Mind-Blowing Fitness

Nutrition?

2008-04-18T13:30:00.003-04:00

The 2 Best Vitamins for Athletes

2008-02-15T11:58:00.002-05:00

Good ol' vitamin C gives you healthy capillaries, gums and teeth. It is most known for its power to heal wounds and help fight off infection. Endurance athletes in particular such as marathon runners need higher amounts of vitamin C.

In at numero 2 is Thiamin or vitamin B1. It serves in the complete breakdown of carbs. It also helps to appetite stimulation. Endurance athletes have been shown to increase performance by increasing their thiamin intake a few days before a competition.

3 Ways to Cure the Cardio Blues

2008-02-03T12:50:00.000-05:00

So that treadmill in the corner of your room is collecting dust and being used as a clothes hamper instead of a fat burning machine, not to worry here are some quick fixes to ensure you are getting a good calorie burning workout.

Cardio Fix #1:
Take up a cardio kickboxing class: Successful kickboxing classes can burn upwards of 800 calories per hour. In addition to burning a ton of calories these classes are fun, fast-paced and are arguably the single best way to vary your cardio routine.

Cardio Fix #2:
If a fitness kickboxing class isn’t your thing or you prefer to exercise in the comfort of your own home grab a jump rope and buy your self a heavy punching bag. Jump rope for 3 minutes then do 2 or 3 minutes on the bag and you will be blown away at the results you make.

Cardio Fix #3
Grab a friend and take up a new sport. Get involved with a league. Not only will this help to keep you in shape but also you will have something to look forward to each week.

2 Exercises for Building Ginormous Guns

2008-01-29T13:35:00.000-05:00

No Curls Allowed!!

Want to know the secret to building tremendous biceps and rip your triceps and shoulders to shreds? If you think the answer is 10 sets of curls 3 times per week you may learn why your arms have peaked.

Bicep curls and tricep extensions are isolation exercises. Although these could be useful towards the end of a workout you need to be doing compound exercises if you want to build the big guns.

If you are currently starting your workouts with curls try this instead

Squats: 5 sets, 5 reps
Deadlift: 4 sets, 6-8 reps

You can always add the curls later on but focus your energy on compound exercises early on in the workout and reap the rewards tremendous arms.

Is Creatine right for me?

2008-01-21T12:09:00.001-05:00

In the world of supplements it is easy to be lost and confused. How many times have you tried a supplement you saw in a magazine that guaranteed you would pack on insane muscle only to be disappointed with minimum gain?

Arguably the most common supplement is creatine and the question you probably want to know is should you take it and does it work.

To sum it up briefly creatine is a metabolite found in the body, which is composed of 3 amino acids. It is found in the skeletal system in 2 forms, creatine phosphate and free chemically unbound creatine.

The benefits of Creatine have been shown to allow you to exercise longer and harder. It also gives you better pumps during your workout, and faster recovery time.

Contrary to what some believe creatine is completely safe to take. The only side effect is occasional upset stomach, which is most common when taking Creatine with other ingredients. To eliminate this, take Creative monohydrate and ignore all the ads for these other types of Creative.

It is also important that you stay hydrated and drink plenty of water as well as minimize your caffeine intake.

If you are looking to gain weight and add muscle mass safely and effectively then Creatine along with your high protein diet is going to be the best way to do just that.

Eat Healthy Next time you Dine Out

2008-01-13T13:26:00.000-05:00

One of the most difficult choices we make when it comes to nutrition happens every time we go out to eat at our favorite restaurants. We are bombarded with choices most of which will not benefit our health but there is an answer. Here are a few healthy selections to consider next time you go out to eat

• Choose red sauce over white when eating pasta

• Choose a large salad as your appetizer

• Split your dessert with someone else

• Make sure you have a good protein source such as chicken or steak. Add vegetables and/or a potato (no not fries).

• Use common sense

There you have it. It wasn't so bad now was it?

2 Mouth Watering Recipes to Accelerate Fat Loss

2008-01-08T22:15:00.000-05:00

Eating healthy does not have to be a chore. Try making these 2 great tasting smoothies today and have piece of mind knowing your feeding your body with beneficial nutrients

Smoothie #1:
1 cup of fat-free milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup frozen or fresh pineapple
1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons of honey
21 grams whey protein powder

Smoothie #2
1/4 cup canned or frozen pineapple
1 apricot (fresh)
6 strawberries
1/2 banana
1 1/2 cup milk
single serving of protein powder

Stability Ball Training 101

2008-01-01T19:19:00.000-05:00

The Wrong Way To Use a Stability Ball

Using a stability ball can be a very beneficial way to strengthen and tone your body (just don't copy the video above). Here is a brief workout for you to try. Lay back on the ball so that your lower back is resting on the stability ball. Make sure that you are not sitting on it like you would a chair unless specified.

The Right Way To Use a Stability Ball

-chest press: grip 2 dumbbells and press them the way you would a bench press.

- Hammer Curl: grip 2 dumbbells and perform the same way you would do regular standing or seated hammer curls. (For this exercise you will actually be sitting on the stability ball).

- French Press: Grip a barbell and start with the bar above your head. Slowly lower it behind using your triceps to execute the movement and then return to the starting position. (Again for this exercise you will be sitting on the stability ball).

- Stability ball crunch: Lying on the stability ball crunch up the way you would on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest so you do not pull on your neck.

Do this workout 3x per week performing 4 sets of each doing between 12-15 reps.

Using a stability ball is especially useful for beginners although it can be just as effective for advanced exercise routines. The support it provides along with the benefits in helping your balance cannot be overlooked. The stability ball should be included in everyone's exercise routine every few weeks if not on a permanent basis.

-Justin-

3 Secrets to gaining muscle

2007-12-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

So you’re a “hardgainer,” “ectomorph?” Whatever term you want to use it seems impossible to gain weight. You blame genetics or your routine wondering if you will ever get it right. While genetics and your exercise choices do play a role they don’t make up the whole picture. Here are 3 things to keep in mind when you are looking to add muscle and gain weight.

Tip #1: Increase your calories- if you want to add more weight you need to take in more calories then you would need to maintain your bodyweight. Add 1,000 calories and don’t worry about it. Remember you are trying to gain weight here.

Tip #2: Up Your Protein Intake- When trying to gain weight you need more than 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Adding 50 g or so of protein would help you reach your target protein intake dramatically.

Tip #3: Drink a protein shake- It will be easier for you to take in liquid protein so add a few protein shakes do your diet. The world of supplements can be overwhelming and confusing. Keep it simple and get some protein powder and make 2 or 3 shakes a day. Don’t get caught up in all these other supplements that are out there. You can always add additional supplements later on.

-Justin-

3 Mouth-Watering Powerfoods You Need to Eat Today

2007-12-23T12:46:00.000-05:00

Ah the good old diet. Most people know what they should be eating for health, i.e. fruits, vegetables, etc. but few actually apply it and understandably so. We are surrounded by tempting processed foods and fast food restaurants on every corner. So what can you do? Add variety and make the healthy foods interesting and fun. Here are 3 foods you are almost certainly not eating right now that you should be.

1) Cabbage- 1 cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories. It also contains sulforaphane, a chemical that will increase your body's production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer.

2) Guava- Guava has high levels of lycopene which is an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer. It is also high in potassium containing a whooping 63% more than in a banana.

3) Pomegranate Juice- recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice decreases systolic blood pressure by 21%. It is also very high in vitamin C.

There it is... Three simple, flavorful foods that you can add to your diet right now!

9 Tips for Beginning Your Fitness Program

2007-12-20T21:51:00.000-05:00

Proper preparation for a fitness program is essential in order to achieve the best results. The following tips will not only help you when starting a new fitness program, but also help you to stay consistent with it over the long term.

The list is as follows:

1. Prior to beginning an exercise program, speak with your physician, especially if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are overweight, sedentary, over 35 years old, have any heart problems, or have a history of heart problems in your family.

2. Set achievable, measurable, attainable, realistic goals. Write them down and keep them someplace visible. STUDY and read ALOUD everyday!!

3. Wear comfortable clothing that will absorb perspiration. Choose clothing that won’t restrict your movement, and remember that this is about fitness, not fashion. Wear good athletic shoes that provide plenty of arch support. Leave the jeans at home.

4. Track your workouts on paper. This helps ensure that you consistently challenge yourself to do more in your program, allows you to see the progress you are making, and gives you a record to monitor so you know when to build variety and progression into your program.

5. Warm up for 3 – 5 minutes with a light activity that targets all the major muscle groups prior to beginning your fitness program. Running or jogging in place, jump rope or jumping jacks are good options to start with.

6. After your workout, finish with a cool down phase of 5-10 minutes. This is also a good time to incorporate any stretching into your fitness program.

7. Consistency is the key with any fitness program designed to achieve lasting, long-term results. Start with small steps, but keep moving forward with your program consistently.

8. Do not go overboard with your fitness program. Exercise is like anything else, and too much of a good thing can be detrimental. Give your body adequate rest, not only by getting a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis, but by varying your exercise routine so that you do not suffer from repetitive use injuries.

9. Do not be discouraged if at times you seem to be regressing instead of progressing. Everyone has bad days and when it comes to weight training this is especially true. Some days you might barely be able to lift a pencil while other days it seems as if no weight is to heavy. This is normal. Stay the course and continue to exercise.

2007-12-20T13:30:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to my blog. Here you will find fitness tips and advice. You will also discover various workout routines.

Well this is the time of year where you are most likely preparing your New Year's Resolution(s). Here is a plan to make sure you stick to it for longer than 2 weeks.

Have a specific goal in mind and write it down. It has been proven time and time again that a specific goal on paper is much more valuable then saying something like "I want to lose weight."

So have a goal and write it down and you will already be half way towards reaching your goal.