Thursday, 31 March 2011
Why Deadlifts Are Killing Your Lower Back |
The Deadlift is with the Squat the most vital workout you can ever do as it works all the muscular tissues with heavy weights. Unluckily, Deadlifts have a repute of being a lower back slayer: lots of chaps experience hurt when Deadlifting, couldn’t add weight, and never reap all of the benefits consequently. However like with all workouts, if you get hurt on Deadlifts it nearly at all times means you’re doing somewhat not right.
Deadlifts are technically a pull exercise, but you should think of it as a push. Here’s why: Deadlifting by pulling back – without engaging your posterior chain (hips/glutes) – stresses your lower back more. It’s also inefficient because you’re using less muscles to lift the weight.
So instead of Deadlifting by extending your legs first and then trying to lockout the weight by pulling it back, focus on extending your hips on the way up.
1. Start the Deadlift by pushing through your heels
2. Push your hips forward once the bar reaches knee level
3. Finish the lift by squeezing your glutes as hard as you can
If the bar rests in your palm when you Deadlift, your skin will fold more once gravity starts pulling the barbell out of your hand, and you’ll get more callus formation as a result. Solution: Deadlift with the bar low in your hands, close to you fingers, like I do in the picture below.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Dead Lift Workout
If you’re looking to pile as much lean muscle mass onto your frame as humanly possibly in the shortest period of time, the deadlift is your best friend in the entire world.
There is more to performing the deadlift than walking up to a bar and picking it up. It is not as technically complex as a clean or snatch, and every bit as problematic as the squat. There are two standard styles of deadlifting: conventional - feet narrower than shoulders, and sumo - feet wider than shoulders. The style that fits most people comfortably is the conventional. It also has more carryover to daily activity.
Let's start with foot placement. Feet should be placed at armpit width with toes slightly out. Shins will be placed next to the bar. The majority of the bodyweight should begin on the balls of the feet with a transfer to the heels through lockout. The hands should grasp the bar with an over / under grip with the arms outside the knees. The legs should be bent to the "power position"; approximately 60 degrees from vertical with the hips lower than the shoulders. Your head should be looking forward in a neutral position. The chest should be forward, not down. Shoulders should be squeezed tightly back and positioned directly over the bar. Do not round the shoulders, as more force will then be applied to the back.
Begin your deadlift training by loading a bar with about 25 percent of your 1 rep max or less. I start with either 135 or 225 pounds. Using the proper Deadlift form that I have explained to you, perform 10 repetitions to warm up your body. Stretch and rest for about 3 minutes, and load the bar to 50 percent of your max. Perform 3 repetitions with this weight. Stretch and rest for 3 more minutes.
Proper Deadlift technique is essential to pulling your maximum weight. Remember, Powerlifting is about leverage as well as strength. You will have to determine whether you are better suited for Sumo or Conventional in your deadlift training. Sumo is done with your feet out wider and your hands inside your thighs.
The bad news is that deadlifts are without a doubt one of the most painful and discomforting exercises you will ever come across. When performed properly, the deadlift will leave you lightheaded, nauseous, gasping for air and will temporarily have you wishing that you hadn’t come to the gym in the first place. But if it’s serious results that you’re after, this is the price you must pay.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Cardio Workout : Running
The best cardio exercise is simply the one you will do day in and day out consistently. Choose one which you enjoy doing and don't be afraid to mix the exercises up. Running is an excellent cardio exercises because all you need is a pair of quality running shoes. Running burns serious calories. A 145 LB person can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes. The downside is, it takes lots of practice and you should watch your knees and ankles for any discomfort or pain.
Running is simple.
You don't need a room full of pricey equipment or to phone in advance for a tee time. Running doesn't even require much skill--nothing could be easier. Naturally, there are tons of rules. Not for the act of running itself, but about the code, largely unspoken, that governs behavior and informs decisions in situations that every runner encounters sooner or later: Did that driver really just cut me off, and am I within my rights to flip him the bird? What do I tell a marathoner lurching along at mile 20 like a zombie in search of brains? Here are some answers to such quandaries. None of these are rules in the USA Track & Field Competition Rules Book, because you won't find rules there on passing gas during a group run. Instead, these are guidelines to make running a little bit happier, healthier, and more fun for everyone. Because the first rule of running is just that: Have fun.
You may even find you feel less pressure and have more fun going short. If your goal race doesn't live up to your dreams, you can try again a few weeks later since you'll need less recovery time. And if what you like most about races is enjoying the carniva-like atmosphere, you can do that more often. There are more races to choose from, the entry fees are lower, and you're rarely at the mercy of a lottery to get in.
So go ahead, reset your goal. With the following six-week training plans, you can adopt a new target distance, ramp up your fitness, and simply enjoy the pleasures of running.
Chest Press Machine Exercise
A machine chest press is an exercise performed on a device designed to work the chest muscles. Most gyms have chest press machines. They have a seat to sit on or a bench to lie down on. When you are on the machine, the user presses away from the body with their hands on two handles in front of the chest. The amount of resistance is determined by the number of weight plates that are chosen by the user.
# Preparation
Press your back flat against the back pad and pull your navel to your lower back to stabilize your core.
# Execution
Press the weight slowly away from your chest until your arms are straight. Pause, then slowly return to a 90 degree elbow bend.
# Equipment notes
Some machines have a bar to put your foot on to press the handles far enough forward so that they are easier to grab. Your machine may or may not have a foot rest on which to rest your feet while you work. Either way, keep the arms between 90-180 degree
Position yourself on a machine bench press (some are structured to have you in a seated position, while others have you lying flat on your back). Simply begin by pressing the weight outward/upward in an explosive fashion. When you return to the start position, be sure that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
The minus part about machine is what you can do on the machine won't be close to what you'll press with the barbell. Machines work you in 1 plane of resistance, whereas free weights take three. Machines tend to take the stabilizers and synergists out of the equation that are vitally important with free weights.
My advice-start benching both with the barbell and dumbbells. Forget about going to failure and keep 1-2 reps in the hole.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Barbell Bent Over Row
Barbell Rows are hard. Not as hard as Squats or Deadlifts, but certainly harder than the Bench Press. When you get stronger on the Barbell Row, you’ll often see your strength increase on other strength training exercises.
Barbell Rows are the best exercise to train your upper-back. Unfortunately the Barbell Row is often done with incorrect technique. This article will teach you how to perform the Barbell Row with proper technique.
Just like the name sounds, you bend over at the waist and “row” (pull) a barbell to your lower chest/stomach. There are a couple different versions of this exercise, one variation has your hands reversed (palms facing forwards) which work the biceps more… but this article will deal with the “Basic” bent over row as it’s the best for overall back, bicep, and pulling motion development.
Most guys do way too much horizontal pressing (bench press and bench press variations) and way too little of horizontal pulling motions. The bent over row will help you fix that problem. It’s good for:
* Building Back Strength – being able to pull something to your chest is a useful skill, in combat sports you have to do pulling motions like this often…
* Building Back Muscle – most guys look like apes from too much benching and not enough pulling, the bent over row helps correct that, add muscle to your upper back and will actually help your other lifts (plus, a thick upper back looks great and chicks dig it!)
1. Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
2. Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.
3. Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Caution: This exercise is not recommended for people with back problems. A Low Pulley Row is a better choice for people with back issues.
Also, just like with the bent knee dead-lift, if you have a healthy back, ensure perfect form and never slouch the back forward as this can cause back injury.
Be cautious as well with the weight used; in case of doubt, use less weight rather than more.
Torso may be keep horizontal for strict execution. Knees are bent in effort to keep low back straight (See Hamstring Inflexibility). If low back becomes rounded due to tight hamstrings, either try bending knees more or don't position torso as low. Either fix may compromise involvement of Latissimus Dorsi since it forces more shoulder transverse extension and less shoulder extension range of motion. If low back is rounded due to poor form, deadlift weight to standing position and lower torso into horizontal position with knees bent and back straight. A shoulder width or underhand grip can increase lat involvement by emphasizing shoulder extension over transverse extension. A wide overhand grip involves overall back musculature while slightly emphasising Rear Delt, Infraspinatus and Teres Minor involvement.
Friday, 25 March 2011
Hanging Leg Raises Workout
The hanging leg raise is without doubt one of the best abdominal exercises you can do and if the six pack look is one of your goals you cannot go wrong by taking the time needed to nail this bodyweight exercise.
Let me point out first that we are not talking about the 90 degree version that is common among trainers but one done from a straight hang position all the way up until your feet touch the bar you are hanging on.
If it sounds difficult relax because although it requires a good deal of abdominal strength and a degree of flexibility it is by no means one of the hardest body weight exercises and most people can easily nail it in 2 to 3 months of training.
Let's get started:
* Grab a bar and just hang, let the momentum disappear and do nothing until your body is still and the legs are straight.
* Flex all your muscles especially your Lats, Abs, and muscles surrounding your elbows.
* Slowly raise your feet up to the bar, remember to keep your legs straight.
* Lower your Legs and Repeat.
* The duration should be slow so as to use no momentum, try 5 - 8 seconds up, 5 - 8 down.
This exercise can also be performed using a vertical bench that makes the exercise easier by supporting your upper back in place and by allowing you to hold yourself by placing your elbows and arms on the side pads.
Personal Trainer Tips: Move in a slow and controlled manner so that momentum does not take over. Moving in a slow and controlled manner will also decrease how much you will sway.
Keep a slight bend in the knees to take a little pressure off your lower back.
Stop the set if you feel any discomfort in your lower back.
If your grip strength prevents you from holding yourself up, you can use ab straps to suspend your body.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Push Up Workout Routines
The humble push-up. Used by militaries all over the world to get their soldiers in fighting condition and middle school P.E. teachers to punish punk kids. The push-up is the ultimate bodyweight exercise. It requires no special equipment and can be done anywhere, anytime. The push-up often gets overlooked because many men find it too simple or too boring to perform. But by switching up your hand and feet positions and adding in a few twists, the push-up becomes a versatile muscle builder that will leave you begging for mercy. The Art of Manliness has compiled the ultimate resource on push-ups; here is a primer on every variation (with video) we could find. Your muscles will hate you, but they’ll never get bored.
When you perform a certain move in your daily workout, your body gets used to it. It uses less strength and burns less calories, the better you get at them. All you need is the slightest change of position or increase in intensity to make your push ups harder to complete.
If you can bust out more than 50 push ups without batting an eye, its time to try one of these different push up workouts.
Do this routines :
On Odd Days
Do 200 pushups in as few sets as possible in addition to your regularly scheduled workout of cardio exercises. You can still do upper body workouts on these days if you are already on a program. This is a supplemental 200 pushups using maximum repetition sets (4 x 50, 8 x 25 ... it's your choice how you get to 200).
On Even Days
Do 200 pushups throughout the day. This can be little sets of ten done every half hour or fifty pushups done four times throughout the day.
Rule
If your maximum is under 50 pushups, do 200 a day. If your maximum is above 75, do 300 pushups a day.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Chin Ups vs Pull Ups
The Pull Up and Chin Up are two of the most popular bodyweight exercises in the world. They can both be done at any gym, in various parks, and even at home with pull up bars. What's the difference between these two exercises and which is the better one for you?
Both of these exercises involve gripping an overhead bar and pulling yourself upward until your chin is above it. The difference is mainly in the way you grip the bar. A Pull Up is done with an overhand grip with your hands at shoulder width or more apart. A Chin Up is done with an underhand grip with your hands at shoulder width apart.
In America, pull up is when your palms facing away from your body, and a chin up is when your palms facing toward your body.
In terms of which one is harder, the pull up works your back muscles while the chin up works your bicep muscles. It all depends on how far apart your arms are but in general they target the same area for pull/chin ups.
I have always trained chin-ups as hands supinated and pull-ups have hands pronated. There are variations (close-grip, wide-grip, shoulder-width, etc...) but the hand orientation is what determines which move you are doing.
I find that during wide-grip pull-ups my wrists end-up sore along with my back and bi's. Also, chin-ups feel a tad tougher in my forearms.
You can also do both.
Set a # for total reps.
Then divide them b/w the two.
Ex. 30-35 total reps.
3x6 Pullups
2 x 6-7 Chins
OR u could sub in Hammer grip chins.
Have fun in the gym
Barbell Military Press
Performed correctly, the basic barbell military press is an exceptional upper body, trunk and cores strengthening exercise. This movement is unique in its ability to develop the strength, balance and core stabilization of the entire body. During the exercise the body is kept tall and straight throughout the movement.
The lift affects the upper pectoralis, the shoulders, the upper arms and the upper back. The upper pectoralis and upper back help to stabilize the scapula as the movement is performed. The shoulders, prominently the deltoids, are directly affected by this move, as are the triceps.
Steps :
1. Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar behind your head and either have a spotter give you the bar (better on the rotator cuff this way) or pick it up yourself carefully with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down.
2. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
3. Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
The military press lends itself well to "Static Holds". Here is a great way to finish off your shoulder workout. Put a little weight on the barbell and press it overhead. Use a weight that you could easily do 10 times. Press that weight overhead and hold it there for as long as you can. Maintain good form the whole time and lock that weight overhead. What you will find is that your shoulders will shake and the same thing will happen in your abs. Once it becomes too tough, put the weight back down. Just do one set.
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Build that Pectoralis Muscle
Aside from big arms, there's no desire among aspiring underweight muscle building enthusiasts that quite outdoes the longing for a big, well-developed chest. And why not; big pectorals command respect. They're somehow primitively associated with courage and assertiveness. When you have pectoral muscles that only slightly protrude beyond your abdominal section, you're considered to be "in shape". What's more, in a world of male competitiveness where one's height seems to unfairly monopolize the aura of dominating physical stature, powerful pectorals can be a great equalizer. They tell the world that regardless of the level your genetics had you lengthened, you're packaged physical prowess by choice. You exude strength and athleticism with well developed pectorals.
To build pectoral muscles fast, you must dedicate yourself to a regimen of weight training, good nutrition and rest. If you are committed, you can see a noticeable change in your chest within a few weeks.
Develop a weight program that works your pectoral muscles hard. Begin with three sets of 10 reps for each of three chest exercises. Try bench press, flat bench flies and push-ups. Always remember to warm up and stretch your pectoral muscles.
To build the chest pectoral muscles, work both the upper and lower sections in two different training sessions. You can combine one session with back training, for example, and the other session with biceps. Upper pectoral muscles are the most difficult to isolate. The movement is more awkward and the difficulty surprises new bodybuilders. To work the upper pecs, perform incline presses. Use an incline bench. You can use dumbbells or a barbell. You can also pull the bench over to a smith machine for added support or when you start to lift heavier weight. Work the lower pectorals with dumbbell or barbell decline presses, dips, decline flys and cable flys.
There are a lot of machines available at your gym that serve the same purpose. Use them as a complement to your dumbbell and barbell routine. Don't use them primarily, however. You sacrifice a greater range of motion and development of the stabilizer muscles. Start with lighter weights at first. Make sure your form is perfect before you attempt to lift heavy. The position of the movement can cause strain on the back if you do not concentrate on controlled, fluid movements. Don't jerk or use momentum to perform the lift.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
How to Get A Bikini Body
It's summertime again and everyone's hanging out in the latest bikini except for you. If you want to join the crowds but feel like you need to work off those extra pounds, then it is time to get serious about the diet and fitness regime.
Start eating healthy food. Instead of chowing down on chips, replace these by eating fruit. Eat well-balanced meals and healthy snacks. Although you don't have to plan your meals completely, you should make sure you're getting the right amount of nutrients. A good guideline is to eat one third meat, one third fruit and veggies, and one third carbohydrates. Eating more slowly can also help you. When you take your time eating, your brain has more time to realize you're full and you eat less.
When you have only a month to get a bikini body, focus on full-body exercises and interval training. Full-body exercises include push-ups, squats and lunges and pull-ups. These exercises tone your body and help you burn more calories. Not only does interval training burn the most fat, but it helps to boost your metabolism to burn more calories even when not exercising. "After interval training, the amount of fat burned in an hour of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent and cardiovascular fitness increased by 13 percent," reports Science Daily.
Make space in your schedule for six one-hour workouts weekly. It is important to let your body rest one day a week or you risk over-training, which can result in injury. Also, make sure to watch your calorie intake, as your diet will affect your end result. If you need help with diet, sign up with a weight-control program like Weight Watchers or find a nutritionist to assist you.
To boost the challenge, use light weights where indicated. Include two 45- to 60-minute cardio sessions on your off days and follow a healthy diet, and in just four weeks you'll be sitting poolside with pride.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Chin Ups Training
Chin-ups involve the sternal portion of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, the rhomboids, the middle and lower portions of the trapezius, and the elbow flexors. A wide variety of sports require strength in these muscles, particularly sports that require powerful upper body pulling action such as judo and wrestling.
A chin-up specialization program will not only build impressive width and thickness to your back but will also pack solid inches on your arms by promoting growth on your biceps, brachialis, brachio-radialis and pronator teres. You only have to look at the arm development of Olympic gold medalists in gymnastics Andreas Wecker (GER) and Yurij (ITA) to be convinced. These individuals are not known for their volume of training on the Scott bench, but more for their countless volume of pull-ups and chin-ups on the various gymnastics apparatus.
The chin-up is a multi-joint compound exercise that involves multiple muscle groups. It is better than “regular” gym exercises for people who train with health and fitness in mind and don’t want to become bodybuilding champions. It saves time and creates functional strength applicable to other physical activities - work or other sports.
The benefits you will get from performing regular chin-ups include:
* functional strength increase
* posture improvements
* back pain alleviation
* a better looking physique
Users have achieved remarkable results in only 6 to 8 weeks. This means that most, if not all, have been able to achieve a single set of twenty repetitions.
You can already do 10 consecutive chin-ups. Great! You are among the few ones who can. By following this program you will probably be able to reach the 20 repetitions target in about 6 weeks.
Most people cannot do even one chin-up. No matter what your level is, this program will help you greatly improve your performance and will put you on your way to 20 chin-ups.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Shoulder Workouts
Shoulder strengthening exercises which isolate the anterior, medial and posterior deltoids are included because the goal of the best shoulder workout is to build the shoulders completely.
This workout is best for muscle building because there will be a large training volume on a single muscle group.
A Key factor in building delts is the understanding of shoulder joint in brief and how the muscles act to bring this awesome shoulder girdle { joint } to move, making it the most versatile joint in the human body.
A main stay exercise is the shoulder press. This pressing movement primarily works the side and front deltoids. Using a machine, a barbell or dumbells, can perform the shoulder press. I personally prefer to use dumbells because there is less restriction and most importantly the muscles move in their natural plane. When pressing the weight, try not to lock your elbows. Locking the elbows will reduce the resistance on your shoulder muscles and place unwanted stress on the elbow joint.
A forgotten exercise is the front raise. The reason being is that you are not going to turn heads while doing the movement. You can use a variety of methods to burn the front delts. My two favorites are alternating dumbells and the low cable pulley with a short bar. It can also be executed while holding a plate like a car steering wheel. The key for this exercise is to keep a slight flexion at the elbow while lifting the weight just above shoulder level.
Do the following sequence of exercises non-stop for ten reps each:
- Lateral Raises - 10 (palms down)
- Lateral Raises - 10 (thumbs up)
- Lateral Raises - 10 (thumbs down)
- Front Raises - 10 (thumbs up)
- Cross overs - 10 (palms facing away from you)
- Military press - 10 (see pics below)
Sit Ups Technique
Great care and excellent technique are required to strengthen the abdominal muscles with sit-ups. To be effective, sit-ups must pull the torso upward from a lying position toward the knees, using only the abdominal group.
Often, more powerful muscles (those that flex the legs and hips), do much of the work. This is especially true with straight-leg sit-ups.
For best results, abdominals should be performed slowly with legs resting on a chair/bench, so that legs are bent at 90 degrees.
Great care and excellent technique are required to strengthen the abdominal muscles with sit-ups. To be effective, sit-ups must pull the torso upward from a lying position toward the knees using only the abdominal group. Often, however, other, more powerful, muscles (those that flex the legs and hips) do much of the work. This is especially true with straight-leg sit-ups.
Bending the knees during sit-ups helps neutralize the action of the hip flexors and makes the abdominal muscles work more. Even so, the abdominal group tends to be involved only in the initial phase of the sit-up, after which the hip flexors take over. In addition, doing sit-ups rapidly and with momentum, knees bent or not, does not work the abdominal group very much. That's why raising slowly only part way works the abdominal muscles best.
What follows is the ideal guide to correct sit ups:
Lie flat on your back with your legs bent so that your knees are bent 90 degrees.
Your feet should be flat on the floor near your buttocks, or alternatively up on a raised platform like a bench or chair.
Do not hold your feet down since this acts to promote other muscle groups e.g. hip flexor muscles.
Bring your hands together behind your neck so as to support your head's weight. Never use your neck muscles to perform this exercise as damage is likely.
People new to this exercise should be sure to avoid jolting or twisting movements, keeping straight is important.
Comfortably exhale on the upward movement towards the knees, inhale on the way down.
Each curl should be initiated at the shoulders, then the top of the back, followed lastly by the lower back region.
Raise your torso to a maximum of 45 degrees, hold the highest position for a short moment, then move downwards.
Do not let your chin touch your chest, try to maintain a straight spine.
If you happen to use an abdominal exerciser the correct sit up position will be being reinforced.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Dumbbell Chest Press
Doing a chest press with dumbbells instead of a barbell can add a different element to your chest exercises, since both arms now have to work independently from one another. This is great for working both sides of the body, and the dumbbell chest press makes a nice complement to the barbell exercise.
Lie on an flat bench, keep your feet firmly pressed down on the floor for stability. Start with a dumbbell in each hand held overhead as if you were holding a barbell. Now lower them from arms length to as low as possible on your outer chest. The bar should be lowered under control until your arm reaches a 90-degree angle. There should be a brief pause on your chest before you return the bar to arms length position.
Modifications: Dumbbell chest presses are one of the best chest exercises because of their versatility. You can limit the range of motion many ways to target certain parts of the chest. You can also change the rotation of your wrists to maximize stabilization training.
Tips: Do not lower your upper arms below the plane of your body. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement. You can vary the distance between your sides and elbows to take pressure off the shoulders.
Bench Press Technique
The bench press has been considered one of the “core” weight lifting exercises for many years. The reason for this is simple: this exercise is extremely effective in strengthening the prime movers of the upper extremity. Examples of this can be found in:
*Football: tackling, blocking, and passing;,
*Swimming: crawl and breaststroke,
*Track & Field: pole vault, shot put, and discus,
*Baseball: throwing and hitting,
*Boxing: punching,
*Basketball: shooting, boxing out, and rebounding.
The bench press hits a large amount of upper body musculature with the primary focus being on the pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders, especially front and middle), and triceps (back of the arm). Any number of secondary muscles are hit but these are the main ones that are being targeted.
What’s The Bench Press? Lie on an upright support bench or a bench inside a Power Rack. Unrack the weight & lower it to your chest. Press it back up until your arms are locked. You’ve done a Bench Press.
You have several ways to Bench Press by varying grip, grip width, bench angle, etc. Some Bench Press variations are:
* Close Grip Bench Press. Shoulder width grip. Emphasis triceps.
* Reverse Grip Bench Press. Palms facing you. Also emphasis triceps.
* Incline Bench Press. From an incline bench. Emphasis shoulders.
* Decline Bench Press. From a decline bench. Allows more weight.
* Floor Press. Bench Press while lying on the floor. More triceps.
The "perfect grip" is the grip that has your forearms exactly perpendicular (90 degree angle) in relation to the bench press bar. If you have strong triceps, you may try using a close grip by moving your hands closer together when gripping the bar. If your triceps aren't strong enough, try using a wider than perfect grip by sliding your hands away from each other a little bit.
Make sure that your feet are planted firmly on the floor and that they do not leave the floor during your bench attempts. They should also not be moving around. This creates a stable base and foundation, which makes your bench more powerful. The whole body must be stable during a bench press and the feet are a HUGE part of that.
As you get used to bench pressing heavy weight, you will learn to "push" off with your feet for additional power (while keeping your feet planted). Try this during your normal bench press workouts, then use it to help increase your bench press max!
Monday, 14 March 2011
Bodybuilding Beginners Tips
When it comes to looking for ways to shape your body as well as increasing strength, bodybuilding tops the lists. An ultimate muscle building system, it reduces stress levels and teaches you to eat healthier. All you need is a will to maintain a strict fitness schedule and an undying motivation to transform yourself from being lean to being fit. For amateurs, however, there are certain things that one should keep into consideration before taking a step ahead. The foremost thing that one needs to realize is that he/she is a beginner and that there can be no comparison with professional body builders, at this stage.
For those of you who are new to weight training, or would like change to your routine, check out this program that I was first introduced to. This weight training program is exactly what I started with and it enabled me to start training safely and familiarize myself with the gym, at a welcoming pace.
If this is your first time in the gym, do one set of each exercise, for 10 reps. Once you are comfortable with this program, perform the number of sets and reps mentioned.
Rest about 1 minute between sets.
For intermediate to advanced lifters your rep range will depend on your goals. For size, train in the 8 - 12 rep range. For power, train in the 2 - 5 rep range.
For endurance, train in the rep range of 15 - 30.
As a beginner, you can train more frequently than intermediates and advanced trainers. The reason is simple: as you get more experienced, you learn to push your muscles harder and inflict more damage that takes longer to recover from. Beginners, on the other hand, get sore but bounce back quicker since the muscular damage isn't as severe.
If the word "damage" makes you flinch, don't worry. It's a good thing for a bodybuilder to incur limited muscle damage, because it nudges the body to recover and overcompensate (grow) slightly to prepare for future workouts. This is what bodybuilding is all about - a continuous cycle of one-step-back, two-steps-forward, repeated over and over on a weekly basis.
With this in mind it is also easy to see why rest and sleep is extremely important, since this is the time when the body does the two-steps-forward phase.
BodyBuilding Newbie
This workout routine was developed for a Newbie looking to gain size and mass. If you're new to the gym, and looking for a simplistic bodybuilding routine, this is for you! If this seems overwhelming or confusing *slow down* and read it a couple times.
The workouts will consist of Primary and Accessory Movements. The Primary Movement is going to be the first lift of your exercise, and will usually require a spotter, some examples of Primary Movements are Db Press, Squat, and Deadlift. The Accessory Movements are going to follow the Primary Movement exercise, they usually consist of MonsterSets, and Compound sets.
The workout will be split into 4 days
Examples:
Mon- Chest/Tri
Wed- Back/Bi
Fri- Legs
Sat- Shoulders/abs
or
Sun- Chest/Tri
Tue- Back/Bi
Thur- Legs
Fri- Shoulders/abs
The list of exercises are split up by muscle group, and by Primary and Accessory. Every workout you should choose 1(sometimes 2) Primary exercises. Do 2 warmup sets of 15 reps with an easy amount of weight. After your warmup sets you can begin the first of 3 sets, during each set you should achieve failure between 8 and 12 reps. If you are getting to 12 reps too easy you should up the weight on the next set. In between each of the 3 Primary exercise sets you should rest about between 30 and 45 seconds. No more than 45 seconds rest!.
After the 3 sets of your Primary exercise it's time to choose 3 different Accessory Movements. The 3 Accessory movements will be done in the form of a Monster set; do 1 set of exercise A(achieving failure between 8 and 12 reps), then immediately move to exercise B(again achieving failure between 8 and 12 reps), and then immediately moving onto exercise C(and again achieve failure between 8 and 12 reps). That is one rotation, you will do 3 rotations, resting for about 45 to 60 seconds in between each full rotation. It is very important that you do not rest moving from exercise A to B to C, go right into it!
*Leg day and Accessory movements. On leg day you will choose 4 Accessorize movements, and do 2 separate compound sets. Example: first Compound Set: exercise A and B(both mainly working the Hamstring), second Compound Set: exercise C and D(both mainly working the Quad). So it will look like this: exercise A(failure in 8 to 12 reps) then immediately exercise B(failure in 8 to 12 reps), rest for 45-60 seconds, then repeat 3 times. Then move onto the compound set involving exercise C and D(exercise C(failure in 8 to 12 reps, then immediately exercise D(again failure in 8-12 reps), rest for 45-60 seconds, and repeat 3 times. know where the nearest garbage can is, if you are working hard enough you will probably puke
One of the biggest factors you need to remember with your training program is that you MUST be applying an overloading stimulus. Without this, your body is not going to have any reason to turn those extra calories into muscle and you will just gain a great deal of body fat. Definitely not what you are looking for here.
During a bulk you cannot be afraid of carbohydrates. They are going to supply your body with the energy it needs for muscle building. Generating muscle tissue is a very energy consuming process so you need to be sure to meet your needs.
While bulking you want to eat more calories (more than maintenance) and also eat more often. So in essence, you will be eating smaller meals than you would if you were only eating three each day (like normal humans). These meals will consist of protein, carbs, and fats.
It doesn't have to be anything big; it could be something as simple as an apple with peanut butter. But you should strive for at least 6-8 small meals a day. By eating more often you will have a constant supply of fuel throughout the day which is a constant supply of nutrients to your muscles to help them grow.
Eat This!
This for the Blogger team who marked and delete my previous previous fitness blog as a spam blog!!!!
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