At one point in time, every last one of us passionately wanted a chiseled rock-hard mid-section. We all want to know how to get great 6 pack abs. Well here is one of the best kept secrets. It is the most coveted body part, the symbol of sexuality. In study after study researchers and health specialist alike have found that decreasing fat in your abdomen, and waist to hip ratio is the single most significant step that you can take to stay healthy for life, and age gracefully. Most of us have given up on the idea because our quest has for naught. We have been flooded with miss-information from fad diets, fat burner supplements, to exercise gadgets, promoting six week transformations with dramatic before and after photo’s, etc. The key to that coveted six pack is not one thing, it is four things.

Bringing Your Body-fat Level Down:

1.) Following a precise nutrition plan that has the right amount of protein combined together with the right amount and the right type of carbohydrates spaced strategically through-out the day, and around weight training and cardio sessions.
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Squat racks are very useful for performing the most fundamental and preferred form of exercise; the squat. It helps to build a good amount of muscle and strength throughout your body. It also helps in the development of your calves, abdominals, hamstrings, feet, shoulders and back.

It is quite simple to perform various lower body exercises using a squat rack but you must consider many things while performing various movements. During eccentric muscle movement, you should place your feet flat on the ground and evenly distribute your weight between the heel and ball of your foot.
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Congratulations to you if you have taken the first step to beginning a new diet and exercise program. For many, the hardest part is admitting there is a need for this and then the second hardest part is taking that first step to begin such a program. However, you will encounter challenges to wellness that come from beyond your own resistance.  It is the commonly accepted ideas about diet and training that can and will mislead you and before long only add frustration with a lack of progress to all your hard work and effort. It is these very myths that we want to challenge so that your health and wellness plan can be on the right path. Deborah Siscoe identifies the six most common myths about diet and training programs and they are listed below. 

1. Machines are safer then free weights.

With machines the path of the movement is guided by the machine. Safer, right? Wrong! Machines target one specific muscle(s) at the expense of stabilizing muscles. What’s wrong with that you ask? Well, when one muscle becomes stronger it requires a host of other muscles to work in concert in order to stabilize the movement. Your body is designed to work as a whole unit, not in isolation. With this in mind it’s logical to conclude that machines actually create weakness in some muscles. Machines have multiple fixed positions. I have a saying: “In life there is one fixed position, the ground.” If you make an instinctive sudden move or are shoved unexpectedly it’s these stabilizers that are recruited to equalize in that situation. If the stabilizers are not recruited then injury is much more likely, as the dominant muscle is not supported. Always remember, the majority of injuries from faulty training occur out of the gym, often years later due to dominate muscles creating faulty movement patterns.

2. You can get rid of fat on a part of the body by working that part of the body.

Sorry, it’s not that simple. In the industry we call this “spot reduction” and its a billion dollar industry, folks, that is built on lies. Each person is genetically wired to put fat on in certain areas. Fat acts a little bit like employment practices at most companies; ‘last hired, first fired’. Basically you’re likely to lose fat the last place it was put on. To burn fat, you need to create a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength-training elements. This will decrease your overall body fat content. In fact, if you focus more on the strength training elements you will lose more fat. A little less focusing on magazine covers of obsessive-compulsive fitness models and little more acceptance that you are human, will go a LONG way.

3. Crunches are the best exercise to get a six pack.

This one is completely covered in myth no. 2, so I’ll address another misconception here. Namely, the myth that a big, solid “six pack,” or rectus abdominis, means a strong core. Sorry, that muscle may be the one that gets the most recognition and coverage in photos and magazine covers but it’s a bit down the list of important muscles in the ‘core’. The rectus abdominis primary function is bending forward, or put another way it brings the rib cage closer to the pelvis. Now think, how often do you need to do that? Sure, sometimes, but no where near the amount of time most spend training this muscle. The more important muscles of the core provide the strength and stability for twisting, pushing and pulling. Do your research and get a qualified fitness instructor to show you the right way and look forward to a strong, stable, injury free future.

4. Low calories diets are best to lose weight.

If you limit caloric intake you will lose weight; we call it creating a caloric deficit. Let’s look at what “weight” is. In this case it is muscle mass and body fat with the muscle more likely to be sacrificed as the body is a very smart machine. When you radically restrict calories your body goes into a high stress mode. It thinks you are in a state of FAMINE. Genetically, our bodies want to survive and the best way to do this is by SAVING BODY FAT. Yes, the weight you do lose is likely to be at least as much muscle as fat. Beyond that, every time you crash diet and gain that weight back the weight that does come back is fat. I’m sorry folks but it gets worse, much worse. Crash dieting can damage your hypothalamus adrenal, and thyroid axis. Okay, I may have lost you there, that’s a big long fancy term for hormone regulation. It’s this regulation that controls how you store and lose body fat. I tell my clients we get healthy to lose weight, we don’t lose weight to get healthy.

5. Fruit juice is a health food.

The number of clients I meet who can’t lose weight but think they should be, as they are having their daily fruit juice (but Nick, it’s freshly squeezed). Sorry people but fruit is nature’s candy and as such should be limited to a treat, just like any candy or desert. Having said that I would much rather you have a fresh fruit juice than a soda due to the fact that fresh juice does have beneficial enzymes. Fruit juices that sit on the shelves and in fridges of supermarkets are no better than sugar water with some Vitamin C. All the enzymes are dead.

6. Lifting weights makes women bulky.

Sorry, gaining bulk (muscle mass) is a male thing due to the hormone testosterone. Female testosterone levels are much lower than that of men, so in most cases, females are not capable of building large muscles. Both men and women have testosterone and estrogen (the female equivalent of testosterone), but they exist in different ratios. Often women try weight training and give up immediately because the think they were getting bulky when in reality all it is is muscle soreness that made them feel that way. There are rare cases where women have high levels of testosterone but even in these cases the right weight and rep selection will eliminate bulking up. It is ideal to have more muscle mass for fat loss. The bigger the engine in a car the more fuel it burns; the bigger the muscles the more fuel they use. Ideally, the fuel comes from fat if you are training properly. Strong, stable muscles are essential to long term injury prevention.

by Deborah Siscoe

Original article source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Siscoe

Recovery and post workout rest is an important part of muscle building! Your body goes through cycles and without understanding these cycles, you are likely not to gain the muscle growth that you could be. Skinny to muscle can be accomplished through a positive cycle of diet, exercise and rest.

So how much post workout recovery is enough? That’s the important question to ask. Knowing how much can be tricky for those skinny guys looking to muscle up! Hitting the gym is easy when we feel good, and this often leads to the non-rest cycle that creates setbacks. Here are a few tips that will help you with setting up your recovery, post workout!

• Understanding that your workout should be very similar to how long you rest. This is especially true when you have had a particularly intense workout. Remember if you are pushing those muscles hard, they need longer to recover from the stress. The body must have time to heal those tiny little tears as well as build a bigger, stronger muscle! Hard workouts should rest 2-3 days while less intense can be conducted every other days!

• Without fail, a solid night of rest. Most people needs about 8 hours of sleep to heal recover and rejuvenate properly. While some people can get by on 6 hours, try 8 for fun! It really makes a different in your recovery post workout and muscle growth process. The amount of sleep you get and when you get it is also important. Also turn the cell phone and computer off, uninterrupted sleep is beneficial not waking up every hour to take phone calls!

Gaining mass for hardgainers involves a lot more than just rest and post workout recovery though. You need to strictly adhere to certain nutritional guidelines and you also need to know the best ways to workout for maximum muscle gain.

So if you have the desire to get built and have that muscular body that turns heads everywhere you go you need to understand these things in detail. If not you may walk into the traps many skinny guys fall for and end up with no muscle mass to speak of!

by James Mclain

Edited by Admin.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Mclain

Do you want to be healthier, in better shape? Optimal fitness doesn’t come east–it has to be earned. In order for you to achieve an optimal level of fitness and total conditioning you must have a smart plan and follow it with absolute discipline and consistency. Check out the following 3 steps you can take in order to gain elite level fitness and transform your body forever.

These Three Steps Are:

1. Nutrition: In order to get a lean body you must couple an effective nutrition plan with a well-planned workout program. The nutrition is arguably the largest and most important part of your entire fitness program. You must incorporate this into your lifestyle and stick to it as consistently as you would working out. Manage your calories not by measuring them, but by monitoring what “types” of foods you take in day to day. By monitoring the exact foods that you put into your body then you will eliminate all of the junk. You will be surprised at all the crap you don’t pay attention to when you eat. Give it a try.

2. Train With Intensity: In order to achieve optimal fat-loss and to ensure your success of getting in shape you must perform highly intense exercises to raise your level of perceived exertion. This is the MOST beneficial way for you to obtain the highest level of a calorie-burn. Train with a purpose and don’t just go through the motions. Don’t be scared of trying to challenge yourself by lifting heavier weight. This is the only way for you to develop a significant amount of lean muscle mass and to speed up your metabolism.

3. Engage In Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises: This is a big one. In order to achieve the 2nd step above you must be willing to do this one. Don’t sweat the small muscle groups if you are wanting to get big results as quickly as possible. Instead of doing 9 sets of bicep curls to train the biceps, try doing 9 sets of pull-ups! This is way more intense and you will not only work the muscles of your biceps, but you will hit an array of others because of the multiple joints that are involved in the movement!

by Brandon Richey

Edited by Admin.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Richey

It’s a daunting task losing weight, particularly if you’re not in the know of how to do so. They’re many questions that can come up about specific diets, eating habits, workout routines, what’s best to do for exercise, etc. For anyone that doesn’t submit themselves to the world of fitness, these questions are completely legitimate and understandable. Adding to the challenge is the complete lack of uniformity out there. There seems to be a million different answers to relatively the same question and finding out the correct one is half the problem.

With this article I’d like to go over the amount of time that is needed to be spent for cardiovascular exercise in a week. This should be a particular interest to those looking to shed a few pounds. First, the cardiovascular system is very important to the body. It includes the heart, blood vessels, blood and is responsible for the transfer of energy and nutrients to all the organs of the body. Keeping it in tip top shape is necessary for good health.

For weight loss, we’re using cardiovascular exercise for its energy burning qualities. Cardio helps boost the metabolism and burn fat. In general, the more you run, jog, etc. the more calories you’re going to burn, helping you lose weight and achieving your goals. There are a few guidelines as far as timing goes, however. Whenever doing cardio for weigh loss, make sure to continue the exercise above 20 minutes. By going beyond 20 minutes you put your body into aerobic metabolism, which will cause the body to seek out fat stores for it’s energy.

On a per week basis you can workout as many times as you want, provided that you’re eating enough calories to sustain the activity. The more you workout the better shape or conditioning you’ll be in. Of course, it’s understandable if getting into an exercise routine isn’t possible more than twice a week. Doing cardio for about 40 to 60 minutes for 2 to 3 times a week should be sufficient for most people’s purposes.

Jim Johnson is the author of a weight loss site that provides tips on how to lose weight.

Original article source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Pap_Johnson

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution to get in better shape? Are you the kind of guy who doesn’t mind the physical activity but doesn’t like all the attention that may come if you suddenly start running, cycling, and taking regular trips to the gym? I’m with you–I don’t care much for other people watching my every move either–especially when they start to pester me with questions.

“Why do you do that?” “Who told you that was a good idea?” “Are you out of your mind?!?!” These are basic questions we’ve all been asked in life. However, fitness enthusiasts and triathletes are asked those questions nearly every day. They are asked this because they are dedicated to a process that many observers find hard and difficult.

As we all know every person who has set a goal whether large or small has a reason for doing it. The reasons may be complicated; however the secret is not making the end goal complicated. When taking on an extremely difficult task, such as an exercise routine, one can expect some people to not be supportive or to simply doubt your potential.

People may not be dedicated to an exercise plan themselves and reflect that onto you. Thus, they try to pull you down to feel better about themselves. The key then is to not let anyone’s negativity get into your head. You have to commit yourself to your routine regardless of what others think.

Here are seven tips to help boost your confidence and keep your eyes on the prize:

(1). Feel proud that someone is taking interest in your healthy lifestyle. On many occasions triathletes clam up in embarrassment when asked about their lifestyle as they don’t want to make anyone feel lazy or bad about themselves.

(2). Every time someone asks you why you are doing such an extreme goal as a triathlon, pretend they are telling you to go for it and never give up. Switch it around and find the positive. Being questioned can become your motivation–even if to just prove them wrong.

(3). Keep a picture on your office wall (if allowed) of your favorite athlete. Visit their personal website often to learn how they train and if they will be competing in a race near you. Personally, I find Lance Armstrong’s dedication inspiring–especially with all the extreme difficulties he overcame to become the supreme athlete that he is today.

(4). Train with a friend. Perhaps they have a similar fitness goal you can contribute to in some way. Sometimes just talking about how grueling your training is to someone who can understand is a huge relief.

(5). Join a local triathlon club and ask questions until you have every answer you feel you need to do your best.

(6). Eat right. The worst thing you can do is to combine a good exercise routine with a poor diet.

(7). Join a gym. Let the membership dues keep you accountable. Remind yourself that you want to receive your money’s worth out of your monthly dues. Did you know the average health club member visits their gym 90 days a year?

Staying dedicated isn’t easy for even the seasoned athlete. Do you keep a training log? Make sure to invest in one and jot down all your workouts and future goals. Set a date in the future and make that goal. When accomplished, you can share all the knowledge with your friends.

On the days you lose all hope, think of all the great days of training you put in that week. If you exercised twice in one day, reflect on your accomplishments–any accomplishments. Each step of progress–no matter how small–is one step closer to your ultimate goal. It is the small steps in life that add up to a much longer path that leads to success. 

There’s a famous saying that reads “when no one is asking what you’re doing then what you are doing is not that important.”

Original Article by John Forberger

Edited by Admin.

Original article source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Forberger