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e Fitness For Men : Health and Fitness
 If you're interested in getting in shape or improving your strength through weight training or fitness exercises, check out frequently this column from updated Men's Firness Editors. Whether you're into bodybuilding or just improving your health and appearance, these articles can help you cut through the bull and achieve your goals.
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 a. Get Started
Achieving your goals is dependent on taking the right steps. Whether you want to get big arms and ripped abs, or you just want to feel smooth (by losing some kgs), you have to take the right programme. According to MF training adviser Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S. (see "Fitness Jive" on page 71 for a glossary of bolded terms), here's what to do (in order):
 Get a complete physical if you're sedentary, or were active but have been warming the bench for the past few months. If you're over 30, obese, or have any pre-existing medical conditions (such as high cholesterol or blood pressure), get Doc's approval before starting any program.
Talk to a trainer, preferably a C.S.C.S, or certified personal trainer. Get a fitness assessment and discuss your goals, then have the trainer design a program that addresses them.
Record your current food intake in a notebook , or check out fitday.com, where you can log it for free. Get a sense of how much you're already eating before determining how many calories to add or subtract.
Base your diet on protein (such as lean beef, chicken, and fish) and high-fiber/low-sugar foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains). Each meal should have a high nutrient-to-calorie ratio -- talk to a nutritionist for specific recommendations. Readjust your eating schedule so you consume around six small meals per day, rather than three large ones -- this raises your metabolism and lessens the chance of your body storing calories as fat.
Warm up : MF adviser Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S says "Not warming up guarantees you won't perform as well, and increases your risk for injury". It requires only about 10 minutes of your workout time. To warm up for a cardio workout, you simply perform the activity you'll be doing at a lighter intensity, going just hard enough that you begin to break a sweat within 10 minutes. For a weight workout, the best approach is a "dynamic" warmup, accomplished by performing two sets of five repetitions for five or six large-muscle exercises in a circuit, using only an empty bar. For instance, you might do one set of squats, pushups, good mornings, lunges, and rows in succession, rest just long enough to catch your breath, and repeat one time. You're then ready to move on to the first exercise in your workout, where you should begin by performing a specific warmup for that movement. Simply do one warmup set of 2-3 reps for every 50 pounds you plan on lifting for your upper body, and one set for every 100 pounds you lift for your lower body. So, if you're going to perform the bench press with 135 pounds, you should do 2-3 reps with 50 pounds and another 2-3 reps with 100 pounds before starting your "real" sets.
Stretching :
"Static stretching" -- holding each stretch in the same position for a few seconds (such as bending over to touch your toes) -- only produces a temporary increase in your flexibility. MF adviser Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. says : "You stretch it and it slowly returns to shape." To make a more permanent change in the flexibility of your muscles, static stretches would need to be held for about 20 minutes each. "Besides subjecting yourself to inhumane levels of boredom," adds Hartman, "that type of stretching can actually weaken the connective tissues of your muscles and joints, impairing sports performance and increasing your risk for injury." A better way to increase flexibility is by performing repetitive dynamic movements and strength-training movements, such as lunges, squats, and good mornings, throughout their full, pain-free range of motion (the farthest your body can travel without pain while keeping good form in the exercise). As time goes by, your range of motion will increase, and you'll develop improved strength and flexibility throughout the entire movement.
Weight Lift :
The beginner's rule of thumb : Use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete every repetition and maintain control over the speed of the weight at all times. Here's an example: Say you're doing 15 repetitions of the bench press. You should be able to lower the barbell to your chest at the same rate of speed from top to bottom for each repetition. "If the speed of the bar starts to accelerate at the halfway point of a rep, you're no longer able to control the weight," says Hartman. "It's controlling you." It will take a bit of experimentation to determine the weights you should use for each exercise. If you lose control over the weight before you've finished the number of repetitions you were striving for, you went too heavy. If you were able to complete all repetitions but felt like you could have done several more, you went too light.
Which program ?? :
It depends on your goals. But as a beginner, don't bother trying to create your own workout. You won't be nearly as good at it as the professional strength coaches who do it for a living. Instead, use a "pre-made" routine like the ones we provide every month in our Personal Trainer section, which are designed by the world's top fitness experts -- we promise you'll get better results.
Program to skip weights ?? :
You can do it, but you'll be missing out. Weight training provides benefits aerobic exercise doesn't (and vice versa), whether you're trying to improve your general conditioning or just lose fat. So you're shortchanging your body by doing just one or the other.
Ho to get Bigger Guns ?? :
Iif you're performing compound movements for your upper body (such as chinups and dips), your pipes are likely already getting all the stimulation they need to grow. Any more, in fact, such as bombing them with curls and pressdowns, can lead to overtraining. "Muscle grows in response to heavy loads," says Cosgrove. "Since you lift more weight doing a chinup, it's a better choice for building your biceps than a curl." The same goes for choosing a dip over a pressdown. Compound movements -- exercises that involve more than one joint -- have the added benefit of working more muscles than isolation exercises (movements that involve only one joint). The chinup's main function is to build your back, but it also hits your core. Compare that to the measly curl, which only hits your biceps. So don't worry about your arms. Unlike some ladies, they're low-maintenance.
Taking Ssupplements ?? :
It is dificult to go it alone, but you'll go a lot further in your fitness goals with a little help from your friends -- particularly your good pal protein. Protein is the most basic and important component of muscle, and you simply can't get bigger, or leaner, without it. And now that you're strength training, you'll need a lot more of it -- between 0.7 and 1 gram per pound of body weight each day.
While most of your protein should come from whole foods, protein supplements -- in the form of shakes and bars -- are a quick, convenient way to meet your requirements, and they boast other benefits as well.
"Studies show that protein supplementation can increase lean-body mass, may enhance immune function, decrease muscle breakdown after training, and maybe even increase strength," says sports nutritionist and MF adviser Rehan Jalali, president of the Supplement Research Foundation. "When choosing a supplement, look for one that contains whey-protein isolate and concentrate, casein, egg albumin, and soy isolate -- this combination should give you the most cost-effective and nutritionally rich mixture available."
Some specialist also recommends taking a multivitamin/multi-mineral formula, since exercise depletes these stores quickly. "Make sure you get one that's specifically designed for people who exercise -- it should be especially high in vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and potassium," as all are essential for muscle growth.
"Still, the best course of action is to focus on good nutrition and smart training -- don't think supplements will make up for them."
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b. Abdominals Tips ( Abs Exercise tips):
The mark of a finished physique is a set of well-sculpted abdominals. Everyone wants them but not everyone is willing to or has the determination to do what it takes to get them.
"Tips to remember during abs trainings :"
- Keep your lower back pushed into the floor or bench. Unless you are advanced, and have sufficient abdominal and lower back strength, do not perform exercises that encourage you to arch your back up. If you find in general that your back arches up keep your knees bent and closer to your body so that your lower back if pushing into the floor or bench.
Breath out as you crunch up. |
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- Train your lower abdominals first - as they usually are the most difficult and will tire you out faster. So to ensure you give them the workout they deserve - make them no 1 on your list of your ab workouts.
- If you have your hands behind your neck when performing your ab exercises, make sure you keep your elbows back, and crunch up using your shoulders. If your elbows are pointed upwards then you will pull or drag on your neck which encourages neck soreness and pain.
- Don't over train your abs. Three quality training sessions per week is ample. Remember muscle needs recovery time to grow. It's muscle growth that increases your muscle tone in your midsection. Make sure you have at least one to two full days rest from ab exercises before performing your next ab workout.
- Don't go overboard with perfroming loads of repetitions. Rather than trying to achieve 5 x 100 crunches per exercise. Hold, for a count of 2-5, each rep you perform using 4-5 x 12 burning sets and reps. This will get you better results by far!
Remember: Your goal is to damage the muscle to promote muscle growth for increased muscle tone.
- Don' t just train your abs. You need to be performing a full-body program rather than just concentrating on your abdominal region. Focus on training each body part so that you can a acheive a "toned and firm look" all over.
- Note: Always perform a warm up before your workout, a cool down after and then your stretches.
Lower Ab Crunches
Lie flat on your back on the floor, legs raised, knees bent and lower legs folded. Push your lower back into the floor. Place your hands by your sides, palms facing the floor. Raise your backside and hips slightly, breathing out at the same time. As you crunch up push your lower back into the floor and squeeze the lower section of your tummy (pelvis region) as tight as possible. Lower your hips and backside back down to the floor and repeat. You should feel a burning sensation in your lower tummy area and upper pelvis.
Floor Crunches
(you can also use your ab roller/ frame for this exercise)
Lie flat on your back on the floor, legs bent, feet flat, pushing your lower back into the floor. Clasp your hands behind your neck, keeping your elbows back, in line with your head. Crunch up slightly, raising your head and shoulders, breathing out as you crunch. As you crunch up push your lower back into the floor and squeeze your tummy as tight as possible. Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor and repeat. You should feel a burning sensation in your upper tummy area and midsection.
Side Crunches
(you can also use your ab roller for this exercise)
Lie flat on your back on the floor, have your knees bent and legs twisted to one side. Your lower body should be twisted to the side but your upper body should remain straight and flat on the floor. Have your hands by the sides of your head and your elbows back. Crunch up slightly pushing your lower back into the floor, raising your head and shoulders, squeezing the side of your waist. Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor. Repeat the exercise until you have finished your reps. Then change to the other side.
Rectus Abdominis Function and Exercises
The muscle that extends from the top of the pelvis to the sternum is called the rectus abdominis. This is the primary abdominal muscle which, when properly developed (assuming that the person has low enough body fat levels), will give the illusion of a six-pack. Its function is to pull the upper torso towards the hips when the body is only slightly flexed at the waist.
This is the reason why if you are doing a sit-up, any additional torso movement done past the initial 30 degrees from the floor will not stimulate the abs; instead the hips will be the ones that will complete the movement. Because of this, partial sit-ups performed with the torso moving up to 30 degrees and crunches are great allies in the quest to achieve great abs.
However, if you really want to maximally stimulate the abdominals, prevent lower back problems and get the most "bang for your buck" so to speak, then you need to also consider the fact that the anatomy of the rectus abdominis is such that if you do not bend your torso backwards by around 15 to 20 degrees then you won't be able to accomplish these things. Since the floor only provides a flat surface, not only your abs will not get maximal stimulation, but also they will not learn how to properly contract and protect your back when your body is bent backwards (as is often the case when advanced bodybuilders perform exercises like standing military presses).
The only way to get around this is by investing in a Swiss ball (also known as exercise ball or medicine ball). A Swiss ball is a great small investment (they run about $13-$15) as this apparatus will allow you to get the necessary backwards bend that your torso needs in order to maximally stimulate your abs. So because of this, I recommend crunches performed on an exercise ball.
Since the rectus abdominis also has muscles in the lower region that help maintain proper postural alignment, it becomes necessary to include reverse crunches performed on the Swiss ball (make sure that you hold to a stationary sturdy object) as this exercise will allow you to go below the neutral (flat) position. Another good lower abdominal exercise is the hanging leg raises. The key for maximal stimulation in this exercise is to roll the pelvis slightly backwards at the beginning of the movement.
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C.Weight Loss Exercises:
Never ever start with a very strenuous exercise you will end up not sticking with your program. Remember your body is new to this. It has been inactive for a long time and needs time to get back into the groove. Start with a simple jog and do it twice a week. The following week try to jog longer and the week after that, jog three times a week. Execise sensibly and lose weight permanently. |
Many people tend to overlook the importance of warming up exercises. They help to stretch your body and prevent it from getting sprains and aches. Weight training should also be done along with your aerobics. The reason is that weight-training increases muscle mass. The more muscles you have, the more fat that is burnt. I would advise women who are scared of getting manly arms to use light weights. You want weight loss not muscle mass.
Exercising helps to release endorphins or happy hormones. They tend to give the person a feeling of freshness and a sense of well-being. An important point to note is that a lot of fluids are lost in the first few weeks of the program. So your water consumption should be high.
Water having zero calories can be taken in large amounts without worry. Exercise should be avoided immediately after food. A minimum period of one hour should have elapsed to avoid indigestion.
Another important point note is that if you are doing weight training you will not notice drastic changes in weight because your muscles will replace the fat.
Facts about exercising :
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You have to look at your heart rate. It is a good indicator of the quality of exercise you are doing. A heart rate of 100-110 maintained for about 15 minutes would be a good start. Raise the intensity and frequency of your exercises gradually.
Aerobics should be your main aim in the first few weeks before you start weight training. A lot of videotapes are available; so make good use of them. The treadmill is a very good aerobic machine to help burn a lot of calories.
Remember, the more muscles you have, the faster you burn fat. So don't forget to spend some time on those dumbbells.
Once your body starts getting used to your work out you have to change it for further weight loss. This is a property of the body to acclimatize to the situations. So keep changing your regimen once your current rate of weight loss becomes stagnant.
One of your aims is to be the same weight, next year, same time. If you can keep that up you would be better off than others who don't diet.
Weight loss differs in sexes. Women tend to lose their weight in their busts and legs. Men on the other hand, lose it around their abs. For areas that are not reduced by your normal workout you would have to do specific exercises for spot reduction.
Weight loss exercises will help you to sustain your body weight.
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d. Quick Fitness :
Five-step system that uses backward logic in order to create a made-to-fit workout that'll keep you lean and in peak condition :
STEP 1: Days per week you can exercise
Make this a minimum of two days, but don't be unrealistic. If you've been working out five days a week up to now, chances are you might average only three days a week over the next month. Here's a very unscientific formula you can use to estimate a practical number:
- Take the number of days you normally exercise each week and multiply it by four. We'll consider that the number of workouts you do in a not-so-hectic month.
- Now subtract the number of parties, get-togethers, and gatherings you think you'll attend in December, as well as the number of nights you'll need to shop after work. (Yeah, you, tough guy!) Consider that researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that the average adult goes to more than four parties between Thanksgiving and New Year's.
- Divide that number by four and you have the average number of days a week you should strive to exercise. (Round to the nearest whole number.) Consider any additional workouts to be a bonus. If you exercise in the morning or at lunch, after-work activities might not seem to have a direct impact on your training plan. But an increased number of social commitments during the holiday season will have a cascade effect on all parts of your life. (For instance, it might diminish your sleep, which makes morning workouts a problem, or force you to work through your lunch hour, eliminating a workout option.)
STEP 2: Identify the best days for you to exercise
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Now that you have a realistic target for the number of exercise sessions you'll perform each week, choose the days that provide the best opportunity to achieve that goal. For instance, if you know that two of your parties are on different Thursdays, you might want to eliminate that day right off the bat. Perhaps Saturday is a good option, since you don't have to work, but Sundays are bad because you've got season tickets to the Bears' games. (Poor guy.) It doesn't matter what days: It could be Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday; just go with the ones that offer you the best chance of staying consistent. Consider these your official "training" days.
STEP 3: Determine the length of your workouts
Estimate the minimum amount of time you'd be able to exercise on the busiest of your training days. That is, base it on the worst-case scenario. Using the example in Step 2, let's say Saturday is pretty open, which narrows down the toughest days to Monday and Tuesday. Maybe you like to exercise in the morning before work, which isn't a problem on Tuesday but is almost always an issue on Mondays because you have trouble getting up on time. You've just identified a potential problem.
The solution, then, may be to exercise during your lunch hour on Monday, or after work. Still, both could be time crunches, since you'll need to factor in a shower if you exercise during lunch, and there's a good chance something could come up unexpectedly if you wait until after work. So base it on what you know: the amount of time you'll have to exercise during your lunch break. Start with the total amount of time you have and then subtract any time that doesn't contribute to your workout -- for instance, getting to the gym, changing clothes, and showering. The number that's left over is your "base" exercise time that you'll try to achieve in each workout throughout the week. If you have time to spare, that's great -- you can always exercise longer than planned. But this approach ensures that you have a concrete minimum. Keep in mind that your life might be a lot different than the example. So the key is to think about all the possibilities and variables you might face ahead of time in order to give yourself the best chance for a winning game plan.
STEP 4: Choose your mode of exercise
You can use this plan to create a cardio- or weight-only routine, or a combined program that incorporates both. If you choose the combo, designate a percentage of your base exercise time to each.
In general, I'd recommend two-thirds of all training be devoted to weights and one-third to cardio. So if you have three training days available per week, you could lift weights on two of the days and perform cardio on one, or simply do both weights and cardio on all three days, using the appropriate amount of time for each. In addition, you should always include a warm-up. To keep it simple, just jog or cycle for five minutes at an easy pace, but don't forget to account for the time. Before you move on to the next step, here are some guidelines to follow when creating your workouts.
If you'll be lifting weights:
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Important Note Regarding Fitness!
Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise program.<< Fitness Center Advise
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