It seems with every passing day a new fat loss method is unveiled. But there’s very little which is truly new under the sun. And many of these novel fat loss solutions are nothing more than clever packaging–at best–or pure snake oil salesmanship–at worst.

But there are simple tools that have endured for centuries and work as well today as they did generations ago. Thankfully, these ancient tools are resurfacing as people seek simple and elegant solutions for their fitness needs.

The Clubbell stands head and shoulders above the rest of these simple tools for its versatility and its effectiveness. Throughout the ages, the humble club has been a ubiquitous means of self-preservation, warfare, and then later physical conditioning.

For anyone looking to shed fat, as a stand-alone training tool the Clubbell can’t be beat. Optimal fat loss requires several elements that are subject to an order of importance.

Nutrition

The first requirement of fat loss is of course appropriate nutrition. That is beyond the scope of this discussion, but suffice it to say that eating a diet which promotes the maintenance of muscle while dipping into fat stores for energy is a prerequisite. And here’s a hint, anything our prehistoric ancestors used to hunt with their clubs or pull from the ground would probably be a good place to start.

Preserve Muscle

Apart from bringing down game, Clubbells can’t help you with your nutrition. But once you get into the other pieces of the fat loss hierarchy, the Clubbell comes into its own. The most important exercise consideration for fat loss is the preservation of lean mass. This is what will allow you to use freed energy from fat as fuel. If you lose lean mass while dieting, you greatly reduce your chances of success.

There are many Clubbell exercises of a “grinding” nature which are perfect for building or maintaining muscle on a fat loss diet. Good options are the Clubbell Flag Press and the Clubbell Barbarian Squat. A YouTube search will yield results for both these examples. I recommend sets lasting between 45 and 75 seconds for optimal muscle growth potential. Choose four to five exercises which cover your entire body and major movement patterns and do each for 2-3 sets. Perform this workout three times a week.

Stoke the Fat Burning Fires

The next rung down on our fat loss hierarchy will be high intensity energy system work. Some people call this interval training, others metabolic conditioning. The important thing is to perform intervals of high intensity work in the range of 8-10 on a scale of 10 for Rate of Perceived Effort (this concept is from the Circular Strength Training system). Performing such all-out work for periods of between 30 seconds and four minutes, taking rest periods of between 10 & 90 seconds, will stimulate your metabolism into high gear for as much as 72 hours post workout. This type of training can also blunt hunger, which is always a plus when trying to lose fat.

Putting exercises such as the demanding Clubbell Swipe and Clubbell Clockwork Squat into a circuit will help you achieve this high level of intensity. Again, a YouTube search will direct you to demonstrations of both these exercises.

Burn Off Extra Calories

And last on our hierarchy of fat loss training priorities – important only if we are implementing the other two – will be longer, steady state training, sometimes referred to as cardio or aerobic training. A long time ago, I gave up running. Not only is it hard on the body, but can get very tedious after awhile. But I don’t have to give up on cardio. I can get a great session of steady state exercise using my Clubbells.

By doing a single arm exercise, and switching back and forth form one arm to the other at regular intervals, I can keep my heart rate up and my fat burning machines stoked without running up against muscular failure. Good choices for this are the Clubbell Swing and the Clubbel Mill. Again, a YouTube search should bear fruit.

A Tool For the Times

Amazingly, this one simple tool can provide a full spectrum of fat loss benefits. No wonder it has endured the ages. And in these uncertain economic times, versatile tools which can take the place of expensive gym memberships are especially attractive. So if you are looking to drop some fat, the Clubbell just may be the perfect tool for your efforts.

Let’s face it, a lot of guys want to build up their arms because they want to look good. Unfortunately, many of them think that simply having “big arms” is enough to reach this goal. Well, the truth is having big arms is not enough to look great in a t-shirt – and in the course of building my 20-inch GUNS I’ve formulated a definition of what it means to have truly Awesome Arms. This definition has 3 components: extraordinary muscular development, symmetry and exceptional physical power.

Extraordinary Muscular Development

Bodybuilding legend Leroy Colbert — the first bodybuilder to build 21-inch arms with “peaked” biceps — has said that having big arms doesn’t mean that you have well developed arms. I agree. And in your quest for “big arms” you must strive to pack your GUNS with extraordinary muscular development.

Extraordinary muscular development means that the muscles in your upper and lower arm will have a thick, full appearance, and that the larger muscles within these groups will be visibly distinguishable from each other. For example, the lateral, medial and long heads of the triceps should show separation from one another. In a front or rear double-biceps pose, there should be clear separation between your biceps and triceps.

As you can see, extraordinary muscular development does not depend on the absolute size of your arms. Instead, this attribute sets a standard for muscular detail and visual impact irrespective of your arm measurements. If you don’t believe me, just check out the arms on some of the lighter weight wrestlers, boxers or gymnasts that compete in the Olympics or similar competitions. While their arms are not huge, most guys would gladly trade their spaghetti arms for GUNS like these small but powerfully built athletes.

I’m not saying that arm size is totally irrelevant to owning impressive looking arms. Clearly, the larger the arm showing extraordinary muscular development, the greater will be its visual impact. But big arms without targeted development of the biceps, triceps and forearms are not particularly impressive. For example, heavyweight powerlifters and similar strength athletes often have “huge” arms. These guys are tremendously strong, but they probably don’t get many requests for arm training tips. Why? Because most powerlifters don’t do any targeted bodybuilding movements and, consequently, have large but shapeless arms.

The point here is that certain types of training will give you undefined muscle quantity while targeted workout methods build both mass and well-defined muscle quality. You can see the difference between undefined quantity and well-defined quality in comparing a telephone pole and an oak tree. If you visualize a telephone pole standing next to an oak tree, which of them looks more impressive? The telephone pole has girth but no shape and runs in a straight line from top to bottom. But the oak tree has a rippling and powerful trunk with well-defined branches showing growth, strength and durability.

If given the choice, which would you prefer – arms like shapeless telephone poles or thick, powerful oak trees?

Symmetry

The next essential element of Awesome Arms is symmetrical or balanced development. Leroy Colbert, Sergio Oliva, Larry Scott and Robby Robinson are a few of the all-time great bodybuilders known for their tremendous arms. While the particular details of their arms varied, all of these bodybuilding greats shared one common feature – symmetry! Not only did these bodybuilders have comparative balance between their biceps, triceps and forearms, but they also exhibited symmetrical development within these muscle areas.

Unfortunately, too many bodybuilding wannabes think that bulging biceps alone are the secret to Awesome Arms. This belief usually results in an enthusiastic but misguided training program limited exclusively to biceps curls. Barbell curls, dumbbell curls – curls, curls and more curls!

The problem with this one-dimensional training is that it produces unbalanced arm development – namely, all biceps and no triceps. Experienced and competitive bodybuilders know too well the drawbacks of an unbalanced physique. When a bodybuilder steps on stage, he or she knows that a lagging body part can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Even if you’re not a competitive bodybuilder, unbalanced muscular development will detract from your appearance and overall strength.

To avoid these problems, and build truly Awesome Arms, you must train your biceps, triceps and forearms with equal energy and consistency. Only balanced workouts can produce the proportionate muscular development that will maximize your arms’ symmetry and power.

Exceptional Physical Power

The third and final element of Awesome Arms is exceptional physical power. Your arms are at least a secondary source of strength in all of your upper body exercises. You probably know that bench and military presses primarily work your chest and shoulders. But these exercises require substantial assistance from your triceps. Back-building movements like t-bar rows, barbell rows and pull-ups demand help from your biceps and forearms. Even heavy deadlifts require superior gripping strength in your hands which in turn must come from powerful forearms. Indeed the most practical benefit of building powerful arms is increased strength in all pushing and pulling movements.

You’ve probably heard the saying “you get what you pay for.” Well, if you don’t progressively overload your arms during your workouts you won’t stimulate the growth necessary to make them stronger. This muscular growth and the resulting increase in physical power occur through a biological process called hypertrophy.

Put simply, hypertrophy is the enlargement of muscle fibers that results from increased work. As applied to your arm training, this increased work consists of various biceps, triceps and forearm exercises using proper technique and progressively heavier weight. As you gradually lift more weight, you force your arms to develop and exert more physical power.

This overloading causes the breakdown and re-manufacture of proteins and other substances essential to muscle growth. For example, if you’re doing strict sets of heavy preacher curls for your biceps, your body will break down certain enzymatic proteins and other energy sources in order to complete this exercise. When you complete your workout, your body will attempt to replenish these energy sources. It is during this recovery period that muscle growth actually occurs.

As you can see, the pursuit and development of exceptional physical power is essential to building truly Awesome Arms. And if you’re wondering how much power is enough, the answer is as much as you can naturally develop. As with love or money, you can never have too much physical power. And as your overall arm strength increases, so too will your muscular development and symmetry provided that you’re always careful to use proper training technique. With workouts targeted to build muscular definition, symmetry and exceptional physical power you’ll be well on your way to owning a pair of truly Awesome Arms!

Swimming is considered to be the best exercise a man can do. It is one of those few exercises in which all of your body parts are used. It’s an effective exercise that will help you to keep in good shape, loose weight and remain healthy. You will feel more refreshed and will be physically fit than your friends. Most people get bored of performing a single exercise but swimming is one of those exercises that won’t let you get bored. Here are some benefits of swimming.

1.Improving your capacity: swimming allows you to use your arms, legs and lungs all at the same time. This increases your acrobatic capacity as you are using all of your body parts at the same time.

2.Strengthening your heart: swimming helps you to build your heart muscle which in return allows it to pump blood at a much faster rate. This increases your blood circulation which is good for a person’s health.

3.Strength against disease: research has proved that people who have a sedentary life seem to develop heart problems, joint problem and obesity when compared to those who swim regularly. Swimming helps in strengthening your body muscles and provides you with more endurance which helps you to fight against the above diseases.

4.Building muscle: as it is known that water creates more resistance than air so you need to try much hard when it comes to swimming. You have to try 12 times harder when compared to working on land. This makes your major body parts like hips, shoulders, arms and back to exert 12 times more power. As a result of this you develop stronger muscles.

5.Safe exercise: another benefit of swimming is that it is one of safest and cushioned form of physical exercise a person can find. If a person suffers from joint pains then swimming is a good form of exercises for him. He won’t feel any pain while swimming as compared to working out on land. Professional athletes use water for rehabilitation purpose when they suffer injury.

6.Workout time: if you are a beginner than you should hire a swimming coach or join a swimming club which offers training services. For beginners 10 to 15 minutes of swimming is enough but if you are a pro than it depends on your capacity and stamina.

No matter what people say but swimming is the safest and most effective form of physical exercise these days.

How long does it take to lose belly fat and get a nice defined stomach? The answer depends on a couple of factors. We’re going to talk about 4 main factors today that are going to influence your ability to lose weight and lose it quickly.

1) Your body type, which is going to be heavily influenced by genetics
2) Fat cells
3) Diet
4) Exercise

There are three main classifications of body types: ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs. Ectomorphs have a tendency to be naturally slim and have high energy levels. They never really have a problem losing weight. I am more of an ectomorph. I have a tough time gaining weight and a tough time putting on muscle. It’s easy for me to lose weight, especially if I miss any meals. Ectomorphs are, well, ectomorphy!

Mesomorphs are your 100 meter sprinters, your Arnold Schwarzenegger. They have a high metabolism like the ectomorphs but they have an easier time putting on muscle mass.

Gaining weight is very easy and gaining muscle is very easy for mesomorphs which means that losing weight is very easy for them too because they have a lot of muscle which means they have a higher basal metabolic rate and they burn more calories. It is easiest for the mesomorphs to gain muscle definition.

The endomorphs have the short end of the stick when it comes to losing fat. I will be honest with you, if you are someone who is a little more round, have an easy time holding onto weight and a tougher time losing it, it’s not going to be an easy road to muscle definition.

There could be an association with low thyroid functioning that decreases your metabolism which compounds the issue. If you are an endomorph then pay special attention to all of these lessons.

It is important to realize that depending on which body type you most dominantly exhibit (and we are not one or the other, but really a combination of all three) if you are more of an endomorph, it is going to take a lot more work and diligence than someone who is more of an ectomorph or a mesomorph to lose fat and see more definition.

You can see my muscles no problem. If I want to lose fat it takes me no time at all, but if you ask me to put a couple of inches on my biceps then we’re talking about me being in the gym 24/7 doing serious workouts. It would take a lot of hard work. It’s the same thing with an endomorph.

If you want to lose weight as an endomorph it is going to take a lot of hard work because you are working against your body’s nature to some degree. But, it can be done and millions of people are doing it right now. So if you are in that category, keep your chin up and know that you can do it. We’re going to show you in these lessons how it can be done.

In regards to getting where you want to go as far as muscle definition, it’s going to depend a lot on where you are right now. In the second lesson we talked about fat cells and fat cell receptors.

Today I want to talk about the fat cell itself. Fat cells are known as adipocytes. They hold onto fat as stored energy. Certain receptors on the fat cell allow hormones to influence them such as hormone sensitive lipase and break down the fat into fatty acids to be taken out of the body through the blood and used for energy.

I think it was as recently as 2007 that researchers discovered the adipose gene. This is a gene that determines your fat cell makeup. Generally, an adult has about 30 billion fat cells. Common thinking used to be that you were born with a set number of fat cells, but this might not be the case.

In general, if you are at a healthy weight as an adult, you acquired all of your fat cells before you hit puberty. Puberty is the closing window for any new development of fat cells. If you are a fairly lean adult, you will have the same number of fat cells throughout your lifetime.

Now, if you put on excessive weight even in your adult years, new research shows that these fat cells can grow up to 4-fold and begin to multiply. That is a very scary concept. Instead of having 30 billion fat cells, if you gain excessive weight you can have 40 or 50 billion or more fat cells in your body.

This is just another reason to lead an active lifestyle and stay fairly fit and healthy. You do not need more fat cells. Fat cells operate much like a balloon. If you fill a balloon with water it will expand and as soon as you release it, the balloon will contract back to its very small size.

When you lose weight, fat cells shrink. Fat cells do not disappear but they can multiply – so be wary of that. You don’t want any more fat cells, so the key is diminishing fat stores by using fat for energy purposes.

This is why exercise is so important.

Something you must know about fat is that stores acid in the body. This is why alkalinity is so important in the diet. If your fat cells are holding into a lot of acid, it’s going to be very tough for your body to get rid of your fat stores because they need to be there in order to hold onto the acid. But that is a topic for another day.

If you are an ectomorph, you have most likely been able to get away with eating whatever you want during your life. You may be able to eat fast food every day and not put on weight, but the problem is that you can be fit without being healthy.

If you are eating garbage foods, you are not doing your body any good on the inside. You may not physically show any weight gain but to be healthy and fit you must eat the proper nutrients. Trust me, you will look and feel much, much better than you do right now if you start eating whole foods.

As an endomorph you have to be very strict and diligent with your diet. As you most likely know, if you have the wrong foods in your diet such as refined carbohydrates for instance, you will tend to retain water and put on weight easily.

Hopefully you are listening to your body enough so that you can relate the foods you eat to how you feel. It is important to have that body awareness. If you don’t have a clue how foods affect the way you feel, now is a good time to start making those connections between food and mood.

As an endomorph who wants to lose belly fat and really start to see some definition, you need to pay attention to your diet. You need to make sure that you are in that caloric deficit that we talked about earlier.

You need to make sure that you are eating nutrient dense foods and you need to stay away from strictly carbohydrate-rich, nutrition-less foods such as chocolate bars, pastries, refined bread, sodas, etc. Eat lots of vegetables. Vegetables are very high in nutrients and they act to burn calories because of their thermic effect.

They have a lot of fiber which means that the body has to spend a lot of time digesting them which means that your body burns calories doing so.

Mesomorphs can pretty much eat more or less how ectomorphs can – but it doesn’t mean they should! In general, everyone should stay away from refined carbohydrates. Even if something is made with 100% whole wheat, it is no good.

Stick to the pseudo-grains such as amaranth, quinoa, millet, spelt, etc. Those grains are easier for your body to digest. Wheat is very difficult for your body to digest and a lot of people have issues digesting wheat which can lead to bloating.

One of the reasons it is difficult to have a flat stomach is food sensitivity. If you remove the foods to which you are sensitive, you will have an easier time seeing a flat stomach.

Whether of not you obtain that flat stomach depends a lot on where you are with your diet. If you are an endomorph, again, you’ve got to do a bit more work and be more diligent than an ectomorph or a mesomorph.

If you are a man with less than 10% body fat, you should see muscle definition. If you are a woman, any body fat % lower than the mid-teens should show muscular definition. You don’t want to go too low with your body fat percentage. A certain amount is important to have for energy purposes.

Let’s talk about exercise. If you are an endomorph you will want to spend more time doing cardio as well as strength training. Your body demands more effort if you are looking to burn fat. Endomorphs are looking at 3-4 cardio sessions a week and a minimum of 3 strength training workouts per week.

The goal in your workouts should be intensity. Your workouts should be no longer than an hour at high intensity. If you are an ectomorph, you don’t need to go crazy on the cardio because you are already fairly slim.

The tough thing for ectomorphs is building muscle, so spend more of your time doing full body strength training workouts to build a bit of size and maintain your lean muscle mass. If you are going to do cardio, which you should, keep it short and intense and keep it intervals. I would say 20 minutes three times a week is fine.

Mesomorphs have a bit of leeway because they are naturally blessed. Mesomorphs should incorporate both cardio and strength training in one fashion or another.

I wish I could tell you exactly how long it will take. I wish I could tell you that if you follow my advice you will see results in exactly 7 days, but it doesn’t work like that.

Anyone who makes those ridiculous claims is someone that you should run away from. A given program is not going to produce the same results for two different people. Everyone is unique.

The way that you respond to your food intake and your exercise is going to be very different from someone else. There are so many factors involved. With exercise, there is the intensity, how long you are working out for, what muscle groups you are targeting, etc. There are all sorts of variables.

The goal is to maintain that long-term vision of what you want to achieve and be committed to achieving it. Realize as we talked about in earlier lessons that it is going to take time.

From a general fat loss perspective, 1-2 lbs of fat loss per week is healthy. Over the week, you must create a 7000 calorie deficit to lose 2 lbs. It’s not easy, but it can be done.

Stay committed no matter what. And don’t rely on the scale.

Pay attention to how your clothes fit. Some people may not notice a difference on the scale but they notice a lowering of body fat percentage in the mirror and in their clothes. That is the true mark of improving your health and your fitness.

What are vibration platforms and how do they work?Vibration Platforms are exercise machines which consist of a vibrating or oscillating platform, when you stand or sit on this platform or do a workout using the platform the mechanical energy oscillations are transferred to the body as a whole. This is one reason it has also been called Whole Body Exercise Vibration Training.

The vibration plate causes very rapid muscle contractions thirty to fifty times per second that work your muscles continuously. These contractions not only build muscle and bone density, but improve flexibility, burn fat, increase metabolism, improve circulation, improve cellular oxygen and nutrient delivery which slows the degenerative/ageing process!The platform drops either 2 or 4 mm. This is a very small and gentle drop.

For example, let’s say that you are standing on the vibration plate with a gentle knee bend. Once the platform drops 2 mm, your muscle is quickly lengthened, or ‘stretched’. The body reacts to this by quickly contracting the muscle. By the time it does that, the platform is already back at the first position. The platform drops again and this is repeated. Since the platform has been designed to do this 20 to 50 times per second, you can get a maximum of 50 muscle contractions per second! In one minute, you can actually get 3000 safe and gentle muscle contractions. This is the equivalent to doing 3000 knee bends. You can only imagine how long that would take without the platform.No matter what your physical condition, the subconscious stretch reflexes will tighten almost all your muscles at once with vibration exercise. That compares with just 45 per cent of muscle fibres used during conventional training.

Traditional training increases muscle strength because your body reacts to the extra resistance created by the weights over and above regular gravity. With Vibration Training your body reacts to acceleration rather than extra weight, which is many times greater than standard training stimuli. And one repeated 30 or 50 times a second. Your body has to adapt even more to overcome this greater load, and so achieve your training targets faster. Further, the vibrations increase the production of regenerative and repair hormones, improve blood circulation in skin and muscles, strengthen bone tissue, improve lymph drainage and increase the basal metabolic rate. All this results in more strength, more speed, more stamina, rapid recovery of muscles and tissue, increased flexibility, mobility and coordination, anticellulitis, collagen improvement, and fat reduction. The “more is better” principle does not apply to vibration training. You look and feel fitter, but you do not have to train more intensively.

The added value of the Vibration Plate is improved training quality and effectiveness, so you can shorten your sessions and recover faster. The superior muscle-activation that the vibration machine stimulates compared to conventional training, means that less time is required to work muscle groups completely. A one minute workout on this vibration platform burns more energy and creates strength improvements. In addition to these muscle contractions, vibration exercise is also able to work more of the muscles. Because the vibration effect makes the muscles contract involuntarily, all muscles that are being exercised will be activated. In fact, with regular training such as weight lifting, only 40% of your muscles will be working. With vibration exercise, that number can reach nearly 100%. Not only will you get more muscle contractions in a short period of time, but also more of your muscles will be working during this time. All improved his leads to vibration exercise being a safe and fast way to exercise effectively.This is achieved with minimal stress on the joints and ligaments. You can perform static or dynamic movements including standing, sitting, kneeling, lying, and placing your hands on it. Almost any exercise from a typical gym workout to passively sitting on a chair and resting your feet can be done on a vibration platform.

Benefits for Strength Training

Force = Mass X Acceleration

Don’t let this formula scare you! All it simply means is the following: Whenever we exercise our muscles, we are using Force to lift more or lift faster. There are two ways to get stronger: lift heavy weights (increasing the MASS to get more Force), or lift lighter weights but faster (keep the same weight but increase the ACCELERATION). WAVE vibration exercise works on increasing acceleration (rapid movement of the platform) rather than increasing the amount you lift, thereby placing less stress on your joints and ligaments. Positive benefits on circulationGentle rapid contractions allow the muscle to work as a pump, resulting in increased blood flow within the circulatory system. This results in the body to carry off waste products much faster, thereby enhancing circulation and recovery. Positive benefits on boneVibration exercise has a positive effect on bone. This is based upon Wolffe’s law, which states that bone responds to the physical stresses put on it. Rapid muscular contractions with the vibration platform will lead to increased strength and favorable stresses being placed on the bone.

Positive benefits to Geriatrics

Aging is not simply about extending life years, but increasing the quality of life. ‘Functional age’ is much more important that ‘chronological age.’ This is interpreted as the ability of an individual to maintain certain parameters as they age, such as strength, balance, and agility. Exercise has shown significant benefits in combating some of these problems.

Aging and Inactivity

Muscle loss occurs at a rate of 1% per year after the age of 40 Bone density is correlated with muscle strength. Decreases in muscle mass and strength can affect bone density Loss of muscle strength may increase risk of falls and fractures To implement an exercise program for the aging population, it must be safe, gentle, and effective. Whole body vibration has attracted increased attention as an exercise alternative to combat the effects of inactivity and aging. Current research has shown positive benefits. These results have led to continuing research around the world, reinforcing vibration exercise’s role in promoting healthy aging.

Aging and Vibration Exercise

• Improvement in chair rising test, indicative of improvement in muscle power
• Improved elements of fall risk and health-related quality of life
• Ability to promote ambulatory competence (improved walking) in elderly women
• Beneficial for balance and mobility in nursing home residents with limited functional dependency
• High compliance with vibration exercise

Scientific principles underlying vibration training:

• Myotatic Stretch Reflex
• Tonic Vibration Reflex
• Neurological Adaptation to Exercise Excitation of the GTO (Golgi Tendon Organ)
• Optimal Recruitment of Motor Units
• Force and power output through increased acceleration Stretch-Shortening-Cycle (SSC)
• Model Effects on the Hormonal System
• Effects on the Circulatory System
• Effect on the skeletal system through Wolff’s Law adaptation, shifting the force/velocity curve to the right (faster strength gains)

Exercise is an excellent preventative method in dealing with the disability associated with the progression of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing and resistance-training exercises are often recommended. However, with traditional vigorous exercise programs, there is a lack of long-term compliance in addition to having the potential to increase the risk of fracture. Whole body vibration exercise can be seen as an excellent alternative or complement to regular training, allowing an individual to effortlessly achieve similar results to conventional training in less time, thereby increasing compliance. Mechanical stress produced by muscle contractions plays a significant role in the maintenance of bone strength. Vibration exercises ability to improve muscle force and power, may be an effective strategy for preventing the onset and progression of osteoporosis.

Whole body vibration has demonstrated positive effects on blood flow. Gentle rapid contractions, repeated at a high rate, allow the muscle to work as a pump, resulting in increased blood flow within the peripheral circulatory system. This results in the body carrying off waste products much faster, thereby enhancing recovery.

Summary of vibration exercise effects:

• Similar strength gains from 3 months of vibration exercise (maximum time 20 minutes) compared to 1 hour of conventional strength training
• Doubling of blood circulation after vibration training, resulting in the body carrying off waste products much faster, thereby enhancing recovery.
• Duration vibration exercise stimulates force and power output
• Significant hormonal effects from training (increased testosterone and growth hormone, and decreased cortisol, ‘stress hormone’) Increased flexibility Increased explosive power
• Explosive strength increases from 10 minutes a day of vibration training for 10 days is equivalent to those found from 200 drop-jumps from 24 inches, twice a week, for a year
• Accelerated gains in neurological adaptation, shifting the force/velocity curve to the right (faster strength gains)

Results of a Client Study: After 12 weeks of steady use once, twice or three times per week with 20 subjects, these positive effects have been reported by those involved in this trial:1.Increased endocrine balance:

a) improved blood sugar control which may be from reduced insulin resistance

b) reduced cortisol response and improved recovery and sense of well-being from overall reduction in stress hormone

c) improved anabolic state: cosmetic hair regrowth in eyebrows, lower legs, arms and hands

d) no delayed-onset muscle soreness due to anabolic state after challenging strength exercise

e) elimination of hot flashes

f) restoration of normal female menstrual cycle

2. Increased range of motion

a) improved joint range in throacic spine in all planes of movement

b) improved flexibility in all muscle groups and in overall ROM (Range of Movement)

c) improved ability to tolerate new ranges of motion in ideal form

d) restoration of normal length tensions (tight muscles disappeared)

3. Improved circulation and lymphatic return:

a) swelling reduced in inflamed joints

b) body feels like you’ve done an hour of cardio in 10 mintues

c) improved respiration function

d) growing hair on lower legs, forearms and hands again

e) clients feel better, improved state

4. Rapid growth of lean muscle:a.) personal records in strength and performance:

a.)clients are lifting heavier than ever and able to hit the golf ball in good form further than ever before

b.) most clients have reduced their clothing by one size while gaining one or two pounds

c.) clients are and appear visibly leaner

5. Improved proprioception, balance, righting and tilting reflexesa.)

a.)clients with movement processing challenges are able to learn new motor patterns quickly and then are able to perform the new task on the ground in ideal form

b.) previous processing problems are eliminated by proprioceptive advantages of Power Plate: clients can “feel” the ideal form better and learn more quickly

6. Loss of subcutaneous fat:

a.) cellulite remodeling: dimples are vanishing

b.) “skin fits better”

7. Pain reduction

a.) clients with pain are able to diffuse pain in 30 seconds on the Power Plate, then perform their workout

b.) stabilizer muscles activate more completely and efficiently: when segmental stabilization is required, clients can “find” the fibers more easily, and stabilization occurs more like a symphony as a result

8. Increased energy

a.) Clients feel better, the report a “spring in their step”

b.) Clients are sleeping better, reporting less need for sleep aids

c.) Clients are reporting having the energy to make healthy food choices and are hungry for healthier foods

Overall, myself included, all members of the trial feel better each time they use the Power Plate.

Study participants include some individuals with training experience, some with no exercise training age. Twelve women participated whose ages range from 16 to mid-forties, fifties, low sixties. Three men participated whose ages are 19, 44, 74.

 Have you heard that using creatine can aid in weight loss? You are not likely to come across a lot of articles about creatine and weight loss because the truth is complicated. This article will discuss how creatine can decrease the percentage of body fat you have, but it’s not going to cause weight loss. You will find this article helpful if it is your intention to decrease the percentage of body fat you have. This article is not going to be very helpful if you are just looking to lose weight.

What Creatine Does

This article will discuss what creatine does in easy-to-understand terms. The usual terms are very complicated, but if I use these, you will probably lose interest fairly quickly. I don’t want you to do this, so I am going to use basic language. Creatine provides more fluid in each cell of the muscles, which, in turn makes the muscles larger. The scientific term for this is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. People who take creatine usually report between 5 and 10 lbs of muscle development over a 4 to 6 week period when it is taken every day.

How Exactly Does Creatine Decrease the Percentage of Body Fat You Have?

Body fat percentage is calculated by taking the amount of fat on your body in relation to how much you weigh. Because of this, you can decrease the percentage of body fat you have by either getting more lean muscles or losing body fat. If you do it correctly, you will be able to lose 1% to 2% of body fat quickly.

How Can Creatine Make Muscles More Defined in a Short Time Frame?

If you want to get more defined just prior to a special occasion, you should wait until 3 or 4 weeks before it to take creatine. Many users take creatine in the colder months to build muscle; however this method does not work well. Instead, you should preserve your muscle mass through diet for a number of months prior to your special occasion. Use exercise and what you eat to drop as much weight as you can. The creatine will work best when you have dropped as low as possible and need an extra push. About 3 or 4 weeks before your special occasion, start using 5 grams of creatine twice a day. Keep eating the right foods. Your muscles will bulk up by 5 to 15 pounds, which will decrease the visibility of any body fat by quite a lot.

This Method of Using Creatine Also Makes Your Skin Shrink

Using creatine a few weeks prior to your special event will also cause your skin to shrink around the stomach muscles. If you have skin that is not tight, your abs will not look well-defined. If you use creatine just prior to your special occasion, you will see that skin tighten up and fill in any voids. Basically, what this means is that creatine does not actually cause weight loss, but it does make you look like you have.

Building Core Muscle Strength Reduces Lower Back Pain

It is well known that a strong core to the body distributes the stresses of weight bearing and protects the back. This is also referred to as core stability whose goal is to maintain a solid foundation and transfer energy from the centre of the body out to the limbs.

Strengthening the core muscles reduces back pain and it has been shown that weak and unbalanced core muscles are linked with low back pain. Stronger, balanced core muscles help maintain appropriate posture and reduce strain on the spine.

Muscles which enhance core stability are known as core muscles, a set of muscles which run around the mid riff of the body. People frequently work hard at abdominal exercises to build up what is commonly known as a “six-pack”, which get its name from it appearance in fit and thin individuals. However, there are many core muscles and building core muscle strength requires much more than just abdominal exercises.

Core muscles include:

The Multifidus muscles which are located under along the vertebral column. These muscles extend and rotate the spine the spine.

The External Oblique muscles which are located on the side and front of the abdomen.

The internal oblique muscles which are located under the external obliques, running in the opposite direction.

The Transverse Abdominis (TVA) which is located under the obliques, is the deepest of the abdominal muscles (muscles of your waist) and wraps around your spine for protection and stability.

The Erector Spinae; a group of three muscles running along your neck to your lower back.

The Hip Flexors; located in front of the pelvis and upper thigh.

The Gluteus medius and minimus; located at the side of the hip,

The Gluteus maximus, hamstring group, piriformis; located in the back of the hip and upper thigh leg.

The Hip adductors; located at medial thigh.

Visit sportsmedicine.about.com for the full breakdown of muscles involved in core stability.

The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness, which means fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities. The question is; how can this be achieved when an individual already has lower back pain and finds any level of exercise a challenge.

VertiBaX Sensory Muscle Therapy provided by the VertiBaX Lower Back Sensory Multi-Pack is helping many people get back to a level of exercise they could only previously have dreamt about.

The Lower Back: Active Support provides compression support and pain relief during activity and
the Lower Back: Healthcare Sensory Belt keeps muscles warm and relaxed, increasing blood circulation to the core muscles after exercise thereby increasing the rate of the healing process.

These products are also proving to be a great success with athletes and sports people who are looking to maximize the benefits their bodies get from training sessions, whilst keeping their core muscle groups healthy. Wearing the VertiBaX Lower Back: Healthcare Sensory Belt between training sessions increases an athlete’s recovery rate, whilst the VertiBaX Lower Back: Active Support provides increase stability to core muscle groups, reducing the risk of injury.

Exercises used to strengthen the core muscles include those using Medicine Balls, Kettleballs, Stability Balls, Balance Products such as the Bosu Ball, balance boards and wobble boards.

Product Help Clinic:

Buy VertiBaX: Lower Back Sensory Multi-Pack from support4physio.co.uk, on-line Physiotherapy Supplies direct to the public and practitioner.

Disclaimer: Professional independent medical advice should be taken before acting on any of the information given in this article.

Human growth hormone [HGH] does more than just cause the loss of fat. The

typical weight loss programs today result not only in the loss of fat but

also in many cases the loss of body mass. With HGH therapy there is not only

the loss of fat but also the replacement of fat with muscle which is why in

some cases people actually gain weight to their greater advantage of the more

sculpted body and better health. Human growth hormone actually recontours

your body which results in a younger and better functioning you.

Once we get into our mid thirties there is this evolution that accelerates

from a nicely chiseled body towards more of a blob like shape. Our lean body

mass ( LBM ) including all of our organs begin to shrivel while fat mass also

known as adipose mass increases. In fact, between the ages of 30 and 75

organs such as the brain, kidneys, liver, and pancreas atrophy by up to 30.

It is now a well known medical fact that this increase in fat significantly

increases the risk for heart attack, hypertension, and diabetes and even

contributes towards cancer.

The first long-term studies with HGH were done by doctor Rudman in 1989 in

saint Thomas hospital in London on 24 adults with growth hormone deficiency.

Half the group was given a placebo while the other group was put on human

growth hormone. After six months those on growth hormone had lost an average

of 12.5 pounds of fat and gained an average of 12.1 pounds of lean body mass

which was mostly muscle. The study would not be so significant if was only

related to the fact that the study was on those with diseased or removed

pituitary glands since this would only be limited to a few thousand people in

the United States.

The fact that is significant here is that this is

indicative of a lack of human growth hormone which almost everyone

experiences as they age. Rudman’s study showed that young adults with

pituitary disease are the same as elderly men and women. Rudman did a six

month treatment on men between the ages of 60 and 81 giving them human growth

hormone. These men gained an average of 8.8 in fat mass. Also, their skin

density thickened 7.1 and 17. In a follow-up study, it was found after twelve

months of treatment with growth hormone there was additional increase with

lean body mass increasing by 6, skin thickness by up to 4 growth of a liver

and 23 acceleration in the rate of fat loss that was beyond the effects of

diet alone. In fact the latest studies from Sweden now show that growth

hormone is the most effective treatment to get rid of the middle age spread

and all the disease conditions that arise with it.

In the past 35 years we’ve gone from having ¼ of U.S. citizens being fat to 1/

3 in 1980 to now a majority of 2/3’s in 2004. Fat men have pulsatile release

of growth hormone that is three times lower compared with normal weight men

and make 25 or more gain it back. In a six month treatment of growth hormone

deficient adults at Sahlgrenska hospital there was an overall 20 compared

with 13 central deep layer body fat and 6.1 total body fat. The placebo group

gained fat during the same period. Also, there was improved glucose intake,

lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and lower blood pressure.

Central belly fat appears to be the major culprit in producing insulin

resistance. This kind of resistance also known as diabetes type 2 is now in

academic proportions in the U.S. and is directly related to obesity. Because

HGH is so effective at sucking out this underlying gut fat insulin

sensitivity is improved and allows the body to get rid of the blood sugar

more effectively. If you are now obese HGH is a proven product for getting

rid of your fat in the areas where it is so threatening to your health. In

fact, it has been shown that using HGH will not only cause one to lose

significant weight but also to gain muscle and even look and feel decades

younger.

In older studies it appeared that growth hormone countered the effects of

insulin on the metabolism of glucose which made people more insulin resistant.

There was increased insulin resistance in patients after six weeks of

treatment with growth hormone. However six months studies show that insulin

sensitivity returns to where it was before treatment. Also, large studies

with growth hormone show there is no increased incidence of diabetes. This is

because of the profound changes in body composition after six months which

induces greater insulin sensitivity due to the removal of abdominal fat. When

you use growth hormone it tends to direct the action of insulin towards

putting sugar into the cardiac, muscle, and nerve cells, rather than into the

fat cells.

Why in the world one go for things like stomach stapling and all the other

crazy gimmicks which often have terrible side effects when HGH will do a far

better job? A Belgium Physician, Thierry Hertoghe, made careful body

measurements before and after two months of treatment with growth hormone and

recorded 23 to 30% shrinkage in the love handles of older people. Not only is

there shrinkage of the abdomen but that the underside of the thigh gets

thinner, while the upper side gets thicker with more muscle. The belly

buttons of most of his patients moved up by more than 1 inch after two months

of growth hormone treatment. The skin that hangs from the upper arm of a

woman is a signal of the loss of growth hormone. When a woman receives enough

growth hormone this hanging skin from the upper arm tightens back to a normal

more attractive appearance.

Growth hormone increases the free fatty acids which makes fat stores

available for energy production. There is a process in cells called lipolysis.

Fat cells have growth hormone receptors and when growth hormone binds to

these receptors it triggers a series of enzymatic reactions in the cell to

break down fat. Also, human growth hormone increases the overall energy

expenditure so that you burn calories faster. Growth hormone is also believed

to counter the effect of the hormone, insulin. Insulin acts kind of like the

gate opener to allow into the cells glucose, amino acids, and fats. Growth

hormone blunts the sensitivity of this gateway by opposing the action of

insulin which means far less fat is absorbed into the cell and the cell is

kept thin.

Growth Hormone also conserves nitrogen needed for the building of muscle. It

also increases protein synthesis without increasing the breakdown of proteins

in the cell. It is a well established fact that growth hormone deficient

adults that quit taking growth hormone have a significant decline in muscle

mass and strength. Human growth hormone contributes significantly towards the

building of muscle and this has been proven in the study of many different

groups including athletes, healthy young men, GH- deficient adults, and the

elderly.

What a task it is to lose weight and burn stubborn body fat as an endomorph. For those who don’t know, an endomorph is basically the body type which is predisposed to storing body fat. As an endomorph myself, it is easy to put on weight, and muscle, to be fair. It’s the shedding of the excess bodyfat which is the challenge.

I personally love to lift weights. The challenge with lifting weights as an endomorph is that you build the muscle, most definitely, but it’s covered by a layer of fat, which never reveals the muscles in their entirety. The typical look for an endomorph is ‘bulky’. But really, we want to be cut. We’re the opposite of ectomorphs who have an extremely hard time of putting on muscle as they have a hyper-active metabolism. Whatever muscle they put on is most likely going to be used by their body as fuel, in addition to their fat storage.

Endomorphs on the otherhand, have an extremely slow metabolism. And apparently, our insulin sensitivity is quite high. Now, between the extremes of endomorph and ectomorph, lies the mesomorph, with their perfect metabolism. Their body’s functions are optimized: just the right balance between anabolism and catabolism. You could easily identify the mesomorph at the gym.

He’s the guy, or she’s the gal that doesn’t really need to work out. They don’t quite bust their asses on the treadmill or the stair machine, and get all hot and sweaty like the endomorphs, nor do they pump half as much iron to develop some mature muscle like the ectomorph. The mesomorph can do good on any diet. They can easily bulk up on a high calorie diet, or get shredded on a low calorie diet.

In hindsight, it’s glaringly obvious that the bodybuilding and fitness magazines are only focused on the mesomorph, as endomorphs and ectomorphs try the recommended diets and various supplements only to get bloated, a leaky gut, a acne or some other side effect. Hmm, it seems someone isn’t telling us the complete truth. I’m suspicious that to keep the sales of these popular magazines (i’m not going to mention any names) going, the consumers need to be in a perpetual state of confusion. One month, a high carb diet is good, (omitting crucial body-type information), another month, low-carb, high protein, with the glaring omission of body type.

I finally broke away from this subscription-based brainwashing. I decided to go experiment. I tried various diets, various exercise regimes, various supplements and I’m in the process of building a list of what works for my endomorph body type.

You see, the media is so powerful. They have mastered the art of brainwashing en-masse. It’s no wonder we are so easily swayed. We do have a major part to play ourselves, as I am not going to blame the media and society. But another great contributor is the instant gratification mentality which is being bombarded into our brains, and our psyches.

We’ve gotten so accustomed to the aggressive tastes of fast food that we don’t know how to appreciate natural flavors like that of raw salad, and fresh fruit and veggies.

What might that have to do with body type? Well, quite a lot. Heavily refined grain, processed food, artificial sweeteners (including cornstarch) and heavily fried foods are the enemy of all body types, primarily endomorphs, since the metabolism of an endomorph is quite slow.

Stay tuned as I will be making some food recommendations based on personal experience, for the endomorph body type. I will also be making the connection between blood-type and body type, and the benefits, (or lack thereof) of grain in one’s diet, especially wheat, and the exercise routines/regimes I find really ideal for the endomorph body type.

Creatine is likely the best, most proven muscle building supplement outside of food products like protein powder. However, there are many overpriced, overhyped products which you would do well to avoid. The foremost of these snake oil products is cell tech creatine.

This article will explain the 2 most important reasons why you should save your hard earned money and avoid cell tech creatine. You can use these tips to avoid other bad products and focus on the ones that are really worthwhile. At the end of the article, follow the link to find a comprehensive muscle building guide, one that will do far more than any bogus supplement to help you gain mass.

1. You’re Paying Top Dollar For Sugar!

The main appeal of cell tech creatine is its outrageous advertising. The company uses massive bodybuilders to promote the product as if it is the next best thing for building muscle. They make crazy claims, like “Cell Tech Creatine can make you gain 25 times more mass,” and other thins along those lines.

If you peel away this marketing veil, however, you’ll see that the only big difference between cell tech creatine and other, much cheaper creatine products, is sugar. That’s it! You’re paying 10, 20, even 30 times as much for some sugar! Adding glucose to creatine can certainly be useful, but you should never pay that kind of price for it.

2. Creatine Monohydrate Works Just As Well

As with many things in life, the simplest is the best in this case. Plain old creatine monohydrate, the supplement that has been tested and proven to work for years, will give you the same muscle building benefit as cell tech creatine for pennies per serving.

Creatine works by helping your muscle cells to produce more ATP, or cellular energy, from the food you eat. No “magical” formula is going to accomplish that goal any better. If you want to take creatine with sugar to increase its uptake into your muscles, buy some dextrose (also dirt cheap), and mix them yourself.