HOW TO LIFT WEIGHT FOR MAXIMUM DEFINITION

A lot of people want to change their bodies, we all want to burn fat, get lean and remain healthy. However, this cannot be achieced merely by jumping on the treadmill and running till kingdom come.

If you really want to lose weight and gain quality muscle, you need to tone down on the treadmill and hit the weights (and I'm not talking about those itty bitty weights). To build quality muscle, you need to use weights which are at least 25% of your body weight. This means that if you weigh 100kg, you should lift at least 25kg in weight.

 

Weight training helps speed up your metabolism, burning more calories than if you merely performed cardio. It also strengthens your bones, reducing the possibility of contracting osteoporosis in the long term. It also improves your coordination and balance, improving your strength and muscular endurance.

 

In order to build definition, you need to lift weights that weigh approximately half your one rep maximum ( This is the amount of weight which you cannot lift more than once). Thus if your one rep max is 90kg, then you need to lift about 45 kg to define your muscles.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8-12 reps for muscular strength and 10-15 reps for muscular endurance. They also recommend training each muscle group 2 to 3 times a week. But, the number of times you lift each week will depend on your training method. In order for muscles to repair and grow, you'll need about 48 hours of rest between workout sessions. If you're training at a high intensity, take a longer rest. Perform at least 1 set of each exercise to fatigue although you'll find that most people perform about 2-3 sets of each exercise.

 

 

ARE YOU WASTING YOUR TIME????

IT IS an all too familiar warm-up routine for most gym-goers.

Slip on your trainers, stretch off  your muscles … then  choose your music, untangle your headphones, check your messages and make sure your water bottle is full.

But fitness fans will waste 21 minutes of each hour on activities that simply burn up time rather than calories, a survey has found.

Chatting and adjusting clothes are other popular procrastination tactics which help the typical gym member waste around 35 per cent of each visit - spending only 39 minutes an hour actually exercising.

The poll found that up to 55 per cent of gym members fiddle with their phone or iPod to work out the music to go with their session.

30 per cent of regulars take as long as ten minutes to sort out their headphones, according to the survey of 1000 adults.

Up to a third (32 per cent) admit they regularly interrupt their routines to chat to other gym-goers.

Other time-wasting habits to emerge from the study include the constant refilling of water bottles, adjusting clothes and trainers and checking phones.

Kevin Yates of fitness chain Harpers, which carried out the survey, said: "Your time at the gym shouldn't be spent untangling headphones, choosing music or checking your phone, and we hope this makes gym-goers more aware of the time they spend exercising and the time they spend not exercising."

 

 

WHAT SELF DEFENCE STYLE SHOULD I PRACTISE?

There are a few things to consider before choosing the martial arts style that's best for you.

Are you only interested in getting a good workout or in better shape before stepping foot in a martial arts studio? If so, then a cardio-kickboxing class might be the right choice for you. Cardio-kickboxing is a great way to introduce yourself to martial arts, and there's probably a class offered at your local gym. You won't learn intricate techniques, but you will build up the musculature and stamina needed for a lot of martial arts.  Getting in better shape and feeling stronger will definitely give you a huge boost if you decide to try a traditional form of martial arts.

You shouldn't worry about getting hurt (besides the occasional bump or bruise), but you still need to consider your comfort level when it comes to getting ‘up close and personal’ with someone you don't know. If you're ready to dive right into some hardcore fighting, then you might want to try Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, or Krav Maga. If you want to learn a martial art at a less aggressive pace, then Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun Kung Fu might be more to your liking.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a streamlined form of grappling designed for maximum impact that includes choke holds and limb locks. It's very intense and not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for self-defense, it can't be beat. There are belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but you won't be learning forms or katas to advance. Advancement in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu depends on how well you spar, which means you’ll have to prove your ability on the mat.

Muay Thai kickboxing will literally kick your butt, and it's one of the best standing fighting styles out there. And like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you'll only advance by actually fighting in the ring. There are a lot of schools offering "mock" Muay Thai that's really just a blend of other fighting styles, so make sure the school you choose has certified Muay Thai instructors.

Krav Maga is the official self-defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces, and it's specifically designed to teach you effective and practical hand-to-hand combat techniques. It's an amazing workout, and most schools have great programs for women.

You'll do a whole lot of kicking in Tae Kwon Do, but you'll also have to learn about the spiritual side of the martial art. Tae Kwon Do is very popular, so you probably won’t have any problem finding a program in your area.

Karate is the term most associated with martial arts, but there are a variety of styles of Karate to choose from. Karate styles are based on striking with both hands and feet, and you can find styles that emphasize either the more philosophical or combative aspects of the art.

Wing Chun Kung Fu is a martial art that emphasizes close-range striking and combat techniques, and legend tells that it was developed by a woman. Bruce Lee originally trained in Wing Chun, and if you've ever seen a martial arts film where the star is practicing on a wooden dummy that has sticks jutting out, he was probably practicing Wing Chun.

Capoeira is fantastic way of building self defence skills, whilst gaining cardiovascular fitness and advanced muscle development. As a street based martial art, it emphasizes close quarters sparring and creative offensive and defensive techniques.

In order to advance in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, or Wing Chun, you'll have to learn forms or katas, which are a specific series of complex movements. If the idea of have to actually fight to advance doesn't appeal to you, then you might want to one of those three styles.

Everyone is a beginner at some point, so you shouldn't be nervous if you've never punched or kicked anything before. At the end of the day, a martial arts studio is a business that needs new clientele in order to thrive, and women mean big business. Most studios will offer free or low-cost introductory lessons, programs for beginners, and programs designed specifically for women, so do a little research beforehand and find a studio that has a variety of options that suit your needs

LOSE THOSE FLABBY ARMS!!! Part 1

They have many names, but they are best known as 'Christian mother' arms. Flabby triceps have been a bother to many women for centuries, irrespective of race. These arms have caused lots of embarrassment to individuals and with time, can affect a persons confidence.

 

Side plank reverse fly. This is a great exercise for building overall upper body strength. Although it doesn’t target the arms specifically, it will help build the necessary strength to do other arm-specific exercises. It is also fantastic for the oblique muscles along your side.

 

To perform the side plank reverse fly:

1. Lie down on your side on the floor and prop yourself up with either your hand or elbow. The elbow is an easier option for beginners.
2. Stack your feet one on top of the other and lift your hips off the floor so that your body form a diagonal line.
3. With your free hand, grab a dumbbell and extend your arm straight up, keeping it in line with your shoulder.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbell in front of you, until your arm is perpendicular to your body.
5. Slowly raise the dumbbell back up, forming a “T” shape with your arm and the dumbbell. You have now completed one repetition.

Variations: Instead of stopping when the dumbbell is perpendicular with your body, you can keep going, rotating your body and twisting the dumbbell underneath, before returning to the starting position.

 

Clean Push ups. The push up is a pretty basic exercise, and one that most people have attempted at some point in their lives. It’s an exercise that has stuck around for a reason – it works. Push ups target the tricep muscle in your arm, although they also strengthen your pectorals, abdominals, quads and lower back, making it a great overall exercise.

 

To perform a basic push up:

1. Lie face-down on the floor, keep your legs together and prop your feet up on your toes and the balls of your feet.
2. Place your hands palms-down on the floor, approximately a shoulder width apart.
3. Raise yourself up, using just the strength in your arms, until both arms are fully extended. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to your heels. This is the start and end position for the push up.
4. Slowly lower your body to the ground until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Inhale as you lower down.
5. Slowly raise yourself back up into the extended arm position, exhaling as you do. You have now completed one repetition.

Variations: You can vary the basic push up exercise in a number of ways. If you’re just starting to build up strength in your arms, you can make the exercise slightly easier by keeping your knees on the ground throughout the exercise. You can also try a triangle push up, where your hands form a triangle with your forefingers and thumbs, directly below the breastbone.

 

 

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF WEIGHT TRAINING

 

 

A little weight training may go a long way toward helping improve the heart health of black men, new research suggests.  Just six weeks of resistance exercise appears to have a positive impact on the blood levels of key indicators for inflammation, immune response and/or artery shape among black men. Such indicators, or “markers,” are known to rise in conjunction with tissue damage, infection and stress. But after weight training, levels of two of the markers dropped in these patients.

 

If you are venturing into the gym after a long hiatus, here are a few simple tips to help your return to activity be a safe and injury-free one.

 

 1. Have a goal and a plan.

 2. Remember to start slow and expect soreness, not pain.

 3. In the first two weeks back to the gym, walk away from the table hungry. That means to leave the  workout knowing you could have done more, but don’t.

 4. Drink plenty of water throughout the day 

 5. Give yourself a few minutes a day to perform some light stretching.

 

Initially, your muscles and tendons will stiffen in the early weeks of exercise.

 

SUPER SOLDIER TRAINING

I have long wondered what it would take to build yourself into a super soldier, an individual with superior mental and physical capabilities operating well beyond what is considered humanly possible. A person with immense strength and endurance, supplemented with impressive fighting skills. I have studied the training styles of warrior civilizations whose status as Super soldiers have been respected by their bitter enemies. Civilizations such as the Zulu, Spartans, the Vikings and the Ninja (arguably the best warriors of all).

I have been working on developing the super human endurance and strength of a super soldier whilst retaining superior mental alertness.

 

Stamina

The Supersoldier needs a very high level of stamina to perform at an optimal operational level, as they are constantly on the move and must have an unending supply of energy. A shoulder should be able to march for hours and still retain the strength to deliver a good fight when he confronts his enemy.

 

Stamina can be built in two ways, by rowing and by walking. Rowing exercises in addition to working your heart and lungs, require you to pull with your arms and drive with your feet, thereby building your biceps, trapezius, hip flexors, quadriceps and calves. Try rowing 10,000 meters in 20 minutes, and I can assure you that every muscle in your body and mind will scream for respite within the first 5 minutes.

 

Brisk walking helps you build the cardiovascular and muscular endurance required to build a super soldier constitution.

 

 

 

Strength

 

 

The kind of strength required by a super soldier is not built through conventional bodybuilding. He has to haul heavy equipment for miles, whilst ensuring that it does not impede his combat abilities. His physical strength does not stand alone, it walks side by side with mental toughness.

 

You will be training 4 times per week, focusing on one of the following lifts each day: squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press (military press or seated Behind the neck press). Other important lifts include barbell rows, pullups, Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, front squats, barbell curls and the close grip bench press. Keep rest periods very short.

 

Becoming a super soldier is not a day's job, you've got to place one foot in front of the other and give 110% ON EACH REP. Within a few weeks, your hard work will manifest in a high performance body.

 

 

 

BODY SCULPTURES

These individuals have sculpted muscle into works of art, building strength and athleticism at the same time.

 

Moorea Wolfe

This fantastic looking girl from Arizona has been training and competing in bodybuilding since the early 2000’s, having started at age 19. She started out dancing and competing in gymnastics before she moved on to fitness competitions. On top of her competitive career she has also worked as a personal trainer.

 

 

Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya, Jane Mukami is probably the sexiest female body builder in Kenya. Currently residing in Atlanta, Jane also known as ’fitkenyangirl’ could be pass for a model with her sexy and trim shape.

 

Charlize Theron












 

 

GYM BELLE: GINA CARANO

 

 

The name Gina Carano may not ring any bells - unless you're an MMA enthusiast, in which case she's a household name. But if you've watched Fast and Furious 6, then you would recognise her as Agent Riley, the really hot female FBI officer who betrayed Agent Hobbs (The Rock).

 

 

Carano, 31, a former stunt professional on the TV game show "American Gladiators," was ranked among the top mixed martial arts fighters in the world before she retired to work in Hollywood. Her breakthrough: a starring role in the Steven Soderbergh-directed 2011 thriller "Haywire."

 

At the age of 21 Gina began training in Muay Thai, a form of Kickboxing, with Master Toddy at the suggestion of then boyfriend Kevin Ross. In pursuit of a life-changing experience he ended up at a local Las Vegas Muay Thai Gym and she tagged along. A trainer approached her, telling her point blank that she was fat and needed to lose weight. She weighed around 175 lbs. and had no direction at that point in her life. She began training and became addicted. Master Toddy saw potential in the way Gina handled herself. She took naturally to fighting with strong punches, deadly elbows and knees, a impressive overhand right, and rib-cracking hard kicks. Immersing herself completely in the sport, she advanced quickly. Months later she found herself in a "fight club" situation in San Francisco where she took on any female fighter plopped down in front of her. Since then she hasn't looked back.Her Muay Thai career is comprised of an impressive 12 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw and she becomes the first American woman to win a title in Thailand. Classified by the Unified Women's MMA Rankings as the third best 145 lb (66 kg.) female fighter in the world, her current MMA record stands at 7 wins and 1 loss.

 

Gina is engaged to Henry Cavill (Aka Superman) Henry and Gina are the epitome of fitness in the realm of entertainment. Both have physically fit features, stays active and a herald a lifestyle that could apply for fitness models.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN WEIGHTS

It sometimes happens that you want to train, but can't find any weights within a mile from your location; or you just dont want to pay those high gym subsrciption fees. In such situations, it helps to be ble to build weights for yourself using readily available and inexpensive material. In this article I will discuss 3 ways to improvise and build your own weights.

 

1. Milk Gallon Dumbells: Take 2 one gallon (or 5 litre) plastic milk jugs/oil jugs/water jugs and fill them with sand or water. This should give you about 5kg of weight. Use them to perform each exercise to failure i.e till your muscles cannot perform another rep. Milk jugs can also be used like kettlebells, providing you with the benefit of a kettlebell workout, without the attendant cost.

 

You can take this exercise to the next level by creating heavy weights for deadlifts and squats with 25 or 50 litre cans. This will provide you with fantastic gains at a fraction of the cost of maintaining a gym subscription.

 

Work It

 

 

2. Concrete Dumbells: I started out with these and I'm a big advocate of this inexpensive fitness option. You can make your own crude weights using just cement, gravel, toilet paper/paper towel rolls, and a bucket.

• Place the cardboard roll in the center of the bucket, and pour the mixed concrete into the bucket. The granite increases the weight.
 
• Once the concrete has dried, cut the bucket off and you now have a weight disc to put on your barbell.
 
• Cover the concrete with epoxy paint to prevent it from cracking, and make as many as you want.

Alter the thickness of the concrete and the size of the bucket to change the weight of the disc. To determine how much each weighs, place it on a scale once it has dried. You can make some pretty heavy weights for the cost of a couple of concrete bags.

 

 

 



 Sandbag Weights: To do this you need the following, Empty rice or sugar shipping sack (the local supermarkets sell them, they are like potato sacks), Sand, Duct tape, Rope, an old duffel bag (optional).

Steps:

1.  Fill the sacks with sand until desired weight is reached. (use a bucket so that you can fill to the top and have an equal distribution of sand in both sacks).
2. Tie a loop at the top of the sack.
3. Use the rope to tie and secure the loop so it doesn’t open
4. Reinforce the bottom and sides of the sack with duck tape
And that is all, rinse and repeat to make as many weights as you want.

 

CORE EXERCISES TO PREVENT BACK PAIN

Back pain is a problem for many people, and whether it is a chronic condition or an intense flare-up of an occasional problem, finding a remedy that relieves it and prevents it can sometimes be a challenge. Instead of treating yourself with pain medications that will only wear off, requiring you to medicate again, take advantage of some exercises that might help you with your back pain. In addition to making you feel better, physical activity and basic exercises can even prevent pain from returning. If the pain is intense or does not go away, make sure you consult your doctor or a chiropractor.

 

While the common suggestion is often to “rest” when you are experiencing back pain, a little activity might actually do more for your back than bed rest. You want to train your back to function properly again, and the best way to do something simple, like walking. You will want to avoid any strenuous activities or exercises that might have triggered the pain in the first place.

 

Be cognizant of your breathing and breathe air into the lowest point of your belly. You may not think how you breathe has an impact on your core, but it makes a big difference. Most people "shoulder breathe" by elevating their shoulders and lifting their rib cages to let air in. This is erroneous because the diaphragm can't do its job effectively. It also limits the function of the inner core—the muscles affected most powerfully by breath.Breathe this way when lifting, walking, sitting, reading, and talking.

 

Think about your posture too. The nerves around your spinal column can easily get pinched or compressed if you do not have good posture, creating additional pain on top of what you are already experiencing.  Walk with your back straight, your shoulders back and your head up. This will keep your back aligned and not hunched. This will protect your back and stomach muscles from deteriorating.

 

The core is a collection of muscles which stabilize and move the spine. Purposeful core action requires understanding its function. The core stabilizes and protects the spine by creating stiffness that limits excessive movement in any direction—most notably extension, flexion, lateral flexion, and rotation. In lifting terms, the core's responsibility is to limit movement. Core training should be in the moderate rep range for best growth. No more endless reps of crunches and sit-ups like you've done in the past. Focus on sets in the 8-15 rep range. Here are some exercises to help you build the muscles that comprise your core.

 

Dumbbell Side Bend: 1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest

Exercise Ball Crunch: 1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest

 

 

Flat Bench Leg Pull-In: 1 set of 30 seconds + 15 seconds rest

 

 

 

 



GYM BELLE: ABBYE 'PUDGY' STOCKTON

 

Abbye “Pudgy” Stockton was a pioneer of women’s body-building, and she did much to increase interest in weight training among women.

 

Pudgy was anything but pudgy. She had a strong looking, well-proportioned and athletic build, and she radiated good health and vitality. She was one of the first body-builders to show that weight training can help women look and feel better. She first lifted weights to help tone her body and improve her self image after a period of weight gain lowered her self esteem and reduced her natural beauty. After taking up weight training, Pudgy won the nationwide “Miss Venus” contest.

 

 

Following her victory, she helped women across the world improve their figures through her “Barbelles” column in Strength and Health, a monthly column which debuted in the July, 1944 issue of the magazine. Pudgy also opened and operated a health studio in Santa Monica, California with her husband Les, a former lifting star.

 

On June 26, 2006 Pudgy passed away. How many of the hundreds of thousands of women today who engage in weight lifting, power lifting, bodybuilding or other form of exercise for health and vitality realize the debt of gratitude owed to Pudgy Stockton? She was a true trailblazer and a woman of strength

 

 

 

5 REASONS WHY YOU ARE NOT BUILDING MUSCLE

Here’s a question I see time and time again in online bodybuilding & fitness forums:

 

“Hi, I have been working out for X months and I have only gained Y pounds. I train hard and have been taking XYZ supplements. I can’t gain weight or get stronger! Please help!”

 

In most cases, after trying to gain weight for several months the person will quit. That’s a pity, because the only thing stopping the person from progressing is knowledge. Here are some reasons why many people do not build muscle:

 

 

 

1. You’re not getting enough calories

 

Most people are surprised at how many calories they need just for maintenance! Calorie consumption is the solution to about 90% of the complaints lifters have about not being about to get bigger and/or stronger.  Your body requires a certain number of calories to maintain your current weight. This figure is known as basal metabolic rate (BMR), and varies from person to person depending on your weight, muscle mass, activity level, age etc. If your calorie intake is lower than BMR, you will lose weight. This is known as a calorie deficit. If your daily calorie intake is higher than your BMR, you will gain weight.   You need to remain in a state of calorie surplus to retain and maintain muscle growth.

 

2. You’re not eating the right foods

 

Generally speaking, if you’re eating excess calories every day and training with a decent workout you’ll grow. But, if you’re not eating the right foods, the chances are that you’ll be limiting your potential, putting on excess body fat, and not growing enough lean muscle.

 

The best way to plan your muscle building diet is to split it up into protein/carbohydrate/fat (P/C/F) ratios. Arguably the best ratio of muscle growth is 30/50/20. This mean you’re getting 30% of your total calories from protein, 50% from carbohydrates and 20% from fats.

 

Now all you need to do is spread those amounts over 6-7 meals per day.

 

3. You’re not eating enough meals

 

When you eat is just as important as what you eat. The days of eating “3 square meals” are long gone. Research has shown that eating more smaller meals is not only great for promoting a fast metabolism, but helps maintain, lose, and gain weight. Think of your body like a log fire. If you put too much wood on at once, the fire burns slow and sluggish. But if you gradually add more wood as the fire gets bigger, it burns more efficiently and gets bigger.

 

You should be aiming for a minimum for 6 meals spread at even intervals throughout the day. You want to make these meals as even as possible, but it’s OK to eat a bit more at breakfast/lunch/dinner if you don’t have time during the other breaks.

 

So you’re probably thinking, “I don’t have time to eat all those meals”. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that I could retire. The truth is you can, it just requires a bit for forward planning. There are endless ways you can cook and store food for meals throughout the day. Spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon cooking up your lunches and snacks for the week. Use your imagination and devise tasty and healthy meals to build up that muscle mass.

 

The other option is weight gain shakes. There’s nothing easier than banging some water into a shaker with some powder, having a shake, and drinking. Good meal replacement shakes usually contain around 600 calories with good amounts of protein, BCAAs, glutamine and carbohydrates. It’s literally a meal in a cup. All you need is a few shaker bottles, add the powder before work, then just add water and drink on the job. However, care must be taken not to overdose on shakes as extended overdoses may have negative effects on your kidneys and liver.

 

4. You’re not getting enough water

 

Water is nature’s wonder supplement, it’s essential for a whole host of bodily functions. Many lifters underestimate the importance of being hydrated well before they step into the gym. If you feel dehydrated just before you’re about to train, it’s too late, you won’t be able to rehydrate yourself time. Keeping yourself hydrated should be a priority from the moment you get out of bed. Dehydration is a serious problem, and in extreme cases can lead to death. Here are some signs of dehydration you should look out for:

• Feeling thirsty (obviously)
• Fatigue. Feeling tired for no apparent reason.
• Dry mouth and possible sore throat
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Dark urine with strong odor

Drinking an adequate amount of water is easy, and there’s no excuse why you cannot do it. Just take a bottle wherever you go and keep sipping out of it throughout the day. however take care not to drink excessive amounts of water as it may lead to iodine deficiencies, as well as other less desirable and potentially fatal conditions.

 

Some supplements, like creatine, may lead to dehydration. If you’re using creatine monohydrate you should increase the amount of water your consuming.

5. Your workout routine sucks

Choosing the right routine to suit your body type, training experience and goal is vital. Many new lifters get their workout routines from magazines and articles written by professional bodybuilders. These workouts are not designed for beginners, and will only lead to a lot of wasted time, energy and frustration.

 

A good workout routine needs the following:

 

• Training days arranged to allow for adequate rest
 
• Muscle groups arranged so overtraining does not occur.
 
• Muscle groups arranged so that each muscle can be worked to maximum effect
 
• A good selection of compound and isolation exercises
 
• Good warm up and cool down
 
(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHOCK THERAPY 1: TRAIN INSANE OR REMAIN THE SAME!!!

ARMS

 

Many of us fail to push our arms to the limit. This workout will destroy every muscle fibre in your arms, forcing your body to develop a whole new set of triceps, biceps and deltoid (shoulder) muscles.

 

There are few sensations that even approach the feeling of pushing yourself beyond THAT point you felt you could not reach. You'll feel it today as you feel your muscles push beyond what you thought was there capacity. During this workout, most of the exercises will be carried out till failure, this means the point where you are physically incapable of carrying out one more rep. At this point, you can rest for 10 seconds and drink some water.

 

Warm up:

 

To fully enjoy the benefits of this workout, you will have to start from a point of muscle exhaustion. Therefore, the warmup will consist of the following:

 

10 Sets of 10 Tricep Pushdowns

10 Sets of 10 Bicep Curls

 

 

This 200 rep will leave your arms weeping for mercy, but remember this is just a warm up, the aim to break through your mental barriers and access that reserve of strength and endurance that lies within you.

 

Now we go into the workout proper:

 One arm dumbell preacher curl (2 sets working till failure): This isolates the biceps for a kick ass pump. Make sure you place your feet square on the ground, avoiding the temptation to use your body to heft the weight.

 

 

French Curl (2 Sets working till failure): This will set your already exhausted triceps on fire. Grip one heavy dumbbell behind your head using both of your hands. Lower the weight behind you, until your forearm is parallel to the floor, and then heave it up using the meaty muscles of your triceps.

 

 

T-Curl: This is a merger between the dumbell flye and the dumbell curl. This workout lengthens your biceps, whilst pumping blood into each fiber. Crank out 2 sets, going till failure on each one and having no mercy on your body.

 

 

Dumbell Kickback: You'll carry out 2 sets of 40 reps per arm. By now, I guess you're crying with pain, but remember that your body can take anything, it's your mind that needs to adapt to the pain. This exercise hits the triceps head directly, turning your arms into molten lead.

 

 

 

Pull Ups: Perform a chin-up in three positions: wide grip, normal grip, and close grip. Make sure your palms face toward you to emphasize the biceps. Perform 10 reps for each position, totaling 30 reps.

 

If you get to this point in the workout, you'll probably feel like your arms have been injected with sulphuric acid. That's good, it means you've moved to the next level. Make sure you hydrate properly throughout the workout and consume a lot of protein to help rebuild the  muscle fibers you've just destroyed.

 

Get ready for muscle annihilation!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





5 LAWS OF THE COVER MODEL BODY

culled from Bodybuilding.com

 

For many people, rock-hard six-packs and stunning V-tapers exist only in their wildest fantasies. They think that the ultra-fit models on the covers of magazines are one in a gazillion, and there's no way a normal person with a full-time job and crazy responsibilities outside the gym could ever hope to look like that.

 

This attitude, while pervasive, is B.S.

 

Have you ever been to a fitness expo or physique competition like the Arnold Sports Festival? Have you ever noticed something about the people who gather there? The vast majority of them are fit! In an exposition full of lean, muscular people, the doubters who think fitness is only for the elite few may change their tune.

 

If so many other people can do it, why can't I?

 

It's true that most super-fit people have dedicated at least a part of their lives to the pursuit of health and fitness. Fitness takes time, it takes dedication, and it takes a hell of a lot of hard work. But you know what? No matter your story, your background, or your lifestyle, you have the ability to change for the better.

 

If you're ready to go from covering up your body to being the cover model of your own life story, follow these simple rules:

Push Your Limits To The Limit

James Grage, the co-founder and vice president of BPI Sports, explains that the most essential aspect of changing your body is to train past your comfort zone. 

 

"Most people want to quit when their muscles start to burn or shake with fatigue. Instead of viewing this as the 'downside' of training, reframe your mind and tell yourself that this pain is exactly what you're chasing. You want the burn; you want the discomfort. That's what will enact change in your body."

 

"People want to quit when their muscles start to burn or shake with fatigue. You want the burn; you want the discomfort. It enacts change in your body."

Training hard and with intensity doesn't have to mean spending hours in the gym. Whitney Reid, fitness model and BPI Sport's East Coast Sales Manager, says that pushing it in the gym means you're making your workouts count.

 

"How many people do you see in the gym spending half of their workout on the phone? Get in the gym, put the phone down, and train hard for 40 minutes. You should be completely exhausted when you're done."

 

Just going to the gym isn't enough. Don't cheat yourself by being mentally lazy.

Follow The 90/10 Nutrition Rule

Your nutrition plan is almost more important than your training program, so it needs to be the priority in your healthy lifestyle. However, nutrition doesn't have to be a huge burden.

"Bring Tupperware to work or look at online menus so you know what to order if you go out for a business lunch."

"The biggest stumbling block with nutrition is typically a lack of planning and scheduling. When you're unprepared and hungry, you'll eat whatever is convenient. Plan your meals in advance," says James.

 

If you don't have the time or inclination to prepare all of your meals for the next week, that's OK, but you should plan for your schedule. Cook extra dinner and bring Tupperware to work or look at online menus so you know what to order if you go out for a business lunch.

 

"Setting an extremely strict meal plan and training schedule is great if you don't have a life," says Whitney. "But I travel 10 days or more every month for work so I have to be very flexible with my training and my nutrition. I don't like traveling with 20 Tupperware containers, and I don't really have time to worry about that, so I like to find decent places to eat."

 

Restaurants will be able to adjust their recipes to fit your nutrition needs. Request your chicken breast without sauce or your vegetables steamed without butter.

 

"You have to be able to make adjustments," says James. "If I'm going out to dinner at night, I'm typically a little stricter earlier in the day. If I'm eating clean and healthy 90 percent of the time, then the other 10 percent I don't have to be perfect. "

 

Sound Recovery Takes A Little Work

 

Don't let your fitness resolutions become another statistic. Create a solid game plan with these powerful tools and head into the New Year prepared for battle.

Training should be an important part of your life, but you won't see results if you don't allow your body to rest. It's easy to get excited about your program and want to train 24/7, especially if you're seeing awesome changes. But don't forget that your muscles can't grow unless they're able to recover.
 

Schedule your training regimen to include at least one rest day. Along with allowing your muscles to recover, rest days can be crucial to your mental health and your relationships with other people. 
 

Enjoy your days away from the gym. Concentrate on other things that make you happy so you can maintain balance in your life. Remember, this is no "health kick." You're changing your lifestyle entirely so you can stay fit for the long haul, not just for a few months.
 

A lifestyle change means you need to have a plan that you know you can stick with. Rest days are an important part of that plan.

Supplements Matter

Supplements are an important part of a fitness regimen. They're like the icing on the proverbial cake. If every other aspect of your cake is great, the icing will set it apart.
 

"I like supplements for multiple reasons," says James. "If I'm eating right, supplements keep me accountable to my training plan. It's a simple thing you can do each day to 'initiate' the sequence on your daily fitness process." By making supplementation a part of your nutrition plan, you'll be more likely to stick to both aspects of your fitness regimen.
 

"The other reason I like supplements is the way they make me feel," James says. "When I take a capsule of fat burner in the morning, it primes my system for burning fat, but it also gives me great energy. I'm able to go in and train at my peak level. I really enjoy that extra focus and energy that I get." You can't expect your supplements to make changes for you—they just won't. They can bring out the best in your training and nutrition so you can uncover your best body.

Personalize Your Motivation

Wanting a better body can only get you so far. The "want" has to be bolstered by a meaningful, specific goal. "Once you have an image in your mind of what you want to achieve, then you need to test the strength of that goal by exploring its meaning," says James.
 

"If your goal doesn't have enough personal meaning, then it's never going to give you the long-term motivation you need to create change."

"There's a difference between enthusiasm and motivation. Enthusiasm may come easier, but it's fleeting. Motivation will have your back for the long haul."

If you want a better body, it's important to analyze why. Is it for your growing gut? Is it so you look better naked? Is it to live a longer, richer, healthier life? The reason for your goal should come from beyond the superficial. That way, it's strong enough for you to use for consistent motivation. 
 

"Remember," says James, "a great physique isn't built overnight. It requires consistency and diligence. I always remind people that there's a difference between enthusiasm and motivation. Enthusiasm may come easier, but it's fleeting. Enthusiasm is going to leave you hanging after a few weeks. Motivation will have your back for the long haul."