My Six Pack Theory

@FitnessOracle

It's one of the most desired traits for any human being, it's the definition of fit. But it doesn't come easy.

I get loads of questions about how I managed to get a six pack, so I decided to support others in their efforts of achieving this impressive feat. Read along.


The Exercises
This is the hardest part due to the many misconceptions and meaningless exercises. It took me years to find out exactly what I needed to do, to consistently develop my ab muscles, but then it clicked. I found out that a few specific ingredients in any abdominal exercise significantly improved my appearance:

• Keep your head and legs off the ground throughout the exercise.
• This way you're not resting any part of your core.
• Use weight; why treat abdominal muscles different from any other muscle group?
• You need size in your abs for them to appear. That won't happen without weight training.
• Intensity: Do several exercises in a row with no break. 
• Push yourself.
• Extend your body as much as possible; it really improved my results.
• Stretch your legs or arms out and above the ground.
• By extending your body, you're activating your entire core.

Dieting
This one is obvious. Depending on your genetics and gender you may need to obtain a body fat percentage of 10 or lower to visibly see the abdominal muscles. Needless to say, your diet has to be high in protein, low in fat, sugars and, of course, candy-free. If you need a little help in achieving a leaner body, please read here.

Variety
I believe in functional strength for a strong, balanced and sound body. Don't do the same things over and over, again. Try different ways to strengthen your body. I enjoy incorporating some jumping, running, basketball, tennis, soccer, or other athletic activities that really activate all the muscles in your body, into my workout program.

Consistency
Whenever you're not sore; perform core strengthening exercise with the above tips. It's one of those muscles that require a lot of attention to develop. Eventually, you will be able to work them out 4-5 times a week. But don't underestimate 2 days of complete rest; your body needs time to recover and grow.

@FitnessOracle


Read More:

• Out of the Gym Workout: Body Weight Circuits
• Conquering Plateaus
• Arm Blasting Workout - Destination: Toned Boulevard

The 200 Rep Ab Challenge

Try out this ab circuit without taking a break in between exercises. If you struggle to reach the rep count during one of the exercises, just rest for 5 seconds, and go again.

Complete as many sets of it as you can. Feel free to rest in between sets.

Good luck!

Click to enhance size.

@FitnessOracle

Conquering Plateaus

Click to enhance size.

It's inevitable that you at a certain point will reach a plateau in your workout. You may stop seeing results or stall your progression in one way or another - it happens to all of us. The importance is figuring out why and what you can do to make your training efficient and ever-improving.

There could be many reasons as to why you're not progressing anymore - identify what your assumed cause is and then fix it by altering your lifestyle or workout routines.



Below I have identified options that can help you bust plateaus;

Rest
You will see very slim improvements without proper rest. Your sleeping pattern needs to be consistent - just like regular visits to the gym or your high school track. Your body needs time off from any type of physical activity to recover and grow. I strongly recommend 1-2 days a week of complete rest. Get off your feet, rest up on the couch or lay in bed all day. It's okay to be 'lazy' once in a while, your body needs it!

Push Yourself
You have to constantly get better. Each month you should have goals written down, so you're working towards achieving higher standards. Add 5 more lbs to your bench press set and aim for the same amount of reps you got last week. Try getting more reps of pull-up by doing half-way pull-ups. Don't get complacent and be satisfied with what you can now do - always try to get faster on the track or stronger in the gym. If you don't improve in your workouts, you body will remain the same.

Switch Up Your Workouts
The human body is a fascinating entity. It can basically adapt to any form of lifestyle over time, which is both good and bad. Unfortunately, that means it will get used to the same workout routines - so switch them up. Stick to the core exercises; squats, push press, dead lifts, cleans, snatches and bench press as they all build overall strength and size, but vary them. Perform drop-sets, pause-sets, hit high and low rep ranges or change up your grip. Don't do the same exercises, apart from the above mentioned core lifts, every single week. If you're a runner, don't just run the same 3 miles every other day; instead stop half-way through and do 30 lunges, or do 10 sprints with small breaks of jogging slowly midway through your run. You have to alter your workouts in one way or another all the time.

Get Proper Sleep
Just like having regular rest days, sleep is equally important. I recommend 7-8 hours of deep sleep every night. If you stay up until 2 A.M. every night I can ensure you that it will hurt your progress. It's vital that you have a consistent sleeping pattern - go to bed around the same time every single night and wake up around the same hour in the morning.

Dieting
If you are eating unhealthy, you will not overcome any plateaus. Make sure you are at least getting your body weight in grams of protein. I am 193 lbs, so I attempt to consume at least 200 grams of protein every single day. I always suggest that most carbohydrates should come from vegetables as well. Eating smaller meals throughout the day, also, speeds up your metabolism. Drink plenty of water, at least a gallon a day. Constantly educate yourself on healthy eating to ensure you beat those plateaus and get better.

Stay Consistent
Don't fool yourself with excuses; you have to keep working out, you have to keep eating healthy and you have to get proper rest. Be patient; the results will come with time.

Identify Your Goals and Work Towards Achieving Them
If your goal is to get a bigger butt then find out what you can do to achieve that goal. Perform squats every week or super-set with lunges midway through your leg extensions. If you want a specific part of your biceps to get toned then find out which exercises you can perform to achieve that goal. If you want to shed fat then perform HIIT (Interval Training) In other words, you have to be smart about your training, that way you will constantly improve and avoid hitting plateaus.

If you have any questions find me on Twitter @FitnessOracle

Out of the Gym Workout: Body Weight Circuits

At times we are unable to reach a gym due to various obligations and that's why it's important to have body weight workouts available.

Below are 3 body weight circuits you can perform virtually anywhere.

Try doing each exercise without resting until you have completed the entire circuit. Then rest 1-2 minutes and repeat as many rounds as you are capable of, or switch to another circuit.  Feel free to adjust numbers and reps to fit your own fitness level. Good luck!

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Click to enhance size.

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@FitnessOracle

Static Stretching Routine

Static Stretching

Stretching is beneficial, but only if it's performed at the appropriate time. If you lift weights regularly you will experience stiffness and could feel rather uncomfortable, making stretching a necessity. Flexibility is also necessary to keep joints healthy, and we are all aware of what heavy weight lifting can do to your joints over time. Stretching also plays a key role in recovery, aiding that process, while foam rolling is just as effective.


I use dynamic stretching, movement with stretch,  routinely before I begin a workout. I also use static stretching, stationary position with stretch, immediately following exercise. It's a vital part of my recovery methods.

Dynamic stretching has been proven to increase flexibility in sports, while static stretching merely improves flexibility in those very stationary positions you're performing.

It's crucial to perform static stretching after the workout, as it can actually cause injury if performed before the muscles are properly activated and warmed up. Static stretching temporarily weakens your muscles and tendons, so save it for later as a post-workout routine.

Click each link for picture and description of exercise. Perform these static stretches for 20-30 seconds for each area, after your workout:

• One Handed Hang Stretch
• Calf Stretch on Wall
• Standing Hip Stretch
• Standing Quad Stretch
• Piriformis Stretch
• Neck Stretches
• Lower Back Stretch
• The Towel Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Single Knee to Chest Stretch

And remember, if you have any type of injury; a strain, a partially torn muscle or anything similar, it's extremely vital that you attempt to heal that injury by resting, icing and heating. Avoid stretching or massaging the injured area at all costs. Stretching injuries generally causes more harm than good.

Listen to your body!

@FitnessOracle

Motivation: Jesse Levine - The 1 Legged Natural Bodybuilder

Jesse Levine - Natural Bodybuilder.

Jesse Levine survived a devastating car accident on July 28th, 2004 - but not without serious injury. Losing control of his vehicle resulted in separating his car in half after hitting a tree. Jesse's leg was torn off his body from mid-thigh down. The right foot was flung far away from the wreck in one place, while the remaining leg ended up in a backyard.

Apart from losing his right leg, he also suffered a severely broken wrist, a shattered arm, a ruptured left achilles tendon, a shattered pelvis, vertebrae fractures and nerve damage in his left hand.

Jesse was saved by a stranger with medical training, who tied a tourniquet around his thigh with a belt. This stopped the bleeding, thereby saving his life. The incredible hero called an ambulance and left the scene before police arrived, without revealing his identity.

The doctors speculated that the individual who saved Jesse left the scene to avoid possible prosecution, being an EMT, in case Jesse didn't survive and the family wanted to sue.

Despite Jesse's efforts to get in touch with his life-saver, he has was never been able to find him.

Many would have found themselves in deep depression after this life changing event, but not this guy.

Originally Jesse just wanted to join the gym to spent time with his brother, but as time went on he managed to build his body back up, obtaining an incredible physique.

Eventually Mr. Levine was offered professional training to compete in bodybuilding. He now diets and workouts out disciplined and is completely drug-free.

Jesse wants to prove what is possible if you want it bad enough.

And he sure has.

Check out these links for additional information on Jesse Levine:

• Jesse Levine Training Video
• Jesse Levine Facebook Fan Page 
• Picture of Car Wreck

@FitnessOracle

Arm Blasting Workout - Destination: Toned Boulevard

Try out my arm blasting workout below. Just remember to shorten breaks, flex the targeted muscle and perform each set with controlled movements.

Click to enhance size.

Click the links below for an illustration of each exercise.

• Incline Inner DB Biceps Curls
• Hammer Curls 
• EZ Bar Curls
• Skull Crushers with DBs
• Cable Press Downs
• Farmer's Walk with DBs
• Seated Triceps Press with a DB
• Concentration Curls with DBs
• Dips

@FitnessOracle