5 Must Know Things For Beginners

Like I’ve said before, anything grand has a humble beginning. Your body is no different. To get your dream bod, you’ve got to make sure that you start with a path that is safe and prepares you for the next level. That’s why we’ve highlighted the 5 most important things beginners absolutely must consider when they start on their awesome journey to achieve their goals.

Prep your body for what lies ahead. During this time you’ve got to increase your connective tissue strength and just get your muscles familiar with working out. Its all about conditioning your body so that you don’t quit halfway through the workout program. More than anything, prepping the body makes sure you don’t end up seriously injuring yourself when you start going hard. Body weight exercises are a great way to start. Pushups, pull ups, no weight squats, lunges, tricep pushup, leg raises, situps and superman – all are great exercises to get your body started. Take a look at the shockwave circuit. It’s a great no weight workout that will help with this.

Use machines instead of free weights. Although I hardly use machines now, in the beginning they really helped me in getting used to lifting the weight. They really help in preventing serious injuries to those who are just starting out. If you don’t have a spotter, then definitely go with the machines till you build your strength to go the distance alone.

Strengthen your core. Your lower back, your butt and your abs. They are really the power house of your body. I’ve seen so many people struggle with injuries because they don’t have the core to support their upper body strength. The core as a whole needs to be kept at par with the rest of your bod. So don’t neglect it.

Do not over do it. This is also very important and something I struggled with personally. Know that results do not come over night. Working out 7 days a week can actually affect your muscles’ ability to recover and get results. Your body needs rest. So make sure you give it just that. If you are just starting out, consider working out 3 days in a week. That’s a great beginning.

Less intensity and longer duration. This goes hand in hand with not overdoing it. Us humans can so easily get caught up in the moment. Generally I think that’s a good thing. But when it comes to starting a workout program, you to know your limits. Starting out with a 5k run when you haven’t run in since high school is a great example. You’ll end up with some insane soreness and you might even over stress you heart; which is obviously something you don’t want to do. Consider going for longer less intensity workouts rather than harder demanding workouts, in the beginning.

Remember what I said in the beginning folks. Theres nothing wrong with starting out small. A strong foundation goes a long way in building the best bodies.

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Apollo

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7 Golden Rules To Get The Best Workout Every Time

And a good day to you. Today we bring you the 7 most amazing tips that you must use in each one of your workouts to get the  body you're after. So without wasting time, lets get started
  
Warm up properly. You’ve got to warm up before you hit the weights. Theres no other way around it. Not warming up can cause some pretty serious injuries. It also leads you to having a lousy first couple of sets. To get the best out of your session, spend 5-10 minutes warming up. Spend even more time if you are a little older. The older you are the more time you need to warm up. This will go a long way in keeping you injury free.

Make the mind to muscle connection. Before you start out on a muscle, really focus on it. Close your eyes for a quick 5-10 seconds. Focus on that muscle and make that connection. Keep the concentration going while you’re working the muscle. You’ll feel yourself working harder and also be able to lift more weight

Focus more on technique. Piling up on the weight can come later. You’ve got to make sure that you’re doing it right to remain injury free and truly get the benefits of the exercise. I’ve had a lot of people complain about an exercise not working the target muscle group hard enough, even when they’re lifting quite heavy. Its because they aren’t doing it right in the first place. And When I show them how its meant to be done, they painfully end up lowering their weight by quite a bit. So make sure you know how to do it properly. It is only then that you’ll see the results.

Get a spotter. Its those last few reps, the ones you cant do alone, that can really bring you the results you are looking for. Rather than quitting half way though them, don’t be afraid to ask an attendant or any other person for help. You’ll be surprised as to how friendly these people can be. They’ll even motivate you through those reps.

Stay hydrated. By the time you realize you’re thirsty its already too late. Keep having sips through out to keep yourself hydrated and avoid your workout coming to painful halt.

Stretch after a good workout. Not stretching can cause insane muscle soreness which can really put you off the quality workout you just did. It can also lead to you feeling miserable the next few days. Stretch after a workout to loosen up your muscles and maintain the flexibility. Stretch for at least 30 seconds for every muscle that you’ve worked.

Look Good. Get some really cool gym outfits. Its all about you being the super star when you’re at the gym. So wear something that makes you feel sexy. It may sound pretentious to you but Trust Me! It makes a difference when you feel like its all about you. You will work harder and be “in the zone” more than you would have been if you were there looking like a slob.

Now that we know em, for all your future workout sessions at the gym, keep these rules in mind. You are going to love what they will do for you.

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Apollo

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The 5 Commandments Of Motivation

1. Know what you want to achieve. The best way to do this is to take a moment, close your eyes and picture your perfect world. Picture yourself being at your favorite place, during the most amazing time of the year if it helps. What’s important is how you see yourself in that perfect world.

Do you have the perfect beach body or are you as bulked up as the hulk. Do you have a slimmer waistline or legs to die for. Or is there just a vibe of healthier, happier you. Simply know what you want. This will help you take the focused approach that you need. There’s not a lot to gain from crash diets or acting like a headless chicken at the gym.

2. Set realistic goals. More often than not, you are not going to loose 50 pounds in 3 weeks. Nor will you become Hercules overnight. Unless of course you give up everything else and start working out 8 hours a day. Even then, it’d be a long shot.

Be realistic. Phase your goals and set them up so that they are doable, but challenging to achieve. When you see yourself making progress with respect to that phased goal, you’ll be more psyched to finish what you’ve started. If you start comparing your achievements to where you eventually want to be, then even your most noteworthy feats will seem small to you and you’re probably going to be more inclined to give up. Take it one step at a time. You will get there!

3. Wear something that reminds of what you want to achieve. It’s easy to lose sight of what you want in life. The singer, Alainis Morrisette roams around carrying a stone like object in her pocket for exactly this reason. Whenever she’s stressed she uses it to remind her of what really matters in her life. There so much to be learned from this. Having something on you, that reminds you of your goals, helps in avoiding anything that will slow down your progress. Put on a bracelet or a ring. Go with a friendship band if that’s more hip. Anything that works for you is fine. The objective is to have something on you that is in plain sight, when you reach for that sugar glazed doughnut or think about skipping the gym session. One look at the reminder and you’ll be motivated to do the right thing.

4. Stay in positive company. Staying around people who are depressed, who crib all the time and frequently give up, leads you to become one of them. Stay around positive people. Let their positive energy rub off on you. You’ll be happier, energetic and determined to overcome whatever it is you take on.

And above all...

5. Believe in yourself. At the risk of sounding too clichéd, you can do whatever you set your mind to. So many people have made huge transformations. What makes you any different. You are what you think you are. So think of yourself as a true champion.

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Apollo

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