Friday, 12 June 2009

How To Plan A Workout Routine The Right Way

How To Plan A Workout Routine The Right Way

by Jose R. Farino

Exercising isn't easy to begin with, but it really isn't easy if you don't have a plan of action. The organization process is essential for any routine. You have to know exactly what you're getting into if you're going to be successful in the workout world.

Its important to test out a variety of workouts before picking one to stick with. Any flexibility in your plan will help you make the best decisions and have the best results from your exercises.

You need to make sure that you understand each exercise thoroughly. Familiarize yourself with the positions you'll need to have your body in. You don't want to go about any workout incorrectly as it could cause too much strain on body parts that weren't suppose to be affected. Any injuries that result could be quite serious, so don't take the instructions lightly.

Its also important to understand your muscles limits. Just because your mind thinks its capable of doing something, it doesn't mean that your body can actually handle it.

Don't get too lazy though. There's a fine line between doing whats right for your body and not doing enough. You have to figure out what your body can handle and stay right at the top of that range. Anything over or under wont do you any good.

You cant get stronger if you don't give your muscles a chance to rest, so try not to work out more than every other day. You can alternate between Cardiovascular workouts and muscle building exercises, but don't do either of them several days in a row. You'll minimize your results if you overexert yourself, and you could cause your body some serious harm.

You need to eat enough foods to balance what you are burning. Have a diet full of calories so your body will have enough energy to exercise. Don't overeat, of course, but don't starve yourself either. You cant lose weight if your body has nothing to burn.

Always keep a plan in mind. If you know where you're going, you'll be a lot more motivated to get there. You are the best motivation tool for yourself, and no one will help you out more than you can. Set goals for every workout, and watch as the fat falls off. You'll be a muscle machine in no time.

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Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Making a Plan To Build Muscle Fast

Making a Plan To Build Muscle Fast

by Jose R. Farino

You know that any real success story comes with a plan of action before hand. That goes for working out just as much as it does for anything else. You have to be willing to plan out your exercises before you do them if you are going to achieve quality results.

Versatility is the first step. You have to try out different workouts and routines to figure out which ones will really help you. This may take a little time, but its well worth it. You don't want to spend any more time than you have to on a routine that wont benefit your body.

Its important that you understand each exercise inside and out to prevent possible injury. Even something that seems easy may be more involved than you think. You don't want to go into a workout without being completely knowledgeable about what you're doing because improper body positioning could cause some serious physical damage.

Be sure that you know what your body can actually do. You have to set personal limitations because you don't want to push your muscles past their breaking points. There's nothing wrong with needing to take it easy.

That is unless of course you stop pushing yourself entirely. Don't waste your time working out if you don't plan on building up some endurance. It will seem really hard at times, but its the only way you'll get better. Use caution, sure, but don't forget your goals along the way.

You cant get stronger if you don't give your muscles a chance to rest, so try not to work out more than every other day. You can alternate between Cardiovascular workouts and muscle building exercises, but don't do either of them several days in a row. You'll minimize your results if you overexert yourself, and you could cause your body some serious harm.

You need to eat enough foods to balance what you are burning. Have a diet full of calories so your body will have enough energy to exercise. Don't overeat, of course, but don't starve yourself either. You cant lose weight if your body has nothing to burn.

Always think about the future. You will be surprised how much a little bit of personal encouragement can really improve your results. Stay true to your plan and follow through with every step, even if it seems a little hard. Don't push yourself too hard, but stay motivated enough to reach your goals. You'll be a much fitter and better person for it.

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Friday, 15 May 2009

Muscle building and the importance of getting enough rest

Muscle building and the importance of getting enough rest

by Jon Cardozo

Have you ever noticed that some people spend far too much time weightlifting? In fact, you may be one of those people yourself. It reminds me of when I took some personal lessons from a trainer in a local gym.

While I was there I noticed that there were a few trainees that seemed to be showing up every day and always hung out in the same area. They seemed to be performing the same exercises every day without any rest for the muscles. Meanwhile, I was just there to get some lessons for my trainer.

I've learned a few things about weightlifting, and I've also come to understand some mistakes among beginners. Over training is one of those common mistakes.

There are many symptoms of over training which result when your body experiences total exhaustion in the gym. When you work your body too hard for too long, your entire body will begin to suffer for it.

Even if you don't become sick, you may not be getting the results you want if you spent far too much time in the gym.

The idea here is that you have to give your muscles rest because that is when they actually grow. Weightlifting stimulates the muscle, but the actual growth will occur afterwards.

This process can continue throughout the next day, so if you don't give your body a rest your muscle building efforts will probably suffer eventually. You can tell this is happening if you fail to progress during the next workout. Your body really does need to rest in order to prepare for the next, more challenging workout.

Always be cautious and give your muscles (and your whole body, for that matter) a rest before going back to the gym.

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Six pack abs in a week

Six pack abs in a week

by Tim Tofting

If you have recently been going over a number of reference items on the Internet, or in the real world, you would already have come across the claim that attaining the six pack abs could possibly occur in one week. What's in this hypothesis and can it be done? Unless you get to talk to an individual or you've seen the improvement with your own eyes could you truly know if it is true or not? The following information is generous enough to give you a precise account.

The real problem is that there's no truth to the claim that the flat abs which everyone clearly wants can possibly be achieved in a week. Seven days will not be adequate to shape a not so good looking tummy. This is just a misunderstanding and if you take time analyzing it, fat cannot be converted to muscle in such a short span of time. It's not a cake that you might bake overnight so keep reading to get a more realistic explanation.

The truth is that the best abs ever could just be attained when you join the right routine with that of a good dose of good dietary habits. Indeed, you may be doing crunches as well as sit ups till you perspire like there is no tomorrow however, if you do not have the goal of increasing your metabolism, nothing will proceed properly.

Another myth which is involved in the concept of getting those good looking abs is that you should pump the muscles through doing repetitive sets of exercises. What you need to understand is that all people have abs however the majority of people's are hidden under that unneeded stomach fat so it is only right for you to know that dropping the tummy fat is the key to great abs. The high level exercise will create an effect which would nonetheless set your blood pumping so that the body is ready enough to vanquish that fat in your stomach region.

If you truly wish to shake off that tummy fat of yours, all that you have to do is to burn it off. Dedicate a minimum of fifteen minutes give or take hit the heavy exercises which would specialize on the mid-section. You have two options and they are either to work out the old fashioned way or to use a machine.

The next thing that you must watch out for is the your nutrition so eat the right food at the right time. According to the experts, it is best to take six small servings of meals in one day that will keep your metabolism working at its best so it can burn the fat as well as additional calorie deposits. Eat foods which are abundant in proteins, carbohydrates, and all of the needed fats, although, everything must be in moderation.

Do this for at least two months straight and then you will gradually earn the much desired six pack abs! However, you must be unhurried as well as diligent if you wish to bask in the results the hard work you have put into it.

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Thursday, 14 May 2009

4 Important Constituents of Body Building Supplements

4 Important Constituents of Body Building Supplements

by Angela Giles

A well shaped athletic body is a source of great confidence and pride. Many people engage in body building for this reason and not just for participating in sports. Cutting down fat and developing muscles is not an easy task for anyone. It requires a correct combination of exercise, sleep and diet.

Training for body building requires additional supply of energy and vital nutrients which is only possible by using body building supplements. There are 2 reasons to take these supplements. One is to build strong muscles and second is to restore damaged muscle tissues. Calcium, folic acid, creatine and amino acids are commonly used by body builders. However, nutritional research has produced what are known as 'Super Supplements' which include essential Omega3 fatty acids.

Proteins: These are the most essential components in any bodybuilding program. Muscles are basically comprised of water and proteins. During workouts, muscles are stretched and sometimes the tissues are broken. Proteins help in the repair of damaged muscle tissues. Whey protein, milk protein and egg white protein are common sources of protein supplements. Soy proteins are an alternative used by vegetarians. Most over the counter protein supplements are available in powdered form.

Omega3 fatty acids: Body building programs aim to eliminate fat and increase muscle but in the process they eliminate the essential fats also from the diet which are highly important in maintaining brain functionality. Therefore, it is recommended to take fatty acid supplements in the form of cold water fish oil like that of salmon and mackerel. You can also derive these from pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

Meal replacement: Serious body builders usually replace one normal meal of the day with a low glycemic meal consisting of powdered drink mixes, energy bars and snacks. These foods provide a balanced composition of proteins, vitamins and minerals. They are also low in fat and carbohydrates. A long term body building program must include a meal replacement strategy.

Creatine: This is a natural compound in the body that provides a short burst of energy to the muscles whenever required like for lifting weights. It works by increasing the water retention capacity of muscles which make them stronger and energetic. Creatine also helps in improving brain functions and in reducing mental fatigue. If you are engaging in body building, then you will need additional supplementation of this compound.

Taking body building supplements before, during and after the work-out is critical. Before the workout, the body needs to build an energy reserve and protein reserve that will build muscle mass. After the workout, repairing muscle tissues and reenergizing the body is a priority. In intense training sessions, body builders also consume energy drinks during the workouts. Usana Health Sciences offers a wide range of supplements including drink mixes and energy bars that can be effectively used for meal replacement during training.

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Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Top Fat Loss Secrets for a Lean Stomach and Flat Six-Pack Abs

Do you dream of a lean stomach and six pack abs? In this article I’m going to uncover a few top notch hard-hitting strategies for getting rid of that stubborn stomach fat to uncover those flat six pack abs that everyone wants.

With so many different opinions and methods given to achieving fat loss and build a six pack it’s difficult to decide to what works and what does not work unless you’re well educated in these things. To cut through the mass of information I’m going to mention three things that will work time and time again, no matter who you are. If you work on these three things you will get a six pack of flat lean abs.

The prime ingredient to {stomach fat| body fat|tummy fat| belly fat|abdominal fat} loss and six pack abs is to get control of your diet. If you get control of this and eat a balanced healthy diet you will find it easier to lose that body fat than to flog yourself to death on endless exercises. Don’t get me wrong here - exercise is important, but your diet takes priority when it comes to losing body fat so that you can see your abs.

These days there's tremendous confusion over what constitutes a healthy diet for fat loss. There are so many conflicting messages regarding what is healthy and what is not, complicated by gimmicky and celebrity diet books about low fat, high protein, low carb, fasting, atkins, vegetarian, liquid diets, south beach, and too many more to count. With all this mass of information is it any wonder that the average person is suffering from information overload and doesn't even know where, when or what to start eating for fat loss.

The second important factor that repeatedly works, is to concentrate on working the body as a whole and pay attention to the intensity of your workouts in order to get the greatest metabolic response possible that will work to lose that stubborn stomach fat.

To get the best out of, and to get really lean, these workouts should be high intensity workouts, separated by short rest periods. Rather than isolating small muscles like the biceps, triceps and calf muscle you should try working the larger muscle groups of the body. Apart from anything else this will avoid you ending up looking lop-sided or top heavy.

The third important secret concerns specifically training the abs. if you want real, tangible results forget about the usual crunches and sit-ups. Ok, if you are really out of condition then they’ll do some good. But if you’ve already got some training behind you then they just don’t offer enough resistance to do any good. And it’s resistance that’s the key to developing and toning muscles.



There’s no end of great abs exercises to tone and develop your abs. One I can personally recommend is the Hanging Leg Raise which is a really high resistance exercise, if done properly – unlike how most people in the gym do them. To get the best out of this exercise and really work your abs is to curl your pelvis up while you raise your legs. This is difficult to do at first for most people but with the right training can be learned and is well worth the effort of learning.

When it comes to building a six-pack abs body the biggest mistake I see people making is to get too focused on training their abs. That’s right! I did say get too focused.
Fat
What they lose sight of is the fact that to get a good flat and visible abs six pack you need to get down to a low body fat percentage and especially lose that belly fat. To do this properly you’ve got to promote a fast metabolic rate – a fat burning metabolic rate. Concentrating on training a small muscle group, to the expense of the whole body, just does not increase your metabolic rate.

What’s needed instead is to spend the majority of your workout time training the whole body, focusing on training the large muscle groups like the chest, legs and back. That way your metabolism will get a healthy boost and so will the fat burning hormones. This whole body approach will get you a lot leaner and develop that six pack abs far quicker than concentrating on the abs alone.

Other top exercises that will help you get maximum definition with your abs include any kind of abs hanging exercise. Plus good floor exercises like lying leg thrusts. The whole emphasis is on losing body fat, not direct training of the abs themselves. There are many alternative effective exercises including swings and snatches, dumbell and kettlebell, lunges, step-ups, squats, deadlifts, presses. Basically anything that works on the larger muscle groups used in a high intensity workout.

That’s the three secrets to body fat loss. But I just want to go back to the most important and expand on it a bit. As I said earlier correct diet is the most important factor to belly fat loss and developing an abs six pack. The simple fact of the matter is that these days with our more hectic lifestyles we just do not pay enough attention to our diet. Without going into a boring list of do’s and don’ts, I’ll just make a few general observations. It’s the processing of our food that causes most problems. It’s not just processed but often over processed and it’s this over-processing that causes the problems, upsetting the bodies’ natural balance. So keep your diet as fresh and unprocessed as possible.

The keyword in all this is balance. Your body needs a balanced diet to perform naturally as it should do. It needs a wide variety of macronutrients and the right proportion of vitamins, fats, protein and carbs to function properly. Once it’s out of balance (with most people this means overweight or obese) the natural reaction is to diet. But by dieting you inevitably cut out a vital part of a balanced diet.

It is far better to correct the diet so you get a proper balanced diet first and cut back on the bad parts of your diet until they are in balance. And then, once this is achieved, a regular exercise routine will take care of the imbalance and the stubborn belly fat will start to disappear while your abs will start to re-appear again. This is not the quick fix that most people seem to want but it is a certain cure that combined with a healthy regular exercise routine will give you a long term result.

If you’d like to find out more about how the right diet can help you achieve the six pack you’ve always wanted or the best ways to get more out of your work outs then download a copy of the free 65 page e-book "Insider Secrets for a Lean Body" or visit the website that helped me to lose my belly fat – The Truth About Abs

Tuesday, 31 March 2009

Healthy Shakes Recipes Enhance Muscle Growth And Encourage Fat Loss After A Workout.

Most body-building and health experts will agree that a post-workout snack will definitely be the most important meal of the day to enhance muscle growth and fat loss after a training session

When you’ve just finished an intensive workout your body system is entering a catabolic state. Also after such a workout your muscle glycogen is at a low level while cortisol levels are increased and beginning to break down muscle tissue, the last thing you want!

Under these conditions, to actively promote muscle growth, you need to reverse this unwanted trend and promote a healthier anabolic state. What's needed under these circumstances is a quickly digested post workout meal as soon as possible after the training session. The most practical solution to this deficiency is a easily assimilated smoothie or shake

Choosing an quickly digested meal which includes fast carbs will increase muscle glycogen and provide easily digestible protein to supply the essential amino acids needed to boost muscle repair. This easily digested meal will provide a ready source of carbs and aminos which will in turn provide an insulin spike from the pancreas, resulting in an increased supply of essential nutrients to the muscles

As a general rule of thumb, this after workout meal needs to generally provide about 300 to 500 calories for best results, depending on who is drinking it. A slightly built female would perhaps only need 300 calories, while the more heavily muscled male could well need the full 500 calories.

You also need to pay attention to the carbs/ protein ratio. The fat content of your post workout meal should be kept to an absolute minimum in contrast to your other normal daily meals. The reason for this is because fats reduce absorption of the meal, which is the last thing you want after a workout. Depending on your personal needs a ratio of anything from 2:1 to 4:1 of carbs/ protein will be required.

Typically when it comes to making up your post workout meals, there are hyped up supplement products with fancy expensive ads that you don’t really need, and then there are natural ingredients which do the job just as well and cheaper. Naturally, I prefer the natural ingredients!

However, there are some commercial products that I have found useful and like. One of these, from a brand that I trust, has just the right ratio of carbs/ protein using quality ingredients. You can find it here http://natural.getprograde.com/workout

If you decide to make your own shakes here’s some thoughts to keep in mind.

To promote muscle glycogen replenishment and an anabolic muscle building environment it’s necessary to provide an insulin spike that will promote an increase in nutrients to the muscles.

Easily digestible natural carbs such as frozen bananas, pineapples, organic maple sugar or honey are ideal for this. Assisting the muscle repair process increases your metabolic rate and as a by product can improve fat loss also.

Fat free or low-fat yoghurts conbined with a quality whey protein isolate unarguably offer the ideal source of rapidly digested protein. Here are a couple of ideas for delicious post-workout smoothies that will give your recovery process a quick kick up the backside.


Chocolate Banana - blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup skim milk, one and a half frozen bananas, 2 tbsp organic maple syrup, and 30 grams chocolate whey protein powder - Nutrition Breakdown: 38 g prot, 72 g carb, 0.5 g fat, 440 calories.


Pineapple Vanilla - blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup vanilla yogurt, one cup frozen pineapples, 2 tbsp honey (preferably raw), and 30 grams vanilla whey protein powder - Nutrition Breakdown: 35 g prot, 71 g carb, 0.5 g fat, 425 calories.

An important point to keep in mind is that the make up of your post workout meal is totally opposite to that of all your other meals during the day. Post workout meals need to contain fast easily digested high glycemic index carbohydrates and easily assimilated proteins. Your other daily meals should all be made up of low glycemic ingredients such as slowly digested carbs and slow release proteins.


Using post workout shakes are a powerful strategy that will help you develop a lean muscular body coupled with a low body fat.

There’s a hidden benefit to these shakes. This is the one time of the day when you can indulge your sweet tooth without a single twinge of guilt! It all goes straight to the muscles! Provided…

Provided your workout was a very high intensity workout and included resistance training for the larger part of the body. Low intensity Cardio workouts just don’t cut it! You won’t need this type of shake for them.


Discover more information about your nutritional needs and lots more powerful dietary programs to build the body you want in our best-selling #1 rated fitness ebook in the world The Truth About Six Pack Abs