Ode to Men's Health- Abs

I recently read an article in Men's Health that gave some good insight and helpful tips for "revealing" your abs and other muscles. Here are some bits and pieces from the article that I found helpful.

If you can't see your abs, don't assume it's because you're missing out on a magical abdominal exercise or secret supplement. Blame your mindset.

You see, losing belly flab is a boring process. It requires time, hard work, and most important, dedication. Take the right steps every single day, and you'll ultimately carve out your six-pack. But if you stray from your plan even a few times a week—which most men do—you'll probably never see your abs.

The effectiveness of this tool is even supported by science. At the University of Iowa, researchers determined that people are more likely to stick with their fat-loss plans when they concentrate on specific actions instead of the desired result. So rather than focusing on abs that show, follow my daily list of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle strategies for achieving that rippled midsection.

6 Tips for Abs

1. Drink 16 oz water in the morning
2. Eat a big breakfast (healthy obviously)
3. Constantly review goals after eating (and write everything down if it helps)
4. Pack a lunch / Pre-pack daily meals and snacks
5. Exercise the right way (work abs like other muscles not everyday/end of workout)
6. Get your sleep

Winter Blues

Two months down in 2010, how's that "new you" coming? After 8 straight weeks of exercising and eating right you should be at a point where you can see some noticeable results, right? This is a time to reward yourself if you have been working hard. Treat yourself to something you have been sacrificing and it'll be oh so sweet.
Now is a good time to change up your routine and switch your workouts, your body needs to be challenged by change and confusion. Its time to start thinking about some serious workouts that will get you "right by spring." HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts are the best kind of workouts to shed that excess body fat and a good way to check your current aerobic shape. HIIT combines both aerobic as well as anaerobic into one nasty workout. There are many upsides to this specific type of training, it improves our cardiovascular health as well as fat burning; which, lets be honest, all of us want to do. Another plus to HIIT is that is doesn't take a whole lot of time, so you're in and out of the gym and with a better workout than if you would've spent an hour doing "normal" exercises. Below are a few different samples of HIIT exercises that will test you both physically and mentally.

Treadmill Workout: 20 Min Total

Warmup: 5 mins - Light Jog

10 Mins- Sprint at 95-100% Intensity 1 min/light jog 1 min (be careful but push yourself)

Cooldown: 5 mins- Light Jog

Stationary Bike Workout: 18 Min Total

Warm up 3 Mins- (i.e. Level 6-9)

Intensity Training (12 min total)

Increased Resistance (i.e. Level 12-15) -2 mins (95-100%)
Decreased Resistance (i.e. Level 8-10)- 1 min (65-75%)

Cooldown 3 mins- (Level 6-9)

Elliptical Workout/ Stair Stepper Workouts
Both of these machines can be used to do similar workouts as the stationary bike; increased resistance and increased intensity.

Now anyone of the workouts above coupled with some good stretching to start and finish plus a decent abdominal workout, will have you feeling gassed and great all at the same time and you will be done in less than 45 minutes.

Quick Ab workout

1. 15-20 reps -lying leg raises (keep legs straight and lift with your core)
2. 15-20 reps -toe touches (lie on your back and keep arms straight in the air; situp and reach to your toes and come back to lying on your back)
3. 15-20 reps (each side) - oblique crunches (lay on your side with legs stacked at 30 deg. angle and crunch elbow to thigh* good luck with that)
4. 30 secs- plank (up on your elbows, forearms, and toes and hold )

Repeat twice through.

Progression Pictures

p90x Round 1 complete

Moderation

Just like everything else; healthy eating and exercise are most profitable in moderation. Now moderation is relative to each person according to his/her own abilities. The only way we will be able to really reach our desired goals/results is by taking the "tortoise method." It is not realistic to think that in 3 months time we can reach "Hollywood like" results and still hold a day job. Now if you want to sacrifice social life, work, and any kind of delicious food, then yes, I guess you could look like the guys in 300 by springtime. It's simply not realistic or practical, or fun. Make it a commitment to make an overall lifestyle change and you will appreciate the effects of exercise and healthy eating much more than you would if you committed to being an outcast from society by going on a quick fix diet plan. Allow yourself to cheat once and a while with your eating and workouts. Make Saturdays your day off to enjoy delicious foods and take a break from exercise, and then on Sundays get back at it again with a light workout and wane yourself back into your weekly regiment. Everyone is different and everyone's body responds differently, don't compare yourself to anyone but yourself. Motivation needs to come from within, or you will never achieve what it is your setting out to accomplish. Another reason moderation is beneficial is because you won't ever truly be "content," meaning that if you were to try and reach all your goals in a short period of time, then you would be "done," and "satisfied." But, if you allow for some cheating then you will always be able to say " I can improve." The roller coaster effect is what people often find themselves doing when it comes to getting into shape, they will go all out for a period of time and reach and goal and then often fall back to where they once were. Make it a habit that when you take 5 steps forward take one small step back and then continue to go forward; instead of taking 10 steps forward and stopping; this way you will never plateau or fall all the way back down. Keep getting after it and remember there are 1000's of people just like you, and you are not alone in the Battle.

Smith Machine for Growth and Recovering

Recently coming off another injury to my shoulder I went to a professional bodybuilder/trainer for advice.

Problem: I found myself unable to lift heavy and not injure my shoulder, this put me at a dead end road without making any strength or size gains. The advice I received was so common sense it never dawned on me before to make this easy yet necessary change.

Solution: I went from lifting heavy on a flat bench to lifting heavy on a smith machine. This was something so simple and easy but has made a big change in my workouts. This is a good way to still push your muscles to grow using heavy weights but gives you more support on your tendons, joints and cartilage during this heavy push. It takes a lot of stress off of these supporting muscle groups and helps your body heal from its previous injuries. Another Bonus to using a smith machine is it allows you to get more comfortable with lifting and feeling the heavy weight come down at you. after all a lot of this game is "Mental"

Note: Even though your using a Smith machine it is always wise to use a spotter to help aid you during a heavy weights day.

Progress: withing 2 weeks I went from lifting 275 @6 Reps on the Flat Bench to 315 @8 Reps using the Smith machine. Life is good and shoulder is healing!!!

To all you resolutes!

A new year, and new you! That's what we see all over fitness magazines this time of year; only one problem, you're still the same you as a week ago! The "new you" will come only after you make a commitment and actually do what's required. Next year you can say its a "new me" after looking back after a year of hard work, but not yet.
Start the year off right by setting a goal, whether is muscle gain, weight loss, strength, or speed; where do you want to be in 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, a year from now? No one ever accomplished anything by setting out to do something without a plan, goal, or objective to some degree. Write down your goals, you will be more apt to follow through if you do. Ask a buddy to keep you accountable or better yet challenge somebody to a healthy competition, and I guarantee you that you'll stay motivated. Make sure along the way you reward yourself. Set your goals and when you accomplish them, pat yourself on the back and treat yourself to something that you have been sacrificing. Unless you get paid to look good, don't push too hard or you'll lose sight of whats important, i.e. staying healthy and being happy.
Get excited though, because it is a new year and by the end of it, there really could be a "new you." Keep working hard and setting goals and you'll love what what comes of it.

Lets get it on....