Workout Blog 4: Cool Down Stretches

 
 Chest Cross Arm Swing: When combined with side steps or walking in place, this is a great way to keep the heart rate elevated slightly so it can more effectively push waste products to the kidneys and liver while taxing your body only slightly as to not create any excessive waste itself. You will primarily feel this in your chest and the front of your shoulder when your arms are pulled back behind your ribcage and in the rear of your shoulder and upper back when your arms are crossed over in front of your ribcage. Just be sure to move slowly and alternate which arm is on top when your arms are in front of your body.


Wide Toe Touch: With your feet wider than shoulder width you stretch a slightly different part of your lower back, hamstring (back of the thigh), glute (butt) and calf (only slightly) than you would when doing a regular toe touch (aka straight leg hang) with your feet together. Try modifying this by pointing your toes out or in to target different areas of your legs, back, and hips.


Squatting Glute Stretch: Though this stretch requires a bit of extra balance and control to do without assistance, it is a great way to stretch deep into the glute (butt) muscles and also will hit parts of the lower back. Start with only a shallow squat then build up over time until you have the flexibility and strength to get to a full squat.

Inside Thigh Stretch: This position gives you the same benefits of dropping down to do the side splits (or trying anyway) but without the uncomfortable feeling by focusing on only one leg at a time. With one leg bent you are able to focus on getting the stretch on the inside thigh/groin of the straight leg. To intensify the move, you don’t need to drop further into a side lunge, instead just focus on dropping your hip lower (on the side with the straight leg).

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch: The hip flexor (front of the hip joint) can be a hard location to stretch properly but this position does a really good job of isolating the hip flexor one side at a time. The key with this position is to keep the back leg straight (this is the side of the body where you will feel it). To intensify the pull, lunge lower and/or lean back slightly. Just be careful to move to the identical position on the opposite side.

Standing Quad Stretch: This is another position that can be a bit challenging for balance without any assistance but it is a great way to target the quadriceps (the front/top of the thigh). Only pull your heel as close to your butt as you can without your knee feeling uncomfortable; don’t pull too hard as it can over compress and damage/loosen your knee joint. Once you have a slight stretch, pull your knee back behind you (using the muscles in your leg) to intensify the feeling in the hip and quadriceps.

Side Bends: This motion targets the obliques as you lean sideways. It can be modified to incorporate the outer thigh as well by bringing your foot across in front of you at the same time. For example if you are leaning to the left then pull your right leg (the same side you will feel it in) across to the left as well. This should intensify the pull on the right oblique as well as adding a pull to the right outside thigh and hip.

Arm Cross Shoulder Stretch: This motion targets the rear of the deltoid (shoulder) and the rhomboid (upper back, over the shoulder blade). Depending on the flexibility of these areas you may not feel much of a pull, but keeping your upper arm close to your chest and pulling with the opposite arm across and away from the shoulder to be stretched should intensify this motion.

Overhead Tricep Stretch: Targeting the tricep (back of the upper arm) can be difficult but this position does a good job of not only targeting the tricep but also various parts of the shoulder complex (muscles that surround the shoulder socket). Be sure to reach back to the same shoulder as arm you are stretching to get the most tricep pull.

Wall Shoulder Stretch: Shoulder range of motion is often an issue that can limit ones ability to perform various upper body exercises properly. This position is a great way to keep from losing that range of motion and when held for longer time periods it can help you to regain lost range of motion, allowing you more freedom of movement with the arm fully extended overhead. Just be sure to keep a flat back rather than letting it arch as this can cause back pain/injuries if hyperextended.

Annalise Dracopoulos.

Fitness Motivation - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Hollywood actress, former california Mayor, body building champion and fitness aspiring icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger born July 30 1937 dominates the fitness scene through his fabulously scultped body and controversial character. His success has been the back bone of his sheer determination, will and skill to be the best as he can, and for you readers this is the exact attitude which must be adopted in order to reach that glowing light at the end of that weightless tunnel.

Jiust like Muhummed Ali which was featured last week, Arnold stresses the importance of the energising nature of motivation when it come to getting up and achieving your tasks. Those days when your too tired from going to the gym, shut up. Those days when you claim you don't have enough time, shut up as arnold would put it. There are no excuses the gym releases serotonine, making you feel better after a great work out. Here are some of Arnold's most memorable quotes

- Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.

- For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer

- When your partying, drinking, resting there is someone out there that is working hard. There is 24hrs in a day, you sleep 8 of them you work hard for 16 of those hours. 

There you have it, a character a man a successor. A main with a vision, a man who puts 110% into everything he does. Why take up something if your not going to try. You may got to the gym and work hard, but your diet may be ordinary. He can not stress the importance to the approach. You only get out what you put in.

Conquor, strength, motivation, arnold schwarzenegger, fitness, inspiration, character, 

Diet Tips for a Healthy Life Blog 2: Low Carbohydrate Diets for Losing Weight

Most people these days want to be lean and shredded and your diet is the best way in order to achieve this want. In this blog I will show you the most effective way in order to lose fat while at the same time ensure you keep your lean muscle mass. This is through the "Low Carbohydrate Diet". This diet comes in many shapes and forms you may have heard about such as the Atkins Diet or South Beach Diet, however some of these can be unsafe and even unhealthy. I will show you the best way to undertake a low carb diet.

The basic principle of the low carb diet is to significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake to reduce the amount of glycogen that your body recieves in your blood. Remember, glycogen is what carbohydrates break down to in the blood and is your bodies preferred energy source. Basically, when your body is depleted of glycogen it will look other forms of energy such as fats. This is where you can lose those stored kilos on your body! However, the problem with many low carb diets is they reduce carbs way too much and  do not include enough emphasis on nutrition. My low carb diet plan ensures carbs aren't reduced to dangerous levels (after all your body does need them) and vitamins and minerals are not sacrificed.

Breakfast

• 4 eggs cooked to your liking with olive oil (scrambles, fried, boiled etc.)
• 1/8 medium melon, such as rockmelon or 50g of blueberries
• 30 grams almonds – either slivered on cereal, or whole – can save as a mid-morning snack if preferred

Lunch

• Throw It Together Salad: Bag of salad greens – about 6.5 oz or 4 cups, tossed together with half a sliced avocado, 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds, 150g of whatever protein you like (I used deli turkey for the analysis, but egg, beef, chicken, fish, or tofu would be fine), and 2 Tablespoons of balsamic dressing and olive oil.

Snack

• Swiss and Ham Roll-Up: 50g sliced ham and 25g sliced Swiss cheese, with sugar-free mustard if desired, rolled around a medium dill pickle 

Dinner

• Basil Chicken with Vegetables
• Dessert: ½ cup ricotta cheese with desired flavorings, such as Sugar Free falvoured syrpus, coffee and sweetener, unsweetened cocoa and sweetener (check carbs), or mixed berries

Nutritional Analysis: This menu provides 49 grams effective carbohydrate plus 36 grams fiber, 101 grams protein, and 1569 calories. It contains at least the minimum requirements of all essential vitamins and minerals.

Following a plan like the one above is the perfect way to lose those extra kilos while at the same time remaining healthy and storing that lean muscle.

James Hallab

Motivation - Muhammad Ali

Each week i will be discussing the different role models. This week i will be discussing the arguable greatest american boxer that has ever been alive that is Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., January 17, 1942) is an American former professional  philanthropis and social activist.

Motivation is key to the effort we put into fitness aswell as our daily lives. Without motivation we do not have a wick, a fire to ignite our energy and step forward into attempting assignments daily. We all need motivation, it has surge the upward in mankind, the most successful people alive have the greatest motivation. Fitness role models such as the Mohammed Ali himself have delivered famous quotes through advice for people around the world. some of his famous quotes are as followed

- "Champions are made from something they have deep inside them, a desire, a dream, a vision. they have to have last minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will has to be stronger then the skill"

- "I hated every minute of training, but i said dont quit, duffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion"

- "i am the greatest, i said that even before i knew i was"

- "He who is not courageous to take risks will not accomplish anything in life"

By just saying, reading this quotes as a daily ritual will inject stimulus to your motivation. In regards to fitness, without motivation we are not physical fit enough to have the will to achieve our fitness goals. Either it be from losing weight to becoming more leaner and meaner, motivation is the absolute key to our success. The road may be long, nothing happens over night but delivering such momentum through these quotes motivation is uplifted, ignited and we are able to achieve them. "Success is not a destination, Its a journey" and motivation must be carried throughout this journey

In conclusion, Muhammed Alis reenforcement of motivation through his journey of success has created such a significant impact on the success in todays world. I myself have Muhammed Ali posters all around my room, he is my absolute idol. I can not stress the importance of motivation, when it comes to fitness. Please enjoy these quotes and make them become a ritual to your everyday activities. Why try something if your not going to put in 110%, these quotes will reenforce stimulus into your energy to get up and go to the gym

Body Transformation Blog 1: Lara from the Biggest Loser

Lara

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about body transformations with pictures of people who have made amazing progress towards achieving their goal physique, this can include both losing weight or putting on muscle.  This is the first of four instalments, I hope you all enjoy.

This is a before and after photo of Lara from the biggest loser. She has made an amazing transformation from starting weight of 107.1kg to 70.4kg, that's over 35kgs! Lara is an inspiration to all who aspire to lose a some weight, Lara is looking amazing at the moments and probably feels better than she has ever felt before. Her dedication and hard work has definitely paid off and her body looks great. Lara had to overcome some adversities throughout the show but she was able to overcome them through perseverance and hard work. The biggest and most well known issue was her well publicised break up with Leigh, her boyfriend and teammate on the biggest loser who she spoke about marrying and were planning on getting engaged at the end of the show, after (rumours say he cheated on her after he got evicted) they broke up she didn't give up and just pig out on food like she used to she only worked harder to lose more weight and it has definately shown. I applaud Lara and all others who aspire to lose weight and become healther and wish her the best with the rest of her life which I'm sure will be a full and exciting one.

Patrick Jabbour.