Beginning Workout Schedule - Combine with Cario for a Total Body Workout
on 4/15/2008
by
pending
| filed in:
Strength Training
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New to working out or been out of commission for a while? Here's a balanced routine to make sure you don't neglect or overwork any muscle groups.
Beginning Workout
This is a whole body workout 2-3 times a week with cardio exercises 3-4 times per week.
Pick one exercise from each muscle group.
Monday- Chest, Back, Shoulders
Wednesday- Biceps, Triceps, Abs
Friday- Legs, Calves, Abs
The following workouts can be adjusted to a 3 day weekly or a 6 day bi-weekly workout.
Workout #1
Day 1.- Chest, Triceps
Day 2.- Back, Biceps, Shoulders
Day 3.- Legs, Calves, Abs
Workout #2
Day 1.- Chest, Back, Shoulders
Day 2.- Biceps, Triceps, Abs
Day 3.- Legs, Calves, Abs
Workout #3
Day 1.- Chest, Biceps, Shoulders
Day 2.- Legs, Calves
Day 3.- Triceps, Back, Abs... read more
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Best Foods To Eat Before Cardio
on 2/27/2008
by
fitbeachbabe
| filed in:
Diet and Nutrition
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It's not good to starve the body before cardio...if you go 4 hours or so without eating in the middle of the day, this will cause your body to go into starvation mode which will slow metabolism and while doing your cardio, you will be burning muscle mass for energy. The only time to do cardio on an empty stomach is in the AM right when you roll out of bed...and only for 20 min. or so...then afterward, eat immediately to get your metabolism rolling.
Some recommended foods to eat right before cardio:
Nuts
Low-fat cottage cheese
Anything with good fat and protein; low-carbs
Directly after your workout, you should try to eat one simple carb and one protein. The reason for this is that a simple carb goes straight to your blood stream which will help move the protein more quickly through the body and digestive system and enables it to get to the muscles quicker to repair and rebuild them after your workout.... read more
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cardio, food, diet, exercise
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Flex between sets to improve Definition
on 3/4/2008
by
ryan
| filed in:
Strength Training
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Many people do mini stretches in between sets, but many lifters aren't aware of how flexing in between sets can help as well. Flexing your muscles (flex them hard) can actually help you create more muscle definition. This helps keep the pump and helps flush out the muscles from build up such as lactic acid. Isotension also helps to add definition to your muscles.
I'm not saying to stand there in front of the mirror posing in flex mode, but give an un-noticeable flex in between sets and it will give you a small edge.
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... read more
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isotension, flexing, muscle definition
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When You've Overdone It - What to do for cramps or sore muscles
on 4/2/2008
by
pending
| filed in:
Other
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Overdid it again, eh? Ease those muscle cramps and other muscular aches and pains by following the home remedies below.
Stop. If your muscle cramps up while you're exercising, STOP. Don't try to "run through" a cramp. Doing so increases your chances of seriously injuring the muscle.
Give it a stretch and squeeze. When you get a cramp, stretch the cramped muscle with one hand while you gently knead and squeeze the center of the muscle (you'll be able to feel a knot or a hard bulge of muscle) with the fingers of the other hand. Try to feel how it's contracted, and stretch it in the opposite direction. For example, if you have a cramp in your calf muscle, put your foot flat on the ground, then lean forward without allowing your heel to lift off the ground. If you can't stand on your leg, sit on the ground with that leg extended, reach forward and grab the toes or upper portion of the foot, and pull the top of the foot toward the knee.
Walk it out. Once an acute cramp passes, don't start exercising heavily right away. Instead, walk for a few minutes to get the blood flowing back into the muscles.
Chill out. If you know you've overworked your muscles, immediately take a cold shower or a cold bath to reduce the trauma to them. World-class Australian runner Jack Foster used to hose off his legs with cold water after a hard run. He told skeptics if it was good enough for racehorses, it was good enough for him! Several Olympic runners are known for taking icy plunges after a tough workout, insisting that it prevents muscle soreness and stiffness. If an icy dip seems too much for you, ice packs work well, too. Apply cold packs for 20 to 30 minutes at a time every hour for the first 24 to 72 hours after the activity. Cold helps prevent muscle soreness by constricting the blood vessels, which reduces blood flow and thus inflammation in the area.
Avoid heat. Using a heating pad or hot water bottle may feel good, b... read more
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muscles, cramps, soreness, home remedies, sports creams
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Best sources of protein
on 1/29/2008
by
trifm
| filed in:
Diet and Nutrition
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Protein is derived from animal foods (meat & dairy products).
1 gram of protein equals 4 calories.
Protein when digested is broken down and absorbed as amino acids. The body is constantly replacing old cells with new ones and the amino acids are the “building blocks” of the new cells.
What happens when you don’t eat enough protein is that your body goes in a state of catabolism (fancy word for cannibalism) - the body in desperate need of amino acids to maintain life itself starts to strip apart muscle tissues and organs ( as they are made out of amino acids) in order to get them.
A decrease in lean muscle mass leads to a decrease in BMR which translates into a decrease in total energy expenditure. If you look again at the calorie deficit equality you will realize that a decrease in total energy expenditure means a decrease in the calorie deficit so the fat loss rate will decrease or even worse hinder.
Now that you know why it’s important to consume enough protein, let’s established how much is enough.
The protein consumption recommended for people that try to lose fat and engage in physical activities (exercising) is about 30% - 40% of total calories.
My approved list of protein sources
Source Portion size Protein/portion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicken breast 1 oz or 28.35 g 7 g
Turkey breast 1 oz or 28.35 g 7 g
Fresh fish (cod, haddock, halibut, tuna) 1 oz or 28.35 g 7 g
Lean beef 1 oz or 28.35 g 7 g
Milk 1 cup 7 g
Egg whites ... read more
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protein, fat loss
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Fitness Figure Competition Tips
on 1/31/2008
by
TanjaNo1
| filed in:
Other
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Monica Brant is one of the biggest (if not THE BIGGEST) legend in the sport of Fitness / Figure. Below are some of her tips to help you succeed
This is just a brief outline for you women who would like to get involved in fitness competitions. There is so much to think about and do before you compete, so make sure you have your list of needs and have some experienced, professional help.
Competition Tip # 1
Find an NPC amateur fitness contest in your area (or where ever - I lived in Texas and competed in Ca!) Look at the back of the mags. Or log on to www.npcnewsonline.com to find competitions. There are many around now, so be sure to plan in advance so that you have plenty of time to get it all together! Remember, carbs = energy! If you don't use them readily, they turn to fat. Yuck!
Competition Tip # 2
A good nutritionist is a must for anyone learning how to eat properly and for deciding which foods are best for YOUR physique. Don't be neglectful here, diet makes 80% of the preparations. Make sure you are taking in plenty of protein, carbs, and fat. You will need someone who can help you figure out your correct amounts and teach you how to weigh and measure your foods. Start early! I'm not eating as many complex carbs.
Competition Tip # 3
Gymnastic training is also a must. Beginners with none or little background in this field will need a good, experienced coach who can teach basic moves and tricks. Finding someone in your area is the best route...mostly because you will need anywhere from 3-5 practices weekly and you want it to be as convenient as possible. Private lessons are best...1-2 hours max. Depending on your availability and endurance. Make sure you learn drills and strength movements that will help you acquire the strength to perform all the moves you will need to do. I personally like to do push-ups in a variety of hand positions to strengthen the whole chest and ... read more
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Benefits of Flax seed
on 3/5/2008
by
lizette11216
| filed in:
Diet and Nutrition
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Do you remember Hillary Swank's physique in the "Million Dollar Baby?" How about the gorgeous blue dress she won at the 77th Academy Awards that accentuated her toned and muscular body? Hillary Swank transformed her slender body into a fighting machine by incorporating Flax seed oil in her diet.
Benefits of Flax seed
(HealthCastle.com) Its high content of alpha linolenic acids has made the ancient flax seed become our modern miracle food. Alpha linolenic acid is a type of plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid, similar to those found in fish such as salmon. Benefits of flax seed as shown in many studies include lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) levels. Other benefits show that flax seed may also help lower blood triglyceride and blood pressure. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack.
Other Benefits of Flax seed
Aside from alpha linolenic acid, flax seed is rich in lignan. Lignan is a type phytoestrogen (antioxidant) and also provides fiber. Researches reveal that lignan in flax seed shows a lot of promise in fighting disease -- including a possible role in cancer prevention especially breast cancer. It is thought that lignan metabolites can bind to estrogen receptors, hence inhibiting the onset of estrogen-stimulated breast cancer.
Recent studies also showed positive benefits of flax seed oil in IBD (Crohn's Disease and Colitis). Flax seed oil seems to be able to heal the inner lining of the inflamed intestines.
Moderately include flax seed in your diet. Indeed, a lot of food products contain flax seed such as bread, cereal and bakery goods. Bakers may use flax seed flour or include flax seed in baking.... read more
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nutrition, health, flax seed
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Cardio on an Empty Stomach Boosts HGH
on 1/19/2008
by
Rusty
| filed in:
Diet and Nutrition
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Doing cardio on an empty stomach is the best way to insure fat loss. Your natural fat burning hormone HGH, is boosted dramatically when you perform intense interval type cardio on an empty stomach. To enhance the effect of HGH release, don't eat immediately after your cardio session...wait one hour to allow a full HGH release. This is especially effective at targeting those last 10-15 pounds of "stubborn" body fat. I recommend not going near any type of food for 4 hours before your cardio workout.
This tip is for people who want the slim and toned "Hollywood" look. If you want the bulkier look than you will want to eat a fast digesting protein source immediately after working out. Use the tip and become Tyler Durden from Fight Club! Oh yeah...the first and second rule is to not talk about this tip!... read more
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cardio, fight club, hgh, burn fat, stubborn fat
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Exercises for increasing your leg power ( vertical leap)
on 1/25/2009
by
Flight
| filed in:
Strength Training
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Leapups:
Step1: When beginning, bend down to a 1/4 squat position
Step2: Turn the rope and jump back into the air to a minimum of 8 to 10 inches. (You
may jump 10 to 12 inches if this is too easy). When you land this completes 1 repetition.
Step3: Continue repeating this motion for each repetition.
SQUAT HOPS :
http://www.geocities.com/sbz_h/aa/airalert3.jpg
Step 1 - For balance, hold a basketball or volleyball at chest level. You can hold the ball
with your hands at each side of the ball or hug the ball.
Step 2 - Squat down into a sitting position while holding the ball. Make sure that you are
looking straight ahead, with your back straight and that you are elevated on the balls of
your feet (half tiptoed). And most importantly, make sure that your thighs are parallel to
the ground.
Step 3 - Hop or bounce in the seated position between 3-5 inches per hop. Keep your
thighs parallel. When you land, that completes 1 repetition.
Step 4 - After you complete each repetition (each landing), you land back in the original,
seated position. Jump up again for the next repetition.
Step 5 - At the completion (the last rep) of the required set, blast off as high as you
possibly can. For example, if you are required to do 1 set of 15 repetitions, you will do 14
Squat Hops (3-5 inches per jump) and on the 15th Squat Hop, you will blast off as high
as you possibly can.
Calf raises :
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1856/baldrgerilmeleriwp2.jpg
Step1: Your starting position will be with the heel below the book or stair step rested on
by your entire body.
Step2: Raise yourself as high up as you can with only the one calf
Step3: Lower your body back to the original, starting position. This completes 1
repetition. Step4: begin second repetition.
Burnouts :
http://... read more
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Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage
on 2/19/2008
by
MleighS84
| filed in:
Diet and Nutrition
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Body fat measurements and the measuring tape are recognized as superior methods for measuring "weight loss". When one declares that they want to "lose weight", what they often mean is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you've had your body fat percentage measured, what does the number really mean?
First, your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else).
A certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories:
*General Body Fat Percentage Categories
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
*American Council on Exercise
Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. For example:
Let's say you're a 130# woman with 23% body fat, and you goal is to "lose 20 pounds":
Initial body fat: 130# x 0.23 fat = 30 # body fat
Lean body mass: 130# total - 30# fat = 100# lean body mass (bones, organs and all else)
Goal: 130# - 20# = 110 pounds
As you can see, the goal of losing... read more
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