Showing posts with label Workout Charts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Workout Charts. Show all posts

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Super-Sets KnowHow


A superset is performing two exercises simultaneously without a rest in between. For example, in a bicep workout superset you could do a set of standing bicep curls followed by a set of dumbell curls. The superset can be used for any body part. With a superset you can work the same muscle twice or work opposing muscles.

Why do a superset? There are two reasons for the superset. The opposing muscle superset is designed to save time in your workouts. The same muscle superset is designed to hit your target muscle extra hard to stimulate more growth. I like to use a big superset at the beginning of my bicep workouts.

Let's take a closer look at the two types or superset and how you can use a superset in your workouts. This is a bicep website, so I'll focus on using a superset in your bicep workout. OK, let's look at the types of superset...

Same muscle superset

The same muscle superset is a superset technique designed to really hit the target muscle group and stimulate muscle growth. My favorite bicep superset is the standing bicep curl/incline bench dumbell curl. On the first exercise of my superset I will punch out 10 reps, and on the follow up exercise I'll do 6-8. This superset technique really hits your bicep muscles! You'll feel it right away, and the next day! Our bicep workout routines use superset exercises. Try a superset at the beginning of your next bicep workout!

Opposing muscle superset

The opposing muscle superset is a great timesaver. Because you are working opposing muscles, using a superset this way will not rob you of muscle growth for not resting your muscles. Some examples of an opposing muscle superset are bench press/cable row, bicep curl/tricep extension and hamstring curl and quad extension.
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Bruce Lee Training Secrets


If you are interested in Karate, Taekwondo and other martial arts then this is the package for you.

There are six different e-Books, each packed with information.

Bruce Lee’s Training Secrets
Bruce Lee’s Speed Training
Bruce Lee’s Strength Training
Pressure Points Guide



Download Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/113542140/BruceleeSpunkins.rar
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Monday, December 1, 2008

300 Spartan Training Glimpse




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Friday, November 28, 2008

Tar Heels Workout


The idea of completing an entire total-body workout using nothing more than an 8-pound medicine ball may not seem intimidating. But consider: This 10-exercise routine is the same one that University of North Carolina strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian uses to whip the Tar Heels into championship-game shape. It's designed to help you build a rock-solid core, burn fat, and improve your sports performance. Sahratian calls this workout the Med Ball 400. The 400 represents 400 repetitions -- the number players like Tyler Hansbrough (shown here) complete when they perform the routine. However, Sahratian suggests you start with 200 reps. (Call it the Med Ball 200.) The best part: All you need is a medicine ball to do this workout any place, any time.

The Medicine Ball 200
The old-school way to get your body in game shape

Perform this routine at the end of your regular workout or as a stand-alone workout, 3 days a week. (Use a 6-, 8-, or 10-pound medicine ball, which you can purchase at performbetter.com.) Do 20 repetitions of each exercise in the order shown. Complete the routine as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement in succession and without resting. Too easy? Rest 60 to 90 seconds and do the circuit again. Download this workout to your iPod at MensHealth.com/download.

1. Big Circles Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, hold a medicine ball with your arms extended directly above your head [A]. Without bending your elbows, rotate your arms counterclockwise [B], using the ball to draw large imaginary circles in front your body [C, D]. Do 10 circles, and then reverse direction to clockwise and do 10 more.


2. Woodchopper  Stand with your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart. With your arms nearly straight, hold a medicine ball above your head [A]. Now bend forward at your waist and mimic throwing the ball backward between your legs -- but hold onto the ball the entire time [B]. Quickly reverse the movement with the same intensity, and return to the starting position. That's 1 repetition.


3. Standing Russian Twist  Hold a medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest and your arms straight [A]. Without dropping your arms, pivot on your right foot and rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the left [B]. Then reverse direction: Pivot on your left foot and rotate all the way to the right. That's 1 repetition.


4. Squat to Press  Stand holding a medicine ball close to your chest with both hands, your feet just beyond shoulder-width apart [A]. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor [B]. Then simultaneously drive your heels into the floor and push your body back to the starting position as you press the ball over your head [C]. Lower the ball back to the start. That's 1 repetition.

5. Medicine-Ball Situp  Grab a medicine ball with both hands and lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees 90 degrees, place your feet flat on the floor, and hold the medicine ball against your chest [A]. Now perform a classic situp by raising your torso into a sitting position [B]. Lower it back to the start. That's 1 repetition.



6. Rocky Solo  Sit on the floor with your legs straight, and hold a medicine ball with both hands just above your lap [A]. Twist your torso to the right and place the ball behind you [B]. Then twist all the way to your left and pick the ball up and bring it back to the starting position [C]. That's 1 repetition. Do 10 repetitions. Immediately do another 10 repetitions, but this time start by twisting with the ball to your left.


7. Toe Touch  Grab a medicine ball, lie on your back, and raise your legs so they're straight and perpendicular to the floor. Hold the ball above the top of your head with your arms straight [A]. Without moving your legs or bending your elbows, simultaneously lift your arms and torso until the ball touches your toes [B]. Lower yourself back to the starting position. That's 1 repetition.


8. 45-Degree Twist  Grab a medicine ball and sit on the floor. Lean back at a 45-degree angle, raise your legs and feet off the floor, and hold the ball with both hands in front of your chest, your arms straight [A]. Without dropping your legs or arms, rotate the ball and your torso as far as you can to the right [B]. Then reverse direction, rotating all the way to the left. That's 1 repetition.
9. Suitcase Crunch  Lie on your back with your legs straight. Use both hands to hold a medicine ball above your head and barely off the floor [A]. Simultaneously raise your torso and bend your right knee toward your chest as you bring the ball over your knee and toward your foot. Reverse the movement and repeat, this time bending your left knee [B]. That's 1 repetition.

10. Diagonal Crunch  Grab a medicine ball and lie on the floor with your legs straight and spread wide. Roll onto your right hip and hold the ball with your arms straight at 10 o'clock above the top of your head [A]. To perform the movement, raise your arms and torso and then touch the ball to the floor between your legs [B]. Lower your body, but instead of rolling back onto your right hip, roll onto your left and hold the ball at 2 o'clock above your head [C] before you repeat the movement. That's 1 repetition. Repeat, alternating back and forth in this manner.


 

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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Bigger Biceps


3 Things You Don't Know About Your Biceps

1. The visibility of your cephalic vein, which crosses your biceps, has nothing to do with how many curls you can perform. To make this vein pop, you need to drop your body fat below 15 percent. Don't be surprised if the vein is more pronounced on one arm than the other: Genetics also play a key role in determining its prominence.

2. Under a microscope, some muscle fibers look pinnated, or feather shaped. But the biceps's long parallel fibers give them the ability to bulge. This means that devoting just a little attention to your biceps, especially compared with other muscle groups, goes a long way toward making them grow.

3. The average guy's biceps are composed of about 1 pound of muscle. For both of your arms combined, that's just 3 percent of the amount of muscle mass in your entire body. Remember that number: It's a good way to keep a perspective on how much you train your biceps compared with your other muscle groups.

Close-Grip Chinup



Grab a chinup bar with an underhand grip, your hands spaced about 6 inches apart. Hang with your arms straight. Keeping your face straight ahead and your elbows pointed down, pull yourself up until the bar is directly under your chin. Then lower yourself to the starting position.
Stare straight ahead at all times--it will limit momentum.

Dumbbell Biceps Curl



Grab a dumbbell in each hand, using an underhand grip (palms facing forward). Let them hang at arm's length next to your sides. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights up toward your shoulders, then slowly lower them.

If your elbows move forward, you're cheating. Keep them pointing down.

Dumbbell Incline Offset-Grip Curl



Set an incline bench to a 60-degree angle, then grab a dumbbell in each hand so your thumbs touch the plates (instead of holding the center of the handle). Lie on the bench holding the dumbbells at arm's length, palms facing each other. As you curl the weights, rotate your wrists so your palms face you at the top of the move. Reverse to the starting position.

Grasp the weight so your hand is against the side of the plate, not in the center.

Rope Cable Hammer Curl



Attach a rope to a low-pulley cable and stand 1 to 2 feet in front of the weight stack. Grab an end of the rope in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). With your elbows tucked at your sides, slowly curl your fists up toward your shoulders, then return to the starting position.

Don't allow your wrists to bend as you curl the weight.

Towel Inverted Row



Lie under a Smith machine or squat rack with your legs straight and a bar set a few inches higher than arm's length. Loop two small towels over the bar, spaced shoulder-width apart. Grab each towel. Keeping your body straight, pull yourself toward the bar. Pause, then slowly lower yourself.

Using towels challenges your grip, so it also builds your forearms.

Dumbbell Single-Arm Isometric Curl



Grab a dumbbell in each hand. Curl the weight in your left hand until your elbow is bent 90 degrees. Holding that position, curl the weight in your right hand toward your shoulder, then lower it. Complete your reps while maintaining a right angle with your left arm. Repeat on the other side.
Keep one arm bent 90 degrees as you curl with your other arm.

Hard Move, Harder Muscle

Ready for a challenge? Try this exercise at the end of your biceps workout. Do two or three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions, resting for 60 seconds after each set.

Single-Arm Cross Curl



Stand between the weight stacks of a cable crossover station and grab a high-pulley handle in each hand, with your palms up. Hold your arms out to the sides so they're parallel to the floor, but keep your elbows slightly bent. Without moving your left arm, curl your right hand toward your head. Flex your biceps. Then slowly allow your arm to straighten--control the weight throughout the exercise. Repeat the move with your other arm.

Keep your upper arms parallel to the floor at all times.


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Sunday, November 9, 2008

Defining Lower Biceps



Your arms will appear cartoonishly blocky if you don’t develop the long-head portions--the upper peak of your biceps and the inner part of the “horseshoe” of your triceps. Hitting these crucial yet neglected areas defines the arms at the shoulders and improves your overall proportions.

At the end of your upper-body routine, do two or three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each of the following moves. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down to stabilize your shoulder joints, and take 1 second to lift the weights, pause for 2 seconds, then take 2 to 3 seconds to lower them.




1. Standing Cable Curl

Stand with your back to the weight stack of a cable-crossover system. Grab the low-pulley handle (take one in each hand if possible) and hold it about 2 inches behind the midline of your body--so your arm is 10 degrees back from perpendicular to the floor. Curl the handle up toward your shoulder. Pause for 2 seconds, then slowly lower it.



2. Lying Swiss-Ball Triceps Extension

Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie facedown on a Swiss ball with your arms bent 90 degrees. Keeping your elbows and upper arms stationary, straighten your arms. Pause for a count of two, then slowly return to the starting position.
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Bigger Triceps Trick


You probably know your triceps comprise more of your arm than your biceps do, but most men still pay their triceps less attention. The equalizer: Recast exercises like pushups and core moves as arm builders. You won't skip exercises you already do, and these variations will help you build bigger, fuller arms.


Triceps Power Pushup

For strength, power, endurance, and balance



Place a large medicine ball on the floor and get in pushup position with the ball under your chest. Bend your arms to lower your chest to the ball. Push up forcefully so that your hands leave the floor, then land with your hands on the ball. Straighten your arms. Do a pushup with your hands on the ball, then drop your hands to the floor and repeat. Aim for three sets of eight to 12 reps.



Straight-Leg Lying Triceps Extension

For a great end-of-workout pump and a stronger core



Grab a straight bar underhand from a low pulley cable and lie on a Swiss ball so your butt and lower back touch the ball. Your legs should be straight, pointing away from the weight stack. Extend your arms overhead, beside your ears. Without changing your elbow position or body angle, bend your arms to lower the bar toward your shoulders. Then reverse. Do three sets of 12.



Bonus Arm Builder!

Make the last set in your biceps routine a barbell curl and use light weight--about 50 percent effort--for eight to 12 reps. Focus on pulling the bar down with your triceps as if you were performing a pushdown. This creates a neuromuscular link between biceps and triceps, to prepare your
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Aamir Khan "Ghajini" Workout


The buzz everywhere is about the Aamir Khan’s 6 pack abs and fighter like physique he has built for his forthcoming movie ‘Ghajini’. I read in an article how he worked hard in order look like this. I have mentioned some of the excerpts in this post.

It took Aamir Khan almost a year from March 15, 2007 to April 21, 2008 with three hours of workout every day to build that lean yet muscular physique.Aamir Khan is so intent on acquiring a chiselled set of six-pack abs that he has taken personal instructor Satyajit Desai with him to Namibia (Africa)


Workout


Mondays -

Chest:

Bench Press
Chest Dumbell Press
Dumbell Flye
Incline Bench Press

Back:
T-BarROw
Seated Cable Row
Chinup


Tuesdays -

Arms






Barbell Curls
Dumbell Curls(21)
Preacher Curls
Concentration Curls
ShortGrip Triceps Press
Lying Extension
Rope Pulldown

Wednesdays -

Shoulders:

Military Press
Front Shoulder Press
Seated Dumbell Press
Shoulder Press
Bent OverLateral Raise
Upright Row

Legs:
Leg Press
Squats

Abs:
Curnches
LegRaise
Weighted crunches

TIP:Drink Lemon Water while workout.



Apart from this he was also doing half-hour to an hour cardio and abs everyday. As for abs I read he used to do 1,000 crunches everyday. Aamir Khan always managed to get eight hours of sleep. No matter what time he went to sleep, he did get eight hours of sleep every day which I think is really important because proper sleep gives enough rest to the muscles and helps in muscle growth and you will not get tired easily while workouts.

Aamir Khan credits his physique to diet as well. He had a balanced diet that included one-third fat, one-third carbs, one-third protein, and normal food like rotis, rice, sabzis, chicken and all cooked in 3 spoons of oil. Apart from this he used to have 16 egg whites, fruits, and four lts. of water every day. There was no sugar, no potatoes, no bananas, no red meat, no egg yolks and no fried stuff.

So building good physique revolves around Exercise, Sleep and Diet. All these 3 are inter-related. If you don’t sleep well you will not have enough strength for exercise and if you eat junk food without having healthy diet you develop fat in your body. So the right combination of all the 3 is important.

Aamir Khan’s diet:

* Daily intake is broken down into six small meals every two hours
* A small carb meal (banana, apple) before exercises that helps build energy. Avoid dairy products but can have buttermilk.
* Food cooked only in 3 tbs of olive oil or saffola
* Plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits
* Rotis made of three-grain wheat (bajra, jowar and atta)
* Snacks include biscuits, brown bread sandwiches, papaya (through the day)
* No carbs after 8 pm, but soups or juices are allowed
* One or two pieces of tandoori chicken for dinner or four egg whites. Can alternate that with vegetable soup, and bhurji with salads or omlette (of egg whites only)

I know with the kind of life style people have these days it is difficult to follow the above diet, exercise routine and do 3 hours of exercise. But what I know for sure is even if we are doing half what Aamir Khan did we would be in a decent shape, healthy and good looking.
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Daniel Craig "James Bond" Workout


In Casino Royale, Daniel Craig boasts a body that is worthy of Bond status. If you want to sport a rock-hard physique similar to Craig’s, follow the steps in this article and you’ll be there before you can say “Bond.”

Diet

The first thing you must take into consideration is the food you put into your body. There is truth to the saying “you are what you eat,” and Daniel Craig is no exception. He definitely didn’t get into that shape by eating chips, candy and fast food, so you should seek to eliminate those foods from your diet. Whether you need to gain muscle to reach his size or lose fat to achieve his level of leanness, you should be consuming between five and eight meals a day -- no exceptions. If you starve yourself, your metabolism will shut down, which means that if you are smaller, your body won’t grow, and if you are overweight, your body will hold onto fat.

What to eat

The next time you go to the supermarket, stock up on whole foods -- like lean meats, rice, vegetables, and whole-grain bread -- and stay away from fried food, candy, soda, chips, alcohol, enriched flour, refined sugar, and excessive amounts of preservatives and sodium. These foods have a much lower nutritional value and are likely to either make you fat or cause you to retain excess water -- or both.

A balanced meal is made up of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Your protein should come from a serving of either chicken, turkey, fish or egg whites. Get your carbohydrates from rice, oats, yams or sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads, and fruits and vegetables. Your fats will come from healthy oils (canola, olive or flaxseed), nuts and avocado.

Keeping each meal balanced will ensure that you have the proper nutrients to both fuel you through your workouts and keep your metabolism functioning optimally. Feel free to consume low-fat dairy products a few times a day. Craig was big, but not as lean as a fitness model, so you can have moderate portions of healthy pasta and whole-grain bread, which are great bulking foods.

How much protein and carbs you need

To maintain Craig’s size, you should consume about one gram of protein per pound of body weight and two grams to three grams of complex carbs per pound of bodyweight. Drink water all day to flush your organs of excess protein and toxins, as well as to drop excess water weight and stay hydrated. It would also be wise to take a multvitamin, as drinking water rids your body of important minerals.

Doing all this should give you plenty of energy and ensure that your body isn’t overloaded with excess glycogen that would get turned into fat. Also, try to consume your carbohydrates with your first four meals and avoid them late at night so your body can burn more fat while you sleep. For late-night meals, healthy fats should take the place of carbohydrates; they will give your body more calories and energy, as they have five more calories per gram than protein or carbs.

The Workout

As Craig was quite “built” in Casino Royale, cardio should be kept to a minimum (two days to three days per week) and heavy weight training should be the focus of the workout plan, particularly in the upper body. While pushing yourself at the gym is important, it is also imperative that you focus on rest and recuperation; if you aren’t getting enough sleep, chances are that your gains will suffer.

Your diet is about 75% of the equation, while the work you do in the gym accounts for the remaining 25%. Before beginning your journey, you should organize a diet plan and commit to it. This might mean cooking food every morning to make sure you don’t miss a meal throughout the day.

If you really want to change your physique, you will make these sacrifices without question. As difficult as it may seem, the goal is to get your body on a regular eating plan in which you will eat by the clock instead of when it’s convenient. Once you get used to this habit of planning your meals and eating regularly, it will become a lifestyle change and you will see the results in your physique.

For each exercise, perform 3 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Feel free to throw in extra sets to your particular liking.

Day 1: upper body

Chest

Incline dumbbell press: Sit down on an incline bench with the dumbbells resting on your lower thighs. Kick the weights to your shoulders and lean back. Position the dumbbells to the sides of your upper chest with your elbows under the dumbbells. Press the dumbbells up with your elbows to the sides until your arms are extended. Lower the weights to the sides of your upper chest. Repeat.
Flat barbell bench press: Lie supine on the bench. Dismount the barbell from the rack using a wide oblique overhand grip. Lower the weight to your upper chest. Press the bar until your arms are extended. Repeat.

Pec dec flye: Sit on the machine with your back on the pad. If available, push the foot lever until the arm pads move forward. Place your forearms on the pads and position your upper arms parallel to one another. Release the foot lever. Push the levers together. Return until the chest muscles are stretched. Repeat.

Shoulders

Dumbbell lateral raise: Grasp the dumbbells in front of your thighs. Bend over at the hips slightly with your knees bent. With your elbows slightly bent, raise your upper arms in front of you until your elbows and wrists are at shoulder height. Lower and repeat.

Reverse pec dec flye: Lower the seat slightly and sit facing the machine. Adjust and grab the handles, then contract your rear deltoids and shoulder blades to bring the weight back. Once you have squeezed your shoulder blades together, return the handles to their initial position without letting the weights rest. Repeat.

Day 2: biceps/triceps

Biceps
Barbell bicep curl: Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip. With your elbows at your sides, bend your elbows and raise the bar until your forearms are vertical. Lower until your arms are fully extended. Repeat.

Dumbbell hammer curl: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing in and arms straight. With your elbows at your sides, raise one dumbbell and rotate your forearm until it is vertical and your palm faces your shoulder. Lower to the original position and repeat with the opposite arm.
Triceps

Lying tricep extension (skullcrushers): Lie on a bench with a narrow overhand grip on a barbell. Position the barbell over your forehead with your arms extended. Lower the bar by bending your elbows. As the bar approaches your head, move your elbows backward slightly -- just enough to allow the bar to clear your head. Extend your arms. As you bring the bar back and it clears your head, put your elbows back in their initial position and extend your arms over your forehead. Repeat.


Dumbbell tricep kickback: Kneel over the bench with one arm supporting your body. Grasp a dumbbell. Position your upper arm parallel to the floor. Extend your arm until it is straight. Return and repeat. Continue with the opposite arm.

Rope tricep pulldown: Face the high pulley and grasp the rope at the bottom. Place your elbows at your sides. Extend your arms downward. Release until your forearms are close to your upper arms (with your hands no higher than your chest). Repeat.\

Day 3: legs/glutes/abs

Dumbbell lunge: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in. Lunge forward with one leg. Land on your heel, then your forefoot. Lower your body by flexing the knee and hip of your front leg until the knee of your rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to the standing position by forcibly extending the hip and knee of the front leg. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Leg extension: Sit on the apparatus with your back against the padded back support. Place the front of your lower legs under the padded lever. Position your knee articulations at the same axis as the lever fulcrum. Grasp the handles on the sides for support. Move the lever forward by extending your knees until your legs are straight. Return the lever to the original position by bending your knees. Repeat.

Prone hamstring curl: Facing the bench, stand between the bench and the lever pads. Lie prone on the bench with your knees just beyond the edge of it and your lower legs under the lever pads. Grasp the handles. Raise the lever pads to the back of your thighs by flexing your knees. Lower the lever pads until your legs are straight. Repeat.
Standing cable glute pull superset with abductor machine: Attach an ankle cuff to the low pulley. Attach the cuff to one ankle, grasp the ballet bar with both hands and step far back with your unattached foot. Keep your elbows straight to support your body. Keeping your leg straight, lift your cuffed foot off the floor until your leg is at a 45-degree angle with the floor. Repeat. Continue with the opposite leg.
Standing calf raise/seated calf raise: Place your shoulders under the padded lever. Position your toes and the balls of your feet on the calf block with the arches and heels extending off. Grasp the handles or the sides of the padded lever. Raise your heels by extending your ankles as high as possible. Then, lower your heels by bending your ankles until your calves are stretched. Repeat.
Hanging leg raises/oblique cable twist superset: Grasp and hang from the high bar. Raise your legs by flexing your hips and knees until your thighs are a little higher than parallel to the floor. Return until your hips and knees are extended. Repeat.

Standing cable oblique twist: Get on the cable crossover machine. With your arms straight, hold the handle in front of your chest. While looking straight ahead, contract your abdominals and slowly turn your torso to the right, making sure to not pull with your arms, but to feel the work in your obliques. Release and repeat on the opposite side.

Get in 007 shape

If you follow these steps, you should achieve a size and muscular shape similar to Daniel Craig’s in Casino Royale. Each and every repetition should be carried out with extreme focus and dedication toward the end result; make sure you squeeze and contract the muscle you are working during each repetition. True development will only come from isolation, and not simply from “pushing the weight up” without regard to form and mental focus.
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Brad Pitt "Troy" Workout


Brad Pitt had seven months before Troy started filming to get into shape. During the shoot he maintained his physical appearance because the scenes weren̢۪t shot chronologically. Pitt maintains that his workout for Troy was the most aggressive he had ever done. Through interviews and rumors on set we get some hints of Pitt̢۪s workout. The rest we can reverse engineer.

To start, Brad̢۪s character for Troy, Achilles, was well built but not overly muscular. He is not built like a bodybuilder. The key here is proportion. Many amateur bodybuilders and weightlifters have big arms and chests and small shoulders and backs. The problem exists because everyone feels the need to be a big shot on the bench press or impress the ladies with bicep curls. Look at some stills from Troy; Brad has very developed shoulders and an excellent back. His chest is built, but is in proportion. Also, you can notice that his upper chest is especially built, rather than the lower part that bench pressing emphasizes. Also, his legs are not overly muscular at all. In addition to his muscular development, Brad has very low body fat. Without low body fat, all his added muscle would look make him look bulky and slow.

Since Brad had seven month to get into shape for Troy, our workout will be over a seven month period. We will have a two step approach, as trying to get your body fat levels low to quickly would make it difficult to put on muscle. (note that if you have a lot of muscle you could skip to the second phase) The first step of our approach is a four month bulking phase but not in the traditional sense. We will completely avoid things like squats, deadlifts, and bench press. These will add mass in all the wrong places if you are going for Pitt̢۪s look. Instead, we will focus on bulking up the upper and middle back, the shoulders (especially the read deltoid, because it is necessary for superlative shoulders and because it is underdeveloped in most people), and the upper chest. Only moderate amounts of cardio will be performed in step one, and this is only to get you ready for step 2.

The second step will be a three month cutting phase with an emphasis on getting a â€Å“hardâ€� physique. I say â€Å“hardâ€� rather than ripped because there is a difference. We are not necessarily concerned with how ripped you can get, or how many striations (or cuts) your chest can have. Instead, we want your muscle to simply be hard. The problem with many bodybuilding approaches is that, while size is indeed added quickly, muscular density actually decreases. This is because the number of muscle fibers stays relatively the same while there is more â€Å“fluidâ€� in the muscle. Thus, as the muscle gets larger the resting tension or firmness decreases. We want to actually add density in the second step, and to do this we will choose exercises that will build the muscle fibers themselves and not the fluid around them, and we will also choose exercises that will increase capillary density. Capillary density is achieved through high rep bodyweight exercises. Think sets of pushups not endless curls with 5 pound dumbbells. Workouts with successive bodyweight exercises with little rest in between will also help you lose bodyfat, as they are similar to interval training workouts in the effect on your body. In addition to these pseudo interval workouts, you will also be doing pure running interval workouts. (While we usually don’t care what type of exercise you do for intervals, here you have to do running because the associated muscular development will give you the lower body similar to Pitt’s) Don’t fear losing muscle mass with all these intervals; Olympic sprinters do tons of interval training (otherwise known as a series of sprints) and their physiques aren’t exactly weak. Just one last point: the mechanics behind the second step might be confusing at first, but really what we are doing is avoiding the middle range of reps. We use low reps to work out the muscle fiber itself to gain strength and hardness, and we use high reps to gain the capillary density. The midrange of reps is ignored because we don’t want useless bulk or a pumped up look.

Enough said; let̢۪s get to the workout, which we have broken down into two phases:

Phase 1: Bulking


Day 1: Upper Chest/ Shoulders, Triceps, Abs

3 sets x 10 reps Inclined Dumbbell Press

2 sets x 10 reps Military Press

2 sets x 12 reps Arnold Press

2 sets x 12 reps dumbbell flys (make sure your arms are bent slightly)

2 sets x 12 reps bent over dumbbell flys (these will work your rear delts; bend over as much as possible so you stress the rear of your shoulder as much as you can)

2 sets x 8 reps skull crushers



Day 2: Back/Traps/Biceps

3 sets x 12 reps Pullups

3 sets x 10 reps seated rows

3 sets x 10 reps upright rows

2 sets x 15 reps dumbbell shrugs

3 sets x 10 reps preacher curls

Day 3: Cardio

30 minutes running at moderate pace

Day 4: Shoulders/ Upper Chest

2 sets x 10 reps Military Press

2 sets x 12 reps Arnold Press

2 sets x 12 reps dumbbell flys (make sure your arms are bent slightly)

2 sets x 12 reps bent over dumbbell flys (these will work your rear delts; bend over as much as possible so you stress the rear of your shoulder as much as you can)

3 sets x 10 reps Inclined Dumbbell Press

Day 5: Back/Cardio

3 sets x 12 reps Pullups

3 sets x 10 reps seated rows

3 sets x 10 reps upright rows

2 sets x 15 reps dumbbell shrugs

30 minutes running at moderate pace

Day 6: Cardio (note if you want the weekend off do this cardio on day 2)

30 minutes running at moderate pace.

Day 7: Rest



Phase 2: Cutting (â€Å“hardeningâ€�)

Day 1: Shoulders/Upper Chest

2 sets x 6 reps Military Press

2 sets x 8 reps Arnold Press

2 sets x 8 reps dumbbell flys (make sure your arms are bent slightly)

2 sets x 10 reps bent over dumbbell flys (these will work your rear delts; bend over as much as possible so you stress the rear of your shoulder as much as you can)

3 sets x 10 reps Inclined Dumbbell Press

Day 2:

Part 1:

Perform these exercises in succession, then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this until you can’t anymore. Note that I say ½ max for each exercise. This means that before you start this phase you need to find out the maximum number of each exercise you can do, and then do half as many in this routine. Eventually you will need to increase the amount because your endurance will improve.

½ max Pushups

½ max Pull ups

½ max Sit ups

½ max Triangular pushups

30 seconds rest

Part 2:

20 Minutes of intervals. Do the cycle of sprint and rest for 20 minutes. Make sure to warm up and warm down for at least 5 minutes.

30 seconds sprint (run as fast as you can for 30 seconds)

1 minute rest

Day 3:

Part 1:

30 minutes running at a moderate pace.

Part 2:

20 Minutes of intervals. Do the cycle of sprint and rest for 20 minutes. Make sure to warm up and warm down for at least 5 minutes.

30 seconds sprint (run as fast as you can for 30 seconds)

1 minute rest

Day 4: Back/Traps/Biceps

3 sets x 12 reps Pullups

3 sets x 10 reps seated rows

3 sets x 10 reps upright rows

2 sets x 15 reps dumbbell shrugs

3 sets x 10 reps preacher curls

Day 5: Cardio

1 hour of running at a moderate pace

Day 6: Perform the same workout as Day 2. Don̢۪t do the sprints if you feel very worn out.

Day 7: Rest

Note for this workout if you start to feel burned out cut out Day 4 or Day 5 until you feel better.
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Saturday, November 8, 2008

Core Training



Abdominal training is very misunderstood. Many people place a lot of emphasis on abs without understanding how the abs function or why they are even training in a certain way. Let's explore the correct way to train abs for the results that you want!


Get The Six-Pack

Having visibly appealing abs - the so-called "six-pack" - has almost nothing to do with training abs! The key to seeing your abs is low body fat. Someone with very muscular abs who has high body fat will not see any definition, and someone who has not trained their abs at all with low body fat will see plenty of definition. In order to see abs, most men have to reach at least 10% body fat or lower, while women must reach 14% or lower.

The abdominal muscle is a large slab of muscle. The shape of the six-pack is due to tendons that stretch across the muscle. You cannot change a tendon's size, position, or shape through training, so the shape of your six-pack will not change.

Abdominal muscles bulge in their relaxed state. The abdominal wall is pulled flat when it contracts. If you improperly train abs, either by training to add significant mass and/or by neglecting other supporting muscles, your abs will protrude. You can see this in certain sports, such as professional wrestling - certain athletes are so lean that you can see their six-pack, but their stomach protrudes as if they have a beer gut!

While it is possible to store fat internally (i.e. "beer gut") and still have little fat underneath the skin, this condition is more than likely due to overtraining the abdominal wall while neglecting supporting muscles.

The pelvic girdle is a group of internal muscles that support your internal organs. When you perform abdominal work, your internal organs can shift and change your center of gravity. This is most evident when someone is performing hanging leg or knee raises and begins swinging.

By engaging the pelvic girdle during abdominal training, you not only strengthen your center of balance, but force more tension on the abdominal wall. The pelvic girdle is tightened by clenching your insides - squeezing your rectum or performing the same action as cutting off the flow of urine.

This exercise is known as the Kegel, and men as well as women can perform these. By performing a Kegel during abdominal work, you ensure not only that the pelvic girdle is strengthened at the same time, but also that you are building a strong core or center of balance. A proper hanging knee raise or leg raise will result in no swinging whatsoever - the torso will remain still and movement will be only around the pelvic area and through the legs.

The transverses is another internal muscle that serves to pull the abdominal wall back. The transverses is contracted when you suck in your gut or try to pull your belly through your lower back. If you work your abdominal wall without working your transverses, the abdominal wall may increase in mass and begin to bulge or protrude.

By keeping your stomach pulled in and tight during abdominal training, you strengthen the transverses at the same time. You can also perform an exercise known as the "vacuum" frequently to further strengthen the transverses - vacuums (where you simply pull in your gut and keep it pulled in while breathing slowly) can be performed while driving or even standing in line at the supermarket.

The obliques are muscles that run diagonally across the abdominal wall and are attached to bone at your sides. Increasing the size of your obliques can increase the width of your waist, but not necessarily the circumference. These are "muscular love handles." Some people avoid training obliques for that reason.

There are many sports-specific applications for working the obliques - contact sports such as football require the ability to maintain balance while twisting, and strong obliques are critical for this. Because obliques cross over the abdominal wall, having strong obliques means that your abdominal wall will be pulled flat (as with the transverses). Therefore, while training obliques may increase the width of your waist, it can also serve to pull your stomach flatter!


The spinal erectae are a group of muscles that support the lower back and spine. They work in conjunction with the abdominal wall, obliques, and transverses, similar to the way that the biceps and triceps or deltoids and lat muscles work together. Neglecting your spinal erectae can result in an imbalance that will pull at your spine and cause lower back pain. Effective back exercises that should be balanced with abdominal training include good mornings, hyperextensions, and dead-lifts.

The abdominal wall and supporting muscles are not "special" in the sense that they require constant training. Because these muscles form your core strength and stabilize your torso, almost any activity will work these muscles - from a bench press to running.

Therefore, the notion that they need to be trained every day is flawed. Training your core once or twice a week should be sufficient. Because the core muscle group does contract constantly to stabilize your torso, these muscles typically contain more "endurance" fiber - this means that higher repetition training may be beneficial.

By higher rep training, I'm referring to the 12 - 15 rep range. Performing 50 - 100 crunches simply means that you are using other muscles such as the hip flexors and not isolating the core muscles appropriately. When you isolate the core muscles, perform a vacuum and a Kegel, and balance training of the abdominal wall with the lower back, you can build strong, functional core strength using only body weight and moderate reps.

Add some well-balanced nutrition and 2 - 3 cardio sessions per week, and you'll be well on your way to a well-defined "six-pack"!


The Ab Routine

I recommend a standard core strength routine that fits itself to almost everyone. The reason this fits most people is due to various levels. You begin with the first level and work your way forward. Most people will not get past the first few levels for several months. It can take a trained athlete months and possibly years to reach the final level, depending on their existing core strength.

The following table is a "key" to each level:

Level 1:
3 sets of crunches

Level 2:
2 sets of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises (knees remain bent)

Level 3:
1 set of crunches
2 sets of hanging knee raises

Level 4:
1 set of crunches
2 sets of hanging knee raises
1 set of parallel leg raises (legs remain straight)

Level 5:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
2 sets of parallel leg raises

Level 6:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
2 sets of parallel leg raises
1 set of full leg raises (you are inverted at the end, legs over head)

Level 7:
1 set of crunches
1 set of hanging knee raises
1 set of parallel leg raises
1 set of full leg raises
1 set of inverted scissors

The instructions are simple. Begin with level I. Attempt to perform 15 repetitions for each set. You rest exactly 1 minute between sets. For level I, you attempt 3 sets of 15 floor crunches. If you succeed in completing the entire level, then you advance to the next level.

Only when you can successfully complete 15 continuous reps of each exercise prescribed do you advance to the next level. This may seem simple. In practice, however, it is very difficult.

Here are a few guidelines for performing these exercises:

Practice pulling your stomach in and keeping it in. Imagine pulling your belly button through your lower back. This will be referred to as a "vacuum". This is very important, because it engages the transversus muscle, a muscle underneath your abdominal muscle. Without engaging this muscle, which is responsible for pulling your stomach flat, your abs will begin to protrude!

Learn what a Kegel is. In simple terms, this is the contraction you make when squeezing your insides or stopping the flow or urine. While it is commonly known amongst women who have given birth to children, men can actually perform this exercise as well. When you clench your insides, you stabilize your pelvic girdle, which holds all of your organs. This will stabilize your center of balance.

Maintain the vacuum and Kegel throughout the duration of every set! If you cannot hold both for the entire time, make sure you "reset" or start a new vacuum and Kegel with every rep (i.e. if you lose one or the other during rep 5, reset them at the beginning of rep 6 and keep going).

You can easily perform these exercises hanging from a pull-up doorframe attachment instead of using the ab-straps - this will actually improve your grip strength. If you find that you have trouble holding on, i.e. your wrists fail before your abdominal muscles do, then you might consider investing in a pair of wrist-wraps to help you maintain your grip. These are very inexpensive.

You may have seen individuals performing hanging abdominal work. They were swinging wildly and possibly had someone holding their back still. This is incorrect form and is mainly working the hip flexors. If you follow the simple steps outlined above, your torso will remain still and vertical; the only movement will be from your abdominal muscles. You will curl up, bringing your pelvis towards your sternum, and hold this. The tempo for all exercises is 211 (one second to contract upwards, 1 second pause, then 2 seconds to return to the start position.

This is the start position. It is the same for all exercises. When you start doing the full leg raises, you might start hanging with your hands rather than the abdominal straps, depending on which is easier.

This is the end position for a knee raise. Simply curl your pelvis upward, keeping your legs bent. Exhale before contracting then inhale as you return to the start position.

This is the end position for the parallel leg raise. It is similar to the knee raise, except that you keep your legs fairly straight (not locked, but only slightly bent).

This is the end position for the full leg raise. You bring your legs all the way over your head. Remember, however, that you still must lower in a controlled fashion, taking two full seconds to return to the start position. If you find yourself "falling" then count that set as over with and attempt more reps the next workout.

To perform the vertical scissors, you must start with a full leg raise. You stay at the inverted position. You start with your legs together then spread them wide, as illustrated. You then close your legs to complete the rep. Do not return to the hanging position until all of your reps are completed. Your abdominal muscles will stay continually contracted to stabilize your body in the inverted position as you perform the reps.

When you have completed the entire workout, you should consider your lower back. The best exercise to perform for lower back is a "hyperextension". This can be done with a hyperextension machine or a Swiss workout ball.
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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Upper Abs




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Lower Abs and Fat Loss




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Cable Abs


Adding resistance to an exercise recruits your core, strengthening your torso, hips, and shoulders. Hooking the cable row to a lateral pillar bridge, as shown above, "feels as if someone's pushing you forward and backward," says Anthony Slater, CSCS, head performance coach for Core Performance Centre, Santa Monica, California. The result: A boost of strength throughout, leading to chiselled abs.



The benefit
You'll build a more stable midsection, so you perform better in sports. Before this, you should be able to hold a lateral bridge for 30 seconds. (So don't skip your back workout.)

How to do it
• Attach a handle to the pulley cable. Grab it with your right hand. Lie on your left side slightly farther than arm's length from the weight to keep tension on the cable.
.
• With your forearm under your shoulder and feet stacked, push your hip off the floor, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder. Draw the handle to your ribs. Keep your hips pushed up and forward and squeeze your shoulder blades.

Lateral
• Slowly straighten your arm out in front of you. Perform 8 to 10 reps. Stop before your hips sag or your trunk rotates. Switch sides and repeat.


Our expert's tips

To stay aligned, keep your abs braced. The resistance helps you learn how to engage your pillar properly. Once comfortable with the movement, increase your speed. The faster you move your arm, the more torque you create for your torso muscles to resist, meaning better rotational stability.
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Fast workout, hard muscle


Build a body that dominates, by attacking the weights with thunder and with a plan that's fit for a king

THE WORKOUT

Begin each session with calisthenics and core moves. Then do the exercises specified for each day as pairs, or supersets, moving from one exercise to the next without rest. Do each superset three times, resting 45 seconds between supersets.



MONDAY


Superset 1
Pushup
Assume the classic pushup position, with legs straight, hands beneath your shoulders. Keep your body rigid. Bend your arms to lower yourself until your chest is just off the floor. Then push back up till your arms are extended. Do as many reps as you can.

Pullup
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand grip (palms forward) and your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms straight and pull your shoulder blades down. Pull your chest to the bar, then lower yourself. Aim for 10 reps.


Superset 2
Dumbbell Snatch
Assume an athletic position (knees bent, hips back), holding a dumbbell in one hand below your knees. In one movement, jump as you thrust the weight overhead, keeping the weight close to your body. Land softly. Aim for 5 reps with each arm.

Cable Single-Arm Row
Grab the handle of a midpulley cable with your left hand, pulling your right arm back. Row the handle to your torso as you extend your right arm. Resist the weight as you return to the starting position. Do 10 reps with each arm.

TUESDAY


Superset 1
Dumbbell Squat
Stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart and hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your back naturally arched, bend at the hips and knees and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Push back up. Do 8 to 12 reps.

Swiss-Ball Hamstring Curl
Lie on the floor with your ankles on a Swiss ball, arms at your sides. Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line. Squeezing your glutes, pull the ball toward your butt with your legs. Then roll the ball back out. Do 12 reps.



Superset 2
Dumbbell Stepup
Holding heavy weights at your sides, lift one foot and place it on a bench. Then push your body up until your weightbearing leg is straight and your other foot is hanging off the bench. Return to the starting position. Do 10 reps with each leg.

Dumbbell Calf Raise
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and stand on your left foot. Rest the instep of your right foot across the back of your left ankle. Hold onto something for balance. Rise on your toes as high as you can. Do 12 reps for each leg.

THURSDAY


Superset 1
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
Lie faceup on an incline bench and hold a pair of dumbbells at the sides of your chest with an overhand grip (palms forward). Press the weights straight above your chest. Then lower them to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Lat Pulldown
Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your head and back straight, pull your shoulder blades down and then pull the bar to your chest. Let the bar rise. Do 10 reps.



Superset 2
Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Press
Stand holding a dumbbell at shoulder height with your palm facing your body (as shown). Press the weight straight up and slowly lower it. Do 6 to 8 reps before repeating with the other arm.

Dumbbell Single-Arm Row
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, arm straight. Place your left hand and knee on a bench. Use your upper-back muscles to pull the dumbbell up and back. Pause, then slowly lower the weight. Do 10 reps on each side.

FRIDAY


Superset 1
Single-Leg Squat
Stand on a bench. Hold your arms in front of you and flex your right ankle so your toes point up. Keeping your torso as upright as possible, bend your left knee and lower your body until your right heel touches the floor. Push up. Aim for 5 reps per leg.

Single Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
Perform this like the Swissball hamstring curl, using one leg. Lift your left leg and bend your knee toward your chest. With your right leg, pull the ball toward your butt then push it out. Aim for 10 reps with each leg.


Superset 2
Dumbbell Side Lunge
Stand holding dumbbells at your sides. With your left leg, take a wide step directly to the left. Bend your left knee and push your hips back until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Then push back up. Do 10 reps in each direction.

Unstable Jump Rope
After all the weight training, here's a move that will give you shock-solid, sports-ready ankles. Skip rope for 45 seconds on a cushioned surface, such as a stretching mat. The mat's instability will help strengthen your ankles.
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Scorpion stretch


Vesna Pericevic Jacob gives you the scorpion stretch-which is as deadly as it sounds, but when done properly will give you amazing results. The focus of the stretch is to work on and promote the hip flexor, quadriceps, as well as back extensor flexibility. This stretch can also be done as a part of your daily warmup, in which case you should attempt it at the beginning of your workout.



Step 1 Lie face down on the floor. Stretch out your arms, palms facing down on the floor to create a straight line with the shoulders. Inhale, and while exhaling, raise your left leg and bring the heel all the way to the opposite side of the lower back. You should feel the stretch in your lower back as well as in your thighs. Make sure you don't overstrain or injure yourself.

Step 2
Hold the same leg around the ankle with your left hand and pull the heel towards your gluteus muscles. This way, you will get additional stretch in your quadriceps (thighs). Keep your foot flexed.

Step 3 Bring the leg back to starting position and repeat the move with your right leg. The movement should be done 1 to 3 times on each side.
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Arnolds Total Body Workout Magazine




Olympia Training Secrets

http://depositfiles.com/en/files/3010603

Legs,Back,Abs

http://depositfiles.com/en/files/3010472

Delts and Arms

http://depositfiles.com/en/files/3010290

Chest


http://depositfiles.com/en/files/3010066
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Strengthen your Core Power


Sure, crunches carve abs, but a smart core-building programme includes a variety of exercises. Swiss-ball finger taps offer real-world benefits beyond a sixpack, says the Men's Health Muscle guy, Mike Mejia, CSCS.



The benefit
You'll improve your abdominal strength, endurance and flexibility. "This promotes core stability while your limbs are in motion, which is the way you use your body during most sports activities," says Mejia.

How to do it
• Lie on the floor, holding the ball between your lower legs.
• Extend your arms straight up as you simultaneously raise your legs and upper body into a contracted position. Your lower back should remain on the floor, and your legs should be slightly bent. Keep your upper body in the "up" position for all of your repetitions as your legs move up and down.
• At the top of the movement, tap the ball to your fingers. Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Expert tips

Keep your lower back pressed to the floor to work your abdominals. If that's too hard, keep your knees bent at about 90 degrees until your strength and flexibility improve.
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