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Never Give In!

July 29, 2009

Man, sometimes I don’t feel like working out.  Sometimes the people I’m working with don’t feel like working out. Some of our greatest enemies are apathy Apathy and sloth. One slothful guy! Here are some words of wisdom from Winston Churchill that instruct on how to deal with these enemies and the temptations they present. Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. Darryl

Walk, er, Do the Plank!

July 28, 2009

Alright folks.  Time for some exercise!  Start by getting on all fours.  Now, lower yourself down onto your elbows.  Next, straighten out one leg, then straighten out the other so that you are supporting the weight of your body on your elbows and the balls of your feet.  Keep your head aligned with your upper body so that from your head to your feet, your body is as close to (...)

Something to Remember

July 25, 2009

In the last two posts, two types of abdominal exercises were described.  Those two exercises had you cause your abs (rectus abdominis muscle) to move in the manner that they were meant to, which causes your ribcage to move toward your pelvis, and your pelvis to move toward your ribcage.  These types of exercises can be referred to as “isolation” type exercises for the ab muscles.  One other thing the (...)

Now, Reverse It!

July 24, 2009

In the last post, a super ab blasting exercise was described.  This post continues the ab blasting theme.  Yeah, baby! So you’ve probably heard of reverse crunches, right?  Try them this way: Lie on a bench or some other flat surface that is comfortable. Straighten out your arms so that they are by your sides, and grab onto the bench or place your hands palms down on the floor. (...)

A Super Ab-blasting Exercise!

July 22, 2009

If you want to exercise your abs, keep in mind that they run from the 5th, 6th, 7th ribs, and the lower part of your sternum (called the xiphoid process) down to a portion of your pelvic structure referred to as the crest of the pubis (google it).  So, your abs bring your ribs closer to your pelvis and your pelvis closer to your ribs.  To see exactly what your (...)

The Way to Six Pack Abs

July 21, 2009

The Six Pack! What’s the most effective way to get six pack abs?  Is it one of those super ab cruncher gadget devices?  Or how about one of those wiz-bang ab rocking machine thingys?  Oh, or what about the old ab electrical shock treatment route?  Well, if you have some fat around your middle, there’s no machine out there that’s going to do the trick (with the possible exception of (...)

Effective Core Training

July 18, 2009

The other night, I was lying in bed and I decided to get a book off the floor.  I was lying on my right arm, which caused me to face the edge of the bed.  I leaned over the edge and stretched out my left arm to get the book off the floor.  Just then, I felt a force pushing me from behind out of the bed.  It was my (...)

The Power Center

July 16, 2009

Whatever you do, don’t forget about your power center!  Yes, you have a locus of power!  It helps you with your speed and quickness, your balance, and your overall power.  This center of power helps you to change directions quickly, reduce your chances of injury, and steer clear of back injury.  What is this Power Center?  It’s your core!  Other names for it are the “trunk”, and the “low torso”.  It includes your abdominal wall, your lower back muscles, and the muscles on either side of your abdominal area (they’re called obliques).  Keeping this area in good shape helps with all the physical attributes just mentioned, and as an extra added bonus, if you’re lean, this area helps you look good too.  We’ll get more into the specifics of a strong healthy core in the coming days. Darryl

Spot Reduction and Toning

July 15, 2009

If you chat with a trainer that says you can spot reduce body fat in a particular area of your body, beware — something is awry!  Spot reduction is not possible.  When you lose fat, it kind of comes off in layers — like layers of an onion — from all over your body.  Within each layer, there may be a predetermined order.  Where it comes off first and fastest (...)

Free Weights and Machines

July 12, 2009

What is your preference when strength training — free weights or machine resistance?  Here are some characteristics of both. Machines: 1. Machines allow you to isolate a muscle. 2. Machines control the movement of the weight, and therefore may be “safer”. 3. You generally don’t have to worry about getting trapped under a weight when using machines. 4. Because of numbers 2 and 3, above, a spotter is not (...)