How to Fix the Most Common Workout Mistakes | Greatist

This post was written by JC Deen and Jon-Erik Kawamoto. JC is a strength coach, fitness writer and author of LGN365. JK is also a strength coach and fitness writer and owner of 2 fitness blogs, JKConditioning and StrongerRunner.com. The views expressed herein are theirs.

If you didn?t know much about servicing a car, you wouldn?t lift the hood and start pulling wires, right? This same analogy can be applied to working out, but often times, the answer is a little different. From injury-causing techniques that make trainers cringe to programs that bring little progress, there?s a lot to improve upon when it comes to gym basics. Take the guesswork out of training and read on to troubleshoot these common workout mistakes.

Mistake #1 ? No Workout Order

In terms of exercise selection, trainees often copy regulars at the gym who appear to know what they?re doing in the hopes to maybe one day achieve the same goals. The result is usually random exercises performed incorrectly in a program that is really non-existent.

The Fix: Learning how to execute exercises correctly and either learning about program design and exercise selection or having a personal program designed to best fit your needs.

News flash: There is no such thing as the ?best program.? The ?best program? is the one that helps an individual reach their individual goals and is sustainable, fun, effective, and safe. Obviously, there are other important factors to consider, but it?s often that simple.

Here are several parameters to look for in a good program:

1. Start every workout with an effective warm up.
2. If doing power or explosive-type exercises, perform them first. These include Olympic lifting variations and plyometrics. They usually take the most focus and coordination, so do them when you?re fresh. Also, you?ll be able to be more explosive when you?re not fatigued.
3. Next, focus on compound exercises, which use more than one joint. Such exercises include squats, deadlifts, rows, bench presses and pull-ups. Machines can be used, but focus on free-weight exercises. It depends on your goals, but free-weight exercises tend to work more muscles, giving you more bang-for-your-buck.
4. Now add in isolation-type exercises. These include biceps curls, triceps extensions, along with some more uncommon movements like stiff-leg deadlifts, back raises and hip thrusts. All these exercise focus on a particular movement about a joint.
5. Lastly, add in some core-specific exercises (what?s often referred to as a ?finisher?). A finisher is exactly what it sounds like ? a high-rep exercise or multi-exercise circuit, designed to ramp up your heart rate and essentially, finishes you. Common finishers include high-rep back squats (for the advanced lifter) or a body weight circuit of pull-ups, push-ups, and body weight squats.

Mistake #2 ? Program Hopping

Jumping from one program to the next isn?t always the best idea either. Changing up training variables (sets, reps, breaks, exercises, etc.) from one workout or training phase to the next is referred to as periodization. This variation in training can be great to avoid boredom and staleness, but has to be planned to be effective. But randomly changing exercises or program hopping yields sub-par improvements in strength and muscular development and isn?t encouraged^[].

The Fix: Find a well-balanced program and stick to it for 2-3 months. Follow the overload principle from week to week and re-evaluate. Make slight alterations if you need to, but keep the bulk of the program the same and give the program a chance.

Mistake #3 ? Wrong Mental Attitude

Setting foot in the gym and moving some weights around is only half the battle ? having the right mental attitude, determination, and killer instinct will determine if you actually reach those goals. Always strive to be better, resist the temptation to get frustrated, and keep at it.

The Fix: Find a workout partner who is slightly stronger and fitter than you. You?ll be able to work off each other and reach levels of fitness you wouldn?t have otherwise. Create a social network with people that have similar goals and lifestyles. Share recipes and workout ideas. It?s always more difficult when doing things alone or when surrounded by people with different ambitions.

Mistake #4 ? Only Training What You Can See

It?s quite common to only train what we see in the mirror: For guys, it?s normally a combination of chest exercises, biceps curls, and knee extensions; for the women, it?s all about the inner and outer thighs, abs, and back of the arms. Obviously these are stereotypes, but they?re normally not that far off.

With the crazy amount of time we spend sitting these days, the least we can do in the gym is out-train the sitting posture.

The Fix: Incorporate more pulling movements into workouts, since these exercises target muscles in the mid- and upper back, glutes, and hamstrings, all areas that become tight from sitting. Exercises such as rows, pull ups, deadlifts, hip thrusts, and face-pulls all fit the bill. Also, to save yourself from looking like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame, incorporate thoracic spine mobility exercises, lat and chest stretches, and exercises to open up your hips, such as hip flexor and hip rotator stretches. You don?t have to stop bench pressing or biceps curling, but make sure you train the muscles you can?t see, too.

Mistake #5 ? Skewed Expectations

Many beginners start with the idea of making great progress in a short period of time. For some it may be a major weight loss goal, the pursuit of running a 6-minute mile, or even packing on some size and strength to fill out their clothes a little better.

The Fix: Set small goals with a manageable time frame, and make sure they?re appropriate for your current fitness level. Chart your workouts and keep track of everything related to that goal, so when it comes time to evaluate progress, you have a solid record to pull from.

When you look back at how much you?ve accomplished, the idea of giving up seems to fade away as you press on toward your goal.

Mistake #6 ? Insufficient Warm-ups

Warming up is just as important as the main workout. When people are getting started, it?s easy to push the warm-ups aside because they?re typically a small part of the entire training session. But that shouldn?t be the case.

If you?re prone to forgetting to warm up properly, write it down in your training journal as a part of the workout. (Check out Greatist?s take on the ideal warm-up.)

Warming up serves two purposes: to prevent injury and to prepare the body for the training session. A proper warm-up should get your heart rate up, improve mobility, and charge the nervous system for the work to come.

Most people can benefit from dynamic movements such as jumping jacks, glute bridges, skipping, and various band exercises such as pull aparts, face pulls, and lateral raises.

On top of the dynamic movements, soft-tissue work can be incorporated as well. Foam rolling the lower extremities, and mid back is a good place to start. For the upper body, using a lacrosse ball on the upper back and shoulders does well to loosen most people up.

The Fix: Now that you know the importance of a proper warm-up, take an extra 10 minutes to do it properly.

Start with a brisk walk for 3-4 minutes, followed up by the dynamic movements and foam rolling like mentioned above.

Mistake #7 ? Doing Cardio Before Heavy Weight Training

If your goal is to be stronger or put on muscle, then doing cardio before weight training sessions might not be the best idea. Many beginners will attempt to get in some cardio training such as a 2-3 mile run or bike prior to their heavy weight training.

While there?s nothing wrong with this type of cardiovascular training, doing it right before heavy strength training can limit your potential for strength gains and adding muscle.?Why? If we tax our energy reserves, we limit the amount of intensity we can put into our maximal effort under the bar.

The Fix: Instead of doing a full-on cardio session before your weight training, move it to another day (or do it after your training) and do a simple 10-minute dynamic warm-up before to ensure you?re ready for your strength session.

Wrapping It All Up

Time is the most precious commodity we have ? don?t waste it with ineffective workouts. Author Bill Starr couldn?t be more correct when he said, ?Patience plus persistence equals progress.? Fix these common workout mistakes (forever!) and get the most out of your training. Progress will come, but remember to be patient and persistent.

Do you make any of these workout mistakes? How do you work to fix them? Let us know in the comments below or tweet the authors @JCDFitness?and @JKConditioning.

Photo:?Bigstock

Source: http://greatist.com/fitness/fix-common-workout-mistakes/

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Germany increases social spending before election

BERLIN (AP) ? Germany's ruling center-right coalition has decided to increase childcare benefits, spend more money on transportation projects and end an unpopular medical charge less than a year before a general election, officials said Monday.

The measures ? costing more than ?3 billion ($3.9 billion) per year ? come at a time when German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble are urging other European nations to rein in spending and cut back public debt.

The opposition Social Democrats decried the new measures as expensive presents to voters before next year's poll in which Merkel will stand for a third term. "Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Schaeuble preach the Europeans to drink water, but at home they are having wine," center-left party leader Sigmar Gabriel said.

But Economy Minister Philipp Roesler, who is also the vice chancellor, defended the decisions, saying the parties have also pledged to achieve an almost balanced budget as early as 2014. This sets a "signal of stability and solidity" amid Europe's three-year-old debt crisis, he added.

Germany, Europe's biggest economy, overcame the slump of the 2008-2009 financial crisis with two years of strong growth. The country has so far also weathered Europe's sovereign debt crisis that has hard-hit several of the bloc's southern nations such as Greece, Portugal or Spain.

While growth in Germany is expected to fall to around 1 percent this and next year, the government has reported record tax revenues, enabling the country to reduce new borrowing without pushing through any major budget cuts.

Coalition leaders agreed to increase spending on transportation infrastructure by ?750 million ($958 million) next year. They also scrapped an unpopular ?10 ($13) charge that most patients must pay in addition to their health insurance when visiting a doctor ? a cut worth about ?2 billion ($2.56 billion).

Furthermore, the coalition agreed to press ahead with a controversial new childcare benefit that will go to parents who stay at home with their young children instead of work. According to earlier finance ministry estimates, it will cost about ?400 million next year, then about ?1 billion ($1.28 billion) annually starting 2014.

Among other decisions, the coalition parties also agreed to do more to help impoverished retirees, though details on the measure's estimated costs were not immediately clear Monday.

The coalition of Merkel's Christian Democrats, their Bavarian sister party and the pro-business Free Democrats announced the changes early Monday after hours of late-night talks.

Under the child care benefit set to start next August, families will be entitled to monthly aid of ?100 ($128) when one parent ? in most cases in Germany still the mother ? keeps their 2-year-old child at home rather than sending him or her to a day care center.

A year later, parents will be paid ?150 ($191) for each of their 2- and 3-year-old children. Other welfare programs already exist for children under age 2.

The program pushed for by Merkel's socially conservative Bavarian sister party has proven to be very controversial within the coalition. Several lawmakers have threatened to veto the legislation.

German media widely call the program the "Herdpraemie," loosely translated as "kitchen bonus."

The opposition condemns the proposal as an attempt to promote conservative family values that will hurt children's early childhood education, saying the money should better be used to create more day care center places.

German business leaders have also spoken out against the program.

"It sets the wrong incentives for parents to pull out from their jobs," the powerful BDA lobby group of Germany's employers said in a statement.

___

Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed reporting.

___

Juergen Baetz can be reached on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/germany-increases-social-spending-election-145939546--finance.html

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More NY fuel terminals online, gasoline lines persist

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More fuel terminals came back online in the New York harbor network on Sunday as mainline power was restored nearly a week after super storm Sandy, but gasoline shortages persisted and some major facilities remained idle.

A looming concern was that heating oil supplies were dwindling with temperatures expected to dip to freezing in New York on Monday.

Commercial power was restored at Colonial Pipeline's key terminal in Linden, New Jersey, a major supply hub for New York and northern New Jersey. Colonial said all delivery lines out of the Linden terminal were "operable".

In the New York Harbor, some of the four tankers carrying refined fuels and anchored offshore were transferring shipments to smaller barges for delivery, despite some traffic restrictions, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

One of the tankers, Glory Express, became the first allowed into the Arthur Kill Waterway after Sandy struck. It was headed to Kinder Morgan's Carteret terminal in New Jersey on Sunday afternoon, Reuters shipping data showed.

Late on Saturday, Hess Corp. said power was partly restored at its 70,000 barrel per day (bpd) Port Reading, New Jersey, refinery, but it needs full power to complete a damage assessment. Hess said it could take several days before it could bring back utility systems necessary to consider restarting.

The Phillips 66-owned Bayway refinery in Linden, New Jersey was idle over the weekend after the company was forced to shut 238,000 bpd plant when the storm hit. Phillips 66 said it does not expect updates on operations until Monday morning.

The outages hit the region when gasoline and diesel stocks were hovering near all-time lows. Total East Coast gasoline inventories hit a record low for October in the first week of the month and barely recovered in the weeks since, according to U.S. Energy Department data. Similarly, East Coast distillate stocks hit a seven-year low three weeks ago and were at their 12th lowest level right before Sandy devastated the Eastern Seaboard.

In a briefing on Sunday, New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the fuel shortage is lifting in New York but problems are likely to persist for "a number of days."

In New York, 27 percent of gas stations surveyed by the Energy Department's data arm were without gasoline on Sunday, down from 38 percent on Saturday.

For FACTBOX on refinery, terminal and pipeline operations:

By Sunday afternoon, 1.86 million homes and business were without power in states hit by the storm. Power was restored to nearly 78 percent of customers that were without electricity after Sandy.

New Jersey power provider PSE&G said it brought power back to 78 percent of gasoline stations in its service area,

"We have restored power to all of the refineries and pipeline suppliers that we are aware of," PSE&G President Ralph LaRossa said on a conference call.

However, there were still signs of the shortages that have gripped the region, causing miles-long lines for gasoline.

Fuel rationing based on license plate numbers in New Jersey, which was enacted by Governor Chris Christie, entered its second day. Only cars with even numbers could buy gasoline in the state on Sunday.

In Montclair, New Jersey, some stations ran out of fuel after pumping gasoline on Saturday for cars with odd-numbered plates. This left few stations with gasoline to serve motorists with even-numbered plates , who waited for hours on Sunday.

On the heating oil front, suppliers were optimistic there would soon be enough supplies, barring any transportation issues in the next few days.

Two terminals with heating oil supplies - one in the Bronx and one in Brooklyn -- were open for business Sunday and some barges were expected to deliver heating oil to terminals operated by Bayside Fuel Oil Depot terminals in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

"If all goes smoothly ? we'll have enough for this week and into the next weekend," said John Maniscalco, head of New York Oil Heating Association.

(Additional reporting by Ed Tobin; Editing by David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/more-ny-fuel-terminals-online-gasoline-lines-persist-214153736.html

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[Movie Review] 1920: Evil Returns ? Fizzed Out!

Published On November 4, 2012

Cast: Aftab Shivdasani, Tia Bajpai, Vidya Malvade, Sagar Saikia
Director: Bhushan Patel
Writer: Vikram Bhatt
Rating: 2/5
Movie Reviewed at: PVR Cinemas, Udaipur

---

What would it feel like to go through two hours of cinema which ultimately succumbs to the same shades of stereotypes that this industry has suffered for many years? What would it feel like to see a movie in which the effects become tacky and are ultimately unable to run a shiver up your spine? What would it feel like to see a horror movie that has taken its spooky sequences as unashamedly as possible from cult biggies like ?The Exorcist? which released back in 1973?

If you have no clue about what all things I have mentioned above, well, go and watch 1920: Evil Returns.

Promise! That?s what was given to us in the first hour of the movie. A mystery was there to unveil itself and what should have been built for a gripping second half, gave its way for ho-hum scares and bookish techniques to induce chills. A renowned but unhappy poet Jaidev (Aftab Shivdasani), in search of muse, finds a lady (Tia Bajpai) by the shore of a lake.

The female has lost her memory and thus a love affair spins between the two distressed loners. Alas! An evil spirit dooms the girl, and our hero decides to be the man of the hour.

Wait! That is just not the end of the story. It also has a handful of love letters thrown around, blind love affairs, revenge served cold and confessions.

One must be wondering about the thing that clicked in favor of 1920: Evil Returns. The answer is its breathtaking cinematography which captured the country side of England in a lush and opulent manner. Right from the chilly mist to the horse carts and to the gorgeously shot mansion sequences; all of them hit correct notes as the movie came alive on the screen.

One must compliment Chirantan Bhatt for giving a breath to the love story with sumptuous tracks that gave an air to the proceedings. An eerie background score also created a chilly ambience which supported the cause of the director, but, in some of the instances, it was way too loud and noisy to serve its purpose.

Performance wise, to say the least, Aftab Shivdasani ended up being an ever-so-clueless guy carrying a poker face all around the movie. I must say that he tried, but with not-so-good results. Tia Bajpai chipped in beautifully for the scenes in which she was possessed by the demon. Vidya Malvade, who played Jaidev?s sister, seemed uncertain of her act.

1920: Evil Returns churned its material in the wrong fashion. The spookiness and the chills gave its way for ho-hum scares and bookish techniques to induce chills, which took the fizz out of this foggy affair. Only recommended if you are one die-hard fan of horror-genre!

Source: http://www.udaipurtimes.com/movie-review-1920-evil-returns-fizzed-out/

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Source: http://www.jobsinworld.com/jobs-search.php?Jobs-It-Analyst-Voip-Reporting-Toronto-On-Canada&jid=3982336

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Acupuncture relieves fatigue in breast cancer sufferers

(NaturalNews) If you or someone you know suffers from breast cancer and the chronic fatigue symptoms commonly associated with conventional treatment protocols, acupuncture just might provide the much-needed energy boost you need to make it through each day. Researchers from the University of Manchester in the U.K. found that routine acupuncture treatments can help women with breast cancer achieve a "mild to modest" improvement in their fatigue symptoms, which for some can make all the difference in determining overall quality of life.

For their research, Alexander Molassiotis and his colleagues monitored and tracked 302 women with moderate to severe cancer-related fatigue symptoms, all of whom had received chemotherapy treatments for their breast cancers in the five years preceding the study. A total of 227 women who participated in the study received acupuncture treatments, while the remaining 27 women did not receive the treatments. After six weeks, the team compared the health conditions of the two groups to see if acupuncture had provided any benefits.

The group found that, overall, the acupuncture group experienced a drop in fatigue symptoms of almost four points on a 20-point scale, compared to a less than one point drop in the non-acupuncture group. Anxiety and depression scores also improved among those in the acupuncture group, dropping by two additional points following acupuncture compared to women given educational materials only. Emotional and physical well-being also improved as a result of acupuncture, lending credence to the notion that acupuncture is capable of transforming both mind and body for the better.

"Acupuncture is an effective intervention for managing the symptom of chemo-related fatigue and improving patients' quality of life," wrote Molassiotis and his colleagues in their report. When combined with moderate exercise, talk therapy, and other physical and emotional exercises, acupuncture can play a crucial role in mitigating the fatigue-related side effects of breast cancer treatments.

A 2008 study published in The International Journal of Radiation Oncology found that acupuncture is also effective at treating a variety of other side effects of cancer treatments as well, including hot flashes, depression, and night sweats. (http://www.naturalnews.com/024762_treatment_cancer_breast.html)

"[M]aintaining activity to tolerance, unless there are other problems with that, good nutrition, getting adequate sleep, and if the fatigue continues, considering there might be an alternative that complements those things," suggests Carol Enderlin of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, concerning acupuncture as a viable option for treating breast cancer treatment symptoms.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.reuters.com

http://www.timeslive.co.za

Have comments on this article? Post them here:

?people have commented on this article.

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/037812_acupuncture_fatigue_breast_cancer.html

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Kristen Stewart's Committed To Kick Her Cig Habit For Robert ...

Well, at least something good is coming out of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson?s reunion!

Sounds like the lovers have both decided to get healthy together!

Not only has R-Patz decided to quit smoking, but now KStew is slowly but surely weaning herself off the cancer sticks!!!

Reportedly, Rob is a huge reason for Kristen?s cig-free decision, as she wants to support her man and kick the habit completely!

An insider revealed:

?Kristen and Rob used to smoke cigarettes together all the time but they know how crappy it made them feel. Kristen doesn?t like smoking that electronic cigarette, so she just altogether quit.?

Ditching the cigs also seems to be having a positive impact on Kristen?s confidence, as a close friend stated:

?Kristen realized that her smoking was getting out of hand. On movie sets, it?s really tempting to smoke a lot while waiting and there is so much waiting and down time. Kristen feels really good about herself since quitting.?

Good for them! We think it?s great that they're putting their health first!

Now, let's hope this is one thing they can both stay committed to!

[Image via WENN.]

Tags: cigarettes, couple, healthy, kristen stewart, robert pattinson, smoking

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2012-11-01-kristen-stewart-quits-smoking-cigarettes-for-robert-pattinson

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