Like most people, I was impressed with the results Duffy Gaver helped Chris Hemsworth achieve for the Thor movie. I'm sure camera angles helped him look bigger and brawnier than he would in real life, but you've got to hand it to him, he accomplished a lot in a short time. So how did he achieve it and what did Duffy Gaver have Hemsworth do?
Three elements were present in his thor workout program. 1.) A cycle of heavy, basic compound weightlifting movements-bench press, squat, etc. 2.) Clean eating with plenty of vegetables, fruits and protein, 3) A second cycle to maintain the muscle he had built while cutting up (burning fat.)
You might think time was on Chris Hemsworth's side during the filming of this movie, but it wasn't. He fit the workouts in while filming another movie. Dang, there goes excuses for the rest of us!
I read the thor workout routine posted in Men's Health UK and thought it was a good one. However, it seemed like there was one element missing: swinging heavy things.
After all, Thor swings that heavy hammer around all day long! There was an element of ballistic training in the thor workout routine, and that was with kettlebells. I thought the addition of clubbell, or indian clubs training if you prefer, would be a logical decision. So I created the thor workout-reloaded!
It includes heavy lifting of odd objects like sandbags, but you could stick with deadlifts and squats. Most important, it encourages lots of heavy swinging and core strength work! Don't worry, you don't have to pay for it, just click on this link and read for yourself:
The Thor Workout Reloaded
Enjoy!
Read about making homemade indian clubs and maces here:
More Homemade Clubbells for at Home Workout Routines
Building Strength and Grip with a Homemade Macebell
Home Workout Routines with a Homemade Clubbell
Shop inexpensive kettlebells here:
Kettle Bells
Workout at Watson Lake in Prescott Arizona
If you are in the state of Arizona, one of the best places to visit is Prescott, specifically the Granite Dells and Watson Lake. I haven't been all over Prescott, but I hear the rest of its attractions are also spectacular. Speaking from our experiences on a day trip to Watson Lake, I learned two things:
1. You could climb rocks and take pictures all day and not even explore a quarter of the area.
2. Climbing over rocks, even if you are not top-roping or bouldering, is a great workout!
For anyone who doesn't like to do long boring cardio sessions, this place is the way to go. You will burn fat and probably build some leg muscle too, all in a tranquil, idyllic outdoor setting. Of course, this applies to your neck of the woods too, so to speak. Find an inspiring, challenging outdoor 'gym' and breathe some fresh air while you burn calories.
In the meantime, if you are in the Arizona area, check out watson lake in prescott, arizona:
1. You could climb rocks and take pictures all day and not even explore a quarter of the area.
2. Climbing over rocks, even if you are not top-roping or bouldering, is a great workout!
For anyone who doesn't like to do long boring cardio sessions, this place is the way to go. You will burn fat and probably build some leg muscle too, all in a tranquil, idyllic outdoor setting. Of course, this applies to your neck of the woods too, so to speak. Find an inspiring, challenging outdoor 'gym' and breathe some fresh air while you burn calories.
In the meantime, if you are in the Arizona area, check out watson lake in prescott, arizona:
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| Watson Lake and Granite Dells in Prescott, AZ |
Your Cheap Garage Gym is all the Home Workout you Need
What does a random pile of homemade indian clubs, kettle bells, some flat resistance bands and an ab wheel do for you? It is one hell of a home gym workout, that's what. I found my own pile next to my dresser today. Actually it has been there everyday for weeks; the remnants of a workout week where these exercise tools were the main ingredients.
Let me be clear; my home gym space is technically in the garage, but it can also be wherever the mood suits me, or wherever I need to be to get things done and stay motivated. As I was walking past this pile for perhaps the 12th time in a week, it occurred to me that the exercise equipment there was all anyone needed to get strong, fit and healthy. Here is what was sitting in my gym tool mess:
-One homemade indian club made from a plastic bat and filled with sand. It was wrapped with wrist weights to make it heavier (total about 12 lbs.)
-Two 10# kettlebells; cheapies from Walmart that I've owned for almost 4 years.
-Two 20# kettle bells, same as above.
-1 45# GoFit Kettlebell
-A $10 pack of 'stretch bands' marketed for Pilates and Yoga stretching, but great for a thousand things besides.
-One ab wheel, a super cheap version from Valeo.
On the surface it all looked like a colorful hodgepodge of stuff I should have put away. Then I started counting off the exercises I could do with this small collection and thought, "this is all a person needs for a home gym, or a variation of this; and it takes up a space about 2 feet square."
Here is a (short) list of exercises you can do with just this equipment:
-indian club mills
-indian club swipes
-indian club Jori swing
_indian club torch press
-anything you can do with a club!
-kettle bell swings, snatches, turkish get-up, floor press, overhead press, bent press, goblet squat, shall I go on?
-Resistance band rows, presses, flyes, curls, high pulls or deadlifts (these last two are effective and tough exercises; from a box with three pretty resistance bands, go figure.)
-Ab wheel rollouts from the knees or from standing. Bear crawls, plank pulls (feet on handles, arms fully extended, pull all the way in with elbows, repeat.)
The list is extensive, and if you have these tools, here is a great whole body functional workout you can try with them. Do the exercises as a circuit, and repeat as many times as you can. 3-5 rounds is a good number to shoot for.
-Jori Swing to Torch Press
-Club mills
-Kettlebells swings
-Kettlebell snatch
-Alternating "bottoms up" standing shoulder press.
-ab wheel rollouts (from knees or standing to full extension.)
This little collection is so versatile I have decided to leave it next to my dresser for a while. The workout routine combinations are endless, and if I throw in some pushups and pullups, I won't have to step back into the garage for a few weeks.
Next time you see what looks like a collection of insignificant gym equipment or homemade gym tools, take a second look. it just might be the perfect exercise equipment for your next few workouts!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Find great home gymnastic rings equipment and workouts here:
http://mosladder.hubpages.com/hub/Gymnastic-Ring-Workout-Routines-at-Home
Use these excellent workout routines with little or no equipment:
http://mosladder.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Home-Workout-for-Building-Pectoral-Muscles
Home Gym Workout Routines with No Equipment
Leg Muscle Training that Works Without Weights
Let me be clear; my home gym space is technically in the garage, but it can also be wherever the mood suits me, or wherever I need to be to get things done and stay motivated. As I was walking past this pile for perhaps the 12th time in a week, it occurred to me that the exercise equipment there was all anyone needed to get strong, fit and healthy. Here is what was sitting in my gym tool mess:
-One homemade indian club made from a plastic bat and filled with sand. It was wrapped with wrist weights to make it heavier (total about 12 lbs.)
-Two 10# kettlebells; cheapies from Walmart that I've owned for almost 4 years.
-Two 20# kettle bells, same as above.
-1 45# GoFit Kettlebell
-A $10 pack of 'stretch bands' marketed for Pilates and Yoga stretching, but great for a thousand things besides.
-One ab wheel, a super cheap version from Valeo.
On the surface it all looked like a colorful hodgepodge of stuff I should have put away. Then I started counting off the exercises I could do with this small collection and thought, "this is all a person needs for a home gym, or a variation of this; and it takes up a space about 2 feet square."
Here is a (short) list of exercises you can do with just this equipment:
-indian club mills
-indian club swipes
-indian club Jori swing
_indian club torch press
-anything you can do with a club!
-kettle bell swings, snatches, turkish get-up, floor press, overhead press, bent press, goblet squat, shall I go on?
-Resistance band rows, presses, flyes, curls, high pulls or deadlifts (these last two are effective and tough exercises; from a box with three pretty resistance bands, go figure.)
-Ab wheel rollouts from the knees or from standing. Bear crawls, plank pulls (feet on handles, arms fully extended, pull all the way in with elbows, repeat.)
The list is extensive, and if you have these tools, here is a great whole body functional workout you can try with them. Do the exercises as a circuit, and repeat as many times as you can. 3-5 rounds is a good number to shoot for.
-Jori Swing to Torch Press
-Club mills
-Kettlebells swings
-Kettlebell snatch
-Alternating "bottoms up" standing shoulder press.
-ab wheel rollouts (from knees or standing to full extension.)
This little collection is so versatile I have decided to leave it next to my dresser for a while. The workout routine combinations are endless, and if I throw in some pushups and pullups, I won't have to step back into the garage for a few weeks.
Next time you see what looks like a collection of insignificant gym equipment or homemade gym tools, take a second look. it just might be the perfect exercise equipment for your next few workouts!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Find great home gymnastic rings equipment and workouts here:
http://mosladder.hubpages.com/hub/Gymnastic-Ring-Workout-Routines-at-Home
Use these excellent workout routines with little or no equipment:
http://mosladder.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Home-Workout-for-Building-Pectoral-Muscles
Home Gym Workout Routines with No Equipment
Leg Muscle Training that Works Without Weights
The Best Exercises for Increasing Metabolism Rate
What
are the best exercises for metabolic conditioning? Well first, let’s have a
definition of metabolic rate and how metabolic conditioning, affectionately
known as ‘metcon,’ relates to it.
In
short, your metabolism is that engine in your body that carries out the
chemical processes to keep you alive. Any conditioning done to improve this
process is attempting to make more efficient the transport of energy through
the bloodstream to working muscles.
In
turn, the muscles learn to be more efficient at using these energy stores for
their various activities.
The
metabolic rate is divided into two categories: Basal Metabolic Rate and Resting
Metabolic Rate. The sum total of these two is the entire amount of energy used
for mental and physical tasks and at rest, throughout the day.
So
how do you crank this up to burn more calories? It’s no secret; exercise and
hit all three metabolic pathways and the metabolism rate increases; the more
you do, the more efficient your metabolism becomes.
Exercise
and metabolism are inseparable, but depending on the type of exercise you do
this grand calorie-consuming system takes different paths.
These
metabolic pathways are the phosphagen, glycolytic and oxidative, respectively.
Here
are some exercise examples related to them:
Oxidative:
Aerobic/cardiovascular conditioning tops the list here. This system requires
less energy and is used for longer, low-powered activities. Think jogging,
running at a steady pace, easy cycling and repetitive low impact physical
activity.
Glycolytic:
This is the pathway for people who have high energy needs lasting several
minutes. It resynthesizes ATP with the help of lactic acid. A typical interval
workout using weights, running or any other activity is going to draw a lot of
fuel from this system.
Phosphagen:
Short, high intensity activities. Powerlifting, maximum weight efforts, short
all-out sprints lasting less than 10 seconds. These are all activities that
will use this metabolic pathway.
If
it looks like you might use all three of these energy systems in any given
week, you are right. Most athletes draw from all three systems to some extent,
and certain athletes and tactical professionals use all three regularly.
For
example, the ideal metabolic training workout for an MMA fighter will include
high-intensity intervals lasting several minutes that stimulate cardiovascular
adaptations while increasing power and muscular endurance.
This
successful combination of anaerobic (synthesizing ATP without oxygen) and
aerobic changes has been well documented by Dr. Tabata and his team.
By
doing interval training at the highest intensity possible, resting a few
seconds between efforts and repeating, this form of metabolic conditioning does
the work of much longer efforts in a fraction of the time.
There
is no doubt that the best way to increase your metabolism rate is to exercise.
The best metabolic training workout is one that combines all three pathways on
a regular basis.
Try
the following to incorporate this concept into your training week:
Day
1:
3-5
rounds of stairs or sprints, jump squats (x10+,) pushups (x10+)
Don’t
rest between exercise, and only 1-2 minutes between rounds. Push as hard as
possible.
Day
2: Easy cardiovascular activity for 30-90 minutes. Running cycling, walking,
etc. Don’t push too hard; keep it steady.
Day
3: Powerlifting/strength exercises. Use Olympic lifts, deadlifts, squats, bench
press, overhead press, kettlebell clean & jerk (long cycle.
For
Olympic lifts and powerlifts, use heavy weights and low reps. Do sets of 5, 3,
1. As soon as the movement slows down, stop the set.
*Kettlebells/ballistic
training presents a unique option because you can generate power over several
minutes. This is ideal metabolic conditioning for the glycolytic and the
oxidative pathways.
Of
course you could also use heavier kettlebells and keep the reps low.
Incorporate
these concepts into your training, but in the beginning don’t overdo the
intervals.
If
you push hard enough, the high intensity interval day will take two or three
days to recover from. Make sure all metabolic pathways are used and your
metabolism will become more efficient at using every calorie you put in your
mouth.
Find more metabolism training workouts here:
Try these great products for your interval workouts. Perfect exercise equipment for the home gym or outdoors:
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