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Archive for February, 2010

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That’s how it should be – as you progress through the various stages of learning you’ll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.

Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we’ll look at the chest exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.

1. Dumbbell flyes – this exercise provides a useful means of isolating the pectorals and preserving the triceps for the subsequent exercise. The exercise should be performed as follows:

- Hold dumbbells directly overhead.

- Lower them to sides with elbows slightly bent, pulled back and to the side. Lower no further than level with the torso.

- Use the pectorals to pull the weights back up to the starting position.

2. Incline bench press – you can move straight on to this exercise if you have reached an appropriate level of experience. If you perform this exercise as the second part of a pre-exhaust routine you may have to use lighter weights than normally.

- Take a shoulder width grip.

- Lower the bar to the chest with the elbows pointed to the side.

- Return to the starting position.

As men age, many will find that they are exhausted during the day, the spare tire around their middle continues to grow and their interest in sex plummets. Most men attribute these symptoms to the natural, inevitable aging process. But what most men over 40 don’t know, as the latest national study shows, is that all of these symptoms could indicate an often treatable clinical deficiency defined by abnormally low levels of testosterone, called Low Testosterone (Low T).

“Low T is potentially the hidden link between men’s health and serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and depression,” says Daniel Perry, executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research. “Millions of American men experience it, but most don’t realize the difference between a natural decline in testosterone production and Low T, which constitutes a genuine medical concern.”

Highlights from the latest national study on Low T sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research are alarming. One-third of American men over the age of 39 report two or more symptoms of Low T, including decreased energy, low libido, reduced muscle strength, increased body fat, weaker bones and mood swings.

Low T can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, but according to this latest study by Harris Interactive, 77 percent of American men over the age of 39 have not been tested by their doctors for Low T and 95 percent of men with multiple symptoms said their doctors did not mention Low T as a possible cause.

This year’s study supports findings from a 1998 survey of 1,000 men by Roper Starch Worldwide that found 68 percent of participants could not name a symptom or condition associated with Low T.

“Men should be aware that symptoms of diminished sex drive, erectile dysfunction, increased fatigue, depressed mood and diminished strength or muscle bulk may be due to low testosterone and may be treatable,” said Dr. Abraham Morgentaler of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “An important step is for men to discuss this possibility with their doctor, get tested and consider treatment if their testosterone levels turn out to be low.”

It is estimated that 4 to 5 million American men have abnormally low levels of testosterone, but only 5 percent of those men are currently receiving treatment, such as testosterone replacement therapy.

Anxiety is a part of everyday life in the new millennium. But for people, it expresses itself much worse than for others. Anxiety symptoms that go beyond the typical expressions of unease and nervousness should not be ignored. While many people can expect to suffer an anxiety attack at some point in their life, recurring episodes of extreme anxiety are definitely not normal.

Anxiety itself is good. It serves as the body’s warning system that something may be amiss; that we need to move into a state of preparedness. Among these anxiety symptom are a rapid heartbeat, dry mouth and sudden perspiration. Surely nobody reading this has ever managed to escape those sensations.

But how many have been found themselves in stressful situations in which they became dizzy, grew short of breath, felt pain in their chest and a sudden need to urinate? While these are all common symptoms of everyday anxiety, if you find yourself feeling all of them, chances are you have gone beyond the norm and experiencing an actual anxiety attack. If you experience these symptoms on more than a few occasions, you may be to the point where you should consult a doctor.

Still, even these anxiety symptoms do not definitely mean you are experiencing an anxiety disorder. After all, the human body responds differently to varying situations of stress. For some people, the very thought of walking onto a stage and speaking to a large crowd of people would bring on all of the above symptoms without it necessarily indicating a disorder.

However, if in addition to the above, you also experience one or more of these anxiety symptoms, it is definitely past the point where you should at least be conducting some research. If you begin to experience deep feelings of apprehension, or even outright dread, of certain situations even when you are not anywhere near to being in those situations and you experience the physical symptoms, chances are you anxiety is to the point of a disorder. In addition, isolation of oneself from others can often be a sign of a more serious problem. Nervousness, jittery behavior, irritability, jumpiness; all of these are normal responses under certain circumstances, but if you notice a link between feeling them and either facing or just thinking about stress-inducing environments or events, it may be time to consider professional help.

Anxiety symptoms are a normal part of the day for most of us. Unless you get to work at your dream job and then go back to your dream home life, chances are you will experience a facing pulse, or a dry mouth today. It can be difficult to determine if the anxiety you are feeling is normal or something more. The worst thing to do is compare your reactions to anybody else; what may seem excessive to them might actually be normal for you. However, if you do find yourself experiencing these anxiety symptoms and you are concerned, definitely seek out the advice of friends and family to help locate the possible source of your anxiety.