Boxing routine for six pack abs

So today I want to put something fun together for all my readers who are interested in cutting fat. This is a 100 percent original circuit training routine that I created myself after getting bored with all the others. The others usually consisted of different bodyweight exercises such as squats, pushups, etc. This new boxing routine I am going to share is much more fun, it consists of shadow boxing, jumping rope, and other activities you might find more fulfilling.

How to perform the boxing routine:
This boxing routine is performed in a circuit. It will include six different exercises which you will perform for 20 seconds with only 15 seconds of rest in between. Once you have completed the last exercise in the boxing routine, you will rest for one minute and then repeat. The goal is to burn as many calories as you can and increase your physical conditioning by completing the circuit as many times as possible. As your conditioning increases using this boxing routine, you can cut the rest in between exercises down to 10 seconds to challenge yourself further.

All the exercises listed should be performed at a high pace in order to maximize results.

Boxing routine:

Shadow boxing- Dance around and throw punches as if you were in the ring with an opponent. Whether you are a pro boxer, boxer in training, or just someone looking for a fun way to burn fat, this is a great way to burn calories and get that heart rate up.
(Rest 10-15 seconds)

Jump rope- For beginners, jumping rope may be a little difficult to do without tripping over the rope a bit. Feel free to jump rope with an imaginary rope until you feel comfortable enough to jump with a physical rope at a high speed.
(Rest 10-15 seconds)

High Knees- This exercise should be performed at a high pace.
(Rest 10-15 seconds)

Crunches- Focus on performing as many crunches/sit ups as possible in your 20 second window. This will also help in strengthening your core.
(Rest 10-15 seconds)

Bobbing and weaving- Standing in a traditional fight stance with one foot in front planted on the floor and the other behind you on your toes with your knees slightly bent, dip down using just your knees and come up toward the right then repeat and come up toward the left.
(Rest 10-15 seconds)

Bag training- Pound away at the heavy bag with combinations for the last 20 seconds.
(Rest 1 minute)

Repeat

Alternatives:

If you do not have a heavy bag available I recommend adding an extra jump rope session.

The bobbing and weaving section can easily be replaced with a second round of shadow boxing.

The boxing routine for six pack abs:
What makes the boxing routine circuit so beneficial is a number of things. First of all, it can be performed from home with little to no equipment in just about 15 minutes or so. Second, you are using your muscles and unlike long slow pace cardio, you are not burning through your muscle tissue. In fact, you will not only burn fat but you will also put on some solid muscle in the process. There is one way and one way only to get the six pack abs of your dreams, and that is by cutting your overall body fat, period.

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Cardio on an empty stomach or after breakfast? Fat burn secret revealed!

The question:
Do you burn more fat by performing cardio on an empty stomach?

The argument:
According to most fitness professionals, in order to maximize your workout, you must consume the proper nutrients to fuel your body. Others suggest that cardio on an empty stomach is more beneficial when burning fat.

The reasoning:
Fueling your body before a workout will allow you to get a longer and more intense workout.
When performing cardio on an empty stomach, your body taps into its reserves and allows you to burn through calories stored as fat.

Studies show:
One study showed that cardio on an empty stomach did indeed burn more FAT than cardio after breakfast. That same study argued that those who consumed breakfast were in fact able to run longer and burn more total calories.

Another study showed that those who performed cardio on an empty stomach fatigued about 30 minutes faster than those who consumed breakfast.

The truth about fat burn:
You may have read this far and have already decided that eating before your workout is in fact more beneficial, WRONG!

We are not debating on what burns more total calories, we are debating on which technique burns more fat. You see, those people in the study who ate breakfast and ran for an hour had to run about 45 minutes before they burned through just the calories they consumed that morning. That leaves about 15 minutes of cardio that they actually burned through calories that were stored as fat. On the other hand, those who performed cardio on an empty stomach where burning off calories stored as fat for the entire 30 minutes.

Not so fast!
Now you have probably changed your mind and decided that cardio on an empty stomach is in fact more beneficial, WRONG!

What more “professionals” fail to mention is, when we get up in the morning after 6-10 hours of sleep, our bodies are in a catabolic state. Unless we consume some sort of sugar, our body will continue to sacrifice muscle. The more physical activity we put ourselves through while in the catabolic state, the more muscle we are breaking down.

A simple breakdown of how this works:
There are three places where glycogen can be found in the body. The first place is in the liver, the second place is in the muscles, and the third place is in the blood stream. After a full night of sleep, our glycogen levels are almost completely depleted. Glycogen in the liver is gone, the glycogen in the blood stream is used for energy, and the glycogen in the muscle is almost completely used up. When the glycogen is depleted from the liver, it takes substrates from the muscle in order to create more. This is muscle breakdown or atrophy.

What is the best way to burn fat?
We know that eating a full breakfast/meal before your cardio routine will cause you to workout for a longer period of time before you tap into your calories from stored fats. In most cases, the person performing the cardio will stop before even burning through the calories consumed that morning or continue very little time in the “fat burning” zone.

We also know that although performing cardio on an empty stomach may allow us to burn through a higher level of stored fat, you will be sacrificing muscle at an alarming rate if you choose this technique.

So what approach to cardio is more beneficial when burning fat?
The answer is simply right in the middle. Instead of an entire meal, we should consume something like a piece of fruit (banana, apple, orange, etc) or a low calorie snack that contains sugar in order to raise insulin levels and take you out of that catabolic state immediately. This will also give you some energy and allow you to perform the routine for a longer period of time without having to burn so many calories before tapping into the stored fat.

Circuit training routines for maximum fat loss:

Boxing Routine

Bodyweight cardio

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How to calculate body fat percentage (women)

Body fat percentage: Body fat is a lipid (fat) produced in the body, and this may be influenced by diet, exercise and genetics. Body fat percentage is that percentage of body mass that is not made up of bone, muscle, connective tissue and fluids; that is, everything else.

Keeping a healthy body fat percentage for women

Age 20-40
Unhealthy – Under 21
Healthy – 21-33
Overweight – 33-39
Obese – 39+

Age 41-60
Unhealthy – Under 23
Healthy – 23-35
Overweight – 35-40
Obese – 40+

Age 61-79
Unhealthy – Under 24
Healthy – 24-36
Overweight – 36-42
Obese – 42+

Body Fat Formula For Women
A: (Total body weight x 0.732) + 8.987
B: Wrist measurement (at fullest point) / 3.140
C: Waist measurement (at naval) x 0.157
D: Hip measurement (at fullest point) x 0.249
E: Forearm measurement (at fullest point) x 0.434
A + B - C - D + E=Lean body mass
Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass=Body fat weight
(Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight = Body fat percentage

Calculating body fat percentage for MEN

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How to calculate body fat percentage (men)

Body fat percentage: Body fat is a lipid (fat) produced in the body, and this may be influenced by diet, exercise and genetics. Body fat percentage is that percentage of body mass that is not made up of bone, muscle, connective tissue and fluids; that is, everything else.

Keeping a healthy body fat percentage

Age 20-40
Unhealthy – Under 8
Healthy – 8-19
Overweight – 19-25
Obese – 25+

Age 41-60
Unhealthy – Under 11
Healthy – 11-22
Overweight – 22-27
Obese – 27+

Age 61-79
Unhealthy – Under 13
Healthy – 13-25
Overweight – 25-30
Obese – 30+

How to calculate your body fat percentage
A: (Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42
B: Waist measurement x 4.15
A-B=Lean body mass
Total body weight – Lean body mass= Body fat weight
(Body fat weight x 100) / total body weight = Body fat percentage

Calculating body fat percentage for WOMEN

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Get your FREE copy of "Bony To Brawny"

I am very excited to share that my "Skinny guy's secret to explosive muscle gains revealed" ebook titled "Bony To Brawny" is just about done and will be releasing to the public within the next week or so.

What is "Bony to Brawny" ?

This book is a muscle building program that contains the secret to all my muscle building success with gaining 40+ pounds of solid muscle in less than 6 months. It is the same program that my clients pay hundreds of dollars for and the same program that will take you from bony to brawny and change your life forever.

The book contains:

--Me putting an end to all the bodybuilding lies and misconceptions that we have fallen a victim to.

--A full out nutrition plan specifically targeted to those "hardgainers" or naturally small guys that feel like it is imposable to gain weight.

--The secret to producing steroid like results without any supplements or scary side effects.

--A workout plan that you can follow endlessly without suffering from the dreaded "plateau effect".

--and much much more.

Get your free copy of "Bony to Brawny"

For a very limited time only, I will be giving away FREE copies of my ebook "Bony to Brawny". In order to receive your free copy, all i require is that you email subscribe (at the top left of the page) to this blog. Once the book is released, anyone who has an active subscription to MuscleMonsters will receive a FREE copy of "Bony to Brawny" via email on the day it releases.

*This offer ends immediately following the release date of "Bony to Brawny".

If you have reached this offer after its experation, visit www.BonyToBrawny.com so that you too can be on your way to explosive muscle gains.

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Weight loss diet plan sample

I have been getting tons of emails from my readers lately asking for weight loss advice. Although my specialty is in gaining weight, i also know a thing or two about losing weight as i have had numerous clients who have been very successful under my training.

The reason for this post is simple, some people just need more specific advice than "just eat healthy". So, for those of you who fall under that category, i have put together a sample meal plan/diet. This diet allows you to eat anywhere from 3-6 times a day and is created to speed up metabolism in order to maintain a healthy weight.

Breakfast
Every morning, as soon as you wake up you will drink one glass of water. Breakfast will consist of good carbohydrates and/or fruits. Breakfast is the most important of all your meals, DO NOT skip breakfast. You will consume half of a grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice with your breakfast.

Examples: (Add half of a grapefruit or glass of grapefruit juice with all)

-Bowl of oatmeal (one bag) with small fruit cup or yogurt.
-Assorted fruit bowl
-Bowl of oatmeal (two bags)
-3 hard boiled eggs with one small fruit cup or yogurt

Lunch
Lunch will consist of good carbohydrates and lean protein. Just like breakfast, lunch will be accompanied by a half of a grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice.

Examples: (Add half of a grapefruit or glass of grapefruit juice with all)

-Turkey sandwich w/ lettuce and tomatoes (wheat bread)
-Chicken sandwich w/ lettuce and tomatoes (wheat bread)
-Grilled chicken salad w/ light dressing

Dinner
This will be your last meal of the day.

Examples: (Add half of a grapefruit or glass of grapefruit juice with all)

-Grilled chicken salad w/ light dressing
-Pasta (Wheat) w/ lean turkey meat and low fat sauce
-Turkey burgers (wheat bread) lettuce and tomatoes
-Chicken breast w/ Brown rice

Late dinners
-Grilled chicken salad w/ light dressing
-Grilled chicken strips
-Turkey burgers (No bread)

Foods to cut
White bread

Plain pasta

Red meat

Milk

Cheese

Fast food

Any foods with more then 20 calories of fat per 100 total calories. Also you must cut soda and any beverage with carbohydrates 4 hours before bed.

Snacks
You will have one snack between every meal.

Examples:
-South beach bars
-Tuna sandwich
-Fruit (recommended)

For best results

-Body weight cardio routines 3 days per week

-Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day

-Take your time and chew well when eating to enhance digestion and metabolism

-Try not to eat 3-4 hours before bed

-Find hobbies to reduce stress levels

-Aerobic exercises for 30-45 minutes 3 days per week

Examples of aerobic exercises:

-Walking uphill (Treadmill)
-Power walking
-Stair master
-Aerobic classes

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Bodyweight exercise for six pack abs

Here is another great workout by Vince Del Monte. This workout may be considered a warm up to some but to most it will be an entire session in itself. This exercise is made to increase your cardio/conditioning, also very effective when it comes to burning fat and getting ripped. The routine is entirely bodyweight and requires absolutely no equipment. I have used this workout with a lot of my personal clients and have gotten excellent results.

How to perform
The workout is broken down into 6 different bodyweight exercises. Each exercise is performed at high intensity for 15 seconds. Once you have completed the exercise, rest for 15 seconds. Once you have completed all 6 exercises, take a 1 minute rest and repeat from the top. The workout can be performed 3 times before your regular cardio or if you are looking to really test your conditioning, repeat as many times as your body allows. You will start to notice how much longer it takes for your body to get tired during this or any other physical activity.

Bodyweight exercises

Push Ups (15 seconds)
Rest (15 seconds)
Mountain Climbers (15 seconds)
Rest (15 seconds)
Half Burpees (15 seconds)
Rest (15 seconds)
High Knees (15 seconds)
Rest (15 seconds)
Squats (15 seconds)
Rest (15seconds)
Jump Squats (15 seconds)
Rest (1 minute)
Repeat

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Your Protein Bar May Be Killing You!

As a hardgainer, i find it nearly imposable to reach the amount of calories needed for me to gain size without some sort of protein mix. Also, because i am so busy, i occasionally find myself resorting to high calorie protein bars to secure i meet my goal for the day.

Unfortunately, after watching this video today I realise i should be a little more cautious about what kind of ingredients i am putting in my body.

Please comment, i would love to hear your opinions.

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Lose weight NOW not next year!

Let me apologize now for what you are about to read. Excuse me if I seem a little aggravated or upset, I am just tired of hearing and seeing people make so many excuses about why they can not maintain a healthy lifestyle. This article was not intended to criticize or put anyone down, in fact, it is just the opposite. I have created this post to help people understand that weight loss or living healthy in general is not as hard as some of us make it seem. Here are a few things I have noticed that we MUST change in order to meet our goals. I am hoping that once you finish reading that you will not make these changes a “new year’s resolution”.

Put away the scale and pull out the measuring tape

Why is everyone so obsessed with their weight? Instead of saying “I want to lose 10 pounds”, why don’t we say “I want to knock 4 inches off my waist “? The thing with focusing on weight loss is that we are often disappointed when we step on the scale. This causes us to give up because we feel like what we are doing is not working. Fact is, it probably is working and the reason for not losing weight is because you are adding muscle. You may weigh the same, more, or just a little less but your measurements may have changed for the better. You see, it is possible that you stepped on the scale hoping you had dropped about 5 pounds and got disappointed when you ended up gaining a pound. What you didn’t realize is that you lost 2 inches on your waist.

I’ll give you a very simple and straight forward example. Take two males who both are 6 feet and weigh 200 pounds. Male number one is 20 percent body fat and male number two is 13 percent body fat. Now, they are both the exact same height and the exact same weight but male number two looks significantly thinner and fitter than male number one. It really is just that simple, if we want to stay focused and positive about our progress then I recommend we put away the scale and pull out the measuring tape.

Why wait? Start now!

Why is it that every time someone is going to start a “diet”, they say “I’m going to start on Monday”? I hate hearing that from people who are interested in starting something new. It’s Wednesday, why not just start today? What is the reason that you want to continue the same routine that has you unhappy with yourself for another week?

This “I’m going to start on Monday” is just an excuse that is followed by eating more junk for the days between now and Monday. Have you ever heard someone that smoked cigarettes say “I’m going to quit after this pack” and they end up smoking double the amount they are used to that day? Then the excuse is “I’m quitting after this pack so I have to get in as much as I can now” or something to that effect. People, junk food, like cigarettes is an addiction. By over loading on these unhealthy foods for the next week before you “quit” is just going to push your goals back drastically. Make the decision that you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or whatever it may be but start NOW.

Don’t make a good workout the excuse for eating junk

Today I was on my personal facebook page and saw a status update from a friend of mine and I could not believe what I was reading.

“On my way to workout…see you guys at the bar later”

Need I say more?

Let’s say that this person was in the gym working hard and managed to burn 1000 calories. After that he ends up at the bar and consumes 4 beers adding up to 440 calories. Not to mention his post workout meal and anything in between his post workout meal and his 4 beers. I can guarantee those 1000 calories burned were taken right back in.

Is working out and eating unhealthy better or the same as not working out and eating unhealthy? Obviously it is better to workout over not working out, but what kind of progress do you expect to see if you are filling your body with empty carbs and thinking it is OK because u just worked out?

100% is better than 70%

What is the deal with the person who fills the fridge with slim fast shakes and chooses the elevator over the steps? I applaud you for taking initiative and changing your eating habits. Changing bad eating habits is a huge step for someone who has goals to live a healthy lifestyle.

My question is, why stop there? The hardest part has already been done, if you can eat better, you can live better. Now give yourself that extra push and take the steps instead of the elevator (considering how far up or down you are going of course) or even simply walking over to your co worker to deliver paperwork over emailing it while sitting three offices away.

STOP making excuses

Remember readers, an excuse is just that…an excuse. Yes legitimate reasons to procrastinate exist, but for the most part I feel that it is us building these obstacle courses for ourselves.

“I don’t have time to go to the gym”

“I can’t afford a gym membership”

Here is a very effective home workout routine that can be done in just minutes without any type of equipment.

Also, check out this body weight cardio routine by Vince DelMonte that can be performed from home with no equipment.

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Working out can help you land a better job

Look better, feel better, be better Self confidence could be the difference between achieving goals and hiding behind the fear of failure. Confident people are much more likely to succeed in this game we call life. Although there are numerous factors that will determine your confidence levels, I think that working out could possibly be the key to a new and better you.

-Physical Appearance
-Energy
-Posture
-Accomplishing positive goals

Physical appearance
People who are out of shape are more likely to feel insecure and less energetic. As shallow as it may seem, confidence in us humans is usually driven by how attractive we feel. People who are not physically fit tend to feel less attractive than those of us who live a healthier lifestyle. Being insecure about your physical appearance can very well cause you to be less social and less likely to be the best candidate for the job.

Energy
Not only do you feel great about how you look, you feel even better about…well…the way you feel. Feeling good about your physical appearance is a great step to building confidence, but feeling energized from working out will help others around you feel your confidence. Having energy will allow you to add a little “pep in your step”. People can usually tell how confident others are by the way they walk and their posture. Having no energy will cause you to walk slowly, drag your feet, and slump your shoulders. With the energy you will build from transitioning to a healthier lifestyle, you will naturally walk faster. Making yourself look and feel more important is a huge confidence booster.

Posture
The way you carry yourself has a lot to do with how you feel and how others will assume you feel. For example, if you are walking around with your shoulders slumped and your head down, it is safe to say there is little to no confidence present. If you are walking fast with your head up and making eye contact with others, it gives off the vibe of importance and empowerment. What a lot of people don’t realize is, working out is a great way to improve posture. Not only will you naturally achieve better posture from the extra energy, but certain workouts will actually target sections of your body that have a lot to do with your posture.

A big part of your posture comes from your posterior chain. Activating the gluteus maximus or buttocks will benefit the posterior chain which in turn will create better posture. Here are a few exercises you can add to your routine to build better posture.

-Supine bridges
-Hip flexor stretch
-Kneeling squats and
-Mule kicks

Accomplishing something positive
When working out, we all have something we call “fitness goals”. A big part of being confident is having that “I can do it” attitude. Setting fitness goals and accomplishing those goals will allow you to feel on top of the world. Accomplishing these fitness goals will have you feeling confident and unstoppable. Knowing that you can do anything that you put your mind too will make you feel more valuable to employers. The bigger the goals you achieve, the bigger the confidence boost. Believe me people, there is no feeling like reaching goals (personal or fitness) that you have set.

Working out can land you a better job
Self confidence is the key to great success, and working out and living a healthier lifestyle is the key to self confidence. With just a few hours a week in the gym or at home exercising, you can make a world of a difference in yourself and your over all life. Look better, feel better, be better.

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Fitness Q and A for the dedicated (Questions)

I am pretty good at answering emails and comments, but recently I have decided that I would take it a step further to interact with my readers. This is a new section I am starting and will be doing every once in a while. I call it, “Fitness Q and A for the dedicated”. It works like this, I add the post labeled “Fitness Q and A for the dedicated” and you, the readers, ask away. I will take questions via email for 14 days from the day of the post, at the end of the 14 days I will post the questions along with answers. For the most part, the questions will all be answered in the same post. The more complicated questions that need a larger explanation will be answered in the form of its own article. For those interested in participating, please email your question to MuscleMonsters@gmail.com along with your name and the city and state in which you live. Make sure to title the subject "Fitness Q and A".

Note: Comments are welcome but will not be included in the “Fitness Q and A for the dedicated (Answers)” section.

I look forward to a lot of questions; no question that is fitness related will go unanswered. Please subscribe to be alerted of the answers being posted.

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Top 5 reasons why you aren't losing weight

Just a week or so ago I put together a brief but informative post on the top 5 reasons you aren’t getting any bigger. This post was geared toward skinny hardgainers who have hit a plateau and are unable to gain any more mass. I could not believe the positive feedback I received from my readers for the post. As a result, I decided to create the same type of post, this time geared toward people interested in losing more weight. I have come up with what I believe to be the top 5 reasons why you are not losing weight. Whether you have lost some weight and are unable to lose more or just interested in doing so, this list can be your guide to achieving your goal successfully.

Mistaking low fat foods for healthy foods
The first thing people do when trying to lose weight is decide that they will go on a diet. The average person would tell you that changing to low fat products is part of a weight loss diet. This could not be more wrong; in fact, most low fat products are actually more fattening. How can low fat be more fattening? It’s actually very simple; the main problem with weight gain is not how much fat we consume, but how many simple carbohydrates and sugars we consume. These simple carbohydrates are taken in by the body and stored as fat quit fast. So what do I have against the low fat foods? Well, I appreciate the fact that it’s less grams of fat, but I don’t appreciate the fact that they have to compensate with more simple carbohydrates and sugars. So now you are eating less grams of fat in your diet, but you could easily be doubling your non complex carbohydrate intake.

Cheating on your diet
This is the most basic but probably the most common mistake people make when trying to lose weight. Have you ever heard someone say “ill just have to run a little extra today” after deciding to cheat on there diet? More then likely you have heard it more then a few times. Let me give you a simple but good example of how bad this is. Let us say your session is usually walking uphill on the treadmill for 45 minutes and you burn about 300 calories (just an example). You consume this “cheat food” and add 250 calories to your day and add 30 minutes to your session. You walk a total of 75 minutes and burn 550 calories total. 250 out of the 550 calories burned are automatically going towards the “cheat food” you decided to take in earlier in the day. Not only have you spent more time in the gym, but you have burned only what you normally burn being there 30 minutes less. You end up spending more time in the gym and getting the same or less results. Would you not rather skip the “cheat food” and run the extra 30 minutes to knockout 550 calories toward your goal? Not only that, but lets be honest, most people don’t run that extra 30 minutes on the day they cheated. If they do run extra, it is probably a 10-15 minute difference from there normal day.

Relying too much on fat burn supplements
This is the one I have the biggest problem with. People take these fat burn pills and automatically assume that they are going to shrink there waist line with little to no effort. Here is the deal; the fat burn pills on the market require a specific diet and workout routine. Do fat burn pills work? Yes, I would say there are a few products that show great results. Problem is people assume that because they are on the supplement that they can eat worse and workout less. This is completely bogus; these pills only provide the ability to burn fat at a faster rate when your body is in the “fat burn zone”. Taking these fat burn supplements can become a huge problem for people that are oblivious to these facts. These are the people who will actually gain weight or see little to no results while taking these pills.

Are these pills necessary to lose weight? Absolutely not, anyone can lose the weight they want to lose without ever taking any type of fat burn supplement.

Eating too little
What? This is impossible, how can you gain weight from eating less? I know, it almost does not make any sense. Well, it wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t understand how the body functions. It is a lot less complicated then you may think. Gaining weight from eating less is a very common issue. Here is how it happens, if you eat less, your metabolism is working less. As a result, your metabolism ends up slowing down dramatically, to the point where the foods you are consuming are stored as fat before your body can fully metabolize them.

You have hit a weight loss plateau
This is very important to those who have been losing weight and have suddenly stopped or reduced results instantly. This is more then likely the cause of the inevitable plateau usually due to little or no change in your routine/diet. This period is going to happen at one point of another; the cause is simply your body completely adjusting to your workout and diet routine to the point where it does not feel like any changes are necessary. With the being said, the resolution is quite self explanatory. Change your program, the most common program for weight loss is heavy cardio. Do not get me wrong, heavy cardio at the required rate for fat burn is very effective. Unfortunately, your weight loss progress will eventually slow down or stop dead in its tracks. What do I do now? Add resistance training, circuit training, or body weight cardio. All these types of routines can shock the body into making changes once again. Not only will you start burning fat again, but as you build more and more muscle from these routines, your body will start to burn fat naturally.

Start burning that unwanted fat now
There you have it people, whether you are just starting new goals to lose weight or have suddenly stopped seeing results, this can be the ultimate guide to getting on track again. Watch what you’re eating, don’t rely on supplements, stop under eating, stop cheating, and break your plateau. This is as easy as I can put it, remember, losing weight is only as difficult as you make it.

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Should a woman lift like a man ?

Guest post by Darrin Clement of http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/ ©Darrin Clement

For the past few years, all the “experts” keep saying how a woman should lift like a man. But is it true?

The answer is yes and no.

Women can and should do nearly the same exercises as men, but because women have different goals and different chemistry, the ideal program will usually be different than what a man would use.

Why Do Some Experts Say a Woman Should Lift Like A Man?

Take a very fine book, probably the leading modern example of lifting for women and appropriately titled, “New Rules Of Lifting For Women” The subtitle says “Lift Like A Man, Look Like A Goddess.” Outstanding marketing, that’s for sure!

But the truth is, the workouts they put together look almost nothing like the workouts they put together in their first book “New Rules Of Lifting” which was for men.

I could argue that for some women, the workouts in the “book for men” would be ideal. And conversely, there are some men who might be better off following the workouts in the “book for women”.

It All Begins With Goals

With anyone – I mean anyone – designing a great exercise program starts with your goals. While no two people have the exact same mix of goals in their lives, there are common buckets we talk about when it comes to fitness:

1. Lose Fat
2. Improve Endurance
3. Gain Strength
4. Increase Muscle Size
5. Feel Better Overall
6. Be “Healthy”
7. Recover From Injury
8. “Look Better”

Most guys will have different top goals than most women.

An obvious example: For most men, muscle size will rank much higher than it would for most women.

And then, how much muscle? How much fat? How do you define “feeling better”? The result is an infinite range of goals.

Most women will say they want to

1. Lose weight
2. Improve muscle tone

Notice that these are not in the list above! Why not?

Because you don’t want to lose weight. You want to shed fat. You could lose weight by losing muscle. Or by cutting off your left arm. What you really want is less fat.

And there is no such thing as “muscle tone”. There’s muscle size and there’s the amount of fat surrounding it. Those two dynamics are the only things you control to give birth to the visual impact of your body that some people call “definition”.

Don’t Do Super-High Reps

The muscle tone myth leads to the misguided workouts for women with super high repetition workouts. You know, going for 100 reps or even 5 sets of 20.

Super-high repetition weight lifting is good for one thing: endurance.

No, not fat loss.

No, not muscle size.

And certainly not muscle tone.

So What’s An Ideal Lifting Routine For Women?

To repeat my main points: It’s not about the gender – it’s about the goals!

That said, there are in fact common goals that women have, that differ from the common guy. So while we are generalizing in this article, they are still grounded in practicality.

Most women should do these things, just like men:

1.Lift free weights, with as heavy a weight load as you can do safely (it’s probably a lot heavier than you think). This should be the basis of your workouts.
2.Use cardio training only as an extra: to burn extra calories and to improve heart health, NOT as the basis of your workouts.
3.What you eat is far more important than how you work out. Especially if your goal is to lose fat. No workout routine will make up for a crappy eating plan.
4. Use machines only sparingly.
5. If you do aerobics classes, do them for fun, not for fitness.

Most women should do these things differently than men:

1.More upper body work. (Women tend to naturally be stronger in the legs so they like working there more; conversely, men are usually stronger in the upper body so they spend too much time there.)
2.More bodyweight exercises, where you aren’t actually loading any barbells but just using your own weight. Since men are naturally stronger (even out-of-shape men), to get a decent workout we have to load the bar. For women who are just starting out, you might not yet be strong enough to do at least 6 reps with even the empty bar.
3. Arms work. True, I have repeatedly said time after time that 99% of men don’t need to do dedicated “arms” work because you get all you need from The Big 7 (a specific set of compound lifts). But most women do need extra arm work because their ability to do heavier weights on The Big 7 is limited by arm strength. And doing heavier weights does more for metabolism and overall body composition.
4. Less abs work. I could argue that almost nobody needs to be doing dedicated abs work, assuming you are doing The Big 7. But if you are already lean and strong, then abs work can help to get that nice 6-pack look. But that’s more of a guy thing. Women want “flat” tummies and creating bulging musculature in the abs isn’t as cosmetically appealing.
5. Don’t do biceps curls in the power rack. Oh wait, MEN SHOULDN’T DO THIS EITHER!

It’s worth repeating that these are over-generalizations because the main criteria for the types of workouts you do are your goals, not your gender.

Finally, let’s tackle the biggest complaint women give for not lifting free-weights…

“I Don’t Want To Get Bulky!”

Way too many women are worried about “getting bulky”.

Let me say this to those of you women thinking this: unless you are a genetic oddity, meaning like 1 in 1000 or rarer, you are not going to get bulky from lifting free weights.

Many men – who have far more natural growth (anabolic) hormones like testosterone – do everything they can to TRY to get bulky, and they can’t even do it! Do you really think that with your higher levels of catabolic hormones and lower levels of anabolic hormones you are going to become muscle-bound?


For more fitness advice, and to get a free 70-page ebook to get you started, visit

http://worldfitnessnetwork.com


Darrin Clement runs http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/ and http://www.leanlifters.com/ , fitness sites emphasizing how men over 40 build lean muscle through weight lifting, smart eating, and strategic cardio.

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Caffeine - The bodybuilding secret

What if i told you that the secret to becoming lean for bodybuilders and lots of other athletes was caffeine? You would probably say I'm crazy and think i have no idea what i am talking about. I would have had the same reaction had i not taken the time to do some research. What i found out was absolutely amazing and has been proven through clinical studies. I highly recommend at least taking a look at a few facts that i put together about the benefits of caffeine when weight training. I understand that it can be a very touchy subject due to popular belief that caffeine is in fact unhealthy, but facts are facts, how can we argue?

Caffeine for fat burn

- A common benefit found in caffeine is fat burn.

- Caffeine promotes the breakdown of stored fats.

- When caffeine is taken with a meal, it is known to convert a higher level of food into usable energy.

- Fat burn with caffeine is less effective on a high carb diet.

- Fat burning with caffeine takes place 3-4 hours after ingestion.

Caffeine for endurance and intensity

- Having caffeine 3 hours prior to training showed an 18% increase in time to exhaustion

- Having caffeine 3 hours prior to training showed a 24% increase in intensity

- Caffeine acts on the skeletal muscle by increasing calcium permeability

These are just a few of the great benefits caffeine has shown to have that could help athletes. Here is a short list of some of the great benefits found from using caffeine 3-4 hours prior to training.

Pros of Caffeine intake

1. Increased definition
2. Increased vascularity
3. Accelerates Fat burn
4. Better pump when weight lifting
5. Increased intensity and endurance

I am convinced that caffeine will have some great benefits in weight training. Will i include caffeine in my program? That i am yet to decide. The reason is simple, most pros are accompanied by cons. I will give you a small list of the cons to caffeine intake and let your decide.

Cons of caffeine intake

1. Could boost the risk of heart disease
2. Boost in blood glucose
3. May lower bone mineral density in women
4. May increase medical impairments ( induced anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, caffeine intoxication, and others )
5. Can become addictive

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Weight lifting for women to avoid bulking up

When it comes to women who are trying to get lean and in shape, will weight lifting bulk them up? I am not going to give you a yes or no answer; instead I am going to explain the benefits of weight lifting for women who are trying to get in shape without bulking up. Also, I will give you a program that will help you get sexier and firmer abs, and get you in great shape all around. If bulking up is not on your agenda, you have come to the right place.

Benefits of weight lifting for women

Muscle mass will actually act as a fat burner. Having muscle will actually speed up your metabolism and burn fat even while you rest.

Weight lifting for women will also increase strength and help combat osteoporosis.

As a woman you can perform similar exercises as male weight lifters without gaining unwanted size and instead become more firm.

Here are a few tips to get you going

3 day weight training week – Weight lifting for women 3 days a week will help increase strength and muscle which will in exchange help your body burn more fat faster. If you are spending the majority of your time in the gym doing cardio, remember that weight lifting will actually help burn the fat and at the same time get you firm and toned.

Sets and reps – I recommend you perform about 3 sets per exercise with about 10-12 reps each. You don’t want to lift too heavy, make sure that you are lifting light enough to perform 10-12 reps. Make sure to increase weight if you are performing 12 reps too easily. Be sure to increase weight by about 5 pounds every couple of sessions to increase strength.

Working the entire body – Instead of working biceps and triceps or any specific muscle group, perform workouts that target different muscle groups. Certain exercises target various muscles on the lower body and some the upper body. Some examples of good exercises are…

-Variations of different squats
-Lunges
-Hang cleans
-Dips
-Pull ups

Do not eliminate cardio – Although there are great benefits in weight lifting for women, cardio will also play a roll in getting the body you have always wanted. You are now going to focus more on weight lifting, but cardio should be performed after your weight lifting sessions for about 15-30 minutes. This will increase your cardiovascular performance which will in exchange give you more endurance to get a better workout when weight lifting. Cardio training is also very important when burning unwanted fat. I recommend performing your cardio after your weightlifting to ensure you are lifting to your full potential.

High Intensity – On 2 of the days off from weight lifting, perform some sort of high intensity, circuit, or interval training. These types of training are extremely effective when burning unwanted fat and getting toned. Performing these types of training can also be very time efficient and self motivating. Here is a great body weight cardio exercise that I highly recommend.

Proper diet – Diet is a very important step on your journey to getting the body you have always wanted. I am not going to create a never ending list of what and what not to eat; instead I will just give you a few tips.

-8-10 glasses of water per day
-Organic foods for breakfast
-No meals less than 4 hours before bed

Here are a few simple things you can change to create a big difference.

There you have it, weight lifting for women without bulking up. Follow the advice written in this article and you can also avoid some health risks. Remember, building muscle will in return help your body become a fat burning machine. Good luck on your journey to getting the sexy and firm physique that you always wanted.

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Small changes for a big difference

I have been getting a lot of emails lately and I have been noticing something very interesting. There are people out there that can live a healthier lifestyle and make dramatic physical changes by simply changing a few small things in there daily diet. So what I did was, I created a list of things people normally drink or eat daily that can easily be replaced to help live healthier and have more energy to enjoy life. The point of this post is to focus only on small things; small changes in these areas will make big differences in your health and well being.

No soda, more water
For all you soda drinkers, I know that it can be somewhat addicting and hard to let go. Here is the thing, if you have a glass of water when you are thirsty, you will no longer crave the soda because your thirst is now quenched. Soda carries tons of unneeded calories and is very fattening mainly because of all the simple sugars. Replacing your soda intake with water will make a huge difference. If you try it for just a few weeks you will see noticeable changes.

No red meat, more chicken and turkey
When I met my wife, she was not a heavy eater of red meats, but indeed it was a part of her diet. I never asked her to change it, but the more she saw me avoid it, the more she started avoiding it. Eventually it was completely out of her diet. Within weeks her body fat dropped dramatically. Her friends would ask her what kind of program I had her on and she would laugh and reply “no red meat”. She had lost about 10 pounds in a matter of 4 weeks with just replacing her red meat with chicken or turkey. If she craved a burger, she had one, made of turkey that is. Pasta with ground beef was now pasta with ground turkey. Rice and steak was now rice and chicken. It was that simple, and now it does not even cross her mind to have any red meat at all.

Red meat carries too much unnecessary fats. Yes, chicken and turkey are high in fat, but compared to red meats it does not even come close. Chicken and turkey are by far the better choice if you are already on a diet that contains meat.

No whites, more wheat
Bread and pasta are a huge part of a lot of people’s diet. Unfortunately, white bread and regular pasta are very high in simple carbohydrates. The problem with simple carbs is this, when you consume simple carbs, your body will store them as fat much faster than if you were consuming complex carbs. This is why I suggest replacing white bread and pasta with wheat bread and wheat pasta. This will lower your carb intake and at the same time you do not have to eliminate those snacks or dinners that you love so very much. Small price to pay to feel better and lose some unwanted pounds in the process.

No whole milk, more low fat milk
Milk is a very common part of the average Americans diet. If you are a drinker of whole milk, bring it down a notch. Replace your whole milk with 2%, if you drink 2% then bring it down to fat free. I know, I know, fat free is basically water or has no flavor, but just like anything else, you will get used to it with time. I personally went from whole milk to 2% and could not tell the difference, but now when I have no choice but to have whole milk, I can tell that the whole milk is much thicker. Whole milk is very fattening, even 2% is fattening, but the fact is, by dropping from whole to 2%, you are eliminating a huge amount of fat each day.

No fast food, more lean microwave dinners
I understand that most people are so busy that it is hard to stay away from fast food. Fast food is basically the worse, most fattening and unhealthy food you could put in your body. Busy? Grab a “lean cuisine” or “smart ones” microwaveable dinner. Am I saying that these choices are great? No, my point is this, if you are craving pizza, why eat 1000 calories worth from some fast food joint over about 300 calories from a microwaveable dinner? Same with most meals you are purchasing from fast food restaurants. This may very well be the most important item on my list. If you are a fast food eater, there is no reason you can not replace these high calorie meals with something similar that takes half the time to prepare and has less unwanted, unhealthy calories.

No junk food, more healthy snacks
People have snacks on a daily basis; more people choose junk food over healthy snacks. You may say to yourself “It’s just a small bag of chips” but look at it like this, if you were having a small bag of assorted nuts or a nutrigrain bar, would you have to second guess it? Most people that snack have at least 2 snacks a day, what if you replaced just one junk food snack with a healthy snack? Would that kill you? No, in fact it would do the complete opposite. It would help you stay healthier without giving up having your daily snack. If you are so addicted to unhealthy junk food that you cannot possibly replace it with healthy snacks like nuts or fruits, then at least try “weight watcher” snacks. They are basically the same cakes and donuts you are used to with less carbs. Either way, any small change can make a big difference.

These are all small changes you can make in your daily diet choices that can make a big difference in your health and well being. If your goal is to live healthier, or even to lose unwanted pounds without going to the gym, I am sure that anyone can make these small replacements. Once you start making these small changes in your diet, you will feel unbelievable when your friends are asking you what diet you are on.

If you want to take that extra leap into changing your entire diet for the better, click here for a list of some great foods you can eat.

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Foods that burn belly fat

One huge misconception when trying to burn belly fat is, people think they can do crunches 5 days a week and that is all. They could not be more wrong, the main factor is burning belly fat is proper dieting. Without a proper diet, burning fat will be almost impossible. This is just a quick post i came up with, it is a list of a few foods that will help burn belly fat.

1.Eggs: Very lean and rich in protein

2.Tomatoes: Great source of Vitamins C and A, full of iron and potassium, and contains a large amount of antioxidants.

3.Olive oil: Rich in antioxidants which help fight diseases and the effects of aging.

4.Salmon: Great source of omega 3 fatty acids.

5.Grapefruit: Rich in vitamin C and helps you feel more full by slowing down the digesting process.

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How green tea keeps you healthy

Green Tea has been a popular drink for over 4000 years and has been touted as a health elixir nearly as long. In recent years, however, modern medicine and the scientific community have acknowledged that it can, in fact, relieve or cure many chronic health conditions. How it does this is really not too complicated. There are many healthy ingredients in green tea such as polyphenols, magnesium, calcium, carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins as well as caffeine. The polyphenols, particularly catechins, are the ones that deserve all the attention.

Polyphenols are anti-oxidants that are capable of neutralizing free radicals. So what does all that mean? It's not as complicated as it sounds. Free radicals in the body are created by air pollution, cigarette smoke, drugs, stress, alcohol and pesticides. Essentially they are atoms that have lost an electron and survive by stealing one from a healthy molecule. That molecule then becomes a free radical itself and the chain reaction begins. Free radicals damage cells and can be responsible for the progression of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and many age related ailments.

Catechins are polyphenols unique to green tea and the most powerful of these is called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. This powerful anti-oxidant neutralizes free radicals by donating an electron. These are very stable nutrients and therefore do not become free radicals themselves and the chain ends. Many diseases are halted or reversed by this action of stopping the multiplication of free radicals.


One of the most apparent benefits is in dealing with osteoporosis by protecting osteoblasts from destruction by free radicals. Osteoblasts are the cells responsible for building bone. It also inhibits the formation of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.
Green tea helps to starve cancer by inhibiting angiogenisis when the cancer causes too many blood vessels to develop.

Drinking green tea can also lower the risk of atherosclerosis by lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipid peroxides which are free radicals that damage lipids or fats.
A study published in the July 2004 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine found that among persons consuming green tea regularly for at least one year, the risk of developing high blood pressure was 46% lower among those who drank ½ cup to 2 ½ cups per day and 65% less among those consuming more than 2 ½ cups per day.
It has also been shown to promote fat loss and slow age related decline in brain function.

So, enjoy your tea. But make sure it is from the evergreen type shrub called camellia sinensis. Herbal teas may taste good and make you feel good but they do not have the anti-oxidant power of green tea.

This amazing drink is not a cure-all. If you have a health problem you should learn all you can about it and then take full responsibility for dealing with it. In todays world there is a tremendous amount of information concerning health and wellness; some good and some bad. There is no chronic condition that will not benefit from a nutritious diet, regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

Much more information at http://www.vitality-after-60.com/.

I am a 73 year old retired engineer turned free lance writer and researcher. I have done a lot of research on aging, nutrition, exercise and body-mind-spirit connection. I strongly believe that most Americans are complacent about their personal health and put their faith in pharmaceuticals that treat symptoms rather than concentrating on prevention.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Van_Abbema

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