World Fitness Network

On The Road – Day 1

Darrin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:38:27 +0000

Long time readers of WorldFitnessNetwork.com know that I don't really run this site like a "blog" - the layout looks like a blog, but I focus mostly on sharing articles.

In contrast, "blogs" are more traditionally about the person writing.

Well, regardless of the definition, I'm going to try something for the next several days and I hope you'll gain something from it.

See, I'm traveling on business. Since I'm not on vacation, I'm sticking to my eating and workout plans.

But it's hard.

And I think you'll learn from it.

So I'm going to share each day what happened the day before, regarding eating and exercise. You'll see that, like you, I'm not perfect. But I have a determination that I think you can borrow, plus some tips, that might help you the next time you are traveling.

If this doesn't interest you, fine, you can skip these. But don't unsubscribe! I've already got two great articles queued up for when I get back.

Day 1
[click on the title link to read the rest]

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What Are Your UFGs?

Darrin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:54:19 +0000

Earlier this year I was really focused on gaining strength. I set specific goals around 3 particular lifts and set a deadline. To accomplish them, I had to adjust my training plan and mental rehearsal framework. I had to read about elite deadlifters. I had to watch videos of heavy squatters. I had to increase the amount of food I was eating by a lot.

Having accomplished that, I turned my attention to shedding some of the fat I gained (it wasn’t much extra fat, but I still wanted it gone). So I set specific goals around appearance and bodyfat %.

In fact, my entire annual routine is based on the concept of periodically changing the routine to accomplish different fitness goals at different times of year.

What are YOUR most important fitness goals?
Want to shed 5 pounds of fat by New Year’s?
Want to be able to fully squat 300 pounds by your birthday?
Want to simply look good enough that you aren’t embarrassed at the beach next summer?

I’m going to be sharing more advice with you about goal setting in upcoming articles, but I want to introduce a concept first: your ultimate fitness goals (UFGs).

The 8 Primary Fitness Areas
90% of the fitness goals you want to achieve are contained in one of the following 8 areas:
1) Lose Fat
2) Improve Endurance
3) Gain Strength
[Click the title link to read the rest]
Just getting started in weight training? Check out Full Body Attack - a great 3 day-per-week weight training program that fits any schedule and gets great results! Check it out at http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/more/fullbodyattack6.html .

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I’m Still Sore – Should I Lift Today?

Darrin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:56:32 +0000

This is a constant debate. Should you still lift if you are sore from your previous workout?

I've tried to find some science behind an answer, and one thing might surprise you:

Soreness is not directly related to recovery. It is an indicator, but not a direct correlation.

More important than soreness is consistency.

You need to find a lifting program that is designed to accomplish the goals you want.

Then you need to stick to that program.

If that program says you need to work out today, then you need to work out today.

Period.

But if you are finding that after a couple weeks you are still sore from a previous workout ahead of "today's" workout, then you probably need a different program.

Let's dive deeper... [Click the title to read the full article.]

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Squat Variations

Darrin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:31:53 +0000

After last week’s post on lunges, I was inspired to put together a short list of the most popular variations on the squat. But I’d like your help. Sure, I could scour the web for all kinds of weird variations but I want to know which ones YOU do. So please add yours, with a short description on how you do them, in the Comments section. To start us off, here are the ones I have used myself over the years:
* Back squat - The bars is held on the back of the body at the base of the neck or lower across the upper back. In power lifting the barbell is often held in a lower position in order to create a lever advantage, while, in weightlifting, the barbell is often held in a higher position in order to keep the torso more upright in a deep squat. These variations are called low bar and high bar, respectively.
* Front squat - the weight (usually a barbell) is held in front of the body across the clavicles and deltoids in either a clean grip, as is used in weightlifting, or with the arms crossed and hands placed on top of the barbell.
* Overhead squat - a barbell is held overhead in a wide-arm snatch grip; however, it is also possible to use a closer grip if flexibility allows.
* Zercher squat - the bar is held in the crooks of the arms, on the inside of the elbow.
* Hack squat - a barbell is held in the hands just behind the legs; invented by early 1900s professional wrestler Georg Hackenschmidt.
* Sissy squat - a dumbbell is held behind the legs while the heels are lifted off the ground and the torso remains flat while the lifter leans backwards; sometimes done with a plate held on the chest and one arm holding onto a chair or beam for support.
* Single leg squat - a freestanding one-legged squat where the non-lifting leg is held in free space in front.
* Split squat - an assisted one-legged squat where the non-lifting leg is rested on the ground a few 'steps' behind the lifter, as if it were a static lunge.
* Bulgarian squat - is performed much like a split squat, but the foot of the non-lifting leg is rested on a knee-high platform behind the lifter.
* Hindu squat - is done without weight where the heels are raised and body weight is placed on the toes; the knees track far past the toes.
* Jump squat - a plyometrics exercise where the squatter jumps off the floor at the top of the lift.
* Bodyweight squat - done with no weight or barbell, often at higher repetitions than other variants.
* Goblet squat – a single dumbbell is held in front, with one end cupped by both hands and held like a huge goblet of wine about to be drunk
* Box Squat (also called a Sit Squat) - at the bottom of the motion the squatter will sit down on a bench or other type of support then rise again.

So what’s missing? Chime in with other variations you personally do, or vote for your favorite one from the above list.

[click the title link to add your vote or addition]

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Science News For Building Lean Muscle – October 2009

Darrin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:24:58 +0000

Here's a new science update for you. Members of LeanLifters get to read the whole thing.
Topics covered this month are:
Fat Burning Zone vs. Aerobic Zone Differences in Training
Best Form For Lat Pulldown
Skip The Leucine And Save Your Money
Does The Glycemic Index Of Foods Affect Exercise Performance?
Youth Injuries In The Weight Room
Static Stretching For Older Women – Good or Bad?
Sprinters Shouldn’t Do Static Stretches Just Before Their Run
Enjoy!

Sincerely, Darrin
p.s. if you haven't gotten FullBodyAttack yet, I now offer an extra free ebook with it - just order at http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/more/fullbodyattack.html .

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Are Lunges Better Than Squats?

Darrin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:23:41 +0000

Fellas, lunges ain’t just for girls. In fact, I’m willing to bet that if you aren’t already doing lunges, then adding them to your next leg workout will leave you crying. You won’t feel so manly then.

But the good news is that after a few weeks, you’ll start to love lunges. And you will start to feel more manly - in the sense that you’ll feel muscles growing that you either thought you were already hitting hard, or else didn’t know existed.

But don’t cut out your squats! There are some advantages to lunges, as I’ll explain, but they don’t replace squats. They complement them.

In this article you’ll learn what lunges are, how to do them (and variations), why they are effective, and how they compare to squats.

Let’s start with what lunges are…

[click the title link to read the rest]

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Do Guys Need To Work On Their Butts?

Darrin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:54:15 +0000

Lots of you liked Caleb's guest article last week and so here's another guest post - this comes from Alain, which he wrote just for me - enjoy! (p.s. don't forget to chime in with comments!)

Guest post by Alain Gonzalez of http://musclemonsters.com
Since the beginning of men’s weight training, the question has rarely been approached. Do guys need to work on their butts? The answer to the question will be determined by your fitness goals. If your goals consist of any of the following, the answer is yes.
* Build muscle mass
* Fat burn
* Decrease risk of injury
* Better posture
* Increase testosterone levels
* Give women a little extra to… look at
If none of these are on your list of fitness goals, I would say no, completely ignore the butt. But honestly, if you don’t have at least one of these goals on your list, then why are you reading this blog ?! For those who do have one or more of these items on there list, let me go a little more in depth as to how working your butt can benefit you.

1.Build muscle mass Being stronger will allow you to lift heavier weights when training and also perform more strenuous workouts for other muscle groups. See, one key to building muscle mass is increasing weight to put more strain on certain muscle groups, This is so that the muscle feels obligated to grow in order to be able to perform those workouts without becoming strained the next time. Some great mass building butt exercises consist of [click the title link for the rest of the guest article]

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What Are Box Squats And Should You Do Them?

Darrin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:37:16 +0000

I started writing a post on box squats and had just finished it when I came across my buddy Caleb's article on doubleyourgains - on the exact same subject! And his was much better than mine! Thankfully, he allowed me to reprint it in its entirety for you.

Why Box Squatting Sucks & Why You Should Do It Anyways!
by Caleb Lee from http://doubleyourgains.com/

I have discovered a new world of pain … agony … and ego-wrenching … and it’s name is the Box Squat.

Before I tell you of all the amazing benefits of box squatting and how you may have to end up buying clothes with a big “S” sewn on them after starting to squat on the box, let’s first discuss …

Why Box Squats SUCK!

Normally, when I say an exercise sucks … I’m talking about exercises that suck at actually doing something for your body. Throw bicep curls, tricep kick backs, any type of curling in the squat racks, leg extensions, etc in this list …

BUT … when I’m talking about box squatting — I simply mean it just plain SUCKS to do!

Why?
* Lower Weight – your ego is going to be bruised the first time you box squat and you realize you’re lifting almost 100 pounds less than your regular squat …
* No Cheating — you can’t cheat with a box squat. You go down the proper depth, and if you don’t ... [click the title link to read the rest of this great article]

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