Wrist Curls

The Wrist Curls are simple exercises with an isolation "nature", they work the inner lower parts of the
foreams. This group of six different muscles is responsible for the lifting of the hand towards the arm. By performing the Wrist Curl you can increase muscle mass and strenght endurance, improve grip strength and increase the stabilizing effect in all exercises where healthy and strong foreams play a key role. Such exercises can be: Barbell Rows, Chin-Ups and even Deadlifts.

Options

According to the instrument used

• Bar - allows the use of heavier weights with a shorter range of motion, it used mainly for muscle mass gain. Prevents rotation keeps the wrists stable;
• Dumbbell - allows for a bigger range of motion, and better concentration on the different heads, suitable for people with injuries and forearm differences (one is bigger than the other etc.), allows for wrist rotation (not reccomended);
• Bands - Allows for progressive increase in the load on the positive part of the movemet and a progressive decrease in load during the negative, very good option for mass and strenght . Allows rotation in the wrists.

According to performance

• Dynamic - full range of motion, good for mass and strength.
• Static - performed by keeping the forearm in a static neutral, suprinated and completely flexed position(hand facing inner elbow), good for endurance.

According to the range of motion

• With a full range - the hand is closed into a fist brought as far down as possible and raised as far as possible, keep a close fist during the whole movement
• With extra long range - in the lower part of the movement, the thumb releases the grip, the hand opens and the dumbbell falls down on your hook like positioned fingers - this variation includes an increased load due to the closing of the hand, which puts stress on closing-hand and finger muscles.
• With partial range of motion - a shorter range of motion is only reccomended for sets with repetitions under 10.

Method of execution

Preparation

1. Sit and grasp dumbbell with underhand grip. 
2. Rest forearm on thigh with wrist just beyond knee.(If you're new to the movement use a bench instead)

Execution

1. Allow dumbbell to roll out of palm down to fingers. 
2. Raise dumbbell back up by gripping and pointing knuckles up as high as possible. 
3. Lower and repeat.

Recommendations:

• If you feel pain or discomfort in the wrist while performing the dynamic variation with added weight, try perfroming the band or static variation instead.
• If you're working with a heavy weight, use partial range of motion and do not allow the wrist to take the load on itself or perform the static variation.
• During the performance do not push away your wrists or elbows off the bench, they should be always in contact with the surface you've placed them on.
• Do not use the extra long variation with a weight that you can't perform at least 30 reps with the normal full range of motion.
• In case you're new to the movement - don't do the exercise on your thights, there is a risk of your legs moving thus making the probability of an injury much greater.

Relevancy

The exercise is suitable for implementation in periods of mass gain or functional strenght.The Wrist Curl is best put in workouts for arms and back.
(sources:exrx.net)

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Two Month Workout Routine For Intermediate Lifters By Joe Weider

After completing a beginners routine, that routine being a full-body or not, the time has come for you to divide your muscle groups into different days. Or get on the so-called split.

Joe Wieder says that switching to a split is the next step in the gradual progressive development of your body. However, he advises you to go to on a split routine, not only because of the time factor, or because that's how big bodybuilders train, it's because you've reached that level of development and now you must go further.

At this point full body workouts become too "time consuming" and really hard your nervous system. In other words, while beginners can progress with 1-2 exercises per muscle group, the intermediate or advanced bodybuilders are already starting to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group. Throw all that in a single day and your workout will consist of 20-40 exercises and 60-120 sets.Which by the way is crayze!

So Joe offers everyone that is on the path of muscle building and has completed a beginners workout routine his split routine consisting of four workouts per week. In this routine he introduces yet another of his principals, one that future bodybuilders have to get to know and use - supersets.

Here's the routine:

Monday

• 1. Barbell Bench Press 3 x 9 (sets x reps)
• 2. Dumbbell incline fly 3 x 9

Superset 3 and 4:

• 3. Military press 3 x 9
• 4. Dumbbell lateral raises 3 x 9
• 5. Upright rows 3 x 9
• 6. Barbell Bent-over Row 3 x 9

Superset 7 and 8:

• 7. Barbell curl 3 x 9
• 8. Skull-crushers 3 x 9
• 9. Dumbbell incline Curl 3 x 9

Superset 10 and 11:

• 10. Dumbbell side bends 3 x 30-50
• 11. Crunches 3 x 30-50

Tuesday

• 1. Squats 3 x 9
• 2. Deadlifts 3 x 9
• 3. Barbell Shrugs 3 x 9

Superset 3 and 4:

• 4. Leg Extensions 3 x 9
• 5. Leg curls 3 x 9
• 6. Single leg calf raises 3 x 9
• 7. Crunches 3 x 25

Superset 8 and 9:

• 8. Wrist Curls 3 x 15
• 9. Reverse Wrist Curls 3 x 15

Thursday

• 1. Close-Grip Bench Press 3 x 9
• 2. Incline Bench Press 3 x 9
• 3. Dumbbell Pullovers 3 x 9

Superset 4 and 5:

• 4. Behind Neck Shoulder Press 3 x 9
• 5. Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3 x 9
• 6. Barbell Bent-over Row 3 x 9
• 7. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise 3 x 9

Superset 8 and 9:

• 8. Concentration curls 3 x 9
• 9. Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension 3 x 9

Superset 10 and 11:

• 10. Dumbbell side bends 3 x 30-50
• 11. Crunches 3 x 30-50

Friday

• 1. Squats 3 x 9
• 2. Leg Extensions 3 x 9

Superset 3 and 4:

• 3. Leg Curls 3 x 9
• 4. Lunges 3 x 9
• 5. Deadlifts 3 x 9

Superset 6 and 7:

• 6. Barbell Shrugs 3 x 9
• 7. Dumbbell Bent-over Row 3 x 9
• 8. Barbell Calf Raises 3 x 15
• 9. Biceps Reverse Curl 3 x 15

Superset 10 and 11:

• 10. Side Twists 3 x 50
• 11. Crunches 3 x 50

Recommendations

Joe Weiders two-month course for intermediate lifters is a very good for the next step after a three-month routine, which introduces beginners to the gym. For some that beginner phase might last for three months, others may need six or more. When the time has come to get on a split, this routine can be used before the next step - each muscle once a week.
The thing that I love here is the supersets, I believe that they're great for lifters that have some time in the gym, but are still "beginners" in a sense.The thing is supersets feel great, the pump is always amazing, it introduces those people to a new, really fun and enjoyable way of destroying muscle fibers.
Do not miss it and do not jump straight to the "classic" chest and bis on Monday, back and triceps on Wednesday and legs and shoulders on Friday.

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How to Stick With Losing Weight

If you're having a hard time losing weight, it may be from lack of preparation.  Did you know 89% of dieters
fail their first time?  The reason for this is not enough preparing and prepping.  In order to lose weight you need to make goals and prepare slowly.  In this article we will discuss the steps needed to lose weight efficiently.  The three main steps include planning, diet and exercise.

Make a plan

Planning for a weight loss may seem simple but it's not.  When planning to lose weight you need to create short term goals and long term goals that are possible.  You need to understand this process is a lifetime change and it requires patience and determination.  For this step we should grab a pencil and a piece of paper and write out the following.

• How much weight am I planning on losing for the first month?
• What food will I give up and exchange for a healthy alternative?
• What drives me to lose this weight?
• How much weight do I want to lose long term?

These are all good examples of things to consider when planning to lose weight.  These are defently not all of the goals we could use but it should be enough to start your plan of action.

Diet

Next we want to focus on diet.  Diet can be a scary thought if not educated enough on the topic.  Diet does not mean we need to give up all our food.  Diet simply means we need to change our eating habits slowly.  The process of dieting should be as slow as possible.  Some suggestions include giving up one junk food item per month, cutting back on fast foods and switching from soda to juice or water.  Those simple changes will help you overcome your diet fear.

Exercise

The last topic of interest is exercising.  Exercising does not require lifting heavy weights for hours on end.  Exercising can be as simple as yoga, running, biking or any outdoor activity.  Exercising can be used in a fun matter rather than a chore if you find what you enjoy doing.  However, if you're looking to gain muscle, you will need to use weights and/or more psychical demanding work.  If you're looking for pure bulk muscle you'll want to do low reps of heavy weights but if you're looking for lean muscle you'll need to do high reps of lower weights.

This was a guest post by our friends from Phen375.
For more information check out  Phen375preview.com

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The 10x10 Pack On Size With High Volume Training

The routine was "discovered" by German sports scientists in the 20s of the last century and independently of them - from Vince Gironda the "Iron Guru". Its objective is to increase size with high volume training: 10sets of 10 reps.

There are two variations of the 10x10 - Charles Poliquins and Vince Girondas. The second claims that using 10x10 for all muscle groups leads to overtraining, and uses the method only for concentrating on a lagging muscle group while Charles recommends a cycle of 6 5-day full body cycles, composed of compound exercises and followed by a 3-week simple split for rest and then a new cycle, but this time with the volume is lower-10x6.

Except the main exercises which are performed in the 10x10 fashion there are auxiliary exercises one would do only 3 sets of. Interestingly, Poliquin recommends training shoulders as an auxiliary because according to him shoulders get enough work during the first day, while others recommend doing arms as an auxiliary in a 3x10 fashion and hitting shoulders 10x10.

Basic principles

If you can complete all 10 sets with 10 reps the next workout the load must be heavier in other words once you reach 10x10 increase the weight. Pace is VERY important: it is a 4-0-2 for core exercises and 3-0-2 for the smaller muscle groups. That means for 4 seconds negative(going down) - no rest - 2 seconds positive. As noted by Poliquin - If your sets are from 40-70 seconds long, you stand in the zone of maximum hypertrophy. 
Cheating and forced reps are not used.

To save time you can use the principle of the "supersets", you do a set of the first exercise and then right after you perform the second until you've finished all 10 sets.

Breaks are 90sec. for the core exercises and 60 seconds for auxiliary.

Length: The system is quite tiresome because of its large volume, and it is 6 cycles of 5 days, or if you choose  the weekly variation , use it for four weeks, and then change the core exercises with similar new ones and do 4 weeks with them.

Weight: Choose that allows you to do 20 reps, a 50-60% of your maximum.

Nutrition: The routine is for increasing size, so there really aren't any specific requirements, just be in a caloric surplus and eat enough protein, and fill up the rest of your calories with carbs and fats.BCAAs are recommended as well.

Who is it for?

Anyone that has done a beginners routine. 
10x10 for a lagging muscle group can be for anyone that wants to target such a muscle group, and Poliquins full body 10x10 is used by hockey, American football players and in other sports, powerlifters also run cycles of it when they're in need of size.

Notes: The monotony of the routine can be "boring" for many practitioners.

Also keep in mind that 10 sets of 10 reps for a single muscle group is considered too much, and it is wise to consider that when you're choosing your next routine, because many make the mistake of doing too many sets and exercises, especially for the smaller muscle groups, we've all seen "that guy" doing biceps curls when you're walking into the gym, and still hitting biceps when you're walking out.

Here's the original Poliquin routine:

Day 1:

• A-1-Decline Dumbbell Presses, Semi-Supinated Grip (palms facing each other)
• A-2-Chin-Ups (palms facing you)
• B-1-Incline Dumbbell Flyes
• B-2-One-Arm Dumbbell Rows

Day 2:

• A-1 Incline Dumbbell Presses 
• A-2 Wide-Grip Pull-Ups (palms facing away from you)  
• B-1 Flat Dumbbell Flyes  
• B-2 Bent-Over Rows with E-Z Bar

Day 3:Rest.

Day 4:

• A-1 Parallel Bar Dips
• A-2 Incline Hammer Curls
• B-1 Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises
• B-2 Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Day 5:Rest.

Restart.
Note: Exercises A must be done in a 4-0-2 fashion with 90sec. rest time while exercises B must be done with a 3-0-2 fashion with 60sec. of rest inbetween sets.

Variations

Monday:

• Dumbbell press 10x10;
• Rowing 10x10;
• Dumbbell pullover 3x12.

Wednesday:

• Squat 10x10;
• Deadlift 10x10;
• Dumbbell shoulder press 10x10.

Friday:

• Barbell curls 10x10;
• Close grip bench press 10x10;
• Dips 3sets to failure.

Good luck!

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