Despite their importance to a wide range of athletic and sporting activities, the hip flexors are the most neglected major muscle group in strength training. It is very rare to find training programs that include hip flexor exercises. By contrast there is usually a great deal of emphasis on exercises for the leg extensors.

There are some obvious reasons for this comparative neglect. The principal muscles involved in hip flexion are the psoas and the iliacus, collectively known as the iliopsoas. Because they are relatively deep-seated rather than surface muscles they may have been overlooked by bodybuilders who have traditionally been the major innovators in strength training. Secondly, there are no obvious ways to adequately exercise them with free

weights. Finally, these muscles do not have the obvious functional importance of their extensor counterparts. Yet, as antagonists, both hip and knee flexors perform a vital role in controlling the rate of descent and ascent in leg extension exercises such as the squat.

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By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bruce_Ross]Bruce Ross

It is widely acknowledged that the average body weight of rugby players has increased considerably over recent years. Less recognised is the extent to which modern defensive alignments and strategies have transformed rugby matches into contests of attrition where bigger and stronger teams tend to wear down their smaller and physically weaker opponents over the course of a game. Perhaps the most notable change has been the increased importance of physical dominance in the backline.

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One of the most oft asked questions by a majority of athletes is how to train in-season. In-season training is perhaps one of the most overlooked components of an athlete s training. In western periodization literature, there is clearly a strong push for increasing size and strength within a general preparation cycle and a major peak for an event. However, this system is flawed for athletes who compete in sports that require multiple peaks of performance over a given season. Football, Soccer, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, Rugby, Lacross, Field Hockey, and Volleyball seasons all usually consist of multiple peaks during a competitive season. If an athlete is using western style periodization they may peak their performance right before

the season, and attempt to maintain their gains throughout the rest of the season.

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“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.”

Norman Vincent Peale

As a fitness professional, I am always amazed at how little understanding exists regarding the getting what you give concept. Very few people actually believe that there are actually consequences for their ill or negative actions and this includes what they think, as well as what they do. Many folks exercise, quite a few eat right, but very few exercise and eat right. Doing one without doing the other is like thinking the body and the mind are separate and distinct, divided and not unified. Division is only the effect; the cause is in the thought (the concept).

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The Best Cardio Intervals for Fat Loss: Part 2

If you don t have variety in your program, you are more than likely to end up at a fat loss plateau soon rather than later. Variety is one of the keys to keeping that fat loss coming.

So not only should you have variety within your training week (i.e. alternate between two different interval training workouts, rather than just doing the same interval workout each time), but you should also change these workouts every 4 weeks.

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