Thursday, April 10, 2008

Exercise while watching t.v.

How to Exercise While Watching TV

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Don't have time to go to the gym but still want to lose weight? Here's how to put those muscles to work even when your eyes are glued to your favorite soap opera or sitcom. Jog on the spot.

Steps

Start by lying on your back, head flat on the floor/couch/bed (floor recommended) and pulling your knee up towards your chin (they do not have to touch), then SLOWLY pushing it flat. Do not let your leg touch the floor. Do this 25 times each leg.
Lie on your side, make your bottom leg straight and the top leg lifted a few inches in the air, bent at the knee. Now lift your leg up until it won't straighten any more. Do this 30 times each leg.
Take the weights; depending on your strength, take one or two (five pound recommended; if you don't have weights, anything heavy like soup cans that will fit in your hands will do) and stand up and put your arms over your head. Bend at the elbows so the weights and your hands are behind your head. Do this 25 times.
Lie down on your back with one weight in each hand. Start with your arms an inch or two over your chest. Lift all the way up and all the way to the sides (your left arm to the left and your right arm to the right). Don't let your arms touch the ground. Do this 25 times.
Lie on your back and hold the weights to your chest. Lift your back several inches off the ground (do not use your head to pull yourself up--your back needs to be off the ground, not your head). Do this 25 times at least twice a day. If you cannot do 25 crunches in a row, then do three, take a breath, then three more. Do at least 10 sets.

Tips

Doing this every time you watch TV will help, especially if you make a habit of exercising during commercials. Don't skip!
Another thing you can do is find a good music channel and dance to every song that comes on. Dance with your whole body!
You don't have to do every exercise; mix it up and do different ones during each commercial break.
Don't eat while watching TV.
Sit on a stability ball instead of the couch while actually watching the program. Bounce a little to keep your body warmed up between commercial breaks.
Use commercial breaks as an opportunity to do pushups or other exercises that take your eyes permanently from the TV. Keep the volume on if you find yourself constantly looking to see if the commercials are over.
Work yourself hard during the commercials, and then stretch for a short time when the commercials are over. After stretching, continue your standard exercises.

Warnings

Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Try not to hurt yourself; try to stretch before exercising.
This doesn't mean you are now to watch TV all the time. You've got to get out and exercise outside also.

Things You'll Need

A TV
5 pound weights (recommended but any will do)
Stability ball (for use with tip suggestion)

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

3 Things you need to exercise at home

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Exercise While Watching TV. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Get in Shape

How to Get in Shape

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people want to stay in shape and improve their health but have a difficult time maintaining a regimen that works for them. These simple steps will help you start a work out program that works for you and will enable you to continue even when you don't want feel like making it to the gym.

Steps

Don't drink your calories: This is the most important rule to follow. Try not to drink anything that has calories; only drink water! A good rule of thumb for how much water you should drink is to divide your weight in half and that number in ounces is your recommended daily water intake. Therefore, if you weigh 200 lbs. , you should drink about 100 oz. per day.
Be Natural: This means only eat natural food. Don't panic now! Natural or naturally occurring food or food products are those which are minimally processed and remain as close as possible to their whole, original state. Natural foods are much better and generally more nutritious than their refined counterparts.
Feed Your Body: You have to feed your body calories - good calories. It is very important to eat several meals a day. Do not go more than 4 hrs without eating, unless of course you are sleeping. You may not even need to limit how much you eat at each interval. Smaller, frequent meals will increase your metabolism, maintain your blood sugar, and prevent you from overeating.
Eat at Home:Dining out is great, but do not do it! While this can be difficult if you travel a lot, if you do go out to eat, try your best to stick with the above rules.
Sugar is your Enemy:Surely you have heard this one a thousand times, but it is true. If you love candy, cookies and sweets, you should do your best to give them up - at least for a short time. Stay away from the sweets, especially until you get to your goal weight. It really can be done!
Set Your Weight Goal: You need to set goals in order to be successful in anything. Set a weight goal, but NOT a date goal! It is not important how fast you achieve your weight, so dates are not important. Health is always better than speed!
Get up and move: Exercise is a very important part of getting in shape, but sometimes you might miss a workout. Even if this happens, you could pick some exercise - such as push-ups - and do that consistently no matter what interferes with the rest of your workout plans. Try doing 20 push-ups every morning before you get into the shower. Make it part of your daily routine. It may seem insignificant, but after some time you will actually see a significant change in your body shape.
Relax on the Weekends: It is important to follow the rules above. However, it's okay to relax on the weekends. This means, do allow yourself to go out to dinner and eat some sweets on the weekend. This may sound contradictory, but it's the real deal. If you have a craving, go for it. Anytime you have a craving for something that does not really conform to your diet rules - such as pizza, sweets or fried chicken - wait for the weekend to have them; make them your weekend treats. You can still follow the rules, but modify them a bit to fit in your cravings. A day or two of eating more than you're supposed to can actually make your metabolism kick in and cause a net weigh loss. Do not, however, use this as an excuse to binge eat, or else you will undo all your hard work.

Tips

Understand what fat is. When you eat something, it's made up of many different things (protein, carbs, fat, vitamins, etc.). Food gets measured in calories. The calories are units of energy, that get stored as fat in your body for emergencies. Depending on your genetics the fat will get stored in certain areas (most likely thighs, butt, stomach, arms, etc).
While working out, don't forget to rehydrate your body. Don't go too often without taking a drink of water.
Avoid "fad diets". No Atkins and no South Beach! Eat food that you can eat for the rest of your life. Make an exercise schedule that you can do any time of year, for years to come.
Find other like-minded people from work or your community. Having a support group is a form of "peer pressure." You'll be more inclined to stick with the program when you have others relying on you to show up. Decide where and when you will meet to work out (could be a gym, someone's house, etc.).
Set goals. For example: lose an inch off your waist, fit into a size 8 dress, etc. If the goal is met, celebrate by going to dinner as a group (no kids!), a day at the spa, or plan a shopping trip together. This gives you something to look forward to.
If you work out with a friend, you might want to do something like trading workout shoes. By doing this little step, you will compel yourself to go to the gym--or your friend will be shoeless!
If you don't have (or want!) other people to exercise with, try getting an iPod and listening to podcasts while you exercise. This makes the exercise time feel less like 'lost time', and more like 'productive time' since you're now learning or being entertained while you work out.

Warnings

With any work out regimen, start slow and build up as you feel you can. Starting off with too strenuous a work out plan can be a killer.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get in Shape. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Calculate Your Target Heart Weight

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Do you want to get the most out of those 30 minutes on the treadmill, or any kind of cardio exercise? You maximize the benefits of cardiovascular activity when you exercise in the zone of your target heart rate (THR). In general terms, your THR is 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. The Karvonen Method of calculating THR is one of the most effective methods of determining target heart rate because it takes into account resting heart rate. Here's how to find your THR.

Steps

Find your resting heart rate as soon as you wake up. You can do this by counting your pulse for one minute while still in bed. You may average your heart rate over three mornings to obtain your average resting heart rate (RHR). Add the three readings together, and divide that number by three to get the RHR. For example, (76 + 80 + 78) / 3= 78.
Find your maximum heart rate and heart rate reserve.
- Subtract your age from 220. This is your maximum heart rate (HRmax). For example, the HRmax for a 24-year-old would be 220 - 24 = 196.
- Subtract your RHR from your HRmax. This is your heart rate reserve (HRmaxRESERVE). For example, HRmaxRESERVE = 196 - 78 = 118.
Calculate the lower limit of your THR. Figure 60% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.6) and add your RHR to the answer. For example, (118 * 0.6) + 78 = 149.
Calculate the upper limit of your THR. Figure 80% of the HRmaxRESERVE (multiply by 0.8) and add your RHR to the answer. For example, (118 * 0.8) + 78 = 172.
Divide the values obtained in steps 3 and 4 by the number 6 to obtain your THR in beats per ten seconds. For example, 149 / 6 = 25 (lower limit) 172 / 6 = 29 (upper limit)

Tips

When you take your reading for your resting heart rate, make sure to do so the morning after a day where you are rested, as trying to do this after a day of a hard workout can affect your results.
You should ensure during your workout that your heart rate falls within your target heart rate zone to maximize cardiovascular fitness.
A rule-of-thumb is that if you're able to sing, you're not working out hard enough. Conversely, if you're not able to talk, you're working out too hard.
One of the most common ways to take a pulse is to lightly touch the artery on the thumb-side of the wrist, using your index and middle fingers. This is called a radial pulse check.
You may also place two fingers below the jawline, along the trachea (windpipe) to feel for a pulse, again using your index and middle fingers. This is called a carotid pulse check.
When taking your pulse for ten seconds during a workout, stop exercising. Do not allow yourself to rest before taking your pulse, and immediately resume exercise after the ten seconds. Multiply by 6 and you'll have your heart rate.
If you are serious about working out and becoming more cardiovascularly fit, you may want to consider purchasing a heart monitor for accurate readings during your workout sessions.
You can calculate your THR using the Karvonen method by online calculators, but if you take five minutes to do it yourself, then you will better understand the meaning of the numbers.

Warnings

The target heart rate is an estimate only! If you feel yourself becoming exhausted, then you are working out too hard and should ease off.
Do not move your fingers in a massaging motion when taking your carotid pulse. This can lower blood pressure and cause dizziness.
If you are just beginning a workout plan, you should consider exerting yourself only enough to reach your THR lower limit.
Talk with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have been leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Make a homemade Weight Set

How to Make a Homemade Weight Set

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Weights for improving your strength and fitness can be made out of many common household items. Milk jugs, canned goods, and assorted everyday objects can help you stay in shape. Save your money and keep fit all at once - here's how.

Steps

Make a cheap kettlebell using a milk or juice jug. Fill a clean, plastic gallon jug or 2 liter bottle (the kind with a handle) with water. Now it is ready for use it as a kettlebell or an arm weight.
Use canned goods that fit in your hands as simple hand weights. Use large canned goods as heavier weights or kettle balls.
Fill a clean sock with pebbles or dry beans. Sew or glue the open end closed. Then sew the ends together (or attach with Velcro) and use as a wrist weight.
Use packets of rice or beans for mini-weights. No need to do anything else than use them for bicep curls and other small weight-lifting moves.
If you're really looking to get a workout, try filling a 5-gallon bucket with anything that suits you, from sand to rocks or even water. Use it to do curls or attatch two of them to a bar or board and use as a bench press.

Tips

Alternate the muscle groups you work. For example, focus on arms one day and legs the next.
Consult with friends and family whom you know to regularly have a workout routine so as to get advice.
Do workouts with friends and family to make it enjoyable, or in a setting where you feel comfortable, and nothing around you is fragile.
Think of your exercise time as a practice session and not as a workout, so as to be relaxed and happy to start again everyday.
Stop if it hurts.

Warnings

Always consult with a doctor or qualified health professional before beginning an exercise program.
Be careful with your homemade kettlebell; if your wrist hurts after (or during) your workout, stop using it and buy a kettlebell.

Things You'll Need

Empty milk or juice jugs
Canned goods of various sizes
A scale to weigh items (or guess roughly by balancing in each hand)
Old clean socks without holes
5-gallon buckets(usually from dishwasher detergents)
Beans or pebbles
Packets of rice or beans

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Kettlebell example on Wikipedia

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Homemade Weight Set. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Make those sore muscles feel better

How to Make Sore Muscles Feel Good

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Muscles can often feel sore after exercise or a long day at the mall. Use these simple tips to alleviate common muscle soreness.

Steps

Rest This is the very best thing you can do for soreness. Try not to use the muscle in a strenuous fashion for 24-48 hours after exercise, especially if the soreness is due to a weight lifting routine.
Ice Icepacks can help break up a chemical called lactic acid, which is a waste product that builds up in muscles after sustained exercise. Follow the 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off approach.
Stretching This will also help to get the lactic acid out of your muscles. Waiting a few hours after a strenuous workout before stretching is not the best. Stretch after activity that caused the soreness to prevent becoming stiff.
Heat After the first day of soreness, and after ice has been used to clear out the lactic acid buildup, heat can be used to help blood flow to the muscle. This will help rebuilding take place and provide some soothing relief.
Proper diet If your muscles are sore from intense activities such as weightlifting, your muscles are rebuilding themselves and need lots of protein. Aim to take in 1 gram of protein per day for every pound of lean body mass you have. For example, a 160lb. man at 20% body fat would want to take in approximately 130 grams of protein per day. This will speed up recovery times considerably, as well as prevent muscle loss from poor nutrition.

Tips

Saran Wrap. If you need to be moving around (cooking, cleaning, etc.) while using ice, saran wrap can help secure ice onto a muscle while you move.
5 gallon bucket. For soreness of the arms (like from baseball practice) a 5 gallon bucket filled with ice water will allow you to ice the whole arm at one time.
Stretch while taking a shower. Use water which is slightly hotter than what you are used to. This increases blood flow around the muscle fibers with micro-tears.
If you do end up getting stiff from working out or some other physical activity where you have forgotten to stretch afterwards, massaging the stiff area will relieve you from the pain for a while.Then stretch and find another place of the muscle it hurts and massage there until the pain goes away.
You may want to consider a massage or sauna.

Warnings

Sustained icing of sore muscles is not a very good idea. It is best to ice the body part for a few seconds, rub dry with a towel immediately, and gently massaging for a minute or two. Then start over. This will increase the blood flow to the area and relax the muscle more effectively than prolonged cooling.
Joint pain is a serious problem and can result in sustained, critical injury. Try not to confuse muscle pain and joint pain. If the pain does not go away after a few days rest and the other procedures prescribed here, it may be wise to contact a physician.
Stretching both before and after exercise is important to avoid injuries, however it must be done properly. Consult a personal trainer at your local gym for tips on proper stretching.
Be careful if you plan to immerse a whole arm as indicated above with the 5-gallon-bucket method. This may result in a rapid loss of body warmth and may affect your circulation. Do NOT do this if you have blood pressure or heart problems. Even if you are completely healthy, proceed slowly by dipping your arm in bit by bit, starting at the fingertips, especially if it is a hot day. It may be even better to make something resembling a popsicle from regular water and wiping the arm with it (again, starting at the fingers), then drying immediately and massaging (moving from the hand towards the body). Be gentle to avoid causing pain or over-agitating the muscles.

Things You'll Need

Ice
Plastic Bags
Heating Pad
Saran Wrap (optional)
5 gallon bucket (optional)
Protein-rich foods or protein powders

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Sore Muscles Feel Good. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Choose the right diet for you

How to Choose a Diet That Suits You

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There are many diets out there on the market today. Everyone says that 'theirs is the best'. Check out the diets yourself, read about them, and understand the pros and cons of each. Then choose one that will fit your lifestyle.

Steps

Atkins - This diet can and does result in rapid weight loss, especially when aiming to lose a quick 10lbs after the holidays. It is fairly easy to follow, and allows followers to eat many delicious foods (meat, cheese etc) that other diets restrict. There is no calorie restriction, so dieters rarely feel hungry. The initial period (2 weeks) people often feel ill. This is called induction flu and soon passes. After which people feel more energetic and enjoy improved health and weight loss. This diet is largely misunderstood, but unbiased research and personal testimonials support this way of eating.
Calorie Restriction - This diet is easy to understand. There is little restriction on types of food you can eat., and it leads to longer life, better health, lower blood pressure and more! Those are the Pros - the Cons are that dieters rarely feel full, you're always counting calories, and need full knowledge of the calorific content of every food! Also be careful of restaurant foods. They are full of hidden butters, creams & oils!
Cleansing - ! You will feel fresher, more energetic. A cleaner liver also metabolizes food faster, and sets up your body to lose weight in the long term! However, this diet is hard to stick to! You may feel hungry, tired and perhaps a little dizzy. That's why its a great diet to do on holiday.
Green Tea Diet - This diet is very easy to follow, and studies have shown its effectiveness. The health benefits of drinking Green Tea every day are more than just weight loss. On the other hand, weight loss is not as dramatic as with other diets, and of course you have to like Green Tea!
Low Fat Diet - The focus on natural healthy foods has other benefits, beyond just weight loss. There is really no need to count calories on this diet. Cons Giving up so many foods is not for everybody, but if your consumption of meat, fish etc is limited already, you may find it easy! Low fat diets are dangerous, because there are essential fatty acids that the body requires to function. The only fats that are bad for you are trans fats.
South Beach Diet - The focus on 'good carbs' and 'bad carbs' reduces the risk of heart disease. There is also no need to count calories on this diet, and you do not limit carbs, so its easier to feel full. This diet unnecessarily restricts saturated fat and is therefore considered healthier than Atkins, however this is a myth...saturated fat is not dangerous at all. The body will manufacture it's own saturated fat and your bad cholesterol will go up on a low fat diet. People who eat lots of saturated fat see an improvement in their cholesterol levels. Read up on the Cholesterol Myth for more information.
The Zone Diet - Dieters get most of the nutrients they need, as fruits and vegetables are OK! Cravings for carbs tend to disappear after a few days, and weight loss on The Zone can be very rapid!

Tips

Good cleansing recipe - apple, carrot, celery, ginger. Just blend and drink!

Warnings

Readers should be in sound health before going on a diet. If on medication they should check with their doctor.
Not every diet is for everyone!!

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

More Pros and Cons of Different Diets

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Choose a Diet That Suits You. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Sprint Training

How to Do Sprint Training

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Remember that balance, posture and core muscles are the foundation for a good sprinter. Your goal should be to run at a faster speed, while exerting less energy.
Short and fast bursts of running have been proven to be more effective than hour-long jogs. You can't help but all those people that try to get in shape, and start doing long jogs, and six months later, there are no changes in their performance or appearance. Sprint training also saves time that would have been wasted doing traditional exercises.

Steps

Warm up by doing a jog for a minimum of 1 minute.
Do dynamic stretches (Arm/Leg swings, rotating the torso etc...)

try finding a hill or stairs, or bleachers to run up and down, it will build the muscles in your legs and stamina endurance.
Sprint a certain phase of your race (sprint the first 100m, stride 50, then sprint the last 50 of the 200m....but for the 100 m dash, sprint full blown speed the entire time).
Rest 2-5 minutes in between (depending on the distance you sprinted) so that your body can recover and you can sprint at the same speed multiple times.
Repeat steps 2-3 as many times as you like. You should focus on sprinting, NOT getting tired. If you cannot sprint full speed after a couple minutes of rest you should try jogging and running up stadiums to build up your stamina.
Cool down by jogging or walking around the track.
Stretch properly to avoid injury (10-30sec stretches of your legs and torso).
Remember that sprinting is an exercise that will use up all of your oxygen in you muscles. You should have adequate rest time in between each sprint to maximize your speed. Sprinting too quickly before resting and letting oxygen get back to your muscles can result in a nauseous feeling and/or lightheadedness.

Tips

Remember to keep relaxed while running.
Sprint training is said to improve your overall aerobic capacity and heart, so this should make you better at long-distance runs too.
Every month or so, run the mile and record your time.
Eat 2 hours before, drink 1 hour before.
If you don't have something to time yourself with, count the number of steps you do, and after a certain amount of steps, switch from sprinting to walking or walking to sprinting.

Warnings

Never exercise without stretching and warming up before and after.
Never sit down right after running.

Things You'll Need

Stopwatch

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do Sprint Training. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Dumbbell bicep curl - Proper form

Monday, March 31, 2008

Swimming the Breatstroke

How to Swim the Breaststroke

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The breaststroke can be a tricky stroke to master, but once the steps are coordinated correctly it can be a very leisurely way to swim.

Steps

Place yourself laterally in the water with your arms extended straight in front of you and your legs in back of you.
Push your arms apart so that they create a diagonal with your body. Make sure your palms are facing out and your elbows are straight.
Pull your elbows into the sides of your body, then bring your hands together in front of your chest. Now simply push your hands forward so they return to where they started.
While completing step 3, lift your head, neck, and upper chest out of the water to breathe. Do not remove your hands from the water.
Bending your knees, bring your feet towards your bottom. Make a circular motion with your feet until they meet with your legs fully extended once again. Complete this step as fast as possible.
Glide.

Tips

Remember the mantra "pull, breathe, kick, glide" while you are swimming.
Do not be tempted to rush through the glide; it is actually the fastest part of the stroke.
Keep your feet flexed while kicking. This provides more power to the stroke.
Make sure your kick is no wider than the width of your shoulders. This is so your legs don't jut out on your sides. The reasoning behind this is to prevent unnecessary drag on your body. By keeping your kick the same width as your shoulders, you are making sure that when you draw back your legs towards your body for the next kick, you are remaining in a hydrodynamic position resulting in a more efficient stroke.
For more speed, breathe between the pull and the kick as fast as possible. In the stance during the stroke when you breathe, there is resistance that can be removed if the pull, breathe, and kick portion are made in a fluid non-stop movement.
Maintain your head position in such a way that your spine remains straight. In other words, look down towards the bottom of the pool while you are swimming and breathing. Many people tend to look straight ahead. The problem with looking forward and not down is that by looking forward, your neck and head are not in line with your spine. As a result, your head is cocked back, resulting in your hips dropping, causing you to drag your entire body. By looking down, you allow your hips to raise up, your spine to stay straight, and your body to streamline through every stroke you take.
Remember that it is better to be able to go really far with each stroke than to be able to do tons of small strokes really fast. Try and go further with each stroke.

Warnings

Keep your hips away from the bottom of shallow pools; this could result in serious injury to the feet, legs and hips.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Instructional Video

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Swim the Breaststroke. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Weightlifting - Proper Form

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Lose Weight Safely

How to Lose Weight Safely

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Adopt a healthier lifestyle and and you will often lose weight as a bonus. Learn strategies to help you look and feel better!

Steps

Calculate your daily energy output kJ. Looks complicated but isn't.
- Women [655.1 + (9.56 x weight kilograms)+ (1.85 x height centimeter) - (4.68 x age years)] x 4.2
- Men [66.47 + (13.75 x weight kilograms)+ (5 x height centimeter) - (6.76x age years)] x 4.2
- Multiply the kJ amount by the following factor depending on your lifestyle: 1.2 = sedentary, 1.375 = lightly active (1-3 days a week exercise), 1.55 = moderately active 3 -5 days exercise or sport, 1.725 = very active hard exercise 6-7 days/week, 1.9 = extremely active hard daily exercise or sport or physical job.
Keep a food journal for a week or two. Write down all that you eat. Include snacks, cups of coffee, etc. - it all adds up. You may be surprised how much you are consuming in between meals.
Use the journal to help understand when it is you might eat foods that are high in kJ and find ways to cut them out and replace those items with healthier choices. For example, if you crave sugar in the afternoon replace sugary snacks with fresh fruit.
Work out what energy you are actually expending daily and find ways to increase your level of activity. You don't necessarily need to join a gym. Simple changes can add up. Try parking as far away from the shops as you can and walk in. Climb the stairs, rather than riding the elevator. Dance while you vacuum. Play actively with the kids instead of just watching TV.
Focus on attaining good health, rather than feeling deprived or "on a diet". Losing weight is frequently the result of living a healthier lifestyle
Try to stick to three meals a day. Breakfast - eg. high fibre cereal with low fat milk, lunch eg. wholemeal sandwich with lean filling OR a salad with no fat dressing, dinner eg. Protein (meat, fish or poultry - all lean cuts and skinless with lots of vegetables or salad and minimal amount (not necessarily no) carbohydrates. Healthy snacks are OK especially if they help you from getting so hungry that you eat foods you shouldn't.

Tips

A possible diet: a bowl of Special K cereal for breakfast, a jelly sandwich with trans-fat free bread and an apple for lunch, salmon and green-beans for dinner. Snacks can include carrots, celery or a banana.
Find snacks that you love that are healthy, such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables, low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, and be sure to stock them in your pantry. Limit yourself to two snacks each day. If you crave more than two snacks, chomp on a piece of gum for a few hours.
Don't shop when you are hungry. Have a healthy snack and a glass of water before heading to the grocery store.
Increase your daily fibre intake. Pick whole meal bread, and whole grains (bulgar wheat, quinoa).
Try a daily walk. It is a great exercise for weight loss. You can go at your own pace. If you walk with a friend it is mentally uplifting to chat and support each other.
Add strength training to your exercise plan to build lean muscle. While aerobic exercise (like walking) helps burn calories, anaerobic (or strength-building) exercise can help boost your metabolism.
Add one or two extra vegetables to your evening meal that you would usually not eat. Try new recipes with unfamiliar ingredients to keep your eating plan interesting and fun.
Use non stick cookware or barbeque to limit oils and fats.
Go crazy with herbs and strong flavours to make your meals very tasty and satisfying - potentially you'll eat less.
Use a smaller plate.
Clear up left overs before sitting down to avoid second helpings
Drink lots of water 2 litres/day (approx. 64 oz). Drink a glass of water about 20 mins before dinner to help you feel full.
Put your knife and fork down instead of loading it up while you chew. Eating more slowly allows your body to be in time with your brain so that by the time you "feel" full you haven't already over eaten.
Avoid/limit alcohol (3-4 standard drinks/week)- it reduces you ability to lose fat as well as making it harder to resist temptation.
Measure your loss by how your clothes feel on you and only weigh yourself once every couple of weeks. Take your measurements once a month to judge your weight loss in inches as well as pounds.
Find a friend who wants to feel better too and use each other for support.
Listen to slow music while you eat. It's been proven to help you eat slower, which helps you lose weight.
Avoid processed foods. Anything that comes in a package is usually full of fats, sugars and salts. Know what you're eating in advance.

Warnings

You should see a health professional before undertaking any diet or exercise plans.
There is NO safe way to lose weight fast. You should aim for lifestyle changes that support better eating and add some exercise that is suited to you personally, as prescribed by your doctor. Gradual weight loss is better and also tends to be longer lasting in most people.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Lose Weight Safely. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Workout Diet

How to Start the Recommended Workout Diet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This arm program is for advanced weightlifters only!

Steps

Eat a meal 1 hour before workout your workout; 1 cup oatmeal, 1 chopped apple and three whole eggs (cook with the oatmeal). Add two tablespoons of honey and cook in 1 and half cups of apple juice.
Have one half cup of raisins 20 minutes before the workout.
Prepare a big water bottle(500ml) with orange juice in it and 25 grams of whey protein; sip on this during the whole workout.
Warm up with 7 minutes of jogging. Curl your arm up and squeeze like a bicep curl and push down as if you were working your triceps.
Do one set of as many Parallel Tricep dips as possible.
Go to the chinning bar and do as many pullups as possible.
Go between two benches and do as many bench dips as you can.
Go to the lat pulldown and do as many as you can.
Rest for one minute and do two sets of 21 Tricep pushdowns supersetted with two sets of 21 overhead tricep extensions.
Do one set of 21 barbell curls supersetted with as many concentration curls as possible.

Tips

Parallel Tricep dips: keep body straight come down until biceps hit forearms and lockout at the top and squeeze triceps.
Pull ups: take a under handed grip with hands about 10 inches apart, curl your self up until you eyes meet the bar only come down a little pass 90 degrees with your arms.
Bench dips: make sure you go all the way down until your butt hit the ground and lockout at the top Squeeze your triceps
Lat pulldowns: same as pull ups under handed grip 10 inches apart ,now keep your arms out in front of you so your triceps are parallel to the floor and a 90 degree angle to your body (the same as resting your elbow on a table) keep your arms in this position and curl the lat bar down toward the top of your head until it hit the top of your forehead.
Tricep pushdowns use lat pulldown bar(long bar) take a wide underhand grip do 7 reps move the hand in a little and take a overhand grip and do 7 reps move the hand close together and do 7 reps overhanded move on to barbell over head extentions and do the same 7 underhanded wide grip ,move hands in a little overhanded 7 reps , close together 7 reps.
Barbell curl: take a narrow grip underhanded start from the top of the movement and do 7 rep only coming down to the top of the rip cage and coming up to touch your collar bone, continue by taking a underhanded mid grip starting from the top of the rip cage down to legs, continue by taking a wide overhanded(reverse) grip and doing 7 reps through the full movement. Know go grab two light dumbbells and a incline bench place yourself on the incline bench chest first so your chest is at the very top of the bench let you arms hang down over the top of the bench and do 7 curls but only coming up half way do a other 7 reps but only coming down half way and another 7 reps doing the whole movement.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Start the Recommended Workout Diet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Gain Muscle Fast

How to Gain Muscle Fast in 5 Easy Steps

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This is to help those that find it difficult to gain muscle, particularly for those with small body frames. However, the techniques will also benefit those individuals that would like to bulk-up quicker, safer and efficiently.The main question by those tired of trying to shape up their bodies, but with no results, or even those starting their journey into fitness is how to gain muscles fast. The reasons are varied, some want to look good for their vacations,or to enter and win competitions. Some want to walk down the road with their heads held up high and command respect. However, what every single hard gainer should not forget in their desire to get the body of their dreams and how to gain muscle fast is to do it safely and effectively.

Things You Need

A good source of food that you will requite in order to give you energy in to work-out regularly and aid in your muscle recovery are complex carbohydrates.
Good sources are:

Potatoes
Pasta
Rice
Cereals
Couscous
Yams

Steps

Limit your reps to 10. Do not go beyond 10 reps because you are emphasizing your slow-twitch muscle fibers which have the smallest opportunity for muscle growth. In your work-out you need to employ the maximal amount of muscle fibers in every set.
Gain muscle by switching to heavy lifting mode. Every single set and every single exercise. Work out with heavy weights and never go beyond 10 reps.
Increment your strength by 5% every two weeks. Track your progress and do not repeat the same routine using the same weights all the time. Your muscles are engineered to tolerate stress so put them under stress and let them grow.
Aim for a minimum of 5% strength increase every two weeks. You might aim for bigger increases with larger muscle groups like legs and back versus smaller muscles like triceps and biceps. Keep focused and have the goal in mind that in six months from now, you will be over twice as strong as you are now! It is a good idea writing down your strength goals for the six months ahead and then work from your starting point. If you are currently dead lifting 140 lbs, aim to be dead lifting 280 lbs over the next few months!
Work-out only one exercise per muscle group. Consider this typical day in the gym. Today is your legs day. Your first exercise is the leg curl. You perform your first set with 155 lbs, second set with 175 lbs, third set with 195 lbs and fourth set with 215 lbs.
Strictly stick to 3 to 5 sets per muscle group. Understand that if you are doing more than 3-5 sets per muscle group, alarm bells should be going off in your head. If you work-out the first 1-2 sets at 85% maximum effort, the 3rd set at 95% maximum effort and the 4th (and sometimes the 5th) set at 100% maximum effort, Know that it is only this last set that produces the greatest muscle growth. Anything beyond the last set mentality that you have to keep going until you explode, simply burns out the muscle and delays your recovery time to work on that muscle again.Add 5-10 extra pounds more than your previous set.
Gradually shorten your work-out times. Know that if you really want to increase your muscle density and move your fitness to new heights, you need to work-out outside your comfort zone.This can be achieved if you increase your work rate but taking less time do it. The results will be that your work capacity will increase. Work refers to the number of sets, reps and poundage within your work-out.
Try to complete a work-out,it in less time. Decrease your rests. Move between exercises faster. If you do this, don't be shocked if you feel out of shape!

Tips

Limit your reps to 10 only
Increment Your Strength by 5% Every Two Weeks
Work-out only one exercise per muscle group
Strictly stick to 3 to 5 sets per muscle group
Gradually shorten your work-out times

Warnings

If you never worked out before consult with a doctor before beginning your workout routines. Do not begin one if you have any serious health problems.
Work out with a partner to prevent injuries, and for encouragement to push your limits every inch of the way.
If you experience discomfort like numbness, tingling sensations, dizziness, palpitations you must stop immediately. These are warnings signs that your body is giving you to let you know that it has gone past the safety threshold.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Carbs and Muscle Gain

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Gain Muscle Fast in 5 Easy Steps. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Pool Workout

How to Have a Workout in the Pool

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Do you need a basic exercise plan in the water? Read this and you'll be splashing around in no time.

Steps

Do a warm up (do this every time before you swim a different stroke). Do 6 laps (one lap is one way in the pool) of freestyle.
Get out of the pool and stretch.
- Put your right arm across your chest and link your left arm around, then do the opposite.
- Pick up your right leg and balance on the left foot, then do the opposite.
- Try to put your hands on the ground and stretch your legs (don't bend them!).
- Shake your entire body around and jump up and down.
Do a 100 IM. This is one lap butterfly, one lap backstroke, one lap breaststroke, and one lap freestyle in that order.
Do a 200 IM now this is 2 laps butterfly, 2 laps backstroke, 2 laps breststroke, and 2 laps freestyle in that order.
Do 4 laps of freestyle.
Do 4 laps of breaststroke.
Do 4 laps of backstroke.
Do 4 laps of butterfly.
Do drills for each of the strokes (see External Links).
Do a cool down (do this after every workout); 6 laps 2 of each stroke backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, and breaststroke.

Tips

If you want to squeeze in do sprints one lap of each stroke and dive off the board
this workout is good by yourself not with a group foucus more on you in drills and such in the water.
Try combining the dolphin kick from the butterfly and the crawl of the crawl. It is faster than either one.

Things You'll Need

A 25 meter pool
A swim cap -- if your hair is down, it is harder to swim
goggles -- so you can swim underwater

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Have a Workout in the Pool. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Bigger triceps

How to Get Better Triceps

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people do not realize the importance of their triceps, they think almost exclusively of their biceps. While biceps are probably used more, weak triceps can be a real problem in your life. The tricep is the muscle opposite the bicep on your upper arm, and it's used for pulling your arm straight after bending. Gymnasts have to have strong triceps, due to the type of acrobatic maneuver they perform. For example during the back handspring you have to spring backwards and push up off the ground with your hands back onto your feet.

Steps

The Push Up Way

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight and together. Put your palms flat on the floor next to your shoulders. Your arms should naturally bend with the elbow pointing towards the ceiling. They may point away from your body, in which case pull them in tight against your ribs. Now push up, this is one tricep push up. Start off with ten of these, or if that is too hard start off with five. Increase the amount you do each time by five as the excersise becomes easier.
Start off in a normal press up position, the same as a tricep push up, but the arms are not tucked in. Move your hands together until your first fingers and thumbs touch, which should form a triangle/kite shape on the floor. Keep your palms flat on the floor as you do this. Now do a push up. Again start off with five, and increase by five as before.

The Dumbbell Way

Obtain a dumbbell weight you are comfortable with, if you are just starting out you may want a 5 kg dumbbell. With it in your hand raise your arm up straight, now bend your arm so that the dumbbell comes down behind your head. Then raise your arm again, for maximum effect do this in a slow and controlled manner. Again, start off with five and work up from there as you build more muscle.
Kneel down on one leg, rest the hand not holding the dumbbell on a stool or somesuch. Let the hand with the dumbbell hang free so it is relaxed. Now, bend at the elbow so the upper arm is parallel with the ground. Straighten that arm all the way, if the strain peaks when you fully straighten your arm you are doing it right. If not find a heavier dumbbell or check your stance. Start with 5 and build up from there in fives as you build more muscle.

Tips

Do not over strain yourself, you have to know your own limitations. If it is very difficult to do one repetition then stop at one, if you don't you will get a stiff triceps which will prevent you from exercising in the near future.
Always warm up the muscle you are planning on exercising.If you don't you are in danger of pulling a muscle, which is not only very painful but will put that muscle out of action for a long time. To warm up exercise that muscle a few times and stretch, do this at least twice to be extra sure.
Eat healthily. Like all exercises if you wish it to have an effect you must eat healthily, see Eat Healthy for Life for more information.
Cardio, Cardio, Cardio! Depending on what you are looking for you may already include this in your work-out. The proper name for it is cardiovascular, which means 'heart and vessels' so it is exercise of the heart and vessels in your body. Essentially it burns fat, so if you want to see a result from all this triceps exercise you must shed fat like a snake sheds skin, as the triceps isn't designed as a very impressive muscle like the bicep.

Warnings

Again do not injure yourself doing these exercises, take it slowly. The slower the exercise the better it is, and you have the added bonus of not doing yourself an injury.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Better Triceps. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Lose weight comfortably

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Stretching

How to Stretch

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Stretching correctly will increase your flexibility, and reduce the risk of injuries caused by lesions of the connective tissues (such as the periosteum) and other nasty things. This guide shows a variety of techniques and its goal is to regroup every type of stretching which you may put in a routine of your own. Use the ones that suit your needs for the activities you do. Do not stretch if you are injured. This can only result in further injury.

Steps

Stretch your jaw.
- Incline your head back, rest your chin on your palm, then pull your jaw open.
- Say "Aaaaah" (you can mime it). Grab your chin with your thumb, index and middle fingers. Stretch it left to right. This exercise will help if you have been hit to the jaw (i.e. knocked-out in boxing).
Stretch your neck.
- Incline your head forward, do not roll your head from side to side, this is dangerous. Instead stretch your neck left, right, forward and back, but always return to centre first!
- Tilt your head with ear toward shoulder, incline your head backward and roll your head from left to right, then right to left in a 30 degree motion. Be sure that while your head is tilted back, you keep your jaw relaxed and even let your mouth fall open just a bit (avoid inhaling flies).
Stretch your shoulder:
1. Put your arm on your chest;
2. Grab your forearm with the opposite arm;
3. Pull your arm until you feel your shoulder being stretched;
4. Push the arm you are stretching the opposite way in order to contract the muscle if you feel that your chest is stretching instead of your shoulder.
Stretch your triceps.
1. Reach up with your right arm;
2. Bend your right elbow and put your forearm down behind your head and between your shoulder blades;
3. Reach up and grab your right elbow with your opposite arm;
4. Pull your elbow toward your head.
Stretch your scapulae:
1. Extend your arms in front of you;
2. Join both hands together and cross fingers;
3. Push your arms further and try to push your scapulae in opposite directions.
Stretch your wrists.
1. Hold arm out;
2. Slightly pull back your hand down with your opposite hand;
3. Repeat with other hand.
Stretch quadriceps:
1. Stand up and pull one leg behind you;
2. Repeat with other leg.
Stretch calves:
1. Put your arms up against the wall;
2. Bring one leg in towards it while keeping your legs straight;
3. Repeat with other leg.
Stretch hamstrings:
1. Sit on the floor and put one leg out;
2. Reach for it and hold for a few seconds;
3. Repeat with other leg, and then do it with both legs.
Do a butterfly stretch:
1. Sit on the floor;
2. Press the soles of your feet together;
3. Pull your feet the closest you can;
4. Push your knees down.
Stretch lower back:
1. Lay down;
2. Bring one leg onto your chest;
3. Repeat with your other leg, and then do it with both.

Tips

All stretches should be held (without movement) for 15-20 seconds. This surpasses the myotatic reflex which prevents any muscle from stretching for the first 10-12 seconds.
Consult a specialist before working out.
Do not bounce or bob when you stretch - this is not effective and can lead to injury.
Perform the exercises slowly to prevent injuries.

Warnings

Never stretch before you warm up. The only reason it feels good to stretch even when you're cold is because your body sends out natural painkillers. To protect your tissues, you need to raise your cardiac pulse in order to fill them with blood. The only way to do this is by working out.
- Jumping rope is an effective way to achieve this, although this may damage your tibia's periosteums, which is the membrane enveloping your bones (except at junctions) that allows the blood to flow from your heart to your muscles connected by the tendon.
- A safer way to raise your cardiac pulses would be by swimming. Water reduces shocks to the body because it reduces the felt effect of gravity on your body.
- Swimming pools are sometimes unaccessible so an efficient and safe way to raise cardiac pulse would be by cycling, except if you have knee problems.
Stretching should not hurt, just inflict a small and negligible instantaneous pain.
ALWAYS stretch after you work out, unless all you want is flexibility. If you stretch before your workout, you will put your nervous system to sleep resulting in less gain than improvement on the muscle part. As a result, for example, your system won't give you as much lactic acid, but many other things will be affected by flexibility training before a workout.

A good source of stretching information is the website, www.howtostretch.com

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

External Resources

http://www.cigstretching.com/

[*http://www.howtostretch.com]

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stretch. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Recommended Workout Diet

How to Start the Recommended Workout Diet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This arm program is for advanced weightlifters only!

Steps

Eat a meal 1 hour before workout your workout; 1 cup oatmeal, 1 chopped apple and three whole eggs (cook with the oatmeal). Add two tablespoons of honey and cook in 1 and half cups of apple juice.
Have one half cup of raisins 20 minutes before the workout.
Prepare a big water bottle(500ml) with orange juice in it and 25 grams of whey protein; sip on this during the whole workout.
Warm up with 7 minutes of jogging. Curl your arm up and squeeze like a bicep curl and push down as if you were working your triceps.
Do one set of as many Parallel Tricep dips as possible.
Go to the chinning bar and do as many pullups as possible.
Go between two benches and do as many bench dips as you can.
Go to the lat pulldown and do as many as you can.
Rest for one minute and do two sets of 21 Tricep pushdowns supersetted with two sets of 21 overhead tricep extensions.
Do one set of 21 barbell curls supersetted with as many concentration curls as possible.

Tips

Parallel Tricep dips: keep body straight come down until biceps hit forearms and lockout at the top and squeeze triceps.
Pull ups: take a under handed grip with hands about 10 inches apart, curl your self up until you eyes meet the bar only come down a little pass 90 degrees with your arms.
Bench dips: make sure you go all the way down until your butt hit the ground and lockout at the top Squeeze your triceps
Lat pulldowns: same as pull ups under handed grip 10 inches apart ,now keep your arms out in front of you so your triceps are parallel to the floor and a 90 degree angle to your body (the same as resting your elbow on a table) keep your arms in this position and curl the lat bar down toward the top of your head until it hit the top of your forehead.
Tricep pushdowns use lat pulldown bar(long bar) take a wide underhand grip do 7 reps move the hand in a little and take a overhand grip and do 7 reps move the hand close together and do 7 reps overhanded move on to barbell over head extentions and do the same 7 underhanded wide grip ,move hands in a little overhanded 7 reps , close together 7 reps.
Barbell curl: take a narrow grip underhanded start from the top of the movement and do 7 rep only coming down to the top of the rip cage and coming up to touch your collar bone, continue by taking a underhanded mid grip starting from the top of the rip cage down to legs, continue by taking a wide overhanded(reverse) grip and doing 7 reps through the full movement. Know go grab two light dumbbells and a incline bench place yourself on the incline bench chest first so your chest is at the very top of the bench let you arms hang down over the top of the bench and do 7 curls but only coming up half way do a other 7 reps but only coming down half way and another 7 reps doing the whole movement.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Start the Recommended Workout Diet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Build Bigger Biceps

How to Get Better Biceps

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

When one thinks of getting stronger, the first thing to come to mind are the biceps. But how do you build your guns?

Steps

Bicep Curls. These are the best exercises for biceps. There are hundreds of different kinds of curls, each used to help work out a specific part of the body. Curls are done with dumbbells and barbells. Some of these are listed below:
Basic Biceps Curl. The standard biceps curl targets the whole muscle. Start by holding the barbell or dumbbell in your hands with your arms facing down. Keep your elbows straight and held in tight to your sides. Inhale as you bring the bar to the chest until your biceps are fully contracted. Then exhale as you lower it (don't drop it, do it slowly.) Repeat.
Concentration Curl. This curl targets the upper biceps. Sit down on a chair or bench with a dumbbell in one of your hands. Lean forward slightly and place your triceps (back of the arm) on the inside of your thigh. Exhale as your lower, and inhale as your bring it up to your shoulder. Switch to other arm.
Hammer Curl. The hammer curl targets the lower bicep. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your leg. Inhale as your bring your forearm up until it touches your biceps. Exhale as you lower, keeping the elbows close to the body.
Body Drag Curls. In a standing barbell curl position, slide the bar upward against your body until it reaches your mid-chest level - about as high as you'll be able to move it without cheating it up - then lower the bar the same way, making sure it does not lose contact with your torso. Your elbows will move backward and your shoulders cannot assist in the movement.

Tips

Know that other common bicep exercises include the preacher curl, incline biceps curl, cable curl, and the lying bicep curl.
The key to having great guns is to exercise your triceps too. Your triceps make up most of your arm and toned triceps give definition to your biceps.
Weight doesn't matter as much as form. If you have to start at ten pounds, that's all right. Just make sure you keep the form and technique good. Once you find it easier to do your current weight, it's time to take it up another five pounds or so.
When your current weight is easier, but any extra weight makes it too hard, simply do more reps with your current weight until you have built up enough strength to do a sizable amount of repetitions with the next weight.
Using walls as a support whilst pushing against using your arms will supply you with a good head start, seeing as it uses your own body weight and you can turn and twist to suit.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Better Biceps. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Crossfit Program

How to Work out With the Crossfit Program

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

CrossFit is a strength and endurance conditioning program that was founded in California to improve the physical fitness military and police personnel. The exercises are universally scalable, meaning that everyone of all skill level can participate and be challenge by the work out.
The ideal way to start CrossFit is to join a gym that is a CrossFit affiliate and attend their classes, as working out under the guidance of an instructor will ensure you're doing the exercises properly and getting the most out of your workout. You can also follow the 'Work Out of the Day' posted on the CrossFit website and discuss the workout with other CrossFit members.
To get started with CrossFit, there are some key exercises that are essential to the CrossFit program. By combining some of these exercises into a single workout, you can increase both your metabolic endurance and strength.

Steps

Pull-ups. Pull-ups are a great exercise, but can be challenging for anyone who isn't use do doing them regularly. If you can't do one pull-up, try doing body rows instead.
Squats. To do a body-weight squat, that is a squat with no additional weight, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. With your back straight, bend your knees and extend your arms forward to maintain balance. Stand back up straight again. Do several squats in one set, you'll be starting to get the hang of it when you can do 50 in a row.
Push-ups. If normal push-ups are too hard, try doing them from your knees, or standing against a wall. If normal push-ups are too easy, try doing them from an incline, or on rings.
Dips.
Wall Ball. Take a medicine ball and find a place alongside wall. Squat down and when you stand back up, throw the ball up against the wall. When you catch the ball on the way down, squat back down and repeat the process.
Sit-ups. Sit ups help build core strength which is important when doing any exercise.
Deadlift. Doing a deadlift is a very practical skill to have. Start with a low weight if you've never done one before. Stand in front of a barbell that is resting on the floor. With a straight back, squat down and get a comfortable grip on the barbell. Stand straight up, keeping a straight back, push your hips out. When you've reach a standing position, squeeze your shoulders back, and hold the weight for 1 to 2 seconds. Safely lower the barbell with a straight back, and repeat. Try doing 3-5 sets of comfortable, but challenging, number of repetitions, or try doing the sets of 21-15-9.
Double-unders. Take a skipping rope, and as if you were skipping normally, but instead of just spinning the rope once under your feet between jumps, spin it twice.
Box-jumps. Find a stable box or raised bench that will support your weight. From a standing position in front of the box, squat down and jump up on top of the box. Once you're up, stand straight up, pushing your hips out. Hop down, and repeat.

Tips

Stay hydrated, drink sufficient amounts of water before and during your workout.
Stretch and warm up thoroughly before the workout.
To find a CrossFit affiliate, check out the CrossFit website.
To see videos of exercises in action, check out the exercise videos posted on the CrossFit site.
In the CrossFit approach, routine is the enemy. Mix up your workouts, add variety to your workout to maximize your results.

Warnings

If you experience any sudden pain, stop the workout and rest. Consult a doctor if necessary, but don't work through an injury, as you'll likely make it worse.

Sources and Citations

CrossFit.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Work out With the Crossfit Program. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.