Sexy Shape-Up Secrets

Workout tips from Carmen Electra's trainer.
by Kate Dailey for ExerciseTV

You need a body-boosting workout but you don't have time to spend hours in the gym. Celebrity trainer Michael Carson feels your pain. His client Carmen Electra doesn’t have a lot of time to spend doing squats either. Carson’s solution? Spend as little time as possible working out—and avoid exercise moves you hate.

To follow Carson’s advice, you need to maximize your gym time with a series of dynamic movements that tone muscle, increase flexibility, and burn calories. That means giving tried-and-true exercises a mobility makeover and using more muscles at once.

Carson calls his workout system “rotational”--think of it as three-dimensional body movement. You’re not just moving back and forth and side to side, but in all directions. “It gives you a lot of muscular use with very little impact, and it helps prevent injury,” Carson says. “It’s all about fluidly increasing circulation, improving metabolism, burning calories, and doing everything with one movement.” Sounds good to us.

Follow his tips for a body you’ll want to show off:

Twist and shout: Crunches and traditional core exercises shorten your torso and can actually do more harm than good for your posture. “The more you twist and stretch, the more you make your muscles elongated. Traditional abs training shortens them,” he says. Carson emphasizes moves that encourage full range of motion, like the HELICOPTER SQUAT. Not only do they make you look longer and leaner, they can help prevent injury as well.

Don’t ignore your core: Everybody knows the importance of core training to increase stability, posture and strength. But do you know what your “core” is? If you think abs and back, think again. “Your core goes down below your thighs, almost to your knees,” says Carson. It’s made up of many muscles that all work together to keep you stable and strong. That’s why when you work out, you should engage them all in tandem instead of trying to spot train. Try moves like the BENT OVER PRESS to give your core a real-life workout.

Posture makes perfect: How you stand when executing a move can impact how your muscles fire, which in turn can hinder the effect of your workout. When lunging, keep your weight on your heels and squeeze your glutes for maximum impact, says Carson. Throughout your workout, shift your weight from the ball of your foot to the pads of your feet. Pay attention to which muscles are firing as you move, as well as which moves challenge you more. (If it hurts, don’t push it; check with a trainer to ensure you’re not setting yourself up for injury.)

Ugly moves have pretty results. It’s a natural impulse to want to check yourself out in the mirror when you’re working out. But doing so can sometimes hurt, not help, your form. “To do a squat properly, you want to lower your shoulders to the same degree that you’re lowering your hips,” says Carson. The result can be a move that looks awkward, but it’s better for you.

“Otherwise, you’re putting too much pressure on your knees and shins,” says Carson. “It might feel like there’s a lot going on down there, but there’s no benefit.” Watch him in the FIGURE 8 SQUAT for perfect form.

For more workouts with Michael Carson or to check out Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease workouts, go to http://www.exercisetv.tv/.

© 2008 ExerciseTV LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Top 10 Useless Body Parts

By The Science Channel

When you're sick you may feel that certain body parts are more trouble than they're worth. And in some cases, you'd be right. While the human body has evolved and adapted significantly since the caveman days, a few biological traces of our prehistoric ancestors still remain with us in the form of freeloading body parts we lug around with us, but have no use for. Take a gander at the top offenders!

10. Plica semilunaris
You may not know it, but you have a third eyelid. Pull open the two more noticeable eyelids and take a look -- it's located right in the corner by the tear duct. This small third eyelid is left over from what's known as a "nictitating membrane," which is still present in full form in some animals including chickens, lizards and sharks.

9. Body hair
No doubt we were once hairier. Up until about 3 million years ago, we were covered with body hair. But by the time Homo erectus arrived, the ability to sweat meant we could shed our woolly ways.

8. Sinuses
Doctors don't really know much about sinuses -- only that we have a lot of them. Possibilities for their function range from insulating our eyes to changing the pitch and tone of our voice.

7. Adenoids
Adenoids trap bacteria, but they're also prone to swelling and infection. Just ask any 7-year-old. Luckily, our adenoids shrink with age and are often removed, along with ...

6. Tonsils
Also prone to swelling and infection. If you still have them when you reach your 30s, it's almost an accomplishment.

5. Coccyx
More useful as a game-winning Scrabble word than as part of the anatomy, the coccyx or tailbone, is made up of several fused vertebrae left over from the olden days when we had tails.

4. Arrector pili
When we were hairier (see No. 9), the arrector pili made the hairs stand on end when we needed to appear bigger and scarier. Now, it just gives us goose bumps.

3. Wisdom teeth
Back in the day, when we ate mammoth meat off the bone and didn't floss afterward, our teeth tended to fall out. Therefore, when those reserve molars, aka "wisdom teeth," came in, they were welcomed. Nowadays, fluoride and dental plans have made them just a huge pain.

2. Appendix
Darwin claimed the appendix was useful for digestion during our early plant-eating years; it's dwindled down to little since we started eating more digestible foods.

1. Male nipples

Because, why?

The Reshape Your Body Workout

These moves will beat any problem area.
By Chris Freytag, Prevention

Our "Reshape Your Body Workout" works by tailoring exercise recommendations to your specific problem areas. Every detail—from the number of sets and reps to how fast you should walk — is calibrated for maximum results.

The key plan components are:

Resistance training: Our workout contains the 16 foundation exercises you need. Each of the five specific plans pulls from these moves.

Cardio: Many women love to walk (outdoors or on a treadmill), but you can also swim, bike, or use an elliptical trainer. What's most important is to maintain the proper intensity. Do one or more of the following three cardio workouts for optimum results:

Power 20 to 30 minutes. Warm up for 5 minutes. Increase intensity for 10 to 20 minutes, working at 65 to 75% of max heart rate (MHR) or 6 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.* Cool down for 5 minutes.

Interval 30 to 40 minutes. Warm up for 5 minutes. Increase intensity for 1 to 2 minutes, working at 75 to 80% of MHR, or 8 on a 1-to-10 scale. Slow down for 1 to 2 minutes, working at 60 to 65% of MHR, or 5 on a 1-to-10 scale. Alternate hard and easy bouts for 20 to 30 minutes.
Cool down for 5 minutes.
Steady 45 to 60 minutes. Warm up for 5 minutes. Increase intensity to 60 to 65% of MHR, or 5 on 1-to-10 scale and maintain for 35 to 50 minutes. Cool down for 5 minutes.

* The women in this program measured exercise intensity using heart rate monitors. (For recommended brands, go to www.prevention.com/links.) Maximum heart rate was calculated using 220 minus their age. No heart rate monitor? Assess intensity on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being watching TV and 10 being a full-out sprint.

The Exercises

• D = Drop 20+ pounds
• M = Midlife slim down
• F = Firm up
• T = Trim hips & thighs
• B = Flatter belly

Equipment checklist

• Here's what you need to get started:
• Resistance bands (light and medium)
• Exercise ball
• One set of dumbbells (5-10 pounds)
• One 6" step (boosters optional)

Lower body

Lunge
D, F, B

Stand in split stance with band underneath right foot and heel of left foot off floor. Hold handles at shoulder height, palms forward. Bend both knees and lower hips toward floor until right thigh is parallel to floor. Keep abs tight and right knee directly above ankle. Press into right foot and rise back to start.

Step-up
D, M, F

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with left foot fully on step. Press into left foot, contract left buttock, and pull body up so right foot is off floor. Bend left knee and slowly lower until right toes lightly touch floor, then rise back up. Do a full set, then switch legs.

Squat & lift
M, T

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and band under both feet. Hold handles at shoulder height. Keeping abs tight, bend knees and hips and sit back as though lowering into a chair. Don't let knees jut out past toes. Press into right foot and lift and lower left leg out to side as you stand back up and return to start. Repeat, alternating legs.

Hamstring roll-in
M, F, B

Lie on back with arms at sides, heels resting on ball, and hips lifted off floor. With abs tight, bend knees and roll ball in toward glutes. Roll back out to start.

Upper body

Plank curl
F, T, B

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, support torso on ball with legs extended behind you and arms draped over ball, palms up. Press elbows into ball and bend elbows, lifting weights toward shoulders. Lower back to start. If this is too difficult, bend knees and rest them on floor.

Chest press
F, T

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, support head, neck, and shoulders on ball so torso and thighs are parallel to floor and knees are directly above feet. Bend elbows out to sides so dumbbells are a few inches above chest. Push weights straight up toward ceiling. Don't lock elbows. Slowly lower to start.

Overhead triceps press
F, T

Stand with left foot slightly behind right foot. Place one end of band under left foot and grasp other handle with left hand. Bend left arm so elbow is by ear and hand is behind head. Without moving upper arm, extend left arm up until it's straight. Slowly lower to start. Perform a full set, then switch arms and legs.

Seated row
D, M, F, T, B

Sit on ball with legs slightly bent, band looped around feet, and arms extended and holding handles. Keeping shoulders down and relaxed, bend elbows and pull arms back, squeezing back muscles together as if cracking an egg between shoulder blades. Slowly return to start.

Arm arc
F, T

Stand with feet together and arms at sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping elbows slightly bent, raise arms out to sides, palms down. At about shoulder height, bend elbows 90 degrees so forearms are vertical and palms face forward. Then press dumbbells straight up overhead. Slowly reverse back to start.

Ball push-up
D, M, B

Kneel in front of ball with arms extended, hands on ball. Walk knees back until body is nearly in a straight line from head to knees. Bend elbows and lower chest toward ball. Push back to start. If this is too difficult, place ball against a wall.

Core

Hundred on ball
M, F, T, B

Lie on back with arms at sides, palms down, and heels resting on ball. Lift head, shoulders, upper back, and arms off floor. Take 5 short, consecutive inhales followed by 5 short, consecutive exhales. Pump arms up and down about an inch with each inhalation and exhalation. Repeat 10 times for a total of 100 breaths, taking a break in between if needed.

Ball obliques
D, M, F, T, B

Lie faceup with knees bent and aligned over hips, calves parallel to floor. Hold ball in both hands, arms extended. Extend right leg as you curl head and shoulder blades off floor and twist to lower ball to outside of left leg. Then extend left leg, pull right knee back toward chest, and twist to bring ball to outside of right knee. Continue this "bicycle" move, alternating side to side without lowering shoulders, until you do a full set.

Abdominal pull-in
M, B

Assume push-up position on ball, with hands on floor beneath shoulders and shins resting on ball. As you exhale, contract abs, lift hips, and pull knees and ball in toward chest, keeping head, neck, and arms steady. Inhale and slowly roll ball out to start.

Full-body roll-up
D, M, F, T, B

Lie on back with legs fully extended and arms stretched overhead. Inhale and lift arms toward ceiling. Exhale slightly, tuck chin to chest, pull navel to spine, and curl forward to touch toes (or as far as comfortable). Keep arms next to head as you roll up. Inhale and roll down one vertebra at a time.

Body roll-out
T, B

Kneeling with ball in front of you, place palms together and rest hands on ball. Inhale and slowly roll ball away from you until forearms rest on ball and body forms a diagonal line from head to knees, without arching or sagging. Exhale and pull navel to spine to roll ball back in. If this is too difficult, keep hips in the air so body forms a tabletop instead of a diagonal plank.

Twisting roll-back
B

Sit tall with legs bent, heels on floor, band looped around feet, and hands together, each holding a handle. Inhale, then exhale and roll back 45 degrees, pulling in abs and rounding spine. As you lower, twist to right and open arms out to sides. Inhale, rotate back to center, and roll back to start. Perform a full set, then switch sides.

You can get even more of fitness expert Chris Freytag's exclusive workouts at preventionfitness.com, where you'll find all of the Prevention Fitness Systems DVDs.

Key

D = Drop 20+ pounds workout; Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps of each, unless otherwise indicated.
M = Midlife slim down workout; Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps of each, unless otherwise indicated.
F = Firm up workout; Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps of each, unless otherwise indicated.
T = Trim hips & thighs workout; Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps of each, unless otherwise indicated.
B = Flatter belly workout; Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps of each, unless otherwise indicated.

Source: MSN

Provided by Prevention

Diet Plans For Muscle Building

By Peter Tremayne

Diet plans for muscle building are crucial to your success. Exercise and weight training can only do so much for you. If you are not implementing the right diet into your muscle building journey, you are essentially not doing yourself much good at all. Knowing what to eat and how to eat are critical elements in it.

Remember when you were younger, your parents told you that every growing child has to eat the right foods to become big and strong? Well, the same applies now, even as an adult. In order to grow, you have to eat, but in order to grow in the desired way, you have to eat right. Eating the wrong foods will lead to fat. In body building, there is nothing worse than fat.

There are many different types of diet plans for muscle building. These include protein, anabolic, and low carb diets. The protein diet is one diet that many body builders use and maintain. It is a known fact in the world of bodybuilding that protein is necessary to gain the muscle mass you are looking for. There are many ways you can get your protein, but with a protein diet, it consists of animal meats and other such forms of protein.

Another one of the many diet plans for it is the anabolic diet. This diet is not as popular because it takes more discipline and careful planning. In this diet, all you eat is protein, that is it - nothing more. Carbs are kept to a minimum during the week. When the weekend comes, carbs are allowed and you try to eat as many as you possibly can. However, this really takes some discipline.

If you are not careful and watchful, the anabolic diet can actually increase your body fat instead of your muscles. It is important to stick to the diet during the weekdays, in order to refrain from gaining the fat.

The low carb diet is another of the diet plans for muscle building. Again, in this diet, you are limiting the amount of carbs you are eating. However, as with the anabolic diet, it is not the preferred diet for bodybuilders. It is difficult to stick with and tends to wear out the bodybuilder quickly, increasing fatigue and weakness.

The reason for this is that your body loves carbs. It turns the carbs into fuel for the body.
However, with this diet, the body is tricked into using fat for its fuel instead of carbs. Depending on who you talk to, this diet may also cause you to lose muscles as well.

For more articles like this and to download an awesome FREE Report - '8 Things You MUST Do To Build Maximum Muscle' visit my website -

http://www.BodyBuildersGuide.com/Diet-Plans-For-Muscle-Building

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BMI, Body Fat & Health Risks

You may have heard of the body mass index, but what does your BMI number mean?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

BMI is a formula that factors in height and weight to produce a number designed to estimate the presence of excess body fat. Compared to going by body weight alone, a BMI measurement is a better assessment of fatness since it takes height into account. For example, only knowing a person weighs 160 pounds isn’t enough information to assess whether they carry too much fat. Factoring in a person’s height helps put their weight into perspective: Someone who is 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds may not be over-fat, while someone who is 5-foot-1 and 160 pounds is more likely to carry excess fat.

BMI and health risks
Higher BMI numbers are associated with increased risks of disease and death, from conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Research has found that the lowest and highest BMIs are associated with highest risks. So BMI numbers are grouped into categories meant to reflect the degree of risk a person faces. Those people with the lowest risks of disease seem to fall in the 18.5 to 24.9 BMI range, so they are considered to be “normal.”

A BMI of 25 seems to be the threshold where disease risk significantly increases, and a BMI of 30 confers even greater health risks. So these ranges have been separated into “overweight” and “obese” categories.

Extremely high BMIs are linked to even greater risks of certain diseases. An “underweight” category is included because being overly thin is also associated with increased health risks. For example, people in the underweight category may have anorexia nervosa, cancer (which is associated with weight loss), or be smokers (who tend to be thinner.)

Are you really fat or overweight if your BMI is 25 or above?
A BMI of 30 or above likely means that you are over-fat. But a 25+ BMI merely indicates that you are heavy, and while a heavier person is usually over-fat, this is not always the case.

People who are heavy may be that way because they are highly muscular. They may have a very low percentage of body fat, despite weighing more than expected on a scale. So their BMI number might unreliably suggest they have more body fat than they do. Athletic people, for instance, often have higher BMIs—but since they’re fit and lean, they are not necessarily at increased risk of certain diseases simply because they have a higher BMI.

On the other hand, older people may have more body fat and less muscle, but their BMI number may be on the low end of the scale, suggesting that they have less body fat than they do.

Very short people (under 5 feet) may also have high BMI numbers that do not reflect their degree of fatness. People who are ill or on medications that cause abnormal amounts of edema, or swelling in the body, may weigh more from excess fluid accumulation; a potentially higher BMI number may not reflect the absence or presence of body fat.

BMI is a useful tool when working with research data to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and related diseases risks in thousands of people. It is also a useful way to monitor weight changes over time.

But since it does not directly measure body fat, or where body fat is distributed, it may not be the best method of judging individual levels of fatness and how it relates to health risks. That’s why other factors, such as waist size, are taken into account when assessing a person’s overall health risks.

How can you find out how fat you are?
Body fatness needs to be measured in a lab setting. Some lab equipment such as underwater scales, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and other scanning methods such as the Bod Pod measure it directly. These methods may be impractical and too expensive for most people. Less reliable methods (but still more accurate than BMI) include skin fold testing and a commercial body fat scale. You may be able to be tested with these methods at a local health club.

Since fat in the abdominal area is considered to carry the greatest health risks, waist measurements are considered to be a valid way to assess risk associated with excess fat, and to monitor changes in belly fat over time.

Get Your Dream Jeans Body and Lose 10 Pounds

By James Penn

With the right kind, your jeans will be doing all the work of slimming you and showing your best features. Women want to lose pounds instantly and have great-fitting jeans. From strategically placed pockets to hidden panels, designers have made it easier to find your perfect pair while giving you a slimming effect.

Tummy Control
For tummy control, and who doesn't want a slimmer middle, get jeans with panels that are discreetly sewn inside. Macy's and other major department stores now carry tummy tuck jeans.
Celebrities love tummy tucks and you can find out more about where they are sold by searching "tummy tuck jeans" in your favourite search engine. The company guarantees you will look a size smaller. Lee jeans are also known for their stomach smoothing fit. For a sleek appearance and no lumps caused by bulky jeans, look for those with pockets sewn into the fly. And, be careful with a slightly elongated rise which can cause tummy spillover.

Trim Your Thighs
To trim your thighs look for a bootcut or straight leg style. This creates a long, lean line as does wearing a dark wash with no faded areas. To keep your dark jeans from fading all you do is add a couple of teaspoons of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Wear stretchy, dark denims over your thighs to look sleek with a slimming effect, but make sure you have enough room around your thighs and knees. Stay away from clinging fabric because it can make legs look bigger. Riders by Lee jeans are only about $20 and give a leg slimming effect.

Flatten Your Hourglass Figure
Nothing is more upsetting than not being able to accentuate your waist when wearing trendy denim. You can try jeans with a bit of elastic at the waist...not the type that are obviously elastic. Mavi.com carries some styles like this. You can also opt for a contoured waistband that is cut higher in the back with a slightly scooped front. Adorn your jeans with rhinestones for a modern look.

Good Looking Derriere
For a better view, the trick is in the pockets. Wear jeans with curvy pockets for a beautiful shape in the back. For greater fullness, wear flap style pockets. To draw the eyes up, wear denim with fading at the back of the legs. Another trick for lifting your backside is wearing a belt that covers part of it to make it look shapelier. Try different sizes with different jeans and you will see which ones look better on you. Serpentine stitching also creates an uplifting effect.

When buying jeans, take your time. Most women try at least 10 pairs before finding the right fit.
To build your denim wardrobe, choose a darker jean for a dressy look and a lighter shade for casual days. It also helps to bring along the pair of shoes you plan to wear the jeans with so you can try them on and make sure the length is perfect.

You're now ready to show off your dream jeans body!

For a limited time only, natural health expert, James Penn, is allowing you exclusive free access to his no cost newsletter where he reveals top secret natural health therapies and remedies to reinvigorate, rejuvenate and revitalise your mind, body and soul. Subscribe for free at http://www.revitaliseyourhealth.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Penn

Understand Your Dogs Body Language - What is Your Dog Saying to You?

By Mayra Alfonso

If you are owner of a dog, it is very necessary to understand your dog's body language. This will make you aware of what your dog's telling you. Regular interaction with your dog is very important to keep him happy and make him stay away from aggressive behavior. Remember that dogs depend on body language to express themselves.

Dogs possess a peculiar kind of body language of their own. You need to understand this vocabulary in order to have a successful communication with your dog. Here are some of the most common Canine body language messages:

a) Tail and ears down:
Whenever your dog wants to exhibit submissiveness, he will sit down with both his ears down and tail tucked between his legs. Here, he acknowledges you as his master and surrenders. Your dog will also sit in this position if he has done something naughty or done something that you don't approve of. He wants to curb your anger and hence sit in this position. Another situation where your dog sits with his tail and ears down is when he feels down, gets sick or injured.

b) Tail and ears up:
Whenever your dog approaches a new visitor, with his tail and ears up, he is excited and happy to meet this person. The body language is a way to express his happiness and gratitude. This is a playful behavior and you don't need to worry about the safety of your visitor in this case.

c) Play bow:
This is a body language your dog exhibits whenever he wants to play with you or his fellow dogs. He will lay his front legs flat on the ground and stick his back end in the air. This body language is followed by a happy bark. He will also jump towards his side. In short, this body language of a dog is to ask someone to play with him.

d) Whining:
Whenever your dog gets frustrated or angry it will whine. This behavior is common whenever your dog is tied to a leash for a long time or not able to do what he wants.

e) Growling:
This is a warning to you. Here the dog becomes aggressive and warn you. This is common when someone tries to invade his place or privacy. It is natural for your dogs to growl at strangers.
However, you need to know that dogs who growl at their owners have some problem. You should seek a professional help immediately. Growling is a sign that the dog is going to bite soon.
Hence, this behavior should be taken seriously.

f) Barking:
This is one of the most common body language for dogs. This can mean different things depending on the circumstance. Dogs may bark to greet their owners, warn someone, or indicating a stranger's entry to your home.

Pay attention to the body language of your dog will help you have a good relationship with your dog.

Dramatically increase the happy years of your dog by checking out our free report. I reveal all the secrets I've personally used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Go to http://www.DogNaturalHealing.com/83percent.html right now before change our minds and decide to no longer give this valuable free report!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mayra_Alfonso

How To Lose Body Fat With The 11 Minute Power Session

By John Davenport

If you're looking for a way to lose a lot of body fat fast in the privacy of your own home, you've come to the right article. Use the 11 Minute Home Workout Power Session and you can lose an easy 120-180 calories each day.

The 11 Minute Home Workout Power Session
Minute 1: Do lumber jacks. Do them at a fast pace. This is a great exercise to loosen up all of your joints and warm up your muscles. It also gradually increases your heart beat.

Minute 2: Jump rope at a rapid pace. Make sure to rotate your arms from the shoulders and always land on the balls of your feet. If you live in an apartment house with neighbors below, it's best to do this on a rug or out on a balcony. While you do this, I want you to concentrate on the exercise and imagine the way your body fat is burning away.

Minute 3: Rapid biceps curls. Use two light dumbbells (5 pounds each is the maximum) and do biceps curls one hand at a time as fast as you can. I know that in the gym you usually do weight exercises slowly. That's the way to do it in order to increase muscle mass. The reason we do this fast is to lose as much body fat as possible. You'll feel you arms burning with strain. Just think to yourself that you're losing body fat with each curl.

Minute 4: Sprint in place. I want you to sprint as fast as you can where you stand. Make sure to swing your arms when you do this. This is very difficult to do and you may feel out of breath. I want you to push through the pain and keep thinking that you are losing more and more body fat.

Minute 5: Shoulder thrusts. Take the light dumbbells, stand with your feet apart and knees slightly bent with the dumbbells at shoulders level. Now thrust them up over your head as fast as you can. If this becomes too difficult, do it without the dumbbells. You will still feel the intensity of this massive exercise.

Minute 6: Another minute of jumping rope. The same as you did in minute 2. Imagine a calorie counter in your head racing up. These are the calories you're burning with each jump.

Minute 7: Squat and jump. I want you to do squats and when you return to your starting position, to jump high and bring your knees as close to your chest as possible. This exercises alone is worth a lot of calories each day.

Minute 8: Bicep curls again. Imagine yourself 2 weeks from now looking much leaner after you've lost all that body fat.

Minute 9: Sprinting in place, the same as minute 4. Chant in your head: "I am losing body fat. I am losing body fat, " at the pace of the sprinting you're doing. You're nearly over and doing so well.

Minute 10: Squat and Jump. The same as minute 7. By this time you will feel almost wiped out. I want you to try to give it one more small push. You will lose more body fat faster because of it.

Minute 11: Shoulder thrusts again. The same as minute no. 5. Think to yourself, I'm almost done. I've burned a lot of body fat.

Do some light stretches and congratulate yourself: You've finished the 11 Minute Home Workout Power Session, the effective and fast way to reduce body fat at home.

That's it. You've done so well. You should be proud of yourself. I hope you'll use The 11 Minute Home Workout Power Session to lose body fat fast and forever. I wish you the best of luck.

To rid about more exercise routines to lose body fat fast, click here: Tips and Secrets To Burn Off Body Fat Fast.

To discover 27 additional nutritional tips to boost your metabolism rate and more fitness tricks to take your workouts to a new level, click here: http://TruthAboutGreatabs.com. John Davenport achieved his flat stomach and six pack abs. To read how he did it, click here How To Get A Flat Stomach Fast.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Davenport

Build Muscle From Home

By Jonathan Potkins

Is it possible to build real muscle from home? I get that question a lot and the answer is yes!
You don't have to join a gym to build muscle or get stronger. With the right equipment and planning you can have an effective bodybuilding program from the comfort of your home.
Maybe you can't afford a gym membership due to your financial situation. You lead a busy lifestyle and would prefer to save time by training at home. Maybe you're simply too embarrassed or uncomfortable to train in a regular gym setting at the moment.

What ever the reason there are many benefits from working out at home. You don't have to wait forever to use the equipment. You don't have to smell everybody.

You get to listen to what ever music you like and feel more confident because you don't have a group of people around you. I could grunt, yelp and scream through my sets if I was in the mood without disturbing anyone (hey, squatting to failure isn't easy okay?) or train shirtless if I felt like it. When the workout was over, I could sprawl out on the floor in exhaustion and know that my post workout shakes were just a few steps away, and that I wouldn't have to hobble to my car and spend anymore time driving home.

The only real disadvantage is that your exercise selection will decrease because you won't have access to certain pieces of machinery such as a leg press or calf machine. You can purchase certain machines if you have the money to spend and plan on training at home over the long term, but for the majority of people this simply won't be possible.

The good news is that planning out a proper bodybuilding routine does not require the use of any fancy equipment, and all of the machine exercises that you would regularly perform can be swapped for free weight substitutions. Build muscle from home required equipment.

Here is the basic equipment that your home gym should contain:

1) An adjustable barbell with free weight plates - A cast iron set is probably a good idea, and you must also make sure that you purchase enough weight so that you can continually progress from week to week.

2) Adjustable dumbbells - This is much more efficient and cost-effective than purchasing an entire set of dumbbells. You should be able to buy the barbell and dumbbells together in a single set.

3) A bench with incline adjustments - A good sturdy bench is a must-have for performing bench presses and other seated movements. If possible you should purchase a bench that can be set on an incline and that also contains safety catches if you plan on training alone.

4) A chin-up bar - These can usually be purchased for 15-20 dollars and can be placed inside of a door frame.

5) A squat rack - This is usually the trickiest piece of equipment to purchase, as a full squat rack can be pricey. Squats are an irreplaceable movement and should always be a part of your workout routine, especially if you don't have a leg press machine handy.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. The bottom line is that you must have some sort of apparatus that will allow you to safely unrack a loaded bar and drop the bar onto a safety catch (or the floor) if your strength gives out during the lift. Don't ever squat without a safe place to drop the bar! Most full squat racks will also provide a chin-up bar on top, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone if you decide to purchase one.

There you go the best top five pieces of equipment for you home. Try using a fitness ball, no it's not girlish you actually get a really good workout. Do push ups on it and it works you pecs and your abs because your abs have to keep you center. Do sit ups and your abs get stretched while being work which increases your gains.

With the right equipment and information you can absolutely Build muscle from home.
This is Jon Potkins answering all your fitness questions.

For more information join me at http://freeyourabs.com - plus free report when you subscribe!

What Kind of Toxins Does Your Body Have?

By Rudy Silva

A lot is being said about body toxins and colon toxins and removing toxins from the body. But what really are body toxins and where do they come from? And, why do we need to remove them?

A toxin is a chemical or substance that creates irritation and imbalance in your body. Your body response quickly to substances that you eat, drink or inhale that create irritation by creating inflammation. This inflammation, if maintained in your body for long periods, is the source of disease and decreased life span.

Body toxins create a dirty body like dirt creates a dirty house. When a house is not cleaned regularly, bacteria, fungus, parasites, pathogens, bugs, rats, you name it start to move in. The same occurs in your body. Body toxins are naturally acidic and they attract all kinds of pathogens, since they enjoy an acid environment.

Body toxins or colon toxins not only come from what you take into your body, but also, come from within your body. Unresolved emotions, feelings, or thoughts create chemicals that circulate within your body causing the same type of inflammation caused by the chemicals or substances that you eat.

It is estimated that 90% of all illnesses are created by psychological problems. If you have unresolved emotions that occurred in childhood, teen years, or adult life, then this will have an impact on your lifestyle choice. You will most likely chose those relationships with people, food, or addictive substances or behaviors that will keep you from dealing with those unresolved issues.

Doing a yearly body cleanse is a necessity, if you want to remove toxins that are slowly building a place to live and creating a disease that maintains their existence. A body cleanse can be a colon, liver, kidney, or blood cleanse. A colon cleanse is a good place start; unless you have stones in your liver or kidney, then this is the place to start.

There are a variety of different cleanses that you can choose from. The important thing is to choose one so that you can get the experience in doing one and see its effects. Cleanses do not have to be complicated. You can do a simple three day juice cleanse to get started. Then, when you do another cleanse, add herbs that assist in cleansing. And still when you do another cleanse, add special supplements that help reduce or eliminate toxins.

Body toxins and colon toxins are destructive in your body, because they begin the process of disease. If you want to have fewer body toxins, less disease, then you need to clean your inside body, frequently, like you do the outside of your body. Start with a simple 3 day cleanse just to get over the idea that a cleanse is hard or takes to much time.

Rudy Silva, Natural Nutritionist, gives you more free tips on colon cleansing at:
http://www.cleanse-the-body.com/ He has also recently release an e-report that you can easily use it for a 3 day colon cleanse called "7 Day Colon and Blood Cleanse" at: http://www.coloncleanse.for--you.com

Find Tattoo Styles That Work On Your Body Type - Five Best Designs

By Adam Woodham

Finding tattoo styles that work on your body type can be a real pain, but here are the five top designs for different body types, which work well on a wide range of people, while looking great.

Tattoo styles are constantly changing. While this is always going to happen, you should not pick a tattoo simply because it is the hot trend today. You are going to have the design on your body for a very long time, so you should not settle on something just because everybody else is doing it. You want your tattoo to be original, right? Keep this in mind when selecting the right tattoo styles for you body.

Now we will get right to the good stuff. Remember, you should always take your time to pick the perfect tattoo styles. Never, ever settle on something just because you don’t want to sift though all of the available tattoo styles that will look good on your body type.

New School Tattoo Styles – You might have seen these on people. This is the modern version of old anchor and swallow type tattoos. The old sailor type tattoos are now making a comeback and there is so much that you can do to these to make them an original work of art. Even women are getting these types of tattoos now and placing them strategically on heir necks.

Japanese Kanji Tattoo Styles – These are mostly seen as a “full sleeve”, covering men and women’s arms. These are some of the most beautiful tattoo styles out there and they look great on men and women. The most popular Kanji type design happens to be the Koi Fish.

Floral and Heart Tattoo Styles – These have been around for generations, but it seems as if they are making a strong comeback and are one of the sexiest tattoo styles. New School tattoo artist are now making their own designs and a new style of floral and heart tattoos have been born. Don’t settle for the pictures on the wall of a tattoo shop, because those are outdated. You can find all of the new school designs on various tattoo websites.

Tribal Tattoo Styles – The tribal tattoo has been around forever, way before your grandparents were even born. They are much more complicated designs than they were back then, so you have an enormous amount of tribal styles to choose from. Many people are now getting tribal tattoo styles in color, instead of just using black or green.

Star Tattoo Styles – The days of getting a plain star tattoo on your stomach are coming to an end. Half of the people that got these tattoos don’t even know exactly what they mean; they just thought they looked “cool”. There are now better, more extensive designs available, so you can really stand out in a crowd with an original star tattoo.

You should always take your time and pick out your tattoo styles carefully. Spend as much time as you need than selecting the perfect design. You should also never get a tattoo on impulse. Your best bet is to find five or six of your favorite designs and bring them to your tattoo artist. He or she can then restructure them to your liking and you can pick from multiple original tattoos. This way, you will be assured that your tattoo styles are original and you will be the only person with that design.

Want to know where to find the largest, most original website to browse tattoo styles?
Adam Woodham is the author of this article and runs the blog Art Tattoo which features the 3 top websites with the absolute largest gallery of tattoo styles you will ever see. Finding the perfect tattoo has never been easier.

Find Tattoo Styles That Work On Your Body Type - Five Best Designs

By Adam Woodham

Finding tattoo styles that work on your body type can be a real pain, but here are the five top designs for different body types, which work well on a wide range of people, while looking great.

Tattoo styles are constantly changing. While this is always going to happen, you should not pick a tattoo simply because it is the hot trend today. You are going to have the design on your body for a very long time, so you should not settle on something just because everybody else is doing it. You want your tattoo to be original, right? Keep this in mind when selecting the right tattoo styles for you body.

Now we will get right to the good stuff. Remember, you should always take your time to pick the perfect tattoo styles. Never, ever settle on something just because you don’t want to sift though all of the available tattoo styles that will look good on your body type.

New School Tattoo Styles – You might have seen these on people. This is the modern version of old anchor and swallow type tattoos. The old sailor type tattoos are now making a comeback and there is so much that you can do to these to make them an original work of art. Even women are getting these types of tattoos now and placing them strategically on heir necks.

Japanese Kanji Tattoo Styles – These are mostly seen as a “full sleeve”, covering men and women’s arms. These are some of the most beautiful tattoo styles out there and they look great on men and women. The most popular Kanji type design happens to be the Koi Fish.

Floral and Heart Tattoo Styles – These have been around for generations, but it seems as if they are making a strong comeback and are one of the sexiest tattoo styles. New School tattoo artist are now making their own designs and a new style of floral and heart tattoos have been born.
Don’t settle for the pictures on the wall of a tattoo shop, because those are outdated. You can find all of the new school designs on various tattoo websites.
Tribal Tattoo Styles – The tribal tattoo has been around forever, way before your grandparents were even born. They are much more complicated designs than they were back then, so you have an enormous amount of tribal styles to choose from. Many people are now getting tribal tattoo styles in color, instead of just using black or green.

Star Tattoo Styles – The days of getting a plain star tattoo on your stomach are coming to an end. Half of the people that got these tattoos don’t even know exactly what they mean; they just thought they looked “cool”. There are now better, more extensive designs available, so you can really stand out in a crowd with an original star tattoo.

You should always take your time and pick out your tattoo styles carefully. Spend as much time as you need than selecting the perfect design. You should also never get a tattoo on impulse.
Your best bet is to find five or six of your favorite designs and bring them to your tattoo artist.
He or she can then restructure them to your liking and you can pick from multiple original tattoos. This way, you will be assured that your tattoo styles are original and you will be the only person with that design.

Want to know where to find the largest, most original website to browse tattoo styles?
Adam Woodham is the author of this article and runs the blog Art Tattoo which features the 3 top websites with the absolute largest gallery of tattoo styles you will ever see. Finding the perfect tattoo has never been easier.

Mind, Body & Healthful Juice

By Wilson Sager

The Holistic Approach
We humans need to be aware of our holistic self and that it consists of mind, body and soul. Each has its unique, irreplaceable role in contributing to our overall well being. Combining selected oriental practices with traditional western medical practices has resulted in beneficial miracles thanks to the consistent focus on an holistic approach to wellness and disease management. Maintaining a healthy and vibrant mind and body requires essential natural nutrients and a balanced exercise routine. We need the freedom to develop a personal relationship with God. A holistic approach is needed to attain the maximum benefits of healthy living.

Healthful Juice
Organic fruit and vegetables can help us achieve holistic well being. Fresh vegetable and fruit juice nourish our minds and bodies. The excellent taste, fresh smell, and colorful appearance peps up the senses. And the healthful ingredients, straight from the earth's treasure chest of essential nutrients and minerals, nourish and strengthen the mind and body. These nutrients provide the basis for new cellular development.

It is easy to juice raw fresh fruits and vegetables because they require no cooking. The raw food nutrition helps preserves more nutrients and enable us to enjoy the benefits of a healthy diet. So add some juice-sips to your diet and enjoy the joy of juicing and the benefits of a healthy diet.

Champion Juicer – Your Health Buddy
Ok so juice is a smart healthy option, and the best juice is fresh home made juice! In fact juices from a masticating juicer are the best option as this gives maximum nutrients and the juice is tastier with some yummy fibers too! For your own body sake don’t get lazy and have chemical laced packaged, while the centrifugal juicers don’t do the job properly as they miss out on many fibers and micronutrients. One of the best masticating juicers available is the Champion juicers (since 1955).

It’s a popular masticating juicer that’s powerful and famous for its durability, reliability and real integrity. Manufactured by Plastaket Manufacturing Co. in California, this juicer range is backed-up with a 10 year limited warranty. Champion Juicers have a simple answer to every juicing problem.

Champion juicers chew the fibers and this break up the cells of vegetables and fruits. What you get is a great health drink that gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Your health benefits from a darker, richer color juice with a full-bodied flavor that is sweeter with more full-bodied flavor.

http://www.AChampionJuicer.com is an ecommerce business marketing a masticating juicer. The Champion Juicer is a fruit and vegetable juicer. And drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice may improve or maintain your good health.

Total Body Workouts Are Better Fat Burners

By Craig Ballantyne

Total body fat burning workouts beat cardio every day of the week. If you want to sculpt your body weith fat burning exercise sessions, burn fat with total body workouts.

Cardio (a.k.a. aerobic exercise) is no longer the King of Exercise. Research now shows that you can burn fat, improve your heart health, increase your quality of life, and reduce your risk of disability with resistance training.

Sure, you can get some benefits by using machines at your local health club. But total-body "functional" exercises (like squats, push-ups, and bodyweight rows) are even better. And resistance training doesn't mean barbell bench pressing with heavy weights. You can use dumbbell free weights or a variety of creative bodyweight exercises at home.

An extra benefit of bodyweight or free-weight exercises is that they give you the ability to complete a total-body workout in less time. For example, if you do a bodyweight or dumbbell squat, you will replace the need for the leg extension and leg curl machines in a health club.
Push-ups or dumbbell chest presses replace the chest fly and triceps extension machines. And chin-ups replace the need for machine-aided pulldowns and biceps curls.

In three or four "functional" moves, you can complete a total-body workout. Do each exercise two to three times for 8 to 12 repetitions per set. Rest one minute between sets. You can do your exercises in a circuit (all exercises done back to back without rest) or in supersets (two exercises done back to back without rest) to cut even more time from your workout. Aim for three total-body strength-training workouts per week.

Total body workouts are where its at.

Commercial Gym Example:

• Squat
• Seated Row
• Bench press or DB Chest Press
• DB Split Squat

That's a thorough workout, and you'll be sweating up a storm and your heart rate will be up - but that only matters for people that are addicted to the sweat and increased heart rate of cardio. What really matters is the turbulence put on the muscle and the increased metabolism and muscle growth that happens outside of the gym

Do the work in the gym, and burn the fat during recovery,
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked total body fat burning workouts have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. The TT fat burning workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's bodyweight workouts for fat burning help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Loving Our Bodies

By Lynne Morrell

I was working with a client this week, whose daughter is 10 years old and is already showing signs of body image issues. 10 years old! This woman is a fantastic mom who supports her daughter to be healthy and strong. But, somehow this adorable young girl is getting messages that her body is not "thin enough."

I recently read an article about a family who allowed their teenage daughter to get a boob job because she didn't like the size of her breasts. The girl was only 16 years old! I am not making a judgment about what this family did--this is more of a discussion about how young people are when these body issues start to sneak in.

I can remember being 13 and already thinking that my body was ugly. 13 years old! I spent many years battling with this voice...never feeling beautiful in my body.

It wasn't until I was widowed at 30 years old, raising 2 young children, and having braces on my teeth...that I didn't care any more. During this period in my life, my body was of no concern! It was sort of "just there!"

I had too full a plate to be critical of myself. Plus, I was in such shock and grief that I didn't have the spare energy to be critical of my body. I was too busy wondering if there was anything I could have done to prevent my husband's death!

I lost a lot of weight during that time. Though, it wasn't because I cared about that. Food just tasted like card board. Plus, it took way to much energy to eat and clean all the food out of my braces.

Death, grief and shock (plus having braces) is a great way to loose weight!!!!! I am being facetious here. Though, this was very true for me!

It has been some years since that horrible time...I am in a completely different life! Resiliency is a wonderful thing! Though, the critical voice inside me that says: "Your body is flabby and ugly!" is resilient also.

*So, how do we raise our children to feel good and confident in their bodies?

*How can we as adults appreciate our bodies...no matter where we are physically?

*Is there a way to feel good in a culture that wants the women to look like thin waifs with big boobs? In a culture were men, need to be buff with "6 pack" abs. Whatever the hell that means!
The tricky thing about all of this body issue stuff is that people can not feel healthy in their bodies unless they love their bodies. A body can not thrive in a toxic waste dump of negative thoughts! A body can only thrive when it is fed good stuff...like appreciative thoughts, loving thoughts...gratitude!

So, I would like you to start something! I would like you to speak from a voice of appreciation for your body! Even if the voice of appreciation is a bit of a stretch for you....I want you to try it!
I will start:

I appreciate you, my body, for healing so many things (cuts, scraps, colds and flu's, etc.) without me doing anything!

I appreciate you, my body, as you support me in increasing my strength. I get out and exercise on the days that I feel well enough...and you respond so well to that!

I appreciate you, my body, for remembering how to create muscle. I am already seeing a difference in my muscles...and I am able to lift and carry bags of weeds without my bladder hurting!

I appreciate you, my body, for loving me so unconditionally...you try to send me love even while I am beating the crap out of you!

I appreciate how patient you are with me...even when I am nasty to you, when I think about how "not enough" you are...you patiently take care of me.

I appreciate you, my body, for continuing to heal, even when I tell you that you are not doing enough!

I appreciate that I can sit here and write to you and not be in pain in this moment!
I appreciate that I am becoming more and more pain free...more and more mobile...more and more flexible and more and more strong!

I appreciate you, my body, for housing my soul...my spirit. Because, without this amazing container, I could not experience this physical world...and on the whole this is a very fantastic place!

Thanks body...you rule!

Your body would love to hear some kind words!

Lynne has spent years gathering tools to assist others to tap into their inner wisdom. Her work is about ways to accept, love, and honor Self, and to take the great leap of faith into being authentically you! Learn more at her website and her blog

Boost Your Metabolism - Facts On Metabolism

By Robert William Locke

Lots of diets talk about your body metabolism and use expressions like ‘stoking your metabolism’ or ‘kick-starting your metabolism’. But what does it all really mean ? Read this article to discover what exactly is going on before considering any weight loss program.

Body metabolism is composed of two separate divisions of activity: one is the breaking down of tissues, called catabolism; the other is the building up of tissues, called anabolism. Increasing the body's rate of metabolism may be your answer to weight loss. Some people advocate ketone body metabolism which is an evolutionarily conserved process that spares protein breakdown so that the brain can function for long periods without food. But this is still very controversial.

The higher your metabolism is, the less likely you are to have excess body fat. In fact, increasing your body's metabolism is one very effective way to lose weight. It uses calories to process and digest the foods you eat, using calories to maintain body muscles, keep your heart pumping, make your organs function properly and even to make your hair and nails grow. When you severely restrict your caloric intake, the body automatically decreases its energy expenditures to the bare minimum, because it thinks you're starving. Muscles take more energy for the body to maintain, so you automatically burn more calories and have a higher metabolism when you have more toned muscle on your body. Boosting your metabolism not only helps you lose weight, it also helps give you more energy. Essentially when you start working to increase your body's metabolism, you are teaching it that you need more energy throughout the day. Since it's using more energy to keep you maintained, it will step up the process and actually provide you with more energy too. The body requires about 60-65% of your daily caloric intake to provide energy basically for life support.

Increasing Your Body Metabolism Rate
In fact, with proper nutrition and exercise, your body's metabolism rates can actually be increased enough to allow you to be able to eat almost anything you want, within reason of course. The body's rate of metabolism naturally decreases with age due to the decrease in physical activity and amount of lean muscle tissue. Taller individuals have a higher rate of metabolism than shorter individuals. The body's rate of metabolism can decrease in response to a diet without the incorporation of regular exercise.

If you need to know more about body metabolism and discover which foods will make your body run like an Italian sports car, then look at the link below.

Robert Locke is an Internet Marketer specializing in Health, Wellness and Fitness.

If you need to know more about body metabolism and discover which foods will make your body run like an Italian sports car, then look at the link below. http://www.usfreeads.com/887310-cls.html

Body Shaping - How To Build A Nice Butt

By Scott Abbett

The late Vince Gironda, a legend in bodybuilding circles, had some eccentric opinions. It's said that his gym in Studio City, California was devoid of free weight squat racks because he believed squatting exercises only created "turnip thighs" and a big butt. Well, what on earth is wrong with thighs that are big near the top (as long as it's muscular size) and a booty that has a protruding contour? These are muscles as deserving of respect and attention as any other. And in the case of the gluteus maximus; it possesses the potential to carry more power and size than any other muscle in the body.

Sometimes it appeared that Mr. Gironda's assertion was that only men shouldn't build their butts. This seems like a sexist opinion. Given that surveys of women have repeatedly revealed that they look at the male posterior as much as vice versa, it'd be natural to assume that inspiring a woman to improve her rear contour might be best accomplished by her male counterpart improving his. Yet I think most women are aware of their derrières and want to make them more appealing. For this reason, the motivation through inspiration might need to go in the other direction. Regardless, building a better butt is best done with the same process (whether you're male or female), despite what some would have you believe with their recommendations.

The number one body shaping principle to keep in mind for improving your butt is to realize that "shaping" or "firming" the area actually requires some muscle building. Adopting the widespread notion that you can noticeably change your glutes without adding some muscle to them will likely lead to unsatisfying results and disillusionment. Muscles don't really improve in shape or become harder without adding new muscle tissue. If you lose three pounds of fat from this region and don't simultaneously gain three pounds of muscle, you'll have a net loss in glute size and it's unlikely that you'll have a nicer butt. This seems especially likely given the fact that muscle weighs more than fat, thereby resulting in less visual mass created by three pounds of muscle than three pounds of fat. Of course, the muscle will likely be more visually appealing than even a third of that fat, but that's venturing in to subjective opinion.

What we want are some objectively reliable methods for steadily building the glutes. The two most effective exercises I know of for accomplishing this are deep squats and stiff-legged dead-lifts. These two movements will build size and shape in your glutes faster and more impressively than doing endless lunges across a gym floor. Yet the performance of lunges is ubiquitous among women while squat racks and stiff-legged dead-lift platforms often appear abandoned by the same. Actually, they seem abandoned by men also. This could be due to the fact that working the glutes within a lower body workout can be an arduous endeavor.

One incredibly effective machine for performing glute-bulging, deep squats while easily maintaining safety is the squat machine by BodyMaster. It has a forty-five degree angled platform to stand on while supporting the weight with arched shoulder pads. When facing inward (toward the weight) on this machine, you can perform what people refer to as a "power squat". With your feet placed as far back on the platform as they safely can be and shoulder width apart, squat downward until your butt touches the back of your heels. This will require that you stick your butt outward as you descend to the deepest part of the squat in order that you don't strain your lower back. It's this hip-protruding posture from the deepest squatting position to the halfway point on your way back up where the gluteus muscles get their best workout.

Stiff-legged dead-lifts might seem counter-intuitive. Society tells us to bend at the knees when we pick up something heavy. But that instruction assumes that our only alternative is to lift from the lower back – which is NOT where you should lift from while doing this exercise.
Bodybuilders know that there is also the option of lifting primarily from the hamstring and glute muscles when picking something up without the use of the quadriceps. Moreover, if you keep your mind focused on your gluteus muscles while lifting the weight, you'll be performing an exercise that is second-to-none for building a strong and incredibly shapely butt.

When performing stiff-legged dead-lifts, it's best be on a platform specifically designed for the exercise. This platform provides a rack for the weight bar at about hip level. It's also narrower than the width of the bar so as to allow the plates on the bar to drop lower than the platform you're standing on when you're at the bottom of the movement. Make sure you keep your feet just slightly wider than shoulder width (for better glute involvement), and bend very slightly at the knees. Holding the bar with your hands at shoulder width, lower the weight by bending at the hips until the bar touches the top of your feet near your lower shins. Then, keeping the back stiff and slightly arched, bring your body back up to nearly upright while pulling from your glute muscles. Be sure to keep the bar up against your body throughout the movement to help prevent using your back.

NEVER attempt these exercises if you have a back injury and always consult your physician before beginning a routine involving these exercises or any other training regimen for that matter.

That said, here is the best four-exercise routine I'd recommend for building the butt:

1. Deep Squats (BodyMaster machine): (4-7 sets of 6 reps)

2. Stiff-legged dead-lifts: (4-7 sets of 6 reps)

3. Leg curls (4-7 sets of 6 reps)

4. Lunges (4 sets of 6 reps)

Yes, I recommend lunges too. However, I suggest doing them at the end of the routine when the glutes have been pre-exhausted by the previous exercises. Also, I recommend that you do them one leg at a time rather than alternating between legs by walking them across the gym floor.

Perform this routine no more than once per week and less often as you progress in development. These exercises, in this sequence, are the surest way I know of for creating an eye-catching… uh… derrière.

Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success. To see his personal transformation, visit www.hardbodysuccess.com

Balancing Your Writing Life - Exercise Your Body

By Beth Barany

Is your life balanced? Do you work, rest, and play equally? If you’re a modern person, juggling writing, a day job, and a family, your response is: “What are you talking about?” Most likely, we need to move more*, play more and rest more.

Physical exercise is a wonderful counterbalance to the focused mental work and solitary lifestyle of a writer. Our work as writers needs to be first priority if we want to get our work done. Ironically, however, making time in our schedule to move reminds us that we are more than only the mind. We are of the body too.

Exercise is a great way to juice up your creativity and change your perspective on your writing. I see exercise as a form of play. Remember when you were a kid and you ran around playing tag or hide-n-go-seek until dusk? I assert that the right exercise for you can be that same kind of "in the moment" joy. All you need to do is re-discover what is the right kind of exercise for you.

After nearly three years of exercising regularly, I share my insight from the perspective of someone who had never exercised regularly before.

Step One - The Fun FactorFind an exercise that you love! Use your childhood passions for inspiration. How can you turn one or many of them into something you can do now? Bicycling, walking, swimming, running, yoga, one of the many forms of dance - the list is endless.

Step Two - Baby Steps Start out with brief, low-impact classes or short stints outdoors. Take walking, for instance: it’s simple, most anyone can do it, and the equipment investment is minimal. On Day One, take yourself to a nice place and walk for ten minutes. Enjoy your surroundings, the creatures and people. Notice how you feel. Breathe the fresh air. Remember to stretch.

If you’re out of shape, your week one goal is to walk twice for only ten minutes each. Stick with a regular schedule until you can move the frequency up to three times a week. Then incrementally move up the duration of your walks, going from 10 to 12 minutes. Then add a few more minutes, until you’re walking 35-40 minutes three times a week. The object of the game is to keep it fun and to say, “I can do this!”

Tracking Track your routine and your progress. Keep a log of the date, the activity, and its duration on an index card or exercise logbook.

Be kind to yourself Don’t over-do it. Over-high expectations are counter-productive in this realm of baby steps. Be aware of what’s reasonable, in terms of activity chosen, time allotted, and the expectation that it will change your life and body instantly. Choose a place to exercise that is between work and home, or easy to get to, like your living room. And use music, if you like, to lift the spirits while you move!

Sacrifice Like anything important, making time for exercise requires giving up something else in your schedule, like TV, or too many volunteer jobs.

Balance out the intense demands of your writing life with time spent in the body. A calmer and clearer writer’s mind, and improved health the rewards from taking the time to exercise.
Happy Exercising and Writing!

*This an informative article only, not intended to give medical advice. My information comes from my own experience and that of others.

Teen Body Building

By Jonathan G. Michel

Teen body building is forever increasing in popularity. I see my 13 year old son and his friends, already pumping iron. I believe it has to do with self-esteem and looking good for the girls. It gives them self-confidence because he continually shows me how big his muscles are getting.

I was a little concerned at first, because teen body building at 13 seemed somewhat young to me. But further research showed that there's really no age barrier for teens to begin body building. After all, today's teens are usually big and strong. Their bodies seems to be ready. It's not any tougher than playing sports, which is just as demanding on the body, if not more.

Teen body building is best suited for 15 year olds and up, but many 13-14 year old boys are already well developed beyond their years. They're still growing, but body building only re-enforces their strenght. However, in teen body building, the focus should be a program designed to building an all-around physique for good health and athletics, instead of purely for size.

Am I worried if he burns too many calories if he doesn't take supplements. Heck no, not the way my boy and most boys of his age eat. Actually, with most statistics showing our teenagers being slightly obese, it's a good idea they take up teen body building. Of course if you see he's becoming serious about body building as a teen, then you as a parent should start monitoring his calorie intake and consider the proper supplements for teen body building.

Keep in mind that a teenager is in school for most of the day, and therefore can't eat six meals a day. This is where the protein bars come into play. They are a much better choice than those sugar-filled granola bars.

Just as in regular body building for adults, teen body building is not much different. They still have to space their meals for every 2-3 hours, or 5 - 6 times a day. That's kind of difficult in school, but they are in high school and college, so they do get 5 minute breaks walking to their next class. So technically, between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there's really only two spaces to fill.

The diet in teen body building should basically be the same as an adult, rich in proteins, essential fatty acids, fibers, etc. I definitely would keep them away from creatine monohydrate until they have fully developed as a teen, or about the age of 18.

Teen body building and training is not any different then adult training, according to my research. Never train the same muscle group two day in a row. Don't over train, and get enough rest. My son needs his 10 hours of sleep otherwise, he's in one hell of a mood. Teen body building is just as demanding so make sure you get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Alcohol is a no, no.

Jon G. Michel is a successful webmaster and advocate of a healthy lifestyle. Teen Body Building is one of the best forms of staying healthy known to man, teens included.
Learn the secrets to the best body building methods for teens, or visit http://www.reliablereviews.net

Body Building Supplements That Actually Work!

By Kent Glines

This information will reveal truths about bodybuilding supplements so you can use them safely and effectively. Bodybuilding supplements will effectively help you gain muscle mass, increase strength, and lose body fat. Since the beginning of time people have been interested in health. This includes developing strong bodies and extending their lives. Bodybuilding Supplements are made for increasing muscle size. They also help burn fat and can take over where nature left off. Supplements help to boost hormones and repair muscles during your rest time between workouts.

Supplements
Supplements for the weight training sports and fitness activities do have a place in health and performance enhancement. Bodybuilding supplements also make it easier to stick to a diet.
Please be aware that supplements do not treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should also understand that supplements will help and enhance your workouts but they will not do the work FOR you. Supplements are merely additional nutritional substances that are taken either by athletes or bodybuilders. They aid and help in the building of muscle mass and also in losing fat.
Supplements are also useful to promote performances in any sport and to recover from athletic events.

Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a lifestyle! It will change everything from your daily diet to sleeping habits.
Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibers through three basic combinations, weight training, caloric intake, and rest. Bodybuilding, which is also known as the art of displaying the muscles, did not really exist prior until the late 19th century. It was first promoted by a man from Prussia named Eugen Sandow. He is generally recognized as the person who started the bodybuilding trend. Creating a workout schedule and sticking to it is the number 1 basic that you MUST master. By starting with the basics it will help you to develop dedication and focus to achieve your goals, not only in bodybuilding but with life in general.

Basic Supplements:

Protein
Protein is available in a variety of supplement formulations to fit any goal such as bodybuilding or weight loss. Protein shakes and bars are convenient and provide high quality protein that will help turn fat into firm muscle. Protein also helps rev up the body's metabolism, which will help with fat loss. For bodybuilders, protein-carbohydrate drinks are usually consumed immediately after a workout. The added carbohydrates to the protein drink help the protein molecules reach the muscle fibers more quickly. This is essential to muscle growth and repair.

Creatine
Creatine is sold in a variety of forms, including Creatine monohydrate, Creatine ethyl ester and Creatine malate, among others. What is Creatine? Simply put, it’s an organic acid that naturally occurs in the body. It supplies energy to muscles so you can have short bursts of energy.

What does Creatine do? Creatine helps to increase the size of the muscle, helps boost performance while doing activities requiring short bursts of energy. Creatine also helps you to recover from bodybuilding activities. It speeds muscle repair and eases pain.

When you purchase bodybuilding supplements you need to know which ones work and which are a complete waste of time. Please keep in mind that a proper diet, taking the proper supplements, getting enough sleep and getting into a weight lifting routine will ultimately give you the body style you want. Due to the popularity of bodybuilding supplements, many companies are now offering discounts. It is increasingly becoming more affordable for many weight lifters and body builders to purchase these once coveted products.

Kent Glines has been a personal trainer who has achieved more than typical results with his clients by sticking to most of the common supplement basics.

More information about these and other body building supplements can be found at http://www.bodybuildingdiscount.net