extremefittrack

blood pressure

2009-09-14T09:28:00.002+08:00

Cardiovascular disease is caused not by one risk factor alone, but by several factors. Combinations of risk factors multiply, rather than merely add, their individual effects on your likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. At the same time, the presence of certain risk factors may influence the subsequent development of other risk factors. For instance, smoking, which in itself sharply increases a person’s risk of heart attack, tends to lead to high blood pressure, which is another contributory factor for heart disease.

Fortunately, the majority of these risk factors can be reduced by making changes to your lifestyle. - Extract from the Singapore Heart Foundation

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force in the arteries when the heart beats (systolic pressure) and when the heart is at rest (diastolic pressure).
For adults, HIGH blood pressure is defined as a blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg / 90 mm Hg.
What can happen as a result of high blood pressure?
- High blood pressure is the silent killer. Without warning, high blood pressure can lead to life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.
Why should you monitor your blood pressure at home?
- To be consistently aware of a vital indicator about your overall health
- Doctors recommend it
- To see how you’re responding to medication
How often should you monitor your blood pressure?
- Your blood pressure can vary throughout the day and be affected by activity, stress, medications and other factors. This is why you should consult with your healthcare professional to determine how often and when you should monitor your blood pressure.

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is defined as having systolic pressure of 135mmHg or higher and or diastolic pressure of 85mmHg or higher.

The normal BP for adults is less than 130/80mmHg. If the average BP is more than 135/85 mmHg. Consult your doctor.

Facts about Blood Pressure Management

Blood pressure is never constant
Blood pressure changes throughout the day, and even fluctuates by the minutes. Measuring only once a day does not reflect the actual status of the blood pressure condition. Monitoring trend of blood pressure fluctuation would provide better evaluation of the patient’s condition.

Blood pressure measured at the clinics may be different from those measured at home
Besides fluctuations, an observation known as “white coat effect” may also contribute to different blood pressure readings. Most people are anxious when visiting the doctor and could experience a rise in blood pressure. On the other hand, people are usually more relaxed at home, and have lower blood pressure readings.

High blood pressure has few symptoms
Many people who suffer from high blood pressure are unaware, as the illness has no symptoms. If left undetected, these people are at risk of developing more serious illness like stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and even heart attacks. Early detection for people who are at risk can be achieved by regular blood pressure measurement.

High blood pressure is not related to family history
Even a person with no previous history of high blood pressure can develop hypertension from lifestyle factors. Some of these factors include:

Stress
Gender
Lack of exercise
Increasing age
Poor diet
Being overweight

The wide range of factors that can influence blood pressure is an important reason why one should monitor blood pressure as often as possible.

Dietary Keys To Reducing High Blood Pressure

Fruits and Juices Increase consumption of juices, fruits (especially bananas) and whole grain based cereals to counteract high levels of potassium found in other foods and in your body.

Monounsaturated Fats Increase consumption of products with monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, in your diet can greatly diminish your risk of high blood pressure and may even eliminate the need to take medication to control the situation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids that are commonly found in cold-water fish. These acids are proven to reduce high-blood pressure as well as lower your cholesterol.

Whole Oats Increase consumption of whole oats help to help control your high blood pressure. Additionally, they also have positive affects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Vitamin C Increase consumption of products containing Vitamin C to battle high blood pressure. This may mean a daily vitamin supplement or be part of an increased consumption of fruits, such as oranges.

Finding Ways To Get Fit

Getting Fit Outside

Getting Fit Inside

Building Strength

-	Walk wearing wrist weights
-	Push your child in a stroller around your neighborhood
-	Explore the surrounding areas on your bike

-	Exercise on an elliptical trainer
-	Use free weights or machines at the local gym
-	Jump rope to increase upper body strength

Building Endurance

-	Go for a hike through the local park
-	Develop a daily walking/running routine with a neighbor
-	Go swimming at the local pool

-	Walk/run using a treadmill
-	Play basketball
-	Enroll in an aerobics class

Building Flexibility

-	Play tennis or badminton
-	Wash your car by hand
-	Play nine holes of golf

-	Take a yoga class
-	Stretch during TV commercials
-	When cleaning your home, place emphasis on stretching to get hard to reach areas

Helpful Blood Pressure Reminders

Have your blood pressure checked by your doctor.
If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about changing your diet and lifestyle habits.
If your doctor has prescribed medication for your high blood pressure, it is very important to take it regularly. If you have any new symptoms, call your doctor.
Measure and record your blood pressure at home regularly. This information may be valuable to your doctor in evaluating your condition.
Cooperate. You and your doctor must work together in order to keep your blood pressure and your diabetes under control.

Can i take a measurement during exercise?

Omron Blood Pressure Monitors are not intended for use during exercise or activity. We recommend you avoid eating, smoking and exercising for at least 30 minutes before taking a measurement.

Regular Walking Can Decrease Potential Health Problems

Anxiety
Blood pressure
Blood triglycerides
Body fat
Bone loss
Constipation
Depression
Falls & fractures

Glucose
Mobility limitations
Pain
Risk of some cancers
Risk of heart attack, hypertension and stroke
Risk of diabetes
Stress
Weight

Regular Walking Improves Your Health, Both Mentally and Physically

Ability to regulate body temperature
Aerobic capacity
Balance
Blood sugar
Bond density
Cartilage and joint health
Circulation
Energy level and endurance
Flexibility/range of motion
HDL (good) cholesterol
Heart health
Joint Mobility

Life span
Mental Capacity
Metabolic Rate
Mood
Muscle mass and tone
Overall general health
Quality of life and sleep
Reaction time
Feeling of accomplishment
Self-esteem
Strength

Six Steps to Healthy Living

Stay Physically Active
People often have misconceptions about the intensity and type of exercise needed to produce healthy benefits. The best way to become physically active is to find something you enjoy doing when it’s convenient for you.

Eat Foods Low In Saturated Fats and Cholesterol
The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams.

Maintain Proper Weight
Measurement of body fat composition is the key to long-term success.

Have Regular Medical Checkups
You and your doctor must work together to keep your health in check.

Don't Smoke or Use Other Tobacco Products
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease and stroke starts to drop.

Have Your Blood Pressure Checked Regularly
High blood pressure makes your heart work harder, which may add strain on the heart and arteries. If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about changing your diet and lifestyle habits.

Understanding Why High Blood Pressure Is A Problem

Generally, normotension (normal blood pressure) is defined as less than 130mmHg for systolic value (SBP) and less than 85mmHg for diastolic value (DBP). The higher the blood pressure, the more load on the blood vessels, and this can damage the vessels. In the worst case, blood vessel walls can develop holes causing internal bleeding. When this happens in the brain, it is called a stroke. In addition, high blood pressure increases the myocardial workload so that the heart must work harder to maintain adequate blood flow to the body. This causes ischemic heart disease (IHD) such as a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and angina. People with hypertension have the increased risk of suffering from of having a stroke. Conversely, It is also known that those with normal blood pressure have a lesser risk of ischemic heart disease (myocardial infarction and angina) and stroke. Thus, it can be concluded that keeping blood pressure within a normal range to prevent these occurrences is of the utmost importance.

Cardiovascular disease

2009-09-14T09:05:00.002+08:00

10 factor to help u stay MOTIVATED & SUCCEED..

2009-09-11T07:03:00.003+08:00

Success in the fitness world depends on lots of different factors that are variable depending on the individual. Everyone will have their own methods for what keeps them focused and determined to keep working towards their goals, but there are a few factors that are common to most people. By ensuring that you are utilizing these concepts, you will help ensure that you will reach your goals in a productive and pleasurable manner.

1: Self-Efficacy
This has been shown to be one of the most important factors contributing to success in a workout program. Self-efficacy can be defined as your personal belief that you are in fact capable of performing the behavior or achieving your goal.
For example, someone with high self-efficacy would have confidence in themselves that they will be able to run for 30 minutes if this is what they decide to do. A person scoring low on self-efficacy on the other hand would not believe they were capable of doing this and therefore would most likely not put in the effort to even try. Believing in yourself and your abilities is a huge component in sticking with your exercise program.

2: Family & Friend Support
Taking up a new exercise regime will require many changes in your daily schedule. You may have to give up some of the responsibilities you previously held in order to find the time to commit to exercising. With a supportive family and friend network, this task will be much easie
Maybe your husband or wife will take over the role of cooking meals on certain nights of the week so you can stop at the gym on the way home from work, or a friend might be willing to give up your weekly night at the movies for a session of yoga class instead. Whatever the compromise, having these people support your goals will make the whole process much less stressful and easier to complete.

3: A Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude about your workout program will go along way to helping you stay motivated and committed. When you have positive thoughts regarding exercise, it makes it seem like less of a chore and more of an enjoyable experience to you. If you remain positive at all times, even when you may not be seeing all the results you dreamed of, you will still be able to stay focused and look at how far you have come.

Being able to look at the big picture is a large step in achieving success, as many of the results you gain from exercise are not noticeable right away, therefore this requires a great deal of patience. By staying positive so that you will see results eventually, you won't get discouraged as quickly and drop out.

4: An Action Plan
The next most important aspect of any workout program or goal for that matter is having an effective action plan. You need to have the means to reach your end and without a detailed account on how you plan on going about obtaining your goals, you will have great difficulty getting there as quickly as you hope.
If you just take a casual approach to your goal, you will most likely waste a lot of time just figuring what steps to take next. By having everything outlined from the beginning you will know where you need to go and in what order. You will also have something to compare your progress to to ensure you are on track with regards to your original plan.

5: Organizational Skills
Having good organization is very important when you talk about fitness. Everyday life poses many, many challenges to sticking with a workout routine, from meetings, to family emergencies, to less than ideal weather.
If you aren't organized with your time, you will find that other projects keep pushing back your gym appointment and that the drive through looks like a signal sent from god since you have so much work to take home that you can't even think about chopping a vegetable little own cooking a full meal.
A great investment is a daily planner that is large enough for you to schedule all of your tasks in, including your workout. Book your time at the gym in like you would any other appointment. This will ensure nothing steals this time away from you.

6: Intrinsic Motivation

There Are Two Types Of Motivation:

Intrinsic

Studies have shown that exercisers who exercise for intrinsic motivations are much more likely to stick with their workout program than those who are motivated extrinsically (to fit into a dress for example).

What Motivates You To Keep Healthy? My Current Physique. My Workout Partner. My Physical Trainer. Positive Influences (i.e. Personal Idols). Negative Influences (i.e. Bad Habits). Bodybuilding.com

Extrinsic

This type of motivation tends to decrease our desire to perform the action since we almost begin to view it as something that has to be done, rather than something we are doing on our own will.

7: A Reward System
This may seem like a funny point considering what you just read on extrinsic motivation, however having a reward system can be very beneficial. What is important is that the rewards are set by you and have a particular meaning to you. This will keep everything under your control so you won't begin to feel like you are being regulated by someone else (as is usually the case for extrinsic motivation).
By setting small rewards after each step in your plan, you will give yourself something to look forward to and keep yourself motivated to keep pushing onward.

8: A Role Model
Role models can be very important tools in any type of goal program. By having someone who you look up to, whether it is for their values, their hard work, or how they look, you will be providing yourself with a measure on which to measure yourself with.
Granted, it is not good to measure yourself against everyone you see, as this may make you start to feel inadequate and upset with yourself, but by having one chosen individual who you wish to become more like, you will be able to compare yourself and see what areas you need to improve on and where you have made a great deal of progress.

9: Knowledge
Having a good knowledge base is critical to putting together any workout program. If you yourself don't know a whole lot about fitness and weight training, consulting a fitness trainer, physical education instructor, or someone who is currently working out and has a great deal of experience with this issue, is a great idea.
On the other hand, if you are more independent, you could take up reading some quality (remember, a lot of information out there is mostly propaganda so you need to be selective in your choices) books, journals, magazines, and online sites such as this one.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/workoutdatabase.htm

You may also which to join a forum, such as the ones offered by bodybuilding.com so you can have some personal interaction with others who share your similar goals and interests. This is a great way to gain some knowledge, meet some new friends, and start a support system.

10: Other Hobbies And Interests
The final factor that is important in your success is having outside hobbies and interests. While it's important to be truly passionate and dedicated to your fitness routine and diet, if it's really your only interest you will become burnt out very quickly.
You will also tend to ruminate if you are not seeing results as quickly as you had hoped since you will feel as though you are putting all your time and effort into this one endeavor. Having outside interests will help keep your mind fresh and keep you looking forward to each and every one of your workouts.

Conclusion
By taking the time to ensure you include each of these factors into your life before you start an exercise program, you will help to ensure you encounter nothing but success. You will also make yourself less stressed out about the lifestyle changes you are making and everything will run much more smoothly.

top5 steroid profile

2009-09-10T07:12:00.004+08:00

(1) Anabolic DN (Nandrolone shown without Cypionate ester)

(Nandrolone Base + Cypionate Ester)
[19-nor-androst-4-en-3-one-17beta-ol]
Formula (base): C18 H26 O2
Formula (ester): C8 H14 O2
Molecular Weight(base): 274.4022
Molecular Weight (ester): 132.1184
Melting Point (base): 122-124Â°C
Melting Point (ester): 98 - 104 C
Manufacturer: SYD Group
Effective Dose (Men): 200-600mgs/week (2mg/lb of Bodyweight)
Effective Dose (Women): 50-100mgs/week
Active life: 8 days
Detection Time: Up to 18 months
Anabolic/Androgenic ratio: 125:37

This is an underused product, for one reason or another. It's currently produced by SYD Group who had some very inconsistent lab reports posted on the 'net, with regards to their product line. It was also produced previously by Jurox, under the name Dynabol. It's also under used, I think, because it's an obscure buy for most people outside of Australia, where those aforementioned companies reside. Let's have a look at Nandrolone, then we'll discuss the addition of the Cypionate ester in opposition to the much more commonly used Decanoate ester (the ester used with Deca-Durabolin). First of all, Nandrolone doesn't produce many estrogenic or androgenic side effects. This is because it has a very low rate of aromatization (conversion to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme); roughly equal to 20% the rate of Testosterone. Nandrolone is a very nice anabolic, in my estimation (even though I don't use it anymore), and a 100mg/E2W (every 2 weeks) injection of it has been shown to provide a "significant increase in weight" (3). I'd never recommend that low a dose for an athlete, but it's evidence of Deca's strong anabolic properties. All of the Nandrolones are very nice anabolics, causing high-quality (albeit slow) gains in muscle. This could be due to its moderately strong binding to the Androgen Receptor (stronger than testosterone, actually), or possibly its many positive non-Androgen-Receptor mediated effects. One such non-receptor mediated effect is nitrogen retention, which is a major factor in muscle growth. Even with low-doses of Nandrolone (65 mg/week), Nandrolone produces significant nitrogen retention (5). Nandrolone is also well known to improve collagen synthesis (1), and increases bone mineral content (2). For these purposes, studies on Nandrolone use very low doses and were generally far too low to promote muscle growth.
In another study of HIV+ men (4) we can see that Nandrolone (200mgs on week 1, 400 on week 2 and 600mgs for weeks 3-12) actually caused NO negative side effects in total or LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or insulin sensitivity. In addition, there was a reduction of HDL cholesterol (8-10 points) in both groups. Also, in these studies with HIV+ subjects, Nandrolone improved immune function (5).

Judging from Steroid.com members' feedback, as well as my own personal experience, long-estered Nandrolones are known for producing quality weight gains, but have to be used for 12 weeks at a minimum. This shouldn't cause any problems, since they are very mild drugs in terms of side-effects, and I don't think they would cause many adverse effects over this period of time. Nandrolone Cypionate has a very long active life, of roughly 8 days or so, slightly less than the far more common Nandrolone Decanoate (Deca). This would mean we want to shoot it 1-2xs a week, along with our other compounds because we'd probably be running Testosterone Cypionate with it.

Many members of Steroid.com also complain of water-retention with this the use of longer-estered Nandrolones, and again, I'm inclined to agree. Letrozole seems to be a preferred choice to combat this and it's been my favorite for this use, on cycles of 12-16 weeks. This water retention would seem to make something like Anabolic DN more suitable for bulking rather than cutting, although it can be successfully used for either with a proper diet and use of ancillary compounds.

So where are we? How would I use this stuff personally? Well, I'd be comfortable recommending this compound for either a bulking or cutting cycle, and I think its real utility would be that you can use it along with Testosterone Cypionate and inject them on the same day because theyâ€™d have the same active life.

(2) Dynabolan (nandrolone undecanoate)

For readers already familiar with some of my writings, it will come as no surprise that the first thing we´ll need to do in examining Dynabolan (Nandrolone Undecanoate) is have a quick look at its structure. Firstly, we can see that this is a 19-nor steroid. In fact, this is just another type of Nandrolone, which means that it will share many, if not all of its traits with "Deca" (Nandrolone Decanoate, trade name: Deca-Durabolin). As we know, Nandrolone is similar to testosterone, with the exception of the alteration of the 19th carbon atom. And the "Undecanoate" part of this drug´s name (that´s the ester, or the thing that slows its release into your bloodstream) provides a slightly longer release time than Deca has. If I can suggest that everyone takes one thing away from this profile, it´s that this drug is more or less a slightly longer acting version of Deca, which means you need to employ it for a extended length of time to see results (12 week cycles are recommended when using this compound). Also, this long release time and the ubiquitous nature of Nandrolone´s metabolites make it unsuitable for drug-tested athletes.

Before we go into all of the wonderful characteristics of this drug, let´s discuss some of the less-than-wonderful aspects of it. Most side effects common with most AAS are also common with this drug: possible virilization (development of male sexual characteristics in women), gynocomastia, water retention, acne, hairloss, and possibly even sexual dysfunction... Being a Nandrolone, Dynabolan is also going to have the ability to stimulate the progesterone receptor 20% as well as progesterone does (1) (2). This stimulation of the progesterone receptor is primarily responsible for the suppressive effects that this drug will have on the body´s natural endocrine system. Progesterone (and synthetic progestins, like Nandrolone) can reduce luteinizing hormone production. This hormone is secreted from the pituitary and stimulates testicular testosterone production. Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (AAS) can also suppress this hormone´s pituitary borne production by interfering with the Gonadatropin Releasing Hormone signal sent from the hypothalamus to the pituitary, which in turn also stimulates lutenizing hormone secretion. So it should be clear that this compound, through various mechanisms, will act to halt testosterone production in your body, as well as other important hormones. The now infamous "Minto" studies on Nandrolone have shown us that even a single 100mg injection of Nandrolone (although Undecanoate was not used, both a short as well as long ester Nandrolone product were used) will shut down endogenous (natural) testosterone production for a week, and will not return to baseline values until roughly 3 weeks later (3). Dynabolan will also aromatize (convert to estrogen) at a reasonably low rate, much lower than that of testosterone, for example. Given the estrogenic/progesteronic side-effects that this drug will have use of an anti-progesteronic drug (such as Bromocriptine at 2.5mgs/day) as well as perhaps some Letrozole (1mg/day) would be warranted. Regarding Nandrolone, most veterans of Steroid.com recommended the concurrent use of exogenous (injectable) Testosterone to avoid the possible sexual dysfunction associated with Nandrolone. In general though, it´s difficult to imagine someone getting any side effects if dosages are kept at 400mgs/week or less (women would do well to keep dosages at or under 1/4 of that)

Now if all of that didn´t scare you off or put you to sleep, we can get into the good parts of this drug. It binds well to the Androgen Receptor (AR), which has been positively correlated with enhanced fat-burning (4). This property makes it a great addition to a cutting cycle, although it can also be with great success in a bulking cycle as well.

And, since this is a Nandrolone (albeit not with the ester we are used to seeing it with), we can probably expect to reap all of the benefits that Nandrolones have been shown to have on bone mineral content and collagen (5). When using Nandrolone, little nagging injuries seem to go away for many athletes, and Steroid.com members consistently report that their joints feel better when using it. Dynabolan is also, being a nandrolone, very easy on the liver, although if someone has a pre-existing liver condition it should be avoided. Also, lipid profiles won´t suffer (your HDL/LDL cholesterol), and could possibly improve a bit with use of this drug.

Dynabolan & Deca

Weight and strength gain with this drug is moderate and users report more of a "kick" than they usually get with regular Deca. Besides binding well to the AR, this drug also operates via several non-Androgen Receptor mediated mechanisms, such as increasing protein synthesis and increasing Creatine Phosphate Synthesis. This is also one of the few drugs that won´t negatively impact your lipid profile (cholesterol). Most users report that weight gains are of a high quality with this drug, and represent a favorable change in body composition. This would be especially true if it were stacked with testosterone and proper ancillaries.

Hypothetically, if I were to use this compound to bulk up, I´d use 400mgs/week of it along with 500mgs of a long-estered Testosterone (Cypionate or Enanthenate), along with the ancillaries I´ve previously mentioned. If I were to use it in a cutting cycle, I´d use a short estered Testosterone (most likely Propionate) at that same dose (500mgs/week), as well as Oxandrolone at 50mgs/day& and I wouldn´t forget the ancillaries. I´d also consider this drug to be appropriate for use in a 12-16 week long cycle. Due to the highly suppressive nature of this drug, a very aggressive Post Cycle Therapy would be necessary, and I´d recommend taking Clomid at 100mgs/day as well as Nolvadex at 30mgs/day for a month and HCG at 500iu/day for 3 weeks. I´d also caution anyone who is going to use this drug to avoid stacking it with a Trenbolone product, as combining 2 steroids which stimulate the progesterone receptor isn´t a great idea.

Buy Dynabolan

And that leaves us with the final question: Is this stuff actually available? The answer is yes and no. Actual Dynabolan is very hard to obtain even though it is still in production, and fakes would be an issue, as would cost. On the other hand, Nandrolone Undecanoate (not the brand-name product "Dynabolan") is made by several underground labs (Dpharm, for example, produces it), and is relatively cheap. Expect to pay slightly more than you would for Nandrolone with the Decanoate ester; anything under $50 for a 10ml bottle of 100mg/ml strength is a fair black market price.

Nandrolone Undecanoate

Nandrolone Undecanoate
[Nandrolone: 19-Nor-4-androstene-3-one,17b-ol]
Molecular Weight (Nandrolone w/o ester): 274.4022
Formula (of base): C18H26O2
Formula (of ester): C11 H22 O2
Melting Point (of base): 122-124°C
Manufacturer: Farmasister (Italy), Theramex (France-Discontinued)
Release Date: 1992
Effective Dose: 200-600mgs/wk (men); 40-80mgs/wk (women)
Active life: 8-10 days
Detection Time: Up to 18 months
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio: 125:37

(3) Human Growth Hormone (HGH) (somatotropin)

Human growth hormone (Somatotropin) is produced in the body by the pituitary gland. Before this happens, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (HGHRH) and Somatostatin (SST) are released by the hypothalamus, and that determines whether more or less HGH is produced by the pituitary.(1) Many factors influence the release of HGH, however, including nutrition and exercise (6)(7).

Once it is released, Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which is also called Somatotropin (STH) has many functions in the human body. HGH is a protein that stimulates the body cells to increase both in size, as well as undergo more rapid cell division than usual. In addition, it enhances the movement of amino acids through cell membranes and also increases the rate at which these cells convert these molecules into proteins. Clearly, you can see that this would amount to an anabolic (muscle building) effect in the human body. HGH also has the ability to cause cells to decrease the normal rate at which they utilize carbohydrates, and simultaneously increase the rate at which they use fats.(1) Fat loss and lean mass increases with HGH have been found at a dose as low as . 0.028 iu/kg/daily for 24 weeks (4), however, in my estimation, that would be insufficient for a bodybuilder trying to gain muscle. Let´s use .028iu/kg as a working number; that´s 2.8iu for a 100kg (220lbs) bodybuilder. That´s certainly not unreasonable, and I would say that that dose to 2x that dose is the range most bodybuilders and athletes are finding their best results with. Also, that length of time used in the study I just mentioned (24 weeks) is very typical of HGH use, and in conversations with my friends who have used this compound, have told me that they experience consistent results starting well after the 2-month-mark, and they tend to either run this stuff for 6 months at a time, or year-round (if they have sufficient funds). One of my friends is able to consistently retain a shredded 6-7% body fat all year round with the assistance of HGH, whether he is on steroids or off. He also has noted that his cardio (fast walking, for an hour a day) was much easier while on HGH than when off, and certainly the research I´ve done would support his claim that sub maximal aerobic ability is improved with HGH use (5) (15).

How anabolic is this stuff? Well, even endurance athletes at rest (!) were observed in one study to be in an anabolic state (8). Yeah, so you can basically run marathons and take this stuff, and still build some muscle. Pretty impressive, right?

Growth Hormone is usually secreted in rhythmic pulses while you are sleeping, as two peptides, HGHRH and Somatostatin (SST) are alternately released. As you can guess, HGHRH (Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone) is the one responsible for the Release of Growth Hormone (And who said scientists have funny ways for naming things.(1)

Growth hormone also has the ability to stimulate the production (or reproduction, in the case of an injury) of cartilage. This, however, requires the presence of a mediator substance, Somatomedin (IGF), which is released from the liver in response to HGH, and the IGF, in turn, actually promotes the growth of cartilage.(1)

Although it requires IGF to actually grow new cartilage, HGH is directly able to stimulate the elongation of bone tissue.(1), and HGH has also been shown to elicit a positive effects on erythropoeisis (9), which is great for both anabolism as well as endurance.

Remember the negative feedback loop I always tell you about? Well, of course, your body has one which can stop the secretion of HGH, and it involves IGF. When your liver receives secretes IGF-1, it sends a message to both your Hypothalamus as well as your Pituitary to stop producing HGH. (1)

As you have probably guessed by now, your body produces the majority of it´s HGH during your early years, when you are experiencing growth spurts. As you get older, however, you just produce less of this stuff, and its effects are much less pronounced. This was the driving force behind the (always weird) life-extension crowd embracing HGH in the early 90´s. And, as usual, the driving force behind the athletic world embracing HGH was Dan Duchaine, which I´m sure comes as no surprise to many. He first wrote a teaser about it in his Underground Steroid Handbook, and then wrote extensively about it for the next couple of decades. At that time, Grorm, was being used. This nasty stuff was HGH extracted from (are you ready?): the pituitary of dead bodies? That´s real "Dawn of the Dead" style science, in my opinion. I guess it´s an advance from a couple of centuries ago, when Descartes (the "I think therefore I am" guy) declared the pituitary the part of the human body where the soul resides. Anyway, back to the cadaver-thing, the HGH extracted from the cadavers was found to be able to (in rare cases) carry a rare brain disease. This of course, infected the kids who received the infected HGH. The use of HGH from cadavers was subsequently discontinued. Back then (the 80´s) there was also a fake version of some purple looking HGH going around (it was HCG I believe, mixed with B-12) called "Rhesus Monkey Growth Hormone", which is pretty funny, looking back on it. To this day, however, if you get fake HGH, it´s still probably HCG, since both come presented as a powder and bacterioistatic water you need to use to reconstitute it (and then it needs to be refrigerated).

Even if you are using the non-cadaver-derived stuff (and at this point, I´m 100% sure that there´s none of the old Grorm left on shelves anywhere), it´s possible that you experience some side effects like carpal tunnel syndrome, acromegaly (a thickening or growth of bones, most noticeable in the feet, hands, and forehead), and enlarged organs. Gynocomastia is also possible as a side effect of HGH use, as well as Fluid retention (16) (the later being initially pointed out to me by a female colleague who had a pre-contest bodybuilder using HGH as part of his contest prep).

Now for some really interesting stuff:

Although HGH can easily produce very nice, high quality weight and muscle gains, it´s a very poor compound for inducing strength gains(2)(3)(4). That´s very counterintuitive, and certainly many strength athletes have experienced great results in strength as well as muscle size and fat loss from HGH. Generally, many studies have focused on HGH vs. HGH and exercise, and without the exercise LBM increases but not usually maximum voluntary strength output. It should also be noted that most athletes utilizing HGH are using it in a "cocktail" with (at least) anabolic steroids, and usually with IGF, thyroid meds, and other goodies such as an Aromatase Inhibitor.

Let´s discuss exactly why this is.

Most people who are taking the plunge into HGH use have reached a dead end with their use of anabolics, and need to push through that wall. I´m sure you´ve heard about the synergistic combination of using HGH along with Anabolic Steroids, IGF, insulin and T3 (* usually synthroid, a thyroid medication). The reason is that when these hormones are used correctly together, they´ll produce a large amount of synergy, the insulin is able to shuttle nutrients into your muscle, the thyroid hormone increases your fat-burning capability, the IGF will cause muscle growth as well as helping to grow new cartilage (thus preventing injury), and the anabolic steroids like testosterone, specifically (in addition to being anabolic) can increase IGF-1, in muscle tissue(11), and maybe even increase your body´s ability to use it. Also, usually, an increased amount of IGF usually tells your body to stop producing HGH, but testosterone actually blunts this part of the Negative FeedBack Loop (12)! And the addition of an Aromatase Inhibitor will also stop conversion of testosterone into estrogen; estrogen reduces IGF levels.(13)(14) Finally, the HGH does, well everything I just spent the last few pages telling you about!

Thus, IGF, Testosterone (and of course other steroids), Insulin, thyroid meds, and HGH will all combine to produce a pretty damned effective fat-burning and muscle building cycle! You know what else? HGH is virtually undetectable on any sort of currently used drug-screening tests. HGH, Insulin, Thyroid meds, and IGF may also be used pretty safely by those who may be subject to drug screening tests, or as a non-HPTA suppressive "bridge" between cycles.

Finally, I´ll tell you how I´d take HGH, personally. There was a study done on continuous HGH use vs. every other day injections (ED vs. EOD for the sake of brevity), with a equal total weekly dose. Although it´s counterintuitive, every other day injections produced better total growth in the kids in this (2 and 4 year long) study. Take a look at these graphs:

Growth velocity of children treated with alternate day HGH (the darker bars) or with a daily HGH regimen before, during, and 2 yr after stopping therapy. Values are the mean ± SD. *, P <>

Here´s another:

Pretreatment and cumulative 4-yr growth velocity of children treated with alternate day HGH ( the darker bars) or with a daily HGH regimen. Values are the mean ± SD. *, P <>

Shooting HGH every other day more accurately replicates the pulsile frequency of HGH, and thus gave better results for growth (height) deficient children, HGH pulsatility is necessary for proper function of the HGH receptor.(10) Dosing in the EOD nature reduces incidence of any sort of withdrawal problems associated with normal HGH use, including regression or retardation of growth after cessation of therapy.

Therefore, I feel very comfortable speculating that the use of HGH in this manner, which more closely simulates the natural secretion pattern of it, allows the HGH receptors and the rest of the body to more efficiently recover from it, and this will result in much more muscle growth over time (although height was examined in the previous study). My recommendations therefore are 2 shots per day of .028iu/kg of bodyweight, taken every other day, for a minimum of 3months, and preferably for 2-3x that long, and preferably with the other synergistic compounds we´ve just taken a look at

(4) Sustanon 250 (testosterone)

This product was developed by Organon as an ideal HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) solution, and it was thought at the time that the different esters would be able to provide a constant release of Testosterone over a months time. Sustanon is a blend of different estered testosterones (4 of them): testosterone propionate - 30 mg, testosterone phenylpropionate - 60 mg, testosterone isocaproate - 60mg, and testosterone decanoate -100 mg.

This drug was highly sought after as a "superior" version of testosterone in the late 80´s and through the mid 90´s. No doubt this is partly due to the very nice write-up Dan Duchaine gave it in his newsletters. However, lets keep in mind that this drug was designed for convenience, not athletics or bodybuilding. The advantage to this drug, according to the manufacturer, is that it can be injected once a month, and the different esters would provide different timed releases over that month, and the patient would therefore only need to visit the doctor once a month for his shot. For athletes or bodybuilders (who routinely use between half a gram and a gram of testosterone per week), this product is really no better than any other form of injectable testosterone.

Lately, it seems that this product has fallen out of favor with Steroid.com members, as many feel that the inclusion of the Propionate and phenylpropionate estered forms of testosterone in this blend would necessitate shooting every other day. This stems from the fact that testosterone propionate would be shot every other day at least, and testosterone phenylpropionate would generally be shot every third day.

Sustanon will do exactly what other forms of testosterone will do:

Testosterone will cause both muscle growth as well as fat loss. It sends a message to muscle cells to store more contractile protein (called actin and myosin), thus making your muscles grow. It also protects your muscles from catabolic (muscle wasting) glucocorticoid hormones(1). Thus it is often said that testosterone is not only anabolic, but it is strongly catabolic. Not only does it cause an increase in size of the muscle fibres (hyperfascia) but it also can change the appearance and the actual number of muscle fibres (Hyperplasia)(2). Testosterone has the ability to increase erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) in your kidneys(4), and a higher Red Blood Cell (RBC) count may improve endurance by producing more highly oxygenated blood. More RBCs can also improve recovery from strenuous physical activity. Agression levels often rise dramatically with the use of any exogenous testosterone (3). Testosterone improves muscle contraction by increasing the number of motor neutrons in muscle(5) and improves neuromuscular transmission(6). It also promotes glycogen synthesis(7)

And, since Sustanon is simply a form of (well actually 4 forms of) testosterone, we also know that administration of this compound will produce a dose respondant curve. (10)A what? Yeah...basically a "dose respondant curve" is the fancy way of saying "the more you take, the bigger you get..."

This is true of Sustanon as well as for every form of testosterone, up to a point.

Unfortunately, Sustanon will also do all of the bad things that any form of testosterone is known for:

It will convert to the female hormone estrogen (via a mechanism known as aromatization) by the (you guessed it) aromatize enzyme. Excessive estrogen can lead to unwanted side effects, such as acne, the growth of breast tissue (gynecomastia), fat gain and reduced fat breakdown, loss of sex drive, testicular shrinkage and water retention. Water retention can increase blood pressure weakening blood vessels over time. Unfortunately, this isn´t all it does& it can also interact with the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme. This interaction converts the testosterone to Dihydro-testosterone (DHT), a more androgenic form of the parent hormone. DHT has a high binding affinity to the tissues of the scalp resulting in hair loss in loss in users who suffer from male pattern baldness. DHT can affect the prostate as well, making it larger. This swelling can cause the gland to press against the bladder causing urinary problems. Drugs called 5alpha-reductase inhibitors can prevent these symptoms without blocking testosterone´s anabolic effects.(8) Higher dosages of test can also negatively impact cholesterol, lowering HDL(9). Testosterone is probably the safest steroid around, but it can´t be taken lightly, and Sustanon is no different.

The principal drawback to Sustanon is it´s cost. It can cost between $5 an ampule and $12 an ampule. Compared with Omnadren, Testoviron, or even Sten (other testosterone products featuring various blends of Testosterone), the cost makes it prohibitive. An equal amount of an of the aforementioned products can be had for less than half the average cost of an amp of Sustanon. Sustanon, therefore, is no better or worse than any other form of testosterone... if the price is right.

17b-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one
Testosterone base + 4 different esters
Propionate, Phenylpropionate, Isocaproate, Decanoate
Formula (base): C27 H40 O3
Molecular Weight (base): 288.429
Molecular Weight, Esters:
Propionate: 362.5082
Phenylpropionate: 438.6058
Isocaproate: 404.5886
Decanoate: 460.6958
Formula (base): C19 H28 O2
Melting Point (base): 155
Manufacturer: Organon
Effective Dose (Men): 500-2000mg/ week
Effective Dose (Women): Not recommended
Active life: Up to 3 weeks
Detection Time: 3+ months
Anabolic/Androgenic ratio:100/100

(5) Testoviron

Testoviron is a blend of two different products, namely testosterone with the propionate (short) ester attached, and testosterone with the Enanthate (long) ester attached. Confusingly, Schering, who produces this product, also has a pure testosterone Enanthate product of the same name. Testosterone is usually attached to an ester (i.e. when you buy testosterone propionate, or Enanthate the components of this particular drug, you are buying testosterone with a propionate ester attached and testosterone with an Enanthate ester attached, both in the same milliliter of drug). These esters determines how long it takes your body to dispose of the testosterone, and propionate is the shortest ester commonly available with a testosterone base (of course, testosterone suspension has no ester), whereas Enanthate is the longest generally available with a testosterone base. Within your body, there are enzymes, called esterases, which have the function of removing the ester from steroids, and leaving you with just the steroid molecule with the ester cleaved off. Depending on how heavy the ester chain is, that determines how long it takes the esterase to remove it. With this product, you have testosterone with a heavy chain (which will take your esterases awhile to remove) as well as with a short chain (which your esterases will quickly remove).

What happens when those esters are removed?

Well, then the Testosterone you have injected induces changes in the shape as well as the size of your muscle fibers and also can change the appearance and the number of those(7). Testosterone is also noted for its ability to protect your hard earned muscle from catabolic (muscle wasting) glucocorticoid hormones (8), thus inhibiting their ability to send a message to muscle cells to release their stored protein. Concomittantly, Testosterone sends a message to muscle cells to actually store more contractile protein (called actin and myosin); glucocorticoid hormones send the opposite message. In addition, Testosterone has the ability to increase erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) in your kidneys(9), and as we all know, a higher Red Blood Cell (RBC) count would most likely improve endurance via bringing more highly oxygenated blood to your muscles. Having more RBCs can also improve recovery from strenuous physical activity. It needs to also be noted that aggression levels often rise dramatically with the use of exogenous testosterone (15).

All of these great benefits are to be had with the use of either testosterone Enanthate or propionate alone, but realistically, Testoviron will be part of a cycle containing one or more other drugs. People who are bulking will probably choose to use another drug like Deca or Eq (possibly with Dbol as well) and those who are cutting will probably steer towards Eq and perhaps Trenbolone. Very often users will shoot this drug three or four times a week, but blood levels of testosterone from the testosterone Enanthate component would still above baseline with this drug at around day eight (16), even thought we know the other component would peak and fall much more rapidly.

The advantage to longer esters is that they need to be injected less frequently (test prop needs to be injected every other day while you can shoot test cyp once a week). The disadvantage to long estered steroids is that they contain less actual steroid. Anecdotally, however, most people from Steroid.com and other discussion boards who have tried differing esters on their various cycles agree: Testosterone Propionate causes the least side effects and the least bloating, while Enanthate causes the most. Also, any injected testosterone will inhibit your natural test levels and HPTA (Hypothalamic Pituitary Testicular Axis). A Hundred mgs of test/week takes about 5-6 weeks to shut the HPTA, and 250-500mgs shuts you down by week 2 (4).

Testoviron Stack

What stacks well with Testoviron? Well, since it´s a testosterone with both a short and long acting component, I suppose the answer is everything and nothing. Since it´s got a short ester in it, you would have to inject it every other day, so you may as well run another short acting drug with it (Trenbolone Acetate, or whatever). However, since it´s got a long acting component to it, you may consider using a longer acting drug with it (Deca or Eq, perhaps); the downfall here is that you don´t get the full benefit of shooting test prop alone (less water retention, etc...) but you still have to shoot as frequently as if you were only using prop. The testosterone Enanthate is long acting, but you´re still going to be shooting this compound every other day to make use of the propionate component. Thus, the advantage of testosterone Enanthate (reduced shooting frequency) is negated. Many people´s favorite´s are Eq (boldenone undeclyenate) or Deca (nandrolone decanoate), but really, anything will stack well with testoviron. Tren (Trenbolone Acetate), Masteron, and/or Winstrol are also favorites for many on a cutting cycle, and it´s important to note that a product to fight water-retention and other estrogenic sides would be warranted if Testoviron were used for a cutting cycle.

Finally, it´s worth noting that sometimes a strategy known as "frontloading" is employed with products like this one, since it contains both testosterone propionate, and Enanthate. This is where double or triple the intended dose for the cycle is injected for the first two weeks, and the propionate ester gives a very quick rise in blood plasma levels of testosterone, and then the Enanthate ester is relied on for a more even blood level in the ensuing weeks. The reasoning behind this is presumably to get the blood levels of the drug up quickly in the hopes of seeing results more quickly, and then have the blood levels even out and stay constant.

Of all testosterones available on the market today, blended ester products like this one are the most unjustifiably expensive. This is both because they are in high demand, as well as more rare than single estered products. You can only find Testoviron in the Dominican Republic and Italy (135mg versions available in both countries). Expect to pay up to $5-7 for an amp of this stuff, and if your source is asking for more, expect to walk away. When the price of testosterone is so low, I can´t justify purchasing a blended product for any more than you would purchase a single estered test.

Testoviron Profile

(Testosterone Propionate + Testosterone Enanthate)
17b-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one
Testosterone base + Enanthate ester+ Propionate Ester
Molecular Weight: 412.6112
Molecular Weight (base): 288.429
Molecular Weight (Enanthate ester): 130.1864
Molecular Weight (Propionate ester): 74.0792
Formula (base): C19 H28 O2
Formula(Enanthate ester):C7 H12 O
Formula (Propionate Ester): C3H6O2
Melting Point (base): 155
Manufacturer: Schering
Effective Dose (Men): 300-2000mg+ week
Effective Dose (Women): Not recommended
Active life: 8 days
Detection Time: 3 months
Anabolic/Androgenic ratio:100/100

300 spartan vers-01

2009-08-03T20:40:00.002+08:00

The Top 10 Muscles Women Love

2009-08-03T19:54:00.003+08:00

Sure, women love a guy with a chiseled six-pack. But that's not the only body part they check out at the beach (or in bed). And while each woman has a different favorite muscle, these ten (in no particular order) are at the top of every female's "what I notice" list. Take a look, then head to the gym and start sculpting..

You could have biceps the size of bowling balls, but if you've got the beginnings of a gut, any discriminating woman will think twice before considering you boyfriend material. Their fear: A little excess midriff meat now means one fat, sloppy bastard in 10 years..

Women see strong forearms and think you can do everything: Fend off a mugger, build a house, and maintain a dexterous touch long enough to leave them extremely satisfied. So roll up those sleeves, and let 'em have a look.

Women check out your butt because it's a clue to your worthiness as a physical specimen. If you're in great shape, it carries high. Otherwise, your rear end droops like a sack of old potatoes. Old, hairy potatoes.

A wide back is essential for a V-shaped torso, and women's attraction to it is ancestral. "When it was important that our mates protect us from woolly mammoths on the plains, we looked for a gene pool that could provide us with protection," says Pega Ren, Ed.D., a sexologist in British Columbia

"The shoulder muscles are really the muscles of love and war," says Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., author ofSurvival of the Prettiest. They also make the whole look when combined with a broad back. Strong shoulders literally sweep women off their feet.

"Women want an overall sense of strength and fitness," says Etcoff. "If a man looks as if he can lift something but can't run, it looks disproportionate.

"Women treasure your chest as much as you do theirs," says Emily Dubberley, a sex expert based in the UK. "Touching, kissing, and licking a man's chest is undoubtedly a turn-on for most women.

In a poll ofCosmopolitanreaders, 1 out of 5 women confessed that nice biceps on a man makes them "absolutely melt.

Many women prefer being on top because it lets them lean forward to rub against your pubic bone. Having well-conditioned hamstrings and glutes makes it easier to meet her halfway for more pleasure

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/muscles_women_love_most/index.php

WARNING: These Five Truths Will Contradict Everything You Thought You Knew About Diet & Fitness. So...Prepare Yourself...

2009-08-02T21:44:00.005+08:00

WARNING: These Five Truths Will Contradict Everything You Thought You Knew About Diet & Fitness. So...Prepare Yourself...

1*	First is the plain fact that it's fat you need to lose... not weight . If you actually lose weight on most of the fad diets out there, you lose mostly water... not fat . You're not getting healthier... You're just getting dangerously dehydrated!
2*	Low carb diets will not make you lose fat in the long run because they rob your body of energy thus making it too hard to follow. Low fat diets are worse, putting even more fat on you! The only way to drop the fat is by eating the right foods... in the right amounts... and at the right time. Sounds complicated, I know... but it's really simple!
3*	Long, boring cardio exercise... four or even six times per week is the worst way to burn fat. If you know this little secret, it's now possible to burn five times the belly fat exercising just 45 minutes per week. Not per day... I said per week!
4*	Celebrity-endorsed boxed food diets are expensive , and slow. That means you have to keep paying for months! Plus... the ads skip over the part about you still having to buy your own vegetables! That's hundred$ more each month!
5*	Restrictive dieting (AKA starving yourself) is not only stupid and dangerous... but it doesn't really work! Why go to bed hungry when there's a delicious way to “tickle your system” into burning fat all night long... while you sleep the night away?

Now that you know the truth of how your diet was sabotaged before you even started it...

Now that you know what not to do if you ever want to be fit...

It's time for you to know what you must do to drop the fat right now ... and keep it off forever.

What you must do to finally look and feel healthy... sexy... in control.

Yes... we're talking about a simple, quick and safe way to lose 26 pounds of fat in 7 incredible weeks.

swimming to a 6 pack

2009-08-02T19:25:00.003+08:00

"To plunge into water, to move one's whole body, from head to toe, in its wild and graceful beauty; to twist about in its pure depths, this is for me a delight only comparable to love."

Many people enjoy a rather uneasy love-hate relationship with the sport of swimming. Those, like Valéry, who love to swim, see it as a total mind-body-spirit release and arguably the best total-body exercise around. A good swim reduces stress and leaves you feeling energized and healthy. It improves your range of motion and joint health and is the ideal adjunct to any workout program, because it improves aerobic capacity and cardiovascular fitness without impact. Injuries are practically nonexistent in this sport.

People who hate swimming say that decoding the swim stroke can be as confusing as unraveling the Gordian knot, and that staring at that torturous black line at the bottom of the pool will put you directly into a straitjacket.

Whatever your swim disposition, this chapter will help you maximize your efficiency and enjoyment in the water in a short period of time--and get you out of the water in your triathlon event feeling fresh, strong and ready to sail off on your bike.

There are four learning stages in swimming, according to Terry Laughlin, founder of Total Immersion in New Paltz, New York, a training program that teaches swimming technique to both professional athletes and beginning swimmers. First is the period of water orientation, which involves learning to be comfortable in the water. It's vital that beginners establish an early, easy relationship with the water, or they may never enjoy it. Swimming in open water--an ocean, lake or river--is different from the confines of a pool. Getting familiar with the body of water before the event by checking tides, currents and temperatures as well as clarity and cleanliness is prudent.

The second and third stages involve learning the basic elements of the swim stroke and then improving them to make the stroke more efficient. Finally, there is the advanced learning phase, when you focus on refining motor coordination and learning to swim stronger and faster.

Hone Your Swimming Technique

Let's assume you've already familiarized yourself with the water. (If you haven't, spend two to three 30-minute sessions in the pool simply feeling the water and how your body moves in it.) So now it's time to tackle learning and polishing your technique--which is the foundation of swimming both for pleasure and performance.

Any local pool can provide a striking lesson in the importance of good swimming technique. Look closely, and you'll see swimmers flailing across the water like madpeople, as well as others gliding along the lanes effortlessly--fishlike. The difference isn't in fitness level, but technique. The best swimmers have near-flawless technique, which allows them to use less energy to swim across the pool.

I once attended a training camp in Florida with four-time Olympic champion Alexander Popov, regarded as one of the top swim technicians in the world. But Popov had been ill, and /// we were watching his first workout in almost a month. We assumed he would have trouble even getting across the pool.

Not Popov. He dove in and cut a swath through the pool, stroking up and down the lanes as if he had been training twice a day for the past month. Onlookers were amazed. I asked his coach, the legendary Gennadi Touretsky, how Popov did this.

"Alexander has never practiced anything but perfect, flawless technique in the pool," Touretsky said, "He doesn't know any differently. He may be out of shape right now, but his body remembers the perfect technique. He has perfect body position and perfect application of strength. That is why he can swim so well even when he is out of shape--and it's why he beats the best swimmers in the world."

Honing your technique is the best way to reach your potential in any sport, but it's particularly important in swimming. That's because swimming is a technical sport similar to golf or tennis, rather than a power sport like cycling or weight lifting. Improving your swimming technique will benefit your training in three key ways.

Your performance will soar. By learning how to execute the swim stroke with greater efficiency, you'll produce more results with the same effort. In other words, if you improve your swim stroke by just five percent, you can increase your speed noticeably without trying harder.

You'll experience fewer exercise-induced injuries or pain. If you swim in a more relaxed and natural way, you'll place less stress on your muscles, joints and tendons. This applies to other sports as well: Learn to run more smoothly and you'll experience less impact stress in your body every time your foot hits the ground.

You'll enjoy yourself more. By moving your body more efficiently through the water, swimming will feel more comfortable. You will begin to flow smoothly through swim workouts, rather than fight through them.

"THE FUTURE OF FITNESS"

2009-08-02T19:17:00.001+08:00

"THE FUTURE OF FITNESS"

Kuala Lumpur program commencing on the 10th of August in Kuala lumpur, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:45AM – 6:45AM click here for location details. All courses consist of 12 session run 3 times a week for a period of 4 weeks.
Enrol now before the 1st of August for RM249 including free T-shirt

Petaling Jaya program commencing on the 11th of August , every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 5:45AM – 6:45AM click here for location details.All courses consist of 12 session run 3 times a week for a period of 4 weeks
Enrol now before the 1st of August for RM249 including free T-shirt

Petaling Jaya program commencing on the 11th of August , every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7.00AM – 8.00AM click here for location details.All courses consist of 12 session run 3 times a week for a period of 4 weeks
Enrol now before the 1st of August for RM249 including free T-shirt - for new recruits only

extremefittrack

2009-08-01T17:14:00.000+08:00

extremefittrack

abs workout

2009-07-27T10:32:00.000+08:00

1.Bent-Knee Sit-up / Crunches 3x12

2Glute Bridge. 3x12

3.Supine Pelvic Tilts 3x12

WORKOUT ROUTINE - WORKOUT PROGRAM FOR MEN

2009-07-25T00:17:00.000+08:00

WORKOUT ROUTINE - WORKOUT PROGRAM FOR MEN

interval training

2009-07-24T17:33:00.000+08:00

Lack of time is the number one reason people give for not exercising. And lack of results once they do start exercising isn’t far behind. Interval training is a great solution for both of these common problems.
Interval training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with what is called active recovery, which is typically a less-intense form of the original activity.
The Swedes came up with a term for this type of training: Fartlek, which means speed play. Not only is it an efficient training method, Fartlek training can help you avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity, and provides the opportunity to increase your intensity without burning yourself out in a matter of minutes.
Unlike traditional interval training, Fartlek training does not involve specifically or accurately measured intervals. Instead, intervals are based on the needs and perceptions of the participant. In other words, how you feel determines the length and speed of each interval.

Advantages of Intervals
Interval training utilizes the body’s two energy-producing systems: the aerobic and the anaerobic. The aerobic system is the one that allows you to walk or run for several miles and uses oxygen to convert carbohydrates from various sources throughout the body into energy.
The anaerobic system, on the other hand, draws energy from carbohydrates stored in the muscles (in the form of glycogen) for short bursts of activity such as sprinting, jumping or lifting heavy objects. This system does not require oxygen, nor does it provide enough energy for more than the briefest of activities. And its by-product, lactic acid, is responsible for that achy, burning sensation in your muscles that you feel after running up several flights of stairs, for example.
Interval Basics
Interval training allows you to enjoy the benefits of anaerobic activities without having to endure those burning muscles. In its most basic form, interval or Fartlek training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout.
The intensity (or lack thereof) of each interval is up to how you feel and what you are trying to achieve. The same is true for the length of each interval. For example, if it is your habit to walk two miles per day in 30 minutes, you can easily increase the intensity of your walk (as well as up its calorie-burning potential) by picking up the pace every few minutes and then returning to your usual speed.
A great trick is to tell yourself that you’ll run a particular distance, from the blue car to the green house on the corner, for example, and then walk from the green house to the next telephone pole.
When you first start Fartlek training, each interval can be a negotiation with yourself depending on how strong or energetic you happen to feel during that particular workout. This helps to break up the boredom and drudgery that often comes from doing the same thing day after day.
A More Advanced Approach
Despite its simplicity, it also is possible to take a very scientific approach to interval training, timing both the work and recovery intervals according to specific goals. Keep the four variables listed in the box to the left in mind when designing an interval-training program.
Four Training Variables
Intensity (speed) of the work interval
Duration (distance or time) of the work interval
Duration of the rest or recovery interval
Number of repetitions in each interval

Exerc
Sets
Reps
Rest:
A1: Dumbell Press
3
15

A2: Hip Bridge
3
20
50 sec
B1: Band Row (staggered stance)
3
12

B2: Ball Squat with Dumbell
3
15
50 sec
C1: Shoulder Press with dumbbell
2
12

C2: One Calf Raise
2
15
50 sec
D1: Seated Bicep Curl (band)
2
15

D2: Reverse Crunch with fitness band
2
20-25
50 sec
A1, A2, A3 etc are supersets. Superset simply means performing one set of each exercise in a circuit format, until you have completed all the work sets. In other words, perform two or more exercises in a row, followed by the recommended break. .

Cross-training for Fun and Fitness

2009-07-24T15:33:00.000+08:00

Tired of the same old workout? Looking for a level of fitness that your current exercise routine can’t offer? Are you experiencing nagging injuries that just don’t seem to heal? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are a likely candidate for cross-training.
Cross-training is simply a way of adding variety to your exercise program. You can vary your aerobic routine and incorporate some muscular strength and flexibility training as well.
And if you think cross-training is new, think again. Athletes have been cross-training since the days of the Olympic decathlons and pentathlons of ancient Greece. The past decade has seen the popularity of the triathlon reach international proportions, introducing the concept of cross-training to even the most recreational athletes.

What’s the point?

The benefits of cross-training are numerous. It reduces the risk of injury because the same muscles, bones and joints are not continuously subjected to the stresses of the same activity.
Cross-training also adds variety to your workouts, making your routine more interesting and easier to stick with. For the athlete, it provides a break from the rigors and stresses of single-sport training. Cross-training will improve your overall fitness and, over an extended period of time, may ultimately lead to improved performance.

The Nuts and Bolts of Cross-training
Whether you are new to exercise or a competitive athlete, the essentials of cross-training are the same. You can choose to vary your routine from workout to workout, or simply add a new component to your existing exercise program.
One of the easiest ways to start cross-training is to alternate between activities—walking one day and swimming or bicycling the next. Or, you can alternate these activities within a single workout, spending five minutes on a treadmill, five minutes on a stationary cycle, and so on for a total of 30 minutes.
More experienced exercisers might begin an hour-long workout with a 15-minute jog to a nearby pool. After a 20-minute swim and perhaps a few minutes of calisthenics, they can finish off their workout with a 15-minute jog back home and several minutes of flexibility exercises.

Get Creative With Cross-training
If you’re looking to increase your endurance level, try alternating low-level aerobic activities, such as 20 minutes of stationary cycling, with 10 minutes of higher-intensity exercise, such as stair-stepping or jumping rope. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend on the more intense activity.
These formulas can be used with just about any type of activity—as long as you enjoy it. Combining a group of aerobic activities into one workout at steady or varying intensities is an excellent way to fight the boredom that comes from performing the same daily workout routine.
All exercise sessions, whether they involve cross-training or not, should begin and end with low-level aerobic exercise and stretching to effectively warm up and cool down. And remember, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

get fit

2009-07-24T13:33:00.000+08:00

Get Fit!Walking is one fitness activity that allows you numerous options. Once you have reached a point where you can walk a few miles with relative ease, you can start to vary the intensity.Walking hills, in addition to increasing your cardiovascular endurance, is a great way to tone the legs. Concentrate on lengthening your stride or increasing your speed. And don’t forget to reward yourself after each workout with a few minutes of relaxing stretches to help prevent sore muscles. Listening to lively music while you walk is also a great way to energize your workout. But if you wear headphones, keep the volume down and watch out for traffic that you may not hear. Keep track of your progress. Many experts recommend that you walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day, but there are no hard and fast rules. Fit walking into your schedule whenever you can. That may mean three 10-minute walks each day, or even hour-long walks two to three times a week. The best schedule is one that keeps you walking and keeps you fit!

Get Moving:

Beginning walkers can make their workouts less strenuous by limiting how fast and far they walk. Keep the following in mind:
*Walk short distances—Begin with a five-minute stroll and gradually increase your distance.
*Forget about speed—Walk at a comfortable pace. Focus on good posture, keeping your head lifted and shoulders relaxed.
*Swing your arms naturally—Breathe deeply. If you can’t catch your breath, slow down or avoid hills.
*Be sure that you can talk while walking—If you can’t converse, you are walking too fast.

good luck...