Cardiovascular Training during your bodybuilding workouts - fat loss that's good for the heart!

Bodybuilder or not, no one who's playing with a full deck wants to be carrying excess body fat. While weight training and dieting play major roles, to maximize fat loss you should also be doing some sort of cardiovascular training (more affectionately known as cardio) to compliment your bodybuilding workouts.

Cardio, can be defined as any continuous exercise that increases the heart rate to what exercise physiologists call the target heart range. You can calculate your target heart range by using a formula that takes into account your age, resting heart rate, and approximate fitness level. It is important to note that the general guidelines for calculating your target heart rate are only a guide. Many other factors such as family genetics, medical conditions, and even common medications, also play a role in determining the best level to workout.

Cardiovascular training can take many forms. You can walk, bike, run, swim, cross country ski, or attend aerobic classes. Another way to effectively vary your cardio training is by cross-training. Cross-training involves alternating various different types of exercises in one exercise session. No matter what you do, the primary objective is to raise your heart rate to your target heart rate zone, keep it there for 25 to 30 minutes, and to do this for at least three times per week. Make sure that if you are doing an activity like swimming or running, that your skill level is sufficient enough to allow you to maintain your heart in the target heart rate zone. Start/stop activities, such as tennis, hockey, bodybuilding workouts, and basketball, are great workouts, but do not provide continuous time in the target heart range. Therefore they have limited cardiovascular and fat loss benefits.

Calculating your Target Heart Range

Exercise provides the most benefits when the heart has been challenged, but not overstressed. The best way to do this is to bring your heart up to a range that is between 60% and 85% of its maximum heart rate. The maximum heart rate refers to the approximate level after which there is the potential for danger to the individual because the heart is being overworked. Maintaining this exercise level is both difficult and dangerous and will cause fatigue within minutes. Below this and within the target range, the heart is strengthened and made healthier. The target heart range can be calculated as follows: 1. Subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate.

2. Multiply your maximum heart rate first by .60 (60%) and then by .85 (85%). This will give you your target heart range.

if you are 30 years of age, the calculations would look like this. 220 - 30 = 190, then 190 x .60 = 114 and 190 x .85 = 162

For practical purposes, the average of these two numbers is a good value to strive for. In the previous example the average is 138 beats per minute.

Now you calculate your own target heart range: 220 - _________ = _________ x .60 = _________ _________ x .85 = _________ This is your Target Heart Range.

How much and how often?

In order to gain the fat loss benefits of cardiovascular training, you should do sustained activity of the large muscle groups for a minimum of twenty to thirty minutes at least three times per week. Four to five is optimum but three times is adequate to improve your cardiovascular health.

When Should I do my Cardio?

You have four options when it comes to doing your cardio workout. The simplest options are to do your cardiovascular training immediately before or after your bodybuilding workouts. Most people choose one of these options, as it means only one trip to the gym. While some people claim that you should do your cardio before your strength training, we don't think this is necessary. You will receive the same cardiovascular benefits by finishing off your workout with cardio (just make sure you do a light warm-up before your strength training).

The third and fourth options are to separate your cardio and weight training workouts, either on the same day or opposite days. The advantage to this is that you will only be performing one form of exercise when you come to the gym. You will not have to worry about running out of energy during either your cardio or strength training workout. The disadvantage to this type of training is that you will need more time, as you'll have to factor in the commute to and from the gym. Still, for those who have the extra time and prefer shorter workouts, splitting your training is a great option.

Bob Howard expert on bodybuilding and steroids. Are you looking for more of his bodybuilding articles? http://www.bodybuildinginformation.com bdkosh?Article ? Bob Howard 5/5/2006

Bodybuilding Supplement Buying Tips

Just pick up a bodybuilding, or fitness magazine and you will see many ads for bodybuilding supplements. Bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts will turn to almost anything as long as the advertising tells them what they want to hear. Many bodybuilding supplement users are literally wasting their hard earned money, decreasing their health, and not seeing any results.

This huge drive for added muscle, and less body fat has lead to a bodybuilding supplement buying bonanza. Many weightlifting enthusiasts, who decided to not consider using steroids, are blindly turning to bodybuilding supplements for instant muscle building alternatives.

Once bodybuilding supplement manufacturers know how eager bodybuilders, and fitness buffs deeply desire fast muscle gain, they tend to market with extreme vigor to this results happy market. Watch out - not everything you read in their marketing material is valid. As a matter of fact, most of their claims are simply untrue. Pick up a muscle magazine. Look at all the huge claims. Don't they sound way too good to be true?

The fact is most bodybuilders, fitness buffs, and weight loss enthusiasts are so desperate for results they tend to buy into anything and everything they read. As a result of this behavior in helping you, I have listed five crucial points to consider before ever purchasing another bodybuilding supplement. Refer to this checklist listed below as a nutrition supplement consumer awareness guide that should be utilized before purchasing a bodybuilding, or dietary supplement.

To determine if your gym supplements are really legit, follow my 5 recommendations below. By doing so, you will be confident the claims are in alignment with the results you are anticipating.

1. Don't Buy Resulting From Word Of Mouth Or Advertising Claims - When inquiring on new bodybuilding supplements, don't trust what advertisers are claiming. Do your complete due diligence prior to purchasing it. Be a bit skeptical. Also, please be aware of your fellow fitness enthusiast wishing to help you develop bigger muscle, and lower your body fat by recommending specific potions they claim will work. Don't believe everything that is said! A few minutes of research will tell you the whole story. Don't be a follower, but a thinker.

It is crucial to understand that some bodybuilding supplement companies own and manage the fitness magazines they promote. Thus, the articles within can be directed at promoting their own bodybuilding supplements.

When reading bodybuilding supplement ads, please read the fine print. If they are referring to a specific research study, investigate that study further. It is well worth your time. Once again, don't believe everything you read!

2. Check To See If The Bodybuilding Supplement Is Banned - It is important to research the IOC, NFL, and NCAA banned substance list to see if your intended gym supplement is banned by any of these. If so, they can possibly be considered dangerous, and would not be considered a good idea to use.

3. Think Safety First - Is your muscle, or weight loss supplement really safe to take? Why would you want to risk your health attempting to achieve quicker results? Please consider the risk-to-benefit ratio for all bodybuilding supplements. Don't jeopardize your long term health in favor of adding five more pounds of muscle. Look for safety data on your particular supplement of interest. You should also refer to your physician by asking if there are any risks associated with a particular bodybuilding supplement.

4. Look For Scientific, Placebo-Controlled Studies - Do the studies refute or concur with the bodybuilding supplements claims? Have the research results been duplicated by other studies?

It is wise to know bodybuilding supplements are not required to undergo the same rigorous testing as pharmaceutical agents do. This lack of regulation results in the creation of worthless products back by highly stretched claims, all funded by large advertising budgets.

I highly recommend looking in well respected, peer-reviewed, scientific journals for the truth on bodybuilding supplements. You can find most well respected journals on the internet at PubMed, a resource brought to you by the National Library of Medicine.

5. Make Sure To Follow Recommended Doses - If the supplement is backed by numerous placebo-controlled studies, don't exceed the recommended dosages.

I remember one bodybuilder years ago ingesting upwards of forty amino acids each day. More may not be better, but possibly a risk to your long-term health.

It is also a good idea to discuss your bodybuilding supplement regimen with your physician. If you are taking prescription medications, certain nutritional supplements may interfere with the positive action of the medication.

No longer will you have to go into a bodybuilding supplement purchase blindfolded. By following my 5 bodybuilding supplement buying tips presented above, you will be confident you are getting the results so highly claimed on the label.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners *** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way.

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist

Wellness Word, LLC 9461 Charleville Blvd. #312 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 1-866-935-5967

Jim O'Connor is a Beverly Hills Exercise Physiologist, and information publisher who is passionate about sharing the health, fitness, and bodybuilding truth. Visit Bodybuilding Hub for even more bodybuilding supplements tips.

Wellness Word, LLC is a health and fitness promotion firm located in Beverly Hills, California. Its goal is to provide consumers with the latest, and greatest health and fitness, bodybuilding, and nutrition tips, tricks, and techniqes available today. Wellness Word's managing partner is Celebrity Exercise Physiologist, and Trainer Jim O'Connor. The fitness truth is promoted through the Wellness Word Multimedia Newsletter

Bodybuilding Replaces Bad Behavior

How many of your know people who only seem to be good at one thing in life? That thing trouble. Why do so many people act like they have no conscience whatsoever and always seem to be living on the wrong side of everything? There are plenty of reasons why people act the way they do but the only answer is to put an end to their troubled lives before the trouble puts an end to that person`s life.

We all look for certain cures for our problems. In today`s world it seems there is a bottle or pill for every problem that a person faces in life. What about people that cause trouble? Don`t they have any discipline at all? They need to realize that there is more to life than trying to put an end to yourself day after day. That is why bodybuilding is the perfect drug for these sort of people. When a person starts noticing an improvement in their physical appearance, their self-esteem raises which gives them the mindset that anything is possible. This could be a step in the right direction to improving a person`s behavior.

When I was younger. I had a negative self esteem because I was overweight and never felt good about myself. This led to many things i shouldnt`ve been doing like lying, cheating, skipping school, and getting involved with the wrong people. This didn`t cure any of my problems but actually made them worse. I finally realized that there was a big need for change and when I started bodybuilding, everything slowly started to get better and I was determined to continue living a better lifestyle.

I also didn`t feel the need to hang around negative people as much because they were becoming a cancer to my bodybuilding goals. Instead of going to a party and drinking a case of beer I would just go to the party and drink one or two beers and then DRIVE home and get my 8-10 hours of sleep I need daily. When my friends started noticing I wasn`t as much of the partying type that I used to be, I noticed they weren`t doing it as much either which is good because you may have the power to put a stop to their negative behavior as well.

Now that you have decided to change your behavior, you need to write down some sort of negative hobby you have and replace it with something positive you can do for yourself. You can do many different things fitness related like weight lift, write an article, hang out on the forums, go supplement shopping, train at a new gym. It may seem difficult at first and feel that your friends might not support you but if they don`t then just get rid of them. They weren`t good friends anyways. Until next article, stay out of trouble.

MY SITES: http://www.clubbodybuilding.com and http://www.geocities.com/bashore69/bodybuildingarticles.html

How to Find the Best Home Gym Equipment

Using home gym equipment for strength training has become a very popular component of many people's home fitness workouts. The benefits of strength training are many and well-documented, and they can be very useful for overall body conditioning. But there are so many choices to be made when looking at home gym equipment, so which will make the best choice for you? Here are a few points to consider:

Actually, the very least expensive strength training equipment is a good set of free weights and dumbbells, but they can also be unsafe if you don't know how to use them. Proper form and balance are essential to getting the results you want without hurting yourself along the way. So if you decide to go this route, it's a good idea to invest in a training program that will show you how to use your equipment properly and avoid injury.

Because of the safety factor, strength training machines have become much more popular, even penetrating the home fitness market. One of the advantages of strength training machines, or home gyms, is that they allow you to perform your exercises in a more safe manner, keeping your body positioned to maintain proper form as you exercise.

Home gyms are generally divided into two major categories, and again these categories often pertain to price. The lower cost home gyms are often featured on television and in magazines, being recommended by well-known celebrities and public personalities. You can even find them being advertised on infomercials as well. The two most common home gyms in this field are the Bowlex and the Crossbar.

Both of these kind of strength training machines use rods or bars to provide resistance for your muscles as you train, and many people feel that they do their job very well. The big advantage of using this kind of equipment is the lower cost involved.

The higher end of the home gym equipment field are machines that use a more traditional weight stack or plates. They more resemble the kind of machines that you would find in a typical fitness gym. But they are also much more expensive, and they can tend to take up a lot of room. So before buying this kind of equipment you need to make sure that you have the room to be able to accommodate it in advance.

Any of the equipment mentioned above can be used successfully by the average person at home to help them reach their fitness goals. But as with all fitness equipment, you need to try them out before you buy and make sure that you feel comfortable with the way the equipment works. And never began a strength training regimen without doing so under the supervision of a qualified physician to prevent injuries as you train.

You can find the best home gym equipment and home gym reviews by visiting our Home Fitness website.