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Bodyweight Squats - The Key to Massive Leg Size and Strength

Bodyweight exercises rock. They are great for achieving any level of physical fitness you desire. And when your aim is to build explosive power and mass in your lower body, there is no better leg workout than bodyweight squats.
Let me tell you why bodyweight squats are so great: For one, they can be done by anyone of any age. Even people in their sixties can do them. Two, they can be done virtually anywhere. Three, they are a great form of rehabilitative exercise. Not only do they strengthen your joints and muscles; they also help in the recovery of damaged knee joints. I am definitely not a doctor and I still recommend you consult your physician before getting into any intense form of exercise.
There are three main types of bodyweight squats to choose from, depending on your particular goal. Each category of bodyweight squats serves different functions e.g. muscle building, conditioning, rehabilitation etc. Let me outline each category with the particular purpose(s) served:
1.The conventional Bodyweight Squat
This is your standard bodyweight squat. Typically, this kind of squats help in keeping the knee joints in good shape. But they are not very effective in developing mass or power because they don't do much to recruit the necessary muscle fibers. Overweight people can however use conventional bodyweight squats to adapt themselves before moving to the more advanced variations.
To perform this squat, stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward. Squat all the way down, pushing your butt behind you. Go as low as possible. Push back up through your heels to your standing position. Repeat the process.
2. One legged squats
These are THE most effective form of the bodyweight squat for all you who want to pack on muscle mass in your legs. They are definitely more tasking than conventional bodyweight squats, and they fire more muscle fibers in the hamstrings and quads. They are also good for developing explosive power for jumping. There are 2 variations of one-legged squats:
Ground: This kind is performed on the ground. Start in a standing position. Stretch out one leg in the air in front of you and hold your arms straight ahead. Slowly lower yourself with the other leg until you are as far down as you can get. Now lift yourself back up with the same leg to staring position. It might be a bit tricky at first, but with practice it gets easier and easier.
Elevated: Performed on a raised surface e.g. a chair. Pick a chair (without wheels) and stand on it. Stretch your arms out in front of you and hold out one leg (alternatively you can fold your leg...whichever is most comfortable). Lower yourself as far down as you can go then push yourself back up with the same leg. After doing enough repetitions, switch legs and do the same. Elevated one legged bodyweight squats are better than the ground variation because they allow you to go deeper and work the leg muscles more. This is an amazing bodyweight leg workout.3. Hindu Squats
Hindu squats have literally been used for centuries by Indian wrestlers. Do you know why? Because they work. Simple. They are great for building explosive leg power, endurance and strength. They are also a good knee rehabilitation exercise.
To do them, begin in a standing position. Keep your feet shoulder width apart with your feet facing forward. Squat all the way down. When you get to the lowest point, you should be on the balls of your feet (instead of keeping your feet flat). Then as you come back up to starting position, push through the balls of your feet. Repeat for as many repetitions as you can. Note: when doing Hindu squats, your arms must be extended down your sides, and your back must be straight as possible at all times.
You now know what it takes to have a great leg workout. Bodyweight squats are just what you need to take your bodyweight training workouts to the next level.

Exactly How I Got Six Pack Abs

There's a lot of bad fitness information out there so I wanted to write this in hopes that people find it useful. In this article, I'll tell you exactly how I got a six pack.
Before I hop in to it, first you must realize this. If you want a six pack, you cannot have fat surrounding your abs. No matter how strong your abs are, you're not going to see your abs with a spare tire.
So here's what my diet looked like in order to lose fat. I stayed on this diet, very strictly for 6 weeks and dropped about 10 pounds of fat. I didn't have a ton to lose so people who have excess fat will definitely drop more than that.
I ate 1.5x my body-weight in protein everyday, split between 6 meals. That's 180 lbs. x 1.5 = 270 grams of protein and 45 grams per meal. For fats, I ate about 10-15 grams per meal or 90 grams.
Protein sources came from lean chicken, turkey, and occasionally grass-fed beef. Fats came from almonds, avocados, and the meat. My only carbohydrates came from green vegetables, 1 cup of blueberries, and one grapefruit a day.
On Saturday night I would go all out, drink beer and eat pizza to kick-start my metabolism. A cheat meal will actually help you lose fat in the long run. Trust me.
For exercise I did two things. I focused on a workout program with compound exercises, and walked on an incline treadmill for at least 30 minutes a day.
Brisk tempo, incline treadmill walking goes a long way in fat loss and actually works better than running. Running actually makes you lose muscle which isn't desirable if you want your abs to 'pop'. I would walk in the morning on off days and directly after my workouts when I lifted weights.
I worked out with weights 4 times a week rotating between upper and lower body workouts. The main exercises I focused on were front squats, dead-lifts, pull-ups, shoulder presses, and dips.
And that's it. You read right - no direct ab work. It's not necessary. Crunches and sit-ups have nothing on compound exercises where it takes a lot of energy to stabilize the core. I'm a busy guy, so I don't like wasting time on exercises, like crunches, that don't work my stomach well enough in short periods of time.
If you want to learn more about the diet and exercise program I've used and recommend for building a six pack fast, you can click here. You can also check out my picture!

Signs of Someone Falling in Love

Love and fragrance are two things that can never be hidden. So when love knocks at your heart's door be assured that although it has crept quietly on you people around you can sense it from a distance.
No matter how much the person denies being in love there are certain sure shot signs that give them away and in a big way. So if you want to know whether the girl/boy you like is also falling in love with you or if you want to know whether your friend is falling in love here are some signs that will help in gauging their feelings despite their repeated denials.
1 Heady feeling: Being in love is a heady feeling however falling in love is all the more thrilling. Lovers feel that whole world is their kingdom. They see the world with different view. Someone falling in love will feel that he is on roller coaster ride all the time or if he is on ecstasy. There will be a bounce in their steps, a silly smile on their lips and a song in their hearts.
2. Behavioural changes: When someone is falling in love he or she is experiencing certain differences in their behaviour. Love has the power to melt a heart of stone, so if an arrogant abusive friend suddenly starts dripping honey sweetness you can be assured that he has been hit by a cupid. Sometimes people act silly when they are falling in love like wearing an expensive Armani shoes they will walk in the rain or else they will remove their shoes so that they can feel the grass beneath. History knows that love can make people do anything so is falling in love. People can kill for love.
3. Dreamers' Paradise: Lovers are usually not concerned about the world as they live in their own paradise where everything is perfect for them. So if you find someone lost deep in their thoughts either at some party or during office hours be assured that the cupid has struck his bow. These people will be with you physically and yet be far away somewhere with their lovers.
4. Other subtle changes: When a person is in love they knowingly or unknowingly start imitating them and their actions hence if a person starts speaking a different tone altogether be assured that either he or she is in love or on the verge of falling in love. By different tone one can implement that an insensitive person can become sensitive to everything around him or her and they become kind and generous as love is all about kindness and generosity.

True Love - 5 Signs He Loves You

What are the signs that he loves you? Are you one of the many women who love their man, but have no idea if he returns that love? Do you long for your relationship to move forward, but aren't even sure where it stands? You aren't alone. Many of us need a good guidepost to tell us where we are headed and what is going on. Knowing whether or not he loves you is a huge help in figuring out where to go from here.
Sign One- Does he do or or say things that show you he loves you? Love is hard to hide, at least completely, even when we are trying to keep it a secret. Does your man show you or tell you he loves you? Things that count include (but aren't limited to):
- He says it. This is one that most women long for, don't make it a requirement, but if he says it, it is probably true.
- He tries to be romantic.
- He makes you feel special.
- He gives you compliments.
Sign Two- Is it about him, you, or both of you? It doesn't matter how much time you spend together, that isn't love. On the other hand if it is all about him then he doesn't love you. On the other hand, it isn't good for it to be all about you either. The best of relationships is based on give and take. However, if he shows interest in you, your needs, and your life then he may very well love you.
Sign Three- Is he supportive? If he loves you then he will be supportive. He will be supportive of your dreams, goals, and when life is stressful. There are a multitude of things that we need support for and if he supports you well then it is likely that he loves you.
Sign Four- Does he take care of you? This can come in many ways. It can mean that he holds you while you cry because sometimes life is hard. It could mean that he takes care of you while you are sick. It could just mean that he strives to meet your emotional needs. Whatever it is, does he take care of you?
Sign Five- Will he commit to you? Commitment is hard for a lot of guys and we aren't asking for marriage here. We just want to know if he will be exclusive with you. This is especially true after you have been dating awhile or after you have begun a physical relationship. If he won't be exclusive to you then it is time to move on.
Love is based on a lot of things. Look for the signs that he loves you. He doesn't have to pass all of them every waking moment, but if he is doing these things then it is likely he loves you. Watch him for awhile and see that he loves you. If he doesn't, consider moving on and finding someone who will. Remember that you are worth it!

Christmas Books For Young Adults

Min has spent her short life living with a string of different foster families. With mere weeks left until Christmas, Min's current foster mother, Enid, drags her to the Children's Aide office demanding that they take her back. Overhearing Enid's indiscreet demands, Min's doctor, Jessica Hart, takes Min home with her. Min's luck changes instantly. One minute she's about to be abandoned for the holidays, and the next she is being welcomed into the home of the nicest person she has ever met. While living with Doctor Hart, Min takes on her own charity case-a stray dog she finds nearly frozen to death in a local barn. Unsure if the dog will survive, Min's Christmas takes a nerve-racking and potentially devastating turn.

The Importance of Being Yourself From the Beginning of a Relationship ( heading)

The title says it all - or maybe not. We all know that nobody likes a phony. And most of us try to be genuine. But at the beginning of a relationship it is easy to let that go by the wayside and try to hard to impress your paramour.
Obviously, we are not talking about a situation comedy plot. Nobody is really going to tell their prospective lover that they are a spy, or captain of industry. These kinds of lies are too easily revealed, and are unbelievable anyway. I am talking about the little white lies that we all tell, thinking that they don't matter very much.
The sad fact is that they do - a lot. Let's take a hypothetical couple, Jan and Jack. Jack loves to watch the races on Sunday, and hates the opera. Jan feels exactly the opposite way.
At the beginning of their time together, it doesn't matter very much. They are so smitten, that they will happily do pretty much anything as long as they can do it together. This is what makes this kind of behavior so very damaging to a long-term relationship. As Jack and Jan spend more and more time together and they will each began to realize that their partner is not the person that they were led to believe they were. Pain and hurt feelings will be inevitable if this point.
Hopefully you can see that in this, as in most things in life, the old Chinese proverb holds true: The easy way is the hard way; The hard way is the easy way. Jack and Jan would've been a lot happier if they had simply been honest at the outset of their relationship. Then each could have decided if they wanted to be with the other based on that person's true personality, interests and character.
There is another reason to be scrupulously honest at the beginning of a relationship is well and. Eventually, your new lover will meet your friends and family, who know you all too well that. And a quick way to check yourself and see if you're engaging in this self destructive behavior is to ask yourself if you would have any problem with any two people in your life comparing notes. If the answer is yes to you may want to take a look at your behavior and change it before it's too late.

Unlikely Hero, the Story of Om Puri

Om Puri is a well known character actor from Mumbai films. He has led a checkered life and now his wife Nandita has written his biography titled 'Unlikely Hero, The story of Om puri'. Normally books written by close relations like your wife tend to lose their objectiveness. But in this case Nandita has written an excellent book that covers all aspects of Om Puri's life.
Om Puri was born in 1950 and has acted in numerous films. His career represents a rich heritage of varied roles from Films like 'shod' and "Akrosh' in the eighties to the present. All in all he has carved a niche for himself in the film world. His latest film 'Singh is king' brings out his versatility as an actor par excellence. But the actors success is more in films made abroad in England and Hollywood. This can be gauged from the fact that he was awarded the Order of the British empire OBE (honorary) in 2004 for his contribution to the British film industry.
Nandita herself a media person has focused her book on all aspects of the actors life. His humble beginnings and relative poverty are presented in an excellent way. The book effectively brings out the many facets of the actors life. His rise and recognition in western cinema is well represented. Nandita has also focused on the sex life of Om Puri and brings out the fact that the actor had a sexual relationship with two maid servants in his house hold.
A biography has to be a candid account and is supposed to represent the man or woman in a light that makes the reader know everything about the person. For this Nandita deserve our admiration as she has brought out the intimate side of Om Puri. His relationships with the maids is graphic and makes interesting reading. But it has raised the hackles of the star himself, who has made no bones that his personal sexual relationships should not have been trivialized. One cannot agree with him on this matter, as these relationships are integral to a man or woman's life and the picture would be incomplete without these aspects.

Twilight Audio Book

This is my own personal review of the Twilight audio book. My daughter, who is twelve years old, is a big Twilight fan and desperately wanted me to read the Twilight books.
Normally this is not the type of book I would personally read, but I wanted to share this experience with my daughter, and was secretly quite curious to find out just what was so engaging about the book.
The solution, I came up with, was to buy the audio version of the book. This enabled me to find out just what the book was all about, without having to sit down and find the time to actually read the book itself. Prior to this, I have never actually listened to an audio book, so I did not know what to expect.
The narrated version of Twilight comes on eleven CDs and is nearly thirteen hours in length. It is totally unabridged: this means that every word that is printed in the book is actually spoken by the narrator and no words are left out.
The story is narrated by Ilyana Kadushin. Ilyana is a professional narrator who has done various voice-overs for both TV and radio. Although she speaks in a clear voice and every word is easily understood, I thought her voice was devoid of any real passion or emotion.
It took me a few days to listen to the book in its entirety, and I must admit I was surprised at just how good the story actually was. I can see why my daughter likes this book.
I would not say that Stephenie Meyer, the author, was a particularly good writer, but the story itself was quite entertaining and I found myself eager to find out just what would happen in the next chapter.
So, my verdict: well, I think that I got the best of both worlds with this audio book. I was able to listen to the story in my own time, sometimes driving to work and some times in the kitchen whilst making the dinner, without having to actually make time to sit down and read the book. Most importantly, to me, I can now share the experience of the book with my daughter.

The Twilight Series Explained

The Twilight series is four novels focused on the vampire fantasy/romance genre. These novels were written by the American author Stephenie Meyer. The series follows the life of Isabella "Bella" Swan; a teenager who moves to Forks, Washington finds her life drastically changed after falling in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. The series is told from the point of view of Bella, but a future novel is in the works that will retell the Twilight book from Edward Cullen's point of view.
The main character of the story is Isabella "Bella" Swan who is clumsy and nearly always in danger. Often she is portrayed as having low self-esteem and unable to understand Edward's love for her. Bella has immunity to the supernatural mind abilities of Edward, such as mind reading. In the fourth installment of the series, Bella gains the ability to protect herself and other from other vampire's mental abilities when she transforms into a vampire.
The other main character in the series is Edward Cullen who is a vampire that lives in a coven with like-minded vampires. The Cullen Family feeds on animals and not humans. Because of Edward's love for Bella he has a mutual hatred of a character named Jacob Black.
In the first book of the series, Bella moves from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her father in Forks, Washington. Once arriving in the town, Bella finds herself drawn to a handsome boy, Edward Cullen. Eventually, Bella learns that Edward is a member of a vampire family who drinks animal blood and not human. Soon both Bella and Edward fall in love, but the sadistic James from another coven is focused on drinking Bella's blood. Edward and the other Cullen family members are focused on defending Bella. Bella escapes to Phoenix again, but is tricked into confronting James who then tries to kill her.

Awakening Sexual Identities

Fourteen-year-old Krista McKinley finds herself a stranger in a strange land when she, her mom, and her two older stepbrothers move from Ohio, where she attended a Catholic private school, to California, where she gets enrolled at Crestmount High, a public school. She faces culture shock and experiences confusion about dating, being around boys as schoolmates for the first time, and questions her own sexual preferences in the debut coming-of-age novel Torn, by Amber Lehman. It'll pull at your heartstrings, and make you feel for Krista's situation and her inner turmoil, wanting to fit in, but also desiring to be true to herself. Is it just a "phase" she's going through, as her brothers Josh and Marc suggest; or, are her feelings for her best friend, Carrie, something more?
The situation Krista is in is a bit strange on a few levels. Her mom and dad are divorced, and her mother is a missionary who is in Nicaragua for a year, leaving her in the charge of her two stepbrothers. Josh and Marc do the best job they can serving as both her brothers and parents en-absentia, but they are no substitute for the real thing. Also, I couldn't help but wonder about California's laws regarding this sort of arrangement, and if her mother's not being there might be considered to be a case of child abandonment or neglect. Still, looking beyond that issue, I thought the novel was a sensitive treatment of an issue that affects many youths - the questioning of who they are, and how they should act and behave socially and sexually.
Besides her girlfriend Carrie, one of her best friends is Brandon. Brandon is a surfer, and he's very wealthy, athletic, popular, good-looking, the kind of guy other guys admire and girls fall in love with - but, he's also gay. Most of the other guys mentioned in Torn have either had sex with Brandon or also question their sexual identities. He's had sex with teen girls his own age, but he knows he's gay, and is comfortable with this realization. He's witty, and somewhat catty, and has a great sense of fashion. Carrie introduces him to Krista early on in the novel, and the three become close pals. Brandon suspects that Krista wants to be more than friends with Carrie, and vice-versa, and he encourages Krista to pursue her feelings.
Brandon is a great friend for Krista in many ways, and an interesting and colorful character. He even becomes Krista's date to the prom. Still, I wondered if Krista maybe wouldn't have ended up questioning her sexual preferences if she had first become friends with heterosexual guys at her new school instead of Brandon and his male friends. It's one thing for Brandon to know who he is and be cool with it, but not everyone is as self-assured or has had as much sexual experiences as he claims to have had. Krista has gone to school only with other girls previously, and has not had any sexual feelings for them, and she's only fourteen, after all. Being around other young people who have had sex likely makes her feel she has to play catch-up with them.

Music Success in Nine Weeks Review

Music Success in Nine Weeks by Ariel Hyatt has just been released in its second edition. Many of you indie musicians have wondered if the book is worth the purchase, and I'd like to break down the chapters in order to help you make an informed decision. Ariel Hyatt is the founder of Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR, a New York-based digital firm that connects artists, authors and filmmakers to blogs, podcasts, Internet radio stations and social media sites. Over the past 13 years, her firm has represented over 1,400 musicians in all musical genres.

In my own career as an indie musician, I have had to be mindful of my business, not only my music. To be an indie musician requires an entrepreneurial mindset, and I read a lot of books on the music business, and being an entrepreneur that have helped me reach my goals.

As a client of Ariel's, and an owner of the first edition of the first edition of Music Success in Nine Weeks, I was eager to learn how the editions differed from each other. While the concept of breaking tasks into nine weeks is the same, it is obvious to me that the second edition has even more meat than the first.

Week 1: Getting Mentally Prepared

The first week of Ariel's Music Success in Nine Weeks program is all about setting goals, and getting into the right mindset. The music business is not for the lazy or weak-hearted, and you need to be prepared for the long haul. This means getting into the correct mindset for success, and creating realistic goals that you can work towards.

Week 2: Your Perfect Pitch

The second week teaches you how to create an elevator pitch: a description of your music that you can easily repeat in the time it takes to travel one floor of an elevator to another. The best music pitch is memorable, and one that you are happy to use again and again.

Week 3: Optimizing Your Website

The purpose of your music website is not just to hold music clips and display your next gig date. Your website needs to pull potential fans in, and enable them to join your cause. Ariel offers practical suggestions for how your website can be used to build your fanbase.

Week 4: Social Media For Musicians

With social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, the potential to build a global audience via the internet has grown exponentially. Week 4 of Music Success in Nine Weeks defines "Web 2.0", and shows you which social media sites a musician needs to create an online presence.

Week 5: Blogging

Back in the day, a static website containing your music, photo, and bio was enough. Having a blog on your website enables you to show your personality, connect with other bloggers, and also be found by search engines. Week 5 explains the importance of having a website that updates frequently so that your fans can return to your site, and connect with you.

Week 6: Connecting with Fans Via Your Newsletter List and Conducting Surveys

Your band newsletter can be used for more than blasting out the dates for your next gig. Your newsletter should be used to build and grow your relationship with your fans. Once your have their trust, you can also reach out to them to ask them what they want from you. It's a lot better than guessing.

Week 7: How to Build Your Mailing List

Once you have an email list, it's also important to add more names each month. Week 7 shows you tips and tricks to grow a healthy fan email list.

Week 8: Real Live Networking Tips

In addition to having an online presence, it is still important for musicians to meet people offline, and make connections with them. Week 8 teaches you how to make an authentic connection in person.

Week 9: Creating a Continuum Program

As enlightening as the rest of this book is, in my opinion, Week 9 of Music Success in Nine Weeks is the high point of the book. Once you build your fanbase, and have permission to contact them regularly, it's time to get your fans to purchase merch from you on a regular basis. Whether it's CDs, t-shirts, or any other kind of band swag, creating a product line will make the difference in your band's bottom line.

Another bonus of purchasing Ariel Hyatt's Music Success in Nine Weeks is that you get free lifetime membership to Ariel's closed online Mastermind Forum. In the forum you meet other musicians like yourself who are working the program, and you have the added support of Ariel and her staff. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am also one of her forum moderators, but as a musician myself, I receive as much as I give, and I recommend Ariel Hyatt's book and services to any musician who wants to take their career to the next level.

Carla Lynne Hall is a singer, guitarist, and music marketing consultant based in New York City. Her mission is to make music, and share her knowledge with other musicians. As a singer/songwriter, her musical style has been described as "Norah Jones meets Sade for tea on their way to visit The Beatles". For almost twenty years, she has toured the globe as a singer/songwriter, and professional vocalist.

Carla has has spent a number of years behind the scenes in the music industry, in music publishing, management, publicity, and radio promotion. She is the author of The DIY Guide to the Music Biz and Twitter for Musicians.

Guitar Scale Mastery Review

The cost of this product is a wee bit higher. The seriousness and passion the creator, Craig, has is reflected in making sure that his student understand fully the concept of scaling, and eliminate the myths about playing the guitar- and turning into a rock star. The cost of this product is higher as compared to the competitor, and the method this is being taught is a little unconventional by teaching it by One-string Scale, Two String Scale.. Ear Training.. and then finally applying all. This may get the student a little bored and lose motivation along the way, since the end result is, well at the end only. This explains why its mentioned that, this product is only for those who are truly interested in mastering the skills, rather than merely knowing how to play the guitar.