Monthly Archives: September 2009

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30Sep 2009

Workout Routine Without Weights for Fat Loss

The majority of people out there don’t have a lot of time to workout. That is why I developed this site – for average people with busy lives who want to get in or maintain their shape. Fat loss is naturally one of the biggest concerns of most individuals.

As I’ve illustrated numerous times through this site, getting a quick workout is not that difficult. You can create workouts that last anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. It’s all based on how much time you have to workout, or how much time you want to spend working out.

Now, through this site, I’ve published numerous bodyweight training programs that employ the fundamentals: pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats. For years, this is all I did. But for the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with Circular Strength Training (CST) bodyweight exercises.

What is CST and How can it help me Burn Fat?

CST is really complex and difficult to define in a few sentences. In fact, I’m still learning on my own what it is and how it effects the human body. But, to try and keep this short CST is all about moving the body through it’s full potential of movement.

CST bodyweight training uses many movements from Prasara Yoga. Prasara Yoga is a “method of physical practice designed to improve flow.” Flow is “the ability to move your body into any position or direction with grace and fluidity.”

All this jargon leads up to one conclusion (well at least in my mind) Prasara Yoga and Circular Strength Training is the next level of bodyweight training. Here is a sample of what Prasara Yoga looks like:

I consider myself a student of fitness, and strive to learn everything thing I can to make my body look and perform better.

Thus, CST is just the next step up in my training. And, as I’ve done for so many years through this blog, my goal is to share my knowledge with the rest of the world. So, with that said, how can CST andPrasara Yoga help you burn fat?

I’ve written a lot about the release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Testosterone to burn fat and build lean muscle mass. Think about this: these movements are not just linear like pushups,pullups, and squats. It’s not even like doing Burpees, which I would consider a hybrid movement (combining two movements that flow well together).

CST Bodyweight Exercises engage a lot more muscle than traditional and hybrid movements. The more muscle you engage, the more fat you burn and muscle you build. In addition, most CST bodyweight fat loss workouts are organized into a interval scheme.

But you can organize the exercises in any manner you wish. Here’s a sample CST bodyweight workout you can try today:

You’ll feel better right after the first workout. As I mentioned before, you’ll be working muscles that you never even knew you had. After my first workout, I woke up the next morning and my entire body was sore!

If you’re ready to incorporate bodyweight training as part of your fitness plan, then you should check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Coach’s Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock show you how to use unique bodyweight movements to lose fat, build muscle, increase strength, improve athletic fitness, and enhance longevity.

Click here for more information.

28Sep 2009

Superior Dumbbell Workout

superior-dumbbell-workout-p2p

What is the Superior Dumbbell Workout?

The Superior Dumbbell Workout (SDW) is a training manual which features dumbbell exercises, training methods, and workouts to help you lose fat and gain muscle mass. Now, the reason I personally prefer SDW workouts as opposed to any other training program out there is because it is better suited for the average person than typical bodybuilding workouts.

Most dumbbell programs out there are based on bodybuilding techniques, which work best on bodybuilders. But, for the average person who has a full time job and/or a family to take care of, does not have the time to go through 2-hour long bodybuilding workouts.

Hence, SDW is the most practical solution for people like you and I to use to get into shape.

Click Here for More Information

What Superior Dumbbell Workout is NOT

I told you what SDW is, so it’s time to tell you what SDW is not:

  • SDW is not a bodybuilding program. If you’re looking to get on stage and pose with other men in your speedos, then you’re reading the wrong site.
  • SDW is not an infomercial product. It’s a set of workouts and exercise descriptions that will only work if you do the hard work. There are no short cuts to exceptional fitness.
  • SDW is not a copy-cat program. Open up any fitness magazine and you’ll see the same old dumbbells workouts published month after month. SDW is completely unique. You won’t find Coach Lomax’s workouts anywhere other than from Coach Lomax himself.

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9 reasons You should Workout with Dumbbells using SDW:

 

  • Reason #1: SDW shows you how to use “bilateral deficit” to develop bigger and stronger muscles. Bilateral deficit is where single-limb exercises help recruit more muscle to stabilize and control a weight. Hence, you get bigger and stronger faster than if you were using a barbell.
  • Reason #2: SDW shows you how to lose fat with unilateral training. Unilateral training is where you train with one limb at a time. This is actually better for fat loss than if you were to perform an exercise using two arms at the same time. This is because you’re spending more time performing the movement, hence burning more fat.
  • Reason #3: SDW shows you how to build a stronger core using dumbbell exercises. You will no longer need to perform endless crunches or situps or do lots of boring cardio to reveal a better looking midsection. Coach Lomax’s full body dumbbell exercises engage more core muscles than crunches or situps alone.
  • Reason #4: SDW shows you how to lose fat without doing lots of cardio. It’s not just about the dumbbell exercises, it’s also about how you organize them into high intensity, fat burning workouts. By keeping your heart rate elevated throughout the entire workout, you’re getting a fat burning and muscle building workout at the same time.
  • Reason #5: SDW puts you through workouts that help you with real-life applications. Ever since I started training with SDW, I have no problem sprinting after a bus that’s about to leave. If I don’t get on the last express bus in the morning, I’m late for work!
  • Reason #6: SDW shows you how to use Dumbbells through their full potential to help you achieve your full potential. Most gym workouts are boring and pointless. Dumbbell curls, flyes and extensions don’t do much except give you a pump.
  • Reason #7: SDW features printable workout sheets so that you’ll never have to spend another day scouring the Internet for the “perfect” dumbbell program. Face it, there is no such thing as the perfect program. There is only a well-plan progressive program.
  • Reason #8: SDW features unique workouts that you will not see anywhere. These techniques include Grinding “Slow” Lift Super Sets, Explosive “Quick” Lift Timed Circuits, Dumbbell Peripheral Heart Action Training, and Dumbbell Combo Matrixes.
  • Reason #9: You’ll get a full refund if for some strange reason you dislike SDW. There’s an Iron-Clad 8-week money back guarantee if you absolutely dislike SDW or if it does not work for you. But honestly, I’m willing to put my reputation on the line to tell you this program works.

Click Here for More Information

Top SIX Reasons Why I love Superior Dumbbell Workout:

Alright, so here are the top six reasons why I love SDW so much:

  • It makes me a better athlete by putting my body through explosive lifts.
  • It makes me look better by helping me pack on lean, functional muscle mass.
  • It makes me perform better in a daily life activities such as catching my bus.
  • It makes it easier to get and stay lean by putting my body through high intensity workouts.
  • It saves me time by keeping the workouts short and intense.
  • It saves me money on expensive gym memberships and fancy equipment.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to grab your copy of Superior Dumbbell Workout today

28Sep 2009

Turbulence Training

Turbulence Training is a system of training that allows you to lose fat and build muscle, all at the same time with 3 short, but intense workouts per week. All the workouts can be done in the comfort of your own home, and last under 45 minutes. You will not be required to do any long, slow boring cardio for fat loss. The program is scientifically proven and endorsed by hundreds of world-class fitness trainers and coaches. I personally endorse these workouts as one of the most effective and efficient methods of in-home training.

Click Here for More Information

The program is created by Craig Ballantyne, a master at developing quick, intense, fat burning workouts. Throughout the years, I’ve “studied” under a lot of coaches. Because I can’t go and personally meet coaches such as Craig Ballantyne, I purchase their products, study the information carefully, and apply it into my own workouts. Hands down, the lessons I’ve learned through Turbulence Training have allowed me to develop the super fast and super intense bodyweight training workouts that you see on this website.

If you’ve been reading this site long enough, you know that the key to losing weight is boosting your metabolic rate. This is EXACTLY what Turbulence Training does. Turbulence Training does this by combining high intensity resistance training and interval training so that you not only burn fat while working out, but also while you sleep and go about your daily activities.

Steady state cardio is damaging to your metabolic rate. So Craig Ballantyne’s no-cardio approach to fitness isn’t just do to the fact that he hates cardio, there’s actually scientific evidence supporting his high intensity interval training workouts for effective fat loss. Without having to perform this boring cardio, you’ll be more likely to stick to the program becaus it’s fun and challenging.

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The eBook outlines a very simple to follow healthy diet recommendations. Unlike most diet books, Craig Ballantyne does not push any “fad” or highly restrictive diets. For a guy like me who hates dieting, Craig Ballantyne’s guidelines are a refreshing step in the right direction.

I don’t want to join a Gym, can I still do Turbulence Training?

If you order the Deluxe package, Turbulence Training comes with a myriad of bodyweight workouts for those that do not have any equipment at home. However, all you really need to succeed with Turbulence Training is a set of dumbbells or barbells, and a bench. You can probably mimick a lot of the movements with resistance bands as well.

Click Here for More Information

28Sep 2009

Bodyweight Exercise Revolution

Bodyweight Exercise Revolution is a recent eBook published by Coaches Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock.

Here are the Top 10 reasons why you should grab your copy today:

  • The biggest problem with traditional bodyweight programs is that they lack variety. Coaches Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock have included the most innovative bodyweight movements I have ever seen in an eBook.
  • Most eBooks lack detail. They give you exercises, they give you workouts, take your money, and say good luck. The Bodyweight Exercise Revolution goes into so much detail, that by the time a complete beginner is finished with the 4×7 program, he will be transformed into an advanced trainee.
  • Again, most eBooks give you the program, and say goodbye. You actually LEARN from the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. It makes you think. It makes you understand what it is that you have been doing wrong with your bodyweight training.
  • The second problem with traditional bodyweight programs is that they lack an innovative progressive strategy. Most programs include a linear progressive strategy, meaning you either add reps or sets to your movement. We all know that you can not keep adding sets and reps to your workouts indefinitely. Coaches Steer and Murdock introduce a unique method of training progression I have yet to see talked about in the mainstream.
  • You know the biggest benefit of bodyweight training – you can workout anywhere and at anytime you want. This is precisely one of the biggest benefits of Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Ryan Murdock puts this benefit into practice by tacking his bodyweight training along with his travels to 42 countries, including Mongolia and North Korea (where it’s kind of hard to find a commercial gym).
  • Bodyweight Exercise Revolution is based on the work of Scott Sonnon and Circular Strength Training®. CST is a bit complex to explain, however think of it has a three-phased approach to training which includes multi-dimensional training and mobility drills.
  • Bodyweight Exercise Revolution is proven to give you results in the shortest time possible. And what’s more it’s a system that fits into your lifestyle, whether you’re working a 9-5 job, or traveling to 42 different countries.
  • Bonus material includes videos of all the circuits and sessions included in the eBook. In addition, you get access to Coaches Murdock and Steer through an online forum which you can easily log into after purchasing the eBook.
  • The CST principles in this eBook will help you improve upon any joint pain you experience. In fact, this is the primary goal of CST – to focus on complete health and fitness by first getting you stronger inside, than making your stronger from the outside.
  • Finally, you get more value from this eBook the going to a commercial gym. The eBook features 5 full, 28-day programs for Fat Loss, Mass Gain, Strength, Longevity, and General Athleticism.

If you’re ready to take your bodyweight training to the next level, it’s time to check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution.

28Sep 2009

Gladiator Body Workout

Get Rid of Fat Once and For All PLUS Build Lean Muscle Mass, Improve your Fitness Level, and Boost your Strength

One of the best ways to get in shape with dumbbells and bodyweight training is to perform intervals. Intervals are where you alternate between high intensity and low intensity exercise. This method will help you drop fat like magic.

I discovered this technique when I decided to get rid of my gym membership. You see, I don’t workout to socialize. I workout to stay healthy, and I was tired of all the distractions at the gym. I was tired of driving down to the gym every day. And I was tired of the high cost of my membership.

I started training at home with just my bodyweight and later added dumbbells to the mix. However, even though I was better focused on my workouts, the results stopped coming. I soon realized why. I was not incorporating any intensity techniques into my workouts.

I started experimenting with interval training and other intensity methods. I began to combine bodyweight and dumbbell training into one workout, and this small change really enhanced the intensity level of my workouts.

In these tough times, for most people one of the first things to go is a gym membership. You don’t need to sacrifice your health just because of the bad economy. A home gym can help you easily lose weight and increase lean muscle mass.

As I illustrated earlier, I got better results when I started training in my garage than when I was pounding away the weights at a gym. One of the reasons why I love training at home is privacy. You can yell and scream without anyone coming up to you and asking you to lower your voice.

But soon enough, even interval training became too easy for me. I needed some brand new workouts I could perform in the comfort of you own home. That’s when I discovered…Gladiator Body Workout

Coach Lomax has an Amazing Offer for You. Click here to Learn More
What is the Gladiator Body Workout?

The Gladiator Body Workout (GBW) is a home fitness program which combines dumbbell and bodyweight training into highly intense workouts. What separates GBW from other fitness eBooks is that it is one of the only programs which truly teaches you how to workout with minimal equipment in the comfort of your own home. Whats more, the workouts are fast, intense, and very effective.

I enjoy Coach Lomax’s “Anti-Bodybuilding” approach to training. I personally worked out for 6 months using the workouts I found from bodybuilding magazines. I did get big, but I also became fatter.

Traditional bodybuilding workouts only work for bodybuilders. They make the rest of us fat and slow. On top of that, they are extremely boring. In my quest to become a better athlete, I decided to download Coach Lomax’s eBook and was absolutely impressed by the workouts (not to mention challenged)

GBW includes 27 different programs which last 4 weeks each. Each and every workout is unique and focuses on a different aspect to training. You have the basic general fitness, fat loss, and strength & size workouts.

Coach Lomax also incorporates 3 other high intensity workouts including “Rounds of Fury” “Juggernaut” and “Utterly Nasty Interval Training” workouts. I have never seen anyone give away so many workouts at such a low price.

On top of all this content, Coach Lomax also gives you a special “Build Your Own” Workout which shows you how to create your own high intensity in home workouts. I truly believe that this is one of the most unique, no-nonsense home fitness products on the market today.

Coach Lomax has an Amazing Offer for You. Click here to Learn More

5 Reasons Why I Love Gladiator Body Workout:
  1. All the workouts are high-intensity, which means you’re guaranteed to boost your metabolic rate and in turn burn a lot of fat. There’s no room for boring strength workouts or cardio with this program. In fact, CoachLomax is somewhat “Anti-Bodybuilding.”
  2. As mentioned in the first point, there’s no boring, steady state cardio to perform. When you combine bodyweight and dumbbell training, you get the effect of cardiovascular training. These workouts will really make your heart rate go crazy.
  3. All the workouts can be performed with only your bodyweight and a dumbbell. Dumbbells can be purchased for cheap from Craigslist or eBay. The average price of dumbbells at your local sports equipment store is about .50 cents per pound.
  4. High intensity workouts means that you can perform them within a short period of time. I love short, intense workouts. Short workouts will save you a lot of time and you’ll find yourself spending less time working out, but getting better results than if you were to go to the gym and follow a typical bodybuilding workout.
  5. Finally, the workouts are fun and challenging. The key to really taking your training to the next level is keep using different intensity techniques, and that is exactly what CoachLomax does with this program.

 

Coach Lomax has an Amazing Offer for You. Click here to Learn More

25Sep 2009

3 Advantages of Bodyweight Exercises for Middle Aged Men

At this stage in your life, you probably have a lot going on: full time career and a family to look after. You’re probably extremely stressed out by the lack of time you have on your hands to enjoy life with your friends and family.

Click here to Learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises

When it comes to fitness, you can follow some very basic principles to help you get into better shape with less time commitment. First of all, the core of your fitness plan should revolve around bodyweight training.

Lets go over some of the key advantages to making bodyweight training a corner stone of your fitness plan:

Advantage #1: Prevent Bone and Muscle Loss

Two of the biggest issues facing middle aged men is the loss of muscle mass and the weakening of bones. You start losing muscle mass as soon as you hit the age of 25.

And so, an untrained male will be the most muscular at age 25. For most individuals, this doesn’t mean much. If you only weighed around 135 lbs when you were 25 years old, then I can only imagine how thin and frail you’ll be when you hit the age of 50.

In addition, bone loss begins at age 30. As you get older, the breakdown of bones will be greater than the formation of new bone tissue. Your only hope is to maintain the strength and density of the bones that you already have.

If the body is unable to maintain the proper amount of bone density and strength, bones may become fragile and this may lead to osteoporosis.

Click here to Learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises

Men are not as much in risk of osteoporosis as women, but this does not mean that you’re safe. Over 2 million men in the U.S. have this condition.

Increasing lean muscle mass and strengthening your bones will make you a better man in your daily life. You’ll have more energy to perform your daily tasks.

Bodyweight training will help you gain lean muscle mass and strengthen your bones by stressing your body with a variety of difficult exercises.

Just Incase You Need to Lift Someone on your Back

In case You Need to Lift Someone on your Back

Click here to Learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises

Advantage #2: Boost your Metabolism and Get Lean

On the flip side, even if you weigh 200 lbs or so, how much of that is lean muscle mass? If you have a gut sticking out, then I bet you need to lose fat.

But most individuals just do some cardio and try to burn some fat. What they don’t realize is that they’re not burning fat. They’re losing weight in the form of both muscle and fat.

Remember, we want to maintain our muscle, but want to lose fat as well. The best way to do this is to speed up your metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns calories through out the day.

The higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you will burn. But unfortunately, your metabolism slows down as you age. Don’t worry, you can still enjoy a fast metabolic rate as you age.

The key is to engage in high intensity exercise. Basically, perform bodyweight workouts using high intensity techniques such as supersets, circuit training, and interval training.

Click here to Learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises

Intensity techniques like the ones I just mentioned force you to work harder. When you’re working harder, you’re placing more stress on your body, causing your body to perform a variety of metabolic processes such as the rebuilding of lean muscle mass.

Advantage #3: Look Younger, Feel Better

Studies show that even a moderate amount of exercise can reverse aging dramatically. A 30-year study shows that middle aged men starting a basic fitness plan can regain the same aerobic capacity they enjoyed when they were younger.

The study began in 1966 with five healthy college students. They were asked to remain completely inactive for 20 days, followed by a rigorous workout.

The results of those 20 days (one of the men could barely drive his car after wards), opened up new thought into the effects of inactivity on the human body.

30 Years later, all five men were called back for a follow up. They found that those 20 days of inactivity were more damaging than 30 years of aging.

Click here to Learn over 100 Bodyweight Exercises

And after a 6 Month, moderate intensity program, all five men were in similar shape as they were in their twenties. This shows that older men can regain their youth with just a little bit of exercise.

You’ll be stronger, fitter, leaner, and younger looking 6 months from now if you start a basic, moderate intensity bodyweight routine today.

If you’re ready to learn how to use bodyweight exercises to help improve your health and fitness, then I suggest you grab a copy of Workout Without Weights:

Workout Without Weights

Workout Without Weights is a complete bodyweight manual written by Coach Eddie Lomax which shows you over 150 bodyweight exercises you can perform in the comfort of your own home.

The manual also includes templates you can use to design your own bodyweight programs, plus over 60 sample workouts to keep you challenged.

Don’t forget to grab the Combo Package for even more high intensity bodyweight workouts.

Click here to Learn more about Workout Without Weights

This article links out to a product. If you purchase this product, I receive a percentage of the sale. Click here to read my disclaimer.

23Sep 2009

Your Guide to Developing the Perfect Workout Plan for Mass at Home

Gaining mass at home is extremely easy these days. All you need are two pieces of equipment: a pair of dumbbells and your bodyweight. Well, actually you can probably pack on a lot of mass just by training with bodyweight alone.

I’ve written many mass gain articles, so let me start this discussion off by linking out to some great articles you can use to start putting on muscle at home. Some of these articles even include sample programs to help you get started:

Dumbbell Training

  1. Dumbbell Fat Loss: Deltoid, Lat, and Abdominal Training for a Leaner Physique (Don’t be Misled by the Title)
  2. For More Muscle, Use a Dumbbell
  3. Explosive Free Weights Workouts for Power, Strength and Muscle
  4. Beginners Workouts: Effective Dumbbell Training without the B.S.
  5. 6 Major Considerations You Need to Take Before Setting up Muscle Building Workouts

Bodyweight Training

  1. Benefits of Split Training with Pushups, Pullups, and Bodyweight Squats
  2. Two Tips to Getting Bigger with Bodyweight Squats

Combination Bodyweight and Dumbbell Training

Training Theory

  1. How to Design your Home Workouts around your Weekly Chores and Busy Schedule
  2. Quick Workouts for Big Muscles and Greater Fat Loss
  3. 5 Reasons why You should Perform Fast, Intense Workouts PLUS 3 Sample Workouts
  4. Increase Strength, Gain Muscle, and Lose Fat with Metabolic Conditioning
  5. Athletic Principles for Mass Gain
  6. How to Gain Mass with Circuit Training
  7. See How Easily You Can Maintain Strength and Mass During Ramadam

Are you looking for more information about a particular topic that I may not have covered with these articles regarding mass gain? If so, then just type your question or comment below in the comments section.

23Sep 2009

Dumbbell Fat Loss: Deltoid, Lat, and Abdominal Training for a Leaner Physique

Sometimes you don’t necessarily need to lose any weight to look leaner. One strategy to appear leaner than you actually are is to put on some muscle on your deltoids (shoulders) and lats. If your shoulders are wider than your waist, then you will naturally look leaner.

If you don’t need to look significantly leaner, wider shoulders will help you get one step closer to the “V-Taper” look. The V-Taper is literally a “V” shape from your shoulders, lats and waist. There are three key aspects to developing a better V-Taper: Wider Lats, Wider Deltoids, and Leaner Abs.

Lets Get the Cardio out of the Way

Cardio should be an important aspect to any fat loss plan. However, we don’t want our cardio to interfere with our mass building efforts. Hence, let me tell you how to do the cardio in this program first, then we’ll move onto the dumbbell exercises.

The maximum amount of cardio you will do is 10 minutes per session. All I want you to do is choose an activity, and alternate between periods of work and rest for 10 minutes straight. In other words, you’ll be doing interval training.

The following are some workouts you can choose:

  • 20 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest
  • 13 rounds of 30 seconds work, 15 seconds rest
  • 10 rounds of 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • 10 rounds of 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest
  • 8 rounds of 45 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • 6 rounds of 60 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
  • 5 rounds of 60 seconds work, 60 seconds rest

Normally, I would perform bodyweight or dumbbell cardio. However, for this particular program, we’re going to keep the dumbbell and cardio work separate.

Deltoid and Lat Exercises using Dumbbells

Dumbbell Hanging Jump Shrug

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place a pair of dumbbells in front of your feet on the floor. Sit back with your hips as if you were about to perform a squat.
  • Bend your knees while keeping your back straight, chest up, and shoulders back. Look forward as you pick up the dumbbells.
  • Explode up by straightening your knees. Push your hips  up and out while lifting your heels off the ground. At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulders.
  • Return to starting position. Make sure to keep your core tight during the entire movement.


Dumbbell One Arm Military Press

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell with one arm at your shoulders, palms facing forward. Keep your chin tucked, chest up and your lower back naturally arched.
  • Hold your non-working arm out to the side for balance. Press your dumbbell up until there is just a slight bend in the elbow.
  • Pause briefly and return to starting position. Keep your core tight during the entire movement. With one arm movements, it is a good idea to start off with your weaker arm first.

Dumbbell 1 Arm Row

  • Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Bend your opposing knee forward, placing your non-working hand on the bent knee for support.
  • Keep your working arm straight, with the dumbbell between your front and back legs. Keep your back flat and head up. Pull the dumbbell up to the side until the upper arm is just beyond parallel.
  • Squeeze your back and pause briefly. Return to starting position. Make sure to keep your core tight during the entire movement.


Dumbbell Hanging Power Clean

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and back straight. Hold the dumbbells to your sides with your palms facing the body.
  • Sit back with your hips slightly as if you were about to perform a squat. Bend at the knees and keep your bodyweight on your heels.
  • Let the dumbbells slide down to the thighs. Explode upwards, similar to a jump shrug. But unlike a jump shrug, keep the movement going and raise the dumbbells past your your armpits.
  • Rotate the elbows around and under the dumbbells as you dip with your knees to “catch” the dumbbells. Dumbbells should now be resting on your shoulders.
  • Stand up straight. Pause. Then return to starting position. Make sure to keep your core tight during the entire movement.

Additional Work with Abdominal Circuits

Interval Cardio and Dumbbell training should be more than enough to give you a great V-Taper look. However, you always add in extra abdominal circuits if you have the time.

All you need to do is choose 3-4 abdominal exercises and organize them into high intensity circuits. The following are three of my favorite abdominal movements:

Bodyweight Ab Infinities

  • Lay on your back with legs straight and arms at your sides. Press your lower back to the floor and lift your legs 6 inches off the floor.
  • Keep your body tight. Draw the infinity symbol (a sideways “8″) in the air. Perform the movement in one direction, the switch to the other.


Bodyweight 10 Second Crunch

  • Lay on your back flat on the floor and knees bent as if you were about to do a crunch. Tuck your chin into your chest and contract your abdominals until your shoulder blades leave the floor.
  • Hold this position for 10 seconds. You can perform this movement with your arms across your chest, or hands held behind your head.


Bodyweight Side Plank Ups

  • Lay on your side on the ground. Prop your right elbow under your right shoulder with your legs straight and your hip on the ground.
  • Contract your core muscles and exhale as your raise up into the Plank position. Hold for 1 second and return your hip to the ground.
  • This counts as one repetition. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other side. You can also perform this movement with your arms straight, palms resting on the floor.


For more muscle building and fat burning tips, exercises, and workouts, check out the Truth About Abs Program.

Click here for More Information.

18Sep 2009

Master the Dumbbell Clean and You’ve Mastered Intensity

If someone came up to me and asked “What is the one exercise I need to do to put on muscle mass with Dumbbells?” I would respond: “Dumbbell Cleans.” I know I’ve written about this exercise many times in the past. But, this time I want to take it a step further and really give you some concrete information you can start using right now to progress with your dumbbell workouts.

Does Power equal Intensity?

The short answer is “YES.” When I talk about an intense workout, I’m not necessarily talking about how high your heart rate is, or how tough the workout actually feels, although these aspects are important as well. All I really care about is what you’re doing, and how fast you’re doing it.

Someone who can do 50 Burpees in 3 minutes is going to be in much better shape aesthetically, and athletically compared to someone who can do 50 Burpees in 10 minutes. There’s no way you can perform 50 burpees in such a short period of time and still carry a big giant gut.

On the flip side, someone who can lift their bodyweight may be big and strong. However, someone who can lift that same amount of weight faster, will be leaner. The perfect example is between the majority of Olympic Lifters and the majority of Power Lifters.

Power Lifting is all about strength. Get the weight up, and get as much weight up as possible. Olympic Lifting is about strength and speed. There’s no way you can do a slow clean. You need to generate an incredible amount of power (speed x strength) in order to perform a Barbell Clean.

Olympic Lifters are also a lot more leaner than Power Lifters. Yes, a lot of it has to do with diet. But the part that doesn’t have to do with diet is this – train to be faster and generate more power, and you’ll be leaner, stronger, and bigger.

Click here for some Great High Intensity Workouts you can Do with a Pair of Dumbbells and your Bodyweight

Getting Started with Dumbbell Cleans

I believe that the starting point for anyone who wishes to train with dumbbells should be the dumbbell clean. This movement sets the stage for all other high intensity dumbbell power movements, including the dumbbell snatch and swing.

Here’s how you do a dumbbell clean:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and place a dumbbell right between your feet, with the handle parallel to the insides of your feet.
  • Lower your hips as if you were performing a squat. Keep your back straight and chest out. Grab the dumbbell with one hand, making sure that your palms are facing your thighs.
  • Your shoulders should be right above your feet. In other words, if you could draw a straight imaginary line from your shoulders to your toes, they would be directly on top of each other.
  • In one motion, shrug your shoulders and straighten out your body as you bring the dumbbell in a straight line motion towards your shoulders.
  • Once you get close enough, dip down, and reverse your elbows so that you “catch” the dumbbell right near your shoulders.

This movement is extremely difficult to describe by writing. Perhaps a video may be better help:

Click here for some Great High Intensity Workouts you can Do with a Pair of Dumbbells and your Bodyweight

The best way to master the dumbbell clean is to practice. Either tape yourself and critique your own technique, or find someone who is more experienced to help you out with the movement. Even friends helping each other will greatly improve your dumbbell clean technique.

Beyond Dumbbell Cleans

Once you get really good with dumbbell cleans, it’s time to start including the movement into your regular training program.

The following are some sample workouts you can use to get started:

Workout A

Perform 8 rounds of the following exercises in a Tabata format:

Tabata Intervals are where you perform the exercise for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second break. With this workout, start with Dumbbell Cleans, the move directly do Bodyweight squats. Continue in this manner until you complete one Tabata Interval of each exercise.

After the Hindu Pushups, start again with Dumbbell Cleans. Complete a total of 8 circuits.

Workout B

3 rounds of:

  • Mixed Grip Chinups, 10 repetitions
  • Push Ups, 10 repetitions
  • Dumbbell Clean, 10 repetitions

3 rounds of:

  • Ankle Grabbers, 20 repetitions
  • Bodyweight Squats, 20 repetitions
  • Dumbbell Clean, 10 repetitions

Complete each set of exercises as a circuit. Complete 3 rounds of the first circuit (upper body), then move immediately onto the 3 rounds of the second circuit (lower body).

Workout C

Perform 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 reps of the following:

With this workout, start with 20 repetitions of each exercise, and gradually reduce 2 repetitions after each set until you get down to 2 repetitions for the last set. Alternate between the two exercises and time the entire workout.

These are full body workouts and will literally challenge every single muscle in your body. I suggest resting 1-2 days after performing each workout.

Click here for some Great High Intensity Workouts you can Do with a Pair of Dumbbells and your Bodyweight

The Power Principle

Make sure you take the power principle into every single workout your perform. Power is equal to (force x distance) / time. By changing just one of these variables, you’ve successfully improved your power output. For example, lets say you can do 50 Dumbbell Cleans with each hand with 50lbs in 5 minutes.

The following week, you decide to use 60 lbs. The only way you would see an increase in power output is if you were able to complete the workout in under 6 minutes. In other words, the power output for your first workout can be measured as 50lbs x 50 reps/ 5 minutes, or 500 units.

Lets assume the second workout took you 6 minutes. So your unit of power was 60lbs x 50 reps/6 minutes, or 500 units. Now, I know from a physics standpoint my equation doesn’t make much sense. But the bottom line is that you need to figure out a way to measure your level of work that you complete.

I hope you learned a little bit more about power and intensity from this article. For more high intensity (or high power) workouts, check out Gladiator Body Workout.


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17Sep 2009

Wonderful World of Burpees: 22 Burpee Workouts to Keep you in Shape

Burpees are one of my favorite bodyweight exercises. There is no other bodweight exercise that can accomplish so much in such a short period of time like burpees. I’ve written about burpees many times before. In fact, I’ve even created some great workouts with burpees.

I thought I’d list all the workouts featuring burpees in one single post:

#1: Metabolism Boosting Workout for Advanced Athletes

Superset One:

  • Uneven Pushups 3×15 each side
  • Bodyweight Squats 3×40

Superset Two:

Superset Three:

  • Dumbbell Windmill, 3×10 each side
  • Burpees, 3×20

#2: Kettlebell/ Bodyweight Combo

6 rounds for time of:

#3: 10 sets of Hell:

Perform 10 sets in 20 minutes of:

  • 10 Dips
  • 10 Burpees
  • 10 Pushups
  • 10 Bodyweight Squats
  • 5 Chinups


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#4: Interval Training Workout

7 rounds of:

  • Burpees, 30 seconds,
  • Gorilla Chins, 30 seconds
  • Squat Thrusts, 30 seconds
  • Close-Grip Chinups, 30 seconds

This workout lasts 14 minutes. Spend 30 seconds on each exercise before moving onto the next exercise. If possible, count and record the repetitions you perform for each interval. Perform 7 total rounds.

#5: Bodyweight/Dumbbell Combo Workout

10 rounds of:

  • 1 1/2 Chinups, 3 reps
  • Burpees, 6 reps
  • Dumbbell Snatch, 9 reps

#6: Workout from Personal Training Log

5 rounds for time of:
- 40 Crossovers
- 20 Burpees


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#7: High Intensity Density Workout

Perform max rounds in 20 minutes of:

  • 10 Burpees
  • 5 Chinups

#8: High Intenisty Circuit Workout

5 rounds for time of:

  • Burpees, 10 reps
  • Chinups, 5 reps


#9: Superset Circuits

Superset One, perform 3 rounds:

  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps

Superset Two, perform 3 rounds:

  • Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
  • Pullups, 5 reps

Superset Three, perform 3 rounds:

  • Burpees, 10 reps
  • Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#10: Staggered Cardio

3 rounds of:

  • Burpees, 10 reps
  • 10 Double Unders (Jump Roping)
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
  • 20 Sledgehammer Swings, each side
  • Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
  • 3 Driveway Sprints
  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
  • 2 Minutes Shadowboxing
  • Pullups, max reps
  • 10 Crossovers (Jump Roping)

#11: Timed Circuits

Within 2 minutes, perform:

  • Burpees, 10 reps
  • Pullups, 10 reps
  • Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
  • Chinups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps

With this workout, set the timer for 2 minutes, and start off with the burpees, then pullups, then spiderman pushups. Keep going through the workout until the 2 minutes are complete. Record how far you got in the circuit. For example, if on the first attempt you reached Kettlebell Thrusters for 2 reps, then record it, rest, and try to beat your score.

#12: Circuit Pyramids

Round One:

  • Chinups, 5 reps
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 10 reps
  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
  • Burpees, 5 reps

Round Two:

  • Chinups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 20 reps
  • Hindu Pushups, 20 reps
  • Burpees, 10 reps

Round Three:

  • Chinups, 20 reps
  • Kettlebell Thruster, 40 reps
  • Hindu Pushups, 40 reps
  • Burpees, 20 reps


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home#13: Random Rounds

In this circuit, the order of the exercises performed for each round is different.

Round one:

  • Chinups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
  • Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
  • Pullups, Max reps

Round two:

  • Hindu Pushups, 10 reps
  • Spiderman Pushups, 10 reps
  • Kettlebell Snatch, 10 reps
  • Chinups, 10 reps
  • Pullups, Max reps

This style of training will just mix things up and keep your body guessing WITHIN the workout. What often happens is that after performing the first two rounds of a workout, your body gets used to it, and even though it’s tired you can push through a workout just by knowing what’s coming next.

  • You secretly use strategy and end up pacing through a workout. This has happened to me on numerous occassions. For example, if I’m performing a set of Burpees, and I know that I have PUllups coming up next, I may coserve my energy for the Pullups, only because I’m not that great at them.
  • A great way of randomizing your workouts is to have a training partner call out the next exercise for you. Let him choose whats next.

#14: Get Back into Shape

Two rounds of:

  • 4 Tabata rounds of Burpees
  • 2 Tabata rounds Squat Jumps
  • 2 Tabata rounds Pushups
  • 2 Tabata rounds Leg Pullin

#15: Sprints + Burpee Intervals

In the following workout, you may need a partner, or a really loud timer to help you with the intervals. Perform the following workout for 3 rounds:

  • 30 Seconds Sprinting
  • 30 Seconds Burpees
  • 30 Seconds Rest

Work up to 8 rounds


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#16: The 2 minute Drill

The 2 minute drill is simply where you set the time for 2 minutes, and perform as many burpees within this time period as possible. You usually need quite some time to recover from this workout, so I’d be surprised if you can perform 3 rounds of the following workout:

  • 2 minutes Burpees
  • 1 minute Rest

I’d be impressed if you could do 3 rounds.

#17: Beginner Burpee Workout

3 rounds of:

  • Burpees, 10 reps
  • Rest 60 seconds

#18: Intermediate Burpee Workout

Perform 7 rounds of:

  • 30 Seconds Burpees
  • 30 Seconds Shadowboxing
  • 30 Seconds Burpees
  • 30 Seconds Shadowboxing
  • 30 Seconds Burpees
  • 15 Seconds rest


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#19: Obstable Course Workout

Round One:

  • 5 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
  • 5 Burpees
  • 10 Resistance Band Punches each hand
  • Sprint


Round Two:

  • 10 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Resistance Band Punches each hand
  • Sprint


Round Three:

  • 20 Kettlebell Clean and Press each hand
  • 20 Burpees
  • 40 Resistance Band Punches each hand
  • Sprint

#20: Superset/Triset Workout

Perform as Superset:

  • Burpees 3×10
  • Pullups 3×5

Perform as Triset:

  • Kettlebell Push Press 2×10
  • Kettlebell Windmill 2×10
  • Sumo Deadlift High Pull 2×10

#21: Insanity Workout

Perform 3 rounds of:

  • Run around the block
  • 20 Pushups
  • 15 Leg Pullins
  • 10 Squat Jumps
  • 5 Burpees


Click here for more High Intensity Workout You can Do at Home

#22: Fitness and Work Capacity

4 rounds of:

If you’re ready to incorporate bodyweight training as part of your fitness plan, then you should check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Coach’s Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock show you how to use unique bodyweight movements to lose fat, build muscle, increase strength, improve athletic fitness, and enhance longevity.

Click here for more information.

16Sep 2009

Benefits of Squat Jumps

Squat Jumps are one of the many important bodyweight exercises out there that are not being included in a typical bodyweight program. I agree to the fact that you can’t include every single bodyweight exercise out there. In fact, you shouldn’t.

However, most people never do squat jumps. They might do hundreds of bodyweight squats, Hindu squats, lunges, and numerous other bodyweight exercises. But, for some reason, the squat jump is always left out of most training programs.

Could it be because…it’s hard? Well, it is a hard movement. But it’s an essential movement which you should perform if your goal is to build a stronger, bigger, and more functional lower body.

Why You should Squat Jump

A long time ago, I had a dramatic realization: that training parameters for fat loss aren’t much different for muscle mass. A power/strength workout can also be an effective workout to improve overall general fitness. An athletic program can be the perfect recipe for incredible fat loss.

“Sports-specific” and “customized” are relative terms. Each individual athlete does not need to do things that are dramatically different then their peers. Instead, what they need to be doing are things that challenge them. It’s really as simple as that.

So in the grand scheme of things, if you’re looking for just one secret to improving your health and fitness, it should be this: “Challenge Yourself.”

And so, explosive training in the form of plyometrics or Olympic lifts performed with a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell are difficult, fun, and challenging. Even if we disregard the initial strength, power, and fat loss benefits of explosive training, we can argue that a fun workout is a workout that will allow us to remain consistent with our program.

The more consistent we are with our workouts, the greater chance of achieving our desired results.

How to Perform Squat Jumps

You should be able to perform 50 good bodyweight squats in a row before starting with squat jumps. If you can’t do 50 good bodyweight squats, then squat jumps will be way to difficult for you.

The actual execution of the movement is really simple: squat down and jump up. But, there are some key points you should be aware of:

  • Lower your body as low as possible for maximum force development and acceleration
  • Keep your back straight and chest up
  • When your feet return to the floor, go immediately down into squat position and explode upwards.

Squat jumps are a continuous, heart pumping explosive movement. Start incorporating them today to take your workouts to the next level.

If you’re ready to incorporate bodyweight training as part of your fitness plan, then you should check out Ultimate Gymless Workout. This is actually a PACKAGE of 6, 4-week programs designed to help you lose weight, get strong, and finally achieve the body of your dreams.

Click here for more information!

15Sep 2009

Insane Bodyweight Workout to Make you a Better Athlete

Bodyweight training is the perfect choice for athletes. Most sports require you to be fast, strong, and powerful. Heavy weight lifting makes an athlete slow and bulky. However, bodyweight training teaches an athlete to better control his or her own bodyweight for better performance.

When I was lifting heavy using bodybuilder workouts the biggest problem was that I would gas out quickly. My sport is Karate. So during sparring (practice fighting) sessions, I may have been bigger and stronger than my opponents, but I would get tired really quickly.

Hence, my opponents would just dodge my slow punches until I was tired, then hit me with everything they got. That’s how I lost a lot of sparring fights. The day I gave up on bodybuilder workouts, I started reading into the way Indian Wrestlers used to train.

Hindu Squats and Pushups

The two common exercises used by these magnificent ancient wrestlers are the Hindu Pushup and Hindu Squat, made popular by Matt Furey. Honestly, I don’t think these exercises are the BEST bodyweight exercises out there. They are simply two variations out of hundreds of different bodyweight movements.

However, just by replacing these two movements with all my heavy weight training gave me some great results. I already had the bulk, now it was time to teach myself how to move the bulk (my own body). The workouts I used were very basic.

It’s time to peer into my old training diaries and show you a sample of the primitive, but powerful stuff I used to do.

(Before I continue, let me just state that I have shared my old workouts in the past. I used to do a lot of stuff, but this particular post revolves around Hindu Squats and HinduPushups and their relationship to improving my Karate training.)

Back to what I was saying before: I stuck to mostly density training, which is something I shared with you a few days a go. However, my density workouts were much shorter, since my conditioning was very poor.

The Poorly Designed but Powerful Workout

So, instead of using 15-20 minute time intervals, I was using 5 minutes intervals, with around 1-2 minute breaks. So here is what a sample workout would look like:

5 minutes of:

  • 5 Hindu Pushups
  • 10 Hindu Squats

I would alternate between these exercises for 5 minutes straight through, and decided if I could do anymore. A lot of what I was doing before was extremely random. I didn’t even know about the terminology “density” training. It was just training to me.

But…it worked! I was moving faster and lasting longer on the mat. I even started winning some fights. Some of the kids started getting scare of fighting me since now I was not just a bulky guy, but a bulky guy who could move!

Take Home Point

Now, how can you take what I used to do to your own sport? Well, the simple answer is take a look at how you move in your sport. Karate involves a lot of high intensity techniques for a short period of time (such as a barrage of punches) followed by a short rest period (where you’re just bouncing on the mat and blocking your opponents attacks).

Hence, interval and density workouts were perfect for Karate training. But, you may need a different method of training for your particular sport.

If you’re ready to incorporate bodyweight training as part of your fitness plan, then you should check out Bodyweight Exercise Revolution. Coach’s Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock show you how to use unique bodyweight movements to lose fat, build muscle, increase strength, improve athletic fitness, and enhance longevity.

Click here for more information.