Pre-workout creatine advantage ??

Creatine Timing

Despite a relatively long and prosperous existence, there's still considerable debate about when to take creatine. In fact, as time goes by, the subject of timing seems to get even more complicated. Some people take it only after workouts, some before workouts, while others say it doesn't matter. Let's have a quick look at the reasoning behind these ideas and hopefully put this baby to bed.

Taking creatine before a workout initially makes sense, because that way we'll have the creatine readily available during training. Of course, this novice thinking doesn't hold water because it takes a while for creatine to enter the muscle cell where it can enhance performance. In fact, it's been shown that pre-workout creatine consumption has no effect over placebo (19). What's more, we know that the anticatabolic effects of creatine are more long lived and don't suddenly take effect during a workout.

More recently, the pre-workout creatine theory got a big boost from the scientific literature. Tipton and buddies (27) showed that consuming a pre-workout meal enhanced muscle protein synthesis twice as much as the same meal consumed after a workout. This enhanced nutrient delivery and subsequent uptake could, some believe, apply to pre-workout creatine as well.

Unfortunately, we're comparing apples and oranges here. Carbohydrates stimulate blood flow and amino acids stimulate protein synthesis, but creatine does neither. We've also established that the effects of creatine occur long after the workout has occurred, while those of protein and sugars are far more acute. Sadly, the theory of a pre-workout creatine advantage doesn't seem to hold water any way you look at it.

As much as we love complicated scientific theories behind our practices, the post-workout creatine logic is quite simple: workouts deplete creatine, so post-workout we fill it back up. We can also take advantage of our post-workout insulin spike to drive the creatine into our muscles.

Perhaps the most important determinant of when to take creatine is the overwhelming mass of data available from the scientific literature. We have numerous studies showing that post-workout creatine consumption is effective, while the only study for pre-workout intake showed no acute effect.

Bottom Line: We have no scientific data to support pre-workout creatine use, but also none to suggest it's harmful. I'd stick with the tried and true method until evidence to the contrary arrives.

2010 top pre workout drinks.

Below I have put together a list of the top 10 pre-workout supplements based on these criteria. I have not only personally tried each and every one of them, but so has hundreds of others. The top 10 are ranked from 1-10 scale, 10 being the absolute perfect formula.


#1 – VPX NO Shotgun V.3, 28 Servings, WATERMELON
- 9.5 out of 10
“This supplement was good with a nice even energy rush which didn’t leave me jittery at all. I noticed that I started to shed some body fat while on this product, not to say i didn’t with the others, its just that I noticed it more with this one. Focus was great and my strength did increase significantly. If you read the write up on it the guys at VPX claim a 53% increase in leg press strength over a 4 week period. I found that to be a astounding claim so I had to see it for myself. My beginning leg press was 540 for about 3-4. After 4 weeks my leg press increased to 675 for 4. That’s a 24% increase which is still impressive for me because I have always had trouble with strength gains with my legs, especially the leg press. Overall I like NO Shotgun, but I wasn’t crazy about the taste and I found it to be a bit pricey. I have always like VPX because I think they do a good job at explaining the science behind their products and with this one, it offers you more than just a pump, but actual gains which can be measured.”


#2 - Accelerative Nutraceuticals MUSCLESPEED 90 tablets
- 9.4 out of 10
“This is the best pill form version of pre workout supplements currently available on the market today, perhaps the best one period. Its refreshing to be able to take some pills instead of mixing up a drink like I usually do (right now im using White Flood – thumbs up). Anyway, when taking this product I noticed an increase in strength about 4 days into using it. I was able to handle 315 lbs. on bench a lot easier than usual. I was reping 3 sets of 12 easily. Also, for some reason, the pill form is a little easier on my stomach than the other powder forms. You certainly cant go wrong here. Plus, there is 45 days worth of supplement here, a huge plus in my book .”


#3 - USPlabs Jack3d, 225 Grams, Lemon Lime
- 9.3 out of 10
“The lemon lime taste is good and mixes well. When I first tried this product I noticed a tingling sensation to go along with the incredible pump that I got. I took it 15 minutes before I hit the gym and I felt it in 1o! I did legs and stomach and I was hell bent on tearing up the squat rack. I knocked out 5 sets of squats and my whole body was pounding. I was ready for more so I hit the leg press and I was equally pleased at how focused I was as well as how long my endurance lasted. Legs is usually a weak spot for me so when I finished my entire workout in about 1 hour 15 minutes about 20 minutes ahead of schedule I was surprised. The only down side is that you run out fast and you’ve got to buy more.


#4 – BSN NO-Xplode NT, 30 Stick Packs, Fruit Punch
- 9.2 out of 10
“N.O. Xplode was really one of the pioneers of the new Nitric Oxide supplements that has virtually taken over the pre workout supplement line-up. This brand new version of the old school N.O. Xplode is definitely a worthy predecessor. I have tried both the fruit punch and blue raz sticks packs (fruit punch being my favorite out of the two) and have been very impressed with both. This is BSN’s new stab at the N.O. Xplode brand that although was decent, it did have some flaws in it like lack of sustained energy, and a sharp decrease in effectiveness over pro-longed periods of time. Apparently the people at BSN has taken heed to the complaints of their consumers and have in turn delivered on the goods with N.O. Xplode NT. This version of Xplode is hella potent. I don’t believe that you should make this your first N.O. experience. This product is for the hardcore lifters that just want to hurt something.”


#5 – Controlled Labs White Flood, 1.34 Lbs., Electric Lemonade
- 8.8 out of 10
“Overall one of the best nitric oxide products I have tried. It has clean and smooth energy that lasts for a good part of the day. It is a little intense during the first hour but if you train hard enough you should be set. If you read some other reviews, and I have, most people think that this is one of the most under-estimated N.O. products out on the market today. I’ll take White flood any day of the week over all this other hype crap. You feel it in about 20 minutes so make sure you are ready to lift, do cardio, or whatever it is you do because it will kick your ass if your not ready… I don’t know why white flood didn’t score as high as jacked or ether because its just as good.”

#6 - Dymatize Xpand Xtreme, 800 grams Blue Raspberry
- 8.8 out of 10
“This pre workout supplement is good but not as smooth as White Flood or Ether. The pumps were not Earth shattering, but that may be because I have been taking alot of different pre workout supplements and I may have built up my tolerance. I really don’t have any negative comments about it because it is on par with the more popular products like SuperPump 250 or N.O. Xplode. Right now you can get a free mixer plus an additional 10% off your purchase as a special promotion that wont last long. If your not a pre workout guru and just want a reliable product that is easy on the wallet then this is your N.O.2 “


#7 - Universal Animal Pump, 30 packs
- 8.5 out of 10
“This is one of the only pre workout supplements that is in pill form that made the list. That should be a good indication to you about how well this one did. There is no doubt that powder form N.O. supplements are better because your body can absorb the ingredients quicker, but still there are instances where the pill form would be better. Say if you are on the road and don’t have time to mix up a drink, you could just pop the pills with a drink and be done with it. So as far as flavor, there is none, but the effects such as mental focus and “pump” where definitely noticeable, but I wouldn’t say they were the best out of the bunch. This is a solid product that will work, its just not the best.. .”


#8 - Labrada Super Charge Xtreme N.O., 800 Grams, multiple flavors
- 8.5 out of 10
“Labrada products have been around for a while and has proven their products before like the Lean Body meal replacement drinks that everyone loves. Not to many people are aware of the fact that Super Charge Xtreme is a very underrated N.O. product that I for one was impressed with. I tried the grape and the fruit punch – both of which were decent tasting, and the pump I got was good, no headaches or gitters, just clean pumps for a good 3 hours. I would recommend any one try Xtreme N.O. It taste good, gives you great sustained muscle pumps and the results will speak for themselves.”


#9 - Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250, 800 Grams, Grape Cooler
- 8.4 out of 10
“Gaspari Nutrition is always a safe bet. Good solid products that do exactly what you want it to do. The first thing that I would like to point out is the great taste and mix-ability of this product. I liked the grape cooler flavor the best, but the Orange was good too. This N.O. supplement is great for 2 reasons – It give you a great pump, and it helps to increase muscle density. There have been reports of this product keeping people up at night, so be aware of the fact that if you workout at night-time you should either workout earlier so you can take the recommended amount, or just plan of reorganizing your garage at 12:00 at night.”

#10 -
1 – Get Diesel Nos Ether, 660 Grams, Cherry Lemonade
- 8.4 out of 10
“The cherry lemonade taste was good which surprised me. Talk about under the radar products. You don’t hear much about Nos Ether but let me be the one to make you aware of a killer pre workout formula that delivers insane pumps consistently, over and over again. What I like about this stuff is that I don’t get over caffeinated to the point that your kidneys give out, nor does it lack that caffeine kick that you expect and often times rely upon to get you in the mood to crush steel. Its a great product that stayed below the radar no more. Come experience this years top rated under-dog of 2010!!



The most important thing to remember before taking a pre workout supplement is that you must take it in cycles. Meaning that if you are currently taking a pre workout supplement or have just finished one, then you should take a 2-3 week break before starting another one. This rule also applies to ANY supplement that contains stimulants like caffeine. If your taking a fat burner for instance, and want to begin taking a pre workout supplement than you need to wait that 2-3 week period before starting so you can start clean and feel the full effects of the product.

Fit to fight..Rich Seymour's fighting fit!

Strength the foundation of nearly all physique and performance goals. When you're strong, you more easily gain muscle size, lose fat, run faster, hit harder and play longer.

1.) Own the "big four."
The squat, deadlift, bench press, and shoulder press are the best strength-building exercises, period. The chinup and row are great moves too, but don't make them the focus of your workout — they can be assistance lifts to complement the bench and shoulder press, keeping your pulling muscles in balance with the pressing ones.

2.) Use barbells first.
Forget all the fad equipment. The barbell is king, the dumbbell is queen, and everything else is a court jester — it may have its place, but it's not essential. Start your workouts with barbell exercises, such as the "big four," as described above. Barbells let you load a lot of weight, and lifting heavy is the first step toward getting stronger. Once your heaviest strength exercises are out of the way, you can move on to dumbbell and body-weight training.

3.) Keep it simple.
Some trainers make their clients lift with a certain rep speed, like three seconds up, one second down. But know this: There's no need to count anything but reps during a set. Simply focus on raising and lowering your weights in a controlled manner, pausing for a one-second count at the top of the lift. Using an arbitrary tempo can lessen tension on your muscles or force you to use varying amounts of weight, slowing your progress. The only way to be sure you're getting stronger is if your loads consistently increase.

4.) Maintain a log.
Write down your exercises, sets, reps, and the fate of each workout. Keep track of your best lifts and the most reps you've done with a certain weight on an exercise. Constantly strive to improve those numbers.

5.) Don't overdo it.
Try to stick to three or four lifts per workout. Keeping your workouts short helps you take advantage of hormonal surges. When you do too many exercises in a session, at least some of them get done half-assed. All you need is one main lift per workout (one of the big four), one or two assistance lifts (for keeping the body in balance and further strengthening the muscles that perform the main lift), and then core or specialty work at the end (ab exercises or some forearm or calf moves, depending on your goals). Doing any more lessens your results.

6.) Think five.
You should rotate many different rep ranges in your workouts, but sets of five seem to offer the best blend of muscle size and strength gains. If you're pushing through one of the big four moves, you'll find that your form often breaks down after five anyway.

7.) Add weights slowly.
The main reason people plateau and stop gaining strength is that they go too heavy for too long. Abandon your ego and do your main lifts using 10% less than the most weight you can lift for the given rep range. Increase the weight each session — but by no more than 10 pounds — and stick with the same lifts. You'll rarely plateau again.

8.) Take to the hills.
Cardio is a must if you want to be lean and healthy, but long-distance running or cycling increases levels of hormones that break down muscle tissue. To get stronger while getting leaner, do cardio in short, intense bursts. Go to a moderately steep hill and sprint to the top, then walk back down. When you're ready, sprint again. In your first workout, do only half as many sprints as you think you could. In your next workout, do two more sprints than you did the first time. Continue adding two sprints to your workouts until you can't improve anymore. Then do sets of sprints.

9.) Balance your training.
Whatever you do for one side of the body, you must do for the other side. Follow that rule in your workouts and you should be able to avoid injury and muscle imbalances. If you're doing squats (mainly a quad exercise), also do Romanian deadlifts (which hit the hamstrings hard). Your chest exercises should be balanced with back-training lifts. You don't necessarily have to do your balance work in the same session, but it should be done in the same week. In general, follow a ratio of two-to-one between your pulling-and-pushing movements. So if you bench-press on Monday (and most of the world seems to), you can do chinups on Tuesday and bent-over lateral raises on Thursday, for example. Every other pressing exercise you do should follow this formula.

10.) Do it right. Form is key.
You may think you know how to perform the big four, but you could probably get more out of them. Here are some quick pointers for each one.

Squat: Begin the squat by pushing your hips back as far as you can. Keep your lower back arched and you should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. When your hips are bent, begin bending your knees and squatting low. This is what you need to squat maximal weight.

Deadlift: Use the same stance you would to perform a jump — your legs should be narrowly placed. When you bend down to grab the bar, keep your hips down and your back straight, with your shoulders directly over your knees.

Bench Press: Start with your head off the bench. Keeping your feet steady, grab the bar and pull your body up off the bench and forward, so that when your butt comes down on the bench your lower back is very arched. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your range of motion should be significantly shorter for stronger pressing.

Shoulder press: Flare your lats when the bar is at shoulder level. It will allow you to use more weight.

Women boxing for fitness, combined with strength training exercises

Although boxers historically eschewed specific strength training believing that it would slow their technique, today's boxers are more open minded to the potential benefits of a strength-training program. Like their male counterparts, female boxers could achieve substantial gains in punching power and muscular endurance by following a strength-training regime.

Squats

Perform and master squats for a good free weight strength builder for the lower body. Squats increase the overall lasting power and strength of the legs, abs, hips, glutes and lower back--all important areas for a boxer. Hold a pair of dumbbells against your chest or a barbell across your upper back. Work your way through a full range of motion and do not cut the exercise short by stopping your descent too early. Sit onto a bench or box about knee height to help serve as a depth target for beginners. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet facing forward or pointed out slightly. Bend at the hips and knees, sitting back as though you are descending into a chair. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor and reverse the motion, using the strength of your lower body and core to push the weight back to the starting position. Choose a conservative weight to begin, performing three or four sets of eight to 10 reps, increasing the weight as your leg-strength increases.

Bench Press

Perform bench pressing to increase the strength of the pressing muscles of your upper body--the triceps, shoulders, and chest. These are all important muscle groups for throwing fast, effective punches, making the bench press a staple exercise for training boxers. Perform bench presses using dumbbells to allow for a more free range of motion, allowing more accurate replication of the path that a punch would take. Lie on a bench with your head back and the weights lowered to your chest. Initiate the movement by pressing both dumbbells up at the same time, keeping your elbows tucked in as though you were throwing a jab. Continue pressing until the weight is fully locked out, lowering the weight to your chest again slowly and under control. Repeat for three sets of eight to 12 reps, increasing the weight of the dumbbells as your muscles gain in strength.

Overhead Press

Perform dumbbell overhead presses to further increase the strength and endurance of your shoulders. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them in both hands against your chest. Initiate the movement by pressing them both overhead simultaneously and explosively, allowing the sides of the dumbbells to touch together as your elbows lock out. Take one to two full seconds to lower the weight slowly back to your chest under complete control. Repeat this exercise for two to three sets of eight to 10 reps, increasing the weight of the dumbbells as your muscles become stronger.

Boxing Workout Programs

boxing may at times look easy when watching from the comfort of your living room, however the basics of the sport require a great deal of mental skill and strategy and of course a tremendous amount of physical training. A boxing workout is long, tiring and made of many types of exercise.

Understanding the Sport
To understand why a boxing workout is so involved, it helps to understand the basics of the sport. Televised professional boxing puts a lot of emphasis on knockouts and injuries--they make for good television after all. But amateur and Olympic boxing puts its emphasis on landing good touches while keeping your opponent from touching you.
A touch happens when your glove makes contact with your opponent. You can touch them on the head, face, body and arms, but nothing below the belt. In order to get your gloves near their body, you must be fast, have great endurance, decent flexibility and strength.

Warming Up


Shadow Boxing: Facing a mirror so that you can check your form, practice each of the moves you would use in the ring. Start with a simple combination and work your way up to something more complicated.
For example, start with a simple 1-2-3-4 combination (jab, cross, hook, uppercut) and work up to a more complicated combination of moves. The objective here is to check form and keep your heart rate up.

Jump Rope: Jump roping keeps the heart rate up, strengthens arms and legs, and teaches quick footwork. Try jump roping for 3 minutes at a time, then resting for a minute--the same pattern of time you would be boxing in a ring.
As you jump rope, switch up the way you are jumping. Try jumping with your feet moving in a shuffle pattern, crossing your arms as you jump or double jumping--making the rope move twice under your feet before your feet hit the ground again.
Strength Moves
Building muscle serves two purposes in boxing. It helps you land stronger, faster punches and helps protect you when you get hit.
Pushups and crunches are the best basic moves for boxers to practice. These moves train the areas where you will be getting hit and require no additional equipment. Try these variations to add even more power to your workout.

Pushup Variations
Standard pushups - Legs are straight out behind you while hands are under your shoulders.
Diamonds - Legs are in a V-shape you. Hands are together with the forefingers and thumbs touching to make a diamond shape under your chest.
Wide grips - Legs are straight out behind you. Hands are set farther away from your body so that your body makes a "y" shape.
Knuckles - Legs are straight out behind you. Hands are in fists under your shoulders.
Fingertips - Legs are straight out behind you. Hands are in the standard pushup position, however you will balance yourself on your fingertips.

Crunch Variations
Basic crunch - Hands are behind the head. Feet are flat on the floor so that the knees are bent at a 45-degree angle.
Obliques 1 - Hands are behind the head. One foot is flat on the floor so that the knee is bent at a 45-degree angle. The other foot rests on the opposite knee. Repeat on each side.
Obliques 2 - Hands are behind the head. Legs lay to one side, resting on top of each other. Repeat for each side.
Rope climb - Hands are straight out from the chest at a right angle from the body. Legs are extended up at right angle from the body. As you crunch, move your arms as though you are climbing a rope.
Mitt and Bag Work
After your body is well warmed up, it is time to actually hit something.

Speed Bag - Use the speed bag to practice precise movements. You do not need to hit the speed bag very hard. Instead, you should focus on hitting it accurately--making it swing the same amount after each hit and being able to hit it again when it swings back.
Heavy Bag - Use the heavy bag to practice all the punches and to add strength to your punches. You can practice each of the four punches on the bag, now concentrating on landing each punch with power.
Mitt Work - Use a partner wearing mitts to practice hitting a moving target. This will also show you why cardio training is so important because you will have to control your breathing as well as your punches.

Make sure that your partner moves around as they hold the mitts that you are working to hit. Like the shadow boxing warm up, start with a simple combination and work up to something more complicated.

Protein: A Guide to your needs.

If you want to build muscle or lose weight, there's nothing more important you can add to your diet than protein. But the concept of "protein" can be confusing, even to me, and I'm a nutritionist. Between all those pro and con news reports, the protein-boosting supplements, and the myths you hear at the gym, it's tough to figure out the truth. That's why we're stepping into the ring: to help you separate protein fact from protein fiction, once and for all.

How much protein does the average guy need?
Depends on whether you work out or not and how strenuous your workouts actually are. Your average desk-bound male requires just 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.

But exercise can nearly double those requirements. For endurance athletes, Peter Lemon, a professor of exercise nutrition at the University of Western Ontario, recommends getting between 0.5 and 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight. "For strength athletes, those numbers are even higher--generally between 0.7 and 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight," he says. If you've been shooting for a gram of protein per pound of body weight--or more--you're overdoing it. Your body won't be able to process those extra calories, and they'll ultimately end up as just one thing: fat.

Will cutting carbs help my muscles grow faster?
Short answer: no. As effective as high-protein diets are for losing weight, you still need carbs and fat for maximum muscle growth. Your body uses carbs for energy during exercise. If your cache of carbs is low, your body will use protein as an alternate fuel source, and your muscles won't grow as much as they would if you were feeding them a cocktail of protein and carbs. As for the fat, it's vital for the production of muscle-building testosterone. (Studies show that guys who eat higher-fat diets also have higher testosterone levels.)

Could eating too much protein be dangerous?
There's research suggesting that too much protein can leave you dehydrated and may increase your risk for gout, kidney stones, and osteoporosis, as well as some forms of cancer. But studies have also shown that too much of anything, from vitamins to water, can be bad for your health. The bottom line? Excess carbs and fat are still associated with health risks, but the success of high-protein diets is no excuse to scarf down a whole pig or an entire side of beef. Keep your appetite in check, though, and a high-protein diet should not negatively impact your health.

Should I consider taking a protein supplement?
Yes--if you aren't getting the amount of protein your body requires based on your activity level. You can check nutrition labels and add up grams of protein on your own, or just remember the numbers 1, 5, 10, 15, 25 to roughly estimate protein intake. (That's 1 gram of protein for every serving of fruit and vegetables, 5 for every egg or handful of nuts you eat, 10 for every cup of milk or yogurt, 15 for every cup of beans or half-cup of cottage cheese, and 25 for every 3-4 ounce serving of meat.)

When's the best time to drink a protein shake?
Although it can vary by brand, most experts recommend taking protein in two servings: one an hour or so before your workout to tank off your body's energy reserves, and another dose immediately after you work out to help repair muscle damage and fuel the growth of new muscles.

Which is the better protein supplement: whey or casein?
Surprisingly, blending both types of protein together and taking them as a mixture may provide better benefits than taking either one alone. French researchers recently discovered that casein supplies a much steadier stream of amino acids to the body--much like a complex carbohydrate, which breaks down slowly in the body. Whey, on the other hand, is absorbed more quickly and provides a more immediate supply of amino acids to the body (much like a simple carbohydrate). It makes sense then that a combination of whey and casein would supply the body with the maximum dose of amino acids needed for both immediate and long-term muscle growth. (Can't find a blend you like? Buy your favorite whey and casein supplements and mix 'em together.)

Is there any benefit to getting protein from bars or shakes instead of whole foods?
No. Shakes and protein bars might make it easier to meet your daily protein requirements, but in the end, high-protein foods like meat, eggs, peanut butter, and nuts may actually be more satisfying because they have higher fat content and take longer to digest than shakes or bars.

What happens if I don't get all the protein I need? Will my muscles shrink?
Absolutely not. If you're eating an appropriate amount of protein in general, an occasional low-protein day will not affect muscle growth. The only reasons muscles would get smaller are from lack of use, injury, or severe calorie restriction.

Correct technique for hard jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts

1) The most important punch in boxing! The jab! The jab is thrown with the lead hand. Begin with the knees slightly bent, feet staggered, chin down, and hands raised by the sides of your face (start from this basic fighting position before throwing any punch). Push off your back foot and snap the jab out quickly. The lead foot will slide forward slightly before impact. For maximum power, twist your arm in a corkscrew motion before landing.

2) The power punch! The straight ( right or left ) hand, it starts from the face and follows an imaginary straight line directly into the target. Drive and pivot from the rear foot, rotating the hips forcefully as your body weight shifts toward the front foot. Extend your right arm toward the target, snapping your wrist downward. On impact, the palm is down and the knuckles up.

3) The hook. Shift your weight toward the rear leg as you rotate forcefully to that side and pivot inward on the ball of your front foot. At the same time, whip the lead arm toward the target in an L shape (the elbow should be bent about 90 degrees). Turn your hips into the punch. You can angle your hand one of two ways: vertically, so your palm faces you on impact, or horizontally, so the palm faces the floor

4) Uppercut. Shift your weight to the hip on the side of the rear leg. Dip that side's shoulder as you crouch down a bit. Next, with the palm up and the arm bent 90 degrees, forcefully rotate toward the side of your lead leg and push off the ball of your back foot, driving the punch upward (aim for the chin of your imaginary opponent). On impact, your palm should face your chest.

Maximize Muscle Building

The more protein your body stores—in a process called protein synthesis—the larger your muscles grow. But your body is constantly draining its protein reserves for other uses—making hormones, for instance. The result is less protein available for muscle building. To counteract that, you need to "build and store new proteins faster than your body breaks down old proteins.

Eat Meat
Shoot for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is roughly the maximum amount your body can use in a day, according to a landmark study in the Journal of Applied Physiology. (For example, a 160-pound man should consume 160 grams of protein a day—the amount he'd get from an 8-ounce chicken breast, 1 cup of cottage cheese, a roast-beef sandwich, two eggs, a glass of milk, and 2 ounces of peanuts.) Split the rest of your daily calories equally between carbohydrates and fats.



Eat More
In addition to adequate protein, you need more calories. Use the following formula to calculate the number you need to take in daily to gain 1 pound a week. (Give yourself 2 weeks for results to show up on the bathroom scale. If you haven't gained by then, increase your calories by 500 a day.)

A. Your weight in pounds.
B. Multiply A by 12 to get your basic calorie needs.
C. Multiply B by 1.6 to estimate your resting metabolic rate (calorie burn without factoring in exercise).
D. Strength training: Multiply the number of minutes you lift weights per week by 5.
E. Aerobic training: Multiply the number of minutes per week that you run, cycle, and play sports by 8.
F. Add D and E, and divide by 7.
G. Add C and F to get your daily calorie needs.
H. Add 500 to G. This is your estimated daily calorie needs to gain 1 pound a week.

Laws of leanness, Richard Seymour's/Fit School

My clients my fighters and myself have one thing in common. Our conditioning can never be questioned! To achieve this I employ my H.I.G.T (high intensity group training) and the principles that make it effective three times per week. Full body fitness, heavy & intense....think you can hang?

* 3 sets per group, exercises performed back> to back>. 30 sec max rest between sets. Increase in weight for each exercise each set. Our goal is to recruit type two fibers. Rep range 4-12 on Training days #1 & #3. Rep range 4-8 on training day #2 (heavy weight & only two exercises performed in a group)

Group one: Focus muscle-chest, secondary-shoulders...

flat bench dumbell presses legs elevated off floor> seated front dumbell shoulder raises. standing dumbell side lateral raises> standing dumbell upright row.
*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

Group two: Primary muscle-shoulder, secondary-chest...

seated military dumbell press> incline bench press> 45lb plate shoulder shrugs> shoulder tri set superset ( grab ten lb plates hold one in each hand, seated one arm at a time perform 6 fast yet controlled front raises then side raises. repeat with left arm. Now perform six bent over lateral shoulder raises)
*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

Group three: Primary muscle-Biceps, secondary-triceps..phaseing out chest and shoulders

Standing barbell curl> tri cep kick back> incline finger tip push ups. ( when performing push ups mix up your hand & feet positions to hit the chest and shoulder muscle's at different angles, have a partner place a weight plate on your back for added intensity)*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

Group four: Primary muscle-triceps, secondary-biceps.....

Tricep cable press down> pull up> push up> weighted speed punches ( grab two five pound weights, hold one in each hand. Now take a fighters stance and throw left right punches fast for 30 seconds )*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

Group five: Primary muscle-quads, secondary-back...

barbell deep squats> pull ups> 45lb plate ulternet lunge.*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

Group six: Primary muscle-hamstrings, secondary-back....

Bent over barbell row> stiff legged dead lift> dumbbell or kettle ball one arm squat & press.*Now rest 30 seconds, increase weight repeat*

On training days #1 & #3 following this workout we complete abdominal work. Remember your abs have been worked in every exercise you just performed so they are fatigued. So we hit them briefly, but with intensity and from angles.

Full body fitness, lean & muscular for life.

Lean, muscular and fit. For life!
Full body fitness series..

Train at a quicker pace, and pack on serious size in less time

After years of creating fitness training programs for athletes, fighters and regular Joes, I’ve learned this important fact: The best workouts involve a combination of heavy weights and fast, powerful multi joint exercises, with little (max 30 sec) to no rest between sets.

With my H.I.G.T ( high intensity group training ) routine, you’ll immediately follow intense iron work with explosive exercises like pushups, dips, pull ups and chins. By combining two and up to four exercises in a back-to-back sequence. You will improve your overall athleticism, and speed the fat-burning process.

My favorite result of this training style….never again will you have to do long boring, ineffective steady state cardio ( treadmill, jogging, stair stepper) to achieve ultimate cardio vascular fitness. Use my H.I.G.T to help chisel a leaner and more muscular body in just one month.

Visit AbFitt (Google) for more info and feel free to send in your questions AbFitt@mail.com

Fight of the year and now #1 Jr Middleweight in the world.

Can't Lose For Winning.... Ranked No. 3 among junior middleweights, Sergio Martinez lost to Paul Williams and … moved up? Yup. Martinez has proved he's one of the world's best, current top five Jr middleweight rankings

1. Sergio Martinez (44-2-2)

Martinez stepped up to middleweight to tangle with the man nobody wants to face, Paul Williams, on Dec. 5 and gave as good as he got. It was a sensational fight. Although Martinez dropped a majority decision that easily could have gone his way, he showed that he is one of the best fighters in the world. If there's no immediate rematch with Williams, which appears unlikely, Martinez will probably defend his title in the spring.
Next: TBA.

2. Sergei Dzindziruk (36-0)

Dzindziruk, mired in promotional problems with Universum, would like to begin fighting in the United States. But first he has to work out his promoter situation.
Next: TBA.


3. Cory Spinks (37-5)

Promoter Don King had planned for Spinks to defend his belt on Oct. 31, but plans change and he didn't appear on the Joseph Agbeko-Yonnhy Perez undercard.
Next: TBA.

4. Kermit Cintron (32-2-1)

The former welterweight titlist was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Reading, Pa. One of his dreams was to fight in his homeland. Mission accomplished, as he knocked out Juliano Ramos in the fifth round Oct. 24.
Next: TBA.


5. Alfredo "Perro" Angulo (17-1)

The always-entertaining Angulo blew away Harry Joe Yorgey with a crushing third-round knockout on Nov. 7 on HBO. It was Angulo's second win in a row since dropping a competitive decision to Cintron in May. Can't wait to see him again.
Next: TBA.

The body shop! Three exercises your not doing, but should be!

Ab Choppers
Here's a great "core" exercise from AbFitt.....

Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands. Spread your feet about shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back, as if you were preparing to jump, and start the movement with the ball or dumbbell between your legs and as far back as you can reach. Now pull it upward as fast as you can until your arms are fully extended overhead. Immediately squat down for the next rep.

You can do any number of variations. Change the angles by going from vertical to horizontal or diagonal. With cables or tubing, you can go high to low or low to high.

When you're doing diagonal chops — low to high or high to low — you can pivot on one foot to extend your range of motion. That involves both the front and rear oblique systems. The best benefit of doing choppers with a pivot is the simultaneous inclusion of both the anterior and posterior oblique systems.

And remember, the key here is speed. You want to emphasize acceleration and deceleration.


#7: The Push-up Pyramid
Yeah, push-ups are boring. And it's easy to out-grow them, so to speak.

Still, the classic push-up remains a favorite of mine, I use it to train for explosive strength. The push-up is often misunderstood and underutilized.

So how do you sex up the push-up? Try this pyramid challenge.

Start in a push-up position. Do 1 rep, pause at the top for two seconds, do 2 reps, pause for two seconds, do 3 reps, pause for two seconds. Try to get up to 10 reps, and then work your way back down. You'll think this is easy, until you're about halfway through. That's when the real fight begins!

Our favorite variation is to pause for two seconds in the bottom position instead of top. Ouch.


#8: The Constant Tension Alternate Curl
Want to take advantage of muscular tension, isometric potentiation, unilateral-enhanced neural drive, and other big words and phrases? Then check out this "new" way to curl!

Start with both arms in the fully flexed position — the "top" of the curl. Lower (eccentric phase) the working arm while keeping the non-working arm flexed. Curl up the working arm until both arms are once again flexed. Then switch arms and do the same thing. You keep on alternating this way until the set is completed.


1. The biceps are under constant tension. While the non-lifting arm is waiting its turn, it's still contracted isometrically.

2. You're performing a unilateral dynamic movement.

3. You're preceding the dynamic action by an isometric one.

The downside is that you can't use as much weight, so you won't create as much muscle damage. This is why it's important to use this exercise as a secondary biceps movement, after a heavier exercise.

Like it? Want a variation? Use the same technique with dumbbell preacher curls.

Build some muscle

Recently I have witnesses fighters that don't possess the power to keep there opponent off them and quickly succumb and get Knocked out!
Any serious boxer will throw thousands of punches over his training career. A pro will throw millions. These repetitions make the neuromuscular pathways between the brain and muscles more efficient. It's these many repetitions that make throwing a fast, accurate and effective punch second nature. However, all those repetitions do virtually nothing in the ways of developing strength in the muscles.

If you want more power, you're going to have to pump some iron. Heavy iron. It's not merely hand speed or delivery technique that drops your opponent to the canvas. It's muscle power anchored on the ground by leg muscles and transmitted through the muscles of the shoulders and arms. Learn to train with weights so those muscles can deliver maximum power.

Fight of the year, Sergio Martinez is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

After one of the best Middleweight fights in years and what should have been a glorious night for the sport of boxing was marred by an indefensible scorecard turned in by judge Pierre Benoist, who scored it 119-110 for Williams, prompting the crowd of 2,927 to boo lustily. Judge Lynn Carter had it 115-113 for Williams and Julie Lederman had it 114-114. AbFitt had it 114-113 for Martinez in a fight that was close all the way and could have gone to either fighter.

After both fighters hitting the deck in the first round the fight featured nonstop, back-and-forth action from the opening bell and it never let up. Taking nothing from Paul Williams, Sergio Martinez repeatedly landed the bigger blows throughout the fight and simply never backed away from Williams aggressive yet in my opinion very amature like pity pat punches on the inside. Said Martinez, "It was an error. It was a true error. We should have a rematch."

As soon as the bell rang to start the fight, they were on the gas pedal. First it was Martinez going down on the end of a shot that caught him on the shoulder/neck area.

He popped up and didn't appear hurt and went right at Williams, eventually knocking him down on the end of a right hand just as the bell rang to conclude the round.

"It was a war. I was tying to make it a war and make him fight me," said Williams, who got his wish. "I had to get up and show him what a warrior is made of. I've been knocked down before in the gym and [I wanted to] show him what a true warrior is made of."

The wild first round set the stage for a war fought at an extremely high skill level.
Who says boxing is dead......"They call him the most feared fighter in the world but I didn't have any fear at all in this bout," Martinez said. "I know he is a good boxer and puncher, but I was never hurt. I wasn't exhausted. I actually wanted to pick up the pace later in the fight."

AbFitt-

Paul Williams vs. Sergio Martinez.. Dec 5TH

Paul Williams vs. Sergio Martinez


Paul Williams is a matchup nightmare that spans three weight classes. At 6′1″ he’s tall whether he’s fighting at 147 or 160. The Punisher also throws a high volume of punches. Throw in the southpaw stance and it’s no wonder Williams enters this fight with a record of 37-1 (27 KOs). Paul Williams has only fought once this year, a dominating performance over Winky Wright in April, but that was mostly due to Williams wasting time going after Kelly Pavlik. Williams usually has an enormous reach advantage in his contests and this bout will be no different as he sports a six-inch difference over Martinez.

Sergio Martinez, 44-1-2 (24 KOs), is coming off of a draw against Kermit Cintron but most onlookers believe Martinez won that fight. Prior to that draw, Martinez had rattled off 28 straight wins. Martinez is an interesting matchup for Williams because he too fights from the southpaw position. He’s a veteran with a wealth of experience. Martinez knows the tricks of the trade that someone would need in order to slow Williams down. He’ll need to do something to slow Williams down.

AbFitt predicts an upset!! stay tuned

Manny Pacquiao likely to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13 2010

Manny Pacquiao is likely to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13 after agreeing to a proposal from promoter Bob Arum on Friday.

Arum presented "what he thought was the best proposal he can bring" during a two-hour breakfast meeting with Pacquiao in Manila, said Michael Koncz, an adviser of the Philippine boxing idol.

"Manny has some additional requirements, requests, which Arum didn't think was a problem," Koncz said. "The requests of Manny were so realistic that Arum doesn't feel it's a problem and it's pretty much a done deal."

He said the contract still needs "fine tuning," declining to elaborate.

"We all believe that it will be done," he said.

In an interview with GMA television, Pacquiao said, "March 13 is OK."

"The difference between Floyd and others I have fought is that Floyd makes a lot of trash talk that should not be imitated by young people," he said.

AbFitt-