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http://www.fitstep.com/ unless otherwise credited.

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Training Equipment Review - 1 Ton Hooks - Don't let your grip hold back your muscle and strength development! Can 1 Ton Hooks totally eliminate your grip as a limiting factor in your back training? Don't cheat yourself out of hard-earned strength and muscle gains...read this now!

Your grip is the single biggest limiting factor when it comes to maximizing your strength (and muscle-building potential) on pulling exercises that work the back muscles, such as deadlifts, shrugs, bent-over rows and chin-ups.

Quite often, the larger, stronger back muscles still have plenty of strength left in them when your grip gives out and you have to stop the set. I'm sure this is not news to you. The question is...how do we solve this problem that is most likely a major factor holding you back in your training in those pulling exercises?

1. Build your grip strength through specific grip exercises

Developing your grip strength is NEVER a mistake. A strong grip is important not only for pulling exercises but for pushing exercises as well. But, as strong as you build your grip, your back muscles are still going to be stronger.

It is VERY difficult to be able to develop your grip strong enough to parallel your back strength in pulling exercises.

2. Use wrist straps

Straps have been the traditional grip-assistance equipment of choice for years. And they do work reasonably well for this purpose. Straps will definitely help you to use more weight and hold onto it longer.

But even the best straps WON'T totally remove your grip strength as a limiting factor (not to mention being time-consuming and generally inconvenient to use). Your grip still limits you even using straps.

3. Use 1 Ton Hooks

1 Ton Hooks are simply a beautiful concept: they COMPLETELY remove grip as a limiting factor in pulling exercises by attaching your hands to the bar with strong solid-steel hooks. Thick neoprene padding protects your wrists, allowing you to lift the weight in relative comfort.

Now, the concept is good, but do the hooks score when you take them to the gym and start using some REALLY heavy weight? Let me tell you what I did to test these hooks...

The Torture Tests:

In order to be completely sure these hooks could perform as they claim to be able to perform, I put them through 3 separate torture tests. These tests were designed to push the envelope on what the hooks are meant to do for you in your workout.

For pictures of the hooks in action, please click on the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32-hooks.htm

Test #1 - With and Without

The first test I put the hooks through was a "With and Without" test. I started with a set of Bent-Over Rows with 225 lbs. Without the hooks, I did a set of 13 strict reps to failure. After a few minutes rest, I tried the exact same weight using the hooks.

With the hooks, I squeezed out 21 reps. That is am almost 40% improvement in rep number simply by using the hooks (and let me just clarify that I've been training for 15 years and DON'T have a weak grip).

The 1 Ton Hooks passed the first test with flying colors.

Test #2 - Strength and Endurance

The next test (Strength/Endurance) would determine how well the hooks perform over the course of an entire grueling workout. You see, grip fatigue is not only a factor in a single set but it can quickly become a big problem over the course of a full workout. By the end of a workout, your grip may be so fatigued, you're no longer able to hold onto anything close to the weights your back muscles are actually capable of moving. NOT the most productive way to work out.

The Strength/Endurance Test workout consisted of barbell bent-over rows performed for 3-rep sets with near-maximal weights. I took only 20 seconds rest in between sets and when my back muscles fatigued, I dropped the weight 10 pounds to allow myself to keep going. I followed this pattern for 40 minutes straight with the entire workout amounting to approximately 80 sets of bent-over rows (grueling is the word!).

This workout was taken from one of my "Specialization Training" programs (you can get more info on those powerful programs here: http://www.fitstep.com/goto/specialization.htm)

So how did the 1 Ton Hooks perform during this brutal workout?

Brilliantly!

Every 5 minutes, I tried 1 set without the hooks to gauge their effectiveness. Due to grip fatigue, I would have been unable to continue with the same weights I was using after only 5 minutes. The hooks allowed me to continue training with heavier weights for FAR longer than I would have been able to without them. With the hooks, I was able to stay at my starting weight for 20 minutes...4 times longer!

Without a doubt, I was able to more fully work my back when using the hooks. The hooks passed this test with ease.

Test #3 - Maximum Weight

The Maximum Weight Test was next. It was time to see whether the hooks would cease to be useful before I, myself, gave out. The exercise: partial lockout deadlifts.

The partial lockout deadlift is done by setting the safety rails in the power rack to just below the top position of the deadlift. Since you're only moving the bar a inch or two, you can use tremendously heavy weight. This is one exercise where the grip wil ALWAYS give out before you reach your true maximum weight potential.

Without the assistance of straps or hooks, the most I had been able to hang onto with this exercise was 6 plates a side, which works out to 585 lbs. Respectable, but plenty of room for improvement. I could always feel my grip give out well before my legs or back.

Using the 1 Ton Hooks, I was able to work my way up to using 9 PLATES PER SIDE, plus two 25 lb plates for the same number of reps. This works out to 905 lbs on the bar. This is an increase of 320 lbs, simply by using the hooks! There are very few pieces of training equipment around that will allow you to increase your top-end weights THAT much. With the hooks, I knew it was my maximum because my body gave out before my grip on the bar did. First time ever!

The 1 Ton Hooks were a definite success on this final test.

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My conclusions:

If you're interested in maximizing your back development and strength, 1 Ton Hooks are BY FAR the best investment in equipment you will ever make towards that goal.

To recap my results: an almost 40% increase in rep number in a single set, a four-fold increase in grip endurance over the course of a workout, and a 320 lb increase in maximum grip strength in the partial deadlift.

In a nutshell, you will not only be able to hold onto FAR more weight on your back exercises, you will be able to hold onto it practically indefinitely! The 1 Ton Hooks are superbly constructed and very comfortable, easy and natural to use, unlike traditional wrist straps. They are also very convenient to pack and bring with you to the gym, taking up hardly any more room than a pair of training gloves, an important consideration for those who don't like to carry too much equipment around the gym with them.

An added bonus that I discovered with the use of the hooks is a greater ability to focus on feeling the back muscles working during back exercises. This is accomplished by being able to relax your grip somewhat while still holding solidly onto the bar. Remember that old weight training technique of "imagining your hands as hooks?" Now your hands literally ARE hooks!

Bottom line: the 1 Ton Hooks rank among the very best pieces of training equipment I've ever used and I would HIGHLY recommend them. They are well worth the very reasonable $49 (US) asking price.

Give them a try...you'll be "hooked!"

To learn more about the 1 Ton Hooks and to get a pair for yourself, please click the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/goto/1tonhooks.htm

For pictures of the hooks in action, please click on the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32-hooks.htm

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Fat-Loss Circuit Training - Now is the time to try this revolutionary fat-burning, metabolism-boosting training technique! Experience a training technique so powerful you can literally FEEL your metabolism firing up and burning fat!

Want to burn off that holiday weight gain as quickly as humanly possible? Fat-Loss Circuit Training is the BEST place to start.

Fat-Loss Circuit Training is a program of my own invention. I developed it for losing fat quickly. It's challenging but very effective!

It's also one of the core components of my extremely powerful "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" program available at http://www.fitness-ebooks.com.

Fat-Loss Circuit Training is very simple once you get the hang of it, but it can be one of the most demanding (and most extraordinarily effective) styles of training you can do.

If you're familiar with normal circuit training (with timed, light-weight intervals), please put aside any notions you might have of how this program works. You will not only be harnessing the muscle-building and metabolism-stimulating power of intense, full-set weight training (NOT the typical light-weight, timed intervals of normal circuit training), you will also be incorporating the great calorie-burning effects of cardiovascular training.

The proper combination of the two styles (weights and cardio) into one workout is, quite simply, phenomenal for fat burning.

In order to use Fat-Loss Circuit Training, you will need access to both weight equipment and cardio equipment (and/or benches or stairs), preferably located in fairly close proximity to each other.

This type of training is harder to do in a crowded gym as it will involve you moving back and forth quickly between different pieces of equipment. If someone is waiting to use your cardio machine the moment you step off, it will defeat the purpose of the workout. This technique is best used in a fairly uncrowded gym where you have more freedom to use equipment or, better yet, in a home gym with weights and cardio equipment and no one waiting for anything!

If you do work out in a crowded gym, I will tell you exactly how to get around it.

How The Training Works:

This combination is very effective for a number of reasons:

How To Do It:

Step 1 - Set Up

For the most efficient workout possible, try to have most or all of your exercises pre-set and ready to go. The less time you spend on preparation during your workout itself, the more effective that workout will be, especially since you want to be continually active throughout the workout. You can use any type of cardio that is convenient and enjoyable to you, be it a machine, stair stepping, or even a skipping rope.

If you are working out in a crowded gym, try to claim an area for yourself and focus on dumbell exercises. You won't have to wait in line to use any weight machines that way.

If you don't have access to convenient cardio machines, you're going to have to go low-tech. You'll need to do stair-stepping (stepping up two stairs then back down works well), bench-stepping (step up onto a flat bench or Step platform then back down) or rope-jumping (be sure you're not close to anyone if you choose this). These approaches work just as well as cardio machines and allow you to perform this training style in a busier setting.

If the stair-stepping method is what you need to use, have a look at the stepping pattern demonstrated on the following page:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue31-stepping.htm

Step 2 - Warm-up

Do a few minutes of low-intensity cardio as a warm-up. You may wish to do a few light sets of a few of the exercises you'll be working with before you start into it though. Don't tire yourself out, just get a light sweat going.

Step 3 - Start with 30 - 40 seconds of moderate intensity cardio.

This could be setting a stair machine to a level that is not easy but is not so challenging that you're going to exhaust yourself right away. Watch the timer on your machine and go for approximately 40 seconds (I say approximately because there will generally be a slight lag time when you step on and off).

Many cardio machines have a "rest period" feature where you can leave the machine on and it will not erase your program while you have stepped off. Normally, this is about 2 minutes. This should be enough time to complete your weight set.

If you are using a machine such as a treadmill or stair machine that you will leave on with the timer running, just watch the time counter on the machine and keep track of when you get on it to get the designated period. It may require a little mental math! You can also use your own stopwatch or timer on your watch to keep track (this is easier). Start the timer when you start the cardio.

Many machines also have a feature that runs through a series of time periods. I've found on the StairMaster, if you set the length of the session to 20 minutes, this results in a 40 second time period making it perfect for judging your cardio periods.

Step 4 - Do a set of weights.

Go as quickly as you can to your first exercise. Do a set of the first exercise on your program for the day. Do this with no rest, going from the cardio immediately to the weights. Do all your reps until you start to approach muscular failure.

While this is definitely still intense weight training, don't push yourself to muscular failure as you would in your regular training. Due to the high training volume we'll be doing in this program, pushing to failure on every set will compromise muscle recovery.

Also, be very sure to use proper form and tempo when lifting the weights. Don't rush your weight sets - perform them with the same form and speed as you would if you were doing a regular set in your training. Fast, light or sloppy weight sets are NOT what we're looking for here.

Step 5 - Go right back to the cardio.

Get back to the cardio and do another 40 seconds of moderate-intensity cardio.

Step 6 - Repeat the cycle for the duration of the workout.

You will be going back and forth continuously between cardio and your weight training exercises, using the cardio as the rest period between your weight sets. What this means is that over the course of your workout, you'll be burning calories via cardio and weights AND you'll be working your muscles with intense, heavy weight training as well. It's tough training but very effective!

Notes:

For a sample workout to follow, taken directly from my "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss" ebook, please click on the following link:

http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/course/day1.htm

You will be able to print this workout and take it to the gym with you to try out.

Want to order "Metabolic Surge" right now for the low price of only $29.95? Click on the following link to order:

http://www.fitstep.com/metabolic-surge/ordernow.htm

Your new body is waiting for you!

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Secret Training Tip #337 - Powerful Tips, Tricks and Techniques For Building Larger, Firmer, Rounder Glutes Do your thighs get more work than your glutes when you're doing glute exercises? This information is going to change the way you train your glutes forever.

It's a common problem that many people run into when they're trying to build and work the glutes: the thighs take over the exercises and the glutes get left out in the cold!

One of the major reasons this happens is that some of the most effective glute-building exercises are also among the most effective thigh-building exercises, e.g. squats, lunges, leg press, etc.

And, quite often, a person who has smaller glutes and whose goal is to build their glutes already has muscle attachments and leverage issues that favor thigh development over glute development. This can set them back right from the start.

If this sounds like you, read on, because the information you get today is going to change the way you approach your glute training forever!

Let me put it this way...if your glutes already have a hard time getting involved in exercises, performing more exercises won't solve the problem! You've got to properly target your training to make sure the glutes get worked more than the thighs or you simply WILL NOT be able to maximize your glute development.

Today, you're going to learn a number of training techniques that can help build those large, round firm glutes you've been looking for! They will help you to overcome any physical and anatomical limitations your glutes may have.

[Please note: there will be a link to photo demonstrations of several of these exercises, positions and techniques below.]

Techniques:

1. Consciously squeeze your glutes HARD while doing your exercises

Are you sitting in a chair? Clench your glutes as hard as you can. Feel the squeeze? This is what you need to strive for while doing glute exercises.

When you do a lunge, squeeze the glute hard while you're pushing up. This will help to activate the glute muscle. It's all about getting your mind into the muscle and forcing it to contract rather than just going through the motions of an exercise. By concentrating on squeezing the glutes hard during your sets (of whatever exercise you're doing), you'll be activating the muscle fibers of the glutes and increasing the amount of work they do.

If you don't believe this technique can work, try this: go for a walk up and down some hills squeezing your glutes hard as you push yourself forward with each step you take. The following day, sitting down will take on a whole new challenge!

2. Push with your heels

The transmission of force and tension from your foot through your leg and glute can be altered by where you put the tension on your foot. If you push with the balls of your feet (the forefoot area), more tension will be placed on the frontal thigh (the quadriceps). If you focus on pushing more with your heels, more tension will go through the back of the thighs and to your glutes.

By pushing with your heels, you can take FULL advantage of this force/tension relationship. For example, when you're doing lunges, try to raise the toes of your front foot off the ground. This removes tension from the front and focuses more on the heel. This will, in turn, send more tension to the glutes, making them work harder.

There are several practical techniques you can use to really force the heel push. For example, on lunges, do them with your heel on the edge of a stair or Step platform. Place ONLY your heel on the surface and do the lunge from there (be careful of your balance on this, however, as your base of support is decreased with this technique).

If you're doing the leg press, you can focus on the glutes by placing your heels on the top edge of the foot plate (the rest of your feet surface will be off the top and not pushing on anything). When doing squats, simply raise your toes up in your shoes to achieve a similar effect.

To view these techniques in action, please click this link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32-glutes.htm

3. Visualize "sitting back" when you're doing your glute exercises

This idea is similar to the concept of pushing with your heels above. When you "sit back," more tension will be sent through the back of the thighs and the glutes. If you lean forward (the opposite of the "sitting back"), you will tend to throw more tension on the quadriceps (the front of the thighs).

We can use both the squat and the lunge as examples of this. When doing the lunge, don't let your torso angle forward while you're performing the movement. This will throw more tension on the quads. Visualize yourself "sitting back" into the movement. Your body won't let you lean back far enough to fall over but this "lean-back" will put more tension on the glutes immediately. This is something you can try at home right now and feel the difference right away.

If, when you're doing squats, you don't normally feel the glutes working very strongly, you could very well be leaning too far forward as you squat. This throws more tension onto the quads and lower back. This problem is often caused by a lack of flexibility in the calves. To fix this, stretch the calves for at least 5 minutes before doing any squat exercise. You will soon find you're able to sit back more and maintain a better body position (more upright torso). This will turn the squat into a great glute-builder for you!

IMPORTANT! If you do Smith Machine squats, specifically with the feet placed a little forward of the bar while you sit backwards into the bar as you do the movement, beware! This variation of the squat places a TREMENDOUS shearing force on your knees.

Unfortunately, the knee joint simply wasn't designed to push backwards against resistance in this fashion and long-term use of this squat variation can lead to knee injury (basically, every time you do this exercise, you're grinding the connective tissue down a little more - not a good situation). Don't worry, though! Squats themselves, when done properly, are an excellent exercise!

To view these techniques in action, please click this link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32-glutes.htm

4. Pre-Exhaust Training

Pre-Exhaust Training is one of the single most effective techniques for FORCING reluctant muscles to respond to training. The idea behind this technique is simple: first, use an exercise that works ONLY the target muscle. Then, immediately follow that with an exercise that works the target muscle AND several other muscles in addition. You essentially exhaust the target muscle first (with an isolation exercise that works only that single muscle) then use an exercise that utilizes other muscles (a compound exercise) to help push that already pre-exhausted target muscle harder.

The two isolation (single-muscle) exercises that I recommend for the glutes are low pulley glute extensions and glute push-ups. Low pulley glute extensions are done by attaching an ankle harness to your leg, standing facing the pulley machine and extending your leg straight back behind you. Glute push-ups are done by laying flat on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. From this position, push your hips up towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes hard. This exercise can also be done one leg at a time (just cross the non-working leg over the other).

Do as many reps of this exercise as it takes to reach muscular fatigue (it could be 8, 15 or even more, depending on the resistance and your strength). The real muscle-building work gets done on the second exercise.

To view these two exercises in action, please click this link:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue32-glutes.htm

When you've completed your set, immediately (and I mean IMMEDIATELY - no rest periods here) move into the compound exercise for the glutes. Compound exercises for the glutes include squats, lunges, leg press, and (my personal favorite glute-builder) the one-legged bench step squat.

Use a fairly heavy resistance for the compound exercise...as I mentioned above, this is where the muscle-building work gets done. Use a resistance that will allow you get about 8 to 12 reps per set. This is the most effective rep range for muscle building.

Squats:
http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue17.htm

Lunges:
http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Lunges.htm

One-Legged Bench Step Squats (demo video available for this one):
http://www.fitness-ebooks.com/bench-step-exercise.htm

In my experience, the best pre-exhaust approach is to focus on one leg at a time rather than doing both. It may take a little longer but the glutes get worked more thoroughly and your results will most likely be better. For example, do One-Legged Glute Push-Ups with your left leg then immediately do Bench Step One-Legged Squats on your left leg. Take a rest then do a set for your right leg.

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Conclusion:

Regularly using the four training techniques I've described above can have a HUGE impact on your glute-building progress. It's all about properly targeting your training to FORCE the glutes to take the lead in the exercise. With these tips, you will build larger, firmer, rounder glutes. Guaranteed!

Interested in a complete glute-building training manual to take ALL the guesswork out of building those larger, rounder, firmer glutes? You need "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!"

In it you'll find exercises, training programs, workouts, nutrition and supplement information, stretches, and much more...all targeted towards one single goal: building a bigger butt FAST!

Click this link right now to learn more!

http://www.fitstep.com/bigger-butt/how-to-build-a-bigger-butt.htm

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SPECIAL EXCERPT from "Hardgainer Secrets: Build 25 Pounds of Muscle in 8 Weeks" By "Doberman" Dan Gallapoo Learn more about a bodybuilding training and diet book for hardgainers and people with average genetics who have not been able to gain muscle size and strength with traditional training.

"Hardgainer Secrets: Build 25 Pounds of Muscle in 8 Weeks" is a bodybuilding training and diet book for hardgainers and people with average genetics who have not been able to gain muscle size and strength with traditional training. The exact training and nutrition programs are presented in detail, along with illustrations.

About the Author:

Dan Gallapoo was a classic hardgainer. After years of wasted effort with traditional bodybuilding training, Dan stumbled upon the program presented in "Hardgainer Secrets: Build 25 Pounds of Muscle in 8 Weeks" and made the best size and strength gains in his entire life. His personal success with the program motivated him to write a book and dedicate himself to helping hardgainers and genetically average bodybuilders make the best possible gains from their training.

Excerpt from "Hardgainer Secrets: Build 25 Pounds of Muscle in 8 Weeks" by Dan Gallapoo. Copyright (C) 2003. Reprinted with permission.

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Get Ready to Make Big Gains! If you have been struggling in the gym and not making gains by following cookie-cutter training programs. Or, if you have been changing programs monthly, following the drug-induced champions "training program of the month" featured in your favorite muscle magazines, then you are going to find this a very personally rewarding, result-producing program.

You might find it unusual at first, compared to the multiple set, triple-quadruple split, Bulgarian, blast and bomb super-duper, chemically-enhanced programs espoused by the champs every month in the magazines, but this simple course is extremely effective for the genetically-average person (or "hardgainer") who chooses not to involve himself or herself in the insanity of anabolic steroids. This program has been used successfully by hard-gainers to gain mass and strength for over five decades.

I understand the frustration you've felt while working your guts out in the gym, eating right, and still not making any gains in strength or size. I've struggled for years trying different programs, diets and supplements, spending hours and hours in the gym every week, and hundreds of hard-earned dollars on the latest fad supplements, with only marginal results.

It wasn't until I faithfully followed this very course that you are holding in your hands that I experienced the rapid gains in strength and muscle mass that I had been dreaming about for years. If you faithfully follow this program with consistency, determination, and enthusiasm...and when you are in the gym you give it your best effort...then I am confident that you will make great gains on this program.

Will you gain 25 pounds of muscle in eight weeks? Many factors can affect how much muscle you will gain. Some of those factors like training, diet, and mental attitude are directly within your control. Other factors like genetics, recovery-ability, hormones, etc. are out of your control. I know that hundreds of hard-gainers like yourself have gained 25 pounds or more in eight weeks on this program.

Don't worry about those factors that are out of your control. Concentrate your energy on those factors that you can control and give them your all. Set a goal, write it down along with a date that you want to complete it, focus on it, visualize the results you want, and GO FOR IT!

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The E-Book version (Adobe PDF format) of "Hardgainer Secrets: Build 25 Pounds of Muscle in 8 Weeks" is now available for instant download at:

http://www.fitstep.com/goto/trulyhuge.htm

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