The Core Four - Muscle Building Workout for Weight Loss

One of the most important elements of losing weight and getting in shape is increasing your physical activity. Cardio workouts alone will not help you tone up and build the required muscle mass for longterm weight management. By increasing you muscle mass, your metabolism is also increased, meaning that you burn more calories of energy while resting. A more muscular person continues to burn off excess fat while sleeping. So, building some strength training into your weekly fitness schedule is essential, and that is where the Motley Health “core four” come into play. The “core four” are the four key weight training exercises to kick start you into building a better, fitter and stronger you. The four core exercises are: 1. Clean and Press 2. Bench Press 3. Bent-over row 4. Barbell Curl There are many other weight training exercises that can be added to these four at later stages, but just performing these four exercises once or twice a week will increase overall muscle mass, strengthen your core to help tone up thighs and the upper body. The main reason that these are the core four is that each of these is a compound exercise, meaning that it works more than one muscle at a time. The core four is designed to allow for a quick weight training session. Each exercise has a purpose. Warm up is not required, so long as you start out with a light weight. The clean and press acts as the warm up. This brief article forms a part of the Motley Health Fitness and Weight Loss Plan, soon to be available on eBook.

Bodybuilding.com Releases Their 2008 New Year's Transformation SuperFeature

Boise, ID – January 1, 2008 – Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most visited bodybuilding and fitness site and largest retailer of nutritional supplements, aims to be the source for all body and mind transformation needs. With over 150 exclusive new articles, a 12-Week Transformation Video Guide, the BodySpace™ 2008 Transformation Contest, motivational techniques and supplement specials, they have earned the right to say they’re the true source for everyone’s needs. Their website content covers the most buzzworthy transformation topics out there, including tips from the hottest celebrity personal trainers – from Brad Pitt’s very own transformation workout to an interview with The Biggest Loser’s Kim Lyons! Individualized transformation guides have been set up for different body-types, because not everyone’s needs are the same. Printable recipes, diet plans, and daily workout guides leave no excuse to not get in shape. The 12-Week Transformation Video Guide is hosted by professional bodybuilders Bob Cicherillo and Tito Raymond. They document the entire process of an everyday man (Brian Friedman) as he goes through what it takes to transform his body. Viewers can transform alongside him by watching his weekly workout videos and learning about nutrition, proper supplementation, and the keys to motivation. The 2008 BodySpace™ (Bodybuilding.com’s online community) Transformation Contest is a great source for motivation also. Five out-of-shape people have been chosen to compete online in a challenge to achieve the transformation of their lives. Every workout and diet secret is documented by the competitors themselves. Viewers can work out with them and cheer them on along the way. Not only will the winners get a new lease on life, they will also be featured in a Gaspari Nutrition advertisement, take home thousands of dollars in cash prizes, receive free supplements, and enjoy many more contest perks. The Motivation SuperFeature gives people the tools to find motivation within. It goes over the process of starting a goal, maintaining motivation long term, on-the-spot motivation for those moments of weakness, and everything else that goes into obtaining and maintaining motivation. On top of their everyday low prices, Bodybuilding.com is running specials on BSN, ISS, Cutting Edge Labs, and Micellar Matrix products. Their goal is to help people obtain the supplements they need to achieve the goals they desire. Bodybuilding.com offers more than 6,000 health and fitness supplements & accessories to help people achieve their fitness goals. They offer more than 19,000 pages of FREE bodybuilding and fitness information, including more than 9,000 articles (written by 385+ writers), video & audio segments, and new content added daily.

High-intensity resistance training reduces body fat

Research has been carried out to determine the effect of high intensity weight training and intensive endurance training on body fat and resting metabolic rate. The effects of either 12 weeks of high-intensity endurance or resistance training on resting metabolic rate were investigated in 47 males aged 18-35 year old. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (i.e. no exercise), weight training resistance-trained (RT) or endurance-trained (ET) group. After training both exercise groups showed significant declines in relative body fat either by reducing their total fat weight and maintaining fat-free weight (ET) or by reducing their total fat weight and increasing fat- free weight (RT). Resting metabolic rate did not significantly change after either training regimen although a small decline in energy intake was observed along with an increase in energy expenditure [ET, 2.721 MJ (650 kcal) per training day]. These results suggest that both endurance and resistance training may help to prevent an reduction in resting metabolic rate normally observed during extended periods of negative energy balance (energy intake less than expenditure) by either preserving or increasing a person's fat-free weight. Weight training has for a long time been shown to help reduce body fat, and many people believe that it is attributable to an increase in metabolism, which helps to reduce body fat further - however this research reveals that it can only prevent metabolic rate declining, and not actually increase it. Research by the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas, Austin.

Bodybuilding Pensioners - BBC Documentary

Last night there was an interesting documentary on the BBC about the growing popularity of bodybuilding amongst pensioners in the UK and USA. "A journey into the world of the senior citizens who live for their bodybuilding and the ultimate prize of a youthful body. We discover the rigorous training and strict diets and follow them as they take to the stage ready to battle it out for the coveted prize of champion bodybuilder. " Many of the pensioners claimed their youthful looks were down to their bodybuilding routines. The body building competitions they enter are in categories of over 60 years and over 70 years. The dedication of these bodybuilders is quite remarkable. Many put it down to simply having the time to dedicate their days to working out. Bodybuilding is a very time consuming pastime, and many working people find it difficult to maintain the exercise regime and diet that is required. Before competitions a very restrictive diet is needed to reduce fat reserves as much as possible, and it is almost impossible for working people to maintain a job while training in this way. Bodybuilding has some great health benefits for the older population, as it improved blood flow, bone density and stability. People that do weight training and bodybuilding into old age experience much greater freedom and independence than other people. One female US pensioner mentioned that she could continue to move her own furniture and wash her own windows as a result of her improved physical fitness - things which many of her neighbours struggle with. Many people feel some part of their youth has returned to them after training. So there is really no excuse for not exercising into old age. Get out the fake tan and pump some iron, and you could be Mr or Mrs Universe in a few years time.

Old School Fitness and Strength Training

I am very "old school" when it comes to exercising, weight training and circuit training. In this modern age too much emphasis is places on style over substance when it comes to getting fit. People join trendy gyms, wear fashionable clothing, drink the latest sports drinks, and usually pay extortionate amounts in the hope to achieve short term goals. I prefer the old school approach, and by that I mean the simple, basic exercises that have been proven to increase strength and fitness. The exercises that used to be taught in School Physical Training classes, and are the core training in military schools, dance school and martial arts schools today. Circuit Training I believe that circuit training is one of the best ways to gain all round fitness and strength. The most intensive circuit training I have ever done has been in large indoor halls, with "stations" where different exercises are done. There are usually no or few weights involved. Generally the exercises include: Press ups Sit ups Star jumps Squat thrusts Squats Step ups (onto a gym bench) Jumping onto then over gym bench with both feet together Burpies (sort of star jump followed immediately by a squat thrust - a killer !) Skipping Sprints up and down hall Running backwards, side ways etc. Dips (using gym bench to hold onto behind) Passing a medicine ball between two people, either back to back or throwing There are often many others that are incorporated to ensure that each class is varied, but these for the core of any circuit training class. Great for building overall strength and cardiovascular fitness and they exercise all the major muscle groups while keeping the heart rate high. Weight Training Basic compound weight training is what I consider to be the "old school" weight training. By this I mean the exercises that use several different muscle groups at once. The best compund exercises to do are: Bench Press Should Press / Military Press Bent Over Row Shoulder shrugs Pull ups Cleans and Clean and Presses Barbell curls Dips Lateral Pull downs If you plan take up circuit training, you do not really need any equipment. For weight training it is advisable to invest in some decent equipment, or join a proper weights gym, for that old school experience.