Body Transformation Blog 4: Mike Chang

Mike Chang has had an amazing transformation over the years and is very well known for his youtube channel sixpackshortcuts which has millions of views and subscribers. Mike lost a lot of fat and put on a lot of muscle and he encourages others to do the same via youtube videos. On his youtube channel he has motivational videos about how he lost weight and how anyone can do it, he also posts hundreds of videos about different exercise for different muscles and nutritional videos. Mike Chang is a great inspiration to all who aspire to get a better physique and if you are looking to lose a bit of fat or maybe put some muscle on i would definitely recommend you have a look at his youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/sixpackshortcuts?feature=watch or his website: sixpackshortcuts.com

Mike woke up one day and wasnt happy with his body so he decided to change it and has not only made a great change but also a great career out of working hard in the gym, if he can do it why not us?

Patrick Jabbour

Workout Blog 3: Intermediate Arms and Legs

Intermediate Leg Workout

Now's the time to introduce squats into your program which are often called the 'king' of lower body exercises.  Be sure to watch that you're always maintaining good form while executing this movement.  Keep the rest periods between the first two exercises to sixty seconds and then after that decrease it down to 30 seconds total.

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
	Squats	3	8-10
	Stiff Leg Deadlifts	2	8-10
	Lunges	2	10-12
	Standing Calf Raises	2	10-12
	Seated Calf Raises	2	10-12

Intermediate Arm Workout

This intermediate arm workout will have you performing a variation of the bench press as a means to target the tricep muscles. This not only works it in a different manner but will also help to fatigue the triceps before really targeting them with your tricep extension. Aim for forty-five minute rest breaks between the first two exercises and thirty second rest breaks between the last two.

	Exercise	Sets	Reps
	Barbell Curls	3	8-10
	Close-Grip Bench Press	2	8-10
	Bent Over Tricep Extension	2	8-10
	Hammer Curls	2	8-10

Annalise Dracopoulos.

Workout Blog 1: Tips To Start Up

Over the next few weeks I will be doing weekly posts containing information about fitness workouts. These posts will include exercises, tips and photos. Enjoy!

This blog post will contain basic tips for getting started when exercising.

1. Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes

Though the tendency of some people who really want to get a lot out of their workouts is to spend a lot of time at the gym, the truth is that after 30 or 40 minutes, the benefit isn’t as great. To go that long, you’d have to lower the intensity of the workout, and that means that you’re spending too much time working out. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.

2.  High-intensity workouts

If you’re just starting out with exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. However, once you have that base of endurance, step up the intensity to step up the effectiveness of the workout.

3.  Protein

Many people don’t pay enough attention to getting the protein their muscles need to rebuild. If you don’t, you are going to get very little out of your workout, as both cardio and strength workouts require protein for building muscles. I recommend either whey or soy protein shakes.

4. Water

Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.

5. Carbs

Although the low-carb craze might say otherwise, carbs are our body’s main source of fuel. If you do intense workouts, you will need carbs, or you won’t have enough energy. If you do a shake, be sure to include carbs — or a banana is a great source of low fiber/high glycemic carbohydrates that you need for exercise.

6. Slow lifting

Many people contract their muscles slowly and then release more quickly. But if you lift slowly in both directions, you are maximizing each move. Lift and lower to a 5-second count in each direction.

7. Heavier weight

When you’re starting out, it’s best to start with lower weights so you can focus on good form. But once you’ve gotten your form down, it’s best to lift the heaviest weights you can lift while still keeping good form. Don’t sacrifice form for heavy weights — that is ineffective. But heavy weights, with good form, can give you better results in a shorter amount of time. Heavy weights are not just for those who want to bulk up — that’s a common misconception.

8. One set, to failure

Instead of doing 2-3 sets, as many people do, maximize your effectiveness by doing just one, with heavy weights, until you can no longer keep the proper form. Lifting to “failure” doesn’t mean that you should lift the last few times with a wobbly or inefficient form.

9.  Mix it up

Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long, or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be getting an effective workout. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio, it’s best to cross train rather than, say, to run every time.

10. Good form

For strength training especially, and swimming, form is very important, but it’s also important for other types of exercise. If you’re strength training, start with lighter weights so you can work on your form. It’s good to have an experienced spotter or trainer who knows good form to help you for the first month or so. Never sacrifice form for heavier weight. For swimming, you’ll need to get a coach to teach you form.

11.  Hills

If you run or bike or walk for cardio, you’ll want to incorporate hills (after the first month or two of doing it at an easy pace on flat ground). These will make you stronger and make your limited workout time even more effective. Take them easy at first, but once you’re used to hills, you can get a good pace going. Either use a hilly route or do repeats on one hill.

12. Circuits

One mistake that people make is to do multiple sets of the same exercise without rest between the sets. This doesn’t allow your muscles to recover and it’s a waste of your workout. But instead of doing a set, resting, and then doing your second set, it’s more effective to move on to multiple exercises in a circuit, so that you don’t rest between exercises but do rest each muscle group. This will give you a good cardio workout while you do your strength training.

Annalise Dracopoulos.