AGAVA FITNESS

We eat to live is something mum would say anytime we (me and my siblings) try to cheat. Of late, I helped her chop chicken for a pot of stew when she insisted I peel off  the overlying skin. I was interested in this recent development so I had to ask, apparently ‘there's fat deposits in the skin’, that's something I have to verify. Our parents in their advance ages are doing the things we should do now as millenials, one of which is; eating to live. You might find that the taste of mum’s stew have changed over the years, with less pepper and salt, she's got a whole pot of natural medicine. Mum’s take would be “don't be all out about pleasing the tongue and belly, you have to think of the long term effects”. Nutrition is about everything edible and what they do for the body.  We need some in large quantity (macronutrients) and others in small quantity (micronutrients), Carbohydrates fall under macronutrients and are needed in large quantity. Carbohydrate is one word that

Following my last post on couples workout, I decided to do an outdoor version which would give couples an idea on how they can have an exciting workout together even without the equipments found in the gym.  I have divided the exercises described into four parts which are cardio, lower body workout, abdominals and upper body workout.  The routine should take approximately 45 minutes to be completed. Try this routine at the cool of the evening with your spouse following these descriptive guidelines: CARDIO: The cardio exercises suggested may require cones, stones or markings on the ground. Cone Drills: Cone drills are mostly used by athletes, especially soccer players. We know you are not an athlete hence we have only suggested some mild drills which can in fact be done even without cones. The idea here is basically activation for workout which can be achieved with the following exercises: The One Leg Hop:For a soccer player, the one leg hop is used to build endurance and improve coordi

It's a long routine I put together with Victoria which is made up of exercises that can be done individually or among workout partners who may or may not be involved with each other. I have divided this routine into three major parts which are Cardio, Compound Workout and Abdominals. As expected with every couple, one partner is always stronger than the other, this was taken into account while setting up this routine. It is expected that the stronger partner takes the lead on this routine supporting and encouraging the weaker one.  CARDIO Set Up: Couple Step Workout.  Start your workout session together  with this invigorating cardio routine using a pair of steps.  Lateral Step Ups: Place steps in parallel formation with ample gap in between. Do 3 sets of 30 repetitions of lateral step ups taking short breaks in between, as low as 30 seconds or less.  Step Modified Mountain Climber: Close Gap between steps and face each other while you do a step modified mountain climber workout. D

Your workout routine is not complete without a lower body workout and it doesn't get any better than my explosive lower body workout.  This routine targets your thighs,hamstrings , butt and calves. It is ideal for all body types including males and females.   It starts with a rigorous cardio that burns a minimum of 100 calories and over 200 calories in 20 minutes. It also incorporates cable workout as well as free weight oriented exercises that have been improvised for maximum results. Some of the exercises demonstrated have been borrowed from the lower body routine of top fitness model  Joshua Cummings   who happens to be my role model in fitness. Let's Begin: Start With A Stationary Bike: Set the bike for the hill program and use heavier weights. I usually go for 265 lbs but you can go for lower weights. Also go for higher levels like that of 5 or upward. Use the HIIT program for this exercise; cycling as fast as you can and resting at intervals by cycling at moderate speed.

You might think I'd be mentioning abdominal exercises here but not a single one has been mentioned except for the mountain climber. Since most people think of crunches when they pull out a mat, abdominals have been deliberately excluded to accommodate some of the other exercises you are probably unaware of, that should work on all other body parts including the abdomen. There's no excuse anymore, you can always do these exercises at home to stay fit: The Push Up Variations: You can do the push up and it's many variations with just a mat. The pull up will build your chest, triceps and shoulders. Some of the variations include the basic push up, the diamond push up and half push up. You can do the incline or decline push up but that would require a step or box. You can learn to do the one arm push up by using a box/step too. The basic push up has been demonstrated in a tutorial video attached to this post. Please keep your abdominal locked in while at this.  Mount

I couldn't help but over hear the cry of a fellow gym enthusiast who has been on the grind for almost a year now but hasn't seen the results he wanted. He particularly desired tricep cuts even though he had decent mass gain. This is not an isolated problem as most guys especially those of the mesomorphic build are unhappy with their muscular definition.  While I plan on putting an article up on general muscular definition, this post is focused on achieving tricep definition (cuts) which should help resolve the problem of my gym mate.  Mesomorphs and endomorphs tend to have the problem of gaining without definition because they also battle fat. Another reason why this happens has to do with the exercising technique. Hence, there are three reasons why you may not be seeing the results you want: You are a mesomorph or endomorph who is also battling fat. You are doing programs that make you gain mass fast but don't give you definition.  You are only using heavy weights.  The fi

For those of you looking to shed fat from top to bottom, this at home fat burning routine is for you. You can also use this routine at the gym as a warm up alternative to the treadmill. This is recommended for  mesomorphs and endomorphs and should be used seldomly by ectomorphs seeking to gain mass.  In this routine, you would be doing six on the spot fat burning exercises in 30 minutes non-stop. They include butt kickers, jogging on a spot, knee ups,squat jumps, shuffle punches and jumping jacks.  The Routine: Butt Kickers: You might find sprinters doing butt kicks before a race. This is because it strengthens the hamstrings and quads which improves their speed. Start off with your butt kicks, doing this continuously for 5 minutes. Ensure that the hill of each foot touches your butt as you jog. This is why they are called butt kickers.  Jogging On A Spot : According to Wikipedia, jogging has the potential to increase your lifespan by reducing the effects of aging and aiding cardiovasc

An amazing thing about the pull up is that it could be done anywhere an even bar can be found; at home, work, the gym or playground. What's more amazing is that it is the ultimate body designer. Yes, "It would design your body” , according to a fellow gym enthusiast. Some have called it “my secret”. I do believe it is my secret. It would get the entire back muscles,biceps and triceps in shape depending on how you choose to pull. A lady looking to burn underarm fat can turn to the pull up too.  Unfortunately, you don't find most people (including those who have attained a good level of fitness) pulling up. It's a challenging exercise for beginners and pros get exhausted in no time. By doing this exercise, you are essentially lifting your entire body off the ground against the gravitational pull. Some even go as far as adding disc weights to increase the total weight lifted. The pull up is one of the basic trainings required in strength development for calisthenics.  Chr

Some would place the deadlift as the number one exercise for back muscle growth but I'd place it at number four. The pull up, barbell row and cross over come before it in my own classification probably because I love light weights and of course the deadlift is a heavy weight program.  The deadlift is a full body program that would also benefit your hamstrings. I am referring to  the conventional deadlifts as there are different types of deadlifts such as the hack, rack, sumo,trap bar, snatch grip and  Romanian deadlift. The barbell row is sometimes called a deadlift too.  The conventional deadlift is similar to the Romanian deadlift and they are wrongly interchanged but each work on different parts of the back. The conventional deadlift works on the mid back while the Romanian deadlift works on the lower back.  Precautions should be taken when doing deadlifts as injury can occur in lower spine if heavy weights are lifted wrongly without the aid of a safety belt. I have written and