Isolation Exercises – Good or Bad?
By Cameron Abel – BestFitnessChoices.com
In this article, I would like to add my 2 cents worth to the “Isolation Exercises” debate.
Basically, isolation exercises (sometimes called isolation method or isolation methods) is any exercise or movement that works a specific muscle in a specific action that as the name implies: isolates all other muscles during the exercise. The theory behind it is that as part of your strenghth training exercises, you can target specific muscles and areas and train that area to achieve the desired results.
To me, Isolation exercises or isolation training certainly have their place such as training when injured as to not strain or aggravate the injured muscle or limb, to strengthen a particular area such as the back or even targeted muscle growth to help a particular aspect of a sporting movement. All those reasons are fine by me and I encourage their use when under those situations.
In my eyes, I feel the use of isolation exercises is sometimes used more for a cosmetic or purely visual aspect and well utilised in the world of body building where you want every single muscle to be defined and clearly worked. This is itself is fine and quite a necessary part of the body shaping or body building sport and I have no problem with it.
However, my whole approach, principles and ideals to fitness and health is to utilise overall, total body workouts which naturally improve your fitness and then as a result of course, your physical body, using programs and methods designed to be doable by all walks of life including those busy lives with families, kids, long work hours etc.
So although I agree with some of the reasons isolation exercises are used, I feel that some of them are really not all that helpful and some are downright dangerous! The body is designed to be worked, trained and sculpted all over and there is nothing more ridiculous looking than un-proportioned parts of the human body because they have been trained excessively while other parts have been neglected or ignored. I am sure you have seen the gym try hard that has a massive upper body yet has the legs of a chicken!
You will find that most good strength training exercises can be generally adapted to mirror or reflect actions we may undertake in the course of real life so for me, if the action seems to have no end purpose and also doesn’t feel right then it is a good idea to cease this exercise immediately. Some isolation exercises are downright painful and again should be ceased immediately if causing pain.
When working out your aim should definitely be to feel worked, muscle stressed and fatigued however there should never be sharp pain or feelings of painful awkwardness. Two exercises I am particularly not fond of are overhand wrist curls and also weighted shrugs. In my eyes, they serve no real purpose, hurt when you do them and generally just don’t feel right!
So there you have it! Just my humble opinion on which I am sure some people would disagree and that is fine. My last word of advice on isolation exercises is just to be sure on what reasons you have for doing the exercise, what are you trying to achieve as a result and above all, how does it feel while doing it? Look at isolation exercises in that manner and you will easily determine if it is the right thing for you!
All the best, Cameron Abel
Exercise Machines – Friend or Foe?
By Cameron Abel – BestFitnessChoices.com
The benefits and overall total effectiveness of using an exercise machine as part of the tools in your fitness and weight loss efforts is another area that splits the fitness industry and provides plenty of debate and endless opinions!
There are a heap of different types to choose from such as rowing exercise machines, elliptical exercise machines, abdominal exercise machines, pilates exercise machines, vibration exercise machines and the list goes on! So which of these are actually good, useful and the best exercise machine?
In my opinion there are some positive effects that can come out of their usage however it largely depends on some specific factors. These factors range from what type of machine you are using, your expectations from it and also the big one – what is the enjoyment / longevity of the machine or put another way, how long will you actually use it?! Machines covered in dust due to lack of use have not been proven to be effective 
The common characteristic of these fitness exercise machines is that they are cardio based – which is good! Some claim to work your whole body while others train certain parts or problem areas of the body. There are certainly more than a couple to choose from too! The home shopping channel and the late night infomercials are constantly spruiking the latest and greatest amazing scientific breakthrough! More about that little statement later…
Some people expect that the purchase and use of a cardio exercise machine will give them the body of their dreams and a whole new level of fitness. If you share that belief then I am sorry to disappoint you! Of course a good quality exercise machine can help you achieve certain aspects of your fitness and weight loss program but it is not the only part and should be used in conjunction with great and healthy nutrition, weight training as well as other exercise strategies such as interval training.
When selecting an exercise machine, it is also important to choose one that allows you to “mentally switch off” and just go through the motions. As the benefits of most cardio workouts don’t really kick in until after 20 minutes or so, machines that have fluid, easy movements, with repetition that does not drive you silly with boredom or movements and actions that take your concentration to do continuously are best. Preferably they can be used while watching TV which really helps pass the time especially in workouts in the 25 to 45 minute range. If your machine does not tick these boxes then start writing out your FOR SALE – hardly used – advertisement!
As mentioned briefly above, there seems to be a new breakthrough in fitness machines every week with product after product wheeled out on the shopping channels and late night infomercials all claiming to take advantage of the newest discovery in fitness technology!
Isn’t it funny that these machines keep coming out and replacing the one just released which already was the best thing around, promising easy and fast results and done with a great smile on your face! Is technology in the health & fitness industry really evolving so fast? I think we both know that it is not and the reason why these machines keep coming out is that they take advantage of the people craving an answer to their fitness and weight problems and are willing to keep handing over their hard earned money for that quick fix or exercise breakthrough.
If you are still following me then you are not one of those people. Thankfully you realise that there is no magic fix, pill, potion or machine and that getting fit and losing weight is hard and takes commitment and motivation! So with this in mind I can only truly recommend the traditional machines that have been around for ages and remain one of the true constants in gyms both home and commercial over time. These are:
- The Treadmill
- The Stationary Bike
Have a look at gyms from many years ago and then again today and you will see these two machines in all of them. Can we say the same about most of these others being advertised? There are of course other machines that can help you. Machines like the stepper and also rowing machines are also very good however nothing beats the first two. There are also some effective elliptical machines out there but you need a good one. Rowing machines can also be excellent when used correctly.
I love the treadmill and the bike simply because you can just go and go and go without too much thinking and then suddenly your workout is over. They are also both fantastic for interval training (changing the intensity of your exercise in programmed intervals) and the bike is a tremendous alternative for those of us with bad ankles or injuries caused by or aggravated by running. As for the others, especially those on the infomercials with the gorgeous sports models, exercising away with big smiles and not a bead of sweat… well just take a look at nearly every garage sale or second hand shop and undoubtedly you will be able to take your pick of them! I am sure that point speaks for itself!
As said above, machines aim to give great cardio workouts. An extremely cheap alternative is the workouts you can design and use through the awesome BodyBot software.
I don’t normally recommend quick style workouts but sometimes you just don’t have a lot of time or you don’t have much equipment available to you. At BodyBot, you can access readymade 5 minute workouts that work your whole body or specific parts (up to you!) or design your own all with video descriptions of every exercise and believe me when I say that they are not easy! That for me is the key ingredient in seeing whether or not a quick workout is a waste of time or not. Another great feature is that it is internet based so you can access it anywhere which is great for when you are on the move. No longer can holidays or business trips be an excuse to not get your workouts in!
See it here =>BodyBot and have a look for yourself!
Cardio, Weights, Interval Training – What’s The Best Type Of Training?
By Cameron Abel – BestFitnessChoices.com
Cardio, Weights, Interval Training – What Is The Best Type Of Training?
Well, well, well here’s a big old can of worms to open up! What sort of fitness training is best for you and why is it so?
Well, like I have said from the get go, all my health and fitness knowledge, ideas, tips, tricks and advice stems from what I have learnt and achieved here in the real world. My claim to fame is not and never has been as a fully fledged personal trainer, degree in sports physiology, doctor, nutritionist or anything like that. As stated above, I just provide real life examples and my own version of what I have learned from many, many sources put into practice with my own bits and pieces thrown in along the way. So now that’s out of the way, my idea of the absolute best way to train (in the real world remember) is 3 sessions a week with a mix of both cardio and weights but also don’t forget to include the magic ingredient (and just perfect for those busy people) interval training workouts. An interval training program really is important to supercharge your fitness training program!
Now of course there are limitless versions and millions of strategies and programs that are totally contradictory to what I have just said. That’s fine! My training is geared to normal everyday people with busy lives, wanting to train in and around the home with the goal of getting fit and losing the pounds needed to get healthy and happy. It is not specific advice on how to train for the Hawaiian Iron Man or turn you from a 120 pound weakling to a muscle bound dynamo!
As above, there are so manytypes of training even just with cardio workouts. You have cardio weight training, cardio fitness training, cardio strength training plus many others under the cariod training banner!
My ideal days to train are on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This is because after a weekend we are always revitalised (especially if we have been bad!) to train hard on Monday! Additionally and for those that work on the weekend, it is always harder to train after work on these days and for those that don’t work, leaving the weekend for serious training is not a good idea because there is too much fun stuff to do! By all means don’t be a couch potato on these rostered days off from training but make sure you get active in fun ways such as sport or walking or going to the beach etc. Your three training days are for serious, programmed cardio interval training work outs.
It is best to train for 45 minutes to an hour if you can otherwise a minimum of 30 minutes will be ok. Do not go for longer than an hour as the benefits simply are not there and all you will mainly achieve is additional fatigue and lack of motivation for not much reward.
For all three sessions, do a challenging but not crippling weights session for about 25 minutes and then finish with 25 minutes of interval training. Don’t forget to warm up and warm down for the first and last 5 minutes of the hour. For those keener types Wednesday can be substituted for a heavier weights session with a shorter interval training portion.
Not sure about what interval training is? Don’t worry as I speak in more detail about Interval Training all over BestFitnessChoices.com and it is the basic fundamental of the outstanding Turbulence Training programs.
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Fat Burning Abdominal Circuit Workout
Most people think abdominal workouts require hundreds of sit-ups and crunches. The truth, however, is that they are just a waste of your time, and in some cases, may actually injure your low back.
If you really want 6-pack abs along with a sculpted body then the most efficient and effective way of achieving it is through total body exercises.
In this workout you will be performing nine total body exercises in circuit fashion. Therefore, each exercise will be performed back to back to back with no rest in between.
Start with kettlebell swings. These are 2-hand swings and you need to power up with the hips. Drive them back and power them back up.
Move immediately into extended pushups. Move your arms out in front of you as you lower yourself down and back up.
The next exercise is a stability ball pike. This is a more advanced version of the stability ball jackknife. Place your feet on the ball and your hands on the floor and pull the ball in as you push your hips up until you are in a pike position. Try to get your hips as high up as possible. If you are not very flexible, just do jackknifes in place of them.
Move immediately into stability ball back extensions. Plant your feet against a wall or something stable. Your chest is supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your head and raise yourself up and back down.
Next is a 1-arm kettlebell swing. Make sure you are driving back with your hips and back up. If you are more advanced, you can do snatches in place of the swings. Do all reps on one side and then do all reps on the other side.
Next you will do high rep close grip pushups. Tuck your elbows into your sides with your hands closer together as you move down and back up. Do as many as you can.
Move immediately into stability ball leg curls. Place your feet on the ball and bridge your hips up with your arms out to the side. Curl the ball in while keeping your hips up the entire time. Do 20 reps.
The next exercise is a stability ball rollout. Place the ball in front of you and start in an upright position, roll the ball out. Get a nice long stretch as you roll out and contract your abs when you pull it back in. If you have an ab wheel, you can use that in place of a stability ball. This is going to be harder than using a stability ball.
Finally, you’re going to finish off preferably with a sprint as the last exercise. If you can’t do sprinting, you can sprint in place or finish with burpees.
In most cases, although you aren’t directly targeting your abdominals, you are still required to brace them which in turn indirectly works your abdominals for a powerfully efficient abdominal workout.
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Choosing Your Weight Loss & Fitness Support Network
By Cameron Abel – BestFitnessChoices.com
As we certainly all know, especially if we have tried and failed in efforts to get fit and lose those extra pounds – it’s not easy!
In fact, for most of us, myself included, it’s extremely difficult!
All of the talk focuses mainly on nutrition, programs and the exercise you are doing however there is also a very important factor that if engaged correctly can make the difference and ensure you actually have successful results.
This missing link that is often unused is simply the magic of selecting and utilising your support network. Sounds big and complicated? Maybe, but the truth is so much easier and as mentioned above, if done correctly and chosen right, the benefits are brilliant!
So then, in layman’s terms, your support network is just a bunch of people that you know and trust and also those that you respect their opinions. They are also people who you will actually listen to when they give you advice or even a bit of “tough love”!
They can be your partner, parents, children, friends or even work colleagues. They can be many or they can just be one or two; the key is they must be supportive and helpful in assisting you achieve your goals.
The idea is very simple. You already have all your goals in mind, you have made nutritional changes and you have started exercising. To help you live up to these goals, you take your network of people and you tell them exactly what you are doing, how you are eating and how much you are exercising.
You also tell them your ultimate goals and the time frames you want to achieve them in. Finally, you enlist their support by telling them that you want them to keep you on track and be hard on you (but positively) when your actions differ from your words.
Be sure that when they do actually give you their advice or perhaps a gentle hand to get you back on the right track that it is taken in the correct manner. You have after all asked them to do this for you!
When things are going well, be sure to thank them for the contribution they have made to your success. This will involve them even more so and their personal motivation to continue to see you succeed will also keep you on the right path.
The beauty of such a system is that it can help you in so many ways. By “putting it out there” and letting people know what you are doing, your own personal motivation to stick to your guns in increased as after all, no one wants to be known as someone who is all talk but no action!
Also, your support network will help you out during the tough times and get you refocussed and reaffirm your goals. They will also share in your success, further galvanising your bond together and virtually guaranteeing you will strive for the next level.
So you can see the benefits however you must choose the right people to help you out. If you pick people who are slightly weak and continually let you get away with nutritional or exercise indiscretions then they will not be much help. On the opposite side, if they are too hard, too aggressive and cause you to not listen to them, then again the result will be poor.
What you want from your people is good, well meaning support and advice. People that have your best interests at heart, truly want you to succeed and will positively guide you while steering you back on course as well as people that will be excited and happy for you when you can both share great results.
If you are lucky enough to have some of these types of folks around you and you stick to your goals then you will have every success on your journey of weight loss and improved fitness!
So get out there, find your support network and get them on side, helping you out! When you have done that, keep the motivation going and click the link below to receive a FREE 10 minute workout from Turbulence Training in PDF form ready for instant printing!
==> Free 10 Minute Workout PDF
