bodybuilding

Your Ultimate WorkOut Partner

Everyone knows when you do anything with a friend, it makes the time that you do a particular task much more enjoyable. Working out is no different. Many bodybuilders have reached their potential by having partners there to motivate them. But sometimes having partners while you areworking out can hinder your bodybuilding goals. In this article, I want to go over the pros and cons of working out with a partner. Let’s begin.

Pros: There are many pros to working with a partner when it comes to lifting weight. The first benefit is the motivation factor. A partner is a great motivational tool. People that usually workout with partners tend to go beyond the limits that they set for themselves. The partner usually pushes them to go further. Another pro of working out with a partner is that you will always have a spotter. It is hard trying to find people to give you a spot when you are working out on your heavy days. With a training partner, you will not have this problem. Your partner usually knows what you can and what you can not lift, so he knows when to come in at the right time. Another plus about having a partner is that they can tell you when you are doing something wrong. A partner can guide you in the right direction when your form is particularly straight.

Cons: Even though working with a partner can be great, it also has its down sides. One negative to working out with a partner is what I call the social factor. Many people have their friend or a group of friends workout with them, with the expectation of the partners being there to motivate them. These usually turn into social gatherings, where everything is done but working out. They talk about sports, girls, and anything else that has nothing to do with training. Here is the rule of thumb when working out with a partner. You are there to train, not to find out what is the latest on your favorite sports team. Work out first and then talk to your friends. Another con to working with a partner is that sometimes the partners do not show up on time. If you want a consistent workout, you need to have a partner that will arrive at the scheduled time that you all have agreed upon. This make the workouts go smoother.

Finally, I was going to discuss working out with the opposite sex but I’ll leave that for later….In matter of fact I’ll refer you to my girl Buffie the body at BOOTYNOMICS she might have a thing or two to say about having a workout partner.

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6 Pack Abs: Mel B. Gets her BlackFitness On!

All eyes on Mel B. as she got her BlackFitness On. The former SPICE GIRL showed off her 6 pack and ripped figure in Las Vegas yesterday. The self-confessed fitness nut has a body that could rival a bodybuilder…I’m getting jealous here. She’s taking it to another level post pregnancy. (two babies by the way)

Stephen Belafonte and Mel B

People are email me telling me this is too much….are you kidding me?

Please do not compare her to buffie the body

and yes she too has a fitness dvd…

Mel B. with fans

The reason for her donning this skimpiest of white bikinis was to host the Hot Bodies at Tao Beach bash at The Venetian hotel.

the New Mel B.

World's Smallest Bodybuilder: Aditya "Romeo" Dev Video

Aditya “Romeo” Dev is officially recognized as the world’s smallest bodybuilder. Training has completely changed his life, turning him into a celebrity. We are all given a deck of cards, it is completely up to us, on how we use them. At first I wanted to laugh but..well just check out his story:

The interesting thing is some people are afraid to go to the gym. Here and like everywhere else, the gym can have some of the most supportive people. Dissolve your F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) and deal with what you have!

Before and After Weight Loss Success Photos: How'd she do it?

The beautiful thing about blogging is how huge a solid network of bloggers can be. From web surfing to active community bloggin, I have been fortunate to meet and work with a lot of people. One of those people being Elizabeth, a 37 years young (she might kill me for the age disclosure) sister from Indiana. One of the reasons I love working out, is not only does it change you physically but also mentally. Below is her story…please share it as an example.

In 1997 I began having severe pain and cramping… I found out that I had endometriosis. I had surgery, thus began my ongoing battle with this disease. Every two years I would have to have surgery to scrape down my uterus, and to try to contain the growth. This was unsuccessful time after time. In between these surgeries I was given different medications to combat the pain, to try to slow the growth of the disease. By the time it was all said and done, I was on 6 different medications, including medication for hypothyroidism. In September of 2007, I had one final surgery that was supposed to take care of the problem once and for all. That surgery was also unsuccessful because in February of 2008, I ended up in the emergency room with heavy bleeding and pain so severe I couldn’t walk in. My doctor informed me that we could no longer try to prolong a hysterectomy. I had emergency surgery that Thursday to remove my uterus and my right ovary. Luckily, he was able to save the left ovary. When I left the hospital, I weighed a whopping 170 lbs. A month later I found a lump in my left breast. I had to have an ultrasound and a mammogram, which showed nothing. However, the right breast was the one that showed the fibristic tissue and could be a problem the doctor said. He also added that if I lost at least 40 lbs. I could severely cut my chances of developing full blown breast cancer my more than half.

That was it, I decided that I didn’t want to be unhealthy anymore, and I could see my quality of life lessening more and more daily. I decided that I was not going to be unhealthy anymore. That I wanted to live a productive life, that I was too young to be sick. That I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. And that I didn’t want all the diseases passed on from generation to generation from my grandparents and their parents. That I would be the one to finally break the mold of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. My doctor released me to begin exercising in May of 2008. I bought an elliptical, and began doing cardio 4 times a week for 30 minutes. I cut out all pop, all sugar and all processed food. I also stopped eating anything that was dyed white. I started making sure that I got at least 7 hours of sleep every night. I also joined my local gym and began lifting weights. I read everything I could find about healthy eating, weight lifting, cardio, etc. By August of 2008 I had lost 30 lbs.

However, I was stuck. I couldn’t seem to lose that last 20lbs that I wanted. I still felt heavy at 5’0 tall, and still 140lbs. I ended up meeting a trainer at the gym who completely changed the rest of my life so far. I began training one day a week, and the other days he told me what to do for my exercise routine. He gave me an eating plan, and the guidelines for exercise. I started working out 6 days/ week. I started weight training 3 days/week. I began eating 5-6 small meals a day, which consisted of high protein and complex carbs at every session. I began ingesting at least 1 gram of protein per lb. of body weight. I changed my cardio from evenings to mornings. I began increasing my cardio from 30 minutes to 60 minutes / day. I started looking at life differently. I no longer lived to eat. I began eating to fuel my body to perform. To feed my muscle to continue to help it grow. The weight began falling off. I trained for 3 1/2 months, and am now currently at 107 lbs. with 11 % bodyfat. I never believed it could happen. I am healthier than I have been my whole life, even when I was younger. I am no longer on any medications whatsoever. I drink at least a gallon of water each day, get lots of green veggies. I started looking at working out differently. It no longer was a chore. It has become a way of life. I look forward to going to the gym and sweating all the toxins from the day out, and lifting weights to feel my body molding the way I want it to. To be able to manipulate the muscle, and to see the shape taking place.

I am a work in progress, just like we all are, but most of all, I want to be encouraging to others. Especially other black women. To let them know that they can succeed with their goals. They can change their bodies. They can be healthy and strong. That our genetic makeup does not “have” to predetermine the people that we are. WE are the ones to determine who we are, and what we will become. And that our daughters can look at us and be inspired to continue in our footsteps on the journey of life in a healthy and happy way.

How’d she do it? Leave a comment, email me or subscribe to BlackFitness and I’ll send you her personalized workout!

Why do you workout? Need Inspiration?

Today at work someone asked me ” Why do you eat that?…it looks nasty!” It was protein powder,yogurt and some homemade granola, I smiled and responded, “My Choice.” I read an article from one of my favorite sites ZenHabits and Bodybuilding.com about the choices we make.

I have learned through a lot of personal experiences that I am responsible for my choices. There have been a few choices made that I wished I could change, but I no longer focus on those negatives. In all due honesty there is nothing I can do about them. I try to take those failures as a jumping off point, and through these events, have discovered “my choice” of eating better and changing my body. Going to the gym when everyone else is sleeping has built a strong, confident and focused me. I was once told that “Commitment to consistency creates emotional stability” Waking up and pounding cold steel is a positive choice for me and no one else. I love seeing myself in the mirror lifting those weights and feeling the sweat dripping down my face. Nothing is more empowering that seeing defined curves, lean muscle and once “fat” replaced with firm, tight skin. All of these changes are the results of my choice.

I think it would be a good choice for you…but I might never say so, but I know for sure it’s a good choice for me.

So, the next time I am posed with the question, “Why do you lift weights?” or “Why are you eating that?, I can show off a little bicep, go to my cubicle and think about that next time I’ll be in the gym.

Another Amazing Transformation: Before and After Picture

Current Stats: Weight 212, Waist 32.7, Moral OK, Eating: Poor

Some people say …”Wow your lucky you can eat anything you want!” Only if they knew or “You see… your body type lets you pack on muscles pretty easy!” only if they knew…Here is to all of those that say “I was born like this” or ” Why restrict yourself?… you can die tomorrow getting hit by a car”.

There is hardwork and then there is … I dont want to work hard…thats it!

For the longest I’ve been promoting this bodybuilding website for the longest. It gives me inspiration and motivation through out the day. Here is another amazing transformation from a sister who is a Grad student, instructor,wife and mother. Damn are there really an excuses now?! If I met this lady I’d give her a hug on the spot and then ask her to spot me, time to hit the gym!

Before and After

 She did so well that the BodyBuilding community put her up as Transformation of the Week (Women). I can’t say enough about before and after pictures, accountability and hard work. She displays all of it and more. I can rant and rave all day but when will you be the next Amazing Transformation?

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