Thursday, November 12, 2015

ABS Everyday? Yes or Nay?

In order to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.

How Your Muscles Grow

When you train your abs you create microscopic tears in your muscles and connective tissues. This prompts your body to produce new muscle proteins, which is what leads to increased strength and muscle growth that occurs when you are sleeping. It takes approximately 72 hours to rebuild muscle tissue after an “intense” workout. If you want six-pack abs you’ve got to use a good strategy to get them. One part of your strategy will be the intensity and frequency that you choose for stability, strength & power-training exercises.

Overtraining

Overtraining causes a reduction in the synthesis of muscle proteins along with an increased rate of protein degradation in your muscles. However, if you are choosing to train everyday as I do, abdominal workouts should be alternated between stability, strength and power routines moves.  Here’s a quick example: one day focus on stability workout such as;  usings a stability swiss ball. The Swiss ball gives some distinct advantages over other pieces of equipment or bodyweight alone. It can extend the range of motion on the crunch, activating more ab muscle. It also creates instability, which forces your abs to contract harder to brace your body and even serve as a source of resistance itself—like a weight—if you lift it.  Next day focus on strength ab routines such as wheel roll out or plank; Core strength training differs from many traditional weight training routines by working both the lower back and abdominals. Instead the whole body works as a unit and core strength training endeavours to replicate this. Next day focus on power routines such as knee raise, more planking, cable crunch, dumbbell side bends., etc., the more variety your routine consist of the better results. This stage will transform the newly acquired stability & strength into great power or the ability to use the new strength at high speeds (speed-strength).
Below are a few AB-workout ideas for stability, strength and power training. Please be sure to consult your doctor before beginning any strenuous workout.
DIRECTIONS  FOR STABILITY AB WORKOUTS 
Perform the paired exercises (marked “A” , “B” and “C”) as supersets. So you’ll do one set of A and then B before resting. Complete all the prescribed sets for the pair before moving on.
HOW IT WORKS
The ball will act as a surface, a weight, and an exercise machine in this workout, recruiting the abs, obliques, and transverse abdominis—a deep core muscle that’s critical to a strong midsection and pain-free back—which most conventional ab workouts leave untouched.
ROLLOUT
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 90 sec.
Rest your forearms on the Swiss ball and extend your legs behind you. Brace your abs and roll the ball forward as you extend your arms and hips. When you feel you’re about to lose tension in your abs, roll yourself back.
101-best-workouts-main (A)
CRUNCH
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Lie back on the ball with feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Your lower back should be supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your ears and tuck your chin. Curl your body up off the ball until you’re sitting up.
101-best-workouts-swiss-ball-2(B)

SWISS BALL JACKKNIFE
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Lie back on the ball with feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Your lower back should be supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your ears and tuck your chin. Curl your body up off the ball until you’re sitting up.
swiss-ball-jackknife(C)


DIRECTIONS  FOR STRENGTH ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
Perform the paired exercises (marked “A” , “B” and “C”) as supersets. So you’ll do one set of A and then B before resting. Complete all the prescribed sets for the pair before moving on.
AB WHEEL ROLLOUT
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Kneel on the floor and hold an ab wheel beneath your shoulders. Brace your abs and roll the wheel forward until you feel you’re about to lose tension in your core and your hips might sag. Roll yourself back to start. Do as many reps as you can with perfect form and end the set when you think you might break form.
ab-wheel-roller-user-300x130 (A)         
The muscles involved in using the ab wheel. The agonist (active) muscles and the stabilizing muscles are highlighted.
The muscles involved in using the ab wheel. The agonist (active) muscles and the stabilizing muscles are highlighted.
BICYCLE CRUNCH
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, and your legs raised and bent at 90 degrees. Alternate sides by bringing your right elbow towards your left knee then your left elbow towards your right knee, building up to 60 seconds. Try and hold the crunch for a two-count on each side to force a slower, concentrated movement.
warp-speed-six-pack-seated-bicycle-crunch_1(B)
SPIDERMAN PLANK CRUNCH
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Start in a traditional plank position with your forearms on the ground and your body perfectly straight. Bring your right knee forward towards your right elbow, then return to the plank position. Repeat by bringing your left knee toward your left elbow. That’s one rep. Alternate sides for a total of 10 complete reps.
_spidermanpushup-obstacle-strength_0(C)


DIRECTIONS  FOR POWER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
Perform the paired exercises (marked “A” , “B” “C” AND “D”) as supersets. So you’ll do one set of A and then B before resting. Complete all the prescribed sets for the pair before moving on.
HANGING KNEE RAISE
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Grab a pullup bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip, making sure your arms are completely straight and your feet are off the ground. This is your starting position.Brace your core and use your abs to raise your knees toward your shoulders. Pause when the tops of your thighs reach your chest. Return to the starting position.
872_A 872_B(A)
PLANK MORE 
Sets: 3 Reps: Hold for as long as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Start with the simplest variation of the plank. Facing the floor, prop yourself up with your elbows and the tips of your feet. Make sure your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and in line with your shoulders. Keeping your neck, back, hips, and legs straight, hold the position for as long as possible.
three-core-workouts-you-should-try-rotator (B)
DUMBBELL SIDE BEND
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.  
Stand up straight while holding a dumbbell on the left hand (palms facing the torso) as you have the right hand holding your waist. Your feet should be placed at shoulder width. This will be your starting position. While keeping your back straight and your head up, bend only at the waist to the right as far as possible. Breathe in as you bend to the side. Then hold for a second and come back up to the starting position as you exhale
88_1 88_2 (C)
CABLE CRUNCH 
Sets: 3 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 90 sec.
Kneel below a high pulley that contains a rope attachment. Grasp cable rope attachment and lower the rope until your hands are placed next to your face. Flex your hips slightly and allow the weight to hyperextend the lower back. This will be your starting position. With the hips stationary, flex the waist as you contract the abs so that the elbows travel towards the middle of the thighs. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction for a second.
163_1 163_2 (D)

What Works …. 

In lieu of daily training, you need a good strength training routine, a proper nutrition regimen and a good cardiovascular fitness plan. In fact, diet is as important as how often and how hard you exercise because you need to remove the fat that covers your abdominal muscles. As for specific abdominal exercises, bicycle crunches, planks and wheel rollout are the top three top ab exercises, according to the ACE.              http://rosiefitnessnutrition.com/2015/10/30/abs-everyday-yes-or-nay/

DIY: Organic Coconut Oil Soap Bars

DIY: Organic Coconut Oil Soap Bars

As your largest organ, your skin absorbs everything you put on it. So when you use soaps, lotions, creams, ointments and other skincare products that have chemicals you can’t pronounce, your skin soaks that all in, too. And that could possibly cause irritations or other unwanted medical issues. Enjoy the benefits of using products with natural and organic ingredients, which have been researched and are generally better for your skin and overall wellbeing. Here is a quick and simple DIY recipe you can enjoy making in the comfort of your home. Most of the items needed can be found in a local store near you OR you can find them online at reasonable prices.  

Coconut Oil Soap Bars

Ingredients:
1 Cup Organic Coconut Oil
1 Cup Organic Beeswax (you can find this on Amazon or any other site)
½ Cup Organic Shea Butter
½ Cup Organic Almond Oil
Organic Essential Oils of your Choice!
Directions:  Place all ingredients, except the essential oils  in a quart mason jar. Boil a pot full of water placing
the uncapped jar sitting inside. Make sure to stir regularly until all the ingredients have melted completely. Let it cool  down and add in the essential oils and stir.  Pour into silicone molds.
Once they have fully dried,  I like to let them dry overnight, pop out the molds and  place them in Mason Jars for storage until ready to use.
Use daily to cleanse your face with a cloth or face loofah scrubber, always pat dry your face GENTLY followed by natural oils to moisturize your face. You can find info on my site under “NATURAL OILS & BENEFITS”.

HEALTHY LIVING MY FRIENDS.

http://rosiefitnessnutrition.com/2015/11/12/diy-organic-coconut-oil-soap-bars/ 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Natural Oils & Benefits

I began using a combination of oils to moisturize my skin daily. This change happened  a few months back after doing serious research on the benefits of natural oils. I usually massage my face mornings & before bedtime to help my skin look and feel great. Therefore, I decided to throw away all the OTC moisturizers and created my own with the following oils:
  • Organic coconut oil (melted about 10 seconds)
    • It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin, including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil.
  • 100% Pure Vitamin E oil
    • Vitamin E oil contains significant amounts of Vitamin E, it is great for the skin. There are many ways in which one can put this product to use. And it promises excellent results for the skin. Vitamin E, even the synthetic one is generally safe for the skin. Take small amount of Vitamin E oil and dab it under the eyes. This treatments keeps under eye skin thick, supple and strong
  • Olive Oil (natural & pure)
    • Olive oil contains three major antioxidants: vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols. When topically applied, may help protect the skin from premature skin aging. Vitamin E partly accounts for the anti-aging benefits of olive oil because it helps restore skin smoothness and protects against ultraviolet light.
  • Sweet almond oil (natural & pure)
    • The good thing about using this skin care product is the benefits derived from its vitamins such as E, A and D. It is also rich in oleic and linoleic acids. Almonds have a way of trapping moisture in the skin keeping it moisturized at all times. Better still, its high lubricating quality makes many users stick to using it as their daily skin care product. Its lightening ability is another reason that has made this oil popular among many people with dark marks on their skin.
  • *Avocado Oil (100% pure & natural) 
    • It contains many nutrients such as vitamins A, B, D, E, protein, amino acids, iron, copper, magnesium, and folic acid.
I put all EQUAL parts of each into a small glass container and use DAILY!!!
When using I make sure to massage my entire face for about 2-3 minutes.
I usually let it set about 5 minutes before applying make-up!
face_massage-techniques-218x300                 learn-facial-massage-to-fight-age-lines-and-wrinkles-slideshow-2-728
These are natural & inexpensive and 100% effective. This is coming from someone who’s had oily skin problems all my life and I’ve been acne prone every so often. These oils help keep my face looking great, soft and properly nourished.
I recommend it over any $120 product!!!