The more muscles you involve; either in one exercise or one training session; the greater the hormone release you'll get from your training, and that stimulates muscle growth all day long. Hit- ting each muscle group with roughly the same volume (such as five sets of rows after five sets of bench presses) will ensure balanced training, allowing you to grow quickly and safely, avoiding injuries and preserving flexibility. .
Surround your workout with nutrition, starting with a high protein and carbohydrate meal about an hour beforehand. Mix up a protein shake that has a ratio of about two grams of carbs for every one gram of protein, and sip that throughout your workout. Afterward, finish the drink or mix a new one and drink that quickly. Believe it or not, whole foods are not the best option post workout; they take too long to digest.
This occurs when a person deeply inhales and then holds his/her breath during strenuous activity, as in lifting weights or shoveling snow. The glottis is closed against pressure. This causes an increased thoracic pressure which interrupts venous return to the heart, blood flow to the coronary arteries, and oxygen supply to the brain. In healthy individuals, this may result in dizziness, slowing of the heart beat, or temporary loss of consciousness. For the individual predisposed to cardiovascular disease, the Valsalva maneuver could trigger cardiac arrest and result in death. Therefore, proper breathing techniques are essential during heavy exercise.
Stress = higher cortisol levels, which control blood pressure & sugar levels. HIgher cortisol = sweet tooth = weight gain! Stress is BAD!
Pitfall #1 preventing you from losing weight: DENIAL! Don't lie to yourself about who you are, be accountable & force the changes you need.
Pitfall #2 preventing you from losing weight: "I'm fat" -- "My metabolism sucks." -- BOO HOO! Stop crying! Think thin, now act on it!
Pitfall #3 preventing you from losing weight: Expecting perfection. Don't stop eating your fave food, just limit yourself. Results = reward.
Burn some fat with food! Grapefruit, watermelon, eggs, fish, celery, Greek yogurt, berries, cucumbers, coffee, green tea. #EatSmart
The Problem:
You’re training hard for a bigger bench, but when the bar is on your chest, you feel as if all the pressure is on your pecs and your triceps. You’re not involving any other muscles, and you’re not getting stronger.
The Solution
Fix your grip. Instead of simply allowing the bar to sit on your palms—or worse, using the thumbless “suicide grip”—you need to start gripping the bar with authority and using the strength in your hands, wrists, and forearms to help you explode the bar through to lockout. Using a tight bench-press grip has myriad advantages. First, it helps activate your central nervous system, which better prepares you to handle heavy loads. Next, it recruits more of the stabilizing muscles in your lats, traps, deltoids, and mid-back. Finally, since you’ll never drop a barbell on your face if you employ this grip, benching with active hands will save you a ton of money on dental work.
