Slow Weight Lifting for Fast Results

Have you stopped growing and making improvements during your workouts?  I have been doing something different over the last month and I have already seen results.  In fact, my chest is sore today from my workout yesterday! 

What is this big secret that helps overcome plateaus?  Lift weights slowly!  Instead of burning through all of your sessions as quickly as possible, perhaps even using bad form, slow the movement down.  You will not be able to lift as heavy of a weight, but so what if it is helping you grow.

This is a simple change to make.  Using Bench Press as an example you will want to take 2 seconds to press the barbell up, then lower it over 4 seconds (this can be done with any exercise).  Not only does this allow you to use perfect form (and prevent injuries), but this puts your muscles under tension for a longer period of time, forcing you to fight gravity the whole way.   

Do not cheat!  We are not talking about counting to 4 as quickly as you can, but a real 4 seconds period.  Another advantage of this type of training is it doesn't allow you to cheat using momentum.  A lot of people will use a heavy weight and just swing it with the help of their entire body (this happens a lot with bicep curls).  It is called a bicep curl for a reason, you are supposed to be using your biceps (only) for the movement. 

Try this method for the next 3 months and see the dramatic results!

Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bars

I tried a new protein bar recently that is pretty unique.  Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bar.

Taste:

This protein bar has a unique flavor to it, which is a plus since most protein bars are some variation of chocolate and peanut butter.  Just having some different options to mix things up goes a long way.  If you like the taste of strawberries and yogurt, this protein bar is for you. Taste = 9.5 out of 10.

Protein & Nutrition:

For how small it is, this protein bar is packed with protein.  19 grams of protein to be exact.  There are some other bars out there with a lot of protein in them but they tend to be huge, this one is not.  It has a very small amount of sugar (3 grams) and 18 carbs total.  It also has 15%  of your daily recommended amount for several vitamins and minerals.  Protein & Nutrition = 9.2 out of 10

Servings:

These come in a box or individually wrapped.  The price can vary but you are probably looking at a little over $1 per bar.  This is a pretty good price but I like to keep my meal replacements below $1 per meal since I eat a lot.  Servings = 8

Artificial ingredients:

Made with natural ingredients, including real fruit, it's hard to go wrong here.    Artificial ingredients = 10 out of 10

Overall, this is a good tasting protein bar that can be used as a meal replacement or a snack.  It breaks up the same old flavors typically used for protein bars and has a large amount of protein in it for its size.  Pure Protein's Strawberry Shortcake bars receive a score of 9.2 out of 10. 

Change

While planning to work out is all nice and well, if you don't actually work out it means nothing.  So many people decide every new year that they are going to get into shape this year....and never do.  I want to see you succeed, and in order to do that you have to start.  Hire a personal trainer or go to someone you know who knows what they are doing, make a workout plan and stick to it.  You can change and that change can start today!

Excuses

How many times have you said one of these to yourself?  Just because we feel like giving up doesn't mean we should.  Get out of bed, train hard, put in the work regardless of if you feel like it or not.  Change yourself for the better, starting today!

Focus Mitts

If you are looking for an excellent cardiovascular workout that also builds some power and skill (and you have a partner), look into getting a pair of focus mitts.  These mitts are designed like gloves but with a striking pad on the front of them.

How to use focus mitts

If you don't have any martial arts training you can still use focus mitts to workout (just learn how to punch correctly first).  Just start simply.  Throw single punches like a jab, cross, hook or uppercut.  Once you master these you can start putting them together in combos.  Mitts are an excellent tool for getting into shape and will get you very tired, very quickly.  You don't have to try to kill the mitts when your strike, just be accurate and give them a little pop.

To punch correctly and not hurt your wrists, hold your arm straight out in front of you.  Turn your fist slightly to the outside so that your first 2 knuckles will be what make contact with the pad.  You want there to be a straight line running up your arm from your first 2 knuckle through your forearm.  This allows the impact to travel straight through your body.  If your wrist isn't straight the impact will cause your wrist to bend one way or the other. 

Break Out of Your Shell

Do you want to be healthy?  What kind of body do you want have?  We can determine what we feel like, what we look like, all by what we put into our bodies and by the work we put into our bodies through exercise.  Decide what you want out of life and work for it starting today.  It's never to late to change.  Success is just taking one step forward everyday towards your goals.

Exercise benefits

Guys, losing weight and getting into shape is a great benefit of exercise but that is merely the tip of the iceberg.  The health benefits of exercise are numerous! 

Motivation

It's never to late to get started.  Even if you are so out of shape so can't do any hard exercise, just start by taking a walk everyday.  You can make that harder as you progress by mixing in some walks up hill and/or holding hand weights.  Even the greatest had to start at the beginning.  The important thing is that you start. 

Sugar is the enemy

One of the best things you can do to lose weight and improve your health in many other ways is to severely limit your sugar intake.

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.

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!

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.  

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.