6 Mistakes A Workout Newbie Should Know

It has always been hard for me as a newbie in weight training to know which workout  is healthy for my body and right for my age. When I was in high school I've always wanted to get that 6 pack abs that some of my colleagues had with no sweat at all. The picture that's been stuck in my mind ever since I had the aspiration to get that 6 pack abs was to hit the gym and burn the fats that are covering my (abs?) which I believed that is already there. So I started to sneak through the gym with out paying the dues and unfortunately without enjoying the benefits of being thought of the proper program for my muscles and the proper diet. Lift that, raise this, carry this today and again tomorrow and the same heavy weights the next day. No eating of breakfast (what i believe is the best way to loose fat) and when its lunch and starving, eat a platter of rice and viand. I made all this mistakes sadly just to impress the opposite sex but then I ended up short and stout. Yet its still not the end of days...

I am writing this not just to humiliate myself  but to propagate to every hopeless romantic out there or self-indulgent mutant like me(or is it just me?) to unwind and  loosen up... I have tips for you.

To know what to do isn't just what is important, To know what not to do is crucial too...

 Just to tell you I am hitting back the gym and I have learned a lot of things which I am going to share to you.

In this first article on work out programs, my goal is to cover what you should not do while lifting. Avoiding mistakes is as crucial as knowing what you are to do if you want success in the gym. Don't do any of these next six mistakes aside from the mistakes I mentioned earlier and you will go along way to success.

1. Don't Lift Without A Trainer.

Regardless of how many magazines you have read or how many videos you have watched, have a trainer to teach you what to do and have him or her  watch you to make sure you are performing the exercise correctly. You could think this one is obvious. You might end up injured and quit workout forever. (Thank God it didn't happen to me!) There are right and wrong way to perform an exercise and you will not learn the right way if you don't have an expert to teach you. If you can't afford one, Forget it and go jogging in the plaza.....

2. Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions.

You are not expected to learn everything in a day or two or even a week, a month or so.  Everyone in the gym is learning and the only way you can learn is to ask someone. You can ask your trainer or for some reason you can't you can ask someone who's in between set. Most lifters would take a minute or two to teach newbies because somehow they can remember of being newbies themselves. Or if you are still uncomfortable then you get home, turn on your pc and browse on Google, There are plenty of web forums out there that you can post you question with. You will get you answers for sure.

3. Don't Try To Impress the Big Guys

I know how intimidating it is to be in the gym and the hottest guys on earth is there lifting every plates. You feel like you want to prove you belong and you try to set a world record and you might tend to carry sets that are out of your program and try to pretend as if you won't sweat blood out of it. You might laugh at some bigger guys who lift lighter weights than you do. They have their programs for them to follow and so do you. It is ok to start with a light weight to make sure you have the form down and know what muscles you are supposed to feel working. Eventually you will get to where you are lifting the heavy iron, but it takes time. That actually leads into the next tip.

4, Don't Waste Your Time On The Opposite Sex.

Let's be serious. We all started this endeavor for many reasons. One reason is common among all of us. We want to hook up with some hot girl and there is no shame in admitting it. The fact is though, although we all want to meet our future love interest in the gym, there is work to be done. You are not going to build up that body to impress the chick if you don't work at it. For now, avoid staring and trying to get the attention of the hottie and focus on the task at hand. 

5. Don't Be Impatient.

I don't want to burst your bubble or your ego, but this isn't going to happen overnight. That is just a fact of life in bodybuilding and fitness. Have you ever heard the expression "good things come to those who wait"? wahaha Well, it kind of applies here. Although you should work at achieving your goals, being patient and knowing that it comes with time will keep you from getting frustrated and that will keep you motivated to train in order to eventually meet those goals. Deal with curling the 15's or 20's for now and with time and effort, you will get to the bigger dumbbells. Patience is definitely a virtue in this game. 

6. Don't Be the "Intense Guy"

I am sure you see him and if you don't, you sure will hear him. In every gym there is the one guy who feels the need to scream his head off and yell with every rep like his life depends on him accomplishing it. The fact is most people look at him like he is a few plates short himself. You can put in hard work and give effort without being the star of a fitness horror movie. The grunting and screaming isn't necessary to make yourself appear strong, intense, or "hardcore". Save yourself a lot of humiliation and don't do this. Your fellow lifters might ban you from getting inside the gym the next day. lol

Conclusion

Now there are some things that just can't be taught in the weight room. A lot of knowledge in lifting comes with experience but these six tips I just gave you will go a long way in helping you master the iron and get you on your way to accomplishing all of your bodybuilding goals and then some. Best of luck on our iron journey! 

Taylor Lautner’s Workout Secrets

If you have been watching the famous vampire series, Twilight, then you have watched as Taylor’s character “Jacob,” transformed  in front of your very own eyes.  We aren’t talking about his on screen transformation from human in to werewolf,  but rather the transformation of Taylor into a muscular man from one movie to the next.  His portrayal of a werewolf required some SERIOUS workout routines to make his character believable.

Men’s Health featured Taylor and gave the world some insight into his weight gaining routine.  Even if your goal isn’t to gain weight, his workout has some good tips to help you find the lean wolf in you!

Taylor gained a total of 30 pounds in one year for his transformation into a werewolf.  He did this through hard work and eating right.  There are always some tricks of the trade.  In his case, he worked on heavy “negative reps.”  This means you lift about 50 pounds over your normal weight.  With a spotter, start at the top of the rep and slowly lower the weight down (this is the “negative” portion).  Since doing heavy weights  is hard on your body only preform 2-3 sets and do it every other week.

Among other alterations, Lautner also changed his routine frequently to increase his strength and keep his muscles guessing.  This challenges your body and forces it to adapt and change.  This is very important in every routine whether your trying to lose weight or gain muscle.  Change in routines can be in the form of the exercises OR even the repetitions.  If your body is used to 12- 15 reps with light weight, then change it up and do 8-10 with heavier weight.

Challenge all of your resistance points. Resistance bands appear to be easy, but when paired with weights they create a training routine that has tension at every point in each repetition.  Lautner used them in combination with a squat bar by using heavy duty tension bands that are anchored to the bar as well as heavy weights on the floor.  During most squats, there is a rest period at the bottom and top of each squat.  With the tension bands there is no breaking point, creating tension through of the whole set of squats.

Although cardio is great for leaning out, in Taylor’s case, he had toavoid “over doing” the cardio due to his naturally thin physique and tough calorie burning routine.  If you are looking to lean up and aren’t concerned about burning too many calories then long bouts of cardio are ok.  However, if you are looking to have a natural balance of muscle on your body then you are better off doing moderate cardio and eating a lean diet to have maximum muscle definition.

Don’t over work your abs and do a combination of moves to hit your abs from all points.  This is what Taylor does to keep his abs in 6 pack formation for all of his topless shots.   I agree with his outlook on abs.  Always mix up your ab routine with a variety of different types of ab workouts.  You don’t have to only do crunches to get that flat, defined stomach.

Set goals!  This pertains to your workouts, your calories, your resting days, and the types of foods you eat.  Above everything else, you must have a plan to get cut and lean like Taylor.  No one looks this good without goals for every aspect of your routine.  If you want an awesome body then you must make goals, plan and watch as your body transforms within weeks!  There is a werewolf in us all; when preparation meets execution there is always success.

You Don’t Need Equipment For This Home Workout

We all want the perfect, well toned body but realize we have to start exercising if we ever hope to get it. Of course, the gym is the first thing you think of when you consider exercising.  If a person is serious, they will make it a routine to go to the gym for hours every day. But good eating habits might be tossed aside and replaced by health drinks and unhealthy crash diets.  Crash diets and daily workouts at the gym are not the only way to get your body into great shape.  You can actually enjoy a good workout at home without any kind of equipment. You can achieve the results you have dreamed of simply by working out for a few minutes at home.

You will be able to lose those extra pounds and achieve the chiseled look you desire with a good diet and home workouts with the right exercises. Health experts have designed all sorts of exercises which will work very effectively.  Before you start working out, however, there are a few things to keep in mind. It will take a lot of exercise, determination and time to get the physique you want, so you can’t expect an overnight miracle. Take the time to plot out what your exercise program will be and keep at it until your body gets into the shape you want. Although you require no special equipment, you do need a room big enough to allow you to move freely around and stretch your body. You don’t want to get dizzy while you are exercising, so make sure the room’s ventilation is adequate. You might even perform your exercises in your backyard. Inside, turn off the air conditioning system and allow your body to cool down naturally.

Most fitness experts stress the use of warm up exercises for the best workout results. It takes some time for your body to become accustomed to any exercise routine, so go slowly. Deal patiently with your body and let it relax. When you perform your exercises, don’t do so on a rug or carpet. After making certain there is no spilled water on the ground, practice directly on the floor. You could become badly injured by slipping in a puddle of water. If you prefer to exercise with a carpet under your feet just make sure it stays in place and doesn’t move about.  Make sure your exercise shoes are not slippery and that they stay firmly on the ground. Taking these precautions will guarantee a safe workout without injury.

Aerobics is one of the most popular home workouts. Following a program of aerobic exercise has long been the way to an improved physique for many people over the years.  Your lungs and heart become stronger during aerobics. The muscles are properly toned as your cardiovascular system gets a great workout. This type of workout can easily be practiced at home every day for an hour. But while you are exercising, make certain to take enough breaks. Many of us remember practicing calisthenics in school and they are still among the most popular ways to work out at home. Once you have established your routine, add a few calisthenics to the mix.

Always allow your body the time necessary to warm up before and cool off after when you are exercising at home. Let your body get used to the exercise gradually. Once you have designed the perfect at-home workout, stay with it. This is the only way it will work and give you the physique you have always dreamed of.

Milk: Two Glasses a Day Tones Muscles, Keeps the Fat Away in Women, Study Shows

Women who drink two large glasses of milk a day after their weight-lifting routine gained more muscle and lost more fat compared to women who drank sugar-based energy drinks, a McMaster study has found.

The study appears in the June issue of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise.

"Resistance training is not a typical choice of exercise for women," says Stu Phillips, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University. "But the health benefits of resistance training are enormous: It boosts strength, bone, muscular and metabolic health in a way that other types of exercise cannot."

A previous study conducted by Phillips' lab showed that milk increased muscle mass and fat loss in men. This new study, says Phillips was more challenging because women not only steer clear of resistance training they also tend to steer away from dairy products based on the incorrect belief that dairy foods are fattening.

"We expected the gains in muscle mass to be greater, but the size of the fat loss surprised us," says Phillips. "We're still not sure what causes this but we're investigating that now. It could be the combination of calcium, high-quality protein, and vitamin D may be the key, and. conveniently, all of these nutrients are in milk.

Over a 12-week period, the study monitored young women who did not use resistance-training exercise. Every day, two hours before exercising, the women were required not to eat or drink anything except water. Immediately after their exercise routine, one group consumed 500ml of fat free white milk; the other group consumed a similar-looking but sugar-based energy drink. The same drinks were consumed by each group one hour after exercising.

The training consisted of three types of exercise: pushing (e.g. bench press, chest fly), pulling (e.g. seated lateral pull down, abdominal exercises without weights), and leg exercises (e.g. leg press, seated two-leg hamstring curl). Training was monitored daily one on one by personal trainers to ensure proper technique.

"The women who drank milk gained barely any weight because what they gained in lean muscle they balanced out with a loss in fat" said Phillips. "Our data show that simple things like regular weightlifting exercise and milk consumption work to substantially improve women's body composition and health." Phillips' lab is now following this study up with a large clinical weight loss trial in women.

Funding for the study was provided by McMaster University, 

Workout With Your Sweetheart On Valentines Day

For most people Valentine’s Day is an excuse to hook-up and eat chocolate. Hey, sounds good to me too, but surely we can be more creative than that! Why not mix things up this V-Day with a fun workout you can do in the comfort of your home with your significant other?

In this Article I am going to demo the concept of partner training. Partner training workouts are essentially a workout that involves performing joint exercises with at least one other person or more. There are a ton of benefits to partner training, including:


* Social Support and Accountability
* Provides a Ton of Variety
* Breeds Competition and Drives Better Results
* It’s FUN!


Partner training can definitely spice a workout up. So before you head out for the day, grab your valentine and give this workout a go:


The Valentine’s Day Partner Training Workout

I love training with resistance blog. They provide a unique type of resistance and they give you the ability to perform a resistance training workout targeting your entire body in any location. Try lugging a bunch of dumbbells around in your gym bag 

This 20-minute total body partner circuit training workout maximizes the use of one band. They are just so many things you can do with them! This workout will surely help set the stage for a great day.

For each exercise, one partner will perform as many reps as possible (in good form) for 20 seconds while the other partner holds; then switch positions before moving on to the next exercise. You will cycle through the 4-exercise circuit 4 times for a total of 20 minutes. Note: Your ultimate goal is to be able to perform at least 10-15 reps per set for each maximum effort exercise within the circuit. Once you have accomplished this, seek to increase loading or progress to a more advanced exercise variation.

Exercise 1: Hip Squats

Exercise 2: Split Stance Chest Press

Exercise 3: Good Mornings

Exercise 4: Split Stance Rows

Active Recovery Exercise: Back Pedals

Special Note: For a more advanced version of this same workout, perform each exercise simultaneously. Use a 40:20 or 50:10 interval. That will really spice things up!


Now go ask someone to be your valentine and get after it!!!


They say that sweat-driven pheromones are one of nature’s most powerful aphrodisiacs… you tell me…And of course, jump in the shower when you’re done

Healthier Eating in the New Year

Is eating healthier one of your New Year's resolutions? Following a fad diet, or being overly restrictive, will not help you or your family achieve your health goals. Healthy eating does not mean boring, tasteless foods.

Try these simple yet sensible steps that will help you adopt a healthier diet, without feeling deprived.

Fill the plate with colorful vegetables

There are many more vegetables to try than just lettuce and tomatoes! Bright-colored and dark green leafy vegetables are especially loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. They are also high in fiber, which makes them very filling. In addition, they are low in calories – good to help trim waistline. When you fill up your stomach with veggies, they will be less likely to feel the urge to binge on other high-fat or processed foods. 

Snack on fruits - fresh or dried

When feel like snacking, grap a fruit instead of chips or cookies. Like vegetables, fruits are high in antioxidants and fiber and low in calories. To make it fun, use low-fat yogurt as a dip. This way your'll get some calcium as well as protein – which helps feel full longer. And don’t forget about dried fruits. Mixing them with whole-wheat breakfast cereal and nuts makes a nutritious school snack.

Look for alternatives to processed meat

Instead of always packing sodium-loaded processed ham sandwiches, try using leftover high-quality protein from the night before. How does a grilled fish burger, chicken breast sandwich, or soy-based vegetarian hot dog sound to you? These protein alternatives are usually nitrate-free, low in saturated fat and more heart health friendly. 

Choose whole grains

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating at least 3 servings of whole grains every day. Not only are they high in fiber, whole grains also contain an array of antioxidants not found in fruits and vegetables. The easiest way to increase whole grain intake is to replace some of your refined-grain products. For instance, use whole-grain bread instead of white bread when making lunch sandwiches. Substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, and pancakes. Toss brown rice, wild rice, or barley in your vegetable soup. Or snack on popcorn instead of chips on family movie nights. (Yes, popcorn is a whole grain!) Don’t forget, you don’t need to completely wipe out all refined grains. You can always try serving half whole wheat/half refined as a starting point.

Eat breakfast

Many people often skip breakfast. Some skip it because they are too rushed in the morning and have little time to prepare. Some skip it as a measure to control weight. But studies have shown that people who eat breakfast regularly are more likely to control their weight than those who skip breakfast. An ideal breakfast contains at least 3 food groups. For instance, a bowl of whole wheat breakfast cereal with milk and blueberries can start your day the healthy way.