by | Jan 29, 2015 | Fitness |
By understanding your body type, you can customize a workout program to be more effective than an “out of the box” workout program. Customizing a workout program based on your body type is surprisingly easy. Before you start developing a workout program you have to identify your body type (also called somatotype). There are three basics somatotypes; mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph. A mesomorphic body is ideal. They are the individuals who are athletic with a strong frame that can easily gain muscle while remaining quite lean. Ectomorphs are those with thin delicate frames that have a hard time gaining weight, have a fast metabolism and very lean muscle definition. Lastly, endomorphs are the heavier individuals that have a round shape who find it difficult to burn fat but can gain muscle mass easily.
JT getting ready to workout!
Mesomorphs
If you are a mesomorph, lucky you! Since you can gain muscle mass fast your program has to include cardiovascular exercise to keep your body lean. Twenty five to thirty minutes of cardio 3 times a week is recommended. As for training, stay within 8-12 reps for each set with a 1 minute rest in between. Make sure to include a variety of exercises to continue to challenge your body, maintain muscle and improve strength as well as endurance.
Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs have to customize their fitness program to work against their natural thinness. To do so select short and intense exercises that target major muscle groups like the biceps, triceps, abdominals and hamstrings. This type of workout will help with muscle development. When doing any sort of weight or resistance training, train heavier and keep your repetitions within the 5-10 range. As for cardio, keep it to a minimum since burning fat is not needed. As for rest periods, 2 minute rests between sets are suggested. Since you will be doing more intense exercise you need additional time to recover.
Endomorphs
Endomorphs on the other hand have to embrace cardio in order to burn fat and maintain a good body fat percentage. Do cardio as much as you can and be sure to change it up. Try swimming, running, HIIT, cycling and any other form of cardiovascular exercise that interests you. Aside from that you do need weight and resistance training. It is highly recommended that you do compound lifts and stick with 8-15 repetitions per set with 30 second of rest. Challenging major muscle groups will speed up your metabolism to help keep the excess body fat off.
This article was authored by Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 bodyweight fitness cards and the all new HIIT the Game.
by | Dec 23, 2014 | Fitness |
High Heel Shoes!
Okay, Ladies admit it.
We have a love / hate relationship with our high-heel shoes. We love to wear them because they look hot and they make us look leaner and taller!
But, we hate the pain that we feel by the end of the day, or depending on the shoe, at the end of the hour.
What is it that makes high-heel shoes such an an painful choice?
Dr. Scott A. Foote, a Nashville chiropractor, breaks down the body mechanics of wearing high heels. Dr. Foote, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Wellness and a Doctorate in Chiropractic (D.C.) from Parker Chiropractic College in Dallas, TX, states that “wearing high heels is like continuously walking downhill. It pushes your metatarsal bones down and holds your heel up. This causes a problem.”
Dr. Scott A. Foote, Chiropractor for the Vanderbilt University Football team
Dr. Foote, a native of Hattiesburg, MS, said that “our body compensates while wearing heels. Since you are basically walking on our toes, about 90% of our body weight are on our metatarsal bones. Our heel or calcaneus bone is held high, shorting our Achilles’ tendon. Doing this shortens our calf muscle, potentially causing a deformation in that muscle. To compensate for being on our toes, our knees also are pushed forward and internally rotated causing pain on the inside of the knee.”
www.WebMD.com
“While the knees are rolled forward we push our glutes and back out, putting an increase of curvature in the low back which causes the most common medical condition in the world: low back pain. However, it doesn’t stop there. When we push our glutes out, it causes our chest to push out, much like a rooster. To compensate for this move, we tend to hold our neck back, having a constant stretch on your trapezius, SCM and spinal muscles of the neck. This causes tension that relates to headaches and migraines. Who would have thought that wearing high heels could effect so many different areas of the body.”
Will knowing this information stop women from wearing high heels?
Probably not!
Dr. Foote, with his experience as a sports chiropractic and having worked with the COLDEPORTES Olympic team in Bogota, Colombia, offers these tips before slipping those heels on:
“1. Choose sensible heels!
2. Wear heels on days that you do not have to walk around a lot.
3. Make sure you have soft insoles.
4. Stretch before and after wearing heels. If you insist on wearing heels (which I completely understand), these tips should help out you.”
Maybe knowing and being equipped with this information will mean only a love/ love relationship with our high-heels.
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by | Dec 7, 2014 | Fitness |
Scientific studies are being conducted on thousands of items of food that we consume every day. Some of these studies show how these once deemed unhealthy foods are not as detrimental to your health as initially thought. Below are just a few examples of what was once considered an unhealthy food item is now being hailed by science as healthy.
Eggs
Eggs were once considered a dietary taboo and thought to clog arteries, which could lead to heart attacks or strokes. However, new research give individuals the green light to consume eggs on a daily basis, some are even calling eggs a superfood. One egg contains healthy amounts of unsaturated fats, high-quality protein and 13 essential minerals and vitamins for only 75 calories. Although the yolk contains 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, consuming one whole egg several times per week is acceptable as long as other foods high in cholesterol are limited.
Pork
Pork has long been demonized as a fatty, unhealthy, poor choice of food. However, if you are familiar with the right cuts such as boneless loin chops, tenderloin and center cut bacon, pork is superior to chicken as a source of complete protein. On lean, well trimmed cuts, a pork tenderloin is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast. Pork cuts taken from the loin such as pork roast or pork chops are lower in fat and calories than a skinless chicken thigh. Aside from its low fat and calorie content, pork is also a good source of thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B6.
Coffee
You may have heard that drinking this caffeinated beverage is bad for your health, although new scientific research states differently. Of course, consuming too much caffeine can cause insomnia and jitteriness, but scientists have discovered that drinking coffee on a regular basis can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer and even headaches. One study in particular shows that individuals who drink 2 cups of coffee per day have a 20% fewer risk of developing colon cancer than individuals who drink none. Although more research is needed, many health experts believe that coffee’s health benefits outweigh its negatives.
Potatoes
When the low-carb diet craze hit the public, potatoes were cast to the wayside. However, when prepared properly, potatoes are a versatile, nutritious and inexpensive food that should have a place in your diet. One medium skin-on potato contains only 160 calories and is high in fiber and potassium. Potatoes should be enjoyed on a constant basis when they are roasted, baked or mashed. When enjoying potatoes, be aware of adding fatty toppings such as shredded cheese, butter and sour cream, which can add hundreds of calories and unnecessary fat.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate lovers rejoice! Studies have shown that dark chocolate contains potent antioxidants known as flavonoids similar to those found in fruits, vegetables, red wine and tea. Consuming a small amount of pure dark chocolate on a daily basis can help improve the flow of blood through vessels and capillaries in older adults, and may help improve insulin sensitivity.
Remember that no matter how healthy a food, consuming everything in moderation is key to healthy results. All of the above foods provide you with important nutrients and vitamins, but you can have too much of a good thing. Following a sound nutrition plan that is well- balanced in proteins, carbohydrates and fats can help you achieve and maintain optimal health.
This article was written by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 exercise cards, a unique way to transform bodyweight exercises into a fun and competitive workout.
by | Oct 24, 2014 | Fitness |
Fasting and Dieting
Less is more, right? Yes, if you’re talking about miles per hour when you get pulled over for speeding, but not in the realm of eating. Whether you’re a celebrity-diet fan or experienced a night of too much booze and Burger King, chances are you’ve heard of the term fasting. Fasting may seem appealing when you’re in a crunch or trying to undo some serious damage, but think twice before you consider it.
Here’s what happens to your body when you skip a meal (yes, just a meal!):
Digestion Disruption: Our bodies are used to having food to digest. When you stop eating for a day or a meal, your body’s digestive system gets thrown off. If you aren’t eating, your body has nothing to digest. Help your stomach do its job- eat regularly!
Cortisol Chaos: By eating throughout the day, you can help keep your blood sugar in check. Skipping meals releases cortisol. Increased cortisol is closely tied to increased abdominal fat.
Mental imbalance: Humans need food to survive, that’s not rocket science. When you skip meals, you can slip into a thought process where you convince yourself you don’t need food. Slippery-sloping into a thought process where food becomes a guilt-trip is a big no-no.
Onset of Overeating: Ever skip breakfast and then realize it’s halfway through the afternoon and you have yet to eat? What likely happens as a result? A huge dinner! Our bodies function best when fed in reasonably moderate amounts at spaced intervals. So slamming a huge dinner not only confuses your body but will likely result in an overconsumption of calories.
Fat Foraging: When we skip meals or don’t eat, our bodies go into “freak-out-mode”, aka starvation. Our bodies start to think we won’t be getting food. As a result, your metabolic rate is reduced for the time being.
If these are the repercussions of just skipping meals, imagine the scale of consequences when applying this to a day-after-day fast. The key to lasting weight loss results is investment of time and effort. Fasting may lead to temporary weight loss, but can result in long term damage. Stick to the old-fashioned hard work and healthy eating and you and your body will be much happier.
This article was authored by Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 bodyweight exercise cards and the all new Weight Loss Stack 52, the most fun and unique way to lose weight. Now in Australia!
by | Oct 21, 2014 | Fitness |
If you have ever stepped into a gym, most like you’ve used the old school method of 3 sets with 10 reps to try and build muscle. Then, 90% of you won’t return after a month because you don’t see any gains. Of course not! Think about what you’re doing. In order for a muscle to increase in size you have to first break it down. You’re not going to accomplish that will 3 measly sets of a weight you can lift 10 times.
JT training with weights!
If you really want to build muscle, try the method fitness coach Chad Waterbury advocates in his book Huge in a Hurry. At first I was skeptical to try this method I am about to describe, but now I am a true believer.
If you want to accelerate your muscle growth, try this method. First pick an exercise you want to do, then find a weight that you can lift 6 times. This step is often the cause of mistakes. Most bodybuilders at this point will pick a weight they can lift 10 times and use this as the weight they can lift 6 times. I want you to truly pick a weight that you can lift only 6 times, and you should be struggling on that sixth rep. Once you have determined that weight, your first set is to lift it 6 times. Rest for 30 seconds and then repeat with that same weight for your second set. Don’t worry; you probably won’t lift that weight 6 times your second set, in fact, if you do, you didn’t choose a heavy enough weight. Continue to bang out sets with that same weight until you reach a total of 30 reps.
You should do only one exercise per muscle group and don’t overtrain. This doesn’t have to be your whole workout, but after you complete 30 reps, try not to do any more exercises with that muscle group for a few days
This article was authored by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards. Now available in Australia.
by | Oct 12, 2014 | Fitness |
So many people would love to lose body fat. Whether the goal is to burn fat to allow muscles to shine through or you are looking to lose pounds, the key to doing so is cardiovascular exercise. Cardio gets your heart rate up and burns calories unlike any other type of exercise. Although there are many calorie burning exercises out there, you want to do the ones that yield the best results. Here are the top five exercises that burn the most calories.
Cycling
Cycling is a huge calorie burner. It is basically the ultimate cardiovascular workout. Something as simple as an hour bike ride can burn an impressive 850 calories for women and 900 calories for https://bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpmen. In order to make the most out of this workout try your best to remain at a maximum intensity.
Aerobics
Aerobics is not only an effective way to tone and tighten the body but it is a huge calorie burner. When you are just starting out learning the moves is a bit challenging but the challenging the better. When you get the hang of it you will not only be working your muscles but burning as much as 700 calories. Do not hesitate, sign up for a class at a nearby gym and see your body transform.
Zumba
If you like to dance and want to burn fat Zumba is perfect. The classes are so fun and are very high energy. After you learn a few moves you will have such a good time that you will forget that you are working out. An hour of Zumba can burn anywhere from 400 to 750 calories.
Zumba
Swimming
Swimming is a wonderful exercise to integrate into your routine. If you have a pool you are set. For those who do not, get a membership at a gym that does. Aside from being able to burn an ample amount of calories, about 840 for men and 720 for women, swimming is truly enjoyable. Another advantage of swimming is that you get to remain cool and sweat free during the duration of your workout.
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope can burn an astounding 750 to 850 calories. This calorie burning exercise is a great option for those with kids. You can spend time playing outside with your children while becoming more fit at the same time. Jumping rope will help you drop the pounds and achieve the body you want.
Jumping Rope
This article was authored by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards. Now available in Australia.
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