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AtoZ Fitness Weekly
Newsletter Aug. 25 2007 Edition | |
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AtoZfitness
newsletter Introduction
I’ll get
another article from some science place next
time again, but this week I wanted to be more
personal. First out, I had a nice surprise from
Lewis yesterday. He asked me to go to my on-line
training site,
www.trainwithsarah.com I thought that was a
little strange, but clicked anyway. TOTAL
facelift! He’d had it totally revamped and
restructured, added testimonials I’d received
since I started out, changed the pictures, cut
the more general ones and put in only mine; in
short … I didn’t recognize my own website! Have
a look for yourself
www.trainwithsarah.com and see what you
think of it. I love it!
Secondly, as you may have read on
the forum, Lewis and I are currently engaged in
the Xooma Challenge (www.xommachallenge.com/trainwithsarah)
and have just completed week 3 of 12. I’ve said
I’d let everyone know about this challenge and
how it works (or not, as the case may be), and
although it’s only been 2 weeks … the results
are there.
Visibly.
We look better, less bloated, clearer eyes and
skin.
Feelings.
Our bodies feel cleaner and lighter, on the
inside.
Measures.
Scale weight total (which alone means nothing)
and bodyfat measures are down. When calculating
the difference, it’s also clear that the actual
fatloss is greater than the scales indicate, and
we are adding muscle mass in the process.
Granted, we had issues with one
of the supplements which were supplied in the
start package.
There is one supplement
(vitamins, minerals) to be taken in the morning.
No problem there at all, and we’re taking those
religiously.
Along with this, there are little
“tea-bags” to add to the water bottles, which
make the water more easily absorbable to the
cells. No problem with those either. I just feel
a little tingly in fingertips and sometimes also
the tip of my nose when I drink my first 710ml
bottle in the morning, just proof it really
works and gets into all my cells.
In addition, we received two
containers of protein powder, one chocolate and
one vanilla, both with much higher fiber content
than is normal in such powders. They are easily
blended into milk (skim), water and/or juice,
and taste great either by themselves or with
berries or whatever else we might add to them.
Last weekend, we brought one container with us
when we went out of town, so as not to miss a
day of the program.
However, the supplement meant to
be taken in the evening, and which is meant to
help people with sleep issues get a good night’s
sleep … not our cup of tea. We already sleep
like babies, or logs, or hibernating bears,
whichever comparison you want to use. As soon as
our heads hit the pillow, we are out, just
barely time to say “good night” and it’s “lights
out” for both of us; waking only because there’s
this beeping thing on the night stand! With the
evening supplement, this was totally reversed.
We had trouble falling asleep, and kept waking
up at least 5 times in 8 hours. After 3 nights
like this, and having conferred with the head of
Xooma, we dropped that supplement, and have been
getting our good sleeps again.
This of course, does not mean
that everyone will react as we did. I’ve read
many testimonials on their site from people who
have had their sleep restored. It could just be
that since we already sleep well, the added help
sent us into overdrive and kept us awake
instead. As it’s all natural, there is no danger
in trying, and no problem stopping if it doesn’t
work out. It has not affected the rest of the
program.
The nutrition program is so easy
to follow, it took me one day to get it
straight. Menus are there if you need help,
suggested recipes, shopping lists; but you are
free to substitute and make things you like as
long as it stays within the guidelines of clean
foods.
The exercise program … 3 days
cardio and 3 days weights. The weights are split
into an upper body workout and a lower body
workout which includes the abs. One week we do
two of the upper body programs and one lower;
the next week we do two lower and one upper;
etc. No overtraining, no stress. And yes, that
is enough abs training. Those muscles
need no more work than the others, and in any
case, the abs are always involved more or less
in the stabilizing of your body when you perform
other exercises, as well as when you perform
cardio.
For each muscle group, you chose
an exercise from a list supplied, and do the
prescribed reps for 5 sets (12-10-8-10-12 reps).
We have elected to stick with one exercise per
muscle group for 4 weeks, then switch for the
next 4 and again for the last 4, both for mental
variation and for the muscles to get worked from
different angles; but you can very well decide
to use the same for 6 or even 12 weeks, or
change every time. It is left entirely up to
you, nothing is set in stone.
Conclusion after two weeks: we
recommend this program. It is structured, clear,
easy to follow, detailed in the explanations in
both the folder and the book you receive in the
mail along with the supplements, a gym bag and a
sports towel. Even if you already know how to
eat and work out, following instructions can
sometimes be relaxing, someone else has already
done the thinking for you. If you are new to the
fitness scene, it’s ideal: you get it all served
on a silver platter and all you need to do is
follow instructions.
I would therefore advise you to
check out
www.xoomachallenge.com/trainwithsarah and
see for yourself. Apart from the actual price
(low for the supplies and information you get)
all you have to lose is excess bodyfat; and you
could win $10.000,- US in the process! Well,
someone will … why not you?
For one-on-one, personal help and training,
please have a look at
http://www.trainwithsarah.com
Sarah
Have a good week!
Sarah R.A.PT (UK) | | | |
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Secret Training Tip #733 - Reverse Grip C.urls - How This Underused, Underrated Exercise Can Unleash Your Arm Size
By Nick Nilsson
(Editors Note: The word C.url is not allowed in posting for some reason or another so just to let you know it is NOT a spelling or formatting error. )
Want to learn a shortcut to bigger arms? Check out this
powerful information on the Reverse Grip C.url . You're
leaving potential arm size on the table if you neglect
this exercise.
What is the one arm exercise you'll very rarely see anyone in the gym do? The Reverse Grip C.url, of course! There are two main reasons it's such a neglected exercise:
1. If you're doing it correctly, you can't use nearly as much weight as you could with a regular-grip barbell c.url. Many lifters are going to opt for the exercise that allows them to use heavier weight with the thought that it'll be more effective for building up the arms.
2. The Reverse C.url works a muscle in the arms that is not particularly visible: the brachialis (located on the lower aspect of the upper arm, just below the bicep muscle). Not being visible often translates into not being important in the eyes of many trainers.
But for the lifter in search of bigger arms, the Reverse c.url is a KEY exercise. Want to know what a well-developed brachialis muscle does? It push the peak of the bicep muscle up higher, making for a more dramatic flex and an overall bigger arm!
So if Reverse c.urls aren't a part of your arm-training routine, it's time to take another look at this neglected exercise. And, of course, I've got tips to help you make it even MORE effective!
Look for the link at the end of the article for pictures of this exercise and the tips in action.
How To Do It:
For this exercise, you can use either a straight barbell (e.g. an Olympic bar) or an EZ c.url bar. Start with about HALF of the weight you would use for a regular barbell c.url for 8 reps - you may increase it later but it's important to use a lighter weight to start with to make sure you're using proper form. This exercise can easily turn into a "clean" movement with a lot of momentum if you use too much weight.
Take a shoulder-width grip on the bar. Instead of gripping with your hands underneath the bar like a regular c.url, grip on TOP of the bar (this is known as a pronated grip). If you're using an EZ bar, grip it on the downward-sloping parts of the bar just outside of the central straight section.
Keeping your elbows close to your sides, knees slightly bent, and hands gripped tightly onto the bar, c.url it up as you would with a regular c.url. Because you are gripping the top of the bar, the supinated grip will utilize the brachialis muscle to move the weight. You'll feel strong tension in your forearms as well, especially as you come to the top of the c.url.
Hold for a second at the top, then lower slowly. You should feel the area under your lower biceps swelling up with blood.
That's it!
Tips and Tricks:
1. For an extremely intense "grip drop set," try this technique. Instead of taking the time to reduce the weight on your drop sets, you can accomplish the same increased tension by changing your grip on the bar.
Start with a very close grip (your hands placed about 3 to 4 inches apart). Do as many reps as you can with this grip width. The closer grip puts a more intense contraction on the brachialis - the reason we don't use it for regular sets is that it will reduce the amount of weight you can use for the exercise.
When you've done as many reps as possible with the very close grip, set the bar down and move your hands out to a shoulder-width grip. Do as many reps as you can with that grip. When you've done as many reps as you can with that width, set the bar down and move your hands out wider (I like to use index finger on the smooth guide circle on the Olympic bar). This grip is similar to what you'd use for a barbell hang clean and the movement itself on this last set can incorporate some momentum in order to keep the bar going. This will completely burn out your brachialis muscles.
2. When you come to the top of the Reverse c.url, let your wrists flex back and raise your elbows until they are pointing directly forward. This will look like the arm position for the front squat. This will provide a more full contraction of the brachialis muscles.
This will look like a 4 part movement: first, the normal reverse c.url, then the elbows raise up and the hands flop back, then you lower the elbows, then you lower the bar to the bottom position.
3. When you're doing the Reverse c.url with the EZ bar, don't grip the bar with your thumbs against the top of the slope of the bar. Grip the bar at the BOTTOM of the slope. When you grip at the top, you will be bracing your thumb against the center section of the bar, decreasing the work the forearm and gripping muscles must do - this work is among the major benefits of the exercise. By gripping at the bottom of the slope, you get no bracing effect and you get more tension on the target muscles.
4. As you do the Reverse c.url, try to bring your elbows together. This will increase the contraction of the brachialis at the top of the movement. Try to imagine you are rotating your arms inward as you are c.urling the bar up.
---
Conclusion:
The Reverse Grip Barbell c.url is not a glamorous exercise and it won't turn heads while you're doing it. What WILL turn heads are the results you get when you work hard at it!
For pictures of this exercise and the tips in actions, please click here!
About the Author:
------------------
Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at (http://fitness-ebooks.atozfitness.com ). He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com .
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How
loved
one
can
help
in a
Medical
Crisis...
What
you
are
about
to
read
is
directed
to
those
who
suffer
from
back
pain
and
those
who
love
them.
Much
of
what
I'm
going
to
tell
you
can
be
useful
in
all
aspects
of
your
life
and
for
any
difficult
situation
you
may
face.
When
dealing
with
serious
back
pain,
you
have
to
realize
that
your
condition
is
going
to
have
an
impact
on
everyone
around
you
and
that
it
will
be
toughest
on
the
one
you
love.
I
got
an
e-mail
this
morning
and
could
not
stand
to
go
another
day
without
telling
you
my
thoughts.
Believe
me,
this
question
is
not
unique.
Please
read
the
following
e-mail,
and
then
I'll
give
you
my
response:
Steve,
My
husband
recently
had
a
severe
flare-up
caused
by a
herniated
disc.
He's
had
it
for
five
years.
Now
it's
in
both
sides
of
his
body,
from
his
back
to
his
toes.
He
is
using
a
scooter
to
get
around.
He
cannot
walk
and
is
hunched
over
at
the
waist
with
severe
pain.
He
is
currently
taking
three
meds:
Motrin,
Vicodin,
and
Flexeril.
They
help
very
little!
He
has
been
seen
by
his
doctor,
and
he
will
have
an
MRI
plus
physical
therapy.
Can
you
help
him?
What
this
poor
lady
must
be
going
through
As
you
see,
the
e-mail
starts
with
"My
husband"—and
that's
the
first
problem.
Why
is
this
man's
wife
the
one
who's
searching
for
a
solution?
When
I
said
that
a
health
problem
is
sometimes
harder
on
the
partner,
I'm
sure
I
was
telling
many
of
you
something
you
already
knew.
Those
who
care
for
a
person
with
a
health
problem
go
through
the
same
fear,
anger,
and
frustration—they
just
don't
have
the
pain.
One
reason
is
that
when
people
have
been
suffering
for
a
long
time,
they
tend
to
give
up.
Or
the
system
just
wears
them
down.
Unfortunately,
the
more
depressed
the
person
with
the
health
problem
gets,
the
harder
the
loved
one
must
work
to
find
the
Holy
Grail--that
one
miraculous
thing
that
will
help.
What
usually
happens
is
that
the
loved
one
learns
to
adapt
to
the
changes
and
accepts
that
things
will
never
get
better.
That's
why
success
is
so
rare.
Knowing
but
not
doing
The
second
sentence
of
the
e-mail
lets
us
know
that
this
has
been
an
issue
in
this
couple's
life
for
five
years.
The
fourth
sentence
confirms
that
the
husband
has
adapted
to
change
and
has
allowed
the
system
to
accommodate
his
needs.
The
use
of
the
scooter
is a
clear
example
of
this.
This
man
most
likely
did
not
just
wake
up
one
morning
and
discover
that
he
could
not
walk.
My
bet
is
that
this
was
a
steady
decline
over
a
five-year
period.
Do
you
think
that
if
the
husband
had
taken
any
initiative,
he
could
have
kept
himself
out
of a
scooter?
I
do.
I've
been
in
the
health
care
profession
for
16
years,
and
I
have
seen
only
a
handful
of
back
pain
sufferers
resort
to a
scooter
for
mobility.
In
fact,
the
worst
case
I
have
ever
seen
was
a
100-year-old
woman
who
was
bent
in
half
from
her
rib
cage.
Her
entire
upper
body
was
parallel
to
the
floor,
and
she
could
not
see
more
than
three
feet
ahead
of
where
she
was
walking.
But
she
was
walking.
And
she
remained
active
until
she
died.
Have
you
heard
me
say,
‘Don't
just
treat
the
symptoms'?
Again,
it's
my
bet
that
when
the
pain
first
started,
the
husband
was
not
on
three
different
pain
medications
at
the
same
time.
Chances
are,
he
went
back
to
his
physician
and
demanded
more
and
stronger
pain
killers.
News
flash—medications
don't
help
the
condition
get
any
better.
The
worst
part
about
suffering
with
a
condition
for
so
long
is
that
the
husband
has
come
to
believe
that
his
condition
is
so
bad
now
that
the
only
one
who
can
help
him
is a
medical
professional.
He
has
turned
a
deaf
ear
to
everything
the
wife
might
suggest,
which
may
be
causing
harm
to
their
relationship.
Help
others
by
helping
yourself
The
truth
is,
there
are
a
lot
of
people
who
could
help
him.
But
it's
not
going
to
happen
until
he
first
decides
to
help
himself.
Did
his
wife
do
anything
wrong?
No.
Could
she
have
done
anything
differently?
Maybe,
but
it
probably
wouldn't
have
changed
things.
It
is
also
important
to
understand
that
it's
natural
for
both
parties
to
feel
some
frustration.
The
problem
is
that
neither
of
them
is
trying
to
see
things
from
the
other's
point
of
view.
In
these
situations,
it
is
critical
to
communicate
your
feelings
to
each
other.
That's
why
I'm
going
to
approach
this
from
a
different
perspective—one
that
people
inside
the
situation
often
find
harder
to
see.
If
this
advice
means
more
coming
from
an
outsider,
that's
great.
You
may
want
to
print
out
this
article
and
kindly
hand
it
to
your
loved
one.
Even
if
you
don't,
be
sure
to
at
least
ask
them
these
two
questions:
-
Can
you
live
the
rest
of
your
life
expecting
to
get
better?
-
Are
you
willing
do
what
it
takes
to
get
better?
Change
your
mind—change
the
outcome
The
direct
answer
to
this
woman's
e-mail
is,
"No,
I
can't
help
your
husband
because
he
hasn't
taken
responsibility
for
making
improvements
in
his
life."
I
would
much
rather
have
gotten
an
e-mail
directly
from
him,
telling
me
about
all
the
things
he
has
tried
and
celebrating
even
the
smallest
gains
he
was
able
to
achieve
through
his
efforts.
Both
of
them—and
maybe
even
you
and
your
loved
one—will
continue
to
struggle
until
they
find
that
one
trigger
that
motivates
or
inspires
them.
Exactly
what
it
is
or
where
it
will
come
from
I
don't
know.
What
I do
know
is
that
the
sooner
they
start
looking,
the
sooner
they'll
find
it.
A
different
way
to
think
Regardless
of
the
severity
of
your
condition
and
the
amount
of
progress
you
are
making,
it
is
up
to
you
and
you
alone
to
find
the
inner
strength
to
continue.
You
must
abandon
the
"What
can
YOU
do
for
ME"
attitude.
Try
to
think
differently,
keeping
the
following
two
principles
in
mind:
1)
There's
a
difference
between
knowing
and
believing.
It's
really
a
difference
of
degree.
Believing
in
something,
say,
being
100
percent
free
of
back
pain,
is
fine.
But
if
you
simply
believe
it
will
happen
and
then
have
a
setback
or
flare-up,
you'll
find
yourself
doubting
or
questioning
that
belief
on
some
level.
On
the
other
hand,
knowing
that
you're
going
to
get
100
percent
relief
will
help
you
get
through
the
inevitable
ups
and
downs.
So
live
knowing.
2)
Live
with
expectancy.
You
should
go
through
each
day
confident
that
you
are
going
to
get
better
and
stay
healthy.
It
starts
with
your
thoughts
and
the
words
you
use.
These
will
affect
your
actions.
For
example,
if
you
haven't
been
able
to
do
something
you
love
for
a
very
long
time,
tell
yourself
you're
going
to
be
doing
it
on a
specific
date
in
the
future.
Talk
to
everyone
about
it.
Read
books
and
watch
videos
about
it.
Fill
your
mind
with
the
joy
of
it.
Then
begin
to
prepare
for
it.
Dust
off
that
fishing
pole.
Clean
that
bike.
Go
buy
that
new
pair
of
running
shoes
and
have
them
sitting
where
you
can
see
them
every
day
to
remind
you
that
you
expect
to
run
again.
Immediate
steps
to
take
-
Change
the
way
you
think
and
feel
about
your
situation.
-
Allow
others
to
help
you,
even
if
they
are
not
professionals.
- Do
not
give
in
or
let
the
system
beat
you
down.
-
Recognize
small
gains
as
progress
and
hope
that
you
are
getting
better.
-
Treat
both
the
symptoms
and
the
cause
of
your
condition.
Please
don't
let
five
years
pass
without
taking
responsibility
for
your
recovery.
If
you
are
suffering
now,
you
will
only
continue
to
suffer
unless
you
educate
yourself
and
take
action.
Regardless
of
the
answers
you
get
to
the
two
questions
above,
your
partner
will
now
understand
the
pain
you've
been
feeling
without
your
having
to
say
it.
Sometimes,
being
honest
with
each
other
is
the
most
powerful
demonstration
of
love.
I
don't
mean
to
minimize
your
situation.
It
may
be
extremely
difficult
for
this
man
to
live
his
life,
but
as
long
as
both
of
you
live
expectantly,
you
can
never
fail.
Lecture's
over,
as
my
dad
would
say
No
matter
how
bad
you
problem
is,
there
is a
solution.
So
live
knowing
you
will
get
better.
Live
expecting
to
get
better.
Live
by
taking
action
and
not
settling
until
you
have
achieved
your
goals…
To
learn
more
about
how
you
can
get
lasting
relief
from
your
Back
Pain
by
using
the
Muscle
Balance
Therapy™,
we
suggest
you
read
the
latest
copy
of
our
Back
Pain
Relief
Guide.
You
can
get
your
copy
here:
http://www.losethebackpain.com
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Moderation is
NOT the key to getting stronger
Moderation in
all things in life has been the advice of many a
parent over the years. It is almost a certainty
that you have been exposed to this as you grew
up. In most cases the saying has merit but not
when it comes to getting stronger. When it comes
to getting stronger, throw moderation
out the window. Your muscles don’t act in a
moderate manner, so why should you?
Now just
because I said to throw moderation out the
window I did not say to throw caution out with
it. Use your head while you train or suffer the
consequences of your imprudent actions.
The all or
nothing theory of muscle activation
Before we move
on let’s review the all or nothing theory of
muscle activation. This states that when a
specific set of muscle fibers within a motor
unit reaches its threshold of activation either
all of the fibers in that unit fire or none do.
There is no such thing as a ‘maybe firing’. This
is similar to a woman being pregnant; she either
is, or is not…there is no middle ground.
Once this
concept is understood it’s time to consider what
happens when the motor units are all firing to
move the weight. Without something to protect
the body from excessive loads it would be
possible to damage the integrity of the joints.
The protective
joint sensors
The body has
built in feedback loops to help protect it from
harm. The most significant are the Golgi tendons
and the muscle spindles. Both of which are ultra
protective of the joints. Resetting the levels
of activation for these protective mechanisms
may be the key to greater lifting achievements.
The muscle
spindles are located, actually intertwined
within the muscles themselves and can sense when
the muscles are being stretched (lengthened)
rapidly. When this happens a signal is sent to
the spinal cord which then tells the motor
neurons to tighten up, i.e. to ‘reflexively
contract’. (Strength Training, Brown, L. E. et
al 2007). This helps prevent the muscle from
being over stretched to the point of injury.
However this only works during rapid lengthening
of the fibers. A fiber that is slowly stretched
doesn’t receive the signal to contract and is
thereby susceptible to damage. The opposite
reaction to the muscle spindle comes from its
counterpart in the joint protective association;
the Golgi Tendon.
The Golgi
tendon, located at the junction of the tendon
and muscle fibers intersection, senses when
there is high tension on the tendon. When this
sensation of excess is noted a signal is
immediately sent to the spinal cord to inhibit
further contraction of the muscles attached to
the tendon. Additionally another signal is sent
to the antagonist muscles telling them to
contract. Here in lies the problem of
moderation.
It may be that
the Golgi tendon response is set too low.
Readjusting this could be the answer to greater
strength outputs. But this is dangerous
territory as injury is just around the corner if
the limits are pushed to far upward and the
joint is damaged by a disproportionate, in
relation to training experience, weight. The
question before us now is how can we make these
two seemingly incompatible protective devices
work for us, and not against us, in our
training.
The
relationship between strength training and
muscle activation
Since we know
that the smallest and lowest threshold muscle
motor units activate first we have to figure out
a way to bypass this process. Secondly we have
to figure out how to reset the Golgi Tendon
response so more weight can be lifted. Is this a
possibility? Yes to a certain extent it is. The
answer is through proper training practices.
Periodization
of the training load intensity, volume and rest
to work ratios will allow this training effect
to take place. Remember only those motor units
that are recruited to lift the weight are
trained. If they aren’t activated they won’t be
exposed to the stress of the training.
Recruitment of the type two fibers is the goal
for the strength athlete.
The order of
recruitment is thought to be genetically fixed
however this may be altered by using heavy
weight and/or placing a high power demand on the
muscles. Variations in the recruitment order and
small changes in fiber type composition are also
thought to be possible through a well designed
training program.
A competent
strength coach will be able to design strength
program for you that meets the needs of the
prior discussion. If you are interested and
motivated enough to follow through with the plan
you will reap the benefits.
Summary:
Resistance
training, i.e. strength training can be a
valuable asset in your sports activity program.
These strength cycles will generate changes in
the physiological make up of the body if they
are properly planned. Moderation is not what
will elicit these changes. Only maximal training
effort will lead to maximal change in the muscle
fiber recruitment and composition. The plan
should involve periodization principles for the
greatest effect and outcome.
About
your strength coach
Danny M. O'Dell
Explosively fit strength Training
Author,
nationally and internationally recognized
fitness advocate and speaker, conditioning and
strength coach..
His
articles have been published in national and
international magazines describing the benefits
of becoming stronger, more powerful and living
the healthy lifestyle. He writes for various
online and print publications including The
Washington Coach magazine, The Weightroom press
magazine in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada,
Successful Coaching in London, England,
FitForces.com and Atozfitness.com located in
Montreal, Canada, Sportspecific.com, and the
Outpost newspaper in northeastern Washington.
Danny
focuses on developing the success of each of his
students and trainees by motivating and
encouraging them to believe in their individual
abilities and by never giving up on their dreams
and aspirations. The athletes he has trained
have successfully competed at the state and
international levels. They have accomplished
record breaking lifts and returned home with
many trophies awarded for their hard work,
individual goal achievement and team success..
Danny is a
national and internationally recognized fitness
presenter. In addition, he is the author of the
following training manuals:
A Comprehensive Approach to Shoulder Training
and Injury Resistance, Composite Training,
Strength Training Secrets,The Ten Essentials,
and The Ultimate Bench Press Manual and
Wilderness Basics..
These are
complemented by several smaller handbooks
covering strength and fitness at home and in the
gym:
The Twenty Minute Dumbbell Routine, Workout at
Home, Push up Power, and The little handbook of
chin up progressions.
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The Psychology of
Weight Loss
Losing weight
requires more than a physical
commitment – the mental aspect
is also vitally important. When
it comes to fitness, the mind
truly is a powerful thing.
Have doubts that
there is a mind-body connection
to wellness? Simply try this
easy test: do a workout of your
choice (running, walking,
lifting weights) with your
favorite pump-up music. Then do
it a separate time with no music
at all. You’ll quickly see how
the simplicity of motivating
music can help you go farther,
faster or simply feel stronger
during your routine. That’s the
power of your mind!
Why is the
mind-body connection important
to understand? Because, the
wrong mental approach to getting
more fit can have powerful
negative effects. A huge amount
of dieters quit their weight
loss plans because of
psychological reasons.
What you think
can create what you are. Your
personal self-talk is crucial in
determining whether or not you
are successful at reaching your
weight loss and fitness goals.
Continual negative thoughts can
create a self-fulfilling
prophecy. If daily you bombard
yourself with self-defeating
thoughts, then eventually you
will begin to believe them.
When you tell
yourself such things as “I’m
always going to be fat” or “I
can’t stop eating” or “I can’t
walk that mile”, then naturally
you’ll start to believe the
myths as factual. From there you
have immediately set the stage
for failure.
So, how can you
dig out of the seemingly endless
downward spiral of negative
thoughts and feelings? Start
with these six important
psychological exercises:
-
Create a list of all the
negative thoughts that you
have about yourself. Then
create a second list of all
the things that you like
about yourself. Keep working
on your positive list until
it is much longer than your
negative list. We all tend
to be our worst critics, so
this can be a challenging
exercise. Write down even
little things like “I can
make a great cheese
sandwich”, or “I always get
to work on time”..
-
Take your list of negatives
and change all of them to
positive potentials. For
example, instead of “I
always fail at losing
weight” change it to “I can
succeed at weight loss.” Or,
instead of “I can’t stop
eating”, change it to “I
will control my portions.”
Destroy your negative list
and only keep the new
potentials list.
-
Stop using these words:
can’t, won’t, never. Replace
them with: can, will,
always.
-
Forget the past. That piece
of cake you ate yesterday is
old news. Forget about it
and move on. Live only in
the present. You can’t
change what you did even an
hour ago. All you can do is
resolve to stay focused and
committed right now and try
to keep that focus tomorrow
too.
-
Stop making excuses for why
you can’t exercise and eat
right. Start by making a
list of all of your
steadfast excuses and also
all the reasons that you
should workout. The list of
reasons why you should
exercise inarguably should
be much longer. Post your
list of reasons where you
can see it daily.
-
Stop the blame game. Promise
to take self-responsibility.
It’s easy to blame your
genes, your diet-plan or
even your family for your
failed diet attempts. But
not accepting full
responsibility will simply
keep you trapped in a
repetitive loop of failures.
|
Workouts For You Fit
Tipss
 Bio:Lynn Bode is a
certified personal trainer specializing in
Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts
For You, which provides men and
women of all fitness levels with custom designed
workout programs for their individual needs. As
an early pioneer in online personal training,
she has years of success helping people through
the Internet.
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The 80-20 Fat Loss Rule
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
What is Turbulence Training?
Turbulence training is my method of doing
strength training
and interval training in one workout. So that
you get in and out of the gym whether it's your
home gym or whether it's a commercial gym. You
get your workout done in 45 minutes.
We start with a 5-minute bodyweight warm up and
then we do strength training for 20 minutes,
whether it's bodyweight training or dumbbells.
Sometimes we use barbells but most people that I
work with train at home so we just use dumbbells
and bodyweight exercises - no fancy equipment
needed.
Then we finish with 20 minutes of interval
training. We are using the most efficient and
effective training methods. The stuff that gets
you the most results in the least amount of
time. So we are not doing long, slow cardio
sessions and we're not doing 5 or 6 day per week
bodybuilding training programs.
It's like the old business principle - 80% of
your results come
from 20% of your efforts - so why do endless
amounts of cardio and redundant strength
training exercises?
Do only what you need to do and then get out of
the gym.
Don't live in the gym,
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Trainingg
Click-Here
for details on the Turbulence Training
program. |
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Lose Weight Faster With Cross-Training!!
Do
you sometimes get bored with exercising? Do you
sometimes feel like you're not getting the
results you should from it?
If
so, then cross-training is for you.
Cross-training is basically incorporating loads
of different types of activities into your
fitness regime.
Using the same machines, or going on the same
three-mile walk will eventually lead to a dead
end. Using your muscles in the same way, day in
and day out, often leads to injury, plateau -
and boredom! Here are the fantastic benefits of
cross-training:
·
It provides variety. Variety prevents boredom,
which is vital for weight loss.If
your exercise sessions are less monotonous and
more enjoyable, you are much more likely to
exercise on a regular basis and for longer
periods of time, and this will increase your
weight loss and fitness efforts.
·
Cross-training turns more of your muscles into
24-hour fat-burning machines since training them
in so many different ways, blasts your
metabolism and breaks your fat barrier.
·
You are less prone to overuse injuries that
sometimes occur from doing the same exercise
movements repeatedly.
Here are some of the exercises you can use in
your cross-training program:
When you are in the gym, move frequently from
different exercise machines, as well as swimming
and working your way around different exercise
classes such as aerobics, step-aerobics,
spinning, body pump, Tae-Bo, circuit-training,
working with weights, etc. Outside, mix up
long-distance walks with runs and cycling and
also vary intensity, sometimes going hard and
short, and other times mild and long. You can
start with something as simple as a 10-minute
walk followed by 10 minutes with an exercise
video. This is cross-training too. You can
gradually build from there.
This new approach is a step beyond normal
fitness training and will dramatically improve
your workout results.
About the author:
Marina Bradford is from Newtownards in Northern
Ireland and has been in the fitness industry for
13 years as a personal fitness trainer and
weight loss/fitness consultant. She also teaches
various styles of fitness class, such as
aerobics, step, circuits, weight training and
Tae-bo. Once a week she writes a fitness column
called PEAK FORM for "The Newsletter" which is
one of Northern Ireland's biggest newspaper
publications
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Nicole Kuhl Transformation from
the inside out :
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MOVE PAST THE FOOD REWARD SYSTEM
As children, we are taught that food can be used
as a reward or a crutch. Our
parents may take us out to dinner if
we got good grades, or make us our
favorite dessert if we were good at
church, or bake us cookies if we had
a bad day.
While this is not a problem in and of itself, it
may have evolved into a problem for
you later on in life. Many people
who are overweight have learned to
use food in ways that are
destructive to managing their
weight. Mood eating has nothing to
do with physical hunger but with
emotional hunger. One way to begin
breaking this damaging behavior is
to move past the food reward
system. No matter how enticing a
food looks, it is not a reward if
you have a history of abusing it.
Make a resolute decision to begin
rewarding your weight loss success
with a means other than food.
If intrinsic rewards such as feeling good and
looking good are not enough, then
try material rewards. Some
meaningful rewards may include a new
exercise outfit, a trip to the spa,
a piece of jewelry, a fishing pole,
some cookware (to prepare nutritious
meals, of course).
You will find that these rewards are far more
lasting than a piece of food.
Lastly don’t forget the old maxim; a
moment on the lips equals a lifetime
on the hips.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
 Nicole Kuhl
-Transformation From The Inside
Outt
Bio:
Nicole
is also a certified weight management consultant
and currently operates two weight management
programs Master Weight Management and Conquer
Weight Control. Her mission is to help
people bridge the gap between thought process
and physique transformation.
By
empowering people through nutrition education,
weight loss physiology, and diet strategy, she
believes anyone can achieve a desirable body
composition.
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