Florida Agenda

Everyone knows that cheating is wrong. Yet it’s exhilarating at times to see just how much you can get away with. If you fudge on your taxes, you may end up with more money in your pocket, but you could also wind up in prison. Two-timing on your boyfriend may be tempting, but it can also lead to a variety of problems that even penicillin won’t cure. Cheating on your form in the gym in an attempt to lift heavier weight or squeeze out a few more reps to impress onlookers can lead to stalled gains and debilitating injuries.

In order to get stellar results in the gym you need to lift progressively heavier weights, but more importantly, you need to learn and maintain good form. To help you have successful workouts and prevent you from getting injured, allow me to identify several form abuses, as well as suggestions for fixing them.

Bench presses are crucial for developing the size and strength of your chest, but when they are not done according to proper form they can lead to all sorts of injuries. Often, I see guys arching their backs so that a small log can actually fit between your back and the bench. This will lead to low back injuries in a hurry.

Correct this by keeping your back totally against the bench so that not even a piece of paper can be slipped beneath you. Wide-grip lat pull-downs are a fundamental part of every back routine. I often see guys rushing through this exercise leaning forward, pulling the bar down behind the neck. Correct this by pulling the bar down in front of you to your chin with your back slightly arched, and your chest puffed out. After pulling the bar down, hold it steady for two seconds, then take one-to-two seconds to let it rise back up to starting position. A special note here: Wide-grip lat pull-downs and shoulder barbell and dumbbell presses should never be performed behind the neck, since this can lead to rotator cuff damage.

Biceps curls with barbells, E-Z curl bars, and dumbbells are essential for adding mass to arms, and chiseling those peaks in your biceps. But as you lift, focus on contracting biceps and not arching your back. Swinging, jerking and arching the back as you curl does not build your arms, it causes injuries. Instead, keep your body vertical. If you can’t, then use a lighter weight. Practice curling while keeping your back against a wall, or while seated on a bench.

Squats are perhaps the most effective weight training exercise you can do in the gym. They not only work quads, hamstrings and glutes better than any other exercise, but there is practically no muscle group, from abs to triceps, that don’t benefit from squatting. I am often horrified when I see guys leaning forward, knees over their toes and spines flexed. When you squat, keep your back straight, your head up and your toes pointed outward. Drop your butt down and keep the backs of your upper legs slightly less than parallel to the floor. Squat down slowly and become more explosive as you come up, using your glutes, hams and quads to push you up.

You have a lifetime to lift all the weight in the gym, but if you cheat on your form and hurt yourself, you’re liable to end up with injuries that will take you out of circulation, maybe for good!

Contact trainertomb@aol.com with your questions about workout form.

TOM BONANTI

I always say that there is no need for workouts to become boring or stagnant.

Likewise, no one should ever throw in the towel if a fitness regime isn’t quite achieving the desired results. Every fitness enthusiast or body builder hits a brick wall occasionally, but perseverance is the key to success in any endeavor, as they say. Journaling your workouts at the gym, finding a reliable workout partner, hiring a personal trainer, even doing research on the Internet can help you come up with fresh techniques for your exercise program. This week let me share with you a few simple and interesting techniques that are sure to maximize your workouts by helping you to pack on quality muscle in less time. Get ready to feel the burn!

“Superset” is a widely misused term. Technically, a superset is when you train two opposing muscle groups (i.e. biceps versus triceps, back versus chest, quads versus hamstrings, etc.) with only a small break between exercises. For example, you may do a set of flat bench dumbbell presses for chest, then move quickly using the same weights into a bent over dumbbell one arm row. Go back and forth for three sets of each. Take a brief break, and then alternate incline dumbbell presses and wide grip lat pull downs. Supersets create balance and joint strength, and allow one muscle group a brief rest while you blast its opposing muscle group.

Compound sets are great, especially if you have a problem muscle group that won’t grow. These are my favorites. Compound sets are two intense exercises for the same muscle group. For example, a standing barbell curl can be combined with a preacher curl to really fry those biceps. Perform a set of barbell curls to exhaustion, then move to a set of killer preacher curls to isolate those twin peaks.

If you’re really cruising for a burn, go for trisets. This means simply that you add a third or even a fourth exercise to the above torture as you max out those mighty arms.

Forced reps are a great way to push muscles just a little harder, once they’ve been pretty much exhausted. Just when you think you can’t do another curl, press or squat, recruit someone else’s muscles to help you! That’s right, get a trainer, partner, or buddy to help you squeeze out a couple of forced reps before you rack your weights and call it quits. Make sure that your form doesn’t suffer too much as you force that last blasted rep!

Learn to accentuate the negative. I’m not talking about your attitude, I’m referring here to your reps. When I train clients, I’ll often have them focus on the negative or eccentric contraction during an exercise. For example, during a bicep curl, explode as you bring the weight to your chin (concentric or positive contraction), then as you lower the weight, slow down and focus as you push your muscles to a new level of fatigue. Try doing negatives with bi’s, tri’s, chest, legs, etc., once a month to maximize size and strength.

Remember, doing negatives every workout can lead to over- training, so once or twice a month should be enough to make you grow, but prevent you from injuring yourself.

No need to get bored or frustrated! Just check in with Guy Magazine every week for the latest information on just about any topic under the sun. Any questions about your workouts? Need a pointer or just a little direction with your routine? Contact trainertomb@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc. Gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale.
For more tips on fitness, give me a shout at TrainerTomB@aol.com

Tom Bonanti

Just when you think that you can hardly lift another pound for one more rep of your last set, that’s when you need to give it just a little more. This is the point when real muscle growth can take place if you are up for the challenge. That’s the idea behind forced repetitions – one of the best ways to power through a plateau and gain size. A knowledgeable spotter, workout buddy, or personal trainer can help you go the extra mile and assist you when you lift heavy weights.

By far the best partner training strategy is forced repetitions. This mode of training is based upon the idea that when you lift weights, the final few repetitions of your last set, which you have to summon all of your energy to complete, are the most beneficial, because the muscles targeted are being pushed to exhaustion. While one guy does the lifting, his partner places his hands in the proper position to help him finish one or two more reps he couldn’t have completed on his own. If you’ve got a partner you can count on, try this program once a week. Using this strategy on a daily basis is too much and may result in overtraining and injuries like tendonitis. You’ll see gains in muscle size and strength in no time if you are safe and consistent. Here’s an example of a forced reps exercise for each muscle group.

Barbell Squats:

Grasp a barbell on the upper back, with feet shoulder width apart. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, pause, then rise to starting position. At the end of your last set, have a partner stand behind you with hands around your torso and have him assist you in completing 2 more reps. Squats are one of the most effective exercises for the lower body, but make sure to keep you back straight and your toes pointed outward as you squat down.

Triceps Skull Crushers:

Lie on a bench and grasp an EZ curl bar at arms length over the chest. Lower the bar to just above your forehead, pause, then return to starting position. For your last set, have a partner stand over you and help you raise and lower the bar for 2 more reps.

Biceps Partial Curls:

Grasp an EZ curl bar with arms bent at 90-degree angles. Curl up until biceps meet forearms, pause, then lower to starting position. For your last set have a partner face you and help you curl 2 more reps.

Barbell Bench Press:

Lie face up and grasp a barbell with arms bent at 90-degree angles. Press it overhead, pause, then return to starting position. At the end of your last set have your partner stand over you and help raise and lower the bar for one or two more reps.

Pull Ups for Shoulders & Back:

Grasp an overhead pull up bar and pull yourself up so that your chin is at or above the bar, pause, then lower yourself. At the end of your last set have your partner grasp your feet and help you do just a couple more reps.

Forced repetitions once a week for each muscle group will really maximize muscle size and strength.

Break through that plateau in 2012 and tap into your inner brute.

Choose a partner and go that extra mile with your workout!

For more workout tips, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc Gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale. For more
tips on how to get bigger beefier arms by Christmas, give me a shout at TrainerTomB@aol.com

By Tom Bonanti

You could not have made a better New Year’s Resolution than to dedicate more time to achieving a fitter, healthier, more beautiful body. Now that we are nearly finished with January, why are you still making excuses to put off going to the gym? Perhaps you need to be reminded that besides making you look better, regular exercise can also prevent obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and Type 2 diabetes. In addition to these bonuses, many people who suffer from anxiety and depression have found that regularly working out can significantly elevate their moods and boost their self-esteem.

Here are a few commonly held excuses for not exercising, and why you need to get over yourself and get to the gym today:

1. “I’m too damn busy to exercise.”
Well, that just doesn’t hold water with me. You must make time for those things that matter to you most – your family, job, social life, etc. Your health is just as important as any of these. Schedule your workouts into your daily activities and stick to it! Get up an hour earlier and take a power walk before going to work. Pack a gym bag and stop at the gym on your way home instead of going to “happy hour.” You must make time for those things that are important to you. Some of the busiest, most successful people I know are also some of the fittest and healthiest as well.

2. “Exercise is boring.”
Maybe you are the one who is boring. Doing the same things every time you hit the gym will produce diminishing results, and leave you bored and frustrated. Define your goals, change your workouts, and hire a personal trainer to help you come up with a new routine. Try yoga, swimming, or any of the classes offered at your gym or community center. Don’t be lazy or shy. There are a myriad of opportunities to become fit and healthy in sunny South Florida.

3. “I’ll put off exercising until it gets warmer.”
While you procrastinate, you also become fatter and more sedentary, and unhappy with yourself. There’s no time like the present to get up and get moving toward a new healthier lifestyle. Start with one morning power walk or one yoga class after work. You’ll see just how great you feel. And there’s no cure for those winter-time blue moods than stimulating and challenging activities.

4. “I can’t exercise because I have aches and pains and health issues.”
You should never begin a new exercise program before getting a check-up from your doctor or health care professional. Sure, herniated discs, arthritis, high blood pressure, etc., are serious issues, but not impossible to deal with. For the most part, exercise that‘s done right can help you build flexibility at the joints and manage the pain of arthritis better than some traditional treatment programs. Regular training with manageable weights, yoga, stretching classes, and low impact aerobic routines have been shown to decrease pain and increase overall fitness levels.

As the New Year unfolds, don’t get left behind by friends and co-workers who have already embraced the fitness lifestyle. Stop making excuses to yourself. Just get up, get moving and join the fun today. Contact Tom Bonanti at TrainerTomB@aol.com for more inspiration.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com     Facebook: TrainerTomB.      www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

Ahh!  The holidays are upon us!  Before you make your list and check it twice, prior to indulging in your first holiday party, do me one favor. Make a resolution not to let your fitness goals suffer by becoming lax with your training.
Of course you can’t turn down every invitation just to keep your bodybuilding regime. But you do need to be aware of your potential to slide, and plan for those situations. Have some fun over the holidays, but don’t overdue it. Remember, it’s not uncommon for most guys to pack on a whopping 5 to 10 pounds during this season of yuletide cheer!

Use moderation when drinking and by all means avoid the costly and even deadly mistake of drinking and driving. Make healthy choices at the buffet table. Don’t let holiday stress or lack of time keep you from training. Here are some pointers to help you stay strong, fit and in control in spite of the holiday havoc ahead.

1. Exercise first! Worried that you won’t have time to squeeze in your workout? Consider shifting your training. Evenings and weekends are too busy with obligations

? Try weights and cardio first thing in the morning. You may have to get up earlier, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve jumpstarted your metabolism and burned off some serious calories.

2. Consolidate your workouts. Train two body parts with a continuous superset technique. For instance, you can train your tris and bis with alternating sets. Pair dumbbell curls with dumbbell triceps extensions for three to four sets. Work at one station with the same weight if you can, so as not to waste time changing weights.

3. Kick some ass! You may not have a full hour to train because of errands and obligations, but you can have a kick-ass workout in 20-30 minutes. The key here is to use less weight and perform more reps and sets in rapid succession. Move from station to station quickly and avoid distractions.

4. Recuperate. Take the holiday season off. Many pro bodybuilders follow a tough five months-on, one month-off routine. One of the best ways to build muscles is to give them a chance to rest, recover and grow; but remember, stay active and eat wisely.

5. Train on the road. One of the biggest problems during the holidays and even at other times of the year, when you are traveling, is a lack of access to a gym. Consider joining a gym for a day. Training for a day or two in another gym can be inspiring!

6. Simplify Workouts. If you’re on the road and you can’t get to the gym, you can still do crunches, lunges and leg lifts for the abs and butt. Try using your own body weight to do push ups and chair dips for chest and tris. Use the stairs when traveling or sightseeing.

By Tom Bonanti

Over the past few weeks, I have received several requests from clients and avid readers of Mark Magazine and the Florida Agenda to write a column on how to get bigger biceps. Since biceps are the smallest muscles of the anterior upper body, they are the easiest to work and develop almost immediately. They are also a favorite to show off and flex, not that anyone I know would ever be into such a shallow display of vanity. Anyway, here’s the lowdown on how to get bulging beefier biceps by Christmas!

First, if you want to put on size, do free-weight exercises. Using barbells, E-Z curl bars, and dumbbells will give you a better chance to take your biceps through their full range of motion

and fill out the muscle bellies. Hit biceps twice a week employing three different exercises using 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Second, I never work biceps on the same day that I work the back, because by the time you’ve really exhausted lats and traps, etc. you’re not going to give biceps your all. Try working shoulders with biceps because neither muscle group suffers with that combination.
Third, make sure to lift using proper form as with training any muscle group, to prevent injury. Don’t try to lift too much weight or do too many reps.
Fourth, stretching helps bring out the separation and detail in a muscle beside being great for your whole body. Stretch briefly before your workout, periodically between sets, and always afterward.

Here are four sure-fire bicep exercises.

Standing barbell curls are the king of all bicep-building exercises. With you feet hip width apart and your knees slightly bent, take a shoulder width grip on a barbell or E-Z curl bar and then fully extend both arms in front of you. Keep your abs tight and back straight. When you start the exercise use a hinge motion, keeping the areas from your shoulders to your elbows locked so that the only movement taking place is from your elbows to your wrists. Bring the weighted bar up to your chest, and then return the weight along the same path in one smooth, continuous motion. Perform this exercise without rocking or swinging your shoulders and back. This exercise is a sure way to take bi’s through their full range of motion.

Alternate dumbbell curls allow you to give each bicep its due. Perform the movement sitting erect on a bench and first curling one dumbbell up to your chin; then, as you lower it, curl the other arm. Lower slowly and don’t swing the weights up with any added motion.

Preacher or Scott curls are my favorite way to isolate bi’s. Adopt a position with your arms over a preacher (Scott) bench. Hold either a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. Curl up to the chin, and then lower slowly – without bouncing or jerking.

Under-grip close-hand chin ups are a terrific biceps building exercise with a difference. Instead of the arm moving from the body, your body gets curled toward the arm. Grasp an overhead horizontal bar with an under grip so that your pinkies are 6-12 inches apart. Start from “dead hang” position with arms entirely straight, pull upwards until your chin is above the bar.

There you have it – the ammo you need to load those guns to the max! For more tips on how to develop bigger arms, contact TrainertomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com

Looking for a way to add some bounce to your routine in the gym? Try adding a Swiss Ball to turn easy exercises into more challenging maneuvers. Balancing on a ball as you crunch, press, curl, etc., helps bring more muscle groups into play and forces you to concentrate on maintaining proper form and balance. And there’s no way better to work those core muscles like the abs, obliques, and quadratus lumborum, etc.

Performing resistance exercises on a ball is a more effective way to train for sports (i.e., track and field, martial arts, etc.) since in any kind of competition you are in motion and often off balance. Here’s a surefire routine that’ll put some “balls” in your workouts – Swiss Balls, that is!

There’s no better way to train abs than by doing crunches on a ball. Lie on your back across the ball with legs bent, feet flat and hands behind your head. Proceed by raising head and shoulders up a few inches. Pause, squeeze your abs and return to starting position. To add resistance, clasp a dumbbell or weight plate to your chest as you crunch. Perform as many reps as it takes to get a nice burn. Try reverse crunches by laying flat on the mat with your heels on the ball then crunch as you move the ball simultaneously by bringing your knees up toward your elbows.

Don’t forget your obliques – or your “side abs”. Lie on your right side over the ball, left leg over right, hands by the sides of the head, elbows out. Proceed to bend upward as high as possible. Pause, return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.

Lie on your left side for another set bending up the other way.

Swiss ball squats are a great and safe way to build up the butt and legs without chugging a loaded barbell across the back of your neck and shoulders. Stand with the ball between your back (actually the small of your back) and the wall. Squat slowly down until the backs of the thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.
Make push-ups meaner and more effective by using the ball. Place your hands on top of the ball with arms bent at a 90 degree angle, legs out behind you and extending up on toes. Proceed to push up to arms’ length. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.

To make dumbbell curls, shoulder and chest presses and/or front and side raises more challenging, try them seated on a ball. Of course, use lighter weights at first. Use your Swiss Ball on a mat area for added safety. Swiss Balls come in sizes small, medium and large and can be purchased at any sporting goods store. They usually come with a pump to keep them firm and bouncy! Get one and put some balls into your workouts! For more tips on how to use the Swiss ball in your workouts, please contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

Casa de Campo – Dominican Republic

 Save Your Home

“Angels in America” Is It the Greatest Gay Play Ever Written?

A Workout With Balls! Adding a Swiss Ball Can Turn Exercises Into Challenging Maneuvers

Happy Hour They’ve Got You Covered!

In this week’s issue of Style & Entertainment we conclude our Entrepreneur Series of Profiles for August with Caleb Ben-Avram and Tim Slivinski, owners of The Naked Grape as they prepare to move to their new larger location in Wilton Manors. Paul Rubio discovers “Casa de Campo”, oceanfront and country extravagance fused together on the Dominican Republic’s southeast shoreline in Travel and we look at options for home loan modification in Home.
Warren Day takes on a review of the controversial play, “Angels in America” as well as looking at the top list of plays that have pushed boundaries and made people think in Theatre.

We also look at the hottest new web lifestyle program as Jumpmiami.com presents “Happy Hour” and we get up close and personal with Vixen, Chris and Josh. We sample the new standard for elegant, delicious and creative Asian cuisine at Dapur in Dining, Tom Bonanti helps you grab the balls in Fitness, with the use of the Swiss Medicine Ball and Jean Doherty lets us be the chef with a favorite Penne a la Vodka in Recipe.

We also have your favorites, Out in Florida and our State-wide Bar Guide.
Enjoy! H – AV

Keep Your Routine Challenging, Rewarding and Fun!

By TOM BONANTI

Like every hobby, bodybuilding and weight training can become boring and routine. Doing the same old thing the same way every time is monotonous and counter productive even in the gym. That’s why it’s important to read about new routines and the latest findings on muscle growth, etc., so that your workouts remain challenging, rewarding  and fun! This week, I’d like to go over a
few common but often misunderstood terms/techniques that can put some fire under your workouts and some burn in those muscles.

“Superset” is a widely misused term. Technically, a superset is when you train two opposing muscle groups (i.e., biceps versus triceps, back versus chest) with only a small break between exercises. For example, you may do a set of flat bench barbell press for chest, then move quickly using the same barbell for a bent over row for back. Go back and forth for three sets of each. Take a brief break and then alternate incline dumbbell presses and wide grip lat pull downs. Supersets create balance and joint strength and allow one muscle group a brief rest while you blast its opposing muscle group.

Compound sets are great, especially if you have a problem muscle group that won’t grow. Compound sets employ two intense exercises for the same muscle group. For example, a standing barbell curl can be combined with a preacher curl to really fry those biceps. Perform a set of barbell curls to exhaustion, then move to a set of killer preacher curls to isolate those twin peaks. Compound sets bombard a muscle group working it to exhaustion.

If you’re really cruising for a burn, go for tri-sets.

This simply means that you add a third or even a fourth exercise to the above torture as you max out those mighty arms.

Forced reps are a great way to push muscles just a little harder, once they’ve been pretty much exhausted. Just when you think you can’t do another curl, press or squat, recruit someone else’s muscles to help you! That’s right, get a trainer, partner or buddy to help you squeeze out a couple of forced reps before you rack your weights and call it quits.

Learn to accentuate the negative – at least with your reps! When I train clients, I’ll often have them focus on the negative or eccentric contraction during an exercise. For example, during a bicep curl, explode as you bring the weight to your chin (concentric or positive contraction) then, as you lower the weight (eccentric or negative contraction), slow down and focus as you push your muscles to a new level of fatigue. Try doing negatives with bi’s, tri’s, chest, legs, etc., once a month to maximize size and strength.

Don’t overdo negatives, or you may risk injury or overtraining.

Have a great summer and take advantage of these techniques to add variety to you training regime. For more tips like these, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com by email.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

Put some variety into your summer routine and feel the burn!

By TOM BONANTI

Ancient Greeks praised the virtues of multi-sport training two thousand years ago, claiming it created wellrounded athletes who possessed bodies of strength, speed, skill and beauty. Modern tri-athletes achieve astonishing levels of fitness by combining swimming, running and cycling. This multi-sport training is called “crosstraining” and, among other great benefits, it can add real variety to your workouts.

Cross-training is a super way to get and stay in shape. Simply, this method combines two or more different activities into a fitness program while avoiding overtraining injuries and boredom. The advantages of this type of training include: various parts of the body are worked to improve overall fitness; muscles and joints in one activity are rested avoiding stress related injuries; new activities are introduced into your workouts, keeping them fresh and fun.

The key to cross-training is variety. Aerobics classes are great cardio-vascular training, but injuries to joints from overdoing it are common. Weight training gives you stronger, bigger muscles, but does not bolster aerobic fitness or increase flexibility. Cycling builds mighty thighs and killer calves, but does little for your upper body.

Expanding your workouts and diversifying your routine through cross-training can help you achieve several fitness goals at once (bigger bi’s and tri’s, better stamina by including some cardio, decreased body fat, etc.). Studies show that too much of one activity can lead to injury, which increases the likelihood of exercise drop out. Muscles also adapt and refuse to grow doing the same routine day-in and day-out. Cross-training avoids these crises by strengthening weaker and more underdeveloped muscles while not over-working others. In short, crosstraining can prevent you from getting burned out, fed up and bored!

So, how does all of this work and how do you get started? First, break out of the box you’re in and be willing to try new things. Second, get ready to sweat and feel the burn this summer!

If you’re hitting the gym 3-4 times a week to build serious muscle in your upper body, you may want to take up running on 2 or 3 of the days you are not lifting to give your upper body a break. Running is a gre

at heart, lung and lower body workout.

If your primary form of workout is cycling (a low stress workout for lower body), try rowing on alternate days or for the second half of your workout to tighten and tone the upper body.

If your major form of exercise is regular walking, try adding some laps in the pool or a light free weight routine to your fitness agenda to tighten and tone upper body.

Whether you are a serious athlete in training for a sport, or a regular guy whose goal is a healthy, good looking body, cross-training may be for you. Just be creative, enjoy yourself, get into a regular routine, and start today.

For more ideas on cross training routines, send email to trainertomb@aol.com.

TOM BONANTI is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com