There are a few reasons for buying your own kettlebell. They are a way cheaper investment than a gym membership. Most people do not realize that gym memberships are really unnecessary. The effort of going to a gym itself stops more people from working out than anything else.

If you wish to run, run outside. If you wish to do weight training, get some equipment and keep them at home. You will be able to use them for years and years without having to fork out a cent more.

Kettlebell training is best done barefoot and you can train barefoot at home. Most gyms don’t allow this except maybe the hardcore gyms that are full of bodybuilders, but those are so intimidating that most people would think twice before entering one.

So yes, buying a set of kettlebells would be a good decision.

Bear This in Mind Before You Buy Kettlebells

Not all kettlebells are made equal. Cheaper or more expensive is not always better and since these are lifetime investments it would be best to pay a little more to get a good model.

Generally, the kettlebell must have handles that are smooth. You will be swing and jerking the kettlebell during your exercises. If the handle are not perfectly smooth, the skin on your palms and even between the thumb and index finger is going to get chafed, abrasions or even tear.

Good kettlebells are made with a strong, sturdy high quality construction. You do not want kettlebells with wobbly handles or suspicious construction.

Another technical aspect that many people are not aware of is that the distance between the bell and handle is important. It has to be perfect because many kettlebell exercises flip the weight behind. If the distance is not correct, tremendous stress is placed on the wrist. In the long run, your wrist joint may be affected negatively.

The coating on the bell also matters. Only good quality paint should be used. Cheap paint will chip or flake off. Annoying and in some cases dangerous if the paint flakes off and falls in your eye during your workout.

Another point to note is the base of the kettlebell. It must be perfectly flat with a solid iron base. That means the kettlebell has a low center of gravity and is very stable. This is an essential requirement because many kettlebell exercises require the kettlebell to be on the floor.

Another mistake people make is buying kettlebells made of plastic. Don’t do that. Period.

Some kettlebells have rubber bases. Make sure that if your kettlebell has a rubber base, it can be removed because for some exercises the kettlebell needs to be on the floor and stability is crucial.

Next up, we have the question of weight.

How Heavy Should the Kettlebells That I Buy Be?

This depends on your strength level. However, the minimum weight a man should aim for is 35lb or 16kg. For a woman, the minimum weight would be 18lb or 8kg.

Kettlebells can range in price with some being very pricey. If your budget allows it, you may get kettlebells of varying weights. Just bear in mind the important tips mentioned earlier and always know that these will last a long, long time so do invest wisely in them.

Learn More About Kettlebells by Watching:

Get 20 of the Best Kettlebell Exercises on Video for Free

Some people learn better by watching and examples. If this is you then you’ll want to go to the top of the page at http://MyFitneessNut.com and subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter. When you do, you’ll get a full body workout with 20 of the best Kettlebell Exercises on video. They’re yours to enjoy, so go get them now while we’re still giving them away.

 

The key to success when doing resistance training is consistency with variation. You need to exercise regularly to build up your strength and stamina. Many people are able to achieve this. The second component is to add variety to your workouts. Many people get stuck here.

We are all creatures of habit and that can be seen even in the way we exercise. It is so easy to fall into the trap of doing the same exercises daily and not try something new. We never like to push ourselves past the comfort zone. That is why many people hire personal trainers to structure varied workouts and keep them motivated.

Alternative for Getting the Best Kettlebell Exercises

If you can’t afford a personal trainer, don’t worry. There are many ways you can learn to vary your workout. The 2 best ways are Google and YouTube. Just search for “best kettlebell exercises” on Google. Then type in the name of that exercise on YouTube and chances are very high that you will find someone demonstrating that move in video.

That’s awesome. You gotta love the internet.

The Best Kettlebell Exercises Are Done in Planned Steps

Just as with all things, there are varying levels of difficulty for beginners, intermediate and advanced. You need to find the exercise that is just right for you. Don’t be too ambitious and try to save time by doing the advanced moves. That is just asking for trouble and an injury can put you out of action for months. That’s totally not worth it.

Keep a journal to record your routines, sets, reps, etc. This is very important as it will show you how much you have progressed. Do NOT rely on your memory. Most people can’t even remember what they had for lunch 2 days earlier. You will not remember your workouts 2 months from now.

As you progress, you will learn new techniques and may even forget the old moves you used to perform before. So, when you have a record, you can always go back to it and refer. This will make varying your workouts in future much easier. You may always use workouts you did months ago and just increase the weights. It will seem like a whole new workout to your body.

When putting together a kick-butt training routine, you want to find the exercises that will target most of your muscles. Aim to have full body workouts. That is the most effective way to lose weight.

You’ll want to have lunges, twists, snatches, squats, lifts, rows and presses in your routine. These exercises will target all the large muscle groups such as your back, shoulders, legs, your core and shoulders. Many smaller muscles will be worked out too.

The more muscles you work, the more calories you burn. Keep the intensity high and sweat till you are panting for air. This is the best way to shed the fat fast. If your workout is intense enough, you will be lean, toned and extremely fit with time. Your metabolic rate will be high and your fat burning will last for hours.

This is your ideal goal. Once you reach it, you will feel a sense of satisfaction that no amount of shopping or partying can ever give you. Your body will be a reflection of what you are; determined, strong and a success.

Learn More by Watching: Get 20 of the Best Kettlebell Exercises on Video for Free

Some people learn better by watching and examples. If this is you then you’ll want to go to the top of the page at http://MyFitneessNut.com and subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter. When you do, you’ll get a full body workout with 20 of the best Kettlebell Exercises on video. They’re yours to enjoy, so go get them now.

 

Kettlebell training has taken the world by storm and is one of the hottest workout crazes at the moment. It’s right up there with Zumba and Kickboxing. So, it’s no wonder that the market is flooded with commercial products related to kettlebell training.

Videos, eBooks, paperbacks, hardbacks, magazines and other publications flood the market to cater to this crowd of kettlebell fanatics. In this article, we’ll examine if it’s really a good idea to get a kettlebell training video.

My answer would be a resounding YES! People learn best by watching. Now, there definitely are many books out there with photos and very clear instructions on excellent kettlebell workouts. However, many people do not really like to read and try and put things together.

Watching a Kettlebell Training Video is Much Simpler

A video makes things so much simpler for most people because you can learn the techniques and methods just by watching the experts. The videos are often entertaining with fit models working out to a routine. There is catchy workout music and routines for you to work out to which can be entertaining and fun.

So, now that you know where I stand on this topic, let’s see what you should look out for when buying kettlebell training videos. This will ensure that you get value for money and also a product that will guide you well.

Look for videos that are not sold using infomercials. That is always a red flag for me. I’ve always found infomercials to be misleading and hyped up just to make a sucker part with his hard earned money. A really good kettlebell training video will not need an infomercial to sell it.

I’d suggest you surf Amazon to see what videos are getting the best reviews. Buyers know best. So, if many people are saying that a particular kettlebell video is excellent, you can probably bet that you would like it too.

Look at the cover and description of the training video. Is it serious? You want a video that is dedicated to kettlebell training. It should be the main thing and not an afterthought. An aerobics workout that is complemented with lightweight kettlebells is a waste of money besides, jumping around while swinging kettlebells is neither effective nor safe.

You want a video which focuses on the execution and techniques of the kettlebell drills. It must be serious and hardcore. You can tone down the workouts when you need to match your fitness level. What matters is that the information imparted must be accurate and top notch.

Look at the trainer’s credentials to judge if they are an expert in the industry. Often the trainers will have degrees or certification in sports science. There is a kettlebell certification produced by Dragon Door. This is the most respected certification in the industry and came about because of the plethora of less than ideal kettlebell training products on the market created by people who didn’t know a kettlebell from their elbow. This certification separates the wheat from the chaff.

Make sure the instructors also look like they practice what they preach. A lean fit looking instructor shows that he has the knowledge and discipline to walk the talk.

By following these simple tips, you can pick up an affordable kettlebell training video that will guide you every step of the way in your kettlebell journey. You can also take advantage of the ones offered for free right here on our website.

Learn More by Watching: Get 20 Kettlebell Training Video Exercises for Free

Some people learn better by watching and examples. If this is you then you’ll want to go to the top of the page at http://MyFitneessNut.com and subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter. When you do, you’ll get a full body workout with 20 Kettlebell Exercises on video. They’re yours to enjoy, so go get them now.

 

Kettlebell training is extremely effective in helping folks shred excess fat off their body. It’s also a crucial component in most professional athletes’ workout regimen. Kettlebells look ‘cuter’ and more hip than the boring old dumbbells or cable equipment. Because of that, many people ignore the fact that kettlebells can be dangerous too if used wrongly.

Know Your Kettlebell Training Limits

There have been thousands of people who have pulled a muscle or strained a ligament from using kettlebells in an incorrect manner. Just about anybody can figure out how to use a kettlebell. There is only one handle to grab and lift unlike a conventional squat rack with all the ratchets and levers which will leave new gym users scratching their head.

Nevertheless, the simplicity of a kettlebell should not make anyone feel complacent. By using these marvelous apparatus correctly, you will prevent injury to yourself and more importantly, get the best results from your workouts.

1. Progressive kettlebell training is key

Do not use more weight than you can handle. There are many people who are weekend warriors. They neglect to exercise the whole week and go to the gym on the weekend and try to work out with kettlebells that are just too heavy for them.

It takes time to build strength in the muscles and ligaments; more importantly the ligaments which have to be able to withstand the heavy load. Most injuries occur due to weak or unconditioned ligaments.

Pace yourself slowly. Start with kettlebell weights that suit you and slowly climb up the ladder to higher weights. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

2. Don’t aim for muscle failure

This runs contradictory to most training advice. However, training to failure all the time puts your nervous system under tremendous stress. It is an effective tool when used sparingly.

At all other times, it would be advisable to aim for about 12 to 15 reps using various weights. Do vary your moves too. Snatches, cleans and squats should be mixed up in your routine. Try and make it a full body workout most of the time.

3. Always maintain proper form

Kettlebell training involves more jerking and swinging movements unlike conventional dumbbells. However, even these movements require proper form and control. You are not supposed to be swinging the kettlebells around like a mad man. There is a jerk to lift, followed by a swing and a pause at the end of the movement and back again. Improper form will definitely lead to injury or imbalances in the body over the long run.

4. Change your routine often – at least every month or so

In other words, you want to keep your body guessing. If you’re doing the same workouts day in and day out for months, you’re going to get bored and your results will taper off and finally plateau. So, change up your routine every 4 to 6 weeks. Add more reps, change the sets, use new moves, etc. Just make it different.

5. Train barefoot on a hard floor

When you work out with kettlebells, the force of the load gets transferred to the ground through your feet. The soles of most sports shoes are too soft. So, training barefoot is best. If your, floor is too cold, you may use an exercise mat. In the event you’re training in a gym, their rules may require you to wear shoes. Then you have no choice but to abide by their rules. Nevertheless, this point is worth remembering.

These are just 5 tips to help you train safely and effectively with kettlebells. Do bear these in mind during your workouts.

Learn More by Watching: Get 20 Kettlebell Training Exercises on Video for Free

Some people learn better by watching and examples. If this is you then you’ll want to go to the top of the page at http://MyFitneessNut.com and subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter. When you do, you’ll get a full body workout with 20 Kettlebell Exercises on video. They’re yours to enjoy, so go get them now.

 

In this article, I’ll cover a few kettlebell exercises that you can do in the comfort and privacy of your own home. They vary in difficulty level so be aware of what exercise you are doing in regards to your ability and your safety level.

Learn a Wide Variety of Kettlebell Exercises

Variety is the spice of life and that applies to your workouts too. Always aim to change your workouts and keep them lively. This article gives you a few kettlebell exercises but there are many more out there. You may use Google Search to find ‘best kettlebell exercises’ and go to YouTube and search for videos showing execution of these moves.

Now let’s look at 4 kettlebell exercises that will leave you sweating and panting.

1. Two-handed kettlebell swing

Exercise Target Areas: Shoulders, back, legs, hips, glutes

Beginner Level

Instructions: This is the most popular of all the kettlebell moves and perfect for beginners.

Stand straight with feet slightly wider than your hip-distance. Hold the kettlebell handle with both hands, palms facing down wards. Have a slight bend to your knee but do not go all the way to a half-squat. In one smooth motion, drive your hips forward and swing the kettlebell up to chest level. Keep your arms straight. Then lower the kettlebell down between your legs. Aim for 12-15 reps.

You need to engage your core and gluteus muscles. The force of this movement comes from the hips and not the arms. Most kettlebell movements use the hips as the driving force.

2. Kettlebell figure-8

Exercise Target Areas: Arms, back, abs

Intermediate Level

Instructions: You need to start with your legs wider than your hit-width. Next assume a quarter squat position. Maintain a straight back and keep your chest up. Hold the kettlebell with your left hand and swing it around the outside of your left leg, then swing it back to the center and past the kettlebell to the right hand which swings it around your right leg and back to the center. Aim for 1 or 2 minutes.

3. Kettlebell Russian twist

Exercise Target Areas: Abs, obliques

Intermediate Level

Instructions: This exercise is much more effective than the conventional crunches because of the added kettlebell element.

Be seated on the floor with your legs bent and feet slat like you were about to do a crunch. Hold the kettlebell close to your chest and lean back by 45 degrees. Slowly rotate your torso from left to right while slowly swinging the kettle ball from left to right. Maintain proper form. Absolutely NO jerky movements. This exercise will leave your abs burning. Excellent training.

4. One-arm kettlebell snatch

Exercise Target Areas: Shoulders, chest, back

Advanced Level

Instructions: Start by holding the kettlebell between your feet with the knees bent. In 1 explosive motion, raise the kettlebell up while you’re on your toes. The kettlebell must reach your chest level with your elbows tucked in. Next, raise the weight overhead and hold on to the handle tight. Bring the kettlebell back to starting position. This is 1 repetition. Aim for 8 to 10 reps.

These are just a few exercises to begin with. Give them a try and when you improve with time you may progress on to more varied and challenging techniques. The process of learning and discovering with kettlebells never ends.

Learn by Watching: Get 20 Kettlebell Exercises on Video

Some people learn better by watching and examples. If this is you then you’ll want to go to the top of the page at http://MyFitneessNut.com and subscribe to the My Fitness Nut Newsletter. When you do, you’ll get a full body workout with 20 Kettlebell Exercises on video. They’re yours to enjoy, so go get them now.

 

Modern Nutrition Plan for Building Muscle Mass

Many people think that all it takes is more exercise and workouts to build muscle mass but there is a scientific way to build muscles that provide more effective results and faster. What many people miss is to implement a proven nutrition plan for building muscle to help make every bodybuilding repetition they do become more effective.

Fitness experts agree that your diet is more important to muscle building than your dedication to lifting weights but you need both working on your side to get the most out of either one. You need to workout on a regular schedule and you need a plan for getting muscle building nutrients into your body at the right time.

Putting Together a Nutrition Plan for Building Muscle

You can make this hard or you can make it easy. You don’t want to start eating an abundance of food or rely on any one food group. You’ll hear many people tell you that you need more protein while building muscle mass but you also need a balance of nutrients for your body to function at its best.

You never want to overload your system with one specific food group.

There are many nutrients that your body needs and if you’re striving for good health, then you best be consuming all of those nutrients. I hope that makes sense because all too many people get tied up in the protein consumption part of the muscle building equation and forget about nutrients that are so very important for their best overall health.

When start adding in more protein to your meal eating and depending on your gender and body size, you want to give yourself a 6oz to 8oz portion of meat per meal at most. Add to this meal whole wheat grain pasta, potatoes, brown and long grain rice. Then fill yourself up on all of the fresh vegetables that you want to eat.

Yes indeed, fresh and preferably raw vegetables like broccoli and carrots are a great choice due to their high nutritional value so fill up on all you want. And if you are vegetarian who avoids meat, use tofu in place of meat and add more nuts into your nutrition planning. Vegetarians as a rule need to be concerned about getting enough protein and even more so with vegans.

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Snacks and Meals

Your nutrition plan for building muscles should include eating 3 good meals per day along with 2-3 snacks. It’s a good idea to try to plan your meals so that you eat about every three hours or so throughout your day. When it comes to snacking, eating a handful of raw Almonds is a really good choice because they are loaded with protein and other valuable nutrients good for your all around health.

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Other snack ideas for muscle building are to have a banana with a ten ounce glass of milk. Milk along with its many nutrients also supplies your body with needed protein and any fruits are a great pick for muscle builders to get a mid-day or morning or evening snack. Fruit always makes for a good option to add into your nutrition plan for building muscles.

A good way to keep your nutrition plan for building muscle working in your favor is to stock up on the foods you need to be eating a week, even two weeks in advance. Simply create a menu plan for a week or two in advance, stock the cupboards and you’ll have what you need on hand to through a few ingredients together when it’s time eat your meals and snacks.

Including Protein Supplements in Your Nutrition Plan for Building Muscle Mass

Protein supplements are a great way to add that much needed protein to your diet but you have to use some caution and common sense here. Many protein supplements do not contain the many other nutrients that your body requires for both muscle building and your health in general.

These are fine for “supplementing protein” as long as you are not using them as a complete meal replacement. If meal replacement is your intention then you would be smart to buy a product that is balanced and contains the wide variety of nutrients that your body needs.

Tip: Serious and competition bodybuilders require many more calories than the average person. Consuming 3,000 to 5,000 calories a day is common among this group and using high protein meal replacement shakes between meals are a good way to help pack in those extra calories along with getting nutrients that your body requires.

Building muscle correctly means that you need to take care of your entire body in all areas and get enough rest to regenerate and build up muscle. Be sure to get a good night sleep and be sure to take days off from muscle building like setting your schedule to one day on and one day off or limit your workouts to only three days a week.

Once set up, stick closely to your schedule because if you start missing your workouts on a regular basis, your previous muscle building activities will start reversing. This will make you work all that much harder for the same results you would have received by sticking to your plan. You want to be able to workout then recover, workout then recover and repeat it as close to clockwork as you can.

There’s a definite, purposeful and scientific method for gaining muscle mass effectively and by you having a good nutrition plan for building muscle is where you want to be. By fueling your body with the right nutrients you are providing your body with the energy you need to do your workout sessions and realize the muscle building goals that you are looking for.

 

Introduction to Effective Weight Loss

This article will give you some tips on how to burn fat and effective weight loss techniques to not only help you shed the pounds but keep them off. We hope that you enjoy reading the various sections and that you’ll find these weight loss tips helpful and informative.

In the first chapter you’ll find out why it is important to lose excess weight and to maintain your ideal weight. Being overweight can lead to various health problems; you’ll soon discover what some of these health risks are.

The different ways you can lose weight will also be revealed to you as well as how to keep from regaining the weight you have successfully shed. The importance of sticking to a realistic diet and exercise program that you can do will also be covered below.

Many diets fail and you’ll read some of the reasons behind that as well as the side effects of quitting or failing a diet attempt. You’ll learn how to choose a diet that will not fail you and some tips to help you stay committed to your diet program once you begin it.

So move forward and read on about how to burn fat for effective weight loss and start your journey towards a slimmer, fitter and healthier you…

Tips to Build Muscle Mass Faster and Larger

You’ve probably already learned that eating more protein helps your body to build muscle mass more effectively and efficiently. So if you’re looking to build muscle mass, eating more protein becomes a great asset in your workouts. Note that the protein you consume does not have to be animal protein because there are many other types of foods that work even better in some people than protein from animals.

Vegetarians Can Sometimes Build Muscle Mass Faster

Many vegetarians for instance manage to build muscle mass without ever putting animal protein in their body. The protein best suited for vegetarians needs to come from plant or dairy sources like beans, peas, nuts, rice and protein supplements that contain whey, rice protein, pea protein and if you choose soy protein.

The advantage to using plant and dairy sources to build muscle mass is that the fat content is less than in animals. Additionally, the fats found in plants are generally the “good fats” that your body needs and are less likely to pack on body fat, contribute to high blood pressure and cholesterol like animal fat can.

 Combine Meat and Protein Supplements to Build Muscle Mass

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys eating meat and eggs but do not like to consume large amounts every day then using protein supplements to build muscle mass is a great addition to your diet. If you’re trying to lose fat while building up muscle mass you can mix your protein supplements with water. If you want to gain weight then use milk for some added fat and calories or even opt for a complete protein meal replacement shake.

Keep in mind that it takes more energy (calories) for your digestive system to break down meat protein. Because of this, eating meat will sustain your body for a longer period of time than drinking a protein shake that digests much easier and faster. Using a good quality protein supplement can speed up your metabolism and you can be building muscle mass at a faster rate than the muscle builder who eats primarily animal protein.

Build Muscle Mass with Proper Nutrients and Doing Weight Training Correctly

What’s important to remember is that to build muscle mass and maintain a healthy body, getting proper nutrition is extremely important but so is doing weight training correctly. For example, many people believe that the harder and more often they work out the faster they’ll build muscle mass. This thinking can lead to failure because over-training can tear down your muscles and your muscles require rest in order to build back up.

Did you catch that important tip? Your muscles heal, build and grow during rest after your workouts. If you don’t let your muscles rest the muscle tissues can’t repair and build back up resulting in the failure of your muscle building plans. For this reason, when you do your weight training you’ll want to alternate days like one day on and one day off.

If you want to workout everyday your best bet is to alternate working different muscle groups such as work on your arms one day, your legs the next day and your chest, back and shoulder muscles all on different days. This does the same thing because as you are building up your muscle mass each muscle group gets the rest they need to be able to repair and grow.

The Best Way to Build Muscle Mass Effectively

1. Be consistent but don’t overdo your workouts.
2. Alternate workout days or alternate working different muscle groups.
3. Your muscles need rest time to repair and build.
4. Eat high protein foods, use protein supplements or do both.

Probably the most important thing is to avoid disappointment from trying to do too much too quickly. You now know that rest is important to build muscle mass but if you overdo it, it could lead to injury. If you injure yourself you’ll not be able to weight train for weeks, possibly months and while resting for that long the muscle mass you’ve built up so far will become lost.

If you’re just starting on your journey to building muscle mass you may not have equipment yet then the article Build Muscle Mass without Weights might be helpful and new or not Building Muscles for Men and Women may be an interesting read.

 

Going to a gym five or more days a week to build up your muscle mass can be time consuming, really expensive, and it’s something that not everyone wants to do or can afford. Even if money is not an issue, the fact of having to “go to the gym” is.

What’s the alternative though?

The answer is that you can start building muscle mass right now and do it without using any weights or exercise equipment at all. Many people believe that you have to “pump some iron” or use heavy resistance equipment to build muscle mass. In reality, there are some really effective exercises you can do right in your home or office that can provide some really great results.

Using Your Own Body Weight to Build Muscles

The easiest and most common exercises you can do without using weights would be squats, pull-ups and push-ups in their most basic form. If you’re severely out of shape, beginners yoga or isometric exercises can be good, but some of these types of exercises can be tricky and it’s important that you perform them correctly.

Some Tips on Building Muscles Without Weights

Push-ups: When doing pushups, you might find that you can’t even manage to do a single push up. If this is you, then try to doing them on your knees as this reduces the difficulty greatly. If this is still too much for you then do your push-ups off the wall standing upright.

Once you can do a set of 10 start increasing the difficulty gradually like moving from standing upright to a set of stairs. Once you can do a set of 10, increase again by doing your pushups on your knees. Next, move to the full body pushup and once you get used to these, and you will in time, go back to the stairs putting your feet on the first step or two with your head facing downward for an even more intense muscle building workout.

Pull-ups: For doing pull ups you need a pull-up bar which can be mounted between a doorway. Pull-up bars are relatively inexpensive and it’s very important that the bar you use can easily sustain the weight of your entire body – plus some. If you can’t afford or do not have access to a pull-up bar, go to your local playground and use the monkey bars as your pull-up bar.

Just as in doing push-ups, if you are unable to do one single pull-up ask your spouse or a workout partner to help you take some of your weight off by assisting you in doing your first pull-ups. If help is unavailable or you’re just too shy to ask, use a stool to help reduce the weight that your arms need to lift. Continue with this help until you can do two pull-ups, and you will, then work on your own. Push yourself in each workout session until you can do 3, 4, 5…

And you will.

Squats: When you do squat exercises you want to put your hands behind your head then squat down while making sure that your knees do not go over your toes. What you want is to push your butt out and try to keep your knees behind your toes.

It’s a good idea to stretch your legs a bit before starting your squats then begin by squatting down as far as you can and then stand back up fully erect. These can be challenging at first but as you begin building up your leg muscles, and you will, they’ll get easier. Soon you’ll be doing complete squats and you’ll develop your ability to do more and more reps as time goes on.

Key Points When Building Muscles Without Weights

A key point to remember when you’re building muscle without using weights is that as you improve, and I’ll say it again… you will improve if you keep after it, is to constantly challenge yourself to do a little more in each session.

Another important point is that adding more reps without adding additional weight will increase your endurance level but not be as helpful at increasing your muscle mass. So, you’ll want to get creative of finding ways to keep up the intensity of your exercises.

A good way to increase your intensity is do things like placing your feet on a step or sofa while doing push-ups. When this gets easy to do move on to doing one arm push-ups… one arm pull-ups and one legged squats.

You get the idea. Just keep adding more resistance if you want to keep building muscle mass. Something as simple as a backpack with some bottles of water inside could do the trick once you get to this point. Each quart of water weighs right at 2 pounds each so you can easily judge what you’re adding each time.

As you can see, you can get pretty far at building muscles without buying weights or gym memberships just by using a little creativity. Visit http://MyFitnessNut.com for more muscle building tips and fitness ideas.

 

The most important advice for beginners upfront when doing yoga poses is to practice yoga safely. Like any form of exercise if you push yourself too much and overdo things you can get yourself into trouble, but with yoga you can stretch and pull muscles that you didn’t even know you had.

Tips on Yoga Poses for Beginners

Be sure to take your time and learn the yoga poses accurately from a knowledgeable person or video training that can demonstrate the proper form to you. Yoga videos with verbal instructions and follow along demonstrations can work well by helping you to learn the many yoga poses at your own pace.

In other words don’t try to figure yoga out on your own without some good solid instructions.

If you’ve been leading a sedentary lifestyle you need to work into doing yoga poses gradually. A goal many yoga beginners start off with is to do just 15 minutes (less if you are severely out of shape) each day and gradually increase your time as you feel your poses getting easier to do.

Getting Good at Doing Yoga Poses

Trust that you will get better and better at yoga with a little bit of practice and consistency. Be very careful not to push too hard and injure yourself while working your way up slowly from around 15 minutes a day to around 30 minutes a day.

It’s a good idea to wear something comfortable and use an exercise mat, or at least a nice cushy blanket on the floor. Other than that, all you need is some good instructions to follow along with as you learn the various poses.

One of the great things about yoga is that it can fit into your life no matter what shape you are in starting out. You’ll want to be sure to pay close attention to your form and be sure to take time to learn how to do basic postures correctly.

We’ll show you how to do this with a follow along yoga video in a moment.

Yoga Poses can Help Back Pain

Some people will start practicing yoga to help with their back pain and some doctors even recommend it. There are lots of yoga postures that can help eliminate back, hip, shoulder and neck pain. A few common yoga postures that can help out your back area are the forward bend, pelvic tilt and the side angle poses.

Yoga Poses to Help Get Pregnant?

People who are more familiar with yoga will tell you that there are many health benefits associated with its practice. There are even yoga postures that women use for infertility or just to help along the process of getting pregnant for the impatient couple.

Women have reported great results using relaxation yoga poses after sex to help get them pregnant. So yes, yoga poses can help you get pregnant and have a healthy and happy baby.

Yoga Poses Used to Relax You

Taking up yoga can teach you how to De-stress yourself and let your body relax. You’ll learn poses that help you relax all of your body’s muscles and relax your mind at the same exact time. Take your time learning your yoga poses the right way in the beginning so that you’ll forever receive the most value from every yoga pose you do from here on out.

What are the Best Yoga Poses for Beginners?

As a beginner in yoga you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed when first starting out. It seems like there is much to learn when just starting out but a good yoga instructor will tell you that you don’t need to learn it all to start getting results. Take it one step at a time and learn a little something new with each one of your yoga practice sessions.

The best thing that you can do is to learn a few yoga poses first and add more time and new ones as you grow and develop.

Below you’ll find various categories of poses along with a short description on the benefits of each type of pose. From there we’ll finish up by showing you a couple of examples of yoga poses and provide you with some help on putting it all together.

The many benefits that yoga provides are well within your reach so let’s cover what some of common yoga pose categories are and what they’re good for.

What are Standing Yoga Poses?

Standing yoga poses are done in the upright position and help you relieve tension and aches and pains in your body. They are also great for kidney function, circulation and breathing. With consistent practice standing poses can help improve the strength of your neck, shoulder, hips and knees.

What are Seated Yoga Poses?

Seated yoga poses are, as the name implies, done while in a seated position. These are the calming poses that people use to help relieve their stress. These seated poses can help you feel soothed, relaxed and revived. Even though they help you feel less tired many people find that they sleep much better after doing seated yoga poses.

What are Inverted and Balancing Yoga Poses?

The inverted poses are basically “legs up and head down” where this reverse in gravity brings a supply of fresh oxygen rich blood to your heart muscle and head. This pose is beneficial for improving circulation and refreshing tired, achy or swollen legs after a long day of being on your feet.

The balancing yoga poses are very beneficial in developing core muscle strength and greatly improves muscle control, coordination, flexibility and agility. In other words, these are some good poses to work into your sessions as soon as you can.

What are Yoga Side Bend and Twist Poses?

The side bends yoga poses are just that – side bends. These are especially useful for stimulating some of your organs like the kidneys, liver and stomach.

The twist pose is a pose that you can do in a sitting or standing position. Twists are great for strengthening and helping with stiff necks, achy backs, shoulders and even great to help relieve headaches. These can be a bit intense for some people but when done the right way can increase the overall flexibility of your spine.

What are Reclining Yoga Poses?

Reclining yoga poses that are in this group fall primarily into two categories namely, the prone pose and the supine pose.

1.) Prone is done lying on your stomach on the floor facing down, doing poses where you mostly hold yourself on your knees and hands.

2.) The supine poses are just the opposite where you are lying on your back in more relaxed positions. These poses are restful poses that are great to do toward the end your yoga workout session.

What are Forward and Backward Bend Poses?

Forward bend poses uses movements that can help you to strengthen your lower back and your hamstrings and are good for helping you improve digestion and circulation.

Backward bend yoga poses use movements that help improve deeper breathing and have been know to help people with depression. Because of the deeper breathing accomplished in these poses your body and mind will feel more energized and revitalized at the end of the session.

Learn to Breathe Right and Relax Yourself

Learning to breathe correctly needs to be your top priority if it’s not already. So, get a grip on to the fact that besides feeling a little overwhelmed at the many types of yoga poses there are to learn, you’re now being told that you need to occupy your time learning proper breathing techniques.

Learning to breathe right takes some time but only at first and in a short period of time of focusing on your breathing, you’ll be automatically breathing right without even thinking about it. Breathing correctly is so important so do not ignore learning it.

Doing Your First Yoga Pose

Be graceful in your movements and promote flow while doing your yoga poses. The easiest way to say this is to not move from pose to pose but to “flow” from pose to pose in graceful movements such as a dancer or ice skater might do.

There’s no need to follow along with this pose as its only purpose is to give you an idea of how a yoga pose goes. If you’re new, it’s best to use an instructor or instructional yoga video to learn from.

So for the sake of making a choice of one of many yoga poses we could do, let’s demonstrate the Cobra Upward Pose which is a great beginner’s pose because it can be done in a few simple and easily learned steps.

Firstly, lie down on mat or blanket with your forehead to the floor. With your legs stretched backwards pull them closely together. Next, put your hands flat on the floor underneath your shoulders, take a deep breath and begin raising your head pushing your neck and shoulders back while using your hands to push your body up and back until you are holding an arched pose.

Remember to breathe correctly and flow in and out of your pose as you repeat it.

You can see a visual demonstration doing the “Cobra Upward Facing Dog” in this video and even follow along if you like as you learn how to do this simple yet effective pose.

[video_youtube video_url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwzHiRxA2eg” width=”480″ height=”300″]

When looking at a pose like that it doesn’t seem so difficult, but if you are new or out of shape, do yourself a favor and only go as far as you can each time and listen closely to what your body is saying to you. Only you can be the judge of what you can or can’t do and even if you want to push yourself, don’t run the risk of injury and setting yourself backwards.

Be Smart and Yoga Poses can Take You a Long Way

The great thing about yoga is that it can be very gentle from all fitness levels as you slowly work your way into it and it can be done virtually anywhere you go. All in all, yoga is a full body workout that can stretch and tone each one of your muscle groups giving you more flexibility and mobility in your everyday life.

Take yoga seriously as it can truly benefit your body, mind and life as a whole. No matter what your physical condition is, there are likely several yoga poses for beginners that you can start doing today and see positive results in a matter of a few short weeks.