New Year Workout

So you have had an enjoyable festive season, one that has caused the midriff to grow to a somewhat uncomfortable level. While you enjoyed the holidays you now have the problem of achieving your New Year’s resolution to rid the extra weight you put on and a little more to get back to that trim self you wanted.

Well for those of you reading the above the time has come to try the Muscle Power Shop New Year workout, a workout that will really help you trim those pounds and get buff for the beach.

This New Year workout has been created solely for reducing the fat on the body and trimming up those muscles, it is a workout that you will both enjoy and see benefits from.

So what is this New Year Workout?

This workout should be completed three times a week, preferably every other day (example Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

Day 1 – Chest, Triceps and Abs

Barbell Benchpress 4 x 10
Incline dumbbell press 4 x 10
Dumbbell flys 4 x 10
Tricep dips 3 x 10
Skull crushers 3 x 10
Stomach crunches 3 x 30

Day 2 – Back, biceps and cardio

Lat pulldowns 4 x 10
Deadlift 4 x 10
Pull ups 4 x 10 (start with 4 x failure and work up to 10 if you cant do 10 for each set)
Barbell curls 3 x 10
Dumbbell hammer curls 3 x 10

Day 3 – Legs, shoulders and abs

Barbell squat 3 x 10
Lunges 3 x 10
Calf raises 3 x 10
Shoulder press 4 x 10
Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 10
Dumbbell rear raises 3 x 10
Stomach crunches 3 x 30

If you carry out this New Years workout while also maintaining a healthy diet (this still means eating well, but the right foods) then you are sure to see a difference in weeks rather than months.

Athletic Leg Training

Im sure you have all seen those powerful athletes with huge legs that seem to achieve superior levels of speed, power and agility on the athletics field but how do they achieve this?

Yes I know your going to say train hard but its more than that, its about how they train.

Bodybuilders and other types of weight lifters tend to stick to leg exercises that train both legs in tandem, truth be told your better off training each leg individually.

How to carry out athletic leg training

Take compound exercises that use free weights the modify them so only a single leg is used in the exercise, for example:

Instead of carrying out the squat, use dumbbells and carry out the Bulgarian split squat, its so much more challenging and your legs will tuly benefit.

So what does an athletic leg training session look like?

Bulgarian split squat - 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 15 reps
Single leg deadlift - 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 15 reps
Lunges (holding dumbbells) - 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 15 reps
High step up - 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 15 reps
Calf raises - 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 15 reps

Carry out these exercises in curcuits so your completing the exercises 2 or 3 times per training session. This should not take longer than 45 minutes, as soon as 45 minutes are up stop your training session.

Gut Busting Abs

For those who are of a vain nature there are two main features men wish to work on, these are the biceps and the abs. Today I wish to talk about building gut busting abs that perfect, yet elusive six pack that many men aspire to.

We all know that feeling of summer rolling around the corner and that feeling is never more evident than now. I am sure many of you are looking at booking your summer holidays and thinking “Ive only got 3 months to get in shape”. Truth be told the main focus of getting in shape is that beach bod with a six pack that will attract the ladies.

So how do you get gut busting abs?

Well firstly you have to understand that like all muscles you cannot train your abs EVERY day, although many people do try. To get the best out of your abdominals its best to train them three days a week with a days break between each session.

If you go to the gym regularly then build it into the end of your workout, unless you feel you don’t have the discipline to do this where you need to make it the start of your workout so your ab workout gets done.

Your three ab training days should be broken into three different ab sessions, session one control, session two power and session three endurance.

Control – This means take it slow so you take three seconds to raise your body and three seconds to return back down, this will really get your abdominal muscles going and you WILL feel the burn.

Power – Lift your body as quick as possible and take one second to return back down, as you start finding this easy add light weights to make it harder.

Endurance – This session is about lots of reps with two seconds to raise your body and one second to return to your starting position.

Many people simply do sit ups or crunches to build their abdominals, they don’t realize there is many variations of ab training that can really push the boundaries and improve their abdominals.

If you carry out three sessions a week following the three ab training types mentioned you can see huge advances in a matter of weeks rather than months.

Max Effort Training

Max Effort Training, also known as ME training, is a type of training carried out by Powerlifters and Strongmen to increase their one rep max on big lifts. The Max Effort training actually means you are lifting the heaviest weight you can to increase your strength.

So how does it work?

When you carry out the max effort training method you are placing a heavy demand on your body, this does not simply mean the muscles but also the central nervous system. By putting this demand on the body its natural action is to adapt by increasing your strength, this happens as the body reduces the central nervous system inhibition so the maximum amounts of motor units are activated.

How do you carry out ME training?

A max effort workout will always centre around one big compound lift; these are usually the deadlift, bench press of squat for a powerlifter and deadlift, squat and overhead press for a strongman. You will only carry out the max effort style lifting on the big lift; any other exercises are completed as normal.

The max effort exercise will be completed as follows:

Work at 90% to 100% of your one rep max.
Carry out on one exercise per training session only
Carry out 1 to 3 reps per set
Carry out up to 10 sets
Leave 2 to 5 minutes rest between sets
Carry out on the same muscle group once a week only

The ten sets would be carried out as follows:

425 is your current one rep max


















It is important to note that max effort training should only be completed on the same muscle group for three to four weeks before carrying it out on a different muscle group entirely as it can cause negative gains if carried out over longer periods.

The best way to complete your training regimen with max effort training is to carry out ME training for one to three weeks on your chest, then one to three weeks on your back and finally one to three weeks on your legs. This will mean using a cycle or rotation on your training regimen so your body doesn’t get used to what you are doing and you are keeping with the max effort training within the one to three weeks per muscle group.

I have personally used this type of training myself and found it to be an amazing way to increase your strength in a short period of time. Your muscles will fatigue quickly when you start carrying it out and you will reap the rewards very quickly.

HIT Training – High Intensity Training

Some of you may have heard the word HIT training banded around the gym by some of the big muscled types, but have you ever wondered what they mean by HIT training?

HIT training is an abbreviation for High Intensity Training and was the brain child of Authur Jones, the man who launched Nautilus training equipment on to the market in the 1970’s.

The ethos behind High Intensity Training is basically that you train to a very high intensity; this is achieved through the following:

• Reducing rest times between reps and sets
• Using the maximum weight you can lift for your reps/sets
• Train using basic compound movements
  

A typical HIT training session consists of 4 to 6 exercises of around 3 to 4 sets on each for major muscle groups such as the chest and 2 to 3 exercises of around 3 to 4 sets each on smaller muscles such as the triceps. If you’re new to HIT training we suggest you start on the low of these volumes and build yourself up.

An example workout is below:

Chest

Barbell Bench press – 4 sets x 6 to 8 reps
Dumbbell Bench press – 4 sets x 6 to 8 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets x 6 to 8 reps
Dumbbell incline flies – 4 sets x 6 to 8 reps

Triceps

Skullcrushers – 4 sets x 6 to 10 reps
Triceps Extensions – 4 sets x 6 to 10 reps

By carrying out sessions with heavy weights with low resting times you will fatigue the muscle, which is the desired outcome of your workout as your body will repair your muscles bigger and stronger.

You could say that the HIT training method is a similar training method to the 5x5 workout; the difference is that HIT training tends to be used by bodybuilders rather than powerlifters and weight lifters.

The High Intensity Training is a great tool to use to boost your performance in the gym. The HIT training method does however need to be used with caution because you will need longer resting periods between sessions (of the same muscle group) and increased mental strength as this training can be grueling to the uninitiated.

Note: With any high intensity workout there needs to be a period of low intensity or total rest every now and again, a good way of achieving this is by taking a week break from the gym after 12 weeks of training (every 3 months).

Training like a Spartan Warrior

We have all heard of the 300 workout that the actors of the film 300 in which 300 Spartan warriors held off the army of Xerxes I of Persia at the Battle of Thermopylae but how many people truly know the strength training of the real Spartan warrior.

Two thousand years ago the Spartan warriors of Sparta in Greece were well disciplined warriors who could fight with strength and speed two thousand years ago, today Ill tell you some of their strength training techniques.

Heavy Urn

The heavy urn is what you could say is the present day front squat. This involved having a heavy urn about waist height in size in front of you and squatting down to pick it up then bringing back to the ground.

Running Laden

One of the great techniques for building strength and endurance was a Spartan warrior running with a man on their back. This builds the legs primarily but also the upper body as well.

Bags of Grain

This involved having a piece of rope with a bag of grain tied at each end. The rope was put over the top of the back with the bags hanging just above knee height either side, the Spartan warrior would then move their body down from side to side as if you are training your Obliques. With the extra weight this is great for the upper body.

Rock Throwing

Yes, one great way to improve strength and endurance in the muscles of the arms and upper body was to literally pick up big rocks and throw them continuously at a tree. This also improved hand eye coordination for battle.

So why am I talking about this?

Well many people say they don’t have the time or money to visit a gym but the truth is that there are so many ways to build strength and endurance with no money as long as you have some space to train.

The Spartan warriors were among the best of their time and all they used to train and build strength were the everyday items they found around them.

Today is the day you can decide to take action and start using exercises, such as those used by the Spartans above, to get yourself fitter and stronger without costing any money and little time.

Why not get two old rucksacks and fill them with stone to use instead of the bags of grain that Spartans used. You can also use one of these rucksacks full of stone in place of the man on your back while running. For the urn you could replace this with a trash can filled with stone to a weight your comfortable with.

As you can see a little thought can produce some great alternatives to weight lifting in the gym.

Build Great Traps

Many people don’t know what traps are, that is until they see a man who looks like he has two sets of shoulders.

As you can see from the picture, the traps (actually called the Trapezius) are two muscles found in the back. The traps start at the lumbar region of the back and finishes at the top of the neck just below the start of the skull where the cerebellum region of the brain is situated. The muscles then reach out across the back to the shoulders.

The name Trapezius comes from the fact that the two muscles together looks like a trapezium.

When exercised and increased in size the traps help give the back overall size (not width) and also give a statement of power as they give size around the neck and shoulder region when accompanied with well trained shoulders.

Many people don’t realise that the traps are actually used in so many exercises by supporting and assisting the main muscles involved.

So how do you build big strong traps?

Try incorporating the shrug exercise into your workout. The best way to carry out the shrug exercise is to sit with dumbbells in either hand and literally shrug your shoulders up (straight don’t roll your shoulders) as best you can and hold it for 2 secs before moving back to your starting position.

Another great exercise is the upright row. This exercise is used by many in the shoulder workout yet it also works the traps too!

The seated row, this is my favourite resistance machine (I don’t like using resistance machines as Im a free weight lover). The seated row will work your traps to a good level as well as other muscles in your back so is another great exercise to incorporate into your workout.

The traps only take a short period of time to grow in size and with a good shoulder workout will support your goal of a great and powerful physique.

Big Biceps Workout

Many men in this world wish to build the vanity muscles that are the Biceps as the Biceps can draw female attention, gain respect from fellow man and also improve ones confidence. so how do you build bulging big Biceps?

Well heres a simple Biceps workout that is sure to test your strength and resolve, this workout has been compiled to ensure you get the best possible chance of building those Biceps that you have always wanted.

If you carry out the below workout once a week you are sure to see a huge increase in the size of your Biceps in a short period of time.

The Big Biceps Workout

Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3 x 8

Dumbbell Biceps Curls 3 x 8



Biceps Negative Curls 3 x 8



Biceps 21's 3 x 21

The Elusive 6 Pack - Core Training

Everyone aspires to getting that elusive 6 pack of rock hard abs that the ladies seem to love so much yet the many "Get amazing abs in 6 weeks" routines you pay for never seem to live up to the hype.

The truth is that to get an amazing 6 pack of rock hard abs it takes a lot of time and effort that is not just concentrated on ab workouts but also strength training, cardiovascular exercise and eating correctly.

My point about building rock hard abs to have a 6 pack is that you should not just work the abs, you should also work the whole trunk of the body, this is called a core workout rather than an ab workout. You also need to complete core exercises at least twice a week to achieve a physical change to your mid section.

Today Im going to give you a 6 week plan that will help towards building rock hard abs and a strong core, but wont necessarily give you the 6 pack you wont straight away (you may need to keep repeating for a while!).

Firstly strength training is very important, for this I mean the 5 x 5 workout that I have mentioned previously. This is because the workload in the 5 x 5 workout builds strength through lifting heavy weights in compound movements. While lifting these heavy weights in the compound movements you will always be engaging your core muscles to give you stability and added strength thus giving them a workout also.

Secondly you need to carry out cardiovascular training two or three times a week. One of these times should be a full blown run for around 20 - 30 minutes minimum (no longer than 45 minutes though) while the other sessions can be a fast walk or light jog for at least 30 minutes each. This will help burn the fat to build that lean physique.

Thirdly finish at least two of your workouts with a core session, these sessions should have about three to four different core exercises such as crunches, plank, Oblique v-up or leg raises.

Finally ensure you maintain a healthy diet and each little and regularly. I suggest eating a small meal 5 to 6 times a day at 3 to 4 hour intervals, this will give you the nutrients you need and will maintain your metabolism at its highest rate.

Below is an example of building your workout

Comlpete 2 compound movements with 5 sets of 5 reps on each, rest about two minutes between sets.

Add additional weight lifting exercises here to make up your full workout making sure these are carried out in quick succession to get that burn and feel the sweat. These exercises should be carried out in sets of 3 with 10 to 12 reps.

Finish off with 3 or 4 different core workout exercises, keep mixing them up every week to blast your core muscles into growth. When completing the core exerises try 3 sets of each exercises with at least 15 reps for each exercise.

Calisthenics - Increase Muscle With No Equipment

I got asked a question today and thought it would make for a good article, the question was "How to get in shape without any equipment?". My answer was simple, Calisthenics.

Calisthenics actually means an exercise where you carry out movements without weights that will increase muscle through strength while also improving your bodies flexibility. To complete these movements you use your own body weight as the force against you in the movement.

Although it is important to understand that you will not become Arnold Schwarzenegger by using Calisthenics you will find that you strength will increase, your flexibility will increase and finally your muscle endurance will improve greatly.

Did you know that many boxers use calisthenics as a way of conditioning and improving their strength and flexibility?

So what exercises can you do....

Upper Body -

Press up (close, narrow and wide stance)
Triceps dips
Pull ups/Chin ups
Lying back extensions
Wrestlers Bridge (Crab)
Sit ups/Crunches

Lower Body -

Box Jumps
Squats
Lunges
Split Squats
Duck walk

Ideally its best to carry these out in sets of 12 to 15 to get the most out of your routine. I would suggest carrying out an upper body workout as one routine and a lower body workout as another routine leaving 48 hours between each session.

I will post exercise videos to show how to complete these exercises in the coming weeks. Please find a video of me completing press ups below.

Hugh Jackman Wolverine Workout

Hugh Jackman beefed up big time for his role as Wolverine in Xmen: Origins the new Xmen film based on Wolverine.

For Hugh to get so big he had to train very hard and watch his diet over the space of 18 months. Now that really isnt a long time to get in such good shape, so what exactly did he have to do to get so ripped?

Firstly he trained very early in the morning for 60 to 90 minutes a time.

The workout consisted of a ten minute cardio warm up followed by a big weight session and finished off with 20 minutes of running or swimming.

The weight sessions are pretty much chest and triceps one session, back and biceps another and legs another with all sessions concentrating on the big compound lifts such as Squat, Deadlift and Bench.

To keep shocking his body all the exercises bar these compound moves were changed regularly either by different exercises or different angles in the exercise itself to keep his body guessing what he would do next.

These exercises were also carried out in supersets so Hugh would have to complete a big compound lift and go straight into an isolation exercise to really push his muscles to the limit.

To pack on the muscle, as well as training hard Hugh was also on a strict diet plan that saw him eat 6 times a day. This eating plan also included him getting up at 4am in the morning to eat!

One of Hughs tricks to keep the protein flowing in his body was to have protein supplements either side of training and eat cottage cheese before bed so the body got a slow release of protein while he slept.

Kettlebell 5x5 Workout

The 5x5 workout is gruelling under normal circumstances when using a Barbell but imagnie carrying out a Russian Kettlebell 5x5 workout!

The 5x5 workout has been around for many years and is still probably the best workout to build strength and siz. I myself have used the 5x5 workout and nearly doubled the amount I could lift in the deadlift in a matter of three to four months.

The idea behind the 5x5 workout is to carry out exercises with 5 sets of 5 reps on a heavy weight that you can only just achieve the amount of reps, once the full 5 reps are achieve on the 5 sets you add more weight and start again.

Unlike the Barbell 5x5 workout where you can increase weight as things get harder the Kettlebell 5x5 workout has a slight variance where you decrease the speed of your negative to make it harder. You can also reduce the break time between sets to give your body less time to recover which also makes the sets harder.

Below is an idea of a Kettlebell 5x5 workout you could try.

Kettlebell 5x5 workout

Day 1

Military Press
Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell Squat
Renegade Row
Kettlebell Windmill (3 sets of 8)

Day 2

Kettlebell Squat
Kettlebell Snatch
Kettlebell Bent Over Row
Kettlebell Bench Press
Kettlebell Turkish Get Up (3 sets of 8)

There is only two different training sessions here so you keep alternating between the two with 48 hours rest between. Every twelve week take a week off to recover.

Build A Bigger Chest in 10 Weeks

We all want to build a big, strong body that can be compared with the Adonis for its chiseled muscular stature but how many people know exactly how to achieve this?

A lot of men know that exercise will support them in their goal of achieving an awe inspiring body, the problem is they don't know how to achieve this and they train in the incorrect way.

Are you one of those men that go to the gym, have a little jog on the treadmill, then spend an hour doing bicep curls of various types (barbell, dumbbell and EZ bar)? If the answer is yes then you need to read on to find out how to build a bigger chest in 10 weeks.

Firstly you can train your chest once or twice a week, training your chest twice a week will give better results. Make sure you give at least a full 48 hours rest between separate chest training sessions. I would advise training your chest on a Wednesday and Saturday for example.

It is also important to mention that each training session should take no longer than 45 minutes and you will also be training your triceps as a secondary muscle in your chest training regime. If you have time left at the end of your chest workout session add some triceps exercises to take you up to the 45 minute workout.

I will show you a few different chest training regimes that will really build a bigger chest in 10 weeks. For optimum results use a mixture of these training regimes throughout the 10 weeks to achieve your bigger chest.

Training Regime 1

Bench Press

Sets/Reps - 4 x 8

Information - Go heavy on the bench press but ensure you keep good form. By going heavy on the bench press you will really punish your chest muscles and trigger the hormones in the body into natural muscle growth.

Incline Dumbbell Fly

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - This exercise removes the use of the Triceps but does add stress to the deltoids (shoulders) as well as the chest muscles. Use lighter weights with good form, you should be just able to complete the last few reps of the last set.

Close Grip Bench Press

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - By moving your hands closer together the emphasis is more on the Triceps than the chest. Use lighter weights as you get used to the movement as the bar can become unstable because of the close grip.

Training Regime 2

Incline Bench Press

Sets/Reps - 4 x 8

Information - Go heavy but keep good form. The incline bench press uses the shoulders and Triceps as secondary muscles and moves the angle at which you are hitting the chest muscles.

Cable Crossover

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - The cable crossover is a great exercise as it gives constant tension on the muscles throughout the whole movement. The cable crossover also incorporates the core muscles as well as the Triceps as secondary muscles.

Press Up Claps

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - Utilising the standard press up with your hands just wider than shoulder width apart push hard and clap your hands between each push up. This explosive power will really improve your chest size and strength. You may find that initially you can only carry out one or two of these but stay motivated and you will soon find you can complete full sets.

Training Regime 3

Dumbbell Bench Press

Sets/Reps - 4 x 8

Information - Go heavy on the dumbbell bench press but be aware that you will not be able to lift as much as if you were on the standard barbell bench press. The dumbbell bench press is a great exercise as it lets the arms work independently and engages stabilising muscles so promotes extra growth.

Decline Bench Press

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - Go heavy on the decline bench press and keep your hands shoulder width apart, form is important. The decline bench press shifts the angle your hitting the chest muscles and also works the shoulders and Triceps.

Dumbbell Pullover

Sets/Reps - 4 x 10 to 12

Information - The dumbbell pullover hits the chest at another different angle and also works the chest. This is a great supporting exercise to a chest workout.

Summary

Remember the rules!

Dont work the chest more than twice a week
Leave at least 48 hours between each chest workout
Dont spend longer than 45 minutes on each gym session
Add Triceps exercises at the end of your chest session if you complete within 45 minutes

300 Workout

Now you may have heard of this workout but not seen what it actually entails. The 300 workout was created as a "Rite of passage" for the men who acted in the film 300.

While they did not complete this workout as part of their training regime week in and week out they did use this as a test of strength and endurance towards the end of their gruelling few months of trying to get ripped for the film.

The workout is called a 300 workout not only because the actors who carried it out were in the film 300 but also because the workout has 300 reps in total. The idea behind the workout is to complete it with no or little rest in the quickest time possible. From what I understand not all the actors managed to complete the full 300 reps but Andrew Pleavin who played Daxos in 300 completed the workout in eighteen minutes and eleven seconds.

The 300 workout

• Pullups - 25 reps
  
• Deadlifts with 135lbs - 50 reps
  
• Pushups - 50 reps
  
• 24-inch Box jumps - 50 reps
  
• Floor wipers - 50 reps
  
• Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps Pullups - 25 reps

This workout needs some practise to work up to the full reps. If your serious about getting in shape with muscle and fitness then I suggest incoorporating this routine into your regime once every week or two.

Killer Home Back Workout

Today is the killer home back workout, the last workout for those wishing to get in shape from home to battle the economic slump the world is in. To carry out this workout you need dumbbells and, a bench or chair and thats about it!

This time we are working on four exercises of four sets with twelve repetitions for each set.

Exercise One

Wide hand press ups.

Take a press up position with a wide grip to utilise your back rather than your chest then take three seconds to move down and one second to push back up.

Exercise Two

Shoulder shrug

Using dumbbells stand with your legs shoulder width apart and dumbbells by your side then shrug your shoulders upwards towards your ears then return to your normal stance and repeat.

Exercise Three

Dumbell bent over row

Using dumbells put your right hand and knee on a bench keeping your back straight. With your arm straight towards the floor lift the dumbbell towards your rib, under your chest and repeat.

Exercise Four

Lower back lift

Lie flat on your front and with your arms behind your back just above your bottom, lift your chin off the floor so your facing forward while keeping your body still, return to your starting position and repeat.

Killer Home Leg Workout

Now we move to the killer home leg workout. This routine starts with no weight required at all and builds to the requirement of dumbbells, a step and a bench or chair will be required.

Legs are missed alot in training so when it comes to a home workout a killer home leg workout is very important.

We will complete three exercises at four sets each with twelve repetitions.

Exercise One

Bulgarian Split Squat

Find a bench or chair that is roughly knee height, Stand just short of your leg length in front of the bench and place the top of one foot on the bench. Keeping your body upright lower your body by bending at the knee of the leg that is not on the bench until it is at a ninety degree angle then using your leg muscles lift your body to return to your starting position then repeat.

Exercise Two

Squat

Keep your legs shoulder width apart. Bend your legs at the knee and hips so you lower your body towards the ground while keeping your torso relatively upright and your back straight, once you have lowered to a reasonable level reverse the movement you have made to return to a standing position keeping the back straight



Exercise Three

Calf Raises

Stand on the bottom step of your staircase or on a yellow pages book. Raise your heels as high as possible and you will feel your calf muscles tighten as they take the brunt of the weight then slowly move your feet back down as far as they can go, then repeat. Take one second to raise your heels but three seconds to lower your heels.

Calisthenics

Calisthenics may be something that you have never heard of, well its actually a form of exercise used to increase strength and flexibility in the body. Originating in Ancient Greese the word Calisthenics is derived from the Greek words kalos, 'beautiful' and sthénos, 'strength'.

Carrying out calisthenics is very easy as all exercises are carried out without weights or equipment. Generally you will use your own body weight in many simple movements to increase strength and flexibility.

The primary exercises performed in calisthenics, most of which you will already be familiar with are: Situps, crunches, Pushups (pressups), pullups, squats, calf raises and dips. All of these exercises can be carried out without equipment or just simply using what is found around the home such as a chair for the dips or the bottom step of the staircase for calf raises.

Surprising to many but gymnastics is a form of calisthenics as all movements involve using your strength to hold your body in different positions.

If used correctly in a workout Calisthenics can really improve strength and flexibility, if you dont own any dumbbells or a barbell at home then using calisthenics is a great way to stay in shape and keep flexibility. It must be said that calisthenics will not see you grow huge in size as it is limited because of your weight.

Killer Home Chest Workout

Many people dont have the luxury of being able to afford a gym so I will be concentrating on the home workouts over the next few weeks ready for those who want to get in shape as their new years resolution.

This killer home chest workout will require a floor and a set of dumbbells, nothing more. Dumbbells can be picked up very cheap from local stores like Walmart in the US or Argos in the UK.

Okay so the idea behind this killer home chest workout is that you will not stop between sets, these are called supersets.

Exercise One

Pressups

Keeping your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart and with strict form slowly bring yourself down to the floor and bring yourself back up again to your starting position for fifteen reps.

Video for form below

Exercise Two

Dumbbell Flies

Take your dumbbells and lie on your back flat on the floor with your arms out to your side and hand palm up holding the dummbells. Bring the dumbbells up in front of your body keeping your arms straight so they are directly above you and then return to your starting position. Complete 15 reps.

Video for form below



Exercise Three

Dumbell Press

Stay lying on your back and with dumbbells in hand move your arms in to the dumbbell press position and push them in front of you. Many people expect a bench to be required for the dumbbell press but the truth is that this can be done without any bench.

Video for form below



Summary

If you complete these three without rest for one set each, then rest for a minute and start again completing 4 sets of each in total. You will start to feel tired after the first set and wont need much weight on your dumbbells.

This is one killer home chest workout that will really improve your chest strength and size.

Powerlifting 5x5 Workout

You may have seen the previous 5x5 workout that I posted, now this workout being posted today is a powerlifting 5x5 workout.

The difference between a standard 5x5 workout and a powerlifting 5x5 workout is the exercises completed in the workout. The exercises differ because a powerlifter is concentrating on building on the three lifts in powerlifting competitions

• Squat
• Bench Press
• Deadlift

By completing the powerlifting 5x5 workout your strength will increase quite quickly but you wont gain the huge arms etc that many want for vanity.

The powerlifting 5x5 workout is carried out three times a week with at least a days rest between training sessions, below is the two workouts you need to carry out to complete this workout.

Day 1

Squat 5x5
Benchpress 5x5
Barbell Row 3x15
EZ Curls 3x15
Crunch (Abs) 3x25

Day 2

Squat 5x5
Deadlift 5x5
Shoulder Press 3x12
Skullcrushers 3x15
Reverse Crunches (Abs) 3x25

Once day 2 is complete go straight back to day one and keep alternating, after 12 weeks take a one week rest and start again!

For a full 12 month 5x5 workout click here

Disclaimer - With any workout please only lift what you physically can, its more important to lift lighter and correctly than lift heavy and damage yourself.

Kettlebell Beginner Workout

The kettlebell beginner workout will increase the strength in your body overall, it does not target specific muscle groups but rather uses compound exercises to give an overall workout.

If carried out correctly and used as part of a larger training regime the kettlebell beginner workout can really help you get on track with gaining that beach body and increasing strength.

As the kettlebell beginner workout is an overall body workout it is important to rest for forty eight hours after the workout before training again.

Power Cleans - 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Single Arm Rows - 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Alternating Floor Press - 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Front Squat - 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Single Arm Jerk - 3 sets x 15-20 rep
Kettlebell Swing - 3 sets x 15-20 reps

The illustrious kettlebell history has shown the kettlebells success with athletes and strongmen from the former Soviet Union (Russia) and it is for this reason that a kettlebell workout may support you in achieving your weight lifting goal.

Disclaimer - With any workout please only lift what you physically can, its more important to lift lighter and correctly than lift heavy and damage yourself.