Bigger & Stronger Delts

The key to building and strengthening your delts is to treat your shoulders better.

Your shoulders can move within a huge range of motion, and they’re more likely to get injured than other areas because there are so many different movement patterns that can occur. If you don’t take preventive measures, it can set you back with injuries and the time off you’ll have to take.

When you focus solely on hypertrophy (muscle growth) without any consideration for the stabilizing muscles, you careen down a path to instability, asymmetry and eventually injury. The more muscle you pack on your frame and the more weight you can lift, the more you need these vital stabilizers. Neglecting these smaller muscles is akin to framing a house before you pour the foundation: One stiff wind and your entire project will fold.

To get started on that foundation, you have to perform some exercises that initially will seem rather foreign. Unless you’re an advanced lifter, you’ve likely never done any direct shoulder-stability work, so be prepared for things to be a tad awkward at first.

When your results start to improve with these movements, however, so will your ability to execute every other shoulder exercise — along with your chest and back moves. Your size and strength will increase rapidly as a direct result of your improved coordination and newfound capacity for staying pain- and injury-free.

THE WORKOUT

EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Scapular Wall Slide	3	15
Scapular Push-Up	3	15
Standing Dumbbell Alternating Arnold Press	3	12
Staggered-Stance Lateral Raise	3	12
Dumbbell Squat/Clean Press	3	12

HOW TO DO IT

Perform the full workout above twice a week, on shoulder day in your training split. The stabilization exercises, however, can be performed more frequently. For example, work them in at the beginning of your chest and back workouts to enhance your range of motion, increase joint stability and strengthen weak areas in your shoulders’ stabilizing muscles. To increase the degree of difficulty, superset the stabilization exercises, then tri-set the three conventional dumbbell moves.

Moves and Tips to Build Best Abs

Use these techniques and exercises to start shredding some killer abs

Ab Training Tips

• Training them twice weekly without fail.
• Treating them like any other muscle group rather than an afterthought.
• Slowing the tempo and focusing on both the stretch and squeeze of each exercise.
• Adding more resistance to every abdominal movement so that fewer reps can be performed.
• Taking every set to failure.
• Finding a core of abdominal exercises that I personally “feel” the most and sticking with them.

Preferred Ab Exercises 

• Weighted Floor Crunches
• Cable Crunches
• Seated Crunch Machine
• Hanging Straight and Bent Leg Raises
• Incline Straight and Bent Leg Raises
• Lying Side Crunch
• Cable Side Crunch

This is an outline of the kind of program I 

POWER WEEK

• Weighted Floor Crunches (with up to a 120 lb. DB on my chest): 3-4 x 10-12
• Hanging or Supported Straight Leg Raise (with DB held between feet): 3-4 x 10-12

REP RANGE WEEK

• Cable Crunch: 2-3 x 12-15
• Incline Straight Leg Raise: 2-3 x 15-20
• Lying Side Crunch: 2-3 x 20-25 each side

SHOCK WEEK

• Dropset-Seated Crunch Machine: 2 x 15-20, drop, 8-10
• Superset-Hanging or Supported Bent Leg Raise/Incline Bent Leg Raise: 2 x 15-20 each
• Rest Pause-Cable Side Crunch: 1 x 12-15, rest 10 seconds…max reps, rest 20 seconds…max reps

Try this program yourself utilizing the same exercises I do, or better yet the ones you have personally found most effective. There is no magic formula behind building “bricks” for abs – what it takes is committing to treat them just like any other major muscle group.

Perfectly timed fat loss (Part 1)

Exercises vary in effectiveness depending on when you perform them. Match the right workout with the right time for maximum burning potential

The clock governs everything, your ability to burn fat included. To get the most from your workout you need to be in the right place at the right time, performing the right exercise. By doing just one of these workouts – each burning 500 calories – every day for a week, you’ll burn that excess body fat. It’s all in the timing.

7-9am: Attack your fat stores early

Advantage: stamina

Don’t hit the snooze button – you need to be out of bed nice and early to maximise your morning fat-burn. You’re up to 7% weaker when you wake, so it’s best to go for a long bout of steady-state cardio over more strenuous interval or weight sessions. Perform any one of the exercises below, maintaining a speed that’s about 65% of your maximum effort. A constant pace ensures you don’t tap out your energy reserves and can train for the set time-frame. You’ll be in and out with a 500-calorie deficit before breakfast.

Stationary bike 34 minutes
Elliptical trainer 36 minutes
Rower 43 minutes
Run 35 minutes

12-2pm: Mix it up on your lunch break

Advantage: increased lung capacity

You’re awake but you still won’t have reached your peak strength by midday. Your body’s aerobic capacity will have increased by 4%, so a mixture of intervals and resistance training is ideal for this time of day. Do your cardio first.

Interval training Warm up for 4 minutes. Then sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then go again. Go 7 times.
Weight training Do the exercises on the next post after another, resting for 1 minute between sets. Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions

5-7pm: Lift heavy when you're working late

Advantage: maximum strength

You may feel tired after a day’s work, but you’re at your strongest now. So go for a pure weights session. Perform a set of six reps with a weight heavy enough that you’re unable to keep lifting after the last rep. Research found it will burn more calories post-training than doing 12 reps of a lighter weight.

Weight training Do the exercises on the next post after another, resting for 1 minute between sets. Do 4 sets of 6 repetitions

The Best Running Shoes for Men

Best Road Running Shoe

Saucony Progrid Guide 5 ($100)

HEIGHT: 33.6 mm (heel); 24.8 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 10.2 oz (M); 8.4 oz (W)

Talk about a weight-loss program: The Guide 5 shed almost two ounces from its previous version, but didn't lose a shred of shock absorption. Tests showed that it's just as supportive as earlier models. Saucony got more with less by lowering the heel-to-toe drop (which testers say helped them run on their forefeet); and using lighter rubber on the outsole. Our only complaint: Shoelaces that are too long.

BOTTOM LINE: For many runners, the Guide 5 provides nearly as much as the Etonic DRP Epic, but in a lighter and more flexible shoe.

Best Shoe for Overall Comfort

Asics Gel Kayano ($150)

HEIGHT: 36.9 mm (heel); 26.9 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 11.7 oz (M); 9.7 oz (W)

Simply put, the Kayano is a titan. Over its 18 iterations the shoe has consistently performed well for many runners. This latest version earned higher scores than any other shoe in our test for comfort, cushioning, and stability. The shoe feels like a padded boxing glove that you can use to pound out mile after mile, pain-free. (Runners who've struggled with piriformis syndrome or chronic foot pain should enjoy the cushy, protected ride.) And testers raved about the fit—especially in the rearfoot, where a new external heel counter keeps a firm grip on your heel while wrapping your Achilles in cushy padding and soft fabric. Even with the addition, the Kayano is a half-ounce lighter than its previous version.

BOTTOM LINE: Surprisingly light, it delivers maximum protection.

Best Long-Distance Running Shoe

Brooks Trance 11 ($140)

HEIGHT: 36.0 mm (heel); 25.5 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 12.5 oz (M); 10.2 oz (W)
Brooks essentially has made three different versions of the Trance, each with a varying amount of foam density in the midsole. There's a firmer version for midsize guys (men up to a size 10.5 foot), and the even-bigger guys get the firmest, most dense foam of all. (Note: The cushioning and flexibility scores to the right reflect a men's size 9.) The result? Each pair of the Trance feels like it's made just for you. Because, in a way, it is.

BOTTOM LINE: A shoe suited for bigger runners with normal to flat arches.

Best Shoe for Beginners

Asics Gel Excel 33 ($120)

HEIGHT: 33.4 mm (heel); 24.5 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 10.7 oz (M); 9.0 oz (W)

It's rare that a shoe can provide this much cushioning and still be flexible. Usually, the extra padded protection makes the midsole hard to bend. But Asics placed deep flex grooves in the outsole of the Excel that allow runners of all sizes to bend the forefoot with ease, providing a smoother, more energy-efficient toe-off. The shoe doesn't have many stability features, which is great for high-arched runners who don't need motion correction.

BOTTOM LINE: High-arched runners who want a flexible forefoot, look here.

Best Shoe for Heavyset Runners

Mizuno Wave Creation 13 ($150)

HEIGHT: 36.6 mm (heel); 24.9 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 12.7 oz (M); 9.6 oz (W)

Are you a heavy-set runner looking for firm footing with each step? Then check out the Creation 13. It absorbs the weight of beefier runners without feeling mushy. That's due to a nontraditional midsole featuring two plastic plates separated by rubber shock absorbers. Many testers raved about the shoe's upper, which is extremely flexible and conforms to almost any foot type. One recurring complaint: Color bleeds from the shoe's fabric and stains socks.

BOTTOM LINE: Offers excellent stability and locks the arch snugly.

Best Minimalist Running Shoe

New Balance Minimus Zero ($110)

HEIGHT: 12.3 mm (heel); 10.7 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 6.1 oz (M); 4.6 oz (W)

The lightest shoe in this guide, the Minimus feels like a sock with an outsole. The synthetic mesh upper wraps the arch well, but opens up to provide a little breathing room through the toes. But it's not as wide as the other minimal shoes in this guide. The shape and fabric earned high marks from wear-testers for comfort. Only efficient runners should log a lot of miles in these shoes.

BOTTOM LINE: The Minimus Zero offers a barefoot-like experience; also works as a racing flat.

Best Shoe for the Money

Brooks Pure Flow ($90)

HEIGHT: 28.7 mm (heel); 24.8 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 9.0 oz (M); 7.1 oz (W)

You know when something just feels right? That's how a number of testers described their first run in the Flow. Runners with normal arches seemed especially fond of the fit—six normal-arched runners gave the Flow their highest-possible performance rating. Our tests attribute the love to high-quality foam in the midsole, which provides a comfortable, cushioned ride despite the shoe's low profile. The shoe is built on an "anatomical" last, meaning it has a roomy toebox that is designed to let your toes splay out naturally, as if you were barefoot. But the Flow isn't nearly as wide as other "natural" shoes like Altra's The Instinct.

BOTTOM LINE: A lightweight yet durable shoe that's a steal at its price point.

Best Shoe for Turning Heads

Asics Gel-Noosa Tri 7 ($120)

HEIGHT: 32.2 mm (heel); 21.9 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 10.3 oz (M); 8.5 oz (W)

We don't usually talk about a shoe's color, but—dang. The Noosa's flashy pigments are definitely a conversation starter. And did we mention the shoes glow in the dark? But once you get past the flash, this is a performance machine. It's lightweight, flexible, and supportive, and provides enough cushioning to cover any distance you take on. The Tri 7 is designed for triathletes and includes several tri-friendly features, like a sewn-in tongue and a comfortable, mostly seamless upper so you can wear it without socks. Extra ventilation helps keep your feet dry but can lead to chilly toes if you run in cold climates.

BOTTOM LINE: Light, cushioned—and snazzy for the competitive racer.

Best All-Around Running Shoe

Saucony PowerGrid Triumph 9 ($130)

HEIGHT: 34.1 mm (heel); 26.4 mm (forefoot)
WEIGHT: 11.0 oz (M); 9.4 oz (W)

Big guys, look no further. While the Triumph earned generally positive reviews from all who tested it, men weighing 170 pounds or more were especially enthusiastic about this shoe. Saucony added padding to the Triumph, giving the heavier runner a softer, more comfortable ride up front. The shoe also now has Sauc-Fit, which locks the foot on the platform for a better fit. But the change comes at a cost: This Triumph is a lot less flexible than previous versions. Slim striders may find the shoe not as responsive as it used to be; expect a tougher time getting the front of the shoe to bend with your toes.

BOTTOM LINE: Forefoot-strikers can expect more protection in this update.

Arm-strengthening Dumbbell Workout

The key to a strong, sleeve-filling upper body is nailing the perfect way to target each muscle, from hands to shoulders. Perform this circuit, trying not to rest between each exercise. After finishing the last exercise, recover for no more than 1 minute before repeating.

Concentration curl

Start by sitting with your knees a little wider than shoulder-width and   your feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and rest the back of your arm against your inner right thigh. Curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder; make sure your upper body is motionless. Do 8-12  reps, then switch sides.

Tricep Extensions

Sit up straight and grab a dumbbell with both hands. Raise it above your head so it's vertical and in line with your spine. Brace your core and lower the weight behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps; then press back up to the start, keeping your upper arms stationary. Perform 8-12 reps.

Wrist curl

Sit with your knees 2ft apart and feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms up, and lean forwards so your forearms rest on your thighs and wrists hang over your knees. Using your wrists only, curl the weights up as high as possible. Now rotate to a palms-down position and bend your wrists up. Do 12-15 each way.

Hammer curl

Sitting on the edge of a bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang by your sides. Keep your back straight and curl the weights up until your thumbs are near your shoulders. Squeeze, then lower. Now rotate your wrists so your palms face backwards and curl again. Do 8-12 reps, alternating grips.

Cross-shoulder extension

Lie back on an incline bench and hold a light dumbbell over your head in your left hand, palms facing in. Support the arm with your right hand. Bend your left arm to lower the weight to your right shoulder; don't bend your wrists. Raise it back up. Do 12 reps, then switch arms.

Standing scaption

Stand holding light dumbbells by your thighs with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms straight, then slowly raise them in front of you at eye level and point to the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions. Slowly lower back down again. Do 8-12 reps to cap off your arm muscle.

Vin Diesel Workout and Diet

His latest film Fast and Furious 6 will be releasing on May 24, 2013 starring Dwayne johnson. He actually has one of the most attainable bodies. He has a different workout from professional bodybuilders as he has to perform a lot of action sequences. If you are out of shape and want to build a body like Vin it probably seems very difficult.Let us look at his fitness training.

 

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: 102 kg (225 pounds)

Age: 45 years (in 2013)

Workout and Fitness Equipments

Vin has a workout plan of 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). On remaining 3 days he perform stretching or yoga exercises in these rest days. His workouts focus on every part of body (Chest, Back, Shoulder, Lower Body and Biceps/Triceps). With his broad shoulders and massive biceps, having a body like Diesel is every guy’s dream.

• Chest: Bench press (decline, flat, or incline), dips, flys (standing cable, incline).

• Back:Chin ups, pull ups, lat pull-downs , rows (seated or bent over)If you can only do one chin-up, try band assisted chin-ups or negative chin-ups.

• Shoulder:Overhead press, upright rows, lateral raises, rear deltoids raises.

• Lower body:Squats, dead-lifts, Romanian, hamstring curls, calf raises.

• Biceps and Triceps: Curls, triceps extensions - any variety you choose, any angle. 

Diet and Supplements 

For his diet Vin consumes 6 to 8 meals per day. He has a well toned body for which a good diet is very important. 

• The calorie intake should be accompanied with a gram of protein intake, multivitamins and omega-3 containing foods but only in small amounts. Organic protein sources include soy fortified foods and egg white. 

• To reduce the fat intake considering that most carbohydrates have fat, fiber, vegetables and fruits should be present in the meals. As Diesel asserts in his diet plan, fat gain is countered with muscle gain practices.

• To maintain a variety of meals, he also takes chicken run as a protein source. Usually, this is served with a variety of carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes. This should be an intake of 180 grams daily.

The Rock’s Workout Playlist

From Muscle & Fitnes

Eminem – Till I Collapse 

Living Colour – Cult of Personality

Tupac – Ghost

Metallica – Enter Sandman

Jay-Z – Moment of Clarity

Public Enemy – Can’t Truss It

Hank Williams Jr. – A Country Boy Can Survive

Trick Daddy – Where U From

Tupac – Hell 4 A Hustler

Godsmack – I Stand Alone

The Rock, Dwayne Johnson’s Workout Routine And Diet

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, used this workout routine while trying to trim down from 14 to 7% bodyfat for some of his Hollywood movie roles. He trained six days per week, resting on day seven.

• Chest, back, biceps, calves: 5 sets, 15-20 reps, 30 second rest periods
• Cardio: 5 minute warm-up, 12 minutes high intensity, 5 minute cool down

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

• Quads, hamstrings, shoulders, triceps: 5 sets, 15-20 reps, 30 second rest periods
• Cardio: 5 minute warm-up, 12 minutes high intensity, 5 minute cool down

The Rock Dwayne Johnson Sample Cutting Diet

• Meal 1: 10 scrambled egg whites, 3 servings cream of rice or 1 cup oatmeal, 3 rice cakes, 24oz water
• Meal 2: 6oz skinless grilled chicken breast, 1 cup grits, 6oz yams, 1 cup of steamed asparagus, 24oz water
• Meal 3: 6oz tuna, 1 cup brown rice, 1 sliced cucumber, 24oz water
• Meal 4: 6oz perch fillet, 1 cup barley, 6oz baked potato, 1 cup steamed green beans, 24oz water
• Meal 5: 6oz pork tenderloin, 1 cup brown rice, 6oz sweet potato, 1 cup peas, 24oz water
• Meal 6: 10 scrambled egg whites, 3 servings cream of rice or 1 cup oatmeal, 24oz water

The Rock Dwayne Johnson Sample Muscle Building Diet

• Meal 1 – 10 oz cod, 2 whole eggs, 2 cups oatmeal
• Meal 2 – 8 oz cod, 12 oz sweet potato, 1 cup veggies
• Meal 3 – 8 oz chicken, 2 cups white rice, 1 cup veggies
• Meal 4 – 8 oz cod, 2 cups rice, 1 cup veggies, 1 tbsp fish oil
• Meal 5 – 8 oz steak, 12 oz baked potato, spinach salad
• Meal 6 – 10 oz cod, 2 cups rice, salad
• Meal 7 – 30 grams casein protein, 10 egg-white omelet, 1 cup veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms), 1 tbsp omega-3 fish oil

The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, Muscle Building Workout Routine

This is a muscle building workout routine used by The Rock, Dwayne Johnson.

• Day 1 – Shoulders
• Day 2 – Back
• Day 3 – Legs
• Day 4 – Arms
• Day 5 – Chest

Day 1 – Shoulders

• Seated Military Press Machine – 3 sets x 21 reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Raise super set with Dumbbell Front Raise – 3 sets x 8 reps each
• Rear Delt Cable Raise – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Hammer Stength Shrug – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Four Way Neck Machine – 4 sets x 12 reps

Day 2 – Back

• Wide Grip Lat Pull Down – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Close Grip Lat Pull Down – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• One Arm Seated Row Machine – 4 sets x 12 reps
• Back Extension – 4 sets x 15, 15, 12, 12 reps

Day 3 – Legs

• Leg Press – 4 sets x 25, 20, 18, 16 (Last set is drop set)
• Smith Machine Lunge – 4 sets x 8 reps per leg
• Lying Leg Curl – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
• Standing Calf Raise – 6 sets x 16 reps (Last set is drop set)

Day 4 – Arms

• Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Preacher Machine Curl – 6 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 21, 21 reps (*Last 2 sets are 21s)
• Cable Tricep Extension – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 20 reps
• Overhead Cable Extension – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 20 reps
• One Arm Reverse Grip Tricep Extension – 2 sets x 15 reps

*21s are 7 uppwer half partial reps, 7 lower half partial reps and 7 full reps.

Day 5 – Chest

• Incline Dumbbell Press – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Dumbbell Bench Press – 5 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Cable Crossover – 4 sets x 12 reps
• Push Ups – 4 sets x 15 reps (superset with crossovers)

Abs are performed twice a week – weighted Swiss ball crunches, 4 sets x 25 reps.