I like very much to squat and consider Tom's Platz legs the best ones.

What is your favorite timeless exercise?

Timeless Exercises
By Jeff Bayer

Some exercises never disappear from a proper training protocol. I call them “timeless” because, no matter what new trend enters the workout world, these maneuvers just don’t go out of style. In fact, they are so beneficial that they should always be included in your program, no matter what your goals are. These exercises target a large amount of muscles at once and help you get the most bang for your buck when you are training. If you have recently had a workout program set up for you and you notice that some of these are not on the list, you need to re-evaluate its validity and make some changes to incorporate these five timeless exercises in it.

Exercise No. 1: The squat

Why it is so effective: Squats are one of the most effective exercises because they work your entire lower body in one movement. This means that you are stimulating a great deal of muscle fibers, which increases testosterone output to help your legs get big, in addition to improving your upper body.

How to perform it: There are a number of ways you can perform this exercise. You can either place a barbell across your back or use a squat rack. If you don't have a spotter or are lifting a heavy weight, a squat rack is probably your safest bet. Once you have found your balance, slowly bend at the knees, ensuring they are moving directly over your toes. Lower until you are at 90 degrees or less with your knees and then, using your glute and quad muscles, rise back up to the starting point.

Exercise No. 2: The bench press
Why it is so effective: The bench press is a great exercise because it is a compound movement. This means that you will be working different muscles at once, therefore, cutting down the amount of isolation work you have to do. This exercise targets the pectoral muscle, along with your triceps and even your biceps to some extent. There are many variations of this exercise, which will ensure that you do not become bored or start to plateau. You can try a flat press, an incline press, a decline press, a narrow grip press and a wide grip press -- all are beneficial. Each will target the muscle from a slightly different angle thus providing enough of a different stimulus to further produce results.

How to perform it: Lay flat against a bench press machine. Adjust the seat beforehand if you are doing an incline or decline press. Get a comfortable, firm grip on the bar and slowly raise it until it is directly above your chest. Next, slowly lower it until it is about one or two inches from your body. Hold for a second and then raise it again. Do not forget to breathe in as you bring the weight down and exhale as you push it up.

Exercise No. 3: The stiff-legged deadlift
Why it is so effective: Deadlifts are a timeless exercise because they improve your balance and strengthen the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles. This exercise also forms the basis of the major power lifting movements, so any guy looking to train for the power lifting sport should pay particular attention to this maneuver. Once you are able to execute it effectively, you can perform such lifts as the “clean and jerk” and the “snatch” more efficiently.

How to perform it: To carry out this exercise, place a barbell directly in front of your feet. Bend at the waist and grasp the barbell, keeping your knees slightly bent. Even though this is called the “stiff legged” lift, you should never lock or hyperextend your knees, which will place too much stress on the joints. Next, focusing on your hamstring muscles, rise into a standing position, making sure the barbell moves up along your legs. After you are upright, lower the barbell back to the floor to complete one rep.

Exercise No. 4: The military press
Why it is so effective: The military press is a fantastic lift because it works all the heads of the shoulder muscles at once. Each shoulder has an anterior, medial and posterior component. While this exercise primarily targets the anterior deltoid, the other two will still be utilized. This exercise also targets your abs, because you need to maintain strong abdominal core muscles in order to prevent your back from swaying and moving out of alignment. There are also a few variations on this exercise, including different hand positions when using dumbbells, and in front of the neck or behind the neck presses when you're using a barbell.

How to perform it: To perform a military press, get a firm grip on the dumbbells or barbell, whichever you choose to use. Then, keeping your abs tight and your back straight, push the weight directly above your head. Pay special attention to ensure that you do not lock your elbows at the top. Lower to complete one rep.

Exercise No. 5: The plank
Why it is so effective: This is a very effective core strengthener, because it will call every core muscle fiber into play while working your static strength at the same time. Static strength is defined as the use of force that does not require movement, such as holding something in one place. It is opposite to dynamic strength, which is demonstrated in most typical weight lifting exercises.

How to perform it: To perform this exercise lay on your stomach. Then, bending at the elbows, place your forearms on the ground, lifting your stomach of the floor while balancing on the balls of your feet and your forearms. Your body should resemble a table. Hold this position for as long as you can, or up to 2 minutes. To increase the difficulty of the action, try lifting one arm off the ground as well as the opposite leg. Another alternative is to place either your feet or your arms on an exercise ball. This is particularly challenging because now you must maintain stability of your body and the ball.

workouts with staying power
How you go about organizing your strength training program is up to you and will be determined by your needs and the time you allot yourself for exercise. You must evaluate your goals and any other physical training you are doing to help determine how you schedule it. One thing is for sure, all of these exercises should be included in your fitness program. These exercises have had some serious staying power over the years -- their efficiency is everlasting.

For questions about your training program visit www.trainwiser.com forum - Bodybuilding and Fitness Forum.

Getting cut

The days of trying to bulk up as much as possible are out. Now the ideal body image most men are looking for and most women find attractive is that of a professional swimmer. They are lean and toned with just the right amount of muscle and body fat to turn heads wherever they go. This is not a simple look to achieve, though. You must follow the right training protocols and make sure your diet is in check. Below are some guidelines to follow.

what to avoid
Just as there are principles you should follow, there are also protocols that you should not be doing. Make sure you avoid these at all costs.

- Eating everything in sight -

This was fairly typical during the “beefcake” days when every guy wanted to pack on as much mass as possible. He would eat anything he could get his hands on in the hopes that it would help add muscle to his frame. Doing this will add mass, but a greater portion of it will be body fat, bringing you further away from the toned physique you’re looking for.

- Neglecting all forms of cardio -

If you want to get that lean look, you have to do some cardio training. Former methods enforced the principle of boycotting all cardio as it burned precious calories that could potentially go towards muscle growth. This is fine if you aren't wishing to control your body fat levels, but in order to see your hard-earned muscles, cardio is essential.

- Taking long rest periods during sets -

The general guideline for building a great deal of mass states that you should allow ample rest time between sets to let your muscles recover. This enables you to lift maximally on your next set. While this principle still holds true in getting lean and toned, reducing this rest time will increase your metabolism, helping you get leaner. Since your goal is not to achieve your maximum size, the shortened rest breaks will not hinder you in getting good muscle definition. You still need to rest enough so that you can challenge yourself, but there is no need for two-minute rest periods anymore.


what you need to do

Supersets

Supersets are an exercise technique where you perform one set of an exercise for one muscle group and then another set for an antagonistic group. For example, complete one set of bicep curls followed by one set of overhead tricep presses. Since these muscles oppose one another, while one is working the other can rest. This both cuts down on your total workout time and increases the overall amount of calories burned during your training session. Getting lean and toned is dependent on burning more calories than you take in to remove excess body fat, so anything that helps you accomplish this is a step in the right direction. Try to incorporate these types of exercises into your workout as much as possible. Good examples are chest presses supersetted with bent over rows and leg extensions supersetted with hamstring curls.

Circuit speed training

Circuit training is another good option for those looking to get lean and toned. It works in a similar principle to that of supersets, but instead of working opposing muscle groups complete an entire circuit of exercises for your whole body. Perform one set of each exercise before moving onto the next one with little or no rest in between. Once you finish one whole circuit, take a few minutes to rest and then complete it again one to three more times. Additionally, you may want to focus on increasing the velocity in which you perform the concentric (working portion) of your exercise, as this will help develop your fast twitch muscle fibers more.

Cardio sprint training

When it comes to cardio, the preferred method is interval training. This allows you to push your body for a short period of time and then take a period to rest and recover before going once again. It is preferable because it, too, will help develop your fast twitch muscle fibers and will kick your metabolism into high gear. Any form of exercise that is very intense will help with your fat-burning process as the body will expend a great deal of calories repairing the damaged muscle tissue once you are finished the workout. Try and incorporate at least two sessions of interval training into your week, one focusing on longer intervals of one minute with two minutes of rest, and the other focusing on shorter intervals of 20 to 30 seconds with one to one and a half minutes of rest. Note: The shorter the interval, the more intense it should be.

Plyometric training

Plyometric training uses exercises that require you to move very quickly using only your body weight. They are great for developing explosive power and strength. Since you are not acting against a heavy weight load, you will not get the same hypertrophy effects that results in the bulky muscle look. Typical plyometric exercises to perform are:Box jumps: Jump up onto as high of a box as you can and then back down again. For added difficulty, try doing this off one leg. Squat jumps: Begin by moving from a standing position down into a full squat, then rapidly push off the ground using your thigh muscles to propel yourself as high as possible. Land once again in a full squat position and repeat 10 to 15 times. Clap pushups: Perform the normal push up action, but use your muscles to propel your body off the ground in the up phase. While in the air, clap your hands together and then land back into the pushup position to complete the downward portion of the exercise.

get lean, toned and cut

If you are looking to develop a defined, yet muscular body, put some of these principles into effect. You do not have to be huge to be strong, and most people these days prefer a more toned appearance over a bulky look. Don't forget to stretch, make sure your diet is free from all junk and processed foods, and make sure you are eating five to six times a day to keep your metabolism up. Once you have mastered both the workout and the diet, your physique will get noticed.

For questions please visit our forum at: www.trainwiser.com

7 diet rules you must break: following these everyday conventions will make you fat. Ditch 'em and lose weight!


Shape, Sept, 2005 by Cynthia Sass


All the determination in the world to lose weight won't make a bit of difference if you're hanging onto an unhealthy set of dietary commandments that drive you unconsciously to eat at the wrong times or for the wrong reasons.

"Since these rules are a strong part of who you are, you don't even think to question them," says Rick Temple, Ph.D., a psychologist who treats eating disorders at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The reason? "Some are learned from your family and culture. They've been a part of your life forever, so they seem natural," Temple explains. But holding on to certain ones can actually sabotage your weight-loss efforts. The good news is, rules are meant to be broken! Here are some of the most common ones that may be holding you back from losing weight, plus tips and recipes to help you break them the right way.

Rule 1
If it's mealtime, you should eat--even if you're not hungry.

"This makes sense for people in institutions who are kept on strict schedules, but not for those of us in the free world," says D. Milton Stokes, R.D., chief dietitian at St. Barnabus Hospital in New York City. It may feel awkward or unnatural to miss a meal or not eat when everyone else does, but fueling up when your tank is already full only adds up to unwanted pounds. To wit: Taking in a mere 200 calories per day above what your body burns can result in a 20-pound weight gain in one year! Instead, let your body hunger cues can guide you to meal times.

The smart way to break this rule:

Maintain a hunger journal along with your food diary for one week. Create a graph that tracks your hunger and fullness level for each hour of the day, ranging from extremely hungry to extremely full. Compare the chart against what you've eaten. If you find yourself still full at the next meal, it may be time to make some changes. You could be eating oversized portions or snacking too much between meals.
Tune in to your physical hunger cues, like a growly, gnawing stomach. If you aren't sure whether you're actually hungry, you're probably not. You may be confusing true hunger with boredom, fatigue or thirst.

Rule 2
Never refuse food offered to you by well-meaning hosts.

"Eating what or when you don't want to in order to make someone else happy isn't good for you or the relationship," says Denise Maher, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy (Marlowe & Co., 2004). And it can
result in an expanding waistline. If giving in at work, family gatherings or home led to taking in just 500 extra calories a week, your weight could increase by 1/2 pound each month.

The smart way to break this rule:

Gracefully decline. Say thank you, then explain to your host that you're watching what you eat or that you don't like to eat when you aren't hungry. If you are genuine and respectful, he or she should understand.
Start new traditions. Find ways to bond with the people in your life that don't revolve around food. For example, celebrate a birthday with a sunrise hike or by participating in a 5k run to benefit your favorite charity.

Rule 3
If you ate one "bad" thing, you blew it, so you might as well give up and
indulge.

Successful weight loss is not about bingeing or depriving yourself, and an occasional splurge shouldn't derail a healthy eating plan. Case in point: In order to gain 1 pound of fat, you must eat an extra 3,500 calories above what your body is burning. One Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut has 200 calories, far from what it takes to send your diet off track. Instead of eating 5 more doughnuts, budget for a single one and savor every bite.
"Foods like doughnuts, cookies or french fries won't cause weight gain if you learn how to fit them in," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, M.A., R.D., a New York-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Instead of restricting yourself or going overboard, aim for balance. A 2004 study conducted by the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, R.I., at Brown Medical School and the Miriam Hospital confirms that eating consistently aids weight management. Data from more than 1,400 subjects enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry revealed that people who ate consistent amounts (versus more on some days and less on others) were 1.5 times more likely to maintain their weight.

The smart way to break to break this rule:

Budget your daily calories. Indulgent foods are generally high in fat and refined sugar. Cutting out fat and sugar at other meals creates a caloric balance. For example, if you have a doughnut on your coffee break, skip dessert at dinner.

Plan ahead. Nobody can go through life avoiding cookies. So, when the Girl Scouts come knocking, place your order and plan your strategy. Two Tagalongs have 140 calories and 9 g of fat (4 g saturated). Try pairing them with a lower-fat meal, such as a leafy green salad with lowfat or nonfat dressing topped with lean protein, like tuna packed in water and enjoy!

Rule 4
If you paid for it, you must eat it.

How many times have you ordered something in a restaurant that sounded delicious, only to realize after the first bite that it was mediocre at best? Yet, the notion of wasting money overruled your standards for quality, so you ate it anyway. Eating unsatisfying food leaves you discontented, causing you to seek out other more satisfying foods and continue eating. Nobody enjoys throwing money away, but to put things in perspective, compare wasting money on an unsatisfying meal to the even more uncomfortable result that gaining weight can bring. Do you really want to wear tighter clothing or spend money on yet another pair of jeans in a larger size? (We didn't think so. So toss that so-so chocolate cake!)

The smart way to break this rule:

Question the reasoning behind your rule by applying it to other situations. For example, you wouldn't drink spoiled milk just because you paid for it.
Put the focus on saving future healthcare costs instead. The next time you choose not to eat something you paid for, or you stop after just one trip to the all-you-can-eat buffet, don't think of it as squandering money. See it as a decision to invest in taking better care of yourself.

Rule 5
I shouldn't waste food when others in the world are starving.

"What gain comes from you cleaning your plate?" Stokes asks.
Forcing yourself to eat everything in front of you doesn't aid people in developing countries or the homeless in your own community; it only hurts you. When you apply this rule to other scenarios, it seems out-and-out silly.
Let's say you have the flu so you buy some cold medicine. After taking the doses you need, half the package is left over. By the time you need it again, it could be expired. Should you take the rest, even though you don't need it, so it won't go to waste? Of course not!

The smart way to break this rule:

Change the way you order at restaurants. A study published in Obesity Research found that when larger portions were served, subjects ate 73 percent more, even though they did not believe they had consumed more food. So stick with half or shared portions, appetizers or side dishes instead of entrees with all the trimmings. Or take half your meal home with you.
Invest in storage containers. "Most leftovers can be stocked safely in the fridge for up to three days," Stokes says. You'll save on calories and grocery costs too.

Rule 6
Certain activities must always be paired with foods in order to be enjoyable.

Pretzels and mall shopping, pastries and the Sunday paper, television and potato chips. Eating while engaging in other activities allows you to consume calories mindlessly. If you've ever reached into an empty tub of popcorn at the movies and thought, "Where did it all go?" you can relate. "Enjoy the food and the activity--just not together if you want to maintain a healthy weight," Taub-Dix advises.

The smart way to break this rule:

Separate your eating from other activities. Enjoy all your meals and snacks while sitting at a table--without the television, computer or reading material to distract you.
A Harvard School of Public Health study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association followed more than 50,000 women for six years and found that for every two hours spent watching television daily, obesity increased by 23 percent and the risk of type 2 diabetes jumped by 14 percent. While lack of physical activity no doubt played a part in those numbers, snacking while viewing may also weigh heavily.

Slow down. You may be tempted to rush through a meal to get back to your tasks, but give yourself a real break. Put your fork down between each bite, take a deep breath and relax. Shaving just 100 calories from each lunch and dinner by eating more slowly (and thus stopping when you are full) can actually result in losing nearly 2 pounds per month.

Rule 7
If your significant other (or friend, co-worker or child) is eating, you have to eat too.

"Everybody has a different metabolism and needs food at different times," Maher says, adding that adopting another's eating habits can steer your weight and health in the wrong direction. An average man needs nearly 35 percent more calories per day than the average woman, so matching your partner's eating patterns could add up to a substantial weight gain for you.

The smart way to break this rule:

Say cheers instead. If you really want to enjoy time with your friend or partner, have a glass of sparkling water, hot tea or another calorie-free beverage. You'll feel less self-conscious and won't disrupt your diet.
Stick to a schedule. Eating randomly throughout the day or evening can prevent you from getting a handle on just how much you're actually consuming. Starting a regular meal and snack schedule based on your hunger patterns (keeping a hunger journal will also help; see smart rule breaker No. 1) means you'll be less tempted to give into spontaneous eating when you're around others.

Cynthia Sass, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy (Marlowe & Co., 2004), often breaks the diet rules.

This easy-to-fix meal makes it a cinch to eat a healthy breakfast and get more whole grains.
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5-7 minutes
8 large egg whites
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking spray
4 ounces lean baked ham, diced
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 ripe beefsteak tomato, diced
4 burrito-size (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook 3-5 minutes, until eggs are almost cooked through, stirring frequently. Add ham, cheese and tomato and stir until cheese melts.
Place tortillas on a flat surface.
Spoon 1/4 of egg mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll into a burrito and serve immediately.
Nutrition score per serving (1 burrito): 255 calories, 28% fat (8 g; 4 g saturated), 31% carbs (25 g), 41% protein (26 g), 2 g fiber, 252 mg calcium, 1.5 mg iron, 880 mg sodium.

More articles on diet, fitness and health on: www.trainwiser.com - Ultimate Bodybuilding and fitness forum.

15 secrets to a better workout: try these insider tips to get results today

Source: Muscle & Fitness/Hers

1) TRY THE ULTIMATE WALKING LUNGE--ON A TREADMILL.Walking lunges are excellent for sculpting your glutes, hams, quads and adductor muscles, but finding an open path in the gym can be a problem. Instead, try this version with either light dumbbells or a weighted vest, setting the treadmill (incline and speed) at fairly low intensity till you get the hang of the movement. Take a 2-3-foot stride forward and bend your lead knee to about 90 degrees. Push off your front foot to rise back up, bringing your trailing leg forward so it becomes your lead leg. Safety is critical here, so make sure you're experienced with lunging movements and know how a treadmill operates. To boost endurance and increase fat-burning, go slower for a longer period; to build muscle, work up to doing these for 2-3 minutes and then resting a minute.

2) OPPOSITES ATTRACT.Training opposing or antagonistic muscle groups back to back can actually trigger a neural response that increases the amount of force your muscles can produce. Bottom line: Performing opposing exercises with little or no rest in between (called supersetting) may allow you to lift slightly heavier weights than in straight-set workouts. Try alternating chest presses and back rows, for example, taking almost no time between the two movements but a 60-90-second break after you finish the combination. Do the row first in the next superset, and continue this pattern for an even number of sets to maintain muscle balance. Other great muscle pairs: biceps and triceps, quads and hamstrings, low back and abs.

3) CURLS ARE FOR GIRLS.You probably already do biceps curl movements to improve the strength and shape of your arms, but adjusting your hand position can slightly alter the stimulus on your biceps. Taking a wider grip may put more emphasis on the short (inner) head, while using a narrower grip may shift more relative stress to the long (outer) head. Alternate your grip on successive sets to work your arms in different ways, and use incline and preacher benches to alter the range of motion and the biomechanics of the movement. Don't forget to keep your elbows back when performing standing curls, and switch to an EZ-bar if the barbell overly stresses your wrists.

4) HAVE A BALL. Like using the exercise ball? This superset strengthens your stabilizer and core muscles while still giving the targeted muscle group a good workout. Using the dumbbell bench press as an example, do a heavy set (8-10 reps) on a flat bench. Then, without resting, immediately do a set of dumbbell bench presses on the ball, using a weight with which you can get 10-12 reps. The first half prefatigues your pecs, while the light weight used on the ball will be sufficient to work your chest and train your stabilizers. Be careful on subsequent heavy sets on the flat bench. After fatiguing your stabilizers, it may be tough to handle the weight you'd normally use for 8-10 reps. For safety, always work with a partner or get someone to act as a spotter.

5) BURN MORE FAT BY DOING CARDIO FIRST. If you do both weight training and cardio in the same session, do the activity you want to maximize first because the second one is compromised to some degree by fatigue. So if your training goal is endurance performance--running a 10k or a half marathon--do your cardio first and then weights, but flip the order if you want to maintain a high level of intensity in your weight workouts. For optimal fat loss, warm up with light cardio for 10-15 minutes, followed by resistance training, then finish with cardio. This arrangement matches the training intensity level to the most potent fuel source available to your muscles, enabling the highest level of performance--and calorie burning--possible during each minute of your workout.

6) DOING THE SAME OLD INCLINE, DECLINE AND FLAT-BENCH PRESSES FOR CHEST?Time to work some of those intermediate angles to mix things up. Start by finding an adjustable bench that has numerous stops, and use those different settings whether you're training with dumbbells, cables or the Smith machine. For this workout, position it under a Smith machine. After a couple of warm-ups, do consecutive sets (resting 60-90 seconds between each one) from a 40-degree incline, 20-degree incline, flat, 20-degree decline and 40-degree decline, choosing a rep range to focus on building strength (4-6), muscle (8-10) or endurance (more than 12). Add a couple of sets of dumbbell flyes--starting with the incline position and moving to the decline position over the course of several sets--for a complete chest routine that works all the angles. Don't forget: As the bench angle moves from incline to flat to decline, you can typically lift a little more weight.

7) TRY THIS TWIST ON THE LEG PRESS TO FINISH UP YOUR LOWER-BODY WORKOUT.Using a very light weight on the leg press, train unilaterally--one leg at a time--and do 12 reps with each leg. (The 12th rep should be a challenge; your nonworking leg should rest under the sled.) Make sure you press through your entire foot to extend your leg. Once you finish both sides, position both feet on the sled and do up to 20 full-range reps with this same weight. Though the weight is relatively light when you use both legs, the lactic acid buildup will make this a real challenge.

8) MAKE ARM TRAINING ITS OWN WORKOUT. If you follow a split schedule, you probably work your biceps and triceps after chest, back or shoulders. This is smart for giving the larger bodypart a full effort but probably results in a less-than-intense arm workout. Add in some variety by occasionally separating your arm workouts from other bodypart sessions; you'll see a noticeable increase in your strength and intensity, and your arms will make progress like never before.

9) YES, YOU CAN SQUAT. Many women fear squatting movements will thicken their glutes and legs--exactly what most of us don't want--but this technique will actually help you define and sculpt your legs. At the end of any two workouts each week on nonconsecutive days, perform five sets of squats with either bodyweight or a very light weight for 25-50 reps. You'll push your metabolism into overdrive and really burn those calories. Rest for only 60 seconds between sets, then move on to your cardio workout.

10) SEE FASTER RESULTS BY CYCLING YOUR CARDIO.Steady-state cardio in which you maintain the same pace for an extended period is fine, but you'll want to mix things up to turn up the fat loss. To cycle your cardio, go two days all-out for 30 minutes, followed by a day of easy pace activity for 30-60 minutes, followed by two days of interval training for 45 minutes. Take two consecutive days off before repeating. This routine will keep your metabolism in high gear while burning maximal calories and preventing plateaus in your fat-loss efforts.

11) ADJUST YOUR STANCE. Most leg and glute exercises are best done by keeping your feet about hip-width apart, but you can modify the emphasis slightly by alternating between closer and wider stances on consecutive sets. A wider stance tends to work your adductor muscles (inner thighs) more strongly, and bringing your feet a little closer puts greater emphasis on the abductor muscles (outer thighs). Just make sure you always keep your knees in line with your feet and hips, and never allow your knees to travel beyond the front of your toes.12) BE A DIPPER.To make dip movements easier, let's focus on the negative--the portion of the exercise in which you lower your body. Using a dip station with a step, walk up to the top (arms fully extended) and count to five as you lower your body very slowly. "Walk" back up for the next rep. Don't count reps on this one, just time. Leaning forward and letting your elbows flare out works the chest more; moving straight up and down and keeping your elbows in focuses more work on your triceps.

13) ADD THIS TRICEPS TWIST TO YOUR CHEST WORKOUT. After you complete a set of dumbbell presses or flyes, don't drop the weights just yet. With your hands facing either each other or forward at the top, dumbbells touching, lower the weights straight down to your chest with elbows tight to your body, and do as many reps of close-grip presses as you can. This not only works your inner chest, but you're performing one of the best compound exercises for triceps at the same time.

14) CYCLE YOUR SHOULDER WORKOUTS. Delt routines typically start with a compound pressing move and then add isolation work for each of the three heads. Since you're typically stronger toward the beginning of your workout than at the end, you lose steam as you progress, and if you always do rear delts last, it'll eventually show. The solution is to rotate which of the three areas you train first after your presses: Do movements for the rear delts in workout one, exercises for the middle head in workout two, and movements that isolate the front head in workout three. This reduces the risk of injury and develops stronger, more shapely shoulders--besides adding a bit of variety to your training. Plus, if you learn how to train each delt head with a barbell, dumbbells, cables and machine, you'll be familiar with dozens of alternate routines that you can use whenever a line forms at a station in the gym.

5) USE MACHINES LAST IN YOUR ROUTINE. Free weights most likely comprise the backbone of your workout, but machines are ideal to use at the end of your routine or a two-exercise superset. Because of the inherent stability and fixed range of motion that machines offer, you'll find it easier to push yourself to muscle failure without having to wrestle with the weights. This technique works with just about any muscle group, and you can even add high-intensity techniques like decreasing the weight after you hit muscle failure to continue your set (called drop sets) if you want to push yourself to the limit.

For more articles or questions visit: www.trainwiser.com - Bodybuilding and Fitness Forum.

Go Lean: A Guide For Women's Fitness!

By: Aja Frary

Aja Frary is one of America's premier heptathletes. She is the 2001 NCAA Bronze Medallist.

Finding the right exercise program can be a very intimidating and frustrating process. Along with finding the right program, finding time is also a concern. The majority of women want an exercise program to trim away those extra pounds.
As a professional track and field athlete my training requires "bulking up" and "leaning out." During my competition season my weight ranges between 126lbs-123lbs., however during the off-season my muscles are leaned out (120lbs.-116lbs.) I prefer the more feminine look.
The following is an example of how to get and maintain a healthy tone/lean body. The key is to be efficient without spending hours at the gym. The lifestyle to achieve your needs begins with a consistent workout along with a healthy eating regimen.

3 Hours A Week Is All It Takes:

Cardio
3 x 20-30min of Cardio every week:
You can choose whatever cardio you want to do... but to stay lean you need to do at least 3 days of pretty intense cardio. Running is always good for the problem areas such as upper thighs, butt, and lower abs.
Start slow and gradually move up to 20 minutes, 25 minutes, then 30 minutes. Stairs or hills are another great lower body workout. A good consistent schedule to follow is one day hard, one-day off, one-day moderate, one-day off, and one -day hard.

Weights
3 x 30min of weight lifting a week:
Start with high repetitions and low/medium weight. You should increase the weight whenever the exercise is getting easier... about every 2-3 weeks.
Lower Body:
Squats: 2 X 10-12 RepetitionsYou can use the squat rack or alternate with walking Lunges (dumbbells).
Hamstring Curls: 2 X 12 RepetitionsSingle or double leg raises.
Quad Raises: 2 X 10 RepetitionsSingle or double leg raises.
Upper Body:
Arm Curls: 2 x 10-12 Reps
Tricep Push-ups: 2 x 12 or as many as you can.(Think of these as reverse push-ups. Find a bench chair. Face upward... position your body so that your arms are on the chair and your feet are out in front of you on the floor, now do a reverse push-up.
Arm Circuit:
Grab 5 Lb dumbbells and do each exercise, 2 sets x 10 reps (continuous from exercise 1 through 5)
Straight Arm Raises - Side
Straight Arm Raises - Front
Bent Arm Raises
Butterflies
My 4-Minute Ab Routine

Core Area: 2 X week, ab routine

Day #1
This is a non-stop ab routine for 4 minute. You can choose any ab exercises as long as they are non-stop & high intensity. Do each exercise for 30 reps, then switch.
Crunches Bicycles V-Ups (laying flat on back, Rocky Mt. Sit-ups (Description coming soon.)Stabilization (Description coming soon.)Sit-UpsFlutter Flies (laying flat on bring both legs and arms off ground back and kicking feet approx. into a V-shape 6" off the ground.)Alternating V-Ups (same as V-ups, but opposite arm and leg.)

Day #2
Weighted/Incline Sit-ups: With a count of 5 seconds on both up and down. 2 X 15-20 Reps.
Hanging Bent Knee: Find a bar to hang from, then pull your knee's parallel to your pelvis. 2 X 30 Reps.
Back Extensions: Find the back extension chair. 2 X 10-12 Reps.
Face down on the chair
Do a sit-up toward the ground.
Hold at top for a count of 5 seconds, add weight (5 lbs.) after first 3 weeks.

Nutrition
I really don't have too much advice on nutrition. I don't diet... mainly because all the training I do does not allow me to gain weight. It's more of a lifestyle of simply eating healthy.
There is no reason to starve yourself but what you eat needs to supply your body with the right kind of nutrition. I don't eat fast food, or a lot of junk food. I eat smaller portions, but instead of 3 times a day more like 4-5 times a day. Learn the truth about your favorite fast foods. Find out how many calories, carbs, grams of fat, protein and how long it will take to burn off on a treadmill. Learn how to make a healthy choice!"
Most people already have a good idea of how to supply the body with the right stuff; the problem begins with the discipline it takes to eat healthy. Fish is always a good source of protein, which your body needs to change and repair the damage you do from working out. A protein/low carbohydrate shake is a good way to provide your body with the necessary nutrients to change your body.
I don't really want to suggest too much, everybody is different in this department. However, for example during the competition season when I need to supply good nutrition, I'll eat a big breakfast, lunch, snack, protein shake (during or after my workout), and dinner. Dinner needs to be healthy and not to filling. Good luck.

Eating right made easy!

Need help putting together a healthy grocery-shopping list?

Lake Austin Spa Resort fitness director Lora Edwards, M.S.Ed., R.D., recommends devising meal plans using the Smart Foods table from Body for Life for Women (Rodale, 2005) by Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., a Shape advisory board member. The philosophy behind this program is to have a mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats in every meal so you stay full.

To create your own meals, choose one item each from Groups A, B and C, adding an extra serving of nonstarchy vegetables from Group B (like broccoli or carrots) at least twice a day. Be sure you're eating something every four hours or so.


Group A: Smart Proteins

Eggs, cheese and reduced-fat dairy
Cheese, light or fat-free, 2 oz.
Low-fat yogurt, 8 oz.
Whole egg, 1
Egg whites, 3 or 4
Egg substitutes, 1/3-1/2 cup
Lowfat cottage cheese, cup
Lowfat (1%) or fat-free milk, 8 oz.
Fat-free ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup

Fish (4 oz.)
Catfish
Haddock
Salmon
Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster)
Tuna

Meat or poultry (3-4 oz.)
Skinless chicken or turkey breast
Lean beef or pork
Lean deli meat, such as ham

Soy foods/meat substitutes
Soy chicken patty, 1
Soy burger, 1
Soy hot dog, 1
Soy cheese, 2 oz.
Soy milk, 8 oz.
Soy nuts, 1/4-1/3 cup
Tofu, 4 oz.


Group B: Smart Carbohydrates

Vegetables (1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw)
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beans
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn (starchy)
Cucumber
Green beans
Green peppers
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Peas (starchy)
Potato, sweet (starchy)
Pumpkin
Spinach
Squash
Tomato
Zucchini

Fruits (1 whole fruit or 1 cup berries or melon chunks)
Apple
Berries (strawberries, blueberries)
Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit)
Dried fruit, 1/4 cup
Watermelon, cantaloupe

Whole grains
Whole grain bread, 1 slice
Whole wheat bagel, pita or wrap, 1/2
Steamed brown rice, 1/2 cup cooked
Steamed wild rice, 1/2 cup cooked
Oatmeal, 1/2 cup cooked
Barley, 1/2 cup cooked


Group C: Smart Fats

Avocado, 1/4
Nuts: 15 almonds, 20 peanuts, 12 walnut halves (also can count as Smart Proteins)
Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
Canola oil, 1 tablespoon
Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon

Smart Snacks
1/2 portion of any Smart Protein and 1/2 portion of any Smart Carb
1 tablespoon nut butter on celery or on 1 sliced apple
Any nonstarchy veggie, anytime
1/2 portion of nuts mixed with 1/2 portion of dried fruit
1/2 whole wheat bagel and hummus

Junk Foods (eliminate or eat sparingly)
Processed foods: White sugar, white pasta, cookies, chips, pastries,
candy bars, soda
Processed meats: Bologna, hot dogs, sausage
Full-fat red meat, dairy and cheese (high in saturated fat)
Any food with trans fats

5 Action Ideas To Get Big Fast
by: Gary Matthews

Are you sick and tired of picking up that latest body building magazine off the shelve, opening it to the latest program on the current bodybuilding star and discovering that he is using a six day split program that has you in the gym for four hours and day!!

What it won’t tell you is that the guy is a professional and probably doesn't have to hold down a steady job, pay off a mortgage or raise a couple of kids. The thing is you don't have to train like an athlete to put on muscle, all you need to do is follow these action ideas below and you will start making big gains fast without spending all your time in the Gym.

Lets have a look:
1/ Back to BasicsTo build muscle you must train short and with intensity, you only have a limited amount of energy per session. Tests reveal that blood sugar levels drop dramatically after 20 minutes, so exercise selection is crucial.

Compound multi-joint movements have to be used as these offer more training stimulus, are more functional and heavier loads can be lifted. Examples of compound movements include squats, bench press, dips, and chin-ups. Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what is needed.

All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time, remembering that as you get stronger in your upper body exercises i.e. Dips, Lat Pull downs, you will also add size to your upper arms as well as your shoulders. Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The thing is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.


2/Perform One Set Per Body Part
Having performed one set of an exercise to total failure then it should be near on impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another set. If you are able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then the first set was not worked hard enough.

If you give the first set 100% effort and work it to total failure (You cannot move the bar after the last rep) there is no more requirement for further stimulation. Therefore you need to do one set per exercise, remembering to complete the training session in 20 – 30 minutes so to have the most stimulus as possible and then move on to the next exercise.

Current research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training, decreasing the chances of over training and saving energy for other lifts required during the workout. Because you are doing one set per exercise, you will have to work it hard and to total failure.

3/ Cycle Your Strength Training
The development of muscle and strength is interrelated so the exercise session will have to be designed so that increases in strength are equal to increases in functional muscle. Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and poundage’s throughout your training program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus.

4/ Don’t Train To Long
Training itself causes the breakdown of muscle tissue. When a person trains very intensely cortisol is released into the blood stream, which causes the breakdown of muscle tissue. The amount of cortisol released is highly dependant upon the length of training time.

Therefore to minimize this effect training should be completed in the absolute minimum time required which is no longer than 20 to 30 minutes max. Your blood sugar levels are also dropping by this time, so do what you have to do in this time and get out of the gym, go home and grow.

5/ Don’t Cheat
Do not cheat on your reps! Every strength-training trainee runs into this problem sooner or later and it will grind your gains to a stand still. There are many ways to increase the intensity of your sets and the weights used in order to maximize results. Cheating to increase your weights actually takes strain off your muscles and places it on your joints, which is counterproductive.

Now that you are armed with this information, you wont need to spend all of your time in the gym, by all means workout hard while you are in there but when you are finished go home and grow and enjoy life.

Source: proteinbodybuilding.com