Are you ready to see results? You?ve taken the first step and decided you want to pursue a healthier lifestyle. You?re eating healthy and you?ve joined your local gym. Now what? It?s time to come up with a routine to maximize your results. Men, here are four great exercises, for your upper body, so you can get started on a more sculpted, muscular you.

1. PUSHUPS —This is a great exercise for not only your shoulders, but your chest, back y abdominals too. And no equipment is required. Get on the floor with your palms at shoulder level and make sure your fingers are pointing forward. Keep your back straight and push yourself up until your body weight is held up by your palms and toes. After you reach this position, lower your body and repeat. If you want to put more emphasis on your chest, place your hands wider than your shoulders. If you want to work more on your back and triceps, bring your hands closer together.
2. BARBELL CURLS -? This focuses primarily on your biceps. Grab the barbell with your hands gripping the bar shoulder width apart. With your elbows at your sides, raise the bar until your forearms are vertical and then lower the bar until your arms are fully extended. You then repeat the desired number of repetitions. You can also use the bicep machine, in your local gym, or you can utilize dumbbells to perform this workout. Many people prefer using dumbbells, because each bicep is in use. In other words, one bicep can?t take on more of the weight of the barbell than the other bicep. So, there?s no cheating involved like you might experience using the gym?s machine or a barbell.
3. THE MILITARY PRESS -? The target muscles here are your triceps. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then grab a barbell. The bar should rest on the tip of your breast bone with your arms ready to push the bar. Make sure your grip is shoulder width or wider, in the beginning, and to work the triceps more you can always use a closer grip later. Push the bar slowly above your head. Lower the bar in the same manner and then repeat. Again, you can substitute dumbbells if you want to give each of your triceps and equal workout.
4. SITUPS -? Lastly, this exercise will work out your core and focus on abdominal muscles. Lie on the floor and place your feet under something stable. If you?re working out with someone, you can have them hold your feet down. Be sure and bend your knees and then put your hands behind your head and lock them together. Elevate your upper body and contract. After you feel the contraction, lower your upper body back down to the floor. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. And although it?s more difficult, you can work out your abdominals much better if you can stabilize your feet without assistance.

You should do three sets of 8-10 repetitions of each for these exercises. If you?re more interested in strength, you should increase your weight/resistance and do less reps, however, if you want to focus on tone, simply do more repetitions with lighter weight. In either case, these four exercises will give you a fantastic workout in only 20-30 minutes.

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The gym, like any other public place, has a set of written and unwritten rules. Like all forms of etiquette, these exist to make everyone comfortable.  Below are a few ways we can work to make our time at the gym as pleasant as possible:

Cleanliness:

• Ever wonder why there are random cleaning supplies sitting around the gym? Most will have a station or two with paper towels and a spray bottle of cleaner. Between each station you use, you are expected to spray down a paper towel and wipe the equipment.
• For another buffer between yourself and other?s perspiration, it?s also acceptable to bring your own towel, or use one provided, to sit on at each seated station.

Cardio Etiquette

• Some gyms have rules clearly posted about the length of time allowed for cardio machines. These gyms are typically the busier ones; so don?t look for it everywhere. If there are no rules posted, and you notice people waiting around for equipment, it?s considered polite to limit your time to thirty minutes or less.

Weight Etiquette

• Do not drop weights. It can damage the equipment, and the sound is quite loud.
• Don?t monopolize equipment. If you?re doing hard sets, of course, take a minute or two between each one?then put your weights back, or clean your machine, and leave it for the next person.
• If the gym is very busy, and there?s a line for the machine you are using, consider letting someone else use it while you recover. Taking turns at sets is a great reason to bring a partner to the gym.

General Etiquette

• There?s nothing wrong with talking between sets, but try to keep it to a minimum. If you find you are involved in a serious discussion, it might be best to go out to the lobby. People trying to work out can be easily distracted by non-workout-related conversations.
• When you choose to engage in a conversation, engage with those you know. Don?t assume the girl on the treadmill next to yours came to the gym to have social hour.
• It?s important to breathe correctly when working out, and sometimes that will come with a grunt. It?s natural?but try not to call in the wild with your exhale.
• If you are in great shape, it?s absolutely something to be proud of. If a conversation arises, and it?s appropriate, disclosing your max-lift weights is reasonable. But many people are not concerned with how much weight you lifted last night, and it may, in fact, make them uncomfortable?so answer questions, but save bragging for a more private conversation.

Some people are in great shape, others are at the beginning of their fitness journey; while everyone puts on a brave face, you never know what effort it took to walk in the door that day. Following these few rules, based in general politeness, will help everyone have a great workout and think positively of the gym.

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Dehydration can happen to anyone. It takes place when your body loses more fluid than you can take in to compensate. If your body isn?t hydrated, it can?t carry out all its necessary functions and your body can actually shut down. There?s nothing to worry about though. Here are three easy steps to follow, so you can make sure you stay hydrated during your workouts.

1. DRINK:  The simplest way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids. Typically, you should drink .25 to .75 of a liter of water prior to exercising to prepare your body. Once you begin your workout, you need to replenish the fluids your body is losing during the activity. Water is the easiest way to make sure you don?t dehydrate, while you exercise. Water is very accessible, free and devoid of calories and sugar. Naturally, some people don?t enjoy the bland taste of water, so they opt for a sports drink. This is a great alternative to water, as long as you use these beverages in moderation. Remember, most sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are loaded with sugar and calories. However, sports drinks replenish electrolytes, which water doesn?t do. Electrolytes regulate the amount of water in your body and can help prolong your workout. Gatorade 2 (G2) and Powerade Zero are fantastic alternatives to their sugary and calorie-ridden counterparts.
2. EAT: Some people actually get hungry during their workout. And if fluids are in short supply, there are many foods that can help you stay hydrated as you exercise. Vegetables and fruits are tops on the list of foods that you can ?eat to drink.? Cucumbers are an excellent choice, because they are 95% water. Salad greens are another good option, with 90% water content, and a couple of cups contain less than 15 calories. Strawberries, watermelon and papaya are also loaded with water. And regular, plain-flavored yogurt offers approximately 85% water content. Yogurt also offers your body B vitamins and, in some cases, probiotics. Check labels to know which yogurt brands have the most to offer you.
3. MONITOR:  As weird as it may sound, you can make sure you stay hydrated during your workouts by visiting the bathroom. Yes, you heard me right, because your urine can actually alert you to whether or not you need more fluids. If you?re properly hydrated, your urine will be clear or have a pale, yellowish tint. Watch for darker urine, because it reveals you could be heading toward dehydration. Also, pay attention to how you are feeling. If your muscles are getting too sore to continue, or you are feeling dizzy, these are danger signs that tell you that there is a need to hydrate.

Drink, eat and monitor! Remember these three easy steps, so you can stay safe and hydrated during your workouts. Always, remember to keep in mind that you will need more or less fluids depending on your particular workout intensity and environment.

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Social media, once just a way to keep in touch with friends and share photos, has now crept in to almost every part of life. We use it to share events, log where we?ve been, and get discounts on retail. It?s even become part of our workout routines.

Lately, I?ve seen a lot of notifications on Facebook letting me know ?So-and-so is on a run with (fill in the app). This app will speak your comments to her.? In other words, my friend downloaded an app and then logged into that platform with her social media account. She simply opens the app, starts her workout, and without missing a beat, she can start sweating while her friends cheer her on from the digital sidelines.

Then there?s the ubiquitous sign or suggestion at the gym or studio: ?Tweet your workout and receive ______.? Often, the reward is in the form of a discount, a particularly delightful treat for those of us who hit up specialty classes on a regular basis.

Or, what about that crazy new workout your friend tried and loved? How many times did she share it before you finally asked or agreed to join her for a free class?and, what did she receive when she brought you in?

Once upon a time, we went for a run or to the gym and could be relatively assured that, for an hour or so, we could leave behind our work, our personal lives, and our constant need for connectivity. This compartmentalization was, in many ways, a benefit for our minds while we worked out our bodies. Relaxing mentally, an important part of health, was conveniently worked into another routine.

Now, it is more and more rare to hit the stacks without unlocking a reward, sharing our progress on a social media site, or stating proudly the location of our activity. Instead of time for mental relaxation, we have turned the gym into another potential for social interaction.

Luckily, when the goal is to get in shape, any healthy means to achieving to that goal is great. We?ve known for years the positive impact of the buddy system on workouts, and the trend of including our social network in our gym time seems to be just an extension of that trend?as long as you make an active decision to use it to your benefit.

When using social media and apps in fitness, be conscious of the decisions you are making. If downloading an app that tracks your workouts is helpful, use it. If that same app can share your stats, and that motivates you, share away. When it comes to posting where you?ve been and how much you loved it, well, do it if it makes you feel good. However, if utilizing these tools doesn?t make you feel more motivated, or if they distract you, don?t force it. As with anything health or fitness related, the key is to work with yourself, not against.

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You finish up at the office for the day, hop in your car, and, head on over to the gym for your workout. Finishing up, you take a long satisfyingly refreshing drink of your favorite beverage ? Stop right there!

Maybe you have had a few sips along the way and maybe you have had some things to drink during the day, but are you hydrated? Are you really getting the most out of your workout? Hydration can make the difference in how well you exercise. It matters when you drink and what you drink for general well-being, for your overall hydration, and for your workout.

Let?s start with some basics. Hydrating for your workout should start long before you ever get to the gym. Make sure you are consuming fluids throughout the day. Drink in the hour previous to your workout, preparing yourself for the extra fluid necessary for sweating it out and burning that energy. The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink 13 cups of fluid a day and women 9 cups of fluid a day, but even they admit that amounts vary per individual. Don?t go by when you are thirsty; if you get to that point, you are already dehydrated.

What about during the workout? It is even more important to keep your fluid levels elevated to have a good workout. According to the American College of Sport?s Medicine?s Health and Fitness Journal?s Beth Stover, M.S. CSCS and Bob Murray, PhD. FACSM ?dehydration decreases blood volume, makes blood?thicker, increases heart rate and makes it more difficult for the body to lose heat,? making exercise more of a challenge.

The fact of it is, if you don?t drink enough you might want to quit early because it is hard to push yourself through the fatigue and heat. A good rule of thumb, according to these experts, is to monitor your weight. If you weigh less after a workout than before, you are not taking in enough fluid during the workout.

There are a lot of different sports drinks out there, confusing us in what we should actually drink. The best thing you can do is to make sure you consume plenty of vitamins and minerals in the things you eat on a daily basis and drink plenty of water you don?t think you are getting enough in your diet, Elaine Magee, MPH, RD of WebMD recommends electrolytes and 14 grams of carbohydrates per 8 oz. of water. Caffeine may seem like a good way to propel yourself through your workout, but it actually dehydrates you.

Start your day out right by consuming  fluids throughout your day and then go hop in your car, head on over to the gym for your workout, taking in fluid as you work that body into a healthy shape.

Works Cited
– Magee, Elaine. ?What to Drink When You Exercise.? Web MD. Web MD, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
– Stover, Beth and Murray, Bob. ?Drink Up!: The Science of Hydration.? ACSM?s Health & Fitness Journal 11.2 (2007): 7-12. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
– ?Water: How much should you drink every day?? Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

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Are you tired of your old fitness routine and need something to liven it up again? I know mine needs revitalizing. Maybe we need to switch it up and find out what is new and exciting for 2014 in the fitness world.

One way to freshen up our workout is with The American College of Sports Medicine?s (ACSM) top 2014 fitness trend?High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), sometimes packaged as P90x or Crossfit. This calorie-burning exercise provides maximum benefit for a minimal amount of time, averaging 30-45 mins. per routine (and who of us doesn?t need to save time?). This includes warm-up and stretch down. In HIIT you work hard in short bursts of activity doing a mix of anything from sprinting or jumping jacks to overhead presses or lunges and more, breaking it up with brief recovery intervals. The best part is that you can choose the exercises that interest you. HIIT makes for a time-friendly high-energy cardio workout.

But don?t stop with the cardio blast. You and I both know that we need to round it out with work on strength and endurance. Other top fitness trends reported by ACSM includes body-weight training and strength training, each of which would meet the requirement of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, promoting at least 2 or more days of muscle-strengthening exercise activities a week. Body-weight training, as its name implies, uses the weight of your own body in exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, and planks to strengthen your muscles. Strength training is probably not new to you since, if you aren?t using them yourself yet, you have seen plenty of action in your gym with weight machines from others like you intent on a total body experience. The weights are just waiting for you at your gym to get started in this valuable part of your perfect 2014 workout.

Maybe you just don?t know where to begin with a new routine or you need a little extra motivation. Go with a variation of a long standing top fitness trend. Sign yourself up for a personal trainer. The variation is a big plus for us. Professionals surveyed by ACSM were sensitive to the economy and more particularly to our budgets, encouraging personal training groups instead. A personal trainer can optimize your cardio and strengthening fitness routine in a way that perks your interests and meets your time constraints. And doing it in a small group of old or new friends is a motivation in itself for your gym time.

Taking advantage of these top 2014 fitness trends will fire you up for a new and exciting workout catered to meet your time and budgetary constraints and unique interests. Are you fired up for your workout yet? I am.

Works Cited
Thompson, Walter. ?Now Trending: Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2014.? ACSM?s Health & Fitness Journal 17.6 (2013): 10-20. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

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