Three Ways Yoga Can Make You a Better Athlete

Yoga is often referred to as the “hippy sport,” a name which is no doubt influenced by the normal practitioners of the Eastern art, but there are actually a lot of ways yoga exercises can make you a better athlete. Yoga exercises for athletes is a concept that hasn't gained a lot of momentum yet, but just one look at the health benefits of yoga would make any serious athlete at least consider incorporating some moves into their normal workout routine. Here are three ways yoga exercises for athletes are especially beneficial.

Yoga Increases Circulation

One of the main points to doing yoga is the fact that it improves circulation throughout the body, which in turn delivers more oxygen to cells and organs that otherwise might not be getting enough. With increased circulation, you get increased mental ability, improved focus, stronger joints, and healthier skin, which anybody in the public spotlight needs. Over time, this increased blood flow will serve to prevent more serious athletic conditions, like blood clots. Stamina is increased when more oxygen is present in the muscles, and you'll find that your time in between workouts gets shorter and shorter because your muscles will heal faster after each exercise session. For sports injuries, there's no better remedy than improved circulation, which will bring down swelling and reduce inflammation.

Yoga Lowers Your Respiratory Rate

One of the “side effects” of yoga is that it promotes a sense of calm, partially due to the increased supply of oxygen in the brain, which in turn lowers your respiratory rate. Your lungs will ultimately become more efficient, allowing you to train harder and longer without becoming winded. Using controlled breathing exercises, you'll be able to promote this effect and take those same breathing exercises with you out into the gym or onto the field. Another benefit of having a lower respiratory rate when using yoga exercises for athletes is that your heart doesn't work as hard either. As you calm your breathing, your heart rate will slow at the same time, which will help keep your internal temperature down.

Yoga Promotes Healthy Organs

One of the dangers of being a bodybuilder is that you're usually at a much higher risk for heart failure or heart disease. That isn't just true for bodybuilders either; all sports place extra strain on the heart, which can eventually lead to some serious complications down the road. Yoga promotes healthy organs which in turn reduces your chances of developing a disease. Most of this is an effect of the increased circulation, which keeps all of your organs in a healthy supply of oxygen, allowing the cells to reproduce more effectively.

Yoga exercises for athletes aren't just on the fringe of sports theory anymore. The results are clear that performing yoga can help you perform better as an athlete, and these are just the internal benefits. You also get benefits like increased strength, more muscle tone, and better balance.

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Plyometric Exercises for Athletes - Full Plyometric Workout Routine

When it comes to developing explosive strength, higher jumps, and faster off-the-block reflexes, nothing compares to plyometric exercises. For athletes who need to be quick on their feet and shift direction rapidly, like baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, and football players, nothing will be more effective than a rigorous plyometric workout routine.

What Are Plyometrics?

Before I get into some of the key workouts for plyometric training, let's find out what plyometrics are in the first place. There are a lot of different exercises that can fall under plyometrics, but they all involve fast, explosive transitions from one location to another.

These workouts are specifically designed to improve:

• Speed
• Reflexes
• Muscle strength
• Agility
• Power

The point of plyometrics is to stretch out the muscle before the contraction to create the maximum force possible. When you jump, the contraction is the quick, snapping force in your thighs and hamstrings that propels you into the air. In plyometrics you would stretch those muscles to their limit first by squatting before exploding into the air.

A proper plyometric program should be intense, yet properly supervised. If you find yourself incredibly fatigued during these exercises stop because it's possible to injure yourself.

How to Land in a Plyometric Exercise

When you are landing from your jumping squats and other exercises for athletes, come down on the ball of the foot, right up by the toes, and then allow your foot to roll down to the heel as your weight comes to rest.

If you're doing a set in quick succession, you may not even touch your heels to the ground at all.

Failing to do this will jar your heels and shins, which can quickly develop into a serious injury. By landing on the balls of your feet you give yourself a cushion to gradually slow your downward momentum.

Plyometric Exercises for Athletes – Squat Jumps

You're probably already familiar with the squat jump, but did you know that it has all the necessary ingredients to boost your athletic performance on the field? When you squat down, you stretch your thigh muscles as far as they can go. This gives extra spring when you leap into the air, and gives them extra strength conditioning.

Start in a standing position with your feet slightly outside shoulder length.

In one fluid motion, squat down so that your hips are just below your knees and then jump into the air.

Keep your legs straight in the air, and when you land (on the balls of your feet), absorb your downward energy by going directly into a squat again.

At the bottom of the squat, jump, and repeat.

One squat and one jump is one rep.

Start out with 3 sets of 10 reps.

Plyometric Exercises for Athletes – Lateral Jump Squats

For the lateral jump squat, we're going to do the same thing as the jump squat, except this time we're going to jump sideways each time.

Stand next to a cone (or similar object for reference) and start by squatting. When you jump, leap sideways to land on the other side of the cone.

On that side, land in a squat and jump again going the other direction over the cone.

Each time you land in the starting spot is one rep (ie one over, one back).

Start out with 3 sets of 6 reps.

If you want to really push yourself, choose a taller object to jump over as you get better, such as a park bench or a cement divider.

Plyometric Exercises for Athletes – Table Jump Squat

For this we use the same techniques as the last two exercises, but include a picnic table (or bench). Make sure the table can support your full weight, then stand directly in front of it.

Do a jump squat, jumping forward to land on the table top.

Do a jump squat off the table, jumping backwards to land in your starting position.

Each time you land in the starting position is one rep.

Start out with 3 sets of 6 reps.

Plyometric Exercises for Athletes – Plyometric Pushups

Plyometric pushups are a fantastic way to build explosive arm power. If you're in any sport that requires you to throw a ball, this exercise will allow you to gain precision and raw strength.

The concept is the same as a military pushup (clap pushup).

Get into the pushup position, arms slightly outside of shoulder width.

Go down, then explode upwards so your hands leave the floor. If you want to impress people, you can clap in the middle, but it's not necessary.

Perform 3 sets of 10 reps each.

 Note: Please perform these exercises at your own risk. Always consult your doctor before undergoing any type of new workout routine. I am not a fitness instructor, I simply explain the exercises that I do. I am not responsible for any injuries as a result of these workouts.

Have fun!

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Dramatically Increase Strength With These Full Body Workouts for Men

There are a plethora of full-body workouts for men, depending on each man's specific needs and goals concerning exercise. Some men just want to work out to improve their appearance, which is why bodybuilding is such a common practice. Others, however, aim for somewhat more practical results; things that'll help make their lives easier, like building up strength and endurance, as well as becoming more flexible so that they can perform various tasks without injury too much difficulty. Many full-body workouts for men involve heavy weight training, but it's possible to build a good amount of strength without weights too; body weight exercises are popular for this reason. Outside the realm of building strength, there are also aerobic exercises for the purpose of improving one's energy systems and cardiovascular health.

One of the most common full-body workouts for men is swimming. While it may seem like too obvious an answer, it really is true that swimming is one of the best full-body workouts there is. The water adds resistance, working various muscle groups around the swimmer's body. Therefore, a person who regularly swims multiple laps using a variety of strokes and kicks can become fitter by doing just that, without the need of gyms or weights. The most basic results from this type of exercise can start manifesting pretty much immediately, but it usually takes a few months for some of the bigger changes to start taking effect. It's worth it, though, and many people enjoy swimming just for the sake of it; your workout can be fun as well as rewarding.

Another full-body workout men might want to try is fitness machine circuit-training. This might be a bit more difficult than working out by swimming, but no pain, no gain, as they say. With this type of training, you work your entire body by doing various exercises with fitness machines. Many recreation centers have great facilities where you can try fitness machine circuit-training, and all commercial gyms will have a circuit-training program. This kind of exercise is good because it uses machines designed specifically to target certain muscle groups. If there's a muscle you want to develop, chances are there's a machine for it. You progress from machine to machine, isolating different groups as you go. This process usually yields results much more quickly than swimming does because of how each muscle group receives individual attention.

The cheapest way to get a full-body workout is probably just to use plain old free weight training. It's possible to use free weights to get faster results than with the other techniques, but this kind of workout often requires the assistance of a personal trainer to help make sure you're doing everything safely and efficiently. As with fitness machine circuit-training, using free weights is beneficial because it allows you to target specific muscle groups. By doing various exercises, you can achieve a complete full-body workout without ever having to set foot in a gym at all. It usually helps to view this as merely a variation of circuit-training, paying special attention to each area and alternating as you go along.

There are various other options for people who are serious about working out. The usefulness of each method depends entirely on your lifestyle and preferences. Don't be afraid to try different techniques out to see what works best for you.

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Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download and Review- Worth the Hype?

Hey everybody, I wanted to get in here and write a quick review of Kyle Leon's Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer. It's been out awhile but I finally got a chance to try it out, and you won't believe what kind of results I got.

The Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download promises to give you a ripped, shredded body with bulging muscles in just 9 weeks, sometimes less. Is this all a scam or will Kyle Leon's fitness and nutrition program really deliver awesome results in just a few short weeks? Read on for the full Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer review.

Just a heads up, this is a review, not the official Muscle Maximizer Download page.

Click here if you want to go straight to the Kyle Leon Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download page.

Click here to go to the official Kyle Leon Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer website.

So right, let's get on to the official Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer review. I've had this program for awhile now, just testing it out, and it's time to let you guys know what this thing can do for lean muscle growth. I'm going to give you some background info I dug up on Kyle Leon, the creator of Muscle Maximizer, the results that I got, some of the negatives of Muscle Maximizer, and my overall opinion.

What is Somanabolic?

First off, what the heck is somanabolic? Basically, somanabolic is a term to describe your body type, otherwise known as your somatotype. What this program does is deliver a customized routine based on your specific size and weight. I've seen a lot of products that do that, but nothing quite this innovative.

Make sense?

Your body type plays an important role in your workouts and diet because everybody is different, and that's why so many other programs fall short. What the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download does is create an individualized program specifically for you, and that's what makes it so incredible.

Who is Kyle Leon?

Okay, this guy was a nobody for the longest time. When Kyle Leon was in high school he was that weak kid that everybody picked on. You know the type. The 90 pound weakling that couldn't pick up a ball without spraining an ankle.

Eventually, Kyle started to figure it out. After reading book after book about nutrition, he figured out that what you eat and how much of it should be based on your physical characteristics like weight, age, body type (somatotype), workout routine, and regular work schedule.

It's not exactly rocket science, but it works!

Check out this free video of Kyle Leon explaining the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer

So who is Kyle Leon now?

These days, Kyle Leon is an acclaimed nutritionist who works with individual people to develop a diet that fits their goals and lifestyle. It's this same training that led him to create the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer so that even people who didn't live near him could take advantage of his years of experience.

Why not just write a book?

That's the thing. Kyle Leon had read all the books already, and the truth is they didn't do a lick of good! It all depends on a person's specific body type, and there's no way to write a book that addresses the millions of variations of people in this world.

Besides...

By making an instant Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download, Kyle Leon makes this available to everybody. All you need is a computer and MS Excel and you're set to start maximizing your nutrition to finally get that rock hard killer bod you've always wanted.

Sorry if this is getting long....

Don't want to wait? Get your instant Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download by clicking here.

Now the Facts About the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download

Okay, now let's get to the good stuff. When I first downloaded the Muscle Maximizer program I was able to read through all the material in about 25 minutes. It's not packed with fluff or hype, it's just the facts about what you need to know. I really liked that; if only other workout programs would do the same thing!

Most programs use a lot of filler because they want you to feel like you're getting a good deal. I guess Kyle Leon has a lot of faith in his program...

The Muscle Maximizer is basically split into two different sections. The first section provides an incredibly customized nutrition plan. All you need to do is type in your information, such as height, weight, age, etc. It's so simple but extremely powerful.

The second part is actually a comprehensive fitness program. The idea is that in just 9 weeks you'll develop a chiseled body with lean, rock hard muscle and a low body fat percentage.

Can you really get amazing results like this in just 9 weeks???

From what I've seen, absolutely. By all accounts the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer is an incredibly effective program, though it does have a few shortcomings, which I'll get to in a second.

Okay, I said there were two parts to this program but there are actually 4 unique formulas at work here. You get:

• Systemic Nutrabolism
• Somanabolic Rebuilder
• The Somanabolic Customizer
• Train Strain Factor

The fitness training part is an added bonus in addition to those 4 formulas. After delving into it, it really looks a lot like what I've been telling my guys at the gym for packing on muscle.

The Good and Bad of the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download

Alright what I'm going to do now is just break this down for you. You've got the good and the bad.

Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Positives

• First of all, like I said it doesn't rely on fluff to fill up the program. Everything is right there for you to get started immediately with your diet and fitness training.
• The training package is the real deal. There's no doubt in my mind that if you follow the 9 week routine you're going to make some incredible strides in your overall fitness. Not only will you look like a seasoned athlete, you'll feel great too. This is all-around health. I love it.
• The diet plan is fantastic. This isn't some fad diet like the South Beach craze, it's just advice on what to eat and what to stay away from. Get this: it's just normal food. No chugging down spinach smoothies 3 times a day. At least, that's what I got. Remember the diet plan is going to be different for everybody.
• One extra thing that I liked was how the program pointed out that supplements can be useful, but they shouldn't replace a real diet. A lot of people reach for the supplements first, but you should focus on your nutrition first.
• Again, the main driving force of this incredible program is how individualized it is. Once I got my information entered I felt like the entire thing was there just for me. And believe me, I'm not an easy man to please.
• Finally, there's no risk. The Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download comes with a 100% 60 day money back guarantee. I thought that was incredible. 9 weeks (the full length of the program) is 63 days. You can practically go through the whole thing before deciding if it's worth it or not. How simple is that? If it doesn't work, send it back. No risk at all.

Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download Negatives

• There's no physical copy of this, which can be bad for some people. Everything is digital and contained on your computer, so if you want to take the plan with you you'll have to print it out. Not the end of the world, but it can be inconvenient for some people.
• There's no measurement conversion. Kyle Leon is American, and for whatever reason everything's based on American measurements. Again, not the end of the world. There are plenty of online metric conversion tools to help you out. Just another inconvenience really.

How Do I Feel About the Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download?

I think it's fantastic, and I really mean it. The product is sound, the formulas work, and best of all it gets results. I've met with a few nutritionists before and honestly their advice was no better than what I got from the Muscle Maximizer.

I would absolutely recommend this, and if you don't like it you can always just send it back.

Anyway, enough talking! Click the link below to go to the official Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer download site.


Get the Kyle Leon Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer Download Risk Free

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Breakdown of the Best Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises for Maximum Strength

Best Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises

If you're looking to work out your shoulders and build strength without weights, then bodyweight shoulder exercises are the way to go. With bodyweight exercises, you get to work on building endurance and strength without having to use anything in your workout other than your own self. It's easy to see why these exercises are popular; no need to worry about having the right equipment for your home gym or anything like that.

The shoulders can be a slightly difficult area to target in your workouts. Naturally, it won't do to just let them go undeveloped. The shoulder connects your whole arm to the rest of your body, and anyone who has ever had a serious shoulder injury can attest to how difficult it makes things. Fortunately, there are a bunch of bodyweight shoulder exercises that are known to yield substantial results.

Hindu Pushup

If you're doing these exercises for muscular endurance, then its important to pick an exercise that'll allow you to do about 16 reps or more, depending on what your ultimate goal is. One of the best bodyweight shoulder exercises for building endurance is the Hindu pushup. Pushups are great for targeting the shoulders in general. For this particular exercise, you start by placing your legs and arms roughly a shoulder width apart. The body is then formed into a sort of upside-down “V” shape while keeping the spine, head and neck aligned—in Yoga, this position is commonly known as the Downward Dog.

From here, you bend your elbows, bringing your chest down until it rests just above the floor, and then you move forward into a Cobra Pose (torso raised, legs and lower abdomen pressed against the ground). To return to the Downward Dog position, simply raise the abdomen and then push backward. Hindu pushups are good because they not only target your shoulders, but they also work your chest.

Decline Pushup

Aside from the Hindu variation, there are many other ways to do pushups that effectively work your shoulders. One popular method is the decline pushup. Here, you place your feet on a higher surface with your hands pressed against the floor. This puts more strain on the shoulders because more of your body's weight is concentrated into one spot. The higher you rest your legs, the more stress your shoulders will receive and the more endurance you'll ultimately gain.

Shoulder Press Pushup

Another variation is the shoulder press pushup. This is something of a cross between a decline pushup and a handstand pushup; instead of assuming a diagonal position, you keep your upper body perpendicular to the floor. This is more effective because it puts even more strain on the shoulder muscles. However, you should probably start smaller and work your way up to doing shoulder press pushups due to how taxing they can be.

Plank Exercise

Another good exercise to try is planking. This is a relatively simple exercise. It starts off with you lying face-down, hands entwined and held straight out in front of you. Using your arms and legs, lift up your hips so that your weight is concentrated on your toes and forearms. Make sure that while planking, your body is kept as straight as possible and your head is relaxed. You should generally hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds before stopping.

There are countless other ways you can work to target your shoulder muscles using only your own weight. These are just a few of the easiest and most effective. They're by no means the best exercises for everyone, and the workout you need depends on what your aim is. Make sure to read up on other possible exercise techniques before beginning.

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7 seconds to a Flat Stomach - The truth behind toning your abs

By Paul J.O'Brien

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

“Crunches. He’s going to tell me to do lots of stomach crunches isn’t he? Man if I hurt my neck doing another pointless crunch I swear I’m gonna….” That is what many people think when they first hear someone telling them the secret to flat toned abs. And I’m right there with you. Crunches are boring, unproductive and shockingly ineffective compared to the two techniques I’ll reveal later in this article.

The truth is the most effective abs exercises are performed Standing Up. But no gym instructor or personal trainer will tell you that and the reason is, most don’t know. Pilates and stability ball instructors are perhaps closer to the secret of the six pack than anyone else. In both, you are taught basic pelvis and abdominal tension, but they never get further than that. They never get to the good stuff.

The secret to a well toned waist, a firm trim tummy, and strong sexy six pack – is all contained in 1 word - Isometrics. Isometrics, defined as the contraction of a muscle without moving the joint, is the scientifically proven fastest way to build strength and muscle. I explain all the science and the proven techniques to carve a sexy six pack in seconds in my step by step 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

But in this article I am going to give away two of my key techniques to carving inches out of your waist!

Before I explain step by step how to perform an isometric contraction for the waist I wasn’t to explain a little bit about the actual muscles you will be working. One you will be familiar with, and it’s the less important of the two. The other, well it’s crucial for developing a flat stomach.

In the following exercises we will be working the Rectus abdominus and the Transverse abdominus. The Rectus is commonly called the six pack. It’s a sheet of muscle running from the base of the rib cage (sternum) the pelvis. It gets the six pack look from the tendons running across it. Here’s the thing though – the rectus naturally curves outwards when developed – meaning you get a muscle belly!

So how do you keep it in tight and flat and develop the coveted washboard look? That is where my friend the transverse abdominus comes in. He connects the rectus to the lower back and effectively pulls the abs inwards, towards the spine. The problem is very few people even realise they have one, and those that do don’t know how to train it.

Well here’s how….

The 7 Second Stomach Flattener

1. Stand or sit tall and straight.

2. Breathe in and as you do so pull in your stomach.

3. Keep this tense and held in place

4. Contact the abs as hard as you can, you rib cage will dip down slightly and your pelvis may rotate upwards

5. Breathe out making an “sssss” – this will cause inter-abdominal contraction

6. Continue this for 7 seconds.

7. Once finished keep the stomach in tight and repeat ten times.

8. Do NOT relax the stomach until completely finished all 10 reps.

The All Natural Tummy Tucker *Do this ONLY on an Empty Stomach*

1. Stand up straight with your feet wider then shoulder width.

2. Exhale all the air form your lungs

3. As you do so bend over as though trying to touch your toes

4. Once you are as low as you can bend and have breathed out all the air you can, pull in your stomach as much as you can

5. Hold this tension and slowly stand up

6. You want to keep you stomach in as tight as you can

7. Tense your stomach keeping it in tight.

8. Hold for ten seconds.

9. Slowly relax and capture your breathe

10. Repeat 10 times.

That’s it. You just need those two exercises and they can be performed virtually anywhere. You can practice in the shower, in the car, in the office, anywhere.

Now I will mention one thing – you won’t see visible results if you have a high body fat %. You will of course feel the results and quickly too. Your stomach will naturally begin to pull inwards, and become firmer. But guys you need your body fat % close to 8% and gals you need it about 12% to really see chiseled definition.

The best way to do this is enjoy a nice walk, first thing the morning before breakfast. Refreshing, invigorating and slimming, and combined with these two exercises which will improve digestion and fat burning you’ll be trim and slim in no time.

If you'd really like to improve your health you can get in the best shape of your life using these same principals and enjoy the most effective and intense workout of your life when you follow my step by step 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

All the best,

Paul J.O'Brien 

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

www.Isometric-Training.Com

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About the Author: Paul J.O'Brien is an international recognized expert in Isometric Training and physical performance, a certified personal trainer, licensed acupuncturist and western clinical medic and writer. Paul is the author of "7 Seconds to A Perfect Body,” which teaches you how to develop a lean muscular physique without drugs, supplements or equipment using secrets of the forgotten founders of fitness. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat, increase your lean muscle tissue, sculpt your physique and skyrocket your strength by visiting: www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

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The One Minute Pushup

Okay, I know you've heard of the one minute push up challenge, but that's not what this is. With the one minute push-up challenge, you set a stopwatch and go for as many pushups as you can in one minute. It's pretty straight forward, and it's an awesome test of endurance and basic strength.

The one minute push up, however, is a completely different beast. The one minute push up is what you do to train for an arm wrestling contest with the Incredible Hulk. This is what Arnold Schwarzenegger did when he wasn't being born fast enough to make it to his first Mr. Olympia competition.

The one minute pushup takes elements of isometrics and combines them with heightened muscle tension to trigger rapid hormone release and flood red blood cells into your biceps and shoulders. It's almost isometrics, but not quite. It's the ultimate slow release, high intensity bodyweight workout that improves muscle endurance and fiber tension.

Equipment

To do the one minute pushup, you need:

1- A stopwatch

2- Your body

Begin by getting into the pushup position.

Place the stop watch on the floor right below your head so that you'll be able to see it for the whole pushup.

Start the stopwatch and do one pushup. Here's the trick though: the pushup has to take the FULL minute. That's 30 seconds down, 30 seconds up.

Make sure you don't rush the part where you're at the bottom of the pushup; make it one full, fluid motion with the same speed the whole way through.

Try to do one. If you can do one, go for two. If you can do two, go for three, etc, etc. Make sure each pushup lasts for the full minute, and keep the proper form the entire time.

How many can you do?

The one minute pushup stems from isometric exercises, which is when you contract the muscle but keep your joint in the same position. Instead of keeping the joint stationary though, we're slowly changing the angle of the joint while keeping the same level of tension in the muscles. It's what I like to call “delaymetrics.”

There are a lot of exercises for athletes that you can use to keep in shape (plyometrics being my favorite) but this gives you a different level of intensity to change the pace a little bit. Try it; you'll be surprised at how challenging it is.

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Three Wrist Exercises for Wrist Tendonitis

Wrist tendonitis is often caused by repetitive actions or a single case of trauma. It's a painful condition that can put an end to an athlete's career in a heartbeat. A lot of exercises for athletes fail to address this issue, so here are three quick exercises that you can do on a daily basis to keep your pain levels down and get your wrists back in action.

The Flexion Stretch for Wrist Tendonitis

The flexion stretch will help you improve your range of motion and strengthen your grip in addition to promoting general flexibility. To do the flexion stretch, stand in front of a table and place both hands on the surface of the table, palms up and fingers pointed towards your body.

Keep your elbows straight and slowly lean away from the table. When you begin to feel pressure on your wrists, hold that position for 10 seconds and then lean forward to release. There shouldn't be any pain in this wrist stretch for tendonitis, but if there is stop doing the exercise immediately. If the pain persists, call your doctor.

The Wall Stretch for Wrist Tendonitis

This is one of those exercises for athletes that can be performed in any setting at any time of day. Stand arms length away from a wall and place your palms flat against the wall. The fingers should be pointing outwards. In other words, the fingers on your right hand should be pointing right (parallel to the floor) and the fingers on your left hand should be pointing left.

Now, keep your elbows locked but try to twist your arms inwards, as if you were trying to turn the wall with your hands. You'll feel pressure on the outer wrist, and when you do hold the position for ten seconds.

Now reverse the “twisting” motion and twist in the opposite direction. You should feel the inner wrists stretching. Hold it again for ten seconds, then release.

The Rotation Stretch for Wrist Tendonitis

This is one of the best exercises for athletes with tendonitis because it promotes circulation to the wrists and loosens up the muscles surrounding your carpal bones.

Ball your hands up into fists and stretch your arms out in front of you. Rotate your fists in a circular motion. The arms should remain completely stationary, the wrists the only joints moving.

Do 15 rotations going one direction, then 15 rotations going the other direction.

These wrist exercises aren't only for wrist tendonitis; you can also use them daily to warm up before a workout to promote general wrist flexibility.

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Can You Really Add an Inch to Your Biceps in 3 Minutes?

By Paul J.O'Brien

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

Yes, Yes you can. In this article I am going to teach you the secrets to building the big guns - Bulging Biceps. What is more I shall also simultaneously increase your lifts by an average of 100 % (all though in some cases as much as 250%) on the major lift for this muscle group.

So how am I going to support my fantastic claims? I'm going to give you a incredibly intense three minute arm routine unlike ANYTHING you've ever experienced. You will feel every muscle fibre contract and fatigue. You will felt the rush of power and strength as you break every physical barrier you thought you had. You are going to experience Isometrics!

Isometrics is not a cutting edge new discovery for gaining mass. It's not a supplement. It is in fact one of the oldest methods of strength training devised, forgotten until now. It is the contraction of a muscle without the shortening of a joint - In other words, tensing the muscle as hard as possible without moving. I'm going to show you how to apply it to three major lifts, 1 for the biceps, triceps and forearms.

Of course if you want in depth detail, step by step photos and video instruction, just check out my 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

Enough of that though, let's get to building some guns! You'll need a smith machine to perform these exercises safely.

Bulging Biceps

Warm up your biceps with a few light dumbbell or barbell curls. Nothing too taxing just enough to get them nice and warm, the blood flowing. You're going to need it.

1. Stand in the Smith Machine.

2. Place an empty Bar at about shoulder height (you may have to vary this to ensure the maximum effect).

3. Bring your hands up to the bar as though you have just reached the top of a barbell curl. Set it an inch below.

4. Keep you back straight, your abs tense.

5. Your biceps should be close to fully flexed at this stage. Relax, we haven't put any weight on the bar yet.

6. Load the bar with a LOT of weight. Don't underestimate your self. To give an example, a friend who routinely curls 60kg on a barbell recently did this for the first time, he lifted 260kg his first attempt.

7. The object of the exercise is to raise the bar a little more than an inch. That's it. Just an inch and then hold it there for 7 seconds.

8. If you can hold it longer than 7 add more weight. Anything less, take some weight off.

9. All you are doing to raise the bar is contract your biceps as hard as you can. At no time should your elbows be directly beneath the bar.

10. Really tense your biceps and forearms for all they are worth.

11. You will feel the blood rush, the muscles scream and an intensity few will ever experience.

12. Then rest. Take a week off training the biceps.

13. Buy some new shirts.

Have fun showing them off ;-)

If you'd really like to build boulder sized biceps and get in the best shape of your life using these same principals and enjoy the most effective and intense workout of your life when you follow my step by step 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

All the best, 

Paul J.O'Brien 

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

www.Isometric-Training.Com

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About the Author: Paul J.O'Brien is an international recognized expert in Isometric Training and physical performance, a certified personal trainer, licensed acupuncturist and western clinical medic and writer. Paul is the author of "7 Seconds to A Perfect Body,” which teaches you how to develop a lean muscular physique without drugs, supplements or equipment using secrets of the forgotten founders of fitness. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat, increase your lean muscle tissue, sculpt your physique and skyrocket your strength by visiting: www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

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The Physics of Weight Training Part 2

By Paul Becker

Part 2, Friction.

In part 2 of this series we'll look at friction and how it can affect our training. Friction is defined as - (1) A rubbing of one object or substance against another. (2) The resistance to motion of moving surfaces that touch.

When working with machines friction can become a problem, you have the situation of weight on the machine plus friction making it feel much heavier than the weight stack says it is. This can wreck your progression, let's say you're going along on lat pulldowns, last workout you made over 10 reps, you add 5 lbs and start to pull and nothing happens, a big yank gets the weight moving and you have to use excessive momentum to keep it moving, all this cheating still only gets you 4 reps. You wonder "what's wrong?", friction that's what.

Each time you use a machine, you should inspect in for any loose nuts and bolts, frayed cables, stuck pulleys or any broken plates on the weight stack. Any of these can cause you problems with friction. Also you should regularly keep machines oiled and otherwise well maintained.

There is another kind of friction I'd like to talk about, and that is the friction within your own body, yes, of course your body has it's own friction, and this gives us 3 levels of strength:

1) Positive strength - contracting your muscles to lift or pull a weight, during this phase you are working against your own bodies friction.

2) Holding strength - contracting your muscles to Keep a weight in one position, you are aided by your bodies friction here and can thus hold 20% more then you can lift.

3) Negative strength - lengthening your muscles to lower a weight, you are also aided in phase by friction and it has been found that most trainees can lower 40% more then they can lift.

This would mean that if your max on the bench press was 200lbs, that you could hold 240lbs and lower 280 lbs. Research done by Nautilus in the 1970's showed that any increase in positive or negative strength would result in an increase in the other, of course, skill is also a factor.

Now all this is very interesting. But, can it help us to build larger and stronger muscles? Yes, it can, let's take a look at some of the techniques that can come from this.

If your lowering strength is 40% more then your lifting strength, but you use the same weight for both then you will not be really be taxing your negative strength. We must find a way to make the negative harder, there are many ways to do this. One way is to do some of your exercises on Life Circuit machines they automatically make the negative 40% heavier then the positive, while these machines are good I feel they can be improved on due to a perceived lack of resistance during the change from positive to negative and then back again.

Another way would be for your training partner to grab the bar and push down what he approximates to be 40% of what your lifting, have him do this on each negative of the set. And for safety have him have a good hold on the bar while doing this and make sure he's ready to stop pushing and Start pulling, in case you for some reason lose control of the weight. You can also try it this way, (use only a universal type machine for this, because you couldn't balance a barbell for this technique.) take a weight that's about 50% of what you usually use lift it with both arms and then lower it with your right arm only, lift it again with both arms and now lower it with your left arm only, continue to alternate the lowering arm till you make you target reps or until you can no longer lift the weight with both arms.

Other techniques would involve training the holding and lowering phases totally separate from the lifting phase. When doing this you would need at least two very strong training partners to lift the weight for you while you try to hold it in place as long as you can (a good position would be the sticking point for that particular lift), or you have them lift in up and then you lower it slowly and under control and they lift it again and then you lower it again, repeat for you target reps or till you can keep the bar moving slowly and controlled. Again for safety your training partners should keep their hands on the bar and be ready to take the weight if you should lose control. You would also want to work gradually up to the really heavy poundages.

These techniques will raise the intensity of you workouts and can lead to overtraining if used too often, but if used properly can help you reach new levels of size and strength.

Check out The Physics of Weight Training Part 1

About The Author: Paul Becker is a natural (steroid free for life) bodybuilder and fitness consultant. He is the author of many ebooks and courses on training and diet. For more information visit his website at http://trulyhuge.com

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5 Astounding Benefits of Bodyweight Exercises for Athletes

A lot of people talk about the benefits of bodyweight exercises for athletes, but it's still hard to believe that something as simple as moving your body around in different positions can make you stronger, more fit, and help you lose weight. Bodyweight exercises don't use anything besides your own arms and legs to work you out. Bodybuilders in general tend to put down some of these methods because they don't see how pushups can help you gain as much muscle as deadlifts or bench presses. The truth is, it's all in the leverage.

What I mean by that is that the way you position your body for the workout is the most important part of bodyweight workouts. For example, you can probably do several pushups in a row (if not, that's a good place to start!) But how many one arm handstand pushups can you pull off before your biceps max out?

In the end, I feel that bodyweight exercises, when done correctly, have just as much benefit as any other type of workout you could get at your local World Gym branch. Sometimes even more. There are 5 main benefits to bodyweight workouts that you might not be aware of.

#1 – Weight Loss

Weight loss and bodyweight exercises go hand in hand for several reasons. The main reason is that bodyweight workouts give you aerobic activity at the same time as resistance activity. Many of the positions that you get into for your bodyweight routine will leave you panting to catch your breath.

Also consider the fact that the body is a complex machine, almost like an ecosystem. It's lazy too; it constantly looks for ways to make its job easier, whether you're aware of it happening or not. Unlike weight training, bodyweight exercises use your own weight as the resistance (not to state the obvious), and one thing that your body will want to do is reduce that weight, and it does so by funneling more energy into the consumption of excess body fat. To see this in action, try a Rotating“T” Pushup. 

#2 – Muscle Mass

This is where most bodybuilders and heavy lifters get into an uproar about bodyweight exercises. Lifting weights allows you to adjust the resistance according to your own abilities, but it also makes you more prone to injury. You can achieve the same resistance by performing several simple exercises in your own home, without weights. The main goal in any workout (if you want to add bulk) is to push your muscles to failure. The added mass comes from the recovery process, when your muscles stitch themselves back together, bigger and stronger than before.

In the end, it doesn't matter how you reach that point of failure. Scientifically speaking, 50 pushups will get you to the same point as 50 bench presses. Same with squats. If typical exercises like that don't give you the burn you need, mix it up a little bit, try a Hindu pushup or something else that increases the leverage of the motion.

#3- Strength

If you're planning to start working out, you need to keep one thing straight: muscle mass does not equal strength. Strength comes from the quality of the workouts and the combined effort of multiple muscle groups working as one. That's why someone like Bruce Li, who is pretty small in comparison to other athletes, could perform pushups with just the thumb and forefinger of one hand, or break a man's ribcage with a single kick.

Strength with bodyweight exercises comes from the fluid combination of multiple muscle groups, most notably the core muscles and whatever extremities you're currently working out. You're probably sitting in a chair reading this, so try this:

Back away from the computer desk and place your hands on the edges of the chair, near your hips. Now push your body up off the chair using just your arms. What muscles are you using? Your biceps, shoulders, abs, and upper back. This orchestrated concert is what gives you strength, not isolated weight training exercises.

#4- Overall Fitness

This is what everybody should strive for, although many people want the image of health more than the reality of health. That's fine, I'm not here to preach to you about what you should do with your body. Overall fitness from bodyweight exercises gives you a compact, toned physique. Look at an Olympic gymnast's body to see what fitness looks like. Look at a parkour enthusiast. This is the ability to run, jump, lift, push, and endure, pushing the capabilities of the human body to the limit.

There are a lot of different exercises that you can use to increase your fitness level. A great one is the Ellipse, http://strongmanexercises.blogspot.com/2011/04/hindu-pushups-and-hindu-squats-are.html but there are plenty of others out there. The great thing about bodyweight exercises is that there's no limit to what you can do.

#5- Freedom

And finally we come to the last benefit of bodyweight exercises. How would you like the freedom to be able to workout any time, no matter where you are? If you can't make it to the gym after work one day, don't sweat it! Head home, arrange some chairs or clear a space on the floor and you have all the gym you could ever ask for. This gives you total flexibility in your workout schedule so that you don't have to squeeze it into your busy life.

If you want a fat free body with increased dexterity and agility, give bodyweight exercises a shot. Whether you're a martial artist, athlete, or just someone who wants more control over the way they look, bodyweight exercises make the perfect choice.

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6 Delicious Foods for Losing Weight

For people who want to lose weight, diets may sound like the best option. But think about it: what is a diet specifically? Is it a program that forces you to eat less than you normally would? Diet is the general term for anything that you put into your body. If you're eating fatty fried foods all day, that's your diet. The same thing goes when you eat healthy. It's your diet. So to lose weight, the best route is not to go with some fad “diet” that starves you, but to work on your overall food intake as a whole.

These are some of the best foods for losing weight, and best of all they actually taste good. All of these foods help you burn fat by boosting your metabolism. You may not have realized this, but eating can actually help you lose weight. When you stop eating, your metabolism slows down to preserve your energy levels. Constant, minimal snacking is the best way to keep your metabolism at its highest level, and these foods can help you do it.

#1 Food for Losing Weight- Eggs

Want to lose weight and keep your cholesterol down? Eat eggs, and the whole egg, not just the whites. Most of the beneficial nutrients like protein, vitamin B, and vitamin D are in the yolk. Research has shown that eating eggs at breakfast can help you lose twice as much weight as avoiding them, and on top of that you'll also be full for longer and have higher energy levels.

#2 Food for Losing Weight- Yogurt

We all know that yogurt is one of the best foods for losing weight, but do you know why? First of all, yogurt is chock full of calcium, which keeps your body from feeling hungry. Research actually shows that your body stores less fat when you consume yogurt. Like eggs, yogurt is also full of protein, which will keep you full for longer and help maintain your blood sugar levels.

#3 Food for Losing Weight- Walnuts

It's time to go nuts about walnuts- these tasty little morsels are packed to their limit with monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and plenty of protein to go around. When you're hungry in between meals, reach for a bag of dry roasted walnuts to keep you satisfied. Just grab a handful and munch away to keep your hunger at bay.

#4 Food for Losing Weight- Coffee

Yeah, yeah, caffeine does this, caffeine doesn't do that. Everybody has their opinion about caffeine these days, but research shows that black coffee (the kind that isn't full of sugar, cream, flavorings, and other Starbucks staples) is incredibly beneficial for weight loss. It will help you get that extra edge in your workouts, allowing you to burn more calories and catapult your metabolic rate. Additionally, you get the benefit of antioxidants with coffee, and some research even suggests that it could help prevent type 2 diabetes.

#5 Food for Losing Weight- Salmon

Salmon is awesome. It gives you heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which promote weight loss as well as brain function, stamina, and focus. It also helps reduce inflammation throughout your body, and you would be surprised at how many people suffer from chronic inflammation on a daily basis. Go for wild salmon if you can.

#6 Food for Losing Weight- Buffalo

What? But aren't they all gone and dead? Not at all. Buffalo and bison are some of the most healthful red meats out there, giving you fewer calories, cholesterol, and fat than traditional beef. Each serving gives you about 6g fat, 3g saturated fat, and 40 calories less than a serving of beef.

Losing weight doesn't have to be a day to day struggle to stay away from the “good” foods. These are 6 delicious foods for losing weight that will satisfy your taste buds as well as your stomach.

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Peary Rader's One Day Muscle Blast Program Revisited

By Paul Becker

In The Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System, Peary told us about a program he developed that could add up to 3/4 of an inch to a trainees arms in one day.

The program goes like this - pick a day when you can do nothing but train, eat and rest. You use just two exercises, one for triceps and one for biceps, and you do a set of each every hour for 12 hours. Use a weight lighter then your usual poundages, and do not work to failure. Eating some protein every hour, massaging the muscles after each workout and to resting all you can, were also recommended.

This program has worked for many and we could continue to use it exactly the same way to get a quick increase in arm size, but Peary gave us a hint of the full usefulness of this method. He stated "Most men use it on their arms since no one ever seems to have as large arms as he would like. However it will work on any muscle. We hope that some day when we have a greater understanding of muscle growth and the controlling factors, a similar method can be applied to men and women in a specialized session of perhaps a month and give them a physique that today takes years to acquire." So we can see that Peary had a lot of hope for this method.

I believe I have a program that would be useful for advanced hardgainers who would like a quick increase in size all over their body. It would go something like this, you pick six exercises that cover the entire body, for example squats, bench press, over-head press, rows, calf raises and curls. For about 4 weeks you workout twice a week ,wed and sat, (this is to get used to these exercises and avoid extreme soreness when you begin specialization) do 2 work sets for each exercise, then on week five on Wednesday you do your regular workout but on Saturday you take the first exercise (squats) and do one set an hour for 12 hours, use about half of your usual poundage the idea as Peary said was "Working on the principle of flushing the muscles with blood and keeping them flushed all day long, the muscles will grow unbelievably for a short time.", so we aren't trying to push to maximum on these sets. Keep the Wednesday workouts the same as the first 4 weeks, and every Saturday take the next exercise in your program and hit it for 12 sets in 12 hours.

This program is still admittedly experimental, but all signs seem to show that it would bring about a big gain over the 10 weeks it takes to complete. The most important thing is that you don't get overtrained, do only two workouts a week, and give the most days rest after the specialization day, hence the wed and sat schedule. The other thing is to do the hardest exercises like squats early in the cycle when you recovery ability is strongest and as the cycle progresses you work your way down, and at the end of the cycle you are doing the least taxing exercise like curls. The volume per exercise is high one day a week but the overall volume is kept at about 12 sets a workout, which is still not too bad for a hardgainer.

If you are a beginner, or intermediate stick to the basics like 20 rep squats, heavy deadlifts, presses, at al., you will grow plenty fast if you work hard, and eat and rest enough. But, if you are getting close to you potential and would like to get a quick burst of size, try this routine and see how it works for you. Tell me how it goes.

About The Author: Paul Becker is a natural (steroid free for life) bodybuilder and fitness consultant. He is the author of many ebooks and courses on training and diet. For more information visit his website at http://www.trulyhuge.com

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Flabby Arm Exercise - A sure fire way to tone and tighten the chicken wings in record time

By Paul J.O'Brien

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

Flabby Arm Exercise is the perfect cure for the most demanded problem in fitness, the dreaded chicken wing arm. The horror and embarrassment of waving to your friends, only to find that your arm is shaking more than your hand, has been a reality for thousands of women. The good news is with a few minutes of exercise that you can do at home you can transform your arms from flab to fab.

Fat is primarily deposited in the female form in three locations, the belly, the butt, and yes the back of the arm. In this section I am going to teach you some exercises to tighten and tone the triceps, the major muscle on the back of the arms.

The flabby arm exercise on this page will work the muscle of the triceps and tighten it up as well as burn calories at an accelerated rate.

Combining the exercises below with a gentle walk every morning before breakfast and you'll see the results fast. A brisk walk will accelerate the fat loss effect and reveal the tight toned muscle these flabby arm exercise’s will build.

So let’s get down to work then. Here are my top techniques for tight toned triceps.

Overhead Triceps Extensions

1. Stand upright, with you feet shoulder width apart.
2. Hold your dumbbell directly above your head with arm fully extended. Clasp elbow with free hand for support.
3. Slowly let your elbow fold so the dumbbell is lowered behind your head.
4. Extend your arm back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps and switch arms.

French Presses

1. Lie flat on a bench. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest with palms facing each other.
2. The Dumbbells should be just about touching each other.
3. Keeping your shoulders locked, let your elbows fold so the dumbbells are lowered down to either side of the head.
4. Extend both your arms back to start position and repeat

Triceps Kickbacks

1. Stand upright next to a bench. Place one arm and leg on the bench. Your upper body should be parallel to the ground.
2. Holding the dumbbell raise your elbow so your upper arm is parallel to the ground. Your elbow should be bent at right angles.
3. Extend your elbow so your entire arm is parallel to the ground.
4. Slowly return to the start position and repeat for the desired number of reps before changing arms.

Diamond Pushups

1. Lie face down on the floor with your hands palm down, fingers pointing straight ahead, and aligned at the nipple line.
2. Place your hands in the centre of your chest and form a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs.
3. Your feet should be at hip width with your toes on floor.
4. Extend the elbows and raise your body off the floor.
5. Lower your entire body (legs, hips, trunk, and head) 4-8 inches from the floor.
6. Return to the start position by extending at the elbows and pushing your body up.
7. Remember to keep the head and trunk stabilized and in a neutral position by isometrically contracting the abdominal and back muscles.
8. Never fully lock out the elbows at the start position and avoid hyperextension of the low back.

Hope you enjoy these exercises. Consistent practice every other day will have you trim and toned in no time and you can wave those flabby arms goodbye!

If you'd really like to improve your health you can get in the best shape of your life using these same principals and enjoy the most effective and intense workout of your life when you follow my step by step 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

All the best,

Paul J.O'Brien 

B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

www.Isometric-Training.Com

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About the Author: Paul J.O'Brien is an international recognized expert in Isometric Training and physical performance, a certified personal trainer, licensed acupuncturist and western clinical medic and writer. Paul is the author of "7 Seconds to A Perfect Body,” which teaches you how to develop a lean muscular physique without drugs, supplements or equipment using secrets of the forgotten founders of fitness. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat, increase your lean muscle tissue, sculpt your phsyique and skyrocket your strength by visiting: www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

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