Fitness and Muscle Work

10 overrated muscle-building strategies, and 15 ways to replace them. Standard crunches Abs are all about body fat. Once you get your percentage into single digits, try doing planks (work up to holding the position for 2 to 3 minutes) and Swiss-ball crunches (start with 10 reps and work up to 30 to 40). "Both are better than the standard crunch for bringing out your abs," says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist and sports psychologist at Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant. Protein Too much of a good thing can be, well, a bad thing. "Your body can use only so much protein, and then some of it is just converted into fat instead of going to your muscles," says Mike Bracko, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist at the Institute of Hockey Research in Calgary, Alberta. He recommends consuming no more than 0.5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight each day. Calf Raises "Squats work all those tiny muscles in and a...

Which one? Should I do cardiovascular exercise before or after my resistance training? Some said, should do it before the weight lifting because it helps to warm up my body. Another school of thought believes that, in order to lift heavier weight, should conserve the energy and therefore, cardiovascular exercise should only be done after that. After talking to different personal trainers and based on my experience, I have summarized pro and con of each approach - why before and why after weight training? Why Before Weight Training? If you are trying to get your weights and cardiovascular exercise done in one session, doing a light cardio for muscle warm-up will actually encourages you to move right into high-intensity lifting without having to do as many warm-up sets. Also, if you are training for an endurance competitions like half-marathon or triathlon, you should do cardio before any other workout. That way, you use the most energy and effort into the session to produce optimal perf...

WebMD Feature from "Prevention" MagazineBy Caroline Bollinger Stick-with-it strategies to shed pounds and get strong--guaranteed! Ready to start an exercise program? Just making the commitment is an amazing first step. To ensure success, here are seven surprisingly simple, research-backed strategies that can help you overcome the most common roadblocks to weight loss. They'll motivate you through the ups and downs of any new workout routine, so you'll stick to it and reach all your fitness goals. Learn what "build slowly" means Be realistic about your abilities. Experts say to progress gradually, but most of us don't know how to translate that into real-life terms--especially those who used to be active but have gotten out of the habit. "Formerly fit people are surprised and frustrated when they find themselves winded after a walk around the park," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsb...

In the quest for fitness, don't overlook flexibility By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-FeatureReviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH We all know that aerobic exercise, strength training, and nutrition are three components of a balanced fitness regime. But there's another, just as important, component that's often overlooked: stretching. "It's the one area that is completely being neglected," says Michael Anthony George, a personal trainer to celebrities including Reese Witherspoon and Christian Slater. Why is flexibility -- the ability to move joints and muscles through their full range of motion ­ so important? First off, staying flexible means avoiding injury and pain. Without stretching, tendons, ligaments and muscles will shorten, causing damage over time, says George, owner of Integrated Motivational Fitness. "If a certain muscle group is weak, stiff, or tight, the body will actually hijack peripheral muscles to aid in that movement,...

Could the push-up be the "perfect exercise"? Here's what it can do for you, and how to get it right. By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD While fitness fads may come and go as fast as their late-night infomercials, some types of exercise transcend trends. Among them is the push-up, which uses your own body weight along with gravity to tone and condition muscles. Some fitness experts have called the push-up the closest thing there is to a perfect exercise. And with good reason. "One of the reasons the push-up has endured so long is it's cheap, it's easy, it doesn't require any equipment, it can work multiple parts of the body at the same time -- and pretty much everyone, from beginners to athletes, can derive benefits," says personal trainer Jonathan Ross, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). What kind of benefits? If you're thinking the push-up is the best upper body exercise, many fi...

What kind of exercises are best for strengthening and toning the arms? By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Admit it. It feels great when you can lift a child without a second thought, open a jar without asking for help, or carry in a 40-pound dog-food bag by yourself. You can thank your arm muscles, which is a huge part of many activities of daily life. Unfortunately, we often neglect our arms until sleeveless season rolls around. But when you're ready to take that step, just what are the best arm exercises for strengthening and toning? WebMD asked fitness experts to share some of their tips for building stronger, tighter arm muscles. The Benefits of Upper Body Strength Arm toning and strengthening exercises are important throughout life, says Dan Agresti, exercise physiologist and owner of ProActive Health and Fitness in Denver. And the benefits go way beyond looking good in a tank top. Life is a lot better when you're stron...

Weight-training techniques that will help you get results. By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today. The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say. "Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Counc...