Daily Archives: July 7, 2015


Mind and Body

You must consider that in the beginning you are training the mind as well as the body. The mind, after all, makes you want to
train; it turns on the body. Because the mind motivates you to train the body, you have to train the mind first. If the mind
doesn’t want to lift weights, the body won’t lift them. 

 Once you’ve gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do just about anything.

 The secret is to make your mind work for you—not against you. This means constantly being positive,
constantly setting up challenges you can meet—either today, next week, or next month. “I can’t. . .” should be permanently
eliminated from your vocabulary, especially from  your thoughts.


A Reason

You should know why you are going to start training. This is one of the most important steps in initiating a successful training program.
You should not go to the gym because somebody says, “Hey, you’re a slob. You ought to do some weight
training and get in shape.” That isn’t a good reason, because you would be trying to satisfy someone else’s wishes, not your own.
You should have a very good reason why you want to get into weight resistance training. The best thing to do is to sit down
and say to yourself, “What do I want to get out of it? What is my goal?”
Be honest. Honesty is the key to how much you can improve.


Body Types

The Ectomorph: A thin person with a light bone structure and long tenuous muscles. The ectomorph has a tough time gaining
weight and building strength. 
The Endomorph: A stocky person with thick bones and a general
tendency to be round and stout. The endomorph will gain fast and be able to handle heavy training. His body is more likely
to remain blocky and muscular without showing great cuts or definition.
The Mesomorph: Anatomically, the ideal body for weight resistance training. The mesomorph has a large frame and the capacity
for becoming muscular fast. You can improve your body. All that you should look for in
training with weights is that you should achieve 100% of your potential. That potential will varies greatly among three body types
and individuals within each type. Most people are a combination  of characteristics from more than one type.


Advices About Training

1. Give your full concentration to each exercise. Feel what the exercise does to your muscles as you move.
2. Good form is more important than the number of repetitions. Add more resistance as you get stronger, but never at the
expense of good exercise form.
3. After your workout stand in front of a mirror and check your body. Do a few poses. Make an honest assessment of your
progress.
4. Maintain a positive mental attitude at all times.
5. You must eat well and get adequate sleep when you are on a serious bodybuilding program. You need eight to nine hours of
sound, restful sleep every night. Mending and growth take place during these periods of rest. If for some reason you miss your
quota of sleep, take a half-hour to one-hour nap after you get home from work. This will refresh you, help you recuperate
more fully, and speed your progress. If  you want—build a great body, —if you want it badly enough and are willing to work for it with all your heartyou will.


Gym

You’ll be doing at least a one-hour workout in the beginning, and eventually a two-hour workout, so it’s important that you
choose a place where you feel one hundred percent comfortable and where you will be inspired to do hard work.

One consideration in evaluating a gym is who works out there. If you are a bodybuilder it helps if a lot of bodybuilders are training for competition.
That’s the kind of atmosphere you want. You can relate to these people and let them guide you in attaining the proper workout
spirit. I personally choose the places with heavy wheels and cables and machines, heavy-duty stuff that looks like torture equipment.
That kind of gym gives me the incentive to do a serious workout. I’ve found that, generally speaking, home gyms can have a negative effect on concentrated training.

Your kitchen and living room are too close. You find yourself thinking, “Should I do another set or should I …?”
There are too many distractions. But if you make the commitment of traveling to the gym for half an hour, you will most likely decide that you’re
going to put in some work so you won’t have gone there for nothing. The gymnasium you choose should have good ventilation.
Next to your mental attitude, plentiful oxygen is actually the most important thing while you’re training. Without an adequate
oxygen supply you will tire easily and be unable to handle a vigorous one- or two-hour workout. The gym should be cool—it it’s too hot you

will grow languid and feel your strength has been sapped. Preferably you should get fresh air, not air-conditioned air.


Training Partner

I have found that the best way to get great workouts is to have an enthusiastic training partner. You’ll be amazed at how much
harder and faster you can work when you have someone to work out with. A good training partner pushes you to handle more poundage and gives you the incentive to grind out more reps per set with a minimum of rest pauses in between (which is real quality training). Workouts are more fun with a partner as well as more competitive. On those days when you feel lazy, your partner pushes you to keep working hard, and you end up with a good workout instead of an incomplete one.


Muscle Awareness

Before you begin your workouts sit down for a few moments and think about your body. Let your mind get in touch with your
muscles. During the day you probably think about everything  except training your body. You shouldn’t just hurry to the gym
from a business deal and start doing a bench press. Not only will the exercise do you no good, it may actually injure you. The
mind doesn’t work like that. You should allow it a few minutes to adjust to the idea of training. It is especially valuable now to be
aware of your body, mind and muscles, separately and as a single unit. Start with your calves. Feel them, flex them. Work up from
there. 


Abdomen

 Well-sculptured, highly defined abdominals give the physique a more finished appearance than any
other muscle group. In any competition, if your abdominal region has a slight layer of fat on it, you might as well forget about winning that shows.
Sharply defined abdominals are a must for maximum impressiveness.The entire abdominal region needs to be thoroughly exercised to get rid of all the visible surface fat. The following exercise routine can give your midsection sensational cuts. However remember that without a correct diet no amount of exercise will achieve the desired washboard look.

SIT-UPS—KNEES BENT—LEG RAISES—KNEES BENT—DRAGON FLAG (favorite)

Dragon Flag

 HOW TO DO IT: Lie faceup on a bench and grab the bench next to your ears so that your elbows are bent and your upper arms are next to your head. Your hands are there simply for support — don’t pull with them or you’ll wrench your neck. Use your core to roll up onto your shoulders until your body is straight and perpendicular to the ground –basically, you’re stacked on top of your shoulders. From here, slowly lower your body using your core, maintaining a straight body line. Work toward bringing your body down until it’s hovering just above the bench. Then bring it back up to the start and lower slowly again. 


Biceps

To some people the biceps are the symbol of strength. Everybody can relate to arms. Arms are one of the most impressive
parts of the body, the part everybody wants to see. When somebody says, “Show me your muscles,” you don’t show your calves.
You automatically lift up your arm and flex your bicep. A lot of attention should be put into arms so they look good.

Note: One thing about the biceps—you need to relax them completely between repetitions. Stand with your arms limp, and
the outside of your hands turned toward the thighs. This gives the blood a chance to flow freely through the biceps.  While working the muscles remember to turn your wrist, stretch your biceps and flex them when you reach the top position.

BARBELL CURL—STANDING—DUMBBELL CURL—SITTING—RESTRICTED INCLINED DUMBBELL—CONCENTRATION CURLS


The Pump

The BEST WAY you can get a pump is by going through your workout at a fast pace. I don’t mean to do the individual exercises fast, but to
move from one set to the next without undue delay. If you sit around for two minutes after each set and wait until your body relaxes,
you’ll never get the tight, full feeling of the pumped-up muscle. It’s better to handle less weight and move fast than to handle more weight and exhaust yourself.


Mental Attitude

You must approach all of your training with a positive mental attitude and the firm conviction that you will succeed. Visualize the body you
want and then train relentlessly until you get it. Be explicit. See yourself with that body, cut up and toned to an ideal state. Tell
yourself it’s possible. Then work to make it happen. Do not underestimate the part your attitude plays in bodybuilding.
Mental strain and worry can drain the body and adversely affect both your workouts and muscular growth. A good
positive mental attitude ought to go beyond the gym. It should extend to your eating habits, your sleeping habits, and the way
you conduct your life in general. Use the time on the way to the gym to outline some immediate
goals for yourself, to decide what you want to accomplish in this particular workout session. Don’t just go to the gym and say,
“Oh, no, another workout.” Your attitude should be: “Okay, this is another training session, and today instead of a 200-pound
bench press I’ll do 205 pounds. I feel stronger today; I can do it. I can do more chin-ups. I can do more sit-ups.”


How You the Buyer Can Evaluate a Claim?

Do you notice inconsistency?

Do reliable references support the  claims?

Beware of: 

Testimonials about personal experiences.

Disreputable publications.

Lack of evidence or supporting studies made by other scientists.

Examine the background philosophy of of the individual organizations or publications making the claims.

Usually a reputable author is one who educational background or affiliation  is with a reputable  national university or medical center that offer courses in the field of nutrition, medicine or closely allied specialty.

Avoid practitioners that  prescribe vitamins supplement for everyone or who sell them in connection with they practice.

Examine, product label carefully, and be skeptical of any product promotions  not clearly stated on the label.

Scientist normally  report they studies in reputable scientific journals.

 


Recognizing The Quack

Beware of promoters who profess the following without scientific evidence:

  1. Particular food can cure specific diseases.
  2. Many harmful food should be eliminated from your diet.
  3. Only natural food should be eaten.
  4. Modern processing methods strip the nutritional value from food.
  5. Sugar is a deadly poison.
  6. Stress greatly increases your need for nutriments.

Food Fads are irresistible to many… let the buyer beware!

 


When are Supplements Warranted?

In same specific cases, use of vitamins and minerals supplements  should be considered, however medical doctor recommendation should be sought in most cases.  The following condition may merit supplementation:

  • Women who bleed excessively during menstrual period  may need more iron.
  • Pregnant or lactating women may need extra iron, calcium,  and the vitamin folate.
  • People with low energy intake(1200 kcalories or less) need a range of vitamin or minerals. This include elderly people  who perform little physical activity.
  • Same vegetarian  may need extra calcium, iron, zinc,  and vitamin B12 (B12 is found in appreciable amount  only in animal products).
  • Newborns  under the directions of a physician, need a single dose of vitamin K to last until diet  and synthesis of bacteria suffice.
  • People of specific illnesses or diseases and those on certain medications may need supplementation of specific vitamins and minerals under direction of a physician.

Touting nutriments as a cure for many diseases is quackery.

Are natural vitamins superior to the synthetic vitamins superior? NO. The body cannot tell the difference, the only difference is PRICE.

The process of science applied nutrition. Only after careful and thorough analysis does a research finding deserve to influence  our food choices.

Pharmacy  typically carry hundreds of supplements, many are  completely useless, they seems to profit from public confusion.