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Is strength training or cardio better for fat loss?

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Weightless Workout - Strength Training Without Equipment

If you haven't already, it would benefit you to read the previous article, "Weight Training for Weight Loss?" at http://www.weightlessproducts.com/free-weight-loss-articles/weighttrain.html

Resistance training, also known as Strength Training, does not require a gym membership. It does not even require an expensive home gym. In this article, you will discover the secret of isometric training and its effectiveness for Muscle growth.

Weightless Strength Training:

Still requires a warm-up, with stretching afterwards. Still requires protein to increase musculature. Can be more effective than lifting weights, because you can "max out" Is safer than lifting weights, and can be done without equipment of any kind. Requires just a bit of experimentation to determine proper position. Consult your physician regarding chronic problems before starting.

Before and After

Just like lifting weights, you should always warm up before isometrics. This means a light jog or other low-impact activity that will raise your heart rate and raise your core temperature by a few degrees. This should last at least 5 minutes, preferably 10 or more. After this, you should do joint rotations. This is not a stretch, it is preparing the joint for work by encouraging blood flow. Then, do the resistance training. At the end, stretch all of the joints you have worked that day. Studies have shown that stretching before strength training actually reduces the Muscle's capacity, and does not prevent injury as was previously thought. Stretching after the work out will protect the joint and prevent cramping.

Maximum Overload

Anyone who has done a little research into muscle growth knows that what triggers muscle growth and strength gains is overload of the muscle. If you can do 20 reps with 20 lbs, you're exhausting the muscle, not overloading it. If you pile on 100 lbs, and can only do 3 reps, this is ideal for lifting weights in a gym. But it is still not the maximum overload possible. Your goal for the most efficient Workout is to flex with all your might during a partial rep (the range of motion where you can exert the most power).

You can't really accomplish maximum overload at all using conventional weights. For one thing, you'd need a spotter to hand you the weights when you're in the optimum range, and you'd have to instantly get a perfect grip on them. Furthermore, what weight do you use? You can't be sure how much stronger you've gotten since your last Workout, if you put too little, you're not maxing out, and if you put too much you'll drop it and risk muscle injury.

The answer is easier than you think. Get into the optimal range, then press (or push or pull) on something immovable. You can exert your absolute maximum force, and there's no danger. That's Isometrics: Intense muscle contraction at an ideal muscle length without moving - because the muscle is acting against an equal force. About 10 seconds of maximum force is the most that anyone can sustain, so try to aim for 3 sets of 10 seconds for each Exercise.

Ideal Length

Your muscles aren't made to exert the same amount of force throughout their range of motion. You have a weak range and a strong range. The ideal length for isometric Exercises is at the muscle length where you can exert the most force. It is different for each muscle, and varies a bit person to person. For this reason, you may have to experiment a bit by varying the positions I recommend below until you feel the most force.

How do I perform weightless exercises?

Let's start with the chest muscles, called the pectoralis (major and minor). Using standard equipment in the gym, you would normally use a barbell bench press or a dumbell flies. To convert this into an isometric exercise, you may think that you can just do the same action against a wall, since the wall is immovable. But that's not true, because it's really your legs that are pressing your hands into the wall, not your chest. (Try it!) This would only work if you were in a narrow hallway, with one wall against your back, and your palms flat against the opposite wall. That way you'd be pressing with your chest. However, unless you're 9 feet tall, most hallways will be too wide for you. There are two practical ways to do the isometric chest exercise: sqeezing an object (one that won't be easily crushed) between your palms, or pressing your palms together (since one side of your chest should be about the same strength as the other, each arm should provide exactly the right amou!

nt of resistance for the other arm).

For most people, the ideal muscle length for the pectoralis is nearly fully contracted. If you were doing a standard dumbell flye or a bench-press, that's the top of the action, with the weight almost fully pressed away above your chest. So, when trying to crush a wooden box between your palms, or pressing your palms together, your arms should be nearly fully extended. You should have a small bend in the elbows, and your wrists, elbows and shoulders should be level. Do not drop your elbows, or you won't be able to exert yourself as much, and you risk hurting your elbow joint. Concentrate on flexing your chest as much as possible for 10 seconds, exhaling slowly as you do. Then relax, and move on to your upper arms.

Once you understand the chest exercise, the biceps and triceps should be pretty obvious. With palms together, press your writs together as in the chest exercise, but this time with one hand facing up and the other down. The hand facing up will be flexing the biceps, attempting to pull towards your chest. The palm facing down will attempt to push away, flexing the triceps. Apply as much pressure as you can for 10 seconds, wrist to wrist (not into your palm or fingers, because that relies on your wrist strength, which will limit the development of your biceps and triceps). Then switch hands, and work the complementary muscle on the other arm.

The ideal length for the biceps is just more than half-way flexed. Make a "L" with your arm, then flex it a little more. For the triceps, the ideal length with the arm at almost full extension. This means that, for me, when I work my left biceps, my right arm has to cross my chest. Unlike the chest exercise, both elbows should be pointing towards the floor.

What about the shoulders or deltoids? For this one you will need a doorway, and if you're short, you'll also need a stool. Simply stand with spine straight and legs flexed, and press your palms into the top of the door frame for 10 seconds.

The biggest back muscle is the latissimus darsi, otherwise known as the "lats". Still standing in the doorway with your hands above your head from the previous exercise, press your elbows into the sides of the door frame. The ideal length of the lats is almost a full extension, so technically, the narrower the door the better. A linen closet usually has a smaller door, so if you have one, use it.

If you've tried these exercises and feel the principles, you should be able to make up weightless exercises for any muscle in your body. I personally cannot figure out an isometric ab exercise without using special equipment, so if you can invent one, please write me to tell me about it. Email: info@weightlessproducts.com

Caution

The best part about the Weightless Workout is that it is so safe. If you ever feel pain or discomfort you can stop immediately and not risk dropping a heavy weight on yourself. You can just stop, and you should. Even the weakest elderly people can do isometric exercises because your own muscles define how much work you do. However, as with any other activity, there is a risk of injury, so consult your physician, especially if you suspect that your muscles are stronger than your joints or bones. Persons with osteoporosis can actually cause bone fractures because their muscles exert more force than their brittle bones can take.

Women's Strength Training Help And Fast Fat Burning Circuit Workout

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Women's Strength Training Help And Fast Fat Burning Circuit Workout

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10 Top Compound Exercises to Blast Fat and Build Lean Muscle

Years ago I found myself weighing 250 pounds, constantly squeezing rolls of fat on my stomach, and just all around unhappy with myself in the mirror. Personally, I know what it feels like to suck your stomach in and wonder what it would be like to be shredded. Now, my job as a fat loss and Fitness expert allows me to use my empathy and knowledge to train numerous clients and help them achieve unbelievable success in reaching their target body in my boot camps. It takes a lot of work and a lot of training. It has been proven again and again, the best training program for fat loss and lean Muscle gain activates as many Muscle groups of the total body in the shortest amount of time. While interval training is hands down the best protocol to use during an Exercise session to build muscle and lose fat, compound movements efficiently provide total body Workouts and give you an amazing boom for your buck in a single Exercise.



Compound movements or combination lifts combine two or more movements performed uninterrupted and in succession into one exercise. For example, take two familiar exercises. The squat, which is notorious for its fat blasting and lean muscle packing effects. Now throw in an overhead press and the squat/press compound includes even more of your total body and becomes downright merciless. Simply put, compound movements explosively burn fat and build lean muscle because they activate more muscle in a shorter amount of time. Prioritize your personal Workouts with compound movements like these instead of single joint exercises to supposedly "isolate a muscle" and your good to go. Remember this Power Body Reaction:



↑Muscles Involvedâ†"(↑Calories Burnt + ↑Muscle-Building Stimulus )â†"↑Fat Lost + ↑Muscle Gain



Confession time. I have a love-hate relationship with exercises like this. Love because of the ridiculous results they provide for fat loss, muscle building, and conditioning. Hate because they turn on that voice in my head saying, "Do you really need to do this?" and wondering whether I'm laying in a pool of sweat or tears every time.



By now your saying "Get on with it. I'm sold. What are these crazy exercises I need to be doing right now!?" Let's lift veil of suspense. Here is my official top 10 list of favorite exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain (in no particular order):



Exercise 1 - Power Clean + Thruster Combo - Kettlebells, Dumbbells, Bands, or Sandbags



Exercise 2 - The Swing - Kettlebells, Dumbbells, Med Balls, or Sandbags



Exercise 3 - Alternating Lunge + Curl to Press



Exercise 4 - Mountain Climber Push-ups - Valslide or Bodyweight



Exercise 5 - Woodchopper - Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, Bands, or Sandbags



Exercise 6 - Kettlebell or Dumbbell Snatches



Exercise 7 - Turkish Get-Up + One-Arm Dumbbell Chest Press



Exercise 8 - Burpee with Overhead Press



Exercise 9 - Med Ball Snatch-Slam Combo



Exercise 10 - Single-Leg RDL + Row - Kettlebell or Dumbbell



Use my advice jack up your training by introducing these 10 powerful compound exercises we use in my boot camps to work the total body. You are guaranteed better results in less time by consistently employing these movements into your workouts. Of course it's ultimately up to you to do what it takes to take your training and your body to the next level!





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Lou Kristopher, CSCS, RKC is a Walnut Creek personal trainer and body transformation expert who helps his many clients discover their best shape ever by burning pounds of unwanted body fat and gaining muscle using cutting edge training techniques. Qualify for a free 1-week trial at Power Body Boot Camps by visiting Fitness.com" rel="nofollow">www.totalpowerfitness.com.

Elliptical Trainers and Burning Calories

One of the most frequently asked questions is do the use of elliptical trainers help me burn calories compared to other cardio machines?

With our busy schedules it is completely understandable that you want to get the most results for the time you spend working out.

As you may know how many calories burned during a Workout will vary depending upon your weight. A 150 pound woman may only burn 387 calories while a 180 pound man may burn 500 calories on the same machine for the same length of time.

Many elliptical trainer companies say you can burn around 800 calories per hour of elliptical training Workout. The following factors dictate how many calories you will actually burn during your workout:

- Workout Duration - This is simply how much time you spend on the specific workout. It is usually recommended that you do it for a half hour to an hour.

- Interval Training - Taking small breaks, followed by a cool down period is recommended for extended workouts.

- Elliptical Tension Settings - These tension settings help you control the intensity of the workout. Using a higher intensity can improve the effects of the workout.

- Current weight - as stated earlier a heavier person will burn more calories than a smaller person.

Are you interested in a few more tips to burn more calories with your elliptical trainer? Below are a few suggestions you can follow to burn more calories.

- Built in interval settings:

Nearly all elliptical trainers offer an incline and or even tension that you are able to increase or even lessen while workout out.

Midway through your workout try increasing the tension or incline to give you an extra push at burning more calories. This can also help raise your calorie burn for a few hours after your workout.

- Utilize Upper Body Arms

Many ellipticals offer you upper body arm blocks that you are able to utilize to build your arms Muscles into your workout. Even more Muscles worked = even more calories burned. If there are no upper body arms, grab a few of two - five pounds handweights and swing your arms while striding.

-Split your work outs:

Experts are today telling us that two smaller "mini-workouts" can even be better than one long workout as far as how many calories are burned.

Exercise with speed up your metabolism, doing one workout in the morning and one in the evening will give you two metabolism "boosts."

All in all an elliptical trainer is a great way to burn a ton of calories.