Intriguing Fitness Gifts

Christmas is round the corner and now all of us are looking forward to bring a smile on the faces of our loved ones with the help of gifts. However, many people feel at a loss when it comes to an ideal gift for a fitness enthusiast. We provide few gift ideas for people who love to keep themselves healthy and fit.



Fitness Books- All fitness maniacs love to acquire information about exercise routines and diet tips. You can give them fitness books that discuss the basics of strength training or provide information regarding development of speed, endurance, flexibility etc. This may include Thomas Kurz’s “Science of Sports Training”, or “Science and Practice of Strength Training” by Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky and Dr. William Kraemer.

Exercise Balls- Apart from books, you can also present exercise balls to a fitness enthusiast. They add an element of fun to the workout routine and provide health benefits such as strengthening the abs and the lower back. They can also be used while exercising with dumbbells and come with additional support so that the movement is perfect during weight training.

Gym Bags- Regular gym-goers love to carry a bag that is stylish and has loads of space. Gifting them a large gym bag will definitely be appreciated and loved.

Fitness DVDs- One can also consider gifting exercise DVDs to people who are serious about their exercise routines. This may include Squat Workout DVD where Louie Simmons provides detailed information about deadlifts and squats. Alternatively, the Ultimate Boxing Workout DVD Volume 1 is ideal for those who are enthusiastic about boxing workouts. This special DVD will also help one to improve balance, rhythm, agility, speed etc.

With a little bit of effort and research, one can easily zero on a gift that will bring smile on the face of your loved one. Do consider the taste and requirements of the person while choosing the right fitness gifts.

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Exercises that Helps in Increasing Bench Press

In our previous post, we discussed the tips that will help the powerlifters to increase their bench press. In addition, some exercises help in increasing weight on bench press. In powerlifting bench press, many muscle groups are included. And it is important that lifters include each muscle group in their strength-training program.


Powerlifters must have strong triceps. To build one, they can begin with heavy compound lifts. Some of these include dips and close-grip bench press. While finishing, the lifters must incorporate a few isolation exercises including cable pushdowns and skull-crushers.

Lats too play an important role in powerlifting bench press; therefore, one must train them hard. Lifters can incorporate lat pull-downs and pull-ups in their weekly strength training workouts. It is also advice to opt for some rowing exercises on a regular basis.

It is often believed that bigger benchers usually have huge delts. This is so true! To get huge delts, one can include dumbbell raises and military press in their weekly strength training workouts.

Some additional tips:

• Powerlifters must focus on their muscles contracting while lowering the bar. During the concentric phase, this will help them to explode driving the weight up.

• Lifters can bring the bar lower on their chest by tucking their elbows in towards their body. In addition, try to reduce the strain on shoulders.

• Keep the quads tight throughout the lift and the heels flat on the floor.

• Keep the lats tight during the lift.

These exercises along with a proper strength training routine will help the powerlifters to increase weight on their bench press. If you like our tips feel, free to leave comments. Also, let us know more about your strength training routines.

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Exploit Belt Squat Machine for Strength Training Exercises

Squat is a type of strength training exercise that is excellent for the lower body. It works on areas such as hips and thighs, and helps to strengthen ligaments and bones of the lower part of the body. Squats also help to tighten the abdominal core muscles and enhance the size and strength of buttocks and legs. Squats can be of various types such as full squats, box squats, back squats and front squats. The different varieties of squats help the exerciser to mix and match the strength-training workout sessions so that it remains fun and interesting.



A great way to start squat training is to go for the Belt Squat Machine. This innovative fitness equipment enables a person to enjoy a full squat training on areas such as legs and glutes. In addition, with this machine, you do not need to put a bar on your back.

The Belt Squat Machine is easy to use. Adjust the plates on the weight pegs, place your feet on the platform, connect the cable with the squat belt and start the exercise session! There is sufficient platform space so that you do not need to bother about issues such as stability and safety. This fitness equipment also provides the perfect opportunity to perform a number of squats such as box squats, split squat stances, and even stationary lunges.

The Belt Squat Machine is not restricted to squat training alone. You can do pull-throughs by attaching the pair of web handles. Add a single handgrip and perform exercises such as curls, rows and tricep extensions. Deep grip pulls can be performed by using V- Grip. You can also attach a lat pull-down bar and perform Zercher squats.

As described above, the Belt Squat Machine is perfect for those who love in indulge in squat training. However, at the same time it will hardly disappoint those who love performing other forms of strength training exercises.

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Matt Chan is Implementing Westside Barbell Programming into CrossFit

Matt Chan, the top competitor of 2010 CrossFit-USAW Open and CrossFit Games, said that he is he saw the benefits of Westside Barbell programming and has decided to implement a strength focus based on it. Westside Barbell, a club for serious powerlifters, advocates the use of conjugate method. The legendary powerlifter Louie Simmons is the strength trainer of this club.



At the CrossFit Powerlifting Certification that he attended last February, Chan learned the program and started implementing it in his strength training workouts. However, Chan does not possess all the specialized equipment, and uses what he has. Moreover, he uses certain creative approaches to replicate squatting to a box, pressing with boards and squatting with accommodating resistance.

Chan experienced the benefits of the program; within four months, he went to a 435-lb back squat from a 405-lb. back squat. This was his record progress that he made during the last two years. Matt Chan has decided to use a strength focus for the coming three months and then re-evaluate the progress. The programming includes a modified version of Westside Barbell programming along with the CrossFit met-cons as well as Olympic lifts.

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