Friday, October 30, 2009

The Best Exercise for Developing the Outer Part Of The Bicep

The exercise for developing the outer part of the biceps is the Body Drag. Here is how you do it.

Grab a straight bar with a false grip. A false grip is putting the thumb on the same side as the fingers. Position your hands just a little wider than shoulder width. Stand with heels together and toes apart 45, knees slightly bent. Rest the bar on the thighs, look up to the ceiling. This allows for full extension of the biceps. Now begin to pull the bar up along the body, keeping in contact with the body the entire time you bring the bar up to the sternoclavicular notch. Look down as you bring the bar up to the sternoclavicular notch. Hold the bar there tightly for 2-6 seconds squeezing the biceps tightly. Now release and slowly- I mean very slowly- come back down the same way as you went up, dragging the barbell down the body. You don't want to rush the negative this is very important. Your brain will tell you to go fast because you will be in pain. Override the brain and take the pain. While you are going down I want you to press your arms close to your body and feel the total isolation tension on the biceps. . Focus on the tension on the outside of the arms. With practice you can master this movement. Once you understand it and follow it to the letter then you will notice how different your arms will look compared to doing the standard barbell curl. The standard barbell curl is useless, it activates more of the anterior deltoid than bicep. When the anterior bicep gets over developed it makes the biceps look small. The Body Drag is the best for developing the outside head of the bicep. Give it a try I guarantee you will get a tremendous pump.

Daryl


Tags: bicep curl, body building, vince gironda, nutrition, health, fitness, fat loss, weight loss, protein, steroids, ripped

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

There is No Greater Feeling

There is no greater feeling than you get from exercise. I absolutely love the rush I get from training. Anyone who has experienced this "high" knows what I am talking about. When I train I transcend into a higher level of consciousness that you can only get through intense training. The endorphin and enkephalin rush is phenomenal. I remember when I started training in my childhood home at the age of 12. I worked out hard then layed on the floor after I finished. I felt like I was floating in space. I can't describe the sensation, all I know was that it was a great feeling. When I train hard I can transcend into this state of consciousness. For me it has never been about getting huge or having an over inflated ego. It is all about developing new ways to enlighten consciousness. It is easy to exercise in an unconscious state. This type of training is boring for me and serves no purpose. I have to have a purpose in order to stay motivated. I don't fall into the gerbil on the wheel mentality. Knowing how the muscles work and totally focusing on every fiber brings new blood to the area and builds more muscle. To think that a person can totally transform themselves by lifting weights is remarkable. It is as we are changing our destiny in a way. I was not supposed to look the way I do according to my original DNA blueprint. An average build with no definition and possible fat around my waste was probably in the original plan. However, by exercising and building muscle I have altered my DNA into a different pattern. This type of DNA restructuring can help obese families become less obese. If you have two obese parents and they exercised regularly before you born. The chances of you becoming obese is still high, however, you wouldn't be as big as your parents because the genes would get past down. If they were exercising regularly they could have altered their own DNA to reduce fat. Now if you exercise regularly and you have children your kids would be less fat and the DNA structure would be changed once again. If this continued from generation to generation then the obesity gene could be removed from the DNA blueprint. So even if you think you are not doing anything or seeing results and are a future parent. I say keep up the exercise because what you do today will effect the generations to come.

Sorry for getting off on a tangent but I figured I would share a cool process of our DNA make up. Now getting back to how exercise makes you feel great. I must say that bodybuilding has changed my life. I couldn't imagine living without working out. I think of all the years I have trained and can honestly say that there is no greater feeling physically than to get the "rush" from an intense workout. I hope that you all get to experience this so that you can create a higher level of consciousness within your own self. Striving for higher consciousness is what it is all about. I feel that Americans have become complacent in their development. The intellectual level of society is still operating in a primal operating system. There really hasn't been too many significant strides made in human consciousness over the past hundred or so years. In fact, I believe that society as a whole has digressed into a lower intelligent life form. For me exercise is one of the tools to unlocking higher meaning and purpose in life. I feel most alive when blood is pumping in the body and oxygen saturation is high. This increase in oxygen levels feeds the brain which producing greater neuronal output. The more neurons you activate the more you "see". There is nothing like it...

Tags: bodybuilding, muscle, fitness, health, strength training, vince gironda, fitness nut house, DNA, consciousness.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Not Seeing Results Anymore

If you have been training for a while and are not seeing results anymore then you might want to do a colon cleanse. I believe that the colon develops a build up of proteins, and other wastes that form a mucous barrier along the lining of the intestines. This mucous barrier reduces nutrient exchange into the bloodstream. When nutrients are not able to get into the blood the body goes into a starvation sequence. During a starvation sequence the body holds onto fat and it usually collects around the mid-section. By eliminating toxic build up in the intestines it will re-establish healthy bacteria. Healthy bacteria is essential for breaking down food. I believe in nourishing all the essential organs of the body. Though there are many medical doctors that will disagree with cleansing the colon. They believe that this is not important and should be avoided. However, every time I cleanse my colon I can't believe the effect I get from it. I don't lose any muscle tissue and my abs become extremely defined. I have physically seen my waist go from a 31 to 29 inches within five days without any of my other measurements being effected. I don't care what the medical doctors say. I believe in my body and what I do to it. No one has to take my advice. I just give suggestions to what I feel works. All I know is this works for me and I know that it can work for you. A toxic colon is not something I have made up, it is real and can cause many health problems. Cleansing your colon can help improve digestion and help you break out of the rut.


tags: health, fitness, muscle, endurance, colon, cleanse, nutrition, vegetarian, body building,

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Poor Ways to Lose Body Fat

Here are some poor ways for losing body fat. Things that don't work.

•Running on a treadmill for more than 15-20 minutes is a huge waste of time. I teach people how to train effectively. If I felt that treadmills were important I would have 20 of them in my gym. Hence the reason why I only have a couple of them in my gym. I never use treadmills to get lean. I stay ripped 4% body fat year round from my training methods and diet. So many folks are simply wasting time messing around with stupid ways of training.

•Swimming in a pool (I never see Sprinter type bodies from swimming in pools) you will never produce fat loss results.

•Not Weight Training Correctly.

•Not Knowing How to Eat. NUTRITION is 85% of the equation. I see people all the time exercise like mad but don't see the results they desire because their diet is poor.

•Not activating the thermogenic effect.

•Poor hormone levels (genetic, age, stress)

•Lack discipline

•Having no clue of how the body works. Its not about fancy machines and bells and whistles it all comes down to knowledge.

•Not using supplements.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Danger Zone: Beyond The Obvious

Regardless of whether you are enrolled in a weight-management program or a muscle building program, there are plenty of "danger zones" that will inhibit your success. Beyond the obvious such as drugs, alcohol and tobacco, there are several danger zones that are not as obvious.

Food Processing

Modern technology has given us food processing. Let's take a look at how different types of food processing can affect us.

Exposure to Heat

Heat can create and adverse effect on foods. The following are just a few examples of how certain processes can affect the foods we eat.

• Fried Foods- The longer a food is fried and the higher the temperature -- the more vitamin and mineral potency loss will occur. Frying temperatures usually reach 375°F. Corn or safflower oils are best because of their higher smoke points of 450°F to 500°F.

• Canned Foods- Vitamin and mineral potency losses occur from blanching. Then, the foods lose even more nutrients through the sterilization process, which involves temperatures of 240°F or higher for 25-40 minutes.

•Frozen Foods- Many frozen foods are cooked before freezing. Higher quality foods are generally sold as fresh. Lower quality foods are generally used in frozen foods.

•Dehydrated Foods- The damage to food through dehydration is dependent on the quality of the product processed. Certain methods of commercial dehydration use temperatures of 300°F.

• Dairy Products- Many vitamins lose their potency or are destroyed by the pasteurization process. The homogenization process breaks down the normal-sized fat particles, thus allowing the formation of an enzyme called xanthine oxidase. The enzyme then enters the bloodstream and may destroy vital body chemicals that would ordinarily provide protection for the coronary arteries.

• Exceptions- Various nutrients have different degrees of stability under the conditions of processing and preparation. Vitamin A is easily destroyed by heat and light. Vitamin C also is affected by heat. However, it also is affected by contact with certain metals such as bronze, brass, copper, cold rolled steel, or black iron processing equipment.

Studies conducted on the canning of foods found that peas and beans lose 75% of certain B vitamins, and tomatoes lose 80% of their naturally occurring zinc content.

Exposure to Cold

Foods exposed to low temperatures also can be adversely affected. For example:

• Frozen Foods- Freezing may have only minimal effect on the vitamin and mineral potency depending on the method used. Also, the food is less effective if it's frozen shortly after being harvested. Remember, in most instances, the higher quality foods are sold fresh.

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables- Sometimes, foods are harvested before they are ripe. They are allowed to ripen on the way to market. This may cause a reduction of some trace minerals.

Note Some foods may retain more nutrients because they are frozen shortly after being harvested. A Stanford University study showed that frozen spinach had 212% more Vitamin C than fresh. Frozen brussel sprouts had 27% more Vitamin C than fresh.

Note During processing, more Vitamin E is lose than any other vitamin. Wheat flour (not the 100% whole wheat flours) loses up to 90% of its Vitamin E value. Rice cereal products may lose up to 70% of their Vitamin E.

• Food Storage

How foods are stored plays a big part in determining how much nutritional value foods when they get to your plate.

• Preservatives- Preservatives help maintain freshness and prevent spoilage caused by fungi, yeast, molds and bacteria. Preservatives are used to extend shelf life or protect the natural color or flavors of foods.

• Acids/Bases (alkalis)- These agents provide a tart flavor for many fruit products. They also are used for pickling and making beverages "fizz" using phosphoric acid.

• Antioxidants- Antioxidants reduce the possibility of rancidity in fats and oils. The most common natural antioxidants are Vitamins C,E,A and Selenium. Artificial antioxidants are BHA and BHT.

• Taste Enhancers- These agents bring out the flavor of certain foods. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a good example.

• Improving Agents- Examples of improving agents include: Humectants- which control the humidity of a food. (2) Anti-Caking Agents- keep salt and powders free flowing. (3) Firming and Crisping Agents- used for processed fruits and vegetables. (4) Foaming Agents- for whipped toppings. (5) Anti-Foaming Agents- keeps pineapple juice from bubbling over a filled container.

• Emulsifiers- These help evenly mix small particles of one liquid with another, such as water and oil. Lecithin is a good example.

Note Keep in mind that you are rarely aware of the quantity of additives you consume.

Food Additives

• Flavorings- There are approximately 1,100 to 1,400 natural and synthetic flavorings available. Scientists are most concerned regarding the toxicity of many of the flavorings. Flavorings make food taste better, restore flavor lost in their processing and can improve natural flavors.

• Stabilizers/Gelling Agents/Thickeners- These are used to keep products in a "set-state" such as jellies, jams and baby foods. They are also used to keep ice cream creamy. They generally improve consistency and will affect the appearance and texture of foods. The more common ones are modified food starch and vegetable gums.

• Colorings- Ninety percent are artificial and have no nutritional value. Some foods have a tendency to lose their natural color when processed and must be dyed back to make them more appealing to the consumer. An example of this is banana ice cream which is dyed yellow. Cherries are almost always dyed.

• Sweeteners- The United States' consumption of artificial sweeteners is estimated at approximately six pounds per person per year. These are designed to make the foods more palatable.

• Aroma Enhancers- An example is a yellowish-green liquid-diacetyl which is used in some cottage cheeses to produce an artificial butter aroma.

Food Preparation

• Washing/Soaking- Many vitamins are water soluble and will be lost through washing, scrubbing or long periods of soaking. Soaking carrots causes the loss of natural sugar, all the B vitamins, Vitamin C and D, and all minerals except calcium.

• Dicing/Slicing/Peeling/Shredding- The smaller you cut fruits and vegetables the more surface is exposed to temperature changes, the air oxidation, and light. Prepare as close to serving time as possible. Shredding for salads causes a 20% loss of Vitamin C and an additional 20% loss if the salad stands for an hour before eating it.

Note: The skin of fruits and vegetables contains at least 10% of the nutritional content of that food.

• Charcoal- Benzines may be produced by the fat dripping on the charcoal. These chemical substances are classified as carcinogens (cancer forming agents).

• Crock-Pot- Vegetables left in all day or for a long period of time lose a high percentage of their vitamins and minerals, as well as absorbing the fat from the meats. Steam vegetables first and then add them to pot before serving.

• Boiling- Stewing and boiling fruits and vegetables result in heavy nutrient losses.

• Steaming- This is by far the best method for preparing fruits and vegetables. They are subjected to high temperature for only a short period of time.

• Microwave- Terrible method. Microwaves change the molecular structure of the nutrients mutating the hydrogen bonds. The change in hydrogens make the food hard to breakdown in the body. It is advised that if you ever use a microwave that you go into another room while it is on. The reason for this is because of the microwaves that are emitted. I don't like microwaves and feel that they can cause cancers so I avoid them. I use the old fashioned way of cooking-- the oven...

• Frying- High heat causes nutrient losses in all types of foods. Meats will lose Vitamin B1 and Pantothenic acid.

Note: Refrigerate all foods as soon as possible, this will help you retain the potencies of the vitamins and minerals. Whole boiled carrots will retain 90% of their Vitamin C and most of its minerals, but if you slice before cooking you will lose almost all the Vitamin C and niacin content.

tags: nutrition, bodybuilding, strength training, flexibility, supplements, health, fitness, health, fitness nut, lifestyle, obesity.

Daryl Conant

Saturday, October 3, 2009

How To Train

Here is a simple breakdown of how to train to maximize your results.

• Avoid doing too much (boring) cardiovascular exercise. Staying on a treadmill for more than 20 minutes I consider a waste of time. Long duration on a treadmill or any other piece of cardio is worthless and promotes boredom. Who wants to sit on their butt riding a bike for 60-90 minutes? Not me! Cardio is overrated and some people don't understand the premise of how much they actually need. Cardio equipment can be very beneficial for developing the cardio-respiratory system if utilize properly in conjunction with other forms of exercise. Don't waste time with doing insufficient long duration cardio training.

• Don't become dependent on using machines only. Weight machines are nice for developing a foundation of muscle, and are nice to incorporate a couple into your more advanced routine. But I would never follow a "nautilus type" program and expect to get great results. I believe the best way to force new neural pathways to recruitment more motor unit conductivity is through the use of free weights. A couple of machines incorporated into a workout is fine. However, too many makes the central nervous system to become complacent.


• Train with weights for no more than 40 minutes. Anything more than this is a waste of time.

• Avoid doing leg raises to work abdominals. Again, another wasted exercise that works only hip flexors.

• Don't lift more weight than you can handle.

• Rest only for about 6 to 7 deep breaths between sets.

• Change your routine all the time. Doing the same ole routine over and over for months on end will produce nothing. I have seen this time and time again. People doing the same thing every single time they workout and low and behold never seeing a change in their body. Not knowing how to change the program or exercises will result in adaptation and poor results.

• Get professional help. Exercise science is vast and there is so much more to getting fit then just walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes.

• NUTRITION, NUTRITION, NUTRITION I CAN"T STRESS IT ENOUGH. IT IS ALL ABOUT NUTRITION...

• Supplementation: To get the best result supplements must be taken.

• Avoid overtraining at all costs. Over training will set you back.

• Know how the body works to get the most of your efforts.

Please goto www.darylconant.com

Please goto www.thefitnessnut.com





tags: weight training, body building, muscle building. stress, nutrition, endurance, cardiovascular endurance