Tips to be Strenght and Flexibility

If you want to build muscle mass, you know the solution: strength training. But if you also want to increase flexibility, that takes a separate stretching routine. At least, it did—until now. A new Brazilian study that examined the effects of a 10-week resistance-training program discovered that one workout can improve both strength and flexibility significantly. In the study, 10 sedentary women, ages 30 to 44, who completed the three-times-weekly program gained an average of 64 percent in overall body strength and nearly tripled their hip and trunk flexibility, compared to 10 women who didn’t exercise.

The movements you do when strength training also appear to stretch the major joints in the body, speculate researchers, and while they don’t recommend that anyone give up stretching, they do suggest that for strength-training beginners, there’s no need to add an extra flexibility workout. That’s a lot of time saved.

When we do it?

For best results, three days a week on nonconsecutive days to let your muscles recover properly.

* Week 1 Do one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of the leg press, squat, lat pulldown, and chest press and one set of 15 to 20 repetitions of the ab crunch. This equals one circuit.
* Week 2 Complete two circuits.
* Week 3 and beyond Do three circuits.

Ab Crunch

(Flattens your belly and banishes love handles) Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, your hands behind your head, and your elbows extended to the sides. Slowly raise your head, shoulders, and upper back about 30 degrees. Pause; then slowly lower. Keep your gaze focused
on the ceiling. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Leg press

(Trims and tightens your thighs)
Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent 90 degrees so your calves are parallel to the floor. Place the middle of the band around the arches of your feet and hold one end of the band in each hand so the band is taut. Lock your elbows at your sides with your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Keeping your hands and arms in place, press your feet out and up at a 45-degree angle to the floor until
your legs are nearly straight. Pause; slowly return to start.

Squat

(Sculpts your butt, hips, and thighs)
Stand on the middle of the band with your feet hip-width apart and your abs contracted. Holding the ends of the band taut, lock your upper arms to your sides and bend your elbows so your forearms are in front of your shoulders and your palms face in. Keeping your arms locked, bend your knees and lower your body as if you were sitting back into an imaginary chair (it helps to keep your weight on your heels). Pause when your thighs are almost parallel to the floor, keeping the band taut. Keep your chest lifted and your knees directly over
your ankles. Press back into your heels and stand up.

Lat pulldown

(Strengthens your shoulders and upper and middle back muscles)
Hold the band overhead with your hands about shoulder-width apart, your arms bent slightly, and your palms facing forward. Keeping your left arm up as an anchor, extend your right arm to the side and down to shoulder height. Slowly return to start and repeat with your left arm. Continue for 8 to 12 repetitions with each arm.

Chest Press

(Tones and lifts your bust)
Lie face up with the center of the band underneath your upper back. Holding the ends of the band taut, bend your elbows so your upper arms are on the floor perpendicular to your torso and your forearms are extended toward the ceiling. Press your arms straight up so that they and the band are perpendicular to the floor. Pause; slowly lower back to start.

For more health tips, visit this site:
http://www.betterhealthandliving.com/categories/category/fitness/