny guy less is more. Your body will thrive on a 45 minute routine doing a full body workout with compound exercises like stated above 3 times a week.

Your rest periods between sets should also be longer than the average guy. If you have only been resting for 30 seconds between sets while trying to keep up with your buddies you have probably noticed that you can't keep up with the rep level.

Rest longer and make sure you are getting between 7-10 reps on each exercise for 3-4 sets.

Forget about what your friends are doing and don't think of it as some kind of competition. You have to come to terms with your body type, when you do and start working out according to your body type you will quickly see gains.

And isn't that really what you want. And think of it this way, how great is going to be when you are gaining muscle quickly and working out half as much as your friends. Soon they are going to becoming to you for advice on muscle building, and working out how sweet is that?


So now what? Learn more about building muscle and what an ectomorph workout should look like. Also watch the two minute video at the top of the page and get your free report on muscle building tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Hanover

Aerobic Workouts - Steps to Ensure a Safe But Effective Workout to Prevent Injury

Aerobics are fantastic exercises to do to get your body sweating and your heart racing. Aerobic exercises can be successfully used to lose weight, build endurance, and keep a heart healthy. However, there is also a downside to aerobic exercising for people. If you are not careful, you might get injured while doing your aerobic exercises. Therefore, it is crucial to follow these few tips to ensure you are exercising properly and using aerobics in a fun and healthy way for your body.

First and most importantly, when you doing aerobics, you must consider what you're wearing. Wearing shoes in good shape is important. When doing aerobics, lots of movement will be required, so when you have worn-out shoes or laces that don't tie up properly, there is a high chance you may slip and fall, possibly injuring yourself. You should also consider the other bits of clothing you've got on. If they are too tight or too heavy, you may become more easily overheated. Your clothing should allow good airflow and not be too constricting in order to prevent you from injury.

You also should consider your immediate workout area, especially if you are working out at home. When you're at home, you must make ensure that your workout area is big enough for you to move and not bump or bash into anything, such as furniture, kids, etc. It is also vital that you keep your workout equipment in top shape and in working order to make sure that it is in the best shape possible and will not cause you any injury or will break while you are using it. Your workout area at home should also be clean and tidy. When you workout, you will definitely sweat a lot and breathe much more heavily, so if you're doing that in a dirty environment, you could pick up some nasty bacteria or viral infections.

Another important tip to staying safe is to workout at the right level of intensity for you. While it is important to push yourself in order to have the best and most intense workout possible, if you push yourself too hard, you may find yourself pulling muscles, injuring joints, or otherwise injuring your body in a way that may prevent you from working out for a long time.

A doctor or professional trainer can tell you more about how to be safe while exercising. A proper and extended warm up and cool down session is also necessary, as is doing the right exercises for your body, age, and gender. When you work out, you should feel your best, not be worried about injury.

Staying safe is crucial. If you are hurt, you won't be able to do aerobics while you recover, and you will miss out on days or even weeks of training. Or worse, you'll find out that you can't do any exercise in a hospital bed recovering from knee surgery! If your health is important to you (and is should be!), it should also include your safety, so take the correct steps to being safe whenever you hit the local gym or nearest park to do your aerobic workout.


Doug has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Although he specializes inl topics such as health and healthy lifestyles, you can check out his latest website, WirelessPCICard.org [http://wirelesspcicard.org], which discusses the various types of wireless PCI cards [http://wirelesspcicard.org] that can help you with your wireless computing needs.

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5 Steps To Creating 20 Minute Workout Routines With 1 Sample 20 Minute Workout

Is it even possible to get a decent workout done in 20 minutes?

Yes. In fact, I've done 10 minute workouts that are effective.

20 minutes is more than enough time if you plan it right.

This article sets out tips for planning and creating 20 minute workout routines. To help you get started, I set out a sample 20 minute workout routine at the end of this article.

Tips for planning 20 minute workouts

STEP 1: Determine how many 20 minute workout sessions you can get in each week

If you can only do 2, that's fine, but it will limit the number of fitness objectives you can realistically pursue (see number 2_).

If you can do 5 per week, you can go after more objectives.

STEP 2: What are your workout objectives?

Do you want to build muscle? Lean muscle? Mass? Do you want to improve cardio? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to get more flexible?

Without knowing your primary objectives, you can't create the right workouts.

Can you choose more than one objective?

Yes. 20 minute workouts done 5 times a week is more than enough time to achieve several fitness objectives. For example, you can build lean muscle, lose weight (or burn fat) and improve flexibility.

You might reverse steps 1 and 2. If you realize you have multiple fitness objectives, you'll need to increase the number of workout sessions.

STEP 3: Articulate Objectives in Numbers

For example, if you want to build lean muscles, set out a goal such as add 8 pounds of lean muscle.

Another example is to lose 2 inches of belly fat.

Or, it could be performance related such as improving VO2 max, long distance running performance, sprint speed, etc.

Setting concrete goals gives you something to shoot for. It also helps you determine where the bulk of your workout time will be focused on (i.e. weights, cardio, etc.).

STEP 4: Create a Draft Workout Plan for the first 8 Weeks

I plan my workouts on a weekly basis. I usually do a particular workout for 8 weeks and then create another workout.

An example plan may be as follows (big picture plan):

Day 1: 20 minutes weight lifting Day 2: 20 minutes cardio (HIIT) Day 3: 20 minutes weight lifting Day 4: 15 minutes cardio / superset ab session Day 5: Stretching

STEP 5: Put Together Detailed Workouts

Once you have the big picture planned out, all you have to do is fill in the blanks.

In the above example under Step 4, we can turn the weight lifting sessions into a detailed 2 day split superset workout plan. The cardio sessions can both be HIIT.

SAMPLE 20 Minute Workout 5 Days Per Week

Day 1 - Weights - Superset Chest/Back and Biceps/Triceps

The chest and back is one superset; the biceps and triceps another superset. You have 10 minutes for each superset regimen. That's about 6 sets each with minimal rest between supersets.

Superset 1 - Three Sets

Chest: Bench Press Back: Seated Rows

Superset 2 - Three Sets

Chest: Incline DB Press Back: Lateral Pulldowns

Superset 3 - Three Sets

Biceps: Barbell Curls Triceps: dumbbell Tricep Extensions

Superset 4 - Three Sets

Biceps: Preacher Curls Triceps: Tricep Cable Pushdowns

You'll have to motor to complete this in 20 minutes, but it's possible. The number of reps is up to you. I do anywhere from 5 to 12 reps per set.

Day 2 - Cardio - HIIT on the Treadmill

Do a 60/60 interval training split. That's 60 seconds high intensity followed by 60 seconds low intensity.

Day 3 - Weights - Superset Shoulders/Abs and Legs

Superset 1 - Three Sets

Shoulders: Behind the Neck Press Abs: Bicycle Crunches

Superset 2 - Three Sets

Shoulders - DB Presses Abs: Leg Extensions

Superset 3 - Three Sets

Quads: Squats Hams: Leg Curls

Superset 4 - Three Sets

Quads: Leg Presses Calves: Calf Presses on the Leg Press

Day 4 - Cardio Day - HIIT on the Elliptical

Do a 90/30 interval training split. That's 90 seconds fairly high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity.

Day 5 - Yoga/Stretching

3 Sun Salutations 5 Standing Poses 5 Seated Poses 1 Inversion

Hold each pose for 1 minute except the sun salutation which are a fluid movement of poses, each pose held for one breath.

The above 5 day 20 minute workout sample can easily be tweaked according to your objectives. You can also change it to 3 or 4 days per week. The point is that even with only 20 minutes per day, you can get in a great workout and in the long run achieve ambitious fitness goals.


Jon Dyer is a contributing author to the popular Fitness Baron blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Dyer

The BEST Figure Competition Arm Exercises

Choosing to enter and compete in a figure contest is an exciting decision, but it can come along with anxiety and stress for the newbie, as well as the seasoned competitor. All too often, many figure competitors enter competitions completely lacking proportion and balance in their arms. Underdeveloped arms can cost you a good placement and even a win. Fortunately, I am going to give you some of the absolute BEST figure competition arm exercises to build well-shaped shoulders, biceps, and triceps to blow away the audience and judges!

To be in top-shape, figure competitors must diet precisely to strip their body of all excess fat to allow the muscles to show. But, that is just a portion of the equation. To build the muscle needed to get on the figure stage you have to weight train to build a solid base.

Implement the following important figure competition arm exercises, tips, and tricks to power-up your arm workout so you can display head-turning arms on stage for a possible win.

Shoulders - The shoulders are the focal point of the upper body and arms. Without well-developed shoulders, you may be overlooked on stage. To build well-rounded and capped shoulders, always start your shoulder workout with shoulder presses. The shoulder press is a compound movement, hitting the entire shoulder simultaneously.

Once you completed a few sets of shoulder presses, follow-up with Arnold presses, rear delt rows, and lateral raises. Choose 3-4 sets per exercise in the 8-12 rep range.

Triceps - For head-turning arms, your figure competition arm exercises need to follow a certain sequence, hitting the largest muscle and working down. The next body part to work should be the triceps, as they are larger than the biceps.

Begin your triceps workout with hitting the longest head first with such exercises as the overhead extension, dips, or close-grip bench press. Follow up your triceps training with skulls, and pushdowns for an overall triceps workout. Choose 3-4 sets per exercise in the 8-12 rep range.

Biceps - The biceps are the trademark of working out, as it is the first body part flexed when people want to display their muscle. To build great biceps start your biceps training off with straight bar curls to build the belly of the muscle. Follow-up with alternate dumbbell curls and hammer curls for a well-rounded biceps workout. Choose 3-4 sets per exercise in the 8-12 rep range.


Now, if you want MORE figure competition arm workouts to really increase the intensity of your training program, you need to Click Here and get a sneak peek at what the IFBB Figure Pro competitors are doing to crank their arm training though the roof!

For IFBB Figure Pro Approved diets, training programs, and cardio systems take a peek at www.FigureCompetitionSecrets.com Right Now and get the insider tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Sessions

Bicep & Tricep Workouts Tips - Best Arm Workouts to Build Huge Bicep & Tricep in 4 Weeks Revealed

Standing barbell curls and close grip bench press are touted to be the most effective workouts for building huge biceps and triceps. There are various types of workouts, which mainly focus in our bicep and tricep muscles. In order to attain a lean and stunning look, one should sculpt his or her biceps and triceps appropriately. It is always advisable to keep on grooming our body parts to look gorgeous with each passing season.

Due to hectic schedule, most people feel reluctant to visit a gym for muscle building. You can easily perform bicep and tricep exercises at home. It is always advisable to start with cardio workouts such as running, swimming, walking etc. before taking up weight training exercises. Cardio helps in warming up of your muscles. After cardio workouts you should carry out some body weight exercises such as sit-ups, push ups, squats etc.

Best Arms Exercises

* After getting fully charged up with cardio and body weight workouts, you can take up weight training exercises, which can easily sculpt your bicep and tricep muscles. It is always advisable to train muscles in pair. We should include tricep and chest workouts in one pair while back and bicep in another pair.

* Standing barbell curls, Standing dumbbell curls, dumbbell hammer curls, incline dumbbell curl, preacher curls and dumbbell concentration curls mainly focuses your bicep muscles. You should do 10 reps in three sets.

* Lying Barbell extensions, close grip bench press, dumbbell extensions, pushdowns, dumbbell kickbacks and bench dips are most effective tricep exercises.

In order to perform these workouts, you should have lots of endurance, which can be easily attained by your body by consuming Nitric Oxide. This gas stimulates your blood flow and helps in muscle pumping. Weight training workouts also causes joint pains and injuries, which can be easily cured by consuming Nitric Oxide. It decreases the recovery time and enhances our immune system. There are many health benefits of Nitric Oxide. It prevents many deadly diseases such diabetes, cancer, heart attacks and also improves our mental health. It also acts as an aging agent.


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Best Arm Exercises - Workout to Get Bigger Biceps and Triceps

To get a really good looking muscular arms you need to do the best arm exercises to help you build bigger biceps and triceps. In this article, I want to share some of these exercises so you can create an awesome arm workout.

Forearms + Biceps

Reverse barbell curl

This is an exercise that works the biceps and the forearms together, allowing you to get a more balanced muscle growth. To do this exercise, you need to grab a barbell in an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) with your hands at shoulder width apart. You hold the barbell down in outstretched arms and then curl the bar upward as far as it would go in an even motion. Hold the uppermost position and flex your biceps. Then, lower the bar back down slowly.

Hammer Curls

The hammer curls are a variation of the classic bicep curl. The difference is in the grip: you hold the dumbbells in a neutral grip with the thumbs upwards. You curl the dumbbells as you would in a regular bicep curl. This exercise works the outer side of the forearm and targets the biceps a little bit differently than a regular curl so you should definitely include it in your routine.

Biceps

Cable curl

You attach a straight handle to the cable pulley and hold it evenly with outstretched arms. Your grip is underhand (palms facing toward you). You simply curl the handle up as far as it can go without moving your elbows and after setting an appropriate weight (8-12 reps). Hold the uppermost position and then lower the cable down slowly.

Holding the handle in an overhand grip will allow you to do a reverse curl as I've explained above.

Chin ups

Chin ups work the back and the biceps together. I love this exercise since you use your bodyweight as resistance and because it tends to be very effective. You grab the overhead bar in an underhand grip and pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.

Triceps

Close grip pushup

An excellent exercise that can be done at home. It's similar to a regular pushup only you place your hands close together on the floor to target the triceps. Lower yourself down as you normally would for a pushup but pay closer attention to your elbows to avoid them sliding outward. Make sure to rise evenly.

Lying tricep extensions

Grab a barbell or a pair of dumbbells and lie down on a workout bench. Hold the barbell above your head with your arms straight and leaning slightly backward. Bend your elbows and let the bar (or dumbbells) lower to a point behind and slightly below your forehead.

Pull the barbell upward until your arms have straigthened out. Don't move your elbows, you want the movement to stem from the triceps alone.

In Conclusion

Arm exercises are mostly for biceps and triceps. However, it is worthwhile to pay attention to the forearms as well to develop a more even and well spread out muscle growth.


Visit How To Build Big Biceps for more tips on how to get bigger biceps. Visit How to Get Big Triceps for workout tips to get killer arms. John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He now runs a weight loss forum and publishes a diet and fitness newsletter.

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Sizzling Zumba Latin Dance Workout - Best Cardio for Weight Loss

Zumba, is the high-intensity Latin dance workout that has got to be the best cardio for weight loss around.

Part salsa, part merengue, reggaeton, samba, mambo, and yes, even rock 'n roll - Zumba has been sweeping the dance and fitness communities like wildfire since its introduction by Miami-based dance instructor, Beto Perez.

Weight Loss Tips, Anyone?

People of all ages and gender are drawn to the Latin beat of Zumba, and a few sessions are all it takes to turn them from couch potatoes to "lean, mean Zumba machines". In fact, in a typical workout session, it is quite easy to burn 1,000 calories in an hour, making Zumba one of the best cardio for weight loss programs around. Zumba fans have reported significant weight loss within a short period of participation time.

The skillful Zumba instructor will usually start off the class with some slower warm-up moves, working up to high-energy, heart-thumping routines, which take up the better part of an (usually) hour-long session. Towards the conclusion of the class, the routine winds down gradually to a slower tempo, to give participants an opportunity to slow down their heart rate and to cool down before the conclusion of the class.

The sexy, rhythmic Latin-inspired routines can be brought to any dance floor, which makes Zumba even more attractive to fitness-conscious people who also happen to love to dance. And how about those gorgeous Zumba outfits and footwear? Yet another excuse to go out and shop.

Since its introduction, Zumba has created more than 10,000 Zumba instructors world-wide and has generated over 3 million Zumba DVD sales. Zumba workout classes are springing up in community gyms as well as private dance studios. And that' s not counting countless fanatics who clear out space in front of the television two or three times a week to get their regular Zumba-fix.

Why Zumba Qualifies as One of the Best Cardio for Weight Loss Programs

Zumba is one of the best - if not the best cardio for weight loss programs, because not only are millions of people getting off their couches to exercise, they are actually also enjoying it. And if they enjoy it, they are not likely to give it up. Can you say the same for that ho-hum treadmill workout?

The benefits reported are weight loss, improvement in blood sugar levels, more energy, better coordination, increased brain power from having to focus and remember the dance steps, and of course, more recognition on the dance floor.


If you're not convinced that Zumba is the best cardio for weight loss workouts around, and a really unique addition to your list of Christmas gift ideas get your hands on a Zumba DVD or find a local gym and try it for yourself. Just a word of caution... one session and you may be hooked for life!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geena_Mae_Albert

Resistance Band Training For Cardio Development

There are many forms of Cardio exercise. Some of the most popular include swimming, walking, jogging, rowing, biking and of course running. But none of these exercises simultaneously provide high resistance to assist athletes in burning further calories and getting a great Cardio workout.

Using resistance bands for Cardio exercise is one of the best methods of elevating your heart-rate and burning calories while building strength and toning your muscles. In essence, using resistance bands can give you the most complete workout imaginable.

While a weight loss program must include Cardio and nutrition as well, resistance training plays a key role in this process. People who lose weight through diet only have are doomed to have a significantly harder time keeping it off than those who exercise and eat well.

While it might be easy to think of resistance training as a purely strength-building and muscle-toning practice, it is important to remember that completing circuit training with resistance bands is one of the best ways to get a full-body Cardio workout.

Some thing to remember when you're using resistance bands for Cardio-training:

- Intervals are Key: That's right, you don't have to bust your bum for hours and hours on end to get the benefits of Cardio training. The best way to lose weight by burning calories is to employ Interval-Training. This means doing short circuit training routines that elevate your heart-rate to near your maximum and keep it there for a few minutes. Interval Training demands that your body improve its oxygen-absorption and distribution.

- Shorten the rest: If you think yourself a master of the interval already, be sure to challenge yourself. The easiest way to do this is by shortening your rest time. If you haven't fully recovered before you start your next circuit then you'll have to work extra-hard to get to the end in one piece. This is where you'll get the biggest gains in Cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance.

- Think big: Focus on large muscle groups and steer clear of isolating exercises. The more muscles that are being used at once the better!! If you can, combine multiple exercises into single reps so that you're hitting everything at once. There's no benefit to doing single arm curls here if you want a Cardio challenge. Stick to the big exercise, squats, shoulder presses and combination exercises that involve your entire body.

- Speed isn't everything: Yes it is important to do as many repetitions as possible when you're trying to get your heart-rate up, but don't sacrifice quality for quantity. Getting through each repetition to completion makes it that much harder next time. This is a good thing! Stay tough and work it out. The benefits come to those who FINISH THEIR REPS!

- Legs, Legs, Legs: While everyone wants that ripped upper body (and resistance bands can certainly deliver this) it's important not to forget that your Legs have the biggest muscle groups in the body. Work them too! If your legs are sapping oxygen and blood from the rest of your body you'll be putting more stress on your heart to keep up when you start working your upper-body. The flow-on effect will be to increase your heart's ability to pump blood and oxygen, therefore increasing your endurance and Cardio-capacity.

- Go for broke: The best athletes in the world get to where they are because of an edge, but it's not always a physical advantage that they possess. Being mentally tough is vital to maintaining a high-quality Cardio workout. If you feel like giving up you probably will. Be strong, think big and push yourself to make it through every single rep and every single circuit.

- Change it up: Don't be afraid to change your resistance while you're exercising. If you're exhausted and thin you can't get through another circuit, put down the high tension band!! Your muscles are aching for a reason, they can't sustain this forever. But they can do 1 more circuit! Before you pack it in, grad a lighter cord (Single-Handle cords are far superior to clip systems in this way) and go again. Your body will ache but keeping your heart-rate up for another 10 minutes is going to yield amazing results.

Lastly, remember to enjoy yourself. There's nothing worse than doing a circuit routine that you hate and dreading your next attempt. Help yourself to motivate yourself. Try something different, add balance exercises and core-training movements. These require concentration and that's always difficult to maintain when your body is under stress.

Always remember to use high-quality Resistance Bands. There are plenty of imitators in this sort of market. Be sure to pick the band (and brand) that offers a lifetime warranty as this is a sign of genuine quality manufacturing. If you value your exercise and your body, go with quality.


Exercise and Physical Fitness Custodian: Timmy H

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_M_Howard

A Manual Treadmill, a Watch, and a Pulse a Cardio Fitness Program Make

You want to start an effective cardiovascular fitness program but you are put off by the high cost of personal trainers, club memberships, and fancy exercise equipment. You could always get a pair of properly fitted running shoes and hit the pavement, but that is impractical for many.

Even if cost were not a concern there are always the questions about how much and how hard you have to workout to get a positive training effect. Complicate your training effect questions with your desire to sensibly lose 20 or 30 pounds in a reasonable amount of time, and your fitness and weight loss program becomes either expensive or hit and miss. There is nothing more discouraging to continuing a fitness program than doing the work and not getting the result.

Here is a specific plan for an effective cardio fitness and weight loss program that will cost you from nothing to a couple hundred dollars, and that provides you with the specific information you need you know about "how much" and "how hard."

The plan includes a manual treadmill that sells new for between $100 and $200. I assume you have a watch or a clock with a second hand, so if you want to go for a no cost program you can dump the manual treadmill and substitute running in place, or jumping rope if you want. The equipment is not critical. You exercise your body after all, not the equipment. By the same token if you already have a motorized treadmill that works too.

Your ability to monitor your heart rate is the key to success in cardiovascular training. Your heart before and during exercise will tell you exactly how hard you have to train to get a beneficial training effect. Generally, any activity that works the large muscle groups (legs) continuously for 20 minutes or longer can produce some effect.

But why generalize or guess when you can know for sure what heart rate, within a few beats per minute, you need to maintain during exercise. This specific heart rate is called appropriately your Training Heart Rate (THR), and it varies by age and physical condition.

Here is the quick formula to determine your THR in beats-per-minute. Subtract your age from 220. Call the answer your MHR (maximum heart rate). If you are in excellent physical shape your Training Heart Rate is 90% of your MHR; in good physical shape 80% of MHR; and if in poor shape 70% of your MHR. If you feel any discomfort exercising at 60% of your MHR then stop and go get a complete medically supervised physical exam. Exercising at less than 60% of your MHR would have almost zero cardiovascular training effect anyway so why take the risk.

You can go with an electronic heart rate monitor, or you can take your own pulse to get your heart rate. Do not take your pulse until five minutes after beginning your aerobic exercise. You can put your hand over your heart, or the tips of your fingers on the radial artery, which is on the wrist just above your thumb. Count your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by six to determine your heart rate in beats-per-minute. You can pick up the pace or slow down to get to your THR. Exercising at more than 90% of THR can be dangerous.

Here is another simple and accurate formula to determine how much exercise you have to do to lose weight. This assumes no change in your normal diet or weekly caloric consumption. 1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories. To burn 2 pounds of fat per week (a realistic and sensible goal) you must burn an above-normal 7,000 calories of energy per week.

Picking up and putting down your feet on the treadmill at about 75 counts per minute burns .078 Calories/Minute/Pound of Body Weight, or more easily remembered, 7.8 calories per minute, or 468 calories per hour, per 100 pounds of body weight.

A 200 pound person would require about 7 1/2 hours per week of exercise that put their feet on the treadmill 75 times per minute. Use this formula to convert for your situation:

(Your Body Weight/100) * 468 * (Steps Per Minute/75) = Calories Per Hour. Divide 7,000 by the Calories Per Hour figure and that is how many hours of exercise per week you must do to lose 2 pounds of body fat.

You can play with the number of hours of exercise per week by changing the steps per minute or by changing your caloric consumption per week. Make sure that you get your heart rate to THR for 20 minutes during three sessions, and you know for a scientific fact that by continuing your program you will accomplish your cardio fitness and weight loss goals.


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Lose Inches Off Your Waist - Tips to Burn Love Handles Fat Fast

If you want to lose inches off your waist and burn that love handles fat you're going to need to get serious with your workouts. You need to take an active approach to fat loss and you need to do it now. If not, then you can just forget about getting any kind of results any time soon. It will not happen.

To really lose some waist inches you need to make your workouts more intensive than most people do. Have no worries, it can be done easily and may even save you some time at the gym. Here's how:

1. Workout your entire body - There's nothing that makes me angrier than seeing people spend 50% of their gym time working their waist and abs and neglecting the rest of their body. You can't burn fat from your love handles or abs by doing targeted exercises. We burn fat from all over so go for the exercises that burn the most fat. These are usually not abdominal or waist exercises but those that work the other big muscle groups.

2. Do complex, multi-jointed, multi-groups exercises - If you want to burn more fat in less time do more complex workouts. For instance, instead of doing just squats, grab a couple of dumbbells and do a combination of squats and bicep curls together. Do supersets of chest presses and flies one after the other. There are many combinations you can use to make each set in your workout burn just a bit more fat. Since these will melt fat from your entire body, you will also lose inches off your waist in this way.

3. Keep your cardio short but to the point - A lot of people think they need to punch an attendance card at their cardio machine. It is not so. You're no judged by time but by the effort you put in. Running for 20 minutes is better than walking for 30, in most cases. Keep your cardio routines short but to the point, so really push yourself. I also recommend doing your cardio after your strength exercises.

4. If you want to burn love handles fat or any flab for that matter, you're going to need to maintain a healthy eating plan and stick to it. You don't need to buy pills, supplements, patches, or any of that sort of thing unless you really want to. Just be sensible: eat fresh food, home cooked as much as possible, a lot of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, and only little refined sugar and flour.

Losing love handles is not rocket science: just workout hard and eat sensibly and you will get results.


Click here: Waist Slimming and Toning Exercises for some killer waist and love handle exercises. For an excellent eating plan to help you get a great looking waistline visit Best Nutrition Plan in the World.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He now runs a weight loss forum and publishes a diet and fitness newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Davenport

Belly Fat Exercises - For the Busy Woman

Here are some breakthrough belly fat exercises... perfect for the busy woman. Listen, I'm sure you're busy and can't workout as much as you'd like. Well, I've solved that problem.

Not only did I solve the workout problem, I'm going to show you how to start losing inches from your waist in less than a few weeks.

Let's get to it.

Belly Fat Exercises

1. You need to do some sort of cardio, but most cardio workouts like jogging and riding a stationary bike suck

Enter, hindu squats. These literally melt off fat from your butt, thighs, waist, and hips with you only needing to do them 5 minutes a day. What hindu squats are... a form of bodyweight squats.

What you do is squat up and down really fast. Touch the ground with your finger tips during each repetition so you know you did your squat deep enough. A repetition doesn't count unless you can touch the ground!

Your goal... 100 reps in under 5 minutes. It's a simple exercise, but it's not easy. Work with it until you can consistently do 100 reps in less than 5 minutes. Once you can do that, you'll be burning off fat really fast.

2. You'll need to tone and shape the abs, but crunches and sit ups are hopelessly inefficient

Enter the hula hoop.

Yeah, the hula hoop! Go buy a big hula hoop that's weighted... they cost about $10. Then all you do is whirl it around your waist for 10 minutes a day, everyday. Do it whenever you want. You don't need to do all 10 minutes at once.

For the busy woman, these 2 belly fat exercises will be all you need to melt off fat and tone your waist... in just minutes a day.


For the busy woman - If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired belly fat exercises advice... you know, like "Do a lot of sit ups, crunches are great for the abs, how about you jog or walk, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success". This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds fast.

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a "shortcut" way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks... no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you're a busy woman and want belly fat exercises that get results without having to change much in your exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1-size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don't lose 10 pounds with just my free information... I'd be amazingly surprised!

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Burn Fat Around the Waist & Build Muscle at the Same Time - Cardio With Weight Lifting?

Fat in the body is one of the most hated conditions that any person can have. Having a disproportioned body is simply not good to look at. Belly, thigh, chest, and waist fat are the most stubborn kind of them all. Trying to find the most effective way of burning them can leave you confused and frustrated at times. There are a lot of products or programs being advertised over the Internet, on newspapers and magazines, and on TV. However, most of these are gimmicks, which would not result to anything.

If you are looking for a way to melt those unwanted fats in your waist and build muscle instead, remember one thing that is certain: spot reduce does not work. The body usually stores calories in the biggest storing areas including your waist. This part of your body is a representation of your overall body weight. The best way then to lose that flab in your midsection is to lose overall weight.

Here are things that you can do to build muscles instead of building fats:

1. Spend time doing crunches, sit ups, and other strength training exercises. They are great in building your muscles especially in your mid section. However, they are not as good in burning fat as they would in building muscles. For this reason, you need more cardio training exercises. Cardio training should be included in any good workout plan. The more you sweat, the more you burn your flabs away. Interval training is the way to go. Switch from maximum effort to moderate effort and so on. Whether you choose running, walking, jogging, biking, swimming, or rowing, do it in intervals for maximum results.

2. Lift some weights to lose fats: eat a healthy breakfast, lift weights in the morning, and you got yourself an active early start. The benefits of this are limitless. So even if your only goal is actually to lose some weight, weight training can help you tone your upper body section and make your body look more proportioned or toned. If you are new to lifting, it is better to consult a personal trainer.

3. Eat well and get sufficient rest.


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The Kettlebell Snatch - A Muscle Building Factory For Men!

Muscle building workouts that pack on the lean muscle fast include the kettlebell snatch lift my friend. By now you have probably either heard of or at least seen the ancient kettlebell. This particular device basically resembles a cannonball with a handle attached to it. The great thing about kettlebell training is that it is a dynamic movement based style of training that focuses in on teaching you how to manipulate bodily movements instead of isolating specific body parts. The kettlebell snatch is a lift that is right at the top of the food chain with this description.

The Kettlebell Snatch

This particular lift is one hard hitting muscle building exercise for men. Guys, if you are looking to get lean, strong, and super fit then this lift is just for you. The snatch lift is the perfect "hybrid" type lift in that it is basically combining the elements of being an olympic style lift while generating a super high level of conditioning at the same time. What other qualities could you ask for when trying to construct the perfect lean muscle workout? The fact is that this lift is tremendous for your shoulder stability, mobility, and strength. You will develop superior hip power, core strength, and a level of cardiovascular conditioning that will be unmatched.

In order to perform the snatch you must have the availability of a single kettlebell. The objective is to pull the kettlebell from either the ground or from between your legs and in one smooth explosive motion lock it out in a held position above your head. This is done by you learning a very important technique in kettlebell training that is known as the hip snap. This particular action involves you having to forcefully flex and extend at both your hip and knee joints in order to create the drive and momentum to pull the bell up to a vertical position just lateral to your head. Once you elevate the bell to this high pull position next to your head then you must vertically punch your palm in order for you to "swoop" underneath the bell and lock it out above your head.

Once you give this lift a try you will quickly see why it is such an effective training method to pack on the lean muscle mass. This lift goes way beyond the traditional "bodybuilder's workout." If you are interested in learning more about the snatch lift and other great muscle building strategies then feel free to access the rest of my articles on the issue for free. Remember that most any guy can train hard, but only the best train smart my friend! Start your muscle building factory today.


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How to Build Muscle Fast - 43 Muscle Building Magic Tricks For Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat

Here are 43 "Top Secret" Muscle packing strategies to build a gladiators body - without drugs, supplements, and training less than before. In just weeks, not months, you will begin to see results. The only thing between you and success is following these secret strategies to the letter. Whether bodybuilding for you is a hobby or a job, you need to train deliberately, and seriously. To avoid plateaus, you need an Ace up your sleeve. Take immediate action, and start incorporating these principles into your long term muscle building strategy, and success will be yours.

1. Muscles are made up not only of protein, but also water. Old Time strong men were great sticklers for water. The best water is not bottled, rain, or spring, but distilled. As a added tip, put a little apple cider vinegar in your distilled water, and it will help to fight toxins in the body. Apple cider acts as a natural mosquito repellent. Try to drink 4-liters a day.

2. Go to failure on each set. Don't pace yourself. Pretend your life is on the line with each set.

3. Multiply your body weight by a factor of 15, to determine the number of calories to consume, to gain muscle weight.

4. Your reps and sets should change more often than any other training variable.

5. Make sure you use a log or journal to record your workouts.

6. Make sure you eat 10-15 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

7. Try to gain 5 pounds of lean muscle each month. Any further gain will probably just be fat.

8. Alternate between Barbells and Dumbbells every two weeks.

9. 80% of your exercises should be compound movements. This means you should use a barbell which works both arms or legs at the same time, rather than performing a dumbbell movement.

10. Don't change an exercise until you plateau two workouts in a row.

11. Make sure you do the Squat and Deadlift each week, to release testosterone and growth hormone.

12. Be sure you have a protein drink before, and after your workout.

13. Try and find a reliable workout partner, for both spots, and as a source of motivation.

14. Follow a program for at least 12-16 weeks, before changing it.

15. Stretching is very important. Stretch for at least 1/2 the amount of time you lift. For example, you workout for 1 hour on weights then you should stretch a minimum of 30 minutes.

16. Train your weakest or most underdeveloped muscle first.

17. Enter a body building contest to provide you with motivation!

18. Hire a good personal trainer to teach you proper form.

19. Try for at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

20. Train a muscle through the complete range of motion. 21. Have a well thought out training program. Don't try to wing it.

22. Use pyramiding to force your muscles to increase in strength 5% each week.

23. Don't eat protein bars, or any supplement with sucrulose, aspartame, brown rice syrup, or other artificial flavorings.

24. Take a week or two off from training, every 12-16 weeks.

25. Avoid packaged, processed, and fast food.

26. Eat a variety of fish, milk, eggs, chicken, and lean beef throughout the day.

27. Train with someone bigger and stronger, for challenge and motivation

28. Get massage therapy, or chiropractics, to avoid injury.

29. Try a nice cold shower, after a invigorating workout.

30. Eat one gram of protein, per pound of lean body mass.

31. You want to hit the big muscle groups and do quality exercises. Dips, Squats, Deadlifts, clean and Jerk, Military Press, Pull-ups, bench press, cable crunches, and leg raises.

32. Do 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching, before you lift weights.

33. You want to eat fats for testosterone and hormone development. That means fish oil, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, and peanut butter.

34. Always grab a spotter for the heavy lifts.

35. Use maximum resistance even if you miss your goal reps.

36. Wear an iPod to let people see you don't want to be disturbed.

37. Carry a stop-watch to remind you of when your rest breaks are over.

38. Use a 3-day a week 20-minute interval cardio regimen to help burn fat.

39. Load up on carbohydrates when they are most needed, i. e. breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout.

40. Use a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein, after working out, in liquid form.

41. During the lifting (concentric) portion of the rep, strive for 1-2 seconds ,and pause at the top. Then lower slowly (eccentric) for 3-6 seconds, and pause. Then power back up.

42. Perform only 1 exercise per body part when working the whole body, but perform a different exercise for each body part every workout. That way each week you hit each muscle three times, in three different ways.

43. Do full body workouts every 48-hours, 3x a week before progressing to a 2-day or 3-day or 4-day split.


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Daniel Fast Guidelines To Drop Weight And Still Keep Your Food Options

There are so many different ways to lose weight and my weapon of choice has always been strength training mixed with intermittent fasting. Now, of course, intermittent fasting isn't the only type of fast to dramatically reduce your caloric intake, but it's just my personal choice.

Another kind of fasting, spiritual fasting, has traditionally been used to strengthen an individual's connection with their religious beliefs and one spiritual fast that I've been particularly intrigued by has to do with the Daniel Fast guidelines developed over a period of time by Christian scholars. While this fast obviously has strong religious intentions, I'm not sure that it would be the most successful at creating a lean and muscular look with it's lack of protein and overemphasis on whole grains. While that might be the case, it still sounds like you can lose a significant amount of weight in the process.

Religious Background Of The Daniel Diet

The Daniel fast is based from a short verse from the Christian Bible, Daniel 10:2, 3, stating

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.


I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.



The story goes that Daniel was once ruled over by Babylonian kings as a servant and during his times of service he underwent multiple fasts. From this short verse, a very literal and detox-style diet has been developed by Christians in order to gain noticeable weight loss benefits as well as a stronger connection with God.

This eating plan is only a partial fast since participants will still be eating, but the allowable food types are quite limited. From the verse, there are 4 main conclusions that can be drawn from the speaker's experience that I will detail next.

Daniel Fast Instructions To Follow


I ate no pleasant food...



The term "pleasant food" is obviously quite subjective to one's personal tastes, but in this diet's case, Christian development of Daniel fasting has attributed this line with most kinds of bread and all sugary items. Unleavened breads are considered okay because they don't contain any yeast, so the safest bread option has been limited to whole grain bread without any sort of yeast or honey.


...no meat or wine came into my mouth...



This cut and dry rule clearly suggests that Daniel didn't consume any meat or alcohol while on his fast. This line has been extended to represent all animal products whether they are the actual meat or items received from animals like eggs or milk.


...till three whole weeks were fulfilled.



Typically this fast is followed for a total of 21 days and that's perfectly fine considering you still get to eat as often as you like. If this were an intermittent fast-style technique, you'd want to eat at least 3 meals a day on the weekends to replenish vitamins, minerals, and necessary protein that may have been displaced during the week.

Brief Daniel Fast Food List

I like this subheading here because it almost leads you to believe that Daniel was eating "fast food" during the time of that verse. It's a silly joke, I know, but in all seriousness, there are some very specific things that you can and can not eat while following the Daniel Fast guidelines.

What You Can Eat


Vegetables
Whole grains
Nuts and seeds
Legumes
Oils
Water
Tofu
Soy
Vinegar
Salt
Herbs and spices



What You Can Not Eat


Any meat or animal products
Dairy products
Real or artificial sweeteners
Bread containing yeast or honey (unleavened)
Processed foods
Deep fried foods
Solid fats
Any beverages that are not water (Tea is an exception)



Are The Daniel Fast Guidelines Good For Becoming Lean And Muscular?

If you notice from the food list, it would be very difficult to consume nearly as much protein as you did before undergoing this type of fast. That means the chances of muscle deterioration all along the way are very high and that's why I wouldn't recommend this fast for someone that's purely doing it for the body-fat reduction benefits.

Of course, this is a more religious-based fast than anything and is commonly used to create more lasting connections between Christian followers and God. The weight loss that would be gained by the end could still be rather dramatic leaving your body feeling very refreshed and full of energy, but if muscle preservation is an equally important goal, you might want to alter this strategy or try another tactic altogether.


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The Importance of Shoulder Exercises For Men - 3 Effective Workout Routines

Some men concentrate on toning their abs since it's the 'in thing' to do, while others focus on simply doing lower body workouts in a bid to show off those leg muscles on the beach. However, one of the most neglected regions of the male body, which supports the back and the upper body is the shoulder line; this must be exercised regularly and in a correct way for fitness results to be enduring and beneficial, not to mention give a great full body sculpting look!

Properly designed shoulder exercises for men, explain professional trainers, are aimed at empowering those on the program to work out core muscle groups located in the shoulder region besides the back and the upper body. Regular everyday exercises do not usually have the scope of working out these muscle groups while the lower legs or even the arms may be given a workout even without realizing this is carried out, such as when climbing stairs or carrying your groceries back home. This is the main reason why men need to understand the importance of performing regular shoulder exercises.

There are 2 main kinds of shoulder exercises. The first includes those that offer strength training and muscle-building success. Take the help of basic exercise equipment such as dumbbell rows, doing overhead presses, or utilizing any other form of weights in the exercise session. Sometimes these shoulder exercises are referred to as resistance training, but these are the same as muscle building routines because they are based on the principle of using the weight's resistance for boosting muscle mass. Depending on the body composition of a man, a gym instructor may begin him off on a program that requires him to repeat exercises without using any weight other than his natural body load, for the resistance training.

The second type of shoulder exercise involves stretching, targeting the muscles along the shoulder line to be worked out as opposed to helping in building muscle mass. For men who have recently gone through surgery and need to enhance their posture, these types of shoulder exercises are recommended along with basic 'asanas' of Yoga or Pilates, which are also based on the principle of stretching the upper body to aid in self-training, recovery and gentle toning.

If you follow the 3 super effective shoulder exercises given below, you are sure to enjoy the admiring glances that will come your way with a toned, straight back that improves your posture and makes your midsection look slimmer.

Exercise no. 1 - Use the shoulder press machine for best work out of your shoulder, upper back and biceps. Sit comfortably, modify the weight stack to suit your program, press overhead and follow through from once a week, building up to thrice a week for best results.

Exercise no. 2 - Try out the upright row; with your feet placed at shoulder-width from each other, hold the barbell from the middle of a barbell and keep palms facing in, slowly lifting it to the chin then lowering it, all the while ensuring you keep your back straight and knees relaxed.

Exercise no. 3 - Shrug it off! Literally, you can do shrugs regularly for improving your shoulders; just hold a dumbbell in your hands, keep the same start posture as above and keeping your arms at the sides with palms facing inwards, torso straight, just lift your shoulders as close to your ears as possible before lowering them slowly.


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6 Bodybuilding Supplements - With Bodyweight Exercises These Supplements Are All You Need

Bodyweight muscle builders need to take supplements just like any other bodybuilder. Your body really doesn't care, or even know, if your reserves of nutrients were used because you were lifting weights or doing decline push ups.

If you are intensely working your body you need to take supplements. But you do not need the latest muscle building supplement guaranteed to pack on 30 pounds of muscle in the first month. No matter how good this sounds these types of supplements have only one purpose. That is to lighten your wallet - not to make lean muscle tissue.

You also do not need HGH, steroids or any other chemical hormone supplement. If you nourish your body properly and exercise with the correct routines, your body will manufacture all of the hormones you need.

When you are seriously working your body to its peak, it is virtually impossible to all of the nutrients you need to continue to build muscle. That is the role of bodybuilding supplements. There are meant to supplement, not replace your food.

In spite of what all of the hype filled ads tell you, there are only 4 supplements you will ever need to help you pack on slabs of muscle with bodyweight exercises.

Multivitamins

When it comes to muscle building supplements, multivitamins are not the first thing that usually pops to mind. They should be because vitamins are the behind the scenes directors for the nutrients you consume. Without an adequate supply of multivitamins, any other supplement you take will be working below its potential.

BCAA's (Branched Chain Amino Acids)

Branched chain amino acids are critical. They function in promoting protein synthesis and helping transport other amino acids into the muscles for growth and repair.

Our bodies cannot produce BCAA's so we must take them into our bodies. The usual source for them is dietary protein. Intense workouts require supplementation of the diet.

Glutamine

Glutamine boosts your immunity and also assists in the release of Growth Hormone. Intense training quickly depletes the bodies reserves of glutamine and strength and recovery ability is decreased. There is some discussion about its efficacy for bodybuilders, but many have shown that it does work and would not delete it from their diet.

Creatine Monohydrate

There continues to be a lot of discussion surrounding creatine. The discussion is not whether or not it works but whether it works too well and should be allowed for competitive sports. Some countries have banned its use in competitive bodybuilding and weight lifting.

Creatine is a combination of three amino acids (Arginine, Methionine and Glycine). It permits longer and more intense workouts without fatigue and shortens recovery time. Both of these factors enhance the ability to grow muscle tissue.

Protein Powder

Protein powder offers a method to consume the quantities of protein needed to build maximum muscle. It is difficult to consume sufficient protein from food stuffs alone. But it is a supplement and not a replacement for your muscle building diet. Protein-carb combinations are the most effective.

It should be taken with a caution. Protein powders are made from whey protein which is dairy. If you are lactose intolerant they should be avoided.

Zinc

Is zinc on your list of daily supplements? It should be. Zinc is an extremely valuable mineral, especially for men. It helps maintain testosterone levels and assists in the metabolism of protein.


In summary, there are only 6 bodybuilding supplements that you really need in order to achieve maximum results with bodyweight exercises. Chemical supplements and stimulants should be strictly avoided.

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Uncover An Effective 3 Day Per Week Weight Training Program

There are so many different ideas on weight training
and bodybuilding that it is very difficult to know
what to do. This includes various split routines.
Most people don't understand how splitting up your
workouts can dramatically reduce or increase your
training results.

Usually one of two things happen. Some
people develop the 'paralysis by analysis' syndrome
and end up either never getting started with a program
or they quit soon after starting.

On the flip side, many people go from one weight lifting
routine to another without any rhyme or reason as to
why they have chosen a specific weight training program.
And they bounce around so quickly, changing their lifting
program so often, that they never stick with a routine
long enough to know if it's effective or not.

Many different programs, such as the 3 day training split,
can be very effective. The key is to incorporate
the fundamentals of weight training into the routines. This
will allow you to make the progress that you want. Below,
you'll find descriptions of these fundamentals. Here's
an example of one aspect of this.

Let's say you've chosen to workout according to a 3 day split.
You workout three days per week, training each body part once per week.
After a few weeks, you change to a full body workout and you are
still training three times per week. Now you are training each
body part three times per week.

All things being equal, you will need to drastically
reduce the volume of your routine. When you were using one
of the 3 day split routines, you might
have been doing 8 work sets for your chest, because you
were only working chest once per week. Now you are currently
working chest three times per week and working your entire
body in that same workout. So, in order to keep making progress
and not overtrain, you may only do 2 sets for your chest.
Likewise, you would reduce the number of sets for all your
other body parts as well.

Here is one of my favorite 3 day split routines

Three Times Per Week

Workout 1 (Monday and Friday)

Squats - 1 x 20

Calf Raises 1 x 15 - 20

Seated Calf Raises 1 x 12 - 15

Close Grip Pulldowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 - 12

DB Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 - 12

DB Pullovers 1 x 8 - 12

Decline Bench Press (X-Reps) 2 x 8 - 12

DB Flyes 1 x 8 - 12

Dips (X - Reps) 1 x 12 - 15

DB Upright Rows (X-Reps) 1 x 8 - 12

Incline Laterals 1 x 8 - 12

DB Lateral Raises 1 x 8 - 12

Workout 2 (Wednesday)

Tricep Pushdowns (X-Reps) 1 x 8 - 12

Incline DB Curls (X-Reps) 1 x 8 - 12

DB Overhead Extensions (Drop Set) 1 x 8 - 12 (6)

DB Concentration Curls (Drop Set) 1 x 8 - 12 (6)

Tricep Kickbacks 1 x 8 -12

Wall BB Curls 1 x 8 - 12

This routine involves working the legs, chest, back, and shoulders
twice per week and working the arms once per week by themselves.

In order to design an effective program or split routine, it's important to understand
the fundamentals of weight lifting. You can read about these training fundamentals at http://www.buildleanmuscle.com/weight-lifting-programs.html


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Get Tank Top Arms in 10 Minutes a Day

Now that summer is almost here, the tank tops and sundresses are coming out in full swing. What better way to start off the summer than to show off newly-sculpted arms. If you don't have time to spend lifting weights at the gym to prep for tank top season, don't sweat it! With these simple arm exercises, all you need is 10 minutes a day and a set of free weights. If you don't have free weights, get creative and find objects around your home to lift. Grab your weights and wave goodbye to arm flab!

Don't be worried if you find that tricep exercises are harder than bicep exercises. For most people, triceps are not used as much on a daily basis, so they are not as strong. Start off with a smaller weight (anywhere from 5-8 lbs.) until you are able to perform at least 8 reps. If you find yourself being able to lift more than 15 reps fairly easily, then move up a few pounds to make sure your muscles are being properly challenged. Your arms should "feel the burn" after each set.

How Should I Organize My Workout?

You can perform arm exercises up to three non-consecutive days a week. Taking a day or two off in between exercises will help your muscles recover, which will lead to a better workout during the next session. There are a few options for getting the most out of these arm exercises.

* Perform 1 set for each arm (tricep AND bicep) exercise every other or every second day. * Perform multiple sets (2-3) for one type arm exercise (tricep OR bicep).

Tricep Exercises

Kickbacks - For this exercise, you can do one arm at a time and use heavier weights or you can extend both arms at the same time, which will involve more lower back stabilization.

1. Hold a medium weight in both hands and bend over until your torso is at a 45-degree angle or parallel to the floor (more advanced). Bend the knees if needed and keep the abs engaged to protect the lower back. If you have lower back problems, do one arm at a time. 2. Begin the movement by bending the arms and pulling the elbows up to torso level. 3. Holding that position, straighten the arms out behind you, squeezing the triceps muscles. 4. Bend the arms back to starting position and repeat for 10-16 reps.

Lying Triceps Extension - Lying down creates a greater challenge since you're working against gravity.

1. Lie on the floor or a bench/stability ball and extend the arms straight up over the chest, palms face in. Use light-medium weights. 2. Bend the elbows and lower the hands until they're next to the ears, elbows at about 90-degree angles. 3. Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms without locking the joints. 4. Keep the elbows steady throughout the movement, only moving the forearms. 5. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.

One-Arm Tricep Pushups - This is a great challenge for experienced exercisers. Avoid the exercise if you have any shoulder or elbow problems.

1. Lie on your right side with the knees bent and the hips stacked. 2. Wrap the bottom arm around the waist and place the left hand on the floor in front of you. 3. Fingers should point towards the right. 4. Contract the triceps to push the body up and off the floor, straightening the left arm as much as you can without locking the elbow. 5. Lower a few inches and continue pushing up and down for 8-12 reps, and then switch sides.

Bicep Exercises

Bicep Curls - This is a classic bicep exercise that never fails to strengthen and slim down arms.

1. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, holding medium-heavy dumbbells in front of the thighs. 2. Squeeze the biceps and bend the arms, curling the weights up towards the shoulders. 3. Keep the elbows stationary and only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows. 4. Slowly lower the weights, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom (e.g., don't lock the joints and try to keep tension on the muscle) 5. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

Concentration Curls - Like the name implies, this exercise works the heart of the biceps.

1. Sit or kneel and hold a dumbbell in the right hand. 2. Bend forward and prop the right elbow against the inside of the right thigh. 3. Contract the bicep and curl the hand towards the shoulder without moving the elbow. You don't have to touch your shoulder. 4. Lower all the way down (keep a very slight bend in the elbow to keep tension in the biceps) and repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps on each side.

Hammer Curl - Although similar to a bicep curl, the differences is in the form. For this exercise, the free weight should be held so that the top, flat part of the weight faces toward the ceiling or so the weight hangs vertical. Your hands are rotated in with palms facing your body.

1. Stand with feet about hip-width apart, as you hold medium-heavy dumbbells in front of the thighs. 2. Turn the hands so that the palms face each other and squeeze the biceps to curl the weights towards the shoulders. 3. Keep the elbows stationary and only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows. 4. Slowly lower the weights, keeping a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom (e.g., don't lock the joints and try to keep tension on the muscle) 5. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-15 reps.


A. Evans is a writer and editor for FitandFabLiving. Sign up for free newsletters to receive all the latest health, beauty and fitness tips delivered straight to your inbox!

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