Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

Most individuals are more self conscious about their abs than any other muscles in the body. Everybody would like to have a rock hard six-pack. The bicycle exercise is a very effective and efficient abs workout. To perform the bicycle exercises start by lying with your back down and interlace your fingers around the back of your head. Bend your knees and bring them up to toward your chest. Don’t pull on the neck; lift your shoulder bladders off the ground. Turn your body to the right; bring your leg out at a forty five degree angle. Bring your left elbow towards your right knee. Perform the same exact exercise by bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. Do these exercise at least twelve to fifteen times.

The captain’s chair is the second most effective abs workout it works the obliques abdominal muscles. You’ll need exercise equipment to perform this exercise. The captain’s chair exercise is used very often at gyms and health clubs. To start the exercise, stand on the chair and grab the handholds to balance your upper torso. Push your back firmly against the pad. Contract your abs by raising your legs and lifting your knees towards your chest. Breathe evenly and do not arch your back. Slowly lower yourself back down. You will want to repeat this exercise at least twelve to fifteen times.

More six pack abs on this link.

We all feel the need to work out and stay fit. Many of us are obese or even overweight and often have no choice but to work out a couple of hours in the day in order to meet health experts prescribed exercise limits and most importantly to stay fit and in shape! People who have not forgot to visit the gym in recent years know what the role of elliptical machines is today. These low impact fitness devices offer great cardiovascular workouts and exercise various body muscles including lower body muscles. These elliptical machines also feature dual action arm poles and even add an upper body workout to bring to the users a complete body workout and this is elliptical machines for cardiac in action. These elliptical machines beats running can do some serious wonders to the body…

Elliptical machines for cardiac exercise are no doubt getting extremely popular nowadays. Elliptical machines also called elliptical trainers and they literally combine the exercise motions of various popular pieces of home based fitness equipment. This term ‘elliptical’ is derived from the oblong pattern which is made by the pedals when they are in motion. This motion delivers an exercise which is part of the treadmill, part stair climber, part exercise cycle and part ski machine, everything into one. Elliptical machines enable us to glide in elliptical motion as we would on a ski machine or, with a simple adjustment of the pedals, increase the incline to get more of a stair stepping or bicycle action. Elliptical machines are truly amazing for cardiac exercises and lots more…That is why elliptical machines beats running is a highly recommended and well established work out technique!

More about fitness and exercise

One of the biggest reasons people stop their new workout/diet routine after a short time is due to a lack of results. They have a New Year’s resolution to get in shape and they are determined to stick with it. During the first week they are excited to get into the gym and destroy those weights. They come out of the gym feeling exhausted from their workout and they like how it feels. They are happy to feel the soreness in their muscles the next mourning. The next week they start to get into a routine. It also starts to get repetitive. It’s not as fun as it was the first week and the scale hasn’t moved as much as they expected. They start to wonder if it would even make a difference if they went to the gym at all. The next mourning while they are watching TV, they come to a channel playing the movie ROCKY. When the movie is over, they can’t wait until their next workout.

I think that movies like Rocky are one of the best kinds of short-term motivation. It will surely get you pumped up and excited for your next workout. However, you will need more motivation if you are going to stick with it for a long time.

GOALS

Setting goals is a very important part of staying motivated. Anybody that has a new workout routine should set goals for themselves. Write your goals down on a piece of paper and look at them often. You should set a long-term goal that outlines exactly what you want to accomplish through your workouts. This way you know what you are aiming for and where you are headed. You also need to set short-term goals. This way, it won’t take you years to achieve your goal. If you set short-term goals to gain/lose a certain amount of weight after a month, then you have a sense of accomplishment after you reach those goals.

CHALLENGES

Another great way to stay motivated is to challenge someone. Find someone with the same goals as you, and set some kind of challenge up. It could be to reach a certain amount of weight first, or to be able to lift more weight after a certain amount of time. Have a big reward for the winner. Have both people put in $50 and whoever wins gets to keep the $100. Find 3-4 people to challenge and have a reward of $200. That would be great motivation for myself.

TELL PEOPLE

Tell everybody that you know that you are going to get in shape. Tell your family, friends, or anybody that you see a lot about what you are going to do. Tell them what your goals are and how you plan to achieve them. If a lot of people know about it like this, you will feel like you can’t give up. You wouldn’t want to quit working out because you’re too lazy and let all these people down would you? There will also be some people that might tell you that you won’t be able to do it. Being able to prove them wrong would feel great.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Since changes in your body will seem to come very slowly, it will be hard to notice them if you don’t track your progress. You should do things like take pictures of yourself, record your workouts, and track your weight. By doing this, you can see exactly how much progress you are making. Being able to sit down and actually see how much better you look now is very motivating.

CHANGE THINGS

At the start of this article, I mentioned that things will get repetitive. Working out can get very repetitive and sometimes boring. To eliminate this, all you have to do is change things up. Bring some headphones with you to the gym if you don’t normally. Go to a different gym. Do some different exercises. Do whatever you can do to make things different. This will make things seem new and make it less repetitive.

For more fitness articles, ebooks, and supplement information, visit http://www.ironfitness.info. You will find out where the cheapest supplements on the internet are!

Steroids have been illegal for some time now and everyone knows the potency of the real thing but legal steroids and their alternatives are quickly catching up as a viable alternative to the black market illegal steroids.

Over the last few years the serious body builders have been using the alternative legal steroids and achieving amazing results. Legal steroids like Androstenedione ( andro), 1-AD,1-test and 4-Androstenedione are the closest thing to real steroids and these are available legally. These alternative steroids when used correctly are both a safe and effective way to enhance and boost strength, energy and muscle recovery.

The first legal steroid that body builders used and promoted was Androstenedione. This is also known as a prohormone and was first used by East German athletes to enhance their performance and was their secret weapon for some time.

Andro works in the following way. As a result of an enzyme conversion in the liver Andro exerts an anabolic effect. The enzyme in the liver acts on the molecular structure of Andro and from this reaction it converts, in a completely natural process, the andro into testosterone.

Since the introduction of Andro which was considered to be the first steroid alternative there have been many other related products over the last few years. There has and is much debate whether increasing the amount of Andro will increase the effect but as with any drug it is dangerous to start altering the dosage unless supervised by qualified people.

On January 20th, 2005 the US Federal Gorvenment’s ban on prohormones took effect. This included the Androstenedione ( andro), 1-AD. Body builders must now look to other alternatives to enhance their programs.

DHEA Pre-Cursor Hormone is one of the alternatives at the present. As a pre-cursor hormone, it leads to the production of other hormones and as a supplement has shown some awesome results. DHEA supplements act as an anti aging by maintaining the levels of DHEA that occur naturally in the body that decrease as we get older.

Anyone considering using a product containing DHEA should first check the laws of their own country as they vary from one country to another.

Beth Black is the webmaster for Keyword Articles that offers free keyword targeted articles. Keyword articles are one of the most effective ways of promoting your website and attracting targeted traffic. http://www.keyword-articles.info

Core strength and stability is increasingly recognized as a vital part of fitness. So what is it and how do you go about getting it? The past five years have seen growing interest in resistance, or weight training programs, aimed at achieving core strength and stability. While some of us might think apples when we hear the word ‘core’, the word certainly doesn’t refer to a throw-away aspect of fitness.

What is core strength? The muscles of the ‘core’ are primarily those of the trunk and pelvis. The core muscles stabilize the spine and effectively move the body with varying loads. If the trunk muscles are weakened, then posture and movement can be affected significantly. The core muscles are necessary for effective transfer of energy from large to small muscle groups - especially when performing sports-specific movements. In recent years there has been a shift to an emphasis on ‘functional’ training, i.e. making training as realistic as possible so it has direct applicability to a particular sport.

This type of training attempts to anticipate and mimic movements that occur during sport, such as twisting and turning. It is believed that training for core strength and stability can lower the risk of injury and increase power application for sports performance. Strengthening the core muscles of the trunk and pelvis provides a stable platform for the actions of the shoulder, arm and leg muscles. Pilates exercises are a popular and effective way to develop core strength and stability.

Muscles of the trunk and pelvis - Some of the most important muscles of the core are the deeper abdominal muscles that wrap and protect the spine; the abdominal muscles that run along the front and sides of the abdomen; the erector muscles of the lower back; and the muscles of the pelvic floor and hips. Having a so-called ’six pack’ of abdominal muscles does not necessarily mean having good core strength and stability. Some of the most important ‘core’ muscles actually lie underneath the six-pack and, together with the erector muscles of the spine, help maintain good posture and balance during daily activity. This means that just doing sit-ups for the abs will not usually be enough to develop core strength.

Training for core strength and stability The major aim of core strength training is to perform exercises that closely resemble specific movements during a particular sport. Emphasis should be placed on diagonal and rotational movements, and promoting balance and strength by performing exercises standing or sitting on different (including unstable) surfaces such as balance beams, wobble boards, foam rollers, and fit balls. Training should emphasis a balance between developing agonist (prime movers) and antagonist muscles. In many sports, movements are performed while balancing on one leg, or shifting the body weight from one leg to another, and so exercises mimicking these actions should be incorporated into the training program. Examples include a kicking a football while on the run and pushing hard while cycling up steep hills.

Exercises to improve core strength Since there are several different trunk, back and pelvic muscles that make up the ‘core’, it is important to perform a variety of exercises that target these muscle groups. Core strength can be developed by performing:Pilates exercises, Standard abdominal exercises (such as sit ups and crunches) Fit ball exercises (including roll outs, walk outs, sit ups, leg lifts, and jack knifes) Resistance training exercises with an emphasis on deadlift, squat and lunge exercises, as well as ‘power’ exercises using ‘Olympic’-style lifts (cleans, clean and press, and push press)

Medicine ball training (overhead throwing to a partner, side throw, rugby passing, lunge exercises holding the medicine ball above the head) Balancing exercises on a wobble board, balance beam, or foam roller (standing on one or both feet, walking forwards and backwards, with eyes open or eyes closed). Although not absolutely necessary, these exercises provide another level of stimulation and are encouraged whenever there is access to such specialist equipment

About The Author

Dianne Villano is a personal fitness instructor certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with over 17 years experience. Dianne specializes in weight loss programs and programs for beginners. For more articles or free fitness tools visit www.custombodiestampabay.com.

Copyright © 2002-2004 CUSTOM BODIES, INC. All Rights Reserved.

Lets face it Partial range repetitions can be far more effective than full-range reps for building strength and muscle in as short a time as possible. They are basically reps done in a specific range of motion and usually involve doing only the top half or top six inches of the movement this is in your strongest range of motion. By working only in this range of motion you can use far more weight and therefore, work your muscles harder because they can handle more resistance.

Partial range rep exercises have advantages of being safer also because the weight is prevented from entering the weakest range of motion where most injuries occur. These can be applied to almost any exercise but are more appropriate for some exercises than others. These include the bigger compound exercises such as the Bench press, Leg press and Reverse grip lat pulldown.

Lets take the bench press for example, after performing a Full range rep warm-up, move to a smith machine or power rack (or a good spotting partner) and place the supports so the bar rests at the top half range (or six inches) from your reach so when you lie on the bench and reach up to grab the bar your arms should be about six inches from full extension. Push the bar to the top of the movement and then back to the supports. Notice how the safety bars prevent the weight from entering the weak range of motion. Continue on to total failure.

When you lift weight in your strongest range of motion you will notice how easy it is! You will be able to use twice the amount of weight that you would use with the Full Range Reps.

Isometric Contraction is another step upwards in the intensity stakes. It is performed by holding a weight in a fixed position with the muscle fully contracted for an extended period of time. It is performed using the one set only for holds of between five and fifteen seconds.

During these holds nearly all of the muscle fibers of the target muscle are recruited, something that doesn’t happen with full range repetitions. The more muscle fibers you can recruit the more growth that can occur. I have found that by using this technique on trainees strength gains of 50% in ten weeks have often occurred.

Only one all out maximum intensity set per exercise is necessary for this type of training. If you give the first set 100% effort then there will be no more requirement for further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise. Fortunately isometric contraction will probably be the easiest and safest way to perform strength training exercises as there are no reps and no motion of the weight, the entire set consists of holding the weight motionless for 5-15 seconds depending on what cycle you are in.

By cycling the seconds per hold, as you move into your training program from week to week the absolute intensity of the exercise increases (the weight used for the exercises increases) thus promoting more functional muscle growth. It is very important you limit the range of motion of the weight you are using. If you do not have a strong training partner who can spot you during these lifts then you must use a power rack or a smith machine. Now lets look at a exercise and how isometric contraction works with it.

Bench Press: This exercise is best performed on a smith machine or inside a Power Rack, Position the bar within two or three inches of your extended reach. Place 50-100% more weight on the bar than you have been using for your partial reps. Push the bar up two to three inchs (do not lock-out) and hold for approriate count.

With all exercises push yourself to the limits of your capability. Most trainee’s using this method make the mistake of underestimating the weight they can lift. You can expect very significant increases in the weight used for all exercises.

So there you have it, by incorporating these two training techniques into your every day strength training programs you will be well on the way to increasing your size and strength in no time at all.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ muscle building e-course.

Many people start bodybuilding because they want to either gain muscle or lose fat, and feel the need to exercise six hours a day to achieve their fitness goals. Training for that long will not give you the results you are looking for, in fact, it will lead to overtraining. This article is going to explain the basics of overtraining and the problems associated with it. You are also going to learn about methods you can use to prevent overtraining in the future.

Overtraining is a severely bad physical and mental state which occurs from training without adequate recovery. Overtraining can also be caused by excessive intensity of weight training and not giving the body enough time for rest and recovery. Not only is overtraining common in weight lifting, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes as well. Studies show that 10-20% of intensely trained athletes are currently overtrained.

Overtraining can effect an athlete in many different ways but the most noticeable symptoms come in a physical and mental state. The following list tells you the most common symptoms of overtraining in both states.

Mentally
* Lack of energy
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Inability to relax
* Dehydration
* Slower recovery after exercise
* Decreased appetite
* Decreased desire to exercise
* Depression
* Increased chance of infection

Physically
* Achiness
* Pain in muscles
* Increased resting blood pressure
* Decreased athletic performance
* Decreased maximal blood lactate concentrates
* Weight loss
* Increased risk of injury

If you are experiencing any of these problems, chances are good that you are overtrained.

Okay, so I am overtrained. What should I do to get myself back on track? The first thing you need to do is take a step backwards and rest for a few days. You also need to to drink plenty of fluids and alter your diet if needed. Even if you are not currently overtrained doesn`t mean that you can`t be in the future. You should keep your training sessions under forty-five minutes and make sure that you stretch before and after exercising.

I could write a book on the many different psychological and physical effects that overtraining can cause, but I simply don`t have enough space in such a short article. Remember to always listen to your body and never try pushing yourself to more than what you can handle. Bodybuilding is the only sport I can think of that uses the “less-is-more” approach and is another one of the reasons that we are a breed apart from the rest of society. Until next time, later.

MY SITES: http://www.mightybody.com and http://www.geocities.com/bashore69/bodybuildingarticles.html

Ever been to the Vatican museum? One of the most fascinating aspects of my journey to Italy was the sculptures that were on display at the Vatican. These sculptures were not just masterpieces of human hands. They were fascinating renditions of the strength and power of the human body. One of the main things that stood out for me was the aesthetic of the body….and those strong, powerful legs! It seems to me that the ancient world was an amazingly active place to live in. Monolithic structures, and regimented routines, plus loads of wars that were played out by men who were highly drilled and fantastically strong.

Now let’s fast forward to today, and you will be able to make your own piece of history by increasing the performance of your leg routine, for colossal gains in power and strength. In this article I will unlock for you Da Vinci-like secrets that will propel your athletic performance to the next level!

Leg Training, It’s a GAS: Like all great masterpieces, strong legs take time to build. General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) looks at three different components that help to increase muscular strength and prevent overtraining over time:

1. Shock Phase: This occurs when you are exposed to a stimulus, and there is a corresponding drop in performance.

2. Resistance Phase: The body adapts to the training stimulus.

3. Maladaptation Phase: when the stress in the workload is too much, or there is no variety in a given stimulus that leads to a drop in performance.

Now we’ve primed your legs up to understand what it takes to create strength and power. With the power of adaptation we can create overcompensation. This is the period where the most strength gains occur, if we add another stimulus to our leg training then we might overtrain. If no other stimulus is added at the optimal time, then we might lose strength. It’s a balancing act. But to gain some serious strength in our legs, without overtraining, we need to periodize.

Bompa (1994) came up with the protocols or a standard of westernized training principles that helped increase strength over a period of time. Now there are certainly other periodized training methods, but we will stick to the textbook (Bompa) version so you can understand the basics for great gains in leg strength. Periodization looks at a planned variation of acute program variables (Source: Fleck & Kraemer, 1997). Periodization revolves around the following issues:

1. Adaptations are achieved progressively over a long period of time.
2. A high degree of fitness can only be maintained for a relatively short period of time.
3. Overload provides the stimulus while recovery provides the adaptations. (Source: Richardson, A. Advanced Resistance Training, 2001)

Therefore, periodization will help plan and organize your leg training regime for powerful performance. So let’s start looking at the phases of strength that will help increase our little twig legs to Herculean pillars!

Get Functional: The functional stage focuses on high volume repetitions, with low training intensities (%RM). An emphasis here will be to gain lean body mass and a good all round balance of strength for the legs. Experienced athletes will look at gains around a period of four weeks. Where inexperienced trainers could stick to this phase for up to 10 weeks.

Maximize It: The focus here is big loads, with a reduction in volume and an increase in intensity. We should be aiming to work up to and over 85% 1RM. This is really taxing, and should possibly be performed once or twice a week with 1-3 sets. This period lasts about 4-12 weeks depending on the athlete or trainer.

Convert It: Strength and power come into play here. With the emphasis on high intensity and speed of movement. Specificity should also come into play, with movements that should mimic the bio-mechanical pattern of the trainee’s particular sport. This should last for four to 6 weeks.

Cease It: Here strength and power are increased through greater intensities and a mixture of speed of movement, reactive training (plyometrics) and technique of the particular sport. This lasts for 1-2 weeks.

Maintain It: Volume is low, and intensity is moderate, to keep the gains we have made in our leg training throughout all the above periods. Maintenance last for 20 weeks, depending on the sport and allows the athlete to not overtrain.

Get Some Active Rest: Take it easy with very low work loads and intensities. Doing other activities that are not akin to your target sport would be a good option. Instead of soccer, try some basketball?

Now that you know how to create strength and power with a periodized program, let us look at some of the best compound movement exercises for total leg development. The winners are (drum role please):

- Barbell Cleans (like the Olympic clean and jerk…without the jerk)
- Barbell Squat (the grand daddy)
- Dead lift (works mostly the back, but your legs will feel it)
- Hack Squat (utilize more poundage’s, and vary your routine)
- Stiff Legged Dead lift (works the hamstrings)
- Leg Press (good option if your lower back hurts, good for maximum poundage’s also)

There are other exercises but these are the best for maximum power output and strength for the legs. Also, try to use these training systems for maximum gains and variety so as not to overtrain the legs:

- Super Slow (Reduces the role of momentum)
- Negatives (Extreme soreness, take a longer recovery)
- Single Set (If you run out of time, max out with one big set)

So there you have it, you have created legs that would be the envy of Da Vinci, and perhaps echoed in the annals of sports for ever. Go out there and power up your performance with strong powerful legs!

Copyright © 2005, WWW.KEEPERSKOOL.SQUARESPACE.COM. All rights reserved.

John Stevanja is an Aussie born, internationally certified fitness instructor, who has played competitive soccer at the highest levels in the position of goalkeeper. Being well travelled, John has worked in the leading corporate and private gym environments in the UK.

John offers a unique twist on goalkeeper specific nutrition and performance. His site, http://www.keeper-skool.com is updated daily and gives advice for not only the competitive soccer goalkeeper, but for athletes and fitness enthusiasts from all walks of life.

When most people hear the word “Cardio”, their mind automatically pictures jogging, or threadmills, or stationnary bikes. Yes, those are some forms of cardio. They also think it’s only purpose is to loose fat. But doing cardio has many benefits.

• Cardio helps prevent heart attacks due to clogged arteries in heavier people.
• Cardio strenghtens your heart and can lenghten your life span.
• It decreases depression and anxiety.
• It shows off the muscles that you have.
• It prevents high blood pressure and can promote a lower resting heart rate.
• It can allow you to do more work while putting less of a strain on your heart.
• It increases the overal function, and well-being of your life.
• Helps increase bloodflow to your muscles, wich helps bring more nutrients to them for better performance & growth.
• It increases the overall heart functions.

So you see, cardio has alot of benefits that far surpass any aesthetic reason. But where does Cardio fit in ones body building routine? Well that depends on your body type. If your like me, and have a hard time gaining muscle. Then you should be carefull when doing cardio. I was worried that cardio would give me less gains, but then after seeing all the benefits that cardio can give you, I decided that it was worth doing them for the sake of my health. So I only do them 2 times a week. But for someone who wants to loose weight, doing cardio 3-5 times a week would speed things up.

So what type of exercise constitutes cardio? Well you have your basic exercises like jogging, rollerbladding, swimming. But cardio could be any type of activity that requires alot of moving. Sports like basketball, football, soccer could be considered cardio. Or you could een get creative, you could take a heavy bag of sand, put it up on a table or anything else, and just pick it up and put it back down several times. It could be hitting a punching bag. Use your imagination.

The most important thing is that you keep cardio fun. Since it’s pretty easy to get bored sitting on a bike in the gym. So taking a ride on a bike in the woods would be alot more fun. Think about that when you think up some type of cardio you’d like to do. “Will I like doing this?”

That’s pretty much it as far as cardio is concerned, It’s a great way to keep healthy. So you’d be an idiot NOT to do some cardio.

JR
http://www.thebestmanyoucanbe.com

Weight training has a lot to say for itself and should be adopted as a part of one’s daily life, at home and while working around the house. Weight bearing exercises not only retain muscular strength but also delay the loss of muscle mass and bone density as well.

. Biceps Curls: Stand with feet apart. Carry dumbbells or two water bottles(one in each hand). Flex the elbow, lift the water bottle or dumbbell towards the shoulder and bring it back to the starting point without locking the elbow. Exhale as you take the arm up and inhale when you bring the arm down. Repeat it 16-24 times. This exercise will strengthen the muscles of the arm.

. Shoulder Press: Standing in the same position, take both arms overhead taking the weights towards the ceiling. Bring the arms back to the shoulder level. Repeat it 16-24 times. This exercise will strengthen the shoulders.

. Squats: Standing in the same position, place the water bottle or dumbbell on the shoulder. Lower the hips toward the floor making sure that the hips are pushed back, like you are trying to sit on a chair. Repeat it 16-24 times. This exercise will strengthen all the muscles in the lower body.

Random Tip: Weight train at home using stability ball is an effective and cheap way to exercise.

Muscular soreness port-exercises is the bane of some of the women. Women just hate to be sore the day after a workout. Weight Training effects muscles in a positive way but it does result in DOMS or a delayed onset of muscular soreness. this is a natural physiological response to weight training and goes away the day after.

Must Read: Workout and Exercise Tips for Firm Breast at http://www.weightloss-health.com/exercise%20firm%20breast.htm

As one ages, the muscle mass starts reducing in size and strength as does the density of bones.

Post menopausal women get tired very fast and cant cope with day-to-day activities as easily as they could in younger years. These women are also plagued with inexplicable pain in the joints or the back. Weight bearing exercises are a boon for women of this age.

Random Fact: Weight training helps in more ways than one. It makes you stronger and slimmer without making you look like a wrestler.

About the Author:

Ashley Green: for http://www.weightloss-health.com/muscle_building.html your complete and most comprehensive guide on Muscle Building.

Look out for highly effective women muscle building programs from the best in this field and a chance to go through muscle building articles directory at Women Weight Training Workout, Exercise and Tips

If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE link to our website.