Combining MMA With Bodybuilding

Mixed martial arts (MMA) have become really popular these days for many men who want to learn how to defend themselves, and who are also trying to get in shape.There are a lot of bodybuilders attracted to the idea of improving their fighting skills, and using the same vigorous exercises to get in great shape. While bodybuilders are using this trade off, a growing number of MMA fighters are now using bodybuilding techniques to improve their fighting and get bigger for matches and competitions.One important factor that often gets overlooked is that you could never have a great amount of success if you’re training for bodybuilding and MMA fights at the same time. These are two very different things that require different energy expenditures, food and diet, as well as training routines.Bodybuilders have discovered great success through applying MMA techniques mainly for cardio to help them loose body fat and reach their personal goals. This is a popular thing to do amongst bodybuilders because it makes them look better, gets them in better shape, and can teach them defense techniques as well.The DietIt’s imperative that you still eat like a bodybuilder, but before getting into a MMA workout, you can include additional carbs. The training session can put additional strain on your body, so it’s also good to consume proteins after you have worked out. In order to assist with your recovery, it’s good to include a large amount of clean and slow burning carbs. For helping your body heal at night, many people make themselves a casein protein blend.The Training When figuring out your training routine, it’s important to separate the time spent training for bodybuilding and training for MMA. Many have found it helpful to select three days for bodybuilding and mark them on a calendar, and then doing the exact same thing for days that they plan on training MMA style. These two styles are separate, so try to make them separate occasions. Avoid adding weight training while using MMA techniques, and also avoid fighting on the weight training days.The RecoverySo if you are trading off days during the week between training as a bodybuilder and training as a fighter, your body is taking quite a beating, both literally and figuratively. The quick and jabbing nature of MMA fighting coupled with the intense and arduous heavy training of bodybuilding means that your central nervous system (CNS) is most likely working overtime to recover. The idea of combining MMA and bodybuilding training techniques is becoming more and more popular. People are discovering the advantages of this combination, and are willing to going through the tough training of each for the incredible results.

Call it cardio, call it aerobics, call it whatever makes you feel more comfortable, but don’t avoid the inevitable: Every human being needs this variety of movement to be a part of their lives in order to function and be healthy.

We live in a weight conscious society, to be sure. The better a person looks externally, in clothes, naked, half naked, or anything in between, the more successful that person is deemed to be in the scheme of exercise and fitness. But looks can be deceiving.

Sure, cardio is the bodybuilder’s middle name-the key to the kingdom of ripped. But the truth is, cardiovascular exercise is probably one of the most misunderstood, under-utilized, over-utilized tools in the workout world. It is truly one of the greatest conundrums within the realm of fitness. And here’s another tip: Those who swear by it, may not even know why they swear by it.

Here are the pay-offs… and they are undisputed:

Cardiovascular exercise can burn calories at a rate between 8 and 30 calories per minute. That’s a lot of glazed donuts!

When engaging in cardiovascular exercise 5 times weekly, one can eat between 25% and 30% more calories and maintain or lose weight.

Cardiovascular exercise whips the heart muscle into great shape, increasing oxygen capacity within the bloodstream by up to 20% within just 3-4 months.

Cardiovascular exercise seems to melt fat off the body when combined with a good diet, and a regular program of resistance training.

These are all true, undisputed facts that no one can refute. They are the promises of diligent workouts on apparatus such as steppers, treadmills, stationary cycles and elliptical trainers. But is this the end of the story? Or is there more to cardio workouts than first meets the eye? You bet!

How to Determine Your Various Heart Rate Zones and Why You Should

There are four main training zones within the cardiovascular exercise category and each carries with it some very specific criteria and results. The reason one must familiarize himself with each zone is to avoid making crucial mistakes that could affect physical outcome. That’s because within each training zone subtle physiological effects take place to either enhance or jar your level of fitness. Knowing where you are at all times will garner the desired effect.

The Recovery Zone/ Weight Control Zone

Training at 60% to 70%

This zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. The advantage to working out in this zone is the fact that you will be burning a lot of body fat and will likely lose weight as a result. You’ll also be reenergizing your muscles with glycogen that has been spent during fast paced resistance training workouts. This replenishing is a part of recovery and is the most valuable zone for most people as a result.

The Aerobic Zone

Training at 70% to 80%

This zone will help develop your cardiovascular system. The body’s ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone your capacity for longer sessions increases. Though you’ll receive some benefits of fat burning, it’s mostly improved aerobic capacity that will be your reward by training in this zone.

The Anaerobic Zone

Training at 80% to 90%

Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone your own aerobic threshold is found. During training in this heart rate zone, the amount of fat being used as the main source of energy is reduced and, instead, stored glycogen is the main fuel. This glycogen is stored in the muscle. Burning glycogen for fuel creates lactic acid (the “feel the burn” chemical by-product). Once the body can no longer remove the lactic acid fast enough to continue contraction, the anaerobic threshold has been reached. It’s possible to train through this to increase your ability to deal with lactic acid for longer periods of time, but this takes some guidance.

The Red Line Zone

Training at 90% to 100%

This zone is only possible for short durations. It trains fast twitch muscle fibers and has its use for strength and endurance athletes. This should only be used during interval type training where sprints are indicated to increase strength, shape and density of muscle. It’s also only for the very, very fit.

Resting Heart Rate

It’s very easy to determine resting heart rate (RHR). Find somewhere quiet, lie down and relax. Position a watch or clock where you can see the second hand. After 20 minutes remain where you are, and without sitting up or jarring your body, take your pulse rate (beats/min). This is your RHR. If you have a heart rate monitor, even better. After 20 minutes, check the rate. As you become more fit, your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood around the body. As a result you will find your resting heart rate gets lower so you will need to check your RHR on a regular basis to adjust values in other areas.

Calculation of Zone Values

There are a few methods by which to determine all of these values. Some say the age-based is the easiest to understand and doesn’t require exceptional math skills. However, it is also one of the least accurate because it supposes that everyone of the same age has the same Max HR, which is untrue. Conversely, the Max HR method is probably the most accurate because one finds zones based on actual testing.

Age Based Method For Determining Max HR

MEN: Subtract your age from 220

WOMEN: Subtract your age from 226

Experts agree that you should drop one point off your MAX HR for each year after you determine this number.

EXAMPLE:

If you’re a 35 year old man, your MAX HR will be = 185

When you turn 40, your MAX HR will be = 180

MAX HR Method For Determining Max HR

Warm up, then run for at least 15 minutes at fairly high speeds. Towards the end, increase your speed as hard as you can and as long as you can, then check your monitor to see where your heart rate is. This is your maximum heart rate. Keep in mind that, until you become more fit, you should adhere to the “Age Based Method”. The MAX HR method is for people who are fairly fit to begin with.

The calculation of a zone %, is performed in the following way:

Subtract your RHR (Resting Heart Rate) from your MHR (Max Heart Rate - after testing). This is your working heart rate (WHR)

Multiply the desired zone percentage % by your WHR

This calculated percentage your RHR = BPM

Example : The athlete’s MHR is 180 and his RHR is 60. Determine the 70% value:

How Body Type Affects Cardio Choice, Duration and Frequency

This is a big debate and one that is never talked about in mainstream publications simply because it isn’t as important to people as talking about results-namely: fat loss. But for those athletes, bodybuilders in particular, interested in preserving muscle gains while losing body fat, it’s an absolutely fascinating topic and knowing what you are can be your best weapon against fat and muscle wasting.

Are you an Ectomorph, Endomorph or Mesomorph?

Feel like you’re in a foreign country and you don’t speak the language? Here’s how the body types break down:

Ectomorph - Long, lean, hard gainer of both muscle and fat. Often very underweight in childhood and in teen years. Will never have the Arnold Schwarzenegger look.

=HARD GAINER/ EASY LOSER

Mesomorph - This is the ideal body type. Athletic with a good balance and ratio of muscle and body fat, even distribution of fat, and round muscles bellies that develop easily. Metabolically, this type is most gifted.

=MODERATE GAINER/ MODERATE LOSER/ ATHLETIC

Endomorph - Heavy set, uneven distribution of body fat, fat to muscle ratios that can border on obese. Often heavy as a child or as a teenager, which continues into adulthood. Can be predisposed to metabolic disorders such as thyroid deficiency, and diabetes.

=EASY GAINER/ HARD LOSER

Muscle Fiber Type:

How Type Affects Ability to Perform Cardiovascular Work

Skeletal muscle fibers vary in size and contraction ability. Typically, they are referred to as fast twitch or slow twitch fibers / red or white fiber. Each type contracts with different velocities, depending upon their ability to split Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Faster contracting fibers (fast twitch) have greater ability to split ATP, slower contracting fibers do not have this same ability. Fiber types vary with respect to metabolic processes used to generate ATP, in terms of their individual thresholds for the onset of fatigue, and their structural and functional characteristics.

Type I Fiber - Slow Twitch

(High Aerobic Capacity / Endurance Athlete)

Called slow twitch or slow oxidative fibers, this type contains large amounts of myoglobin, many mitochondria and many blood capillaries. Because of this, they are also referred to as RED fiber. They split ATP at a slow rate, have a slow contraction velocity, are very resistant to fatigue. An excellent example of the Type I Fiber muscles would be the postural muscles of the neck.

Type II Fiber - Fast Twitch

(High Anaerobic Capacity / Strength Athlete)

These fibers, frequently referred to as fast twitch (glycolytic fibers) contain a low concentration of myoglobin, very few mitochondria, few red blood capillaries and large amounts of glycogen. Type II fibers are white, and are geared to generate ATP by anaerobic metabolic processes. Because they are not able to supply skeletal muscle fibers continuously with sufficient ATP, they fatigue rapidly, split ATP at a fast rate and have a fast contraction velocity.

So why does all of this matter? While you may be the type who just wants to get on a treadmill without worrying about which type of muscle fiber predominates within your musculoskeletal system, it pays to know your body. Certainly, no one needs to worry about this stuff, but when it comes to doing right by your body as an athlete, the predominating fiber type matters very much!

In fact, both body type and fiber type really dictate how much you can and cannot do. The good news is, you may be doing far too much cardio training for your body type or fiber type and may be able to lighten the load and enjoy a leaner physique with fuller muscles. Without this information, you’ll never know.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Is there such a thing as too much cardiovascular training? You bet! In fact, most people overtrain their bodies in this area far more than in the area of weight training. This affects metabolism and the body’s ability to store fat in the future, how it will be distributed, as well as hormonal balance within the body. Too much of a good thing can oftentimes throw the entire apple cart off kilter.

More Than One Way to Skin a Cat

Intensity - When you walk the treadmill, is it always flat or do you elevate the platform to make your workouts more difficult and intense? Do you walk stairs, flexing your legs and butt throughout, or do you occasionally run them? Intensity is one way to increase the amount of benefit you get from a cardio session.

Duration - Most people increase the number of minutes they do in one session until, fairly rapidly, they are doing over an hour per day! This won’t last and will burn you out. Try some of these other techniques before resorting to increasing the duration you spend on the stair stepper. Remember, two sessions per day, of shorter duration, are better than one long one.

Frequency - Try varying frequency. One week, do five sessions of cardio. During the next week, do just four. Others play around with this variable by doubling up on cardio sessions in one day and dropping a day in between. Make sure to decrease the time you spend in each session. Your body will continue burning fat long after each time on the cycle.

Intervals - Do you do interval training in the midst of one cardio session. Try doing distance running for 10 minutes, then sprint for 2 minutes, run distance for another 10, then end with an all-out 2 minute sprint again, followed by a 10 minute cool-down walk. Not only will this increase intensity, but you’ll knock out at least 2 different training zones and increase benefits of that session by a minimum of 50%.

Type - Don’t always opt for the treadmill or stationary bike. There are many pieces of equipment out there and you should vary the type of cardio you do. For that matter, don’t always do cardio in the gym. Vary how and what you do and, at the very least, you’ll remain fresh mentally and stave off burn-out!

Time of Day - Some swear by doing cardio on an empty stomach for maximum fat burning activity. But others say that this is the worst time… when the body is most apt to dip into muscle stores (glycogen) for its energy source. Do what feels right to you. Put it in perspective: Cardio at 8pm is better than no cardio at all if you’re trying to shed pounds.

What’s right for you? Well, that’s for you to decide now that you’re armed with information. The key to just about anything is being moderate. Just because you discovered a ‘treasure trove’ of fat burning tools doesn’t mean that your body will respond to the ‘more is better’ credo. In fact, see how little you can get away with doing, and build slowly from there. Less is always more.

Combining MMA With Bodybuilding

Mixed martial arts (MMA) have become really popular these days for many men who want to learn how to defend themselves, and who are also trying to get in shape.There are a lot of bodybuilders attracted to the idea of improving their fighting skills, and using the same vigorous exercises to get in great shape. While bodybuilders are using this trade off, a growing number of MMA fighters are now using bodybuilding techniques to improve their fighting and get bigger for matches and competitions.One important factor that often gets overlooked is that you could never have a great amount of success if you’re training for bodybuilding and MMA fights at the same time. These are two very different things that require different energy expenditures, food and diet, as well as training routines.Bodybuilders have discovered great success through applying MMA techniques mainly for cardio to help them loose body fat and reach their personal goals. This is a popular thing to do amongst bodybuilders because it makes them look better, gets them in better shape, and can teach them defense techniques as well.The DietIt’s imperative that you still eat like a bodybuilder, but before getting into a MMA workout, you can include additional carbs. The training session can put additional strain on your body, so it’s also good to consume proteins after you have worked out. In order to assist with your recovery, it’s good to include a large amount of clean and slow burning carbs. For helping your body heal at night, many people make themselves a casein protein blend.The Training When figuring out your training routine, it’s important to separate the time spent training for bodybuilding and training for MMA. Many have found it helpful to select three days for bodybuilding and mark them on a calendar, and then doing the exact same thing for days that they plan on training MMA style. These two styles are separate, so try to make them separate occasions. Avoid adding weight training while using MMA techniques, and also avoid fighting on the weight training days.The RecoverySo if you are trading off days during the week between training as a bodybuilder and training as a fighter, your body is taking quite a beating, both literally and figuratively. The quick and jabbing nature of MMA fighting coupled with the intense and arduous heavy training of bodybuilding means that your central nervous system (CNS) is most likely working overtime to recover. The idea of combining MMA and bodybuilding training techniques is becoming more and more popular. People are discovering the advantages of this combination, and are willing to going through the tough training of each for the incredible results.

There are certain machines or exercises at every gym that are log jammed with people. Yet, they provide no benefit to you in your quest for perfect health. Why is that? If time is that important to people, then why are so many of them wasting it on these exercises that have little benefit and might possibly injure you? If you are doing the following popular exercises, then read on and learn why you should probably do an alternative exercise that will give you a much greater benefit.

Sitting Abdominal Crunch Machine - I don’t know what the official name of this machine is, but it is at every health club. Any machine for whatever muscle group has a limited range of motion based on the design of the machine, and this one is no exception. You are not targeting the abdominal muscles effectively with this piece of equipment. Skip this machine and grab a mat. Doing floor exercises such as abdominal crunches, reverse crunches, or toe reaches, going in a slow and controlled manner, will be a better use of your time to get a flatter stomach.

Lat Pulldown Behind the Head - This isn’t a useless exercise done correctly. Studies have shown that if the exercise is performed pulling the bar behind your head, you could be doing damage to your rotator cuffs. You have to do it absolutely perfect to avoid that, which hardly anyone does. Pull the bar down in front of you and you will get the same benefit for your back, without potential damage to your shoulders.

Side Bends - My wife was complaining about her supposed love handles (my wife sees a different person in the mirror than I do, she is in great shape) and asked if she should do these. They don’t work! All it will do is build the muscle and push your bodyfat out further so that everybody can notice your love handles. That’s not what you want, RIGHT?? The obliques are small muscles and just a little stimulation can really develop them. To eliminate the extra fat around the obliques, watch your diet and burn off your bodyfat with aerobic work. Then utilize the abdominal exercises listed in the exercise above and they will indirectly work your obliques. This will be a far better approach to getting rid of those love handles then doing side bends.

Inner and Outer Thigh Machine - This is one of the most popular exercises for ladies trying to tone up those inner and outer thighs. The waiting line is a mile long for this machine, as women do hundreds of sets and repetitions to achieve the leaner leg. I can’t stand this machine. I wish I had invented it because I would be rich. What people don’t realize is that because of the design of this machine and limited range of motion, you are really only hitting a very small portion of the leg. You should perform lunges and/or squats and eliminate this exercise from your workout. You are much better off hitting your inner and outer thighs during those exercises, then spending the 15 minutes on this machine. Just because everybody is doing it, doesn’t mean it is right. Be brave and challenge yourself with squats and lunges and I guarantee you’ll love the results.

Russian Twists - This is the exercise where an individual is standing with a broomstick on his/her shoulders and the person twists side to side. As a warm-up, this might be alright, but as an exercise to reduce the love handles, no. It doesn’t do anything. See Side Bends to find out how to work the obliques better.

Make efficient and good use of your time when you work out and avoid these exercises like the plague. Use the alternatives that I suggest and get better results faster. These suggestions will ultimately get you to your final goal…A BETTER YOU!!

Copyright 2006 Adam Kessler

Call it cardio, call it aerobics, call it whatever makes you feel more comfortable, but don’t avoid the inevitable: Every human being needs this variety of movement to be a part of their lives in order to function and be healthy.

We live in a weight conscious society, to be sure. The better a person looks externally, in clothes, naked, half naked, or anything in between, the more successful that person is deemed to be in the scheme of exercise and fitness. But looks can be deceiving.

Sure, cardio is the bodybuilder’s middle name-the key to the kingdom of ripped. But the truth is, cardiovascular exercise is probably one of the most misunderstood, under-utilized, over-utilized tools in the workout world. It is truly one of the greatest conundrums within the realm of fitness. And here’s another tip: Those who swear by it, may not even know why they swear by it.

Here are the pay-offs… and they are undisputed:

Cardiovascular exercise can burn calories at a rate between 8 and 30 calories per minute. That’s a lot of glazed donuts!

When engaging in cardiovascular exercise 5 times weekly, one can eat between 25% and 30% more calories and maintain or lose weight.

Cardiovascular exercise whips the heart muscle into great shape, increasing oxygen capacity within the bloodstream by up to 20% within just 3-4 months.

Cardiovascular exercise seems to melt fat off the body when combined with a good diet, and a regular program of resistance training.

These are all true, undisputed facts that no one can refute. They are the promises of diligent workouts on apparatus such as steppers, treadmills, stationary cycles and elliptical trainers. But is this the end of the story? Or is there more to cardio workouts than first meets the eye? You bet!

How to Determine Your Various Heart Rate Zones and Why You Should

There are four main training zones within the cardiovascular exercise category and each carries with it some very specific criteria and results. The reason one must familiarize himself with each zone is to avoid making crucial mistakes that could affect physical outcome. That’s because within each training zone subtle physiological effects take place to either enhance or jar your level of fitness. Knowing where you are at all times will garner the desired effect.

The Recovery Zone/ Weight Control Zone

Training at 60% to 70%

This zone develops basic endurance and aerobic capacity. The advantage to working out in this zone is the fact that you will be burning a lot of body fat and will likely lose weight as a result. You’ll also be reenergizing your muscles with glycogen that has been spent during fast paced resistance training workouts. This replenishing is a part of recovery and is the most valuable zone for most people as a result.

The Aerobic Zone

Training at 70% to 80%

This zone will help develop your cardiovascular system. The body’s ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone your capacity for longer sessions increases. Though you’ll receive some benefits of fat burning, it’s mostly improved aerobic capacity that will be your reward by training in this zone.

The Anaerobic Zone

Training at 80% to 90%

Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system. In this zone your own aerobic threshold is found. During training in this heart rate zone, the amount of fat being used as the main source of energy is reduced and, instead, stored glycogen is the main fuel. This glycogen is stored in the muscle. Burning glycogen for fuel creates lactic acid (the “feel the burn” chemical by-product). Once the body can no longer remove the lactic acid fast enough to continue contraction, the anaerobic threshold has been reached. It’s possible to train through this to increase your ability to deal with lactic acid for longer periods of time, but this takes some guidance.

The Red Line Zone

Training at 90% to 100%

This zone is only possible for short durations. It trains fast twitch muscle fibers and has its use for strength and endurance athletes. This should only be used during interval type training where sprints are indicated to increase strength, shape and density of muscle. It’s also only for the very, very fit.

Resting Heart Rate

It’s very easy to determine resting heart rate (RHR). Find somewhere quiet, lie down and relax. Position a watch or clock where you can see the second hand. After 20 minutes remain where you are, and without sitting up or jarring your body, take your pulse rate (beats/min). This is your RHR. If you have a heart rate monitor, even better. After 20 minutes, check the rate. As you become more fit, your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood around the body. As a result you will find your resting heart rate gets lower so you will need to check your RHR on a regular basis to adjust values in other areas.

Calculation of Zone Values

There are a few methods by which to determine all of these values. Some say the age-based is the easiest to understand and doesn’t require exceptional math skills. However, it is also one of the least accurate because it supposes that everyone of the same age has the same Max HR, which is untrue. Conversely, the Max HR method is probably the most accurate because one finds zones based on actual testing.

Age Based Method For Determining Max HR

MEN: Subtract your age from 220

WOMEN: Subtract your age from 226

Experts agree that you should drop one point off your MAX HR for each year after you determine this number.

EXAMPLE:

If you’re a 35 year old man, your MAX HR will be = 185

When you turn 40, your MAX HR will be = 180

MAX HR Method For Determining Max HR

Warm up, then run for at least 15 minutes at fairly high speeds. Towards the end, increase your speed as hard as you can and as long as you can, then check your monitor to see where your heart rate is. This is your maximum heart rate. Keep in mind that, until you become more fit, you should adhere to the “Age Based Method”. The MAX HR method is for people who are fairly fit to begin with.

The calculation of a zone %, is performed in the following way:

Subtract your RHR (Resting Heart Rate) from your MHR (Max Heart Rate - after testing). This is your working heart rate (WHR)

Multiply the desired zone percentage % by your WHR

This calculated percentage your RHR = BPM

Example : The athlete’s MHR is 180 and his RHR is 60. Determine the 70% value:

How Body Type Affects Cardio Choice, Duration and Frequency

This is a big debate and one that is never talked about in mainstream publications simply because it isn’t as important to people as talking about results-namely: fat loss. But for those athletes, bodybuilders in particular, interested in preserving muscle gains while losing body fat, it’s an absolutely fascinating topic and knowing what you are can be your best weapon against fat and muscle wasting.

Are you an Ectomorph, Endomorph or Mesomorph?

Feel like you’re in a foreign country and you don’t speak the language? Here’s how the body types break down:

Ectomorph - Long, lean, hard gainer of both muscle and fat. Often very underweight in childhood and in teen years. Will never have the Arnold Schwarzenegger look.

=HARD GAINER/ EASY LOSER

Mesomorph - This is the ideal body type. Athletic with a good balance and ratio of muscle and body fat, even distribution of fat, and round muscles bellies that develop easily. Metabolically, this type is most gifted.

=MODERATE GAINER/ MODERATE LOSER/ ATHLETIC

Endomorph - Heavy set, uneven distribution of body fat, fat to muscle ratios that can border on obese. Often heavy as a child or as a teenager, which continues into adulthood. Can be predisposed to metabolic disorders such as thyroid deficiency, and diabetes.

=EASY GAINER/ HARD LOSER

Muscle Fiber Type:

How Type Affects Ability to Perform Cardiovascular Work

Skeletal muscle fibers vary in size and contraction ability. Typically, they are referred to as fast twitch or slow twitch fibers / red or white fiber. Each type contracts with different velocities, depending upon their ability to split Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Faster contracting fibers (fast twitch) have greater ability to split ATP, slower contracting fibers do not have this same ability. Fiber types vary with respect to metabolic processes used to generate ATP, in terms of their individual thresholds for the onset of fatigue, and their structural and functional characteristics.

Type I Fiber - Slow Twitch

(High Aerobic Capacity / Endurance Athlete)

Called slow twitch or slow oxidative fibers, this type contains large amounts of myoglobin, many mitochondria and many blood capillaries. Because of this, they are also referred to as RED fiber. They split ATP at a slow rate, have a slow contraction velocity, are very resistant to fatigue. An excellent example of the Type I Fiber muscles would be the postural muscles of the neck.

Type II Fiber - Fast Twitch

(High Anaerobic Capacity / Strength Athlete)

These fibers, frequently referred to as fast twitch (glycolytic fibers) contain a low concentration of myoglobin, very few mitochondria, few red blood capillaries and large amounts of glycogen. Type II fibers are white, and are geared to generate ATP by anaerobic metabolic processes. Because they are not able to supply skeletal muscle fibers continuously with sufficient ATP, they fatigue rapidly, split ATP at a fast rate and have a fast contraction velocity.

So why does all of this matter? While you may be the type who just wants to get on a treadmill without worrying about which type of muscle fiber predominates within your musculoskeletal system, it pays to know your body. Certainly, no one needs to worry about this stuff, but when it comes to doing right by your body as an athlete, the predominating fiber type matters very much!

In fact, both body type and fiber type really dictate how much you can and cannot do. The good news is, you may be doing far too much cardio training for your body type or fiber type and may be able to lighten the load and enjoy a leaner physique with fuller muscles. Without this information, you’ll never know.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Is there such a thing as too much cardiovascular training? You bet! In fact, most people overtrain their bodies in this area far more than in the area of weight training. This affects metabolism and the body’s ability to store fat in the future, how it will be distributed, as well as hormonal balance within the body. Too much of a good thing can oftentimes throw the entire apple cart off kilter.

More Than One Way to Skin a Cat

Intensity - When you walk the treadmill, is it always flat or do you elevate the platform to make your workouts more difficult and intense? Do you walk stairs, flexing your legs and butt throughout, or do you occasionally run them? Intensity is one way to increase the amount of benefit you get from a cardio session.

Duration - Most people increase the number of minutes they do in one session until, fairly rapidly, they are doing over an hour per day! This won’t last and will burn you out. Try some of these other techniques before resorting to increasing the duration you spend on the stair stepper. Remember, two sessions per day, of shorter duration, are better than one long one.

Frequency - Try varying frequency. One week, do five sessions of cardio. During the next week, do just four. Others play around with this variable by doubling up on cardio sessions in one day and dropping a day in between. Make sure to decrease the time you spend in each session. Your body will continue burning fat long after each time on the cycle.

Intervals - Do you do interval training in the midst of one cardio session. Try doing distance running for 10 minutes, then sprint for 2 minutes, run distance for another 10, then end with an all-out 2 minute sprint again, followed by a 10 minute cool-down walk. Not only will this increase intensity, but you’ll knock out at least 2 different training zones and increase benefits of that session by a minimum of 50%.

Type - Don’t always opt for the treadmill or stationary bike. There are many pieces of equipment out there and you should vary the type of cardio you do. For that matter, don’t always do cardio in the gym. Vary how and what you do and, at the very least, you’ll remain fresh mentally and stave off burn-out!

Time of Day - Some swear by doing cardio on an empty stomach for maximum fat burning activity. But others say that this is the worst time… when the body is most apt to dip into muscle stores (glycogen) for its energy source. Do what feels right to you. Put it in perspective: Cardio at 8pm is better than no cardio at all if you’re trying to shed pounds.

What’s right for you? Well, that’s for you to decide now that you’re armed with information. The key to just about anything is being moderate. Just because you discovered a ‘treasure trove’ of fat burning tools doesn’t mean that your body will respond to the ‘more is better’ credo. In fact, see how little you can get away with doing, and build slowly from there. Less is always more.

What you need to know before building your own weight loss program. Covers the basic points that are essential to an effective program.

Manipulating your metabolic rate is the basic aspect of any weight loss program. Unless you are aware of your metabolic functioning it is tough to equate the amount of calories to be taken and also to be given out. This on the other hand is the determinant factor to reduce your weight.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

Begin with the Basal Metabolic Rate. You can consider it to be the basic unit of metabolism in your body. Actually the BMR states the quantity of calories your body needs even when it is in the resting position. Thus you can see that the metabolic factor is an ongoing process till you are alive. What differs in various positions of your being is the arte of metabolism. The highest rate of burning will definitely be when you are vigorously undertaking some physical labor.

The weight loss program is keen about the BMR because this is the lowest sate of physical activity and hence the calorie usage is the least. An efficient weight loss program tries to give a boost to the Basal Metabolic Rate so that even in rest you body is capable of burning more amounts of calories. If this is automated you can remain steady with the metabolic rate and the calorie burning process.

Shaping the BMR largely depends upon the muscle t

issues. The more is the mass of the muscle tissues the larger is the burning of the calories. Toning up the muscular parts of the body should be a key feature of any weight loss program. Using some instruments in the gym session can do adding muscles.

Hormonal stability

It is good to think direct that weight loss is burning calories. Yet there are some hidden factors that need to be addressed when you really intend to shed off the calories to give a great shape to your physique through a control on the body%26#8217;s mass.

Hormonal stability matters a lot. Even after exercising for hours you might find very low response. Then you will have to find out the other areas of the problem. And mostly it is the hormonal factor and some inherent traits that constantly speed up the weight gain process. You will have to undergo specific treatments to combat this situation along with a weight loss program.

Maintaining consistency

It has been mostly seen that the initial effects of a weight loss program is superb. Gradually the focus seems to diminish. This can never be the right approach. The weight loss program must be in a slow and steady manner helping you out to retain consistency in balancing the weight throughout your lifetime.

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The film 300 was a box office hit, grossing over $300 million. But it wasn’t just the film that was getting all the attention-there was just about as much talk about the actors’ incredibly sculpted physiques as there was about the movie’s plot, acting, special effects, or anything else. Women just wanted to stare and dream and guys wanted to know what they did to get in such great shape. It’s said that the guys whipped themselves into shape doing a training regimen that included 50 reps each of six different exercises with no break between sets-for a total of 300 reps. This grueling training routine came to be known as the Spartan 300 Workout. But was this really the routine the guys followed in order to prepare for their roles? Yes and no. It took some digging to get to the bottom of what really went on but what I discovered is that the 300 rep workout was only a small part of their training regimen. I can tell you thought that the guys did spend at least six hours every day in the gym. First, you want to understand that the guys in the film were all in really good shape before they auditioned for the roles-casting directors aren’t in the habit of picking dumpy out-of-shape guys for roles like this because they see their “potential.” The actors’ training routine lasted about four months and was developed by renowned trainer Mark Twight. Since he wanted the guys to actually look and act like real Spartan warriors, he incorporated techniques that would emphasize the fighter qualities rather than just building muscle. He didn’t want the actors to look like pumped up bodybuilders. The actors trained in competitive group sessions that included a system of penalties and rewards. Physical training focused on developing athleticism, using a variety of ever-changing routines that combined compound movements, lifting and throwing and relied upon non-traditional equipment such as medicine balls and kettlebells rather than machines or even free weights. The same session was rarely repeated. The point of the regimen was to improve all around fitness using a wide variety of movements that developed the ranges of motion required in real fighting. This was accomplished by submitting the body to ever-changing-and increasingly difficult-physical challenges. Preparation for the roles also included eight weeks of daily fight training. No surprises here-their diet was very strict and focused on fueling the actors’ bodies with plenty of lean proteins, limited carbs and only healthy, unsaturated fats. Anybody who fell of the “diet wagon” was admonished by his fellow actors-en masse-which was part of Twight’s plan of having the guys train together as a cohesive group. Now, back to the Spartan 300 Workout. What I uncovered was that this legendary routine wasn’t done daily, weekly or even monthly. Rather, it was presented as a challenge at the end of the four-month training regimen. From what I understand, only about one-half of the actors actually completed it successfully. Here are the components of the Spartan 300 Workout Challenge followed by explanations of how they did the floor wipers and the clean and press: 1. Pull-ups: 25 reps; 2. Deadlifts with 135 pounds: 50 reps; 3. Pushups: 50 reps 4. 24-inch box jumps: 50 reps; 5. Floor wipers: 50 reps; 6. Single-arm clean and press with 36 pound kettlebell: 50 reps; 7. Pull-ups: 25 reps; Floor wipers: This exercise builds core strength and works the abs. Load a barbell with 135 pounds and lie on the floor. Press the barbell up, extending your arms all the way and holding in that position. Keeping your legs straight, touch your feet to the right side of the bar and then to the left side to complete one repetition. Single-arm clean and press: If you’re not familiar with them, a kettlebell looks like a cannonball with a handle. If you don’t happen to have one hanging around, you can also use a 35-pound dumbbell. With your legs shoulder-width apart, set the kettlebell on the floor and grab it by the handle. Bring the weight up in front of your shoulder, elbow bent and pointed down. Press the kettlebell up towards the ceiling. Without pausing, bring it immediately back down to your shoulder and then lower it back to the starting position, with the weight on the floor-repeat (49 more times). If you’re looking to replicate that “300″ look, you can take the basic elements of what these guys did and come up with your own routine and get the same basic results. Mix up your training and incorporate bodybuilding exercises, fighting exercises, dumbbells and even kettlebells. Be sure to add plenty of exercises that build and strengthen your core. Set a goal for yourself to do your own version of the 300 rep workout, lowering the number of reps or swapping out some of the exercises. Do something that’s challenging but not so tough that you wind up in the hospital. But do set a goal. It gives you something to strive for and helps keep you on track. Mike Westerdal is the owner of http://www.criticalbench.com. Visit his site to receive two free PDF reports entitled, “31 Days To Bigger Arms” and “Boosting Testosterone Levels for Big Muscle Gains.”

Will Smith, Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, Ryan Reynolds and Robert Downey Junior-five guys who have gotten super buff for movie roles. Will Smith got ripped for Ali and I Robot; Gerard Butler for 300; Christian Bale for Batman Begins; Ryan Reynolds for Blade: Trinity; and Robert Downey Junior for Iron Man. Each one of these guys was in decent shape before he took on the role but none of them was anything special. But when they took their shirts off in these roles looking incredibly ripped, the question came up, “How did they do it? How did these celebrities gain the muscle weight?” I did some research to find out what these guys did to get into such great shape for their movie roles and found that there were a lot of common elements. The youngest of them (Ryan Reynolds) is 31 and the oldest (Robert Downey Junior) is 43 but every one of them followed the same basic pattern. First of all, every one of them used personal trainers and chefs. Second, they all trained for several hours a day five or six days a week. Third, they followed strict high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets without fail and finally, they were all extremely motivated to pack on lean muscle and reduce their body fat. Yeah it’s true that these are Hollywood actors who have the resources at their disposal to be able to hire professionals and dedicate four, five or even six hours a day to intense training. But just because us regular guys may not be able to hire our own personal trainers and personal chefs to follow us around all day and keep us in line, doesn’t mean that we can’t get similar results-it just might take a little longer. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there isn’t any easy way to get there. They key ingredient that you must have though is commitment. You have to drive yourself to achieve your goal every day. It requires vigilance and discipline without fail. Their workouts routines varied but all of them contained the same basic elements, with one in particular-no pain, no gain. Celebrity Weight Gain Workouts: Here’s a rundown of the training routines the actors used to get ripped for their roles. Will Smith put on 35 pounds of muscle for his role in Ali using a combination of weight training and boxing, working out 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. To get back in shape for I Robot, he stuck to the 5-day workout schedule, training 2 body parts per day and adding in boxing 2 days a week. Gerard Butler’s extremely brutal regimen (which wound up being called the 300-rep Spartan Workout) included non-stop sets of pull-ups, dead-lifts, push-ups, jump-ups onto a 24-inch box, floor-wipers, single-arm clean-and-presses using a 36-pound kettle bell, all followed up with one last set of pull-ups (25). Plenty of gymnastics-style training rounded out the routine. Christian Bale relied on intensive cardio workouts along with a demanding routine that included both resistance and weight training. He trained five days a week and did cardio seven days a week. His routines favored volume over heavy weights in order to burn more calories. Ryan Reynolds started with abs doing 500-1000 sit-ups before training his other muscle groups. He said that it got him motivated. He trained six days a week-one muscle group per day-using heavy weights with fewer reps to bulk up. He was lean to start with so lots of cardio wasn’t part of his regimen. Robert Downey Junior-the oldest of the group-put on 20 pounds of muscle over five months using a combination of weight lifting (five days a week) combined with an intensive martial arts training and regular cardio. He used a 5-day split routine focusing on one body part per day, training pretty quickly in order to leave plenty of time for the martial arts and the cardio. Celebrity Diets For Muscle Gains: Suffice to say that following a strict, vigilant diet 100% of the time was a huge part of these actors’ success in achieving their fitness goals in a relatively short time. The basic model they all followed was about what you’d expect; 5-6 smaller meals spread throughout the day, lots of lean protein, limited carbs and only healthy unsaturated fats. You need to eat a diet that fuels your muscle growth and repairs the body while you sleep. No pizza. No beer. No late night snacks. Ryan Reynolds says that he didn’t touch any carbs after 8 PM. Just about any guy can achieve the same results if he really wants to. Here are three strategies that regular guys can use to get on the right track towards achieving that super-buff, ripped body you want. First, find a workout partner. A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that workout partners can result in increased effort and improved performance. Second, set reasonable goals, write them down, look at them every day and chart your progress along the way. Third, write down everything you eat so you can track how many grams of fat, carbohydrates and protein that you’re eating every day. And most important of all, stay motivated and don’t get discouraged. Getting fit like these guys is just as much mental as it is physical. There’s no getting around the fact that it takes intense training to achieve the Adonis-like bodies that these stars strutted on-screen-it requires hard work and discipline. Mike Westerdal is the owner of http://www.criticalbench.com. Visit his site to receive two free PDF reports entitled, “31 Days To Bigger Arms” and “Boosting Testosterone Levels for Big Muscle Gains.”

How to add enjoyable power to your workout

Hiking along a rocky trail, two of the three friends carefully picked their way from rock to rock. But one leaped from rock to rock, bounding by the others like a gazelle running and leaping from rock to rock. Never missing his footing, the others wondered at his almost supernatural grace and skill. “How does he do that?” they thought.When most people think of physical fitness, they think of strength and cardiovascular fitness. If they are really thinking about it, they’ll add flexibility to the list.But there’s something few people think about when working out, a missing component of physical fitness. You can’t get it just by lifting weights or running on a treadmill.The missing component is agility.Agility is what lets my friend run rings around us, leaping from rock to rock along the Pedernales River in Texas. Agility is what you see in top athletes who make great skill look effortless. Agility is what helps a ballet dancer make it look effortless. Agility is how Jackie Chan can still do martial arts even while he is rolling over tables, bouncing off walls, leaping between the rungs of ladders.I didn’t understand that until years after the hike along the Pedernales River. Now, after doing martial arts for almost 30 years, I understand. When you watch someone who moves with grace and skill, you’re seeing agility.Have you ever had an experience where you felt clumsy?Have you ever fumbled the ball, or tripped over your own two feet?Or have you ever seen someone who is in great shape, but they just can’t coordinate, they can’t move?The missing component of physical fitness is agility.If you just do weights or cardio, you’re not going to develop agility. If you want agility, you have to move, and you have to adapt on the fly to changing (and often intense) situations.Some sports and fitness activities promote agility more than others. For me, martial arts gave me agility. I’ve been dong Kung Fu for 25 years, and martial arts in general for almost 30. I have to be able to adapt to what an opponent is doing quickly and perfectly. I have to seize the advantage, gain and maintain dynamic control. I have to stay balanced and graceful even while moving rapidly and adjusting to the changing dynamics of sparring.Many other sports really develop agility as well. Basketball, tennis, soccer, hockey, skiing, snowboarding… they all develop and require agility.If you’re not doing something to develop agility, today is a good day to start. You’ll be amazed at the difference increased agility will make in feeling physically fit. Before long you’ll move with the grace of a cat, you’ll bound like a gazelle.Don’t just lift weights and do cardio - get out there and do something to increase your agility as well. Get together with some buddies for basketball. Go play some tennis. Take up martial arts. Agility will give you the ability to actually DO something with all of the physical fitness you’ve been developing. You will feel better and move better, and you will probably have a lot more fun than just running on a treadmill or lifting weights!

Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you’ll see in a minute that I’m not really “anti-cardio”, just “anti traditional cardio”. Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a “fact” that they need “cardio” exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it. However, I’m not only questioning it, I’m going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods. Whenever someone comes up to me at the gym and asks me how much cardio they should do to lose more body fat, my answer is always… NONE!!! You should see the crazy looks I get…it’s priceless! But the fact is, just like the lean people I mentioned above that never do cardio, I personally haven’t done what most people would consider “cardio” in years. Heck, I can’t even remember the last time I “jogged” on the treadmill, or glided away on an elliptical, or pedaled away going nowhere on the stationary bike. Yet despite my lack of “cardio”, I maintain single digit body fat percentages year round. Don’t get me wrong… Just because I say I don’t do “cardio”, doesn’t mean that I don’t work my butt off in the gym. But what exactly is “cardio”? Most people would consider cardio to be exactly what I described above… pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call “traditional cardio”. Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results. But if you look closer, “cardio” can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I’m not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumping, and gets you huffin and puffin… it’s cardio. I don’t care if you’re holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise…it’s still conditioning your heart. Let’s take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean %26 press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn’t matter if you’re not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much. At first glance, most people think of the barbell C%26P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C%26P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you’ll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab fast). Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a dumbbell (2 of my specialty exercises in my Truth about Six Pack Abs manual), and tell me your legs aren’t burning, heart racing, and you’re gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of rotating bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest between. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths! Try and tell me you’re not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fulfilling your cardio needs as well. Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity…something that can’t be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV. Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you’re not concentrating enough on what you’re doing, plus you’re probably not working out hard enough to see any real results. Hope you’ve enjoyed this little article about the cardio training. To find out more about your health, fitness, diets and also how to lose the belly fat, you are welcome to visit a http://www.thesecretconcept.com