tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8637451293069549302024-02-07T20:27:35.619-05:00Leon's Muscle BlogThis is my personal bodybuilding journal to go along with my main websites www.Leoncruz.com. & www.muscle4mass.com I'm going to use my blog to share with you some very important training, nutrition and contest tips, etc... and hopefully you will be able pick up some useful tips and techniques that you can use to help you with your own workout progress.Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-55708613306727014762013-08-31T07:28:00.003-04:002013-08-31T07:28:31.326-04:00History of Bodybuilding by Ric Drasin<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OkVIwtxRCDc" width="560"></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-35917700723701780152013-06-14T10:57:00.000-04:002013-06-14T10:57:50.307-04:00True Strength In Body and MindTrue Strength In Body and Mind<br />
<a href="http://rosstraining.com/blog/">http://rosstraining.com/blog/</a><br />
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The Following video is from Ross Enamait. You should visit Ross's blog. This guy is an incredible trainer, and even though I do not know him personally, I bet a great guy as well. See the inspiring video below.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iItgeWUeQ_4" width="560"></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-9628015358988234812013-06-14T10:48:00.001-04:002013-06-14T10:48:15.888-04:00A TRIBUTE TO AN ICON: JOESEPH (JOE) WEIDERA TRIBUTE TO AN ICON: JOESEPH (JOE) WEIDER<br />
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By Leon Cruz<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpjtPmMJLB3c8P0omJO43pnA_LUZz4SRFB11HATgER4tDeB_dTP24yjSxRRqS-Rw4b0qVg0YAKFBnACI3DSdfpOQN1mbHtuOGEK1mDP-L1ivaY4tfpdqu9vyZJ2X1j6jxaHGPVyYxmOY/s1600/Joe-Weider-face3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpjtPmMJLB3c8P0omJO43pnA_LUZz4SRFB11HATgER4tDeB_dTP24yjSxRRqS-Rw4b0qVg0YAKFBnACI3DSdfpOQN1mbHtuOGEK1mDP-L1ivaY4tfpdqu9vyZJ2X1j6jxaHGPVyYxmOY/s320/Joe-Weider-face3.png" width="224" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;">By the time you read this you may have heard that Joe Weider passed away. Joe died on March 23, 2013 at the ripe age of 93, eight months from his 94th birthday, which is on November 29th. What can I say about Joe Weider that has not been said already by those who actually knew him. I do not want to bore you with the usual stuff. I would like to talk about how Joe Weider impacted my life. Although I did not know Joe Weider nor did I ever meet him, he did have a profound impact on me through his magazines, supplements and training equipment. Joe Weider was a master marketer. He knew how to sell his products to the masses especially to young boys, which I was when I started lifting weights and training to build my body. I remember the snowy day I went with my mom to buy my first weight set. I was twelve, and for Christmas my mom and I went to T.S.S., which stands for Time Square Stores. These stores were popular back in the early 1980’s. They are all long gone by now. This was the place I bought my 110 pound vinyl cement filled weight set. Looking back, I have to say that I did not know anything about equipment back then. If I did I would have purchased the iron set instead. The weight set I purchased was from Billiard Barbell. I began my training by following the little exercise poster that came with the set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the only thing I knew to use back then. My older sister (Lori) was in high school and many of her friends that knew me were impressed that I started to weight train. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span><span style="language: EN;"><o:p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Many of her friends dabbled at the school weight room and knew a little about training. They all were ready to give me their advice on training. Many of them also read the muscle magazines, which were readily available at the subway newsstands in those days. You would stop by the newsstand before or after class and purchase the magazines of your choice. The magazine of choice for them was Joe Weider’s Muscle and Fitness magazine. I did not know about this publication being that I just started training. The first time I saw a Muscle and Fitness magazine was when my mom sent me to the local pharmacy to pick up a prescription. When I got there, I waited for the prescription to be filled. While I waited, I walked over to the loaded magazine rack the store had. On this rack I saw my first issue of Muscle & Fitness. On the cover were Lyn Conkright and Chris Dickerson winning a couples posing contest, which was a very popular form of bodybuilding competition back then; it no longer exists today. The price tag on the magazine was three dollars. </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I wanted to buy it but did not have the money. My older sister who was working a summer Job gave me the three dollars to buy the magazine. I immediately ran to the pharmacy and bought the issue of the magazine. After buying the magazine, I ran home and began pouring through the pages. At that time (and still today) I was a comic book fan. I would watch the incredible hulk on TV, which starred Mr. Universe Lou Ferrigno. The program would come on at 8:00 o’clock on Fridays. I noticed that Lou Ferrigno was featured in the magazine. At that time Lou Ferrigno was the only bodybuilder I was familiar with so I immediately knew who he was. Then I would read about this Austrian person named Arnold Schwarzenegger and about how he won the 1980 Mr. Olympia. Amazing stuff. What really appealed to me were all of the Weider ads for protein supplements, vitamins and the Weider barbell sets. I would see all of the champions posing with all of the Weider products. These champions would give Joe Weider all of the credit for their success and credit to his barbells and supplements and also his training principles. </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As I read the magazine, I thought that the only way to build your body successfully was to use all of the Weider products. Since it made the champs who they are then I should be able to use the same things. I remember all of this with nostalgia. Very happy times. I equated all things Joe Weider with bodybuilding. I would devour all of the training routines and use them when I trained with my plastic weight set. I did not have a weight bench in those days so I got two milk crates from the store and put them together to form a weight bench I could lay on and perform bench press movements. For cushioning, I would use a folded bed sheet. I felt like everything was so wonderful. Shortly after that I started high school. I continued to buy the Weider magazines both Muscle & Fitness and Flex. I purchased many of the supplemental products advertised in Joe Weider’s magazines at the Herman’s sporting goods store. Shortly after that, for my 16th birthday my mom bought me the Weider golden weight set along with the Marcy Monster bench. The weight set was purchased at Herman’s sporting goods and the bench was purchased at T.S.S. Why do I tell you all of this, well because these were the most wonderful times growing up. It was times like these that make me who I am today. The amazing thing about all this is that I still have the equipment and the magazines I started out with except for the plastic weight set. I eventually gave that away when I began purchasing the iron weight sets. </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I remember the time in the late 80’s when many new magazines, newsletters and books on bodybuilding began on the “bashing Weider” campaign. I think once an Iconic figure becomes fully famous, Like Vince McMahon from Wrestling, many will come out of the woodwork to try and destroy your character. Joe Weider was not perfect, and I would say somewhat of a hypocrite due to his silly anti steroid campaign with those phony horror stories, but Joe Weider basically made the world of physique development what it is today. I have nothing but admiration and positive associations with Joe Weider and the Bodybuilding Lifestyle, even today and hopefully always. I remember using all of the Weider principles described in his Magazines. Magazines. I later came to realize that Weider was not the original creator of those training techniques but were created by the superstars featured in his magazines. Joe just decided to rename them and make them his own. A master marketer. Either way, these techniques did work. I also remember performing marathon training sessions believing that I needed to do all of the training exercises described in his books and courses. Well, times have definitely changed for me. I am a lot more knowledgeable now and exactly know what to do for my body type, and know what kind of training to do. This comes with experience due to the fact that, as of this writing, I have been training for 30years now. I will always remember Joe Weider. He did impact my life for the better. May God bless his surviving family.</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-59431177835695425452013-06-14T10:48:00.000-04:002013-06-14T10:48:05.205-04:00Words of Wisdom - Training Compilation<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/43pIkeA_ZZg" width="560"></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-34809413364054366272013-04-22T09:19:00.001-04:002013-04-22T09:20:13.176-04:00The Bodybuilding LifestyleThe Bodybuilding Lifestyle<br />
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By Leon Cruz<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; language: EN; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Several years ago Joe Weider was being interviewed by one of the news shows that air on Sunday nights. I forget which one, but something Joe Weider said stuck with me. Mr. Weider said that Bodybuilding is comprised of three concepts or three things, and he said: “Bodybuilding is a Sport, an Art and a Lifestyle.” The concept I would like to focus on is the lifestyle aspect of bodybuilding. Long after a bodybuilders competitive career is over, whether amateur or professional, training usually continues or (should continue in my opinion). If you look at the bodybuilders of the Golden Era like, Frank Zane, Dave Draper, Larry Scott, Lou Ferrigno, Ric Drasin and such, you will notice that many of them are still training and also running businesses that are bodybuilding based. The Lifestyle of eating healthy, taking nutritional supplements and the partaking of daily exercise is what many of the muscle magazines and fitness periodicals have been endorsing since the time of Eugene Sandow. This is long before there was even competitive physique contests and contests of strength (Power lifting, Olympic Lifting and Strong man contests). Martin “Farmer” Burns published his personal training course “Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture” back in the 1920’s and 30’s. He knew the value of exercise and training whether for wrestling or using wrestling as exercise to keep fit. The physical labor that Farmer Burns did contributed to his strength and longevity, which helped him in wrestling. Bob Hoffman, also new the value of a lifestyle based on strength training and healthy eating. Bob Hoffman wasn't born one of the strongest, fittest men in the world, but after working to become just that in his twenties, he spent the balance of his life encouraging others to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At sixty, he could still lift 250 pounds over his head with one hand, break chains with his 52-inch chest, and, when the impulse struck, strap an anvil to his stomach, lie down on the ground, and let his buddies bang away with a sledgehammer. </span></div>
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Passionate as he was about lifting as a sport, he was interested in selling more than a sport. Hoffman saw the enormous potential of selling hope, so he turned lifting into the platform from which he could preach a gospel of self-improvement based on a lifestyle and the physical culture of health and fitness. Not surprisingly, his earliest acolytes came from immigrant and ethnic backgrounds. Like football and baseball before it, lifting was a respite from the mills and the mines. Hoffman always emphasized that training was its own benefit–a benefit that produced a healthier and better life overall. <br />
With all this we begin to see that working out is much more than sport. We see fitness as a way to improve many lives. Getting into shape is something we all can do. Everyone can change and improve their current health and body image. To me there is NO other way to live. The Bodybuilding and fitness lifestyle has helped me accomplish the best shape of my life along with many other things. The confidence alone from getting in shape has done wonders for all aspects of my life. With the obesity rate in America continuing to spiral out of control, I really love the fact that the lifestyle I’m leading inspires people to make changes. The fitness lifestyle is not just about working out. It is also about being in overall great health and enjoying life the way it was and is meant to be enjoyed and improving the quality of life as we get older. That means being active EVERYDAY and training almost everyday as well. Typical results you can expect by taking on this lifestyle 100% will include a better SEX drive for those who are married, increased metabolism, which burns fat, physical appearance change, change in your mood, change in personality and much more. Everyone reading this newsletter should be partaking in a regimented lifestyle of exercise and nutritious eating and supplementing. Don’t put off what you can do today until tomorrow or until its too late. <br />
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copyright 2013, Urban Publishing Co.LLC., Inc and<br />
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<span style="language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-48859691775027057892013-01-23T12:06:00.001-05:002013-01-24T12:53:19.252-05:00BODY BEAST REVIEW<div style="text-align: center;">
BODY BEAST REVIEW</div>
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BY LEON CRUZ</div>
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Beach Body, (a Fitness company founded back in 1997, became a house whole name due to its famous training program P90X,) has created another great training program named BODY BEAST. </div>
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I learned about body beast through an e-mail I received in my in box on August 2012 advertising the new training program. I immediately knew it was a body building program because of the person endorsing the course. The person endorsing the training program was Sagi Kalev. Sagi Kalev (born July 30, 1971 in Tel Aviv) is the former two-time "Mr. Israel" and fitness model, bodybuilding title-holder, and nutritionist who resides in Dallas, Texas. He immigrated to the United States back in 1993 to pursue his bodybuilding and modeling career. </div>
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Unlike P90X, Body Beast is strictly a bodybuilding program where P90X is a sports fitness program. Note: P90X can be incorporated into any bodybuilding program. Body Beast is a 90 day, 3 Phase program ( BUILD, BULK and BEAST ) consisting of 12 workouts and is designed for one thing, building lots of muscle mass. <br />
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I decided to purchase the training course and give it a try. I have been bodybuilding for many years, and I felt I needed a change of pace training program so I decided to commit to the 90 days. <br />
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The package has the option to include some supplements (the supplements are Creatine, Whey Protein and a carbohydrate powder. All of these supplements can be purchased much cheaper at www.dpsnutrition.net. Also, waxy maze is a better carbohydrate powder) and 3 bonus workouts, I purchased the basic package. <br />
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Equipment needed: The equipment needed makes this program very attractive indeed. Although I train at a commercial gym and have a decent home gym, none of that is required. The only tools needed are a chin-up bar, push-up bars, a set of dumbbells that progress from 5 pounds to about 70 pounds, and a multi purpose bench, which can decline, incline and position to a flat bench. In the video they also use one of those fitness stability balls, which I do not recommend. <br />
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The course is broken down into 3 phases.<br />
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PHASE ONE: BUILD - CHEST and TRICEPS - Time: 49 minutes <br />
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LEGS - Time: 38 minutes <br />
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BACK and BICEPS - Time: 50 minutes<br />
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SHOULDERS - Time: 38 minutes<br />
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CARDIO - Time: 30 minutes<br />
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PHASE TWO: BULK - CHEST - Time: 30 minutes<br />
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LEGS - Time: 41 minutes<br />
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BACK - Time: 29 minutes<br />
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ARMS - Time: 35 minutes<br />
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SHOULDERS - Time: 35 minutes<br />
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BEAST - ABS - Time: 10 minutes<br />
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PHASE THREE: BEAST - Once you have completed the BUILD and BULK Phases, the program has one more block called the BEAST Phase, which is a combination of workouts from the first 2 Phases.<br />
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During my experience using body beast, I noticed several things. Within the first two weeks of daily training I noticed that my muscle development improved all around. This could be attributed to what is called muscle memory. Remember that I have been training for many years. But, it felt really nice. Everything improved. I gained two to three inches on all muscle groups. Also, my body weight went from 240 pounds to 260 pounds with eight percent body fat. My strength went up two fold. My bench press went from 365 to 450. My dead lift went from 405 to 500 and my squat went from 405 to 500. Now, again remember about what I said before about the muscle memory thing. Now keep in mind that if I improved all over at my level, anyone at any level can improve at building their physiques. <br />
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Now, for the negative points to the program: Body Beast has practically no stretching to speak of and as such I believe this will make you more prone to injury over time. That’s why I personally would recommend incorporating flexibility or yoga into your regimen. This is where adding some of the P90X yoga and flexibility programs come in handy. One thing I learned over the years is that as bodybuilders and weight lifters, we should incorporate the four levels of fitness, which consists of Flexibility, Conditioning, strength, and body composition (Fat percentage). Diet and exercise that includes weight training and cardio will take care of the body composition, strength, and conditioning portion. For the flexibility part of the program, P90X’s stretching program or matt Furey’s Combat Stretching video courses will work very well. For training the abdominal, incorporating P90X’s Ab ripper X video would be a good idea as well. <br />
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Sagi Kalev uses old school bodybuilding techniques with the new school science training techniques. When following along with the videos, Sagi has you doing, progressive sets, force sets, giant sets, straight sets, super sets, and combo sets. All of these techniques have been proven to really stimulate and fire up the muscles. These techniques are truly what high intensity training is all about. <br />
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Along with the videos, the course comes with a book properly titled “The Book of Beast”. In the Book of Beast, you have a nice nutrition plan to follow. It’s all based on a formula, which has the athlete eating about 5 meals daily with about 3,000 calories a day. I find that if you have the P90X nutrition plan, you should follow that plan when using your body beast course. The P90X nutrition manual is simpler in its explanation than the Book of Beast nutrition plan and when done correctly, the P90X nutrition plan comes out to the same end result, which has one eating about 5 – 6 times daily with about 3,000 to 3500 calories daily with protein being the primary macro nutrient in the first phase. <br />
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Overall, I love the body beast program. Once your conditioning is up and you can get through the training intensity in the program, you can create your own hybrids to the program. You can include many of the P90X programs to the body beast course or you can incorporate a push pull training program, just follow the appropriate videos. For example; let’s say you are following a push pull program where you are training chest shoulders and triceps; you would use those videos coaching you on training those muscle groups and so forth. It’s a great way to break out of boredom. Using what I have discussed here will keep you gaining muscle mass and adding variety to your training program. And as we all know, variety is the spice of life when it comes to certain things especially building your Beast Body. <br />
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<br />Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-27009060534359960602012-06-25T14:16:00.001-04:002012-06-25T14:16:15.637-04:00The Vince Gironda Body Drag CurlThe Vince Gironda Body Drag Curl.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/04x3G_Vyh0I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-1234233900869831692012-03-26T12:13:00.001-04:002012-03-26T12:13:35.252-04:00Thick Bar Training!<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ot100wipgl8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-44359826170464356472012-01-09T09:19:00.000-05:002012-01-09T09:21:29.032-05:00Training Principles - Intensity & Consistency Gets Results!!!!!Training Principles - Intensity & Consistency Gets Results <br /><br />You'll follow this body part split for your weight training days: <br /><br />• Chest and Triceps <br />• Back and Biceps<br />• Legs <br />• Shoulders, Calves and Abs<br /><br />You'll train on a 2 days on and 1 day off schedule. That means on Monday you'll train chest and triceps; on Tuesday you’ll train back and biceps; then you'll take Wednesday off. Thursday you'll train legs, and Friday you'll train shoulders, calves and abs. <br /><br />With Kris as your training partner, your weight training schedule may change during your 12 week transformation. Kris will always tell you when the routine changes, and he'll always make sure you never miss a workout! <br /><br />You'll also do cardiovascular exercise 2 times a day for 20 minutes per session - 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. Doing cardio will help: <br /><br />• Keep your metabolism firing<br />• Digest your foods <br />• Utilize stored fat as energy <br /><br />Eat Clean - Nutrition Rules To Trigger Your Transformation<br /><br />You won't be counting calories to make sure you achieve an amazing transformation. Instead, you'll be measuring your portions and sticking with the same small portion sizes during the entire 12 weeks. When looking at your meals you should have: <br /><br />• A fist size portion of protein<br />• A fist size portion of complex carbohydrate <br /><br />You'll be eating every 2-3 hours which means you'll get 6-7 meals every day. Your MAIN FOOD SOURCES will be: <br /><br />Protein<br /><br />• Fish <br />• Poultry<br />• Steak <br />• Egg Whites <br />• Protein Powder<br /><br />Carbohydrates <br /><br />• Sweet Potato <br />• Brown Rice <br />• Whole wheat Pasta <br />• Oats <br /><br />Naturally Occurring Fats<br /><br />You won't be taking in extra fat from foods like avocado, nuts, or olive oil. Even those types of fat are considered "healthy" it just adds up to be another calorie you have to burn off rather than burning stored fat. <br /><br />Instead, you'll get enough fat through the foods you eat such as steak and fish. <br /><br />What You CAN Drink<br /><br />Water<br />You'll be drinking at least 1 gallon of water every single day. It's important that you always drink this much water to help your body achieve an amazing transformation. You can flavor your water with calorie free packets like Crystal Light or you can try Xtend. <br /><br />You can also drink tea and coffee - just keep them plain and don't add any sugars, milk or cream to these drinks. You can use the natural sweetener Stevia to sweeten these drinks without adding calories. <br /><br />What You CAN'T Drink<br /><br />Stay away from milk and soy products while you're doing this transformation. These foods have extra sugars that will only make it harder for you to transform. Avoid alcohol completely as well, because beer, wine and mixed drinks are full of empty calories. <br /><br />Cheat Days <br /><br />There are no cheat days on this 12 week program. You won't take a day off from your training or your cardio, so you can't take a cheat day on your diet either. Don't cheat on your diet and you will see results. <br /><br />Supplement for Success and Get Fast Results<br /><br />There is no magic pill that will replace your nutrition or training program and transform your body for you. But supplements will help support your transformation so you can get fast results. <br /><br />Supplement Shopping List: <br /><br />• Multivitamin<br /><br />This will help provide you with extra vitamin and mineral support to promote muscle recovery and optimal health. It's best to take a multivitamin in the morning and at night. <br /> <br />• Omega 3-6-9 Fatty Acids <br /><br />These essential fats support normal hormone production, healthy brain function, and will help you recover from intense training days. It's best to take your omega fats in the morning and at night. <br /><br />• Digestive Enzymes <br /><br />Taking digestive enzymes will support your body's digestive system with all the food you'll be eating. With extra support, your body can absorb the most nutrients, helping you get the best transformation. <br /><br />• Ph Balancer<br /><br />A Ph Balancer will support normal alkalinity levels. <br /><br />• Glutamine<br /><br />As an anti-catabolic agent, something that helps prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue, Glutamine is a foundational supplement on this transformation. <br /><br />• Protein Isolate <br /><br />This fast digesting protein supplement is perfect to take immediately following your workout, because the faster you kick start muscle recovery - the faster you'll see results. <br /><br />• Protein Blend - CNP Propeptide <br /><br />Taking a blend of different kinds of protein - egg, casein, whey isolate and whey concentrate - will help slow the protein digestion down and is best to take as a meal replacement, usually taken with oats. <br /><br />• Fast Digesting Carb - Vitargo <br /><br />The only simple carbohydrate - or fast digesting carb - that you need to take is a supplement carb, like Vitargo. Taking Vitargo, or a similar carb product, immediately following your workout, along with your whey isolate, will help replenish your glycogen stores and kick start recovery. <br /><br />• BCAA's <br /><br />Taking branch chained amino acids will support recovery, and like the other supplements that are recommended on this program, BCAAs can help you have a better transformation. If you get a flavored BCAAs powder then you can add this to your water throughout the day to get a nice flavor. <br /><br />Performance Supplements<br /><br />• Green Tea<br /><br />Taking supplemental green tea extract may help increase your metabolism and help fight cravings. Green Tea is a natural plant extract that helps support fat burning. <br /><br />• L-Carnitine<br /><br />Supplementing with L-Carnitine, and amino acid, may help utilize stored body fat as energy. <br /><br />• Yohimbine <br /><br />Yohimbe is a vasodilator, which means it supports blood flow throughout your body. With good blood flow, your muscles can get nutrients and recover fast. <br /><br />• Creatine<br /><br />Creatine can help you push out a few more reps in the gym by supplying your muscles with extra energy and helps you build muscle and burn fat. By charging up your intensity in the gym, you'll be able to see results that much faster. <br /><br /> <br />Track Your Progress To Transform Your Life <br /><br />Here are the steps you need to follow to see the amazing results you'll get on this transformation program. <br /><br />1. Take before pictures<br /><br />You need to do this on a plain background so you can see the silhouette of your physique. You should wear your swimsuit or similar clothing. Take a front, side, and back shot in good lighting and with a steady camera. You will really want these photos to compare to your photos on week 12 - and you'll see how much your physique has changed. Take progress pictures once a week. <br /><br />2. Take your body fat measurement <br /><br />Testing body fat with calipers can give you an accurate indication of what your current body fat and lean muscle mass percentages are. Measure your body fat once a week at most. Make sure to have your body fat measured in the same places on your body and by the same person every time. <br /><br />3. Weigh yourself <br /><br />Weigh yourself once a week using the same scales at the same time of day. A good idea is to weigh yourself every Monday morning before breakfast. <br /><br />4. Track your training <br /><br />Log your workout sessions every day in a workout journal or using your BodyBlog on BodySpace. Make sure to write down what exercises you do, what weights you're lifting, how many reps you complete, how you feel, and other details of your workout. You can print out your workouts every day and take them to the gym with you! <br /><br />By keeping track of your workouts you'll be able to see your progression and get positive feedback for your transformation. You're more likely to see your goals through when you write them down! <br /><br />5. Update Your BodySpace - Or Join Now <br /><br />Now's the time to post your before pictures on BodySpace and let the community know that you are about to begin your 12 week transformation. If you don't have a BodySpace - sign up now! It's FREE and it's an instant source of support, motivation, and a great tool to help keep track of your progress. <br /><br />Don't forget to join the 2011 Transformation BodyGroup so you can follow along with other people going through this transformation with you. <br /><br />Your New Body Is Only 12 Weeks Away<br />Get Started - Day 1 <br /><br />Day 1 is a training day, and you'll be starting with an intense leg workout. Follow me as I head to the gym for the beginning of our 12 week body transformation journey.Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-25526199706985021972011-12-07T21:49:00.001-05:002011-12-07T21:51:22.721-05:008 week cut workout.8 week cut workout.<br /><br />Laree's 8-Week<br />Trim Down<br />Drop your calories by 100-200 calories per day by cutting out *one* item of unnecessary or junk food. Then do the following, making your own necessary adjustments that will allow you to continue this routine for two full months. <br /><br />Every workout:<br />10-minute cardio warmup<br />5-minute rotator cuff and knee bend warmup<br />Crunches 3x15 (slow and focused) supersetted with leg raises 3x15 <br /><br />Then superset everything else in the workout, moving as quickly as you can. By the end of the 8 weeks, this is expected to be non-stop. Grab a gulp of water between supersets and keep going.<br /><br />MONDAY<br /><br />Leg curls 5x12<br />tri-setted with<br />Leg extensions 5x12 and <br />Calf raises 5x15<br /><br />Front squats 5x10, deep as you can go<br />supersetted with<br />HyperExtensions 5x15 <br /><br />Incline dumbbell press 4x12<br />supersetted with<br />Chins or wide-grip pulldowns 4x12<br /><br />Dumbbell incline flys 4x12<br />supersetted with<br />Seated lat row 4x12 <br /><br />TUESDAY <br />Split workout am/pm or together as suits your schedule and energy<br /><br />Cardio Workout<br />Run 1 fast mile (whatever fast means to you - could be walk/run if you haven't been running lately) <br /><br />WEIGHTS:<br />Standing overhead push press/jerk 5x10<br />supersetted with<br />Calf raises 5x20<br /><br />Barbell curls 4x12<br />tri-setted with<br />Close-grip bench press 4x12<br />and<br />Pulley pushdowns 4x12<br /><br />Zottman curls 4x12 <br />supersetted with<br />Dips or bench dips 4x12 or Max<br /><br />Wrist curls 2x15<br />supersetted with<br />Reverse wrist curls 2x15 <br /><br />WEDNESDAY<br /><br />Deadlifts 5x10, in single stop-reps<br />supersetted with<br />HyperExtensions 5x15<br /><br />Stiff-legged deadlifts 5x15<br />supersetted with<br />Leg curls 5x12 <br /><br />Flat dumbbell press 4x12<br />supersetted with<br />One-arm dumbbell rows 4x10<br /><br />Pullovers (DB or bar) 4x15<br />supersetted with<br />Close-grip pulldowns 4x12 <br /><br />THURSDAY - Split workout<br /><br />Cardio Workout<br />Run 1 fast mile<br /><br />WEIGHTS:<br />Repeat Tuesday's workout<br /><br />FRIDAY<br /><br />Repeat Monday's workout<br /><br />SATURDAY<br /><br />Cardio Workout<br />Run 1 fast mile<br /><br />SUNDAY<br /><br />Rest Day - Take a walk or a bike ride if you want to burn some energy outdoors <br /><br />That's it. Yes, that does say legs & chest/back three times a week, so don't even write in to ask. The reps are high, the speed is fast, so the weight is light. There aren't a ton of exercises, and yes, I do plan to do this and believe that this much light leg work will trim up the entire body. Let's test it out!Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-5906418279847754772011-12-07T21:32:00.000-05:002011-12-07T21:33:22.666-05:0012_Week_Lean_Body_Workouts_Nutrition_Program<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mL6rDqPx1-4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-67335540489053370432011-12-07T21:24:00.000-05:002011-12-07T21:25:16.850-05:00Bodybuilding Food Preparation PART 2<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k6H4wxihl68" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-38189719646335799772011-12-07T21:20:00.001-05:002011-12-07T21:20:59.973-05:00Importance of nutrition in exercise, body building.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M1x8D3jRfjk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-69598201599343405312011-12-07T21:10:00.000-05:002011-12-07T21:11:52.403-05:00Lee Labrada Talks About Rest and Overtraining, Part 1<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JCyqeEwh500" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-66471462513975891542011-12-07T21:03:00.001-05:002011-12-07T21:03:52.527-05:00Lee Labrada Discloses the Secret on How to have a Great Workout!<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_QV5Vaa_1VE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-55733397112573590202011-12-07T20:59:00.000-05:002011-12-07T21:00:05.741-05:00Lee Labrada Talks About The Importance of Workout Intensity for Gaining Muscle<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cPqKjFEOKMY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-83596186824000416192011-12-07T20:50:00.000-05:002011-12-07T20:57:19.372-05:0012 Week Lean Body Fitness Trainer Workout Plan<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HnZnFRdgvnA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-45425104819210778082011-12-07T20:49:00.000-05:002011-12-07T20:50:34.007-05:00Lee Labrada 12 Week Lean Body Workout & Diet.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/udqDDQ7i0vY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-66091549845378264042011-12-07T20:47:00.001-05:002011-12-07T20:47:48.375-05:00Lee Labrada's Lunch Box.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9GV80qwHBmY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-89929738019117456952011-11-17T18:27:00.001-05:002011-11-17T18:29:13.316-05:00There She Stands.There She Stands. Dedicated to all the men and women who served our great country.<br />GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Nj9Fa6IFM8Q" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-4178397787964680902011-10-18T09:33:00.000-04:002011-10-18T09:34:17.301-04:00Arnold Schwarzenegger motivating interview - The Life of a BodyBuilderArnold Schwarzenegger motivating interview - The Life of a BodyBuilder <br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M6Fg4dfw49k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-74301205979283551922011-10-18T09:24:00.002-04:002011-10-18T09:29:24.793-04:00Arnold Schwarzenegger: Life’s 6 RulesArnold Schwarzenegger: Life’s 6 Rules<br />arnie's 6 tips to a successful life.<br /><br />look, arnie is the best.<br /><br />nobody disagrees with that.<br /><br />why is he the best? because he's not<br />just a bodybuilder, but a massively<br />successful bodybuilder.<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LuJ4hbkLiY0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />A little known fact about Arnold Schwarzenegger is that, upon arriving in the USA to compete in professional bodybuilding, he professed to coach Joe Weider that he would one day like to move from bodybuidling into acting, then property and finally politics.<br /><br />While many could have forgiven Weider for not paying too much attention to those pipe dreams, Arnold then went onto accomplish every single one in the exact order he planned to.<br /><br />Whether you plan to use these 6 rules in your gym training, perhaps for bodybuilding motivation, or maybe to help you focus more at work on getting that promotion you’ve always aimed for, what we would suggest is to actually begin applying them to your overall life.<br /><br />The impact and sense of freedom it will have on your everyday life is incredibly positive.Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-35329762292211156242011-10-14T13:12:00.000-04:002011-10-14T13:13:12.611-04:00Come to our Planet!Come to our Planet! <br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qBRG4RkE51Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-11619399662579243552011-10-06T11:19:00.001-04:002011-10-06T11:19:47.309-04:00BOYCOTT PLANET FITNESS!!!<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H1jJP0ywtIU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-863745129306954930.post-19517010184191192202011-10-05T11:02:00.007-04:002011-10-05T11:13:35.464-04:00Neck ExercisesNeck Exercises<br />By Lee Hayward<br /><br />Safety First<br /><br />When training the neck, it is extremely important to follow good form. Carelessness with neck exercises can be much worse than with other exercises. Use smooth controlled motion at all times, don't jerk or bounce at all.<br />Before you begin any resistance exercise for the neck always warm up first. Move your neck forward and backward, side to side, and turn your head from left to right. Do 20-30 reps of each movement to warm up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGEUkBllcwgN8rCW205dm3vJcKp7wm35RljsZHINmfKAtMvObJCnyNV9zayAj7wof4YlTFuz9Lo7dvis6Z_3KV8WeilJsfvfL0vk6kcnAbcbjx5AVlWBgzzPtOJ8JzYfi69mgY4LDuE8/s1600/neck_stretch.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGEUkBllcwgN8rCW205dm3vJcKp7wm35RljsZHINmfKAtMvObJCnyNV9zayAj7wof4YlTFuz9Lo7dvis6Z_3KV8WeilJsfvfL0vk6kcnAbcbjx5AVlWBgzzPtOJ8JzYfi69mgY4LDuE8/s320/neck_stretch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660023964920137074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Manual Resistance<br />Place the heel of your hand(s) on your forehead. Apply pressure with your hands, and resist with your neck. You can adjust the pressure according to your own strength. Press as hard as you can, as long as you are able to keep your neck still against the resistance.<br />A more advanced version of this movement is to allow your neck to successfully move back and forth against the resistance, while keeping the resistance as high as possible. You can use this method for training the front, back, and both sides of your neck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQL3lihWKswZ8Z3M7gvMwCYgqL8h3m_6j3UnVLH9CrUJ14J4Dv-rdGUgY5kpyEkSmfpVXUGIfGX2uh5eJpeSn_qzYy2NuwWdHJpr-2Te6KUqQdZkl1Qohe2jOPjqH0mnLX-P9YJ2yZ3U/s1600/neck1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 80px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQL3lihWKswZ8Z3M7gvMwCYgqL8h3m_6j3UnVLH9CrUJ14J4Dv-rdGUgY5kpyEkSmfpVXUGIfGX2uh5eJpeSn_qzYy2NuwWdHJpr-2Te6KUqQdZkl1Qohe2jOPjqH0mnLX-P9YJ2yZ3U/s320/neck1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660024253834463378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can also lean against a wall with your head, varying the angle to choose the correct resistance. Use a small pillow to make the exercise more comfortable.<br /><br />Neck harness<br /><br />This is a good basic neck exercise. The harness is best used for the<br />back and the front of the neck. The harness is a webbing or leather cap<br />that fits snugly on your head, and has a chain on each side hanging down from<br />the ear region. You load weight plates on the chains, and then move your head<br />against the resistance created. For this exercise it is a good idea to use<br />lighter weights and higher reps (i.e. 15+ per set).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_0Fmfd3i5eN4LoIAuO2pzCRHDGFUMOvS6NvXwT4SRH6axcTyaeeg8HrRX3aGlf7uo57XAC4VMurWa8XI9Zz5ITjmJ3UPBAIZrhZSfBz6CLIJksRYAc5mVY9CRRCHpxPoWY45wdT4FPk/s1600/neckharness.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_0Fmfd3i5eN4LoIAuO2pzCRHDGFUMOvS6NvXwT4SRH6axcTyaeeg8HrRX3aGlf7uo57XAC4VMurWa8XI9Zz5ITjmJ3UPBAIZrhZSfBz6CLIJksRYAc5mVY9CRRCHpxPoWY45wdT4FPk/s320/neckharness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660024670682657874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You stand with hands on knees to work the back of the neck. Look at the floor with the<br />weights hanging in front of you. By flexing your neck, you raise your head to look forward,<br />and then slowly lower your head to complete the rep.<br /><br />To work the front of the neck you can lye down on a bench with your head and neck out<br />over the end of the bench. Have a training partner spot you and help you get the harness<br />and weights in place. Flex your neck forward and try to touch your chin to your<br />chest and slowly lower your head to complete the rep. You can also hold a weight plate<br />against your forehead and perform this movement.<br /><br />Shoulder Shrugs<br /><br />This exercise is excellent for working the traps and the neck muscles.<br />It also works the forearms from gripping the weights.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW2JFFKltr_FOth341TGxzxV-LMmfkxAqoFX_3fQG5f-HQRcayvNIgfQbTiBu0VSYEDzJbjpKpLNVgGiRknvfOvd2MhhatT-nXnKNXixHbxYyGDwUj61jL8Bo0FlOnLswJFc8-myuFdI/s1600/shrug.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW2JFFKltr_FOth341TGxzxV-LMmfkxAqoFX_3fQG5f-HQRcayvNIgfQbTiBu0VSYEDzJbjpKpLNVgGiRknvfOvd2MhhatT-nXnKNXixHbxYyGDwUj61jL8Bo0FlOnLswJFc8-myuFdI/s320/shrug.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660025028331168930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Grip a barbell shoulder width apart. Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the barbell at arms length in front of you.<br />Keep your arms straight during the entire movement. Sag your shoulders downward as far as you can. You will feel your traps stretch,<br />hold this position for a second. Shrug your shoulders upward and squeeze your traps at the top. Hold this position for a second. Repeat.<br />For variety you can do this exercise from a low cable pulley or use a pair of dumbbells instead of a barbell.<br />Upright Rows<br />This is a good exercise for working the muscles of your shoulder girdle. Primary muscles are the traps, neck, and the deltoids.<br />Secondary muscles are the biceps, brachialis, and the forearms.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62UUsCxJ3H2du_Op2G-E48NTC5slnB5TbHrw87CmyC95G3yi0sWZmPtbv72OOsiEkj-wxDyOfpqwfJ-z8K2ISJtvr441R5BY1J0qdNq3n02-8pvqM_X2m7TgO3RbSI8aKkqC7g9g0JfQ/s1600/upright3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62UUsCxJ3H2du_Op2G-E48NTC5slnB5TbHrw87CmyC95G3yi0sWZmPtbv72OOsiEkj-wxDyOfpqwfJ-z8K2ISJtvr441R5BY1J0qdNq3n02-8pvqM_X2m7TgO3RbSI8aKkqC7g9g0JfQ/s320/upright3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660025277793042626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Grip a barbell a little narrower then shoulder width. Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the barbell<br />at arms length in front of you.<br /><br />Keep your elbows above your hands at all times. Pull the barbell directly up from the starting position until the bar is<br />just below your chin. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction, then slowly lower to the starting position. Repeat.<br /><br />This exercise can also be performed using a low cable pulley.<br /><br />Neck bridge (wrestlers bridge)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hJyzHJJPLgjPdcnlcRprDu-eg_v0sM_3An0U6BUJAQmXsEAb-j6FiYdhYglktVnU_iX8jwUFmI4toUrYPQWIAOlg9v1qnIhBCzWYxA6h4T1uWJfqPGijE9f2cM4P7i4DW5K1_JzqCgM/s1600/Neck+Bridge.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hJyzHJJPLgjPdcnlcRprDu-eg_v0sM_3An0U6BUJAQmXsEAb-j6FiYdhYglktVnU_iX8jwUFmI4toUrYPQWIAOlg9v1qnIhBCzWYxA6h4T1uWJfqPGijE9f2cM4P7i4DW5K1_JzqCgM/s320/Neck+Bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660025973748313874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a controversial exercise that is highly productive when safely performed, yet can be very dangerous if not performed correctly.<br />This is a very advanced exercise. You need to have very strong neck muscles just to be able to perform this movement.<br /><br />This exercise should only be used by advanced athletes who need very strong neck muscles; such as boxers, wrestlers, martial artists, etc.<br />You should get proper instruction from a knowledgeable coach prior to trying to perform a neck bridge.Leon Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932623629550686609noreply@blogger.com0