National Athlete of the Month | Jeremy Wariner | April 2012

Event: 400m
Born: 01/31/1984
College: Baylor '06

Career Highlights: 2004 Olympic Trials 400m champion; 2005 USA Outdoor 400m champion; 2004 NCAA Indoor 400m and Outdoor champion; 2004 Olympic Games 400m gold medalist; 2008 Olympic Games 400m silver medalist; Three-time World Outdoor Championships 4x400m gold medalist -- 2005, 2007 and 2009

Jeremy Wariner has won a total of three Olympic gold medals and five World Outdoor Championships gold medals. In 2008 alone, Wariner joined with teammate LaShawn Merritt to record the top 16 times in the world in the 400m. His personal best of 43.45, which he ran to win a gold medal at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan, makes him the third fastest man in history. It was the fastest time run in the world since Michael Johnson set the world record of 43.19 in 1999. A total of five times in his career (2004-2007, 2010) he recorded the fastest 400m in the world according to the IAAF performance list. In 2006, he broke the 44-second barrier three times, and posted the five fastest times in the world that season. Wariner joins fellow Americans Lee Evans, Michael Johnson, Harry "Butch" Reynolds, Larry James, Quincy Watts, Danny Everett and Steve Lewis as the only athletes in history to break the 44-second barrier. The then 20-year-old Wariner shocked the world with his gold medal winning performance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. With his win in his then personal best time of 44.00, Wariner became the youngest gold medalist in the event since 19-year-old Steve Lewis won in 1988 and posted the fastest time in the world since Michael Johnson in 2000. He also broke Johnson’s Baylor school record.  With Wariner placing first, followed by fellow Americans Otis Harris and Derrick Brew in second and third place, respectively, the U.S. got its first sweep in the 400 since 1988. Earlier in 2004, Wariner captured NCAA titles in both the indoor and outdoor 400 meters, setting stadium records at each championship. Wariner also led the Baylor 4x400-meter relay to a pair of national titles, setting an NCAA indoor record at 3:03.96. Wariner lettered in track and football at Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas, where he set school records in the 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay. A member of the 2002 USA World Junior team, Wariner is a three-time junior All-American in the 400m. He turned professional after the 2004 Olympics. His nickname of “Pookie” is embroidered on his racing spikes. He loves to watch the Food Network and owns a St. Bernard.

USA Championships
2004 Olympic Trials 400m champion (44.37)
2008 Olympic Trials 400m runner-up (44.20)
2005 USA Outdoor 400m champion (44.20)
2011 USA Outdoor 400m runner-up (44.98)

International Championships
2004 Olympic Games 400m gold medalist (44.00)
2008 Olympic Games 400m silver medalist (44.74)
Two-time World Outdoor Championships 400m gold medalist - 2005 (43.93); 2007 (43.45)
2009 World Outdoor Championships 400m silver medalist (44.60)
Two-time Olympic Games 4x400m gold medalist - 2004 (2:55.91); 2008 (2:55.39)
Three-time World Outdoor Championships 4x400m gold medalist - 2005 (2:56.91); 2007 (2:55.56); 2009 (2:57.86)

Collegiate Championships
2004 NCAA Indoor 400m (45.39) and Outdoor (44.71) champion

Awards and Honors
2010 IAAF Diamond League champion
2006 Jesse Owens Award winner

Source: http://www.usatf.org/

Exercise of the Month | The Deadlift | April 2012

The Deadlift is an excellent exercise to strengthen your back, legs and forearms. Begin by choosing a bar with weights that are appropriate to your ability. Stand behind the bar with feet shoulder width apart and the bar at shin level. Grip the bar with the base of your fingers, placing your hands approximately 20” apart. It is important to keep your arms extended during the Deadlift, as your back and hips do most of the work.

To perform the Deadlift, squeeze your glutes together to help bring your hips forward as you raise the bar off the floor. ... This takes the load off your lower back, which should remain extended during the entire exercise. Keep the bar close to your body during the entire lift to help reduce the stress applied to your back.

The Deadlift ends when your knees and hips lock out into extension. -- At this point flex first at the hip, and then at the knees as you lower the bar back down to the ground. Always keep your chest up and look forward during the exercise.

Major muscles involved: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteal muscles, Quadratus lumborum, Obliques.

Weekly Training Article | Building a Massive Pair of Arms | 4/30/12-5/6/12

By Sean Nalewanyj

It's no secret that every serious lifter out there desires an impressive pair of strong, muscular arms. Who wouldn't be happy with tall, peaking biceps sitting on top of rock-hard, horse-shoe-shaped triceps? Who wouldn't love to have a pair of ripped, well-developed guns forcefully bursting through the sleeves of their shirt? While developing muscular arms is usually at the top of many peoples' agenda, the reality is that the majority of lifters out there have a very poor understanding of how to properly train their arms for maximum gains. In order to gain the proper insight into effectively stimulating arm growth, we must first recognize three basic truths:

1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups.

2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back.

3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.

What do these 3 points tell us about effective arm training? The most important thing for you to realize is this:

For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!

So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?

It's very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. In fact, a lot of the time when you reach muscular failure on a chest or back movement, it is actually your biceps or triceps that give out first! Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.

Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the "spark" that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue. Because of this, it is vital that you do not overtrain your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.

If you're looking to achieve serious arm growth, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep pressdowns. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training. If you are able to accept this basic truth and place the majority of your focus on building up the muscle size and strength in your major muscle groups, you will prevent yourself from overtraining your arms and will therefore yield greater overall gains in bicep and tricep size.

This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample arm routine that you can use as a part of your program:

Barbell Curls - 2 sets of 5-7 reps

Standing Dumbbell Curls - 1 set of 5-7 reps

Close-Grip Bench Press - 2 sets of 5-7 reps

Standing Cable Pushdowns - 1 set of 5-7 reps

Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.

If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible!

Source: www.articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | The Perfect Bench Press | 4/23/12-4/29/12

By Nick Nilsson

The Flat Barbell Bench Press is one of the most popular exercises in the gym, yet how many people know the most important techniques for maximizing strength and power during each rep?

In this article, you will find solid tips without the fluff. These tips will instantly help you to improve your bench press RIGHT NOW! You don't need any special equipment to use these techniques, just a willingness to learn.

1. The perfect bench press rep starts without any weight on the bar. Why no weight? The first thing you need to do is determine your proper hand spacing on the bar.

Lie down on the bench and un-rack the bar as you normally would. Lower the bar to your chest and have a partner take note of the orientation of your forearms. For optimal power, your forearms should be as close to vertical at the bottom of the rep as possible.

Adjust your grip accordingly and take note of where your hands are in relation to the smooth rings on the Olympic bar.

The reason for this is simple: if your hands are placed wider, some of your pushing power will be expended pushing outwards rather than upwards. If your hands are placed closer, power is expended pushing inwards. When your forearms are vertical, the vast majority of your power goes to pushing the bar directly up.

2. Now that you have your grip properly positioned, put some weight on the bar. Lay back on the bench and plant your feet firmly on the floor. Your knees should bent at about an 80-degree angle (I will explain the reason for this later).

DO NOT place your feet up on the bench. You will lose stability and potential power by doing this.

Place your hands on the bar in the grip width that you determined previously.

A technique that I like to use to lock my shoulders into the position for maximum strength and stability is as follows:

Instead of placing your palms on the bottom of the bar, place them on the back of the bar.

Now, without removing your grip, rotate the bar down so that your palms are now directly under the bar. This has the effect of placing your shoulders into their most stable and strong position. It will almost feel as though you are "locking down" your shoulders.

As you are rotating the bar and locking down your shoulders, lift your torso slightly off the bench and force your shoulder blades together tightly underneath your torso.

This will force your shoulders back and puff your chest out, placing the pectorals in a position where they have a more effective line of pull. It also has the added bonus of making your torso thicker, reducing the distance you need to press the weight.

Keep your shoulder blades squeezed tightly behind you for the duration of the set.

3. Remove the bar from the racks and tighten up the muscles of your torso. Begin lowering the bar under complete control to a point at the bottom of your sternum (about even with the bottom of your sternum, a.k.a. the breastbone).

Imagine as though your muscles are springs storing up all the energy of the weight lowering and getting ready to explode it all back out. Inhale as you lower the bar and feel it tightening up your chest.

Lightly touch the weight to your chest. -- DO NOT bounce the weight off your chest! This can cause injury in the form of cracked ribs or even snapping the tip of the sternum (a little bony protrusion known as the Xiphoid Process). It also diffuses the tension you've built up in the pectorals, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise for building strength and muscle mass.

4. As you start to change the direction of the bar and begin the press up, drive with the legs. This is a technique that most trainers do not know about. It's strange to think about it, but your leg power can actually help you bench press more weight!

This technique should be practiced with an empty bar before attempting it during a regular set. Start by planting your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent about 80 degrees. This angle is very important as it is what allows you to push with your legs.

Lower the empty bar to your chest. The moment you start to push the bar back up, push hard with your legs as though you are trying to slide your body up the bench.

With an empty bar you probably will be able to slide yourself up the bench. When you have a loaded bar, however, the weight will keep you from sliding and the pushing power from your legs will get transferred through your body and into pushing the bar up.

This is what's known as driving with your legs. It can really beef up your power out of the bottom of the rep.

5. Exhale forcefully through pursed lips as you continue to push the weight up. This will help maintain your torso stability better than simply exhaling all at once.

Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor even if you start to struggle with the weight. The moment you lift your feet off the floor, you break your base of power and the odds of you completing the lift diminish greatly.

If you have a tendency to shift your feet around, try placing 2.5-pound plates on your feet. This is not to weigh your feet down but to help you be more aware of what is happening with your feet. If a plate falls, your foot has moved. Strive to keep those plates in place.

The bar should follow a slight backwards arc as you press it up, moving from your lower rib cage to over your face at the end of the rep.

Be aware of your sticking point and try to drive the bar through it rather than letting the bar slow down as you come up to it.

6. Power the weight up to lockout. You have just completed the perfect rep! Now do it again!!

Using these techniques can add immediate poundage to your bench press. Your chest will thank you for it!

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Mistakes New Runners Make | 4/16/12-4/22/12

Running seems to be one of the easiest exercises available, yet many are not doing it perfectly. ... No wonder why many people suffer injuries and other problems. The point here is that running is not simply placing one foot ahead of the other. It is more than meets the eye.

Hence, if you are a new runner, it is imperative that you know the necessary pointers to consider in order to have a good run. To know these things, new runners must learn how to identify mistakes; otherwise, they will never know how to hone their skills.

The problem with most new runners is that they seem to know everything. They never learn the most common mistakes new runners tend to commit. Therefore, history always repeats itself.

It is true that part of the quandaries of learning how to run in the first place is to know the competition itself. Of course, in order to learn the race, one must learn how to avoid the usual mistakes new runners commit.

So to get you started, here are 5 of the most common mistakes new runners make. Knowing these things will enable you to develop your running noticeably.

1. Not being realistic with their goal

Running without a goal is useless endeavor. It is as if you are shooting for the stars without being realistic. Of course, if your goal is too far from being realistic, you will end up just the same.

Moreover, most new runners tend to create goals by distance and not by "goal time." In this case, people running by miles will only have a propensity to be frustrated, exhausted and worn out. That is because they have failed to reach their goals.

Keep in mind that running by miles will make new runners see the distance they still have to take before they reach the finish line. This is such a depressing state considering the fact that running by miles makes new runners too ruthless on what their body can do.

Hence, it would be better if they run by goal time, and not by distance. This way, new runners can realistically foresee an achievable goal.

2. Too fast, too furious?

Running is not all about speed. It is more about how you will be able to build fitness. Hence, running too fast will only make you wince with pain and when everything seems to be too painful to bear, you will simply give up and never make it to the finish line.

Unless it is a competition, running should never be focused on speed. In order to enjoy the activity and get the best positive results you need to be relaxed with your movement. For new runners, swiftness is the key to enjoyable running.

3. No coaches please!

Are you too arrogant to seek for coaching? Most new runners are! Just because running is such a natural state of activity that is innate with humans, new runners will tend to avoid further coaching. New runners believe it is within their capacity and skill to run.

In essence, the ability to have a good run will always depend on the way people employ themselves throughout the time.

Some people believe that anybody can start running just because it is innate within them. What they do not know is that people cannot instantly adapt to the demands of running. They cannot simply modify their way of thinking, as well as their body, when they have decided to start running.

For instance, if you have always lived a sedentary life, starting to run without proper coaching will only bring more harm than good. Your body is not yet properly conditioned, and it does not merely need a few stretching exercises. A good program, with a good coach, will be necessary to get you started on the right track.

4. It probably just hurts!

Most new runners fail to see the reality of possible muscle pains within the first two minutes of running. They think that at any point in time they can start running and everything will go smoothly.

Almost 60% of new runners complained about leg pains and fatigue. This is because their bodies had not been properly conditioned for such activities. It is imperative that they get on the right track first before they even decide to start running.

5. Pressures! Pressures!

New runners are always pressured to keep everything perfect. When they do this, they tend to put a strain on their ability to run correctly.

Keep in mind that pressures can put a strain on your muscles, thereby creating stiffening sensations. This will only contribute to possible muscle pains. Therefore, it is best to defy your compulsion to get it perfectly on an instant.

New runners should try to remember that running, as much as it seems to be a natural thing for humans, is not a skill they are born with. It takes time and effort to get everything perfect.

If you are just starting to run, better take it slow! Now that you know the common mistakes new runners commit, it is imperative that you keep away from doing these things. Learn to run by heart. You will enjoy it more.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | Perfect Repetition Range for Building Muscle | 4/9/12-4/15/12

By Sean Nalewanyj

No matter what you read or who you talk to, everyone has their own opinion of what the "perfect" rep range should be to allow for maximum muscle stimulation and growth. In this article I'm going to clear up the confusion once and for all and teach you the truth about choosing the most effective rep range for optimal muscle-building results.

Sets that utilize heavy weight and low reps are without a doubt the most effective means of stimulating muscle growth. For every set you perform in the gym, you should utilize a rep range of 5 to 7. This means that for every set you perform, the weight should be light enough that you can complete 5 reps in good form, but heavy enough that you cannot complete more than 7. What's so special about 5 to 7, you ask? Well...

1) Each set will only last between 20-30 seconds.

Maximizing your muscle gains is all about intensity and efficiency. By utilizing a lower rep range, your sets will only last a short period of time, allowing you to generate 100% mental focus and effort. Training with 100% intensity is critical to stimulating muscle growth and it is much easier to maintain this level of effort for shorter periods of time. You will not have to psyche yourself up for marathon sets lasting minutes on end, but rather for a short burst of all-out effort lasting only several seconds.

2) Muscle stimulation will be maximized.

Our bodies are made up of 2 main types of muscle fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibers cannot generate large bursts of power and are utilized during prolonged activity. They have a high tolerance for endurance exercise but do not have a very high potential for increased growth. Fast twitch fibers on the other hand produce large bursts of power and are utilized during short, explosive movements. They contain a large amount of mitochondria (an area in the muscle cell where energy is produced) and have the highest potential for increases in both size and strength. By utilizing a rep range of 5 to 7 you will tap into these extremely responsive fibers and this will result in the greatest amount of muscle growth and strength gain possible.

3) Maximum resistance can be used.

By performing only 5 to 7 reps per set, you will enable your muscles to handle heavier amounts of weight than you could with a higher rep range. Building muscle is a byproduct of building strength, and training in a lower rep range is the most effective way to accomplish this. Since your strength will shoot up much faster using 5 to 7 reps per set, so will your muscle size.

4) Lactic Acid production will be kept to a minimum.

Training in the range of 5 to 7 will also decrease the amount of lactic acid that is secreted within the muscles. Lactic acid is a metabolic waste product that is produced as the body burns carbohydrates for fuel. Lactic acid accumulates in the muscle tissue at increased rates the longer you exercise. By limiting the amount of lactic acid production you will decrease muscle catabolism and create an environment in the body where greater amounts of energy can be generated. This will translate into greater power output and maximum strength potential.

Okay, so we've established that a rep range of 5-7 is the absolute most effective means of stimulating muscle growth. However, this does not apply all the time or on every single lift. There are a few select muscle groups that should be stimulated using a slightly higher rep range. These are the calves, abs, forearms and upper traps. These muscle groups are predominantly made up of slow-twitch fibers, and therefore will respond better to higher reps. For this reason, a rep range of 10-12 should be utilized for these muscle groups. Again, this means that the weight should be light enough for you to complete at least 10 reps, but heavy enough that you cannot complete more than 12.

Summary:

Perform 5-7 reps for the chest, lats, biceps, triceps, shoulders and thighs.

Perform 10-12 reps for the calves, abs, forearms and upper traps.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | Getting Fit With Cycling Workouts | 4/2/12-4/8/12

By Mike Anderson

Getting yourself fit with cycling workouts is one of the quickest ways to lose weight and feel better about yourself – and it’s fun too. Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness or just looking to get a little bit of exercise back into your life, a cycling workout can be just the ticket for you, particularly if you’ve got a distance to travel to work or school in the mornings. In this article we’ll look at some easy ways you can build up your fitness or lose weight on a cycling for exercise program, with a view to improving physical fitness or your speed when cycling.

Before trying any exercise for cycling or a weight loss program, it is important to first consult with your general practitioner or physician to establishing your current fitness levels, and whether or not you are at risk of medical problems arising from beginning a course of exercise. Remember that whilst you might feel fine, underneath it is always possible that there could be a number of problems that have gone undetected until now and could be subsequently triggered by picking up the pace with your exercise program.

First, your cycling for fitness program should begin with a few light stretches and maybe even a jog, to make sure your muscles are warmed up for physical activity. After that, climb on board your bike and get cycling. It’s important to remember that cycling might not be something you are terribly used to, with most people avoiding pedal bikes as soon as they leave their childhood years or get a car. As a result, it might be a good idea to take it slow to start with -- while you might never forget how to ride a bike, you will certainly need a little bit of a refresher before going out on the open road … for your own safety and that of other road users.

On your first day, cycle a block or cycle to work at a medium pace. Don’t try to race there -- you will tire yourself out and you’ll be in no state to hit the office. Likewise, it’s important to ease yourself into an exercise program, particularly if you haven’t been overly active for a few years or you’re looking to shift excess weight. With the coming days, boost your intensity and your distance on your cycling regime, to start building up your fitness levels and to get you moving and burning calories and fat. Ultimately, keep going up in intensity -- as your body can handle -- in order to leave you with the perfect introduction to a cycling for fitness program.

Cycling for fitness can be both fun and practical, and it can also help shift excess weight in no time at all. Try it today. Visit your General Practitioner for a health check and see what wonders can lie in store for you after beginning a more active, healthier lifestyle with a view to losing weight and feeling great.

Source: articlecircle.com