The numbers from the health-club industry are downright cheery. More than 11 percent of Americans now belong to gyms, according to a trade group, and those 34 million gym members swiped their cards an average of 93 times in 2001. So where are all the muscles? We haven't seen them, either. That's why we called together Club Shred, our unofficial BMF collective, to figure out why men aren't getting the results they want, and what they can do instead. Our hard corps came up with fitness tips for training your largest muscle groups. Follow the rules and you'll be one of the guys who have something to show for their 93 gym visits this year.
Build a Better Back
"Scapular retraction" sounds like a surgical procedure -- and, for all we know, it very well may be. But in the weight room, it's a muscle action that strengthens the middle part of your trapezius, one of your back's biggest muscles.
The movement: Pull your shoulder blades (scapulae) together in back (retracting them). The exercise: any variety of row -- seated using a cable machine; bent-over with a barbell, dumbbells, or T-bar; or standing, pulling a cable down to your face.
Latest retraction: For something a little different, try the bow and arrow, suggests Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., a strength coach in Toronto. Attach a stirrup handle to a high cable pulley. Stand with your right side facing the weight stack, as if you were a left-handed archer. Grab the handle with your left hand and hold it in front of your face, like a bowstring you're about to pull back. Now pull it back and to the left using midback muscles, pause, return to the starting posi-tion, and repeat. Do one set of 10 to 12 repetitions with each arm for starters. Add one set each workout, to a maximum of three sets. This will build strength and muscle mass in your scapular retractors.
Arm Yourself
Your arm muscles aren't isolated hunks of meat. They work hardest in conjunction with bigger, stronger upper-body muscles. "If you want big arms, do chinups and dips," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., a strength coach and owner of Cosgrove Results Fitness Training in Newhall, California. "The rest is fun, but it's just details."
Dip tip: If you can't jump right onto the parallel bars and knock out a set of dips, start with bench dips. Sit on the edge of a bench or chair, palms alongside your hips, fingers pointed toward your legs, feet flat on the floor. Straighten your arms so your butt comes off the bench, then bend your arms as you slowly lower yourself (in front of the chair) until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Pause, then push back up. When you can do more than 10, progress to parallel-bar dips.
Chin music: Most men can't do chinups. The kneeling lat pulldown is an exercise that helps you get there. Attach a straight bar to a high cable pulley, grab it with a shoulder-width, underhand grip, kneel on the floor, and then pull the bar down past your chin. Gradually increase the weight and decrease the repetitions until the weight's so heavy it pulls you off the floor. Now you're ready for the chinup bar.
Pack Your Chest
The exercises that use the most muscles build the most muscle. That's why bench presses are better than flies. "Adding 100 pounds to your bench will put on way more mass than anything else," says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S.
Bench it up: Everyone knows how to do the bench press: Lie on bench, grip bar, lower bar to chest, and so forth. But few pay any more attention to their foot position during bench presses than they would during sex.
Try this: Imagine that you're doing the exercise standing up. Set your feet in a wide, athletic stance. And push out the repetitions as if you were throwing the bar to someone standing in front of you, rather than lifting it off your chest. The extra vigor in your execution will result in extra inches on your body.
Be a Leg Man
If you know how to squat, you can get an entire lower-body workout with one set, says Tim Ziegenfuss, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist and nutrition researcher in Wadsworth, Ohio. You use 200 muscles to walk; you'll hit more when you squat with a barbell across your back.
Squat till you drop: Here's the drill: Warm up thoroughly. Select a weight you think you can squat for 10 repetitions. Now squat as many times as you can with that weight. When you can't do any more, stand and catch your breath, then do single repetitions until you get to 20. (These are sometimes called "breathing squats," since you're allowed to breathe as many times as necessary between repetitions.)
The key: The weight stays on your shoulders until you've finished all 20 repetitions. Then you rack the barbell and crawl home.
Health and Fitness
If you want to improve your health first try and limit the number of tablets you may be taking or are used to taking. Paracetamol might be the first choice for headaches, but you will be surprised how often a headache can be cured by just drinking water or having something to eat. (any vegetables will be a bonus)
If you’re taking supplements try and find the equivalent organically. You can modify your diet and still feel the benefits without some of the risks involved by taking a dietary supplement. However much time you think you may or may not have to prepare organic fruit and vegetables it will always be worth it. Five fruit and vegetables a day should be your minimum target.
Always try and consult a professional dietician.
Athletes for example, take creatine supplements to boost their strength and give them a legal edge over their competition. There will always be risks involved, as it could be possible that the creatine you take may have contaminated, banned substances. This is a large risk to your health and if you’re a professional athlete it could ruin your career.
Even professionals bleed…not literally, but you must without doubt allow the body to heal when in training mode. By scheduling a complete day off every week you train you will be doing your mind and body the world of good. Allowing your muscles to recoup and your mind to focus ready for the next training day.
Listening to your body may seem simple but many don’t and this is when injures occur. If your body is hurting through exercise you are pushing it too hard. STOP! Tell yourself that is enough for today, shower, eat well then relax for the rest of the day. Don’t beat yourself up about it as tomorrow is another day.
You can improve your health and fitness by stretching as soon as you wake. Just a few simple stretches will do to get you motivated. Your muscles get shorter when exercising so if you never stretch you will get injured. Stretch thoroughly after exercising aswell.
We all know that we should drink more water in our daily routines especially when exercising. Because you lose minerals in your body while sweating you need to stay fully hydrated, this means drinking plenty of water before, during and after rigorous exercise.
Exercising can be lonely, try and exercise with other people. You will make new friends, and your fitness will improve faster if you have other people helping to keep you motivated.
Becoming too competitive may harm your health. Motivation from other people is good thing, but you should bear in mind you’re only competing against yourself. Your body will differ to others and will only be able to sustain certain levels of exercise. Be yourself, set your own pace. If you try too hard to keep up with someone else’s you could easily become injured.
As with most things in life, enjoy the type of exercise you choose and have a much fun as possible. This will stimulate your mind and help you stick to your goals.