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Titanic triceps

Most people who workout love training their arms; rarely do you here of somebody skipping their arm workout. You never see somebody walking around with large muscular legs and skinny arms. In fact, it’s just the opposite. This is in no small part due to the fact that no other body part exemplifies strength and development, and is the envy of others like a muscular pair of arms. In the following article I walk you through one way to properly bang your your triceps to new growth.

All too often, a personal trainer or instructor will isolate a particular muscle so much that it becomes detrimental to the workout. You may be asking, “How can you isolate a muscle too much? Isn’t that what all the magazines say to do?” Yes, that is what a lot of magazines tell you to do, and I agree it’s good to isolate the muscle being worked. I’ll even go one step further and say that it is not only good but also absolutely necessary for optimum muscular growth. However, many instructors and fitness enthusiasts are so concerned with isolation exercises that they’re neglecting form and function.

How does form and function relate to triceps training? Let’s look at what the triceps actually do. The triceps extend, or straighten, the arm. For example, without your triceps it would be virtually impossible to grab a beer from the fridge. That would truly be a tragedy. Without triceps, your arm would be in a constant flexed state. This having been said, exercises that stress movement only at the elbow (such as triceps pressdowns) are solid movements. However, I am starting to see less and less multi-joint movements used in workouts. Examples of multi-joint movements for the triceps would be close grip bench presses, dips and a few others. These exercises involve not only the elbow joint but the shoulder joint as well.

9 Weeks to Bigger Arms

Anti-aging wonder?

There is a naturally occurring substance that has been receiving a whole lot of attention over the last several years. It’s a polyphenol antioxidant called resveratrol found in foods like peanuts, some berries, grapes and consequently, wine. In a new study researchers examined the effects of resveratrol on rats with colon cancer.

The rats were divided into four groups according to treatment?one that received a chemical to induce cancer (called 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, or DHM for short), one that received DHM and trans-resveratrol, one that received only trans-resveratrol, and finally, one that received no treatment to serve as a control.

Over the course of this 30-week study, researchers had two major goals: to evaluate the short-term effect that this powerful compound would have on DNA damage and to evaluate the long-term effect it would have on membrane lipid peroxidation (the process by which free radicals cause damage to cell membranes). In addition, the researchers measured the levels of circulating antioxidants.

The results? Rats supplemented with trans-resveratrol showed significantly less white blood cell damage than those that received DHM alone. What?s more, those that received trans-resveratrol for the full 30 weeks also showed a marked increase in several key antioxidant enzymes?including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase?along with other antioxidant factors like vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Finally, this group of rats also showed a noticeable decrease in markers of dangerous lipid peroxidation.1

In the end, the study authors? conclusion couldn?t be more clear?or promising, for that matter?stating ?results indicate that DMH-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress were suppressed/prevented effectively by chronic resveratrol supplementation.?

So does this study show that daily supplementation of resveratrol will keep you young? No. However, resveratrol has a whole lot of good things going for it backed by a lot of research and should be considered as part of ones daily regimen. Vitamin Research Products

Another benefit males might be most interested in has to do with estrogen. Resveratrol acts as a potent estrogen antagonist. This means it hinders the negative effects of estrogen.

In higher concentrations, it acts as an aromatase inhibitor. Resveratrol has been shown to hinder the transformation of testosterone to estrogen. As ones estrogen goes up the testosterone goes down. This means that it help to halt the body’s natural aging process of whittling away at your Testosterone.

Why is this good for men? Because if a substance hinders the transformation of testosterone to estrogen or estradiol, not only does it prevent the malicious effects of estrogen like a decrease in muscle and strength and an increase of body fat, it increases your level of testosterone, which translates into an increase in strength and muscle.

Hard work trumps intelligence

“I’ve had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven’t run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you’d be surprised at how much fun you can have.”

Woody Hayes 1913 – 1987

Vegan diet not an option

In a December Q & A, there was a questioin about a comparison between a vegan diet and the American Diabetes Associations diet for controlling diabetes. The question was raised after a reader read about a particular study advocating a vegan diet for controlling blood sugar levels. The study claims a vegan diet works as well, if not better than the standard diet for diabetics.

I think you will find the response very interesting. A case is made against eating a vegan diet for any reason. The reader is informed about the anatomy of herbivores as compared to omnivores which is what humans are. The following is a sample from the Q & A column:

Myth: You can obtain vitamin B12 from plant sources.

Fact: One can only obtain B12 analogues (similar structure) from plant sources. The problem with these analogues is they are not bioavailable, which means our bodies cannot use them.

Myth: Vegetarians/Vegans live longer.

Fact: There is no scientific proof of this whatsoever. The few studies that have reported a longer life span among vegetarians have been shown to be “misinterpreted” to support a politically correct view.

It is important to note that not too long ago a vegan diet was not even an option. Without modern day supplements and food enrichment it was not possible for a human to survive on such a diet. Too many essential nutrients are lacking

To see the entire column go here.

You want comprehensive healthcare reform ? lead a healthier life.

It?s been estimated that healthcare, or more accurately insurance, costs each American $8000.00 per year. The health-care we receive in the US is the best in the world by a long shot. It?s our insurance industry that our government has helped create through worthless regulation that needs reform. A majority of Americans agree in poll after poll, insurance reform is needed, but they do not want government run ?healthcare?. They are smart enough to understand what a disaster that would be. Every ?social program? from Medicare to social security is literally bankrupt. There are other answers.

Why don?t we hear anyone talking about is lifestyle and disease prevention as the key to affordable insurance? Because, it?s not PC to talk about the financial burden the unhealthy lifestyles many Americans put on the rest of the population. Although Americans have free will and choose their lifestyles, 100% of the blame is not theirs. A large portion of it belongs to the American Medical Association, American Dietetic Association, the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry, the edible oil industry and our government. The recommendations, treatments and products these organizations have bombarded society with using billions of dollars over the years wreak havoc even on the healthy. The end result, 100?s of billions of dollars wasted annually on treating highly preventable diseases.

The CDC reports that obesity related diseases have reached almost $150 billion. The cost of treating obesity has doubled over a decade due to increasing prevalence. According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)t he cost of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in the United States in 2009 is estimated to be $475.3 billion. This figure includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include the cost of physicians and other professionals, hospital and nursing home services, the cost of medications, home health care and other medical durables. Indirect costs include lost productivity that results from illness and death. The American Cancer Society estimates total costs of cancer to be $228.1 billion. Those with diabetes in 2002 had more than double the healthcare costs than those without. This includes both direct and indirect costs.

It?s glaringly obvious that the medical, pharmaceutical and insurance industries need to move from being treatment oriented to disease prevention. Unfortunately moving from allopathic medicine to holistic medicine is about as likely as winning the lottery; these industries make a fraction of the money in disease prevention as they do in treating disease. There is just not a lot of money to be made in healthy lifestyles.

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