Biceps Cable Super Set

If large, bulging biceps are what you want, then you’ve come to the right place.

For a great pump, finish your biceps off with the continuous tension offered by focused cable work. Try this great superset.

Set up a cable crossover machine with one arm handles in the top position on both sides and a straight-bar attached to the low position on one side.

Set the stack with the straight-bar attached to a moderately heavy weight. Let’s use 100 lbs. as an example. Set the other weight stack at one half that weight (in this case 50 lbs.).

Start the set by doing the straight-bar curls at 100 lbs. I like to use a fairly close grip on these (about 6” apart). Be sure to fully contract your biceps in the peak position—this is key.

When you reach the top position, try curling your wrists inward towards your chin to further emphasize the contraction.

Lower the weight slowly to really work the eccentric part of the movement. Shoot for 8-12 reps to failure.

When complete, immediately drop the weight stack by half—in this case from 100 lbs. to 50 lbs. The other side should already be set at 50 lbs.; this is to save time as you need to transition from one movement to the next as quickly as possible (no break).

Grab the two upper handles as if you were going to do cable crossovers, only have your palms pointing up towards the ceiling.

Now, curl both arms in towards your head as if you were striking a front double-biceps pose. Squeeze at peak contraction and hold for a count of two. Be sure to emphasize the negative part of the movement.

Stick with a rep range of 8-12. Take a minute, repeat the superset once more, and feel your arms explode.

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Advanced Creatine Cycling Schedule

If you’re not making the gains you want on creatine, give this advanced cycle a try.

Many people find that after a few weeks, the gains they make on creatine monohydrate begin to taper off or even disappear altogether. There’s an increasing belief among hardcore trainers that cycling creatine intake may help one experience continued progress with this proven supplement.

Here’s a typical creatine cycle you might try adding to your supplement program:

week 1: load (20 g / day)
week 2-4 : maintenance (10 g / day)
week 5: load (20 g / day)
week 6-8: OFF
Repeat Cycle.

You’re basically “on” for 5 weeks (higher than average doses), then “off” completely for 3 weeks. This seems to work well and can help give you continual progress with
creatine supplementation.

Of course, another important factor is what type of creatine you’re using. I never made great gains with creatine until I switched to a creatine formula as opposed to just mixing the powder up myself.

In particular, AST’s Creatine HSC has really worked well for me. Other people see good results with EAS’s Phosphagen HP and MET-Rx’s Micronized Creatine. And at 10 grams creatine per dose, MuscleTech’s Cell-Tech is very popular.

With creatine it’s best to avoid generic powders (the cheap stuff), as its purity is often in question and it doesn’t seem to work nearly as well as the quality formulas on the market.

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Back Blasting Lat Development

At first, they look like enormous batwings, preparing to take flight. But a closer look at those bulging slabs of iron and there can be no mistaking what they are.

Latissimus dorsi.

The lat-wings we are talking about, or course, are what others refer to simply as your back. Few fitness experts would disagree that the back is a vital element in attaining a healthy, premier physique, especially if it is that V-shape you’re after. For women, a sturdy, shapely back combined with a firm waist is what produces that hourglass figure that is synonymous with glamour and beauty.

Building the foundation for a strong, healthy back is not without other benefits, either. It can certainly improve your posture while stabilizing the torso in such a way as to diminish the risk of injury elsewhere in your body.

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to build your lats the width of a movie screen. You may or may not be looking to put on a ‘Titanic’-sized production. But if you are, here are a few exercises in the gym that could help you to become the next Latman:

* Behind-neck Pull Downs. Find a firm grip on the bar, try taking a wide hold so you’re hands are a few inches wider than shoulder length apart. Using a moderate amount of weight, slowly pull the bar down toward your head, slightly arching your head forward. Pull the bar behind your head and stop at ear level, squeezing your lat muscles as they contract. Slowly allow the weight to pull your arms back to an outstretched position, but make sure that you remain seated on the bench. Allow the lats to stretch for a moment before you repeat the process. Try two or three solid sets of 10-12 repetitions.

* Close-grip Front Pull Downs. Grasp the handle bar firmly. Slowly bring the weight down toward your torso, pushing your chest a little forward while slightly arching your back. Concentrate on pulling the weight down with your elbows and not your biceps. Bring the handle down to your chin, and tightly squeeze for a second or two before slowly releasing. Remaining seated through the repetition, allow the weight to pull your arms upward and finish off with a lengthy stretch. Repeating this motion for 10-12 reps over two or three sets will help widen your back and grind the muscles in the middle of your back.

* Dumbbell Rows. Grabbing the dumbbell with one arm, let your free arm take a firm hold on the bench with the corresponding knee resting on the bench for balance. With your arm fully extended toward the floor, slowly bring the weight up toward your side, using your elbow and your lats to do the work. Keeping your elbow pressed firmly against your side, pull the weight up into your hip, squeezing during the contraction. Hold this stance for a beat, then slowly release, allowing your arm to drop under control toward the floor. Repeat the exercise for 10-12 reps and then rotate to the other side.

It is crucial to maintain proper form during these exercises and not to exceed reasonable weight. There is nothing more excruciating than severe back pain or the feeling that a spear is being driven through your spine. So with that in mind, back to work.

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Spinning Is Taking America By Storm

Spinning is just the newest fad for fitness fanatics, a bizarre blend of cardiovascular activity and wild imagination geared at packing the fun into your everyday workout.

Just one glance into the aerobics room during a spinning class will convince you of its electrifying appeal.

Originating in Los Angeles in the early ‘90’s, spinning has since been a growing beneficiary from the fitness boom, racing through fitness clubs throughout the United States. Spinning has caught fire particularly in East Coast cities like New York and Boston, while a number of spinning studios are also being built in southern Florida. There are currently over 4,000 gyms throughout the world featuring spinning classes, nearly half of them inside the U.S.

Much of the appeal of a particular spinning classes lies with the effectiveness of the instructor. A fun, highly motivating instructor with a colorful imagination can provide the participants with the most riveting of sessions.

Another perk to spinning, particularly for newcomers, is that it is not a difficult activity to jump into. Unlike the step classes, you do not need to learn any specialized moves for this class. You just plop down on a cycle and start chugging away.

Also, because the activity is virtually stress-free on your joints, it is appealing to athletes and trainers who are injury-prone.

Meanwhile, spinning can give you a great full-body workout, especially throughout the muscles in your legs and buttocks.

But keep in mind, spinning classes are not for everyone. While spinning is generally regarded as a low-impact form of cardiovascular activity, it can also be quite rigorous, especially for newcomers who are not accustomed to such a workout.

However, because spinning does not require tremendous athletic coordination, it is starting to catch on with a wider variety of workout fanatics.

But unlike many aerobics classes, spinning does require a small fee to participate.

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Leg Muscle Workout Madness

LEGS: No Longer a Four-Letter Word.

To anyone who has ever picked up a weight – or even thought about it – this four-letter word can take on a variety of different meanings.

For many, legs are the indomitable foundation for which a healthy physique is formed. To a large number of others, the leg day is the one square on the calendar that you painfully dread, the one that you know will require both vigorous effort and agonizing labor.

And yet to many others, legs mean absolutely nothing. Hence, they are woefully neglected.

But nothing looks sillier on a fitness fanatic than a beefy upper torso cemented atop a pair of chicken legs.

So, don’t be that chicken. Take on these painful, gainful exercises that are sure to turn your legs into logs in due time.

Hack Squats: After setting the desired weight, station yourself inside the machine, so your shoulders are flush underneath the pads and your feet are in the middle of the platform. You feet should be at a shoulder length width. Releasing the safety bar, slowly bend your knees, allowing the weight to push your buttocks toward the platform. When your quadraceps are parallel to the floor – or perhaps dip a little lower – immediately reverse the movement, exploding the through an upward motion. Stop just before your knees are locked as you squeeze your legs during the contraction. Try 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Leg Presses: Lie down on the machine so that your feet are on the platform. Make sure that your feet are parallel to each other and not pointed inward or outward. Allow the weight to push your knees toward your torso. Stop when your knees form a 90-degree angle. Reverse the movement as you push with your legs, pushing your torso away from the platform. As your legs begin to straighten out, stop just short of your knees being locked. Slowly let the weight bring your buttocks down into the starting position. Try 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

Leg Extensions: Sitting on the bench, clasp your ankles underneath the pads, gripping the side handles for balance. Slowly raise the pads, squeezing your quads, and stop the motion when your knees are locked in front of you. Squeeze your quads for a two-count before releasing the tension, allowing your legs to drop to the starting position. Repeat the motion for 3 sets of 12-15 for an incredible burn.

Hamstring Curls:: Set yourself face down on the hamstring machine, sliding your heels underneath the pads. Grip on to the handles for balance. Setting a manageable weight, slowly curl your legs upward, so your heels push toward your buttocks. Your feet should be flexed during the movement. Curling upward, the motion should stop when your legs and torso form an angle of roughly 45 degrees. Squeeze your hamstrings during the motion. Slowly release the weight and return to the starting position, as your legs should straighten out. Repeat this movement for 10-12 reps for 3–4 sets.

A leg workout requires optimum intensity, if your intentions are to increase size and strength. Nothing in weight training will wear you out the way a rigorous leg workout will so be sure to provide yourself with ample rest before leg days. Also, legs should be done only once a week to insure time for the torn muscle tissue to recuperate.

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