Flexing and Isometrics

When we see someone flexing in the gym, we usually associate that with vanity, self-love and we might even think something like"wow, what a douche bag".
Usually the most irritating people in the gym are the ones that are doing nothing but flexing in front of the mirrors.
But are they really doing nothing?By flexing a muscle, we are engaging that muscle into a form of tension.
Or in other words, flexing is an exercise.An isometric exercise to be precise.

Isometric flexing

Isometric as a concept is derived from the Greek language and it means "to have the same length" - or in other words there is no load reduction. Isometric exercises are activities in which there is no visible change in the muscle during the activity. For example, wearing a bag for a long distance, planking etc. Certain muscles, such as those that hold the lower jaw, keep a constant isometric tention even when resting and that's why they can generate so much force.

Similar actions have been investigated in detail. In 2001 researchers published a detailed outline of a 12-week study of isometric tension in nine healthy men who haven't trained in the last year.

All tested muscles resulted in a similar increase.

Isometrics show a small effect in the contraction of the muscle, yet they actually have a big effect on strength.

The study concluded that there was a direct correlation of the isometric exercises and the increase in strength, size and an improvement concerning the electrochemical reaction within the muscle in question.
So in other words, even though isometrics haven't been compared with the usual weightlifting style of training, the study shows that isometric training can bring results and be an effective workout.

However a comparative study of standard and isometric strength training was conducted, the authors identified strengths and weaknesses in both types of training.It seems that isometrics are better for gaining size, and conventional workouts are better for strength.The final conclusion of the authors is that the body adapts differently to both types training and one can't be completely replaced by the other, both should be implemented and worked in conjunction.

Flexing

The question is, can just flexing really be an effective workout?
I don't know of any studies on the subject, but there have been popular fitness gurus that support the claim, and in courage its practice.

I've heard of methods that aim to preserve muscle by flexing for minutes at a time.(for example you're on a vacation for two weeks and you're unable to workout)
The goal here is to flex your muscles through the day, you don't need to go into a most muscular pose, just contract the muscle.
And in theory that should slow down the process of losing muscle.

Posing for size

• Mike Kocsis recommends posing with heavy intensity - 40-50 minute sets(on stages), with 1-2 minutes rest. He recommends really focusing on form and trying to stop the shaking of the muscle in the flexed position. For him it is a complete workout that leads to both consumption of nutrients and cleaning and water loss from the cells thus giving them a better look. After that he recommends cardio.

Flexing between sets

• David Robson recommends flexing in between sets. He often refers to the quote of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who says he often posed between exercises and considered that it brings "benefits" to the workout. However both are looking at things from a bodybuilders standpoint, their focus is primarily on improving their presentation in front of the judges, in other words they are training to improve their poses first, and I'd imagine they care less about how much that could actually help them in other ways.

• Ivan Blazquez dives into something similar, he claims that some yoga exercises might have a similar effect.

Even if most of us have a bias against people flexing too much in the gym, we have to accept that it actually can be a valid addition to ones workout.

So it turns out that flexing isn't just that sometimes irritating thing that people do out of vanity and other similar reasons, it is an effective addition to a workout and it definitely can improve results.
So next time you get "caught" flexing, just say "It's a vital part of my routine".

And last but not least, have a nice day.

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Front Plank

The Front Plank is a great exercise for the abdominal muscles also known as abs and it was introduced in the fitness industry by the yoga asanas.

Involved muscles

 This exercise affects a large group of stabilizing muscles, so it is very useful to for building basic strength, stability and durability in the torso and abdominal muscles. Moreover, performing the exercise with body weight only, will have you surprised to find that you have acquired better muscle control over the muscles involved.

Target 

• Rectus Abdominis

Stabilizers

• Obliques
• Iliopsoas
• Tensor Fasciae Latae
• Quadriceps
• Sartorius
• Pectoralis major
• Serratus Anterior

Antagonist Stabilizers

• Erector Spinae
• Trapezius, Middle
• Trapezius, Lower
• Rhomboids

Variations

Variations in technique

• Front support on elbows - easier to perform variation in terms of balance and involvement of the abdominal muscles;
• Front support on hands / fists - substantially more difficult option, you can start doing it after a few workouts with elbow support and if you have a body weight within the normal range.

Variations according to the method

• Isometric performance - the body remains in a passive position for some time. From 10 to 30 seconds for beginners, a minute for intermediate athletes and a minute and a half up to two minutes and more for advanced athletes and fitness enthusiasts;
• Isokinetic performance - spine and hips are slightly out and you're raising your upper body a little while lowering your lower body a little. The option is difficult, so start with isometric performance and when you feel confident enough, switch to this option.

Accessory Variations

• Front elbow on Swiss ball - hard variation, makes balancing harder and thus increases the stabilizing character of the load;
• Front support on hands with legs raised on a bench - version focusing on the cross-lumbar muscles.

Method of execution

Preparation

• Lie prone on mat. Place forearms on mat, elbows under shoulders. Place legs together with forefeet on floor.

Execution

• Raise body upward by straightening body in straight line. Hold position.
• Stretch your body so that you feel tension in your abdominal muscles, rather than the spine. 

Comments:

I see a countless amount of people in the gym performing the front plank for minutes at a time by sacrificing form so they can perform the exercise for a longer period of time.They either lift their butt up or lower their pelvis which is WRONG.

• Do not lift your butt more than an inch because that will put unnecessary load on your abdominal.
• Avoid lowering your pelvis because that will put an extreme load on the vertebrae.

Relevancy

The Front Plank is an exercise suitable for implementation in workouts for a basic tone, endurance and balance. It is vital to include it if you pursue training for functional purposes, where the stability of the torso and synergy of the abdominal muscles with the thigh muscles play a key factor in your personal athletic success.

(sources:exrx.net)
(pictures:acefitness.org)

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Bulgarian Squat/Single Leg Split Squat

The exercise, which is widely known around the world as the Bulgarian squat. It's specific in that it runs on one leg while the other is extended backwards and leaning on support.

The movement is easy to perform when using only bodyweight. By adding additional weight (barbell, dumbbells) balancing becomes much more difficult, so this variation is recommended for more advanced fitness enthusiasts.

Involved muscles

Target

• Quadriceps

Synergists

• Gluteus Maximus
• Adductor Magnus
• Soleus

Dynamic Stabilizers

• Hamstrings
• Gastrocnemius

Stabilizers

• 
  
• Gluteus Medius
• Gluteus Minimus

Variations

According to the technique and available equipment

• Bodyweight - easy option to start learn and adapt to the movement;
• With dumbbells / weights - the easiest variation with which you can use to increase strength and muscle mass;
• Smith machine - this variation puts more stress on the long spinal muscles as stabilizers. I do not recommend this variation for people with lower back problems;
• With a short barbell - the hardest option, balance is almost impossible.I don't recommend performing this exercise with an olympic bar, as i said before balacing is almost impossible.
• With bands - the difficulty changes from low to high in the upper range of motion;

According to the type of support

• Stable (bench seat, 5-6 disk weights or even a dumbbell) - start with this.
• Unstable (Swiss ball) - a wonderful option for people aiming to improve their balance. Can be combined with dumbbells, all other options have risks and fewer benefits.

Method of execution

Preparation

• Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides facing away from bench. Extend leg back and place top of foot on bench.

Execution

• Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by extending hip and knee of forward leg and repeat. Continue with opposite leg.

Recommendations

• Avoid sudden movements, especially when descending;
• Do not hit your knee into the floor;
• Do not shake dumbbells;
• Do not bend, keep the body upright;
• While performing keep your whole foot on the ground, your weight should be evenly distributed;

Relevancy

Performed with weights the Bulgarian squat can contribute significantly to the increase of muscle mass in the upper sector of the thighs. In terms of functionality, performance of this type of squat can improve sprints and jumping length and height.

(sources:exrx.net)
(pictures:t-nation.com)

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Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise

The dumbbell rear lateral raise is a simple exercise in bodybuilding and fitness performed mainly in the shoulder joints. This exercise is not suitable for training with heavy weight. It has more of a shaping character. The aim of the movement is focused on the rear shoulder heads. Middle and lower sectors of the trapezius muscles, however, are key synergists.

Involved muscles:

Target

• Deltoid, Posterior

Synergists

• Infraspinatus
• Teres Minor
• Deltoid, Lateral
• Trapezius, Middle
• Trapezius, Lower
• Rhomboids

Stabilizers

• Triceps Brachii
• Wrist Extensors
• Erector Spinae
• Hamstrings
• Gluteus Maximus
• Adductor Magnus

Variations

1. Dumbbell rear lateral raise on an inclined bench - removes all the stabilizers from movement except for triceps and forearms
2. Dumbbell rear lateral raise with a forward bend - classical version includes all stabilizers

Method of execution

Preparation

Grasp dumbbells to each side. Bend knees and bend over through hips with back flat close to horizontal. Position elbows with slight bend and palms facing together.

Execution

Raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. Maintain upper arms perpendicular to torso and fixed elbow position (10 ° to 30 ° angle) throughout exercise. Maintain height of elbows above wrists by raising "pinkie finger" side up. Lower and repeat.

Recommendations for proper form

1.  Improper form is the unnecessary involvement of the trapezius(traps) muscles or changing body position (bending down while performing the movement).
2.  Often during lifting, at the end of the working sets people start to tilt / move your head and raise your shoulders. Thus, they shift the emphasis on the rhomboids  and  trapezius(traps) muscles. To avoid this, keep your eyes forward and focus on a single visual point throughout the series.
3.  Do not move the spine during the movement.

Relevancy

This exercise has primarily a forming character. In programs for building muscle mass this exercise should be included as second for the rear shoulders or third or forth in a full shoulder workout. Before execution of the rear lateral dumbbell raise perform military press/shoulder press or trapezius(traps) shrugs. This will Pre-Exhaust the trapezius(traps) muscles and the rear and medium shoulder heads.

Suitable for first exercise in a shoulder workout for people who want to focus on the transition between the back and shoulders. This exercise is suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced fitness enthusiasts.
(sources:wikipedia, exrx.net,leehayward.com)

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Skull Crushers/Barbell Lying Triceps Extension/French Press

 The Skull Crusher/The Barbell Lying Triceps Extension/French Press is a classic exercise used for decades by bodybuilders and strength athletes to gain new quality muscle in the triceps muscles. It is a basic, while isolating motion. The skull crusher can be performed with a number of variations which I'll be covering below.

Contraindications

The skull crusher exercise is contraindicated for people with injuries of the shoulder, shoulder girdle, elbows and wrists. Improper performance in people with increased / decreased cervical lordosis often ends with migraine.

Involved muscles

Target

• Triceps (Triceps brachii)
• Anconeus

Synergists

• No significant synergists load can be distributed in varying degrees between the heads of the triceps. The inclusion of back and shoulder muscles in the movement with a supporting character is seen as cheating.

Stabilizers

• Deltoid, Anterior
• Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
• Wrist Flexors

Variations:

According to the grip (in the palms) and elbows:

• Open Elbows Grip (palms facing legs / ceiling): Forces inner shoulder rotation, reducing the involvement of the long head, reducing the overall power of the extension as well.
• Elbows Slightly Open: Emphasis on middle heads. It's popular for work with an intensity that stimulates strength, endurance and an increase in muscle mass.
• Neutral Grip:elbows parallel: The most natural grip for the triceps extension. Here all the muscle heads work in synergy and the results are of the highest efficiency. This is the grip which with the appropriate weighting is most commonly used to increase strength, endurance and increase muscle mass.
• Palms Facing Face: Parallel elbows and wrists: The focus is on the long heads.The range of motion is limited.

According to the slope of the bench:

• Horizontal - classic optimal.
• Small incline slope - facilitates control of the shoulder girdle for people with stronger push movements, but decreased productivity in the lower parts of the triceps. Recommended 2/5 amplitude in the upper range of motion.
• Small decline slope - hinders shoulder girdle control in people with stronger push movements and vice-versa, but lowers productivity in the upper parts of the triceps. Full extension and training to failuire is not recommended.

Execution:

Preparation

• Lie on bench with narrow overhand grip on barbell. Position barbell over forehead with arms extended.

Execution

• Lower bar by bending elbows. As bar nears head move elbows slightly back just enough to allow bar to clear around curvature of head. Extend arms. As bar clears head, reposition elbows to their former position until arms are fully extended. Repeat.

Comments

• With arms fully extended, bar can be brought back over upper chest. Shoulders can be internally rotated between repetitions as needed to allow for relative release of tension in muscles. Barbell can be recieved from the floor or from rack either situated over abdomen or from behind head.

Relevancy

The Skull Crusher is essentially an exercise for the triceps day in a workout split. Place immediately after the heavier movements like the triceps dips, close grip bench press, triceps push ups(diamond push ups)

Not recommended for beginners in bodybuilding and fitness. Its proper implementation is best achieved with an advanced training partner to oversee the curve of movement and positioning of the existing joints - elbows, wrists and shoulders.

(sources:exrx.net, wikipedia)

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Preacher curl.

 The preacher curl is a pulling, isolated exercise that is supporting the development of the folders of the elbow joints.The movement is especially suitable for intermediate and advanced fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts.

Contraindications

People that have shoulder injuries or an injured, shoulder girdle, elbow and wrist joints should perform the preacher curl with caution.

Involved muscles.

Target

• Brachialis

Synergists

• Biceps Brachii
• Brachioradialis

Stabilizers

• Wrist Flexors

Variations

According to the instrument used:

• With the EZ bar, Scott bench or stand - power variation
• With straight bar, Scott bench or stand - insulation variation
• With a dumbbell (one sided), Scott bench, stand or a folding bench seat - insulation variation enables one sided focus on muscle development imbalances (visual / functional) left and right.

Range of motion:

• Full range of motion - the movement begins almost fully extended elbow while the forearm is in a vertical stand.
• Partial range of motion without rest - the movement is only about peak flexion without rest in lower and upper point.
• Partial range of motion with peace - short movement in upper or lower curve of motion.

Grip variations:

• The width at which the elbows are placed does not change for different grips, it's always shoulder.

• The different grips hit the two different heads in your bicep.
• The narrow grip works the outside head (long head) and the wider grip works the inside head (short head).

Methods of execution

Preparation

• Adjust the height and angle of the Scott bench, so that it is appropriate for your height and the length of your arms.
• Select a bar that allows you to do a shoulder width grip.

Performance

• Slowly bend your arms without moving your elbows, keeping arms parallel.
• Go slowly at the bottom point.
• Prepare for the next repetition.

Comments and recommendations

• The preacher curl with a barbell is easily accomplished, but may be a bit of a burden for your elbows. A common mistake is the moving of the elbows during this exercise. So be careful with the weight, and form.
• No separation of the elbows, keep them close to each other and try to keep your arms parallel. Divergence of the elbow is a sign of too much weight.
• Do not straighten arms fully on the bottom position. You will put unnecessary strain on the elbow, and let the biceps rest. Expand hands almost, but not entirely.
• Keep your wrists tight.
• Before exercise warm up wrists, shoulders and elbows.

Bodybuilding and Fitness

The main use of the preacher curl is increasing the mass of the arm by stimulating the brachialis and biceps to growth. Variations with one hand are suitable for smoothing visual and functional imbalances.

Do not perform the preacher curl if you are a beginner, except under the supervision of a coach.

Intermediate fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts may include exercise as a second or third exercise on biceps day.

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How to achieve muscle hypertrophy to build muscle fast.

First i'd like to talk about the term hypertrophy.It is the excessive development of an organ/part.more precisely the increase in size by thickening of muscle fibers.
To achieve hypertrophy you must be staying within 8-12 rep.range for upper body and 15-25 rep range for the lower body.

Lower rep ranges are for building strength.If  you are staying within 3-5reps you will be gaining a lot of strength fast, but not as much mass.
This is the 4 time champion of the World's Strongest Man as you can see he doesn't have massive muscles and an amazing looking physique.









And this is a bodybuilder having much more massive muscles and being bigger at a much lower body fat %.










Lower reps fail to stimulate your muscles in the way that brings out hypertrophy.You must be using a weight that allows you to do a minimum of 8 reps and a maximum of 12.The only muscle in the upper body that needs a 15-25 rep range are the abdominal muscles.Lower body muscles require 15-25 rep range as well because your legs and abs are endurance muscles.

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Bodybuilding Stunts Growth?

The reaction of almost everybody that is uninvolved in fitness and gets told that i do fitness is:Oh you won't grow anymore, you will stay short for the rest of your life etc.

Well I'm proof that bodybuilding does not stunt vertical growth at all.I grew more than an inch in the last couple of months and i am still growing(I'm 15 177cm+) While i am training really hard in the gym and constantly improving my performance.

Bodybuilding/doing fitness by itself will not stunt your growth, in fact it may even boost it.It has been proven that weight training increases your naturally occurring testosterone levels and if you are not destroying body in the gym like some idiots i see doing weights that exceed their capabilities and visit snap city every time they visit the gym you WON'T STUNT your growth.

There are things how ever that can stun your growth.Those are steroids, malnutrition  and some supplements.

I'll start with the steroids.

So your bones are connected by cartilage which holds them together and over time some of the cartilage turns into bone, but that doesn't continue forever.At one point in puberty when your body is pumping out hormones like crazy your cartilage sees the huge amount of hormones and it decides that it is time to stop growing cause in order to have so many hormones you are an adult.Well when you take steroids they turn into hormones, huge amounts of hormones and your body can't tell from where exactly they are coming from so it thinks you have become an adult and boom it stops your growth.And if you get off the steroids there is NO guarantee that you will continue growing.My opinion is that there is very little to no chance for the growth to come back.

Now lets talk about the nutrition.

It's been proven that bad nutrition will stunt your growth.You can't know by how much but it will, it may be an inch or even a millimeter but why take the chance?Try to lay off the french fries, chips etc. It won't only make you fat but it may also stunt your growth.A very important substance for bone growth is calcium everybody that is 9-18y old should try to get 1300mg of calcium every day

And about the supplements

If you are young, you should not be using any other supplements than a multivitamin and a good quality protein.Many of the supplements on the market contain substances that can stunt your growth so why take the chance?Good nutrition is all you need to build muscle, supplements may help you build muscle, but most of the time they are just bullshit spreaded by fitness magazines and companies to make you waste money on useless supplements.

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The truth about cholesterol.

Should you eat the cholesterol rich arch villains?

You might think that cholesterol in liver and egg yolks is really bad for you, and yes these foods are filled with cholesterol but like most cholesterol rich-foods they are jammed with important nutrients, vitamins and essential fatty acids.Doctors and drug companies want you to believe that cholesterol is a major cause of strokes and heart attacks.One in three people above the age of 45 take choresterol  lowering drugs known as statins.And sales are set to skyrocket in the next 10 years.

Egg whites contain far fewer nutrients.Don't believe me?Check this table from fitsugar.com

The yolk contains 100% of the carotenoids, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, E, D, and K (6 items). The white does not contain 100% of any nutrient.And, in fact, the University of Connecticut has extensively studied the effects of eggs on cholesterol levels. These high-quality controlled studies have shown that when people consume three to four eggs per day, with the yolk, virtually everyone experiences either no change or beneficial changes in their cholesterol levels. Dr. Maria-Luz Fernandez has reviewed those studies here.
<credits of the table go to www.fitsugar.com

Still having doubts?

I myself ate 2500mlg of cholesterol in a day which is more than 8 times the recommended amount.So i've had cholesterol for a week in 1 day and i kept eating cholesterol heavy foods the whole week, i'm eating cholesterol heavy foods on a daily.Very few people get affected by dietary cholesterol.Most of us can consume dietary cholesterol and have little to no effect on our bodies.So moral of the story is that companies are spreading false information about cholesterol effects so cholesterol lowering medications can be selled worldwide.

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Fitness goals and epic mix.

1. Sup ,this is covering my current state and my future goals.

I'm pretty satistified with my bodyfat at the moment.

Going to go to a lean bulk while doing intermittent fasting at the end of the summer.Pretty much my goals are to gain 2 kilos of lean muscle over the course of 8 months while staying under 15% bodyfat.And maintain after that in my opinion a lot of muscle on a young frame doesn't look very good.Gonna take some pictures and blog them next time i go to the gym.

(credits of the picture go to theshoupguy from bodybuilding.com)
The only supps i'm using are whey protein and a multivitamin.Green tea and fennel tea(to counter bloating).

Thinking of making video blogs aswell in the near future just need to get the hang of this thing first :)).

And As Promised.

>The mix<

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Hello everyone, first time blogging lets see how this turns out.. :]

Hi,
My name is Nikolai, I'm from Bulgaria I'm going to be blogging about my fitness progress,music, and anything else i consider interesting. :)I speak bulgarian(my native language),english and french(not perfectly).I hope this goes well.

On my first post i'd like to promote Ro >http://kingofweb.com/users/rosannapansino< Vote for her please! It's for charity every vote helps it's really close guys.Help her out!

(source of picture-poptower.com)

This is Ro(Rosanna Pansino) If you don't care about charity just do it cause she's awesome :D
Stay tuned for my next blog if your interested in my fitness goals and an epic mix of a few awesome tracks[free download] I'll post an awesome track and on a few occasions i'll post epic mixes on every blog i make from here on. :)

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