Miscellanous Monday

• Exercise to try-Underhand incline bench press-Grip the barbell with your hands about 14-16 inches apart and with an underhand grip. Lower the bar to about 2 inches below the collar bone and press up slow and controlled. Not only is this method easier on your wrist pronators and flexors but is also great for your triceps.

• Great bicep routine from Chris Thibaudeau- 1) Isometric preacher curl-get into position so that your forearms are parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 30-45 seconds. If this is too easy then add weight. 2) Alternating standing dumbbell curls-start with your palms facing your body and as you curl up turn them so you finish the move with your palms up. Do 8 reps then drop the weight and finish out with as many more reps as you can. 3) Reverse grip standing bicep curl-Do standard form with 12-15 reps. Take about 90 seconds rest and repeat the whole thing 2-3 more times.

• Make sure nutrition is your number one priority when it comes to fat loss. Actually I am wrong, nutrition should be both the number one and number two important factor in terms of your fat loss success. It is that important so treat it that way.

• For women I think it is important to incorporate tricep work in almost every workout. Most women I know don't want to have that fat flab on the back of their arms. 

•  Start training your glutes, core and back more often. These 3 tend to be weak areas for most and by focusing more time on them you can help yourself out in many ways.

H4 Body composition workout-10 exercise giant set

This workout works push/pull then targets the front side of the legs and then the back side of the legs. This allows you to hit each area of the body with the proper intensity and at the same time creates a full body metabolic effect. 

A1) Pullup ( medium grip )-10 reps
A2) Pushups-15 reps ( or as close as you can to this number) * if that is too easy then add a pause at the bottom
A3) Spilt squats with dumbbells-10 reps each leg
A4) Deadlift-10 reps
A5) Seated straight bar row-12 reps
A6) Standing neutral grip shoulder press with dumbbells-10 each
A7) Goblet squat-12 reps
A8)  Glute thrusters-12 reps
A9) Band chops-15 reps per side
A10) Bicycle crunch-25 seconds

4-5 rounds total. Take between 2min-3min between rounds depending on your level

GO DOMINATE!

10 reasons guys dont gain muscle

1) They think they are eating enough but need way more. Eat to grow!

2) They get nervous they will get fat. You need to get big first, then drop body fat.

3) They make bad food choices. Salads are for people cutting weight, not guys trying to pack on size. Eat meat and calorie dense foods!

4) They have a negative attitude. They think they are not genetically gifted or just simply cant do it.

5) They have weak workouts. You need to get in and work hard and work often!

6) They do too much cardio.

7) They lack consistency. You need to stick with your plan both eating and lifting to get gains.

8) They train wrong. Not enough big lifts like rows, benching, squats and deadlifts.

9) They drink too much

10) They get lack of sleep. You don't grow in the gym but rather outside the gym

10 Reasons women get fat

1. They eat a low fat diet thinking fat is horrible and will make them fat.

2. They eat way too many carbs. Carbs will make your butt big and not in a J-Lo good kind of way.

3. They do endless amounts of cardio thinking if they stop they will get fat.

4. The only weights they ever use are the pink 4lb dumbbells in group fitness

5. They think a trip to Starbucks counts as good post workout nutrition.

6. The believe weight training equals bulky muscles and therefore never do it.

7. They don't make time for themselves. They make time for everyone else in their life except them.

8. They eat "healthy" cereal for breakfast and think it is full of nutrients.

9. They underestimate how many calories they eat, and overestimate how many they burn

10. They have a weakness for chocolate and most sweets. Cupcakes ring a bell?

Benefits of exercise for those with cancer

Today's guest blog post is from David Haas. I was approached by David to do a post on the exercise and its benefit to those with cancer and told him I would be happy to spread his message. Everyone is affected by cancer in some shape or form by cancer so I thought this is a no brainer to post. Below is a link to read more on David and Mesothelioma.
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/bio.htm


There are a plethora of reasons why people choose to exercise. For example, some people are very concerned with their overall health and want to keep their body in its prime condition, others want to lose weight to feel better and others work out simply because their sense of vanity is too scared of gaining weight and looking less than perfect. Whatever the may reason may be, it doesn’t matter. Working out is a physical activity everyone should participate in; even people suffering from cancer, whether they were recently diagnosed, going through treatment or living in remission.

Most everyone knows the benefits of exercise, but most people are unaware that it only takes approximately 150 minutes a week to completely transform their bodies, minds and lives. A mere 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week is so beneficial to a person’s body, mind and health that doctors are now informing their cancer patients to get moving rather than to relax and rest. While the overall effects of exercise on any person are fairly well known, there are other benefits as well. Aside from improving the physical appearance and personal health, exercising with cancer, even the most rare forms of cancer such as mesothelioma improves a person’s entire life quality, which is very important to overcoming cancer.

There are numerous ways that exercise can be beneficial for improving a person’s quality of life. Exercise produces chemicals in a person’s body that help to build the immune system, which fights off negative chemicals that are produced by the feelings of stress, anxiousness and depression that are often caused by a cancer diagnosis. Fitness also can improve a person’s overall health, which is an automatic energy booster and great feeling. Additionally, fitness can help the way that people experience the side effects of cancer treatment. It is widely known that cancer treatments cause feelings of depression, fatigue, nausea and even induce vomiting; regular exercise can change this and make a person’s experience of these side effects much less severe or even completely diminish.

Another way that exercise benefits those with cancer is that it reduces their risks of experiencing cancer again after their remission. Some cancer risks can be reduced by as much as 40 percent. For those that are not excited about exercising or think they simply haven’t the time to do it, there is nothing to worry about. Exercise doesn’t mean going to the gym at 5 am. In fact, doctors recommend that patients do something physical that they enjoy, such as biking, hiking or even swimming. Dancing, playing and running around with kids is another great way to get in 20 minutes per day of exercise in a way that is fun and easy.

2 for 1 Monday workouts!

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Random training tips....

• Try the 1-10 system- This was a favorite of Arnold and is generally best done with curls and bench pressing. Load up the bar with a weight you can do for only one rep with good form. Curl it or press it, then rack it and take off just enough weight so you can do two reps. Next, take off just enough so you can do three reps. Keep doing this until you finish with 10 reps. Enjoy!

• Work more glutes and hamstrings! Odds are most of you are quad dominant and can use the posterior work.
  

• Simple way to get better at pullups is to do more pullups. Not only do more but do them more often during the week.

• Quick tips for the bench press-Push your chest up towards the bar when you lower the bar and drive your shoulders into the bench when you press. Grip the bar like crazy and press your heels into the floor.

• If you are trying to lower body fat than add some conditioning into the end of your workouts. Hit the weights then finish with things like med ball slams, rope work, sprints, ladder work or anything along those lines.
  

• If you have shoulder issues then stop all pressing movements for a month and focus on the back. Work your back three times a week without any pressing moves and see if the pain goes away.

• One of my favorite chest routines.
  

Glute ham raise/ Deadman's

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Improve your back with these moves

1) SEATED LEANING STRAIGHT BAR ROW-This exercise takes the traditional row and then makes it better in regards of targeting the lats. By keeping a forward lean and placing your feet low on the foot pads you will increase the recruitment of the lats instead of the mid back.


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2) X ROW- This is one of my favorite exercises to hit the middle part of the back including the traps and rhomboids. Just make sure you alternate each set which arm is on top and that each rep you squeeze the shoulder blades together.


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Get a better butt! Add these 4 exercises to your arsenal!

1) HIP THRUSTERS WITH BARBELL-Make sure you can perform a regular glute bridge and then a regular thruster on a bench before progressing onto the thruster on a bench like shown in the video. Place a pad around the bar to keep the bar from digging into your hips. The key is to push through the heels to activate the backside of the body. Rise as high as possible without extending the lumbar spine ( low back ) by squeezing your glutes and holding the squeeze at the top. Generally 5-12 reps works best


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2) HIGH STEP UP- The higher the height the better for your butt! The key is to keep the non working leg straight and stiff so you limit its ability to assist. Put most of your weight into the leg on the step and emphasize pushing through the heels hard and finishing by popping the hips and squeezing the glutes. Get that feel where the butt and hamstrings meet and tighten it up at the end of the movement.


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3) DEFICIT REVERSE LUNGE-Use a step and risers or a box is fine as well. The key is to get deep on the reverse lunge in order to hit the glutes better. Also using a forward lean ( but keeping the back flat ) will help hit the glutes as well. Again, just like in the high step up, push through the heels of the front foot and finish by squeezing the glutes and popping the hip.


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4) REACH BACK LUNGE WITH TAP- Really stretch back your leg and then drop down into a deep position. Staying low, bring that back foot forward and tap next to the lead leg. Continue with one leg for all the reps before switching. You should feel this on the front glute. Really put your weight on the glute and almost "sit " on a invisible chair.


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