Health Benefits Of Foot Reflexology .

Some of the benefits of foot  reflexology include its ability to stimulate nerve function, increases energy, boosts circulation, induces a deep state of relaxation, eliminates toxins, stimulates the central nervous system, prevents migraines, cleans up urinary tract conditions, speeds recovery after injury or surgery, helps relieve sleep disorders, reduces depression, and relieves pain. Furthermore, it can help ease the treatment of various cancer and even helps to soothe the pains of pregnancy, even those occurring after the baby is born.

The ancient Chinese practice of foot reflexology, a manual therapy focusing on the feet, has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity as a modern holistic therapy to relieve pain and stress.

Reflexologists believe that different areas on your feet and hands correspond to other parts of your body, and massaging them stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system to heal itself.

For 3,000 years Chinese practitioners have used reflexology to re-balance Qi (the life force flowing through energy channels) to treat a number of conditions. It can work alongside conventional Western medical medicine to promote healing and improve wellbeing and vitality.

We speak to Nicola Hall, chairwoman of the representative body the British Reflexology Association, and qualified reflexologist Michael O'Connell to discuss how foot reflexology can boost your health.

The Association of Reflexologists, which supports professionally qualified practitioners, has over 25,000 members and aims to increase knowledge of this non-intrusive complementary therapy.

Weight Loss : How To Lose Weight Fast For Women .

The DASH Diet : A team of health experts has weighed in, ranking the best diet plans on overall performance.


Most diet plans claim to offer the same results, including a slim figure and better health. But which ones actually deliver?

Here are the experts' one of the best weight-loss plans for you:

The DASH Diet. Here’s one you may not have heard of before. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet was first developed to lower blood pressure but quickly became popular as a way to lose weight. The diet is low in salt and rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein and nuts.

Who should be on it? The DASH diet is recommended for people with hypertension, or high blood pressure, or prehypertension.

The Best Shoulder Exercises For Big Delts.

If you are looking to take your shoulder workouts to the next level, here are five major shoulder exercises you should incorporate into your workout schedule. These movements are the best exercises to grow muscular shoulders. Make sure you complement your workout with creatine and an anabolic activator for maximum results.


1-Barbell Military Press:

This exercise is performed using a standard barbell. In most gym settings, there is a rack barbell rack specifically designed for performing this exercise. Load the barbell with the appropriate weight and perform a standard press. Another great variation to this exercise is using a supinated or reverse grip to add more challenge. Military presses can also be performed with dumbbells.

 2-Clean and Press:

The Clean and Press is an all-out explosive compound movement that recruits the shoulders, core, traps, biceps, glutes and calves. The press phase of this movement directly targets the shoulders and upper chest and is perfect for athletes and bodybuilders looking to develop serious shoulder strength. This movement begins in a deadlifft position and then transitions into a clean. The clean position is performed by simply shrugging the barbell up from the hips and loaded onto the chest. From there, an upward press movement is performed.

3-Kettlebell Clean and Press

Another great and explosive compound movement that shocks shoulders, core, traps, back and legs is the kettlebell swing. This movement begins in a squat position with a kettlebell cleaned from in between the legs and then pressed upwardly.

4-Lateral Cable Raises

Great shoulders requires exercises that hit every angle of the deltoid. Lateral cable raises are performed by bending over in a 90 degree angle and raising a cable from the bottom of the machine. This exercise directly targets the posterior deltoid, traps and part of the back.

5-Battle Ropes

Using battle ropes is also a great way to develop shoulder endurance and strength. Highly underutilized by men in the gym, using battle ropes in a variety of manners can be used to not only develop shoulders but also get in a great high intensity cardio session. Ropes are used by simply swinging ropes up and down or sideways for minute or two.

How To Bulk Up Fast For Skinny Guys Without Weight.

Gaining more muscle mass is a common goal for most individuals. Similar to any goal, if a plan is properly developed and followed, then bulking up can become a reality. The parts within the strategy need to focus upon proper nutrition, exercise and rest. If the implementation of the plan stays the course, then noticeable differences with physique could happen within the first month or earlier.

Here are the four keys to bulking up:

1- Fuel Intake

Calories are required to gain weight. The more calories consumed from healthy foods, the better. One known rule of thumb is to avoid packaged foods entirely. Try to consume fresh items and prepare multiple meals a day. Manage the available meals and focus upon quality protein, good carbohydrates and healthy fats.


ecome knowledgeable of the negatives with saturated fats, sugars and sodium. Knowledge is power: if you know what nutrients to look for, you’ll have an easier time planning out your diet.

2- Anaerobic Exercise

Traditional thought suggests lifting heavier weights with fewer repetitions allows for muscles to grow big. Conversely, if the preference is a more chiseled or defined look, then lift lighter weights with more repetitions.



nother current concept is to change your workouts every month to surprise or shock your system with hopes to avoid any plateaus. Whatever the preference may be, lift weights and exercise with them consistently. You may also want to consider workout supplements such as creatine and whey, both of which have been shown to improve performance and results.

3- Aerobic Exercise

A workout is not complete without a focus upon exercising the heart. Walking, running and swimming are just a few examples of ways to increase your heart rate. The key to blending an aerobic routine within your weight gaining program is to cap the time around 30 minutes per day.

Contrastingly, the time is not appropriate to start training for a long distance race such as a marathon. The body simply redirects too many calories by keeping the legs and arms moving for such a long period of a time. Always remember calories are precious and need to be reserved for the goal of gaining weight.


4- Rest

Equally important is getting proper rest. Environmental stress hammers the body continuously and the muscles and brain need to recharge from the daily encounters with work and family. Quite candidly, the body needs to have a chance to recover from the daily grind.

A restful mind allows for a better performance within all aspects of life. Plus, workout performance becomes much more satisfactory when the only fatigue feeling is from the muscles recovering.

5 Best Exercises For A Bigger Stronger Chest.

Many people think that the chest has zero role in performance, unless you’re a football player.

Why’s that important? Because a lot of people don’t understand how to exercise perhaps the most popular, yet most poorly trained, area of the body: the chest. And the mistakes you’re making can hurt your development of a Hulk-like upper body.

They say the pecs, like the biceps, are all about vanity. While having a big chest and a strong bench press doesn’t mean you’ll be an unstoppable athlete, building “pressing strength” can help you in just about any game you play – and also improve upper-body muscle mass (and by extension, your looks).
But even though so many gym goers dedicate so much exercise time to the chest (does “Monday-Thursday-chest-day” sound familiar?), it often doesn’t translate to better performance—and that makes your pecs an area of the body that can be improved. The program below will change that game, giving you more results in less time.


ut for it to work, follow these 5 principles.


1- Balance Push and Pull:

For a balanced look (and to reduce the risk of injury), you need to do as many pulling exercises as you do pushing ones. Not only will increasing your pulling strength lead to more muscle mass, but it will help your pressing strength as well. Use a similar number of reps for both directions. You’ll also want to balance angles of movement - i.e. the vertical pull of a chin-up is not the opposite of a horizontal bench press. So if you’re pushing up, balance by pulling down. Push forward, pull back.

2- Work the Cuff:

Without a strong rotator cuff, your pressing movements will suffer because your cuff helps stabilize your shoulder joint. And you need those strong pressing movements to develop your chest completely. Include cuff exercises in your training.


3- Ring Them Bells – All Of ‘Em:

Besides barbells, use dumbbells and even kettlebells, which change the stability and demand of chest exercises. By varying the equipment you use, your muscles are forced to adapt to constant change.


4-  Vary Your Grips:

By changing the width of your grips, you’re essentially changing the exercise (a wide grip targets different muscles than close grip). When using dumbbells, turn your hands in or out to change the angle of the press and stimulate your chest differently.



5- Stay with the Tempo:

Most people count the reps they perform, but they pay little attention to the speed of those reps. To maximize results, pay attention to the tempo of each repetition. For this workout, the lowering phase of each rep should take two full seconds, then pause for one second at the bottom of a rep, and then press each rep as quickly as possible. By slowing the rep, the muscles spend more time under contraction and ultimately, do more work.

5 Easy Exercises to Lose Belly Fat Quickly For Women.

Belly fat is a common problem for women. Female hormones cause women to carry more fat around the pelvic area. This is great for pregnancy, but not so hot otherwise. In addition to the obvious self-esteem concerns, carrying excess weight in your midsection poses serious health risks such as heart disease. Fortunately, there are some easy exercises you can do to get rid of belly fat and tone and tighten the abdominal muscles. Combine these exercises with a healthy diet of lean protein, leafy green vegetables and healthy carbohydrates for maximum results.

1- Cardio is Key:

Excess belly fat requires full-body weight loss through cardiovascular exercise along with exercises that target your core. If you only do abdominal exercises and neglect cardiovascular exercise, you will end up with strong abs under a layer of fat. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 150 to 250 minutes of cardiovascular exercise weekly to lose weight. You can break this into five days of 30 minutes, three days of 50 minutes, or even 10 15-minute sessions. Some examples of activities you can do to lose weight are walking, running, dancing, bike riding, team sports, step aerobics and kickboxing.

2- Planks:

In addition to cardiovascular exercise, you need to work the muscles in your core for a firm belly. Planks are one of the most effective core exercises because they require you to engage your entire core in order to stabilize your body. The basic plank is easy to do. If your core muscles are weak, you may need to work up to holding the position for 30 seconds. Start by lying face down with bent arms under you and palms flat on the ground. Push yourself up so only your hands, forearms and toes are touching the floor. Focus on using your core muscles to keep your body stable. Your body should form a straight line from head to toe. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat two or three times and move on to the next exercise.

3- Walkout From Pushup:

The walkout from pushup is an effective core exercise that uses your body weight to provide resistance for your core. Get into the pushup position with your hands about 2 inches wider than your shoulders. Walk your hands out as far as you can and then walk them back to the starting position. To make this exercise easier, keep your knees on the ground. Do 10 to 12 repetitions of this exercise. After completing two or three sets, move on to the next exercise.

4- Bicycle Maneuver:

The American Council on Exercise named the bicycle maneuver one of the top three best abdominal exercises. It's a simple exercise, but very effective at targeting your obliques -- the side muscles. To do this exercise, start by lying down with your hands behind your head and bring your knees to your chest. Bring your right knee to your left elbow as you straighten your left leg. Switch sides as if you're pedaling a bicycle for 20 repetitions. Do two to three sets and move on to the next exercise.

5- Vertical Leg Crunch:

The American Council on Exercise named the vertical crunch one of the most effective exercises for targeting the rectus abdominis -- your lower abs -- and the obliques. Vertical crunches are done just like basic crunches, except your legs are straight in the air. Lie down on the floor with your legs straight in the air, knees crossed and hands behind your head. Lift your shoulders off the floor, keeping your legs in the same position. Complete 15 to 20 repetitions and two to three sets.

Fitness : Top 3 Six Pack Abs Exercises For Men At Home.

We are constantly bombarded with what we should and shouldn’t be doing to get those perfectly defined abs. The top and bottom of it is that you will never have visible abs if your body fat is not low enough. That’s obviously where a healthy diet comes in. But what are the best exercises out there for defining our mid-section and bringing out those chiselled abs and ‘six pack’ that will set us apart from the crowd? Read on to find out….

1 – Exercise Ball Crunch:

A classic exercise that works the upper abdominal region the most. Simple but more effective than doing it on the floor as it allows you to stretch the abs and back more, allowing a greater range of motion.

Sit on the ball with feet flat on the floor before lying back until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. Keep your hips on the ball. Breathing out, contract your abs to raise your torso to no more than 45 degrees. Count 2 seconds up, hold for 2 seconds at the top and lower to the count of 2 seconds. To make the exercise more difficult, bring your feet closer together or extend your arms behind your head.

2 – Reverse Crunch:

An effective exercise that targets the lower abdominal region because you’re bringing your legs towards your body rather than your body towards your legs. Great for home workouts as it does not require any equipment.

Lie on your back with your hands by your side, knees bent, feet together and about six inches off the floor. Keep your feet close to your hips as you curl your lower body towards your shoulders, rolling your hips and lower back slightly off the floor and breathing out as you do so. Squeeze your abs in the top position before lowering your legs back to the start position, remembering to do each repetition slowly.

3-Exercise Ball Side Crunch:

A variation on the standard ball crunch, this allows you to target your obliques, the diagonal muscles that feed into your abs from the side. The arc of the ball allows you to stretch your obliques at the start of the exercise, increasing the range of motion to make your obliques contract harder.

Lie on your right side against the exercise ball, arms positioned as above, legs extended and feet apart for balance. Slowly raise your body towards your left hip, breathing out and pausing in the top position before slowly lowering yourself down to the start position whilst inhaling. Repeat on the other side once the set is completed.