THE 10-MINUTE DUMBELL WORKOUT

If you're one of those people who find themselves stuck for time, especially in the mornings, then this is for you. Many people erroneously believe that if a program is not complicated, it will not work; however the converse is almost always the case. I have often found that simple workouts composed of basic exercises and compound movements are highly effective for building muscle when you have precious little time to spare.

 

This workout is designed to be executed using dumbells, but you can substitute a barbell in these movements.

 

1. Jumping Jacks:

 

 This is fun, easy and takes little extra space. Aim to carry out 100 jumping jacks in one minute. Try wearing wrist and ankle weights to increase the intensity of your jumping jack workout and workout your shoulders and quads at the same time.

 

 

2. Squats:

 

If you're using dumbells, perform goblet squats. Similar to a front squat, the goblet squat keeps you in an upright position because of the way the weight is positioned. This means you recruit your quads more than your posterior chain, likely causing you to lift less weight than you would in a back squat.  If you're using a barbell. perform back squats. Try to execute 20 reps in 2 minutes with perfect form. The speed of the workout will enhance the muscular benefits, whilst providing a cardio workout at the same time.

 

 

3. Shoulder Press:

 

 

To perform the shoulder press, start with the weight in your hands at about the same height as your ears. Move the weight directly over your head. Keep your abs tight and posture completely upright. Make sure the weights don’t float to the sides or out in front of your body. That will decrease control of the weight.  The exercise finishes with your arms straight and your biceps by your ears. Lower the weight down slowly and under control. Perform 20 reps in 2 minutes.

 

4. Bench Press:

 

 

This is a staple of the fitness regime, it develops your pectorals, anterior deltoids, trapezius and latissimus dorsi. Try to execute 30 reps with a manageable weight in 3 minutes.

 

5. Salute to the Sun

 

I've written an article on this yoga sequence which is highly effective in working the entire musculature. It is a wonderful way to cool down whilst keeping your muscles supple. Use this as a cap to your workout,

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BULK YOUR ARMS WITH CALISTHENICS

 

Just as with abs, bar work is your best friend when it comes to arms, particularly biceps, which get a better workout from chin-ups than from all the curls in the world. Because you're pulling far more weight than you would typically curl, the gains are astronomical, and the choices are infinite.

 

Do them all—overhand pull-ups and underhand chins, wide-grip and narrow, thick bar, switch grip, and hanging from irregular objects—and you'll create amazing tensile strength and powerful connective tissue. Combine the grip training you get from bar work with advanced push-up variations—fingertips, knuckles, back-of-hands—for forearms that would make Popeye jealous.

It can take any number of machine-based isolation-style exercises to hit the arms (and chest and shoulders) from as many angles as good old-fashioned dips. Performed deep, with full range of motion, the results are undeniable. Try as many different hand widths as possible for maximum results. They can also be done on a bench or straight bar. Have some fun!

BEDROOM HEAT: SEX TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES

 

From interviews with many individuals I've found that lots of couples are sexually unsatisfied; the effect of this often leaks into other aspects of their lives and sometimes manifests in cheating.

 

In order to forestall the negative effects of this unfortunate state of affairs, I'm going to dig into my storehouse of information in order to unearth some tips and tricks which couples can experiment with in order to steam up their sex lives.

 

 

1. Use Props

 

Work with heat and cold; suck on an ice cube and gently blow and suck on sensitive areas of the body apart from the major erogenous zones (earlobes, the side of the neck, the inner bicep, the bottom of the abdomen, the crook of the elbows). Alternatively, you could trace patterns along these zones with a silk handkerchief.

 

 

This is not typical of Nigerian men, but you can work with bondage and blindfolds. The loss of control and sensory deprivation heightens sensations to delightful highs. However, tone down on any sado-masochistic tendencies, this can scare Nigerian men away.

 

 

2. Ladies, get more aggressive

 

Periodically let your inner animal out and turn your guy on to some seriously primal passion. Discussions with several lady friends have revealed to me that lots of guys are really boring in the bedroom, relying heavily on the 'proper' missionary position. Treat your guy to a rough massage as you knead, rub, and trail your nails over every inch of his body; don't be afraid to use a little force, men are far tougher than you think.

 

Guys hate using condoms, so practice putting a condom on with your mouth. It's an old hookers' trick and men love this. Here's how it goes:

a. Hold the condom so the rolled edge is facing you.
b. Place it between your lips and teeth that way. Stick your tongue in the middle so tongue-in-condom pokes out just a bit.
c. Put tongue-in-condom on the head of the penis. (If you want to train for this before the actual event, practice on a banana.)
d. Cover your teeth with your lips and ease your mouth over his penis until the condom is unrolled. Make sure you leave some space at the top for semen, and avoid biting or tearing the condom.

 

 

Tell your guy that you want him to take you from behind. But don't make him do all the work. Move your pelvis back and forth in sync with his thrusts, so your bodies are slapping against each other when they make contact. This may shock the more wimpy guys, but he'll quickly be forced to either pull out new skills from his bag of tricks, or upgrade his bedroom game.

 

3. Get up to speed with your Pillow talk

 

 

Many men love a woman who can hold a conversation. Read newspapers, the Financial Times and The Economist to stay abreast of world events. Keeping your partners mind occupied is a fast track to deeper intimacy.

Men, understand that snuggling does not imply that you're weak, rather it portrays you as strong, masculine and willing to protect your woman. Sometimes you just need to hold her close and  listen intently to the days activities.

 

4. Keep in Shape

 

Perform exercises to develop core muscles and pelvic muscles (internal grip), thigh muscles and balance - crucial for effective bedroom play. Use cardiovascular exercises like the stairmaster, cycling, and running to build your heart and lungs into the shape required to ensure that you're not tired until your partner is fully satisfied. Weight exercises and yoga are fantastic for building the muscular endurance and flexibility required to manipulate your body into the positions required to elicit screams from your partner.

 

I hope these tips are helpful in steaming up you sex life. If they aren't, then you have a serious problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE WAYNE WAY: TRAIN LIKE THE DARK KNIGHT

I have always wondered how hard would Bruce Wayne have had to train to perform optimally in the batsuit, especially against physically and mentally superior foes such as Ras' al Ghul (don't get me started on Bane).

 

 

Bruce Wayne is a skilled gymnast and advanced martial artist. He is 6'1", 210 pounds, and somewhere between 35-43 years old.  Lets say he has 6% body fat, which means he has about 197 pounds of lean mass.

 

He starts his week with 30 minutes of meditation and runs 20 miles in 30 minutes. He then stretches for 30 minutes and spars for 30 minutes. He then proceeds to clean and jerk a 262lb barbell 24 times and finishes off with 50 pull ups.

 

Leave me alone Catwoman, I'm benching

 

 

On Monday, he executes 5 sets on a 20ft rope climb (helpful for building upper body strength to swing on those infernal grappling hooks). 84 high box jumps, 30 minutes on gymnastic rings, and 1 hour working the heavy bag and sparring gets him into combat shape.

 

 

On Tuesday, he cranks out 3 sets of 100 pushups, followed by bench pressing 8 sets of 30 reps with 360lbs. Then he tones his arms with 3 sets of 10 renegade rows. He finishes with 1 hour of Tai jutsu.

 

Wednesday is dedicated to meditation and weapons training. Bruce practises with the rattan, the bo staff, and the katana, fully understanding that he will have to do battle against Ras al' Gul, his arch nemesis. Weapons training strengthens the mind-body link, enabling him to respond quickly and efficiently to multiple martial art styles.

 

On Thursday, he prepares for the day by meditating for 30 minutes, before loading the bar for 3 sets of 8 barbell presses. He spends time on the ring perfecting his Maltese cross and muscle ups. He them cranks out preacher curls, supersetting with tricep kickbacks. He needs strong arms to lift heavy weights off people.

 

On Friday, Bruce trains his core by flipping heavy tractor tyres. He then swings a 30lb sledgehammer against the tyre. He then proceeds to slam down 1000lbs on the leg press (yeah, that's how he builds those phenomenal quads!).

Saturday, he stays in and watches TV, even Batman needs an off day. He calls Catwoman over for some 'mutual exercise'.

Now, thats how you build a superhero!

 

 

 

 

 

 

GET RIPPED LIKE FRANK MEDRANO

Frank Medrano is a legend in the fitness space. The sheer scale of muscle definition he sports beggars belief, but that pales into insignificance when compared to his ability to control his core and use it to perform exercises which most people are simply unable to to perform.

 

 

Frank builds his impressive body by blending high intensity weight training with calisthenics. He quickly cemented his reputation as the king of calisthenics through his YouTube videos. His videos are especially captivating as he continues to do things with his body that most would consider to be impossible. Through vigorous body weight exercises Medrano challenges his body to obtain the unthinkable.

 

Getting your body into the shape, strength and definition attained by Frank is a function of time and discipline. A beginner routine would look like this:

20 Diamond push ups
20 Regular push ups
20 Wide push ups
20  Eagle push ups
25 Pull ups
25 Tricep Dips
30 reps of Barbell curls with the heaviest weight you can manage with perfect form
30 reps bench press with the heaviest weight you can manage
50 reps of Bodyeight Squats

This workout will leave you sore for a few days, so make sure you take out a day to rest and feed your muscles. Try upscaling your workouts each week and observe how your body will change into a phenomenal machine in a few months.


 

 

 

 

 



JOHN CENA: THE EVOLUTION OF A SUPERSTAR PHYSIQUE

No matter what you may think of him, arrogant self promoter, skilled entertainer, talented businessman. You cannot help but admire the staying power and star quality of John Cena, former WWE Heavyweight champion. He is one wresler who was able to remain in shape all year round; since his retirement from the WWE, Cena has shown a different side to his personality.

 

Cena shows that a bodybuilder can always get bigger, better and stronger if he's willing to put in the work and disclipines himself to follow good habits. There are no upper limits to your physical potential. At the start of his career, John Cena was a muscular guy. Notice in particular the more defined pectoral muscles, the relatively smaller shoulder blades and more defined ab muscles.. However, he was not quite as big as he has become. Cena certainly has done some incredible feats of strength in the ring, including a bodyslam on the Big Show.

It is worth noting that Cena has not fallen foul of the Wellness Program during his time in the WWE, despite claims that he used steroids to facilitate his muscle growth.

 

Hormones and steroids, when combined, give an illusion of health and physique, and yet as has been sadly shown, many wrestlers have paid the ultimate price in recent years. Steroids, when used excessively, cause the body to break down and pressure is placed on the heart and other organs. Those that see these drugs as mere stepping stones are kidding themselves that they are somehow healthy.

 

 

THE EVOLUTION OF FLAVOUR

He is the uncrowned king of Highlife music.

 

 

As an exponent of the hip-hop/highlife movement, Chinedu Okoli aka Flavour N'abania is a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian music industry. However, our interest in this talented superstar lies in his transfiguration from skinny musician to musical Sex symbol. 

 

Apparently someone told him to hit the gym. 

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