Muscle Groups

When working out one must give all muscle grounds equal attention. Often some groups are neglected because people don't see them as important when compared to other ones like biceps, even though some would argue triceps are a more integral part of the arm seeing as it accounts for more mass on one's arm. The main muscles one should focus on are biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and legs. Within these groups lie more in depth muscle regions that one must stimulate in order to seek the desired results.

For example, in your shoulder region there are 3 parts; the front, side, and rear delt areas. Doing a simple shoulder press will stimulate each area, but it wont get that recommended stimulation that rear delt flies or side delt raises could accomplish. This is just a slight insight on one of the groups so it is recommended you look up more on each muscle group and adapt your routines in order to better suit these groups and their intricate areas.

When I first started working out I was lucky enough to have a partner who knew what he was doing. He taught me the ropes to working out. I learnt the efficient way of doing things that worked all my muscle groups in a good amount of time. We would try various exercises, changing up upo every couple of week seeing what we liked and what we didn't like. Not every exercise will appeal to you so find something that will appeal to you.

Now I can't say my exercises are the only way to go about doing things so I'm leaving it up to you to tell me what you prefer and how do you manage to hit every muscle group? How do you split up your days?


References:

Couture, J. (2012, July 31). Pairing Muscle Groups to Design Your Own Workout. Retrieved June 23, 2013, from Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/article/weight-lifting-101-pairing-muscle-groups-to-design-your-own-workout

IRONMAN

Over the weekend I went up to Quebec by Mt. Tremblant for a friend's birthday. We stayed in a chalet up in the mountains and visited the Swiss-esque style village near by for the day. On route I couldn't help but notice the insane amount of people biking, running and even swimming in a vigorous manner at every turn. When reaching the outskirts of the village it all started to make sense. Turns out that Mt. Tremblant is holding the next Ironman event and all these people I had encountered on the way were preparing for this massive triathlon. 

                                      

The Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike trek, and a 26.2 mile run all having to be completed before the 17 hour limit. That is insane! The amount of training that must go into preparing for such an event is without a doubt borderline freak of nature-ish. I had asked a man as he was climbing out of the lake about his training and he said that himself and many other participants have been training for many years. You can't just show up and expect to do well.. It becomes a lifestyle.. Aerobic based training every day.

It's highly unsafe to attempt a trek like the ironman and so in order to participate, they must pass several medical tests and prove themselves ready for something so straining. I've always wanted to participate in similar events such as tough mudder, but nothing as grueling as ironman. I find it hard enough to run 90 minutes during my soccer games, imagine traveling a distance that lasts more than 10 hours. My hats off to these tough individuals.

Now what I wanna know is if any of you have ever participated in a similar event and what kind if training was necessary for you to perform? One day maybe ill consider it, but for now I'm fine just admiring these beasts from a safe distance.

Here's a video with a quick look at the IRONMAN...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDoEQTBwODM&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLxTcXRgYJnfQYjBZh_lXl4OBflxKn0G6H

References:

Dolbear, L. (2013). Key Workouts for The Ironman Newbie. Retrieved June 22, 2013, from IRONMAN: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/06/key-workouts-for-the-ironman-newbie.aspx#axzz2X5jcqqB7

a DIET can make or break you!

A factor that people tend to overlook which is critical in any journey towards a life of fitness is the diet. At one point or another in my own personal fitness journey I've come to see that I wasn't getting the results I wanted due to fallbacks on the diet I was consuming. I would hit the gym for two hours and still felt slow and heavy. Once I adjusted my diet and some time had passed I began to notice that my performance in the gym was escalating and things I found myself doing poorly I began doing with more ease and efficiency.

For example when I started working out, my partner would push me on the bench press, but for the life of me I couldn't reach that 2 plate mark. Then I changed up my eating routine and within a couple weeks I began noticing my weight on the bench press was steadily increasing. Eventually I hit my goal of 2 plates (225) and since then maxed out at 6 reps in a set.

There are many people who workout that stay the same due to their poor eating or sometimes their lack of proper eating habits (amount of meals, nutrients digested). People must understand that dieting makes up most of fitness percentile; moreso than the actual working out portion. If you eat pizza and drink beer on the regular then that's what you'll get when you exercise. Body builders who bulk up for some events have well planned diets that allows for them to intake enough food to get the gains they want without being harmful to them health wise and performance wise. Diet is something people must educate themselves on thoroughly because without proper knowledge one won't reach the fitness goals they have set for themselves. 

As much as it is something internal it obviously also affects you externally. You will never get that lean toned body with a diet consisting of McDonald's. it just doesn't happen that way. This is the barrier that many people tend to get stuck at because maintaining a healthy diet can be costly. I want to hear your feedback on this topic. What healthy diet tips can you give to somebody who's trying to eat better? What complications can one encounter with this goal in mind? Like I said before, it's definitely not easy, but it is a lifestyle that will pay off in the future if you manage to work through it. 

References:

Author, U. (2012). Importance of a Diet in Achieving Fitness Goals. Retrieved June 21, 2013, from Bad         Ass Young Men: http://www.badassyoungmen.com/importance-of-diet.html

Koegel, C. (2012, December 29). The Truth About Diets. Retrieved June 21, 2013, from Koegelfitness: http://koegelfitness.com/the-truth-about-diets/

Resistance Training vs Weight Training

These styles both vary In the way they attack the body and better prepare it for exercising.

Lets begin with resistance training. This form of training revolves more around the person using their own weight as the resistance whether it be pushing or pulling motions (which most exercises consist of). Any exercise that uses your own weight and no added weight falls under resistance training so bands don't only constitute this method of working out (push-ups , chin-ups, dips, etc) An example of a form of band training is CrossFit which doesn't use weights to train the body rather specialized bands that use your own weight to create the difficulty on exercises. These bands are different from the standard rubber bands that one can buy at any sporting goods store though. As much help as it can be for someone; if you are a person looking to build muscle and gain a lot of strength then resistance training can only get you so far since it doesn't use any form of heavy weightlifting.


                                   

Now lets move on to weight training which to me is my preferred form of working out method. For a person who is looking to pack on strength and large amounts of muscle then this should be the type of training they seek to do. You can keep increasing the weight on exercises until you reach a point you are comfortable with. Such as bench press, I use this exercise as my primary example because out of all the exercises this to me is the one you track your progressions the most and easiest. If you look to bench 3 plates (315) then resistance training wont be able to get you there. The resistance given is too little to help you reach that goal and most would say it's near next to impossible to achieve without throwing weights in the equation. 

So I'm sure you see my reasoning at this point but just because I think it doesn't make it so. These entries are meant for you to challenge yourself and achieve your goals in whatever way, shape or form you think is best for you. Shoot me some of your impressive achievements and tell me what got you to that point and how long it took. What method would u rather use out of the two?

Here's a link to a video comparing the two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URha9oT6HBQ

References:


Plosser, L. (2012, June 26). A WH Fitness Faceoff. Retrieved June 20, 2013, from Women's Health Mag: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/cardio-vs-strength-training-workouts


Richardson, J. (2011, June 1). Join The Resistance! Benefits of Weight Training. Retrieved June 20, 2013, from OrganicSoul: http://www.organicsoul.com/join-the-resistance-benefits-of-weight-training/

The Importance of Proper Form

Technique is key in everything you do. It's a manner in which you do things that help you reach a goal more efficiently and more effectively. I cannot stress how important technique and form is when exercising. From the simplest to most complex exercises, good form must be consistent throughout. That means not only how you push the weight, but how your body reacts to the movement.( I.e your breathing.) 

Proper technique doesn't only prevent injury, but also creates a level of efficiency that allows for quicker results. If not using proper form you can end up working an entirely different muscle group altogether, thus setting you back. For example, when doing bench press, if your grip is too closed in, you may end up working your triceps more rather than your chest.

Breathing is probably the most important part of any workout as it allows you to get the most out of an exercise. You should aim to take in your breath as your Doing the least strenuous part of your rep and exert when doing the most strenuous part. Breathing can be the fine line between you breaking a personal record or not getting the weight up at all. 

Going that extra step of doing proper form can be the difference between you being in the gym or being out of commission. I cannot stress enough how many times I've seen guys get injured because of something that could've been avoided with proper form. As mentioned in my previous entry, there's a reason why I disagree with CrossFit and that's because of the lack of form and technique that go into the exercises. I always encourage for people to do research on how they should be picking up weight or pushing weight in order to get maximum results and not hit a roadblock such as an injury.

I'm curious to know how often do you find yourself using proper or improper form. Have you ever been set back through an injury caused by improper technique? Do you feel like you get a better workout when taking that extra few seconds to do it right? I want to here your input and what advice you have to make proper technique a habit.

Here's a link to a video describing proper form on the bench press

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I0z_d4xqY

References:

authour, u. (n.d.). Starting Strength. Retrieved June 20, 2013, from wikia: http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:The_Lifts

Is CrossFit FIT for you?

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning system that was created in order to meet all aspects of training and simply putting every focus of fitness into one system. For this reason it's suggested for beginners to not adopt this system and is intended for more experienced fitness enthusiasts. The reason being is that it's imperative that one can properly perform the CrossFit exercises in order to achieve any sort of result. Personally most of the CrossFit exercises are out of my fitness range to attempt. The system can be grueling at times and requires a superior fitness knowledge and performance level to follow through with. 

With that all being said, the Crossfit system has sparked controversy since its incorporation into the fitness world. Many have called it a sort of cult with the sole purpose to sell a fitness system without many grains of truth. Those who defend it claim that the proof is in the results. Now the issue isn't so much if it works or not because those that can do the exercises are evidently fit! It comes down to how helpful it really is to the body. CrossFit does not focus on form and technique which can and will result in injury if one doesn't know how to protect their core. 

It's easy to interpret CrossFit as an unhelpful regiment. Seeing as not many can do it, it becomes easy to criticize and it doesn't really have an 'open door policy' for newcomers because it's either you get it or you don't. I believe that one can reach their goal of fitness through many different methods and of course this can be one of them. Everybody is different and different styles can affect a body in different ways. Do you think CrossFit would be an exercise style you can manage? If not, how would that sway your opinion on the matter of if it's beneficial or not? I've suffered with injuries and as the body gets older it becomes more reliant on technique and form. Because of its injury provoking methods, I would skip out on making it part of my routine. I'll stick to my cardio + LIFTing, thank you very much!

Here's a link that shows a basic CrossFit workout routine! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNh6jU1lE0

References:

Author, U. (2013, January 15). Top 10 Myths about CrossFit. Retrieved June 17, 2013, from YourHealthISTA: http://yourhealthista.com/post/40620866757/the-top-7-myths-about-crossfit-and-why-theyre-totally

Stewart, A. (2010, August 31). Is CrossFit Friend or Fad. Retrieved June 17, 2013, from Bodybuilding.com: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/crossfit-friend-or-fad.htm

Hi and welcome, Here's to the HEART

Well my blog is finally up and running! I'm sure many of you have been anxiously anticipating my first entry of a blog that will contain information on the things one must do and must not do to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. This will be a domain where I will compare different styles of exercises with the right combination of foods and habits for various types of goals. Whether you're looking to reach the physical properties of a body builder, attempting to lose weight for specific health reasons, or increase that endurance that'll have you running miles and miles on end; this is the place that'll steer you clear from the myths and bring you closer to the reality of understanding your own body and what you can do improve the monster you have already created thus far. So lets get started!

I wanted to create a sense of what's important in fitness as opposed to how attractive one can look through definition, muscles and tone. Don't get me wrong, although the latter is important for confidence, self esteem and what have you, there are other things that can't necessarily be depicted by the naked eye or hold any sort of tangible characteristics that 'take the cake' when it comes to fitness and health. Let's just say that what I'm referring to can literally... and I mean LITERALLY add years to your life if taken care of properly. It involves the most important muscle in your body and it actually has the potential to control your performance in anything you do, whether it involves strength or endurance. The muscle I'm talking about is your HEART and more specifically I'm talking about your cardiovascular endurance!

The heart, being a muscle, needs the attention and care that any other muscle in your body would... times a hundred! Because there are so many other factors that come into play that affect this specific muscle it can become rather easy to neglect it of its proper care, but at the same time not many people realize how simple it can also be to take action into improving the quality of your cardiovascular endurance. Simply put, cardiovascular endurance is how effectively your body (heart and lungs) can transport oxygen to and from all the important places that help you function. SO you can see why cholesterol and blood pressure is something that needs to be kept in check. (General Fitness Guide, 2013)

In order to achieve that, two crucial things needs to be done! That is; eat healthy and exercise regularly.When focusing on exercise, the idea is to find out what your target heart rate zone is. This can be done by simply looking up any chart at a local fitness gym or even a quick search online, but if your desperate to do it on your own then here's how! First you have to find your maximum heart rate, which can be found when u subtract your age from the number 220. Now your target heart rate zone is anywhere from 50% to 85% of that max number. Meaning if your age was 45, your max heart rate was 175 beats per minute, then your target heart rate zone would be 87 to 148 beats per minute. If you want to improve your endurance you have to work your heart rate within that region. At least 15 minutes, three times a week can begin to show a great improvement. (exercise for weight loss, 2013)

(This chart was retrieved from http://generalfitness.tripod.com/id4.html)

There are a couple of specific things to include in your diet which can either make or break your journey in improving your cardiovascular endurance. Fruits are very important, but fruit juice (natural) is much better because your body spends less time trying to digest the solid fruits. The sugars from these fruits keep your body going. Protein is another important part because it keeps those muscles strong and recovered while working out. This can be found in a form of powder or even low fat milk can go a long way in helping. Next! You need CARBS! whole grains! Brown rice! Complex carbohydrates fuel your anaerobic metabolism and act as a sustainable source of energy. Lastly! WATER... tons and tons of water. 6-8 glasses a day should be a minimum. Your body must always be hydrated for best results in any exercise you do (Premie, 2011).

That is my way of narrowing down what I focus on in order to achieve my cardiovascular endurance goals! Now, there are many ways to go about doing this and I'm interested in hearing: what works for you and where you would like to see some personal improvements that can get you on a more effective path towards reaching this goal. I personally am a fan of really tasty food and it can also become pretty expensive to maintain a healthy diet. It's okay to cheat! You just have to pick your spots and work a bit harder in the gym. After all we're only human. But when you feel like breaking down and giving up, just take a moment to remember the guy shown down below and everything he was able to accomplish. I leave you with that image and a quick link to a video showing some cardiovascular exercises you can try on your own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzOe2ImO1rk

Sources:

Premie, M. (2013). How To Eat For Cardio Endurance. Retrieved from Livestrong: http://www.livestrong.com/article/419347-how-to-eat-for-cardio-endurance/

Unknown. (2013). Cardiovascular Endurance. Retrieved from General Fitness: http://generalfitness.tripod.com/id4.html

unknown. (2013). Target Heart Rate Formula. Retrieved from Exercise For Weight Loss: http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/target-heart-rate.html