You might be dedicated to good health by working out, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the same old exercises over and over again. Why not try to do some interesting variations on a mainstay of the super-fit, the pull-up? You might as well, right?

Before we go into the types of pull-ups, first keep in mind that if you can’t do very many pull-ups, it is a good idea to start with a lat pull-down machine so that you can build up your back muscles. While the different variations will work different muscles, a strong back is the key to being successful at pull-ups.

Now, let’s move on to the different types of pull-ups. First, consider the "palms-up" grip. In this pull-up, your hands are facing you. Keep your body firm and pull yourself up until your chin is just over the bar. Exhale, and then lower yourself with control while inhaling. This is considered the easy pull-up, especially if you keep your hands close together on the bar. This one relies more on your biceps than your back muscles, and you’re more likely to have developed biceps than back muscles unless you have been deliberately trying to strengthen your back through workouts.

Next, there is the "palms-down" grip. You’ll want to have your hands facing away from you, and for a greater challenge you’ll want to spread your hands out farther across the bar. This is the standard pull-up, but that doesn’t mean that you will be able to do even one unless you have been hitting the weight room regularly. Pull-ups are not easy. However, they are one of the most effective ways to build up the muscles in your upper body and back.

Once you’ve mastered the first two types, you might try the commando grip. In this one, have one palm facing one way and your other palm facing the other, so that your body is parallel to the bar instead of perpendicular. Then, pull yourself straight up and have your head move to one side, then do the same maneuver for the other side. These aren’t necessarily more difficult, but they are different and work different muscles, so it’s good to mix them in to your rotation when you feel ready.

The staggered pull-up is starting point to one-arm pull-ups, because it has you putting one hand a shoulder-width apart, while the other is two shoulder-widths or positioned with alternative grip style. This overload on one side can help correct for one arm being stronger than the other. Also, in preparing to do one-armed pull-ups, having extra weight placed on one arm is a good way to get used to doing that.

If you want a strong grip, try towel or sponge pull-ups. For this, take two large sponges or roll two towels over the bar a shoulder-width apart, and then grab a towel with each hand. Instead of pulling up from the bar directly, you will pull up while gripping the towels. You’ll feel it. Your forearms will improve in strength in response due to the increased demand of the difficulty of the grip.

Finally, there is the one-arm pull-up. In order to prepare to do a one-arm pull-up, you should use all the other types of pull-ups to maximize the strength of the different muscle types. Because of the amount of strain you’re putting on one arm, if you develop tendonitis in your elbow, you should listen to your body and rest. Good luck on your new pull-up routines!

http://www.M2FitnessPros.com , aka, Emile Jarreau is 31 year veteran fitness professional and co-owner of MrFatloss.com in Long Beach, California. Also having 19 years of bodybuilding and figure coaching experience, he specializes in fat loss and all its aspects and freely shares online resources to the world.

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Working out and getting fit, let’s face it, can get boring. The last thing I want to do is spend an afternoon running in place on a treadmill, going nowhere. Worse even than that is standing in a gym next to a guy in too tight gym shorts while he admires his beautiful arms in the mirror and curls until his biceps are about to explode. I am not knocking going to the gym, or even running on a treadmill, I am just saying that to stay motivated and keep your exercise program going in the right direction, sometimes you have to mix it up a bit. Urban Cardio training can certainly do that.

Urban Cardio Training is a term used to describe a workout that utilizes the natural surroundings of a city setting to give the participant a fantastic cardiovascular workout. These types of workouts stemmed from some of the training sessions developed by Police Swat teams to help train the police officers for real life urban combat situations. A cityscape can be an incredibly varied environment and this training allowed the officers to experience a wide variety of obstacles to basically get them ready for anything. The same is true for the avid fitness professionally simply looking to take their cardio workout to the next level.

Take a close look at the environment the next time you are driving or walking through a city environment, what do you see? Park benches, huge staircases, swing sets on public playgrounds, outdoor tables, all of these things can be perfect "equipment" for an urban cardio session. A short urban cardio session may look something like this:

• 1 mile run to the city park
• 100 jumping jacks completed in 3 minutes or less
• Quick sprint to local schoolyard
• Complete 25 pull-ups on the monkey bars as quickly as possible
• 25 incline push-ups using bench of picnic table
• Run backwards back to the park
• Complete 50 plyometric jumps using park bench
• Jog to museum and climb museum steps to top and run down

This is just one example of the multitude of exercise routines that can be comprised using the model of the Urban Cardio training model. Your body will respond quickly to such a rigorous workout, but it is not recommended for the beginner. Often, these types of sessions are boot camp or military style and are very intense. They combine regular cardio such as running with muscle building exercises like pushups and pull-ups all designed to "shock" your system into burning fat, building muscle, and increasing your cardio vascular output.

So, is an Urban Cardio workout for you? The variety and intensity of the workouts themselves make this type of training a favorite of regular exercise enthusiasts. The results of those who regularly perform these workouts are similar to what one might achieve in a 6 week boot camp if the regimen is followed consistently. Sometimes, you have to mix it up to keep your exercise interest high. If you have reached a plateau in your workouts and boredom is setting in, you might just want to give an Urban Cardio training session a try.

http://www.m2fitnesspros.com, aka, Emile Jarreau is 31 year veteran fitness professional and co-owner of MrFatLoss.com in Long Beach, California. Also having 19 years of bodybuilding and figure coaching and previous NPC judging experience, he specializes in fat loss and all its aspects and freely shares online resources to the world.

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Getting older is inevitable, just like death and taxes. You can, however, turn back the clock a bit. This article will provide you with information on strength training at home and how it can literally become the "fountain of youth" that makes you feel and look young again. Whether you’re just getting started or looking for next big thing, the following information will be beneficial to you.

Strength training workouts have something for everyone. You don’t need an expensive gym membership or a ton of time to perform highly effective strength training exercises. You can do everything in the comfort of your own home and get the results you’re looking for with just a little bit of effort.

A proper strength training workout can benefit your in 4 ways: increased strength, endurance, weight loss and metabolism. Let’s look at each of these benefits separately and find out what you can do at home to address one.

1. Strength Training for Strength.

An increase in strength basically occurs when you body is routinely exposed to an activity that requires you to utilize an area of muscle for performance. In many cases, your own body weight is enough to provide the resistance necessary to perform the activity that will increase your strength. However, the vast majority of people cannot effectively control their own body weight when performing difference movements. To begin strength training exercises, start with pushups, squats or pull-ups (die hard weightlifters should try these exercises with one arm or one leg to maximize the challenge). Once you’re comfortable with those exercises, start utilizing your home exercise equipment like dumbbells, barbells, ab coaster or your multi-functional home gym.

2. Strength Training for Endurance.

Performing a high repetition strength training workout is a great way to improve muscular endurance. Simple exercises like air squats, wall push-ups or doing curls with a low-weight dumbbell can become extremely challenging when higher reps are incorporated. Just remember — don’t sacrifice quality for quantity!

3. Strength Training for Weight Loss.

Weight loss is one of the most popular reasons people turn to fitness programs. Strength training is a great addition to any fitness program. It will create an environment for your body that makes it want to get rid of unwanted fat. Strength training will quickly add lean muscle needed for strength improvement that will raise your metabolic rate even when you’re not working out! The best exercises to incorporate for increased weight loss in a strength training workout are calisthenics that will raise your heart and respiratory rates and burn calories.

4. Strength Training for Your Metabolism.

Metabolic conditioning is commonly referred to as "cardio" exercise. This can include jumping jacks, mountain climbers, treadmill exercise, riding a stationary bike or using an elliptical. All of these exercises will improve your strength and muscular endurance as well as your cardio-respiratory endurance.

When you begin to plan your home strength training workouts, remember that there are other variables that can affect how fast you’ll see results. Be sure to eat properly, get the right amount of rest, exercise frequently and change up your workout intensity. Keep all of this in mind and there is nothing that can keep you from improving your strength, conditioning and fitness!

Bob Lachniet is the owner of Fitness 4 Home Superstore, a specialty fitness equipment dealer recently named the #1 choice for home fitness equipment in Arizona by BestFitnessDealers.com! Find the best strength training equipment in Arizona – visit our site today.

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