Category: Xternal Fitness (Page 36 of 43)

      Ways to breakthrough plateaus in the gym

      February 11, 2009 /

      Men?s Fitness.com provides ways of overcoming workout plateaus in the gym.

      Q: What’s the best way to overcome a workout plateau?

      A: Increase the weight you’re lifting by small increments of a couple pounds or less, rather than a full five to 10. You could also drop out of your rep range a little. For instance, if you’re supposed to be benching for 5 reps and you find yourself stuck at 225 pounds, try to do 230 for 3 or 4 reps in your next workout. It will be deviating from your program, but it still provides a new stimulus to your muscles.

      One way to increase the weight by smaller increments is to use Plate Mates, which are little plates that magnetically attach to larger plates and dumbbells. They come in numerous small increments (we recommend the 1 pounders) and can be purchased at fwonline.com for $20 a pair.

      Read the rest of the article, here.

      Exercise, Men's Health and Wellness, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      Stay positive in the gym

      February 10, 2009 /

      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

      Supplements every guy needs

      February 3, 2009 /

      Men?s Fitness.com lays out supplements every guy needs to have in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.

      The Base Plan (also for you if you’re in your 20s):

      Supplements1) Multivitamin
      No rocket science here, but it’s surprising just how many guys still don’t take a multi. The key to making ’em work is to make them part of your routine. Instead of stashing the bottle on a shelf, keep it by your toothbrush or coffeepot?something you hit every day without fail. Make sure your multi also contains two key nutrients: selenium (for its cancer protective effects) and zinc (which helps you make sperm). Also, check the capsule size and dosage. It’s easier to take one pill rather than two or three.

      2) Fish Oil
      Fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for brain and heart health and act as a natural anti-infl ammatory?especially benefi cial if you have sports injuries or aching joints. Even if you manage to eat the two to three recommended servings of fi sh each week, Carlson still suggests popping one to three grams of fi sh oil daily, veering toward the higher side if fi sh isn’t really your meat of choice. Also look for a brand that contains both EPA and DPA, the two key healthy fats in fish.

      3) Probiotics
      These are good bacteria?the same kind found in your intestine?that aid with overall gut health and enhance your immune system. You can get probiotics in your diet by eating yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh, and some juices and soy beverages. However, if you’re not eating those foods regularly, take a probiotic supplement with at least 10 billion live bacteria from one or more of the Lactobacillus family. It’s generally best to take one capsule before bed.

      Click here to read the entire article.

      Men's Health and Wellness, Sports Health and Fitness, Supplements, Vitamins/Minerals, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

      2009 Fattest cities in America

      January 27, 2009 /

      Miami, FLMen?s Fitness.com has ranked the top 10 fattest cities in America.

      1.) Miami, FL
      ? Despite wide availability of local running and biking trails Miami residents are 35 percent less likely than average to jog or cycle.
      ? Ice cream shops are 141 percent more popular in Miami than average.
      ? Mayor Manuel A. Diaz participates in fewer fitness-related public events than most mayors.

      2.) Oklahoma City, OK
      ? Oklahoma City residents received a bottom score in fruit and vegetable consumption, with only 17 percent eating the recommended five or more servings per day.
      ? Oklahoma City residents are 28 percent less likely to participate in fitness walking than average, the 2nd lowest overall participation rate among cities in our survey.
      ? Basketball courts are practically nonexistent here, among the fewest per capita in our survey. There’s just one court here for every 12,162 residents; the national average is one court per 6,909 people.

      3.) San Antonio, TX
      ? Just 12 percent of San Antonio residents have a health club membership. That’s 31 percent less than average, and the 2nd lowest rate in our survey.
      ? Just 2 percent of San Antonio residents have a home gym. That’s 57 percent less than average, and the 2nd lowest rate in our survey.
      ? According to the CDC, 28 percent of residents in the San Antonio area are clinically obese.

      4.) Las Vegas, NV
      ? Fast food, widely implicated as a contributor to obesity, is more common in Las Vegas than most places in our survey. In a per capita comparison there are 68 percent more fast-food joints here than average.
      ? Las Vegas has 106 percent more pizza places per capita than the average among cities in our survey.
      ? Las Vegas has 69 municipal parks, among the fewest of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.

      5.) New York, NY

      ? The local commute is much more oppressive than in most cities ? 54 percent more oppressive than average, leaving less time to exercise and prepare healthy meals.
      ? Our survey has found 87 percent fewer sporting-goods stores in New York than average an indicator of an inactive populace.
      ? New York has one pool for every 135,648 residents ? 207 percent fewer than average in our survey.

      Exercise, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Sports Health and Fitness, Weight training, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

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