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How to Get Lean Muscle

There are many ways to build lean muscle that will make you look toned and athletic. The key is to keep up with whichever method fits you best. Fitness is not something that happens in x-amount of days. Instead, fitness is a lifestyle that is lived through diet, exercise, mindfulness and activity.
“I’m too busy” is a common excuse when it comes to fitness. Investing an hour a day to fitness three to six times a week will give you more physical and mental health benefits than you can imagine. If you really break it down, what’s four hours a week to spend on exercise? When you look at devoting just four hours a week to exercise, it really doesn’t seem that intimidating.
For those with busy lives who don’t know where to start with their fitness, we offer a course that is specifically for those on the go. Not only does it help you to get fit with exercise, but it offers healthy diet options so you can start working toward that lean muscle.

Running

One of the best exercises for building lean muscle is running, and it’s one of the most affordable. All you need is proper shoes and clothing and you’re good to go. While it may not be the easiest at first, as long as you keep pushing and aiming for goals, running will become easy, rewarding and fun. And the more you keep with it, the more you will see your body change. That’s because running burns more calories than most types of cardio. If you have a gym membership, skip the bike, eliptical or stairstepper and hit the treadmill for 30 minutes. On average, you burn 100 calories per mile, which makes tracking calories easy. Running is an aerobic exercise, which is an exercise that burns fat, a key component in getting that lean muscle you want.

Diet

Diet is just as important as exercise when it comes to losing fat and gaining muscle. Lean protein is the key to building lean muscle. Switch your diet from carb-heavy to lean-protein heavy and you will start seeing the changes in your body that you are aiming for. That’s not to say take carbohydrates out of your diet altogether, as they are important for energy. It is protein that helps rebuild muscle, so if it’s muscle that you’re looking to build, there should be more servings of protein in your diet than carbohydrates. A popular diet that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts use to look their best is the paleo diet. The diet (based on that of the Paleolithic humans) focuses on eating fish, grass-fed meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots and nuts. With this course, you will learn more about the diet, as well as how it will help you get rid of fat and gain muscle.

Weight Training

Many people think that weight training is an exercise that will make them bulk up. That is actually not true. You will not bulk up unless you add supplements and extra calories in the form of protein in your diet. As long as you keep with your balanced diet, you will see lean muscle start to emerge. Strength training actually makes your body work harder to maintain muscle over fat. This, in turn, helps to boost metabolism and burn more fat and calories throughout the day. As we age, we lose lean muscle and need to replace the muscle loss or else it will turn to fat. Weightlifting is a great way to replace the muscle loss and prevent fat. With this course, you will learn the importance of strength training, as well as the tools to gain muscle and lose fat.

Yoga

Until you try yoga, you have no idea what an entire-body experience it really is. Yoga helps bring all your work — whether it’s running, biking, weightlifting, swimming — together. There are many health benefits you get from practicing yoga on a regular basis. Yoga is not only good for your body, but it reduces stress and depression, as well as helps you to sleep better. When it comes to body benefits, practicing yoga will strengthen muscles to help aches and pains, tone your body to get that lean muscle you’re looking for, improve flexibility, increase endurance (which will help with your cardio exercises), help your posture and more. A good yoga session leaves you feeling relaxed and replenished. If you’re interested in beginning yoga, don’t be intimidated. Yoga is a practice where nobody is perfect. You can always set goals for yourself and get better with your practice. This course we offer is yoga for everyone, which introduces yoga to beginners. In it, you learn sitting, standing and lying practices, as well as the importance of meditation. If you’ve got the hang of yoga and want to dive into the practice further, we also offer this course, which has more than 30 hours of techniques.

 Putting It All In Practice

Once you start a routine of diverse exercises and healthy eating, you will start seeing changes in your body over time. Losing fat and building lean muscle is not something that happens immediately, so we recommend keeping a journal of your progress and taking a photo of yourself at the beginning of each month to see how far you’ve come. It’s important to remember that in order to keep your lean muscle you’ve worked hard for, you need to create a healthy and positive lifestyle for yourself. It takes effort, but once you start seeing the changes in your body and in your mental health, you’ll want to keep going forward. The confidence that you get from maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle is something that is worth all that hard work.

Source

Pre- and Post-workout Nutrition for High-Intensity Interval Training

 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become hugely popular thanks to real results in shorter periods of time and extensive benefits. With busy schedules the norm, it’s no wonder so many clients and potential clients are now seeking out these kinds of workouts.

HIIT, which involves repeated sessions of relatively brief, intermittent exercise, usually performed at very high intensity, can be easily modified for various client needs and fitness levels. When combined with an expert nutrition program, personalized HIIT programs can elicit serious results and health benefits, including: 

Improve blood pressure and cardiovascular health
Improved insulin sensitivity
Improved body composition

Whether you’re adding HIIT to your own personal fitness program or ramping up client results and health benefits with this style of training, it’s important to understand the nutritional needs to support it from start to finish. While nutritional needs do vary by individual and training program, these nutrition plans and meal ideas for pre- and post-workout nutrition can help.
General Nutrition to Support a H.I.I.T. Program 

To get the most out of any fitness program, you should follow a healthy meal plan in general. Effective and well-rounded nutrition programs are based on a variety of healthful ingredients such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. The best nutrition plans provide adequate calories and macronutrients such as carbohydrates to fuel the body and provide energy stores for workouts. It’s important that these are expertly created programs that allow you to stay within your scope of practice and prevent clients adopting a restrictive diet that may inhibit their success. Adequate water is also a must to ensure complete hydration during workouts.
 

Pre-workout Nutrition for HIIT

Due to the intensity of these workouts, it’s vital to follow a healthy nutrition plan with adequate nutrition in the days and hours leading up to a workout. Plan on a moderate- to high-carbohydrate meal that also includes protein approximately three to four hours before the HIIT workout, and then another high-carbohydrate snack within an hour after the workout. Good options for a pre-workout meal include: 

Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and banana
Non-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit
Dried fruit and almonds
Post-workout Nutrition for HIIT

The biggest nutritional concern post-workout is replacing energy stores (glycogen) and repairing muscles that have been broken down during the intense workout. Again, a combination of carbohydrates and protein has been shown to be most effective. Research shows that a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein within 30 minutes of completing a HIIT workout is best for replacing energy stores in preparation for the next high-intensity workout. 

 

Suggestions for post-workout nutrition are similar to pre-workout meals and include:
Whole-grain cereal with fruit and soy milk
Whole-wheat crackers with fruit and cheese
Hummus and pita bread

The best pre- and post-workout nutrition boosts energy and results—and motivation. 

Reference Gibala, M.J. (2007). High-intensity interval training: New insights. Gatorade Sports Science Institute Sports Science Exchange, 20, 2.

5 Myths about the Fitness Exercises

1. Sport is for professionals. This idea applies only in the case of performance sports. The native qualities required for professional sportsmen (speed, skills, specific height, etc.) can only be developed, they can't be formed by training. As long as the aim of a regular person is not performance, almost all sports can be practiced for keeping the body in a good shape. It's all about dosing the training you chose, so that the benefits are bigger than wear and tear. Even the sports considered tough can be practiced in a 'soft' way (tae-bo, mini-triathlon, jogging, etc.).

 2. Training is tiring. This idea is true as long as it refers to consuming all your energy (muscular and hepatic glycogen), but it doesn't mean that training gets you into that state of exhaustion which would slow down the process of recovery of the body. Even in performance sports, the purpose is to have rather effective than exhausting training, so that the body can get the stimulation necessary to qualitative progress from one training to the next.

Even more than in other sports, in fitness the sportsman is spared overexerting. However, the training must not become ineffective. People can come to the gym tired after a work day and leave relaxed (physically and psychologically) and not more tired. This is extremely useful for people with sedentary jobs, but also for those who make physical effort at work. They could use the training by choosing a type of effort meant to compensate the one involved in their job.

3. Training takes too long. Again, this idea is true if applied to performance, which can only be obtained by working a lot. But also in this case short and very intense training or training for relaxation and recovery are often performed. In fitness, you can get to 20-minute training, working only super-series of fast exercises, which could involve, directly or indirectly, all the muscles. Anyway, regular training shouldn't take longer than an hour and a half. Otherwise, the body will get into the catabolic faze, when the cortisone secretions 'cannibalize' the muscles.
  
4. Any type of exercise is good for solving your problems. What's true in this refers to some particular cases like excess of adipose tissue. This tissue can be 'melted' by any kind of aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming) if this is continued long enough. Even in these cases it was clear that some exercises are more effective than others. There are situations when only a combination of exercises with a certain amount of each, can provide you with the results you expect. More than that, repeating the same exercise all the time can have as a consequence not only losing balance in the antagonist muscles and in the joints involved in training, but also stopping progress or even regressing.

5. You're older? No more exercises! This is true only if we refer to extremely demanding efforts (really heavy weights, fast running, jumping, etc.). There are lots of exercises adapted to different ages. Their purpose is to keep and improve health and also to improve physical shape. The development of movement parameters for older people refers especially to muscular and cardio-vascular resistance as well as mobility of the joints. Because the final purpose of training is not preparing for a competition, the exercises can be organized gradually according to their difficulty, eliminating the risk of accidents. Because it's based on perseverance, fitness can be adapted without problems for older people and even for people suffering from different affections specific to old age.

Damian@FitnHealthy

5 Steps for a Successful CrossFit™ Experience

Newly released ACE-sponsored research confirmed that CrossFit can be a great way to get fit, but this high-intensity workout can also lead to injury if done incorrectly.

Here are five important steps to ensure you have a great CrossFit experience and get the most out of your workouts.

1. Take the introductory course offered by your CrossFit affiliate.
If you are new to CrossFit, taking the orientation course at your CrossFit box (gym) that teaches you proper exercise technique is a must. These introductory classes are vital to your success as a “CrossFitter,” especially if you have never regularly performed the foundational movements of CrossFit. These movements include, but are not limited to, various types of squats, overhead presses, dead lifts, and Olympic lifts. Even if you are an experienced CrossFitter, it’s a good idea to periodically revisit an introductory course to review the basics of proper movement technique.
Bottom line: Make sure you are ready for all of the CrossFit movements by attending your box’s introductory course.

 2. Know how to modify every movement, every time.
Practicing excellent form during every repetition of every exercise is one of the most effective injury-prevention strategies. Make sure you know your options for the successful completion of every single  repetition. In CrossFit, the workout of the day (or WOD) is posted along with recommendations (or Rx) for load and/or movement skill. For example, the load recommendations for the wall ball movement, which involves quickly moving from a deep squat to standing while tossing a large medicine ball several feet overhead, typically include a 20-lb ball for men and a 14-lb ball for women. However, some individuals cannot safely perform wall balls with that amount of weight. In fact, some people cannot safely perform wall balls at all, and they must modify the exercise to one that is suitable to their capabilities. Whether it’s selecting a lighter weight than the Rx recommendation, or altering the movement (e.g., modifying to a half-squat rather than a deep squat in the wall ball example), knowing how to scale the different variables of an exercise to meet your specific goals or limitations will help you safely and effectively complete a WOD. Knowing the right modifications for your individual needs is best learned during the introductory CrossFit course (see Step #1), and through having a frank discussion with your CrossFit coach (See Step #3). Lastly, understand that your physical capacity changes from day-to-day and, depending on your fatigue level and frequency of training, you might need to modify a movement one day, but several days later perform that same movement at the Rx recommendation.
Bottom line: Be sure you approach each WOD with the knowledge of how to modify a movement, if necessary.

3. Regularly communicate with your CrossFit coach.
Although this is Step 3 on the list, it fits in with the previous points and cannot be emphasized enough. First, let the coach of the class you are attending know about any limitations or past injuries that might make the performance of a particular WOD unsuitable for you. Then discuss with your coach possible modifications in movement and/or weight load that will make the exercises work for you. Be sure to arrive a few minutes early and talk with your coach BEFORE class so that when the timer is winding down to begin the WOD, you are not left wondering what to do. As a coach myself, I ALWAYS appreciate it when participants approach me before class to inform me of any current limitations. In addition, I always announce modifications that can be performed instead of the Rx recommendations before each workout.
Bottom line: If you are unsure about how to perform an exercise so that it works for your individual needs, ask your coach before the WOD begins!

4. Respect your limits.
We all have limitations and strengths. Because the programming is so varied in CrossFit, you will probably find that some movements come more naturally to you than others. For example, people with endurance-training backgrounds who have low body fat and lighter body weights often find the gymnastics-style movements, such as pull-ups and burpees, easier to tackle. However, those same body types often find strength-based exercises such as squats and deadlifts more challenging. The point is to recognize that everyone (including you) will experience exercises that are more or less difficult to master than others. You must respect your limitations and not let the highly competitive atmosphere of performing a CrossFit WOD with your peers cloud your judgment. Only perform movements that you can safely execute with good form. This might mean that you need to unload your barbell during a WOD if fatigue sets in and your form starts to decline.
Bottom line: Be honest about your limitations and avoid letting competition prevail over proper form.

5. Avoid overtraining.

This step might seem obvious, but it can be overlooked by new and veteran CrossFitters alike who are eager to compete and improve. To be successful in CrossFit, participants must train smartly by progressing training volume gradually. The high-intensity nature of CrossFit WODs requires adequate rest and recovery between sessions to decrease the likelihood of injury. Initially, a frequency of two CrossFit workouts per week is a good starting point. Over time, adding in more days, while still paying attention to rest and recovery, can be accomplished. The number of days per week that an individual can tolerate performing WODs depends on numerous factors (e.g., current state of fitness, goals, and desire). Be sure to discuss your goals with your CrossFit coach so that he or she can provide you with safe and effective programming guidelines to help you achieve them.
Bottom line: Have a plan for proper progression to decrease the risk of overtraining.

Source : Sabrena Merrill | ACE

Used Fitness Equipment: To Get Fit

Today, more and more people are getting more and more concerned about how their body looks. You can never deny the fact that having a great looking and muscular body is very attractive. With those well-defined muscles, you can be sure that you will have more FitnHealthy appeal than your average person with that extra "love handles" or "beer belly".

You also need to consider the health reasons behind the great looking and muscular body. Having a great looking and muscular body means that you will also have a healthy heart. First of all, you need to consider that muscles burn fat inside your body. By doing this, you will be able to prevent heart related diseases where fat clogs up your arteries and make you suffer from heart attacks and strokes.

You have to realize the fact that there is a significant increase of heart related diseases and diabetes cases in the World. Thanks to fast food and automation, people are getting more obese each day .

Because of this, more and more are turning their TV off, and are now starting to exercise in the gym. Exercising is the best and the normal way to develop your muscles and keep your heart healthy. It is very important to remember that by exercising, you will be able to have that muscular body you have always wanted. However, what if you don’t even have time to go to the gym and you prefer staying at home?

You can consider answering this question by purchasing your own home fitness equipment. However, you also need to realize that home fitness machines are quite expensive. If you are a type of person who is in a low income level and you still want to exercise, you can still do so by jogging around your local park. However, the main disadvantage of this is your local weather. If it rains or snows, you can never go out and do your daily run.

So, the best way to exercise without going to the gym is by purchasing used fitness equipment. These are second hand fitness equipment that the previous owner doesn't want anymore because of various reasons. Some sells their fitness equipment because they plan on replacing their fitness equipment with newer models, while other says that they sell their fitness equipment because no one actually uses it.

However, before you purchase used fitness equipment, you have to consider the fact that this equipment are already used and may have maintenance problems. If it is possible, you have to try it out first for a few times. By doing this, you will determine if the used fitness equipment being offered is still in good working condition. Never buy used fitness equipment that emits strange and unnecessary noise when being operated.

If it is possible, you can bring your personal trainer along when shopping for used fitness equipment. They will be able to determine if the used fitness equipment being offered is in top working condition or not. They will also be able to recommend some fitness equipment's that you need.

These are some of the things you should remember when purchasing used fitness equipment.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Pull up workouts - The benefits of Pullup Exercises

Pullups and Chin ups are an extremely effective way of building both strength and endurance. They are very good for full body conditioning, particularly if you are an athlete or martial artist.

Pullups are one of the most beneficial overall muscle and strength developers. This exercise (also called a chin up) is a simple body weight exercise for building upper body, back and core strength. Unfortunately this exercise is often overlooked/neglected in favour of pumping iron or machine weights at the gym.

Why do PullUps?
 A pull-up is a compound, pull-type exercise which works a large number of muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms (biceps) at the same time. An added benefit is that it works the abs as well as burning fat. Bonus!

Standard exercise for special forces and elite organization fitness testing
Improves grip strength significantly
Develop a V-shaped back

If you are new to this exercise or are out of practice a weight assisted pull up machine at the gym will help your muscles adapt to this challenging exercise. Lat pull downs machines should also help prepare you for a non assisted pull up workout. Once you have mastered the basics there are various different types of pull up you can do including wide and close grip: 

As a much prefer time efficient home workouts (especially as i am a new father with a busy work schedule). Other pull up bar include door frame pull up bars, and pull up stations, however, i have not used these.

Pull up workouts can be made varied and challenging by integrating them into explosive cardio circuits. There is also scope to attach weights to yourself or use a weighted vest if you become very advanced at pull up workouts. I am currently working on the twenty pull up challenge, and have improved consistently since i first started. Following a structured training program, I have achieved positive results with good gains in my biceps, chest. triceps and shoulder muscles. Just need to work on my diet a bit more to get those abs. Good luck with your workouts.

Thank you for reading this article.

Damian@FitnHealthy

The Benefits Of Accupuncture Can Often Exceed Western Medicine

The first thing many people think of when it comes to acupuncture is pain relief. In reality, the benefits of accupuncture are far more than numerous than this. Acupuncture, along with other therapies, such as herbal medicine, has been healing the Chinese for thousands of years. Our Teeam use it frequently for remedial work on various muscles much like trigger point therapy to get us back in the BOX WODing on the bike or out on our next adventure..

Acupuncture works by helping your body to restore itself to balance. Whenever your body is not functioning properly, whether due to disease or injury, of a type emotional or physical, there is an imbalance a system or systems within your body. As simple as it sounds, because of this view, acupuncture can treat just about any problem you have.

Of course, in the case of cancer, or other terminal disease, acupuncture cannot claim to be a cure. However, even in the worst of cases, it will normally have some effect on improving symptoms and side effects, such as those resulting from treatments of drugs and radiation.

Where acupuncture really shines is where Western Medicine tends to fail, for conditions that the modality does not understand. In the case of Western Medicine cures, a cause must be understood. In Chinese Medicine, however, it is much easier to find a cause according to the theory applied, as the diagnosis is made according to a simpler methodology. The ailment is described as an imbalance in simple terms such as too much cold or heat in the body. Using this theory, a diagnosis and method of treatment can always be found.

One disease that exemplifies this is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The name itself just describes the hallmark symptom of the syndrome, illustrating that Western Medicine does not well understand the underlying causes of this disease. However, one generally realizes ones bowels are irritable when they alternate between diarrhea and constipation. Knowing this does not help arrive at a solution. With the diagnosis method and treatment of acupuncture, people with this disease who once had no hope are now getting relief.

Progress is being made, however, as Western Medicine now believes that this disease, along with many others that are currently common in our society, has a strong underlying stress component. Treating the myriad of symptoms stemming from stress is one of the most important acupuncture benefits. This is especially true considering that the drugs used for many of these symptoms hide them more than treat them, and often cause additional negative side effects.

A strong factor in the effectiveness in acupuncture is that the practitioner treats the patient as a whole, and does not just focus on one symptom. Rather than using needles alone, they generally look at the entire lifestyle of the patient, and make recommendations to improve the underlying imbalance that is causing the problem being treated. You will find that the benefits of accupuncture you receive will be greatly enhanced by making changes in your life in tandem with your treatments.

Written with Thanks by Matt Prellie /Go

Body Composition: Which Numbers Matter?

Over the years, my perspective on numbers and their value has changed with respect to health and the body. Before I knew much about exercise science or even heard of the words “body composition,” the only thing I knew about was weight. And that word was “scary.” Like many females, I avoided the scale at all costs. I went by the feel of my clothes, and I didn’t want to know any numbers (not that this is bad, trusting your clothes, but the intense fear of a number isn’t great). It was like a warning alarm would sound off if I stepped on to the scale. 

I don’t know where this fear came from or why I let it dictate my perception of my health and myself. As time went on, and I pursued education in health and exercise science, I began to learn how these numbers related to body composition. I also realized that weight is pretty much as useful as my mom having an iPhone. (She has a Galaxy and giving her my phone is like handing her a foreign object she has no idea what to do with it.) My point is this: Weight is just gravitational pull on the body, mass times gravity. What does this number really tell you about your body? As it turns out, not much. You have to know the make up of the weight for it to be helpful. 

Unfortunately, accurately measuring body composition is difficult and expensive. Although there are numerous, extensive definitions of body composition, it is basically the amount of fat mass vs. lean mass. Body composition is typically reported in a percentage of fat mass. Therefore, just stepping on a scale to attain a weight will not shed any insight into how much weight is lean body mass and how much weight is fat mass. Methods that provide fairly accurate body-composition analysis include the Dual X-ray Energy Absorptiometry (DEXA), Bod Pod and hydrostatic weighing. Typically, these machines are located at exercise science laboratories and hospitals and are fairly expensive. 

Fortunately, there are economically friendly tools for measuring body composition, such as skin folds and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Skin-fold calipers measure body fat by pinching visceral fat at specific anatomic locations, and those numbers are used in a formula to estimate total body-fat percentage. Unfortunately, it can be challenge to measure at the exact anatomical site, which can make the measurement less accurate. A downside to this is accuracy on selecting the position of the site. To help improve the validity of the measurements, three measurements are taken at each site and averaged to obtain a more accurate number. 

Bioelectrical impedance sends an electrical current through the body to determine body composition. Because lean mass contains more water, it takes the electrical current less time to travel through the body and assess composition. BIA is typically assessed through hand-held devices or scales. The accuracy of this measurement can be compromised by the individual’s hydration level, with dehydration causing an overestimation of body composition, and overhydration having the reverse effect. 

Unfortunately, not many of these measurements are conducted in clinical settings, so weight and body mass index (BMI) tend to be the default measurements. BMI is a measure of mass divided by height squared. This number can provide insight into a person’s general well-being in regards to weight; however, it still does not offer a true representation of a person’s body composition. 

Waist-to-hip ratio is another common measurement and is an efficient and effective tool for assessing health. Waist-to-hip ratio measures the circumference of the waist at the smallest point and compares it to the circumference of the hips at the widest point. The higher ratio indicates greater adipose tissue exists around the abdominal region, which can signal a greater risk for metabolic syndrome and associated illnesses. 

If you have access to finding out your true body composition by hydrostatic weighing, a DEXA or BodPod—go for it. If not, some of the other methods discussed earlier will work, but they may offer a less accurate picture of your true body composition. However, if you experience improvements in these numbers over time, you can feel confident that you are making progress in improving your health.  

Finally, guard against becoming obsessed with your weight. This number does not define you, nor does it say a whole lot about your health or your body composition.

Source : By Kelley Vargo / Ace

Mastering the Muscle Up for CrossFit

Many athletes struggle greater to do the muscle up, than they do just about any other technique in CrossFit. While technique is the most valuable tool an athlete has at his disposal, the development of the muscles used in this workout will assist the athlete in exploding above the rings, and having the kinesthetic muscle awareness to maintain proper technique.

 Many workout regimens I have seen are ineffective while others are dangerous. Today we are going to break down some vital workouts that, when used effectively, can help you achieve a perfect muscle up.

#1: Strict Pull ups

In CrossFit, I feel we focus a little too much on our kipping pull-ups and butterfly pull-up and forget the pull-up we all did in P.E. in elementary school. The strict pull-up is foundational for the bar muscle up. This movement develops your latissimus dorsi, traps, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis which is vital for your strength and support for your rotator cuff. If you are unable to do a strict pull up, there are a number of exercises you can play with to develop this critical movement.

• Negative pull-ups (start at the top and lower yourself slowly)
• Ring Rows
• Pendlay Rows
• Isometric Pull up hold
• Gymnastic Rings Archers

# 2: Develop your Core Strength

In addition to isometric lifts and explosive power, a strong core is vital to this. Abdominal isometric holds, like L-holds and hollow holds accompanied with explosive core work like pike-ups and GHD situps will strengthen the explosive muscles needed in the abdomen that you will need to get the pop your hips need for a muscle up.

#3: Chest to Bar

The next drill you should perfect in your quest to mastering the muscle up, is developing a strong chest-to-bar. For this drill I want you to focus less on stringing chest-to-bar pull-ups together, while instead trying to bring your hips and legs parallel to the floor and pulling the bar to your rectus abdominus. This will involve a dramatic back swing followed by an explosive kip.

If you can master this skill and can learn to pull that bar to your abs, you are just one step away from flicking your elbows to the air, and finishing your muscle-up.

You will also need to develop a strong hollow and a strong arch on the ground which will develop kinesthetic muscle memory.

#4: Learning the transition from False Grip to Ring Dip Position.

As stated earlier, technique drills are vital to this workout. While this articles scope is more focused on the muscle development needed to do a muscle up, there is one particular technique that simply must be practiced before one should try a ring dip from below.

For a proper technique video on the drill I'm discussing, check out Jason Khalipa's technique video

Practicing this transition will prepare you for the "flick" of the elbows to the sky you will need to master before attempting your muscle ups.

Philip Gephardt is a professional fighter and owner/founder of Factum CrossFit and MMA in Utah. Phil was a nationally ranked wrestler before switching sports and focusing on a professional mixed martial arts career turned gym owner

 

Souce  : Philip Gephardt / Ezine 

8 Mistakes Costing You Muscle Tone

The goal of training hard is to build more muscle, which will ultimately help you to burn more fat and lose more weight. However, you may be training as hard as you can but not seeing the results you are hoping for. If this is the case, you could be making one of the mistakes below. These errors will not only slow your progress, but they can cause you to actually LOSE muscle tone!  

 

1. Training Specific Body Parts
   If you've got your routine broken down into too many days -- each day focusing on a specific muscle -- you'll cause your muscle growth to stagnate and possibly even stop. You want your large muscle groups to work together, as that's how you gain muscle fast.
   
2. Overtraining
   We've all pushed our bodies beyond our limits and then paid the price. Doing too many sets and reps is NOT the key to muscle gain, but it will give you swollen muscles (thanks to the "pump") that are more likely to be injured. You're not going to see proper growth, so it's better to stick with fewer sets of fewer reps with A LOT more weight.
   
3. Training Only Vanity Muscles
   Your arms, shoulders, and chest may be the muscles you want to LOOK good, but you can't only train those bad boys. Did you know that up to 70 percent of your body's total musculature is in your back and legs? Don't neglect these two important muscle groups!
   
4. Not Stretching
   This may sound silly, but it's the truth. Stretching not only prevents injuries, but it increases your muscle's range of motion and speeds up recovery. Stretching makes space for the muscle fibers you are working to expand, allowing your body to increase muscle mass and tone.
   
5. Not Resting Enough
   Your body repairs your muscle fibers during the night, so rest is a key to muscle mass growth. If you don't sleep enough, you reduce the gains your muscles can make. Not only that, but your body is unable to produce enough of the mass-building hormones that would be the key to serious gains.
   
6. Doing the Same Workout
   If you follow the same routine for weeks and months at a time, your body gets accustomed to the movements. Those who fail to add more weight, do more reps, or switch up the movements will never see serious muscle growth, and may even end up suffering from burnout.

Don't make these mistakes! Train like a pro and pack on those muscles the safe, effective way.

Source Andy Peloquin / Fitday

3 Easy Full-Body Exercises, 1 Piece of Equipment

If you are looking for one very efficient piece of exercise, look no further than the kettlebell. Kettlebell workouts are famous for burning fat by increasing lean muscle while building balance and grace. Plus it is an amazing stress-reliever that relieves tension in both the muscles and the mind. The exercises are simple, yet effective.

When used correctly, kettleballs are wonderful conditioning tools. They can be used for various purposes such as:

• Cardiovascular conditioning
• Fat loss
• Strength and stamina
• Muscular endurance, especially the legs, buttocks and lower back

Choosing the Correctly Sized Kettlebell

When first starting out, choosing the correct size kettlebell to train with is very important. You need to pick a weight that is easy enough to handle but heavy enough to make you use your hips explosively to drive the kettlebell in to its correct position, depending upon the exercise that you are doing.

Most ladies would normally start with either a 5-10 pound kettlebell, while men would normally start with a 15-20 pound kettlebell. The size depends on the condition of the person exercising, so don't be afraid to drop down a size to keep proper form. Initially, more repetitions are better than more weight.

Kettlebell Basic Exercises

Before you can start on a basic routine, you must first master the three basic exercises with the kettlebell. These are:

1. The Swing
2. The Clean
3. The Snatch

1. The Swing

This is a simple exercise, but extremely effective using the whole body. Standing with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart, hold a kettlebell with knees bent. Grip the kettlebell with both hands and lift to groin height. Ensure that your back is arched and that your head is upright. Keep the weight on your heels, bending at the knees, back straight and head looking up and forwards (as if you are going to sit down in a chair). Swing the kettlebell to the rear backwards, between the legs. The weight should remain on your heels and the shins should be vertical.

It is essential that you perfect this movement because without it, you will never have the leverage to get your hips into the movement. You should feel the kettlebell pulling you backwards and your hamstrings contracting. Pushing through your feet and legs, quickly snap/thrust the hips forward tightening the glutes and abs (This motion is similar to jumping up vertically.) Do this quick snap of the hips motion while at the same time projecting the kettlebell forwards and away from the body. Keep the arms relatively straight and bring the kettlebell to waist, chest or head height, then allow the kettlebell to freely return to the start position and repeat.

2. The Clean

Hold the kettlebell in one hand. Swing it through the legs, bring it forward, and push up through the legs from the feet. As the kettlebell comes over the top of your hand to hit your forearm, grip the handle tight and also dip at the knees. This will assist you in absorbing the impact of the kettlebell. The kettlebell should lie on the forearm with your elbow tucked into the side. The wrist should be flat, and your palm should be facing inwards towards the body.

The Swing will test your stamina, grip, and body coordination. The entire exercise can be carried out using one hand, switching at the top or bottom of the drill. It is important to keep core muscles tight to control the kettlebell at all times.

3. The 'One-Arm' Snatch

Swing the kettlebell back through the legs as you push through the feet and legs. Bring it up, snapping at the hips, sucking the floor up with your glutes. At this point, the body should be locked; the power of your drill should now have the kettlebell well on its way up. Remember: as the kettlebell comes over, dip at the knees and grip the handle to slow the kettlebell and avoid the impact on the forearm. The entire body should be locked with total tension that includes a strong core.

Kettlebells can make a huge difference in your strength, core, muscle tone and stamina. The exercises are simple but effective. Losing weight is an added bonus! Enjoy!

Source  Sherry L. Granader is a Sports Nutritionist, National Speaker and Spokesperson, Author of 2 healthy cookbooks, Writer, Ghost Writer, Nationally Certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer.

Beginner Body Weight Workout

So you want to get in shape, but you have no gym membership.

That’s fine, screw gyms!

Luckily, you can burn fat, build muscle, and get a great workout using just your body weight.  Learn why cardio is one of the least efficient methods of burning calories, and how you can get a lot done in a little bit of time.  By doing body weight circuits, where you complete one exercise right after the other without stopping, you’re both building muscle and getting a cardiovascular workout.

Why Body Weight Circuits Kick Ass

What makes body weight circuits work so well? Every exercise involved utilizes multiple muscle groups, gets your heart rate pumping, and burns tons of calories.

Essentially, circuit weight training burns more calories than interval training, which burns WAY more calories than steady cardio.  Essentially, if you’re trying to lose weight, spending hours doing cardio on a treadmill is a really crappy use of your time.

I’m going to take you through a basic workout today that can be completed in your house, apartment, out at a park, in your parents’ basement, wherever.  As always, make sure you are cleared by your personal physician for physical activity before attempting these exercises.    Proceed at your own risk!

 Beginner Body Weight Workout

This is a basic body weight circuit. In a circuit routine, you’ll do each exercise in succession without a break in between (if you’re able).  Once you’ve finished all exercises in the circuit, you do it again.  If you’re still able after the 2nd run through, go for a third.  Because all of these exercises come one after another, you’re bound to get tired.  It’s better to stop and take a break than to do an exercise incorrectly.  If you can’t do all three circuits without stopping, that gives you something to build towards.

Before you start, WARM UP - Never ever ever ever forget to warm up.  Make sure to get your heart rate pumping and get your muscles warm or you’re just asking for injury.  If you’re strapped for time, cut short your workout, not your warm up.  You can run in place, jump rope, do a few push ups, pedal on a stationary bike, jog up and down your stairs, etc.  Don’t wear yourself out completely, but get your heart rate elevated and little bit of sweat never hurt anybody.  After the warm up, here is exactly what you need to do:

Beginner Body Weight Circuit Video

And so you can write it down, here is the write up for the exercise routine.

• 20 body weight squats
• 10 push ups
• 20 walking lunges
• 10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug)
• 15 second plank
• 30 Jumping Jacks

After you’ve completed your workout, make sure you stretch. All of your muscles have been contracted from lifting and need to be stretched back out and rebuilt.

For either the body weight squats or lunges, if you can’t do them properly yet, it’s okay to put your hand on a support to keep your balance.

For the body weight squats, think of it like sitting back into a chair. If you can sit down onto a chair, and then stand immediately right back up without having to lean forward, you are in balance.

For the lunges, keep your eyes ahead and your upper body completely vertical. I had a slight bend at times in the video due to trying to exercise and explain at the same time.

I used a milk jug for my dumbbell, but you can use whatever is heavy enough for you. Find something that is challenging to lift 10 times in a row.

Do this routine 2-3 times a week, but never on consecutive days.  You don’t build muscle when you’re exercising, you build muscle when you’re resting.  Generally I follow a pattern of strength training on one day, then 20 minutes of interval training on the next, then strength training, then interval training, and so on.  You never want to do a strength routine two days straight (of the same muscle groups), as your muscles haven’t had time to recover.

Along with this routine, you need to make sure you’re eating properly! A good workout and crappy diet will not get you anywhere.  Lots of real foods (fruits, vegetables, lean meat, nuts, etc.).  Eat natural, whole foods whenever possible, and leave the soda, candy, and junk food out of your system.  Your diet is at least 80% of your success or failure.

Source : nerdfitness./blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout

Power Up Your Endurance With Tabata Workouts

It's a common misconception that the only or the most beneficial way to increase endurance is taking part in long, gruelling cardio workouts like running for extended periods of time on the treadmill or outside for increased running endurance and spending hours on a stationary bike to increase cycling endurance.
How Tabata Training is different:
Whilst there is some truth to these beliefs, Tabata Training introduces a whole new meaning to endurance. Due to the extremely high intensity and efficiency of Tabata Training you can choose almost any exercise or body part and increase endurance in that area.
Tabata Training is unique in the terms of how the training is done. Most cardio sessions consist of long periods of time at the same speed and / or resistance.
Whilst on the other hand Tabata Training consists of short intervals at full capacity, pushing the limits to an individual's endurance every round. Not only this, but, with the short rest times an individual is tested to the absolute extreme.
When you are tested over and over again your endurance is forced to increase to keep up with the work load that is being put onto the body. Tabata training integrates fundamentals of progressive overload into training which is what "forces the body" into change, ultimately making you stronger, quicker and more efficient at the exercise of your choice.
Endurance means to be able to "endure an unpleasant of difficult process without giving in" is it really worth running for hours until you reach the "brick wall" that runners must surpass in order to keep going or is it more efficient to be able to increase endurance in as quick as 4 minutes?
This is where Tabata Training can give a new meaning to endurance and teach you to develop a stronger, more positive mental state when training hard.
Improve in every aspect with Tabata Training
Whilst being pushed to new limits, a different exercise can be picked every single workout. Unlike fixed forms of training at the gym like treadmills, Ellipticals, stationary bikes and even running, cycling and more, Tabata training gives you the power to change up the focus each and every session. This means that whilst on your journey to losing weight and fat you can start to become a quality, well-rounded athlete.
The sky is the limit with Tabata Training. You can choose to incorporate different exercises based on your goals too. This means that if you are training for a specific sport or would like to tone up a specific area of your body, you can!
You can choose to throw in some different types of running if you are a sprinter or long distance runner for example and in summary you really are able to mix it up and continue to keep things fun and exciting each and every day.
With the simple approach with Tabata Training it is also extremely easy to track your progress which in turn allows you to see how quickly your endurance is improving session by session as you can count how many rounds you complete in a given time frame as well as the number of reps you complete.
Typically, when you take part in a form of cardio that is done out of the gym and without machines helping you it is hard to track your progress. Tabata Training is considered the cheapest, easiest and most efficient way to keep track of how things are going as well as allowing you to evaluate where your weak points are as you cycle through different exercises and compare the calories burnt to the exercise performed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8842757

Apple's iWatch and HealthKit: What They Mean for Health and Fitness Pros and Their Clients

The fusion of technology and the fitness industry continues at warp speed. This brings both excitement and concern, with users around the world waiting for the release of the new iPhone 6, new iOS 8 and the closely guarded Apple iWatch. Rumors suggest the devices will be both fashionable and practical.
Wall Street has also been watching the buzz around the new Apple products, as this is the most significant event for Apple under the leadership of Tim Cook (and not Steve Jobs). With the introduction of HealthKit, it is also Apple’s attempt to make the iPhone not only the center of the user’s digital world, but also of his or her physical world as well.
The HealthKit framework within iOS 8 will offer more health and fitness functionality by linking devices with a user’s health information, using the iPhone as the central hub. Now users will be able to capture and monitor health and fitness information such as pulse, steps, blood pressure and sleep habits. These health measures offer a clear and current overview of a person’s overall well-being. While it is true that individual apps have been doing this for years, the new HealthKit will allow these health and fitness apps to sync data about the user’s health and fitness across a variety of wearables and apps, organizing them all into one dashboard application—the iPhone.
Within the fitness industry, excitement started a year ago when Apple hired fitness-industry expert and ACE Pro Jay Blahnik as one of the first of many hires specific to health and fitness. After years spent consulting with Gatorade, Nautilus, Schwinn and Nike, Blahnik was all in with Apple. In December 2013, Apple met with the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. governing arm of the federal government for all things medical, to discuss mobile medical applications, likely to ensure that HealthKit would not cross a regulatory line.
This is exciting news for our industry, so how can personal trainers and health coaches benefit from such technology? Here are three things I will be watching for in the weeks and months that follow the announcement:
Being Connected. Our world continues to become even more connected. It is through being connected that trainers and health coaches can engage with their clients, keeping them on the path to wellness. Through the new iPhone platform, clients will be able to share with you integrated insights into their daily lives (activity, sleep, steps, food, pulse rate, etc.) that wasn’t previously possible. No longer will you need to guess what your clients did outside of training or if they took your advice—it will all be there with a click of a button. How’s that for accountability? New business models for training and coaching will be developed to take advantage of this technology and the job of a trainer or coach will no longer be limited to inside the four physical walls of a gym, opening up new markets not only down the street but around the world.
Deeper Collaboration. We’ve seen that it takes a team to make a real difference in the lives of our clients. From trainer to physician, coach to nutritionist, the power of collaboration, being in sync and in real time, is one highlight of the new HealthKit. It will take time for each team member to understand his or her place in the overall HealthKit matrix, but what is exciting is the possibility of overall health for our collective clients. More teamwork between practitioners allows trainers and coaches to stay within their scope of practice and seek partnerships with others in the healthcare industry.
Proceed with Caution. Apple is late to the game with regards to fitness tracking, but many expect it to succeed where others have not. While Jawbone and FitBit do a good job of tracking activity, many consumers still see wearables as “unstylish” and the buzz of the wearable soon wears off with a sharp decline in use after just six months. A device has yet to emerge with enough authority to encourage mass adoption (not good if you are relying on this data). Apple could change that perception with their historic strengths in design and new hires in fashion, which means more people will be more inclined to wear a device and thus more health data will be collected.
As we share more personal and confidential information across the cloud, there will be more debate surrounding security and privacy with this type of information. Apple has taken steps to ensure our privacy, with requirements that apps using HealthKit not store information on the cloud and not share information without user consent. Of course, there will always be a risk when sharing data through the cloud, but does the benefit of sharing outweigh the concern over privacy? Or vice versa?
Remember, Apple is not the only kid on the block using smartphones for health. In the US, there are nearly 170 million cellphone users, 70 percent of whom use smartphones. Within the smartphone category, the iPhone is by far the most popular, with 42 percent of users, followed by Samsung at 28 percent, 7 percent for LG, 6 percent Motorola and 5 percent for HTC. However, when looking at the operating systems of these smartphones, Android takes the lead with 52 percent, Apple at 42 percent, and Microsoft, BlackBerry and others making up the remaining 8 percent (ComScore, 2014). The takeaway? If you only work with Apple, you will be missing out on 58 percent of the population that uses a smartphone other than an iPhone.
I am a believer in effective uses of technology and am excited about the Apple announcement, as well as the upcoming announcements from Microsoft and Google within the health and fitness space. New technologies and innovations like the iPhone, the Apple iWatch and HealthKit are not a magic bullet, but they can be a very powerful tool that, when properly implemented into trainers’ and coaches’ businesses, can lead to new clients, new revenue streams and new partnerships. These technologies will never replace a qualified and certified personal trainer or health coach. After all, clients hire us for our knowledge and accountability, but they keep us for our personality and ability to connect with them.

Source : By Ted Vickey Ted Vickey Ted Vickey, M.S., is the Senior Consultant - Fitness Technology for ACE. He’s been an ACE Certified Personal Trainer since 1992

Training for Obstacle Course Races

 Sourced By Pete McCall, MS  McCall has an MS in Exercise Science and Health Promotion

Wading through chest-high water, running up muddy hills, climbing over walls, swinging on monkey bars and crawling through mud might seem like challenges for soldiers in basic training, but these are just a few examples of obstacles from popular racing events that have significantly changed the recreational fitness landscape over the past few years. While standard running distances like 5 kilometers (3.2 miles), 10 kilometers (6.4 miles), or a 26.2 mile marathon primarily challenge aerobic endurance, obstacle course races provide a greater fitness challenge by requiring upper-body strength combined with anaerobic power. Individuals who exercise frequently and value physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle also enjoy testing themselves with demanding fitness challenges. For many, completing a challenging obstacle course provides a sense of accomplishment that traditional running races can’t offer.
What is an Obstacle Course Race?
An “obstacle course race” is a generic term for a type of running race that has exploded in popularity in recent years. A typical obstacle course run can range from 5 kilometers (3.2 miles) to 10+ miles in length and feature numerous obstacles like mud pits, ice baths, tunnels, walls or even the occasional fire pit. Events such as Warrior Dash, Spartan Race and Tough Mudder are examples of races with specific themes and specially designed obstacles. Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead can even sign up for races that require participants to dodge zombies while running an obstacle course. Creative people with an artistic bent can participate in color runs, where participants wear all white and are splashed with vibrant colors between the start and the finish of the run. The Boot Camp Challenge at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in San Diego allows participants to run a scaled-down version of the obstacle course used in basic training, with verbal “encouragement” offered by real Marine Corps drill instructors.
For adults who played competitive team sports up to and through college it can be tough to find the same sort of athletic challenge once they’ve entered the professional working world. Obstacle course races provide a worthy athletic outlet because athleticism and strength are required to successfully overcome many challenging obstacles. This allows for the emergence of an inner warrior not easily expressed at home or in the workplace. Training for and participating in obstacle course races also allows competitive individuals to have the experience of a challenging competition without the logistics of committing to a team practice or an extensive game schedule. In many races, participants are encouraged to support and help one another; for example, the Tough Mudder events are not timed and the start includes an oath that encourages participants to work together to overcome the obstacles and achieve success.
Marketing Opportunity
If you are looking for unique ways to market your personal-training services or boot camp, it might be a good idea to offer a conditioning program to help individuals train for an upcoming obstacle course race in your area. Registration for races includes both individual and group options, making them a perfect opportunity to design a small-group training program. Training for a challenging goal in a group environment can develop friendships, which can help an individual participant develop the self-efficacy to establish adherence to regular exercise.
If you want to use an upcoming event as an opportunity to promote your fitness business, start by researching events in your area. Make sure that you pick one that is an appropriate skill level for your participants. Keep in mind that some obstacle course events feature obstacles that are difficult and could cause extreme injury if done improperly. (Although events don’t require participants to do the obstacles and offer ways around them, it can be easy for a participant to get caught up in the moment and try something above his or her skill level.)
Training for an obstacle course race involves more than just running. Many obstacles require participants to have the upper-body strength to lift their own body weight, the coordination to climb over walls and the flexibility to low-crawl through tunnels or under barbed wire (seriously). Most races will list the majority of the obstacles online, leaving room for a few surprises on race day. Another factor is that some obstacles will require teamwork to overcome, making it important to include various partner and group drills in the training program. Review the race course and then design a workout program to prepare participants for the demands of the competition. Most event websites list training tips for how to prepare for the race; however, if you want to brush up on ideas to create a progressively challenging conditioning program, it might be helpful to check out the ACE Sports Conditioning workshop to learn how to design energy system-specific exercise programs.
Planning a Conditioning Program

The Tough Mudder series feature courses with approximately 25 obstacles spread out over 10 to 12 miles (due to the variability of the event venues it can be difficult to have the exact same course at each different location). This means that a participant can expect to perform one obstacle about every 0.5 mile or approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). If participants are expected to overcome an obstacle every 1 kilometer or so, it becomes more important to emphasize high-intensity intervals for running as opposed to the long, slow distance training typically performed for endurance events.
A combination of climbing over obstacles and running at high bursts of speed requires the ability to work at an intensity near the second ventilatory threshold (VT2,) commonly referred to as the onset of blood lactate (OBLA). To prepare for the specific metabolic challenges of running an obstacle course race, a conditioning program should alternate between circuits of three to five strength exercises, with minimal rest periods between each exercise, and bouts of high-speed running following a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol.
The following sample workout demonstrates how to use strength training combined with HIIT running intervals to prepare for an obstacle course race. Other training options include using equipment like heavy medicine balls, weight sleds, heavy tires, stair running and sandbags. The idea is to create dynamic and unstable loads to prepare the body for the challenges it will face during the event. As with any training program, ensure that the exercises are the appropriate skill level and intensity for your participants and offer modifications when necessary.
Sample Workout to Prepare for an Obstacle Course Race

Exercise	Intensity	Work Interval	Recovery Interval	Repetitions
Warm-up: -Plank -Side plank -Standing hip hinge -High knee skips -Lateral shuffles -Backpedals	Bodyweight (BW) BW Jogging Jogging Jogging	30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 10 meters 10 meters 10 meters	1 min after circuit	Perform BW exercises as a circuit – 2-3 times Perform jogging drills as a circuit – 2-3 times
Strength Circuit 1: -TRX Push-ups -TRX Back rows -Medicine ball overhead slams -Mountain climbers	BW BW 3-5 Kg BW	45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.	90 seconds after circuit	2-3 circuits
Running Drills: -80 meter sprints -50 meter sprints	High High	10-15 sec. 8-10 sec.	30-45 sec. 30-45 sec.	5 5
Strength Circuit 2: -Medicine ball lunge to chest pass -TRX Suspended knee-tucks -Squat jumps -Inchworm walkouts -TRX Suspended lunge	3-5 Kg BW BW BW BW	45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.	90 seconds after circuit	2-3 circuits
Running Drills: -90 meter shuttle run -200 meter run -40 meter sprints	Hard Hard High	20-25 sec. 30-40 sec. 10 – 12 sec.	30-60 sec. 60-90 sec. 10-15 sec.	5 5 8
Cool Down / stretching: -Calves -Hamstrings -Hip flexors  -Triceps		30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec.		1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2

What's the WOD ?

WOD is "Workout of the Day." The great folks at CrossFit post a workout for each day. The common splits are a) as posted, which is 3 days on/1 off, and b) 5 days on, two off.
If you need explanation on doing the WODs, check here or in the discussion board. Likely your question has been asked before.

Some insight and thoughts on sets and reps:

The WOD descriptions are very literal; don't read into them. If it says "squats" it means bodyweight (aka "air squats") - no added weight, unless it says back squats or front squats.
A "rep" or repetition is one iteration of a movement. One bench press, one squat. A "set" is a group of reps: 10 reps =10 bench presses, 10 squats. 3 sets is do a group of repetitions, rest, repeat, rest, repeat. So, 3 sets of 10 (reps) is 10/rest/10/rest/10. The rest interval is up to your recovery time, and the goal of the WOD. Obviously, if it's a timed WOD, you want to rest less.
Also, rest and reps are frequently inverse. Sometimes a WOD says deadlift 3-2-2-1-1-1. This means a set of 3 reps, a set of 2 reps, another set of 2, a "set of one" aka a "single." This few reps indicates maximal load, and indicates longer rest times.
Back to literal: if the WOD says 21-15-9 reps of bench and pullups in "rounds" (or any two or three exercises as given) you do 21 reps of exercise 1, followed by 21 reps of exercise 2, and 21 reps of exercise 3 if there is a third one. Now do 15 of the first, 15 of the second...9 of the first, 9 of the second.
Most likely you will be breaking the 21's and 15's (and maybe the 9's) into subsets, aka "breakdowns." This is based on your strength and conditioning. Remember if you need to adjust the weight downward, do so, since these are timed WODs.

Here's some insight from Coach on the intent of CrossFit:

"CrossFit is in large part derived from several simple observations garnered through hanging out with athletes for thirty years and willingness, if not eagerness, to experiment coupled with a total disregard for conventional wisdom. Let me share some of the more formative of these observations:
1. Gymnasts learn new sports faster than other athletes.
2. Olympic lifters can apply more useful power to more activities than other athletes.
3. Powerlifters are stronger than other athletes.
4. Sprinters can match the cardiovascular performance of endurance athletes - even at extended efforts.
5. Endurance athletes are woefully lacking in total physical capacity.
6. With high carb diets you either get fat or weak.
7. Bodybuilders can't punch, jump, run, or throw like athletes can.
8. Segmenting training efforts delivers a segmented capacity.
9. Optimizing physical capacity requires training at unsustainable intensities.
10. The world's most successful athletes and coaches rely on exercise science the way deer hunters rely on the accordion."

Source : http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/faq.html

CrossFit Terminology

CrossFit Acronyms and Abbreviations

 AMRAP: As Many Reps (sometimes Rounds)as Possible

 
ATG: Ass to Grass
BP: Bench press
BS: Back squat
BW (or BWT): Body weight
CFT:CrossFit Total – consisting of max squat, press, and deadlift.
CFSB: CrossFit Strength Bias. A program developed by Jeff Martin and Darrell White
CFWU:CrossFit Warm-up
CLN: Clean
C&J: Clean and jerk
C2: Concept II rowing machine
DL: Deadlift
FS: Front squat
GHR(D): Glute ham raise (developer). Posterior chain exercise, like a back extension. Also, the device that allows for the proper performance of a GHR.
GHR(D) Situp: Situp done on the GHR(D) bench.
GPP: General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
GTG: Grease the Groove, a protocol of doing many sub-maximal sets of an exercise throughtout the day
H2H: Hand to hand; refers to Jeff Martone’s kettlebell “juggling” techniques (or to combat).
HSPU: Hand stand push up. Kick up into a handstand (use wall for balance, if needed) bend arms until nose touches floor and push back up.
HSQ: Hang squat (clean or snatch). Start with bar “at the hang,” about knee height. Initiate pull. As the bar rises drop into a full squat and catch the bar in the racked position. From there, rise to a standing position
IF: Intermittent Fasting
KB: Kettlebell
MEBBMaximum Effort Black box, term coined by Mike Rutherford. Search the forum for it. Originally laid out in one of the early Performance Menu issues.
KTE: Knees to elbows. Similar to TTBs described below.
MetCon: Metabolic Conditioning workout
MP: Military press
MU: Muscle ups. Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
OHS: Overhead squat. Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above (and usually behind) the head.
PC: Power clean
Pd: Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
PR: Personal record
PP: Push press
PSN: Power snatch
PU: Pull-ups, possibly push ups depending on the context
Rep: Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
Rx’d; as Rx’d: As prescribed; as written. WOD done without any adjustments.
RM: Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times.
SDHP: Sumo deadlift high pull (see exercise section)
Set: A number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
SPP: Specific physical preparednesss, aka skill training.
SN: Snatch
SQ: Squat
SS: Starting Strength; Mark Rippetoe’s great book on strength training basics.
Subbed: Substituted. The CORRECT use of “subbed,” as in “substituted,” is, “I subbed an exercise I can do for one I can’t,” For example,if you can’t do HSPU, you subbed regular pushups.
TGU: Turkish get-up (See exercise section)
TTB: Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
WO, sometimes W/O: Workout
WOD: Workout of the day