Insanity Max 30 : êtes-vous prêt pour un nouveau défi ?

Insanity Max 30 : êtes-vous prêt pour un nouveau défi ?

Après quelques mois d'absence sur ce blog justifiés par une ptite princesse qui grandissait en moi et le rush des premières semaines qui ont suivi sa naissance, et après avoir eu le feu vert de la sage-femme pour la reprise, me voilà de retour, pleine de motivation, prête à reprendre le sport après plus d'un an d'arrêt !! 

....Ca va faire mal :-D !!

Les dégâts :

- un ventre tout flasque à cause de la grossesse

- une bonne dizaine de kilos en trop si ce n'est plus

- et des jolis petits amas de graisse disséminés un peu partout entre les hanches, les fesses, les cuisses, la poitrine (mon chéri est content, moi beaucoup moins !!), les bras...

Bref je ne sais pas s'il reste une zone sans gras sur moi ^^(mes doigts de pied peut-être ? mes oreilles?)

Objectifs : 

- rentrer dans mes pantalons d'avant-grossesse...! Et oui 3 mois après mon accouchement, je commence à peine à manger un peu mieux (pendant les premières semaines, le critère de choix d'un bon repas était qu'il fallait que ce soit prêt en 5min et englouti en autant de temps), et à part mes pantalons de grossesse et mes vieux joggings, je ne rentre dans aucun de mes jeans...

- perdre au moins une taille de soutien gorge !  Je sais que je ne retrouverai pas ma taille de soutien gorge de suite, mais là 105E c'est juste plus possible DU TOUT. (Merci de ne pas me balancer à mon chéri par contre, de mon côté je lui dirai que "oh vraiment c'est trop injuste de perdre de la graisse au niveau de la poitrine!")

Plan d'attaque : 

- Alimentation : je vais faire ce qui a toujours marché pour moi : les baby steps :) ! Autrement dit, on y va doucement , je me lance pas direct dans un régime draconien ou un virage à 180° au niveau de mes habitudes alimentaires.

Je commence par changer un seul repas par jour, les changements seront peut être moins rapides mais au moins je sais que j'ai plus de chances de tenir sur la durée si je ne suis pas frustrée.

Je m'attaquerai donc au petit déj, avec un shake protéiné et un thé vert, pour remplacer mes habituelles 6 tartines de beurre- nutella (Non c'est pas une blague et oui j'ai un poil déconné ^^vous comprenez un peu mieux pourquoi je rentre pas encore dans mes pantalons d'avant grossesse..^^)

Si vous ne savez pas par où commencer au niveau de l'alimentation, je vous redirige vers mon Challenge Nutrition :)

- Sport : J'aurais pu recommencer soft. 

Un programme comme Rockin Body (sauf que j'aime pas danser) ou comme Piyo, qui donne apparemment de supers résultats (le mélange du yoga et du pilates de ce programme fait de jolis muscles fins et longs, exactement ce qu'on recherche !!). 

Moui. 

Mais non. 

Moi ce que j'aime, c'est me défoncer, tout donner. 

C'est faire 30min en ayant l'impression d'avoir bouclé un triathlon. 

C'est être trempée de la tête aux pieds à la fin de ma séance. 

C'est gémir pendant 2 jours à cause des courbatures quand s'asseoir sur la cuvette des wc devient le défi de ma journée. 

C'est mourir au bout de 5min de workout en me disant merde j'ai même pas fini l'échauffement. 

Parce que je sais que c'est ce qui me booste, que c'est ce qui me donne une énergie incroyable, et que c'est ce qui me donne des résultats rapidement aussi :) !!

Donc pour ma reprise j'ai choisi....Insanity Max 30 !!!

Le nouveau programme Beachbody de Shaun T, un programme qui a l'air d'être encore plus fou qu'Insanity, puisque le but est de vous faire "max out", c'est à dire "arriver au bout de vos limites"...!!

Toi qui a fait Insanity... toi qui après avoir fait la "Recovery Week" a attrapé un dictionnaire en te disant que sûrement Recovery ne voulait pas dire la même chose en américain vu les séances de malade de cette semaine-là ... Toi, quand Shaun T te dit que son objectif est de te faire "max out", qui as juste envie de prendre tes jambes à ton cou... Puis bin non tu restes, parce que comme moi tu es d'une curiosité masochiste qui te pousse à essayer quand même :-D 

Voilà ce que j'ai choisi pour ma reprise :-D

Et pour ca il a choisi un nouveau format avec plein de nouveaux exercices inédits, des séances plus courtes (30min) donc beaucoup plus intenses, ET, détail non négligeable pour moi qui reprend après plus d'un an d'arrêt : qui comporte une version light !! Pour les personnes qui reprennent le sport, qui ont des problèmes de genoux, ou de dos.... Il y a une version sans saut dans chacune des vidéos :) !!

Je vous présenterai le programme plus en détail dans un article à venir très prochainement :) ! 

En attendant je file faire ma séance du jour, motivée par le défi de Shaun T, et reboostée de vous retrouver enfin :) !!

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Hex Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift : Which One is Better

The deadlift is the most popular compound movement and rightfully so since it’s become the ultimate test by which we measure our strength. Even though the most common method of doing deadlifts is by using the classic Olympic barbell, a majority of people nowadays are taking up deadlifting with a hex bar, that is shaped in the form of a hexagon and you should position yourself inside of it. It also goes by the name of “trap bar”, because a lot of gym goers use it to do shrugs.

-

Why use a barbell ?

99% of the time deadlifts are executed with an old-fashioned barbell and it is a valid method. That’s the method used in powerlifting meets and it is the way the professionals execute them.

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Why use a hex bar ?

Despite the fact that the most popular and common method of doing deadlifts is by using an Olympic bar, as well as the method in which it is done in competitions, many fitness enthusiasts are surprised to find that executing them with a hex bar is far less stressful on the lower back muscles and that it feels a lot more comfortable.

Is it supported by research?

Numerous studies have examined the difference in biomechanics and strength of professional powerlifters when they deadlifted with a classic bar and a hex bar. They have all come to the conclusion that when participants were deadlifting with a hex bar, they could lift an average of around 50 lbs more in comparison to when they were using the classic barbell. It was further concluded that using the hex bar stresses the lower back muscles a lot less.

You may like: 10 Deadlift Mistakes That Make You Look Like a Newbie

Conclusion

Doing deadlifts with a hex bar is superior to doing them with a standard Olympic bar, especially when you are lifting heavy loads, in regards to the reduced amount of stress on the lower back muscles.

If the gym you are going to has a hex bar and you’ve been using it for shrugs you should start practicing doing deadlifts with it. You will find that you will be able to lift a lot heavier in comparison to a barbell deadlift, (which puts a bigger burden on the leg muscles) which will ultimately lead to a bigger muscle gain in the long-term.

Even if you are a professional powerlifter, you should consider using the hex bar sporadically since it will aid you in going heavier and get stronger in all muscles in the lower body. Plus, if you’ve already given up on deadlifts because you had lower back pains, using the hex bar could be the fix to get you back on the right track.

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Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer Guide

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the lung and chest lining and/or the abdomen after prolonged exposure to asbestos. There are three different kinds: pleural, peritoneal, or or pericardial mesothelioma. The difference between the three is where the cancer is located. Pleural mesothelioma victims have cancerous cells in the lungs, pericardial mesothelioma patients have cancerous cells in the the pericardium area of the heart, and peritoneal mesothelioma patients have cancerous cells in the linings of the abdomen.

If you or a loved one suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, orasbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, awaiting those who’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos illness. We invite you to fill out our form today for a free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information about top mesothelioma lawyers in your area, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file an asbestos trust fund claim, and much more.

Who is Affected?

As with other types of mesothelioma, malignant mesothelioma typically affects people who have worked around and have had prolonged exposure to asbestos, and although the ages will vary, victims are typically males around 60 years of age.

However, children and spouses exposed second-hand to asbestos run the risk of developing the disease. For example, if a wife washes the clothes of her husband who just spent the day working around asbestos, small asbestos fibers may make their way into her lungs, causing the same damage as it would to someone who worked around asbestos for years.

This type of asbestos exposure is rare, but it’s important to remember that anyone who has had any contact with asbestos runs the risk of getting this cancer.

Symptoms

As aforementioned, the average age of malignant mesothelioma victims is around 60. This stems from the fact that it usually takes 20 to 50 years to properly diagnose the disease. As such, symptoms of mesothelioma usually don’t occur for decades after asbestos exposure and usually start out as if the victim is suffering from a common cold or the flu.

Typical symptoms include the following:

• Chest pain that starts out light and increases in severity over time
• Cough and hacking
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Shortness of breath
• Fever

As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more severe, including:

• Unusual weight loss
• Extreme bloating and abdominal pain
• Swelling in the arms and face
• Sweating profusely
• Difficulty in breathing and swallowing
• Chest pain becomes much more pronounced

Testing

When testing for malignant mesothelioma, physicians will normally use chest x-rays and a chest CT, along with a biopsy in order to remove fluids and tissues in the lungs to check for asbestos fibers. Blood tests are also administered and a thorough medical background and work history are reviewed, including times you’ve been exposed to asbestos, will be completed.

Per the American Cancer Society (ACS), when a chest x-ray is performed, physicians look for unusual fluid buildup in the lungs as well as any calcium deposits and changes in the shape of the lungs. This is the first indication that the patient may have this cancer, but other tests must be conducted before a final diagnosis is made.

When performing a CT scan, physicians are able to gather a more in-depth look at the lungs via cross-sectional images. This will allow them to pinpoint and determine the exact location of the cancer.

Biopsies are performed by inserting a long needle into the chest and directly into the tumorous area. Physicians are then able to withdraw a sample of the tumorous cells and analyze more thoroughly. If asbestos fibers are found, a diagnosis of mesothelioma usually follows.

Treatments

Unfortunately, there is no cure for malignant mesothelioma, and it is also one of the most difficult forms of cancer to treat. If mesothelioma has moved into a malignant stage, the disease is so advanced that in most cases, it’s impossible to remove.

Therefore, surgery is usually not an option as this stage unless the patient has a mass tumor. Even then, other factors are taken into consideration such as the patient’s age and overall health. This is not to say that all patients with malignant are not candidates for surgery. Some people may still qualify for different types of surgeries that aim to remove portions of the cancer as opposed to the entire tumor.

If the patient does not qualify  for surgery, a combination of mesothelioma treatments can be used, such as chemotherapy and radiation. This works by reducing  the symptoms and helping  the victim live a better life with less pain.

Keep in mind, however, that if left untreated, victims typically pass away within nine months, according to the ACS. It’s imperative to follow up with medical treatment and assistance even though there is no cure, as it can help to prolong your life.

Your age, how long you were exposed to asbestos, general health, and response to treatments will also determine your survival rate. There is also no set rule to life expectancy as each person’s medical history and health are unique. While one person may survive up to a year, another person may go on to live another decade or more.

Side Effects of Treatment

As with anyone who undergoes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation–regardless of the disease–side effects typically follow. It’s important to remember, however, that treatments affect different people in different way, and not everyone will experience the same side effects.

The typical side effects from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are as follows:

• Hair thinning and hair loss
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Easily prone to infections
• Bruising and bleeding easily
• Bladder changes–urinating more frequently or less frequently
• Body swelling
• Mouth ulcers
• Anemia
• Constipation and/or diarrhea
• Hard time remembering and concentrating
• Nerve damage
• Pain

Other less common side effects include internal organ damage, hearing loss, excessive bleeding, and blood clotting. All side effects typically stop within a few months after treatment is complete. However, if you have a high fever or just do not feel well, always consult with your physician as soon as possible.

Getting Legal Help

If you’ve been injured by mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the leading asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. If you have questions or need additional assistance, contact us at 800-793-4540.

article originally  : mesotheliomalawyercenter.org 

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5 Movements to Reverse the Spinal Issues Caused by Excessive Sitting

Every office job or any job in a corporate setting entails a lot sitting for prolonged periods of time. Even though it’s not explicitly stated, sitting is pretty much a job description that many employees have. That’s because their work means sitting for 8 hours per day, 5 or 6 days per week while looking at a computer screen.

Sitting for long periods of time can be the cause for a multitude of health issue like edema, varicose vein, pain in the lower back muscles and many others, that if left untreated can create bigger health problems in the long run. That’s no reason to panic, because we have just the right advice for you that could remedy that in the form of five exercises:
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1. Glute bridges

Lie on your back, bend your knees and keep the feet on the floor. Then, raise the butt and the hips in a way that the body is in a straight line. Hold the position for a few seconds then lower the butt and hips down. You finished one rep. Try doing 4 sets of 12 repetitions. If you find that easy, add additional load and hold it on the thighs while executing the reps. This movement develops the glutes and hips and has an effect on the abdominal muscles as well.

2- Glute bridges

Kneel in front of a wall with your back facing the wall. Put the leg you want to stretch up against the wall with the toes on the actual wall surface. Support on your knee which should be standing right at the base of the wall. Bring the other leg into a lunge position and lift the torso up. The closer your knee is to the wall, the greater the stretch.

Remain in the position for 2-3 minutes. Afterwards, switch legs.

3 - full squat

Photo credit CrossFitMurrayfield.com

With this squat variation you get into a squat position with the feet on the floor, with the back rigid and straight and the but going as low as you can. Something similar to a baseball catcher stance. You are supposed to feel a stretch in the legs, groin and back.

4 - Leg swings

There is a chance you’ve probably seen someone doing leg swings but weren’t sure that they were doing exactly. This exercise is meant for loosening the muscles and stretching them.
It entails holding onto something to keep balance and then swinging the leg in a back and forth motion as high as you can go. You can start doing the swing with each leg one at a time and then side to side. Do 20 swings of both motions.

5. Fire hydrants

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com                                                   

                                                                                 

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How to Train for Dense, Hard Muscles VS Soft, Big Muscles

You’ve probably noticed that not all muscular guys sport the same physique. While there’re those whose muscles are hard and dense, others, although big, have softer muscles.

The way you look is generally determined by your genetics, dieting and type of training. And having in mind that most of you would probably opt for having firm and dense musculature rather than big and soft, we’re providing you with the training methods that will help you achieve this goal.

SARCOPLASMIC HYPERTROPHY

The sarcoplasmic growth is focused on increasing the muscle glycogen concentration, which results in drawing larger quantities of fluids within the muscle cells.  While this type of muscle growth is very fast and delivers visible results, it doesn’t make the muscles dense and firm.
As a result, you can often see big muscular man who can’t lift greater loads.
Although this type of training makes your muscles look big, they also look soft, especially when you have higher levels of body fat. But, if you want to utilize this growth, stick to 10 to 20 or more reps per set.
However, you should also have in mind that this type of growth is not permanent. As soon as you stop lifting, your muscles start to shrink losing their volume in just few days.

MYOFIBRILLAR HYPERTROPHY

The myofibrillar hypertrophy focuses on making your muscle fibres bigger. Although this growth is not as fast, it results with great improvements in muscle strength.

And even though your muscles will not be as big as with the previous approach, they will always look strong and firm. This will give you a more defined and leaner appearance. If you want to achieve this type of hypertrophy, you should stick to 1-8 reps per set.
Another advantage of myofibrillar growth is that is more permanent. In other words, your muscles won’t start shrinking the moment you leave the gym.

CHOOSING YOUR FOCUS

The best approach would be to focus on myofibrillar growth in the beginning. This will help you in building solid base for future growth. You can always turn to sarcoplasmic hypertrophy later on, in order to emphasise those areas that are not as developed.
Another very important segment of your muscle development is your testosterone level. Without optimal testosterone levels you have small chances of achieving any type of muscle growth.
You can increase your testosterone production in several ways: hard training, good dieting and plenty of rest. Of course, you can also take testosterone booster.
Taking a testosterone booster will help you in building greater muscle mass and maintaining it. It will also help you get a leaner and firmer look. And as a plus, your sex drive will improve. So, if you want to be serious about increasing your muscle mass, you need work hard on increasing your testosterone levels.
However, have in mind that not all testosterone boosters are good quality products. That’s why you need to be careful which product you’ll choose. Read the label and check the ingredients that it contains. Otherwise, you might end up just wasting your money.

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This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Build Boulder Shoulders With These 3 Supersets

Most fitness-oriented people simply don’t understand how their shoulders function. What they do know, however, is that the shoulder complex is incredibly vulnerable and prone to injury if trained without extra caution, so they stick to exercises that ‘feel’ the safest or are generally approved and advocated by internet bodybuilding gurus. Unfortunately, that fearful approach also prevents them from adding mass to their shoulders and improving their functional strength!

Don’t forget: you are supposed to train your shoulders with plenty of volume and intensity, as long as you mind your form and technique. One of the most underused yet highly effective ways to overload your shoulders and encourage their development is the inclusion of shoulder supersets – sets which include two exercises performed one after the other without any rest in between.

Step out of the box and blow your shoulders up with these 3 shoulder supersets.

Warm-Up Routine

Never skip the warm-up; it will greatly reduce your chance of hurting yourself. These exercises will increase circulation and warm up your muscles, as well as improve their flexibility, coordination and reaction time.

Cardio: 5-10 minutes

Any type of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State Cardio) activity, such as walking, jogging or running is ideal for waking up the entire body and getting you into the right mindset.

Windmills: 30-60 seconds
Warm up your shoulders by performing windmills – stand with arms out straight and parallel to the ground and start rotating them in an arc-like motion. Start from small rotations and gradually increase the size. Perform in both directions
Shoulder dislocations: 10 reps
Don’t worry about the name of this one – it’s actually an amazing exercise that promotes shoulder flexibility. To perform it, stand with a long stick in front of you and position your hands wide at either end, then raise the stick over your head without bending your elbows.

SUPERSET #1

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                        Dumbbell Lateral Raise

As you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a dumbbell in each hand and slightly bend the elbows as the weights hang by your sides, palms facing one another. Bend your upper body forward and allow your hips and knees to bend slightly as well. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground, maintaining the torso straight and stabile. Lower the weights down and repeat.

UPRIGHT BARBELL ROW : 4 sets x 8-12 reps 

                                                                  Upright Barbell Row

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Pick up a barbell with a narrow grip and row it vertically up until it reaches the top of your chest. Stop when it reaches just below your chin and your forearms and upper arms are squeezed into each other, parallel to the ground. Lower the weight down and repeat.

SUPERSET #2

DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS : 4 sets x 8-12 reps

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a bench that has back support and place the dumbbells on the top of your thighs. Raise the weights to shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward and push the dumbbells upward, straightening your elbows. Instead of locking out as you reach the top, keep a slight bend at the elbows all through the movement. Pause for a moment at the top contracted position, then lower the weights down and repeat.

                                                  Dumbbell Shoulder Press

FRONT DUMBBELL RAISE : 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                         Front Dumbbell Raise

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms of the hands facing towards your body. Keeping your torso stationary and maintaining a slight bend at the elbows, raise the weights in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Pause for a second at the top, then slowly lower the weights down and repeat. Perform the movement in a maximally controlled manner to avoid using momentum.

SUPERSET #3

FACE PULL: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                                     Face Pull

Set up a cable with a rope attachment so that it is in line with your head and grab each end of the rope. Take a couple of steps back from the machine and pull the weight directly towards your face, separating the hands as you do so. As you bring the rope all the way to your face, flare your elbows out but keep your upper arms parallel to the floor. Pause, return to the starting position and repeat.

FRONT BARBELL SHRUG: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                          Front Barbell Shrug
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart as you hold a barbell with both hands in front of you, using a neutral grip. Without rolling your shoulders, shrug them while bringing your arms up and keeping them straight. Avoid lifting the barbell using your biceps and try to touch your shoulders with your ears. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Take Home Message

Don’t be too easy on your shoulders – they are not delicate flowers, they are muscles designed to work 24/7 and you need to overload them to produce growth. This workout will allow you to reach optimal shoulder hypertrophy without increasing the risk of injury, so don’t hesitate to challenge your shoulders with supersets at the next gym session.

Don’t forget that even the best exercise can be a waste of time if you don’t use it right, so focus on utilizing proper form and achieving hypertrophy. Try the prescribed sets and reps and see how it feels. If your shoulders don’t burn as much as you’d like them to – increase either the weight or the volume. Good luck!

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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5 Best Shoulder Exercises

Nothing stands out on a physique like a great pair of full, well-rounded shoulders. Even if your shoulders aren’t as wide as you’d like them to be, you can create the illusion of a V-taper look by developing a pair of supersized cannonball deltoids and losing a few inches off the waist.

Shoulder training can often be neglected in favor of training chest and arms, and you’d be surprised how many guys feel like their shoulders already get enough work as secondary muscles on chest/arm day and therefore don’t require any specialized work. This, of course, is far from reality in most cases. Sure, there are a few genetic beasts in every gym who seem to grow no matter what they do or don’t do, but for the rest of us, proper high-intensity shoulder training is required to ensure great development in this area.

Read the rest of this article to learn how to target your shoulders better and reap quality strength and mass gains on every gym visit!

Free Weights First

First of all, make sure to replace most of your machine-based overhead presses with free-weight overhead presses performed with dumbbells or a barbell. This will allow you to engage more muscles and strengthen your stabilizing muscles which although small or hidden, are extremely important for an injury-free and highly effective performance and ultimately for building a strong and well-balanced body.
Free weights enable your body to move in all three planes of movement, which is how your body normally moves in daily life, and this will help you increase your range of motion, target your muscles from all angles possible and build real, functional strength. Also, since you have to work to stabilize the weight while lifting it, instead of having a machine do that for you, your overall stability will dramatically increase. And stability is perhaps nowhere as important as it is for the shoulder area, which is notorious for its vulnerability.
On the other hand, machines allow you to focus more on the effort and less on the mechanics of the movement, and this can be useful for the end of your workout, when accumulated fatigue makes balancing weights over your head very difficult.
So it would be best to do the harder, free-weight variant of the exercise early in the workout, before fatigue sets in, and save the machine version for later, when you can use it to cause maximal hypertrophy and drain your muscles of any remaining strength by focusing on solely pushing the weight. Machines will also allow you to lift heavier weights and isolate specific muscle groups better, so it’s good to have a fair share of machine-based movements in your routine as well, as long as you make sure that free-weight exercises are at the center of your workouts

The Importance of TUT

Besides calves, shoulders can be one of the most reluctant body parts to grow. The reason for this is that these muscles are primarily geared for endurance rather than power and are used to working hard throughout the entire day to power all arm movements. This is why the most important thing to remember when training your shoulders (as well as calves!) is that they need a lot intensity in order to be forced into new growth.
One way to do that is by using heavy weights, but that’s not always recommendable because shoulder joints are very vulnerable to injury and your first priority should be keeping them healthy while improving the strength of the muscle surrounding them. The other way to do it by enabling optimal time under tension (TUT). Make sure to always perform the lowering part of your shoulder exercises in a slow and controlled manner so that you can maintain a good level of tension on the targeted muscle. Also, try to make rest periods as short as possible and never go above 2 minutes. Keeping the intensity high will make your muscles work harder and prompt greater growth.
To completely exhaust the muscles and enable maximum hypertrophy, start your shoulder workouts with heavy presses and end them with lighter-weight isolation work.

5 Shoulder-Building Exercises

The road to building the powerful shoulders you want starts with the introduction of these 5 cornerstone exercises in your shoulder routine:

#1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

This is a basic shoulder mass-builder that allows you to target any existing muscle imbalances between your left and right side of the body when pressing. It’s very likely that your dominant side is stronger and compensates for the weaker one during barbell movements. When using a barbell this is be hardly noticeable, but with dumbbells you’ll be able to tell the difference right away and address it properly. If you can, perform the exercise in front of a mirror so that you can keep your form in check.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Press the weight up in an explosive manner and push your head forward at the top of every rep to make sure that you’re moving the load through your shoulders and not your chest muscles. Return the weight to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement.

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Meet the 2017 Arnold Classic Competitors

Just a few days away from Columbus, Ohio, hosting one of the largest gatherings of strength sports athletes on the planet. The event will have a huge attraction of heavyweight lifters and athletes who add to the spectacle of the Arnold Sports Festivals.

This year, 2017, it is even bigger and more amazing than ever.
The Arnold Strongman Classic, which was introduced in 2002, is now considered a jewel in Strongman competitions around the globe. Moreover, this is an invitation-only event that is considered to be the heaviest contest on the planet and is happening on Friday, March 3, at 3:30 pm.

Last year, Zydrunas Savickas won the championship but has withdrawn from the competition this year due to a shoulder injury. This makes things a little easier for the top contenders this year, who will be Brian Shaw from the USA, Hafthor Bjornsson from Iceland, Krzystof Radzikowski from Poland.

Most people consider the champion of this event as the world’s strongest man and not to mention that it is one of the most live viewed contests of the year.
However, the main attraction of the Arnold Classic is the open bodybuilding show, where muscular gargantuan’s battle it out for the second most prestigious award in the sport of bodybuilding.

Below is a preview of the athletes who will be competing at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH.

Charles is a pro bodybuilder and has previously secured many titles. In the 2011 NPC Figure & Fitness Championships, 2015 IFBB Wings of Strength PBW Tampa Pro, the 2008 NPC Easter USA Bodybuilding and 2013 NPC USA Championships he came out on top. Definitely a contender to keep your eye on.

2. Vitaly Fateev

Fateev is an experienced bodybuilder. He secured 9th place at the Arnold in 2015, 4th at the Arnold Classic Brasil 2016, and 5th place at the Phoenix Pro in 2015.

He is one of the most shredded physiques among the top bodybuilders around the world.

3. Will Harris

Will Harris is from Los Angeles, California, USA. He’s an IFBB Pro with a few wins under his belt and a certified personal trainer who works at Gold’s Gym. He’s never placed first in any major events like the Arnold.

Continued on the next page…

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This article originally appeared on :  spotmebro.com

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How Much Protein Can The Body Absorb In One Meal

🍌🍋🐡🍅🍉😃🍤   There is a philosophy in bodybuilding society which says that the body can use just a small amount of protein per meal, while the excess gets flushed out of the body – unused. Many trainees believe that eating 5 to 7 small (20 to 30 grams) protein meals will help them build muscle, keep them in an anabolic state throughout the day and increase metabolism.

Let’s imagine two athletes, both weighting about 180 pounds. They both take 180 grams of protein a day, but the first person eats 6 meals of 30g of protein a day and the second one takes all the protein in one big meal. If the above philosophy is true, than the second athlete would fall in a protein deficiency because he can only digest 30 grams of protein of the given 180 grams. If this is the way a human body works, we would be wiped out by now.

Doesn’t this tell you that the human body is way smarter than many people think and what’s the difference between the two athletes in the above case ? The first one will obviously have shorter digestion periods (it’s easier to digest 30 grams of protein than 180, right? ), while the other will have longer period of digestion, but his body will use all of the given protein.

Doesn’t this tell you that the human body is way smarter than many people think and what’s the difference between the two athletes in the above case ? The first one will obviously have shorter digestion periods (it’s easier to digest 30 grams of protein than 180, right? ), while the other will have longer period of digestion, but his body will use all of the given protein.

In case you believe the philosophy that only 20-30 g of protein can be absorbed and trigger a maximal anabolic impact, and all excess protein is wasted, there is a study on pulse protein feeding conducted by a French researcher by the name of Marie-Agnès Arnal on protein loss and improvement of protein anabolism. In a 14-day trial, Arnal and colleagues found no difference in fat-free mass or nitrogen retention between consuming 79% of the day’s protein needs (roughly 54 g) in one meal, versus the same amount spread across 4 meals a day.

In fact, the single-dose treatment actually caused better muscle protein retention than the “4 meals a day treatment”. This increases the chances that as we grow older, bigger protein feedings might be needed to obtain the same impact on protein preservation and storage as opposed to smaller amounts when we are young.
Another study on protein retention is the conducted by Maarten R. Soeters, who saw no difference in glucose, lipid, or protein metabolism between an intermittent fasting treatment (involving 20-hour fasting cycles) and a standard diet.
In other words, the amount of protein that can be used by your body in one meal is far greater than 30g and it’s actually closer to the amount that is effective in an entire day. Some studies say that the amount of protein that can be used in an entire day is close to 1g/lb for natural athletes (and of course more for the chemically assisted). So feel free to eat more than the traditional 30 grams of protein a meal and eat less than 5-6 meals a day.

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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Ways to Maintain Your Mental Toughness for More Muscle Gain

Training experts share their top tips for keeping you motivated to succeed in the gym.

 

"Tough workouts are not only about completing a hard workout full of heavy weight and lots of sets and reps," says strength and conditioning coach, Justin Grinnell. "Sometimes the tough part is even getting into the mindset of completing a solid workout. Some days you are on and feel like moving a ton of weight and some days seem to be more complicated. Work, school, stress or whatever may be getting in the way. But I am a firm believer that we all can make time to commit to your workout. So I constantly remind myself about all of the reasons why I even need to start this workout. It simply will make me a better person for my family, others and myself." Justin Grinnell is the owner of one of the leading training facilities in the Midwest, State of Fitness Gym in Okemos, MI.  He also runs a Corporate Wellness Training Center in East Lansing, MI. Justin is a featured writer in various fitness themed magazines and websites, including Muscle & Fitness.
This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com 

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Tips for a Better Deadlift

Pull more weight and strengthen your back with these valuable deadlift coaching cues.

During my barbell deadlifts, I tuck my chin at the lockout. I actually want to keep my head in a more “neutral” position and have it follow the angle of my torso.  As your torso comes up, so should your head. I typically say, “take your head with you". This means when I hit the lockout, I should be looking straight ahead.

At the start, you’ll want to remember to pull your chest through your arms. This will help keep you in a good position at the start, which will give you the best potential for staying in a good position throughout the entire lift.

After the bar passes your knees, the only thing you should be thinking is – drive your hips forward with a powerful glute contraction – to finish the lockout. You don’t have to over pull the finish; just drive the hips forward until your body is in a straight line. Think to yourself, shortest distance between two points.

Taking the slack out of the bar is huge for setting your full body tension and pulling yourself down to the starting position. If there is 225 lbs on the bar, you should be pulling up on the bar with 224 lbs of force before the weight even moves. There has to be that much tension on the bar. 

This cue goes hand-in-hand with taking the slack out of the bar. Both are trying to set your back, get more tension, and get you into the best starting position possible. Pulling up on the bar sets the lats and subsequently creates a tighter core.

Once you are locked into your starting position and have the greatest amount of tension possible, drive the floor away as if you're doing a leg press. This is an amazing coaching cue and will most times eliminate the athlete’s hips from shooting up at the start of their first pull.


This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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