Tag Archive for: push/pull circuit

3 fitness products currently on the shelves!

If you’re into fitness, chances are you might be aware of the ton of fitness products on the market. Most are hacks, some are good, and very few are great. Either way, a lot of people are making a lot of money in the fitness products industry. I’m pushing a few products myself, and therefore, I am always on the lookout to see what’s selling, what new products are hitting the shelves, how they’re marketing them, etc.

Here are some products I’ve recently noticed out there.

You know how I really like those Bowflex adjustable dumbbells? I’ve tried the few other competitors and feel strongly that the Bowflex are the only ones to get because of their great design, smooth operation and ease of use.

But now, Weider has introduced the Speed Weight 100’s. They are a pair of 50 lb. dumbbells that adjust even quicker and easier than the Bowflex, just like their name indicates! You simply turn the handle itself once the dumbbell is in its caddy. Very smooth operation, it never got caught or stuck when I tried all of the different weights.

They sell for $499, while the Bowflex 552,s are selling for $399 at the moment (they used to be more expensive). But they only go up to 50 lb, very close to the Bowflex 52 pounders.

The Bowflex beat it by a tiny 2 lb for $100 less. Now, like I’ve mentioned before, I would not get the 552’s anyway—I would get the 1090’s (10-90 lbs – $599) since I’m not going to do much with 5 lb weights anyway. And 52 lbs is not enough for bent over rows or bench press unless you’re a girl and/or just starting out, in which case the 552’s might suffice, but if you have the money, just go for the bigger ones.

 

As for which of the smaller dumbbells to get—Bowflex 552’s or Weider Speed Weight 100’s—I’d say, try them out and see if Weider’s smooth and simpler adjustment mechanism warrants the extra $100. It might! (they’re pretty damn smooth)

 

You may have heard of TheRack or seen it on TV. This senior walker look-alike is actually pretty useful for some exercises but definitely not everything they claim or demonstrate.

Great for dips, deep pushups, handstand pushups, elevated feet pushups, body rows (haha they call them “extreme pullups”), ab roller (has wheels) and reverse ab roller (lower abs, knees to chest).

Retarded for their claims of shoulder press, bicep curls and specially retarded for “power squats”. Really, “POWER” squats with a 23 lb weight? Your leg itself weighs more than that!

But again, it might be worth it if you don’t have anywhere else to do dips. I also like the body rows capabilities and the rolling capabilities is what took it to the “might” category for me.

You can get TheRack here for $129.

We all know that Jillian Michaels is a household name in fitness for women, and I’m sure you’ve seen mma champ, George St. Pierre’s RUSHFIT advertised all over the place as well, right?

Well, they’ve teamed up to sell even more product. Best of both worlds, right? Dudes wanting to get a body like a UFC fighter so they can impress the ladies, as well as the ladies who idolize Jillian will totally pee their pants when they see this. Just imagine all of that pee all over the Target isles.

I don’t care for the DVD’s, but this product is basically another suspension system like the Jungle Gym which I own and love. Target sells Rip:60 for $99 or you can get it sent to your home for practically the same price. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE in the rip:60 is its rotational function. The strap is basically threaded through a pulley at the top instead of being stuck up there so you can smoothly pull one strap to raise the other, or pull both at the same time like the other suspensions systems. See the pic of George doing that pulling move on the box up there? That’s what he’s doing; pulling one handle while retracting the other. Also good for doing that pull/retract thing with the legs as you can see in their demo vids.

But I’d just get the Jungle Gym for half the price unless you’re interested in some nice beer coasters that resemble DVD’s for another $50.

So there you go. Some good stuff, some ok stuff, some funny stuff. “Power Pullups”. Seriously.

If you see another product that just hit the market, let me know!

– Your friendly neighborhood BUM.

 

 

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Chest with Supers.

Was feeling kinda slow and tired on this Monday but pushed myself to go to my daily, lunchtime gym session. Today was Chest day. Remember folks, just grab your gear and GET THERE. Once you’re there, the change in environment, the lively atmosphere, the site of the equipment, lights, fit people, not so fit people, girls, and of course weight plates will wake you the hell up! Doesn’t hurt to have some caffeine .5 hr before or some apple or grape juice (simple carbs).

Today’s workout:
Incline Bench: 25, 45×3
Super: inverted body rows

Incline DB press: x3, + lower incline x2
Super: one handed seated cable rows x3 &
Straight-arm cable extensions on Life fitness cables

High jumps x1

Wood choppers x3
Cable crunches x1

Back to back:
Cable crossovers: high x1
Life Fitness cable press x1
Hammer incline press: x1

Squat jumps x1

Lots of free weights for the chest, but included some opposite muscle group work for balance (rows). Also, a bit of core with the choppers and crunches and some fat-burning cardio to reach my goal of 3D abs by Labor Day. : )

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Killer Back/Chest workout!

back muscles

Get a V-shaped back! Make your pecs explode! Delts and Lats from Hell!

Are you starting to plateau? Not seeing results? Are your workouts getting boring? CHANGE SHIT UP with this KILLER BACK AND CHEST WORKOUT!

OK, that’s enough of the advertising hype talk. Promise.

It’s good to “change shit up” every 30 or 60 days, depending on how you’re doing. If you’re still seeing growth, love your workout, and want to do another month of it, then by all means, carry on. But if you’d like a change, try combining unlikely partners in your quest to keep your body guessing.

For example, today I combined Back with its nemesis; Chest. Let the bloodbath begin. What happens when you work an opposite muscle to the one you’re mainly concentrating on? You get a well balanced workout and a well balanced body. That’s why my 10 in 30 workout plan has a back and some rear delt exercises during Chest day, and some tricep work during Back day.

Today, I pushed that concept further. It was time for Back day, but instead of only doing a few chest exercises to balance shit out, I went with 100 Deep Pushups! Hell to the Yeah! Seriously, I fricken love these. Started with Pullups Madness, and then Cable Rows and in between each set, I’d do a set of 20 reps of deep pushups with my feet on a bench. All the way down, baby!

I did 5 sets for a kick-ass total of 100 deep pushups. Niiice. So that takes care of my chest, and the Pullups and Rows took care of the back. I did two sets of wide, aviator grip rows, and two sets of narrow grip rows. Both were DROP SETS! <– Yes, that warrants all caps and an exclamation point. I’d max out on the heavy weight of rows at around 6 reps, then lower that shit and max out again, this time going at a faster, non-stop pace.

After the 2 mega sets of Pullups Madness and 4 drop sets of rows, I went to the FreeMotion cable machine for some straight-arm pulldowns. I love this machine so much I wish I had one at home. That’s really all you need for your entire body. Anyway, The straight-arm pulldowns took care of the lats for that impressive wide upper, V shaped back. These really brought out some back and lat muscles I’d never seen before. I’m starting to resemble a fricken cobra—AWESOME!

back muscles

back muscles

Here it is in a 10 in 30 style Nutshell:

Nutshell:
Pullups Madness: Do as many pullups as you can, then immediately get on the assisted pullups machine or other assisted method and max out again, then add weight to the machine and max out one more time. Rest a minute, then do the three back to back sets all over again one time for a total of two mega sets. 2 sets.

Deep Pushups: Raise your feet on a bench or step so they’re at least parallel to your hands but preferably a bit higher and go way down to the maximum slowwwly, before pushing up in an explosive, >1 second. Do 20. If you can’t get to 20, stop and rest no more than 10 seconds and do some more. Take as many 10 second rests as you need to complete your 20 reps. 5 sets.

You’ll do these in between EVERY Back exercise ’til you get to 5 sets for 100 Deep Pushup Bad Boys.

Rows: Seated, wide grip. I used what I call a wide “aviator grip”attachment. Use any wide attachment. Max out real heavy at 6 in the 10 in 30 pace of 1 second pull 3 second return, then lower the weight and do some faster, non-stop, 1 second pull 1 second return reps to max out at 6 – 10 reps. 2 sets.

Rows: Seated, narrow grip. Same as above but the hands are almost touching. Again; drop sets. 2 sets.

Straight Arm Pulldowns: Without bending your arms, use a FreeMotion unilateral cable machine or a straight bar on a high cable and squat slightly keeping your back arched, chest out. Grab the handles or bar at the top, and pull down (without bending those arms) so that your hands end up by your thighs. SLOWLY, bring your hands back up. 3 sets.

CHEERS, and enjoy changing shit up and looking like a fricken cobra!

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Looking for Losers

(cheap joke, I know) But I am currently looking for participants who’d like to LOSE 10 lbs in 30 days. I am in the process of building part 2 of the site, and I am accepting ‘early birds’ for testimonial purposes and just to have some cool people join the forum and try it.

Of course, like the rest of the site, there is nothing to buy or commit to. You’ll get a peekaboo into the new Lose 10 lbs plan, and you’ll get a turbo boost on your summer weight loss goals. This is a one month, daily plan, so it’s best if you’re not in love with your current workout regimen but instead are willing to try a new supercharged plan. Besides, shocking the body by changing up your workouts every month or two is the way to keep improving and not plateauing. So why not give it a whirl, yes? You’ve got nothing to lose! <– Wait. Let me rephrase that.

YOU HAVE 10 LBS TO LOSE!

Sign up by becoming a member of the forum and making a new topic where you can state that you want to try the new Lose 10 lbs plan. I’ll make you a special type of member that allows you to view the “hidden, special, VIP, one-of-a-kind, for superstars only” pages.

Thanks, and good luck with your goals!

– BUM

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Sat, Nov 27, 2010 Push/pull Circuit

Push/pull Circuit

I basically did my 100 Deep Pushups, 50 Pullups circuit but this time, I did Deadlifts for de legs. No long jumps this time. Instead, I did a ton of abs. It went like this:

Pullups
Body Rows on Hz bar
Deep Chair Pushups
Bent over Dumbbell Reverse Flies
Deadlifts 6-8 reps
Abs variety (box crunches, vertical crunches, vertical toe touches, Leg Lifts, Windshield Wipers, Bicycles)
Then, repeat the whole thing. I repeated 3X, but continued with the the remaining Pushups and Pullups.

I did the Reverse Flies (or “Rear Delt Flies”) to work on my Rotator Cuffs and Rear Delts since it’s important to strengthen them when working on the pecs, remember? Great workout. Felt amazing afterward. I like seeing immediate results from doing that many Deep Chair Pushups. In this case, I can see that line I mentioned before; the one going from the center-top of the chest to a little lower near the pits. It comes from blasting the upper pecs. I also like how these pushups really give volume to the outer pecs by the pits.

I have messed up my forearms a bit. Grabbing heavy things hurts my forearm tendon near the elbow on both arms! This includes pullups and curls. I use Tiger Balm to relieve the pain but I might have to lay off those exercises ’til they heal. Damn. My grip is suffering a bit too from that. I notice it while doing the pullups and deadlifts.

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