Category: Exercises

The Perfect Push-Up

pushup

Push-ups are one of the most common exercises known to man. It targets the chest, back, arms and even your core.

With proper form and a few other full body exercises (like squats, and bicycle-crunches) you can get a nice full body work out if you’re short on time or are just starting out.

To perform a proper push up:

  1. You most maintain a straight line from your head to your feet throughout the entire exercise.
  2. Move slowly both upwards and downwards.
  3. Keep your arms at 45 degree angles from your body. With the biceps parallel to the ground at start.
  4. When going down try to reach the floor with your abdominal.
  5. If you have wrist issues, use fists to support yourself. You may use a carpeted floor for padding.

There’s really not much to it. Just like any other exercise don’t get discouraged if you can’t do 1,000,000 pushups from your first try. If you can’t perform a desired amount of repetitions, just do as many as you can and add a couple every week. With practice and conscience effort anyone can progress to perform a desired amount of pushups in no time.

The 300 Workout Challenge from the Movie

Up for a challenge? Want to get fit like the actors from the 300 movie? Try out this crazy routine and see how well you can perform:

  • Pullups – 25 reps
  • Deadlifts with 135lbs – 50 reps
  • Pushups – 50 reps
  • 24-inch Box jumps – 50 reps
  • Floor wipers – 50 reps
  • Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36lbs Kettlebell – 50 reps
  • Pullups – 25 reps

If you can’t do the whole set keep doing as many sets untill you reach the outlined reps.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ETHPvJzMQ

The Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine: Part 3 – Strength Training

This post is part 3 of the The Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine.
All the exercises here can be done with the Complete Home Gym for Under $100.
 

Shoulders

Pull ups:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83B1RLBBAts
Military Presses:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpWrzp9Mnyg
Lateral Raises:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8I4ySTVAdA

Legs

Calf Raises:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF8R0jBwdes
Lunges:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7KaRcUTQeE
Squats:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PeqytTtq4
Swiss ball wall squats:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydVHCRhEnj8
Dumbbell Dead-Difts:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZnrc_MXX1U

Chest

Pushups:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh00_rniF8E
Incline bench press using the swiss ball:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNrKXmSemSQ
Swiss ball push ups:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NosiLQP_xlY
Swiss ball dumbbell flies:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg7Jt91Jjqc

Back

Rows:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP_fqQ6yEQ8
YTWL back exercises on the swiss ball:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xck3d8LidME

Arms

Dumbbell Kick-Back:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5dkvabxAlU
Curls:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawrdYA0WXU
Dips:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx9gVDCnT84
 

The Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine: Part 2 – Abs + Core Exercises

This post is part 2 of the The Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine.
All the exercises here can be done with the Complete Home Gym for Under $100.
Core Exercises:
20 kettlebell swings:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u_nqSnM2S8
hip thrusts on the swiss ball:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXprDZlX8pY
Plank for 50 seconds:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSHjTRCQxIw
10 Side plank rotations on each side:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo0j8L8sXJk
10 Leg raises on the iron gym (requires the straps):
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSCCOAuF7Bo
 

Swiss ball exercises:

20 swiss ball myotatic crunch:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noD_RwkaGEQ&feature=related
20 swiss ball back crunch:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_OfbkJwxnc
20 swiss ball side crunches:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDSPi8N3RUA
30 swiss ball russian twists:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvIpcKy0JjQ
Super Man on the swiss ball for 30 seconds:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r1MiHU_Rwg
20 swiss ball jack knives:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYDHDUEDDe0
 

Ab exercises:

20 plain crunches with legs on the swiss ball:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UTXXBwmETk
20 V situps:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTYdRiLfuO0
10 reverse crunches:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfdmYbDczag
50 bicycle crunches:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixQGJ3Ja-2I

The Ultimate Full Body Workout Routine

After reading books and articles on proper exercises that workout your body entire I believe I have come up with the ultimate routine:

All the exercises here can be done with the Complete Home Gym for Under $100.
I use cardio to kill two birds with one stone: Cardio in and of itself and a full body warm up. Jogging around your neighborhood for 15-20 minutes should be enough.
Regarding stretching there is a lot of controversy of whether you should do it before or after you work out. To avoid any issues I simple don’t do any stretches on Day 1 and Day 3 and simply stretch my entire body with yoga on Day 2. I found the P90x version masculine enough for those of you who feel that yoga is too feminine. I can finally reach my toes!
Check out this page for a complete list of yoga poses if you do not feel like purchasing the dvds: http://www.sheerbalance.com/brettsblog/p90x-yoga-poses-tony-horton/
 

The Outline

Day 1 – Cardio + Abs/Core

15-20 min cardio

Core Excercises

  • 20 kettlebell swings
  • hip thrusts on the swiss ball
  • Plank for 50 seconds
  • 10 Side plank rotations on each side
  • 10 Leg raises on the iron gym (requires the straps)

Swiss ball exercises

  • 20 swiss ball myotatic crunch
  • 20 swiss ball back crunch
  • 20 swiss ball side crunches
  • 30 swiss ball russian twists
  • Super Man on the swiss ball for 30 seconds
    20 swiss ball jack knives

Ab exercises

  • 20 plain crunches with legs on the swiss ball
  • 20 V situps
  • 10 reverse crunches
  • 50 bicycle crunches

It might look like a lot but each set of repetitions takes under 1 minute or less so one complete round takes about 20 minutes if you don’t rest in between reps.

Day 2 – Yoga from the P90x series

Day 3 – Cardio + Strength Training

Shoulders

  • Pull ups
  • Military Presses
  • Lateral Raises

Legs

  • Calf Raises
  • Lunges
  • Squats
  • Swiss ball wall squats
  • Dumbbell Dead-Difts

Chest

  • Pushups
  • Incline bench press using the swiss ball
  • Swiss ball push ups
  • Swiss ball dumbbell flies

Back

  • Rows
  • YTWL back exercises on the swiss ball

Arms

  • Dumbbell Kick-Back
  • Curls
  • Dips

For videos of the above exercises check out part 2 and part 3.
There you have it!