How to Lose Belly Fat as Fast as Humanly Possible

How to Lose Belly Fat as Fast as Humanly Possible

How to Build Muscle at 40 and Beyond

How to Build Muscle at 40 and Beyond

An apple a day keeps your heart healthy | GulfNews.com

An apple a day keeps your heart healthy | GulfNews.com

How to Build a Core of Steel

By Christian Finn

You’ve read a lot about how important it is to have a strong core.

But you’ve come across plenty of different opinions about the best way to get one.

Some say that squats and deadlifts build all the core strength you’ll ever need.

Others will tell you that the best way to strengthen your core is to spend time on a Swiss ball, BOSU ball or other “unstable” surface.

The term “core” causes a lot of confusion, mainly because everyone seems to have a different opinion about what it is.

For most people, the core is just another name for the abdominals. But the term actually refers to a much larger collection of muscles that stabilize the spine. These muscles work together to keep the spine as close to neutral – its naturally curved state – as possible.

Neutral spine isn’t a single position that your spine never moves from. Think of it as a neutral zone, or a range that your spine can move within while remaining relatively healthy. A lack of spinal stability can lead to movement outside of this zone, which in turn increases the risk of pain and/or tissue damage.

“When we talk about stability, what we really mean is that we want the lower back – the lumbar spine – to move as little as possible when it faces a challenge,” explains Lou Schuler in The New Rules of Lifting for Abs. “This small range of movement is called the neutral zone. The smaller and tighter it is, the more stability you have.”

When muscles contract, they create stiffness. Not only does muscular stiffness stabilize the spine and reduce the risk of tissue damage, it’s also a requirement as far as optimal athletic performance is concerned.

In the video below, Professor Stuart McGill, an expert in spine function at the University of Waterloo in Canada, explains why a “stiff” core is so important in sports that rely on strength, speed and power.

When the core is mentioned in this context (i.e. as a way of transmitting power) it usually refers to the muscles of the trunk and hips — basically, anything that isn’t the head, arms or legs.

It’s a lot more than just the abdominals and lower back, and extends from your shoulders all the way down to biceps femoris, which is the hamstring muscle that crosses the hip [2, 9].

Does exercise on an unstable surface lead to greater activation of the core muscles?

Performing an exercise on an unstable surface, such as sitting on a Swiss ball or standing on a BOSU ball, is supposed to place greater emphasis on some of the muscles in your core, helping to improve core stability, protect against back pain, improve athletic performance, and so on.

Such exercises often appear a lot harder than their more stable counterparts. That’s mainly because you’re working so hard to stay balanced. And because of their high novelty factor, they often create the impression that they’re superior to their more stable counterparts.

There is research out there to show that an exercise performed on an unstable surface leads to higher levels of core muscle activity than that same exercise performed on the ground [2].

Squatting with a light weight on a couple of inflatable discs, for example, leads to greater activation of muscles in the torso than squatting with that same weight on the floor [1].

The big limitation with many of these studies is that they involve the use of relatively light weights. Which is a problem, because most people can lift a much heavier weight when they’re standing on the floor than they can while wobbling about on an unstable surface.

What happens when you compare differences in muscle activity using loads that take into account the fact that you can lift more weight on a stable rather than an unstable surface?

That’s exactly what researchers from Eastern Illinois University wanted to find out [7]. They looked at muscle activation in a group of 12 trained men who performed four different exercises – the deadlift, squat, overhead press, and barbell curl – at two intensities (50% of 1-RM and 75% of 1-RM) while standing on both a stable and unstable surface (BOSU ball).

Muscle activity in the abdominals and lower back was not significantly different when subjects performed the deadlift, squat, overhead press, and barbell curl using a light weight while standing on a BOSU ball rather than on the floor.

What’s more, there was no significant difference in muscle activity between the stable 75% of 1-RM and unstable 50% of 1-RM conditions for the external obliques and lower back across all four lifts.

But when the overhead press was done on a stable surface using a heavier weight, rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscle) was worked a lot harder than it was during the same exercise on a BOSU ball using a lighter weight.

Performed on a stable surface, the overhead press and barbell curl also delivered a decent level of stimulation (40-50% of their maximal voluntary contraction, or MVC for short) to the deeper abdominal muscles.

There is a time and a place for instability. Some of the exercises in the video below, for example, use instability to place greater emphasis on the core musculature.

And physical therapists have been using unstable exercise devices (e.g. Wobble boards and Rocker boards) for years to help with the rehabilitation of knee and ankle injuries [10].

But with few exceptions, training with a light weight on an unstable surface isn’t going to work the core muscles any harder than the exact same exercise done with a heavier weight on a stable surface.

Are squats and deadlifts all you need to train your core?

Squats and deadlifts render all direct abdominal work completely redundant, as both exercises provide all the stimulation your abs will ever need.

That’s the theory, anyway. But the research paints a very different picture.

Squats and deadlifts do work many of the core muscles. But it’s mainly the ones in your back, especially the spinal erectors – those cable-like muscles that run up either side of your spine.

In fact, squats and deadlifts do a better job at working the spinal erectors than the quadruped, pelvic thrust, side bridge and back extension exercises performed on a Swiss ball [3, 6].

During the deadlift in particular, they work very hard to keep your spine in its naturally arched position. Powerlifters have such well-developed spinal erectors mainly because of all the work those muscles do to prevent the spine from bending.

Squats and deadlifts are just fine for developing the posterior aspects of the core. Quadratus lumborum, a small but important muscle in the lower back that helps to stabilize the spine, is also heavily involved during the deadlift [4].

However, neither exercise does much for the anterior core, which is currently the trendy way to refer to the abs.

The figure below comes from Dr. Jeffrey McBride, a Professor in Biomechanics at Appalachian State University. He measured muscle activation in the abdominal muscles of trained lifters performing a number of different exercises.

As you can see, squats and deadlifts – even when you’re using a heavy weight that’s 80-90% of your 1-RM – don’t hit rectus abdominis particularly hard.

In fact, the overhead press triggers greater rectus abdominis activity than both the deadlift and squat [7]. But it’s still relatively low (around 10% of its MVC) compared to exercises like the rollout or even the curl-up.

Someone who can perform a standing overhead press with their bodyweight and deadlift twice their bodyweight will have developed a very high level of core strength simply by focusing on getting stronger in both exercises.

But for complete core development, squats, deadlifts and presses aren’t enough, and you’ll need exercises that work the abs directly. I’ve listed some of my favorite ones here.

While I’m on the subject of core training, I want to briefly mention the issue of spinal rotation.

Probably the most popular “spinal rotation” exercise is the broom handle twist, which is without doubt one of the most pointless exercises ever invented.

That’s not to say there’s no need to train the muscles that twist the torso. But there are far better ways to do it than twisting from side to side with a broom handle on your back.

Rather than rotation, think resisted rotation. And by resisted rotation, I’m talking about exercises that require you to resist forces trying to pull your torso around to the left or the right.

You’re still training the muscles involved in spinal rotation, but you’re doing so in a way that poses less risk to the spine.

Let’s take the Single Arm Dumbbell Row as an example. Although this is primarily an exercise to work the muscles in your back, the external obliques (the muscles on the side of your waist) are also involved. That’s because they’re actively preventing your torso from twisting.

Remember, many of the muscles in the torso can be trained very effectively bypreventing movement rather than producing it. An exercise doesn’t have to involve an actual twist to work the twisting muscles.

The Long Lever Plank Shoulder Tap, demonstrated in the video below by Ben Bruno, is another good example of what I mean.

In the starting position, you’re resisting spinal extension (arching your back), which makes this a particularly effective exercise for working rectus abdominis. Removing one of the contact points (your hand) from the floor introduces an element of instability, which then requires your body to resist rotation.

If you find this exercise too difficult, keep your hands under your shoulders in a push-up position rather than out in front of your body.

Exercises that involve resisted rotation are a far better choice than those involving actual rotation, such as the Russian Twist or Windshield Wiper, both of which make me cringe every time I see someone doing them.

If you have a history of back injury, or even if you have a healthy, pain-free back and want it to stay that way, I’d highly recommend that you steer clear of any exercise that involves this type of movement.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid rotation altogether. But make sure the movement comes from the hip, and allow the hip and back to move together at the same time, almost as if they were fused together. Watch the video below to see exactly what I mean.

Building a core of steel doesn’t need to be complicated, time consuming or boring. Nor does it require exercising on a Swiss ball, BOSU ball or any other surface that isn’t the floor.

In fact, many of the muscles in your core work very hard to prevent spinal movement during exercises like squats, deadlifts, single-arm rows, rollouts/walkouts, and standing presses. These movements build not just core strength but whole-body strength as well.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Muscle Evo wraps up all my best ideas and advice into a complete science-based training program that you can use to build muscle, burn fat and get strong. Click here for more.

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on pinterest_shareShare on google_plusone_shareMore Sharing Services

About Christian Finn

Christian Finn holds a master's degree in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer and has been featured on BBC TV and radio, as well as in Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Fit Pro, Zest, and Perfect Body magazine. Connect with Christian onFacebook, Twitter or Google+.

References

1. Anderson K, Behm DG. (2005). Trunk muscle activity increases with unstable squat movements. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 30, 33-45

2. Behm DG, Drinkwater EJ, Willardson JM, Cowley PM. (2010). The use of instability to train the core musculature. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism, 35, 91-108

3. Hamlyn N, Behm DG, Young WB. (2007). Trunk muscle activation during dynamic weight-training exercises and isometric instability activities. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21, 1108-1112

4. McGill SM. (1997). Distribution of tissue loads in the low back during a variety of daily and rehabilitation tasks. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 34, 448-458

5. McGill S, Juker D, Kropf P. (1996). Quantitative intramuscular myoelectric activity of quadratus lumborum during a wide variety of tasks. Clinical Biomechanics, 11, 170-172

6. Nuzzo JL, McCaulley GO, Cormie P, Cavill MJ, McBride JM. (2008). Trunk muscle activity during stability ball and free weight exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22, 95-102

7. Willardson JM, Fontana FE, Bressel E. (2009). Effect of surface stability on core muscle activity for dynamic resistance exercises. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 4, 97-109

8. McGill SM, McDermott A, Fenwick CM. (2009). Comparison of different strongman events: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23, 1148-1161

9. Behm DG, Drinkwater EJ, Willardson JM, Cowley PM. (2010). Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology position stand: The use of instability to train the core in athletic and nonathletic conditioning. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 35, 109-112

10. Behm D, Colado JC. (2012). The effectiveness of resistance training using unstable surfaces and devices for rehabilitation. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 7, 226-241

From: http://muscleevo.net/how-to-build-a-core-of-steel/#.Uq2QLtIW2So

Blending vs Juicing

Why a Brisk Walk Is Better

Why a Brisk Walk Is Better

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Walking, fast or slow, is wonderful exercise. But now a first-of-its-kind study shows that to get the most health benefits from walking, many of us need to pick up the pace.

The findings stem from a new analysis of the National Walkers’ Health Study, a large database of information maintained at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory about thousands of middle-age men and women who walk regularly for exercise. Recruited beginning in 1998 at walking events and from lists of subscribers to walking-related publications, these volunteers filled out a lengthy survey about their typical walking distance and pace, as well as their health history and habits.

As most of us would likely guess, walking is the most popular physical activity in America. But people who walk for exercise do so at wildly varying speeds and intensities. Some stroll at a leisurely 2 miles per hour, which is low-intensity exercise. Others zip along at twice that pace or better, resulting in a sweatier workout.

Exercise guidelines generally suggest that for health purposes, people should engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week. For walkers, a moderately intense pace would probably be about 15 or 16 minutes per mile.

It has generally been assumed that if people walk more slowly but expend the same total energy as brisk walkers — meaning that they spend more time walking — they should gain the same health benefits. But few large-scale studies have directly compared the impact of moderate- and light-intensity walking, especially in terms of longevity.

To do so, Paul T. Williams, a statistician at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, gathered data about 7,374 male and 31,607 female participants from the walkers’ health study, who represented almost every speed of fitness walker, from sluggish to swift. His findings were published online this month in PLoS One.

Dr. Williams divided participants into four numerically equal categories, based on their normal pace. Those in Category 1, the fleetest, averaged less than 13.5 minutes per mile, putting them on the cusp of jogging, while those in Category 4, the slowest, strolled at a relatively dilatory 17 minutes or more per mile. The majority of the walkers in this group in fact required at least 20 minutes to complete a mile, and many had a pace of 25 minutes or more per mile. (Interestingly, on average, female walkers were faster than men in all of the categories.)

Next, Dr. Williams cross-referenced his data against that in the essential if somewhat ghoulish National Death Index to determine which of the almost 39,000 walkers had died in the decade or so since they had joined the survey and from what.

It turned out that nearly 2,000 of the walkers had died. More telling, these deaths disproportionately were clustered among the slowest walkers. Those in Category 4 were about 18 percent more likely to have died from any cause than those in the other three categories and were particularly vulnerable to deaths from heart disease and dementia.

Unexpectedly, the death rate remained high among the slowest walkers, even if they met or exceeded the standard exercise guidelines and expended as much energy per day as someone walking briskly for 30 minutes. This effect was most pronounced among the slowest of the slow walkers, whose pace was 24 minutes per mile or higher. They were 44 percent more likely to have died than walkers who moved faster, even if they met the exercise guidelines.

One important inference of these statistics is that intensity matters, if you are walking for health. “Our results do suggest that there is a significant health benefit to pursuing a faster pace,” Dr. Williams said. Pushing your body, he said, appears to cause favorable physiological changes that milder exercise doesn’t replicate.

But there are nuances and caveats to that conclusion. The slowest walkers may have harbored underlying health conditions that predisposed them to both a tentative walking pace and early death. But that possibility underscores a subtle takeaway of the new study, Dr. Williams said. Measuring your walking speed, he pointed out, could provide a barometer of your health status.

So check yours, your spouse’s or perhaps your parents’ pace. The process is easy. Simply find a 400-meter track and, using a stopwatch, have everyone walk at his or her normal speed. If a circuit of the track takes someone 6 minutes or more, that person’s pace is 24 minutes per mile or slower, and he or she might consider consulting a doctor about possible health issues, Dr. Williams said.

Then, with medical clearance, the slow walkers probably should try ramping up their speed, gradually.

The most encouraging news embedded in the new study is that longevity rises with small improvements in pace. The walkers in Category 3, for instance, moved at a speed only a minute or so faster per mile than some of those in the slowest group, but they enjoyed a significant reduction in their risk of dying prematurely.

A New York Times piece on why walking is better when you pick up the pace
Well.blogs.nytimes

Fitness Training Plan

How To Create a Fitness Training Plan

How many pounds do you want to lose? Five, ten, fifty, two hundred?

You may be able to lose five pounds by starting to eat breakfast everyday, but it is going to take more than that to achieve the hefty goals. Your hefty goals are achievable though! They will take some work and you are going to need a plan, but it is worth it. As the saying goes “failing to plan is planning to fail”. If you fail to plan, don't expect to meet your goals, but if you have a solid fitness training plan, your chances of succeeding will be much higher.

Let's look at three parts of a fitness plan that you are going to need to have: the what, how often, and when.

The what

Diet. Yes, the inevitable diet lecture. Nothing will affect your health more than your diet. You can lift weights all day long and not lose a pound if your diet doesn't permit you. I suggest implementing three simple tips, from there you can decide if there is a more specific diet plan that you would like to follow.

1. Drink water before each time you eat. When we feel hungry, many times we are actually just thirsty. Drinking water before each time you eat (one or two glasses) is able to help you discern when you are actually hungry and even if you are hungry, water can sometimes help as an appetite suppressant.

2. Do not eat after 8pm. At night your body is slowing down. It is trying to “take it easy” and get ready for bed. If you keep stuffing it with food, your body is going to have to work more during the night to digest the food that you eating.

3. Radical substitution. If you are trying to meet weight loss goals, junk food is your enemy. Substituting your unhealthy food with healthy food can make a huge difference in your eating habits. Since junk food is your enemy, you need to see it as an enemy and treat it like an enemy. Getting junk food out of your house and replacing it with fruits, veggies, healthy crackers, etc. will go a long way. If you don't have a certain food in your house, there is a much smaller chance of you eating it.

Exercise. Exercising can sometimes seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. You don't need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger or bench press a car, start small. Start somewhere. That could mean taking a 5 minute walk around your house every morning before work. That could mean doing 5 push-ups and sit-ups before you go to bed. You don't have to have a gym membership and $200 running shoes to be able to exercise. Chose a starting point, even if it may seem insignificant, and go from there.

Sleep Studies show that those who do not get a significant amount of rest, gain weight compared to those who sleep more. When your body is tired it can be harder to control your appetite. Eating late at night, through the middle of the night, and eating junk food is all capable of ruining your overall weight loss plan.

How often

Some may suggest that if your following a diet you can have a “splurge day”. While I see the point, I think it would beneficial to stay away from “splurging” and keep your diet going 24/7/365. Your goal is not just to lose weight, it is to live a healthy lifestyle, so that you can maintain that weight loss and live a healthier life. “Splurging” will keep you familiar with how good that junk food tastes and, if you do have an addiction to sugar, it could keep your addiction alive.

So how often should you stick to your diet? All the time. That doesn't mean your diet has to be super strict or vegan, but try to have a “lifestyle change” mindset, not just a “diet change” mindset. If junk food is the enemy of your goals, it would be wise to stay away from it 24/7.

When deciding how often you should exercise, consider your schedule and base your exercise routine around that. We only have so many hours in a day and keeping your priorities inline is critical. If your weekends are often free, it may be smart to schedule workouts on Saturday, Sunday, and then one day through the week. If your time is very limited and you can only workout once or twice a week, then do that. Just make sure you start somewhere. One of the most common reasons people don't finish their endeavors is because they fail to even start them. Start moving in the right direction and do something.

When

Deciding what time of the time you will workout is actually more critical than you think. It's safe to say that if you are not able to be consistent with a specific time of day, it will be difficult to be consistent in implementing your overall plan. Your exercise routine could be scheduled for different times on different days, but sticking to what you have planned as much as possible is critical to your long-term discipline and success.

Don't wait, create your fitness training plan today! I hope you were encouraged to start moving towards your health goals. 

(An article submitted by tonycollege on www.fitness.com)

Dr. Mercola Discusses The Importance of Juicing

On Alcohol, Exercise, and the Big T - and an Introduction to Muscle Evo

By Christian Finn

Will drinking alcohol after lifting weights help you build muscle faster?

That’s the question sent in by one Muscle Evo reader, who wants my opinion about a recent study showing that a post-exercise alcoholic drink led to a large rise in testosterone.

Given that alcohol is thought to lower testosterone, that’s pretty much the exact opposite of what you’d expect to happen.

What’s going on? Will drinking a few pints of beer after a workout really raise your testosterone levels? And if so, will doing so help you build muscle faster?

For the study, a group of eight resistance-trained men completed two bouts of resistance exercise (six sets of 10 repetitions of Smith machine squats) separated by one week [4].

Ten minutes after completing their last set, the men were given either a placebo or an alcoholic drink. The amount of alcohol in the drink was based on the men’s bodyweight, and averaged just over 80 grams. That’s roughly what you’ll get from a bottle of wine (13.5% alcohol) or 3-5 pints (depending on the strength) of beer.

The figure below shows you what happened to free testosterone levels before (PRE), immediately after (IP), as well as 20–40, 60–120 and 140–300 minutes after exercise.

As you can see, free testosterone levels shot up when the men were given alcohol (white bars) rather than a placebo (grey bars) after training.

It’s easy to get excited when you come across research showing that something, be it a particular type of exercise, change in diet or exotic herbal extract, leads to a rise in testosterone.

Most assume that higher levels of testosterone in the blood are a “good thing” because it means that more of the hormone is being produced, which in turn will mean faster gains in size and strength.

But it’s an assumption that’s wrong on a couple of counts.

Firstly, there are actually two reasons that testosterone levels in the blood can rise – an increase in the rate of production or a decrease in the rate at which it leaves the blood pool.

A change in testosterone levels after exercise, be it up or down, doesn’t tell you that more or less of the hormone is being produced. All it tells you is that the difference between the rate of production and the rate of clearance has changed.

Although your liver is responsible for clearing much of the testosterone from your system, your muscles also have an important role to play. In fact, there’s a direct link between the amount of muscle you have and the rate at which the metabolic clearance of testosterone takes place [1].

For testosterone to do all the things we know and love as far as muscle growth is concerned, it needs to be “taken up” by muscle tissue.

The fact that drinking alcohol after exercise raises testosterone levels isn’t necessarily a good thing, as it could indicate some kind of reduction in muscle uptake. Animal research shows that six weeks of alcohol consumption reduces the ability of muscle tissue to take up testosterone [5].

“Thus, the primary finding of this study, that total and bioavailable testosterone concentrations were elevated write after postresistance exercise ethanol ingestion, should be interpreted with care,” write the researchers.

“If testosterone release is increased, this could be beneficial; however, if muscle uptake is reduced, this could be detrimental to the desired adaptations.”

You also need to ask yourself just how important a short-term change in testosterone levels after exercise really is.

For example, some people are surprised to learn that a protein supplement taken before and after a workout can actually lower testosterone [2].

If this post-exercise hormonal dip had any kind of negative impact on muscular gains, you’d expect such a finding to have shown up in the research by now. But it hasn’t.

While the data on pre- and post-exercise supplements is a bit of a mixed bag(some studies show they help while others show they make no difference), there’s no convincing evidence to suggest that they actually put the brakes on muscle growth.

There’s also surprisingly little research to show that the short-term change in blood testosterone levels after exercise has any great consequence as far as muscle growth is concerned.

In one of the most recent studies on the subject, researchers found no link between the post-exercise change in free testosterone levels and the amount of muscle growth following 16 weeks of resistance training [3].

Testosterone does have an impact on the speed at which your muscles grow. But it does so only when it’s taken above or below its normal physiological range for an extended period of time.

Finally, this study measured hormone levels for up to 300 minutes after a workout. For all we know, the post-exercise rise in testosterone could have been offset by a much greater drop over the subsequent 24 hours.

In fact, one study found that a very large intake of alcohol (around 120 grams) after exercise led to a significant drop in testosterone that was still apparent the following day [8].

In short, the finding that a post-exercise alcoholic drink raises testosterone levels has very little practical application for you. It’s one to file in the “interesting but largely irrelevant” drawer.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Muscle Evo wraps up all my best ideas and advice into a complete science-based training program that you can use to build muscle, burn fat and get strong. Click here for more.

http://muscleevo.net/alcohol-testosterone/#.Upvc-NJmim4

Dr. Mercola Interviews Patrick McKeown

Exercise and Weight Loss

Regular exercise is an important part of effective weight loss. It helps to control your weight by using excess calories that otherwise would be stored as fat as well as boosting your metabolism and lowering insulin levels. Physical activity also helps prevent many diseases and improve your overall health.

Your weight is determined by the number of calories you eat each day minus what your body uses. Everything you eat contains calories, and everything you do uses calories, including sleeping, breathing, and digesting food. Any physical activity in addition to what you normally do will burn those extra calories.

Balancing the number of calories you expend through exercise and physical activity with the calories you eat will help you achieve your desired weight. The key to successful weight loss and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

The Health Benefits of Exercise

Research consistently shows that regular exercise, combined with healthy eating, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight.

Research also shows that , in addition to helping to control weight, regular physical activity can reduce your risk for several diseases and conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular exercise can help prevent:

• Heart disease and stroke. Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your HDL ("good" cholesterol), and lowering LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity.
• High blood pressure. Regular exercise reduces blood pressure in people with high blood pressure (hypertension).
• Diabetes. By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control type 2 diabetes.
• Back pain. By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise can prevent back pain.
• Osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.

Regular physical activity can also improve mood and the way you feel about yourself. Exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress. It is a natural and inexpensive antidepressant.  

Types of Exercise

It does not matter what type of physical activity you perform -- sports, planned exercise, household chores, yard work, or work-related tasks -- all are beneficial.

Over the past few years, exercise advertisements have targeted simplified exercise routines for weight loss and maintenance. Some exercise advertisements sell the belief that one machine will work your entire body and give you the results you need. However, many of these machines may only be good for one type of conditioning, such as cardiovascular; these machines also have limitations to the type of exercise you can do and they are not good for everyone. To determine the best type of exercise program for you, talk to your doctor and a certified athletic trainer.

How Much Exercise Should I Do?

Studies show that even the most inactive people can gain significant health benefits if they accumulate just 30 minutes or more of exercise or other physical activity per day.

For the greatest overall health benefits, experts suggest 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (see below) most days of the week plus some form of anaerobic exercise (see below) such as muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least two to three times a week.

If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is any activity involving large muscles, done for an extended period of time, that makes the heart and lungs work harder. Aerobic exercise can be done for weight loss, but it also provides cardiovascular benefits. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes, and cross-country skiing.

Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic exercise usually refers to resistance training, such as lifting weights. Anaerobic exercise is done primarily to prevent muscle loss and to increase muscle mass. Weight training is a form of anaerobic exercise.

Moderate-Intensity Activities

Moderate-intensity activities include some of the things you may already be doing during a day or week, such as gardening and housework. These activities can be done in short spurts -- 10 minutes here, 8 minutes there. Alone, each action does not have a great effect on your health, but regularly accumulating 30 minutes of activity over the course of the day can result in substantial health benefits.

To become more active throughout your day, take advantage of any chance to get up and move around. Here are some examples:

• Take a short walk around the block.
• Rake leaves.
• Play actively with the kids.
• Walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
• Mow the lawn.
• Take an activity break -- get up and stretch or walk around.
• Park your car a little farther away from your destination and walk the extra distance.
• Dance to the radio or other music.

The point is not to make physical activity an unwelcome chore, but to make the most of the opportunities you have to be active.

Before You Start Exercising

Before starting any exercise program, be sure to talk with your doctor. He or she can offer suggestions about which type of program would be best for you.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/exercise-weight-control

Transformation Truth - Steroids

Workout Motivation Music

How to Choose An Acceptable Weight Loss Program

When you make the decision to lose weight, you inevitably then have to go and choose a diet that not only will do the trick but also be a diet and exercise package that will be acceptable and stimulating. If you start off with a poor diet and exercise program, you’ll most likely drop it and that just makes your weight loss program a big waste of time. Here’s some food for thought…

Following a weight loss program is the most simple and efficient solution to getting rid of your extra pounds (or at least most of them). You can find these programs all around you: books that guide you, on-line weight loss programs, TV shows, etc. You can choose which one to follow depending on your personal eating habits and on the money you are willing to spend for such a program.

Many of us have a sedentary lifestyle, we go to work by car and then sit at a desk for eight hours or more, and we are always tempted by tasty and cheap but unhealthy food, rich in fats and carbohydrates. The result can be measured in the extra pounds we “gain” and it can vary from just a few extra pounds to obesity, depending on our metabolism & activities. As obesity became one of the major problems of the civilized world, an entire industry has developed on the basis of people’s need to lose weight. There are all kinds of products available on the market, such as different weight loss pills, fitness devices, electrical stimulation devices, etc. The problem is the majority of these products are not that efficient as their commercials are suggesting and some may indeed be seriously harmful to your health. It is much better to find a suitable weight loss program and follow it step by step.

The most essential part of the weight loss program is the diet plan, but for a more attractive commercial presentation the producers also come up with different “secrets” books, tools, analyzers, motivation tips, weight loss tricks, etc. There are also programs that include weight loss support; there are support groups such as Overeaters Anonymous or Fat Acceptance.

Here are some examples of weight loss programs:

Low Fat Diet

The low fat weight loss program recommends a diet based on low fat or no fat foods. Reducing fat intake and regular exercise results in long-lasting weight loss. This program can be very effective if produced and supervised by an expert. Many low fat programs found on the market reduce fat consumption too much and it can become harmful for your health. A very high consumption of carbs is also not good, which is often recommended by some programs. However, this diet is one of the best ways to lose weight, but it is important they are described in the correct manner.

High Protein Diet

This weight loss program is based on the consumption of high protein and low carb foods. Although it leads to reasonably rapid weight loss, it is often NOT an effective diet in the long run. It encourages the consumption of saturated fats and this increases the risk of heart diseases. It can also cause damage to your kidneys, as in the absence of enough carbs, for the rapid burning of fatty acids the kidneys have to work overtime.

Fixed Menu

This type of weight loss program indicates you apply a fixed menu diet. You get a list of what you have to eat everyday. It is easy to follow because you don’t need to keep the calorie count. Its efficiency and healthiness can vary greatly.

Points Program

This weight loss program is created by Weight Watchers, a company offering different dieting products and services for weight loss. The points system consists in quantifying the caloric intake and the energy expenditure. Foods are assigned a specific number of points and exercises are assigned a negative number of points. Based on their current weight and weight loss goals, program participants are allocated a certain number of points every week. Therefore, participants are allowed to eat any type of food, but they must not exceed their total point value that week. This is an easy to follow program, mainly because of the psychological effect is has on the participant.

Food Optimizing

This weight loss program is created by Slimming World, a British company which runs weight loss classes across the UK. During classes members are weighed and the loss or gain is shared with the others; they also share experiences, tips, ask for advice, etc.

The diet is a calorie-restricted one. The foods known as “free foods”, are considered to have a low calorie content may be eaten in unrestricted amounts. They recommend eating four small portions per day of foods that provide supplies of minerals, vitamins or dietary fiber, even if these foods are higher in calories. Days are classified in red days and green
days. There are red days “free foods” and green days “free foods”, and all other foods are assigned a syn value.

Although most of us know the do’s and don’ts in order to lose weight, it becomes much easier if we are using a precise weight loss program, this way we get more determined.

The most important thing is not to expect short term extraordinary results. Even if there are weight loss programs that guarantee this, you may cause serious injury to your health and you will only enjoy short-time results normally. A good diet should always include all of the Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamins, minerals and proteins. Also, the weight loss program must offer you solutions for maintenance after the weight loss phase is over; and this is much more difficult than the weight loss itself. It is important to know that only healthy the eating habits and exercise are the primary keys to long term weight control.

Author Ray Darken – Ray often writes for and works closely with The Mediterranean Diet. If you’d like more news and broader access to diet and nutrition information try Diet Reviews & Tips [http://diet-reviews-and-tips.com/]. If this link isn’t working, you can paste this one into your browser [http://diet-reviews-and-tips.com/]

Author: Ray Darken
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Top 10 gym exercises done incorrectly

Get the most out of your workouts and avoid injury with these tips for the 10 exercises most frequently performed incorrectly.

From lifting too much weight to poor technique, an incorrectly performed exercise can mean you're not getting the benefits you're looking for, and can even cause pain and damage.

According to a poll of 942 fitness professionals by sports retailer Sweatband.com, top of the list is the bicep curl, followed by stomach crunches and the chest press.

Physiotherapist Nick Sinfield, a back pain specialist, describes the most common exercises done incorrectly and explains how to do them safely and efficiently.

"To maximise the benefits of these exercises, aim to perform them in a slow and controlled manner, going through the full range of motion and lifting within your comfort zone," says Nick.  

Bicep curls

Target: front of the upper arm

The most commonly reported error was people simply trying to lift too much weight, which engages the shoulders and reduces the effort on the biceps.

"If the weight is too heavy, you'll be working the shoulders and not properly targeting your biceps," says Nick. "Your shoulders will hunch forward instead of staying back as you lift the weight, which can cause injury."

He says leaning backwards when lifting too much weight puts a lot of pressure on the lower back, which can also lead to injury.

"To maximise the efficiency of the bicep curl, lift within your comfort zone, keep your back still and straight, and focus the effort on the biceps only. If you can't do the exercise with the correct technique, it means the weight may be too heavy."

How to do a bicep curl correctly:

• Stand tall with your shoulder blades back and down, and contract your abs.
• Keep your back, elbows and shoulders still.
• Curl your arms up until they're in front of your shoulders.

Stomach crunches

Target: abdominals

Common mistakes that reduce the effectiveness of a stomach crunch are tucking the chin into your chest, jerking up into a crunch, raising yourself too high off the floor, and not keeping your abs contracted throughout the exercise.

"All the work should come from the abs, not the neck," says Nick. "If done properly, you should not feel any strain in the neck."

While crunches improve posture, stabilise the core muscles and contribute to a healthy back, doing hundreds of them is probably a waste of time. "No matter how many crunches you do, you won't get a six-pack if your abs are hidden under layers of fat," says Nick.

How to do a crunch correctly:

• Curl up until your shoulders are about three inches off the floor.
• Don't tuck your neck into your chest as you rise – imagine a tennis ball between your chin and chest.
• Contract your abs throughout the exercise.
• Don't jerk your head off the floor.

Chest press

Target: chest, shoulders and triceps

Failing to keep the shoulders back and down was the most frequently reported mistake with the chest press.

"To perform a chest press correctly and reduce your risk of shoulder injury, you should keep your shoulders back and down throughout the entire movement," says Nick.

The common mistake is to round the shoulders forward and upward as you press, which not only reduces the work on the chest but also puts the shoulders in a vulnerable position.

Nick says there is also a tendency to recruit the legs and buttocks to help with the effort. "Don't contort your body in an effort to lift the weight – if you can't maintain proper form, you're lifting too much," he says.

How to do a chest press correctly:

• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Contract your abs throughout the exercise and keep your neck relaxed.
• Maintain a natural arch in your lower back – don't let it arch too much.
• Don't lock your elbows when raising the weight.

Squat lift

Target: thighs, buttocks and lower back

Putting too much pressure on the lower back and not enough leg work were the most commonly observed mistakes with the squat lift.

"Don't round your back," says Nick. "Your spine needs to remain in a neutral position throughout the exercise. All the effort should come from the leg muscles."

To keep your back in the correct position, keep your back straight and contract your core muscles and buttocks. As you lower yourself, imagine sitting back on a chair, and do not let your knees lean over your toes.

"Practice correct technique using a weight lifting bar or squat rack without weights in front of a mirror," says Nick. "When you come to using weights, it's advisable to have someone experienced watch you."

How to do a squat lift correctly:

• Feet should be shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out.
• Keep your shoulders back and down and your chest pushed out.
• Shoulders should remain directly above the hips.
• Lower yourself as if you were sitting back on a chair.
• Keep your weight on your heels, not the toes, throughout the movement.
• Don't let your knees lean over your toes as you lower yourself.

Lat pulldown

Target: back and bicep muscles

Pulling the bar down behind the neck was the most commonly reported issue with the lat pulldown.

"When people perform the lat pulldown behind the neck, they tend to bend their head forward as they bring down the bar, which puts strain on the neck and shoulders," says Nick. "It's safer to bring the bar down in front of your body."

To perform the lat pulldown correctly, lean a little bit back from your hips, bring the shoulder blades back and down, and pull the bar down towards your chest.

"Keep your spine in a neutral position and engage your core muscles throughout the exercise to protect your back," says Nick. "If you find you're arching your back as you pull down, it probably means you're lifting too much."

How to do a lat pulldown correctly:

• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Lean a little bit back from your hips.
• Pull the bar down towards your chest.
• Contract your core muscles.
• Don't arch your back.

The plank

Target: Stomach and back muscles

The plank is an effective exercise for developing your core strength around the spine, but bad form can hurt your shoulders and back.

"The common mistake here is sagging at the hips or raising the bottom too high," says Nick. Raised buttocks or collapsing back are a sign of a weak core. "Either way, you are reducing the effectiveness of the exercise," says Nick.

A collapsing back also puts an excessive amount of pressure on your lower back, which can lead to back pain. "To get the best results, always maintain perfect form," says Nick. "If you lose form during the exercise, it means your muscles are tiring. Stop and have a rest. You can build up how long you do the plank gradually."

How to do the plank correctly:

• Keep your legs straight and hips raised to create a straight and rigid line from head to toe.
• Your shoulders should be directly above your elbows.
• Keep your abs contracted during the exercise.
• Don't allow your lower back to sink during the exercise.
• Look down at the floor.

Bent over row

Target: back muscles and biceps

A hunched back was the most common error reported among people doing bent over rows.

"Having a curved spine when doing this exercise puts a lot of pressure on your back and can cause injury," says Nick. "You should maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise."

To correct this mistake, pull in your core muscles, look ahead of you and keep the chest high. Pull the bar up towards the waist, not the chest. "Pinch your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar towards your waist," says Nick.

To get the full benefits from this move, pull the bar all the way up to the waist just above the belly button, keeping elbows tucked in, and lower the bar by straightening the arms completely.

How to do a bent over row correctly:

• Bend forward at the waist, keeping your chest high.
• Bend your knees slightly and keep your back straight.
• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Pull the bar towards your waist, just above the belly button.  

Leg press

Target: thighs and buttocks

Starting with your knees bent right into your chest was the most common mistake with the leg press.

"This starting position is often referred to as 'going too deep' and it puts a lot of pressure on your lower back," says Nick.

In the starting position, your legs should not be bent more than 90 degrees. When you straighten the legs, push through the heels and not the toes to avoid straining the knees. Don't lock your knees when you straighten the legs.

"As you straighten your legs, maintain a neutral spine and keep your neck relaxed," says Nick. "Maintain a neutral spine: don't flatten your lower back against your support."

How to do a leg press correctly:

• Start with your knees bent at no more than 90 degrees.
• Straighten your legs by pushing through the heels, not the toes.
• Don't lock your knees at the top of the move.
• Maintain your lower back's natural curve – don't flatten your lower back against the support.
• Keep your neck relaxed and your head pressed against the support.

Leg lifts

Target: abs, hip flexors

The most common mistake observed with leg lifts is allowing the lower back to arch excessively during the lift, which not only strains the back, but makes the move much less effective as an abdominal exercise.

"If you don't keep your back muscles and abs contracted, you're only working your hip flexors," says Nick. "If you're just starting out with this exercise, focus on doing a few while focusing on proper technique," he says. "You can increase the number of repetitions gradually."

To get the most out of this exercise, Nick advises lowering and lifting the legs slowly while keeping the abs under constant contraction and without letting your heels touch the ground. "When you feel your lower back starting to arch, it's time to stop." 

How to do leg lifts correctly:

• Don't flatten your lower back against the surface – maintain the lower back's natural curve.
• Keep your head and shoulders pressed against the floor.
• Your neck should be relaxed.
• Keep your abs contracted throughout the exercise.

Lunges

Target: thighs and buttocks

Done properly, lunges are a great exercise to improve your core strength, but all too often people are risking injury because of poor technique.

One of the most commonly reported errors with lunges is stepping into the lunge and allowing the front knee to lean over the toes. "This puts a lot of stress on the knee," says Nick.

Other common mistakes include leaning the upper body forward or to one side instead of staying upright, and looking down, which can strain the neck.

"Using improper form not only has less benefit for the thighs and buttocks, but it can result in injury, especially to the knees and back," says Nick.

How to do a lunge correctly:

• Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees.
• Don't let your front knee lean over the toes as you lunge. 
• Keep your upper body upright at all times and look straight ahead.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Top-10-gym-exercises-done-incorrectly.aspx