The Proper Lifting Progression

I was recently talking to my brother who is a certified personal trainer and we were talking about if it matters in terms of the types of exercises you’re doing for each body part. For example, when training your triceps does it matter what order you perform dips, overhead extension, and tricep pulldown? The answer is it absolutely does.

If you are doing three exercises per body part you should always start with a pressing exercise, then move to an extension, and then a push or pulling motion. This will allow you to get the most out of your muscle fibers and prevent your muscles from failing when you get to your final few reps.

For those doing just two exercises for each muscle try to stick with a pressing movement and an extension.

Fueling Up: What’s Your Breakfast of Choice?

Yes, your mother was right, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, for most people it can be a chore to prepare something healthy especially when you’re in a hurry.

For me, it’s all about oatmeal with freshly cut bananas and a side of egg whites. It’s a combination of complex carbohydrates and protein that keeps me fueled throughout the entire day. I buy the “Quick Cooking” oats that can be zapped in the microwave in just over a minute.

On really busy days I’ll grab a meal replacement bar (usually Met-Rx) and wash it down with glass of fat-free milk. However, oatmeal is a must for me on workout days because it keeps my energy levels up.

It’s important to treat your body like a car fueling up for a long trip. If you put the right stuff in, you’re going complete your journey, if not, you’re going to stall midday.

The key is finding what works for you. Let me know what you consider to be your breakfast of choice?

The Best Protein Bang for the Buck

Men’s Fitness magazine (June/July 2009, page 31) gives a great rundown of the best protein bargains at the supermarket. They took 12 of the most popular protein sources and listed their average cost per 10 grams. Here are their findings:

1. Black beans - $.13
2. Turkey - $.14
3. Chicken breast - $.24
4. Eggs - $.26
5. Whole Milk - $.30
6. Ground beef - $.34
7. Ham, boneless - $.40
8. Cheddar cheese - $.43
9. Peanuts - $.44
10. Sirloin steak - $.69
11. Cottage cheese - $.96
12. Soy milk - $1.26

My diet revolves around items two through four. Organic milk could be a better option for those who don’t drink the whole kind. Stonyfield Farms makes a good organic, fat-free product.

Since I’m not a big fan of cottage cheese I’ll often eat yogurt as a replacement. Foods like ham, sirloin steak, and ground beef are considered a “treat” for me—hence which is why they are some of the more pricier protein sources.

What about you? What protein sources do you eat the most from this list? Which ones were left out?

Top 5 Home Fitness Programs

During these tough economic times we’re all trying to find ways to save money. When looking at your fitness regimen you may want to consider your options. If you’re paying a high monthly membership cost at your local gym, you might want to put a “freeze” on your account and look into a home fitness program, which is great for a couple of reasons.

First, they can provide a change of pace from the monotony of going to and from the gym everyday. Secondly, as discussed above, they can save you much needed dinero.

Here’s a list of the most popular fitness programs on the market today:

5. Nordic Track — Their Personal Trainer III machine is still one of the best ones out there and offers the most bang for your buck. Resistance can be increased up to 220 lbs and there are no ‘rods’ or ‘bows.’ There’s a high rate of customer satisfaction and it comes with specific workout program for each day of the week. Price: $599.99

4. Weider — The Pro Fury home gym is advertised as a ‘complete, total body workout’ and it certainly has the specs to back up that claim. It contains 6 pulleys, a removable bench, and the ability to allow two people to workout at the same time. The machine also has a 100 lb Cast Weight Stack and capacity for over 55 different exercises. Price: $799

3. Nautilus — As part of the Bowflex family, Nautilus’ Freedom Trainer compares favorably to their Ultimate Home Gym, but costs a bit less. It contains weighted plates pulled by cables that can increase by increments of 15 lbs. The trainer’s arms also adjust on two separate planes and counterbalance each other making for simple adjustment in vertical planes. Price: $3,520

2. Bowflex — The Bowflex 2 Ultimate Home Gym is one of the most advanced machines available today. It’s a total body workout with over 95 exercises. It contains up to 310 lbs of resistance (upgradeable to 410). I’ve used this a few times and found it be very effective. However, if you’re not used to training with ‘bows’ then it will take some getting used to. Price: $2,499

1. P90X — One of the fastest growing workout programs on the market, P90X is different because it’s not a piece of equipment but a series of 12 DVDs that contain specific workouts designed to blast fat and build lean muscle in 90 days. I can vouch for this because I’m currently in my fifth week and seeing amazing results. It does require you to have a pull up bar and dumbells (or a resistance band). It also comes with a full nutrition guide. Price: $119.85

The “20s Technique” For Your Biceps

If you’re like me then you’re always looking for new ways to shock your muscles to get maximum gains. I was at the gym recently when a friend introduced me to the 20s technique for biceps. It involves 3 sets of barbell curls and within those sets are 3 seperate movements.

You start off standing with the barbell in your hands. Then you start to raise it up as if you’re doing a full curl, however with this first movement you do a “half curl” raising it up to where your arms are at a 90 degree angle (8-10 reps). Then for the next movement you start at the 90 degree point and raise it all the way up. In essence you’re doing another “half curl” but just in the opposite direction (8-10 reps). Then for the final movement you do a full curl (8-10 reps).

Compete 3 sets of those 3 movements and you’re sure to feel the burn afterwards!

Product Review: Powerade Zero

It’s happened! It’s finally happened! A sports drink without the loads of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Simply put, it’s calorie-free and it’s a great complement to your workout regimen.

I used to feel guilty drinking regular sports drinks while working out because I knew I was putting back obscene amounts of sugar and calories back into my body. Well, our friends at Powerade (a.k.a. the Coca-Cola Company) have developed a drink that tastes just as good, but doesn’t have all of the unnecessary additives. Powerade Zero is available in Grape, Mixed Berry, or Strawberry and contains 25% of your daily recommended allowance of vitamins B-12 and B-6 per 20 ounce bottle. It also contains vital electrolyes potassium and sodium in each serving.

Powerade Zero may be on the sweet side in terms of taste for some people, but that’s because it’s sweetened with sucralose (Splenda). Just remember, there’s no calories!

So throw one back before, after, or during your workout to replenish those electrolytes. This drink is definitely a knockout!

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Serving Size: 8 fl oz, Calories: 0 Total Fat: 0 g, Sodium: 55 mg, Potassium: 35 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 0 g.

Overtraining Can Slow Your Gains

One of the biggest keys to building muscle is rest. That’s right, you probably already know by now that if your body isn’t getting the proper rest and recovery you won’t see as much growth as you probably should. That’s why it’s important not to overtrain and to give your muscles adequate time away from the gym.

On average, your training sessions should be somewhere between 45-60 minutes, three times a week, while taking a week off every month or so. If you’re not somewhere in that range you’re shortchanging yourself.

It’s also been proven that resting long periods after hard workouts can increase your testosterone levels — so in essence it pays to rest!

Beware! No-Name Protein Brands Could Be Useless

I have a friend who has a contact in the sports nutrition industry. Now the contact has never told him who he works for but let’s just say he’s urging my friend to stick to well known brands when it comes to supplements.

He said that the whey protein they were manufacturing was nothing more than placebo. In essence it does nothing for you. In the end your best bet is to stick to names like GNC, Met-Rx, Myoplex, and Cytosport.

It really makes me think about how many protein bars or shakes I’ve consumed that have fallen short of the protein content that was listed on the wrapper. Or worse, contained no protein at all. That’s why it’s important to rely on food sources for protein and use supplements as nothing more than that — a supplement to your diet.

Smart Nutrition on Gameday

One of the things about this blog that I pride myself on is the ability to speak to not only the serious, competitive athlete/weightlifter but the recreational weekend warrior, or “Joe Six-Pack” (yes, I went there). Because no matter what type of athlete you are, you will see increased benefits in your endurance and athletic performance by being smart about sports nutrition and what you put in your body.

Half the battle is what you consume on “gameday” or prior to your workouts. You have to treat your body like a machine so if you know you’re going to have a high workload, you have to fuel up. That means consuming lots of calories (maybe a bit more than normal) in order to make sure your body is full prepared for the road ahead.

Make sure you are fully hydrated and make more of an effort to take in electrolytes and carbohydrates and less protein, because protein by itself is a poor fuel. As always you should do some research or contact a certified nutritionist when it comes to calculating your specific sports nutritional needs.

Injuries: Dealing With Shoulder Pain

If you’ve ever played baseball or football, odds are you’ve experienced shoulder pain at some point. How you deal with and treat that pain ultimately determines how quickly you can get back on the field.

Men’s Health provides some good tips and treatment suggestions for shoulder pain and impingement. They focus on developing flexibility in the area and treating it with rest and anti-inflammatory medications. Also, mild to moderate weight training in the area can help in developing strength.

Remember, all of us love to play recreational sports, however you have treat yourself just as a professional athlete would — you have to take care of your body and the areas that you put stress on when you compete. If you do that, your body will thank you and you’ll be able to participate in the sports you love for many years.