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Breathing...You Could Be Doing It All Wrong and It Could Be Costing You Results! Breathing is one THE most often overlooked pieces of the puzzle when it comes to weight training...and it can have a tremendous impact on the results you get from your training!
Here's the thing that a lot of people don't know about breathing...different exercises require different breathing strategies.
Yep, how you breathe in a heavy squat is not even close to how you should breathe while doing a pulldown.
So here's a rundown of how to breathe while doing some of the more popular exercises (I will assume your form is generally good - going in depth into proper form for each exercise would make this a book instead of an article!).
** Please note, if you have high blood pressure or any issues with holding your breath (e.g. you easily get light-headed), you'll need to adjust these breathing recommendations accordingly. These instructions (for a few of the exercises, at least) are intended for those who don't have issues with short periods of breath holding.
1. Squats
As you start the descent, inhale deeply so that you complete the inhalation by the time you're about halfway down. Hold your breath from this point on, all the way to the bottom and then about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way as you come back up. Then exhale until you come all the way to the top. The reason you want to hold your breath like this is to maximize the stability of your abdominal region.
Breathing in or breathing out (especially out as you come up out of the very bottom), will destabilize the core area. To maximize strength and power, your muscles need a stable platform to work from. Keeping that solid core will also save your lower back from strain because more tension will held in the abs rather than being forced onto the lower back.
One of the key things I've found in my own squat is that core strength (in the frontal abdominal wall) is a HUGE part of successfully coming out of the bottom. If I breathe out at the bottom, I'm done. But if I save that exhalation until after I get past that point where I need maximum core stability, I'll hit the lift and power through that sticking point.
2. Bench Press
Improper breathing on the bench press is one of THE biggest reasons people are weak on this lift. If you breath wrong, you lose that stability (just like in the squat) and don't provide your body with a solid platform from which to move the weight.
This technique applies to heavier to moderate-weight benching - it's not as critical on the lighter, higher-rep training to follow it as is because the load is a lot less.
Picture yourself at the top of the movement with the barbell locked out. Now lower the bar, inhaling a deep breath as you come down. Here's the key...you should finish taking in that breath by the time you're halfway down (around your sticking point). This is important for torso stability.
Hold your breath during the bottom phase of the movement, just like in the squat. If you start breathing out right at the bottom, you will not only destabilize your torso, which will change the leverage in your shoulders, it'll also sink down your chest and flatten your shoulder blades out (which should be held in tight behind you during the whole movement to maximize leverage).
Once you hit your sticking point THEN start to exhale forcefully through pursed lips. At this point, it's actually good to change the leverage in your shoulders. When the bar is on your chest, it's not good, but when the bar is halfway up, it can give you a little extra leverage to get past that sticking point.
Keep blowing out all the way to lockout. Then you can go right into your next rep or, if you need it, hold that lockout and take in a breath or two before starting the next rep.
3. All Versions of Rows, Pulldowns and Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups
Breathing during back training is, to be honest, completely misunderstood by most trainers...if you have trouble feeling your back while training your back, it's generally your breathing pattern that is messing you up.
You have to breathe BACKWARDS when training back or your lats will never be in a proper biomechanical position to fully engage. I'll explain...
Generally speaking, you're told to exhale on the exertion and inhale on the lowering phase of an exercise.
But here's the thing and where people get confused...in back training, the exertion LOOKS like the lowering phase of the exercise so THAT is when people tend to exhale! Instead, you actually want to INHALE as you perform the exertion. I'll use the pulldown as an example.
When you perform a pulldown, you want to puff your chest to meet the bar and have an arch in your lower back to fully activate the lats. You don't want a flat chest and a vertical torso position.
So when you pull the bar down, that's the exertion. If you exhale (which you normally would do) this actually caves in the chest and straightens out your lower back. The moment this happens, it reduces lat involvement and puts more stress onto other muscles.
Switch things up and INHALE as you're pulling down.
Now as you pull down, your chest is expanding and rising up to meet the bar, which instantly puts the lats in their best possible position to activate.
The difference is instantaneous and HUGE. If you've always had trouble feeling your back work, this will be a big eye-opener for you.
As you let the bar come back on the negative, THAT is when you exhale. It's a bit of a mind-bender the first time you do it...I can promise you it'll make a big difference in your back training.
You'll now just apply that same principle to the rest of your back exercises (except the deadlift, which is a whole different animal...more akin to the squat in terms of breathing). When you row, inhale as you pull the handles or bar into your abdomen. When you chin, inhale as you pull yourself up.
4. Barbell Curls
Another very popular exercise is the barbell curl...you may have heard of it :)
One of the main problems people have in the barbell curl is they are entirely too loose. When doing ANY exercise with moderately-heavy to heavy weight, you should basically "solidify" your body, tightening everything up so that you're operating from a strong, stable base.
Even a barbell curl should be done with a rock-solid body.
So at the bottom of the movement, start by taking in a deep breath, puff your chest up high and get your shoulders back. In my experience, I've found it best to keep your breath held until just after you get past the half-way point of the curl. To get past that sticking point, you need the most stability possible for your levers to operate maximally.
Once you get past that mid-way point, THEN exhale forcefully but not completely. You still need to keep some torso stability for holding the weight at the top of the exercise.
Hold at the top for a moment. At this point you have a choice...you can immediately start lowering the bar and inhale on the way down or you can hold at the top and take a quick breath in and out then inhale on the way down after that.
5. Deadlifts
Proper breathing for the deadlift is very similar to breathing for the squat...you want to have the most stable core at the bottom of the movement. In the case of the deadlift, this is the START of the movement.
So get yourself set up in front of the bar and get ready to lift. It's important to note with the deadlift (and I will include a technique point here because I think it's an important one), don't try and pop the bar off the floor, especially when using heavy weight. You want to SQUEEZE the bar off the floor. A heavy bar has to bend and if you pop it off the floor, the weight will bounce up then down and pull you back down. So get the bend into the bar with your initial lift THEN pull the weight off the floor.
When you first start the lift, you'll want to hold your breath during the first part until around the point where the bar has cleared your knees. I say "around" because if you're using really heavy weight, it may take you a bit of time to get to that point and you may need to start to exhale a bit sooner in the range of motion, i.e. below your knees.
This bottom range is the most vulnerable time for your lower back and you want to keep the greatest stability in your core during that time. So do hold your breath a bit at the bottom...don't start the exhale (through pursed lips, like you're blowing up a balloon) until you get that bar at least a few inches off the ground and moving up.
Keep going to the top, then take a quick breath then lower the weight.
Personally, I prefer to hold my breath on the way DOWN as well, simply because lowering the weight is also a vulnerable time for your lower back, especially as you get near the bottom. So inhale at the top then hold as you get down to the halfway point.
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Conclusion:
Breathing plays a BIG role in proper lifting and in achieving maximum strength. It'll also make your lifting safer and overall, more effective. Give these breathing tips a try in your training and you'll feel the difference immediately!
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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.
Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at http://www.fitness-ebooks.com!
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 14:06:09, Source: (Edit )
"The Best Chest Exercises" Covers and Pictures
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 15:06:44, Source: (Edit )
Got No Chest? How to Feel Your Pecs Actually WORK When You Do Chest Training Note: This article is an excerpt from Nick's new book "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...53 unique exercises and training techniques for the chest. If you're looking to break through a plateau, get some training variety or just have some fun in your training again definitely check this book out!
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=850
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One of the most common training questions I get with regards to chest training is simply not being able to feel the pecs working at all when doing chest exercises!
And when you can't feel the pecs working, you know darn well that actual muscle development is simply NOT going to happen.
So enough about the problem...how do you FIX it?
I've got a number of techniques for you to try out, some of which may work better than others for you.
But they should get you well on your way towards the chest development you're looking for.
1. Pre-Exhaust Training
When performing a movement like the bench press, the pecs are definitely involved but can be easily pushed into a secondary role by the front delts and the triceps.
So instead of doing a regular bench press movement, you will instead do 6 to 8 reps of dumbell flyes (an isolation movement for the chest) THEN immediately go right to the bench press.
The idea here is to "pre-exhaust" your pecs so that when you do the bench press, your pecs are the weakest link and the shoulders and triceps then push the chest harder than it would normally be pushed.
When you have to stop, it's going to be pec fatigue that ends the set while the shoulders and triceps are still relatively fresh.
2. Feeling The Flye
Now, the pre-exhaust training is all well and good...but what if you can't feel your pecs even doing FLYES? Pre-exhaust won't be much help.
The first thing you need to do is get off the flat bench and onto a Swiss Ball.
Get into position on the ball and wrap your entire back AROUND the ball. Don't just put your shoulders on the ball and keep your body straight, like many people are taught with the ball.
To get the most out of flyes, you need to open up your rib cage and get your shoulders back (which helps focus the tension on the pecs instead of the shoulders).
The ball is PERFECT for this position. So lay back on the ball, wrap your back around it and consciously force your shoulders back and down.
THEN do a dumbell flye.
Imagine on the way down like you're trying to push your chest up to the ceiling. And imagine on the way up that you're wrapping your arms around a big tree.
When doing flyes, don't hold the dumbells perfectly parallel to each other...hold them at about a 45 degree angle to your body (thumb end in closer to the head - pinky side outwards). This takes stress off the shoulders and helps keep tension on the pecs.
3. Tilt the Dumbells
When doing dumbell presses (either on the ball or the bench), tilt the dumbells down and in...if the dumbells were pitchers or water, it would look like you're pouring them on yourself.
This tilt (and make sure and keep that tilt through the whole exercise) keeps tension on the pecs. If you keep them horizontal or tilting outwards, the tension goes to the shoulders.
4. Concentration Flyes
These are done standing, in a bent-over position, with light weight. They're a great exercise for developing that "feel" in the chest. They won't build a chest - just assist in getting that connection.
Grab the dumbell and bend over a bit.
Now, keeping your arm slightly bent but stiff (no movement other than at the shoulder), bring the dumbell up and across your body as though trying to touch it to your opposite shoulder.
Because your arm is hanging down and the dumbell is coming across your body, it takes the front delt pretty much completely out of it, forcing the pec to do all the work. Hold at the top and SQUEEZE the pec hard.
Remember to go light on this one - it's not about building but developing that mind-muscle connection. And be absolutely sure you're NOT bending your elbow - the movement must occur only at the shoulder.
5. The Rolled-Up Towel Trick
This is a technique I came up with to force the shoulders down and back (as I mentioned with the flyes above) and get the pecs involved in the bench press. This is done on the flat bench.
Roll up a towel and lay it lengthwise down the centerline of the bench. Set it on the bench right between where your shoulder blades will be. Your head should be on a flat section and your butt should be on a flat section.
Lay down on the bench, feeling the towel run right down your spine. This elevation immediately forces your shoulders back and down (the proper position for benching and feeling it in your chest).
It's not particularly comfortable but it's a great teaching tool to force your body into the proper position.
6. Stop Trying To Go So Heavy
Half the time, you're probably just trying to go too heavy on the chest exercise and you just lose the feel for the exercise. Back off on the weight and feel the pecs working rather than focusing on blasting up the weight.
When you load the exercise heavy, your body immediately turns to its strongest movers. If your chest isn't part of that A team, it won't be called upon.
7. Don't Grip So Hard
One of the things I've noticed with chest exercises is that the harder you grip the bar/handles, the more the tension gets moved to the shoulders and triceps.
Try easing up on your grip a little - not to the extent that you make the exercise dangerous, but back off on the death grip and see if you feel a difference.
8. "Shocking" High-Rep Training
This is best done on the very first set of your workout with NO warm-up. You're going to just be using a moderate weight, so don't worry about not doing a huge warm-up. If you have a decent amount of training experience, you'll be just fine.
We're going to literally "shock" your chest muscles into responding here. Load the bar with (or select dumbells) a weight you'd normally be able to get about 12 to 15 "strict" reps in your regular workout.
Now lay down and CRANK OUT as many reps as you can with that weight as fast as you possibly can. Don't worry if your form isn't perfect...just hammer the reps out.
And when I say crank, I mean CRANK...don't bounce the bar off your chest or anything but you must quite simply EXPLODE out of the bottom of every single rep...and don't even think about slowing down to get the negative.
The idea here is very rapidly call upon every available muscle fiber worked by that exercise to contribute an emergency situation, especially the power-oriented type 2 muscle fibers.
And this emergency idea is why you're not going to do a warm-up...we want it to be a TRUE emergency situation where you go from zero to kablammo!
ONE set of this is all you need. Because once you do that first set, not only will the entire area be fatigued, you won't be able to get nearly as many reps and it won't have the same emergency effect on your body.
9. Static Contraction Holds and Pushes
This can be done on almost ANY chest exercise...though it doesn't work too well on dumbell flyes or presses. It works best on cable crossovers or pec deck, where the tension is greatest at the top, when the arms are close together. It's also pretty good on barbell bench.
A straight static hold means just hold that contracted position for as long as you possibly can. Then fight the negative all the way to the bottom.
This systematically exhausts all the muscle fibers of the chest AND gives you time to really get your mind into the muscle, shifting your arm and body position during the hold until you really feel it targeting the pecs. By taking this time, you get to feel what you don't normally get during a standard exercise.
And those pushes I mentioned?
As you're holding that static contraction, have a partner push down on the weight stack (if you're on a pec deck). Just a quick push is all you need. This sets off a stretch reflex in the pecs, activating even more muscle fibers. It's basically another emergency situation.
When using cable crossovers, have your partner put their hands in between yours and push outwards really quick. If you're doing a static hold in the top position of the barbell bench, have them push down on the bar really quick while you maintain the hold.
A couple of these pushes is all you need.
10. Cable or Band Push-Ups
This technique combines two type of resistance - a bodyweight push-up and direct outwards-pulling resistance of cables or bands. When you put them together, it's CRAZY how much tension you'll get on your pecs.
(spoiler alert - this is an exercise taken directly from Nick's book!)
It's like combining a static hold with a dynamic exercise - two types of tension, both targeted on the pecs.
For the cable version, set two handles on the low pulleys and use a light weight. Kneel down holding both handles.
Now set your fists on the floor in the push-up position. Straighten out your body and start doing push-ups.
The cables will be trying to pull your hands directly out to the sides. Your pecs have to fight this outwards-pulling tension. When you add in the push-ups, you'll feel these even more in the chest than you usually would, simply because your pecs are ALREADY working by holding the cables in place.
It's a two-for-one exercise that will light up your pecs FAST.
You can easily accomplish the same thing with bands by hitching a couple of bands to solid objects out to the sides of you. The just hold the bands in your fists or loop around your wrists, make sure you get tension in them, then do the push-ups.
YOUR CHEST WILL BE TOAST...
I have to say, if you've not really felt your pecs before, these techniques should get you seriously moving in the right direction. I would recommend taking a few "chest" days and just trying all these techniques to see which ones work best for you.
Nick Nilsson, also known as the "Mad Scientist of Exercise," has been training and innovating unique and powerful new exercises and training techniques for more than 18 years. He's published 9 books on weight training, including his most recent - "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
Visit his site now to learn more about how this book can take your chest development and pressing strength to a whole new level AND grab your FREE sample chest exercises!
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 15:06:29, Source: (Edit )
How To Do The Perfect Bench Press Rep Note: This article is an excerpt from Nick's new book "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...53 unique exercises and training techniques for the chest. If you're looking to break through a plateau, get some training variety or just have some fun in your training again definitely check this book out!
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=850
The Flat Barbell Bench Press is one of the most popular exercises in the gym, yet how many people know the most important techniques for maximizing strength and power during each rep?
In this article, you will find solid tips without the fluff. These tips will instantly help you to improve your bench press RIGHT NOW! You don't need any special equipment to use these techniques, just a willingness to learn.
1. The perfect bench press rep starts without any weight on the bar.
Why no weight? The first thing you need to do is determine your proper hand spacing on the bar.
Lie down on the bench and unrack the bar as you normally would. Lower the bar to your chest and have a partner take note of the orientation of your forearms. For optimal power, your forearms should be as close to vertical at the bottom of the rep as possible. Adjust your grip accordingly and take note of where your hands are in relation to the smooth rings on the Olympic bar.
The reason for this is simple: if your hands are placed wider, some of your pushing power will be expended pushing outwards rather than upwards. If your hands are placed closer, power is expended pushing inwards. When your forearms are vertical, the vast majority of your power goes to pushing the bar directly up.
2. Now that you have your grip properly positioned, put some weight on the bar.
Lay back on the bench and plant your feet firmly on the floor. Your knees should bent at about an 80 degree angle (I will explain the reason for this later - this tip has an accompanying picture). DO NOT place your feet up on the bench. You will lose stability and potential power by doing this.
Place your hands on the bar in the grip width that you determined previously.
A technique that I like to use to lock my shoulders into the position for maximum strength and stability is as follows:
Instead of placing your palms on the bottom of the bar, place them on the back of the bar (this tip also has an accompanying picture).
Now, without removing your grip, rotate the bar down so that your palms are now directly under the bar. This has the effect of placing your shoulders into their most stable and strong position. It will almost feel as though you are "locking down" your shoulders.
As you are rotating the bar and locking down your shoulders, lift your torso slightly off the bench and force your shoulder blades together tightly underneath your torso.
This will force your shoulders back and puff your chest out, placing the pectorals in a position where they have a more effective line of pull. It also has the added bonus of making your torso thicker, reducing the distance you need to press the weight.
These pictures illustrate the shoulder-locking tip that is done just before lifting the weight off the racks.
At the start, the hands are placed on the back of the bar rather than the bottom of the bar.
Before you begin the rep, rotate the bar so that your hands are under the bar.
This movement "locks" in the shoulder joints, placing them in a more stable position.
Keep your shoulder blades squeezed tightly behind you for the duration of the set.
3. Remove the bar from the racks and tighten up the muscles of your torso.
Begin lowering the bar under complete control to a point at the bottom of your sternum (about even with the bottom of your sternum, a.k.a. the breastbone). Imagine as though your muscles are springs storing up all the energy of the weight lowering and getting ready to explode it all back out. Inhale as you lower the bar and feel it tightening up your chest.
Lightly touch the weight to your chest. DO NOT bounce the weight off your chest! This can cause injury in the form of cracked ribs or even snapping the tip of the sternum (a little bony protrusion known as the Xiphoid Process). It also diffuses the tension you've built up in the pectorals, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise for building strength and muscle mass.
4. As you start to change the direction of the bar and begin the press up, drive with the legs.
This is a technique that most trainers do not know about. It's strange to think about it but your leg power can actually help you bench press more weight!
This technique should be practiced with an empty bar before attempting it during a regular set. Start by planting your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent about 80 degrees. This angle is very important as it is what allows you to push with your legs.
Lower the empty bar to your chest. The moment you start to push the bar back up, push hard with your legs as though you are trying to slide your body up the bench.
With an empty bar you probably will be able to slide yourself up the bench. When you have a loaded bar, however, the weight will keep you from sliding and the pushing power from your legs will get transferred through your body and into pushing the bar up.
This is what's known as driving with your legs. It can really beef up your power out of the bottom of the rep.
5. Exhale forcefully through pursed lips as you continue to push the weight up.
This will help maintain your torso stability better than simply exhaling all at once.
Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor even if you start to struggle with the weight. The moment you lift your feet off the floor, you break your base of power and the odds of you completing the lift diminish greatly.
If you have a tendency to shift your feet around, try placing 2.5 pound plates on your feet. This is not to weigh your feet down but to help you be more aware of what is happening with your feet. If a plate falls, your foot has moved. Strive to keep those plates in place.
The bar should follow a slight backwards arc as you press it up, moving from your lower rib cage to over your face at the end of the rep.
Be aware of your sticking point and try to drive the bar through it rather than letting the bar slow down as you come up to it. There are many training methods for working on sticking points that I will delve into in a future article.
6. Power the weight up to lockout. You have just completed the perfect rep! Now do it again!!
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Using these techniques can add immediate poundage to your bench press. Your chest will thank you for it!
Nick Nilsson, also known as the "Mad Scientist of Exercise," has been training and innovating unique and powerful new exercises and training techniques for more than 18 years. He's published 9 books on weight training, including his most recent - "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
Visit his site now to learn more about how this book can take your chest development and pressing strength to a whole new level AND grab your FREE sample chest exercises!
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 15:06:57, Source: (Edit )
Power Rack Weighted Push-Ups - An Easy Way To Get MORE Out Of the Push-Up Note: This exercise is an excerpt from Nick's new book "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...53 unique exercises and training techniques for the chest. If you're looking to break through a plateau, get some training variety or just have some fun in your training again definitely check this book out!
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=850
This exercise is a GREAT way to add resistance to the push-up and get the bodyweight-exercise benefits of the push-up.
If you can do more than 15 reps of push-ups, they won't build a whole lot of muscle. But when you add significant resistance, they can be even better than heavy bench press for adding mass and strength. Moving your body through space means greater muscle fiber activation and greater functional strength.
This setup allows you to easily add as much (or as little) weight as you want to the exercise! (and it beats trying to find a person to sit on your back).
First, you'll need a power rack - set one safety rail near the very bottom (this is where your feet will be placed - maybe one or two notches up) and one about 2 to 3 feet or so off the ground (this is where your hands go).
If you don't have a rack but have a Smith machine or other adjustable-height bar setup, you can very easily use this exercise as well...just set the Smith bar higher and set your your feet on a bench or other low object. The reason you'll need to get your feet up is that otherwise the plates are probably going to hit the floor at the bottom of the rep.
To add weight, you'll need a dip belt - I'm using 90 lbs on the belt in the demo here. Start by getting the weight around your waist.
** Now here's the trick...you won't be leaving the weight on your waist. Instead, squat down and rest the weight plates on the ground - now slide the belt up to your mid-back. This will place it closer to your chest and shoulders and take any potential stress off the lower back during the exercise.
Basically, you're putting the weight closer to where your body is supporting it so that you're not putting pressure on the lower back.
Set your hands on the higher rail - right out to the sides near the uprights (or wherever is comfortable to you for a push-up).
Now step back and put your feet up on the lower safety rail. Your body should be in a pike position (slightly bent at the waist) - this will be the easiest on your lower back. At the top of the exercise, notice how my back is almost horizontal - these two things (along with the belt being higher up on my back) make this easy on the lower back. The pike position really takes the stress of the back and puts it on the chest.
Lower yourself down to the bottom of the push-up position then push back up, just like you were doing a regular push-up on the floor!
Because you're able to add pretty much as much weight as you like or need, this is a VERY useful exercise. If you ever can't complete a rep, all you have to do is step down and you're done. This makes it an ideal way to really work the push-up hard and get the "bodyweight exercise" benefits of the push-up while still getting the "progressive resistance" benefits of a free weight exercise.
Now check out the video!
[if you'd like to send people through an affiliate link to the video directly on YouTube, use this link, or just use the embed code below to post right on your site]
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<object width="425" height="344">
Nick Nilsson, also known as the "Mad Scientist of Exercise," has been training and innovating unique and powerful new exercises and training techniques for more than 18 years. He's published 9 books on weight training, including his most recent - "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
Visit his site now to learn more about how this book can take your chest development and pressing strength to a whole new level AND grab your FREE sample chest exercises!
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 15:06:06, Source: (Edit )
Lying Side Dumbell Flyes For Maximum Chest Contraction and Sharp Chest Cleavage
Note: This exercise is an excerpt from Nick's new book "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...53 unique exercises and training techniques for the chest. If you're looking to break through a plateau, get some training variety or just have some fun in your training again definitely check this book out!
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=850
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If you're training with just free weight, it can be tough to find an exercise that really targets the inner pecs to get that pec cleavage thing going. This one is all about hitting that peak contraction position that really targets the inner pec area.
THIS exercise gets around the problem of having no cable equipment to hit that inner chest area by using just a dumbell and a bench...it's all about how you position your body.
And that's pretty easy, too. You just lie on your side on the bench with your shoulder off the end, holding the dumbell in one hand. You should be far enough up on the bench that your arm is hanging off the end, i.e. the end of the bench is a few inches from your armpit. You'll see this best in the video below.
To perform the movement, keeping your elbow slightly bent but LOCKED (this is not a curl!), you bring the dumbell up and around in front of you until it's even with your other shoulder.
As you bring the dumbell up and around, try to imagine like you're scooping out a bowl. When you get to the TOP, imagine like your trying to push that dumbell up towards the ceiling.
Hold that top position for a few seconds on each rep and SQUEEZE the crap out of your pec.
Because you're lying on your side, you won't get much resistance at the bottom but you will get a HUGE contraction at the top.
Be sure to start out lighter than you think you'll need to with this one. I'm using a 25 lb dumbell in the demo here - it's more about feel than weight. The leverage is not great but the effect on the chest IS, when you get that squeeze going.
Perform all your reps on one side then switch over to your other side.
This one is great for carving up the chest - it's not a "building" exercise but a "definition" type of exercise (i.e. it's not going to burn fat directly from the chest but it will help improve the overall appearance of the pecs by helping fill out the inner area and increasing muscle density from the squeezing).
The other great thing about this one is something I mentioned above...the ability to hit the inner chest without having access to a cable setup or a pec deck machine. All you need is a dumbell and a bench...and honestly, if you're in a hotel room, use your bed as a bench and your luggage for resistance!
[if you'd like to send people through an affiliate link to the video directly on YouTube, use this link, or just use the embed code below to post right on your site]
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Nick Nilsson, also known as the "Mad Scientist of Exercise," has been training and innovating unique and powerful new exercises and training techniques for more than 18 years. He's published 9 books on weight training, including his most recent - "The Best Chest Exercises You've Never Heard Of"
Visit his site now to learn more about how this book can take your chest development and pressing strength to a whole new level AND grab your FREE sample chest exercises!
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 15:06:44, Source: (Edit )
"Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass" Covers
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 16:06:36, Source: (Edit )
Suggested Subject Lines Nick Nilsson is having the "worst" sale EVER...
Body:
Yep, it's true, Nick Nilsson is having the worst sale EVER on his Muscle Explosion book. Ordinarily, one would think that he'd want to have a really GOOD sale, but not Nick! :)
I'll give you the rundown on the sale first, then tell you more about the book below, if you're interested (it's a SERIOUSLY powerful muscle and strength-building program, just fyi).
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Here's the link, if you just want to go check it out now:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=700
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So here's the deal...right now, the book is priced at $27. For this big sale, the price is staying at $27 all week. On Friday, at midnight, he's going to raise it through the roof...all the way to $29.95.
So if you don't act fast, you could end up paying an extra $2.95.
Of course, if you DO wait until the price skyrockets that 3 bucks, you're going to miss out on the limited-time bonuses he's throwing in for this week only. Your call.
He's including:
1. The Best Ab Exercises You've Never Heard Of - Core Strength Edition
This book is FULL of exercises designed to target only core strength (shocker there), helping you develop steel girder strength throughout your abdominal area, which will come in VERY handy with the Muscle Explosion program, believe me.
2. Top Secret Arm Training
Since Nick started training 18 years ago, he's been keeping journals, recording all his exercise notes, tips and techniques. They're like his "mad scientist" lab books and this one is all about arm training...biceps, triceps and forearms. This is raw stuff...no pictures or video but a TON of training info without an ounce of fluff.
3. Top Secret Chest Training
Same deal as #2 but with chest exercises and training techniques. It's like distilling YEARS of training experience into a neat package that you can print out, take to the gym and totally freak everybody out with.
So those are the limited-time bonuses that disappear at midnight on Friday, along with the jacking up of the price by 3 bucks. Go here now to get your stuff:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=700
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About Muscle Explosion
If you're not familiar with Muscle Explosion and you're interested in massive increases in muscle in very short periods of time (how does 5 to 10 lbs in 4 weeks sound?), you're in for a treat...
...Because this program is designed to literally FORCE your body to add muscle mass and gain strength in order to survive.
And yeah, that sounds ominous, but just wait till you see Week 2 of the program...
Nick will be giving you a full rundown of the program live Wednesday night, in a complimentary teleseminar about the Muscle Explosion program. He will also have an open Q & A session where he'll answer your questions about the program and about muscle and strength-building in general. He'll be doing it on my own, so there'll be nobody else to interrupt any rants or tangents he might go off on :)
Here's the call-in info for when the teleseminar starts (you can listen on the phone or online from anywhere in the world) and the page where you can submit your questions:
Title: Muscle Explosion Teleseminar
To attend, visit:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=707
I'll tell you right up front, this is a very tough program, and definitely not for beginners. He originally designed it to push himself to the limit to see how much muscle he could gain in 4 weeks. He worked in all the most POWERFUL mass-building tricks he knows into this program. When you put them all together in a synergistic, targeted fashion (training, nutrition and supplementation), the results are downright STUNNING.
Check this out:
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"I finished the last workout of 'Muscle Explosion' yesterday. I've gained close to ten pounds during the month of workouts
Nick, you're really on to something here. I don't think I could personally continue at this intensity week after week, but what a fantastic growth spurt method .
I love the way you're 'pushing the envelope' and refining and advancing the art and science of natural bodybuilding. You don't just rehash the great ideas, you turbo-charge them!
- Tim Lauber
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Anyway, that's all for now.
And yeah, he's got samples on that plage...so check it out now:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=700
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Resource by Nick Nilsson at 2010-06-23 16:06:33, Source: (Edit )
Training on the Edge - Learn How Overtraining on Purpose Can Get You Maximum Results FAST!
By Nick Nilsson
We've always been told that it's bad to overtrain. Guess
Overtraining is NOT evil. Overtraining can be exactly what you need to achieve continuous and rapid results in your training.
But first, what is overtraining? Overtraining is, most simply, training too much. Your body is unable to recover from the volume or frequency of training and begins to break down. You not only lose motivation to train, you become more susceptible to injury and illness, and you may even start to go backwards in your training, getting smaller and weaker on almost a daily basis.
So how can overtraining possibly be good for you? I'll tell you.
It all begins with the incredible adaptive power of your body. As you become more advanced in weight training, you will generally notice that you cannot make consistent gains for a long period of time on one training system. Your body quickly adapts to whatever training system you're using and hits a plateau. To get around this, it's usually recommended that you change your program every three to six weeks.
The question now is how to use this adaptive ability to your advantage.
It's really quite simple. You gradually build up to a state of temporary overtraining, then, when you're overtrained and your adaptive processes are working to their fullest capacity for recovery, you back off. This backing off results in what is called overcompensation.
Imagine you're driving a car and climbing a hill with the gas pedal to the floor. You're giving it everything you've got but you're still going up slowly. This is similar to overtraining. When you reach the top, the going gets a lot easier. If you keep the gas pedal on the floor when you go over the top and head down, you're going to go a lot faster very quickly. This is overcompensation and this is where the results are.
On a normal program, you work a bodypart, it becomes temporarily weaker, then becomes stronger as it overcompensates so you can lift more next time. What a normal program does on a small, local basis, this overtraining program does on a full body, systemic basis.
Sound good? We're not done. Now we're going to harness the power of overtraining by using what I call "Controlled Overtraining." This style of training is also known as "Accumulation and Intensification."
The overtraining or ramping phase of this Controlled Overtraining style of program lasts three weeks, which is about the time it takes the body to adapt to a training program. It then backs off to a relatively easy phase for three weeks.
I'll give you an example of this type of propram with some numbers so you can see exactly how it works.
Let's say you start out doing 3 sets for each bodypart the first week. You'll then do 4 sets the second week, and 5 sets the third week. While you're increasing the volume (number of sets), you're simultaneously decreasing the rest period. For example, week 1, you'll use 90 seconds rest. Week 2, you'll use 60 seconds rest. Week 3 you'll use 45 seconds rest.
This gradually builds you up to overtraining and THAT is where we back off.
For the next three weeks, you then decrease the sets and reps and increase the rest periods. This allows you to recover from the overtraining and take advantage of the overcompensation that occurs when the body is still working at dealing with the hard work and then you cut the hard work. Though it may feel like you're hardly doing anything at all, you should see some great results.
For example, you'll reduce the number of sets back down to three per bodypart and increase rest periods to two minutes. During this phase, you could also decrease your rep ranges so you're using heavier weight and focusing more on strength. You can see some BIG TIME results during this phase!
Continue this lower-volume training for at least three weeks. If, at the end of those three weeks, you are still making progress, keep going! Don't cut yourself off from any results. This phase could last as long as 6 weeks or more. When you start to slow down, however, it's time to ramp back up to overtraining. Keeping up this cycling of volume and intensity is a strategy that gives consistent results over long periods of time.
As you can see, overtraining is not always the horrible thing it's often made out to be. Training on the edge is where the real results are. Those who shy away from it will never make as good of progress as those who embrace it!
This type of "Controlled Overtraining" is an integral part of my Mad Scientist Muscle program.
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=900
During each unique cycle of the program, I take you through 3 weeks of ramping up...accumulation...using a different volume-based training style.
After that, you'll go directly into a lower-volume, higher-intensity style of training paired specifically with the training style you just finished to deliver maximum gains and taking full advantage of the increased "revvs" your body is experiencing in metabolism.
This program delivers BIG results in a "controlled overtraining" framework.
If you're interested in more detailed information about this type of training and learning how you can use specific training methods to literally CHANGE your body's physiology to better support muscle growth, you can grab a FREE copy of my report "2 Simple Rules to DOUBLE Your Muscle-Building Results" here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=901
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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including his latest book "Mad Scientist Muscle", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.
You can learn more about his latest book "Mad Scientist Muscle" here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=900
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Resource by Anonymous at 2011-04-09 14:04:13, Source: (Edit )
Why You Need to Do a LOW-Calorie Diet If You Want to Build Maximum Muscle
By Nick Nilsson
This is going to sound strange but when you're trying to build muscle, I HIGHLY recommend doing a strategic low-calorie diet on a regular basis.
Why low-calorie dieting for MUSCLE?
There are several reasons...
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1. Appetite
First, I've found that eating large amounts of food for long stretches of time tends to diminish your enthusiasm for eating large amounts of food for long stretches of time :)
When your appetite drops, you're not going to be able to eat as much without forcing yourself to, and therefore, your overall calorie intake can potentially be diminished. I can tell you from experience, if you eat a LOT all the time, you do get tired of eating. This is a way to fix it and hit the "reset" button on your appetite, which is going to pay off when you go back to eating more again.
2. Digestive System Overload
The digestive system can be overworked if you demand too much of it with no break. By constantly hammering the digestive tract with piles of food, you're basically grinding down it's capacity to digest and absorb nutrients.
So even if you're eating a lot of food, you may not even be getting the nutrition you THOUGHT you were out of it!
3. Rebound Weight Gain
Strategic periods of low-calorie eating sets up a rebound effect when you go back to higher-calorie eating. Basically, by taking a few days easy and not eating much, you're going to be creating momentum for when you go back to eating more again.
Think of the yo-yo diet thing, only with exercise. A short diet will give you the benefits of rebound weight gain without the detrimental effects of long-term low-calories eating and muscle loss.
4. Insulin Sensitivity
By managing insulin levels (via low-glycemic or low-carb dieting), you can help help improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone...in fact, it's CRITICAL for building muscle because it signals the muscle cells to take in nutrients and unlocks the cellular "doors" to let nutrients in (like a bouncer at a bar).
Here's the thing...if insulin levels are too high for too long, your body develops resistance to insulin, which is a potential problem with long-term heavy eating of carbs, typical of a weight-gain diet. By backing off on food and carbs for a few days, you give your body a chance to restore some insulin sensitivity.
5. Keeping Bodyfat in Check While Building Muscle
One of the biggest problems people encounter with weight gain diets is gaining weight. I'll be more specific...gaining FAT. Few people train hard to get fatter (nobody I know!). This type of staggered-calorie eating is an excellent way to keep bodyfat from climbing too high on a muscle-building, higher-calorie diet.
It gives you the majority of your days in a surplus-calorie state with just a few days in a negative-calorie state. Those negative calorie days can have a big impact on minimizing fat gain. I can't say you won't gain ANY fat...that'll depend on other factors. But it's going to give you a much better shot at keeping bodyfat from climbing too high.
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How to Do It
I'll give you an example from myself. I'm currently doing my Mad Scientist Muscle program.
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=900
In that program, I include weekend dieting...2 days of low-carb eating in this case. So basically, it's 5 days of high-calorie eating then 2 days of low-calorie eating.
I don't do any training on the low-calorie days, which minimizes any chance of muscle breakdown. As I mentioned, it's low-carb so insulin levels are basically zero.
This sets up a nice rebound effect both from insulin and from increase calorie load the following week (if you don't want to do low-carb, you don't have to...low-calorie eating in general will give you great benefits as well).
I've noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference in how well this strategy works, as compared to straight-through higher-calorie eating. I actually find I build muscle and gain weight EASIER when I do two days of low-calorie eating every week because of this rebound effect.
Plus, I keep bodyfat levels lower, which is great. To give you an idea, in the past 5 months, I've gone from 188 lbs in bodyweight to 217 lbs in bodyweight. I'm not shredded by any stretch, but I can still see a decent six-pack...which is not bad for having gained almost 30 pounds in 5 months!
It's definitely something I would recommend you give a try, especially if you're keen on increasing muscle mass while keeping bodyfat in check.
The base nutritional strategy of Mad Scientist is all about cycling of calories. It really provides a nice alternative to constant high-calorie loads on the body while actually delivering even BETTER results than you could achieve with high-calories alone!
You can read more about Mad Scientist Muscle here...
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=900
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If you're interested in more detailed information about this type of eating strategy and learning how you can use specific training methods to literally CHANGE your body's physiology to better support muscle growth, you can grab a FREE copy of my report "2 Simple Rules to DOUBLE Your Muscle-Building Results" here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=901
------------------
Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including his latest book "Mad Scientist Muscle", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.
You can learn more about his latest book "Mad Scientist Muscle" here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?XXXXX/betteru&l=900
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Resource by Anonymous at 2011-04-09 14:04:32, Source: (Edit )
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