How to Warm Up Properly

There are a variety of ways to warm up, ranging from an extended cardio session to almost none at all. Each has its drawbacks and merits. Do whichever one you feel comfortable with or gives you the best results. Beginning trainers should stick with the first and second types of warm-ups while advanced trainers may wish to try the third type.

1. Full Warm-Up

This usually involves doing some low-intensity cardio work for five to ten minutes until you break a sweat. It gets blood flowing and prepares the body for work to come. Some light stretching follows this then a few light sets of whatever exercises are going to be done.

If you feel you need this much warm-up, go ahead. Keep in mind, however, not to do too much or will affect your energy levels for the actual workout. This type of warm up is particularly appropriate for novice, injured, or older trainers, though anyone can use it.

2. Light Set Warm-Up

This involves doing a number of progressively heavier sets (starting very light) on the exercise you are about to do. This prepares the specific muscle group for the work sets. Don't do too much here or your work sets will suffer. These light sets are often done before each new exercise, particularly if you are moving on to a different bodypart. If you are doing a different exercise for the same bodypart, a warm-up for that exercise is usually not necessary, though some trainers like to do a few quick, light reps to get a feel for the movement.

3. Limited Warm-Up

This type of warm-up is for advanced trainers only. Do a set of ten reps with 50% of the weight you're going to be using for that exercise. That's it. Your body can be trained to work fine with this type of limited warm-up.

• If you usually do an extended warm-up, work down to this level slowly.
• This method has the advantage of conserving energy for work sets.
• For exercises where you will be using low reps and very heavy weight (close to your max), you may want to do a low-rep progressive warm-up. For example, if you are doing deadlifts with 405 pounds, do 5 reps with one plate per side, 2 reps with two plates, 1 rep with three plates, and maybe 1 rep with three and a quarter if you feel you need it. This type of pyramid warm-up doesn't exhaust you but still prepares your body for heavy work. This type of warm-up is the best for when you going for a one-rep maximum attempt.
  

The limited warm-up is especially appropriate for those whose jobs involve sudden physical labor without the time to warm up, e.g. firefighters (you will never see a firefighter walk around for ten minutes, stretch out, then do a few push-ups before running into a burning building to pull somebody out). It conditions your body to be able to handle sudden physical activity without injury.  Damian https://www.facebook.com/fitnhealthyu

Training Mask 2.0 Review |

 

Elevation training has been a topic of considerable controversy lately. It seems that science is moving away from the concept as an effective means of developing aerobic capacity. In theory, elevation training would increase your red blood cell count, but you may have heard the counter arguments by now. It only works if you sleep in high altitude, it’s only effective if you are competing at altitude, and so on.

These sorts of arguments might dissuade you from purchasing a product called an “elevation mask.” While the Training Mask 2.0 is marketed as a simulation of elevation, and in some ways it is, what the mask actually does is force you to breath against resistance. So rather than somehow thinning the oxygen level of the air you’re breathing, it simply takes greater effort to breath. It’s as if you’re getting a lung workout in a way that you don’t usually get.

And I have to say, I enjoy it. It’s a funny feeling that may cause a little panic at first, but once you get past the sensation of needing to breath against resistance, it makes for a workout that will leave you gasping, but in a good way. Oh, and that’s just on the first level. There are multiple levels.

In addition to enjoying it, I like the principle behind it more than elevation training anyway. The diaphragm, which controls your breathing, is a muscle after all. Training the diaphragm is a long-standing tradition in some of the coolest of physical cultures and, really, I’ve never found a better way to accomplish it.

There are a few bonus side effects I’ve noticed as well. First, I live in the North, and running in the winter can be a pain, in part, because of breathing the cold weather. The Training Mask created a nice warm chamber, completely enclosing my nose and mouth. That had a mild warming effect that was great. I also noticed an mild boosting effect on my heart rate during extended warm up that may have given me enhanced cardiac benefit.

On the flip side of the coin, there were a few issues. I do wear glasses, and the mask didn’t work so well with them. Also, I have a giant head, and while I have the appropriate size according to the Training Mask sizing chart, I think it’s a tad too small for me. It is still comfortable, but I worry about the long-term structure where the Velcro attaches because of how much it stretches to put it on. So, when choosing a size, keep the circumference of your dome in mind.

If you exercise in public, you also need to be honest with yourself about whether you will actually wear this thing. Running down the street, it sort of looks like you have a black Hannibal Lecter mask on. That’s not for everyone.

Now, I don’t think there’s much in the way of research one way or the other on breathing against resistance as a regular part of your training, but to me it makes good sense. However, I haven’t progressed far enough up the levels of resistance to be able to say it’s made a huge impact on my training. As I continue to use it, I will post my results here on this page.

I have to say that despite what might seem like a laundry list of gripes, this is one of the coolest products I’ve tried. I love the feeling of breathing against resistance, and even more I love the idea that it’s like a barbell for my lung muscles. It has become a regular part of my routine, and if that part of physical culture entices you, then I’d recommend it for you as well.

The Training Mask 2.0 is available for $79.99 at TrainingMask.com

Review Courtesy of Doug Dupont @Break Muscle.Com| 

The P90X System

P90X, or Power 90 Extreme, is a commercial home exercise regimen created by Tony Horton, known for a high level of intensity.Developed as a successor to the program called "Power 90", it is designed to take 90 days, and consists of a training program that uses cross-training and periodization, combined with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan.

History
Tony Horton

The system was developed by Tony Horton, Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, Beachbody Fitness Advisor Steve Edwards, nutritionist Carrie Wyatt, Creative Director Ned Farr, and workout video director Mason Bendewald.

In 2002, Daikeler asked Horton to create a fitness program for people who were already fit. Daikeler hired Ned Farr to document the process of developing the new program. Horton consulted various fitness experts and experimented with several disciplines to develop the workout program.

Farr used a documentary approach when filming the infomercials, using raw home footage supplied by P90X graduates. "P90X: The Proof" infomercial won a Telly award in 2009 and "P90X: The Answer" infomercial won a Moxie award in 2010.

In 2010, P90X sales dropped off dramatically,however, it still represented half of Beachbody’s $430 million revenue in 2010 and has sold over 4.2 million copies to date.

In 2011, the sequel to P90X was released, P90X2. Also a 90-day workout regimen, P90X2 focuses on an applied sports science called Muscle Integration. Instead of working one muscle group at a time, P90X2 uses resistance on unstable platforms to engage more muscles with each movement.

In December 2013, P90X3 was released and featured 30 minute workouts as opposed to hour-long ones. P90X3 includes 16 routines, and includes yoga, mixed martial arts, pilates, and plyometrics with upper and lower body workouts.
Brands

P90X uses the term "muscle confusion" in their advertising to refer to their training methods.Muscle confusion is said to prevent the body from adapting to exercises over time, resulting in continual improvement without plateau.

There are eight programs associated with the Power 90 name: P90, Power 90, Power 90 Master Series, P90X, P90X+, P90X One on One, P90X2, and P90X3.
Program overview

P90X is a 90-day program that combines a variety of exercise techniques, including strength training, cardio,

Exercises overview
Standard home gym equipment recommended for use with P90X: Yoga blocks, yoga mat, dumbbells, pull-up/chin-up bar, push-up handles, gloves, and chair

Standard home gym equipment recommended for use with P90X: yoga blocks, yoga mat, dumbbells, resistance bands, pull-up/chin-up bar, push-up handles, heart rate monitor, and body fat tester. A chair, plastic plate, and wall are also things you may need.

The P90X program cycle lasts 13 weeks, exercising six days per week. The program has three "rotations" or emphases, called "classic," "lean" and "doubles," that the individual selects according to their personal goals. There are a total of 12 DVD workouts included with the program; each targets different skills and muscles. Most of the workouts are less than an hour in duration, although the abdominal workout ("Ab Ripper X") is performed three times per week, after six of the rotating workout/s .

Trackers - How technology is helping us monitor and improve our health

Self-tracking is the practice of measuring and monitoring your health, activities or diet through technologies such as smartphone apps, wearables and personal genomics, empowering you to take control of your day to day health. Richard MacManus explains the benefits and risks of self-tracking and looks at:

• What exactly is being tracked
• The tools and techniques being used
• The best practices of early adopters
• How self-tracking is revolutionizing the health and wellness industries
• How the medical establishment is adapting to these new trends

 The book will be available 1st January 2015, $29.99... Already available as a Kindle eBook as below