Real Fitness Blog

Introduced in 1992, the USDA food pyramid gave Americans a general guide to how they should eat. Growing up in the United States, I personally was blasted several times with this so called “food pyramid.” We were told that a healthy diet should include, 6-11 servings of grains per day, and only 2-3 servings of meats, nuts, or beans. So, great, now that all americans know how they should eat, we should become a more healthy country as a whole. We all know how that’s turned out. In this article, I hope to reveal the conspiracy of the food pyramid, as well as explain (and prove with data) why it is an ineffective diet plan. In addition, I will suggest a much more effective diet that actually makes sense.

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A muscular back is one of the ultimate symbols of power, as well as a very useful group of muscles to develop for athletic performance. In total, the dynamic bent-over dumbbell row works 13 separate muscles, including the middle trapezius, the lower trapezius, the rhomboids, and the biceps. With the help of this magnificent exercise, which is one of my favorites, you too can have a powerful back like the one in the picture to the right.

But before you can perform this great exercise, you are going to need some equipment. Most importantly, you will need a pair of dumbbells or a barbell (I will discuss this variation later), as well as a bench to support yourself on. You can purchase some pretty good adjustable dumbbells You can buy some great adjustable dumbbells here, but personally i would just become a member of a gym.

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The statue of Doryphoros by Polykleitos displays the perfect proportions of a Greek God. Who doesn’t want to have a body like this, with ideal proportions and a great set of abs. To achieve such a perfect body, one must workout eight different muscle groups to match this statue.

1. Neck Workout

It may seem strange, but you will need to workout your neck to match the massive 19 inch neck of Doryphoros.

Exercise #1: Dumbbell Shrug.While grasping the dumbbells tightly, and your arms at your side, relax your shoulders. Now raise your shoulders as high as you can go. Now slowly return to the starting position while relaxing your trapezius and your shoulders. Again, try to use a weight that you can do 3×8.

Exercise #2: Upright Row. Begin by holding a barbell in an overhand grip and your hands comfortably apart. Let the weight hang directly in front of you. Lift the bar straight up, keeping the bar close to your body. Lift until your elbows and forearms are level with the ground. Lower the weight slowly to the starting point. Make sure you have good form as this exercise can be dangerous if done improperly. Also do 3×8, but make sure the weights are to heavy (don’t hurt yourself).

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While push ups are one of the most well known and popular exercises, many people do not actually know how to perform a perfect push up. I’ve seen people cheating on push ups countless times. Most people just don’t know any better, but if you want to maximize the many benefits of one of the most versatile chest exercises, you should learn how to properly perform a push up.

But before we discuss proper form, why should I even care about push ups? What makes them so great? Well, first of all, they are essentially the only effective chest exercise that can be done in the comfort of your own home, without the need for expensive equipment. In addition, push ups are a compound exercise that helps develop the pectorals, triceps, deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole. Also, push ups epitomize manliness.

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