Category — Workouts

I don’t know about you, but I never step foot into the gym without my iPod. For me, music is the ultimate motivator when it comes to working out. Sometimes the right jam will help me go a little bit farther, complete that final rep, or run just a little bit longer. I have complied a list of some of the songs currently in my “workout mix” and I encourage all AMB readers to share their favorite songs too!

“Sexy Chick” — David Guetta feat. Akon
“Smooth Criminal” — Michael Jackson
“Till I Collapse” — Eminem
“Out Here Grindin” — DJ Khaled
“Morning After Dark” — Timbaland feat. SoShy and Nelly Furtado
“Escape Me” — Tiesto feat. CC Sheffield
“All the Right Moves” — One Republic
“Eye of the Tiger” — Survivor
“So Hard” — Rhianna feat. Young Jeezy
“Sound of Letting Go” — David Guetta feat. Chris Willis
“Going the Distance” — Bill Conti

So we’ve covered pre-workout snacks, now let’s focus on what you consume after your workouts. This step is arguably the most important part of your workout because when you exercise you deplete your body’s glycogen (the carb stored in your muscles and liver). That’s why it’s extremely vital that you replace what you lose so you can get the most out of your hard work.

Through my own personal experience and speaking with several personal trainers, I have come up with this list of the best post-workout meals:

5.  Piece of fish and baked potato — A muscle-building packed combination of quality protein and complex carbohydrates, this meal is a great way to end your workout. Go for salmon or tilapia as these have the highest amounts of protein.

4.  Chicken breast or steak and rice — Another classic meal that will maximize your workout. If you’re buying steak make sure to pick sirloin or a lean cut which are a lot healthier. Don’t forget the whole grain rice either!

3. Protein bar — This is only third on our list because it is a solid and will take a bit longer to absorb than its liquid counterparts. However, it’s still a very effective post-workout meal. In this instance don’t go for “Low carb” bars, instead buy a protein or meal replacement bar that has plenty of calories and carbohydrates to go along with at least 30 grams of protein. I like the MET-RX meal replacement bars.

2. Chocolate milk — This surprisingly effective recovery drink was almost a unanimous pick for all the experts I interviewed. Two cups of this stuff averages about 310-320 calories, 50 grams of carbs, and 16 grams of protein. Of course the liquid consistency will allow it to be absorbed quickly and carried to your depleted muscles.

1. Protein drink with whey — The original and still the best. No other food or drink can compare to the punch this packs when it comes to optimizing your workout. Whey protein is absorbed the fastest by your body and the liquid form will bring it to your muscles that much faster. If it’s a low carb protein add in some berries or a banana to give it a boost. Optimum Nutrition’s Hydro Whey is a good pick!

All of these foods should all be taken within 45 minutes after completion of your workout for best results.

I was recently talking to my brother who is a certified personal trainer and we were talking about if it matters in terms of the types of exercises you’re doing for each body part. For example, when training your triceps does it matter what order you perform dips, overhead extension, and tricep pulldown? The answer is it absolutely does.

If you are doing three exercises per body part you should always start with a pressing exercise, then move to an extension, and then a push or pulling motion. This will allow you to get the most out of your muscle fibers and prevent your muscles from failing when you get to your final few reps.

For those doing just two exercises for each muscle try to stick with a pressing movement and an extension.

During these tough economic times we’re all trying to find ways to save money. When looking at your fitness regimen you may want to consider your options. If you’re paying a high monthly membership cost at your local gym, you might want to put a “freeze” on your account and look into a home fitness program, which is great for a couple of reasons.

First, they can provide a change of pace from the monotony of going to and from the gym everyday. Secondly, as discussed above, they can save you much needed dinero.

Here’s a list of the most popular fitness programs on the market today:

5. Nordic Track — Their Personal Trainer III machine is still one of the best ones out there and offers the most bang for your buck. Resistance can be increased up to 220 lbs and there are no ‘rods’ or ‘bows.’ There’s a high rate of customer satisfaction and it comes with specific workout program for each day of the week. Price: $599.99

4. Weider — The Pro Fury home gym is advertised as a ‘complete, total body workout’ and it certainly has the specs to back up that claim. It contains 6 pulleys, a removable bench, and the ability to allow two people to workout at the same time. The machine also has a 100 lb Cast Weight Stack and capacity for over 55 different exercises. Price: $799

3. Nautilus — As part of the Bowflex family, Nautilus’ Freedom Trainer compares favorably to their Ultimate Home Gym, but costs a bit less. It contains weighted plates pulled by cables that can increase by increments of 15 lbs. The trainer’s arms also adjust on two separate planes and counterbalance each other making for simple adjustment in vertical planes. Price: $3,520

2. Bowflex — The Bowflex 2 Ultimate Home Gym is one of the most advanced machines available today. It’s a total body workout with over 95 exercises. It contains up to 310 lbs of resistance (upgradeable to 410). I’ve used this a few times and found it be very effective. However, if you’re not used to training with ‘bows’ then it will take some getting used to. Price: $2,499

1. P90X — One of the fastest growing workout programs on the market, P90X is different because it’s not a piece of equipment but a series of 12 DVDs that contain specific workouts designed to blast fat and build lean muscle in 90 days. I can vouch for this because I’m currently in my fifth week and seeing amazing results. It does require you to have a pull up bar and dumbells (or a resistance band). It also comes with a full nutrition guide. Price: $119.85

It’s football season and that means sitting in front of the television for the entire day on Sunday to watch all the games. It also means eating all of that great food that’s not necessarily great for you. But luckily for you, from Monday to Saturday you can train for your big day on Sunday to soften some of the blow.

You don’t have to run wind sprints in 100 degree heat, or go up against 300-lb lineman, you just have to follow a training regimen that maximizes results from a total body workout. If you’re a guy who plays flag football or if you’re just looking to lose body fat and gain some lean muscle, then you could benefit from a football training regimen.

Most of the exercises focus on lifting a low amount of reps through a high amount of sets. This is due to the fact that you want “explosive” muscles because the movements in the game football require that.

Give it a shot and see if you notice some improvements in both your body and your game.

Do you ever feel like you’re spending all of your free time at the gym? Even if you love working out it’s normal to sometimes think that the gym is becoming your second home. Well, if you feel like you need to free up more “you” time and gain more precious days of rest then you may want to consider working out twice a day.

Split workout schedules are probably the most common regimen, however they can sometimes be detrimental because while your goal may be to work your triceps every third day, you may end up working them sooner than that when you’re doing other exercises. For instance, you may use your triceps unknowingly to assist you in another exercise.

AskMen.com outlines a workout schedule for twice a day sessions and things you should consider before deciding to undertake this. Remember, this type of workout plan isn’t for everybody. Depending on your work schedule it will be ideal to workout once in the morning and and once at night (or late afternoon). While working out two times in one day nutrition is going to be even more crucial to the recovery and fueling of your workout as you will definitely need to increase your caloric intake.

When I first joined a gym years ago I made the mistake of doing cardio before I lifted. Not good. 

Cardio before weight training is counter-productive to your muscles. Think about it. If you run for 20 or 30 minutes on the treadmill your muscles are going to fatigue and the glycogen it has stored is going to burn out. So you’ll be lifting weights using less than 50% of your muscle’s potential.

You also lower your blood sugar when you lift weights, so when you start running you’ll immediately begin to burn fat. Obviously when you’re lifting you want to maximize your output so wearing yourself out on the elliptical first makes no sense.

Tip: It’s okay and actually recommended to do a light 5-10 minute cardio warmup before you being weight training.

With most sports, the more time you spend away from the game, the harder it is when you do return. I remember stepping back onto the court after graduating college. I had not played basketball in over 2 months. Just shooting the ball felt weird. The good news was that everything came back to me once I regained that muscle memory.

Sometimes doing some training before you step back onto the court will do wonders for your skillset and your ability to regain your “touch.” I found an article that outlines some basketball exercises that can help you develop muscles and gain strength in key areas that will allow you to perform at a higher level.

Personal trainer Sean Green takes you through the five movements that will transform your game.

I think many weightlifters would agree that leg muscles in general are the toughest muscles to develop. Mainly because we’re walking on them all day and they’re already experiencing a good amount of contraction. So, it takes quite a bit of shock and variation to see significant growth.

MensHealth.com has highlighted a few tips that can be applied to your leg workouts that may jumpstart growth. These tips focus on a few adjustments to standard leg exercises that allow for better form and in turn, bigger gains. Personally, I’ve had some moderate success in training calves and quadriceps by performing about 4 sets of high repititions (20-25) using minimal weight.

The thing about muscle building is that there is not just one way to be successful, that’s why I’m curious as to how other people have found success with building leg muscles.

Share your stories and comments below.

Electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Powerade have gotten a bad rap over the past few years primarily due to the fact that they are loaded with sugar. Now granted, if you’re just drinking these beverages all day long without working out then you’re probably going to gain some weight. But don’t be afriad to take them to the gym with you when you’re getting ready for a long workout.

Suzanne Girard Eberle, a sports dietitan echoes those sentiments. ”When you’re training long and hard, you shouldn’t minimize your caloric intake. Don’t work against your body while you’re asking it to perform,” she says.

If I’m going to gym to do a full workout plus cardio I’ll definitely bring some Gatorade with me to replace those electrolytes and fluids that I’m going to lose. It’s okay to consume sports drinks during workouts, even though they contain high amounts of sugar, it’s going to help fuel your training. It only becomes counterproductive to your body when you start drinking them all the time without exercise.