May 02, 2008
Time To Get Back In Shape A LOOK LIKE A Blackbelt Too!
After hanging out with a number of old friends at
seminars who have recently lost a few pounds, and
toned up, I've decided that I need to get healthier
too... or at least "lose the gut!"
I found something that IS working for me, and shared
it in an email to my ezine earlier today... without
mentioning that this is what I'm actually doing.
Anyway, since filters may have blocked a few emails,
I wanted to post that note here too:
Here is is:
Git Off The Couch
I'm going to warn you right now, the topic of this e-mail is a
bit outside of the ones you usually get from me...
And it's a bit long-winded too, but that should just tell you
how important I consider the subject...
See, here at Limitless Marketing we usually discuss products and
services that will help you grow your businesses, and generate
killer revenues and profits too.
Well, this new service from my friend Glenn Grundberg and his
partner Joshua Morris is really NO different.
Here's what I mean. As marketers, we sometimes get caught up in
the daily whirlwind of marketing and forget one simple truth:
It doesn't matter HOW much you make if you're not able to enjoy
it!
That's why I felt it was so important to get this e-mail to you.
Glenn and Josh have developed a powerful and exciting new plan-
called Personal Distance Training (PDT)- to Rapidly strip off
weight (or put it on, if that's what you need!), and get you
fitter and healthier...looking and feeling better...with more
energy and stamina than you've felt in years...
And do it painlessly, in just minutes a day- and from the
comfort of your own home or office!
http://TheRealSecrets.com/IronStrongFitness/
At Iron Strong Fitness, they have leveraged their insider
knowledge and experience as top-rated, certified and licensed
Personal Fitness Trainers...
Into an incredible online platform and fitness membership of a
scope and quality usually reserved only for celebrities or the
very wealthy.
Here's how it works:
When you join the Iron Strong PDT program, you will be given a
powerful set of fitness and weight loss tools, including:
* An Exhaustive Fitness Library chock-full of vital health,
diet, and workout articles including my favorite, the "15 minute
Fat Blaster" ;-)...
* Full access to an incredible Video Library of over 100 workout
routines and exercises that will show you proper form and safe
techniques to explode your results...
* Member's ONLY forums keyed to your training level where you
will personally interact with not only Iron Strong's Top
Trainers, but also Glenn, Josh and Brittany- the guys who TRAIN
the trainers...
* And much, much more...
But the REAL power of this sensational program is this:
When you become an Iron Strong Client, you will be assigned to a
Real, Live Human. Your Very Own Personal Trainer! Think of what
your pals are going to say when you drop THAT one on them at the
next gathering ;-)
Yup- unlike other online "fitness mills", Iron Strong Fitness
Hand-Crafts EVERY client's exercise prescriptions, diet
prescriptions and exercise regimens individually-meticulously
basing them on each individual client's personal body type,
goals, and health history, among other critical factors.
Then, once you have your prescriptions and regimens, it doesn't
stop there- these guys refuse to just dump you in your living
room or on a gym floor somewhere with your prescription
print-out clutched in your hot little hand...
Oh no- in fact it's just the beginning.
You will have a connection to your Trainer via a Secure and
Private Messaging System, where you can contact them any time
you like- to get answers to your questions, share your concerns,
and celebrate your Triumphs!
And here's the kicker- while you can contact them any time you
like: via PM, on the forums, or even by toll free call if you
are in the US or Canada, or Skype if you're not...
You may not have to...They are gonna call YOU.
That's correct- once you're on the program, you are FAR from
forgotten- in fact they claim they are not going to LET you
fail. And they back that up with their Iron Strong Guarantee,
too.
Look- fitness doesn't just happen to you. High energy, the
feeling of power, and the satisfaction of looking great doesn't
just come over you like magic. There is a bit of effort
required.
But if you make that effort, the benefits to your health and
strength will spill over into Every Area Of Your Life...
Even your marketing!
So Git Off The Couch, and I'll see you inside :-)
Oh, I almost forgot: As a special favor to me, Glenn (who
happens to be a TIMIC member :) has agreed to offer you, my
valued subscribers, an *exclusive rate* on this phenomenal new
membership. You won't find this ANYWHERE else but Right Here,
Right Now. Just use coupon code WillieC (case sensitive) at
checkout for a nice discount ;-)
This link will be good for three days ONLY, until 11:59:59 PM on
5/4/08 so don't delay: save over 30% off the normal rate before
Glenn puts the price back to normal and launches this incredible
service to the public.
http://TheRealSecrets.com/IronStrongFitness/
How Strong Do YOU Want To Be?
Willie Crawford
PS - The available slots are also limited- due to the insane
level of personal service they are offering, they want to make
darn sure they have everything just so, and they aren't willing
to compromise on quality one little bit, so get over there Right
Now and secure your spot!
PPS - If by some chance you get this late and miss the boat,
don't despair- Glenn and Josh have set up a registered
membership that will allow you to benefit from a lot of the
resources without the personal training component and some of
the premium content while you wait for a spot to become
available, so register today.
http://TheRealSecrets.com/IronStrongFitness/
Posted by Willie Crawford at 10:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 21, 2007
Burn The Fat - Feed The Muscle
Clear here for the best selling book on fat burning
of all times.
Paris
Posted by Willie Crawford at 12:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 23, 2007
Shaolin Kung Fu Exercises Which Promotes Agile Footwork And Intricate Hand Techniques
Shaolin Kung Fu Exercises Which Promotes Agile
Footwork And Intricate Hand Techniques.
by Yoshi Kundagawa
When many people think of Shaolin Kung Fu they think of
meditation and chi. While it is true that Shaolin Kung Fu does
stress meditation and the use of inner energy, it is actually
an external form of Chinese martial arts. This means that it is
more involved in the external powers and forces. There are many
styles of Shaolin Kung Fu which can include many types of
attacks and defenses including joint locks, punching, kicking,
throws, straight blocking, force direction, and many more.
However, the two things that most types of schools of Shaolin
Kung Fu all stress is fast handwork and quick footwork. Many
Shaolin Kung Fu exercises promote these skills.
When practicing Shaolin Kung Fu, striking it is important to
keep the feet moving as you punch. If your feet are planted
like roots you will not be able to adjust to the next attack or
set up another attack. Your moves must flow from one to another
and you must be ready to change your motions in mid-movement in
case an opponent launches an attack. You should practice staying
light on your feet and moving your weight around. Each attack
must leave the door open for another quick attack, or a sudden
defense. Your Shaolin Kung Fu exercises should strive for agile
footwork while striking, rather than training both aspects
independently.
When practicing Shaolin Kung Fu punching you should also have
targets that help improve your accuracy and speed. A strong
punch is meaningless if it does not hit the target, or is so
slow that it is easily blocked or countered. Your punches must
also be fast so that you can quickly move into another attack,
or react defensively. After a punch is thrown it should be
retracted quickly so that arm can defend if needed. Many
martial arts shops sell pads that can be mounted on a human
body in many places such as the hands, ribs, and legs. Your
training partner should wear these pads so that you can
practice at full speed and have moving targets. While striking
the pads at full speed your training partner should be moving
around so that you have a moving target. Hand mounted pads are
great because they can be moved very quickly to aid in the
training of fast combos. You and your Shaolin Kung Fu training
partner can develop a routine in which you strike at the left
side of the face, and then the chest. Your partner can move the
pad from one location to the next quickly, which forces you to
strike two targets as fast as possible.
If your hands are fast and precise, and your footwork is light
and agile, you will have quick attacks that cannot be blocked
and will be able to react to any defense of offense. Too many
people hit a punching bag target with their feet flat. Punching
bags do not challenge your precision like a smaller moving
target does.
About The Author: Yoshi E Kundagawa is a freelance journalist.
He covers the mixed martial arts industry. For a free report
on shaolin kung fu exercises, visit his blog:
http://blog.martialarts3000.com
Posted by Willie Crawford at 05:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 24, 2006
Build Strong Ripped Abs With Core Fitness Training
Build Strong Ripped Abs With Core Fitness Training
by Bryan Ashbaugh
Core stability training works the muscles of the trunk,
including the abs and back, as well as the hip musculature.
Your core is the origin of movement and must be stable and
strong to protect your spine and internal structures from
injury while also giving you the ability to enhance
performance. You can improve posture, balance, and create a
solid foundation for increased strength and power.
Use a draw-in technique when performing these exercises. This
means to draw in your navel toward you spine and hold tight,
while maintaining a rhythmic breathing pattern. Use these
exercises to supplement to your program. They are most
effective in helping you reach your fitness and weight loss
goals when combined with a complete body weight training and
cardiovascular program and a healthy diet. At
liveleantoday.com, our personal trainers will incorporate these
exercises into a complete health and fitness program to help you
reach your goals.
Level 1 exercises (beginners)
Quadruped
Begin on your hands and knees with your abdomen drawn in and
tightened and your head in alignment with your torso (do not
look up or let your head drop). Keeping your head and neck
aligned, slowly raise one arm, thumb up straight in front of
you, and the opposite leg, straight out with your toe pointed
until your arm, torso and leg form a straight line. Hold for
1-2 seconds and then return to the original position. Repeat
with alternate arm and leg.
Floor Prone Cobra
Lay face down on the floor with your arms at your sides, palms
up. Draw your abdominals inward and tighten. Keeping your chin
tucked, and without using your arms for support, raise your
chest off of the ground. Hold and slowly return to the starting
position. Repeat as directed.
2 Leg Floor Bridge
Position yourself stomach down on the floor with your toes
pointed behind you, your elbows at your sides and your fists
clenched under your shoulders. Draw your abdominals inward and
tighten in one movement, lift yourself up and backwards so that
your body is supported on your forearms and your toes. Your
elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your
back flat and your head in alignment (do not look up or let
your head drop). Hold as directed and then slowly lower
yourself back to the starting position. Repeat as directed.
Level 2 exercises (novice/advanced)
Ball Bridge
Begin seated on a stability ball with your feet flat on the
floor in front of you, shoulder width apart, toes pointed
forward. Walk yourself forward, letting the ball roll up your
back until the ball is positioned between your shoulder blades
and your buttocks are a few inches off of the floor. Drawing
your abdominals inward and tightening, raise your hips until
your knees, torso, shoulders and neck form a line that is
parallel to the floor. Hold for a moment and then slowly lower
to the starting position. Repeat as directed.
Ball Cobra
Kneeling in front of a stability ball, position yourself so
that the ball is under your abdomen; your arms are straight in
front of you, perpendicular to the floor, palms flat on the
floor; and your legs are straight out behind you, ankles flexed
and toes on the ground. Keeping your legs straight, bring your
arms up next to your sides, palms up, and then raise your chest
so that your legs and torso form a straight line. Hold for one
to two seconds and then lower your chest and return to the
starting position, palms flat on the floor.
Ball Pushup
Standing with a stability ball in front of you, bend at the
waist and place both hands on the ball, shoulder width apart,
thumbs pointed forward and fingers open for optimal stability
and arms straight. Draw your abdominals inward and tighten.
Step backwards with both feet until you are in a push up
position. (Note: your hips, shoulders, neck and head should
form a straight line and remain inline throughout the
exercise.) Bend your elbows to slowly lower body towards the
ball, going only as far as you can stay stable. Push yourself
back up to the starting position by extending your elbows and
contracting your chest.
Abdominal Bridge with Leg Lift
Position yourself stomach down on the floor with your toes
pointed behind you, your elbows at your sides and your fists
clenched under your shoulders. Draw your abdominals inward and
tighten. In one movement, lift yourself up and backwards so
that your body is supported on your forearms and your toes.
Your elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders Keep your
back flat and your head in alignment (do not look up or let your
head drop). Keeping all parts of your body in the same position,
lift one leg off the ground no more than 6 inches keeping your
leg straight. Hold as directed and then slowly lower yourself
back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise, lifting
the alternate leg.
Ball Shoulder Combo
Lay face down with a stability ball under your abdomen. Keep
your feet pointed down, legs completely straight, and abs
squeezed in. Your arms arm extended to the floor and your palms
flat. Slowly extend your arms straight out in front of you to a
superman position, continuously bring your arms back to 90
degrees so your body forms a T, then extend your arms fully
behind you in one motion. This movement will simulate a breast
stroke in swimming.
Pushups with Rotation
Kneel on the floor and place your hands on the floor in front
of you, with your right thumb and index finger almost touching
your left thumb and index finger to form a triangle. Draw your
abdominals inward and tighten Move into a push up position,
with body supported on your hands and toes, and your torso
parallel to the ground so that your hips and shoulders are on
an even plane. Keeping your torso parallel to the ground,
slowly bend your elbows lowering your body to the ground, and
then raise your body back to the starting push up position.
Keeping your right arm on the ground, rotate your body at your
left shoulder, reaching your left hand toward the ceiling.
Continue the rotation as far as you are capable while
maintaining balance. Reverse the motion to return your hand to
its starting position and repeat the exercise raising your
right hand. Repeat the exercise alternating sides as directed.
About The Author: Bryan Ashbaugh, MS Exercise and Sports
Science is CEO of LIVE, llc of http://www.liveleantoday.com
Visit Live Lean Today for more information on weight loss, core
fitness programs, optimal diets, and online personal trainer &
dietician services.
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Posted by Willie Crawford at 11:37 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 14, 2006
How To Get Six-Pack Abs - The Pinnacle Of Physical Fitness
How To Get Six-Pack Abs - The Pinnacle Of
Physical Fitness
by Gray Rollins
Representing, as they seem to, the pinnacle of physical fitness
and muscularity in men, there is really little wonder that most
men profess to want six-pack abs. Yet, despite this widespread
desire, very few men actually succeed in reaching this goal.
The main reason tends to be a focus on the wrong aspect of
working out. The average guy looks at bodybuilders with their
six-pack abs and figures he’s got to really work his abs out
constantly, just like the bodybuilder guys probably do.
The fact that most men miss is that the first key to six-pack
abs is lower overall body fat. Well, technically, it is lower
tummy fat. However, fat burning doesn’t occur just in one area,
so the focus needs to be on overall fat burning. Without this
focus, it doesn’t matter if you do have rock solid six-pack
abdomen muscles; no one will be able to see through the fat
that covers them up.
Burning fat isn’t complicated, in theory. It simply requires
burning more calories than you consume. If you burn more than
you consume, you lose weight; if you consume more than you
burn, you gain weight.
There are only two real ways to burn calories, metabolism and
exercise. To reach optimal effectiveness at getting rid of the
extra fat around your midsection, you should obviously work on
both of these areas.
Speeding up your metabolism is definitely something you can do,
even though many people seem to erroneously believe that your
metabolism rate is locked in genetically. Drinking more water,
building your muscles and eating nutritious foods more often
are three strong steps in the direction of a faster metabolism.
The change in your eating habits is due to the fact that the
three-meals-a-day plan is horrifically inefficient for the
human body. Eating this way makes us take in a lot more energy
per sitting than we can burn effectively. Instead, start eating
five to seven smaller meals a day. Also, while we’re discussing
diet, make sure those meals are nutritious and not full of
empty calories from junk-fast-food.
To help keep your metabolism up, once you establish your new
eating pattern, don’t skip on meals. Skipping meals seems to be
a very popular way of trying to lose weight, but it’s a horrible
plan. When you skip a meal, your body starts going into
conservation mode, holds onto the fat in your body and slows
your metabolism down.
With your nutrition coming into line and your metabolism going
up, let’s cover the exercise portion of the plan. You need to
do some cardiovascular exercise regularly to burn through those
calories and melt the fat off of your stomach. Getting to your
six-pack abs as fast as possible means you need to balance the
cardio with weight training as well, to tighten up and start
building your muscles.
Don’t just focus on your abdomen; work on building the muscles
in your entire body. You can pay some extra attention to your
abs, but be sensible about it and aim for balance.
After hearing horror stories from guys who have spent forever
trying to develop their six-pack abs, you’ll be amazed how
quickly you can develop your own six-pack when you focus your
attention towards the right areas.
About The Author: Gray Rollins is a featured writer for
http://www.muscleprogram.com. To learn more about getting six
pack abs, visit
http://www.muscleprogram.com/developingthosesix-packabs/
Posted by Willie Crawford at 01:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 09, 2006
Light Weight High Repetition Exercises To Define, Tone And Get Ripped Muscles?
Most people believe that exercising with light weights with
high repetition will tone and define your muscles to get that
rock hard ripped muscular body. Since so many fitness personal
trainers teach their clients that, so it must be true?
As summer approaches, many fitness enthusiasts will switch from
muscle building routine to doing light weight high reps routine
to cut away their body fat and to reveal their ripped muscular
body. After all, it is shirt off time for the beach and
poolside parties, isn’t it?
Well, I am about to bust this popular light weight high rep to
tone muscle myth. Did I hear you gasp? Good. This is because
the myth is so well entrenched and a lie being told too often
will generally be accepted as the truth.
To get toned and well defined muscles, you need to lose body
fat covering the muscles. Period. When you get rid of your body
fat, your muscles will show through. You will look sinewy and
muscular. Of course, that is provided that you have built
muscles below those fats.
Let me ask you, how could light weight high repetition
exercises build muscles or melt away fat? There is no logic in
this.
To build muscle mass, you have to do heavy weight low rep
compound exercises, exactly the opposite of light weight high
rep routine. To lose body fat, you have to do intensive
cardiovascular exercises and eating correctly.
There is no such thing as spot reduction short of invasive
medical procedures such as liposuction. That means no matter
how many crunches and side bends you do, the fat isn’t going to
come off your belly and neither will your love handles melt
away.
So if you want to reveal your well toned and defined
musculature, you have firstly to build bigger muscles and then
subsequently cut your body fat. Medium weight high repetition
compound giant set exercises may help you burn more calories if
the exercises keep your heart rate up and get you panting and
sweating throughout the entire exercise workout session.
However, this will already be a cardiovascular workout session
and not a weight lifting workout session.
So next time when some smart aleck advises you that to get a
well toned muscular body, you must workout with light weight
and with high repetition, just ask him to explain the logic
behind his statement and have a good laugh when you see him
fumbling for a logical answer.
About The Author: Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of
actors, pageant winners, models and other celebrities. More
free articles at his websites http://www.sgfitness and
http://www.sgfitnessonline.com
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Posted by Willie Crawford at 02:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 05, 2005
Burn The Fat - Fat Burning Secrets of the World's Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models
Burn The Fat - Fat Burning Secrets Of The World's Best Bodybuilders And Fitness Models
This is an excellent ebook for martial artists who want to finally get back in shape and have a little discipline... as we all do :)
Outlaw Bodybuilder Thumbs Nose At Weight-Loss "Experts" Who Earn Fortunes On The Sweat And Dreams Of Young Men & Women, and Finally Reveals The Simple Proven Science of Fat Loss No One Else Will Tell You About...
Grab a copy here.
Posted by Willie Crawford at 10:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 29, 2005
Nutrition Facts for All Natural Bodybuilding
Nutrition Facts for All Natural Bodybuilding
After a number of bouts with the press about the use of
steroids and other drug enhancers to help build and define
muscle, the bodybuilding world is on a crusade. There's a
renewed emphasis on 'all natural' bodybuilding - the art
of sculpting bodies and building muscle without using
drugs.
Instead, they focus on the important role of diet and all
natural supplements in bodybuilding. And when they speak of
diet, they're including changes in when and how much you
eat as well as the proportions of various nutrients in your
meals. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has
taken a serious interest in competitive bodybuilding. Diet
advice has been a stock in trade of personal trainers since
the very start.
These days nutrition for bodybuilding is a little more
complex. The empasis is less on protein and more on a
varied diet that provides the most important nutrients to
build and sculpt muscle mass. If you're trying to bulk up,
you should find the information here helpful.
Instead, experts suggest splitting your calories over six
meals, spaced out over the course of the day. Your first
meal should be immediately after rising, your last about an
hour before bed.
Each meal should include one portion of protein and at
least one portion of carbohydrate. You'll also need to
readjust your concept of a 'portion'. For the purposes of
a bodybuilding diet, a portion is about the size of your
fist. This will help account for the difference in caloric
needs between a small person and a larger one. Smaller fist
equals smaller portion - but one portion is one portion.
Your protein should come from a low-fat, high quality
source. While red meat is fine on occasion, the added
calories and saturated fats can play havoc with some of
your bodily systems. Plan on fish - tuna fish is fine, as
is shrimp or scallops - at least three times a week. Eat
chicken, cheese, eggs or legumes as well. Don't forget that
peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, too!
Low carb diets are all the rage, but they're not the best
choice for bulking up on muscle. The trick is in eating the
right carbs. Whole grain products, fresh vegetables and
fresh fruits should all have a major role in your diet.
You'll get your vitamins and minerals, as well as a healthy
portion of essential nutrients to help your body create new
cells.
Vitamins are found in most things that you eat, but the
most important of them come from grains, fruits, vegetables
and legumes. When you're working on building muscle, you
need to include good sources of vitamins C, K, A and all
the B's. Include 1-3 portions of vegetables, fruit and
grains in all your meals.
Your body also requires minerals - non-organic compounds
that are found in plant and animal foods - to process and
rebuild itself. Calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese and
zinc are just a few of the minerals that your body needs in
order to function properly. The only way to be sure to get
all the minerals that you need is to eat a varied diet, or
to take a mineral supplement that includes the recommended
daily allowance of all the minerals your body needs.
Minerals are inorganic compounds that our bodies don't
create, but need. That means that they must be consumed
in your diet. These include iron, magnesium and zinc,
which your body uses for building strong muscles.
Information about bodybuilding can be found at
Bernie Latton is the staff writer, you will find resources,
articles and more information at:
http://www.rhonebodybuilding.com
Posted by Willie Crawford at 08:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 29, 2005
Fitness Articles... Getting Fit Enhances Sex for Men and Women, Cardiovasuclar Exercise Principles and Guidelines, Pay Attention to Pain and Soreness
Here are a couple of great fitness articles for you to check out. The site is also loaded to the hilt with fitness calculators, etc.
It's a fun site to bookmark and visit often.
Getting Fit Enhances Sex for Men and Women Part 1
Cardiovasuclar Exercise Principles and Guidelines: Part One
Cardiovasuclar Exercise Principles adn Guidelines: Part Two
Pay Attention to Pain and Soreness
Posted by Willie Crawford at 08:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 15, 2005
The Face of the Water
All good martial artists know the importance of proper
hydration, but here a great article to remind us...
The Face of the Waters
by Jeremy Likness
The story of creation begins with water. Water is an essential nutrient in our diet, but many people fail to address this important component of health. While part of the problem can be addressed by consuming foods such as fruits and vegetables that are naturally rich with water, taking in additional water is also important.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2
An amazing discovery was made in 2003. Lurking far below the surface of the ocean, an unusual squid was sighted with 20-foot long tentacles. It is estimated that only a very small percentage of the planet has been explored, and most of that is under water! We constantly hear about the “secrets of the deep” - the amazing life forms that the ocean displays to us, but we forget about the magic of our own bodies. Water is essential for health and nutrition. A co-worker asked me the other day, “How much water should I be taking?”
More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water (less than one percent of that water is suitable for human consumption). In excess of 75% of the human body is water. A coincidence? Maybe. When you measure your body fat, the amount of fat is called “fat mass” and the amount of remaining mass is called “lean mass.” Many people mistake lean mass for muscle - in reality, the majority of that lean mass is water and skeletal tissue - typically less 1/8th is actual muscle mass!
In the human body, water lubricates joints and organs. It maintains muscle tone. Water keeps skin soft. Water regulates body temperature, filters out impurities, and keeps the brain working properly. Water transports nutrients to and from cells. While the human body can store energy as glycogen, fat, and tissue, it cannot “store” water - the body uses its own water supply and expects a constant resupply of fresh water to function. Water is critical in moving nutrients into and out of a cell, an action known as the “ion pump”. When you take in the improper balance of sodium and potassium or do not drink adequate water, your body will increase a hormone and try to “retain” water by keeping your kidneys from filtering it. Ironically, one of the best ways to stop retaining water is to drink more water!
While humans can survive without food for several weeks (documented cases have shown lengths of up to two months), we can only survive a few days without water. Thirst is a signal that your body needs to be re-hydrated, but by the time you are thirsty it’s already too late. Just a fraction of a percentage drop of your body’s water supply can result into huge performance decreases. Even slight dehydration can be critical. In the recent sports season, a few deaths resulted from dehydration.
Contrary to popular belief, “chugging” a gallon of water is not going to provide your body with the water it needs. When too much water floods your system at once, your body will pass most of it on to your bladder, and only absorb a slight amount. Weight in the stomach is a signal for digestive processes to begin, and a number of biological chemicals enter your stomach and change the pH balance. This can result in indigestion and stomach pain. The best way to take water is to steadily sip it throughout the day. You should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables - most of the produce you eat is filled with water, and the body can process this water very efficiently.
So - how much water? There are a million theories and equations. I’ve heard to drink “eight cups a day,” which is better than nothing, but how can every adult, with so much variety of size, shape, metabolism, exercise habits, etc, require the exact same amount of water? Then there is the complicated equation that involves computing your basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure. I had to throw that one out, too - who wants to run a computer program every day just to figure out their water needs? I just prefer to drink like a fish and then I’m done with it. Just kidding.
What I’ve found is two ways for computing water intake that both work incredibly well. The first is a little too vague for some people to follow, but very effective - it is recommended by nutritionist Will Brink. Will says to drink enough water to have two or three absolutely clear urinations per day. If you do not have these clear urinations, then either you are not drinking enough water, are not eating healthily or have some type of infection or other illness.
For a normal, healthy adult, two or three clear urinations is a great “ruler.” If you do not have these, then increase your water intake until it happens.
If that is a little too general or explicit for you, another way is to take your weight and divide it in half. This is a “baseline” amount of ounces to drink every day. For every cup that you drink that is not water, drink a cup that is water. For every bout of exercise, drink a cup before and after, and one extra cup for every hour that you exercised (round up!). That’s it. Let’s take me as an example.
If I weighed in at 200 pounds, 200 / 2 = 100 ounces of water, or about 12 cups.
Let's say I also ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes. One cup before, one cup for the exercise, and one cup after is three cups total. 12 + 3 = 15 cups.
I drank two cups of coffee, so I should have two extra cups of water. 15 + 2 = 17.
That’s it - today’s water requirement for me is 17 cups! And I have no problem getting those in - I have an extra large mason jar that holds about 64 ounces. I fill these up and keep them full all day long. I sip them constantly. I probably end up drinking between one to two gallons today because I love my coffee and my exercise.
The type of water to drink is the subject of much debate. I prefer filtered tap water because of the potential for harmful agents in “raw” tap water - although many health gurus recommend tap water due to the fact that they provide plenty of vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind that if you drink too much non-filtered water, you may increase your chances of acquiring kidney stones if there are many foreign materials that your body has to filter out. When you look at a water filter before you toss it out, that is exactly what your body’s filter - the kidneys - would have had to process as well. Distilled water is also an option.
Now go out and drink some water!
Willie Crawford
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May 10, 2005
“Bodybuilding Sins” That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts
“Bodybuilding Sins” That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts
by Steve Hefferon, CMT and Jesse Cannone, CFT
It’s one thing for someone who sits at a computer all day and never exercises to have back pain, but for a bodybuilder, someone who spends hours and hours each week pouring everything they’ve got into building muscle, it should be criminal!
The reason we say this is because, if you are going to spend so much time, money, and energy trying to build the “perfect body”, you have to make sure that you not only look good, but also feel good…
We’ve identified what we call “Bodybuilding Sins” that lead to back pain, sciatic pain, and other injuries… read em and take action now if you are serious about bodybuilding and are fed up with your back pain.
Because there is so much information to share with you, we’ve broken it down into a series of 5 articles, each covering a different component of how back pain affects bodybuilders.
Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:
Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises (below)
Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
Article #3 - Targeted Stretching
Article #4 - Targeted Exercises
Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention
Article #1 - Choosing the WRONG Exercises
Get ready, this is gonna hurt! The exercises most bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most problems… hopefully, you’re different J
But before we share with you what those exercise are, let’s talk real quickly about what bodybuilding is…
The goal of bodybuilding isn’t to get as big as you can, or at least to us it isn’t and shouldn’t be, but to build a balanced body that is as strong as possible in every way. For example, while being freakishly big may get people’s attention, it serves you no purpose at all…
while on the other hand, what if you were not only big, but also extremely strong and powerful, lightning fast, flexible, and agile enough to kick ass if needed?
So many bodybuilders build massive amounts of muscle yet are so unbelievably weak and inflexible… for example, we know a guy who can bench press over 350 lbs but can’t do a measly 50 push-ups!
The point is, the exercises you choose and how you perform them not only determine how big, strong, and flexible you are, but also affect how your body functions and whether or not you suffer from aches, pains, and injuries like back pain and sciatic pain.
Ok, here they are… the exercises that create the most problems and are most likely to lead to back pain:
1. Bench Press
2. Leg Extension
So, any of your favorites on this list?
While there are others, these are the two that cause the most damage.
There are several reasons why these exercises made our list of the “worst bodybuilding exercises”. First, all of them target areas that already tend to get worked a lot in everyday life and often times are overdeveloped…
and by focusing so much on these exercises you end up creating muscle imbalances, or worsening existing muscle imbalances, which pull your bones and joints out of their normal position…
and this leads to uneven pressure and wear and tear on your muscle, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints and will sooner or later lead a break down or injury.
For example, chronic overuse of the bench press, coupled with little or no exercises targeting the upper back, leads to an overdevelopment of the chest and a lack of strength and development in the upper back…
This all too common combination leads to what we call “Turtle Back”. You know what we’re talking about, when the shoulders are pulled so far forward, lats are as wide as barn, and from behind, their back looks like a giant sea turtle shell!
This “Turtle Back” posture can create neck, upper back, and shoulder pain and injuries faster than you can pop an Advil!
Plus, how many times during your day are you forced to lie on your back and push up a bar loaded with weights? There are so many better exercises for chest development that not only stimulate more muscle, but also build more usable strength.
Now let’s talk about the fabulous thigh builder, the leg extension…
Not only does it place an unbelievable amount of strain on the knee joint, but it also will quickly overdevelop the quads, which are already getting far more work than their counterpart, the hamstrings.
An imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings, which is also extremely common in bodybuilders, is a key contributor to back pain. This imbalance is easily identifiable by what people often call “Bubble Butt” or “Ghetto Booty”.
So hopefully you can see how important it is to choose your exercises wisely. We strongly recommend you cut out these exercises, or at least cut back on using them and add in targeted exercises for the opposing muscle groups and targeted stretches for those tight, overdeveloped muscles.
The key to eliminating back pain, or any other ache, pain or injury for that matter, is to bring your body closer to balance…
What good is muscle if you can’t use it? How many more workouts are you going to miss because of back, neck, or shoulder pain? How much bigger and stronger could you be if back pain and other injuries weren’t ruining your training?
Just imagine how bad things will be 10, 20, or 30 years from now if you don’t make changes to your training now… but don’t take our word for it, ask some of the older bodybuilders who are paying the price now... you can spot them easily at the gym because they limp around trying to find something they CAN do.
Look for the next article, “Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results” very soon and in the mean time, if you are suffering from back pain or sciatic pain, here’s what you need to do…
Head on over to our website http://www.losethebackpain.com now to find out exactly what’s causing your back pain and the specific steps you need to take to get relief fast and get back to training at 100%.
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Article by Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS and Steve Hefferon, CMT, CPRS
Posted by Willie Crawford at 11:32 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack