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!

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.


 

 

 

 

 



5 EXERCISES FOR A FULLER CHEST

Building a fantastic chest is not rocket science, as made out by some fitness publications and personal trainers. However, it requires a lot of discipline and proper use of some basic exercises. This Circuit is designed to blast your chest from different angles, leaving you with a fuller, stronger chest. The aim is to continue the circuit until you can go no further, so I wont prescribe that you do a particular number of sets.

 

Barbell Bench Press

 

This is a gym staple and  if I was paid a dollar for every bench press rep I see each day I go to the gym, I would be a millionaire by now ( and not only in Nigerian Naira!).

 

Work with wide and medium grips, and go for high reps, increasing the weight as you go until you reach the point where you can only deliver two reps (semi -exhaustion). I usually start out with 20 reps to warm up my muscles before I blitz my chest. The aim of the bench press should be to test your mental and physical mettle, not to showcase your ego, so chuck your ego at the door!!

 

 FLAT DUMBELL FLYE

 

 

The fly helps recruit a greater amount of muscle fibers across your chest than some pressing exercises and improves the "mind-muscle connection" in more novice lifters, allowing them to engage the chest muscles more in other exercises. you should emphasize going really deep on these, getting that stretch. Really feel that at the bottom of it and squeeze it all the way to the top. Try to touch the weight together gently but don't worry about clanking the weights together initially. perform each set to exhaustion.

 

PUSH UPS

 

 

This exercise is supposed to push blood into your pecs and build endurance in your triceps and shoulders, whilst giving your muscles some rest from the weight you've just lifted. Aim to hit 100 reps at least, building your endurance until you can successfully crank out 500 reps in the course of the entire circuit.

 

INCLINE DUMBELL PRESS

 

This exercise helps build your upper chest, giving you that 'shelf' that makes your pecs look impressive. Select a challenging weight and keep the same weight  throughout the circuit, but bring your muscles to failure during each set. Make sure that your elbows never drop past your shoulders as you perform each rep, and squeeze the pecs throughout.

 

BAR DIPS

 

This fairly underrated but highly effective exercise is a fantastic cap to your workout, as it isolates and totally decimates the muscles of your chest, while developing hard core muscle endurance. Bar dips also work on the rear and front deltoids.

 

 

Round off your workout with some stretches to expand your pecs and give you a more defined look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 



5 SECRETS TO BUILDING A BIGGER BENCH

The barbell bench press remains the king of exercises, and the bigger your bench, the greater your bragging rights within the gym. Bodybuilders and people with physique-oriented goals know that a bigger bench equates to a larger, rounder, fuller chest as well as bigger shoulder and triceps muscles. Improving your bench press has the added benefit of building your mental muscle, as it requires a significant amount of fortitude to lift a wright capable of crushing you into the ground.

 

 

 

1. Accelerate

 

Compensatory acceleration training, or CAT, is lifting sub-maximal weight with maximal force, which teaches the nervous system how to recruit more muscle every time you lift. The speed creates the illusion that the weight is lighter than it really is, thus enabling your body to handle greater amounts of weight.

 

2. Add Dead Benches to your routine

 

A dead bench is done in a power rack with the weight resting on the pins set just above your chest. The weight starts at chest level—not in the arms-extended position—and is pressed up as explosively as possible. Because of this, you'll develop tremendous starting strength at the bottom of each rep. 

 

3. Do more sets with Fewer reps

 

Since you're training for a one-rep max, the first rep of every set is extremely important. Even when training with loads as light as 50 percent of max, most powerlifters keep the repetitions low, opting to do more sets to achieve volume when it's needed.

 

4. Build your Arms

You can't press huge weights with spindly arms. in order to avoid injury, you have to build your triceps and deltoids. However, don't forget the biceps because they help stabilize the joints (as an antagonist muscle to the triceps), and strong forearms help you squeeze the bar tightly. This will make the weight feel lighter in your hands.

 

5 Meditate

 

Few people realise that bodybuilders actually need to meditate. Your central nervous system isn't adept in differentiating between a real experience and an imagined one. Set some time aside every day to visualize blasting through maximal weights.

 

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BUILD MASSIVE LEGS WITH THE WALL SIT

"Construction" was a widely despised punishment during my secondary school days, along with squats, isometric arm holds, and a gauntlet of as many sadistic exercises and positions as could be imagined by the human mind. 

 

Looking back, as much as we hated the punishments, we were very strong, we would be woken from bed to run about 10 Km (with the threat of being whipped if you didn't keep pace), and our injuries healed faster. Apparently, what couldn't kill us made us stronger!

 

 

This exercise basically involves sitting with your back against a wall in a squat position, or for the more adept, performing the position in mid air and simply holding the position for as long as you can. It is important that the legs are at a 90 degree angle. Apparently you are not supposed to rest your hands on your thighs, but instead to hold them above your head or even in front of you to work your shoulders. The exercise builds isometric strength as well as endurance in the quads and glutes – a favorite exercise to perform for the running season, or if you're interested in the martial arts.

 

This is one exercise you can perform just about anywhere, with no need for gym equipment. With practice, you should be able to increase your muscular endurance and hold on for longer times. My longest time was above 5 hours ( I had a sadistic prefect standing over me with a belt!!). I wasn't smiling at the end, I assure you.

 

 

 

 

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!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





MARRIAGE AND WEIGHT GAIN

We all see it, a fit and sexy single guy or girl gets married and in a few months gets the spare tire, love handles, pot belly, turkey arms, etc.(If you doubt me, look up your parents pre wedding pictures.)  

Kim +Kanye, 20 years on??

Unfortunately, a recent study revaled that weight gain constitutes the biggest relationship peeve for most couples.

The biggest culprit is the change in lifestyle that happens after marriage. The reason for this is simple; when a person is single, they feel the need to look sexy and attractive, so they adopt lifestyle choices such as dieting and exercise. With marriage and the attendant adjustments however, couples tend to slack off on healthier choices. Your partner may even encourage less-than-healthy habits. "When you're combining lifestyles, sometimes the less active one wins out," says Cheryl Forberg, RD, nutritionist for The Biggest Loser and author of the cookbook Flavor First. for instance when your guy wants you to skip your morning run to sleep in with him, it's easy to roll over and give in.

You don't have to get like this!!!

There's no need to fear, research shows that couples that work out together have a 94% chance of sticking with their fitness programmes. Couples can motivate themselves toward a healthy lifestyle while sharing some emotionally beneficial quality time. In order to do this however, the couples should identify activities which they mutually enjoy. Activities which couples can enjoy together include:

1. Dancing: 

Take a Latin dance class or alternatively, head down to the hippest dance club in town and break out some moves. Avoid too much alcohol and drink lots of water while youre at it (You wouldn't want to do something you'll regret later on!!).

2. Martial Arts

 Taking a martial arts class together helps the couple build a healthy respect for each others physical abilities, in addition they can work out together and provide mutual support to each other in the process.

 

3: Swimming:

 This low impact and enjoyable activity can provide hours of quality and healthy entertainment to the couple, as well as being a wonderful prelude to some bedroom activity (*wink*)

 

4. Biking:

 You and your partner could take a nice bike ride and enjoy the environment together reminiscent of how you hung out with your siblings when you were young.