Injury-Proof Your Workout

November 17th, 2009 No Comments

By Men’s Health AU

Avoid six sports-related scrapes and sores with these simple tweaks.

FITNESS SHOULD BOOST your body, not break it down. But physical pressure, friction and tension can easily lead to nagging injuries if you’re not careful. Adjust your approach with this guide.

Problem: Burning eyes from swimming

Cause: Even if you suction-pumped your goggles to your eye sockets, chlorine-infused water could still infiltrate during your flip turns.

Fix: Before kicking off the wall, squeeze your outstretched arms against your ears and lead with the top of your head. “This creates a hole in the water that your body can flow through,” says swimming coach Richard Quick. You’ll minimise drag and keep your goggles glued down.

Problem: Discomfort from the squat bar
Cause: The metal bar, combined with the pressure of the weight and insufficient cushioning, can rub the bony vertebra at the base of your neck.

Fix: Position the bar about two centimetres lower than you usually would, to take pressure off the bony protrusion, says Joseph Warpeha, director of the exercise physiology laboratories at the College of St. Scholastica in the US.

If the bar has no padding, wrap a gym towel around it or swap it for a pair of dumbbells.

Problem: Tender skin after pull-ups

Cause: The portion of thicker flesh just below your fingers jams beneath the pressure of the bar, pinching with every shift in weight.

Fix: To reduce impact, “slide your hand up to the bar to push the fleshy part down and out of the way”, says Sean Collins, physical therapy chairman at the University of Massachusetts. Be sure to grip the bar at the crease where your fingers meet your palms, and then wrap your fingers around it.

Problem: Bloody boxing knuckles

Cause: Skilled boxers throw punches fast and frequently. But your skin doesn’t always toughen as quickly as your muscles do.

Fix: Build tolerance by hitting the bag harder but less frequently and for shorter periods, explains Dr Julien Baker, a professor of applied physiology at the University of Glamorgan in Wales.

For example, if you usually punch for three minutes at 50 per cent strength, try one minute at full strength until your knuckles can last longer.

Problem: Tennis thumb blisters

Cause: You have those nasty fluid bubbles because you’re gripping your racquet too hard, causing friction between your skin and the handle.

Fix: Relax your hand. You’ll hit with surprisingly greater racquet speed while reducing post-match pain, says Dr Kris Berg, professor of exercise physiology at the University of Nebraska in the US. You can increase your sessions to Nadal-like lengths after your skin develops tolerance.

Problem: Deadlift shin scrapes

Cause: The rough gripping area of the bar (called the knurling) drags against your legs as you lift, grating your skin.

Fix: Before lift-off, “position your shoulders in front of the bar and your shoulderblades directly over the bar”, says Dr Alexander Koch, an associate professor of health and exercise sciences at Truman State University in the US. You’ll avoid pulling the bar into your shins, resulting in a cleaner, safer lift.

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Cardio Sins

November 17th, 2009 No Comments

By Mens Health AU

Work out where your workout went wrong

1. EATING THE BAR

The high-kilojoule content of energy bars mean you burn the bar first, not your fat cells.

Solution: “Eat a low-kilojoule meal like an apple and a low-fat yoghurt before hand,” says sports nutritionist Ben Jones.

2. RUNNING ON EMPTY
 This doesn’t mean you start burning fat tissue instead; it just means you haven’t got the energy to do effective cardio.

Solution: “Eat an hour before training, then you’ll have digested enough to give you energy and start burning fat,” says nutrition consultant Ellen Coleman.

3. LAYERED WORKOUTS
 Any weight lost due to working out beneath multiple layers is merely dehydration.

Solution: “Do high-intensity cardio in loose clothing at room temperature,” says personal trainer Dan Fivey.

4. KEEP ON RUNNING
 Low-intensity workouts don’t test your cardiovascular system.

Solution: Interval training “Alternating sprints and walks is one of the best heart rate raising cardio moves,” says Fivey. “It’ll burn, on average, 668 kilojoules in 10 minutes at high intensity.

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THE NO-GYM, NO EXCUSES WORKOUT

November 17th, 2009 No Comments

By Mens Health AU

Incinerate fat and pack on muscle without lifting a weight

Let’s start with a few assumptions. You don’t have the luxury of spending hours in a gym. You don’t have much workout equipment at home. You’ve found it hard to stick with an exercise plan over the long term.

Welcome to the club. But we’ve found the solution: it’s called the Bodyweight 200 (the 200 stands for the number of repetitions you do), and it addresses all those obstacles. In fact, you need only two items – a Swiss ball and a chin-up bar – to perform this 20-minute, total-body routine designed by certified strength and conditioning specialist Craig Ballantyne, owner of TurbulenceTraining.com. So you can do it pretty much anywhere. And while a weight-free workout may sound easy, the Bodyweight 200 will challenge every muscle in your body.

Best of all, you can start today. And why wouldn’t you? Now that you have this workout, you’re all out of excuses.

The Bodyweight 200

This 12-station, 200-repetition program burns fat and builds muscle – in about 60 minutes a week

DIRECTIONS:
 Do this workout three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for example. Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing one set of each movement for the prescribed number of reps. Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest for one minute and repeat the circuit.

The Workout

1 Prisoner squats (30 reps)
2 Push-ups (30 reps)
3 Jumps (10 reps)
4 Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)
5 Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)
6 Step-ups (20 reps)
7 Pull-ups or chin-ups (5 reps)
8 Forward lunges (30 reps)
9 Tucked-elbow push-ups (20 reps)
10 Inverted rows (15 reps)
11 Prisoner squats (15 reps)
12 Chin-ups (5 reps)

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The 5-Second Muscle Test

November 17th, 2009 No Comments

By Mens Health AU

A crucial but often overlooked aspect of weight training is the pace at which you lift. Certified sports and conditioning specialist Bill Hartman uses this simple test to spot weaknesses and help men increase the amount of weight they can hoist. Take the test as you perform a squat or a bench press

THE TEST

Do a typical warm-up. Estimate a weight you can lift only once, and lift 60 per cent of that for five reps. Then lift 70 per cent (three reps), and 80 per cent (one rep). Now do your one-rep max (1RM), noting the time it takes to lower and raise the weight.

If you take more than five seconds . . . . . . you may lack explosive strength. Work on lifting faster to increase the elasticity of your muscles and tendons. Perform the following workout once or twice a week for 4-6 weeks. 1. Using half of your 1RM weight from the test, time how long it takes you to lift that weight for five reps. Add one second to that time. That’s your target time. For example, if your 1RM max is 90 kilograms, you’d lift 45kg for five reps. And if those five reps take you 7.5 seconds total, your target time is 8.5 seconds. 2. Add weight to the barbell in 2-5kg increments, and try to perform five reps with each weight within a time faster than your target time. For example, you’d do five reps at 50kg, then 55kg and so on. Rest for 60-90 seconds between sets. 3. Perform as many sets of increasing weight as possible. When you can no longer perform five reps faster than your target time, the exercise is over for the day.

If you take less than 5 seconds… Your muscles and tendons already move fast, so increase the amount of weight you can lift. To do that follow the workouts in this chart on separate days. They focus on lowering reps and adding weight. Rest 2 to 5 minutes between sets.

WEEK WORKOUT 1 (sets/rep) WORKOUT 2
1 65%* 4/6 72% 4/6
2 70% 4/6 77% 3/6
3 75% 3/6 82% 5/4
4 80% 4/4 87% 5/3
5 85% 4/3 90% 4/2
6 92% 2/2 95% 4/2
7 85% 3/2 Off
8 Retest your 1RM
  • This indicates the percentage of your 1RM from the test. If your max was 90kg, your first lift in week 1 is 65 per cent of 90kg, which is 58.5kg.
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Shake up your Cardio!

November 17th, 2009 No Comments

By Women’s Health

When you’re bored with working out, it’s tempting to just bail. Our three-pronged routines will keep you amped.

There’s a reason triathletes look so fabulous: By combining three events, they get the results of each—a swimmer’s cut shoulders, a cyclist’s toned legs, and a runner’s lean physique. But you don’t have to go hardcore for those perks. These four cardio plans will freshen up your workout, and you can finish each in 30 minutes or less. Do one three times a week on nonconsecutive days, says Karl Scott, a private trainer at The Sports Club/LA in New York City.

The Triathlon Trainer
A triple play that gets fast results
Do it: Pedal a bike at a moderate pace—an effort level of 5 or 6 (you’re working hard but can still carry on a conversation)—for 10 minutes. Next, run either outside or on a treadmill for 10 minutes, again at an effort level of 5 or 6. Last, head to the pool or a rowing machine and put in 10 minutes at the same effort level.

The Full-Body Toner
Combines strength moves and cardio for maximum fat-blasting
Do it: Jump rope for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds; do 5 sets. Then perform 2 sets of this 5-minute body-weight circuit: squats, pushups, step-ups, dips, and crunches . Do as many reps of each exercise as you can in 1 minute, moving to the next without rest. Finish with a 10-minute jog at a medium pace.

The Power Booster
This interval workout builds speed, power, and lower-body tone.
Do it: Pick three cardio machines with adjustable resistance and do the following on each: Warm up for 2 minutes at a medium pace. For the first interval, raise to max effort by upping the resistance and/or incline, keeping the pace steady; go for 30 seconds, then recover at warmup pace for 2 minutes. Do 2 intervals per machine. Finish on one machine before moving to the next.

The Calorie Scorcher
Challenges your cardiovascular system and strengthens your body
Do it: Choose any three cardio machines. On the first one, go for 10 minutes at an effort level of 5 or 6. Move immediately to the next machine and go hard, at an effort level of 9 or 10—you should just barely be able to huff out words—for another 10 minutes. Finally, switch to the last machine and do 10 minutes at a 5 or 6 effort.

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Ironmaster Super Bench Review

November 10th, 2009 No Comments

If you’re ready to step-up to a real adjustable weight bench that will grow with you as your needs change and your strength grows, the Super Bench is what you’ve been searching for…

I’ve spent a lot of time looking for the perfect weight bench for our home gym (that doubles as my wife’s personal training studio) that can handle anything I can throw at it, and I’ve finally found it in the Super Bench.

At first glance the Super Bench looks rather ordinary, but don’t let the utilitarian appearance fool you.

I equate my first reaction of seeing the Super Bench to what it must be like walking past Clark Kent on the busy streets of Metropolis.

There’s nothing flashy about it, nothing noteworthy. Nothing that says, “Hey! – look at me over here”. It just kind of blends into the crowd.

But once you stop to look a little closer, you realize that the basic super bench is a powerhouse in disguise.

Just like Clark Kent when he dons the Superman Cape and whoops up on the bad guys, the Ironmaster Super Bench makes its own transformation (with the help of of modular attachments) into an imposing force I’d throw up against any home gym on the market.

Super Bench Attachments

So what’s so great about a few attachments on a weight bench? I’ll tell you.

Imagine being able to perform ab exercises, pull-ups, bar dips, preacher curls, leg exercises, back exercises and more without having to spend thousands of dollars on some home gym monstrosity that takes up your whole basement.

The Super Bench can be loaded with as many different attachments as you choose, and they’re available for a very reasonable cost ala carte.

Just need a simple bench without anything fancy? Done, get the basic Ironmaster Super Bench.

Want to get a great upper body workout too? Add the pull-up tower and dip bars for two of the most result producing exercises every created.

At this point you may be thinking, “those attachments are great and all, but how does the Ironmaster perform as a stand alone bench”?

The answer to that is, it’s the best home weight bench I’ve found – and that’s saying a lot coming from me.

Ironmaster Super Bench Specs

  • 11 lock out angles: Inclines, Declines, Flat and Upright. 0, 5,10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 85 degrees.
  • 1000 lb rated, 11 & 12 gauge super strong steel frame. (600 lb rated for incline/upright positions.)
  • Unique adjustment ring with foot lever adjust operates from both sides and locks up tight! Patented design.
  • Ultra stable strong platform in all positions yet is easy to lift and move with wheels.
  • 44” x 10” x 3” commercial grade pad and stitched vinyl upholstery.
  • 18.75″ x 41″ frame footprint.
  • 20” flat bench height.
  • The 3 position incline seat is narrower than the backrest pad so it does not cut into the inside of your legs and you can move the seat up or down for optimum comfort. Seat height from the floor in the upright position is 16″, 14″ or 12″. Backrest pad is 31″ above the seat in the highest position.
  • Incline seat follows backrest pad at any angle so it will always be perpendicular unlike other benches where the seat can have a shallow angle allowing the user to slide off.
  • Accepts a growing list of optional attachments like the Crunch Situp, Dip Bar Handles and Chin Up Bar.
  • Ships pre-assembled except for feet so you can start lifting in just a few minutes.

The specifications listed above may not mean much to the typical home gym user, or it may make your eyes glaze over when you read the technical mumbo-jumbo so I’ll tell you what it means in plain English.

Summary

Ironmaster has created a home weight bench that doesn’t cut corners on construction and durability (commercial grade pad, 11 gauge steel frame), is a complete home gym system (just add attachments), is easy to adjust (11 angles with easy foot lever adjustment), is comfortable to use (20″ height, narrow incline seat) and ships pre-assembled so you don’t have to schedule an entire night to put the thing together (like you will with a home gym).

The bottom line on the Super Bench is this, if you need a home weight bench that can do it all and won’t break the bank!!!

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Leverage Your Mass

November 10th, 2009 No Comments

Reprinted from IRON MAN Magazine, April 2001

LEVERAGE YOUR MASS

How you can push harder to pack on muscle faster
By Ken Domzalski

The word leverage has numerous meanings in everyday life, such as “influence,” “power” and “authority.” In the strength-training industry it’s associated primarily with weight-training machines.

A Brief History

Although levers have been used in weight training for many years-the T-bar apparatus is essentially a lever arm built into a basic frame structure-it wasn’t until the early 1980s that the first full line of leverage machines was developed. It consisted of approximately 10 machines that simulated mainly compound exercises, such as bench presses, squats and dips. The machines were developed for the gym market and were popularized in places like Gold’s Gyms and Bally’s health clubs. A number of NFL teams were the first to use them.
The initial results were extremely positive. Over the next few years a number of commercial strength-equipment companies also released lines of leverage machines, and soon hundreds of gyms were incorporating them into their facilities.

For almost 20 years such machines have only been available in commercial gyms. Fortunately, they’re now becoming readily available for home use.
Before leverage machines were introduced, there were two traditional methods of strength training. The most common was barbells and dumbbells, otherwise known as free weights, and the other was conventional weight-stack machines, which moved via cables, belts, pulleys and cams. Both types of equipment can successfully produce gains in strength and muscular development, but they also have their limitations. Free-weight exercises, while providing a natural, free-form type of resistance, can also cause an uncontrolled, at times even sloppy, exercise performance through the full range of motion. While you can progress and grow using barbells and dumbbells, the lack of control, balance and stability can be wasteful and even dangerous, especially if you’re using heavy weights without assistance.

Another pitfall with free-weight training is the fact that, if you’re working out alone, you can’t push the muscle to true failure, which can only occur on the last few heavy repetitions of a set. In order for real growth to take place, you need to work to that type of maximum level on each set. If you don’t have a spotter, chances are you won’t attempt the last one or two key repetitions needed for growth. If you do and you fail, you may become trapped by the barbell, which can be a serious situation, as I’m sure many of you have discovered.
While the conventional machine solves some of those problems, it also has shortcomings.

The traditional machines used in the circuit-training area of gyms or in typical multistation home gyms generally incorporate a pin-selected weight stack as the resistance, which is driven by a cable-and-pulley operation. Some machines also use a cam or tension arc device. They all tend to limit you because they follow a predetermined, sometimes restricted range of motion that can vary in terms of function and resistance. In addition, any type of cable or belt-driven machine is going to cause some friction and drag that takes away from the natural feel of pure resistance you experience with free weights, which can limit your gains.

Creating the Perfect Training Tool

The first step in the development of leverage machines was to pick the most effective free-weight exercises. A frame-and-bench structure was engineered to put the user into the correct position, and a lever arm with a fulcrum was built into the frame. The lever arm had a certain length, and the pivot was set at a particular height in order to duplicate the precise arc, or range of motion, that you work through with the barbell. Weight plates were then loaded near the hand grips to re-create the same natural resistance you experience with a barbell or dumbbell. There are no cables, pulleys, cams or friction. The result is quite simple and basic: The lever arm replaces the barbell while ensuring control and safety. It’s the perfect combination of free weight and machine.

Faster Gains With Leverage

Leverage machines have successfully produced accelerated gains in overall muscular size and strength. They can do that because they provide the same natural gravity forces as a barbell or dumbbell. That type of raw, pure resistance is the most effective means of force against the muscle. We know free-weight training works, but, as discussed above, it has limitations. Leverage machines, because they safely control the exercise at all times, allow you to push the muscle to total failure. That’s the reason leverage is the superior form of anaerobic strength training and why thousands of bodybuilders and pro athletes use these machines every day.

Until recently, you could only find leverage machines at your gym.

Three factors are involved in gaining strength and size with leverage machines. One is the workout itself, the second is proper nutrition, and the third is rest. All are equally important. Proper nutrition feeds and energizes your body to work and grow. The body needs ample rest between workouts for muscle tissue to recover and rebuild. That leaves the workout. So the question is, How often and how much should you train? Bodybuilders are bombarded with thousands of routines, most of which only add to the confusion.

The fact is, training for strength and size is very simple and always has been. You don’t need hours in the gym and multiple sets upon multiple sets to get results. You actually need very little. Quality, not quantity, is the key. Research has proven that a very brief, 20-to-30-minute workout with maximum effort and at least 48 to 72 hours between sessions will produce substantial gains in muscular strength, which produces growth. It takes only a handful of basic exercise and one set to failure. That is where leverage machines offer an advantage. It’s truly difficult for most people to push to failure with other methods. Leverage machines allow you to work to your maximum.
Guidelines

1) Perform two to three sessions per week with a minimum of 48 to 72 hours between workouts.
2) Choose only one to two exercises per muscle group.
3) Perform only one set per exercise and work each set to failure.
4) Perform six to 10 repetitions per set. When you reach 10, increase the weight for your next workout, which should take you back to six reps.
5) Use the following eight-second rep count: two-second positive, two-second hold in the contracted position, four-second negative.
6) Use the following routines, switching from one to the other every so often.
Choose one of the following warmup exercises to begin each session and do 20 repetitions at a faster pace: squats, chest presses or lat pulldowns. Take one week off from training every two months to allow your muscles the full recovery necessary for continued growth and progress.

Total-Body Routine

Take at least three days’ rest between workouts.

1) Leverage squats (thighs, hamstrings, buttocks)
2) Leverage leg extensions or leg curls (thighs, hamstrings)
3) Leverage calf raises (calves)
4) Leverage chest presses or flyes (pectorals)
5) Leverage dips (triceps, pectorals)
6) Leverage shoulder presses (deltoids)
7) Leverage shrugs (traps, deltoids, back)
8) Leverage lat pulldowns, rows (back)
9) Leverage arm curls (biceps, forearms)
10) Leverage crunches (abdominals)
Split-Body Routine

Take two to three days’ rest between workouts.

Session 1
1) Leverage chest presses
2) Leverage flyes
3) Leverage dips
4) Leverage shoulder presses

Session 2
1) Leverage squats
2) Leverage leg extensions
3) Leverage leg curls
4) Leverage crunches

Session 3
1) Leverage shrugs
2) Leverage lat pulldowns
3) Leverage rows
4) Leverage arm curls

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Powertec Workbench Leverage Gym Review

November 10th, 2009 No Comments

Powertec Leverage Gym Review

The Powertec Leverage System Home Gym packs some serious muscle building exercises into a reasonably compact work area.

If you’ve never heard of Powertec Home Gyms, you will soon. I hadn’t heard of them before about 4 years ago when I was shopping for a leg press machine for my home gym.

I researched all of the popular brands and models I had previous experience with and then almost by accident stumbled across the Powertec website.

I was impressed to say the least, that explains why I bought their leverage squat machine, and leverage bench press machine to boot…

Anyway, on to the Powertec Leverage System Gym review.

The first thing you will notice about the Leverage System is that it doesn’t look like a traditional home gym. It’s black and yellow, it has weird lever arms on it, and it doesn’t have a weight stack attached to it.

But don’t be fooled by its’ odd appearance, because that’s where the real genius of the Leverage system gym lies, you just need to look a little deeper under the hood.

The adjustable height lever arm on the gym replaces the use of barbells making leverage a very safe and effective form of strength training – great for people who train alone o at odd hours and don’t have a training partner.

You can perform over 20 exercises on the Powertec Leverage Gym. And not just 20 old exercises they could think up, but 20 of the best exercises you can do to build muscle like rows, bench press, full squats and dead lifts to name a few…

The gym comes standard with three lat accessory bars, a lever arm and an optional arm curl attachment (don’t really need it, get a curl bar for $30 bucks instead).

The frame is built of tough 3″ heavy gauge tubular steel and the seating surface is super density foam padding, just like you’ll find on the machines at the health club, so you know it will take a beating.

The only drawback to the Powertec Leverage System Gym is that you’ll have to supply your own Olympic weights, but if you’re serious about your strength training that shouldn’t be a big deal, as this gym is a relative steal at under $1690…

Powertec Workbench Leverage Home Gym

Powertec Workbench Leverage Home Gym

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Go Fish

November 10th, 2009 No Comments

You’ve mastered meat, conquered chicken, and maybe even vanquished vegetables. So why are so many men still floundering with fish? Our comprehensive primer will gut the intimidation factor and have you cooking the world’s most powerful protein with the skill of a seafaring chef.
By Claudine Ko, Men’s Health.

Fish may be the healthiest food on the planet, but that’s just one of the benefits of eating it. There is no protein that’s quicker, more adaptable, and easier to cook than a spanking-fresh hunk of fish.

Too many men view this meat as a tricky ingredient that’s destined to turn to leather, or mush, despite their best culinary efforts. (Discover the 10 other best foods you’re not eating.) But with help from four of the greatest seafood chefs ever to wield a boning knife, we’ll prove that you, too, can cook truly amazing fish tonight. Learn a handful of shopping rules and master a few basic techniques, and you can bake, braise, saute, grill, and poach your way through the entire fish case with the confidence of a man raised on the tides. Go ahead—take the plunge.

How to buy great fish

No matter how deep or how limited your culinary prowess, your result depends totally on the quality of the fish you’re working with. Follow these tips to secure the perfect catch. And then complete the meal with a great side: Learn how to pick the best produce in your supermarket, and everything will taste extraordinary.

The ultimate fish finder

Tuna: “Tuna is never brown,” says Ripert. “It should be bright red. An artificial-looking, pinkish color means they’re putting a preserving gas on it.” Avoid overfished bluefin tuna; opt for U.S. Atlantic-caught yellowfin instead. Substitutes: mackerel, mahi mahi

Salmon: “A perfect salmon smells like cucumber,” says Michael Cimarusti. “The fat has to be white. Yellow fat means it’s old,” says Ripert. Salmon has many natural colors, from pink (coho) to red (sockeye and fatty king salmon) to off-white. Farmed fish are often fed artificial pigments to give them an orange or pink hue. Substitutes: Arctic char, mackerel, herring

Trout: An extremely fresh fish stays flat, not floppy, when held out horizontally. Whole trout should be covered in a natural, clear, slick film. The fish’s eyes should be bright and protruding. Substitutes: sablefish, carp, salmon

Striped bass: Fish from cold waters are more fatty because of those lower temperatures. And they should be a bright, translucent white. If found in warmer waters, they have less fat and the blood is darker. To help avoid exposure to pollutants, opt for farmed striped bass, which is designated as cleaner than wild. Substitutes: snapper, black sea bass, cod

Swordfish: The flesh is typically white or tinged with pink, but not beige. The portions of dark meat in fillets should be red, not brown. Due to high mercury levels, limit consumption of it to once a week. Avoid imported swordfish; its high level of bycatch (unwanted caught fish) harms the environment. Substitutes: mahi mahi, sturgeon

Halibut: “A perfect halibut has the smell of aluminum,” Cimarusti says. Alaskan halibut is snow-white; Eastern halibut is off-white to translucent white. Avoid fillets with patches of discoloration and cracks in the flesh, which signifies poor handling. Substitutes: pacific cod, striped bass (farmed), turbot

When to buy great fish

There are no universally good or bad days to buy fish. So strike preemptively by finding out when your favorite fish is being delivered, and plan your night around it. After all, you should never cook a Friday fish on a Sunday.

What do I look for?

Just because you walked into a shop with your mind set on poaching salmon doesn’t mean you should buy the salmon. The catch of the day might be incredible local swordfish or tuna. The point is, base your choice on freshness, not on a predetermined recipe.

Next, examine the fish closely. The eyes should be clear, not cloudy. Though fish shouldn’t be really bloody, any blood should be bright red. And so should the gills. Now take a whiff. “Fish shouldn’t smell like fish,” says Ripert, who rejects up to 20 percent of the fish delivered to Le Bernardin each day. “It should smell like the ocean, but not at low tide.” Scales should be difficult to pull off, flesh should bounce back to the touch (as opposed to leaving a lasting, rotten impression), and the belly shouldn’t be soft and bloated.

And in many cases, choose wild instead of farmed fish. Not only can farmed fish be higher in pollutants, but “it just doesn’t taste as good as wild fish,” says Ripert. (If you find that surprising, click here to discover 30 health food frauds.)

Whole fish or fillets?

Roasting or grilling fish whole yields a rich succulence that’s hard to achieve with fillets. “Have the fishmonger scale the fish and remove the entrails very carefully,” says Bartolotta. If you prefer fillets, buy the fish whole and have it broken down; about a pound of whole fish per serving will do the trick. Why? Because it’s easier to gauge freshness with a whole fish. Final words of wisdom from Ripert: “If you cook the fish and your kitchen stinks, don’t ever go back to that market.”

Skin or no skin?

You’re either a skin guy or you’re not. We’re skin guys. That’s because skin helps insulate the flesh, keeping it moist during high-heat cooking, like grilling and broiling. Plus, the skin can house some dense deposits of omega-3s. If it’s crispy skin you seek, go with striped bass (farmed), red snapper, or salmon, and use a nonstick pan to help keep the fillet intact. Skin or not, be sure to pat your fish dry before cooking it; removing the moisture ensures even caramelization.

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Build an NFL Body

November 10th, 2009 No Comments

Use this gridiron-inspired workout to become bigger, faster, and stronger in just 4 weeks!

Few sports demand the same strength, speed, and agility that are needed to succeed in the NFL. But these skills don’t just benefit the men who play on Sundays. Any man can increase his strength and pack on new muscle if he combines the right mix of exercises. That’s what I’ve found in my experience as the executive director of Proactive Sports Performance and as the off-season strength coach for Indianapolis Colts Pro-Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney.

Here’s your game plan: This routine uses exercises that incorporate multiple muscles, so you can lift heavier weights. It’s designed to shred fat, add new muscle, and improve your athleticism — which is why NFL stars like Freeney, Terrell Suggs, Antonio Cromartie, and Keith Bulluck train with me. Work at a higher intensity, and you’ll see that impressive gains are just a snap away.


The Lean Machine Plan
Transform your body with this routine, a modified version of the one used by Colts star Dwight Freeney

Directions
Perform this workout 3 days a week, making sure you rest at least 1 day between sessions. Alternate among exercises of the same number (1A, 1B, and 1C, for example) until you complete all the sets in that group. In other words, do 1 set of exercise 1A and follow it up with 1 set of 1B, and so on. Don’t move on to the next number until you’ve finished all the prescribed sets. Complete 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise. Once you can perform more than 12 reps, add more weight to make the exercises more difficult.

Warmup
Before starting the workout, do 3 warmup sets each of the dumbbell power squat and the dumbbell bench press. Use 50 to 60 percent of your 8-rep max and then gradually add to the weight you use on each set, making sure your final set is no more than 80 percent of the max weight you’ll lift during the workout. Perform 10, 10, and 5 reps during the warmup.

Rest periods
For exercises 1A to 1C, rest 45 seconds after each exercise and then 2 minutes before repeating the entire sequence.

For exercises 2A to 4B, rest 1 minute after each exercise in the sequence.

Men’s Health

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