Category : Article
Posted in Article on April 23, 2012
When doing the rocky presses your shoulders are going to get much stronger. This will help to build the strength in the shoulders so you can lift heavier weights with other exercises. These presses will also help to build up your triceps. If you really want to burn calories quickly try doing the rocky presses while standing up. You will definitely feel the difference in your shoulders when you are done.
Before attempting the rocky presses make sure you have a friend that can spot you in case you have troubles. This exercise is going to require the use of a press bench with a back on it and a dumbbell bar.
Pick the weights for using on the dumbbell bar. Make sure the weights are something you will be able to handle comfortably when you are lifting the bar above your head. Attach the weights to the bar and walk over to the press bench. Carefully sit in the chair and place your feet flat on the ground. Your feet need to be aligned with your shoulders and your back needs to be flat against the back of the press bench.
The proper way to grip the barbell is with your hands a little wider then your shoulders. The palms of your hands will be facing the wall in front of you. Now using your forearms lift the dumbbell to your chest. The bar will be sitting right below your chin. This will be your starting position for the rocky presses.
Tighten your grip on the bar and while exhaling lift the bar in the air. Your arms will be straight up and down. The dumbbell will now be over your head. Start inhaling and lower the bar behind your head. Do not try and lift the bar all the way to your shoulders. It only needs to be lifted to the middle of the back of your head. Your elbows will be to the side of you pointing straight out. Hold the position for a second then start exhaling.
While exhaling slowly raise the bar back in the air. Once again your arms will be straight up and down while holding the bar above your head. Hold the position for a second then start inhaling.
While inhaling bring the bar back down to the start position. One complete repetition is lifting the bar from the start position into the air, back behind your head, back into the air and back down to the start position. Do the recommended amount of repetitions.
Once you get the strength built up in your shoulders you can push them even harder. When doing the rocky presses keep the bar in the air, moving it from the front of the head to the back of the head. You will feel the stress mounting on the shoulders almost immediately.
Now that your shoulders are loosened up and feeling good lets go to the next step, Arnold presses. This will help with building shoulder strength.
Posted in Article on April 22, 2012
When starting a new exercise program many men tend to do too much too soon and end up injuring themselves. Whether this is their male streak or they just like to go full force once they have made a decision no one will ever really know. No matter what your age is you should start off exercising by taking up a low impact sport first.
Older men or anyone with a health issue needs to be careful about rushing into a fitness plan. Walking is a great activity and one that is gentle on your joints. From here you can always work up to something more strenuous.
If walking sounds boring to you then why not go out for a hike? You are still getting the same benefits but have the opportunity to tackle a more challenging trail if you wish. It would be wise to go with a partner or at least tell someone where you are going and your expected return time.
It is always a good idea to set yourself a fitness goal. This could be walking 10 miles, swimming 50 laps or lifting weights. The reason for this is that it helps to keep you motivated and on track.
With an end goal in sight you are more likely to get up each morning and make the time to fit in your exercise routine.
Men do love to lift weights and use gym equipment either at home or at their local health club. This is a great idea and is a good way to meet up with other individuals who have the same interests as you. Just remember to start out with a low weight and work your way up slowly and carefully.
If you decide to take up walking or hiking you always want to warm up before you head outside. To stop you from getting bored on your walk you could take along your MP3 to listen to. Carrying a water bottle will help you keep hydrated and you should stop every 15 minutes for a drink of water. When you return home take the time to cool down and stretch your muscles before relaxing.
Low impact exercises are those that last for at least 20 minutes with your pulse rate increasing about 75over your normal rate. By keeping these two points in mind you will derive the most from your exercise without incurring any muscle strains or other injuries.
Posted in Article on April 21, 2012
Do you want to know the natural way to lose belly fat? Do you dream of washboard abs or a flat stomach but don’t want to take pills, potions, or shakes? Do you long for an exercise program that doesn’t depend on complicated abdominal crunches that take an athlete to actually pull off?
Well I have a solution for you. There is a natural way to lose belly fat. It’s called a proper diet and exercise.
First of all, you want to have a balanced low calorie diet. One suggestion is to “eat around the outside of the supermarket.” That is, don’t go into the isles where all the processed food is. Instead, eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a moderate amount of lean meat and low fat dairy products. Bulk up with natural foods like whole grains and legumes.
Be aware that there are food choices that you can make to save calories. For instance, swapping 2 cups of air popped popcorn for 1 cup of potato chips saves you 95 calories. And, instead of eating the prepackaged fruit on the bottom strawberry yogurt, eat 1 cup of sliced strawberries with 1 cup of fat free vanilla yogurt and save 105 calories.
Then, start to ramp up a cardio routine. You should be doing heart healthy exercises at least 5 times a week. One study showed that dieters who also walked for 50 minutes 3 times a week lost nearly twice as much belly fat as those who only reduced their calories.
You should aim for 45 minutes of strenuous exercise as a natural way to lose belly fat. This exercise can include moderate to fast walking, jogging, cycling, or using any cardio machine at your gym.
One popular routine that can burn up to 500 calories in a single session has you warming up for 3 minutes, picking up the intensity for 3 minutes, pushing yourself as hard as you can for two minutes, then slowing down for 3 minutes followed by pushing yourself for another 2 minutes. Repeat this for a total of 45 minutes before doing a 2 minute cool down period.
You should be doing strength training on top of your cardio as well. Working your muscles is key to finding the natural way to lose belly fat.
Buy a belly ball and work out with this large 22 inch stability ball. They cost about $30 in sporting goods stores, and if you are serious about finding a natural way to lose belly fat, you’ll get one. Lie on your back and hold the ball in the air between your legs for one minute. It’s easier to get the hang of than a traditional crunch and will strengthen your muscles just as well. The book that comes with the stability ball will explain more exercises.
Diet and proper exercise including both cardio and strength training routines are key to the natural way to lose belly fat.
Posted in Article on April 18, 2012
This is another exercise mainly aimed at working out the Tricep Muscle, although it also works out the chest and shoulders. It will help to build up strength and stamina, as well as muscle mass, and is also a good fat burner.
You will need a dumbbell or other appropriate weight to use during this routine. This exercise is best performed with a second person to assist you when needed.
You will need two benches, set parallel to each other, with enough space between them to enable you to easily reach with both your arms and legs semi-extended. The height of the benches should allow for a full range of movements.
With one bench in front of you, and the other behind you, position yourself so that your hands grip the edge of the bench at your back, shoulder width apart and arms fully extended.
Extend your legs so that your heels are resting on the bench in front of you. With your legs parallel to the floor, and your torso perpendicular to it, cross one foot over the other so that your ankles are touching.
Have your assistant place the dumbbell or other weight onto your lap.
This will now become your starting position.
Lower your body slowly while inhaling by bending your elbows. Keep working slowly until you have lowered yourself to an angle of roughly 90 degrees between your forearm and upper arm. Tip: By keeping your elbows as close as possible and your forearms pointing down throughout the exercise, you will maximize impact and effect.
While exhaling, use your Triceps to raise your body back to the starting position. Pause while contracting your Triceps.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Warning: When first attempting this exercise, practice without the weights until you are sure you have the movements correct. When you start to add the weights, go slowly and add them gradually. The more weights added, the higher risk of injury.
For those more experienced in weighted bench dips, there are some variations of the exercise.
Position yourself in the starting position with your arms, but keep your feet on the ground in front of you. Stretch your legs straight out without bending the knees, and either place both feet firmly on the floor, or cross one foot over the other so the ankles are touching.
Slowly lower yourself while inhaling as you would if you were using two benches.
Using your Triceps, raise yourself back to the starting position. Pause while contracting your Tricep muscles, and start again.
Instead of having a weight added to your lap, have your assistant place it on top of your thighs.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Warning: As always, practice without the weights until you are sure of the movements. Then build up the weights gradually until you have reached your target weight.
If carried out properly, this is a very effective exercise for both your tricep and chest muscles.
Posted in Article on April 17, 2012
Whilst lifting weights there are several different techniques and lifts that you can use to hone your body into a perfect shape. One of the best for zoning in on your triceps, deltoids and also your pectorals, is the Bench Press. Bench Press is also 1 of the 3 competitive lifts used in Power Lifting competitions. Regardless of your aim, perfecting this lift will allow you to really turn up the volume on your muscles, allowing them to become bigger and stronger. The main focus when using a Bench Press is on your Petoralis Major Muscles but it also has an effect on the surrounding muscles allowing them too to be developed and sculpted, these include;
Triceps Brachii
Scapulae Fixers
Serratus Anterior
Anterior Deltoids
Coracobrachialis
Trapezzii
Biceps Brachii (Long head)
All of these muscles and muscle groups when exercised together allow the person using the Bench Press technique to full develop and strengthen their chest. The basic Bench Press consist of the person in question lying down on their backs whilst they raise from their chests to their full arm extension weights which are graded in Kilograms or Pounds depending on the country in question.
In the interests of your own safety when performing this exercise you should always complete a Bench Press in pairs. One person lies down in the Bench Press board whilst the other stands behind it so that they are able to assist the other if they need it. After several Bench Presses your arms and chest can become sore and weak until the muscles grow so having someone there to help you lift the weight back onto the bar is important as it stops you from hurting yourself. Other reasons include; that you may have tiered to Bench Press too much weight or that you simply just lose your grip. After finishing you can then swap over the roles. Because you use different muscles and groups to help your Bench Press partner it means that you are able to swap places and work with a buddy, you will not be putting the other person in danger.
There is a specific way to Bench Press as this allows the possibility of injuring yourself to become highly unlikely and that it works out the correct muscles that you are zoning in on. You have to ensure that you are lying down correctly, which means that you have to ensure that your shoulder blades are held together tightly so that you are able to ensure that the press will have a solid base to work from, your feet need to be flat on the floor and that your buttocks stay always in contact with the bench itself. When the weight is taken off the rack you need to ensure that your hands are kept in a way that allows your forearms to be at a right angle to the floor. This ensures that you are fully stable in your grounding and able to push up correctly in your arms to maximize your Chest muscles.
Posted in Article on April 16, 2012
There are a couple of lose weight vitamins that your body absolutely needs in order to go through metabolism. Plus, you’ll encounter a couple of other vitamins that you’ll also need to safely go through metabolism without killing you.
The Big B’s
B-complex vitamins are absolutely essential to your body’s metabolism. Without even just one of them, don’t expect the food you’re eating to go down the drain anytime soon. However, there are some particular “lose weight vitamins” in the B-complex family that play particularly important roles in weight-loss:
- Vitamin B 1 / Thiamine ~ for proper metabolism of starch and sugars. Found in eggs, whole grain flour, potatoes, oranges and asparagus.
- Vitamin B 2 / Riboflavin ~ for proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Found in milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables and almonds.
- Vitamin B 5 / Pantothenic Acid ~ for the generation of energy to be used in the body. Found in green vegetables, whole grain flour, chicken, eggs, beans and green vegetables.
- Vitamin B 6 / Pyridoxine ~ for the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids. Found in eggs, beef, chicken, bananas and avocados.
- Vitamin B 12 / Cyanocobalamin ~ for the whole gamut of metabolism: digestion, protein synthesis, food absorption and general metabolism. Found in meat, fish and eggs.
Other Stuff to Help Lose Weight
While the B-complex family is the star of the “lose weight vitamins,” there are some other materials that can help you reach your goal of losing weight in the long run:
- Vitamin C ~ this little puppy not only helps your immune system as heavily advertised, but it also helps keep you healthier by cleaning up the waste products that metabolism leaves behind. These waste products are called free radicals, and these free radicals are responsible for quite a number of problems in the body: ranging from arthritis to cancer.
- Fiber ~ if you have a problem feeling full after a light meal, go for fiber-rich foods instead. Fiber helps promote better digestion by making the food stick around longer in your digestive system while giving you that full feeling even after eating a portion of what you used to eat.
- Caffeine ~ ever wonder why you get so jittery when you drink a couple of espressos? Taking in a moderate amount of caffeine helps you burn up food a little better to produce energy for your body. That doesn’t mean you should guzzle down cup after cup of coffee! Caffeine helps a little, but taking in too much will ultimately be harmful for your body
- Green Tea ~ Although green tea has some caffeine in it, research has ruled out caffeine as the only weight-loss component of green tea. Something in green tea else that hasn’t been identified by science helps increase the metabolism and fat burning rates. Guess that explains how the Japanese, with their green-tea guzzling diets, manage to keep slim.
The Wrap-Up
There is no such thing as a miracle ‘lose weight vitamin’ that’ll shed off the pounds in an instant. It all boils down to getting exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, keeping your body amply supplied with the right B-complex vitamins coupled with some extra vitamins and foods will ensure that you’ll be able to help your own body to healthily lose weight.
Posted in Article on April 13, 2012
Sometimes also know as the Bradford Press, this exercise is mainly aimed at the shoulders, although the Tricep muscle is given a good workout at the same time.
It is an ideal exercise for those starting out with lifting weights, as your back is supported by the back of the bench seat.
For the purpose of this exercise, you will need a military bench press, and barbells of an appropriate weight for your level of expertise and strength.
As always, if you are unsure of your capabilities, or unsure of the exercise itself, start off with a low weight and build up to a heavier weight once you are feeling more confident. Try, if possible, to have another person present for safety reasons.
Position yourself comfortably on the bench press, with your back up against the back of the seat and the bar at shoulder level. Hold the bar with your palms facing forward and your grip wider than shoulder width.
Try to create an angle of 90 degrees between your forearm and upper arm as you lower the barbell.
This will now become your starting position.
Making sure that you hold the barbell in the correct position and the correct grip, lift the bar up slowly over your head and lock your arms.
While inhaling, lower the bar back down until it is positioned at the back of your head.
While exhaling, lift the bar slowly back up to the starting position.
Once again inhaling, slowly lower the bar back down until it is in position behind your head.
You have now completed one repetition.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Tip: There cannot be enough emphasis stressed on the importance of breathing correctly while performing any kind of physical exercise. Ensuring that you are breathing correctly will help you attain your fitness goals. If you are not breathing properly, you will find the exercise is more difficult than it needs to be.
If you want to add more stress to the shoulder muscles, you could try raising the bar to slightly higher than the head, followed by slowly lowering it to the opposite side. This will add extra tension to your shoulders, while ensuring that your tricep muscles involvement is kept to a minimum. This is a good idea if you are recovering from an injury or strain, and do not want to put added pressure on recovering muscles.
Another variation would be to alternate moves.
From the starting position, as described above, hold the bar in the correct way.
Lift the bar up slowly and lock your arms.
Inhale while lowering the bar down to the back of your head.
Exhale while raising the bar up again and lock your arms.
Now exhale, and this time slowly lower the bar until it is front of your chest.
Front and back are considered to be one repetition.
Yet another variation of the same exercise would be to perform it while in a standing position. This will increase the number of calories burnt.
Posted in Article on April 12, 2012
While there’s a lot to be said about homemade cooking and how it helps you lose weight and save money, the fact of the matter is that it’s likely you’ll want to go out to eat once in a while. Whether you’re going out with friends or there’s a certain place that makes guacamole like nowhere else, there’s absolutely no reason why you should deny yourself the pleasures of restaurant dining every so often, even if you’re on a budget and trying to live healthily.
Just like with anything else in life, there’s a positive, intelligent way to go about eating out on a budget and there’s the not-so-good way. Here are some times to avoid the not-so-good-way.
First, try going out for lunch rather than dinner. Most restaurants are cheaper at lunch and the food is just as good. Many restaurants even offer special business lunches, which have multiple courses and are usually steals. Even better, lunch food has a tendency to be lighter than dinner courses, so eating out at lunch may offer you healthier choices than the dinner menu will.
If the place you love to go has large portions, try dining out with another health conscious friend and split the plate. The truth of the matter is that the vast majority of restaurants have enormous portions, and digging in to that chili dog meal alone is an excellent way to blow your calorie count out of the water for the rest of the day. Alternatively, ask for a doggie bag and take half your meal home to eat later – after a spot of exercise, perhaps!
Order vegetarian. Many restaurants these days offer vegetarian options ” or will at least listen if you tell them to hold the meat. This depends highly on what kind of restaurant you are at, as you’re likely to be unable to ask the guy making you a burger to “hold the meat” However, if there is a vegetarian option available, it’s likely to be lower in calories and just as delicious as its meat-laden counterpart.
Last, make it a point to skip dessert. Now, one of the cardinal rules of dieting is not to be overly cruel to yourself, but the fact of the matter is that a giant sundae is likely to have more calories than the rest of your meal combined and will definitely add some dollars to your bill. Enjoy eating out, of course, but don’t go overboard!
Posted in Article on April 10, 2012
If you are looking for a no cost workout then exercising with a partner is an ideal method to use. Basically you will be using the weight and resistance of the other person to perform each exercise. This should be done very carefully and by using small amounts of pressure to prevent any injuries from occurring.
There are various types of exercises that you can do together and I will describe a few of them below.
Shoulder Press – this can be done by standing face to face with your partner and pressing your palms together at shoulder level. By keeping pressure on each other’s palms you want to move your arms upwards in a smooth movement. Try not to arch your back. Aim to do 10 reps.
Inner/Outer Thigh Muscles – position your legs so that your partner has their hands on the outside of your knees. The movement involves you pushing your legs apart while your partner tries to prevent you by applying pressure. Aim for 10 reps. This can also be repeated for the outer thigh muscles by having your partner place their hands on the inside of your knees.
Shoulder Shrugs – For this exercise you want to place your hands on your partner’s shoulders. Attempt to lift your shoulders up to your ears while your partner applies pressure. The goal is for your partner to apply gentle resistance. Again aim for at least 10 reps.
Hamstrings – Lie down on the floor on your stomach and bend one leg at the knee so that it points up to the ceiling. Your partner wants to hold the back of your foot and apply resistance while you try to bend your leg to your buttock area. Aim for 10 reps if possible.
Quadriceps – For this exercise you will want to be on your back on the floor or use a mat if necessary. Lower your knees towards your chest, this will be the starting position. Your partner will apply pressure to your feet while you attempt to straighten your legs. Aim for 8 to 10 reps of this exercise.
While doing these exercises the person applying the resistance wants to use enough force to make it difficult for the person to execute the movement. But not so much that it is impossible to make any kind of movement at all. With a little practice you can both see and feel how much pressure is required and you will know when to increase the amount.
The gorilla chin crunch is a compound exercise that effectively works the abdominal muscles, as well as the lats and biceps. It is certainly no secret that everyone who takes the time to workout wishes to have a flat, washboard abdomen. You do not want to have great looking abs and walk around with flabby arms ? or do you?
If you want to perform the gorilla chin crunch, you need to understand that although it may look really simple but if you do not have upper body strength, you may not find this exercise very easy to perform.
What You Need to Perform Gorilla Chin Crunch
You will require a chin-up bar, upper body strength and determination
How to Perform Gorilla Chin Crunch
You can start by hanging from the chin-up bar; you should use an underhand grip (that is, having your palms face you). The underhand grip should be a little bit wider than shoulder width.
Then, bend your knees at around a 90 degree angle in such a way that your calves are parallel to the floor while your thighs stay perpendicular to it ? this will be the starting position.
As you breathe out, you should pull yourself up while you crunch your knees up at exactly the same time ? do this until your knees are at chest level. When your nose reaches the same level as the bar, you will stop going.
Important Note: when you reach this point, you should also be done with the crunch at the same time.
You should breathe in slowly as you return to the starting position.
You should repeat the gorilla chin crunch according to the recommended amount of repetitions.
If you want to, you can also add resistance by holding medicine ball or dumbbell between your feet ? but you need to understand that if you are not an advanced athlete, you should not try this. On the other hand, when you become an advanced athlete, you can also try doing the one arm gorilla chin crunches, the exercise involve grasping your wrist with your free hand and continue working the oblique more.
The abdominal muscles need regular workouts and 5 minutes of daily abdominal exercises can actually make a real difference ? that is, as long as you do the exercises everyday.
Now, you need to know that even though exercises play a vital role in getting the physique you have always desired, you will need to make sure that you eat the right kind of food and drink lots and lots of water too.
When you feel your muscles cramping, you should immediately stop the exercises and rest. Do not over push yourself, especially if you have just started working out ? with a little time, you will be an advanced athlete.
Important Tip
You can get a training buddy if you are not sure whether you will be disciplined enough to continue your work out routine ? a committed workout buddy will keep you primed and ready to go.
Remember, you will never regret dedicating your time to staying fit.
