Archive for January, 2009

There’s an old saying, “If you think it works, it probably will.” In bodybuilding, that may be the most powerful training advice you’ll ever get.

Most of us just go into the gym and lift. What’s wrong with that? Well, nothing, really. But for those who are enamored by “alternative” or “quick fix” training methods, regular lifting with regular rules can be boring – and feel like it’s not netting the results they may be after.

Nothing wrong with trying new routines, cycles, splits, rep and set schemes and frequency/ pace combinations. But not all unconventional routines suit all body types or goals.

The funny thing about unconventional training theories is that they are often so staunchly advocated, you’d swear devotees were actually on to something. Truth is, they may just be on to something for themselves or on to something that partly on target and partly off target.

Here are a few you may have tried or deliberately avoided:

– HIT – Popularized in the 1970s by Arthur Jones of Nautilus, High-intensity training was advocated by many bodybuilders, and has gone in and out of fashion. High intensity training isn’t for everyone though – it is a workout where lifting to failure is an every workout occurrence and where specific lifting speeds and strict form are the areas of focus. Negative reps and static holds are also supposed growth factors. It requires a high calorie diet for growth, and usually a workout partner.

– HST – Lifting with superb form until form begins to deteriorate, it is actually NOT like HIT, because it doesn’t recommend training to failure, merely training to a point where form begins to slip. It actually directs lifters to lift until they have between 1 and 2 reps left in the tank. This method also requires that the lifter eat a much higher caloric diet than normal.

– Mechanical Load Principle – all fiber types participate when muscles are exposed to a heavy enough load. This is contrary to traditional methods that say you must work to momentary failure before all fiber types receive growth stimulus. It supposes that when we expose ourselves to mechanical stress, via heavy loads, that the stress will cause microtraumas which leads to and stimulates growth.

– Frequency Principle – this method supposes that we should create an environment of “chronic loading” – repetition of movements and weight loads – rather than performing infrequent, or acute, loading of the muscle. This means training the full body several times a week.

– Progression Principle – assumes that the mechanical loading of our muscles must increase or progress in a steady manner. That progression, as compared to homeostasis (status quo – sameness) leads to stimulation of muscles into an adaptive phase or response. Ever increasing weights, it supposes, is the way to grow.

– Principle of Strategic Deconditioning – This principle says that we need to set up times of pre-planned non-training (no lifting whatsoever) to allow our muscles to recover fully to grow when we do resume training. Doing this, it supposes, will relieve bodybuilders of any plateaus.

Whether you advocate one of the above methods or principles, or not, here are four good things to remember when composing any routine using any of the above principle or just plain common sense:

1 Keep it short (between 45 to 65 minutes maximum. After 65 minutes, hormonal levels stimulated by weight training (such as testosterone) begin to drop. Training longer than 65 minutes will prevent you from gaining muscle and losing fat, because your body will go into survival/ shut down/ fat hoard mode. It will also prevent you from recovering fast.

2 Rest between sets should be short (90 seconds or less). Keep rest times in between sets and exercises down. It helps you perform enough work to grow, yet minimizes injury and fatigue. It also keeps your cardiovascular system in check and in shape, while optimally stimulating growth hormone output.

3 Sets should be 8 – 15 reps each. You get the best pump in this repetition range. Along with the blood come nutrients that nourish the muscle cells and help them recover and rebuild themselves faster and bigger. You may think low reps benefit your strength gains – and for short periods of time they do – but overall, this rep range helps you repair more rapidly and repair is the name of the game. More reps also means less chance of injury because you aren’t going for the mother load every time. This rep range also promotes fat loss.

4 Training must be varied – Cycle your routines and exercises. Doing the same routine and exercises week in and week out assures zero muscle growth. Cycle periods (3-4 weeks) of high volume (8-15 reps/set) with periods of higher intensity (5-8 reps/set).

Dane Fletcher is the world-wide authority on bodybuilding and steroids. He has coached countless athletes all over the world. To read more of his work, please visit either http://www.BodybuildingToday.com or http://www.SteroidsToday.com

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Cancer is a serious disease in which growths of cells,also called cancers, form in the body and kill normal body cells. This disease often causes death .Examples are lung/breast cancer, cancer of the bowel/stomach,skin cancers ,brain tumor, etc.

The treatments of cancer can be classified into two broad groups- the mainstream approach and the holistic approach.

The mainstream approach uses drugs or chemical agents, radiation and surgery in the treatment of cancer.Though this mode of treatments can be found in most standard cancer treatment centers yet they are bedeviled by a lot of hazards on the part of patients.Drugs use for the treatment of cancer can affect tissues and organs in the body that have no bearing with the disease.In the cause of surgery for cancer, some healthy tissues are lost. Also,during radiation for cancer, some healthy tissues are lost or injured. All these have adverse effect on the entire body system.

Holistic cancer treatment means treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms of the disease. It favors the natural and non-invasive mode of treatments. Examples of these mode of treatments are psychotherapy,eating some particular food items while abstaining from others, use of herbs, religious rituals like praying, emotional control,show of love by people to patients, etc. Since they are holistic in nature, some mainstream approach are allowed though in combination with the above examples of natural treatments which help to lessen the hazardous effects of the former.

There is a surging acceptance of holistic cancer treatments by both medical practitioners and people suffering from the disease. The reasons for this development perhaps have something to do with the advantages these treatments have over the mainstream approach.Some of which are:
1. They are comprehensive, in the sense that, they address a whole-lot of health issues that make people suffer from cancer.
2. They prevent or reduce the poisonous tendency that comes with drug treatment of cancer.
3. By not relying on a single treatment, the chances that the disease will be addressed is increased.

Despite the above advantages of holistic cancer treatments, they are not without some disadvantages.Firstly, the patient will have to commit a significant amount of time, energy and perhaps resources in the cause of his or her treatment. Secondly,the physician will have to take some of his or her precious time to study and understand the nature of each patient’s case in order to be able to prescribe the right medication.

The disadvantages notwithstanding, several holistic cancer treatments have been proven to be more effective than the strict adherence to chemotherapy , radiation and surgery(the mainstream approach) for the treatment of cancer.

http://cancercirclesofhope.com
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As you’ve probably heard or guessed, the number one New Year’s Resolution every year is losing weight. Some of the people may have been dieting previously and are merely continuing with their weight loss goal while others may be starting their diet programs for their first time. Some dieters have a long term goal, while others have a short term weight loss goal.

For instance, someone may have an event coming up in six months so they are hoping to lose 50 pounds by that time. Others, however, may want to lose as much weight as possible in as short amount of time as possible. So, they are in need of fast weight loss tips. How do you choose which diet program is the best suitable for your needs? Review some of the many online diet sights and you’re sure to find some very effective and helpful tips.

Fast weight loss tips review sites will often break down tips into which are myths and which are facts. This is very helpful because you don’t want to be following a regime that you think may be working if it’s just a myth. For every diet and weight loss site you’ll find, you’ll probably also find a new set of “diet rules”. They’ll all promise you fast weight loss or your money back. What you need to be careful of with these “money back guarantees” is that getting your money back isn’t always as easy as it appears.

Their fast weight loss program may turn out to be more involved and difficult than it originally appeared in the advertisement. When you try to get your money back, the diet product company will state it didn’t work because you didn’t follow their instructions to the letter. One of the best fast weight loss tips you can remember is to be very thorough with your research on diet products so you don’t end up with a dozen or more unused and ineffective weight loss products in your home. It is always important to fully understand what the diet program is going to require of you so that you can make the decision about whether you are willing to undertake the requirements. If you are not, keep looking for a diet program that is a better match for your personal habits and weight loss needs.

A fast weight loss tips review will help you to make wise decisions as to what products may work best for you. It will also give you tips on which products are rated the highest based on safety for your health, which are the most affordable as well as which have the highest effectiveness ratings. To save time, money and frustration down the road, always do a fast weight loss tips review before embarking on any new weight loss program, regardless of who recommends the product.

Try a free weight loss reviews site for diet pills & weight loss programs to see what consumers are saying who tried them. Get fast weight loss tips review at http://www.FreeWeightLossReviews.com Dr. Knox Grandison is a physician and has been a wellness and prevention doctor for over 10 years.

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Losing weight is the number one New Year’s resolution made by individuals around the world today. The desire to lose weight may be for health reasons or just to get in shape for a special date or event coming up. Or, people may simply want to improve their physical appearances. Many individuals feeling rushed to drop those extra pounds will turn towards a fast weight loss diet. Fast weight lost diet reviews can help give you a rundown of what to look for and what to avoid.

Fast Weight Loss Diet Concerns

Although many fast weight loss diets can be effective and help you drop those pounds quickly, the biggest concern most people have is that the pounds return almost as quickly as soon as they change their eating habits or discontinue taking some diet supplement they’ve been taking. Seeking the assistance of a doctor or nutritionist proves to be very helpful to many that are trying to lose weight quickly. This may involve going over your eating habits, health concerns and, possibly, working some exercise program into your daily life.

Many individuals, even after seeing a professional, will still want a fast weight loss diet so they can drop the pounds quickly. There are many fast weight loss diets available and many of them have proven to be very successful. Fast weight loss diet reviews can help you to determine which diet is going to work best for you without having harmful results on the body.

The Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet is one fast weight loss diet in particular that has been the topic of much controversy. While one group of dieters swear by Atkins and claim it’s the best thing that ever entered their diet world, others feel it’s very dangerous to your body. The emphasis that the Atkins Diet puts on eliminating carbs from your body while increasing your protein intake is believed, by many, to be harmful. Yet, the Atkins Diet continues to be very popular for dieters wishing to lose weight quickly. And, many people have reported a tremendous amount of success by completing this diet program.

MiracleBurn

MiracleBurn is a fast weight loss diet that ranked very highly among its peers. It’s made with Hoodia Gordonii, Yerba Mate, White Willow Bark, Advantra Z and Chromium. Its main goal and characteristics is that it speeds up your metabolism while it’s suppressing your appetite. Other fast weight loss diets that have been on many fast weight loss diet reviews include Nuphedrine, Hoodiabites, HoodiaP57, Slim Shot Diet, Green Tea 1000, Lipovox to name a few of the most popular.

These are just 2 of the most popular fast weight loss diet programs. There are dozens of others to consider. Take time to read through the reviews of each diet program online so that you can better understand the overall program and the level of results that people obtain from following

Try a free weight loss reviews site for diet pills & weight loss programs to see what consumers are saying who tried them. Get fast weight loss reviews at http://www.FreeWeightLossReviews.com Dr. Knox Grandison is a physician and has been a wellness and prevention doctor for over 10 years.

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If you’re having either sinus headaches or migraines and wondering what is the difference between migraines and sinus headaches, I’ll explain the difference and their symptoms here.

First of all a migraine headache is usually a very intense headache. It can throb on one side of the head or both sides. Migraine sufferers usually feel intense pain in the temples or behind at least one eye or one ear. It can start on one side and spread to the other. Any part of the head can be affected though.

Migraines can also cause nausea and even vomiting sometimes. And usually the migraine sufferer sees spots, flashing lights or other visual disturbances. Some people will even experience a loss of their vision temporarily. Migraine pain can happen at any time throughout the day and many experience it first thing in the morning. The pain is often described as throbbing, pounding or pulsating. It gets worse as the migraine sufferer moves around.

For people who have experienced these headaches they develop a sense that a headache is going to come on through experiencing an “aura”, which is a group of symptoms that occur before the headache that they recognize and serve as a warning that one is going to start.

The pain can continue for up to two days and can reoccur once or twice during the week; others get them only occasionally. They can seriously affect day-to-day activities as one does not know when they’re going to strike. They’re not life-threatening however.

Some other points about migraines are that they affect teens as young as 14 and people in their fifties. They seem to taper off in the golden years. Often there is family history of migraines and women seem to suffer more than men.

The difference between migraines and sinus headaches? Sinus headaches are considered by some experts to be rare. But I know many patients who have suffered with them. Sinus headaches cause pain and pressure in the areas near the four sets of sinuses. Nasal congestion and watery eyes are common. However with migraine these symptoms can occur also.

But you may have a sinus headache even though it is on top of your head and not near the frontal areas where they are more common, because some sinuses are deep in the head.
If you don’t have nausea or sensitivity to light and also have yellow-tinged secretion from your nose then you probably have a sinus headache. The yellowish secretion would indicate a sinus infection even without the headache.

Now you could have a sinus headache and not have a sinus infection. You could have sinusitis which means inflamed OR infected sinuses. So even irritated sinuses could cause a sinus headache but it’s not as common.

I hope this has answered the question “What is the difference between migraines and sinus headaches.” It’s important to determine the difference so you can seek proper treatment. If you have sinusitis, sinus problems or a sinus headache and seeking relief you may want to use natural treatment and remedies to get rid of the headache fast. Antibiotics and many other sinus medications don’t work.

To find out more on how I cured myself of chronic sinus infections naturally forever go to my nurse’s website http://www.SinusCureReport.com for tips, treatments, natural treatments, causes and remedies and info on symptoms, surgery, nasal irrigation, sinus headaches and more!

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Intensity techniques are among the greatest weapons in your arsenal for building a truly astonishing physique. However they are not for everybody. Beginning trainers should definitely NOT use techniques such as these.

Intensity techniques allow you to push beyond conventional failure in order to work your muscles harder, providing an irresistible stimulus for the muscles to get larger and stronger.

Try these techniques in your next workouts. You can even try using several of these techniques in one set if you really want to work yourself hard. Be careful not to overuse them, however, as they can be extremely demanding and difficult for your body to recover from.

1. Triple Drop and Rebound Sets

This is a variation of the Triple Drop Set. The Triple Drop Set is where you start with a heavy weight, do a set to failure, reduce the weight, do another set to failure, reduce the weight a third time and do a final set to failure.

Do the regular Triple Drop Set then quickly go back and do your starting (heaviest) weight again for a more few reps. Usually you will be able to get one or two reps with it. The reason for this is that the last of the drops uses a lighter weight, which recruits different muscle fibers than when you are using heavier weights.

2. Isolation/Compound Rebound Sets

Do a Triple Drop Set of an isolation exercise, e.g. flyes, then immediately go back and use your starting (heaviest) weights for a set of a compound exercise for that muscle group, e.g. dumbell bench press.

This is a type of advanced Pre-Exhaust training. Pre-Exhaust training is when you do an isolation exercise (an exercise that involves motion at only one joint, such as a dumbell flye) immediately followed by a compound exercise (an exercise that involves motion at two or more joints, such as a bench press).

The idea with the Pre-Exhaust training is to basically exhaust your target muscle group (in this case the chest), by first working directly with one exercise, then doing another exercise that utilizes other muscles to assist it.

This increases the intensity of the work done by the chest as the assisting muscles will you allow you to push thechest further.

By utilizing a triple-drop set format for the isolation exercise, you dramtically increase the exhaustion of the target muscle, allowing you to push it extremely hard.

3. Jump Sets

This is a way of doing a large number of heavy sets for several muscle groups without losing as much strength from set to set.

Jump sets are best used on antagonistic bodyparts such as back and chest, biceps and triceps, or hamstrings and quads.

For example, if you plan on doing 5 sets of chin-ups and 5 sets of bench, start with 3 sets of chin-ups, then 3 sets of bench, then go back and do your remaining 2 sets of chin-ups and 2 sets of bench. The extra rest will allow you to be stronger on your last 2 sets than you normally would.

Jumping between antagonistic muscle groups also seems to benefit strength. This can also be done going back and forth on every set instead of groups of sets. This is not a superset – take your normal rest period between each set.

This technique enhances recuperation by providing more rest to the bodyparts but within the same workout time. This allows you to do more weight for each
exercise.

4. 2 Up – 1 Down Negatives

This is a variation of negative training that is best done with machines. Use two arms or legs for the positive phase of the movement then lower it the weight using only one arm or leg.

This type of negative training is useful if you do not have a partner to work with as it is done completely solo.

A good example of this technique is the machine bench press. Set the weight to about half of what you would normally use for the exercise. Press the weight up with both arms then remove one and lower the weight with one arm.

When using this technique, you can alternate arms/legs or do the complete set of reps with the one arm/leg, then the complete set of reps with the other arm/leg.

5. Combination Sets

With this technique, you will use two different exercises alternated with each rep, e.g. lying tricep extensions and close grip bench, dumbell flyes and dumbell press, rows and deadlifts. You should use exercises that are easily switched from to the other within a set.

To take the set even further, when you fail on one exercise, continue with the one you are stronger in until you fail on that one, too. For example, when combining rows and deadlifts, continue with deadlifts after failing on rows. Your legs will help push your back further. This whole technique is like an extended pre-exhaust superset.

6. Rep Targeting

Set a target of a certain amount of reps and get that target of reps no matter how many sets it takes you to get there. For example, if you pick a target of 50 reps on chin-ups, say you get 30 on the first set. Rest a little while, e.g. 10 to 30 seconds. Do another set.

Say you get 10 reps this time. Rest 10 to 30 seconds again. Get 5 reps. Rest. Get 3 reps. Rest. Get 2 reps. Done.

A different version of this is what I call Time Subtraction. The amount of time you rest between sets is the amount of reps you have left to get to your target.

For example, if your target is 50 and you get 30 reps, your rest period is 20 seconds. Say on the next set you get 10 more reps. This leaves you with 10 reps to go so rest 10 seconds then go again. If you get 4 more reps, and you have 6 left, rest 6 seconds.

7. Add Sets

These are the opposite of drop sets. Start with a light weight for high reps and add weight on progressive sets. This works the slow-twitch, higher rep fibers first, then the fast-twitch, powerful fibers.

This technique works very well for calves as they recover very quickly. It also works very well with selectorized machines. You can combine this technique with drops sets, doing add and drop sets or drop and add sets like a pyramid.

8. Static Hold Weight Pyramiding

This technique only works on plate-loaded machines or on a barbell exercise with two spotters.

Start with a moderate weight that you can do a static contraction with for a long period of time. Hold that weight in the contracted position of the exercise you are working, e.g. pec deck.

Have a partner add plates to the machine while you continue to hold in that static position. Keep adding plates (small ones such as 2′s, 5′s, 7′s or 10′s work best, depending on the exercise and your strength levels) until the weight starts to drop. At that point, pull off one plate.

Hold until it starts to drop again. Pull off one plate and hold. You may come to a point where your partner is pulling off weights as fast as he can just to keep up with your lagging strength.

Make sure you have effective communication such as a nod or a grunt when you want the next plate off or on. Continue this process until you end up at your original weight (you can continue to no weight if you want).

This is an incredibly intense static hold and will fatigue pretty much every muscle fiber in the target muscle group except for the explosive ones. To hit them as well, when you are the top of the pyramid using the heaviest weight, do as many partial, explosive reps as you can in the contracted position.

You may also wish to try this technique with a barbell and two spotters. Make sure that they add and remove weights simultaneously in order to allow you to keep the bar balanced.

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of BetterU, Inc. and has been inventing new training techniques and exercises for 17+ years. Nick has written many training books including “Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass” & “Metabolic Surge – Rapid Fat Loss” – http://www.fitness-ebooks.com

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