As per our new custom, If you like these tips every week, feel they're helpful and want to show your support, write "ILOVEABS.COM" in your facebook stauts update for 24 hours. Your friends will wonder why you've been looking better than them lately.
Increase your core strength, stability, balance, neuromuscular control and proprioception by doing One Leg Squats.
1.Start by sitting on a bench or chair where your legs are at a 90 degree angle.
2. Lift your left leg slightly off the ground , hands clasped in front of you and stand up by pushing off your right foot.
3. Slowly lower yourself down on your right foot again till you reach the bench.
Do 3 sets 6-8 reps each leg. Remember, to keep your torso and back as straight as possible. Till next time, See you in August!
Buy a Bosu Ball! Flat on one side, blue sphere on the other. Many exercises can be done like, squats, planks or pushups but often overlooked is the crunch.
Feet flat, sit on the front part of the bubble, Lie down with hands by your ears touching the floor, sit up to the upright position. The range of motion is about 15 degrees steeper than the floor, which means more muscle is being worked, more effective! 3 sets 20 reps. Do them at home or at the gym.
I'm running the 5k Aug 3rd in hoboken. Anybody out there that can beat me? Come and try it!
See ya next week!
Akil Ross
www.Iloveabs.com
7/16/09: Increase your lung's capacity for oxygen intake by doing intervals. You'll be able to run faster, quicker and show more cuts for those abs!
Do it twice a week.
Take the 1.5 mile challenge. Run 1.5 miles in under:
9min: Your abs are ripped. Cheetah.
10 min: Pretty flat, some clothes can be washed. Jackrabbit.
11: 4 pack and counting. Greyhound.
12 min: More muscle is needed, work on those legs. Housecat.
13min: A little pouch, kangaroo time. Squirrel.
Make it harder: Add a hill in the run. Try it outside instead of the treadmill.
I have details on Aruba; its cheaper and we pay all at once. November is the month. Get back to me if you want in. Till next time...
Akil Ross
7/9/09: WEEKLY TIP: Build that muscle up, get ripped, do cardio, all at once!
Everyone try this once this week and post how you feel afterwards. Very Simple. One exercise and your done for the day.
Girls use 10 dumbells (DB). Guys 25lb (DB)
1.Stand holding DB's by your side, feet shoulder width apart.
2. Squat down till weights touch the floor.
3. Kick out your feet to push up position and do 3 pushups.
4. Kick the feet back in, stand up from the squat.
5. Curl the weights and press above your head.
That's one rep. Girls do 5 reps, 3 sets, guys 10 reps 3 sets.
EVERY MUSCLE IN YOUR BODY WORKED GUARANTEED!
AND YOUR DONE FOR THE DAY!
***ARUBA NOTE*** Trying to get a fixed price that doesn't change constantly, looking at November. Worst case scenario, we all book it online individually on Expedia on the same day in august. Better savings that way.
Send this page to your friends so they can have the tips too!
See ya next week!
Akil Ross
wwww.Iloveabs.com
Weekly Tip:---Ball crunches
7/1/09 at 5:32pm
Hey everyone, welcome to the Fan Page! Join I Love Abs on facebook and become a fan today.
Lay on a stability Ball: Hold a 15 or 25lb weight across your chest with your hands, crunch u, straight spine, head to sky, and down slow again. 15 reps, 4sets. Oh, it burns so goooood!!!
Lay on a stability ball: Hold a rope or handle from the cable machine above your head and crunch your torso up to the upright position. Move your torso, not your hands or arms, and back down slow working on the negative.
Bicyles and scissors right after for 20 seconds.
Have a great fourth of July and send the page to your friends.
Akil Ross
www.Iloveabs.com
6/25 09/ WEEKLY TIP
Try This if you want to see more results from your workouts:
Mon: Chest & Back (abs)
Tue: Lower Body
Wed: Shoulders and arms (abs)
Thurs: Rest
Fri : Chest and Back (abs)
Sat: Lower body
Sun: Rest
Using Push and Pull exercises to train is ideal for resting fatigued muscles while still increasing efficiency in the workout by training the opposite muscle movers. It keeps you balanced. A chest press and a cable row. A triceps extenson and a bicep curl.
Switch to the ILOVEABS fan page for future updates and workouts here:
http://www.facebook.com/ho me.php#/pages/I-Love-Abs/1 945288752836/18/09 ---SHOULDER WORKOUT--- WEEKLY TIP!
Full range of motion is the optimal way to work with this joint and muscle group. So try 3 exercises that will focus on the anterior, medial and posterior delts (front, middle and back shoulder muscles.)
Around the world- Weights or cables: Hands are in front of your thighs, facing down, raise them up above your head, pararell to your ear, and then rotate your arms around and down to the sides of your thighs, like a breast stroke. 12 reps- light weight
Upright row, shouder extension - pull the weight up, retracting the shoulders, bring it out forward in front of you, back and down. 8 10 or 12lbs 10-12 reps.
Upright row and shoulder press- pulling the weights up, retracting to should height, turn and then press above your head and back down. 8-10 or 12lbs. 12 reps.
Your abs and core musculature are fully activated when shoulder exercises are performed for stabilization.
Some pricing for Aruba will be ready by tomm and all of them will be ready by monday and the dates Are Oct 7- 11.
See you soon!
6/10/09: Weekly Tip: More time under tension means more stamina. More stamina means more strength. More strength means more compliments on those HOT ASS ABS! So try these consecutively, with no rest:
Scissors : Hands by ears, crunched, legs moving up and down. 20 reps
Bicycles: 30 seconds
Jacknife: 15 reps- Fingers touch your shins, crunch up, legs raise up.
Double crunch: Curl your torso up while curling your butt up off the ground. 15reps
Sit up press: Sit up, press weights above head, bring down, then lay down. repeat 15
Scissors
Bicycles
If you were in class this week, you already know what these feel like. There, now feel free to curse me out, pass out, or call me names. Hate means love in trainer speak. :) Last chance to get training at these prices. Tell a friend. www.ILOVEABS.COM
Also, I will send $50 (no lie) to the 1000th person to join this group. Hurry up will ya, invite all your friends, sheesh, stop messin' around! See ya next week!
Akil Ross
Owner and founder of www.ILOVEABS.COM and www.PHAZESYSTEMS.COM
5/27/09: Weekly Tip: STAND UP RIGHT NOW! I dare you.
Off you butt. Stand up. Feet together. Squat down. Stand up into a jumping jack. repeat. THAT'S A SQUAT JACK!
Do 20: Your a beginner trying to become a winner.
Do 40: Your a star flying high in the sky.
Do 50: Your the Dos Equis Man: Cool as hell.
Put "ILOVEABS.COM" IN YOUR STATUS UPDATE AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS if you love these tips.
Sale ends June 6th.
5/20/09: Welcome to the 37 new members this week! Remember, show your support by putting the link, www.ILOVEABS.com in your status update if you love what we do. Each one teach one. :)
Weekly Tip: This week it's short and sweet. Change the angle and resistance and your abs will get stronger and bigger. Period.
Stability Ball- Lay on the ball on your back with your hands extended behind your head. Your hands should grip the rope attached to the cable machine at 10-20lbs. Keep your hands by the top of your head, and sit up straight on the ball. Then lower your self and repeat. This is a cable crunch and will severely test your strength and build muscle. 4 sets 12 reps ****This is an advanced exercise*****
Make this easier:
STABILITY BALL- The same way you would do crunches on the ball, now add a 25lb, 35lb, or 45lb plate on your chest and do crunches while siting up with a straight spine and head toward the ceiling. 4 sets 15 reps. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FOR YOUR WEEKLY ABS FITNESS TIPS! Happy Memorial Day!
5/13/09: Weekly tip: Analysis of two key exercises: Jacknives and Leg raises.
Jacknives are amazing because you get a three for one deal in one exercise. Your upper abdominals are crunching, the lower abs are curling upwards towards the torso and with the extra element of a weight in hand adds the third dimension of resistance and strength building. Here's how:
1. Lay on a bench or floor on your back
2. Suck in your stomach, legs are stretched out, hands extended behind head, back is flat.
3. Take a 10-30lb weigh in your hands and crunch your upper body up while bringing your legs up at the same time, meeting in the middle. The weight or your fingers should be touching your shins. Pause and release.
4. The appropriate weight should fatigue you at 12-15 reps.
Leg raises are typically done on the floor or in a captain's chair (You stand in it and can do dips or turn around and do knee raises.) Many people don't get the full benefit of leg raises because (they use their hip flexors) they don't use resistance when returning to the starting position. Here's how to do it effectively for amazing abs:
1.Stand in captain's chair (dip apparatus) and activate abs, suck in stomach.
2. Keep feet together and raise your legs above 90 degree angle, make sure your butt leaves the padding, higher if you can.
3. Bring the legs down slowly taking 4 seconds to return to the starting psition. This creates time under tension and the muscles get stronger with slower deceleration.
These two ab exercises will help with the *pop* of your abdominal muscles, stamina, and strength as well. Next weekend is Mem Day and the semi annual traing will be taking place. You'll be able to stock up on traing sessions for the summer and beyond till November.
Also, I will be sending out a very special email tomorrow that will surely get many of you very excited.
Till tomorrow and don't forget to put I Love Abs in your status if you love what we do!
5/6/09: Weekly Tip: This subject is very controversial, but we're not afraid to tell the truth here. Basically, we all have genetic limitations, however we get to change those ever so slightly for future genertions through our daily lives. Most trainers will not tell you this. I will!!
Ectomorphs are tall and skinny generally, mesomorphs are ideally shaped and athletic and endomorphs are pear shaped.
The truth is genetics plays a substantial role in how much your body can grow and where it accumulates muscle. The good news is you get to influence a small majority of the genes you pass on in your daily lfe. Similiar to learning a new language, martial arts or musical instruments, the best time to start molding your body structure is when your a child through sports and activity. These constant repetitive movements through, grammar, high school and college provide a solid foundation of muscle memory, development and determine the mentality of movement which is key after college when "working out" typically becomes a chore for most as opposed to a fun, social, physical interaction with others and stress reliever. By staying in in active, good, physical condition throughout your childhood and adult life, science has shown you can influence your future DNA offspring's genes by a fairly significant amount.
Endomorphs should focus more on flexibility, running, pilates, stretching, swimming, dance; exercises that emphasize, long sinewy muscles through the full range of motion, not short movements. Softball, linemen, are some examples. Ex: Jack Black, Chris Farley, John Goodman, Rosie Odonnell.
Ectomorphs are naturally gifted, (many of them) and are frequently the annoying people that look great even though they don't work out. The exercises that enhance their physique are lunges, weighted crunches or ab work, and total body conditioning exercises. Heavy powerlifting, or Olympic exercises are not reccommend here. Triathletes generally excel here. Ex: Kate Moss, Brad Pitt, Lisa Kudrow
Mesomorphs excel with natural pullups, dips, pushups, squats and the like. Their bodies are naturally suited for America's current mores. There are really no restrictions here. Strongman competitions, or Decathletes excel here. Football and hockey players as well. Ex: Bodybuilders, Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terrel Owens.
As always, people are often a combination of two, and are not always one or the other. These are should be used as a reference point: Are you ever going to look like Kate Moss or Brad Pitt? Probably not. But you can be the best you you can be and maybe your children will have a
better chance. What gift is better than that????!!!!!!
Thanks,
Akil Ross
4/29/09: Weekly Tip: First of all, thanks for all of your feedback and continued support. Without you, none of my current and future success would be possible. Due to your generous support and fantastic results, I am proudly accepting clients in NYC at 23rd and 6th Ave: Steel Gym. Continued growth is always encouraged, personal, mental and physical.
Functional is being able to move easily, unencumbered and without stress through the desired position with positive results. Many people are unable to their grocery bags 5 or 6 blocks, but claim they are in shape and strong. Or are unable to pick up their niece or nephew, throw them in the air and catch them repeatedly, as they often scream "Do it again with broad smiles!" Or hurt their back as they're helping a friend move. Or run up the subway stairs when your late and have to pause at the top instead of still jogging unfazed to your destination.
This is when "Vanity Training" hurts you. Those are all the exercises you did to look good in the mirror, for pics and to turn heads, but neglected the very real daily life movements that enable you to function at a normal to above average level.
Try some of these movements to incorporate functional training or just hire me :
Farmers Walk: carry 25lb db in each hand, walk around the gym, return to your starting point and do arnold presses for 12 reps (medium weight)
and then 15 squats.
Run up a steep hill or incline for 30 sec, get to the top and do jumping jacks for 30 seconds, jog back down and immediately do 10 pushups.
Do squat cleans 12x (15lbs for women; men 45lbs), then lunge in place alternating legs, for 20 seconds and then jacknives or bicycles for 30 secs.
All of these exercises allow for total body movement, through the full range of motion, teach you to continue moving strongly, even when fatigued, are core focused and hit almost every muscle in your body in intervals. Just like life, when something pops up next time, and you have to run for that bus or train or from that dog or the cops :) You'll be ready!
Send me an email or respond here as always if you or a friend needs a trainer, help, or advice. I LOVE ABS strives to be your source for all your fitness related needs.
See you next week!
Akil Ross
Owner and Founder of www.ILOVEABS.COM AND WWW.PHAZESYSTEMS.COM
4/23/09: Weekly Tip: How can I get rid of my Fupa?! I have flab around my lower abs, can you make it go away?! Why is it so hard to lift my butt off the floor?
Weekly Tip: Here at I Love Abs, we are are not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects like Fupa's, (Urban dictionairy if u need a definition) or confidence or the dreaded word, "fat". So let's get down to it: Learn to strengthen your lower abs properly and you'll be well on your way to a harder, flatter stomach quicker than any gimmick will give you.
First if your a beginner who is heavier, has a weak back or a big stomach, burning calories is a must for you. Less is more here, it's easier to lift that way. Secondly, shorter movements such as a reverse crunch (knees bent) or alternating legs such as scissors with bent knees (so you don't arch your back and use hip flexors) may greatly increase your muscle stamina and acclimate you to the muscle movement.
If your an Intermediate, you want to straighten those legs and start doing hip-ups, ( toes pointed toward ceiling, hips moving off the ground.) Reverse leg lifts on an incline bench, (curl the pelvis towards your chest) and concentrate on taking 5 seconds till your pelvis touches the ground before you start the next rep. Build up to 5 seconds, starting with 2 seconds as these can become increasingly difficult.
Finally, advance artisans may want to try hanging knee raises, helicopters or even windshield wipers (without the straps, c'mon you should be strong enough) focusing on technique and form with 15 reps or more for chiseling or 4-8 reps for size, power and explosive strength.
Spring training Blast starts Mon, 3x a week, just in time to jumpstart you for Memorial Day and now do it with a friend for $399 each! You and a friend, ten sessions, $399 each. Save $200 by having fun training with a friend!
See you next week!
4/16/09: Weekly Tip: I realize this group is about abs. However, many questions I've received over the years revolve around another topic: How to get rid of the "Oprah Jiggle". Well here's your answer and in case you haven't guessed it yet; it involves hard work!!!!
Take these four exercises and this should work for beginners and intermediate levels, girls and boys :)
Close grip pushups (elbows in) reps: to failure (till u can't do anymore)
rest 30 seconds
Lying french curl (skullcrushers) (20-30lbs girls) (40-60 boys) 12 reps
rest 30 seconds
Dips 12 reps ( assissted or unassisted)
rest 30 seconds
Rope extension ( full separation at bottom, straight back, elbows in.)
12 reps
Repeat 2 more times and do 2x a week.
This workout allows for pushing and pulling and in Laymen's terms; it gets the job done for all three heads of the muscle to show and grow. That's it.
As always, hire a professional to show you the proper progression, form, technique and to identify the areas where you can transcend your limits and exceed your dreams.
And Spring Training Blast starts April 27th - May 17th. See you next week!
4/8/09: Weekly tip: Change your cardio, shock your body, switch it up and take advantge of the nice weather. Start biking, sign up for a 5k or 10k, hiking, climbing, a basketball league, play soccer outside with friends, throw the softball around on the field and play "catch the pop fly" and "make them run for it". Do a personal bootcamp or spring/summer training blast, reinvigorate your body, mind and soul to coincide with the burgeoning new flowers of spring. Change the way you think and you'll change your situation.
Your weekly tip is easy this week. CHANGE. Because constantly learning, advancing, improving and adapting are the only ways to grow.
Welcome to the 11 new members this week. New Memorial Day Training Blast starts April 27th- May17th. Stay tuned.
See you next week. Video coming soon.
Thanks,
Akil Ross
4/1/09: Weekly Tip: This week our focus turns to periodization training and the paramount importance of allowing the body to rest and recover systematically.
Periodization training basically breaks training down into phases, (phazes) systematically (systems) allowing your body to train intensely for a particular goal, resting in between and then starting a new phase. Phazes can last from four weeks up to eight weeks and most professional athletes are trained this way in their strength programs for optimal perfomance; particularly in the off-season and in camp leading up to pre-season.
Your body should be allowed to take off for "vacation" every 2 months for 7-10 days to allow for muscle recovery, regeneration and to rejuvenate from all the trauma your body has undergone from your relentless 4, 5 or 6 day a week routine. Otherwise, you run the risk of "grinding" down your muscles, stress fractures, weakened immune systems, etc... This allows you to stay healthy and continously train uninterrupted through out the year. Basically, training the body is a marathon, not a sprint.
Changing your training routine is an essential tenet of the Phaze Systems (oops) periodization philosophy. Your stated goal of improving (you name it) cardiovascular endurance, power, strength, balance and agility, losing weight or whatever should change every 2-3 months. Why? Because your body adjusts and adapts to the stresses that it constantly endures, reaches a plateau and then needs to be challenged again in order to make further gains. Simply put, if you want to be a musical genius, you must take increasingly harder classes, not music 101 a thousand times.
This week, let's spice it up and try 15 walking lunges, followed by 15 pushups with knee rotations and 1 minute of jumping rope or bicycles.
I welcome the seven new members this week.
Thanks and see you next time!
3/26/09: Tip of the Week: This week's exercise is the jacknife pike.
If you are a beginner or on the intermediate level, place your hands on a flat bench or steps and place the tip of your toes on a stability ball. This will put you in a pushup positon. Now keeping your stomach extremely tight (transverse abdominus) use your lower abs and lift your butt straight up in the air, this will bring your feet close to your hands. Hold for a second and slowly release back into the pushup/plank position. Keep your butt and back straight when in the starting position, protect your your lower back.
For the advanced ( Joe, Ryan, Frank, etc) place your hands on a stability ball and feet on a stability ball.
This exercise works your shoulders, triceps and entire core complex.
Spring Training Blast is a one on one bootcamp for your body with fun exciting new ways to blast the fat off and do cardio at the same time, all while being outdoors for 10 sessions in only 3 weeks.
Short and sweet, see you next week, when we'll talk about the need for variety and the importance of rest for the body.
Akil Ross
Founder of www.ILOVEABS.com and www.phazesystems.com
3/19/09 :Tip of the week: Ever since the "bread and cheese" tip a few weeks back, I have been inundated with requests about the full list of of the 7 addictive types of food. I gave you two more last week, (salty and sweet) but that still was not enough. I will list all 7 here today.
It must be noted that if you are actively trying to lose weight at any given time, 5, 6 or all 7 of these types of food should be taken out of your daily eating habits. You will be able to tell that I am right about the addictive nature of these foods by looking at the list and and determining how many of them are in your current daily and weekly eating routine. Change your habitual intake of these foods and you will undoubtedly change the shape and muscular tone of your body combined with your continued exercise. However, If you are trying to gain weight and bulk up, then you hould eat some of these foods and a myriad of other nutrients and proteins.
Here they are:
Bread
Cheese
Dairy
Pasta
Salty (chips, fries, pretzels, etc...)
Sweet ( cookies, pies, cakes, candy,etc...)
Juice (soda included)
There you have it and (I'm sure there will be a small rebellion waiting at my door) now you have the tools to help make your muscles and abs shine brighter! One quick note. Foods are like drugs. They all have side effects once you injest them. So if your trying to lose or control your weight examine your daily diet and cut out the majority above. Post your comments on the wall and tell your friends about this great group.
Next weeks exercise: The jacknife pike, oh it feels so good; the pain that is. Let me know how the spiderman pushups went.
See you next week :)
3/12/09: Tip of the Week: Obviously, suggesting that people try cutting out bread or cheese for a week or (gasp!) month when they they're trying to lose weight, lean out, and highlight their muscles hit a nerve. Kind of like recommending Chris Brown for a Teen choice award. That's ok, based on your feedback you know it's the right thing to do, and when you build up the courage, to take back control and be in charge of your life once again from the evil coporations of Wonder Bread and Kraft cheese, you'll thank me :)
Onward and upward, I'm going to try and make these emails a little shorter; and if you have any questions, you can post them on the wall of the group or start it on the discussion board.
Tip of the Week: Cut out all salty and sweet foods, (2 more of the 7 addictive types of foods) for 30 days when your trying to lose weight, but for our purposes now, let's try 7 days. This includes the obvious foods like fries, chips, pretzels, cookies, candy, cakes, etc that cause you to crave more fun unhealthy food. Your tastebuds become addicted to them, and these foods are like sex: no redeeming or inherent value but they feel so good.
Exercise: Try these this week: Spiderman pushups. Get in the push up position. Bring your right hand forward 4-6 inches, while simultaneously bringing your left knee to your left elbow. Go down into a push up and then return to the starting position. Alternate with the left hand going forward next and right knee touching the right elbow next. These are very advanced. Work your way up to 3 sets of 6, or 8 or 10.
See you next week, over and out good buddy, 10-4!
Akil Ross
Owner and Founder of www.ILOVEABS.com and
WWW.PHAZESYSTEMS.com3/5/09: Tip of the week: Clearly there are lots of people out there who want and love nice abs but are not sure of the cost benefit analysis vs. giving up cheese or bread. Keep it in mind as we'll come back to the other foods that are addictive at a later date and keep you from seeing your fabulous abs and body. Post your thoughts and 1 week results on the group wall.
This week we're focusing on Spinal erectors. Very simply, these muscles help keep your back straight, in alignment with your spine, especially when loading with weight and they are directly related to increased or decreased lower back pain. When these muscles are strong and lengthened, they increase the load and stress you are able to carry and allow your core musculature to function optimally . When shortened, they put your body at a mechanical disadvantage and back pain is soon to follow. We all should know, standing, walking or sitting erect is a very easy way to work on these on a daily basis. But that's just a start. Many people do deadlifts to work on these muscles; however many people do those wrong as well. Try some of these exercises instead.
Easy: Planks, or seated cable rows with erect spine concentrating on actively pulling from the shoulder and keeping the movement very still.
Internediate: Back extensions, (natural body weight) or supermans, lying prone (face down) on the floor. Another option would be cable rows in a squat position using a free motion machine.
Advanced: Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips off the bench and your feet touching the floor holding on with your hands. Slowly lift your feet up together so that you whole body is straight and parallel to the floor, hold for 2-3 seconds, lower then repeat.
All of these exercises should be done for 3 sets, 15-20 reps. Endurance is more important here, since these muscles bear the brunt of our running, jumping, or walking every day. Keeping these muscles strong may not sound sexy or glamorous, however; not being able to spontaneously pick your girlfiend up off her feet or dancing about to "get low" and then can't get up or not being able to play volleyball on the beach is DEFINETLY not sexy. You have to be able to stand up straight to show off those amazing abs!!!!!
Tell your friends to join the group on facebook if they want their own weekly tips or go to
www.ILOVEABS.com. Summer is coming soon. Hire a trainer to get you ready for the best year of your life! See ya next week and happy St. Patty's day!
Akil Ross
2/26/09: Tip of the Week: So, how can you get leaner, shed weight, useless fat, show off the muscle that you've worked so hard for? It's easy and hard, depending on how you look at it. One big way to do all of the things above is to try and cut all bread or cheese out of your diet for 7 days.
(The actual plan is to do it for 30 days, but baby steps people:) Now, if most of you take a look at your eating habits, you will notice that bread/cheese figure into it prominently, if not every day. They pervade our society on menus, at parties, and in our refrigerators. However, bread, fills you up, without lots of dense nutrients, is full of sugar and acts like a glaze that constantly coats your muscle. It's also one of the 7 addictive foods that the body craves.
Cheese is another of the 7 addictive foods that (does many things to your body and tastes so damn good! mmmmm) is satisfying to the palette and tastebuds but actually harms your beautiful, bikini beach ready abs and body! And we can't have that. So try this this week:
Cut all bread or all cheese out of your Daily eating habits for 7 days (or 5 days M-F. I understand this is not easy) and write back or post and see if you don't feel, more energy, less sluggish, feel lighter and less bloated and tired and feel/see a noticeable difference in your waist/ stomach. Of course, you must continue doing your fun workouts to enhance this outcome. Tell me how you do, how hard it is, and if u made it at all and what the difference was. Post it on the wall of the group; I'm betting that you will have positve experiences and outcomes.
As always, continue to tell and invite your friends to join this group on Facebook. Oh and it's my Birthday, did I tell you? See you next week,
2/19/09: Tip of the Week: It's important to understand the push/pull concept and how it can make your body stronger and balanced. When you push off weight with your hands, your generating power from your core. You may be using, your pecs, anterior delts, biceps and triceps however, pulling is just as important because these are the opposite muscles being worked; Lats, posterior delts, rhomboids, and lower back. While one is working actively, the other is being trained passively or antagonistically. The core binds these actions together so try these combos together this week: 10 Push ups and a 10 seated rows. If that's too easy, try 5 one handed pushups (on knees if neccessary) and then a bent over dumbell row with the same hand and then switch. Both require an inordinate amount of core strength and will train your body to be a well-balanced lean, mean, machine. The same goes for the legs as well. in order to have strong abs, pecs and shoulders, the supporting muscular structure, lower back, delts and lats must be trained equally. No muscle operates independently, they all work together as a team for optimal body function. Click here for tips for the past few
weeks.
2/11/09: Tip of the week: Alright people, listen up out there. Time under tension will make your stomach harder and you stronger under pressure. What is time under tension you say? Think of it as when you hold a plank or are in the middle of a crunch and stop to hold at it's most difficult point. When you hit the floor and come right back up, your using momentum or are relying on the "elasticity" of the muscle.
So this week, let's try some of these exercises. A dumbbell chest press alternating each hand pressing up while the other hand holds the weight at a 90 degree angle. Too easy, incline the bench. Still easy, do it on a stability ball and try to minimize movement.
Do a plank with your forearms on a stability ball. Hold for 40 secconds. Glutes and back should be sloped in a straight line and stomach tight as always. Too easy; lift on leg and alternate every 20 sec. Still to easy? Put your hands on the side of the ball and do 3 sets of 10 pushups. Still too easy, lift one leg. You'll know your improving the less you start to shake.
All of these exercises have your core musculature under intense pressure the entire time, with no rest until the exercise is over, vs a crunch where you rest every time your back hits the ground. Time under tension creates a harder, stronger, aestethically pleasing, beach ready body and functionally allows you to increase your internal to external power output ratio. More pelvic thust power! Who doesn't want that?!
Join the group, "I LOVE ABS" on facebook to get these tips delivered to your mailbox weekly. Professional trainers help you achieve your goals safely and effectively with the proper progressions. See you next week!
