Rich Fit / Fit Tip Of The Day....combine cardio with high-intensity, total-body resistance.





The Mistake: You’re a slave to cardio!

While aerobic exercise is good for your body and soul, if you don’t balance those workouts with some strength exercises, you’re not only compromising your results but missing a key component of health and fitness. Resistance training—weight lifting, or strength training,is the only way I will repeat the only way to increase lean muscle mass and lose stubborn body fat. That’s important on many levels, especially as we start to get older.

Starting in their 30s, women lose about 1/2 pound of muscle a year. (Men usually hold on to muscle longer, but the rate of muscle loss speeds up dramatically after age 60.) Because muscle burns calories even when at rest, losing it will noticeably slow metabolism. This is one big reason many of us see that “middle-age spread” beginning in our 40s.

A study from Skidmore College found that exercisers who combined cardio with a high-intensity, total-body resistance routine lost more than twice as much body fat—including twice as much belly fat—over 12 weeks as those who followed a moderate-intensity cardio plan.

So how do you correct it: Substitute a couple of strength sessions for cardio days. Lift weights at least three times a week, hitting all your body’s major muscle groups.

With a variety of body-weight and plyometric exercises available, you can create a very effective workout that's short on time, but high on results.




What You Need To Know

The No. 1 requirement for muscle growth is an overloading stimulus.
Weights can be substituted with your body weight, gravity, instability, or momentum.

A thorough workout without weights can be just as taxing - and effective - as one with.


Some individuals have the goal of developing strength, yet they don’t want to use weights to do so. Whether it’s because in these financially tense times they can’t afford a gym membership, they want to give their CNS a break from the heavy lifting, or they are just looking for a change of pace from their traditional workout program, these guys are on the hunt for a workout that will boost strength without the weights.

Can it be done? You bet. With a variety of body-weight and plyometric exercises available, you can create a very effective workout that’s short on time, but high on results.

Here’s what you need to know about weight training without weights.

The overload factor
The No. 1 requirement for muscle growth is an overloading stimulus: essentially a stress the muscle has not encountered before.

The key factor to keep in mind here is that this stress does not need to come from weighted plates. It can come from your body weight, gravity, instability, or momentum.

If you look at many professional athletes such as gymnasts, they are incredibly strong yet many are not in the weight room every day hoisting extremely heavy weights around. They develop their strength through gymnastic-specific training such as work on the beam, rings and the floor that is essentially weight training without weights.

Therefore, if you are able to incorporate these aspects into a body-weight workout program, you will still be able to generate the strength levels that you’re looking for.

The workout

Lower body
Jump squats with a pause in the squat position -
3 sets of 8 reps
To perform this exercise, move down into a full squat position and then explode off the floor, jumping as high as possible. Upon landing, move back down into the squat position, stopping halfway down to pause for a count of 5 seconds before finishing the squat and rebounding off the ground again.

Step-ups -
3 sets of 20 reps with a 2:0:2 tempo
While step-ups are traditionally done with a barbell across the back, if you use a step that’s high enough and take the rep range higher while slowing down the tempo, you’re really going to feel this exercise.

Half-to-full stationary lunge -
2 sets of 15 reps with a 2:1:3:1 tempo
Get into the position you would use to do a single stationary lunge and then begin the movement until you are halfway through the typical lunge movement. Reverse the direction back to the starting position again, and then proceed to complete the full lunge motion to complete one set.

Single-leg rising deadlift
2 sets of 15 reps with a 3:1:3 tempo
Begin in an upright standing position and then simultaneously begin to lift one leg off the floor behind you while bending over with the body until your leg and body are perpendicular with the standing leg (both legs remain straight). Hold for a single count before returning to the starting position and switch legs after all reps are completed.

Upper body

Alternating push-up to side plank -
3 sets of 15 reps with a 2:1:4 tempo
Begin by performing a standard push-up, taking two seconds to lower and one to rise back up. Once you’re at the top of the movement again, you are to flip onto your side and perform a side plank, holding that for a count of 4 seconds, moving back into the push-up position before you complete the next rep.

Pull-up with pike - (advanced)
3 sets of 15 reps with a 2:2:2:1 tempo
Start by performing the traditional pull-up movement, but once you reach the bottom of the movement, move into a pike trying to get your legs up to at least waist level. After the pike is completed, continue on with your next pull-up.

Single-leg tricep dips -
2 sets of 15 reps with a 2:0:2 tempo
Get into a standard dip position, with your legs up on a bench or box. Once you're balanced, lift one leg off that box and perform the tricep dips from there. This will call your core into play to a much larger extent due to the fact you have a reduced base of support. Remember to do equal sets on each leg.

Inverted row -
2 sets of 15 reps with a 2:1:2 tempo
Begin by lying on the floor with a broomstick or pole across two level surfaces. From there, grasp the bar as you would if you were doing a bent-over row (upside down) and pull the body up to meet the bar. Make sure your pole is well supported and not at an angle.

So, give the above workout a try next time you are looking to boost your strength levels and try something new. Even though you aren’t using weights, don’t write these exercises off as easy -- they aren’t that at all. They are definitely going to challenge your abilities and put your fitness levels to the test.

Multi Joint = More Muscle, Less Time. What you need to Know.






If you're retired, unemployed, on vacation, or an out-of-season athlete with plenty of time to spend at the gym, continue doing bicep and leg curls, tricep and leg extensions, and other single-joint (isolation) exercises.

However, for those juggling many activities like work, school, family, and sports commitments while trying to fit in quality weight-training workouts, multi-joint movements (also known as compound exercises) are proven time-efficient muscle builders that deliver more results than single-joint exercises.

This does not imply that single-joint movements are ineffective. However, outside the weight room, in daily activities and in sports, virtually every movement involves more than one joint.
the benefits
Therefore, it makes sense to do mostly multi-joint exercises not only from a time management standpoint, but from a functional perspective outside the gym as well. And if you really want to gain mass for athletics or build beach muscles in the coming months before summer, replace those bicep and leg curls with barbell rows, deadlifts and squats for the next several weeks.

If your time is limited and you want fast results from these multi-joint (compound) exercises, or if you simply need some motivation, listen to Randall Strossen, Ph.D., who wrote a book called Super Squats back in 1989. He said, "Ignoring the fact that your time is precious and you might not want to spend three hours in the gym hitting each muscle group in turn, and the fact that it's a rare movement in everyday life that truly isolates a muscle group, there's another very compelling reason to stick to the basic exercises: They increase strength and size far more effectively than the isolation exercises. In fact, one compound exercise will produce far more bulk and power than an entire series of isolation exercises."
the proof
Need proof? Take note of the size of powerlifters. Each of their workouts focuses on just three multi-joint powerlifting exercises -- squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Performing several sets of those "big 3" during each workout can quickly yield growth without having to do any single-joint exercises that extend gym time. But limiting yourself to only those three exercises can get stale.

For variety, there are additional multi-joint exercises you can perform to boost muscle size in the shortest amount of time, such as overhead or shoulder presses, pulldowns, dips, lunges, pushups, and dumbbell rows. When you do multi-joint exercises, more muscle groups are used per exercise, stimulating growth throughout the entire body -- including your arms -- due to the release of anabolic (muscle-building) testosterone and growth hormone.

More anabolic hormones are activated during a squat or deadlift than during a single-joint exercise such as a leg extension (knee joint) or bicep curl (elbow).

Following are several multi-joint exercises to incorporate into your workouts. To keep things interesting, occasionally substitute deadlifts and lunges for dumbbell or barbell rows and leg presses. Or do squats instead of leg presses and dips, or pushups rather than bench presses. For shoulders, try upright rows instead of overhead presses.

Find out which multi-joint exercises will bulk you up and try some of the sample workout schedules

multi-joint exercises
Squats: Recognized mostly for building powerful thighs and hips, squats also add size to the upper body -- including the back, shoulders, chest, and arms -- due to their anabolic effect.

Deadlifts: The deadlift is another anabolic king because it not only increases lower body growth, but that of the upper body as well.

Leg Presses: These enable you to use heavier resistance than do leg extensions or curls, thus promoting more muscle growth. While three or more sets each of leg extensions and leg curls mainly work the quadriceps and hamstrings respectively, three or more heavy sets of leg presses or squats will strengthen and add more mass to the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals -- in a shorter time frame!

Front, Side or Reverse Lunges and Stepups: These are also excellent time-saving multi-joint lower body exercises, and they are particularly more functional for sports and daily activities than leg extensions or leg curls.

Bench Presses, Dips and Pushups: When it comes to the upper body, bench presses, dips and pushups not only add mass to the chest, shoulders and back, but the triceps as well. In fact, they do it much more effectively than single-joint tricep pressdowns or kickbacks. Also, eliminate those single-joint dumbbell flyes for the chest for several weeks; these exercises will build up your chest muscles to a greater degree in less time.

Overhead Presses: Excellent for shoulders and triceps.

Pulldowns, Pullups, Barbell Rows, and Dumbbell Rows: You'll see your biceps grow without doing one curl; not to mention the added size of your back muscles from doing these exercises.

Upright Rows: They're also a bicep and forearm-building movement, as well as a wonderful shoulder and upper back exercise.
sample workouts
Here's a sample workout schedule utilizing these multi-joint exercises. For those with a full plate of business occupying each week, do full-body workouts every third day with two days off for recovery. For example, train on Monday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Tuesday over a two-week period. If you have more time, try a four-day per week split routine, training the lower body on Monday and Thursday, and the upper body on Tuesday and Friday (Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday off).

Full-body "every third day" workouts might include leg presses, deadlifts, dips, pulldowns, and upright rows during one session. The next workout could comprise squats or lunges, bench presses or pushups, pullups or barbell rows, and overhead presses. For those favoring a four-day split program, do several sets of squats and lunges on lower-body days, and choose leg presses and stepups for the next workout.

Upper-body days would involve selecting bench presses, dips or pushups, pulldowns, pullups, or dumbbell rows or barbell rows, and either upright rows or overhead presses.

Give it a shot
Devote approximately eight weeks to doing only multi-joint exercises, combined with adequate sleep and nutrition to enhance recovery. What -- no bicep curls for about two months? Well, believe me, after all those sets of pulldowns, pullups, upright rows, barbell rows, seated rows, and one-arm dumbbell rows, your biceps should be huge -- not to mention your bigger triceps, shoulders, chest, back, and legs from all the other multi-joint exercises.

And think of all that extra time you will have accumulated to accomplish things outside the gym just by removing the single-joint exercises from your workouts!

10 Fit Foods







Ten Fit Foods To Help You Lose Weight

Water

Wait, waters not a food, is it? Well no, but your body is composed of around 70% water so it is a very critical substance to a healthy body. If you’re trying to lose weight we hope you’re exercising, and if you’re doing things right then you should be sweating. Drinking lots of water is the absolute best way to rehydrate yourself after a hard workout. We recommend that you drink as many as 10 glasses a day to turbocharge your fat loss goals.
Spinach

You remember in your younger days when you would watch Popeye on Saturday cartoons? There was a reason Popeye was so lean and muscular and that was because he ate spinach. Spinach is one of the healthiest green vegetables and is a great food for fat loss. At only 7 calories per cup spinach makes a great topping to any salad or other side dish. Lots of great vitamins and minerals are found in spinach like most green veggies.

Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away right? Well either way, apples are excellent for those of us who are trying to shed a few pounds. Apples are extremely convenient and surprisingly filling. Their easy to pack around and they come in quite the variety.

Celery

Celery is a very interesting vegetable in the fact that the caloric impact your body has breaking down celery actually burns more calories then the celery contains. So literally eating celery is like eating negative calories. Kind of cool huh? Celery is a very crunchy vegetable that goes great with some other healthy snacks. Combine it with natural peanut butter to get your healthy fats and make a tasty treat.

Chicken

The chicken, especially the breast, is one the very leanest meat cuts you can get. They cook up fast, they taste great, and they contain an abundance of protein. Whats not to love? We recommend sticking with the boneless skinless chicken breasts for the healthiest variety of chicken thats sure to help you with your weight loss goals.

Tuna

Protein per calorie, tuna is one of the hardest foods to beat. The protein contained in tuna is a great way to add more lean muscle which helps turn your body into a fat burning machine. It’s also rumored that the leptin contained in tuna will help to speed up your metabolism and help you burn that fat even faster.

Green Tea

Tea, green tea especially, is a great drink to aid in fat loss. The caffeine will give you that extra little bit of energy and the tea also delivers an assortment of great vitamins and minerals. Many people claim that green tea helps them control their appetite and lets be honest, controlling your appetite and watching your calorie intake is whats really going to help you loose that weight.

Nuts

Thats right we said it, even high calorie nuts are a great snack. Low sugar, fiber, vitamin containing nuts are a great snack that if eaten in moderation will be a great choice. The majority of your healthy monounsaturated fats should come from nuts. Almonds are one of the best choices because they are easy to count and carry.
Eggs

Many people stay away from eggs as they’ve seemed to get a bad rep over the years. Everyone says they’re high in fat and cholesterol! Honestly, eggs do have quite a bit of fat, especially in the yolk, but what many people don’t realize is that eggs don’t contain bad fats. The other theory is that eggs will make you have high blood cholesterol. It has been proven that blood cholesterol levels are only mildly affected by dietary cholesterol. To sum eggs up, keep eating them like all other foods, in moderation.

Berries

Who doesn’t like a fresh sweet strawberry? The majority of berries are a great way to sweeten bland tasting foods. Cover your oatmeal or other foods with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or other berries to help control digestion and to slow down your carbohydrate absorption. Berries are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants

There have it. Ten foods that will help you with your weight loss goals. Remember that these are only ideas for healthy choices. We’re suggesting healthy options to help you succeed but its important to remember to count your calories. Make sure your still in a caloric deficit, combine that with some of these healthy ideas, and your sure to achieve your weight loss goals.

The Seymour Effect





Over the past four years I have posted articles on training, diet & nutrition as well as tons of sport specific training to help, guide, encourage and educate AbFitt readers. I am turning the corner of general to very specific information as it directly relates to me and my training.

To my surprise many of the AbFitt readers who write me these days ask for detailed information on my training, nutrition & supplementing. The how, what, why & when's of what I do at 40 years old to stay lean & fit with a body fat percentage of between 6% to 9% year round. Now remember I am not a a full time athlete, I work full time as a helicopter mechanic and I work a 24-7 on call schedule. So with that said my training & eating strategy must be time efficient and yield the results I am after. To do this takes experience.

So today I will launch a new series I am calling "The Seymour Effect" where I will discuss what I do to keep improving & challenging myself to be a stronger, healthier, fitter me going into my forties. Take what you can from the lessons I have learned over the years. Yes I am a self proclaimed gym rat and because of this I have over 25 years that I have worked with & learned from some of the best athletes, trainers and average Joe's in and out of gyms, both fitness & boxing from all over the country. Guys like Rich Gaspari, Larry Holmes, Percy Elsworth, Aaron Pryor, Ras I Bramble, TJ Hoban and countless others.

So I hope this series answers all your questions. Feel free to respond and ask any questions and thanks for making AbFitt a huge success.

Live Fit Be Fit!!!
Richard

The Seymour Effect Part 1

What I consider the most important part of your health & fitness. FOOD!!

What are my thoughts on the foods we eat?

I have one philosophy when it comes to food and it is simple: Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Stay away from processesd crap!!

I try my best to choose & make healthy choices.I have found that a low carb, high protein, medium fat diet allows me to achieve the lean look that I desire. I try to maintain a lean hard look year-round, I have never believed in cycles or mass & cutting phases. while at the same time I focus on trying to add more lean mass to my physique. This is not the easiest of things to do, but so far I am very happy with my results over the years and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.

My meals consist for the most part of, protein shakes, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Egg Whites, Greek Yogurt, lots of Veggies and I get my proteins from lean sources such as Chicken Breast, Ground Turkey, Red Meat, tuna and Salmon.

I also try to stay consistent and try not to stray from my usual eating plan. By adjusting & fine tuning over time, I have found that eating as below works best for my body type. If I begin to notice that my abs are not as defined, I may reduce my carbs slightly and/or incorporate more boxing training into my routine. I box as my form of cardio. More on that when we get to training in Part 2.

* Note: I will never lead you to believe I never eat junk food or drink a beer, because I do! I love the tasty things everyone else does. I just learn to limit them to certain times throughout the day when I do endulge. Also I know my body and how it responds, the benefit of 25 years of training so I can get away with some things and others I simply cannot.

Sample Diet:
Meal 1: Protein Shake with oatmeal, flax seed, banana, teaspoon of peanut butter & Cinnamon.
Meal 2: 8 Egg Whites and 1 apple & amino acids in a drink
Meal 2: Greek Yogurt with 1/2 cup of low fat, high protein Granola
Meal 3: Tuna & Olive Oil in a whole wheat pita
Meal 4: Post workout Protein Shake within ten minutes after training
Meal 5: (Post workout) Grilled Chicken Breast with 1 cup of Brown Rice and Steamed Veggies
Meal 6: Casein Protein Shake, or 1 cup of Fat Free Plain Cottage Cheese

Explore the natural changes that are part of the aging process.






These are just some of the changes you're likely to notice as you get older. You're not necessarily at the mercy of Mother Nature, however. Here's a list of common aging-related changes — and what you can do to promote good health at any age.

Your cardiovascular system

What's happening. Over time, your heart muscle becomes less efficient — working harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body. In addition, your blood vessels lose some of their elasticity and hardened fatty deposits may form on the inner walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis). These changes make your arteries stiffer, causing your heart to work even harder to pump blood through them. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

What you can do about it. To promote heart health, include physical activity in your daily routine. Try walking, swimming or other physical activities. Eat a healthy diet, including plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Your risk of heart disease will begin to fall almost immediately.

Your bones, joints and muscles

What's happening. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density — which weakens them and makes them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength and flexibility, and you may become less coordinated or have trouble balancing.

What you can do about it. Include plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Build bone density with weight-bearing activities, such as walking. Consider strength training at least twice a week, too. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Building muscle also protects your joints from injury and helps you maintain flexibility and balance.

Your digestive system

What's happening. Constipation is more common in older adults. Many factors can contribute to constipation, including a low-fiber diet, not drinking enough fluids and lack of exercise. Various medications, including diuretics and iron supplements, may contribute to constipation. Certain medical conditions, including diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome, may increase the risk of constipation as well.

What you can do about it. To prevent constipation, drink water and other fluids and eat a healthy diet — including plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Include physical activity in your daily routine. Don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. If you're taking medications that may contribute to constipation, ask your doctor about alternatives.


Your bladder and urinary tract

What's happening. Loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence) is common with aging. Health problems such as obesity, frequent constipation and chronic cough may contribute to incontinence — as can menopause, for women, and an enlarged prostate, for men.

What you can do about it. Urinate more often. If you're overweight, lose excess pounds. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Pelvic muscle exercises (Kegel exercises) might help, too. Simply tighten your pelvic muscles as if you're stopping your stream of urine. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day. If these suggestions don't help, ask your doctor about other treatment options.

Your memory

What's happening. Memory tends to becomes less efficient with age, as the number of cells (neurons) in the brain decreases. It may take longer to learn new things or remember familiar words or names.

What you can do about it. To keep your memory sharp, include physical activity in your daily routine and eat a healthy diet. It's also helpful to stay mentally and socially active. If you're concerned about memory loss, consult your doctor.

Your eyes and ears

What's happening. With age, the eyes are less able to produce tears, the retinas thin, and the lenses gradually become less clear. Focusing on objects that are close up may become more difficult. You may become more sensitive to glare and have trouble adapting to different levels of light. Your hearing may dim somewhat as well. You may have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

What you can do about it. Schedule regular vision and hearing exams — then follow your doctor's advice about glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and other corrective devices. To prevent further damage, wear sunglasses when you're outdoors and use earplugs when you're around loud machinery or other loud noises.

Your teeth

What's happening. Your mouth may begin to feel drier and your gums may pull back (recede) from your teeth. With less saliva to wash away bacteria, your teeth and gums become slightly more vulnerable to decay and infection. Your teeth also may darken slightly and become more brittle and easier to break.

What you can do about it. Brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth — using regular dental floss or an interdental cleaner — once a day. Visit your dentist or dental hygienist for regular dental checkups.

Your skin

What's happening. With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile. You may notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils may make your skin drier and more wrinkled. Age spots can occur, and small growths called skin tags are more common.

What you can do about it. Bathe in warm — not hot — water, and use mild soap and moisturizer. When you're outdoors, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking contributes to skin damage, such as wrinkling.

Your weight

What's happening. Maintaining a healthy weight — or losing weight if you're overweight — is more difficult as you get older. Muscle mass tends to decrease with age, which leads to an increase in fat. Since fat tissue burns fewer calories than does muscle, you may need to reduce the number of calories in your diet or increase your physical activity simply to maintain your current weight.

What you can do about it. To prevent unwanted weight gain, include physical activity in your daily routine and eat a healthy diet. Also keep an eye on portion sizes. You might not need to eat as much as you used to.

Your sexuality

What's happening. With age, sexual needs, patterns and performance may change. Illness or medication may affect your ability to enjoy sex. For women, vaginal dryness can make sex uncomfortable. For men, impotence may become a concern. It may take longer to get an erection, and erections may not be as firm as they used to be.

What you can do about it. Share your needs and concerns with your partner. You might experiment with different positions or sexual activities. Be open with your doctor, too. He or she may offer specific treatment suggestions — such as estrogen cream for vaginal dryness or oral medication for erectile dysfunction.

Remember, it's never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can't stop the aging process, but you can minimize the impact by making healthy lifestyle choices.

The Boxer Puncher, Knowing you can take Your Opponent Out At Any time!


LIVE FIT BE FIT
Shred Fat & Build Muscle With The Heavy Bag

Using the heavy bag to increase punching power

With the advent of sophisticated training devices, and methods to achieve amazing results in minimal time, the fitness industry is increasingly veering away from many tried and tested ways to improve health and fitness. Dont be one of them over complicating your fitness.

One piece of equipment that has become almost legendary in its shaping of champions, and the results in physical fitness it has achieved for many an average person, is the heavy bag.

The heavy bag is a stuffed bag made of leather or vinyl, which weighs between 40 and 100 pounds, and is used primarily among boxers for building punching power and improving boxing technique. Hitting the heavy bag is physically demanding and a true test of strength and stamina.

For a relatively simple piece of equipment, it delivers many amazing benefits. Whether it be a full-body workout, sharpened self defense skills, or a defined, muscular body, the heavy bag is a valuable addition to any home, or commercial gym setting. My preference is to combine heavy high intensity weight training with boxing training for my cardio.

How does one use the heavy bag and what are its benefits? Why might the heavy bag be a useful addition to your training plan? Read on to find out.

1. Improve Aerobic Fitness.

Training on the heavy bag at the right intensity, will greatly tax the cardio respiratory system.

2. Improve Power.

The heavy bag was actually designed for boxers to enhance their punching power. It allows for the perfect opportunity to focus on using as many muscles as possible, to ensure a punch is thrown with perfect technique, and with the greatest possible force. Main muscles worked on the heavy bag include the shoulders, arms, back, chest intercostals & obliques. Legs are also used in the process of punching the bag, to generate power through the upper body. Straight punches, such as the right cross and jab, will help to develop power through the shoulders and chest, while uppercuts and hooks will utilize the back and arms to a greater extent.

3. Improve Coordination, & Core Stability.

Circling the heavy bag and throwing off combinations of punches will help with coordination. I like to keep the bag moving to force me to do the same when delivering combination's.
Stick n move baby!

4. Improve Boxing Technique.

Obviously, hitting the heavy bag will improve boxing technique, provided all punches, and body-movements, are performed correctly. The idea is to keep everything tight, while remaining relaxed and ready to react.
Elbows in and hands up, while continually moving, is the basic approach to hitting the heavy bag. Of course, the punches will be all the more sharper and powerful if you are relaxed, and in the correct stance.


5. Improve Body Shape.

I have personally witnessed an improvement in terms of shoulder, biceps and back detail, as a result of heavy bag training. Although hitting the heavy bag does not equate to a pure intense weight workout- it does provide an excellent way in which to add detail and strip body-fat.
Adding detail in the form of greater cuts and a certain hardness, and stripping body-fat to reveal the underlying muscles, will enhance anyone's physique.

For the amount of work many boxers do - particularly in the pro ranks - many of these athletes do seem to hold an impressive degree of muscle size. ( see attached picture of Sergio Martinez. 5'9 160 LBS ) For those wanting to improve general health, while preserving their muscle gains, I would suggest a heavy bag workout along with your weight training.

Mike Jones Back In Philly





Unbeaten welterweight contender Mike Jones makes his first start in his hometown of Philadelphia in more than two years when he takes on Raul Munoz, of Leon, Mexico in the scheduled 10-round main event Saturday evening, June 25, at the South Philly Arena, 7 West Ritner Street. The Jones-Munoz fight is part of the Top Rank Live! series which will be promoted by Top Rank, Inc. and Peltz Boxing Promotions and will be televised live by Fox Sports Net beginning at 10 pm EST. First of six additional fights begins at 7:30 p.m.
“We have known Russell Peltz for years and he is a true boxing promoter,” said Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who recently celebrated his 45th year as a boxing promoter. “Look at the job he has done with the career of Mike Jones who is now co-promoted by Top Rank and ready to break out as a big star in the welterweight division. Mike is an exciting fighter with size and a lot of power.”

“Mike Jones needs to stay busy,” said co-promoter J Russell Peltz, a fellow Hall of Fame member along with Arum. “He cannot fall into the habit of waiting for HBO or Showtime or pay-per-view fights. That’s the problem with many of today’s fighters; they won’t fight unless they can make a score. The old-timers fought to pay their bills and to learn their craft. Experience is the key here and Mike needs it.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting in Philadelphia again,” said Jones, who will be making his 13th hometown appearance. “I didn’t realize it’s been more than two years. Fighting in Atlantic City is close, but it’s not Philadelphia. Texas and Nevada were good trips, too, but it will be nice to be back home.”

Jones, 28, scored the biggest win of his career Feb. 19 when he scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Jesus Soto-Karass, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino in Las Vegas.

The win over Soto-Karass was the second for Jones, who narrowly out-pointed him on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito pay-per-view blockbuster on Nov. 13, 2010, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX., and retained his NABA, NABO and WBC Continental Americas titles.

A pro since 2005, Jones is 24-0, 18 K0s, and is ranked the No. 1 welterweight in the world by the WBO behind champion Manny Pacquiao, as well as No. 2 by the WBA, 3 by the IBF and 4 by the WBC. The June 25 fight with Munoz will be Jones’ first in Philadelphia since March 6, 2009, when he knocked out Dairo Esalas, of Miami, FL, in two rounds at the Blue Horizon.

Munoz, 31, now living in Topeka, KS turned pro in 1995 at the age of 18. His 21-13-1 record includes 16 knockouts and he has been in with some of the best, including Alfonso Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Hector Camacho, Yory Boy Campas and Joel Casamayor.

In his last fight April 23, Munoz knocked out John Hoffman, of St. Paul, MN, in two rounds in Topeka, KS.

Tickets priced at $75 and $50 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions (215-765-0922). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com.

Bigger, Faster, Stronger



Protein Synthesis

The process by which nitrogen from amino acids is linearly arranged into structural proteins through the involvement of RNA and various enzymes. Protein synthesis is muscle growth. The more efficient you can make this process the more efficiently you can build muscle. For those people who are training to lose fat or improve athletic performance, elevated protein synthesis is still what we’re after, because this is what ultimately causes adaptations to our body. If we can maximize our protein synthesis, then it is reasonable that we will increase both the magnitude and rate of our results. In other words we’ll get bigger and stronger faster than before. So how do we do it?

Training:

Okay we all train. This is nothing new, and if you’re reading this article, then there’s a good chance that you’re probably already maximizing this one.
Diet/Supplementation:

The most often overlooked way to increase anabolism is directly through diet! In fact most people aren’t even aware that we can induce muscle protein synthesis with our food. What’s more, the effect is so powerful that it even works in the absence of training.

Understanding Anabolic Density

In order to figure out how to maximize the dietary stimulation of growth and recovery we need to understand how it works. Quite simply, a sudden burst, or pulse, of amino acids in our bloodstream signals our muscle to grow and repair. This practice is so powerful that it’s known as the pharmaceutical effect of amino acids! Anabolic density refers to the amount of protein synthesis in a given time period, usually 60-90 minutes.

The more anabolic the protein in a short period of time, the greater its anabolic density. In order to maximize our results, we need to make use of high anabolic density meals, just like we do post-workout.

For example, we can compare a fast protein like whey hydrolysate and a slow protein like casein. Both are excellent quality proteins and each has its specific function. But in virtually every study between these two proteins anabolic density is ignored and only the end result is reported. This is completely misleading because it ignores the benefits of whey! When we examine the amount of protein synthesis that is stimulated by each protein over an hour, whey protein is approximately 5X more anabolic!

Only when we stretch out the timeline to several hours does casein eventually catch up to whey.

Comparing The Anabolic Density Of Casein And Whey Proteins.

Putting It Into Perspective

It’s important to figure out what this means in terms of actual effects. After all, how much can these meals actually impact our results? Considering that protein pulsing is the most anabolic nutrition and supplementation we have, that helps a little. But even still we should quantify everything to put it into perspective. If we add two such drinks a day for a week, we’re increasing our overall density by a combined total of 70. If we do this for a month, we’re getting a whopping increase of 280! Compare this to post-workout nutrition alone, something that we know is highly useful for growth and recovery. Based on 4 training days/week, this practice would have a combined density of 80. So to put it into perspective, take that incredible effect and multiply it by 3.5! That’s the kind of difference we’re talking about, simply by using two pulse feedings a day.

You don’t have to be a mathematician to see the magnitude of effect when this is done for a year. So at the end of the day what does all of this mean for you? Ultimately it means more muscle, strength, and recovery.

Practical Application

So how do we actually make use of this optimal anabolic density? We use a technique called Protein Pulse Feeding. Just like a post-workout drink, this protocol involves the use of fast proteins and their ability to rapidly pulse (i.e. spike) the level of amino acids in our bloodstream.

This pulsing effect stimulates anabolism to such a large degree that it’s called the pharmaceutical effect of protein.

Image Source: Bodybuilding.com – Model: Sean Harley

Key Point:

The benefit of the post-workout meal comes from pulsing our protein, not so much the workout itself. Now imagine applying this powerful effect multiple times a day. The only caveat is that we can’t have eaten a meal within a few hours of attempting a protein pulse feeding because this will not only slow digestion, it will leave us with a smaller magnitude of pulse.

This means that in addition to post-workout, a great time for such a meal is immediately upon waking.

The Ideal Effect

When we first wake up, we’re usually in a catabolic state as our various tissues are robbing our muscle of amino acids. Stated differently, our hard-earned muscle is being broken down to feed other types of cells. By consuming a meal of whey protein shortly after waking we quickly put a stop to this cycle of muscle breakdown. Not only that, but we turn this otherwise negative situation into one of muscle growth! In fact, that’s the beauty of this whole process: the amino acids we deliver to our muscles not only stimulate the growth and recovery process, they’re also the building blocks from which this new muscle is made!

It’s a beautiful one-two punch that greatly improves our anabolism.

Case Study: Anabolic Density In Action

Joel came to me after reading The Anabolic Index and wanted a little help with his gains. He had been training successfully for nearly a year and was looking to add even more size and strength to his 5′ 9″ frame. His diet and training looked very good, so with a couple of tweaks here and there, we also added protein pulse feeding. Joel was already maximizing his anabolic density after training with a post-workout shake, but was excited when I explained that we could do this at other times during the day. He started off with a fast shake first thing in the morning followed by a solid protein-containing meal an hour later, and reported an immediate difference in the way he felt. After a week he decided to add a second protein pulse later in the afternoon. During the second week Joel reported that all of his lifts were up and his muscles were feeling fuller, particularly in his chest and shoulders.

This is not unusual because he was increasing his daily anabolic density by 10-fold with the addition of this second feeding, and that’s not even counting the benefit from the post-workout shake!

The Side Effect: Fat Loss

So far it’s been a month of protein pulse feeding and Joel has improved in all of his lifts and added muscle. The only side effect has been fat loss, which, not surprisingly, is something that he’s happy with. At the same time, this effect bears mentioning: the act of stimulating muscle growth with protein pulse feeding is going to burn a lot of calories. Not only that, but muscle is our most metabolically active tissue, so the more of it we have the more calories we expend. So as Joel was building and maintaining more muscle, his calorie intake increased. He didn’t adequately make up for this in his diet, so his body relied on bodyfat for the energy; hence the fat loss.

Conclusion

The powerful anabolic effect of a post-workout drink is actually initiated by the protein itself, and the best part is that we can make use of this throughout the day. More specifically, we can take advantage of the high anabolic density of whey in order to maximize our growth and recovery.

Most people report that they look and feel better shortly after beginning a protocol of protein pulse feeding, especially when this is done first thing in the morning. Give it a try and see how quickly you notice a difference!