Whether you want to tone and define weak arms so that you can wear something sleeveless with confidence or you want to increase muscle mass, working the muscles in the front and back of the upper arms will help you get there.
Most people new to bodybuilding pay a lot of attention to building big arms, sometimes to the point of overtraining. Don't forget, the arm muscles are brought into play during most exercises aimed at other body parts so care must be taken not to overdo things.
Having said that, the arms are complex body parts in their own right and deserve a properly focused exercise program. In basic terms the arm consists of three main muscle groups:
1. Biceps brachii - two muscles at the front upper arm that run from the elbow to the shoulders.
2. Triceps brachii - three muscles at the rear upper arm that run from the elbow to the shoulder.
3. Forearm - several smaller muscles that run from the elbow to the wrist.
We're really stuck on wanting to look good and that's alright, but it's really one goal of the arm exercise benefits. "Exercise is a body tune-up, and if we're keeping our body exercised, we're keeping it tuned just like a car." When working the arms, be sure to balance the body.
We tend to make the mistake of exercising only our show muscles. And that is actually an imbalanced program. We pay too much attention to the muscles in front of our body and not enough attention to the back of the body.
On the most basic level, this doesn't build the whole muscle.
The reality is, if you want big arms, you've got to work both sides of the arms. When someone flexes their biceps, it's the whole arm that's working. The triceps are a part of that.
You should vary your grip and width when performing not only these exercises, but all others. Why? Consider the barbell curl as an example. Most guys tend to use a wider grip, which works the short head of the biceps on the inside of the arm, while forgoing a narrow grip, where the biceps' long head is emphasized. When someone who does this places his hands on his hips, the long head on the outside of his arm is usually small and disproportionate compared to the inner arm. By using the same grip or width all the time, you create an imbalance in size and strength.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Stretching For Health
Lack of flexibility is now seen to be a major cause of general health problems and sports injury and is being linked to everything from stress. back pain, and even osteoarthritis. It also means that nagging injuries, especially around your joints take longer to heal.
Latest studies show that up to 60 percent of the general population with bad backs and knees have tight hamstrings and hips and the main cause is a lack of flexibility.
Active-Isolated Stretching (AI)
Olympians have been employing Active-Isolated Stretching (AI) now for about 10 years, but it has only recently been brought to the public’s attention.
I have used this technique on my clients for quite a while now with great success, while adding renewed life and spring to tired out muscles. AI stretching prevents injury, as conventional stretching can cause real harm such as muscle pulls and tears.
AI stretching does what stretching is supposed to do; it transports oxygen to sore muscles and quickly removes toxins so recovery is faster. It also works as a deep massage technique because it activates muscle fibres during the actual stretch.
How to Stretch
Before stretching, dress in loose clothing and try and acquire a five-foot length of rope and tie a loop in the end. The purpose of this is to loop the end of rope around the exercising appendage to squeeze the last couple of inches of stretch from the exercise.
Find a comfortable place to stretch either on your bed, a carpeted floor or on a mat.
Isolate the muscle or group you want to stretch then contract the muscle opposite. This causes the isolated muscle or group to relax straight away and when it does it is ready to stretch.
Gently and quickly stretch the isolated muscle until it can’t be stretched any further; now give yourself a gentle pull with your hands or rope. Go as far as you can and then hold the stretch for no more than 2 seconds then release, do this for a total of 5 repetitions on the isolated muscle or group.
The reason for just a 2-second stretch is because when a muscle realizes that it is being forced into a stretch it contracts to protect itself from being overstretched.
If you can beat this contraction you’ll be well on the way to a greater Range of Motion.
Remember to hold for no more than 2 seconds, release, return to the normal position and repeat for the five repetitions. Try not to have any hesitations between stretches and make it as fluid as possible. Try to stretch every day if possible, remember to:
Work one target muscle at a time.
Contract the muscle that is opposite the targeted muscle, which will relax in preparation of its stretch.
Stretch it gently and quickly.
Release it before it realizes that it has been stretched and goes into its protective contraction.
Below are two exercises that can be done straight away even while you are at work to stretch that tension and stress from of your body.
1. Lie down on the floor with your buttocks against a wall and your legs straight up the wall. Slowly flex your toes towards your knees, hold for two seconds and repeat five times. This will loosen up your lower back and stretch your hamstrings and hips giving instant relief for tired backs.
This exercise can be done while at the office anytime you start to feel that stress and tension building up.
2. Sitting in a chair and putting one leg out straight, flex your toes towards your knee, now lean towards that foot, stretching your hands towards it and letting your head and shoulders follow, hold for two seconds and repeat five times. This will create a stretch right across your lower back and neck.
A flexible body is:
More efficient
More easily trained for strength and endurance
Enjoys more range of motion
Stays balanced more easily and is less prone to injury
Recovers from workouts more quickly, and feels better.
Pilates and Yoga can be a low impact form of exercise. I didn't know it at the time but the running and stretching I started at age 40 are one of the ways I have sustained good health. At 74 I still work every day at my grounds maintenace company. Digging, pulling, shoving and praise the Lord I don't take any medicine yet!.
There is plenty of information out there for you to start doing something. I find the exercise ball and a exercise machine are all you need in the way of equipment.
For those who feel they could use an organized audio coaching program to help them get started, you just need to look at this excellent program. Click Here!
It's up to you!
Larry
It's All Up To You!
Latest studies show that up to 60 percent of the general population with bad backs and knees have tight hamstrings and hips and the main cause is a lack of flexibility.
Active-Isolated Stretching (AI)
Olympians have been employing Active-Isolated Stretching (AI) now for about 10 years, but it has only recently been brought to the public’s attention.
I have used this technique on my clients for quite a while now with great success, while adding renewed life and spring to tired out muscles. AI stretching prevents injury, as conventional stretching can cause real harm such as muscle pulls and tears.
AI stretching does what stretching is supposed to do; it transports oxygen to sore muscles and quickly removes toxins so recovery is faster. It also works as a deep massage technique because it activates muscle fibres during the actual stretch.
How to Stretch
Before stretching, dress in loose clothing and try and acquire a five-foot length of rope and tie a loop in the end. The purpose of this is to loop the end of rope around the exercising appendage to squeeze the last couple of inches of stretch from the exercise.
Find a comfortable place to stretch either on your bed, a carpeted floor or on a mat.
Isolate the muscle or group you want to stretch then contract the muscle opposite. This causes the isolated muscle or group to relax straight away and when it does it is ready to stretch.
Gently and quickly stretch the isolated muscle until it can’t be stretched any further; now give yourself a gentle pull with your hands or rope. Go as far as you can and then hold the stretch for no more than 2 seconds then release, do this for a total of 5 repetitions on the isolated muscle or group.
The reason for just a 2-second stretch is because when a muscle realizes that it is being forced into a stretch it contracts to protect itself from being overstretched.
If you can beat this contraction you’ll be well on the way to a greater Range of Motion.
Remember to hold for no more than 2 seconds, release, return to the normal position and repeat for the five repetitions. Try not to have any hesitations between stretches and make it as fluid as possible. Try to stretch every day if possible, remember to:
Work one target muscle at a time.
Contract the muscle that is opposite the targeted muscle, which will relax in preparation of its stretch.
Stretch it gently and quickly.
Release it before it realizes that it has been stretched and goes into its protective contraction.
Below are two exercises that can be done straight away even while you are at work to stretch that tension and stress from of your body.
1. Lie down on the floor with your buttocks against a wall and your legs straight up the wall. Slowly flex your toes towards your knees, hold for two seconds and repeat five times. This will loosen up your lower back and stretch your hamstrings and hips giving instant relief for tired backs.
This exercise can be done while at the office anytime you start to feel that stress and tension building up.
2. Sitting in a chair and putting one leg out straight, flex your toes towards your knee, now lean towards that foot, stretching your hands towards it and letting your head and shoulders follow, hold for two seconds and repeat five times. This will create a stretch right across your lower back and neck.
A flexible body is:
More efficient
More easily trained for strength and endurance
Enjoys more range of motion
Stays balanced more easily and is less prone to injury
Recovers from workouts more quickly, and feels better.
Pilates and Yoga can be a low impact form of exercise. I didn't know it at the time but the running and stretching I started at age 40 are one of the ways I have sustained good health. At 74 I still work every day at my grounds maintenace company. Digging, pulling, shoving and praise the Lord I don't take any medicine yet!.
There is plenty of information out there for you to start doing something. I find the exercise ball and a exercise machine are all you need in the way of equipment.
For those who feel they could use an organized audio coaching program to help them get started, you just need to look at this excellent program. Click Here!
It's up to you!
Larry
It's All Up To You!
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