Planning your own diet and the reasons behind why the happy diet works. and why others dont.
Understanding why and how the happy diet works.
There is a simple explanation and that being is you get to choose what you want to eat. Most diets today prove to be very stressful for many men and women in their quest to lose weight. This is because they are following instructions from others on what they should and should not be eating. How do these people know? What tickles your fancy?
Discover how the happy diet can work for you, what is the happy diet you ask. It is a diet carefully devised by youself with all the things that you like to eat. You get to choose your own meats fresh fruit and vegetables
Diets definitely work if you adhere to all the rules, break them then no results. Now let us get cracking on a diet that makes sense and guaranteed to put a smile on your face
Just imagine your own diet with all the juicy ingredients and succulent meats that suit your palette
Always consult a doctor if you are thinking about dieting or exercising as we individuals all differ in many ways.
A little research on daily intake of carbohydrate protein and fat is an important factor when devising your own diet. I suggest you browse magazines or approach slimming informational centres to find out about your chosen foods.
Find a list of all the foods that you know you are going to enjoy using in your recipes and that are good for helping you to shed those excess pounds. Then narrow it down to the ones that you want to have on your menu.
This part of the happy diet can prove to be very educational and fun to say the least. People accept diets and all the ingredients. This way you get to delve more intimately into the choices you have made for your own personal plan.
After checking all the important factors as in i.e. consulting the doctor and daily intake of fats etc. we are now ready for the physical side of things. A few ideas to help speed up the process (exercise) try dancing round the kitchen table with the kids they make think you are mad but who cares you are on a mission to find the new you.
Spring clean not once a week maybe twice. This will help hurry things along and into the bargain a cleaner house. Remember this is your plan so do it when it suits you. Results will only come if you stick to what you started out to do.
Walking a great form of exercise, why not consider salsa lessons it all helps. Do not expect results over night
For starters (Excuse the pun) throw out the frying pan.
Less grease on the plate to lose weight
Grilling with out a doubt is a far healthier and tastier option.
Cut down (YES) cut out (NO) you can still nibble on little goodies. Just cut down? Watch where others go wrong, most diets of course will not work if the rules are broken. Now why would you want to break the rules on the happy diet when all that is on the menu was chosen by you?
Monday, January 22, 2007
Know Your Muscles - The Lower Body
1. Quadriceps femoris - this is a group of four muscles found at the front of the thigh. These are the vastus lateralis on the outside, the vastus medialis on the inside, the vastus intermedius between them, and the rectus femoris above them. The role of these muscles is to extend the leg from a bent position.
2. Hamstrings - these are found to the rear of the leg and consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus. The hamstrings are used to flex the knee in the act of pulling the heel towards the buttocks.
3. Gluteals - these make up the buttocks and consist of the gluteus maximus covering the hip joint and the gluteus medius and minimus on the outside of the hip. The gluteus maximus facilitates hip extension while the other two lift the leg to the side in an action called hip abduction.
4. Hip flexors - these are found opposite the glutes on the front of the pelvis. Consisting of the psoas major and iliacus they raise the leg to the front.
5. Calves - these consist of the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Their role is to extend the foot at the ankle.
2. Hamstrings - these are found to the rear of the leg and consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus. The hamstrings are used to flex the knee in the act of pulling the heel towards the buttocks.
3. Gluteals - these make up the buttocks and consist of the gluteus maximus covering the hip joint and the gluteus medius and minimus on the outside of the hip. The gluteus maximus facilitates hip extension while the other two lift the leg to the side in an action called hip abduction.
4. Hip flexors - these are found opposite the glutes on the front of the pelvis. Consisting of the psoas major and iliacus they raise the leg to the front.
5. Calves - these consist of the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Their role is to extend the foot at the ankle.
What to Look for When Buying a Home Gym
Budget
First and foremost you need to establish a budget for any strength training equipment you plan to buy. The reason for this is you only want to shop within your budget so as not to cause a financial burden. Once you have evaluated your budget for a home gym you will know what is available to you.
Goals
Before buying a home gym you should also evaluate your goals. Ask yourself why you need a home gym and what will it help you accomplish. Also, ask yourself if there is other fitness equipment that would help you meet your fitness goals. When you know what you are hoping to achieve by purchasing commercial fitness equipment for your home then you will have a better view of what you should buy.
Space
This tip is really important as well because you cannot buy a home gym you do not have space for. If you do this you will certainly never experience any of the benefits because you will not be able to use it. Before shopping for home gyms, or even reading reviews, find an area in your home where you would like to put the exercise equipment and measure the amount of space you have exactly. Take into account as well you will need to maneuver around the machine as well.
Needs
Evaluate your needs when it comes to getting into shape and working out. What parts of your body need the most work and what type of machine will best help you achieve your fitness goals? There are many types of home gyms on the market with a variety of different accessories and options, so you should know what you need and want before shopping and getting talked into a machine that does not meet your needs at all.
Finding Machines that Meet Your Criterion
Now that you are aware of how much you can spend, how much space you have, your personal goals and needs in a home gym then you can start reading reviews about the home gyms and exercise equipment that will meet your criteria.
The best suggestion is to go online and do some product reviews and find out what ratings each machine has that meets your basic standards of price, space, design, and needs. These reviews will really prove helpful because they will shed light on different aspects of the machine that really work and those that do not. Previous owners of the machines also frequently have their e-mail addresses posted so you could respond or either ask a question about a particular machine if you wanted. When you have this information then you will be prepared to start shopping for a home gym knowing that whatever you buy it will be perfectly suited to your needs, fit in your space available as well as your budget.
Shopping for your home gym might begin online or else you might prefer to visit a sporting goods store. Regardless of where you buy, you should always be armed with your information and never let a good sale or salesperson sway you.
The reason for this is if there is a great sale on a machine you might be tempted to buy it, even if it does not meet any of your needs, space, goals, other than budget. Be very careful about this. Also, salespeople will frequently try to talk you into something you do not need or want. Avoid this at all costs and stay focused on the machines you want to look at.
In fact, shopping online might be your best option because there are frequently better prices and no salespeople to worry about and you will probably end up making a better decision and won’t have to worry about loading a heavy machine into your car because it will arrive at your door.
Choosing the Right Machine
Now that you have started the shopping process you will want to locate the top three machines that meet your entire criterion, have the best reviews and ratings, and overall impress you the most. Once you have the top three machines in mind then you can start evaluating them one by one by making a plus and minus list for each machine.
Make sure you duly note all things about the machine you really like and are impressed with as well as all of the negatives. After you have completed all of your lists you will then be able to easily compare the three lists and buy the home fitness machine that you have been dreaming of.
Accessories
Once you have purchased your new home gym you might also consider buying some accessories to facilitate your work out and help you get the most out of your fitness routine. Such accessories include stability balls and free weights, among others.
These accessories will not take up much additional room, if any, and can really help you vary your workout and get the most out of your effort. Plus, these accessories don’t cost very much so you won’t be going over you budget by adding them to your checkout.
Buying a home gym does not have to be a difficult or even scary process as long as you do the research and consider all the variables and information available. When you do this you will be sure to not only buy the best machine for you for the best price, but you will also save a lot of time and possible dissatisfaction caused by purchasing the wrong machine. Avoid all of this by simply following the tips outlined above and you will be working out in the comfort of your own home before you know it.
First and foremost you need to establish a budget for any strength training equipment you plan to buy. The reason for this is you only want to shop within your budget so as not to cause a financial burden. Once you have evaluated your budget for a home gym you will know what is available to you.
Goals
Before buying a home gym you should also evaluate your goals. Ask yourself why you need a home gym and what will it help you accomplish. Also, ask yourself if there is other fitness equipment that would help you meet your fitness goals. When you know what you are hoping to achieve by purchasing commercial fitness equipment for your home then you will have a better view of what you should buy.
Space
This tip is really important as well because you cannot buy a home gym you do not have space for. If you do this you will certainly never experience any of the benefits because you will not be able to use it. Before shopping for home gyms, or even reading reviews, find an area in your home where you would like to put the exercise equipment and measure the amount of space you have exactly. Take into account as well you will need to maneuver around the machine as well.
Needs
Evaluate your needs when it comes to getting into shape and working out. What parts of your body need the most work and what type of machine will best help you achieve your fitness goals? There are many types of home gyms on the market with a variety of different accessories and options, so you should know what you need and want before shopping and getting talked into a machine that does not meet your needs at all.
Finding Machines that Meet Your Criterion
Now that you are aware of how much you can spend, how much space you have, your personal goals and needs in a home gym then you can start reading reviews about the home gyms and exercise equipment that will meet your criteria.
The best suggestion is to go online and do some product reviews and find out what ratings each machine has that meets your basic standards of price, space, design, and needs. These reviews will really prove helpful because they will shed light on different aspects of the machine that really work and those that do not. Previous owners of the machines also frequently have their e-mail addresses posted so you could respond or either ask a question about a particular machine if you wanted. When you have this information then you will be prepared to start shopping for a home gym knowing that whatever you buy it will be perfectly suited to your needs, fit in your space available as well as your budget.
Shopping for your home gym might begin online or else you might prefer to visit a sporting goods store. Regardless of where you buy, you should always be armed with your information and never let a good sale or salesperson sway you.
The reason for this is if there is a great sale on a machine you might be tempted to buy it, even if it does not meet any of your needs, space, goals, other than budget. Be very careful about this. Also, salespeople will frequently try to talk you into something you do not need or want. Avoid this at all costs and stay focused on the machines you want to look at.
In fact, shopping online might be your best option because there are frequently better prices and no salespeople to worry about and you will probably end up making a better decision and won’t have to worry about loading a heavy machine into your car because it will arrive at your door.
Choosing the Right Machine
Now that you have started the shopping process you will want to locate the top three machines that meet your entire criterion, have the best reviews and ratings, and overall impress you the most. Once you have the top three machines in mind then you can start evaluating them one by one by making a plus and minus list for each machine.
Make sure you duly note all things about the machine you really like and are impressed with as well as all of the negatives. After you have completed all of your lists you will then be able to easily compare the three lists and buy the home fitness machine that you have been dreaming of.
Accessories
Once you have purchased your new home gym you might also consider buying some accessories to facilitate your work out and help you get the most out of your fitness routine. Such accessories include stability balls and free weights, among others.
These accessories will not take up much additional room, if any, and can really help you vary your workout and get the most out of your effort. Plus, these accessories don’t cost very much so you won’t be going over you budget by adding them to your checkout.
Buying a home gym does not have to be a difficult or even scary process as long as you do the research and consider all the variables and information available. When you do this you will be sure to not only buy the best machine for you for the best price, but you will also save a lot of time and possible dissatisfaction caused by purchasing the wrong machine. Avoid all of this by simply following the tips outlined above and you will be working out in the comfort of your own home before you know it.
Steps To A Bigger Bench Press
1. TIME
Time is very important when it comes to getting stronger. Every year when people work hard at benching, they will see big increases in the weights they move yearly, monthly, and even weekly. If many of you look back at how strong you were 10 years ago, 5 years ago, 2 years ago, last year or even 2 months ago, you will see big changes in the weights you are benching. Some maxes go up faster than others, but all of them go up in time with hard work. These gains will also keep going up in the future. Lots of little gains equal huge #s over time. You can really become extremely strong over time.
2. SACRIFICE
If you want an amazing bench, you won't be able to stay out late and have fun every night because getting enough sleep is very important. You will need to eat large portions of healthy foods frequently and take supps by the clock, which takes lots of work and becomes expensive. You will have to fight through pain in the gym to keep going to the next level and live in some kind of pain from the wear and tear on the body from very heavy workouts. Most importantly, you will have to be in the gym working hard when you wish you could be out doing other things. To be truly great at anything you need to make it a lifestyle.
3. SHIRTS
Lets face the facts, if you want to go as far as you can go in the bench press and bench the biggest weights possible, you will have to start learning how to use bench press shirts. The biggest weights ever benched were benched with the shirts. The strongest man at around 230 can bench more with a shirt than the strongest man over 300 can RAW. The biggest raw benches today are a little over 700, and the biggest shirt benches are around 800. Lots of benchers' maxes go up tremendously over 150 and 200lbs when they use shirts. Lots of them think using the shirts makes benching more hardcore because you can hit scarier weights. Other people don't like bench press shirts because it isn't the same as benching RAW. Besides, RAW benching is the way people around the world bench. There are all different kinds of shirts and some people get more out of them than others and different shirts work differently for different people.
4.GAINING WEIGHT
When getting stronger, gaining weight is very important. You will see that when you get heavier you will be able to lift more. However, some lifters don't want to look fat. If that is the case, eat lots of healthy foods while avoiding excessive fats, sugars, and simple carbs. If you don't care about aesthetics, and just want to get heavier to lift more, eat everything you want while getting enough protein.
5. STEROIDS
Steroids and drugs will help you lift bigger weights, however they can have terrible effects on your mood and on your health.
6. GUTS
Having guts is very important in bench pressing and in life. If you don't have guts you are gonna miss out on many great moments in life. You won't be strong. You will only be an admirer-wannabe who lives life in a comfort zone. It takes guts to work your weak link. For example, if you have a strong flat bench and a weak incline bench, you will need to train heavy reps under 5 on the incline. Even though it will hurt your ego, you will be stronger both mentally and physically. Anything in life that is worth something takes resistance. You need guts to fight it. It takes guts to work as hard as you can. THE BOTTOM LINE IS... You need guts to fail. When you work hard, you will sometimes fail. Youn need to experience failure to get stronger.
7. GENETICS
Well we know that people were born in different shapes and sizes and have different metabolisms. These are the facts; people who have shorter arms with a bigger chest and bigger bones will always have an advantage over someone with longer limbs and a smaller bone structure. An Endo will usually have an advantage over an Ecto, if the Endo decides to be a big powerlifter and not just some guy trying to lose pounds and look more like an ecto. Don't let genetics be your excuse. Anyone can be strong and make progress. You need to keep confusing your genetics and forcing your genetics to keep adding weights to the bar.
8. FORM
Lots of lifters have increased their benching tremendouslyo ver night from changing bodybuilding form to using leg drive, widening their grip, and changing the groove of the lift with form. By just changing your form, you can see fast gains in a day!
9. REST
Rest is important in big lifting and to prevent over training. Don't super set your heavy workouts. Try to rest 5 minutes between sets. Make every set great quality instead of doing lots of sets and going through the motions. Every set should have some meaning and purpose, or it is worthless. The bottom line is, you need to do every set well.
10. MAKE WHAT'S WEAK STRONG
This might hurt your ego, but you will need to hurt it to get stronger. If you only do what you're good at, you are likely to plateau because your weak points will prevent you from moving onto the next level.
11. MUSCLE CONFUSION
You need to keep changing your routine to keep confusing your muscles. This will cause them to get stronger instead of adapting to a routine, which will cause a plateau.
12. BACK WORK
Having a strong back is very important in benching heavy weights, and very important in life itself. Make sure you work your back.
13. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT
We are all much the same because we are all humans, but we all have our own experiences, our own perceptions and our own bodies that adapt differently to different training styles. So use exercises, supplements and routines accordingly to what works best for you. You can find this out from trial and error. What works for 4 months though, won't work forever, so you have to keep overloading your muscles, strengthening your tendons and working on your weak points. If you take two of the strongest men who ever lived, they didn't get there by doing the same exact routine. If your weak point is the lower half of the bench, start doing more serious back work and full range work, if it is strictly the top, get your triceps stronger and lockout stronger. Just know your body because you can only have your own, and you can't be anyone else.
14. WORKOUT PARTNERS
If you want a really big bench, try to surround yourself with people who have gotten one themselves. There is nothing quite like one-on-one attention. If you're surrounded with people who motivate you to get better, then you will want to work harder and get better. This will make your strength journey a more enjoyable one. You will be pushed to working levels you never experienced before.
15. TRAIN SMART
Training smart will make you last. It is important to work hard but if you're over training, then you won't make gains and you will just burn out. Remember, don't bench anymore than two days a week. Also, use good form to prevent injury and when injured rest. If you don't, you are just going to make things worse. Fighting through an injury isn't going to help you.
16. SQUATS
Dont neglect squats and only bench. Squatting heavy will help increase your bench by releasing more growth hormone.
17. ATTITUDE
When you enter the gym, make sure you have attitude. Get motivated to attack huge weights. When you have attitude, you will be much more energized and go much farther than someone who just lifts for the sake of lifting.
18. TRAIN WITH HEAVY WEIGHTS AND LOW REPS
You will never meet a huge weight if all you do is bench 135 or 225 for sets of 10 and never challenge yourself with bigger weights and lower reps. If you want your bench max to increase train with lower reps and bigger weights and as you keep getting your tendons stronger and adding power to your body you will keep meeting bigger and bigger weights all the time.
19. SPECIAL EXERCISES FOR A BIGGER BENCH
These are some lifts you can do if you get sick of the basic bodybuilding workouts. They will help you increase your bench, but choose these exercises based on your weak links. You should do something different every workout to keep zapping, shocking and overloading your muscles, forcing them to get stronger. When using exercise selection, choose the ones you need most. For example, if your weak from the start do more incline benches, heavy dumbbells, 3-second pause benches, close grip and more full range of motionand back work. If your weak at top, work on lockouts. If it is your delts, work delts. Just work what needs needs work to keep increasing your max... Remember intensity and quality matters most... Here are some exercises that some people aren't aware of:
Board benching: Pick a board. They come in different sizes. To get the most out of this exercise, dig the weight into the board, and then press it back up. Go for 3 rep maxes, doubles and singles. Low reps are the way to go if you want maximum strength and aren ot training for an endurance contest.
Triceps: For any kind of tricep extension try 2 sets of 20-40 reps and just torture them into getting stronger. This is an exercise where you can work with high reps. Focus on quality for these. You can do your heavy skulls, but this is something different which will really help your benching.
Close grip bench board benches: Same as close grip but use a board. Great exercise.
Power rack lockouts: This is where you lay under a power rack (the one you squat and shrug inside.) Set the pin to the 8 holes. Or the lockout pin that your rack has. When you do Rack Lockouts, you will be able to use a lot of real scary weight, possibly 250lbs over your raw bench. Some people can lockout insane weights but can't benchanything and vice versa.This gives you confidence to handle big weights and strengthens your tendons and lockout. Other options: you can set the rack from the 7 pins or 6 pin or 5 and strengthen your tendons and weak links from lower pins.
Floor presses: Lay on the floor and arch your lower back while keeping your butt on the floor and bring the weight down until your elbows hit the floor and then drive it back up.
Chains: When you use chains, let's say with 225 lbs. You bring the weight down and press it up. You're benching 225 lbs from the first half of the lift but the chains weigh 45lbs each (90 lbs total) so your locking out 315 at the top. (Also depends on the chains you are using) Chains are very popular to use with strength coaches and athletes on all different kinds of lifts.
Speed Benching: Moving a light weight fast. Popular to do for speed strength on days you're not lifting heavy. This has done wonders for some people but what does wonders for some does nothing for others.
Negative/Forced Reps: This is a way of overloading the muscles where you take a weight over your max and you bring it down slowly! So youre basically trying to prevent the weight from crushing you. Then you will have spotters force the weight up.
Assisted Reps: These can help make you work harder if used properly. When you do these your workout then has a lot to do with your spotter and whether he is helping you or your ego...Beware if they are misused, you won't get stronger because you aren't controlling the weight and you will have a false sense of your strength.
Bands: Bands add resistance to the weight you are using similar to chains. They help you train your lockouts and explosiveness.
20. TRAINING TO GET PRETTY WON'T MAKE YOU THE KING OF THE BENCH PRESS
If you take two guys with similar genetics... First we have guy A- This guy keeps his diet totally clean, does lots of cardio, and trains hard with reps. Then there is guy B- This guy doesn't do cardio, and he eats everything! When he trains he is always doing the basics not lots of bodybuilder lifts and training with low reps always pushing himself to the limits. I will tell you right now that guy B is gonna be much stronger than guy A even if he doesn't flex as well and look as pretty. Training to get stronger vs training to get prettier is a completely different game. You will need to become a beast and have the attitude of a beast, rather than that of a pretty boy.
21. MIND
This is the biggest factor of them all. This is where the WANT, The intensity, the routine, the attitude, the sacrifice, the eating, your choices, how far you go and your whole life starts. Just remember, it is your mindset that determines who you are and what you will become.
22. BEING THE STRONGEST
So this is what it takes to get a bigger bench press... TIME, CONSISTENCY, SACRIFICE, LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, GUTS, GOOD FORM, PLENTY OF REST, MAKING WHATS WEAK STRONG, MUSCLE CONFUSION, FINDING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, BACK WORK, HEAVY SQUATS, MUSCLE OVERLOAD, GOOD PARTNERS and TRAINERS, ATTITUDE, HARD WORK, LOW REPS AND HUGE WEIGHTS, INTENSITY, and a MIND OF NO LIMITS. ---These rules will apply to both drug and non drug users, gear users and non, and everyone because to be the next big thing and to be the best you can be, you are going to need these attitudes to get a bigger bench press no matter who you are. Just remember how far you go is in your hands!
Time is very important when it comes to getting stronger. Every year when people work hard at benching, they will see big increases in the weights they move yearly, monthly, and even weekly. If many of you look back at how strong you were 10 years ago, 5 years ago, 2 years ago, last year or even 2 months ago, you will see big changes in the weights you are benching. Some maxes go up faster than others, but all of them go up in time with hard work. These gains will also keep going up in the future. Lots of little gains equal huge #s over time. You can really become extremely strong over time.
2. SACRIFICE
If you want an amazing bench, you won't be able to stay out late and have fun every night because getting enough sleep is very important. You will need to eat large portions of healthy foods frequently and take supps by the clock, which takes lots of work and becomes expensive. You will have to fight through pain in the gym to keep going to the next level and live in some kind of pain from the wear and tear on the body from very heavy workouts. Most importantly, you will have to be in the gym working hard when you wish you could be out doing other things. To be truly great at anything you need to make it a lifestyle.
3. SHIRTS
Lets face the facts, if you want to go as far as you can go in the bench press and bench the biggest weights possible, you will have to start learning how to use bench press shirts. The biggest weights ever benched were benched with the shirts. The strongest man at around 230 can bench more with a shirt than the strongest man over 300 can RAW. The biggest raw benches today are a little over 700, and the biggest shirt benches are around 800. Lots of benchers' maxes go up tremendously over 150 and 200lbs when they use shirts. Lots of them think using the shirts makes benching more hardcore because you can hit scarier weights. Other people don't like bench press shirts because it isn't the same as benching RAW. Besides, RAW benching is the way people around the world bench. There are all different kinds of shirts and some people get more out of them than others and different shirts work differently for different people.
4.GAINING WEIGHT
When getting stronger, gaining weight is very important. You will see that when you get heavier you will be able to lift more. However, some lifters don't want to look fat. If that is the case, eat lots of healthy foods while avoiding excessive fats, sugars, and simple carbs. If you don't care about aesthetics, and just want to get heavier to lift more, eat everything you want while getting enough protein.
5. STEROIDS
Steroids and drugs will help you lift bigger weights, however they can have terrible effects on your mood and on your health.
6. GUTS
Having guts is very important in bench pressing and in life. If you don't have guts you are gonna miss out on many great moments in life. You won't be strong. You will only be an admirer-wannabe who lives life in a comfort zone. It takes guts to work your weak link. For example, if you have a strong flat bench and a weak incline bench, you will need to train heavy reps under 5 on the incline. Even though it will hurt your ego, you will be stronger both mentally and physically. Anything in life that is worth something takes resistance. You need guts to fight it. It takes guts to work as hard as you can. THE BOTTOM LINE IS... You need guts to fail. When you work hard, you will sometimes fail. Youn need to experience failure to get stronger.
7. GENETICS
Well we know that people were born in different shapes and sizes and have different metabolisms. These are the facts; people who have shorter arms with a bigger chest and bigger bones will always have an advantage over someone with longer limbs and a smaller bone structure. An Endo will usually have an advantage over an Ecto, if the Endo decides to be a big powerlifter and not just some guy trying to lose pounds and look more like an ecto. Don't let genetics be your excuse. Anyone can be strong and make progress. You need to keep confusing your genetics and forcing your genetics to keep adding weights to the bar.
8. FORM
Lots of lifters have increased their benching tremendouslyo ver night from changing bodybuilding form to using leg drive, widening their grip, and changing the groove of the lift with form. By just changing your form, you can see fast gains in a day!
9. REST
Rest is important in big lifting and to prevent over training. Don't super set your heavy workouts. Try to rest 5 minutes between sets. Make every set great quality instead of doing lots of sets and going through the motions. Every set should have some meaning and purpose, or it is worthless. The bottom line is, you need to do every set well.
10. MAKE WHAT'S WEAK STRONG
This might hurt your ego, but you will need to hurt it to get stronger. If you only do what you're good at, you are likely to plateau because your weak points will prevent you from moving onto the next level.
11. MUSCLE CONFUSION
You need to keep changing your routine to keep confusing your muscles. This will cause them to get stronger instead of adapting to a routine, which will cause a plateau.
12. BACK WORK
Having a strong back is very important in benching heavy weights, and very important in life itself. Make sure you work your back.
13. EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT
We are all much the same because we are all humans, but we all have our own experiences, our own perceptions and our own bodies that adapt differently to different training styles. So use exercises, supplements and routines accordingly to what works best for you. You can find this out from trial and error. What works for 4 months though, won't work forever, so you have to keep overloading your muscles, strengthening your tendons and working on your weak points. If you take two of the strongest men who ever lived, they didn't get there by doing the same exact routine. If your weak point is the lower half of the bench, start doing more serious back work and full range work, if it is strictly the top, get your triceps stronger and lockout stronger. Just know your body because you can only have your own, and you can't be anyone else.
14. WORKOUT PARTNERS
If you want a really big bench, try to surround yourself with people who have gotten one themselves. There is nothing quite like one-on-one attention. If you're surrounded with people who motivate you to get better, then you will want to work harder and get better. This will make your strength journey a more enjoyable one. You will be pushed to working levels you never experienced before.
15. TRAIN SMART
Training smart will make you last. It is important to work hard but if you're over training, then you won't make gains and you will just burn out. Remember, don't bench anymore than two days a week. Also, use good form to prevent injury and when injured rest. If you don't, you are just going to make things worse. Fighting through an injury isn't going to help you.
16. SQUATS
Dont neglect squats and only bench. Squatting heavy will help increase your bench by releasing more growth hormone.
17. ATTITUDE
When you enter the gym, make sure you have attitude. Get motivated to attack huge weights. When you have attitude, you will be much more energized and go much farther than someone who just lifts for the sake of lifting.
18. TRAIN WITH HEAVY WEIGHTS AND LOW REPS
You will never meet a huge weight if all you do is bench 135 or 225 for sets of 10 and never challenge yourself with bigger weights and lower reps. If you want your bench max to increase train with lower reps and bigger weights and as you keep getting your tendons stronger and adding power to your body you will keep meeting bigger and bigger weights all the time.
19. SPECIAL EXERCISES FOR A BIGGER BENCH
These are some lifts you can do if you get sick of the basic bodybuilding workouts. They will help you increase your bench, but choose these exercises based on your weak links. You should do something different every workout to keep zapping, shocking and overloading your muscles, forcing them to get stronger. When using exercise selection, choose the ones you need most. For example, if your weak from the start do more incline benches, heavy dumbbells, 3-second pause benches, close grip and more full range of motionand back work. If your weak at top, work on lockouts. If it is your delts, work delts. Just work what needs needs work to keep increasing your max... Remember intensity and quality matters most... Here are some exercises that some people aren't aware of:
Board benching: Pick a board. They come in different sizes. To get the most out of this exercise, dig the weight into the board, and then press it back up. Go for 3 rep maxes, doubles and singles. Low reps are the way to go if you want maximum strength and aren ot training for an endurance contest.
Triceps: For any kind of tricep extension try 2 sets of 20-40 reps and just torture them into getting stronger. This is an exercise where you can work with high reps. Focus on quality for these. You can do your heavy skulls, but this is something different which will really help your benching.
Close grip bench board benches: Same as close grip but use a board. Great exercise.
Power rack lockouts: This is where you lay under a power rack (the one you squat and shrug inside.) Set the pin to the 8 holes. Or the lockout pin that your rack has. When you do Rack Lockouts, you will be able to use a lot of real scary weight, possibly 250lbs over your raw bench. Some people can lockout insane weights but can't benchanything and vice versa.This gives you confidence to handle big weights and strengthens your tendons and lockout. Other options: you can set the rack from the 7 pins or 6 pin or 5 and strengthen your tendons and weak links from lower pins.
Floor presses: Lay on the floor and arch your lower back while keeping your butt on the floor and bring the weight down until your elbows hit the floor and then drive it back up.
Chains: When you use chains, let's say with 225 lbs. You bring the weight down and press it up. You're benching 225 lbs from the first half of the lift but the chains weigh 45lbs each (90 lbs total) so your locking out 315 at the top. (Also depends on the chains you are using) Chains are very popular to use with strength coaches and athletes on all different kinds of lifts.
Speed Benching: Moving a light weight fast. Popular to do for speed strength on days you're not lifting heavy. This has done wonders for some people but what does wonders for some does nothing for others.
Negative/Forced Reps: This is a way of overloading the muscles where you take a weight over your max and you bring it down slowly! So youre basically trying to prevent the weight from crushing you. Then you will have spotters force the weight up.
Assisted Reps: These can help make you work harder if used properly. When you do these your workout then has a lot to do with your spotter and whether he is helping you or your ego...Beware if they are misused, you won't get stronger because you aren't controlling the weight and you will have a false sense of your strength.
Bands: Bands add resistance to the weight you are using similar to chains. They help you train your lockouts and explosiveness.
20. TRAINING TO GET PRETTY WON'T MAKE YOU THE KING OF THE BENCH PRESS
If you take two guys with similar genetics... First we have guy A- This guy keeps his diet totally clean, does lots of cardio, and trains hard with reps. Then there is guy B- This guy doesn't do cardio, and he eats everything! When he trains he is always doing the basics not lots of bodybuilder lifts and training with low reps always pushing himself to the limits. I will tell you right now that guy B is gonna be much stronger than guy A even if he doesn't flex as well and look as pretty. Training to get stronger vs training to get prettier is a completely different game. You will need to become a beast and have the attitude of a beast, rather than that of a pretty boy.
21. MIND
This is the biggest factor of them all. This is where the WANT, The intensity, the routine, the attitude, the sacrifice, the eating, your choices, how far you go and your whole life starts. Just remember, it is your mindset that determines who you are and what you will become.
22. BEING THE STRONGEST
So this is what it takes to get a bigger bench press... TIME, CONSISTENCY, SACRIFICE, LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, GUTS, GOOD FORM, PLENTY OF REST, MAKING WHATS WEAK STRONG, MUSCLE CONFUSION, FINDING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, BACK WORK, HEAVY SQUATS, MUSCLE OVERLOAD, GOOD PARTNERS and TRAINERS, ATTITUDE, HARD WORK, LOW REPS AND HUGE WEIGHTS, INTENSITY, and a MIND OF NO LIMITS. ---These rules will apply to both drug and non drug users, gear users and non, and everyone because to be the next big thing and to be the best you can be, you are going to need these attitudes to get a bigger bench press no matter who you are. Just remember how far you go is in your hands!
Thrash Your Abs
Rip-up your midsection and set your metabolic dial to incinerate, with 5 explosive core movements done exclusively with cables?
Not only am I about to destroy several ugly myths about core training but I am also going to hand you the keys to the most dynamic training circuit that has ever been designed.
Rip-up your midsection and set your metabolic dial to incinerate, with 5 explosive core movements done exclusively with cables? Not only am I about to destroy several ugly myths about core training but I am also going to hand you the keys to the most dynamic training circuit that has ever been designed.
If you are interested in having someone regurgitate the same old “core crap” that you are used to hearing with a new spin on it… then don't bother reading this article. I am about to expose you to a revolutionary paradigm with regard, not only shredding your abs to pieces, but also creating the most physically attractive and functionally sound, “rock solid” physique that you've ever imagined.
The first thing on the chopping block is the idea that your abs are meant to be isolated in exercise. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that in order to fulfill our physical potential we must “pick and choose” what body parts we are going to work on. This is the same idea that has pervaded western medicine and has created a million “specialists” that continue to know more and more about less and less. When we begin to realize the “relatedness” that everything has to one another we will experience transformation in our physiques, our vitality, our energy levels and our minds. You are in integrated assembly of systems and nowhere is this Truth more evident than with regard to your core.
Today, our bodies are an exact expression of what our ancestors were over 100,000 years ago (4). It is believed that it takes about 100,000 years for 0.001percent of a genome to change… so yourself and Primal Man are essentially the same (6). With the generally understood stance that Primal Man was a hunter and gatherer it is safe to say that our bodies are still designed with the primary objective of hunting and gathering (4).
Our nervous system is designed in such a way that its most important function is to protect the vital organs and brain, so that you can get off your ass and search for sustenance in the great, dangerous wilderness (3). Obviously today we can just go to the local supermarket, but consider that this was not always the case. Primal Man and even Agricultural Man had to hunt and work HARD for his food.
Through evolution, our amazing nervous system has integrated all of our organs with our muscles. Each of your organs acts as the “soil” in which all of your external elements (arms, legs, abdominals, etc.) have sprung forth and therefore are linked via the nervous system (7). The left arm, for example is intrinsically linked via the nervous system to your heart. This explains why someone who is having a heart attack has their left arm go numb. The inhibitory effect on the muscles due to organ pain or inflammation is called viscero-somatic inhibition (VSI) (3).
“So what the hell does all of this mean for me and my flabby abs 'Primal Guy'?”
If it is understood that the function of your muscles are contingent upon the health and function of your organs and that the primary purpose of your having muscles is to hunt and gather so that you can sustain life - then I've just opened up a huge can of worms for ya!
The strength and function of your muscles, your abdominals in particular are severely effected by the health of your organs. Your deep abdominal wall, or transversus abdominus, is in the same nervous loop as your colon (3). So, if your colon is pissed off because you fill your gut with processed foods like protein shakes, “sports drinks” and bars… then you can expect your “enormous bellyus” to only grow bigger, even as you crunch your life away!
So the first essential prerequisite for completing the program that I have outlined below is: Clean Up Your Insides If you Want Your Outside To Look Good!
No ab routine in the world is going to work for you if you continue to inhibit the muscles of your deep abdominal wall through a dysfunctional lifestyle and a poor, processed foods diet.
Next, the exercise program I've outlined below is “integrated”… it takes into account that your abs, being an intrical part of your “core”, the originator of all movements and, the protector of your organs… works together with every muscle in your body and in all movement patterns… as it has for thousands of years (1,2). Imagine Primal Man needing to use a Crunch Machine so that his abs would be strong enough to propel a spear through the ribcage of a stampeding buffalo for dinner!
The exercises below are not designed to isolate your abdominals but to integrate them… the way they are designed to work.
When you have begun to integrate your abdominals into all of your movements you will realize a rapid increase in your core musculature (5). For example, secondary to my legs, the sorest part of my body - a day after doing heavy dead lifts are my abs. This is due to my understanding of how this mechanism works and making a conscious effort to integrate my core into the bend pattern. You can do this too, and when you do… ab training will never be the same!
Say goodbye to boring post-exercise ab routines that serve to isolate only the abs and hello to the most exciting and effective full-body, TRUE core circuit ever developed. Build sturdy legs, cannon-like arms and, dominating strength while Thrashing Your Abs!
Not only am I about to destroy several ugly myths about core training but I am also going to hand you the keys to the most dynamic training circuit that has ever been designed.
Rip-up your midsection and set your metabolic dial to incinerate, with 5 explosive core movements done exclusively with cables? Not only am I about to destroy several ugly myths about core training but I am also going to hand you the keys to the most dynamic training circuit that has ever been designed.
If you are interested in having someone regurgitate the same old “core crap” that you are used to hearing with a new spin on it… then don't bother reading this article. I am about to expose you to a revolutionary paradigm with regard, not only shredding your abs to pieces, but also creating the most physically attractive and functionally sound, “rock solid” physique that you've ever imagined.
The first thing on the chopping block is the idea that your abs are meant to be isolated in exercise. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that in order to fulfill our physical potential we must “pick and choose” what body parts we are going to work on. This is the same idea that has pervaded western medicine and has created a million “specialists” that continue to know more and more about less and less. When we begin to realize the “relatedness” that everything has to one another we will experience transformation in our physiques, our vitality, our energy levels and our minds. You are in integrated assembly of systems and nowhere is this Truth more evident than with regard to your core.
Today, our bodies are an exact expression of what our ancestors were over 100,000 years ago (4). It is believed that it takes about 100,000 years for 0.001percent of a genome to change… so yourself and Primal Man are essentially the same (6). With the generally understood stance that Primal Man was a hunter and gatherer it is safe to say that our bodies are still designed with the primary objective of hunting and gathering (4).
Our nervous system is designed in such a way that its most important function is to protect the vital organs and brain, so that you can get off your ass and search for sustenance in the great, dangerous wilderness (3). Obviously today we can just go to the local supermarket, but consider that this was not always the case. Primal Man and even Agricultural Man had to hunt and work HARD for his food.
Through evolution, our amazing nervous system has integrated all of our organs with our muscles. Each of your organs acts as the “soil” in which all of your external elements (arms, legs, abdominals, etc.) have sprung forth and therefore are linked via the nervous system (7). The left arm, for example is intrinsically linked via the nervous system to your heart. This explains why someone who is having a heart attack has their left arm go numb. The inhibitory effect on the muscles due to organ pain or inflammation is called viscero-somatic inhibition (VSI) (3).
“So what the hell does all of this mean for me and my flabby abs 'Primal Guy'?”
If it is understood that the function of your muscles are contingent upon the health and function of your organs and that the primary purpose of your having muscles is to hunt and gather so that you can sustain life - then I've just opened up a huge can of worms for ya!
The strength and function of your muscles, your abdominals in particular are severely effected by the health of your organs. Your deep abdominal wall, or transversus abdominus, is in the same nervous loop as your colon (3). So, if your colon is pissed off because you fill your gut with processed foods like protein shakes, “sports drinks” and bars… then you can expect your “enormous bellyus” to only grow bigger, even as you crunch your life away!
So the first essential prerequisite for completing the program that I have outlined below is: Clean Up Your Insides If you Want Your Outside To Look Good!
No ab routine in the world is going to work for you if you continue to inhibit the muscles of your deep abdominal wall through a dysfunctional lifestyle and a poor, processed foods diet.
Next, the exercise program I've outlined below is “integrated”… it takes into account that your abs, being an intrical part of your “core”, the originator of all movements and, the protector of your organs… works together with every muscle in your body and in all movement patterns… as it has for thousands of years (1,2). Imagine Primal Man needing to use a Crunch Machine so that his abs would be strong enough to propel a spear through the ribcage of a stampeding buffalo for dinner!
The exercises below are not designed to isolate your abdominals but to integrate them… the way they are designed to work.
When you have begun to integrate your abdominals into all of your movements you will realize a rapid increase in your core musculature (5). For example, secondary to my legs, the sorest part of my body - a day after doing heavy dead lifts are my abs. This is due to my understanding of how this mechanism works and making a conscious effort to integrate my core into the bend pattern. You can do this too, and when you do… ab training will never be the same!
Say goodbye to boring post-exercise ab routines that serve to isolate only the abs and hello to the most exciting and effective full-body, TRUE core circuit ever developed. Build sturdy legs, cannon-like arms and, dominating strength while Thrashing Your Abs!
Keys For Killer Abs
Whether you are after the elusive 6-pack, or just looking to lose a bit of extra luggage you're carrying around the mid-section, there are 3 "key" areas you need to focus on to achieve maximum abdominal development. Strong abs not only help strengthen your lower back, but also improve upon your posture. Most lower back injuries occur, believe it or not, due to weak abs. Focus on these three areas and over time, you will see improved results.
Key # 1 - Proper Cardiovascular Work
You can have the greatest, most muscular set of abs in the world, but if they are blanketed by a layer of body fat, who cares. In order to rid yourself of the extra body fat around your midsection, you need to incorporate effective cardio sessions into your fitness plan. You cannot spot-reduce the midsection by doing extra ab exercises like crunches or sit-ups. You first must burn off the body fat through proper cardio to properly define the area.
Abdominal training by itself will not do much. Cardio needs to be intense enough to do the trick. Three to four sessions a week of intense jogging, running, the Stairmaster, the elliptical, jumping rope, or biking should be enough to get the process in gear. Swimming, hiking, and taking aerobics classes are beneficial as well. Nothing beats jogging or running. It is the most intense, efficient, and effective method of burning calories. If running outside hurts your joints, try running inside on a treadmill or outside on a dirt path. It definitely is easier on the body.
Again, you NEED three to four intense cardio sessions a week to help create a calorie deficit and help rid the body of the fat that covers your abs.
Key # 2 - Proper Nutrition
Do not sabotage your results in the gym by giving yourself a passport to pig out. Ridding the body of fat once and for all is accomplished by proper nutrition more so than incorporating cardio. At the end of the day, if you have consumed more calories than you have expended, you add body fat. So you need to burn more calories than you consume.
Nutrition is important because you can reduce the amount of calories you take in, therefore greatly having an effect on the amount which you have to expend through cardio. Eat five to six small, well-balanced meals spaced apart about every three to four hours. Try to keep something healthy on hand. If not, when you become real hungry, you will opt for something that isn't as good for you. When you become overly hungry, all rational thinking goes out the window. But it is important to get something in you. Not eating on time or at all is almost as bad as eating too much. Keep protein intake high (approximately 50% of daily calories), carbs moderate (40%), and fats minimal (10%).
Muscle fiber is made of tightly-wound protein molecules that is damaged during a workout, so you need more protein than the sedentary person to help that muscle tissue repair. Carbohydrates have an important role in the body, but do not base your meals on them. Try to avoid simple sugars like cane sugar, honey, fruit juices, syrups, and even a lot of fruit.
Drink at least a gallon of clean water each day as well. It will help in nutrient absorption and digestion and will help flush toxins from the body.
Bottom line, make sure you are supplying your body with well-balanced, healthy food every three to four hours.
Key # 3 - Weight training The Abdominals
Here is where most people go wrong in their attempt to develop their abs. I often ask those I train, "Would you train your biceps with sets of 50 reps with no weight?" Of course, they say "no." How about your chest, 50 reps with no weight? Another no. I then ask, "Then why would you do that with your abs?"
Here's an important key. If you want proper ab development, you need to add resistance (weight) to your ab exercises. Abs are muscles just like biceps, triceps, pecs, glutes, whatever. You need resistance to properly strengthen and build them. The same goes for abdominals.
Ab Exercises To Incorporate For Proper Ab Stimulation:
Weighted Crunches - Grab a dumbbell, either hold it in front of your face, or let it lie on your upper chest, under your chin, and perform regular crunches. You are now using your abs more to work against the leverage the dumbbell has created. Stick with a heavy enough weight where you can handle 10-15 reps, but no more. Remember, you need to create enough resistance where your abs are forced to work.
Cable Rope Crunches - Grab the tricep rope, kneel on your knees, and bend downwards, forcefully contracting your abs on the way down. It's basically a crunch, only, you are on your knees. But the contraction is the same. Don't swing with the hips, you are not using the abs very much if you do. Just a slight, 30 degree contraction until you feel the abs contract, hold for a couple seconds, then back up.
Weighted Leg Raises - Lie flat on your back, with your hands tucked under your butt. Wrap your feet around a small dumbbell, and perform leg raises. Start with your feet about 6 inches from the ground, then raise them about 12-16 inches from the ground and then back down slowly. These can be done on the end of a bench as well.
Seated Ab Machine - Once again, do not swing all the way down, just far enough (30 degrees) to fully contract the abs, hold for a couple seconds, then back up. This is very similar to Cable rope crunches.
Stability Ball Crunches - Working on the stability ball will incorporate balance into your abdominal work. They are effective at strengthening your core region, which is your abs and lower back.
You lie down on a stability ball like you are going to perform a crunch. Position yourself on the ball so your lower back is resting on it. Keep your feet close together on the floor making your body less stable (helps incorporate more balance on your part) and place your hands behind your head or folded on your chest. Crunch your upper body towards your knees, exhaling as you contract your abs. Under muscular control, lower yourself back to the original position keeping full tension on the abs.
Regardless of what exercise you do, the key is to add weight/resistance. If not, you will never increase the amount of lean muscle tissue in the area. You only need to train your abs twice a week for maximum results. Once again, treat them like any other muscle group (which means you wouldn't train them more often). Combine this weight training with proper diet and intense cardio and that elusive six-pack is yours to be had!
The Vertical Chest Press
MUSCLES TARGETED: pectoralis major
STARTING POSITION
Sit down and lean back.
Grasp the handles with a closed, pronated grip.
Align handles with the nipples.
Push the handles away from the chest to a fully extended elbow position.
This is the starting point for all repetitions.
BACKWARD MOVEMENT
Allow the handles to slowly move backward until level with the chest.
FORWARD MOVEMENT
Push the handles away from the chest to the starting position.
Do not arch back or lock elbows.
Repeat or finish set.
STARTING POSITION
Sit down and lean back.
Grasp the handles with a closed, pronated grip.
Align handles with the nipples.
Push the handles away from the chest to a fully extended elbow position.
This is the starting point for all repetitions.
BACKWARD MOVEMENT
Allow the handles to slowly move backward until level with the chest.
FORWARD MOVEMENT
Push the handles away from the chest to the starting position.
Do not arch back or lock elbows.
Repeat or finish set.
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