This is why it's important to find out your body fat percentage. Sometimes people lose weight and think they are doing good, but they have lost muscle. Sometimes people gain weight and think they are doing good but it's fat.
Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muscles. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
All weight is not created equal
This is why it's important to find out your body fat percentage. Sometimes people lose weight and think they are doing good, but they have lost muscle. Sometimes people gain weight and think they are doing good but it's fat.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Total Gym Review
We have all seen the infomercials with Chuck Norris, Christie Brinkley and several other celebrities. So the question is, is the Total Gym all it's cracked up to be? In my review we will explore just that question. There are many different versions of the Total Gym, the largest difference between them is on some versions you can add weight resistance while on others you can't.
The good:
The Total Gym has a LARGE variety of exercises that can be performed on it, so it's hard to get bored. This alone makes the Total Gym worth because if you get bored with equipment and stop using it, it's not going to do you any good.
Since you will not be lifting any actual weights with the Total Gym, you do not have to worry about dropping one on your foot or any other weight lifting related problems. The Total Gym also has a board to lay on so even if you have back problems you are supported for most exercises.
Because you are only using a percentage of your body weight, exercises like the pull up, which most people can't do, are doable on the Total Gym. The Total Gym has several adjustable resistance levels that use a different percentage of your body weight so you can continue to work your way up as you get stronger. This also makes it a machine that both men and women of all fitness levels can use.
The bad:
There really isn't much to say here. The leg exercises are perhaps the thing that are lacking the most but you still have plenty to select from. If you are a bodybuilder and looking to use massive amounts of weight, the Total Gym is probably not for you (though if you have a version that allows you to add weight resistance, that helps). Though you can get around that by doing things like a 1 arm pull up, it just takes a little longer.
The price can be a little high depending on the model you get but there are various models that cover all budgets.
Final verdict:
With it's wide range of exercises (including Pilates for the ladies), back support and various levels of resistance, the Total Gym is a great piece of equipment that 95% of people from all age ranges can use. I highly recommend it.
The good:
The Total Gym has a LARGE variety of exercises that can be performed on it, so it's hard to get bored. This alone makes the Total Gym worth because if you get bored with equipment and stop using it, it's not going to do you any good.
Since you will not be lifting any actual weights with the Total Gym, you do not have to worry about dropping one on your foot or any other weight lifting related problems. The Total Gym also has a board to lay on so even if you have back problems you are supported for most exercises.
Because you are only using a percentage of your body weight, exercises like the pull up, which most people can't do, are doable on the Total Gym. The Total Gym has several adjustable resistance levels that use a different percentage of your body weight so you can continue to work your way up as you get stronger. This also makes it a machine that both men and women of all fitness levels can use.
The bad:
There really isn't much to say here. The leg exercises are perhaps the thing that are lacking the most but you still have plenty to select from. If you are a bodybuilder and looking to use massive amounts of weight, the Total Gym is probably not for you (though if you have a version that allows you to add weight resistance, that helps). Though you can get around that by doing things like a 1 arm pull up, it just takes a little longer.
The price can be a little high depending on the model you get but there are various models that cover all budgets.
Final verdict:
With it's wide range of exercises (including Pilates for the ladies), back support and various levels of resistance, the Total Gym is a great piece of equipment that 95% of people from all age ranges can use. I highly recommend it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Motivation
I have noticed most people have the wrong motivation when it comes to working out. They typically just want to lose 20lbs or fit into a certain size of clothes. This is one of the main reasons so many people quit working out as soon
as they meet their goals (or fail to meet their unrealistic goals). While there is nothing wrong with setting short term goals, these short term goals shouldn't be your primary motivation for exercise.
Your primary reason to exercise should be to be healthy. If you are working towards that goal it will never end. Now you have a motivation that will drive you for your entire life. You can set small goals like lose 5lbs or gain 5lbs of muscle, whatever it might be, but those are just short term goals on your path to being healthy. Change the way you think and you can succeed!
Your primary reason to exercise should be to be healthy. If you are working towards that goal it will never end. Now you have a motivation that will drive you for your entire life. You can set small goals like lose 5lbs or gain 5lbs of muscle, whatever it might be, but those are just short term goals on your path to being healthy. Change the way you think and you can succeed!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tabata training for MMA
If you haven't read my blog about the Tabata method, read this first:
http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/arc-bobs-against-god.html
For MMA you can work Ground & Pound on a heavy bag laying flat on the ground. Move around to different positions and use the same 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off method as before. You can do up to 4 rounds of this. You might want to sit in different positions in order to work your strikes from various situations you could be in during an MMA match or self-defense situation.
An example of a round would look like this:
1. Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
2. Half-Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
3. Side Control 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
4. Scarfhold 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
5. Mount position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
6. Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
7. Half-Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
8. Side Control 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
End of round 1, take 1 minute break then start round 2.
Training like this can also help you if you have a chance to flurry on an opponent who has been dropped in order to end the match in devastating fashion.
http://www.shaolindo.blogspot.com/2012/06/arc-bobs-against-god.html
For MMA you can work Ground & Pound on a heavy bag laying flat on the ground. Move around to different positions and use the same 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off method as before. You can do up to 4 rounds of this. You might want to sit in different positions in order to work your strikes from various situations you could be in during an MMA match or self-defense situation.
An example of a round would look like this:
1. Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
2. Half-Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
3. Side Control 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
4. Scarfhold 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
5. Mount position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
6. Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
7. Half-Guard position 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
8. Side Control 20 seconds, 10 seconds of rest
End of round 1, take 1 minute break then start round 2.
Training like this can also help you if you have a chance to flurry on an opponent who has been dropped in order to end the match in devastating fashion.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Change up your Workout
Have you stopped progressing? Here is something you can work in from time to time to mix things up. Lift weights slowly. Even if you are doing the same routine as normal this will make it much more difficult. For example, if you are doing a shoulder press, take about 5 seconds to press it all the way up and another 5 seconds to go back to your starting position.
Use a weight you can handle comfortably. Mixing things up from time to time will not only help you to keep progressing but also keeps things from getting boring. Doing this with every exercise will increase your workout time so you may also just want to select one exercise each workout to do slowly, instead of all of them.
Use a weight you can handle comfortably. Mixing things up from time to time will not only help you to keep progressing but also keeps things from getting boring. Doing this with every exercise will increase your workout time so you may also just want to select one exercise each workout to do slowly, instead of all of them.
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