Why You Should Wash Your Hands After Lifting Weights.

The gym is such a great place to workout. It gets you up off the couch and out of your house where it seems more distractions exist than a World Cup soccer match. You get to workout amongst your peers, talk to personal trainers, meet new people and find the motivation to keep going. You don’t have a lot of excuses once you step foot inside the gym. It’s truly “go time”.

But what comes with a lot of people working out? GERMS. The sweaty, bacteria-laced hands of your fellow exercisers are touching everything. Weights are shared. Equipment is not always wiped down. Mouths touch water fountain spouts. Noses are wiped before grabbing the elliptical handles. It’s a germ-filled place.

Luckily most gym rats, and people in general, have built up a good immune system. Mom letting you play in the dirt when you were young was actually sort of a good thing! Gyms, like Fitness19, have excellent sanitation measures in place, but it’s impossible to police every germ. Even if you aren’t a germaphobe, or you have a superior immune system, it’s important to wash your hands after lifting. Germs aren’t the only culprit for the necessity of hand washing after lifting. Certain viruses, fungi, and bacteria can lie in wait in the locker room.

Scared yet? Don’t be. Nobody’s trying to deter you from working out at the gym, because it truly is the best place to get in great shape, but you can take some simple precautions to avoid the nasty side-effects of germs and their ugly cousins.


•Wipe down the equipment before and after you use it. Grab some spray and disinfect the machine or weights your are going to handle, and you’ll be safe. If you don’t see spray, ask or suggest to make some available.

•Don’t touch your face. If you’ve got an itch, that’s one thing, but try not to lift weights and then rub your eyes or get that last little bit of lunch out of your teeth. You’re asking for trouble.


•Carry hand sanitizer. You don’t have to squirt sanitizer every minute that you’re at the gym, but having it handy will make it easy if you need some quick germ-killing power.

•Wash your hands after lifting. Here it is! The easiest tip comes last. But hopefully now you have a better understanding of the importance of washing your hands after lifting. Nobody likes to be sick or catch the flu, strep throat, E. coli, or athlete’s foot.

Unfortunately, the above problems come from other humans. Other humans frequent the gym, but you can be safe and well protected with smart, simple steps.

How to Build Muscles With Exercise the right way.

Strength training is a key ingredient in a successful fitness plan. Whether your goal is to build mass or lean muscle tone, building muscle has several health benefits. Weight training not only helps make you stronger, it also raises the metabolism, helps burn fat, and increases bone density. Whether you use your own exercise equipment at home or work out at a gym, it’s easy to get started.

•Step 1

Think about the type of body you want to achieve. Whether your goal is to bulk up and build mass, or simply to build strength and muscle tone without adding size, your goal will determine the type of exercise program you take on, which will in turn determine the size, strength and endurance of your muscles. Also, keep in mind that genetics play a role in how much muscle you can build. Genetic factors that help to determine whether you’ll be able to build large muscles include testosterone output, body type and number and length of muscle fibers, according to ExtremeBodyFit.com

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 •Step 2

Decide which muscles you want to build and which exercises will target those areas. Determine your one repetition maximum, or 1RM, for each exercise. This is the maximum amount of weight with which you can complete a full repetition. To build muscle size, you’ll want to develop a workout program in which you lift between 67 and 85 percent of your 1RM. Do three to six sets of six to 12 reps, with 30 to 90 seconds of rest between each set. For muscle building, the goal is to overload your muscles for each set to the point where you can’t complete another rep while maintaining proper form, according to ShapeSense.com.

 •Step 3

Determine how often each week you are able to devote time to working out. ShapeSense.com recommends weight training two to four times per week, although different muscle groups can be broken up into different sessions, which can make it easier to fit workouts into your schedule. For example, you can focus on the upper body one day, and work on the leg and gluteus muscles the next. However you decide to segment your weightlifting routine, be sure to allow at least 48 hours of recovery time between sessions for each muscle group.


•Tips

In order to see results your muscle-building workout routine must be supported by diet. Men will need to add about 250 extra calories to their daily intake; women should add about half that. Daily caloric intake should include about 1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight, and about 25 percent of your calories should come from healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats like those found in fish, nuts and olive oil. The remaining calories can be made up by complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, beans, rice and whole grains.

•Things You'll Need:

Weightlifting bench
Free weights
Weight machine.

Pilates vs Yoga , What Makes Them Both Unique ?

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Both yoga and Pilates offer benefits for the body, including building strength, flexibility and balance. Although they are similar in their use of mat work and stretching exercises, yoga and Pilates are quite different. Some of the differences are explored below.

•Yoga

Yoga originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Today, there are dozens of types of yoga, including Integrative Yoga, often used as complementary therapy for those managing chronic illness or disease. There is Jivamukti, which is a kind of power yoga that is meditative and physically challenging. Anusara is based in the belief of the basic goodness in all people and uses postures that challenge the body and mind. And Ashtanga yoga, a popular form that focuses on sequential postures and the breath.

For many people, the appeal of yoga is the spiritual or meditative aspect it offers. Yoga encourages practitioners to explore the connection between body, mind and spirit and to use the discipline developed on the mat to manage stress and boost well-being off the mat.

•Pilates

Developed by Joseph Pilates, the practice is less than a century old. Relatively young compared to yoga, Pilates developed the practice with a focus on strengthening the core and elongating the spine. Much of the work of Pilates involves resistance. Practitioners develop balance, strength and a leaner look by working through mat exercises and machines designed specifically for the practice. When you consider the dozens of poses, types and sequences offered with yoga, it is easy to think of the practice as much less defined and narrow than Pilates.

Although there is no spiritual or meditative component with Pilates, the mind is involved. Practitioners build focus, concentration and discipline required to complete the very precise moves.

Many fitness centers offer yoga and Pilates. Try a couple of classes or even videos to find what works best for your body. For example, some dancers have enthusiastically turned to Pilates to strengthen and lengthen. Some runners have looked to yoga for a boost on the track. If you have back trouble either practice could work for you; just be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before you get started. If you have anxiety, insomnia or stress, yoga may be the best choice. Check it out for yourself. You may even be able to find a class that combines some movements from both practices to help you meet your overall fitness goals.

How To Get Flat Abs Like Fitness Male Models.

We all want flat abs like fitness models. Those elusive six-pack abs that grace magazine covers could be yours if you follow these secrets to get flat abs. Fair warning: Losing stomach fat and getting flat abs is a straightforward process, but it requires hard work. If you’re ready to transform your body and start turning heads, read on to find out how to get flat abs.

How to Get Flat Abs

1. Lose weight:

 More specifically, lose fat. If you’re overweight (use BMI calculator for men to find out if you are), you need to start shedding the extra pounds. Flat abs are all about low body fat – once you remove the fat covering your ab muscles, you’ll start to notice more muscle definition. Until you lose that body fat, though, all the crunches in the world won’t uncover flat abs. To burn fat, you need to…


2. Control your calorie intake:

 A healthy diet is critical to getting flat abs. To start losing fat, cut 500 calories from your daily intake to lose about 1 pound per week. Some simple ways to cut calories: replace soft drinks with water, limit portion sizes or even replace one of your meals with a whey protein shake.

3. Boost your protein intake:

 In order to build muscle – including abdominal muscle – your body needs an adequate supply of protein. Snacking on high-protein foods such as nuts or Greek yogurt are easy ways to boost your daily protein intake. If you really want to maximize muscle gain, however, you should consider a men’s whey protein powder with micronized leucine. Whey protein is one of the fastest-digesting proteins in existence, and leucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids that are required for muscle maintenance and growth. Together, they work to support anabolic processes that can help you achieve your dream of six pack abs.

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  4. Work out regularly:

A diet will help you slim down, but fitness will help you look less scrawny as well as make your abs more pronounced. When we say work out, though, we’re not just talking about crunches. If you want flat abs, you need to attack a larger area: your core (all the muscles around your trunk and pelvis).  Core exercises like planks and bridges as well as medicine ball workouts can have a far greater effect on your abdominal muscles than just plain ol’ crunches. Incorporate a variety of exercises to attack your core from all angles instead of just sticking to 1-2 exercises.

 5. Take the right men’s nutritional supplements:

To really take your workout to the next level and get six pack abs, consider taking a men’s creatine supplement along with a men’s pre-workout supplement and post-workout supplement. These supplements help burn fat, build muscle and boost your energy so that you can push yourself harder than you thought possible.



6. Be consistent:

You have to make healthy living a habit if you want to get flat abs. Following these steps for just a week or two won’t get you anywhere. It may take weeks or even months before you see results – but you’ll see them. Like we said earlier, losing stomach fat and getting flat abs is pretty straightforward, but it takes dedication. With a structured plan like MenScience Boot Camp, you’ll be well on your way to a tight midsection.

Bonus Tip – You may want to focus on building muscle mass first before burning fat. It’s much easier to focus on one thing (bulking up) than attempting to bulk up and burn fat at the same time.

Best Ways to Stop Being Hungry and Look Healthy.

Cutting calories while dieting might help you lose weight, but it can also leave you feeling hungry and deprived. Giving into hunger pangs can sabotage your diet and ultimately make your weigh-loss efforts seem ineffective. To avoid getting hungry, eating too much and gaining weight, adjust your eating habits and lifestyle.

• Consume Solid Foods

Rather than getting your calories from liquids, get them from solid foods. Solid foods require chewing, which is associated with feeling full. Solids also take longer to consume and are more filling. Chew each bite of food at least 20 times to help keep hunger at bay. Chewing your food thoroughly results in better digestion.

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 • Add Fiber and Protein

Adding fiber and protein to your meals can help prevent hunger, because they digest slowly and trigger the secretion of fullness hormones. Additionally, they keep your blood sugar stable so you're less likely to experience cravings. For protein, consume foods such as skinless poultry, fish, nuts and egg whites. Get your fiber from foods such as oats, plums, brown rice, oranges, whole grains and vegetables.

• Drink Water

Because thirst is often mistaken for hunger, it's essential to recognize whether you really are hungry. If you think you're hungry and feel tempted to reach for food, drink a glass of water instead. Your urge to eat might be gone afterward. If you're not sure whether your hunger is real, wait 20 minutes to see if you still feel hungry. If it's been longer than three hours since your last meal, you might actually be hungry.

• Manage Stress

When you're stressed, your body produces cortisol. Nutritionist Marilyn Glenville, founder of The Natural Health Website For Women, notes that high levels of this stress hormone trigger hunger and hard-to-control cravings for unhealthy foods. Glenville recommends managing stress by delegating tasks, practicing relaxation techniques and getting enough sleep. She also suggests not skipping meals and eating often, about every three hours, to help stabilize your blood sugar so you don't get hungry.

• Get Enough Sleep

Hormones in your body control whether you feel full or hungry. Sleep influences these hormones. If you lack sleep, leptin levels, which signal your brain that you're full, decrease, and ghrelin levels, which tell you that you're hungry, increase. You start craving fattening, unhealthy foods in the hopes to get a quick energy boost. To avoid this, get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, as recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

Muscle & Fitness: The Best Heavy Weight Bicep Workout.

The biceps are a favorite muscle group to train among bodybuilders and other avid trainees. To build mass in the biceps, you need to primarily target the Type IIb, or fast-twitch, muscle fibers, because these fibers grow the most.

To do so, you must use heavy weights that allow you to perform between six and 12 repetitions. Multiple sets, between three and five, are recommended for each exercise, and a total of three to four exercises should be performed per biceps workout. This is required for maximal stimulation of the muscle fibers.



• Standing EZ-Bar Curl

Standing EZ-Bar curls are a variation of the barbell curl. Because of the curved parts of the bar, they reduce the stress on your wrists, thus are a more comfortable and safer alternative to a straight barbell. To do the exercise, grasp the EZ-curl bar in an underhand grip shoulder-width apart, stand with your body upright, and keep your elbows by the sides of your torso. Bend your elbows to raise the EZ-curl bar upward, then extend your elbows to lower the bar to the start.

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 • Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl

The seated alternating dumbbell curl minimizes cheating because of its seated position, with the back up against the bench. This position keeps the lower back out of the movement, so the biceps are mainly used while performing the reps. To execute the seated alternating dumbbell curl, begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand using an underhand grip, and sit on the bench with your back up against the upright part of the bench. Place the dumbbells by your sides and keep your elbows by the sides of your torso. Bend your right elbow, bringing the right dumbbell up toward your right shoulder, then extend your right elbow, bringing the right dumbbell downward. Repeat the movement with the left side, then keep alternating between the right and left arm until you reach the required number of reps.

• Preacher Machine Curl

Preacher machine curls allow you to primarily train the outer head of the biceps, known as the long head, along with the brachialis, a muscle underneath the biceps. This exercise also works the inner head of the biceps, known as the short head, although not as much because of the flexed shoulder position. To perform the movement, first sit on the preacher machine bench, position your elbows on the pad, and grasp the machine handles in an underhand grip. Flex your elbows to raise the handles upward, then extend your elbows to lower the handles down to the beginning position.

• Standing Cable Bar Curl

The standing cable bar curl is safe exercise for the biceps and a great way to end a biceps workout. To do the exercise, begin by holding the cable bar using an underhand grip, and stand with your body upright and elbows by your sides. Bend your elbows to move the cable bar up toward your shoulders, then extend your elbows to move the cable bar downward.

How To Increase Your Chest Size at Home Fast.

 Increase the size of your chest by participating in a high volume weight training program that consists of exercises that target your chest muscles. After you complete a high volume workout, your muscles are left damaged with minor tears throughout their fibers.
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This damage stimulates the muscle building process, because your body works to heal your muscles with the ability to produce an increase in size. This way, your muscles will be better prepared for the stress of lifting from subsequent workouts. Numerous chest exercises can be completed at home with a bench and dumbbells. Visit your medical professional prior to starting a new exercise program.


•Step 1

Work out your chest two days per week. You will need 48 to 72 hours of rest in between workouts for your muscles to recover from the high volume workouts, according to Georgia State University's Department of Kinesiology and Health.

•Step 2

Complete each workout at a volume of three to five sets of eight to 20 repetitions. This training volume will stimulate muscle growth, according to Dr. Lee E. Brown of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

•Step 3

Perform dumbbell chest press. Lie on your back on a bench with the dumbbells at chest level and palms facing your feet. Push the dumbbells up toward the ceiling, extending your elbows fully.


•Step 4

Complete incline chest press. Set the bench at about 45 degrees and while seated in an incline position, complete the same movement as the regular dumbbell chest press.

•Step 5

Perform pushups. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders with your fingers pointed forward. Lower down until your elbows bend to about 90 degrees.


•Step 6

Complete chest flyes. Lie on your back on a bench, holding the dumbbells above your chest with extended arms and palms facing each other. Keep your elbows straight as you open up your arms to the side until they become parallel with the floor.

*Warnings
Use a spotter during dumbbell exercises to reduce the risk of dropping the weight on your head.