Weight Lifting Exercises - Laugh Your Way to Massive Muscles

Find out the most effective weight lifting exercises that will shock your muscles. Learn the right way to get your muscles ripped. Discover the types of your workouts that get your muscles massive.

Are you REALLY serious about taking control of your bodybuilding workout plan?

A closely guarded secret that you must possess if you ever want to become known as a Weight Lifting Master.

Learn a complete workout plan for generating quality ripped muscles anytime you want.

Here are some secrets to help with your weight lifting exercises and are great for developing strong muscular quadriceps. 

Muscle strength and endurance by using weight lifting exercises can really help prevent injury to the joints

You should start your workout with warm-up even if you're in a rush. You can just use low weights and then increasing your weights by 5 to 10 pounds during your first set. 

Don't ignore this. Warm-up exercises are essential to building massive muscles.

Running can help build up your quadriceps. So before working out at the gym, you can run and then use dumbbells and gym equipment to build those quadriceps even more.  If you don't have the time to run, then go on the treadmill for at least 20 minutes.  Bring your iPod and listen to the music that moves you.

Warning: Do not neglect the the warm up exercises! Be sure to take this advice seriously if you want develop your maximum muscle potential.

Always seek medical advice before embarking on any new nutritional or exercise routine..

If you want to know more secrets for weight lifting exercises pay attention!

Click here to find out more 12 more weight lifting exercise secrets - http://www.nobellyfat.info.

Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter die IFBB Pro Shawn Rhoden Reiseziele Reise zum bodybuilding

Eine Menge Leute machen jede Menge Gründe, sie nicht Bodybuilding auf Bereitschaft warum. In meiner Erfahrung wenn Sie etwas schlecht genug, finden so Sie, dass, unabhängig von der Erreichung der Ziele in was Faktoren werden können. Das ist der Grund, warum jedes Mal ich über Reiseziele Geschichte kommen habe, ist jemand, der die Chancen geschlagen hat, ich Liebe teilen, während zur gleichen Zeit, können Sie andere inspirieren und erhalten sofort, was sie vom Leben wollen.

Nachdem dies gesagt wurde dieses IFBB Pro Shawn Rhoden ist, und wie er ging von einem Prozess Pfeile, um seinen Traum zu erfüllen zu einem der besten in der Welt gegen alle Hindernisse, auf die Ziele der Geschichte zu reisen. Zwar gibt es auf den neuesten Stand, die Bemühungen der Wettbewerb eine kann, aus der Geschichte getroffen werden ist, dass, wenn Sie in eingerichtet sind die Haltung der, Sie haben das Recht, in der Tat, wir glauben an und sind bereit, die notwendigen Anpassungen Opfer in der Sie alles tun können.

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Weight Lifting Programs For Beginners - Don't Make These Beginner Mistakes

If you're interested in building some muscle and getting into great shape, but are a little inexperienced, then choosing the right weight lifting program for beginners is going to be important for you to see success.

Weights and weight lifting are simply the best way to bulk up and gain muscle mass. While you may see some success performing bodyweight exercises like push ups regularly, you are unlikely to see the kind of gains that come from well planned weight lifting programs for beginners.

However, if you are inexperienced it is easy to make mistakes that can jeopardise your chances of success, and increase the possibility of injury.

Below you'll find the 3 most common mistakes that beginners make in their weight lifting programs. Have a read, note them down, and be sure to avoid them in your training sessions. Just doing this will massively increase your chances of success.

Lifting Heavy Way Too Quickly

While it is true that lifting heavy weights is one of the secrets to fast muscle growth, the beginner often forgets that what is more important is giving your body the time to adjust to the new activity.

Weight lifting programs for beginners should be challenging enough to see results, but also take into account the need for gradual ramp up in weight. I was always taught to start with light weights on the first set on a new exercise, just to get the form and technique down and get my body used to the actual motion. Once you've got that and are comfortable, then you can move on and challenge yourself. I still use this technique when I first start training again after taking some time off.

This tip will help you to prevent getting too sore on those first sessions and get you excited about coming back to the gym.

Not Learning Proper Form

This kind of follows on from the first point about lifting heavy far too quickly. Proper form and technique is essential in weight lifting programs for all levels not just beginners. Failure to follow the proper form and technique of an exercise will result at best in poor muscle growth results, and at worst in possible injury.

When you first start your weight lifting program use light weights to get a feel for the motion. Your brain and body need to work together so that after a while you'll KNOW when an exercise feels right and when it feels wrong. Watch videos or get a gym trainer to spot you at first and make sure you are doing it correctly.

One thing to note...always be sure to take extra care with your back - this is often the first thing to get injured and suffer from inexperience.

Never Changing The Workout

When we first see success it's tempting to continue with the same routine. This is fine but there will always come a point at which you stop seeing gains and begin to plateau. Many beginners make the mistake of continuing their weight lifting programs in exactly the same fashion as they had before.

However, to see sustained muscle growth over time you need to change up your routine on a regular basis, whether it's the number of sets and reps, the type of exercises, order of exercises, or rest time between sets.

Keeping these things changing will prevent your body becoming too adjusted to the weight lifting program and finding it too easy.

Try to find weight lifting programs for beginners that provide you with the ability to substitute exercises and change around your workouts as and when you need to.

Bonus Tip: Not Working Out With Enough Intensity

A quick bonus tip that is common in weight lifting programs for beginners is not working out with enough intensity.

Whether it's fear of overtraining, bad instruction, or lack of will, beginners often fail to push themselves enough in the right way and so don't see the kinds of gains that they could.

Make sure you are putting 100% into your weight lifting workouts and avoid wasting time between sets like most folks you see down the gym. Do this and you're pretty much sure to see results.

The tips above focus on what you should NOT do in your weight lifting programs...but how about what you SHOULD do? I mean, what kind of exercises, sets and reps should you be performing to gain muscle mass? The following workout program is ideal for beginners who are eager to start a weights program but are not entirely sure how to go about it, and want some step by step advice - Weight Lifting Programs For Beginners.

Weight Lifting Routines - Do You Really Know the Basics You Need For Maximum Results?

Weight training should begin with determining if medical clearance is warranted; if so, obtain it before you start a program. Sound training technique requires a proper grip and a stable position from which to lift. You must keep the object being lifted close to your body and use your legs rather than your back.

Remember, hips stay low as the legs straighten. This is true regardless of whether you are lifting a barbell or a box off the floor or spotting an exercise. Developing good fundamental techniques will help you avoid injury and work your muscles in ways that produce optimal results in weight lifting routines.

Once you have learned about and practiced fundamental lifting skills and proper breathing and spotting techniques, you are ready to move on learning how to perform and use the weight training exercises that will make up your new program.

Breathing

The best time to exhale in most exercises is during the sticking point, or the most difficult point in a repetition. Inhalation should occur during the relaxation phase, or easiest point in a repetition. For example, in the upward movement of the biceps curl, exhalation should occur when the forearms are parallel with the floor (the most difficult point). Inhalation should occur as the bar is being lowered (the easiest point). In exercises in which upper-torso stabilization is needed to help maintain a correct lifting position, such as in back squat or hang clean, breathing should occur at the end of the sticking point.

Be aware that in most exercises you will have a tendency to hold your breath too long. This should be avoided because it is dangerous! By not exhaling, you reduce the return of blood to your heart, which in turn reduces the blood flow to the brain. If the brain is deprived of oxygen-rich blood, you will become dizzy and may faint. Holding the breath too long is especially dangerous if you are performing overhead free-weight exercises. If you have high blood pressure, consulting a physician before you begin a weight training program is imperative; once training, you must exhale through the sticking point in each repetition.

Click Here Now if you want to get the most out of your workouts starting TODAY.

Bernard Michaels has been working as a personal trainer for over 10 years. By following his advice you'll learn everything you need to stay motivated and committed.

Become a powerful muscle building machine losing weight quicker than ever before - keeping it off for good this time. Go to Weight Lifting Routine now to start your building muscle and weight loss journey.

Weight Lifting Routine For Beginners - 7 Simple Tips to Kick-Start Your Weight Lifting Workouts

Walking into the gym with a customized weight lifting routine designed to achieve your weight training goals Is the easiest, most efficient way to build a lean, strong body.

The key to a successful weight lifting routine is to train hard, eat right, plan ahead, measure your success and record your achievements. It is imperative that you plan ahead by first defining your individual fitness goals then build a personalized weight lifting program based on those goals. Also, you need to keep track of your vital statistics and daily weight training workout details in a journal to help you stay focused and motivated.

Designing a weight lifting routine for yourself can be difficult especially if you don't know where to start.

Here are 7 Simple Tips to help you:

1. Identify exactly what your ultimate weight lifting goals are. Do you want to build pounds of lean, shredded muscle? Or do you just want to tone up a bit? You must have a clear vision of what you want to achieve in order to design a weight training routine that works best for you.

2. Get a journal so that you can keep track of your success. A fitness journal is important so that you can plan your daily lifting routines and track your progress. It is vital that you know exactly which exercises you will be performing each day and to keep track of how much weight you lifted for each movement. This way you can continuously build upon previous weeks achievements.

3. Before you step into the gym, take your measurements and record them in your journal. Measure your chest, waist, hips, biceps, and thighs before your begin lifting weights. This will give you a good starting point to look back on. Take another measurement after a month of weight training; now see how far you've come! Keep tabs on your progress, it will build your self confidence and drive you toward your goal.

4. Design your weight lifting routine based upon your goals. My trainer, who happens to be a Natural Bodybuilding Champion, recommends that beginners should start with a foundation building weight lifting routine. So, start by doing 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions of each of these multi- joint weight lifting exercises:

· Squats

· Dead Lifts

· Bench Press

· Close Grip Bench Press

· Overhead Press

· Dips

· Pull Ups

5. Always strive to use perfect form when executing your weight lifting routines. Body position and form is much more important than how much weight you are lifting. Focus and concentrate on each and every repetition, squeeze the muscle and count to 2 at the top of each movement before releasing the weight back down.

6. Walk into the gym with confidence; know that your weight training routine is fast and effective. Wear comfortable clothes, bring your journal and plenty of water. Don't worry about what others around you are doing, just put on your favorite music and get the job done.

7. Feed your newly built muscles within one hour of your workout. You just tore the fibers in your muscles and they need nutrients to repair themselves in order to grow. Fortify them quickly with a fast absorbing whey protein shake directly after each weight training workout. It is imperative that you fortify your muscles with the precise amount of protein at regular intervals throughout the day, not just after your workouts.

Starting a new weight training endeavor can be a very daunting task for beginners. There seem to be so many questions that come up once you get going, like; How much weight should I start with? When should I increase the amount of weight I'm lifting? Or, should my arms feel like rubber after I'm done with that exercise? To help alleviate some of your confusion, it's a good idea to find a training buddy at the gym who has some weight lifting experience or pick up a good bodybuilding book that explains how to perform each weight lifting movement correctly.

Congratulations on taking the first step toward building a leaner, stronger you! It may seem confusing at first, but if you utilize these tips, you should be able to feel more confident and secure about your new weight lifting routine.

Need more help getting started? I know I did, that is why I enlisted the help of Michael Ferencsik, the 2008 Forever Natural Bodybuilding Champion, to show me how to build muscle. Watch his Free 30 Minute Training Video as he demonstrates how to perform this Multi Joint Weight Lifting Routine for you. When you're done, don't forget to click over to his YouTube Channel where he'll show you tons more weight lifting tactics to help you get started training like a champion.

Weight Lifting Tips For Beginners

Here are a few weight lifting tips to help you maximize your muscle-building workouts. These tips apply especially to beginners looking to gain muscle mass, but could also benefit more experienced strength trainers. Although I'm confident that this advice can potentially play a big part in skyrocketing your gains, I believe the most important step in your journey will be to learn to listen to your body.

WEIGHT LIFTING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Find an atmosphere you'll be comfortable in. If the gym in your local area is too crowded or for some reason is an environment that you think may de-motivate you, then work on building a home gym. Most traditional weight lifting exercises are performed by using basic free weights (meaning a pair of dumbbells, or a straight barbell) and/or a reclineable bench. This makes it affordable to workout and still be in the comfort of your own home.
Before beginning your weight lifting session, make sure you take a few minutes to visualize the workout that lies ahead. Know which exercises you'll be performing and imagine how you'll look and feel throughout each one. Most gym goers wouldn't rank this tip very high in terms of importance, but I can assure you that if you don't set clear goals, then you'll be lost in the gym and it'll show in your physique.
Natural trainees should avoid heavy lifting because all it does is highly increase the risk of injury (which could end up being permanent). At most, use moderately-heavy weights if your goal is to gain muscle mass. You want to work your muscles, not your joints. Getting a great pump should be at the top of the priority list when weight lifting. This can easily be done by using good form and considerably lighter weights relative to what most people with the same goal are using.
Have someone with at least a few years of experience with weight training there to spot you the first few times you perform a new exercise. Whether it's a buffed friend of yours or a gym instructor, it's always good to have someone show you proper technique for each exercise. You can learn a lot from having a trainer personally mentor you through even a couple of weight lifting exercises. They'll usually be able to provide you with information on number of repetitions to perform, speed at which each repetition should be performed, how long to rest in between sets, etc. There are a few basic principles to follow when weight lifting and they apply to almost every traditional bodybuilding training exercise. You'll soon understand that these basic principles when applied to a well-executed exercise... ultimately lead to maximum results.
A beginner to weight lifting shouldn't exceed 1.5 hours of training. For the muscles to grow it's important to train on a consistent basis, but it's also crucial NOT to over-train when in the gym. A beginner to weight lifting should perform no more than 3 exercises for smaller muscle groups (like the biceps, for example) and no more than 5 exercises for larger muscle groups (like the legs, for example). You should feel energized throughout your workouts, and never exhausted.

I hope that these 'Weight Lifting Tips for Beginners' give you a better understanding of working out as related to building a muscular physique.

If you would like more guidance, motivation, as well as to learn everything there is to know about natural muscle building, then I invite you to visit my fitness website which is a completely free resource.

I wish you only success in your pursuit of a bigger and better you.

Mario Fanzolato (Fitness Author & Life Coach) - Founder of Natural Muscle Mass and Life Coaching Online.

Weight Lifting Program - The 11 Most Effective Exercises!

When I say the "11 best weight lifting exercises" what I'm really saying is that these are the proven classics that have been shown to result in the greatest increases in strength and muscle mass in the shortest possible time. They are the fully functional and natural movements performed by professional athletes, bodybuilders and personal trainers. There's nothing fancy or unorthodox about them. Unless you're completely new to weight lifting, you've probably seen them all before.

It's time to get back to basics people! I have many friends who tell me about certain new exercises they've been trying out and it's clear they've just jumped on the bandwagon of whatever new craze the marketing men have managed to dupe them into believing. Follow the exercises outlined below, which target every major muscle in your body, and believe me you'll see noticeable results very quickly as fat drops off and muscles develop.

I'm purely focusing on the exercises themselves here. However, please bear in mind that you should begin any weight lifting program with a light warm up and stretching. You also need to follow a suitable eating plan depending on what your fitness goals are.

Bench press

The bench press (chest press) should form a part of any weight lifting program. It primarily works the chest muscles (the pectoralis major) and also the front of the shoulder muscles (anterior deltoids) and triceps. This is a great compound movement for developing your chest.

Press-up

Performed in many a PE lesson and often associated with military punishment, there's a good reason why this timeless exercise is still worth its place in any routine today. It works the same muscles as the bench press but with the added advantage that it can be performed any place at any time.

Shoulder press

This exercise is essential in any weight lifting program. It primarily targets the deltoids, especially the middle section but your triceps are also involved in the action. A common mistake made in the gym is over training of the front of the shoulder because trainers often focus too heavily on the bench press. The shoulder press will balance out this overdevelopment helping to prevent shoulder injuries.

Dip

This exercise works 3 major muscle groups. The shoulders, chest and triceps. The nearer your elbows are to your body and the less you lean forward the greater the emphasis will be on your triceps.

Row

There are many varieties to this exercise but they all predominantly target the lats, trapezius and back of the shoulders along with integrating the biceps.

Pull-up

The pull-up is a very difficult exercise to master at first, but usually gyms will have an assisted pull-up machine until you can master them. The pull-up, like the row, works every major muscle in your back along with your biceps. The sooner you can get it into your weight lifting program the better.

Back extension

This is essential to building lower back strength and helping with lower back and posture problems. It targets the muscles that run along the sides of the spine thereby protecting it.

Hanging knee raise

This hits the obliques, which are the muscles that run diagonally along the sides of your torso along with the lower part of the rectus abdominis.

Crunch

This exercise targets every part of the rectus abdominis and the obliques.

Squat

The Squat is an essential part of any weight lifting program because it targets every muscle in the lower body - the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, calves, lower back and abs. If you only ever did one weight lifting exercise this should be it and it's one of the best exercises to lose weight!

Deadlift

This exercise pretty much works every muscle at the back of your body. It will provide quick and impressive results if done correctly.

Follow this link for a comprehensive review of the best exercises to lose weight and get 3 free health and fitness reports!

Bewegung und Zubehör Gewichte heben richtig ist, dass die schnellste Bodybuilding die Schlüssel erhält

Wir alle wir Bodybuilding Gewinneum den schnellsten zu erreichen. Manchmal die besten Bodybuilder konzentrieren ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf die jüngsten Ergänzungen zu der Hoffnung, die Gewinne auf dem Markt zu beschleunigen und die. Jedoch, wenn Sie wirklich, um wollen maximieren Ihre Gewinne, der Hinweis? Überprüfen Sie auf Form und richtig die Gewichte heben.

So offensichtlich, wie dies auch klingen mag, was Sie wieder in Fitness-Studios auf der ganzen Welt, in der Praxis sehr schlecht Übung mit dem heben Heavy halten, tragen auf dem Formular sehen. Halten Sie im Verstand, dass Bodybuilding ist nicht nur über die Aufhebung der Absatz (B) Absatz (a), nach Gewicht, das Ziel ist die Verwendung als Instrument der Gewichte der... Vereinbarung und ermutigt die Muskeln wachsen. Also, was ist das Gewicht des Aufzugs der Bodybuilder in geeigneter Weise?

Sie benötigen, wenn Sie die Muskel-Bewegung und des Abkommens, können Sie ausführen, nachdem Sie es während der Strecken Position verlängernd vertraut sein müssen. Ich schlage vor mit begann, Sie nehmen nur 2 Sekunden, das Gewicht des Aufzugs, die (Verwendung von der positiven Teil) und 3 – 4 Sekunden zu reduzieren (mit einen negativen Teil). Stellen Sie sicher, dass der Agent durch die Region als Ganzes und das Schwingen zu vermeiden Anträge oder mithilfe die Dynamik um das Gewicht der Aussetzung der machen. Werden Sie ein Experte ist die Schaffung eines Gefühls der Verbindung zu den Muskel, die so viele Muskelfasern so weit wie möglich zu aktivieren, wenn Sie das Gewicht zu heben.

Denke, die Verwendung als solche, sondern mit der Konstruktion. So, zum Beispiel, wenn BizepsmaschineSie Fokus auf den zweiköpfigen dann Benutzer kostenlos wie das Gewicht von der Lenny und nehmen Sie zurück in die Ausgangsposition. Die Kylkiä sollte bleiben bestehen, und nur die Unterarme sollten bewegen, als sich auf einen zweiköpfigen dann so schwer Vertrag. Strecken und Die erstellte besser durch die Konzentration auf besser die Muskel-Verbindung im Verstand werden ein Bodybuilding Gewinne für richtig. Sie müssen möglicherweise aus ein bisschen Gewicht zurück, sondern der Aussetzung des ersten, stellen Sie sicher, dass die Ergebnisse sehr viel, um Sie als einer der Werte!

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Bleiben motiviert während der Feiertage

Wenn Sie Probleme haben, bleiben motiviert in die Ferien, hier sind einige gute Ratschläge, wie zu halten den Körper Gebäude Training die Größe des Programmplanungszeitraums: Bodybuilding Tipps bleiben motiviert durch die Feiertage mit Your Workouts!

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Die Holiday Survival Guide für Bodybuilding

Wenn Sie sind besorgt über die Feiertage zum Entgleisen bringen Sie, ausgehend von der Verwirklichung der Ziele des Baus des Körpers, besteht keine Notwendigkeit zu befürchten. Es gibt Dinge, die Sie tun können, um die zunehmende Verfügbarkeit von Lebensmitteln profitieren. Wenn Sie die Karten richtig spielen können, können Sie von der Wende Sie und Essen sozusagen zu erhalten. Mit anderen Worten, wenn der Zug Diät intelligent in diesem Zeitraum, während zur gleichen Zeit, im schlimmsten Fall, wenn Sie den Muskel erreichen hält und der gleichen Karosserie Körperfett Ebenen. Klingt interessant? Wenn ja, dann meine 10 Bodybuilding Strategien lassen Aufenthalt in Größe an werfen Sie einen Blick auf und finden Sie die Haufen Kappen, genießen Helme als Sie noch die Samstag für Muskel. Probieren Sie diese Strategien und ich würde gerne wissen, wie sie für Sie arbeiten.

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Koffein und bodybuilding

Fragen für eine Menge geworden ist mein Koffein in letzter Zeit in Fällen und die Auswirkungen der Bodybuilding betroffen, ob es eine gute oder eine schlechte Art und Weise. Hobbys wäre Aus eigener Erfahrung kann gemeinsam mit dem Koffein ist etwas, dass Moderation Bodybuilding Training für ein unglaublich, weil es erhöht die Energie, Fokus und Schmerzen Toleranz, ein ausgezeichnetes Werkzeug arbeiten.

Jetzt sind ein paar Dinge, die Sie wissen über Koffein müssen. Nicht alle das Koffein wird erstellt glaube nicht oder nicht gleich. Kaffee und Koffein wird angezeigt als ein und dasselbe, Sie wissen, um verschiedene Effekte zu erhalten sowie? Es war nur die Artikel, mein guter Freund und großen um Brainiac, gelesen, dass ich, diese Tatsache Will Brink gelernt. Hier ist der zwei Teil des Artikels, dass Will Brink , die Fakten über die Koffein Sprachelemente, umfasst, und wie kann diese Verbindung als großes Werkzeug verwendet werden, um Unternehmen in der Konstruktion des Körpers.

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Weight Lifting Workout

But before we share with you what those exercise are, let's talk real quickly about what bodybuilding is.... Weight Lifting Workout enables an individual to sustain the daily pressures of life look forward to the day with renewed vigor. A treadmill is a low impact exercise machine.

One of the best choices with consumers due to its ease of use and low cost is weight lifting workout bench. In today's world where most of the jobs are sedentary and required little to no full body activity, exercise has become a necessity and a chore instead of a normal part of a person's daily life.

Weight

You can choose to integrate some of these alternative training techniques with your weight training routines on the same day, as alternative workouts on separate days of the week, or even as separate training cycles where you try some of these techniques for several weeks at a time before cycling back to a traditional weight lifting workout. Your weight training should be just that, training with weights and not mixing cardio with it. The goal of weight lifting workouts is to go into the gym and stimulate muscle growth, not to annihilate the muscles.

The exercises may be done too quickly, or maybe I'm cheating in my training, or maybe there isn't enough weight on the barbell. When performing Static Contraction Training, your objective is to statically (without motion) hold the maximum amount of weight you can in your strongest range of motion for 5-10 seconds.

Dumbbells

A standard but effective dumbbell exercise is generally conducted as follows. Place one dumbbell in each hand and use you arms to lift the dumbbells up to shoulder height. Sometimes at work you can find an object of about 2 - 5 pounds to substitute as a dumbbell. Fad workouts and equipment have come and gone, but dumbbell workouts have remained an easy, inexpensive way to get in shape and strengthen muscles.

Advantages of Dumbbell weight lifting workouts... in just one workout you do flat bench, incline, decline, pecs deck, dumbbell fly, cable cross overs... and then for biceps you've got barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, machine curls, and the list goes on.... If you have to swing a dumbbell to lift it, or "cheat" with other parts of your body, the weight is too heavy and should be decreased.

Power

This edition will focus on building mass for your chest, which in turn helps create explosive power for your bench. This is not power lifting. I've always believed in the power of music. Just

Find the music that motivates you and keeps your mind occupied, and burn right through those reps.

Well, if you want a workout that can help propel you to the next fitness level, burn more calories, increase your speed, improve your power and more, then it's time to learn more about this effective technique. Strengthening your core will directly fortify the joints in your elbows, shoulders, and knees, thus providing more raw power for your arms and legs. Enjoy your Weight Lifting Workout and you will feel better in as little time as possible.

Tim Tanis is an independent web publisher. For info on Weight Lifting Workout. [http://www.weightliftingworkout.articlesforyou.biz]

Weight Lifting Workouts Tips

If you're trying to shed some pounds or to improve your figure, you are probably going on a healthier diet and getting more aerobic exercise. At least you're planning to. But what most people don't know is that weight lifting is equally important in helping you achieve your goal. Maybe you're thinking that gaining muscles will lead you to gain even more weight. Because muscle weighs a lot more than fat, you will probably experience a bit of weight gain when you're just starting on your program. But in the long run, you'll be burning off a lot more calories, thereby you'll be losing those stubborn fats if you just keep up your routine. Also, weight lifting has several other health benefits. Weight lifting can help strengthen your bones. For women, this is especially important because of their increased risk of osteoporosis once they get into menopause. Weight lifting can also help improve your balance and coordination, as well as your muscular endurance. For these reasons, weight lifters are significantly less prone to injuries compared to those who don't lift weights.

With these benefits in mind, you'll probably have more motivation to start on or continue with your weight lifting program. But if you're still a beginner, you might be wondering how to get started with weight training. Actually, your workout routine will depend heavily on what you want to achieve, and also the time you have dedicated for working out. But here are a few general guidelines that all weight lifting workouts have in common.

Before starting any strength training routine, be sure that you have already warmed up. This prevents muscle injury, and helps boost your metabolism a bit. You can do cardiovascular exercises, such as walking or cycling, as your warm-ups. Also, pay attention not only to how you're lifting your weights, but also to how you put it down. The motion of going back to the starting position is equally important, so focus on this, too. If you really want to gain muscle, you should keep in mind the principle of overload. This means that you should subject your muscles to slightly more stress than they're used to handling. This is important to avoid plateaus, because if you let your muscles get used to the amount of weights being lifted, your body won't anymore feel the need to let your muscles grow and get stronger. Lastly, always remember to rest in between workout days. Not getting rest means not giving your muscles time to heal, and this means to not giving them a chance to grow.

Keep all these general guidelines in mind while you're performing your weight lifting workouts, and before long, you'll be able to see some results, both on the weighing scale and on the mirror.

Information just like this will help you perform great weight lifting workouts you'll love. Also see which are the best tummy exercises

Weight Lifting Workouts For Amazing Fat Loss

Weight lifting workouts can be a great way to build muscle, burn fat and get into amazing shape. While there are certainly trendier options when it comes to losing weight, the truth of the matter is that weight training is the single most effective form of muscle building, fat burning exercise!

While all properly structured weight lifting workouts will help you build muscle and burn fat, there are a few tips that you can use to get the most from your effort in the gym. By sticking to the basics and implementing these tips, you will achieve your fitness goals quicker and easier than ever before.

If you goals are to burn fat and lose weight, your weight lifting workouts need to be structured a bit differently than the typical bodybuilding training routines. When I work with clients who are serious about burning fat as quickly as possible, I almost always design their weight lifting workouts in the form of free weight circuits.

Circuit training workouts allow you to strengthen your muscles and work your cardiovascular system at the same time. This style of training typically allows you to burn more calories in less time than traditional weight lifting workouts.

The only real downside to the circuit training model,is that is does not stimulate as much muscle growth as lower repetition - heavier weight workouts. In my opinion, the fact that you can burn more calories in less time far outweighs the fact that you will not gain as much muscle mass (especially if your goals are to lose weight).

Here's how to put together your own fat burning circuit training workout...

1.) Prior to beginning your weight lifting workout, perform 5 - 10 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise (jogging, walking, treadmill, exercise bike etc.)

2.) After 5 - 10 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise perform a full body flexibility routine.

3.) Choose 4 - 8 free weight compound exercises

4.) Focus each workout around a specific theme (total body workouts or upper body, lower body etc.)

5.) Put the exercises in an order that makes sense for your gym's layout.

6.) Decide how many circuit sets you're going to perform (3 - 5 is recommended)

7.) Perform 12 - 15 repetitions of each exercise with little to no rest between exercises.

8.) After completing each circuit set, rest for 2 - 2.5 minutes then jump into your next circuit set.

9.) Commit to performing 2 - 4 weight lifting workout sessions each week.

If you structure your weight lifting workouts like this, you will begin to notice a difference in the way your body looks and feels. In addition to strengthening your muscles, you'll begin to notice fat melting off of your body in record time!

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Weight Lifting Workouts - Developing Your Plan

If you are serious about toning your body, burning fat and building muscle, one of the most effective ways of doing this is to lift weights. But with so much information out there on weight lifting workouts, how do you choose a plan to suit you, especially if you are a beginner to weight lifting?

You will need to choose a plan based on your own personal goals, plus the time and equipment you have at your disposal. Take some time to consider your goals. Do you want to lose a few pounds of fat and appear toned, with a flat stomach or a 'six pack' or do you want to build serious muscle? If this is the case, do you have the necessary time to spend training to reach this level? Are you able to afford a gym membership or the specialist equipment you will need?

Starting a weight lifting workout can be confusing for the beginner- there is quite a lot of terminology to get to grips with. The basic terms you need to know are 'reps', 'sets' and 'recovery'. Basically 'reps' indicate the number of times you lift each weight. 'Sets' are the number of times you do the 'reps', for example if you were to complete 3 'sets of 15 'reps', you would lift the weights 15 times, rest, lift them another 15 times, rest again and lift them for a final 15 times. 'Recovery' indicates the time spend resting between sets.

Weight training basically involves lifting heavier weights than your body is used to lifting. This causes the muscle fibers to tear, and then repair themselves so that they are stronger than before. The more your body works, the more it is capable of doing, so you must increase the weights gradually to ensure that you continue to improve. It is important to start off gently- trying to lift too much weight too soon can cause injury. You should be able to complete 15 reps, with the last few reps feeling quite an effort. If you are able to lift the weight easily for 15 reps, try increasing it.

Make sure you warm up before starting your weight lifting workouts, as cold muscles can tear and injury can result. Using a cardio machine, such as a treadmill or rowing machine, or going for a brisk walk for ten minutes will warm your muscles. When lifting weights, maintain a good posture, engage your abdominal muscles, raise and lower the weights slowly and smoothly. Make sure you keep breathing.

The main muscle groups you should aim to work are the biceps, triceps, abdominals, quadriceps, chest, shoulders, back and hamstrings. You should complete at least one exercise for each of these muscle groups to avoid muscle imbalance and potential injury.

Rest days are an essential part of your workout, as this is when your muscles will repair and strengthen themselves. Aim to have at least 24 hours rest between exercises working the same muscle groups.

If you are a member of a gym, there should be an instructor available who will show you how to use the weights and help you to devise a weight lifting workout plan. If you plan to workout at home, there are a lot of weight lifting workouts available on the internet you could adapt. Whichever plan you use, make sure you know how to lift the weights correctly to avoid injury, and build up slowly.

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Mädchen: Beschlussfassungsprozesses Füße von Cecile Bayeul Fußball, Bodybuilding Training!

Oft Frauen nicht verstehen, dass sie in ihrem Arsenal von Gewicht und getönten erhalten, Bodybuildingist die beste Waffe. Es gibt noch einige, die nicht in einer Vielzahl von Stunden und gehen in der Nähe von Angst, Cardio, die sie bulk und biegen Sie in die Incredible Hulk Gewichte. Allerdings ist dies nicht der Fall, wie die Weibchen nicht, Testosteron produzieren, das nur zufällig.

Zurück zu meinem Punkt, die Frauen Katastrophengebieten zählt ihre Füße wie dies ist, wo Frauen neigen dazu, die meisten Körperfett zu verbrennen (insbesondere den offenen Schenkeln und Po). Jedoch entsprechende Ausbildung und Ernährung, Fett verbrannt, und die Beine und Gesäß vollständig neu geformt und abgeschwächt. Was muss getan werden, um die Beine Form also erhalten? Ich lasse die Weltmeister Bodybuilder und Registered Nurse Cecile Bayeul Art Show für ein Jahr, er neu geformt sein Unterkörper seine Bodybuilding-Wettbewerb insgesamt verdienen in einheitlicher Weise profitieren.

Check out the Cecile Bayeul Bein-Workout-Routinen und Diät-Tipps zu.

Ansonsten, Jungs, ist dies ein großes Training, das Sie verwenden können, zu gewinnen Muskel! Seien Sie nicht Angst, es versuchen!

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Super Bodybuilding-Übungen für die Sammlung von tricks

Bodybuilder viel einfach die Ergebnisse der Bodybuilding kann gut sein, weil sie nicht auf, wenn konzentrieren sie Bodybuilding-Übungendurchgeführt. Dieses viele Male und weiterhin sagen, es wurde gesagt: Lifting Bodybuilding ist kaum über (a) in Absatz (b) nach Gewicht. Wie man als ein Tool verwenden, um Ihre eigenen Muskeln zu fördern sind Gewicht erhöht. Um dies zu tun, müssen Sie bei der Durchführung ihrer Lifte konzentrieren und sicherstellen, dass die gesamte Region des Staates in der Bewegung, wie z. B. Verweis konstant dehnen und für und im Namen der dann Partei Muskeln.

Durch den legislativen Prozess in diesem sind einige Ressourcen Bodybuilding Bodybuilding Traininghelfen, profitieren Sie von:

Sieben Tipps, wie Sie eine effektivere ausüben

Denken Sie daran, über den Muskeltonus der Zone und Methode

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Warum werden die Gewinne nicht tun-Bodybuilding-Training haben

Es gibt mehrere Gründe Bodybuilding Training , warum nicht liefern Ergebnisse können und, dass Sie suchen. Wenn dies der Fall ist ist das erste, was in der Regel auf Ihre Ernährung zu analysieren, stellen Sie sicher, dass die Person in den Feed selbst richtig. Sie könnte die beste Workout-Programm in der Welt, aber ohne die Rohstoffe, die für das Wachstum der (Eiweiß, Kohlenhydrate und Fette) notwendig ist nicht der Weg, dass man sogar ein Gramm für Muskel.

Wann bin ich mit dem nächsten Teil der Ernährung Analyse, die wir übernehmen die Planung des Trainings selbst bereit. Wie oft habe ich Bodybuilder, die nicht ihre Trainingsprogramme in Jahren verändert haben! Unter der Annahme, dass die Ernährung Komponente die Reihenfolge ist in die Ursachen, die ein Mangel an Gewinne in Ihrem Training ist wurde der Körper bereits für eine verwendet, die Sie tun. Ich habe diesen Punkt erneut betont. Workout-Programm, und die Notwendigkeit der Periodisierung ist von größter Bedeutung. Fitness-Programm (A) ist nur so gut wie es verwendet, um den Körper benötigte Zeit. Danach ist es Zeit, etwas Neues zu nehmen.

Ich empfehle Sie sehen einen großen Artikel, der in diesem Thema, geschrieben von einer guten Freunde werden und Branchenexperten, Will Brink ist warum Your Body Workouts saugen. Sie können sehen, wie tendenziell eher stumpf werden; etwas, ihn zu lieben. Containerhäfen, sehen das Oberteil des Gegenstands des Sachverständigen hat zu sagen, warum können nicht machen Gewinne aus Ihrem Training.

Wir ermutigen Kommentare und lassen Sie mich Ihre Meinung.

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Weight Lifting - Sets & Reps For Beginners

Ok beginners, I know the vast amount of information relating to fitness can be overwhelming. How much is enough?  How much is too much?  No pain no gain? Sets, Reps, volume?  There is a lot of confusing and contrasting jargon that often scare people away from even attempting to work out at all!

It seems to me that more you educate yourself, the clearer the big picture becomes.  If your goal is simply to stay healthy and to maintain a sense of well being, then doing a little bit everyday can work wonders.  If your goal is to become a top-level athlete, then your needs will require much more work and thought. 

To get you started, I'll define a couple terms that are necessary to know should you decide to start any kind of resistance workout.  The term "Reps" is just an abbreviation for the word "Repetitions".  Repetitions refer to each complete movement of the exercise.  For example, if your exercise is the push up, then down and up is equal to one repetition. 

The term "Set" refers to the total number of repetitions performed before exhaustion or completion.  If you can only do 10 push-ups before you become exhausted, then there would be 10 repetitions in that set. 

Note that it is not necessary to perform every exercise to exhaustion to attain results.  The "no pain, no gain" theory can be very misleading.  Your workouts should be somewhat challenging for you, but should not be "painful".  "No Burn, no Gain" would be a more accurate statement but it doesn't have that nice ring to it.

For beginners, the word to remember is "progression".  Muscles and tendons need time to adapt to exercise and weight lifting.  Start with a low number of reps/sets and gradually increase the amount and intensity of your exercises.

A great training approach for beginners is the circuit workout.  A circuit workout refers to performing a group of different exercises in succession with little rest time in between exercises.  Each different "set" should be multi joint exercise targeting a different area of the body to ensure a full body type of workout. 

The weight used in circuit session should be light so you will be able to avoid complete fatigue and complete the workout.  The main idea is to establish your foundation in fitness by targeting as many muscle groups as possible.  When the time comes to increase your training volume (total amount of reps/sets/intensity), your muscles will be better prepared for intensity and more resistant to injury.

Here is a sample workout that would be beneficial and safe for beginners:

Squats-  12-15 reps / 2 sets
Bench press- 12-15 reps/ 2 sets  (this will just be the 45 lb. barbell for some beginners)
Lunges- 12-15 reps (each leg)/ 2 sets
Lat pull downs- 12-15 reps/ 2 sets

**Complete all four exercises in succession two times.  Remember to use light weight!

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Weight Lifting Exercises For Gaining Massive Shoulders - Shoulder Exercises That Build Mass Fast

The shoulder muscles have been known for centuries as being the icon of strength; from ancient Greek wrestlers to bodybuilders today. The shoulders are where you get noticed.

There is a common theme amongst bodybuilders today and in Western society that the chest is developed much more than the shoulders. I personally don't think that's a great look. I mean, who want to have big boobs if you're a man anyway!

I know, muscle is muscle, and strength is strength. If you're not concerned with a great Greek god like physique, then stop reading now. I'm interested in a proportioned body, not just a massive strong one.

Anyway, I digress.

Shoulder exercises should be used to develop your upper body strength the majority of the time.

Bench is good, because it targets the shoulders and chest at the same time, but again, it's primarily a chest exercise and you'll develop way too much chest muscle if this is all you do to workout your shoulders.

Try the Military Press instead. Sometimes called the behind the neck press. It's the best comprehensive shoulder muscle exercise you will find and if you're looking for size, and strength you've got it all right here.

It's similar to any other pressing exercise. You can use either dumbbells or a bar. Even the smith machine, but as stated in previous articles, you do not get the whole range of movement available and therefore do not develop the supporting muscles as easily. This can lead to injury so grab the free weights.

How it works:

1. Take a seat on your favorite bench

2. Position the dumbbells to each side of your shoulders with your elbows below your wrists. (If you're using a bar, place bar behind your back and rest on the nape of your neck)

3. Push that weight above your head until you reach a full arm extension, but do not lock your elbows

4. Lower the weight slowly, and repeat

It's easy to perform this exercise, and you can build up to some massive weight and shoulder strength.

I've personally found that using the shoulder press, lat pull downs (or chins), and bench press will be a great all round upper body workout wherever you are.

It's simple, they are all comprehensive exercises that target major muscle groups, and they all pack on stacks of strength and muscle.

Here are some extra tips:

Try doing the shoulder press standing up to get a whole body stability workout. Even start by lifting the weight from the floor in a clean and jerk motion, to the shoulders in a lateral raise motion, then shoulder press a few times before lowering the weight. It's intense, and will stimulate your body to grow VERY quickly.

Vary the focus. Try cycling about an 8 week turnover focusing on Shoulder press, then Bench, then Chins.

i.e. Workout Shoulder Press FIRST during the first 8 week cycle, then complete the rest of your workout. Next cycle, workout the Bench FIRST... etc.

You'll find that by the time you get back to shoulder press, you've packed on massive muscle all over your upper body, and you've improved your overall strength for each exercise.

As always: If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. So get back to work!

Do you need answers to any of the following questions?

What's the best training program?
What do I eat, and when?
What exercises should I do for my body type?
How long will it be until I will see results?

Get answers to these questions and more when you check out these FREE tips on how to achieve bigger muscles fast and the techniques I use to help me keep building muscles now

These are proven effective and 100% guaranteed to pack on stacks of muscle to your body fast.

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Sincerely,

Dave Vower

Weight Lifting - Increase Body Mass and Improve Self-Esteem

Are you really interested to increase your body mass and also improve self-esteem? Then the only one way for you is bodybuilding. Now there are several ways to build your body and among them one is weight lifting. But there is nothing to get afraid. It's true that weight lifting is an arduous task and can be done any. To be precise anyone can select weight lifting to develop his own body. People who lift weights aspire for losing weight and gaining muscles. Besides it improves endurance, nerve-to-muscle coordination.

What is more during weight lifting the calories in the body are burnt off. This plays a formidable role in toning and strengthening the doer's muscles. If you are the interested person, you can certainly do it. But before entering the gym try to have a proper mindset. The task is strenuous yet you can develop by means of it. For this there is the need of a dedication and you can't leave in the midway. If you leave, there can be dangerous effects. Hence be aware from the very beginning. Do you know that weight lifting is used as a treatment for stress and anxiety? If you do not, learn it from now. It has also been found that people who are engaged in regular exercises like weight lifting have more energies and self-esteem. For this reason the importance of weight lifting is increasing day by day.

As already said, there should be the maintenance of a proper discipline and limited workouts. The workouts should be done on a daily basis and strict discipline has to be maintained. If anyone makes any laxity, there may be the emergence of several unwanted effects. Some of these laxities include inappropriate weight training along with exceeding your limits and failure in warm up. Any of these may cause lower back pain that may result into serious back injuries.

But there shall be no harm in any form of proper training. For this, try to consult with any professional or trainer. Take the necessary advices and the best will be to exercise under him. For the overall development there is also the need of adequate resting periods. To the consideration of health experts the physical structure needs respite so that normal cell development can take place. The successful performances of all these results into more energy developed metabolism, improvement of posture and also coordination.

All of these indicate that for a healthier life along with weight loss weight lifting is the best process. The experiences of many people convey the message that weight lifting can certainly be considered as the basis of man's healthy life. Besides there are also examples that portray weight lifting can alter the direction of life. It also makes a weak person stalwart enough to challenge contemporary world.

But even after all these, people seem to be scared of weight lifting. None has to go for heavy weights. It can be chosen on the basis of competence, body mass and age. If done properly, you will certainly experience the improved confidence very soon.

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What Women Must Consider Before Weight Lifting Exercise

Many women begin to understand the benefits of weight lifting for weight loss program and for toning muscle. Take the weight lifting or muscle exercise min. 3 times a week, and you will see the result after 1-3 months ! But for making your weight lifting exercise effective and healthy, there are 2 things you need to consider :

Your Ovulation Period

Unlike men, women must lower their weight lifting exercise intensity at least once a month.

Why ? Your ovulation period is the reason.

Have you ever suddenly felt exhausted in the middle your exercise, although you haven't completed all your exercises ? That might happen on the days when you had your period!

A research done by a university found that your muscle power decreases around 10 - 14 days before your ovulation period. The decrease caused by your hormone fluctuation. When you do exercise, especially weight lifting exercise, your power will decrease up to 50%.

The solution?

- Use lighter weight.

- Drink more, to increase your hormone metabolism.

- Try to have enjoyable exercise, such as treadmill with your i-pod on your ears playing your favorite music, or your favorite low impact aerobics. These exercises will keep your body fresh and fit during your period.

Make Sure Exercise Equipment You Are Going To Use Is Hygienic!

Are you familiar to have exercise at the gym? It's not a wrong choice. Going to the gym for exercise can give us more chance to get out from our routines, to make friends, and (may be) to meet new business relation ! Gym has become our new lifestyle.

However, you might never realize that sharing the equipment and machine at the gym, such as dumbbells, exercise mat, gym balls, treadmills with so many members can be a media of germ spreading ! The book of 'The Secret Life of Germ' has indicated that germ could survive for 24 hours on exercise equipments at the gym that is shared among many people.

What is the safest way to have weight lifting and other exercise at the gym?

There are several alternatives that make sure the hygienic of your exercise at the gym:

- Exercise/yoga mat : bring your own mat.

- Treadmills or any other machines: wipe clean the treadmill handle or any parts of other machines that could be in contact with your body during exercise, before using it.

- Gym ball : do not touch your face, eyes or mouth after using the gym ball.

- Weight lifting/sit up bench : Bring your own towel, and cover the bench before lying down on it.

- Take a shower right after exercise, or if your gym does not provide shower facility, at least wash your hands and face with soap right away.

By ensuring the hygienic of your exercise, you can keep your health as well as your toned body by exercising at your gym.

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Weight Lifting Exercises and Weight Training Routines

Lifting the appropriate weight is one of the most essential things you should do when weight lifting. You should make sure that the weight you lift is comfortable when you do it at least twelve to fifteen times. Doing a basic set of twelve to fifteen repetitions at the correct weight amount will help you quickly build up your strength. The surefire way to hurt yourself is by trying to lift the wrong amount of weight.

Secondly, you should engage in warm-ups. People tend to overlook warm-ups because they do not realize that it is important before any sporting or aerobic activity. Before attempting to lift weights you should take a few minutes to stretch and perform some aerobic activities. Stretching helps to increase flexibility and reduces the risk of injuries. Additionally, you should choose weight lifting techniques that will work all the major muscle groups such as the legs, arms, shoulders, chests and abdomen.

It is also important that weight lifters maintain a proper form while lifting weights. For example, during weight lifting your back should not be rounded. When performing upper chest workouts your incline should not be very steep, your body should be at a thirty degree angle. Your movements during lifting should be slow, smooth and continuous as oppose to fast and uneven movements. Fast and uneven movements during lifting can place unnecessary strain on your muscles and cause unwanted injuries.

It is normal to feel a dull ache after weight lifting, but you should not experience any other forms of pain. If you experience any pain, perhaps it is because you are overworking your muscles, or not maintaining a proper form. Whatever the case, you should discontinue lifting and return to it a few days later and then try decreasing the amount of weights you are using.

Do not overwhelm your muscles by working the same muscles every day. If you intend to lift weights everyday you should balance your workouts whereby, the different muscle groups will be worked out each day or you can work the same muscle groups every other day. Allow your muscles at least twenty four to forty eight hours rest and recovery time, in this way you reduce muscle fatigue.

Regular breathing is very important during weight lifting. Holding in your breath during lifting can result in your blood pressure increasing to levels that can be harmful to you and your body. Breathe out as you are lifting weights and breathe in as you are bringing the weights down.

By adhering to these simple tips on how to lift weights safely, you will reduce the risks of common injuries such as fractures, sprains, joint dislocations and long term injuries such nerve damage, bone stress, muscle overload and rotator cuff damage.

Are you ready to discover the latest weight lifting exercises there are?? Then stop wasting time and look at how to build muscle right now!

Weight Lifting For Wrestling

The term "weight lifting" specifically refers to the lifts contested in an Olympic lifting competition- the clean and jerk and the snatch. Although these happen to be two great ways to increase a wrestlers' power, I have observed that the wrestlers that I train struggle to learn the proper technique. I blame this on the fact that I do not have a thorough background with the Olympic lifts and the fact that they are two of the most complicating lifts to learn. However, I have been able to effectively use derivatives of these lifts to increase the power in wrestlers. Below I will detail the top three.

Weight Lifting for Wrestling Exercise 1- Log Clean

The log clean is by far the favorite lift the wrestler's I train like to perform when looking to increase their power. I feel it is just as effective at developing explosive hips as a traditional clean but it's easier to learn.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Low Back, Shoulders

Stabilizers: n/a

Setup: Grab the handles, lift the log off the ground while maintaining a flat back and position it against your hips with your knees slightly bent and your hips driven back.

Execution: Drive your hips forward while simultaneously rolling the log up your chest. As the log reaches the top of your chest drive your elbows up toward the ceiling and stand in an upright position with the log resting on the top of your chest. Lower the log back to your hips and repeat for reps. Never bend at the back in an effort to complete a rep that you're struggling with. This does nothing but put you at risk for serious injury.

Wrestler Usage: The log clean is another great way to develop powerful triple extension. Because the weight you'll be using is going to be considerably heavier than the med ball used for a lot of plyometric exercises, it will help to train you to be explosive against large external resistances (ie it will help you be more explosive when looking to lift/throw an opponent and return an opponent to the mat after they stand up).

Weight Lifting for Wrestling Exercise 2- Single Arm Dumbbell Push Press

This exercise is performed basically the same way as a traditional jerk would be only with a dumbbell. I like using dumbbells to mimic traditional Olympic lifts for a couple reasons. One, they're faster. When you only have a certain amount of time to get a lift in, putting a dumbbell back and grabbing a different one goes a lot quicker than changing plates. Two, I feel they're safer when only using one arm at a time. Having a hand free to redirect a falling weight from overhead, or to help catch a weight when you're bringing it down will greatly decrease your chances of injury.

Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Shoulder

Stabilizers: Core, Muscles of Rotator Cuff

Setup: Position a dumbbell on your shoulder as though you were going to perform a single arm dumbbell overhead press.

Execution: Perform a dip with your legs much like you would do before performing a vertical jump. Drive the weight up by attempting to jump off the ground. At the peak of your leg drive when you've reached triple extension begin to transfer the momentum that you've generated from your lower body to the arm you're holding the dumbbell with. Quickly press the weight overhead while you simultaneously squat back down to help catch the weight in a locked out, overhead position. The focus of this exercise should be to move the dumbbell from your shoulder to a locked overhead position as quickly as possible. You should not have to struggle to lock your elbow out; it should be one quick motion from your shoulder to overhead.

Wrestler Usage: The DB push press is another great way to develop coordination and power throughout the body. Using an exercise that requires you to produce maximal power from the lower body and transfer it to the upper body will directly carry over to faster, more powerful leg attacks, snap down go behinds, and stand ups.

Weight Lifting for Wrestling Exercise 3- Single Arm Dumbbell Snatch

The single arm dumbbell snatch, much like the single arm dumbbell jerk, is, for the most part, performed the same way as a traditional snatch would be. The single arm dumbbell snatch is great not only for training explosive hip extension necessary for better sprawls, faster takedowns, and more powerful throws, but also for developing both shoulder and core stability.

Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Shoulder, Traps

Stabilizers: Core, Muscles of Rotator Cuff

Setup: Hold a dumbbell in one hand in front of your hips with your knuckle out.

Execution: Perform a dip with your legs much like you would do before performing a vertical jump. Explode off the ground in an effort to perform a max vertical jump while simultaneously ripping the dumbbell up overhead. Finish with the dumbbell locked out over your shoulder. You should not have to press the dumbbell at all at the top; the Dumbbell Snatch should be one fluent, powerful movement.

Wrestler Usage: The applications are very similar to the Dumbbell Push Press. The Single Arm Dumbbell Snatch is great at developing full body stability, especially in the shoulder. This will help keep your shoulders healthy and feeling as good as they can during the season. Additionally, this exercise will improve the speed and effectiveness of your throws, leg attacks, mat returns and stand ups.

To find demonstrational pictures of these exercises sign up for my free newsletter. The sign up form is on the right side of my blog, Wrestler-Power, and the link is below. As a thank you for joining my community, I'll send you 2 free 3-week programs and 2 free Top 10 E-courses..

Dickie White is the co-founder of Shamrock Strength and Conditioning, one of the nation's top systems for training champion wrestlers. Dickie is a 2006 graduate of the Ithaca College Clinical Exercise Science program and holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). For more information on how you can improve your performance on the mat through his strength training system please visit his blog and sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.wrestler-power.com

Free Weight Lifting Workout Plan

Actually, the title of this article can be viewed a couple of different ways.

For example, this workout plan is set up for the use of free weights, such as barbells and dumbbells, and it is also a free workout plan dealing with weight lifting. Let's talk about both of these views for a moment.

First, however, this free weight lifting workout plan is intended for those who presently have very little or no experience with weight lifting, weight training, or other forms of progressive resistance training. So if you do already have experience, you won't find anything new here. These are just the basics to get folks started.

Next, let's very briefly discuss this idea of weight lifting, or more accurately, weight training for purposes of health, fitness, and weight loss. People tend to get confused, you know, by all the different terms - bodybuilding, weight lifting, weight training, progressive resistance training, and so on. Well, while you can "lift weights" in any of these, "weight lifting" is generally a particular type of competition and probably NOT what you are interested in at this level.

Maybe later you will be, but for the moment we will stick with basics.

Bodybuilding is also something done mainly by means of "lifting weights" but may also be done with other forms of progressive resistance training, such as with the Bowflex exercise machine. Again, this may become a goal someday, but it too is specialized and still requires some basic "weight training" or "progressive resistance training" to build the basic structure which the bodybuilder molds into competition form.

What we are going to talk about is "weight training" with a workout using free weights as a means of achieving health, fitness, weight loss, enhanced sports performance, or as a basis for future training for and participation in weight lifting or bodybuilding.

Before we get to the actual workout, two last points:

1. Make sure you get your doctor's approval before beginning any new exercise program.

2. Take it easy. The goal is to train your body from the inside out, and this takes time. Two of the most common reasons people fail to stick with any exercise program, whether weight lifting, running, or yoga, is that they try to do too much too fast, and/or they expect too much too soon.

It took your body years to get out of shape or get into whatever shape it is currently in. It cannot be whipped back into shape in a few days or weeks. The changes you are hoping for will come over time as you regularly perform your weight lifting workout plan. The changes will also be mostly invisible at first, so don't be upset if you don't get bulging biceps, or drop a dress size, after only a couple of weeks. In fact, a program such as this may actually sometimes seem to be moving you in the wrong direction at first. If you give it time and stick with it, however, it WILL work.

You may have to adjust starting weights at first, but, a trip to Walmart can get the ladies a pair of dumbbells weighing 1 or 3 lbs each. Men might want to start with 5 to 10 lbs. Don't overestimate your fitness level. If, after a couple of workouts you find that the idea of doing another workout is too tedious, it may be that your weights are too heavy and you may need to drop back a little. Don't worry, you are still improving your body. People have started effective weight training programs lifting 10 ounce cans of Campbell soup. One man I knew was so weak at first that he bought a set of barbells, but could only exercise with the bar itself at first...no weights on it. Later, his picture was appearing in muscle mags.

By the way, I prefer dumbbells because they require a little more action out of supporting muscles and muscle groups that don't get quite the same workout with barbells...and they are easier to store and travel with.

REPETITIONS, SETS, SCHEDULE, AND PROGRESSION

The basic goal is to start performing the following exercises three times a week, with at least one rest day between two exercise days. The most common schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but you can do Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday if that fits your schedule better. If you miss a day, don't worry about it. If you miss two or more days, just get back onto your schedule as quickly as you can. You might have to drop the weight or repetitions back a little when you get back to your workout. Do NOT workout if sick.

Start your new workout plan with one set of ten reps for each exercise. A rep, or repetition, is each complete exercise movement. A set is a collection of repetitions. One press or curl equals a rep. Ten presses, and then taking a rest comprises one set of ten reps. After completion of each set, rest for approximately one minute before beginning the next set.

After two weeks, add a second set of reps. After two weeks at that level, add a third set of reps. After two weeks at that level, increase each weight by a pound or two and drop the repetitions to eight or even six if eight is too much. Every week or so, raise the repetitions back up until you are at ten repetitions again. If this progression is too fast, maybe you can increase the first set week by week until you are at ten reps and then begin increasing the second set until you get to ten, and so on. Some dumbbells come in fixed weights, and you may be stuck with 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. Some, however, are adjustable, but again, you can usually only adjust upward 5 pounds at a time, although there are some 1 1/4 pound plates which would allow you to increase 2 1/2 pounds at a time. Drop the reps, and if necessary, the sets, until you can begin raising reps and sets back up again.

Everyone is different, so take your time and try to pay attention to what works well for you. If you start getting that sluggish, stale feeling like you are slogging through each workout or that it is becoming something you dread, your body may be trying to tell you that you are trying to progress too rapidly. Back off a level or two, or even take a day off, and then go back to the workout routine. It doesn't hurt to take a day off once in a while, either. Professionals may need to never miss a training day, but your goal is to make this a lifetime behavioral change, and getting fed up with it will not help.

THE EXERCISES

Always warm up before any exercise period.

1. The press: Stand with feet shoulder width apart (vary for comfort), dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing inward, and alternately raise and lower each dumbbell overhead. Works the triceps (back of arms), deltoids (shoulder), trapezius (neck to shoulder), and upper portions of the chest and back. If you are having to throw the dumbbell up, the weight is too heavy. The motion should be smooth and controlled going up and going down.

2. The curl: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, dumbbells hanging at sides. Alternately curl each dumbbell upward to the shoulder (palm facing your shoulder) and back down. Works the biceps (front of arm) muscle...the one you ask the girls to feel when you flex! Again, if you are having to arch your back or throw the weight upwards, it is too heavy. You need to be able to always control the progress upwards and downwards.

3. Bench press: If you have a bench, great. I still have the one my father built for me when I was 15 years old (47 years ago). If you do not have a bench, you can do a little of this on the floor, or, with lighter weights, using a couple of pillows. However, I do recommend getting some sort of bench to do this on. If you decide to get into weight lifting or bodybuilding, you WILL NEED a good bench designed for this, or go to a gym that has one.

Lie on your back with a dumbbell in each hand and press (raise) the weights straight up and lower them again. Try to let your elbows go down as far as they comfortably can on either side. This works the pectorals, the big muscles of the chest, the triceps, and the front of the deltoids.

NOTE TO THE LADIES: This does NOT increase breast size. However, it DOES increase the size of the muscle pad underneath the breast, helping to raise and support your bosom, making it LOOK like your breast size has increased. Also, regular exercise does away with excess fat around the breast, allowing it to appear to "stand out" more. Improved health and fitness due to exercise will also cause you to straighten up and pull your shoulders back, raising your bustline even more.

4. Rowing motion: One hand at a time. Bend over and rest the hand without the weight against a support, such as a chair seat, or the bench, if you have one. Leg nearest the support arm should be forward, other leg back. Let the weight hang and then, using the back and shoulder muscles, raise the weight smoothly to your chest and lower it just as smoothly. Once you have completed one set with one hand, switch off and do the same with the other hand. This works the latissimus dorsi (V-shaped muscles along the upper outside of the back), and the back of the deltoid.

5. Squat/Deadlift: I like to do this as a deadlift because I have osteoarthritis and it is easier for me to do the movement that way. It also allows me to exercise my lower back a little at the same time.

- Squat: Hold both dumbbells at shoulder level. Rest your heels on a small book or piece of wood about 1" thick and squat. Do NOT go beyond about half way as this can cause knee damage. If you want to get serious about exercising your legs, go to a gym and use their leg press machine. If you are not sure how far to go, do this exercise in front of a chair and sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up, etc., making sure you are having your legs do the work smoothly. No thrusting upward or falling down into the seat. Control the movement all the way. This mainly works the quadriceps (big muscles in the front of the thighs), and the "glutes" or gluteus maximus (buttocks).

- Deadlift: Hold both dumbbells so they hang at your side. Squat as above. trying not to let the dumbbells pull you forward. There will be a tendency towards a little more forward movement than with the squat itself, and you may have to bend your back a little more. Be careful with this and be sure that you are not bending way over and putting a big strain on your lower back muscles as they try to straighten you back up.

6. Toe raises: Holding the dumbbells at shoulder level, place your feet about six to eight inches apart with toes pointed slightly inward. Raise yourself up on your toes and lower your heels back to the floor, Stay in control and make it smooth. There will be a slight tendency at first to lose your balance. You can increase the effectiveness by putting the ball of your foot on that board you had under your heels for the squat. This works the gastrocnemius and soleus (calf muscles).

7. Crunches: Lay on your back with your hands beside your head - not behind - or crossed on your chest. Bring your feet up towards your buttocks, and put them (the feet - stop laughing) flat on the floor. At the start of each rep, flatten the lower back against the floor and curl the upper body upwards in one smooth movement. At the top of each curl, briefly attempt to raise the body a little more. Lower the body back down. If the hands are placed behind the head, there is a tendency to pull on the head, and this can cause injury and does nothing to help the exercise. Crunches, or curl-ups as they are sometimes called, work the rectus abdominis (abdominal muscles).

The field of weight training, much less exercise in general, is very broad, and one of the major benefits of weight lifting for fitness is that there are innumerable specific variations on these basic exercises which can be used to target specific muscles or muscle groups, and a broad range of exercise equipment has sprung up to help bodybuilders and weightlifters in their pursuit of higher levels of performance or form. If you desire to go further in these areas, you will need a lot more guidance than is available here.

However, for the moment, this free weight lifting workout plan is enough to get you started.

Donovan Baldwin is a freelance SEO copywriter residing in Copperas Cove, Texas, and a University of West Florida alumnus (BA Accounting 1973). He is a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. In his career, he has held many managerial and supervisory positions. However, his main pleasures have long been writing, nature, health, and fitness. In the last few years, he has been able to combine these pleasures by writing poetry and articles on subjects such as health, fitness, He has an exercise and fitness blog at http://nodiet4me.blogspot.com.

Weight Lifting Does More Than Increase Strength

Weight lifting should be part of any fitness program. It is a great way to increase your strength and is an excellent exercise choice for nearly everyone. Weight lifting can help with strength, weight loss, and general fitness. Weight lifting can be a very safe and effective form of exercise, when performed correctly and consistently. It is a valuable form of exercise for most people, from the teen to senor years.

Unfortunately, some of the benefits of weight lifting are not widely known. Weight lifting is essential for good health. One positive aspect of weight lifting is that bone density will increase with consistent training and aid in the prevention of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a bone thinning disease that can lead to serious fractures. Osteoporosis adversely affects many women after menopause and some men in their senior years. Girls and young women should concentrate on building strong bones in order to decrease their risk of osteoporosis later in life. Women undergo rapid bone loss after menopause, when levels of estrogen drop significantly. The more bone density they have at that time, the more prepared they are to battle osteoporosis.

Rather than thinking of using weights to pump up, we must remember that weight lifting is imperative for maintaining good health. Besides improving bone density, using weights to exercise will increase muscular strength, improve coordination, improve balance, decrease body fat, and can lead to better overall health. And for those interested in weight loss, you may enjoy knowing that the more muscles you build, the more calories you will burn.

If you have never used weights to exercise, weight lifting is not something that you should start on your own. Weight lifting can be a very safe form of exercise, but you should seek the help of a fitness trainer to help get started. An experienced fitness trainer can assign an exercise routine and teach you how to perform each exercise safely. Beginners should use machine weight lifting in order to become accustomed to the proper motion and learn safely. Those more advanced can build strength efficiently with dumbbells and barbells.

Once on your own, be sure to perform each exercise with perfect form before increasing the weight. Three great exercises for the upper body are the chest press, shoulder press, and wide-bar pull down. For more variety in your fitness program an exercise routine may include pull-ups, rowing, biceps curls, and triceps extensions. Popular lower body exercises include step-ups, squats, and the leg press. Besides weight training, body-weight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups are very effective when performed correctly. It is best to perform a variety of exercises, appropriate for your fitness level, to ensure you have a well rounded fitness program. Performing the same exercise routine over and over will eventually result in a plateau. Your muscles will have adapted to the routine. At that point you must change the exercise routine otherwise you could decrease your chances of reaching your goal.

Weight lifting should be part of your complete fitness program. Cardiovascular exercise such as walking on a treadmill or using an exercise bicycle should also be performed on a regular basis. And of course, flexibility exercises must be included in each workout in order to keep the best possible range of motion throughout your body. As previously mentioned, weight lifting, when performed correctly and consistently, is essential for a healthy life.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a new exercise program. Keep in mind that you should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health.

By Karen M. Goeller, Fitness and Gymnastics Author

Karen Goeller has more than 25 years of experience training athletes and an education that includes training in emergency medicine, physical therapy, and nutrition. She has held certifications that include Fitness Trainer, EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, and many Gymnastics Certifications among others. Goeller has tremendous experience with training in a variety of settings. Karen Goeller is the author of the Swing Set Fitness books, the Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning books, and many additional products. She has written more gymnastics books than anyone in the USA. Her books are used by fitness experts, sports coaches, teachers, and athletes worldwide. Karen Goeller has worked for world's most famous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, owned a gymnastics club for ten years, and has been featured in several newspapers and on television many times.

For more information on Karen Goeller visit http://www.KarenGoeller.com For more information on her fitness books visit http://www.SwingWorkouts.com For more information on her gymnastics books visit http://www.GymnasticsBooks.com

Selecting A Fat Loss Weight Lifting Routine

Regardless of what diet you use, if you want to maximize your fat loss and more importantly, if you want to keep your new shape instead of rebounding and gaining all of the fat back (and possibly more), you need a good fat loss weight lifting routine. When combined with proper diet and cardio-vascular (aerobic) exercise, weight lifting can result in dramatic and long term changes. There is a lot of research and conflicting information about weight lifting. How can you decide which program is right for you?

Many people start lifting weights because they have been told that muscle burns more calories than fat. While this is true, current research shows that the difference is not as great as once thought. If you are trying to lose weight quickly, a weight lifting routine won't make a lot of difference.

If you are looking at an overall lifestyle change, weight lifting can make a huge difference. Either way, to sustain your body-fat percentage, weight lifting will help. Much of the benefit of weight lifting for fat loss comes from the increase in lean muscle. Since muscle burns fat even when you aren't doing anything, you benefit 24 hours a day. It's estimated that you can lose an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days by gaining just 10 pounds of muscle.

A common belief is that you should lift heavier weights to gain mass and lighter weights to slim down. This is no longer a popular belief with researchers. Lifting lighter weights does not lead to significant muscle gain and is generally not intense enough to qualify as an aerobic exercise, so there is little reason to perform light weight/high rep routines.

For maximum benefits you should select a routine that requires you to perform with weights heavy enough to allow only 8-12 repetitions. Many women avoid lifting heavy weights because they are worried about becoming to bulky. For the vast majority of women this isn't a problem. Most women don't have enough testosterone (required for muscle growth) to result in huge muscle gains.

Your program should target all the major muscle groups. A lot of people dislike working the lower body because the exercises often seem un-natural and more difficult. This is mainly because most people don't use their legs for much more than walking and the occasional light lifting. Many people also experience extra soreness the day after a lower body workout. This is also because the muscles are being used in new ways (not because of lactic acid as commonly believed.) Your muscles will eventually become accustomed to the new exercises and become less sore.

Your fat loss weight lifting routine should include lower body workouts. Don't skip them. There are a lot of large muscles in the legs and as they grow, they too will burn calories.

Probably the most important thing you can ask yourself about any fat loss weight lifting routine is "Can I stick with it?" If you are going to stop lifting in a week, a month, or even a year, you won't enjoy the lifetime benefits. Remember, weight lifting isn't a quick fix when you're looking to drop a few extra pounds before a big event. Weight lifting is a long-term lifestyle change. If it isn't enjoyable, you won't stick with it.

When combined with diet and aerobic exercise, a fat loss weight lifting program can help you develop the body you want. More importantly, it can improve your overall health and fitness for the rest of your life.

Jason Conley struggled with weight loss on and off for years. While in the military (Air Force, 15-years) he often needed to drop a few pounds before a PT test and weigh-in. He started [http://fat-loss-eating.com] to help others who would like to lose weight. Get information on fat loss using methods you have never tried before.

Weight Lifting Tips - 2 Absolutely Golden Rules For Ultimate Results!

Whether you're lifting weights to bulk up or whether you're lifting weights to burn fat, whether you're male or female (Yes, if you're female you should be lifting weights!), then you obviously want to get make sure that you're lifting them optimally and getting the results you desire as quickly as possible!

No use wasting more time, right? Gaining muscle or burning fat take long enough as it is without you slowing your progress by using the wrong weight lifting exercises or incorrect technique so here are the most important weight lifting tips that you should be following! Be ready to take some notes..

1) Exercise Selection - Use compound exercises!

Before I get into compound exercises, you should make sure that you have a goal established!

The most common are gaining weight or losing it. This tip applies to both. In fact, this tip applies to you even if you're looking for sports specific power or speed as well.

You must use compound movements! What are these? You know those little exercises you're doing at the moment? Tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, leg extentions, leg curls? These AREN'T them!

While there is a place for these exercises, they're inefficient! Men over use them as well, but ladies sorry, you guys are the biggest culprits for getting a teeny pink dumbell and kicking your arm back until the cows come home!

If you want to build maximum muscle or burn the most calories/fat in the shortest period of time, you MUST use BIG exercises! I'm talking squats, lunges, deadlifts, bench presses, dips, pull ups etc!

How does that work? Simply because you are using more muscle groups in one exercise!

2) Are You Using Sufficient Weight?

Now I ask this with caution because I don't want my readers running off piling on tons of weight to their barbell while their exercise technique takes a nose-dive rendering it ineffective, or worse, causes an injury.

However, if you are using those baby weights and can do a million repetitions until night becomes day, then you're not lifting heavy enough! Again, this applies to both genders!

Think of your body as a survival vessel. Your body will only adapt and make changes to your body to ensure your survival.

Now if you were your body, do you really think those teeny pink dumbbells are a threat to your existence?? No? How do you expect your body to change then?

Now this sounds extreme and it sounds like I'm asking you to give yourself a near death experience! Not so but do give your body a reason to change by lifting CHALLENGING weights! You won't grow muscle if you aren't sending your body the signal that they need to be bigger in order to handle the heavy weights.

If your goal is to burn fat, you must provide as much stimulation as you can to preserve your muscle tissue! If you lose muscle tissue, your metabolism will slow down which means...Hello fat gain!

A good guideline is to ensure that the last 2 repetitions of your exercise feel like you're using every last muscle fiber in your body to complete the rep. (depending on the kind of training you're doing)

I sincerely hope these 2 weight lifting tips have helped move you forward and closer to your fitness goals - Don't over complicate things, just take action!

Rather than wasting your money on the latest (useless) supplement, you can find my honest reviews of the best muscle building e-books online at my blog http://loseweightbuildmuscles.com

You can also sign up to my free 5 day e-course to learn the 5 crucial principles to building muscle or burning fat!

If you're fed up of being skinny or overweight, check out my blog to help you build muscle fast or lose weight fast

Weight Lifting 101

WHY WEIGHT LIFTING?

What's the one thing that you can do to lose weight, re-shape your body, improve muscle tone, become stronger, fight off osteoporosis, lower blood pressure, etc.?

Weight Lifting! Or as it's also called, Strength Training!

For the rest of this book I will refer to the art of weight lifting as strength training. One of the reasons a lot of people don't lift weights is because they are intimidated by the word weight lifting.

It amazes me to see how many people avoid lifting weights for one reason or another.

Let me make sure you are clear of one very important fact.

LIFTING WEIGHTS IS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR OVERALL HEALTH!!!

Let's jump right in and start off by covering exactly "what" strength training is.

It's actually very simple. Strength training or weight lifting is the lifting of heavy weights and/or resistance in a prescribed manner as an exercise or in athletic competition.

Notice I said weights and/or resistance. It doesn't have to necessarily be a weight plate or a dumbbell. We'll get into that more later.

As simple as that definition of strength training sounds, why are you and so many other people not doing it?

The answer to that is probably one of these two:

You're not sure what to do, or you're confused about what to do.

You have never realized that strength-training can and will build muscle, which in turn will help you look and feel great.

You very well could be on a strength-training program right now.

Even if you are, I want you to really pay attention to what we're going to talk about for the rest of the book. I'm sure it is going to have you thinking differently about why you should be lifting weights from now on.

We're going to talk about why developing a strength training program will ultimately help you lose weight, add some muscle tone, look better and feel better about yourself.

We will go over some "myths" about strength training and the real facts behind them.

So, whether you're new to strength training or you've been doing it for years, pay close attention.

MYTHS

Let's first clear up some of the misconceptions about strength training and the truth behind these myths.

This first myth is the "biggie" and it has prevented many of you from weight lifting (especially women).

It sounds a little something like this; "I don't want to lift weights because I don't want to get big and bulky."

It's a shame that a lot of people think like this because it is so far from the truth. Let's explore that myth a little.

When you think of weight lifters, you probably think of body builders, right?

You think of the men and women on ESPN parading around in little swimsuits with big bulky muscles popping out all over the place.

There are three reasons for this:

These people are an extremely minute percentage of the population.

That is their livelihood and they spend 4 to 5 hours a day in the gym.

Some of them are using performance-enhancing drugs (steroids, etc.) to look like that

So if you can get that image of the "bodybuilder" out of your head and think in terms of the average everyday person, you will see why the myth about getting bulky is just that, a myth!

What we're going to talk about next I will try to explain to you in an easy to understand way, without using any medical or professional terminology.

When you lift weights your body builds muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest). The more calories you burn the less you weigh.

It's as simple as that!!!

Let me give you an example of this that might make it a little easier to understand. We'll talk about 2 women in this example.

Let's say you and your best friend are sitting on the couch watching some T.V. You personally strength-train 3 times a week, but your friend does not.

After an hour of watching T.V goes by, who will have burned more calories?

The common answer to that would be that you both burned the same (almost nothing), since you weren't doing anything.

But the actual answer would be that you burned more calories, and I'll tell you why for one simple reason. THE MORE MUSCLE YOU HAVE THE MORE CALORIES YOU BURN!!

Now you might say to yourself, "But if I lift weights, my muscles will get bigger and I will appear big and bulky."

This does have a tendency to happen to men sometimes, and that is because of the male hormone testosterone. But what also happens to men, just like the women, is that they will get rid of the fat and replace it with lean muscle.

So the lean added muscle will now be there instead of the soft jelly-like fat.

With that said, keep this in mind. Evan though men have more testosterone, it would still be very difficult for a man to get big and bulky. You would have to train like a real bodybuilder in order for this to occur. Being genetically blessed doesn't hurt either.

And if you did see yourself starting to "bulk" up a little, and that's not what you want, just decrease the amount of weight you are lifting. Very simple.

Women on the other hand, do not have enough testosterone to even come close to "bulking up".

Which brings us to another myth.

That myth being one of the most popular in the world of exercise, which is, "Muscle weighs more than fat."

How ridiculous is that saying?

That's like the old joke, "Which weighs more--10 lbs. of steel or 10 lbs. of feathers?"

Hopefully by now you know that the answer to that question is that they both really weigh the same. 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. no matter what it is made of.

Let's go over this in a little more detail.

Muscle is much more compact and dense than fat. It actually takes up less space than fat does because of that. That makes sense, right?

Fat, on the other hand, is very soft and jelly-like and is a lot bigger than muscle. By that I mean it takes up more space than muscle does.

Let me give you another example to clarify this a little more.

If you were to take 10 lbs. of fat and 10 lbs. of muscle and roll each of them into a ball, the 10 lbs. of fat might be the size of a bowling ball. In comparison, the 10 lbs. of muscle would be about the size of a baseball.

Let's take this a step further and use you and your friend in an example. You and your friend, for argument sake, are both 5' 5" tall and both weigh the exact same weight of 130 lbs.

Your friend, as we mentioned, does not lift weights or do any kind of strength training. Her dress size is a size 12.

You, on the other hand, lift weights and follow a strength-training program 3 times a week. Your dress size is a size 8.

If you and your friend were standing side by side people would definitely think that you weighed less than your friend. But in reality you both weigh exactly the same.

How can that be?

It all relates back to what I said earlier. Muscle does not weigh more than fat, it weighs the same. It is more compact than fat and it takes up less space. So you, the strength trainer, have more muscle than your friend does which means you will take up less space.

That's why it's also not a good idea to let the scale be your judge of your progress. You can very well have lost weight, but it won't show up on the scale sometimes. A good indication of progress is how your clothes fit. If you are getting smaller, or should we say more compact/dense, you will notice that your clothes are getting a little looser.

Well all right you say, "I'll lift weights, but I'm only lifting light weights and doing lots of repetitions."

This is another mistake a lot of you are making. Now I'm not saying that this is the wrong way to lift, but it is not the optimal way to go about strength training if you are looking to lose weight and change your body.

So, is it all right for you to lift heavy weights and fewer repetitions? ABSOLUTELY!!

There's another statement you need to clear your head of---"I shouldn't lift heavy weights because that is for bodybuilders."

You absolutely can and should be lifting heavy weights if you want to change your body!

Let's take a moment now to recap some of the main ideas we have just covered;

Lifting weights will not make you bulky (it will make you leaner and more toned)

Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat; it's simply more compact and denser than fat. (Remember, muscle actually takes up less space than fat)

The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest!).

Now you are well informed of why strength training will help you look and feel great. Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you might have had and now you are ready to "hit the weights."

"WHAT DO I DO NOW"?

So you now know what strength training is and you know why it will help you change your body.

"But how do I actually go ahead and get started?"

As I said before, this is one of the main reasons if not THE main reason that most people don't lift weights.

But what if I was to tell you that it's not nearly as complicated as you might think.

What we're going to discuss now is the "nuts and bolts" of designing a strength-training program.

Let me first start out by saying that if you are out of shape, haven't exercised in awhile, suffer from any kind of medical condition (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) or are over 40 years old, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get a physical to make sure you are ready to start lifting weights.

With that said, here we go!

One of the very popular questions is what equipment do I need to strength train? Or better yet, what equipment is the best?

Luckily, there are plenty of options; machines, free weights (dumbbells), elastic bands, using your own body weight, which is called isometrics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.).

I guess the best way to decide what equipment you are going to use is to first decide exactly where you'll be working out.

Will you be at home, or will you be at some kind of gym or fitness center?

Let's first explore the many options you have at a gym or fitness center.

Depending on your particular gym, you will probably have the choice of using free weights (dumbbells, weight bars, weight plates, etc.) or machines.

If you are a beginner to lifting weights, I highly recommend you use the machines for a few reasons.

Almost no chance of injury

Much easier to use proper form

Easily change weights via a pin

Also when using machines, especially the newer ones, there is usually a picture on the machine that demonstrates someone doing the actual exercise.

There is also a great product out now that is a ring of 50 pocket-sized exercise cards. They not only show a full color photo of each exercise, but each card also contains easy-to-read instructions as well as helpful trainer's tips and common training mistakes, which are found on the back of the cards.

These cards are excellent and I highly recommend them.

Log on to my web-site at [http://www.thefitnessleader.com] and go to the "Products" page. There you will see a link for the cards. Click on that link and order your set of cards today. There is a lot more that comes with your set of 50 cards, and they are definitely worth having.

Another option is to purchase some really great books.

There are hundreds of great picture books out there to help you get started.

If you go to my web-site (www.thefitnessleader.com) and go to "products", there you will find a link to Amazon.

Once you click on the link, you will find some great books that I recommend that are very helpful for the beginner exerciser.

There is of course the third option, which is to hire one of the personal trainers that works at your gym or an in-home personal trainer, like myself, who comes to your house and sets you up on a program.

One word of advice if you decide to get a trainer. Make sure this person has the right credentials (personal trainer certification and/or fitness related degree). Don't just assume that since they work in a gym or because they call themselves a personal trainer, that they are qualified.

It's always best to watch the trainers for a couple of weeks if you are at a gym, or get a free session from an in-home trainer. See how they operate, how they get along with their other clients, what kind of personality they have, etc. Make sure you think that they will be a good fit for you.

I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.

Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.

Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."

"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"

ABSOLUTELY!!

A lot of people feel the same way that you do. Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.

Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.

For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.

The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).

It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.

Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.

Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need. First off is a bench.

BENCH

The bench you purchase should be multi-functional. In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat. Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline. It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.

It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.

FREE WEIGHTS

There are numerous types of free weights to choose from. There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.

Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.

One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System. It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all. It's actually quite a space saver. It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial. So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair.

This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.

You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link. It is called the ProBell Classic.

Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.

For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises.

I personally use these myself and with all my clients. I love them!!!

BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package. It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet. At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50. It's a great value.

You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.

Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:

How many days a week?

How many sets and repetitions?

When do I change my routine?

These are all very good questions. Let's take a look at the first question now.

HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?

There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question. It really all comes down to two things:

How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?

How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?

Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).

That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.

As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.

This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout. Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day. There are good and bad points to this.

The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part. The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.

That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out. This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week. The most bang for your buck.

So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week. If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.

With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.

This will give you a chance to ease into it. Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.

HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?

Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.

When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.

Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions. You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.

Simple, right?

What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).

The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing. It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.

The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.

Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.

Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals. Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.

But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body. So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.

Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!

Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?

Very simple. Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.

HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?

Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.

I can give you a recommendation though. 1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.

If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise. Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it. Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.

And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets. This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.

And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.

This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.

WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?

Never!

Just kidding. That's actually another big mistake that a lot of people make. They do the same thing over and over again, day in and day out.

That will work for a beginner just starting out, and you will see some improvement, but after about 6 to 8 weeks you will start to plateau.

Your muscles need to be challenged or "shocked" in order to stimulate them.

On the other hand, you also want your muscles to adapt and improve to the increasing weight.

By that I mean you want to give your muscles a chance to get stronger and you want to be able to increase the weights on the same exercise and see what the most weight is that you can actually lift on that same exercise.

For that reason you don't want to change your routine every time either.

"So what's the bottom line then? How often should I change my routine?"

A good rule of thumb to follow is to keep your routine relatively the same for about 6 to 8 weeks, then make some changes.

"What exactly do you mean by change the routine?"

The best way to change your routine is to do totally different exercises. Let's say for example that for your leg muscles you've been doing leg presses, lunges and leg extensions. For a complete change you can now do squats, leg curls, and abduction (for the outer thigh).

Other changes include;

changing from using a free weight to a machine for a particular exercise.

doing 4 or 5 sets instead of 3.

switching the order of your exercises. Instead of training your chest, back, biceps, shoulders, legs and triceps, you can do just the reverse. Triceps, legs, shoulders, etc.

The possibilities are endless. The nice thing is that there is no "wrong" way.

Which brings up a good point. There is no wrong routine, but your form and/or technique can be wrong.

Always remember to use a slow, controlled motion. Don't use momentum or "jerk" the weights around.

It should take you approximately 2 to 3 seconds to lift or push the weight (which is called the positive) and 3 to 4 seconds to lower or let down the weight (which is called the negative).

That's right, it should take you a little longer to lower the weight than it takes to raise it.

Most people do the opposite and that's why you see a lot of people using momentum and jerking the weights around. You're not using your muscles when you do it like this.

And that's really it! As you can see, it's not all that difficult. What it does take is a COMMITTMENT. If you can make a COMMITMENT and be consistent with your strength training program, I GUARANTEE you that you will be successful and notice considerable changes in they way you look and feel.

With that said, just take a moment now and look over the main areas of a successful strength-training program:

The optimal strength training routine should be performed 2 to 3 days/wk.

you should do 2 to 3 sets for each exercise.

use a weight that will fatigue or challenge you to do between 8 and 12 reps.

change your routine approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to prevent plateaus.

always use proper form; slow, controlled movements. No jerking the weight or using momentum.

and most important, make sure to visit your doctor and get a physical so you know you have no medical conditions that would prevent you from participating in a strength training routine.

There you have it, a nice little introduction to the world of strength training. Something that I hope will help you get started.

So give strength training a try, you have nothing to lose (except for maybe a few pounds of fat!!!).

If you're a woman and you'd like to learn how to lose weight by exercising and eating healthy, please go to: http://www.booklocker.com/books/1370.html

This is a great book that will have you looking and feeling better than you ever have.

About The Author

Kevin is the owner/operator of A & B Fitness, which is an in-home personal training company located in Northern New Jersey. He has a degree in Exercise Physiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Health/Fitness Instructor. Kevin is also am Advanced Level Personal trainer by IDEA. kvallu@optonline.net