Slim Fit Health Plus+

by Nishanth Reddy

There are as many varied opinions on what ìplanî one should follow to build muscle, as there are people who have those opinions. On one thing they do agree, however. You must have a regimen.

∑ You can begin by defining your objective.

∑ Why are you interested in body building?

∑ What do you hope to accomplish?

∑ What is your ultimate goal?

Itís all about commitment and belief. There is an abundance of information about how to begin and conduct your journey, but without a burning desire to achieve, you are doomed to inevitable failure.

The following tips are not intended to be a ìone size fits all.î Take from it what you will. In that light, consider the following list:

1. Before beginning any serious weight lifting or body building regimen, consult your physician.

2. Set your goals. Define what you expect to achieve with your new bodybuilding campaign within a realistic time frame. If you create goals that are unattainable you are setting yourself up for failure. You can become bored, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where you may give up. This is a very sad outcome to what might have been the best decision of your life. Donít sell yourself short. Set your long-term goals, of course, but also set short-term goals that are achievable. And, donít forget to reward yourself when you do achieve them.

3. Consider the costs.If you donít already have a budget, create one. Then, determine what amount of discretionary funds you have available for your bodybuilding program. This will determine whether you can afford to have a home gym or if your needs would better be served by joining a club. Joining a club is still a good short-term introduction before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on equipment that might not be appropriate for your needs.

4. Donít forget some of the low cost alternatives to purchasing your bodybuilding equipment. If used equipment is still functional why spend the extra dollars just for a little glitz! Good, brand name used equipment is every bit as functional as something right off a showroom floor.

5. Consider combining a home gym along with a membership in a public facility. Purchase less expensive free weight equipment for use at home and join a gym to have access to the more expensive equipment. You can design your entire workout routines around a combination such as this.

6. Eat healthy! This canít be stressed enough. The only true bodybuilding aids are good nutrition. Consult a licensed dietician. Watch your local community calendar for free seminars on diet and nutrition. Learn all you can about what nature freely provides that can help you to develop a healthy diet.

7. If you choose to use dietary supplements, make certain that you know what you are putting in your body. Follow the packaging guidelines we outlined above. Ask your physician for his/her recommendations based on the regimen you have selected. No friend, coach or acquaintance can take the place of your physician. In fact, you may even investigate finding a physician who specializes in sports wellness.

8. Be kind to yourself. Yes, itís important to push to achieve your goals, but itís very easy to tip the scales in the other direction and create a nightmare for yourself. Obsessive, compulsive behaviors are not conducive to a healthy bodybuilding lifestyle.

About The Author
Nishanth Reddy, is an author and publisher of many health related websites. For more information on how to gain mass, build muscle, body builders routine and tips on bodybuilding visit his website at http://www.fitness-wellness-guide.com.

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by Mark Smithn

Treadmills are a large investment financially and in your fitness, therefore much thought and preparation should go into the purchase of your new treadmill.

Having your treadmill motor blow up or your belt warp severely after only a few months use is not something you want, so here are a few basic treadmill buying tips.

Warranty - Any treadmill brand worth its weight will offer a nice warranty on their product. Usually the motor, parts, and labor will be covered under different warranties. Make sure you get at least a 5 year warranty on you motor. After the treadmill purchase make sure you abide by the warranty and send in any user registrations if required.

Walking Surface - How big is the surface you actually walk or run on? My first treadmill had a 16 inch width that seemed fine in the store, however after further usage I found myself always aware of where the sides were and extra careful not to "step off the edge". Make sure the width of your treadmill will be comfortable for everyone in your household (I prefer 20 inch widths) and also the length is long enough for the long legged members of your family.

Weight Limit - Most treadmills have a weight limit. Too much weight can put a strain on the frame, belt, and especially motor of the treadmill. Make sure your potential treadmill has a weight limit to accommodate all of its potential users to avoid putting undue wear and tear on your new treadmill.

Test Things Out - Get on your treadmill and give it a test drive. Does everything work as the advertisement states? Try the heart monitor if it’s a feature, does it appear to be working properly? Is the treadmill quiet to your liking, or will it be an annoyance when home? Are the displays big enough for you to see easily?

Safety - Make sure your new treadmill has an emergency stop mechanism. This can help prevent serious injuries during malfunction or accidents.

Additional Features - Treadmills come in many shapes and sizes with various features. Some additional features you may look for are a water bottle holder, calorie counter, book stand, incline, and preset and programmable workout routines.

Once you’ve made your final treadmill buying decision, make sure you shop around for the best price for your new treadmill. Getting all the features you want at the price you want makes for happy treadmilling!

About The Author
Mark Smithn currently writes for Treadmill Review which can be found on the web at treadmillreview.biz.

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by Michael Russell

Those yoga practitioners with tense hamstrings are the ones most likely to tense up in poses meant to release the hams and they then lose the benefit of the pose. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) is a pose where to experience a relaxing stretch in your back, neck and legs, you must release the hamstrings.

Uttanasana is often used as a relaxing break after standing poses or as a rest during an intense vinyasa sequence. When performing the Standing Forward Bend, it is best to stretch the hamstrings on the back of your thighs and contract the quadriceps on the front of your thighs. In Uttanasana, positioning is important to allow the hamstrings to lengthen and relax into the stretch as opposed to holding on tightly and contracting.

To appreciate how your hamstrings work in Uttanasana, it is important to understand the three distinct forms of muscle contraction. In an isometric contraction, the muscle does not change length; a concentric contraction makes the muscle shorter; and an eccentric contraction lengthens the muscle.

If you start in Uttanasana with your knees straight and your pelvis tilted forward so that your head and spine are moving towards the floor, as you come up out of the pose, the hamstrings contract and pull down the sitting bones. The pelvis will then move upright and the upper body aligns with the legs. The hamstrings have performed a concentric, or shortening, contraction.

However, when standing and tilting the pelvis forward the hamstrings perform a lengthening, or eccentric contraction. If you stop halfway, the hamstrings will perform an isometric contraction. They are still working hard, but are neither shortening nor lengthening. Here is the problem for students with tight hamstrings: they cannot reach their fingers to the floor so when they bend over they end up sort of "stuck" halfway - and in an isometric contraction.

It is not recommended that Uttanasana be practiced with the fingers dangling towards the ground. This puts undue pressure on the muscles as well as the lower back. The hamstrings will not benefit and become more flexible, but remain rigid.

A simple solution is to put a yoga block or a folded blanket under your hands to support the weight of your body through your arms. The hamstrings will then no longer be required to support the torso and can lengthen and relax.

For proper alignment in this pose, ensure that the hips are over your ankles, not behind them. The knees should be straight. To offset the tendency to bend the knees, the quadriceps should be contracted. Since they are "antagonistic" muscle groups, the hamstrings will automatically relax when you flex your quads. This will allow for a fuller stretch of the hamstrings.

The Standing Forward Bend is also excellent work for the erector spinae, the group of small muscles that run up and down the spine. Just as with the hamstrings, the erector spinae will only benefit from this pose if the weight of the upper body is supported by placing the hands on the floor or a prop.

Remember to keep the quads working. With time and practice, the hamstrings will lengthen and release, allowing further release in the lower back and pelvic region.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

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