Category: Xternal Fitness (Page 32 of 43)

      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

      Build the Ultimate Sandwich

      May 21, 2009 /

      Men?s Fitness.com helps you create a healthy lunch that actually tastes good with their guide to building the ultimate sandwich.

      GO WITH THE GRAIN
      Just because the bread’s brown doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Check out the ingredient list. “Whole wheat” should be the first thing listed?not “refined grains,” which have fewer nutrients and less fiber than their whole-grain counterparts. Also be sure the loaf has at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and doesn’t contain any high-fructose corn syrup.

      RAID THE PRODUCE AISLE
      Pile on all the cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, onions, bell peppers, or jalape?os you want. The extra calories they add to your meal are virtually nil.

      ALL ABOUT MEAT
      Ham: It’ll only set you back around 60 calories yet packs 11 grams of protein. Select a nitrate-free variety, though (these preservatives have been shown to increase the risk of cancer when consumed over time). Less sodium means you’ll also avoid that after-lunch bloat.

      Turkey: The king of the healthy lunch meats. It’s low in calories, fat, and sodium but loaded with protein. Buy 100% baked or smoked sliced turkey breast.

      Roast Beef: Red meat gets a bad rap for being high in fat, but with many lower fat brands out there, you can now pile on the beef without adversely tipping the scale.

      Check out the rest of Men?s Fitness ingredients to the ultimate sandwich, here.

      Diets, Food preparation, Foods products, Nutrition, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      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

      Headache Remedies

      May 1, 2009 /

      Men?s Fitness.com offers a couple of tips to help understand your headache?s source and the key to making it go away.

      MIGRAINE

      Symptoms: Intense, throbbing pain, usually on one side of your head, accompanied by nausea and/or sensitivity to light or sound. Not fun. It’s uncommon for men in their 20s or over to start developing migraines, so if you’ve never had one before, that pain is probably something different.

      Treatment: Prescription meds such as sumatriptan are most helpful. So is rest in a quiet, dark room.
      Prevention: Identify and eliminate your triggers (the most common are red wine, cheese, and caffeine). Regular exercise has also been shown to reduce frequency and severity.

      To read the entire article, click here.

      I actually started developing migraines in my late teens. Mine come with auroras that occur about 15 minutes at the onset of the migraine and then go away once the headache begins. Usually the only thing that helps me get rid of migraines is lying in a dark, noiseless room and attempting to sleep them off. They?re incredibly painful and it?s near impossible to do anything other than lie in bed until they go away, which could take hours.

      Normally I would get a migraine at least once every couple of months, with them occurring as frequently as once a month (which isn?t bad considering some people have them every other day). A doctor advised me to keep a migraine journal to help figure out potential triggers and while I can?t pinpoint the exact cause of the headaches, I have a good idea of why they come on. As the article suggests, caffeine can play a roll in causing some people?s migraines. But as it turns out, lack of caffeine causes mine.

      For the past three and a half months, I have made sure to drink a small amount of caffeine per day and I haven?t had a migraine within that time. Granted, one could still be coming, but I feel confident that the caffeine at the very least spreads the migraines out. So if you suffer from migraines, create a journal for yourself (you can use this online one) and you might go a long way in discovering the cause.

      Medical Issues for Men, Men's Health and Wellness, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

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