What is the best way to get fit, lose belly fat, and tone abs and arms?
My basketball season is beginning soon and I realize ive been really lazy for quite a while. I need to get fit again and at the same time lose belly fat and tone my arms, and abs. If cardio is recommended how long every day should I be doing it for? I am willing to put time into it and im quite determined. I have about 4 months to get back into shape.
Suggestions?
Hi Jason,
In every gym that you go to, you will see people pumping their biceps. Biceps along with the pecs and abs are sometimes called vanity muscles because they are the most visible and therefore commands the most respect. Invariably, when you ask someone to show you his muscles, he will probably flex his biceps.
Here are some exercises that will blast your biceps:
a) Standing Barbell Curl/ EZY Bar
You can perform this exercise with either a straight bar or an ezy bar. This is a great mass building exercises for your biceps.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart and grasp the bar with an underhand grip, hands should also be about shoulder width apart. Curl the bar up slowly focusing intensely on the biceps contraction. Do not swing or use momentum to curl especially at the later stages when your biceps get weaker. Never swing or move your body, only your arms are moving. Keep your elbows locked to the side of your body and do not pivot them.
Then lower the weight, taking 3-4 seconds resisting the weight on the way down to emphasize the negative part of the exercise. Never let gravity pull the weights down.
At all times, do not curl or bend your wrist which must always be in a straight neutral position.
b) Incline Dumbbell Curls
This exercise will hit different fibre in your biceps and gives you the peak bicep look.
Sit back on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, keep your elbows well forward throughout the movement, curl the weight upward and toward the shoulder level. Then squeeze your biceps hard at the top position. Lower the weights again, slowly under full control. The speed and techniques are similar to what was described earlier.
c) Preacher Curl
Similar to barbell curl but using the preacher curl station. This is an excellent bicep peaking isolation exercise.
d) Hammer Curl
Hammer curl gives your biceps the full look and your forearms are also working hard.
Similar to incline dumbbell curl except you will be using the hammer grip on the dumbbell like holding a hammer knocking nails in and standing up instead of sitting down.
e) Build Biceps Tips
Focus on the movement of your biceps all throughout the motion. Don’t lift weights that are too heavy that will compromise your form and techniques to show off.
By slightly turning and squeezing, you’ll build more peak on your biceps. Like all exercises, pose and stretch the biceps between sets. This is to flush out lactic acid and help your biceps recover better for the next set.
Remember to change the order of the exercises you perform after 6-8 weeks to shock your biceps into new growth and watch those arms grow!
Ultimately the best plan of action to get toned is to eat better. Try and lose some of that extra fat covering the muscles. If you know that cutting back on the fats is the first key to success, then cardio would be the second. Try and be active for at least 45 mins to an hour a day, running for about 30 mins a day and the more the better. If you are going for the cut look have repetitions in mind in stead of power lifting when in the gym. Good luck
You can’t spot reduce fat. You have to reduce overall body fat and often the fat around the middle is the last to release. So for your abs to show you have to have a very low percentage of body fat.
I also tell my clients to eat smaller meals more times (5-6) per day. When a body is starved it will store fat. When it believes that times are good (when it’s being feed good nutrition often) it will release fat.
I have written a page focusing on a 3 pronged approach dealing with Detoxing, Nutrition and Exercise (especially body weight exercises, which you can do in your home).
http://www.diet-and-exercise-for-health.com/belly-fat.html
Good luck!
The above posts are correct. You need to trim your overall body fat to trim your belly fat and show off your abs! You can do this by:
- Total body training
- Cardio in INTERVALS
- Better diet
- Adequate Sleep
This site reviews the best programs…