Benefits of Walking Daily

by Jari Love

If you want to add seven years to your lifespan, set aside 20 to 25 minutes for a daily walk. This simple habit, which can also arguably be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day, has been found to trigger an anti-aging process and even help repair old DNA.

The research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, followed 69 people between the ages of 30 and 60. Those who engaged in daily moderate exercise, such as a brisk walk or jog, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and strength training experienced anti-aging benefits that could add an additional three to seven years to your life.1

The researchers recommended a 20-minute daily walk to reap these benefits, but while I agree a daily walk is a phenomenal health tool, I don’t view it as a form of exercise.

It’s an essential movement that we all require – and you likely need more than 20 minutes of it a day in addition to a regular exercise program. As noted by Katy Bowman, a scientist and author of the book, Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement.

As mentioned, walking may help to slow down the aging process, and it works no matter what age you get started. Study author Sanjay Sharma, professor of inherited cardiac diseases in sports cardiology at St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, told The Independent.

“We may never avoid becoming completely old, but we may delay the time we become old. We may look younger when we’re 70 and may live into our nineties. Exercise buys you three to seven additional years of life. It is an antidepressant, it improves cognitive function, and there is now evidence that it may retard the onset of dementia.”

Part of what makes walking so beneficial is that when you’re walking you can’t be sitting. Sitting for more than eight hours a day is associated with a 90 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes, along with increased risks of heart disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.

The average American actually spends nine to 10 hours of their day sitting, and certain occupations, such as telecommunications employees, spend an average of 12 hours sitting each day.

For many years, exercise was promoted as the solution to this largely sedentary lifestyle, but research suggests it can’t counteract the effects of too much sitting. The more you move around and get up out of your chair, the better, and walking is part of this.

Research even shows getting up and walking around for two minutes out of every hour can increase your lifespan by 33 percent, compared to those who do not. According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), the average person only walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps per day, but aiming for 10,000 steps is a better goal.

One study found that walking for two miles a day or more can cut your chances of hospitalization from a severe episode of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by about half.

Another study found that daily walking reduced the risk of stroke in men over the age of 60. Walking for at least an hour or two could cut a man’s stroke risk by as much as one-third, and it didn’t matter how brisk the pace was.

Taking a three-hour long walk each day slashed the risk by two-thirds. Walking has additional benefits as well, including to your mood. Walking triggers your body to release natural pain-killing endorphins, and the more steps people take during a day, the better their mood tends to be.

Walking is even known to improve sleep, support your joint health, improve circulation, and reduce the incidence of disability in those over 65. Research has also shown that walking 30 minutes a day may:

– Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease

– Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels

– Improve blood lipid profile

– Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity

– Enhance mental well being

– Reduce your risk of osteoporosis

– Reduce your risk of breast and colon cancer

– Reduce your risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Fitter, Stronger, and Faster with Age

Plus, tips for turning back the clock on your body

Your body—and fitness—changes a lot sooner than you thought. Read on to learn when you burn the most calories, if your muscle is already waning, and how you can become fitter, stronger, and faster with every decade.

In Your 20s…
Your Body’s Built for Exercise

The 20s are prime time for fitness, says Janet Hamilton, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and exercise physiologist at Running Strong in Atlanta. (Okay, maybe you’ve gained a few pounds since you ran high school track, but some of that weight is probably from muscle.) That’s because, during your 20s, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, human growth hormone, and thyroid hormone are all working together to keep you in tip-top baby-making shape. As an added bonus, they improve your body’s muscle-building power, she says. Meanwhile, during your 20s, you are at your peak cardiorespiratory capability, says board-certified internist Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight-loss and bioidenticial hormone-replacement therapy expert in New York City. Bring on the endurance races.

But Your Metabolism Is Already Slowing

Womp, womp. After 20, the average basal metabolic rate (BMR), the number of calories you’d burn if you stayed in bed all day, drops by one to two percent per decade, according to the American Council on Exercise. Most of that dip may be due to the unfortunate fact that when most women enter the “real world,” they sit at a desk more and walk around less, says ACE-certified personal trainer Kathy Kaehler, a health and wellness expert for USANA Health Sciences. At any age, increasing your activity levels and muscle mass can help keep your BMR high. Muscle makes up a large part of your body’s “engine,” so the more muscle you have, the more fuel you’ll burn, whether you are hanging out with friends or powering through a workout, says Hamilton.

Levels of this guy, which is a precursor to both estrogen and testosterone, peak in your 20s and start tapering off once you hit the big 3-0. While it’s not clear if DHEA supplementation can have any effect on anti-aging, according to the National Institute on Aging, the loss of DHEA as you age may slow your exercise recovery time and increase your body’s muscle-to-fat ratio, says Decottis. To help combat fat gain, focus on strength training. In a new study from Harvard University, men who lifted weights each day for 20 minutes put on less belly fat as they aged compared to guys who spent the same amount of time doing cardio.

Babies Block Your Workout

With your doctor’s permission, you can keep up your workout routine with a bun in the oven. But pregnancy is not the time to start a high-intensity training program. Your body is going through enough changes as it is. During pregnancy, your hormones shift, and your body focuses the bulk of its energy on the pregnancy, not your muscles, says Kaehler. After the baby comes, breastfeeding can burn crazy calories, which helps some women lose the pregnancy weight. But still, it’s not the right time to push your workout to the max, says Hamilton. “Trying to train at a high level immediately after giving birth is risky because hormones are not balanced back to ‘normal’ as long as you’re breastfeeding,” she says. “I’ve seen an increased incidence of stress fractures in women who push to train at a high level during the postpartum period. I recommend training be moderated until after breastfeeding has ceased and normal menstruation has returned, which to me signals that the woman’s hormonal balance is back.” Once your baby has permanently detached from your nipples, though, you can crank up your workout’s intensity.

A fancy word for muscle loss, sarcopenia is a natural part of the aging process—but it still sucks. While it doesn’t hit full force until around 75, The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging suggests that it can start as early as 40. Researchers believe most muscle loss comes from your fast-twitch muscle fibers, the ones that are responsible for powering high-intensity, largely anaerobic exercise. “In order to minimize the effects of sarcopenia, it is helpful to do strength training, which recruits different muscle fibers [your fast-twitch ones], compared to endurance training activities like biking, swimming, and running,” as those train your slow-twitch, endurance-focused ones, says Hamilton. Increasing your protein intake may also help. Eating twice the current RDA of protein (1.5 grams instead of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight) increases the rates of muscle growth and lessens muscle breakdown due to aging, according to research from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

You Enter Perimenopause

Menopause isn’t an on-off phenomenon. It happens gradually, typically in the 40s (or sometimes even earlier) with perimenopause. Common symptoms, like irregular periods, are due to fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, which can also cause weight gain and a lower metabolism, says Decottis. What’s more, during perimenopause, insomnia and night sweats can make finding the energy to work out more challenging, says Hamilton. Still, continuing to exercise will not only help you feel younger—after all, exercise can ease your hot flashes and sleep troubles—it may help you look and perform even better than you did at 20. “Some women don’t even start training until later in life,” says Hamilton. “Whatever your age, you can improve your fitness.”

h/t womenshealthmag.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

A Simple Workout You Can Do While Cooking

by Jari Love

Cooking is a necessary evil if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on takeout each year, but it can also be a time-sucking life killer.
Rather than resign yourself to 30 minutes of mindless stirring and chopping each night, ramp up the intensity on your chef sesh and turn your calorie making into calorie baking workout.
Perform stationary exercises during prep work
It’s harder to incorporate exercise into your cooking routine during active prep work, such as chopping and stirring. This is when stationary movements are effective. Do 15 repetitions of each of the following exercises in a circuit format while completing your food prep.

1. Wide leg squats: Stand facing the counter or stove and step your feet out wide laterally, angling your toes outward. Keeping your core straight and tall, bend your knees and begin lowering your hips toward the floor. When your knees form a roughly 90-degree angle, engage your glutes and thighs and push through your heels to press yourself back to standing.

2. Single leg lunge: Stand facing the counter or stove and step your left leg behind you, planting the ball of your left foot on the floor. With most of your weight in the heel of your right foot, bend both knees and begin lowering your hips toward the floor. Make sure to keep your torso straight and tall. When both knees are close to forming a 90-degree angle, reverse the movement and press yourself back to standing. Perform 15 reps on one leg before switching sides.

3. Lateral leg lift: Stand facing the counter or stove, your feet slightly narrower than hip-distance apart. Shift your weight to your left foot and use your glutes and hips to lift your right leg as high as you can out laterally to the side. Carefully lower it back to start, without using momentum to perform the movement. Perform 15 reps on one leg before switching sides.

4. Calf raise: Stand facing the counter or stove, your feet hip-distance apart. Engage your core and press through the balls of your feet to lift your heels from the ground, pressing yourself up as high as you can on your toes. Return to start.Engage in active exercises while cooking. When your food is cooking and you don’t have to actively stir or monitor its progress, it’s much easier to ramp up the intensity and incorporate bursts of cardio and upper body strength work. Again, perform 15 repetitions of each of the following exercises in a circuit format, continuing the circuit until your food is finished cooking.

5. Jumping jacks: Start standing with your arms at your sides. In a single movement, hop both legs out laterally as you swing your arms up over your head. Hop your feet back to center as you bring your arms back to your sides.

6. Counter push-ups: Place your hands on the edge of the counter, extending your arms. Step your feet out behind you so your body forms a straight line from heel to head. Tighten your core and bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the counter. When your chest almost touches, reverse the movement and press yourself back to start.

7. March and twist: Stand tall with your hands behind your head, your elbows extending out laterally from your body. Bend your right knee and draw it high in front of your body as you simultaneously twist your torso to the right, so your left elbow reaches toward your right knee. Reverse the movement, placing your right foot back down as you twist your torso back to center. Repeat on the opposite side. This counts as one repetition.

8. Good mornings: Work your glutes and hamstrings with this movement. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, your knees slightly bent and your hands behind your head, your elbows extending out laterally. Press your hips back as you hinge forward from the hips, lowering your chest toward the floor while keeping your core tight and your torso straight. When you’ve tilted forward as far as you can with good form (you’ll probably feel a stretch through your hamstrings), use your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself back up to start.

9. Rainbow obliques: Stand tall, your feet hip-distance apart, your hands behind your head, your elbows pointing out laterally. Maintaining this position, tighten up your core and engage your obliques to tilt from the waist as far as you can to the right. Reverse the movement and use your obliques and back extensors to pull yourself back to center before you immediately tilt from the waist as far as you can to the left — as if creating a rainbow arc with your arms as you lean from side to side. One complete “rainbow” is a repetition.

10. Counter dips: Stand directly in front of a counter with your back to it. Grasp the edge of the counter, your arms fully extended, and step your feet out in front of you. Place most of your weight in your palms and engage your core. Bend your elbows and lower your hips toward the floor until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Tighten your triceps and push yourself back to the starting position.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Core Exercises that Strengthen Your Posture

by Jari Love

“Correcting your posture not only makes you look better, but it powers up your metabolism which helps melt off your muffin top,” says Lisa Lynn, fitness/metabolic nutrition expert and the author of The Metabolism Solution. “It takes more effort to maintain good posture, which is why proper posture burns more calories than slouching. Proper posture also improves respiration, which improves blood flow and revs up your metabolism.”

Unfortunately the desk jobs most people have makes developing a slouching habit — and eventually back pain — near inevitable. The solution: strengthen your core. With that in mind, we asked Lynn to single out four core workout moves, which help improve posture by working the muscles that help pull our shoulders back to offset the gravitational pull that we encounter sitting at our desk and slouching.

Try these four moves — which all together take less than five minutes — for five consecutive days, and you should already start to feel an improvement.

1. Side core raise: Lying on your side on your elbows, lift your body off the floor using your core. You can use an arm or leg to help at first if this is too much of a challenge. Conversely, if this is too easy, lift your upper leg into the air. Hold this posture for 30 seconds before switching to the other side.

2. The plank: Start on all fours. Come up onto your elbows and toes using your abs to lift your body. Tighten your core and make sure your back is flat. Aim to hold this posture for at least one minute. To make this move more challenging you can opt to lift one leg in the air for 10 seconds and then alternate with the other one for 10 seconds.

3. Lying rear fly: Lying face down with your palms facing your torso raise your upper body up and your arms back and to the sides as if you were doing a reverse fly. Make sure your elbows are at shoulder height and your arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Repeat this move for at least 30 seconds. To make this exercise more challenging, you can opt to have a dumbbell in each hand.

4. Tricep dips: Place your hands at the edge of your seat and lower your body till it nearly touches the floor, using your arms to raise yourself back up. Be sure to keep your body close to the seat/chair and squeeze your arms at the top of the move. To make this move more challenging you can reach your hand to touch your opposite toe each time you lower down. Aim to do this exercise for at least 30 seconds.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Quick Ways to Burn More Calories

by Jari Love

Are you all about saving time, getting more bang for your buck, and blasting calories? Go for sweat-dripping, fast-paced cardio sessions. If you’ve only got 20 minutes, then opt for one of these intense strategies instead of your normal workout.

Instead of: zoning out on the treadmill
Go for: intervals
Not only do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time, but also, mixing up your pace helps you become a better, faster runner. If it’s calorie burn you’re after, then take note: going at your max for even just a little bit can help you burn a substantial amount of calories in the same amount of time, no matter what your running level. Alternating a steady 10-minute mile (6 mph) pace on the treadmill with five 60-second intervals at 7.5 minutes per mile (8 mph), for example, will burn 16 more calories in 20 minutes for a 130-pound person than just running at a steady 10-minute-mile pace — 196 vs. 180 calories. Mix up your pace and timing as much as you want; just make sure you are pushing it for those intervals.

Instead of: your regular circuit workout
Go for: Tabata
Tabata is a form of HIIT you can do with almost any circuit workout. It consists of four-minute blocks of intense exercises (eight rounds at 20-second intervals followed by 10 seconds of rest), and while it can make you feel ready to quit, the payoff is worth it. At 13.5 calories burned per minute, you’ll blast through 270 calories in just 20 minutes.

Instead of: heading for the dumbbell rack
Go for: kettlebells
Need even more of a burn? A recent study by the American Council on Exercise found that the average person burns a whopping 400 calories in just 20 minutes when using the kettlebell. While it takes a little time to learn how to use kettlebells safely, swinging the weights around can save you a lot of time in the gym.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Homemade Chicken Soup

by Jari Love

This homemade chicken soup recipe is made without added carbs like noodles or potatoes. It’s filled with fiber, protein and lots of delicious flavor. Enjoy!

Servings: 8

Here’s what you need…

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups diced roasted chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 organic apple, chopped
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the coconut oil and add the onion, carrots and celery.
2. After 5 minutes add the garlic and curry powder.
3. After a couple minutes add the chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, apple, pepper, thyme, and lemon zest. Stir well.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, and some salt if desired, remove the bay leaf and serve.
6. Enjoy your Homemade Chicken Soup!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 166 calories, 5g fat, 175mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 19g protein

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorite Desserts

by Jari Love

Is your sweet tooth sabotaging your healthy diet? Sugar addiction is real, but fortunately there are ways to curb all of your pesky junk food cravings. By substituting a healthier food that you still find delicious, you can get into the habit of turning to a truly guilt-free dessert — and still enjoying every bite. If you are serious about cutting added sugars, it may be hard to get started at first. Your taste buds are used to huge hits of concentrated sweetness, but they will adjust quicker than you might expect. Before you know it, you’ll be craving hearty fruit salads, and the thought of a frosting-heavy cupcake will just turn your stomach.

Once you trade in the sugary desserts, you won’t miss them nearly as much as you think. In order to get there, you can replace your usual fixes with some naturally-sweet treats. Here are five desserts you can feel good about.

1. Trade the ice cream sundae for yogurt with fruit and nuts

A bowl of plain yogurt contains live cultures of beneficial bacteria to help support a healthy digestive system. Topped with fruit, nuts, seeds, and/or oats, you’ll have a well-rounded yogurt sundae that can double as a hearty breakfast. Berries are a great natural sweetener for your yogurt, or you can add a small drizzle of raw local honey. Be careful, as the honey will up the sugar content of your dessert, but at least it provides added health benefits.

2. Trade cookies for a rice cake with peanut butter

The crunchy sweetness of a cookie might be tough to resist, but you can get a similar experience from a souped-up rice cake. Just don’t skimp on the quality of your rice cake. Try a salt-free brown rice or wild rice variety with your favorite nut butter. Add sliced bananas to this low-calorie treat for sweetness, and sprinkle a few flax seeds for extra nutritional value. This dessert is sure to satisfy your craving for a crunchy and nutty treat.

3. Trade the Popsicle for a slice of watermelon

On a hot summer day, your dessert of choice is probably going to be a cold one. Instead of reaching for a sugary Popsicle or fattening ice cream cone, grab a slice of nature’s perfect summer treat. Watermelon will hydrate and cool you while satisfying your sweet tooth. The juicy melon is also great cubed with a little salt, lime, and chili, if you like a sweet and spicy dessert. And if you are feeling adventurous, try grilling your watermelon. For those who prefer warm desserts, grilled, baked, or pan-fried fruits can turn up both the heat and the sweetness.

4. Trade the slice of pie for a hearty apple crisp

You might think it’s hard to beat a freshly baked fruit pie, but if you are watching your diet, you won’t believe how satisfying (and how nutritious!) a warm fruit crisp can be. Apples are an excellent and classic choice, but mixing it up with pears, peaches, and/or berries will give your crisp new dimension. This recipe from Pure and Simple is a great place to start if you want to keep it on the healthy side. You can substitute oats for the almond flour if you like. Feel free to try it with less maple syrup and honey, and the sweet juices of your fruit will shine through. For best results, choose fresh fruits that are in season.

5. Trade the milkshake for a smoothie

A ripe banana may be the best natural smoothie sweetener around. Juicy mangoes are another tasty addition. Blend these sweet and nutrient-rich fruits with unsweetened almond milk for a fast and low-calorie drinkable dessert. Add a little organic cacao powder if you want your refreshingly light smoothie to rival a chocolate milkshake in terms of taste. Superfood powders like spirulina or maca can up the nutritional value, making your smoothie either a satisfying dessert or a hearty afternoon pick-me-up.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

5 Moves to Strengthen Your Shoulders

by Jari Love 

Getting to the gym is hard enough as is, and the wait for equipment once you’re there makes it even worse. Fortunately, you can get a great workout without any dumbbells, barbells, or fancy machinery. These Weight-Free Workouts focus on a different muscle groups each time to show you how to build strength, even when you don’t have access to a gym. With these moves, any time can be workout time.

Whether you typically don a suit or a more casual T-shirt, strong shoulders are the key to a broad, great-looking upper body. As wonderful as it feels to look like a model in your favorite clothes, aesthetics become a lot less important when you consider the vital role shoulders play in everyday life. Anything involving pressing, pushing, throwing, and basically any arm movement, relies on the shoulder joint. Its composition makes this joint the most flexible in the body, but all that movement makes it extremely prone to injury.

By addressing both strength and flexibility with these five exercises, you’ll be able to keep your shoulders in great shape. This can benefit everything from your basketball game to your ability to change a lightbulb. And yes, you’ll also look stellar in your clothes.

1. Inchworms 

Despite the silly name, this exercise is a serious challenge for your back, chest, arms, abs, and shoulders. Though isolated moves to target your shoulders specifically are important, these types of full-body moves will help build your coordination. It won’t do you any good to have strong shoulders if you aren’t able to use them in conjunction with the rest of your body. It’s also a good idea to balance your shoulder workout days with other workouts so you don’t stress the area too much, which could lead to a tear or other injury.

Begin standing with your feet almost touching and your hands at your sides. Bend at the hips, keeping your knees straight but not locked, until you can reach the floor with your hands. Use your hands to walk yourself forward until you are in a plank position with your palms on the floor directly below you shoulders. Perform one pushup, then walk your feet towards your hands while keeping your palms planted. When you get close to your hands, switch to walking with your hands to perform the next sequence. ACE Fitness suggests aiming to cover 10 to 15 yards. As the move becomes easier, perform several pushups in each downward phase to increase the challenge.

2. Prone Ys

Working at a desk all day has a tendency to force most of us into a hunched position. Unfortunately, this bad posture becomes the norm even after we’ve stepped out of the office. In order to open your shoulders back up, you need to take things in the opposite direction. According to Muscle & Fitness, this exercise often doesn’t require any weight to pose a challenge. There isn’t really any limit to the recommended number of repetitions, so you can keep going until you’ve exhausted your muscles. If you’d like a little added resistance, water bottles will do the trick.

Most people do this move on a bench, but a stability ball or even the floor will also work. Lie down and extend your arms above and slightly out to the side so they form a “Y” with your head in between. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then raise your arms up. Hold the position briefly, then carefully lower your arms back down. You can also perform the move one arm at a time.

If this move is extremely challenging, it’s a good sign you have some weakness or lack of mobility. In this case, try performing a sequence by changing the direction your arms are pointed.

3. Feet elevated pike pushups

Handstand pushups are great for shoulder strength, if you can manage to stay balanced. That’s sort of a tall order for guys who don’t have a gymnastics background, so feet-elevated pike pushups are a great starter move. Switching to a pike position, meaning your butt is raised towards the ceiling, forces more of the load onto your shoulders and raising your feet increases the intensity even more.

Get into a standard pushup position, but raise your feet onto a bench or a step. Next, form your body into an upside-down “V” by bending your hips and pointing your butt towards the ceiling. The goal is to have your torso and upper body as vertical as possible. From here, carefully lower yourself until your head is just above the ground, then push straight back up. Men’s Fitness suggests four sets of 12 repetitions. Depending on your fitness level, you may need to start with fewer.

4. Neutral-grip sternum chin-ups

Most people only switch their grip on the bar when they vary their chin-ups or pullups. Choosing a different bar position offers some advantages as well. Bodybuilding.com recommends chin-ups with a neutral grip, where you grasp two bars so your palms face one another, to pose more of a challenge for the core muscles and the rear shoulder.

These muscles, technically called the posterior deltoids, often get a lot less love than the anterior and medial ones. Neglecting this area will could lead to injury and also prevents you from getting as strong as possible as they assist with every type of shoulder movement. Weak posterior deltoids can also lead to a hunched appearance, and nobody wants that.

To perform this move, you need a set of parallel bars positioned relatively close to each other. You can find these at the gym and likely at a park. Grasp the bars with an overhand grip, and pull yourself up. As you reach the top, pull your shoulders together and lean back slightly. Keep pulling until your chest is just about even with the bars, then lower yourself back down.

5. Doorway stretch

Many guys are all about working on their deltoids, leaving the tiny rotator cuff muscles forgotten. They play an important role in helping you raise and rotate your arms and they’re among the most frequently injured muscles. We’ve already addressed strength, but we’ll finish with a move to improve flexibility. The University of Rochester Medical Center explains that these muscles don’t get a very good supply of blood on their own, which makes it tougher to recover. Since stretching encourages blood flow, it can go a long way toward keeping your rotator cuff healthy.

All you need to get a good stretch for these shoulder muscles is a doorway. With your arms pointed downward, grip the edges of a doorway, then lean forward until you feel a gentle resistance. Hold it briefly, then release. The key is to keep the stretching gentle. The only thing worse than not working on flexibility at all is pushing it too far, so remember to only go as far as you can without discomfort.

via cheatsheet.com

More Shoulder Strengthening Workouts HERE

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

3 Exercises to Substitute for Burpees

by Jari Love

Burpees are a perfect example of a three-for-one exercise. With one exercise, you not only burn calories but also, build upper-body strength and increase power. With so many gains, there is obviously a catch, and to put it bluntly, the catch of doing burpees is they are just unpleasant.

So how can you have your cake and eat it too? Well, there are a few different workout combos that you can use when you want to skip the burpees but still see the results.

We broke down three of the best combos that you can take to the gym and add to your arsenal. We’re not saying these are necessarily easier, but they will give you similar results.

1. Med ball slams/med ball push-ups

All you need to complete a med ball into push-up combo is a med ball. The weight of the ball can change depending on how hard or easy you want to make the exercise, or based on your overall goals.

According to Men’s Fitness, med ball slams are a key exercise to sculpt a strong midsection. By adding in a push-up, you are getting an extra upper body push, and balancing on the ball works your entire core.

Take the med ball over your head with arms extended, and slam the ball down. Then placing your hands on the ball, facing the floor, complete a push up while balancing on the ball.

If you do not want to make the exercise into a combo, you can complete your med ball slam reps followed by your push-up reps.

Recommended reps: We recommend doing 15 reps of each exercise and four sets. Remember to complete the reps as quickly as possible without sacrificing form, and then rest a full minute before attacking your next set.

2. Walking push-ups

For this exercise, we take the agility of quick ladders and pair it with a total upper-body burner. Push-ups are a great full body exercise. According to Livestrong, “Pushups will elevate your metabolic rate while you are doing them and as you recover afterward, all of which can help contribute to weight loss.” Push-ups, like burpees, are a workout for your entire body and will rev up your metabolism.

Lay down a quick foot ladder (or if you are outside you can draw one out with chalk). Placing both hands in the box, go down to a full push-up, and then walk your hands to the next box. Complete one set, going down and back.

Recommended reps: Do three total sets (down and back is one set).

3. Squat jumps

Squat jumps are basically the burpee without the push-up. In order to complete a successful squat jump, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, bring your hands down as you squat (making sure you get below parallel), and then as you jump up, thrust your hands up over your head so that you can jump as high as possible.

According to Livestrong, “Squatting is another important part of the burpee, working the large muscles in your legs like the glutes, quads and hamstrings.” By adding an extra jump at the end, you can make the variation even harder and work on your explosion.

While squat jumps may seem easy at first, you will definitely be feeling the burn after multiple reps.

Recommended reps: Complete 10 reps and three sets, taking a minute rest between each set.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Plank Variations for a Stronger Core

by Jari Love 

First there were sit-ups, then crunches, and now we have the plank. The ab exercise du jour is widely recommended by fitness professionals as the best way to strengthen the muscles around your midsection without the same risk of straining your neck you get with the other two exercises. Let’s take a closer look.

Planks belong to a category of exercises called isometric moves. These exercises require holding a steady position rather than the two-part contraction, lengthening and shortening the muscles, that occurs with isotonic moves. A few other examples of isometric exercises include wall sits and holding your arms out to the sides while grasping dumbbells. These holds are great for building strength in a particular area, but they have limitations. Wayne Westcott, an exercise science instructor at Quincy College, told ACE Fitness isometric moves aren’t the most beneficial for overall strength since you don’t get much benefit after holding a position for longer than 90 seconds, and also because you’re not going through the entire range of motion.

We’re not saying anyone should stop doing planks, just suggesting you mix things up. A few variations will help you more effectively strengthen your abs and also target other core muscles you may be neglecting, so give these five alternatives a shot.

1. Uneven plank

Even though moves that isolate one muscle group have their place, it’s always smart to include some exercises that target multiple areas at the same time. It presents a new challenge to your body and will help you speed out of the gym a bit faster. The uneven plank is one of the simplest, and most effective, moves using this approach. Instead of resting on both forearms, you’ll contract one arm to rest your hand on the floor. BJ Gaddour, CSCS, told Men’s Health, this combines the downward phase of a push-up with a plank to target your core and triceps at the same time. The uneven position also forces your core to work harder to stabilize.

To do this move, get into the plank position with your weight resting on your forearms and your legs fully extended. Keeping your elbow as close to your body as possible, pull one arm towards you until it’s in the push-up position and your weight is resting on that hand and your other forearm. Hold the move as long as you can with good form. If your back starts to sag, it’s time to cut the hold short.

2. Two-point plank

Most have heard of the three-point plank, and the idea is very similar here. Changing to just two points of contact makes the standard plank significantly more challenging because you’ll be fighting rotational forces from two sides. But remember, only progress to this variation if you can hold a three-point plank effectively. You should be able to hold one limb off the ground while maintaining correct form for about 90 seconds before taking the next step.

Start in the standard plank position, your weight resting on your forearms and your legs fully extended. Simultaneously raise one arm and the opposite leg off the ground, extending your arm straight in front of you. Resist the urge to twist and keep your back and shoulders as flat as possible. Check out Competitor.com to get a look at the correct position.

3. Side plank with leg raise

In an effort to carve the perfect six-pack, many guys don’t spend enough time strengthening the sides of their core, the obliques. These muscles help with rotational force and keeping you stable in daily life as well as athletics. Another reason to target this area? According to Livestrong, obliques are responsible for the “V” shape in the lower abs most guys are after. Basic planks don’t do a great job of targeting your obliques, though, so you have to turn the move sideways to strengthen these muscles.

For guys who are used to strength training, a standard side plank may not provide enough of a challenge. Adding a leg raise makes the move more difficult and also engages your abductor and adductor muscles. Working on this area around your hip will go a long way towards reducing your risk of a groin injury.

To get into a side plank, lie on one side with your forearm resting on the ground, elbow below your shoulder. Stack your feet one on top of the other with your legs fully extended, then raise your hips off the ground, resting your weight on the side of your foot and your forearm. From here, lift your top leg until your foot is even with your hip. Hold the pose for several seconds before lowering your leg. Active.com recommended two to four sets of five to 15 repetitions on each side.

4. Plate transfer plank

Boredom is toxic for any exercise routine because a wandering mind nearly guarantees you won’t perform the activity as effectively as possible. This is especially true for isometric moves. A plank with great form will do a lot to help strengthen your midsection while one performed improperly will compromise your results and potentially strain your back. Adding a basic movement is one of the simplest ways to keep your mind occupied, so grab a few weights when you hit the mat.

Gather three to five weight plates or dumbbells, each around 5 pounds. Get into the plank position and stack the weights just to the side of you. Keeping your back flat and your core tight, lift the arm nearest the weights off the ground, pick one up, and transfer it to the other side of your body by crossing your arm in front of you. Repeat until you’ve moved all the weights, then switch arms. Men’s Journal shared a great video demonstrating this technique.

5. Stability ball plank circles

A decent fitness routine doesn’t require a ton of equipment, but a stability ball is one of the smartest investments you can make. They’re inexpensive, easy to store, and incredibly versatile. Using one for planks forces your stabilizing muscles to work harder, and you can intensify the effort even more by adding a stirring motion. Men’s Fitness likes this exercise because it strengthens all of your core muscles while building endurance and balance.

Set yourself up with a stability ball sandwiched between your forearms and the ground, keeping your legs extended as usual. Once you’re balanced, slowly move the ball in a circle using your arms. Keep your legs stable and your back flat as you perform the motion. After about 30 seconds or so, switch directions.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.