Skinny legs are shared by both men and women, fitness buffs and slouchers, weight lifters and runners. And regardless of what many people do to try and improve their chicken-like leg appearance, it can still be hard to build attractive leg muscle. Now, through modern research, several old and new fitness approaches have been shown to help grow skinny gams into muscular masterpieces. It really comes down to both diet and exercise.
Weightlifting is a great way to improve overall appearance; and when it comes to improving leg size, some bodybuilders get it right. Unfortunately some don't. And all the squats in the world won't make a difference if there isn't a targeted diet to go along with exercise. That's why many bodybuilders fail to build their skinny legs into powerhouses to match their mammoth bodies. The diet part of their exercise equation is missing.
As for runners, they often see worse gains than their bodybuilder buddies. In fact, runners are often notorious for having skinny legs -- even men and women who once had impressive drumsticks end up with skinny runner legs.
It's important for runners to include some resistance-based exercises (like weightlifting) into their routine, especially with their legs. Not only can this shave a few seconds off their overall time, but it can help runners maintain or even build full, attractive legs.
For anybody with skinny legs, the following tips should build some muscle when followed for 6 months to a year. As for muscle tone, most people see gains within a couple weeks.
FUEL YOUR MUSCLE GROWTH
To make a long story short, protein builds muscle -- even leg muscle. But not all protein is equal. Some foods are better than others at providing adequate protein to fuel muscle growth. To build leg muscle, start with the foods listed below:
* eggs
* liver
* kidneys
* beef
* fish
* chicken and turkey
* milk, yogurt, and cheese
* nuts
* beans
* peas
* some grains (especially barley)
Don't overcook meats. Overcooking your food can actually breakdown and damage protein and other nutrients your body needs to build muscle. Try baking meats instead of frying, it's easier to control the temperature. Steaming vegetables instead of boiling also keeps more nutrients in your foods.
Most nutritionist advise 1 1/2 grams of protein for every pound of body weight each day, for maximum muscle growth. With this type of diet, it's easy to fuel the muscles in your legs for proper growth.
DRINK, DRINK, DRINK
You've probably read it before, but it's got to be said again. Drink plenty of water. I personally try to make 8 glasses of 12 ounce water per day part of my diet. And all that water doesn't need to be from the tap. Include fruits and vegetables as part of your daily amount. Melon (like watermelon and honeydew) are a huge source of water. They're really flavorful too.
LEG PRESSES
Exercise is the most important thing you can do to build leg muscles. By focusing on just your legs and making most of your workouts push those muscles to their limits, you'll definitely build more attractive legs.
Perform the leg press at the gym using a machine by the same name.
* Sit on machine with back on padded support. Place your feet on platform and grasp handles to sides.
* Push the platform away by extending your knees and hips. Return and repeat.
LUNGES
This is one of the best overall exercises for your legs and butt muscles:
* Stand with feet 3 to 4 inches apart, with hands on hips. Starting with your right leg, take a giant step forward. Your toes and knee are pointed directly in front of your body.
* Bend your right knee slightly, with your whole foot on the floor. Your left heel lifts up.
* Lower your body straight down from this position. Your front knee must lower down over your ankle, or behind your shoelaces.
* Raise your body and bring your left leg in to return to the standing position.
* Repeat with your left leg. Alternate right and left each time.
CALF RAISES
* Grasp a dumbbell in one hand to side.
* Position toes and balls of feet on calf block with arches and heels extending off.
* Place hand on support for balance. Lift other leg to rear by bending knee.
* Raise heels by extending ankles as high as possible. Lower heels by bending ankles until calves are stretched. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg.
Fuel your workouts, drink plenty of water, and perform exercises that really hit those leg muscles. Before you know it, you'll turn your skinny poles into shapely legs you'll be excited to show off in shorts.
Daryl Bennett is always researching the best ways to lose weight, stay fit, and build muscle. For one of the most proven and time-tested solid workout regimens visit The Law Enforcement Workout website at >> [http://bestbody.50webs.com] Cops know fitness.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Why Train In The Winter
Why train in the winter ?
There are several reasons to train in the winter and here are just a few of them :
To Defend Against Colds and Flu
So according to researchers keeping active can cut the risk of catching flu by 20–30 %. So hit the streets for 45 mins of running daily and you could rid yourself of those blocked up noses and feeling like you just wanna stay in bed.
Layers of clothing are crucial, as you don't want to be seizing up after the first 10 minutes. The extra clothing keeps your muscles warm but be careful not to over heat so wearing something with vents would help keep this in check.
Help Shed That Excess Blubber
Yes that's right, calorie burn in the winter is higher because the body has to expend more energy to stay warm. After warming up try doing a rope jumping routine, skip as fast as you can for a minute, rest for 30 secs and repeat it for 10 – 20 mins or until you have fallen. This will then activate your brown fat which in turn helps burn more lard calories from your lard stores. Just stimulating 85 grams of your brown fat it can help burn 400 – 500 extra calories, so get outside.
Train Your Body To Take In More Oxygen And Use It Efficiently
In Sweden they call this workout the FARTLEK. Nice eh, and consists of this :
10 mins jogging, Sprint for 30 secs, recover for 90 secs, do 3 sets then reduce the recovery by 5 secs until you reach 15 secs, after the last sprint jog for a 10 mins warm down.
This can also help build higher fitness and smash your personal best in the summer.
So get out there in the cold and get training improve your fitness and fight off those winter blues.
I was an ex-serviceman and am now passing on my fitness tips onto others http://exservice29.blogspot.com/
There are several reasons to train in the winter and here are just a few of them :
To Defend Against Colds and Flu
So according to researchers keeping active can cut the risk of catching flu by 20–30 %. So hit the streets for 45 mins of running daily and you could rid yourself of those blocked up noses and feeling like you just wanna stay in bed.
Layers of clothing are crucial, as you don't want to be seizing up after the first 10 minutes. The extra clothing keeps your muscles warm but be careful not to over heat so wearing something with vents would help keep this in check.
Help Shed That Excess Blubber
Yes that's right, calorie burn in the winter is higher because the body has to expend more energy to stay warm. After warming up try doing a rope jumping routine, skip as fast as you can for a minute, rest for 30 secs and repeat it for 10 – 20 mins or until you have fallen. This will then activate your brown fat which in turn helps burn more lard calories from your lard stores. Just stimulating 85 grams of your brown fat it can help burn 400 – 500 extra calories, so get outside.
Train Your Body To Take In More Oxygen And Use It Efficiently
In Sweden they call this workout the FARTLEK. Nice eh, and consists of this :
10 mins jogging, Sprint for 30 secs, recover for 90 secs, do 3 sets then reduce the recovery by 5 secs until you reach 15 secs, after the last sprint jog for a 10 mins warm down.
This can also help build higher fitness and smash your personal best in the summer.
So get out there in the cold and get training improve your fitness and fight off those winter blues.
I was an ex-serviceman and am now passing on my fitness tips onto others http://exservice29.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 7 October 2010
How To Pass The Air Force Physical Fitness Test With Ease
If you're reading this, you probably either want to know what you'll have to do for the air force physical fitness test and/or how to train for it.
This article will cover both.
What Is Involved In The Air Force Physical Fitness Test?
You'll be doing exercises in the following 4 areas: aerobic (running), body-composition, push-ups, and crunches.
Now, you'll be rated on a scale of 1-100, but the trick comes with the age groups. You see, with different age groups comes different demands.
Just to state the obvious, the older you are the less you'll be required to do.
If you want a full list of these ages and the requirements you can visit
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blmalefitness.htm if you're a male and
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blfitfemale.htm if you're a female.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blmalefitness.htm if you're a male and
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blfitfemale.htm if you're a female.
3 Steps To Training For The Air Force Physical Fitness Test
1) The first thing you'll want to do is write down the top grade you can get for each category. For example, 60 pushups would be a perfect 10 for a 20-25 year old.
After you do this, add a few reps and shoot for that. I would personally shoot for 70-75 just to be safe (and maybe impress your future officers).
2) Since you're going to be training to failure during your air force physical fitness test most likely, I would suggest training to failure while you are preparing for the test. However, this is taxing on your body so do not do it everyday. You can try it every other day or ever 2 days, depending on certain factors such as how much you eat, your genetics, etc.
3) The third thing you'll want to do to pass your air force physical fitness test with ease is to start learning how to visualize. It's going to help you tremendously through the grueling workouts the air force will put you through, and it's going to help you reach your goals faster.
The requirements for the air force physical fitness test aren't too hard, but if you're out of shape now they will prove to be a challenge.
Using these 3 techniques, and making sure you prepare in advance, the air force physical fitness test should be a walk in the park for you.
And if you need to lose a lot of weight to make it easier (remember, doing anything with your body will be much easier if you weigh less), there are a large variety of books that are available to help you get a fit body in the shortest amount of time as possible.
Jeremy Reeves believes he's found the best products on the market to help you get in great shape fast. If you're going to start training for the air force physical fitness test, you have to check out the book called "Turbulence Training" that he's reviewed for you on his website - [http://www.fitness-product-reviews.com] |
Thursday, 30 September 2010
HOME WORKOUT- Full Body Workout
Do these exercises 3 times a week, rest for 30 secs between each exercise, do one complete circuit all the way through then rest for 1-2 mins. E.G start with squat thrusts 10 reps then 30 sec rest then Push ups 15 reps etc... step up the reps if you find it easy at first or after the first week.
FULL BODY WORKOUT
Exercise Sets Reps
Jump Squat 3 10-15
Push Up 3 15-20
Pull Up 3 try to aim for
5
Walking Lunges 3 10-15 each leg
Dips 3 10 - 15
Inverted Pull Ups 3 10 - 15
Don't forget to have a 10 mins warm up first e.g 5 mins jog / walk 5 mins warm down shaking your muscles.
This is only a beginners workout.
Good Luck
Monday, 20 September 2010
FORCES FITNESS - ROYAL MARINES
Forces fitness - its's A State Of Mind, the official slogan of the Royal Marines but around camp you may here " Train Hard, Fight Easy ". I'll give you an insight of one day in the Royal Marines that you have to complete before even getting to Lympstone. This is to test your mental aptitude, physical endurance and ultimatley the essential quality of indefatigability.
Up at the crack of Dawn and a nice cold shower to start the day with a boot of an instructor up your arse to make you motor and get outside dressed ready to march to scran ( thats food by the way ).
They tell you to eat but you don't feel like it because of nerves so you force it down anyway, then back to the block to give it a good scrub and check yourself over ready for inspection. If you or the block isn't up to standard ( which you never are ) then get down and kiss the floor because your doing press ups and you do at there pace together. After the cleaning and beasting for being average muster outside for some real physical tests.
Forces fitness starts with the mile and a half squad run at a fairly easy pace to get you warmed up, then your off on your own for the 1.5 miles in under 10 mins or your best effort and boy do they wanna see it. After everyone has finished its a short jog back to the camp ready for the swim. After doing press ups in the changing rooms for being to loud and slow we went out to the pool. In groups of 6 we swam a full length out then back 1/4 of the way to tread water for 2 mins before swimming back and pulling ourselves out of the pool. 2 minutes can feel a long time but if you keep relaxed then you'll be fine. I was surprised at how many people struggled with this and were dragged out of the water by the hoop.
More lectures followed after the swim then we hit the gym, a Bleep Test to start after a brief warm up where you had to achieve level 12 upwards, 60 press ups in 2 mins hitting your partners fist with your chest and your back straight, 60 sit ups in 2 mins with your finger tips on the side of your head touching your knees with your elbows and 6 pull ups done to the instructor telling you when to bend and stretch. All this was done with a few extra press ups and shuttle runs for not being quick enough and not listening to orders, if one person messes up you all get it.
After the gym it was time for some well deserved lunch and boy are you hungry. After feeding yourself up you had a couple more lectures where your trying to keep yourself awake then down to the bottom field that so many people dreaded on camp and why? We were about to find out.
It started pretty relaxed, the instructors joking and showing us how to attack the assault course and heck how we were with heights and ropes, then they hit us first a full length around the assault course as a team, then as individuals, after completing it the second time I was blown out but we hadn't finished. we were beasted up and down this hill crawling in the mud doing burpees, press ups anything they could think of to push us to destruction, they called it last man standing, now I knew what the bottom field was, after a good 30mins of this most of us could hardly walk they stopped and we jogged back to a shower block to get our overalls off and shower before the final lecture and find out our fate if we made it or not.
This was just one day of the PRMC to test your ability to see if you have what it takes to get your Green Beret.
Forces Fitness is different to the Gym sessions so be prepared.
To help you prepare for the weekend click the link below for a training schedule
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/royalmarines/training-tool.html
Up at the crack of Dawn and a nice cold shower to start the day with a boot of an instructor up your arse to make you motor and get outside dressed ready to march to scran ( thats food by the way ).
They tell you to eat but you don't feel like it because of nerves so you force it down anyway, then back to the block to give it a good scrub and check yourself over ready for inspection. If you or the block isn't up to standard ( which you never are ) then get down and kiss the floor because your doing press ups and you do at there pace together. After the cleaning and beasting for being average muster outside for some real physical tests.
Forces fitness starts with the mile and a half squad run at a fairly easy pace to get you warmed up, then your off on your own for the 1.5 miles in under 10 mins or your best effort and boy do they wanna see it. After everyone has finished its a short jog back to the camp ready for the swim. After doing press ups in the changing rooms for being to loud and slow we went out to the pool. In groups of 6 we swam a full length out then back 1/4 of the way to tread water for 2 mins before swimming back and pulling ourselves out of the pool. 2 minutes can feel a long time but if you keep relaxed then you'll be fine. I was surprised at how many people struggled with this and were dragged out of the water by the hoop.
More lectures followed after the swim then we hit the gym, a Bleep Test to start after a brief warm up where you had to achieve level 12 upwards, 60 press ups in 2 mins hitting your partners fist with your chest and your back straight, 60 sit ups in 2 mins with your finger tips on the side of your head touching your knees with your elbows and 6 pull ups done to the instructor telling you when to bend and stretch. All this was done with a few extra press ups and shuttle runs for not being quick enough and not listening to orders, if one person messes up you all get it.
After the gym it was time for some well deserved lunch and boy are you hungry. After feeding yourself up you had a couple more lectures where your trying to keep yourself awake then down to the bottom field that so many people dreaded on camp and why? We were about to find out.
It started pretty relaxed, the instructors joking and showing us how to attack the assault course and heck how we were with heights and ropes, then they hit us first a full length around the assault course as a team, then as individuals, after completing it the second time I was blown out but we hadn't finished. we were beasted up and down this hill crawling in the mud doing burpees, press ups anything they could think of to push us to destruction, they called it last man standing, now I knew what the bottom field was, after a good 30mins of this most of us could hardly walk they stopped and we jogged back to a shower block to get our overalls off and shower before the final lecture and find out our fate if we made it or not.
This was just one day of the PRMC to test your ability to see if you have what it takes to get your Green Beret.
Forces Fitness is different to the Gym sessions so be prepared.
To help you prepare for the weekend click the link below for a training schedule
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/royalmarines/training-tool.html
Saturday, 7 August 2010
How to Lose Stomach Flab in Seven Days
Don't you just hate stomach flabs? Yuch. Disgusting.
You see, I have a preference for tapered shirts that accentuate a V-waist form. It's one of the sexiest looks a guy can have. Check out the ramp models. They all have broad chests and tiny waists (actaully, sick pack abs without flabs)
On the quest to lose stomach flabs and replace them with rock hard abs,
I discovered four killer tips that melted my once rotund stomach into
washboard abs that can pulverize a boulder in a flash.
Tip 1: Walk fast- really fast. Take 40 minutes out of your day to
walk really fast in the morning. Don't run. Just walk rapidly till you can feel the air gushing in and out your lungs.
You see, I have a preference for tapered shirts that accentuate a V-waist form. It's one of the sexiest looks a guy can have. Check out the ramp models. They all have broad chests and tiny waists (actaully, sick pack abs without flabs)
On the quest to lose stomach flabs and replace them with rock hard abs,
I discovered four killer tips that melted my once rotund stomach into
washboard abs that can pulverize a boulder in a flash.
Tip 1: Walk fast- really fast. Take 40 minutes out of your day to
walk really fast in the morning. Don't run. Just walk rapidly till you can feel the air gushing in and out your lungs.
Rapid walking forces the stomach muscles to contract and strengthen. It holds up the intestines and gives the appearance of melting away the flabs.
Tip 2: Kick the starches. Pastas, breads, and rice provide carbos that build up quickly around the waistline. This is a no-no on your quest for six pack supremacy.
Tip 3. Bump up the caffein. Mix a teaspoon of coffee with an eight
once glass of water. Do this three times a day. It skyrockets your
metabolic rate just as much as a $59 bottle ofHydroxycut or Xenadrine
can.
Tip 4. Do the half plate trick. Whenever you eat, fill your plate with everything you'd love to snack on that session. But before you sit down to eat, pour half of that back onto the buffet line. You'll realize how this psychologically makes you feel full- and boosts your discipline.
Joseph Plazo is fanatic about great physique. If you liked this article, you'd love the tips at seven day six pack abs!
Tip 3. Bump up the caffein. Mix a teaspoon of coffee with an eight
once glass of water. Do this three times a day. It skyrockets your
metabolic rate just as much as a $59 bottle ofHydroxycut or Xenadrine
can.
Tip 4. Do the half plate trick. Whenever you eat, fill your plate with everything you'd love to snack on that session. But before you sit down to eat, pour half of that back onto the buffet line. You'll realize how this psychologically makes you feel full- and boosts your discipline.
Joseph Plazo is fanatic about great physique. If you liked this article, you'd love the tips at seven day six pack abs!
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