Author: Chris Ritchie

There are few things more satisfying to the average gym rat then having the entire gym pretending not to look as you mow through serious tonnage on the bench press. One of the best overall mass-building exercises, the bench press has always, rightly or wrongly, been regarded as a yard stick for strength and machismo. Here are some pointers to to help improve on the bench. IDENTIFYING WEAKNESSES It’s only logical that a lifter must first identify his/her weaknesses on the bench before drawing up a plan of action. Some lifters are actually much stronger than their bench performance leads…

Active Living Improves Physical, Economic and Environmental Health Studies and best practices promoted at the National Center for Bicycling and Walking 2009 Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference illustrated that communities want to be healthy and that good planning helps citizens lead a more healthy lifestyle. But it can go much further that that. Transportation planning that includes the pedestrian is good for individual, environmental, and economic health. Feet First Rebecca Deehr, a pedestrian advocate with Seattle’s Feet First organization, believes that pedestrian advocacy is really health advocacy. As a recent college graduate, she feels that a focus on health and the…

Weight training routines as popularized by women’s fitness magazines tend to look very different from weight training routines in men’s fitness magazines. Photographs of models lifting small, brightly-colored weights are commonplace, as are suggestions to lift weights that allow for a high number of repetitions, often 15 to 20, or even more. On the other hand, men receive recommendations for routines lifting more weight with fewer repetitions, a technique that research has proven to be effective for gaining strength, muscle mass, and consequently, improving muscle tone in both men and women. The key elements to a successful weight training program…

Traditional weight lifting consists of straight sets, in which you typically lift a specific weight for 12 reps in three sets. However, to really challenge your muscles, you need to shock them into hard-core fatigue. Whether you’re a beginning weight lifter ready to move the next level or you need to power past a plateau, you can choose from a variety of high-intensity routines that will shock your muscles into more growth. Pyramids and super sets are two popular methods that deliver results. Pyramids – The Basis for Muscle Training A foundation of weight lifting, the pyramid routine uses different…

Ballet is one of the most commonly known forms of dance. It evolved from seventeenth century court dances in France. The world’s first ballet school, Paris Opera Ballet was established in 1700 and French is still the language of ballet today. Many people dream of being able to dance this beautiful and graceful dance. Even those who did not take ballet lessons as a child can enroll in adult beginner ballet classes at a later stage. It combines physical exercise with artistic expression, making it one of the most gratifying and challenging forms of exercise around. Benefits of Learning Ballet…

Today more and more women are going to their local gym, YMCA, or fitness studio, with the goal of losing weight and getting into shape. They take aerobics classes, spinning classes, tae-bo, cardio kickboxing, and may even be found on some resistance machines, but one area of the gym that most women still avoid is the free weight area. This area of the gym, where dumbbells line the wall, and men are usually busy grunting and yelling as they push up barbells, can be a bit intimidating for women, and comes with a host of misconceptions. The free weight area,…

The chest is probably the one area, for most men, that rarely gets neglected, receiving more than its fair share of the workload during most workouts. This is okay if, your major goal is to have a huge chest, weak core muscles and skinny legs! On the other hand, if your goal is to create a healthy, well-proportioned body, you’ll want to incorporate some of the best exercises for each body part (muscle groups) into your workouts. I’m not suggesting that you neglect your pecs, (after all this is an article about the best pec exercises); I’m merely reminding you…

Weight training can be a demanding activity and if done incorrectly could cause injury or pain, so it’s best to first consult a GP before undertaking any form of training program. If given the all-clear going about devising a weight training program is the next step. There are a number of things to be mindful of long before getting near to a gym, let alone a set of dumbbells, and key pieces of jargon to be aware of. Talking the Weight Training Talk It’s always good to know what certain words or phrases mean in order to avoid looking like…

As with most body parts, there are a plethora of movements you can utilize to target the desired muscle or group of muscles. Although small the deltoid muscles can be worked from many angles with various movements to achieve varied results. Here are a number of effective exercises for this of muscle group. The Shoulder Press or Military Press is a staple delt exercise and can be executed from a seated or standing position. Sit or stand with back erect. Holding a bar shoulder width at neck level in front of you, press the bar straight overhead keeping back straight.…

When it comes to getting results there is nothing as important as being consistent. And being consistent requires using the word “no” – a lot! Success at anything is the result of sustained effort over a long period of time. It is a pattern of behavior that favors consistency and not flexibility. If you find yourself constantly changing appointments, workouts, and schedules, to accommodate everything that comes up in your life, then chances are the results you seek are hard to come by. Set a Schedule and Stick to itLet’s say your goal is to lose weight, and you have…