The Best Six Pack Ab Workout - How to Increase Your Strength, Endurance, & Lose Belly Fat

The Best Six Pack Ab Workout - How to Increase Your Strength, Endurance, & Lose Belly Fat

When training to develop the all elusive six pack, it can be hard to figure out which ab workouts are the best. If you have been training for a while, you'll notice that most of the ab workouts you'll find on the internet are just regular old, boring abdominal targeting exercises. Pretty useless stuff if you want a ripped midsection.

If you know anything about my training philosophy, you'll know that I don't teach people to train the abs directly to lose belly fat. I recomMend a more total body approach that focuses on using compound moveMents and building a positive metabolic response using unique workout methods.

Here is a total body workout that will help you build your endurance, build up your strength, and torch your belly fat. The exercises you will use in this circuit are: back squats, power shrugs, plyo step-ups, depth jumps, jump squats, vertical jumps, and reverse crunches.

Exercise Descriptions:

Back Squats:

- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes slightly turned out.

- Keep the abdominals tight.

- Slowly descend until the upper legs are parallel to the floor.

- Maintain an upright position and avoid leaning forward.

- Push back into the start position.

85% of one rep max for 8 reps

Power Shrugs: (from the floor)

- Using a barbell, keep your head up, chest up, and hips down.

- Lift with your legs from the floor to the knees.

- At the knees, explosively accelerate the bar up into a shrug while trying to "jump" up off the ground with a shrug at the top.

- Be sure to keep your arms straight through the enTire exercise to prevent your arms from pulling the weight up instead of driving with the legs.

- Drop the weight to the floor after the shrug and repeat the lift from the ground.

4 sets of 8 reps

Plyo Step-Ups

- With one foot on a box or bench, drive into the bench with your lead foot and jump into the Air.

- While in the Air, switch feet and have the opposite foot land on the bench.

- Repeat this sequence rapidly trying to jump as high as you possibly can each time.

4 sets of 10 jumps each leg

Depth Jumps:

- Set up one high box about two feet away from a lower box.

- Step off the high box and as soon as your feet touch the ground, explosively jump straight up onto the lower box.

4 sets of 10 jumps

Jump Squats:

- Using a weight that is about 15-20% of your one rep max for the back squat.

- Dip into the squat position and jump as high as possible.

- Be sure to land under control with your knees bent. Be sure to land on the balls of your feet.

15-20% of one rep max for 10 reps

Vertical Jumps:

- From the standing position, jump as high as you can in the Air.

Jump as many times as you can in 15 seconds.

Here's the workout:

(You will complete this circuit two times with a:60 second rest between exercises)

1. Back Squat - 85% max - 8 reps

2. Power Shrug - 85% max - 8 reps

3. Jump Squat - 15-20% max - 10 reps

4. Depth Jumps - 10 reps

5. Vertical Jumps - As many as you can in15 seconds

6. Plyo Step-Ups - 10 reps

7. Reverse Crunches - 20 reps

I know that this circuit is not your typical ab workout and the exercises presented here are probably not what you are used to. It may be hard to believe that you can develop six pack abs without doing your regular abdominal targeting exercises, but with this total body approach, you will train your enTire body, boost your metabolism, and torch the stubborn belly fat that is covering up your hidden six pack.

You can defeat your stubborn belly fat and crappy genetics by not following the herd and training smarter and not repping yourself into oblivion doing useless crunches and sit-ups.

Here's to your new six pack!

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Workouts to Jump Higher - Learn How to Jump Higher

You are going to find a lot of workouts to jump higher.  The truth is, depending upon what level of fitness you are in already, you will have initial gains with any program simply because you are doing something different than what your body is accustomed to doing.  To be successful at any program you will have to dedicate time and consistent effort to it.  Learning how to jump higher is not any different.  I am going to give you a workout to jump higher that really works, and I will even tell you why it works.

First let's go ahead and start with the why it works.  Effective workouts to jump higher are built around 3 key principles: total body moveMents, change of direction, and stretch reflex. 

• Total body moveMents are just as they suggest, moveMents that incorporate the whole body. Jumping is a whole body moveMent, so why waste your time doing hamstring curls, a single joint movement.  It is not specific enough to increase your vertical leap and jump higher.
• Constant change of direction in your exercises is important because jumping is the perfect example of a change of direction.  You will be changing from a forward motion to an upward acceleration in a very short period of time.  Which brings us to the final point.
• Stretch reflex is the body's way of transitioning from slowing down to speeding up.  The only way to train a stretch reflex is to train Fast with minimal amount of time on the ground.  The best training method to achieve this is plyometric training.  Plyometrics is simply quick jumping movements.

Now for the workout.  I will only give a brief idea of the exercise description because it seems everybody tends to call the exercise something different.  Here is a workout to jump higher that has repeatedly worked for my clients.  Exercises to increase vertical leap require high intensity and effort as well as short duration.  So, don't expect a workout to jump higher to last very long.

1. Jump squat (3 x 8): A jump squat is a combination of a quick squat that finishes with a jump.
2. Scissor jump (3 x 8 each side): With your feet sTAGgered in a lunge position, jump as high as you can.  While in the Air switch your feet and repeat.
3. Ice skaters (3 x 8 each side): Start with your left foot and jump to the right as far as you can with only your left foot.  Land on the right foot and jump to the left.  Spend as little time in transitioning between each jump.  This is actually a hop (but who cares about semantics?)
4. Repeated Broad Jump (3 x 4): Jump as high and as far as you can 4x quickly.  Turn around and do it again.  Make sure you are doing this one on a moderately soft surface such as grass.  Never do this one on concrete (ouch! Can you say shin splints?)

The secret to a good workout to jump higher is that the exercises must be completed quickly with maximum effort.  That is why good jumping programs work.  The transition between one jump to the next must involve minimal amount of time on the ground.  The longer you spend on the ground, the less effective the exercise becomes.  Remember the critical components of a good workout to jump higher and you will be well on your way to dunking over that rival of yours in no time.  Now is the time to start that program you have been looking at.  Train Fast! Increase Vertical!

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Brazil Butt Lift - New Beachbody Workout - Techniques That Have Shaped Supermodels Butts

Beachbody is coming out with a new home DVD workout that focuses solely on your butt. The workout is a natural way to give you a beautiful butt lift. No surgery here just specially designed workout moves to work your muscles and make them tight and fit. This new workout is called 'Brazil Butt Lift'. The program is taught by Leandro Carvalho, and if anyone has the resume to teach such a workout program it is this guy.

Leandro Carvalho, a native Brazilian, has sculpted some of Brazil's finest supermodels and lingerie models back sides with his Brazil Butt Lift techniques. Carvalho personally trained Victoria Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio, who is known for her excellent buttocks. He currently has a fitness club in New York City where he personally trains many models, celebrities and people just like you and me. On top of that he has teamed up with Beachbody to bring these amazing techniques, via DVD, to any American ready to take the challenge.

Although Brazilian Butt Lift is primarily focused for the ladies it is still going to be an extremely effective workout program for Men.

What is Brazil Butt Lift going to look like?

Recently Leandro released a 5 minute buttocks focused workout including 5 workouts you can start doing right now. If his DVD release is bound to be these types of moves, but ramped up to the next level. All these workouts are specifically designed to target different muscles in your butt.

1. The Plie - An exercise in which you stand with your feet and knees about shoulder width, drop your tailbone down into a plie squat, squat as low as you can go, hold for 2 seconds then slowly return.

2. The Touchdown - A move in which you stand with your feet shoulder width apart, squat down until your knees are bent in a 90 degree angle, then reach one foot back into a deep reverse squat. Repeat the exercise using your other leg.

3. Explosive Lunge - Lunge into the standard lunge position, but instead of slowly returning to your feet and switching legs you will explode upward, jumping into the Air, switch legs midAir and return to the lunge position. Then repeat.

4. Single Leg Squat with Towel - Stand with both feet together, place your arms at your sides with your right foot on top of a small folded towel. Shift your weight to your left foot, bend your left knee up to a 90 degree angle, or as much as you can, slide your right foot to the side on the towel and hold for 4 seconds. Slowly bring your right leg back to your left then repeat the exercise for 30 seconds then switch legs.

5. Squat with Kickback - Sit back into a squat and keep your weight on your heels, then lift your right leg straight behind you, keep your hips pointing forward while extending arms. Repeat using other leg.

Those few workouts are just a sample of what Brazilian Butt Lift is going to be like. If you want to get a butt like a supermodel, this is going to be the workout for you.

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Even the Best Garbage Disposal Clogs Up Sometimes - What Do You Do?

Virtually Every Garbage Disposal Clogs Up At Some Point
Garbage disposals can be a great tool in your kitchen if used properly. They make cleaning up after dinner and rinsing dishes off a breeze. But they are all somewhat prone to getting clogged if some basic guidelines aren't followed.

The Best Garbage Disposal

People often wonder what is the best garbage disposal to get to avoid these problems. Without going into a full blown garbage disposal review, a good plan is to choose a model with the highest horsepower rating your budget allows. And make sure the model you select has a way to manually turn the shaft if it gets stopped up.

It Makes A Difference How You Use It

No matter what kind of garbage disposal you have, how you use it has more to do with how well it works than what brand or model it is. Even the best garbage disposal clogs up sometimes, especially if it gets a lot of heavy use.

Remember To Always Turn The Faucet On First

So how should you use your garbage disposal? The first rule is to always turn the faucet on when you are using a garbage disposal and let it run for several seconds after you turn the disposal off. Remember, everything that you put in the garbage disposal goes right into your plumbing system so it takes a little water to wash it down the pipes.

Take It Easy

Another tip is that it is not a good idea to try to put too many large pieces of Food through the disposal. I've seen garbage disposal clogs caused by someone trying to grind big pieces of carrots. All of the drain piping under the sink was full of grated carrot.

Asking For Problems

It is certainly tempting to just dump everything into the big hole in the sink and flip the switch, but that is asking for trouble. I actually know of one situation where a guy was dropping eggshells down his disposal. He must have eaten a lot of eggs because the crushed up shells coated the inside of his kitchen drain pipe and finally stopped it up enTirely. The enTire drain pipe wound up having to be replaced.

Put The Big Chunks Somewhere Else

Hopefully that story shows how important it is to be careful how you use your garbage disposal. Put bigger scraps and trimmings in either the trash or a compost pile and use the disposal for the small stuff that would otherwise get rinsed down the drain. Your drain pipes will be better for it.

Garbage Disposal Clogs

Sometimes even if you have followed all of these guidelines the garbage disposal clogs up anyway. No problem, it's pretty simple to learn how to unclog a garbage disposal. There are just a couple of basic steps to follow.

Does The Motor Need To Be Reset?

First, find out if the motor is jammed. If you flip the switch and the disposal just hums, it is most likely locked up. If the power stays on to the disposal this usually results in the motor cutting off, so lots of garbage disposals have a reset button (usually on the bottom). Turn the switch off, wait a few seconds and push the reset button.

Find For The Wrench Hole

The next step is to unjam the disposal. Most garbage disposals have an opening in the bottom that allows you to insert an "Allen Wrench" into the bottom of the shaft and manually turn the shaft to free it up. Sometimes the wrench is included with the disposal. If not a standard "Allen" wrench will get the Job done.

How To Unclog A Garbage Disposal With A Wrench

Make sure the power switch is off before going to the next step! If you're not sure, or if you have an Air switch, turn off the breaker serving the disposal. Turn the faucet on and stick the wrench into the bottom of the shaft. The opening for this should be in the middle of the bottom of the garbage disposal. Now turn the wrench back and forth a couple of times until you can turn the wrench all the way around freely.

The Broomstick Method

If your disposal has no hole for a wrench at the bottom you can always try using a broomstick. Take about a 2 foot long piece of broom stick, stick it in the top of the disposal and pretend you are stirring a big pot of stew while bearing down on the stick. While not nearly as effective as the wrench method, on some models it's your only choice.

I Thought I Left My Rings On The Counter

Once you've got the shaft turning, turn the switch back on. The disposal should drain now. If not, or if you weren't able to get the shaft unstuck, there may be something (hopefully not an expensive ring) causing the jam. Making sure the switch is off, look down inside the disposal. It will probably help to use a flashlight. If you can see anything inside, try to get it out with a pAir of needle nose pliers.

The Last Option

If you can tell there is something inside but it won't come out with the pliers it may require removing the disposal. If the shaft won't turn at all, then the next step is learning how to unclog a garbage disposal.

Removing A Garbage Disposal

The key to removing a garbage disposal is to not get in too big a hurry. The drain connection usually attaches to the disposal with a clamp that just needs to be unFastened, so take this apart first. If the sink bowl is backed up and full of water make sure you have a bowl ready to catch the water.

Disconnect The Garbage Disposal From The Sink

Once the drain is disconnected remove the mounting assembly that connects the disposal to the sink. This will be either a big nut, a bracket held in place with screws or, on Insinkerator disposals, a clamp ring that twists down. Once you have this loose you should be able to remove the disposal from the sink, take the rubber splash shield off and peek inside.

Remove The Foreign Object And Reassemble Everything

Now you can get whatever is jamming the blades out and then, before you put everything back together, turn the switch on for a minute and make sure the blade spins now. If it spins freely now, put it all back together. Be careful and get all of the gaskets back where they go and then test everything for leaks. Try the switch a few times to make sure it works and put everything back in the cabinet.

That's How Easy It Is To Unclog A Garbage Disposal

You now know how to unclog a garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal is working fine right now you may be thinking "so what?". The odds are that sometime you will need this information. When the day comes to fix your garbage disposal, review this article and it will be a piece of cake.

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Kitchen Design - Is There a New Kitchen in Your Future? Take the First Steps to Success - Planning

INTRODUCTION

Many of my clients have, unfortunately, initiated the design of their kitchen without an understanding of the extent of what is actually involved in the process, in terms of design, budget, timeline and other issues. In these cases, our design process together, was frustrating for the client and for me. As a result, this article will clarify the process so that you will have the opportunity to become better informed before you begin your kitchen project, thereby avoiding uninformed decisions or possibly spending time and/or money needlessly.

This article is not about the specific design features of your kitchen and how to design it. There are many good resources available for that. Instead, it is about the process of designing your kitchen. It is meant to help in getting a head start and to expose anyone who is, or might be, embarking upon the design of a new or remodeled kitchen, to the first and most important step - Planning.

Designing a kitchen for a new or existing home is a big investMent in time, money and energy and it is sometimes stressful and challenging. Unfortunately, some vendors and TV programs don't like to dwell on this aspect and therefore mislead the consumer regarding the actual amount of time and effort that is required. Even though creating a new kitchen is challenging, most clients say that the results are more than worth the effort. I hope that the information provided herein will be a helpful contribution toward having you well on your way to a successful project.

Before you begin the process of designing your new kitchen, you will need to set the criteria for the design. I recomMend that you engage a professional kitchen designer that not only designs the cabinet layout, but designs every eleMent of the kitchen and is involved throughout the enTire project, so that the final result will be a cohesive design that reflects optimum function and style. The designer will not only help you create a beautiful, efficient, kitchen but will save you significant time and money and you will both have fun developing your joint creation. I trust that what follows will get your energy flowing and thoughts racing, in preparation for actually embarking upon your journey. And, it "is" a journey!

THE KITCHEN OF TODAY

The kitchen has traditionally been the most important room in the house because Cooking and sharing Food has long been central to family life. Meals will always be important, but Cooking has, in some cases, significantly changed. The grocery industry has focused on replacements for home meals and hundreds of restaurants have incorporated "to-go" in their business model. Whether we cook frequently or not, kitchens remain the foundation of family life because it is where we live and gather. It is where most of us start and end our days and share the information of our day.

Today's kitchens serve more roles than ever before: entertainment center, home office, cooking and dining space. The electronics for an entertainment center may include TV, music and internet connection and the office area may have a desk, files, Computer and bookshelves.

THE FIRST STEPS

Determine with your family, who uses your current kitchen and how, and discuss the conveniences you would like to have in the new version. Make a scrapbook of articles and notes on kitchens and kitchen features that interest you and photographs of kitchens you like. Evaluate how and when you cook, where you serve meals to whom and how often you entertain and how you entertain. Inventory your dishes, silverware, serving pieces, cookware, linens, and your typical grocery storage requirements so that you can be sure that the new design accommodates everything.

It seems that no matter how much time you budget for a remodeling project, it usually takes longer than you expected. For a complete remodel, the down time during construction can be at least two or three months and much longer, depending upon the size and extent of the project. Your family needs to eat in the meantime. So, before construction starts make arrangements to store, heat and clean up, enough to keep you going until the kitchen is back on-line. Many of my clients who have had the good fortune to have a bar sink in the family room, have moved in the old refrigerator and microwave near the bar sink and this combination becomes the interim kitchen during construction of the new one. The upside to this is that it provides a great rationale for eating out more often!

THE KITCHEN FOOTPRINT

Let's start with the space you have available for the kitchen. Whether you are designing for a new home, or remodeling in an existing one, you are limited by how much space you have available in which to create your dream. If the space is fAirly small, you will want to consider whether or not you have the option of expanding. You may be able to accomplish this in your existing home and, in a new home, very often you still have time to alter the architectural plan, if needed. In either case, if you can eliminate or relocate a wall or walls or add to the house to create more space for the kitchen, it will improve the function and value of the room significantly.

Of course, if you don't create an addition to the house, and just remove or relocate a wall(s), you then have infringed upon a contiguous space and decreased its size, so you have to weigh which option is the best for you. Is it worth giving up the other space to increase the size of the kitchen? In my experience, if you can do without the adjoining space, it is much better to devote that extra space to the kitchen.

When you plan to remove or relocate a wall(s), the key factor to determine is, by so doing, will you encounter a load-bearing situation? This occurs when the wall(s) is part of the support system for the structure of the house. Usually a contractor can determine this. If the contractor is uncertain, you will need to have a structural engineer examine the structure to make that determination. If it is non load-bearing, when you are ready to start construction, the contractor can proceed to build out the space per the new plan. If it is a load-bearing issue, your local building authority will require that you retain a structural engineer or an architect to design a structural solution for removing or relocating the wall(s).

He or she will submit design drawings and calculations of the solution, to the building authority for approval and permit. Upon receiving the permit, when you are ready to begin construction, the contractor can then proceed to build-out the structure per the engineer's or architect's specifications. This is the process in California, based upon the state building standards, Title 24. The process in the other states is very similar.

In any case, once you have made the decision of whether or not to expand or re-configure, you will know the size and shape (footprint) of the space that you have available from a horizontal standpoint - Plan View.

VERTICAL SPACE

You should also consider what size and shape the room will be from a vertical standpoint as well. If it is possible to increase the height of the room by raising, eliminating or altering an existing low ceiling or soffit, you should seriously consider taking advanTAGe of this option. The additional height will provide more cabinet storage from the increased height of wall cabinets and the room will become more voluminous which is always more visually impressive and comfortable. From a construction standpoint, the load-bearing issues will apply to increasing the room height just as it applies to moving or eliminating walls.

Of course, in dealing with all of these design and construction issues and decisions that need to be made, you will not be alone. Your designer will be the pivotal person who will help you evaluate the choices you have available. He or she will produce drawings in order to visually demonstrate these options and will offer advice on which options are best and why.

I understand that this all sounds very tedious and problematic. In some sense these two words are a good description of the design/construction process. However, what I have outlined above is done thousands of times every day and most of those homeowners have survived and, as a result, now have the new, beautiful, functional, kitchen of their dreams. You notice I said "most"! Seriously, the project will be challenging and there will be some problems. This is just the nature of design and construction and that is why you should not proceed without experienced professional help throughout the process from the very beginning to the end.
 
UTILIZING YOUR KITCHEN

Are you an expert chef, who does it all: cooking, baking, barbecuing, or are you a minimal cook whose main goal is to just get a meal on the table for the family as expeditiously as possible, or are you somewhere in between? Do you always cook by yourself or do you often have family and friends help with the cooking? Do you often entertain and all flow into the kitchen while munching on your Brie between sips of chardonnay? Do you bake often and want a marble surface for that purpose? The questions can go on and on.

Some clients have large, prestigious, homes and entertain frequently and/or have large families. They may have someone do the cooking for them. Some of these types of projects may need the full treatment, such as a butler's pantry or walk-in pantry, two islands, two refrigerators, two dishwashers, two microwave ovens, a wine cooler, a separate beverage cooler, a built-in espresso machine, sink, prep-sink and bar sink and glass-door cabinets to display the family heirloom china, etc.

Most clients require something substantially less than all of this, but I bring it up just to emphasize that how you utilize your kitchen has a strong influence on the design and therefore, as I mentioned, you should think about how you want to operate and what you want to accommodate in your kitchen. You can start to think about what type of appliances and features you would like. Think of the three major work areas of a kitchen: Food Prep (refrigerator and sink), Cooking (cook top, oven and microwave) and Cleanup (sink, dishwasher and recycling). You will find a myriad of styles and options available which you and your designer will need to carefully consider. More planning, of course!

HOW & WHERE YOU WILL EAT

You may prefer to be able to eat in the kitchen by having an island with seating. The size of the island that the room will accommodate will determine how many persons you can seat. Seating at an island reduces the storage space available in the island, so the balance of the kitchen storage will need to absorb this loss. You can basically sit at three counter heights: chAir height (29-30"), counter height (36") and bar height (42").

If you have an adjacent breakFast room, you may want to eat there in the interest of having more storage space in the island. If the room will accommodate it, you may like the idea of a built-in booth in the breakFast room or kitchen, in lieu of a typical table and chairs. Many clients like to have the option of eating in both the breakFast room and at the island in the kitchen. In some cases there is no breakfast room and the dining room serves as both breakfast room and dining room. In any case, you should give these and other possibilities careful consideration.

THE DESIGN STYLE

There are many design motifs available to you: Traditional, Modern, Contemporary, Country, Craftsman, Cape Cod, etc. The design motif that you select will obviously heavily influence the selection of all of the other elements in the kitchen. The cabinet style and finish have the strongest influence on the design style of the kitchen. As I mentioned, you can start by collecting magazine photos of kitchens to get a feel for what you do and don't like. They will give you great ideas for all things kitchen. Stock, semi-custom or custom cabinets have many different styles and finishes to offer and of course, custom cabinets can provide any design and finish.

REMAINING ISSUES

The planning process will continue until every aspect of the total kitchen design is selected and specified. However, once you have established your footprint and vertical space, how you want to utilize your kitchen, how and where you want to eat, and your design motif, you are more than half way there. The planning process continues, on a smaller scale, as you are making more decisions about all of the items and issues that make up a total kitchen design.

Examples: Do you often make spaghetti and Pasta, which requires filling a large pot with about four to six quarts of water? If so, you should have a pot-filler over the cook top or range top. Since there are only two of you and it takes a long time to fill up the dishwasher before you can wash the dishes, you should consider a two drawer dishwasher which enables you to wash one drawer at a time, thereby saving energy and providing you with clean dishes more often. Do you prefer an air switch in the countertop for the disposal or do you want the switch to be on the backsplash? Do you want a garbage disposal in the prep sink as well as the main sink? Do you want soft close on your cabinet drawers? Do you like the idea of pendant lighting above the island? Do you want a Filtered water system? The questions go on and on!

The various categories you will be encountering in designing your new kitchen are as follows. This listing of categories will give you an idea of what is to come. I didn't say it was easy!

APPLIANCES, CABINETS, HARDWARE, FLOORING, PLUMBING, COUNTERTOP, BACKSPLASH, LIGHTING/ELECTRICAL, WALL FINISH, FURNITURE, WINDOW TREATMENTS, ART WORK, ACCESSORIES AND CONSTRUCTION.
 
CONCLUSION

I trust that by reading this article, you now have an appreciation of how important careful planning is to the successful design of your kitchen. The more thought and quality time you devote to it, the better prepared you will be when you begin with your designer and the process will become easier and more efficient, which everyone involved will greatly appreciate.

Once you have made most of these macro-decisions that I have mentioned, you will be ready to tackle the micro-decisions that are coming next. As you can see by the examples I have mentioned and the listing of categories above, you have a lot more planning to do, but remember you are now over half way there. Be strong and resolute and I am sure that you will get through the enTire process virtually unscathed. And, if you are thoughtful, organized and work in the spirit of mutual cooperation, you will probably have some fun too! Remember that not all of this is on your shoulders. Your professional designer will be by your side for the whole trip.

I sincerely hope that you have found this information helpful and I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

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How to Choose Between Water and Air Jetted Bathtubs

Jetted bathtubs are synonymous to luxurious bathing. With its many spectacular features that bring nothing but relaxing and soothing bathing experience, no wonder that a jetted tub is one of the most sought-after tubs in the market today.

The flexibility of a jetted bathtub is such that it gives you a truly relaxing and reinvigorating bath while at the same time, providing an elegant and beautiful eleMent in your modern bathroom. So do not be surprised if these come with higher price TAGs. Checking online retailers for some discounts before making a buying decision would allow you to get a better deal.

Massage Bathtub by Cassiopeia Sanitary Ware Co. Ltd.:

This Massage bathtub is constructed with Dupont acrylic. Some of its spectacular features are hot and cold water switcher, hand shower, water faucet, Air regulator, water input switch, suction cock, pillow, six individually adjusted whirlpool jets, Air switch and drain valve.

Riva Freestanding by Jacuzzi:

This freestanding tub is part of the Luxury Bath Collection of Jacuzzi. The soaking version features two integral armrests and skirt, slip-resistant bottom and optional decorative wooden legs and rings. The air tub version features electronic control system, 600-watt air Blower with variable speed, two integral armrest and skirt, cleansing system, Thermal Lumbar Comfort set, slip-resistant bottom, air flow system and timed purge cycle. Both tub versions measure 72 inches in length by 42 inches in width by 20.5 inches in height.

Kohler K-1122-RA Archer 5 Foot Jetted Tub With Right Hand Drain:

This whirlpool tub is a blend of subtle design eleMents as reflected in the combination of curved bases and beveled edges to create an elegant and timeless appeal. It features slotted overflow to raise the water depth for a deep soak, eight KOHLER jets that are individually adjustable, lumbar support and armrests. Color finishes include biscuit, black, cashmere, almond, ice grey, innocent blush, sandbar, sunlight, wild rose, white and thunder grey.

American Standard 2774.018W Cadet 6 Foot Drop In Jetted Tub with Reversible Drain:

This tub features a form-fitting back rest, molded armrests, elbow support, double accessory deck area, Hydro Massage system, 2 horsepower pump/motor, eight individually and multi-directional adjustable flow-rate jets, dual air volume controls and deck-installed air switch. The acrylic-constructed tub has fiberglass reinforceMent. It measures 71 and 3/4 inches by 41 and 3/4 inches by 19 and 3/4 inches. Available finishes are arctic, bone, black, linen, white, fawn beige and silver.

Jacuzzi 9590 Corner/Drop In Jetted Tub with Center Drain with Right Hand Pump from Capella Collection:

This twin-sharing jetted tub features four PowerPro jets, right hand pump, center drain, integral seat, contoured backrest, adjustable foot jets, adjustable lumbar jet, slip-resistant bottom and air induction system. The average water capacity of this tub is 51 gallons. The tub's exterior dimensions are 55 inches in length by 55 inches in width by 20.25 inches in height. The interior measurements are 44 inches in length by 32 inches in width.

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5 Fat Burning Bodyweight Exercises For Women

Bodyweight exercises for woMen are an effective tool to build strength and lower the body fat.

It can be done anytime, anywhere and without any fancy equipMent - which makes it a great time saving way to build strength and fitness.

And it gets rid of any excuses for not training.

Here are 5 bodyweight exercises for women -

1) Reverse Crunch - knees bent, hands placed beside your hips flat on the floor, bring your knees towards your chin while exhaling. Your hips should come off the floor and slowly lower your feet to just above floor level. Do 15-20 reps.

2) Side (Plank) Bridge - lie on your side so that your body is rigid and straight. The only contact points on the floor are your forearm and the near side of your foot. Do 20-30 seconds.

3) Front Bridge - Lie face down so that your body is rigid and straight, the only contact points on the floor are both forearms and both sets of toes. Do 20-30 seconds.

4) Split Jump - Stand in a lunge position with one leg between half to a Meter in front of the other, arms at your sides. Bend at the knees until your back leg almost touches the floor, then swing your arms forward and jump as high as you can. While in the Air, switch leg positions so that you can land softly with the other leg in front. Repeat for 8 to 12 reps.

5) Push-ups; or if you are a beginner try the kneeling push-up (push up position but with your knees on the floor)

Bodyweight exercises for women can be adjusted as the fitness level improves.

As your body fat decreases and strength improves, adjust the exercises to make it more challenging.

For example, you can change the kneeling push-up to the same push-up from your toes. Or if you want to make it more difficult, why not adjust the position of your hands to continuously advance your muscle strength.

Other alternatives to make it more challenging is to increase the intensity like varying the repetitions, sets and shorten the rest period between each sets.

Best yet, why not do 10 push-ups followed immediately by 10 split jumps. Then rest for 60 seconds, and repeat again.

The aim here is to increase the intensity by alternating between an upper body exercise and a lower body exercises for greater impact.

Therefore, the higher the intensity, the better the metabolic impact you will have on your body.

If you want more fat burning exercises, try Turbulence Training - which is a combination of the best bodyweight exercises for women and interval training.

Regardless what you are training for, bodyweight exercises are very effective to burn body fat - either as an addition to your regular workout or even as a workout all by itself.

Bodyweight exercises for women isn't just providing you with a new and exciting way to workout - it's taking your health to a new level.

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Best Exercises To Jump Higher - Gain An Inch A Week On Your Hops With These Exercises

Best Exercises To Jump Higher - Gain An Inch A Week On Your Hops With These Exercises

Searching for the best exercises to jump higher?

Well I want to share with you some of the best exercises to jump higher that will help you to gain inches on your vertical as soon as possible. The sooner you start training, the sooner you can start seeing gains on your vertical in less than a week.

Now you are going to have to actually do the exercises, just reading this article will not help you to increase your vertical.

The following exercises to increase vertical will build up the muscles that you use the most for jumping. They also target a different aspect of jumping which is called vertical explosion. Vertical explosion is calculated by your strength, quickness, and the Fast twitch muscles in your legs. You may not understand these terms right now but trust me they are all very important when it comes to how high you can jump off of the ground.

No matter what your goals are:

• If you are a playground baller looking to dominate the playground with a massive vertical.
• If you are on your high school team, or trying to make your high school team and want to increase your vertical to attract the attention of college scouts.
• If you are in college and trying to improve your game with the dreams of someday going to play in the N.B.A or overseas.

Okay, enough talking lets get down to the best exercises to jump higher.

The best exercises to jump higher should be completed on:

Monday - Wednesday - Friday/ Tuesday - Thursday is a rest day and light basketball.

Remember before doing these exercises or any workout always STRETCH and WARM UP.

• Doing these exercises in the proper form is critical. 5 correct form exercises are more effective than 20 incorrect form exercises.
• Do each exercise as explosive as possible, your body needs to know that you are trying to get higher.

1. EXERCISE - BURNOUTS

This is the first of the best exercises to jump higher and it focuses on developing your calf muscle, particularly the upper section of your calf muscle to give you explosive gains on your leap.

• Stand with your arms at your sides and with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Raise up onto your tip toes as high as possible, enough to feel your calf muscle being worked.
• Hop 3 to 4 inches in the Air
• After landing hop right back up keeping it continuous, after about 6 or 7 jumps you should know why this exercise is called burnouts(in other words you should really feel your calves being worked)
• Each jump is 1 rep, do 25 reps in 3 sets

2. EXERCISE - STEP UPS

This is the 2nd of the best exercises to jump higher. Step ups focus on developing the jumping power that you use to jump off of 1 leg.

• You are going to need a sturdy chAir, bench, or anything you can thrust yourself up into the Air with the force of 1 leg as high as possible.
• Stand in front of the chAir, bench, or stool with your right leg placed on it. Your right leg should be almost at a 90 degree angle and your left leg should be resting on the ground.
• Thrust yourself up into the air using only your right leg as high as possible.
• In mid air switch legs and land with your left leg on the chair and right leg landing on the ground.
• Do the same with your left leg as you did with your right leg.
• After each leg is done that is 1 rep, do 25 reps in 3 sets

3. EXERCISE - SQUAT HOPS

Squat Hops are the last of the best exercises to jump higher. This exercise will focus on developing and working the muscles that you use to jump off of 2 legs and perform those monster 2 handed dunks that you will doing very soon.

• Get into a low squat position while keeping your back straight.
• While in the low squat position raise up onto your tip toes as if you are almost sitting down.
• Jump 3 to 4 inches in the air and keep it continuous after.
• Each jump is 1 rep, do 25 reps in 3 sets.

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Increase Vertical Leap - Get A Monster Vertical Leap!

Increase Vertical Leap - Get A Monster Vertical Leap!

Wouldn't you want to increase your vertical leap by 12 inches or more? Have you always wanted those extra 4 inches to your jump that would allow you to carry out one of Lebron James's trademark breakaway dunks? As you read this article you'll begin to get certain feelings of exciteMent as you realize that you can now increase vertical leap that will simply explode your basketball game. Better still, you'll learn how to use the 7 free exercises. That's right! FREE! Think about it. You can use these specialized techniques in your training today!

What do you think you can do to magnify your vertical leap today? In a nutshell, you've to work out every bit of muscle in your legs, core (abdoMen) and arms even. You can catch an enTire power-packed training program at my website, but first here are 7 simple yet devastatingly powerful exercises you can use immediately:

1. Leapups - Stand with your feet shoulder width appart, and jump up looking
straight ahead. Come down about 1/4 of the way and jump right back up. This completes one leapup. Leapups train muscles to remember how to jump, thus drastically helping to increase vertical leap.

2. Calf raises - Stand on something so that your heels are not touching anything,
stAirs, a book etc. Go all the way up and come slowly down. Do one leg, then the other, this completes one set.

3. Step ups - Get a sturdy chAir or bench, put one lleg on the chair, and push
yourself off the chair with your one leg. While in the air, switch legs, put the leg that was on the ground on the bench, the leg that was on the bench on the ground. Do the specified number of reps on each leg.

4. Thrust ups - Stand with your feet shoulder width appart, and lock your knees.
Then jump up just by using your calves, only bending at the ankles. As soon as your land, go right back up. This completes one thrust ups. You can use your arms if you want.

5. Burnouts - Stand in the same position as thrust uups, and go up as high as your
can on your toes. Then jump up only using the sides of your thighs and your toes - you must stay as high on your toes as possible throughout the exercise. You can use your arms too.

6. Squats - These are the 'King' of leg exercises and a must to increase vertical leap. They work out almost every muscle in your legs and will allow you to max up your quads in no time. Stand shoulder-width apart and bend your knees to go down, keeping your back straight. Stop when the back of your knees form a 90 degree angle. Come back up explosively. To increase power, try doing squats with Weights.

7. Sit ups - Sit ups are an excellent way to strengthen your abdominal core which is essential for explosiveness and stability in your vertical leap. Lie down flat on your back with your knees bent. Bring up your torso Fast and hold momentarily before lowering your torso down slowly.

These are training methods used by college and even NBA basketball players to dramatically increase vertical leap and explode your all-around game. From rebounds, to blocks, to jumpshots, to dunks, your leap determines it all. Think about it.

How to Jump Higher Off One Foot

How to Jump Higher Off One Foot

In sports such as basketball, it is important to be able to jump high off of one foot as well as two feet. However, when jumping off of one foot or one leg (or off the approach as I like to call it) you can usually get up much quicker. Sometimes in basketball you don't always have time to plant and jump off of two feet. So here are 5 ways to increase your jumping off of one foot.

Step Ups

This is an exercise that will without fail help to increase your one-foot jumping. To do this exercise simple grab a chAir. The starting position is with one foot up on the chAir and one foot on the ground. Then the next step is to explode up using the leg that is up on the chAir to push you up into the Air.

As you go up into the air, switch legs and lower your body to the ground with your other leg.

I also recomMend you do this exercise with weight. When doing this exercise with weight there's a slight difference. What you'll do is grab two dumbbells or a barbell with weight placed on your shoulders.

Then with weight either in your hands or on your shoulders step up onto the bench and then step down. With Weights you start with both feet on ground and step up with one leg followed by the other and then back down.

Both of these exercises are great for improving your jumping power off of one leg.

Sprinting

The Faster you get, the higher you'll be able to jump off of one leg in most cases. You ever notice those players in basketball who are just so Fast, that it looks like they just run off of the ground when they jump? Or you ever Watch a high jumper in track & field? These are the athletes who usually can jump very high off of one leg.

If you also want to jump higher off of one leg I recomMend you go out and work on your sprinting. Sprint work has always beat up my legs. I can remember days of grueling sprints on the track. But when I got on the court, I usually noticed results in a fairly short amount of time from my efforts. Sprinting is very important if you want to jump higher.

Lunges

The great thing about lunges aside from the fact that they flat out help you jump higher, is this. Not only do they build your quadriceps, but they help your balance, hips, and glutes (butt). All of which, are very important if you want to jump higher.

This exercise can be performed with or without weight. Simply grab some dumbbells or a barbell and put it over your shoulders and get to work. With this exercise I recomMend you use light weight and work on maintaining good balance. If you have never done lunges before they can kind throw you off balance at first. But with practice and proper form you'll get great results with this exercise.

High knees and Butt Kicks

Both of these exercises are great because they increase your range of motion and your stride when running. And they help you get up higher. Aside from being two great plyometrics, they are also great for your hips, hamstrings and quadriceps.

Flexibility is also key when it comes to one-foot jumping. And high knees and butt kicks will help you with your flexibility.

Plyometrics Exercises - 4 Basic Drills

Adequate instruction on proper technique is necessary before getting started on plyometrics. The correct performance of the exercises normally increases the likelihood of developing explosiveness and decreases the risks for injury.

Here are 4 basic drills to learn on plyometrics:

AirSwitch

1) Squat Jumps

Plyometrics Exercises - 4 Basic Drills

For the initial position, you need to stand with both feet apart about the same distance as your shoulder width. Look straight ahead and maintain a straight back. Then bend your knees and place your body into a squat stance. It should seem as if you were sitting on a chAir.

Stay in the squat stance for a while and then lift your body up into a jump, making sure that both of your feet leave the floor at the same instance. You may also toss your hands up in the Air as you perform the jump.

2) Bench Throw

Lie down on the floor or on a bench and carry a weighted medicine ball. Make sure that the ball is positioned close to your chest, as if you were about to perform a chest press.

Next, push the medicine ball upwards, away from you. The moveMent can be likened to a regular chest press. However, you should perform the throw in a thrusting manner with just enough force to allow the ball to depart with your hands for a few inches. Then catch it as it comes down and return to your initial position to perform the exercise again.

3) Jumping Lunges

Begin a standing position with both of your feet at shoulder-width apart. Look straight ahead while maintaining your back in a straight position. Then step out using your right leg and bend at the knee. Bring your body down while making sure that your right thigh is parallel to the ground.

Starting at the lunge position, propel yourself upwards and into a jump. While you're still up in the air, switch legs to land with the opposite leg forward and back in the lunge stance. Repeat the routine and switch legs every time.

4) Plyo Push-up

To start the routine, lie yourself face down on the floor. Position your hands under your shoulder blades. Be sure to establish stability by placing the balls of your feet on the floor. Your aim is to put your body in the push-up position.

When you push yourself up, make sure you do it with just enough force to propel your upper body upwards so that your hands depart with the floor. As your hands resume contact with the ground, bring down your body into the push-up stance. Repeat the routine as necessary.

Plyometrics Exercises - 4 Basic Drills

Those were the basic plyometrics drills you can incorporate into your usual training regimen. They are deemed to be great exercises for any athlete who wishes to develop speed and strength for his sport of choice. Find out more tips about plyometrics training at http://plyometrics.referenceguidetips.com