Workoutebooks

Welcome to the June 30, 2008 edition of workout blog carnival.

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

James Chambers presents Hyperhidrosis Causes posted at Hyperhidrosis.

aruntheace presents ?What is there to Know About Diet Pills?? posted at HealthyBitz.

Joshua Seth presents Why Europeans Aren’t Fat posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, “What we see around us everyday we come to view as normal. Take on a new perspective and all that changes. This is why travel used to be considered an essential part of education.”

VikramKir presents Thoughtfully Vikram…: Best time of the day to workout! posted at Thoughtfully Vikram….

Sally Thompson presents It?s All in the Mind: 75 Ways to Think Your Way Into Good Health posted at NursingDegree.net.

ramance presents The Key to Building 6 Pack abs posted at Build a 6 pack.

Shaheen Lakhan presents Runner’s High Revealed posted at GNIF Brain Blogger, saying, “Most long distance runners have experienced the “runner’s high” — a feeling of enhanced mood and relaxation following a strenuous run. Its presence is unmistakable, but also hard to explain, and even harder to scientifically prove. Recently, researchers used high-tech brain imaging to demonstrate changes in brain activity that correlate with this phenomenon.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of workout blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the June 23, 2008 edition of workout blog carnival.

Body For Life Results presents How To Lose Weight Rapidly posted at How To Lose Weight Now.

Body For Life Results presents Tips To Succeed With The Dr. Atkins Diet Plan posted at Atkins Diet Tips.

The Push Up Coach presents Purchasing Your Own Home Exercise Equipment posted at The 1000 Push Ups Club, saying, “Whether it’s a simple jump rope at a dollar store or a
  thousand-dollar treadmill at a specialty sports store, you can find
  home exercise equipment almost everywhere you go”

Mike Remer presents Is STRESS Real? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Fiona King presents 53 Surprising Facts About Your Sexual Health posted at NursingDegree.net.

Mike Remer presents A Great Weight Reducing Secret | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Jane25 presents An Exercise Tip To Melt Your Fat Away posted at Work At Home Mom Home Job Resource.

Heather Johnson presents Healthy, Wealthy and Wise posted at Sierra Sage.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of workout blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the June 9, 2008 edition of workout blog carnival.

Andrew Snavely presents Burn 450% More Fat in Half the Time With Interval Training posted at Primer Magazine.

Joseph Sears presents Goal Setting for Bodybuilding….or whatever! posted at Die Hard Weight Lifting and Bodybuilding.

Joseph Sears presents Bodybuilding Supplements Made Easy posted at Die Hard Weight Lifting and Bodybuilding.

Joseph Sears presents Wanna lift heavy? Try these things posted at Die Hard Weight Lifting and Bodybuilding.

Terry Dip presents Complete and Creative: How to Stay in Shape While Traveling (3/3) posted at Complete and Creative, saying, “It’s so easy to get out of shape while traveling…”

Arun presents The Running Man posted at Arun is Bringing You…Your Daily Remedy, saying, “A story of my reinitiation into being a runner!”

SeanBissell presents Deadlifts - The Ultimate Exercise? posted at Yummy Fitness | Fitness For Fun People, saying, “Thanks for reviewing this article!

Mike Remer presents A Great Weight Reducing Secret | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of workout blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Pilates for lower back pain relief

Lower back pain is something that can both physical and mental. Many people don’t go to the doctor because they figure eventually the pain will just subside. Unfortunately, a simple twist or turn can create an injury and turn it into chronic back pain over time. Even if it does get better, the weeks or month that you’ve spent trying to deal with it is embedded in your mind. So there are times where you feel like moving a certain way should hurt and your reaction still promotes it.

So we wanted to introduce you to Pilates. Its another way to gain more flexibility, and strengthen the core of your body. If this is something new you have never heard of, its exercises that are performed on a mat which were developed from a mixture of yoga and various martial arts. Even though this will help for other things besides back pain, working the abdominal muscles has always been known as an important area to help the strain on your back.

If your stomach muscles are weak, it is more likely your back will suffer an injury doing simple things like getting out of a car, bending to pick up your shoes, or a thousand other everyday events. Pilates allows you to strengthen the abdominals with compact exercises. Overall however if you have a current injury, Pilates is something everyone should do when an injury has passed, or prevent one from happening.

The only reason we say this is because many individuals who use Pilates with back pain, don’t always feel comfortable and wind up quitting the routines before they can make a difference. Even when starting something of this sort, it’s understandable that after years of doctors and chiropractic help, believing this can work may be difficult. However, it’s worth learning about because even the medical side is helpful.

For instance, the alignment of your spine is very important, and understanding that building muscles that surround it are important in keeping it not only straightened for posture purposes, but also to take away unnecessary stress that is caused by one that is uneven. This creates stress over time and ultimate leads to degeneration amongst other challenges.

Keep in mind Pilates is not an easy task to accomplish. The exercises are definitely challenging and there are precautions to take before beginning to use either the machines or doing them on the mats. First, be sure to consult your family physician, especially if you have severe back pain now or you have some sort of back disease that this could possibly make things worse.

Having lower back pain shouldn’t be taken lightly, but it should be viewed carefully. Even though Pilates is not supposed to cause pain, it may for some, and if this occurs you should quit immediately. However, if everything is ready to go you can build substantial abs, a more focused mental state, and a stronger back in the process. It’s just one of many ways to alleviate back pain naturally, only you’ll find a healthier you in the process.

About the author
Looking for the best lower back pain relief information? Get more information regarding lower back pain.

Dear Muscle Building Enthusiast;

Are you REALLY happy with your current level of strength and muscular development?

Can you HONESTLY say that without a shadow of a doubt that you are totally satisfied with the physique you have built up to this point?

If you are really honest with yourself… Then chances are the answer is a disappointing NO

If you are like most people who are reading this then you are not happy with where you are at now in terms of strength and muscular development and you’d like to take things to the next level.

Are you frustrated by the fact that you bust your ass in the gym day after day but still seem to get nowhere… While everyone around you seems to get continually bigger and stronger.

Are you sick and tired of spending your hard earned money on over hyped muscle building supplements that promise everything, but deliver nothing.

Are you fed up with all the confusing and conflicting training information that’s out there… And almost to the point wanting to quit working out entirely because you don’t know who or what to believe anymore.

You are not alone…
If you go into any gym you’ll see that most of the regular members look exactly the same now as they did this time last year. And is a lot of cases they are lifting the exact same weights as they were this time last year. 99% of all gym members are literally just stuck in a rut, spinning their wheels, and going nowhere in terms of building a stronger more muscular body.

Think about this for a second…

• How many people do you know who started working out but GAVE UP in the matter of weeks or months due to lack of results?
• How many people do you know who have trained for years without making any real solid muscular gains? And if you seen these people on the street you wouldn’t even be able to tell they lifted weights by looking at them.
• How many people do you know who ever get beyond the intermediate stage of training?
• How many people do you know who have been working out for years and are still hovering around a max bench press of 225 lbs. or less?

I’ve been in the above scenarios myself. I know from first hand experience what it’s like to be the “scrawny little guy” who has to fight for every once of muscle. I’ve been in your shoes and I understand what you are going through.

But Can You Imagine What It Would Be Like If You Had A Proven Muscle Building ‘Recipe’ Available At Your Disposal…

Click here to continue reading this post

By Richard Clear

Continued from “How to find a Tai Chi Instructor (Part 2)”

The same is true with Tai Chi. Even though approaches may be different, words like Chi, Jing, Peng, Sung, Tao, Yi, Shen and Li will be known by any real teacher. Anyone offering Tai Chi classes who does not have at least a working understanding of these terms simply does not have enough knowledge to properly teach Tai Chi.

The instructor should have at least a basic working knowledge and ability with most of the following,

1. Basics of Chinese Medicine including Yin and Yang theory

2. Chi Kung including an understanding of what Chi is and what it is not

3. Knowledge of sources of Chi

- Chi is very explainable in Western medical and physics terms and the actual meaning and application of Chi Energy would make complete sense to any Western medical doctor, physicist, biologist, chemist, engineer etc etc.. Unfortunately, Chi is often explained in some sort of metaphysical mumbo jumbo way by teachers who either do not understand it or who feel they have something to gain by making and keeping it mysterious and elusive. In my opinion this does much to harm to acceptance of the Tai Chi art as a legitimate source of alternative health and it adversely affects the many people who would truly benefit from this amazing modality.

4. An understanding of Chi Blockages and how to remove them using Tai Chi. This includes understanding the difference between Excess and Stagnant Chi and knowing how to restore proper balance and flow in the body using Tai Chi.

5. The Meridians and pressure points as used in Acupuncture and how Tai Chi stimulates proper flow of Chi through them

6. The 3 Treasures Li, Chi and Jing

7. The 3 Powers Heaven, Earth and Man

8. Sung - A Chinese term that refers to Relaxation Techniques and Methods.

9. Breathing methods including how to breathe to beneficially lower the heart rate and blood pressure in order to get the stress reduction and circulatory benefits that Tai Chi is famous for.

10. Body Mechanics and body positioning that is truly based in knowledge of skeletal alignment and structure. This includes how to properly align the spine and how the midsection should be positioned and how the knees should be aligned to the feet and the foot placement for good knee health that utilizes the musculature of the leg and protects the tendons and ligaments.

11. Natural body responses, actions and movement.

12. Push Hands -This is a practice method of Tai Chi that is usually played as a physical game(s) but can also be utilized by students to simply learn better internal sensitivity to their own body and structure and internal skill of rooting and Sung relaxing.

13. Internal Principles that begin with understanding how to drop excess tension in order to develop deep relaxation while moving and very powerful physical alignments that involve moving in ways that easily engage whole body power to whatever task you would desire to apply it to and eventually go as far as one can imagine in the direction of being able to feel inside yourself and others to manipulate the internal organs, body structure and
energy.

To Be continued in “How to find a Tai Chi Instructor (Part4)

About the author
Sigung Richard Clear has over 30 years of continuous study in Tai Chi and Chi Kung both in the U.S. and China. http://www.clearstaichi.com

By Dean Forster

Many people have used Pilates for decades including dancers and athletes, who use it to build strength and flexibility to prevent injury. Several stars in the spot light use it to maintain beautiful, slender, toned bodies. Pilates, unlike other fad exercise programs, is a sensible exercise system using only a mat or a few pieces of simple Pilates exercise equipment such as a ball or machine. Anyone, no matter your age or if you are at beginning or advanced physical condition, can use Pilates to improve fitness levels, tone abs, or achieve weight loss.

Winsor Pilates method typically uses a machine called the Pilates reformer. The reformer machine provides a total-body workout by working every muscle group with 32 different exercises. Unlike other fitness equipment that may require a whole room for storage, the Reformer folds up to for easy storage under a bed while you are not using it. There are several types of reformers, but a really good one will give you several levels of resistance. In Winsor Pilates you can expect 4 or 5 different levels, which will mean that as you advance, you will have to increase the resistance.

Pilates balls come in a variety of forms. The ball is a simple way of providing a low impact workout. More advanced balls are usually 22 inches around with tubing that can be adjusted and rings. Basically, Pilates balls provide the resistance to give both your abs and upper body a good workout. Of course the round ball is always trying to roll out from under you, which provides the challenge of a whole workout with this piece of equipment. To keep the ball under control, the legs, abdomen and chest muscles all have to work hard to keep it stable. That may sound simple enough, but once you try it you will find that it is easier said than done to keep that ball from rolling away. Using a ball will also improve coordination, balance, and flexibility. With the consistent use of a ball, you can start toning your body, which will most likely lead to weight loss.

Pilates rings also come from the original idea of Joseph Pilates who designed Pilates workouts. A Pilates ring is an elastic rubber ring that provides your workout with resistance. Since they are small enough to conveniently fit into a suitcase, Pilate rings are a wonderful idea for those who travel a great deal but want to maintain a regular exercise routine. York makes a good ring that is made of flexible plastic and a soft rubber shell. It has padded handles in the inside and outside for ease of gripping. A Pilates ring is most often used to tone the buttocks, the abs, and pelvic muscles. However, it can also be used to work specific muscles in the leg, pecs, lats, triceps and biceps. You just reposition the ring in either your arms or your legs according to which set of muscles you want to tone and then squeeze away. Be careful to follow proper form to prevent injury.

This gives you a general overview of some of the most popular Pilates exercise equipment used with Pilates workouts. Keep in mind that the Pilates machine and other equipment are not required since you can do all moves on a mat alone. However, as you advance they do come in handy to increase the resistance to keep furthering your improvement.

About the author
Learn more about Pilates
Exercises for core strength and flexibility including exercise equipment for achieving results at => http://www.pilatessampleexercises.com

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Find out about The Pilates Power System at http://www.prhsolutions.com/workoutebooks/?p=49

By Craig Ballantyne

I’ve been meaning to write this email for a long time. Today I’m going to give you the story of how I solved the problem of getting an efficient and effective fat loss program finished in 45 minutes.

Essentially, how I stumbled across the best fat burning workout ever.

And then I’ll end with a sample workout for you…

But first, let’s take a trip down memory lane to the winter of 98-99. I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects of androstenedione (the supplement taken by the might Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in ‘98).

In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February of ‘99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes.

And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I’d get there at 7am, and record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours of mad science. And if I wasn’t there, I was downstairs in the medical library, studying papers on testosterone and training.

Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentary lifestyle didn’t sit well with me. But there I was, studing for a degree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise. Or so I thought.

Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of “down-time” while the lab’s gamma-counter analyzed blood samples.

That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time.

As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fit and to avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in a sedentary environment. And I also had to stay true to the high-school bodybuilder I once was, so there was no way I was willing to sacrifice my muscle to one of those long-cardio, low protein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time.

Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working with athletes as the school’s Strength & Conditioning Coach.

I knew that sprint intervals were associated with more fat loss than slow cardio, and I knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you can’t increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training).

So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio.

I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals in the summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio.

The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a short amount of time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, and therefore I could only spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals.

Now onto the strength training portion of the workouts. I knew that a high-volume bodybuilding program wasn’t going to cut it - I just didn’t have time. But in the past year I had read so many lifting studies, that I knew exactly what exercises I needed to do to maximize my lifting time in the gym.

Those exercises were standing, multi-muscle, movements such as squats, presses, rows, power cleans, and plenty of other standing single-leg exercises. I knew that those exercises would bring me far more results than those people sitting on machines would ever achieve.

And I also knew that I had to lift heavier than the average Joe or Jane Gym-goer lifts. I just knew that doing lighter weights and high-reps wasn’t going to cut it. And a research study from 2001 later showed that I was right - when women did 8 reps per set, they had a significantly greater increase in post-workout metabolism than if they did 15 reps per set.

So I had my plan. Bust my tail over to the gym, through the cold, dreary Canadian winter afternoon, and do a quick but thorough warmup (specific to my lifts - none of that 5 minutes on the treadmill waste of time).

Once I got through the warm-up, I did as many sets as I could in the remainder of the 20 minutes for strength training.

At that point, I knew that supersets were the only way to go if I wanted to maximize the number of sets I could do…so the non-competing superset of Turbulence Training was put in place.

By non-competing, I mean that the 2 exercises in the superset don’t interfere with one another. So you can use upper and lower body exercises together, or pushing and pulling exercises. Just be careful not to use two grip-intensive exercises together in a superset - otherwise, one exercise will suffer, if not both.

And then I followed up the strength training with intervals, as I knew these had to follow the lifting, otherwise it would not be the correct exercise order. Remember, intervals first leads to premature fatigue. Lift first, cardio later. Forget that old wives tale about doing cardio first to burn more fat. That’s junk.

You know, I remember the exact day and exact workout that this all came together into the fat burning program. It hit me as I was finishing my intervals. I knew I had found something that was like fat loss magic.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a way to put it in a pill. But I’ve been able to put it down on paper in the fat burning programs.

The exact workout I used that day went like this…

Warm-up

1 set of Bodyweight Squats

1 set of pushups

1 set of Squats with the empty bar

1 set of light dumbbell chest presses

1 set of moderate weight barbell squats

1 set of moderate weight dumbbell chest presses

Strength Training Superset #1 - Barbell Squats paired with Dumbbell Chest Presses (3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per side per set)

Strength Training Superset #2 - DB Rows paired with Barbell Forward Lunges (3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per set)

Stationary Bike Intervals

After a warmup, I did 6 intervals of 45 seconds work and 45 seconds rest, finishing with a cool-down.

And from that point in time, I’ve tried to share this and all the other fat burning workouts with as many men and women as possible.

The same men and women that I would see day-in and day-out performing the same ineffective slow-cardio fat loss programs, and not making a darn change month after month. And every day they would see me, soaked in sweat, feeling great and looking lean, and finishing another fat burning workout.

Eventually I noticed these other men and women weren’t around as consistently as before, and then soon enough they would drop out completely -after all, they weren’t getting results with their slow cardio and aerobics classes (yep, those were still around in ‘99!).

And so here we are today…thousands of fat burning workouts later.

These fat burning workouts are the #1 way to fast fat loss.

Thanks for being a part of the fat burning revolution, and for sharing this new and improved fat loss training and cardio system with the world.

So when you see someone frustrated with their ineffective fat loss program, tell them there is a better way. It’s research-based, efficient, and most of all, effective. And yes, it goes against the crowd. But it works.

And these fat burning workouts are now better than ever.

About the author
Discover the best fat burning workouts EVER at http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com