Sunday 11 October 2015

Secret Formula for Speed on a Bike (against power)


Aeroweenie.com has posted a large dataset of rider speed vs rider power (see here). From this it is fairly easy to plot speed vs power and excel will even give you the formula

Here it is

Rider Speed in KPH = 14.67 Ln(watts) - 42.4



So now, assuming average weight, CDA, temperature etc you can easily calculate your predicted speed!

ps.
If you know a lot more variables then more accurate speed prediction calculators are available! http://www.aeroweenie.com/calc.html




Thursday 8 October 2015

Cycling Aero vs Weight: All you need to know

Just came across lots of brilliant information on the flocycling website (they make aero wheels). Have a look at their blogs here: http://flocycling.blogspot.co.uk/

From these blogs I have reproduced the following key information! thanks Flo Cycling!

Q1.  What shape is best for bike tubes / spokes /bars (assuming no compromise in weight bearing)



Q2. What is the effect of speed on drag from a bike wheel (aero vs non-aero)


Q3. What is the effect of side wind (yaw into head wind)


Q4. What is the effect of wheels on speed over a long flat time trial /  iron man







 Q5. What is the effect of wheels on speed over a long flatish time trial /  iron man




Q6. What is the effect of wheels on speed over a longclimbing stage

 
Time with "Un-Aero" Wheels Light Training Wheels (1100 grams) : 1:09:46 
 
Time with Aero Wheels FLO 90/DISC (2259 grams) : 1:10:09

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Could this be the World's lightest Timetrial (TT) bike at 6.9kg ?

Why do we have to make do with heavy TT bikes? We know that standard line is that weight doesn'tt make much of a difference in TT. Sorry this is pretty much mis-information. Except for downhill and really flat courses bike: weight is usually important. v important if its uphill (as is rider weight). Indeed dropping 10kg will save about 1min of a hilly 25mile timetrial which has an 2000m (0.5% ave) of hills see this link. There is added benefit of a light rider because a light rider is also an aero rider!

Therefore, we have been trying to find the lightest TT bike and this could be it (with slight modification)!

Andreas's linden Canyon Speedmax

see http://andreaslinden.se/2013/07/04/canyon-speedmax-cf-2013/



-----------------------specs----------------------------
Frame / fork: Canyon 
Handlebar: Canyon 
Seatpost: Canyon 
Switchboard Group: Shimano Dura Ace 9070, electronic 11s 
Front: Zipp 808 Firecrest, tube 
Rear wheels: Zipp Super 9 disc, tube (or Zipp 808) 
Tyres: A.Dugast Speed ​​Diamond Silk, tubdäck 
Pedals: Look Keo Blade Aero 
Saddle: Selle Italia Optima Teknologika
-----------------------weight----------------------------
Weight: is currently 7.3 kg with Zipp 808, without pedals
-----------------------modification----------------------------
In fact his current Zipp rear disc weighs 1175g which is not bad but the "DASH GRETCHEN" read disc is 770g 
and similarly the Lightweight-autobahn-rear-disc-wheel is only 780g; so if he fitted that it would be 6.9kg! (but ok it would cost at extra 2500 euros!!)


.......and I just found a pic where someone has done just that

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/Markus_Fachbach_s_Canyon_3772.html


Wednesday 23 September 2015

Our top 10 diet and weight loss tips




 OK here our top 10 diet and weight loss tips


1. Think of food as fuel not as a treat. 
Food is basically energy or fuel for your body. You should top up on high quality fuel and not over or under do it.

2 Realize that you are what you eat The saying “you are what you eat” is absolutely true but it reflects the pattern over months and years. You can stray but as a rule eat bad food on once a month or 3% of occasions

3. Eat smaller portions slowly. Eat your food on a small, saucer-sized plate to help you control your portions. Eat slow and drink a pint of water and wait 15mins before you go back for a second serving (ask do you really need that second helping?)



Stopping adding. Stop adding sugar and salt and relish and ketchup and mayo and other stuff. Don’t cook with them either.

Drink only water, real 100% juices or healthy hot drinks. 
Give up all sodas and artificial juices and even non-pure juice. These are the biggest culprits for weight gain in society.


Stay away from processed carbs esp white pasta, white bread and white rice. 
A serving of white rice, pasta or bread is as bad as eating a tablespoon of sugar. After consumption of what is called a “simple carbohydrate” your blood sugar levels spike and excess sugar is stored as fat.



Go easy on desserts and diary. including milk, cream, cheese etc. 
They can be eaten in great moderation.


Learn to love fruits and vegetables and leafy greens. 
Some people live almost entirely on these. Ignore at your peril!



Exercise regularly and with intensity.  
Exercise burns calories while your exercising and while at rest! The more muscle mass the more energy you burn. The more a muscle works, the more energy you burn.

 
  


Transition to a Mediterranean or paleo diet.  
Natural products that are not processed, high in fibre, low glycaemic index, low red meat, high fish, low fat. 

  



Friday 18 September 2015

Men's Health Top 100 Fitness Tips: Re-rated by Us!

Original list is here 

Here goes.....


Build Better Abs
Don't work your abdominal muscles every day. "Physiologically, your abs are like any other muscle in your body," says David Pearson, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise scientist at Ball State University. Train them only 2 or 3 days a week.
Our rating: 1/5: doesn’t make sense, abs can be trained as much as any other muscle group.
Protect Your Neck
Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth when you do crunches. "It will help align your head properly, which helps reduce neck strain," says Michael Mejia, C..S.C.S., Men's Health exercise advisor.
Our rating: 1/5: pretty silly advice
Keep Muscles Limber
If you're under 40, hold your stretches for 30 seconds. If you're over 40, hold them for 60 seconds. As you reach your 40s, your muscles become less pliable, so they need to be stretched longer.
Our rating: 2/5: no evidence: age has little to do with it, its your condition that counts
Grow Muscle, Save Time
Keep your weight workouts under an hour. After 60 minutes, your body starts producing more of the stress hormone cortisol, which can have a testosterone-blocking, muscle-wasting effect.
Our rating: 2/5: no evidence: duration is related to adaptation your body is able to make over time and stress hormones are a physiological response to all exercise.
Exercise in Order
Use dumbbells, barbells, and machines—in that order. "The smaller, stabilizer muscles you use with dumbbells fatigue before your larger muscle groups," says Charles Staley, a strength coach in Las Vegas.  So progress to machines, which require less help from your smaller muscles, as you grow tired.
Our rating: 4/5: yes using machines last is a good tip

Strengthen Your Core
Don't be afraid of situps. We've changed our tune on these, and here's why: Situps increase your range of motion, which makes your abdominals work harder and longer. (Doing crunches on a Swiss ball or with a rolled-up towel under your lower back has a similar effect.) Just avoid situps with anchored feet, which can hurt your lower back.
Our rating: 3/5: no evidence that anchored feet does anything bad
Test the Bench
Press your thumb into the bench before lifting. "If you can feel the wood, find another bench," says Ken Kinakin, a chiropractor in Canada and founder of the Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists. Hard benches can cause T4 syndrome—a misalignment of your thoracic spine that affects the nerve function of your arm, weakening it.
Our rating: 3/5: fair tip
Swim Faster
To build speed in swimming, develop your ankle flexibility. Flexible feet will act like flippers and propel you faster through the water. To increase your flipper flex, do this: Sit on the floor with your shoes off. Extend your legs in front of you, heels on the floor. Point your toes straight out as far as possible, then flex them toward your shins as far as you can. Repeat for 1 minute.
Our rating: 3/5: ok, but does this work?
Buy Shoes That Fit
Shop for workout shoes late in the day. That's when your feet are the largest. Make sure there's a half inch of space in front of your longest toe, and that you can easily wiggle your toes. Then slip off the shoes and compare them with your bare feet. If each shoe isn't obviously wider and longer than your foot, go half a size bigger.
Our rating: 4/5: good shoes are a wise investment
Kill Your Excuse
If you think you're too busy to exercise, try this experiment: For one day, schedule a time to work out, and then stick to it—even if you can exercise for only 10 minutes. "At the end of the day, ask yourself if you were any less productive than usual," says John Jakicic, Ph.D., an exercise psychologist at the Brown University school of medicine. The answer will probably be no—and your favorite excuse will be gone.
Our rating: 3/5: fair tip
Help Your Forehand
To build forearm strength for tennis and racquetball, crumple newspaper: Lay a newspaper sheet on a flat surface. Start at one corner and crumple it into a ball with your dominant hand for 30 seconds. Repeat with your other hand.
Our rating: 3/5: not sure this works particularly well
Muscle Up Your Back
When doing lat pulldowns, don't wrap your thumb around the bar. Instead, place it on top, alongside your index finger. This decreases the involvement of your arm muscles, so you'll work your back harder. Works for pullups, too.
Our rating: 4/5: worth trying
Drink A Pint, Get Ripped
If you're a beginner, train to failure—the point at which you absolutely can't do another repetition—then throw back a pint. In a new study, beginners who trained to failure with three sets of six exercises per day then drank a supplement immediately afterward gained over 5 pounds of muscle in just 8 weeks. A pint of 1 percent chocolate milk will provide all the nutrients you need to achieve the same result.
Our rating: 4/5: we agree about the choc milk or just plain skimmed is fine.
Lose Your Weak Spot
If you don't like an exercise, start doing it. "You're probably avoiding it because you're weak at it," says Mejia.
Our rating: 5/5: we agree with this one!
Overcome Injuries, Build Big Arms
If you hurt your right arm, don't stop exercising your left arm. Researchers at the University of Oklahoma found that people who trained only one arm for 2 weeks managed to increase arm strength in their nonexercising arm up to 10 percent. The reason: Exercising one arm stimulates the muscle nerve fibers in the opposite arm.
Our rating: 4/5: probably true, its called “muscle recruitment” isn’t it
Cut Pain, Increase Gain
Count your repetitions backward. When you near the end of the set, you'll think about how many you have left instead of how many you've done.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip
Turn Heads with Your Legs
Do standing and seated calf raises. You'll get better results. "Your calves are made up of two different muscles, so you have to do the straight-leg and the bent-leg versions of the exercise to hit them both," says Mejia.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip
Keep Your Stats, See Amazing Results
Test yourself often. Every 4 weeks, measure a variable—waist size, body fat, bench press—that equates to your end goal. "It'll show you the tangible results of your training," says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Canada. And that translates into motivation.
Our rating: 5/5: we agree with this, monthly testing usually helps a lot.
Kill the Pill
Don't pop a pill after you work out. Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences found that ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) andacetaminophen (Tylenol) were no more effective than a placebo in relieving postexercise muscle soreness. More important, they say the drugs may actually suppress muscle growth when taken after a workout.
Our rating: 4/5: we agree, don’t pop pills just to stop DOMS!
Blow Off Your Belly
Exhale forcefully at the top of the movement when you do abdominal crunches. It forces your abs to work harder.
Our rating: 2/5: doubtful!

Build Big Biceps
Bend your wrists to work your biceps harder. That is, extend them backward slightly—and hold them that way—while you do arm curls.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Heal Faster
Don't exercise when you're sick—unless your symptoms are above the neck. And even then you might do better taking a day off. "Your body will use its resources to heal itself, not build muscle and endurance," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Santa Clarita, California.
Our rating: 5/5: generally true, but aerobic exercise with minor flu like symptoms can actually help recovery.
Pick Up Your Pace
Increase the speed of your running strides—not their length—to get faster. Your foot should always land under your body, rather than out in front of it, and you should push off with the toes of your rear leg for propulsion.
Our rating: 2/5: its speed and length that counts
Ditch the Weight Belt
Don't train with a weight belt. Over time, regular training in a weight beltactually weakens your abdominal and lower-back muscles. Wear it only when attempting maximal lifts in such exercises as squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Ride More Efficiently
Practice cycling one-legged to ride more efficiently. This forces you to concentrate on pulling up at the bottom of the stroke, which better distributes the work among the major leg muscles. Lock both feet on your pedals, but let your left leg go limp while you do all the work with your right leg. Do this for 30 seconds, then switch legs. Ride normally for 5 minutes, then repeat the drill. Continue this way for a 20- to 30-minute workout.
Our rating: 4/5: worth trying but not for too long.

Pay Now, Build Later
Pay your trainer in advance. "You'll be more likely to follow through on exercise sessions," says Mejia.
Our rating: 3/5: ok sure
Flatten Your Gut
Work your invisible abdominal muscles. Your transversus abdominis lies beneath your rectus abdominis—the six-pack muscle—and flattens your waistline when you suck in your gut. Work it with the vacuum: Pull your belly button toward your spine and hold for 10 seconds while breathing normally. Repeat five times.
Our rating: 4/5: worth a try
Stretch for Strength
Between sets, take 20 to 30 seconds to stretch the muscle you just worked. Boston researchers found that men who did this increased their strength by 20 percent.
Our rating: 5/5: definitely worth trying
Save Your Shoulders
Decrease the weight by 10 percent when you change your grip. So if you've been benchpressing 135 pounds for 10 repetitions with a medium grip, drop to 120 pounds when you switch to a wide grip. "You'll be stressing your joints and muscles in a different way than they're used to, which can cause injury," says Kinakin.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip
Improve Quickness
For faster foot speed in sports, try this move: Start with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides. Lift your left foot in front of you, touch it with your right hand, and lower it to the floor. Lift your right foot, touch it with your left hand, and lower it. Then touch your left foot behind you with your right hand, then your right foot behind you with your left hand. Go for 20 seconds at a time, moving as fast as you can, and repeat for a total of three to five sets.
Our rating: 3/5: ok…..

Repair Muscle Faster
Recover faster from a hard workout by lightly exercising the same muscles the following day. Use a light weight—about 20 percent of the weight you can lift one time—and do two sets of 25 repetitions. This will deliver more blood and nutrients into your muscles so they repair faster.
Our rating: 5/5: this is looking like a great hidden gem proven in cycling, that light exercise helps recovery in zone 1-2.
Dress Better
Buy only workout clothes that are black, white, or gray. They'll go with everything, and you'll never again waste time looking for a T-shirt that matches your gold-and-purple Lakers shorts.
Our rating: 2/5: haha ok, but do clothes really matter?
Eat Meat and Grow
Eat meat—4 to 8 ounces every day—to grow more muscle. A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritioncompared two groups of older male weight lifters: One group ate meat, the other didn't. Both groups grew stronger, but only the carnivores gained significant muscle. Chicken, turkey, and fish count, too.
Our rating: 3/5: maybe but other healthy including vegetarian work too
Save Time in the Gym
Don't worry about specific rest periods between sets. Instead, rest as you need it—less in your early sets when your muscles are fresh, and more as they become fatigued. "You'll cut your workout time between 15 and 20 percent," says Staley.
Our rating: 4/5: worth trying
Stay in the Saddle
When you cycle, keep your pace between 80 and 110 rpm. You'll ride farther and faster with less fatigue and knee strain. To gauge your pace, count how many times your right leg comes to the top of the pedal stroke in 10 seconds, then multiply that number by 6. The result is your pedal rpms.
Our rating: 5/5: yes this is the ideal cadence in cycling but some will be comfortable in the 70s.

Build Arms Faster
Work opposing muscle groups—your biceps and triceps, for instance—back-to-back for a faster workout. "While one muscle is working, the other is forced to rest," says Staley. You won't need as much time between sets.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip
Improve Balance
Use a sofa cushion to improve your balance. Stand one-legged on the cushion and move a medicine ball (or a 1-gallon milk jug or heavy phone book) from hand to hand, side to side, and behind your head. Once you've mastered the move, try it with your eyes closed. "You'll improve your balance, coordination, and body control, all important athletic attributes," says Greg Brittenham, assistant coach of player development for the New York Knicks.
Our rating: 3/5: ok…..
Get Stronger Fast
Do the same amount of exercise in 10 percent less time. It forces your muscles to work harder and improves your endurance at the same time. If it takes you 30 minutes to do a full-body workout on Monday, try to do it in 27 minutes on Wednesday.
Our rating: 4/5: improvement is always good but you cant  do this forever.
Double Dip Benefits
Do dips with your elbows in and your body straight to work your triceps. But lean forward and flare them out to focus on your chest.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip
Bench More Now
Look at your dominant hand—without turning your head—while you're bench-pressing. "You'll be able to lift more weight," says Staley.
Our rating: 3/5: ok but not convinced

Do More Chinups
Don't think about pulling yourself up when you do chinups. Instead, imagine pulling your elbows down. The exercise will seem easier.
Our rating: 3/5: ok but not convinced
Climb Like Spiderman
For rock or wall climbing, buy shoes that fit your bare feet so tightly you can stand but not walk comfortably. They'll give you optimal control, and you'll be better able to use your legs—the key to successful climbing.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Run Injury-Free
One week out of every six, cut your weekly training mileage and frequency in half. You'll give your body a better chance to recover, and you'll avoid permanent, nagging injuries.
Our rating: 3/5: ok but not convinced…..too prescriptive.
Drink Up, Get Lean
Drink low-fat milk. Scientists in Canada found that people who consumed more than 600 milligrams of calcium a day—roughly the amount in 2 cups of milk, a cup of broccoli, and a half cup of cottage cheese—had lower body fat than those who consumed less than 600 milligrams a day.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Multiply Your Muscles
Follow this simple formula to build more muscle: Multiply the amount of weight you lift for a particular exercise by the total number of times you lift it. Try to increase that number every workout by lifting heavier weights, increasing your repetitions, or doing more sets.
Our rating: 5/5: yes
Be More Flexible
Spend twice as much time stretching your tight muscles as your flexible muscles. "Focus on problem areas instead of muscles that are already flexible," says Bill Bandy, Ph.D., a professor of physical therapy at the University of Central Arkansas. Typical problem areas for men: hamstrings, shoulders, and lower back.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Recover Faster
When you're recovering from a muscle injury, begin exercising again as soon as you can. Try a few minutes at low intensity to test yourself. Go slowly—no explosive movements. If you experience pain, stop immediately. Afterward, ice the area for 20 minutes and exercise again the next day. You should be able to go a little harder and longer each workout.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Reach Your Goals
Set your goals in reverse. That is, pick a date of completion and work backward, writing down short-term goals as you go. "The goals then seem more like deadlines," says Ballantyne.
Our rating: 3/5: worth trying but not convinced
Run Hills Faster
When running uphill, keep your head up and your eyes focused on the top of the hill. This opens your airways, making it easier to breathe than if your upper body were hunched forward.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Manage Your Middle
Do your ab exercises at the beginning of your workout if you can't pass this test: Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your legs bent—as if you had just performed a situp. Then place your fingers behind your ears with your elbows pulled back. Lower yourself to the floor as slowly as possible. "If it doesn't take at least 5 seconds, you need to prioritize your abdominal training," says the Australian strength coach Ian King.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Win a Marathon
To build speed and endurance, train like a Kenyan: Go slowly for the first third of your run, at a normal pace in the middle third, and at a faster-than-normal pace at the end. Gradually increase your starting pace each week, and you'll increase your normal and fast paces, too.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Sit Back, Squat More
Use a bench to squat with perfect form. That is, stand in front of the bench when you squat. Lower yourself as if you were sitting down. When your butt touches the bench, push yourself back up. Try it with a light bar or a broomstick first.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Shake Your Muscles
Eat immediately after your workout. A 12-week study conducted by Danish researchers found that older men who drank a shake with 10 grams of protein, 7 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fat (about the same as in a cup of milk) within 5 minutes after their weight workout gained muscle, but men who consumed the drink 2 hours later did not. For a serious postworkout muscle-building shake, try this formula from Thomas Incledon, M.S., R.D.: Blend a half cup of fat-free frozen chocolate yogurt, a quarter cup of egg substitute, a cup of fat-free milk, a large banana, and a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and drink. You'll down 23 grams of protein, 52 grams of carbs, and only 4 grams of fat.
Our rating: 3/5: a glass of skimmed milk on its own will be just as good.
Get Stronger Legs
Do lunges in reverse. This forces your front leg to work throughout the entire exercise. Use the same movement pattern as in a traditional lunge, but step backward instead of forward.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Use Iron, Get The Lead Out
Lift weights to run faster. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that 8 weeks of resistance training improved experienced runners' 5-K times by 30 seconds.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip surprising if true but good.

Save Your Back
Squeeze your butt muscles when you lift weights over your head. "You'll force your body into a position that automatically stabilizes your spine, which lowers your risk of back injuries," says Staley.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
For a Better Warmup, Train Your Brain
Don't forget to warm up your brain. "Preparing your central nervous system for activity is just as important as preparing your muscles," says Vern Gambetta, former director of conditioning for the Chicago White Sox. That's because your central nervous system tells your muscles when to contract. Try standing on one leg while you squat down, and touch the floor in front of it with your opposite hand. Do two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with each leg.
Our rating: 3/5: ok if benefitial
Loosen Your Hips
Keep your heels on the floor when you squat. If you can't, your hip flexors are too tight. Try this stretch: Hold onto the sides of the squat rack and lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 seconds. Return to a standing position, then repeat five times.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Squeeze Out Gains
Squeeze the bar inward when you bench-press. This works more muscles in your chest. But squeeze it outward when you do the close-grip version of the exercise—this hits your triceps harder.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Finish Faster
To save time, use the same weight for your entire workout. Pick the weight based on your weakest exercise—choose an amount you can lift only six to eight times—and do the moves in a circuit.
Our rating: 1/5: very dubious except for class based circuits, unless you vary your reps like crazy

Save Your Calves
If you're a runner and your calves feel tight when you wake up in the morning, try sleeping on your stomach with your feet hanging off the bed. Gravity will take over, lightly stretching the calf muscles all night.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip, probably!
Go Short, Get Fast
Go faster for shorter distances to improve your running form. You'll not only perform better, but you'll also be less susceptible to injuries.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip , we agree
Go Light, Get Strong
Lift light weights fast to build strength. Your muscles will generate as much force as if you were lifting a heavier weight more slowly. Try it with the bench press: Use a weight that's 40 to 60 percent of what you can lift one time, and do eight sets of three repetitions, pushing the weight up as fast as possible. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
Our rating: 4/5: really nice tip esp if you in a lifting rut.
Isolate Your Abs
When you do reverse crunches and hanging knee raises, round your back by rolling your hips and pelvis toward your chest, instead of simply raising your legs. Otherwise, you're mainly working your hip flexors—the muscles at the top of your thighs.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Stay Healthy
If you're not exercising at all, just try to fit in two 20-minute aerobic or weight-training sessions a week. Researchers at Oklahoma State University examined absentee records of 79,000 workers at 250 sites and found that those who did this minimal amount of exercise had fewer sick days than those who didn't exercise at all.
Our rating: 3/5: well something is better than nothing yes that’s obvious.

Build Sprint Muscles
To sprint faster, work your hamstrings. They help you push off and develop speed. Try this variation of the leg curl: Pull the weight toward you with your ankles flexed (as you normally would) so that your toes are pointing toward your shins. But when you lower the weight, extend your ankles so that your toes are pointing away from your shins. Your hamstrings will work harder than with the traditional version of the exercise.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Get Up Faster
To mountain-bike uphill faster, edge forward in the saddle to distribute your weight more evenly between the front and rear wheels. If you slip back too far, you'll cause the front wheel to skitter off the ground. If you lean too far forward, you'll lose traction on the back tire.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Save Your Neck
When doing squats, rest the bar so that as much of it as possible is touching your shoulders. Holding it only on your lower neck causes the entire weight to compress your spine, which can lead to spinal and muscle injuries.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Isolate and Grow
Exercise one arm at time. Do a set of shoulder presses with your left arm, then do a set with your right. "You'll get higher-quality sets than if you work both arms at the same time," says Ballantyne.
Our rating: 1/5: pretty much nonsense
Come Clean
Throw all your dirty workout clothes into one mesh laundry bag. At the end of the week, tie a knot in the bag and throw it in the washer. You'll always know where your favorite workout shirts are, and you won't have to touch your sweat socks when they're fully ripe.
Our rating: 4/5: nice little tip

Squat for a Six-Pack
Do squats and deadlifts . . . to build your abs. Research shows that these two exercises force your abdominal muscles to do a significant amount of work to maintain your posture.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip but sceptical that’s enough
Flex for Muscle
When doing standing arm curls, completely straighten your arms by flexing your triceps at the end of each repetition. This ensures that you work the muscle through its entire range of motion.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip
Run Longer, Easier
When you run, breathe so that your belly rises as you inhale. This ensures that your lungs are inflating fully with oxygen, so you'll be able to go longer. Practice by lying on your back and placing a book on your stomach. The book should rise when you breathe in.
Our rating: 2/5: not convinced
Jump Higher
Do this simple jumping exercise to improve your vertical leap: Stand on the edge of a step that's about 8 inches high. Step off backward with both feet. When your toes hit the ground, immediately jump back onto the step. Concentrate on pushing off the ground as quickly as possible, rather than on the height of your jump. "The speed of the jump is more important than the height," says Brittenham. Do three to five sets of 10 to 20 repetitions twice a week.
Our rating: 4/5: nice tip for crossfit
Replace Your Shoes (Not Your Knees)
To avoid injuries, write an "expiration date" on your shoes as soon as you buy them. Shoes last about 500 miles, so simply divide 500 by your average weekly mileage to determine how many weeks your shoes are likely to last.
Our rating: 2/5: or just use common sense?

Get Up and at 'Em
If you want to exercise before work but aren't a morning person, try this trick: For a set period—say, 4 weeks—force yourself to get up 15 minutes earlier than normal and do any type of physical activity (walking, for instance). "Make it so easy that you don't even have to change into your workout clothes," says John Raglin, Ph.D., an exercise researcher. As you near the end of the 4 weeks, you'll have a new habit and will then be able to progress to greater amounts of exercise.
Our rating: 4/5: nice motivation tip
Build Quality Quads
Push from your toes when you do leg presses. Your quadriceps will work harder.
Our rating: 2/5: not sure about this one
Warm Up the Right Way
Skip the treadmill warmup before lifting weights. Instead, do a warmup that targets the muscles you'll be using. For a full-body warmup, grab a bar and do two sets of 10 repetitions each of the squat, deadlift, bench press, and bent-over row.
Our rating: 2/5: not sure about this one
Get a Better Grip
To strengthen your grip, wrap a towel around the bar when you do arm curls. It makes the bar thicker, which forces your forearm muscles to work harder.
Our rating: 5/5: hurray we agree with this one!
Improve Your Max
Before you try a maximal lift, load the bar with a weight that's 20 to 30 percent heavier than what you think you can handle. Then simply lift it off the rack, hold for 1 to 2 seconds, and put it back. Wait 3 to 4 minutes, then try your true max—the weight will feel noticeably lighter. Never attempt this without a spotter.
Our rating: 4/5: not sure and be careful!

Avoid Burnout
To see if you're overtraining, check your pulse first thing in the morning the day after a workout. If it's 10 beats per minute or more above normal, your body is still recovering.
Our rating: 3/5: there is probably a little truth in it, but morning after pulse is too variable to use in this way. DOMS is probably better.
Skip Tendinitis
Use a shoulder-width grip when doing upright rows. Unlike the traditional narrow grip, it'll help you avoid shoulder-impingement syndrome—an injury that causes tendinitis and bursitis.
Our rating: 2/5: wide, narrow, its all good.
Build Real Strength
Don't use machine weights exclusively. A study at Georgia State University found that older adults using exercise machines improved their strength on the machines an average of 34 percent in 2 years. But their strength measures for everyday activities actually declined 3.5 percent.
Our rating: 4/5: you read this a lot, but machines have a place.
Get a Big Back
Break cable rows into two parts. Hold the bar with your arms outstretched and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Then pull the bar to your body.
Our rating: 3/5: ok…….
Feed Your Muscles
Satisfy your sugar cravings immediately after your workout. Eat at least 20 grams along with some protein. The sugar will help carry protein to the muscles you've just worked. So have a soda with your tuna sandwich, but limit your sugar intake the rest of the day.
Our rating: 3/5: just eat healthy.

End Back Pain
For every set of abdominal exercises you perform, do a set of lower-back exercises. Focusing only on your abs can lead to poor posture and lower-back pain.
Our rating: 3/5: not convinced
Stop Screwing Up
Don't try to lose your gut by working your abs. Researchers at the University of Virginia found that it takes 250,000 crunches to burn 1 pound of fat—that's 100 crunches a day for 7 years
Our rating: 5/5: this is true, but crunches+diet will help!