Friday, February 14, 2014

Top 10 Benefits For Doing Isometric Exercises

Training the body has many benefits. Some have more benefits than others. Isometrics has gone beyond beneficial to how it can create a lithe, sculpted and tremendous strengthened physique that will blow you out of the water. Granted Isometrics isn't the greatest exercise method known to man but with an addition to them you will benefit greatly. Here are 10 different benefits when you apply Isometrics.....

1. Building Muscle Mass:

Think you can’t build muscle without using weights? Think again. There was a study in the Journal of Physiology that put a trial group through an isometric strength program. They were testing the effects of isometric training versus dynamic training. The results of the study showed that force increased by 45% higher in the isometric group than when participants used concentric only training. They also saw a 5% increase in cross-sectional area in the isometrics group. Cross-sectional area means the width of a body part. Pretty sweet, huh?

2. Building Strength:

There was a study performed by the Journal of Sports Science in 2013 that measured static tension isometrics and how they improved force of a muscle. The results showed that participants had a 13.8% increase in maximal voluntary force after 12 weeks of isometrics.

3. Burning Fat:

Isometrics are very thermodynamic. They release a lot of heat when doing them, especially when you do full body isometrics like in the Isometrics Strength program. Now, I am not under the belief that exercise alone will help you lose all the body fat you need. That is mostly done in the kitchen. However, isometrics are super intense and will significantly contribute to fat loss if done on a regular basis.

4. Work Isometrics While Injured:

This is one of the coolest benefits. There is a type of isometric exercise that is perfect for rehab and help you gain strength while injured. The type of isometric is called Static Tension. When doing this type of isometric you are not putting any pressure on the joint like how you do when you perform weight lifting or even more strenuous body weight exercises. There is no movement with isometrics but you still help the injured area receive extra blood flow and nutrients through the contraction/relaxation of the exercise.

5. Do Them Anywhere, Anytime:

Have you ever traveled and thought, “Argh, I can’t do my workout because I didn’t bring my weights!” With isometrics you can continue to build strength even when you are far away from home. They don’t require any equipment. When you know how to build strength with isometrics its like having a full gym with you no matter where you go!

6. Reap The Benefits With Shorter Training Periods:

We all live super busy lives. Sometimes it may seem like you are running from morning until night. Did you know that isometrics workouts don’t require a lot of time. With some workout styles you have to rest for 2-3 minutes in between each set. And if you have 3-4 sets or more to get through for each body part, that requires a lot of time. With isometric exercises you only “rest” when you are transitioning to the next posture so you get the benefit in a super short period of time.

7. Improve Your Breathing & Lung Capacity:

Breathing is something that many of us do wrong. We let the stress of life get to us and allow our bodies to breathe shallowly. When doing the Isometric Strength program you are allowing your breath to lead you the entire way. So you learn & practice how to breathe properly which transfers into your daily life.

8. Improve & Enhance Your Grip Strength:

This benefit goes along with number 2 above but deserves special attention here. When you are doing other types of exercises such as the push up or the bench press you are not really focusing on grip strength specifically. However, when you are doing a full body isometric workout, every posture helps you improve grip strength. Why is this important? Because we use our hands every single day from opening doors to opening pickle jars. Having a strong grip helps in very practical ways.

9. Improve Your Muscular Imbalances:

 One of the biggest problems with other forms of exercise is that stronger muscles allow you to compensate for weaker muscles creating muscular imbalance. Let’s take the push up for example. At first, you might be even as you go up and down but as you fatigue most people start to shift to one side or the other creating imbalance. In isometric exercising, this doesn’t happen because you are isolating each muscle as you tense it.

10. Building A Laser-Like Focus To Enhance Focus & Concentration:

Isometric exercises set themselves apart as an exercise system because they drastically improve focus and concentration. You can’t just mindlessly go through the workouts with the TV on or thinking about your day. You must focus on each muscle as you tighten it. This helps build concentration which we all need more of.

Come and check out the new full Isometric Program (Click the link below)

Build Strength & Size With The 8 Week Isometric Strength Training Program

Stay strong and be healthy.



Create Your Own Valentines


               Like the Beattles say “All you need is love.” It can have other meanings and not just a day for people who have a spouse. Love can mean what you do that brings you joy and happiness, it can also mean a favorite thing to do among anything else and it can also mean how you share it with other people in a variety of ways. If you’re a strongman and you have love for strength, go lift something heavy today, bend some steel, rip a few decks of cards, have fun with what you want to do. If you’re a movie fan, go to a favorite movie or watch your favorites at home and enjoy yourself. Like I said, love has other meanings.

            My personal view of Valentines Day is not one always shares because today is suppose to be a celebration of love, hearts, candies, flowers and other things with couples. My way of looking at it is, it isn't really necessary; you don’t need one little day to share love for your spouse or whatever because love comes and goes everyday but it’s how you keep a special love for something or someone in a state of mind. I like to treat it any other day but just a tad different. I like to treat it as a day where I give thanks for the love I have for others, even when certain circumstances come into play and I do things I love to do like train and share my love for fitness to each and every one of you because it is my passion and my heart runs deep with it.

            If you have a spouse and you spend this day together; make it count and be happy and share things together. Are you by yourself? No problem, go out and do something that makes you happy, perk up just a little bit and smile for no apparent reason. Forget the roses, candies, box of chocolates, balloons or whatever; love what you have and do and grab a hold of it a little extra hard and be happy with yourself. Let your heart run a little more than usual. You don’t always need one day to share love; it’s a state of mind.

            I believe in self-love. If you can’t love who you are, then you haven’t really lived. Some people look at self-love as being selfish and don’t care about anyone else; I believe that’s called Narcissism. Granted some people are downright loathing of others and only care about themselves but real self-love is where you appreciate and enjoy life with who you are from the inside and bring universal strength and love for yourself. You can always love others or hate others that’s your choice but there’s only one of you and that makes you unique and something special. This isn't bragging about loving yourself and talking down to people, it’s about being true to who you are and spreading that energy to others in a beautiful and productive way.


            Happy Valentine’s Day guys and share the love you have with your loved ones or just with yourself and have fun with what you love to do. Be strong, smile and be a loving person.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Building Your Mental Powers





            Without question, the mind is far more powerful than the human body. When you open up your mind, you open a door to a whole new world. A world filled with possibilities, opportunities and creative ideas that make the planet look like a green pea. When you are closed off and narrow minded, you’re a little more rigid, more cautious, question too much instead of letting it flow. I’m learning this myself every single day because even though I have a strong intuition and I’m open minded, I tend to fall off the wagon so do speak as we all do and it makes us human. To strengthen your mind, you have to be willing to let go and create new adventures for yourself.

            A big key in developing mental strength is how you project your self-image. The self-image is how you see yourself in your minds eye, the attitude and habits you portray are attributes to your self-image. I have read a book or 2 on this subject and even taken on different techniques to enhance the image I want. This isn't one of those voodoo religious type stuff or even a spiritual thing, it’s how you live in the way you see yourself. For example, if you’re living with the image of being broken down and you feel there’s no way of getting out of it and you whine and you complain about your appearance and/or how people or how you see yourself, that will project how you have created that attitude and letting those habits grow. On another hand, if you see yourself as confident, relaxed, poised, building yourself creatively without outside negative energy and you build ideas and run with them, that’s the attitude and habit of having a strong image of yourself. The way you see yourself can make you or break you depending on how your energy manifests itself to the things that surround you.

            One of the most powerful tools of developing mental strength is using your imagination. How you see things no one else does, the wide open plethora of another world that only you can create. You see things that give you strength, give you a reason to shoot for a goal and pointing you in the direction of getting there. I have a vivid imagination and sometimes I have to stop myself if I’m in that state of mind where it’s just frustrating and upsetting, so I go into a place where I let my imagination run like a madman and point out what can work and what needs to be erased. Whether you want to create instant strength or enhance your self-image, resistant-free to run your business and/or build an energy defense system where you block negative vibes; your imagination will help you build it if you apply yourself with the right tools.


            Last tool I like to use every now and again is what’s called Theater Of The Mind. This technique is incredible where you breathe powerful energy into your body and go inside your mind where you’re in your own movie theater with a big screen and a seating area where you can view it any way you want. You use this to create what you want and how you can rehearse it as you see it on that big screen. I don’t want to give away all the details of this technique but I can tell you, if you want something or want to create something, you view it as if it has already happened and it’s giving you little steps to get you there. Try it out and you can create anything you want that is within the limits of your imagination and how far you’re willing to go productively and with strong intentions. 

Thursday, February 6, 2014

4 Ways You Can Add Isometric Exercises To Your Current Routine

I've always been a fan of Isometrics no only for building superior strength but to learn how to focus on a single point without moving a muscle. When done right, Isometrics can increase your strength, create vitality & health, give you an incredible body and doesn't take up much of your day to get awesome results. There are different ways to include Isometrics but here are a few main ones to get you going......

1. Use Isometrics as a finisher:
Isometric Exercises are intense and build strength quickly. By adding an isometric whole body exercise to the end of your workout you fatigue the entire body to a greater degree.
What do I mean by Whole Body Isometrics?There are several isometric exercises that incorporate the entire body. Try this for example. Stand next to a wall. Place your hands on the wall about chest level. Get in a low lunge position and push against the wall with all of your strength.
Did you feel your whole body engage? I bet you did. You’ll feel it from your calves and quads up to your shoulders and arms.
Do this exercise for 30-60 seconds as a “finisher” to your current routine and you’ll be blasted.

2. Use Isometrics in your Super Sets:
A super set is a combination of exercises that you do immediately without taking a rest in between.
One example is doing push ups and pull ups. You start off doing a set of push ups then after you fatigue you go straight into pull ups. That’s a super set because you do one exercise after the other.
However, try adding an isometric into the mix and you’ll increase the difficulty of your super set. For instance, you can add palm pushes right after you do push ups and isometric pull ups after the normal pull ups.
Here’s how to do palm pushes. Place your hands together in a prayer position. Push your hands together as tightly as you can. Do it for 30 seconds. This works the chest muscle group which is why you would want to do it right after the push ups.
Here’s how to do isometric pull ups. Lift yourself up on a pull up bar and hold the position with your elbows at a 45 degree angle. Do it as long as you can. This works the back muscles which is why you would want to do it right after the normal pull ups.
Adding both isometric exercises to your super set will fatigue your muscles so much more quickly.

3. Include Isometrics To Your Drop Sets:
A drop set is a series of exercises that are slightly less difficult than the previous exercise. Each exercise works the same muscle group but you recruit more muscle fibers and tear them after each step.
Most drop sets are used in combination with weights. Let’s take dumbbell curls which work the biceps, as an example.
A typical drop set is to start with a weight that you can do for 8-12 reps. Then once you fatigue fully, you grab a lighter weight and try to do as many as you can. Then you keep repeating this process until you can’t even lift a 10-15 lb dumbbell.
Try this: After you drop down in weight, while doing a drop set, lift your arms so they are in a 90 degree angle and squeeze them as hard as you can for 30 seconds. Do this before each drop and the pump will be amazing.

4. Do Isometrics During Your Recovery Period:
Exercise programs that are focused on strength or muscular gains need to incorporate rest days. Your body needs time to recover and “take a break” from very intense physical activity.
Isometric exercises can be done on active recovery days to help recover from typical strength programs.

I don’t recommend that you do a 30 minute isometric routine on your off days. Yet, you can certainly spend 5-10 minutes moving through some isometric postures to keep your muscles engaged.
If you’re interested in seeing a full 8 week isometric training plan to help you build strength and size, check out my fitness buddy Todd’s Isometric Strength program. Its super intense!

There you have it to get you started in your Isometric Training. Remember to ease up on the tension at first because Isometrics can be very exhausting. Build yourself up and that Isometrics can be used for Muscle Control, Speed Strength and many more.
8 Week Isometric Strength Training Program 


Monday, February 3, 2014

Starting Out With Sledgehammer Training

            

          A friend of mine asked me the other day he was interested in working with Sledgehammers and wanted to know what exercises and weight to start with on the hammer? I gave him a little bit of it because that was what I could figure out to say at the time. To me, it’s a lot of fun and has many benefits in terms of muscle building, strengthening the tendons and building great lung power; but it’s also very demanding and when you start out too fast or too much weight it’ll hit you hard.

            To give you some ideas; I've worked with different types of hammers, the ones you get like at home depot, the Epic Sledge, Thor’s Hammer and others so each one has a different feel or a different set of ways to move with the hammer. Just the basic swing on a tire is crazy enough as it is but there are other exercises that don’t always require striking. When you work with a long implement, the leverage factor will be a bigger point to look at because the weight shifts and you have to move your body to where the weight is in order to move it.

            Some people like using the Mace and although it’s very useful in many ways, I like using a sledgehammer better because it has a better interest in what you can do in terms of lever work and working with weight at a more odd angle. The Mace has more of a rounded ball so it has a smoother way of moving, the Sledge has more of a 4 sided shape like a rectangle or square as the head of the hammer. When you start out, you want to feel how it works in your hands, how your body shifts with the weight and try different things and no matter what you try, your grip will be a factor. If you don’t have a good grip you won’t last too long.

            Start out with a good 7-10 hammer to get the feel for it. There’s a DVD you can get from Bud Jeffries that is part of his Monster Conditioning Program specific to Sledgehammer Training. If you don’t have a tire that’s fine you can still get great benefit from sledge training. The exercises you can do are nearly the same as if lifting a barbell or dumbbell but the weight is shifted to one side so you have to work the stabilizing muscles and your grip needs to be strong and tight. Here’s a website that shows certain exercises although done with a Mace you can do the same with a sledge. Play and experiment with various reps and sets.

            I highly recommend the Sledgehammers from Stronger Grip because if you want to add weight to the hammer; you can put in shot led or steel shot otherwise if you use a hammer like from home depot, it’s expensive to buy more hammers and prices vary depending on how heavy the hammer is. I also recommend you do get a tire because once you get the ground work for non-tire exercises you’ll eventually want to strike it. You can find tires at a junk yard that no one wants anymore or you can get Half Tires that take up less space and have better strikes to work on.


            When you work on getting good with the sledgehammer, your body will begin to change, your muscles will have more definition, your tendons will become stronger and your breathing will skyrocket because it takes strength to use the hammer the way these guys can show you and the heavier the hammer, the more your breathing becomes a factor. Your grip will become much stronger and have that crushing strength. Take your body and mind to Super Muscle level and watch your strength skyrocket in ways you haven’t had before.

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