Get Fit Now

workout without weights

2012-01-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

Body-weight Exercises

Your body needs a reason to build muscle . That reason is stress. Exercising will stress your body & force it to build muscle. You don’t have access to weights, so you’ll use body-weight exercises:

Pull-ups. Build back & arms muscles. Doorway pull-up bars or any surface where you can hang from work. If you can’t do one rep with correct pull-up technique : use momentum, ask someone to help you or use a resistance band to assist you on the way up.
Push-ups. Build chest, shoulders & arm muscles. Use a full range of motion: arms locked on the way up, nose against the floor on the way down. Put your knees on the floor if you can’t do one push-up. Switch to regular push-ups when this gets easy.
Squats. Build leg muscles. Put your hands behind your head & bend through your knees. Keep your heels on the floor, push your knees out, look forward & squeeze your glutes on the way up. Stretch your hamstrings 3 times a week if you can’t squat lower than parallel.
Dips

This exercise works the entire chest area, but it emphasizes the lower chest. It also works the deltoids and triceps.

this could be done with barstools or something creative?

Grab a pair of parallel bars so the palms of your hands are facing each other. Straighten your arms and bend your knees. Support yourself between the bars.

Lean your torso forward as you do the exercise. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body between the bars until your elbows are at 90-degree angles. Hold this stretched position for a second. Steadily push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat.

Note: this is an advanced exercise because you have to be able to lift your entire bodyweight. As you get stronger you can add extra weight to the exercise by hanging weights from your waist using a weight belt.

easy ways to stay fit

2012-01-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

Easy ways to stay fit and healthy

Walk or ride your bike to work.
Try not to eat food portions that are larger than your fist.
Join an exercise group of neighbors, friends or just others in your community
Increase the fiber in your diet.
Throw out any milk other than fat-free (unless you have small kids who still need the higher fat milk)
Do resistance training while you watch television.
Implement an after-dinner walk with your family.
Avoid eating lat at night.
Instead of frying try grilling, steaming or baking
Avoid all-you-can eat buffets
Pass on the second (and third) helpings
Start each meal with a salad or plate of steamed vegetables
Replace sugars with Splenda
Replace oils in baking with applesauce
Do not skip meals
Wash your own car
Take breaks at work for walking or doing a few strength exercises
Drink water instead of carbonated beverages
Avoid caffeine
Don't go to the grocery store hungry
Keep a pair of athletic shoes in your car so you can always be ready for a walk
Try new and different physical activities
Eat fruit for your dessert
When eating out, share your meal -- there's usually enough servings for two
Purchase only 100 percent fruit juices instead of those with mostly sugar
Keep your foods from being bland with spices and seasonings
Don't skip breakfast
When eating out, ask for salad dressing on the side
Avoid unnecessary condiments
Eat brown rice, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread

A Little Dehydration Has a Big Impact

If you want to perform at your best in sport or exercise, you've got to keep your body adequately hydrated throughout your activity. Sweating away even just 1 percent of your body weight (a pound and a half for a 150-pound person) can place added stress on your cardiovascular system. Losing 2-3 percent of your weight can impair your physical performance. Dehydration can also affect your mental sharpness and hand-eye coordination putting you at a disadvantage on the court, playing field or other competitive arena. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for keeping the body hydrated:

BEFORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Drink at least 16 ounces of fluid about two hours beforehand.
DURING ACTIVITY: Drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.
AFTER ACTIVITY: Drink 16 ounces for each pound of body weight lost during activity.

1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower

Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function, says certified trainer David Atkinson.

"Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leadsto improved mental clarity," says Atkinson, director of program development for Cooper Ventures, a division of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.

All that makes for a more productive day.

"It is clear that those who are active and who exercise are much more productive at work," says Todd A. Astorino, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University-San Marcos.

Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs -- and an improved bottom line, Astorino says.

2. Movement Melts Away Stress

As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you'll experience less stress in every part of your life.

"Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay.

You're not the only person who will benefit from more happiness and less stress in your life. When you're less stressed, you're less irritable, Atkinson says -- and that could improve relationships with your partner, kids, and co-workers.

3. Exercise Gives You Energy

You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, says Astorino, "you feel much more energized the rest of the day."

And when you improve your strength and stamina, it's easier to accomplish everyday tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs. This also helps you feel more energetic over the course of the day.

A common excuse among Atkinson's clients is that they're too tired to exercise, he says. While exercise may make you feel more tired at first, he says, that won't last long.

The physical tiredness you feel after working out isn't the same as everyday fatigue, he says. Besides, once your body adjusts to exercise, you'll have more energy than ever.

4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness

The key, says Atkinson, is to use your time more wisely. Think about killing two birds with one stone.

Take your kids to the park or ride bikes together, and you're getting physical activity while enjoying family time, he says. Beyond that, go for a hike, take the kids swimming, or play hide-and-seek, tag, softball, or horseshoes in the backyard.

At work, he says, schedule a meeting on the jogging track or on the golf course.

Also, forget the idea that you have to trudge to the gym and spend an hour or more doing a formal workout. Instead, you can work short spurts of physical activity into your day.

"Everyone has 20 minutes," Atkinson says. "Everyone has 10 minutes to jump rope, and sometimes that's better than 20 minutes of walking or running."

Indeed, squeezing in two or three bouts of 15 or 20 minutes of activity is just as effective as doing it all at once, says Astorino. Vacuuming the house in the morning, riding bikes in the park with the kids in the afternoon, then taking a brisk walk in the evening can add up to an active day.

Recent U.S. government guidelines say that to lose weight and keep it weight off, you should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise a day, says Astorino. But half an hour a day is all you need to reap the health and disease-fighting benefits of exercise.

5. Fitness Can Help Build Relationships

Think of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week.

Not only that, says Astorino, but exercise is always more fun when there's someone to do it with. So plan to walk with your spouse after dinner every night. Meet your sister or that friend for tennis or an aerobics class instead of lunch.

Besides, Astorino says, people who have exercise partners stay with their programs and reach their goals more often than those who try to go it alone.

"For long-term weight loss, you need to have social support," Astorino says.

6. Exercise Helps Ward Off Disease

Research has shown that exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis (bone loss), and loss of muscle mass, says Astorino.

It also helps ease some aspects of the aging process.

"Because exercise strengthens the muscles and joints, it is going to reduce your odds of having some of those aches and pains and problems most adults have, mostly because of the inactive lives they lead," Bryant says.

Provided you don't overdo it, he says, exercise can even boost immune function -- so you spend less time down with a cold or flu.

"There isn't a major health problem where exercise cannot have a positive effect," says Byrant.

7. Fitness Pumps Up Your Heart

Not only does exercise help fight disease, says Bryant, it creates a stronger heart -- the most important muscle in the body. That helps makes exercise -- and the activities of daily life -- feel easier.

"Your heart and cardiovascular system will function more effectively," says Bryant. "The heart will build up less plaque. It will become a more efficient pump."

And "when the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood per beat, so at rest, the heart rate is lower," says Astorino. "It's not going to have to beat as fast" to expend the same amount of effort.

Within only a couple days after you start exercising, Astorino says, "the body readily adapts to the stimulus it's getting and it becomes easier. You will feel less fatigue. It will not take as much effort when it comes to breathing. You shouldn't have as much pain or soreness."

8. Exercise Lets You Eat More

Pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat. So the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. And, of course, you also burn calories while you're actually exercising.

All this means that "cheating" with a cookie once in a while isn't going to take you back 10 steps. "Can you eat anything? No," says Atkinson. "But you can afford to enjoy some of the things you really like when you exercise regularly. You can better get away with those things in moderation than you can when you're not workingout."

9. Exercise Boosts Performance

After a few weeks of consistent exercise, you may feel your clothes fitting differently and see that your muscle tone has improved, Atkinson says.

You may also notice your newly pumped-up muscles in other ways, especially if you're a recreational golfer or tennis player, or like a friendly game of pick-up basketball, says Atkinson. Exercising consistently will strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility, and improve your overall performance.

"Your muscles will work much more efficiently and you'll gain a greater sense of endurance," says Bryant. In addition, he says, your reaction time and balance will improve.

10. Weight Loss Is Not the Most Important Goal

Weight loss is the reason many people exercise in the first place. But it's certainly not the sole benefit of an exercise program.

Bryant says the long-term goal of weight loss is sold too heavily to people startingfitness programs, and that can be discouraging. People have trouble sticking with something if they don't see results quickly.

"Really, they should think about the level of functioning in the activities of daily living," says Bryant. "That can serve as the motivation to keep them coming back for more."

So whatever weight loss goal you have when starting a fitness program, don't make it your only goal. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, to be less stressed. Notice the small things that exercise does for you quickly, rather than getting hung up on the narrow goal of the number on a scale.

"With a goal of losing weight and enhancing health, exercise has to become a part of a person's life, not an afterthought," Astorino says.

Work Your core

2012-01-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

Plank

The plank works your entire core and upper- and lower-body muscles. Lie down on your stomach. Lift your body off the floor with your forearms (elbows at 90° degrees) and your toes. Keep your body in a straight position (without arching your back) and hold for 30 seconds to one minute. Lift one foot in the air for added difficulty.

Pushup plank

This exercise is the same as the plank, except that you are in a pushup position. The pushup plank works the core, chest and biceps. This is a great exercise to end your workout with; it will fully fatigue almost every muscle in your upper body.

V-sit hold

This targets your abdominal muscles and improves your balance. Lie on your back and bend at the waist as you extend your legs and arms into the air to form a “V.” Hold this position for as long as you can.

Twisting crunch

This is one of the most effective crunch workouts, as it hits all of your stomach muscle fibers at once. Assume a standard crunch position, raise your torso to a 45° angle, and then twist from side to side. For an advanced movement, extend your legs and pretend to peddle a bicycle while you continue to twist.

Strong core muscles around your trunk and pelvis make it easier for you to do most physical activities. If you have a weak core, you're more likely to have poor posture and suffer lower back pain and muscle injury. Building core muscles can improve your balance and stability, tone your abs and help you reach your fitness goals.

Abdominal Crunches

MayoClinic.com describes abdominal crunches as a classic core exercise. It recommends doing crunches by lying on the floor with your feet against a wall and your knees and hips bent at a 90-degree angle. Tighten your abs, and then raise your head and shoulders off the floor. If you prefer, you can do crunches on a fitness ball by sitting on the ball with your feet resting on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest, tighten your abs and lean back until you feel those abdominal muscles working. Hold for three deep breaths and return to your starting position.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are another of those classic core-conditioning exercises. If you find it too hard to do a traditional push-up, MayoClinic.com suggests that you do push-ups on your knees or standing against a wall. All three varieties will help strengthen your core.

Push-Away Isometrics

The Diet Channel recommends doing some push-away isometrics to build your core. Begin by lying on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Pull your navel toward your spine as you tilt your pubic bone toward your navel. Holding that position, keep your knees bent as you lift both legs. Place a hand on each knee and push forward with your hands as your knees try to resist the force. Hold for a count of at least six before returning to the starting position. Work up to six or more repetitions.

Bridges

Bridges are another good exercise to work on those core muscles. Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor until they are aligned with your knees and shoulders. Hold for three deep breaths before returning to the starting position. MayoClinic.com notes that you should keep your back in a neutral position -- don't arch it or push it into the floor.

Leg Abdominal Press

Single- and double-leg abdominal presses will give your core a workout too. For both presses, begin by lying on your back with your knees bent. As with the bridges, MayoClinic.com warns that you should keep your back in a neutral position. Tighten your abs and avoid tilting your hips. Raise your right leg off the floor until your knee and hip are bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your right hand on that knee and try to push it down. Use your abs to resist the pressure. Hold for three deep breaths, return to the starting position and repeat on your left side. For a harder workout, lift both legs at the same time.

Love Handles

2012-01-10T23:57:00.000-08:00

Those annoying love handles... why do we call them that anyway? I can't think of a single person who loves theirs. Maybe it's because, like an old lover, they're often very hard to get rid of.

I hate to break it to you, but if you're looking for a quick, easy way to obliterate those rolls around your waist, you're going to be sorely disappointed. The fact is that you simply can't spot reduce; that is, there are no miracle exercises or pills that will allow you to melt fat off specific areas of your body.

However, there are certain exercises, habits and lifestyle changes you can adopt to get rid of those unsightly fat deposits. Read on to find out the 10 best ways to lose those love handles -- as much as possible.

Number 10

Consider liposuction

Okay, so it's not a solution for everyone, but if you've tried many of the other methods described below and you just can't seem to get rid of your very prominent love handles, liposuction might be the solution. In fact, it is ideal for people who are 20 to 30 pounds overweight and who have a particularly problematic area in which they simply can't seem to lose weight.

During this surgical procedure, fat is "sucked" out of the body. Although there is very little actual weight loss, the shape of the body is improved, sometimes dramatically. To find out if this procedure is right for you, talk to your doctor.

Number 9

Strengthen your lower back

As you will see below, strengthening your abdominal muscles is a key step in reducing your love handles. But whenever you work on your abs, you should also strengthen the muscles in your lower back to "balance" the strength in your torso and reduce the fat on your back.

Try this exercise: Lie on your stomach, lift your feet and knees off the floor and "flutter kick" your legs as if you were swimming. Do this for 15 seconds, then stop for 30 seconds. Repeat twice.

Number 8

Cut sodium

Sodium -- which can be found in table salt, seasonings, soups, condiments, and many other prepared foods -- isn't just bad because it raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. It also leads to water retention, which can make problem areas like the gut and love handles seem even more prominent. Reduce your consumption of sodium-rich processed foods, and avoid adding salt to the foods you prepare yourself.

Number 7

Create a "V" shape in your upper body

Although working on your abs is a must in the quest to eliminate love handles, you can also create the illusion of having a smaller midsection by bulking up your shoulders, pectoral muscles and biceps.

There is a wide range of exercises you can perform for these different muscle groups, one of which is the lat pulldown. Sitting with your back flat against the seat, grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Pull the bar down to your chest, pause, and extend arms back to starting position. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Number 6

Drink water

You've probably heard it a million times before, and it's true: You should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Not only does it help reduce water retention caused by excess sodium, but water also helps the body metabolize stored fat into energy and suppresses the appetite. All these factors can help reduce your love handles.

Number 5

Do crunches

Although increasing the amount of muscle in your abdominal region will help reduce the appearance of love handles, keep in mind that spot reduction doesn't work. You can do all the crunches in the world, but they'll most likely be useless if you don't do any cardiovascular exercise and eat properly, as mentioned below.

That being said, there are a number of exercises that target your oblique abs and love handles more specifically. Try elbow-to-knee crunches: Cross your left leg over your right leg and twist your torso, bringing your right elbow to your left knee. Do as many reps as you can. Repeat on the other side.

Number 4

Reduce your alcohol intake

Although there is conflicting evidence as to whether or not alcohol causes weight gain, alcohol does contain a lot of "empty calories." And since men tend to deposit extra calories as fat in their bellies, drinking alcohol may contribute to those dreaded love handles. I'm not saying to pour all your beer and liquor down the sink, but drink alcohol in moderation if you're trying to lose weight, or try "light" or low-carb versions.

Number 3

Do dumbbell side bends

Dumbbell side bends are another great exercise to target the muscles under your love handles. Standing up, hold one dumbbell at your side and slowly bend your torso sideways, letting the dumbbell descend toward the floor. Slowly straighten up to the starting position using the strength of your abdominal muscles. Do 15 reps on each side.

Number 2

Cut calories

There are no two ways around it: To lose weight, you have to reduce the number of calories your body stores. Even if you work out like a psycho, you will still gain weight if the number of calories you consume is greater than the number you burn. Therefore, your diet is crucial in your quest to get rid of those wretched love handles. In a nutshell, you must consume fewer overall calories, as well as less fat and sugar, and increase your fiber intake. And of course, don't forget No. 1...

Number 1

Get into cardiovascular exercise

Once again, it comes down to burning calories so that they aren't stored as fat. Whether it's by hitting the treadmill at the gym, playing basketball with some buddies, walking to work, or even taking the stairs instead of the elevator, every little step counts. Of course, the amount of cardio you must do all depends on how bad those handles really are. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you should probably seriously consider that gym membership. If the problem is minor, some low-intensity exercise may be sufficient.

burn, baby, burn

Although there are no "miracle" solutions to get rid of those unsightly love handles, there are definitely ways to reduce them. A combination of exercise, healthy eating habits and targeted exercises will have you looking slim and trim in no time; just be patient and don't give up.

Circuit Training

2012-01-10T23:41:00.000-08:00

Advantages and Disadvantages of Circuit Training

Advantages

Circuit training is ideal for perform high intensity fat burning workouts
Excellent basic workout to condition and strengthen the body
Easy to work every muscle in your body
Can be adapted for any size workout area
Does not require expensive gym equipment, you can do circuit training at home
Can be customised for specificity; easy to adapt to your sport
Can be incorporated into a beginners weight training routine
Circuit training is an excellent way to help to lose weight

Disadvantages

Primarily geared towards fat loss, thus being more useful for endomorph or endo-mesomorph body type trainees looking to lose fat.
Despite its high total volume, the volume of exercise for individual muscle groups is small, stimulating little Hypertrophy.

Below we provide some circuit training workouts. Feel free to modify and adjust them to suit your needs. The first consists of 13 exercises (unlucky for some!) and the others provide fewer exercises, but you obviously do more circuits.

A Basic Circuit Training Workout

Here we cover 13 basic circuit training exercises to create a good beginners routine. This workout is ideal if you wish to do circuit training at home. There are several ways to do this circuit. Firstly, you could set yourself a target number of reps for each exercise to complete before moving on, such as 50 squats, 20 push ups etc. An alternative way is to set a time limit, usually around 60 seconds, to complete as many exercises as possible. A third, and less common approach, is to do each exercise to failure – do as many as you can. This may lead to a slightly imbalanced workout.

1: Squats

These are the powerhouse of all bodyweight exercises. They work the largest muscles of the body, the glutes (butt muscles). You can learn how to squat here.

2: Squat thrusts

Start in a push up position, then jump the feet forward to a squat position and then back. Keep the backside as low as possible. An alternative method is to bring one leg forward at a time.

3: Press ups / Push Ups

Start by supporting your body off the ground with your arms about shoulder width apart and fingers pointing forward. Then lower your self to the ground, ideally as close as possible without actually touching the ground, then lift again. There are many variations to the standard press up.

Three-quarter press ups are performed by supporting the lower body on the knees not the toes, which are ideal if your upper body strength is still developing. Martial artists often do press ups on knuckles and fingertips to help strengthen hands at the same time.

4: Burpees

Start in a press up position, then jump feet forward to a squatting position as for a squat thrust. Then immediately jump up clear of the ground, spreading your limbs as far apart as possible, forming an “X”, land with feet together. Drop back to a squat, then jump feet back to the starting position.

5: Star jumps / Jumping Jacks

Also known as a jumping Jack, this is done by jumping to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead and then returning to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides. Do as quickly as possible.

6: Sit-ups / crunches / leg raises

Everyone is familiar with this exercise. It is the classic core strength exercise that helps to tone the abdominals. There are many variations on the sit up. If you are training alone then crunches are easiest. With a partner full sit ups can be done by linking your ankles with your partners for support.
Leg raises are done by laying down on your back and supporting yourself with your hand behind your head (use a table leg or grab a partners ankles). Then raise your legs to the vertical and down again. Try not to touch the floor when lowering, leave a gap of a few centimeters.

7: Skipping

There are many ways to skip. Jumping with both feet together provides a very vigorous workout.

8: Step ups (onto gym bench)

Simple step up onto a gym bench. Start with the left foot leading, then halfway through the exercise, or on the second circuit, lead with the right foot.

9: Shuttle Runs / Sprinting the length of the hall

For the duration of the exercise simply sprint from one end of the hall to the other, either touching the wall before turning, or squatting and touching the ground. Obviously this exercise will have to be missed if you are training at home.

10: Dips (using a gym bench)

Start by sitting on the gym bench/chair. Hold onto the edge of the bench then slide forward so that you are supporting your body with your arms. Then lower yourself and raise back up. You can start with small movements, then as you improve start to lower as much as possible.

11: Jumping onto, then over gym bench with both feet together

A good solid gym bench is needed for this, so do not try using a chair at home. Simply stand to the side of the bench and jump up onto it with both feet together, then jump to the other side. Repeat.

12: Running backwards, side ways etc.

This may either be incorporated into the warm up routine or done between circuits. Simply run around the hall backwards, then sideways, then lifting the knees high, then kicking the ankles back.

13: Passing a medicine ball between two people, either back to back or throwing

A simple exercise, which improves flexibility and strength in the waist. Stand back to back with a partner and pass the ball to them. Start clockwise, then change to anti-clockwise. Alternatively face a partner and throw the ball to each other.
If you practice these exercises a couple of times each week your cardiovascular fitness and strength should quickly improve. They are ideal home exercises, they are great for the martial arts class in the gym too. Remember to warm up well before your circuit training workout and stretch afterwards.

A Quick and Intensive Circuit Training Workout

You do not have to do so many exercises in each workout. This routine provides a quicker circuit, ideal if you want to do 10 minutes of intensive exercise. High Intensity Interval Training is considered to be a more efficient way of for burning fat and getting fit quickly. For a home based circuit training workout, you can make good progress with just five exercises. Rather than measure reps, perform each of the following exercises for one minute, with a 30 second rest in-between. Rest for one minute at the end of the circuit before repeating.

1. Skipping

Start the workout with the classic old school cardio workout. Buy a speed rope, as these are much easier to use. Then just skip for one minute. Skipping is very intensive and can burn a lot of calories. Boxers skip, and they are among the fittest sports persons around.

2. Bicycles

Another old school circuit training exercise. Lie on your back with your knees to your chest. Then extend one leg while bringing your elbow to your opposite knee. Return to start position and repeat on the other side. This is a great abs exercise, and more intensive than crunches.

3. Triceps dips

Triceps dips require a little apparatus. Although a workout bench is ideal, a chair will do. Start by sitting on chair, place your hands on the edge of the chair, fingers pointing forward, then lower yourself, and lift back up. Repeat as many times as possible in one minute.

4. Bodyweight Squats

Most people associate squats with ironmen lifting Olympic barbells containing hundreds of kilos of weight. However, simple bodyweight squats provide a fantastic leg workout. If you have extra energy, do squat jumps – same as a squat, but with a plyometric power-up and jump. As your arms are rested, time for the final, intensive exercise.

5. Push ups / Press ups

Push ups are one of the best core and upper body exercises. They strengthen the arms (triceps) and shoulders, as well as the back. They will probably demand the most effort on your part, so they are done last with a longer recovery rest afterwords.
Do this circuit twice and you will get a very intensive workout, in the comfort of your own home, in less that 20 minutes.

High Intensity Interval Circuit Training Workout

Here is another circuit that is designed to be done at home with a few items or in a gym. The goal is to keep your heart rate high while cycling through a range of exercises to reduce muscle fatigue. If you just sprint for 10 minutes your muscles will fail very quickly, but by performing different exercises that work different muscles groups you are essentially resting one part while exercising another.
Almost all HIIT routines are on a circuit so that you repeat the exercises. The first exercises provide both the warm up and the “breather” before starting over again. This routine requires a light barbell or pair of dumbbells for the military presses.

1. Warm Up / Breather

If at home jog on the spot, gently. Keep your upper body loose and relaxed and keep going for about 4 minutes. At the end of the jog perform 20 quick jumping jacks.

2. High Intensity Sprint Exercise

Ideally you will actually sprint, as in run as fast as possible. Shuttle runs in a sports hall work well. You can sprint on a treadmill, although not so easy. If at home then skipping is the best option. 30 seconds of sprinting or skipping as fast as you can. Do not hold back.

3. Military Presses

Military presses (also called shoulder presses / overhead presses) work the upper body, specifically the shoulders. They are one of the best standing weight training exercises. You can use dumbbells, a barbell or make do with any other weight. Sandbags work just as well. All you have to do is press the weights straight up from shoulder height and down again. Aim for 20 quick presses. If it seems to easy with the weight you have, increase the weight or the number of presses.

4. Bodyweight Jumping Squats

After the presses your legs should be rested so time for some plyometric squats. All you do, from a standing position, squat down and then propel yourself upwards to jump. Land, and squat again. Repeat this 10 to 15 times. The purpose is to build powerful legs, so if 15 becomes too easy hold some dumbbells next time.

5. Push Ups

Classic bodyweight exercise, and very effective. Excellent after he squats too. Perform 20 push ups, keep them clean, good form with a straight back.

6. Sprint Again

Your legs should be rested well after those 20 push ups, so now sprint again for 30 seconds.

7. Burpees

Do 10. Thing are getting harder now. To do a burpee start by standing up straight. Squat all the way down so that your palms touch the flood. Kick your fee back into a push up position, then hop your feet forward again, and stand up. This is the basic burpee. You can add a push up (although your arms should still be resting in this circuit) and also perform an explosive squat jump. However, in this circuit we are keeping them at a lower intensity.

8. Crunches

Give your abs a burn with 30 crunches. lie on the floor with your knees above your waist and your hands lightly toughing your temples. Looking upwards (not towards your legs) crunch those abs.

9. Final Sprint

Perform another 30 second sprint.
Now repeat, starting with the “breather”.

The MotleyHealth 501 Home Weight Loss Workout

Here is a selection of some of our favorite workouts, these always give us good results. You only need a small space for these workouts. They work the whole body, build muscle, gets you fit and burns fat.
Perform the following circuit 3 times:

50 Star Jumps / Jumping Jacks
20 Push Ups
50 Squats
10 Burpees
20 Leg raises
20 Crunches

Perform all exercises with best form possible. Push ups can be quicker to reduce fatigue, aim to complete the reps. Burpees act like a triset for the push ups and squats.

You may notice that there are in fact 170 exercises here, and 3 sets adds up to 510 exercises and not 501. I call this the 501 because the first time I did this I was aiming for 500 and then went one over. I did a few less leg raises and crunches. The name is not important, although I always aim for 500 reps.

MotleyHealth 100 Bodyweight Home Workout

You may have heard of the 300 workout or even the 500 workout. These are very intensive workouts for the super fit to perform. So we have decided to create the MotleyHealth 100 Bodyweight home workout that is designed for the beginner to fitness workouts. It will get your heart thumping and start to building stronger muscles.
This is a simple circuit training exercise. You can actually perform it as many times as you like (or are able to) so it could actually be your own 100, 200, 300 or 500 workout depending on your level fitness or determination.
Complete each set of exercises even if you have to take a breather. If you do not know how to perform the exercises follow the links to our exercise guides.

20 Squats - This provides a good butt and thigh workout and also helps warm up the whole body
20 Push ups - Try to complete full push ups with hands just wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your body straight and get your chest to the floor each time before lifting again. If you cannot do full push ups start on your knees
20 Burpees - these put the squats and push ups together for an intense workout.
20 Bicycle crunches - that is 20 on each side, so actually 40 crunches in total.
20 Leg Raises - these target the lower abs and hips

That’s your 100. Short and sweet. If it is not enough, just repeat, or increase the number of reps to 50, making it a 250 Workout!

The Core Four – Muscle Building Exercise for Weight Loss

One of the most important elements of losing weight and getting in shape is increasing your physical activity. Cardio workouts alone will not help you tone up and build the required muscle mass for long-term weight management. By increasing your muscle mass, your metabolism is also increased, meaning that you burn more calories of energy while resting. A more muscular person continues to burn off excess fat while sleeping. So, building some strength training into your weekly fitness schedule is essential, and that is where the Motley Health “core four” exercises come into play.
The “core four” are the four key weight training exercises to kick start you into building a better, fitter and stronger you. The four core exercises are:

Squat
Bench Press
Bent Over Row
Barbell Curl

There are many other weight training exercises that can be added to these four at later stages, but just performing these four exercises once or twice a week will increase overall muscle mass, strengthen your core to help tone up the thighs and the upper body. The main reason that these are the core four is that each of these is a compound exercise, meaning that it works more than one muscle at a time.
The core four is designed to allow for a quick weight training session. Each exercise has a purpose. Warm up is not required, so long as you start out with a light weight. The clean and press acts as the warm up. To take this workout further, once general fitness and strength has improved, the clean and press can be followed by squats and military presses with heavier weights, and the curls can be followed or replaced with chin-ups.

CrossFit Circuit Training – The Filthy Fifty, aka Chuck Norris Workout

Just watched this video on Youtube from CrossFitPlano after Mike Brooks shared it on Facebook. It is a pretty varied and intense form of circuit training that cover all the fitness bases:

Body weight exercises
Plyometrics
Core strength
Weight training (light, muscular endurance)

Body weight training exercises include burpees and walking lunges. For plyometrics there are box jumps, squat jumps, jumping knees, wall ball shots (using a 20 pound medicine ball, not a basketball). Weight training includes push presses, hanging knee raises, pull ups and kettlebell swings. For core strength there are back extensions. For endurance there are step ups.
Cross fit is all about using a wide range of training methods to reach you full potential. Crossfit is to exercise what Jeet Kune Do is to martial arts. Simple but very effective workouts. The idea is to work at your own pace, but just keep moving, keep working. The workouts are high intensity and last for 15-20 minutes. This is all you need, and probably all you can manage. Stretch after, then relax.

Read more: http://www.motleyhealth.com/fitness/circuit-training-workouts#ixzz1j8JgUrFv

Abs of Steel

2012-01-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

The Best Ab Exercise List

Bicycle Crunch Exercise. This ab exercise generally ranks at the top of the list of best ab exercises if done properly.
Captain's Chair Exercise. Another great one, but you need equipment (or creativity) for this one.
Ab Crunch on an Exercise Ball. I bet you have an exercise ball at home.
Single Leg Bridge Exercise. The best unknown core exercise.
Vertical Leg Crunch. Ouch!
Long Arm Crunch. Another version of a favorite.
Reverse Crunch. Kick up the feet with the torso holding steady.
Plank (Hover) Exercise . A basic from Yoga.
Traditional (Basic) Abdominal Crunch
Crossover Crunch. Good for the obliques!
Seated Oblique Twists with Medicine Ball. Tough, but effective.
Oblique Crunch. You know this one.
Plank on a Balance Ball. Take the basic plank to a new level.
Alternating Supermans. Don't forget to work the posterior chain.
V-Sit Exercise. Double ouch!

Do the Bicycle Crunch:

Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and contract your core muscles.
With your hands gently holding your head, lift your knees to about a 45-degree angle.
Slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion.
Alternately touching your elbows to the opposite knees as you twist back and forth.
Breath evenly throughout the exercise.

SO time to cut that holiday fat

2012-01-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

First off no soda

Drink Mainly Water

A sports or energy drink, fruit smoothie, or light beer — each serving contains about 100 calories. Yet these beverages don't satisfy you the way 100 calories of food does, so they're a waste. Other liquids may be high in sodium and carbohydrates, which trick your body into retaining water, puffing you out.

Water, on the other hand, has zero calories and carbs and little to no sodium, making it the perfect slim-down drink. And strangely, it actually helps flush out excess water weight as well as jump-starts your metabolism. If it's just too boring, add lemon wedges or mint leaves.

Ban White Bread and Pasta

Cutting out all white grain products — such as white rice, spaghetti, sandwich rolls — will instantly slim you down because the simple carbs in these foods cause bloating, especially around your belly. "Simple carbohydrates wreak havoc on your weight because they're digested very quickly, leaving you hungry and more likely to overeat later," says Jana Klauer, MD, author of The Park Avenue Nutritionist's Plan.

To go a step further, instead of replacing them with healthier yet still bloat-triggering whole-grain bread products, substitute vegetables for the week. This way, a chicken sandwich becomes chicken salad, and chips and dip turn into carrots and dip. The complex carbs from vegetables are digested more slowly, so you remain full longer. And because veggies are mostly water, they also help flush out excess water weight.

Do Cardio 30 Minutes a Day

Any workout that gets your heart rate up will burn calories. But you'll use more calories if you pick a cardio routine that engages multiple muscles simultaneously

Three to consider: spinning, cardio kickboxing, and boot-camp workouts. Half an hour of each torches 200 to 300 calories while toning up your arms, legs, and core so everything appears sleeker and tighter.

You'll burn even more calories per session if your workout incorporates interval training: alternating short bursts of intense cardio with slower activity. Experts aren't sure why it works, but trainers swear by it.

I personally like the insanity workout series by beach bodies if u need to feel like you wanna die :)

Drink Coffee an Hour Before Working Out

This is the one exception to the stick-to-water-only rule: Just as a coffee run makes your morning at work more productive, a pre-exercise cup of java with a splash of skim milk (about 11 calories) or black (just 5 calories) will energize your workout, explains Dr. Klauer. "You'll burn more calories without realizing you're pushing yourself harder."

Have Nightly You-on-Top Sex

Not that you needed an excuse to hook up with your guy every night, but the fact is, this position is a fat blaster. Being on top means you do the rocking, and the more active you are, the more calories you burn — up to 144 for 30 minutes.

Sex also pumps levels of feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins, helping you ride out food cravings. Get on top in reverse-cowgirl (i.e., facing away from your guy) to give your thigh and butt muscles an extra push.

Do 36 Push-Ups and Lunges Every Other Day

These gym-class staples will help sculpt muscle, so you'll sport a more streamlined appearance. Do three sets of 12 of each exercise every other day. "Push-ups target your upper body, while lunges work your butt, hips, and thighs," says Larkin. Quick tip: Make sure your back and legs remain in a straight line during your push-ups; it'll improve muscle tone. Also, you can build even more muscle with the lunges if you hold free weights in each hand while doing them.

Sleep 30 Minutes More a Night

That extra half an hour, whether you sleep 5 hours or 8, can refresh you enough that you will make better food choices (in other words, no quick sugar fix for breakfast in search of energy) and won't feel lethargic and skip the gym, says registered dietician Esther Blum, author of Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous. More restful sleep (7 to 8 hours is best) also boosts your metabolism. And since your body builds muscle while you snooze, getting zzz's equals better muscle tone.

Make One Food Sacrifice

Cutting out one indulgence — such as the chips you have with lunch or the chocolate dessert you eat after dinner — can subtract a few hundred calories from your diet, which translates into less flab, says Blum. "Your body won't even notice their absence."

Don't Let the Camera Add Pounds

Push your chin forward, hold your arms away from your body, and turn slightly sideways from the camera with one foot in front of the other.

GET THINNER IN HOURS

Really. These slenderizing effects may not be permanent, but they'll help you look hotter in your skinniest jeans on very short notice.

Eat Salmon for Lunch

It's packed with nutrients that build muscle tone and give your skin a healthy glow. Some nutritionists claim that consuming a portion (doesn't matter how it's cooked) may immediately make your face look a bit more contoured.

Stand Up Straight

Keeping your spine rigid and your shoulders back while sucking in your belly toward your spine gives you a slimmer, more streamlined middle.

Do Squats and Sit-Ups

Bodybuilders use this technique before competitions because it adds definition to muscle. Do three sets of 12 of each exercise to tighten your abs, butt, and legs temporarily.

from cosmo cause all guys should read this lol