If you travel a lot, or have traveled in the past for any length of time, you know how hard it can be to get a workout in, eat right and maintain or make progress in your fitness training when you are in and out of hotels.
The fitness center that most hotels claim they have are often not adequate and seem to be a stationary bike with no seat and maybe a battered, multi-station weight stack machine. Some hotels have deals with near by gyms that offer discounts or free passes, but you could be too busy to take advantage of those offers—or worse yet, you could be staying in a place that has no equipment at all.
This article will help you while you’re on the road and want to workout and eat right. There are training programs, nutritional advice and some exercises that don’t require special equipment except for what you can locate within and around your average hotel room or home.
Tips on planning your traveling workout
Of course, the more planned out your trip is, the easier it is to accommodate working out, but honestly, when you are traveling you often don’t have a fully laid out plan and have no idea what equipment you will have access to.
When ever you have a chance to workout, workout your total body. This is great because if you don’t have a chance to workout again for a couple of days, you’ve already worked everything. If you do have a chance to workout again within the next couple of days, you’ll benefit from this different training than your body is used to. Here’s a sample total body workout arrangement. When doing this, only take short, 30-60 second rests between sets. How many reps you get will depend on the exercise you use, but you should shoot for around 10 to 15 reps for each set.
5 sets chest, 5 sets back, 5 sets thighs, 3 sets shoulders, 2 sets biceps, 2 sets triceps, 2 sets calves, 3 sets abdominals
Your body is virtually motionless while you are traveling, so when you feel up to it, especially on days when you’ve been traveling for a long period of time, do some stretching to help loosen up. Resistance training may not be very productive after being motionless all day and stretching is easy to do, doesn’t need any special equipment and can really help to relax you. When you know you have a long trip coming up, begin to ramp up your current training schedule up to the date you leave.
You will want to start building up and working your body with more sets and using intensity techniques that begin to move towards overtraining. This way, when your trip comes, your body will need the break and the infrequent bodyweight training will help you recover and improve. If you travel often for business, the same strategy can be applied to you—for a couple of workouts right before you leave, make them extremely tough. Then on shorter trips, do a couple bodyweight workouts or just focus on stretching.
If your main goal is to lose fat, you can do fat-loss circuit training while you are traveling. This means basically doing cardio training in between sets of resistance training instead of taking a rest period of non-activity. This method is very powerful and gives you a strong metabolic response which gives your workout as much punch as possible. Here’s a sample of what a fat-loss circuit training workout looks like in action: 1 set chest30 seconds of cardio1 set chest30 seconds of cardio1 set back30 seconds of cardio1 set back30 seconds of cardioetc. In your hotel room, you have a number of options for cardio—you can pack a skipping rope, use stairs or a low bench or even just step-ups onto a stable, un-rolling chair in your room.
If you want to build muscle, do the total-body workout but use more challenging exercises that allow only eight to 12 reps per set. When you get right down to the heart of the matter—it doesn’t matter where you train, as long as you give your body a strong training stimulus, you’ll still be able to build muscle.
Nutritional advice for the traveler
When you travel, eating can be unpredictable. You just might not know what kind of food you’ll be eating, when or where on any given day. Here are some tips to keep your eating on track when you are traveling. Most of these are really just common sense, but it’s hard to watch what you eat when you travel, especially if you are with a group of people. The key to this is to do the best you can and not stress yourself out if you eat something you didn’t plan on. The stress is worse than the effect of doing it.
The more control you have over food choices, the better off you are. When you can choose, opt for healthier food without fancy sauces or fatty toppings. Stick to foods that are less processed and do your best to stay away from fast food as much as possible. If your hotel room has a fridge, you can stock your fridge with good food from a grocery store. If your room doesn’t have a fridge, do the best you can with non-perishable food items. Stick to foods that aren’t processed such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Bring a protein supplement with you on your trip. This could be protein powders, ready-to-drink formulas or protein bars. You will likely find that while you travel, it’s tough to get enough protein without getting the fat that goes along with it. With a protein supplement, you have control over how much protein you get and what is in it this way. Don’t forget to take your vitamins. You should be taking at least a multi-vitamin and extra Vitamin C to keep your immune system strong, especially if you’ll be packed on a plane with others who could be sick).
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Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Free Weights Vs. Machine Weights
Something you need to keep in mind and never forget is that when you exercise, you are training for life. You still may spend an hour a day in the gym, although that will still leave another 23 hours or so for your muscles to function without using any fancy equipment.
Whenever you do any type of exercise, the movement of your body during the exercise is known as the range of motion. The more difficult the range of motion is, the more effective the exercise will be, because your body has to work twice as hard to perform the movement.
Take for the instance the classic dumbbell bicep curl. If you aren't familiar with the exercise, it is performed by standing up straight with your palms facing forward, and a pair of dumbbells held down by your sides. You'll contract your biceps to bring the dumbbells up to your shoulder height, then repeat the exercise as many times as you wish.
Using that same movement for exercise on a bicep curl machine, you should sit down, brace your upper arms on a pad, grasp 2 handles that are in front of you, then perform the same movement as above to move the handles in an upward motion.
Now, looking at the muscle contractions in this exercise, you are contracting essentially your biceps if you are using the curl machine, and that is pretty much all you are doing. When you use the machine you are sitting down, which will limit just how much your shoulders give. The machine has several muscles used in this exercise limited to the biceps, as well as
the muscles in your forearms and fingers.
Most of the time, when using machine weights, you will always be limited as to what type of exercise you can perform. You must always follow a strict procedure, which is pretty much the same with free weights. Unlike free weights, machine weights offer a certain degree of resistance.
One of the best thing about free weights is the fact that you move a little chuck around to select the weight you want to use. Instead of dragging it over to your exercise area, you simply select it on the machine. When you are tired during a workout, this can be a blessing.
A lot of people argue in the fact that free weights are the best for your body. While this is normally true, many people out there feel that machine weights are the best. There are pros and cons with both machines, although free weights have been around a lot longer and have been proven time after time to achieve dramatic results.
Body builders for example, have used free weights over the years to build very impressive bodies. If you ask most of them about machine weights, they would probably laugh at you and tell you that you need to quit joking around.
In a nutshell, free weights will use more of your muscles than the machines do, which makes them more effective overall. This doesn't mean that the machines are a waste of use, as they offer some great advantages. In some cases, it is best to stabilize the muscles that are being used in a movement, which is where machines are the best to use.
The decision on which to use for you should be based on what you hope to achieve with lifting weights and where you plan to use the equipment, such as home or at a gym. Both systems are great for your body, although the free weights are best to use if you want the best possible workout, and always ensure that your muscles are getting the right workouts they need.
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Whenever you do any type of exercise, the movement of your body during the exercise is known as the range of motion. The more difficult the range of motion is, the more effective the exercise will be, because your body has to work twice as hard to perform the movement.
Take for the instance the classic dumbbell bicep curl. If you aren't familiar with the exercise, it is performed by standing up straight with your palms facing forward, and a pair of dumbbells held down by your sides. You'll contract your biceps to bring the dumbbells up to your shoulder height, then repeat the exercise as many times as you wish.
Using that same movement for exercise on a bicep curl machine, you should sit down, brace your upper arms on a pad, grasp 2 handles that are in front of you, then perform the same movement as above to move the handles in an upward motion.
Now, looking at the muscle contractions in this exercise, you are contracting essentially your biceps if you are using the curl machine, and that is pretty much all you are doing. When you use the machine you are sitting down, which will limit just how much your shoulders give. The machine has several muscles used in this exercise limited to the biceps, as well as
the muscles in your forearms and fingers.
Most of the time, when using machine weights, you will always be limited as to what type of exercise you can perform. You must always follow a strict procedure, which is pretty much the same with free weights. Unlike free weights, machine weights offer a certain degree of resistance.
One of the best thing about free weights is the fact that you move a little chuck around to select the weight you want to use. Instead of dragging it over to your exercise area, you simply select it on the machine. When you are tired during a workout, this can be a blessing.
A lot of people argue in the fact that free weights are the best for your body. While this is normally true, many people out there feel that machine weights are the best. There are pros and cons with both machines, although free weights have been around a lot longer and have been proven time after time to achieve dramatic results.
Body builders for example, have used free weights over the years to build very impressive bodies. If you ask most of them about machine weights, they would probably laugh at you and tell you that you need to quit joking around.
In a nutshell, free weights will use more of your muscles than the machines do, which makes them more effective overall. This doesn't mean that the machines are a waste of use, as they offer some great advantages. In some cases, it is best to stabilize the muscles that are being used in a movement, which is where machines are the best to use.
The decision on which to use for you should be based on what you hope to achieve with lifting weights and where you plan to use the equipment, such as home or at a gym. Both systems are great for your body, although the free weights are best to use if you want the best possible workout, and always ensure that your muscles are getting the right workouts they need.
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Getting the Right Muscle Building Diet
Eating muscle building foods does help you get the edge and build muscles much faster than just eating normal foods. Muscle building foods that is refereed here is not some engineered freak food, it just carefully selected natural foods that contain high in protein that can help you accelerate your muscle building process. Building muscle is not as simple as just hopping into the gym, lift a few weights and you will get results. It requires much more than that. Number one, you need an excellent workout plan and then, you need a solid diet. Just imagine you are a homebuilder, even with the best tools and blue print, you cannot build if you do not have enough cement.
You get results from your workout when you rest, not when you are working out. During your workout, you are tearing your muscle in microscopic scale, and your muscles will recover and grow bigger when you feed them with muscle building foods like protein. You cannot get big muscles by just eating bread and beans. You need foods that contain complete amino acid profiles.
You have to include these power muscle building foods in all your meals. Consuming them bit by bit, spread throughout the day can increase the absorption rate of these foods in you body. Eating a large portion at once will not work because your body cannot absorb all the nutrients at once. Here are mini lists of muscle building foods that can help you build lean muscle that is rock solid in no time!
Muscle Building Foods 1
Beef is an all time favorite in a body builders diet. Roughly, 100 grams of beef contains 30 grams of high quality protein. These proteins are high BV protein, which means that, if you consume 100 grams of steak, 30 grams of protein will be absorbed by the body and utilized for protein synthesis. The steak, which contains the highest protein, is the Silverside lean. This is a good choice of steak because it also contains very low fat, 5 grams of fat only. There are many ways you can cook beef. The best way to do it is to roast it because this way of cooking uses very little oil. For a quick meal you can also buy beef strips and stir fry it with vegetables, onions and chili using olive oil.
Muscle Building Foods 2
Famous body building food number two is the all time favorite, eggs! Eggs are such a power food for building muscles because it the eggs whites contain no fat and although the egg yolk is high in cholesterol, it provides Omega 3, which is good fats. Eggs are also a source of protein, which contains a complete amino acid profile. Eggs are very easy to get, dirt cheap and convenient to bring around. One egg contains 6 grams of protein, 3 grams in the yolk and 3 grams in the white. There are tons of ways to cook eggs. The best way to cook eggs for dieting is to cook in hard boil or half boil, then eat it with a bit of soy sauce, this is good method of cooking because it contains low fat. To kick out of the boredom, make scrambled eggs with olive oil and chili.
Muscle Building Foods 3
Another fantastic lean source of protein is poultry. Chicken and turkey is a very good source of protein, low in fat, cheap and easily attainable. Although some parts of the chicken are high in fat, like the thigh, it is ok to eat it if you take the skin. 100 grams of chicken can give you 30 grams of high quality protein. The good thing about poultry is that it taste really good in sandwiches, salads, roast as well as stir fried.
Muscle Building Foods 4
When your parents say, eat your fish, they are right. Fish is also a powerful muscle building food because it is low in fat, high in protein and high in omega 3. Although fish is slightly more expensive that the other sources, having fish twice a week is good enough. The fishes that are high in protein are lobster, haddock, mullet and saithe. If you want convenience, go for tuna fish. Tuna fish is also very high in protein; a can of tuna can easily supply you with 30 grams of protein. Tuna have become a more desirable choice because it can be use with sandwiches, salads and other dishes. Tuna comes in handy cans than be ripped open. Some even comes in airtight packet so that you can carry it around.
Muscle Building Foods 5
Do not forget about milk and soy! This stuff is good stuff. Although they may appear as liquid, they are a good source of protein and when taken with meat, they compliment the amino acids supplied by the meat. 100 grams of tofu made from soy contains 8 grams of protein. One glass of low fat milk contains roughly 8 grams of protein. You have to be careful not to over do the milk because milk does contain lots of fat. Choose the low fat or the pasteurized version.
There you go, five choices of muscle building foods to fill up your menu. Make sure you include protein in all your meals, spread them out evenly in a day. Try to shot for 2.0 to 2.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for positive nitrogen balance. This will give you optimum results along with intense weight training.
Bookmarkz
You get results from your workout when you rest, not when you are working out. During your workout, you are tearing your muscle in microscopic scale, and your muscles will recover and grow bigger when you feed them with muscle building foods like protein. You cannot get big muscles by just eating bread and beans. You need foods that contain complete amino acid profiles.
You have to include these power muscle building foods in all your meals. Consuming them bit by bit, spread throughout the day can increase the absorption rate of these foods in you body. Eating a large portion at once will not work because your body cannot absorb all the nutrients at once. Here are mini lists of muscle building foods that can help you build lean muscle that is rock solid in no time!
Muscle Building Foods 1
Beef is an all time favorite in a body builders diet. Roughly, 100 grams of beef contains 30 grams of high quality protein. These proteins are high BV protein, which means that, if you consume 100 grams of steak, 30 grams of protein will be absorbed by the body and utilized for protein synthesis. The steak, which contains the highest protein, is the Silverside lean. This is a good choice of steak because it also contains very low fat, 5 grams of fat only. There are many ways you can cook beef. The best way to do it is to roast it because this way of cooking uses very little oil. For a quick meal you can also buy beef strips and stir fry it with vegetables, onions and chili using olive oil.
Muscle Building Foods 2
Famous body building food number two is the all time favorite, eggs! Eggs are such a power food for building muscles because it the eggs whites contain no fat and although the egg yolk is high in cholesterol, it provides Omega 3, which is good fats. Eggs are also a source of protein, which contains a complete amino acid profile. Eggs are very easy to get, dirt cheap and convenient to bring around. One egg contains 6 grams of protein, 3 grams in the yolk and 3 grams in the white. There are tons of ways to cook eggs. The best way to cook eggs for dieting is to cook in hard boil or half boil, then eat it with a bit of soy sauce, this is good method of cooking because it contains low fat. To kick out of the boredom, make scrambled eggs with olive oil and chili.
Muscle Building Foods 3
Another fantastic lean source of protein is poultry. Chicken and turkey is a very good source of protein, low in fat, cheap and easily attainable. Although some parts of the chicken are high in fat, like the thigh, it is ok to eat it if you take the skin. 100 grams of chicken can give you 30 grams of high quality protein. The good thing about poultry is that it taste really good in sandwiches, salads, roast as well as stir fried.
Muscle Building Foods 4
When your parents say, eat your fish, they are right. Fish is also a powerful muscle building food because it is low in fat, high in protein and high in omega 3. Although fish is slightly more expensive that the other sources, having fish twice a week is good enough. The fishes that are high in protein are lobster, haddock, mullet and saithe. If you want convenience, go for tuna fish. Tuna fish is also very high in protein; a can of tuna can easily supply you with 30 grams of protein. Tuna have become a more desirable choice because it can be use with sandwiches, salads and other dishes. Tuna comes in handy cans than be ripped open. Some even comes in airtight packet so that you can carry it around.
Muscle Building Foods 5
Do not forget about milk and soy! This stuff is good stuff. Although they may appear as liquid, they are a good source of protein and when taken with meat, they compliment the amino acids supplied by the meat. 100 grams of tofu made from soy contains 8 grams of protein. One glass of low fat milk contains roughly 8 grams of protein. You have to be careful not to over do the milk because milk does contain lots of fat. Choose the low fat or the pasteurized version.
There you go, five choices of muscle building foods to fill up your menu. Make sure you include protein in all your meals, spread them out evenly in a day. Try to shot for 2.0 to 2.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for positive nitrogen balance. This will give you optimum results along with intense weight training.
Bookmarkz
Monday, January 21, 2008
What are weighted situps, and what do they do for you
You’ve heard of sit ups, you’ve heard of push ups, and you’ve heard of crunches, but what on earth are weighted sit ups? This is a good question and one that many people don’t know about, despite the fact that they have heard all about sit ups.
So what are weighted sit ups and how do they help you? Well, to put it very simply, weighted sit ups are merely sit ups done using weights to give you more resistance when you are doing the sit ups. And in many cases you are doing the full sit ups instead of merely the crunch version of the sit ups.
To do weighted sit ups, you have a few options available to you. You can either perform these weighted sit ups using the old fashioned method of the floor, or you can perform them using a piece of exercise equipment known as a sit up bench. And if you are using a sit up bench, you now also have the option of using it to do normal weighted sit ups, or to do weighted sit ups with more resistance in them.
The weighted sit ups with more resistance can be accomplished by lifting and securing the sit up bench to about a 30 degree angle off the horizontal. You get on the bench as normal, holding a weighted pole or some such thing which you can grip tightly, behind your head, and then you lower yourself towards the seat of the bench, going close to, but not touching, the actual bench itself. Then you lever yourself upwards using your ab muscles so that you are parallel with the floor, before repeating the process all over again.
This is one way if doing weighted sit ups. The other more traditional method simply utilises you, the floor, a mat preferably, and a weight which you can comfortably grip in your hands. When you have all of these the next thing that you need to do is to get into the sit up position. You know the one, lie flat on the floor (on your mat), and bend your knees in towards you keeping your feet flat on the floor.
The difference you will be facing this time however, will come from your having the weight in your hands. So, comfortably grip the weight in your hands at about chest level, making sure that neither your hands, nor the weight are resting on your chest. Lift your upper body up in a sit up curl, bringing yourself towards your knees.
The trick to doing these particular type of weighted sit ups is not in the rising however, the trick lies in the going-down part of the sit up. Instead of just falling back down as fast as you can, control your descent so that you are contracting your ab muscles in order to exert that control. It is when you’re doing this, that the true benefit of doing weighted sit ups comes to pass.
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So what are weighted sit ups and how do they help you? Well, to put it very simply, weighted sit ups are merely sit ups done using weights to give you more resistance when you are doing the sit ups. And in many cases you are doing the full sit ups instead of merely the crunch version of the sit ups.
To do weighted sit ups, you have a few options available to you. You can either perform these weighted sit ups using the old fashioned method of the floor, or you can perform them using a piece of exercise equipment known as a sit up bench. And if you are using a sit up bench, you now also have the option of using it to do normal weighted sit ups, or to do weighted sit ups with more resistance in them.
The weighted sit ups with more resistance can be accomplished by lifting and securing the sit up bench to about a 30 degree angle off the horizontal. You get on the bench as normal, holding a weighted pole or some such thing which you can grip tightly, behind your head, and then you lower yourself towards the seat of the bench, going close to, but not touching, the actual bench itself. Then you lever yourself upwards using your ab muscles so that you are parallel with the floor, before repeating the process all over again.
This is one way if doing weighted sit ups. The other more traditional method simply utilises you, the floor, a mat preferably, and a weight which you can comfortably grip in your hands. When you have all of these the next thing that you need to do is to get into the sit up position. You know the one, lie flat on the floor (on your mat), and bend your knees in towards you keeping your feet flat on the floor.
The difference you will be facing this time however, will come from your having the weight in your hands. So, comfortably grip the weight in your hands at about chest level, making sure that neither your hands, nor the weight are resting on your chest. Lift your upper body up in a sit up curl, bringing yourself towards your knees.
The trick to doing these particular type of weighted sit ups is not in the rising however, the trick lies in the going-down part of the sit up. Instead of just falling back down as fast as you can, control your descent so that you are contracting your ab muscles in order to exert that control. It is when you’re doing this, that the true benefit of doing weighted sit ups comes to pass.
Bookmarkz
Saturday, January 19, 2008
How to Build Leg Muscle Without Heavy Squats
The squat is considered the king of all exercises when it comes to building muscle. When done correctly with heavy weights and for the right amount of reps usually 8 to 12, it is the most effective growth producing exercise you can do, along with the dead lift and very heavy presses. If you are on a muscle-building routine that does not involve the squat then you are not really on a muscle-building routine. So is there anything else you can do if you just do not want to squat or you simply don’t like the exercise? Can you still build massive legs without the squat? Yes you can but you will still need to work as hard and sometimes even harder if you are not squatting. There is no getting around the hard work for massive legs.
If you want to avoid the squat and still build up those legs, here’s what you can do: Start doing giant sets as your leg routine using the leg press. Here’s a giant set leg routine:
Leg extensions 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 12 reps 5 minutes rest
Leg extensions 1 set 10 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 10 reps 1 minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 10 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 10 reps 5 minutes rest
Leg extensions 1 set 8 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 8 reps 1 minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 8 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 8 reps 5 minutes rest
Things to remember: Warm up sets for the above are not included. On your 12 rep sets you should be able to get 12 without much difficulty. On your 10 rep sets you should just about be able to get 10, maybe 11 if you wanted to. On your 8 rep sets you should only be able to get 8 reps. The Weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps. These are the sets that will induce the most muscle growth if done correctly. You should not be able to get 9 and 10 reps, but on those 8 rep sets you should always be pushing to get as many reps as you can. If you find yourself able to get more than 8 reps then you need to increase the weight for next time and continue to push for more than 8 reps increasing the weight again until you absolutely cannot get more than 8 reps for those muscle building sets. You must keep in mind that it is the 8 rep sets that are the muscle builders and give an all out effort to get those 8 reps and to go beyond 8 to see if the weight is really heavy enough. If you do decide to attempt the above you should get the go ahead from your GP or Health Practitioner before doing so.
There are many reasons why some people avoid doing the squat when it comes to muscle building routines. Some people have lower back trouble, some people believe they are too tall for squats and some just don’t want to bother with the squat because it’s just too stressing for them. The Squat continues to reign as the king of all exercises for massive muscle building, but at least now you know that there is a way around it, and that is to pre-exhaust the thighs, hamstrings and calves before the mass building leg press. Just like the giant set routine above. Yes you can build Massive Legs without the Squat.
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If you want to avoid the squat and still build up those legs, here’s what you can do: Start doing giant sets as your leg routine using the leg press. Here’s a giant set leg routine:
Leg extensions 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 12 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 12 reps 5 minutes rest
Leg extensions 1 set 10 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 10 reps 1 minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 10 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 10 reps 5 minutes rest
Leg extensions 1 set 8 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Curl 1 set 8 reps 1 minute rest
Standing Calf raises 1 set 8 reps 1-minute rest
Leg Press 1 set 8 reps 5 minutes rest
Things to remember: Warm up sets for the above are not included. On your 12 rep sets you should be able to get 12 without much difficulty. On your 10 rep sets you should just about be able to get 10, maybe 11 if you wanted to. On your 8 rep sets you should only be able to get 8 reps. The Weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps. These are the sets that will induce the most muscle growth if done correctly. You should not be able to get 9 and 10 reps, but on those 8 rep sets you should always be pushing to get as many reps as you can. If you find yourself able to get more than 8 reps then you need to increase the weight for next time and continue to push for more than 8 reps increasing the weight again until you absolutely cannot get more than 8 reps for those muscle building sets. You must keep in mind that it is the 8 rep sets that are the muscle builders and give an all out effort to get those 8 reps and to go beyond 8 to see if the weight is really heavy enough. If you do decide to attempt the above you should get the go ahead from your GP or Health Practitioner before doing so.
There are many reasons why some people avoid doing the squat when it comes to muscle building routines. Some people have lower back trouble, some people believe they are too tall for squats and some just don’t want to bother with the squat because it’s just too stressing for them. The Squat continues to reign as the king of all exercises for massive muscle building, but at least now you know that there is a way around it, and that is to pre-exhaust the thighs, hamstrings and calves before the mass building leg press. Just like the giant set routine above. Yes you can build Massive Legs without the Squat.
Bookmarkz
5 Truths to Building Your Exercise Routine
Creating an exercise plan can be one of the trickiest parts of a fitness program. If you ask 5 personal trainers what the best strength training routine is, then you will get 5 different answers. Below are five guidelines to use when building a strength training program. Each provides the basic foundation that all strength training programs go by. Learning the proper way to use free weights will greatly improve your strength, fitness and health.
We cannot strength train the same muscle group two days in a row because our body needs at least 24-36 hours of rest. If you lift and work the same muscle groups on consecutive days, this will lead to muscle fatigue and possible injury. Your routines must work all of the major muscle groups in your body 1-3 times per week. This includes your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, abs, quads, hamstrings and calves. Leaving out muscle groups will create an imbalance.
Strength training routines must be planned according to your specific goals such as fat loss, maintaining weight or adding bulk. Whatever your goal is then you will have a different method that is best suited for optimal results. If you are trying to lose body fat then you will strength train differently than a person who is trying to increase muscle mass. When you have a specific goal, you are prepared to create the best strength training program possible that suits your needs.
Unfortunately, we cannot choose specific areas of our bodies to lose weight because we need to take the approach of trying to have an overall reduction in body fat. You will see the results you desire by reducing overall body fat through a healthy diet, regular exercise and proper rest.
Your strength training routines must be regular and consistent for results to be noticeable. It takes us years to put on the weight and it takes time to lose it. The most important thing to remember is that you are taking steps every day to reverse the damage so do not beat yourself up if you do not see immediate results. The end result of your fitness and strength training program will be a total lifestyle change where you replace bad habits with healthy ones and feel the benefits that come with your positive choice you made when you set out to lose weight.
Our bodies adapt quickly to change so you must change your routine every 4-6 weeks. This will prevent our body from hitting a plateau and the variety will keep things interesting. The easiest way to lose your consistent effort is from boredom. You can mix things up by changing your exercise program or by increasing your intensity level. By doing this, you will continually grow stronger as you progress with the fitness program.
By using these five guidelines, you should be able to build a beneficial and effective program. The idea is to develop a safe strength training routine that provides you with sustainable health and fitness benefits. Knowing how to build a strength training routine for your specific goals will move you one step closer to a fit body.
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We cannot strength train the same muscle group two days in a row because our body needs at least 24-36 hours of rest. If you lift and work the same muscle groups on consecutive days, this will lead to muscle fatigue and possible injury. Your routines must work all of the major muscle groups in your body 1-3 times per week. This includes your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, abs, quads, hamstrings and calves. Leaving out muscle groups will create an imbalance.
Strength training routines must be planned according to your specific goals such as fat loss, maintaining weight or adding bulk. Whatever your goal is then you will have a different method that is best suited for optimal results. If you are trying to lose body fat then you will strength train differently than a person who is trying to increase muscle mass. When you have a specific goal, you are prepared to create the best strength training program possible that suits your needs.
Unfortunately, we cannot choose specific areas of our bodies to lose weight because we need to take the approach of trying to have an overall reduction in body fat. You will see the results you desire by reducing overall body fat through a healthy diet, regular exercise and proper rest.
Your strength training routines must be regular and consistent for results to be noticeable. It takes us years to put on the weight and it takes time to lose it. The most important thing to remember is that you are taking steps every day to reverse the damage so do not beat yourself up if you do not see immediate results. The end result of your fitness and strength training program will be a total lifestyle change where you replace bad habits with healthy ones and feel the benefits that come with your positive choice you made when you set out to lose weight.
Our bodies adapt quickly to change so you must change your routine every 4-6 weeks. This will prevent our body from hitting a plateau and the variety will keep things interesting. The easiest way to lose your consistent effort is from boredom. You can mix things up by changing your exercise program or by increasing your intensity level. By doing this, you will continually grow stronger as you progress with the fitness program.
By using these five guidelines, you should be able to build a beneficial and effective program. The idea is to develop a safe strength training routine that provides you with sustainable health and fitness benefits. Knowing how to build a strength training routine for your specific goals will move you one step closer to a fit body.
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