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http://www.fitstep.com/ unless otherwise credited.

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Get Professionally-Written Content For Your Fitness Website To Help You Increase Traffic And Keep Your Visitors Coming Back For More! From: Nick Nilsson Author and Publisher of BetterU News If you have a website, you know that on the web, content is king. The more high-quality content you have on your website, the more search engine traffic you'll get and the more your visitors will keep coming back to read it. If you like the articles you read in this newsletter every month, now is your chance to have these articles on your own website! I've just made available EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE that I've ever written for BetterU News for use on YOUR site. In this article database you'll find a HUGE 135 articles, covering topics like fat loss, muscle building, unique exercise, humor, training tecniques, nutrition and supplementation and more! The best part is, every article is also pre-formatted for use with my Fitness-eBooks.com affiliate program - you would make 40% commissions on every sale that is referred through the professionally-written articles that you place on your site. For more information on this article database and to sign up to be notified when new articles are added, go to the following link: http://www.fitstep.com/articles/article-announce.htm It's a win-win situation that will provide you with high-quality content and drive more visitors to your site every single day!

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The Secrets of Negative Training That Nobody Else Can Tell You - Dropping Points, Partial Negatives, 2 Up/1 Down and More! Think you know everything about Negative Training? Check out this eye-opening information on how to REALLY maximize your strength-building results from it. These never-before-seen training techniques will take your gains through the roof!

Want to gain strength rapidly? Negative training is by far one of the best ways to dramatically increase your strength levels as quickly as possible. And the standard ways to do negative training can certainly be effective...but who wants standard results!

What Is Negative Training?

The term "negative" refers to the lowering portion of a repetition. For example, when you do a bench press, pushing up the bar is the "positive" phase (also known as the concentric phase), lowering the bar down to your chest is the "negative" phase (also known as the eccentric phase).

When we talk about negative training, we're referring to training that focuses specifically on working only in that lowering phase of each rep. Because your muscles can handle heavier weight when you're lowering a weight in a controlled manner than when you're actually lifting it up, we use a heavier amount of weight for negative training.

The heavier weight helps build muscular strength and develops the connective tissue (tendons and ligaments), conditioning your body to then train with heavier weights than it would normally be used to training with. Negative training holds the potential for building TREMENDOUS strength.

Typically, negative training is done with a training partner. The partner helps lift the weight to the top position, then the partner releases the weight and you lower it to the bottom solely on your own power.

The real key to effective negative training is in HOW you lower the weight. Don't just lower the weight as you would in a typical rep, letting it come down on its own. You must ACTIVELY FIGHT GRAVITY by pushing (or pulling, depending on the exercise) as hard as you can against the weight. It's heavier than you can actively lift, so all you will be able to do is slow it down.

If you don't fight the weight, your results will not be optimal. If you've done negative training before and didn't feel extremely sore the next day, you probably weren't fighting the weight during the negative phase. Try it and you'll feel the difference!

It's not an easy training technique and it shouldn't be done very often (because it causes a lot of muscle damage) but it is EXTREMELY effective for building strength quickly. It should also be done only AFTER you've had at least 6 months of training experience.

So What Are These Secrets Of Negative Training?

Now we come to the juicy stuff...the stuff that you won't learn anywhere else. This information will help you make full use of negative training and truly maximize the results you get from it.

Because if you're doing negative training the standard way, you are simply NOT getting everything out of it that you could be.

1. Dropping Points

If you've been lifting weights for any length of time, you're intimately familiar with sticking points. The sticking point is the point in a range of motion of a given exercise where, as you fatigue, the weight just stops.

For example, on the bench press, the sticking point is just below the halfway point of the press. At this exact point, the structure of your body causes a change in leverage, making it the weakest point in the range of motion (every exercise has a unique strength curve with a unique sticking point).

So naturally, when you're doing negative training, this weakest point in the range of motion still exists. Picture it this way...you have a weight that is greater than what you can normally press - in the top, strong range of motion, you can lower it under control very easily. But when you get to what I call the "dropping point" (which is the equivalent to the sticking point), your leverage changes and your strength suddenly drops (as does the weight, hench the name "dropping point").

Here's the problem...with standard negative training, you can only use enough weight that you can control through the WHOLE range of motion (if you use more, the weight will just crash down when you hit that dropping point). But if you can control 250 lbs at the dropping point, you can control FAR more than that up until the bar gets to that point, possibly 300 lbs or more.

This means you're NOT fully overloading your muscles and NOT getting the most results possible with your negative training. You're only overloading the weakest point in the entire range of motion of the exercise and the rest is just wasted. The reason you're doing negative training is to build strength - why use only what you can control in the very weakest point in the range of motion?

Which brings us to the solution...

2. Partial Negative Training

Standard partial training is basically doing an exercise in a shortened range of motion. Using the bench press example, it could be doing only the top few inches of the exercise, locking out with the weight. The primary benefit of partial training is the ability to use MUCH more weight than would with a full range of motion.

The concept of partial training can very easily be carried over to negative training and applied with great effect. To do partial negative training for the bench press, we're going to set the safety rails in the power rack just ABOVE the dropping point of the exercise. That way, you can use FAR more weight - you won't have to base the weight that you're using on what you can control through the weakest range of motion. You'll base it on what you can do in the top, strongest range of motion.

The result: much greater strength gains and MUCH greater effects on the connective tissue, helping pave the way for even better gains in the future (stronger connective tissue gives the muscles greater potential for strength gains).

This partial technique can applied to almost any exercise that has a dropping point/sticking point and that can be done with free weight in a power rack, e.g. squats, presses, curls, barbell rows, etc., or even using machines that can be adjusted in terms of range of motion. With the rack, all you need to do is determine where your dropping point is and set the rails just above it.

But partial negatives are only ONE way to get around the dropping point problem. What is the other? That's our next juicy secret...

3. 2 Up/1 Down Negatives

But what do you do if you don't have a partner or a power rack? How can you even do negative training at all, much less avoid the pitfalls of the dropping point?

The answer is simple: do the positive phase of the exercise with BOTH limbs and do the negative phase with ONE!

This solution is elegant in its simplicity - a weight that is enough to challenge one side of the body will be fairly easy to lift into position with both.

Dumbells and machines are most appropriate for this type of training. Machines are especially useful because a machine that is designed for two arms can generally be very easily done with just one with no changes at all in body position or technique.

Take, for example, a shoulder press machine. To do a 2 up/1 down negative, place a little more weight on the machine than you could do for a regular rep with 1 arm. Press it up to the top position with both arms then take your left hand off the handle. Lower it to the bottom with just your right arm.

If you're using a dumbell (for example, on a preacher curl bench), hold onto only one dumbell and use your other hand to help move the dumbell back up to the top position after each negative rep.

This 2 up/1 down approach has three main benefits:

First, the uneven tension on the body forces the stabilizing muscles of the core to work overtime. You'll develop great core stability even while using machines, but especially when you're using a dumbell.

Second, if one side of your body is stronger than the other, the stronger side won't be able to compensate for the weaker side, ensuring more even development.

Third, and this relates most to the dropping point, your non-working limb can be used to spot yourself on the negative phase of the rep. If you're doing a dumbell preacher curl negative, you can use your other hand to apply some additional pull (gripping on your forearm or hand) and help take up some of the resistance when you get close to the dropping point. This means you'll be able to use maximum resistance in the strongest ranges of motion and get some help in the weakest range of motion so that the weight doesn't drop and you lose the tension.

For more information on how to do negative training by yourself, check out the following article:

Secret Training Tip #342 - Dancing With Yourself - How to Do Negative Training Without A Training Partner

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue15.htm

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Conclusion:

Negative training is one of the best techniques you can do for increasing strength quickly and powering up your connective tissue. When doing negative training, because of the way it damages muscle tissue, it's a good idea to increase your intake of Vitamin C to help reduce muscle soreness and rebuild damaged muscles (take 500 mg before and 500 mg after your workout).

Negatives are not for the beginning trainer, but can be extremely valuable for the intermediate to advanced. They should be performed a maximum of only once in a week for any given muscle group and for no more than 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps (if you can do more than 6 reps, you're not using enough weight).

Give negative training a try using the partial technique or the 2 up/1 down technique. It'll take your strength to a whole new level!

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Secret Training Tip #991 - Lying Cable-Curl Crunches - A Unique Exercise For Shredding the Upper Abs Want your six-pack abs to jump out and demand attention? When you properly develop the upper abs, you can actually look like you've got an 8 pack!

The abs are the showpiece area of your body, no question about it. And this exercise will hit your upper ab area in a way that is totally unique.

You will be doing a regular crunch movement, but at the same time you'll be putting tension on the abs from the top-down by pulling down on the cable. It's the combination of the two tensions (pulling yourself up with the crunch and pulling the cable down at the same time) that will set your abs on fire!

How To Do It:

For this exercise, you'll need a high pulley set-up (an adjustable-height pulley is best but a regular high pulley will work as well). Use a bar attachment on the high pulley - if you have an adjustable-height pulley, set it to about 2 or 3 feet off the ground.

Set the weight stack with a light to moderate weight the first time you do this. You don't need heavy weight for this exercise to be effective.

Lie on your back on the floor with your head directly under the pulley. If you're using the adjustable-height pulley, reach up and grasp the bar with a regular curl grip. If you're using the standard high pulley, you'll need to first grab the bar then sit down on the floor then lay down.

Hold the bar with your arms bent about 90 degrees. Your legs will be bent 90 degrees and your body will be in the start of the regular crunch position.

Now comes the trick:

Begin the crunch movement - as you do the crunch, pull the bar down towards your chest, until your elbows touch the floor. Crunch yourself up as high as you can and hold it at the top. Squeeze your abs hard - the upper/middle area will be on fire even on the first rep.

Lower your torso slowly to the floor and let the bar back up. Don't let your arms go fully straight but keep a 90 degree bend at the top.

By the time you've done 6 or 8 reps of this exercise, your abs will be VERY strongly worked.

And if you really want to burn your abs out, do 2 sets of this exercise then immediately do 2 sets of Abdominal Sit-Ups.

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue9-ab-tip.htm

For pictures of how to do the Lying Cable Curl Crunch, click on the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue43-abs.htm

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Bike-O-Vision - A Unique, New DVD Series To Help You Enjoy Your Cardio Training More! If you've ever spent any time doing cardio on a machine, you know that the scenery never changes. Bike-O-Vision puts an end to that with their excellent series of DVDs that take you through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country (and the world!) while you're doing your training! All you need is a TV and DVD player and you'll be traveling down winding mountain roads, taking in the beautiful views and enjoying your exercise time as an escape, not a chore. Great for exercise or for scouting future road trips and travel destinations! Check out more information now: http://www.bike-o-vision.com

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BASIC Nutrition - A Quick, Common-Sense Guide To What You Should Be Eating to Stay Healthy and Get Results Right Now Think proper nutrition is complicated? It doesn't have to be. Follow these simple principles and you'll never go wrong.

I would bet that without even thinking, you could name 4 or 5 diets or eating plans that are in the popular media...Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Atkins, South Beach, etc. Every time you turn around, there's a fantastic "new" approach to eating. It's enough to make your head spin!

But it doesn't have to be that complicated. I've got some easy-to-follow nutritional principles that will help keep you on the right track. Beginner or advanced, these will work for you!

1. Focus your eating on natural, unprocessed foods as much as possible.

While I know it's not always possible to get fresh fruit and veggies and other unprocessed foods everywhere you go, your body will always respond best when you feed it foods that are not altered through processing. Your body has evolved over thousands and thousands of years to process foods in their natural state - it's only relatively recently that processed foods have appeared on the scene.

Your body has the digestive mechanisms for efficiently processing foods in their natural state. When you add in the fats, salt, sugar, additives, etc., your body starts having a hard time digesting and coping. Think of it like trying to put regular gas into a vehicle that runs on diesel. It may run, but it's not going to be very efficient with the fuel and it could cause problems down the road (no pun intended!)

Bottom Line: Eating foods that are not processed allows your body to function more efficiently. You'll lose fat without even trying.

2. Get plenty of good quality, lean protein sources in your diet

When you're training, your body has a much greater need for protein. During weight training and endurance training especially, your body is constantly breaking down muscle tissue. Protein is required to rebuild it. By regularly feeding your body good protein sources, you'll be able to hold onto and build muscle mass easier.

Good sources of lean protein include meats (look for leaner cuts like sirloin), poultry, eggs (while not lean, eggs will not shoot up your cholesterol as many worry), fish, low-fat dairy, soybeans, and various legumes (beans).

As far as how much protein your body needs, this will vary according to how much you weigh and your activity level. A level of around 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight is a good guideline (we don't count total bodyweight because fat is not metabolically active and doesn't require protein to sustain it).

3. Don't be afraid of "good" fats

Fats can be extremely beneficial, even when you're trying to lose weight! Fats are important in a tremendous variety of bodily processes including hormone production, immunity, joint and organ protection, and even burning bodyfat. Without the "good" fats, your body will not function as well as it could.

"Good" fats include sources such as fish, nuts, flax oil, borage oil, and olive oil (there are many other good sources as well). Increasing your intake of these good fats can help keep you feeling good and burning your own bodyfat more efficiently.

Your total fat intake should be around 30% of your daily calories. A good way to go about getting this is to try and keep your focus primarily on low-fat foods while purposefully adding the "good" fats into your diet (like eating a few almonds every day or taking fish oil or flax oil capsules).

4. Carbs are fine

Despite all the talk about carbs being the enemy, it's important to note that carbs and foods that contain carbs can actually be quite good for you! It's generally the refined sugar added to foods that is the problem, not the carbohydrate as a nutrient on its own.

5. Non-nutritious foods should be minimized

This is an easy one. More than likely, you already know that you shouldn't be eating Cheesy-Poofs or chocolate bars 3 meals a day. The calories you get from these foods don't come with any actual nutrients. When your body is missing nutrients, it craves more food (not to mention the insulin response to the sugar in many of these foods) and you tend to eat more of the poor food that doesn't have nutrients in it.

It's ironic to think that many overweight people are actually malnourished! When you eat nutrient-dense foods, your body gets the nutrients it needs and functions much better.

5. Salads, fruits and vegetables will give you lots of fiber, roughage and nutrition

Eat plenty of salds, fruits and veggies every day. This is usually one that everybody already knows yet doesn't normally focus on. The fiber in the foods helps keep you from getting too hungry and helps keep your digestive system clean.

6. Just do the best you can

It's not always easy or convenient to follow good eating principles. There are plenty of tasty temptations to be found every time you turn around.

The REAL key to proper nutrition is to focus on trying to do well MOST of the time, not all of the time. It's what you do most of the time that will give you the long-term results you're looking for. Determining that you MUST be perfect all of the time is a sure way to set yourself up for disappointment when the time comes that you don't eat a perfectly healthy food choice.

Sometimes, you just have to eat those Cheesy Poofs and not worry about it.

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For more information on sound nutrition, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the website of Dr. John Berardi:

http://www.fitstep.com/goto/berardi.htm

Dr. Berardi is a well-known, highly sought-after sports nutritionist who works with many national-level sports teams and individuals (he nutritionally coached a number of athletes in the last Olympic games in Italy!). His eBook "Gourmet Nutrition" is one of the most complete and well-put-together performance-nutrition books I've ever read. Well worth the price!

In fact, I thought so highly of Dr. Berardi's expertise in sports nutrition, last year, I asked him to write the meal plans for my "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" program. Your learn more about the book here:

http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/metabolic-surge-rapid-fat-loss.htm

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You Snooze You Lose: Use Your Subconscious To Get You Out Of Bed And To The Gym Guest Article By Dr. Tom Kersting

How about this: does your alarm give you a kick-start, encouraging you to get out of bed and exercise? My guess would be no, nothing of the sorts. I bet the snooze button is practically worn off the surface. But what if I told you that you could train your mind to get you excited to go to the gym or go for a run when you hear that "bone-chilling" buzz or beep? Would you believe me? Read on.

When people come to my office for weight-loss, the number one excuse that I hear for not exercising is that there's just not enough time. And when I say, "how about getting-up a half hour or forty five minutes earlier in the morning and doing it then," most of my clients cringe. But I can tell you this; I have helped countless people to do just that, including myself. It's all relative; whatever your mind believes, it will produce, and when it associates exercising at 6:00 A.M with being tied to a whipping post, it's not likely that you're going to get out of bed and do it. But this is changeable. You just have to change the way your mind thinks.

Power Programming is a system I created that will teach you how to associate excitement and determination with waking-up and getting your workout in then. It's pretty simple in fact. All you have to do is train your mind, but most of us don't really know how to do this. The techniques are pretty simple in fact. Here's how it works:

1. The first step is to dedicate 15 or 20 minutes of your time, several times a week. Go find a comfortable place with no distractions. Close your eyes and begin breathing deeply and let your mind drift into a comfortable, relaxed place for a little while. Anytime you do this, you are opening your subconscious reservoir, and this is the part of your mind that is easily programmable. This is how you change the way you react to your thoughts.

2. Once you've reached a relaxed state, the next step is to use some simple imagery. First see an image of yourself, exactly how you want to look and feel. Make the image vivid and get excited about it. Make it your goal. Next, imagine yourself feeling more motivated than you've ever felt before. See and feel yourself walking or running briskly on your treadmill. See and feel yourself pumping iron at the gym and feeling good about it. Create whatever you want, but feel it baby, feel it.

3. Finally, imagine the sound of your alarm and say to yourself over and over again in your mind, "from now on the very first thing I think as soon as I hear that alarm go off is leaping out of bed and exercising." Surprisingly, you're going to see that this indeed will be the first thing running through your mind when you hear that alarm. And instantly, all of those positive feeling and images you created earlier are going to emerge. You will actually feel motivated to get out of bed and after you do it for a couple of weeks you're going to start feeling excited about it. I know it sounds too good to be true, maybe even a bit quirky, but I'm telling you it works. Everything is mind over matter. Soon, getting-up and getting-in your workout in the morning will just be another part of your day, much like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. You just have to dedicate the 15 or 20 minutes of mental work to make it happen.

If exercising in the morning is something you long for, or, if you are in a little bit of a rut with your workout routine, training your mind should be the first thing you do. Soon you will see that the agonizing sound of your alarm clock isn't so agonizing after all. It's all in your head and once you learn how to change what goes on up there, anything is possible.

Thomas J. Kersting, LPC, Ph.D is the author of FAT PROOF:
Power Programming Your Bodies Weight-Loss Computer (Harbor
Press, coming in Winter 2006). Dr. Tom has helped countless
people to lose weight with his methods. Please visit his
website to receive a free copy of his Power Programming
Weight-Loss CD.

http://www.fatproof.net/

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