Mmmmm...Massages.

Now, who doesn't love a massage? Honestly, you could list the 5 best things in the world, and getting a massage HAS to be on that list. But many people just get them on vacation, or once a year as a gift or something, but there are so many benefits from getting regular massages. This article went over tons of those benefits, and even gives you help in learning some techniques to master a massage yourself.

1) Relief from tension/stress - training is hard and strenuous and the main reason for getting a massage is to relieve that stress. By allowing the mind to relax and the body to recover, an all around feeling of being "fresh" will give you the perception of starting anew.

2) Dilation of blood vessels - a massage dilates blood vessels which increases circulation which in turn flushes out toxins that can reduce muscle soreness and swelling.

3) Increases muscle tone - stimulating the muscles this way will increase muscle tone and prevent fatigue and muscle atrophy. Aiding this will also decrease risk of injury due to lower risk of tightened and/or strained muscle and increase flexibility.

Some other great benefits of a massage are: lower blood pressure, emphasis on elimination of metabolic toxic wastes, improved lymphatic system, releases endorphins, reduces pain, improves sleep, delivers more oxygen and nutrients to muscles, stimulates slower breathing, allows relaxation and repair of muscles, etc.

Even though now-a-days a professional massage can range you anywhere from $100-$300 pending on length and style, it is a definite must in the fitness world because of all the vast benefits. So go out, save up some money, and enjoy a massage because now you know all the great aspects it will bring to your life. It is well worth it.

The Promise of Perfect Abs

Everyone reads articles about getting the perfect set of abs, the almighty "six-pack, because it's the "in" thing right now. Everyone wants the washboard instead of a gut because it brings out your great physique. And some people are told that you need to do a million crunches a day to get that, but you really don't. There are many myths out there about getting the great abs you desire, and that misinformation throws a lot of people on a curve. This article highlights the fundamental principles to get that definition you always wanted in your abdominal wall, and obliques!

1) Strict diet - it is no surprise that diet is a huge part of reaching certain fitness goals involving building muscle mass and definition. Maintaining that dense muscularity in your rectus abdominis muscles by eating small meals throughout the day keeping metabolism high will strip away that unwanted fat and bring out your abs.

2) Working the Abs Properly - like previously stated, many people just think doing 1,000 crunches a day will get them what they want, but the abs, like any other muscle in the body, benefit from high intensity workouts without over training. You wouldn't do 1,000 repetitions on the bench press in one day, would you? Hitting the abs from several angles with enough resistance will stimulate hypertrophy and bring out the abs you want.

3) Cardio - many people don't have the desired abs because of the layer of fat around their abdominal wall. These adipose sites will only be stripped by doing cardio. Many people reccommend doing cardio first thing in the morning before your first meal to make sure to burn the fat already stored in your body.

To see millions of abdominal workouts, visit Bodybuilding.com. You could do a different ab workout every day for a whole year, even though you shouldn't, I'm just emphasizing the vast amount of exercises they have to offer. Follow these few easy steps and you should be on your way to that great stomach you always wanted.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/building_perfect_abs.htm

Lazy? Busy? Need Some Energy?

It's getting close to the end of the school year, one month left, and it's getting nice outside. Who in their right mind wants to be in doing work every day of the week? Some people might not even want to be in the gym doing work when it's this nice out! This article sparked some ideas to increase your energy levels and to get your mind on the right track to keep up the good work...

1) The difference between knowing & doing - students know that they have work to do, and they know when they are putting it off and playing catch outside for hours, but it helps if you write down your goals, KNOW what you have to do, and set time aside to DO it. Write down your goals and write down all the great things you can do when your work is done for motivation.

2) Get a picture of a physique you hate - I really liked this one because during these nice spring/summer months, people might make some bad decisions, being up extra late and eating that pizza at 2 a.m., but if you carry around a picture that you don't like, maybe an old picture of you in your "tubby" days, it'll hold you back from eating that late night ice cream.

3) Download audio clips - this was another one I really liked because it's fun. Download some lines from your favorite movies and put them on your Ipod/Itunes. Being in the gym and hearing Kind Leonidas scream, "THIS IS SPARTA!" will really kick you into gear to get some extra pumps in.

4) Eat a good meal - not only will a good meal put you in a better mood, it will give you that extra energy to get your work done in the library, and in the gym.

5) Get enough sleep - an obvious one at the least, but getting enough sleep ensures that energy that you need to get through the day. With a full work schedule and hitting the gym, your body needs to recover for AT LEAST 8 hours a night, and the summer time is a great time to catch up on some sleep.

These are only a brief highlight of some ideas to increase energy because it is NOT good to have 8 Red Bulls to get that extra boost that you need to write a paper or go to the gym. So get some sleep, follow this tips, and enjoy these great months of the year.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/10_tips_motivation_for_energy.htm

"The Weekend Partyer"

Everyone knows that students in college drink. There's no way around it, it may not be good, it may not be legal, but it still happens. But how is it helping you with your muscle gains and fitness goals in the gym? IT'S NOT. This article went over a few very important key factors to being the best you can be in the gym, and alcohol was NOT one of them. In fact, alcohol is very detrimental to your workouts, and here is why:

1) Empty calories - for every "shot" of alcohol, there is about 100 calories in that little class, and that's about the same for every beer, well, a Light beer. Having anywhere from 5-10 of those a night will add an extra 500-1,000 empty calories to your diet, probably between the late hours of the night and early morning.

2) Dehydration - we already know how much water we should be drinking during the course of a day, and drinking alcohol severely distorts the retention of water your muscles should have. Without that water it is harder for your muscles to contract and relax and therefore affecting growth.

3) Lowers testosterone - little did we know that drinking alcohol does not make men "more manly", it actually decreases testosterone levels and increases estrogen levels, causing some side effects in men looking to "bulk up".

Along with many other reasons why one should not drink, or drink in moderation, just in case you DO decide to drink, here are some tips to help you out so you do not decrease severely in your fitness levels or muscle gains.

- drink plenty of water before bed to a) help dehydration and get that needed water back into your muscles and b) prevent that hangover that will keep you from skipping meals and missing the gym the next morning

- drink a protein shake or eat something dense in protein before hopping in bed

- and the next morning, eat a big breakfast filled with protein, calcium, phosphorous, and iron


So I'm not saying that no one should enjoy themselves but the fact of the matter is that alcohol does NOT help you "fitness wise" and it should be avoided, or used in moderation. Besides, most college students aren't even of age to drink yet, so if that doesn't hold you back, maybe these facts will.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/bigalcohol.htm