Search Results for: resistance training

31 Days To A Much Improved You – Tip #17 Add 4 More Exercises To Your Resistance Training

Lunge - Start Position

Lunge - Start Position

Lunge - Finish Position

Lunge

The Lunge is a great lower body exercise. Start with your feet about shoulder width apart, step back with one foot maintaining that width between your feet. Your feet will remain in place during a stationary lunge. You should have more weight on your front foot. You should be on the ball of your back foot with your heel pointing toward the ceiling. With your upper body tall and sternum lifted you are going to lower your hips and upper body straight down toward the ground. You do this by allowing both knees to bend. Stop before your back knee hits the ground. Return to the start position by pushing through the heel of the front foot. It’s important to move up and down and avoid the natural tendency to drift forward as you descend. Repeat with the opposite leg forward.

 

 

Lat Pulldown Start Position

Lat Pulldown - Finish Position

Lat Pulldown

The Lat Pulldown is a good upper body exercise that will help to strengthen your back. Grab the bar with an overhand grip with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lean back slightly to avoid hitting your nose with the bar. Pull the bar straight down to your collar bone and squeeze your back. Return the bar to the start position. Avoid allowing your shoulders to elevate as you pull the bar down. Don’t pull the bar lower than collar bone level and avoid rocking back and forth as you perform the exercise.

 

 

 

Step Up - Start Position

Step Up - Finish Position

Step Up

The Step Up is great because it mimics an important daily activity, walking up stairs. It also helps with balance. Start with one foot on the floor and one foot on the step. Press through the heel of the foot that is on the step and stand all the way up before placing your other foot on the step. Perform all of the Repetitions on one leg then the other. In other words, leave the foot of what ever leg you are exercise on the step until the set (for that leg) is done. Then switch legs. Hold Dumbbell in your hand or use a higher step to increase the intensity of the exercise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arnold Press - Start Position

Arnold Press - Finish Position

Arnold Press

OK, this is called an Arnold Press because Arnold Schwarzenegger supposedly invented it. It’s basically a Dumbbell  Military Press, but with some shoulder rotation. This exercise will help to increase your shoulder strength. Hold the dumbbells at collar bone level with your palms facing your body.  Press the dumbbells to the ceiling while simultaneously rotating your palms 180 degrees, so they are pointing forward at the finish position. Return your hands to the start position

 

 

 

 

 

Add these for resistance training exercises to the four that I introduced in Tip #12. Do all eight exercises 3 times each week, always resting a day in between workouts. Check out the video below to learn more about how to perform these exercises correctly. I’ll be back tomorrow with Tip #18

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IwKIVSoCzw[/youtube]

Resistance Training

Resistance Training

Learn the facts about the benefits of Resistance Training

If you really want to look and feel your best, you will need to incorporate resistance training into your routine. Resistance training will help to increase muscle, improve posture, tone your body, increase your metabolism and allow you to focus on changing the shape of specific areas of your body.

Anytime you pick anything up and set it down or simply move, you are in essence, doing resistance training.  Whether you are moving your body against the force of gravity or moving an object, it requires muscle contractions to complete the task.

Resistance training  is a structured and planned workout routine designed to fatigue your muscles.

 Fatigued muscles adapt to the workouts by becoming stronger. So that the next time certain demands are placed on the muscles they are capable of completing the task without experiencing fatigue. In other words, you’ll be able to complete all of your daily activities with less effort.

The goal of weight training is to improve muscle endurance, muscle strength, muscle growth (hypertrophy), or some combination of those three.

Muscle endurance is your muscles’ ability to perform an activity or movement many times without experiencing fatigue or exhaustion. Think of hiking out of Grand Canyon with a 30lbs. back pack. Not only will you have to take thousands of steps uphill to move the weight of your body but you also have to carry additional resistance (the back pack). If your muscles don’t have adequate muscular endurance to complete the hike, you end up stuck in Grand Canyon (and that’s not good).

Muscle Strength is your muscles’ ability to move a maximum amount of weight a single time.  Rarely do we pick up or move the maximum amount of weight that we’re capable of. If fact when it happens, injuries usually occur. An example of this is when a parent picks up something really heavy (a car) to save their child. The good news is you’ll never have to do anything like that during a workout. That’s because there is a correlation between muscular endurance and muscular strength.

Here’s an example of how that works. Let’s say that you begin a new workout routine and at the beginning you perform an exercise 10 times with 100lbs., but the most you are able to lift for a single repetition is 175lbs. Six weeks later you are able to lift 150lbs 10 times, and 150lbs. was the heaviest weight that you worked out with during the six week period. Now when you re-test your single repetition maximum you can  lift 225lbs. So in this example you increased your strength by 50lbs. by increasing your muscle endurance. Even though you never actually attempted to lift anything over 150 pounds (during your training), your strength gains resulted from your improvements in muscle endurance.

NOTE: There is scientific research on how to gain muscular strength and/or endurance by working out with very specific weight relative to your maximum strength. I didn’t follow that information in my example. I simply chose random whole numbers to keep it simple for you to understand.
 
Muscle Growth or hypertrophy is an increase in the size of your muscle cells. When you begin a resistance training program you will experience an increase in the size of muscle cells. At first you won’t notice an actual change in the shape or size of your muscles (i.e. the way your body looks). Instead you’ll notice that your muscles are more firm or toned. I like to call this an increase in muscle density, meaning that your muscles are more firm even though they are taking up the same amount of space that they did prior to starting your new resistance training program.
Muscle growth is the primary objective of bodybuilders. When they are on stage being judged for their physiques neither they nor the judges care how much they can lift or how many times they can perform an exercise before failure. It’s all about how they look at that moment. But there is also a correlation between muscular strength, muscular endurance and hypertrophy. So bodybuilders do pay very close attention to weight and repetitions during their training.

Most people do not have the goal of being a competitive body builder. In fact, more often than not, people fear becoming too bulky. What people typically want is to shape their bodies or become toned, firm, and sculpted (ok some guys do want to get jacked). The good news is that muscle development is a slow process. You aren’t going to wake up huge one morning because you accidentally worked out too hard. In most cases people are too bulky because of excess body fat, not excess muscle.

It’s time for a reality check!

If you want to be toned, firm, sculpted, or to reshape your body, you have to first increase your muscle density. And then you have to increase the size of your muscles. Remember the section above on Muscular Growth? Muscular growth is initially an increase in density, then an increase in size of your muscles. So if you have any goals to improve your appearance, you are going to have to adapt some of the training principles that bodybuilders follow. In other words, don’t fear weight training.

Click Here for more information about Resistance Training.

Fat 2 Fit 56-Day Makeover

Fat 2 Fit Featured Box copy

How would you like to lose a ton of weight and transform your body in less than 2 months?



Fat 2 Fit Featured Box copy

The Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover is specifically designed to help you experience dramatic changes in your body. You’ll lose significant amounts of body fat. You’ll increase your lean muscle and reshape your body. You’ll boost your metabolism, and increase your energy. You’ll feel better than you have in years.

 

How does this work? It’s simple!

 

We combine a proven nutrition plan with cardiovascular, resistance training, and flexibility and guide you step-by-step to quick, impressive and permanent changes to your body!

 

In addition, we provide you with a ton of educational and lifestyle information. Plus, you get unlimited online support during the entire challenge on our Facebook page.

 

You have two options:

 

#1 – Sign up for our Live, In-Person, supervised program that takes place at The In2One Wellness Center, in Scottsdale AZ.  The Live, In-Person program includes up to 24 supervised workout sessions, so you must live in the local area to participate.

 

#2 – Sign up for our Do-It-Yourself Online program and get started today! The Do-It-Yourself is just like the Live In-Person program except it is for anyone who doesn’t live in the Phoenix or Scottsdale area. You’ll workout on your own and without supervision.



Select Online or In-Person Program




 

The Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover is designed with one purpose – to help you to lose the maximum amount of weight possible in less than 2 months.

 

Oh yeah, and you won’t be following any crazy, calorie restricted, starvation diet either!

Here’s what you’ll get

Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover



Select Online or In-Person Program







Your Simple Path to Success

 

The only thing you’re going to lose is weight!

GET STARTED TODAY!!!

 



Select Online or In-Person Program




Note: We’ve utilized the STAX Nutrition program for almost 5 years with clients and boot campers. In fact, we’ve presented monthly nutrition seminars that follow the STAX principles. I’ve also been a fitness professional for over 17 years, so the exercise and lifestyle advice comes from an expert.

Terms and Conditions

 

Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover Challenge

Happy woman on scale

How would you like to lose a ton of weight and transform your body in less than 2 months?



Start Your Own Personal Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover Today!


Here are the Details


The Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover is specifically designed to help you experience dramatic changes in your body. You’ll lose significant amounts of body fat. You’ll increase your lean muscle and reshape your body. You’ll boost your metabolism, and increase your energy. You’ll feel better than you have in years.


How does this work? It’s simple!


We combine a proven nutrition plan with cardiovascular, resistance training, and flexibility and guide you step-by-step to quick, impressive and permanent changes to your body!


In addition, we provide you with a ton of educational and lifestyle information. Plus, you get unlimited online support during the entire challenge on our Facebook page.


You have two options:


#1 – Sign up for our Live, In-Person, supervised program that takes place at The In2One Wellness Center, in Scottsdale AZ. The Live, In-Person program includes up to 24 supervised workout sessions, so you must live in the local area to participate.


#2 – Sign up for our Do-It-Yourself Online program and get started today! The Do-It-Yourself is just like the Live In-Person program except it is for anyone who doesn’t live in the Phoenix or Scottsdale area. You’ll workout on your own and without supervision.


Option #1 (Live)


Register


Option #2 (Online)


Register


The Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover is designed with one purpose – to help you to lose the maximum amount of weight possible in less than 2 months.


Oh yeah, and you won’t be following any crazy, calorie restricted, starvation diet either!

 

Here’s what you’ll get
Fat 2 Fit 56 Day Makeover


Register

The online program is only $147

 

Register

 

Your Simple Path to Success

 

To get started, you just need to Click Here for the Live In-Person Program or Here for the Online Program


The only thing you’re going to lose is weight!

 

GET STARTED TODAY!!!


Live In-Person Program

Register

Online Program

Register

 

Note: We’ve utilized the STAX Nutrition program for almost 5 years with clients and boot campers. In fact, we’ve presented monthly nutrition seminars that follow the STAX principles. I’ve also been a fitness professional for over 17 years, so the exercise and lifestyle advice comes from an expert.

Terms and Conditions

 

Standing Cable Fly

Cable Pec Fly Start 3

Start Position

Finish Position

This is an exercise you’ll learn in my seminar “Introduction To Resistance Training, Level 3 Advanced Exercises”. The Standing Cable Fly (or Pec Fly) is a great exercise because it strengthens the following muscles

  • Pectoralis Major and Minor (chest)
  • Anterior Deltoid (front of shoulder)

I know that this exercise may not seem advanced since it’s a very common exercise. But I’ve put it in my “advanced” seminar because prior to adding this exercise to your routine, it’s important to establish adequate strength of the upper back and shoulder joint.

At the start position you should stand tall, and stagger stepped (one foot in front of the other). Grab the handles and hold them at your side at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward. Your elbows should be extended but not locked.

From the start position you should exhale as you bring your hands forward and then together. Whatever angle there is at your elbows at the beginning of the movement should stay the same throughout the entire movement.  Avoid shifting your body weight forward as you bring your hands forward. Squeeze your chest as you bring your hands together.

Inhale as you return your hands to the start position. Avoid allowing your body to rock back as you return your hand to the start position.

Click Here To Watch The Video

Dumbbell Squat

Dumbell Squat Start
 

 

Start Position

 

Finish Position

This is an example of an exercise that you’ll learn in my seminar “An Introduction to Resistance Training, Level 2 Intermediate Exercises”. The Squat is a great exercise because it helps to strengthen all the major muscle groups of the lower body, including;

  • The Glutes (butt), Maximus, Medius and Minimus
  • Hamstrings (back of your upper legs)
  • Quadriceps (front of your upper legs
  • It also helps to strengthen your lower back

Strengthening these muscles will help to improve function in all of your daily activities.

In the start position you should stand tall with your feet about shoulder width apart and parallel to each other (pointing straight forward). Hold the dumbbells at your side with your palms toward your legs.

As you lower yourself to the finish position there are several things you should focus on to perform a squat correctly. One your hips (butt) should begin the decent toward the ground by moving backwards. Imagine that there is a chair behind you. If you lower your hips straight down you will never find the chair with your butt. Second you should counter balance your hips moving backwards by leaning forward at the waist (if you don’t you’ll fall backwards). Third your knees should stay over your feet. It’s OK if they move forward a little but they should not move in front of your toes. And your chest should remain upright facing forward (not toward the ground).

You should inhale as you lower your body.

The goal at the finish position is to lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the ground.

As you stand up and return to the start position most of the weight should be pressed through your heals. You should exhale. Your knees, hips, and back should all return to the start position simultaneously.

Click Here To Watch The Video

Seated Row


Start Position

Finish Position

This is an example of an exercise that you’ll learn in my seminar “An Introduction to Resistance Training”. The Seated Row is a great exercise. When performed correctly it will strengthen the following muscles;

  • Latisimus dorsi (the muscle that runs down the side of your back)
  • Rhomboids and Middle Fibers of the Trapezius (muscles between your shoulder blades)
  • The Rear Deltoid (back  part of shoulders)
  • Biceps

Strengthening these muscle will help to improve your posture. You’ll stand taller, take stress off of your spine and improve movement at the shoulder joint.

At the start position you want your legs straight (but not locked), and your upper body should be vertical (perpendicular to the floor). Ideally you should use a bar with a medium width grip and your palms should face each other.

Exhale as you pull the bar to the finish position. Avoid shrugging your shoulders or rocking back with your upper body.

At the finish position your hands should be at the bottom of your ribcage and you should squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Inhale as you return the bar to the start position. You’re arms should be fully extended but you should not allow the resistance to pull your upper body forward.

 

Click Here To Watch The Video

Bonus Tip! Top Ten Summary!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my “31 Tips To A Much Improved You”. You received the last Tip about a week ago and I’m sure you’re applying all the information to your daily routine and you’re feeling awesome. Anyway I wanted to follow up with a review of the most important changes that you can make so that you continue to live a much healthier life. Here are the Top Ten Things you should be doing everyday…enjoy!

1. Drink a gallon of water every day

Staying hydrated is essential if you want to lose weight, or maintain a healthy body weight. It also helps to reduce your hunger, aid in digestion, increase your metabolism, reduce pain and headaches, and reduces the risk of digestive system cancers.

2. Engage in Cardio 3-6 days each week

Cardio increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Helps to control risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol. It also burns calories and increases yourmetabolism; which helps to maintain a healthy body weight.

3. Eat your fruits and veggies

Fruits Provide: Fiber, Antioxidants, Vitamins and Minerals
Vegetable Provide: Fiber, Antioxidants, Vitamins and Minerals

Here’s the thing Fiber, Antioxidant, and Vitamins and Minerals, all fight off diseases, especially many cancers
 
4. Resistance Training 3-6 Day a week

Resistance Training increases your strength, bone density, and your metabolism. It’s the only way to ramp up your metabolism 24 hours a day. And it helps to make everything you do in life a lot easier.

5. Eat 5-7 small meals each day

Eating 5-7 small meals a day will regulate blood sugar and hormone levels, and increase your metabolism. This will make it super easy to either lose excess body weight, or maintain a healthy body weight.

6. Stretch Every Day

Stretching every day will help to reduce aches and pains. Plus it will make all of your daily activities easier

7. Eat lean sources of Protein

Protein is essential to your health. Focusing on lean proteins will help to ensure you keep your calories under control and maintain a healthy body weight.

8. Do your Core and Ab exercises

Having strong and healthy core and abdominal muscles is the foundation for being fit. A strong core will minimize back pain and optimize your ability to perform physical activities

9. Eat. Oatmeal, Yams, and Brown rice

You’ve got to have Carbs, they are your body’s (and your brain’s fuel of choice). Plus you can’t utilize fat without having carbs in your system. Eating Oats, Yams, and Brown Rice will ensure that the carbs you are eating are healthy and gluten free.

10. Eat your healthy fats, get your omegas.

Eating Fat is essential to your health. To be healthy make sure to eat mono- and polyunsaturated fats (and avoid saturated and trans fats). Also get plenty of Omega-3 andOmega-9. Dietary fat has a ton of health benefits, but the most important might be maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.

 If you’ve found this information to be interesting, helpful, and useful, please share it with your friends.

And remember to visit www.fitnessknowhowhq.com regularly. I’ll be updating the site with new health, fitness and exercise information frequently.
Thanks for trusting me with your health

In Good Health,

John Preston.

31 Days To A Much Improved You – Tip #12 Add These Four Exercises To Your Routine

Squat - Starting Position

 

Squat - Starting Position

Squat - Finish Position

Squat 

Start in a standing position with your arms by your side and your feet about shoulder width apart. To Perform a squat correctly it helps to pretend that you are sitting down in a chair. So your hips (butt) need to move back and you begin to lower your upper body toward the floor. To counter balance your hips moving back you’ll need to lean forward at the waist. It’s important to keep your back flat, avoid rounding it. At the end position your thighs should be parallel to the ground and your chest should be pointing toward the wall in front of you and not toward the floor. Your knees can move forward slightly but should not move forward of your toes. Push through your heels and return to the starting position. To increase resistance hold dumbbells in your hands.

 

 

Seated Row - Start Position

Seated Row - Finish Position

Seated Row 

The seated row is a great exercise to strengthen the muscles of the upper back. It’s very helpful in improving posture. Ideally you want to use a handle that is at least shoulder width. Grab the handle and sit up tall, your shoulders should be down, your arms fully extended, your legs straight but not locked at the knees. Pull the cable from the start position to the finish position. Your hand should end up near the bottom of your ribcage. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Avoid shrugging you shoulders toward your ears. Also your upper body should remain still, you shouldn’t rock back and forth with each repetition. Return the cable to the start position.

 

 

Bench Dip - Start Position

Bench Dip - Finish Position

Bench Dip 

The Bench Dip is an upper body exercise that focuses on the Chest, Shoulders and Triceps (back of the arm). The good thing about the Bench Dip is that you don’t need to be at a gym, you can use a chair at home. Start with you hands on the bench, palm down, fingers forward. Your hand should be next to your hips. Slowly lower your hips toward the ground. Your elbows should move behind your body and not out toward the side. Get a good stretch on your shoulders and chest, then push yourself back to the starting position. Make sure to use your arms and not your legs. In these pictures I’m showing a beginner Dip, with my legs bent. The straighter your legs are the more advanced the exercise becomes.

 

 

Dumbbell Chest Fly - Start Position

Dumbbell Chest Fly - Finish Position

Dumbbell Chest Fly 

 The Dumbbell Chest Fly will help to strengthen your pectoral (chest) muscles and the front of your shoulders. I’ve selected it because you also can stretch out your chest, which helps to promote good posture. Lye flat on a bench with your arms directly above your chest and your palms facing each other. Your arms should be straight but don’t lock your elbows. There should be no movement at the elbow during this exercise. Slowly lower the dumbbells toward the ground until you feel a moderate stretch in your chest. Return the dumbbells back to the start position.

 

 

 

Perform these 4 exercises 3 times each week, every other day. Always take a day off between resistance training workout (if you’re working the same muscle groups). The goal is to build up to 3 sets of 15 repetitions. Start with one set. If you are not sore or have minimal soreness add another set to your next workout. Once you can perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions, increase the weight. When performing weight training exercises you should breath out when you exert the lift and inhale when your return the weight.

Watch the video below to learn more and I’ll be back tomorrow with Tip #13

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Kml9_iQUY[/youtube] 

Fitness Tip #7 of #31 Have A Cheat Day Once A Week

Ok, I know were only a week into this program and it might be premature to already be talking about “Cheat Days”. But I’ve laid down a lot of foundational stuff this week that will help you to live a much healthier life. The fitness and nutrition advise is going to start coming at you a lot faster in the next three weeks. As you begin to integrate this information into your life and lay out your plans, I want you to do so knowing that cheat days are part of the plan.

“Cheat Days” are immensely important to your overall success. Let me explain. First of all when I refer to cheat days I’m referring to the nutrition aspect of your program.  Whenever you engage in vigorous physical activities (Cardio and Resistance Training) you always want to give yourself on day off each week. So that break from exercise is not considered cheating. You can still be active on your rest day, just avoid your normal structured exercise. It’s fine if you want to stretch or do low level cardio (hike, walk, bike ride).

Cheat days serve two important functions
1. Cheat Days allow you to eat your favorite foods.

This allows you to deal with any emotional or psychological attachments you might have with specific foods. It also allow you to eat really tasty food and satisfy some cravings. Also you avoid any sense of deprivation which typically leads instantly to quitting any healthy eating plan.

2. Cheating will help you to avoid plateaus

Our body is designed for adaptation. And our body adapts quickly, in as little as 4-7 days. So if you eat the same way every day, your body will adapt and will plateau much quicker than if you add cheat days to your program. Nothing shakes up your body like consuming high-fat, high-calorie foods after eating healthy for six straight days.

Here are the Rules for cheating (I know Oxymoron)
1. If you are trying to lose weight cheat one day each week
2. If you are at your goal weight cheat two days each week
3. Plan your cheat day to coincide with any social event you have (so your cheat day may vary from week to week)
4. Indulge in your cheat foods only after eating your normal healthy meals.
(Note) you can attempt to cheat all day if you like, but you’ll feel really sick (you’ll only do this once)
5. Eat your cheat foods outside of your house or workplace (don’t have tempting foods available on non-cheat days)

Look at your schedule for the next three weeks and schedule your cheat days. This is the easiest Tip yet, but I’m going to be all over you tomorrow…see you then.

Copyright 2013 - Fintess Know How Headquarters