Even though there are some exercises that can be combined while working your lower body, not all of them can. The cable crossover is one of those exercises. However, do not think that this is any less of an exercise. When used correctly, you will find that you have a well defined chest and shoulder. This exercise will also help when it comes to your posture as well.
You will need to have cable machine, which has two sets of weights (one for each arm). It is good to also have a mirror, if available, as this can help you to see your form to make sure you are executing the exercise properly. The mirror also helps people to keep you on track because it gives you the visualization to keep going.
How to perform the cable crossover
1. Get the appropriate weight for you and get both hands on the handles. Make sure that you are standing up straight, feet about hip width apart and hold your core so that you do not use it to help you with the move
2. Bring the handles in, pulling the weight in front of you so that you to the front of your chest. Make sure that your elbows are slightly bent so that you do not hurt yourself.
3. Bring your arms back but do not go too far back that it is a strain
4. Repeat these steps until you have completed all the reps in your set
Tips for getting the best results with cable crossovers
Even though you can increase the difficulty, it is important not to start out with weights that are too heavy. If you do not work your chest much, you will find that you need to start at a very low weight.
As with every exercise, it is important to make sure that you are breathing properly while you are exercising. You will want to exhale as you are pulling the weight forward and inhale while you are bringing your arms back.
Focus on your breathing and the muscles that you are working on while doing this weight as this will keep you on track if you do not have a mirror to look at.
It is important not to try and swing your body or your arms while trying to complete this exercise as this can end up causing damage to muscles. Cables are not as forgiving as dumbbells are.
It is also important for you to make sure that you are standing directly in the center of the weights so that you are equally working your arms. If you do not you will find that you can injure yourself and end up getting uneven results
If you do not want to increase the weight, but you still want to give yourself an extra challenge, you can just do the exercise slower. The slower you do the exercise, the harder your body has to work. Increasing your repetitions also helps with getting a greater challenge with the cable crossovers
Posted in Video on May 18, 2012
Video: The dumbbell press focuses on the chest and can be done on a ball, seated or flat as shown in this video.
Whilst lifting weights there are several different techniques and lifts that you can use to hone your body into a perfect shape. One of the best for zoning in on your triceps, deltoids and also your pectorals, is the Bench Press. Bench Press is also 1 of the 3 competitive lifts used in Power Lifting competitions. Regardless of your aim, perfecting this lift will allow you to really turn up the volume on your muscles, allowing them to become bigger and stronger. The main focus when using a Bench Press is on your Petoralis Major Muscles but it also has an effect on the surrounding muscles allowing them too to be developed and sculpted, these include;
Triceps Brachii
Scapulae Fixers
Serratus Anterior
Anterior Deltoids
Coracobrachialis
Trapezzii
Biceps Brachii (Long head)
All of these muscles and muscle groups when exercised together allow the person using the Bench Press technique to full develop and strengthen their chest. The basic Bench Press consist of the person in question lying down on their backs whilst they raise from their chests to their full arm extension weights which are graded in Kilograms or Pounds depending on the country in question.
In the interests of your own safety when performing this exercise you should always complete a Bench Press in pairs. One person lies down in the Bench Press board whilst the other stands behind it so that they are able to assist the other if they need it. After several Bench Presses your arms and chest can become sore and weak until the muscles grow so having someone there to help you lift the weight back onto the bar is important as it stops you from hurting yourself. Other reasons include; that you may have tiered to Bench Press too much weight or that you simply just lose your grip. After finishing you can then swap over the roles. Because you use different muscles and groups to help your Bench Press partner it means that you are able to swap places and work with a buddy, you will not be putting the other person in danger.
There is a specific way to Bench Press as this allows the possibility of injuring yourself to become highly unlikely and that it works out the correct muscles that you are zoning in on. You have to ensure that you are lying down correctly, which means that you have to ensure that your shoulder blades are held together tightly so that you are able to ensure that the press will have a solid base to work from, your feet need to be flat on the floor and that your buttocks stay always in contact with the bench itself. When the weight is taken off the rack you need to ensure that your hands are kept in a way that allows your forearms to be at a right angle to the floor. This ensures that you are fully stable in your grounding and able to push up correctly in your arms to maximize your Chest muscles.
Posted in Recipe on May 16, 2012
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup dry red wine or water
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Vegetable Flavor Bouillon Cubes
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed
Directions
Cook onion, pepper, celery, wine and garlic in large saucepan over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender.
Add tomatoes with juice, water, tomato paste, bouillon, cilantro, chili powder and cumin; stir well.
Stir in beans. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
(Makes 6 Servings)
Many would agree that we often ignore the lower back part of our body. While we strive too hard to work on all the other body parts we forget that our lower back is as important as any other part of our body and needs equal care as shoulders or middle back. The fact that most of us ignore our lower back is because we aren?t aware that it supports the upper part of our body thereby affecting almost every activity that you perform.
We often lay more importance on abs work out and forget our back workout completely. Due to this an imbalance is caused between your abs and your lower back which leads to severe back pains. So strengthening your lower back muscle is as important as strengthening your abs.
The lower back extension is the best exercise that is recommended by the doctors and the fitness experts to fight your back pain and also to strengthen your back muscles to avoid any future risks. It also helps you in loosening; tight or sore back muscles that may be caused due to over sitting or lack of back exercises. It can be done anywhere as it doesn?t require any equipment and is really simple to perform.
Lower back extension exercise:
As always, start with warm up exercises. Preferably a light aerobics exercise for 10-15 minutes. This is a very good exercising strategy to be followed before getting into your regular exercise regimen.
Lie down straight on the floor with your hands and arms kept flat at your sides and your legs extended like in a standing position. But actually lying down. This will be your starting position.
Now raise yourself slowly above the ground level. By using your lower muscles raise above your upper body part, but do not over extend. Just raise your body up to 45 degrees above the ground level, to the point where you feel comfortable and beneficial. When you raise yourself above the ground level see that you tighten your buttocks and totally exert pressure on your lower back. Hold this movement for a count of 3-5.
After holding the position for a count of 3 or so, lower your body back to the floor in the same manner as your starting position.
While performing this exercise don?t forget to breath. Breathe in as your raise your body and hold your position and then breath out when you lower yourself.
Repeat this exercise until the sets are completed. Each set should comprise of 12-15 reps. Likewise start with 2 sets for the first two weeks, increase it to 3 sets of 15-20 reps in the 3-4 week and then let it progress as per your capability. However one thumb rule to be followed here is do not overdo it, as it may increase your back pain than eliminating it completely. Perform this exercise just 2-3 times a week and the rest of the day?s work out on other body parts.
Initially you might find it difficult to do this exercise. You may not be able to raise your body very high. But that?s totally fine, as you progress you will be able to lift yourself higher. So let?s not waste anymore time, let?s get going.
Posted in Recipe on May 14, 2012
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unprocessed oat bran
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup skim milk
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cooking oil spray
Directions
Combine bran, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl and stir well. Make a small well in center of mixture. In a second bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, beaten egg whites and vegetable oil. Stir until well mixed. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spray 2 muffin tins with cooking oil spray or use paper liners. Spoon into the muffin tins until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately; serve warm or at room temperature.
Posted in Recipe on May 13, 2012
Ingredients
1 pound boneless top sirloin
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2/3 cup low fat beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 – 6 ounce package frozen snow pea pods, thawed and drained
Directions
Heat wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add oil to coat. Add garlic and sirloin which has been thinly sliced. (Partially freezing makes slicing meat across grain easy.) Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until just brown.
Add salt and pepper, stirring in beef broth. Mix cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Slowly stir into broth mixture and bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about one minute. Stir in ginger, pea pods and water chestnuts. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes until peas are crisp-tender.
This exercise is aimed at the Tricep muscle, and there are a few variations and ways of executing the exercise. The benefits of using this exercise are that you will build up muscle, mass and strength, while at the same time burning off fat!
You can also adjust the weights used to suit personal preference and fitness levels.
The first exercise we will discuss is the Low Cable Tricep Extension.
Choose the weights needed, and position yourself face up on a row machine seat with a rope attached to it. Ensure that your head is facing the attached rope.
Take hold of the rope ends, with your palms facing together in a neutral grip.
Bend your elbows until they are at a 90-degree angle with your upper arms at 90 degrees to your torso.
Tip: Make sure you keep your elbows tucked in and your upper arms pointed towards the ceiling, while at the same time ensuring that your forearms face towards the pulley over your head. This will now become your starting position.
Keep your upper arms and shoulders static throughout the exercise, and as you exhale, stretch your lower arms out until they are vertical and straight. The forearms are the only part of your arms / shoulders that should move throughout the movement. Make your Tricep contract hard for the count of 3.
As you inhale, return slowly to your starting position.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Another variation of the same exercise can be conducted while in the sittingor standing position. This will sometimes help to lessen possible back strain, and if you are recovering from a strain or injury, it is a good way to get back into the Cable Tricep Extension exercise.
Use a bench or a seat that has back support. Sit or stand on the seat or bench, and position yourself so that the back support reaches to just below your shoulders.
With the cable bar situated behind your back or neck, take an overhand, narrow grip, with your elbows positioned overhead.
Stretch forearms slowly until they are straight overhead. Lower arms slowly until they touch the back of the shoulders.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Tip: In order to maintain full shoulder flexibility, let the rope or cable attachment pull your arm back.
Yet another variation of the Cable Tricep Extension, can once again be performed while standing. This version of the exercise is probably the least aggressive.
Stand facing your rope or pulley equipment, with the desired weights attached.
Taking hold of the bar in a wide grip, with your palms facing downwards, push the bar down until your arms are extended.
Slowly let your arms rise until they reach chest level.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
These are just 3 ways in which the Cable Tricep Extension can be utilized. There are many more, all of which benefit arm and chest strength.
The Arnold presses will also help build the strength in your shoulders. Over time you will start to see the definition in your shoulders. If the Arnold presses are done correctly you will feel the burn in your shoulders. The burn lets you know you are working your shoulders correctly and they are burning the calories. These presses will also be felt in your triceps.
When getting prepared to do Arnold presses you will need an exercise bench that has a back on it and a set of dumbbells. It is best to start this exercise with light weights until you get the hang of it.
Grab a dumbbell with light weights for each hand. Then sit on the bench with your feet flat on the floor. The feet should be placed evenly with your shoulders. Sit straight up and press your back against the back support on the bench.
Once you are sitting properly lift the weights toward your face. You will lift the weights so they are almost aligned with your shoulders. The palms of your hands will be pointed towards your body. Your elbows will be pointing toward the floor while your arms are resting by your torso. This is your starting position for Arnold presses.
While exhaling, start slowly raising the dumbbells into the air. While you are raising the dumbbells you are going to rotate your hands. Keep rotating your hands until your palms are facing the wall in front of you. Your hands should be totally rotated by the time you have the dumbbells above your head. Your arms will be straight up and down when the dumbbells are in the correct position. Now hold the position for a couple of seconds then start inhaling.
As you are inhaling start bringing the dumbbells back down to the start position. While lowering the weights you will once again rotate your hands. Once in the start position your palms will be pointing your body. This is now considered one complete repetition. Do the recommended amount of repetitions for your work out.
Remembering to rotate your hands while doing the Arnold presses might take some time. You will get it after a couple sets of repetitions though.
If you have lower back problems it is recommended you always do this exercise while sitting down. If your back does not have any problems, then once you have the routine down; try the Arnold presses standing up.
Remember the burn is how you know the shoulders are getting the proper work out. This is also a sign that you are burning off the calories to obtain the definition in your shoulders that you have always wanted.
While still concentrating on the shoulders get ready to push them to the limit of no return. The front plate raises are going to help you intensify the burn and keep the calories burning away. This exercise will help complete the work out for concentrating on the shoulder area and building your strength up.
Many people think that they don’t know how to exercise for a long life, but really any activity that increases your heart rate and gets your blood pumping is an exercise that can be included in a healthy lifestyle. The key to maintaining a healthy exercise routine and sticking with it is to find an activity that you enjoy and making sure that you do it with consistency.
When you are learning how to exercise, you will find that there are a great many resources on the topic of exercise that you can use to help you understand how activity affects your body. The most important part of exercise that is stressed in all of these resources is consistency. You must find an activity that you like so that you will be sure to do it every single day. For some, running is the activity that they enjoy. For others, it might be riding a bike around their neighborhood. There are so many activities to choose from that there is bound to be one that you will enjoy.
Some of the key points to understand when you are learning how to exercise is how to remain safe. Running, for instance, can be very hard on the joints and you should learn how to lessen the impact on your joints so that you don’t injure yourself while taking part in your favorite activity. If you injure yourself while exercising, it can put you on the sidelines for a while and keep you from getting your daily exercise.
Stretching and cooling down are an important part of your exercise routine. When learning how to exercise, you should be sure to include a warm up period and a cool down period before and after your exercise routine to prevent injury during your workout. A good warm up will prepare your muscles for the strain that you are about to put on them and a cool down will bring your muscles down to a normal state after you have worked them with your routine.
Finding an exercise that you love is a great discovery. Moving your body and experiencing increased strength and endurance will make you wonder why you waited so long. The bottom line is that exercise feels good. There will be an increase in your energy levels during the day and this will mean that you are more productive in your work and daily life.
You can also lose weight with your exercise routine. When learning how to exercise, you will be expending more calories than you typically are and your body will burn them for the energy to use in your new activity. You may even be able to lose weight without a heavily restricted diet as well.
Explore all of the activities that you can take part in when you are first learning how to exercise to find the one that will keep you coming back again and again. This is the best way to stick to a routine and gain some consistency in your exercise efforts. The benefits that you gain will far outweigh any extra time that is given to exercise.
