15 Best Workout Tips of All Time

15 Best Workout Tips of All Time

Want to know the secrets to getting a toned, trim body in record time? We did too, so we went straight to the top personal trainers, exercise physiologists and fitness instructors for the ultimate moves and motivation tricks to kick a fitness routine into high gear. Put a few of these tips into action each week and you're guaranteed to see faster results!

Tone Up on the Treadmill
"Save time at the gym with this 10-minute cardio/sculpt session: Hop on a treadmill holding a three- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand, and set the speed to a brisk walk. Do a one-minute set each of shoulder presses, biceps curls, triceps extensions, side laterals, front laterals and standing triceps kickbacks one after another as you walk. I's an amazing upper-body challenge that also gets your heart pumping. Do this series two or three times each week. As you improve, work up to doing four-minute sets."
—Michael George, trainer and owner of Integrated Motivational Fitness in Los Angeles
Power Up Your Runs
"Adding wall sits to the end of every run will strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes, improving your speed and endurance. Lean against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, then squat until your knees are bent at 45 degrees. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds; work up to doing 10 sets. Add a challenge by including heel raises: Lift your left heel, then the right, then lift both together twice."
—Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of the Running Center, New York City
Chart Your Progress
"Stay motivated using a fitness report card. Jot down these subjects: Cardio, Muscle Conditioning, Flexibility and Attitude. Set goals (for example, doing 10 "boy" push-ups) and grade yourself A through F at least four times a year. When you see how much you improve, you'll want to stay in great shape."
—Ken Alan, Los Angeles—based personal trainer
Try This All-in-One Toner
"A side-step squat with wood chop works your arms, torso, abs, back, legs, inner thighs and butt. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a three- to four-pound medicine ball in your hands. Bend your arms up so that the ball is at eye level over your right shoulder. As you bring the ball toward your left knee, step out with your left leg and bend it no further than 90 degrees, keeping your right leg straight. Return to the starting position. Do 10 to 15 reps and repeat on the other leg."
—David Kirsch, trainer and author of The Ultimate New York Body Plan (McGraw-Hill, 2004)
Break Out the Shovel
"Why pay someone to clear snow from your driveway? Besides burning nearly 400 calories per hour, shoveling snow develops muscular endurance and power. But be safe: Minimize the amount of snow on each shovelful, and bend from your knees and hips, not your back."
—Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., exercise physiologist and sports psychologist at Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant, Texas
Work Out During Your Workday
"Sit on a stability ball to strengthen your core, and keep dumbbells or exercise tubing at your desk. Squeeze in 12 to 15 reps of exercises like dumbbell curls, overhead presses and ab crunches; aim for two or three sets of each. This gives you more free time to fit in fun workouts like biking or tennis."
—Gregory Florez, personal trainer and CEO of Salt Lake City — based FitAdvisor.com
Take This Jump-Rope Challenge
"The best cardio workout is the jump-rope double-turn maneuver. It's intense: You'll burn about 26 calories per minute! Do a basic jump for five minutes, then jump twice as high and turn the rope twice as fast so it passes under your feet twice before you land. This takes timing, patience and power. But you'll get in great shape just by working at it."
—Michael Olajide Jr., former number one world middleweight contender and cofounder/trainer at Aerospace High Performance Center in New York City
Give Yourself a Break
"You don't have to be a fitness saint to get results. Follow the 80/20 plan: Eighty percent of the year, you'll exercise regularly and eat well. Know that you'll slip 20 percent of the time due to holidays and work deadlines. When you accept that fitness isn't an all-or-nothing proposition, you're more likely to stick with it for life."
—Maureen Wilson, owner/personal trainer/instructor, Sweat Co. Studios, Vancouver, B.C.
Get a Jump on Weight Loss
"Add plyometric box jumps to your workout to improve your cardiovascular stamina and leg strength — you'll really sculpt your hamstrings, quads and glutes. Find a sturdy box that';s at least one foot high [like a Plyo Box, $139.95; 888-556-7464; performbetter.com]. Starting from a standing position, explosively jump to the middle of the box, then jump back down. Repeat 20 times."
—Michael George
Don't Skimp on Carbs
"Your body needs them to fuel a workout, so reach for fruit or high-fiber crackers an hour beforehand. If you'e exercising for 90 minutes or longer, include some protein so that the carbs break down more slowly, giving you longer-lasting energy. Your best bets: low-fat cheese and crackers, trail mix or half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
—Cindy Sherwin, R.D., personal trainer at the Gym in New York City
Maximize Your Crunches
"Don't relax your abs as you lower your chest away from your knees during a crunch — you get only half the ab-toning benefit! To get the firmest abs possible, you need to sustain the contraction on the way down."
—Steve Ilg, founder of Wholistic Fitness Personal Training and author of Total Body Transformation (Hyperion, 2004)
Intensify Your Push-Up
"Squat-thrust push-ups get you in great shape because they work your upper body, core and lower body and improve agility, strength and endurance all at once. From a standing position, bend down, put your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, and jump your feet back into plank position. If you're strong, cross your ankles; otherwise, jump your feet wide apart. Do a push-up, then jump your feet together or uncross your ankles. Jump your feet back to your hands and stand up. Do eight reps total, rest for one minute, and repeat."
—Keli Roberts, Los Angeles — based trainer
Paddle Your Way to Flatter Abs
"Go kayaking to get a taut stomach — it's ideal because much of your rowing power comes from your core. Mimic the motion and resistance of the water at home by looping an exercise band around the bottom of a table leg or other fixed object. Sit on the floor with legs extended, knees slightly bent; grasp one end of the band in each hand. Rotate your torso to one side as you bring the elbow back slightly, then switch sides. Do three sets of one to three minutes each."
—Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., associate professor of health, physical education and recreation at Southwest Missouri State University
Make Over Your Running Routine
"Unless you're training for a marathon, skip long, slow, distance running — sprinting builds more muscle. Add a few 10- to 60-second sprints to your run, slowing down just long enough to catch your breath between them."
—Stephen Holt, 2003 ACE Personal Trainer of the Year
Super-Sculpt Your Butt
"Get great glutes by targeting the muscles and connective tissues buried deep in your body. To hit them, do high-intensity squats, such as jump squats. Then, blast off butt flab with cross-country skiing, bleacher running and stair climbing."
—Steve Ilg

Exercise At Home Or Gym

Exercise At Home Or Gym

Making the decision of where you will go to exercise

is a very important step in reaching your goals of

fitness.  A lot of factors will go into this 

decision, and each one should be evaluated well

before you start exercising.  Once you have made 

a decision on where you will go to exercise, you

can move on to deciding how you plan to work out.

As you probably know, exercising at home has many

advantages.  The finance department is one of the

best advantages.  With the gas prices being what

they are today, it is quite obvious that you'll

save money on fuel as well as wear and tear on

your vehicle by choosing to exercise at home.

Memberships to a gym can often be quite expensive

and may include other things that you don't need

such as child care or swimming pools.  You also

won't need to be concerned about the latest 

trends of exercise gear as you most likely will

be exercising by yourself at home.

Keep in mind that working out at home does 

require a bit of financial obligation.  Even 

though you may plan to run, it is very important

that you have high quality running shoes.  This

statment applies to any type of equipment that 

you may purchase to use at home.  If you go

out and buy cheap equipment, you'll probably

end up getting hurt or getting frustrated because

you aren't making any progress.

Along with the financial gains, exercising at 

home may also help those who don't like to work

out in public.  If you are worried about how you

look in gym clothes, it is very comforting to

know that the only person who has to be with you

when you exercise at home is you.  Also, when

you exercise at home, you don't need to worry

about time at all.

Those of you who are motivated by being with

people you know or come to know while working

out away from home, a gym may be a better idea

than working out at home.  At the gym, you'll 

also more of a selection of equipment as well,

far more than you'll have at home.

If you need other services than just weights and

equipment, the gym may have just what you need.

If you plan to swim a triathlon, you'll find the

swimming pool at the gym to be just what you need

to prepare yourself.  Swimming is also a great 

exercise for your body and cardio, as it will work

muscles in your body that you probably didn't

even know you had.

Gyms will also offer you classes that you may find

very motivating.  If you attend class on a regular

basis, you may be motivated enough to continue

so you don't have to defend yourself when asked

where you've been or what you have been doing.

You can also meet new people in class, or just

help others along if you choose.

All in all, making the choice of exercising at 

home or at the gym is a choice you should make

based on your goals and personal preference.  The

most important decision you'll need to make is

to determine what type of environment you want

to be in and how you want to accomplish the

fitness goals in your life.

Once you have given it some thought and weighed

out the pros and cons, you'll have no problem

making the choice.  Always keep in mind that

once you've made your choice, you can always switch

if you aren't happy with the choice you made.

How To Burn Fat Like A Bodybuilder (Without Muscle Loss!)

How To Burn Fat Like A Bodybuilder (Without Muscle Loss!)

The number of strategies to burn stubborn body fat stem far and wide. All kinds of fat loss workout plans, programs and the latest techniques flood the internet almost daily making promises they can’t keep.

Do you fall victim to information overload? Don’t know where to turn? Look no further than the competitive bodybuilder when it comes to losing fat and keeping your hard-earned muscle. Bodybuilders have a unique perspective when it comes to dropping unwanted pounds – they have to.

It’s not something they desire, dream about or wish for one day, it’s something they must do in order to reach their ultimate goal – to place as high as possible in a competition. It’s much like their job. Do what it takes to lose fat and keep muscle.

We can all learn a thing or two from a traditional bodybuilding diet. But first, let’s break down what the typical bodybuilder does in order to achieve such low body fat levels.

How Bodybuilders Burn Fat

Contest dieting, as it is often referred to, isn’t something taken lightly with a few topical suggestions easily executed. It is a well thought out plan of scheduled meals, adjusted macronutrients and laborious consistency. Below are a few key concepts of a traditional bodybuilding fat-loss diet.

• All macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) are carefully gauged according to bodyweight, body composition and ultimate goal. Water intake is also kept high.
• Protein is kept optimal for muscle gains and prevention of muscle loss.
• Healthy fats are vital in energy use and hormonal balance.
• Carbs are complex in nature and are oftentimes cycled for greater fat loss.
• A minimum of 12 to 16 weeks are required to reach the goal.
• Weight training is kept heavy and cardio is added to accelerate fat loss.
• Progress is closely monitored on a weekly basis. Adjustments may take place at these times.
• Rest and recovery are practiced with the utmost discipline to ensure all body systems function properly.
• Cheat meals (if any) are deliberate and seldom.
• Consistency is the bodybuilder’s best friend.

It Takes Work, and a Lot of It

One of the most, if not the most, important factor for success is the act of consistency. Staying the course and not wavering or giving yourself excuses is the surest way of getting to the finish line. Bodybuilding diets aren’t full of nice little ways to be flexible and be easy, they are disciplined and deliberate plans of consistent action all pointed toward one goal – to get you ripped. It’s not an easy or incredibly enjoyable process but if your goal is to lose fat and you are serious about that objective then a bodybuilder’s approach might be just what you need.

What You Can Do to Burn Fat Like a Bodybuilder

Below are some ways to make a bodybuilding diet plan work for you. They are presented in such a way for you to easily put into practice for your own personal success.

1.  Make a plan: The most important part of any lofty endeavor is to have a thorough plan of action. If you are new to this, however, the trick is not to jump in head first, but to gradually build consistency over time. To build muscle and lose fat takes time so apply the same thinking to your long-term dieting goals. Gradually clean up your diet, gradually become consistent with your meals, gradually build on your discipline. These, in turn, will create a solid and stable long-term foundation that you will add to each week. Make a plan and build on it.
2. Keep protein high: You’ve heard that axiom before but do you honestly practice it? Start by adding a little protein to each meal. This may include adding an ounce or two of meat or one or two more eggs or egg whites to meals. The first step is to make sure you are getting at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Later, you may need to increase this slightly to 1.25, 1.5 or even 2 grams per pound. The key is to take in a consistent supply of protein to help reduce the risk of losing muscle while dieting.
3. Support your training: While we are on the subject of protein, be sure to support your training with quality sources. Of course you want to eat several high-protein, quality meals per day but you also will want to bookend your training with amino acids as well. For convenience, a whey protein powder product can be ideal. 20-30 grams of whey prior and 40-50 grams after training will ensure the recovery process is at the forefront so you can reap all the rewards of your workout session. If you prefer whole-food sources, easily digestible proteins such as eggs and fish are viable options.
4. Fats can stay, increase them if necessary: The research touting the benefits of healthy fats continues to mount. Not only are they an excellent source of energy when carbs are kept low (on a diet) they also have been shown to play key roles in the regulation of key hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone which can be vital in the process of burning fat. Healthy fats such as avocado, nuts and olive oil should be normally kept at around 20-30% of total calories. On extreme low carb days your fat intake can increase slightly to compensate for the energy loss.
5. Types of carbs count: Another no-brainer is the fact that you should take incomplex forms of carbohydrates. Brown and white rice, sweet and white potatoes, raw oatmeal, quinoa and Ezekiel bread are just a few examples of ideal energy sources. At first you will want to cut out highly processed carbs like desserts, cereals, pasta, most breads and snack foods. These not only do a number on your beltline but also on your blood-sugar levels as well. Aim for 1 to 2 grams of quality, complex carbs per pound of bodyweight to establish a baseline. Afterwards, you will know where you stand regarding energy levels, bodyweight changes and workout performance.
6. Cycle those carbs: Now, here’s the trick. Most successful bodybuilding diet plan will have you manipulate carb intake in some fashion. From my own experience cycling carbs seems to be an effective and fast way to drop fat, save muscle and maintain energy levels for your workouts. The way I see it, there are two ways to approach this, and either approach has you manipulating carbs by depleting and then feeding in a cyclical manner:
   • You can drop carbs to 1 gram per pound of desired bodyweight for low carb, non-training days and increase carbs to 2 grams per pound on training days. Also, you may have one day per week (preferably a heavy training day) where you take in 3 grams per pound as a “cheat” day.
   • You can have set days per week you go low and high such as 4 days of low carbs flowed by 1 day of high carbs. Keep cycling this 5 day approach.
7. Cheat tactfully: “Cheating” on your diet isn’t a green light to go crazy and eat whatever and however much you want. For the disciplined few it simply means eating more of the same bodybuilding-friendly foods. If you are carb cycling a high carb day would suffice for most as a “cheat” day. For those who can afford it having a cheat meal once per week can also be an option. Don’t fool yourself. If you aren’t making the progress of a pound or two of fat lost per week then you have no business eating high calorie meals every week.
8. Have patience and discipline: Anything worth getting requires serious hard work. Results don’t happen overnight or day to day or even weekly. The body is not a machine. It doesn’t respond in a linear fashion with evenly-spaced gains and losses. Especially during the major road bumps and periods of little or no progress, patience is a requirement on the long road to lean. As stated before, discipline is built over time just like your physique. Trying to do everything at once is a perfect plan for failure.

8 Pack Abs Workout: How To Get The Ultimate 8 Pack

8 Pack Abs Workout: How To Get The Ultimate 8 Pack

Let’s face it; having to read about another abs workout program is like trying to get excited about going to the dentist. Both sometimes seem to be more of a chore than finding anything remotely fun. And to make matters even worse, performing and maintaining a genuine abs routine is like buying new tires; not something you really like to spend your time or money on but you know deep down they will improve performance.

A necessary evil? Yes, but let’s change that!

Sure, diet is paramount when it comes to developing great abs for all to see, but you mustn’t forgo a solid and effective ab program to reap the maximum benefits from your efforts. It’s time to stop throwing in a few sets of crunches at the end of a workout with empty hopes that one day your eight pack will suddenly reveal itself through pitiful focus.

Stop kidding yourself. Draw a line in the sand and stop wasting time and energy spinning your wheels and adhere to a sound and effective plan of attack to boost gains for not only vanity reasons but also increase performance residually through other lifts. A solid core can be a key factor regarding strength providing improved balance and shoring up weak midsection stability during big lifts.

In short, a stronger core equals stronger squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Everything (power, strength, stability) is first derived from our core. If this area gets its due attention we have no choice but to reap reward in its execution. A tight, strong midsection creates whole-body strength and who would pass that up?

What makes up the abs?

The muscles of the abdominals comprise of several areas that flex, extend, twist and stabilize the trunk area. They sit on the front sides of the lower torso originating along the ribcage and attaching along the pelvis. Below is a quick look at each muscle and its function.

Rectus Abdominus: This is the coveted “six-pack” muscle – although it has more than six heads. This muscle flexes the spine and brings the ribcage and pelvis closer together.

Transverse Abdominus: This muscle is a deep muscle of the core which lies beneath the other muscles that is essential for trunk stability.

Internal and External Obliques: These are diagonal muscles that work to rotate the torso and stabilize the abdomen.

Your 10 exercise abdominal arsenal

Below are ten key moves and their modifications to help you crunch, squeeze and pound your abs into tempered steel.

Leg raises

Leg raises can be performed on a flat bench, a decline bench or hanging. For the hanging version, begin with a straight leg and then as you tire, bend your knees to keep the set going for an intense burn. While hanging from a chinning bar raise up your legs as in the lying raises and stop when your legs are at parallel with the floor and return. For knee raises bring your knees into you abdominal region until they are past parallel and squeeze. Lower just short of perpendicular with the floor to keep tension on the region.

Bicycles

You can perform bicycles the traditional way by alternating sides or make it a bit more challenging by isolating one side and then switching over to the other. Just perform all reps for one side then switch and do the allotted number of reps for the other.

Planks

Once you reach a level of several sets of 30 seconds with the traditional plank it is time for a new challenge. Have a partner place a weight plate (one that is at first light enough to handle) on your upper back to add resistance. Just be sure to keep your entire body tight and don’t let the weight “bow” your body.

Dragon flags

For the more advanced out there, try performing the dragon flag on a decline bench. This will take incredible strength and balance, but you will reap incredible benefits of more strength and stability once mastered.

Windshield wipers

Once you have the basic windshield wiper movement down it is time to up the intensity. Perform the movement as you would normally, but now place a small weighted medicine ball between your feet. It is a tough addition and requires serious strength and technique.

Side planks

For more of a challenge, try switching from a side plank to a normal plank over to another side plank slowly. Be sure to keep the body aligned and perform the movement in a steady, deliberate motion sustaining good form and function.

Russian twists

If you find using a medicine ball or weight plate difficult with this movement simply clasp your hands in front of you and perform the exercise as usual. This will build up your strength quickly so you may graduate up to using weight in the near future.

Crunches

The many forms of the crunch include performing them on a flex-ball, feet supported on a bench, and weighted by holding a small weight plate on your chest. You can also try weighted crunches by lying on the floor with your head toward a rope attachment on a low pulley and pull the weight up while you crunch. Be sure to hold the ends of the rope on either side of your head when performing this move.

Side crunches

In addition to performing traditional side crunches on a sit-up bench or on the floor, side crunches can also be performed on a Roman chair. Position yourself with your feet and hip contacting the bench while your upper body is suspended. Crunch your pelvis by twisting and bending your knees side-to-side.

Sit-ups

Sit-ups can be modified using a decline bench and holding a weight plate on your chest with crossed arms. This addition can be a bit of a challenge, so try it with a weight you can handle first.

Try one, two or all of the routines below for a complete ab workout in very little time. You can try one workout three times per week or use all three over a week. Be sure to rest no more than 20 seconds between exercises and after supersets. Always perform proper technique while performing each move deliberately and under control.

HOW TO BEAT THE WINTER BULGE

HOW TO BEAT THE WINTER BULGE

Every year there comes a moment when many hitherto committed exercisers sit back and let it all go! That time seems to be the Christmas holidays. It’s understandable when December arrives to become busy with so many other things – exercise may well become less of a priority than usual. Whether you’re running around doing last  minute shopping, making travel plans to visit relatives or just enjoying the office party, it’s a good idea to try to keep some form of exercise going. With nutritionists claiming that the average person’s calorie intake on Christmas day is over 3,000 calories, it’s easy to see how we can all start bulging in the wrong areas. Try adopting some simple strategies now so you don’t have everything to do come January.

Make An Appointment At The GymIf you make an appointment for something and put it in your diary, most of us are more likely to stick to it. So rather than putting your normal workout routine on ice over the festive season, try to set time aside. A great way to make sure you keep your appointments is booking in to see a personal trainer. I’ve already booked several sessions in over December and January to give me a kick-start and to keep me focused.

All Activity Counts
If you’re taking time off work to spend at home, try to do more than just eating and sitting. Most of us lead rather sedentary lives for the weeks leading up to and following Christmas. Get outdoors, take on some diy, rake and bag up the leaves or sweep the snow (trust me this can be back-breaking work!). Alternatively grab a fitness DVD or the kid’s computer console and try a game of tennis – something all the family can enjoy.

Start Counting Your Steps
The best way to beat the Winter bulge is to keep moving. Grab yourself a stepometer and make sure you start wearing it each day. When you awake set the counter to zero and then try to work up to a certain number of steps. A reasonable daily target throughout the holidays would be 6,000 steps a day. It’s very achievable if you plan exercise each day. You will have to regularly get off the couch to reach this goal. From several stair climbs to a walk around the block. Think of ways you can add extra steps. How about walking to the grocery store rather than  taking the car. Just try to move more and sit less.

Involve The Whole Family
Exercise doesn’t have to be an individual pursuit. Enlist the help of family and friends and evidence shows you’re far more likely to stick with it., Ditch the television and take the family out for a winter walk. Why not got ice skating – the kids will love it! We always enjoy taking the girls for a family walk this time of year in the countryside. We end up finding a pub at the end of it for hot chocolate and sandwich.

Choose Healthier Foods
We all indulge a little over the Christmas holidays, myself included. But unless you don’t want to faint when you step on the scales on the first of January, take heed. Food choices are key. Try to listen to your body and stop eating when you’re full. Most of us will eat to excess and then complain at how bloated we feel! Don’t do it. Reduce your intake of high calories snacks and also limit your alcohol to just one or two glasses of wine at dinner. Avoid second helpings of everything and these small changes can make a considerable difference to keeping your weight balanced.

Strive For a Fitness Goal
One of the best ways to stay focused over the Christmas period is goal-setting. Sign yourself up for a race, a 5k run or some other sporting event in January. This will psychologically keep you more mindful of what you eat and how active you are. It gives you something concrete to aim for and is proven to stop you from over-indulging. Many gyms are quiet during December and they often offer cut price deals and membership options the weeks around Christmas. Get in early and sign yourself up for some spin classes or Zumba!