Incline Lateral Raise

Shoulders, one of the hardest muscles to build, mainly due to the effects of overtraining with other muscle groups - chest, back... and also form the problems arrising from poor form when training. Lateral raises are a perfect example of beth. Many people either try to lift to much and end up using their back and core to lift it more than a controlled motion of the shoulders.
It is best to perfom this move with light  dumbells, 6-10kg, until you are extrememly comfortable with the technique. It also works best if tou train to failure, instead of aiming for a specific rep range each time, giving your shoulders a more direct impact from the motion. I am currently using 8kg dumbells and am doing 4 sets of 8-12 reps per set. I also find that it is a great move for a shoulder burn out at the end of the workout allowing you to finish off your workout and get a great pump. Check out the video to see how its done. But one thing to aloways remember when doing this move or any shoulder move is that its about the resistance, not the weight, in bodybuilding it doesn't matter what weight you lift when compared to everyone else, as long as you can FEEL IT!

Hanging abs crunches

This is one of my new favourite abs moves, having recently changed up my routines a bit and I thought I'd share it with you.

This is one of the top recomended abs moves by many pro-bodybuilders and it targets your core, as all of your abdominal muscles especially the infamous lower abs. In fact legends of the bodybuilding world such as Arnold schwarzenegger where big fans of this.

All you need are a set of pull ups bars/handles and your good to go. Simply grip the bar at about shoulder width and keep your arms straight, hanging from the bar with your feet of the ground. From here lift your knees up and tuck them into your chest, and then lower them slowly back into the straight legs position.
NOTE: Lowering your legs slowly and stopping yourself from swaying as you perform the move will lead to better results as it recruits more stabilising muscles in the process which are not only a vital part of the six-pack, but will help imrove other lifts as well.

I usually aim for about 4-5 sets of at least 12 reps fot this exercise and keep the tempo slow and controlled, squeezing the abs at the top of each crunch. To make it a bit more difficult and to increase the muscle gains try either adding ankle weights or holding a dumbell between your feet as you lift up each time to add extra strain to your abs.

Cottage Cheese and Whey

Okay I know what your thinking, how on earth did this combination come about? Well all I can say is that I can’t take credit for this one. A few weeks ago I was watching a few youtube video’s and came across this teen bodybuilder- ‘Kyle Hynick’ talking about this snack and I thought, hmm I better try this. Trust me it is absolutely amazing, not only are the nutritional values solid gold for a shredding diet, but the taste is unbelievable. Even better news is that it can be easily adapted to a bulking diet.

Simply add 100grams of cottage cheese and 1 scoop of whey protein to a bowl and stir it up with your spoon. You’ll need to add a little water, no more than 50ml at most to make the whey mix well. What your left with is a custard looking snack that tastes like angel delight, (for those of you who know the desert brand).

So what’s the nutritional break down?

Protein – 30 grams
Carbs – 6 grams
Fat – 3 grams

If your on a bulking diet this is still a viable snack, but you might want to beef up the protein and good fats section by adding 50 grams of nuts or oats to the mix (or both). This raises the protein to around 40-45grams and fats to about 10 grams. Seriously though you need to try this!

Train yourself to immunity

We all know that training and working out is a great way to stay healthy and saty lean, but its also been proven to provide immunity to many other ilnesses, let me explain.

1. Lift big to beat Alzheimer's:
The Alzheimer's society reports a six-fold rise in the risk of developing this disease if you have high blood pressure, and high colesterol, while more recent studies show regular exercise helps remove LDL (aka bad cholesterol) from the blood to the liver, where it is expelled from the body. Brandeis university then did further studies and found that weight lifting circuits performed with heavier loads, were the most effective exercise for boosting your immunity to developing this disease in later life!

2. Run away from Prostate Cancer:
Regular vigorous aerobic exercise cuts your chance of developing prostate cancer by over 60% according to a study at Harvard University. The research found that activities which multiply your metabolic rate by 6, such as running, rowing, cycling, boxing... create an inhospitable environment for tumour growth and thus reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer.

3. Push your self to dodge Diabeties:
Research from the American Diabeties Association found a 46.3% increase in insulin efficiency when men lifted weights to failure. This is because more muscle fibres are recruited than during basic lifting sessions and allows your body to get a greater release of glycogen. Try lifting 50-80% of your one rep max to failure.

4. Start slow to stop Arthritis:
Warming up before a workout is a good way to start but it also helps to invest a future lifespan for your joints. A Nottingham University study found that you are 4.2 times more likely to develop Arthritis if you've had even a moderate injury in one of your jionts. Warm ups that include joint awareness, stretching and co-ordination of upper and lower body moves result in a serious decrease in injury risk.

5. Work more muscle to beat Heart Disease:
Working multiple muscle groups at once in one session maximises the oxygenated blood your heart needs. The rhythmic conntraction of arteries allows better dilation and more oxygen to get to the heart.  Experts say that full body exertion results in a 30% dip in C-reactive protein levels: a measurement used to predict your risk of coronary disease. So get those compound lifts, squatts, bench and deadlifts on the go and incorporate circuits into cardio sessions to really beat this common killer!

Best moves for that V-shaped Back

All professional bodybuilders seem to have this v shape about their upper torso that everyone talks about. Well here are the 4 top rated moves to getting into that shape, (exculding deadlifts as they are classified as a LEG exercise).

1. Lat pulldown:
Obvious number 1, the latissimus dorsi muscles make up the main body of the upper back and the V- shaped torso. This move, if performed correctly is a great way to perfect your overall shape. Try getting a weight that you are comforable with, but have to squeeze out the last few reps with each set and aim for 8-12 reps each time for optimal muscle growth and size. Also don't cheat! Keep your back straight and control the pull down into the chest or behind the head. Do Not start using your lower back to shift the weight, it ain't what we came to train!
Also try switching the pull down position from into the chest to behing the head in between sets to get extra muscle straing and recruit all of the 'lat' muscle.

2. Bent-over row:
Perfromed with a barbell this move works wonders for the v-shaped torso. It targets the lats again but also hits the core, lower back, rhomboids and middle traps. Its perfect for building up your back muscles and gives great definition to your 'lats'.
In order to keep this move effective there are several tips;
Change the way your perfrom the move, try doing controled reps for a few weeks and then one week of explosive reps with more weight. This shocks the muscles into growth and means you will lift more next week in the controlled stage again.
Also many bodybuilders recomend grip aiding straps so that your lift is not affected mid set due to a lack of grip in your forearms, especially in the explosive week.

3. T-bar row:
This is similar to the bent over row and hits virtuallt the same muscles, but your grip is narrowed so it aims to build the back upwards and add size to the main muscle groups. I would recomend using straps for this to aid the lift especially once you start to up the weight. Aim for 10 controlled reps with each set for best results.

4. Wide grip pullups:
The bodyweight move that works wonders for your back muscles, all of them! With a grip like lat pull down (wide) perfrom the pull up for about 3-4 sets to failure to get the best results.

Additionally once your bodyweight becomes to easy try either adding a weighted belt, or holding a dumbell between your feet as you do the move for xtra resistnce.
Another tip for extra growth and a much harder workout is performing the move with a side to side motion at the top of each rep. i.e Pull your self up to the top, then shift your body to the left, till your eyes are level wih your left hand, and then shift to the right, then down again. Thats one rep. This extra motion is a killer for the back and works wonders for your gym reputation if done properly.

Scrambled egg, chicken and toast

A great, high protein lunch with plenty of nutritional benefits. The eggs are a great source of protein and polyunsaturated fats that are essential for growth and repair of muscle tissue, and the eggs are also extremely low in carbohydrates. The chicken is also packed full of protein and B vitamins including B12 which releases energy from food and helps keep you energised even on a low carb diet. The peppers provide simple carbs and essential nutrients including vitamins C and D in small doses to help with cell recovery and muscle growth.

This is a great meal to have on any diet and will encourage muscle, strength and recovery gains in no time.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium eggs
• 100g chicken
• 40g sliced peppers
• (optional) 1 round of whole meal toast - 50g

Nutritional info:

With toast = Protein (47g) Carbohydrates (24g)
Without toast = Protein (42g) Carbohydrates (6g)

It is quick and easy to make, only takes about 5-6 minutes at most to prepare and cook in the microwave and then its all yours. Enjoy.