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May 18, 2011

Military Workouts-Total Body Fitness Routines

            The first words that come to my mind when it comes to describe military workouts are smart fitness, smart diet plan and smart people.
I must say that I was always a great admirer of the military workouts. Better said, I admire the incredible top fitness shape you get from these total bodyweight workouts.
If you are interested in building a fat-free, lean, muscular and buff body, the following lines will help you understand what to do to get your impeccable physique.

Whether we talk about Army workout, Navy workout, Special Forces workout or Marine workouts, they all have in common a few things.
First, the military workouts are overall body-development programs. They will get you an incredible lean, muscular and fat-free physique. These are total bodyweight fitness routines that will develop and strengthen all your muscles. They include all the group muscles that often go ignored, such as neck, forearms, calves and rear delts. The result is a very harmonious body with the right proportions.
Second, all of these military workouts are bodyweight routines. The cool thing about training using your body weight is that you are in tune with nature. A gym machine will only strengthen a certain muscle, in complete isolation. Therefore, the other body muscles remain as weak as they were before. The strong, lean and buff muscles we get from the bodyweight routines are so much more healthier and powerful. The explanation is that these exercises strengthen our entire body from the core. When we do one of the military workouts mentioned before, we work our entire body, the muscles, the organs and the glands.
Third, the military workouts are proven fat loss workouts. There is no better way of building a fat-free, harmonious, athletic, buff and toned body than using our own body weight as the resistance. A quick glance at the bodies of soldiers or gymnasts will show us just how muscular and fat-free our physique can become when using such a training program.
Fourth, military workouts are high-intensity strength training routines. These bodyweight routines are not just for the army, navy or special forces. However, that doesn't mean they are for everyone. You have to be in a decent physical shape to enjoy such an intense training.

Last summer, I trained for three weeks with a navy SEAL instructor and I have to say that it was hard and very intense. Nevertheless, it was not as extreme as I thought it would be.
Why was I able to complete my training sessions? Only because I was in good physical shape due to my previous training.
I have to tell you that the fitness training I followed the last 16 months is actually quite similar to the navy workout. It is designed to be ideal for busy people, but due to the fact that it is short and intense, the results are stunning. Since I started the program 16 months ago, I lost more than 50 pounds of body fat and I got the lean and muscular physique that I always wanted.
Anyway, because of the similarities, I digged deeper into the subject and found out that my Turbulence Training routine - the bodyweight fitness program I successfully follow, it was actually adopted, in its advanced form by the Army.
Special congrats to my friends, Steve and Ross. Although they were overweight at the time, I helped them train for four months and they successfully passed all the needed military requirements. They now serve in the Army.
The best part is that you can also start Turbulence Training at any time, regardless of your present physical condition. You can do that because the total bodyweight fitness routine that I use pays a special attention to the beginners, as they are the ones who need more guidance as they adjust to fitness training.
I am sure that I have awakened your interest in discovering the benefits of the total body fitness routines provided by military workouts.
So, if you want to, you can take it to a point were you are as fit as a marine, a navy seal or an army ranger. Start your transformation today with the results-proven Turbulence Training – the total body fitness routine.

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May 16, 2011

Correct Pull-up

The correct pull-up develops back strength.
Your biceps also help with the movement as well. Back strength is especially important for people to provide added support.
Unfortunately, many people lack the upper-body strength required to perform them with proper form. This can be discouraging and can cause many men and women to leave the exercise out of their program entirely. However, there are ways of incorporating the pullup into your workout routine even if you lack the upper-body strength to perform traditional pullups.

 

How to do a correct Pull-up:

The correct pullup exercise requires a long bar suspended several feet above the ground. You should use a step or chair to mount the bar.
1. Grab the bar with an overhand grip so that your hands are spaced no more than shoulder-width apart.
2. Allow your body to hang until it is completely straight, and then lift your body by bending at your elbows. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar and then relax until your body is completely straight.

Tips:

1. If you are a beginner, modified pullups are a way to get many of the benefits of the traditional pullup without it being as difficult. For this exercise, use a suspended bar that is about 2 to 3 feet off the ground. Again, grab the bar with an overhand grip and walk underneath so that your chest is directly until the center of the bar. The rest of your body should be fully extended and form a straight line that is angled toward the floor.
Allow your arms to fully extend, and then pull your body upward until your chest touches the bar. After your chest touches the bar, allow your arms to reach full extension and then repeat.
2. Extremely overweight or regularly inactive people should start with modified pullups to develop the back strength required to perform traditional pullups. Also, men and women with poor grip strength should start with modified pullups as well. The correct pullup requires strict form so that the proper muscles are targeted. Do not swing your legs or rock your hips upward to assist with the lift. This rocking motion can put increased strain on your lat muscles and can injury.
3. A correct negative pullup is an adaptation of the regular pull-up.
Negatives can be used both to increase the intensity of a regular pullup routine or by people who cannot do a full pullup. Stand on a chair in the pullup position, grasping the bar in an overhand grip. Use the support of the chair to get yourself into the finished pullup position with your chin above the bar. Move your feet off the chair, losing that support. Remain in the same position, holding yourself up and lower your body down as slowly as you can until your arms are extended straight up. Repeat for a low number of repetitions.
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Correct Abdominal Crunch

          
The correct abdominal crunch or sit up is an exercise we can all benefit from. This muscle group is the key to good posture and overall strength. It all starts here.
But form is actually more important than reps.  Fewer repetitions, between 10 and 15, done perfectly and with attention can do more to get you to a trim tummy than doing 30 sloppy crunches.

How to do a correct abdominal crunch:

1. Lie down on your back on a mat placed on the floor.
2. Place your hands behind your head to support your neck.
3. Roll your shoulders blades up off the floor as far as you can.
4. Hold the contraction for a moment, and slowly lower your shoulders back down in a controlled fashion.
5. Do twenty repetitions before taking a rest, and repeat this a maximum of three times, depending on your fitness level.
6. This can be done three times over the next week for beginners and up to 5 times for more experienced individuals.

Tips:

1. Your hands should only support the weight of your head. You should not try and pull yourself up with your arms.
2. Do not hold your breath while exercising - oxygen fuels the muscles.
3. If you can't finish the above-mentioned repetitions, do as many as you can the first time and work your way up from there.
4. Keep your belly button pulled in and your lower back pressed against the matt as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling.  Also, take your time with each separate crunch.  Racing through will allow some momentum to take over for what your muscles should be doing.  Take time, between 1 and 2 seconds, to do each crunch.  Working a little slower will help you pay more attention to your form and will be a better workout for your abs. 
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Correct Bodyweight Squat

            The correct bodyweight squat is the best lower-body exercise a person can do. It works all the major muscle groups of the thighs, gluts, and hamstings. It will firm up your legs and build strength to help you with everyday activities.

How to do a correct squat:

1. Position your feet slightly wider than hip width apart with your toes slightly turned out, and knees slightly bent.
2. Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height. This will counterbalance your weight and help you keep your balance.
3. Slowly and under control, bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as you can without lifting your heels off the floor. Kind of like sitting down in a chair. Then, once your thighs are parallel to floor, push your weight back up until you are back at the starting position.
4. Do 10 to 20 repetitions to finish one set before resting. You can repeat the set, but use your own discretion as to how much you can manage.

Tips:

1. Keep your weight over the middle of your foot and your heel.
2. DO NOT allow your knees to go past your toes or move side to side throughout the movement.
3. If you have any knee, hip, or ankle injuries or any other ailments that can cause discomfort or worsen any existing injuries, do not perform this exercise without consulting a physician or fitness professional.
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Best Fitness Model Workout

Think about this for a moment, do you believe an Abercrombie model or a bodybuilder is the most physically attractive? 
I guess the absolute majority of people would say that the Abercrombie model easily wins that competition. So why do we still see so many people obsessed with huge muscle building developing routines?  Wouldn’t it be better to emulate a fitness models training routine to develop lean, defined muscles?
This naturally solicits the question: how would an Abercrombie model train?
There are two decisive factors to any fitness routine: smart diet and smart exercise.  To develop a fitness model look, both of these ingredients will need to be included. While smart diet is best for reducing adipose tissue (...fat), smart fitness exercise is the most reliable method to gain lean muscle. The two factors can be joined into a workout plan that will get you closer to achieving the physique of an Abercrombie model.
In my opinion, the characteristic features of the Abercrombie model are tight, defined abs and lean, toned muscles. It is wise to act upon carving out the six-pack abs prior to beginning work on gaining bigger muscular tissue.
Achieving six pack abs necessitates a blend of a fat blasting, smart workout regime with a smart diet.
You should create a training agenda that works for you, perhaps even splitting these exercises in to a two-day training routine twice weekly, equaling 4 workouts every week. The goal here is to avoid that puffed up appearance of the bodybuilder, building smaller, tighter and stronger-looking muscles that are more pleasing to the eye instead.
Finally, don't undervalue the importance of dieting.  There are only so many hours in a day to exercise at such a degree of intensity. Integrating a smart diet plan in addition to exercise is what will genuinely cause fast fat loss.
Whether you track all your calories, monitor your weight each day, or practice intermittent fasting, you need to ensure you eat at a caloric deficit.
If you have successfully made it through the first phase and melted off your body fat to the point that you can see your abdominals, you can begin the second phase. Your overall goals will influence how you implement this phase.
If you simply want to rapidly increase the size of your muscles, you are able to perform a bodyweight or a weight lifting routine to shrink-wrap your muscles while keeping the same calorie restrictive diet.  Anyone wishing to gain muscles should begin consuming a larger number of calories.  Be careful not to eat too much though as you can only really add so much muscle without gaining fat.
Anybody trying to add muscle mass will need to undergo a workout plan that forces you to push yourself to exhaustion. Rather than low rep sets, you will execute high rep sets and ensure your muscles are fatigued on each exercise. 
If your goal is to increase your muscle mass over a time period, then make certain to step by step move from training to the point of fatigue back to strength training during this phase.
Anybody who exercises their muscles to the point of exhaustion for an extensive period of time will likely attain the puffier visual aspect of a bodybuilder. Then, you will have to return to the low reps, heavier load process of strength work in order to attain leaner, more defined muscles.
In order to get the best final results from this models workout routine, you must keep your focus on toning and increasing muscle size at the same time you are working to burn and keep off fat.
A routine of strength training to build lean, well-defined muscles mixed with high-intensity exercise to effectively burn fat would be at the heart of an Abercrombie model workout.
Such a training program will result in a lithe, sporty visual aspect.  At that point, an Abercrombie model workout could either switch to “shrink wrap” the muscles to provide a tighter, more muscular appearance or switch to a muscle gaining training routine to add a little more bulk.  
After training to failure to increase muscle mass for long time, a fitness model must eventually revert to low rep, heavy weight strength training to avoid the soft bodybuilder look.  
Overall, I would advice you to set aside the bodybuilding approach and start your transformation with Craig Ballantyne's "TurbulenceTraining"the Fitness Models Workout Routine proven to work. 



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May 14, 2011

PushUps - Just Perfect For Your Body

             Physical activity is life! Exercise is life! Which exercises are considered the easiest to perform? Except walking, which is the easiest to do.
Think about another exercise that you can do by yourself without the help of a fitness trainer. What other exercise helps your entire body to be in top shape.
Well, the answer is very simple: push-ups!
If you didn't know it already, the push-ups are the closest thing there is to a perfect exercise. Push-ups are the best upper body exercises that use the body's own weight to strengthen and shape the core muscles: the chest muscles, the shoulder muscles, the triceps and the back muscles.

These are the 10 reasons why you should be doing push-ups:
1. Push-ups work more muscle groups than any other body-weight exercise.
2. The position in which the exercise is performed does not force your joints, so you will not feel any pain.
3. 50 reps a day equals 2 hours of exercise.
4. Anyone knows how to do it.
5. Even persons weighing over 100 kg can perform push-ups.
6. You can train in the park, at work or at home.
7. With only 30 minutes of push-ups a day, you will keep yourself in top shape.
8. After a month of daily training, you will see a visible increase in arm muscle size and mass, you will lose up to 5 pounds and your chest will be more firm and bigger.
9. Arm strength will increase considerably.
10. You will stay in shape with minimal effort.

Here are 5 tips for effective push-ups:
1. Do not touch the floor with your chest. The descent should be controlled. Keep a 5-8 cm distance. To avoid mistakes, put a book on the floor while doing push-ups. When you touch the book with your chest, you will know it is time to get up again.
2. If you are a beginner and traditional push-ups seem too hard, do knee push-ups instead. Start face-down on the ground. Lift the feet off floor and bring your heels towards your buttocks. Bend the knees to form an L-shape.
If these are also hard, do wall push-ups. Stand two feet from the wall and place your hands flat against it. Bend your arms slowly until your face is about 2 inches from the wall. Then push back and return to starting position.
After a few days, you will be able to do both knee and basic push-ups.
3. Make small changes when you train. For example, try different arm and hand placement push-ups. Try slow push-ups, one-handed or plyometric push ups.
4. Perform this exercise in front of a mirror to see if your body position is correct. At the start and end of the push-up your elbows must be fully extended, forefoot or toes on the floor. Legs, hips and back must be straight. If you do not have a mirror near you, ask someone to assist you.
5. Divide the 50 repetitions in several sets. Perform these sets throughout the day. Do not forget to drink plenty of water-based fluids.

So, if you want to get a lean and strong body or just lose weight, you must include the push-ups in your fitness program.
Keep in mind that Smart Fitness plus Smart Diet equals Smart People.
            Start your body transformation! Begin Craig Ballantyne's"Turbulence Training”, now!
  
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May 11, 2011

Smart Tips to Lose Weight Effectively

Here are some tips that will help you start a smart diet and fitness program.
You have nothing to lose...of course besides the extra pounds!

1. Start exercising! Everybody knows that you need both physical exercise and a balanced diet to lose weight. Start with some light exercise. Later, when you get used to your training routine, it will be easier to make changes in your diet.
2. Make big plans!  Rather than choosing a three times a week fitness workout, set yourself the target of training every day. Even if you are not able to do it, you will still succeed in doing at least three workouts a week, and that is not bad.
3. Let music motivate you! Listen to music when you train. If you workout or jog every day, you should get your player with you. Training will be much more fun!
4. Choose a simple diet! Do that and you will not be tempted to overeat. Give up eating out and experience the joy of home cooking. Use all natural and nutrient-rich tasty ingredients.
5. Keep a journal! Write down everything you eat and drink, your calories and the exercises you do every day. It is your journal, so do not lie to yourself! This will help you keep your diet on track and see exactly how much you have progressed.
6. Weekend alert! You control your diet during the entire week, but forget everything on weekends. Think that the extra calories gained on weekend are enough to make your diet plans of the week pointless.
7. Order first! When you eat out, be the first to order. It's very easy to let yourself influenced by others. If your friends decide to eat a tone of ice cream or fast food, you will probably do the same. Raise the bar and order a salad or grilled fish. Maybe others will follow your example.
8. Overcome overeating mistakes! We all have setbacks along the way. Even those who have achieved great dieting success have met with failure on the road. Learn to overcome those mistakes and move on from them. Do not get discouraged! You may have had a bad day when it comes to your dietary goals and plans. Do not let this defeat your desires to become a healthier you.
9. Weigh yourself often! Electronic scales are ideal to measure your weight accurately. Weigh yourself twice a week to see your progress. If you are on track this is great, but if you haven’t lost weight it is a sign to exercise more or change your diet accordingly.
10. Sleep well, Lose weight! Sleep at least 8 hours a night. Sleep less and the result can be that you will eat much more the following day. Tired people eat more because the body tries to gain more energy through high sugar foods to compensate for the lack of sleep. Also, don’t go to bed hungry, but do not eat before bedtime.
11. Do not be tempted! Balanced natural diets advise you not to give up foods that you love because that will make you lust and eventually will fail. And this is true. Nevertheless, make an effort to stay away from junk food. It is not so hard, just do it!

Follow these simple steps and you will see how easy it can be!
For more information on Smart Diet, check out My Review of Isabel De Los Rios' "Diet Solution Program"
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The Four Key Elements of Smart Fitness

            Smart fitness training balances the four elements for a better state of health.
Make sure your fitness program includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching and strengthening exercises.
Whether you are a fitness beginner or an exercise fanatic, it is essential to have a well-established fitness program.
If you use these four elements of fitness training then you will definitely get a well-balanced routine:

1. Aerobic fitness
Aerobic exercises, also known as heart resistance activity represent the essence of most fitness programs. Aerobic exercises make you breathe faster and more deeply, therefore they will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood.
If you do the correct form of aerobic fitness, the heart, lungs and blood vessels will transport more efficiently the oxygen in the entire body.
Aerobic exercises include any physical activity that involves using multiple muscle groups and increase heart rate. Try to walk faster or do activities such as jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing and water aerobics at least thirty minutes every day.
            2. Muscular fitness
Muscular fitness is another key component of a smart fitness-training program. Muscular fitness workouts strengthen your bones and reshape your muscles properly. Other benefits include increases in connective tissue strength, anaerobic power, low-back health, and self-esteem.
These exercises will also help you maintain your muscle mass during a weight loss program.
Note that you don’t have to spend a lot of money for subscriptions or other expensive equipment to obtain these benefits. Bodyweight matters a lot, so try to do pushups, crunches and squats. I am a follower of home fitness training because it works great.
            3. Stretching
Most aerobic activities can cause you painful muscle contractures. To avoid this problem during your fitness routine, it is very important to stretch your muscles.
Do not stretch until you have at least warmed up thoroughly. Walking at a faster rate or running at low intensity for 5-10 minutes will do the trick. Stretching at the end of your workout is also highly recommended.
Keep in mind that if you do not exercise regularly, you need to do stretching at least three times a week to maintain your flexibility.
            4. Strengthening exercises
Abdominal, back and pelvis muscles (known as core muscles) have a protective role of the upper back and maintain the connection between the upper and lower body movements.
Strengthening exercises will help you develop the muscles that are needed to block the spine when you do your fitness routine. These exercises will allow you to use upper and lower body muscles more efficiently.

So, if you want to be strong, flexible and in excellent physical shape, you must include the four elements mentioned above, in your fitness program.
            Keep in mind that smart fitness plus smart diet equals smart people.
            Craig Ballantyne's "Turbulence Training" is one complete fitness program that delivers on its promises. I use this amazing workout on a daily basis and you should try it, too.



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May 9, 2011

How to revitalize an overtrained body

            Is your body feeling broken down or beat up? You are about to receive a workout routine that is designed to reconstruct the perfect body, while burning adipose tissue and sculpting muscle.
We will initiate with a few bodyweight exercises, the 1st one representing the pull-ups. Initiate from a dead hang position, taking an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Pull yourself up and then slowly lower yourself down in a nicely controlled manner.
If you can not do Pull-ups, then an alternative exercise would be the Dumbbell Row. So, for a regular Dumbbell Row, put your leading hand flat on a bench with your back knee bent and the DB held at arm's length. Now, row the Dumbbell Row up while keeping your back flat. After doing all the reps for one side, switch and do the same for the other.
The following exercise is one I have never had you do before in the Turbulence Training programs and that is the SHELC otherwise called the Supine Hip Extension Leg Curl exercise. So, lie on your back and place your feet on the ball hips extended. Now, push the ball out and then curl it in, and then drop down. Repeat the action - extend the hips, push the ball out, curl in, drop down. Make sure not to drop your hips while doing the leg curl as that is the biggest error people frequently do during the leg curl exercise.
For the second superset of Workout A you will initiate by going down to the ground and executing regular Push-ups coupled with DB Split Squats. In this routine you will see "Max2" in place of the reps. What that means is you will execute 2 less than failure. For instance, if you are able to usually do thirty push-ups, then you will only do twenty-eight. This will ensure you don't compromise your form.
So, for the regular push-up position, your hands are slightly wider than shoulder width apart, body in a straight line, abs braced, and bring your chest down, pause for one second, then back up. The pause down at the bottom will most probable cut some reps off your maximum.
For the Split Squat exercise, if you are a novice then using only your bodyweight is sufficient enough. Begin by taking a slightly larger than normal step, drop your hips straight down, then drive back up. Execute all reps for one side then switch over to the other side.
For the concluding superset of Workout A  you will pair Inverted Rows with Mountain Climbers. If you do not have a bar for the inverted rows, then you will do Dumbbell Row Rear Deltoid Raises. So, for the Inverted Row, take an overhand grip on the bar and row your chest up, concentrating on driving the elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do work as hard as you can to be sure most of the stress is in the upper back by trying not to pull with your arms. Therefore squeeze those shoulder blades together and tuck those elbows in.
For the Dumbbell Row Rear Deltoid Raise you will only need a light weight to really feel it in your shoulders. Get your hips back, make sure your lower back is flat, keep your dumbbells at arm's length, and then bring your arms up, really squeezing at the top and then back down.
With the mountain climber, you will assume the push-up position, hands just under your shoulders, with your body in a straight line and your abs braced. Bring your knee up and then out, switching sides.
It is very easy! You should also include some interval training along with some stretching following your reconstruction strength training routine to really ramp up the fat loss.
Discover the best fitness workout to rebuild your body, burn fat, and build ripped six pack abs in less workout time than ever before.
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Best Push-up Exercises for Home Gym Workouts

            You are about to discover five unique push ups that will not only permit you to integrate bodyweight training into your workouts, but will also give you the flexibility to do them at home, while traveling, or at the gym.
The greatest thing about these training exercises is that they not only train your chest and your abs, but they will also improve the shoulder mobility. Therefore, if you are sitting at a desk all day long, risks are you are immobile in the shoulder area.
By doing these push ups you will produce extra movement in the shoulder blade region, as well as relief from neck and rotator cuff pain.
So the five push up exercises I will tell you about are: spiderman, grasshopper, push up plus, T push up, and the elevated push up.
1. For the spiderman push up, you will want to be in the regular push up position. As you go down, bring your knee up to your elbow, and returning your knee back to its original position on your way back up. Switch sides.
2. When doing the grasshopper, as you descend, your leg will come across your body, and return to its original position as you push up. Switch sides.
3. For the push up plus, place your hands in a more narrow grip than you would with a regular push up. Go down as normal, and then when you push up, once at the top give a little extra push and feel the stretch in your shoulder blades. Therefore, the blades will come together on the way down and then apart at the top, helping to improve your mobility.
4. In the T push up position, you will go down, as you push up, rotate outwards into a T position, and then back down again. Switch sides.
5. The last variation of the push up is the elevated push up. To execute this you will need a step, a block, or anything that will permit you to elevate 4-6 inches. Do a regular push up with one hand elevated. This exercise will work the finger-like muscles that come across the front of the torso.
So those are the five unique push ups that you can do anyplace, anytime in your home gym workouts to transform your body.
Discover bodyweight exercise workouts and do more push-ups while losing belly fat and building ripped six pack abs in less workout time than ever before.
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May 8, 2011

How to increase your motivation

            Here are a few ways I apply to force myself to get started and begin making positive change. I promise that they'll be of use to you also.

1. Stop Wishing on a Star
I still catch myself doing this occasionally. Wishing upon a star to grant me all my wishes. I figure if I'm good enough, or patient enough, that genie will come along and grant me the 3 wishes. Naturally, this isn't going to happen, and life isn't a movie. The greatest power we will ever feel is that moment when we become entirely self-responsible for everything in our lives. It's empowering to acknowledge that regardless what, the outcome of our goals relies absolutely on ourselves.
2. Taking Control
Lack of motivation commonly emerges when we don't have control, do not agree with the direction or formula of reaching a particular goal.  So, how do we improve our motivation?  Increase our level of control over whatever situation.  That may mean suggesting alternate directions, ways or modifying our situation totally.
3. Take Responsibility
Nothing can bring you success but yourself. You are the creator of your life. The experiences you have are simply a representation of your perspective. Change your perspective and focus on the good things in bad situations. Become an inverse paranoid. See the world as working to help you rather than against you. You are the only one responsible for the way you're living today, either except it or don't. Either way you decided.
4. Success Demands Action
            When I am feeling down and out, action is the only thing that gets me back in the game. I spend a moment to recenter and quite all the disturbance of life. I literally close my eyes and delete all the damaging thoughts and emotions. When I reopen my eyes, I see the world in afresh-invigorated light. From that moment forward, I simply just begin moving. I take whatever steps I can and continue to move forward till I build the needed impulse to achieve whatsoever goal is at hand.
5. Do Smart Fitness
            Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training has been a personal antidote of mine to fight lack of energy and motivation. His smart fitness has helped me get a physically fit body, enhanced energy, and self-confidence. There's nothing like it! The sense of achievement you get from doing so will stay with you and push you when attempting to achieve additional goals. And don’t forget to eat tasty, but healthy foods!
6. Self Improvement Study
            Nothing has been more fundamental in changing my life than the study of self-improvement. I spend at least half-hour each day reading some sort of self-improvement or personal development book. This has been an integral step of mine to produce a clear, focused, and positive psychological state.
7. What Are You Grateful For
            Being in a state of gratitude is one of the greatest pickups you will be able to use. Just the fact that you have the capability to read this is something to be thankful for. When you stop focusing on all those limiting elements, and start thinking about everything you do have instead of don't, you will find yourself in a more resourceful state. I achieve this best by making a Gratitude List. I do this by sitting down with a pad of paper and a pencil and writing down everything I'm grateful for. This is a great way to gain a much-needed linear perspective in tough times.
8. Ask a Friend
            When I am feeling iffy about something and I am not quite sure enough how I'm doing or if I'm putting forth plenty effort, I frequently rely on my closest friends for criticism. As long as your friends are a good support system and are willing to level with you and tell you the truth, I highly recommend this method. A close friend’s point of view of yourself or what you are doing is almost all of the time enough to push someone into taking action.
9. Get Your House in Order
Our home life and personal relationships form our foundation. When there is stress or drama in these areas, it affects the rest of our life. Sort out your relationships, be sure that they are in good order and you will discover it much easier to increase your motivation.
10. Increase Motivation by Abandoning Failed Plans
We are creatures of habit. We fall back into them because they are comfy and familiar, even if they are bad for us! If something has failed for you in the past, change it up. It's amazing how many folks repeat this mistake in trying to increase motivation.
11. Accept Your Mistakes
We are all human. It's natural for us to make mistakes. Accept what you've done wrong and commit to doing better next time. Mistakes are not failures. Mistakes only become failures when you don't learn from them and move on!
12. Become An Early Riser
Waking up early comes with many benefits. I enjoy watching the sunrise and having a nice warm cup of coffee. Having a well planned out and slow paced morning helps me start the day right. I am somewhat of a work-a-holic at heart. Waking up early and taking planned steps helps me start my day out right!
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How Not to Quit?

Sometimes we give up before we even begin, and other times we quit just before we are about to have a major breakthrough that we have been working so hard to accomplish.
I hope this inspires you and drives you to continue to move forward!

1. If You Are Reading This, Anything Is Possible For You
As long as you are still alive whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish. You have the option to keep on keeping on. Understand that regardless what the situation, if you give up, it was your option.
2. You Are Strong
You are stronger than you believe you are. No amounts of barriers are strong enough to stop you from reaching your goals. Find ways to go around them, over them, or even directly through them if need be!
3. Believe In Yourself
Stop selling yourself short. You are a highly capable person. In life, there will be a lot of people who prove and pull you down, and make you outguess your aspirations. Don't let them pull you down, the truth is they just want you on the same level as they are.
4. Friends and Family
Your friends and family would like to see you win. They would like to see you happy. If not for yourself at least push yourself to succeed for them.
5. It Could Always Be Worse
Regardless what situations you are in, it could always be worse. Be thankful for what you possess, and do not worry about what you do not. You will soon enough complete all your aspirations and dreams, but concentrate on what you are able to do to reach them instead of what limits you.
6. You Deserve To Be Happy
Everybody deserves to be happy, including you! A little bit of suffering and sacrifice now, will be worth it in the end. Never give up on yourself and goals. Before you know what hits you, you will be successful.
7. Inspire Others
You are a very special and unique person. You will have your own success story, regardless what your hardships may be. When you achieve your dreams and goals, you will be an inspiration for other people who are in similar situations.
8. Improve The World
With your success, you will be capable to improve the world and give back more than ever before.
9. Prove You Can Do It
Never quit so you can demonstrate to yourself, friends, family, and the world that it is possible!  A lot of people lack faith in themselves; give them a reason to believe that they are capable of accomplishing their goals.
10. You Are Closer Than You Think
"Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one when success is almost within reach." - Napoleon Hill Quotes
11. Never Give Up! At The Very Least, Because I said So! Your Future Success Is Worth It!
Whether or not you value my advice, I hope you continue to fight the good fight and move towards achieving your dreams. My goal is to motivate and inspire others to create the lives of their dreams. Ultimately, there is only so much I can do, Your Success Is Up To You!
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May 3, 2011

The Number One Beginner Mistake

Most beginners, me included, tend to make one big mistake when they start trying to lose fat.
And the Number One Mistake is, "Doing too much, too soon."
It doesn't matter if it is walking, jogging, hill sprints, or pushups, if a beginner starts with too much of the same thing too soon, they will get an overuse injury (and they will get bored).
            You see, 15 months ago, I was an overweight, non-exerciser. I tried to walk myself back into shape and I did 6-7 days per week of hour-long walks, and ended up with ankle problems, tight calves, and back problems.
Beginners are much better off starting with a program that progresses them properly.
So here are 3 beginner workout tips for you:
1. Do a short total body resistance-training workout.
This is much MORE important than trying to out-cardio your belly fat. Not only will you burn a lot of calories, but you'll also build your body up to prepare it for real workouts in the future. Too much cardio only breaks your body down and causes early onset injuries in a beginner's exercise program.
2. Do NOT train 5 days per week.
The more the better, right? …Wrong. Sorry…
Stick to 3 short, total body workouts per week. Stay active on your off days, but keep it to 30 minutes of general exercise and mobility.
Even yoga and Pilates are fine, as long as you have a good teacher who respects your abilities.
After all, even 30 minutes of light exercise is still 30 minutes more than what you were probably doing in the past. Focus on your diet, because that is what will help you lose the most fat when you are a beginner.
3. Choose the right exercises and Do NOT train "old-school" style.
No need for heavy bench presses, heavy leg presses, leg extensions, or one-size-fits-all weight machines. Those are not needed, and will probably do more harm than good right now.
And skip the sit-ups, side bends, endless crunches, and all those useless "old school" abs training methods. Those are no good for you.
The better way to train your "core" (or your "torso", as I prefer to call it), is with Total Torso Training.
Avoid the Number One Beginner Mistake, and use those three tips to choose the right program to get results.
But if you want to have long lasting and much faster results, I strongly recommend you the smart fitness program that changed my life !
It is called “Turbulence Training”, by CraigBallantyne - world-renowned nutritionist and CSCS expert (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist). He has fitness articles featured in publications like Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Fitness Hers, Muscle and Oxygen.
Start your“Turbulence Training” today! And Stay Strong!
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Wake-up Call Questions

            Every morning I review my secret, sacred "guiding documents" that keep me on track to doing what I love, helping others, and of course, building a lean muscular physique and increasing my vitality and health.
And today just happened to be the day that I was to review this question from my quotations document: “Is the life you're living worth what you are giving up to have it?”
You may have heard this question in church, at a personal development seminar, or even just from a respected elder. But it could be one of the most powerful questions anyone will ever ask you.
Are working too much for too little? Sacrificing time with your family just to make a few extra bucks to buy things you do not need?
Are you sacrificing your long-term health and vitality in exchange for the rush and recklessness of cigarettes & alcohol?
Are you giving in to junk food, which causes belly fat and leads to you being discriminated against at work?
Are you skipping workouts to watch TV or sit at the bar, leaving you without the lean mass you desire?
So many questions...and I am not done yet. And yes… I realize that you probably want me to shut up and stop challenging you.
But I DO mean to bug you!
Once you have answered that question, answer these:
Are you doing what you want in life?
Are you living the personal life that you want?
Are you doing enough of the little things that make you happy?
Are you spending enough time with the people that make you happy?
Are you making the best use of the limited time you have?
Now I know that some folks will answer a resounding "YES!" to all of these, and I am super proud of you and happy for you.
But for others, answering these questions might be like getting a bucket of icey cold water to the face.
These questions are a wake-up call.
But there's light at the end of the tunnel.
So here is the most important question to ask yourself...this is THE LIFE-CHANGING question...
If things are not going great, what is at least one thing you can do to start making a change right now, today?
You do not have to tell me (but if you want to comment, I would like to hear from you and maybe even help guide you to a solution).
But most importantly, just tell yourself, and then get started on making the change. That's how you get things done.
Remember what I said earlier today...research shows that the biggest regret people have in life is not something they did, but something they DID NOT do.
And I don't want you to go through life regretting that you never did this or that, because "living a life of regret SUCKS".
If you have regrets right now, you need to change. And yes, it will require you getting outside of your comfort zone, but that is what life is all about. That is how we live the life worth living. Yes?
If you want to find your mission in life, to build the lean mass you want and deserve, to find the MATE you desire, and yes, to even earn the money you deserve, then I highly recommend you take action and start making a change today.
It's not "just" about workouts. It is about working on every part of YOU so that you live the life you have always wanted to live.
I INVITE YOU TO START A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TODAY, SO YOU CAN ENJOY THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE.
            If you want to change, Start TakingAction Now!
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