Gym Series 1
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Disclaimer: Do not gym if you are injured, try light weights if you are new and safety first always.Ever felt out of shape after all that studying in medicine or realized that your study and life is out of balance?
Dun fret, in this new gym series, we show you how it is possible to get into shape and not neglect your body. Its all a matter of setting aside about an hour 2 to 3 times a week and some serious discipline and motivation.
Exercise has been shown to have lots of health benefits and even aids memory retention as well. As doctors to be, what better way to set an example than to keep at least a simple exercise regime?
Joel Louis and Mhd Fairuz, two of the m2 resident hot bods, gives pULSE and our readers tips about getting that washboard abs, chest cleavage and rippling biceps. If you follow this guide rigorously, you probably never ever have to worry about not being able to identify your rectus and pectoralis muscles on your very own new anatomy atlas (aka your new buff body). =)
A focused gym routine only takes about 45 minutes, featuring 3-5 exercises, normally repetitive on a certain body area, in order to really work it out. The key to results is in doing it regularly as well as doing proper weights that really stretch you. In this part, we feature some popular and effective moves that exercise the upper body and chest.
1. Bicep Curls
Targets biceps and stabilizers of shoulder and wrist joints.
Standing biceps curl: Position two dumbbells to sides, palms facing in, arms straight. With elbows to the sides, raise one dumbbell and rotate forearm until forearm is vertical and palm faces shoulder. Lower to original position and repeat with opposite arm. Alternate between sides. Do 3 sets of 8 or 15. Rest 1-2 mins between sets to maintain good form.
Seated biceps curl: Sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, back straight, shoulders square. Grab a dumbbell, resting your elbow by your thigh and curl the dumbbell towards your chest. The rest is same as above: repeat, alternate, rest, repeat. Look yourself in the mirror to ensure form.
2. Dumbbell Press
Targets pectoralis major, anterior fibres of deltoids and stabilizers of the shoulder joint.Fantastic substitute when there is no bench press
Sit down on bench with dumbbells resting on lower thigh. Kick weights to shoulder and lie back. Position dumbbells to the sides of the upper chest with elbows under dumbbells. Press dumbbells up with elbows to the sides until arms are extended. Lower weight to the sides of the upper chest. Repeat. Do 3 sets of 8 or 15.
3. Lats Pulldown
Targets Latissismus Dorsi, Pectoralis and stabilizers of the shoulder joint.
Sit on the seat with your thighs under padded supports. Grasp the bar with thumbs facing inwards and hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Pull bar down until it almost touches the top of your chest. Pause, and return bar to starting position with arms fully extended. Repeat for desired reps.
4. Pull-ups
We guess pull-ups need no introduction to guys accustomed to doing it for ippts and napfa. It is a very good total workout for the upper body. Do 3 sets of pull-ups near to your own personal max. One can do variations such as leg lifts to combine with abs or wide arms for more back muscle involvement but take care not to injure yourself.
Pullups: Grip about shoulder-width apart and hang from the bar with an overhand pronated grip. Pull up till the chin is above the bar. Descend to original position. Repeat desired reps.
Final Tips:
1.Always stretch before and after gym. Helps to minimize muscle injury and hastens muscle recovery
2. Posture and form is important in avoiding injury as well as getting maximizing results for exercise
3. Always get a good grip on stuff so weights dun crash down and cause injuries.
pULSE wishes you all the best with your own workout!
