Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Get Big Shoulders With Boxing Workout

A good boxing workout exercise program will get you in shape. Many folks think that in order for them to get that V shaped upper body like comic book super heroes, they only have to develop big broad back muscles and lats. Well, having big, broad back muscles and well developed lats is only part of it. In order to get a V shape upper body, you will also need to build up your chest and have big strong shoulder muscles or commonly called deltoids or delts for short. Oh, yes, don't forget the slim waist.

We shall discuss how to build big shoulder muscles in this article. You see, you may have a wonderful six pack abs or well defined chest muscles, but when you are in your street clothes, no one can see them. But if you have that massive V shape with bulging shoulder muscles, your body frame will tell the world that under those clothes is a well defined body of a gym warrior.

As with building any muscles in your body, intensity is the key to building big deltoids. Your shoulder muscles are made up primarily of the anterior deltoid (front delt), medial deltoid (middle delt) and posterior deltoid (back delt). All 3 parts of your shoulder muscles must be targeted to build well defined and big strong deltoids that threaten to burst through your shirt. The problem here is that most people do not know that they must work on all 3 shoulder muscles and do most shoulder workouts by just concentrating on the anterior delts with exercises such as military press. Furthermore, working only on anterior delts could lead to over training your shoulder muscles because many other exercises like the bench press, dips and push ups also recruit shoulder muscles for its movements.

Your should be careful when working on your shoulder muscle exercises as your shoulders joints are very susceptible to injuries and therefore proper form in executing the exercises is crucial. Don’t let bad exercise form cause you injuries that may be permanent and put you out of the gym forever. One common injury prone exercise is the narrow grip upright row. Although this is a great trapezius and shoulder muscle exercise, it should be avoided because this exercise invokes unnatural and awkward shoulder joint movement.

So what exercises are good for building big strong deltoids? Well, besides the military presses, try Arnold Press, Lateral Raise, Bent Over Lateral Raises, Shoulder Width Upright Row and Shoulder Cable exercises. Ask your personal trainer or read up on how to perform these exercises in excellent form for great shoulder muscle development.

Remember that you must also develop other aspects such as a big broad chest, wide back muscles and flared lats as well as a slim waistline to get that much coveted V shaped upper body. This is the type of physique most boxers have. Doing boxing exercises will help develop the whole upper body.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Boxing: The Basics

Basics Of Amateur Boxing

Boxing has been a favorite past time for many centuries. That is, from the times of the Egyptians in the 2nd millennium B.C. until now when there are more rules to govern the field and spectators to watch the not-so-brutal fights. This is evidenced partially by the inclusion of boxing in the modern Olympics since it started in 1908 as well as the popularity of professional boxing.

For many boxing workouts are the best types of fitness programs available. In their present forms, amateur boxing and professional boxing are different in many respects. Below are the marked differences that anyone who is considering a career in amateur boxing might want to know.

Amateur boxing is somewhat less popular than professional boxing an is oftentimes seen only in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and other games sponsored by independent sports bodies. In some of the places in the former Soviet Union and Cuba, however, amateur boxing gathers more fans and enthusiasts than its counterpart.

Scoring system
The scoring system used for amateur boxing games is designed such that only the clean blows are recognized and scored instead of the damage that each blow renders.

Scoring
A clean blow is one that lands cleanly on the designated scoring points. To score, a boxer must land a clean contact with the knuckles of his glove either on the head or on the part of the body above the belt. Judges award the score by hitting the button of computer scoring system for each blow. Three out of the five ringside judges must hit the button in no less than one second apart.

During an infighting, that is when the fighters are fighting up close, scores are awarded to the player who throws the better punches or exchanges.

Blows that are not awarded are those that infringe the rules of amateur boxing, punches that did not land on the white strip of the gloves' knuckles and those that lack weight.

Rounds
Depending on which sports body is sponsoring the amateur boxing game, the number of minutes per round can vary between two to three minutes. Nonetheless, the number of rounds remain the same. For both the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, there are 4 rounds that last three minutes each. For other bouts, however, such as those sponsored by the Amateur Boxing Association, there are just two minutes for each bout.

Protective gears
Boxers are required to use protective headgears. Gloves have a white stripe around the knuckles. The official gloves weigh only 10 ounces and should have the standard white strip.

Officials
The main man on the ring is the referee who basically monitors the conduct of the players. He also takes care of maintaining fair play as well as regulate movements on the rings. He also addresses all violations in the ring.

Weights
Unlike professional boxing, amateur boxing only has the basic weight divisions. They consist of the following (from the lightest weight divisions to the heaviest weight divisions):

Light Flyweight
Flyweight
Bantamweight
Featherweight
Lightweight
Light Welterweight
Welterweight
Middleweight
Light Heavyweight
Heavyweight, and
Super Heavyweight

Basic Rules
Boxers are illegible only in the ring if they are wearing the proper protective gear and recommended shirts and pants.

The fighter with higher points, regardless of the power of the blows, wins.

The boxer must move fast since amateur boxing only lasts for 3 to 4 rounds, depending on the bout's sponsor.

The winning boxer is determined by the number of points except on bouts where the referee stopped the game. In case of a tie, the judges will deduct the worst and best scores from the total score of the boxer. The winner is the one with most points left.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Losing 5 Pounds and Low Carb Diets

A lot of people have been speaking about how to lose 5 pounds in a week and lower carbohydrate diets. While most people often connect it together with South Beach or Atkins, there are actually many books that center on the principle of eliminating the carbs: Sugar Busters, Protein Power, The Zone Diet, Carbohydrates Addict Diet. They differ on how stringent they are pertaining to carbohydrate eating -what you can actually eat, and not eat, or how much you are later allowed to eat during the later phases of the diet-but overall, they agree with one thing: carbs can be harmful.

Making you ask yourself: what’s so bad about carbohydrates? The idea is that if you control sugars, you lower your body’s production of insulin. Insulin provides your body with the “quick fix” of energy (which explains why, after eating carbohydrates, you will get the famous sugar rush). But with no carbs, your body’s obligated to make use of body’s fat and protein supplies.

Low carb diets can lead to rapid weight loss, but nutrition experts are discussing whether or not it needs to be continued in a longterm. It is because you force your body to lose muscle, and muscles is usually a dieter’s closest friend because it uses up calories when you’re sleeping. Nevertheless, some diets permit restricted carbs in latter phases-which would lower the rate of your weight loss, but is healthier for you in the long run.

What could be the advantages of low carb diets?

* You will feel (and weigh!) lighter. Low carbohydrate diets remove many high-calorie, low-nutrition food items which include pastries and pasta. It also forces the body to burn excess fat stores (i.e., the bulge all over your hips). The foods that are usually included, mainly protein, low-fat dairy, and fiber, also tend to reduce bloating.

* You feel less hungry but more energetic. The body digests carbohydrate food and utilizes the carbs in a short time, resulting in quick bursts of energy but also frequent the urge to eat and the infamous “sugar rush-sugar crash” spiral Any time you substitute carbs with fiber and protein, that can take longer to digest, you will feel full for a longer period and have more stable energy levels. That is also associated with fewer mood swings and better attentiveness.

* Far better blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Reduced carb meal plans generally remove saturated fats, and refined or processed food items, and switch to what is referred to as “whole food groups” (low-fat dairy, proteins, fibre) that help regulate blood pressure level as well as cholesterol levels. The significant reduction of sweet meals - which generally contain a lot of calories, no nutritional content - likewise helps control morbid obesity, which is a huge element in heart attacks.

With respect to these points and much more, a low carbohydrate diet is beneficial since it provides reduced amount of insulin generation and also allows usage of fat as energy source.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Dieting and Fitness to Lose Five Pounds

Dieting and Fitness to Lose Weight

If you want to lose 5 pounds or more, looking in the mirror will not make the person lose the extra weight. It involves two things to turn that into a reality and that is namely diet and exercise.

Dieting doesn’t always have to mean that you're giving up on some of those favorite meals.  But it does mean that you need to simply cut down on some. Plus you need to get the much needed energy for your body from something else. For an excellent example is the Atkins’ diet. This diet program focuses on you taking in fewer carbohydrates and more protein. 

You know, there are five or more diet programs that focus on eating fewer carbs. Did you know that one carbohydrate focuses on four water molecules? People who eat less carbs can lose  that are able to stick to the plan are capable of losing more than 10 pounds in less than a month’s time.

Why can’t the person just give up eating foods that contain carbohydrates? This is because people need this source of energy for brain activity and muscle function.

A good way to maintain a good amount in the system is to eat food such as whole wheat or gain and staying away from products such as pasta, bread or rice that are color white.  Brown bread or red rice can be consumed.

The best way to maintain this is by making sure that carbohydrate intake should not exceed 65% in the food being eaten.

Fat is also something that the individual has to watch out for since this also contributes to weight gain. One way to maintain it will be to make sure that the person only consumes 30% calorie intake from these products. A few examples of these are non-fat milk, nuts, vegetables, fruits and other fat free products available in the grocery store.

Eating less will reduce the calories. Now, in order to burn the existing ones causing flabs to appear in the body, the person has to exercise. Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, running, aerobics and cycling are some of the best ways to lose weight. This is because the individual will use muscle glycogen and fatty acids as an energy source through out the entire exercise.

The American Council for Sports Medicine believe that a cardiovascular workout should last for a minimum of 20 minutes and done at least three times a week. In order to lose weight, the individual should at least do it for half an hour for five days weekly.

If you are trying to lose 5-10 pounds, or any weight for that matter, it takes hard work and discipline. In order to lose the excess weight you need to take a close look at your diet, your exercise frequency, and the amount of water that you drink. This is easily done.

You can be one of the success stories that people read about online. Just get started and stay committed. 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Back Pain Facts

Facts on Lower Back Pain

In the United States, lower back pain is one of the leading causes of disability. The statistics show that in every 10 individuals, eight are probably showing signs of the condition. If you have back pain and drive a lot, having a back massager for car seat may help.

Interestingly enough, the extent of pain most of the time has little to do with the severity of the patient's condition. Unlike other acute ailments and diseases, chronic lower back pain is generally not associated with the amount of damage present. For instance, a large disc herniation may be relatively painless whereas muscle spasms due to a back strain can be a reason for excruciating back pain.

The contributing factors to lower back pain may be extremely complex. In most cases, the people who suffer from it can't point out the exact location of the pain. Most times it's even difficult for them to describe what they exactly feel.

This is because there are usually a number of underlying areas in the lower back that are contributing to the pain. The list below point out several parts of the spinal anatomy that may be the reasons for pain.

• Irritation of the large sciatic nerve root located at the low back that is connected to the legs.

• Irritation in the smaller nerves in the lower back spine.

• Strain at the erector spinae, also termed as the large lower back muscle.

• Injury to the joints, ligaments and bones.

• Injury to the intervertebral disc.

There are cases however that the lower back pain is felt and suffered from yet there are no known anatomical cause or causes to relate the pain with. Though these types of lower back pain may not yet be fully recognized, immediate treatment must still be addressed. However, lower back pain may usually be associated with some general causes. An example of which is the muscle strain on the lower back or more specific diagnosable condition such as lumbar herniated disc or a degenerative disc disease.

Symptoms of lower back pain that are frequently related with surgical approaches:

• Bladder incontinence or sudden bowel movement
• Progressive weakening of the legs
• Continuous low back pain or abdominal pain
• Signs of fever and chills that are directly linked with lower back pain
• Cancer cases
• Extreme weight loss
• Recent case of trauma, especially when severe

Many people take lower back pain for granted, either by own choice or they are impeded by some irreversible reasons like insufficient and the likes. However, early diagnosis and treatment generally prevent people from experiencing more excruciating pains and higher treatment costs.

Diet And Nutrition

With the fast-paced, technologically driven world people are now living, who would have the slightest idea that the most important rampart of normal living is being neglected? People need a good diet food plan.

Undeniably, because of the busy courses of people’s lives, people tend to forget some of the vital fragments in maintaining a healthy lifestyle—diet and nutrition.

THE CONVERGENCE

The terms “diet” and “nutrition” are defined into two different sentences but are greatly connected. By definition, “diet” refers to the food and liquid intake of a person while “nutrition” pertains to the science of dealing with food and nourishment. When these two are combined, an entirely new meaning can be derived. More than the issues of food and liquid intake and the science of food and nourishment, diet and nutrition can revolve around nutritional information on various dietary supplements and the benefits vitamins and minerals to a person’s body.

Making yourself familiar with latest diet and nutrition topics, trends, and tips can lead you to the renewal of your health and well being commitment inside your home. You must remember that it’s never too late to redirect your eating habits, but before you take that drastic change, learn what are the common diet and nutrition mistakes so you can avoid them.

1. Careless assumption that the food choices you have are better than they actually are. Experts say that people who are very particular about diet and nutrition have larger tendencies of thinking and believing that their food choices are healthier than they really are. Make sure that you eat whole, fresh, and unprocessed foods whenever possible.

2. Confusion over carbohydrates. Although many people say that low carb diets are effective, experts say that there are excellent carbs that make people eat less. So before you cut down on carbs totally, make sure that you have consulted your dietician if this diet will be good for you.

3. You think you’re eating too much when you’re not. Experts say that one of the most common mistakes people make is that they overestimate and underestimate the amount of food their body needs. Make sure that you monitor the portion sizes of your food.

4. Not eating enough food or not eating often. Overeating and under eating may put the person at risk because it disrupts disrupting blood sugar and insulin levels. Make sure that you eat something every three hours and don’t starve before eating the next meal.

5. Neglecting the value of regular exercise. Making exercise a regular part of your life can definitely contribute to great diet and nutrition.

6. Taking in a lot of dietary supplements. A vitamin or dietary pill is a supplement that is meant to complement a person’s diet; therefore it should not be considered as substitutes for the foods you’re supposed to be eating. Experts say that one all-purpose multivitamin a day is enough to complement the nutrients you don’t get from the foods you don’t eat.

7. Following nutrition and weight loss guidelines by the book. Since people are different, it is only natural for them to have individual needs. Although diet and nutrition plans work for the majority of people, not everything can help you improve you overall diet and nutrition.