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A Bodyweight Exercise Routine For Everyone

Following a bodyweight exercise routine is undoubtably the best way to get in great shape in the shortest period of time. In a moment I’m going to outline a simple routine that anyone can do anywhere. But first I want to explain why it is so effective in the first place.

When most people want to get in shape and get buff, they often take up weightlifting (to put on muscle) and start running in some form for cardio. When I wanted to get in shape, this is what I did as well. I actually bought one of those weight lifting benches you see in the back of the Sears Catalog (is the Sears catalog still around, or Sears for that matter?) and started lifting diligently. I also started running around the fitness track close to where I lived. Later I graduated to Gold’s Gym, where I used a variety of machines and different cardio devices. I don’t think I considered performing any kind of a bodyweight exercise routine at this point. I just didn’t know any better.

My faith in what I was doing (as far as exercises are concerned) was shaken on several occasions, but two instances really stand out. At one point I took up Judo for a time. I really liked it, but I was continually getting hurt. If the weightlifting was so good for me, why was this happening? If I was truly strong, I didn’t think it should happen at all.

Another time I had my faith shaken in the value of weight training was when I took a Yoga class. (In fairness, yoga is really one long bodyweight exercise routine. However, what I’m going to show you is much easier and quicker. Stay tuned). Some of the poses, although they looked easy, were anything but. I mean, you are supposed to hold a triangle pose for a minute. I thought I would be able to do this easily as my legs were strong from the weight lifting, right? How wrong I was. I could barely hold the pose for 10 seconds, never mind 60. What was going on?

Here’s what I eventually figured out. When you perform “man made” exercises like weight lifting, you are really not getting the workout you could. I think this makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. Natural selection ensures “survival of the fittest”. Animals that do things to stay strong and healthy will live on and procreate, whereas animals that don’t, won’t. This ensures then that just by doing things with our own bodyweight, like the animals in nature, will ensure that we are at our maximum potential. We evolved doing things with our own bodyweight, NOT lifting weights. Haven’t you ever wondered why a Gorilla is 6 to 20 times stronger than a man? He doesn’t lift weights.

When you follow a bodyweight exercise routine, you are mimicking the exercises we used to get all day in nature in a condensed form. I’m convinced this works your muscles at a much deeper. It also forces you to think about what you are doing to a much greater degree than weight lifting. This creates a stronger neurological connection between your mind and body. THis is also a key. For maximize fitness, it is vital that you focus YOUR MIND as well on what you are doing.

Still skeptical? In that case, try the following bodyweight exercise routine which utilizes two exercises, hindu pushups and hindu squats. These exercises come from India where they were practiced by Indian Wrestlers to acquire incredible strength and stamina. At first you may have difficulty doing 5 reps of either exercise. Don’t let this worry you. Just do what you can, and then try and do 1 more. A good goal is to work towards 50 hindu pushups and 100 hindu squats. This may sound like a lot, and it is for the average person. However, Indian wrestlers were known to do 250 hindu pushups and 500 hindu squats (and more, according to legend) on a daily basis. With these kinds of exercises, the sky is really the limit.

Here’s how you do them:

Hindu Pushups

1. To get into the ready position to perform a Hindu Pushup, start in the up position of a regular pushup with your feet spread wider than shoulder width.
2. Walk your hands backwards so that your butt is in the air, your arms and legs are straight, and you are looking back through your legs. From the side, your body should resemble an inverted V
3. Start bending your elbows so that your body comes forward. Your hips will come down towards the floor. Before your head hits the floor, however, start to arch your spine so that you are looking towards the ceiling. Straighten your arms.
4. You should exhale as you are looking at the ceiling
5. Keep your arms straight and push your butt back to the starting position while inhaling.

Hindu Squats

1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended out from your chest parallel to the floor.
2. Breathe deeply, filling your lungs as you clench your fists and pull them towards your chest.
3. Keeping your back as straight as possible, lower your body by bending your knees. As you lower your body, you should extend your arms downward as well, behind your back if possible. Start to exhale the air from you lungs.
4. Toward the bottom of the movement, you should come up on your toes, keeping as straight a spine as possible.
5. Straighten your legs by pushing off your toes and swinging your arms forward. As you rise, press your heels to the floor and raise your arms to chest level, parallel to the floor.

Try doing this bodyweight exercise routine for a couple of weeks steadily. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the progress you’ll me and how fast you’ll do it. Good luck!

Building A Home Gym The Right Way

Setting up home gym doesn’t have to be difficult. What you need to know is your desire fitness goal which will help you get the right equipment that will help you reach your results ultimately. This article provides things you need to know when purchasing the right gym equipment for your home.

It is very important to realize your fitness goal when considering buying home gym equipment. When you know what your fitness goal is, you can decide the type of fitness machine that is best suitable to help you reach that goal. No single person has the same goals. Some want to lose extra weight or get rid of excess fat or stay healthy or build muscle mass. If your fitness goal is to build your muscle mass, one of the best equipment that does the trick is strength-training benches. Normally, the benches come with everything you need to build yourself a nice muscle mass. Some do offer adjustments that allow you to work on your entire upper and lower body parts. In fact, however, there are some people who are not interested in shedding weight or burning calories or building muscle mass. They rather want to grow extra pounds instead. Thus, when buying gym equipment for your home, it is very important to realize your fitness goal and your ultimate results.

You may want to consider buying a basic home gym and fitness DVD set, to start your fitness journey. You may find that some DVD sets not only offer workout DVDs but also fitness equipment, workout guide, diet plan and exercise chart as well. The advantage of these type of DVD set is you are provided with equipment that you can use along with it. If you are serious about staying fit, you may need to consider buying a full home fitness system which offers DVDs, paper guides and fitness accessories such as med balls, straps and fitness mats. They may come with special gadgets such as heart rate monitor or pedometer to help you keep track of your health.

It is very important to take into consideration about the space at your home and your pending health issues. It is not a good idea to find out later that the equipment you just purchased does not fit your home or may be harmful to your health. Thus, if you have pending health issues, do consult with your doctor in advance of buying any gym equipment.

Home gym equipment can be very expensive. The good news is you can find products with deep discounts easily online. However, you need to do product and price comparisons and read reviews from reliable locations to find out strengths and weaknesses of the equipment before buying one.

No matter what your fitness goal is, to achieve that result, you need the right gym equipment, strong commitment and actionable workout schedule. There is no point to find out later that the equipment you just purchased is not suitable for your health conditions or too big for your home space.

If you are unsure on the kinds of exercise equipment that will help you achieve your fitness goal, visit yourfitnessathome.com for our reviews on the best home gym equipment available today.

Discover Indoor Rock Climbing In Spartanburg

Rock climbing is a fast growing and exciting sport. The mountainous areas of South Carolinas Upstate offer some opportunities for outdoor climbing, but many climbers prefer the controlled conditions of an indoor rock climbing facility. Indoor climbing gyms are also the perfect place for the novice climber to receive instruction and safety advice. There are three indoor facilities in the Spartanburg area that climbers may want to check out.

Climb Upstate is an indoor climbing gym located just minutes from downtown Spartanburg at 208 East Daniel Morgan Avenue. The facility offers a variety of climbing challenges for all skill levels. Their architect designed climbing walls include a 35 foot overhang and a 45 degree lean back section. There is a bouldering cave with a 40 foot roof for those who enjoy climbing without ropes. Rates are reasonable, with an all day climbing pass for $12 and an all day bouldering pass for $9. Climb Upstate offers a 1st Timers Package that is all inclusive. The package includes an all day pass, a climbing harness, belay device, climbing shoes, and a professional belay certification from their staff. This package saves climbers 20% over the regular price and allows beginners to try the sport without making an expensive investment in equipment. Climb Upstate does rent equipment including shoes, chalk bags, harnesses, and belay devices. They offer belay certification so that climbers can manage the rope for their partners. Climb Upstate is open Monday through Friday from 3pm-9pm, Saturday from 11am-9pm, and Sunday from 1pm-6pm.

Climb @ Blue Ridge is located at 301 Bulls Road in nearby Taylors, South Carolina, between Spartanburg and Greenville. This facility was formerly known as Rocks and Ropes. Climbers of every skill level should be able to find appropriate routes to climb on these indoor walls. The facility is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 10pm and Saturday from 10am-10pm. Sunday climbing is by reservation only. An all inclusive rate of $17 includes the gym user fee, all gear, and a belay check. Gym user fee alone is $10 and the bouldering fee is $7. The gym user fee for ages 10 and under is $8.

The Glendale Outdoor Leadership School is just east of Spartanburg in Glendale, South Carolina. The street address is 270 Wheeling Circle. Their 20 foot high indoor climbing wall has 1,000 square feet of climbing area, featuring ramped and inverted walls, bouldering areas, and crack climbing. A climbing assistant is on hand during open-to-the-public hours. In addition to the climbing wall, Glendale Outdoor Leadership School offers other activities such as kayaking and mountain biking. Contact the facility at (864)529-0259 for information on rates and public hours.

Experienced climbers and beginners who want to learn a new sport should try one of these indoor climbing facilities in the Spartanburg area. Climbers are sure to have a challenging and fun experience.

Build Muscle Like Ronnie Coleman

If you want to build muscle and do it fast you have come to the right article. The process of building muscle happens to the compensation process.

This means that when you work out your muscle you break down the muscle fibers and create small tears in the muscle fiber, the body then reacts to this by building the muscle stronger and hereby bigger.

This is a very key concept to understand as it means that if you don’t push yourself each single time your body will find no reason to build your muscles stronger and bigger as you are already strong enough to deal with the work load presented.

That is why you constantly hear fitness gurus raving about having worksheets and making sure you have a constant progression in weights and intensity, if you don’t you simply won’t grow!

Don’t confuse lifting heavier each time with having worse and worse technique every time you hit the gym because you read that you have to have constant progress. Make sure you perform the exercises correctly at all times but also do remember that if a couple of cheat sets are going to give you the edge to progress next time, go for it.

Let’s talk about some real muscle building exercises. What all these movements have in common is that they are compound movements that stimulate a lot of muscle groups simultaneously, thus breaking down more muscle every time you hit the gym.

These movements also allow you lift very heavy weights because of the amount of muscles used in the movement, and if you can’t don’t worry, you will be able to lift with the big boys eventually.

1. Bench press: This is probably the most famous exercise other than the bicep curl. It stimulates the chest, shoulder and triceps and is an awesome mass builder. Just make sure you perform this exercise with correct technique as it is also the number one cause of shoulder injuries.

2. Dead lift: Killer exercise for the entire back, trapezius and even your legs and neck. If you can perform this one without complications it is a must in any strength and mass building regime.

3. Squat: Let’s not forget the legs, we don’t want to look as a duck version of Ronnie Coleman. Awesome exercise that works everything in your lower body. Watch the knees on this one.

Add these 3 exercises to your fitness regimen and you will quickly start seeing gains in both size and strength.

Miscarriage Myths Put To Rest

A miscarriage is described as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks, occurring most often in the first 12 weeks. They are quite common and occur 10 -20% of pregnancies that are confirmed. It is important to note that nearly most miscarriages 60% occur in the first trimester of pregnancy and are often times unexplainable. Most usually the miscarriages at this stage are said to be genetically based where chromosomes failed to replicate properly. Miscarriage loss can be categorised in the following ways:

Hormonal
Chromosome defects
A physical problem with the cervix
Disorders with the immune system
The premature rupture of the membranes resulting in early labour
Unknown
Blighted ovum
Ectopic pregnancy
Molar pregnancy and still birth

Although the Doctor is not always able to say what the exact cause of a miscarriage is, you will be reassured that its natures way of looking out for your best interest because lets face it, no one wants unnecessary complications during their pregnancy. Ones pregnancy is meant to be a special and unforgettable experience. Those of you who’ve experienced a miscarriage will admit that you try to find every reason to justify why it maight have happened. But the truth of the matter is none of this is relevant. Unfortunately, miscarriages do happen and it does so most times to prepare you for the joys of motherhood with a successful pregnancy the next time around. This being said, it is a saddening and unpleasant experience for any woman to have to endure and when it happens it is important to have the love and support of those around you. No loss is pleasant, especially that of a baby you may have planned for quite sometime to conceiving.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you or anyone else could have done to prevent it. One should be aware that the following are often listed as the commonly blamed factors of a miscarriage when in fact; they have nothing to do with a miscarriage. Lifting a heavy object is a popular myth that I will now dispel. This is applicable only to women who can cause a placental tear in the second and third trimester of their pregnancy. If for some reason you lift something heavy and feel terrible pains soon after, it could possibly mean you may have strained the round ligament which holds your uterus in place. If you bleed after however, you have to consult your midwife or doctor straight away. Im sure youve heard people say not to pick anything up heavier than a certain weight which is true especially in the early and latter months, but again not because it will induce labour per se but because of the pressure it places on your joints and bones and could cause complications to the pregnancy. If for whatever reason you feel the need to lift anything heavy make sure to squat and lift with your legs, not bending and putting pressure on your back. If while lifting you become dubious ask for help after all you are pregnant.

Frightening the baby is another myth. Individuals feel that an accident or loud noises or something that scared you, scared the baby as well, when in fact the baby may not have noticed anything at all. If say for argument sake the baby did react, he is doing so upon a startle reflex which is a healthy sign that the child is developing just fine. Contrary to popular belief, babies DO NOT have heartaches or are frightened to death.

The baby sensing it was unwanted is thought to be another reason for a miscarriage occurring. Even though the initial reaction to the pregnancy may not have been a happy or positive one for some, it does not indicate that it would have caused a miscarriage to occur. Statistics show that 10% of all babies die whether they where wanted or not. Poor eating habits and drinking alcohol before you knew you were pregnant are quite famous reasons for thinking that a miscarriage occurred. Where eating is concerned, the baby will take from you what it needs and only you will suffer. That being said, you can cause a low birth rate child if you do not have a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy. It is important to eat well at all times, but more so when it is discovered you are with child. But in the same breathe; do not blame your eating habits for the spontaneous loss of the foetus.

Where drinking is concerned the baby does not get a drop of blood before implantation and receives just a miniscule amount which isnt enough to worry about passing any dangerous element to him. But if you continue to drink while knowing youre pregnant you can cause serious foetal developmental issues. Another famous myth has to be getting bumped or shoved in the stomach. While as an expectant mother you are more careful than usual, now and then especially if you have a young family and your son or daughter shares your bed they may in deep sleep mistakenly bump into you. You should remember that the baby is well protected inside and it is only you the parent who gets hurt, sad to say. But its nothing that would cause you to go into labour.

Working out or doing exercise is yet another myth. If before pregnancy you were never a gym fanatic dont suddenly change your routine because your body really isnt accustomed to it. If you do feel the need to participate in a gym it is good for you and baby but under supervision and gradually. Also you should be advised not to get your heart rate over 140 or to work out until you feel faint. If your heart rate goes above and beyond this you do run the risk of lessening the amount of oxygen your baby receives.

This may not come as a shock to some of you readers but its been said that sex can cause a miscarriage. Despite the fact that your uterus enlarges and you feel the contractions it does no harm to your baby. Quite often the baby does not notice anything out of the ordinary or so we are told by doctors and is too busy asleep in his watery world. If your doctor has specifically instructed that you abstain from this activity its in your best interest to follow his orders and resume when you get the go ahead.

Contrary to popular belief stress does not cause a miscarriage. Many people are worry warts by nature or we all worry about our unborn child at some stage or other. There are those among us who experience life changing events or traumatic happenings such as a death of a friend, family member or loved one but believe me, you will get through it as painful as it is. Many babies have come into the world when their mother or parents where enduring the highest levels of stress. Work environments are famous for being high stress havens especially the medical profession and any high stress environment. At the end of the day all theses babies arrive in good health or if there is a problem it is not stress related in the least. It is still important that the expectant mothers countenance is undisturbed as little as possible as feelings and emotions are channelled to your little one.

So as you prepare you mind and body for a pregnancy and if you are in the first trimester be positive and do as you are told by your doctor and midwife. The next point I say with abit of reservation, it is good to read and be informed on what should be happening to you, your baby and your body at each milestone, but dont over saturate yourself with too much information as it can cause unnecessary worry. Try to live and enjoy your pregnancy as best as you can.

Source:http://www.babyandbump.com/miscarriage-support/673-miscarriage-facts-myths.html