Home Blog Page 4

Top Shoulder Exercises For a Weight Gain Workout

musclerach
-
0
Top Shoulder Exercises For a Weight Gain Workout

If you’re on a bodybuilding program and are trying to gain muscle in your upper body, performing the right shoulder workout is going to be critical. The shoulder muscles comprise a large portion of the upper body, thus gaining size in this area will make the back look wider overall, thus giving you a nice V-taper that so many in the bodybuilding world are after.

When it comes to shoulders, there are three main heads that come into play – the lateral deltoid (side), the anterior deltoid (front) and the posterior deltoid (back). Some shoulder exercises you perform in your upper body workout will work all three heads while others will just isolate one of the heads, really working it maximally.

Below are the exercises that you should consider when creating a solid upper body workout designed ot build muscle.

Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is often thought of as the ‘king’ of all the shoulder muscles as its one that allows you to press a great deal of weight, thus making optimal strength and muscle gains. When it comes to your ability to build muscle, using as high of weight as possible is most often the best way to go, so exercises that allow you to do so should be making up the bulk of your workout plan.

When doing the shoulder press, you must watch though that you do not start to arch your back, as this will set you up to experience back pain.

Furthermore, you should never lock your elbows into place at the top of the lift because this will again place a great deal of stress on the joints.

When doing the shoulder press, you have the option of either going in front of the head or behind. Both are good exercises to include, but due to the intensity of the lift, only one variation should be included in each workout you do.

Lateral Raise

The second exercise that is a good choice to include is a lateral raise, which targets primarily the lateral deltoid. Again when doing this one, you really must make sure that you are keeping your back straight at all times, as some people will move out of alignment when the barbells start to approach 90 degrees with their body.

Some individuals will start to bring the weight up higher than 90 degrees when performing this lift, but note that unless you are very strong and advanced, you should keep it to only 90 degrees or even lower. Don’t use such a heavy weight though that you’re only getting to 45 degrees (from the side of your body) as you would then not get the full benefits of the lift.

You will gain more benefit from this exercise if you pause at the very top for a quick second and then lower, as this will really test the muscle’s strength to hold the weight, and ensure you are not using momentum to carry out the lift.

‘T’s

Finally, the last exercise you should perform as part of your shoulder exercise are ‘T’s. This is similar to a lateral raise only it’s going to work the front deltoids as well. To do this, you will raise out to the side, hit 90 degrees, then proceed to move the weight to the front of the shoulders, all while maintaining it upright in the air.

Once the dumbbells are at the front of the body, then you can lower the weight back down to the body to complete the rep.

So, next time you’re doing a shoulder workout, make sure these exercises are in place. Many people will also include front and sometimes even rear lateral raises if they would like to develop those heads of the shoulder muscle more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1211445

3  killer workouts you can do at home

musclerach
-
0
3  killer workouts you can do at home

I’m a big advocate of working out and fitness at home, as well as staying away from typical gym workouts. There’s much better stuff out there that will get you more fit, and will help you build better quality muscle.

Lately I’ve gotten very into doing little workout tests to assess my fitness and muscle endurance… a little fitness at home test. These will not only give you an incredible workout, but as I stated they act as a test… a benchmark which you can come back to regularly to see if you’ve improved.

Ok, so let’s get to it.

Killer Home Workout #1: 25 50 75’s

What is this you ask… it’s a series of pushups, squats, chinups, and crunches. First, you do 25 pushups, then 25 squats, then 25 chinups, then 25 crunches. Next, same order, 50 of each. Next, same order, 75 of each. Sound tough? Yes it is! The first time I tried this I couldn’t get through the whole thing… I got to the end of the 50 round. Doing another 75 chinups may have killed me.

Now, you’re of allowed breaks within a set, i.e. you can do 10 chinups, rest, another 10, rest, etc, until you reach 25, or 50, or whatever.

Do this workout for time, and see if you can finish it within 40 minutes. You can build some awesome fitness at home with this routine.

Killer Home Workout #2: 10’s

This workout consists of all the same exercises, however only ten of each are completed at a time. One round consists of 10 pushups, 10 squats, 10 chinups, and 10 crunches. This done until you’ve completed 10 rounds, i.e. 100 of each exercise. Again, go for time… aim for under 20 minutes.

Killer Home Workout #3: The 300 Workout

Now for this workout you’re going to need a little bit of equipment, and you may need to look up a few of the exercises to know what you’re doing. This is the workout completed by all the Spartan actors in the movie 300 at the end of their training. This is not THE 300 workout, like I said it was only a test at the end of training.

25 Pullups
50 Deadlift with 135 lb barbell
50 Pushups
50 Box Jump with 24 inch box
50 Floor Wipers with 135 lb barbell
50 Clean and Presses with 36 lb kettlebell (kettlebell must touch floor between reps)
25 Pullups
300 reps total

The best time was by Gerard Butler, at around 18 minutes, which is pretty incredible.

So that does it… three fitness at home tests. You can make up your own little test workouts as well… just try to include chest, back, leg, and ab exercises in each workout!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4839714

How to Gain Weight Fast: 3 Secrets for Skinny Guys

musclerach
-
0
How to Gain Weight Fast: 3 Secrets for Skinny Guys

Everybody who goes to the gym and lifts weights wants to build muscle and get stronger. It is very easy for some to gain a lot of muscle without much effort at all. But other guys, who are not so gifted, workout for hours in the gym, but still have nothing to show for it.

There are so many people who struggle to gain muscle and are considered skinny and underweight, maybe you are one of them. But if you are not so gifted as most guys does not mean you can’t gain any muscle mass at all. Skinny guys just have to play by a different set up rules. You can’t expect to gain muscle doing the same stuff that your buddy does, who is more gifted. Don’t listen to people, who say that is impossible to gain weight because of your genetics. I will give you some tips, that will help you gain muscle mass quickly. So let’s get started!

Food is the most important factor

Maybe you already know this, but you have to eat after every 2-3 hours every day. It is very important for you to eat and not skip meals. If you have trouble remembering it, then set up a timer. After a while you get use to eating after every 2-3 hours. Breakfast is, and always will be the most important meal of the day. You have to eat your breakfast within 15-30 minutes of waking up. That is very important. Your breakfast also has to be full of quality nutrients and full of calories.

Eat before you train

It is very important to eat real food before you go to the gym. The biggest mistake you can do is skipping meals before going to the gym. You also have to eat after you have completed your workout. If you have not eaten before training, then you have no fuel to build muscle. You can’t drive your car without fuel right?

Eat food with a lot of nutrients

People have trouble gaining muscle have to eat and the food has to be high quality. Avoid foods with empty calories. Eat a high caloric meal loaded with slow releasing carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber. For example.

Carbohydrates – Oatmeal, rice, breads, yams beans, potatoes, fruits and veggies.

Proteins – Steak, chicken, lean beef, cottage cheese, whole milk, eggs and salmon.

Fats – Olive oil, flax oil, avocados, nuts and peanut butter.

Extras (high calorie cheat food) – Ice cream, raisins, dried fruit and trail mix.

Food has to be your best friend and you need a lot of food to make progress. You can easily gain 20-30 pounds of muscle very quickly. But you have to work a little harder in the gym and eat more of high quality food.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1735319

3 Simple Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do at Home – Workout Without Weights 

musclerach
-
0
3 Simple Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do at Home – Workout Without Weights 

So you want to workout without weights from home? I don’t blame you. I personally hate the gym, and am never going back. Not only is it unnecessary, but you can actually get a better workout at home with simple bodyweight exercises and a few kettlebells than you can at the gym… don’t let gym advertising or anyone else with a gym membership fool you.

Now I could write about a 500 page article on why I feel this type of workout is better for you, and give you a giant list of exercises to do, but I’m going to keep this short. I will however continue to write workout and fitness advice (mostly based around working out from home), so keep checking back for more info and exercises.

OK so let’s get into it.

Workout Without Weights Exercise #1: Burpees

Burpees are essentially a pushup, into a squat, in a jump. From the standing position, squat down, place your hands on the floor, extend your legs behind you, and do a pushup. At the height of the pushup, get back into a squat position, and jump into the air and extend your hands over your head (if this is unclear to you, again search on you tube). Sounds easy enough, but do a number of these at speed and it’s a killer.

Workout Without Weights Exercise #2: Hanging Leg Lifts

We don’t want to leave out your core, so here’s a great ab exercise. Hang from your chinup bar, and attempt to bring your legs up to parallel with the floor, while not bending your knees. If you can’t do this, feel free to bend your knees as much as you need to, and simply work up to being able to do it with straight legs. Whatever position your knees are in, once your legs are up, hold the position for as long as you can.

So there you have it… five great exercises you can do at home… and I’ll be writing about plenty more in the future as well!

Workout Without Weights Exercise #3: The Pushup

Yes yes I know, everyone knows about the pushup and it’s nothing special. Well don’t underestimate this simple exercise. It’s incredibly effective, and can build some awesome muscle. Am I saying you should only do pushups? Of course not. As with any other workout routine, incorporate it in with other exercises.

Make sure you have proper form, and lower yourself until your upper arm is parallel with the floor at least… range of motion is very important. To add some variety, try spiderman pushups and grasshopper pushups as well. Also workout on pushups with your hands far apart (working more of your outer chest), and your hands closer together (workout more your inner chest and triceps).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4831033

3 Best Healthy Snacks High In Protein 

musclerach
-
0
3 Best Healthy Snacks High In Protein 

So you workout pretty hard and need a decent amount of protein every day to keep your muscles from disappearing. I know how it is, and it can be a task to always find something to eat. You don’t want to be constantly eating meat to get your protein (for health reasons), so what else can you eat? You need some high protein snacks!

Well here are a few quick high protein snacks you can make during the day to keep yourself going, and to get you a decent amount of protein.

Protein Powder

Yes this is an obvious one, but if you don’t feel like stuffing your mouth with food, this is a simple solution. Most protein powders will have about 30 grams of protein per scoop, which sufficient for a snack. Blend up some chocolate protein powder in some milk and most powders will taste very good. Again, you’ll want to add some complex carbs into the snack as well.

Nuts

Nuts in general are high in protein, healthy, and have good fat in them. Yes good fat… meaning not trans or hydrogenated fat… nuts have fat your body needs. Now it is still fat regardless, so don’t gorge on giant meals of nuts every day. And when I say nuts, I don’t mean salted nuts (although a little salt isn’t that bad), or beer nuts, or any type of candied or cooked nuts. If you want to stay healthy, grab some completely plain nuts, or better yet, some trail mix with all sorts of other nutrients in there. Grab a piece of fruit and some complex carbs and you have a very healthy snack with a good amount of protein in it.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Make one of these on whole wheat bread with a glass of milk, and you have yourself a very healthy, filling, and high protein snack. Don’t go for Skippy peanut butter or something like that… it’ll be full of extra garbage which isn’t good for you. Look at your peanut butter label, and look for something with as few ingredients as possible. Ideally it would only have one ingredient… peanuts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4839736

2 Awesome Kettlebell Exercises

musclerach
-
0
2 Awesome Kettlebell Exercises

So you’ve discovered kettlebells have you? Well you’re on a good path. Kettlebells are an extremely versatile piece of workout equipment and lend themselves to a ton of different great exercises. For whatever reason they seem to only have been widely discovered in North America very recently, however, they’ve been a staple of Russian muscle building for quite some time.

Anyway, enough about that… you need some kettlebell exercises to do. Well here are three great kettlebell exercises which will get multiple muscle groups working in unison (always a good thing as that’s how things work in the real world).

Kettlebell Excercise #1 – Squat Thrusts

This is a great full body exercise, which can be turned into an endurance as well as muscle building exercise if your kettlebell (kettlebell) isn’t too heavy.

Start in a full squat, will your butt slightly below your knees, and keep your back flat (not straight up and down… you should be leaning forwards a bit at this point… but it should be flat, i.e. not arched). The kettlebell should be resting on the floor beside one of your feet, with the handle in one hand.

Now as you stand up, pull the kettlebell up as you would in a bicep curl. When your legs are almost fully straight you should push the kettlebell up over your head, as in a shoulder press. Your entire body should now be straight up and down with your hand extended above you holding the kettlebell (elbow locked, or close to it). Now reverse the motion back into a squat, and repeat. When you go back into your squat the kettlebell doesn’t have to touch the floor (you can do so if you like however… it will make the exercise slightly more difficult). Once finished with one arm, repeat with the other arm.

Do this for speed for a little bit more of an endurance exercise (still keep good form though!), or more slowly and controlled to make it harder on your muscles. This is a great exercise to work many muscles in your upper body, your core, and your legs (a part of the body too many people ignore!).

Kettlebell Excercise #2 – Squat Lifts

This exercise is very similar to the first, however it will work the back and the front of the shoulder a little bit more. Start again in a full squat, this time the kettlebell between your legs, holding the handle with both hands (you should be bent forward at the hips slightly more in this exercise than in the previous one… still keep your back straight though!).

As you stand up, swing the kettlebell upwards in front of you… as you reach the end of your squat (legs fully extended), the kettlebell should just be reaching its peak, arms fully ended over your head. When I say “swing” the kettlebell, I do not mean do a floppy swing and just fling it up there… good form is key! As you swing, keep your body rigid, and be sure to keep your back straight, only bending at the hips.

At the bottom of your motion, the kettlebell shouldn’t be touching the floor again… go down until it’s maybe about a foot off the ground. Again do this for speed for endurance, or slower to work your muscles more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4839778

2 BEST Exercises that Target Upper & Lower Abs

musclerach
-
0
2 BEST Exercises that Target Upper & Lower Abs

So you’re looking to get a six pack and a solid core? In my opinion, simple crunches aren’t going to do it. Sure, crunches will work out your abs and build some muscle there, but to get a truly solid core, you need more. Additionally, crunches are incredibly tedious and boring, which is why most people avoid them. To get a full upper and lower ab workout, we need something different.

The exercises I’m going to describe in the following article are all based around maximum contraction of your abdominal muscles, i.e. forcing yourself to squeeze them as HARD as possible, for as long as possible. They all work the entire range of the abdominal for a great upper and lower ab workout.

All of the following are all actually gymnastics exercises. Ever seen a gymnast’s abs? Pretty damn ripped huh? If any type of athlete knows how to build their core muscles, it’s a gymnast. The holds they perform during a routine take incredible core strength, so it’s no wonder their abs look like they do.

Anyway, let’s get to the exercises.

Ab Exercise #1: Hanging Leg Raise

Basically exactly how it sounds. Hang from a chin up bar, and while keeping your knees straight, lift your legs until they’re parallel with the floor… hold for as long as possible. Now, unless you’ve done this before, or you have fairly strong abs already you probably won’t be able to do this, or at least won’t be able to do it for very long. That’s ok. If you can’t keep your legs perfectly straight it’s OK to bend your knees a little. You can even bend your knees fully, and simply raise them as high as possible (try to touch your chest)… it’s still a fairly difficult exercises. Again, hold for as long as possible.

Ab Exercise #2: Knees to Elbows

This is again exactly as it sounds, and is also done while hanging. This time the knees are going to be bent fully, and you’re going to attempt to touch them to your elbows. Yes sounds difficult at first, which is why we need a little movement of the hips to be able to complete it. Now, instead of trying to help you visualize this through typing, I’m going to suggest you search YouTube for “knees to elbows”… click on the first result. Now you’ll see that in the video the girl performs reps as opposed to a single hold. It’s up to you which you perform, but in my opinion a single hold is much more difficult, and give that maximum contraction we’re looking for to really build the abs.

If you prefer, you can do repetitions instead of simply holding, but again, in my opinion a single hold at maximum contraction is more difficult and will be of more benefit to you. Hopefully these have added a little something to your upper and lower ab workout arsenal. So get on it and start building that core!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4831001

Lower Ab Workout : 3 Effective Workouts For Six Pack Abs

musclerach
-
0
Lower Ab Workout : 3 Effective Workouts For Six Pack Abs

So here are 3 progressively harder lower abs workouts. Although hanging leg raises are the most intense lower ab exercise, it isn’t wise to jump straight into doing these until you are ready. Begin with the first lower abs workout and then progress to the next one, once your current workout becomes easy.

Workout 1 – Lying Leg Raises With Bent Legs

If you are a beginner this is perfect. All you will want to do is 5 sets of leg raises while lying on the ground. The key is that you will want your legs bent at 90 degrees. What this does is shorten the range of the movement. This makes it considerably easier that doing these with your legs straight. Begin with 5 sets of 10 reps. Do this two times per week and each week add another rep to each set until you are able to do 5 sets of 20 reps. Keep the rest in between sets to 30-60 seconds. If you rest much longer than that it makes the exercise too easy.

Workout 2 – Lying Leg Raise With Straight Legs Followed By Planks

Start doing this workout once you are easily able to do 5 sets of 20 reps with bent legs. You are going to want to follow the same progression. On week one begin with 10 reps and slowly work up to 5 sets of 20 reps. Follow this up with 2 sets of planks. Simply hold the plank position for 2 minutes, rest 60 seconds, and repeat one more time.

Workout 3 – Hanging Leg Raises Followed By Planks

Make sure you really master workout 2 before attempting this workout. You are going to use the exact same progression in this workout. Take your time to work up to 5 sets of 20 reps. This make take 6+ months. Follow up with 2-3 sets of planks, held for 2 minutes. You may want to master doing these with bent legs first for a few months, before you do them with your legs straight.

Don’t Underestimate the Effectiveness of Hanging Leg Raises

This is without a doubt the king of ab exercises. Not only will these work your lower abs, they will give you an extremely detailed mid section. Nothing comes close to the effectiveness of hanging leg raises. In the book “Convict Conditioning”, the author Paul Wade claimed that 5 sets of 15-20 reps of strict hanging leg raises are all that is needed to build dense etched abs. I decided to throw in planks just to harden up the abs a touch more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4727134

How to Do Plank Exercises: A Single Move for Powerful Abs 

musclerach
-
0
How to Do Plank Exercises: A Single Move for Powerful Abs 

There are numerous abdominal exercises you can perform to develop the tone and size of your abs, Everybody has heard of sit ups and crunches which are good in there own rights, but the plank abdominal exercise is rated as one of the top 10 Abs exercises you can perform. So throw away your fancy abs exercise gadgets and gizmo’s and keep reading as his article will discuss the plank exercise benefits and how to do it.

One of the main benefits of the plank is that it can be performed anywhere, either at home, the gym or even the office. All you need is a floor mat and you are good to go. This exercise works the Abs, back and core stabiliser muscles.

Benefits Of The Plank Abs Exercise

This exercise can be performed at home or at the gymnasium, all you need is a floor mat and you’re pretty much good to go. The Plank works the abdominals muscles, back, legs and arms. Although this exercise looks easy to perform, you will soon see that it is much harder than it looks.

How To Perform The Plank

* Place the mat on the floor and lie face down on your forearms.

* Now lift your self up using your forearms / elbows as if performing a standard push-up.

* Keep your back, hips and legs straight and tense your abdominal muscles.

* Hold this position until your hips begin to sag.

* Rest and repeat the exercise.

If you are a beginner you can hold this position for 10 seconds and then rest and repeat. You will soon be able to hold the position for much longer using this exercise on a regular basis. You will also be able to perform variations in the plank exercise. The variations in the plank exercises are the stability ball plank which work the muscles harder and the side plank which works the obliques.

The plank exercise should be used as part of an overall abs exercise program, As this exercise used on its own will not give you the six pack you want. But used in conjunction with other abs exercises, cardio workouts, weight training and a good nutritious diet then you will soon be reaping the rewards.

In conclusion the plank exercise can be performed virtually anywhere, works the abdominal muscles and helps to increase your core strength. So don’t just do hundreds of sit ups a week, mix up your exercises and really put yourself to the test.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4666708

How to Finding the Perfect Abs Workout

musclerach
-
0
How to Finding the Perfect Abs Workout

There are many abs workouts that can be followed to get washboard abs. however it is not possible to state the best abs workout as all workouts are effective as long as you follow them with the right determination and dedication with a healthy diet.

It is possible to get 6 pack abs if you build muscle not only in your abdominals, but all over the body. You also have to strengthen your core muscles and most important, work at losing any excess fat. This is because with fat in your body, no matter what abs workout you follow, or whatever abdominal exercises you do, your 6 pack abs will not be visible under this fat.
The abs workout should comprise of various exercises

It is only if you have 10 or less than 10% body fat that your abs become prominent. To get great abs, your abs workout should not actually concentrate on isolation exercises like crunches and leg raises. Instead, it should include different exercises like a dumbbell workout as it places emphasis on the core muscles of the body.

The perfect abs workout should be one with not only abdominal exercises, but also cardio exercises that help eradicate any belly fat you have. The abs workout should helps build muscle, helps in strengthening the core and at the same time, is effective in burning fat.
A gym instructor will be able to advise you

The best person to approach for the right abs workout to get 6 pack abs is your gym instructor. According to your body type, the amount of fat you have in your body and your medical condition, you will be given the right workout that will not only give you perfect abs, but also help in eliminating any fat you have in your body and give you a healthy body.

You can also get ideas for a good abs workout on the internet as there are many sites offering information regarding this. Use search engines to reach these sites and to learn whatever the sites have to offer.

Whatever the final abs workout you reach at to get those six pack abs you always wanted, it is important that you work out regularly on these workouts. Occasional workouts, junk food and insufficient sleep will get you nowhere, even with the best abs workout. Dedication, hard work and the goal of a flat stomach is what motivates you into getting your perfect abs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1578429

1...345...7Page 4 of 7
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv