Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:31:18 +0000

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

Vitamins

Greatest Vitamin Sources

There is, and always will be, a huge amount of discussion as to what the greatest vitamin is. All vitamins have their own essential functions that will contribute to the state of a persons health and well being so it is nigh on impossible to state with any conviction that any one vitamin is the greatest. What is undeniable is that there are particular types of foods which provide the greatest quantity of vitamins.
Vitamins can be found in varied quantities in different types of foods and that is why it is important to have a balanced diet to ensure that you can take in vitamins from various sources. In order to assist you here is a list of the actual sources where high concentrations of certain vitamins can be found.
1. Greatest vitamin A sources are milk, eggs, butter, yellow fruits & vegetables, dark green fruits & vegetables, liver
2. Greatest vitamin B1 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, organ meats, egg yolk
3. Greatest vitamin B2 sources are brewer’s yeast, whole grains, legumes, nuts, organ meats, blackstrap molasses
4. Greatest vitamin B3 sources are lean meats, poultry & fish, brewer’s yeast, peanuts, milk, rice bran, potatoes
5. Greatest vitamin B4 sources are egg yolks, organ meats, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, soybeans, fish, legumes
6. Greatest vitamin B5 sources are organ meats, egg yolks, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ, salmon, brewer’s yeast

7. Greatest vitamin B6 sources are meats, whole grains, organ meats brewer’s yeast, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ
8. Greatest vitamin B7 sources are egg yolks, liver, unpolished rice, brewer’s yeast, sardines, legumes, whole grains
9. Greatest vitamin B8 sources are who1e grains, citrus fruits, molasses, meat, milk, nuts, vegetables, brewer’s yeast
10. Greatest vitamin B9 sources are dark-green leafy vegetables, organ meats, root vegetables, oysters, salmon, milk
11. Greatest vitamin B12 sources are organ meats, fish, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, lamb, bananas, kelp, peanuts
12. Greatest vitamin B13 sources are root vegetables, liquid whey
13. Greatest vitamin B15 sources are brewer’s yeast, rare steaks, brown rice, sunflower, pumpkin & sesame seeds
14. Greatest vitamin B17 sources are whole kernels of apricots, apples, cherries, peaches, plums
15. Greatest vitamin C sources are citrus, cabbage family, chilli peppers, berries, melons, asparagus, rose hips
16. Greatest vitamin D sources are salmon, sardines, herring, milk, egg yolk, organ meats, sprouted seeds, sunflower seeds
17. Greatest vitamin E sources are cold-pressed oils, eggs, wheat germ, organ meats, molasses, sweet potatoes, nuts
18. Greatest vitamin F sources are vegetable oils, butter, sunflower seeds
19. Greatest vitamin K sources are green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, safflower oil, blackstrap molasses, cauliflower
20. Greatest vitamin Q sources are pinto beans, legumes, soybeans
21. Greatest vitamin T sources are sesame seeds, raw seeds, butter, egg yolk
22. Greatest vitamin V sources are raw cabbage, sauerkraut, leafy vegetables
If you have determined that you want to have a particular intake of a vitamin then you will now be able to decide the best and most efficient source to us.

A healthy diet combined with the right level of vitamins and a regular exercise routine will ensure that you look and feel much better. The Iron Gym Pull Up Bar is probably one of the most cost effective pieces of gym equipment that you can purchase and is definitely one of the easiest to use.

iron gym pull up bar

Active Power Shoulders

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:41:46 +0000

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

Although the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar is a simple piece of equipment there are many different types of uses you can put it to.
If you thought that pull ups were just pull ups then you´d be very much mistaken as there are a number of different types of pull ups that you can do.

iron gym pull up bar

Today I´ll concentrate on the “Active Power Shoulders” part of the pull up routines.
This state is achieved when, at the bottom of the pull up, the shoulders are shrugged together and as close to the ears as you can get. At the top of the pull up the shoulders should then be pulled back as far as you can. Ensuring that the shoulders are “active” in these phases of the pull up gives you a longer motion meaning more of a work out and, in the long run, more power. Trying to keep a smooth motion at the same time eases the load and will protect the muscles as you exercise.
Later I´ll tell you about the “kipping” routine and using the shoulders in the method outlined above will facilitate a smoother transition for this – keep watching this space for more information.
Don´t forget the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar is ideal for these excercises – it stores away simply but you can be ready to exercise in just a few minutes – great when you have that odd five minutes to spare!!

Iron Gym Pull Ups

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:00:07 +0000

vishal asked:

Any super body who can bend steel with his bare hands and jump tall buildings in a single bound can certainly do pull ups. Wouldn’t you agree? On the other hand, odds are anybody who’s unable to do pull ups, will probably have a pretty hard time with the bare hands steel bending and tall building jumping as well.

But it’s also interesting to see how many super bodies with bulging biceps, chest pounding pectorals, and thundering thighs, absolutely melt at the sight of a pull up bar. I suppose it’s an ego shot to someone who’s ripped from head to toe if he’s seen struggling with an exercise as simple and basic as pull ups. That being the case, these big dogs often stay as far away from the pull up bar as humanly possible. It’s just easier when you avoid it.

A Basic Instinct Lost to the 21st Century

Historically speaking however, pull ups are an exercise that any self respecting ape or chimpanzee (our ancestors some would claim) can do quite naturally, often with one arm, while chomping on a banana. But then apes and chimps are still pretty much the same size they were five or ten thousand years ago, while man has become…larger. I mean give the apes and chimps ready access to cars, computers, TV’s, video games, and fast food, and just see how long they can still do pull ups, right?

So the questions suddenly becomes, how can we self respecting male humans most effectively recapture our natural born ability to do pull ups in the midst of all the 21st Century cars, computers, TV’s, video games, pizza and beer? As you might expect, the answer to this question has several parts. Check it out.

Number One

First and foremost you have to be motivated. That is to say, if you’re one of those guys who’s been humiliated by pull up bars and drill sergeant coaches ever since you were a kid, you may just take pull ups as a personal challenge, a mountain to climb, a white rapids river to swim. I mean in a certain sense, the ability to do pull ups has always been one of those things that separates the men from the boys, and if you’re biting at the bit to take your place alongside the men, that means you’re motivated!

Number Two

Second you must now find a pull up bar that allows you to perform at least eight repetitions right from the get go. In other words you must have a place to get on before you can expect to make progress. What fills the bill? There are any number of contenders ranging from a high tech and expensive health club gismo called the Gravitron, to the adaptive machines that use springs and rubber bands to lighten your load, and allow you access.

A New and Simple Solution

But interestingly enough a young engineer from Perdue University named Jeff Gotts (Delta Fitness of West Lafayette, IN) has come up with an incredibly simple and naturalistic substitute for those who are interested. That simple substitute is…your own two legs! You see he combined a height adjustable pull up bar that raises and lowers in one inch increments, with what he calls leg assisted pull ups in which participants are encouraged to jump and pull up at the same time, giving almost anyone instant access to pull ups. It’s the kind of thing that makes me say, “That’s so simple. Why didn’t somebody think of this before?”

The Simple Strategy

The strategy here is equally as simple. You set the bar at a height where you can do at least eight leg assisted pull ups, jumping and pulling at the same time, and you do two or three sets. A couple of days later in workout number two, you do a couple sets of nine reps each. In the subsequent three workouts you do 10, 11, and 12 reps.

And when you do 12 reps, you raise the bar ONE INCH next time and start the whole 8 to 12 rep cycle all over again. Gotts reminds readers to “Avoid the temptation of trying to go too fast too soon. This strategy is built on a series of small, predictable improvements over a period of time. Stick with the strategy and you’ll come out a winner,” he said.

Eventually You Run Out of Leg Assistance

Over a period of weeks and months what happens is the bar gets higher and higher and you eventually run out of leg assistance. And when you’ve run out of leg assistance you’ve reached your goal of being able to do real, live, conventional pull ups just like the drill sergeant coach wanted you to do all those years ago. At this point you no longer melt at the sight of a pull up bar and you can finally take your rightful place alongside the men…if not the super body’s.

A Natural Antidote to Obesity

One more interesting observation comes from Jeff Gotts, the Indiana based entrepreneur. He contends that, “The ability to do pull ups is a cost effective and naturalistic antidote to the obesity problem in this nation. Think about it,” he said. “People who can do pull ups are NEVER obese. And people who are obese can NEVER do pull ups.”

“If school districts around the US would start teaching pull ups in kindergarten, and make the ability to do pull ups a high school graduation requirement, the obesity epidemic would be over in no time. People’s health would improve significantly, they’d be more productive, health care costs would plummet, and everyone benefits,” Gotts challenged.

In Summary

In summary, if you’re reading this article and you’re a budding super body who has yet to find a way to conquer the pull up mountain, and who may be carrying a little bit too much excess body luggage, take heart, get motivated, find a good height adjustable pull up bar, and start out with eight good reps.

Continue making small but predictable chunks of progress week after week, month after month and before you know it you will have reclaimed your natural born ability to do pull ups, and immunized yourself against obesity for as long as you maintain your hard won ability. The other thing is that you may want to back off on the pizza and beer. For these things the pull up Gods will smile on you and speed your progress. So I say let’s all carpe diem today. We have everything to gain, and nothing (except excess weight) to lose.

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar – Muscle Groups

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:02:16 +0000

Jesse Miller asked:

Different exercises concentrate on building different muscle groups of the body. Some exercises are aimed at the arms or legs and some aims at the chest or back. The upper body workout includes those exercises, which make your body to work on your chest, back, arms and the shoulders.

Here are some of the very basic rules, which you must keep in mind, before you actually carry out the upper body exercises:

1.The beginners should perform 1 set of 13-15 repetitions.

2.The professionals must perform 3 sets of 12-14 repetitions.

3. Take a break of 48 hours in order to help your muscles relax and recover.

4.You must warm up your body before you start with your weight training session.

5.Its better to see your doctor if you have any medical conditions before starting with the workout

Here are some of the very basic, simple, easy and effective exercises that actually concentrate on your upper body:

1.Bench Press:

a.Lie on a ball with your abs contracted

b.Hold weights straight up your chest

c.Keep your elbows slightly bent

d.Keep your elbows bent and lower your arms

e.Lower them to a level where elbows are just below the shoulders

f.Slowly contract your chest and push your arms up

g.Repeat this movement for 13-15 repetitions

2.Push Ups:

a.Place your body in the push up position on the floor

b.Keep your hands wider than your shoulders

c.Rest on knees or an exercise ball

d.Slowly bend your elbows and lower your body into a pushup

e.Hold your abs tight while your elbows making an angle of 90 degrees

f.Try not to sag

g.Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat it for 15 times.

3.Back Extension:

a.Lie on the floor with your face down

b.Hold your hands behind your back

c.Slowly lift your upper body few inches above the ground

d.Keep your neck and your head in alignment

e.Now lift your feet and keep your legs straight

f.Hold your body in this position for 3-5 seconds

g.Lower and repeat for 13 reps

These three exercises are the most effective and easy workout exercises that help to concentrate on your upper body. These exercises, if done along with the above stated rules, will give you best results for your upper body muscles and shape.

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar – 360deg Approach

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:26:12 +0000

M. Powers asked:

Every health-freak guy’s dream is to have a ripped upper body. Why, because they like to be fit and in good shape! We are in to the whole in- shape-body thingamabob because we want to look good so as to get an easy access to a woman’s heart! Women adore a fine shaped guy with bountiful physical attributes. And so we try our best to get our body toned by means of workouts, supplements, diet control, anything and everything under the usual health norms. In most cases though, we aren’t content with the end result, so you are back to square one – what is the right way to get a ripped upper body?

Here we will mention a few tips. Just take a look on these key tips for a ripped upper body and enjoy the never-ending frisson.

Get your ripped upper body with a 360 approach

To start with, remember one thing, to get an absolute ripped upper body, you will have to work hard and astutely, and eventually you can accomplish your goals. Do not expect to get a toned body over night. You to need embark on a 360 degree approach to get a ripped upper body, which means appropriate diet, accurate exercises and a cardio module.

Diet

Diet becomes an essential and integral part of a ripped upper body. It’s good to consume fewer calories but also see to it that your protein consumption is equivalent to one gram per pound of your body mass, or else you won’t be leaner, but thinner without being muscular, Also, try to include carbs; the energy drivers. Try dieting and you will see there are specific foodstuffs which keeps your appetite in control. Continue consuming such foodstuffs, so that you don’t suffer from rebound hunger making you leaner yet muscular.

Work outs and exercises

Deadlifts- Are you happy with the Deadlifts? No one is, but the fact is, Deadlifts help release the hormonal growth and they are an imperative work out.

Parallel Bar Dips- This exercise edifices size and power in the chest, shoulders and triceps area.

Chin Ups can be painful but are great for building up wings and also your abs get toned up to some extent.

Bench Press- This is the best formula for a solid chest. You must be familiar with it and know its value.

Close Grip Bench Press is the ultimate tool for blowing up your triceps. You can go on a four days a week schedule for these exercises; with maximum of 15 sets each workout. Your itinerary to a ripped upper body is following a strict work-out model.

Cardio module

To complete your workout, for getting a ripped upper body, cardio module is essential but in a moderate way for best results. Start with one or utmost two sprints of cardio per week and do not go beyond this, simply because body requires time to recover and overexerting with a low-carb diet will make you nutrient deficient.

The route to a ripped upper body is simple yet demanding but with a 360 degree approach you will surely reach there faster.

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar – Push Ups

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:53:26 +0000

Sandra Prior asked:

Classic Push Ups are the Perfect Exercise for anyone wanting a Rock Hard Upper body

Sometimes it’s just not worth re-inventing the wheel. True classics are often underestimated, in fashion and music, as well as in workouts. Starting with the push up, we’ll give you the perfect form for each exercise, training tips, as well as variations to spice up your workout.

No other exercise targets the chest, shoulder, arm and back muscles better within one single movement. Plus, you can do push ups anywhere. All you need is your own body weight and gravity, and nature provides that for you. By the way, the world record for the classic push up is 6006 repetitions. Think you can beat that?

To Gain Optimal Training Results, follow these Tips

Try to hold body tension. The head, torso and legs should always form a straight line.

The closer the arms are together, the harder the triceps have to work.

Lower the upper body until you almost touch the floor with your chest.

To increase the strain on the chest muscles, position the arms further apart than shoulder width.

When pushing up do not fully extend the arms (greater intensity).

Easy Push up

Position yourself with knees on the floor, legs bent at the knee and ankles crossed. The hands should be at chest height and positioned just wider than shoulder width. Now push yourself up with your arms from this position. Important: Hold the upper body and torso in a straight line, avoiding a hollow back.

Basic Push Up

Place hands below the shoulders. Now come down slowly until the chest almost touches the floor. Do not straighten the arms on the upward movement. Important: Keep your back and bottom straight and don’t let them sink down lower than the shoulders.

Bent Push Up

Place hands shoulder width apart, with the tips of the toes elevated on a step or hard box. Maintain full body tension. Lower the upper body until contact is almost made with the floor. An excellent exercise for the upper chest muscles.

Step Push Up

For this combination shoulder exercise, put yourself in the initial push up position. Next, put your left hand on the step or hard box. Now place your right hand on the step. Hold this position for 3 seconds, and do a push up. Now go back to the initial position and repeat, this time beginning with the right hand.

Advanced Push Up

Place one hand on a basket ball. This will improve co-ordination as well as train the arm, upper body and torso muscles. Now slowly, and in a controlled fashion, do a push up. Change sides.

Physio Ball Push Up

Place hands on top, slightly at the side of the ball. Maintain body tension. Hold the position, then slowly push upwards maintaining control.

Explosive Push Up

Start this exercise with both arms on the steps or hard box. Push yourself up powerfully. Move your arms inwards, so that you can land in the lowest push up position. Repeat the explosive push up so that you once again land on the steps or box with both hands.

One Armed Push Up

Place your feet wide apart for better balance. Shift your weight onto one arm. The free hand should be placed on your hip. Start with a small radius and slowly improve range. It becomes easier if you start with the initial easy push up position and then lift one arm away.

Power Variations

Once you are able to control the classic varieties, change the position of your hands to increase the level of difficulty. Try to master the same number of reps on your finger tips.

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar – Exercises

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:51:19 +0000

Mike Singh asked:

Most upper body exercises focus on building strength. However, in order to get the most of your work out it is always recommended to mix in some cardiovascular exercises such as jogging and spinning and alternate your exercise routine with some lower body exercises too.

Before beginning any workout, spend at least 10 minutes doing some warm up and basic stretching exercises. A good warm up not only helps to activate the circulation of blood throughout the body but also prevents the muscles and tissues from injury by making them more flexible and supple.

Depending on whether you are looking to increase muscle mass or just tone the body you can customize your exercise regime to include either more weights or perform more reps.

If you are looking to achieve overall fitness and increase flexibility then you can get started with some simple exercises. Most can be performed without any hi tech equipment simply by using a set of free weights that provide the required compression or tension to the muscles. Resistance equipment can also be used such as springs and rubber straps with handles that work by offering resistance to tension.

It is important to keep in mind that if you experience more than normal discomfort while doing any exercise it is a sign of trouble. Do consult your physician to find out the cause of the pain before resuming your exercise routine.

Push-Ups

Push ups remain one of the most traditional upper body exercises. Lie flat on your back with your hands tucked under the shoulders and gradually push yourself up keeping the back and legs straight. If you want a more strenuous version, slow down the action of pushing up and then lower yourself back to the floor again. Start with 20 initially and then slowly increase the number of reps to 80.

Chest Exercises

Chest exercises help to strengthen the upper torso. Start with hand held dumbbells that weigh around 10 pounds (4.5kg). Lie on your back preferably on a flat surface such as a mat or carpet and keep the arms extended perpendicular to the body. Hold one weight in each palm and lift and bring the hands together slowly.

As an alternative, bend the elbows when the arms are raised to about 20 degrees, the straighten and continue. This exercise is very effective on the biceps.

Latissmus Dorsi Exercises

In order to develop the latissmus dorsi – the large, side muscles that make men triangle-shaped, stand straight, arms at your side, grasping the dumbbells. Breathe normally while balancing yourself. At the maximum point of inhalation, thrust the arms away from the body, palms inward. Exhale as you raise your arms to shoulder height, then lower your hands slowly back to the starting position.

In order to work on the triceps and biceps repeat this exercise but rotate the weights and curl the arms up at the top of the swing. Straighten the arm and then lower to the starting position.

Biceps and Triceps

Hold the weights in front of your body and keep your arms hanging in front of the thighs. Now lift the weights toward your chest and alternate using each arm.

Do 10 reps a day for each arm. Consult your physician immediately if you experience any lower back pain while doing these exercises.

Exercises for lats and biceps can also be done using free weights or using a long elastic resistance strap. Hook one foot through the strap and grab both ends with your hand so that you can get a good stretch.

Pull-ups and Chin-ups

Pull-ups and Chin-ups are an ideal way to develop the biceps, triceps, lats and pectoral muscles all at once. Chin-ups are done by grasping a sturdy bar with the fingers toward you, whereas pull-ups are done with the fingers facing away while your hands grasp the bar above your head. These exercises can easily be done at a gym, the playground or even at home provided there is a sturdy doorway.

The key to developing a great body is to build up your strength and resistance gradually. Do not overdo any exercise routine. Probably the most common reason why most people don’t continue with their workouts is because of the discomfort and pain that is usually caused by incorrect technique and too much effort exerted earlier on in the process.

iron gym pull up bar

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:06:32 +0000

Nick Nilsson asked:

If you want wider lats, have I got an exercise for you! This one will blow up your lats like no other type of pull-up I’ve found. The secret to this one lies in where you do the pull-up…

But I’m not very good at keeping secrets so here it is…

You do the pull-ups in the CORNER of the power rack!

I know it’s hard to contain yourself at this point, but try to keep it together! Once I explain how to do pull-ups in the corner of the rack and why this corner pull-up works so good, you’ll be itching to get to the gym and try it.

To really properly explain why it works so good, you first need to know how to do it so you can visualize how it works.

Now, to do this exercise, you’re going to need a power rack. And that’s pretty much it. Technically, you should also be able to do at least 6 to 8 reps of regular pull-ups in order to perform this exercise. But even if you can’t do that, I’m also going to show you a way to spot yourself so you can perform this exercise and get just as much out of it as anybody else.

So even if you can’t do full pull-ups, keep reading!

First, stand facing the corner of the rack. Now reach up with your left hand and grip the top cross-bar with a PALM-FACING-AWAY grip (a.k.a. reverse grip) about 18 inches from the corner. Now reach up with your right hand and grip the side top beam with the same grip at the same relative distance from the corner as your left hand. You want to be sure to keep your grip even on the beams. Definitely experiment with grip width to best match your armspan when performing this exercise.

Now you’re ready to pull!

Bend your knees and get your feet off the ground. You’ll immediately notice the tension in your lats in that bottom position. Perform a regular pull-up movement, bringing your body up as high as possible.

Here’s the big trick…as you pull yourself up, try to consciously PUSH OUTWARDS against the cross-beams of the rack. This outwards pushing combined with the pulling up puts huge tension on the extreme outer fibers of the lats.

So pull yourself up as high as possible then lower yourself slowly and under complete control. The negative on this exercise is very intense and the stretch it puts on your lats is phenomenal!

As you get towards the bottom, let your arms go completely straight to maximize the stretch on the lats. Be sure to keep tension in the shoulders, though. Even though your arms are straight, you want your body to still be supported by muscle tension in the lats and not the tendons and ligaments of your shoulder joints.

Now pull back up again, remembering to push outwards against the cross-beams as you pull up.

Keep going until you can’t do any more reps. It’s a tough exercise and an eye-opener even for people who generally can do a lot of pull-ups!

So how do you do this exercise if you can’t do a lot of (or any!) pull-ups? Self-spotting with your feet.

When you’re in the rack, you can either set the safety rail or the racking pin (the hook that you rack the weight on) to about 2 feet or so off the ground. The exact height will depend on how tall your rack is and how tall you are. Basically, you’re going to be using it as a step. As you do the pull-up, you’re going to set your foot on that pin/rail and use your legs to help you get the reps.

It’s important here to give yourself only as much help as you need to complete the rep you’re doing, NOT so much that you’re just standing up and down and going through the motions. You want to keep strong tension on the lats to get the most out of this exercise.

This technique is good not only for those who need help right off the bat but for doing forced reps when you CAN do full reps on your own. When you can’t perform another full rep on your own, set your foot on the pin/rail and keep going!

You can also perform this exercise using a palms-facing-in grip, but I’ve found it to be less effective in terms of hitting the outer lats than the palms-facing-out version.

Conclusion:

If wider lats are what you’re looking for, this exercise will do the trick. It’s a powerful variation of an old standard and will really fire your lats up fast! Test it out in your next back workout and be sure to let me know how SORE your lats are the next day…

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:37:52 +0000

David J. Washington asked:

With the popularity of full body weight lifting routines for beginners and body part split plans for more advanced bodybuilders, the time-tested upper body / lower body regimen often gets neglected. This is unfortunate because lifters of all backgrounds and experience levels have long used this kind of routine to add massive amounts of strength and muscle mass. Here is one variation of this effective muscle-building plan.

Like many good training plans, this one focuses on gaining strength in the squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press, and a few other compound movements. Each day has a primary lift followed by several of the most important auxiliary lifts. Go through this rotation once per week on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday schedule. If these days do not work well, just make sure you do not have more than two days of training in a row, and that you have an off day between Bench Press and Deadlift days.

Lower Body 1 – Squat:

Squat – Use a strong, medium-width stance.

Dumbbell Split Squat – place one foot on a bench behind you, and squat down with the other leg while holding dumbbells to your sides.

Weighted Sit-ups – Keep the weight behind your head.

Calves – Pick one calf exercise, and stick with it for this day.

Upper Body 1 – Bench Press:

Bench Press – Use your strongest medium or wide grip, an arch in your back, and a full range of motion.

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press – Use a moderate weight and a range of motion from your ears to lockout.

Decline EZ bar extensions – Use only a moderate decline. Lower the weight over your eyes while keeping your elbows in.

Pullups – Pick one variation, and stick with it for this day.

Chest-Supported Row – To keep your lower back out of the movement, use any apparatus that lets you row with your chest against a pad.

Curls – Pick one variation, and stick with it for this day.

Lower Body 2 – Deadlift:

Deadlift – Use a narrow stance and an over-under grip. Do not use straps for your heaviest set.

Leg Press – Place your feet as high and wide as possible without hurting your hips.

Calves – Pick a different calf exercise from the first lower body day.

Standing Cable Abs – Using a rope attachment, brace your back against the cable attachment and crunch away.

Upper Body 2 – Military Press:

Military Press – Use a medium stance and minimal hip or leg drive. Make sure your shoulders are doing most of the work.

Dips – Use a medium grip that taxes your chest and triceps. Dip at least low enough so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

Cable Pressdowns – Use a bar attachment and a slight swaying motion to help. Add weight to the stack if necessary.

Barbell Row – Use a medium-width grip and straps for your heavy sets. Use a little bit of cheating in the motion to help you lift more weight.

Pullups – Pick a different variation from your first upper body day.

Curls – Pick a different variation from your first upper body day.

Sets and Reps – Minimal Volume, Maximal Intensity:

If you follow what the biggest guys in the gym are doing, you will notice that they often focus on performing a few, very hard sets of a few heavy exercises. For this plan, you will perform two main sets per exercise. After doing whatever warm-ups you need to get your body ready for heavy weights, do one set of 4-6 reps and one set of 10-12 reps (in that order). The first set will be your main “strength-builder,” while the following, somewhat lighter set will further tax your muscles and stimulate growth. For some exercises, such as dumbbell overhead press, sit-ups, and extensions, you will need to up the rep ranges a bit for joint safety and consistent progression.

Making Progress – Increasing Your Weight and Reps:

No matter what the bodybuilding “gurus” continue to write about drop sets, super sets, or whatever fancy techniques are in vogue, the only way to make long term progress and gains huge amounts of muscle mass is to get much stronger on all of your key exercises. You should strive to add more weight and / or more reps for every exercise, every training session. Keep a log of your exercises, weights, sets, and reps, so you always know what you must do to surpass your previous records.

Eating for Massive Gains:

No matter how hard you push yourself in the gym, you will not progress in strength or muscle mass if your diet is not up to par. Make sure you are putting your body in a caloric surplus all day, and that 30-40 percent of your calories of coming from sources of complete protein such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. You will need to work just as hard in the kitchen as in the gym.

Sticking with the Plan for the Long Haul:

Whether you are just starting out lifting weights, or you are changing your current program, stick with this plan for several months before even thinking about switching things up. Following the teachings of so-called “experts” and switching up your workout routine every few weeks to “keep your body guessing” will leave you with no progress and a lot of wasted time and energy. As long as you are eating enough to gain 3-4 pounds per month, you will almost certainly be gaining strength on your lifts and adding some serious muscle mass.

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:35:38 +0000

G. Jones asked:

Building muscle with pushups is the most basic, easiest way to start building upper body muscles quickly. For those of you who dont have time to go the gym, or even if you just love to do calisthenics you know you can always benefit from pushups. Building muscle with pushups is one of the oldest ways to gain muscle yet its also one of the best ways to gain muscle.

There are a variety of pushups you can do to get your chest, shoulders, and triceps busting out of your t-shirt! Even your biceps are hit to a certain extent but not as much as the other muscles. Incorporating these different types of pushups in your workout can have a huge positive effect on the muscular development of your upper body. For example, you can start building muscle with pushups by starting with a set of 20 normal pushups, then 15 diamonds and 15 inclines with no rest in-between. Imagine the intense burn a workout like that can have on your upper body! (Change those rep numbers according to your physical ability of course.)

Try These…

Normal Pushups – Get down on the floor, back facing the ceiling, extend and balance yourself on top of your toes. Spread your hands shoulder width apart. On the way down keep your body in a straight line downwards toward the floor, but dont let your back go down before the rest of your body goes down.

Wide Pushups – Wide push ups are self-explanatory, they are performed with your arms extended further from your shoulders. This style of pushups hits a larger area of the chest.

Diamonds – With this type of pushup you are to put your index fingers and thumbs together on the floor in the shape of a diamond. With your hands in this position you will get more direct stimulus in your triceps. This is sort of like the calisthenic version of the close grip bench press.

Decline pushups – Decline pushups concentrate on your upper chest muscles as well as all of the areas of a regular pushup. In this exercise you place your toes on a stable surface above the floor which puts your body at a downward angle. Put your hands on the floor and perform as normal.

Incline pushups – Inclines are the exact opposite of decline pushups. Incline pushups concentrate on the lower chest muscles as well as all the areas of a regular pushup. Incline pushups are performed just like normal pushups, except you want to tilt your upper body in a upward angle with your feet on the floor. Find a sturdy surface to rest your hands to perform your pushups.

Take these different types of pushups and create an intense workout. To make it more challenging, you could even have someone lay a weight plate on your back! You could even have a small child sit on your back as you perform your reps up and down! Be creative, get results, and enjoy yourself.