Fitness And Nutrition Info Overload

I have for you today a very good article from Nick Nilsson. As you are well aware there is so much information online when it comes to the area of fitness( and they all sound like the latest and greatest) But how do you know for sure? Keep reading Nick can give you some help.

Talk to you soon Jag252

Fitness and Nutrition Information Overload And Contradictions - Learn What's Good, What's Bad And How You Can Tell The Difference!

By Nick Nilsson

There is SO much information about health and fitness floating around these days,
how do you know what's good and what's a load of garbage? And it's especially
confusing when two sources say two different things! Learn how to figure out for
yourself who to believe and who to kick to the curb.


So here's the bottom line question...when it comes to fitness, who do you believe?

Well, believe me (no pun intended!) when I say this...you CAN make good, educated decisions when it comes to what works and what doesn't in fitness, even if you don't have "insider" knowledge about every single product, author or training technique you come across.

My main goal here is to give you some solid decision-making ideas to help you steer yourself in the right direction.

My OTHER goal here is to help you avoid the "paralysis by analysis" that often plagues those who aren't sure where to start or who to believe...they end up doing nothing at all, which is NOT the best way to accomplish something!

1. The TRUST Factor...

The first method of determining what's good and what's bad is finding a person/coach/trainer you trust...somebody who walks the walk, who has spent time "in the trenches" and who really cares about what they're doing. Somebody whose recommendations you know are based on knowledge and experience.

Here's the thing...some of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to training don't have any "real" qualifications at all! Their knowledge is based on their own reading and their own gym hours. Yet this can also be a very dangerous thing.

Those "real" qualifications do serve a purpose. Ideally, you want to find somebody who's got a good base of knowledge in the theoretical and plenty of practical experience in the gym...somebody who is not afraid to acknowledge the validity of other people's theories and practices. For me, this is a HUGE determination of who to trust...any coach who thinks that only THEIR way is effective is an idiot. Just like there are many good ways to get from point A to point B in a city, there are plenty of ways to accomplish fat loss and muscle growth.

Some ways are better than others, naturally, but many ideas have merit.


2. Consider the Source And What They Have To Gain Or Lose

When you read a muscle magazine and come across a 4-page "informational" report, it's pretty easy to figure out what the company has to gain by putting forward this information. You know it's going to be slanted in favor of their product because they want you to buy it. As good as the information they present might LOOK, you have to take it with a grain of salt because they have a lot to gain by your accepting the information.

Here's the problem...even very good studies quoted in these ad reports can be very loosely interpreted to "prove" the product works. They know that chances are good you're not going to be looking up and actually reading these studies.


3. What Do You Do When 2 People You Trust Say 2 Different Things?

That makes things a bit trickier and that's when you need to educate yourself, think things through and sometimes even take BOTH people's advice and test it for yourself. I'll explain...

For example, if one person says "long-duration cardio is the best way to lose fat" and the other person says "interval training is the best way to lose fat", and you trust both people, what you'll need to do is see what works best for YOU.

Neither method of cardio training is necessarily wrong - both methods have their pros and cons and both can be more appropriate in certain situations. If both people put forward good arguments, you need to test it on yourself if you want to really find out what works best for you. Do 3 weeks of long-duration cardio then gauge your results then do 3 weeks of intervals and gauge your results.

Honestly, this isn't perfect either but it'll give you a good idea of what works for you and what doesn't.

And if you don't want to test both opinions, then read MORE opinions to see if somebody else puts forward a better explanation.

Let me put it this way...I know for a FACT that not everybody reading this article will agree 100% with every bit of training information I put forward. That's totally fine with me! In fact, I prefer it that way because it means I'm pushing the envelope.

It then comes down to how you feel about the reasoning behind the techniques and your willingness to give the techniques a fair try. It's the same thing when you have 2 trainers who disagree - heck, they may BOTH be wrong!


4. The Gut Check

Ever heard the phrase "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?" If some diet program makes insane claims, they'd better have proof to back it up. Lose 10 lbs in your first week? It's possible...if that 10 lbs is mostly water.

At the same time, don't be fooled by people who claim that fast results AREN'T possible. Because I can tell you from experience, you CAN see quick results IF you've got the right training and nutritional program. Many people want you to believe you have settle for less because THEY have settled for less and don't know how to get more.

There's a happy medium in that respect...don't be afraid to try for big results but temper your expectations because there's a reason those ads all have to have small print that says "results aren't typical."


5. Doing SOMETHING is Always Better Than Doing NOTHING

If you're sitting on the couch, eating potato chips and watching 8 hours of TV a day because two different coaches said two different things about training and you don't know who to believe, I can promise you that the answer won't come to you on reruns of the Cosby Show.

Likewise, the person who has all the theoretical training knowledge in the world but who doesn't put any of it into practice is NOT better off than the person who knows hardly anything about training but who goes for a walk every day and tries to eat more fruits and vegetables.

So even if you're getting conflicting advice, use your best judgement and DO something. If it's not working after a few weeks, you can change. There's no contract to sign.


6. How Do You Tell When Information is BAD?

There will be times when information is just plain bad. That's when you go to your resources...ask people you trust (I'm happy to help you with questions you have about training info), post a note on a forum that has good people on it, do some research online.

If something doesn't smell right about the information, definitely do a little research before trying it out.


CONCLUSION:

The bottom line with all these tips is that contradictions in training information are a fact of life...they'll always be very knowledgeable, well-educated people who disagree completely about different aspects of fitness.

But don't let contradictions stop you from moving forward and forming a plan of action...chances are, these contradictions won't matter a hill of beans in terms of your overall results.

Long-duration cardio or intervals? I prefer intervals but it's not wrong to do long-duration cardio if it works better for YOU (just ask my wife!).

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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "Muscle Explosion - 28 Days to Maximum Mass", "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at (http://www.fitness-ebooks.com). He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

An Innovative Shoulder Exercise

I've got another new exercise for you today from Nick Nilsson. When it comes to innovation and style in the world of bodybuilding, fitness and fat loss Nick is the man. Tired of doing the same old shoulder workout check out this exercise for your lateral delts Nicks come up with.

The Javelin Shoulder Press:

This is an excellent exercise for hitting the lateral head of the deltoids with a pressing movement. The positioning of the bar puts your hand in a neutral position, which targets that area well.

The name of the exercise comes from what it looks like as you hold it...a javelin thrower!

Of course, instead of actually throwing the barbell, you'll press it directly up instead (at least, if you want to keep your gym membership, you will...)

It's pretty straightforward to execute. I'm actually use a short "fat bar" (that's basically a thicker bar) in the demo here for lighter weight and higher reps. You can do this with a long Olympic bar or with an EZ curl bar as well.

The longer the bar, the trickier the balance will be on it. I also found the shorter bar to be easier to get into position for the exercise. I just picked it up with my working hand in the center and helped with the other then just brought it up and around.

With a longer bar, you CAN use the same technique, just watch out for the ceiling.

So in the bottom position, the bar is directly beside you, your palm facing in.

Then just press up.

Do all your reps on one side then repeat on the other



As I mentioned, I've got a pretty light weight on here as I was going for high reps. You can definitely increase the weight and reduce the reps.

This one is actually kinda fun! (for a shoulder exercise)

Thanks again to Nick to read more of Nicks ideas go to Fitstep

How Fat Loss Is Like Draining A Swimming Pool

Losing Fat is Like Draining a Swimming Pool...Why Spot Reduction Just Doesn't Hold Water

By Nick Nilsson

Want to lose stomach fat? Have a problem area you want to tighten up? The bad news is simply training that area to death won't accomplish it! Learn why spot reduction doesn't work and what you CAN actually do about those problem areas.

"How can I lose my gut?"

"How do I stop my arms from flapping in the wind?"

"How can I get rid of this stomach fat?"

"How do I lose just the fat on my thighs?"

These are questions I hear regularly...the bottom-line question being asked is "how can I lose fat from one specific area?"

And I'm sorry to say, the quick answer is...

"You can't."

But don't panic! Just because you can't spot-reduce from one specific area doesn't mean you'll never lose that fat! It just means you have to look at things a bit differently when it comes to fat loss.

THAT is where the pool I mentioned comes in.

I would love to give credit to the person who I burgled this analogy from (if you're reading this, let me know!) but think of your bodyfat stores as a pool...

When you fill up a pool (i.e. bodyfat stores), the deep end fills up first, right? Of course! It's the deep end.

Well, the same thing happens in your body. Think of your stomach as the deep end. When you start putting on fat, your deep end starts filling up first.

So you're happily swimming along until one day you realize your swimming pool is too full and it's time to drain some water from the pool (i.e. lose some fat).

To spot reduce and lose that fat from the "deep end," you'd have to drain the deep end first. Not gonna happen. If you can think of a way to drain just the deep end of a pool, I'd like to know it!

This is what happens with fat loss. The stuff you put on LAST is the stuff that comes off FIRST. And generally speaking, the stuff you put on FIRST (i.e. problem areas like the gut and thighs) is the stuff that comes off LAST (because it's the deep end of the pool).

So what's the strategy?

You're going to have to drain more of the pool to get that deep end down.

In fat-loss terms this means you're going to have to lose fat from all over your body before the stuff you REALLY want to get rid of comes off.

I know...that's probably the LAST thing you wanted to hear but it's the unvarnished truth.

I'm afraid doing ten thousand crunches every morning won't get you the ripped six-pack you're looking for. And doing ten thousand leg-lifts (no matter how much you feel the burn) won't pull that fat from your thighs. It'll tighten up the muscles underneath that fat, but you won't really SEE much of a difference.

When the body switches on fat burning, it does so on a systemic basis. Going to back to the pool analogy, this would be like having multiple drains all draining water from the pool. The water level goes down evenly when you drain a pool, no matter how many drains you've got or where the drains are draining from.

So when you lose fat, even if you're exercising the heck out of your abs by doing ten thousand crunches, you could be pulling fat from your legs for fuel.

The REAL secret about spot reduction is that you can't pick your spots.

Your body picks the spots for you. Reducing ALL your spots is the only way to spot reduce.

So now that I've crushed your dreams about losing fat from just your stomach or thighs, I want to tell you that overall fat loss is not as hard as you might think!

Even small changes in your training and eating can really make a big difference in draining your fat pool. You don't have to go on a crash diet or train 3 hours a day to get results.

Eating better and training as little as 30 minutes, 3 times a week can get you moving in the right direction.

If you're interested in more information on how to lose fat, have a look at these articles:

1. How To Lose Fat NOW - A Basic Fat-Loss Program That You Can Put To Work Today!

2. BASIC Nutrition - A Quick, Common-Sense Guide To What You Should Be Eating to Stay Healthy and Get Results Right Now



And if you want to REALLY kick-start your fat loss be sure to check out my book "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss!"



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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 17 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at be a Better U. He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

10 Tips To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying
By Nick Nilsson of Better U.com
Fat loss doesn't have to be painful. Try these simple
tips and you'll see just how easy it can be.


1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body can more efficiently process smaller meals. Instead of having 3 large meals in a day, try to break them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals.

2. Drink more water - regular water intake helps to flush away waste products in the body. Get at least six to eight 8 oz. glasses per day. An easy way to do this is to keep a water bottle handy and drink from it frequently.

3. Be inefficient - do you need to go to the kitchen to get a couple of things? Break it up into to two trips even if you can do it in one. Being inefficient like this can easily double your activity level, burning calories without even trying.

4. Eat more protein - sources of protein include foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lean red meats, etc. Your body burns more calories processing protein than either carbohydrates or fats. Protein also helps to support your muscle tissue, which burns calories all day long!

5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator - any time you can add in a little more physical activity, do it. This doesn't mean you need to slog up 20 flights of stairs. Even a flight or two done regularly will add up.

6. Don't let yourself get hungry - when you get hungry you will have a much greater tendency to overeat when you do finally get something to eat. As well, because your body is starting to go into starvation mode, it will be much more likely to hold onto whatever you give it.

7. Order small portions at restaurants - it's tough to order small french fries when "supersizing" your order is such a great "value." Take note, however, your real savings will occur in the calories that don't end up on your backside.

8. Eat more fiber - fiber is very filling. By eating more fiber you will find yourself full sooner. This feeling of fullness will last a long time as well.

9. Wait 20 minutes between servings - your brain takes at least 20 minutes to register that you're full. By waiting that long, you'll give your brain a chance to realize that you don't really need any more food.

10. Cheat on your diet - one thing I always make my clients promise is that they will cheat on their diet. The only thing I ask that they do is to cheat ONLY when they have planned to cheat. By planning when you are going to eat the foods you crave, you take back control of your eating habits.

This way you no longer "give in" to your cravings. You "reward yourself" for sticking to proper nutritional habits. Do this once or wice a week and you will feel far more in control of your eating.


In conclusion, if you follow even a few of these 10 easy tips in the long term, you will certainly notice a difference in your overall weight and health.

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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at Better U for innovative ideas for fat loss,muscle building and nutrition

Get That Six Pack Abs Look: 2 Unique Ab Exercises

Two Ab Exercises With a Twist For Rock-Hard Obliques and Explosive Core Power


These two unique abdominal exercises will have you doubled over in a good way! You'll develop eye-popping obliques that will give your midsection a finished look, and you'll develop tremendous core strength.

The muscles of the abdominals are always on the list of improvements people would like to make to their physique. I've got two exercises that can help you not only develop obliques that jump out of your abs and demand attention but also help you develop rock-solid core power and strength.

The first abdominal exercise is one that I call the "Stretched Flying Cable Crunch." It is done using the Cable Crossover machine. This exercise allows you to place direct tension on the upper oblique area to sides of the upper abs where the obliques form the "fingers" that truly finish a physique.

Start by attaching two single handles to the high pulleys of the crossover machine. You will be using a moderately heavy weight for the exercise itself but you can start light to get an idea of the movement first.

Grasping the two handles, kneel down then walk a few steps forward on your knees. As you kneel down, you will need to rotate your shoulders so that your arms are being stretched behind your back (your palms will be facing up in this position). The reason you want to step forward a bit is to get a better stretch on the obliques.

From this position, you can perform one of three movements: a cable crunch straight forward, a side crunch to the left or a side crunch to the right. The angle of the cables form a direct line of pull for the obliques on the opposing side of the body, e.g. when you side crunch to the left, the right pulley has a direct line of pull on the left obliques.

I've found that a good way to execute this exercise is to cycle between the three movements during the set - do one crunch to the front, one to the left, one to the front, one to the right, one to the front, one back to the left, etc. This will give you a balanced workload on the abs. You can also choose to just focus on the obliques by going back and forth between the two sides.

The unique angle of tension from this exercise will really place demands on the abs in a way that they're not used to.

The second abdominal exercise is a variation of an exercise you may already be familiar with. The exercise this variation is based on is commonly known as a "Cable Torso Rotation." This variation takes this basic concept and adds a unique twist that literally doubles the effectiveness of the exercise.

This movement is done on a cable machine. If you have access to a machine that has an adjustable height pulley, this is the best option. If not, it will also work on either a high or low pulley. The movement itself is exactly the same regardless of where you pull from.

Set the pulley to about belly-button height (or use either the high or low pulley) and attach a single cable handle to it. Use a fairly light weight to start so you get an idea of how the movement is performed and what resistance you'll need.

Stand perpendicular to the pulley with your left side towards the pulley. Grasp the handle with your right hand and take a step to the right. Plant your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and get ready to rotate. The movement itself is very similar to a baseball swing, making it a very effective sports-training movement not only for baseball but from any sport that requires a powerful transfer of force from lower body to upper body.

At the start of the movement, your right arm will be held across your chest with your left arm at your side. Initiate the movement by rotating your torso to the right. Be sure to keep your elbow slightly bent and locked into position. If you allow the elbow to bend, you will turn the movement into a side row, lessening the effect on the obliques. Keep that arm stiff and fairly straight!

When you start this rotation, begin bringing the cable around in front of your body by pulling on the cable handle with your right arm. Your right arm will come away from your body as you rotate, placing more torque on the obliques.

Here comes the trick that doubles the workload on the abs...

As you start to approach the midpoint of the rotation, grasp the CABLE about 6 inches from the cable clip with your left hand. Do not grasp the handle itself with the left hand - it's important that you wrap your left hand around the actual cable for this to work. Read on...

In a normal cable rotation exercise, after you go past the halfway point of the rotation, the tension on the abs will start decreasing. The peak tension is at the halfway point. We're going to fix that!

Once you've passed the halfway point of the rotation, continue pulling the handle with your right hand but now start PUSHING forward and away from your body on the cable itself with your left hand. As a visual, think of the string games that kids play such as the Cat's Cradle.

What you're essentially doing is creating a new fulcrum for the tension of the cable to go through. Instead of losing some tension around the arc as you normally would, you now have direct tension on the abs again and in a different way than in the regular rotation exercise. This not only works the obliques on the pulling side with the pulling motion, it also works the obliques on the pushing side with a strong pushing motion.

The effect on the abs with this double movement is tremendous! The next day you should have a very strong feeling of tightness (and possibly soreness) in the upper/side ab area.

If you would like some more unique ab exercises check out The Best Ab Exercises You Never Heard Of.

Low Intensity Cardio: What Do You Mean It Doesn't Work?

What Do You Mean Low-Intensity Cardio Training Isn't The Best For Fat Burning?
By Nick Nilsson of Metabolism Surge - Rapid Fat Loss And Better Uone of if not the most inovative fitness sites around. Fat Loss, muscle building, nutrition and more.

Find out why high-intensity training may be
your best bet for trimming your waistline.


But how can this possibly be? Everywhere you look, it's always said that long-duration, low-intensity training is best for fat loss. All high-intensity work does is burn carbohydrates, right?

Wrong.

After reading this article, I guarantee you'll develop a new respect for high-intensity cardio training for fat loss.

Low-intensity exercise is defined as working at a heart rate of about 60% to 65% of your maximum heart rate (which is equal to 220 - your age = maximum heart rate, thus if you are 20 years old, 220 - 20 = 200 max HR). High-intensity exercise is defined as working at about 75 to 85% or more of your maximum heart rate.

Using the previous example for maximum heart rate (max HR=200), working at 60% of your max HR would be 120 beats per minute and 80% of that would be 160 beats per minute.


There are several reasons low-intensity exercise is normally recommended for fat loss.

1. It's easy - In many cases people who are trying to lose fat don't always feel energetic enough to do hard training due to the caloric deficit (a.k.a. diet) that they are on. In these cases, just sticking to an exercise program can be hard enough, never mind making the exercise itself challenging.

2. It's low risk - A personal trainer generally can't go wrong by recommending low-intensity exercise to clients. Even the most out of shape person can usually do low-intensity cardio training safely. While this is certainly appropriate advice for novice trainers, it does not necessarily apply to the more experienced trainer when it comes to effective training.

3. It burns a higher percentage of calories from fat - this is very true: exercising at a lower intensity does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat than high-intensity exercise. But, as I will explain, this does not necessarily mean you're going to burn more fat.




Let's crunch some numbers to show you exactly what I mean when I say high-intensity exercise burns more fat.

Low-intensity training burns about 50% fat for energy while high-intensity training burns about 40% fat for energy. This is not a huge difference.

Say, for example, walking for 20 minutes burns 100 calories. Then 50% of 100 calories is 50 fat-calories burned.

Now say 10 minutes of interval training at a high intensity burns 160 calories. Well, 40% of 160 calories is 64 fat-calories burned.

By doing the high-intensity work, you've just burned 14 more fat calories in half the time. Starting to sound good? There's more...

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Low-intensity exercise only burns calories while you are actually exercising. That means the moment you stop exercising, your caloric expenditure goes back down to nearly baseline levels. Within minutes, you're not burning many more calories than if you hadn't done anything at all.

High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, continues to boost your metabolism long after you're done (often up to 24 hours after, depending on the length and intensity of the training session). This means you're continuing to burn many more calories all day long!

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Low-intensity exercise does nothing to build or support muscle mass. Maintaining muscle mass is critical to an effective fat-loss strategy as muscle burns fat just sitting there. Want to keep your metabolism working to burn fat? Do whatever you can to build or keep your muscle tissue.

High-intensity exercise has the potential to increase muscle mass. Compare the body of a top sprinter to a top marathon runner. The sprinter carries far more muscle mass. You won't get big bulky muscles from high intensity training but you will get shapely and more defined muscles!

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How To Do It

Now that you've seen how effective high intensity training can be for fat loss, how is it done?

The absolute easiest way to start this type of training is to get on a cardio machine at the gym and select the interval training program. As you'll see, you'll start off with a fairly light warm-up cycle, then quickly jump up to a high intensity level for a short burst. You will then drop back down to a low level for a period of time, then back up to a high level again, repeated several times and finishing with an appropriate cool-down period.

The repetition of these intervals is the nuts and bolts of high intensity interval training. You can also do it manually by adjusting your intensity level up and down over short periods of time.

For example, do 30 seconds at high power then 30 seconds at low power. Repeat. It's very simple and very effective.

Another excellent method for doing high-intensity training is called aerobic interval training. It is essentially the same concept as the previously explained interval training but the work intervals are longer with the intensity level somewhat lower. A good example would be running at a pace that you can only keep up for about 5 minutes then walking for 2 minutes then running 5 more minutes, walking 2 minutes, etc.

High-intensity training can be applied to any form of cardiovascular exercise. Anything from walking/sprinting to swimming to bike riding will work perfectly. I would recommend doing his type of training 2 to 3 times per week for best results. As always, be sure to consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.

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Remember, what you get out of exercise is directly proportional to what you put in. Work at high-intensity training for awhile and see just how much better your fat-loss efforts go.


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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at Better U. He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

Metabolic Surge For Rapid Fat Loss:Get A Firm Butt

Get A Firm Butt: Shape Tone And Firm Your Butt

Direct glute training is VERY important for a variety of reasons…lower body power, explosiveness, posterior chain, and, of course, vanity

I recently (and totally by accident – I was actually trying to do something else) discovered a variation of the stiff-legged deadlift that targets the glutes like a LASER beam. I couldn’t believe how well it worked for targeting the glutes. This is especially useful if you find in most glute-related exercises (like squats or lunges) that your quads end up doing most of the work.

That’s going to change witih this exercise because your quads are hardly even involved in the exercise.

So here it is…this one looks suspiciously like a Bulgarian Split Squat but without the squatting…

That exercise is where you set your back leg up on a bench then come down in the lunge position (aka split squat).

With THIS exercise, however, you’re going to be doing a one-legged stiff-legged deadlift with your back leg up on the bench.

I was actually quite amazed at how strongly this one targeted the glutes…the best part is, it hits the glutes without involving knee flexion to any substantial degree.

What THIS means is that you can build bigger glutes (and/or maintain glute size) when you have knee problems or injuries that prevent you from squatting or lunging.

Now there’s no excuse…unless you have back problems, too, then you’re totally @&#$ed, of course (just kidding

So here’s what the exercise looks like…you’ll need two dumbells and a bench for this one. Set the dumbells in front of the bench (I’m using a couple of 85 lb dumbells – start lighter than this when you try these the first time).

Now set your ENTIRE SHIN on the top of the bench. You’ll need this for some degree of stability. We’re not trying to make this exercise unstable, per se. What we’re trying to do is get your body in the right position to force the glutes to activate.


Get A Firm Butt: Shape Tone And Firm Your Butt

You may need to slide the dumbels forward a bit. Set your front foot in between the two dumbells, get into position on the bench (like you were going to do that split squat movement). Both knees should be bent but held in that same position throughout the exercise.

Bend forward and grab the dumbells. Keep your core tight.

Now pick the dumbells up off the floor. The pressure should be on the heel of your front foot and your glute should be feeling it. Your glute will not only be providing the hip extension that gets you to the upright position, it’s also contracting isometrically to maintain that bent-knee split position – double whammy!




Now pick the dumbells up off the floor. The pressure should be on the heel of your front foot and your glute should be feeling it. Your glute will not only be providing the hip extension that gets you to the upright position, it’s also contracting isometrically to maintain that bent-knee split position – double whammy!


Get A Firm Butt: Shape Tone And Firm Your Butt



Do your reps on one leg then switch legs. I prefer lower reps with this exercise since the glutes are powerful muscles and need to be hit hard.

Remember, you’re setting the dumbells completely on the floor in between reps. Breathe out on the way up and keep your core tight. Try to keep an arch in your lower back throughout the movement as well.

How you can have a firm butt click for more details

How To Get That Six Pack Abs Look: Weight Training

MAXIMIZE Your Fat Loss and Muscle-Building Results With The Innovative Training

Information Of Fitstep.com!

Follow the Path of MOST Resistance!

Learn why weight training is the fast track to sculpting your body.

Resistance is NOT futile! When it comes to changing your body for the better quickly and permanently, nothing comes close to good old-fashioned weight training.

The shape of your body is determined by three things: muscle, bone and fat. While there's really nothing you can do about changing your bone structure, there is a whole lot you can do about muscle and fat. This ratio of muscle to fat is commonly known as your body composition.

And what is the fastest way to change your body composition? Weight training. Why is it so effective? Because it builds muscle.

Muscle is the key to changing your body. While fat certainly gives your body shape, muscle is what gives you the shape you actually WANT!

One of the greatest things about muscle is that it burns calories all day long, even when you're lying on the couch. What this means is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn during the day and the more you'll be able to eat without gaining weight. Sound interesting? There's more.

Weight training stimulates your metabolism more than aerobic training such as cycling or walking. This means that you'll continue to burn calories long AFTER you've completed your weight training session. The calorie-burning effect of aerobic training generally declines rapidly once you stop the exercise.

Beginning trainers, who are just starting with exercise, are often under the impression that they should stay away from weight training because they might gain weight before they start losing it.

I like to use a car as an analogy. Imagine your body is a car, your muscles are the cylinders in the engine, and your bodyfat is the gas.

With a four-cylinder car, you only burn a minimum amount of gas/fat. Weight training and building more muscle is the equivalent of putting more cylinders into your engine. As you can imagine, you'll burn a whole lot more gas even while idling! And, just like a car with more cylinders, you'll be a lot more powerful too!

The bottom line to you is this...with more muscle, you'll get greater fat loss with less effort.

While it certainly is a possibility that you could gain weight before losing it, if you gauge your success solely by numbers on a scale then you're not getting an accurate picture of yourself. Measure your progress by how you feel, how you look and how well your clothes are fitting, not by which direction the needle on a measuring device is moving.

At the end of the day, I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should eliminate cardiovascular training from your exercise routine, but, if you are struggling to lose fat and keep it off, weight training may be just the thing you need to lose that fat and keep it off for good!


For more information on resistance exercises, fat loss, muscle building and fitness you can do at home, go to: Fitstep

Muscle Building Back Training Superset

Secret Training Tip #685 - A Back Blasting Superset - Bent-Over Rows to Deadlifts
By Nick Nilsson

Harness the power of the superset to
send your back training to the next level.


The power of supersets is undeniable. Supersets (doing 2 exercises one after another with no rest in between) are very effective for building strength and muscle mass.

The following is a superset for your back that will pile on muscle like no other. One word of warning: you should be comfortable doing both of these exercises separately before attempting them together in a superset. There will be a link to exercise performance tips and the end of this article.

The first exercise is the barbell bent-over row. You can use either an overhand, wide grip or an underhand, close reverse grip. Both grips are effective but work different areas of the back.

Select a weight that will cause you to reach failure in the 6 to 8 rep range. Do a hard set of bent-over rows then immediately after setting the weight down, move into the second exercise: deadlifts.

You will use the exact same weight for deadlifts, however, you may wish to change your grip to a mixed grip (one overhand, one underhand) so that you can hold onto the bar better.

Do reps of the deadlift until either your grip fails or until a rep before your back fails (don't do deadlifts to absolute failure - always keep the do-or-die rep in you).

After you get done with the deadlifts, your lats should be extremely pumped up.

There are several reasons why this superset is so effective:

1. It uses two of the best mass-building movements for your back (and body!).

2. The bent-over row uses the lats to actually move the weight while the deadlift uses the lats to help support the weight. Since the lats are already fatigued from the rowing, they will be forced to work far harder when you do the deadlifts. In a nutshell, the rest of your body will help push your lats harder!

3. The weight you use for bent-over rows should be relatively easy for you on the deadlift. This allows you to do even more reps with the deadlift.

4. It is very easy and convenient to go from the bent-over row to the deadlift. All you need to do is change your grip (if even that! You may choose to use the same grip.).


Give this superset a try in your next back workout. The results will speak for themselves!

For tips on exercise performance for the bent-over row, go to:

For tips on exercise performance for the deadlift, go to:


------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at fitstep.com. He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

Secret Training Tip For Building Shoulder Muscles

Secret Training Tip #665 - The CURE For Stubborn Shoulders...The Two-Phase Barbell Shoulder Press
By Nick Nilsson of Metabolism Surge

If you've got stubborn shoulders, this simple but extremely
powerful technique is EXACTLY what you need. Standard
dumbell and barbell pressing don't work the WHOLE range
of motion equally - you're leaving results on the table if
you're just doing straight shoulder presses!


If you've ever had a hard time developing your shoulders, this exercise is going to be a lifesaver for you! Personally, shoulders are one of my WORST bodyparts. It's tough to keep them strong...tough to get them bigger...and tough to really feel them working when I'm actually doing shoulder exercises!

But the first time I used this technique, it absolutely blew my mind. As soon as I finished the set, my shoulders felt like they were inflating! The blood was came rushing in and I knew I was on to something special...that RARELY happens to me with ANY shoulder exercises.

So what makes THIS exercise so special? You're going to reach muscular failure TWICE within the same set. AND you're going to do it with NO REST in between the two phases of the exercise. BAM BAM...one part right into the next.

But here's the twist...it's not a typical drop set in which you reduce the weight to achieve this! You're going to use the SAME weight for both phases of the exercise.

The REAL key lies in the range of motion of each part of the exercise...

You see, when you do a normal barbell shoulder press, as you push the barbell up, you go through what is called a strength curve. In basic terms, it means at the bottom of the movement you are fairly strong. But as you press further (normally about 3 to 5 inches up in the movement) you hit a point where the leverage in your shoulders changes. The exercise gets a lot tougher.

This is called a sticking point - it's basically the weakest point in the exercise. Another example of a sticking point is commonly seen in the bench press. If you were doing a bench press using a heavy weight, lowered the weight to your chest then started to press but couldn't get past a certain point (a few inches above your chest), THAT is also a sticking point.

Bottom line, you can only lift as much weight as you can move through that WEAKEST point in the range of motion of an exercise. But OUTSIDE that sticking point, your muscles are stronger and can lift more weight!

The question becomes, how do we still do full range-of-motion lifting while putting greater tension on the muscles to maximize their strength in OTHER phases of the movement?

We're going to break the movement into two distinct phases. On the first phase, you're going to do FULL reps of the shoulder press. When you can't do any more full reps, you're going to do partial reps in ONLY the top, stronger half of the range of motion.

It's a powerful technique and it'll get your shoulders burning like crazy!

The key to geting the most out of this exercise is the setup...


How to Do It:

First, you'll be doing this exercise in the power rack. While there IS a way to do it without being the rack (and it is still effective that way), the rack is going to allow you to really push your shoulders to the maximum.

Set the safety rails in the rack to just below shoulder height. You're going to be doing a standing military barbell press for your shoulders, bringing to the front, of course! I NEVER recommend doing any behind-the-head shoulder pressing - it can cause shoulder damage.

For this exercise, start with a weight you can get at least 8 to 10 reps for. I would suggest doing 3 or 4 sets of this exercise in total for your shoulder workout.

Grip the bar with your pinkies or fourth fingers on the smooth rings of the Olympic bar. You need to take a narrower grip on the bar than with the bench press. The rails should be set so you have to bend your knees a bit to get under the bar. The bar should be held across your extreme upper chest.

Next, begin the pressing movement. Press the barbell up in front of your face then lockout at the top. When you do a military press, your knees should be slightly bent and abs tight to keep stress off the lower back.

Because of the path of the bar, you will be leaning back a little bit - it has to go in front of your face. But as soon as the bar clears your head, shift your torso forward so that the bar is DIRECTLY over your head. It almost resembles a bobbing-forward motion. This is a key point that a lot of people miss with the shoulder press. If you keep leaning back, it keep tension on the front delts and takes it off the rear delts.

Lower the weight slowly back to your chest then press again. Keep going until you can't get the weight past the sticking point. Try and get it past the sticking point, though! We want to be sure you're right at the limit.

When you're done, set the bar back on the safety rails. And here's the trick that's going to set your shoulders on fire...keeping your hands locked onto the bar, drop down onto your knees under the bar. Now keep pressing in the partial top range of motion of the press!

Because the bar is now ABOVE the sticking point, your shoulders have better leverage and can continue with the exercise! Do as many reps as you can until you can't even budge the bar. I prefer to set the weight down on the rails in between reps here but you can keep a continuous movement, if you want. Do it whichever way feels best to you.

By exploiting the top range of motion after fatiguing the muscles in the full range of motion, you're going to finally be working the shoulders with FULL resistance in the whole range of motion.

When you're done, stand up. Your shoulders will be swelling up any second now!

As I mentioned previously, there IS a way to perform this technique without a power rack.

First, perform the barbell shoulder press, just like above. Now, instead of doing reps until you can't get past the sticking point, you're going to have to stop a rep or two SHORT of that point of failure.

Basically, you're going to have to complete that last rep to the TOP. When you're at the top, now lower the bar only halfway down (just above where your sticking point normally is) then press it back up to the top.

Keep doing reps in this shortened range of motion until you can't hold the bar up anymore!


Conclusion:

Give this exercise a try in your next shoulder workout. If you've got good shoulders, this will blow them up even more. If you've got poor shoulders, you're going to be in for a treat!

Metabolism Surge------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of"

Metabolism Surge 7 Key Points To Fat Loss And Muscle

Metabolism Surge By Nick Nilsson


Metabolism Surge 7 Key Points To Fat Loss And Muscle



1. It IS possible to gain muscle while losing fat, not just for beginners but even for advanced trainers. I know, because I'm an advanced trainer and I've done it. Now I'm going to show you how. In fact, the more training experience you've got, the better this program will work.

2. Under the right dietary and training conditions, your body can actually use your own bodyfat to provide energy for building muscle, practically doubling the speed of fat loss. This program makes sure those conditions are created for you on a daily basis.

3. Low-carb diets work. Low-fat diets work. But neither works forever. I've taken the best features of both and combined them to actually FEED off each other with NO plateaus EVER.

4. Training with high reps and isolation exercises for fat loss is a waste of time and energy. It will practically guarantee that you lose muscle. I will tell you EXACTLY how to train to keep and even GAIN muscle while losing large amounts of fat.

5. Your own natural metabolism is FAR more powerful for burning fat than any fat-loss pills or potions you could ever take IF you know how to stimulate it properly. You'll learn how to keep your metabolism so continuously cranked, you won't have any need or even desire to take a fat-loss pill again.

6. Precise manipulation of the nutrients in your diet (protein, fat and carbs) can have extraordinary anabolic (muscle-building) and lipolytic (fat-burning) hormonal effects on your body. My program of Macronutrient Rotation tells you what foods to eat and when so that you not only achieve this effect but MAXIMIZE it.

7. Rebound weight gain when coming off a diet does NOT have to happen. With most fat-loss programs, when you stop following the program, you start regaining weight. Just the opposite happens with my program - you actually continue to lose fat even after you're done. There is no rebound, just more results!

Here's how Metabolic Surge is different:

Most fat-loss programs are designed to achieve fat loss gradually through lifestyle changes. There are plenty of programs out there that effectively achieve this. Or, they may help you lose, but only short-term and then you rebound back up. But what if you're already training hard and eating right and still aren't seeing fast results?

That's where I come in. My program is designed to address the unique fat loss needs of people who are already training hard and who need every advantage they can to drop to their bodyfat levels down to remarkably low levels.

Let me put it this way: an advanced trainer is not going to go on the Slim Fast plan to get down to 5% bodyfat. Using programs like those that are designed for long-term lifestyle changes and more targeted towards casual exercisers may get you slow results but, personally, I just don't have the patience to wait around for a program to work. You shouldn't either.

"The Metabolic Surge Rapid Fat Loss eBook by Nick Nilsson is, in my professional opinion, one of the most amazing programs I have read in recent years which reveals the secrets of how to blowtorch off bodyfat and at the same time boost strength and pack on muscle naturally. This eBook is well researched, easy to read and there is no doubt in my mind that the revolutionary diet and training espoused within will transform most anyone into the best shape of their life - Guaranteed!"

Dennis B. Weis
MuscleMag columnist and author of Mass!, Raw Muscle, Anabolic Muscle Mass
and the Bodybuilding Brainstack CD

For More on Metabolic Surge go to Metabolism Surge

Avoid These Workout Mistakes

I've been training for more than 13 years and I've made mistakes. I want to help you avoid making those same mistakes in your training. It could save you years of frustration!


[ Lifting Too Long ]

When I first started training, I wanted to get the fastest results possible so I figured more would be better. My wake-up call came when one day I did a 2 1/2 hour session and then lost a considerable amount of strength in my next session.
Lesson: Keep your training sessions from approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour MAX! Any longer and you are either just breaking your body down or not working hard enough to get results.


[ Not Eating Enough Protein ]
After training for about a year and gaining a whole lot of weight (not all of it muscle!), I went on a very low-fat diet. The problem with this was I hardly ate any protein because meat had fat in it! I couldn't figure out what the problem was until one day, when I had had enough of low-fat eating, I cooked up four chicken breasts (with skin) and ate them all in one sitting. My strength jumped up immediately!

Lesson: Protein is critical for muscle-building and dieting. Don't get enough and you will compromise your results.


[ Not Enough Cardiovascular Training ]
When I first began training, I went from a 145-pound cross-country runner to a 217-pound weight lifter in 8 months. During that entire time I didn't do any cardiovascular training. Not only was a lot of that weight gain fat, I felt really unhealthy and unbalanced.

Lesson: Even if you're trying to gain weight, keep at least some cardio training in your program, even if it's just walking a couple of times per week. Your heart and muscles will thank you for it.


[ Too Much Cardiovascular Training ]
After the previous extreme, there was a time when I was trying to lose fat and went to the other extreme: too much cardio. I remember one session where I did 20 minutes at the highest setting on the Stair Master, then skipped rope for 10 minutes, then did the stationary bike for 20 minutes, then the Stair Master for another 20 on high, then 10 more minutes of skipping.

I was in great cardio shape but my strength and muscle mass plummeted and, to be honest, I could have achieved better fat-loss results with 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training.

Lesson: Too much cardio can be counterproductive. Certainly, it will burn a lot of calories but your muscles will burn more during the day just sitting there. Short, intense sessions will spare your muscle mass and boost your metabolism more effectively.


[ Using a Weightlifting Belt ]
When I started training, I used a weightlifting belt for every exercise. I would basically keep the belt on for my entire workout. It was a big mistake and here's why:


A belt is very effective for stabilizing the abdominal core area. However, it is so effective that your core muscles aren't challenged and don't develop effectively. This can leave them weak and your core unstable, fostering a reliance on the belt.
A belt should really only be used for near-maximal lifting with very heavy weights. If you need a belt to do bench presses or barbell curls, you should re-examine your form and honestly evaluate your core strength. You may be setting yourself up for a back injury.
A belt works to stabilize your core by making your abs push outwards against it. Do you really want to be training your abs to push out and stay there? It's like training to make your gut stick out.
Lesson: Ease yourself off the belt if you currently use one. You will need to slowly work back up to your current weights to ensure you don't hurt yourself. When you go to do a lift, suck in your gut and tighten your abs. You will develop far better core strength and stability, not to mention tighter, flatter abs.


[ Lifting Too Heavy ]
My goal has always been to develop muscle mass and strength. There have been times when I used a weight that either caused me to compromise my form or didn't allow me to get enough reps to build mass.

The rep range between 6 to 12 reps per set is most effective for building muscle mass. If you consistently use weights that only allow you to get 5 or fewer reps per set, you will build strength and some muscle but most likely not nearly as much as you are capable of.

Lesson: If you want strength, do 1 to 5 reps per set. If you want muscle, do 6 to 12 reps per set. Always push yourself to use more weight but not so much that you compromise your form or results.


[ Working Too Hard ]
I can clearly remember one dieting cycle I did where I was so enthusiastic to lose fat that I severely overtrained myself within the first two weeks. In my enthusiasm, I buried my recovery ability with extreme training volume and intensity. Coupled with a reduced-calorie diet, this overly-hard work spelled disaster.

Lesson: Train hard but don't overwhelm yourself. Your body needs time and nutrients to recover and rebuild. This is especially important when dieting for fat loss.


[ Not Eating Enough ]
This is a mistake I've made many times before and am sure I will make again. It applies not only to muscle-building but to fat loss as well. Not eating enough can really limit your results. But, as we all know, life gets busy and it's hard to eat and prepare frequent, healthy meals.

Lesson: Do your best with the time and food you've got and be aware that the more regularly and frequently you can eat, the better. If you want to gain a lot of muscle, you are going to have to eat even when you don't feel like you necessarily need to or even want to.


[ Conclusion ]
Everybody makes mistakes. There is no doubt about that. I sincerely hope that the information I've shared with you here will help you to avoid making the same mistakes I have.


[ About The Author ]
Nick Nilsson is the Vice-President of BetterU, Inc. and author of several training eBooks. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology, has been a personal trainer for 7 years and has been training like a maniac for more than 14 years.

Some of Nick's best lifts include a 550-pound squat, a 520-pound deadlift, a 350-pound bench, and 945-pound partial squats for 150 reps.

To read more about Nick and more of his idea's for building muscle check out Metabolism Surge

SuperCharge Your Metabolism For Fat Loss

No-Rest Lactic Acid Supersetting - Supercharge Your Metabolism For Fat Loss!

By Nick Nilsson

The name is a mouthful but the training will send your
metabolism through the roof! Combine the power of supersets
with the fat-burning power of Lactic Acid-based training
and you get a workout that will peel the fat right off your body!


To really fire up your fat-burning furnace, you need a workout that addresses not only calories burned DURING the workout itself, but also calories burned AFTER the workout. But it doesn't end there...to REALLY maximize your results, you need to also address your body's HORMONAL response to training.

When you put all these factors together, you can SERIOUSLY increase the fat-burning drive you generate with each and every workout.

Let's look at the factors one at a time:


1. Calories burned DURING the workout

Every time you exercise, you burn calories. Makes sense! The amount of calories you burn depends on the specific exercise you're doing, how intense it is and how long you do it for. I won't spend much time on this one as pretty much everybody knows instinctively that the harder and longer you work, the more calories you burn.


2. Calories burned AFTER the workout

Here's where it gets interesting...the more intense the exercise you perform, the more your overall metabolism is boosted and the more calories your body will burn AFTER the workout as it strives to recover from the training.

The practical result is this...if you do long, slow cardio training for your fat loss, you will burn calories during the workout, but your metabolism will go back to its normal rate very soon after. If you increase the pace (e.g. through interval training), you create a MUCH greater demand on your body and your metabolism is jacked up long after your workout is done - this can be for up to 24 hours after!

When it comes to fat loss, intensity is the key, not your resistance to boredom during repetitive movement.


3. Your HORMONAL response to training

Here's the one most people don't know about. When you exercise, whether it be for fat loss or any other purpose, your body secretes hormones in response to the training. The big one that we want to key in on for fat loss is Growth Hormone.

Without delving too much into the science of Growth Hormone (GH for short), it's enough to know that one of the primary functions of GH is to send a signal to your body to burn fat for fuel (it's also involved in many other functions, including muscle building, immune system function and connective tissue repair).

So how do we maximize the release of natural GH in the body from training? Lactic Acid.

Lactic Acid is one of the key "ingredients" that we want the body to produce in order to maximize the release of GH. When the body detects large amounts of Lactic Acid in the blood stream (it determines this by tracking the acidity of your blood), GH is secreted in response.

In a nutshell, the greater the burn, the greater the GH release.

---

So how do we maximize ALL THREE aspects of fat loss that I mentioned above? We will do it through a training technique I call "No-Rest Lactic Acid Supersetting."

We are going to combine several techniques that are extremely effective for maximizing the production of Lactic Acid in the body. I'll tell you up front, this training WON'T be easy (if you find it easy, you're not working hard enough!) but it's VERY effective.

The first part of the equation is high-rep training. There is NO doubt that high reps will produce Lactic Acid. The bonus with high-rep training is that it also helps improve the capillirization of the muscles. In English, this means it helps improve the blood supply to the muscles by increasing the amount of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the muscles. One of the reaons muscles don't grow? Poor blood supply. So high-reps can not only produce Lactic Acid, they can even improve the growth potential of a muscle!

The next part of the equation is Supersetting. Supersets involve moving from one exercise directly into another exercise, with no rest inbetween the two exercises. This is a great way to increase the burn from Lactic Acid. The specific type of Supersets we'll be using with this training technique are "Antagonistic Supersets." This means we'll be working two opposing bodyparts at a time, e.g. back and chest or biceps and triceps.

The final part of the equation is that we're not only NOT going to take any rest between the two Superset exercises, we're actually not going to take ANY REST AT ALL (except when we move to a different Superset combination).

The body clears out Lactic Acid when it gets a chance to rest. By removing complete rest from the equation, we're going to dramatically ramp up the production of Lactic Acid in your body and, as a result, ideally dramatically ramp up the production of Growth Hormone in response.

All this, in turn, will lead to increased fat loss by increasing Growth Hormone and burning LOTS of calories during the workout AND after the workout, because of the high intensity level.

A quick note about Growth Hormone: there are plenty of websites and magazines that will try to sell you HGH pills to increase your GH levels. While some nutritional supplements can be moderately effective at boosting GH levels (glutamine is one), the vast majority of these HGH ads are scams and should be avoided. Your body, with proper training, can produce ample amounts on its own.


How To Do It:

I will use chest and back as the example bodyparts for this training program. We will be switching between dumbell presses on the ball and standing dumbell rows (using two dumbells in bent-over row position). I find this to be a good combination because you can use the same dumbells for both exercises and perform them in the very same spot.

The key with this training technique is speed, not only during the sets but switching between exercises. At the end of the article, I'll include a link to a demonstration video of this technique in action.

First, select a pair of dumbells that you know you can get at least 20 reps with on the dumbell press. For this technique, 20 reps is going to be the MINIMUM number of reps we want to hit on the first set of dumbell presses.

Get into position on the ball and begin pressing the dumbells. Keep a fairly quick tempo on the presses using a powerful movement, not worrying about squeezing the muscles or getting any slow negatives (the lowering phase of the movement). It should be a fast, powerful movement to get as many reps as you can.

Big note here...DO NOT sacrifice form for speed. If you're flailing the dumbells around, you're going to hurt yourself. While the movement is fast, it should be UNDER CONTROL at all times.

Do as many reps as you can until the Lactic Acid burn forces you to stop. The last reps will see you moving a LOT slower than you started but keep going until the burn stops you.

Now set the dumbells down and IMMEDIATELY get into position for the two dumbell rows. The two dumbell row is performed exactly like a bent-over barbell but using two dumbells instead (the link will also include demo pictures on how to perform both of these exercises).

Begin rowing with the same quick tempo. Be VERY careful that you're not bobbing up and down excessively as you do this exercise. It's fine to have a little movement - it's natural as the weight comes up and down. But you should do your best to keep your lower back arched, your abs tight and your torso as still as possible.

Again, perform as many reps as you can until the burn stops you and you have to set the weights down.

Now IMMEDIATELY put all thoughts of rest aside! Grab those dumbells, get back on the ball and starting cranking out more dumbell presses!

Your reps will most likely drop fairly significantly on this second round through due to muscle fatigue and Lactic Acid accumulation. Get as many reps as you can, though. Personally, I may start my first set with 30 to 40 reps and get 8 to 10 on the second set.

Finish the pressing reps then go right back to the dumbell rows for as many reps as you can. Keep going back and forth between exercises until you've done the prescribed number of sets for each bodypart (see below for recommendations).

Be sure to push yourself on those sets! Make sure you stop because of the Lactic Acid burn and not because you've counted enough reps and you've lost track.

As for number of sets, here are my recommendations...

If you're going to do your entire body in one workout use the following set guidelines:

Back and chest - 6 sets each
Quadriceps and Hamstrings - 6 sets each
Shoulders and Calves - 3 sets each
Biceps and Triceps - 3 sets each

The reason shoulders and calves are paired together is that neither muscle group really has an antagonist to it.

If you're going to split up your workouts, I would suggest picking two of the combinations (whichever combos you like to do together) and use the following set guidelines:

Back and chest - 8 sets each
Quadriceps and Hamstrings - 10 sets each
Shoulders and Calves - 5 sets each
Biceps and Triceps - 5 sets each

This means if you want to do back, chest, biceps, triceps, do 8 sets each of back and chest then 5 sets each of biceps and triceps.

Take 1 minute rest in between bodypart combinations or judge it by the time it takes for you to set up the next two exercises.

Perform this training program three times a week, e.g. Monday, Wednesday, Friday if you're doing total body workouts. If you're splitting your body up, do Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

Follow this training technique for 3 weeks and then check the mirror!

A small note about Growth Hormone:

DO NOT eat anything before training when you're doing this program. It's best to perform this training on an empty stomach. The reason for this is that GH secretion is reduced by both elevated blood sugar levels and/or elevated insulin levels in the body. When you eat something (specifically carbohydrates), your blood sugar will rise and insulin will be secreted as a result. Insulin is a storage hormone and works directly against GH.

AFTER training, it's a whole different ballgame. You CAN take in carbs and it won't affect the post-workout fat-burning process. Because of the tremendous demands on the recovery systems from a hard workout, your body will continue to use stored fat to fuel the recovery process even when you take in carbs.

So be sure to take in some good post-workout nutrition in the form of liquid protein and carbs. It'll help speed recovery and keep your body from eating up its own muscle tissue.

Conclusion:

If you're looking for a shock to your body to kick-start your fat loss, give this program a try. It'll place tremendous demands on your body and put your fat loss into high gear!

Want Six Pack Abs? You Gotta Crawl First

I have to say, this is one of THE strangest abdominal exercises you'll ever see...but also one of THE most effective!

You're not going to be doing any crunching or twisting or squeezing. There are no machines involved...no need to even focus on contracting the core muscles.

Because once you start doing this exercise, your body will have NO CHOICE but to fire the abs HARD in order to do it!

For this exercise, all you need is a pair of dumbells and a floor. That's it!

The dumbells should be a moderate weight - something you'd use for sets of 5 reps on dumbell curls, perhaps. In the demo, I'm using 65 lb dumbells and those were a good weight for me.

This exercise is going to teach you what core strength and stability are REALLY all about! First, I'm going to explain how to do it, then I'll give you the full rundown on why it's so good.

How To Do It:

You'll need some open floor space for this exercise - preferably where you have about 10 to 15 feet of unobstructed space to move. Set the dumbells on the floor then get down in what looks like the top of a close-grip push-up position. Your hands will be on the handles of the dumbells and you'll be up on your toes (not kneeling). Try to visualize the "start" position that sprinters are in when they're about to take off out of the blocks - THIS is what the position looks like.

Now you're going to CRAWL forward in that position...move the LEFT dumbell forward a few inches and step your RIGHT foot forward a few inches.

It's definitely easier to "get" this one when you see it done on video (which, of course, I'll be posting a link to at the end of the article).

Basically, you're going to be crawling on the floor with your hands weighted by the dumbells. Crawl forward about 10 feet like this then stop and crawl BACKWARDS.

Sound easy? Think again...

Why This Exercise Is So Effective:

Dumbell crawling is a VERY effective core exercise because of the uneven tension you get through your core with every step forward you take.

Think of it this way...when you're lifting up your left hand (with the dumbell) and the right foot, what is supporting your body? The support is coming from your OTHER hand and foot. Your core is, in an instant, going from 4-point support to 2-point support and all the tension is going diagonally through your core. It doesn't seem like much when you're crawling without weight, but add a dumbell to the mix? You'll be singing a different tune...

In addition, while crawling, you're also supporting your bodyweight in a pike position, working the entire abdominal area isometrically (which means without movement - just acting to stabilize and brace your body position). It's a two-pronged attack on your core that will pay off BIG.

One of the great things about this exercise is that the strength you develop is EXTREMELY functional. Forget standing on a BOSU ball on one leg and catching a beanbag...THIS exercise will build functional power through the core.

The diagonal tension of crawling exactly mimics the natural diagonal tension that goes through the core when walking, running and jumping. Think of it as "force transfer" strength, meaning you'll be better able to transfer force through your core when moving (i.e. running, jumping, etc.).

Increasing strength in this very targeted way will have an IMMEDIATE and powerful carryover to sports performance.

And when you start moving BACKWARDS...you'll be in for a shock! It's actually quite a bit tougher moving backwards. The co-ordination can be a bit tricky but with practice, you should do fine.

When you're doing this exercise, start with a light to moderate weight but don't be afraid to increase the weight here. You may not feel it so much in the abs until you move up in weight. THAT is where the real benefits of the exercise will be felt.

Conclusion:

If core strength and performance are important goals in your training, DEFINITELY give this exercise a try. As strange as it may look, it's actually EXTREMELY effective for working the core. In a nutshell, it's going to TRASH your abs!

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of BetterU, Inc., an internet- based personal training company. He has been training for more than 14 years and has been a personal trainer for more than 8 years. He is the author of the training eBooks "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of", "Gluteus to the Maximus" and "Specialization Training".

The 8 week Interval Training Fat Loss Blast

8 Week Cardio Interval Training Blast! Get Increased Fat Loss AND Take Your Cardio Fitness To A Whole New Level

By Nick Nilsson

This detailed cardio program will take you from an interval-
training beginner to interval-training pro in only 8 weeks!

This step-by-step progression guides you through the most
effective types of intervals to maximize your results.


Interval training is one of THE most effective ways to burn fat while preserving muscle. When using cardio training for fat loss, I recommend it almost exclusively in my programs! This nice thing is, interval training is also one of THE most effective ways to improve your overall cardiovascular capacity as well.

There is a LOT of good information available on what intervals are and how to perform them. But what often seems to be missing is a detailed plan that helps you progress from Point A (just starting out with interval training) to Point B (performing the more challenging interval training techniques).

The trick is knowing where to start and how to progress from there. You can't just jump in and start sprinting up hills without knowing what you're doing and building yourself up to it. That's a good way to not only hurt yourself but exhaust yourself as well!

So in response to this, I've designed an interval training progression plan that gets you started with the more introductory-level types of interval training then gradually moves you into the more intense and challenging interval training techniques.

I'll lay out how many intervals to do, which style of interval training to do and how long to do it for. This progression plan will also give you good variety in your cardio training, which I'm sure you know can get VERY dull if you keep doing it the same way over and over.

You see, just like with weight training, you need to constantly challenge and even shock your body in order to continue making progress. Otherwise, your body simply has no reason to adapt and get better. This plan will do it for you!

The overall goals with this cardio program are fat loss and improving cardiovascular capacity. This type of training is NOT a plan I would recommend if you're trying to build muscle. When training to build muscle, you want to keep cardio training down to a lower maintenance level (once or twice a week at most) and this is not a program that does that.

The program is based on doing cardio training 3 times per week and can be applied to basically any method or apparatus of cardio training, be it running, cycling, elliptical machine, stair machine, etc. Any cardio based sports activity will work as well (e.g. swimming, rollerblading).

Choose whatever cardio activity works best for you, that you enjoy the most or that you'd most like to improve your performance in, e.g. if you're a runner, using running as the activity for your interval training.

You can certainly utilize different cardio activities as you go through the program, e.g. use treadmill running one day then the elliptical machine the next. The real key lies in the intensity with which you do the activities!

Before you start in on the program, I would encourage you to read through the following two articles. They'll help you understand what interval training is all about and introduce you to the different types of interval training.

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What Do You Mean Low-Intensity Training Isn't The Best For Fat Burning?


The Insider Secrets of Interval Training - Learn How Now!


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Now it's time to have a look at the program!

The following link will take you to a page from the Trial Membership area of my site "Powerful Training Secrets."

You DO NOT have to sign up for anything to get the interval progression program, but if you haven't yet signed up for your trial membership, I'd definitely encourage you to do so!

I regularly post exciting new training information in the Trial site...and I post a whole lot more in the full membership site itself!

Powerful Training Secrets

When you get to the page, scroll down towards the bottom. That's where you'll find the full, step-by-step program for getting yourself from interval training beginner to interval training pro in only 8 weeks!

The program starts with a technique known as Aerobic Interval Training - basically, a way to begin learning how to increase training intensity without burning yourself out. Over the next two weeks, your intensity will gradually be increased within the context of Aerobic Intervals.

As you continue through the program, you'll notice how the intervals are continually getting just a bit more challenging - rest times are changing as are work times.

By the time you get to the final few weeks of the program, you'll be in great shape and ready for anything!

If, at any time in the program you feel you need to take a bit more time to adapt to it, feel free to perform another week of the same type of interval training you just did. This program isn't written in stone and you DO need to listen to your body.

So check out the program and if you have any questions about it as you're reading or as you're doing it, please feel free to drop me an email at betteru@fitstep.com!

Here's the link to the interval training program page once again:

Powerful Training Secrets

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INTERVAL EQUIPMENT NOTE:

If you need a good timer for your intervals, check out the GymBoss timer. I've been using one recently and it really works like a charm. Unlike a lot of other timers, it actually has a vibrate feature that means you don't have to experience loud beeping to know when your time is up (great if you train with headphones on!).

You can set the timer to time different work and rest intervals (e.g. 2 minutes work, 1 minute rest can be programmed in), which is very nice. It's also not too expensive (about 20 US dollars). The timer clips on and is a neat little piece of equipment - very useful for intervals and also for timing your rest periods when weight training.

You can get one here:

gymboss timer

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Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" fitstep.com