Fast and Furious Fitness

Yup, I know I haven’t updated this thing for months, once again. . .A LOT of things have been happening in my life, and I just haven’t been able to spend as much time online (on the blog) as I’d have liked to - though that needs to change for sure. Anyhow, let me quit with the excuses here though, hehe, and jump right into the swing of things again. . .

So, I’ve been training hard for the past few months, despite my absence online, and I’ve been trying out a few new exercises as well, which I’ll be sharing with you shortly. Before that though, what I wanted to talk about today was that no matter how good one gets at an exercise (and it’s variations), you’ll find that there’s ALWAYS something to learn. I think I’ve covered this before is previous blog posts - but, I’ll go over it once more today.

First, I’ll start off by explaining why I’m saying this. As I was doing my Hindu squats today, I noticed that I wasn’t going up all the way today on the upward part of the movement. Now, the difference in range of motion was slight to be honest, and I probably wouldn’t even have noticed it if I wasn’t training in front of a mirror (which I am these days, because I’m training in my bedroom). But, I noticed I was going only about 95% or so on the upward part of the movement.

(BTW, that’s another tip - it’s sometimes a good idea to exercise in front of the mirror, not so you can admire yourself, but more to observe your form, whether your keeping back straight while doing the squats, etc etc. I’ve found this helps me a lot on “bad” days, when my form just seems to be off.)

My form and range of motion was correct on the way down (which is what most people emphasize) - but I ended up not concentrating as much on the thighs on the way up (instead concentrating more on the swing of the arms that bring one up), and thus wasn’t going up all the way. One should definitely concentrate on “dropping” down with control, however, one should also make sure that the legs are straight when one ends the “up” part of the movement, and not “almost” straight.

Sounds too little to be worried about, I know, but there’s a difference between doing an exercise in good form, and letter perfect form. And those of you that do work out regularly will instantly relate to what I’m talking about here.

It’s human to err - we’re not robots, and do end up concentrating on one part of the movement more than the other sometimes. But, the important thing is to note where one’s erring, and make sure one does all one can to make sure one’s form is perfect (or as close to perfect as it can get).

So, I’ll end on that note for today. Hopefully I’ll get around to updating the blog on a regular basis as I used to a few months before - touchwood on that one!!

As always - Get FIT - FAST!

Rahul

PS: To those who did sign up for the site - there have been quite a few users that have done that - a big thanks!

All,

I’ve often said in the past that the Hindu squat is an excellent overall body conditioner. It would be incorrect to say that this is purely a “leg” exercise (though that IS the primary body part being worked) - done correctly, the Hindu squat works far, far more than just the legs.

I’ve covered how to make the Hindu squat an excellent inner thigh exercise in the past, and I’ve also gone into how to make it a great glute muscle developer. However, today’s short and effective tip will show you how to use the Hindu squat to give your shoulders a solid “secondary” workout as well!

And the tip is this: - instead of bringing your arms behind your back, bring them to your sides and then swing up. The rest of the motion remains the same - this is the only modification required. When doing this exercise, really concentrate on bringing yourself with your arms as well as the breathing - and you’ll notice the difference!

I feel this variation of squat far more in my shoulders, and I’ve also found that it lends to an excellent deep breathing workout - there have been times my stomach muscles of all things needed a gap while doing these. Not quite what you’d expect, perhaps, but that’s how these subtle variations can lead to a far more solid OVERALL body workout.

I’ve also found that I perform far better on my “max rep” pushups/pullups after the squats - perhaps because the shoulders are warmed up in their entirety at that point - but I’ve also found that the second set after that gets a lot harder. Which bears testament to the fact that this style of Hindu squat I’m talking about hits the shoulders in a different (and more intense) way than the regular way.

Make no mistake about it - the regular way is GREAT - but if your looking for a change, try this, or some of the other variations I’ve mentioned in the past. And of course you can change the way you do some other exercises as well - I’ve covered that in the past as well.

All for now. As always, get fit - FAST!

Rahul

Ok, the last post made reference to the facts that a) I was suffering from a slight injury and b) I haven’t been training legs full bore this week. Add on point c) which is that I’ve been suffering from a combination of the flu, mild fever (gone now) and a nasty cold/sore throat, and you can say the week’s been less than ideal for me in many regards. . .some not mentioned here as well.

Be that as it may, I woke up this morning without feeling much of the “slight twinge” that I referred to in my last post. Did some hamstring stretches, touched my toes about 15 times in perfect form, stayed in the “downward dog” position a while, all good thus far. Then attempted a squat or two, and then five - and when I didn’t feel too much in the area mentioned in my last post (except some slight residual twinges), I knew it was time to get back to my leg work. And truth be told, I was damn happy about it - training without training legs just don’t “cut the mustard” for me if you get my drift.

Anyhow, so now came the question - do I go full bore, start off with the toughies, etc etc? I decided not - too much too soon, and I’d be back saddled with the same injury issue as before. I figured I’d do about 10 minutes of leg work, 10 minutes of pushups, and throw in some stretches, the back/front bridge, and pull ups for good measure.

So, a total of 40 minutes today - and I feel GREAT now! The cold/sore throat is still there, but the deep breathing which naturally accompanies leg work has cleared my sinuses up a lot it seems - and my entire body feels hammered in a good way. It’s that feeling you just can’t get without training legs - the way leg training hits the entire body is unlike any other. You can do pushups all day long, or weighted pull ups, but nothing really cuts it like training legs HARD and intense.

I did ONE set each of Hindu squats, sumo squats, jumpers, and some miscallaneous leg work, and boy was it worth it. Normally do about two sets of each, but like I said, one needs to ease back into the groove rather than push back into it.

So - moral of the post? If your coming off an injury, illness, whatever - start off with training that involves some deep breathing, and overall body work - and “ease back” into your tougher exercises/higher reps. Before you know it, you’ll be back in the swing of things in no time!

And of course - don’t skip the leg work - make it the #1 priority in your routine, if it isn’t already.

All for now - be back again soon.

Get fit - FAST!

Rahul

So, today was another “long” workout. Not really long by the typical gym trainee standards - but, it lasted about an hour, and I was hammered at the end of it all. Sweat was dripping off me, and the summer’s just beginning here in all honesty. Each body part was worked throughly, and to the max.

And, I feel GREAT - not worn down or exhausted.

I worked every thing today - as I usually do. What made it better today is that I slowed it down just that extra bit, to enable me to focus and recover on form/execution of ALL the exercises.

And while doing so, I discovered another trick to the Sumo Squat. Without further do, here it is: - While coming down on the squat, really “bang” your foot down i.e. “stomp” while bringing your leg back from the extended “up” position. You’ll find this gives you a better workout in terms of breathing, and also in terms of muscle being worked.

Slowing it down just a little bit also gave me an opportunity to focus on something else which is of paramount importance - but, I’ll let you figure that one out. (Not so subtle) hint: It involves O2.

So, all in all, nothing really new - but, yet another great workout for the books. Which is going to be followed by another one.

And that, dear reader, is exactly how it should be. String together one great workout after the other, and you’ll be holding the keys to - and entering - a whole different world altogether.

I’ll end on that note. Oh, and I’ve been recieving a ton of comments (or should I say pingbacks) from sites - which I really do appreciate - but what is happening is that the comments don’t contain anything meaningful - its more like “xysayzkf http://sss.xxysa.” or “rock stars here - http:// . . . “. Please, by all means, visit the blog, and leave comments - but make sure they at least look like a human being wrote it.

Okay, enough for now. As always - get fit - FAST!

Rahul

I’ve been toying with a new way of making the jumper squats a bit more taxing for a while now, and it looks like I’ve found the right way.

First off, allow me to preface by saying the jumper squat is an advanced exercise, and beginners should not just jump into this exercise (no pun intended there). Get good at the regular squats, then the regular jumps, and THEN look for ways to make it harder.

Since I don’t have an information page on how to do jumper squats as yet, I’ll explain briefly: Start off in the regular Hindu Squat position - but, in the down position, while going up, don’t just power “up” - power a few inches back - and then return to the starting position - all in the same movement. This little twist makes the exercise all the more difficult, and really hits the calves and buttocks in a big way.

I usually do these in sets of 25 - 35 after my regular squats (or after the Sumos); make no mistake about it, they are tough, and will get you in GREAT shape - FAST.

Yet, there is ALWAYS a way to make the same exercise more productive. And that is - while doing the squats, and jumping “back” a few inches - jump UP a bit more WHILE jumping back. Imagine a kangaroo - jumping high and far - only backwards.

The “extra” jump in the movement really hits the buttocks in a big way - you’ll also feel your thighs “loosen up” as the extra jumping necessitates straightening of the entire leg, and stretches the entifre thigh muscle out, more so than perhaps while simply jumping up a little and back.

Try this one out, and see how it feels. I tried it today - and was sweating within a minute or so of doing these!

All for now.

Get fit - FAST!

Rahul

All,

I spoke yesterday about the benefits of deep breathing, and why you should be incorporating it into your workouts as well (or make it a gentle workout in itself). Today I’ll give you a quick example from my own workout which illustrates just how useful deep breathing can be (in addition to what I’ve already said before).

What I did today was do a deep breathing exercise after each leg exercise today. So I did my Hindu squats, then a set of deep breathing exercises. Then jumpers, then deep breathing, and so forth. And I achieved personal bests in the following exercises: jumper squats, and jumping lunges - while doing all my other exercises in a more “rythmic” pattern, if that makes sense. Well, there’s obviously something to it then!

My own theory is that mixing in deep breathing with the regular workout has two advantages : a) giving your “regular” muscles a bit of a break and thus allowing them to come back stronger for the next exercise and b) “active recovery” i.e. the deep breathing flushes out the toxins which build up in the muscles during a workout.

It also has the effect of leaving me less drained after my workout - which is a good thing. You should feel “buzzed” and ready to go after a tough workout - rather than ready to flop down on the couch and snooze. And, I’ve found deep breathing aids a LOT to this end. Not to mention that it keeps the blood flowing effectively throughout the entire workout, and thats always a good thing.

So - try and devote a bit more time to deep breathing exercises, or just deep breathing alone in the right fashion - and let me know your findings!

And, I know I haven’t covered what exact breathing exercises I use, amongst a host of other stuff I want to cover. So much to cover, so little time. . .

All for now though -back tomorrow hopefully.

Get fit - FAST!

Rahul

That’s the principle I used this morning while training. This is an advanced variation, therefore, it may be unsuitable for those that are just starting out. But for those of you that are advanced trainees, read on. . . Hopefully this tip will help you in your training!

The method is basically what the name says - one hard, long, set. I concentrate more on the tougher exercises while applying this principle, which makes it even harder. What I generally do in my routine is two sets of each exercise, but here I combine both into ONE long set. I may take a breather (a very short one) in the middle, but it’s essentially one long, hard, ardous set which really gets the heart rate up, and the breathing going overtime.

For instance, here’s what I did with my sumos, jumpers and jumping lunges (note these are all tough exercises): -

20 reps of Sumo Squats on each leg
15 reps of Jumping Lunges
41 Jumper squats

and all this, done in a long set for each exercise. Sure, I took maybe a couple of seconds breather DURING each set, but that doesn’t make it any easier to be honest.

This technique may seem similar to “supersetting”, but there is one difference - the breather allows you to perform at about 75%-80% of your maximal capacity during the rest of the set. While supersetting you generally don’t take a breather at all, but that allows you to only perform at maybe 50% or less during the superset.

So, thats another different way to train. Amazing how many variations one can come up - which WORK if you just train.

And thats really all there is to it. TRAIN - and the rest will take care of itself.

All for now.

Get fit - FAST!

Rahul

Yes, folks, you read that right. Long and slow workout, instead of the fast and furious routine I advocate. Yes, I said those words - long, and slow. But before you start wondering whether or not I’ve gone completely off my rocker, let me explain.

I’ve been having to train in less than optimal circumstances over the past couple of days. There has been stuff going on around here, both in my personal and work life, and let’s just suffice to say that the heat’s the least of my concerns right now.

Today, I was training in a room hotter than usual, and that, combined with the other stresses and the rising temperature, made it far tougher than usual. I started my workout with the right intentions, but as soon as I made it up from my first squat, I knew I wouldn’t be doing a quick ‘un today. I would either get it done slowly and right, or, I wouldn’t be doing it at all.

So instead of stress over the fact I was going slowly, I decided to try and actually enjoy the slow movements. I changed my routine up as well - a squatting exercise, then a back exercise, then legs, then back and so forth - as opposed to legs first, and back later, and then pushups. However the speed of my workout was such that it allowed me to recuperate between exercises, and thus I was able to hit all body parts with the same intensity that I do normally. I just rolled with the heat though, and went a bit slower than usual.

This didn’t make it easier. After each leg exercise, the heat really “sank in”, and I was feeling like I was breathing fire in. But, I didn’t give in, and finished eventually. Did the best I could do, and I’m proud of myself for having done so.

And now, I’m sitting here completely exhausted from the events of the past few days, and my workout. And the only thing I feel is a sense of deep satisfaction at having battled through the odds, and “getting it done no matter what”. OK, other things as well, but that is the overwhelming feeling that is sweeping me right now.

This is hard to explain if you haven’t actually been there, and done it, so I am not going to attempt to. But some of you out there that are reading those know what I am talking about. Brothers (and sisters) in battle we are, and shall remain.

Speaking of which, it’s back to the battle of life for now.

Until next time - TRAIN, PERSEVERE and get her done!

Rahul

All,

Today was again one of those days where I debated about taking a day off (it’s getting close to my “regular” off day). But, fortitude won out as it usually does, and I ended up learning something new, which I’m going to share with you today. Always something new to learn!

And today’s tip is on Sumo squats, and how the glutes can REALLY aid in correct, and BETTER execution of the exercise.

The “stretching” portion of this exercise (i.e. when you raise your leg ups to your sides to touch the bottom of your palm) is normally the hardest for most people. Might be because of a lack of flexibility in the groin muscles, or, it could simply be weak inner thighs or glutes. Either way, that portion of the exercise is the toughest for most people.

Try this tip to make it easier (and do better on this movement!): - As you rise from the squatting position, inhale deeply, but really squeeze the glutes while doing so. Inhale “into” the glutes - if that makes sense. Imagine your glutes “powering you up” to the standing position. Once there, the power you generate through your glutes will automatically transfer over to the rest of the muscles, and it’ll help you in getting the next portion of the movement done.

This little change will also make the exercise that much harder, but that much more productive, if done right. Done correctly, the Sumo squat is a KILLER, even when done in “low” reps such as 5-10 per leg.

Try it, and let me know how it works for you!

Rahul

All,

I just realized I’ve been talking about quite a few exercises, but haven’t quite updated the “information” page on the left hand column to reflect all the new exercises I’ve been talking about. My bad - today, I’ll address one of those exercises: The Sumo Squat.

The Sumo squat is an advanced exercise, which will build and condition the hips, inner thighs, glutes, lower back/lower abs simaltaneously in a single movement. This exercise is an advanced exercise “a killer”, so make sure you a) have the basic squat down pat before trying this, and b)loosen your groin/thighs up - VERY important, and you’ll soon see why.

Here’s how to perform the Sumo Squat: -

1. Begin as you would in the regular Hindu squat, except with your toes turned a fair bit more outwards. A minimum angle to shoot for would be 30 degrees, but you can go as far as 60 on this one.

2. Hold your arms out to your sides such that both arms are perpendicular to your torso. Maintain this arm position throughout the movement.

3. Squat down, while maintaing this position. Breathe OUT while squatting down.

4. Explode back up - only, while exploding up, move your right leg, up, and towards your extended arm, so that the side of your foot touches the palm of your hand. In one smooth movement, bring it down again such that it touches the other foot - you should be standing on the other leg during the “up” motion - and return to the starting position.(same angle with the foot position). Squat down again.

Note: The movement should be a “fluid” movement, and not a jerky movement - yet another reason you need to be warmed up pretty well in order to do this one.

5. Repeat this movement on the left leg. That’s one rep.

6. Continue ad nauseam for as many reps you can manage.

Again, make sure you loosen everything up before doing this - it’s very easy to strain (or worse, injure) your groin or other muscles doing this movement if your not “loose” enough while doing it. Also, this may seem like a slow movement, but it’ll have you puffing pretty quick. Try it, and see for yourself!

This one will take some time to master - but when you do - WATCH OUT!

Stay tuned for more information on other “advanced” exercises as well - I’ll be covering them in future posts!

All for now,
Rahul