Fat Loss Workouts

Visual Impact Muscle Building Results: Phase 2

2012-02-09T10:19:00.001-08:00

After a highly successful Phase 1 of Visual Impact Muscle Building, Phase 2 wasn’t quite as impactful. However, the blame falls squarely on my shoulders rather than on the inadequacy of the program to generate results. Phase 2 is focused on a mix of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy. In other words, the goal is to get bigger and stronger. I certainly got bigger and stronger…the problem is that I also gained fat in the process. The reason for the fat gain is simp

Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss: Is BMI or Body Fat Percentage More Important?

2012-01-29T17:09:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple weeks, my wife has experienced the difference between weight loss vs. fat loss. She started Visual Impact for Women and didn’t lose any weight for the first two weeks. Did she fail for not losing weight? It’s hard to tell without knowing how much was fat loss vs. muscle gain. It really highlights the challenges in assessing your results. This also got me curious as to whether BMI or body fat percentage was more important for overall health.
Weight Loss
Let�

The Best Workout Programs and Best Diet Plans

2011-12-22T10:33:00.001-08:00

As the year comes to a close, I thought now would be a good time to review my favorite workout programs and diet plans. So what are the key components of the best workout programs and best diet plans? In general, I think any good program provides some background and guidance as to why it is effective. That should in turn help the reader understand and even construct their own workout program or diet plan. Additionally, I find that the best workout programs and best diet plans lay out a r

Visual Impact Muscle Building Results: Phase 1

2011-12-10T03:42:00.001-08:00

I’ve long advocated Visual Impact Muscle Building as the best way to gain muscle mass. After successfully going through the program a while back, I decided that now was the appropriate time to tackle it again in full force. You can read my complete Visual Impact Muscle Building review but the brief overview is that the program is a 3 phase approach focused on strategically gaining muscle in the right places while avoiding fat gain. Phase 1 is all about sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. This in

Martin Berkhan’s Leangains Guide: The Best Muscle Building Diet Plan?

2011-11-30T17:44:00.001-08:00

If you’re looking for a way to gain lean muscle mass, then I highly recommend Martin Berkhan’s Leangains Guide. While my work and family schedule prohibit following all of Martin’s recommendations, I’ve recently tried to implement as many as possible from the Leangains Guide. Most people will have a hard time believing that a diet centered around intermittent fasting constitutes the best muscle building diet plan, but I’ve seen excellent fat free muscle mass gains when pairing the

Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight: Results from John Berardi

2011-11-22T12:32:00.001-08:00

I’ve been a long time advocate of intermittent fasting weight loss approaches. While my experience and the experience of others clearly show how effective intermittent fasting for weight loss can be, the results and research from Dr. John Berardi go one step further. For years, Dr. Berardi has eaten meals every 3-4 hours and helped 100,000+ clients lose weight by doing so. He decided to experiment with intermittent fasting after reading numerous success stories. As a researcher, Dr. Be

Feeling Hungry After Exercise

2011-11-14T18:09:00.001-08:00

It’s a sensation many people experience one time or another…feeling hungry after exercise. Personally there are days I feel like a bottomless pit after exercising. Other times I lose my appetite and don’t feel hungry after exercise at all. Are the calories burned exercising going to waste on those days when I do eat a lot? Am I suffering from the “reward syndrome” where I feel like I can eat more after exercising because I burned more calories than normal? These are common qu

Six Pack Abs Workout Routine, Diet Plan & Exercises

2011-11-01T09:38:00.001-07:00

Over the past couple months, my fitness routine has included many of my favorite strategies to get six pack abs. Combining a clean diet with ample strength training and cardio has allowed me to significantly reduce my body fat to a level I have never been before. As such, I’d like to share my six pack abs workout routine and diet plan. Additionally, I’d like to review some of my preferred six pack abs exercises. While I can’t guarantee you’ll see the same results as me, I hope th

Convict Conditioning 2 Review: Paul Wade’s Advanced Prison Training Tactics

2011-10-24T13:24:00.001-07:00

The original Convict Conditioning book was one of my favorite resources on bodyweight exercises. So how does Paul Wade’s Convict Conditioning 2 measure up to the first book? It certainly isn’t as game changing as the “Big 6” progressions but there are some good recommendations on improving forearm, lateral, neck, calf and joint strength. The caveat here is that Convict Conditioning 2 isn’t for the average fitness enthusiast who just wants some strength training and muscle buildin

Krill Oil Benefits: Can Essential Fatty Acids Supplements Improve Your Health?

2011-10-17T17:22:00.001-07:00

Most people have heard how omega 3 essential fatty acids supplements like fish oil can help improve your health. What are essential fatty acids though? Should you take essential fatty acids supplements or simply try to get enough omega 3 fatty acids from fish and other food sources? Just what is krill oil and are there any health benefits of krill oil vs. fish oil? I’ll tackle these and other questions.
What are Essential Fatty Acids?
Essential fatty acids include omega 3s and omega

G-Flux: Eat More, Exercise More to Increase Your Metabolism?

2011-10-11T16:44:00.001-07:00

Is weight loss really all about creating an energy deficit by eating less calories than you expend? Dr. John Berardi has challenged that notion with what he calls G-Flux. This concept involves energy flux, and Dr. Berardi argues that you are better off eating more and exercising more to generate a caloric deficit. Essentially you influence your metabolic rate and ultimately increase your metabolism leading to a great number of calories burned than if you tried to simply eat less. On the

Gymnastics Workout Routine & EXF Rings Training: How to Get a Gymnast Body

2011-10-05T17:09:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered about how to get a gymnast body? While it’s well documented that gymnasts make extensive use of bodyweight exercises, I would also recommend incorporating gymnastic rings training to really increase your strength and muscular definition. Once you become proficient with EXF Rings, you can progress to a full gymnastics workout routine that includes advanced variations of static holds, upper body presses/pulls, core exercises, and leg training. Overall, gymnastics tra

BCAA Benefits: Is Fasted Training with Branched Chain Amino Acids Effective for Losing Fat and Gaining Muscle?

2011-09-27T19:45:00.001-07:00

Today I’d like to discuss branched chain amino acids. You may have heard of BCAAs before but do they really live up to their claim of being effective for losing fat and gaining muscle? While I’d say there are many benefits of BCAAs, whether you decide to supplement with them will depend in part on when you exercise and how restrictive your diet is. For fasted training, I’d highly recommend using branched chain amino acids to help prevent muscle loss while maximizing fat loss. Any o

Best Fitness Tips

2011-09-12T16:41:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that I've added a new section to my website where you can read all my best articles on a variety of fitness topics. I wanted this to be the go-to source for all my best fitness tips. Click below to check it out:

Best Fitness Tips

Men's Fitness
Women's Fitness
Strength Training
Gain Muscle Mass
Bodyweight Training
Cardio
Abs Training
Diet & Weight Loss Tips
General Fitness Tips
Exercise & Diet Reviews

By categorizing my articles,

Pushing Exercises & Pulling Exercises

2011-08-28T16:48:00.001-07:00

In my last two posts I’ve discussed how I use pushing exercises and pulling exercises as part of my workout routine. When I do heavy weight low rep supersets, I like to pair a pushing exercise with a pulling exercise. When I do low weight high rep training to failure, I like to perform pushing exercises one day and pulling exercises another day. In this post, I wanted to quickly review a few different pushing exercises and pulling exercises that you can incorporate in your workout routin

High Weight Low Reps Superset Workout Routine

2011-08-05T17:19:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered about how to make your strength training workout more time efficient and effective? Then it’s time to consider a high weight, low reps superset workout routine. The best way to build strength is by using a heavy weight that you can only lift for a few reps. Ideally you want to give your muscles plenty of time to rest between sets so that you avoid training to failure. However, this is terribly inefficient. This is where superset workout routines can be helpful.

Joel Marion’s Xtreme Fat Loss Diet Review & Results: A Rapid Fat Loss Diet That Works?

2011-07-21T16:28:00.001-07:00

I recently completed Joel Marion’s Xtreme Fat Loss Diet. It’s a rapid fat loss diet designed to help you lose up to 25 pounds in 25 days. Are the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet results really that impressive? What sacrifices are you going to have to make along the way? Read my Xtreme Fat Loss Diet review to find out the answers to these and more.
Xtreme Fat Loss Diet Results
I’ll be honest. When I first picked up Joel Marion’s Xtreme Fat Loss Diet, I was floored. There were a number

Measuring Body Fat Percentage & Measuring Muscle Mass Percentage

2011-07-14T16:54:00.001-07:00

As you get leaner, one of the biggest challenges is measuring body fat percentage and measuring muscle mass percentage. If you’re trying to lose a lot of weight, the scale is just as good a tool as any. However, when you’re trying to lose the last 5-10lbs of fat while preventing muscle loss, the scale alone won’t necessarily help. How can you effectively measure your weight loss results if you don’t know your body fat percentage or muscle mass percentage? Based my recent experien

Benefits of a Low Intensity Cardio Workout for Fat Loss

2011-07-06T09:32:00.001-07:00

Are there any benefits of low intensity cardio? With the emergence of high intensity cardio and other intense training routines, a low intensity cardio workout is not nearly as prevalent as it used to be. Why have I started doing a lot more low intensity cardio for fat loss then? Because it’s a great way to burn a few extra calories with very little risk of over training or injury.
Low Intensity Cardio vs. High Intensity Cardio
My definition of low intensity cardio is anything from wal

Best Supplements for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain that Work for Men and Women

2011-06-27T16:23:00.001-07:00

What are the best supplements for weight loss and muscle gain? While supplement marketing companies might contend otherwise, I think there are only a few supplements that work. Even then, you should consider whether the cost/benefit is really worthwhile. Personally, I don’t think supplements are an integral part of any diet and exercise program. However, they may help you accelerate results. Just remember, the dirty little secret of supplements for weight loss and muscle gain is that

Boxing Workouts at Home: A Training Routine to Let Your Fists Fly!

2011-06-21T18:56:00.001-07:00

In the past, I’ve discussed how I use boxing workouts at home to help increase fat loss. Now I’d like to lay out a boxing workout routine that you can use to either supplement or even replace your existing strength training routine. What I like about a boxing training routine is that it is a high intensity, low impact program. Because you can’t perform HIIT focused on your legs day-after-day without overtraining, boxing gives your legs a bit of a rest while still allowing you to get

10 Questions with Rusty Moore: Get the Lean Hollywood Look

2011-06-09T16:09:00.001-07:00

Rusty Moore recently took time away from his busy schedule to do an interview for my site. By way of background, Rusty runs a high traffic blog called Fitness Black Book that focuses on achieving the lean, Hollywood look. His Visual Impact Muscle Building and Visual Impact for Women workouts are two of my favorite approaches to getting a great body. More recently, Rusty started a Facebook page where he pretty much acts as a free personal trainer answering all sorts of questions about how t

Meal Timing and How Many Meals a Day to Lose Weight

2011-06-06T11:40:00.001-07:00

A lot of people are curious about how many meals a day to lose weight. Some people claim one meal and others say six meals is best. So, how often should you eat? Additionally, does meal timing have any impact on weight loss? Is it better to eat first thing in the morning instead of late at night? Is there an optimal time to eat that will give you a better chance of losing weight? Here are a few things I’ve discovered about meal frequency and weight loss.
How Many Meals a Day to Lo

Health Benefits of Sleep

2011-05-27T16:29:00.001-07:00

Ever notice how you feel better after a good night’s rest? Most people realize there are certain health benefits of sleep but it’s also important to realize that sleep benefits fitness and weight loss as well. The importance of sleep shouldn’t be understated as the body needs adequate rest for both physical and emotional health. How much sleep do you need? Everyone’s different but 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a good goal for anyone. Personally, my body starts to drag when

Protein Sparing Modified Fast and Rapid Weight Loss Diets: How to Lose 10 lbs in 2 Weeks

2011-05-14T04:18:00.001-07:00

With summer only a few weeks away, I thought now was the best time to discuss a protein sparing modified fast and other rapid weight loss diets. Rapid weight loss diets can help you lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks, but they are not sustainable for long periods of time. I’d caution that these types of short term dieting approaches are extremely restrictive and require intense focus and effort. Empty your fridge and shut off your cell phone because the protein sparing modified fast and other rapid

Kettlebell Exercises and Kettlebell Workout Routines

2011-05-05T16:29:00.001-07:00

I recently started incorporating kettlebell exercises into my workout routine. If you want to add a little variety and ramp up fat burning, I’d highly recommend utilizing kettlebell workout routines. So, why should you start using kettlebells? Because they’re great for increasing strength, losing body fat, and improving your cardiovascular health. What more could you want out of a piece of equipment? Another benefit I’ve found is that one-arm kettlebell exercises have helped me e

Signs and Symptoms of Overtraining

2011-04-27T16:07:00.001-07:00

I’ve discussed a lot of intense workouts lately and with these intense routines comes the risk of overtraining. What is overtraining? What are the signs and symptoms of overtraining? What should you do to combat overtraining? I’ll answer all these questions so that you’ll know how to handle overtraining if you encounter it.
Signs of Overtraining
By definition, overtraining is when your body’s recovery capacity cannot keep up with the volume and intensity of your workouts. The

How to Increase Bench Press

2011-04-19T16:47:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago, a colleague asked me about how to increase bench press. Increasing bench press is something I used to train for a long time ago. While it’s not one of my current goals, the first question out of a lot of people’s mouths in the gym is: how much do you bench? However, the first thing you should be asking yourself is: why do you want to increase your bench press? This question is important because you should adjust your bench press routine based on different end goal

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Why is breakfast important?

2011-04-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

Like many others, I was raised to believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why is breakfast important though? Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Is there any basis for this statement or is it just a great marketing pitch for cereal companies? I’m open to all potential answers but here’s what I’ve found.

Why is breakfast important?
A lot of so-called health experts proclaim that breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day. Let�

Most Effective Ab Exercises: Best Ab Workout for Men and Women

2011-04-05T16:27:00.001-07:00

I’ve finally found what I think is the best ab workout for men and women that includes the most effective ab exercises to get the kind of abs you’d like. Whether you’re a guy who wants deep six pack abs or a woman who wants a toned flat stomach, the principles of this ab workout routine will be effective. I’ve consistently recommended core exercises like planks, but Rusty Moore’s Abs Blueprint 1.0 lays out some excellent strategies for using these and other ab exercises to tighten,

The Best Way to Stay in Shape

2011-04-01T05:58:00.001-07:00

As I was writing How to Get a Beach Body in 2 Months or Less, I got around to thinking about the best way to stay in shape. Below is a 3 step, fool-proof way to stay in shape.
1. Exercise
A simple 3 day split. Day 1: Pushups, Day 2: Pull Ups, Day 3: Sprints; repeat for the next 3 days and give yourself a day off. For pushups and pull ups, complete one max set. For sprints, you’ll run 400 meters (1 lap around the track). Here’s the trick. Each workout you have to increase the nu

Fat Burning Workouts for Men and Women: How to Get a Beach Body in 2 Months or Less

2011-03-27T17:47:00.001-07:00

With summer only a few months away, I thought now would be the perfect time to focus on fat burning workouts for men and women. I’m going to outline some tips on how to get a beach body in 2 months or less. If you’re within 10-15lbs of your ideal beach body, it’s not too late to lose that weight and get in shape for summer. The key here is that you’re going to need a laser-like focus on both diet and exercise.

What I outline below is really designed to be done for 4-8 weeks, not

Why am I not losing weight? What to do to lose weight?

2011-03-21T16:27:00.001-07:00

At some point during their weight loss journey, a lot of people may ask the question: why am I not losing weight. What to do to lose weight may seem relatively simple: eat less and exercise more. While this mantra may hold under ideal scientific conditions, as human beings there are other factors that go into the weight loss equation. Don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day I still think weight loss is driven by how many calories you consume versus how many calories you expend. Ultimat

Running for Weight Loss: How to Start Running for Beginners

2011-03-14T16:38:00.001-07:00

With the weather improving this time of year, a lot of people consider running for weight loss. However, the question comes up about how to start running for beginners. I’ve done my fair share of running on and off throughout the years and am considering once again adding it to my cardio repertoire. What I’ve compiled below is an overview of a running program for beginners including the health benefits of running, common running injuries, running techniques, and how to use running for

No Refined Sugar Diet: Overcoming My Junk Food Addiction

2011-03-08T14:20:00.001-08:00

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not really a believer in traditional diets. I also don’t believe in restricting particular foods. However, I’m going to put those beliefs aside for the next six weeks and undergo what I’d call a no refined sugar diet. I’m not going to do anything over the top; I’m just going to partially overcome my junk food addiction by eliminating many of my favorite foods that include refined sugar: cookies, ice cream, candy, etc.
Why refined sugar?
R

Somatotypes: Ectomorph, Endomorph, Mesomorph Body Type

2011-03-01T16:39:00.001-08:00

What are somatotypes? In short, somatotypes represent three different body types known as ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. Dr. William Sheldon developed the original system on classifying these body types. Put bluntly, an ectomorph is long and skinny, an endomorph is short and fat, and a mesomorph is v-shaped and muscular. These are extremes and in reality most people are a combination. Now, anyone can look in the mirror and try to assess where they fit in based on these three body

Advantages of Fartlek Training Session: An Interval Training Workout to Improve Anaerobic and Aerobic Endurance

2011-02-22T16:14:00.001-08:00

While I generally advocate a HIIT workout routine for getting in great shape, today I’d like to discuss a Fartlek training session. What is Fartlek? It’s a term that means “speed play” in Swedish and is an interval training workout that involves continuous exercise alternated between low, medium, and high intensity intervals. The main advantages of Fartlek training are that it allows you burn fat and also improve both anaerobic and aerobic endurance. In other words, it helps you

Best Core Workout routines

2011-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

Core resistance training should really be part of just about any training program. While developing a solid core will help you obtain 6 pack abs, the core actually takes on a more critical role in the overall function of one's entire body. So do you know the best core strength exercises for men and women? They’re exercises which work the abdominals, sides, and also back. As you’ll notice, the majority of core exercises involve trying to keep the body straight too.

The core is a group of muscle tissue based surrounding the stomach and mid/lower backside. Aside from helping you stand up straight, core muscles help with raising and pushing. These different kinds of activities are a part of becoming functionally in good shape; which is having the capability to accomplish every day actions. Just as important, core strength helps in avoiding back difficulties along with injury. Core strength training is vital for athletes also because the core is in charge of producing more powerful actions. A side-effect associated with core strength training is as you reduce pounds, you’ll have a awesome set of 6-pack abs.

There are actually many approaches to work your core muscles. Here are a handful of my personal favorite exercises that may help you get a stronger core.

Plank: in my opinion, the old school yoga plank is still the best way to obtain a strong core. For a while, I resisted this specific exercise thinking it wasn’t thoroughly difficult. Boy was I wrong! In addition to the conventional straight body forearm plank, there are a number of plank exercise routines you could complete.

Side Plank: one particular noteworthy variant of the plank is the side plank. While the standard plank will work the middle core muscles, the side plank specifically targets your obliques ( the side abdominal muscles).

Push-ups: a plank is actually just a static hold of a push-up position in many ways. Well, actual pushups require as well as recruit core strength as well. There’s a reason that you’ve generally heard of the significance of maintaining a straight back when performing pushups and it’s so you work those core muscles.

Ab Wheel: this tiny piece of equipment will really implement your mid-section. Simple yet effective!

Hanging Straight Leg Raises: hanging from your pull up bar, you employ ones core muscles in order to slowly and gradually elevate and decrease your legs.

Back Bridges: bridges can help you work your back muscles and also function as a way to prevent potential injury.

Bodyweight exercises aren’t the only methods to recruit core muscles. Actually, quite a few compound weightlifting drills may help you improve core strength.

Standing Shoulder Press: certainly one of my personal favorite exercises, standing shoulder presses ask you to stabilize your core so that you can push the weight over your head. I believe employing a barbell is considered the most effective way to work your core.

Renegade Rows: this can be a difficult motion that will require one to accomplish 1 arm dumbbell rows while in the pushup position.

Deadlift: form is essential whenever accomplishing a deadlift as you may very easily get hurt. The concept should be to stand up straight while raising an incredibly heavy weight off the floor. Definitely an entire body workout that will require leg, back, arm, and grip strength.

Front/Goblet Squats: squats while either keeping a heavy dumbbell in front of you (goblet squats) or front squats in which you support the barbell at shoulder level each require a strong core to accomplish the exercise.

Make core strength training an element of your training regime. There’s a strong possibility that you’re already utilizing your core muscles in many of your weight training exercises. You additionally make use of the core frequently simply by undertaking day-to-day motions. Even so, the very best core exercises for men and women as listed above will target those muscles concentrated about your belly and also back. This will then help prevent injuries and in all likelihood increase your strength in other areas as well.

Most effective Fat Loss Workout Routines

2011-02-20T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you’re like many people, losing weight is usually a constant struggle. Even more challenging, the majority of workout routines for girls don’t target assisting you in obtain the thin, feminine body that you desire. Seriously, most of these weight-loss workouts tend to be greatly out-of-date. Even so, Rusty Moore recently released what is among the finest weight-loss workout routines for women at the gym or in your own home. His Visual Impact for Women program includes all you ever wished to learn about workouts, weight loss programs, and cardio. While Rusty gives suggestions along with comprehensive plans, the intention is to provide you with plenty of info to create your individual weight-loss exercise program and eating routine. Once you understand these suggestions and put in a couple of months of work, I’m convinced you’ll realize that this is actually the last workout routine you’ll ever require.

There’s an elementary problem with a lot of fat loss exercise routines for women…they don’t help you train for the look you would like. Sure, there are plenty of products targeted toward ladies, but a majority don’t consider the impact of the way you train. Too many personal trainers recommend a specific style of training that leads to a thick, muscular physique. Most females wish to have sleek, slender shape.

Visual Impact will teach you exactly how the body isn't only altered by how many sets and reps you execute, but by how tired the muscles get in the process. Moreover, cardiovascular exercise is forced away by a number of programs. Visual Impact features a detailed guide to strategically employing cardio workouts to truly speed up fat loss.

Another great feature of Visual Impact for Women is precisely how variable the workout routines tend to be. There are women's workout routines for those who have time to get to the gym as well as regimens for girls who prefer to work out in the home. The guide spends a long time on customizing your own plan too. Maybe you only prefer to exercise three days per week? Maybe you might have time for four days? Visual Impact for Women helps you decide what works best for your timetable.

Visual Impact for Women is basically targeted towards everyone who would like to burn fat. It can assist someone who has 20lbs to lose but provides some advanced tips for a female who just needs to get rid of 5-10lbs. The best benefit is the fact that once you go through the program, you’ll likely just need to conduct maintenance level workout sessions for the rest of your life.

Marine Workout Routine, Army Special Forces Exercise Plan, and Navy SEAL Training Program

2011-02-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

Do you want to get a trim physique along with functional strength? Then take a look at a Marine workout routine, Army Special Forces workout routine, or possibly Navy SEAL workout program. Think about it, these individuals sustain the best, most functional bodies around the world…not since they would like to look good on the beach, but because their survival may well might depend on it. As you’ll notice, all of these exercise sessions is sort of particular yet you'll notice typical themes throughout.

First of all, allow me to make it clear that I’ve never been in the actual military services. So if you’re in search of details about steps to make it through boot camp or maybe complete health and fitness assessments, I’d suggest looking at Stew Smith’s instruction manuals. Stew is a retired Navy SEAL and consultant for the military’s web page and read some of his suggested routines.

Marine Exercise Plan

Marines must take the USMC health and fitness test every half a year. The preliminary strength examination includes pull ups, sit ups, plus a 1.5 mile run. A closing physical fitness examination features a higher required volume of pullups and also crunches and a 3 mile run. While these physical exercises alone may not appear challenging to experienced exercisers, they provide a fundamental way of building a useful physique.

Needless to say, the true “fun” aspect of a Marine exercise program is the physical education encountered during basic training. Training is completed every day and also involves stretching, the “daily dozen,” required runs, as well as long distance marches. The “daily dozen” incorporates three sets of 15 repetitions for each of the following physical exercises: side-startle hops, bends & thrusts, rowing exercise, side benders, leg lifts, toe touches, mountain climbing, trunk twisters, push-ups, bend and reach, body twists, and squat benders. I’ve additionally observed the revised version of the daily dozen called the daily 16. It’s a program that includes warm-ups, conditioning, as well as cool-down routines.

Army Special Forces Exercise Program

Army Special Forces exercising involves running, swimming, bicycling, as well as plyometrics combined with body weight exercises like push-ups, pull ups, as well as core training. Because Army Rangers and Green Berets are an elite team, Stew Smith recommends trying to excel in the Army health and fitness test through completing a 2 mile run within 12-14 minutes, a hundred crunches in 2 minutes and 100 pushups in 2 minutes.

Navy SEAL Training Program

The Navy SEAL exercise routine is a lot like the special forces exercise program. Known as BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School), Navy SEAL training contains a hefty dose of jogging, push-ups, crunches, pull-ups, and also swimming. Training starts with three days each week which include two mile runs, 4 sets of 15 push-ups, four sets of twenty sit-ups, as well as 3 sets of 3 pull-ups. Swimming for 15 minutes is done 4-5 times weekly. By the end of 15 weeks of training, 4-6 miles of running is conducted five days a week, 3 days of lifting weights is done which includes twenty sets of 20 push-ups, twenty sets of twenty five sit-ups, five sets of twelve pullups, 20 sets of fifteen dips, along with 4-5 days of swimming for seventy-five minutes. That surely doesn’t make much time to remain around and chill out!

Bodyweight Training

Summing it all up, I personally feel that these military workout routines including the strenuous Marine exercise program, Army Special Forces fitness regimen, and Navy SEAL exercise program help develop lean, functional physiques. The flaw is that they demand a great deal of exercise every day that they’re definitely not practical. As an alternative, try to perform bodyweight training on your own.

Bodyweight Workout for Mass and Strength

2011-02-17T16:38:00.001-08:00

Most people realize that bodyweight exercises are great for muscular endurance, but can you perform a bodyweight workout for mass and strength? While bodyweight exercises are convenient because they require little equipment and can be done almost anywhere, there is sometimes a perception among more experienced lifters that they are too easy and can’t be used to add muscle mass or strength. However, I’ve found some useful techniques to help construct a bodyweight workout for mass or stren

Exercising When Sick

2011-02-10T17:47:00.001-08:00

I can pretty much sum up my opinion on exercising when sick in three words: don’t do it. Ok, I’ll admit it’s a little more complicated than that. Not to go all philosophical on you, but what does it mean to be sick? If you’re not sure if you should exercise when sick, what can you do to help make a decision on whether you’re capable of performing your routine?
My Recent Experience
A little over a week ago, I came down with what has probably been the worst cough and cold of my l

Best Weight Loss Workout Routines for Women at the Gym or at Home

2011-02-01T10:20:00.001-08:00

If you’re like most people, weight loss is a constant struggle. Even more challenging, most workout routines for women don’t focus on helping you get the slim, feminine physique that you desire. Frankly, these weight loss workout routines are vastly outdated. However, Rusty Moore has just released what is one of the best weight loss workout routines for women at the gym or at home. His Visual Impact for Women program includes everything you ever wanted to know about exercise routines

Fitness Stories in the Media

2011-01-27T16:59:00.001-08:00

I do a lot of reading online in my spare time and enjoy when the media picks up a good fitness story. Of course too many articles are focused on the wrong things, but every once in a while an article piques my interest. Here are a few articles I read this week on fad diets, nutrition info, Jack LaLanne, and my own advice on snowstorms.
150 Years of Dieting Fads and Still No Quick Fix
Many of you might be surprised to hear that Dr. Atkins didn't invent the low carb craze...it was started

Anything Goes Diet Review: The Best Diet for Weight Loss

2011-01-22T16:57:00.001-08:00

I’ve posted a detailed Anything Goes Diet review. Please check it out under Best Fat Loss Diets, and let me know your thoughts.

I just picked this book up last night and read the entire thing. It was that powerful and I’m not afraid to say it’s the best diet for weight loss, especially over the long term. In short, you’ll be able to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight. The reason this book is so great is that John Barban combines all the best facets of science, psych

Victoria Secret Workout

2011-01-19T15:25:00.001-08:00

I recently read a couple interviews of Justin Gelband who has developed what might be called the Victoria Secret workout routine. Justin is a trainer who has helped numerous models get in shape without resorting to over-the-top tactics. I think a lot of his tips can be used in a good exercise plan for women. In fact, not just for women - men could probably learn a lot from Justin's routine!

The training that Justin does with Victoria's Secret models is very realistic and down to earth. He treats each model uniquely and individually. Because of their difference a pan that is effective for one model may not be as effective for another. We are all unique individuals that come with our own specific trouble spots and issues that must be conquered in order to achieve a hot-looking, healthy body. In his interviews, Justin has even admitted that even the models from Victoria's Secret don't all have perfect bodies. We are all human and some models enjoy eating delicious foods and have all the same insecurities and worries as everyone else.

Intensity in your workout plan is the key to getting fit whether you are a model or an average man or woman on the street. You will get better results the more intense your workout routine is. Of course it is important to understand the risks to injury when exercise is taken to extreme levels, however a short workout that increases in intensity will help you to build and maintain muscle while burning fat.

In order to avoid creating a bulky look to the models' legs, Justin skips training on their legs directly. He instead concentrates his efforts on getting the models to strengthen and lengthen their muscles for a leaner appearance. Justin feels that exercises that involve leg weights such as lunges or other body weight exercises for the lower extremities should not be used by models. He also cuts out running stairs and doing plyometric work. Justin only allows the use of 5-pound weights by the models he trains.

So, you may be wondering what is done in a Victoria's Secret model workout, given all of these restrictions. Resistance work that replies on bands or a Bosu ball as well as Pilates or a boxing workout are mainstays in Justin's model routine. The primary muscles that are worked are the ones that assist in developing core strength and improving posture as a way of promoting stability and balance within the body. The models work out 3 or 4 days each week in periods of 45 to 75 minutes. Justin also varies the routines so that the girls do not get bored. And much of their work focuses on areas that will be exposed in the catalog, such as the stomach and thighs.

Diet is another very important part of this complete fitness program. It’s no different here. During the time when the models are prepping for a runway show or catalog shoot, the cut out high levels of carbohydrates, sugar and salt. They consume meals that have a balance of fat, protein and healthy carbohydrates. For example, Miranda Kerr, one of Justin’s clients, eats lean proteins and healthy carbs for breakfast (oatmeal, egg whites, veggies, fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese). Miranda generally chooses chicken and light salads for lunchtime, and consumes lean proteins such as turkey, chicken or fish with some healthy vegetables at dinner.

The Victoria's Secret Models workout routine and diet plan is not very different from any exercise plan for women that you will find. You do need to be committed to the goal of getting in shape. But you should find that if you are willing to commit to healthy changes and do the necessary work, you can achieve a physique like the girls in the Victoria's Secret catalog.

Best Core Exercises for Men and Women

2011-01-15T15:01:00.001-08:00

Core strength training should be a part of any workout routine. While building a strong core will help you get six pack abs, the core actually plays a much more important role in the overall function of your body. So what are the best core exercises for men and women? They’re exercises that work the abdominals, hips, and back. As you’ll see, most of these core exercises involve keeping your body straight as well.
Importance of Core Strength Training
Your core is a group of muscles

How to Lose Stubborn Body Fat

2011-01-09T06:01:00.001-08:00

How to lose stubborn body fat is quite a challenge. What is stubborn body fat? Well, stubborn belly fat is the most common problem for men while fat centered around the waist, hips, and thighs is the most common problem for women. Now let’s be clear here; we’re not talking about an extra 10-20lbs you may be carrying. We’re talking the remaining fat you have when you’re within 5lbs of your ideal weight (around 10-12% body fat for men and 17-20% for women). Notice that these body

Marine Workout Routine, Army Special Forces Workout Routine, and Navy SEAL Training Program

2011-01-04T15:57:00.001-08:00

Do you want to build a lean body with functional strength? Then look no further than a Marine workout routine, Army Special Forces workout routine, or Navy SEAL training program. Think about it, these people maintain some of the best, most functional bodies in the world…not because they want to look good on the beach, but because their survival may depend on it. As you’ll see, each of these workouts is somewhat distinct but there are general themes throughout.

First off, let me make

2011 Fitness Trends

2010-12-31T10:25:00.001-08:00

As a new year is upon us, many people will make resolutions that include exercising more and eating less. I thought I’d use the last day of 2010, and also the last day of my vacation, to discuss some of the predicted 2011 fitness trends as well as my hopes for trends in the New Year. Oddly, I hope people don’t completely overdo the exercise less, eat more mantra.
Fitness Trends Survey
Here is a sampling of some of the more interesting fitness trends for 2011 as detailed by the American

Exercise Addiction

2010-12-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

My ability to achieve a high level of physical fitness while maintaining an active social life by attaining a sensible balance between exercise and lifestyle is something about which I am rather proud. However, over the past couple months, I’ve delved back into the realm of exercise addiction and food obsession. I recently came to this realization when I found myself planning social events based on my diet and exercise schedule.

Exercise addiction is when you feel like exercising 5-7 times per week is an absolute necessity. If you find that you can’t take a day off, you’re likely addicted to exercise. Upon first glance, it may seem that you are simply committed to maintaining your regimen. But, in order to prevent injury and overuse of muscles, days of rest are critical. Additionally, you have to consider your underlying motivation for exercising. When you are never happy with the way you look and fear that having just a single day off will ruin all of your effort up to now, then you are probably suffering from exercise addiction.

Food obsession is very similar to exercise addiction in that it revolves around self image. This problem often begins with a sense that one's outward appearance is always lacking. Taken to the extreme, food obsession leads to serious eating disorders. My credentials are insufficient to thoroughly discuss a food obsession of that sort. However, I will share my current food obsession and how it affects my life.

I began to face a food obsession problem when I decided that my body fat should measure lower than ten percent. But, the question remained as to the lengths to which I would go to achieve that goal. I’m not a fitness model. I never enter competitions. During the current colder months, only my wife and I are likely to see very much of my body. I’ve made the decision that physically, I’m just as healthy at 10% body fat as I’d be at 7% body fat. It’s not worth the lifestyle sacrifice to obsess over food and exercise.

While food obsession and exercise addiction symptoms are problems over the long term, I think a little obsession in the short term is just fine. When trying to get in shape for a upcoming holiday or for the summer, it is perfectly reasonable to put in maximum effort into getting into the shape you want, and to do this you have to obsess slightly over your food and exercise routine. Also for anybody trying to cut down a lot of weight, good habits can come from food obsession at the beginning. You simply have to realize when you are becoming addicted and obsessed with these things and it begins to have unhealthy repercussions to your life.

Hotel Room Workout Routine: Use Bodyweight Circuit Training and Other Travel Exercises to Stay in Shape Away From Home

2010-12-20T16:03:00.001-08:00

This time of year, the weather here in New England is truly frightful which makes traveling all the more delightful. Cheesiness aside, a lot of people head out for the holidays or just to get away. How do these people stay in shape away from home? I’d say a good hotel room workout routine includes bodyweight circuit training and a few other travel exercises.

First, consider that one reason you probably exercise is so that you can look good when vacationing. That being said, a vacati

Tips on How to Jump Higher for Basketball: Plyometric Workout Routine

2010-12-14T16:11:00.001-08:00

So here we are in the midst of another basketball season and I can’t help but marvel at the sheer athleticism of some NBA and even college players. These days it's all about the dunk! I've always enjoyed a good plyometric workout routine and a good vertical leap training program and thought I’d pass along some tips on how to jump higher for basketball. However, even if you don’t play basketball or aren’t as easily impressed by leaping ability as I am, I’d consider reading these t

The Best Way to Gain Muscle

2010-12-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

There are many mass building programs that claim to be the best muscle building workout routine or best muscle building diet plan. But, many such systems offer little more than the suggestion that you eat great quantities of food and workout constantly to gain muscle mass, or are so complicated and precise that you have no margin of error. The question on everybody's lips is what is the best way to gain muscle? Succinctly stated, gradual and consistent are the key terms.

You have likely already looked into gaining muscle mass and have read up on the bulk and cut technique. This is highly touted by bodybuilders as the best way to gain muscle mass. Basically, the idea is to work hard at adding the largest amount of muscle mass as possible for a designated time, and then working to reduce fat as drastically as possible for an additional time span. Upon first glance, this theory appears reasonable, as it does not require a person to strive for multiple, competing goals simultaneously, and allows them to work on each objective on its own.

This program works for bodybuilders, although the question of whether you want a bodybuilders body type is another matter (not as far as I am concerned). Let’s just say that my experience with bulking and cutting has taught me that I’m certainly not a bodybuilder. If you have a lot of time and commit yourself fully to this method then it can work. But, in the case of a typical person with a busy lifestyle, this type of system is likely to fail.

I started by bulking. While I put on a lot of weight, it was a mix of muscle and fat. No doubt I looked bigger in my shirts, but my stomach was busting out of my pants. Plus, I felt lethargic from carrying around so much extra weight. You have to eat a lot of calories with this approach, which isn't as fun as it sounds, neither is it easy. When I finally started the cutting portion of the program I was happy. But, this portion of the strategy commanded me to reduce caloric intake drastically and exercise a great deal. Fat wasn't the only thing I managed to lose while cutting. At the end of a few months, I was right back where I started with no more muscle and no less fat.

A substantially more useful system to gain muscle mass is Rusty Moore's Visual Impact Muscle Building. There are still phases but they’re not focused on rapidly trying to add 20lbs of muscle and then cut 10lbs of fat. Over the course of six months you aim to add 10Lbs of lean muscle and zero fat. When you aim to gain muscle mass in this way you will really notice the difference. The program includes Rusty's guidelines for proper diet and exercise for each phase of the system. Rusty's program utilizes adaptable exercise regimens, permitting integration of all sorts of different movements as outlined in Visual Impact's accompanying exercise book of over 200 pages.

We started this article by asking 'what is the best way to gain muscle mass?' The answer is either bulk and cut, if you enjoy putting on lots of weight and eating like it's the end of the world, then not eating much of anything and exercising like a crazy person. However, if you want to pursue what I think is the best way to gain muscle mass, then try the muscle building workout routine outlined in Visual Impact.

Best Bodyweight Exercises

2010-12-11T10:14:00.001-08:00

Several individuals have inquired as to my thoughts about the effectiveness of Convict Conditioning. My previous determination that Convict Conditioning encompasses some of the best bodyweight exercises around still stands, and I truly believe that such movements should be incorporated into every workout regimen. As you move on you progress from exercise to exercise in a very genuine way.

Some critics have asserted that this type of exercise regimen is simply not challenging enough. Personally I prefer to end a workout with nothing left in the tank, this way I get a tasty HGH flood within my system. Convict Conditioning, while requiring a lot of strength, was a workout I could perform and not shower after in many occasions. For this reason I still follow some of the routines but have incorporated them into my own workouts.

Every Convict Conditioning movement is comprised of 10 progressive stages. While Convict Conditioning recommends starting from the beginning, I wanted to speed the results along by starting at a point where I could successfully complete the recommended number of repetitions.

Since I followed Convict Conditioning I have gone back to my regular weight training and haven't seen any issue with getting right back into my usual rhythm and weights. What I have decided to do is follow a set of Convict Conditioning once a week, along with some circuit training as well. On the other days, I perform a regular strength training routine and include the Convict Conditioning exercises as part of my conditioning workout. Convict Conditioning introduces you to some of the best bodyweight exercises you could possibly do, it certainly gets my thumbs up.

Best Cardio Exercises to Lose Weight

2010-12-10T12:24:00.001-08:00

What are the best cardio exercises to lose weight? First off, I don’t necessarily think that any one exercise is best. There are a wide variety of cardio exercises to lose weight, but the best is ultimately the one that you enjoy performing consistently, on a regular basis. Sure, some of the exercises below will burn more calories than others, but the most important factor to me is intensity. Despite its many benefits, you won’t see walking listed below because it’s not the most ef

What Is the Blood Type Diet Plan? Can the Genotype Diet Help You Lose Weight?

2010-12-06T16:17:00.001-08:00

Is weight loss genetic? What is the blood type diet plan? Can the genotype diet really help you lose weight? I decided to look into the current research to see if any of these statements were true. Just for background, why should genetics matter when it comes to weight loss? I have opposing views on this. On the one hand, it helps to know if someone is genetically predisposed to being overweight or carrying excess fat in certain locations. On the other hand, blaming lack of weight

Exercise Plan for Women: Victoria Secret Model Workout Routine and Diet

2010-12-02T16:17:00.001-08:00

I recently read a couple interviews of Justin Gelband who has developed what might be called the Victoria Secret model workout routine. Justin is a trainer who has helped numerous models get in shape without resorting to over-the-top tactics. I think a lot of his tips can be used in a good exercise plan for women. Heck, even men could probably take away a few ideas!
Goal Setting
Justin is very realistic in his approach to training Victoria’s Secret models. He treats each model unique

Get Paid to Lose Weight?

2010-11-29T13:13:00.001-08:00

It’s a trend across numerous corporations…employees get paid to lose weight. Really? Money has to be an incentive to live a long and healthy life? I guess at the end of the day I’m happier to see more people trying to get in shape, even if it’s initially for monetary purposes. I’d like to think that once they begin a good diet and exercise program, they will value the importance of being healthy for more than monetary reasons.
Employer Incentives
On the surface, it seems cra

Calorie shifting diet plan

2010-11-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

Most of us know that you have to burn more calories than you consume if you want to shed pounds. However, when you get close to your target weight, a calorie cycling diet plan can be beneficial. In fact, I’d say a calorie shifting diet plan or carb cycling diet plan are some of the most effective ways to trick your body so that you can lose body fat, gain muscle, and get a really lean, defined body.

The theory behind a calorie shifting diet is that you eat a lower number of calories on certain days and a higher number of calories on other days. You can pull this off in a variety of ways. There might be one week that you eat an extra 500 calories every other day, and one week that makes you eat 500 fewer calories those same days. In that first week, your body is dedicated to muscle building, and then the next week shows you the fat burning mode.

By consuming my meals around the times that I workout, I am able to supercharge calorie shifting. When glycogen levels are exhausted, fat burns more efficiently; therefore I do my workouts in a fasted state. The best time to consume my largest meal of the day is an hour or two after exercising because this is when my body can most effectively convert the nutrients in my food to muscle mass. You're probably wondering why it is necessary to wait one or two hours after working out. With that weight, the HGH (human growth hormone) can work the most, keeping my muscles from losing out as I burn fat.

Therefore, you can do a calorie shifting diet plan in a number of different ways. It can be as simple as having months/weeks of high calorie eating followed by months/weeks of low calorie eating or as detailed as timing high calorie meals around workouts.

While adjusting the timing of your calorie intake is a good approach to allow your body to lose fat and gain muscle, a carb cycling diet provides a great way to adjust your diet at the macronutrient level to optimize your body’s fat burning potential.

Why is carb cycling helpful for fat loss? Well your body won't burn fat until all the carbs are gone from it. Therefore, if you fast before a workout, you will actually start burning fat. The challenge with going low carb all the time is that your body can go into ketosis which can ultimately lead to muscle loss. With carb cycling diet plans, you will be able to eat carbs at some points and bring your glycogen levels up to snuff, but not lose out on the muscle building and fat loss. Perhaps more importantly, who really wants to avoid carbs all the time?

You'll need to pay close attention to cutting back on your caloric intake and engaging in intense workouts if you have a lot of pounds to shed. If you’ve gotten the full benefits of those methods and are still looking to trim some fat, why not try the above mentioned calorie cycling diet plans? You'll easily lose body fat and put on muscle mass with a calorie shifting diet program that lets you vary the amount of calories you consume on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Your fat-burning workouts will be a lot more effective, and you'll be able to lower your glycogen levels when you go on a carb cycling program by itself or combine it with calorie shifting. I think you’ll find that these approaches work well over both the near-term and long-term.

Cardio before weights or cardio after weights

2010-11-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

"Is is better to do cardio before or after weights?" many ask. It's a bit complicated to answer that question. In fact, there are a few different variables that effect whether it makes more sense to do cardio before weights or cardio after weight training. Perhaps the number one, biggest influence in this answer is your individual fitness goals. Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain strength, or are focused on conditioning and overall health determines the intensity of your workout routine which can in turn determine whether it makes sense to do cardio before or after weight training.

In addition to fitness goals, the important variables to consider when deciding the order of cardio vs. weight training include:

* How hard are you doing to train: Will you be doing high intensity cardio and weight training or will you be doing a basic, even level of cardio? Will you be doing as many reps as you can with light to moderate weight or will you lift heavy weights and just do a few reps?
2. Duration of each component: is cardio a marathon or short but intense session?
* How does your body respond to weight training as opposed to cardio training? Which exercise tires your muscles out more? * Your own personal preference for one over the other. Can you bring the intensity at the end of your workout or at the beginning?

In a small study that was conducted by Brigham Young University involving 10 men, it was determined that doing weight training after cardio was the most beneficial method. The findings are as follows:

1. EPOC (the caloric after burn effect) was highest when cardio was done before weight training.
* Participants burned more calories for a longer period when weight training was done after the cardio portion.
3. The overall recommendation was to perform “aerobic exercise before resistance exercise when combining them into one exercise session.”

Unfortunately, this study was only conducted on 10 individuals, so it isn't a hard fast finding by any means. Sure, there are good things to be said for doing cardio first, but what about melting away all the fat?

It makes more sense to me to do my weight training first. I like to make sure I have a high energy level so that I can lift heavy weights. I also need a tremendous amount of focus and coordination to do it well. A bulk of most cardio workouts involve the legs, making it extremely difficult to be able to do sets of heavy squats following a 45-minute cardio workout. That being said, the inverse is also true in that trying to run after doing heavy squats isn’t the easiest thing in the world either.

I do think that it's a good idea to either separate your cardio and weight training sessions into different days, or to do weights and then cardio, I also suggest the following as overall goals:

* To Increase Muscle - It is recommended that you do cardio after weight training so your energy will at peak levels during the weight training portion of your workout.

* You can increase muscle by doing weights first, then cardio; both need a great focus and energy to perform well.

* To Burn Fat - Six of one, half a dozen of the other! Many beginners benefit from doing cardio before weight training because they can burn more calories by performing a longer cardio routine relative to a weight training routine which tends to fatigue them faster. However more advanced exercisers can get a nice release of HGH and fatty acids by performing resistance training and follow that up with cardio to burn the fatty acids in the bloodstream.
* To Improve Health - If your goal is to improve your overall health, there is no difference in the order that you do your weight training and cardio.

The bottom line is that there is no clear answer to the question: should I do cardio before or after weights? Doing cardio first will enhance your endurance and stamina; doing cardio after weights will help you bulk up those muscles and get more strength. You must decide which order benefits you the most and helps you reach your fitness goals best.

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2010-11-23T16:15:00.001-08:00

Chances are that you’re going to put on some weight during the holidays. With temptations stretching from Thanksgiving to New Years, and possibly beyond, how can you avoid holiday weight gain? Just as important, how can you avoid holiday weight gain and still indulge in some of your favorite foods during this time and not feel like a diet outcast.
Average Holiday Weight Gain
Some studies have suggested that holiday weight gain averages 5-10lbs. More recent studies have shown that avera

Conditioning Workouts

2010-11-21T16:33:00.001-08:00

I recently decided to add strength and conditioning workouts to the end of my workout routine in order to increase stamina and endurance. It was my aim to really push myself to my limits and achieve a big flush of HGH by the end of my routine, I did this by incorporating a full body workout routine that included bodyweight exercises, kickboxing, plyometrics and circuit training.

Why, you might ask, would I continue to push myself harder than this existing routine? The answer is that I want to make sure I’m mentally and physically exhausted after each workout. It wasn't my goal to train to failure because as you probably know you don't get denser muscle mass in this way. So the challenge is that I want to get my heart and lungs racing without fatiguing my muscles.

The reason I wanted to do this was to boost the amount of HGH my body produced after each full body workout routine, HGH stands for Human Growth Hormone. The hormone HGH serves to burn fat without sacrificing muscle. You’ve probably heard of illegal HGH supplements as some high profile athletes and actors have been caught using them in the past. The fact is though that your body will naturally produce HGH in larger quantities than normal if you workout intensely.

For the most part, cardio is great for increasing a heart rate and HGH levels. Three days a week I will undergo some high intensity interval training just as I normally do. All I want to do is burn fat a lot more through intense exercise that is appended to my strength training routine.

The other reason I turned toward strength and conditioning workouts is that they’re something I always enjoyed at the end of sports practices. I'm not lying when I say I enjoy them either. Once practice was over, I knew I could push myself further and get stronger than the rest. You are really pushing yourself to the limits of your physical endurance.

In my opinion, the best strength and conditioning workouts will include compound exercises that work your entire body. It’s only natural that these will get your heart and lungs racing. The HGH levels in your system will go up and you will get a really great sweat on. If you check out these ideas, you will have it within yourself to make the perfect full body workout routine to go along with your existing exercise routine.

The Twinkie Diet: How One Expert’s Junk Food Diet Helped Him Lose Weight

2010-11-16T16:50:00.001-08:00

A viral story hit the press in the past week…a nutrition expert lost a lot of weight while eating junk food. This junk food diet (also referred to as the Twinkie diet) proved a point that I’ve known for a while: it’s not what you eat, it’s how much you eat. However, some other implications came out of this “research.”

The Experiment
Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, undertook an experiment in which he primarily ate junk food to show that

Exercise Addiction and Food Obsession

2010-11-11T16:32:00.001-08:00

I pride myself on maintaining a fitness-lifestyle balance through which I’ve been able to get in very good shape without sacrificing my social life. However, over the past couple months, I’ve delved back into the realm of exercise addiction and food obsession. I recently came to this realization when I found myself planning social events based on my diet and exercise schedule.

Before I continue, I should be clear on a couple things. First, there is a fine line between exercise addic

Strength Training Workout

2010-11-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

Every workout focusing on functional strength includes compound exercises intended to improve the connection between the nervous and muscular systems. Doing so can help you more efficiently undertake motions such as pushing, pulling, climbing, walking, sprinting, jumping, twisting, turning, etc. Not only will functional strength workouts better your looks, they will improve your ability to perform everyday movements of various types. Bodyweight exercises that employ the compound technique are all you need to reach your weight loss and toning goals.

The first question on your mind might be: what is functional strength? While many people might equate functional strength with improving athletic performance, I think it’s more fundamental than that. Functional strength training merely improves your performance in everyday activities. Simple things like carrying the laundry upstairs, moving a couch, sprinting to catch a bus, and as my wife learned, carrying around a child, all constitute exercises that require functional strength.

The purpose of functional strength training is to pass strength increases along from movement to movement. Because movements are neuromuscular in that they require the power of both your brain and your brawn, the best exercises to increase functional strength simply involve practicing the movement or motion you want to get better at.

Repetition of particular movements can be a great way to add such strength, though you can also use the power of the transfer effect to be had from performing related types of movements. To most effectively transfer strength gains, components such as coordination, type of contraction, speed of movement, and range of motion, need to be similar.

A terrific aspect of functional strength training is the fact that you can customize your regimen to encompass just those motions you wish to improve most. Use compound movements in your routines to get a well rounded workout for all your major muscle groups. For an activity that involves pulling a heavy object off the ground, isolation exercises such as bicep curls won’t help you as much as practicing the clean and press. Most movements that a person performs in a day are considered compound movements, as they have several elements to them.

Bodyweight exercises can help you to strengthen and tone all your major muscle groups and that will translate into better performance throughout the day. Using your body as the resistance, essentially you become your own exercise equipment, helps you to achieve steady improvements.

I do not, however, mean to suggest that weightlifting plays no role in a good functional training regimen. In fact, a few of my favorite functional strength training exercises involve weights. Deadlifts, where you use your entire body to pull weight off the ground, are exceptionally good at helping you gain strength. The clean and press is a movement in which you begin by lifting a weight from the ground and end by pressing it over your head. This is a bona fide full body exercise. You can also realize tremendous functional strength gains through the use of kettlebells. As with any workout routine, it’s important not to train to failure and to ensure that your body has adequate time to rest between workouts.

Increase your repetitions as your strength improves to keep the muscle building momentum going. It is possible to be very innovative in creating your workouts, and incorporate many everyday movements using only the things around you. Mix these movements up with those than involve compound movements like clean and press, or deadlift to keep from becoming bored with your routine. These strength training exercises will help your body when it comes time to execute a variety of motions.