Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

How To Burn Fat And Tone Muscle Without Lots Of Space

Many of us have good intentions when it comes to getting into shape but are always held back by some problems. One of the most common problems is space. What can you do if you don't have enough room to do star jumps or to fill your home with gym equipments? Fortunately there are many ways around this problem; you can still tone up and burn a lot of fats without needing to rent a storage unit. Let's take a look at some solutions.

CV or Cardiovascular
How To Burn Fat And Tone Muscle Without Lots Of Space

For the Cardiovascular exercise, a foldable cross-trainer or any other collapsible resistance machine should be great and won't take up too much space in the corner of your room. To get the most from it, you can try to adopt the ’interval training' approach. This means alternating between going fast and hard for a short burst, followed by recovering for a while at a steadier pace and then repeating. 

For instance, you can practically 'sprint' on it for one minute (at around 75% of your maximum speed) and then go steadier at a lighter pace for three minutes (though there are all kinds of different ways to break this up). Alternating this way can help you to reach an 'anaerobic state' where your body will burn far more calories. It can also help to increase your average heart rate and trigger the production of more growth hormone which burns fat and builds muscle.

A cheap and fun training tool that doesn't take up too much room is a hula-hoop (this can be stored behind your sofa), so I recommend using it sometimes to keep things interesting. You won't really be able to do interval training with a hoop. However, as long as you keep up the pace, this will be a great way to get away from the cross trainer occasionally that will also target your abs and obliques (the muscles down the sides of the abs).

Resistance Training

For the resistance training with weights and bodyweight exercises, there are many things that you can do 'on the spot'. Things like isolated bicep curls for instance can be done perching on the edge of your bed, while squats only require enough room to stand. A dumbbell can be tricky to store, but when you're starting out you can use weight plates with handles, kettlebells (which are slightly smaller) or plastic dumbbells that you fill with water.

For most bodyweight exercises though, the minimum requirement for space is enough room on the floor to do press ups and sit ups. If you don't have this then you can still do sit ups on your bed, but for training your pecs you'll want to either try training in the garden or try doing press ups again a wall. Another option is to do dips in the kitchen. You can do this by using two chairs opposite each other - just put a hand on each surface and then lower and raise yourself in a slow and controlled manner in the middle.Perhaps the best investments that you can make for building muscle in a confined room is a pull up bar. This will fit into your door frame for a few dollars and will provide you with a huge range of bodyweight exercises for biceps, lats and abs.


Adam Scotts is a full time medical writer with IHealthNet and provides effective tips to readers on a variety of health issues including cervicogenic headache. He is a fitness lover and an ardent blogger. You can follow him on twitter.com/ihealthnettweet.

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Maximize Your Post-Workout Muscle Recovery : Bodybuilding

Getting yourself to the gym is a difficult enough feat; however, what's worse is the fact that many people are working out hard and not reaping the maximum benefits. Building muscle is crucial for burning more calories on a day-to-day basis, reducing the physical effects of aging, protecting the bones, and so much more. Not letting your muscles properly recover after pumping some iron, though, could have an adverse effect and essentially cancel out the gains of your workout. If you want to see the quickest results, avoid injury and achieve overall better health, follow these tips for your muscle health and be prepared to see a big difference.

Maximize Your Post-Workout Muscle Recovery : Bodybuilding


Don't Forget Downtime
A lot of people make the mistake of workout-binging: pushing themselves to the limits without enough rest. When you practice resistance training, bear in mind that what you're really doing is tearing and breaking down fibers in your muscles. As with anything, repairing these muscle fibers takes time. This doesn't mean that you should lighten up on your workout, per se, but incorporating recovery weeks will help to avoid fatigue and give the muscles time to rebuild as bigger, stronger muscles. Every four weeks or so, take a week filled with lighter workouts. Do fewer reps, don't overexert yourself when it comes to the amount of weight you use, and try something easy on the joints, like yoga.

Get your Beauty Sleep
You'll probably be proud of yourself if you get up at 5am to incorporate a workout before starting your day - and you should be - but make sure you're getting enough sleep. Poor sleeping habits lead to faster fatigue, which is counter-productive. More importantly, your body has higher concentrations of muscle-building hormones and lower concentrations of catabolic hormones during sleep, so if you're missing out on your eight hours, your muscle recovery won't be as efficient or speedy.

Pamper Yourself
Okay, maybe you shouldn't literally be pampered, but having a personal trainer (or even your significant other) massage your muscles before a workout helps to limber them up and avoid unnecessary strain and injury. Your muscles are like rubber bands - they can get very tight and "snap" if they're not warmed up enough. Get yourself a foam roller or some massage sticks if you'd like to do this yourself, but the point is to find sensitive areas and massage deep into the tissue until the pain begins to dissolve.

Necessary Nutrients
Find yourself a good protein powder for post-workout recovery to help speed up the muscle recovery process and give the body the nutrients it needs to help the muscles grow back bigger and better.



Saturday, 13 April 2013

How To Obtain A Ripped, Muscular Physique


A lot of people go to the gym these days but to be honest, very few of them actually get the kind of physique that they dreamed of. Even the guys that seem to be there every day of the week struggle to get the ripped, muscular appearance they set out to get and truthfully, there are a few simple reasons why this is the case.

Achieving a ripped physique is not all about building as much muscle as possible, but also about keeping your body fat low and eating the right foods (i.e. a high protein, low fat diet). If you don't get the balance between muscle building and weight loss right, you're never going to get the body you dreamed of.

How To Obtain A Ripped, Muscular Physique In Bodybuilding


Luckily, I've created a guide which will walk you through everything you need to do (and not do) to achieve your goal.

Lift Heavy Weights
A lot of guys make the mistake of lifting weights that are too light for them. If you don't lift heavy enough weights, you're simply not going to build muscle. Sure, you might build a little bit of muscle and ultimately appear a bit more toned, but you're not going to push your body enough to truly engage the growth hormone.

Only by lifting heavy weights and pushing your body will you trigger the effect of the growth hormone and force your body to build muscle. You have to remember, building muscle is a defence mechanism for your body so it won't actually build muscle unless it's shocked into doing so.
Obviously, it's important that you don't lift weights that are too heavy too, as correct form is just as important. It's all about finding this balance.

Eat Lots Of Protein
When I say lots of protein, I mean eat it; not drink it. A lot of guys regularly chug down protein shakes and although these are a good source of extra protein, you still need to get the vast majority of your protein intake from high quality food
If your diet doesn't have enough protein, you can't build muscle, it's as simple as that. Your body needs protein in order to repair muscle tissue so without it, your body will take longer to recover and your muscle building process will be seriously hindered.

Keep Your Body Fat Percentage Low
In order to appear ripped (i.e. showing a six pack), you need to keep your body fat percentage extremely low. For guys, we're talking about 6% - 7% body fat if you really want hugely visible abs. Most guys start seeing visible abs at around 12% body fat so if you're carrying a bit of extra weight, it's going to pay to do some cardio or HIIT training.

In order to lower your body fat, you need to make sure that you're consuming enough calories but also, not too many. You also need to make sure that when you're gaining weight, it's muscle rather than fat, which is why your BMI is a bad judge of process.

Measuring your body fat percentage is a pretty complex subject, but there are a number of guides available online that can help you (such as this extremely in-depth guide from iWantASixPack.com). This not only shows you how to calculate your body fat percentage but also, how to keep track of it and lower it.

Conclusion
Although achieving a ripped, muscular physique will always vary from person to person but ultimately, these are the three main points that you need to remember. You simply need to adjust them to accommodate your particular physique.

For example, if you're carrying a lot of extra weight but are already pretty muscular, it might be an idea to focus predominantly on weight loss with muscle building being a secondary priority. If it's the other way round, you should adjust your priorities accordingly. 

Monday, 8 April 2013

How To Increase Upper Body Strength With BodyBuilding


Increasing the body strength has always been the most popular thing to achieve since many centuries. Normally, the majority of the activities that we perform need force and strength in the arms and the upper body. The upper body includes the arms and hands, which are the basic tools for a human being to perform all day to day physical activities. The arms should be very strong and muscular to perform the physical activities with more efficiency and accuracy. The power in the upper body portion is equally important for both the males and the females.

How To Increase Upper Body Strength


The upper body strength gives the confidence and courage to the human body and it also gives the perfect and confident outlook. Well built arms and biceps increase the confidence of a male human being and he feels superior due to the power and strength that is exhibited through the strong arms and upper body. The power in the upper body can be developed by many different ways; among these ways weightlifting  medical drugs, regular and light exercises and extra volumes of proteins input can be a few to note. The weight lifting can develop a good amount of strength in the upper body of a human being but it has also some side effects that in the old age these biceps create lots of troubles and pain in them. 

Therefore, it is highly recommended to take light exercises for developing strength in the upper body of a human. The drugs are only the temporary solutions and they damage the body more seriously than providing the benefit of it for short term. Therefore, it is not recommended at all to use medication or other drugs to increase the strength in upper body portion or in the arms.

The extra use of proteins can be useful for certain level but as the digestive and metabolic systems get weaker, only protein input may not be sufficient to build the required strength in the body. Therefore, in the nutshell, the major steps, which are highly recommended for developing the strength in the upper portion of the body are given below. These steps are not only simple but also very easy to follow and need comparatively less rigor to carry out.

1.       Warming up & Aerobic 
      The first very simple and very easy step to build or increase the strength in the upper body is to take some very basic exercise like warming up and aerobic. These exercises are very useful for developing pressures in the lungs and subsequently developing a strong mechanism of provisioning of oxygen to the body and subsequently the additional oxygen would develop extra energy for the body . This extra energy would be used in the form of power or strength in the upper body of the human body.

1.       Pushup & Body Dips
      This is the most powerful exercise that can develop a huge amount of power, energy and strength in the arms and the chest. This is very equivalent to the weight lifting in which not only some part of the arms workout rigorously but your entire portion of the body works out very rigorously to develop the extra amount of strength and capability to work.

1.       Chin Ups and Belly Pressure
      This is another very important form of exercise that can develop the extra amount of power, energy and strength in your upper body including belly, chest, and shoulders. The lungs also get more power and energy with the help of these exercises. Chin Ups are also very useful for increasing the power of digestion systems and respiratory system, which in turn, develop power in the upper body.

1.       Bench Dips & Arm circulation
      Circulating the arms in both directions would increase the flow of blood to the arms and thus the stronger blood veins would develop, which in turn can increase the strength of the upper portion of the body.  Bench dips are much powerful than simple dips because they exert extra force on your shoulders and chest.

1.       Upper Body Curling 
      The curling of the upper body forward and the backward with the help of any kind of support can provide you better results to develop extra energy and strength in the upper portion of the body. This provides stress to waist, shoulders and chest.
      
      
      Arthur Richard Hammond works for different health care institutes. He also writes for some blogs like phentermine doctors and diet clinics. He always shares very useful information about the health and fitness. 






Thursday, 4 April 2013

Bicep Workouts: Bigger Biceps In Two Easy Steps

Bicep training takes time, and big biceps don't come overnight. With commitment and patience you'll get the big womanizing biceps you're looking for. There are many ways to change a workout depending on what you're trying to achieve. For example, strength training is different from endurance training, and both are different from building for appearance. Here we're going to focus on increasing strength and size. I'm going to divide the training process into two steps. Each step should take about three to six months.

Step 1

The first step will last about three to four months. It's a beginner bicep routine that'll get your muscles ready to take on bigger loads. Beginners really  
Bicep Workouts: Bigger Biceps In Two Easy Steps
do not need much volume or special training techniques to put on muscle. A beginner's muscles are fresh and ready to repair and build muscles as long as they are challenged. Try not to add too much volume until a later step. 

Your main focus should be getting good form down and working on your stability. A way to achieve this is by low volume strength training, with about ten to twelve repetitions per set. A key to building muscle is balance, make sure you do general back training- believe it or not it will help build your biceps. 

Try to have two workouts a week, and maintain at least two days between workouts for your body to rest and repair. Workouts should include barbell curls, seated dumbbell curls, EZ bar curls, and concentration curls.

Step 2

The second step should take about six months.  It's an intermediate bicep routine that will allow for moderate volume and strength building. Your focus in this step should be adding volume and putting higher demands on the muscles. Unlike the first step you should only work out the biceps once a week, and maintain at least 5 days of rest between each workout for proper rest and repair. Like before, it is very important to work out the back with pull-ups and rows. Reps in this step should only be about six to eight; however four sets should be done per workout as opposed to only two. 

The idea is adding more weight and doing less repetition. Form is everything! This is why it is important to get good form down in the first step. Good exercises for the second step include barbell curls, seated dumbbell curls, EZ bar curls, hammer curls, and concentration curls. Unlike the other exercises, concentration curls should be done in about twenty reps, and only two sets should be completed.

Conclusion

You have to be committed to your goals and stick through the pain and exhaustion to get where you want. It’s not easy, but the reward will be great, that self gratification that comes from looking in the mirror, or the hottie who can't keep her eyes off of you. It takes work but it is worth it.



This post was written by Alex L. from Big Biceps Fast; specializing in bodybuilding and bicep workouts that show results.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Five Exercises That Will Strengthen Your Core (Abdominal Exercise)


Strengthening your core takes more than just sit-ups.  A strong core requires strengthening your back, abs, buttocks, and quads.  Here’s a great workout for getting that six-pack and all you need is your hardwood floor and your socks or some towels!

The slippery surface created from wearing socks (or using towels) on the hard
Five Exercises That Will Strengthen Your Core (Abdominal Exercise)
surface will require more muscles to work in order to stabilize your body throughout the movement, giving your workout that much more edge if you don't have access to equipment like the bio force pro.  So put on those socks or grab your towels and let’s get started.

1.       Side Sliding Plank:  In the plank position slide your right foot out to your side while stepping your right hand out as well.  Slide your left foot in to meet the right foot, and bring the left hand in under your shoulder.  Now that you've slid one “step” to the then repeat back to the left to complete 1 repetition.  Repeat this exercise 10 more times before moving on to the next one.

2.       Sliding Mountain Climbers:  Staying in the plank position, slide your right foot toward your hands so your knee touches your chest.  Then return it back to the starting position and perform the action with your left foot.  Be careful to keep your hind-end level, with very little movement throughout the motion, by focusing on contracting your core.  Now, just like before, repeat this exercise for a total of 10 repetitions.

3.       Sliding Plank Crunch:  Again, starting in the plank position, slide both feet towards your hands and bring your knees to your chest.  Slowly slide them out again to the starting plank position to complete your first repetition.  Repeat this exercise 10 more times.

4.       Sliding Hamstring Curl:  Flip on over to your back and dig your heels in so your body weight is supported between your shoulders and your heels.  Then slide your heels up towards your buttocks as you raise your hips to have your feet rest directly under your hind-end.  Slowly slide your feet back out to the starting position until your legs are completely extended, but don't let any part of your body touch down before you slide your heels up for a second time.  Repeat the hamstring curl 10 times – or until you feel the burn!

5.       Sliding Forward Lunge:  Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, slide your right foot forward and your left foot backwards as you lower straight down into a running lunge position with your front knee forming a 90 degree angle.  Stand back up and slide your feet together; repeat the movement with your left foot forward and your right foot behind.  Continue with this exercise to complete 10 lunges on each leg.

Repeat this circuit three times and don't be afraid to add your own favorite core exercises to the mix.  Want to kick it to the next level?  Place towels under each hand for the plank exercises and add weights to the hamstring curl and forward lunge.

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Five Tips On How To Build Your Muscles (Bodybuilding)

Did anyone ever tell you that building muscle is all about genetics? Have you spent years lifting weights, only to see minimal to no increases in your strength? Do you want to get big biceps, defined abs, or bulging lats? You can do it, and don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot. It simply requires that you follow the five tips provided here.

One: You Have to Eat More
Five Tips On How To Build Your Muscle
If you want to significantly increase you muscle mass, you cannot do so while  dropping lots of weight, or eating to lose weight. No, you have to be eating enough food—calories and protein—for your body to build the muscles that you want. 

Many people who are into lifting and fitness worry that if they eat too much, they will gain weight and lose their physiques. This should not concern you at all. As long as you are working out and lifting, those extra calories will go to muscle mass, not fat. So get out your peanut butter and other proteins, and dig in.

Two: Pick Up the Free Weights
If you want to build muscle, you are never going to do it with exercise machines or Nautilus equipment. 

Those machines are great for getting minimal amounts of muscle mass, or building up strength if you are just beginning to lift. But if you have been lifting for a while, Nautilus machines simply won’t provide the amount of resistance and weight that you need to get stronger. Head for the free weights.

Three: Keep to the Classics
When you are lifting, don’t get too fancy. There are lots of great exercises you can do to fill out various parts of your physique, but if you are still building a foundation layer of muscle, you should not worry about those lifts. Instead, focus on the classic, canonical lifts—these are the lifts you see weight lifters doing in the Olympic Games. The clean and jerk, the dead lift, the bench press, and squat will develop muscle groups all throughout your arms and torso, and a few months of those routines will have you looking very buff.

Four: You Have to Feel the Burn
If your lifting routine isn’t really hard, then you are not doing it right. To build muscle, you have to lift a lot of weight, and it should really challenge your muscles and make you sweat. If you feel yourself coasting, add a few more pounds and make it more difficult. You will feel yourself progressing quickly, but don’t stop adding weight and increasing the resistance.

Five: Remember Your Supplements
There are lots of supplements targeted at men who are trying to get in better shape. There is no need to use any one particular supplement, but you should certainly be taking one. If you don’t, you run the risk that you will not get enough of an important nutrient or mineral for a stretch of time. If you go even a week without getting enough of your vitamins, that can really throw off your workout routine and sidetrack your progress. So get a supplement and take it every day. It will ensure that you have the basic biochemistry need to keep yourself strong and always getting stronger.

If you follow these five easy tips, you will gain muscle mass, and you will look strong with your shirt off, or when you are only wearing a tank top. Not everyone can look like the bodybuilders on TV or in magazines, but everyone can build a healthy, muscular physique.



Dan Clay is a Sydney personal trainer and owner of Dangerously Fit. If you would like to book a bootcamp in Coogee, click here.

Monday, 11 February 2013

How To Build Bigger Back Muscles - Bodybuilding

Developing a complete back can be rather difficult. As you are working muscles that are out-of-sight it can be tricky to constantly engage them. Unlike a muscle such as the biceps, that you can easily stare at and focus on while performing any movement for it, the back muscles are nearly impossible to keep an eye on while you work. That is why the back, more than any other muscle group, has to be trained by feel.

How To Build Bigger Back Muscles - Bodybuilding


The muscle-mind connection is not nearly stressed enough to lifters. Often people will simply try and push, pull, yank, or toss the heaviest weights they can handle. While this does work on a general principle of overloading a muscle, you tend to lose out on getting the maximum development out of the target muscle group.

One of the biggest differences between being training for strength (athletes or strongmen) compared to bodybuilding is that your sole goal in bodybuilding is muscle development. Yes, you will gain strength and power, but that is the by-product.
So how can you better facilitate muscle growth?
A key point is to focus on exercise form and fostering a better muscle-mind connection to ensure your focus is directed properly on the target muscle during the exercise rather than just moving heavy weight.

Master Back Building Tips

That is not to say you should use some serious heavy weight and mass building exercises when working your back, because you should. But, you also need to mix in exercises that can be done with an emphasis on form.
  • The Shoulder Blades - One of the biggest keys to working back movements such as rows and pulldowns is to constantly try and squeeze the shoulder blades together. When you are pulling down you should try and bring them together as your elbows get to your shoulders and continue that squeeze until your elbows are near your ribs. The same goes for rows but the squeeze occurs as the elbows near the ribs and moves past them.
  • Elbows - Concentration on the elbows is a key way to de-emphasize the forearms and biceps. People tend to focus on the hands and arms while yanking the weight. Really the key is the elbows. It is not the weight you are lifting at the hands, but it is weight the elbows are pulling through a range of motion. Back exercises are pulling motions but you need to pull from the right spot which is never the hands.
How To Build Bigger Back Muscles - Bodybuilding
So how can you incorporate these two ideas into your back workouts to get more focus where it needs to be and build bigger lats? One of the best methods is to incorporate some lighter, high-rep sets in the beginning of the workout and then add one focused exercise on the end. Here is an example routine:
  • Deadlifts - 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps (because heavy deadlifts are still a critical exercise to back mass)
  • Wide Grip Pulldowns - 2 sets of 20 reps (reps should be done slowly, 3 seconds pulling, 1 second squeeze, 3 seconds back up)
OR
  • Barbell Rows - 2 sets of 20 reps (same cadence as above)
Then just do your normal back routine. The idea is to really warm up the back muscles and help focus your attention on them and not your arms with slower pace, high rep exercises. Then your mind will be focused on proper form as you switch to your normal routine. At the end of your workout add:
  • Seated Cable Rows - 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps (again with the slow cadence)
If you have ever studied a large number of bodybuilding routines of champion caliber lifters you will find that the majority of them use a back routine that finishes with higher rep cable rows. The reason is simple; it is a great exercise to really focus on squeezing the muscles for maximum fiber activity at the end of the workout.
By making a few small, but important adjustments to your current routine your lat development should see some big gains as you learn to feel the muscles more and create better contractions rather than just 'going through the motions'.



Havner Stein is a fitness expert and athletic trainer who writes for the Nutribomb Fitness Blog. You can connect with Havner at our blog or by following us at our Google Fan Page.

Friday, 18 January 2013

Deadlift: The Fat-Burner and Muscle Toner

If you want to burn serious fat while toning your entire body, one exercise stands above the rest: the deadliftIf more men and women only knew how potent the deadlift is for slashing body fat and toning muscle, they wouldn't be “struggling” so much with excess body fat or flabby muscles. Next time you’re in the gym and start heading off to the elliptical machine or to do some dumbbell curls or triceps kickbacks, take a detour to the power rack area. The power rack is where the deadlift is optimally performed, due to the rack’s accommodating setup.


Deadlift: The Fat-Burner and Muscle Toner_bodybuilding_weight loss


The deadlift will burn much more fat than lengthy aerobics stints or hours and hours of isolation movements done with dumbbells or cables.

Why does the deadlift burn so much fat?
It works practically every muscle: the entire “posterior chain,” which includes the major back muscles, plus the buttocks and hamstrings. This multi-joint exercise hits the quads, abs, shoulders, biceps and forearms.

Which burns more fat? 
An exercise that works only the biceps or triceps or even just the chest? Or an exercise that simultaneously works virtually every muscle? When so many muscles are worked in unison, this shrinks fat cells like mad.
Another reason the deadlift is a king fat-burner is because it allows you to move a significant amount of weight as you get stronger with it. The more weight you can move, the more lean muscle you acquire, and this translates to a faster resting metabolism.

How is the deadlift performed?
You deadlift nearly every day around the house, e.g., picking up a basket of laundry from the floor. When performing a deadlift at the gym, however, form should be very strict.

Basic form: Feet are shoulder width or so apart as you stand over a barbell on the floor. Bend at knees to get closer to the bar; place hands on it (overhand or underhand grip). Pull the bar off the floor by straightening your body without bending the arms. However, before you do this, make sure that your lower back is arched and that your shoulders are higher than your lower back. Adjust the legs to achieve this start position. 

The lift is powered chiefly by the legs and glutes, with a lot of help from the middle and upper back. The lift is completed when your body is straight, including the legs (maintain “soft knees”). With precision control, set the barbell down the way you lifted it: Maintain a lower back arch and proceed towards a semi-squat position by bending the knees, and let the weight plates gently make very brief contact with the floor before doing another repetition.

Workout Scheme
Develop base conditioning before using heavy weight. For serious fat-burning and muscle toning, you should deadlift twice a week for five sets, using a load that makes 8-12 reps very difficult—if you can do more than 12, slightly increase the resistance to bring the rep max back down to the 8-12 range.



John DeGrasse is a content creator for Intense Fitness Workouts, an authorized Beachbody dealer and Beachbody coaching team. John loves to exercise, read, and write.

Tuesday, 1 January 2013

The Ultimate Cable Arm Workout Routine

Cable exercises are often implemented as part of an overall routine. They are great because unlike barbells and dumbbells they can provide continuous tension on certain exercises through the entire range of motion. Some people don't like using them as much as free weights because they feel you cannot lift enough weight to gain size. But resistance placed on a muscle isn't always based on weight alone.


A cable system is designed to help you move heavier weight more easily. But you can still lift a pretty big stack of weights even if they are attached to a cable. More than likely people don't like to use a pure cable routine because it can be difficult to do for an entire body part easily; unless you are talking about the arms.

Most people use some form of cable exercise when working arms, especially triceps. Cables are great for providing a nice pump to the muscle. But cables are also great for people with shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain because you are supporting the weight differently. This routine is designed around getting a great workout for you arms and can be used by anyone. If you think you can't gain size on this routine just give it a try before you pass judgement.

The Ultimate Cable Arm Workout Routine_biceps_triceps


Ultimate Cable Arm Routine
For each exercise rest no more than sixty seconds between sets and no longer than ninety seconds between exercises. All reps should be done at a steady, controlled pace and make sure to hold the contraction for a two-count before lowering. You are going to be getting a serious pump.
  • Cable Hammer Curls - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Use a rope handle on a low pulley.
  • Overhead Rope Triceps Extensions - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Kneel down and use a low pulley.
  • Cable Preacher Curls - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Use an Ez-curl bar attachment.
  • Triceps Push down - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Use a V-Bar attachment and a high pulley.
  • Reverse Cable Curl - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Use an EZ-curl bar attachment.
  • Reverse Triceps Push down - 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps - Use an EZ-curl bar attachment.
  • Single Arm Cable Concentration Curls - 1 sets of 10 to 15 reps - Use a low pulley and rest your elbow on your knee for support.
  • Single Arm Triceps Kickbacks - 1 sets of 10 to 15 reps - Use a low pulley and a palm-forward grip on the handle as you kick back.
There you have it; the ultimate cable arm blasting routine. This will flush your arms full of blood so much that driving home might be difficult. 


Liseth Haven writes for the Nutribomb Bodybuilding Blog in addition to being a fitness trainer. You can find all of Liseth's articles at our blog, facebook, or by following her on google plus.

Monday, 31 December 2012

Top Supplements To Get You In Shape For Summer

Many people gain weight during the holidays. If you are one of those people, then you will be happy to know that there are a number of supplements that can help you get back in shape for the summer. Below are some supplements that will help you get the body that you want:

bodybuilder_bodybuilder_whey_protein_fibre_supplements


Calcium

Calcium is a nutrient that helps support bone health. Researchers have found that eating three servings of low-fat, calcium-rich dairy foods can help promote weight loss. There was another study done on two groups of women. One group took a 1,000 mg calcium supplement every day. Both groups followed similar diets. The results of the study showed that the women who took a calcium supplement every day lost more body fat and weight. Experts believe that calcium helps encourage the breakdown of fat in the body.

Fibre

Fibre is a nutrient that is lacking in many people’s diets. The recommended daily intake is 25 to 30 mg per day, but some people are only getting 10 or 11 grams per day. Fibre helps keep you feeling full so that you do not overeat during the day. You can very easily get the recommended amount of fibre by eating vegetables and whole grains. However, if you still have trouble getting adequate amounts of this nutrient, then taking a daily supplement can be very helpful.

There was a study done back in 2010 that showed people who take a fibre supplement before a meal consume less food. Not only does fiber help you lose weight, but it also helps reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Furthermore, it has been shown to potentially reduce the risk of heart disease.

Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract contains caffeine, cathecins and thiamine. All of those ingredients have been shown to boost metabolism. Green tea extract can also suppress appetite and reduce belly fat. Additionally, green tea extract can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Acai Berry Supplements

Acai berry is a fruit that grows on the Acai palm trees. An Acai berry supplements can boost metabolism and burn body fat. It can also increase your energy levels so that you have more energy to exercise. Not only are Acai berry supplements great for helping you lose weight, but they can also help improve your overall health. Acai berry has been shown to fight inflammation, which is the root cause of a number of health problems. It can also boost the immune system, promote restful sleep and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Whey Protein

Many people use whey protein to help them build muscle, but this supplement can also help promote weight loss. Whey protein helps suppress appetite. It also helps reduce body fat.



Carol Graham is a stay at home mum of 3 young boys. With 3 children, Carol is constantly browsing discount drug catalogue to find the best deal on pharmaceuticals available.

Saturday, 22 December 2012

Five Essential Building Blocks of a Successful Workout

Being healthy is important to creating a new life for yourself. A workout regime is the jigsaw puzzle piece that makes everything comes together. However, people trying to be healthy are up against temptations and distractions such as sugary food and the sofa. The Centre of Disease Control and Prevention found that adult obesity is on the rise where around 35% of the U.S. adult population is obese. 

Five Essential Building Blocks of a Successful Workout


It’s clear from this research that working out is going to be the way out of the obesity epidemic and a way to create a healthy and fun lifestyle. To make it easy for you, we have the five essential building blocks that you need for a workout that you can integrate in your life:
  • Design a balanced diet: While having your five a day of fruits and vegetables is a concept that has been drummed into society from a young age, many people who are trying to change their fitness lifestyles still don’t have their five a day. You need to have a healthy balance of fruit and vegetables that you eat each day along with carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables, whether they are fresh or frozen, are packed with a hit of nutrients that help your muscles and bones to become stronger. A successful exercise regime is dependent on the strength of your bones. By having a balanced diet, your ability to sustain workouts will increase.
  • Music, music and more music: Many fitness fans have reported having more successful workouts when they are listening to music. It probably includes you as well whether you love R&B or dance music. It’s best for you to include a mixture of songs on your MP3 player that you have pre-organized so that you don’t interrupt your exercise regime in the gym or outside. If you are a heavy-duty fitness fan, you should have several songs to last the length of your workout.
  • Organic supplements: Nourishing your body goes hand in hand with creating a workout that goes the distance. You can achieve this kind of nutrition by using supplements to give yourself a kick-start for your fitness regime. Organic supplements such as grass fed whey protein are top choices for people who want a holistic approach to create the ideal workout.
  • Be organized: Approaching a fitness workout regime requires you to be completely organized. If you need to use a diary, notebook or a fitness app, do what you need to do to be organized for working out. The benefits of organizing your fitness life include that you are making it easier for yourself to be consistent.
  • Add variety to your exercise regime: The fitness industry has blossomed with different types of exercise such as Pilates, Zumba and Boxercise. When you have variety, this means that you are testing your body to do more during a workout. Encourage yourself to be better with a diverse set of exercises.
With these building blocks, you can build a healthy lifestyle with a rock-solid foundation for your future. 



Guest contribution by Richard Orban, writing on behalf of Well Wisdom. Well Wisdom is amongst the best suppliers of grass fed whey protein shakes.

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

How to Keep Yourself Motivated During Workouts


Getting in shape and losing weight are two of the most popular New Years’ Resolutions. The bad thing is that they are the two most easily broken Resolutions, as well. In order to stay motivated while working out, you first have to motivate yourself into setting foot in the gym. This is done by setting your goals and finding a gym that is convenient. You are more likely to enter a gym that is near your house or one that you pass on your way to or from work each day. Once you have taken that step, the next is to stay motivated while you are working out. Here are a few suggestions on how to keep moving in order to accomplish your goals. 

Make an upbeat playlist to listen while you work out
There are dozens of different types of music that people listen to on a daily basis, but only some of them provide proper workout encouragement. Choose music with a nice, up tempo beat to it that fits into your genre of choice. Dance music, punk rock, metal, guitar rock, disco, funk and even upbeat country are all good to work out to, as they will make you want to get up and move around. Basically, anything that makes you want to dance around will work well.

workout_exercise_bodybuilding_fitness_bodybuilder_cardio_carbsWear workout clothes that make you feel good about yourself

Although you are going to the gym and are going to sweat in your clothes, that is no reason to wear something old, torn and beat up. Workout clothes that you feel good in – and that fit well (no tugging, pulling, or constriction) – will motivate you. The same goes for shoes. You need gym shoes that are designed for the workouts that you have planned, and they need to be comfortable. Just as feeling good in your clothing helps you with your self-confidence; it also helps you in your workouts.

Work out with a buddy
This works especially well if you are a competitive person, although having a friend nearby can also keep you moving when you feel like you can’t take another step. You can help your workout buddy with the same things. The two of you should set a “workout goal,” like completing so many miles on a treadmill or doing a certain amount of lunges, and then see which one of you meets it consistently.

Keep your personal goals in mind the whole time
Whether you want to lose five pounds or fifteen, or simply want to be able to walk a mile without getting winded and out of breath, your goals will keep you moving.

Do exercises that you enjoy
However, make it more interesting by stepping outside of your comfort zone occasionally. If you hate to use the treadmill, but force yourself to use it, you will lose your exercise momentum. Stick with the machines and classes that you enjoy and you are most likely going to be able to meet your personal goals.
However, try to do something different on occasion; you may find that you like that new piece of equipment and will want to add it to your routine. This keeps you from getting bored with your workout.


This article was written by Terry Wood, a contributor to the US Insurance website.


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