Read Mike’s great article on bodyweight squats:

Bodyweight Squats Muscular Endurance Challenge

Hey there, it’s Mike from TruthAboutAbs.com & Busy Man Fitness .com

I told you last week that I’d be sending you out a training challenge this week. Well, here it is. I challenge you to try to beat my results at this little 5-minute routine. You’ll see my results below.

I’m sure if you’ve been reading my info for some time that you know I like to get creative in the training routines that I recommend trying. I think trying different training styles and routines keeps things more interesting and can be motivating if you set specific goals for certain exercises.

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is not about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

In fact, if you didn’t already see it, one of my unique training ideas was recently featured in the popular international magazine, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Jul/Aug issue pg. 18.

So my boredom buster this week is something I just thought up recently. I set a challenge with a couple of my training partners at my gym to see who could do the most repetitions of bodyweight squats in 5 minutes. I will qualify that these are meant to be full squats all the way down to thighs parallel with the ground, not the little “half way down” squats that you see so many people doing.

You basically just keep squatting for as many reps as possible in 5-min. You only rest a couple times here and there for a few seconds if you need it to help you keep squatting.

I liked this idea because I thought it would be drastically different from the normal 3 sets of 10, 5 sets of 5, 7 sets of 3, and so on. No matter how you break it down with weighted squats, you’re usually in the range of 20-40 total repetitions in a given workout.

However, with max repetition bodyweight squats in 5-minutes, your numbers easily can get up to well over 100 reps. Let me tell you… even though you’re not squatting heavy weights with this unique training style, the high volume of repetitions really pumps your legs and gets you dripping with sweat. Also, if you’re not used to this high volume, your legs will be in for some deep soreness for about 2-3 days afterwards.

So the results? Well, in my first attempt at 5-minute squats, I pumped out 157 reps. About a week later, I tried it again, and beat my 1st number by repping 163 squats. Then the following week, I once again beat my former scores by blasting through 169 squats.

I’ve set the goal that I’d like to get up to 200 squats within the 5-minute time frame. Considering that you have 300 seconds in 5-minutes, I figured 200 reps might be about at the maximum possible capacity as you really need to be repping quickly to do 200 parallel squats in 300 seconds.

Bodybuilding Done Right. Busy Man Fitness

For example, this muscular endurance goal of 200 squats in 5-minutes is on the totally opposite end of the spectrum when compared to a different goal that I trained for last year when I was training in a pure strength mode working up to a 405-lb deadlift. Changing things up like this and training for wildly different goals at different times can really help keep you interested in your workouts.

Alright, so go ahead and give this little 5-minute squat challenge a try (remember full squats, no halvsies).

Update: several weeks after running this article, I ended up beating my goal of 200 bodyweight squats in 5 minutes by pumping out 214 reps! Oh my, the burn!!

Good luck!

Feel free to forward this link to any friends, training partners, or family that you think might want to try this training challenge.

About the Author:  Mike Geary
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Founder – TruthAboutAbs.com & BusyManFitness.com

Is there a way to get a muscle building effect with cardio? Recent research says “yes” you can build muscle with interval training. This shocking research study goes against the grain of every major bodybuilding concept that you have ever heard but now you can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Most people always thought that weight lifting builds muscle and cardio workouts burn fat. While that is partially true, why not build muscle and burn fat with the same exercise?

Most people typically fail because they are performing slow and steady cardio. Not only is slow and steady cardio boring but as I explain in The Physique Formula, this type of workout actually shuts off your anabolic natural muscle building hormones that cause you to build muscle and lose stomach fat. This is why most people struggle to lose those last five pounds of fat that are stuck on your lower abs, glutes and hamstrings.

Don’t think that you have get on the treadmill or bike to do muscle building cardio like recent research has shown. Not at all, you can actually get the same effect during your workouts and they don’t even need to be workouts in the gym. Tabatas are a method of training that have been shown to accelerate the fat lose process faster than typical interval training and almost double the fat loss of steady state cardio.

Here’s how to get the muscle building cardio effects by using tabatas in your workout.

-Pick a compound full body exercise like the bench press, squat, deadlift, chin-ups, dumbbell shoulder press, dips or lunges.

-Pick a weight that you can do for 15-20 reps.

-Perform as many reps as you can in 20 seconds.

-Rest for 10 seconds.

-Perform another round of as many reps as possible for 20 seconds.

-Rest for another 10 seconds.

-Repeat another round for the final 20 seconds then rest another 10 seconds.

-Perform this type of tabata set for another 2 sets.

-Select 3 other full body exercises (2 for the upper body and 2 for the lower) and perform the same amount of sets.

Record the weight used and the reps done because next time you train you are going to get a better muscle building cardio effect because you’ll do more reps with the same weight.

Discover the quickest way to build muscle and burn fat with a sample bodyweight workout routine. Jimmy Smith, MS,CSCS is a Men’s Fitness muscle building expert.

Tip! Leave your ego at the door! ? Bodybuilding Champions focus on the process and not on themselves. Your life should not center on you and you alone.

Although the entire body needs to be properly positioned during bodybuilding workout, the axial skeleton and its immediate attachments are of greatest concern and require particular attention. Correctly positioning and stabilizing the spine, neck and pelvis during resistance-training exercises are especially important.

To see better how these areas should be positioned during exercise, you should first be aware of how they are positioned when held or stabilized at rest. Not everyone has the same degree of spinal curvature, and some may have spinal abnormalities. If you or someone you are training has any of these abnormalities or any type of back problems, be sure a doctor is consulted before beginning any exercises program.

Different schools of thought exist regarding the spine and exercise. Some people advocate flattening the back during most any exercise in which a bench, pad, or some sort of outside support is present. The theory behind this concept is to reduce the stress on the spine, intervertebral disks, and lower-back area by bracing them against a support. Flattening the back actually requires most people to tilt the pelvis posteriorly. The spine is in its strongest position and the disks are under the least amount of compression when the spine, neck and pelvis are all in a neutral position with the normal arches and curvatures intact.

With this in mind, we prefer to do most every exercise while keeping the lumbar spine and the cervical spine in a neutral position. The only change is a slight degree of extension or straightening through the thoracic religion. To do this, we simply pull the shoulder blades together and lift the chest slightly up and out while maintaining the ntural arch in the lumbar and cervical regions of the spine. An example of this would be soldiers standing at attention with their shoulders back and their chest out. This spinal positioning is called a ready position.

Tip! Teach others what you have learned ? Bodybuilding Champions help others gain knowledge. The best champions are those who share the wealth, teach others and inspire hearts.

Positioning the spine in this manner supports weight more efficiently and still allows for the least amount of intervertebral disk compression in the cervical and lumbar regions. Instead of bracing the lower back by flattening it, you should maintain the natural arch in the lumbar spine. Maintaining this position will require stabilization from the muscles throughout the back, particularly those of the lower region. This is an added benefit. These muscles will be working to stabilize what is a natural and desirable spinal position while the targeted muscles are working against the resistance.

Muscles of the trunk and lower back are typically weak links in most individuals. Using this positioning will help to strengthen and stabilize these weak links rather than pacifying them. Isn’t strengthening weak muscles one of the reasons we do resistance training in the first place ?

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

For more resources:

http://www.101bodybuilding.com

http://www.101cookingrecipes.com
http://www.desserts-recipes.com

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is NOT about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

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Welcome to article number 4 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article:1 – Choosing The WRONG Exercises
2. Article:2 – Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article:3 – Targeted Stretching
4. Article:4 – Targeted Exercises
5. Article:5 – Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article:4 – Targeted Exercises

What is a Targeted Exercise and Why You Need To Be Doing Them?
While performing three different exercises for each area of the chest may sound “targeted” and it may work great for targeting the chest itself? this is NOT what we mean by targeted?

What we are talking about is choosing exercises with more than just size increases in mind? remember, there is far more to muscle than just how it looks? You can be really big, but also weak, slow and inflexible.

To drive this point home some more, remember the “Turtle Back Syndrome” we covered in article #1? So many body builders are plagued with this gruesome condition and they don’t even know it! Are you?

The Turtle Back condition is a direct result of too much focus on building up the pecs and lats and not enough focus on the upper back. Also, the lack of focus on flexibility in the chest and shoulders makes it even worse?

Not only does this look stupid, but it sets you up for back, neck and shoulder problems like rotator cuff tears and the like? and I know you don’t want any of those!

So by targeted, we mean exercises that will not just develop muscle strength and size, but more importantly work towards correcting muscle imbalances which will mean less pain and missed workouts, better performance and function, and most of all better and balanced total body development!

So How Do You Find Out Which Ones You NEED To be Doing?

As we discussed in the previous article on “Targeted Stretching”, it’s very important to know before hand what stretches you actually NEED to be doing? the same applies to exercises?

and the ONLY way to find out what specific areas you need to target is to perform physical evaluations so you can pin point the weak muscles that need strengthening and the tight muscles that need stretching.

We have developed a series of simple assessments you can do yourself to identify the muscles imbalances you have?

and while they are intended for people suffering from back pain or sciatica, as a bodybuilder you stand to benefit greatly because you train so hard, you are far more likely to experience injuries like bulging and herniated discs, rotator cuff tears, knee pain, etc?

Plus, even if you don’t have any pain or injuries now, it would be very wise to learn how to assess yourself so you can target your training now before you create an injury, which not only will slow down your training and progress, but it can also become a life-long struggle with pain and a serious loss of your strength, size and fitness.

So be sure to check out our website to learn more about how you can quickly and easily identify and eliminate any muscle imbalances you have.

Tip! Get a mentor- Bodybuilding Champions are never afraid to ask for help. Champs know that knowledge is power.

Article by Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, CSPN and Steve Hefferon, CMT, CPRS of Lose The Back Pain, If you’ve got back pain or sciatic pain, you’ve gotta check out their website.

Quick And Easy Bodybuilding Guide.

Twenty two years ago I fell into the world of bodybuilding by accident. I had absolutely no discipline, determination or confidence in myself. After many championships, television shows, movie star clients and successful businesses here are a few training tips that I have learned along the way.

1. MORE THAN JUST LOOKS: Realize exercise is more than just having a great
physique. It is about strengthening the mind and heart and soul.

2. KEEP THE BIG PICTURE IN MIND: You will have good days and bad days. Keep a
one day at a time attitude.

3. BE SOLD OUT! No matter if you are a competitive bodybuilder or just one who
does it for a hobby, be sold out for life to exercise.

4. LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR. This one will be hard for most of you to do.
But to be a champion, you have to get rid of your ego. Your mind is your biggest
competitor. In order to improve on your health you need to not be self-serving.

5. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: If you think you know everything, forget, stop right
now. You never will know everything. Continue to learn all the time. Most
importantly, share your knowledge.

6. HAVE FUN: Most people in bodybuilding are wound way too tight. Loosen up a
little.

7. ASK FOR HELP: If you do not know something, ask someone who does.

Tip! Pay your dues and do not cheat by taking steroids ? Bodybuilding Champions SHOULD do it the right way, without drugs! You can never replace hard work, and hard work always pays off. Others may not know you are cheating, but at the end of the day you do.

8. MORE IS NOT BETTER: Put time limits on your workouts.

9. HAVE VARIETY: Never be afraid to change your exercise routine around.

10. HAVE SYNERGY: Incorporate all areas of fitness. Low body fat levels are more
important than the size of your biceps.

What every your goals are remember the big picture. You are in this for life, even
when the body is not where you want it to be.

Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert. LOSE WEIGHT IMMEDIATELY! Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor’s DON’T want you to know.
FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder, personal trainer to movie stars, former employee of Kathy Smith and have over 50,000 hours of paid personal training sessions under my belt. For the last twenty years I have been able to continually make progress, stay consistent and have some fun in my quest to be in better shape.

This is not because I am anything special or know some magic formula, but because
I have learned a few goal and program-setting techniques that I would like to share
with you. Start incorporating them into your plan today and notice the difference
tomorrow.

The very first question I ask each new client that comes to me is, “How long have
you been on the same workout program?” Without fail most, if not all, say, “Over six
months.” They do not understand why they are not progressing.

Rule #1:

Change your routine every twelve weeks: Your body adapts to exercise like our
bodies adapt to taking antibiotics. For some reason after a period of time it gets
used to the same routine.

Rule #2:

Have a rest period between twelve week segments: Take a few days off between the
twelve segments refreshes you and allows your body to recuperate.

Rule #3:

Keep to ball rolling: There is a let down after you have reached your goal. When you
realize that you are going to reach your goal, start thinking of the next one. This
keeps the momentum going and decreases the chance of having a let down.

Tip! Pay your dues and do not cheat by taking steroids ? Bodybuilding Champions SHOULD do it the right way, without drugs! You can never replace hard work, and hard work always pays off. Others may not know you are cheating, but at the end of the day you do.

Rule #4:

You need a carrot: You need some tangible reward for your efforts. You need
something urgent, something you just have to have. Find it and it will motivate you
in the down times.

Rule #5:

Follow an intensity curve: Within the twelve week segment, ramp up your intensity
levels in your workouts. Start at eighty percent and by week two you should be at
100 percent.

Rule #6:

Set one main goal a year: Set one big goal a year with seasonal ones leading up to
the big one.

Start with these and see how your motivation goes up through out the year.

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Body building champion, public speaker and personal trainer to the stars. He is a best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE Start getting in better shape today!

For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

Tip! Leave your ego at the door! ? Bodybuilding Champions focus on the process and not on themselves. Your life should not center on you and you alone.

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder, personal, trainer to movie stars, former employee of Kathy Smith and over 50,000 hours of paid personal training sessions under my belt. For the last twenty years I have been able to continually make progress, stay consistent and have some fun in my quest to be in better shape. One very important technique you need to learn is how to monitor your heart rate. I have been able to keep my body fat low for years because I am efficient not because I know it all. Here is what I mean:

Low Body Fat Technique #3: The Shock Affect

People quit exercise programs for two reasons: boredom and lack of results. Let’s
look at one way of curbing both reasons for not following through on an exercise
program and how to keep your body fat levels low.

Ever drive the same way to work each morning? Ever order basically the same foods
every time you eat out? Ever sit in the same area at the movie theatre? Humans are
creatures of habit. Our exercise programs are treated no differently. One simple
solution to low body fat levels is incorporating variety into your daily workouts.

You see I believe your body after about two months on the same program gets so
use to the order of exercises, the level of effort of the treadmill and the type of
equipment you use that it adapts. Similar to what your body dies when taking
antibiotics.

Tip! Pay your dues and do not cheat by taking steroids ? Bodybuilding Champions SHOULD do it the right way, without drugs! You can never replace hard work, and hard work always pays off. Others may not know you are cheating, but at the end of the day you do.

So what do you do? It does not have to be some huge change in your workout
program. Here are ten suggestions:

1. Change the order of your weight training exercises, keeping the larger muscle
groups first.

2. Never do the same cardio piece of equipment two days in a row.

3. Alternate your intensity levels of your workouts each time.

4. Alternate your rep ranges each time.

5. Do weights before cardiovascular training every so often.

6. Workout at different times of the day.

7. Listen to different music once on a while.

8. Change the accessories of the equipment once in a while – Handles

9. Change workout places on occasion.

10. Change your program up every ten weeks.

No matter what it is your body gets use to the routine. Change it up and change
your body fats.

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE book series. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting. A proven formula the doctor’s DON’T want you to know about. For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

Tip! Get a mentor- Bodybuilding Champions are never afraid to ask for help. Champs know that knowledge is power.

Have you ever had a day when things just seem to go your way? Have you ever been boating or canoeing and the current just took you away? Everything just seemed to flow together didn’t it? There is nothing better than to have a workout where your momentum builds and builds and you walk out feeling really energized. I call this; “The Art of Flow.”

Here are some tips in keeping the flow into your workout.

Workout Visualization:

Go over your workout program in your head before you enter the club. The less decisions you have to make in the gym the better you will be able to focus. Having workout charts to follow helps. Also, when the clubs are busy it helps to have different options for a particular piece of equipment (you never want to wait for a piece of equipment)

Tip! Ashamed to ask for help: The smartest thing I did when I was first started bodybuilding and competing was to ask for help. Knowledge is power when you adapt it to your personality.

Water Breaks:

Water is a must during your workout; however minimize your breaks by carrying a water bottle with you. Walking across the gym takes time and gives you opportunities to waste time and lose momentum. You might see some one who wants to talk, or you lose a piece of equipment you wanted to use.

Work the Room:

Pre planning your workout can save a lot of wasted time and energy as well as help build momentum. Instead of zigzagging around the round, pick your exercises and pieces of equipment close to each other. This may be challenging during busy hours in a gym, but if you can move smoothly and quickly from one exercise to another, your momentum builds and you do not waste energy.

Tip! More is not better! ? Bodybuilding Champions work smarter not harder. Efficiency and knowledge is the key to becoming a true champion.

Wait No More:

It is important for not only flow, but for variety that you learn different options to exercises. Nothing hinders the flow of a workout more than waiting for a particular piece of equipment. This should never be. If you have one or two other options of equipment to use do not be afraid to change your planned routine.

It is much easier turning a car while you are driving it rather than sitting still, and it’s easier and more fun to reach your goal when you have momentum in your workout.

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE book series. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting. A proven formula the doctor’s DON’T want you to know about. For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

More: continued here

It’s easy for hardcore body builders to fall into the trap of obsession with the sport.  They want to be the biggest and the best.  The quickest way to achieve this is to take synthetic steroids or growth hormones.  However, hardcore body building doesn’t have to involve these substances.  You can still grow your body without them.

Body building is a whole body and mind experience that focuses on training specific muscle groups and growing those muscles to often extreme proportions.  This is achieved through a proper diet, a safe workout plan, and a mentality that lends itself to hardcore growth.

There are natural supplements on the market for the hardcore body builder that are safe to take and will allow amazing growth of muscles with the right weight lifting regimen.  You have to be dedicated, you have to stick with it, and above everything else, you need to know how to perform the exercises correctly.

Body building as a sport creates beautiful, well-sculpted bodies in the men and women who are willing to work hard for their physiques.  When you undertake a weight lifting program, you will want to pay special attention to the way your muscles respond to the weights and feel the resistance that the weights provide.

The old adage “No pain, no gain” really applies in hardcore body building.  You must push yourself and your body if you are interested in sculpting a well-toned body.  However, you must also be aware of your limits and not push too hard as you can cause injury to your body.

Body building as a sport can be as hardcore as you want it to be.  Those wanting to becoming a hardcore body builder must focus individually on each muscle group, working hard until it is sculpted and defined.  If you are a hardcore bodybuilder, you are not just competing in a sport, you are sculpting a beautiful physique.