Fitness News

Fab Abs: The Secrets Revealed

2005-07-21T05:46:00.000-05:00

Fab Abs: The Secrets Revealed

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACEeDiets Chief Fitness pro
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." --Alice Walker
Someone recently told me they’ve been doing 500 ab crunches per day with no results, and that their abs look like an advertisement for a Jello-O commercial. I wasn’t the least bit surprised.

For some reason, the fitness industry is always touting ab crunches, but is that the real way to get a tight set of abs? Does it one day just activate or something?

I’m going to reveal the "secret" that no one ever tells you.

No one ever tells you that in order to get great abs, you need to have an aggressive plan of progression. By progression, I’m referring to eventually using resistance (weights) to challenge the ab muscles.
The abs will ultimately respond best to weight, not tons of useless repetitions.

For example, if I wanted to get your biceps as tight and hard as possible, I would make sure that you were progressing by adding more weight to your exercises when you reached a new level of strength. This would tear down muscle fibers and ultimately have you with a sleek pair of arms. However, I would start you with a light to moderate weight to focus on form and then increase the weight over time to challenge your muscles.

I have news for you: This is the same method that works for abs.

In my biceps example, it would be totally ineffective for me to always hand you 5-pound weights for biceps curls when you should really be using 8 or 10 pounds. The same applies to our abs.

The key is to begin with standard exercises such as floor crunches to get used to working the mid-section and to develop proper form and technique. Plus, it’s a safe beginning that can help avoid injury.

Once your abs start getting stronger, there’s no value in pounding out rep after rep of crunches. If one simply performs crunch after crunch, they'll most likely build endurance but not necessarily better abs. At this point, progression must take place.

I’ve discovered that abs respond best to added resistance and 10-12 very challenging reps. However, one must build to this level over time and have the proper tools to perform the exercises.
A gradual progression and a plan are essential -- as is proper instruction and safety.

A beginner might wish to start with ab crunches and progress to exercises such as the double crunch, bicycle maneuver and reverse ab curl. These are all floor exercises and involve body weight only.

After six months of gaining strength in the entire body, improving balance and stability, one can then attempt resistance exercises.

The next phase beyond crunches, reverse ab curl for lower abs etc., would be crunches on a fitness ball. By the way, most people perform these incorrectly. The ball should never move, and the body should be stable in order to fully isolate the abs.

In a month, move back a bit on the ball and bring the feet close together. This takes away lower body stability and forces the abs to do more work.

Now it’s time to add weight. After two months, add a dumbbell to your fitball crunches with hands crossed over the weight while it lies on your chest. Focus on a tight and challenging contraction, and you’ll feel the added resistance as you crunch.

Please note, when attempting these exercises on the fitness ball, a spotter is essential! It's a high-risk exercise.
Another level of weight progression is the kneeling cable crunch at the cable machine found in gyms. One attaches ropes to the unit, kneels and then performs a kneeling crunch with resistance provided by the weight stack -- this is a good one!

How do we progress from here? We can then superset exercises. For example, a ball crunch immediately followed by a reverse ab curl. Wait 60 seconds and repeat.

As you can see, there is a level of progression and added resistance that can be followed. This process of adding weights to ab exercises takes time, and one must progress slowly.

My point was not to illustrate the exercises and show a detailed workout. I’ll be including that in a future article. I simply wanted to send the message that a level of progression is the missing ingredient for many people.

Bottom line: If you build muscle in the abs and your body fat is low, your abs will be tight as a drum.
Many believe that adding weight to ab exercises will make the abs protrude and appear larger. That's one of the misconceptions about ab work with resistance. However, it does apply if you do not reduce your body fat. As far as the front of the abs, they will never grow to the point where they protrude like a biceps muscle, unless one is on steroids.

Last but not least, you absolutely must be in a moderate caloric deficit to lose fat. A plan that has you slightly below maintenance calories, combined with a progressive exercise plan is your key to fab abs.
As always, check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.

Looking for more information? Join eDiets and visit Raphael’s support group (Fitness For You) for interactive support! We all know that fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!

A competitive bodybuilder and 2004 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Masters Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health and fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in Communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

The Ultimate Butt Workout

2005-07-14T05:39:00.000-05:00

The Ultimate Butt Workout
By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACEeDiets Chief Fitness Pro

“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”
Henry Ford

You want a great looking tight butt, don’t you? And, you want a workout that can help take you there. You’ve come to the right place because I have a workout that’s proven to produce results.

To get a bodacious booty, you need to follow the rules of a calorie-reduced diet to lose body fat, cardiovascular exercise to burn calories, and strength training for the entire body to stimulate the metabolism and tighten your muscles.

Your glutes won’t get tight and small unless your overall body fat is reduced. Let’s be honest here -- you can do all the butt movements on the planet for hours a day, but it won’t make one bit of difference unless you lose body fat; that fact is non-negotiable.

There are only three exercises involved in my program -- the squat, walking lunges and leg presses. Don’t think these three exercises work? Here are two comments from eDiets members who recently posted on my Fitness for You support board.

From eDiets member Danelle: “Hi Raphael! I did those walking lunges that you suggested as another lower body exercise. Man! do my buns and legs hurt! I did them on Monday, and I could hardly sit on the toilet this morning! I cringed! Guess I hadn't worked all those muscles quite like that in a long while.”

From eDiets member Debby: “I followed Raphael's butt routine religiously. And slowly but surely, I began to develop a butt! I've been dating a new guy for a couple of months and he said to me...'Did anyone ever tell you that you have a nice butt?'" I laughed really hard and said, 'Well no, as a matter of fact, that is the first time I've ever heard that in my life! Thank you!' He did not believe me, but I told him about the routine Raphael prescribes.”

Let’s get to it.

You will be performing three super sets -- all three exercises in a row without rest. After a 90-second rest, repeat two additional times (with the same 90-second rest between sets).

Squats: The barbell squat is one of the best lower body exercises on earth. It works just about the entire lower body. However, leg positioning can assist in better isolating the glutes. If you position your feet about one to two inches past shoulder width and squat to a parallel position, you’ll really feel those glutes being worked.
However, you have to go to the parallel position for maximum effectiveness. Don’t let ego guide you on this exercise. Reduce the weight poundage if necessary and focus on perfect form. Perform a set of 15 repetitions to momentary muscular failure. After the set is completed, immediately go to the next exercise without a break.

Walking Lunges: Stand with your feet hip width apart, grasp a pair of dumbbells with your arms straight at your sides, palms in. Take a large step forward, and lower your body so that your front knee lines up with your ankle. The back knee is almost touching the floor. Push off with your back foot and take a large step forward with your other foot.

Walk lunge 15-20 steps, and then turn around and return to the start using the same form. You should contract your glutes on the lowering of each movement. After the set is completed, immediately go to the next exercise without a break.

Angled Leg Press (also called inverted leg press): Place your feet two inches higher than you normally do on the leg press machine in order to place more overload on the gluteus and hamstrings. Your feet can be positioned at shoulder width or just little wider. Make sure you lower the weight just a tad below 90 degrees, but no more. We can’t forget that we need to protect those knees.

Perform a set of 15 repetitions. Make sure your legs are high enough on the platform so you can really feel your glutes on the lowering part of the movement. By the end you’ll have performed nine total sets in minimal time and your glutes and legs will be burning -- but you’ll love it.

Please note: this routine isn’t for everyone because it’s advanced. If you’re not an advanced exerciser, follow these guidelines: Perform one set of each exercise on alternate days of the week for two weeks. In week three, add a set. Add a third set in week six, but do not attempt the super set. You’ll need three to six months of experience before you can begin the super set routine. However, it is something to strive for.

Check with your doctor before starting this or any exercise program.

Looking for more information or have a question? Join eDiets and visit Raphael’s support group (Fitness For You) for interactive support! We all know that fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!

A competitive bodybuilder and 2004 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Masters Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health and fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in Communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.

6 Fitness Myths Revealed!

2005-07-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro

"An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity."
-Sir Winston Churchill

Do you still believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy?
From a fitness myth perspective, maybe you do...

There is a tremendous amount of information available in the fitness industry and a lot of "experts" making claims about the right way to work out. Yet one fact remains -- many people are still confused about fundamental fitness truths.

With so much information out there, who can blame them?The American Council On Exercise (ACE), one of the largest and finest personal training certification organizations, recently asked its trainer base to conduct a poll of their clients. ACE wanted to find the six major fitness myths that people are still confused about.

More than 1,500 ACE-certified Professionals responded to a request for the most pervasive myths about exercise.Here are their top six responses:

1. Women who lift weights will get bulky muscles.
2. Spot reducing is possible.
3. No pain, no gain.
4. Exercise requires a hefty time commitment.
5. If you exercise, you can eat whatever you want.
6. There’s a magic bullet (quick fix) out there somewhere.

Let’s take a closer look at each one:

Women Who Lift Weights Will Get Bulky Muscles: A woman has one-third the testosterone of a man, so putting on a ton of muscle is not going to happen. The women you see in the magazines that look BIG and manly are on steroids, growth hormones etc. You’ll look bulky if you’re carrying excessive body fat and building muscle. However, if you’re reducing body fat, you’ll eventually be able to see those lean, defined muscles.

Spot Reducing Is Possible: The human body loses fat over the entire body at various rates of speed. It’s impossible to spot reduce. If you’re focusing on only losing fat that sits on your hips, it won’t work. Generally, the first place you gain fat is the last place you lose it.

No Pain, No Gain: There is absolutely no reason to cause pain in the gym. Natural progression is a smart method to ensure progress. This refers to slow and systematic increases in weight training poundages, gradual increases in cardiovascular endurance and slow but steady flexibility progression. "No pain, no gain" will only put you at risk for injury and diminish your ability to use precise exercise form.

Exercise Requires a Hefty Time Commitment: The number of days that you work out does not constitute level of fitness. I see a lot of people in the gym five to six days a week, and they’d be better off playing ping pong. Consistency and level of effort is the key. I'd rather see someone work out three days per week with enthusiasm and intensity, than five inconsistent days of lackadaisical effort. In addition, long workouts are counterproductive. Numerous studies prove that more than one hour of an intense workout increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone that, among other things, will assist in destroying muscle.

If You Exercise You Can Eat Whatever You Want: The big message in the nutrition and personal training world today is that most people need to eat more to stimulate the metabolism. The truth is, you need the correct amount of total calories to lose body fat. Exercising will burn calories, but if you’re eating anything you want and you’re over maintenance calories, you’ll most likely gain fat. In addition, eating healthy is still vital; you won’t be doing your body any favors by feeding it junk.

There’s a Magic Bullet (Quick Fix) Out There: There is no “best and only way” to work out. In reality, it’s all good if it works for you, but you don’t want to stay with any of it for too long. The body will adapt to any exercise routine in approximately four to six weeks. Vary volume of sets, time between sets, reps, exercises, cardiovascular exercises, exercise tapes etc. Manipulate your routine every three to four weeks and view change as the key constant.

Now you’ve got some ammunition -- use it wisely.As always, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

A competitive bodybuilder and 2004 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Masters Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health and fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in Communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics.