Skip to main content

featured post

5 Ways to Get Shredded for Summer

It may not feel like it, but summer will soon be upon us. This means ample opportunity to walk around with your shirt off and impress everyone. But right now that may not be such an appealing idea. One thing that winter always provides is a few extra inches around the waist, and a determination that you’ll be ripped by summer. But how do you go about getting shredded between now and the end of spring? Well this article will help you get there. We are going to look at five ways to get shredded this summer. Tip #1: Take stock of your current situation Before making any plans you really should take a good look at where you are currently at physique and fitness wise . If you are borderline obese and haven’t run 100m since high school then jumping into a 5 times per week crossfit program is probably not going to lead to good results! But even if you are in decent shape, you will still get huge benefits from assessing yo...

Firm Your Flab Zones

Waist Whittlers

Everyone's got 'em: stubborn trouble zones that seem to stick around no matter what you do. Luckily, we've got the plan that will help you get rid of them for good. It's all about challenging yourself — and your muscles. "Even the best exercises will stop producing results once they become too easy," says Grace De Simone, national group fitness director for Plus One Fitness, based in New York City. "To see real change, you need to increase intensity and add variety on a regular basis."
De Simone's program presents options for every fitness level. Choose the basic move for each problem area (abs, arms, chest, thighs, butt) if you're a beginner; challenge yourself with the intermediate or advanced exercises when you can easily do two sets of 12 to 15 reps. Do these moves two or three times a week, along with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio on most days, and in four to six weeks you'll see inches melt away and sleek, sexy muscles emerge!

Basic move: Side ab slide

  • Prop yourself up on your left side with forearm on ground, palm down, fingers pointing forward.
  • Keep legs straight and hips stacked.
  • Extend right arm against right side.
  • Bend at the waist and slide right hand down toward the top of right knee.

Intermediate: Side balance

  • Begin in the same position as in the side ab slide.
  • Lift your body off the ground so you're balanced on your left forearm and left foot.
  • Raise your right leg to hip level or higher and extend your right arm up, palm facing forward.
  • Hold here for 30 to 60 seconds.

Advanced: Elbow to hip

  • Begin in the side-ab-slide position and raise both legs, balancing on left hip and forearm; place your right hand behind your head, elbow bent to side.
  • Bend your knees up and in toward your chest, touching knees to right elbow if possible.

Triceps Tamers

Basic move: Open-handed kickback

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  • Hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other; bend forward from hips about 45 degrees.
  • Bend elbows 90 degrees.
  • Straighten arms behind you, rotating forearms to turn palms upward.
  • At top of move, open your hands so the weights are resting on your palms.
  • Hold for 3 counts; close hands and return to start.

Intermediate: Tree position kick-back

  • Hold a weight in your right hand, palm facing in, left hand at left side.
  • Place left foot against right thigh as high as is comfortable; contract abs and bend forward slightly.
  • Bend right elbow 90 degrees, then straighten arm behind you.
  • Complete reps; switch legs and repeat with left arm.

Advanced: Extend and squeeze

  • Place left foot against right thigh as above.
  • Holding one end of a weight in both hands, extend arms overhead.
  • Bend elbows to lower weight behind head.
  • Complete 12 reps, then hold arms in bent position.
  • Squeeze elbows together 8 to 12 times.

Leg shapers

Basic move: Bump squat

  • Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and hold on to the edge of a table.
  • Lift your heels off the ground and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  • Return to starting position, squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips forward as you rise up.

Intermediate: Skater twist squat

Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides. Step left leg one stride back, crossing it behind right leg; bend knees and extend left arm forward and right arm back. Return to start; repeat on opposite sides.

Advanced: Jump squat

  • Come into a squat with thighs parallel to the ground, knees aligned over toes.
  • Straighten legs and jump up explosively, extending arms straight up.
  • Land softly on your toes, then roll onto the ball of your foot and heel; squat down to begin next rep.

Butt Blasters

Basic move: Side lunge

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart.
  • Lunge a comfortable stride to the left, bending left knee until left thigh is parallel to ground; keep right leg straight while extending arms overhead.
  • Push off with your left heel to return to starting position.

Intermediate: Side lunge with arm sweep

  • Do a side lunge, but as you step to the left, touch your hands toward your left foot; sweep your arms up and over your right shoulder as you return to standing position.

Advanced: Side lunge to balance

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart.
  • Lunge a comfortable stride to the right, bending right knee until thigh is parallel to ground.
  • Return to starting position, lifting right knee to hip level.
  • Hold for 3 counts; lower and repeat.
  • Complete all reps to right; switch sides.

Pec Lifters

Basic move: One-legged push-up

  • Come into push-up position with knees on the ground.
  • Extend your left leg behind you to form a straight line from your head to your heel.
  • Bend arms until elbows are level with shoulders; push up and return to starting position.

Intermediate: Modified push-up tap

  • From kneeling push-up, bend arms so elbows are level with shoulders.
  • As you push up, reach left hand across chest and tap right shoulder.
  • Return your hand to the ground and go back to the starting position.
  • Repeat with your right hand.
  • For a challenge, do the move in full push-up position.

Advanced: Balance push-up

  • Come into one-legged push-up position with left knee on ground; extend left arm out to the side and slightly behind body at shoulder level.
  • Balancing on left knee and right palm, lower chest toward the floor.
  • Complete reps and repeat on the opposite side.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How much protein do you really need for muscle growth?

Protein is probably the most important part of diet for bodybuilders. Yeah vegetables and carbohydrates, and “ healthy ” fats are also important but it’s protein that can decide whether you build big muscles or stay small forever. But how much protein should you be taking? Most Bro Bodybuilders don’t worry about this, they just eat as much protein as they can get their hands on, while drinking 5 protein shakes per day. It may work for them because protein will a) fill you up more than any other macro – making it difficult to overeat, and b) protein raises your metabolism more than any other macro – due to it being the most difficult for the body to break down. But aren’t there issues with overeating protein? Many people will tell you that too much protein can damage your kidneys, plus if you are following a calorie controlled diet, then wouldn’t too much protein lead to fat gain ? In this article we will attempt to answer these questions, before giving you an ...

Eating Disorders

There is a commonly held view that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice. Eating disorders are actually serious and often fatal illnesses that cause severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors. Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may also signal an eating disorder. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Signs and Symptoms Anorexia nervosa People with anorexia nervosa may see themselves as overweight, even when they are dangerously underweight. People with anorexia nervosa typically weigh themselves repeatedly, severely restrict the amount of food they eat, and eat very small quantities of only certain foods. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder. While many young women and men with this disorder die from complications associated with starvation, others die of suicide. In women, suicide is much more common in those with ...

The Latest Tips On How You Can Lose Weight In 2 weeks Time With Your Diet

L ook at the Government’s Eatwell Guide and you’ll see that they recommend a third of our diet is made up of starchy foods (pasta, rice, bread) and a third fruit and vegetables. That’s two thirds of your daily intake of food in the form of carbohydrates. Why, then, is there such a backlash against this essential macronutrient when it comes to weight loss? The answer comes down to the way the body deals with carbohydrates.In an ideal world, an individual will consume enough carbohydrate needed for their energy output, some storage and a healthy amount of fat, without being overweight. However, eat more carbohydrate than the body can use (as glucose in the blood stream) or store (as glycogen in the liver and muscle) and it gets converted into fat for long-term storage. In contrast, eat less carbs and your body turns to your pre-existing fat storage for energy. Hence why diets like The Atkins, Dukan, Keto and South Beach diet all rely on the principle of c...