Easy Ab Workout You Can Do at Home

Jennifer Lopez reportedly spent $50,000 on a gym in her New York home. Now, if you’re not a celebrity, you might think, “If I had access to all that expensive gym equipment in my house, I’d be in a great shape too!” However, that’s not true. There are plenty of basements in homes nowadays that are filled with fitness equipment but are only gathering dust. The truth is, it takes very little use of equipment to get fit and achieve sculpted abs. What it really requires is time, know-how, and effort. Even with equipment, without the knowledge on how to to properly use them for muscle gain or body fat loss, discipline, and the guidance of a personal trainer, you might just be wasting your time and effort. 

Abdominal exercises require more than the average physical strength and include more risk. But instead of using expensive equipment, try simple exercises that make use of no machines so you can do them anywhere, even in your own home. Some ab exercises you can do on your living room floor  include flutter kicks, bridges and lying oblique leg raises.

Abdominal Flutter Kicks

This exercise is as simple as kicking your legs in the air, but there are more specific guidelines that dictate how to do it correctly and effectively. The starting position is done lying on your back with your arms on the floor next to you. The legs are in the air at a 45 degree angle from the body. Keep them straight, while the knee joints are not locked. Raise your head from the floor and keep it up. Squeeze your abs so your lower back is flat on the ground. Kick your legs in the air, alternating one going toward the ceiling and one toward the floor. Although your knees are bent slightly to soften the joints, do not bend them farther as you do the flutter kicks. Continue kicking your legs for the desired amount of time or reps.

Lying Oblique Leg Raises

This exercise targets the side abdominal muscles of the waist with a simple combination of a side leg lift and a mini side crunch. All the stomach muscles are engaged even though the obliques get the most attention. Begin lying on your left side with your left arm on the floor in front of you. The body needs to be in a straight line on its side with the hips and shoulders stacked. The right arm is bent with the palm placed behind the head. From this position, lift your right leg straight toward the ceiling. Raise your shoulders up and toward your right hip as you raise your leg. Touch your body back to the floor. Roll over to do everything on the other side.

Bridge

Unlike the flutter kicks and oblique leg raises, the bridge is a static exercise. The muscles of the abs hold your spine straight even though it would be easier to let your lower back sag toward the floor. Place your elbows and forearms on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Step back with your legs and come onto your toes, which are about hip-width distance apart. The head, shoulders, back and hips are parallel to the floor. The abs must be squeezed tight to maintain this bridge position. An easier variation of the bridge exercise may be done with the knees touching the floor if necessary.

Avoiding The Christmas Bulge

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s not the friendliest time of the year for your body. With all the tempting holiday feasts here and there, one cannot avoid putting on some weight back after a year of intense personal training for muscle gain and body fat loss with your personal trainer. To prevent unwanted weight gain over the holiday, here are some preventive measures that you can try:

Time Workouts Properly
If you know that you’re in for a heavy meal, particularly carbo-loading, set up a really hard workout session prior to that meal. Unlike your usual workout, try and work through the higher rep range with your lifts, so you will deplete more of your muscle glycogen stores. Then when you eat a carb-rich, high calorie meal, the carbs will actually work to your benefit. They will replenish your muscle glycogen levels and help you get better results from your workout. If you do this, you can actually work towards building more muscle tissue with your holiday meal.

Eat Protein Beforehand
If you know you'll be eating heavy, have a small protein snack beforehand. Some good options include a can of tuna, some scrambled egg whites and veggies, a small chicken breast, or half a cup of cottage cheese.
Protein is the macronutrient that tends to be most satisfying, blunting hunger signals. It will work to your benefit when trying to keep the amount you eat at the party under control.

Bring Your Own Dish
If you're going to a meal that's hosted by close friends or family, offer to prepare your own dish to bring to the event. Not only will this get you in their good books as you're helping them out, but it will also help put your mind at ease knowing there is at least one healthy thing you can fill your plate up with.

Watch The Drinks
It’s not only the food that can make you gain weight during the holidays, the drinks can really add up quickly. Egg Nog, the most popular traditional Christmas beverage, rakes in at 343 calories per 8 fluid ounces with 19 grams of fat and 34.4 grams of sugar. Many of the fancier cocktails can easily pack 200 or more calories per glass.

Damage Control The Day After
Do damage control immediately after things get out of line. If you overeat one day, immediately take corrective action. Do a bit more cardio the next day and cut back on your carbohydrate or fat intake the next day. Don't cut back on protein intake the next day however, as that is what is going to promote lean tissue maintenance, which virtually forms the base of your metabolic rate and helps keep the fat off the rest of the year. If you eat 500 calories over your maintenance intake one day and eat 500 calories under your maintenance intake, things will balance out over time and no weight gain will be seen.

This Christmas season don't get overly frantic about going slightly off your usual diet plan, just watch how much you eat and plan workout sessions to keep the weight off.

Apple Peels Said To Avoid Muscle Loss

They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but did you know that apples have plenty of benefits specific to personal training for muscle gain? As we get older, our muscles get weaker and smaller. But there’s a natural compound in apple peels that could be the key to prevent muscle loss. Aside from preventing muscular atrophy, it may also reduce body fat and lower cholesterol levels.

According to University of Iowa (UI) endocrinologist and senior author of the new study recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism, Christopher Adams, M.D., Ph. D., “Muscle atrophy causes big problems. It’s also very common, it affects most people at some point in their lives, during illness or aging. But, there’s no medicine for it.” Dr. Adams adds, “ We studied muscle gene activity in people with atrophy and used that information to find chemicals that might block atrophy. One of those chemicals was especially interesting. It’s called ursolic acid and it’s particularly concentrated in apple peels.”

Dr. Adams and his colleagues tested ursolic acid in mice and found that it increase both the size and strength of their muscles. "It did this by helping two hormones that build muscle: insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and insulin. Because ursolic acid increased muscle, it reduced muscle atrophy," he explained. "Surprisingly, it had some other beneficial effects in mice: for example, it reduced body fat, and lowered blood glucose and cholesterol."

8 Muscle Gain Foods For Vegans

 Contrary to popular belief, vegetarians who obviously don’t eat meat, thus not getting a large amount of protein, can still be successful when it comes to personal training for muscle gain. With a muscle-building workout planned for you by your personal trainer, back it up with these 8 muscle gain foods:

1. Avocados
 
Avocados are full of antioxidants and heart healthy fats, including saturated fats that help support the production of testosterone, the hormone you need to produce muscle. 

2. Almonds

Try always bring almonds when you leave the house. They taste great, and are high in fiber, protein, and minerals, making them the perfect snack for satisfying late-morning hunger.

3. Broccoli

Brocolli is nearly 40% protein and high in fiber and low in calories making it a great source of nutrition out of food that’s easy on the waistline. 

4. Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is now readily available in a low-calorie, high nutrient product that tastes great in coffee, on cereal, or by the glass. Coconut milk is higher in calcium and lower in calories than traditional milk and generally fortified with plant-based B-12.

coconut milk

9 Foods to Avoid After 9 PM

Munching on your food cravings before hitting the sack may be hard to resist, especially knowing that your personal trainer won’t find out. The good news is that it’s okay to have a late night snack before bed, just as long as you choose foods that will promote muscle gain and body fat loss. If you’re under a personal training program with a strict diet, that doesn’t mean that you have to torture yourself and starve your way until breakfast. Regardless of whether you’re dietary goal is muscle gain or weight loss, there are certain foods that should always be avoided after 9 p.m. Remember that you’re about to embark on an eight-hour fast otherwise known as sleep. That’s why if you do make a big dietary blunder, your body has no chance to compensate by burning additional calories. Repeating these mistakes habitually will ruin your fitness plan and jeopardize your health.

1. Milk

Though considered to be a relatively healthy source of protein and calcium, the problem with downing a glass of milk before bed is the lactose content that’s found in it will often keep you up due to digestive issues. Lactose is a sugar and you don’t want large amounts hitting your system before going to bed. As a replacement for milk, mix up a lactose-free protein shake. It will still have the creamy taste that you’re craving for while being even higher in protein content than milk, so you can build muscle while sleeping soundly.

2. Pasta

If you're in mass-gaining mode, consuming some carbohydrates before sleeping can help out. But there are much better choices than insulin-spiking pasta before bed. Those calories will be highly prone to settle around your waist. Pasta is one of the more calorie-dense carbohydrate sources around, you can easily consume 400 calories or more in a single pre-bed sitting. Pasta does less damage earlier in the day, before or after working out, when your body actually requires a much higher overall carbohydrate intake. That's when your body is actually primed to use those carbohydrates to fuel your activity and replenish the high energy storage in the muscle cells. If you're craving pasta before bed, eat spaghetti squash instead. It'll give the same taste and texture as pasta with just a fraction of the carbs.

10 Muscle Gain Myths

 
When it comes to muscle gain and body building, there are tons of myths that are too believable to not try. To save you from experimenting on them, here are 10 muscle gain myths that you should know:

Myth 1: You must lift everyday
You don’t have to lift everyday for muscle gain. In many cases, it will cause overtraining, which can lean to an injury.

Myth 2: Creatine is a steroid
Creatine is a naturally occurring substance, produced by their own bodies and found in meat. It is not a steroid.

Myth 3: A few bottles of beer every Friday won’t hurt
Consumption of alcohol lowers testosterone in men and causes severe dehydration. If you're serious with your personal training, it's best to just leave drinking behind. If not possible, then try to keep the drinks to a minimum and drink as much water as possible.

Myth 4: Instinctive training is the best
An instinctual approach to weight lifting will most likely cause less than optimum results. Go for a scientific approach to bodybuilding instead with your personal trainer to promote optimal gains.

Myth 5: A 'pump' is the sign of a good workout
A good pump is not necessarily indicative of an effective workout.

Myth 6: Do a thousand sit-ups a day for washboard abs
If you can't see your abdominal muscles even if you've been working on them, the problem is with your overall body fat percentage.

Myth 7: You can target an area to reduce fat
There is no way to eliminate fat from one particular part of your body. For abdominal muscles, you need to lower your overall body fat percentage. Watch your diet more vigorously and do some more cardio.

Myth 8: Certain exercises target certain parts of a muscle
The main determinant in the shape of a particular muscle is genetics. It isn't possible to develop outstanding peaks on your biceps if your genetics won't allow it.

Myth 9: My body-type isn't meant for body-building, I can't gain muscle
Regardless of your body-type it is still possible to gain muscle.

Myth 10: When you stop exercising, your muscles turn to fat.
Muscle and fat are totally different types of tissue. But lack of exercise does make the muscles shrink, reducing the body's calorie-burning rate. The lack of activity itself further reduces the number of calories you burn. Just cut back on the calories you consume.

Personal Training Workout During Cold Weather

Personal training in winter may seem like the least of your priorities, especially with the extreme cold weather. But before you set aside weight loss workout programs with your personal trainer in this lazy season, you should know that you can actually burn more calories in the winter, giving way to achieving your body fat loss and muscle gain goals. Compared to working out in summer where the heat and humidity can drag you down and tire you faster, the cold weather is invigorating. It stimulates your senses and makes you feel alive. The body has to work harder in colder weather, you endorphin production is boosted, which leads to a happier state of mind. Here are some tips when working out during cold weather:

Warm Up
Before working out, walk around or jog in place indoors for five minutes. When you head out, take 3-second breaks every few minutes for the first 10 minutes to give your body time to adjust.

Map Your Route
When planning a winter route, stable and safe footing should be your priority. For early-morning or evening workouts, scout out plowed and well lit streets and sidewalks to help you spot black ice. Look for a loop in your neighborhood that you can repeat as many times as you want. That way, if you become tired, slip on ice, or get wet, you will still be close to home and can quickly escape the elements.

Take Cover
Avoid open roads and paths near water. Tree-lined trails and city blocks with tall buildings can help protect you from biting winds and snow flurries.

Cool Down
Slow your pace for three to four minutes, then go inside to stretch to avoid getting too chilled during your cooldown. Take off extra layers and keep moving for another five to 10 minutes before showering.

Body Building Like an MMA Champ

Want to get a knockout fighter physique like your favorite MMA stars? Before you jump into a body fat loss and muscle gain program with the goal of building the upper body of an MMA champ, you need to know that those fighters that you look up to undergo an intense personal training. Competing for the MMA requires power, speed, strength, flexibility, endurance, mental toughness and a serious set of compound exercises. MMA fighters work every aspect of their fitness through functional movements and compound lifts. With the guidance of your personal trainer, get intense action workout with these MMA-tested routines:

Target Muscles: Chest, back, shoulders, arms, and abs
Workout Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Frequency: 45 minutes. Up to three times per week with at least a day of rest in between.

Complete each round as “straight sets”, finishing all three sets of each exercise before moving on. Rest as needed in-between each round and record how long it took to complete the workout.

Round One
1. Barbell Push Press 3 x 6
2. Alternating Medicine Ball Push-up 3 x 10 (each side)
3. MB Russian Twist 3 x 15 (each side)
Rest for up to two minutes

Round Two

1. Weighted Chin-ups 3 x 8
2. Dumbbell T-Push-up 3 x 5 (each side)
3. Medicine Ball Slam 3 x 15
Rest for up to two minutes

Round Three

1. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press 3 x 10 (each side)
2. Towel Barbell Curl 3 x 10
3. Medicine Ball Woodchop 3 x 8 (each side)

Best Sources of Protein for Muscle Building

When it comes to personal training, a workout program designed for every individual always must go hand in hand with the proper diet. Without these power combo, muscle gain or weight loss will not be successfully achieved and maintained. Weight loss experts and personal trainers have long been debating over which diet works best with workout programs. However, sticking to certain diets like low carb or low fat may not  be the best because that are important macronutrients in muscle gain are protein. Aside from muscle gain, protein can help boost metabolism, slow digestion, and decrease hunger.

There are three basic things to be accomplished to build muscle. First, strength train to break down old muscle fibers and encourage your body to replace the old one with even more new muscle fibers. Second, eat enough calories to discourage your body from using your muscle fibers for energy. Last but not the least, eat enough protein to provide your body with the building blocks it needs to repair old muscle fibers ad build new muscle fibers.

The best sources of protein include:

Whey – One of the two major proteins found in the milk of humans and other mammals, such as cows. Nature selected it as one of the best proteins to help babies grow. It’s the perfect post-workout protein because whey is digested and used quickly. It has all the amino acids you need.

Benefits of Stretching for Muscle Gain

When it comes to personal training with the goal of muscle gain, stretching is not exactly a high-priority for fitness enthusiasts and lifters. But according to one study, a regular stretching program may actually enhance performance, making people stronger and increasing their endurance.

According to the author of the study, Arnold Nelson, an associate professor of kinesiology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, “Stretching appears to do more than just increase range of motion. The extent that some people improved was surprising, some people had fantastic improvements.

Nelson says stretching won't take the place of aerobic and strength-training programs, but it may supplement them. It’s a smart idea for people who are traveling, don’t have a personal trainer to guide them, and don't have a good place to work out. It may especially benefit people who need exercise the most but are too weak to lift weights or get moving.

How to Properly Warm Down After Working Out

After an intense personal training, a nice hot bath and jumping on the couch may seem like the best post-workout relaxation. Think again, because after that hardcore session of muscle gain exercises, there’s still one important thing to do – warm down. Contrary to popular belief, warming down is just as important as warming up. Without a personal trainer, most people take this important step for granted. Why warm down when you can just immediately get your rest? Here are two good reasons:

 1. Helps flush out lactic acid
An intense muscle gain workout can lead to a buildup of lactic acid in your muscles. Lactate is produced throughout the day as your body breaks down glucose. While doing normal exercises, your muscle cells get enough oxygen to use energy from other sources. While in intense anaerobic workouts, demand for energy is high but oxygen levels are limited, lactate can accumulate to a point where it can no longer be re-absorbed and reused to create energy. Lactate changes to lactic acid that gives you that burning sensation in your muscles. Warming down will increase blood flow and flush the muscles of lactic acid, reducing the potential for soreness and stiffness.

Warming Up Your Muscles

Many fitness enthusiasts, especially men, don’t jump start their workout with warm ups and stretching, instead they prefer to get straight to the business of muscle gain. There’s a reason why every personal trainer doesn’t skip this step in the workout plan. If you think that a mere 10-20 minutes of warming up is a waste of your gym time, better think again because in the long run, warming up your muscles can keep you from getting injuries caused by personal training.

 
A few minutes of light cardio work will make your heart beat faster, pumping oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, which raises your core temperature. When your muscles are warmed up, they get more elastic, allowing you to work them through a greater range of motion for muscular strength with less chances of injury. When your muscles are warmed up, you can then move on to more dynamic workout moves to directly target muscles. Dynamic movements help to boost your weight gain training. They stimulate the nervous system and help activate your fast-twitch fibres. For example, performing the squat jump exercise allows you to lift heavier leg weights for about 30 minutes afterward. For a similar effect for your arms, perform medicine ball throws. Hold a medicine ball at chest height and throw it to a partner a couple of meters in front of you or against a wall. Pass and catch the ball as fast as you can for 3 sets of 20 reps.

Start your workout with warm ups to achieve your muscle gain goals. Here’s how to do it: