#i thought it was just that machine but its every exercise for my lower abs

[moonystoes]

guys quick...how can I work out my abs without getting a coregasm 😭😭

[crimsonbluemoon]

Working for Love: A Terrormoo Story, 1/17

Okay, soooo...surprise? For some reason, the first week of November I wrote this entire story. It’ll be broken down into 17 parts, about 4-5 pages each. 

Yes, this means I wrote over 26k words in one week. I don’t know either.

This is a story that I’m dedicating to @personfullofplotholes because of all the work she’s helped me with for my BBS, MCU, and personal writing. Without her, Libahunt wouldn’t be a thing, and I’d probably be out of the fandom completely. 

So this story will be posted every Saturday! I hope that you enjoy! ^.^  

Main pairing: Terrormoo There will be other pairings mentioned through it, though not in detail and no real moments or focus.  But they’ll be dabbled in there, so fair warning. 

Drabble One

Brock was not lazy. 

Really, he wasn’t. Sure, he lacked the active schedule he’d had when he was in high school. College had been a hard transition, and though he managed to get through it with a 4.0 GPA, his health took a hit. Making ramen noodles at three in the morning was simply easier than trying to prepare a balanced meal and study for his economics final. His friends hadn’t mentioned any changes in his waistline or that his cheeks had plumped up through the college exams and parties. The pants he’d shimmied into after high school were stuffed in the deepest corner of his closet by the last year of college, but he was genuinely happy with his life. He had a positive group of friends and a financially stable job as a teacher. Brock even got an apartment that had come with a gym membership to ‘Wildcat Athletics’ (the landlord, Nogla, said that he was ‘best buddies’ with the owner of the gym, and worked there on weekends) for as long as he was a tenant and paid his bills on time. 

The only thing that even reminded him about his weight hangups, if he was being honest, was his boyfriend. Or, well, his ex-boyfriend. That factor was the exact reason that Brock stood outside of the aforementioned gym, lower lip dragged between his teeth on the chilly Monday night. Valentine’s day had been over a month ago, but still held more heartbreak than love for Brock. He’d been left stunned and insecure by the cruel words his lover had used to end their relationship. 

“I can’t be with a guy who doesn’t want to fix what’s wrong with his body. You’re just too heavy for me to keep pretending to be attracted to.” 

Two years spent fostering a welcoming and loving relationship had meant nothing because Brock now had love handles? His ex was in better shape than Brock from day one, but he’d assumed their relationship was built on more than looks. Brock had always been a little heavier, yet he balanced the slight physical shortcomings with his endearing personality. Never once had his ex complained about his body when Brock let him borrow his car or covered some of his bills during his ‘career transition’ between jobs. When Brock’s raise meant a vacation to Iceland, there were no complaints of thicker thighs and missing abs in the natural hot springs. He’d never made comments about the weight gain when the two were between the sheets, though recalling their love life over the past six months, Brock could remember several times his shirt remained untouched through their sex. The touches lacked the romantic charge they’d held at the start of their relationship, when Brock’s hips fit better under his hands and his shoulders weren’t rounded by stress and long study sessions. 

But now all of these ‘burdens’ were too much for his ex to handle, and after his scathing comments, the man left Brock broken and crying in his apartment without a second glance. 

“You’re not doing this for him,” Brock reminded himself, hand gripped tightly onto his phone to keep from turning around and heading back to his car. He’d already visited the gym a couple times over the past week, but always felt the impulsive desire to leave as soon as he stepped out of his car. His shirt was the baggiest he could find in his collection, hoping that it’d cover the lacking muscles and stretch marks he’d been staring at for weeks. 

His break-up had been the catalyst for coming to the gym, but it wasn’t the only reason. Brock had several other contributing factors. Nogla’s face looked so hopeful when Brock mentioned he’d checked out the gym, and exercising gave him something to do to get him out of the house. He did get a small burst of pride each time he finished his walk on the treadmill, though he hadn’t been able to use it to take on the weights. For the most part, the gym wasn’t saturated with muscle-heads or judgemental members, and people who were in the same shape as him looked content going there. He’d only met the owner, Tyler, once, but he didn’t give a judgemental stare or rude comment when Brock mentioned Nogla’s offer. He did look grumpy while having Brock fill out paperwork and take his photo, but Nogla reassured him that it was just ‘his normal mood’. 

Night workouts were always met with less clutter, as most didn’t want to work out after a 9-5 job. Brock’s guilty pleasure of sleeping through three alarms kept him from being a morning warrior, and he enjoyed the quieter time. 

“Hey, welcome back.” He gave a small smile to the man who greeted him at the front counter before showing him his scan card.

“Hello.” He didn’t muster up the courage to exchange any more words than the polite greeting. ‘Evan’ (as the nametag offered) was handsome and kind, his smile disarming and real each time Brock came in. But his ex’s grin had been charming, too, and Brock wasn’t good enough for him. Brock was reminded of how the frumpy college t-shirt had a hole in the right shoulder and a stain under the logo that would be impossible to find attractive. Plus, Evan was far too attractive to be single like him. He tried to make his own smile hide his negative thoughts when he dropped his gaze and took the card back, scampering to the safety of the treadmills. 

There were only a few people in the gym, and the station he liked to use was free. The tv in front of it played Animal Planet, which helped him through the harder parts of his routine. Plus, it was furthest in the corner of the gym, meaning that most members didn’t see him. The less people that caught sight of his flushed face, sweat stains and pathetic gasps, the better. His water and keys were tossed into the holders before he fumbled through the buttons of the machine, feeling confident enough to push his level to ‘4’ instead of the 3 he’d been hovering over for the past week. In seconds the belt was moving under his feet, and with Maroon 5’s ‘Give a little more’ playing in his headphones, Brock threw himself into his workout. 

It wasn’t long until the higher leveled routine took its effect; Brock’s legs tingled with protest at the higher incline as each minute passed, but he tried to keep his mind focused on the music pounding in his ears. His chest expanded with greater desperation after minute seven, and Brock had to close his eyes after the ten minute mark to keep himself from shutting down the machine. The pads of his fingers were clammy, making it hard to change the song on his phone to something with a heavier beat. Another change in the treadmill’s incline had brown eyes looking to the TV, though dismay flooded him at the breaking news that was interrupting normal programming. The boring story didn’t have subtitles big enough for Brock to read, meaning looking at the screen was pointless. His eyes pulled away from the speech to find something else to distract him. It only took a few seconds to find the stairmaster, though the intimidating machine was not what caught his interest. 

There, practically jogging from the speed he was using, was a man that rivalled the treadmill’s ability to leave Brock breathless. The sweat that made Brock’s skin fluster and smell looked much different on the other member. The muscle tank top was cut open wide under the armpits, leaving an easy window to peek at the fit torso and stomach hidden under the cloth. If the thirteen minutes of torture hadn’t already turned him into a persperating tomato, Brock was sure he’d be blushing. He winced at the realization he’d been staring before he forced his eyes back down to his hands, watching chubby fingers clutch the pulse monitors like a lifeline. 

“Don’t stare, that’s creepy,” he huffed to himself. If he didn’t need his hands stable to keep from falling off the machine, he would have smacked himself. People were not at the gym to be objectified. Even if the man was beautiful, he had the same rights to a peaceful work-out. It didn’t matter how clear his skin looked, the cute way the front of his hair curled over his forehead from his work-out, or how bright his eyes were in the fluorescent light of the-Brock visibly jerked at the realization that his eyes had betrayed him, looking at the gym member again. 

It’s not your fault, his conscience (in Mini’s voice, which made it so much worse) tossed out, Brock already rejecting the excuse as it formulated. He has really nice legs, and those pants are definitely spandex from how tight they are painted onto his ass-

The fact that his unconscious had picked up on something he didn’t even know he’d evaluated had him pulling away from the thought. Again, his eyes were following the sleek movements of the man, and he wanted to cry when he realized they were settled on the spandex-covered posterior. Embarrassment rearing up, a weird noise of protest bubbled out of Brock’s mouth. His feet stumbled for a moment, and he was sure that his sneakers made an unpleasant noise against the treadmill’s belt that echoed from how empty the gym was. 

Horror rushed through his bloodstream as the blue eyes from before glanced his way, Brock ducking his head as low as he could during the worst part of his workout. He could barely keep himself walking up the high incline, but the lowered head made it so much harder. The sticky feeling of sweat clung to the collar of his t-shirt and the fabric against his back. He must have looked like a disaster, and the hottest guy he’d ever seen in the gym was looking at him. For a moment, he wished he could melt into the floor. Two grueling minutes went by before Brock finally raised his head again, breath shaky from both the work-out and his embarrassment. The blue gaze was still focused on him, and then a wave was paired with a beaming smile. He didn’t need to look to know his face was the reddest it’d ever been. 

Thankfully for Brock, the timer on his treadmill hit twenty, and the belt slowed to a stop. He didn’t hesitate to jump off the treadmill, eyes dropped to the floor when scampering from the embarrassing situation. He barely remembered to wave goodbye to Evan, escaping into the cold of the night. The gasp of breath was chilling through his lungs, but with how hot his face was, Brock wished he could dunk his head into a bucket of ice. Why had that guy waved at him? Was he trying to show that he knew Brock was staring? What if he was just being passive aggressive? The entire ordeal was mortifying, and Brock could already hear how loud Mini’s laugh would be when retelling the terrible experience. 

One thing was for sure; Brock was never coming back on a Monday night again.

And there’s part one. This is a very silly and fun story, and it will jump between Brock and Brian’s POV. So if you wanna know what Brian’s thinking, you’ll have to wait until next week and see! So, what did you think? Likes and reblogs will always be a good way to show me some love. Until next Saturday! 

[flavorweight-blog]

Become A WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISE Lion

This may be the hardest article I've ever had to write, it really is the very first time I've admitted, that I might be getting older. ROB! Yes, we are receiving older but, remember the rest of the sentence...AND BETTER! Most of us remember Mufasa! The solid, brave, protecting, heroic lion from the Lion King. Make without doubt about it Mufasa was The King!! That's right just like Elvis (showing my age group). Mufasa died fighting heroically to safeguard his satisfaction now. I'm not saying it had been age group that was his undoing. BUT who knows, if he had changed his training strategy during the last few years-trained just a little smarter......probably he wouldn't have gone his battle in the gym and had even more in the tank on game time. Could the results have been different??? Ok! back again to real life or at least my edition of it. Tammy Renee my Mufasa (boss, greatest friend, blah blah blah) provides approached me more than once about writing an article designed to help the ageing athlete. That is right, us siblings in Iron are sportsmen. My thoughts were....why would I end up being asked by her? What perform I understand about aging athletes?? I train as i have always.......I'm a global champion! Hello there!! earth to rob..you're 51 years outdated!! You are a mature athlete!!!! WOW!! It dawned on me then ..the things I i did so all night take me forever to accomplish now...BUT that is clearly a different story. We can save that for a different content. GINA - Aging sportsmen? Oh my....Can't we come up with a more correct term politically? lol Rob, haven't you noticed 40 is the new 30, 50 is the new 40? I actually injured my shoulder winning the W.A.B.D.L. Masters Bench Press Globe Championship in 2005. I competed in Bodybuilding in 2006 coming in 4th place in the W.B.F.A Team USA vs the World competition. I thought that easily actually got my conditioning right down to a research and came in shredded I could do some harm in 07. I thought then...am I a bodybuilder really? Is normally that where my interest is? My pal, occasional training partner and incredible powerlifter Phil Davi was in the fitness center working out. He talked me into seeing what I got on the bench that day time. Now I hadn't benched weighty in a long time. To say my initiatives were sloppy would be an understatement. However I did so max out in the 455lb range somewhere. For those of you at home and especially us Mufasa types....PLEASE don't get a max out from the crystal clear blue and wonder why you obtain injured. Some people are slow learners just. Phil checked out the existing world records in the alphabet soup of powerlifting agencies and discovered with some schooling, I would be right there and perhaps able to break a global record or 2 in the bench press for my generation and weight course. I actually asked my good friend, fellow article writer, fitness model, fitness competitor, amount competitor, fitness center owner, fitness expert of the entire year, one of the hottest Mothers and hottest women on the planet........drum roll.......... Gina Ostarly what she thought which was her response: "I am 99.9 % sure you ALREADY 'know" the answer...so this is just a 2nd thumbs up...I think.....I always go with my interest....whats in my heart...sounds like yours is in power lifting....always has been...As long as your 2005 injury is healed and can not hinder you...go for the record! The only reason I've not made it back to fitness .....is because my body won't allow it all...We keep getting harm...hell getting old...haha...but, I have not given up....in the suggest time I will be the very best figure competitor I could be.... From the source want Gina how may i not listen. Okay...that I understand now, I am growing older let's implement a few of our fresh found knowledge, in my own quest to set the 50 to 54 age course 220 lb pounds class bench press world record. My recuperative skills are not what they were in the past. I've had to create this concession to age group already. So over-teaching is a large issue around babyboomers. I have been guilty of the especially, In my over zealousness to earn championships, break information, play soccer or what have you I want to go obtain it and throw caution to the wind just. Well, after a torn hamstring, torn bicep, ligament harm in both ankles, sore knees and over all everyday aches and pains. Training: Okay hear we go. People talk to me on a regular basis if I reside in the fitness center or how many hours a day time do I workout?? There is a period when I would train with weights 6 days weekly and do cardio 6 or seven days a week. that was a couple of years ago. The cardio part especially, that was more for sports activities than for appearances. once I used powerlifting I think my just cardio was operating from the couch to the refrigerator. (Gina) Rob, people talk to me the same issue or make the assumption, " all day long must be educated by you, everyday." Well, my secret is CONSISTENCY, as time passes. Its not really about how much you do "this week" or "this month" Getting and residing in form is a prolonged dedication. Its doesn't imply killing yourself all night in the gym, it about creating stability and living realistically. Training 2-3 days weekly CONSISTENTLY will yield a better result in a calendar year than somebody who works out everyday for a week skips 3, functions how hard direct for 3 weeks.....drops off the true face of the planet earth for 2 months....etc....You get my point. My teaching had remained the same for several years basically. Pushes on Mon & Wed - ie.. chest, shoulders, tri's & abs Pulls on Tues & Fri - ie.. back again, bi's and obliques Legs & lower back again on Wed & Sat - Wed will be more squat oriented . Sat will be more deadlift oriented Based on what We was training designed for my weights might vary but also for the the majority of part the scheme was the same. As I stated cardio was as required. EASILY was trying to accomplish something where I needed to move actually. I would run or play basketball. EASILY was training for something where movement wasn't a concern...believe me I wouldn't move. The heaviest I've ever weighed was 277 in 2003. Breathing was a problem, my ex said during the night I snored like a rhino in high temperature. When breathing becomes a nagging problem it may be time to go back to the drawing board. That is while you are still able to draw.....My blood pressure I'm sure was sky high....never had it checked. I was the epitome of the ostrich strategy. Keep my head in the sand and what I don't know won't harm me. Training Mufasa: Ok! For us old lions...what can be done? Get yourself a physical: That's right! First factor head to your Doctor get a complete check-up and make sure that finely tuned or at least soon to be finely tuned machine is ready to go. Shed a few pounds: For the majority of us that is probably the first plan of action. Help to make it less complicated on those muscle tissues and joints (not to mention your mate) and drop a few. In case you are still fighting trim you get yourself a gold star here but I'd like a notice from your own significant other, just in case you're filled with it. Do cardio: I've dropped from an average fat of approx. 265 to now even more in the 225lb range. My heart, my joints, my blood pressure and my puppy Hank (the rhino in heat noises musta taken there toll) are thankful. Although I significantly changed my diet to get right down to 215 for the BB contest. I have since been eating a complete lot more but daily cardio sessions have kept my weight down. Not to mention again the primary muscle, my center (yes I have one) is appreciative. So for all of us Mufasa's cardio is crucial. Listen to the body: Train together with your mind, not over it. No, that can be done over head presses still. Just use common sense in your workout routines. Pass feel whether it's there and you feel like lifting a little heavier go for it. If not. listen to your body. Cool off the heavier weights for a good work out or 2. Don't pressure it! Consider shorter rest periods and go just a little lighter. There are way's of keeping your workout strength without setting world or also personal records. Go for QUALITY not Volume, and yes Rob, always pay attention to your body! Great suggestions. There are therefore many variants of you skill when exercising. Hardly ever feel like you need to "force thru it." Dealing with the big headed attitude could have you pushing for the LAST TIME! Don't overtrain: As I mentioned earlier. I was and at times am still, a habitual overtrainer. This correlates with the above directly. Listen to the body. Over teaching at this stage of the overall game, is more detrimental than when we are younger. As a young child we can get away with a little more. Today all we're gonna obtain is a severe limp and some catabolism on top of that. Seriously, this is not a joke. DO NOT OVERTRAIN. For the majority of us, three resistance training sessions weekly should fill up the bill. Use the K.We.S.S. (keep it basic stupid) in your workouts. Work each muscle mass group once a week. Nutrition: Nourishment is up to 80% of the battle. Breakfast is either the most or second most important meal of the full day. Your post workout meal is definitely it's competition. Be sure to eat protein with each meal. Start your day a good hearty breakfast. This gets the machine which is certainly you in movement. Look at the body as a furnace, you should gasoline it to maintain it burning properly. Obtain it started very first thing each morning (breakfast) and maintain fueling it every 3 hours. Look at a fire, you don't throw all of the logs on simultaneously. Throw a log in at even intervals and it will burn efficiently. Throw them all in simultaneously (supper) and it'll smother and fail. Avoid the All-American meal program. The coffee is known by you and a doughnut for breakfast, more espresso and a Hostess cake off the roach trainer for break period. Deli sandwich, coke and a handbag of chips for lunch. Then devour what ever the heck you may get your hands on for dinner not to mention our 2 Vermont buddies Ben and Jerry or Krispy Kreme (right Gina??) before bed. Post workout beverage: This along with breakfast is very important. Your post workout drink should contain a quality protein drink with some simple carbs (dextrose). More hints You need to take advantage of the window of opportunity right here 30 to 45 min. after your exercise. You body is in an emergency state right here and is preparing to make use of these crucial nutrients. Glucosamine and chondroitin: This have already been a miracle treat for me. Remember they take up to 30 day's to get into your system and don't stop acquiring them once you start to experience better......or back to painsville!!! As you can see a little modification here and there and some common sense is all that is needed!! As Gina so aptly put it " we are getting older but remember all of those other sentence..... AND BETTER"

[korrafitness]

Nikki’s FAQ (as a linkable post)

HEY! So a bunch of people informed that my FAQ is inaccessible on mobile (it usually only works for iphones) so I’ve decided to work around this by making my FAQ into a post under a read more so y’all will be able to view/reblog it! And I will try to make edits/changes as I go along on my actual FAQ. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I am not a certified personal trainer and the advice and thoughts I give on fitness are based on my own personal experience and knowledge. I will answer any questions regarding fitness to the BEST of my abilities. 

**I have split up my FAQ to be a bit more organized… Fitness Q’s are at the top and Personal Q’s are at the bottom

FITNESS FAQ

1.     Can I ask you for fitness advice? Yes if you don’t see an answered question in the FAQ and the “fitness shit” ask tag feel free to shoot me an ask or a message. NOTE: PLEASE try to avoid asking me “Do you have any tips on ___?” Unless you specify a topic, it is generally too vague for me to answer. There is literally so many tips in the fitness tag. I promise if you spend some time there you’ll find what you need and then some. ***TIP: you can also search keywords (ex. cardio, nutrition, protein) for answered asks by “korrafitness.tumblr.com/search/KEYWORD”

2.     What’s your workout routine?

For my program I am currently working out 3 to 4 times a week. For my current program (2018) I am running a 2 upper body day and 2 lower body day program. On one of those given days I will do a few power lifts, which can be: Bench Press, Sumo Deadlift, Overhead Press, Back Squats, or Front Squats. Along with a power lift I do accessory movements to complement it. Brief Overview of what movements work out which muscles: to work out your pecs, triceps, deltoids: usually a PUSHING motion is involved  to work out your biceps, traps, lats: usually a PULLING motion to work out your glutes, quads, calves: usually pushing which is self explanatory

Examples of my workout plans:

·        Push: Chest: Barbell Bench Press, DB (Dumbell) Incline Press, Pec (Pectoral) Deck, Cable Crossover, DB Flat Press, DB Incline Flys Shoulders/Delts: Overhead Press, DB Shoulder Press, Side Lateral Raises, Front Lateral Raises, Machine Lateral Raise Triceps: Dip Machine, Overhead Tricep Extension, Rope Tricep Extensions, DB Overhead Extension

·        Pull: Sumo (or Conventional) Deadlifts (whole body workout) Back: DB Row, TBar Row, Seated Cable Rows, Lat Pull Down, Anchored Barbell Row, Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Pendlay Row, Barbell Row Biceps: DB Curl, Hammer Curl, Rope Hammer Curl, Preacher Curl, Spider Curls Rear Delts: Face Pulls, Reverse Pec Deck

·        Leg: Back or Front Squats, Conventional Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift, Calf Raises, Leg Curls, Lying Leg Curls, Glute Kickbacks, Leg Extensions, Seated Leg Press, Hip Abduction, Hip Adduction, Barbell Hip Thrusts, Cable Pullthrough, Barbell Hip Thrusts, DB Reverse Lunges, etc. 

·        Abs: Leg Raises, Weighted Ab Crunches, Weighed Side Crunches, Planks, Decline Sit Ups, Russian Twists, Barbell Rollout etc. (I usually add this to one of the other days)The rep scheme of each workout varies. For the big compound movements (Bench, Deadlift, Squat, Overhead Press) I do one of the following: 4 sets of 10 (70% 1RM), 4 sets of 7 (75% 1RM), 5 sets of 5 (80% 1RM), 5 sets of 3 (85% 1RM) depending on the week. For the accessory movements I will typically do 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps. Low reps with heavy weights = building strength. High reps with low weights = building muscle. You want to vary because dealing with heavy weights is taxing on the body and if you are not careful it can lead to injuries.

The amount of sets and reps for accessory movements varies each day, one day it could be 3 sets of 15 and another 4 sets of 6-8, etc. Sometimes I will lower the amount of reps and increase the number of sets

3.     What is your diet?

Nutrition 101 My goal is to become lean, which is basically try to remove my fat as much as possible without losing too much muscle. To do this I need to keep track of what I eat. On the nutrition label of every food there is 3 macronutrients: Fats, Carbs, and Protein. What are macros? Macros aka macronutrients are 3 basic components of food: Fats, Carbs, Protein. There are important because calories are not the only thing that attribute to being healthy. A good composition of macros is important for muscle gain, fat loss, and energy. This is important because I need to keep track of this if I want definition! How do macros and calories relate? 1g of Fat = 9 calories (Important to note that fat has more calories) 1g of Carbs = 4 calories 1g of Protein = 4 calories Right now I am eating about 700 calories below my maintenance calories (which is the amount of calories I need to maintain my weight.) I am eating 1470 calories a day AND I am trying to eat my weight in protein. (** UPDATE: I am currently in a maintenance phase so my calories have increased for the time being to roughly 1650-1750cal) Now I NEED TO DO THIS TO MAINTAIN MY MUSCLE MASS. Right now I weight around 130 lbs so I try to eat at LEAST 130 grams of protein. I am also limiting my fat intake to around 50g. If this is confusing I am basically eating 25% Fats, 40% Carbs and 35% Protein. I HIGHLY recommend you download the MyFitnessPal App!!! It makes it 10x easier to track what you eat and also calculates your macros and calories for you!!

So in short I am eating 1470 calories, ~130g of protein, ~150g of carbs, and <50g of fat with 2 refeed days where I eat 1900 calories. Along with that I am doing 1200 calories worth of cardio a week. Trying to get to the summer bod!

4.     How do I get abs? Doing a bunch of ab workouts/machines/planks will NOT do anything for you if you have a little tummy. Abs do not just bypass the fat you have on your stomach. If you really really want to get abs its ALL about what you eat. Start tracking, start dieting, and in the end you’ll shed that tummy away and your abs will just be there! Yes it is important to do ab exercises but don’t do a bunch of crunches and wonder why your not seeing results its all about NUTRITION.

5.     How do I lose fat in [specific area of body (thighs, tummy,hips, etc)]? Sadly there is not workout/exercise that can target a certain body part to lose fat there. You can certainly work out a specific muscle and tone/strengthen it however the fat layer will still be basically sitting on top of your muscle! To lose fat body has to burn it off by using it as energy! If you eat more calories than your maintenance, your body will just use those excess calories instead of your fat storage! You will need to be in a deficit!! You can do this by cardio or dieting or a mixture of both.

6.    How do I lose mass (cut/get toned/lean/lose fat/weight)? Losing weight is a product of a CALORIC DEFICIT (consuming less and burning more calories than your body needs in order for it to use the fat storage in your body as energy) The best way to have a deficit is to keep track of your nutrition/calories and also burn calories as a cardio workout. (Refer to question 10 to calculate your caloric deficit)

7.   How do I gain mass (bulk/gain weight/muscle)? In order to gain mass your body must be in a CALORIC SURPLUS (your body will not have the energy/nutrients to build more tissue as muscle otherwise) During this time you will gain fat if you are trying to bulk. It is possible to try a lean bulk phase where you MINIMIZE the fat gained by consuming a good macro ratio, only going into a slight caloric surplus (Refer to question 10 to calculate your caloric surplus), and adding in LIGHT cardio (just make sure you are still in a surpus) I also recommend eating your weight in protein (0.8-1g per 1lb of your body weight) because having more protein will aid in protein synthesis (an important part of muscle growth)

8.   Why is it impossible to gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time? You can still build muscle on a deficit HOWEVER you won’t gain MASS. You will still have stronger muscles/slightly more defined but they won’t grow in size. Your body just simply doesn’t have the energy/nutrients to build more tissue as muscle which is why people go on bulking/cutting phases. Being in a caloric deficit hinders protein synthesis which means your body tends to lose muscle when you’re trying to lose fat. Restricting your calories also restricts your body’s ability to build and repair muscle tissue so consuming high amounts of protein AND gradually increasing your deficit will help to preserve your muscles. HOWEVER!!! There is a SHORT portion of time as someone who’s just getting into fitness (never worked out before) that goes through a period of “newbie gains” where it is possible to lose fat and gain muscle because your body reacts very strongly to any new stimulus it gets (You will see that it is possible to make huge jumps in strength compared to that of an experienced lifter)

9. How do I calculate my caloric maintenance? First off, what are maintenance calories? The amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight. This is determinant on many different factors (age, height, sex, lean mass, hormones, exercise/activity level, diet, etc) - Why is this important? In order to gain muscle mass or lose fat you will have to be either in a caloric surplus or caloric deficit respectively. To determine how many calories you need you will need to know your maintenance and add (surplus) or subtract (deficit) from that. (Note: Cardio can definitely help you put yourself in a deficit by burning more calories in your workout HOWEVER if you still end up eating more calories you may still end up at maintenance or even at a surplus!!!) - What’s the formula? There’s many different formulas and some might be better than others but here here is a VERY simple calories per unit weight calculation which is based on how active your lifestyle is (it is not very specific to individual and offers too wide of a range sometimes but it gives you a good guessimate for you to try to find your maintenance)…    - normal, healthy, sedentary individuals: 12-13 kcal/lb    - moderate activity (active 3-5x a wk): 14-15 kcal/lb    - highly active lifestyle (active 5+ a wk): 16-17kcal/lb ex. I am moderately active and weigh ~125lbs so… 125lbs x 14kcal = 1750kcal and 125lbs x 15kcal = 1875kcal so… ~1750-1875kcal is the range in which my maintenance most likely lies NOW to get a more accurate measure you will have to narrow it down… for about 2-4 weeks monitor your weight by weighing yourself every morning when you wake up and before you consume any food. At the end of the week take an average of them and compare it to the previous weeks.. if it is roughly the same you have found your maintenance. Congratulations! - What now? I want to LOSE weight: From your maintenance start by taking ~10-20% of your maintenance away and again like the method before monitor your weight WEEKLY (it is very important to note that DAILY weigh ins are NOT A DETERMINANT OF HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE so please do not stress if it fluctuates against what your goals are) There is no exact numbers or pattern to follow when dropping the calories but if you are progressing well after ~1-2 weeks drop another ~5-10% and so on.. these results are GRADUAL and patience is very important. I want to GAIN weight:  Same as above except now you are adding ~10-20% of your maintenance calories. Monitor your results and adjust as required.

10. What advice/tips can you give to a beginner? i. Set REALISTIC goals! Give yourself time and set goals that you are attainable so it can push you to work harder once you meet it! ii. Take progress photos! I can’t stress this one enough… numerical goals aren’t always the best inidicator for how well you are doing fitness wise! Visual improvement SHOWS you and you will notice small things that you would’ve never seen otherwise iii. Don’t cut cold turkey! Don’t think of dieting as something you should do for x amount of time just change some little things here and there with your nutrition I promise it’ll go a long way. Start by eliminating soda from your diet then junk snacks and then fast food! Not all at once! iv. Be flexible with your schedule! If you miss a day make it up another time and if you still miss it it’s okay forgive yourself move on KEEP GOING v. Don’t compare your progress to others! This one is difficult because of societal standards and unrealistic media portrayals but your OWN progress is what matters how are you doing compared to your PAST self! (Again, progress photos!!) vi. Start slow and steady! Don’t just go into it thinking the most important thing is the most weight you can lift, I see a lot of people go into the gym and pick up the heaviest weight they can handle and when they do the movement it’s not a complete extension or its sloppy. Take your time, good form and technique goes a long way. vii. Work out all your muscle groups! Don’t make the mistake of working out the muscles that you like (I was guilty of this) A lot of workouts indirectly aid in another and having an evenly built body will just make you feel strong as hell. Don’t be a dorito. viii. Enjoy your life! Just because you are working out/trying to be healthy doesn’t mean you can’t go out with your friends/family or eat the foods you want as long as they are in moderation!! Enjoy it and be ready to come back to it right after

11. What is the difference between high reps/low weight and low reps/high weight? - Higher weight and low reps = a bigger focus on building strength - Lower weight and high reps = a bigger focus on building muscle (hypertropy) Both are important to intregrate into a workout program if you want to have muscle definition and strength. Varying the rep scheme is also good to prevent over exhaustion of your muscles and potential injuries. For more rep scheme details refer to question 3.

12. How do I speed up my metabolism? Metabolism 101: 3 major components 1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): the amount of calories your body needs to simply just BE à this is dependent on your mass/weight, age, height, etc and will only change if one of those factors changes 2. TEPA (Thermic Effect of Physical Activity): heat generated by ANY physical movement (walking, running, fidgeting, etc) à any amount of physical activity you add to your daily routine will help increase this. It may not be practical for some to suddenly do a bunch of cardio but if you add any physical activities (taking stairs, walking vs driving, etc) over time it adds up 3. TEF (Thermic Effect of Feeding): energy spent digesting, transporting, absorbing food àthis one is a bit trickier and less significant but a protein calorie requires more energy for your body to break down vs a fat calorie (a high protein diet could help you) MYTHS: - Drinking water will boost your metabolism (it does not affect metabolism, it simply just creates satiety and makes you feel a bit more full which helps for DIFFERENT reasons) - Eating more frequent smaller meals boosts your metabolism (NO scientific backing, what matters is DAILY/WEEKLY nutrition and calorie consumption)

13.    What do you do for cardio? While I am cutting, my goal is to burn 1200 calories per week. I am doing low intensity cardio where I walk on the highest incline (15) at a speed of 3 for 30 minutes and burn roughly ~300cal per session.

14.   What do you usually eat? While I am cutting: chicken, turkey, rice, eggs, cereal, low fat cheese and milk, greek yogurt, beef jerky, protein shakes, protein bars, vegetables, fruits, etc.. and I will still have the occasional snack/fatty food

15.   How much can you bench/squat/deadlift? My 1 rep max for Bench: 130lbs Squat: 145lbs (front) Deadlift: 275lbs (sumo)

16.   How do you stay motivated? I am gonna be honest but you shouldn’t rely on motivated to keep up with the gym.. motivation is fleeting and it comes and goes when it wants and there are gonna be bad days that kill it and in order for you to persist and keep going things need to become routine: 1. MAKE TIME FOR THE GYM! Plan ahead and schedule your week beforehand.. figure out which days and times you are able to go and try to set a consistent schedule. If you plan to go for 3 days a week and lets say you have a bad day on one of those days.. make it up! Go the next time you’re free, be flexible. 2. CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE LITTLE BY LITTLE! DON’T make a complete 180 to your nutrition or workout schedule and expect yourself to follow through with it. That’s way too difficult. Make adjustments here and there (don’t cut cold turkey!) and lets say you can’t work out for the whole two hours you wanted to.. that’s okay! Do as much as you can and slowly work up to it. 3. SET ATTAINABLE GOALS! The most discouraging thing is working really hard and expecting results a little too soon and have your “motivation” die because you haven’t made any “progress”. TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES! If you set smaller goals, once you reach them you’ll be even more motivated to keep going! 4. EXPECT BAD DAYS! Something I used to struggle with was being busy with work and school and all the stress that comes with that and I would stop working out if I had exams coming up and THAT’S OKAY! Take some time off, I know other priorities pop up HOWEVER after that’s done don’t feel like you’ve lost all the “potential progress.” Keep going! Life happens, don’t be so hard on yourself. 17.   Is it better to work out all your muscles on one day or different muscles on different days? 

It generally depends on your schedule. I do recommend giving yourself a few rest days! For someone that has a super busy schedule they may go only 2 to 3 times per week vs someone with a more flexible schedule that can go 4 to 5 times per week. As long as you can hit all your muscle groups in 1 week you are golden. example of workout plans: 2 days a week: upper body, lower body 3 days a week: push day (chest/triceps) , pull day (back/biceps), leg and abs 4 days a week: chest/tricep, back/biceps, legs, abs and shoulders 4 days a week: upper body, lower body, upper, lower 4 days a week: lower body, push day, pull day, lower body the possibilities are endless and are completely up to you

18.  I can’t afford/go to a gym, what are some things I can do at home? If you can’t make it to the gym, I do highly recommend you at the very least invest in a pair of dumbells and possibly a pull up bar! Here are some workouts: - Push ups                                (chest/triceps) - Bicep curls                             (biceps)     - DB lateral raises                    (shoulders) - DB shoulder press                 (shoulders) - DB rear delt flys                     (delts) - DB pec dec flys                     (chest) - DB tricep extensions             (triceps) - DB rows                                (back) - Chair dips                              (triceps) - Pull ups                                 (back/biceps) - Leg raises (w/ pull up bar)    (core) - Squats (can add db)             (legs) - Wall sits                                 (legs) - Planks                                    (core)

19. Do you have a sample workout program? Sample

20.  How many times a week do you go to the gym and for how long? I go ~4 times a week and will spend an avg of 2 hours there, sometimes I’ll do cardio for 30 minutes in addition during my cutting phases

21.  Do you ever experience gym anxiety? And how do you deal with it? Of course! The best thing you can do is avoid the gym at peak hours (5pm-8pm) and bring headphones when you go to basically block everyone out and ignore them. Bring a buddy if that’s an option. People at the gym are focused on their own workout and even if they seem like they’re judging you, it’s probably not the case they’re in their own zone!

22.  Do you have any fitness websites you could recommend? NerdFitness, Darbee, BodyBuilding are a few And I also really enjoy OmarIsuf’s and Alan Thrall’s youtube videos.

23.  Can I add you on MyFitnessPal? Sure its nikkintn

24.  How long have you been working out for? I started working out about 4 years ago but have only recently, in the past few years, been more serious about it with dieting and consistency.

25.  How do you cut your T-shirts? Cutting T shirt tutorial

26.  What is your workout playlist? Playlist

27.  What protein do you take? I take this one amazon it has 25g of protein for only 110 calories but any whey isolate will do just fine!

28.  Do take any other supplements? I only take a preworkout before I hit the gym

29.  Do you have any fitness blog recommendations? Sadly, I don’t follow any fitness blogs on here. However if you want recommendations for fitness inspirations @ bonschro, megsquats, brookeence, baconandbiceps, kriis_d, steficohen, cynthialeu, matiecakesssss!

ABOUT ME FAQ

1.     What inspired your tattoo? My forever girl Korra, more specifically this fanart by peaceofseoul

2.   Have you every cosplayed/would you every cosplay [character]? I have ‘closeted’ cosplayed before but I’ve never done an actual full blown one? I would really like to cosplay Korra one day but I don’t have much time/craft skills to make one at the moment.

3.     What platform do you game on? PS4 only

4.     Can I add you on PSN? Sure my PSN is i-Nikki however I don’t usually get a chance to play a lot of multiplayer because of school/work

5.     How tall are you? 5′5″

6.     What is your ethnicity? I am half chinese and half viet

7.   Are you single? No

8.   Favorite video games? Mass effect, tomb raider, the last of us, dishonored, transistor, bloodborne, horizon zero dawn

9.   What’s your major? Biology, Fall ‘18 I will be attending pharmacy school

10.  What’s your career goals? I want to become a pharmacist (drug lord)

11.  Would it be okay if I draw you? Go for it. Follow your dreams.

12.  What characters do you main on overwatch? Roadhog, Zarya, Mei, 76, Lucio

13. When is your birthday/sign? July 10th and cancer

14.  Where are you from? If you missed it in my description, I am from Orange County, CA

15. Can I send you snaps of ___? My snapchat is PUBLIC. Apologies but I will not see any snaps that you send me. Only the people that I have added are able to message me. You can DM me on tumblr if you would like.

[howtoloseweightfastsafely]

How To Track Results (And Not Fall Into the Trap That Ruins 95% of Well-Thought Out Diets)

Whether you're just getting started, or you're a longtime fitness pro, you'll never get the results you're dreaming of if you don't accurately and properly track your progress.

A lot of beginners get discouraged and quit because they're not seeing fast results, or because the scale isn't tipping in their favor.

Similarly, many seasoned gym rats get complacent and stop being as vigilant about tracking their progress because they think they've got their routine down to a science.

Both are doing it wrong.

You see, by consistently tracking your progress, you not only collect important data you can use to steadily make adjustments to your exercise and diet regimens, but you also keep yourself motivated to stay in it to win it.

Here are the best methods for tracking your progress over the long run (try one or more of these methods):

Use the scale wisely. Remember that a scale only gives you a rough estimate of your weight on a daily basis. Depending on your monthly cycle (yes, guys, you have one too) the amount of water your body retains will fluctuate dramatically. So if you're not taking regular readings and averaging them out over weeks and months at a time, you're giving yourself false hope or false terror every time you see a quick drop or spike in your weight. For more accurate results, use a variety of metrics to track your progress over time.

Use a measuring tape. The same as with a scale, this can fluctuate throughout the month.

But it's useful to take a measurement of some key areas of your body once a week and chart how they shrink as you progress. The main areas you should measure (and log in a journal) are your:

Waist

Hips

Thighs

Chest

Arms

Calves

Use calipers or a scientific method of body fat analysis. The main scientific options are bioelectrical impedance scales (somewhat inaccurate), DEXA/BodPod (pricey, but accurate), underwater testing (also pricey, but accurate) readings to measure body fat. As for calipers, make sure you do it yourself or have the same person doing it for you each time (I do it myself every 2 weeks), since variations in grips used for calipers can often cause very inaccurate readings. Bodyfat scales are also notorious for being inaccurate (often as much as 3-5% off), BUT if you use them consistently, you'll get a consistent return. So even if you can't tell what your exact body fat percentage is, you can tell how much of your body fat you've lost so far.

When calculating, bear in mind that an average body fat percentage for women is between 25% and 32%, and for men, it's between 18% and 24%.

Most people who are bodybuilding have lower fat levels than this - to see your abs through your skin, if you're a woman you'll need a body fat percentage just below the range of 11% and 14%, and for a man you'll need a body fat percentage below the range of 10% and 12%.

Just keep in mind that it's unhealthy to have too low of levels of body fat; at some point, having too little fat on your body can start to powerfully affect some of your body's natural processes.

This is especially dangerous for women of child-bearing age who may become pregnant - if you're going to grow a baby, you need ample fat on your body to be able to nourish that child and eventually produce breast milk for the little tyke.

Here's a quick chart that illustrates body fat percentage ranges for different body types:

Classification

Men                                                                 Women

Do not go lower than:

 4-5%                                                               10-11%

Athletic body

 6-12%                                                             13-19%

Generally fit body

13-17%                                                            20-24%

Average body

18-24%                                                            25-32%

Overweight body

 25%+                                                              33%+

And here's a chart that illustrates healthy/fit body fat percentage ranges based on age:

Age                               Men (Fit/Athletic)                      Women (Fit/Athletic)

18-30 y.o.                      10-18%                                       20-25%

31-50 y.o.                      16-24%                                       22-29%

Over 50 y.o.                  16-29% (Fit to Average)              20-36% (Fit to Average)

If you are over 50 y.o., read this: Men and women over 50 should consult with their doctors about their ideal body fat, because it varies widely depending on the individual and their health. For men, it is usually considered unhealthy (as opposed to not ideal) for men who are 50+ and have average builds to have a body fat percentage below 15% or above 30%. For women, it can sometimes be dangerous for women over 50 to have a body fat percentage of lower than 20% and higher than 36%.

Also, as you age, your muscles and bones naturally lose their density and size. At this time, a higher body fat percentage is not just acceptable, it's actually healthier.

Take a picture in the mirror. You can do this as often or as sparingly as you want, but it can be a great way to measure your progress - and makes for a great mash-up on YouTube or in a slideshow later on. As with any of these methods, if you're hoping to see a huge difference in a week or two, you may be disappointed (though not always!). But, you'll be amazed how different your body looks within a couple of months if you stick to your diet - and you'll be able to see your progress over time in a series of photos, which can be really inspirational!

You'll be able to get within 5% of your percentage, which is ideal for both progress checks and also to fill in the bonus "So Easy A Caveman Can Do It"Calculator so you have the most accurate calorie totals!

Write down your calories. You've got to write down everything -everything - that you eat, at least in the beginning. That means candy bars, beers, that half a slice of cake you had at the office birthday party for Irene on Friday, everything. If you're guessing in the beginning, you don't have an accurate picture, and you're not going to be able to analyze your habits to see where you need to make improvements.

Write down your exercises. You've got to track your strength-training as well as your cardio. A typical exercise journal will contain the exercises you did, how many sets and reps of each and the amount of weight you were throwing around. It should also have a section for each day of exercise - what kind did you do? How many calories did the machine say you burned (or did you calculate that you burned, if you worked out in the great outdoors?) Was it easy, moderate, intense? Keeping an exercise journal is more than an important tool for keeping yourself on the right track, it's also an exercise in honesty and accountability. Are you really squeezing out each of those last reps? Are you flipping back through pages and realizing that you're leaving the gym too early, too often? An exercise journal can tell you not just about how strong you're getting, but how committed you are, as well.

Use an Excel spreadsheet or Microsoft Word table design. As with personal finance, the most popular way to track your fitness progress is with an Excel spreadsheet or Word table. With just a basic knowledge of Excel, you can create graphs, charts and more that will give you a big-picture view of your efforts thus far. When creating a spreadsheet, make sure you have boxes designated for weight, measurements and body fat percentage. Don't lose heart if your numbers aren't moving as quickly as you want them to! You may go a week or two without seeing your weight change, for instance, because you're building muscle and burning fat at the same time - so it's important to know what your measurements and body fat percentage are.

Use a web site or app specifically designed to help you track your progress. There are many of these, running the gamut from highly detailed and useful (a few of them) to mostly bunk (most of them.) It's a shame that the cottage industry that has sprung up around weight-loss since the beginning of the obesity epidemic in the 1990s in America has attracted its fair share of snake-oil salesmen and hucksters. However, there are some very good sites out there that can be very helpful to you as you make your journey toward the body of your dreams. Here are the best websites to track your progress:

FitDay (this is my hands down favorite tracker)

The Daily Plate

Skinnyo

Bodybuilding.com

Use my secret on-the-go tracking "weapon", for times that it's hard/impossible to get online. If I can't access FitDay (or my personal journals at home), I always use one of the following and suggest you do the same:

"Notes" from the iPhone are usually sent automatically to your email address.

Evernote updates automatically and can be accessed from any computer.

The harsh truth is: You can diet and exercise all you want, but if you don't have good, consistent measurements, you'll either burn out or fail to capitalize on opportunities to improve your results over time.

So, follow the suggestions above and/or get right to it with the following steps.

Action Steps:

Hop on Google Images and search "body fat % for (your gender)"

If you have calipers or access to another method, use them to estimate your body fat %

Interested in losing weight? Then click below to see the exact steps I took to lose weight and keep it off for good...

Read the previous article about "Nutrition Basics for Fast Pain Relief (and Weight Loss)"

Read the next article about "Advanced Fat Loss - Calorie Cycling, Carb Cycling and Intermittent Fasting"

Moving forward, there are several other articles/topics I'll share so you can lose weight even faster, and feel great doing it.

Below is a list of these topics and you can use this Table of Contents to jump to the part that interests you the most.

Topic 1: How I Lost 30 Pounds In 90 Days - And How You Can Too

Topic 2: How I Lost Weight By Not Following The Mainstream Media And Health Guru's Advice - Why The Health Industry Is Broken And How We Can Fix It

Topic 3: The #1 Ridiculous Diet Myth Pushed By 95% Of Doctors And "experts" That Is Keeping You From The Body Of Your Dreams

Topic 4: The Dangers of Low-Carb and Other "No Calorie Counting" Diets

Topic 5: Why Red Meat May Be Good For You And Eggs Won't Kill You

Topic 6: Two Critical Hormones That Are Quietly Making Americans Sicker and Heavier Than Ever Before

Topic 7: Everything Popular Is Wrong: The Real Key To Long-Term Weight Loss

Topic 8: Why That New Miracle Diet Isn't So Much of a Miracle After All (And Why You're Guaranteed To Hate Yourself On It Sooner or Later)

Topic 9: A Nutrition Crash Course To Build A Healthy Body and Happy Mind

Topic 10: How Much You Really Need To Eat For Steady Fat Loss (The Truth About Calories and Macronutrients)

Topic 11: The Easy Way To Determining Your Calorie Intake

Topic 12: Calculating A Weight Loss Deficit

Topic 13: How To Determine Your Optimal "Macros" (And How The Skinny On The 3-Phase Extreme Fat Loss Formula)

Topic 14: Two Dangerous "Invisible Thorn" Foods Masquerading as "Heart Healthy Super Nutrients"

Topic 15: The Truth About Whole Grains And Beans: What Traditional Cultures Know About These So-called "Healthy Foods" That Most Americans Don't

Topic 16: The Inflammation-Reducing, Immune-Fortifying Secret of All Long-Living Cultures (This 3-Step Process Can Reduce Chronic Pain and Heal Your Gut in Less Than 24 Hours)

Topic 17: The Foolproof Immune-enhancing Plan That Cleanses And Purifies Your Body, While "patching Up" Holes, Gaps, And Inefficiencies In Your Digestive System (And How To Do It Without Wasting $10+ Per "meal" On Ridiculous Juice Cleanses)

Topic 18: The Great Soy Myth (and The Truth About Soy in Eastern Asia)

Topic 19: How Chemicals In Food Make Us Fat (Plus 10 Banned Chemicals Still in the U.S. Food Supply)

Topic 20: 10 Banned Chemicals Still in the U.S. Food Supply

Topic 21: How To Protect Yourself Against Chronic Inflammation (What Time Magazine Calls A "Secret Killer")

Topic 22: The Truth About Buying Organic: Secrets The Health Food Industry Doesn't Want You To Know

Topic 23: Choosing High Quality Foods

Topic 24: A Recipe For Rapid Aging: The "Hidden" Compounds Stealing Your Youth, Minute by Minute

Topic 25: 7 Steps To Reduce AGEs and Slow Aging

Topic 26: The 10-second Trick That Can Slash Your Risk Of Cardiovascular Mortality By 37% (Most Traditional Cultures Have Done This For Centuries, But The Pharmaceutical Industry Would Be Up In Arms If More Modern-day Americans Knew About It)

Topic 27: How To Clean Up Your Liver and Vital Organs

Topic 28: The Simple Detox 'Cheat Sheet': How To Easily and Properly Cleanse, Nourish, and Rid Your Body of Dangerous Toxins (and Build a Lean Well-Oiled "Machine" in the Process)

Topic 29: How To Deal With the "Stress Hormone" Before It Deals With You

Topic 30: 7 Common Sense Ways to Have Uncommon Peace of Mind (or How To Stop Your "Stress Hormone" In Its Tracks)

Topic 31: How To Sleep Like A Baby (And Wake Up Feeling Like A Boss)

Topic 32: The 8-step Formula That Finally "fixes" Years Of Poor Sleep, Including Trouble Falling Asleep, Staying Asleep, And Waking Up Rested (If You Ever Find Yourself Hitting The Snooze Every Morning Or Dozing Off At Work, These Steps Will Change Your Life Forever)

Topic 33: For Even Better Leg Up And/or See Faster Results In Fixing Years Of Poor Sleep, Including Trouble Falling Asleep, Staying Asleep, And Waking Up Rested, Do The Following:

Topic 34: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 35: Part 1 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 36: Part 2 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 37: Part 3 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 38: Part 4 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 39: How To Beat Your Mental Roadblocks And Why It Can Be The Difference Between A Happy, Satisfying Life And A Sad, Fearful Existence (These Strategies Will Reduce Stress, Increase Productivity And Show You How To Fulfill All Your Dreams)

Topic 40: Maximum Fat Loss in Minimum Time: The Body Type Solution To Quick, Lasting Results

Topic 41: If You Want Maximum Results In Minimum Time You're Going To Have To Work Out (And Workout Hard, At That)

Topic 42: Food Planning For Maximum Fat Loss In Minimum Time

Topic 43: How To Lose Weight Fast If You're in Chronic Pain

Topic 44: Nutrition Basics for Fast Pain Relief (and Weight Loss)

Topic 45: How To Track Results (And Not Fall Into the Trap That Ruins 95% of Well-Thought Out Diets)

Topic 46: Advanced Fat Loss - Calorie Cycling, Carb Cycling and Intermittent Fasting

Topic 47: Advanced Fat Loss - Part I: Calorie Cycling

Topic 48: Advanced Fat Loss - Part II: Carb Cycling

Topic 49: Advanced Fat Loss - Part III: Intermittent Fasting

Topic 50: Putting It All Together

Learn more by visiting our website here: invigoratenow.com

[mybumpbirthandbeyond]

Sticks and Stones

To all the women who comment on how feed my baby, or ask whether I'm due another, or pass judgment when my baby is put down in the changing rooms and can’t keep their comments to themselves, this one is for you. After all, why seek advice from those close to you or those you trust, when you can be offered unsolicited and unwanted advice from a perfect stranger?!

I never used to care what people think. Yes I would get annoyed or pissed when someone said something and probably have a rant, but I was brought up to be polite so most of the time was so shocked if someone was rude, I was stunned into silence. Since becoming a mum, I hate this part because now I constantly seem to wonder what people think. He screams when I burp him ‘I promise I'm doing this to help him.’ I give him a dummy - ‘that will cause problems with his teeth and speech;’ I put him in on his own early and I started weaning him earlier - ‘that’s not what the guidelines say.’ Why do I care?! I’m Cailean’s mum, I know what’s best for him and it’s up to me. 

Most of the people I refer to in the introduction are, sadly for them, old boots as I like to call them. In their 60′s plus who believe they have a right to comment or judge. They don’t actually do anything to help or support, they would prefer to give their opinion or even criticise. Take for example an instance at Waterbabies. There are around (or were) about 8 of us in the class. All mummies who have babies no younger than 12 weeks. Whether it’s our first, second etc doesn’t really matter. Now I have been extremely lucky to have Alex there 6/7 classes so there’s someone in the water with Cailean, and then the other person dries him. I’ve only been in the changing room dripping wet and trying to get Cailean dried and dressed on my own once. Most of the mums in my class have done that every single class and I take my hat off to them - you’re wet and freezing but you don’t even look at a towel until the baby is dried and dressed. The changing room was practically empty and I decided to try and put the swimwear in the drying machine. Cailean was in the middle of this central part of the changing room which was circular and we used to change all the babies. I was 1, maybe 2 feet from him watching him the whole time.This old lady then raised her eyebrow at me quizzed me on ‘is he not rolling yet? I wouldn’t be leaving him like that.’ As my mum pointed out, why couldn’t she have offered to watch him to help me?! Knowing I was on my own?! I was quite blunt: “No he’s not and I’ll worry about that when he can.” My polite way of saying sod off you stupid old woman!! In the same changing room a week later, another old cow reported my friend to the manager for putting the nappy in the wrong bin. I mean really?!?! Give us a bloody break!!! 

There is a lot more about social media now about ‘bump shaming.’ People commenting on the size, shape etc of a pregnant woman’s bump. “You’re tiny;” “You’re huge;” “Are you sure it’s not twins?!” “You’re going to go early.” I always got the latter three but I wasn’t particularly bothered as I knew I was big for my frame. The irony is, I was on track to have a 7lb 10oz baby on the 7th of April, and that's exactly what happened. An average size baby (though quite long) born on his due date. However, as much as I liked my midwife, I think I've previously mentioned that she described my bump as weird. I was certainly a bit uneasy with this description, given my midwife is close to retirement. She suggested that this might be the way I carry all my children. When she saw me after Cailean was born, she said she couldn’t understand where he was hiding, as it wasn’t as if he was particularly small. It didn’t really occur to me that the ‘big/weird’ bump would actually cause me any real problems.

If I was described as ‘star’ in labour, then I can only be described as an epic failure in postpartum recovery.  Everything had gone so well, there had to be something to bite me on the ass.

I think I previously mentioned I was seen by two community midwives the day after I came home from hospital. One was clearly more experienced than the other. While she saw to Cailean, her colleague checked me. When she felt my stomach, she frowned and went to get her colleague. Her colleague felt my stomach and gave a nod - “yes you can feel all the way down to the intestine and bowel. Were you told about muscle separation?” I explained yes but only at  36 weeks. “I'll drop in a tubi grip for you to wear during the day until your 6 week check.” I asked do I have to see physio? “No this should be fine until you see your GP but if you do, they’ll refer you.” Okay then.

I had been experiencing back pain which is no doubt caused by the lack of abdominal muscles to support my lower back. As I have described, I have a diastasis recti which is where the abdominal muscles have separated due to pregnancy. The abs are the only muscles designed specifically to separate, in order to accommodate a baby and the uterus during pregnancy, The human body is amazing and I don’t think you fully appreciate how amazing until you’ve been pregnant and given birth. However, sometimes the muscles don’t return to normal after pregnancy and leave a gap. The gap is measured in fingers - how many fingers are there between the left and right side post birth. It’s also measured in depth.

As you can probably guess, mine is massive. It wasn’t measured accurately until I saw physio and did a 121 Pilates session. I could tell it wasn’t great when I was in the bath - I could put my hand on my tummy and it just keep going and going down as I pressed. It seemed to have a life of its own in the water but hearing from the midwife that it was all the way to my intestine was rather shocking. I knew I couldn’t do anything until I saw my doctor at my 6 week check and hoped they could tell me more.

Just for anyone who has high expectations for the 6 week GP check - being the only check you get specifically for you and not your baby - don’t. My GP didn’t have a clue why I was there. I was allocated the standard 10 minute appointment everyone gets, and I had to tell her what I wanted checked. When I said I wanted referred to a pelvic health physio, she seemed to not know how to do this. She said ‘I suppose I'll just write a letter?’ You really do experience the best care during pregnancy and labour and immediately after birth. After that it’s all downhill from there!! 

I didn’t want to any exercise at all until I had seen a physio. Lots of people offered advice and exercises they did to reduce the gap etc, but I wasn’t prepared to do anything until I was seen by a professional, as I wanted to exercise safely. I had hoped to see my physio in July (3 months after I gave birth), but had to wait until the end of the month. I had booked a 121 Pilates session and was told some things that were safe to do. It’s all relative, but that instructor assessed me at 5 fingers, telling me it was likely to be 6-9 months minimum to get back to normal. It would be a long process but I would probably benefit from joining a class with the owner who was post-natally trained. 

I saw my physio shortly after. Her assessment was even more grim. My gap was 7.5 FINGERS WIDE and not just that, very deep. She could get her hand pressing down past her knuckles into my stomach. She measured it from the top to the bottom where my uterus would have been. She even brought another issue to my attention - I had an umbilical hernia and my belly button would now stick out until I had it fixed. I felt like I could cry. Yet another issue that was rearing it’s ugly head now I had given birth. Oh and the likelihood would be I would need surgery, but a General Surgeon would probably only agree to do it after I had finished having children. It might go down as my stomach did, but might not. Fabulous!

She said given how bad it was, this recovery would be at least 9 months - 1 year to try and get the gap closed as much as possible, as there was no guarantee it would go back completely. She asked was I not seen on the postnatal ward, and why was I not referred by my midwives. I explained it wasn’t even really picked up until weeks before I gave birth and then I was given a tubi grip. She was disgusted. It sounded like I had been royally shafted, judging by her comments. I should have been seen at the hospital, and at the very least, I should have been referred by my community midwives and not had to wait until my GP check. A tubi grip (unsurprisingly) had done very little if nothing at all for me and she was appalled. I told her how I thought I had a strong core, considered myself a fit person and had no idea why this had happened. She told me that despite how bad the separation was, she could tell I had strong obliques (the muscles on the side of your abdomen) and despite how strong I felt my core was, it could happen anyway. She asked me what I did at the gym and what I wanted to get back to. I explained I regularly did HIIT and cardiovascular classes and exercises. I think given the way I had fallen through the net, and my clear fitness prior to my diastasis, she immediately told me she would see me the following week but would give me exercises to do in the meantime. It was almost like she wanted to get me started as quickly as she could to get me back to recovering. I was to do the exercises 4 times a week, then also go to my Pilates class.

She also measured my stomach. 90 cm circumference, even 3 months after giving birth. That hurt. I always had in my head that I would be one of the people who sprung back to my original size post-pregnancy. I hadn’t put on any weight other than my bump and although it was massive, I genuinely was all bump and nothing else. People I saw who put on loads of weight were literally in their jeans pre-pregnancy a couple of weeks later. I have no idea if this is coincidence or not, or whether this plays any part in it, but I've found anyone I know that has a C-section seems to be back to their pre-pregnancy size quicker. It may be pure coincidence of the people I've met, but that’s just my experience. As they say though, every pregnancy is different, so even with the same mum, two pregnancies might be entirely different. 

The following week when I saw my physio, she measured me again and I had already gone down 2 cm in tummy size to 88 cm. She said the gap was still as bad, but that wasn’t unusual given it had just been 1 week. She said the tension even from standing appeared better. She gave me a few more exercises and I was up to 6 exercises within a week. When I saw her next, I measured 86.5cm and the gap was slowly starting to close. It’s still massive across the middle, but dropped to 3.5 fingers at the top, 3 at the bottom, and was still measuring 4.5 in the middle. This is just going to be it now for the foreseeable future - physio every few weeks and exercises and Pilates every week. 

Sometimes it’s too much to do physio and Pilates in the same day but that’s unfortunately when all my appointments fall due to my physio’s hours, coupled with the only Pilates class that had any space. Pilates has been great. The instructor is so knowledgeable, and has taken the time to really know my treatment from the physio so she can modify my exercises in class accordingly. It is frustrating however. I did boxing training, body combat, functional, circuits etc previously at the gym. I could do full press-ups, planks, sit ups, the lot. Now in Pilates, any time I hear the word ‘plank’ or ‘engage your core’ I sit still until I get my own exercise. Don’t get me wrong, I have to engage my core, but I can’t overdo it because essentially there is no core there.

I’ve been asked if it hurts. Generally, it doesn’t. However, there are times, like with any muscle worked, I can be easily fatigued, or I can get cramps after working hard. I can’t lift anything too heavy. (Try telling that to my growing baby!!) When I engage my core, I have to draw in as much as I can but cannot do anything to the point where I lose the connection. I once tried to do table top into toe taps. Basically I was lying on my back with my legs above me. I was to drop one leg so it was almost 90 degrees and stop. I misunderstood and did alternate toe taps. I’ve never seen so much panic in my usually very chilled Pilates instructor. I clearly wasn't meant to do that!! That’s how frustrating it is. I can’t even do alternate toe taps!!!! When older women (well into their 60s) are doing planks, and I'm told to do hand hovering, I struggle mentally with that. I hope it’s not forever, but I'm impatient to get back to it.

I have just had my most recent physio appointment and I'll be honest, I've been in a bit of dark cloud. This was the biggest gap between appointments since I'd started physio - 4 weeks. I was determined to break the 1.5cm deadlock. I hadn’t managed to make any of the Pilates classes but to make up for it, I had done my exercises 5 times each week. For some reason before my appointment, I felt nervous. I had to take a few minutes in the car before I went in to tell myself to chill the hell out. When I went in, my physio did her usual measurements of my actual stomach. 0.5 cm. WHAT?!?! I couldn’t understand it. She then got me on the bed to measure the gap. No change. WTF?!?!? I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. I was gobsmacked and said I didn't understand how this could happen. This just didn’t make sense. I asked her the question that has been weighing heavy on my mind since I started. Would l ever get better, or was there a chance I could stay like this? When she confirmed my worst fear I felt like I'd been hit by a sledgehammer. That wasn’t what I wanted, nor hoped to hear. She looked at me and told me to blurt out what I was thinking. I just sat with my head in my hands refusing to believe that this could be happening. I asked if there is any chance that the delay in being seen had contributed - she thought it probably had. I swore inwardly. I had been royally screwed over by the very people who I couldn’t praise highly enough during my labour and birth (not those specific midwives - this is completely nothing to do with them). She asked me to go through again who checked me the following day. I told her bitterly how it had all been about breastfeeding and then I was seen by student midwife (!) who only checked to see that my uterus had contracted before I was discharged. I asked (though I already knew the answer) - could I see a PT who was postnatally trained? She shook her head. Could I use a stronger theraband with more resistance? She shook her head. Could I do anything other than the exercises? She shook her head. I could have cried. She asked me if I planned to continue with Pilates and I said yes. She agreed it would be beneficial, but at this point, how beneficial we don’t know.

My physio is now trying to get me an ultrasound to accurately measure the gap. During the appointment she said it might be the case there is significant herniation preventing the muscles from coming back together. I certainly have an umbilical hernia, but she now considers there might be even worse underlying issues. She also thinks I might need to consider surgery to fix the gap. That is major abdominal surgery which has a longer recovery time than a Cesarean section (12 weeks I believe). The key thing is I can’t have it done until I ‘finish’ having children. We haven’t confided in many people when we want to have more kids but she is one person I've told based on the fact it could impact her treatment. She is adamant this won’t happen again, because she will see me antenatally, and I'll likely be in a tuba-grip from 12 weeks of pregnancy onwards. I will continue doing exercises, antenatal pilates, and likely be taped. Postnatally, immediately after birth, I'd be seen at the hospital by her or her colleague and then treated again. However, despite all of that, there is chance the gap could be even bigger this time, depending on how much we can reduce it now.

She told me there is a band I could wear but it may not do anything at this late stage. I’ll be honest I'm still in shock. This all just happened yesterday. I didn’t cry in the appointment but got back to the car and just sobbed. How could my beautiful baby boy have caused such a major physical problem? He wasn’t massive, he wasn’t ever really in a bad enough position, there was only one of him. My physio thinks being slim, I have narrow hips so Cailean being 7lbs 10oz was big for me. I told her I don’t want to look pregnant when I'm not pregnant. Short of making a sign to hang around my neck, I'm sick of the comments, I'm sick of the looks people don’t think I see them give me when I walk past, as their eyes flick to my stomach. She too has been in my position but she doesn’t look pregnant. She pointed out it’s clear I've always been slim so it looks more obvious on me.

She basically told me, she has no idea if the treatment I get will work, and if it does, progress will be very slow, but we’re going to carry on. I’m just finding it very hard to feel positive or even have the motivation if it stops working. My appointment yesterday turned out to be more therapy than physical therapy. Due to the comments recently, I've had quite a bad few weeks. She suggested apart from the referral, she thinks I should see someone about it. I told her I knew there was a team for birth trauma. Basically, if you have a traumatic birth, you can speak to the consultants/midwives that looked after you to get clarification, closure and to talk through what happened to try and process things. I asked my physio if there was such a team that might be able to help me. My birth couldn't have gone better if I had planned it - but the physical impact that has since been missed is without doubt starting to impact on my mental and physical well-being. She pointed me in the direction of Patient Relations initially. I don’t particularly want to complain about the midwifery team but at the same time, I don’t want it to happen again, and I don’t want it to happen to anyone else. I’ve already had a confirmation email to say this has been passed to a Patient Relations Officer. I’m hoping to discuss my postnatal care with this person and find out what can be done so I don’t go through this again next time.

Separately, I've been having issues with my episiotomy scar. I think there is scar tissue causing me sharp pain and have been referred to Gynaecology. I have been told, they may laser it off or even fashion me another episiotomy and then stitch me again. Fantastic!

I don’t want anyone to think I'm ungrateful. Cailean is 100% worth everything that has happened to me. I know there are worse things than what I'm going through - I've been through worse things in my life. It’s just that this is soul destroying for me at the minute and after everything I've already been through, I don’t think anyone would blame me for feeling the way I do. At this point in time, I cannot be gracious to those women who just jump back to their previous size. People complain about stretch marks, or excess skin or their new body shape. I’m sorry but I would kill for that right now. I look pregnant AND I’M NOT!!!

This has all happened within the last 48 hours. If my ‘recovery’ has shown me anything - when it rains, it definitely pours... 

[fitnessexpert00-blog]

5 Fitness Apps That Are Actually Worth Downloading Betches

New Post has been published on https://fitnessqia.com/must-see/5-fitness-apps-that-are-actually-worth-downloading-betches/

5 Fitness Apps That Are Actually Worth Downloading Betches

Every year, on December 31, just before the clock strikes midnight and you’re preparing to chug a bottle of champagne, you vow that this is the year you finally get in shape. Never mind that you’ll probably wake up tomorrow and completely forget WTF happened on NYE, let alone say “no” to that leftover Chinese take-out in your fridge. I know, because like, me too. Diet starts in 2019, amiright? But for those of you who believe that eighth time’s a charm, here are some fitness apps to help you get that New Year’s body. It’s time to use your phone for something other than cyber-stalking your ex and his new girlfriend.

1. Sworkit

Sworkit hit it big on Shark Tank when Mark Cuban invested $1.5 million in the company. At one point the app was free, but now they’re charging $29.99 a quarter or $79.99 a year. They may sound like greedy f*cks, but they’re actually the cheapest option of the paid apps on this list. Sworkit has a bunch of fans, averaging an impressive five stars on the App Store. With the price you pay, you get access to a trainer who can answer all your burning fitness questions. That’s kinda cool if you’re lonely and bored of bugging Siri or the personal trainer you’re hooking up with. Also, Sworkit utilizes only bodyweight moves (no equipment) so you can literally do their workouts anywhere. That means if you’re looking for an app to use in the gym, you have better options. In order to utilize all the equipment, keep reading.

2. MoveWith

MoveWith is like having a personal fitness class right on your phone. A lot of the most popular trainers from boutique studios around the country are coaches on this app. Basically, you get a similar workout for a fraction of the price and in the comfort of your own home or gym. The workouts range from yoga to HIIT to weightlifting to guided meditation. They even have life talks, so clearly the variety is insane. You can choose which body parts you feel like working on, and the amount of time you have to work out. The trainers’ voiceovers also make it sound like they’re right there with you, yelling in your ear. Very realistic and motivating for those of us who need to feel a little fear to get moving. Depending on the class you choose, you might need some gym equipment. This app isn’t free, though, and will cost you $12.99/month or $95.99/year.

3. DailyBurn

DailyBurn is not good for commitment-phobes. Instead of starting a workout, the app makes you start programs that last 8 weeks *nervous laughter*. I’m here for a good time, not a long time. But for those of you who need that kind of structure, this app is for you. Each program also comes with its own nutrition guidelines and meal plan to make sure you really see the results. The thought of all this commitment and cooking is giving me hives, low-key, so let’s wrap this up. Once again, this app is not free and will cost you $19.95/month.

4. Nike Training Club

Finally, a free app. Thanks, Nike! Although, I really do spend way too much money on your shoes anyway. I’ll consider this just a mild favor from you to me. This app allows you to pick individual workouts or set a plan that is tailored to your goals. You can choose if you want to do no equipment or full equipment workouts. All that is cool and whatever, but the main reason I am downloading this app is because it lets you workout alongside side Nike sponsored athletes. That means celebrities like Serena Williams, Kevin Hart, Michael B. Jordan, and Cristiano Ronaldo will be sweating it out with you. This is like the ultimate workout porn. If self-love can’t get me to exercise, then the thought of Michael B. Jordan’s abs f*cking can.

5. Jefit

Do I know how to pronounce the name of this app? No. Do I use it? Semi-regularly. My ex-boyfriend introduced me to Jefit, and to this day I maintain that it is the only positive thing to come out of that year-long nightmare. But I’ll save the details for my therapist. If you want to tone up but are too afraid to venture into the weight machines section of the gym, Jefit is the app for you. You can search basically any machine in existence and it will explain how to use it with written instructions and an accompanying gif. It also does the same for many free weight exercises, if you’ve ever wanted, for instance, to learn how to do a barbell deadlift without breaking your lower back. It also has preset workouts for each muscle group (think abs day, chest and triceps day, etc.). And the best part: it’s free. Download Jefit and you just might be posting memes about “when you skip leg day” in no time. Change your name to Tyler, effective immediately.

Bonus: MyFitnessPal

Okay, MyFitnessPal is so popular that I had to include it on the list, but this app’s main function isn’t even really about exercise. It is a virtual food diary so you can stay on top of your intake. If you purchase the premium version, you can also add in your exercise so that it can calculate your expenditure. The forums and message boards give you that community feel if you’re into chatting with random strangers on the internet (and honestly… strangers on the forum board are way quicker to congratulate you on losing two pounds than your bestie over there putting out wine and a cheese plates). There are no exercises or workout plans for you here, though, so maybe use this with another one of the apps above to really stay on top of things.

Images: Nathan Cowley/Pexels; Giphy (2)

Read more: https://www.betches.com

[jesusvasser]

Our Pro Racer Tests the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Race Car

The introduction of the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Championship occurred recently at the Silverstone motorsports complex, home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Jaguar Racing director James Barclay was quick to reference Jaguar’s storied racing history, and my thoughts went immediately to the legendary Jaguar D-types from the 1950s. Jaguar much later dabbled in F1 in the early 2000s, in Prototype GT racing in the ’80s and ’90s, and nowadays we see the new F-Type SVR GT4 in competition. Jaguar officially entered into the Formula E fray for the series’ third season (2016/2017) with its I-Type2. (Formula E seasons normally begin in Asia around November.)

A handful of automotive companies are involved in racing almost permanently, some never. Jaguar is somewhere in the middle, and its in-and-out approach is linked more to sales and budget rather than to lack of corporate interest. Engineers, designers, and media folks don’t usually make decisions about racing, but the Jaguar team I met at Silverstone showed genuine enthusiasm for the new I-Pace racing endeavor, something that was great to see and hear. Indeed, recent signs have shown Jaguar walking the performance-marketing road again: In November 2017, a “near production”-spec (Jag’s words) XE SV Project 8 smashed the Nurburgring four-door saloon/sedan lap record with a 7-minute, 21.23-second time. That was 11 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The weather was picture perfect as we arrived at Silverstone, where a tiny one-lane bridge led us over the F1 layout to the Stowe Circuit. Stowe lies completely inside the main F1 track and is used mostly for testing and tuning. It’s an interesting track, in a high-speed-autocross kind of way.

The main reason for being here was to drive the new I-Pace eTrophy electric race car. First, though, I climbed aboard an I-Pace street car for an interesting, gated-autocross-style exercise. An area the size of maybe half of a football field featured eight random gates denoted by cones. The cones flashed green (drive through) or blue (next gate to turn green), then red when the test was over. It was an exceptionally slow-speed course, but handily showed the I-Pace’s “right now” acceleration, braking, and excellent low-speed handling.

Really, though, we were here to better understand Jaguar’s involvement in electric racing. As you probably know, Formula E uses all-electric formula-style race cars, with events held on temporary city-street circuits. In 2018, New York was the only U.S. venue for a series that holds rounds on five continents. The argument in favor of Formula E is that it is directly relevant to the fast-growing trend toward all-electric vehicles. Several major automotive companies are players in Formula E; the series hoped to have four large corporate series sponsors by 2018 yet it already has 10. Six of those 10 are automobile manufacturers: Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Renault, and Jaguar. ABB corporation, which specializes in fast-charging technology and recently signed on as title sponsor, has made the official series name the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Formula E’s second-generation race car is due next season; apparently it’s a major move forward in design, power, and handling. Also addressed was the present need for teams to utilize two cars during each race, due to battery-life limitations. The irony of this apparent inefficiency compared to the series’ desired “green” image was not lost on the organizers, so the new car will run entire races on one charge.

But those Formula E machines won’t be the only all-electric cars racing on the series’ event weekends. I would have loved to been in the Jaguar board meeting where somebody stood up with a straight face and suggested developing the I-Pace SUV into a race car—with its very own 20-car, I-Pace World Championship racing series. Yet here we are, at Silverstone with an I-Pace e Trophy race car. Jaguar made a three-year commitment to run the series alongside Formula E, and there will be 10 race weekends on the schedule for this season.

Jaguar will keep and maintain all 20 cars between events to ensure parity. It will also provide the crew and an engineer for each car/driver. The cost to run the series is around $600,000 per season, plus a $125,000 annual lease. A team can buy the car for $260,000, saving on extended lease costs. Crash damage incurs additional charges. This will essentially be an “arrive and drive” racing series.

The Jaguar race team worked with the FIA to set up I-Pace safety regulations. In the race car, a standard I-Pace battery pack is nestled inboard of the roll cage to better protect the pack from impacts. There are two isolator switches mounted in the center console, for separate battery shutdown in case of a crash. The race car uses the same 145-kW electric motors found in the street car; they produce the equivalent of 400 hp, driving all four wheels. The motors, along with the 90-kW battery pack, produce 500 amps of juice—you would not want a driver or emergency worker receiving a shock from that kind of power. To help with this, the I-Pace shows a green light front, rear, and on the center dash when there is no live power. If the car instead shows a red or blue light, there could be live electricity around the car. Emergency workers will carry specialized equipment to combat any crash-related issues that may involve electricity.

The interior reminds me of a GT4 race car. You see production switchgear alongside a modern electronic race dash, plus plenty of adjustment switches on the removable steering wheel. Weight distribution is 52/48R front/rear in the normal I-Pace, 48/52 in the race car. The latter weighs 4,320 pounds, a 450-pound reduction compared the street version. Easily replaceable carbon-fiber body panels are found front and rear, but most of the bodywork is the original aluminum. The new hood and front splitter better direct air for cooling the brakes and radiator, and create anti-lift. There is a minimal amount of downforce; if you add up all the aero bits, plus the 1.18-inch lower ride height, you get around 50 pounds of total downforce, which is less than a Honda Civic Type R. The upgraded (twice the capacity of stock) A/C system helps cool the battery pack and the electric motors.

The race and production I-Pace produce the same power; 0-to-60-mph for the race car takes about 4.5 seconds and top speed is 121 mph—similar numbers to the street I-Pace. Those are pedestrian figures for a race car, but I started racing in the mid ’80s in a 50-hp Renault Alliance spec-series car and had a blast, as did the fans who followed that series. Also, there’s never been a boring Mazda Miata race, even if just two cars are running, which has never happened. So I can get onboard with the I-Pace’s output.

Sitting in the I-Pace eTrophy felt pretty much like any other race car. There are only two pedals; no use for a clutch. Note: to launch fast, no brake hold is needed because max power is produced immediately when you bury the “gas” pedal.

As I rolled the I-Pace racer down pit lane, all I heard was rattling anti-roll bars, solid suspension bushings, and anything else not welded together. I now know race brakes make a total racket when not drowned out by a race engine, something I never considered before in my entire driving career. I had to resist the temptation to come in and ask the crew to check every nut and bolt on the car, because it sounded like at least 90 percent of them were ready to fall off. Once I got rolling, though, the can of ball bearings effect was less obvious due to my focus on going quickly.

The Stowe Circuit is quite short, with 11 corners, and several of them were actually chicanes made with cones. The Bosch ABS brakes (15.55-inch front/13.98 rear) allowed aggressive modulation. There is no stability control. The off-throttle regenerative braking can produce up to 0.4 g of deceleration. It’s slightly adjustable and does play a part while trail braking.

The grip of the specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport tires feels equivalent to a PS4S street tire. The race tires are similar in size to the production I-Pace’s 265/40R22 tires and have full tread depth, which avoids the need for rain tires. (Likewise, Formula E uses “all-weather” Michelin race tires.)

My cornering-speed limits were determined by how much I could rotate the I-Pace on entry. It behaves very much like most all-wheel drive cars on a track, quickly exhibiting understeer when you try to add power mid-corner. The more rotation I could carry into and through a corner, the better. You can adjust front to rear torque distribution, but for now the adjustment range only moves torque from 48-percent rear to 52-percent rear. I won’t be surprised if the series’ drivers quickly ask for more adjustment range.

The stiffer suspension setup versus the production I-Pace made controlling the rate of rotation on corner entry a challenge, but not impossible. Personally, I would add some compliance to the suspension if I actually raced one of these cars in the series. Softening up the suspension and antiroll bars would slow down body roll for corner entry and help the driver transition back to power. Anything you can do to increase the roll compliance of a heavy race car, especially one with limited mechanical grip, helps. I learned this long ago while racing street-based cars on regular street tires.

I thoroughly enjoyed my laps in Jaguar’s I-Pace eTrophy race car. As an aside, as I walked away from the car I noticed its outside mirrors: It occurred to me they might last about three turns, of lap one, of practice one, of race weekend one. Keep an eye on that.

The eTrophy Championship races are short, scheduled to run just 25 minutes plus one lap. Google and YouTube metrics say younger audiences prefer shorter entertainment cycles, and Jaguar will focus on finding the correct marketing approach here. Another piece of the entertainment jigsaw will be the willingness of the series’ drivers to race side by side “everywhere” on the tight concrete-lined tracks; nobody likes a permanent pace-car situation.

A world championship street-race series, with 20 equally powered, 4,300-pound Jaguar SUVs, should be something to see. It’s fair to say brand differentiation is alive and well at Jaguar. I’m looking forward to the first race, and my hat’s off to Jaguar for daring to try.

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

Our Pro Racer Tests the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Race Car

The introduction of the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Championship occurred recently at the Silverstone motorsports complex, home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Jaguar Racing director James Barclay was quick to reference Jaguar’s storied racing history, and my thoughts went immediately to the legendary Jaguar D-types from the 1950s. Jaguar much later dabbled in F1 in the early 2000s, in Prototype GT racing in the ’80s and ’90s, and nowadays we see the new F-Type SVR GT4 in competition. Jaguar officially entered into the Formula E fray for the series’ third season (2016/2017) with its I-Type2. (Formula E seasons normally begin in Asia around November.)

A handful of automotive companies are involved in racing almost permanently, some never. Jaguar is somewhere in the middle, and its in-and-out approach is linked more to sales and budget rather than to lack of corporate interest. Engineers, designers, and media folks don’t usually make decisions about racing, but the Jaguar team I met at Silverstone showed genuine enthusiasm for the new I-Pace racing endeavor, something that was great to see and hear. Indeed, recent signs have shown Jaguar walking the performance-marketing road again: In November 2017, a “near production”-spec (Jag’s words) XE SV Project 8 smashed the Nurburgring four-door saloon/sedan lap record with a 7-minute, 21.23-second time. That was 11 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The weather was picture perfect as we arrived at Silverstone, where a tiny one-lane bridge led us over the F1 layout to the Stowe Circuit. Stowe lies completely inside the main F1 track and is used mostly for testing and tuning. It’s an interesting track, in a high-speed-autocross kind of way.

The main reason for being here was to drive the new I-Pace eTrophy electric race car. First, though, I climbed aboard an I-Pace street car for an interesting, gated-autocross-style exercise. An area the size of maybe half of a football field featured eight random gates denoted by cones. The cones flashed green (drive through) or blue (next gate to turn green), then red when the test was over. It was an exceptionally slow-speed course, but handily showed the I-Pace’s “right now” acceleration, braking, and excellent low-speed handling.

Really, though, we were here to better understand Jaguar’s involvement in electric racing. As you probably know, Formula E uses all-electric formula-style race cars, with events held on temporary city-street circuits. In 2018, New York was the only U.S. venue for a series that holds rounds on five continents. The argument in favor of Formula E is that it is directly relevant to the fast-growing trend toward all-electric vehicles. Several major automotive companies are players in Formula E; the series hoped to have four large corporate series sponsors by 2018 yet it already has 10. Six of those 10 are automobile manufacturers: Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Renault, and Jaguar. ABB corporation, which specializes in fast-charging technology and recently signed on as title sponsor, has made the official series name the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Formula E’s second-generation race car is due next season; apparently it’s a major move forward in design, power, and handling. Also addressed was the present need for teams to utilize two cars during each race, due to battery-life limitations. The irony of this apparent inefficiency compared to the series’ desired “green” image was not lost on the organizers, so the new car will run entire races on one charge.

But those Formula E machines won’t be the only all-electric cars racing on the series’ event weekends. I would have loved to been in the Jaguar board meeting where somebody stood up with a straight face and suggested developing the I-Pace SUV into a race car—with its very own 20-car, I-Pace World Championship racing series. Yet here we are, at Silverstone with an I-Pace e Trophy race car. Jaguar made a three-year commitment to run the series alongside Formula E, and there will be 10 race weekends on the schedule for this season.

Jaguar will keep and maintain all 20 cars between events to ensure parity. It will also provide the crew and an engineer for each car/driver. The cost to run the series is around $600,000 per season, plus a $125,000 annual lease. A team can buy the car for $260,000, saving on extended lease costs. Crash damage incurs additional charges. This will essentially be an “arrive and drive” racing series.

The Jaguar race team worked with the FIA to set up I-Pace safety regulations. In the race car, a standard I-Pace battery pack is nestled inboard of the roll cage to better protect the pack from impacts. There are two isolator switches mounted in the center console, for separate battery shutdown in case of a crash. The race car uses the same 145-kW electric motors found in the street car; they produce the equivalent of 400 hp, driving all four wheels. The motors, along with the 90-kW battery pack, produce 500 amps of juice—you would not want a driver or emergency worker receiving a shock from that kind of power. To help with this, the I-Pace shows a green light front, rear, and on the center dash when there is no live power. If the car instead shows a red or blue light, there could be live electricity around the car. Emergency workers will carry specialized equipment to combat any crash-related issues that may involve electricity.

The interior reminds me of a GT4 race car. You see production switchgear alongside a modern electronic race dash, plus plenty of adjustment switches on the removable steering wheel. Weight distribution is 52/48R front/rear in the normal I-Pace, 48/52 in the race car. The latter weighs 4,320 pounds, a 450-pound reduction compared the street version. Easily replaceable carbon-fiber body panels are found front and rear, but most of the bodywork is the original aluminum. The new hood and front splitter better direct air for cooling the brakes and radiator, and create anti-lift. There is a minimal amount of downforce; if you add up all the aero bits, plus the 1.18-inch lower ride height, you get around 50 pounds of total downforce, which is less than a Honda Civic Type R. The upgraded (twice the capacity of stock) A/C system helps cool the battery pack and the electric motors.

The race and production I-Pace produce the same power; 0-to-60-mph for the race car takes about 4.5 seconds and top speed is 121 mph—similar numbers to the street I-Pace. Those are pedestrian figures for a race car, but I started racing in the mid ’80s in a 50-hp Renault Alliance spec-series car and had a blast, as did the fans who followed that series. Also, there’s never been a boring Mazda Miata race, even if just two cars are running, which has never happened. So I can get onboard with the I-Pace’s output.

Sitting in the I-Pace eTrophy felt pretty much like any other race car. There are only two pedals; no use for a clutch. Note: to launch fast, no brake hold is needed because max power is produced immediately when you bury the “gas” pedal.

As I rolled the I-Pace racer down pit lane, all I heard was rattling anti-roll bars, solid suspension bushings, and anything else not welded together. I now know race brakes make a total racket when not drowned out by a race engine, something I never considered before in my entire driving career. I had to resist the temptation to come in and ask the crew to check every nut and bolt on the car, because it sounded like at least 90 percent of them were ready to fall off. Once I got rolling, though, the can of ball bearings effect was less obvious due to my focus on going quickly.

The Stowe Circuit is quite short, with 11 corners, and several of them were actually chicanes made with cones. The Bosch ABS brakes (15.55-inch front/13.98 rear) allowed aggressive modulation. There is no stability control. The off-throttle regenerative braking can produce up to 0.4 g of deceleration. It’s slightly adjustable and does play a part while trail braking.

The grip of the specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport tires feels equivalent to a PS4S street tire. The race tires are similar in size to the production I-Pace’s 265/40R22 tires and have full tread depth, which avoids the need for rain tires. (Likewise, Formula E uses “all-weather” Michelin race tires.)

My cornering-speed limits were determined by how much I could rotate the I-Pace on entry. It behaves very much like most all-wheel drive cars on a track, quickly exhibiting understeer when you try to add power mid-corner. The more rotation I could carry into and through a corner, the better. You can adjust front to rear torque distribution, but for now the adjustment range only moves torque from 48-percent rear to 52-percent rear. I won’t be surprised if the series’ drivers quickly ask for more adjustment range.

The stiffer suspension setup versus the production I-Pace made controlling the rate of rotation on corner entry a challenge, but not impossible. Personally, I would add some compliance to the suspension if I actually raced one of these cars in the series. Softening up the suspension and antiroll bars would slow down body roll for corner entry and help the driver transition back to power. Anything you can do to increase the roll compliance of a heavy race car, especially one with limited mechanical grip, helps. I learned this long ago while racing street-based cars on regular street tires.

I thoroughly enjoyed my laps in Jaguar’s I-Pace eTrophy race car. As an aside, as I walked away from the car I noticed its outside mirrors: It occurred to me they might last about three turns, of lap one, of practice one, of race weekend one. Keep an eye on that.

The eTrophy Championship races are short, scheduled to run just 25 minutes plus one lap. Google and YouTube metrics say younger audiences prefer shorter entertainment cycles, and Jaguar will focus on finding the correct marketing approach here. Another piece of the entertainment jigsaw will be the willingness of the series’ drivers to race side by side “everywhere” on the tight concrete-lined tracks; nobody likes a permanent pace-car situation.

A world championship street-race series, with 20 equally powered, 4,300-pound Jaguar SUVs, should be something to see. It’s fair to say brand differentiation is alive and well at Jaguar. I’m looking forward to the first race, and my hat’s off to Jaguar for daring to try.

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

Our Pro Racer Tests the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Race Car

The introduction of the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Championship occurred recently at the Silverstone motorsports complex, home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Jaguar Racing director James Barclay was quick to reference Jaguar’s storied racing history, and my thoughts went immediately to the legendary Jaguar D-types from the 1950s. Jaguar much later dabbled in F1 in the early 2000s, in Prototype GT racing in the ’80s and ’90s, and nowadays we see the new F-Type SVR GT4 in competition. Jaguar officially entered into the Formula E fray for the series’ third season (2016/2017) with its I-Type2. (Formula E seasons normally begin in Asia around November.)

A handful of automotive companies are involved in racing almost permanently, some never. Jaguar is somewhere in the middle, and its in-and-out approach is linked more to sales and budget rather than to lack of corporate interest. Engineers, designers, and media folks don’t usually make decisions about racing, but the Jaguar team I met at Silverstone showed genuine enthusiasm for the new I-Pace racing endeavor, something that was great to see and hear. Indeed, recent signs have shown Jaguar walking the performance-marketing road again: In November 2017, a “near production”-spec (Jag’s words) XE SV Project 8 smashed the Nurburgring four-door saloon/sedan lap record with a 7-minute, 21.23-second time. That was 11 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The weather was picture perfect as we arrived at Silverstone, where a tiny one-lane bridge led us over the F1 layout to the Stowe Circuit. Stowe lies completely inside the main F1 track and is used mostly for testing and tuning. It’s an interesting track, in a high-speed-autocross kind of way.

The main reason for being here was to drive the new I-Pace eTrophy electric race car. First, though, I climbed aboard an I-Pace street car for an interesting, gated-autocross-style exercise. An area the size of maybe half of a football field featured eight random gates denoted by cones. The cones flashed green (drive through) or blue (next gate to turn green), then red when the test was over. It was an exceptionally slow-speed course, but handily showed the I-Pace’s “right now” acceleration, braking, and excellent low-speed handling.

Really, though, we were here to better understand Jaguar’s involvement in electric racing. As you probably know, Formula E uses all-electric formula-style race cars, with events held on temporary city-street circuits. In 2018, New York was the only U.S. venue for a series that holds rounds on five continents. The argument in favor of Formula E is that it is directly relevant to the fast-growing trend toward all-electric vehicles. Several major automotive companies are players in Formula E; the series hoped to have four large corporate series sponsors by 2018 yet it already has 10. Six of those 10 are automobile manufacturers: Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Renault, and Jaguar. ABB corporation, which specializes in fast-charging technology and recently signed on as title sponsor, has made the official series name the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Formula E’s second-generation race car is due next season; apparently it’s a major move forward in design, power, and handling. Also addressed was the present need for teams to utilize two cars during each race, due to battery-life limitations. The irony of this apparent inefficiency compared to the series’ desired “green” image was not lost on the organizers, so the new car will run entire races on one charge.

But those Formula E machines won’t be the only all-electric cars racing on the series’ event weekends. I would have loved to been in the Jaguar board meeting where somebody stood up with a straight face and suggested developing the I-Pace SUV into a race car—with its very own 20-car, I-Pace World Championship racing series. Yet here we are, at Silverstone with an I-Pace e Trophy race car. Jaguar made a three-year commitment to run the series alongside Formula E, and there will be 10 race weekends on the schedule for this season.

Jaguar will keep and maintain all 20 cars between events to ensure parity. It will also provide the crew and an engineer for each car/driver. The cost to run the series is around $600,000 per season, plus a $125,000 annual lease. A team can buy the car for $260,000, saving on extended lease costs. Crash damage incurs additional charges. This will essentially be an “arrive and drive” racing series.

The Jaguar race team worked with the FIA to set up I-Pace safety regulations. In the race car, a standard I-Pace battery pack is nestled inboard of the roll cage to better protect the pack from impacts. There are two isolator switches mounted in the center console, for separate battery shutdown in case of a crash. The race car uses the same 145-kW electric motors found in the street car; they produce the equivalent of 400 hp, driving all four wheels. The motors, along with the 90-kW battery pack, produce 500 amps of juice—you would not want a driver or emergency worker receiving a shock from that kind of power. To help with this, the I-Pace shows a green light front, rear, and on the center dash when there is no live power. If the car instead shows a red or blue light, there could be live electricity around the car. Emergency workers will carry specialized equipment to combat any crash-related issues that may involve electricity.

The interior reminds me of a GT4 race car. You see production switchgear alongside a modern electronic race dash, plus plenty of adjustment switches on the removable steering wheel. Weight distribution is 52/48R front/rear in the normal I-Pace, 48/52 in the race car. The latter weighs 4,320 pounds, a 450-pound reduction compared the street version. Easily replaceable carbon-fiber body panels are found front and rear, but most of the bodywork is the original aluminum. The new hood and front splitter better direct air for cooling the brakes and radiator, and create anti-lift. There is a minimal amount of downforce; if you add up all the aero bits, plus the 1.18-inch lower ride height, you get around 50 pounds of total downforce, which is less than a Honda Civic Type R. The upgraded (twice the capacity of stock) A/C system helps cool the battery pack and the electric motors.

The race and production I-Pace produce the same power; 0-to-60-mph for the race car takes about 4.5 seconds and top speed is 121 mph—similar numbers to the street I-Pace. Those are pedestrian figures for a race car, but I started racing in the mid ’80s in a 50-hp Renault Alliance spec-series car and had a blast, as did the fans who followed that series. Also, there’s never been a boring Mazda Miata race, even if just two cars are running, which has never happened. So I can get onboard with the I-Pace’s output.

Sitting in the I-Pace eTrophy felt pretty much like any other race car. There are only two pedals; no use for a clutch. Note: to launch fast, no brake hold is needed because max power is produced immediately when you bury the “gas” pedal.

As I rolled the I-Pace racer down pit lane, all I heard was rattling anti-roll bars, solid suspension bushings, and anything else not welded together. I now know race brakes make a total racket when not drowned out by a race engine, something I never considered before in my entire driving career. I had to resist the temptation to come in and ask the crew to check every nut and bolt on the car, because it sounded like at least 90 percent of them were ready to fall off. Once I got rolling, though, the can of ball bearings effect was less obvious due to my focus on going quickly.

The Stowe Circuit is quite short, with 11 corners, and several of them were actually chicanes made with cones. The Bosch ABS brakes (15.55-inch front/13.98 rear) allowed aggressive modulation. There is no stability control. The off-throttle regenerative braking can produce up to 0.4 g of deceleration. It’s slightly adjustable and does play a part while trail braking.

The grip of the specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport tires feels equivalent to a PS4S street tire. The race tires are similar in size to the production I-Pace’s 265/40R22 tires and have full tread depth, which avoids the need for rain tires. (Likewise, Formula E uses “all-weather” Michelin race tires.)

My cornering-speed limits were determined by how much I could rotate the I-Pace on entry. It behaves very much like most all-wheel drive cars on a track, quickly exhibiting understeer when you try to add power mid-corner. The more rotation I could carry into and through a corner, the better. You can adjust front to rear torque distribution, but for now the adjustment range only moves torque from 48-percent rear to 52-percent rear. I won’t be surprised if the series’ drivers quickly ask for more adjustment range.

The stiffer suspension setup versus the production I-Pace made controlling the rate of rotation on corner entry a challenge, but not impossible. Personally, I would add some compliance to the suspension if I actually raced one of these cars in the series. Softening up the suspension and antiroll bars would slow down body roll for corner entry and help the driver transition back to power. Anything you can do to increase the roll compliance of a heavy race car, especially one with limited mechanical grip, helps. I learned this long ago while racing street-based cars on regular street tires.

I thoroughly enjoyed my laps in Jaguar’s I-Pace eTrophy race car. As an aside, as I walked away from the car I noticed its outside mirrors: It occurred to me they might last about three turns, of lap one, of practice one, of race weekend one. Keep an eye on that.

The eTrophy Championship races are short, scheduled to run just 25 minutes plus one lap. Google and YouTube metrics say younger audiences prefer shorter entertainment cycles, and Jaguar will focus on finding the correct marketing approach here. Another piece of the entertainment jigsaw will be the willingness of the series’ drivers to race side by side “everywhere” on the tight concrete-lined tracks; nobody likes a permanent pace-car situation.

A world championship street-race series, with 20 equally powered, 4,300-pound Jaguar SUVs, should be something to see. It’s fair to say brand differentiation is alive and well at Jaguar. I’m looking forward to the first race, and my hat’s off to Jaguar for daring to try.

IFTTT

[karenstavert-blog]

Date: 2017-06-24 13:00:05

The TOP things I wish I knew when I started training. Learn about the common weight loss & muscle building mistakes so you can avoid them. Also learn how to avoid common diet mistakes. ★ S U B S C R I B E: ▼ DOWNLOAD my WEIGHT LOSS CHECKLIST" (FREE download) 🔥Fat Loss Calculator: You ever wish you could just rewind time and do certain things all over again differently using the knowledge that you have now? Well one thing's for sure I definitely would not be lifting the same way that I used to. Unfortunately you can't rewind time but I can teach you all the things I wish I knew when I started lifting. This way you can ensure that you wont make the same mistakes that I did because those mistakes literally slowed down my transformation by not weeks or months but by years. So lets start with mistake number one, not taking steroids..... just kidding.... the biggest mistake was focusing too much on exercise and not enough on diet. I didn't start focusing on my diet until my 4th or 5th Year of training. And then I didn't get really serious about diet until like my 6th year. So it should come as no surprise that in my sixth year of training I got the most results. Probably almost as much as I got in all the other years combined. Whether you're trying to bulk cut or maintain it all starts with your diet. I used to think that if I exercised more often and harder I would build the body that I wanted. I would try upping my weight as often as I could and I would always be trying new ways to overload my muscles but never really took the time to learn about nutrition. This led me to burning some fat but I still looked like that typical lanky guy that could lift heavy weights but didnt look the part. It wasn't until I started really focusing on my diet to the point where a lot of friends and family thought it was an obsession that I started getting really good results... aesthetically speaking. When I started tracking my macros and when i setup a diet plan that I followed consistently...that was when I built a bunch of muscle and got shredded. If you've ever heard you can't outrun a bad diet... well it's true. The next thing that I would definitely do differently would be incorporate more leg days. I worked my upper body for two or three years before I seriously started working my lower body. Sure I did some Smith machine squats and some leg presses here and there but most of my workouts were totally upper body. When I finally started doing barbell squats I was squatting 95 lbs when I could already bench 225 lbs on the bench press. And ever since then it's been a long game of catching up. Most guys starting out think that the most important muscle groups are biceps and abs. ...If you have an arm specific day and you don't have a leg specific day you're crazy. When you work your legs you have the biggest testosterone and growth hormone release when compared with any other body part. This is gonna help not only your leg muscles but also all your other muscles grow. On top of that leg exercises are going to be the exercises that apply to any kind of functional activity that you do in life, whether playing a sport or picking up a heavy box off the ground so if you want to consider yourself fit you better start working those legs. Another mistake I made was taking pre workouts to pump me up. The mistake I made with that was taking it daily. Since I worked out almost everyday and I was looking to have the best workout I could, every time, it was a good idea to take a pre workout before every one of my workouts right? No wrong.. what happened was that the Pre-Workout completely lost its effectiveness because my body developed a tolerance to it. So I started trying different pre workouts. And each of them lost their effectiveness faster than last. The biggest problem was that now on the rare occasion that I didn't take a pre-workout I felt like garbage at the gym. Like I had no energy at all because my body was so accustomed to the Pre-Workout. Now I know that the best way to use your pre-workout is maybe once or twice a week. This way it doesn't lose its effectiveness and you can make sure that you only use it on the days that you're gonna really try to push yourself and lift really heavy. Speaking of lifting heavy that's one thing that I would definitely not change. I highly recommend that push yourself with the weight load that you use and always up your weight after you're able to do an exercise for 8 or more reps. The one thing that I do wish I did differently regarding this topic is I wish I had better form when trying to Target certain muscle groups for growth. So if I was trying to specifically work on my chest I would still get caught up in lifting the heaviest weight that I possibly could and then I would wind up incorporating a lot more shoulders and triceps.

[apsbicepstraining]

3 practices you’re working out wrong | Fox News

()

There were two lat-pulldown stations situated next to each other in this gym I belonged to many years ago. On one of them was an older dame who was lifting, if recall serves, 10 pounds. I can only assume that she misconstrued the name of the utilization and thought it was a lap pulldown, because thats where the bar intention up when she wheeled it down the figurehead of her torso.

On the contiguous machine was a guy who was lifting, if remember provides, the entire heavines stack, or most of it. He rose off the seat at the beginning of each rep to assistant him get the load moving, and then leaned back at a 45 -degree angle to get the bar to his chest. The deeper he got into his set, the more force and figure English he employed.

Related : THE 21 -DAY METASHREDan At-Home Body-Shredding Program That Will Ignite Your Metabolism, Torch Fat, and Build the Body Youve Always Wanted( One Guy Lost 25 Pounds In Just 6 Weeks !)

Two people, two completely different ideas about how to do one of the most basic efforts in the gym. And both of them completely wrong.

If you walked into that same gym today, chances are youd watch multiple versions of exerts hardly anyone did a decade ago, like planks and kettlebell changes. Those are in addition to the classic exerts, the simple ones that every lifter has done as long as hes been filching, but may not be doing in a way that helps him reach his goals.

Theres more free info than ever, and yet form hasnt improved, mentioned Nick Tumminello, columnist of the upcoming Building Muscle and Performance: A Program for Size, Strength, and Speed, and a coach based in Fort Lauderdale. Husband are stubborn, and they always think they know better.

Flawed exercise form certainly comes down to three fundamental problems TAGEND

Lack of control

Poor stability

Misreading the item of the exercise

Lets tackle them in that order.

Control issues

Most beings are in the gym to do bodybuilding, Tumminello enunciated. That is, to build muscle. But most people in the gym instruct like weightlifters, where the goals and targets is to removing the heavines . Theres a big difference. Bodybuilding is about checking the weight through the entire series of motion.

Take the lateral invoke, for example. The space most guys do it, Tumminello mentioned, is to shaking the heavines up, and let it disintegrate down.

But the entire level of the rehearsal is to target the middle-of-the-road part of the deltoid muscles. To establish them proliferate, you need to made them under strain. Theyre under the most tension at the top of the stray of the motionthe segment everyone cheats through, he says.

RELATED: 10 Cardio Practises That Burn More Calories Than Operating

You see this over and over in activities designed to target specific muscles, includes the lat pulldowns I described at the beginning. Tumminello also mentioned the bent-over barbell sequence: Theyll pluck it halfway with good form, then jolt it the rest of the way.

He furnishes a simple fix TAGEND

Select a weight you can hold at the point of maximum friction, with good form.

If you cant accommodated it four to five seconds, then the loads too damned heavy, he answered. You dont necessary to brace it when you civilize, but thats how you should research it.

For most bodybuilding exerciseslateral conjures, lat pulldowns, bent-over or accommodated rowsyou can experiment your weight at the end of the scope of gesture. For biceps bends, its the midpoint, when your forearms are parallel to the floor.

Or you are able to make it simpler, and exactly remember which part of the raising you typically have to cheater to get through. If you cant hamper it there for a few seconds, try using a lighter weight.

Bad posture

Picture these four rehearsals TAGEND

Plank

Pushup

Loaded carry

Bear crawl

What do they have in common? If you answered, Theyre all the same exercise, youre a lot smarter than me. It never resulted to me until Alwyn Cosgrove, my coauthor on the New Rules of Lifting books, excused it.

Of course they dont looking alike. But the key to good form is exactly the same: Whatever your posture is standing up straight-from-the-shoulder, thats what it should be when youre doing a timber, or a moving plank( aka pushup ), or a walk-to plank( aka loaded carry ), or a scooting plank( aka bear creeping ).

On the plank, pushup, and carry you should be able to draw a straight line from your ears through your shoulders, hips, and ends. On the bring crawling, the line should connect your ears, shoulders, and hips, with your torso parallel to the floor.

RELATED: 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 A.M. to Labor Out Tell You How They Do It

The most common mistakes are postural. With the plank, pushup, and bear crawling, you verify these almost every day TAGEND

persisting your butt in the air

letting your stomach sag toward the floor

promoting your foreman to check out the form of the person in front of you

On a pushup, you can tell if youre elevating your as when your nose reaches the storey ahead of your chest. If your stomach is sagging on a board or pushup, youll possibly feel it as an unpleasant strain in your lower back. And if you find yourself mesmerized by the person in front of you on any of these employs, youre perhaps face-lift your head.

The biggest problems on loaded carries entered when the heavines is held to one side, as in a suitcase carry. Mistakes might include TAGEND

Bending to the side comprising the weight

Overcompensating for the heavines by stooping to the opposite side

Leaning back and flaring your rib cage out

You can self-correct the first two issues by attaches great importance. If youre dispassionate, you should be able to tell if youre standing up straight-from-the-shoulder. If its a battle, lowering the weight.

A good self-check for the latter question is to target your non-weight-bearing hand on your sternum. If you feel your underside ribs start to move forward, settle your posture.

Cognitive disappointment

Return for a moment to the confused dame at the lat-pulldown station, the one pluck the bar down to her hips. Clearly, she didnt understand that the aims of the activity is to engage muscles in her midriff and upper back, and to do that she needed to select a reasonably challenging weight and attract the bar to her chest.

I recollected it because its not something you picture every day.

But there are a few usually misunderstood exercisings youll appreciate on a regular basis. Tumminello mentioned the hang knee parent. As ab usages move, its about as hard-core as the majority of members of us will ever get. But thats their own problems: Most of us cant actually do the activity correctly.

To do it right, Tumminello told, you need to tilt your pelvis upward, something thats hellaciously difficult from a dead hang. Instead, most guys will merely lift their knees, a crusade that works the hip-flexor muscles on the figurehead of the pelvis but doesnt project the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle, through the intended scope of motion.

RELATED : 38 Dumbbell Exercises Youve Probably Never Seen

If you cant do that pelvic tiltand as I enunciated, few of us canthen youre much better served by doing the reverse crunch from the storey or an incline bench.

Another common mistake involves usages for the opposite side of the torso. When you do a kettlebell swing, the goals and targets is to move the load by straightening your hips. That commits the potent glute and hamstring muscles. Your limbs and shoulder are precisely along for the ride.

But before you can arrange your hips, you have to load them by pushing them downwards. If you dont do that, you cant generate the force are required to swing the load out in front of you. Thats whether you are look so many parties return the swing into a front invoke: theyll various kinds of squat down, and then gather the weight up overhead utilizing their shoulder muscles.

A good shake, by compare, should end up somewhere between waist and chest stature. One route to tell if youre going it right: the bell exits precisely a bit higher than your hands at the opening of the move. If youre hoisting it with your forearms and shoulders, itll do the opposite, and end up below your hands.( For a full seminar on how to do the usage, check out The Right Way to Do a Kettlebell Swing .)

How to do any employ better

The lessons of these nine exerciseslateral promote, bent-over sequence, plank, pushup, bear crawling, loaded carry, lat pulldown, hanging knee grow, kettlebell swingcan be applied to any utilization you try. You just need to ask yourself three queries TAGEND 1. What is the point of the rehearsal ?

If the goal is to build muscle, then focus on developing strain in specific targeted muscles, and dont employ momentum to blow through that the members of the exercise.

2. What should my form look like while doing the workout ?

This is trickier, because on numerous rehearsals its hard to check your figure without divulging figure to look at yourself. And thats only if you have a mirror nearby. Without one, you have to pay attention to your form signals. If you feel a strain in your lower back on a board or pushup, thats your clue to work on your alignment.

3. What activities should and shouldnt be involved ?

This is even trickier, and may require coaching, or at least some reading outside the gym. Most parties looking at a kettlebell swaying would think the goals and targets is to lift the load up in front of you, so it reaches sense that youd use your limbs and shoulders. If nothing tells you its all in the hips, how would you know?

Which makes me to perhaps the most reliable clue: When other lifters stop, gaze, and then shake their tops as they walk away, you can be pretty sure youre doing something wrong.

Lou Schuler is an award-winning journalist and contributing editor to Mens Health. Check out his new book Strong: Nine Workout Programs For Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength For Life, with coauthor Alwyn Cosgrove .

This article initially appeared on MensHealth.com .

The post 3 practices you’re working out wrong | Fox News appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/workout-showdown-sworkit-vs-nike-training-club/

Workout Showdown: Sworkit vs. Nike Training Club

Maybe you can’t go to the gym. Maybe you don’t want to go to the gym. Maybe the gym is too darn expensive. Good thing you can turn to your phone for an instant workout. Which app gives the best workouts, though? Today, we find out.

The Contenders

There are plenty of workout apps out there, but these two are popular and well-rounded, and are available on both iOS and Android. They don’t require any setup or subscriptions to get started, so you can do a five-minute workout with each one right now. Or, you can just read these descriptions:

Sworkit is a longstanding Lifehacker favorite. You can choose the length of your workout, from five minutes to an hour, and the app fills that time with the type of exercises (strength, cardio, etc) you requested. For a fee, you get training plans and more variety in workouts. Besides the full Sworkit app, there are seven other apps that each give you a few specialized workouts: Upper Body and Lower Body apps, for example, and a Cardio one, and a Kids version.

Nike+ Training Club is the workout partner to Nike+ Run Club, one of our favorite running apps. NTC has a huge variety of workouts, from yoga to gym moves, and they’re always featuring a new workout named after a celebrity athlete. Nike sells shoes, not app subscriptions, so everything including the workout plans is free.

Both have plenty of workouts you can do without equipment in your living room, and they have options for everybody from total beginners to total beasts. Let’s put them through their paces.

Sworkit Gives You Workouts You Can Do Right Now, In Your Nice Clothes

Picture this. A writer sits alone in her home office, eyes glazed over from hours of staring at a screen, blogging about life hacks. She should really try to get a workout in, but it’s the middle of the day, she only has five minutes to spare, and she is wearing a sweater and jeans rather than workout clothes. Which app is the right one for the job?

It didn’t take me long to get in character (Life hacks: check! Glazed eyes: check!) so my first task was to install Sworkit. I started with the Butt app, just because it is called Butt. Sadly, the “Rump Roaster” workout in the Play store screenshots has been removed (or maybe just renamed) so I instead chose “Brazilian Lift.” The workout did, indeed, challenge my butt. The glute bridges burned pleasantly, the leg lifts were challenging, and the 30 second break in the middle was briefly relaxing. I didn’t break a sweat, though, so I was fine in my work clothes. I even ate crackers while doing some of the lunges. Success!

I noticed later that the full Sworkit app even has a workout called “Get Moving Without Sweating”, which you can do for anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes. Sworkit understands me.

NTC, on the other hand, failed this test miserably. When I tried to browse for workouts, only one was listed as five minutes long. I recognized this workout, my old nemesis Bodyweight Only Benchmark.

I remember the Bodyweight Only Benchmark from last summer. Indeed, it is seared into my memory. In total, it asks you to do 50 full pushups, 50 burpees, and 50 squat jumps. When I tried it last year, it took over 20 minutes, and nearly killed me. So I skipped that one, and instead chose the Start Up Benchmark, listed at 6 minutes.

This one was good! I did it in five minutes. It was a few rounds of jumping jacks, squats, lunges, and knee pushups. It’s not a good workout to do in a sweater, though, unless you want to literally sweat into it.

Nike Wins at Serious Workouts

OK, I’ve changed into my workout clothes now. Which app is better for a serious workout?

Let’s start again with Sworkit. The full app—not the Butt one—gives you a choice of strength, cardio, yoga, or stretching. If you scroll down, there are more options, including workouts just for beginners. Most of the advanced and more interesting workouts are locked, but there’s still plenty available for free. I chose a cardio workout described as “Boot Camp Inspired.”

You can choose the length of the workout, so I asked for 20 minutes. I tapped the music note at the top and found a selection of playlists: three for Apple Music, and 12 for Spotify. (NTC doesn’t have music linked through their app, although you can find their Spotify playlists on your own if you like.) I blasted one called Throwback Jams and got to work.

I churned through Sworkit’s 30-second nuggets of exercise, with a 30-second break every now and then. I thought I would get bored, but it was kind of nice to have a predictable rhythm to the workout. There were jumps, ab exercises, and pushups, to name a few. At first I wasn’t sure how anybody was supposed to do a full half minute of star jumps, but then I realized the point is to just use the 30 seconds to do as many as you can. So I’d do a few jumps, rest for a few breaths and do a few more. (I admit that toward the end, though, I skipped a set of dive bomber pushups and just danced to the music instead.)

On to Nike+ Training Club. The first thing you’ll notice is the variety of workouts. You’re not limited to bodyweight-only moves; there are workouts that call for dumbbells or pull-up bars or plyo boxes. And rather than cycling through a library of moves, the workouts are designed with a specific structure. Some are branded with athletes’ names, like one from Serena Williams and another from decathlete Ashton Eaton, with moves that correspond to the way they train for their sports.

I did the Game Changer, a high intensity workout that starts with some bodyweight warmup moves, then has segments of lower and upper body weightlifting. It finishes with some quick footwork and some cooldown stretches. On another day, I did Fresh on the Circuit, a bodyweight workout in timed sections that feels a little more Sworkit-like. It starts with stretches and simple warmup moves, proceeds to lunges of various types, and finishes with a different set of stretches.

The Bottom Line: Nike Has the Range

If you just want that five-minute workout in your jeans, download Sworkit and stop reading here. Seriously, you would spend more than five minutes reading my conclusion and composing a defense of Sworkit in the comments. Just start the app already.

Okay, so those of you still reading must be interested in more than just a five minute Rump Roaster. For you and me, Nike+ Training Club is the app to pick.

Nike’s workouts are better thought out, and you have more variety in the types of moves. Sworkit does have a few more specialized workouts, like the Figure Skater workout in its Sports Conditioning section—but those are only available to premium subscribers. A subscription is $7.99/month.

With Nike, you can get a workout plan for free. And you get an actual plan, set on a calendar, not just a list of workouts and a FAQ from a trainer. I use NTC whenever I need a real workout and can’t get to the gym, and I know that if I pick the right one, it will kick my butt.

Now, I also wear Nike shoes, so maybe I’ve been brainwashed. And I admit that with Sworkit, you can still get a good workout, but there’s no variety to the structure (it’s always those 30-second nuggets) and the particulars are a roll of the robotic dice. So I’m awarding this one to NTC, but I’m going to do Nike’s workouts to the Sworkit playlists. Don’t tell.

Push It!

How I Went From Weight Lifting to Bodyweight Exercises and Still Gained Strength

Gym Showdown: Free Weights vs. Machines

​Are Bodyweight Exercises Effective?

©

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Our Pro Racer Tests the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Race Car

The introduction of the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy Championship occurred recently at the Silverstone motorsports complex, home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Jaguar Racing director James Barclay was quick to reference Jaguar’s storied racing history, and my thoughts went immediately to the legendary Jaguar D-types from the 1950s. Jaguar much later dabbled in F1 in the early 2000s, in Prototype GT racing in the ’80s and ’90s, and nowadays we see the new F-Type SVR GT4 in competition. Jaguar officially entered into the Formula E fray for the series’ third season (2016/2017) with its I-Type2. (Formula E seasons normally begin in Asia around November.)

A handful of automotive companies are involved in racing almost permanently, some never. Jaguar is somewhere in the middle, and its in-and-out approach is linked more to sales and budget rather than to lack of corporate interest. Engineers, designers, and media folks don’t usually make decisions about racing, but the Jaguar team I met at Silverstone showed genuine enthusiasm for the new I-Pace racing endeavor, something that was great to see and hear. Indeed, recent signs have shown Jaguar walking the performance-marketing road again: In November 2017, a “near production”-spec (Jag’s words) XE SV Project 8 smashed the Nurburgring four-door saloon/sedan lap record with a 7-minute, 21.23-second time. That was 11 seconds quicker than the previous record holder, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The weather was picture perfect as we arrived at Silverstone, where a tiny one-lane bridge led us over the F1 layout to the Stowe Circuit. Stowe lies completely inside the main F1 track and is used mostly for testing and tuning. It’s an interesting track, in a high-speed-autocross kind of way.

The main reason for being here was to drive the new I-Pace eTrophy electric race car. First, though, I climbed aboard an I-Pace street car for an interesting, gated-autocross-style exercise. An area the size of maybe half of a football field featured eight random gates denoted by cones. The cones flashed green (drive through) or blue (next gate to turn green), then red when the test was over. It was an exceptionally slow-speed course, but handily showed the I-Pace’s “right now” acceleration, braking, and excellent low-speed handling.

Really, though, we were here to better understand Jaguar’s involvement in electric racing. As you probably know, Formula E uses all-electric formula-style race cars, with events held on temporary city-street circuits. In 2018, New York was the only U.S. venue for a series that holds rounds on five continents. The argument in favor of Formula E is that it is directly relevant to the fast-growing trend toward all-electric vehicles. Several major automotive companies are players in Formula E; the series hoped to have four large corporate series sponsors by 2018 yet it already has 10. Six of those 10 are automobile manufacturers: Porsche, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Renault, and Jaguar. ABB corporation, which specializes in fast-charging technology and recently signed on as title sponsor, has made the official series name the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

Formula E’s second-generation race car is due next season; apparently it’s a major move forward in design, power, and handling. Also addressed was the present need for teams to utilize two cars during each race, due to battery-life limitations. The irony of this apparent inefficiency compared to the series’ desired “green” image was not lost on the organizers, so the new car will run entire races on one charge.

But those Formula E machines won’t be the only all-electric cars racing on the series’ event weekends. I would have loved to been in the Jaguar board meeting where somebody stood up with a straight face and suggested developing the I-Pace SUV into a race car—with its very own 20-car, I-Pace World Championship racing series. Yet here we are, at Silverstone with an I-Pace e Trophy race car. Jaguar made a three-year commitment to run the series alongside Formula E, and there will be 10 race weekends on the schedule for this season.

Jaguar will keep and maintain all 20 cars between events to ensure parity. It will also provide the crew and an engineer for each car/driver. The cost to run the series is around $600,000 per season, plus a $125,000 annual lease. A team can buy the car for $260,000, saving on extended lease costs. Crash damage incurs additional charges. This will essentially be an “arrive and drive” racing series.

The Jaguar race team worked with the FIA to set up I-Pace safety regulations. In the race car, a standard I-Pace battery pack is nestled inboard of the roll cage to better protect the pack from impacts. There are two isolator switches mounted in the center console, for separate battery shutdown in case of a crash. The race car uses the same 145-kW electric motors found in the street car; they produce the equivalent of 400 hp, driving all four wheels. The motors, along with the 90-kW battery pack, produce 500 amps of juice—you would not want a driver or emergency worker receiving a shock from that kind of power. To help with this, the I-Pace shows a green light front, rear, and on the center dash when there is no live power. If the car instead shows a red or blue light, there could be live electricity around the car. Emergency workers will carry specialized equipment to combat any crash-related issues that may involve electricity.

The interior reminds me of a GT4 race car. You see production switchgear alongside a modern electronic race dash, plus plenty of adjustment switches on the removable steering wheel. Weight distribution is 52/48R front/rear in the normal I-Pace, 48/52 in the race car. The latter weighs 4,320 pounds, a 450-pound reduction compared the street version. Easily replaceable carbon-fiber body panels are found front and rear, but most of the bodywork is the original aluminum. The new hood and front splitter better direct air for cooling the brakes and radiator, and create anti-lift. There is a minimal amount of downforce; if you add up all the aero bits, plus the 1.18-inch lower ride height, you get around 50 pounds of total downforce, which is less than a Honda Civic Type R. The upgraded (twice the capacity of stock) A/C system helps cool the battery pack and the electric motors.

The race and production I-Pace produce the same power; 0-to-60-mph for the race car takes about 4.5 seconds and top speed is 121 mph—similar numbers to the street I-Pace. Those are pedestrian figures for a race car, but I started racing in the mid ’80s in a 50-hp Renault Alliance spec-series car and had a blast, as did the fans who followed that series. Also, there’s never been a boring Mazda Miata race, even if just two cars are running, which has never happened. So I can get onboard with the I-Pace’s output.

Sitting in the I-Pace eTrophy felt pretty much like any other race car. There are only two pedals; no use for a clutch. Note: to launch fast, no brake hold is needed because max power is produced immediately when you bury the “gas” pedal.

As I rolled the I-Pace racer down pit lane, all I heard was rattling anti-roll bars, solid suspension bushings, and anything else not welded together. I now know race brakes make a total racket when not drowned out by a race engine, something I never considered before in my entire driving career. I had to resist the temptation to come in and ask the crew to check every nut and bolt on the car, because it sounded like at least 90 percent of them were ready to fall off. Once I got rolling, though, the can of ball bearings effect was less obvious due to my focus on going quickly.

The Stowe Circuit is quite short, with 11 corners, and several of them were actually chicanes made with cones. The Bosch ABS brakes (15.55-inch front/13.98 rear) allowed aggressive modulation. There is no stability control. The off-throttle regenerative braking can produce up to 0.4 g of deceleration. It’s slightly adjustable and does play a part while trail braking.

The grip of the specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport tires feels equivalent to a PS4S street tire. The race tires are similar in size to the production I-Pace’s 265/40R22 tires and have full tread depth, which avoids the need for rain tires. (Likewise, Formula E uses “all-weather” Michelin race tires.)

My cornering-speed limits were determined by how much I could rotate the I-Pace on entry. It behaves very much like most all-wheel drive cars on a track, quickly exhibiting understeer when you try to add power mid-corner. The more rotation I could carry into and through a corner, the better. You can adjust front to rear torque distribution, but for now the adjustment range only moves torque from 48-percent rear to 52-percent rear. I won’t be surprised if the series’ drivers quickly ask for more adjustment range.

The stiffer suspension setup versus the production I-Pace made controlling the rate of rotation on corner entry a challenge, but not impossible. Personally, I would add some compliance to the suspension if I actually raced one of these cars in the series. Softening up the suspension and antiroll bars would slow down body roll for corner entry and help the driver transition back to power. Anything you can do to increase the roll compliance of a heavy race car, especially one with limited mechanical grip, helps. I learned this long ago while racing street-based cars on regular street tires.

I thoroughly enjoyed my laps in Jaguar’s I-Pace eTrophy race car. As an aside, as I walked away from the car I noticed its outside mirrors: It occurred to me they might last about three turns, of lap one, of practice one, of race weekend one. Keep an eye on that.

The eTrophy Championship races are short, scheduled to run just 25 minutes plus one lap. Google and YouTube metrics say younger audiences prefer shorter entertainment cycles, and Jaguar will focus on finding the correct marketing approach here. Another piece of the entertainment jigsaw will be the willingness of the series’ drivers to race side by side “everywhere” on the tight concrete-lined tracks; nobody likes a permanent pace-car situation.

A world championship street-race series, with 20 equally powered, 4,300-pound Jaguar SUVs, should be something to see. It’s fair to say brand differentiation is alive and well at Jaguar. I’m looking forward to the first race, and my hat’s off to Jaguar for daring to try.

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3 practices you’re working out wrong | Fox News

()

There were two lat-pulldown stations situated next to each other in this gym I belonged to many years ago. On one of them was an older dame who was lifting, if recall serves, 10 pounds. I can only assume that she misconstrued the name of the utilization and thought it was a lap pulldown, because thats where the bar intention up when she wheeled it down the figurehead of her torso.

On the contiguous machine was a guy who was lifting, if remember provides, the entire heavines stack, or most of it. He rose off the seat at the beginning of each rep to assistant him get the load moving, and then leaned back at a 45 -degree angle to get the bar to his chest. The deeper he got into his set, the more force and figure English he employed.

Related : THE 21 -DAY METASHREDan At-Home Body-Shredding Program That Will Ignite Your Metabolism, Torch Fat, and Build the Body Youve Always Wanted( One Guy Lost 25 Pounds In Just 6 Weeks !)

Two people, two completely different ideas about how to do one of the most basic efforts in the gym. And both of them completely wrong.

If you walked into that same gym today, chances are youd watch multiple versions of exerts hardly anyone did a decade ago, like planks and kettlebell changes. Those are in addition to the classic exerts, the simple ones that every lifter has done as long as hes been filching, but may not be doing in a way that helps him reach his goals.

Theres more free info than ever, and yet form hasnt improved, mentioned Nick Tumminello, columnist of the upcoming Building Muscle and Performance: A Program for Size, Strength, and Speed, and a coach based in Fort Lauderdale. Husband are stubborn, and they always think they know better.

Flawed exercise form certainly comes down to three fundamental problems TAGEND

Lack of control

Poor stability

Misreading the item of the exercise

Lets tackle them in that order.

Control issues

Most beings are in the gym to do bodybuilding, Tumminello enunciated. That is, to build muscle. But most people in the gym instruct like weightlifters, where the goals and targets is to removing the heavines . Theres a big difference. Bodybuilding is about checking the weight through the entire series of motion.

Take the lateral invoke, for example. The space most guys do it, Tumminello mentioned, is to shaking the heavines up, and let it disintegrate down.

But the entire level of the rehearsal is to target the middle-of-the-road part of the deltoid muscles. To establish them proliferate, you need to made them under strain. Theyre under the most tension at the top of the stray of the motionthe segment everyone cheats through, he says.

RELATED: 10 Cardio Practises That Burn More Calories Than Operating

You see this over and over in activities designed to target specific muscles, includes the lat pulldowns I described at the beginning. Tumminello also mentioned the bent-over barbell sequence: Theyll pluck it halfway with good form, then jolt it the rest of the way.

He furnishes a simple fix TAGEND

Select a weight you can hold at the point of maximum friction, with good form.

If you cant accommodated it four to five seconds, then the loads too damned heavy, he answered. You dont necessary to brace it when you civilize, but thats how you should research it.

For most bodybuilding exerciseslateral conjures, lat pulldowns, bent-over or accommodated rowsyou can experiment your weight at the end of the scope of gesture. For biceps bends, its the midpoint, when your forearms are parallel to the floor.

Or you are able to make it simpler, and exactly remember which part of the raising you typically have to cheater to get through. If you cant hamper it there for a few seconds, try using a lighter weight.

Bad posture

Picture these four rehearsals TAGEND

Plank

Pushup

Loaded carry

Bear crawl

What do they have in common? If you answered, Theyre all the same exercise, youre a lot smarter than me. It never resulted to me until Alwyn Cosgrove, my coauthor on the New Rules of Lifting books, excused it.

Of course they dont looking alike. But the key to good form is exactly the same: Whatever your posture is standing up straight-from-the-shoulder, thats what it should be when youre doing a timber, or a moving plank( aka pushup ), or a walk-to plank( aka loaded carry ), or a scooting plank( aka bear creeping ).

On the plank, pushup, and carry you should be able to draw a straight line from your ears through your shoulders, hips, and ends. On the bring crawling, the line should connect your ears, shoulders, and hips, with your torso parallel to the floor.

RELATED: 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 A.M. to Labor Out Tell You How They Do It

The most common mistakes are postural. With the plank, pushup, and bear crawling, you verify these almost every day TAGEND

persisting your butt in the air

letting your stomach sag toward the floor

promoting your foreman to check out the form of the person in front of you

On a pushup, you can tell if youre elevating your as when your nose reaches the storey ahead of your chest. If your stomach is sagging on a board or pushup, youll possibly feel it as an unpleasant strain in your lower back. And if you find yourself mesmerized by the person in front of you on any of these employs, youre perhaps face-lift your head.

The biggest problems on loaded carries entered when the heavines is held to one side, as in a suitcase carry. Mistakes might include TAGEND

Bending to the side comprising the weight

Overcompensating for the heavines by stooping to the opposite side

Leaning back and flaring your rib cage out

You can self-correct the first two issues by attaches great importance. If youre dispassionate, you should be able to tell if youre standing up straight-from-the-shoulder. If its a battle, lowering the weight.

A good self-check for the latter question is to target your non-weight-bearing hand on your sternum. If you feel your underside ribs start to move forward, settle your posture.

Cognitive disappointment

Return for a moment to the confused dame at the lat-pulldown station, the one pluck the bar down to her hips. Clearly, she didnt understand that the aims of the activity is to engage muscles in her midriff and upper back, and to do that she needed to select a reasonably challenging weight and attract the bar to her chest.

I recollected it because its not something you picture every day.

But there are a few usually misunderstood exercisings youll appreciate on a regular basis. Tumminello mentioned the hang knee parent. As ab usages move, its about as hard-core as the majority of members of us will ever get. But thats their own problems: Most of us cant actually do the activity correctly.

To do it right, Tumminello told, you need to tilt your pelvis upward, something thats hellaciously difficult from a dead hang. Instead, most guys will merely lift their knees, a crusade that works the hip-flexor muscles on the figurehead of the pelvis but doesnt project the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle, through the intended scope of motion.

RELATED : 38 Dumbbell Exercises Youve Probably Never Seen

If you cant do that pelvic tiltand as I enunciated, few of us canthen youre much better served by doing the reverse crunch from the storey or an incline bench.

Another common mistake involves usages for the opposite side of the torso. When you do a kettlebell swing, the goals and targets is to move the load by straightening your hips. That commits the potent glute and hamstring muscles. Your limbs and shoulder are precisely along for the ride.

But before you can arrange your hips, you have to load them by pushing them downwards. If you dont do that, you cant generate the force are required to swing the load out in front of you. Thats whether you are look so many parties return the swing into a front invoke: theyll various kinds of squat down, and then gather the weight up overhead utilizing their shoulder muscles.

A good shake, by compare, should end up somewhere between waist and chest stature. One route to tell if youre going it right: the bell exits precisely a bit higher than your hands at the opening of the move. If youre hoisting it with your forearms and shoulders, itll do the opposite, and end up below your hands.( For a full seminar on how to do the usage, check out The Right Way to Do a Kettlebell Swing .)

How to do any employ better

The lessons of these nine exerciseslateral promote, bent-over sequence, plank, pushup, bear crawling, loaded carry, lat pulldown, hanging knee grow, kettlebell swingcan be applied to any utilization you try. You just need to ask yourself three queries TAGEND 1. What is the point of the rehearsal ?

If the goal is to build muscle, then focus on developing strain in specific targeted muscles, and dont employ momentum to blow through that the members of the exercise.

2. What should my form look like while doing the workout ?

This is trickier, because on numerous rehearsals its hard to check your figure without divulging figure to look at yourself. And thats only if you have a mirror nearby. Without one, you have to pay attention to your form signals. If you feel a strain in your lower back on a board or pushup, thats your clue to work on your alignment.

3. What activities should and shouldnt be involved ?

This is even trickier, and may require coaching, or at least some reading outside the gym. Most parties looking at a kettlebell swaying would think the goals and targets is to lift the load up in front of you, so it reaches sense that youd use your limbs and shoulders. If nothing tells you its all in the hips, how would you know?

Which makes me to perhaps the most reliable clue: When other lifters stop, gaze, and then shake their tops as they walk away, you can be pretty sure youre doing something wrong.

Lou Schuler is an award-winning journalist and contributing editor to Mens Health. Check out his new book Strong: Nine Workout Programs For Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength For Life, with coauthor Alwyn Cosgrove .

This article initially appeared on MensHealth.com .

The post 3 practices you’re working out wrong | Fox News appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

3 practices you’re working out wrong | Fox News

()

There were two lat-pulldown stations situated next to each other in this gym I belonged to many years ago. On one of them was an older dame who was lifting, if recall serves, 10 pounds. I can only assume that she misconstrued the name of the utilization and thought it was a lap pulldown, because thats where the bar intention up when she wheeled it down the figurehead of her torso.

On the contiguous machine was a guy who was lifting, if remember provides, the entire heavines stack, or most of it. He rose off the seat at the beginning of each rep to assistant him get the load moving, and then leaned back at a 45 -degree angle to get the bar to his chest. The deeper he got into his set, the more force and figure English he employed.

Related : THE 21 -DAY METASHREDan At-Home Body-Shredding Program That Will Ignite Your Metabolism, Torch Fat, and Build the Body Youve Always Wanted( One Guy Lost 25 Pounds In Just 6 Weeks !)

Two people, two completely different ideas about how to do one of the most basic efforts in the gym. And both of them completely wrong.

If you walked into that same gym today, chances are youd watch multiple versions of exerts hardly anyone did a decade ago, like planks and kettlebell changes. Those are in addition to the classic exerts, the simple ones that every lifter has done as long as hes been filching, but may not be doing in a way that helps him reach his goals.

Theres more free info than ever, and yet form hasnt improved, mentioned Nick Tumminello, columnist of the upcoming Building Muscle and Performance: A Program for Size, Strength, and Speed, and a coach based in Fort Lauderdale. Husband are stubborn, and they always think they know better.

Flawed exercise form certainly comes down to three fundamental problems TAGEND

Lack of control

Poor stability

Misreading the item of the exercise

Lets tackle them in that order.

Control issues

Most beings are in the gym to do bodybuilding, Tumminello enunciated. That is, to build muscle. But most people in the gym instruct like weightlifters, where the goals and targets is to removing the heavines . Theres a big difference. Bodybuilding is about checking the weight through the entire series of motion.

Take the lateral invoke, for example. The space most guys do it, Tumminello mentioned, is to shaking the heavines up, and let it disintegrate down.

But the entire level of the rehearsal is to target the middle-of-the-road part of the deltoid muscles. To establish them proliferate, you need to made them under strain. Theyre under the most tension at the top of the stray of the motionthe segment everyone cheats through, he says.

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You see this over and over in activities designed to target specific muscles, includes the lat pulldowns I described at the beginning. Tumminello also mentioned the bent-over barbell sequence: Theyll pluck it halfway with good form, then jolt it the rest of the way.

He furnishes a simple fix TAGEND

Select a weight you can hold at the point of maximum friction, with good form.

If you cant accommodated it four to five seconds, then the loads too damned heavy, he answered. You dont necessary to brace it when you civilize, but thats how you should research it.

For most bodybuilding exerciseslateral conjures, lat pulldowns, bent-over or accommodated rowsyou can experiment your weight at the end of the scope of gesture. For biceps bends, its the midpoint, when your forearms are parallel to the floor.

Or you are able to make it simpler, and exactly remember which part of the raising you typically have to cheater to get through. If you cant hamper it there for a few seconds, try using a lighter weight.

Bad posture

Picture these four rehearsals TAGEND

Plank

Pushup

Loaded carry

Bear crawl

What do they have in common? If you answered, Theyre all the same exercise, youre a lot smarter than me. It never resulted to me until Alwyn Cosgrove, my coauthor on the New Rules of Lifting books, excused it.

Of course they dont looking alike. But the key to good form is exactly the same: Whatever your posture is standing up straight-from-the-shoulder, thats what it should be when youre doing a timber, or a moving plank( aka pushup ), or a walk-to plank( aka loaded carry ), or a scooting plank( aka bear creeping ).

On the plank, pushup, and carry you should be able to draw a straight line from your ears through your shoulders, hips, and ends. On the bring crawling, the line should connect your ears, shoulders, and hips, with your torso parallel to the floor.

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The most common mistakes are postural. With the plank, pushup, and bear crawling, you verify these almost every day TAGEND

persisting your butt in the air

letting your stomach sag toward the floor

promoting your foreman to check out the form of the person in front of you

On a pushup, you can tell if youre elevating your as when your nose reaches the storey ahead of your chest. If your stomach is sagging on a board or pushup, youll possibly feel it as an unpleasant strain in your lower back. And if you find yourself mesmerized by the person in front of you on any of these employs, youre perhaps face-lift your head.

The biggest problems on loaded carries entered when the heavines is held to one side, as in a suitcase carry. Mistakes might include TAGEND

Bending to the side comprising the weight

Overcompensating for the heavines by stooping to the opposite side

Leaning back and flaring your rib cage out

You can self-correct the first two issues by attaches great importance. If youre dispassionate, you should be able to tell if youre standing up straight-from-the-shoulder. If its a battle, lowering the weight.

A good self-check for the latter question is to target your non-weight-bearing hand on your sternum. If you feel your underside ribs start to move forward, settle your posture.

Cognitive disappointment

Return for a moment to the confused dame at the lat-pulldown station, the one pluck the bar down to her hips. Clearly, she didnt understand that the aims of the activity is to engage muscles in her midriff and upper back, and to do that she needed to select a reasonably challenging weight and attract the bar to her chest.

I recollected it because its not something you picture every day.

But there are a few usually misunderstood exercisings youll appreciate on a regular basis. Tumminello mentioned the hang knee parent. As ab usages move, its about as hard-core as the majority of members of us will ever get. But thats their own problems: Most of us cant actually do the activity correctly.

To do it right, Tumminello told, you need to tilt your pelvis upward, something thats hellaciously difficult from a dead hang. Instead, most guys will merely lift their knees, a crusade that works the hip-flexor muscles on the figurehead of the pelvis but doesnt project the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle, through the intended scope of motion.

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If you cant do that pelvic tiltand as I enunciated, few of us canthen youre much better served by doing the reverse crunch from the storey or an incline bench.

Another common mistake involves usages for the opposite side of the torso. When you do a kettlebell swing, the goals and targets is to move the load by straightening your hips. That commits the potent glute and hamstring muscles. Your limbs and shoulder are precisely along for the ride.

But before you can arrange your hips, you have to load them by pushing them downwards. If you dont do that, you cant generate the force are required to swing the load out in front of you. Thats whether you are look so many parties return the swing into a front invoke: theyll various kinds of squat down, and then gather the weight up overhead utilizing their shoulder muscles.

A good shake, by compare, should end up somewhere between waist and chest stature. One route to tell if youre going it right: the bell exits precisely a bit higher than your hands at the opening of the move. If youre hoisting it with your forearms and shoulders, itll do the opposite, and end up below your hands.( For a full seminar on how to do the usage, check out The Right Way to Do a Kettlebell Swing .)

How to do any employ better

The lessons of these nine exerciseslateral promote, bent-over sequence, plank, pushup, bear crawling, loaded carry, lat pulldown, hanging knee grow, kettlebell swingcan be applied to any utilization you try. You just need to ask yourself three queries TAGEND 1. What is the point of the rehearsal ?

If the goal is to build muscle, then focus on developing strain in specific targeted muscles, and dont employ momentum to blow through that the members of the exercise.

2. What should my form look like while doing the workout ?

This is trickier, because on numerous rehearsals its hard to check your figure without divulging figure to look at yourself. And thats only if you have a mirror nearby. Without one, you have to pay attention to your form signals. If you feel a strain in your lower back on a board or pushup, thats your clue to work on your alignment.

3. What activities should and shouldnt be involved ?

This is even trickier, and may require coaching, or at least some reading outside the gym. Most parties looking at a kettlebell swaying would think the goals and targets is to lift the load up in front of you, so it reaches sense that youd use your limbs and shoulders. If nothing tells you its all in the hips, how would you know?

Which makes me to perhaps the most reliable clue: When other lifters stop, gaze, and then shake their tops as they walk away, you can be pretty sure youre doing something wrong.

Lou Schuler is an award-winning journalist and contributing editor to Mens Health. Check out his new book Strong: Nine Workout Programs For Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength For Life, with coauthor Alwyn Cosgrove .

This article initially appeared on MensHealth.com .

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