USE A RESISTANCE BAND FOR MORE WEIGHT LOSS, MUSCLE TONE AND DEVELOPMENT

Did you know that adding a resistance band in your workout routine can significantly improve you fitness gains. It will tone your body, help you lose weight more efficiently and provide better functional benefits. The benefit to this routine I'm about to post is that women can also perform the exercises without worrying about lifting weights and or risking injuries. It can also be performed anywhere.


Resistance training is a form of strength training in which effort is performed against a specific opposing force generated by resistance (i.e. resistance to being pushed, squeezed and or stretched). It is usually used in size, strength and skeletal muscle development. When properly performed, resistance training can provide many benefits and improve overall health and well being. 


According to the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), the goal of resistance training is to "gradually and progressively overload the musculoskeletal system so it gets stronger." It is proven that regular resistance training strengthens and tones muscles and increases bone mass. You should not confuse resistance training with weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding. Those types of exercises involve different types of strength training. In resistance training full range of motion is important in resistance training because muscle overload occurs only at the specific joint angles where the muscle is worked. 


East Carolina University conducted a study and found that resistance exercise is more beneficial than aerobic exercise for fat loss. Resistance training can be performed with various types of exercise equipment such as Resistance bands, Exercise machines, Exercise in the water and or swimming machines.  

WORKOUT IN THE WATER

Last Friday, me and my friend who's a high level athlete, boxer and soon to be an UFC fighter got together and decided to go to the pool instead of the gym for a workout. Some of you may be like WHAT!? HOW?! Yes you can workout in the water and get an effective workout at that. We did this during lane swim because there is less people and we have the entire swim lane to do our workout. Here is what we did..


For the first 5-10 mins my friend swam 3 lengths of the pool.

The workout.

3 sets of walking lunges

3 sets of side step and squat

4 sets of high knees or running in the water.

All this is done in the shallow end.

For the last 20 mins instead of swimming length we ran lengths. The pool was about 25 metres in length. So to ensure that we didn't sink once we reached the deep end, we wore floater belts around our waist. If the pool does not have a floater belts you can wear a life jacket. Trust me you'll need it. OK so then we started in the shallow end and ran to the other end of the pool. Once you reach the deep end and your feet are no longer touching the bottom you must keep running and maintain the running motion in the water. Swing your arms and pump your legs as if you were really running. Run hard!! Do this about 2 or 3 times. 


I have to say that once we were finished this workout session. I was feeling it all over my body especially my chest and triceps. This was due to the resistance the water was creating when I was pumping my arms and legs to get from one side to another. It was a good session and we are incorporating it at least once a week in our routine.. 


  

Don't have time to workout? Try this 4 mins total workout!

Everyday I meet people and have lot of friends who say that they want to work out but don't have enough time during the day to exercise. They are simply too busy. Well for a lot of people I have come to discover that it's simply a poor excuse not to workout, others just can't afford a gym membership. So for this next post I'm gonna try and help those who don't have time or can't afford a gym membership. This training method is known as the Tabata training. It originated in Japan and was developed by Izumi Tabata. It is the most efficient fat burning program. Dr Izumi concluded that exercising at a high intensity for a short period of time was more effective than exercising at a low intensity for a longer duration.

Now let me point out that I have tried this training method, I have to admit that it is the most difficult training method I have ever done. It is extremely challenging but also extremely effective. I also had one of my good friends do the tabata training with a specific weight routine. LETS just say that the big security guard at his workplace took a beating in trying to intimidate my friend who was much smaller. The exercises outlined here are basic exercises to give a you good workout and keep your metabolism burning even after your workout.

Here is the deal you push hard for 20 seconds doing as many reps as possible.You have to go all out. Then rest for 10 seconds. Then go all out again for 20 seconds. Repeat the process 8 times. You can do this anywhere. You can train at home, at work, in a hotel room or anywhere you please.

20 sec Speed Squats
-10 sec rest
20 sec Burpees
- 10 sec rest

20 sec Mountain Climbers (Keep neutral spine)
-10 sec rest
20 sec Speed Skip (in place, lift your knees high)       
-10 sec rest
20 sec Speed Squats
-10 sec rest
20 sec Burpees
-10 sec rest
20 sec Mountain Climbers
-10 sec rest
20 sec  Speed Skips.

Keep in mind that you can try this routine with weights. All you have to do is substitute these exercises with an equal number weight exercises. Now go and train has hard as you can..

Burn Fat with Body Weight Training

For as long as I have been working out, I have always come across people who only lift weight to get stronger and spend a lot of times looking at their guns and pecs in the mirror. I used to be one of them until one day 5 years ago a teammate and a good friend of mine invited me to workout with him. At the time I thought I was pretty strong but I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Let me tell you it was a humbling experience! On that day we did some body weight training. For a strong guy I couldn't do 20 pushups or even 10 pullups! Man, did I mention that he was smaller than me and kicked my ass in the gym! So from that day on I made it my goal to become stronger and more fitter using body weight training methods.. As a result I became stronger, faster and more agile. I also lost a lot of weight and got leaner in the process. So for today's post I'm putting a good body weight training workout. You will burn fat, get stronger, gain muscle and get lean at the same time. 


Ok so here is what you do. Perform each move for 30 seconds, take a 30 second break, and continue to the next exercise. Repeat the cycle until your 15 mins are up. To see what the exercises look like you can click on the highlighted ones to see a video of it. 


1. Judo Pushup          2. Seesaw lunge(right leg)

3. Plank Reach

• Starting in a pushup position on a smooth surface. 
• Place your hands on small towels place inline with your shoulders.    
• Now slide your right hand as far in front of you as possible and bend your left elbow to lower your body as close to the floor as you can.
• Return to the start and repeat, sliding your left hand.

4. Seesaw lunge(left leg)

5. Squat + jump combo

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.    
• Lower your body as far as you can pushing your hips back and behind your knees. Pause and then stand.
• Squat again, but after this one, jump as high as you can. Upon landing, perform normal squat.
• Keep alternating between squats and jumps.

There you have it. Get started and work hard.....

                                                             

BEAST MODE Part 3

This next post is going to be the final post in the BEAST MODE workout series. I hope the workout has helped some of you reach your goals. I would like to know some of your results and progress, whether they are good or bad. Leave me a comment and let me know.


The exercises in this series are exercises you have been doing all along except for the clean 'n' jerk. It is an advanced movement, and I would be cautious if doing it for the first time. If you have never done it before, I suggest you do the movement without any weight to start off. And please go HERE to learn the proper mechanics of this movement. The clean and jerk is a power move and a very effective move to work and develop all the major groups in the body. If you are ready for the last phase lets go!

BEAST MODE PART 2

Continued from yesterday's post

Microcyle 2- Hypertrophy/endurance

2 weeks

Week 1: Upper Body(Mon, Wed.)                     Lower body(Tues. Thurs)

Heavy day: Mon 90% intensity                           Heavy day: Tues 90% intensity

Light dat: Wed: 80% intensity                           Light day:   Wed 80% intensity

Name                              Reps                        Name                     Reps

Bench Press                 4x10RM                       Back squats               4x8RM

Bent Over Row            4x10RM                       Lunges                      3x8RM

Lateral raises               4x8RM                       Seated Leg curls         4x10RM

skull crushers               4x10RM                      Seated Calf raises      4x10RM

Bar curls                     4x8RM                       Abs curls                   Max at 80

Abs curls                      Max at 80                    

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Week 2: Upper Body(Mon, Wed.)                     Lower body(Tues. Thurs)

Heavy day: Mon 95% intensity                           Heavy day: Tues 95% intensity

Light dat: Wed: 90% intensity                           Light day:   Wed 90% intensity

Name                              Reps                        Name                     Reps

Incline dumbbell press      3x8RM                     Back squats               3x8RM

Upright Rows                  3x8RM                     Lunges                      3x8RM

DB shoulder press            3x6RM                    Leg curls                    3x10RM

Dips                               3x8RM                    Calf raises                  3x10RM

DB curls                          3x8RM                    Abs curls                   Max at 80

Abs curls                         Max at 100                     

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Microcycle 1 - unloading (1 Week)

Upper Body: (Mon, Wed)                                             Lower Body: (Tues, Thur)

@ 70% intensity                                                            @ 70%

Name                                 Reps                                   Name                Reps  

                      

Dumbbell Press                  4x10RM                           Back squat           4x10RM

weighted pull-ups               4x10RM                           Lunges                 4x10RM

shoulder press                    4x10RM                           Ham curls            4x10RM

Abs                                   Max at 80                          Abs                    Max at 80

NOW TAKE A 1 WEEK BREAK. DO NOT DO ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY JUST CHILL AND REST. Come back and visit to get the final part of this workout. In the meantime leave comments and or questions if you have any.

BEAST MODE!

Since I have been in high school people have always been impressed with my size and strength. Back in high school I was only doing push ups and set ups. Then when I got to college I started weight training. Even now at my local gym people are still impressed and compliment me on my physique and hard work. They are always asking me questions on how I manage to achieve results without having to spend hours in the gym. The fact is it's true, I don't spend a lot of time in the gym. My workouts only last 45 mins to 1 hour and I only go to the gym 4 times a week max. But the workouts I do are challenging and require a great deal of commitment and dedication. To date I have trained 3 of my good friends, one who has played basketball at a high level, one who is a boxer and another who came to me after losing 180lbs and wanted to put on at least 15 pounds of muscle. All three of my friends achieved their goals and more. My basketball friend gained 12lbs of muscle and also improved his athleticism with this training. My boxer friend trained using the previously posted training routines, him too improved his boxing skills and winning record. My third did gain 15lbs of muscle and he now rocks fitted shirts and can't stop looking at himself. 


Now people want to gain muscle mass but are not prepared to do the hard work. They perform the conventional routines than wonder why they have very little gain. This workout is not conventional like the others. It's very challenging; it is based on your Maximum percentage lift. So for instance, for your bench press find your maximum 1 Rep Max. So the heaviest you lift 1 time, then take that number and multiply it by 0.8 it will give your 80%. After each set you will rest for no longer than 45 seconds and 2 mins between exercises. DO NOT CHEAT YOUR REST! If you get tired in between reps. Put the weight down and rest for 10 seconds then resume your set. Again DO NOT CHEAT, finish your number of reps. If you need a spotter do not let the spotter do the lifting for you. Your spotter should only help a little, if you are stuck and cannot lift. As rule when I training. The person must complete 4 reps on his own before I spot them. It works great cuz the person doing the lift does not expect any help from the get go and they are usually able to perform a lot of reps on their own. Now the entire workout is a 3 month program. So it should keep a lot you busy during the winter months and get you nice and buff for summer. So now if you are ready to transform into BEAST MODE! Keep on reading.

"BIG FIVE 55"

So for my first post I will post one of my favorite training routines I perform during off season and also during footy season to stay in shape.I personally like this one cuz it builds on the right systems for footy.
It's a very challenging program especially if you are looking to build overall strength and endurance.


Warm-up 1
ROWING - 10 mins 
at a pace less than 20 SPM.


Warm-up 2
In this next warm-up do the exercises as a circuit. For each exercises you'l hold a specific position for 30 seconds and then have 10 seconds to change stations, before starting the next exercises. Do a total of 4 rounds.


RING DIP HOLD
Hold yourself in the to position for 30 seconds. If you do not have rings gymnastic rings available, use a regular dip station. 


KETTLE BELL FARMER HOLD
Grab a pair of heavy kettle bells or dumbbells and let them hang arm's length at your side.


L-SIT ON PARALLETTES OR DIPS BARS
Use parallettes to perform this exercise but it can also be performed on a dip station that has parallel bars.
Hold you up at the top position of a dip station facing the outside of the station. Now raise your legs until they are parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 seconds.


BODY WEIGHT SQUAT HOLD
Lower yourself to the bottom position of a squat with your thighs parallel to the ground and hold.


WORKOUT
Perform a circuit of 5 exercises, for a total of 10 times. There is no prescribed rest, ideally you want to move continuously from one exercise to another keeping the sets unbroken. Focus on moving as fast as possible while maintaining form and control. Start with 10 repetition of each in the first round, 9 in the second round, 8 in the third round and so on. In the end you would have completed 55 reps of each exercise.

1. Front Squat (95 Pounds)
2. Pullups
3. Decline parrallette pushups
• This last exercise you can do it with aerobic steppers. Place steppers on each side of your body and one behind you. Perform the prescribed reps and go much deeper in the bottom position if you are able to.
4. Power Cleans
5. Knees to Elbow
1. Hanging from a pullup bar or from the rings at half cocked position (elbow at right angle) raise your knees until they touch your elbows. Lower them back down in a controlled fashion so you don't swing.

CUMULATIVES MOVEMENTS

This next routine is going to be the last one n this series of exercises.  After this routine, I will post a weight training routine for people who are looking to get big and add muscle mass.. So don't forget to check on the blog for the next explosive routine that'll turn you into a BEAST!


Now this next workout is also one of my favorite ones. It's designed to be metabolically demanding. You will train the entire body with multiple exercises that train the entire body and work multiple muscle groups. In this routine however, you will only do one trip through as oppose to a circuit workout in which you cycle back through the same movements.


WARM-UP
ROWING 10 MINS


WARM-UP
THE BEAR CRAWL AND CRAB CRAWL.
Alternate back and forth between the bear crawl for a distance of 15 meters and the crab walk for 15 meters. Repeat until you have done 5 increments of each.


WORKOUT
Do one set of each movement, completing all of the prescribed number of repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. Perform each exercise as quickly as possible while maintaining proper form and full range of motion. Use a stop watch and minimize your rest! 


EXERCISES         
7-meter Fat rope climbs; Since I don't have a rope for this exercise I do lateral pull downs with a neutral grip and my palms facing me. Perform 5 reps. If you are lat pulldowns make sure that the weight is heavy and challenging for 5 reps.


Front Squats: Perform 5 reps, again use a heavy weight you can handle.


Ball slams: Perform 5 reps, 30 pounds


15-rope pulls: Again for this exercise I don't have a rope available so I so SEATED CABLE ROW. Perform 10 reps.


Bench Press; Again here, load the heaviest weight you can push for 10 reps. 


Ball Slams; Perform 10 reps at 25 pounds


Pullups; Perform 15 reps with a neutral grip


Dips; Perform 15 reps


Ball Slams; Perform 15 reps at 20 pounds


Resisted Fat Rope Pulls; Perform 20 reps. For this last one I do a standing cable row. For the handle I use the rope handle used to perform triceps extensions. To do the exercise, set up the rope handle and pull back the rope as if you were going to do a tug war. But hold it with one hand. Now to perform the exercise squat at 45 degrees and pull the rope like you would doing a cable row. When you are pulling the rope back, twist your hand so that your palm is facing up. You should finish the move looking like your were elbowing someone in the gut behind you. Then return to starting position with your palm facing down. 


Smashes: This last one I'm unable to do it because I don't have two heavy fat ropes I can whip. If your are lucky, and have access to two fat ropes, grab the ropes one in each hand and start whipping them. Your arm movement you should cause the rope to create a wave. Perform 20 reps. 


NOW GO! THE STOPWATCH IS RUNNING!


So there you have it for this series. Hope you like it and try at least one of the routines. They are all great and challenging. 

Eliminated from the Competition.

Today is pretty sad day for me. We lost a crucial game in the preliminary finals yesterday... I hate losing and I'm not taking it very well.... But anyhow on to the workout routine. This next one is still part of this series. In this routine we will focus on the front squat for strengthening and total body conditioning.

WARM UP 1
Rowing 10 mins.. This exercise keeps coming up in this series because it is a great exercise and also a good warm up. It prepares the necessary muscles you are going to use during training.

WARM UP 2
20 repetitions of bodyweight squat.

WORKOUT
Front squat workout
The weight below is only used for guide line. Your weight may vary and may less or more.


Reps      Weight    Rest
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s
5             175lbs    90s

COOL-DOWN
Now this last portion of the workout may the cool-down but it may feel like a workout nonetheless.
It is a very challenging cool-down if you ask me.. So here it is.

In this portion your goal is to reach 200 pushups. You will perform this workout using a ladder routine. When I did this workout I did it partnered with my friend. It makes it a lot easier and you can push each throughout the training session. So it works like this, you will do ladders of 1 to 5. In total you will do 13 ladders plus 5 extra pushups at the end. To start you will do 1 pushup and hold at the top position. Then your partner will do 1. Then you do 2 he does 2. You do 3 he does 3. You do 4 he does 4. You 5 he does 5.  Your only rest is the time it takes for your partner to do pushups.

In all this approach allows you to do a large volume of quality work. So there is no reason the pushups shouldn't be done explosively and be perfect. You can also use this approach for knee raises and pullups.

So there u have it enjoy and work hard. Again remember to challenge yourself but if its too difficult start small and work your way up to the ultimate goal.

CARDIO TRAINING

For cardio training I really like interval running. But since right now most of us are going to be indoor for the rest of the winter and won't have access to an outside track and since I'm the type of person who likes training using new and sometimes unconventional methods, I'm going to post an interval training that involves rowing. YES! that one machine no one ever uses and gets overlooked at the gym. This interval training is still a challenging routine and will give you a great pump and a total body workout.. So here it is


Perform six interval of 500 metres. Between each 500 metre sprint engage in active rest for 3 minutes (meaning you must be walking around, skipping, light jogging just don't stand still). As a point of reference try to keep your sprints under 2 mins. 


That's it for now. Come back next time for another intense training routine. Train hard in the mean time.

An Easy one for the starters "Progression to 1 RM"

So since I have a lot of friends and teammates that are interested and pumped about training, I'm going to post an easy training routine for starters. This workout is designed to build pure strength with the most effective total body lifts; the deadlift.


WARM-UP 1
Rowing for 10 mins


WARM-UP 2-PYRAMID CIRCUIT
Do these three exercises as a circuit, performing one set of each in succession without resting. Using a pyramid repetition structure; In your first round do 1 repetition of each exercise and 2 repetition of each exercise in the second round, 3 repetitions in round 3 and so on. Once you have completed five rounds, keep going ! but reduce the reps. So in round 6 perform 4 repetitions, 3 in round 7 and so on until you work your way back down to one.

1. Pushup
2. Pullups
3. Bodyweight squat

WORKOUT

THE DEADLIFT

Start with with a light weight about 35% of your 1RM and then slowly start adding weight and reducing repetitions. The weight in here are just examples my friend can lift use it simply as a guide line. 

Reps      Weight          Rest

10          135lbs          1 min

5            185lbs          2 min

3            235lbs          3 min

2            285lbs          3 min

1            325lbs          3 min

1            340lbs          3 min

1            350lbs          3 min

1            360lbs          3 min

1            365lbs          3 min