Fitness | Online Personal Training

1.P90X DVD Summary

After completing my P90X Review, I decided I could go into more detail about the individual P90X DVDs. Following are brief descriptions and some thought of each of the workout days prescribed by P90X.

Chest and Back DVD

Although perhaps intimidating at first, you’ll soon realize how basic Chest and Back day is as a workout routine and in comparison to some of the other P90X DVDs. This is where the program starts, and you’re bound to learn two important lessons. First, all you really need is a bar and a floor to have a crazy intense workout that hits some of the largest muscle groups in your body. And secondly, there’s a certain practicality to it when you think about being able to push or pull your entire body weight. You’ll thank Tony Horton when you find yourself hanging by your fingers off a cliff’s edge one day.

On my first day, I remember being surprised, and a little disappointed, in how little I used the cool adjustable dumbells I bought for P90X. There are still a couple back moves that utilize free weights, but the rest is all pullup and pushup varations. Most people don’t realize how many different kinds of pullups and pushups you can do, and here are only a handful to wet your fitness appetite. The funner ones show up later.

Pushups: Standard, Military, Wide, Decline, Diamond, Dive Bomber

Pullups: Chin-up, Wide, Narrow, Switch Grip

Plyometrics DVD

Anyone who’s ever done Plyometrics will tell you it’s HARD. For some that means a new challenge to conquer, and for others it causes them to drop the word and everything associated into their “hate” bin. I say don’t be a hater!

Plyometrics is also called Jump Training, because you do exactly that… jump. You’re mostly landing on your toes to reduce impact, and the goal is to be light on your feet while adding intensity over time. Most people will be struggling (or should I say dying) the first time they do this, but I promise it gets better. It’s a great workout for sportsy folk, because you’ll achieve applicable improvements in speed, agility, endurance… oh, and jumping.

Even after 90 days of doing Plyometrics once every week, it still kicks my butt. I think that’s because there’s very little you can do to cheat without actually stopping, and the modified moves are significantly different from actual. Although it’s a high impact workout, it can’t be that much worse than going running, and you have time for a solid warm up and warm down to prepare your legs for the hopping around.

Shoulders and Arms DVD

Break out the free weights for Shoulders and Arms. This is a pretty straight forward all upper body day with shoulder presses, curls, and tricep work. You alternate through each muscle group doing double circuits. Shoulders and Arms is also the workout where I hurt my neck during the first week while being a little too enthusiastic about my side tri raises.

Many people will be familiar with the moves, so it’s important to push your limits and up the weight when/where you can.

Yoga X DVD

I wonder why the “X” for “extreme” was only added at the end of certain workout titles? Is it because those workouts aren’t viewed as extreme under normal circumstances? I guess there are a lot of guys who think doing yoga is nambi-pambi.

For anyone, like myself, who’s never done a day of yoga in their life, it’s as difficult a challenge as Plyometrics – just in a different way. Figuring out how to do yoga poses while keeping your balance is tasking in a “my body doesn’t actually turn that direction” sort of way. Then you find yourself sweating from both the effort and concentration. In fact, by the second or third week, Yoga day officially became my sweatiest day of all P90X workouts.

Especially for the guys, you’d think that your flexibility ultimately falls within a static range, but I suddenly found myself making large improvements. I would all of a sudden discover I could balance in a certain pose, or that I could stretch just a little further than the previous week. I left with a new respect for the art, and plan to continue learning yoga outside of P90X.

You’ll also notice that Tony Horton is not a master of yoga poses, either, especially on the balancing side. He still does a good job teaching the skills, though.

Legs and Back DVD

When you think your legs can’t be beat up anymore with jump training and balancing on one leg in half moon pose, you finally hit Legs and Back day. Most of the exercises are tough enough your first week with just body weight, and even later I found myself maxing out around 25 lbs. per arm extra.

This is another DVD that teaches you how to get a great workout without all the fancy equipment. The very first lunge sequence, the sneaky lunge, and the toe roll lunge are just a few exercises that I’d never done before. Then again, like most people, I would tend to skip my legs when working out at the gym. Plus, the squats are sure to make your glutes sore for a good couple days after.

The back exercises are no surprise as they mirror what you’ve already seen in the Chest and Back DVD. It’s still good to get in those reps and try to hit some extra pullups, but I sense it was put into the workout to give your legs some much needed rest.

Kenpo X DVD

Kenpo is probably the one DVD where people will feel most comfortable out of the gates. The pace isn’t too crazy like some cardio kick boxing classes offered at local gyms, but the intensity makes it a great workout.

In addition, I’d say this is the one DVD where the P90X crew seems the most normal. While I do trust that everyone represented on camera went through P90X, they all seemed to have started out already super athletic. In Kenpo X, they seem more like regular people who are just excited to be in one of the P90X DVDs. That’s just what I see, anyway.

X Stretch DVD

How many people out there can honestly say they stretch for a full hour straight at least once a week? The X Stretch DVD is listed as an optional workout used every 7th day, but I highly recommend keeping it on your calendar. By the end of the hour, my body is totally loosened up, and I feel pretty energized without having broken a big sweat.

I really do believe that stretching is one of those things that prevents injury. And having X Stretch plus Yoga X will offer you large improvements in your overall flexibility.

Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps DVD

In the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps DVD, it’s time for some of those moves that may have drawn you to the P90X program in the first place. I’m talking about the One-Arm Pushup, and the Plyo Pushup, both of which make an appearance in the original P90X infomercial. There are several other interesting push exercises that I’d never done before such as the Plange Pushup, and the Pike Pushup.

There are a few interesting shoulder and tri workouts in this DVD, but for the most part it’s just about blasting those muscles in rotating fashion. This is the one P90X DVD where I can actually get an equal or better workout using resistance bands. Adding high tension to your triceps can be pretty killer as long as you push up the resistance.

One of the unique things you’ll notice about this P90X DVD and the biceps portion of the Back and Biceps DVD is that it’s virtually non-repetitive. That is to say, you’re doing a circuit, but you never do the same exact exercise twice. This adds to keeping the workout interesting, so your hour seems to pass faster.

Back and Biceps DVD

This is just what the doctor ordered for me, since my biceps starting out were abismally weak – not to mention the fact that my left arm was significantly weaker than my right. Again, nothing mysterious about how you’re targeting your biceps. Curls at different angles, in & out hammer curls, and even some drop downs at the end will help your arms get cut.

Back exercises may be a little more challenging on this day, because you’re hitting your biceps pretty ferociously, and your triceps may still be recovering from two days ago. On the plus, this could teach you how to use more of your back when doing a pullup, which is the point of these bar exercises to begin with! Add also the Towel Pullup, which you won’t have seen before this DVD.

Core Synergistics DVD

Core Synergistics is a great cardio workout. In fact, I prefer this DVD over Cardio X, because the moves are more original and challenging. With the way the P90X system is arranged, you pretty much never get a chance to master the DVD, because you only do the routine once every month. Even though you’re definitely targeting your core strength, it feels much like a full body workout, getting your arms, legs, stomach, and lower back involved.

If you think about it, working your core is important when trying to make drastic changes in your body composition. For example, if you’re losing a lot of fat around your mid-section, you want to make sure you are strengthening the muscles around that area to replace some of the padding your body has relied on for a long time. It’ll preven injury in the long run. Plus, there are many studies suggesting links between core strength improvement and overall longterm health. I’ve noticed more stability and better posture just from this set of exercises.

Cardio X DVD

You may not use Cardio X much if it’s your first round through P90X. The Cardio X DVD is suggested as a secondary workout if you plan on doing the Lean or Doubles version of the program. It’s shorter than other P90X DVDs, running around 35 minutes total – just enough time to break a good sweat and wrap it up.

Intensity wise, it’s just enough to push yourself a little extra during the day, but it’s also probably my least favorit DVD in the series. About 95% of the exercises are the same as what you see in other sections of the P90X program. It combines moves from Yoga X, Plyometrics, Kenpo X, and Core Synergistics – a little bit of everything to get your heart pumping.

Ab Ripper X DVD

If you’ve been researching online, you’ll probably read the most whining about Ab Ripper X. For one, it’s a VERY serious abs workout to begin with, and it’ll be really tough for anyone to keep pace for the first few weeks. The other chief complaint is having to add Ab Rpper X on top of your resistance workouts 3 times per week. Not only does it push your exhaustion to the edge, but you’re tacking on an additional 20 minutes to your workout time.

By about halfway through the abs routine, I keep my eyes close and just concentrate on getting through the whole thing without stopping. Of course, like any other P90X DVD, you don’t won’t to take it to the point where you injury your body. With the difficulty level high and every move 25 reps each, there’s no

2.My P90X Recommendations
Is P90X for women?

YES! There are many women who complete P90X successfully with fantastic results. Many women express worry about “getting bulky”, but the fact is P90X is more about becoming lean and toned. As long as you follow Tony’s rules about number of reps for lean muscle (12-15), then you’ll be fine.

I hate to sound too judgemental, but if people are honest, about 90% of the time saying, “I’m afraid of getting bulky” is an excuse for not doing the work. Resistance training is proven to improve weight loss. And in any case, you generally have to reach a certain point in your overall fitness level before even worrying about looking like the Incredible Hulk. Even beyond P90X, it’s a lot harder to gain mass than you might think!

If you’re still fearful of all the weight training, P90X gives you the option for doing a “lean” program, which adds more cardio to the system.

When are you ready for P90X?

There are a few ways to know you’re ready for P90X. At the top of this list is dedicating yourself. You’ve got to have it straight in your head that you’re 100% committed to completing every workout, every day, no matter how tired you are. P90X is the real deal. It’s hard work that takes concentration and focus, so make sure your head is in the game!

While there is a basic fit test you should pass before starting P90X, most people can’t go straight from zero to hero overnight. If you don’t exercise regularly, then I recommend first getting into a basic exercise routine. By going to the gym 3-4 times a week, you’ll get into the habit of working out. Better yet, try a less extreme program first to create those habits and so you’re already physically fit at the beginning of P90X.

Will you get injured doing P90X?

Injury is always a possibility when you’re pushing your body’s limits. P90X reduces the chances of injury through long warm ups, stretching, and showing proper technique. You can prevent injuries by paying attention and taking the time to hit the pause button if you can’t keep up. Pay special attention to moves that cause neck strain, and leg exercises that can damage your knees if you use the wrong form.

I think everyone should use the first week of P90X as a learning week. Be heavy on the pause and rewind buttons so you can wrap your head around everything.

I also recommend supplements (vitamins and recovery protein drinks) so your body recovers faster. Supplements and good nutritional food choices also help increase energy during your workouts. The less tired you are, the less likely you’re going to hurt yourself!

How do you stay on track?

Plan ahead! You might consider starting the nutrition plan or at least stockpiling your kitchen one to two weeks before starting P90X. Make sure to schedule time for your workouts around your career and any random events. If you know you’ll be traveling, then think ahead and figure out where you can find a gym, bringing equipment, supplements, and your computer along for the trip.

I checked out the online support network, and it’s actually filled with highly enthusiastic P90X grads. If you have any questions or just want to chat with like-minded folk, it’s a great place to get connected.

At first I didn’t write anything down, but finally got on the horse in my second week. I found that it was a huge boost of confidence when I could track my weekly base-line and measure improvements when they happened.

Finally, tune out the Debbie downer’s of the world. There will be friends who cheer you on, and then other skeptical folks who think your somehow harming yourself or trying to achieve the impossible. Just don’t listen! This program works.

Do you really need to do the pre-test?

I only recorded less than half the pre-test measurements, because I was lazy. I must admit that I wish I’d gotten all my numbers.

Items such as your active heart rate and body measurements can be great indicators of health improvement and total body conditioning. It may seem silly to figure out how much higher you can jump after 90 days, but you will be very curious by the end, especially after you’ve done all the hard work.

Can I bulk up or gain muscle mass with P90X?

According to many reviews, P90X is not for bulking up, and that’s probably true if you take the program as written. However, it is possible to gain muscle mass using the P90X system. The key is in altering the nutrition plan.

The fact is, you’re not getting enough protein or calories in your diet by following the P90X nutrition plan if your goal is to build lots more muscle. People have had success, though, by adding additional calories in the form of protein supplements. This is really for more serious body builders, but a typical schedule for adding bulk is to do 180 days of P90X. The first 90 days utilizes a muscle gaining diet, and then the second 90 days trims down any extra fat by following the plan exactly as written.

3.The P90X Workout Program,The P90X Nutrition Plan, The Tony Horton – Face of P90X, The Un-mysterious Abs, The Benefits

The P90X Workout Program

P90X is a 90-day “do it from home” fitness program whose purpose is to get regular people in the best shape of their lives. You would have remembered seeing the infomercial, because it totes some of the most amazing before and after pictures of any exercise package currently advertised on TV. Generally, the workouts are not really marketed to the traditional couch potato, but instead aim at everyday folks who might already be in average to above average shape. This is what might be considered the ultimate fitness pick-me-up for people who’ve found their existing workouts are lackluster and boring.

P90x is based on the idea of “muscle confusion”. For people who know a little about working out, that basically translates to high-intense cross training or circuit training. Tony Horton, the P90X trainer, has put together a program that works different muscle groups everyday in a combination that ensures your body development never plateaus. One day of the week you may be working your biceps, another day you’ll be thrashing your legs, and the next day you’ll find yourself doing yoga poses – then, the program changes again every 30 days. In practice, that means constant, non-stop improvement.
The P90X Nutrition Plan

This was a first for me. I’d never in my life tried to follow a diet. Like many people, the idea of “dieting” that sucks all the life and joy out of eating never appealed to me, so I expected this to be a challenge. On the other hand, I figured I wouldn’t be entirely miserable as long as I knew it would end after 90 days.

I was surprised to find that the P90X nutrition plan was fairly reasonable over all. After doing some simple calculations (upon reading the manual), I found I could eat about 2400 to 2600 calories per day. Volume-wise, that’s not too shabby for a normal guy.

You have your choice of doing a precisely scheduled day-to-day meal plan, or else a more flexible option based on food group portions. For details on what I did exactly, check out this other blog post I wrote. The first month was the hardest because it was predominantly low-carb at the equivalent of 2 slices of whole wheat bread per day. It gets easier from there on.

I had some trepidation interpreting their diet plan at first. As someone who’s never dieted before, certain advice in the manual seemed grey. For example, the meal plan is clearly laid out, but then you’ll read things in there like “listen to your body”. That’s sort of ambiguous isn’t it? And even though you do become incredibly aware of how your food choices affect performance, it’s hard not to question if you’ve made a wrong choice – adding more carbs sooner than scheduled for more energy, for instance.
The Tony Horton – Face of P90X

Tony Horton is an entertaining coach and teacher. You really do get jazzed by his enthusiasm, practical advice, and generally whimsical, talkative nature. He’s been responsible for many leading Beachbody programs, such as Power 90 (the precursor to P90X) and the new 10-Minute Trainer series.

As an instructor, he’s a phenomenal motivator and does an adequate job explaining key points for each exercise. You can pick up some good advice on how not to injure yourself if you pay attention. Most of your learning technique-wise, however, is done visually. Tony jumps from one exercise to the next rather quickly. That’s appropriate, I think, for being an “extreme” program, but it means beginners and less coordinated types should freely use the pause and replay buttons to make sure they’re on point.

After 90 days, you’ll learn many of Tony’s favorite phrases, too, like:

“Do your best and forget the rest!”
“The mother of all P90X workouts…”
“Get sexy with it!”
“The world famous Karen pot stirrers.”
“Bring it!”
The Un-mysterious Abs

What I like most about P90X is that it demystifies the “how to’s” of obtaining lean muscle definition in your body. And yes, that includes a 6-pack for many people. Although muscle confusion is a fairly basic principle in the dogma of building efficient workout routines, the full road map is right here in 12 workout dvd’s and 90 days of commitment. You’re told exactly what to do every single day – and guess what? It works!

I saw changes in my definition and strength within the first two weeks, and I continued to improve in those and other areas (like endurance and flexibility) over the entire 3 month period. If you’ve ever wondered whether you have 6-pack potential, then this is a pretty darn reliable road map to finding out.

The Benefits

As was advertised, I am truly in the best shape of my life now. I’m stronger in measurable amounts, and I have more endurance in ways that I can feel anytime I’m active (running, hiking, biking, etc.). I could also probably squeeze into a super hero outfit without looking too much like a fat spiderman.

I began P90X as someone who’d been working out regularly (3-5 times per week) for the previous 2 years. At the gym, I would mostly work my upper body with free weights and run on the treadmill for cardio. It was a workout pattern that steadily slimmed me down a couple pant sizes. I wasn’t someone you would consider super athletic, and I’ve never had a toned body before, so I’m pretty amazed by where P90X has boosted me. If you check out my results in the next section, you can get the numbers and visuals.

Some of the unexpected benefits were:
1.) Learning how to get a great workout outside of the gym.
2.) Pushing my body to limits I didn’t realize were possible.
3.) Motivating friends and family to get healthy, too.
4.) Seeing first hand what it means to eat hardcore healthy.
5.) Enjoying yoga.

Let me start out by saying that I have had back pain and I have had sciatica. So I know the feeling. I know how frustrating it can be, and I know how it can suck the joy right out of your life.

Be careful not to do dumb things

Shortly after I graduated from high school, I owned a landscaping company. I worked hard because I wanted the good stuff out of life. I really pushed myself, sometimes taking on jobs I did not even know how to do. Once, for example, I was approached by an English client who wanted a stone wall built the way they do it in England, which is without cement (they’re called drywalls). I said, “No problem.” But because the wall was going to have to hold back dirt, I asked if I could put in a cement footer. The client agreed.

Well, on Day One I dug out the footer then went to the store and bought the cement. When I returned, I decided to put two 80-pound bags of cement on my shoulders to save time and trips up and down to the back yard.

I put the first bag on my shoulder, but when I bent down and twisted a little to pick up the second bag, I heard a pop. In an instant, I was flat on my back in pain. I spent the next weeks either in bed or lying on my back in front of the TV. About the middle of the second week, it hit me that in the early ’80s a newfangled device came out called “moon boots”—also known as “gravity boots.” My best friend had just gotten a pair for Christmas, so I borrowed them and had my dad install a bar in the basement that I could hang from (or invert myself). I began doing this for 5-10 minutes a day.

Soon, my back was feeling a lot better. I continued to use the boots on a regular basis, not only as part of my recovery but also as a way to experiment with different exercises and movements that might bring about a higher level of fitness.

What condition are you suffering from?

It is amazing how my life experiences have brought me to where I’m now writing about how I healed myself some 20-plus years ago. Back then, I did not know what I was doing when I stumbled upon something that just happened to work. Today, inversion therapy can no longer be called an alternative treatment because it has been the subject of a great deal of clinical study. Inversion therapy has been proven to help relieve many forms of back and neck pain including the following:

- Bulging Disc

- Herniated Disc

- Chronic Back Pain

- Lower Back Pain

- Neck Pain

- Pulled Back Muscles

- SI Joint Dysfunction

- Facet Joint Dysfunction

- Spondylolisthesis

- Sciatica

7 key benefits of inversion for the back pain sufferer

While relieving your back pain is your primary reason for considering inversion therapy, there are a number of additional benefits many people experience with a regular program of inversion. Here are 7 good reasons to use inversion therapy:

- Maintains your height. Regularly inverting will help you avoid the “shrinkage” that naturally occurs as a result of gravity over a lifetime.

- Improves circulation. When you’re inverted, your blood circulation is aided by gravity rather than having to work against it. In addition, with inversion, gravity helps the lymphatic system clear faster, easing the aches and pains of stiff muscles.

- Relieves stress. Everyone knows that a full-body stretch is rejuvenating! An inversion table provides the same feeling of relaxation as a yoga class—with a lot less effort. Many people find that they sleep better with regular inversion therapy.

- Heightens mental alertness. Any upside-down activity increases the supply of oxygen to the brain, which many experts believe helps maintain mental sharpness.

- Increases flexibility and range of motion. With inversion, your joints stay healthy and supple, meaning you can remain as active as you were in your younger years.

- Improves posture. The stretching that comes with reversing the force of gravity on your body helps you sit, stand, and move with more ease and grace.

- Realigns the spine after workouts. Running and other aerobic activities inevitably compress your spine—often unevenly. One-sided activities such as golf or tennis often pull the spine out of alignment. During inversion, minor misalignments often correct themselves naturally.

5 ultra-challenging activities you can do on an inversion table

If the 7 hidden benefits were not enough to make you want to consider using inversion, here are 5 exercises you can do at every session:

- Inverted Squats. In the full inverted position, you can use your glutes and hamstrings to pull yourself up; the motion would be simply trying to bend your legs at your knees. Because the inverted squat is very challenging and isolates the glutes and hamstrings, most back pain sufferers first need to strengthen their glutes and hamstrings.

- Inverted Crunch. In the full inverted position, place your hands on your chest and use your abs to lift your upper body about one-third of the way up.

- Inverted sit-up. In the full inverted position, extend your arms as if you were reaching for your feet and try to touch your feet; some experts say that one inverted sit-up is equivalent to 10 regular sit-ups.

- Increase the decompression. In the full inverted position, grab the table legs and pull down; this way you can increase and control the amount of decompression if you want or need more.

- Inverted Rotation. In the full inverted position, reach with the opposite hand to the table legs and pull yourself into rotation; you can then switch hands and do the same for the opposite side.

How to get started

Let’s take a look at what a back pain sufferer will go through in a typical session. First, you do not need to go into full inversion to get the benefits. (Note: It will take time before you will be able to tolerate full inversion.) Here is a simple guide for beginners:

First 2 Weeks: Adjust the table to go to 20-30 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes, once or twice a day. Slowly increase your time until you become comfortable with the process and the position. The best way to tell if you’re getting used to the inversion table is whether or not you can relax while you’re using it.

Partial Inversion after 2 weeks: This is considered anything up to 60 degrees, which is parallel with the rear legs of the table. See if you can work your way up to 15 minutes, once or twice a day. There are two basic ways to invert:

- Static inversion: This is when you hold yourself at the desired angle and do not move from that position.

- Intermittent Inversion: This involves using a rocking motion, alternating 20 to 30 seconds in the inverted position and 20 to 30 seconds in the upright position. Some people believe that it is the pumping action that delivers the best results. You will have to experiment to see which way is most comfortable and works best for you.

Full Inversion after 2 weeks: This is when your body is completely upside down and hanging freely. Full inversion is the position you need to be in to do the 5 “ultra” exercises listed above. The amount of time you spend is up to you, but 5 to 15 minutes twice a day is recommended. The amount of time it takes for you to tolerate full inversion will depend on your ability to accommodate to the position; everyone is different so go slow.

One last safety tip

While inversion has been proven to be beneficial, it is best to start slow—that is, at a low angle for short amounts of time. Going straight into full inversion will make you sore. So please resist the temptation to go into full inversion day one.

One last success tip

Be patient and consistent with its use, the inversion table is a device that can be used for a lifetime to support optimal health. So make a habit of using it on a consistent basis, the research supports the use and your body will reap the benefits.

References:

1. Sheffield, F.: Adaptation of Tilt Table for Lumbar Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 45: 469-472, 1964.

2. Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78.

3. Gianakopoulos, G, et al: Inversion Devices: Their Role in Producing Lumbar Distraction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 66: 100-102, Feb 85.

4. Ballantyne, Byron, et al: The Effects of Inversion Traction on Spinal Column Configuration, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Perceived Discomfort. Jour of Orthopedic Sports Phys Ther. 254-260, Mar 86.

5. Kane, M, et al: Effects of Gravity-facilitated Traction on Intravertebral Dimensions of the Lumbar Spine. Jour of Orthopedic and Sports Phys Ther. 281-288, Mar 85.

6. Goldman, R, et al: The Effects of Oscillating Inversion on Systemic Blood Pressure, Pulse, Intraocular Pressure, and Central Retinal Arterial Pressure. The Physician and Sports Medicine. 13: 93-96, Mar 85.

7. Dimberg, L, et al: Effects of gravity-facilitated traction of the lumbar spine in persons with chronic low back pain at the workplace.

8. Nachemson, Alf, et al: Intravital Dynamic Pressure Measurements in Lumbar Discs. 1970.

The one thing these seven exercises have in common is they are all multi- joint movements.

This means multiple joints are involved in these particular lifts.

This also means more calories burned when performing these exercises because more muscle is being used.

Using multi ‘joint movements allows you to work much more in the same amount of time. Instead of doing a Tricep pushdown (Triceps) and a lateral raise (shoulders) you can perform a shoulder press and work both of those muscles in half the time and with more intensity. Here are the seven:

1. Squat:

This exercise is a great full body movement guaranteed to work many muscles in the body and burn tons of calories with emphasis on glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings. To perform the Squat take a shoulder width stance look straight ahead with your chest up. Initiate the movement by bringing hips down and back, to a chair or bench in order to have a point to aim for and return to the starting position.

2.Deadlift:

This exercise is a great fat burning muscle-building exercise. It’s a multi- joint movement that trains the whole body with concentration on the glutes, hamstrings, and low back. To perform the lift using a barbell have the bar against your shins grip the bar shoulder width, feet shoulder width as well. Keep your chest elevated and your butt back to keep back straight. Start the lift by pushing through the ground and stand up with the bar.

3.Pullups:

First grab the pull-up bar shoulder width. Then pull yourself to the bar. The ultimate goal is to get your chin above the bar.

4. Military press:

Take two dumbbells and keep them at shoulder height. Press the dumbbells above your head. Try to keep the dumbbells in line with your ears as the dumbbells go up. Press to just about lock out and repeat.

5.Lunge:

Start with feet about hip width. Step forward with either leg. The trailing leg should move toward the ground but doesn’t have to touch ground. Bring lead leg back and repeat. Make sure upperbody is upright and chest is up.

6.Sled Pulls:

I realize most people will not have access to sleds, but sleds are such a great tool for fat loss I included them on the list. If you have accessto one, drag the sled forward, which brings emphasis on glutes, and hamstrings or backwards, which brings emphasis on quadriceps.

7.Barbell Rows:

First grasp the bar with a shoulder width grip. Then bend your knees slightly with your butt out and your chest up this will ensure that your back is straight. Then pull the barbell to your belly button and repeat. Note: Keep upperbody stationary.

Give these seven amazing multi- joint movements a try . They are guaranteed to add some intensity to your workouts and some muscle to your body. Your metabolism will increase as well even when you sleep.

The bench press exercise has become somewhat of a measuring tool for masculinity. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been asked the ever-so-popular question – “how much do you bench?”. No other exercise signifies strength and dominance (from most peoples perspective) than the bench press. For that reason, I’ve assembled some easy to apply lifting tips for you to implement into your next workout.

Bench Press Tip #1

Squeeze The Bar: This one relates to grip strength. It’s been shown that increasing your grip strength and squeezing the bar can increase your bench press strength by up to 10%. The reason for the increased force output comes from an increased activation of the triceps. As you know, the triceps (back of the upper arm), work to extend the arm.

Bench Press Tip #2

Contract Glutes: This may seem like a weird one but contracting your glutes (bum in layman’s terms) will actually help you bench more. Reason being, the activation of the glutes and core muscles will allow for an optimal power transfer from your feet (as you’re driving them against the floor) all the way up your torso to your chest and shoulders. Keep in mind that whenever you’re lifting a maximal load, the entire body is involved in some way or another.

Bench Press Tip #3

Retract Your Scapula: Your “scapula” refers to your shoulder blades. By squeezing them together, you can reduce the distance that your arms will have to travel in order to elevate the barbell. It should go without saying that the shorter the travel distance, the easier each repetition will be. The time under tension (T.U.T) will be less.

So there you have it. Three easy to implement and extremely effective bench press tips. These are only 3 of many..

Athletes who can jump really high developed their skills over time though hard work and training. They learned some of the best possible exercises to increase their vertical jump so they would be more valued as an athlete, this in turn would increase their value on the open market when they’re trying to negotiate contracts and the like. But what if you’re not a professional athlete?

Exercises will not be enough if you’re serious. It’s going to take a little heart to make sure you stay on course to get to the level of some of these athletes. Don’t say you don’t want to be like the pro’s, you don’t have to be like the pro’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t master some of their dynamics so you can impress your friends every once in a while. Use these two exercises as some of the pro’s do to help you get there.

Running With Resistance:

Have you every seen athletes running with those parachutes on their backs and skipping along as they go? This may look foolish at first but this helps to build tremendous leg strength for anyone who applies it consistently. You can find the equipment in any magazine related to athletics.

Running while in a pool:

You may have seen the popular commercial with the NBA stay Lebron James running in a pool of water. You’ve seen how high he can jump right? He is one of the best in the business and you would do good to try out this exercise for yourself. If you don’t have a pool then go to a public one. This is probably one of the fastest ways to see results.

These are two powerful exercises to help you increase your vertical jump like no other. If the pro’s like Lebron James practice some of these exercises then they can at least help you see a change in your own vertical jumping skills if you apply them as well.

Hands down, the absolute best exercise that you can do to increase vertical leap is squats. This is the best exercise by far out of all the workouts available.

Squats.
Muscles worked:
Primary: Quads (front thigh muscles), glutes (butt muscles), and hamstrings (rear thigh muscles).
Support: Calf and shin

Positioning
Stand in front of a chair or bench, two feet away. Position feet parallel to each other, at hip-width distance. Maintain bend at the knees.

Movement
While inhaling, slowly lower body, bending your knees and bringing your glutes back toward bench, as though you were going to sit. Lightly tap bench with glutes or stop before touching bench. As you exhale, slowly transition to the opposite direction, moving upward until you are fully standing again.

Prevent your knees from passing your toes, keep your back straight as possible and use your abs for support and balance.

When you are able to perform 10-12 reps of this exercise easily, increase the intensity by performing squats without any support (chair or bench). As your strength and balance increase further, add resistance by carrying a dumbbell. Start with 10 pounds and build up from there.

Copyright (c) 2008 Personal Fitness Development

Developing a great set of six-pack abs is really quite simple once you understand the how to firm and flatten your abs with this information, which includes two important components:

1. A workout program consisting of carefully selected, biomechanically correct abdominal exercises, and

2. A nutrition program that optimizes fat loss and maintenance or growth of lean muscle tissue.

As simple as this sounds, I’ll be the first to admit that ab training can be an extremely confusing subject at first because there is so much conflicting information on the subject.

Opinions Are Just That! Opinions

Countless opinions, rumors, and theories about ab training are continually being circulated by an endless parade of “experts” including doctors, personal trainers, infomercial gurus, and even friends, teachers, and parents. Some information is valid, but most of it isn’t. It’s hard to sort through it all, let alone know what to believe. Abdominal mythology abounds, and some myths never seem to die.

To help you cut through the myths and lies and lead you straight to the truth that will help you develop the type of body that you’ll be proud to show off the next time you hit the beach.

Before we discuss the anatomy and physiology of the abdominal muscles or the actual training routines, the first thing to do is clear your mind of the myths, lies, and misconceptions that have been polluting your brain as a result of gym folklore, false advertising, and bad advice from self-proclaimed experts.

More bad information is published and told about ab training than any other health and fitness subject, and I’ve boiled it down to 14 myths that are particularly damaging and pervasive. I will explain 3 of them in this article.

Let’s put them to rest permanently, shall we?

MYTH #1: If you train abs every day, you’re guaranteed a six-pack. One of the most common abdominal myths is that training your abdominals every day is the best way to get a small waistline and develop the six-pack look in your stomach. This misconception was probably funneled through the bodybuilding world, because so many bodybuilders train their abs daily prior to competitions. Despite the fact that bodybuilders appear on stage with incredibly ripped abs, their abs come from their diet, not just their daily ab workouts.

Daily training is not only a waste of time, it’s an approach that won’t work for the average person who doesn’t use performance-enhancing substances or have a naturally high recovery capacity.

There are two reasons that daily abdominal training is unnecessary and does not guarantee you a six-pack.

First, the muscle tissue of your abs is virtually the same as the muscle tissue in the rest of your body. Abdominal muscles cannot become stronger and more developed without time to rest and recover after each workout, just like any other muscle group such as your biceps or chest. You wouldn’t do 100 barbell curls every day to “see your biceps” or 100 bench presses every day to “see your pecs,” so why do the same for your abs?

Second, even if you could achieve excellent muscular development in the abs with daily training, you won’t be able to see your abs if they’re covered with a layer of fat. Daily abdominal training does not burn the fat off your midsection! Fat is lost by creating a calorie deficit through your diet. Build the muscle tissue with exercise; burn the fat with diet.

During the initial phase of the Firm and Flatten Your Abs program (Level 1), I recommend that you perform exercises daily for the first two to three weeks. However, these Level 1 exercises are very basic movements using only your body weight, and they are designed to prepare, strengthen, and neurologically program your body for the more advanced exercises to follow.

For the long term, you can get fantastic results training your abs every other day (about four days a week), and once they’re developed, you can maintain your abs with even less frequent training.

MYTH #2: You can eat pizza and hamburgers and still maintain a six-pack as long as you work out right after you eat them. The truth is that developing your abs is achieved through exercise, but seeing your abs is more a function your diet than any other factor. You could have a great set of abs completely covered with fat. The secret to uncovering the abdominal muscles is nutrition.

Theoretically, you could lose the fat covering your abs while eating whatever you wanted, as long as you still had a caloric deficit. However, eating calorie-dense junk food makes it much harder to maintain the caloric deficit you need to burn body fat. Furthermore, eating fast food and other nutritionally-void junk as regular daily staples in your diet will eventually exact a serious toll on your health.

You simply cannot expect exercise to cancel out poor eating habits. It takes proper exercise and nutrition to get optimal results. Go into your local fast food restaurant and look around. How many people do you see that have an envious abdominal region? Chances are, you won’t see any!

MYTH #3: Sit-ups develop the abdominal muscles best. It’s ironic, but the sit-up, which is the most popular exercise in the world for the abdominals, might be the absolute worst exercise and could even be dangerous for some people under some circumstances.

What most people don’t realize is that the sit-up is not a true abdominal exercise. During a sit-up, your main trunk flexor, the iliopsoas muscle, often does the majority of the work while the abs are not optimally recruited.

Because the iliopsoas muscle originates on the lower back, the sit-up literally pulls on the lower back with every repetition, especially if your feet are held down or anchored, or the repetitions are performed quickly in a jerky fashion. This is why too many sit-ups can lead to a strength imbalance between the iliopsoas and abdominals, as well as poor posture and lower back pain.

Some people who have very strong abs and lower backs may be able to perform conventional sit-ups more safely than others. There are also some safer and more effective ways to perform sit-ups. One is the Janda sit-up. This exercise uses the law of reciprocal inhibition, which means that if one muscle is working, its antagonist (the opposing muscle) must relax.

During a Janda sit-up, instead of holding your feet down, your partner reaches around and holds your calves. As you sit up, you contract your hamstrings and glutes by pulling your calves back against your partner’s hands. (You can also press your lower legs back against small dumbbells or a heavy weighted barbell.) When the hamstrings and glutes contract, this shuts off the iliopsoas, making your abs do more of the work.

If I prescribe sit-ups, I simply have my clients do Janda sit-ups. However, Janda sit-ups can be difficult to perform on your own and because of the injury potential from sit-ups in general, and since there are so many other more effective exercises, I have left sit-ups out of this course completely.

It’s incredible, but true: You can develop amazing abs without ever doing a single sit-up!

The first phase in an off season golf conditioning program is the regeneration phase. The second phase is the strength and power phase and the third phase is the preparation phase. Today we are going to focus on phase one recommendations.

This first phase will focus on getting your body ready for the more intense workouts to come but more importantly it is the time to recover from any nagging injuries or aches and pains from the season. This phase should also be used if you have never exercised or are just starting up again after a long lay off. During the season you probably spent more time actually on the golf course or driving range then you did working out.

The most common injury for golfers is low back pain but many golfers also will experience hip, shoulder, knee, elbow, or wrist pain. The golf swing puts a lot of stress on the low back due to the high rotational forces. During this training period we will avoid any rotational exercises to allow your spine time to recover.

If you have been exercising regularly during the season and you do not have any injuries you could skip this phase but I would still recommend doing two weeks of this phase. If you live in an area where you can golf year around it would be extremely beneficial to take 2-3 weeks off from the course and perform this phase. One 2-3 week session every six months should make a huge difference in your injury risk and overall performance. Now lets get into the details of phase one.

The first component is the warm-up. This is essential and should not be skipped. Proper warm-up increases the temperature of the tissue which makes it more resistant to stress and less likely to fail or be injured. A good warm-up also will improve your flexibility and mobility. The warm-up should target all the major muscle groups and put your joints through a variety of movements. Examples are walking lunge, inchworm, overhead squat, forward and backward bear crawl, and side lunge with overhead raise.

The next component would be foam roll techniques. This is great for releasing stubborn trigger points and tight muscles. Main areas to focus on are the glutes, quads, hamstrings, back, and lats. When you hit a sore area try to stay on it for about 30 seconds with small oscillatory movements. Also perform self mobilization on the thoracic spine by lying on the roll about shoulder blade level. Cross your arms in front of you to keep your shoulder blades clear and roll up and down your spine. Good thoracic mobility will decrease your risk of low back injury and increase your swing arc. You also want to work on hip mobility which is addressed partly in the warm up. In standing tighten your stomach, place your hands on your hips and rotate back and forth in a slow controlled fashion. There should not be any twisting in your low back. The motion should occur through your hip joints.

Now we want to begin some strength exercises. Never do an exercise that causes you pain. Start with about 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions. You have some flexibility here on the exercises you do. I recommend a circuit of several exercises that focus on the big muscle groups. An example would be alternating a set of push-ups with a set of pull-ups or bent over rows. You also need a good leg exercise such as a dumbbell squat with overhead press, split squat or a one leg bench squat. No seated leg extensions or curls. A couple core exercises like the bird dog, side plank, and prone plank will round things off nicely. Finish your workout with flexibility exercises. Main areas to target are the chest, hamstrings, glutes, lats, and posterior shoulder. Hold the stretches about 30 seconds. A good chest stretch is placing your hands about shoulder height in a door way and lean into the door way.

You should be able to get this routine finished in about thirty minutes. Try to get in two to three workouts a week for at least two to three weeks. Feel free to incorporate some supplemental exercises like curls, crunches, lat pulls, etc as you wish but make sure you get the main exercises done first.

Having a nice lean and sculptured boned is the goal or in many cases the dream of many individuals. We often hear people talking about “toning up”, but what does that really mean. If you begin to notice that you have extra “flab” hanging from the back of your arms does this means you need to get to a gym and start working your arms? Most would say yes, but actually the answer is no, although working out and lifting some weights is never a bad idea.

Whether it is the back of your arms or the most popular the abs, working out any particular muscle does not mean you will be able to see that muscle any better at least not until you get rid of the layer of fat that is hiding it. So what does this mean? You can do a hundred sit-ups a day but until you lose weight you will not be able to see your six pack. When you are say working out your abs you are indeed burning calories however they could be coming from the fat around your ankles, you do not get to choose.

So if working out your muscles does not necessarily mean that it is going to stand out and be visible then why weight train? The simple fact is muscle burns more calories than the fat covering those muscles. Therefore if you want to have the overall appearance of being sculptured then you need to get your body burning the calories and the easiest way to get this done is to regularly work your muscles; all your muscles, eat properly, and add in some cardio.

A well rounded workout that includes weight training, will turn your body into a calorie burning machine, strengthen your muscle and preserve the muscle you have which becomes increasing more important as you age. You will have better balance, flexibility, and stronger, healthier bones; again important especially as you age. You can not choose the area of your body that you want to lose weight from and do specific exercises to make it happen, therefore instead of wanting to lose the belly fat choose to work towards an overall leaner, stronger and healthier body.

If your goal is to strengthen your over all body and to lose your excess body fat then you should be doing weight training at least four times a week. This will enable you to work out each muscle group twice a week and still allow your muscles time to rest (two days is best). Remember it is not the working out of the muscle that causes it to strengthen but instead the recovery and rebuilding after the fact. A weight training plan may look like this:

Day 1: Chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, upper abs, obliques
Day 2: Back, biceps, hamstrings, glutes, lower abs
Day 3: No weight training
Day 4: Chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, upper abs, obliques
Day 5: Back, biceps, hamstrings, glutes, lower abs
Day 6: No weight training
Day 7: No weight training

The days you choose and the order in which you do the activities is entirely up to you, however it is recommended that you group upper body together for one workout and then lower body for another workout.

Everybody wants that bikini body. when you look good you will feel good and when that bikini body is no longer there it’s time to find out how to get that bikini body back fast.

When flipping through fashion magazines it seems by looking at the pictures that the ultimate look for women is looking good in a bikini. So the question now is, how do I get that look for myself? We often think that it would take way to much work for me to achieve that look.

You will need to find a program that will help to get a bikini body fast. A program that will help you lose that darn ugly fat, blast cellulite and allow you to build feminine sleek and sexy muscle tone in only 4 short workouts per week! A program that will allow women the enjoyment of a hot body, looking good, feeling younger and enjoying a much higher energy level.

Everybody it seems these days is looking for a proven fat burning and muscle toning program which is endorsed by elite trainers and top female fitness magazines. A program that can be used by hundreds of women of all ages to get that bikini body fast. Most importantly this program should not rely on hours of training; and you shouldn’t have to work out every day in the gym doing 3 hour work outs! Women out there are busy with family duties as well as sometimes working a regular job so spending 4 days a week in the gym paying for childcare all just to look good in a bikini is not an option. You need the ultimate bikini body workout that will give you a round butt, toned arms and flat abs!

Abdominal exercises are your arsenal at sculpting and toning your tummy. In order to look good in a bikini you need a firm mid section. It would be nice to find a program that will do just that for any one who has the courage to actually do the workouts no matter what your body type is.

In order to get a bikini body fast every work out will focus on those hard areas like the abs, buttocks, and glutes. These are the prime areas exposed when wearing a bikini.

These are the tough parts of the body to exercise and make look good. No one really likes to do crunch’s and work those glutes because really working that part of the body is just not much fun. The trick is to find a program that can be fun and interesting, so as not to get to bored and yet it should still do the required job effectively.

Let’s face it, unless you are blessed with the genetic makeup of a pro bodybuilder, chances are you are like a lot of us, a hard gainer. You cannot overcome the curse of the hard gainer. Whatever you do, you cannot seem to build or retain any solid muscle mass. So, as you embark on your muscle building odyssey, it is important you set realistic goals. The first thing you ask yourself is:

1. How Much Lean Muscle Mass Can You Actually Gain?

Setting a goal of attaining the freaky muscle mass of the ‘body men’ who adorn the muscle magazines is almost certainly bound to end in disappointment and failure.

But be reassured. Yes you can build solid muscle mass.

With the right training methods you can beat the curse and transform your hard gainers physique.

You will be able to build serious muscle mass..albeit within the constraints of your genetic make up and body type. You will gain slabs of good looking ripped muscle that will make your friends green with envy.

It might even turn you into a babe magnet! But hey, I make no promises.

2.What are the best exercises to do?

Ok. Now it is clear that you can really build solid muscle and set yourself achievable goals. What are the best muscle bodybuilding exercises to do?

First and foremost, the primary focus of your workouts must be free weights-the iron. Free weight exercises that bring a high level of neuromuscular activation. This sounds a bit of a mouthful, but it merely means exercises that involve more than one joint action. Multi- jointed, compound exercises that use more than one muscle group and involves stimuli of the major muscle groups.

Squats or Heavy Leg Presses that bring into play the large quadricep muscles, glutes and hip flexors.

Flat Bench Presses involve the pectoralis major, front deltoids and triceps.

Deadlifts involve the quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors, erector spinae (lower back)

Bent Over Rows involve the latissmus dorsi, Trapezius, Rear deltoids and biceps.

Military Presses involve the shoulder muscles and triceps.

There is of course a place for the use of resistance machines and certain isolation exercises like the Barbell Biceps Curl, Leg Extension, Leg Curls and Calf Raises. But I must emphasize, the bedrock of your routine must be the compound exercises.

3. How Often Should You Go To The Gym?

The maxim, more is better, does not hold true when it comes to the effort you need to put in to build muscle mass. My recommendation is you do not go to the gym more than 3 times a week. It is important to realize that you do not build muscle whilst training. You are stimulating your body and musculature to respond to the workload they are being put under. The response to this stimulus is greater size and strength. Growing whilst you are recovering. Your time away from the gym provides this.

Working out three days out of seven gives you four days of recovery. This may seem way too much to you. Wrong. You are not a pro bodybuilder, pumped full of steroids. Unless you have the enhanced, mutant recovery ability of The Wolverine, you cannot sustain going to the gym five days a week, wracking your body and nervous system with vein bursting, eyeball bulging, ridiculously insane workouts. Then the option of being able to go back home for a power nap after knocking back a gallon of a protein shake and off course a shot of anabolic steroids.

What you are is a Hard gainer. A normal everyday guy. You have to hold down a regular job and maybe look after a family, with the usual stresses and strains these bring. You also get to hang out with your friends, the occasional party and late night. All these everyday guy activities eat into your recovery time. They provide sresses and aggravating factors which can be deadly to your goal of gaining muscle.

So the bottom line is you need all the recovery time you can get.

4. How Long Should Your Workout Last?

I strongly recommend that your workouts should not exceed one hour. This includes a short cardio session and stretches. You may think, ‘Man I do not want to do this Peter Parker stuff – But note, the cardio and stretches constitute your warm up. Warmed up muscles work more efficiently. The danger of injury is also significantly reduced. I have been working out more than 15 years and my worst injury to date, a torn calf muscle.

5. The Importance Of Nutrition In Gaining Muscle

To get big, you have to eat big. Your body will need plenty of top class nutrients to fuel those workouts, aid your recovery and build those muscles. I do not suggest that you eat huge meals that leave you bloated and your digestive system overloaded. What you need to do is eat 4 to 6 meals a day, every 3 to 4 hours. You may find this a bit difficult to do because of lifestyle constraints, but hey, sacrifices have to be made!