6 Secret Ways to Turn Her On ( Men )

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I not Turn her off?

A. Here is an article from my friend Sarah Miller

She's got her eye on you -- and these small gestures will awaken desires she never knew she had

By: Sarah Miller

Rest assured, every woman wants to be seduced.

We just don't like guys who go for the seduction jugular: the champagne, the Barry White, the walk on the beach. A man who has tried one of these, or, God forbid, all of them at once, is a man who knows well the face of humiliation and failure.

No, the key to putting a woman in the mood for sex is not to advertise how much you want her, but, rather, to quietly make clear why she should want you. When it comes to sex, in other words, you don't need a billboard--you need sneaky subliminal messages.

They used to use tricks like these to sell more Coke at the movies. Now you can use them to get more women.

1. Ditch the cell.

(Wait. You'd better not be wearing one, because if you are, you're a walking seduction-free zone. This includes beepers.) First of all, women are very serious about our schedules, and if we've set aside time to spend with you, we're not keen on sharing it with your free minutes. Second, when chatting on the phone, you can't help but reveal some of the ins and outs of your work or private life, and that kind of openness is girly, creepy, and not sexy.

But here's the biggest problem: Any guy who can't go 2 hours without checking in with his friends, his job, his family, comes across as desperately insecure. Go ahead and actually turn it off in front of her. She will recognize you as the man who is comfortable and at peace with what's in front of him, and thank her stars you're not the guy who's always wondering what and who is next.

Watch out: Putting your phone on vibrate and repeatedly checking to see who's calling without answering not only is not seductive, but also shows you're kind of an arrogant jerk.

2. Fix something.

Men fixing broken things--light switches, toasters, clogged toilets--is a tradition that dates back to, well, a time when men did things besides nod, point, and hand other men their debit cards. We know that you probably can't gap your points or replace the alternator in your Hyundai. But with a little practice, and some very basic, moron-friendly manuals, you can do plenty of other tasks that would establish you as a Competent Male. If you're going to do this, though, try to do it in her presence. And it's okay, even advisable, to swear if you can't find the right tools, as long as you don't complain.

Danger zone: Don't get dirt on your face unless you're doing something fairly complicated. There's a fine line between looking manly and looking like a doofus with dirt on his face.

3. Read a book.

Allow me to interrupt that thrilling game of Ghost Recon to pose the following question: Do you have any idea of the mass quantity of ass you could get just by reading one book? Women read a lot, and, like pretty much everything else we do, we like to talk about it. Only we can rarely talk about it with guys, because, well, many of you (although not necessarily you personally) are Neanderthals growing slowly illiterate in front of an Xbox. But imagine yourself talking to a pretty woman, and she mentions that she's reading a book, and you've actually read it, too! So if this pretty woman thought you were cute, now she thinks you're smart, too.

Also: Reading in public is a great way to give women an excuse to talk to you.

4. Replace the bottles on the office watercooler.

Modern life, what with its dearth of catapults, marauding wolves, and barn raisings, doesn't provide men with many opportunities to show off their brute strength. It's a very lucky accident that in the midst of all this ease-making progress, we've managed to poison our drinking-water supply.

And since somebody has to replace those unwieldy 5-gallon plastic containers on the office cooler, it might as well be you. It's such a quick, easy way to make the chicks in the office sit up and take notice of your athletic prowess. You know those bottles aren't that heavy, but who cares, because women think they are, Hercules.

Alternative: If you don't have a watercooler in your office, be the first to offer your man power when a stalled or stuck-in-the-snow car needs a push. You want to make your point and then get back to work. There's a reason they call it "the strong, silent type."

5. Write e-mails that are more than five syllables long.

If you're dating a woman, really like her, and yet insist on writing her e-mails that read "ok cu later," you are such an idiot that I don't even know why I'm trying to help you. Men are all about keeping things short and to the point. And when it comes to business correspondence or letting your friends know where you're watching the Dolphins game, that's fine. But short and to the point, in chick world, translates into BORING and UNIMAGINATIVE and--the worst sin of all--UNINTERESTED.

You don't have to get all Cyrano de Bergerac on her ass. But an interesting sentence or two, please, is so easy and so, so point scoring. Examples? She writes, "How was your night?" DO NOT write back, "It was okay." Even if all you did was drink two beers and watch CSI, have something to say. Like, "Do you think real female forensic investigators all wear those low-cut pants?" Just some evidence, please, that you are a living, breathing, thinking human being who doesn't spend all his time away from her staring at a wall. Because that's the image "It was okay" evokes.

Oh, and: "It was okay, how was yours?" is not an improvement over "It was okay." Cop-out is written all over it.

6. Disagree with her.

I have a friend, Nancy, who is extremely beautiful. She is the sort of woman for whom men will do just about anything. She sort of knows this, so she has a tendency to test the limits of their patience and generosity. One day, she was going on and on to her boyfriend about something he had done wrong. He apologized. He apologized twice. And she still went on and on. Finally, he looked right at her, at her perfect arms crossed self-righteously across her perfect breasts as her perfect mouth issued forth criticism after criticism, and said, "Would you please shut the fu-- up?"

She made passionate love to him thereafter and, basically, hasn't stopped since. We're not saying you should shoot down all our complaints by dropping f-bombs, but appeasement isn't always your best move, especially when we've gotten out of hand.

Moral: We're pathetic this way, but you're at your most attractive when you're just totally over us.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Do Not Let Health Issues Dull Sex

Ask Glen!

Q. Can my health affect me sex life?

A. Yes

Although a recent study suggests 64 percent of Americans are satisfied with their sex lives, perceived or real health issues can dampen sexual fulfillment. However, recognition of the potential health factors followed by medical consultation often leads to clinical or mental adjustments that improve sexual satisfaction.

Many health issues can get in the way of having a good sex life, from prescription medication side effects to depression to sexually transmitted diseases.

In many cases, physicians can work with their patients to improve the situation, whether by changing the dosage of a medication, helping to treat depression or other medical conditions, or by providing sound medical advice for people who have STDs.

“For people who are not satisfied with their sex life, they really should talk to their primary care physician,” says Pamela G. Rockwell, D.O., assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“He or she may be able to diagnose something that was previously undiagnosed, change medications, or offer some lifestyle recommendations. In many cases, the patients can improve their sexual satisfaction.”

Nine health issues that can affect sexual satisfaction include:

1. Prescription medications. Many common drugs can have side effects that impact sexual health, including medications that treat blood pressure, heart conditions and depression.

Diuretics (“water pills”) that treat heart and blood pressure conditions can cause erectile dysfunction among men. ACE inhibitors and other calcium channel blockers, which are used to treat some heart-related problems, also have been found to cause erectile problems.

For patients whose depression is being treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) medications – such as Prozac, Paxil, Celexa and other drugs – or other antidepressants, side effects can include a loss of interest in sex and ejaculation problems.

With all of these types of medication and any others that may cause sexual side effects, Rockwell says, patients can talk with their doctors about possibly lowering the dosage, adding a second drug to combat some of the side effects or changing to a different medication.

2. Cardiac health. First, Rockwell would like to dispense with a common misconception. “I think the most common fallacy is that having sex is going to cause a heart attack,” she says. “The good news is it really isn’t the case.”

The majority of people with cardiovascular disease don’t need to alter their sex lives, she says. Some people may need to be careful about all physical activity immediately after a heart attack, or after the implantation of a pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator, but even then, sex generally is safe as soon as the patient’s physician gives the go-ahead to resume physical activity.

3. Depression. Untreated depression, Rockwell says, can lead to many sexual difficulties. “People can experience lack of pleasure, lack of desire and lack of ability to perform,” she says.

Adding to the challenge is that some people with untreated depression have heard that antidepressants can negatively affect their sex lives. In reality, Rockwell says, most people on antidepressants don’t experience these problems. For those who do, doctors often can prescribe different dosages or different drugs to minimize the side effects.

4. Alcohol. As anyone who has ever seen a beer commercial knows, alcohol and sex are linked in the minds of many people. Indeed, Rockwell says, many people believe that alcohol will “get you in the mood.”

While a few drinks initially lower one’s inhibitions, drinking can lead to risky sexual behavior – not just for people with serious alcohol problems, but also among people who only occasionally have too much to drink. Additionally, Rockwell says, it doesn’t really help with one’s enjoyment of sex. “Overall, it decreases sexual pleasure because alcohol lowers your sensations,” she says.

5. Sexually transmitted diseases. For people with STDs such as HIV, the human papillomavirus (HPV), or hepatitis, sex isn’t out of the picture. In fact, Rockwell says, “people with STDs can certainly have healthy, satisfying sex lives.”

Protection is a must, she says, and condoms must be used 100 percent of the time. An important caveat is that with HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, condoms do not necessarily protect one’s partner against contracting the virus.

6. Stress. Got stress? If so, then you may have more trouble experiencing an enjoyable sex life.

“Stress often has effects on our sex lives. When we are consumed with time management, working, raising children and providing for our families, we often don’t leave a lot of time for ourselves,” Rockwell notes. “What happens is the libido goes down, and the ability to accept and give pleasure decreases. People who suffer from unsatisfying sex lives may not even realize that it could be caused by stress.”

7. Pregnancy. “Physically, there is no barrier to sex during pregnancy,” Rockwell says. Intercourse will not harm the fetus or the woman, unless she has a medical problem and has been advised by her physician not to have intercourse. Levels of desire can vary. The use of lubricants and changes in positions as the pregnancy progresses may be necessary.

8. Menopause. Some physical limitations may affect a woman’s enjoyment of sex after menopause, but that doesn’t mean a woman’s sex life is over. “Many women can experience a very healthy sexual life after menopause,” Rockwell says. “There is no reason that menopause should mean an end to your sex life.” Topical estrogen cream and lubricants may help after the drop in hormone levels that occurs during menopause.

9. Poor body image and self esteem. A woman’s self esteem can significantly affect her sexual satisfaction, and low self esteem based on a poor image of her body can detrimentally impact her enjoyment of sex. “Some studies show that as little as five pounds of weight loss can greatly improve a woman’s sexual satisfaction,” Rockwell notes.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

2 weeks to a better orgasm ( Women )

Ask Glen!

Q. Can I exercise to a better orgasm?

A. Yes



How to get that sweet release

Ah, kegels — the classic sexercise. Just squeeze the muscles you would use to stop urine midstream, hold for as long as you can, release, then squeeze again. But can anything that easy or that old (Dr. Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist, came up with them in the '40s) really make orgasms bigger and better? "Yes," says Laura Berman, Ph.D., the president and director of Chicago's Berman Center, which specializes in women's health. "Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles and your transverse abdominals brings more blood to your pelvic region, increases the amount of friction you can generate, and intensifies contractions during orgasm." Wow. What are you waiting for? Here's how to do them while targeting your transverse abs at the same time:



(A) Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a yoga block or similar-sized object between your thighs. Extend your arms straight alongside your body.



(B) Without using your butt muscles, do a kegel and lift your legs into the air while simultaneously lifting your shoulders slightly off the ground. Your pelvis and lower back should remain touching the floor, and arms should be straight and slightly higher than your torso, pulling toward the wall in front of you. Hold for a few seconds, then return to start. Do 5 to 10 "Bermans" twice a day, increasing the number as they get easier.



Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Unwedded bliss

Ask Glen

Q. Is living together good for the relationship?

A. Ahh maybe?


You brought the cranky cat. He brought the weird Mexican wood carving. Isn't living together great?




It used to be called "living in sin." Now it's the status quo. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 5 million unmarried couples wake up together every day. As for everyone else, the majority of husbands and wives had the same address before walking down the aisle. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than half of women have lived with a significant other at some point by age 30. When you're in love, it makes perfect sense — you save money by splitting the bills, your favorite person is around to talk to every night, and best of all, there's sex on tap.

But people rarely talk about how surprisingly stressful moving in together can be. "It's about more than sharing a bed," says Marshall Miller, coauthor of Unmarried to Each Other. "It's about making intricate, complicated decisions about money, housework, and time." To keep your love thriving under the extra pressure, take these six realities of cohabitation into consideration.

Reality #1 It doesn't seal the deal.
Moving in seems like a natural precursor to marriage, but you shouldn't count on it. In fact, only 45 percent of couples who cohabitate get hitched, says Susan Brown, Ph.D., a sociologist at Bowling Green State University. And research has linked living together before tying the knot to an increased risk of unhappy marriage. One theory as to why: People who live together often swap rings not because they're right for each other, but because they feel too invested in the relationship to break up, says Paul Amato, Ph.D., a sociologist at Penn State University.

Strategy #1 Talk about the future.
If marriage is what you want, make that crystal clear even if — scratch that, especially if — it requires an uncomfortable conversation. A recent study in the Journal of Family Psychology found that couples who get _engaged before setting up house are happier pre and postmarriage than couples who do so after the move. "Make sure you understand each other's reasons for wanting to move in," advises study author Galena Kline, a research associate at the University of Denver Center for Marital and Family Studies. Even if you don't go shopping for a diamond, agree on a timeline for how the relationship is going to unfold.

Reality #2 All roommates are irritating.
Just because you're hot for each other doesn't make living together easy. Annie Sargent, 34, a lawyer in Seattle, says she's frequently been on edge since her boyfriend moved in a year ago. When he washes dishes, "he's a whirling dervish — soapy water gets all over everything," Sargent says. She gets so annoyed she yells at him, and then he gets upset because he was trying to help. And that's just one example. "I want him there," she says. "But now I'm irritated all the time."

Strategy #2 Choose your battles.
Yes, he's annoying. But he'll always be annoying! And so will you by virtue of sharing the same space 24/7. "You need to let go of the little things that bug you but aren't meaningful," says Noelle Nelson, Ph.D., psychologist and author of The Power of Appreciation. Easier said than done, so try this: Whenever he's driving you up the wall, try to think of three nice things he's done for you lately. It should defuse your irritation just enough to keep you from lashing out.

Reality #3 It's not just about you anymore.
You want to grab a drink with an ex after work. Or apply for that amazing job in Newfoundland. But now your decisions, from trivial to momentous, will affect another person's routine, lifestyle, and bank account. "Everything I did suddenly involved an extra step," says Bill Schmidt, 36, who moved in with his girlfriend 8 years ago. Formerly speedy grocery runs now required remembering what kind of yogurt, or cookies, or bread she liked. "It took a while to adjust to not just thinking about myself."

Strategy #3 Be a better half.
As corny as it sounds, moving in together really does mean becoming a team, and that means giving up a lot of the autonomy you've been reveling in since you were 18. Before making decisions that could affect him, ask yourself how you would feel if he did the same to you. Then proceed accordingly even if it makes you groan. "If you don't do that, you won't stay together, or you'll stay together and be miserable," says John Jacobs, M.D., a psychiatrist and author of All You Need Is Love and Other Lies About Marriage.


Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

sex statistics

Ask Glen!

Q. Are there any basic sexual statistics for men?

A. Yes ( basic )


Works For Him

71% of guys love it when you run your fingers through their hair

95% of guys dig your hands on their thighs (duh...)

77% of men like making eye contact with attractive strangers

70% of guys get a rush from harmless flirtation

Not His Thing

67% of guys don't get off on a runner's high

69% of men would rather ogle your muscles than their own

61% of guys think that hot baths are overrated

73% of guys are blasé about getting a whopping paycheck. But let's talk about that new L


Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Burn more fat! ( Women )

Ask Glen!

Q. How can I adjust my workouts and burn more calories?

A.Supercharge your workout routine with these small but powerful changes


Everyone has her own workout routine, and while we approve of the "workout," the "routine" has us worried. Familiarity might be comfortable, but it's not effective — certainly not when it comes to a sweat session. Doing the same thing over and over lulls your muscles into an I-can-do-this tedium and lessens your calorie burn.

The good news: You don't need to ditch your current workout to see more results. You just need to learn how to rev it up. Follow these tips from some of the top trainers around the country for an ultra-efficient workout that zaps more calories and burns more fat.

The Treadmill
Your Comfort Zone
Flipping channels on the tube, you lope along, either running or walking, at the same ho-hum speed you were at yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that.

Blast More Fat
Don't bounce. You're not in an allergy-drug ad, running through fields of flowers. Keep your movement forward, not up and down, says Los Angeles-based personal trainer Gunnar Peterson. "Anything vertical is wasted energy: It doesn't help you." By focusing on what's ahead, you'll go faster and burn more calories in a shorter period of time.

Squeeze your glutes. "Do it as you push off your toes," says Jan Griscom, a personal trainer at New York City's Chelsea Piers. By focusing on your backside, you'll contract — and tone — the muscle (and make it, not the fat surrounding it, the star of your Sevens). And the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll need to maintain it — and the more fat you'll burn.

Challenge your muscles. At the end of a workout, slow your speed to 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour. Skip for 30 seconds, walk for 30; walk backward for 30, forward for 30; stand sideways and shuffle with your right foot leading for 30 seconds, walk for 30, and repeat with left foot leading. "You'll call into action other muscles that don't work while going forward," Peterson says. "Which means they'll be surprised" — as will the person on the treadmill next to you — "and add to the calorie burn."

**WEB EXCLUSIVE: Form Fix
Tread lightly. Runners should land lightly to minimize impact on the joints; you shouldn't be able to hear your foot strike over your iPod. If you can, pretend as if you're landing on eggs and don't want to break them; you may need to slow the speed to get control of your strides.

Elliptical Trainer
Your Comfort Zone
Gliding along at a medium pace, your legs are on autopilot. And, if the machine has arms, your upper body is too.

Blast More Fat
Never stop working. To maximize fat burning, don't let the machine's gliding momentum dictate your pace. Your leg muscles should push the pedals around. If there are rails, lightly rest your hands on them — but no white-knuckling, since you may end up supporting your body weight that way.

Use intervals. During every third song on your MP3 player or every commercial break, ramp up the intensity and go as hard as you can. "A steady pace at a sustainable speed burns calories consistently, but intervals blast up the count," Peterson says.

Use your whole body. Every other minute, concentrate on strengthening your arms or core — you'll recruit more muscles and incinerate more fat. For example, if you're on a full-body machine, consciously engage your arms; push and pull with the same intensity as you're using for your legs. If it's a lower-body machine, put your arms in an athletic position — elbows bent, upper arms close to your ribs — to strengthen your core.

**WEB EXCLUSIVE: Form Fix
Make sure your knees are pointing in the same direction as your toes. "Don't let your knees fall inward," says Mark Nutting, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, fitness director at Saco Sports & Fitness in Saco, Maine, "That puts severe stress on your ligaments."


Stair Stepper
Your Comfort Zone
You're bent forward at the hips, elbows locked, hands on the rails to ease your load on your beloved hills program, where you've been slogging away at level 7 since Christmas.

Blast More Fat
Stand up straight. Pretend you're squeezing a balloon between your shoulder blades, says Brooke Siler, author of The Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge. Use the rails for balance only, not support. Picture-perfect posture forces your core and back muscles to contract — great for toning. And engaging more muscles means burning more fat.

Mix up the depth of your stepping. In doing so, you'll surprise your muscles, which leads to an increased calorie burn. If you're a short stepper, add 1 minute of long, slow steps every 5 minutes. "Challenge your leg muscles in a way that they're not used to being challenged," Peterson says. If you usually go long and slow, pick up the pace and shorten the step to about 6 inches to make your muscles react and therefore adapt — that's where the change comes in.

**WEB EXCLUSIVE add some weights.
Integrate this 10-minute total body challenge, suggested by says Brooke Siler, author of The Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge, into your stair-stepping workout to tone and challenge muscles and blast more fat. Each section lasts two minutes. For a back and shoulder workout, extend your arms from your shoulders and do small circles in one direction for 10 counts, then reverse directions for ten.
To build shin strength, use just the balls of feet to push down the pedals (don't lift heels); For hamstrings, use just heels on the pedals (keep your toes lifted).
For an abs workout, holding a 3- to 5-pound weight in each hand. Bend your elbows and palms close to your abs and twist slowly from side to side as you keep your abs engaged. For the last two minutes, increase the machine speed and keep twisting.

Tuck your glutes under your hips. And make sure your feet are flat on the pedals. If you originate all movement in your core, not your legs, it will (a) hurt like a bitch and (b) work new muscles hard [see (a)], giving you — you guessed it — a more intense burn.

Spinning Class
Your Comfort Zone
Forget sweating — you haven't even started glistening yet. And you're about to start the cooldown. What was that about indoor cycling being such a good workout?

Blast More Fat
Crank it up. God created the resistance knob for a heavenly reason. Use it, especially on hills, to whittle your thighs to swimsuit-worthy slimness. Dixie Douville, R.N., a master Spinning instructor with Mad Dogg Athletics in Flanders, New Jersey, advises a pace of 60 to 80 revolutions per minute on hills. Find yours by counting how many times one foot goes around in 15 seconds and multiplying by four.

And keep it there. On flat terrain, aim for 80 to 110 rpm. That way, you'll use your muscles, not the momentum of the weighted front wheel, to power the bike. Go faster and you risk momentum taking over. "If you're going above 110, you need to increase resistance" until you're back in the 80 to 110 range, Douville says. "That makes the workout much harder and the calorie burn more significant than just pedaling faster."

Sit when you climb. This increases your muscular endurance and incinerates more fat. When you stand, you can use your whole leg for leverage and your body weight for momentum; sitting means you have to push more weight around with less help. "Unless you increase the resistance significantly, standing is basically bailing out of a climb," Douville says.

**WEB EXCLUSIVE: Form Fix
If the bike doesn't fit your frame, you won't get the maximum benefit from your ride (you will, however, get a massive back ache.) If you've got petite feet, don't cram them into the toe cage. "The ball of your foot should be over the pedal," she says Douville, "Otherwise, your arch supports all your weight and your foot goes numb." Your seat should be high enough so your knee bends slightly at the bottom of a pedal stroke, and it should be far enough away from the handlebars so that, when the pedals are at 3 and 9 o'clock, your knees are directly over your ankles. "Most people have their seats too close to their handlebars, and that puts tremendous stress on the knees," says Douville.

Running
Your Comfort Zone
You pass the yellow house 7 minutes into your run, the coffee shop 10 minutes later. Thirteen minutes after that, you're home — where you take off your shoes so you can find them tomorrow to do the exact same route.

Blast More Fat
Run tall. Even more important, think about running tall. "Doing that immediately stops you from slouching and forces your arms to go front to back, not side to side," says Greg McMillan, a personal trainer and running coach in Austin, Texas. "Your hips stay tucked under, your butt doesn't stick out, and as a result, your stride is much more effective: You go farther with less energy expended." The result? You can suddenly run longer — and burn more calories.

Mix it up. Run your regular route in the opposite direction so your body doesn't know when to expect the hills. Better yet: Change your speed. "People shuffle when they run at the same pace all the time," McMillan says. "The body gets very efficient and doesn't have to work." If you typically run 30 minutes, try this 3-day routine: Day 1, go slower than your usual pace, but run for 40 minutes. Day 2, speed it up a notch, but run for only 20 minutes. Day 3, throw in some intervals: Run fast for 1 minute, easy for 2, and repeat 6 to 10 times. "Not only does that make the workout go by fast," McMillan says, "but it also burns more calories."

Drill it in. At the end of a workout, slim down your legs, bump up your heart rate, and build speed by doing drills. For 15 seconds, do knee pulls: Pull one knee high until your quads are parallel to the ground, then alternate with the other knee in rapid succession. Jog for 1 minute. Do 15 seconds of butt kicks: Try to hit your glutes with your heel. Jog for 1 minute. Finally, do grapevine (moving sideways, step your left foot over your right foot, then your left foot behind your right foot). Do 15 seconds, leading with one foot, then 15 seconds with the other. Jog for 1 minute, then cool down. As your strength increases, add sets.

Weight Training
Your Comfort Zone
Intimidated by heavy metal, you stick to the light stuff — nothing more than 10 pounds, please — then saunter over to the watercooler for an extended drink.

Blast More Fat
Pop some veins. Forget vanity. The weight you're hoisting should leave you red-faced and weak. "By the last rep, you should feel as though you have to put the weight down," says Brad Jordan, a personal trainer in Dayton, Ohio. "Three sets are plenty." Each day you lift, change it up. On one day, choose a weight you can lift for 8 to 12 reps; the next session, go with a lighter weight and lift 12 to 15 reps; on the last session, increase the load and lift only six to eight reps. It won't make you huge. It will build more muscle, which (all together now) burns more fat.

Minimize downtime. Allow 1 minute between sets for maximum burn. You'll keep your heart rate elevated and your metabolism juiced — both helpful calorie-burning boosts.

Recruit all muscles. To use as many muscles as possible, stand instead of sitting. Or, even better, stand on a Bosu or balance board. Don't let machines be an excuse to rest, Griscom says. For example, on the chest press machine, don't let your back touch the seat (or drop the seat all the way down). Get into a squatting position and do the reps from there.

**WEB EXCLUSIVE: Form Fix Just say no to the inner- and outer-thigh machine, what Nutting calls, "the most overused and under-needed piece of equipment. The inner and outer thighs get a much better workout when you do squats, lunges, step-ups and leg presses; anytime you have to keep your knee tracking forward, they get a workout.


Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Balls to the wall ( Women )

Ask Glen!

Q. Should I use the Ball to exercise for total body toning?

A. That's all you need for head-to-toe toning


Something flat and something squat should make for an awkward pair--think middle-school dances. But a wall and a stability ball are a power couple. The wall adds support for moves that would otherwise be dicey on a giant roll-prone ball, so you have more muscle-working options. Try these moves from Shannon O'Regan, a certified group fitness instructor at the Evanston Athletic Club in Illinois. Work up to three sets three times a week, resting 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

Dip
Works triceps
Place the ball against the wall. Sit on the ball with your butt on its edge. Place your palms hip-width apart behind you, fingertips pointing toward your back. Push out from the ball so your hips are in front of it and your knees are at 90-degree angles (walk out a few steps if necessary). Plant your feet and contract your abs (A). Lifting your chest and pressing your shoulders down, bend your arms until your elbows are at right angles, keeping them pointing back (B). Straighten your arms, then repeat for 8 to 15 reps.



Plié Squat
Works glutes, hamstrings, quads
With the ball between your lower back and the wall, hold a 10- to 20-pound dumbbell between your legs. Stand with your feet wider than your hips and turn your toes out (A). Contract your abs and lower for four counts until your knees are at 90 degrees (B). Hold for 4 seconds, then stand up for four counts. Repeat 8 to 15 times.



Static Squat with Front Raise
Works shoulders, hamstrings, quads
With the ball between your lower back and the wall, hold a 3- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand. Step forward with your feet hip-width apart. Lean back into the ball (A). Contract your abs and glutes, then lower your hips until your knees are at 90 degrees. In this position, slowly raise your arms in front of your body to shoulder height eight times (B). Rise to starting position. That's one set.



Wall Crunch and Twist
Works center of abs, obliques
Sit on the ball facing the wall, then lie back so the middle to small of your back is resting on the ball. Place your feet hip-width apart on the wall with your knees bent to 90 degrees; cross your hands over your chest (A). Curl up and twist through the waist to the right (B), return to center, and curl down. Alternate to twist left. That's one rep; do 8 to 15.






Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

A body for the ages: your 40s ( Women )

Ask Glen!

Q. I am in my 40s when should I get serious about my workouts?

A.Get serious about your workouts now and you'll outsmart fate in each of the decades to come


Unless you're one of the lucky few to hit it big in the genetic lottery, staying fit ain't easy. And if it's this difficult now, imagine what it's going to be like in 10, 20, 30 years. But before you begin planning your future as a wobbly, overweight hunchback, understand that getting in the shape of your life for the rest of your life doesn't have to be daunting. In fact, if you find your fitness groove now, you'll set yourself up for success in the future. Studies show that working out may lower a woman's risk of breast cancer by 47 percent, osteoporosis by 45 percent, and heart disease by 14 percent. So we tapped dozens of doctors and fitness experts to find out exactly what you should do to add years to your life, and asked four stellar women — one from each decade — for their secrets to outsmarting that wily Mother Nature. The bottom line: Whether you're fresh out of college or funding Junior's tuition, the moment to launch your lifetime fitness plan is now. Then simply adjust your workouts throughout the years to give your muscles, bones, and heart what they need to keep working well enough to keep up with you.

Fate Says: Your Muscles Start To Shrink
After 45, most women who don't lift weights start losing a significant amount of muscle, most of it from the lower body. Less junk in the trunk may sound like a good thing, but decreased muscle mass leads to a slower metabolism. The fast-twitch muscle fibers — the stringy part of your muscles responsible for generating power — are at the highest risk. They allow you to, say, jump to snag a shirt from the top shelf of your closet or sprint to your 10o'clock appointment.

Cheat Fate: Jump To Jive
Maintaining muscle power requires fast, explosive movements (think sprinting and jumping) — the kind of thing most of us stop doing once we graduate from middle school. Keep your power levels high with this jump squat. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms hanging at your sides. Keeping your torso as upright as possible, quickly bend your knees and lower your hips back and down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then immediately jump straight off the floor as high as you can. Land as softly as possible, sinking back down into squat position — that's one rep. Repeat the jump. Do three to four sets of six reps, resting 1minute in between sets.

Fate Says: Where's the F%$&#! Sandman?
Sleep studies show that women over 40 spend more sleepless nights (and not the coed naked kind) than 20-somethings. Experts aren't sure why exactly, but one thing is clear: less sleep = less energy = half-assed workout.

Cheat Fate: Keep Your Paws Off The Snooze Button
One cure for insomnia: Exercise before work. A 2004 Northwestern University study found that sedentary women who started exercising in the morning slept better than they had before. And according to public health researchers in Seattle, women who boosted their fitness levels by 10 percent over a year slept better and were less likely to pop sleep meds than women who improved their fitness by only 1 percent or less. Feeling too groggy to work out? That's because it takes the brain up to 2 hours to wake up. Make yourself a bowl of instant oatmeal with half a cup of fat-free milk before your morning workout. According to researchers at Tufts University in Boston, people who ate one packet of instant oatmeal received a shot of glucose strong enough to jolt them awake.


Fate Says: Getting A Little Chunky, Aren't You?
Cardio is a good way to protect your heart and burn calories, but you'll lose weight only if you're burning more calories than you're taking in (duh). Your metabolism is starting to put on the brakes as a result of dwindling muscle mass, so continue hitting the iron. That way you don't have to worry so much about curbing your dark chocolate habit.

Cheat Fate: Go to the Mat
"Yoga teaches you to go to the edge of discomfort in a nonreactive way," says Alan R. Kristal, Ph.D., a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. "It trains you to be mindful so that you're more likely to pass on dessert even when you want it." Okay, that sounds nuts. But in his studies Dr. Kristal found that women who practiced yoga for 10 years starting at age 45 gained 3 fewer pounds (if they were at a healthy weight) compared with those who didn't do yoga. Overweight women lost 5 pounds over the 10 years. He recommends trading in one of your cardio days for a 1-hour yoga class once a week.

Meet Cheryl Hines
Hines didn't freak out on her 40th birthday earlier this year. "You don't change into this hag overnight," the Curb Your Enthusiasm star says. "The people who dread getting older are missing out on the beauty of it. My grandmother lived to 99 because she had fun. She was the type who drank beer when she felt like it." Hines doesn't swear by beer, but she is big on enjoying herself: She recently glided above Costa Rican rainforests on a zip line. She admits that working out isn't always a priority — being a good mom to 2-year-old Catherine comes first — but finds ways to sneak in daily exercise. On a good week, Hines works out three times, doing yoga and seeing a trainer. "He makes me jump rope," she says. When she needs motivation, she recalls how hard she worked to lose baby weight. "I made an effort to watch what I ate right after her birth. When I did plateau, I was a few pounds less than when I got pregnant."

Her advice: Walk a mile a day. "Even if I can't do anything else, I always find time to walk at least 20 minutes."

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

A body for the ages: your 50s ( Women )

Ask Glen!

Q. I am in my 50s should I exercise?

A.Get serious about your workouts now and you'll outsmart fate in each of the decades to come

Unless you're one of the lucky few to hit it big in the genetic lottery, staying fit ain't easy. And if it's this difficult now, imagine what it's going to be like in 10, 20, 30 years. But before you begin planning your future as a wobbly, overweight hunchback, understand that getting in the shape of your life for the rest of your life doesn't have to be daunting. In fact, if you find your fitness groove now, you'll set yourself up for success in the future. Studies show that working out may lower a woman's risk of breast cancer by 47 percent, osteoporosis by 45 percent, and heart disease by 14 percent. So we tapped dozens of doctors and fitness experts to find out exactly what you should do to add years to your life, and asked four stellar women — one from each decade — for their secrets to outsmarting that wily Mother Nature. The bottom line: Whether you're fresh out of college or funding Junior's tuition, the moment to launch your lifetime fitness plan is now. Then simply adjust your workouts throughout the years to give your muscles, bones, and heart what they need to keep working well enough to keep up with you.

50's Workout

ACTIVITY	Calories/10 min
Yoga	30
Washing car	36
Weight training	36
Vacuuming	42
Horseback riding	48
Raking lawn	52
Gardening	54
Hiking	72
Swimming	72
Tennis	84
Cycling	96
Circuit training (including some cardio)	96

Fate Says: You're Playing Mind Games
Um, why are the keys in the refrigerator? Blame a perceptible decline in the estrogen and progestin that help neurons in the brain function properly, says Karyn Frick, Ph.D., a neuroscience professor at Yale University. These hormones are critically important to areas of the brain involved in cognition and memory, such as the hippocampus.

Cheat Fate: Brain-er-cise
Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that moderately active adults over the age of 55 processed information faster and more accurately than sedentary ones. They also scored higher on measurements of brain activity related to memory and attention span. "Exercise helps slow and even reverse the mental decline that accompanies [aging]," says Charles Hillman, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology at Illinois. It doesn't take a lot. According to Dr. Hillman, simply walking briskly for 30 minutes 3 days a week, working in a hill or two, makes you less likely to forget your 60th birthday.

Fate Says: You're a (Hot) Flasher
Your thermostat is whacked, courtesy of menopause.

Cheat Fate: Find Your Rhythm
Researchers at the Lafayette Clinic in Detroit say that deep, paced breathing — like the kind you do in yoga — reduces hot flashes in menopausal women by 44 percent. How often should you take to the mat? At least twice a week, according to a study at Richard Stockton College in Pomona, New Jersey. It found that women who did two 1-hour yoga sessions a week reduced hot flashes and night sweats and improved flexibility.

Fate Says: You're More Susceptible to Cancer
Seventy-seven percent of breast cancer cases occur in women over 50. One major risk factor is estrogen, according to Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder of breastcancer.org — and you've been exposed to decades of estrogen by now. "But you can lower the risk of breast cancer through exercise," Dr. Weiss says.

Cheat Fate: Make Every Activity Count
In a landmark study, Harvard University researchers found that postmenopausal women who burned more than 1,000 calories per week through physical activity had nearly half the risk of developing breast cancer of those who expended fewer than 1,000. All activity counts, not just time spent on "official workouts." (For the record, walking burns about 100 calories per mile.) Use the chart above to make sure you fry 1,000 a week. For each activity, it lists the number of calories burned in 10 minutes by a 120-pound woman. (Figure you burn about 3 to 5 percent more calories for every additional 5 pounds of weight.)

Meet Sela Ward
Growing up in Mississippi, Ward had eating habits that were not exactly heart healthy. "My favorite lunch was a mayo sandwich," says the 50-year-old. But when she became an actress (see her in The Guardian, in theaters this month), Ward realized she needed to change. "When I saw that the camera adds 10 pounds, I knew I had to do something." She started running and signed up for a low-cal food delivery service that she has used off and on for the past two decades. As her body changed, so did Ward's exercise routine: "When I felt pressure in my joints, I stopped running." She now practices yoga 3 days a week, weight trains, and walks her dogs in the canyon around her Los Angeles home for 45 minutes daily. "I need the comfort of buttered cornbread. But when I indulge, I make sure to climb an extra hill the next morning."

Her advice: Read Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge. "There's nothing more powerful than being shocked into exercising 6 days a week."

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Reinvent Your Wheels ( Legs )

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I build a total body and increase my leg definition?

A. Pay attention to your legs and you can build a ripped new body from the ground up

Legs are the neglected stepchild in physical training. You can always hide stilts under sweatpants, and it's so easy to display a massive chest and big arms by washing your T-shirts in hot water.

But as a speed, strength, and conditioning coach, I've watched both athletes and nonathletes transform their bodies by shifting their training focus to their legs. Developing the largest muscle groups in your lower body--your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles--boosts your metabolism by increasing your body's lean muscle mass. It also revs up production of hormones that help you build muscle. You'll look leaner and more muscular, and you'll feel stronger. Check that--you'll be stronger. Turn the page to see the payoffs.

A Stronger Upper Body

Training large muscle groups with heavy lifting produces a natural surge in growth hormone and testosterone. And there's nothing like squats to involve the large muscle groups. To perform the following variation on the squat, you have to activate most of your body's muscles simultaneously

Bulgarian split squat

Stand with a bench behind you and a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Place your left foot on the bench. Keeping your torso upright, lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up. Perform three or four sets of eight to 10 repetitions on each leg.

Less Pain

If legs are the least-trained part of the body, hamstrings are the least-trained part of the legs. Weak hamstrings can cause your hips to tilt forward, placing stress on your lower back. Building your hamstrings so they're 60 to 80 percent as strong as your quadriceps will improve your posture and help keep your body properly balanced.

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Grab a light dumbbell in your right hand and stand on your left foot with your right foot off the floor. With your left knee slightly bent and your lower back naturally arched, push your hips backward to begin lowering the weight. (You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.) Continue lowering the dumbbell as far as you can while keeping your back flat. Pause, then push through your left heel to return to the starting position. Do three or four sets of six to 10 repetitions on each leg.

More Speed

Look at an NFL running back: chiseled and powerful, with scary-strong glutes. You can turbocharge your acceleration by increasing the length and frequency of your strides. The sled drag/lunge walk builds your hamstrings and glutes (the key muscles for speed) while you pull horizontally against resistance.

Sled drag/lunge walk

Attach a 25-pound weight to a dip belt and put the belt on, with the weight on the floor behind you. Keeping your torso upright, take a large step forward with your left foot and lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the floor, your knee over your toes. Repeat with your right foot. Try three or four sets of eight to 10 steps.

Great Hops

To get higher, think lower-body power. Remember Newton's third law: For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. Send more force into the floor and you'll have a greater blastoff in return.

Dumbbell squat jump

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at arm's length at your sides, your feet about shoulder-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees to lower your body as you would during a squat, but lean slightly forward from the hips so that your shoulders move in front of your feet. Drive your feet into the floor, then jump straight up. Balance yourself when you land, and immediately lower yourself into the next squat. Aim for three or four sets of eight to 10 repetitions.

Shifty Moves

Sports agility calls for strength and power in the frontal, or side-to-side, plane of motion. Most people train only in the sagital, or forward-and-backward, plane. Do these two moves one after another. This "complex" set couples a strength exercise (the drop lunge) with a power move (the ice-skater). Perform the complex three times.

Drop lunge

Stand with a barbell across the back of your shoulders, feet shoulder-width apart. With hips facing forward, step back with your right foot and place it to the left of your left leg as you bend your left knee, lowering your body. Push back up to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Do eight to 10 repetitions with each leg.

Ice-skater

Stand on your right leg with your left foot off the floor. Push off with your right foot, contracting your legs and glutes, to propel yourself to the left. Land on your left foot and lightly tap your right foot on the floor for balance before immediately bounding back in the other direction. Each landing is one repetition. Do eight to 10.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Bigger, Stronger Arms

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I get stronger and bigger arms?

A.Guns, pythons, pipes: Whatever you call 'em, I can help you build them!

THE WORKOUT

Perform this routine in its entirety or in sections. Remember that the biceps act as secondary movers in many back exercises, and the triceps assist in many moves that develop the chest and shoulders. So consider working your triceps on days when you focus on your chest and shoulders, to completely fatigue your triceps. Likewise, throw in some exercises for your biceps and forearms when you work your back.

Train your arms no more than twice a week. Depending on which type of workout schedule you follow, use these arm exercises either at the end of upper-body workouts or on days when you don't work your upper body at all. That way, your arms are never too exhausted to assist larger, stronger muscles earlier in each routine.

Week 1

Create your routine by . . . Doing exercises 1 and 2 in sections A and B, plus both moves in C

Sets of each exercise: 3

Your total workout should be . . . 18 sets

Repetitions per set . . . 8–12

Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down

Rest between sets: 15 seconds

Do this workout . . . Twice a week

Week 2

Create your routine by . . . Doing exercises 2 and 3 in sections A and B, plus both moves in C

Sets of each exercise: 3

Your total workout should be . . . 18 sets

Repetitions per set . . . 8–12

Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down

Rest between sets: 15 seconds

Do this workout . . . Twice a week

Week 3

Create your routine by . . . Doing exercises 1 and 3 in sections A and B, plus both moves in C

Sets of each exercise: 3

Your total workout should be . . . 18 sets

Repetitions per set . . . 8–12

Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down

Rest between sets: 15 seconds

Do this workout . . . Twice a week

Week 4

Create your routine by . . . Doing all the moves in section A, then section B, then section C

Sets of each exercise: 3

Your total workout should be . . . 24 sets

Repetitions per set . . . 8–12

Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down

Rest between sets: 15 seconds

Do this workout . . . Twice a week

Section A

Wall Curl

(biceps)

With your feet and hands shoulder-width apart, stand against a wall and hold a light barbell in front of your thighs. Press your back against the wall so that your head, back, triceps, and heels touch it. Keeping your elbows close to your body, slowly curl the barbell up until your hands are in front of your shoulders. Squeeze your biceps, then slowly lower the bar.

Watch Your Form: Performing this move against a wall makes it nearly impossible to cheat. Keep your head, back, and triceps in contact with the wall and avoid letting yourself slide down it.

Alternating Grip Hammer Curl

(biceps, biceps brachialis, forearms)

Sit on the edge of a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms hanging at your sides and your palms toward you. Keeping your back straight, slowly curl the weights up until your thumbs are near your shoulders. Squeeze your biceps, then lower the weights. Next, rotate your wrists inward so your palms face behind you. Slowly curl the weights up, then slowly lower them.

Watch Your Form: Don't turn your wrists as you curl, as some biceps exercises require you to do. Rotate them only at the end of each repetition.

Pause Reverse Curl

(biceps, biceps brachialis, forearms)

Stand holding a light barbell with an overhand grip (palms down). Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly curl the bar up until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Pause for 3 seconds, then continue to curl the bar until it reaches your chest. Slowly lower the bar until your forearms are again parallel to the floor. Pause for another 3 seconds, then lower the bar to the starting position.

Watch Your Form: Start by using just the bar, with no added weight. Don't cheat by swinging your elbows out and forward. Keep them pointing down at all times.

Section B

Twisting Rope Pulldown

(triceps)

Attach a rope handle to a high-pulley cable and grab an end with each hand. Spread your hands about 6 to 8 inches apart. Keeping your upper arms tucked at your sides, pull the rope down until your forearms are parallel to the floor. This is the starting position. Slowly pull the rope down until your fists reach your thighs, then rotate your wrists so your palms face out, away from your body. Squeeze your triceps for a second, then reverse the move to return to the starting position.

Watch Your Form: Stare straight ahead. Looking down may cause you to lean forward and let your shoulders assist.

Cross-Shoulder Extension

(triceps)

Lie on an incline bench and hold a light dumbbell overhead in your right hand, with your palm facing left. Place your left hand on your right triceps for support. Slowly bend your right arm to lower the weight to your left shoulder, keeping your wrist straight throughout the exercise. (You may need to tilt your head to the right to keep it out of the way.) Raise the weight back overhead and repeat for one set. Switch hands for the next set.

Watch Your Form: Make sure your upper arm remains stationary as you lower the weight. This keeps stress off your shoulder.

Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

(triceps)

Attach a rope handle to a high-pulley cable and grab an end with each hand. Stand with your back to the weight stack, lean forward with one foot ahead of the other, and hold the rope just over your head with your arms bent. (Your upper arms should be almost parallel to the floor.) Straighten your arms in front of you. Pause, then slowly allow the resistance to pull your hands back overhead.

Watch Your Form: If your upper arms move up and down, you're using your chest muscles instead of letting your triceps do the work.

Section C

Wrist Twist

(forearms)

Stand with a light dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides, palms facing behind you. Bend your arms to curl the weights up until your forearms are parallel to the floor. This is the starting position. Rotate your wrists until your palms face the ceiling, then rotate them back so your palms face the floor once again. That's one repetition.

Watch Your Form: Go as slowly as possible. Rushing works less muscle and places tendons at risk of injury.

Double Wrist Curl

(forearms)

Sit on a weight bench with your feet flat on the floor and a 3- or 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Rest your forearms on your thighs so your wrists hang over your knees, and turn your palms down. (You may have to lean forward slightly.) Bending only at the wrists, lower the dumbbells as far as you can, then raise them as high as possible. Repeat for one set. Next, do the same with your palms facing up.

Watch Your Form: Imagine that your forearms are glued to your legs, to keep your biceps from helping.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

A Harder Core Challenge

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I get a harder core and stronger abs?

A.Master the side bridge to build better abs!

Don't underestimate the tame-looking side bridge. "Men think a good abdominal exercise has to make your abs burn," says Michael Boyle, M.A., ATC. Here's the truth: Side bridges improve the stability of all the muscles surrounding your spine and stomach. In fact, Canadian researchers found that men who can perform the side bridge effectively are less likely to encounter back trouble. Add this routine to your workout to bolster your core and help carve a six-pack.

The Moves

Hold for the time specified below, then switch sides.

Kneeling Side Bridge

Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor and your elbow under your shoulder, your knees bent 90 degrees. Contract your glutes and keep your abs stiff throughout. Raise your hips until your torso is straight from shoulders to knees.

Side Bridge

Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor under your shoulder, and your feet stacked together. Contract your glutes and abs. Push your hip off the floor, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder and keeping your head in line with your spine.

Elevated Side Bridge

Same setup as you use for the side bridge, but stack your feet on a bench. Don't allow your hips to sag.

The Workout

Do this routine two or three times a week.

Week	Exercise	Sets	Time
1	Kneeling Side Bridge	2	30 seconds
2	Kneeling Side Bridge	2	60 seconds
3	Side Bridge	2-3	45 seconds
4	Side Bridge	2-3	60 seconds
5	Elevated Side Bridge	2-3	45 seconds

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Build a Better Back

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I build a stronger back?

A. By getting bigger gains by learning about the muscles, joints and ligaments behind an exercise ( back )

Trying a new workout can yield solid short-term improvements in strength and size. But learning about the muscles, joints, and ligaments behind an exercise can give you greater gains for life. In this new feature, we'll be your trainer, professor, and physical therapist, providing the inside info you need about strengthening a power point -- the latissimus dorsi -- as well as the surrounding muscles and joints that can either help you out or hold you back.

THE SUPPORTING CAST

Teres major
These thick, flat muscles run from the outer edges of the scapulae, or shoulder blades, to the humeri, or upper-arm bones. They help the rotator cuffs stabilize the shoulder joints.

Trapezius
The long, triangular trapezius muscles have several jobs, including scapular elevation (shrugging your arms up), scapular depression (pulling the shoulder blades down), and scapular adduction (drawing the shoulder blades together).

Rhomboids
The major and minor rhomboids lie beneath the traps, helping stabilize and rotate the shoulder blades.

Lower back
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, work with the opposing gluteus muscles to stabilize the spine and help coordinate the two halves of the body during walking, running, and throwing.

YOUR POWER PLAN

Straight-arm Pulldown

This iron-cross–like exercise brings your arms through 180 degrees of motion against resistance.

1. Kneel or sit at a high-pulley cable-crossover station, arms to the sides, thumbs up, one handle in each hand.

2. Pull the handles down and behind your hips so they almost touch your butt. Return slowly to starting position.

Single-leg Single-arm Pulldown

This exercise builds your lats while stabilizing your abs, hips, and lower back.

1. Grab the pulley handle in your right hand. Raise your right leg.

2. Pull your elbow to your side, then allow the arm to straighten to the starting position. Do 12 reps, then turn and repeat with your left arm, with your left leg raised.

The Weak Point: Humerus/Scapula

Bring your shoulder blades down and together before you initiate any pulldown movement and you'll automatically engage more muscle fibers.

WARM UP RIGHT

These quick moves can improve your form and protect you from nasty injuries such as impingement syndrome and rotator-cuff strains and tears. Do them both to prepare for your back routine.

Touchdown

This dynamic stretch increases flexibility in your lats, teres major, and scapular muscles.

1. Stand with your arms at your sides. Keep your arms straight and your abs and glutes tight.

2. Raise your arms in front of you in an arc until they're behind your head and slightly out to the sides. Perform 15 to 20 reps as part of your dynamic warmup.

Scapular Pushup

This strengthens your scapular muscles, rhomboids, and middle trapezius.

1. Put your hands directly under your shoulders on a Swiss ball.

2. With arms slightly bent, pinch your shoulder blades together for 2 seconds, then push them apart and pause. Do 12 to 15 reps.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen

Build a Bigger, Stronger Chest

Ask Glen!

Q. How do I get a bigger, stronger chest?

A.The heavy weights you will use in this workout will develop muscle fibers that produce strength and power. And because your chest is one of your largest muscle groups, this added strength improves performance in many upper-body and total-body lifts.

Day 1

Dumbbell Single-Arm Bench Press

Lie on your back on a bench with a heavy dumbbell in one hand along the side of your chest, palm facing in. Hold your opposite arm straight out to the side for balance.

Push the weight up so your arm is straight above your chest. Pause, then slowly lower the weight to the starting position.

The plan: Do five to seven repetitions with each hand. Complete four sets, resting 2 minutes after each set.

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

Lie faceup on an incline bench and hold a pair of heavy dumbbells along the outsides of your chest with a neutral grip (palms facing in). Slowly press the weights straight above your chest. Pause, then lower them to the starting position.

The plan: Perform six to eight repetitions. Do three sets and rest 2 minutes after each set.

Day 2

Suspended Pushup

If your gym has Blast Straps (elitefts.com, $55) or chains, try this pushup variation. Otherwise, do the weighted pushup below. Loop the straps or chains around the bar so the handles hang a few inches off the floor.

Now assume the standard pushup position with your hands grasping the handles, so only your feet touch the floor. Bend at the elbows to lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push yourself up.

The plan: Do as many pushups as you can, then rest for 90 seconds. Do a total of three sets.

Dumbbell Incline Fly

Lie on an incline bench and hold a pair of dumbbells over your chest with your arms straight, palms facing forward. Keeping your palms forward, slowly sweep your arms down and out to your sides in an arc until the weights are level with your chest.

Pause, then reverse the motion until the weights are once again above you.

The plan: Perform this exercise as a superset with the next move. That is, do eight to 12 repetitions of the dumbbell incline fly, then immediately move to the parallel-bar dip.

Parallel-Bar Dip

Grab parallel dip bars and lift yourself so your arms are straight. Keeping your elbows tucked close to your body, slowly lower yourself by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

Pause, then push yourself up to the starting position.

The plan: Do as many reps as you can, then rest for 3 minutes and repeat the superset one time, performing a total of two sets of each exercise.

Side-Lying Single-Arm External Rotation

Lie on your left side with your left arm bent and your head resting on your left hand. Holding a light dumbbell in your right hand, bend your right arm 90 degrees and tuck your upper arm against your right side. Let the weight hang in front of your midsection. Keeping your upper arm stationary, slowly rotate your forearm until it points toward the ceiling. Then rotate your forearm back to the starting position.

The plan: Perform 12 to 15 repetitions, then rest for 1 minute. Do two sets.

Phase 2: Weeks 5-8

Day 1

Barbell Bench Press

Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the bar with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart, and hold the weight over your chest. Pull your shoulder blades back and together, then lower the bar to your chest. (Tuck your elbows in at 45 degrees; don't let them flare out to the sides.) Pause, then push the weight back up.

The plan: Do five sets of four repetitions using 80 percent of your one-rep max (1RM). In week 6, do six sets of three reps with 85 percent of your 1RM. In week 7, do five sets of two reps with 90 percent of your 1RM. In week 8, repeat the test described on the front of the poster, then do four sets of one repetition with approximately 90 percent of your new 1RM.

Day 2

Weighted Pushup

Assume the standard pushup position, with your hands beneath your shoulders. Ask your workout partner to place a weight plate on your back, between your shoulder blades. Keeping your body straight, lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest touches the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up.

The plan: Perform this exercise as a superset with the next move: Do eight to 12 repetitions, then immediately move on to the cable lying fly.

Cable Lying Fly

Place an exercise bench between the stacks of a cable crossover station and attach stirrup handles to the low-pulley cables. Grab a handle with each hand and lie faceup on the bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold your arms straight above your chest, palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lower your hands out to your sides in an arc, then reverse the motion to return to the starting position.

The plan: Do eight to 10 repetitions, rest 150 seconds, then repeat the superset (pushup and cable lying fly) two times for a total of three sets.

Seated Single-Arm External Rotation

Sit on the floor with your left knee bent and your right leg flat on the floor. Hold a light dumbbell in your left hand and rest your left elbow on your left knee. Bend your left arm 90 degrees and allow the weight to hang down over your right leg. Keeping your elbow in place, slowly rotate your left arm upward. Pause when your forearm points to the ceiling, then reverse the motion until the weight is again hanging over your right leg.

The plan: Do 10 to 12 repetitions with each hand, then rest 60 seconds. Repeat one time, for a total of two sets.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Glen Edward Mitchell

Any questions? Ask Glen