Bodybuilding Cutting Exercises Are a Fitness Myth

Bodybuilders use high repetition sets to get ripped, but could get more results in less time by doing less work.

High repetition sets do not get you cut.

This is a myth, and there's a much better way to sculpt your body, get ripped, and finally achieve the elusive 6-pack.

But again, let me repeat, you won't succeed with high-repetition sets using light weights. And don't even worry about the "pump", but that's another article for another day. To get ripped, its all about nutrition and intensity. We want to be able to see our well-earned muscles and our 6-pack abs.




And that's why we get lured into the belief of the cutting exercises. Because it causes a burn in our muscles, we generally think, hey, this must be burning fat. But it's not! It's just a fatiguing sensation. If you are using a high-rep, cutting program, I doubt you are getting the results you want. You don't need to be in the gym too long.

There is a better way to burn fat. A faster way. And a smarter way. It doesn't involve "toning" workouts or "Cutting exercises". What you need to do for fat loss, and getting cut, is to focus on the same exercises that helped you build muscle in the first place.

So forget the pec-dec, and stick with dumbbell presses. Say goodbye to leg extensions, and keep using squats and lunges. Next up is the shocker! Use intervals to cut fat fast! Instead, we'll use interval training to burn fat and boost our metabolism in less than half the time as a normal cardio workout. Only 20 minutes of interval training done 3 times per week resulted in weight loss in one Australian study.

On the other hand, three 40-minute cardio sessions did not cause any weight loss in the same study. Shocking results, but it just goes to show you the power of intensity. No more slow boring aerobics. That means saying goodbye to light weights and high reps and long slow cardio. Goodbye, nice to know you! If you want to get ripped muscles, diet hard?

First, you need the proper dietary changes to promote muscle gains and body fat reductions. Nutrition is the most important factor for fat burning and getting cut. If your nutrition sucks, and you eat fast food or skip meals, you are in big trouble. There is no workout good enough to overcome bad nutrition. Next, focus on multi-muscle strength exercises and finish with interval training to burn more calories out of the gym.

No more machines. No more high reps. Use more intensity and put turbulence on your muscles. If you did a squat, a press, and a row in each workout, and then did intervals, you'd get ripped if your nutrition was good. Keep it incredibly simple, but intense.

Forget about slow boring cardio. You need to do short burst exercise instead. Consistency is key for getting cut.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Ballantyne/23799

Superb Cardiovascular Fitness - 2 Great Cardio Exercises to Get You Super Fit!

Real cardiovascular exercise for real results has to include a lot more than just walking or jogging. Anaerobic exercise such as resistance training or high intensity interval training are a better option for superb fitness. An even better option for you to achieve a tremendous cardio workout is by implementing the use of kettlebell training into your cardiovascular and fitness workouts. I have included 2 great kettlebell exercises here for you to obtain a tremendous cardio workout.

1. Timed Kettlebell Swings: Timed kettlebell swings are a great cardiovascular workout if you are looking to burn a ton of calories and getting a super ripped body. Kettlebell swings are one of the base strength endurance lifts that you can perform with this ancient device and this particular exercise is highly exerting for both your muscular and cardiovascular system. This single exercise is done by you literally swinging the kettlebell from between your legs up to at least chest level back and forth like a pendulum. By engaging in this lift you access the use of hundreds of your working muscles to pull it off.




To properly perform the lift you must pick up the bell with both arms and allow it to hang at your groin. From here you must initiate the hip snap motion by flexing and extending forcefully and smoothly at both your hips and knees in order to build the momentum to swing the bell. To intensify this drill for maximum cardiovascular benefit you can do your sets with a time limit. For example, if you are going to perform a set only allow yourself about 30 seconds to complete the set. The objective is to execute as many form perfect swings as you can within the 30 second time limit. This is sure to get your heart pumping!

2. Kettlebell Snatches: For this particular kettlebell exercise you will need the availability of a single bell of moderate resistance. This particular lift is explosive and enduring in nature. To perform this lift you must pull the kettlebell from either the ground or from between your legs to lift it above your head in one smooth explosive motion. To do this you must once again perform the hip snap motion to generate the force you need to lift the bell. Once you initially pull the bell you will want to elevate it to a high pull position just lateral to your head.

Once the bell reaches this high pull position then to complete the lift you must vertically punch your palm towards the sky to lock it out overhead. When performed properly you can do many reps continuously and smoothly which will yield you a tremendously high level of cardiovascular fitness. This is anaerobic exercise at its best my friend. If you haven't taken the time to include kettlebells into your cardio exercise routine then you are missing out. Remember that most anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart my friend!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Brandon_Richey/17

Complete Workout Without Weights For Fat Loss

There are many reasons why we gain fat. One of these reasons has to do with our hormone structure. Women tend to gain fat much easier than men. Estrogen has a greater tendency to cause fat gain. Testosterone, on the other hand is a hormone which helps minimize fat gain.

Hence, the key to designing a proper workout without weights for fat loss is to make sure that you're activating as much muscle as possible within a training session. The two hormones that are crucial for both muscle gain and fat loss are Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Testosterone.

These two hormones are released when your activate a large muscle group. This is the reason why training your legs is the best way to put on more muscle throughout your entire body. But what most people don't know is that training a large muscle group is also a great way to burn fat.




Now, most bodyweight exercises are compound in nature. A compound movement is a movement that works more than one muscle group at the same time. For years, I thought that just sticking to basic pushups, pullups, and squats was the best way to put on muscle mass and lose fat.

But, I was only partially correct. Even though these movements are great exercises, they're only scratching the surface when it comes to bodyweight training. What you actually want to start doing is movements that have you twist, turn, and explode.

For example, take a look at the physiques of dancers, gymnasts, and yogis (people who practice yoga). They all train with their bodyweight, but they do not rely on pushups, pullups, and squats. Mimic their movements and you'll be able to burn off a lot of fat!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Parth_Shah/266220