Making-Money-Month Is Now!

Many inexperienced (sometimes even experienced!) gym regulars believe that muscles grow while lifting weights. However lifting weights forms only a small fraction of the muscle building process. Muscle development takes place at night during deep sleep when the body synthesizes new cells with nutrients from our diet. Therefore nutrition forms a very important part of a bodybuilding program.

The body utilizes nutrients in food to perform daily metabolic and what’s commonly referred to as the “wear and tear processes”. With bodybuilding, additional strain is put on the body to make new muscle tissues. Therefore the nutrient requirements also shoots up to stay with the demand.

The best bodybuilding nutrition comes from a balanced intake of carbohydrates, adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and large amounts of water. So if you are serious about getting lean and ripped it’s time to say goodbye to mayo burgers, colas and other synthetic foods. Adopt eating habits imbibing fruits, whole grains, milk, eggs and fresh farm products.

How much protein do you need?

Your growing muscles need amino acids to create new tissues. The amino acids are provided by protein in diet. There is a lot of debate on the exact quantity of protein required in bodybuilding. The caution to maintain is that extreme amounts of protein in the diet can cause gastric and renal complications. Recent studies have suggested that a protein intake of 1 to 1.4 grams per unit of body weight is adequate to sustain the bodybuilding process. This means that the protein requirement of a 70 kg individual should be around 70 to 98 grams. To give an estimate of the amount involved consider the following: A 100 gm chicken breast has 22 grams of protein, a glass of milk has 8 grams,an egg approximately 5 grams and a slice bread 3 grams.

A word of caution against the tide of bodybuilding supplements in markets. Many times you come across advertisements proclaiming, ‘Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months flat!’. Stay clear of these money hungry advertisers. Building lean muscle takes time and effort. Making use of synthetic products which alter body’s natural mechanism would offset what should be your real purpose in bodybuilding which is to keep the body fit and healthy.

Lastly in bodybuilding it’s not, ‘the more the better’. Rather it is ‘the more precise the better’. Don’t over exert, eat balanced food and include plenty of rest. With everything good in life, patience, commitment, and balance will guarantee your success. With these tips in mind you are all set to pump iron!

Boyd Adams helps bodybuilders develop themselves physically and mentally while keeping a healthy and balanced life. Visit the Bodybuilding Zone for more helpful tips and encouragment.

For competitive body builders to build bigger muscles faster is a constant temptation but for the average non competitive body builder there is another natural option - natural body building. True it is a much slower process but the long term gains far outweigh the adverse affects that even legal steroids may have on your body over an extended period of time.

Steroids are usually used for a short duration of say 6-8 weeks with a substantial period of time elapsing before starting on the next course of steroids. It is not recommended that anyone take steroids on a continuous basis. This on and off program tends to produce short term spikes in muscle mass and muscle strength.

The advantage of natural body building is a slower but steadier increase in muscle mass rather than the peaks and lows of those on steroids. I am sure many of you have seen or heard of the affects on a body builder who stops using steroids - Rapid loss of muscle bulk and strength. The affects of steroids are fairly short lived and can result in some dramatic changes to both physique and health of a body builder.

Natural body building results in a steadier and more constant performance rather than the often times spectacular ups and downs of steroid induced muscle bulk and strength performance.

When you achieve top results as a natural body builder you will be able to maintain your muscle bulk and strength for as long as you continue intense training without adverse affects on your general health.

You will not experience any dramatic muscle wasting that is many times seen in body builders when they stop using steroids. Loss of muscle bulk and strength are two of the most dreaded words for body builders. Natural body building will help most to avoid these pitfalls.

So why do people use steroids? Most of us are impatient creatures and want instant results so the steroid alternative is very attractive. Probably one of the most important factors that affect a person’s decision to use steroids or go the natural way is what is their reason for body building - is it just to look and feel better or are they in it for the competition.

So it is your call - you decide whether using legal steroids will benefit you and your objectives.

Or play it safe and go for the healthier, steadier natural body building program that will have longer term benefits for a healthier lifestyle - Its your choice.

Beth Black is webmaster for Keyword Articles a resource that lists groups of keyword targeted articles and also lists unique articles published by the webmaster. http://www.keyword-articles.info

Bodybuilders have always had a reputation for taking things to the extreme. It probably started with protein supplements in the 1950’s. Once word started circulating that extra protein could help them build more muscle mass, certain individuals simply upped their intakes. One shake a day was replaced by two, and two became four, etc. The old adage that “if some is good, more is better”, was definitely alive and well on California’s Muscle Beach.

The practice of “taking more than the next guy” followed bodybuilders into the 1960’s as steroids became available. Small dosages of one steroid became megadoses. As soon as new steroids were invented, bodybuilders simply added them to their cycles. The practice of taking two or more drugs at the same time is called steroids stacking.

Why Stack?

The primary reason is effectiveness. Taking more than one drug at a time often produces what’s called a synergistic effect. This means that each drug magnifies the other’s effects. Instead of two steroids producing 10 new pounds of muscle each (20 pounds total) they may produce 30 or 40 pounds when taken together. Some bodybuilding drugs like growth hormone don’t seem to be that potent on their own but when combined with steroids the results are nothing short of outstanding. Bodybuilders, who have plateaued at 230-240 pounds, routinely go up to 260 or 270 pounds when they add growth hormone to their cycles.

A second reason for steroids stacking is tied into passing drug tests. Different steroids have different clearance times in the body. Injectables, particularly the ester-based versions, may linger in the body for nearly two years after their last usage. Orals on the other hand may clear out of the body in a few weeks. Bodybuilders and other athletes in sports with drugs tests work with this by stacking the different types of steroids together. They’ll use higher dosages of injectables initially and then decrease their dosage while increasing the dosage of orals. This way they can maintain their muscle size and strength while standing a better chance of passing a drug test.

So why not stack?

Stacking steroids is not recommended for a number of reasons. With each steroid that is added to the body, the liver has to work harder to metabolize it and remove it from your body. This is why heavy alcohol users often develop cirrhosis of the liver. Their livers literally burn out from having to process all that extra drug (yes alcohol is a drug!). Heavy steroid use is no different. It will damage your liver over time.

Ironically the primary benefit of steroids stacking is also its chief disadvantage. While stacking will produce greater gains than possible with just one drug, most bodybuilders will become addicted to the practice. Who wants to go back to benching 225 pounds when they’ve become accustomed to hoisting 300 or 400 pounds? Not many we assure you. So they stay on heavy stacks and greatly increase their odds of developing side effects.

The final reason for stacking steroids is probably the most important - it’s illegal! That’s right; steroids are now controlled substances like cocaine and heroine. And the more you have in your possession the more likely you’ll be charged. A judge may look the other way at one bottle of Dianabol, but we’re almost guaranteed they’ll throw the book at you if you have a mixture of Dianabol, Winstrol, and Deca-Durabolin.

Play it safe and legal with steroid alternatives!

The science of bodybuilding supplementation has become so advanced that there are now products that imitate illegal steroids, but without the same degree of side effects or legal aspects. Many of these steroid alternatives can provide a comparable effect to anabolic steroids, but are considered legal because they do not convert to testosterone or act like anabolic hormones until they are taken into the body! These legal steroid analogs have been designed with the best pharmaceutical grade ingredients to maximize your bodybuilding potential.

Bob Howard expert on bodybuilding and legal analog
steroids.
Are you looking for more of his steroids
stacking articles? http://www.steroids-help.com

©Article Bob Howard 03/22/2006

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and muscle tissue. All types of physiological processes relating to sport energy, recovery, muscle strength gains and fat loss, as well as mood and brain function are intimately and critically linked to amino acids.

Amino acids fall in to two classifications, indispensable amino acids (IAA) or essential amino acids and dispensable amino acids (DAA) or not essential amino acids. IAA’s must be supplied by food. DAA’s can be synthesized by the body.

What makes free form amino acids King Daddy for building muscle? The answer is bioavailability - how much of what is ingested makes it to where it is to be used by the body and how long it takes to get there. Free form amino acids can enter in the general circulation within 15 minutes, making them readily available for metabolism at the site where they are needed. Ingesting amino acids before, during and after training can prevent mental fatigue, as well as provide a source of energy to help prevent muscle protein catabolism and speed recuperation.

Amino acids from food take two to four hours to reach the muscles. Even if you eat the right foods soon after training, the nutrients will arrive at the muscle too late to take full advantage of the window of opportunity of recovery.

The answer is supplementing with amino acids, which quickly enter the bloodstream from the small intestines. They do not have to be digested and converted by the liver. Certain amino acids, arginine, methionine and glycine are used to make Creatine phosphate, which converts to ATP and is used as an energy source during intense training.

Combining creatine powder with amino acid supplements is a great way to build muscle fast. Add 5 grams of glutamine powder before and after training and before bed and you will be the talk of the gym (That’s 15 grams total). Don’t forget to add some tyrosine (2 grams) before you workout and feel the strength. Tyrosine also helps mental recovery and helps mid afternoon slump. Throw in 5 or 6 grams of arginine daily and see the pump hang around much longer. Amino acid complexes are a great foundation to build on with these above mention single amino acids. Branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s) are worth taking a look at as well. It’s all about the speed of absorption that makes these babies King Daddy.

Essential amino acids can be found in meats and poultry, fish, eggs and dairy, such as cheese and milk, as well as in many plant sources, such as grains and legumes. So be sure to keep these foods at the forefront of you diet.

Amino acids can also help prevent the body from using muscle as fuel during intense training. Certain amino acids have been shown to aid in the metabolism of fat and the release of growth hormone. Amino acids also strengthen the immune system which is key in body building athletes.

Fred Fishburne and his wife are owners of ProHealth Nutrition, Inc., a very successful health store in McDonough, Ga. Visit them at: http://prohealthnut.com

Gaining muscle mass is not that hard. Actually it is simple and straightforward. There is only one condition attached. That condition is you have to do it right.

Now many would say that of course you have to do it right. To gain mass you need to adhere to the basic principles regarding adding size to your frame.

As human beings we are all different. Different routines benefit different individuals. The same applies to diets. We all require different amounts of rest as well. However one thing remains true. We all gain muscle roughly the same way. Actually it is quite fortunate that we gain muscle the same way.

Just imagine if we all had totally different ways of adding muscle. It certainly would be very confusing.

I remember when I first started my muscle building journey. I learnt that building muscle is a combination training, nutrition and rest. This fact is so true. It always was and always will be.

When trying to add muscle everything you do revolves around these three principles. Bodybuilders constantly try to strike a balance between these three.

Fortunately for those trying to add mass there are these basic principles they need to stick to. If you follow these principles then your chances of success will be much greater.

Here are some basic guidelines for adding mass …

• Consume lots of calories

• Get enough protein

• Train heavy

• Get enough sleep and rest

As you can see from the above list, the basics are covered. It might seem easy but so many people do not even meet these basic requirements.

It is important to get the basics right. For example during an eight week cycle, every single day is important. If for just one day you do not meet your daily protein requirements you will be compromising your efforts.

Whenever I create an eating plan or training routine I make sure it is clear, concise and easy to follow. For many just following such a simple program is such a hard thing to do.

I know many guys who workout month after month and put on little mass. Most of the time the problem does not lie with their training. Due to sheer enthusiasm their training efficiency is quite good.

The problem mostly lies with their nutrition. I always feel that nutrition is so underrated. Nutrition forms the basis of a successful muscle building program. For example if your nutrition is only half of what it should be you are going to struggle. You will be building less muscle than you should be. This will not allow you to become stronger at a steady rate. As you might know more strength means more muscle.

From the example above you can see how important it is to get the basics right.

Faseegh Salie has a passion for weight training. He gives lots of advice to people interested in building muscle. He also has a website where he provides information on training, nutrition and supplementation. For more info on gaining muscle mass check out http://www.basic-bodybuilding-workouts.com/Gain-muscle-mass.html

Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders’ training regimes.

It is useful, therefore, to describe in detail the processes involved in actually doing these exercises. This will help beginners to start out using the correct techniques before moving on to potentially more dangerous heavy weights. If it also helps more experienced lifters to redress some of the little faults that have almost imperceptibly crept in over the years, all the better.

In this article we’ll take a close look at the lying triceps extension.

MUSCLES TARGETED: triceps brachii

STARTING POSITION

Assume a supine position on a bench.
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip.
Position the bar over the chest with the elbows fully extended and the arms parallel.
Point the elbows away from the face.
This is the starting point for all repetitions.

DOWNWARD MOVEMENT

Allow the elbows to slowly flex to lower the bar toward the face.
Make sure the wrists remain rigid and elbows point away from face.
Keep the upper arms parallel with each other.
Lower the bar until it touches the head.

UPWARD MOVEMENT

Push the bar upward until the elbows are fully extended.
Make sure the wrists remain rigid and elbows point away from face.
Keep the upper arms parallel with each other.
Repeat or finish set.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Exercises to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

One of the hottest debates that still lingers in the fitness/rehab and sports performance industries is that over the correct use of the abdominal wall during movement and exercise. On one side, you’ve got the drawing-in camp that believes that the only way to safely protect your spine during exercise and movement is by drawing or “sucking” in your abdominal wall. This supposedly recruits what is known as the “inner-unit” musculature and primarily the infamous “transversus abdominus muscle.” On the other side, a different camp preaches the importance of using all of the abdominal layers to perform what is called “bracing.” By bracing one doesn’t suck in or push out the abdominal wall. Instead, one just “stiffens” the muscles to a slight degree depending on the load or perturbation being encountered. The purpose of this article is to take a closer look at either side of this heated debate and come up with some logical conclusions based on current scientific and anecdotal research. Strap in, it’s going to get bumpy!

The Theory Behind Drawing-in

We’ll begin our tour of the abdominal universe by looking at the proposed theory of the benefits of drawing-in or bringing the belly button towards the spine. By completing such an action, the body’s inner muscular unit is supposedly activated which starts a complex process of stabilization mechanisms for the lower back, spine, and pelvis. The real impetus behind this theory stems from some physical therapy research down in Australia in the 1990’s. What these researches found was that many post-injury and post-surgical patients had delayed activation of the transversus abdominus and lumbar multifidus muscles upon initiating many types of movements such as reaching for example. For the interested reader, get the book Therapeutic Exercise for Spinal Segmental Stabilization in Low Back Pain by Richardson, Jull, Hodges and Hides. In this text, the authors put forth their theories based on research of low back pain patients. The basic gist of their theory is summed up in the introduction of the above-mentioned text:

“Spinal segmental stabilization is designed to specifically improve the
underlying joint stabilization rather than training functional movement
and hoping joint control improves concurrently”

Hmmm, let’s get this straight; train in an isolated way and then “hope” that joint control improves during functional or “real-life” movements and performance! I’d call that a giant leap of faith based on what motor control research tells us about specificity. Try it with any healthy athlete and be prepared to be disappointed. Here are some of the reasons why this theory does not pan out in the real world:

1. Firstly, there’s very little evidence that training stabilization, balance or any other motor skill in an isolated way carries over to real world type of situations that often occur under rapid or ballistic type of conditions. This goes back to the good old SAID (specific adaptation to imposed demands) principle that has been known for decades. On a similar note, balance strategies that are often encountered in sport rely more heavily on feedforward systems rather than the common gym forms of balance training that are based more on feedback systems. In discussing issues such as balance and stability these issues are important to distinguish because they are the most fundamental principles of motor learning. Feedforward systems basically are preprogrammed movement strategies in the brain. One does not have time to think, or adjust their body to accommodate the situations. Feedback systems allow one to make corrections to the movement such as in squatting, deadlifting, or pressing a weight overhead.

2. Inner-unit activation type of exercise strategies involves conscious activation of specific isolated muscles that can lead to “paralysis by analysis” during real life and sporting-type of situations. The old axiom of the body knowing “movement not muscles” comes to mind again and again. Also, it is not realistic to think that one could consciously contract their inner-unit while fighting, sprinting, changing direction at a fast speed, or performing a complex sporting skill.

3. Conscious attempt to isolate the transversus abdominus muscle can actually result in posterior rotation of the pelvis which would also cause flexion of the lumbar spine; a strategy that cannot be recommended during exercises like squats or deadlifts! This is also contradictory to most sporting movements. So, while so many argue their inner-unit is more active the structure is actually severally compromised and at higher risk for injury.

4. Fourthly, using a suspension bridge model of the spine, Canadian Spine Biomechanist Dr. Stuart McGill has shown that hollowing (drawing in) the spine causes the spine to be unstable. This is because drawing-in actually reduces the size of the base of the guy wires, which reduces the muscles contribution to spine stiffness. Ultimately, this can only lead to a decrease in spine stability.

The Theory Behind Bracing

The theory behind bracing requires much less explanation because it is much easier to visualize and understand. By bracing, one activates all the layers of the abdominal wall including the glorified inner-unit muscles. Going back to the suspension bridge model explained by McGill, during a bracing maneuver, one maintains the size of the base of the guy wires and thus increases spine stability, which reduces the tendency for spinal segments to buckle. An interesting phenomenon is that this naturally occurs in most healthy non-injured back patients when breath is held during an exertion. It’s as if the body knows the kind of stability required and just unconsciously makes the person hold his or her breath. This breath holding significantly increases intra-abdominal pressure, which will be explained in greater detail below.

The role of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is often a forgotten component of spinal stability. In Dr. Zatsiorsky’s famous text Science and Practice of Strength Training, he states that even when a person leans with 80 kg weight the load on the lumbar vertebrae exceeds 1,000 kg. As we all know the body is capable of lifting far more than 80 kg. Dr. Zatsiorsky states that IAP can reduce pressure on the intervertebral disks by 20% on average and 40% in more extreme situations.

IAP can be increased by utilizing the Valsalva maneuver and by through contraction of the oblique abdominal muscles. The Valsalva maneuver is very similar to Power Breathing taught by Pavel and this is why this method of breathing should be taught to those wishing to increase stability of the body during lifting. The obliques also are vital in creating IAP along with the diaphragm. Because of the insertion points of the obliques, they can help the extensor muscles by adding stability to the erector spinae fascia. Developing strong obliques appears to be necessity for creating a stable spine. Exercises such as Janda sit-ups, suitcase deadlifts, and full contact twists fit the bill nicely.

The late Dr. Mel Siff cites some other great methods of increasing abdominal tension, “Similarly, the traditional boxing technique of using punches, medicine balls, or powerful thrusts on the abdomen extrinsically increases the mechanical tension in the abdominal muscles. In other words, inward or outward distention of the abdomen during forced breath holding produces greater muscle tension and thereby offers a stronger stimulus to conditioning.” No need to draw in here!

In Conclusion

In the final analysis, there is some credible science that backs up the importance of some of the deeper, stabilizing muscles of the spine and pelvis. Inner-unit activation exercises like trasversus abdominus and multifidus muscle activation techniques may have a place for initial stages of back rehabilitation. After that, they are quite limited for healthy subjects performing dynamic movements. For more integrated movements, trying to draw in may actually compromise the quality of movement and create an environment for injury as described by spine experts such as Stuart McGill.

To conclude, we believe that if you teach people the proper body mechanics (dynamic posture) for all exercises, teach proper use of the breath, and use appropriate loading strategies, most spinal injuries can be avoided. Of course, this does not account for the few unfortunate accidents that can occur during life and sport where no amount of training or conditioning is going to keep you from getting injured. We hope that this article has been informative and we would love to hear your questions and comments.

About the authors- Keats Snideman and Josh Henkin are Strength and Conditioning Specialist who live in Phoenix, Arizona. To contact Keats visit http://www.keatssnideman.com or via e-mail at ksnideman@lycos.com. Josh can be reached at http://www.joshhenkin.com or josh@joshhenkin.com. Josh is also the author of the Beyond Functional Training Series.

See the ball, be the ball! Heard that before? See the muscle, feel the muscle. Bet you have not heard that one. Before a muscle can develop you have to feel it move. It is more about feeling the muscle work through the minds eye than the weight itself. The ultimate goal is to be able to do your entire workout in your head and with your eyes closed.

Winning competitions is also about timing. Four months prior to the 1988. Jr. Mr. Michigan bodybuilding championships I wrote on a piece of paper, “I am Mr. Michigan” This allowed my minds eye to visualize it and help it come to pass. The day of my competition was the best shape I had ever been in. The power of visualizing and writing became my minds eye’s reality. Never underestimate the power of seeing things first.

Here are some visualization techniques to help you get closer in becoming a champion:

Pre-Workout Exercise:

Each time you go to the gym exercise your mind before you enter the place. Go over your entire workout in your mind first.

Pre-Set Exercise:

Before every set take a few extra seconds to go through every rep of that set in your mind. You may be surprised what this can do for muscle growth.

Blind Sets:

Depending upon which exercise it is, try closing your eyes while you perform a set. This forces you to feel the weight more.

What ever technique you use is up to you just remember though, before you achieve something you have to see it in your head.

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Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith,
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But how can this possibly be? Everywhere you look, it’s always said that long-duration, low-intensity training is best for fat loss. All high-intensity work does is burn carbohydrates, right?

Wrong.

After reading this article, I guarantee you’ll develop a new respect for high-intensity cardio training for fat loss.

Low-intensity exercise is defined as working at a heart rate of about 60% to 65% of your maximum heart rate (which is equal to 220 - your age = maximum heart rate, thus if you are 20 years old, 220 - 20 = 200 max HR). High-intensity exercise is defined as working at about 75 to 85% or more of your maximum heart rate.

Using the previous example for maximum heart rate (max HR=200), working at 60% of your max HR would be 120 beats per minute and 80% of that would be 160 beats per minute.

There are several reasons low-intensity exercise is normally recommended for fat loss.

1. It’s easy - In many cases people who are trying to lose fat don’t always feel energetic enough to do hard training due to the caloric deficit (a.k.a. diet) that they are on. In these cases, just sticking to an exercise program can be hard enough, never mind making the exercise itself challenging.

2. It’s low risk - A personal trainer generally can’t go wrong by recommending low-intensity exercise to clients. Even the most out of shape person can usually do low-intensity cardio training safely. While this is certainly appropriate advice for novice trainers, it does not necessarily apply to the more experienced trainer when it comes to effective training.

3. It burns a higher percentage of calories from fat - this is very true: exercising at a lower intensity does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat than high-intensity exercise. But, as I will explain, this does not necessarily mean you’re going to burn more fat.

Let’s crunch some numbers to show you exactly what I mean when I say high-intensity exercise burns more fat.

Low-intensity training burns about 50% fat for energy while high-intensity training burns about 40% fat for energy. This is not a huge difference.

Say, for example, walking for 20 minutes burns 100 calories. Then 50% of 100 calories is 50 fat-calories burned.

Now say 10 minutes of interval training at a high intensity burns 160 calories. Well, 40% of 160 calories is 64 fat-calories burned.

By doing the high-intensity work, you’ve just burned 14 more fat calories in half the time. Starting to sound good? There’s more…

—

Low-intensity exercise only burns calories while you are actually exercising. That means the moment you stop exercising, your

caloric expenditure goes back down to nearly baseline levels. Within minutes, you’re not burning many more calories than if you hadn’t done anything at all.

High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, continues to boost your metabolism long after you’re done (often up to 24 hours after, depending on the length and intensity of the training session). This means you’re continuing to burn many more calories all day long!

—

Low-intensity exercise does nothing to build or support muscle mass. Maintaining muscle mass is critical to an effective fat-loss strategy as muscle burns fat just sitting there. Want to keep your metabolism working to burn fat? Do whatever you can to build or keep your muscle tissue.

High-intensity exercise has the potential to increase muscle mass. Compare the body of a top sprinter to a top marathon runner. The sprinter carries far more muscle mass. You won’t get big bulky muscles from high intensity training but you will get shapely and more defined muscles!

—

How To Do It

Now that you’ve seen how effective high intensity training can be for fat loss, how is it done?

The absolute easiest way to start this type of training is to get on a cardio machine at the gym and select the interval training program. As you’ll see, you’ll start off with a fairly light warm-up cycle, then quickly jump up to a high intensity level for a short burst. You will then drop back down to a low level for a period of time, then back up to a high level again, repeated several times and finishing with an appropriate cool-down period.

The repetition of these intervals is the nuts and bolts of high intensity interval training. You can also do it manually by adjusting your intensity level up and down over short periods of time.

For example, do 30 seconds at high power then 30 seconds at low power. Repeat. It’s very simple and very effective.

Another excellent method for doing high-intensity training is called aerobic interval training. It is essentially the same concept as the previously explained interval training but the work intervals are longer with the intensity level somewhat lower. A good example would be running at a pace that you can only keep up for about 5 minutes then walking for 2 minutes then running 5 more minutes, walking 2 minutes, etc.

High-intensity training can be applied to any form of cardiovascular exercise. Anything from walking/sprinting to swimming to bike riding will work perfectly. I would recommend doing his type of training 2 to 3 times per week for best results. As always, be sure to consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.

—

Remember, what you get out of exercise is directly proportional to what you put in. Work at high-intensity training for awhile and see just how much better your fat-loss efforts go.

For more information on cardiovascular training, including advice on activities you can do, reviews of different types of cardio machines, other forms of cardio training, and some well-explained, useful, basic physiology go to: http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Info/Info.htm?news

About The Author

Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook “The Best Exercises You’ve Never Heard Of” at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com.

Tip #1: The *Brazilian move*.

The good thing about this move is that you don’t need to go a gym to do it, you don’t even need to find time in your day.

Why?

Because you will do this move while you brush your teeth!

How does it work:

Standing straight in your bathroom, bend your knees slightly.

Tilt your hips forward while contracting them, then pull them back.

Remember to make a very strong squeeze when you finish the forward move.

As you brush your teeth a minimum of twice a day, that’s 6 minutes a day of Brazilian move.

Along with a healthy eating, this will guarantee you will get a nice rear for this summer, yeah!

Tip #2: Use your Hands!

There are some chores you would be better off doing by hand!

For instance, washing dishes by hand will burn 78 calories per half hour…..

Knowing that a pound is about 3,500 calories, and assuming you will wash dishes half an hour over 45 days, you will have lost 1 pound without knowing it….(translated on a year, this amounts to about 8 pounds!)

Tip #3: How to get your 60 minutes of accumulated exercise a day….

The General Surgeon’s orders are to get 60 minutes of accumulated exercise per day (this can be sliced up into 6 small walks without any problem).

Beside burning calories, when you walk you will build the big muscles of your lower body.

Muscle tissue uses up more calories to maintain than fat, even at rest.

Again, you don’t have to go for a 60 minute walk if you don’t fee like it.

You can slice it up into 4×15 minute walk:

-1- one at home when you wake up (will also help wake up even more :o)

-2- two at lunch time to go to your lunch place and to come back (just select a place that’s 15 minutes away from your office)

-3- one in the middle of the afternoon to help you remain focus until the end of the day.

Tip #4: Manage your food cravings by being proactive!!!

Your body produces endorphins when you do aerobic exercise — which means getting your heart rate up for at least 20 mn.

Aerobic exercise produces endorphins, body chemicals that induce euphoric and pleasurable feelings. These are the same chemicals produced in response to eating fat/sweet foods.

Tip #5: Improve your posture

This is a great exercise to improve your posture hereby making you look great when you walk, when you are on the beach, when you enter a business meeting room.

On a yoga mat, stand straight.

Breath a few times: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale slowly.

Tuck your toes under and push back into a low squat, with fingertips lightly touching the floor.

Drop your chin so it’s relaxed toward the chest.

Slowly rise from the squat position by pushing your heels toward the floor until your torso hangs froward and down.

Keep the knees slightly bent and aligned over the center of each foot.

Breathe, relax the upper body, and hang like a rag dool.

Inhale in that position.

Exhale as you engage your powerhouse and slowly roll up to a standing position.

When you are standing, straighten your knees with your arms relaxed at your sides.

Inhale once again, and as you exhale, rise slowly to balance on the balls of your feet.

Breathe, relax the shoulders, and maintain this balance for several seconds.

You can do this exercise 3 times each time you finish a work out.

It may sound complicated by reading this text; I suggest you print this tip, take it with you wherever you do your workouts, do it once with the paper and once you have understood the move, re-do it without reading.

Tip #6: Easy 6-pack abs

I have been doing 100 abs a day since I was a teenager. As a result I have a 6-pack without having to sweat over abs sessions at the gym.

Those who know my approach to body strengthening know I am a *lazy* person when it comes to getting in shape.

How long do 100 abs take to perform? Depending on the move and the speed with which you do them, it will take you anywhere between 90 seconds to 3 mn.

Hardly un-squeezable!

You don’t really need to warm up before such a short session therefore you can decide when to do them without having to re-arrange your day around this very very short session.

Suggestions per day:

20 straight crunches (your hand supporting your head, not lifting it).

20 straight crunches with a stop of one second at mid- raise.

40 bicycle moves alternating right elbow/left knee and left elbow/right knee.

20 seconds in the V-Pilates position: you rest on your bottom in a balanced position with your legs straightened out and your arms reaching out straight and parallel to your legs.

This sequence allows for deep abs (V-Pilates), superficial abs (crunches) and obliques (bicycle) to be worked on every single day.

Tip #7: Short is good!

As part of My Private Coach weight loss approach, mini- workouts (or MetaBoost as I call them) can do wonders for those who don’t feel like sweating for hours in a gym.

“Something is really better than nothing. If I come in and I can work out vigorously for 30 minutes, I would consider giving it a try,” said Dr. William L. Haskell, an exercise researcher and professor of medicine at Stanford University. The express workouts typically require only one set of 8 to 12 repetitions instead of the 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions that physiologists recommend for an optimum workout. ” Copyright the Associate Press - 12/15/2003

Still, these MetaBoost workouts should come in addition to the daily 60 recommended minutes of accumulated exercise.

Write to info@myprivatecoach.com if you wish to receive FREE MetaBoost cards.

Tip #8 : 10,000 steps a day keep the doctor away!

Invest in a pedometer and make sure you are getting these famous 10,000 steps I have been brainwashing you for the past weeks!

10,000 steps start when you wake up. Wear your pedometer on your waist a all times.

10,000 = 3 miles = 300 calories approx (a little bit less than a bagel).

Take advantage of all opportunities to walk: choose your lunch place 10 mn further, get off the bus 1 stop before, take a 5 mn break every hour or so and go a *around the block walk*. Everything counts towards this daily goal.

You will not lose weight (this is not enough really) but you will prevent new pounds from accumulating and you will improve your general health.

No sweating required!

Tip #9: Invisible chair day

Each time you get to be by yourself, sit against a wall without a chair and hold the position for 1 minute.

Try to do this 3 times a day.

This count as a strength exercise and will help shape nice thighs.

Feel free to apply this tip on other days as well!

Tip #10: How to get a really flat stomach with no abs work

Each time you walk, think about sucking in your stomack (lower and upper part).

This will work deep abominal muscles that NO crunch work can reach.

This will help you get a REALLY flat stomach.

No sweating required!

About The Author

Valerie Vauthey is the founder of http://www.myprivatecoach.com and the president of the Silicon Valley Coachville Chapter. She brings long years of successful experience in the areas of Personal Coaching, Weight Loss, Financial Coaching, Time Management, Motivational Techniques and Behavioral Science.

valerie@myprivatecoach.com