ght (c) 2009 RMAX INTERNATIONALHow did I come to learn a once-Olympic Games sport of club swinging? Well, I coached the US Team at the World Police Sambo championships in Lithuania. While there, I trained with the team from Tajikistan who taught me about Zurkhane – a 1,600 year old tradition of physical culture… including the oldest form of strength conditioning known to mankind – club swinging.In 1993, I unfortunately allowed my arm to be broken at the World University Games (also known as the Universiade – the Olympics for University athletic teams), when facing my Russian counter-point for the gold medal. Had I tapped out, it would have cost the US more team points; rather than losing by technical superiority (my opponent won on points.) I managed to finish the match without injury disqualification (if your opponent breaks your limb in Sombo, you lose, but I hid this from the referee). That silver medal was the most important [...] Continue Reading…

If you are any kind of serious bodybuilder or athlete you simply can’t ignore training your calf muscle. When it comes to developing big calf muscle you need to keep in mind one or two things.First not everyone has the natural musculature to develop big calf muscle as seen in many athletes or bodybuilders. These are normally genetic traits.It’s important to distinguish between having small calf muscles and high calf muscles. Here is the difference -The longer the length of a calf muscle, the potentially larger its volume and size. So a bodybuilder with a very long calf muscle, one that extends right down to the ankle, has much more potential for being developed into big calf muscles  than somebody with a shorter calf muscle,- the latter will have a much longer tendon attachment and so will have less potential for developing large calf muscle mass.But it is my opinion that with the right training anyone with any type [...] Continue Reading…

ease is the number one killer in the United States today. If you have certain risks factors, it is critical that you take measures to improve and maintain good cardio health. Keep reading to discover what you can do to naturally improve your heart function for a long and healthy life.1. Lose weight. This should be at the top of your list to get into good physical health overall, but it is especially important to your cardio health. Overweight people are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even certain types of cancer. Obesity will also cause your heart to pump harder which can lead to long term damage.2. Stop smoking. This killer habit can put you at a much higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of heart disease there is. So if you smoke stop. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you [...] Continue Reading…

There are 3 simple, proven steps you need to follow in order to build muscle mass. This article will reveal all three in just a moment.But first, let me ask, are you sick and tired of training every day, with little or no results to show for it? Are you sick and tired of looking in the mirror and seeing that same skinny person staring back at you day after day? Are you simply fed up with being skinny?Well, this is the first step you have to take in your way of achieving a muscular body. You have to realize that a change needs to occur and that you’re not where you want to be.Then, when you’ve realized that you really want to build muscle mass, all you have to do is get to work.Easier said than done. Soon, if you’re a hard gainer, you’ll be asking yourself why isn’t there any increase in your muscle mass.You may be [...] Continue Reading…

It is the eternal dilemma of most skinny, bony men- how to gain muscle and weight, and look less like a scrawny kid. It is one of the strong reasons why gyms and training centers have all come to proliferation. More men, and even some women, want a highly defined body, one that has all the right contours of muscle and the over-all appearance of good health.However, what are the perfect means to gain muscle and weight? Are there any pills that can transform any emaciated body to a ripping muscle wonder? Are those protein shakes advisable and effective in gaining weight and building muscle? Will simple cardio exercises aid in weight gaining and muscle building? These are the questions frequently raised by those who wished they had toned biceps and washboard abs.The truth of the matter is that to gain muscle and weight, you must be able to achieve the right combination of a weight gaining diet and [...] Continue Reading…

How can you define which body building supplement is the best?  After all, there are so many different brands and types that you can use to enhance your body building workouts that finding the best one can be quite confusing.  When we say the word “best”, we should be talking about which body building supplement will give you the best results.Most expert body builders agree that the most effective body building supplement that you can put into your body is protein.  Protein helps bring all the necessary muscle building enzymes to where they need to be.  Protein can also boost your energy level and allow for more intense workouts.Whey protein could be one of the best protein supplements you can implement into your workout program.  It’s all natural and can give the best results when it’s taken in the right doses and the right amounts.You could also choose creatine for a body building supplement.  Creatine also helps combat fatigue [...] Continue Reading…

Compound exercises require certain muscle groups to work simultaneously and in coordination with each other. For example, in the bench press, military press and T-bar row, your arms work in coordination with your chest, shoulders and back, respectively. Although these compound movements can produce significant growth in your larger muscle areas, in most instances these exercises do not sufficiently isolate your arms to stimulate maximum growth. Isolation training, however, is specifically intended to put maximum resistance on your biceps by forcing them to power the weightlifting movement throughout each exercise.I frequently come across articles in which a so-called “expert” will insist that you must choose between isolation and compound exercises in setting up your weight training program. The usual argument asserts that compound exercises are absolutely better than isolation techniques without any consideration of your specific training objective.In reality, it’s a false debate because the question of whether isolation or compound exercises are best for you depends entirely on [...] Continue Reading…

Having clearly defined goals and objectives is just the first step in adding purpose and direction to your life, increasing your self-esteem, and improving your health.While you’re thinking about what you’ve done and what you haven’t done, take a few minutes to rekindle the fire with new health and fitness goals. Consult with a fitness expert of fitness guru to help you determine your goals. Make them big; make yourself reach for them. These goals serve as a tremendous motivator to exercise regularly, eat right, and live life to the fullest.Be CreativeA challenging goal causes you to step out of your comfort zone to accomplish it. Make your goal REALLY challenging. Something that you really want, and you’re willing to do what it takes to get there. It also reflects who you are, your values.Be More ConsistentAs simple as getting to the gym, going to your workout area at home, or wherever you exercise. Are you working out 2, [...] Continue Reading…

I want to take the time to talk to you about bodybuilding diets for women. This is a tough sport for all people, but it seems to be doubly hard for the women out there that participate in this. Not only is there a lack of information out there designed for women, we also have less testosterone to work with. With all that, we can still have remarkable results. Determination is the most important characteristic you can possess. It doesn’t matter how genetically able you are, if you’re not determined, you’re not going to get anywhere in this sport. If you’re ready to work hard and do it everyday, than check out my information.You’re going to have to understand that you can’t eat like a normal person. Three meals a day just doesn’t cut it in this sport. Your body needs a consistent flow of nutrients throughout the day to build muscle, and three meals a day doesn’t cover [...] Continue Reading…

When preparing a complete body building workout plan, it is essential that you workout your upper body and legs. In the legs there are three main muscles groups you need to focus on; the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. By working out all these muscles, you will build strong and durable legs.Fortunately, most leg exercise regimes will workout each of the three muscles. For building strength and power in the legs squats are great. The exercise involves placing weight on a barbell and squatting down resting the weight on the neck. For safety, and the best results, good technique is essential. The exercise range for your quadriceps includes dumbbell squats, dumbbell lunges, leg extensions and leg press.Turning to the hamstrings, there are three great body building workouts that should be used. The first is using a leg curl machine whilst laying face down and lift weights up. Dumbbell stiff legged dead lifts and stiff legged dead lifts are the two [...] Continue Reading…