Vital Stats Name: Vince Kreipke, MS, CSCS, USAW-L1SP Education: M.S. in Applied Sports Sciences and currently pursing his PhD in Exercise Physiology at Florida State University Looking for an added edge in the gym? Pre-workout supplements are a great place to start! The trouble is, if you're new to the supplement world, it can be incredibly difficult to sort through the mountain of choices, labels, and ingredients. As you search, you'll likely scratch your head as you come across "creatine-this, " "citrulline-that, " and "beta-ala-what?" To compound the problem, those ingredients are often blended into combinations with flashy names like "Ultra-Nasty Uber Pump" and "Explosive Blood-Rush Blend." With all the hard-to-pronounce compounds and extreme marketing, it can feel like you're drowning—and all you wanted was a solid edge to hit some nice PRs or increase your training energy! Don't worry, I got you. When searching for or building my own pre-workout, I like to focus on four key ingredients—or, as I call them, "The Big Four." While each of these ingredients has multiple benefits, I'm going to focus on how important each one is to conquering your next training session. Yes, there are many other supporting ingredients available in pre-workouts, but these four have the most scientific research backing their use, which is why I suggest starting with this bunch of ingredients above any others. Next time you hit the pre-workout market or start gathering ingredients for your own killer pre-workout blend—make sure you give it a solid name!—reference this list first. It will help you decide which ingredients and doses you really want, and why you want them. Caffeine Primary purpose: Energy Optimal dose: 200-500 mg, or 1.8-2.7 mg per kg of body weight Benefits: Caffeine has repeatedly been shown to be an effective ergogenic aid (performance booster) in both endurance exercise and short bouts of maximal exercise (e.g., sprints). Although there haven't been many studies showing increases in one-repetition max, caffeine has been shown to increase workloads by decreasing the rate of fatigue and lowering the perception of effort—even in sleep-deprived situations!1 And remember, more workload means greater gainz! Caffeine has repeatedly been shown to be an effective ergogenic aid (performance booster) in both endurance exercise and short bouts of maximal exercise. It is important to note that doses will vary from person to person. If you are a habitual caffeine user, you are going to need more to get you up. If you aren't, well... you won't. You are going to have to play within the ranges so you can figure out what works best for you. Finally, if you work out at night, pay attention to how much you take. The effects of caffeine might take a while to wear off, keeping you up at night. And you need sleep so you can grow! Why Number 1? You are going to need energy to get through your workout. Caffeine is a quick source to get you on your game and ready to crush some weight. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Primary purpose: Foster an anabolic environment Optimal dose: 5 g in pre-workout, 20 g total throughout the day Benefits: BCAAs—leucine, isoleucine, and valine—are key when it comes to regulating protein metabolism, increasing protein synthesis, and suppressing protein breakdown. It is important that you get the right ratio of leucine to isoleucine to valine. You are looking for 2:1:1, respectively. BCAAs— leucine, isoleucine, and valine—are key when it comes to regulating protein metabolism, increasing protein synthesis, and suppressing protein breakdown. Leucine is king in this situation because it has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, so that's why it should be the highest amino acid in your blend. Looking for roughly 3 g of leucine per dose of your BCAAs is another effective way to shop. Why Number 2? BCAAs give you some immediate protection against the catabolic environments produced when exercising. Moreover, drinking BCAAs may help decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) the following day so you can get back to training hard faster.2 Beta-alanine

Dumbbell biceps curls develop your biceps at the front of your arms. Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Women who incorporate weight training into their exercise regimen see increases in muscular strength, endurance and tone, just as men do. Lifting is of utmost importance to women, however, because of its positive effect on bone density, which naturally decreases in women with age. If you’re just starting out, there’s no reason to fear, as weight training is easily modifiable depending on your strength and training levels. The major muscles in your arms include the biceps and triceps, which control movement around your elbows. A complete arm workout should also target your deltoids, which are the major muscles in your shoulders and are responsible for lifting up your arms. Training Schedule Women just starting out should begin by lifting two days per week. You want to provide enough of a stimulus to invoke developments in strength and tone, but also allow your muscles enough time to adapt to the new stress. Schedule your workouts throughout the week so you have two to three days off in between each one. After you’ve been consistently lifting for four to six weeks, increase your workout frequency to three days per week. Before each workout, take five to 10 minutes to warm up your muscles with some light cardio activity. Sets and Reps Georgia State University recommends that you start out by doing one set of each exercise, with each set consisting of eight to 12 repetitions. After a couple weeks, increase workout volume to two sets of each exercise. Use light weights so you can focus on learning technique and feeling comfortable with the weights as you begin. Once you feel coordinated, increase the weight you’re using so it’s difficult to complete 12 repetitions. Related Reading: Complete Workout for Bicep & Tricep Exercises Shoulder Exercises To target your shoulders, do shoulder presses and lateral raises. Both exercises are done with a pair of dumbbells while standing. For the shoulder press, hold the weights at your shoulders with your elbows lined up underneath your wrists and your palms facing ahead. Push both dumbbells over your head until your elbows are straight and the weights are lined up over your ears. Lower the weights to where they started. Because you’re extending your elbows during the shoulder press, you’re also working your triceps. For the lateral raise, hold the weights down by your sides with your palms facing inward. Keep your elbows straight as you lift your arms up and out to your sides until they’re level with your shoulders and then lower them back to your legs. Biceps Exercises Your biceps, which are at the front of your arms, are responsible for bending your elbows. To develop your biceps, complete dumbbell biceps curls. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest your arms down by your sides with your palms facing forward. Keep your elbows held in against your torso as you bend your elbows to lift the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Control the weights back down until your arms are straight again. Triceps Exercises Your triceps are at the back of your arms and are responsible for extending, or straightening, your elbows. To hit your triceps, perform dumbbell overhead triceps extensions. Stand and hold a single dumbbell with both hands over your head with your arms extended. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head and then extend your arms again to return the weight back to where it started.

A Scientific, Personalized Fitness Experience in 7 Minute Intervals. Reviews of the app say: “This app is easy to use and has a great selections of workouts!” “This app was definitely a huge motivation for me to get moving and exercising.” “Best of the 7 minute workout apps…I’m convinced that the Official 7 Minute Workout is the best one.” “Probably the best designed app on my phone” From the inventors of the viral fitness hit 7-Minute Workout and fitness experts from Johnson & Johnson comes the Official 7 Minute Workout App! The fast, simple and scientifically proven body-weight workout that has been featured in the New York Times, on Good Morning America, and in countless other media outlets. The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App contains the now-famous 7-minute fitness routine that requires nothing more than a wall, a chair, and a little bit of floor space. Perfect for home work outs or fitness on- the-go! The Official 7-Minute Workout App features: • The official 7-Minute Workout • Designed for all fitness levels, from beginners to athletes • Over 30 minutes of video shot specifically for the app, featuring Chris Jordan, creator of the 7 Minute Workout Available for Android 4.0+ A Scientific, Personalized Fitness Experience in 7 Minuten-Takt. Bewertungen der App sagen: "Diese App ist einfach zu bedienen und verfügt über eine große Auswahl an Trainingseinheiten!" "Diese Anwendung war auf jeden Fall eine große Motivation für mich bewegen und die Ausübung zu werden." "Best of the 7 Minuten Workout Apps ... Ich bin überzeugt, dass die Amts 7 winziger Training ist die beste." "Wahrscheinlich das beste entworfen App auf meinem Handy" Von den Erfindern der virale Fitness getroffen 7-Minute-Training und Fitness-Experten von Johnson & Johnson kommt der offiziellen 7 winziger Training App! Der schnelle, einfache und wissenschaftlich erwiesen, Körpergewicht-Training, das in der New York Times wurde, auf Good Morning America, und in unzähligen anderen Medien. Die Johnson & Johnson Offizielle 7 winziger Training App enthält den mittlerweile berühmten 7-minütigen Fitness-Routine, die nicht mehr als eine Wand, einen Stuhl und ein wenig Stellfläche benötigt. Ideal für zu Hause Arbeit outs oder Eignung on-the-go! Die offizielle 7-Minute Workout App verfügt über: • Die offizielle 7-Minute Workout • Für alle Fitness-Level, vom Anfänger bis zum Sportler • Über 30 Minuten Video aufgenommen, die speziell für die Anwendung, mit Chris Jordan, der Schöpfer der 7 Minute Workout

Who would not like to be popular and look gorgeous like Madonna? Women of all age groups aspire to look like Madonna. Madonna is an idol who has radically defied her age and still maintains to look as magnificent as she looked in her younger days. However, being Madonna actually is not easy. You require discipline, dedication, determination, motivation, and what not to look like her. The iconic singer is wildly serious about her diet and exercises. She even overlooked her kids and marriage for the sake of staying slim and sculpted forever. When it comes to her figure, she is just resilient and can do anything to stay like this forever. People are insane and are addicted to various things, but Madonna is crazy about her fitness. Madonna Workout Routine Madonna being overly serious to workouts has created her own gym, which is located next to her home. She hits gym six times in a week and practices workouts three to four hours in a day. Her workouts consist of cardio workouts such as swimming, running, cycling, horse riding, strength training, Pilates, yoga etc. Ashtanga yoga is her all-time favorite yoga which she prefers over all other workouts. She experienced great changes taking place in her body while sticking to Ashtanga yoga. Besides that, she also abides by Stairmaster-climbing for minimum forty-five minutes in a day. When it comes to fitness, the singer leaves no stone unturned. She also uses power plate at times. Vibration produced by it tones her muscles and enhances her muscle mass. Sensational singer is so self-sufficient and proficient in workouts that she doesn’t even seem to require gym to work out. Madonna Diet Plan Diet regime followed by Madonna is extremely restrictive and strict. She refrains from fizzy drinks, processed and manufactured foods, refined sugar, and all other unhealthy stuff. Her strict diet regime is not restricted to herself; her children too have to abide by the diet chart prepared by mommy. Madonna has been following macrobiotic diet since 1990. Macrobiotic diet is based on Japanese eating style. Her specially hired Japanese chef follows Madonna wherever she goes and prepares meals for her. Despite being so insensitive towards her cravings, Madonna cribs about not being as disciplined and specific about diet as her Japanese chef is. Madonna has conquered her appetite and cravings so well that it seems she has got divine power to do that. She doesn’t relish processed foods even on special occasions such as birthday parties, Christmas Eve and New Year. Restaurant and hotel foods are out of her wish list. Even when she happens to visit there, she just goes for plain water. What is Macrobiotic Diet? Macrobiotic diet being mainly vegan diet plan relies heavily on whole grains, fruits, vegetables etc. Mostly animal foods are banished in macrobiotic diet. Macrobiotic diet doesn’t point up consumption of several small meals in a day. You are allowed to have just two meals in a day and let your body metabolism get strengthened in the meanwhile. Dairy, egg, poultry, wheat, and manufactured foods are not permitted in the program. The diet schedule has proven results of reducing breast and other estrogen based cancers in women. You can also inculcate macrobiotic diet schedule in your diet regime by following Madonna daily diet regime, which is as follows. Breakfast – Madonna likes to have steamed brown rice, whole wheat berries, rolled oats, millet etc. in her breakfast. Dinner – Madonna prefers having quinoa, buckwheat, soy, green beans, grilled fish etc. in her dinner. There is a word of caution along with the diet schedule and that is, prolonged use of strenuous macrobiotic diet can cause kidney failure, scurvy, anemia, and other diseases, because the plan is lacking in vitamin B12, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Healthy Tips for Madonna Fans Madonna is actually a diva. All her fans indeed would die to have toned body and sculpted face like her. However, following her footprints is neither feasible nor advisable. Let’s have a look at some of the healthy tips which will help you in attaining carved body like Madonna.

Over the past few years, a popular dietary supplement has amassed a cult-like following of fitness enthusiasts across the country. From coast to coast, you can find small white canisters filled with a pink powder tucked into gym bags, stashed in lockers and sitting in kitchen cupboards. Devotees claim it gives them that extra edge they need to run that elusive last mile, or to lift that extra 10 pounds. But detractors call it potentially dangerous, perhaps even deadly. The supplement is called Jack3d (pronounced Jacked), but the ingredient that users say sets it apart from other pre-workout supplements is 1, 3 dimethylamylamine - or DMAA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says DMAA is illegal. The FDA has received 86 adverse event reports believed to be linked to DMAA. Serious side effects reported to the FDA include depression, anxiety, vomiting, loss of consciousness, chest pain, and even death. NBC News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman sat down with Dr. Daniel Fabricant, director of the division of dietary supplements programs at the FDA. Fabricant's message about DMAA was clear: "It is an illegal dietary supplement." So why is it still being sold in the US? Fabricant says, “banning it would be, you know…it’s difficult.” The FDA has limited legal authority over supplements. In 1994, a law was passed by the U.S. government that declared dietary supplements exempt from pre-market FDA approval. “We don't have pre-market approval…we don't evaluate [dietary supplement] products for safety or efficacy prior to them going to market, ” said Fabricant in an interview airing Friday, April 12 at 10pm/9CDT on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams. So what can the agency do? On April 11, the FDA issued a consumer advisory warning against the supplement. A day later, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the trade association representing the dietary supplement industry called on the manufacturer and consumers to heed the FDA warning. “With this conclusion, CRN now calls on dietary supplement manufacturers to stop manufacturing these products and further advises consumers to stop using them, ” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition in a statement released today. “The safety and well-being of consumers is always our highest priority.” This warning is not the first time FDA raised concerns about DMAA’s safety. In 2012, the FDA sent warning letters to 11 manufacturers questioning DMAA’s safety and challenging their claims that the ingredient even qualifies as a dietary supplement. All of them voluntarily pulled their products - except for USP Labs, the makers of Jack3d. In a written statement to NBC News, Michael Petruzzello on behalf of USP Labs maintains that, “DMAA is a safe and lawful dietary ingredient. We stand by the scientific evidence presented and believe there is no reason to withdraw it from the market.” The company also points to “three published scientific papers [that] document that 1, 3 DMAA can be extracted from [a] geranium found in particular areas of China, ” meaning it is a natural substance, and is therefore not subject to the FDA’s drug approval process. Dr. Pieter Cohen, a Harvard professor and member of the Cambridge Health Alliance who studies supplement safety, disagrees with USP Labs that DMAA comes from a plant. “DMAA has nothing to do with nature … That's an absolute myth perpetuated by companies selling it, ” he says. “DMAA is a drug that manufacturers are passing off as a plant product.” So if DMAA doesn’t come from the geranium plant, as USP Labs claims, where does it come from? Cohen says “DMAA is ... produced in a factory.” Debates over DMAA’s origins aside, Cohen thinks the ingredient should be removed from the market for another reason: “Could it increase the risk of death? Could it lead to the death of a young healthy man? Absolutely.” Dr. Cohen says DMAA behaves in the body like an amphetamine: “If you took a low dose of this, you might notice a slight tremor- a little more alert, awakeness, your heart beating a little faster.” He also sees similarities between DMAA and another supplement that was famously banned years ago, Ephedra. After the Jump, read the FDA's advisory warning and the statement from the Council for Responsible Nutrition. “Now we're seeing situations in which people are taking this and experiencing adverse events that are completely consistent with those that we saw with Ephedra- the heart attacks, the strokes, the deaths, ” Cohen said. In response to questions about the safety of DMAA, USP Labs had this to say: “The company is unaware of a single corroborated serious adverse event [associated with DMAA] when used in accordance with labeled directions for use, " and that there are "eight peer-review published clinical studies detailing the safety of DMAA." DMAA has been banned in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and six other countries. It is also prohibited for use by athletes by many sports organization in the United States, as well as the by the International Olympic Committee. The U.S. Military now prohibits the sale of DMAA on all bases, after two soldiers who used the product died. One of those soldiers was Private Michael Sparling. On a June morning in 2011, Sparling went for a training run on his base compound in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was comfortable 70 degree weather and the 3.5 mile circuit was nothing unusual for the young, fit soldier. Later that morning, Michael’s mother Leanne received a phone call she’ll never forget. It was the commander of the base hospital, calling to tell her that her son was in cardiac arrest. While preparing to fly to her son’s bedside in Texas, Leanne called the hospital for an update on his condition. "Ma'am, we've done everything we could to save him but at 11:17 this morning he passed away." Michael Sparling was 22 years old. Grief-stricken, the Sparling family looked for answers. What could have caused their young, seemingly healthy son to die so suddenly? During the autopsy, tests confirmed the presence of the substance DMAA in Michael Sparling’s blood. Army doctors told the Sparlings that the substance may have played a role in his death. He had only been using the product for a month before he died. But even tragic stories like that of Michael Sparling, and the threat of possible side effects like heart failure and cerebral hemorrhage aren’t enough to scare off many enthusiastic Jack3d users. In 2011, more than $100 million worth of DMAA-based products were sold in the United States.

Yeah you notice the guys with the big arms, but you're mesmerized by the guys with the big traps. You know damn well they put in their time and didn't miss their workouts because they were too "tired." You commend them for their ability to grow those mountains on their shoulders and secretly envy a flexed pair. If your physique resembles that of a bobblehead doll, get ready to take some notes. Trap training is not for the faint of heart. It takes real effort and guts. Not everybody agrees about which day is best for trapezius training...

Working the chest just once a week is simply not going to help you get nice, broad pecs unless you have nearly a full hour to devote to chest alone. to ensure that you consistently get the most out of every workout, without overdoing it. Others have a bit more time flexibility, and can squeeze in a workout nearly every day of the week. In this case, working a different body part each day is a good method. And the remainder of men fall into the middle: able to exercise more than two to three days a week, but definitely not able to get in seven days a week. In this case, a five-day workout split comes in handy. So what’s the best way to get the fastest results when you’ve got five days to work with? You’re about to find out. The Average Five-Day Workout Most five-day workouts are based on body-part splits that isolate specific body sections. For example: Day 1 - Chest & Biceps Day 2 - Cardio Day 3 - Legs Day 4 - Back & Triceps Day 5 - Rest Day 6 - Shoulders & Abs Day 7 - Rest too much rest for some muscle groups. For example, working the chest just once a week is simply not going to help you get nice, broad pecs unless you have nearly a full hour to devote to chest alone. So what’s the alternative? You can instead do a five-day workout that has you working your upper body three times a week and your lower body three times a week. Compared to the “body part isolation” split, this will massively enhance results through hitting a body part multiple times during the week. Here’s how to practically implement this approach, with exact workouts that you can simply print and take to the gym. The Best 5 Day Workout Weekly Plan: Day 1: Workout A Day 2: Workout B Day 3: Workout C Day 4: Workout A Day 5: Workout B In this scenario, you get to choose which days to rest, which is fantastic if you need flexibility or simply can’t make it to the gym on a specific day. You could, for example, do Days 1 to 5 as Monday to Friday, and recover on the weekends. Alternatively, you can insert a recovery day after Day 2, and another recovery day after Day 5. The Workouts Below you will find Workouts A, B and C, with four weeks for each. Once you’ve progressed through four weeks, return to the beginning for the next block of four weeks. As you can see, your repetitions for each exercise will vary depending on which week you are in, and because week four is higher rep/lower weight, you’ll be able to do this without adding in a fifth “recovery week." Each workout also includes cardio intervals. These are optional, but highly recommended if your goals are fat loss or aerobic sports performance.

Participants will learn how to provide effective guidance to persons seeking sound nutritional advice for health, fitness, healthy lifestyles and weight management. You will learn the skills of counseling strategies and protocol, complimented by action-based worksheets and practical case studies. Nutrition Consultant Certification - Master Level The AFPA Nutrition Consultant Certification - Master Level designation is the most advanced level of certification in nutrition that AFPA offers and includes all AFPA Nutrition certification programs listed. Save over $100 - Click here for details! Holistic Nutritionist Certification As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist trained in natural complimentary nutrition, you will be able to work with clients to identify and help correct the nutritional causes of diseases, and design personalized diet and lifestyle programs that optimize health. Weight Management Specialist Certification You will gain the education and training that will enable you to combine sound nutrition, safe and effective physical activity, appropriate lifestyle changes and psychological and emotional support into programs that will help you to lead your clients to success. Sports Nutritionist Certification The AFPA Sports Nutritionist Certification program is perfect for personal trainers, strength trainers, group fitness instructors, athletes of all levels and all associated health practitioners & enthusiasts! Learn how to enhance your client's workouts and maximize their results with proper nutrition, safe and effective sports supplements, and beneficial vitamins and minerals.

You might also like Ready to take your home workout to a new level? While you may have heard about interval training—trainers' dirty little secret for a stronger body (and a less boring workout)—you’ve never seen it like this before. The 30-minute workout will get your heart rate up while strengthening your upper body, lower body, and core—all without the use of equipment. Follow along as Grokker trainers and professional athletes Jenny Pacey and Wayne Gordon take you through five intense sets of effective strength and cardio moves. From single-leg squats to inverted push-ups to V-sits, the exercises are anything but ordinary. After 30 quick minutes (trust us—they’ll fly by), you’ll feel the burn. Up for the challenge? Just press play. To recap: Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of squat spins. Rest 20 seconds between each set. Set 1: Single-leg squat Push-up with shoulder tap In-out jump Tuck crunch Set 2: Curtsy lunge Elbow dip Split lunge, 180-degree jump Starfish Set 3: Single-leg hip raise Swimming plank Wide-leg squat thrust Single-leg V-Sit Set 4: Lateral lunge see-saw Single-leg inverted push-up Lateral jump Full kick-up Set 5:

The Workout Schedule Now, it’s time to get started with your workout program. #AFit15 offers a well-balanced, safe, and effective 28-day training regimen to either kick-start your exercise journey or help you take it to the next level. We’ve provided two programs to choose from based on your current fitness level. OPTION 1 – BASE The Base Program is perfect for the new exerciser, someone coming back to exercise after an extended break, or anyone with physical limitations. The Base Program includes three workout days a week, with one day of rest in between each workout. We’ve also suggested a 4th day of cardio for optimal results. Feel free to add cardio to one of your strength days if that would be easier than adding a fourth day in the gym. The workouts are short (20-35 minutes) and designed to help establish an exercise habit. OPTION 2 – ENHANCED The Enhanced Program is perfect for the established exerciser , or someone ready to take their workouts to the next level. The Enhanced Program is built on a four day a week schedule. If you’re not quite ready to commit to four days a week, you can certainly scale back the frequency and adjust as you see fit. More is not always better! Your body needs rest, especially in between high intensity or strength training workouts. Workout Videos and Printouts Click the links below to view the exercises and print the workouts for that week. Want a little added instruction? Take a virtual class at Anytime Fitness locations that offer Wellbeats or Wexer video/virtual training! Wellbeats offers an #AFit15 Channel that contains all the classes needed to execute the 28 day plan. Wexer offers a schedule of classes specifically for #AFit15. Contact your local Anytime Fitness to inquire if they offer the Wellbeats or Wexer systems. What’s Included in the Workouts? Your four-week program will be a solid mix of cardio, strength, core, and flexibility work: Strength We’ve created four functional, well-rounded strength-training programs for you to follow two days per week. Strength training is an important component of health and well being, as well as a great way to boost your metabolism by building lean muscle mass. The strength training programs are all circuit format, meaning you move from one exercise to the next with little rest. If you want to increase the cardiovascular intensity of any workout, just cut down on rest. It’s important, especially during strength days to do a warm-up and stretch post-workout. Cardio To supplement the strength training workouts, you should also be getting cardiovascular activities in each week. Depending on your goals and current fitness level, a minimum of 20 minutes of cardio at least 2 days a week will be beneficial. If you have extra time, feel free to extend your cardio sessions for extra calorie burn. For best results, do not substitute cardio for strength! The strength workouts will make the biggest difference in your fitness levels and physique. Flexibility In addition to at least 5 minutes of light stretching at the end of your strength and cardio workouts, everyone would benefit from engaging in dedicated flexibility work at least one day a week. Yoga is a great option and a great workout to do on your ‘rest’ or ‘recovery’ days. The strength training programs have been detailed for you to follow, but the cardio and flexibility will only be suggestions for frequency and duration to allow for customization. Nutrition While the programs we have selected are certain to make you fitter and help you get to a healthier place, exercise is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. You should also place focus on proper nutrition for optimal results.