“When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire.” – Quote from an 11-year-old’s science exam
I recently read a book by Osho, the wonderfully non-PC mystic and guru. In the book, Osho instructed the reader to pay attention to their breathing rate when they were sad, and notice the timing of the in-breath and out-breath.
He explained that next time they were happy, they could re-induce the sad state by merely repeating the breathing pattern. Fortunately, he added, it works the other way round too!
Follow some or all of these exercises;
1. When you are experiencing a powerful, positive state, allow yourself to become aware of your breathing rate. Pay particular attention to the timing and rhythm of your in-breath and out-breath.
2. Next time you are in a neutral or negative state, start breathing at the rate and rhythm from exercise one, and within a minute or so, the positive state should begin to return.
Many gurus advise people to do breathing exercises regularly. I know Tony Robbins does in his marvellous book “Unlimited Power” he advises that you start each day with a breathing exercise of inhaling slowly and deeply, then holding it for twice as long as the inhalation and exhaling in twice the pace.
It really is invigorating and a great way to get motivated at the start of the day, especially if you are looking to do some things with your day that require motivation.
Breathing is powerful, our life force and is a major factor influencing our state of mind (if you uncertain about this, hold your breath for two minutes & re-read this sentence)
This being the case, please use your common sense when doing any of these exercises (if you have a respiratory condition, please check with your health advisor first.) I do not want any asthmatics complaining that they did themselves harm following these exercises!!
So, thirdly; Start breathing comfortably but deeply, in through your nose & out through your mouth. Imagine that you are breathing from that area of your abdomen just beneath your belly button.
Make the in-breath last to a count of 5 and the out-breath to a count of 6. Continue for at least 2 minutes, and notice what happens.
This 5:6 ratio seems to be a simple yet powerful way you can induce a relaxed state at will.
The art of Yogic breathing is called Pranayama. Pranayama offers many different approaches for cleansing the mind & body through breathing exercises.
These techniques can be very powerfully utilised when wanting to get in control of your state if you are going through a period of change such as reducing your weight, stopping smoking or developing more confidence.
Please remember that most people don’t breathe nearly enough. Start to breathe more deeply and notice how much better you feel. Have lots of fun with this.
Notice how good you can make your self feel when you breathe differently.
If you are bored or lonely, why not try improve your jump! Sounds strange? Not really! It can give you a good workout; you get stronger legs and become more agile. If you are into sports, you can gain that extra advantage if you play sports like basketball, football, softball, soccer, baseball, volleyball, track and field!
In the program you will learn to work on the five most important areas of jump and agility training. You will get information on methods to increase general strength, how to achieve maximum strength and power, range of motion, reactive training and speed of movement.
According to Jay most athletes can add 2-4 inches by following a program, but difficult part is to go further from there and achieve 4-8 and 8-12. This program addresses the 5 most important aspects of jump training that are crucial for achieving the results you want to achieve.
The program includes personalized training programs. These will help you maximize results as you can create a program according to your own strengths and weaknesses.
The program has test that enables you to determine where you should start. It also allows you to concentrate on different aspects of jump training and focus on exercises that will instantly add to your vertical.
With Power Vertical you can find out what effect your current jumping style will have on your training. You can learn what effect your jumping technique (one foot or two foot) has on the type of training that is right for you.
There are two broad sections of the program. In one the focus is on best exercises for a core program and in the second you will find the best exercises for a sport specific program.
Only the best exercises that will give you results in minimum duration of time are included in this program. All you have to do to get the results you are looking for is to workout for 30 minutes twice a week. The program also covers all three seasons of the year (Off-season, Preseason, and In season).
With this program you can find out what is your maximum vertical that you can achieve with this program. Learn your potential by examining your bone structure, length, body type, and what role do genes play in determining your vertical jump.
Here are some reviews for the program:
“I didn’t used to be able to touch the rim.
Pathetic for 6″1.
Now I can grab it with jeans and
running shoes on….hahahhaha…so great” ~ Steve Williams
“Thanks Jay the program is great.
Added 8.5 inches to my vert.
The kids at the basketball camp I work at
love that I can dunk over them. Great Program” ~ Brad McCabe
“Thanks for the program power vert. My kids won two tournaments and made it to the city finals this year. I added the principles of your program to their traininga and it really paid off. I know it added a real sense of purpose and motivation, and they love jumping higher” ~ Coach Piakowski
You will also get information on topics like body composition, fast twitch vs. slow twitch, multiple categories of plyometric training, what your weak points are and how to fix them fast, platform shoes, supplements, weighted clothing, training aids, and lot of other things.
What more, there is a 60 day money back guarantee just in case you don’t find it useful! So, check it out today!
You might be interested to learn more about the arts and feat used by ninjas! There is this english man from England called Martin who spent 6 years learning this art of Ninja from japanese masters. He works like everybody in the day time, but when night comes, he turns himself into a ninja and uses his feat and kung fu to fight criminals on the streets!
Modern day Ninja from England!
Ninja kung fu and skills!
Martin has learnt kung fu from the age of 5 and has always dreamed of becoming a hero who does only the good. He spent 6 years traveling all the world over looking for teachers and masters who can teach him his craft and finally succeeded in learning the real art of Ninjas from his Japanese masters. It has been reported that he can make his escape in smoke! His wife even forbids him from using his ninja skills at home!
If you can read chinese, you can read his full story here.
If you desire to learn Ninja skills, you might want to check out this underground Ninja course! Click here for more info!
These are smart training shoes that will protect a runner’s feet and provide the support and cushioning that is necessary during training.
The MR993 are high performance New Balance mens shoes. New Balance have been producing running shoes for decades. The MR993 is the newest version of a style of New Balance shoes that has been produced by the company since 1980. New Balance manufactures the 993 in the United States, ensuring that these shoes are produced ethically.
The current version of the MR993 New Balance mens shoes has been modernized to ensure that it provides comfortable, but high performance running shoes.
These running shoes provide cushioning for the athlete, but they also have plenty of inherent stability to support the foot. New Balance shoes have many dedicated wearers and the 993 will please anyone who has previously worn the 991 or 992 versions.
The 993 is in face more similar to the 991 in many ways than to the 992 because it combines both gel and foam cushioning, unlike the 992 which relied mainly on gel cushioning.
The New Balance 993 training shoes provide runners with a lightweight and comfortable ride. The MR993 New Balance shoes are specifically designed for running. They are suitable for runners who roll outwards or inwards, and they provide sufficient support to protect the feet while exercising.
The 993 shoes feature ABZORB cushioning in both the forefront and heel, and the midsole has been flexibly shaped in order to allow the foot to move naturally. The MR993 shoes have also been reduced in weight by about an ounce compared to the older 992 New Balance shoes.
The sole of the MR993 shoes have been engineered for endurance. They are designed to reduce wear, particularly on the heels, which are often the part of the shoe that is subjected to the most stress while running. The Ndurance sole also ensures that the runner has plenty of stable traction for running on different surfaces.
The 993 are available in different widths as well as different sizes. This is ideal for a runner because it ensures that a properly fitting shoe can be worn.
The MR993 running shoes are available in a selection of different colors. There are versions in black, grey, grey suede, navy and a combination of navy and carolina blue.
Hey, we all want to shed some pounds and get back to the body that we had when we were younger and didn’t appreciate it but it takes discipline, planning, and dedication to make that happen.
All too often people shed 10 or 15 pounds and then seem to stop losing weight. There is definitely a reason this happens and it should not be seen as failure or an excuse to give up on your weight loss goals.
=> Click here to ROCK your workouts with this unconventional method!
Here are 7 absolutely killer ways to maximize your fat burning routine and help ensure success with your weight loss goals.
1) Anaerobic Exercise
If you think you can just run laps or pedal that fat away, think again. Muscle tissue is what burns the most calories in our bodies and you need to life weights in order to create bigger muscles that will burn more calories. Now although aerobic exercises such as cycling or swimming are also necessary, the fact remains that building bigger muscles is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.
This is because you are creating a more efficient calorie burning machine by lifting weights which will ensure you success with your weight loss goals.
2) Warm-up and Cool Down
Warming up before exercising and taking the time to cool down afterwards with some light exercises are not generally seen as essential to a fat burning program.
However, the reason why a lot of people tend to give up on their weight loss goals is because they failed to see the progress they hoped for when they began.
=> Click here to ROCK your workouts with this unconventional method!
An injury, even one that only lasts for a few days, can set your weight loss goals back by weeks and lead to a loss of stimulation. You need to plan an extra twenty minutes into your weight lifting routine for these two essential activities or you risk injury and derailing your weight loss plan.
3) Diet, Diet, Diet
This should not be a killer way to maximize your weight loss goals but it is. The reason for this is because people tend to think of losing weight in two ways: diet, or exercise. Hey, these two go hand in hand and you are never going to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym unless you take care of your body outside of the gym. Stop thinking of meals in terms of three: instead, think 5 meals with smaller portions.
The FDA recently developed a new food pyramid with this very idea in mind and you should check it out before starting your fat burning program because it can save you a lot of time and energy if you get the diet part figured out before even stepping into the gym.
4) Plan Workouts
The body is the most complex machine on the planet and you can’t just hope to step into a gym and jump on a machine or some weights and think that you are going to see the results you want without knowing how they affect your body.
The ideal exercise routine is done only 3 or 4 times per week and only for 30-45 minutes at a time. You cannot work your body more than this because it will actually cause your muscles to break down which means you will be burning fewer calories, and therefore, not maximizing your fat burning routine in the gym.
=> Click here to ROCK your workouts with this unconventional method!
If you have any doubts about what kind of routine is ideal for your goals, don’t be afraid to consult an physical trainer to help you set up a program that is best suited for you.
5) Nutritional Supplements
If you really want to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym, then you need to consider using nutritional supplements. Now I am not talking about those crazy supplements that promise to burn fat for you while you sit and watch tv!
I am talking about essential fatty acids, amino acids, whey protein….things that will truly maximize your workouts that you can’t always expect to get in the foods you eat every day. Again, consult a physical trainer if you want to know which supplements are best for your weight loss goals.
6) Set Weekly Goals
I know that this just seems terribly obvious but the truth is that most people are not thrilled with the idea of working out so it is easy for them to skip a session or indulge in some pizza and think that they will make up for it next time. Listen, next time never comes and when you stop seeing the scales go down, the motivation just seems to stop. By setting weekly goals, you can track your progress and make it that much more likely that you will adhere to the goals when you see things are not going as expected.
7) No More Late Night Snacks
This one may not seem to make sense, but I assure you that it will help maximize your fat burning exercises. The reason is your metabolism. When you eat right before you go to bed, it throws your body off and you probably notice that you awaken and don’t feel hungry. Then, you skip breakfast entirely or only snack on a bagel or something on you way into work.
The result: the body goes into conservation mode. This means that it slows down your metabolism and that means you are burning less calories throughout the day.
=> Click here to ROCK your workouts with this unconventional method!
Plus, it increases the likelihood of snacking and basically just sets the scene for a bad cycle. Eating five smaller portioned meals per day also has to do with your metabolism as it has been found that metabolism remains highest when there is a consistent supply of food in the body. You might not believe that late night snacking affects the way your body burns fat when working out, but it does.
Now some of the things listed above are obvious while some just seem silly. And yet, taken together and consistently adhered to, these 7 little ideas will maximize your fat burning in the gym and get you to that body you can see in your mind but not the mirror far quicker than if you just go about things in a disorganized and inconsistent manner.
When it comes to building muscle I like to keep things simple. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of hot new products and exercises that promise to be the next best thing in muscle building.
Theses fancy exercises and products use long “scientific like” words and explanations to show you they work to build the most muscle.
In this article I am going to get back to basics. I am going to show your three muscle building exercises you can’t afford not to do and why you should be doing them.
These three exercises are the grass roots of building muscle and are essential for any serious training program. You might find it hard to believe, but with these three exercises alone you can pack on a serious amount of muscle.
I refer to these exercises as the “core” to any good program. When I start planning I muscle building program for a client I always start with these three basic exercises and build the program around them.
1) 3 core muscle building exercises: Squat
The squat is the biggest exercise for packing on serious poundage. There’s no argument about it. The squat is primarily a leg building exercise. You start the exercise with a barbell resting across your shoulders standing straight up. Then bending at the knees and hips you lower the barbell down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
And then push the barbell back to the starting position. The main muscle groups pulled into action for the squat are your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Secondary muscle groups include the lower back, adductors and to a certain extent your shoulder muscles.
As you can see many muscle groups are recruited for this exercise making it the biggest exercise and biggest potential muscle builder. Like all the core muscle building exercises, you should make the squat the first exercise you do on your leg training day.
Because it’s the biggest exercise you want your legs to be fresh and ready. If muscle building is your goal, aim for about 8-12 reps on the squat. Because you’ll be lifting heavy weights a good warm up is vital.
Squatting is very stressful for the lower body, especially the knees, so 5-10 minutes on the treadmill and some lights squats first up are recommended.
2) Bench Press The bench pres is the king of upper body building exercises.
For years the bench press has been used to measure a lifter’s strength. How many times have you been asked “how much do you bench?” I bet you’ve never been asked how much do you squat or how many chin ups can you do.
The bench is a simple yet extremely powerful exercise that targets the entire chest (pectorals), front shoulders (deltoids) and triceps. To perform a bench press you must lie on your back on a flat bench, grip the barbell at slightly wider than shoulder grip and press the bar straight down to your chest.
The bench press is the biggest upper body builder because it allows you to move the most amount of weight possible. This is its advantage over the dumbbell press.
With the help of a spotter you can also push yourself to lift heavier weights. There are also other advanced bench press techniques like board presses, bench press negatives and chain presses. See our link at the bottom for more details.
3) Wide grip Chin Up
If you were only going to do one exercise to work your back this would be it. The wide grip chin up is the ultimate test of a lifters power to weight ratio. This muscle building exercise is very demanding on the body. The wide grip chin up primarily hits the lats, but also targets the entire upper back, biceps and forearms.
To execute this exercise you need a chin up bar or assisted chin up machine. Hold the bar in a wide grip (greater than shoulder width) with your palms facing away from your body. Start in a “hanging” position with your arms fully extended.
Pull yourself up until your can get your chin over the bar and lower back to starting position. Most people will not be able to do wide grip chin ups without some lat/back training first. You can use the assisted chin up machine or lat pull down machine to strengthen your lats before attempting wide grip chin ups.
This is the most demanding back exercise you can do so it must be the first exercise in your session. When you should be doing these exercises Like I mentioned previously in this article, these exercises are the biggest muscle builders and also the most taxing on your body so they must be done at the beginning of your workout to get the maximum benefits.
I recommend that you do up to 5 sets on each exercise and vary the way you perform these sets each week. For example, the first week you do pyramid up sets, the second week you pyramid down and the third week you do straight sets. This keeps your muscles from getting accustomed to your routine.
At one point in time, every last one of us passionately wanted a chiseled rock-hard mid-section. We all want to know how to get great 6 pack abs.
Well here is one of the best kept secrets. It is the most coveted body part, the symbol of sexuality.
In study after study researchers and health specialist alike have found that decreasing fat in your abdomen, and waist to hip ratio is the single most significant step that you can take to stay healthy for life, and age gracefully.
Most of us have given up on the idea because our quest has for naught. We have been flooded with miss-information from fad diets, fat burner supplements, to exercise gadgets, promoting six week transformations with dramatic before and after photo’s, etc.
The key to that coveted six pack is not one thing, it is four things.
Bringing your body-fat level down by:
1.) Following a precise nutrition plan that has the right amount of protein combined together with the right amount and the right type of carbohydrates spaced strategically through-out the day, and around weight training and cardio sessions.
2.) An intelligent cardiovascular program
3.) An optimistic athletic mid-set
4.) Building up the muscles of the mid-section, and building up all other muscle groups
In this post let’s focus on #4.
The secret weapon for developing the musculature of the abdominal wall is a little known exercise called the ab vacuum. It targets you inner most abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis (TVA for short).
Most people don’t even know they have one let alone how to activate it. The TVA is like a corset, it is your own internal weight belt, holding your internal organs in place.
It is the foundation for the rest of the abdominal muscles, the internal and external obliques, and the rectus abdominis. If you have done crunches and leg-lifts until you are blue in the face and are still unhappy with your mid-section, this information could take your quest for that fit chiseled mid-section to the next level.
There are other benefits to strengthening your TVA.
• It is the only exercise that has the ability to actually make your waist-line smaller.
• By working and strengthening the TVA you are actually giving your spine more support, so the risk of a vertebrae or a disc slipping out of place is less. Did you notice that the old leather weight belts are not used anymore?
That’s because we learned to tighten up our own internal weight belt on exercises verses using an external weight belt that shut off the need to activate the TVA which lead to injuries.
• Better sex. When you strengthen your TVA with the ab vacuum exercise you will be using your diaphragm and you will also strengthen your lower pelvic floor muscles (ala a kegel squeeze).
To perform a kegel exercise, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine mid-stream. Stronger pelvic floor muscles help women achieve orgasms and help men achieve and maintain erections. It also makes the orgasms more pleasurable. As soon as I tell my clients this, you can always be assured of overtraining of the TVA.
• You can work the other abdominal muscles more effectively. You can’t shoot a cannon out of a canoe. You can’t have strong walls on your building if your foundation is weak. When you strengthen up the foundation of your mid-section you will be able to perform your other abdominal exercises with more focused intensity. You will be able to feel the difference in weeks.
• Athleticism – The TVA is the deepest abdominal muscle group there is. It is truly the core the core. An athlete can have excellent cardiovascular condition and have strong leg and back muscles, but if his core muscles aren’t in optimal condition, this creates a weak link in the bodies muscle chain that affects all his movements. All movements and reactions start at the core. If core muscles don’t do their job to stabilize and move the torso, then arm and leg muscles will overcompensate, trying to do a job for which they are ill-equipped.
To get in tune with and activate your TVA simply place your hands around the sides of your body at your pelvis. Flatten your stomach by gently pulling in your gut, or pulling your belly away from your waist band. You can feel the TVA at work as it reduces the diameter of your torso in that area. This simple exercise also demonstrates the involvement of the abs in respiration, particularly exhalation.
I have put on an incredibly unique twist to this exercise. The combination of two little known exercises takes the effectiveness of this core exercise to the next level.
Basically, I have combined an ab vacuum with a kegele squeeze. Most women know what a kegel squeeze is. In child birth it gets the lower pelvic floor muscles stronger which aid in the pushing for child birth.
For men, when trying to perform a kegel squeeze, think about stopping the flow of urine mid-stream while pulling your belly-button back toward your spine (as you exhale about ½ of your lung capacity).
Also try to think about squeezing your sphincter muscles or like you have a quarter between your butt cheeks and you don’t want it too fall out.
Now lets perform the exercise:
To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90, feet flat on the floor and the small of your back pushed flat into the floor. Take in a very slow long breathe and start to slowly exhale ¾ of your air while you are pulling your belly button down toward your spine (I like to put my index finger on my belly-button and feel it raise as I take the long breathe in and then feel it start downward as I exhale ¾ of my lung capacity).
While at the same time pushing your lower back into the floor and drive you chin down toward your chest slightly. Once you have ¾ of your air out hold your breathe and suck in through your throat with your breathe being held for 5-10 seconds.
As you are holding your breath and sucking in, think about pulling your innards up and under your rib-cage. It is called the ab vacuum for a reason, it is a little hard to come out of it and resume your normal breathing. But you will, and once you do relax and take a couple breathes and repeat. Starting out do 1 set of 6-9 repetitions, 2-3 times per week.
You can do the ab vacuum anywhere, and need no equipment. It’s a great way to wake up, or to end your day. It will take lots of practice and each week you will be able to feel the muscles working more and more. Once you get good at the technique you will be able to feel a ½ circle burning sensation in the pubic area.
Don’t be alarmed, just feel good about mastering one of the most unique and effective abdominal exercises out there.
Please don’t give up on this exercise, once you master it you will be able to reverse gravity, and start to put back in place what years of inactivity and bad posture has started to let hang over your belt line.
Want to sharpen your confidence and shape up for the onslaught of Christmas parties? Learn how to burn fat effectively and transform your flabby tummy, beer belly and love handles into a toned and polished boy that packs a bunch! Click here to get started!
Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you’re like most women, you don’t always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.
You can still exercise–you just need to sneak in the equivalent in resourceful ways.
“The idea is to keep moving,” says fitness expert Ann Grandjean, EdD. “Get a cordless phone or put a long cord on your regular phone, and walk when you talk.
Find whatever works for you and just move.
Park half a mile from the mall and walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Those little, itty-bitty things add up.”
Every Stolen Moment Adds Up
Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after 5 months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.
In a landmark study conducted at the University of Virginia, exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser, PhD, asked men and women to complete 15 10-minute exercise routines a week. After just 21 days, the volunteers’ aerobic fitness was equal to that of people 10 to 15 years younger. Their strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility were equal to those of people up to 20 years their junior.
In yet another study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore found that for improving health and fitness in inactive adults, many short bursts of activity are as effective as longer, structured workouts. “It would be useful for people to get out of the all-or-nothing mind-set that unless they exercise for 30 minutes, they’re wasting their time,” says Gaesser.
Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, says Harold Taylor, time management expert and owner of Harold Taylor Time Consultants in Toronto, who has written extensively on the subject.
“Skipping exercise altogether is ‘de-motivational’–you feel depressed and guilty,” Taylor says. “If you skip it, you tend to figure, ‘What’s the use? I can’t keep up with it anyway.’ Yet as long as you make some effort each day, that motivates you onward. Success breeds success.”
Keep in mind, though, that short bursts of exercise are meant to supplement, not replace, your regular fitness routine. Here’s a roundup of practical ways to work exercise into your day even when you “don’t have time to exercise.” (You don’t have to do them all in 1 day; select what works for you.)
Mountain biking is a great way to explore the great outdoors, exercising and having fun. Racing down a mountainside is exhilarating; however, it can also be dangerous.
Although it is consider a dangerous sport, if done with utmost caution, mountain biking can be enjoyed by the whole family.
As with any outdoor sport, selecting the right equipment and an understanding of the sport will be the key to a great adventure.
Styles of Mountain Biking
Mountain biking can be categorized into three different styles. There is downhill, free riding, and cross-country. Although the styles are similar in some respect, they all require different skills. The style you select will determine the type of bike.
Mountain Biking Locations
Typically, this sport is known as biking on an unpaved surface. Most regions have areas specifically designed for this grand sport. State and federal parks are a good place to mountain bike.
However, you should check with your local parks to get the routes and other regulations or rules they may have. In addition, if you venture off to some state or federal land or any wilderness type area, it is best to know about the surroundings should there be any unexpected accidents.
There are also groups that have mountain bike rides and competitions. You could search the internet or local newspaper to see what is available in your area. There may be groups for the advanced rider as well as the novice.
Criteria to be a Great Mountain Biker
A prerequisite for a great mountain biker is endurance and stamina. In addition, it takes discipline to practice and the ambition to succeed and conquer the course. A novice mountain biker will have to overcome the bumps and bruises from falling of the bike. Like all sports, it takes practice and the constitution to keep trying.
Selecting Your Bike
Selecting your bike is a personal choice and contingent on the type of riding you will do. Bikes come in all different styles, shapes, and prices, therefore selecting the perfect one for you can be difficult. Again, do some internet research or venture out to do some comparison-shopping before you get ready to make a purchase.
Ask to try out a bike before you buy. A good mountain biker becomes one with his or her bike. Check for comfort, fit, and how it is geared, all these factors need to be considered.
Staying Safe
As mentioned earlier, mountain bike riding on unpaved roads can be hazardous. The typical safety gear is a helmet, knee and elbow pads. You should also consider goggles if riding in a very dense wooded area or if following a group of bikers. Safety should be your top priority and not taken lightly when riding no matter what the terrain.
