Thursday, December 16, 2010

How to reduce Body Fat Percentage

Reducing body fat requires a calorie restricted diet mixed in with exercise to build muscle.

1. There is no way to pick what part of your body you want the fat to come off of. Whether you have excess body fat in your midsection, thighs or arms, the procedure is exactly the same.

2. Eating foods that have fat in them will not necessarily make you gain body fat. The only thing that will make you gain excess body fat is excess calories. Carbohydrates and protein can make you gain just as much weight.

3. The only way to lose body fat is a combination of reducing calorie intake through your diet and burning calories with exercise.

4. The best exercise to do for reducing body fat percentage isn't sit ups, crunches or curls. The best exercise is something that will burn a lot of calories such as running, biking, swimming and most team sports

5. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does. You should include a good strength training routine in your workout to build more muscle that will help you burn even more calories throughout the day.

6. You can get more help by reading and posting to the diet and exercise forums that are linked below.

a. Body Fat Analyzers:www.bodystat.com

b. 50 Fat-Burning Exercises

Saturday, October 9, 2010

24 Reason Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Man!

1. He was destined to be a tough guy.
The first film Arnold Schwarzenegger ever saw was a John Wayne movie.

2. He played a barbarian, but he is compassionate.
After his older brother Meinhard died in a drunk driving accident, Arnold would help Meinhard's three-year-old son, Patrick, by paying for his education and helping him move to the United States.

3. He was more dedicated about getting in shape than you ever were.
Arnold began weightlifting at age 15, taking up an intense training regiment that included studying psychology to help grasp the balance between mind and body. At 17, he began entering official competitions. He was so dedicated to weight-training that he would break into gyms after hours to continue his workout. Arnie even went AWOL during his time in the Austrian army to take part in the Junior Mr. Europe contest -- which he won (and additionally spent a week in military jail).

4. He doesn't give up.
In 1967, after judges at the Mr. Universe Bodybuilding competition ruled that he had lacked the proper muscle definition in his legs, Arnold began training extensively to improve the tone and power of those muscles. He returned the next year and won the title of Mr. Universe for the first time. At the age of 20, he became the youngest Mr. Universe -- ever.

5. He's an insane multi-tasker.
Schwarzenegger spent the next three years doing daily professional weight-training. In between his workout and attending business school in Munich, Germany, he flew to London to win the Mr. Universe title again in 1969, and for a third time in 1970.

6. He sets impossible standards.
He moved to the United States in 1968 to continue training in Santa Monica. Two years later, he competed in -- and won -- the Mr. Olympia contest in New York City. At the age of 23, he became the youngest athlete to win the title of Mr. Olympia -- a feat that still stands. He won the title again five more times before finally announcing his retirement. But then in 1980, he made a surprise entry into the 1980 Mr. Olympia competition, with only seven weeks of prep time. He won that time, too.

7. He has journalistic experience.
After spending many years as a regular columnist, he was promoted to the title of executive editor for the magazines 'Muscle & Fitness' and 'Flex.' Additionally, both magazines donate $250,000 annually to physical fitness campaigns sponsored by Arnold.

8. Anything you can do, he can do better.
He has his own body-building/fitness weekend exhibition named after him: the Arnold Classic. Since 1989, the event spotlights competitions as varied as boxing, martial arts, yoga, gymnastics and figure skating for men and women. The weekend has grown to become one of the most prestigious body-building competitions in the world.

9. He's surprisingly modest.
In 2002, Forum Stadtpark in his hometown of Graz, Austria, attempted to build an 80-foot Terminator-inspired statue in a local park. Arnold insisted that the money that would have been spent on the project go towards social projects and the Special Olympics instead.

10. He never had a sophomore slump.
Arnold won the Golden Globe for "Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture" for his role in 1973's 'Stay Hungry.' It was his third film role and first speaking part.

11. He was almost too superhuman ... for Conan
He did all of his own stunts for his role in 'Conan the Barbarian.' Additionally, his muscles were originally too big to properly handle a sword for his fight scenes.

12. He's hardcore.
For the crucifixion scene in 'Conan,' Arnold endured having a real vulture peck at his body.

11. He is the equivalent of a butt-kicker.
During the production of 'Commando,' Arnold had extensive martial arts training with fight choreographer Michael Vendrell. Vendrell has stated that by the end of the the production, Schwarzenegger was the equivalent of a second-degree black belt.

12. Every other action star lives off his scraps.
He was the original choice for the parts of: 'Die Hard''s John McClane; RoboCop; comic-book war-hero Sgt. Rock; the part of Dr. Octopus in James Cameron's never-made 'Spider-Man'; the Will Smith role in 'I Am Legend'; "Animal Mother," the intimidating squad leader in 'Full Metal Jacket,'; 'Judge Dredd,'; 'Captain America'; 'Face/Off'; 'The Saint'; and the Man in the Yellow Hat in a live-action version of 'Curious George.'

13. He earned it.
For his part in 'Terminator 2,' Arnold reTceived a $15 million salary. Taking that figure and dividing it over his 700 words of dialogue, he earned $85,716 for the phrase "Hasta la vista, baby!"

14. You want to stay on his good side.
The Terminator is the only character to be ranked on the American Film Institute's list of "100 Heroes and Villains" as both a hero and a villain.

15. He impresses the right people.
For his role as the Terminator, Arnold received accolades from 'Soldier of Fortune' magazine for his accuracy in weapons handling.

16. He's even got bragging rights over 'E.T.'
In 1992, he was presented with the "Life Career Award" from the Saturn Science Fiction & Fantasy Awards, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. In 1993, The National Association of Theater Owners named Arnold the "International Star of the Decade." In 2001, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Taurus World Stunt Awards.

17. Now it's just getting ridiculous.
'Last Action Hero' became the first film advertised into outer space; the film's title was etched onto the side of an unmanned NASA rocket that was personally launched into space by Schwarzenegger.

18. This includes 'Junior'?
His films have grossed more than $1.6 billion domestically. That averages to about $70 million for every performance.

19. He didn't need to become an actor.
Arnold was a millionaire by the age of 30 -- even before he became a movie star. His first business success came in 1968, when he started a bricklaying business that saw high demand after the 1971 San Fernando earthquake. He took the profits gained from that business to start a new venture, selling instructional tapes and fitness equipment via mail orders. After his mail order company became successful, he invested in multiple real estate holding companies. In 1992, he opened up a restaurant in Santa Monica that he successfully sold six years later. He currently has stake in the investment firm, Dimensional Fund Advisors. It's enough to make you forget about Planet Hollywood.

20. Even if you don't like his movies, he can buy and sell you.
It has been estimated that he has a net worth somewhere between $100 to 200 million. Meaning he could probably personally refund every chump who saw 'Jingle All the Way.'

21. He's the reason you had to work out in gym class.
From 1990 to 1993, he served as the Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

22. He's actually saving the earth.
In 2007, he was awarded the European Voice campaigner of the year award for signing the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 into law. The bipartisan bill was the nation's first cap on greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, he pushed California's participation into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions with participating power plants.

23. He leads by example.
As Governor of California, he introduced the California Hydrogen Highway project as a source for alternative energy; currently there are 25 hydrogen fueling stations operating in the state, with Arnold personally modifying his two Hummers to run on hydrogen and bio-fuels, respectively. Additionally, he has implemented the Million Solar Roofs plan, hoping to provide additional clean energy and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. To demonstrate, Schwarzenegger has his home heated through solar power.

24. Everyone has to give props.
For his contributions to the U.S. motor industry, he was invited to open the Society of Automotive Engineers' World Congress in 2009.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Popeye Arms? Every Man's Coveted Possession

Arms are an important body part to focus on when you’re building a body that women find attractive. I’ve heard that forearms are like cleavage on men, in that women will take a look at a guy’s forearms like a guy takes a look at a woman’s cleavage – any truth to this ladies? A woman may look for your arms, but she’s not even going to notice you unless you have a good frame.
A woman wants to feel protected and safe in a man’s arms. Sculpted, muscular, and athletic arms are important to have in an attractive physique. However, you don’t want to have massive arms that are purely bulk, with no definition. You also don’t want to be supremely focused on your arms in your training either, letting the rest of your body take a back seat – a mistake I’ve seen far too often, especially with novice lifters.

Training to Build Athletic, Lean and Muscular Arms, that Serve a Purpose

  • Your Biceps, Triceps & Forearms are all relatively smaller muscles compared to the other muscles in your body. This means they’re going to recover a lot faster than say your back, or your legs might. What this means is you can place more stress on these muscles, without worrying about burning them out (stress, primarily in the form of reps, not weight).
  • When you’re first starting out focus on compound exercises when working arms. Exercises like close grip bench press and dips for triceps, and chin-ups and reverse grip bent over rows for biceps. Your forearms will be worked in any pulling exercise, but feel free to add in a farmer’s walk-type exercise if needed. Also for your forearm development, never use straps. If you can’t lift the weight with your own two hands, then don’t lift it.
  • When beginning, focus on strength and hypertrophy, using sets with reps up to 10 reps.
  • As you progress, add in higher rep counts, even burnout sets of 30 reps at the end of a set, or drop sets.

Weekly Split – Focusing on Arms

If you really need to build bigger arms, try this weekly workout split for three weeks. You’ll hit arms individually twice, but will also hit each muscle in the arms at least one other time during the week. For example, your triceps will be isolated 1 day, but they’re also worked when doing any pushing – such as certain chest or shoulders exercises. The same can be said for your biceps and any pulling exercise.

Start the week out with a legs day – the most important group of muscles when trying to build lean mass, improve your athleticism or burn fat – so you’ll also be hitting your legs twice in the week as well.

Day 1

Quads + Calves + Abs

Day 2

Back + Triceps

Day 3

Hips + Shoulders

Day 4

Chest + Biceps

Exercises

I’m not going to go too much into exercises, I’ll let you guys do that. I think the real magic happens in varying you rep and set counts when training your arms, not necessarily the exercises you choose.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Wanna Build Muscle Fast?

To build muscle fast you need to present the body with a stimulus that it isn’t used to. This stress will cause the body to adapt by building itself up bigger and stronger.

Where most people go wrong is that they think they need to annihilate the muscle in order to elicit any type of response. This is counterproductive. When you annihilate the muscle with tons of sets, reps and constantly train to failure and beyond you drastically increase your recovery time. The problem with that is that training frequency is very important. So when you increase your recovery time you have to decrease your training frequency. You’re shooting yourself in the foot.

The key is to do just enough to stimulate size and strength gains but not annihilate yourself so that it takes forever to recover, or worse- that you put yourself in a state of over-training.

If you want to make consistent size gains you have to make consistent strength gains (in a hypertrophy rep range), while eating enough food and allowing enough time for recovery.

The body will respond to any given stimulus one time and one time only. If you place the same demands on it a second time (like pressing the same weight for the same reps) nothing will happen. You must always be forcing it to adapt and thus you must always ask it do something it isn’t used to.

The easiest way to do this is add more weight or do more reps with the same weight (but no more than 10-12 for the upper body and 15-20 for the lower body).

Aside from making consistent strength gains the next most important thing to consider is training frequency. To improve anything in life you need to do it frequently. Building muscle is no different.

So you want to train a muscle as frequently as possible, while it is in a fresh and recovered state. This means that you should be training each body part once every 2-5 days, and not once a week like a lot of the muscle mags recommend. That’s too little frequency. The more times you can stimulate growth throughout the year the better. Obviously 104 growth stimulating workouts per year for each body part would be a lot better than 52.

Summing it up, to build muscle fast you need to do the following three things:

- Constantly get stronger.

- Stimulate but don’t annihilate (12-16 sets per workout. Don’t go to failure)

- Train each muscle group more frequently than once per week.

50 Ways to Build Muscle, Gain Strength & Be F*ckin Awesome

1. Have a clearly defined goal. You can’t put 50 pounds on your squat, lose 50 pounds of fat and gain 50 pounds of muscle at the same time, while simultaneously training for a bodybuilding contest and a world record in the hammer throw.

2. Train for performance increases from workout to workout. It’s very hard to see size gains or even fat loss gains from day to day but you can see performance improvements on a regular basis, if you train properly.

3. Set PR’s as often as possible. You can’t do the same thing over and over and expect to see any results. Setting PR’s ensures results and fun.

4. But know when to back off. Deload weeks should be taken after 3-8 weeks of intense training.

5. Do fewer things better. ADD is a very bad thing. Pick the most productive exercises and methods and get good at them. It’s the best way to make long term progress.

6. Foam roll or use a PVC pipe before training. Hit the quads, hams, IT bands, glutes, inner thighs, calves, lower and upper back.

7. If you are going to static stretch because you need to in order to get into certain positions, the best time to do it is after you foam roll and before you start your dynamic warm up.

8. Use a lacrosse ball on your piriformis and upper back. You’ll hate me at the time but will thank me later.

9. Do some type of dynamic warm up for 5-8 minutes before you start lifting heavy. This should include low intensity hopping drills, leg swings, isometric bridging exercises, activation drills, etc.

10. Do hurdle mobility drills. Hip mobility is very important and goes quickly as you age.

11. Jump or throw something after your warm up and before you start your main lift. It fires up your CNS and better prepares you to move some heavy shit.

12. Be explosive on every set; even your warm ups (to a point, you don’t have to explode the empty bar so excessively that you dislocate your shoulder).

13. Don’t cause excessive fatigue on your warm up sets. But don’t rush them or neglect them either. Find the balance.

14. When working up to a heavy triple, double or single it’s best to use smaller jumps and take about 8-12 sets to get to your max. You will find that your top end sets feel lighter when you do this versus if you just jumped right into them after only a few warm up sets.

15. Squat.

16. Always squeeze the bar as hard as you can, trying to crush it, on every lift you do.

17. Squeeze your glutes tightly and brace your abs like you’re about to be punched on every standing exercise you do.

18. Always maintain optimal posture throughout your sets. Never let your shoulders slouch forward or your lower back round out.

19. Do more moving and supporting on your hands. Practice handstands against the wall, do Power Wheel hand walks, lateral hand walks, alligator pushups, partner assisted wheel barrow walks, etc. This is great for building up strength and stability in the shoulders.

20. Use thick handles or Fat Gripz and ropes as often as possible.

21. An awesome workout template goes like this- some type of jump or throw for power development, big barbell lift for maximal strength development, bodyweight exercises for assistance work, strongman finisher. Try it.

22. Don’t train to failure on a regular basis.

23. Don’t do slow, grinding death reps. They fry your CNS and slow down or even reverse your progress.

24. Don’t use less than 70% of your max on any exercise.
The resistance won’t be enough to stimulate any size or strength gains and will serve very little purpose. (There are some exceptions but this is a pretty good rule to follow)

25. Jump rope.

26. Do the majority of your exercises in a standing position. You sit or lie down to relax; not to train.

27. Pick heavy shit up off the ground.

28. Always carry or drag heavy shit as part of your program (farmers walks rule).

29. Press, support or carry heavy shit overhead more often.

30. Do more pushups. If you are beyond the beginner level figure out creative ways to load them (weight vests, plates on back) or make them harder (suspended, 1 arm, etc.).

31. Decrease your rest periods.

32. Do something active at least 4-5 days per week. Three 45 minute heavy lifting sessions will get you strong, but you won’t necessarily be in shape or healthy. Try to find the balance of both.

33. Take one day completely off. The body needs a break once in a while.

34. Don’t train for more than an hour, max. Your testosterone levels will plummet and cortisol levels will skyrocket.

35. Run, jump, climb and crawl. It’s what your body was designed to do.

36. Work up to advanced levels of planks and side planks. Your spine will thank you later.

37. Listen to your body. When you have nagging pains it’s almost always better to train around them than through them. Trust me.

38. Take a week off when your body needs it. The older you get the more frequently you will need to do this. There’s no shame in doing so. It will keep you in the game longer.

39. Don’t do more than 10 reps on most upper body exercises and 15-20 reps on most lower body exercises.

40. Play.

41. Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight per day.

42. Do hill sprints.

43. Go to bed by 10:30 every night. Eleven at the latest.

44. Get 8-9 hours of sleep. It’s very difficult to get bigger, faster, stronger or leaner on minimal amounts of sleep.

45. Get up at the same time every day.

46. Take naps. It’s an awesome way to boost recovery and get a little surge of growth hormone.

47. Get Active Release.

48. Take contrast baths or showers after training. Hot as you can handle for 1-3 minutes. Cold as you can handle for 30-60 seconds. Repeat for 10 minutes. This really helps with recovery.

49. Get massages. Being dedicated to this on a regular basis lately has made a tremendous difference in how I feel. The key is to find a really good masseuse who really knows what’s up.

50. Train outside from time to time. Bring a bunch of stuff outside and get after it. Or just go to the park and do a bunch of bodyweight stuff on the monkey bars. But do something.

51. Meditate!

Start incorporating any or all of those tips today and pretty soon it will be impossible for you to walk into a room without people stopping to note, “That dude’s fuckin awesome.”

Let me know what you think of this list and feel free to add to it in the comments section below.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Magical Elixir that helps strip away pounds from your body and more!

There is a potion that magically strips away pounds from your body, improves your overall health, lengthens your life, makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, and keeps you lean forever. Even better, you can have as much of this magic weight-loss potion as you want, for free, and start stripping away pounds—perhaps even several dozen pounds this year alone—without exercise or without dieting!

What is this magical elixir? It’s water.

Really? Yes! Really! You don't even need to mix in that fancy fat-burning stuff from the vitamin store. In fact, the less you supplement your food and beverage intake, the more weight you’ll lose (and the more money you’ll save).So begin your no diet weight-loss goals today. You'll sip your way to a flat belly in record time--and keep it well beyond summer.

Step 1: Swear Off the Soda and Iced Tea

(Annual Weight Loss:
18 Pounds!)
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey measured where most of our calories come from. Researchers broke up
America’s food intake into 143 different categories and discovered, to their horror, that the category making up the largest percentage of our calorie intake—7.1 percent, to be exact—was not a food at all. It was soda. (Vegetables, on the other hand, accounted for only 6.5 percent of our intake. Chicken and fish together only added up to 5.7 percent.) To put that into perspective, if you ate an average of 2,500 calories a day, and you cut 7 percent of your calories, you’d automatically drop down to 2,325, a difference that would save you 1.5 pounds per month. You could be 9 pounds lighter in 6 months by going cold-turkey today! Another thing to remember: You're far better off eating your vitamins than drinking them.

Step 2: Drink 8 Cups of Water Every Day
(Annual Weight Loss:
26 Pounds!)
Yes, the magic elixir really does have amazing powers. In one study, a group of 173 overweight women were put through diet and nutrition training using mainstream diet programs. Researchers then followed them for 10 months, with dietary and body composition being recorded up to 12 months after the classes. All women in the program lost weight, but those drinking more water lost more weight. Drinking more than
1 liter of water per day (nearly 4½ cups) was associated with an extra 5.07 pounds lost in 12 months.

And researchers from the
University of Utah found that people who drink the most water have higher metabolisms. In a study, subjects drank 4, 8, or 12 cups of water each day. Those who drank at least 8 cups reported better concentration and higher energy levels, and tests showed that they were burning more calories than the 4-cups-a-day group.


Step 3: Enjoy One, Two, or Even Three Yogurt-Based Smoothies a Day
(Annual Weight Loss:
10 Pounds!)
I love the sound of a cranking blender. But a combination of ice, dairy, and fruit does more than just make a teeth-rattling cacophony in your kitchen. It also helps strip pounds from your body.

There are three simple reasons why: Smoothies take little time to make (so you can quash your hunger pangs quickly), they’re packed with nutrition (especially if you start with Greek yogurt and add berries, whey protein, and some flax), and their thickness takes up a lot of space in your stomach, crowding out the Doritos. In fact, researchers at
Purdue University found that people stayed fuller longer when they drank thick drinks than when they drank thin ones, and a study at Penn State found that people who drank yogurt shakes that had been blended until they doubled in volume ate 96 fewer calories a day than those consuming thinner drinks.

Step 4: Avoid Juice Drinks
(Annual Weight Loss:
19 Pounds!)

Imagine a world in which we called products what they really were: Hungry Man Dinners would be called Lonely Man Dinners. ESPN would be called the Fat Nerds Yap about Jocks Channel. And SunnyD would be called Obesi-D because there’s nothing sunny about a drink marketed to kids that looks and tastes like juice, but is 95 percent water and corn syrup.

While even 100 percent juice has its problems, juice drinks and their ilk are the worse offenders. One 16-ounce bottle of SunnyD Smooth packs a whopping 180 straight-up empty calories and
40 grams of sugar. If you drink one a day, cut it out. You’ll lose 19 pounds in a year!

Step 5: Drink Coffee, Not Coffee Drinks

(Annual Weight Loss:
18 Pounds!)

Researchers studied coffee habits in
New York and found that two-thirds of Starbucks’ customers opted for blended coffee drinks over regular brewed coffee or tea. The average caloric impact of the blended drinks was 239 calories. The regular coffee or tea, by comparison, was only 63 calories after factoring in added cream and sugar. So even if you like your coffee sweet and light, you can strip away 176 calories every day, just by making this one swap.

Now, budding mathematicians among you may notice that all this adds up to a whopping
91 pounds lost in a single year. This is not good news if you weigh 125. (However, travel just got a lot cheaper because now you can mail yourself all over the world.) Fact is, unless you're currently engaging in all of the bad habits above, you probably don't have 91 pounds to lose.

But this five-point plan illustrates how extraordinarily easy it is to shed extra weight—a lot of weight—just by watching what we drink. And that, my friends, is something worth raising a glass to.



Monday, June 7, 2010

So... You wanna Bulk up?

I have worked out with couple of athletes, weekend warriors, and average Joe’s. Some needed to drop a few pounds while others would be considered “hardgainers”; those guys that say “no matter what I do I can’t gain weight.” Thankfully, I had the remedy and was able to change their ways.
1. Sleep – If you want to pack on muscle, your hormones need to be optimal. Get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep a day preferably at the same time every night. If you find that you are waking up fairly often, then supplements such as zinc, magnesium, cordyceps, ashwaghanda, and 5-HTP may help you out.
2. Eat 6 Small meals per day – If you want to get big you cannot skip meals. If you skip a meal you’ll never get it back! Hardgainers generally have higher metabolisms and need to eat more calories.
3. Get enough protein – You will need to get 1 – 1.5 times your bodyweight in grams of protein daily. If you weigh 150lbs that would be 150g-225g daily. Break that up into 6 meals and you should be in the range of 25-38g per meal. On workout days I like to be taking in a little more than on my off days.
4. Train at the same time – Studies show that if you are on a routine of getting to sleep, waking up, and training at the same time every day, then your results will be improved. Schedule your workouts like they are appointments that you will not miss.
5. During the workout – We recommend taking BCAA’s during your workout. We use Poliquin brand BCAA’s because they have the optimal ratio of Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. You need to take 15-20g during the workout, or don’t bother. This will help keep you in an anabolic state and give you the building blocks to repair your muscles after a grueling workout.
6. Post workout shake – We like to use a combination of Carbohydrates, Protein, and Glutamine. The amount works out to approximately 1g of Carbs per lb of bodyweight, 0.25g of protein per lb, and 0.10g of Glutamine per lb. Timing is important, so try to have it as soon as you finish your last set. Do not mix protein with liquids until right before you are going to ingest it.
7. Time under tension – If you want to put on muscle, you need to make sure that you are keeping your muscles working, or under tension, for 40 -70 seconds. We use tempo in our exercise prescriptions. Say you are performing a bench press at a tempo of 4010, 4 seconds down and 1 second up; that means every rep takes 5 seconds to complete. If you are doing 10 reps that’s 50 seconds that your muscle is under tension. That’s a huge difference from 10 reps at 1010. If you want your body to change, you need to push it to make it do so.
8. Choose Compound movements as your base – Squats, Deadlifts, Dips, Military Press, Chin Ups, Bench Press, and Bent Rows. You can do some isolation exercises, but these compound movements need to be your major lifts. Do not be afraid to lift heavy weights, either. When you are done your workout, you should be dragging yourself out of the gym.
9. Working out is not a social event – On your program you need to have specific rest periods. When you are done a set, start your stopwatch. When it reaches the specific time you’d better be lifting! Do not be hanging around talking to everyone that walks by…..maintain your focus! You can pick up girls on the weekend!
10. Train Hard …Then go Home – Your workouts should not keep you in the gym. After your general warm up (approximately 10 min) your workout should be 45 minutes to 1 hour. After that your testosterone levels start decreasing. You should be able to determine how long it takes by multiplying tempo x reps x sets and adding in the rest periods. We like to use antagonist muscle pairings to get more work done in less time. For example, Chest/Back. You perform a set of chest, rest, and then move on to the back. If you take 60s rest between sets it will be 2½ to 3 min between chest sets. You should be fully recovered and be able to handle more weight.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

So didja Watch Ironman2 already?

Hollywood seems to have a healthy obsession on Superheroes, So I was thinking, why not blog about some Super-Hero Inspired Muscle Building Techniques

  • Superman Back Extension: Lie face down on a hyperextension bench, tucking your ankles securely under the footpads. Adjust the upper pad if possible so your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist without any restriction. Next, grab a pair of dumbbells keeping the abs and the midsection tight for optimal outcome as you raise both arms until the body comes to a straight line position making you look like superman flying. Hold to the position for few seconds and finally, lower yourself down This will help you achieve a well trained and defined core, works the lower back and other targeted muscles. Do 10 reps with this type of superman-enthused routine.



  • Spiderman Pull up - This type of muscle building routine is stirred by the superhero, Spiderman. All you have to do is grab a pull up bar with a handle grip. Raise your arms at a distance a bit apart from the shoulder width. Pull up with the use of your right hand with the right leg and knee bent concurrently. This workout routine gives a perfect picture of Spiderman climbing a wall - but this time one knee is lifted towards the bar. Once done and your chin reaches the top of the bar, you can repeat the same procedure with your left hand and knee in motion. This kind of body building routine helps strengthens the torso, arms and legs.


  • Thor's Hammer - This is considered as an excellent complete workout in building muscles specifically the biceps. This is done in a standing position with a barbell and your palm facing up. Start the routine by curling the weight up the shoulder and lifting the bar overhead. Next, you need to rotate your palm from a face up position to face forward as you try to push the weights as high as you can reach. It is important to note, that in a routine like this, twisting the wrists plays a major role in shaping and sculpting the forearms and the biceps all at the same time. Once done, you can switch arms and repeat the routine for a maximum of 10 reps on each side.




  • Hulk Super Leap - This position either does not need any equipment or you need a little elevated box, bench or something so sturdy enough that it wont collapse once you jump on it. All you do is stand on a mat with the hips and knees bent in a halfway squat position and both hands arch on the side. Swing both hands overhead as you blow up and on to the box. Upon the blast, immediately go back and land to your original half squat position.






Saturday, May 8, 2010

Hey Guys! This is AMAZING!

A Barber Shop Shave!
You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the pleasures of a great shave at a
barber. This weekend, I went to a barber here in town to get a shave. I
reclined in the plush old school barber chairs that had ash trays in the arm
rests, a throw back to a time when people could smoke in public places. Then my
shave commenced. The barber first wrapped a hot towel around my face. Next, the
barber massaged in a lemon based cream to clean out my pores.

After that, several more hot towels were applied. By then, I was feeling nice
and relaxed, on the verge of falling asleep relaxed. The barber then massaged in
some cocoa butter to soften my beard. Next, the barber brushed a warm lather
into my beard that smelled like man and not like that crappy artificial goo you
buy in a can. The barber then took a piece of razor sharp metal and scraped my
beard off for the closest, best shave I’ve ever had. Allowing another man to
hold a razor to your neck is a good way to remind yourself that you’re alive.

To finish it all off, I got another hot towel wrapped on my face along with a
final face massage with a soothing vanishing cream. When I stepped out of the
shop, I felt like a new man, ready to take on the world.

Friday, May 7, 2010

A friend @ my Gym asked me this

He goes "Hey Sammy,Which is Best to Lose Fat? Cardio vs Weights?"

After I do a facepalm to my head and go "Oy Vey! Not again!" I explain to him both can promote fat loss if done correctly. When it comes to cardio you will get the best results by exercising on an empty stomach first thing in the morning!

Weights training is fantastic for weight loss as it burns calories as you do it and after you exercise. It also builds the lean muscle which will sky rocket your metabolism and is the best thing for shaping your body.

It is essential however to have a source high in protein, coupled with a healthy high GI Carbohydrate source to maximize your workout. Once again, this is something I can help you with.




I always stress this, the 4 pillars for successful weight loss are Cardio,
Resistance Training, Nutrition & Rest! Cardio is good, but a lot of people hit a plateau, @ this time and lose hope and quit. You can either increase speed (use the speed interval option on the Treadmill, run for a minute then to catch your breath jog or walk at a slightly faster pace) or increase the incline, if you increase incline the higher you go the harder it gets. Make sure you bend forward (@ the waist! DO-NOT Roll Your Back Or Shoulders, it'll only give you a
sore and bad back, lumbago I think its called) and Never Hold The Rails when doing cardio, hold your tummy tight (pretend you're at the beach and a hot girl in a bikini's walking by, ha! Works everytime @least for the guys!). On the reclining bike, that piece of equipment is a piece of shit! You might as well sit like that in front of the TV, you need an elliptical or stepper or a regular exercise bike. Its less impact on the knees as well as it offers a slight change in your cardio workout. You basically want to surprise your body and hormones, you don't want your body
to be like "what? Treadmill? Again? Oh well here we go! Let's do it again!" you know! Ha ha.

Also Resistance training is Key, all that weight loss, you need to tone up your
body your body shouldn't look like a sandbag that had half the sand taken out of
it. Once you lose weight the body'll look how it looked like with all that
weight, causing stretch marks and globs of flesh, you wanna tone that up because
that could lead to a 'relapse' and the body counter balances itself by gaining
weight.

Nutrition, you can increase your metabolism by eating 6, yes 6!, small meals
everyday withing a 12 to 14 hour period. A typical regimen is like this, if you have work at 9 am, then you might wake up at 7, Have a hearty breakfast then, and at 9 am if you have a coffee, I have to get have some fruit, apple, banana, pear, orange or a fist full of nuts or grapes or some sugar free(yeah I'm watching my sugar) cookies or salt free (yep, watching that too!) Crackers. Then @ 11 am have another healthy serving of milk, yogurt, juice etc 2pm is lunch, again, One serving of rice One serving of Chicken or Turkey (Or Fish, Although, I am allergic to Seafood, so I rarely prescribe it) 1 ltr of water (drink H2O every 3 to 4 hours) we demanded food every 2 hours as a baby, why're we different now? We are mommy's little babies still aren't we? Eat SMALL meals every 2 hours!

Rest, once you burn all those calories and fat, you're gonna need a massive reboot, so rest 6 to 8 hours of sleep every Day! I do 6 to 7 hours of solid sleep a night, and then I catch a cat nap of an hour or half hour during the day, during lunch @ work mostly!

Friday, April 30, 2010

7 Ways to stay motivated & driven at the gym

Staying motivated and consistent with your exercise program can be a challenge. Whether it's the long hours at work, social commitments or just having a down day it can be hard. However, it's very important it is made a priority for short and long term health. Trying these seven simple ways will help get back you on track and living a healthier lifestyle.

1 Have a weekly plan and goals

Take some time to draw up a weekly exercise plan and goals sheet. Divide the week into seven days, AM/PM. Place in the times when you want to exercise, minimum 3 times per week. Then set 2-3 clear goals. A couple of good ones are "How many times you will exercise each week" and "Committing to a healthy eating plan". Put your weekly plan and goals sheet some where you are going to see often for example......Kitchen fridge, by your bed or even better, both. This way you will have a constant reminder of why exercising is priority, a great way to stay motivated.

2 Change your workout

If your training progress is slow, then boredom is sure to follow. If you find you're bored with your current workout program, then change it. There are lots of training programs that you can follow, there is no need to stick to doing the same thing day in, day out. Try something new.

3 Take it slow

One thing that can stop you from staying motivated is trying to go in from zero to hero in one hit. You will only end up sore, tired and eventually burnt out. Gradually make exercise a habit and enjoy the benefits, you will find there are many of them.

4 Do exercise you enjoy

Another big way to stay motivated is to stick to the types of exercise you enjoy you are more likely to keep it up. However, be sure to do good workout and raise the intensity every time so you get plenty of “bang for your buck”!

5 Keep a food and exercise diary

This is great tool to track your progress and keep you on track. You can refer to it from time to time to see how far you have come. It also helps to avoid overconsumption of unhealthy foods as you know you must write it in the book.

6 Get a workout buddy

Try to find a good training partner who is very serious about working out. Preferably someone who is fitter and stronger than you are so you will be motivated to do the same. A good training partner will really help you be consistent and increase the enjoyment of your workouts.

7 Schedule your workouts in advance

Make a "workout appointment" with yourself in your diary for a specific time and place. Treat this appointment the same as you would any important meeting. Ideally, it should be the same time each week. This will help build that habit. If you schedule time for your workouts in advance and stay disciplined to the plan, you're more likely to stay consistent.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Top 10 Lifting Rules!

Here's a List of Top Rules I use when I wanna gain Muscle

1. Lift Big
To grow in the gym, you have to lift big. Lifting big means going as heavy as you can with strict, form.

2. Mix Things Up
The body resists change. It prefers regimentation. To grow muscles, you need to keep your body guessing. You don't want your muscles to adapt to any exercise or routine. So mix up your routines and exercises from time to time.

3. Stick To The Basics
Too many lifters add too many different exercises for each body part. To get the most out of training, work your routine around basic compound movements like the squat, bench press, military press, barbell rows, and the like.

4. Warm up
Warming up isn't for pussies. It helps prevent injuries. It keeps you out of bed and in the gym.

5. Minimize Sets, Maximize Intensity
Some hardcore lifters do 40 sets for legs or 20 sets for arms and grow. For most of us, this is not good. Find out what works best for you.

6. Free Weights
While machines can be good for isolating muscles, free weights involve ancillary muscles and are therefore better for putting on maximum size.

7. Minimum Reps
For maximum muscle, keep reps in the 6-10 rep range.

8. Strict Form
What do you want, an impressive physique or to struggle lifting an impressive weight? Strict form is key.

9. Muscle Groups
Focus on working larger muscle groups before working smaller one.

10. Eat Right, Eat Often
Eat 5-6 meals per day. Discipline your body. It craves it. Use supplements like a meal replacement or protein powders only if you need to.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Anabolic Anamoly?

I was asked if I (ab)use Steroids because of my Email Id, AnabolicAnamoly@aol.com. I am gonna come clean. Have I used steroids? No, I have not! I chose my screen name in reference to the Anabolic Diet, not Anabolic Steroids.
So you wanna know what the Anabolic Diet is?
The Anabolic Diet is a muscle building and fat burning diet. It works quite similarly to the Anabolic Steroids, but naturally & safely. The Diet does this by manipulating your muscle building hormones. How do you do this? By eating the right combination of foods at the right time. Its easier Said than done, I know! How The Anabolic Diet Works. The Anabolic Diet works whatever your gender or age. And like any diet, it works best coupled with strength training. Here’s how your week looks like when you eat the Anabolic Diet way:

* Weekdays. Proteins, fats & veggies. Eat fatty red meat, fatty fish, whole eggs, full fat cheese, olive oil, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, …
* Weekends. Eat lots of carbs. Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, oats, fruit, … Lower your protein & fat intake.

Example Meal Plan:
No Carbs Days. Usually Monday to Friday. Eat protein & fat only, avoid carbs. For inspiration, read the Anabolic Diet food list.

* Breakfast. Whole eggs, bacon, spinach.
* Snack. Italian or french cheese.
* Lunch. Ground round, broccoli, olive oil.
* Snack. Italian or Spanish ham.
* Post Workout. Whey, olive oil.
* Dinner. Mackerel, salad, olive oil, cheese cubes.
* Pre Bed. French cheese, ground flax seeds, fish oil.


Example Meal Plan: Carbs Days. Usually Saturday & Sunday. Best is to avoid training on these days since the high carb intake tends to cause tiredness.

* Breakfast. Oats, raisins, milk.
* Snack. Lots of fruit.
* Lunch. Chicken breast, quinoa, spinach.
* Snack. Lots of fruit.
* Dinner. Whole grain pasta, tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese.
* Pre Bed. Cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil.


Drawbacks of The Anabolic Diet. Your grocery bill will be higher at first and the weekends can turn into junk fests. More drawbacks of the Anabolic Diet:

* Hard for Weight Gain. The Anabolic Diet is high in fats which satiate & make you full longer. This makes gaining weight on the Anabolic Diet harder, but not impossible. GOMAD is better for weight gain.
* Complicate. You have to count calories, you’re cycling between carbs & no carbs days, food choice is tricky with all the hidden carbs, … A diet based on the 8 nutrition rules is simpler.
* No Good For Sports. Sports like rugby and MMA don’t mix well with low carb diets like the Anabolic Diet: they rely too much on carbs for energy. One solution is to use mid-week carb ups. But it’s not ideal.


Should You Do The Anabolic Diet? If you eat carbs on the days where you eat lots of saturated fat and fatty proteins, you risk obesity and diabetes. Stick to the Anabolic Diet rules or you’ll get adverse effects.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!!!!

It’s 2010. Your old excuses for not getting in shape won’t work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don’t want to hear them anymore! Read em’, then haul your excuse-less butt to the gym!

1. I have no time.
According to a story in a recent issue of Men’s Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn’t just play basketball either. Our president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what’s your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain’t got one!

2. It’s too expensive.
Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless “miracle” weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and “magic” potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2010 was the year of thewu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous “cleansing” and “detox” gimmicks . Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you’ll get scammed by 2010’s flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive “6-pack” abs will not only continue to be expensive, you’ll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what’s really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor’s bill when you’re sick.

3. No one will support me.
Experts on social influence say your income will be approximately equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. Not only do I think that’s pretty darn accurate, I also believe that your health is your greatest wealth, and your physical condition will be about equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. It’s a real challenge to stay positive, focused and active when you’re surrounded by critical people and negative influences. However, in 2010, lack of support is no longer a valid excuse. Online social networking is exploding (check out Twitter and Facebook ) and more IN PERSON friendships and associations are being made from an internet connection than ever before. Training buddies can be found online. Connect with them. Mentors and coaches are easily found online. Hire them. Support forums have been around for years. Use them. No support from your current friends? Stop whining, start reaching out and go make new ones. In 2010, support partners and new friends are just a click away.

4. I can’t lose weight because of my genetics.
The marvels of modern medical and biological research are astonishing. Our top scientists have mapped the human genome! In the past few years, numerous genes linked to obesity have been discovered. However, the obesity epidemic we’re facing today has only developed over the past 50 years and genetic mutations that lead to serious obesity are extremely rare. Genetic predisposition only means that you have a tendency. It’s when the genetics meet lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves. If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, be a stressed-out, type-A maniac and a couch potato? Well of course not, and it’s the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you’d better be the person doing the MOST exercise, not the least. You’d better be the person paying the MOST attention to your nutrition. You’d better be the person with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately, it’s usually the opposite. Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, “what’s the use, I was dealt a bad hand.” Sorry. That won’t fly in 2010. The latest research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny!

5. I don’t know how.
The lamest excuse of them all in 2010 is “I don’t know how.” NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT! Ponder that for a while. You don’t need to know how at first. To get started, you only need to know WHAT… what is the goal? Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Not wishy-washy resolutions that have no resolve behind them, but real goals. In writing. With emotional ooompf! As you continue to affirm, visualize and focus on your goal with clarity, belief, and expectation, your new goal or intention will be received by your subconscious. Once a goal is accepted into your subconscious mind, your brain, being a goal-seeking mechanism, will turn on your attention filters to seek out all the information you will ever need to reach your goal. It will also turn on an infallible navigation system to guide you to your goal like a torpedo to its target. As your brain guides your attention, your direction and your behavior, you will discover that today, in 2010, there is more good information, coaching and instruction available than ever before. And when you’ve activated that “success radar” in your brain by setting goals effectively, it’s not as hard to find honest, accurate and helpful HOW-TO advice as you might think. In fact, you found this webpage, so you’re doing pretty good right now, aren’t you?

No more excuses. In 2010, remember my Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Creed: You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both!