Thursday, January 26, 2006

Learn to Listen to Your Body!

The blog of November 4, 2005 reviewed the importance of getting to know your body through working out to know if pain you may feel is real pain or just an excuse. If it is real pain, you should stop working out or rest. See a physician or physical therapist if the pain is excruciating or preventing you from doing what you want to do. Spirituality, meditating, martial arts and more can have you learning to know yourself more. Working out is key. Just as we often do not listen to ourselves or to other people “cleanly”, we do the same with our bodies. For instance, if your mother tells you to wear a coat, you may think she is being a nagging old woman. She barely has a chance to tell you that she heard something informative on the weather channel.

People may listen to their bodies like their bodies do not know what they are telling them or they may ignore their bodies. Through working out, you will learn to listen to when you are really hungry, you need to eat what, when you are really in pain and when you need to work out what.

For instance, a person who has muscle and is not sleeping much, is undergoing stress, or is using lots of glucose for their brain may be able or even need to eat something sugary while studying at night. This energy may be burned. I have skipped a meal or two while studying for my PhD courses. I end up regretting it. At least twice I was nauseous because acid in my stomach wanted something to digest. At other times I became drowsy while driving home. Many times while studying and staying up late while maintaining my workout schedule of about every other day, at least 65 minutes working out at the gym, I can eat late at night, including sugary foods, and I end up losing weight!

Learn to listen to yourself. Months ago I saw that I was dreading doing squats, which I usually did on Mondays. I know that I will make sure I work out through most pain and will not let myself get lazy. But this was a real dread that my physical intuition was telling me. I found from a physical therapist and a Rolfing person that I have slight arthritis in my knees, especially right one which I suspected for years I am not doing squats for some months now. If I see that my legs are losing muscle or strength, I will make sure that I up my leg exercises or reinstate squats with less weight and more repetitions, perhaps.

You will understand this blog fully by experience. Learn to listen to your body.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Climb the Stairs!

The blog of December 6, 2005 reviewed the importance of interval training in cardiovascular and muscle fitness and in getting off workout plateaus. Even if you are a beginner, it is easy to incorporate interval training into your exercise routine. Incorporating it is easy, of course, but actually doing it may be tough. Start off slowly. Ask a physician’s permission first, as when you go for your annual physical check-up. Here are some ways to incorporate interval training in your exercise routines:

For cardiovascular training:

You can alter the speed and – or incline on a treadmill for a minute or for two minutes. You can alter the speed and resistance on a stationary bicycle for a minute or for two minutes. You can alter the resistance on a stairmaster for a minute or for two minutes.

For weight training:

In between sets, you can do one of the following activities. Choose one per day or week.

Activity One:

Jog in place. Do this for a minute or two minutes between sets.

Activity Two:

Run up and down the stairs. Do this for a minute or two minutes between sets.

Activity Three:

Jump rope. Do this for a minute or two minutes between sets.

Activity Four:

Put on boxing gloves. Hit a punching bag. Do this for a minute or two minutes between sets.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Chest Exercise Program I

Here is a possible three-month program for your chest. Ladies, do not worry, you will not lose your breasts and look like a man, although you could if you want. Your chest muscles will tighten up. This will make you be strong and feel great. And you will look great, too. Your breasts will lift, although if you have sagging or huge breasts, they will not look very different. The breasts are made up of adipose (fat) tissue. The pectoralis muscles and intercostal (between the ribs) muscles will be work out; your breasts will mainly stay the same. To reduce breast size, you do cardiovascular exercises, as well as overall weight training, to burn calories and lose weight. To not lose breast adipose tissue, which concerns mostly women when they work out, is more difficult. You cannot tell your body what to do. Genetics partly or mostly determines what you lose from where first. You may be working out your legs mostly, but in a period of time lose mostly breast adipose tissue. You can feel your body, and use your spirituality add mentality to affect results. This is something you learn on your own.

Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.

Day I: Supine Chest Press

Lie down on a straight bench with your dumbbells, one in each hand. With your feet flat on the end of the bench or on the floor, make sure there is only a small natural space between the small of your back and the bench. With your wrists facing each other, right and left, start by extending your arms to your sides (right arm to right side and left arm to left side). Then bring your wrists together without having the weights touch. Do four sets of ten repetitions. You can repeat another four sets of ten repetitions with your wrists facing forward.

Day II: Chest Fly Machine

Use a fly machine. Adjust the arms of the machine to go as far backward as possible. Make sure that the seat position is comfortable. Bring your arms together. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Day III: Bench Press

Use the bench press. Find the weight that is right for you and balance it on each side. Lie down with your back relaxed, only an inch or two separating your lower back from the bench. Do four sets of ten repetitions.


Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Possible Three-Month Leg Exercise Program II

There are almost countless exercises that you can do for legs. Some of these exercises have not been described in blogs so far. Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your legs. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.

Quadriceps twice a week:

Use the leg extension machine. The exercise is described in the quadriceps blog. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Hamstrings twice a week:

Use the leg curl machine where you lift one leg at a time. You may find that this is harder than using the leg curl machine where you bend both legs at once. (You can also do one leg at a time on this machine.) Adjust the machine so that you use the leg that you want to use and rest the leg that you are not using. You may have to ask a personal trainer to help you the first time. During the workout, only use the leg that you are exercising. Relax the rest of your body. Use slow motion to lift the leg and to lower the leg. This exercise was described in the hamstrings blog. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Adductor and Abductor Exercises:

Alternate weekly between using the adductor and abductor machines and the cable exercise describe on the December 20th blog. For the adductor and abductor machines: These machines have two pads each. Ask a personal trainer if you cannot find them. For the adductor machine, sit with your legs outside the pads. Unhook the pads so that they can move. There is a handle for this. The motion is to move your legs closer together and then farther apart. Choose a weight that will give you a good workout and that will not hurt you. Breathe in when you move your legs inward and breathe out when you move your legs outward. Be sure not to have the weights touch when you move the legs outward. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

For the abductor machine, sit with your legs “inside” the pads. Again, choose a weight that will give you a good workout and that will not hurt you. Move your legs inward and outward. Again, be sure not to have the weights touch when you move the legs outward. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Overall Legs twice a week:

Do lunges. See the "Lunges" blog from January 9, 2006. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Possible Upper Arm Three-Month Exercise Routine II

Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your upper arms. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.


Day One:

Use the Gravitron machine. Ask a personal trainer if you do not know which machine it is. Put the pin at the amount of weight you want the machine to lift. If you subtract this from your body weight, that is the amount of weihgt that your body is lifting. The machine will have an illustration of the tywo basic movements – pull ups, that work the biceps and upper back (secondary) muscles, and pull downs, tha twork the tricpes and chest (secondary) muscles.

Do five sets of ten repetitions of pull ups.

Do five sets of ten repetitions of pull downs.

Day Two:

Use a biceps (arm curl) machine. Do five sets of ten repetitions of biceps curls.
Since you are doing biceps once a week, use a weight that challenges you and does not give you pain.

Day Three:

Use a triceps (arm extension) machine. Do five sets of ten repetitions of biceps curls. Since you are doing triceps once a week, use a weight that challenges you and does not give you pain.


Day Four:

Use dumbbells to work out your shoulders. Pick a weight that you are comfortable with and that will give you a good workout. Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Keep your back straight. Grasp the dumbbells with your palms facing toward you. Lift the weights with each arm to your side. Lift the weights slowly and then lower the weights slowly. Repeat without locking your elbows. Do five sets of ten repetitions.Look at the rotator cuff blog for rotator cuff exercises. Do one a week, alternating between the “circles” exercise and the rotator cuff machine exercise.Look at other blogs to find anterior and posterior deltoid exercises.An upcoming blog will describe wrist and forearm exercises.

Don’t forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Three-Month Abdominal Program IV

Here is another abdominal exercise program. This is an advanced program. Do this after at least six months of doing the first three-month abdominal exercise program, and then the second or third abdominal exercise program. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover. The first day is like the Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program I first day exercise. You can vary it, perhaps causing different muscle fibers to be used, by holding your legs crossed straight up in they air or against a wall.

Day One:

Do five sets of ten repetitions of abdominal crunches. This is the correct way to do them: Lie on the floor with about an inch or two inches of natural space between the small of your back and the floor. Put your hands behind your head. Relax your arms and shoulders. Keep your back straight. Do not curve your neck. Do not use your arms to come up. You only need to lift your upper body about 45 degrees from the floor. You will feel when you have reached your limits. Keep your elbows straight out and perpendicular to the floor. Concentrate on using your abdominal muscles. Exhale when you move up and inhale when you move down. Pretend that there is an imaginary rope from your septum (chest bone) to the ceiling pulling you up in a straight fashion.

Day Two:

Get arm rests (ask a personal trainer) that you can hook onto the top bar of a cable rack, squat rack or other machine. Get a step or two (ask a personal trainer) to get your arms onto the rests. Your elbows should stick out of the arm rests and your hands should clasp the top part of the arm rests. Your forearms should be ninety degrees with the floor. Step off the step(s) and relax your body. Keep your upper body relaxed and straight. Lift your legs upward and then downward. Alternatively, you can bend your knees and bring your upper legs up to your hips. Then in a small motion, bring your legs up one to two inches from your hips. This works your lower abdominal muscles at about the same intensity as the prior motion. See what feels best for you and brings the best results. Exhale when you move up and inhale when you move down for either way of doing the exercise. Do ten sets of ten repetitions.

Day Three:

Do the advanced abdominal exercise from the “Perhaps the Best Abdominal Exercise” blog of October 27, 2005.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program III

Here is another abdominal exercise program. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover. The first day is like the Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program I first day exercise. You can vary it, perhaps causing different muscle fibers to be used, by holding your legs crossed straight up in they air or against a wall.

Day One:

Do five sets of ten repetitions of abdominal crunches. This is the correct way to do them: Lie on the floor with about an inch or two inches of natural space between the small of your back and the floor. Put your hands behind your head. Relax your arms and shoulders. Keep your back straight. Do not curve your neck. Do not use your arms to come up. You only need to lift your upper body about 45 degrees from the floor. You will feel when you have reached your limits. Keep your elbows straight out and perpendicular to the floor. Concentrate on using your abdominal muscles. Exhale when you move up and inhale when you move down. Pretend that there is an imaginary rope from your septum (chest bone) to the ceiling pulling you up in a straight fashion.

Day Two:

Lie on the floor, allowing the slope of your back to have a natural curve. There will be a space of about an inch an a half between the small of your back and the floor. Place your arms straight along your sides, with the palms facing downward for leverage. Or you can hold onto to something like the leg of a bed with one or both arms. Lift your legs straight and close together in front of you slowly up and down. Inhale as you bring your legs up, and exhale as you bring your legs down. Do not fully relax your legs. In other words, do not release the movement until the set is done. Do five sets of ten repetitions.This exercise works your lower abdominal muscles as stabilizers. The heavier, in muscle or fat, that your legs are, the more of a workout your lower abdominal muscles will get. If you would like to make this exercise tougher, hold your legs in an isometric movement for three to ten seconds, whatever you can do, about two inches above the ground at the end of this movement. Do this only if you are an intermediate exerciser or have done this exercise for about a month.

Day Three:

Use the abdominal machine where you support yourself on your arms by holding onto handles and placing your forearms on pads. Ask a personal trainer if you cannot find this machine. This exercise works your lower abdominal muscles as stabilizers. Stabilize your upper body. Bring your legs straight up in front of you up to your waist and then bring them slowly back down without fully relaxing your legs. In other words, do not release the movement until the set is done. Inhale as you bring your legs up, and exhale as you bring your legs down. Do five sets of ten repetitions.Now do the same thing, just lift your legs on the right side for five sets of ten repetitions. This works your right oblique muscles. Then lift your legs on the left side for five sets of ten repetitions. This works your left oblique muscles. The breathing is the same: inhale when you bring your legs up and exhale when you bring your legs down.These above exercises can be done with bent knee. Do what you think brings you the best results. It tends to be tougher with straight leg. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with a bent knee.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Gluteus Minimus and Gluteus Medius

The gluteus minimus is a tiny muscle of the hip that is covered by the gluteus maximus. It helps in the following motions: hip abduction (moving the leg away from the body), transverse abduction (abduction of the leg with hip bent as in sitting) and internal rotation (turning the leg toward the body).


The gluteus medius is also hidden by the gluteus maximus. Like the gluteus maximus, it is responsible for these movements: It is responsible for the following hip movements: abduction, transverse abduction (abduction of the leg with hip bent as in sitting), internal rotation (rotating the leg toward the body) and external rotation rotating the leg away from the body.
You can work the gluteus minimus and the gluteus maximus with gluteus maximus exercises. (See Gluteus Maximus and Three-Month Exercise Program I Blog.)

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/GluteusMinimus.html and http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/GluteusMedius.html Accessed on January 11, 2006

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice

Gluteus Maximus and Three-Month Exercise Program I

The gluteus maximus is the strongest and biggest muscle on the human body. It is responsible for the following hip movements: abduction, transverse abduction (abduction of the leg with hip bent as in sitting), internal rotation (rotating the leg toward the body) and external rotation rotating the leg away from the body. This muscle is important for balance, walking, and running.

Squats and leg abductor exercises engage the gluteus maximus muscle. The gym machine the “Butt-Blaster” also works the gluteus maximus primarily.

Here is a possible three-month exercise program for the gluteus maximus. You can count your squat days as a gluteus maximus and leg day. Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your upper arms. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover. Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your upper arms. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.

Day One:

Squats (See the Squats Blog.)

Day Two:

Use the Butt-Blaster machine. Move slowly and steadily. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Day Three:

Cable Abductors (see the Cable Leg Adductor and Abductor Exercises Blog.)

For more gluteus maximus exercises, see upcoming blogs and http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/HipsWt.htmeu

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/GluteusMaximus.html and http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/HipsWt.html
Accessed on January 11, 2006

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice

Monday, January 09, 2006

Lunges

Lunges are an effective leg exercise that work out your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and, to a lesser extent, your adductor and abductor muscles. Your abdominal, back and hip muscles are used as stabilizers.

You can perform lunges in a stationary fashion or while moving across the floor. You can do what feels best or yields the best results. Do lunges once a week. You may want to alternate weeks between stationary and moving lunges. Pick a weight that gives you a workout yet not the bad kind of pain. Keep your back straight and do not bounce. (See the “Pain” blog.)

You can use a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees partly bent. Step forward with your right leg. Made a 90 degree angle with your right leg. Your thigh should end up parallel to the floor. Bend your knees until your left knee is only an inch from the ground. Push up and back with your right leg while keeping your back and body steady until you are in the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg. Do five sets of ten repetitions. Each repetition is composed of one two movements, each movement with an alternate leg stepping forward.

To see an animation of stationary lunges, go to http://www.theministryoffitness.com/mof/library/anims/llunges.htm

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.betterbodz.com/quariceps/dumbbell_lunges.html and http://www.theministryoffitness.com/mof/library/anims/llunges.htm.
Accessed on January 9, 2006

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program II

The front abdominal muscles are one straight muscle, the rectus abdominis) and the three flat muscles, external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis.

There are many ways that you can work out your abdominal muscles. Try this weekly work out for three months. See if you get results in how you feel, abdominal strength and how you look. Then move on to another abdominal exercise program for another three months. As usual, rest your abdominal muscles as primary movers the day after your work them out as primary movers. There is almost no exercise which does not incorporate the abdominal muscles as secondary movers, or stabilizers.

Day One:

Use the abdominal crunches machine. There is a pad that you place in front of your chest. Sit comfortably and relax your body. There is usually a pad for your head. Let your arms rest loosely next to you. Find a weight that gives you a workout but not unduly pain. Often when you work out your abdominal muscles, you will not feel the pain until a day or two after your workout. Exhale when you move forward and inhale when you move up to the starting position. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Day Two:

Use the cable rack. Adjust the pulley where the cable attaches to the highest level. Place a handle on the hook that is a loop where both of your hands can hold or a metal attachment that has a place for each of your hands to hold.
Find a weight that gives you a workout but not unduly pain. Hold the attachment and bring it with you to the floor. Sit on your knees. Bring the attachment in front of the top of your chest bone or septum. Keep your neck aligned with your back and your back relaxed and straight. Move all the way up, holding the attachment in the same position. This is the starting position. Move downward so that your hands that are holding on to the attachment almost touch the floor. Exhale as you move downward. Move up to the starting position. Inhale when you move up to the starting position. Do not let the weights touch. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Day Three:

This exercise works your oblique muscles. Lie on the floor with your knees bent. The natural space between the small of your back and the floor should be about two inches. Relax. Place your hand behind your head. Lift your upper body from the waist up. Concentrate on using your oblique muscles. Have your left breast almost touch your right knee. Slightly move back about an inch and have your right breast almost touch your left knee. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program I

The front abdominal muscles are one straight muscle, the rectus abdominis) and the three flat muscles, external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis.

There are many ways that you can work out your abdominal muscles. Try this weekly work out for three months. See if you get results in how you feel, abdominal strength and how you look. Then move on to the abdominal program of the next blog for another three months. As usual, rest your abdominal muscles as primary movers the day after your work them out as primary movers. There is almost no exercise which does not incorporate the abdominal muscles as secondary movers, or stabilizers.

Day One:

Do five sets of ten repetitions of abdominal crunches. This is the correct way to do them:
Lie on the floor with about an inch or two inches of natural space between the small of your back and the floor. Put your hands behind your head. Relax your arms and shoulders. Keep your back straight. Do not curve your neck. Do not use your arms to come up. You only need to lift your upper body about 45 degrees from the floor. You will feel when you have reached your limits. Keep your elbows straight out and perpendicular to the floor. Concentrate on using your abdominal muscles. Exhale when you move up and inhale when you move down. Pretend that there is an imaginary rope from your septum (chest bone) to the ceiling pulling you up in a straight fashion.

Day Two:

Grab a medium-sized Swiss ball. Lie on the floor with about an inch or two inches of natural space between the small of your back and the floor. Put the Swiss ball between your knees. Keep it there with your leg muscles. With the top of your body relaxed and your waist on the floor, lift only your hips about two inches from the floor using your lower abdominal muscles. Exhale when you move your legs up and inhale when you move your legs down. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Day Three:

This exercise works your oblique muscles. Take a weight bar. If you are a beginner, take a light weight bar, such as a five-pound bar or an eight-pound bar. Place the weight bar behind your neck and hold it with your wrist facing forward. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Relax your back and shoulders. Turn slowly right to left with the bar to a comfortable position on each side. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Basic Squats

Squats is a powerful exercise that works your lower body - gluteus maximus, quadriceps, and hamstrings as primary movers and your abdomen, back, and leg adductors and abductors as secondary movers. It is an exercise that strengthens quickly. Women do not have to worry about being too bulky - that comes only with a lot of exercise over time, and with eating an extra amount of protein, over the extra amount of protein you eat because you exercise. (A protein nutrition blog is to come.)

Some fitness professionals and exercisers say that squats are bad for the back and knee. I have experienced back and knee discomfort with squats. Other professionals, as Dr. Fred Hatfield, who is an executive at the International Sports Science Association, has written over 60 exercise books and holds the world record in powerlifting (1,014 pounds) say that squats, if done properly, are not bad of the back and knees. See http://www.drsquat.com/ and www.dolfzine.com/page253.htm. It is best to have the approval or a physician before beginning a squat routine.

Beginners should use as assistant squat rack machine, where the barbell is not free. You may want to start the first three or four weeks with no weight or just a small weight like five pounds on each side of the barbell to practice correct posture. Pick a weight that gives you a workout but not pain. Relax your back and keep your back straight. Keep your legs shoulder width apart. Toes should point just slightly sideways. Place the barbell behind your head. You may find it more comfortable to use a barbell pad provided by most gyms. Grasp the bar strongly with your wrists facing forward. Unhook the bar from the machine. Pretend that you are about to sit down. Sit as deeply as you can. For most people, their thighs will not be parallel with the floor. Each time you do the exercise, you may get closer to this. Make sure that your knees do not move beyond your toes. Inhale when you move downward and exhale when you move back up to the starting position. Move slowly each way. Do four sets of ten repetitions once week.

For squats without a machine, precede the same. Just be careful since it is more difficult. Beginners should use a machine unless they do a light weight. Have someone spot you if you are working at a high weight.

This exercise can also be performed with free weights. Using a bar may be hurtful to your shoulders. If you have major pain, consult a physician. Using free weights is great. Often you cannot use heavy free weights, however, because it proves hurtful to the shoulders. Again, if you have major pain, consult a physician. To see a squat movement with free weights, see http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/demo/squat.jsp.


For more information on squats, see http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/Squats.html.

Don’t forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/Squats.html, http://www.dolfzine.com/page253.htm and http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/demo/squat.jsp.

Accessed on January 6, 2006

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Some Neck Exercises

Usually men do neck exercises to get that bodybuilder look. Most women do not want necks like tree trunks (exaggeration). However, training your neck once in a while may be good for your neck muscles and posture. After all, your head is heavy and your neck supports your head. Before you embark on a neck exercise routine, consult a physician and a chiropractor. Do all neck exercises slowly and stop if you sense dizziness or pain. Then consult a physician or chiropractor. Do exercise routine I or exercise routine II once a week.

Exercise Routine I

These are the basic neck movements: neck flexion, neck extension, rotation, side flexion and retraction. Neck flexion is the movement of bringing the head forward so that the chin hits the chest. Do four sets of ten repetitions. Neck extension is the movement of allowing the head to go back until the face is looking directly at the ceiling. Do this very slowly. Do four sets of ten repetitions. Rotation is turning your head slowly to one side until it cannot easily go any further. Then you turn back the other way. Do four sets of ten repetitions. Do side flexions by keeping your head facing forward and tipping your ear down towards the same shoulder. Do four sets of ten repetitions for each side. Do retraction by keeping your face straight on during the whole movement, drawing the head back and the chin down slightly. This neck movement counteracts the tendency of allowing your head to poke forwards in a poor posture.

Exercise Routine II

Lie down on a straight bench with your tummy to the bench. Have your collarbone or shoulders by the edge of the bench. Place your hands behind your head. Flex your neck downward. Come back up to starting position. Inhale when you flex your neck and exhale when you move back to the starting position. Do four sets of ten repetitions. For added resistance, you can push against the motion of coming back up to starting position with your hands. Do this after you have done the exercise for three months without resistance if you are a beginner in this exercise.

Lie down on a straight bench with your back against the bench and your shoulders along the edge of the bench. Extend your neck backwards and then go back up to starting position. Inhale when you extend your neck and inhale when you move back to the starting position. Do four sets of ten repetitions. For added resistance, use a circle weight. Use a weight that gives resistance but not pain. Do this after you have done the exercise for three months without resistance if you are a beginner in this exercise.

Sit on the edge of a straight bench. Put on a neck harness. Find a stable position with your back slightly leaning forward at about 45 degrees. Keep your back steady. Flex your neck downward and then back up to starting position. Inhale when you flex your neck and inhale when you move back to the starting position. Use a weight that gives resistance but not pain. Consult a physician and chiropractor before doing this exercise. Do this exercise if you have done neck exercises for at least three months before or if you are an intermediate exerciser and feel that you can do it.

Don’t forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Neck and http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?MainMuscle=Neck
Accessed on January 5, 2006

Disclaimer: information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Rear Deltoids

Your deltoids, or shoulder muscles, are composed of your front, middle and rear deltoids. Developing rear deltoids also helps to deter shoulder and rotator cuff injuries and to do exercises such as the bench press. Developed rear deltoids look beautiful. There are many exercises that you can do for back deltoids. Two exercises will be reviewed here.

Use the “butterfly” machine on which you can work out your chest. Adjust the machine arms so that they are at their widest position. This time, sit “backwards’ on the machine, with your chest facing the pad. Find a weight that gives you a challenge but does not hurt you. Grasp the handles with your wrists facing you. Relax your back and keep it straight. The full range of motion is pulling the handles backwards. Imagine your shoulder blades moving closer together. Breathe in when you move your arms inward. Breathe in when you return to the start position. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Use the incline bench. Move it to a 45-degree position. Get barbells where you can repeat the motion that you used in the butterfly machine above. Put your chest against the pad. Raise your arms to shoulder width. Bring your hands together, not touching, with your wrist facing each other. Now extend your arms outward until you cannot extend anymore, without hurting your back. Breathe in when you move your arms inward. Relax your back and keep it straight. Imagine your shoulder blades moving closer together. Breathe in when you return to the start position. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Don’t forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Some information for this blog was obtained from http://www.dolfzine.com/page526.htmAccessed on January 4, 2006

Disclaimer: information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Possible Three-Month Leg Exercise Program I

There are almost countless exercises that you can do for legs. Some of these exercises have not been described in blogs so far. Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your legs. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.

Quadriceps twice a week:

Use the leg extension machine. The exercise is described in the quadriceps blog. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Hamstrings twice a week:

Use the leg curl machine. This exercise was described in the hamstrings blog. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Adductor and Abductor Exercises:

Alternate weekly between using the adductor and abductor machines and the cable exercise describe on the December 20th blog.

For the adductor and abductor machines:

These machines have two pads each. Ask a personal trainer if you cannot find them. For the adductor machine, sit with your legs outside the pads. Unhook the pads so that they can move. There is a handle for this. The motion is to move your legs closer together and then farther apart. Choose a weight that will give you a good workout and that will not hurt you. Breathe in when you move your legs inward and breathe out when you move your legs outward. Be sure not to have the weights touch when you move the legs outward. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

For the abductor machine, sit with your legs “inside” the pads. Again, choose a weight that will give you a good workout and that will not hurt you. .Move your legs inward and outward. Again, be sure not to have the weights touch when you move the legs outward. Do four sets of ten repetitions.

Overall Legs twice a week:

Use the squat rack once a week. For beginners, use the one that assists you. In other words, the barbell is not loose. Put the bar behind you. Have your legs shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Unhook the barbell. Keep your back straight. Pretend that you are sitting. “Sit” until you are comfortable, making sure that your knees do not go beyond your toes. Stand back up and repeat for four sets of ten repetitions. Notice if you have back or knee pain. This can be a strenuous exercise. Notify a physician if you have pain.

Use the leg press machine once a week. Put your legs about shoulder width apart. Do four sets of ten repetitions, without touching the weights when you go back to beginning position.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Possible Upper Arm Three-Month Exercise Routine I

Here is a possible three-month program to sculpt your upper arms. Feel your body and look in the mirror to see results. If these exercises do not seem to work, increase the repetitions or sets, or use a substitute exercise. For all of the exercises, exhale when you lift the weight or exert the most muscle tension, and inhale when you return to the beginning position. Use a weight that gives you a workout but is not too tough. Rest the muscle in between days that you work it out as a primary mover.

Biceps twice a week:

Day One: Do five sets of ten repetitions of biceps curls.

Day Two: Use a barbell. Do five sets of ten repetitions of biceps curls.

Triceps twice a week:

Day One: Do the overhead triceps exercise one dumbbell at a time. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Day Two: Use a cable machine with a small bar. Adjust the weight on the machine. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Shoulders:

Use the overhead press machine. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Use dumbbells. Pick a weight that you are comfortable with and that will give you a good workout. Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Keep your back straight. Grasp the dumbbells with your palms facing toward you. Lift the weights with your elbows pointing out, perpendicular to your body. Lift until the weights come under but not touching your chin. Repeat without locking your elbows. Do five sets of ten repetitions.

Look at the rotator cuff blog for rotator cuff exercises. Do one a week, alternating between the “circles” exercise and the rotator cuff machine exercise.

Look at other blogs to find anterior and posterior deltoid exercises.

An upcoming blog will describe wrist and forearm exercises.

Don’t forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

Disclaimer: information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.