Thursday, September 8, 2011

Need Motivation?

Getting results is the best motivation for going to the gym. You’ll like what you see happening. Results will inspire you to go back for more. To get results, you must get serious about your workouts.

For women, getting serious usually means heavier weights. Many women fear heavier weights will transform them overnight into female bodybuilder versions of Lou Ferrigno. Nonsense! Female bodybuilders must dedicate and sacrifice years of their lives before achieving that muscle-bound look. The more casual female gym member will NOT transform overnight into the Incredible Hulk.

For women, heavier weights will produce that “toned” look most crave.

Heavier weights mean poundages where strict form is impossible after 10 to 12 repetitions. For most women, heavier weights means curling 20 pound dumbbells instead of 10 pound dumbbells— and not stopping at the first pangs of discomfort during the set either, but working through the pangs until maintaining strict form becomes impossible. Ditto with other exercises. Women must lift heavier and work harder in the gym.

Men have the opposite problem. For many men, getting results usually means going lighter with the weights. Men have a propensity to train their ego, as opposed to their body. They grunt through 2-3 reps in bad form with weights far too heavy. After a period of time, men become demoralized when they don’t see results. Or they get injured.

Men need to drop the weight and concentrate on proper form. Poundages must allow strict repetitions. Also, men need to work the legs. Come on guys! The muscles in the legs aren’t as flashy as the ones in the arms and chest, but they need to be worked all the same. Otherwise you’ll end up looking like a light bulb.

Finally, set goals. Best is stepping on the scale.

Set small, achievable goals on the scale— like gaining or losing 5 pounds. You will have a quantifiable number to target with a reasonable opportunity to succeed


Getting results will have you going back to the gym. You can do it.

Peace!
E

Thursday, September 1, 2011

How Can You Start Exercising

Whether you’ve let yourself slide out of shape, or you’ve never worked on getting fit, it can be frustrating to get through the uncomfortable process of starting an exercise program. But look on the bright side –- when you’re first getting started, it’s very difficult to plateau, and nearly everything you do will get results!

Here are 2 tips to help you get started:

1) Get Professional Help While you don’t need to hire a full time fitness coach, just a single session with a personal trainer can help you design a roadmap and make sure you’re not wasting your time with guesswork!

2) Make A Plan Don’t blindly jump into a week of workouts. Instead, at the beginning of the week, write out which days you lift weights, which days you do cardio, which days you try a new class, and which days you rest and recover.

By enlisting professional help and writing down your weekly plan, you’ll get motivated to start (and maintain) an exercise regimen –- without hurting yourself or wasting time