Exercises: The Saxon Side Bend

Exercises: The Saxon Side Bend

Some strength coaches call this the most effective exercise you can do to strengthen the core muscles.

To perform it, simply hold two light dumbbells overhead with your feet spread about 18 inches apart.

Now bend slowly to one side, come back up and bend to the other side.
You'll immediately know why we recommend light dumbbells!

Keep the torso tight and the dumbbells held the same distance apart throughout the movement. Do about six reps per side.

Exercises: The Overhead Squat

Exercises: The Overhead Squat

The overhead squat is another total bodyfat incinerator that will improve balance, speed, flexibility, and power.

Simply perform a squat with the bar held at arm's length over your head or dumbells.
Take a wide grip on the bar (hands outside the rings) and with your back arched and chest out, squat down slowly by pushing your hips back.
Go rock bottom on this one if you can!

Start light and add weight as you get accustomed to the movement.

Your Ultimate Dumbbell Program

Your Ultimate Dumbbell Program

If you want to transform your body using nothing but dumbbells and your bodyweight, then this is your ultimate guide for getting the body transformation results you want.

The following information and workouts is going to take your dumbbell bodybuilding to the next level. However, before we get into the workouts, there are a few points you must first understand. This will allow you to get the most from your dumbbell bodybuilding workouts.

First, the following dumbbell bodybuilding workouts will be total body. Now I know that this seems completely opposite of what every bodybuilding magazine and website says to do, but there is a reason why you should be using total body workouts. In the old days of bodybuilding, before steroid use was the norm, the best bodybuilders who built their physiques naturally relied entirely on total body workouts.

Some of the best natural physiques of all time were built with total body workouts. So, why would someone who is going to train without the use of steroids follow popular workouts from individuals who take steroids? They shouldn't!

Trust me on this: put 100 percent into your total body workouts, and after a couple of months you will be very pleased with the results.

Second, you will be using different repetition ranges. Even though 8-12 repetitions is the classic range to train in, there are great benefits to using heavier weight and training with lower repetitions in the 3-7 rep range. Because both are beneficial, you should use them both.

Third, make sure you train with intensity. Now I'm not talking about the "percentage of your one repetition maximum" (%1RM) intensity. Instead I am referring to how hard you push yourself on every set of every exercise. Make sure you use a challenging weight that allows you to complete the specified number of repetitions and no more. Your last rep should be hard to complete, but your form should look perfect. Other than the speed slowing down on the last couple of reps, your form should look exactly the same as your first repetition.

You won't get great results if you stop a set when you could have completed two or more repetitions. You absolutely must challenge yourself if you want to transform your body.

Okay, now that you have the necessary background information, it's time to get into the dumbbell bodybuilding workouts.

Dumbbell Bodybuilding Workout #1

1) Dumbbell Squat - 2 x 10 - 12

2) One Leg Romanian Deadlift - 2 x 10 -12 each leg

3a) Dumbbell Row with Palms Down Grip - 2 x 10 - 12 each side

3b) One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press - 2 x 10 - 12 each side

4a) Dumbbell Overhead Press with Neutral Grip - 2 x 10 - 12

4b) Standing One Leg Calf Raise - 2 x 8 - 12 each side

5a) Dumbbell Hammer Curl - 2 x 8 - 12

5b) Behind the Head One Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extensions - 2 x 10 - 12 each side

6a) Reverse Crunches - 2 x 10 - 20

6b) Plank 2 x as long as possible

Dumbbell Bodybuilding Workout #2

1) Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat - 3 x 6 - 8 each side

2) Dumbbell Step Up - 3 x 6 - 8 each side

3a) One Arm Dumbbell Push Press - 3 x 6 - 8 each side

3b) Chin-up or Dumbbell Renegade Row - 3 x 6 - 8

4a) Incline Dumbbell Bench Press - 3 x 6 - 8

4b) Incline Dumbbell Row with Neutral Grip - 3 x 8 - 10

5a) Dumbbell Curl - 2 x 8 - 12

5b) Lying Dumbbell Extension - 2 x 8 - 12

6a) Ab Wheel Rollout or Inch Worm - 2 x 10 - 15

6b) Side Plank - 2 x as long as possible

While you want to make sure you are fresh for every set, you don't want to take very long rest periods. Try to keep your pace up throughout the workout, and make sure you push hard and every single set.

Alternate between the two workouts. For example, on Monday you can perform Workout 1, on Wednesday do Workout 2, and then finish the week with Workout 1 again on Friday. The next week you would start with Workout 2 on Monday.

The ultimate way to get the best results in the least amount of time is to push yourself every workout. Make sure you use a challenging weight, and the next time you repeat a workout you have to do more reps with the same weight, or increase the weight you use.

Blow torch fat off your body in minimum time!

Blow torch fat off your body in minimum time!

You are about to get some of the most effective cardio at home workouts that are going to blow torch fat off your body in minimum time. In addition to losing fat at a record pace, these cardio at home workouts will allow you to spend less time exercising while getting better results than traditional cardio workouts that take at least twice as long to complete. And one more thing: you don't need a single piece of equipment. You will be using nothing but the best tool you already have - your bodyweight.

Before we get into the sample cardio at home workouts, we must first go over a few important principles so you understand exactly why these workouts are designed the way they are.

First off all, for the cardio workouts you will be performing bodyweight circuits. All this means is that you will be performing bodyweight exercises back to back with little to no rest between them. It has been proven by both research and real world examples that bodyweight circuits are more effective for burning fat than tradtional cardio methods. This means you will get more results in less time.

In addition to taking less time, the bodyweight circuits will not only cause you to burn off fat, but you will build lean muscle as well. That is something traditional cardio just can't do. Building lean muscle will elevate your metabolism and also allow you to develop a lean, athletic looking physique.

Second, you will be using compound exercises. These exercises will require you to use a lot of muscle mass at one time to perform a repetition. This, once again, will cause you to burn more calories during the workout itself, but you will keep burning calories for up to 36 hours after the workout is completed.

Okay, now that you have the necessary information about the cardio workouts, it's time to get right into them.

Cardio Workout #1


Advanced Burpees x 10 - 15
Inverted Rows with Palms up Grip x 10 - 15
One Leg Romanian Deadlift x 10 - 15 each leg
Close Grip Push ups x 10 - 15
Plank x 30 seconds
Jumping Jacks x 50 - 70

Go through that circuit performing each exercise right after the other. Your level of advancement will determine how many reps you perform for each exercise. The more advanced you are, the more reps you will perform for each exercise.

Instead of completing a specified number of circuits, you will complete as many circuits as possible in a set period of time. Example: 15-25 minutes. That may not seem like a long time, but I promise you that after 5 minutes into that workout, you will be a believer in the effectiveness of bodyweight circuits.

Cardio Workout #2


Squat Thrusts x 20 - 30
Door Pull ups x as many as possible (use a chair for assistance if you can't perform these on your own)
Handstand Push ups x 10 - 15 (put your feet on a chair to make this easier)
Bulgarian Split Squat x 10 -15 each leg
Reverse Crunches x 15 - 20
Squat Jumps x 10 - 15

Once again, perform the exercises one right after the other, and complete as many circuits as possible in 15-25 minutes.

Cardio Workout #3


Advanced Burpees

Yes, this workout requires only a single exercise, but it is a lot tougher than it looks. You can go about this workout one of two ways. First, complete as many advanced burpees as possible in a set period of time (i.e. 15 minutes), or complete a specified number of advanced burpees as fast as possible (i.e. 50 advanced burpees).

Those three cardio at home workouts are a guaranteed way to take your fat loss and body transformation goals to an entirely different level. You can perform three workouts per week on non-consecutive days alternating between the three.

To make sure you keep getting great results, make sure you improve your performance every workout. That means you should either complete more circuits in the same period of time, increase the number of reps performed for each exercise, or increase the duration of the circuits. This is imperative if you want to continue getting great results.

Dumbell Workouts For Rapid Fat Loss

Dumbell Workouts For Rapid Fat Loss

What would you say if I told you it was possible to lose fat at a rapid rate using only dumbbells and your body weight, all while spending less time working out?

Despite what you may think or have been told from magazines and websites, you can transform your body at a rapid rate and actually work out less.

The reason most people can't achieve rapid fat loss is because they don't work out properly. So, if you want to get the best results possible in the least amount of time and only use dumbbells and your bodyweight, you absolutely must follow a few simple, but highly effective, training tips. After you read the tips, you will get some sample dumbbell workouts that will produce rapid fat loss results.

Tip One for Rapid Fat Loss

Center your workouts around the best dumbbell and bodyweight exercises. This may seem like common sense, but most people do not use the best exercises. Most people only focus on isolation exercises to target "trouble spots" or areas that they think require special attention. For instance, when people want to trim and tone their stomach, they think the best exercise choices are crunches and other movements.

Well, if you want rapid fat loss, then those are not your best options. I know that sounds backwards, but I promise that those are not the best exercises to help you achieve your goals.

The best exercises for rapid fat loss (and to lose belly fat) are compound exercises that recruit the greatest amount of muscle mass at one time. Not only will these exercises allow you to burn a lot of calories while you work out, but you will elevate your fat burning metabolism for hours even after the workout is finished. That is the ultimate way to losing fat at a rapid pace.

Tip Two for Rapid Fat Loss

Use both high repetitions and low repetitions with your workouts. Most people think high repetitions with low weight is the best way to achieve fast fat loss once. Once again, this assumption is incorrect. To get the best results possible in the least amount of time, you absolutely must use lower repetitions (5-10 reps) with heavier weights and higher repetitions (11-20 reps) with lighter weight. Both ranges have their own benefits, and therefore you are better off using them both instead of just one.

Tip Three for Rapid Fat Loss

Use circuits to get more results in less time. Most people go about circuit training all wrong. They, once again, use the wrong exercises and train exclusively with high repetitions. If you use big, compound dumbbell and bodyweight exercises and perform them in circuit fashion, you will be well on your way to transforming your body in minimal time.

Rapid Fat Loss Dumbbell Workout 1

Repetitions: 6

Duration: 20-25 minutes


Lateral Dumbbell Step-ups
One Arm Dumbbell Push-Press
Chin-ups or Dumbbell Renegade Row
Inch Worm

Perform the exercises back-to-back and only rest as needed, but try to keep it to a minimum. Instead of completing a specific number of sets, your goal is to complete as many circuits as possible in 20-25 minutes. The next time you repeat the workout, complete more circuits in the same period of time.

Rapid Fat Loss Dumbbell Workout 2

Repetitions: 12

Duration: 20-25 minutes


Dumbbell Walking or Crossover Lunges
Parallel Bar Dips or Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Row with Neutral Grip
Reverse Crunches or Stability Ball Rollouts

Once again, perform the exercises back-to-back and only rest as needed. Complete as many circuits as possible in 20-25 minutes.

A great way to use these workouts is to train three days per week on non-consecutive days, and rotate between the two workouts.
For instance, you can workout on Monday with Workout 1, use Workout 2 on Wednesday, and finish the week with Workout 1 again on Friday. They next week you would start with Workout 2, etc.

Exercise: Spiderman Pushup

Exercise: Spiderman Pushup

Spiderman Pushup:

Start in a pushup position. As you descend bring your left knee to your left elbow then bring straighten your left out as you go back up. Do 8 – 12 then switch to your right side.

Exercise: a lean, flat, and sexy stomach

Exercise: a lean, flat, and sexy stomach


Everyone wants a lean, flat, and sexy stomach. However, when it comes to an abs at home workout, most people go about acquired a flat sexy stomach all wrong.

If you want to get more results in less time and finally get the flat stomach you've always wanted, then you need to apply some simple information.

First of all, if you want a lean and flat stomach, then you absolutely must reduce the amount of stomach fat that you have. If you don't remove that fat, it doesn't matter how many ab exercises you do or how often. Without removing that layer of fat, you will never see your abs or get a flat stomach.

So your main priority needs to be on removing excess body fat, and to build lean muscle. Both of these goals with ensure that you get a flat stomach in minimal time.
For your at home workouts you need to apply a couple of simple, yet highly effective, tips in order to achieve your goals.
After I reveal these tips to you, you'll then get some at home workouts that will put you on the fast track to your goal of a flat stomach in minimal time.

As previously mentioned, you won't get a flat or defined stomach unless you remove the fat covering it. So the first important tip you must apply is: use the best bodyweight exercises. By far the best exercises are lunges, deadlifts, jumps, squats, push-ups, inverted rows, chin-ups, dips, and their many variations. You should also include exercises such as burpees, bear crawls, and sprints to your at home workout arsenal.

Those exercises will definitely allow you to burn off body fat while building lean, sexy muscle at the same time.

Second, you should perform your workouts in circuits. Using circuits allows you to complete your workouts in minimum time, but it also will cause you to burn a ton of calories and fat as well as boost your fat burning metabolism even after the workout is finished.
Now that you know how to get the results, it's time to get into the sample at home workouts.

Abs at Home Workout 1

Bulgarian Split Squats x 10-20 each leg
Spiderman Push-ups x 10
Inverted Row with Palms-up Grip x 10
Squat Jumps x 10

Perform each exercise back-to-back and complete as many circuits as possible in 15-25 minutes. After completion, rest for one to two minutes and then perform the following abdominal circuit.

Inch Worms x 10
Crunches with Twist x 10-15 each side
Scissor Kicks x 15-20 each side

Perform each exercise back-to-back with no rest in between. After you finish the circuit, rest for one minute and repeat the circuit one to two more times.

Abs at Home Workout 2

Burpees x 10-20
Handstand Push-ups or beginner version x as many as possible
Door Pull-ups x as many as possible
One Leg Romanian Deadlifts x 10-20 each leg
Once again, perform the exercises back-to-back and complete as many circuits as possible in 15-25 minutes. Rest one minute and then perform the following abdominal circuit.
Reverse Crunches with Twist x 15-25
V Ups x 10-15
Alternating Bicycle Crunches x 10-20 each side

Perform the exercises without resting in between. Rest one minute and complete one to two more circuits.

Spartan Home Workout: Transform Your Body!

Spartan Home Workout: Transform Your Body!

By far one of the most popular workouts ever, if not the most popular, was the 300 workout the actors from the movie "300" performed while they were training for their roles.
While the traditional 300 workout was a "right of passage" rather than a workout performed on a frequent basis, people still loved the idea and even became addicted to the notion the workout created.

The original 300 workout consisted of several different exercises performed for a prescribed number of repetitions, and the total number equaled 300.
That workout required barbells and other equipment, but you are about to get a "Spartan home workout" that doesn't require any equipment. The only thing you will need for this workout is your bodyweight.

There are a few things that should be noted before we dive into the workout.
First: this is not going to be easy! You are going to be performing total body exercises that are going to get you breathing hard and heavy.
Second: you can perform this workout three times a week if you like. If you do so, make sure you decrease the amount of time it takes you to complete the entire workout.
However, you can also use this workout less frequently to test your strength and endurance levels.

This sample workout will help you burn off pounds of body fat, build lean muscle, and drastically improve your conditioning levels.

Spartan Home Workout

Bodyweight Squats x 50
Close Grip Push-ups x 25
Door Pull-ups x 25
Burpees with Push-ups x 20
Alternating Forward Lunges x 20 each leg
Mountain Climbers x 20 each side
Door Pull-ups x 20
T Push-ups x 10 each side
Burpees x 20
One Leg Romanian Deadlifts x 20 each leg

Perform the prescribed number of repetitions for each exercise before moving on to the next one. You don't have to perform all of the repetitions non-stop.
For example: if you have to take a pause during the 50 bodyweight squats, that's fine. Just complete the circuit as fast as possible, and make sure to time yourself.
Oh, and just so you know there is a total of 300 repetitions in that workout.

Create Your Own Spartan Home Workout

Once you get bored or too advanced for that workout, feel free to design your own. Just make sure you choose big, compound exercises like the ones listed above. Also, make sure you pick exercises that target the main muscle groups. Push-ups and all variations work your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull-ups and inverted rows are perfect for your back and biceps. All squat and lunge variations target your lower body.

One More Tip

You can also increase the difficulty of the workout provided. Just increase the number of repetitions for each exercise; anywhere from five to 10 additional repetitions for each. Or, you can increase the total number of repetitions by 100 and divide that number equally among the exercises.

Green tea may ease mental distress

Green tea may ease mental distress

Drinking five cups of green tea per day may reduce the incidence of psychological distress by 20 per cent, says a new study from Japan.

In a study with 42,093 Japanese individuals 2,774 people, or 6.6 per cent of the study population, suffered from psychological stress, and green tea consumption was said to improve psychological well-being.

According to WHO estimates, more than 450 million people suffer from stress worldwide, with 17 per cent of Europeans stating that stress is the most important risk factor to health. The related costs of stress estimated at €20bn in Europe (WHO) and $200bn in the US (International Labor Office).

Researchers led by Atsushi Hozawa from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine report their findings online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Green tea and its extracts already have a positive reputation, with studies reporting they may offer protective effects against Alzheimer's and certain cancers, improve cardiovascular and oral health, and play a positive role in weight management.

Despite reports already stating that green tea or its constituents might reduce psychological stress, no large-scale study has evaluated the relationship between green tea consumption and psychological distress, said the researchers.

After adjusting their results for potential confounding factors, including age, sex, history of disease, BMI, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diet, and other factors, a significant inverse association between green tea consumption and psychological distress was observed for people who drank at least five cups of green tea per day, compared to those who drank less than one cup per day.

Being an epidemiological study, the authors could not offer any evidence as to what the active constituents behind the apparent benefits could be. Further study is needed to elucidate the bioactives and mechanism of action.

The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epicatechin (EC).

A previous Japanese study reported that green tea extracts may offset the signs of physical and mental fatigue associated with modern stressful lives. Five days of supplementation with EGCG was found to reduce levels of oxidised species related to fatigue in an animal model, according to findings published in the journal Nutrition.

Source: American Journal of Clinical NutritionPublished online ahead of print, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28214“Green tea consumption is associated with lower psychological distress in a general population: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study”Authors: A. Hozawa, S. Kuriyama, N. Nakaya, K. Ohmori-Matsuda, M. Kakizaki, T. Sone, M. Nagai, Y. Sugawara, A. Nitta, Y. Tomata, K. Niu, I. Tsuji

Using Intense Cardio

Using Intense Cardio

The popularity of intense cardio activity is in the rise these days as more people come to realize the wonders of engaging in these types of vigorous physical activity.
The old style cardio training of long arduous training sessions with plenty of cortisol released into the bloodstream is definitely out and the new method of intense but rapid short bursts of activity is in! Cortisol tends to destroy the muscle and this is apparent if you see the skinny disposition of marathon runners.
These are strong evidence that lengthy session of physical activity wends to destroy muscles cells apart from burning energy.
In comparison, just watch the sturdy muscles of a sprinter. This is the muscles we want-strong, toned and yet the lacks the skinny-like definition of those marathon runners.

The human body is an amazing machine. It can adapt itself to any kind of stimuli it is subjected to. If you perform regular short burst of vigorous activity, it will tend to build muscles so it can withstand their pressure it is subjected to.
But if you engage in lengthy activity, it will want to burn off muscle to enable it to adapt to this form of intense activity.

So if you are sold on this concept and want to start training with this form of intense short bursts of physical activity, here are some suggestions you can use.

100m sprints-find a nice place where you can get yourself engrossed in a short 100 meter dash across the open area. No, this is not an obstacle race with hurdles and all but rather you would want somewhere you can run easily without worrying about tripping over chairs, toys, shoes, your grandmother's wicker chair etc.
Find an open field where you can run and still enjoy the scenery/fresh air. Do this three or four time per session.

If this is not possible if you do not fancy the idea of a 100 meter sprint, get yourself a stationery bike and perform intense workout for five minutes before your slow down for twenty minutes. Repeat this cycle again.

Best Cardio Workout For Women to Forge the Ultimate Body

Best Cardio Workout For Women to Forge the Ultimate Body

So what is the best cardio workout for women? Well, that is a loaded question, but I am going to give you a series of cardio exercises to help you lose weight and incinerate fat quicker than anything out there. I want to introduce to you the dumbell circuit.

Dumbell circuits are a hard hitting cardio workout routine that I guarantee will help you to achieve mind blowing cardiovascular fitness and the rock hard body to match. Dumbell is so versatile that you can execute lifts that train your body from head to toe while conditioning your cardiovascular system better than anything.

To begin, you must have some basic knowledge of some more of the basic dumbell lifts in order to execute this workout. If you don't no worries, because the types of exercises I am going to explain can be easily learned.

To start, you will want to execute a series of double arm dumbell swings for 30 repetitions. As soon as, you complete this exercise move on to performing a series of dumbell front squats with the dumbell properly racked in the clean position at your chest.

You will want to do 15 squats with the dumbell cleaned in each arm. Once you complete the dumbell front squats then you will want to perform 30 squat and presses (15 each arm) combining the two movements. This completes the first round of your cardio endurance workout.

Permit yourself 3 to 3 1/2 minutes rest and repeat this process all over again. Attempt to execute three rounds of this to classify yourself a cardio queen!

This workout would challenge any guy! Once again if you are not familiar with these basic lifts that I mentioned you can learn them quickly.

Dumbell circuits are the REAL fat loss cardio workout. Remember that anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart!

Exercise: Highly effective double dumbells workouts

Exercise: Highly effective double dumbells workouts

More results in less time. That is what most people want, and you can get that will these highly effective double dumbbells workouts. As the name implies, all you will need is a set of dumbbells, and your bodyweight. By combining dumbbell and body weight exercises, you will be able to crank up your fat burning furnace to full blast, build lean muscle, and improve your conditioning levels.

Before you get into the sample workouts, please take note of a few very important details.

Tip One: To get more results in less time, you will be using total body workouts. You will be training every muscle in your body during each workout session. Doing so will cause your fat burning metabolism be to be cranked up for up to 36 hours, and you will be training your body with enough frequency so you can build lean, sexy muscle.

Tip Two: You will workout with different repetition ranges. For example: some days you will use heavier weight and perform less repetitions. Other days you will use a lighter weight and perform more repetitions. Using both repetition ranges will allow you to train all of your muscle fibers and keep you from getting burned out.

Tip Three: You will use big, compound exercises. These exercise are much more effective for allowing you to burn fat and transform your body in the least amount of time possible.

You will not see any isolation exercises in these workouts: that is because they are incredibly inefficient and ineffective for getting you the best results possible. The exercises included in the sample workouts will allow you to hit every muscle in your body; isolation exercises don't do that.

Sample Dumbbells Workout One

*Note: the abbreviation "DB" means dumbbell

Sets: 3
Repetitions per Exercise 12
Rest Between Exercises: 75 seconds
-DB Squat
-1 Arm DB Floor Press
-1 Arm DB Row
-Burpee

Perform those exercises back to back performing the prescribed number of repetitions for each and resting for 75 seconds between each exercise. You will go through that
circuit three times.

Sample Dumbbells Workout Two

Sets: 5
Repetitions per Exercise: 5
Rest Between Exercises: 45
-1 Arm DB Snatch
-DB Bulgarian Split Squat
-1 Arm DB Push-Press
-DB Renegade Row or Pull-ups
Once again, follow the prescribed sets, reps, and rest periods.

Sample Dumbbells Workout Three

Sets: 4
Repetitions per Exercise: 8
Rest Between Exercises: 60 seconds
-DB Lateral Lunge
-Explosive Push-up or DB Bench Press
-Underhand DB Row or Inverted Row
-Bear Crawl (20-50 yards)
Perform each exercise for the prescribed sets and reps, doing each exercise back to back. You will bear crawl a length of 20-50 yards, or you can bear crawl for a set period of time; example - 15-60 seconds.

If you perform those workouts on non-consecutive days, then you will be well on your way to transforming your body in the least amount of time possible. Those exercises are tried and true for burning fat, building lean muscle, and increasing overall strength.

Best at Home Weight Loss Exercises

Best at Home Weight Loss Exercises


An at home weight loss exercise routine is possible without any added equipment. You can easily burn excess body fat and build lean and sexy muscle by mastering this highly effective at home weight loss exercise routine and key concepts.

There are key concepts that will help you to maximize your weight loss exercise routine and understanding them is imperative if you want to shed those pounds and sculpt your body in the least amount of time possible.

TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Don't spend the majority of time targeting problem areas. Spot-reduction exercises for specific body parts will rarely produce significant weight loss because they are not challenging enough to accelerate the fat burning process. To put it more simply: they don't burn as many calories or elevate your metabolism to the extent that other, more effective exercises will.

Continue to be aware of that fact that, if your goal is to quickly lose weight, choosing more strenuous exercises will facilitate weight loss more efficiently than spending valuable time doing the less difficult spot-reduction exercises intended to tone only a single area of your body.
Compare 50 stomach crunches to 50 push-ups (they don't all have to be done in one set). The push-up repetitions are significantly more strenuous and require more effort; consequently doing 50 push-ups will burn more calories and produce more weight loss results than 50 crunches. In addition you will sculpt your chest, shoulders, and triceps while you work your core! Crunches can't do that.

Perform different exercises back-to-back with very few or no breaks between each exercise to maximize calorie burning efforts. This will elevate your fat burning metabolism to a much greater degree, and allow you to complete the workout in less time.
If necessary, start slowly and gradually increase the number of repetitions, decrease break times, and progress to more challenging exercises.

SELECT YOUR EXERCISES FROM THE FOLLOWING GROUPS

Choose one exercise from each of the following exercise groups. To add variety, switch exercises within each group on different days. Do not sacrifice form to increase repetitions.

lower body (squats, step-ups, lunges, hip extensions, jump squats, one leg RDL, etc)

upper body pushes ( push-ups, dips, handstand push-up variations)

upper body pull ( inverted rows and chin-ups)

abdominal exercise (planks, inch worms, reverse crunches)

total body exercise/miscellaneous (jumping jacks, burpees, bear crawls, squat thrusts)

EXAMPLE OF AN AT HOME WEIGHT LOSS EXERCISE ROUTINE

Alternating reverse lunges -- 12 each leg
Close grip push-ups -- 10
Inverted rows -- 12
Plank -- 30 seconds
Jumping jacks - 50 to 100
Perform each exercise back-to-back, without breaking between exercises before continuing to the next exercise.
Repeat this routine three to five more times.

DESIGN YOUR OWN AT HOME WEIGHT LOSS EXERCISE ROUTINE

To create your own workout, make sure you follow the tips previously discussed.
Make sure you choose big, compound exercises over those targeted to "problem spots". The bigger movements (such as lunges, squats, burpees, push-ups, inverted rows, planks, etc) will help you burn body fat to a much greater degree and allow you to achieve more results in less.
Also, make sure you keep your rest periods to a minimum and increase your repetitions and attempt more challenging exercises over time.

Dumbell Exercises to lose body fat and sculpt lean, sexy muscle

Dumbell exercise to lose body fat and sculpt lean, sexy muscle

It is a sad fact, but most women go about acquiring weight loss results in the most inefficient ways.
Even when women realize that resistance training is more effective than long, slow cardio for losing body fat and sculpting their bodies, they don't pick the best exercises that would allow them to get more results in less time.

Most women workout using isolation exercises such as bicep curls, triceps kick-backs, crunches, lateral raises, and other ineffective exercises.
I will be blunt just to get the main point across: if you want to lose body fat and sculpt lean, sexy muscle, you absolutely must choose the best dumbbell exercises.

The following list will provide the best dumbbell and bodyweight exercises that you should do to transform you body in the least amount of time possible. I am including bodyweight exercises as well because they are incredibly effective and should definitely be included in your workouts.
Note: the abbreviation "DB" means dumbbell

Legs - Hamstrings/Quadriceps/Butt:
-Lunges (lateral, crossover, walking, reverse)
-DB Squats (suitcase, front, close stance, sumo)
-DB Romanian Deadlift (single leg)
-DB Step-ups
-DB Bulgarian Split Squats
-DB Swings (double DB, one arm)

Chest/Triceps/Shoulders:
-DB Chest Press (one arm, flat bench, incline)
-DB Floor Press
-Standing DB Overhead Press
-DB Push Press
-Push-ups (spiderman, grasshopper, hindu, close grip)
-Dips

Back/Biceps:
-DB Row (two point)
-DB Renegade Row
-Chin-ups (pull-ups, neutral grip)
-Inverted Rows
-DB Pullover

Total Body Exercises:
-Burpees
-Squat Thrusts
-DB Snatch
-DB Clean and Press

Those exercises will help you sculpt your body and jack up your fat burning furnace better than any machine exercise ever could.
In fact, if you using nothing but those exercises, I guarantee you would build a body that most people only dream about.

Now that you know the best dumbbell and bodyweight exercises that will get you more results in less time, you are ready for a sample workout. As you will see, the sample workout will include one exercise from the groups above. This will allow you to work every single muscle in your body each time you workout.

Dumbbell Workout for Women:

-1 Arm DB Swings x 12 each side
-1 Arm DB Push Press x 12 each side
-Two Point DB Row x 12
-Burpees x 10

Perform each exercise back to back taking rest breaks only as needed. You want to keep moving as much as possible because this is more effective for burning body fat. Repeat the circuit for a total of three to five rounds.

Dumbbell Workout for Women 2:

-DB Bulgarian Split Squats x 8 each leg
-DB Chest Press x 8
-Chin-ups x 8 (if you can't perform a chin-up, use the assisted version where you have your feet on a box and use leg drive to assist you. This is much more effective than a lat pulldown)
-1 Arm DB Snatch x 5

Once again, perform each exercise one right after the other with minimal rest. Repeat the circuit for a total of three to six times.

Home cardio workouts without any equipment!

Home cardio workouts without any equipment!

Now more than ever, people want more results in less time, and they also want to save money. As a result of this fact, many people are turning to cardio at home workouts. If you want to lose body fat, improve your health, and save time and money, then at home workouts are your ultimate solution.

Don't be fooled into thinking you can't transform your body and improve your health without spending a penny on workout equipment. That just isn't true, and in many cases you can get better results with at home cardio workouts without any equipment.
As a personal trainer, it was necessary to the success of my business to provide my clients with a time efficient cardio workout that could be done at home. After much study along with trial and error, I discovered the key to highly effective at home workouts that could be completed in only 15 minutes that were more effective than traditional cardio workouts that lasted 30 minutes or more. That method is what I refer to as "bodyweight cardio."

The bodyweight cardio circuits are a series of different bodyweight exercises completed in succession with little to no rest until the end of each circuit. This method is excellent for burning fat, increasing heart health and saving time and money because it can very easily be done at home and requires no equipment.

At Home Cardio Workout Tips:

-Choose exercises that engage a lot of muscle mass at one time. For instance, you should choose planks over crunches, squats over leg lifts, and other big compound movements over isolation exercises. This will allow you to burn more calories while you are working out and keep your metabolism elevated for a greater period of time.
-Keep your rest periods to a minimum. The best way to do this is to only rest after you complete a circuit; by doing so the workout will be more challenging. However, you will complete the workout in a shorter period of time, and you will increase the rate at which your body burns fat. Furthermore, this will allow you to build lean muscle. That is something traditional cardio workouts just can't do.
-Progress to move challenging exercises. You should definitely start out with exercises that are easier to learn and are appropriate for your experience level. By progressing to more difficult exercises, you will keep challenging your body. This will allow you to keep getting the results you want without hitting the dreaded plateau.

Beginner Sample at Home Cardio Workout:

-Jumping Jacks x 50
-Squats x 15
-Elevated Push-ups x 12
-Assisted Inverted Rows x 12
-Plank x 30 seconds
-Mountain Climbers x 10 each leg
Perform each exercise for the prescribed number of repetitions without resting between exercises. After you complete the circuit, rest for one to two minutes and repeat the circuit two to four more times.

Intermediate Sample at Home Cardio Workout:

-Squat Thrusts x 15
-Jump Squat x 10
-Spiderman Push-ups x 12
-Inverted Rows x 12
-Side Plank x 20 seconds each side
-Burpee x 10
Once again, perform each exercise for the prescribed number of repetitions without resting between exercises. After you complete the circuit, rest for one to two minutes and repeat the circuit two to four more times.

Workout Tips

-To add variety to your workouts, perform your exercises at different speeds. For example: perform a set of squats as fast as possible while maintaining control and perfect form. The next time, perform a set of squats very slow and controlled.
-Instead of performing a certain number of circuits, you can also perform as many circuits as possible in a set period of time. For example: set a timer for 15 minutes and complete a circuit as many times as possible.
-Progress to more advanced exercises, increase the number of repetitions you perform for each exercise, and decrease your rest periods. Those simple changes can allow you to keep experiencing body transforming results.

These sample body weight cardio workouts will allow you to get greater results in a much shorter period of time. Not only will you get better fat burning and health benefits compared to traditional cardio workouts, but you will also build lean muscle, which is something traditional cardio workouts cannot do.

Skin aging

Skin aging

Our skin consists of two main layers: the dermis and epidermis.

The dermis is the inner layer of skin that contains nerve fibers, fat cells, blood vessels, sweat and oil glands, and hair follicles.

The dermis also contains collagen and elastin, two proteins that are responsible for the structure and elasticity of the skin itself.

These proteins are subject to the process of aging. The sweat and oil glands in the dermis protect the outer layer of skin with a thin coating of oil and perspiration.
Scientists now believe that the free radical theory of disease also applies to the aging of the skin.

Free radicals are unstable small molecules generated by an oxygen environment which require stabilization by the body's antioxidant system. Free radicals occur throughout every cell in our body simply by virtue of the fact that oxygen is our principal metabolic fuel.

Strong sunlight readily generates free radicals in the skin. Our hands, face, neck, and arms are the areas usually chronically exposed to light. These parts of the body, particularly the face, are where aging of the skin shows up.

The skin protein collagen is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, and when this damage occurs, it causes the collagen protein molecules to break down and then link back up again in a different way; this is known as cross-linking. Collagen cross-linking causes the normally mobile collagen to become stiff and less mobile.

Science clearly substantiates the role that free radicals play in causing skin aging and the fact that topically applied antioxidants confer significant protection and can even partially reverse some aspects of skin aging. Indeed, various animal and human studies have proven that low molecular weight antioxidants, especially vitamins C and E, as well as alpha-lipoic acid exert protective effects against free radical damage (oxidative stress).

How vitamin C protects the skin

Research conducted at the University of Leicester in England, reported this year in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in vitamin C's ability to help heal and protect the skin. The vitamin is an essential cofactor for the synthesis of collagen, the predominant protein in skin and other connective tissue.

Tiago Duarte, Marcus S. Cooke and G. Don Jones previously reported the discovery of the upregulation of DNA repair in vitamin C supplement users. The current research examined gene expression and DNA damage and repair in cultured human skin cells known as dermal fibroblasts (which play a major role in wound healing) that were exposed to derivative of vitamin C.

"The exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation increases in summer, often resulting in a higher incidence of skin lesions," noted Dr Duarte, who is presently affiliated with the Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology in Portugal. "Ultraviolet radiation is also a genotoxic agent responsible for skin cancer, through the formation of free radicals and DNA damage."

In addition to vitamin C's well known ability to scavenge damaging free radicals, Dr Duarte's team uncovered additional mechanisms for the vitamin in repairing the skin and protecting it from further damage. "Our study analyzed the effect of sustained exposure to a vitamin C derivative, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, in human dermal fibroblasts,” he explained. “We investigated which genes are activated by vitamin C in these cells, which are responsible for skin regeneration. The results demonstrated that vitamin C may improve wound healing by stimulating quiescent fibroblasts to divide and by promoting their migration into the wounded area. Vitamin C could also protect the skin by increasing the capacity of fibroblasts to repair potentially mutagenic DNA lesions."

"Even though vitamin C was discovered over 70 years ago as the agent that prevents scurvy, its properties are still under much debate in the scientific community," Dr Duarte added. "In fact, the annual meeting of the International Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine, which will be held this year in San Francisco, will feature a session dedicated to vitamin C, entitled 'New discoveries for an old vitamin'".

"The study indicates a mechanism by which vitamin C could contribute to the maintenance of a healthy skin by promoting wound healing and by protecting cellular DNA against damage caused by oxidation," concluded Dr Cooke, of the University of Leicester's Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine. "These findings of are particular importance to our photobiology interests, and we will certainly be looking into this further".

More Results With Home Full Body Workout!

More Results With Home Full Body Workout!

It is often difficult to determine fact from fiction when faced with the huge amount of information that we are inundated with each day. Books, television, magazines and information on the web would lead us to believe that the only possible method to use to develop a lean body is to use machines and cardio equipment.

The fact is that it is possible to obtain a very effective full body workout at home with absolutely no equipment, and in only 15 minutes. Rest assured that you do not need access to a fully stocked gym with free weights, machines, and cardio equipment and you surely don't need expensive home workout equipment.

The Benefits of an In Home Full Body Workout:

1) You will save time: you won't have to worry about driving to and from the gym and waiting around for equipment.
2) You will achieve more results in less time. Because you can do your workout at home and in minimal time, you will get more results than most people who spend five or more hours at a gym every week. Furthermore, because you can do these workouts at home in as little as 10 minutes, you won't have any excuses to not get in a great workout even in a time crunch.
3) You will save money. You won't have to pay for expensive gym memberships or the gas to drive to and from, and you certainly don't need bulky and costly home workout equipment

The Concepts:

1) Select exercises that work the greatest amount of muscle at one time to accelerate weight loss, increase muscle tone and get you more results in less time.
The following list of exercises may be brief, but they are very effective.

-Lunges and all variations
-Squats and all variations
-Dips
-Burpees
-Chin-Ups: assisted and all variations
-Inverted Rows
-Push-ups and all variations

Even if your home workouts consisted of nothing but those exercises, you would get more results than most people who go to gyms! Those exercises are highly effective for burning body fat, sculpting lean muscle, and transforming your body.

2) Use circuits. Instead doing a set of an exercise, resting, and repeating that same exercise, perform several exercises back-to-back with minimal rest. This will allow you to complete the workout in less time, and this is much more effective for increasing your fat burning metabolism.

3) Challenge yourself. Don't be afraid to attempt more advanced exercises and "get out of your comfort zone." If you want to keep progressing and get more results, you absolutely must improve your performance.

This can be done in one of the following ways:

-Increase the number of repetitions you perform for each exercise
-Use more advanced exercises
-Perform more circuits
-Decrease your rest periods

Sample Full Body Workout:

-Squats x 20
-T push-ups x 8-10 each side
-Inverted Rows x 12
-Plank x 30 seconds

Perform each exercise one right after the other without resting. After you complete the circuit, rest for one to two minutes and repeat that circuit two to five more times.
Another option is to perform that circuit as many times as possible in a set period of time. Example: 10 to 20 minutes. This is a terrific option if you are short on time.

Sample Full Body Workout 2:

-Perform as many burpees as possible in 10 to 20 minutes
How to perform a burpee:
-stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart
-squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet
-kick your feet back so you are in the top of a push-up position
-immediately "jump" your feet back to they are near your hands
-explode straight into the air, land softly, and repeat
To do an advanced burpee, perform a push-up after to reach the push-up position.

You can choose to perform a set number of burpees (or advanced burpees) as fast as possible, or perform as many as possible in a set period of time (example: 10-15 minutes).

The Absolute Best Cardio Workout For Women !

The Absolute Best Cardio Workout For Women !

So what cardio workout routine is best at burning a ton of calories and getting rid of your stomach?

Well, that is a loaded question, but I am going to give you the simplest and most hard hitting solution possible right here in this article.

I am pleased to introduce to you the dumbell swing.

Ladies, you may be familiar with the dumbell by now.

The base lift that you can execute with the dumbell is, of course, the double arm swing.

Now what this exercise does is incorporate hundreds of your muscles at once in order for you to raise your level of exertion.

You see to truly burn fat and burn it fast you have got to really get your heart rate up. Remember that there are two forms of cardio.

There is aerobic cardio (which means with oxygen) and there is anaerobic cardio (which means without oxygen). Dumbell swings incorporate the latter. The double arm swing is done by you picking up the dumbell with both arms. Next, you have to execute a movement that is known as the hip snap. This is done by you having to fluently and consistently flex and extend at both your hips and knees to build momentum to swing the dumbell up to your chest level.

From here you are simply swinging the dumbell back and forth like a pendulum.

This cardio workout routine is tremendous for burning fat and helping you to get rid of your stomach.

If you are looking for cardio exercises to burn fat fast then you have hit the jackpot here with dumbell swings!

Take your cardio workout routine to all new heights. Take the time to properly learn the technique involved with dumbell swings and then move on to more challenging lifts with this strength and conditioning device.

I promise you won't be disappointed. Remember to train hard, but train smart my friend!

The Importance of HIIT To Speed-Up Fat Loss

The Importance of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) To Speed-Up Fat Loss

Several studies have been done on the effectiveness of HIIT , one of those studies was called The Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism...In this study two groups were separated into an HIIT Group and an Endurance Training Group performed for the same amount of time per day.

At the conclusion of the study, the HIIT group lost over 3 times as much subcutaneous fat (the fat lying under the skin) despite burning less than half as many calories during the workouts as the Endurance Training Group.

The Endurance Training group lost 4.5mm of subcutaneous fat versus the HIIT group who lost 13.9mm. This proves that if you practice HIIT training, the majority of calories burned will come after your workout!

I recommend three 20 minute HIIT sessions a week to produce significant fat-burning effects for a period of 4-8 weeks. Personally, I like to cycle my HIIT and do it for 4 weeks and then take a break from it until I feel like I need it again....example: one month on, two months off, and then repeat.

HIIT can be done with many different forms of aerobics, although my favorite is either on a treadmill, running track, or a bike....you should strive to push yourself up to a 90% of your maximum and by the final set, you should be begging for mercy.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to do HIIT is called "walk back sprinting"....with this exercise, you sprint anywhere from 100 yards to 800 yards (1/2 mile) and then change directions and walk back to your starting point and repeat for a total of 20 minutes which includes a short 1-2 minute warm up and a 1 minute cool down.

On a bike, I find it best to measure 1/2 mile (you can even use your car to find out how far 1/2 mile marker is from home) and then do repeats going as fast as you can to the 1/2 mile marker and then turning around for a leisure ride back....this should take you approximately 3-4 minutes per set.

This is the Treadmill routine that I developed for myself when I first started HIIT, and to this day I still use it when I want to burn fat or improve my athletic performance, but I also like to do HIIT sprints on my bike outdoors.

My 20 Minute HIIT Treadmill Routine

Minute 0-2 = Speed 5

Minute 2-3 = Speed 6

Minute 3-4 = Speed 7

Minute 4-5 = Speed 8

Minute 5-6 = Speed 9

Minute 6-7 = Speed 6

Minute 7-8 = Speed 7

Minute 8-9 = Speed 8

Minute 9-10 = Speed 9

Minute 10-11 = Speed 6

Minute 11-12 = Speed 7

Minute 12-13 = Speed 8

Minute 13-14 = Speed 9

Minute 14-15 = Speed 6

Minute 15-16 = Speed 7

Minute 16-17 = Speed 8

Minute 17-18 = Speed 9

Minute 18-19 = Speed 10

Minute 19-20 = Speed 5

Changing the speed every 60 seconds after the 2 minute warm-up really makes time fly and before you know it's over. You can give it a try and change the numbers to fit your own max speed....this works and makes you sweat like crazy, so by minute 10, if you're not sweating pretty hard then you need to make it more intense!

By minute 18-19 you should be at 90% of your maximum effort and heart rate leading up to your final cool down minute.

Dual-process action of exercise on appetite control

Dual-process action of exercise on appetite control

Dual-process action of exercise on appetite control: increase in orexigenic drive but improvement in meal-induced satiety1,2,3,4

Neil A King, Phillipa P Caudwell, Mark Hopkins, James R Stubbs, Erik Naslund and John E Blundell

1 From the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia (NAK); the BioPsychology Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom (PCP and JEB); The Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, United Kingdom (JRS); Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska, Sweden (EN); and the Department of Health and Exercise Science, Trinity and All Saints Colleges, Leeds, United Kingdom (MH).
2 Portions of these data were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Geneva, Switzerland 2008.
3 Supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBS/B/05079).
4 Address correspondence to NA King, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, Australia. E-mail: n.king@qut.edu.au
.
Background: Exercise could contribute to weight loss by altering the sensitivity of the appetite regulatory system.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 12 wk of mandatory exercise on appetite control.

Design: Fifty-eight overweight and obese men and women [mean (±SD) body mass index (in kg/m2) = 31.8 ± 4.5, age = 39.6 ± 9.8 y, and maximal oxygen intake = 29.1 ± 5.7 mL · kg–1 · min–1] completed 12 wk of supervised exercise in the laboratory.

The exercise sessions were designed to expend 2500 kcal/wk. Subjective appetite sensations and the satiating efficiency of a fixed breakfast were compared at baseline (week 0) and at week 12.

An Electronic Appetite Rating System was used to measure subjective appetite sensations immediately before and after the fixed breakfast in the immediate postprandial period and across the whole day.

The satiety quotient of the breakfast was determined by calculating the change in appetite scores relative to the breakfast's energy content.

Results: Despite large variability, there was a significant reduction in mean body weight (3.2 ± 3.6 kg), fat mass (3.2 ± 2.2 kg), and waist circumference (5.0 ± 3.2 cm) after 12 wk.

The analysis showed that a reduction in body weight and body composition was accompanied by an increase in fasting hunger and in average hunger across the day (P <>

Paradoxically, the immediate and delayed satiety quotient of the breakfast also increased significantly (P <>

Conclusions: These data show that the effect of exercise on appetite regulation involves at least 2 processes: an increase in the overall (orexigenic) drive to eat and a concomitant increase in the satiating efficiency of a fixed meal.

Exercise: Dumbell Swing

Exercise: Dumbell Swing

Swings can be performed with either a dumbbell or a kettlebell.

This multi-joint exercise is easy to learn and really hits the posterior chain and improves the grip.

It's also perfect to use as an active recovery exercise since there's little to no eccentric (negative) movement.

For the two handed version pictured above, hold a dumbbell with both hands, legs in a wide stance.

Start from a neutral back position with the buttocks back and begin the acceleration of the weight by pushing the hips forward. Really try to explode the weight up.

Show control of the weight and gradually increase range of motion such that the weight moves from waist level to above the head.

You can also perform a single-handed version of this lift.

Dumbbell weight training: Incredibly effective for burning off body fat!

Dumbbell weight training: Incredibly effective for burning off body fat !

Dumbbell weight training is incredibly effective for burning off body fat and building lean muscle.
Furthermore, dumbbells have much greater advantages compared to barbells and machine exercises.

Because the dumbbell exercises will be more unstable, you will have to work harder to perform the exercise properly. Because of this fact, you will train your "stabilizer muscles" to a greater extent then barbell and machine exercises.

This is great for building muscle, increasing strength, and burning body fat.

Another bonus to dumbbell weight training: many times these exercises are safer and more joint-friendly than their barbell alternatives. For example: for many people it is more comfortable to perform overhead presses with dumbbells than barbells because your shoulder joint is in a more natural position.

Now that you know the great benefits of training with dumbbells, it's time to dive into a sample dumbbell weight training workout that will have you getting much greater fat burning and muscle building results in less time.

One last thing before you see the sample workout: I am going to assume that you don't want to workout more than 3 days a week. After all, you do want more results in less time, right?
To accomplish that, the best course of action is to train 3 days a week with total body workouts. This will help you build muscle and lose fat much more effectively than traditional bodybuilding splits.

Just trust me on this one: I have seen this proven time and time again.

Dumbbell Weight Training Workout Sample 1:

Note: the abbreviation "DB" means dumbbell

-1 Arm DB Snatch x 3-5 each side
-DB Front Squat x 15-20
-DB 1 Arm Floor Press x 10
-DB Renegade Row x 10 each side
-Mountain Climber x 10-15 each side

Those five exercises will work every single muscle in your body.
The best way to perform that workout is to move quickly; perform the exercises back to back only resting as needed. Go through that circuit three to five times total.
One more note with this workout: make sure you use a weight that is challenging to get the prescribed number of repetitions for each exercise.

You should only be able to perform one to no more than two reps when you stop the set. If you could do more than two reps, you aren't using enough weight.

Dumbbell Weight Training and Bodyweight Exercise Sample 2:

This workout will include some bodyweight exercises simply because they are very effective for burning fat and building muscle.

-Pull-ups x as many as possible
-1 Arm DB Push Press x 5-8 each side
-DB Bulgarian Split Squats x 5-8 each leg
-Burpees x 10-15

Once again, you will hit every single muscle in your body with that dumbbell and bodyweight workout.
Perform those exercises back-to-back resting only as needed. Because you will be using a heavier weight and performing less reps, repeat that circuit for a total of five to six circuits.

Another option you can use with the two workout samples is to perform as many circuits as possible in a specific amount of time.
For example: you could set a timer for 10-30 minutes and go through a circuit as many times as possible.
Both options are very, very effective.

Try those two dumbbell weight training workouts and I guarantee you will get more fat burning and lean muscle building results than the vast majority of traditional gym workouts, and in much less time.

Exercise: Great Results From Strength Training Without Weights

Exercise: Great Results From Strength Training Without Weights

While the owners of gym memberships and expensive in home exercise equipment would have the entire world believing otherwise, it is absolutely possible to burn body fat and build a lean and healthy body without a single piece of equipment or weights.

You read that right; you do not need an expensive gym membership or costly home exercise equipment to completely transform your body in the shortest period of time possible.

Strength training without weights provides many opportunities that gym memberships cannot: you will save time and money from not purchasing expensive gym memberships, or spending time driving to and from the gym.

Furthermore, bodyweight exercises are safer and easier to perform, but give you benefits machines and weights cannot.

For instance, you will greatly improve your strength-to-mass ratio by using bodyweight workouts. People will greater strength-to-mass ratios generally have a more lean and athletic appearance. Not only that, but they have much more "functional" bodies and capabilities compared to people who use machines.

However, if you want to get the best results in the least amount of time by strength training without weights, you absolutely must choose the best exercises.

EXERCISES:

Always choose the most effective exercises. Don't waste valuable time doing exercises that don't incorporate use of the largest amount of muscle mass.

Some of these exercises are:

Lower Body Exercises:
• Squats
• Bulgarian split squats
• Lunges
• One leg Romanian dead lifts
• One Leg Squats
• Step Ups

Upper Body Exercises:
• Dips
• Handstand Push-Ups
• Push-Up (and all variations)
• Pull-Ups (and all variations)
• Inverted Rows
• Chin-Ups (and all variations)

Core Exercises:
• Side Planks
• Hanging knee raises
• Reverse Crunches
• Planks

Total Body Exercises:
• Jumping Jacks
• Burpees
• Sprints
• Squat Thrusts

How to Set Up Your Workout:

• Choose one exercise from the lower body group, two from the upper body group (a push and a pull movement), one from the core group, and one from the total body group.
• Get the most out of each exercise by using perfect form and performing full reps. For example, is you choose squats, make sure you squat down until the top of your thighs are parallel with the ground. If you don't go down at least that far, you are not doing the exercise properly and won't get the best results.
• Alternate these two techniques:

1) Perform the reps as fast as possible while maintaining control and perfect form.

2) Perform the reps slow and controlled.

This will provide variety and a different training stimulus.
• To further increase intensity, try to keep the rest periods to a minimum, only resting as needed. Over time, try to decrease your rest periods.
• Always remember: correct form will yield more results than carelessly performed exercises.

SAMPLE EXERCISE CIRCUIT:

• Bulgarian Split Squats: 12-15 each leg
• Decline Push-ups: 10-20 reps
• Inverted Rows: 10-20 reps
• Side Plank: 20 seconds each side
• Burpees: 10

Apply the tips from the section above. For example, the first time through this circuit, perform the reps as fast as possible while maintaining control and perfect form. The second time through, perform the reps very slow and controlled.

Try to keep the rest periods to a minimum to keep the intensity elevated. Rest as you need to, but over time try to decrease your rest breaks.

Furthermore, you can perform the circuits one of two ways:

1) Perform as many circuits as possible in 10-20 minutes
2) Perform a total of three to six circuits

THREE IMPORTANT TIPS FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS:

1) Decrease the length of breaks between circuits each time you exercise.
2) Increase the number of circuits whenever possible.
3) Increase the number of repetitions for each exercise when possible.
4) Use more challenging exercises. Examples: clap push-ups, one leg squats, jump squats, chin-ups, etc.

That sample circuit workout will help you burn off body fat, build lean muscle, and improve your physique better than most traditional gym workouts.

Best of all, you are going to save time and money in the process.

It doesn't get better than that: more results in less time.

Soy isoflavones extend life

Soy isoflavones extend life

Soy isoflavones may activate anti-ageing proteins and lead to an extension of life, suggests preliminary research from Newcastle University in the UK.

Scientists at the university’s Human Nutrition Research Centre and Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences at Newcastle University report that the soy isoflavone daidzein may activate a protein called sirtuin1 (Sirt1), previously linked to the regulation of ageing and longevity.

“The concentration of daidzein that elicited [the Sirt1] response (100 mmol) exceeds achievable plasma concentrations but is not unrealistic with respect to local intestinal concentrations following consumption of isoflavone-rich foods or isoflavone supplements,” wrote the researchers in Nutrition Bulletin.

“The long life expectancy and healthy ageing observed in the inhabitants of Okinawa Island in Japan, who in past years consumed a low-energy diet, is often cited as evidence supporting a longevity effect of energy restriction in humans,” they added.
“It is of interest to note that soya provided the principal source of protein in this diet, raising the possibility that some beneficial effects of the diet relevant to healthy ageing and long lifespan may, speculatively, have been the result of soybean isoflavones potentiating effects mediated through the activity of Sirt1.”

Despite these feasible links, the researchers stressed that “extensive further investigation is required to confirm such effects”.

Less is more

Calorie restriction, while avoiding malnutrition, has already been reported to extend lives and reduce the risk of chronic disease in certain species, including monkeys.
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison published findings in Science showing that 80 per cent of rhesus monkeys who consumed a calorie restricted diet were still alive after 20 years, compared to only 50 per cent of control animals who ate freely.

Certain compounds found in the diet may also activate Sirt1, with the most focus being on resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine. David Sinclair and his team from Harvard reported in Nature in 2003 that resveratrol increased the survival of yeast cells.

Hints towards soy’s potential

Laura Ions, Luisa Wakeling and Dianne Ford from Newcastle University report that early observations from their work indicate that soy isoflavones may share many of the functional properties of resveratrol, “and so highlight the potential for a diet rich in these compounds to promote healthy ageing”.

According to the researchers, isoflavones and resveratrol share a degree of structural similarity. They have also been reported to have effects on DNA methylation.
“A recent report providing evidence that daidzein can increase Sirt1 activity suggests to us that the isoflavones may potentially increase DNA methylation through the same hypothetical mechanism we propose for effects of resveratrol and energy restriction - that is, through the removal of acetyl groups from histone proteins by the activity of Sirt1,” wrote the researchers.

“Our preliminary data lend some support to such a mechanism, but extensive further investigation is required to confirm such effects and to elucidate in detail the underlying mechanisms before giving dietary advice concerning potential beneficial effects of soya consumption outwith its probable cardioprotective effect,” they concluded.

The study was supported by an Alpro Foundation Masters Award (UK) and the BBSRC.
Source: Nutrition BulletinSeptember 2009, Volume 34, Issue 3, Pages 303-308, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-3010.2009.01764.x“Can soyabean isoflavones mimic the effects of energy restriction on healthy ageing?”Authors: L. Ions, L. Wakeling, D. Ford

Inverted Row Is A Must-Do Back Exercise

Inverted Row Is A Must-Do Back Exercise

Benefits of Inverted Rows.

Inverted Rows – also known as Horizontal Pull-ups or Fatman Pull-ups – are an upper-body exercise.

Benefits:

Back Strength.
Inverted Rows work your upper-back, lats & traps.
They also work your biceps muscles and several small muscles in your back.
Barbell Row Substitute.
If your lower back keeps rounding, you can do Inverse Rows while improving hip mobility using dynamic stretches.
Improved Posture.
Slouching shoulders are often linked with flaring shoulder-blades. Inverted Rows can help realign your shoulder-blades.

How to Do Inverted Rows:

Find a bar two or three feet high.
Lie on your back and grab the bar, palms facing you (see picture left).
Keep your body straight as you pull up to the bar. Do three sets of 10-15.

Inverted rows build strength in your upper back, shoulders and arms. Your core muscles are also engaged during the movement.
Inverted rows also improve your stabilizing strength in the low back, glutes and hamstrings. And, when you superset the inverted row with the pushup, you will get better muscular balance between the frontside and backside of your upper body.

Great overall conditioning exercise

Great overall conditioning exercise

Iron Cross

This is a great overall conditioning exercise.

It also makes a good warm-up or finisher.

Hold two light dumbbells or plates in your hands and squat from a wide stance with the buttocks pushed back.

Arms should be held straight ahead, parallel to the ground and thumbs up.

As you squat up, push your hips forward while simultaneously moving your arms to the sides in a cross position.

Return to the start position by moving in the precise inverse fashion and keeping your arms constantly parallel.

Burn off body fat with dumbbell and bodyweight exercises

Burn off body fat with dumbbell and bodyweight exercises

If you are on a mission to increase your strength using nothing but dumbbells, you have come to the right place. However, I will suggest you incorporate one more thing in your dumbbell training for strength arsenal: bodyweight exercises.

You can increase your strength, build lean muscle, and burn off pounds of body fat with dumbbell and bodyweight exercises. And here's another great benefit: you can get more results in less time than most people who train at a gym with free weights and machines.

To make that happen, you just need to know what to do.
Without further ado, here is your -
Dumbbell Training for Strength Guide

If you truly want to get maximum results in minimum time, you absolutely must apply the following Strength Training Principles.

Strength Training Principle One:

Do not use bodybuilding splits.

Magazines are quick to promote bodybuilding splits to their readers. However, those are not the best option if you want to get strong and lose body as fast as possible.

If you want to train only three days per week, then you should be using total body workouts. That will allow you to train your muscles with enough frequency and will definitely allow you to achieve your goals.

If you want to train four days per week, then you should use upper/lower splits where you alternate training your upper and lower body. This will also allow you to train your body with enough frequency so you can get great results.

Those are the only two training "splits" you will ever need, and they are much more effective than traditional bodybuilding splits.

Strength Training Principle Two:

Use the best exercises.

Just like the magazines promote bodybuilding splits, they also tell people to do a lot of isolation exercises such as dumbbell flyes, dumbbell lateral raises, curls, kick-backs, and other exercises.
Once again, that is very ineffective and inefficient for getting you the best results in the least amount of time.

You should perform big, compound exercises that allow you to use the greatest amount of weight. This will cause your body to recruit the largest number of motor units, and that is the optimal way to get strong.

Here is a brief list of the most effective dumbbell and bodyweight exercises for improving strength:

Note: the abbreviation "DB" means dumbbell

Upper Body Pushes (chest/triceps/shoulders):

-DB Floor Press (1 arm and both)

-DB Bench Presses (flat and incline)

-Standing DB Overhead Press

-DB Push Press

-Dips

-Push-ups (decline, stability ball, spiderman, grasshopper, hindu, etc)

-Handstand push-ups and variations

Upper Body Pulling (back/biceps):

-Pulls-ups and other varitions (chin-up, neutral grip, etc)

-DB Renegade Row

-DB Pullover

-DB Row (with support, two point, etc)

-Inverted Rows (palm down, palms up, with towels, etc)

Lower Body:

-Squats (siff, sumo, close stance, etc)

-Split Squats

-Lunges (explosive, reverse, lateral, crossover, etc)

-Romanian Deadlift

-Deadlift

-Step-ups

-Bulgarian Split Squats

-Jump Lunges

-Box Jumps

Miscellaneous Exercises:

-DB Snatch

-DB Clean and Press (one arm or both at a time)

-DB Clean and Jerk

-Burpees

Strength Training Principle Three:

Train in the right rep range.

If you want to get strong, you have to lift heavy weights, period. Make sure you train in the 3-6 rep range using a heavy weight.

It is also beneficial to train in higher rep ranges (7-20 reps) as well. This will keep you from getting burned out, and also allow you to build some lean muscle and burn off body fat.

Strength Training Principle Four:

Improve your performance.

The best way to improve your performance, and therefore get stronger, is to slowly and consistently increase the amount of weight you use. Another way to get stronger is to use the same weight but perform more repetitions with that weight. Plus, you won't always be able to increase the amount of weight you use.

Both methods are effective and should be implemented. Just know that increasing the weight is the best and most effective method.

Sample Dumbbell Training for Strength Workout:

-1 Arm DB Snatch - Perform 3-5 repetitions for each side, and perform a total of 5 sets.

-1 Arm DB Floor Press x 5 each side

-1 Arm DB Row x 5 each side

-Bulgarian Split Squat x 5-8 each leg

-Burpees x 10-15

Perform those exercises back to back and keep your rest periods to a minimum. Perform a total of 5 circuits.

Sample Dumbbell Training for Strength Workout 2:

-DB Clean and Press

- Perform 5 repetitions and perform a total of 4-5 sets.

-1 Arm DB Push Press x 8-10

-Chin-ups x as many as possible

-DB Squat x 10-20

Perform those exercises back to back and keep the rest period to a minimum. Perform a total of 3-5 circuits.

Exercise: Intense ab exercise you can do without any equipment

Exercise: Intense ab exercise you can do without any equipment!

Inch Worm

Description:

Here's an intense ab exercise you can do without any equipment.

Assume a position where your feet are on the floor (shoulder width) while your hands are flat on the ground in front of you (also shoulder width).

At the starting position your butt should be high in the air; imagine you're are making an inverted "V" with your body.

Walk your hands out as far as possible, then walk your hands back to the starting position.

Preferably, at the end position, your abs should be two to three inches off the ground and you'll look like a flying superman. You won't feel like superman, though.

This one really hurts!

Exercise: Highly effective cardio at home workout

Exercise: Highly effective cardio at home workout

Maintaining a healthy heart, increasing strength, flexibility and endurance are all benefits to be gained from a cardio at home workout.
A successful cardio workout is extremely important in an effort to lead a long, healthy and productive life.

Often the expense and time necessary to obtain an excellent cardio workout are preventative. Continuing the workout can be problematic as well. A gym membership or in home equipment can be too expensive.
The success of a walking or running workout can be hindered by changes in weather or living in a area that is extremely hot, cold or rainy.

Each of these factors can impact the chances of exercising regularly and it becomes too convenient to decide against a cardio workout. What begins as a healthy life goal often ends as a project we began and did not complete. So, what is the solution?

As a personal trainer with countless requests from my clients for a cardio workout that could be done at home, it became my goal to provide a highly effective and inexpensive cardio at home workout that would keep my clients challenged and fit and that would provide the highest quality cardio work out possible.
After many hours of research, I discovered an at home cardio workout that did not require expensive equipment, a gym membership, or a running or walking routine.
I discovered a cardio workout that burns off pounds of body fat that can be done at home without any equipment, and that can be done in much less time than traditional cardio workouts.

The method is bodyweight cardio. The bodyweight cardio circuits consist of different bodyweight exercises performed one after the other with no breaks until the end of each circuit.

Here is an example:

-Bodyweight Squats x 20
-Push ups x 15
-Inverted Rows x 15
-Explosive Lunges x 10 each leg
-Inch Worms x 5
-Jumping Jacks x 60

KEY CONCEPTS:

-Always check first with a physician to determine if any health problems exist that could prevent aerobic exercising.
-As with all exercise routines, gradually increase the level of activity and repetitions.
-Do not become discouraged. Daily exercise increases endurance and as strength is increased more can be accomplished.
-Complete each exercise, do not break, rest for one two minutes and then repeat the circuit 2-4 more times.
-Switch the order of the exercises to prevent exercise burn out.

Variation:

-Set a timer for 15 minutes and complete that circuit as many times as possible within that time frame.
-The next time you exercise attempt to increase the number of circuits completed.

This exercise routine will provide you with an intensive and extremely effective at home cardio workout. The benefits of a healthy heart, increased flexibility, muscle strength, fat burning and endurance are all included with no hidden fee, no gym membership, and no purchase of a treadmill or walking miles in potentially dangerous locations at inconvenient times.

Get started today to enjoy all the benefits of an at home cardio workout.