GymBuddiez – Helpful Fitness Tips, Tools and Buddies in your AreaFind a local gym buddy

From Body-for-LIFE.com

Shoulders … the icing on the cake! In fact, shoulders are the sort of icing that can make the entire cake look much more appealing and proportional. Consider the prevalence of shoulder pads and inserts in clothing. OK, we may be going back to the 80s a little, but having a “little extra” up there can give the illusion of a slimmer waist and the coveted v-shaped upper body..

The anterior or front part of the deltoid (the “cap” muscle of your shoulder) is used as a secondary mover in pressing exercises such as those usually done for the chest. This portion of the muscle usually gets its share of work, even when you aren’t specifically targeting deltoids. For this reason, I have omitted some moves like front raises, which focus primarily on the anterior deltoid. Shoulder presses and lateral raises stimulate the entire shoulder muscle—particularly the middle deltoids—while rear-delt flyes specifically target the posterior portion of your deltoid.

The workout

If you are doing a complete shoulder workout, start with one set of each of these exercises, using weights that allow you to complete 10 to 15 repetitions, and gradually work your way up to two to four sets. Make sure you are fatigued—but still able to maintain proper form—at the end of each set.

For one-arm raises, complete repetitions on one side, immediately followed by the other side, to complete a full set.

Try one set of each exercise and repeat them all, or complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next—whichever you prefer!

If you are using these exercises as part of a full-body workout, choose a press and/or a raise, and rear-delt flyes to target the whole shoulder. Have fun!

1. Squats to presses

This is a dynamic shoulder exercise that involves the whole body. Unlike the other exercises, it is done quickly, but with control.

Starting position: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding one dumbbell by the plates with both hands in front of chest. Face forward and bend knees and hips into a half squat position by pushing your glutes back. Keep your torso tight, chest up and shoulders back.

The exercise: Exhaling, push up from the squat while simultaneously pressing the dumbbell up until arms are fully extended over the front of your head. Immediately return to starting position. Repeat.

Caution: Do not let your back sway and do not let the dumbbell travel back behind your head.

2. One-arm shoulder presses

Shoulder presses are functional exercises that deliver serious results. Doing them one arm at a time increases the intensity and challenges your core.

Starting position: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in your right hand. Raise your arm straight out to the side, palm facing forward, and bend your elbow so your arm is in a 90-degree angle. Your wrists should be directly over your elbows.

The exercise: Tighten your abdomen and, exhaling, slowly press the dumbbell up and over your forehead, straightening your elbows. Keep your wrists straight and over your elbows during the entire exercise. Your torso should remain level and upright throughout the motion. Once you have reached full extension, return to the starting position without letting your elbow go lower than shoulder level. Repeat.

Caution: Do not let your upper body sway while pressing the dumbbell. The whole idea of doing these presses with only one arm is to challenge your core, so make it work!

3. Seated one-arm raises on stability ball

If you do not have a stability ball available, try this exercise sitting on a chair.

Starting position: Holding a dumbbell in one hand, sit on a stability ball with feet pointing forward, knees at 90 degrees. Activate your core by pulling your belly button in toward your spine and maintain through out entire exercise. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and let the arm holding your dumbbell hang straight down.

The exercise: Slowly lift the dumbbell out to your side, keeping your arm straight. Pause when your hand reaches shoulder level and return to start position. Repeat.

Caution: Do not raise the dumbbell higher than shoulder-level; doing so puts unwanted pressure on the shoulder.

4. Rear-delt flyes

When working shoulders, it’s important to include the rear deltoids. This exercise targets them specifically.

Starting position: Stand holding dumbbells by your side. Bend knees slightly and bend over from the hips until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the weights hang straight down, palms facing each other. Keep your back flat (it should be slightly arched), and your neck straight so you are looking down at the floor. Tighten your abs.

The exercise: Squeeze your shoulder blades together and, keeping your arms straight, lift the weights up until they are even with your shoulders. Slowly lower back to starting position and repeat.

Caution: Do not let your back round when doing this exercise. If you are unable to bend over keeping your back flat, try the flyes sitting on a bench and bending over your knees.

5. One-legged lateral raises

Once again, we are taking a standard shoulder exercise and turning it into one that forces you to stabilize, making it even harder—and more effective!

Starting position: Holding dumbbells by your side, balance on one leg. As you find your balancing point, watch yourself in the mirror and make sure your hips remain even—one should not be higher than the other. Draw in your abdomen and hold it tight while breathing shallowly. Lock your shoulder blades together, keeping them retracted throughout the entire exercise.

The exercise: As you exhale, slowly lift your arms straight out to your sides, palms facing the floor, until your hands reach shoulder level—do not go higher than your shoulders! Hold for a second at the top, arms straiht out, and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your sides, maintaining your balance, even hips and tight abdomen. Repeat.

TIP: Although it sounds contradictory, as you raise your arms, concentrate on keeping your shoulders down. If your shoulders come up as you lift, your trapezius is providing too much assistance to your deltoids, turning this exercise into a shrug.

From MSNBC.com Fit List

By Gregory Joujon-Roche

Many of us are starting to feel the heat from the sun, giving us an early tease of summer coming around the corner. Yes, it’s time to put away those winter coats and start pulling out the beach gear. But wait, you’re thinking, I am not beach-body-ready yet!

Well then it’s time to get moving. Any form of exercise will help — just get the ball rolling and go, go, go!

Once you feel committed to general conditioning, and the soda pop and chips make way for grilled veggies and fish, it’s time to get beach-body specific. This means really working those trouble spots, which usually vary for women and men.

Here are some exercises that can help shape you up for your fun in the sun.

For the gals:

*Triceps. Tone up those triceps with some rear dips. Start by standing in front of a weight bench or sturdy chair and then grab the bench or seat behind you. Lower your body slowly, for 5 seconds, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then lift slowly back up. Do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

*Buttocks. Tighten that tush with wall squats. Stand with your back to the wall and then lower yourself, using the wall for support, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Again, down slowly for 5 seconds and then back up for a 5 count. Do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

*Lower stomach. Firm up your bikini belly with these ab exercises. Starting by lying down on your back on the floor. Place your hands under your buttocks for support. Slowly lift and curl your legs toward you until your butt lifts slightly off the floor. Stop and squeeze! Remember to go slowly and do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

For the guys:

*Shoulders. Buff up those shoulders with 4 triple sets consisting of the military press (10 reps), the lateral fly (15 reps) and controlled punching with dumbbells (use a weight you can hold for 100 reps).

*Obliques. Tighten the love-handle area with some side bridges. Start on the floor on your right side, leaning on your right elbow and forearm for support. Then lift your hips off the ground so your body is straight. Pull in your stomach and squeeze your buttocks. Hold for one minute and then switch sides.

*Calves. Bulk up your lower legs with calf raises. At the gym, you can add weights on the machine for extra resistance. Do 12 slow reps at a heavy weight, and then drop the weight in half and repeat.

And remember, when it comes to being beach-body-ready, attitude counts. So carry yourself with confidence and shine from within. It’s always the distinct extra something in a person’s spirit that makes the rest of us really take notice.

Followed diligently, this routine is a sure-fire way to pack some coveted muscle mass on to your deltoid and upper trapezius muscles. In addition, I’ve made sure to include some movements that will increase the strength and stability of the most mobile joint in the human body.

From Body-for-LIFE.com
By Clay Hyght, D.C., C.S.C.S.

Hanging clean and presses
Let’s begin our shoulder thrashing with a power movement. Personally, I could not care less how strong I am. My goal is to simply look my best. However, powerlifting movements and techniques are often a great way to hit the fast-twitch (type 2B) muscle fibers that are most responsible for hypertrophy (growth)..

The hanging clean and press is the perfect power movement to lead off our shoulder routine. The primary muscles used during this exercise are the medial (side) and anterior (front) deltoids as well as the traps. Secondarily, the posterior (rear) delts, infraspinatus (one of the rotator cuff muscles), and other upper back muscles will be stimulated. That’s a lot of bang for your exercise buck.

Starting position: Begin by grasping a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight with the barbell resting in front of you on your thighs.

The exercise: Initiate the cleaning part of the movement by bringing the barbell up and away from your body, with your elbows leading the way, as if you were doing an upright row. As this is more of a power movement, don’t be afraid to use a little push from your legs to get the weight moving. As the bar approximates the level of your chin, bring your elbows down, wrists back and, in essence, catch the bar near your upper chest or collarbones. Feeling clumsy? Don’t worry; it takes everyone a few sessions to get it down pat.

The pressing part of the movement is a bit simpler. Press the bar straight up overhead until your arms are almost fully extended. Then, under control, lower the bar back to your upper chest.

To conclude the movement, reverse the cleaning portion of the movement. Begin the reversal by very slightly pushing the bar up and away from you while simultaneously bringing your elbows up. Then begin to lower the weight while using your shoulders and upper trapezius to control the descent. Resist the temptation to simply let the bar fall back to the starting position.

Perform four progressively heavier sets of between three and six repetitions each.

Caution: If you experience a rather sharp pain near the front and top of your shoulder during the cleaning portion of this movement, you may suffer from shoulder impingement syndrome. If so, look for a qualified doctor to help you overcome this condition. In the meantime, and this should go without saying, don’t do this exercise.

Caution: To avoid injury to your lumbar spine, do not overarch when pressing the barbell overhead. Keeping your abs tight will help alleviate this, as will wearing a weight belt, which you should do on your heavier sets.
Tip: Perform the cleaning portion of the movement as rapidly and explosively as possible. You will also press the weight very quickly. Reverse the movements fairly quickly but under control.

Scaptions
If lateral raises and front raises had a child, it would be called scaption. This is an exercise I stole from rehab circles to use in bodybuilding. While front raises target the anterior delts and lateral raises hit the medial delts, scaption disperses the stimulation equally to both the anterior and medial deltoids.

Scaption means abduction (raising the arm away from the body) in the scapular plane (which is 30 to 45 degrees forward from horizontal). Placing the humerus (upper arm) in the plane of the scapula puts the shoulder in its most optimal position with minimal stress on the joint. That makes scaption a very safe exercise for all but the worst shoulder ailments.

Although this exercise can be done seated on a bench or standing, we’re going to take it to another level by doing the exercise on a physio ball. This will not only serve to give a little extra work to our core stabilizing muscles of the trunk, it will also enhance stimulation of the rotator cuff and other stabilizing muscles of the shoulder complex.

Starting position: Begin the scaption movement seated on a physio ball with dumbbells in each hand just above the sides of the ball, palms facing down (pronated grip).

The exercise: Using the deltoid muscles, raise the dumbbells up until your arms are parallel to the ground. Make sure to perform the movement in a plane that’s between 30 and 45 degrees forward of the plane in which you would perform lateral raises straight out to the sides (called the frontal plane). In other words, your arms will travel halfway between straight out to the sides and straight out in front of you.

Once you reach the top position, pause for one full second before lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position under control. This lowering phase should take about three seconds.

Perform three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions each.

Variations
As your balance improves, you can make the scaption exercise more challenging by performing it while kneeling on the physio ball.

If you’re ready to take your balance and coordination to an even higher level, try doing the scaption exercise while standing on the physio ball.

Caution: Exercising on a physio ball can be potentially dangerous, especially if you try to advance too early. Make sure you can sit steadily on the ball before doing scaption or any other exercise on the ball. Likewise, you should be able to steadily kneel on the ball before doing exercises kneeling; and stand on the ball steadily before attempting to exercise while standing.

Caution: Make sure to have the area around the ball clear of any hard or pointed objects in the event you happen to lose your balance and fall. It’s also a good idea to have around the ball padded with exercise mats.

Caution: In case of a puncture, it’s best to exercise on an anti-burst ball that will deflate slowly if punctured. Sissel is a good brand (the type I’m using in the picture) and is available at www.sissel-online.com.

Unilateral dumbbell lateral raises
Since the medial deltoid is most responsible for giving the shoulders a wide appearance, let’s now hit them with an isolation movement: lateral raises. To further enhance the focus and isolation, let’s do them one arm at a time.

Starting position: Begin by holding a dumbbell in one hand beside your hip and bracing yourself with the other hand. With lighter weights it works fine to brace against your own body as Michelle is doing in the picture. I find that as I use heavier dumbbells, it helps my stability if I brace against a fixed object like a pole or a weight rack.

The exercise: Start the movement by raising the dumbbell straight out to the side. As with scaption, stop when your arm is parallel to the ground, pause for a second lower, and lower the dumbbell to the starting position for a count of three.

Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions each.

Tip: When raising the dumbbell out to the side, resist the temptation to let your elbow point down and the thumb side of your hand go up. To keep the tension on the medial deltoid and not the stronger anterior deltoid, make sure to keep your elbow pointing straight behind you. In the top position, your wrist and elbow should be level and your thumb should not be higher than your pinky.

Tip: Make sure to avoid shrugging your shoulder with your traps when performing lateral raises. Doing so will rob your medial delts of vital stimulation.

Tip: Do not let the dumbbell come all the way down to your side between each rep. Keeping the dumbbell slightly away from your side at the bottom of the movement will keep tension on the working muscle.

Reverse flyes with external rotation
This movement will finish off our deltoid annihilation by hitting the posterior (rear) deltoids. As a bonus, the exercise will also hit the often neglected infraspinatus and teres minor muscles (two of the rotator cuff muscles). This will help to improve the posture, alignment and function of the shoulder joint.

Starting position: To get into position, lie face down on an incline bench set at an angle of about 30 degrees. Have a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your feet (pronated grip).

The exercise: Start the movement by raising the dumbbells toward the ceiling while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. As you approach the top, finished position of the movement, begin externally (a.k.a. laterally) rotating your arms as if you were attempting to make your palms face forward. Upon reaching the top position, pause for a full second to enhance the contraction of the working muscles before slowly returning to the starting position.

Perform three sets of 15 reps.

Tip: Select a light weight for this exercise, as your forms should be immaculate.

Tip: Keep the reps relatively high on this movement as your goal is to enhance the contractility and coordination of the working muscles, more than the strength.

Dumbbell shrugs
To finish off the entire shoulder region, let’s hit the upper traps. It would be equally valid to train upper traps with back. Generally speaking, however, if you’re going to train shoulders by themselves as well back by itself, I would even things out a bit by training upper traps with shoulders as it is a slightly easier workout than back.

As you’ll notice, these are not your garden variety dumbbell shrugs. I have tweaked the movement a bit to really hit the meatiest part of the upper traps—just behind the area of the traps that you see if you are looking at someone from the front.

Starting position: To position yourself for dumbbell shrugs the Dr. Clay way, stand with a dumbbell in each hand and lean forward slightly about 10 or 15 degrees.

The exercise: Begin the movement by shrugging your shoulders straight up toward the ceiling. It helps to imagine you’re trying to bring your shoulders together at a point just behind your head, not in line with your ears as with regular shrugs. Once you reach the top position, pause for a full second before slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position.

Perform one warm-up set of 15 followed by three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Tip: Avoid lowering the weight so low that it’s simply hanging from your arms with no tension on the working muscle. In other words, don’t go below a point lower than your normal standing posture.

Tip: To maintain your “cool” gym image, please don’t roll your shoulders backward or forward while doing this movement. Doing so is ineffective, slightly dangerous, and will let everyone within sight of you know that you have no idea what you’re doing.

Caution: Avoid jutting your chin forward or extending your neck while doing shrugs.

Caution: Lower the dumbbells slowly and under control. Do not let the weights fall rapidly from the top, contracted position. It not only reduces the effectiveness of the exercise, it could severely damage your cervical spine (neck) and/or the nerves that go to your arms and hands—both of which are not very cool.

From amNY.com

By Daisy Carrington, amNewYork Deputy Features Editor
dcarrington@am-ny.com

Maintaining one’s health and beauty is a real time consuming process. Sure, we’d all love to cram in 10 hours of cardio, strength training and yoga a week, but to do so is daunting when you’re also trying to hold down a full time job.

“With our busy schedules, it’s hard to find the time to consistently stick to a workout routine,” acknowledges Crunch trainer Felix Deleon. To make our lives a little easier, Deleon has designed a workout that combines exercises, one that he believes, “will cut your workout time in half.”

1. Lunge with lateral raise

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells and let your arms hang by your side. Lunge forward with your right leg. Your right knee should be at a right angle. While in a lunge position, laterally raise your dumbbells to shoulder height, keeping your arms parallel to the floor. Return to starting position and repeat with your left leg. Do three sets of 10 on each leg.

2. Squat with overhead press

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells out to the side with your elbows bent, so they are level with your ears. Squat down, keeping your back straight and not extending your knees past your toes. Stand and raise the dumbbells over your head. Return to the starting position. Do three sets of 10.

3. Lunge with bicep curl

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells and let your arms hang by your side. Lunge forward with your right leg. While in a lunge position, perform a bicep curl with both your arms. Remember to keep your elbows in towards your body. Return to starting position. Do three sets of ten on each leg.

4. Squat with front raise

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells and let your arms hang by your side. Squat down and lift the dumbbells out in front of your body, keeping your arms straight and parallel to the floor. Return to starting position. Do three sets of 10.

From exrx.net

Upright Row

Instructions

1) Grasp dumbbells and stand with palms facing front of thighs.

2) Pull dumbbells to front of shoulder with elbows leading. Allow wrists to flex as dumbbell rises upward. Lower and repeat.

Lateral Raise

Instructions

1) Grasp dumbbells in front of thighs. Bend over at hips slightly with knees bent.

2) With elbows slightly bent, raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. Maintain elbows’ height above or equal to wrists. Lower and repeat.

WebMD Feature from “Natural Health” Magazine

By Marianne McGinnis

These four a.m. exercises (two of which are done in bed) will warm your joints and energize your body.

What’s your first impulse when the alarm goes off on a frosty winter morning? To push the snooze button and duck back under the covers? If so—and if you’re late to work every morning because of it—try some wake-up moves instead. Designed by personal trainer Kathy Kaehler, these exercises improve your circulation and boost your energy. “The moves warm your joints and get your blood flowing, so you’ll feel alert and grounded all day long,” says Kaehler, former fitness expert for Today and author of Fit and Sexy for Life (Random House, 2007). Do this 15-minute routine regularly and you’ll also notice increased flexibility and strength—and fewer aches and pains.

Cat/Dog Stretch
Warms your back and abdominal muscles by gently extending and rounding your spine.

1. Get on your hands and knees on top of your bed—your head should be in line with your neck, and your back should be in a neutral position (neither sagging nor arching). Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward, and your knees are directly under your hips.
2. Inhale and slightly arch your back, letting your belly relax toward the mattress while pulling your shoulders back and lifting your tailbone toward the ceiling. Gaze forward, like a playful puppy.
3. Exhale and round your back toward the ceiling while tucking your chin and pointing the crown of your head toward the mattress, like a stretching cat.

Do each move 10 times.

Butterfly Circle
Warms and stretches the muscles of your back, abdominals, shoulders, and neck.

1. Lie on your left side in bed and bend your knees so your legs form 90-degree angles with your torso. Extend your arms in front of you until they’re perpendicular to your torso.
2. Take a deep breath, then exhale and contract your abdominal muscles. Inhale, then exhale and keep your arms straight and your legs bent as you roll onto your back and point your arms and knees toward the ceiling.
3. Without pausing, continue to roll over to your right side and bring your arms and legs down to the mattress. Repeat the move on the opposite side.

Do 10 repetitions.

Bed Dip
Strengthens your shoulders, triceps, and abdominal muscles.

1. Sit on the edge of your bed with your back straight and both feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. (If your bed is too high for your feet to reach the floor, do this move on a sturdy, heavy chair.) Rest your palms flat on the bed next to your thighs, fingertips facing forward.
2. Supporting yourself on your hands, walk your feet forward one to two feet. Then slide your hips off the mattress and support your body with your arms with your elbows slightly bent.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body, knees slightly bent, until your arms form 90-degree angles. Keep your shoulders back and down, your chest lifted, and your hips near the bed. Hold for one second. Press into your palms and rise back to your starting position.

Do 10 repetitions, rest, then do 10 more repetitions.

Bedroom Wall Sit
Strengthens your thighs, butt, lower back, and abdominal muscles.

1. Stand with your back against a wall and walk your legs out so they’re about two feet from the wall, feet hip-width apart.
2. Keeping your back against the wall, bend your knees and slide down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes. Hold for 10 seconds, then press your feet into the floor and slide back up to the starting position.

Repeat 2 more times.

From fitnessmagazine.com

Beginner Exercises

1. Resistance-Band Front Extensions

Stand on the center of a long resistance band with feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold an end of band in each hand at waist level.
Raise extended arms in front of your body to about chest level, palms facing down.
Slowly lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.

2. Single-Arm Lateral Raise

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, arms slightly bent.
Slowly raise right arm to shoulder height, without locking elbow.
Lower; repeat with left arm.
Keep alternating; do 8 to 10 times per side.

3. Upright Row

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in each hand in front of your hips, palms facing your body.
Lift elbows to shoulder height, bringing weights in front of your chest.
Hold for 3 counts and release.
Lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.

Intermediate Exercises

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Sit on a bench or chair with feet flat on floor.
Holding a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, lift weights to shoulders, palms facing out and elbows bent 90 degrees.
Slowly raise weights above your head.
Lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.

2. Stability Ball Flyes

Lie with chest on top of a stability ball, arms hanging down, a 5-pound weight in each hand and palms facing ball.
Extend arms out to sides at shoulder height, and squeeze shoulder blades together.
Lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.

3. Lateral Resistance-Band Raises

Stand on the center of a resistance band with your feet hip-width apart.
Holding an end of the band in each hand, cross band in front of legs.
Leading with your elbows, extend arms out to sides at shoulder height.
Keep elbows slightly bent throughout move.
Lower, crossing wrists in front of body; repeat 8 to 10 times.

Advanced Exercises

1. Reverse Chop

Stand with resistance band looped around left foot, feet shoulder-width apart, holding both ends in right hand.
Squat down, bringing right hand across top of left foot toward the outside.
As you stand, extend right arm diagonally across body, then above right shoulder.
Hold for 3 counts. Lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.
Switch sides and repeat.

2. Single-Leg Dumbbell Front Raises

Holding a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, stand with feet hip-width apart.
Bend your right leg and raise it about 3 inches off the floor.
Extend arms in front of your body at chest height, palms facing down.
Raise your left arm above your head; hold for 3 counts, then lower.
Repeat with right arm.
Alternate 8 to 10 times; switch legs and repeat.

3. Bent-Over Posterior Flye

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand with elbows bent 90 degrees at sides, palms facing in.
Bend forward slightly from your hips, then extend arms out to sides, leading with your elbows.
Be sure to squeeze your upper back and shoulders at the top of the move.
Lower and repeat 8 to 10 times.