6 Instant exercice Improvements

Train Smarter: 6 Instant Exercise Improvements

Tweaks aren't for the weak. In fact, small improvements can sometimes yield big results. Incorporate these tips into your workout today!

by Shannon ClarkMar 22, 2012

You've got a great diet, a killer workout program, and enough drive to race the Indy 500. You go to the gym, you're getting results, and you feel like a million bucks that could somehow lift a million pounds. Think you've got it figured out? Think again.
Whether you're a newb or long-time gym rat, there are always additional tweaks you can incorporate in your workouts that will kick your results up a notch or three.
By implementing the following tweaks to your exercises, you'll up the intensity, improve your results, and avoid boredom in the gym.

Leg Press Improvement ///
Shift Your Feet

A long-time leg day staple, the leg press can help you turn those baggy jeans into tailored quad-clingers. While there's nothing technically wrong with doing the leg press with your feet in the middle of the footpad, if you place your feet slightly lower, toward the bottom of the pad, you can make it a more quad-dominant exercise.
If your routine already includes deadlifts, and it should, this little change to your leg press will add more balance to your program - you won't overwork your hamstrings or under-work your quads.
When using this foot position, make sure your knees track directly over your toes at all times. This will prevent knee pain and ensure proper exercise form.

Deadlift Improvement ///
Wide Open

To boost your booty, try using a wider stance while performing the deadlift. This will more effectively target your inner thighs and glutes. As you widen your stance, point your toes slightly outward to ensure proper form and a comfortable movement pattern.
Keep all other elements of the deadlift in place as you normally would: Lift with a flat back and think about hoisting the weight with your glutes and hips, not your lower back/lumbar spine.

Push-Up Improvement ///
Press Pause

Although push-ups are one of the best movements you can do to build upper-body and core strength, they're often overlooked in favor of heavy weights. (We know - it's difficult to look in the mirror and do push-ups at the same time).
So make your push-ups even harder. Advanced techniques include triangle push-ups, incline push-ups, decline push-ups, and one-clap push-ups. (Randy Moss would be proud.) Then, whatever variation you're performing, pause for a full count at the bottom of the movement.
Pausing during your push-up will force the muscles to contract longer and harder than normal, increasing the total time those targeted muscles remain under tension. As you pause at the bottom, engage your core. Maintain a flat back at all times to prevent lower back pain.

Crunch Improvement ///
Hands Above Your Head

Everyone wants awesome abs. Doing crunches properly can help you get them.
Many people allow their arms to perform the action when their abdominals should be doing the work. Placing your fingertips to the sides of your head generally increases the chances that you'll swing them forward and use that momentum to help you do your crunches. While crossing your arms in front of your chest might keep you from using their momentum, it doesn't add much resistance to the exercise.
For best results, hold your arms above your head when you do your crunches. Make sure you don't swing them or allow them to help your abs with the work.

Dips Improvement ///
Get off the Bench

If you regularly include bench dips in your workout routine, consider switching to upright dips.
Unless you are a beginner and haven't built a base level of strength, performing dips by hanging between two bars will place far more stress on the triceps than doing them with your hands on a bench.
If you're trying to build triceps horseshoe, upright dips are the right way to go. By not leaning forward, you keep the emphasis on your triceps and off your chest.

Triceps Push-down Improvement ///
Lat-Bar Love

Another awesome tri-ercise is the rope pull-down. The problem with this exercise, however, is that some people may feel pain in their hands and wrists as they begin to up the working weight.
To help ease this pain, use the lat pull-down bar. This bar gives you a more stable pushing surface that will allow you to direct more force straight toward the triceps, taking stress off the wrists and joints.
When using the lat pull-down bar, you'll have the option of using an underhand or an overhand grip. Each stimulates the triceps in a slightly different manner. Incorporate both grips into your workout for optimal results and maximum shape.

Proteins and other products

Whey Protein Info and Products

1. What is it and where does it come from?

Out of the many protein sources out there, whey protein is the ultimate. It comes from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can be found in a variety of foods -mainly meats, such as fish, beef, and chicken.

Dairy products as well as eggs, cottage cheese, soy and vegetable protein also contain good amounts of protein. Nevertheless, none of these sources compares in quality or ease of use like whey protein. Whey protein has the highest value in providing branched-chain amino acids, which result in building and retaining muscle tissue.

2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?

Whey protein (the highest quality and best form of protein) is incredible stuff. It provides the body with the necessary building blocks to produce amino acids that are used for building muscle tissue. Whoa! Nearly every bodybuilder knows the importance of protein supplementation. Studies have been conducted that compare whey protein to other sources. They have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup... and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body.

3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

Whey protein is very, very important for bodybuilders, dieters, and shoot, just about everybody! Since athletes and bodybuilders work out often, protein levels become depleted. By being a direct precursor to building muscle and essential amino acids, such as glutamine (a muscle enhancer, endurance builder, and muscle deterioration reducer), the content from high quality whey protein not only can, but will help one's muscles recover and grow faster by bring up the levels of protein. With dieting and those wishing to lose some extra fat, whey protein can be very useful because a good intake of protein balances blood sugar levels, while carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When the blood sugar levels stay balanced, one is not as prone to rampant eating and has more energy and greater fat loss.

4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?

Training athletes often consume 25 grams of whey protein per day. Bodybuilders who want serious gains (and are burning serious calories), generally consume 150 grams per day. Extremely high doses of whey protein is not recommended, as this will cause the body's liver to be overloaded and you won't get the same benefits as with a consistent lower amount taken three to five times per day

Diet...

The 6 Biggest Mistakes you can make with your Bodybuilding Diet

1. Dieting impatiently

Many bodybuilders jump from one diet to another without ever giving the initial program enough time to work. It takes at least three weeks for your body to adapt to dietary modifications. If you start a high carb, moderate protein, low fat diet with reduced calories, and your goal is to lose fat, expect to notice visible changes after approximately 21 days. Don't anticipate immediate changes in your physique.

2. Failing to Accurately track calories

Be sure to count not only calories but carbohydrates, proteins and fats as well. Because they don't keep a record of what they're eating, many bodybuilders don't lose fat at the rate they expect, while others fail to gain weight. Don't make the mistake of miscalculating your calorie intake. Successful bodybuilders keep precise records; they don't guess or estimate.

3. Depending on the scale to gauge progress

Don't depend solely on the scale to fine tune your diet. When bodybuilders try to add size, they often become discouraged when their bodyweight doesn't increase rapidly. They frequently jump the gun by adding too many calories to accelerate their progress. Similarly, precontest competitors striving to get down in size sometimes subtract too many calories. While the scale and other measuring devices like bodyfat calipers are effective tools, it's better to rely on photos and an unbiased eye to measure your progress. After all, bodybuilding is a visual sport.

4. Overeating (especially carbohydrates)

Athletes who try to add mass often go overboard and eat an excessive number of calories, which are then converted into bodyfat. Then there are bodybuilders who eat a very low fat diet but still gain too many bodyfat because of an extremely high intake of carbohydrates. Sure, carbs are required for hard training, and they aid in recovery, but once the body absorbs what it needs, the excess will be quickly deposited as fat.

5. Viewing supplements as a magic bullet

Some bodybuilders try to shed fat by taking carnitine and chromium, yet they fail to initiate the fat burning process by lowering their caloric consumption. Others use creatine, glutamine or branched chain amino acids to beef up, but fail to consume enough calories and proteins to stimulate a positive nitrogen balance. Supplements work to enhance a nutrition program, not to make up for poor planning and nutritional mistakes.

6. Eliminating all Fat

Cutting fat from your diet is helpful in controlling total caloric intake, but removing fat completely from your diet and relying exclusively on very low fat or fat free proteins like turkey, fish and protein powders can lead to a decrease in fat metabolism and/or retard growth. A low fat diet that includes essential fatty acids found in meat, chicken and fish is useful in promoting optimal recovery growth and fat metabolism.

Abs...

Do you know where your Abs are ?

Deliberately crunch down on the ab muscles for about a second with each rep. You will not be able to perform as many repetitions but the ones that you do will be much more effective. If you have access to elbow slings and an overhead bar, hanging knee raises are another great way to work the abs. The number of repetitions that you do is not as important as the quality of repetitions. Each set of exercises should bring you to an honest burn. It is important that you use some judgment here. You should be able to distinguish between a muscular burn and back pain or pain from any other source. As long as you know the difference, don’t cheat yourself, go for a least a mild burn before stopping. Wait for a minuet or so and complete a second set, followed by rest and then a third set. Unlike larger muscle groups, the abs recover well and can be trained every other day. If you have access to an ab machine then by all means include it in your workout. It is important that you vary your routine to avoid acclimatization to any one particular program. One of my favorite ab workouts is two sets of hanging knee raises followed with one set of incline crunches.

I want you to know that the plan above works and that if done properly, you will see results. It is important to consider however that abs are only one part of the equation that is your entire physique. In coming articles we will address other parts of the body. For now however, you have enough information to give you abs that you can be proud of. What are you waiting for?

Bodybuilding - Warm ups...

Bodybuilding - Warm Up

Warm Up
The exercises which we do to warm up our bodies are called warm-ups. Before starting any exercise doing warm-up is very necessary, this gives flexibility to our body and the exercises which we will do further will performed more strongly and perfectly. To warm up our body it is not necessary to use an equipment.

The different warm up exercises are: Body Twisting
First stand firmly on the ground with open legs. Now keep both of your hands on your waist. Now twist your body 20 times left and 20 times right. Depending on the strength of your body the number of reps and be reduced or increased.

Body Up-Down
Stand firmly on the ground with open legs. Keep your right hand near your chest. Now bending your left hand towards the left side, try to touch the ground. Now do the same for the right. Do this exercise 12-15 times.

Cycling
Lie on the ground straight facing upwards. Now lift your legs one by one and then move them like a bicycle. Do this exercise 15-20 times and then do some rest and then do it again.

Sit-UpsSit-Ups have a great importance in warm-up. With it legs as well as the whole body gets effected. To do this stand straight. Now keep your both hands on your waist. Now lift your toes and take your body down and then come up. I the beginning do this exercise 15-20 times and then increase the number according to your body strength.

Make your back strongLie down on the ground facing upwards. Now keep both of your hands on your thighs. Now without removing your hands from your thighs, move your legs ,head and chest upwards to the maximum. Do this exercise 8-10 times. You can increase or decrease the number of reps according to your body strength.

Exercise of BreathStand with your heals joint and toes spread. Now take a lot of air inside and keep the air in your mouth for as much time as you can and then release it slowly slowly. Now raise your hands high above a do the same exercise. Now start running standing at one place. The pace of running in the beginning should be slow and then increase the pace of running. This whole exercise should be done at least 15-20 minutes. This exercise gives the best results in the morning in the fresh air.

Pre-exhaust chest

Cable Cross Over Pre-Exhaust Chest Workout