Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Running Form Tips

So if you are not an expert runner, there are going to be some keys you need to know before you start running your little butt off. Why is a correct running form important? Why can't you just run your little heart out? Well, there are a few big reasons why and if you read on those questions will be answered.

The reason it is important to have correct running form is because you can save yourself a lot of uncomfortable pain. Your body will ache regardless if you run correctly or not, but soreness is not the same as pain. Running correctly will save you from pain, pain in your shoulders, back, and legs. Another reason why correct running form is important is because you will want to maximize your results. Yes, if you running correctly you can actually hurt your chances of getting the most out of your workout.

Here are 3 tips to run correctly:

Keep your head up! Keeping your head up will cause the rest of your body to fall into line; it will align your torso, which will keep you from slouching over and experiencing back pains. Always look ahead, look to the horizon.

Keep your shoulders loose! You do not want tense shoulders. You will find after running for a little while that your shoulders will naturally want to rise up to your ears, do not let them do that, whenever you feel some tension in your shoulders, shake them loose.

Get the right shoes! People have different size arches, and guess what? Shoe companies make shoes that are specifically designed to fit your type of foot. The right shoe will help align your lower body and prevent you from over pronating.

Have fun running.


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Want to build lean muscle mass?

No matter what anybody or any infomercial tells you, you cannot specifically target a part of your body you want to lose weight in. So when you hear about the next greatest abs miracle device, do not fall for the trap. They are trying to sell a product and they are good at doing it. Instead, you want to build lean muscle mass.

Do not worry about this term "lean muscle mass," it is a good thing. The quickest way to burn fat is to build muscle, but most people are afraid to build muscle, because they are afraid of looking like a bodybuilder. That is why lean muscle mass is so important. Lean muscle mass will help you develop a nice toned body, even for the ladies.

So how do you build that muscle? This might come as a shocker to you, but it is actually very easy. You do not need a gym membership or an expensive piece of equipment. All you need is your body! That is right you can build lean muscle mass by just using the weight of your own body. That means you can build lean muscle by doing push-ups, chin ups, squats, and lunges. Any workout you can find that uses your own body as resistance, is a great way to that nice toned muscle.

It will help speed up your metabolism, and if you eat the right type of foods, then you can really see some great results. For that nice toned body, try to find some body resistant exercises to do in your own home.

Monday, December 14, 2009

How To Manage Your Weight During The Holidays

So it is that time of the year again, when all the delicious food presents itself in so many different ways. There is Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years, plus there are all the parties and family get-togethers for each holiday. It is known as a time where people trip up on their workout routines, and their diets. It is time to regain some self-control during these holiday seasons.

It is said that most people pack on anywhere between 4 to 8 pounds during the holiday seasons, and for someone who has worked all year to get those pounds off, 4 to 8 pounds of weight gain is not an option. Before I give you some holiday eating tips, you must change your thought pattern from losing weight, to weight management. The goal is to enjoy the holidays, but not put on any weight. So here are some tips to help you manage your weight during the holiday season.

Workout Routine - If you already have a workout routine that is great, keep on working out! If you do not have a workout routine, you will definitely want to start one up. This will keep your metabolism running and fight off those extra calories.

Eat slowly - It is not a race, the turkey is not going anywhere, it is already dead. Eating slowly will help your body tell your mind that it is full. This will help you avoid the second serving and the third serving.

Eat before parties - Parties are full of goodies and snacks, eat a good and balanced meal before going to the party to help you avoid your cravings.

These three simple tips will help you manage your weight during these hard times.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Improve your performance with Plyometrics

So what is Plyometric training? How can it improve your workouts? First you need to know that Plyometrics is not a new idea, plyometrics has been used ever since the early 1970's. So you do not need to worry about if plyometrics has been tried and tested, because it has. Plyometrics does work, and it can provide you with some great exercises and variety to your workout routine. Plyometrics is also known as "jump training." Why do you need jump training? Well, maybe you don't! But if you are involved with any type of sport, then plyometrics is something you will definitely want to look at.

Plyometrics not only helps for jump training, it also helps with quickness and foot speed. That is something every athlete wants and needs. In basketball you need quick feet, in football you need quick feet, even in baseball. If you play volleyball, plyometrics will help you jump higher and stronger.

Plyometrics trains your muscles to react quickly, and also teaches the nervous to relay the message to your muscles quickly too. It will definitely give you the edge you need to beat the opposing force. Even if you are not training for any sport, plyometrics can give a much-needed variety to your weekly workout routine. Many times workouts can get boring and repiticous, if you add plyometric training to your workout routines, it can help add an element of fun to your exercises. The workouts are difficult but are fun too, you will be doing workouts that world class athletes do, and who doesn't want to do those?

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Benefits of Berries

There are many benefits to eating fruits and vegetables. Often we are tempted to get our vitamins and mineral requirements from a vitamin pill and neglect eating fresh fruits and vegetables. It is always better to eat fruits and vegetables than to simply take a multivitamin. When you eat fruits and vegetables you gain additional benefits, such as high fiber content, the feeling of being full or satisfied longer, and the fact that fruits and vegetables can help aid digestion and regulate the digestive tract. With FDA guidelines continually changing, many people are wondering what the new requirements are for fruits and vegetables.

It is also important to realize that fruits and vegetables can be incorporated in every diet. Even those who are on low carbohydrate diets can choose fruits and vegetables that are lower in carbohydrates and enjoy the many health giving benefits found in fruits and vegetables. Plus, natural sugars are way better than the processed sugars in many foods today.

The new FDA guidelines recommends 2 1/2 Cups of vegetables for women between the ages of 19 and 50 and 2 cups for women 51 and over per day. For men, the recommendations are 3 Cups of vegetables for men between the ages of 19 and 50 and 2 1/2 Cups for those 51 and over. The daily recommendations for fruit are 2 Cups per day for women between the ages of 19 and 30, and 1 1/2 Cups for women between the ages of 31 and over. For men, the daily recommended amounts of fruit servings are 2 Cups.

Now you know exactly what you should be eating so you can enjoy life and get all your vitamins and minerals in a healthy and natural way. But understanding what constitutes 1 cup of fruits and vegetables is important for ensuring that you are taking the recommended amounts each day. One cup of vegetables is one cup of raw or vegetables that have been cooked, one cup of vegetable juice. Two cups of leafy green vegetables constitutes 1 cup due to their high water content. When determining measurements for fruit, 1 cup of fruit is the equivalent of one cup of fruit juice, 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit, and 1/2 cup of dried fruit.

Buying fruits and vegetables that are in season can help you save money, as these fruits are not as expensive as those out of season. Though everyone would like to purchase fresh, organic fruits and vegetables these can often be expensive and hard to find. A great alternative is to buy frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen fruits and vegetables retain all of their health giving benefits and are just a fraction of the cost. There are also some great natural fruit drinks out there that can provide you with a boost of protein or antioxidants. By incorporating fruits and vegetables in your diet you are protecting your health and ensuring that you are meeting your daily vitamin and mineral requirements the natural way.

Monday, November 02, 2009

What type of treadmill should you use?

The treadmill is a great piece of exercise equipment. There are several varieties to choose from out there, so how do you know which one is best for you?

The first thing to consider is how much you will use your treadmill. Are you purchasing it as your main workout, or will you only use it when you are unable to run or walk outside? If you are using this as your main work out then you may want to invest in the best one you can afford. If you are serious about walking or running on your treadmill, you need something that can handle high mileage. If you only plan to use it occasionally a less expensive one is a good choice.

Consider the incline. You want to make sure your treadmill can incline while you are walking or running, so in case you want to train for an event you will be able to do that on your treadmill.

What types of programs are available? Some machines have programs built in that allow you to interval train by simply touching a button. These are very convenient; however you can do the same thing on a less expensive machine by changing your setting manually.

How much room do you have? This is very important to consider, and there are machines in a variety of sizes. You should know how much room you have, so you do not buy a machine and find out after you get it home that it does not fit in your space. There are also machines that fold when they are not in use, so if you are limited on space you may want to consider a model like this.

Make sure it fits you. When you are shopping for a treadmill, do not be afraid to hop on and test it out. Make sure the handles are comfortable, and that the weight limit is not exceeded.

Be sure to get a machine that you are happy with; you will most likely have it for a long time. If you have bad knees then try getting an Elliptical, there is no impact with an Elliptical.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Six pack abs...not beer

Everyone wants nice tight abs emphasized by a six-pack, yet it seems that people are prone to adding weight to the belly area first. Overeating and drinking excessive amounts of beer will quickly add inches to the waistline and give you a spare tire. Knowing how to burn belly fat will maximize the benefits from your ab workouts and help you shrink those extra inches. However, there is no magic formula or special cream that you can use to instantly transform your midsection. To burn belly fat you need a combination of diet and exercise, with a focus on increasing your metabolism.

Your belly fat might be covering firmed muscles that are lying underneath. If you are overeating and performing sit-ups or other ab workouts regularly, but not seeing the results you intended, the problem is your diet. A layer of fat covers Ab muscles. This means that you can be regularly toning your abs, while increasing the amount of fat that hides them. Reducing the amount of fat will reveal the toned abs you have been working on. Increasing your metabolism will ensure that you continually burn calories and reduce the amount of belly fat in your mid section.

Take both hands, make fists, and put your hands side by side. That is the approximate size of your stomach organ. Next time you eat a meal, look at your hands and remember that if you overeat, you are causing that muscle to stretch to hold large meals. Eating several small meals throughout the day will increase your metabolism without putting unnecessary stress on the stomach organ.

Visceral fat is the fat stored deeply, often in between organs. The stomach is prone to visceral fat, in addition to retro peritoneal and subcutaneous fat comprised the other two of the three types of belly fat. Visceral fat is highly sensitive to increased metabolism and is easy to burn. Once your body's metabolism increases and you are in fat burning mode, this fat is one of the first types your body will burn. In addition to ab workouts that target the core stomach muscles, you must choose activities that will increase your metabolism, and burn calories through aerobic exercise. Running, interval training and key abdominal workouts is key for targeting the beer belly.

When choosing foods, make certain that the selections you make are those that help regulate metabolism. Foods that cause your blood sugar to spike will have a negative effect on your metabolism and will affect the fat burning process. By choosing the best foods such as whole grains, reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates, and burning calories you will effectively burn belly fat. Food that you want to stay away from, besides from the obvious like candy bars, ice cream, and fast food, are foods with refined sugars like white bread and cereals that are high in sugar. Whole wheat breads and cereals are great for you, but beware of breads that just say wheat. Just because it says wheat does not mean it is whole wheat.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Dangers of Nighttime Snacking

I am not sure why, but for some reason many people including myself struggle with a sweet tooth at night, it is almost like a comfort snack before bed. Unfortunately, nighttime snacks can quickly sabotage your diet. Though you can eat late at night, under a controlled manner, nighttime snacking often brings unwanted, additional calories into your body. The danger from nighttime snacks comes from overeating and most the time we are overeating junk food. We then bring all that junk food into our body's resting state when we sleep. Since you are sleeping or resting you are not burning those additional calories and they are quickly stored as fat. Eating balanced, sensible meals throughout the day, and at regular intervals will help prevent nighttime snacking. A mistake, commonly made with dieters, is to skip meals such as breakfast and lunch, which actually slows down your metabolism. The result is often binging on late night snacks. Often more calories are consumed during these binging sessions than would otherwise be consumed throughout the day.

Controlling food cravings is not only important to your diet, but it will help your overall, long term health. By preventing food cravings, you are keeping your blood sugar in balance. For those who have been diagnosed with Diabetes preventing these spikes in blood sugar are essential and necessary. Eating more complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables will keep blood sugar levels balanced and help prevent food cravings. Simple carbohydrates, which are found in white breads, doughnuts, and pasta all, are bad for packing on weight. Complex carbs are healthier for your body and are more unlikely to hold onto fat.

It can be very difficult to control nighttime snacking, and for those who are struggling with their weight, getting control in this area is vital. If you are going to snack at night, look for low calorie alternatives that will fill you up, without packing on extra pounds. Preparing for nighttime snacks is the best preventive strategy you can take to avoid any problems. In the first few weeks of a new exercise and fitness program you might find that going to bed earlier, or engaging in activities that keep your hands busy are good strategies that will help you avoid snacking.

Mindless late night snacking while watching television is a sure fire way to ruin your sensible eating plan and put on extra pounds. If you enjoy watching television at night, get some low calorie alternatives that you can eat without feeling guilty, like nuts, sunflower seeds, or air popped popcorn. Since there is a wide variety of eating plans, make sure to choose a low cal snack that adheres to the guidelines of your diet. Some healthy snacks could include whole wheat crackers, cheese cubes, fruit, vegetables, popcorn with a low calorie topping, rice cakes, a glass of milk, a cup of herbal decaffeinated tea, low fat yogurt, and cottage cheese. Make certain that you determine the amount of calories that you need and allot some for healthy nighttime snacks.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Why push ups are great

With the help of push up stands, your basic push up is a great way to tone your biceps and chest. There are three levels of your basic push ups, beginner, intermediate and full. You will want to choose what level you fill most comfortable.

Here's how to perform a beginner's level push up. Place your knees and shins on the floor, straighten your back and in line your head with your back. Start by placing your hands underneath your shoulders, now grab the handles of your push up stands, extend your arms until they are straight. You are now in what the call the up position. Bend at your elbows, lowering your chest to the floor. Your goal here is to make a right angle with your arms. Keep your behind down trying to keep a straight line through you're back. Extend your arms now back up to the start position. With one push every two seconds try to keep a smooth rhythm. This is your beginner push up.

For an intermediate push up, you will just make a few minor changes. You will start by placing your knees on the floor, cross your feet, raise your feet upwards now, straighten your back and in line your head with your back. Now place your hands underneath your shoulders grabbing your push up stands, extend your arms until they are straight. Now as the same as the beginner push up, star lowering your chest to the floor. Make a right angle with your arms. You want to keep a straight line through your back avoiding raising your behind. Push up to the original starting position. As with the beginner push up you will want to keep a smooth rhythm, one push every two seconds.

To perform a full push, we will only be basically changing our feet and legs positioning. Start by placing your hands underneath your shoulders grabbing a hold of your push up stands. Now as before extend your arms until they are straight. Now extend your legs out fully with your toes touching the floor, back straight, head down and line with your back. You are now at the up position. Bend at the elbows lowering your chest to then floor. As before, you are aiming to keep those arms at a right angle. You will want to avoid arching your back and raising your behind leaving a straight line with your back. You will extend your arms again to the starting position and repeat the exercise with a smooth rhythm of a push up every two seconds.

With the help of push up stands, you can get a great work out for your upper body. It does not matter what level of push up you choose, stay with it and in no time you will see the result. As you progress, you will want to try to move up to the next level. Keep in mind, just because you may have mastered the full level push up, doesn't mean you need to be held back. Try increasing your repetitions or try increasing the frequency of using your push up stands.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Strengthening Your Core

It's amazing to think that your abs are the key to your health, think about it, you use your abs in almost every activity you do, running, lifting, jumping, sitting down, and even pushing a grocery cart. That is why it is so important to workout your abs, it is like the glue that holds everything together. If you have good abs, you can prevent injuries, especially back pain.

So how do you go about working out those abs? What is the best way to make sure that you have a strong core? Well, first you need to understand your abs and the different regions you need to focus on. It is important that you workout each region so that you can achieve the rock hard abs you have always wanted.

Transverse Abdominal

Maybe you have not heard of this muscle, but it is also referred to as the transversalis muscle or the transverses abdominis muscle. The transverse abdominal is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral abdominal wall. It runs horizontally around your abdomen and helps as a compressor and a stabilizer for your abs.

Rectus Abdominal

This is the six-pack, when you see someone with their shirt off and you see that uniformed muscle formation, you are looking at the Rectus abdominal. This muscle helps you keep good posture and also allows you to perform a crunch.

External Obliques

The external oblique is a very important muscle, it moves diagonally from your ribs down the sides of your waist. It is also the largest and the most shallow of the three flat muscles that make up your lateral anterior abdomen. This muscle helps torso rotation, so if you play golf, tennis, baseball, developing theses muscles would be a great idea.

Internal Obliques

These muscles are very similar to the external obliques, and like the external oblqiues they too run diagonally down from the rib cage to your waist. They lie in between your rib cage and the external obliques.

Find some workouts to target each region of your abdomens, help team it up with a good and healthy diet. It is going to take hard work and a lot of discipline to reveal your abs, but do not quit until they show up. Also do some interval training, it will help you build lean muscle mass, which will help bring those abs to life.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Feel the Power of Protein Bars

Athletes understand the power of protein, and recognize the importance of this macronutrient when building a stronger, leaner body. Protein bars and shakes are a great way to ensure that you start your day with the protein that your body needs to meet its tasks. Whether dieting, building muscle or increasing muscle mass, or to increase your energy, protein is key and is essentially the building block of life. Since the body does not store protein, it is vital to make certain that you get plenty of protein daily. When choosing protein sources, you can select from protein bars and shakes, as well as protein rich meal replacements, to ensure that you are getting all the protein that you need.

Protein bars hold an advantage over shakes and meal replacements for several reasons. The first is convenience. When on the go or running around town, you can easily satisfy any hunger cravings that you have with a protein bar. There is no measuring, mixing, or shaking needed to enjoy a protein bar, as there is with shakes. Protein shakes are great at home where they can be refrigerated and blended, but if you are running short on time or are looking for something at the last minute, protein bars offer a significant advantage. Both protein shakes and bars are an excellent source of protein and you'll find that a successful fitness program includes both.

When choosing protein bars make sure to read the labels. Not all protein bars are created the same and it's important to note what additional vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, or amino acids have been included in the bar. Keep track of the carbohydrate content as well, as an excessive amount of simple carbs can quickly throw off any fitness routine. Additionally, the amount of protein contained in each bar varies so choose according to your needs. The most popular sources of protein used in most protein bars include whey, soy, and milk.

One of the greatest benefits of protein is that it can prevent hunger cravings. Regularly including plenty of protein in your diet will satisfy your hunger longer, because it takes your body longer to break down. It prevents sugar cravings from occurring, and can play a vital role in the success of your weight loss or fitness plan. Meal replacements and protein shakes are a great choice, but they are easier enjoyed at home. There is no doubt that when you are actively on the go, protein bars give you an added boost of energy.

How do you know which protein bars to get? Well, you just have to start trying them and looking at the nutritional values on the back. When I buy bars the first thing I look at is the nutritional value. I try to look for a good amount of protein and ones with less sugar. Unfortunately those are the bars that do not taste as good, but they work. It really just comes down to what you like and what you can handle.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

4 Great In-Home Workouts

If you have no workout equipment, don't fret, you can still get into shape. A body weight only workout is a great way to get yourself into shape at no cost to you. This workout is great for the beginning exerciser, it will let you workout virtually anywhere at any time. Here are some exercises to get you started.

The body-weight squat
The body-weight squat will work on your legs. You will want to start by putting your hands on your hips. Have your feet shoulder-width apart, from a standing position, squat down until your knees reach 90 degrees. As you squat make sure to keep your lower back slightly arched, head up and stick your glutes out like you are going to sit down in a chair. Make sure that your knees do not go past your toes as you squat; if they are you are not moving your glutes back far enough. Once you have reached the bottom position, flex your glutes, quads, and hamstrings to power yourself up to a standing position and repeat the exercise.

Push-ups
The good old fashion push-up will help work your chest. To perform a push-up, you will need to place your hands a little wider than your shoulders; your toes need to be on the floor, put your feet and legs together, and raise your arms to an extended position. You will want to slowly lower yourself until your chest just reaches the floor. Feel the stretch in your chest and flex on the way back up rather than using a quick motion to finish your set.

Close-grip push-ups
A close-grip push-up will work your triceps. To do a close-grip push-up, do the same as you would for a regular push-up, except you will want to your hands in closer so your index fingers and thumbs create a triangle under your chest. As you lower your body, your elbows will point outwards; your chest will come in contact with your hands, slowly raise your body back to the starting position and repeat.

Inverted push-ups
The inverted push-up will work on your shoulders. To do an inverted push-up, you will want to place your feet on a chair and have your hands out in front of you at a shoulders width apart. Without moving your feet, slowly move your hands back until your body is bent to approximately 90 degrees and your head is facing the floor. Press up your arms until they are completely extended, your body should now look like an inverted v, you will then lower your head towards the floor until your arms are bent to almost 90 degrees and repeat.

With these four exercises you can have a great full body workout. By using your own body weight you can perform exercises that will help build and tone these core muscles. Have fun and remember to not over due it, know your limits.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Increase your Metabolism with Green Tea

Increasing metabolism is one of the most important steps taken to speed weight loss. Green Tea has been shown to increase metabolism and is commonly found in many weight loss and fitness formulas. There are several ways to ingest Green Tea, ranging from liquid drinks to supplemental form. Many find that the best way to take Green Tea is by choosing herbal supplements, minerals, or vitamins that have Green Tea as an added ingredient.

Water and caffeine have been known, for many years, to increase metabolism and increase weight loss. Drinking plenty of water each day is still one of the best steps you can take to ensure maximum health. Green Tea, however, is also widely revered for its ability to speed metabolism, thereby increasing weight loss. The benefits of drinking water are vast and you'll find that you can improve your energy simply by increasing your fluid intake. The results are even more dramatic if you've been dehydrated. Many health programs recommend that you drink plenty of water in addition to the supplements and training you are performing.

Caffeine is known for its fat burning properties as well. Caffeine encourages the body to release fat from fat cells, and the added water that you drink will ensure that your body flushes the fat away. Studies have shown that caffeine in limited amounts is very beneficial to the body, and can play an important role in weight loss and fitness. It's important to determine how much caffeine you can consume before feeling jittery, but for many people that limit can be as high as 300 milligrams.

Green Tea may have caffeine or be decaffeinated. When added to supplements, you'll often find it alongside caffeine. Drinking green tea is a good way to get your water needs met as well as enhance your metabolism. In addition to Green Teas thermogenetic properties, it is also a plant polyphenol, or a particular form of bioflavonoid. Plant polyphenols are phytochemicals that are powerful antioxidants. There is no doubt that Green Tea provides many benefits.

Green tea helps detoxify the body, has anticarcinogenic qualities, helps reduce cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, and also helps to establish a strong, healthy heart, lowering the risk of heart disease. Green Tea has also been shown to extend the period of thermogenesis for a greater length of time than other thermogenetic formulas. By choosing supplements that contain Green Tea as well as caffeine, you can make certain that you are increasing your metabolism and effectively burning fat.

Want to know what some of these words mean?

Thermogenesis - is the process of heat production in organisms.

Anticarcinogenic - is any chemical which reduces the occurrence of cancers, reduces the severity of cancers that do occur, or acts against cancers that do occur.

Bioflavonoid - group of compounds obtained from the rinds of citrus fruits and involved with the homeostasis of the walls of small blood vessels.

Polyphenol - a group of chemical substances found in plants, characterized by the presence of more than one phenol unit or building block per molecule.

Phytochemical - are plant-derived chemical compounds that have health-promoting properties.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Step Aerobics

The "Aerobic Step" exercise may seem like a thing of the past, but it can still be beneficial. Step aerobics is a high calorie burning exercise that is great for all skill levels. It does not require much instruction, and can be intensified by adding height to your step. To begin step aerobics, you will first need a step. You may also want to invest in risers, to make your step higher as you progress. Once you have your equipment, turn on some music and start moving.

Some common steps are:
• The basic up and down motion
• Knee lifts
• Stepping off of the side of the step
• Squats
• Hopping over the step
• Turning from side to side

All of these movements can be incorporated into your routine. One of the main factors is the pace and intensity at which you exercise. In order to receive the most benefit, you should exercise at a fast tempo.

Step aerobics works the butt, leg, and abdominal muscles. You can incorporate different moves to work more specific areas. Also, another great thing is that you can do it at your own home. The equipment is inexpensive and once you purchase it, there is no need for additional equipment.

There are several exercise DVD's and tapes available that can show you how to do step aerobics, but once you have the hang of it, you may prefer to do it on your own with your favorite music playing.

The step itself can be used of additional exercises. You can use it for the side plank raise, squats, stretches, and elevated push-ups.

Step aerobics really is a fun, fat burning routine that can help you loose weight and gain energy. Although it can be an incredible workout, you might want to take precaution if you have a history of bad knees. There can be some ground and pound, but just make sure you have some good workout shoes that absorb the contact. Also make sure that the steps you are using are wide and long, in rare cases if the box is not wide enough they can tip over.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Where is your fitness level?

You made your resolution to get in shape, you have even found an exercise program that you like, but where exactly do you start? One of the first things that you should do is to find out what your current fitness level is. This is important, because you want to make sure that you increase at a healthy rate to prevent injury. There are several ways to test your fitness level.

Upper Body Strength
A great way to test upper body strength is by using the push-up. Men should use the traditional military style push-up, while women can use the bent-knee position. To perform the test, do as many push-ups as you can, and count them as you are going. The average number of push-ups is listed below:


Women Men

Age 20-29: 17-33 Age 20-29: 35-44

Age 30-39: 12-24 Age 30-39: 24-34

Age 40-49: 8-19 Age 40-49: 20-29

Age 50-59: 6-14 Age 50-59: 15-24

Age 60+: 3-4 Age 60+: 10-19

Aerobic Activity
A great way to test your aerobic fitness level is the 12 minute test. To perform this test, warm up properly then cover as much distance as you can in 12 minutes. You may walk, run, or jog. When your 12 minutes are up, record your distance. Below are the average results for the number of miles covered:


Women Men

Age 20-29: 1.33 Age 20-29: 1.54

Age 30-39: 1.27 Age 30-39: 1.49

Age 40-49: 1.21 Age 40-49: 1.42

Age 50-59: 1.13 Age 50-59: 1.33

Age 60+: 1.07 Age 60+: 1.24

There are several other tests to check your fitness level, some of which can be performed by a trainer or physician. If your numbers are below the averages above, set your goal to the average and work towards that. When you have reached that goal, move to a higher one.

If you ever want to do a workout like P90x extreme home fitness, or the Shaun T Insanity Workout, then you should take their fit tests to see if can do them.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Chin up bar workouts

Chin-up are great way to tone and strengthen your forearms and upper arms. The use of a chin-up bar is the most efficient way to perform chin-ups. You may also hear the term pull up which is incorrectly referred to chin-up. A pull up is performed using a pronated grip and a chin-up is used with a supinated grip which means your palms are facing the one performing the exercise. To perform a chin-up you must extend your arms above your head gripping the bar with a supinated grip. You then pull your body up until you approach or touch the bar with the upper chest. Then you lower your weight until the arms are straight and you repeat as many times as you are able to do.

When performing the chin-up correctly with the use of a chin-up bar you will get a workout to your biceps and lats and to your shoulder blades. It is most effective when you lower your body down to a full extension and then proceed as outlined above.

Chin-ups takes amazing strength. If you cannot perform chin-ups, you may work your way towards doing this by using a step or chair underneath you. There are other variations to help you perform in arising to excellence in chin-ups. They are as follows:

A mixed grip which is one hand over and one hand under to perform chin-ups and then reverse your grip so you achieve muscle symmetry.

A towel grip consists of throwing a strong gym towel over the bar and grip your palms facing each other. This will work the side of your arms and forearms.

When you are feeling really strong you can try to perform the one arm chin-up which is doing them one handed. Now that is strength!

A flexed hang chin-up is also another exercise that requires strength. This is performed by holding your weight for as long as you can over the bar in any grip you prefer.

You will tone your abdominal muscles through performing chin-ups. To pull up your weight takes a lot of abdominal strength. You definitely will feel the benefits of this the next day.

You can also strengthen other muscles in your body using your chin-up bar. You can do hanging knee raises which require you to hang on to the bar and let your body drop. Then raise our knees up to your chest as many times as you are able to. Repeat as you can.

The hanging leg raise can be performed like the hanging knee raise by straightening our legs and raise them as high as you can, hold for a few seconds for an added benefit.

The last exercise you can utilize with the chin-up bar would be side to side raises. Using your knees and legs raising from side to side focusing on your oblique muscles.

A chin-up bar is incredible for your personal physique. They are affordable and very easy to assemble. The ultimate place to put one is most door frames. You must purchase one today!
The P90x workout is a in home workout program that uses the Chin up bar in a great way. If you do not like using the Chin up bar, then the Insanity workout uses no equipment at all, it's all cardio!

Friday, October 02, 2009

Back problems? Then Lose weight!

Okay, so not everyone who has back problems struggles with being overweight. There are many reasons why someone could be having problems with their back, they could be experiencing old age, lifting heavy loads wrong, could have a bulging disc, or a pinched nerve. But for the most part, people who struggle with back pains, also struggle with being overweight.

So how to you get you life back in order? Well, you need to start a workout program and stick with it. It is not going to be easy, it is going to take a lot of hard work and discipline. Many people who decided to lose weight start off really good, but then get off track. Many times those people burn themselves out to quickly by pushing themselves to hard. Maybe your key for losing weight and getting a stronger back, is to start off small. Especially if you are overweight and do not workout. Start off by taking walks outside or on a treadmill, then push yourself from there. You can do speed walking or a light jog, if you have bad knees, then try getting on a bike or an elliptical. Unless you are injured, there is no excuse why you cannot do a little exercise. Once you start getting in better shape continue to push yourself and try new workouts. Trying new workouts and switching up your routines will help increase your muscle strength and burn fat faster. Your back will get stronger, and your belly will shrink.

At the same time you are doing workouts, you need to change your eating habit. Eating badly and not having a workout program is the reason why you gained weight in the first place, so you need to completely do a 180 and change your eating habits. You might find that this is harder to do than being consistent in a workout routine. Food is a weakness for mostly everyone, and here in America we have lots of it. I do not recommend any popular diets, but what I do recommend is eating 5 times a day, breakfast, mid-lunch, lunch, mid-dinner, and dinner. Control your portions, do not eat a lot of food at every meal. Your food is your bodies fuel source, but you need to give it clean fuel to run properly, just like a car. You need to involve fruits, vegetables, whole wheat, whole grains, lean meats, and good nuts. Balanced meals are important if you are going to lose weight, probably just as important as working out. So if you are having back problems, change your eating habit and exercise.

Tony Horton 10 minute trainer, Shaun T Insanity workout

Thursday, October 01, 2009

5 Healthy Nutritional Tips

It is something that we all struggle with, eating healthy. For many of us eating healthy is as tough as trying to understand quantum physics. Okay, so maybe it is not that hard, but for some reason most of us really struggle with trying to eat healthy. It could be because you have gotten lazy, or maybe you just can't stand cooking or can't cook, whatever it is we need to get it in our minds that having a healthy and balanced eating habit is possible. Everyone knows that eating out every day at fast food restaurants is not the way to maintain a fit figure. Despite this, it seems as if few people actually know how to eat properly. To help you get on the right track, here are five nutrition tips to take into consideration.

1. Eat complex carbohydrates
While complex carbohydrates are good for breakfast, you want to try to avoid simple carbohydrates at all cost. These kinds of carbohydrates are what you will find in refined sugar, honey and fruit juices. While you will get a quick high you will be let down just as fast. Instead, you want to get your carbs from brown rice, oats, barley and wild rice. Instead of eating white breads, try to resist and eat whole wheat instead, but beware of breads that just say wheat, it does not mean it is Whole wheat. Obviously, candy and ice cream all have simple carbs, so avoid those too. Remember, it is okay to reward yourself once in awhile.

2. Always eat breakfast
It is amazing how few people actually take the time to sit down and eat breakfast. You want to eat a healthy and nutritional breakfast each morning that includes complex carbohydrates and clean protein. Complex carbohydrates will help provide you with energy while the protein makes sure that the body has materials ready to rebuild tissues. I like to eat oatmeal, or a whole wheat english muffin with an egg, ham, and cheese. Which is a great source of complex carbs, protein, calcium, and vitamin b. I wash it all down with Fat free milk.

3. Do not run away from all fats
You would have never guessed that fats should be included in your diet, but dietary fats are something that should be in your diet. Eating the proper amount of fat will help increase your metabolic rate to help you actually burn fat. If you do not have fat in your diet to slow down the absorption of the sugar in your blood stream, blood sugar levels will rise quickly. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats are a couple of fats that are good for you.

4. Get rid of excess fats
You probably knew it was coming, but there are some things you need to eliminate from your diet right from the start. You are going to want to eliminate excess fats, salt and sugar from your diet. Some of the things that are within these categories include soft drinks, cookies, chips and deep fried foods, even fatty meats. Meats that are good for you are Turkey, chicken, and lean beef.

5. Yes, you can eat 5-6 meals per day
Unlike the breakfast, lunch, dinner routine you have probably heard numerous times, you want to get in the habit of eating five to six meals per day. By eating smaller meals every few hours, your body can actually digest the food. In addition, the food will keep the blood sugar levels stable throughout the day thus controlling any cravings you may get. Eating 5 to 6 meals will not only help your craving but it will also help your metabolism from slowing down.

There are numerous things you can do to your diet to make sure you are eating healthy and staying fit. To help you maintain the figure you have always wanted while living a healthy lifestyle, take the eating tips listed in this article into consideration. These tip are also great for your P90x workout routine or your Chalean Extreme workout.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Losing Weight For Women

If you are a women, you pretty much know where your body gains fat. You can look in the mirror and point out every flaw that you have, although everyone is their own worst critic. But for the most part, women usually gain weight in their lower abs and thighs. Unfortunately for women as you get older, flabby arms start to become a problem too.

So how do you attack those areas of opposition? What type of game plan should you have so you can defeat the enemy of stubborn fat? First, you need to change the way you eat. There are certain foods that you can be eating that will help your body not hold onto fat. Foods that have whole wheat and whole grains are great to eat because they can actually help flatten your stomach if you eat the right portions and balanced portions. I know most of us do not like to hear this, but we need to watch what we eat, it is the most important aspect to losing weight. Lean meats, fish, chicken, vegetables, fruits, nuts, non fat dairy, are all things that we should be incorporating into our diets. Ladies, no more late night snacking or eating your feelings.

Next, you need to start up a workout plan, it can be something simple to start off with. Walking a couple miles is a good start, but as you start getting in better shape, you will need to up your workouts. Start running, bicycling, rowing, dancing, or you can even do some weight lifting. Do not be afraid of bulking up, because there are ways you can lift weights that promote lean muscle mass instead of bulkiness.

If you follow these two steps then you should have no problem in staying or getting in shape. If you have some trouble figuring out what type of workouts or nutrition plan you should do. Then check out Slim in 6 or Chalean Extreme. They are both great workouts, plus have wonderful nutrition plans.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Swimming Aerobics

Swimming is a great exercise to tone the entire body. Swimming also helps to improve posture, muscle strength, flexibility, endurance, and cardiovascular conditioning. It is a great way to exercise in a low impact way. Unlike running, swimming is not as hard on the knees or back because there is not a constant impact.

Swimming works both the upper body and the lower body at the same time. Since you are working so many muscles at one time swimming burns a lot of calories. On average someone who swims burns around three calories per mile, per pound of body weight.

Many people enjoy swimming for exercise during the summer months because they are in the water, and do not have to worry about overheating.

Swimming is also great exercise for women who are pregnant because it allows them to get an all over workout, without adding extra strain. The same can be said for people who suffer from arthritis and lower back and leg problems.

Some things to remember while swimming are:

Stop when you are tired. Do not try to push for too long or you may end us with a cramp, which can be very dangerous in the water.

Be careful where you swim. Different bodies of water have different dangers. Rivers, ponds, and lakes are often full of bacteria which can cause ear infections, along with other problems. Due to this factor you may want to avoid swimming in these areas after heavy rainfalls.

There are several different swimming strokes that may be use to reduce the risk of boredom, and to work different muscle groups.

Swimming is a great way to get in your cardio and stay cool at the same time. If you are considering swimming you may want to invest in a good pair of goggles, and you may even want to get a pair of ear plugs if you plan to swim a lot. Swimming can definitely compliment your P90x workout or your 10 minute trainer workout.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Reasons for Massages

I do not know about you, but one of my dreams is to have a personal masseuse in my house, on call at any moment. Now whether that will ever happen? I do not know. And whether my wife would ever allow that is a different question. But besides massages just feeling great, what are some of the other benefits you can get from a massage or bodywork treatment. I am going to write about ten benefits that you can get from a body massage, although there are way more than just ten benefits.

1. Helps with back pains and range of motion - Have you ever hurt your back or neck in a car wreck? Therapists will use massage therapy to help relieve you of your pain.
2. Helps to decrease anxiety - Can you say, relax?
3. Helps muscles - If you are a person who works out normally or you are an athlete, than a massage can help your muscles recover quickly from a hard workout.
4. Improves Circulation - Massages can help blood flow, by allowing nutrients into your tissue.
5. Stretches tight muscles - Many times we get knots in our muscles, which can cause discomfort and pain, even headaches.
6. It's a pain killer - Helps release amino acids into the body
7. Reduces Swelling - Any time you experience an injury, bodywork treatment can help the swelling.
8. Improves Joints
9. Helps your immune system - We can all use a better immune system
10. Improves Skin Tissue - Can help with avoiding stretch marks

Those are just ten easy reasons why getting a massage once in awhile is important, and the list could go on. We live such busy lives, all of the stress and all of the wear and tear can really take a toll on our bodies, but if we just take the time to give our bodies a treat, we can live happier and healthier lives. Do you ever wonder why we are aging faster, it is because of stress, stress and stress. In fact stress can actually cause disease in our bodies. Massage therapy helps us to release the stress of our daily lives and promotes us to have better sleep, better energy and better focus. If you workout out with the p90x fitness routine or the 10 minute trainer, you could become tense and a massage could be needed.

My dad always used a term with me when I got hit by a pitch in baseball, he said, "walk it off, son." Now, I often tell people to 'walk it off" as a joke when I see them stub a toe or get hurt in some sort of way. But we can use that term in our daily lives, just switch out the word "walk" with "massage." Boss yelled at you today? Massage it off! Your son is learning how to play the drums? Massage it off! Family did not like your cooking? Massage it off! Do you catch my drift? Obviously we are not going to get some bodywork done whenever something bad happens, because we might be in the therapy room 24/7, but do not forget to give your body a little treat here and there.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cutting Through The Fat

Most fat is not good for your diet, and trans fat is dangerous to your heart. Cutting fat from your diet does not just help you keep your waistline; it helps you prolong your life. It is important to realize that there are healthy fats and the body needs a certain amount of fat each day. Determine you calorie needs, based upon carbohydrates, protein, and fats and then aim for the required fat amounts each day. Choosing foods with healthy fat will go a long way and helps ensure that you are not consuming the wrong type of fat.

Knowing the properties of the food you eat is an important step in reducing fat. If you love a food, but it has a high amount of fat, then look for low fat, healthy alternatives. The best way to learn the nutritional content of food is by reading food labels. Pay close attention, however, to labels that state 0 trans fat. Many times these foods do have small amounts of trans fat and if consumed in large amounts, that fat adds up. If you have not noticed by now, there are a lot of restaurants showing their nutritional values as of late, but if you want to continue to go to your favorites restaurants, I suggest that you do not read them. If you care about your body and what you put in it, then I suggest you take a look, you will be amazed how much bad fat and sodium is in the food. There are a few restraints that I stay away from now.

When it comes to dieting, it is important to understand that the body uses fuel from three sources: sugars, carbohydrates, and fats. Sugar is the first source that is burned for fuel, followed by carbohydrates, and then fat. This means that if you have a large amount of your calories coming from fat, you are at a greater risk to storing those calories as fat. By reducing your fat content, you will burn calories more efficiently.

If the focus on diet and nutrition is placed solely on reducing fat grams to lose weight you might be disappointed. Recent studies and weight gain trends show that reducing fat alone is not enough to lose weight. The goal is to monitor all of your calories and create a plan that focuses not solely on fat, but on carbohydrates, proteins, and sugar as well.

If you drink milk, choose low fat versions to cut back on fat grams. Substituting butter, margarine, or mayonnaise with low fat alternatives will go a long way. Choose olive or canola oil as these are healthier sources of fats. When eating foods that are sources of fat, choose those that are high in Omega 3 oils. Healthy fats must be included in the diet but the key is moderation. By knowing the best fats to eat and incorporating a variety of ways to reduce fat in your diet you can lose weight and protect your health.

Workouts that have great nutrition plans are the P90x workout and the Slim in six.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Get a Gorgeous Body With Home Workouts

Lots of people look through a fitness magazine to find good workout routines they can do at home. Unfortunately, if you are looking in magazines for a home fitness routine you will probably end up disappointed. A lot of times you will only find big workout machines and if you do come across a home workout routine then it is probably only for your abs. But what about home workout routines that not only focus on your abs but also focus on every other muscle group of your body and address the workout plateau.

The hardest part about working out at home is working out at home. For many people home is a place of rest and they find it hard to be focused or motivated to exercise when they have a lazy boy and a television three feet away from them, but if someone can take the time and find the discipline, they can find that an in home workout routine is not only the most cost affective way but also more affective than the gym.

Most people who already workout at home have a bench press or some type of workout machine that looks more like a torture machine. But what if you do not have a bench press or a torture machine or have the money for that equipment, what can you do? Technically, you really only need a pull up bar for your back and biceps. For your abs, all you need is a floor, and for your chest, you can do a variety of push-ups. You can even workout your legs by doing squats and lunges. But lets say you want to venture into more than just the basics, what kind of equipment should you get? How can you have the potential of a gym inside your house?

A bench press machine is great to have, but it takes up quite a bit of room. Do you know what does not take up much room? Dumbbells. Dumbbells are incredible, you can do a bench press routine easily with dumbbells, plus 100 different exercise with them too! If you still think that dumbbells are too much, than try resistance bands, they are cheaper, take up less room and are just as affective. Another piece of equipment I would suggest is an exercise ball. It might just look like a ball, but there are hundreds of full body workouts that you can do with a Swiss ball.

Obviously the main idea of home workouts is so you can workout at home. All you really need to know is what you are doing and what muscles you are exercising. If you feel like you need more assistance, there are tons of home workouts like, Tony Horton's 10 Minute trainer and Slim in 6 that will help you along and even teach you nutritional and physical values.

The important thing to realize here are that you can achieve gym results in your own house with a fraction of the price. You do not need fancy machines to get a body like Brad Pitt or Jessica Alba, but you just need a few pieces of equipment so you can target every muscle group of your body.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Getting ready for Insanity

So I have to admit I am a little nervous to start the Insanity workout, it is very important to me that I hit this workout head on. It is kind of one of those feelings where I really don't know what I am getting myself into, but I believe I can do it, and I am excited to see the results that I will get from the Insanity workouts. Cardio is something that I have been wanting to do more of, especially adding more cardio to compliment my weight lifting routines. I hope my ankle feels good enough to start on Monday, I will probably risk it anyways. I went and got a little brace for it today, so hopefully that helps the healing process.

But mark the calendar on 09/14/09 is when I start the ChaLean Extreme and Shaun T insanity workout

Insanity Workout

Friday, September 11, 2009

Yoga is no joke!

A lot of people want to live a healthier life. They want to be more flexible, be able to climb a flight of stairs without running out of breath and feel energetic all day long. The major problem is that usually people do not have hundreds of dollars to spend on a gym membership or the time it takes to dedicate their lives to working out on a daily basis. Either that or they feel uncomfortable working out in a gym environment. Being surrounded by muscular men and women can be an intimidating experience, to say the least.

The best way to alter your lifestyle is to find something you enjoy doing. It is far easier to work up the energy to do something if you are enjoying what it is you are doing. And that is really the bottom line.

For many people, Yoga is the answer to their prayers. If you have some extra money, you can join a class, but if you do not, you can always pick up a Yoga book at the nearest bookstore or library. Yoga can be done at home, too, which makes it a convenient pastime. A good Yoga mat and some Yoga blocks is pretty much all the equipment you need in order to get started, and they are relatively cheap to buy.

How Yoga Will Benefit You

Yoga will help build flexibility in your joints as well as build strength and endurance in your muscles. Stretching may not look particularly hard, but it is harder than it looks. Yoga will also teach you breathing techniques to help calm your frazzled nerves in times of stress. In today's economic environment, we need all the stress busting tips we can get.

Yoga also helps detoxify the body. Stretching muscles joints and massaging various organs will ensure that you get maximum blood flow to your organs and muscles, which in turn help your body flush out any toxins lingering in these areas.

If you are looking to work up a sweat, you can try Power Yoga, which is a form of Yoga that combines Yoga and aerobics in order to give you the best work out possible. However, if you are just starting out, it is probably a good idea to start out in a regular Yoga class, since Power Yoga is intense and can lead to injury if you are not careful.
Yoga is a safe and fun way to increase the amount of exercise you do. It will help you burn off excess fat, make you more flexible and ensure that your body has the necessary blood flow to flush out toxins.

Obviously, there are a lot of women who do Yoga, but it is also great for men to do it too and there are great workout programs like the P90x fitness routine or 10 minute trainer that have great yoga routines. If you are a guy who loves to lift weights and build muscle, than Yoga is great, not only will it help your muscles develop, but also Yoga will prevent you from becoming stiff. What is the point of building all the muscles if you can't even straighten your arm out? With Yoga you can build the flexibility to compliment those muscles.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Cigarettes Suck!!

If you are addicted to smoking, you know that quitting is not easy. Chances are you have tried before. Some times it takes multiple attempts before you can successfully quit smoking. It is important to realize that as with any addiction, the more you refrain from smoking, the easier it will be. The most difficult time is in the first two weeks. Once you can abstain from smoking for two weeks chances of permanent success are great. You might find that speaking with your health care provider is the best way to begin quitting. Your health care provider might determine that the best course of treatment is a prescription method to help fight cravings.

The benefits for quitting smoking are vast and if you are on a diet and exercise program while smoking you are causing serious damage to your body. By quitting smoking you will increase oxygen production and derive more benefits throughout your workouts. Smoking also robs the body of vital nutrients, particularly vitamin C, and can cause premature aging. Though many are concerned that if they quit smoking they will gain additional weight, it is better to gain a few pounds that can be burned off through exercise, then to suffer from lung cancer. If you want to live a truly healthy life, you have to quit smoking. Smoking has no place in a healthy lifestyle.

Smoking is a physical addiction and your body will crave nicotine until you get passed the first several weeks. Avoiding situations where you know people will be smoking is important and can reduce the amount of temptations you are surrounded by. Preparing for temptations and craving is an important aspect of getting through the first two weeks. Keeping the hands busy can help you resist the urge to smoke. Most people do not realize this but the hand motion of smoking, bringing the cigarette to you mouth, is also a very hard habit to break.

So if you have a hobby, consider spending more time to your hobby. If you do not have one, then now is a great time to begin one. Activities such as carpentry, building projects, gardening, knitting, crocheting, sewing, playing sports, baking, scrap booking, or playing an instrument can occupy your mind and help you resist cravings. Understand, we are people of habit, if you are a smoker you probably smoke after certain enjoyable events, like eating food; many people are in the habit of smoking after a big meal. Habits can be broken with discipline and hard work, and new good habits can be made.

When you feel as though temptations are strong, try taking a brisk walk. Breathe deeply and remind yourself that you are enjoying fresh, clean air in your lungs. Since you might become more irritable or anxious, try adding several yoga workouts to your routine. Yoga can help fight cravings, reduce stress and tension, and relax your body. The breathing techniques can be performed anywhere and will help you overcome the urge to smoke. Smoking makes it hard to workout anyways, it does not help the cause of helping your body to get in shape. If you are looking into doing a a Tony Horton workout or the Insanity workout than you are definitely going to want to quit smoking

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Restore Your Muscle Fast

Those who are serious about their workouts understand the importance of Glutamine and muscle recovery. Glutamine is an amino acid and it provides many important benefits for the body. As an immune system booster, Glutamine maintains white blood cells and low or depleted levels of Glutamine will lead to sickness and infection in the body. Glutamine is stored in many organs but primarily it is stored in muscles. Periods of sickness, trauma to the body, surgery or infection, disease, stress, and times of intense exercise can cause the muscles to deplete stores of Glutamine. Taking supplements that contain Glutamine after working out will ensure that your body retains this very important element.

The body makes Glutamine, however when the body is undergoing periods of stress, Glutamine might be used at a pace faster than the body can produce it. When this occurs, it is imperative to take supplements. Some of the symptoms of low levels of Glutamine include depression, tiredness, loss of energy, increased risk of sickness, and developing infections. Though Glutamine might be exhausted from the body through sickness, it can also result from Over Training Syndrome. Many fitness enthusiasts make the mistake of over training at some point, and it is imperative that supplementation is used to prevent the harmful effects of Over Training Syndrome.

Effective dosage for Glutamine is between 8 and 20 grams. This can be taken in smaller increments, several times throughout the day. It is important to realize that excessive amounts of Glutamine will be excreted through the urine, so it is not advised to take more than 20 grams per day. Glutamine has a direct effect on the Immune System and by taking Glutamine after working out; you will increase muscle recovery and prevent exercise related illness.

It is the depletion of Glutamine that is the underlying cause of exercise related illnesses. For those who expend a great deal of energy exercising, or performing endurance related activities for extended periods of time, developing post exercise related illness is common. As Glutamine stores vanish, the body is left with a weakened and compromised immune system and is vulnerable to illness. Taking Glutamine and utilizing other healthy tips can help prevent these illnesses from occurring. In addition to regularly taking Glutamine other steps that you can take include making sure you get plenty of sleep each night, taking Vitamin C on a regular basis, avoiding excessive or over training, and keeping your life free from stress. Always consult with your health care professional regarding any supplements that you are taking.

If you are not comfortable with taking supplements, there are others ways you can get Glutamine into your body. Food is a great way, and who does not like food? Some dietary sources of Glutamine include fish, milk, beef, chicken, wheat, beans, beets, cabbage and parsley. So whether you eat meat or not there are some ways you can get glutamine into your body so you can recover those muscles from a hard workout. Especially if you are doing a workout like Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer or Shaun T's insanity workout,

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

10 minute workouts

So there are tons of workouts out there, you can find them on the television, the internet, newspapers, even at your local gyms, but if you do not have time for working out what is the point? Even though you might not have tons of time to workout, it is still very important that you get some exercise, some muscle workouts in if you can, that is why 10 minute workouts are so important and great. There are a lot of specialized workouts out there for people who want to work on specific areas of there body, like 8 min abs, buns of steel and so on. But very few 10 minute workouts specialize in full body workouts.

Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer is probably one of the best 10 minute workouts out there. It comes with multiple workouts that will give you one of the best workouts you can have in ten minutes. The great thing about the 10 minute trainer is that you can stack the workouts. Since there are multiple workouts that are ten minutes long you can do just one workout, or if you have more time do three workouts for a total of 30 minutes. It is all up to you, it is the most flexible workout plan out there. There is even a guide that helps you choose how to stack your workouts. 10 minute trainer even comes with a resistance band and nutrition guides to help you eat healthy while you workout.

There really is no other workout like it. It will challenge you like crazy, plus help you get in the best shape you've probably been in for a long time.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Shaun T Insanity - Who can get insanity?

So with a title like Insanity with Shaun T, it would probably be a great idea to ask yourself, "Can I do the Insanity workout?" Let me tell you first off that this workout program like P90x is not for everyone. This is a very extreme workout program, and you should take every caution in pursing it if you are having doubts about your ability.

For the most part the Insanity workout is for people who have had excess fat that they have not been able to get rid of. I am talking about people who have a daily workout routine, who are in pretty good shape, but they cannot quite get the figure they have been working for. I am not saying that overweight people cannot do this workout, because most people are overweight, but if you are really out of shape and more than just overweight, this program is definitely not for you. I hate to shatter your dreams, but it would not be safe for someone to do this who is not ready. There are other great workout programs out there other than the Insanity workout, that can get you great results and help you get on the path of losing weight and staying healthy. The Insanity workout is not going anywhere, so if some day you feel like you can do the Insanity workout, than go for it.

A great way to know if you are ready for the Insanity workout is to do the fitness test, the only problem is that you might have to buy the program to do the fit test. You can always return it if you do not feel ready for it, or keep it for when you are ready to do it. Before making the decision to pursue the Insanity workout, or any extreme workout, you should always consult your physician first.

If you re wanting a great challenge and ready to finally get the results you want, than the Shaun T insanity workout is definitely the workout you want.

Get Insanity

Monday, July 27, 2009

Home Workouts That Will Get You Ripped

With some inexpensive equipment and a little know how, there are several upper body exercises that can be beneficial to your at home workouts. They are great for building upper body strength as well as helping with over all fitness.

Dumbbell exercises are great way to strengthen your upper body. Beginners may want to start out with a lighter weight such as a 5-pound or 7-pound set of dumbbells, while a more advanced exerciser may want to use heavier dumbbells such as 10-pound or up sets of dumbbells. Use lighter weight dumbbells for exercises such as biceps curls, triceps extensions and shoulder shrugs. You will want to use heavier weights for your larger muscle group exercise like rows. A couple of examples of these exercises are the biceps curl and triceps extension. Bicep curls are done by holding the dumbbells in the palms of your hands and pulling the weights from your side to your shoulder. You do not want to move your back, get it as stable as possible. The triceps extensions start with the dumbbells straight over your head; you will then bring the weight back towards the back of your shoulders. You want to do as much reps as you can handle.

Resistant-band exercises, also known as flex-tube exercises, are great for building tone and definition. Resistance bands come in generally three different resistances, light, medium and heavy. For many of the exercises a medium band will offer the most versatility. Many of the band exercises are performed by standing on one end or handle of the band and with the other end or handle in one or both hands. Another way to use the band is to wrap it around a door handle and keep the other handle in your hand. A great example of one of these exercises is the chest work out; you will want to wrap the center of the tube around a rail or door handle, grab the ends of the tube with your hands and extend your arms forward until they are stretched out completely. Try to aim for 2 or 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

If you do not want to use or can't afford dumbbells or a resistance band, you can always just use your own weight. Using your own body weight for resistant can be very useful when it comes to an upper body workout. Push-ups are one of the best upper body exercises known to man. To perform a perfect push-up a beginner should be on there knees and a more experienced exerciser should be on there toes, you use your arms to push your body up as far as your arms can extend, you try to keep your back as straight as possible. You will want to do as many reps as your body allows but please don't over do it.

Whatever upper body workout you choose, the benefits to your upper body and general health will greatly improve with a constant and steady workout. Remember to do only as much as your body can handle and don't over do it. There are also some great Home workout DVDs that can help you get absolutely ripped. Workouts like P90x and Shaun T Insanity are great for your upper body and overall health in general.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Importance of Dumbbells

It might be time to think about letting go of the barbell and start picking up the dumbbells more. I have always been a barbell type of person since I started lifting weights back in high school, but recently I have started working out with dumbbells and I have been challenged more and pushed more. I was so surprised from the change in difficulty, I actually felt a little embarrassed because I could not lift as much with the dumbbells than I could with the barbell, and I felt weak. But that experience helped me to rethink the way I was working out. Was it more important to me to do exercises I was familiar and comfortable with, or was it more important to me to actually challenge myself more, even if it does mean to step out of my comfort zone? But here are five different reasons why we should all decide to give dumbbells a fighting chance.

1. You can do full body workouts - That is right, dumbbells are not just for the arms, you can focus on your core, and they are great for abdominal routines. You can perform lunges, leg workouts, and even target your back.

2. Greater range of motion - Greater range means you can build more strength. With a barbell, especially with chest workouts, the bar limits you when you hit your chest. Dumbbells allow you to go lower than your chest. Why is that important? You will use more muscle fiber, resulting in stronger muscles.

3. You can beat the workout plateau - A workout plateau happens when your muscles have adapted to your workout plan, and you no longer see results, or achieve little results. This plateau time can be very frustrating and many people actually give up on their workouts because of it. But dumbbells can help you blast through that plateau; because there are so many different ways you can use them for just one area of the body. If you are able to mix it up the more successful you will be.

4. Help you stabilize - When you use dumbbells you have to fight to stabilize them, you will become more balanced, and because you are fighting to stabilize you workout all those little muscles that do not normally get worked out from a barbell routine.

5. They are practical - If you have a great set of dumbbells at home, you can use them whenever you have the chance, and since they can give you a full body workout, you do not need a huge piece of equipment in your house that takes up a whole room. You might have to pay some money at first for a nice set, but there are no expiration dates on these, and they are easy to store away.

There are many other reasons to go for the dumbbells, because of the wide variety of dumbbell workouts on the Internet and there have been some in home workout DVD's like P90x and Chalean Extreme that have been released that specialize in dumbbell exercises. There are some wonderful dumbbell exercises that will strengthen and tone your body to look great.

Shaun T Insanity Workout

Shaun T's new workout has been highly anticipated for quite some time now, and it has finally arrived! Insanity with Shaun T will definitely be the workout that will change people's lives. The Insanity workout will help you conquer the battle in your mind, so you can maximize your results and push your body to reach fitness levels you never thought possible for yourself.

Who is Shaun T?

So why should you care about Shaun T's Insanity Workout? The answer to that is, because Shaun T knows what he is doing. He started off getting his BS in Sports Science and a minor in Theater/Dance at Rowan University. Since then he has made quite a name for himself in Hollywood, being on several television shows and movies. He has worked with Mariah Carey, Aaron and Nick Carter, and Elephant Man. He has worked for companies like Nike, Boost athletic shoes, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Shaun T has been widely known for his choreographing and dance moves. It was his dancing that helped him make his first workout programs, Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body, which focused on dancing for a cardiovascular workout. Hip Hop Abs quickly became one of the most successful in-home workout programs out there.

What is up with the Insanity Workout?

Even though Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body were incredible workouts, the Insanity workout is focused on a life changing experience. Insanity is more structured and is a 60-day workout plan. Shaun T's Insanity has been built for achieving strength, stamina and cardio success. If you really want to find out how much you can push yourself, the Insanity workout will help you dig deeper than you ever have before.

The great part about this Insanity workout is that it works! The whole philosophy behind Insanity with Shaun T is called, MAX Interval Training. Olympians and professional athletes around all sports, use Max Interval training to help get their bodies into shape. After 60 days, the results you will experience will be mind blowing, and you will be in the best shape of your life. Max Interval training will make you do long burst of cardio training and short spans of rest, instead of traditional interval training, which has you perform short burst of energy and longer periods of rest.

What Comes With The Insanity Workout?

The Insanity workout makes sure that you are taken care of. It comes with 13 DVD's that are systematically planned out for you to achieve maximum results. Insanity also comes with a fitness guide and diary so you can track your progress, a nutrition guide so you can plan your meals and make sure you have the energy you need to perform the workouts, and a workout calendar, so can easily track where you are in the program. It is important to read through everything before you begin, so you can make a game plan. Insanity with Shaun T Insanity is not for everyone; it is an "EXTREME" workout program, which will kick you butt. So make sure you consult your doctor before deciding to do this workout.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Insanity With Shaun T



It is finally here! Insanity with Shaun T was released on July 9th 2009. If you thought the P90x workout was hard, than you are going to love Shaun T's Insanity workout! The wonderful part about his workout, is that you are going to get into the best shape of your life in just 60 days. The p90x system is 90 days. but Insanity with Shaun T will kick your butt in 60 days. You can burn up to 1000 calories a workout! There is no need for workout equipment, all you need is the weight of your body and a tough mental state of being. The Insanity workout is cardio craziness, that revolves around MAX Interval Training, which mean longs periods of all out energy and short periods of rest. The only thing you might want to get with Shaun T's Insanity workout is a heart rate monitor, so you can keep track on how your heart is doing.

Here are the workouts:

1: Dig Deeper & Fit Test
2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
3: Cardio Power & Resistance
4: Cardio Recovery
5: Pure Cardio & Abs
6: Cardio Abs
7: Core Cardio & Balance
8: Max Interval Circuit
9: Max Interval Plyo
10: Max Cardio Conditioning & Abs

You also get a fitness guide, nutrition guide, a fit test tracker, and a insanity calendar.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Life After The P90x Workout

It has been just a little over 2 months since I finished the P90x fitness routine, so I thought it would be cool to do a follow up to tell people where I am at now and what i am doing. Since i finished the P90x routine I have continued my healthy life endeavor, although I took a little break from working out after i finished, I have picked it back up and improved my health. A week after I completed the P90x routine, I left for two weeks to Honduras. In Honduras I helped with making sidewalks for a school, it was an extremely tough job, because we had to mix the concrete with shovels. The sidewalks combined were probably about 40 to 50 yards long and each about 8 feet wide. We mixed over 100 bags of concrete. The reason I am tell you this, is because I am not sure if I would have been able to work like I did, if I did not do the P90x workout. It seriously prepared me for that hard and back breaking job.

After the trip I got sick and lost ten pounds. Even though that it is not the ideal way on how I want to lose weight, I did not mind it happening. A week after I got back from Honduras I started going back to the gym and working out. I have a few friends that I do workouts with, and I still continue to go to the gym. In the last few weeks I have started another 90 day workout program called Chalean Extreme. It was a really tough decision for me, because I was not sure if I wanted to commit myself to another in-home workout routine like P90x, but I decided to bite the bullet and went for it.

I am around 3 weeks into the Chalean Extreme Fitness Routine and I have enjoyed it. In my opinion it is easier than P90x, but everything is. What I really enjoy about this workout, is that the sessions are only about 30 to 45 long. The P90x sessions were around an hour to an hour and a half. I still feel like I am getting challenged and pushed with Chalean Extreme even in it's 30 minutes. I have been writing my own Chalean Extreme Reviews on my other blog, and letting people know how I feel about it. I definitely feel like it is working, I just need to start eating better.

So that was just quick little blurp on my life after P90x

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The Abs diet



So I finally got my Abs Diet book, I am super psyched to start using it and applying it. But before I get into that, I did a hike on friday, Jeff and my friend Brettany and I went on a hike to poo poo point. I really enjoy hiking, but man...I had a really hard time getting up that mountain, I have done it around 10 times but for some reason I just had an off day. I still made it to the top in normal time, but I really struggled. Went I got to the first landing I almost passed out, but I pushed on and fought the dizziness and I made it to the very top. So that is all i did during the weekend. I attended a birthday on Saturday and then had church and softball practice on Sunday. I also took it easy on Monday, but Yesterday I wanted to start with my new abdominal routines.

So I started reading the Abs Diet Book and it is pretty good, very good writing, and great information. I am learning a lot about the dangers of mid-section fat and how to target my Abs so I can lose that mid-section fat, so I began focusing on a few workouts to target each part of my abdominal region, upper, lower and obliques. I also did around 70 push ups...not at once. I will probably start back up on the ChaLean Extreme workout next week.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

The upper body grind



Yesterday was a great day, I had a great day at work and then I went to the gym and lifted weights and played racquetball. I have been learning to go until my muscles fail with every workout. If I can do one more than I need to try to do two more, once I can't do anymore pull ups or anymore bicep curls, then I know I am done. It makes me more sore the next day, but I am going to see more results the harder I push myself. So yesterday I lifted with Jeff, and we did back and biceps. We did about four workouts on the back and about four workouts for the biceps, we also did some abdominal workouts. It was a tough workout, but it felt great.

I feel like my workouts are complimenting my new diet very well. I am doing a lot of upper body workouts and a lot of abdominal workouts. And since I am doing the Men's Health Abs Diet, it has been going very well. I hope to start seeing results within the first week. I also bought the Abs Diet book, so that should help me a lot.

After the workouts, we decided that we wanted to get some cardio in, but instead of running we played racquetball, and usually I at least win one game, but yesterday i lost both games, it was a huge bummer. I do not like losing. I am not sure if I will be able to fit in a workout today, but I do need to start doing more cardio again. Hopefully my tv gets fixed soon so I can start up my Chalean Extreme workout again. I am glad I did not make a bet like I did with my P90x workout, because if I made the same bet with the ChaLean Extreme workout then I would probably be shaving my legs right now.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Let's get physical



Alright, I went to the gym on Monday and I worked out my chest, triceps and abs. It was a pretty intense workout. It's Wednesday today I am still pretty sore from the workout, my right arm is still pretty sore to from softball practice on Sunday. It's all good though...I like knowing that I just got a good workout. We worked out for about an hour and a half, and switched back and forth between chest and triceps, then we focused on our abs for awhile and after that we did push ups. My arms were so tired I could barely turn my steering wheel and shift my car. Sounds dangerous!! Tuesday I did not think I was going to get a workout in, but around 10:00 pm a friend asked me if I wanted to go on a hike, so we got our head lamps out and booked up a mountain for about an hour, it was super fun. I thought we were going to get attacked by a cougar but besides that it probably will be an experience I will never forget, and I got a great workout. I have not been able to do Chalean extreme lately because my television is broken, but we might be getting a spare tv coming in pretty soon.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Lazy Sunday



So actually it was a pretty lazy weekend, I did not do any workouts at the gym, I did continue to do my ChaLean extreme Workouts on Friday but after that I did not go to the gym at all during the rest of the weekend. I did have about an hour and a half of Softball practice on Sunday, but that is hardly working out, and here in Seattle the weather has been so rainy, you cannot even do any wind sprints to get your lungs in shape. But Today I am going back to the gym, I am working out with Jeff, we are going to do a chest workout and run for a couple miles. So tomorrow I will have a update on my gym workout and my ChaLean extreme workout.

I am also starting a new diet, I usually do a high protein diet, but I am going to switch it up a little bit. I have always wanted to do the Men's Health Abs Diet, so that is what I am going to try. Hopefully it works!! If it does not, than I am never buy another Men's health magazine ever again.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

My ChaLean Extreme Review

I really won't be talking to much about ChaLean Extreme, if you want to read my daily posts just click this link ChaLean Extreme. I will writing more about other workouts I do during the week on this blog. I am on my fourth day with the Chalean extreme workout, and I have also been to the gym a couple times this week. Monday I went to the Gym with Jeff and we did chest and triceps for a little over an hour. It was a tough workout, we probably did the most challenging workout first and after that we had a hard time putting up the weight for every other workout we did. We did an incline bench press with 60 lbs. dumbbells, followed by the bench press. Then we did other workouts that were tough. On Tuesday I did my Chalean Extreme workout and then later on that day, my friends Ben, Jeff and I went on a 4 mile hike. It was tons of fun, when we got to the top there was about a foot of snow. I was not dressed for the occasion, I was in shorts and running shoes. Today I will probably go to the gym and run a few miles, got to keep up my endurance and my heart rate.