Fitness and Muscle Work

Stretching improves flexibility and energizes the body, but it is also important for good posture. Over our lifetimes, the constant downward pull of gravity and the dehydrating effects of aging cause us gradually to hunch our shoulders and—more alarmingly—to shrink. Regular stretching can help you achieve an upright and energetic posture and a vital, healthy, and pain-free body. source: stretching, Suzanne Martin

THE WORKOUT Begin each session with calisthenics and core moves. Then do the exercises specified for each day as pairs, or supersets, moving from one exercise to the next without rest. Do each superset three times, resting 45 seconds between supersets. MONDAY Superset 1 Pushup Assume the classic pushup position, with legs straight, hands beneath your shoulders. Keeping your body rigid, bend your arms to lower yourself until your chest is just off the floor. Then push back up until your arms are extended. Do as many reps as you can. Pullup Grab a chinup bar with an overhand grip (palms forward) and your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms straight and pull your shoulder blades down. Pull your chest to the bar. Then lower yourself to the starting position. Aim for 10 reps. Superset 2 Dumbbell Snatch Assume an athletic position (knees bent, hips back), holding a dumbbell in one hand below your knees. In one movement, jump as you thrust the weight overhead, k

Journal as: 1/2 serving low-fat crackers and 1/2 serving cheese. Ingredients 10 reduced-fat wheat crackers (reduced-fat Triscuits can also be used) 10 thin slices of reduced-fat cheddar cheese 5 or more slices of light salami or sliced deli turkey 10 slices of black olives (if desired) Directions Set out 10 wheat crackers on serving plate. Carve out 10 pumpkins from the slices of cheddar cheese using an open 2-inch pumpkin cookie cutter. Set a pumpkin on each cracker. Carve a half slice of salami into two eyes, a nose and a mouth and place on the cheese pumpkin. You can use a black olive slice for the mouth if desired. Serve and ENJOY! Makes 5 servings (2 crackers each) Nutrition Info Per serving: 96 calories 8 g protein 6 g carbohydrate 5 g fat 1 g fiber 250 mg sodium source:webmd

By Alex Stewart 1. Not Eating Enough The result is they don't have the energy to make any new gains or improvements to their body and, in many cases, lose muscle mass. The off-season is the time of year a person makes 95% of their improvements to their physique. Without the energy and the fuel, via a surplus of healthy clean food, you can not make the improvements you need. Make sure that you are eating enough calories to enable you to make those improvements and show up better next time you step on stage. Though you might put on a little (note I said a little) body fat, the body fat will come off once you diet down for your next show. 2. Not Eating Enough Healthy Clean Foods What is the first thing you do after you step off the stage with all of your trophies (let's be optimistic)? You go directly to your favorite restaurant, or fast food place, and EAT. Granted, it is fine to indulge in good food after the show is over. You earned it. However, don't let a fast food frenz

by Brandon Guarneri Jason Cameron is undoubtedly one of the fittest guys in the nation. But the personal trainer and star of three shows on the DIY Network—Man Caves, Desperate Landscapes, and Project Extreme—wasn't eligible for our annual MF 25 because, well, he works for us! (Hey, we actually read the lawyers' fi ne print.) In May, he hosted our inaugural Men's Fitness Ultimate Athlete competition in New York City. "Getting results is all about forcing the body to adapt to stimuli you're not used to," he says. To maximize his workout results, Cameron switches his routine every four to six weeks. By switching his scheme every so often, Cameron ensures that he's hitting his body in a different way, which leads to new growth. "Phase training is a very effective method for the intermediate or advanced athlete to ensure continuous progress," says Cameron. "The more your muscles mature, the quicker they tend to adapt to exercise." This is h

Ball Crunch Targets abs, hips, thighs Sit on the ball and walk your feet out and forward of your knees, sliding your butt down so your body is at a slight incline. Press palms together in front of your chest, keeping a tennis-ball-size space under chin. Pressing lower back into ball, lift upper body and crunch up. Hold one breath and return to starting position. Work up to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Challenge yourself: Walk feet closer to ball and lift butt; raise arms straight overhead. Ball Bridge Targets lower back, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs Lie with head and shoulders on ball, knees over ankles, arms crossed. Lift hips as high as possible without arching your back. Hold for 3 counts and lower. Work up to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Challenge yourself: Cross right ankle over left knee for 10 reps, then switch legs and repeat. Ball Push-Up Targets shoulders, chest, arms, abs Lie facedown with your belly over the ball and slowly walk your hands forward until the tops of your thighs

The good of Stability Ball A stability ball works your abs way more than regular crunches do. Plus, use it in place of a bench for strength moves and your core gets a workout -- you'll engage your deep obliques and lower-back muscles to stay in place, says Stephanie Dupuis-Morris, co-owner of Resist-A-Ball. It's adaptable to every fitness level. For beginners, the ball provides support to make moves like push-ups easier. More advanced exercisers can add challenging balance positions to basic strength moves like bridges and lunges. It helps banish back pain. Physical therapists love the ball because it strengthens the deep muscles of the spine. One recent study found that subjects who used the ball regularly improved muscular endurance (the number of consecutive reps you can do) by 57 percent in 10 weeks. Ball Basics Choose the right ball for your height -- 5': 45-cm ball; 5'1" to 5'7": 55-cm ball; 5'8" and up: 65-cm ball. Inflate the ball enough s

1. Ooze Confidence Tyra, we love you because you strut with confidence. Banks's "SO WHAT!" campaign, which encourages women to embrace their bodies -- flaws and all -- shows that even supermodels can champion the beauty of being super-real. 2. Hit the Road Penelope Cruz gets her fitness outside. "Workouts aren't just about burning calories, they're about getting in shape for the things you love," says trainer Gunnar Peterson. For more ways to get fit without having to step foot in a gym, see our outdoor workouts feature. 3. Be a Fit Mom To shape up for her upcoming movie, The Kingdom, Jennifer Garner did lots and lots of lunges with shoulder presses, says trainer Valerie Waters. In real life, toddler Violet stands in for some dumbbells. 4. Get on the Ball Jessica Simpson uses one for wall squats, says trainer Harley Pasternak, keeping the ball behind her back to maintain proper form as she sculpts her legs and butt. For more stability ball moves, check o

Experts Argue Pros, Cons of the Latest Exercise Equipment By Jeanie Lerche Davis WebMD Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD Kangoo Jumps. The Bowflex. The Body Dome. The Ab Away. You've seen them on TV. You've heard the promises -- tight abs, sculpted arms, supercharged metabolism, burn calories like a furnace. But do these products really deliver? For feedback, WebMD turned to two experts, both with the American Council on Exercise (ACE): Cedric Bryant, PhD, ACE's chief exercise physiologist, and Sal Fichera, MS, exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer with Forza Fitness in Manhattan. Here's their advice on several "As Seen On TV" products: the Ab Away, the Body Dome, Body Flex, Bowflex, the Gazelle, inversion/gravity tables, Kangoo Jumps, spinning bikes, the Total Gym, and trampolines (mini). The Ab Away Bryant: "This is an abdominal 'training' product that focuses on the lowering action of a sit-up. That's fine, it's an

By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Angela Lane has great memories of swimming during her childhood, spending endless summer days at the pool to find refuge from the Arkansas heat. She became a lifeguard as a teen, and she swam for fitness during high school and college. Two years ago, things were different. At age 31, Lane weighed 200 pounds. She hadn't been in a pool for more than 10 years. She began a weight loss program, and started to think about exercising again. "People would tell me, 'You need to run or walk,' but when I tried that, my ankles and knees hurt," she says. "When I finally realized I needed to exercise, I said, 'OK, what do I like?' because if you like it, you're going to do it more." She took to the pool. Her first goal was completing just one lap. "Each week, I would get stronger and stronger," says Lane. "Swimming really began to strengthen, condition,

Hear about wii before? What is that? Wii is a kind of search engine like yahoo.. :) No, just kidding. I believe every people in any part of this world know about wii. But, one thing, do you know, we can use wii for calori burning? Hmm.. it's fun and it's health. Here the game from Nintendo that can help burn out your calori Boxing Playtime about 15 minutes Calories burned about 121 Boxing is the most active game on the Wii Sports disc. We strongly advise very heavy people not to go too wild in this one since your heart rate will go up a lot. This could be a problem for people who have been advised not to do big efforts. The fact is that this is the perfect game to lose weight. In a couple of minutes you can burn easily 121 calories in 15 minutes time. So this is a rather fast method and you can even speed it up by using a Mii version of a person that you don’t like as an opponent! Keep moving, move from the front to the back, from left to right. Try punching your enemy from dif

Need a clever strategy to grow your arms bigger. Do chinups instead of curls. Adding a little weight to your body for this bodyweight classic will actually make your arms do more work in less time-we've done the math for you here. For a bigger challenge to your biceps, wrap a towel around the bar. If you're going to curl, change your form: Bring your elbows in for maximum benefit, and mix in these three variations on the classic exercise to boost your gains. Work your back. Most back exercises recruit your biceps and challenge the fibers in different ways than curls do. This exercise lengthens the support mechanism of the upper spine so you can handle greater loads when you return to curling. Show off the upper arms you've got-and the cephalic vein, which runs over your biceps-by cutting fat: Try this variation on a clean and press to pump your guns while you boost your heart rate and blast fat. source: men's health

The Atkins diet plan allows unrestricted amounts of protein, including meats, eggs and cheese, and severely limits foods containing carbohydrates such as pasta, bread and fruit. The Atkins Diet states we can change our metabolism and lose weight easily simply by eating foods high in protein and fat and limiting foods high in carbohydrate. It was formulated by the late Dr. Robert Atkins, a physician. Consuming a high level of carbohydrates causes overproduction of insulin, leading to increased hunger and weight gain. In phase 1, carbohydrates are limited to less than 20 grams per day - roughly the amount in a large slice of bread - while protein and fat are highly encouraged. Since the Atkins and other carb-restricted diets gained popularity in the late '90s, there has been an explosion of low-carb versions of traditionally high-carbohydrate products, such as bread, pasta and even candy. There are four stages to the Atkins diet: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Li

Key Benefits Improve Your Health Lose Fat / Gain Muscle Improve Endurance Increase Energy Feel Better Designed for people of all fitness levels, Crosstrainer is the world's most complete health and fitness software program. Is it for your? are interested in improving the health, fitness and general wellness or yourself or your family, want to change your body shape, lose body fat and gain muscle, want a way to accurately analyse the quality of your meals and workouts would like to plan any type of physical activity; strength training, aerobic training, body building, weekend sports etc want a place to track details such as heart monitor readings, amount of sleep, psychological influences, medications, equipment lifecycles and more... Reinforced Commitment Stay focused: Monitor your eating habits, track your fitness activities and create and manage your workouts. Gain motivation: Record your new measurements as you achieve your goals. Experts agree that keeping a fitness log is

Biking equal to fun workout. Plus Biking is one of the best fitness activities for whole families to enjoy together. It’s also a great stress-busting solo activity. Cycling is the one activity that allows you to cover some real distance. There are plenty of biking tours available now through various regions of the country or world. Biking is good for the planet’s health as well as your own. Why drive to the market for a loaf of bread when you can have fun getting there? Minus More than most outdoor activities, bicycling is subject to the vagaries of the weather. High speeds and relatively little contact with the road don't mesh well with wet or icy conditions. Road safety is key. Bicycling on roads filled with car traffic can add to your stress level instead of reduce it. The road isn't the only thing that's slippery when wet. Brakes are, too. Long, frequent rides can strain the neck, back and arms and even impair men’s fertility. Calories Burned About 544 an hour for a 150

Feature by: Celebrity trainer Michael George 1. His prescription to get an actress camera-ready in a short amount of time "a strict diet, five days of weight work per week and six days of cardio." 2. George's diet philosophy: "For weight management, follow a structured nutritional plan that provides for five small meals per day versus two or three large meals per day. Fuel your body efficiently by eating small meals every two to three hours. This will allow your metabolism to operate at an optimal level." 3. Using a technique he calls Intergrated Motivational Fitness. He created this concept to prevent the boredom that often leads people to drop out. To keep it interesting, he suggests doing a different cardio activity every day of the week: "On Monday, you could take a step or low-impact aerobic class, a great way to gain balance and agility skills. Tuesday you could find yourself working the machines -- 15 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes on the Stair

Pilates was originally created for injured war veterans, but the moves can teach you proper alignment so you move gracefully while working out your powerhouse muscles -- abs, lower back, thighs and buttocks. The Pilates method concentrates on sculpting long, lean muscles that are strong and flexible at the same time. It strives not to overwork or neglect any muscle group as a method to avoid injury. There are two formats: One involves highly specialized machines with a private instructor, and the other is done on a mat as a group class. Pilates can be adapted to accommodate a wide range of needs. It can benefit star athletes as well as your average Joe or Josephine . Plus Increases flexibility, strength and muscular endurance and improves posture, alignment, coordination and balance -- all without building bulky muscles. Emphasize correct form rather than going for the burn. The attention to the body's core, a focus that is missing from many workouts, can help prevent injuries. Pro

Michael Phelps, Swimming Age: 23 (Jun 30, 1985) Training Swims 6-7 days a week, 2-5 hours a day, about 50 miles a week. Once said, "I've never lifted a single weight in my life" but since the Athens games he added a strength training regimen, three times a week, to put on 14 pounds of muscle. Diet Reportedly, he eats 8,000 to 10,000 calories per day and says "I just eat pretty much whatever I want and as much as I want, because I burn so much." Indulgence Sleeping. He told TIME magazine: "I am far, far from being a morning person. If I have a workout at 7:30 a.m., I'm hitting the snooze button at 6:50." Jennie Finch, Softball Age: 27 (Sep 9, 1980) Training Three to four hours a day on the field, plus conditioning and weights. Very few days off. Diet A balanced diet of healthy carbohydrates, protein, fruits, and vegetables. Indulgence Chocolate chip cookie dough. Allyson Felix, Track & Field Event: Women's 200m Age: 22 (Nov 18, 1985) Traini

Put your hand on resting pad, grip the handle. Bring up your knee to your chest Exhale and back to the starting point This exercise will affect your hip flexors and abdomen

1. Green Tea In a recent study, volunteers who drank a bottle of tea (fortified with green tea extract) every day for three months lost more body fat than another group who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Except for the different teas, their overall diets were similar. Researchers suspect that the catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat. 2. Soup (broth- or tomato-based, that is) Calorie-containing liquids generally are less filling than solid foods, but soups are the exception, says researcher Richard Mattes from Purdue University. In Mattes' study, participants were fed 300-calorie servings of various soups before eating their lunches (they could eat as much lunch as they wanted). Mattes found that the study participants tended to take in fewer total daily calories on days when they had the soup, suggesting that eating low-calorie soups (the broth- and tomato-based ones) bef