24-Hour Fitness: Pasadena East

3-Day Dumbbell Workout Plan for the Upper Body

A three-day dumbbell workout schedule is an appropriate lifting frequency for building strength or size in your upper-body muscles. This training schedule allows you to break down your muscles during each workout and then gives them adequate time to heal and develop. Workouts will target each of your major upper-body muscles, including the chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. Because you'll be lifting with dumbbells, your upper body limbs will have to work independently.

Weekly Schedule
Schedule your three dumbbell workouts on nonconsecutive days and focus on all of the major muscle groups in every workout. Working out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, for example, gives your muscles the 48 hours of rest they need in between workouts. You can split your muscle groups into separate workouts, which would give you time to do a greater number of exercises for each muscle. For example, focus on your chest and back on Mondays, your shoulders, biceps and triceps on Wednesdays. Then, on Friday, focus on chest and back again.

Workout Volume
Pick two or three exercises for each muscle group. If you want to improve upper-body strength, complete each exercise for three to five sets of about six repetitions. The dumbbells you’ll be lifting should be heavy for you, because you want your muscles to be fatigued once they reach six repetitions. If you’re looking to build size, drop the weight down and perform three to six sets of six to 12 repetitions. The dumbbells you’ll be lifting, although lighter, should still make each set difficult. Use a heavier dumbbell if you’re able to do more than 12 repetitions. Before each workout, perform a five to 10-minute warm-up to prepare your muscles.

Chest and Back
Dumbbell exercises that directly develop your chest include chest press, flyes and pullover. These are all done while lying on your back on a flat bench. A decline chest press requires can also be performed with an adjustable bench. Because you’ll be lifting the dumbbells over your head, have someone spot you. For your back, incorporate bent-over rows and kneeling rows. Bent-over rows are done from a standing position while being bent forward at the waist. These can be done while either keeping your elbows in or out. The kneeling row is done with one knee and hand on a flat bench, with the free arm rowing the dumbbell.

Shoulders
Dumbbell exercises for your shoulders include the shoulder press, upright row and lateral raise. All three are done while standing. The shoulder press involves pushing the dumbbells over your head. The upright row involves holding the dumbbells down in front of your thighs and then pulling them up along your torso toward your chin. To perform a lateral raise, stand with the dumbbells held down by your sides. While keeping your arms straight, lift them up and out to your sides until they’re parallel to the floor.

Biceps and Triceps
For your biceps, choose from biceps curls, hammer curls and supine curls. Biceps curls are done with your palms facing up. Hammer curls are done while your palms are facing each other. Supine curls start with your palms facing each other. As you curl the weights, your wrists rotate to palms-up position. To develop your triceps, do overhead triceps extensions and lying triceps extensions. Overhead triceps extensions involve standing with a single dumbbell held over your head and then bending your elbows to lower the weight behind your head. Lying triceps extensions are done from a supine position. With a dumbbell held over your chest, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell toward your forehead.

Training with Dumbbells
Working out with dumbbells offers a number of training benefits. When using machines or a barbell, each of your limbs work together simultaneously to lift the weight. Your dominant limb can therefore lift a greater percentage of the load. Lifting with dumbbells requires each of your limbs to work independently and lift the same amount of weight. Plus, you can incorporate alternating repetitions, which means lifting one arm and then the other. For example, when doing alternating shoulder presses, perform one repetition with your right arm and then the next with your left. This incorporates an element of instability to the exercise.

Do Treadmills & Stationary Bikes Work Different Muscles?

You cross-train to prevent repetitive muscle patterns, which can lead to overuse injuries. One way to cross-train is to alternate stationary cycling with treadmill walking or running. Running and cycling both use your legs to raise your heart rate and thus activate many of the same muscles. But these muscles are activated in different ways.

Cycling: Thighs Front and Center
Stationary cycling primarily uses muscles at the front of the thigh, including the tensor fascae latae, the sartorius and quadriceps. The tibialis anterior in the front of the shin is also highly active during each pedal stroke.

Treadmill Walking and Running
Walking on the treadmill activates the quadriceps more than when you walk on regular terrain, but not as much as when you use the stationary cycle. Running and walking on the treadmill use virtually the same muscles, but you engage the soleus muscle -- the smaller muscle of the calf -- more during a walk. (ref 4) The hamstrings experience greater activation during a treadmill workout when compared to a stationary cycling workout, especially when sprinting.

Inclines
Running on a flat treadmill mostly activates the adductors and gracilis of the inner thigh, the biceps femoris of the quadriceps and the semimembranosus of the hamstrings. Running uphill on a treadmill increases activation in these muscles and stimulates the glutes and the gastrocnemius of the calf. When changing a stationary cycle from a level grade to an 8 percent grade, there's little change in muscle activation; the gastrocnemius and biceps femoris work at both incline levels. When riders change from seated to standing pedaling at an 8 percent grade, the hip and knee extensors are activated to a greater degree.

Cross-Training Matters
Although stationary cycling and treadmill workouts use many of the same muscles, they engage them in a different way. When you repetitively put muscles through the same patterns, certain parts of your body become strong and others become weak. Including both stationary cycling and treadmill work in your routine discourages this type of imbalance.

How to Slim & Tighten Your Stomach

Achieving a tight, toned stomach takes a combination of a healthy diet and a well-rounded exercise program. You cannot burn fat off your mid-section with core exercises alone. You need to create a calorie-deficit by burning more calories than you consume, which leads to weight loss that allows you to see those beautiful abs. A variety of specific exercises that target the four core muscles tighten the abs.

Step 1
Burn overall body fat including fat on your core by participating in daily aerobic exercise. Select activities such as walking, cycling, swimming and dancing that elevate your heart rate for at least 30 minutes a day. Begin with 10 minutes at a time if you are new to exercise and gradually increase your duration. Exercise at a level that feels challenging, yet does not leave you breathless.

Step 2
Eat a healthy diet that contains lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Avoid high-fat foods, high-sodium foods and foods high in sugar. The American Council on Exercise recommends beginning a healthy eating plan by reducing your portions by 10 to 15 percent.

Step 3
Perform the abdominal vacuum exercise to strengthen the transverse abdominis in the deepest layer of abdominal tissue. Stand, sit, lie or kneel and pull your navel toward your spine. Maintain this position for 10 seconds as you breathe naturally. Release and repeat 10 to 15 times to train your TA to tighten like a corset around your midsection and give you the appearance of a flatter core.

Step 4
Complete one to two exercises that target the re**us abdominis, the muscle responsible for the "six pack." Select exercises such as crunches, bent-knee situps, reverse crunches, pelvic tilts and v-ups to contract and tighten the RA. Do one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions, three to five days a week.

Step 5
Do one to two exercises that target your external and internal obliques located diagonally alongside your abdomen. Choose exercises such as bicycle crunches, oblique situps, side planks, Russian twists and hip rotations to contract the obliques. Complete one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions, three to five days a week.

Best Arm-Toning Workouts

Having shapely arms is possible for anyone to achieve no matter what your fitness level. Sculpt, tone or even build muscle by including exercises that not only tone the biceps, but the shoulder muscles, triceps and back muscles as well. Switch up your arm exercises on a regular basis to get the best results and to get the most benefit from each arm workout.

Overhead Shoulder Press
The overhead shoulder press strengthens your shoulders and triceps. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Grab a weight that is comfortable yet still challenging without losing balance. Bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells to your shoulders with your palms facing forward. Keeping your shoulders down and your back straight, press the dumbbells straight over your head. Lower the weights back down to your shoulders. Perform three sets of 20 repetitions.

Dumbbell Biceps Curls
Dumbbell curls sculpt and tone the biceps muscles. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab a pair of dumbbells in each hand. Your arms should be to your sides with your palms facing outward. Again, only take a weight that will give you just enough challenge. With your palms facing forward, alternate your arms to curl up toward your shoulders until they are almost touching. Your shoulders should be rolled back and your back straight. Alternate arms for three sets of 20 repetitions.

Triceps Extension
This exercise not only tones your triceps, but your butt muscles and leg muscles as well. Hold a dumbbell weight in your right hand and stand with your feet staggered -- left in front of right. Lower into a lunge with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your left knee aligned over your ankle. While in the lunge position, slightly lean forward and place your forearm on your thigh. Draw your right elbow toward your ribcage with your palm facing left and your elbow at 90 degrees. Extend your right arm behind you then lower back to 90 degrees. Repeat and switch to the opposite arm. Perform three sets of 15 repetitions.

The Bow and Arrow - Biceps, Back and Shoulders
This exercise targets shoulder muscles, back muscles and biceps. Stand with feet staggered, right foot in front of left foot, and hold one handle of the resistance tube with your left hand. Wrap about half of the tube tightly around the other handle then hold the wrapped handle in your right hand. Extend both arms forward at shoulder height, pulling your left arm back slightly as if you were holding a bow and arrow. With your right arm straight, pull your left hand towards your chest, as you would if releasing an arrow. Your left arm should be in a continuous motion of pulling back and letting go to work the muscles of your shoulders and back and your biceps. Perform this motion for three sets of 15 repetitions.

Exercises to Reduce a Fatty Waist & Buttocks

A fatty waist and buttocks can be hot trouble zones, particularly for women. Although it is not possible to spot-reduce fat from the body, you can slim down your butt and waist as part of an overall weight-loss program. A consistent exercise regimen consisting of cardio and strength training, combined with a nutritious diet, will help you lose fat and build muscle for a lean, sculpted appearance.

Shake, Shake It
Cardiovascular exercise burns off calories to get rid of excess fat on the body including the belly, butt and thighs. Do any activity that raises your heart rate, breathing rate and gets you sweating a little or a lot, such as brisk walking, running, hiking, biking or swimming. Aim to move five days per week for 45- to 60-minute sessions at a moderate pace. Change up the intensity of workouts to incinerate more calories with high-intensity training in which you alternate harder efforts with easier recovery efforts. For instance, run hard for one minute followed by two minutes of jogging and repeat 10 times. Precede and follow with a 10- to 15-minute warm-up and cool-down respectively.

Strength Training
Muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat, meaning that you will burn more calories the more muscle mass you have, even while at rest. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body and, according to MD Michael Roizen, larger muscles burn more calories than smaller muscles. Do squats by standing tall with feet hip-width apart and feet slightly rotated outward. Keep your abdominal muscles contracted as you bend your knees to lower into a squat position. Stick your butt out as you lower and lift and avoid extending your knees past your toes. Complete 10 to 15 reps or until fatigue sets in for two to three sets.

Jump Squats
Jump squats combine cardio exercise with resistance training to burn calories and build muscle. Do this exercise by performing the squat followed by a jump high into the air. When you are in the lowered squat position with knees bent and butt out, explode up as you extend your knees and jump into the air. Land softly before lowering down into squat position again. Repeat 10 to 15 times for three sets.

Circuit Style
Add circuit training to your weekly exercise routine to reduce waist and buttocks fat. Circuits consist of a series of strength and cardio-based exercises performed back to back with little rest in between. It increases the heart rate, burns calories and builds muscle for a lean middle and backside. Choose eight to 12 exercises for the upper, lower-body, heart-rate and core such as pushups, lunges, jumping jacks, bicycle crunches, burpees, step-ups, front plank, lateral bounding and side planks. Perform one minute of each exercise for three sets in total.

How to Keep a Workout Routine From Getting Boring

When you set a fitness goal, the first day of your workout might be physically demanding, but its new, fresh nature can ensure you have a gung-ho attitude. The next few days might be the same, but as the weeks start to wear on, it's possible to experience workout boredom and begin dreading your trip to the gym. A day off might help, but don't spend too many days being inactive. Instead, change up your approach to ensure your workout remains engaging.

Step 1
Change your venue to breathe new life into your workout regimen. This simple technique can be enough to prevent the bored, monotonous feeling you might experience upon working out in the same setting week after week. If you exercise in the gym, take your workout outdoors for some sunlight and fresh air. If you favor riding a stationary bike at home in front of the TV, buy a real bicycle and explore the trails around your community.

Step 2
Ask a friend, family member or fellow member at your gym to play the role of your workout partner. Exercising alone can quickly get dull, but having a partner provides not only some camaraderie, but also extra motivation. If you can't get one person to commit to being your full-time workout partner, consider recruiting a couple people. For example, a gym member could work with you on weight training and a neighbor could become your jogging buddy.

Step 3
Try a new form of exercise instead of using the same approach every day. Walking or jogging on a treadmill, for example, leads to a multitude of health benefits, but it can quickly grow mundane. Instead of sticking to the treadmill, take up jumping rope or give the rowing machine a try. You don't have to exclusively stick to the new form of fitness -- the simple approach of alternating between a few exercises over the course of the week can be enough to lift your boredom.

Step 4
Incorporate technology into your workout to provide some new distractions. If you enjoy using an elliptical trainer at the gym, for example, load your MP3 player with a list of your favorite songs or download an audio book. If you favor walking outdoors, buy a pedometer and challenge yourself to walk a desired distance, a set number of steps or maintain a specific average speed.

How to Develop Top Sprinting Speed

Whether your goal is to intensify your workout, improve your athletic ability or compete in track and field events, with a bit of effort you can improve your sprinting speed. Training for sprints can be mentally and physically tough. However, with benefits like fat loss, muscular strength, improved endurance and greater agility, it can be well worth the challenge. Developing top sprinting ability requires strength combined with explosive power. Fine-tuning your form and running drills can help you to run faster.

Step 1
Warm up with five to 10 minutes of brisk walking or light jogging; stressing your muscles before they are properly warmed can cause an injury. Follow the warm-up with a lap or two of dynamic exercises, such as skipping or high-knee marching, which will help to activate your hip flexors.

Step 2
Run with proper posture and form, which can help you to generate more speed. Land on your forefoot, rather than the mid-foot as is done in endurance running, and immediately roll through and push off with the toes. Use your arms for momentum, swinging them back and forth with your elbows bent to 90-degrees.

Step 3
Shorten your stride. It may seem as if the bigger steps you take, the faster you’ll reach the finish line, but the opposite can actually be true. Your goal is speed and longer steps help with distance, not speed. Short and quick steps, while keeping your feet rotating in a circle like pedaling a bicycle, can help you get to the finish line faster. Match your breathing to your foot strikes.

Step 4
Balance and build your power muscles, which for sprinting are the hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes. The hamstrings and quadriceps are counter-balancing muscle groups; if one is significantly stronger than the other it leaves both muscle groups open to injury. Perform complex exercises, which requirs multiple muscle groups to work together, such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and step-ups.

Step 5
Strengthen your core, which keeps your body stabilized when running. Perform bridges, planks, supermans and side planks. Train your core three to four days per week with three sets of each exercise. Spend two to five minutes on each exercise.

Step 6
Run sprinting drills two days per week to increase your speed, power and endurance. For example, perform eight 200-meter sprints with two minutes of rest between runs. Aim to complete each sprint in 30 seconds or under.

Step 7
Rest for at least one to two days per week. Overtraining muscles can actually cause your running speed to slow down rather than improve. Your muscles need time to rest and repair in order to come out faster and stronger at your next training session.

Exercises for Tricep Flab

Flabby triceps result from a combination of muscular atrophy and excess body fat. The back of the arm tends to be a common trouble spot for women since they tend to carry more fat on their upper bodies. You can firm up your triceps and reduce your body fat percentage with weight training and cardiovascular exercise, and by changing your diet.

The Magic of Muscle
Your triceps give shape and definition to your upper arms. If you don't exercise regularly, lack of use causes your muscles to atrophy over time. You can lose up to a half pound of muscle per year. You can also quickly regain lost muscle with weight-training exercises. Weight training challenges your muscles and causes them to get larger and stronger. Participating in weight training exercises can help you maintain a healthy weight. Do exercises for your whole body at least two times per week.

Hit Those Triceps
It's best to perform weight-training exercises for your whole body, but some exercises specifically target your triceps. Try triceps extensions with a rope, barbell or dumbbells if you have gym access. Dips and close-grip pushups are both effective exercises for the triceps that can be done anywhere with no equipment. Dips target your triceps and shoulders and close-grip pushups target your chest, shoulders, triceps and core. Do at least three sets of each exercise, completing six to 12 reps. Use enough weight so that the last one or two reps feel impossible to finish.

Fit or Fat
Your body needs fat to assimilate nutrients, protect your internal organs and keep your muscles warm. But flabby triceps probably mean you need to shed a few pounds. Spot reduction is a myth so exercising just the back of your arms won't eliminate the fat there. In addition to strength-training exercises for your whole body, you need a minimum of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise to burn additional fat and calories. The American Council on Exercise recommends high-intensity interval training for the most effective fat loss.

Food Facts
In a culture where food is cheap and abundant, it's tough to limit yourself to eating for strictly nutritional reasons. Food used as entertainment, to celebrate special occasions and as emotional comfort quickly pushes you over the number of calories your body requires for its daily function. By watching your caloric intake and limiting nutritionally void foods, you can help keep your body fat percentage in a healthy range and eliminate the flab on your triceps. Eat fresh fruits and veggies, complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, nuts and seeds for 90 percent of your diet. You can still enjoy your favorite foods on occasion, just keep your indulgences to a minimum.

Comparison of Heart Rate & Body Weight

The American Heart Association defines your heart rate as the number of times your heart beats per minute. A normal heart rate averages between 60 and 100 beats per minute but varies based on many individual factors. These include your age, height, weight, medicines you may be taking, body mass index -- a measure of body weight -- and health factors including your physical fitness. Understanding and monitoring your heart rate can help you gauge your overall health and wellness.

Resting Heart Rate
Your resting heart rate is a good indicator of how hard your heart is working while at rest. This may be indicative of how healthy your body is and can reflect your total body size. The AHA defines your resting heart rate as the number of times your heart beats while resting. The best time to calculate your resting heart rate is before you get out of bed in the morning. Most people have an average resting heart rate of 60 to 80 beats per minute. A greater body size may affect resting pulse rate but not by more than 100 bpm.

Target Heart Rate
If you are exercising to maintain your body weight or lose weight, calculate your target heart rate, which is equal to 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Use an online calculator to determine your target heart rate, like the one offered at the American Heart Association or the Mayo Clinic. You can also manually calculate your target heart rate. To do this, subtract your age from 220. This is your heart rate max. Subtract your resting heart rate from this number. This is your lower limit. Multiply your lower limit by 0.5, and this will provide you with 50 percent of your maximum heart rate. Multiply this figure by 0.85 to get the upper limit of your target heart rate.

Body Mass Index
A study by the Division of Neurology at Deaconess Hospital in Boston found a direct relationship between heart rate and body mass index. BMI is a tool used to measure body weight that is directly proportional to height. BMI can predict recovery rates from exercise. BMI is a numerical representation of the relationship of weight to height and helps determine the lean tissue-to-fat ratio in your body. You can use any number of calculators on the Web including one available on the American Heart Association's website to calculate your personal BMI.

Fitness Level
If you are overweight, your heart rate will increase. Your heart is like any other muscle in the body. You have to exercise it and keep fit so that your heart rate can remain steady and within normal limits. As you work to lose weight, your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood through the body. Your BMI is a good indicator of how fit you are. Measure your resting heart rate and know what your target heart rate is so that you can exercise efficiently and maintain a healthy BMI.

Calf Workouts Using Freeweights

Calf workouts can often involve using equipment such as seated and standing calf-raise machines. While these machines are effective, they are not always readily available -- especially if you train at home or a poorly equipped gym. However, you can get an old-school style calf workout using free weights, just like bodybuilders, weightlifters and athletes used to do before calf machines were invented.

Dumbbell Single-Leg Calf Raise
Dumbbell single-leg calf raises allow you to place a significant load through your gastrocnemius muscles, the proper name for your upper calf muscle. Walking, running and climbing stairs mean that your calf muscles are relatively strong and, combined with favorable leverage, are capable of lifting heavy weights. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and stand on the edge of a stable step with your left foot; use your free arm for support. Lower your heel to stretch your calf, and then push up onto your tip-toes. Perform two to four sets 12 to 20 repetitions on each leg.

Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise
Pointing or plantar-flexing your ankle with your knee bent places an emphasis on your soleus, or lower calf muscle. Bodybuilders usually target this muscle by performing seated calf raises using a machine, but you can also work this muscle using a dumbbell. Sit on an exercise bench with your legs bent and rest the ball of one foot on the edge of a low step. Your shin should be perfectly vertical. Place and hold an upright dumbbell on your knee for resistance. Place a folded towel between your knee and the dumbbell for comfort if needed. Lower your heel toward the floor, and then push up onto your tip toe. Perform two to four sets of 12 to 20 repetitions on each leg. This exercise can also be performed using both legs at the same time and with a barbell across both knees.

Goose Step
The goose step is an unusual and seldom performed old-school calf exercise that provides a simple but effective way to finish your calf workout. With a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell across your shoulders, stand up straight, brace your abs and rise up on to your tiptoes. Without lowering your heels, walk as far as you can until you can no longer keep your heels off the floor. Rest for a moment and then repeat for two to four sets.

Considerations
Always spend three to five minutes warming up before your workout to minimize risk of injury. Perform each exercise using good form. The last couple of repetitions should be challenging but not so that your technique breaks down and becomes dangerous. Try to gradually perform more repetitions and more sets, take shorter breaks between sets or lift more weight to continually challenge your muscles to become bigger and stronger.