Who Else Wants A Flat Stomach And Curvy Butt?

Who Else Wants A Flat Stomach And Curvy Butt?

In today’s world it is all about good health and fitness.

Not only that but for women especially it is all about looks and feeling good about it all.

 

So who else wants a flat stomach and  a curvy butt to go with it? Come on ladies put your hands up. I know there are a lot of ladies out there that want such assets so i am going to lay down a few ways to make your desires a reality:

 

Take a look in the mirror.

 

First of all take a look in the mirror and look at  your condition. How far out does your belly protrude. Can you see the lard and stretch marks around your stomach and butt. It is time to take action.

 

Buy an exercise magazine or dvd.

 

There are many exercise videos and magazines out there you can purchase. Once you purchase them you need to follow there programs and instructions. Look for exercises that target the butt. Examples are squats, lunges, dumbell deadlifts to name a few. these exercises tone the butt and give it more shape and curve.

 

Also look for magazines or videos that target the abs.

Examples are crunches, bridges, leg raise to name a few.

These exercises target the abdominals and get them toned so that they are held in place. Also don’t for get to some cardio to burn fat.

 

Buy nutrition magazines and diet books or videos.

 

Again there is loads of information from magazines and books on the type of food that you need to eat to burn fat off your butt and stomach.

 

You need to stay away from simple sugars like white bread and processed junk food that  contains saturated fat.

Portion control should be adhered to. What i mean by this is that you should eat small meals but frequently. When you eat small meals your bellly will not protrude like it does when you eat a karge meal. Large meals stretch the abdominal wall and then it is hard to get it back to normal size when you lose weight or have an empty stomach.

 

Make sure you eat a lot of protein like fish, chicken, lean meat, etc. Then also eat complex carbs like whole wheat bread and lots of fruits and vegetables.

 

Never ever skip breakfast.

 

Never miss breakfast because if you do you are setting yourself up for failure. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It cranks up the metabolic machine. And when you eat breakfast you are less likely to pig out in the evening and ruin your efforts at attaining a flat stomach and a curvy butt.

 

Sleep eight hours a night.

 

Sleeping a hours a night will aid weight loss even faster.

Yes we lose weight when we are asleep. So get the proper amount.

 

Avoid alcohol.

 

Women who drink alcohol get beer bellies just like men do.

And it is not just lager that gives you a beer belly, all types of alcohol will give you one.

 

So ladies if you follow these steps religiously and  for a life time there is no reason why you can’t sport a flat stomach and a curvy butt.

 

 

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C Rodney Akomas is a weight loss expert who has helped thousands of people just like you lose weight quick and easy. Click: http://www.stripthatphat.info to get a FREE REPORT on 5 SECRETS the weight loss companies don’t want you to know! You also read more articles at his BLOG. Visit http://tinyurl.com/czszbk .

 

 

Bodyweight Calisthenics Are Better Than Boring Cardio

Bodyweight Calisthenics Are Better Than Boring Cardio Most exercises split their workouts into resistance training and cardio training.  They use weighted resistance for the resistance part and some type of monotonous exercise like jogging, rowing or biking for the cardio part.  But by neglecting bodyweight calisthenics they’ve just made a big mistake.

 

You see, you’ve just overlooked one of the best ways to get a great cardio workout as well as build a high-performance, athletic body… bodyweight calisthenics.  You don’t need any equipment at all to get a great cardio workout.  And there are added benefits for using bodyweight calisthenics instead of boring cardio.

 

You Can Do Bodyweight Calisthenics Anytime, Anywhere

 

The more you base your workouts (resistance or cardio) on equipment, the more excuses you have to NOT do the workout.

 If you only use an exercise bike… what do you do when the exercise equipment is in use?  What happens if the row machine breaks?  Most people will use that as an excuse to skip the cardio workout all together.

 

On the other hand, if you have a functioning body, you can use bodyweight calisthenics.  As you can see, there are no excuses left for missing the workout.  using bodyweight exercises for your cardio means you are ready for a workout anytime, anywhere… rain or shine.

 

Bodyweight Calisthenics Prepare You For Real World Challenges

 

Most exercisers wrongly believe that only monotonous, boring exercise is “cardio” exercise.  But the truth is, AND activity that increases your heart rate and breathing rate can improve heart and lung function.  And a fast paced circuit of bodyweight calisthenics is definitely going to get your heart and breathing rates up.

 

The added benefit is being prepared for real world challenges.  The fact is, endurance improvements are specific to the activity trained.  That means if you run, your heart and lungs get better for running.  This explains why you get out of breath easily doing an activity you don’t practice in your workout.  But on the other hand, bodyweight workouts can be made up of so many different types of exercises that they prepare your for challenges both inside and outside the gym.

 

You’ve Probably Been Neglecting Your Bodyweight Exercises

 

The sad fact is, you probably don’t do enough bodyweight exercises.  Exercise is made up of movement… both moving around the weight of your own body in various directions AND moving weighted objects around.  Unfortunately, most exercises spend most of their time training weighted resistance and neglect bodyweight only exercises.  So, using bodyweight calisthenics as your cardio portion of your workout not only improves hear and lung endurance, but trains your body to move.

 

As you can see, bodyweight calisthenics are a great option as a substitute for your regular cardio workout.  You’ll never have an excuse to skip a workout.  You’ll ultimately build a more high-performance body ready to meet life’s challenges with excellence.  And you’ll fulfill a much needs training requirement… bodyweight exercise.  No matter how you cut it… bodyweight calisthenics are a great way to get both a cardio workout and build a high performance, athletic body.

 

 

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To get a free copy of my Special Report “Bodyweight Exercise Cardio Intervals”, just go to:

http://bestathomeworkouts.com/bodyweight-exercise-cardio-int

ervals/  Here you’ll get the exact exercises I recommend with photos and detailed descriptions.  Give boring cardio a kick in the pants here:

http://bestathomeworkouts.com/bodyweight-exercise-cardio-int

ervals/

 

 

The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat

The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat

Copyright (c) 2009 Lakeland eBooks

 

So you have been dieting for weeks and your belly is not reducing as fast as you would like; what steps can you take to accelerate your weight loss. The first thing you need to do is increase the amount of aerobic exercise that you are undertaking, this can be anything from jogging around town to a full blown gym workout. Whatever you choose, always make sure you consult a physician prior to beginning to make certain that your exercise program is not going to be detrimental to your healthy.

 

The first step is to ensure that you have warmed up and stretched adequately, doing this at the beginning and end of your exercise session will reduce the amount of lactic acid that builds up in your muscles thereby reducing your stiffness the next day. So for the first month start with twenty minutes of exercise that increases your heart rate and gets you pink in the face.  You should try to do this at least three times a week in order to get the maximum benefit from your exercise.

 

Now if your aim is to lose belly fat you may wish to arrange you program so that the best exercise to lose belly fat are incorporated into each session. There are a variety of exercises which you can implement into your program that will help tone your stomach. The basic stomach crunch is the first and is where you lie on your back, it is best to use an ab roller for this which can be purchased at any sports outlet. Obviously if you are a member of a gym, they will have ab rollers or sit up benches to use. So lie back with your back flat on the floor and grip the ab roller with each arm, now using your stomach muscles raise your back off the ground to no more than 30 degrees; hold position for a second then return to your starting position. Try to do this twenty times, take a minutes rest then repeat four times so that you total number of crunches is 80 (20 crunches x 4 with a minute break in between).

Eventually after you have been doing stomach crunches for a month you should increase the amount so that you do 30 crunches four times. I found that after a couple of months I managed to do 300 stomach crunches and my stomach began to look and feel flatter. There are other exercise that you can incorporate into your fitness program however the standard stomach crunch has and always will be the most beneficial.

 

 

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Join me on our weight loss journey and receive FREE weight loss publications http://www.planet-weight-loss.com How To Live A Healthy Lifestyle http://www.8keystoebaysuccess.com/ebooks/8keystoeatinghealth

y/

 

 

Stamping out the ‘Buts’

Stamping out the ‘Buts’

Wouldn’t it be great if losing weight was as simple as just wanting it to ‘happen’? Unfortunately it’s not as simple as wanting it to happen. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, you need do a bit more than just want it. You must want it bad enough to do something about it. Throughout the years I have had many conversations with people about hypnotherapy and how it can help people. Since many people associate hypnotherapy with losing weight and smoking, these conversations produce some very interesting insights.

 

For example, some people say to me: ‘Oh Sonia, believe me; I really WANT to lose this weight…I have tried absolutely everything in the past’. It is usually at this point the ‘buts’ come into the conversation. ‘But’ language is insidious; it says ‘I do not have a choice. I am not in control’. When you use ‘but’ language, you are giving away all of your personal power. So how do you know when you have a case of the ‘buts’? Here are some really common

signs:

 

* ‘I want to lose weight but I have no willpower’;

 

* ‘I want to lose weight but I don’t have time  to exercise’;

 

* ‘I want to lose weight but I can’t seem to walk past the chocolate aisle in the supermarket’;

 

….and so the list goes on. And no, I don’t always jump to the conclusion that these ‘buts’ are just excuses. I genuinely believe that the people I talk to actually feel they are powerless. I also know something that these people probably don’t know: they are slaves to their own negative beliefs. That is, they have not yet been show how to use their minds to create what they want. They continue to focus on what they don’t want and as a result, they get more of the same; more disempowerment; more disappointment; more ‘blah’.

 

But what they don’t know is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Do YOU have a case of the ‘buts’? If so, write them down on a piece of paper. This is probably the most constructive thing you could do for yourself, because as you do this, you will reveal to yourself your own negative beliefs; that is the beliefs that have created your current circumstances; the beliefs that have created your current weight!

 

It is only necessary to want to do something and to know how to do it in order to be able to do it. So maintaining a healthy weight is about wanting it badly enough; wanting it enough to make time for physical exercise; wanting it enough to pass by the chocolate aisle at the supermarket.

If you are having trouble losing weight, ask yourself: ‘How badly do I want this?’ Perhaps you don’t really want it at all. Perhaps someone else wants it for you and you don’t really want it yourself. Or maybe you’re so terrified of failing you simply can’t get started.

 

But getting started so very important! On the other hand if doing it all at once is too overwhelming for you, why not start small? Take an apple into work for morning tea rather than buying a donut. Have a skinny cappuccino instead of a full-fat one. Every little bit counts. ‘Anna’ did exactly this. She was so morbidly obese that making huge changes was far to overwhelming for her. So she started small. She had half a donut with morning tea instead of a whole donut.

She ate fresh vegetables with her meal instead of rice or pasta. That way, she didn’t feel as though she was depriving herself; and yes, she DID lose weight!

 

One of my clients said to me: ‘Sonia, I have been skinny all my life. I just want to lose a couple of kilos off my stomach. Why is this so difficult for me this time?’ After we reviewed his existing diet we found lots of little ways for him to cut down on his calorie intake. We started off with the cups of coffee. When we added it up we discovered that ‘Laurie’ was consuming 6 cups of coffee each day, each with a whopping 3 teaspoons of sugar!!! Can you imagine how thrilled he was to find that by making a few adjustments here and there he was able to shift the weight within a month despite having tried and failed for the past two years? ‘Laurie’ took control, and he did it by starting small.

 

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, start small and build up your ‘success muscles’. The most important thing is to do something different; anything different. As you do this, you begin to say ‘no more ifs or buts’; you will surprise yourself at how successful you can be. So congratulations in advance!

 

 

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Sonia Devine is one of Australia’s leading experts in weight loss hypnotherapy. Want to learn more about how to achieve permanent weight loss? Claim your FREE Weight Loss E-book here  => http://loveyourselfslim.com.au/free_stuff

 

 

The Muscle Building Power of Compound Exercises

The Muscle Building Power of Compound Exercises It’s not unusual for a muscle building newbie to focus on their favorite individual muscles in the gym and work them with isolation exercises. However, much more can be achieved through a foundation of compound exercises, even for your favorite muscles. If you’re looking to build a bigger physique compound exercises cannot be overlooked.

 

What are compound exercises?

 

Compound exercises involve the use of more than one muscle and/or joint, as apposed to isolation exercises that only use one. The best example of a compound exercise and most commonly used is the barbell squat. The barbell squat is mostly thought of as a leg exercise. What many people don’t realize is there are many more muscles benefiting from it.

Think about it. During the squat you are working your legs, buttocks, back and many more supporting muscles.

 

You may notice that the big guys in the gym do this much more than the small guys. There is a good reason for it too. Not only do they use more than one muscle at once, they allow you to use more weight which puts more stress on your muscles causing tears in the fibers which are essential for muscle hypertrophy, or muscle cell growth.

 

Why should you use compound exercises?

 

If you are serious about building a bigger physique compound exercises should be the foundation of your muscle building regimen. The movements involved with these types of exercises simulate real life movements more so than many isolation movements. Not only that, they require more balance during the motion which requires the use of muscle that aren’t used during isolation exercises. So logic will tell you that the more muscles that you can use, the more muscle fibers you will tear, which results in more muscle growth throughout your body.

 

Isolation exercises certainly have their place. When you achieve that size you are looking for you can then focus on individual muscles that are lacking or require additional growth for optimal muscle balance. It’s no wonder why you might see bodybuilders using isolation exercises. Once they have achieved massive muscle growth they start focusing on building a more aesthetically pleasing body by developing individual muscles. However, until that point they will mainly focus on gaining overall muscle mass using the compound exercises.

 

What are the best compound exercises to use?

 

You are probably already familiar with many of the great compound exercises. Here are some of the best:

 

Legs: Barbell Squat, Deadlift, Lunges

Back: Rows, Chin-Up, Lat Pull-Down

Chest: Bench Press, Inclined Press, Dips

Arms: Pull-Up (Close Grip), Twisting Dumbbell Curl

Shoulders: Military Press, Hang Clean and Press

 

The bottom line is if you want to build a bigger overall physique,  a foundation of compound exercises cannot be forgotten. With the growth they bring in your primary muscle groups plus the additional supporting muscles you are bound to get a bigger physique than with just isolation exercises alone. Add a supporting diet to the mix and your are well on your way.

 

 

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Jim Clements is the President and CEO of Simply Ripped, LLC, a company dedicated to providing you with the information and tools necessary to build muscle, burn fat, and maximize your muscle definition.

To learn how to build, burn and sculpt any body type go to:

http://www.simplyripped.com

 

 

5 Unique Strategies For a Flat Stomach

5 Unique Strategies For a Flat Stomach

You can get the sexy stomach you have been dreaming about without even a crunch. Probably you are asking yourself “how could this possibly happen? I must do crunches in order to get a flat stomach.” Wrong! There are 5 central strategies that will make your stomach lean and flat.

 

1- STOP being obsessed with crunches

 

Your abs are not made to flex which is what they do when you do crunches, so basically they are useless. Your abs are made to stabilize your entire body while walking, running, sitting down, and therefore they should be trained as such. Even when you do lunges (which are great lower body exercises) your abs are working to stabilize you. For example if you put your hands over your head while doing lunges you would realize that you could lunge even better.

What does this tell us? It tells us that during all these standing types of movements, pushup positions or similar movements, your abs are definitely working the entire time to make sure that your body is stabilized in the specific position. Therefore these are the main exercises you should be doing but not the basic crunch.

 

2 – Work on the principle of muscle overload

 

What do I mean by that? I mean that if you are lifting weights or doing body weight exercises and you feel like you can do 25-35 raps at once with the same weight then your muscles are not working hard enough. You should be definitely struggling a little bit with your weight training at the end of each set. With another words, add some more weight. If you are used to hold 5 pound (2.2 kg) dumbbells every time you are doing presses and you can do 20 or 30 raps without breaking a sweat, then you would never be able to build lean muscles. What you need to do is to consistently and constantly add weight to your routine.

For example if you are doing pushups and they get too easy, then you have to make sure that you make it harder on yourself. One method of making it harder while doing pushups is to put your feet on a bench; this would make the pushups definitely more challenging. You should never let your routine get too easy, but  if it does, then you have to make it more difficult right away.

 

3- Cardio training needs to be challenging as well

 

Interval training is one way to do your cardio more challenging. I am sure that everyone has seen people in the gym walking on the treadmill with 3 miles per hour or so and at the same time watching a show on the TV. This is a perfect example of what you should not be doing if you want to experience any positive changes. You need to do interval training where you vary the challenge of your cardiovascular routine. Running intense for 2 minutes, walking for 1 minute and going back and forth is a great way to increase your heart pulse and sweat a lot.

 

4- Your diet is really where the abs are made

 

You MUST watch your diet; you MUST watch what you eat. I am not a big fan of counting calories although I tried a few times in the past and trust me, it did not work out very well. My tip to you is to count ingredients. Look at the ingredients on the food label, it can be even better if the food does not have any label (like fresh fruits and vegetables), then you know for sure that what you eat is healthy and you should not worry about any calories or fats. If it is a boxed food maybe you are in a bit of trouble because the food is usually processed with a lot of junk in there. Try to eat food with as fewer ingredients as possible.

 

5- Get a support community

 

My fifth tip to you is to get a support community. If you feel like it is very hard to do all this by yourself, you should consider joining a team, a class, a blog, a forum online, or simply find a workout partner. The most important is that you find a positive person with the same or similar interest. Trust me, you can go far if you have somebody next to you who would encourage you and cheer you every time you try to give up.

 

Now what you need to do is to take these 5 essential tips and implement them in order to start seeing results and enjoying your flat stomach.

 

 

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My name is Gergana Ganeva and I am the owner of website called Healthy Body Exercises at http://www.healthy-body-exercises.com . I have been intensively involved in sports for 18 years now. A few years ago I ended my professional career as a tennis player and since then I have been working with people who want to lose weight. My main goal is to teach you how to shape your body and lose weight the healthy way.

 

 

Four Keys To Marathon Recovery

Four Keys To Marathon Recovery

Copyright (c) 2009 Mountain West Foot & Ankle Institute

 

Are you searching for the quickest route to recover from a long run or a strenuous race?  I have my own special regimen that speeds my recovery, and once again has helped me progress to almost complete resolution of muscle pain and weakness after just 48 hours.  Let me list the process I underwent after my marathon:

 

1. Cool Down

It is recommended in all research I can find that a runner should not stop to stretch or lie down after a strenuous exercise.  The cool down can be a simple walk or jog after the race.  I walk for at least 10-15 minutes without sitting or stretching to ensure the muscles have time to cool down with a light stretch from regular motion.

Sitting or lying down will allow cramping.  Stretching may overstimulate the stretch mechanism in an exhausted muscle and produce cramping or even injury.  Stretching can be done after the cool down and is a good idea if done at the

right time.   If the cool down is done effectively, it will

alleviate some of the after marathon recovery.

 

2. Refuel

Any amount of exercise utilizes the glycogen in muscles as an energy source, with blood glucose and free fatty acids.

As the exercise level progresses to longer exercise or more strenuous exercise, these sources become depleted more quickly and “anaerobic” (without oxygen) mechanisms are utilized to produce lactate.  The lactic acid in muscle fibers or even the muscle breakdown to obtain necessary energy can lead to muscle pain and stiffness.  The speed of muscle recovery is determined by the amounts of lactic acid or protein (muscle) breakdown is required to repair the muscles (especially after an exercise is completed).

 

 

The University of Illinois did a study on rats in 1999 that showed quicker muscle recovery from this depletion with refuelling with foods containing Leucine (an amino acid) immediately after exercise.  They showed muscle stiffness and soreness would subside more quickly.  More recent studies have found 30 minutes to be the key time for muscle recovery.  The foods eaten in the first 30 minutes after exercise help rebuild the muscles, while foods eaten later have less benefits for muscle repair.

 

Leucine is found in protein products such as meats and dairy products, as well as in protein bars and some sports drinks.  It is not recommended, however, that pure amino acid supplements be taken, because the beneficial amount is

not known.    In the study, they made the following

findings: “It [Leucine] stimulates muscle protein synthesis, provides fuel for the muscle and helps to maintain blood glucose. What really surprised us was that its activity is not seen when leucine or protein is consumed before or during exercise. Instead it has a dramatic impact on protein synthesis during the recovery period after exercise.”

 

So how do I refuel after a race?  After any run, and especially after this marathon, I drank a large glass of milk withing 30 minutes of completing the exercise.  Fluids are also imperative as are some other carbohydrates to help further maintain blood glucose and reduce lightheadedness

from low blood glucose.    When I don’t want to eat within

30 minutes after an exercise, I eat anyway, especially the large cup of milk and/or a yogurt to get the Leucine benefits.

 

3. Fluids, Fluids, Fluids…

An important part of refueling is fluid replacement to replenish the body.  I have a tendancy to start sweating when I think about exercise.  I therefore must replace a large amount of fluid after any form of exercise.  This replacement is both for refueling and for providing the reservoir for flushing out waste products from the body and especially the muscles.  It requires more fluid to carry all these waste products out of the muscles into the kidneys for excretion.  Try to drink 6-8 ounces of water every 2-3 hours during the initial recovery period.

 

4. Hot or Cold?

Everything I have read recommends ice baths or ice massage after a strenuous exercise, and often they recommend avoiding the heat after exercise.  I will say now that I aggressively treat my muscle soreness after an exercise (even after the marathon) with soaking in a warm bath or hot tub.  Let me now discuss the science behind my actions.

 (Note that for me this works really well and decreases my muscle soreness significantly within the first 24 hours and reduces it nearly completely by 48 hours.)

 

The body reacts to hot and cold by dilation or contracture of blood vessels.  Cold (ice) will reduce(vessel

contracture) the blood flow into the area or cause the body to pull the blood from the area.  Heat will increase (vessel dilation) the blood flow to the area and allow increased blood flow through the area.  Since muscle pain is often due to lactic acid in the muscles or other waste products of “anaerobic” muscle metabolism (contracture), heat will allow blood flow through the muscles that can remove these waste products.  Heat is only recommended by me during the first 12-24 hours.  Ice can be utilized at anytime, but is rarely necessary if I undergo my usual exercise recovery regimen.

 

I have found through the use of these 4 simple techniques that I can continue to run, recover quickly and not suffer for days – weeks after a strenuous exercise.  I plan to continue to train and run marathons and will evaluate the benefits of this regimen after any strenuous exercise.  The proof will be in my recovery.  Currently I am basically painfree the Monday after a Saturday 26.2 miles…I hope this helps.

 

 

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Brandt R. Gibson, DPM, MS is a foot and ankle specialist with special interest in running and is currently training to run marathons this year. He is located in American Fork, Utah. His goal is to educate people and help them “optimize what they were born with.” For further educational information, visit his blog at http://utahrundoc.blogspot.com/ or visit his website at http://www.UtahFootDoc.com .

 

 

5 Training Myths Busted!

5 Training Myths Busted!

Copyright (c) 2009 Steve Hochman

 

As a Rancho Santa Margarita Boot Camp Trainer, I have heard rumors circulating. Many so-called truths about developing strong large muscle mass are hyped up ideas that somehow have been given the status of scientific truth when they are nothing more than dangerous gossip.

 

The five biggest myths are:

 

Myth #1 Lactic Acid Causes Fatigue

 

Researchers nearly 100 years ago discovered the existence of lactic acid in the muscles. They also discovered that lactic acid increased with muscle fatigue.

 

In reality, lactic acid does increase with muscle fatigue.

The truth is that while lactic acid does increase during fatigue and does cause the burning sensation in the muscle, it does not cause fatigue. Your muscles produce lactic acid, which is then sent to your liver to be reprocessed into more energy. The fatigue is caused by the accumulation of protons within the muscles. These protons are the end result of the breakdown of glycogen that fuels the muscle while you exercise.

 

Myth #2 Lift Weights slowly, it’s Safer!

 

When rehabilitating, patients are often instructed to perform the exercises slowly and meticulously. This is so that they retrain their nerves and muscles. Some trainers got that idea that it was safer to do so and thought that it would avoid the risk of injury.

 

In reality, as long as you control your movements during the lowering and raising actions, you won’t set yourself up for injury. However, reps should be performed more quickly, which will induce the muscles to product more quick acting muscle fibers, which are crucial to real world situations.

If you want real gains and better muscles, lift with speed to produce better muscle mass.

 

Myth #3 Lighter Weights, More Reps Equals Better Muscle Tone

 

Many body builders started using lighter weights and more reps just prior to a contest. They believe that the more reps they do, the more calories they will burn. They wanted to lose fat and get as lean as possible.

 

In reality, all they need to do is combine their usually work out with low-carb and calorie restricted diets. This is what accounts for the rapid fat loss. Less fat covering the muscles does indeed make the muscles look more toned.

If you really want more muscle tone, lift more, build bigger muscles, and lose the flab that’s hiding them.

 

Myth # 4 Train Until Failure for Best Results

 

Some body builders began to assume that training hard builds muscle, if you train until you collapse, it must build even bigger muscle.

 

In reality, it has not been proven that going into failure is critical for the best gains. Case in point: Construction workers, masons, road crews, and other hard laborers. These all work hard and carry heavy loads. Yet not one of them carries these loads until complete fatigue and collapse.

Taking your routine to the point of heaviest to lightest weights and until you cannot lift anymore will only wear you out and possibly make you give up. Your muscles need something to work for, so just keep pushing their total limits in terms of higher weights and more reps. The cornerstone of muscle growth is progressive overload. Not under load.

 

Myth # 5 Getting Pumped Gains Muscle

 

People noticed a swelling of the muscles when they performed more reps with little to no rest in between those reps. They all thought that this meant they were getting bigger muscles.

 

In reality, as your muscle stretch and contract during your workouts, they become engorged with blood. This causes a temporary swelling. It’s only a reflection of how long your muscles have been under the tension while working out. Not how much muscle you are building. By giving them little rest in between sets, you can pump up your muscles. As soon as you rest and the blood pressure goes down, so will the swelling. It doesn’t mean your muscle will be growing. This will just lead to muscle fatigue and, if over done, can lead to muscle injury. Instead, use heavy weights and build better with a progressive load and better rest in between sets.

 

There are more myths out there. Before you buy into them, look to see if they can be scientifically proven. Don’t be too quick to accept myths, they don’t always lead to better gains. In fact, they can actually sometimes lead to serious injury. It doesn’t matter who tells you something that seems likely to be a miracle for your gains, chances are its all beefed up hype. As a Rancho Santa Margarita Boot Camp Trainer,I would recommend you research it and find out the truth.

 

 

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Steve Hochman has created Rancho Santa Margarita Boot Camps to get you 10X stronger, leaner and more toned! To get your FREE 2 week boot pass to the hottest Boot Camp in Orange County, go tohttp://www.fitbodybootcamp.com/fit-body-boot-camp-rancho-s

anta-margarita

 

 

Interval Training. 30 Minutes To A Better Body

Interval Training. 30 Minutes To A Better Body Copyright (c) 2009 Steve Hochman

 

As an Orange County Boot Camp Instructor, I know that interval training has been used by top physical trainers and athletes for quite a long time now.

 

The main “science” behind interval training says that by mixing short bursts of high intensity work with lower intensity stretches that allow the body to cool down somewhat, you’re simultaneously overloading the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

 

With interval training, you thus get the benefits of aerobic and anaerobic training at one and the same time.

 

There are other benefits of interval training, too. It’s more difficult to become injured through this practice, because the high-intensity anaerobic periods don’t last that long and the body gets sufficient recovery time between them, and you are listening to your body more acutely.

 

There is also less chance of developing nerve-wracking (even though usually harmless) conditions like heart arrhythmia because during the aerobic cooldown you are still working out, keeping your heart rate elevated and the blood oxygenated, so that the body remains “used to” being physically active above the norm.

 

Finally, for people who tend to get bored with working out and so drop their training regimen, interval training is more mentally stimulating because of its constant change-up…and, they can maximize their health benefits in a shorter workout.

 

HOW TO BEGIN WITH INTERVAL TRAINING

 

You begin a day of interval training the same way you begin any other workout day. You begin your workout slowly, gradually building up to a more intense level to allow your muscles and heart to get warmed up.

 

Using a heart-rate monitor or by closely checking your pulse for fifteen seconds at a time, try to keep your heart at an elevated but not 100% of your normal maximized increased rate (about 70% is good) for five minutes. Once you have achieved this plateau, you are warmed up enough to go for a burst of high-intensity activity.

 

This “high intensity” is relative to what you have been doing for the last five minutes and your level of physical fitness, just like your heart rate is. If you have been jogging, launch into a “check out”, that is pick up the pace so that you are running at a long-distance race pace.

If you have been running, break into a full-on sprint, going as fast as you possibly can.

 

Now, don’t worry that you won’t be able to maintain this full-on 100% level for very long; you aren’t supposed to.

The whole point of this anaerobic burst is to wear out and even break down your muscles so that they are forced to eliminate toxins such as lactic acid (the “burn” that you feel), open up your lungs to their total capacity (which eventually opens up even more alveoli, the tiny web-like network of air sacs), and make your heart swell to allow maximum blood flow.

 

Your muscles will quickly become much less flexible, and won’t be able to contract well. Remember: this is normal and is the very effect you are going for.

 

Pay close attention to your body as you are “bursting”. As soon as you feel you have pushed yourself to the limit and you have “hit a wall”, gradually slow down. Do NOT stop or just walk; this will lose much of the anaerobic benefit and “psyche you out” (and, although this is VERY UNLIKELY to happen, it’s possible to induce a heart attack by suddenly going from 100 to near 0). But gradually slow yourself back down to the pace you were maintaining just before your burst.

 

Your body once again becomes able to efficiently exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen, and it will begin rapidly feeding nutrients to your depleted muscles to repair them (the breaking down and re-building of muscles is actually what causes them to become leaner and stronger; you have to go through Hell to get to Heaven, as they say).

 

Do this pattern repeatedly for at least 30 minutes.

 

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

 

As you continue your interval training, you’ll find yourself able to sustain your 100% bursts longer; your speed during these times will increase; and even your aerobic pace will be faster and you’ll be able (and wanting

to) sustain it even longer than 30 minutes. Let this happen and push yourself to new heights over time, but BE CAREFUL.

Listen very closely to your body and make sure you eat highly nutritious foods, stretch well, and remain hydrated.

 

Pushing yourself to these extremes is, frankly, potentially dangerous. But if you build up gradually and take care of yourself you have little to worry about.

 

Interval training breaks down and rebuilds your muscles so that they are burning calories at a high level even when you are asleep. Your metabolism increases. Your breathing gets better and your blood is more oxygenated at all times, so you have more energy and mental benefits like increased concentration.

 

As an Orange County Boot Camp Instructor, I know that this is good advice, and you’ll see results really fast! You’ll feel more self-confident. And, your workouts are not monotonous. Your muscle tone increases dramatically and you get a sleek, well-moving body.

 

 

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Steve Hochman has created Orange County Boot Camps to make you 10X stronger, leaner and more toned! To get a FREE 2 week boot pass to Orange County’s hottest Boot Camp go to http://www.fitbodybootcamp.com/fit-body-boot-camp-rancho-san

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5 Ways To Recover From A Tough Workout!

5 Ways To Recover From A Tough Workout!

Copyright (c) 2009 Steve Hochman

 

As an Orange County Boot Camp Instructor, I know the feeling…that sore sluggish feeling post workout! We have all been there. There is something you can do right away that when performed right after your workout will speed up recovery and motivate you to move forward.

 

All five of these not only speed recovery, they also increase your muscle growth and strength. Its time to get excited about pill popping, sleeping late, and cold showers!

 

Trick #1: The Right Supplements

 

Cayenne: This magic little pill will speed up healing and reduces inflammation by up to 50%. You can take it continually or only post workout. It doesn’t need to be cycled off to improve its efficacy. Other pluses include increased blood flow, decrease susceptibility to colds and viruses, and warmer muscle pre-workout.

 

Fish oil & Flax Oil: These both speed up muscle healing, give muscles the good kind of fat to fuel the workout and reduce inflammation. This means that you can fight soreness both during your work out and after your workout. You could eat the real thing, but you would have to eat a lot of it to get the same benefits as popping a few pills every day.

 

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium & Zinc: These all reduce soreness and muscle fatigue both during and after your workout. You can take them in pill form or in a drink form.

Or you could eat a lot of potatoes and bananas and a few lozenges. Taken regularly they help keep the muscles, heart, and blood vessels in good condition.

 

Vitamin C, B, & a Multi: These all increase your energy levels, help fight fatigue, help build stronger muscles, and strengthen your immune system and cardio vascular system. Taken daily they will reduce recovery time and increase your energy and healing.

 

 

Trick #2: Don’t Work Out to Failure

 

While it might be a good idea to do this once in a while, say once or twice per month, routinely hitting your wall will slow down your efforts. When done regularly, this will deplete your protein and carbohydrate reserves. You will also damage your body’s ability to use your strongest muscle fibers. Cut your work out reps just one set short of hitting your wall and sometimes don’t even go that far.

Give your muscles a break and they will reward you!

 

Trick #3: The Post Workout Shake

 

Every workout you should drink up a mix of nutritionally dense, high glycemic carbs and protein. Doing so immediate post workout will stop the damage from the work out and induce your muscles to instantly begin repairing themselves. You will induce bigger gains and higher energy levels with less fatigue. Look for something fruit based with a one protein to two-carb ratio. Aim for something whey based and add fruits such as berries or high antioxidant berry powder. Always add Bananas and a little ground flax seed couldn’t hurt either.

 

Trick #4: Your Post Workout Shower

 

Shower immediately after you chug that shake down. Start out with icy cold water to reduce the post work out inflammation. Then immediately turn the water as hot as you can go for a few minutes to increase circulation. Alternate this a few times. The contrasting temperatures will induce blood flow and increase recovery time.

 

Trick #5: Sleep!

 

During sleep, your body performs a complete overhaul of all its systems. It checks for injuries it goes to work healing itself and it does something called muscle memory. This is where it inputs into your brain what you did during the day and if you used more muscles in a particular area your brain sends out a signal to increase muscle and nerve building and recovery in that area.

 

Your body also releases growth hormone during this time.

This coupled with the muscle memory will induce bigger muscle growth and repair. Make sure you go to bed at a reasonable hour and sleep at least eight to ten hours.

Also, take in a nap or two whenever possible during the day.

 

By all means, don’t limit yourself to just these five tricks to increase healing, there are more out there. These are some of the best. Tried and true tested.

 

As an Orange County Boot Camp Instructor, I always remind my classes to drink at least two liters of water on your work out days and at least one liter on your off days. This will flush your muscles and keep your body well hydrated and clean. And that is good for keeping you form fatiguing quickly and for helping speed recovery time. So when it comes to purified water, drink up and follow a sensible eating plan to keep your body well nourished and hydrated!

 

 

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Steve Hochman has created Orange County Boot Camps to make you 10X stronger, leaner and more toned! To get your FREE 2 week boot pass, go to http://www.fitbodybootcamp.com

 

 

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