The complete training system

Check out the exercise form that is taking the world by storm and is now making headway into India

Don’t let the equipment’s appearance fool you. Try it for 10 minutes (even five minutes is commendable) and the undeniable burn will have taken over your body This is TRX: Suspension training in which one’s body weight is used by the person to do a gamut of multi-planar, compound exercises, All muscle groups can be worked out to gain strength, balance and flexibility.

Where to learn it: Although there arc more and more places cropping up teaching TRX, Fitness First fitness centres are the only ones in India that are conducting classes on this exercise form, These classes are taken by trainers trained and certified by international TRX experts.

How to dolt: Hang the long strap from the ceiling, where they nearly touth the ground. or the specially erected stand frw this training. Then arip the far ends I the strnp with your feet pivxed rn the ground, Do pushups in this posidcnYur core will work overtime te maintain the balance and fire up all the sinall ignored muscles, Similarh: fix your feet in the strap holders and place your palms on the ground and kick sideways to fr’- your love handles.

Where to buy it: Unfortunately the equipment is not available anywhere in thc country One has to buy it online and get it shipped here. There are cheap imitations available in india but stder clear away from them,

How fit are you ?

These tests will assess your baseline fitness in the five core areas. When you’re finished, write down your results. That’ll guide you in putting together your custom workout from the pages that follow :

01. Strength

Pushups : Drop and give us as many as possible until failure. Maintain proper form throughout. Don’t let your hips sag. If you cheat, you’re done.

Scoring : Top army recruits do 68 pushups in 2 minutes. Your upper body is fried if you cand o 40 to 50 in that time.

02. Cardiovascular fitness

3 minute step test : Find a 12 to 18 inch step or a strudy box. Keep a consistent 4 -best pace while you step up and down for 3 minutes straght. Rest for 1 minute and then take your pulse for 30 seconds. Now multiply the result by 5.6 and divide this into 18,000 .(the duration of exercise in seconds multiplied by 100) . This is your step-test score.

Scoring : The higher your test score, the more efficient your body’s blood pump. Anything between 60 and 10 is considered fit

03. Flexibility

Sit and Reach : Put a 12-inch rulere on top of a box so that half of it is hanging. Now sit on the floor with your legs extended and your bare feet flat against the front of the box (your feet should be on either side of the ruler). With hands overlapping and legs straight, lean forward as far as you can. Note the distance between your fingertips and toes.

Scoring : If you can stretch 2 to 6 inches past your foot, you’re flexible. More than 6 inches and you’re downright elastic.

04. Agility

Shuttle Run : Place two strips of tape three metres apart and set two light books beyond the far strip. which we’ll call “mark#2 standing on mark #1, time the following sequence.

01. Sprint to mark #2, grab a book
02. Sprint back to #1 and place the book right behind the tape.
03. Sprint back to #2 to grab the second book and return to #1, stopping your watch as you pass i.

Scoring : Under 10 seconds is speedy. Under 9 seconds is practically supersonic – the fastest men run the shuttle in 8.7 seconds

05 Power (Plyometric ability)

Vertical Jump : Wet the fingers of your right hand and stand with your right side touching wall. Reach up with your right hand and mark the highest point you can touch. Now rewet your fingers and stand nest to the wall again. This time jump with both legs and extend your right arm to touch the wall. Jump three times and note your highest mark. Your vertical leap is the difference is inches between your standing reach and your tip jump mark.

Scoring : The magic number is 20 inches. Sky that high.

10 ways to build your biceps

01. Standard

With your palms facing forward, grip the handles in the middle.

The benefit This is the hand position for the classic dumbbell curl, which targets your biceps brachu, the largest muscle on the front of your upper arm.

02. Thumb Offset

With your palms facing forward, touch the outside heads of the dumbbells with your thumbs.

The benefit : As you curl the weight, you’re forcing your biceps brachu to work harder to keep your forearm rotated outward (so your palms are up).

03. Standing

Stand tall
with your feet shoulder-width apart.

The benefit : More muscle Anytime you’re standing, you engage more core muscles than when you sit.

04. Stand tall and place one
foot in front of you on a bench or step that’s lust higher than knee level.

The benefit : Stronger abs This stance forces your hip and core muscles to work harder in order to keep your body stable,

Seated

05. Sit tall on a bench or Swiss ball.

The benefit Better form Performing the exercise while seated may make you less likely to rock your torso back and forth (‘cheat’) as you curl the weight.

06. Pinky offset

With your palms facing forward, touch the inside heads of the dumbbells with your pinky fingers.
The benefit This tweak shifts the way the weight is distributed, providing more variety to keep your muscles growing.

07. Reverse

Turn your arms so your palms face behind you.

The benefit You’ll really feel it in your forearms: This position targets your brachioradialis, but it decreases the aotivity of your bloeps bracbk.

08. Hammer

Keep your palms facing each other.

The benefit You’re forcing your brachiails muscle to work harder for the entire movement. Building your brachialis can make your arms look thicker.

09. Decline

Lie chest down on a bench set at 45 degrees.

The benefit Thicker arms

Lying on a decline causes your arms to hang in front of your body. a position that challenges your brachialis more.

10. Incline

Lie on your back on a bench set at 45 degrees.

The benefit Bigger guns

Lying on an incline causes your arms to hang behind your body. which emphasises the long head of your biceps brachii to a greater degree

Lie down on your stomach with your legs straight together. As you inhale, grab your ankles and lift your chest and knees off the floor to create an arch.

Keep lifting your chest off the floor until your feet and back are close to each other and your pelvis is pressing into the floor. Do not stress or compress your lower back. Keep it as relaxed as possible. Hold your breath or breathe normally during the pose. Hold the pose for 15-20 seconds.

Then come down to the starting pose. Now with your forehead touching the floor, lift your back in a way that it creates a hunch. Stay in this position and breathe normally for 10-15 seconds. Repeat the whole process one more time.

Benefits: Apart from being a great posture to help relieve back pain, it helps correct hunchback and round shoulders.

It helps balance all the lower and upper back muscles that are support your spine. It is also good for the liver, spleen and kidneys. It awakens the navel energy keeping the internal organs healthy.

Spare five minutes every day to lose yourself in the healing powers of yoga.

Tap into core power

Your best-ever move to strengthen your core and build those rock hard abs

Sure, crunches carve abs, but a smart core-building programme includes a variety of exercises. Swiss-ball finger taps offer real-world benefits beyond a six-pack, says the Men’s Health Muscle guy, Mike Mejia, CSCS.

The benefit

You’ll improve your abdominal strength, endurance and flexibility. “This promotes core stability while your limbs are in motion, which is the way you use your body during most sports activities,” says Mejia.

How to do it

• Lie on the floor, holding the ball between your lower legs.
• Extend your arms straight up as you simultaneously raise your legs and upper body into a contracted position. Your lower back should remain on the floor, and your legs should be slightly bent. Keep your upper body in the “up” position for all of your repetitions as your legs move up and down

Expert tips

Keep your lower back pressed to the floor to work your abdominals. If that’s too hard, keep your knees bent at about 90 degrees until your strength and flexibility improve.

1. Getting fit upped my confidence. From being shy. I can now go and say hi to anyone with syle

2. You look god in photos, and can take off your shirt without thinking twice

3. Girls notice you more (of course, that doesn’t matter because I’m still with the girl I was seeing when i was Mr. Fat)

1. Spending too much time in the gym. short, intense workouts are better than three hour marathons.

2. Lifting morethan you can handle and compromising on form.

3. Too many isolated movements and not enough compound movements

1. Don’t do 100 crunches or leg raises. On 25 with proper form to achieve results

2. Don’t regect your leg workouts. They engage your core like nothing else.

3. Don’t expect your abs to pop.You’ll see your skin get thinner and press against the insides instead … and that’s a great feeling.

Dhanurasana:

The bow posture reduces gastric problems.

Eliminates abdominal fat.

Vrjkshasana:

The tree posture gives a sense of balance.

Bhujangasana:

The snake posture tones the liver and kidney.

Reduces backache.

Stimulates appetite.

Eliminates constipation.

Chakrasana:

Strengthens spinal cord.

Maintarns abdominal organs.

Reduces fat.

Shabasana

Maintains the liver and pancreas

Reduces gastric problems.

Tad asana:

The mountain posture works on tIn body and nerves.

Increases concentration power

Janu Shirshasana:

Ensures healthy functioning of the kidneys and liver.

Stimulates digestion.

Ushtrasana:

Tones digestive and excretory systems.

Ardha Matsyendrasana:

Recommended for diabetic patients.

Tones up spinal nerves.

Rejuvenates nervous system.

Sarvangasana:

This is the queen of all asanas.

Reduces insomnia.

Remedies menstrual problems.

Gives relief from headaches.

Reduces gastric problems.

Helpful in curing piles and urinary disorders.

Matsyasana:

The fish posture helps in curing ailments like asthma or bronchitis. Rejuvenates thyroid gland.

Shashankasana:

Tones up pelvic muscles.

Improves concentration.

Creates total mental relaxation.

Simhasana:

The lion posture relieves from ailments of the throat, ears, and nose. Helpful in combating tonsillitis. Helps in rectifying stammering problems.

Padmasana:

The lotus posture strengthens spinal cord.

Helpful in building alertness of the mind.

Helps in reducing several physical, nervous and emotional problems.

Shavasana:

The corpse posture relieves stress and strain.

Removes fatigue and calms the mind.

Shirshasana:

Rejuvenates brain cells and nervous system.

Increases memory and thought power.

Vitalizes the mind and body.

Your best-ever move to strengthen your core and build those rock hard abs

Sure, crunches carve abs, but a smart core-building programme includes a variety of exercises. Swiss-ball finger taps offer real-world benefits beyond a six-pack, says the Men’s Health Muscle guy, Mike Mejia, CSCS.

Expert tips

Keep your lower back pressed to the floor to work your abdominals. If that’s too hard, keep your knees bent at about 90 degrees until your strength and flexibility improve.

The benefit

You’ll improve your abdominal strength, endurance and flexibility. “This promotes core stability while your limbs are in motion, which is the way you use your body during most sports activities,” says Mejia.

How to do it

Lie on the floor, holding the ball between your lower legs.
Extend your arms straight up as you simultaneously raise your legs and upper body into a contracted position. Your lower back should remain on the floor, and your legs should be slightly bent. Keep your upper body in the “up” position for all of your repetitions as your legs move up and down.