Category: Specific workouts (Page 9 of 14)

      Stretching, why?

      June 12, 2009 /

      Despite the years of research and mountains of data, there still is no definitive answer to whether stretching is worth your time and effort. Proponents argue that stretching prevents injury, diminishes delayed onset muscle soreness and improves athletic performance. Some go as far as to say that regular stretching can help speed recovery from workouts and improve blood flow to the area being stretched. Opponents will argue that stretching can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact there are many experts who not only believe stretching does nothing to improve performance, but that it can significantly hinder it. Each side can site numerous studies to support their claims.

      Because there is so much conflicting data, should we even bother stretching? The answer is a resounding “yes”. Especially if you lack normal range of motion in your joints. Our bodies are a feat of engineering that man, in all his wisdom and brilliance, cannot replicate. For example, as we grow and develop into adults, we are provided with a certain degree of flexibility governed by our genetics. This flexibility allows us to have a normal range of movement around a joint. This range of movement is crucial to the health of our joints. Training, injuries and the natural aging process all will diminish flexibility and the range of movement we started with. Flexibility is not only lost or gained in the muscle, it’s also determined by tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue. It is this relationship between bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc., that took millions of years to perfect through evolution. Any disturbance between the structures in our joints can lead to hindered performance or serious injury.

      No matter which side you take, and no matter what the reason, the data is conclusive on one point: It’s much more effective to stretch muscles that are already warmed up. A warm-up is light to moderate activity lasting 10 – 15 minutes before the actual workout begins. Warming up drives blood into the muscles and synovial fluid into the joints, thus reducing stiffness. If you warm-up first, you’ll make much more progress than if you stretch cold.

      To evaluate whether you are developing a restriction around a joint, and to see a list of stretches in their proper order go HERE.

      Bodybuilding, Exercise, General training, Men's Health and Wellness, Power lifting, Specific workouts, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training

      Barbell Workout for Hard Gainers

      May 28, 2009 /

      If you only have access to a barbell, try these workouts from MensFitness.com:

      Workout I

      1 Front Squat
      Sets: 5 Reps: 5 Rest: 90 sec.
      Start with the barbell on the supports of a power rack at about shoulder height. Grab the bar overhand and raise your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Now lift the bar off the rack, letting it roll toward your fingers-this is where it should rest throughout the exercise (as long as you keep your elbows raised, you won’t have trouble balancing the bar) [1]. Squat as low as you can [2], and then drive with your legs to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

      2 Snatch
      Sets: 5 Reps: 5 Rest: 90 sec.
      Place a barbell on the floor and grab it with an overhand grip, hands twice shoulder-width apart. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, crouch down behind it as if you were going to perform a deadlift [1]. Now explosively stand up and raise the bar straight up in front of your torso. When the bar reaches chest level, flip your wrists to face the ceiling and allow the momentum to help you press the bar straight overhead [2]. Reverse the motion to return the bar to the floor. That’s one rep.

      3 Barbell Shoulder Press
      Sets: 5 Reps: 5 Rest: 90 sec.
      Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower and grab the bar with a slightly wider-than-shoulder- width grip (wrap your thumbs around the bar). To get the bar into position, you can either explosively heave it up off the floor and up to your shoulders, or set the bar at shoulder level on the supports of a power rack. If the bar is on the rack, nudge it off and let it rest against the front of your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and push your chest out [1]. Begin pressing the bar overhead, retracting your head as the bar rises to keep it out of the way. When the bar passes your head, press it up and slightly backward so that it ends up in line with the back of your head [2]. Hold for a moment, then lower the bar back to your shoulders. That’s one rep.

      Check out the other workout by clicking here.

      If you?re a hard gainer, these workouts can be beneficial because they?re all compound movements that incorporate more muscle groups.

      Arms, Back, Bodybuilding, Chest, Exercise, General training, Legs, Power lifting, Specific workouts, Weight training, Workout programs, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      Improve your golf game with these exercises

      May 26, 2009 /

      The New York Sports Clubs shares some tips to get your body in golf shape for when you attack the links this summer.

      Big Bertha ? Driving power from your legs and arms will increase your yards. Grab your driving club and get started:

      Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder width. Bending at the hips and knees, lower into a squat and hold the position. Hold the club with both hands in front of you, parallel to the floor. While holding the squat, bend the elbows bringing the club to the chest at an angle, press out and repeat with the angle in the other direction. Continue pressing in and out at a diagonal for 30 times, working your way up to 75.

      Caddy Shack ? For stamina to walk the course, follow this move to get your heart rate up and cardiovascular system conditioned:

      Place three tees on the floor about two feet from each other in a line. Starting on the left of the first one, hop over each with a dbl hop between them. When you get to the end, hop back to the starting position. Try to continue hopping for 30 seconds, working your way up to a minute.

      Hole in One ? Core strength is imperative to drive the ball down the green. Try this core strengthener to get that hole in one:

      Sitting on the floor with your feet flat on the ground, grab a golf ball in your right hand. Lean back slightly, lifting your feet off the floor a few inches holding yourself stable by contracting your stomach muscles. Holding that position, gently lower right leg as you slightly lift the left and pass the ball through the legs to the left hand. Switch the legs and pass the ball back to the right hand, through the legs. Continue for 20-30 repetitions.

      Back Nine ? With all the swinging and bending, a golfers low back is a must to strengthen

      Lie on your stomach, legs out straight and arms straight at your side. Lift up your head and legs at the same time, keeping your spine in line with your head. Hold the position with your low back and glutes for 3-5 seconds and release. Start with 8-10 working your way up to 15.

      Club House ? When your game is over, before hitting the showers or clubhouse, make sure to stretch

      On all fours, round your back so you feel your spine open, lifting up your belly button to the ceiling, tucking your glutes and head under. Hold for 3 seconds. Reverse the move by lifting your head to the ceiling and curving your back under, tail bone to the ceiling.

      There you have it. If your game still stinks, then it might be time to pick up another hobby!

      Exercise, General fitness, Specific workouts, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Workout programs, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      The Two Set Workout

      May 16, 2009 /

      Although I would recommend a lower volume, higher intensity approach, the article below I recently re-read has some great info on getting the job done with quality instead of quantity. I’m glad to see articles in mainstream magazines debunking the myth that more is better.

      There are many ways to grow from just 2 sets. Try each of these and see what works best for you.

      Take the first set to failure:? You should not be able to complete one more rep than the set calls for.? For the second set drop the weight by 5% – 7% and try for the same number of reps.

      Perform your first set with about 90% of the load you can use for the number of reps the set calls for (about 2 reps shy of failure).? Then load up your second set and take that to failure.

      Take both sets to just one rep shy of failure:? This is a good safe option that minimizes risk for injury and overtraining.

      Take both sets to failure:? Use this option sparingly (once or twice a month) and only if ou’ve got a year or more of training behind you.

      “MF Trainer.” Mens Fitness oct. 2007:127

      Bodybuilding, General fitness, General training, Specific workouts, Weight training, Workout programs

      Lose weight faster by doing cardio between sets

      May 12, 2009 /

      Men?s Fitness.com has three tips to how you can shed pounds in a quicker amount of time:

      1.) TRY CARDIO BETWEEN SETS
      Go about your weight workout as normal but instead of resting between sets, perform light cardio such as jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, or hitting a heavy bag for between 60 and 90 seconds.

      2.) ALTERNATE INTERVALS
      Perform a set and then do some highly intense activity for 15 seconds, followed by a 45-second easy bout for recovery. Then go back to the weights for another set. You can pair your lifting with any kind of cardio ? a treadmill sprint, intervals on an exercise bike, or with a jump rope, etc.

      3.) TRY A CIRCUIT
      Start with compound movements, followed by isolation lifts. For instance, do a squat, followed by a lunge, hamstring curl, and leg extension. Do not rest until after the last exercise and then rest two to three minutes. You’ll get an awesome pump while burning lots of calories.

      To read the entire article, click here.

      The most important thing to remember is that your diet must be sound. You can run 100 stairs in between every set on the bench, but if all you?re consuming outside of the gym is fatty, processesed foods, you?re not going to drop the weight.

      That said, the article does highlight a couple of nice techniques to try if you?re getting tired of your current routine and can?t seem to lose that stubborn weight. I would warn, however, that if you?re trying to pack on size, continuously doing cardio between sets will zap your strength and therefore gaining muscle will be a challenge. For hard-gainers, resting between sets is the better way to go if you?re trying to bulk up.

      Exercise, General fitness, General training, Running, Specific workouts, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

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