Category: Bodybuilding (Page 12 of 15)

Stay positive in the gym

February 10, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

When I first started seriously working out in the gym in college, I was fortunate enough to train with my roommate and one of my best friends, Jim. He?s easily one of the most positive guys I know and it was a pleasure to work out with him on a daily basis.

One of Jim?s theories when working out is to always keep things positive. In other words, don?t bitch, don?t look at the clock wondering when you?ll be done and no negative reinforcement when the other person was doing one on one battle with the weights.

Sometimes when I?m training now, I can still hear Jim say, ?Easy weight man ? you got this.?

One summer in between years at college, I went home and decided to work out with another friend of mine. (Jim and I lived in different states, so we couldn?t train together in the summer.) It was amazing the differences between he and Jim. Instead of, ?You got this weight ? no problem,? I heard, ?Come on you piece of shit ? this weight is defeating you.?

I asked my summer training partner why all the negative talk and he simply stated, ?Because I train better that way.? Hey, some people do train better when they?re partner is degrading them into pushing up the weight. Doesn?t make much sense to me, but hey, whatever knocks your skirt up, I guess.

I worked out with my friend for about a week and then told him I wouldn?t be making any more trips to the gym with him. His berating style sucked the life out of me and going to the gym every day became a chore. Remember that when you?re working out with your partner. I now work out with a friend that follows my routine and my instruction. I never use negative reinforcement with him and he has since said that working out is starting to become fun, even though it never was before. To me, keeping things positive, whether it be in the gym or life in general, is always the better way to go.

For more articles on negative reinforcement, check out this one by Men’s Fitness.com.

On a side note, congratulations to Jim and his new fianc? Autumn for recently deciding to tie the knot. They make a great couple and I know they have a lifetime of great things to come.

Bodybuilding, Exercise, General fitness, General training, Motivation, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

Negative reinforcement in the gym Positive vs. Negative reinforcement Staying positive in the gym Training advice Workout advice

The reverse lunge.

February 9, 2009 / Mike Furci

The major muscles involved are the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. The knee and hip joints are flexed on the eccentric (downward) portion of the exercise and extended during the concentric (upward) portion. The abdominals and erector spinea are isometrically contracted throughout the exercise for stabilization.

Much more than the squat, this exercise is an excellent choice for athletes. The biggest advantage for athletes and fitness buffs alike is its ability to strengthen and stretch the muscles surrounding the hip joint. The action strengthened by performing this exercise is imperative for sports like basketball, soccer, football, gymnastics, wrestling and fencing.

Read the rest HERE.

Bodybuilding, General training, Legs, Power lifting, Weight training

athletic performance dumbbell lunge Exerise improving athletic performance leg training Legs lunges reverse lunge sport specific training squats stabilization Weight training

Q&A with Mike Furci 2/4

February 4, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

In his latest question and answer session, Bullz-Eye.com Fitness Editor Mike Furci lays out the ground work to a sound diet and exercise plan, rehashes the definition of ?tone? with a reader and dispels a myth about exercising stunting your growth when you?re young.

Q: Hey Mike!
I was reading your posts on your website about how to lose love handles and I was very interested in your responses. Losing this extra weight around my waste is such a problem for me! Even though I am a very small girl I can?t seem to attain that hourglass figure — I feel like my midsection looks like a box. I was wondering if you had any advice for me concerning foods, exercises and things I need to eliminate. For instance, does alcohol really make you gain weight? Even when I do drink, I order Bacardi and Diet Coke. Recently I completely eliminated fast food, fried food and soda from my diet. Also, I don?t eat after 10 p.m., ever! But still feel like I see no results. Maybe you could set me up with the right foods to eat and when to eat them. Also what to stay away from and what I should work on at the gym to target this concern of mine. If you could get back to me I’d really appreciate it!

To read Mike?s answer, click here to read the entire Q&A article.

Bodybuilding, Diets, Exercise, Food preparation, Foods products, General fitness, General training, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Workout programs

Diet advice Diet and exercise advice Diet tips Exercise advice Exercise doesn Exercise plans Exercise tips how can i cut body fat without losing muscle losing belly fat losing body fat Myths about working out Toning up Ways to tone up Will working out when you

Duration of exercise.

January 16, 2009 / Mike Furci

In the case of weight training, the duration of exercise is the volume or number of sets performed. Intensity and duration have an inverse relationship. Meaning, the harder you train, the less time can be spent training. This is because we have a finite amount of fuel available to carry that level of stress. This is not a choice or an opinion; it?s fact.

This brings us to the most common way people train too much; too many sets. Although training hard is the best way to move forward, some people are under the impression that doing more is training harder. Performing anything more than what is optimum, will hinder your progress. Yet, most perform more sets with reduced weight or reduced intensity because of the more is better mentality. Do not get caught in this no win cycle.

Training all out, poses extreme demands on the body’s resources, which are governed by genetics and in limited supply. Because of this finite supply, the body will not allow you to train ?too hard? for too long, and gives clues you are reaching your limits. Once you reach failure performing a set, or run out of gas during a workout, you?re simply not able to train any harder. And because training intensity is the number one stimulus for building srength and muscle does it make sense to do more with less.

Bodybuilding, Exercise, General training, Power lifting, Weight training

Building muscle Building strength Duration of exercise High intensity training high intensity weight training muscle building Number of sets overtraining training training stimulus weight lifting Weight Lifting advice weight lifting technique Weight lifting tips weight lifting workouts Weight training weight training programs weight training routines weight training workouts

Training Frequency

January 2, 2009 / Mike Furci

How often can, or much more importantly, should I train per week? Optimum recovery time between training sessions is essential if one is going to continue to make progress. Training frequency, which is determined by ones recovery ability, is often a forgotten part of most training protocols. It never ceases to amaze me, how many people train for months and years experiencing little or no success, and never consider the fact they maybe doing too much.

You can never train too hard, but you can train too much. Training ?too much? can actually be described in two ways. The first and probably the most common way, is training too often. If you are training with 100% intensity, you should not be able to train a body part any more frequently than once every 6-8 days. Everyone should realize that if you are still feeling it from the previous workout of the same body part, then it is best to take a few more days of rest. I have actually heard people say that they train even if they are sore because it is harder on the muscles. True, it is harder on the muscles, but not in a positive way. Ask yourself, ?Where is the logic in training a muscle before it is recovered?? The muscle hasn?t had a chance to adapt to a previous training session and you tear it down with another. Training may stimulate your muscles to grow, but they don’t grow during training. Proper nutrition and enough rest between sessions is what facilitates recovery and allows the muscles to grow. If you train before the muscle is recovered, you not only slow or put a halt to your progress, you increase your risk of injury.

Abs, Arms, Back, Bodybuilding, Chest, General training, Legs, Neck, Power lifting, Specific workouts, Weight training, Workout programs

Building strength gain more strength gaining strength high intensity weight training muscle building muscle building programs muscle building routines muscle building tips muscle building tips advice overtraining recovery recovery ability Strength tips to gain strength Training frequency ways to gain strength Weight training weight training programs weight training routines weight training workouts