National Athlete of the Month | John Tartaglio | March 2010

At the ING New York City Marathon on November 1, 2009 Tartaglio, 22, became the first bilateral full-leg amputee to complete a marathon without the aid of a wheelchair.

On August 22, 2004 Tartaglio, then 17 years old, was diagnosed with a rare bacterial infection that only affected 35 people in medical history. To save his life, doctors had no choice but to amputate both legs and left bicep that same night. Tartaglio survived and was only given a 20-percent chance to live. He was told he would never walk again.

In only five years from what some would consider debilitating news, Tartaglio has become a role model of perseverance. Through rigorous workouts, he is able to compete in triathlons, road races and cycling events. In the fall of 2005, Tartaglio enrolled at Fairfield University and graduated last year.

Tartaglio is also the first bilateral full-leg amputee -- in history -- to run and complete 5k and 10k races. In 2006, he competed in the ING New York City Marathon, in the hand-cycling division, finishing 30th in 2 hours 12 minutes 12 seconds. John has also competed in the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run.

"My dedication and perseverance are driven by the all the great people I have supporting me," Tartaglio told StrengthUSA.com. "My family and friends have helped me realize how many things are possible and [to know] that I can accomplish my goals."

Exercise of the Month | Deadlift | March 2010

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 | Your Second Home: Choosing the Right Gym | 3/29/10-4/4/10

By Tom Ambrozewicz

One of the most important decisions you will make as a beginning bodybuilder is which gym you will frequent. Gyms come in just about every shape and size, and their advantages vary greatly. Ask your friends or coach for advice when choosing a gym, but remember that not every gym is right for every person. Shop around to find the best place for your training. Some things to think about include membership value, equipment, location, special training options and operation.

The first thing you should find out about any gym is cost. Some gyms offer discounts for members who sign up for big blocks of time, but don't rush into these deals. If you don't like the gym after a month or two, you don't want to be forced to pay for the remaining time. Look at what you are getting for your membership price. How big is the gym? How often will you go there? What "extras" such as day care, snack bars and towels are included? Cost is not the same as value. Most times you will get what you pay for. Compare values at different gyms in your area to find the best bang for your buck.

Next, inspect the equipment. What is available? Go to the gym on a Saturday or other busy time and notice if there is a wait for the machines and weights. Also, choose a gym that provides room for stretching. Most importantly, how clean is the equipment? The gym should provide spray bottles to clean the machines and weights after use, and facilities such as the bathroom, locker room and pool area should be clean. Along with cleanliness is maintenance. There's always bound to be a few breakdowns every once in awhile, but these problems should be fixed promptly.

Compare pricing and equipment with location. You won't want to work out as often if the gym you join is too far from your house. In the best case scenario, you will be able to find a gym that is between your work or school and home so you will be motivated to stop by in the mornings or afternoons. Be sure to look at the special training options available as well, such as personal trainers or fitness classes. Lastly, think about the operations of the gym. What are the hours and are they convenient to your schedule? You may also want to join a gym that is specifically for women, young adults, athletes or other groups of people. By considering all of these gym options, you can pick the place that will become your perfect second home as you begin your bodybuilding training.

Source: articlecircle.com

Weekly Training Article | What is BMI? What Are the Principles of Weight Management? | 3/22/10-3/28/10

By Claude Fullinfaw

BMI stands for body mass index and is a special mathematical formula based upon your weight in pounds divided by your height in inches squared, and then the result multiplied by 705.

This may sound confusing, so I have illustrated an example: Imagine a woman whose weight is 180 pounds and is 5 feet 10 inches. She would have a BMI of 26 and would be considered on the overweight side of the index.

Lets take the height of a woman who’s 70 inches and then square it, and the result is 4900. We then take her weight in pounds (180) divided by 4900 and we get 0.036, which is then multiplied by 705 to give us 25.89 or 26 rounded. This is how we get her BMI of 26.

The following is an easy to follow table which will assist you in determining your BMI. If the BMI of an adult is below 18.5 then he or she is considered underweight. Between 18.5 to 25 is normal. Above 25 to 29.5 is overweight. Individuals must take special care if they fall between 25 and 34.5. They are prone to serious health risks.

Overweight men with BMI over 25 and waist lines over 40cm must be very careful. Women have to be below 34cm. If the results are over these numbers then diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are huge risk factors to these individuals. As a general rule, if your BMI is over 30 then you are obese and must look at ways to bring that figure below the safety level to avoid falling victim to negative health ailments.

Some of the basic principles in weight management are:

Cut down on the calorie intake in your meals. You can go about this by either reducing your meal intake or eating food that has less calories in it. Eating less food would mean you would start feeling more hungry and this would cause hunger pangs. If you eat meals that have lower calorie values you could reduce the hunger pangs and still have a positive impact on your weight.

Try avoiding foods and drinks that have a high sugar level, such as aerated drinks, sweets and chocolates.

Introduce an exercise regime into your daily routine. By introducing a slow walking pattern of 3000 steps, initially, you will find weight loss begin to happen. For an ideal routine you should work yourself up to 10000 steps per day, at least 5 days a week. This will translate into about 45 minutes of brisk walking in your neighborhood.

Avoid bad eating patterns. Avoid eating on the run and try and make time to relax and enjoy your food.

Eat right and avoid overeating. By following a recipe book based on low GI foods you could very easily eat what is right for you and avoid overeating. You will be surprised to see how delicious these recipes really are. You will never ever want to eat rubbish again, or at least you will think twice before you do so in the future.

Record what you eat. It is important that we write down everything we eat when we start our weight management program. It is surprising to see what slips under the radar and lands on our plates at meal times.

Maintain and improve your health. The first step in our weight management program is to cut down our food cravings in the first 5 days. This is easily done by going on a lower carbohydrate diet high in fiber and vital nutrition. After the first 5 days you should begin your transformation stage and you will start to reduce your body mass by doing at least 3000 to 10000 steps a day, backed by a good healthy diet of low GI meals.

You will find you can easily lose a kg per week using a weight program suited for you. If you lose more than 2kg per week then you must be careful. We do not want to drastically lose weight and put too much stress upon our system. An average of half a kg is ideal for most people.

It is advisable to keep records, especially visual ones, of your body when you start. By keeping before and after photo shots, along with weight and stomach measurements, you can watch the improvements in the days and weeks into your program.

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Weekly Training Article | The 5 Golden Rules of Staying Injury-Free in the Gym | 3/15/10-3/21/10

By Sean Nalewanyj

Let's face it, if you want to get big, you have to train big. Entering to the gym and simply going through the motions just isn't going to get the job done. You have to overload those muscles with heavy weight and high intensity if you want to see real results. This is without a doubt the most effective means of stimulating muscular growth. Muscles grow due to a natural adaptive survival response, and if you don't give them a damn good reason to grow, well, they won't.

While training hard and heavy may be awesome for your muscles, it can be troublesome for the health of your joints and connective tissue. This is simply the reality of intense weight training, and while there are no guarantees that you will be able to completely avoid getting injured, you can certainly take specific steps to lessen the chance. An injury is the absolute last thing you could ever hope for, as it will stop you dead in your muscle-building tracks. Most serious weightlifters will experience some form of injury at one time or another throughout their training careers.

Below, I'm going to outline my "5 golden rules" when it comes to minimizing the risk of injury. If you can honestly say that you implement all 5 of these into your training program, then your risk of getting hurt will be much lower than someone who does not.

1) Always perform a thorough warmup.

A proper warmup is the single best thing you can do to minimize your risk of injury. This simple 15-20 minute process will prepare your mind and body for the hard work to come by increasing blood flow into the surrounding connective tissue and by lubricating your joints. I would recommend that you perform 5 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise before each workout, followed by 4-5 warmup sets for your first major exercise of the routine.

2) Always train with proper form.

This should go without saying. Every exercise that you perform in the gym should be done with proper form and technique in order to keep the stress off your joints. If you start squatting or deadlifting with a rounded back, jerking the weights around in a ballistic manner, or performing dangerous exercises, you are almost guaranteed to hurt yourself at some point.

3) Always train within your own personal limits.

Weightlifting is a personal battle, and letting your ego take over is almost always a recipe for disaster. It doesn't matter what the guy next to you is benching, and it’s completely irrelevant to your training program. You must always use weights that you can handle and control with proper form. If you start piling on the plates to impress the people around you, you'll be stretching your limits and putting yourself in a very vulnerable position.

4) Always know when to quit.

If you cannot complete another rep of an exercise using proper form, the set is over, plain and simple. Put the weight down and rest up for your next set. If you start using huge amounts of momentum and jerky body motions to crank out a couple of extra reps, you'll be on the sidelines before you know it.

5) Never ignore your aches and pains.

This is a hugely important point, and I think we can all admit that we've been guilty of it at some point. I know I have. When you're motoring along through a training program and making progress from week to week, the idea of quitting just seems impossible. This can sometimes lead us to ignore those obvious injuries and pretend as if they aren't really there, as we often "work through" the pain and hope that it magically disappears. More often than not, it will only get worse. If you feel that something definitely isn't right and can sense that you probably shouldn't be training, listen to your gut and take some time off. Get the problem checked out by a professional and then take the proper measures to heal. While it may hurt your progress in the short term, the overall long-term effect will be a positive one.

So, there you have it: 5 basic rules to follow in the gym to keep those joints healthy and keep you training for years on end. Follow them closely, because I guarantee that if you end up with an injury due to your own bad judgment, you'll be very, very sorry!

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Sean Nalewanyj is a bodybuilding expert, fitness author and writer of the top-selling Internet Bodybuilding E-Book: The Truth About Building Muscle. You can learn more by visiting his Website: musclegaintruth.com.

Weekly Training Article | How to Do the Perfect Bench Press Rep | 3/8/10-3/14/10

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

Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc. and has been inventing new training techniques and exercises for 17-plus years. He has written many training books, including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass" and "Metabolic Surge -- Rapid Fat Loss."

Weekly Training Article | So, You Want to Eat Carbs With a Low Glycemic Index? | 3/1/10-3/7/10

By Steve Hansen

All carbohydrates are not created equal. A food's glycemic index, or GI, describes this difference in the way carbs act in your body, by ranking them according to their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

Carbohydrates that breakdown quickly during digestion, causing a rapid blood sugar response, have the highest GI.

Carbohydrates that breakdown slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have a lower GI.

Choosing carbs that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, low GI carbs, is the secret to long-term health. Low GI carbs help to reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease, and promote sustainable weight loss.

How We Can Use Our Knowledge of the Glycemic Index

* A diet rich in low GI foods can help control established diabetes.

* A diet rich in low GI foods can help prevent the onset of diabetes later in life.

* In fact, a low GI diet can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin, reversing the risk for Adult Onset Type-II Diabetes.

* Low GI diets help people lose and control weight.

* Low GI diets can help people control blood cholesterol.

* A low GI diet reduces the risk of heart disease.

* Low GI foods reduce hunger and let you feel fuller longer.

* High GI foods can help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise.

* High GI foods can provide energy for immediate high energy needs such as sprinting or powerlifting, but...

* ...low GI carbs provide energy for prolonged physical endurance.

* Help kids to choose low GI foods over high GI foods. This will make them less likely to be obese or develop diabetes, and their teeth will be healthier too.

Foods to Choose

Breads:

* Coarse European style whole grain wheat or rye pita bread

* Cracked or sprouted whole wheat

Cereals:

* Compact noodle-like high bran cereals (All-Bran, Fiber One)

* Uncooked oatmeal

* Porridge

* Whole Grain Cereal (Kashi) mixed with Psyllium (Fiberwise)

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

* Whole grain or whole wheat pasta

* Barley

* Bulgur

* Buckwheat (kasha)

* Couscous

* Kidney beans (not canned)

* Lentils

* Black-eyed peas

* Chick-peas

* Lima beans

* Peas

* Sweet Potato

* Yam

* Soybeans

* Most vegetables

Dairy Products:

* Skim or 1% milk

* Cottage cheese (lowfat or regular)

* Buttermilk

* Low-fat plain yogurt

* Low-fat fruited yogurt

* Low-fat frozen yogurt with artificial sweetener

* 2% cheese

Fruit:

Most fruit and natural no sugar added fruit juices are low to moderate GI foods. Choose fruit in moderation, but these are the best. All fruit must be fresh or frozen. No canned fruit in syrup!

* Apple

* Berries

* Cantaloupe

* Grapefruit

* Honeydew

* Oranges

* Pears

* Grapes

* Peaches

* No sugar added applesauce

* Fresh cherries

* Plums and...

* ...grapefruit are the lowest

Meats:

* Shellfish

* "White" fish (cod, flounder, trout, tuna in water)

* Chicken (white meat no skin)

* Turkey (white meat no skin)

* Cornish hen

* Venison (white meat no skin)

* Egg substitutes (cholesterol free)

* Eggs

Foods You Should Eat in Moderation

Breads:

* 100% stone ground whole wheat

* Pumpernickel

* 100% whole grain rye crackers

Cereals:

* Grape-nut cereal

* Medium-fine grain oatmeal (5-minute variety)

* Uncooked oatmeal

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

* Rice

* Boiled Potato

* Corn

* Navy beans

* Kidney beans (canned)

* Baked beans

* Beets

Dairy Products:

* 2% milk

* Cheese
* Regular plain yogurt

Fruit:

* Banana

* Kiwi

* Mango

* Papaya

* Orange juice

Meats:

* Higher fat fish, (salmon, herring)

* Lean cuts of beef

* Lean cuts of pork

* Veal

* Low-fat imitation luncheon meat

Foods You Should Avoid

Breads:

* White bread

* Most commercial whole wheat breads

* English muffins

* Bagel

* French bread

* Most commercial matzoh

Cereals:

* Corn flakes

* Puffed rice

* Puffed wheat

* Flaked cereals

* Instant "Quick" or pre-cooked cereals

* Oatbran

* Rolled oats

* Shredded wheat

* Muesli

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

* Instant rice

* Brown rice

* Instant precooked starchy foods

* Baked potato

* Micro-waved potato

* Instant potato

* Winter squash (acorn, butternut)

* Carrots

* Parsnips

Dairy Products:

* Whole milk

* Ice milk

* Ice cream

* Yogurt sweetened with sugar

* Low-fat frozen desserts with sugar added

* Low-fat and regular frozen yogurt with sugar added

* Tofu ice cream

Fruit:

* Pineapple

* Raisins

* Watermelon

* Fruit juices sweetened with sugar

Meats:

* Most cuts of beef

* Pork

* Lamb

* Hot dogs (including "low-fat" versions)

* Regular cheese

* Luncheon meats

Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net

Hanson has 10 years experience in the fields of exercise science and sports nutrition. He writes articles on all forms of athletic training and nutritional theories.