Research has also shown that resistance training improves bone density and this is an important aspect of good health for people of all ages. Bones are constantly ‘growing’ as with all parts of the body, however this process slows down as we age. Resistance training helps to address this aging process by maintaining good bone density.

Post-menopausal women are particularly prone to problems relating to bone density as their hormones change and they can benefit considerably from resistance training.

Along with proper nutrition, resistance training is one of the most effective methods of reducing fat.
And along with fat reduction you can expect a leaner body. Muscle burns fat so any program that increases your muscle mass will help to burn the fat. You are effectively burning fat to feed the muscles.

Research has also proven that resistance training has many other beneficial effects for your health from lowering blood pressure and lowering your heart rate while at rest. This will obviously reduce the risk of heart disease quite considerably.

The additional strength that can be gained from resistance training serves to help anyone lead a more active lifestyle. With the added benefits of strength, fat loss, balance and the ability to slow the aging process, there is nothing quite like it to help you live longer and be happier along the way.

It doesn’t need to be something that rules your life, as even a little bit of training will benefit you, however, doing it consistently will result in a better return for the time you invest in your health.

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Home Gym Full Body Training Routines

We all know how difficult in might be to make it to the gym after 9 long hours at work. I bet it has happened to you as well.

But what do you do when you don’t feel you have the energy to stop by the local gym on your way home? Or may be you don’t have the time for a workout at the gym. You can only use 20 – 30 min.

What’s the solution then? It could be only one – a full body workout at your home gym.

But first take this from me. If you don’t have a home gym set up already, don’t even think of missing a workout. Go to the local gym where you are a member. Missing a single workout can set a path for a habit. Vice versa, not missing a workout won’t let you think of such an option.

So, let’s suppose that it’s one of these days when you can’t make it to the gym, and are planning on working out at home. That means you have a gym of some sort, already set up.

In this article I want to advise you on your choices for a full body routine. The workout you will pick however, will all depend on how your home gym is equipped.

For example you might have a home-gym machine. Or you might be a hardcore bodybuilder. Then you have free weights as your main equipment.

If you belong to the first group – you own a home gym machine – this is the part you should be reading.

The simplest home gym machines are equipped for at least several exercises such as: bench press, lat pull down, seated rows, biceps curls, triceps push-downs, leg extensions and standing hamstring curls.

That’s actually plenty. You can complete the whole body in a single session.

Your circuit workout:

/Warm up/
Crunches 2-3 x 15 – 30
Seated bench press 3 x 10 – 12
Lat pull-down 3 x 10 – 12
Front cable raises (machine behind you, lower pulley cable between your thighs) 3 x 10 – 12
Standing biceps cable curls (lower pulley cable, facing the machine) 3 x 10 – 12
Standing triceps push-downs (using the lat-pull down handle) 3 x 10 – 12 Leg extensions 3 x 12 – 15
Standing hamstring curls (facing the machine) 3 x 12 – 15
/Cool down/

You have more options for replacing some of the exercises:

Replace seated bench press wide grip with seated bench press close grip.

Replace lat pull down with seated rows (facing the machine).

Replace standing biceps cable curls with lying cable curls (lie down on the floor on your back and place your feet on the rolling pads for support).

In case that you belong to the second group – you are a hardcore enthusiast or bodybuilder, the least equipment you have (I would guess) is an adjustable bench, a power rack, an olympic barbell set and a pair of dumbbells with adjustable weights.

For you I’d suggest two circuit routines. You can do only one of them or you can do two circuits, using both if you feel you have energy (and desire) to do that:

Workout One/Circuit One

/Warm up/
Crunches 1-2 x 15 – 30
Flat bench press on the rack 2-3 x 12 – 15
Barbell rows 2-3 x 10 – 15
Seated dumbbell overhead presses 2-3 x 12 – 15
Barbell curls 2-3 x 8 – 12
Barbell lying triceps extensions 2-3 x 12 – 15
Squats 2-3 x 10 x 15
Stiff Leg Dead Lifts 2-3 x 10 – 12
/Cool down/

Workout Two/Circuit Two

/Warm up/
Reverse crunches 1-2 x 15 – 20
Dumbbell flys 2-3 x 10 – 12
One-arm dumbbell rows 2-3 x 10 – 12
Dumbbell lateral raises 2-3 x 10 – 12
Seated dumbbell curls 2-3 x 8 – 12
One-arm overhead triceps extensions 2-3 x 8 – 12
Lunges (holding a pair of dumbbells) 2-3 x 12 – 15
/Cool down/

Note that the number of reps is slightly higher than what you would normally do should you have worked out at the gym. I did it this way intentionally. My advice is that you use 50 – 70% of your One Rep Max due to the fact that you don’t have a spotter. If you think you can go heavier please do, but at your own risk.

That’s it. Now that you finished your workout you deserve a nice, chilled protein shake. After all you are at home and can make it any way you want, right. And, yes, you should feel good because you didn’t miss your workout.

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Designing a Strength Training Routine for Fat Loss
Your goal is to lose fat and tone up. You’ve read plenty of my other articles and know that I recommend a mix of 5 tools to create and sculpt the body of your dreams. Those 5 tools are nutrition, hydration, cardio, rest and strength training. Today’s article is all about creating a killer routine that delivers amazing results.

In my many years of experience in the fitness industry I have come across a few timeless myths. One of those myths really gets me piping mad. Have you ever heard, “Lift lighter weights for more repetitions if you want to tone up”? You probably have if you are a woman. I can already feel my blood beginning to boil!

The truth about strength training routines is that they can only be effective if they are created for you and your goals. Lifting light weights for 15 or more repetitions is not going to reduce body fat or help you tone. It will help you work on endurance. If endurance is your goal, then by all means lift lighter for a longer rep time.

On the flip side, and the most popular side, is lifting to lose fat. Your fat loss strength training routine should include heavier weights for low-to-medium repetition ranges. Below is a check list of items that your strength training routine should include:

- An exercise for each major muscle

- Between 3-4 sets for each exercise

- 8-10 reps per set

- A correct weight for each exercise

- 1-2 minute rest periods between sets

Here are all the major muscle groups in suggested order: back, chest, quads, shoulders, hamstrings and glutes, biceps, triceps, abs and calves. You can select from a full body routine done 2-3 times per week or split your lower body and abs from your upper body. An example would be: lower body and abs on Monday and Friday and upper body on Tuesday and Saturday.

Regardless of doing a full body routine or a split routine you will choose an exercise for each of these muscles and do it 3-4 times per workout. Each set will include 8-10 repetitions. You should rest for at least a minute between each set.

The way for you to determine what weight you should lift is to choose a weight that you can safely lift 8 times with perfect form. By the last repetition in each set, you should feel tired. If you feel as though you could do a few more reps with perfect form than move to a higher weight on the next set. You have selected the correct weight so long as you can get within 2-3 reps of the called for rep range with perfect form and your muscles feel tired.

Grouping together the correct weight, rep range, amount of sets, and exercises will result in a fabulous strength training routine that blasts away unwanted pounds. There are more than enough Internet sites providing free routines and information. I recommend using a routine that is developed specifically for you and your goals. You can have a master trainer (me!) create a routine for you for $25 these days. You simply fill out a few forms and I send you an email with your custom build a routine attached. Easy, simple and designed for results!

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Exercises For Busy Moms: 4 Quick, But Effective Exercises To Keep Busy Moms Strong

We all know how difficult it is to stay in shape and find time to exercise – but most especially for women with babies or small kids. There’s the sleep-deprivation factor, no time and priority changes. So what are the fitness options for busy Moms?

The fact is, the more you can take of yourself and the better you feel, the stronger you will be physically and emotionally to take on the day with the “little ones” and all of life’s challenges.

Below are some quick, but effective, exercises – specifically designed for the busy Mom – for the back and shoulders to keep you strong and prevent future injuries that may occur with poor lifting biomechanics and poor posture. The heavy weight of not just the baby, but also all the fun gadgets you’re expected to lug around. It’s no surprise that our bodies need a little help to get through the day.

Rotator Cuff Strengthener

For this workout you will need a light theraband. The beauty about this piece of equipment is that it’s small enough to carry in your bag or your stroller. Now you have no excuses – you can do these exercises on the go, at the park or when you have a few moments to spare.

You can do this exercise either seated or standing; hold the elbows close to the waist with palms facing the sky holding the theraband. Pulling the hands away from each other externally rotating the shoulders

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps

Muscle focus:

Rotator cuff muscles are the small muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint. If these get weak from over use you could end up with bicep tendonitis or other potential injuries. This is very common with Moms as everything is usually done with one hand while holding the “little one” in the other.

Tricep push-up extension

This is the one time in your life you are going to need arm strength, the biceps are going to get over worked from the motion of picking up the baby so it’s important to balance these out and keep the triceps strong as not to put unwanted strain on them.

Hands are directly under your shoulders and knees are on the ground in a modified push-up. The pelvis is slightly pressed forward creating work in the abdominals that stabilize the spine. Place the theraband under the right hand on the floor and extend opposite arm in a tricep extension. Whilst extending the working arm be careful to keep the wrist in line with the hand not to create any unwanted tension/strain.

Reps:
3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side

Muscle Focus:

• Drawing your shoulder blades down activating your upper back muscles, engaging abs at all times. Keeping your abs strong and being aware of contracting them is very important as they play an important role in stabilizing and protecting the back.

• Translating this in to functional activities such as picking the baby up out of the crib will really save your back.

Spine extension with pulses

Over time in pregnancy our posture completely changes due to the increased weight of the baby bringing our body forward and causing the spine to round forward with the shoulders. This causes the back muscles to become very stretched out and weak.

Seated up right with legs in front of body shoulder width apart, hands over your head. Hinge forward from the hips leading with the sternum, biceps are by your ears. Hold this position and slightly pulse the arms behind the body mobilizing the shoulders and working the upper back. Return back to an upright position to repeat the movement again.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 Pulses

Muscle Focus:

Upper back and hamstring flexibility. This exercise will strengthen the mid upper back and open up the tight thoracic area of the spine, correcting bad habits that the body formed through pregnancy.

Butterfly ab curls

Keeping you abs strong is essential for keeping your whole body strong and restoring poor posture left over from pregnancy.

Lying on the floor with heals of feet together and knees bent to the side in a frog like position. Arms are straight over you head, circle arms around and lift the head neck shoulders off the floor exhaling pulling in the abs hold for 5 seconds and return back to starting position.

Reps:
3 sets of 10 reps

Muscle Focus:

As you exhale and bring the head neck and shoulders off the floor think of pulling your abdominals in up and back to the spine. Moms, this is a time you can practice doing your kegal on the contraction working the pelvic floor.

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A home gym can be a great way to insure you get your weekly workouts in. You don’t have to head to the gym, but instead are able to workout in the comfort of your own home while working out to your favorite music or tv show. While a Bowflex isn’t cheap, it is one of the better home gyms currently on the market. It’s compact and easy to use. One of the reasons it takes up little space is the the fact that it uses rods and bars to provide you resistance. This takes up a lot less room than having bunches of heavy weight plates or blocks laying around.

Here are some of the reasons why a bowflex is worth the investment to me:

1. The Bowflex is very easy to assemble and it covers less space than any other heavy gym equipments.
2. Bowflex provides you the facility to perform 15 varieties of programs.
3. If your exercise time with Bowflex do not match with that of the instructors even than you can perform your exercise, as Bowflex comes with excellent media material on how to use. There are also Bowflex Treadmill machines available.
4. If you have any heart problem, then you can access your heart rate and capacity to perform workouts with the help of unique “Heart Rate Grip” feature.
5. You can move freely because the space provided within the treadmill is enough.
6. You can make adjustments at desired angles with the help of the given adjustment keys.
7. Some of the Bowflex models come with a fan, which can be switched on at various speeds to perform cooling effect at the time of exercise.
8. With the help of specially designed “Strike Zone deck” you experience a smooth landing on the deck and do not sense a painful feeling at your heels as you experience the bare machine.
9. There are still many facilities that are embedded such as displaying the time, the distance, speed, calories burnt and heart rate while performing the workouts.
10. A three-horse power motor of Bowflex can produce different speeds starting from 1 mph to 10 mph to perform different levels of workouts.

Sure, a bowflex isn’t exactly a cheap piece of workout equipment with prices ranging from $1500 to $300, but it is a strong, sturdy and high quality strength trainer that will do anything and everything you need to get a great workout.

Working out on a Bowflex on a regular basis will help you sculpt and maintain that chiseled dream body.

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