Ordinary Sit Ups and The Effect

Doing sit-ups is a quick way to get stronger abdominal muscles. However, they must be done properly to avoid any injury to your spine and the neck and head muscles. In addition, sit-ups are about using the abdominal region (the abdominals). Therefore, close attention must be paid to ensuring that you are not compensating by using other parts of your body to perform sit-ups, as this will diminish the effectiveness of the sit-up and may cause injury to your body. It is not as harsh as it sounds - always, always focus on the abs and you are most of the way there.

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.

This is perhaps the most popular myth I have to deal with. By performing sit-ups or "crunches", you are helping to strengthen and firm up the rectus abdominus muscles, more commonly known as the "six-pack". But crunches will do nothing to reduce the amount of fat you have on your tummy. Abdominal fat is there because of excessive calorie consumption, so the only way to get rid of it is to burn off the calories by following a balanced diet and performing high-intensity exercise such as running, cycling, aerobics and swimming.

No expert her but according to ALL professionals there is absolutely no way to get Abs of definition by sit-up or crunches alone. Cardio MUST be involved and as I have found out not just the same type of cardio workout, but a mix to keep the body off-balance. One study put moves in three types of workouts A) Mix of Cario+strength but NO ab workouts at all, B) Ab specific and Strength training with NO cardio and C )just Cadio.

The best results came from the "A" group, weird huh, we all have Abs but if covered by a layer of fat no amount of crunches or sit-ups will bring them out.

alories Burned Running - Drop Weight By Running

What is Dean Karnazes made of? When the US ultra-marathoner announced his plan to run 50 marathons through 50 American states in 50 days, people thought he was either superhuman or insane. Mainly the latter. "Mad... 50 marathons??!! He must be..." said RW member Dark Vader of Karnazes, in the title of his forum thread. "Mad," agreed Brizo. And when we rang sports physician Dr Patrick Milroy, his first comment was: "Mad."

But just as Karnazes was announcing his own plans, his fellow American Sam Thompson was reaching the end of his own feat of endurance – running 51 marathons in 50 days. So maybe it's not such a rare (or crazy) talent, after all? Forty-three-year-old Karnazes, who embarks on the North Face Endurance 50 on September 17, is first to admit that he's not unusual. "I really don't consider myself to be gifted in any sort of way," he says. "I just really love to run." He claims that, with
a reasonable level of fitness and the right mental attitude, we’d all be surprised by how far we can run.

To get the most out of 10-minute cardio workouts, you want to focus on working harder than usual. The following workout offers some ideas for how you can work hard during the time you have.

1 minute - Brisk walk or march in place
1 minute - Light jog outside, around the house or in place
1 minute - Jumping jacks
1 minute - Long jumps - jump forward, landing with both feet
1 minute - Light jog
1 minute - Jumping jacks
1 minute - Squat and kick, alternating legs
1 minute - Light jog
1 minute - Long jumps
1 minute - Brisk walk to cool down

If you're feeling creative, make your own workout using some of the activities listed below. Each exercises will burn about 100 calories (depending on your weight, fitness level, and intensity) in 10 minutes:

Running - 1 mile
Jumping rope
Stepping - 30 steps per minute, 7 inch step
Cycling - 13 mph
High-impact aerobics
Running up stairs
Circuit training
Calisthenics - pushups, jumping jacks, plyometric jumps and kickboxing-type moves

Break Through Any Deadlift Plateau

The Deadlift is the most important exercise next to the Squat. But nothing is more frustrating than plateauing on the same weight over & over. Worse even is when the weight you Deadlifted past workout for 5 reps suddenly doesn't even want to budge the floor. Maybe you've also experienced this on Deadlifts.

Deadlift Training Secrets:

1. Optimal training is doing the least amount of work and producing the highest results in competition. So don’t kill yourself in the gym for the sake of it

2. You must be able to justify why every exercise and every set/weight/rep combination is in your program. If you can’t; you need help designing your programs

3. Train explosively. I focus on developing explosive power each and every time I pull. Speed Kills in Boxing and it helps you annihilate sticking points on the deadlift

The fastest way to boost your Deadlift is to Deadlift more. You don't need to add assistance exercises, you don't require extra posterior chain work, and you don't have to pull against bands. All those things definitely have their place but not until you reach at least 400lb on Deadlifts.

Why? Because technique is the real secret to gaining strength, on every single exercise. Don't take my word for it, here's a quote from the "Michael Jordan of Powerlifting," world class Deadlifter Ed Coan who pulled 900lb.

All of the former record holders and many of today's too, squatted with a narrow stance. This had two advantages. First, it served as an excellent special exercise for deadlift. Many trained the squat three times a week. Twice back squatting and once front squatting. The other back squat could be a high bar session.
Other squat exercises were something like lunges, or step squats, using bar on back. These were done sometimes a box under front or back feet, varying how it hits glutes and hamstrings. A 8-12 inch box under back feet hits the upper part of glutes quite hard.

Many used different stances. The narrow stance high bar was the most common but many, like Taito Haara, Reijo Kiviranta and Hannu Saarelainen, squatted with 3-4 stances.

During the last years, the box squat has become very popular in Finland. Janne Toivanen put it in practice by hauling up 804 in `96 IPF World's in Austria. Many have followed. Ano Turtiainen started using the box and now pulls over 859 in every meet he enters. Ismo Lappi, the new WR holder in 165´s in IPF, does box squats as assistance. Veli Kumpuniemi stated that if would have known how to use a box in his prime he would have lifted a lot more. How much more? He tore his hamstring while trying 804 in the 181´s back in 1981. He hit 822 ( 373 kilos ) in a national before that weighing under 190 pounds. All his hamstrings could handle he hauled up. He never really recovered but wanted to send his compliments to Louie Simmons for this excellent exercise.

Burn Your Fat Routine

Obesity and excess weight is a perennial problem. The problem with fat loss is that there are no simple solutions. Everyone’s body is different and every individual will need a slightly different approach to reach optimum levels of fat loss.

However, there are some general tips on how to burn body fat that will help almost anyone, regardless of age or sex. If you really want a high performance fat loss program, you will be well advised to follow a professional fat loss module that will put you through a high profile exercise routine program in addition to giving you a specialized diet to follow.

The majority of exercisers today still rely on long duration moderate paced aerobic exercise as their primary routine to burn fat fast. But recent studies have shown that this is a big, I mean big mistake. In fact, you could say that the whole aerobics explosion of a few decades past was one of the biggest mistakes in the health and fitness industry. Why?

There are several reasons, but I’ll focus on the two main issues here. When you exercise at a moderate pace for extended periods of time (as in the typically recommended percent of your target heart rate), your body is burning fat during the exercise. While this may sound good, it’s actually bad news.

This sends a signal to your body to keep a certain amount of stored fat available for your next workout. You’re essentially telling it that it needs fat available to burn, ‘because you’ll be doing this exercise again. So while we may be burning some calories during this exercise, after the exercise is over, our body begins storing up some fat for the next workout. Obviously not what we’re looking for in terms of maximum ability to burn fat fast.

The other big concern with moderately paced aerobic exercise performed several times per week is that it trains your body (heart, lungs, muscles, etc.) to become efficient. Again, this may sound good, but what is actually happening is bad for long term health. You are working only within your existing aerobic limits, without improving your aerobic capacity.

This is important because your aerobic capacity is what determines how your body responds in times of physical, emotional, and mental stress. If you reduce your capacity for work, as you do in this type of exercise, you’re reducing your long term health, no to mention a poor chance of burning fat.

The good news is, you can reverse these effects by instead focusing your workouts on high intensity resistance training, with workouts that last 15-20 minutes on average, and can only be performed 2-3 times per week.

Making A Fit Body

Being "fit" essentially means being able to perform well in a wide variety of physically taxing circumstances. For some people, it also means being able to "fit" into their favorite clothes, while for others, it's just getting in shape. Either way, if you find yourself running out of breath when doing simple things like walking up a few stairs or playing catch, it's time to improve your physical condition.

There are tons of exercises that can give you results, but if you want those results fast, why not focus on the very best exercises - the "secret weapons"? Although these exercises are well-known, you might not have realized their importance or how to incorporate them into your routine - until today.

Keep track of your progress, and be proud of minor improvements. Don't be discouraged if you stop losing weight or if you have a few setbacks; remember that overall, you've put yourself on an upward trajectory and that's definitely something to be proud of.

Keep your house stocked with the right food. Purchase the healthy fruits, vegetables, whole grains, soups, etc. that you want yourself to eat, and keep the junk out of your cupboards so you won't be tempted. It's not bad to indulge once in awhile, but it's too easy to do so if you keep your house full of unhealthy treats. Instead, the best litmus test for your true desire to indulge is if you're willing to make the trip to the bakery or supermarket to purchase it. (Even better, make that trip on foot or by bike, if possible!)

Finally, it is always important to use the proper equipment. Even if you are working out at home, it is imperative that you have the proper equipment. If you are doing an aerobic workout video, it may be as simple as the right pair of shoes. If you are dead lifting 500 pounds, you will also need gloves and a back support. Do not skimp on the equipment. It not only can aid in the prevention of injuries, but also help you keep good form.

If after trying all of these, you are still experiencing pain, be sure to check with your doctor. You may be doing an exercise that is not right for your body. Before you throw away your workout sweats and limp to your easy chair, be sure you are exercising correctly with the correct form and equipment. There are so many things that one can do to exercise. Don't give up.

Bench Press Cheat

Without a doubt, the most coveted and respected lift in the iron game is the barbell bench press. Ironically, no other lift is the source of so much frustration either. Sticking points and plateaus seem to trouble nearly everyone at one time or another. It's not uncommon for someone to spend months or even years benching the same amount of weight with no improvement at all - but it doesn't have to be that way.

With a few small changes in your technique, a good dose of hard work and some patience, a 300, 400, or even 500-pound bench press is within your reach. If you'd like say goodbye to sticking points and finally break through the plateau's that have plagued you for so long, then put these 15 powerful bench-boosting principles to work and you'll smash through previous limitations and send your bench press soaring into new territory faster than you ever believed possible.

The arch is one of the best ways to decrease the ROM on a bench. I'm constantly working to get my arch bigger and bigger. My goal is to make my bench look as much like a decline bench press as I can. The way I achieve this is by moving my feet farther and farther back under my body. My goal is to get my feet as close to my head as possible.

When benching the only parts of my body that I want touching the bench are my traps and butt. In my federation, my feet have to be in contact with the floor at all times but they do not have to be flat on the floor. Therefore I push my feet back as far as I can get them and balance myself way up on my toes. It's a very very uncomfortable position but pushing big weight is not about comfort. If it's comfortable, you aren't tight enough.

Prior to the lift, the lifter should be certain that the weight is balanced on the bar and that collars are securing the plates. Improper balance can result in an awkward and uncomfortable left attempt that may result in injury.

The lifter should position themselves so that the bar is located above the eyes. The back and buttocks should be firmly placed on the bench pad. The feet should be placed flat on the floor.

The grip should be centered on the bar. Most athletes will feel comfortable with the arms slightly wider than the shoulders. Longer armed athletes however, may prefer a wider grip while shorter armed athletes will find a slightly narrower grip more comfortable.

I've found that as you take your liftoff, roll the elbows in slightly will make the lift more comfortable. It will also make it easier to tuck the elbows on the way down. Speaking of liftoffs- when taking a liftoff, hold the bar at arm's length for a moment or so. The weight will compress the shoulder joint thus decreasing the distance the bar will have to travel.

So, there you have it. Just a few strategies to help you cheat your way to some heavier weights on the bar. With any luck, you may find yourself reading some idiot's comment on one of your videos accusing you of being a cheater too.

Single Arm Dumbbell Palms Up Wrist Curls

All athletes--not just rock climbers--who play a sport that demands forearm strength and use of the upper body can benefit from doing forearm workouts. Muscles need to break down in order to improve in order to get stronger. Anytime you exercise for strength you need to make forearms sore. Don't climb or workout with sore forearms. Wait until your muscle soreness has gone away before working on strength again.

Since the beginning of time, guys have known that building their arm muscles is not only important for everyday activities, but also help swoon a few ladies along the way.

However, this goes way beyond just doing bicep exercises. You also have to build forearm muscles, shoulder and triceps as well. Strong arms will do much more than help you pick up ladies. Pretty much everything you do on a daily basis could be improved when you have stronger arms.

How to do it?

Sit on one end of a bench and hold one dumbbell with one hand, wrist against your knee, palm facing up.

Raise one dumbbell up by raising only your hand and slowly lower it back down after a short pause. Alternate hands after a set.

Keep your arms still throughout.

Exercise Advice: Sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell over your knee with your palm facing up. Stretch your your wrist as far down as possible while holding the dumbbell securely. Curl your wrist up as far as possible while flexing your forearm at the top position. Lower the dumbbell slowly to the starting position.

How to Build and Bulk Up Massive Shoulders ?

"Shoulders maketh the man." No doubt you've heard this maxim uttered dozens of times, but have you ever actually pondered why it rings true? A set of broad shoulders isn't the only marker of a man's masculinity, but it is a powerful one. Dating back to ancient times, representations of great conquerors, warriors, kings, and gods have always come complete with wide, strong shoulders.

The most critical component to creating broader shoulders is increasing their width. To accomplish this, we selectively target the medial deltoid head. The larger the cross-sectional area of the side deltoids, the wider and rounder your shoulders will appear. Of course, clavicle width plays the most important role in how wide your shoulder ultimately can become.

Start each session by training the muscles at the back of the shoulder and then progress to training the muscles of the middle deltoid, and then finish the workout by training the front of the shoulder. You will also use these exercises as a warm-up to prepare the smaller muscles of the shoulder joint for the heavy overhead pressing.

Limit the amount of overhead pressing to one main exercise per shoulder workout. And only do overhead pressing if you have healthy shoulders to begin with. In order to do this, you have to be creative and smart with your choices of lateral raise exercises to stimulate the muscles to grow.

Take into consideration all of the other shoulder-stressing exercises you are doing in your training week and adjust the amount of overhead pressing you do in your shoulder workout. For example, if you are doing barbell and incline bench press, then you should limit your overhead pressing on shoulder day.

Abs Shaper, Advantages and Disadvantages

The ab shaper system is a way of training, without you have to do any training at all, how is this possible? Muscles tighten when induced with electricity; the ab shaper takes advantage of this.

Don’t worry, you are completely out of danger. It is not like a lightning bolt running through your body, it is actually low voltages currents induced for a short time into your muscles to make them tightening for a short period of time. The tightening of the muscles happens many times, and feels a little odd, but it is much easier than training, and gives about the same result.

Advantages

Information on the Ab Shaper is easy to find online.
The product is priced the same as other abdominal machines.
May help target abdominal muscles.

Disadvantages

Will not increase weight loss or metabolism.
Difficult to use.
May be difficult to find for purchase online.

Con's

1. You will need help putting on your body shaper for the first time.Yes, and that can be a little discouraging...be ready for a fight.
2. You will need a partner to help you put on your shaper. If you do not have a spouse or roommate it may be a little challenging to get into your shaper.
3. Be sure to set aside some extra time the morning you plan to wear your body shaper.
4. Expect it to be tight around your waist. Especially if it's the first time putting it on.
5. You may want to plan your bathroom breaks. I advise you to not wait until the last moments before going to the ladies room. The hooks can be a little difficult.
6. The full body shapers are a little pricey.
7. You will need more than one. Of course once you get use to looking slim and trim, you will want to look that way everyday. So that means you will need a few.

Pro's

1. You will shrink 2-3 dress sizes in 10 minutes. Ten minutes is the amount of time it takes to get on.

2. After the initial fitting, expect it to take only 2-3 minutes to put on the shaper.

3. The body shaper gives you great back support. Once you start wearing the body shaper it will feel like someone is in back of you holding your back erect. Which feels great.

4. You will get an instant hour glass figure. With the design of the garments it will accent your curves, lift, tuck and compress your unwanted fat.

5.The first time you wear your shaper you will gain an immediate boost in your self- esteem. Your self-confidence will rise once you look in the mirror and see the fat and love handles disappear.

6. You will loss inches. You will shrink inches without trying, just from wearing your shaper for at least 4-6 hours per day.

7.The body shaper will drive you to want to do whatever you need to,( that is safe), to lose weight because of the instant results you get from wearing it. You will gain confidences and love the way you look.