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...

This stretch targets the sides of the hips and the thighs—typical problem areas for cyclists. It's also a good practice have this stretching before you have a elliptical bike or magnetic bike. Hold your buttocks firm, then raise your right foot and place it on a stable support in front of you with knee bent. Raise your right heel so that just the ball of your foot is on the support. Stretch up, pulling your ribs away from your pelvis, and lean forward over your bent leg. Pull your navel into your spine, round your back, and grasp your ankle. Hold for 3 breath cycles, then repeat on the other leg.

Stretch your legs and hips to help balance your stride. Ensure that the “headlights” of your hips face forward equally. Resist the tendency to twist to the right by pressing your right hip down toward the floor. It's good practice before you have a treadmill. Lunge your left foot forward and bend your knee. Place your hands on the floor on either side of your foot. Keep your back leg straight. Reach straight up with your right arm, and turn your head to look at your hand. Hold for 3–4 breath cycles, reaching through your raised hand, pushing out through your back heel, and stretching your head forward. Repeat on the other side.

Skipping, should be everybody knows whats its that. Here number of reasons why skipping is good for you: Improves co-ordination. Skipping gets upper and lower body to coordinate movements Allow aerobic and anaerobic training. Increase joint strength. Increase leg power and endurance. Tones muscle and reduce fat. How to Sometimes picture tell you more then thousands of word. So, take a look on the image Related Article(s) Skipping - Advance Technique I

Sit comfortably and lift your foot so that the sole faces away from you. Grasp your heel to keep your foot steady, and firmly pull your toes up toward your shin. Tuck your fingers under the pads of your toes and pull and lengthen rather than just bending your toes back. Hold for 3 breath cycles, then repeat on the other foot.

You should be able to bend your toes to expose your knuckles, just as you do on your hand when you make a fist. The knucles on your toes should slope down, with the big toe knuckle the highest and the little toe the lowest. Here you position your fingers under the foot and stretch the top and then the bottom of it. Grasp your foot with both hands so that your fingers meet under your knuckle arch. Slowly and firmly spread the knuckles apart as you apply upward pressure with your fingers. Repeat 5 times. Position your thumbs next to each other on top of your foot. Press down firmly as you open and stretch the bottom of your foot with your fingers. Do this 5 times. Repeat both steps on the other foot.

Sit comfortably with one leg crossed over the other. Gently grasp the front of your foot and pull your toes in toward you. Hold for 3 breath cycles, then press your toes away from you, again holding the stretch for 3 breath cycles. Release and repeat on the other foot.