Tag fitness

How To Split Your Weight Training Routine To Avoid Overtraining

drstaceynaito 3 Comments

BetterBodyWeightExerciseWith the New Year here, many people have either thought about embarking on or have already begun a weight training program in an effort to either shed excess pounds or improve their overall level of fitness. However, many people have little to no clue about how to split up their routines in order to maximize results while also avoiding overtraining.

Probably the best advice I can give to most people (with competitors the stark exception) is to train no more than four days per week. I also recommend that you weight train for one to two consecutive days, take a rest day, then resume weight training after the rest day. Competitors who are accustomed to hard training are on intense regimens which often include only one or two days of rest per week, which is part of the reason why they are more prone to overtraining.

If you are brand new to weight training, or have been away from it for many years, I recommend a three day full body split in which you will work the entire body during each workout. A good sequence is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, as is a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday sequence. This ensures at least one day of rest between workouts.

Three Day Full Body Split:

Monday – Full Body
Tuesday – OFF
Wednesday – Full Body
Thursday – OFF
Friday – Full Body
Saturday – OFF
Sunday – OFF

For those who are more accustomed to working out with weights, I recommend a four day split in which the upper and lower body are worked on separate days with at least one day of rest afterward. An example would look like this:

Intermediate Upper/Lower Four Day Split:

Monday – Upper Body
Tuesday – Lower Body
Wednesday – OFF
Thursday – Upper Body
Friday – Lower Body
Saturday – OFF
Sunday – OFF

Another variation is to split each upper body and lower body workout further so that different muscle groups are worked on different days:

Intermediate Upper/Lower Four Day Split Variation:

Monday – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Tuesday – Quads, Calves
Wednesday – OFF
Thursday – Back, Biceps
Friday – Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs
Saturday – OFF

If there is enough interest, I can provide sample routines which fall within the above split schedules. Simply post a comment on this post so that I know you are interested.

Trying To Get Into Fitness Modeling?

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Natalie Minh CollageThough I have modeled for the majority of my life, I didn’t become involved in fitness modeling until after I turned 43. As I approach my 47th birthday I realize more and more how intimidating and confusing it can be for an aspiring fitness model to navigate through the industry and know what will propel their careers instead of putting them on a path of wasted time, effort and money as they try to make themselves known. I truly wish I had a guide like this http://tinyurl.com/aoeabbr to help me when I was revamping my modeling career! This guide is INVALUABLE if you are serious about embarking on a fitness modeling career.

Many aspiring fitness models ask me questions about the best way to direct their efforts. Now there is a fantastic and comprehensive guide which takes all the guesswork out of the process. I am so fortunate to know the author of this guide and have worked with her on numerous projects over the years. She has been kind enough to extend an offer to my friends and clients which will save you all the headaches you could be dealing with if you do not have such a great guide to lead you on your path to fitness modeling success.

Click here http://tinyurl.com/aoeabbr to take advantage of this amazing offer, and remember to use code STACEYNAITO to get special pricing!

New Contest Prep Site Launched! Please Check Out CutCurves.com!

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

If you are ann NPC Bikini or Figure competitor, or you are THINKING about competing, please check out my newly launched contest prep site! I have a full menu of services, so if you just need assistance on posing, or if you need comprehensive coaching, I am here for you ladies! If you are new to competing, it is important to realize that a lot of details go into looking your best onstage:

PROPER TRAINING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE AND THE DIVISION
PROPER AND STRUCTURED MEAL PLAN
PROPER SUPPLEMENTATION
PROPER SUIT CUT AND COLOR
PROPER ACCESSORIES
APPROPRIATE STAGE MAKEUP
WELL APPLIED SPRAY TAN

On top of this there are countless other details which are easy to overlook if you are already overwhelmed with the pressure of competing.

I will guide you through the entire process so that you won’t need to worry about those little details. Programs are delivered via email so you do not need to live locally in the Los Angeles area.

http://cutcurves.com

I Don’t Glisten, I SWEAT!

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Just in case there are people out there who think I don’t hit it hard at the gym, let’s get one thing straight: when I go to the gym, I work my tail off. Once I have entered the gym, my game face is on. Within five minutes of my lift I am sweating like a pig, moving rapidly through the exercises with no more than 30 seconds between sets. I am not afraid to make my physical efforts known via occasional grunts and yells. This is because I lift HEAVY, or I move so quickly from one exercise to another in a superset that I always create an intense workout vibe which has me out of breath and feeling my muscles work.

It always bugs me when I see ladies at the gym who are covered in makeup, with cute little outfits that they must adjust so frequently that their rest time between sets often extends beyond five minutes. There are reasons why I wear the message tanks that I do. I don’t want to be bothered with chit-chat or lose my focus on what I need to do at the gym. When things get really intense I will drip sweat all over the benches (and YES, I wipe this up with disinfectant). I don’t wear makeup and my hair typically goes up into a utilitarian ponytail. The image I posted here is a rare one with my hair down. I often finish my routine with a sport bra and tank which are soaked through with sweat. I don’t care if I look like I ran a marathon. That’s the idea. I like looking like I just kicked my own butt. Because I just did.

So if you are looking for a pretty princess at the gym, you won’t see her anywhere near me!Gym Sweat

THE NO-EQUIPMENT FULL BODY WORKOUT ROUTINE

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Pushup ImagePeople frequently ask me how they can exercise when they do not have gym memberships and also do not have any exercise equipment whatsoever, so I have designed the following full body routine with these people in mind.  There is no equipment needed for this workout, but you should expect to break a sweat and work out intensely with this routine!

THE ROUTINE:

Squat into Side Leg Raise:  stand with feet shoulder width apart.  Squat down so that you are sitting back behind your heels with your back perpendicular to floor (if you need support, hold onto the back of a chair for balance).  Come up from squat position, raising right leg straight out to side as you straighten up.  Bring leg back to floor and return to squat position, then raise left leg straight out to side.  Keep squatting then raising one leg out to side, alternating legs.   Perform 10 to 12 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Jump Squat:  Get into squat position with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.  Jump up, then return quickly back to squat position without resting.  Perform 20 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Front Lunges:  Stand with feet close together.  Take a big step forward so that back knee almost touches floor and front knee is bent at a 90 degree angle.  Make sure knee does not go beyond your toes.  Pause for 3 counts, then return to start.  Repeat with other leg.  Perform 15 repetitions.

* Repeat above sequence four more times for a total of five complete supersets.

Mountain Climbers:  Start in pushup position with arms straight.  From this position, lift right foot off floor and move right knee to chest.  Return to starting position and repeat knee to chest move with other leg.  Continue without stopping, alternating legs.  Perform 15 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Wall Pushups:  Stand facing a wall with hands shoulder width apart on wall and your arms parallel to the floor. Place feet together about two feet away from the wall. Bend at the elbows and bring your chest toward the wall.  Perform 15 repetitions.

* Repeat above sequence four more times for a total of five complete supersets.

Dips:  Facing away from a sturdy chair, hands palms down on edge of chair and place legs straight out in front of you with heels on floor.  Lower body to floor by bending elbows (keep elbows in and pointed straight back during movement) until butt almost touches floor, then return to start.  Perform 10 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Back Pushups:  Start position is similar to traditional pushup, but place your forearms on the ground with your fingers touching, forming a triangle with your elbows. Bend at hip until butt is up in the air, with your torso and legs forming an upside down V. Slowly lower your chest toward your hands by bending at the elbows. Perform 15 repetitions.

* Repeat above sequence four more times for a total of five complete supersets.

Traditional Pushups:  If you have problems supporting your weight on your toes, place knees on floor during movement.  Perform 10 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Arm Circles:  Hold arms straight out to sides so that they are parallel to floor, palms down.  Rotate arms in a circular motion from front to back at an approximately 12 inch diameter.  Perform 20 repetitions, then switch motion so that you are rotating from back to front and perform another 20 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Supermans:  Lie face down on floor with arms straight out in front of you.  Raise your arms while slightly extending the spine and raising your chest off the floor while also raising your legs off the ground so that both your arms and legs are several inches off the floor.  Hold raised position for a count of five, then return to start.  Perform 10 repetitions.

* Repeat above sequence three more times for a total of four complete supersets.

Calf Raises:  Stand on a step so that your toes and balls of feet are on step and your heels drop below level of step.  Hold onto something sturdy and raise up so that you are on your toes.  Return to start.  Perform 20 repetitions.

Do not rest, but go immediately to:

Toe Taps:  Stand with feet about six inches apart.  Raise up on toes and tap one foot, then the other, as if running in place while on your toes.  Make sure to remain on your toes during the entire set.  Perform 25 repetitions.

* Repeat above sequence three more times for a total of four complete supersets.

Planks:  Start position is similar to traditional pushup, but place your forearms on the ground with your fingers touching, forming a triangle with your elbows.  Make sure your torso and legs form a straight line with no arching, bending or sagging.  Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds, then relax.

* Perform four sets of this exercise.

Vertical Leg Crunches:  Lie on floor and extend legs straight up in air with knees crossed.  Place hands behind head for support.  Contract your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulder blades off the floor so that chest moves towards feet without moving legs.  Lower and repeat.  Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.

* Perform three sets of this exercise.

Booty Building Superset Routine

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Find original post at:  http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles.html?start=36

If I had given into my natural genetic setpoint which gave me a relatively flat booty due to my Japanese ancestry, I would never have transformed my posterior into what it is today.  In recent years the quest for a round butt has been one of the most highly coveted physical attributes for women.  In keeping with this highly sought goal, I am providing readers with a superset routine which will create the full and curvaceous look which fills out a pair of jeans nicely and turns heads in a good way!

THE ROUTINE

Make sure to move from one exercise within a superset to the next quickly, without rest.  Once you have completed a superset, rest for 30 seconds then begin your next superset.  Complete all sets in Superset 1, then complete all sets in Superset 2, etc.

Superset 1 –

5 sets of the following:

25 jump squats

20 stiff-legged deadlifts with dumbbells

15 stride jump crossovers            How to do: Using a bench or plyo box, place one foot up on bench with that leg almost parallel to floor.  Jump explosively over bench, springing off bench and landing with your other foot on the opposite side of the bench.  Repeat on other side.

Superset 2 –

5 sets of the following:

15 walking dumbbell lunges

20 Butt Blaster

15 prone leg curls

Superset 3 –

4 sets of the following:

20 one-legged dumbbell deadlifts

20 one-legged cable kickbacks

Superset 4 –

20 one-legged leg press (lying on your side and pushing through your heel)

20 plie dumbbell squats holding dumbbell between legs with wide stance and squatting LOW

12 barbell good mornings