What is Human Flag training? How to perform?

The human flag is arguably the most visually impressive bodyweight feat of strength anyone's ever come up with. Any time someone does a human flag, it inevitably attracts attention. I've seen many a jaw drop after showing this move to someone for the first time. It's also the exercise that I get asked about more often than any other.


It takes considerable strength and lots of practice to do the human flag. You have to be incredibly strong, but you also must work specifically towards this skill. The first time I attempted the human flag, I didn't come close to staying up for even a second, and I was nearly 30 years old and had been working out for most of my life. Being someone who likes a challenge, I decided to make it my mission to master this move. I've practiced flagging for years now, yet it remains an elusive and challenging task. Flag Burning Detractors of the human flag will tell you it's just some kind of circus trick with no practical value beyond impressing 10 year-old kids and (hopefully) the occasional yummy mummy. But anyone who's actually spent some time training this feat knows first hand that it strengthens your body, your mind, and your character. The human flag will not help you get huge.

Besides, there's some degree of skill to everything, even squatting and bench pressing. Powerlifting is a sport, right? Doesn't that imply some skill involvement? Before you embark on the long, slow journey that is human flag training, keep in mind that like all bodyweight exercises, a high strength to mass ratio is crucial to performing a human flag. If you've got a bodyfat percentage in the high teens or beyond, the likelihood of you being able to perform this move sits somewhere between slim and none. Bodyweight strength training levels the playing field between the little guys and the big boys. When it comes to the flag, you're only as strong as you are lean, so you shouldn't be trying to gain weight if you want to nail this move. That said, you can definitely still build strength through human flag training.


Grip It Good The best way to practice the human flag is to use a sturdy vertical pole that's around an inch in diameter (thicker poles will pose more of a challenge). The top hand is typically positioned in an overhand grip while the bottom hand is supinated. Squeeze the pole tight and try to keep both arms as straight as possible. When doing the human flag, your core stabilizers are the foundation and so I found hanging leg raises and oblique work to be helpful strengthening exercises. You need super strong obliques in order to brace and hold the position.

Human Flag Exercise #1 – Hanging Leg Raise

When you do hanging leg raises, be sure to rock the hips. Bring the pelvis to the ribs and don’t just raise the knees up, which will just strengthen the hip flexors.

Human Flag Exercise #2 – Hanging Oblique Lift

Human Flag Exercise #3 – Hanging Windshield Wiper

The hanging windshield wiper is the motherload of core/oblique work. You’ll also feel your lats while you blast the core.

Here are a few pointers on How to do the Human Flag right:

• Your grip needs to be greater than shoulder width apart. I’ve found it easiest to have the bottom elbow locked with the fingers pointing downward.

• While bracing the bottom arm, you need to stack shoulder over shoulder, pinch the shoulder blades together and pull away from the pole with the top arm.

• Keeping the shoulders stacked on top of each other is imperative. This puts some pressure on the bottom elbow since it pretty much takes all the weight.

• To avoid injury of the elbow: don’t practice too much at first. Give the elbow a rest, roll the elbow with a foam roller and don’t allow the elbow to hyperextend.

 • The right pole is hard to find. It’s tough to find one that’s just the right diameter that’s easy to grip. If you live in a weather friendly environment, I’ve found traffic poles (bus stops, stop signs, no parking signs) are good.

Rethink your life ᴴᴰ || (Censored)

Your Diet in One Week: 7 Days of Healthier Meals

To help people figure out how to build a better diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last year retired the well-recognized, but confusing food pyramid and adopted a new healthy-eating icon: the colorful MyPlate, which is divided more clearly and simply into the basic food groups. The MyPlate guide, which is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for everyone, looks like your standard dinner plate, quartered into sections: fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. A smaller circle appears next to the plate, representing dairy.

Here are some general MyPlate eating tips:

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Make at least half your grains whole
• Switch to skim or 1% milk
• Vary your proteins

For a typical 2,000-calorie diet, the government recommends daily 2 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 6 ounces of grains, 5.5 ounces of protein and 3 cups of dairy. But, if you’re like most people, you probably don’t know how much a cup of fruit is exactly or 6 ounces of grains. So, we asked nutrition experts to interpret the guidelines for us, and provide a week’s worth of healthy sample menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The meal plans that follow not only meet the MyPlate guidelines, but they also incorporate foods from Healthland’s “31 Healthiest Foods of All Time” guide. Use these menus as inspiration to give your weekly meals a nutrition makeover.

Day 1: Eat More Whole Grains

Whole grains are better for you than refined ones, because they contain the entire intact grain kernel and lots of fiber and nutrition. The USDA recommends replacing refined grains in your diet with whole-grain breads, pastas, crackers and cereals. To make sure you’re buying the right products, check ingredient labels and make sure the world “whole” comes before each grain.
Here’s a day’s worth of sample menus, incorporating whole grains, from Janet Brill, a registered dietitian and author of Cholesterol Down: 10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks — Without Prescription Drugs.
Breakfast
• 2 slide of whole-wheat bread/bun
• ¼ cup light syrup
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2 hard boiled eggs

Lunch
• Tofu peanut wrap: use store-bought baked tofu thinly sliced; add to a whole-grain wrap with sliced red bell pepper and snow peas; spread 1 tablespoon Thai peanut sauce on wrap and assemble
• Baby carrots
• 8 ounces low-sodium vegetable juice

Dinner
• Shrimp fajitas: add grilled red pepper, garlic and onions to the shrimp and season with Mexican spices; roll into a whole-wheat tortilla and top with salsa
• Black beans and brown rice
• 1 glass green tea (optional)

Day 2: Sneak in More Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies should make up half your plate, and the USDA recommends getting a 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day. Eating cooked veggies or drinking vegetable juice counts, but there are lots of other easy ways to incorporate more of the good stuff into your meals.
Private chef, holistic nutritionist and Food Matters NYC founder Tricia Williams uses frozen fruits to whip up breakfast smoothies, for instance. Even a staple food like rice can be full of added veggies like red and yellow peppers, carrots and scallions, according to Williams. Check out her sample menu, below.


Breakfast
• Oat with Smoothie
Ingredients
½ cup ice
½ cup frozen strawberries
½ cup oat milk
½ banana
3 leaves kale
½ cup steel-cut oats, cooked and cooled
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 cup coconut water (or other liquid like juice)

Lunch
• Roasted chicken breast
• Melon and berries
• Forbidden rice salad
Recipe: Forbidden Rice Salad
Ingredients
¾ cup forbidden rice
¾ cup short grain brown rice
2 medium carrots, julienne
½ cup sow peas, julienne
1 red pepper, julienne
1 yellow pepper, julienne
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oi
½ tablespoon grated ginger
1/3 cup lime juice
Cook forbidden rice and brown rice separately. Start by rinsing rice in a colander. Place each rice in a medium size saucepan and cover each with 1 ½ cups of water. Place both pans over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let simmer until ready, about 18 minutes. Let the two varieties of rice cool. In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and lime juice. Add carrots, snow peas, peppers and scallions. Mix well and add the rice. Served immediately or store up to one day.

Dinner
• Sautéed spinach
• Pomegranate and blueberries
• BBQ turkey quinoa Meatloaf
Recipe: BBQ Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons safflower oil
½ cup white onion, finely diced
½ cup carrots, finely diced
½ cup celery, finely diced
½ cup red pepper, finely diced
½ cup yellow pepper, finely diced
½ cup orange pepper, finely diced
1 cup kale, blanched, shocked and finely dice
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 package ground white meat turkey
2 cups quinoa, cooked
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup BBQ sauce

Day 3: Vary Your Proteins

When it comes to protein, you have more options than you think: meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds are all part of the MyPlate protein category. The USDA recommends mixing up your menu to get the widest variety of nutrients, and opting for lean versions of meat products.


Breakfast
• 1% milk latte (8 ounces of milk)
• 2 slices whole grain cinnamon raisin toast, with ½ tablespoon almond butter
• 1 apple
Lunch
• Rice and beans with veggies: 1 cup chopped baby spinach, ¼ cup chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup shredded carrots, 1 cup cooked brown rice, ½ cup canned black beans (rinsed and drained), ¼ avocado (chopped), salsa/pico de gallo
Dinner
• Pasta with beans: 1 cup cooked whole grain pasta, ½ cup canned white beans (rinsed and drained), 1 cup steamed broccoli, marinara sauce, ½ ounce parmesan cheese
Snacks
• 1 ounce mozzarella cheese and ½ cup grape tomatoes
• 8 ounces plain yogurt and 1 cup berries

Day 4: Switch to Low-Fat Dairy

Skim and 1% milk are lower in fat and calories, but boast the same amount of calcium and nutrients as whole milk. And, remember, milk is but one dairy source of calcium: you can add low- or nonfat yogurt to smoothies, or eat yogurt with cereal to pack in nutrients in the morning. At lunch, try sprinkling low-fat cheese into your quesadilla, Brill suggests.

Breakfast
• Chocolate soy smoothie: 1 small banana, ½ cup silken tofu, ½ cup light vanilla soy milk, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sweetener of choice
• Whole-wheat toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
• Black bean and corn quesadilla: mash and mix canned and rinsed black beans with canned, rinsed corn kernels, shredded fat-free cheddar cheese and salsa; fold in half and cook in large nonstick skillet, with a touch canola oil, until cheese melts; serve with diced tomatoes, avocado, spinach and fat-free sour cream
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Dinner
• Broiled sirloin steak (3 to 4 ounces) 
• Mixed greens with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice
• Broccoli and garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil
• Quinoa with currants
• 1 glass green tea (optional)

Day 5: Lower Your Sodium

Most of people are consuming too much salt, largely from eating restaurant-prepared meals and processed foods. So, the more meals you make at home — with whole, fresh ingredients — the better. No time for that, you say? There are still ways you can cut your sodium intake: the USDA advises reading labels labels closely for low-sodium ingredients at the grocery store, and use super-salty condiments like salad dressings, soy sauce and ketchup sparingly.

If your taste buds miss the salt, sub in other spices and flavors like black pepper, curry, rosemary, basil, ginger and lemon juice. Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian and author of The Plant-Powered Diet, keeps her meals and flavors fun by substituting unusual ingredients, such as quinoa instead of oatmeal in the morning and a Mediterranean couscous salad instead of rice with her low-sodium vegetable soup at lunch.

Breakfast
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (may substitute steel-cut oats if this is too unusual), with ½ ounce chopped walnuts, 1 cup fresh berries (such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries) and 1 cup soy milk (fortified with calcium and vitamin D)
• Coffee
Lunch
• 1 cup vegetable soup
• 1 whole-grain pita half-filled with ½ cup garbanzo beans, ¼ cup lettuce, ¼ cup chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup cucumbers
• ½ cup tabouli (couscous) salad with ½ ounce pistachios
• 1 cup fortified soy yogurt, with ½ cup peaches
• Tea
Dinner
• 1 cup stir-fried vegetables with 2 ounces tofu and ½ ounce sesame seeds, with ½ cup Asian vegetable slaw
• 1 cup brown rice
Snack
• Soy banana smoothie: 1 cup fortified soy milk with 1 small banana
 Day 6: Be Choosy About Cooking Oils

Oils are not a food group, but they’re commonly used in cooking and provide essential fatty acids. Most cooking oils like olive oil, canola oil and safflower oil contain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are healthy if consumed in small doses. Note: a single tablespoon of oil contaims about 120 calories.

Breakfast
• Huevos rancheros: scrambled egg whites, 1 ounce salsa, 1 whole wheat flour tortilla, black beans, shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• Glass of fat-free milk
Lunch
• Tuna melt: mix chunk-light tuna in water with minced shallots, light mayo, lemon juice, parsley and a dash of hot sauce; add sliced tomato and 2 tablespoons grated fat-free cheese; serve on slice of whole-grain bread
• 8 ounces low-sodium vegetable juice
• 1 apple
Dinner
• Skinless roasted chicken breast
• Roasted sweet potato fries, with extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary
• Sautéed spinach with garlic in extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice
• 1 glass of red wine (optional)

Day 7: Eat More SeafoodOnce you get the hang of cooking fish, it’ll be easy to meet the USDA’s recommendation to eat seafood twice a week. Brill is a big fan of salmon, which is an easy fish to roast, broil or grill. Not only is it tasty, but it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart and nervous system, as well as keep you mentally sharp.

Breakfast
• 1 small 100% whole-grain bagel, with 2 tablespoons fruited cream cheese: low-fat cream cheese mixed with chopped fresh berries, ½ teaspoon confectioners sugar and a dash of allspice
• 1 hard boiled egg
Lunch
• 2 slices 100% whole-grain bread, with 2 tablespoons low-fat peanut butter and 1 sliced banana
• 1 cup fat-free milk

Dinner
• Grilled salmon with mustard and herbs
• Roasted new potatoes with green beans
• Mixed greens with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice
• 1 glass of red wine (optional)

Full Body 12 Minute Fat Loss Circuit that can workout from Home

This simple 12 minute fat loss bodyweight workout is ideal for:

A stand-alone workout for super busy people.

• A warm up for the main workout
• A high intensity interval workout at the end of the main workout.
• A light conditioning workout for off days (don’t get too rigorous on an off day though)

Lately I’ve been doing mini-bodyweight circuits as a warm up for my weight lifting workouts.  Traditionally I jogged on a treadmill, but I’m really liking how bodyweight circuits warm up my muscles and get my heart rate up before the main event.
If you plan on using the following circuit as a workout warm-up, 2 circuits will suffice.  If this is your workout for the day, do 3, 4 or even 5 circuits – whatever amount of time you have.

Let’s get to it:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Each circuit takes 3 minutes plus 1 minute of rest in between.
• Take no or little rest in between exercises.
• # of circuits:  Stand alone workout do 3 to 5 circuits.  As a warm up workout do 2 to 3 circuits.
• Another approach is instead of doing it by number of reps, do each exercise for 30 seconds.

1.  Jumping Jacks
Sounds boring and old school, but I love doing them and they work … they warm up/work your shoulders, back and legs.  In fact, I actually get a nice calf burn after 3 rounds of 30 seconds each.
Focus on your form.  Put in a good effort with a good jump and moving your arms through the full range of motion.  Also pay attention to your speed – you want to do them fairly fast.

2.  Prisoner Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (squat position).  Fold hands and place on the back of your head.  Your elbows flare out to the side (like you’re handcuffed – hence the “prisoner squat” name).  Squat up and down.  Do 10 to 20 reps.


3.  Pushup
No explanation needed.  Do 10 to 20 reps. If this is too easy for you, do the valsdale pushup.



4.  In-Place Lunge
Go into lung position.  Go up and down on one leg.  Then do the other leg.  This not only works your quadriceps and hamstrings, but stretches out your hip flexors as well.  Do 10 to 20 reps for each leg.


5.  Mountain Climbers
Ensure you focus on technique and once you have technique down, increase the tempo.  This works out your shoulders, chest, triceps, core and legs.


6.  Dive-Bomber Push Up
This is my favorite push up because it’s very fluid.  Watch the dive-bomber push up video below.

How To Make Your Own Magnesium Oil

Magnesium is one of the most vital minerals that our body needs. Every cell in our body uses magnesium in some way and a magnesium deficiency can have a huge number of symptoms, including:

• muscle weakness
• anxiety
• lack of concentration
• confusion
• depression
• irritability
• poor memory
• headaches and migraines
• cravings for junk food
• osteoporosis
• low sex drive
• infertility
• high blood pressure
• insomnia
• diabetes
• stroke

You should take magnesium internally, preferably via food, or alternatively with a magnesium supplement, but applying magnesium oil on to your skin is another great way to benefit from this vital mineral.Making magnesium oil at home is the cheapest and most effective way.

Many people are deficient in this vital mineral that the body uses for hundreds of reactions. Every cell in the body needs magnesium in some way, and it is vital for bone, tooth, muscle, and joint health as well as for optimal sleep and stress reduction.
Deficiency of magnesium is widespread because many of us have lifestyle factors that actively deplete magnesium such as lack of sleep, excess stress, or alcohol/caffeine/sugar consumption. On top of that, many natural sources of magnesium are becoming depleted (such as the soil due to over-farming and high pesticide use) and water filtration systems remove much of the naturally occurring magnesium in water.
The ocean is still a wonderful source of magnesium and trace minerals, but for those of us who don’t have daily access to a beach, transdermal magnesium oil can be the easiest and most effective way to increase magnesium levels. I’ve recently seen some research that adequate magnesium can do everything from reduce stress to improve sleep and even eliminate morning sickness!
I take magnesium internally and use it on my skin daily in the form of magnesium oil. A brilliant reader recently shared with me how she saved a lot of money by making her own magnesium oil, and I wanted to pass on her recipe to you…
[Note: Ancient Minerals, maker of the Magnesium Oil I use, recently posted about the small differences between homemade magnesium oil made from magnesium flakes and their pre-made magnesium oil.

What you need:

•  1/2 cup Magnesium Chloride Flakes
• 1/2 cup distilled water
• A glass bowl or glass measuring cup
• A glass spray bottle (plastic will work too)

What to do:

Boil the distilled water. It is important to use distilled to extend the shelf life of the mixture. Put the Magnesium Chloride Flakes in the glass bowl or measuring cup and the pour the bowling water over it.
Stir well until completely dissolved. Let cool completely and store in the spray bottle. Can be stored at room temperature for at least six months. I keep in my bathroom to use daily.

To Use:

Spray on arms, legs, and stomach daily. I use 10-20 sprays per day. It will tingle on the skin the first few times it is used, and this is normal. It should fade after a few applications, but you can dilute with more water if it bothers you too much.
You can leave on the skin or wash off after 20-30 minutes. I usually apply after a shower and then use coconut oil or a lotion bar to moisturize about 5 minutes later.

10 Awesome Reasons To Eat Oatmeal Everyday

Mention oatmeal and you always get a picture of a nutrient-rich breakfast. It’s so nutritious that you won’t get any bad fats no matter how much you eat.

Simple and easy to prepare, oatmeal is ideal for people who are always on the go but still craves for an energy-packed breakfast.

 

Can’t get enough? Here are ten more reasons to make oatmeal a part of your everyday ‘beauty’ diet:

10. It has high nutrients, low calories.

Oatmeal makes you feel full without giving too much calories. In fact, one cup of oatmeal has only 130 calories. Simply put, eating oatmeal regularly will greatly decrease your food cravings. Now you don’t have to starve yourself every time you go on a diet.

9. It prevents constipation.

Studies show that use of laxatives among seniors can potentially lead to malnutrition and unnecessary weight loss. With the introduction of oatmeal in their diet, however, older patients tend to prevent constipation without experiencing adverse effects. As a result, seniors have used oatmeal not just to achieve smooth bowel movement but to manage their weight as well.

8. It lowers bad cholesterol. 

Oatmeal is rich with fibers called beta glucan that can help lower bad cholesterol. It keeps your heart healthy and reduces your risk of having stroke or hypertension. Oatmeal fibers are also known to suppress appetite. Therefore, oatmeal is ideal for people who are under weight management. Make it a habit to eat a bowl of oatmeal once a day and you’ll soon achieve a leaner figure, and a healthy heart to boot.

7. It boosts your insulin sensitivity. 

Medical studies show that patients who take at least a bowl of oatmeal per day are more responsive to insulin than those who don’t eat oatmeal at all. In other words, this simple meal is ideal for those who suffer from insulin resistance. It makes your cells more receptive to insulin and therefore keeps your metabolism intact.

6. It lessens your diabetes risk.

Studies show that people who include oatmeal in their daily diet have lower risks of diabetes compared to those who don’t take oatmeal at all. This benefit is due to the high levels of magnesium, which helps in the production of glucose in our body. Ideal especially for those who have a family history of diabetes.

5. It is good for the heart.

A bowl of oatmeal a day can help reduce the risks of heart diseases. This is due to lignans, a component found in oatmeal known to prevent heart diseases. This can also be connected to other oatmeal benefits mentioned earlier. If you have low bad cholesterol level and normal blood sugar reading, it is most likely that you also have a healthy heart.

4. It prevents heart failure.

A healthy heart also means lower risk of heart failure. Therefore, those who regularly eat a bowl of whole grain or oatmeal are more likely to live with a healthy heart. This is especially true among seniors who are more prone to heart failure because of their old age. To prevent cases of this serious disorder, it is ideal to eat at least a bowl of  oatmeal per day (preferably during breakfast).

3. It fights breast cancer.

Oatmeal contains a special fiber that helps prevent breast cancer. So, instead of eating too much junk food or fast food, why not try making it a habit to have a bowl of oatmeal in your daily diet? This goes out to all women especially now that breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer that hit many women globally.

2. It strengthens your immune system.

Oatmeal has special fiber that can help boost your immune system. In this case, you will not be prone to diseases and other bacterial attacks. Accordingly, the beta gluten fiber found in oatmeal does not only keep the heart healthy but also keeps your body strong and resistant to illnesses.

1. It is budget-friendly. 

Compared to other expensive foods with empty calories, oatmeal offers more health benefits  at a very convenient price. Now you can have a healthy breakfast treat everyday without breaking the bank.

Your Turn

How do you usually prepare an oatmeal? Have you experienced oatmeal’s health benefits like what we have mentioned above?

Upper Arm Exercises: Lose the Flab Effectively

Want to learn some really cool upper arm exercises that will help you lose those embarrassing arm flab effectively?

If you are among the many women whose frustration is the unwanted fats in your body going straight to your upper arms, here are some great upper arm exercise routines for you. These exercises focus on the arms, shoulders, and the chest. Each routine helps you tone down the fat, build muscles and make you look great in no time.

Warm-up Exercises

Just like any exercise regimen, warming up your muscles helps reduce risk of injury and lessens the body aches that come after every exercise. Remember that this helps the circulatory system in pumping oxygen-rich blood to your working muscles. Always start with these simple warm ups when doing upper arm exercises:

Shoulder Circles

Stand with your feet slightly apart. Raise your left shoulder and take it backward, around and up in one continuous, but slow motion. Repeat this 10 times before doing the same motion with your right shoulder.

Arm Circles

Stand straight and hold your arms out to your sides with palms facing up.  Circle your arms forward 10 times and then backward for another 10 rounds. Flip your palms so they face the floor and then repeat the sequence.

Upper Arm Exercises

Standing Pushups

Stand at arm’s length from a wall. Stretch out your arms so that your hands are flat on the wall at shoulder height.  Follow the proper breathing exercise while doing this —  inhale while you push your body towards the wall and exhale as you push your body back to the original position.  Make sure that when doing this exercise, your elbows are always at your sides.

Reverse Fly  

You will need a pair of dumbbells for this exercise. Stand with your feet slightly apart. Bend your knees and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders. Raise both of your  arms and clench your shoulder blades together. Do at least 5 sets of 8 repetitions.

Chair Dip

Another effective upper arm exercise is the chair dip. While sitting on a sturdy chair, slide your butt down towards the floor with the heel of your hands holding the edge of your seat. Your hands should support the weight of your body. While in this position, straighten out your right leg with your left leg bent at 90 degree angle. Breathe while slowly lowering down your butt. Always keep in mind that while doing this, your elbows should be tucked by your sides.  Push your butt up and straighten your arms. Do at least 2 sets with 8-15 repetitions alternating both feet.

Back Touch

Stand straight while holding a dumbbell in each of your hands. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and with one arm stretched out to the sides. Put your other arm behind your back with a dumbbell. Slowly lift your outstretched arm up and down. This exercise will strengthen your back muscles.  Do at least 30 repetitions alternating both arms.

 

 

 

 

 

Cool Down

Triceps Stretch

The triceps stretch is a favorite upper arm exercises most women love to do to cool down. Do this step while sitting with your legs crossed together. Straighten up your shoulder as you lift your left arm over your head. Bend it towards the direction of your right shoulder. Use your right hand to gently push your left elbow. Feel the stretch while counting to 20. Do the same exercise on your left arm.

After doing your upper arm exercises, it is vital that you have to cool down and relax. The triceps stretch is a good way of cooling down and relaxing your muscles. Reducing the tension and relaxing your body after a workout will prevent joint strains, lessens back problems, stabilizes your blood circulation, and avoid muscular soreness.

 

Doing the Upper arm exercises regularly will help tone down your flabby arms and strengthen the muscles of your shoulders, arms, and upper back. You can now wear your favorite sleeveless shirts without being embarrassed!

Work towards having lean and sexy arms today with these simple upper arm exercises!  

NOT to wear when work out in gym

The gym equipment must be carefully and wisely chosen. Beginners have the false impression that they must look very well at the gym. They choose their most beautiful clothes and not the most comfortable.

The ladies are looking to purchase a dark equipment “to seem skinny”. Gentlemen put more value on the model of the T-shirt than the material. The colors, company or inscriptions on the gym equipment have no effect on our training. But material, stitching or quality can make the difference between a pleasant experience and a nightmare at the gym.

What type of  the gym equipment NOT to wear :

Although cotton is a lightweight, cool and comfortable material, don’t choose it for your gym equipment. Cotton absorbs sweat and it dries slowly. To start exercising in a wet shirt is not comfortable or healthy. Also avoid very large equipment because it will make you move difficult during training. Choose special equipment, synthetic material that dries easily.
Before going to the gym be careful not to abuse the perfume. It can be extremely unpleasant for both you and your colleagues who need to breathe heavily during exercises. Body lotions can make the skin slippery and can cause skin sticking to the gym equipment.

When you go to the gym, it is best to leave home watches, earrings or necklace. It can be very uncomfortable when you deposit a considerable physical effort and can irritate your skin. Worse,it can cling to the gym equipment and cause injury.

Wear a proper pair of shoes, which support your feet right. It is essential to prevent injury. It is also important to change your shoes after you run about 700 miles with them.

In the gym must feel comfortable in the clothes we wear. Very tight and uncomfortable underwear should be avoided. Don’t wear wired bras! You should choose to wear a bustier to the gym.

High Intensity Interval Training

A HIIT session often consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by three to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise for recovery, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise, but may be as little as three repetitions with just 20 seconds of intense exercise. There is no specific formula to HIIT. Depending on one's level of cardiovascular development, the moderate-level intensity can be as slow as walking. A common formula involves a 2:1 ratio of work to recovery periods, for example, 30–40 seconds of hard sprinting alternated with 15–20 seconds of jogging or walking. The entire HIIT session may last between four and thirty minutes, meaning that it is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout that is limited on time. If your goal is to burn fat, intervals better be part of your program. Besides being a quick method to getting in a great workout, intervals are extremely effective for transforming your physique. By incorporating intense periods of work with short recovery segments, intervals allow you to keep the workout intensity high while still maintaining form. The magic of high intensity interval training (or HIIT for short) lies its ability to keep you burning fat even after you leave the gym. In short, your body isn’t able to bring in enough oxygen during periods of hard work. Therefore, you accumulate a “debt” of oxygen that must be repaid post-workout in order to get back to normal. The result — your metabolism is revved for hours after you leave the gym. Trainers refer to this phenomena as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. The biggest way to use it to your advantage is to make short, intense exercise bouts a regular piece of your workout regimen. Metabolic Conditioning: The Key to Better Performance.. Intense circuits also stimulate muscle-building hormones like growth hormone and IGF-1. This puts your body in a perfect state to build lean mass. Along side the hormone response, interval training also develops the cardiovascular system. By pushing your heart rate high during periods of work, you’ll increase your cardio ability and strengthen your heart. During the short rest intervals, you also increase your recovery capabilities meaning you’ll be able to recover faster in future workout sessions. Boost Your Metabolism in 5 Steps When creating interval workouts, focus on including difficult movements that challenge your entire body in a single exercise. Aim to include at least two exercises back to back before allowing your body to recover. Catch your breath in between rounds, but don’t allow yourself to recover fully before attacking the next set. To jumpstart your routine, we’ve compiled a list of favorite interval workouts from our top trainers. Pick one or two to incorporate in your weekly routine. Include at least a day of rest in between workouts as these intervals are intense.

What Is CrossFit?

CrossFit is an intense exercise program featuring dynamic exercises like plyometric jumps, and Olympic lifts while using non-traditional weightlifting equipment such as kettlbells, sand-bags, suspension systems or water-filled implements. The program is structured in such a way that participants are challenged to do a certain number of repetitions in a workout in a specific time frame; the more advanced CrossFit participants will actually compete against each other to see how fast they can complete the daily workout and post their results on the CrossFit website. CrossFit begins with a belief in fitness. The aim of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness. We have sought to build a program that will best prepare trainees for any physical contingency — not only for the unknown, but for the unknowable. After looking at all sport and physical tasks collectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would most universally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled from the intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well to all sport. CrossFit is many things. Primarily, it’s a fitness regimen developed by Coach Greg Glassman over several decades. He was the first person in history to define fitness in a meaningful, measurable way (increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains). CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective. Today, CrossFit, the company, provides accredited training seminars throughout the world. We publish several websites providing extensive free content, including workouts, training and support for becoming fit, as well as a growing Journal of extended instruction. We have a worldwide network of more than 5,500 affiliated gyms and more than 35,000 accredited CrossFit Level 1 trainers. And, we have created the Sport of Fitness, known as the CrossFit Games, where we crown the Fittest Man and Woman on Earth

Plank Exercise for overall muscle and stamina

A plank is a perfect example of total body tension and co-contractive forces. It's a battle of near-maximal contractile strength from all areas (shoulders, abs, glutes, low back and quads) to produce a steel beam in human form, able to withstand any external forces. Planks are special. The more you do them, the more they seem to make everything else you do in the gym better. Whether you're trying to smash a PR in a big lift, recover from a back injury, get faster on the field, or simply get better abs, planks can help. Unfortunately, planks get a bad rap for being a wussy exercise. All you do is hang out there, motionless, until you get bored. No big weights, no mind-numbing intensity. If this sums up your feelings on the exercise, odds are your planking skills are in need of a serious overhaul. Let's break down how to do a plank for maximum benefits; how planks can be used to increase your total weight lifted with compound movements; and how planks can be used to increase flexibility through the hips and shoulders. Like I said, they do everything.

The benefits of plank exercises are:

1. Convenient - Plank exercises can be done at home or at a gym. All you need is a mat.
2. Flexibility - Plank exercises increase flexibility in the posterior muscle groups throughout your body.
3. Aesthetic - Plank exercises can improve your appearance by activating core muscles which stabilizes your spine and hips improving posture.
4. Mental - Plank exercises can improve mental benefits that improve your mood. Plank exercises stretch muscles that commonly stiffen throughout the day and contribute to stress.
5. Strength - Plank exercises help strengthen the midsection, upper-body and lower-body  muscles along the front of your body.

You are probably wondering what the craze is all about regarding this great exercise. Well in this post, I'm going to outline all the benefits the exercise provides breaking this down by major muscle groups to show you just how powerful one exercise can provide you with multiple gains which no other exercise can do without using some type of equipment.

Right here goes, here are the plank exercise benefits you have been waiting for:

Strength
It is a strength training exercise so one of the key benefits is obviously to improve your strength in various areas. Lets take a closer look at the actual exercise. If you look closely at the front plank, you will notice the muscle groups being challenged.



If we start at the front, the first muscle being worked is your neck. In order to hold this plank position correctly you must keep your neck straight and not bending down. By keeping it straight you are working major muscle groups in your neck called the traps, this helps your posture especially if you spend a lot of time sitting at desk as it helps support your neck.

Moving along the neck, the next muscle group you will notice being used are your shoulders. Unless you go to the gym, shoulder muscles are generally not directly trained unless you do press ups for example. But who wants to do boring last century press ups? However, If you are a fan of press ups, which many are, performing the plank will also strengthen your shoulder muscles over time and thus improving the performance of your press ups as it uses similar muscle groups.

Holding the shoulders up are the biceps. If you are not into body building and building your biceps, merely performing the plank will help build and tonne your biceps as you are using your biceps to keep your upper body weight off the ground.

Right so that covers your upper body workout. Now if we travel along under the body, the next muscle group we hit is your chest, although I would say this is a secondary muscle group that is worked.If we continue along we then come to the major muscle group being worked, the abs. Strong abs are vital not only for sport but also for good posture. This exercise will also strengthen your abs and as a result tonne them giving them a much more streamline look. The muscle groups to the opposite side of the abs are your lower back muscles. These too play a vital role in keeping you in the plank position but also provide other key health benefits which i describe further down. Moving along, the next muscle group we come to are the ones located in your bottom, yes these too are strengthen! From there you have the thighs and finally the calf muscles. We got there in the end! So as you can see, the plank provides strength benefits to many muscle groups all at the same time. Tell me, which other exercise provides this many strength benefits without the use of gym equipment? Leave a comment below if you know of any others, it would be interesting to know. MentalIt could make you go mental! Na, only kidding, however, what I mean is that the exercise is also quite addictive so on the plus side it will help you wanting to try and improve on your previous performance. Theres never any harm in a little competition in yourself for the greater good. However, as it requires focus in order to keep holding the plank for as long as possible, I've found it mentally builds on my concentration skills while trying to achieve a goal. As you are probably aware by now, holding the plank position stretches many muscle groups all at the same time. These muscle groups can get stressed during the day when sitting at your desk, however to release the tension from them, holding a plank position can be the ideal solution to help relieve these tense muscles. Another great thing this exercise provides is good habit and training for your abs. This will help you daily if you are doing any physical activities or sports as you will automatically initially start tensing your abs before carrying out your activity. This is a great habit to develop as your tense abs provide additional strength and balance in your activity, not only that but also greatly protects you from injury, especially injury to your lower back. AestheticOk, so now we come to the real reason of why you want to learn about the plank position! Yes you want to streamline that waistline and tonne that belly so it looks like you have a six pack. I can see straight through you! Yes, performing the plank certainly helps in streamlining your waist line, however that doesn't mean its all you have to do to see results. Like with any form of exercise, you will still need to have consistency, a balanced diet and carryout other forms of cardio vascular exercise to complement your plank exercise for the best results. So there you have it. One simple exercise with multiple benefits.

The benefit of joining the challenge is that it’s a simple and fun way to target your abs without doing crunches.

Using the challenge my goal is one plank everyday in the month of September with a long-term goal of 5:00.

Plank-a-Day Progress
9/2/12 – 1:16
9/3/12 – 1:14
9/4/12 – 2:04
9/5/12 – 2:15
9/6/12 – 2:14
9/7/12 – 2:17
9/8/12 – 2:35
9/10/12 – 3:03 PR!

How to Lose Weight without workout required?

Eat Spicier Foods

Eating spicy food can help you lose weight by kicking your metabolism into gear. It also helps to burn the excess energy in the same way your muscles do. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons you will lose weight with spicy foods is that they help to suppress appetite.

Ditch White Carbs

White carbs do nothing for you but turn to sugar almost instantly. They also cause you to bloat in none of the places you want to bloat. Make the switch to brown rice, whole grain, breads and pastas. 

Don't Eat Alone 
When you eat alone, you’re more likely to make unhealthy choices. Having someone there to observe your food choices will put the pressure on to make better decisions. Try to find someone you can be accountable to like a spouse, co-worker or friend. Find an Active Hobby The worst part about working out is the fact that we call it “working out.” It has become a chore we have to do as a result of the piece of cheesecake we indulged in over the weekend. Instead of “working out” or going to the gym, just find something fun to do that gets you moving. It doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe try something simple like doing your housework to music so you can dance when your favorite song comes on.

Routine for yourself 

Some of the best kept secrets about models is that their agents often encourage them to find a favorite, healthy snack to eat every day. This helps them maintain a healthy eating routine that keeps them on track for days, weeks, or even years.Simply put, you need to make up a routine for yourself. Make it easy enough so that you won’t fall through.

How to stay mentally fit?

Many people focus on physical fitness, but few know that brain fitness is also something you can work on. In fact, you can exercise your brain as often as you would your arms or abs--and the results can be positive and empowering. It’s helpful to think of your brain as you would a muscle. To improve your brain, you can’t simply repeat the same exercises over and over. Just as lifting a two pound weight will cease to challenge you, so will repetitive exercises such as crosswords or Sudoku. Once you master easy exercises, you must move on to harder ones in order to push your brain—like your muscles—to a new level. This is based on your brain’s innate neuroplasticity, or its ability to grow and change in response to new challenges. In other words, the right types of stimulating exercises can physically change your brain. The science behind brain training and Brain training is an investment. Scientists once believed that your mental abilities were fixed in adulthood. Now that studies on neuroplasticity have shown just the opposite, millions of people around the world have adopted the new practice of brain training. The most popular of these brain training products is made by the San Francisco-based Lumosity, which employs a team of in-house neuroscientists with degrees from Stanford and UC Berkeley. Realizing that brains need more sophisticated programs and guidance to grow and change, Lumosity’s scientists work with an experienced team of game designers. Together they’ve developed a fun, effective online brain training program that measure, tracks, and adapts to your progress so you’ll always be challenged.

Lumosity's training algorithm and 40+ games are based on well-studied tests used in clinical neuropsychology research. Promising studies on the effects of brain training. In a 2013 Stanford study, a treatment group of 21 breast cancer survivors used 12 weeks of Lumosity training to work on processing speed, mental flexibility, and working memory tasks. On average, those who trained improved on tests of these abilities, compared to a group that did not train with Lumosity. There is even some preliminary evidence suggesting that Lumosity may be beneficial to normal, healthy adults. In a 2011 study by Lumosity and San Francisco State University researchers, 13 people who did Lumosity training over 5 weeks improved on tests of brain performance compared to a group that did not train. On average, those who trained improved working memory scores by 10% and attention scores by 20%. Brain training is designed to address real-life needs. The goal of brain training is not to improve game scores: it’s to improve the underlying core abilities that those games rely on. Neuroscientists like those at Lumosity design brain games meant to translate into real-life benefits; with continued testing and research, the body of evidence behind brain training continues to grow. Better attention, for example, can mean greater focus in the classroom or at an important business meeting. With improved processing speed, you might react and adapt faster to the demands of a busy life. And a better memory could mean stronger, longer relationships with the people closest to you.

What Happens When You Take a Testosterone Supplement?

Wow... I'm getting old. It's a disturbing thought, one that usually hits after an unexpected physical challenge. Maybe you've been unable to maintain your usual workout levels, or recovery is taking a lot longer than it used to. Perhaps fixes to the house are just a bit more difficult, or you find yourself feeling tired more often. What's most startling about this realization is that you don't normally "feel old" but, nevertheless, you know you don't look or feel like the man you used to be. And the issue? You might not have enough free testosterone. A person's bloodstream contains two types of testosterone: bonded testosterone and free testosterone. Bonded testosterone attaches to molecules in the body and is mostly ineffective. However, free testosterone can enter your cells easily and plays a vital role in strength, stamina, and vitality—all of which are important to men. Over the last few years the market has been flooded with questionable options for increasing a man's free testosterone levels: useless pills, questionable supplements, and dangerous or illegal medical treatments. But now a group of researchers in Boston, Massachusetts have developed a dietary supplement that triggers the body into increase its levels of free testosterone naturally and safely. The supplement primarily relies on an ingredient, which comes from the rare Fenugreek plant. It has been shown in clinical trials to boost free testosterone levels, while additional key ingredients like zinc and vitamins B12 and B6 are known to improve physical performance and strength, increase drive, and aid in recovery. It has no harmful side effects, this isn't product hype delivered by a know-it-all enthusiast from the gym. According to studies held in both Irvine, California and Queensland, Australia, the results are nothing short of spectacular. From greater muscle definition and quicker recovery times, to increased feelings of alertness and improved endurance, these users are reporting virtual transformations as a result of safely boosting their free testosterone.

Rethink your life and enjoy your life

Is it okay to work out twice in one day? And if so, what’s the best way to do it?

The expert: Doug Barsanti, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and owner of ReInvention Fitness in Santa Cruz, California

The answer: Logging double workouts can be safe, but it depends on two things: how long your workouts are and what you’re doing during each one. “People assume that working out more is always better than working out less, but that’s not the case—more isn’t always better, especially if you're doing the same thing,” Barsanti explains.

His advice: Doubling up can work if you :

a) separate your sessions into two smaller, 30- to 45-minute blocks and do them at the beginning and end of the day, and..

b) practice different disciplines during each one. So for example, you could go on a 30-minute run in the morning and then do 30 minutes of strength training at night, or you could do strength training early in the day and then yoga later on that evening.

What happens if you try to exercise for twice a day for longer periods of time? Your body basically collapses. “Generally speaking, working out for longer than an hour a day runs your body into the ground. You’ll get so tired that you’ll actually lose strength and therefore lose muscle—not to mention losing the enthusiasm to exercise,” Barsanti explains. Same goes for repeating the same kind of exercise. "If you don't vary it up, your body gets used to it, and it won't be as effective the second time you do it," he continues.

Your best bet: Aim for a consistent workout schedule that you can definitely stick with every week. And if you do double up, don't break the rules!

The amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a
cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that  quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a
cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing,
spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals
in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

 

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before
going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a  few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten,  firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost,

keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a  quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

 

 

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire  cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber  will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing,  relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your

mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?
Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it
remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

 

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

 

14. Hangover cure - To avoid a morning hangover or headache; eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients, reducing the intensity of both hangover and headache.

15. Aids in weight loss and digestion - Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

16. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure - Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

17. Promotes joint health relieves gout and arthritis pain -Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels