Ganaderia At Set

Archive for July, 2010

Arms are easily one of the key areas to develop. And whether you are bodybuilding, looking to gain strength for your specific sport, or seeking a strong, sleek, healthy and muscular look, developing the arms is a must. And here is the best way to gain the strength and development you want.

Step 1: The Plan

When targeting your arms, you’ve got to keep your whole workout goal in mind. The arms are important, yet they are still a “minor” muscle group. That is to say, your back muscles, and your chest muscles are considered “major” muscle groups. After all, you will normally use your arms when exercising your chest and back, so be sure you adjust your plan accordingly. Don’t tire out your arms FIRST, because then your chest and back exercises would suffer. Work those major muscle groups first, then focus on your arms.

Step 2: Your Workout

Many people like to lift weights in their workouts. And many people enjoy good results with weight training. When lifting weights, adjust your weights to a heavier weight that you can only lift a maximum of six reps. This will give you the best strength benefit and “shocks” your body into re-building the muscles bigger and stronger. You can also follow that by a cool-down set of a lighter weight with ten to twelve reps to build muscle endurance.

Now, I’ve got an even better way that has been scientifically proven to increase strength a full five percent faster! And the cool thing is that the workout takes only minutes a day! This gives you the flexibility to do all those OTHER things in your life while still getting in your strength training and muscle-building workout. It’s called isometric contraction training.

The basic idea behind isometrics is to get the effect of that last rep of a weight lifting routine… but do it FIRST. That is, to contract the muscle being trained to the maximum extent possible. Then HOLD that tension for seven to ten seconds, then slowly relax. It may take a little time to get the knack of contracting the muscle fully, but once you’ve gained the ability to do that, using isometrics, your workouts can not only be much more effective (building strength), but shortening your workout times dramatically. Isometric contraction exercises have been found to increase strength at a steady five percent per week with only ten minutes of exercise, done three times a week.

Step 3: The Proper Amount of Rest

And lastly, you’ve got to get your rest. Many people recommend weight training no more than three days a week. Isometric Training can be designed to fit your schedule, preferences, and goals. Some train each muscle or muscle group once a week. Some train once a day. It depends on your desired result. But with isometrics, once a day for ten or fifteen minutes will not be over training. And don’t forget a full night’s sleep.

So, whether weight training or isometric contraction training, arm strength is a key part of building the body everybody wants. So choose your method, work it, and get your rest… to see the results.

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Cats are adorable because of their fur and friendliness. However, cats may give you problems especially if you are allergic to them. You might be experiencing cat allergies yet there is no way that you are going to move out your pet from home. This might be a problem but dealing with your cat so that you can prevent allergies that may cause serious problems like sinus problems may be accomplished with a little diligence. If ever you have found out that you are allergic to cats, then you must make a move to prevent serious problems. There are many symptoms accompanied with a cat allergy like itchy water eyes, sneezing, runny nose, headache and sinus problems. Therefore if you are going to keep your cat at home then you are going to need to moderate these symptoms. However, there are instances that may be life threatening and will mean that it is time that you have to find a new home for your cat.

You must be reminded that along with these symptoms a cat allergy may cause serious problems such as sinus infection which is a painful and disturbing disease. So, as much as possible, it is better that you determine if you are allergic to cats before it is too late. You must be aware of the symptoms of cat allergies which include infection, eye swelling, itching, and redness of the eyes, post nasal drip, rashes, itchy skin, popping or plugged ears, coughing and hoarseness of voice. At seldom instances, there might be shortness of breath, reoccurring bronchitis, wheezing that may increase if you are exposed to dusts and dirt. These symptoms of cat allergies are closely similar to symptoms of sinus problems. Often times, people mistake the cause of the allergy. Actually, the allergy comes not from the cat but from the perfumes that is used for cats like litter. Cat allergy is actually caused by allergens usually the sebum secreted by your cat. So it is not on the cat’s hair that results in the allergy but rather on the protein that is on the dander and these are tiny particles that easily move around.

So how can you prevent sinus problems caused by a cat allergy? There are various ways to do this. The first one is the use of HEPA filters. These are placed in each room of your home and a vacuum with HEPA filters will help as well in the reduction of allergens from cats. Also, it will be a good choice if you are going to keep your cat spayed or neutered which reduces the sebum level which is produced by your cat. Furthermore, you might as well change the carpet on your floorings which makes a great difference because your carpet traps not just cat dander but also dust mites and may be a host for other allergens. You must also bathe your cat regularly and cover your mattress and pillows using tight casings which also help. Be reminded that half of the day is used for sleeping so, it makes sense to keep your cat out of your bedroom and you could as well use allergy vaccines which are designed to desensitize you.

Be aware that sinus problem may bring you life threatening problems, so, if you are thinking about your health but you find it difficult for you to let your cat out of house, then you must follow these tips.

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Approximately 10% of women receiving radiation therapy and lumpectomy for the treatment of breast cancer are likely to get a recurrence in about 12 years. There is no possible method to entirely eradicate the probability of breast cancer recurrence. Though, there are some things that you can do to reduce the risk of return of the disease.

Lifestyle Changes

According to a research conducted by University of California, involving about 1550 women who earlier underwent a treatment, women with maximum plasma carotenoid ratio had lower chances for a recurrence by about 40%.

You can get high plasma carotenoid concentration from eating vegetables and fruits. Beta-carotene is present in carrots, cantaloupe, kale, and spinach etc., lycopene is present in apricots, pink grapefruits, and tomatoes etc., and lutien is present in broccoli, collards and leafy vegetables. All the desired nutrients are present in vegetables and fruits, so consuming more of them reduces the risks of cancer recurrence.

Overweight women have higher chances of a reappearance, so if you are overweight, you should try to reduce your weight, and consume less fats. Also, you should exercise more. You can go on morning or evening walks to increase your physical activity.

If you consume alcohol or tobacco, quit these habits now, as they highly enhance the risks of breast cancer recurrence.

Treatments

Some women take hormone therapy after their menopause. This enhances the risk of recurrence. Avoid any hormone therapy including transvaginal, tropical, and oral medications. If you are required to get estrogen replacements, make sure you also take progesterone supplements, as it reduces the hazards that estrogen has over breasts.

You can take tamoxifen, which is an SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator). It is given to both male and female breast cancer patients for suppressing estrogen and preventing the return of breast cancer. Tamoxifen should not be taken with juice of grapefruit. Also, pregnant women should not take this drug. Some common side effects of tamoxifen are menopause symptoms, like vaginal dryness, irregular menstrual cycle, headache, fatigue etc.

You can undergo precautionary surgery to decrease the chances of a recurrence. Undergoing bilateral mastectomy can reduce the chances of breast cancer recurrence by as much as 90%. It is the surgical removal of one or both breasts, and it greatly helps reduce the chances of return of breast cancer. Preventive mastectomy is of two types: subcutaneous mastectomy and total mastectomy. In subcutaneous mastectomy, the breast tissue is removed, but the nipple is left, whereas in total mastectomy, breast tissue is removed along with the nipple. According to American Cancer Society, removal of the ovaries decreases risk of breast cancer recurrence by 50%.

Generally, a woman who had cancer in one breast has more chances of developing cancer in the opposite breast. Prevention is very important when it comes to breast cancer. It is a deadly disease, and has high chances of recurrence. It is better to follow a healthy living style to be safe from the return of breast cancer.

Acai berry products have gained a high level of popularity in the world due to many health benefits that it provides. One reason why it has achieved such fame is that it is said to aid in losing weight. Of course, weight loss is one of the main reasons why it is very popular among dieters. The fact that is also featured in popular shows like Oprah and Rachel Ray shows is an added factor. After all, if Oprah or Rachel has used them it might actually work, right?

Ok now that you’ve been convinced it will do wonders for your health, you might ask these questions “What is the daily dosage of acai berry products?” “How much do you need everyday to achieve the optimum result for losing weight?”

This superfruit can be eaten in its natural fruit but since acai berry is not readily available in its fruit form in many markets, it is then assumed that we take the ready available forms like capsules or juice form. While it is believed that this superfruit is most potent in its fruit form, juices and capsules are also great products in shedding those extra pounds.

As a start, the daily dosage of acai berry product to achieve optimum result in losing weight is about 1000 if you’re taking the capsule or tablet form. This may be taken at least 20 minutes before breakfast and another 1 for about 20 minutes before lunch.

For the juice, a daily dosage of about 2-4 oz is sufficient in achieving the optimum result for fat loss. Be warned though that like any other weight loss products, adequate exercise and diet can maximize the results. It is not enough to simply consume this superfruit and expect tremendous results. Combining acai berry, proper diet and exercise is still best in achieving the optimum result in losing weight.

A pedometer is a small digital contraption that counts the number you take when walking. Pedometers can serve as great motivators in helping to improve your fitness and health. Research has shown that individuals who use pedometers regularly increase their activity levels by as much as 25%.

What type of pedometer should I purchase?

There are two basic types of pedometers, piezoelectric, and spring-levered.

Spring-levered pedometers utilise a spring-suspended horizontal arm that moves up and down in response to your walking or running movement. Spring-levered pedometers must be positioned in a horizontal plane in order for them to work. They will not function otherwise.

Piezoelectric pedometers utilise a piezoelectric material. A piezoelectric material produces an electric charge when deformed. A piezoelectric pedometer contains a piezoelectric material attached to a weight which produces a voltage when subjected to movement.

Pedometers are most accurate when used at speeds above 3mph. Piezoelectric pedometers are more accurate than spring-levered ones due to their better sensitivity. For spring-levered pedometers the orientation of the device is critical.

To use a pedometer correctly it is best to wear it all day long. Initially, you can use it to test how many steps you take during your daily activities. This way you can set reasonable goals in how to increase the number of steps that you are taking daily. Lots of research has shown that one of the best ways to facilitate weight loss is by taking 10,000 steps per day. 10,000 steps per day is roughly equivalent to a distance of 5 miles depending on your stride length. This may seem like a long distance, but if you start with a small increase every day by, say, an extra 100 steps, you will reach your final goal quicker than you think.

If you believe that you will be never be able to achieve this number of steps per day, perhaps due to age or infirmity, then simply lower your expectations. Any increase in the number of steps you take per day will increase your health and fitness levels.

Bodyweight training should form part of any solid exercise program for strength. There are hundreds of exercises and just as many variations to these exercises that will challenge the rookie right through to the seasoned exerciser.

A lot of the bodyweight exercises that you’ll use for strength aren’t always a whole lot of fun! Bear in mind though that there is almost always a direct correlation between an exercise being hard for you and the benefit you will get from it.

Here are two of my favorite exercises to use for developing strength with your own bodyweight (and at times some extra weight!)

Chin Ups

These are pretty much a staple of any strength program using bodyweight. There are plenty of variations on the standard version and there are also ways to make the exercise easier and harder.

Technically speaking the chin up is performed with the palms facing the body holding onto a straight bar. You start with your arms extended so they are in line with your torso and then you lift your body up by pulling back and down with your elbows until you reach the top!

The quickest way to make this exercise harder is to emphasise the lowering portion of the movement. By lowering yourself under control for 3-6 seconds you will instantly make this exercise a lot harder. This is great if you don’t have access to external weight such as a weight vest, kettlebells, dumbells or a belt and chain. 

Adding weight is obviously going to make this exercise harder and is a great option if available.

Resistance bands are also a ‘nice’ alternative as they give the movement a different challenge again to what adding weight does. Attach them to the bottom of the chinning station or rack and loop them around a lifting belt. As you get higher the resistance will increase making it tough all the way to the top.

You can also use the bands to make the exercise easier by attaching them to the bar in between you hands. This will give you assistance from the ground up (where it is most difficult) and less help at the top where you are a little stronger.

If you can’t do chin ups even with the help of the bands you can work on jumping up to the top position and lowering yourself as slow as possible (up to 8 seconds lowering). If this is still too hard use the bands to perform pulldowns and progress as soon as your strength allows.

From here you can mix and match your grips to keep challenging your strength. Everyone will be a little different in terms of which grip they find easiest but the main choices will be palms facing away from your body, or palms facing each other. From here you can play around with the width of your grip and you’ll have an almost endless array of choices and challenges.

Push Ups 

Another staple of the bodyweight strength exercise library is the push up. There are more variation of this exercise than you’d care to know about!

As with the chin up, one of the quickest ways to make this exercise harder is to slow right down on the lowering portion of the movement. By going slower and lower on the way down (2,4 even 6 seconds) you’ll find that you might only be able to do half as many pushup as you normally do.

The next way to make them harder is to increase the height of your feet. This is pretty straight forward and it will increase the relative amount of weight that you are lifting. To make it harder with your feet elevated you can use a stability ball or TRX for your feet to rest in and on.

You can also use the resistance bands or external weights (softer ones like sandbags are a bit more user friendly) to make any version mentioned here a little or a lot harder. 

By adding an alternate knee raise, such as with the spiderman pushup, you’ll notice things get a little harder again! Same as with the chin up, you can vary your grip width to make things a little different.

Typically speaking, just wider than shoulder width will be the easiest width. Wider will be harder and narrower will be harder.

So for a challenge try some feet elevated, narrow grip, spiderman pushups (you won’t need extra weight for this!)

To make things a little easier you can either drop to your knees or elevate your hands. Using an box, bench or bar in the power rack will all work. If needed you can focus just on the lowering phase of the exercise as well just as with the chin ups until you are able to do regular ones.

Two exercises, hundreds of variations. They are both great bodyweight exercises for strengh t and you should get them added to your workout as soon as possible!