Bored with your current cardio workout? A long 30 minute jog or bike ride can get really repetitive. There are faster and more effective ways to have a good cardio workout. That’s by jumping rope. You may have used a jump rope in elementary school as a kid. Well let me tell you, it’s not just for kids! Here’s a couple of reasons why you should incorporate a jump rope session into your next training day.

Most cardio equipment can range from a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand. You can pick up a jump rope in your local store for around $10 or less. For a piece of cardio equipment that is a pretty killer price. You can pick one up from any sporting goods or fitness store. You may also be able to find one in a department store. You don’t need to get the leather ones that boxers use. A cheap plastic one will work just as good. You can usually find these ones for just a couple of bucks.

You can use your new jumprope almost anywhere. They are great for using at home either indoors or outside. You can also take them to a local park or to the gym. Put it in your day bag and bring it along wherever you go. They are also great for sneaking in a quick cardio workout on your lunch break.

Just make sure that when using it indoors, the ceiling is high enough that the rope doesn’t hit it. The typical 8 or 9 foot ceiling won’t be high enough unless you are really short. For home use you are better off jumping rope outdoors or in your garage.

Until you’ve tried it, you won’t believe how quickly a jump rope will get your heart pumping. Start off with short workouts and build up over the course of a week or two. Just 5 or 10 minutes will do it. You’ll be sweating like a maniac and panting for breath by the end!

Give jumping rope a try. They’re really inexpensive and you’ll get a great cardio workout that is also fun.

Sheila Jonstone enjoys writing about a wide range of topics besides finance. Her latest website is all about laser levels. Find out more about how to find the best laser level for your home projects and learn about the Johnson laser level lineup.

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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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When it comes to weight training there are generally 2 schools of thought when it comes to exercise form. You have the typical personal trainers who say you should use slow and controlled movements. Then you have the power and strength athletes who like to use more explosive movements and looser training form. Which one is right and which one should you use in your training?

Well like a lot of things when it comes to working out there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends on the individual, the training situation, the level of training, and the fitness goals.

Obviously for beginners and people who are new to the gym, they need to learn how to perform the exercises with proper form using light weights. At this stage they need to get used to the whole working out process and learn how it feels to work their muscles with weight training.

But gradually as you get stronger and start lifting heavier weights in your workouts with the progressive overload principle. You’ll find that your technique will have to change as well. The technique needed to bench press 100 lbs. is totally different then the technique needed to bench press 300+ lbs. As you get stronger different muscles come into play, you need to pay a lot more attention to your set up, how you actually contract the muscles to lift, the mental preparation, etc.

If you have the opportunity to watch advanced lifters train you’ll notice that they are NOT going to be using an exaggerated slow and controlled type of exercise form. In fact lifting slow and controlled is not really natural. It doesn’t carry over into real world strength and it is not how our muscles are meant to work.

Now I realize what I’m saying here is going to piss some people off. There are those die hard "fitness experts" out there who insist that slow and controlled is the only way and that if you use any speed or momentum in your lifting that you are cheating and that you are going to hurt yourself. But the fact is our bodies are designed for fast and explosive movements.

Real World Strength

Before we move on let’s just look at some activities from real world examples. Things such as running, jumping, throwing, etc. all require speed, momentum, and explosiveness. To prove my point, just stand up right now and try to jump as high as you can, but do it in a slow and controlled fashion… you won’t even be able to lift off the ground.

And for a few examples from outside of sports, think of trying to pull start a lawn mower or kick start a dirt bike. You have to do both very fast and explosive or else the engine won’t get enough RPM’s to turn over and start. Bottom line is that real world stuff requires strength, speed, explosiveness, and even momentum. So why are so many people dead set against training this way in the gym?

Now I know some folks (usually young ego driven guys who are full of piss and vinegar) like to go overboard and use too much weight with absolutely crappy form. You can see examples of this when barbell curls become reverse grip power cleans. And bench presses become a team effort push / pull exercise as the lifter drops the bar to his chest and his trusty spotter deadlifts it back up.

But there is that grey zone in the middle of the 2 extremes whereby you are training on the edge, pushing it hard, and also keeping relatively good exercise form at the same time. To see some examples of this type of training just go to YouTube and watch some videos of top bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren, and Johnny Jackson.

In these videos you’ll see that the guys are powering up big weights and they are also using a bit of "Body English" to handle such poundages, but the form is still pretty good. Even through they are not lifting "slow and controlled", they are certainly placing maximum workload on the targeted muscle groups. This type of training will stimulate muscle growth in ways that endless slow and controlled reps with the pink dumbbells will never achieve.

Even in the great Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia Of Bodybuilding he refers to this as "Power Reps". Joe Weider calls it the "cheating principle". Basically it’s just using a bit of umph in your movements in order to handle maximum workloads.

Power Reps For More Muscle & Strength

The use of any weight training technique will depend on the level of the trainee. So to keep it simple I’m going to cover all levels from beginners to advanced and outline how you can incorporate "Power Reps" into your own workouts.

Beginners (less then a year of training)

Beginners should focus on simply learning proper exercise form. The easiest way to do this is to use light to moderate weights and really focus on feeling the muscles flexing and contracting with each rep. The best way to do this, especially at the beginner stage is by using slow and controlled form all the time.

Intermediates (more then a year of training)

As you progress with your training you will notice the naturally tendency to use more force and momentum to try and complete your reps as the weights get heavier. This is something you want to pay careful attention to. Used in the right way this can help you work the muscles harder. Used in the wrong way it will take stress off the targeted muscles.

My advice here is to start with a weight that allows you to maintain strict control for at least 6-8 reps Then you can use a bit of "Body English" to power out a few more reps at the end. This will allow you to perform extra reps that you normally wouldn’t have been able to do if you were "too strict" with your form.

Advanced (several years of progressive training)

Advanced lifters already know what works best for their body by the time they make it to this level of training. After all that’s what it means to be advanced. However for the purpose of this article I’ll outline some "Power Rep" guidelines here.

At the advanced stage you’ll have developed your own unique exercise groove from years of lifting. You’ll instinctively know if a little swing here, or a little leg drive there, will provide more muscle stimulation and deliver the maximum workload to the muscles. You’ll also know if you are over doing it and using too much momentum.

Some common things that advanced lifters do to handle maximum poundages include:

Bench Press: A slight bounce off the chest at the bottom to help rebound the weight up and not fully locking out the elbows at the top. This tends to allow for more weight and / or more reps to be lifted and also provide maximum muscle stimulation.

Squats: A slight rebound out of the bottom will help you get the weight back up. Again sometimes advanced lifters will not fully lock out the knees at the top and keep going, almost like a piston type of up and down motion.

Standing Presses: A slight leg drive will help move maximum poundages while actually cushioning the impact from the exercise. This absorbs some of the stress from the spine down through your legs.

Bent Over Rows: Like with the standing press a bit of leg drive will allow for heavier weights and can help move more weight and / or more reps.

Curls: A little swing at the start and even a slight back arch at the half way mark can help get past the sticky point in the middle of the exercise.

Lateral Raises: A little leg drive at the start and a slight swing in the middle will help you get more weight up. Also holding the dumbbells in the front vs. to the sides will help you lift more weight.

Lat Pull Downs: Arching your back will help you move more weight and actually help you fully contract your lats. Trying to keep your back totally flat when doing any pull down or rowing exercise actually prevents you from getting a peak contraction in the back muscles.

These are some common exercises that work well for "Power Reps". However, your own discretion is advised. This isn’t a free for all to go out and use crappy form. It’s just another tool in your tool box that can help you take your strength and muscular development to a higher level.

If you are going to use "Power Reps" in your training save them for the final all out work sets. Do your warm up sets using perfect form. Then as you work up to your top weight for a particular exercise you can give it that extra push to maximize the weights lifted and the stimulation to the muscles.

Lee Hayward is a Muscle Building Coach who is dedicated to helping aspiring bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts build lean muscle, burn off stubborn bodyfat, and get a ripped athletic physique. Be sure to visit Lee’s website at: http://www.LeeHayward.com and sign up for his FREE 10 Part Muscle Building E-Mail Course!

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Everyone from a seasoned athlete to a beginner just getting into exercise can benefit from using resistance bands in their workout. You may have seen the bands at your local gym or saw them being sold at a sports and fitness shop, but you may have not known just how beneficial these bands could be to your workout. Here are the several advantages to using resistance bands during a workout.

Resistance bands are very convenient and inexpensive. Compare trying to pack a set of dumbbells in your luggage to simply one or two resistance bands with handles. Also, compare the price of a set of free weights to a resistance band kit. The band kit cost at least a fourth less of what a set of free weights would cost. If you are going on vacation or a business trip, resistance bands are a great way to continue your everyday exercise. Or, if you have a small living space and you are unable to store a lot of fitness equipment, these bands will only take a few inches of space and can easily be put in a drawer or cabinet.

The key to working out with resistance bands, is to pick one or two of them that fit your strength levels for your exercises. Most bands will come with a designation that shows the approximate weight that you would be using for the resistance band. You can find resistance band kits that are geared toward women, with weights between 10-30 pounds and ones that are more geared towards men and seasoned athletes with weights between 25-50 pounds. This is not the exact weight, as you can make easily change the resistance level of a band by shortening or lengthening the band.

Lastly, a resistance band works to help you burn fat and calories at a faster pace. Adding resistance to your workouts can help your body to get leaner and more toned in a shorter amount of time. With this type of equipment, your muscles are able to get the full range of motion, unlike when you lift free weights. Also, resistance bands can easily be adapted into cardiovascular workouts to add an extra challenge to your workout. Free weights are big and bulky and can be cumbersome when trying to do a cardiovascular workout with them. They also allow you to control the tension on them by shortening or lengthening the band. This means that if you wanted to use a band for a biceps curl and then go straight into a squat, you can use the same band, but just increase or decrease your tension on the band.

Resistance bands are a convenient and easy way to burn fat and get the body that you desire. They offer several advantages over free weights and can be used by just about anybody looking for a great workout.

Tiffany Brunskole is a writer for Surfer Body Fitness, an Online retailer who specializes in workout products and supplies from Beachbody fitness. Check out their resistance band kits for your workouts.

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This six pack chest building workout will ensure that all of your efforts are targeted to your pectoral muscles giving you a beautifully defined chest. Pectoral muscles can be difficult to develop, this is because many exercises allow your shoulders and triceps to steal the effort you put into developing your chest muscles.

This routine should only be carried out once or twice a week. Leave at least 3 days rest between workouts to allow your pectoral muscles time to fully recover. These muscles can take a long time to heal if you damage them so don’t overdo it.

Dumb-bells on a flat bench

Lie back on the bench holding a weight in each hand with your arms extended out above you. Keep your entire body pressed hard against the bench. Bend your elbows slowly bringing the dumb-bells to either side of your chest, pause for a count of three and slowly extend your arms again. Do not allow your elbows to lock and take the weight of the dumb-bells at the top of the move, use your strength to hold the weight for maximum use of your chest muscles.

To work on both your chest and stomach area, whilst the bench is still flat and your arms are extended out above you, bend your arms into an arc and lower them slowly over and beyond your head until your upper arms are parallel with your torso. Pause for a count of three and return them to your initial position.

Dumb-bells on an inclined bench

Raise the bench to around forty degrees. Lie back on the bench holding a weight in each hand and your arms extended out above you. Slowly lower the weights out to both sides whilst keeping your entire body pressed hard against the bench. Pause for a count of three and slowly raise your arms to the initial position again. Again, do not allow your restricted shoulder movement to take the weight of the dumb-bells during the move.

To increase your muscle definition in both your chest and stomach area, whilst the bench is still raised at a forty degree angle and your arms extended out above you. This time, arc your arms and slowly lower the weights down to the side of your hip area and pause for a count of three before slowly raising your arms to the initial position again.

Perform 8 repetitions on the first exercise, rest for 2 minutes, then move on to 8 repetitions of the next exercise for a maximum of four weeks. After this time your chest muscles will adapt to this routine so you should move onto something else for a month before returning to this exercise.

For more muscle building techniques and reviews on workout guides visit: http://www.MyWebFitness.com

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We have all seen them. The huge guys at the gym, lifting huge stacks of plates and grunting and sweating like their head is about to explode. Their arms are busting out of their shirts and their legs look like they belong to a horse… a muscular horse. Who wants to look like that?

This is one of the main reasons that some people, although they want to lost weight and look great, refuse to lift weights. They are scared that picking up the heavy iron will turn them into hulking behemoths that can’t put their arms down by their side. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Lifting weights will not turn you into a bodybuilder overnight. Getting the kind of muscle you see on those big boys in the gym takes years (10-15) of work, incredibly long workouts, and sometimes, a little "help" from a not so natural source… if you get my drift. For most of us, adding weight training into our exercise regimen will do exactly what we want it to. Weight training will help you to lose weight, get in shape, and look better at the beach. You see, for every ounce of muscle you build, your body will speed up its own internal fat burning process. The more muscle you build, the more fat you were burn. Now, muscle DOES weigh more than fat, but don’t let that scare you. I mean, what do you really care about, how much you weight, or what you look like with your shirt off? That is the real test if improving your physique is high on your priority list. Most of us just want to watch the scales and see the pounds come pouring off, but when you are regularly training with weights, this oftentimes does not happen. As you are burning fat, you are building muscle, so your weight may stay the same, but your body may look drastically different. Your clothes will fit better, the people at the office will start to look at your differently and when beach time comes, you will be the first to rip off your shirt!

So, how do you get started with a good weight training program? The last thing you want to do is hit the gym and start blasting out arm curls with absolutely no idea of what you are doing. Weight training is serious business and can be very dangerous. One wrong move and you could wind up lying in bed for 6 months watching your body slip into worse shape than before you started. A solid rule of thumb when beginning to work with weights is to partner up with someone who knows what they are doing. This could be a friend who has lots of experience or better yet, a personal trainer. A qualified personal trainer can walk you through a step by step process of building an effective weight training program that will help you to reach your goals while avoiding injury along the way.

So the next time you think about lifting weights, you may not conjure a vision of a well oiled massive figure posing in tiny trunks; you may see yourself, ripped, in shape, and looking fantastic thanks to your weight training program.

http://www.MrFatLoss.com , aka, Emile Jarreau is 31 year veteran fitness professional and co-owner of M2FitnessPros.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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