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well on my travel team we get to pick a song when we go up to bat and i was wondering what are some good songs and like if anyone knows any songs like if your called stupid like and your getting even or like ha i bet youd never think i got this far stuff like that but also just songs that would be good and they cant be dirty like say curses. please help thanks in advance

All you need is Enter Sandman by Metallica...that's what Billy Wagner on the Mets enters to when he comes in to pitch.

My best friend and I are working toward getting better looking abs. Is there any other way to get hard abs without doing millions of crunches? I have scoliosis, so crunches REALLY hurt my back. Thanks!

Nope. You need to exercise regularly to make them rock hard and you need to diet pretty hardcore to bring them out nice and sharp. It would be good if we could pick and choose where and how we gain muscle and lose fat, but that's just not how we work. Sorry :-(

Hello, I was wondering about what I can do about the extra weight on my thighs. They're not huge, but I just want to lose some weight on them.

Oh, and this is also a silly question, but does having your achille's tendon sticking out from the back of your foot mean that you are skinnier than a person that does not have their tendon sticking out?

Thanks.

You can do squats, lunges, abbductor and adductor specific machines...there's various exercises to pick from and experiment with. Remember that slimming anything down requires a very consistent and clean diet of balanced macronutrients being protein, carbohydrate, fats- not low anything, just moderate.

As for the Achilles tendon- no that is not a good way to measure how slim one is because different people just carry their weight and have genetic predispositions which will determine that condition.

:-)

When I do crunches I get a really bad pain in the back of my neck. Am I doing them wrong? Can you tell me how to do a crunch without the pain in my neck? Thanks so much.

You probably lock your hands behind your head don't you?

If you do then try keeping your arms crossed on your chest or out to the sides.

Do them slow and not fast- the combination of too much pulling on the back of the head and speed during the movement usually leads to neck discomfort.

ok well i need to loose weigh on my stomach and thighs

i am 130 pounds 13/f
i want to be at least 114 pounds

what do i need to do?
and tell me how much of that i will need to do and for how long

and tell me when i will see results.

You build muscle, you lose fat. You build muscle, you gain strength, energy, resistance, enthusiam, creativity, ability, longevity, esteem - you hit the jack pot.

Most diets don't work for long term fat loss. They're concerned with reducing weight rather than burning excess bodyfat. They strip off vital muscle, the body's major fat burning component. When you remain at a particular bodyfat level for a long period of time, your body recognizes that as your fat setpoint. Substantial time (patience, discipline and fortitude) is required to lower your fat setpoint as you seek complete and permanent changes.

The body tissue you have today, good or bad, was built almost entirely from the foods you have eaten over the past 6 months. Make a commitment today to renew your body composition.

Watch calories, watch carbohydrates. Avoid excessive fats (high calories) and carbohydrates. The big bonus here is that after a few weeks, your tastes and habits will simply change. Fats, sugar and salt become less interesting. For an intense fat burning regime, try the following tricks.

- With pad and pencil, simply list everything eaten.

- Cut fat and salt intake radically.

- Consider training in the morning - this raises the metabolic rate throughout the day. This means more fat burning and more energy.

- Take 1-2 grams of L-Carnitine before workouts. You'll burn more fat. (You should take it easy with this since you're 13, but as you get older around 15 or 16 add this...I just stuck this in there for the general population that may read.)

- Drink 1-2 liters of H2O during the day.

- Don't scrutinize. Permanent changes take time. Test and record your bodyfat level every two months. If you use a scale, weigh only once a week. After an initial drop in weight, plan to lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week steadily - a realistic goal.

- Have your larger meals early in the day, making dinner the lowest calorie meal..

- After reaching your goal, be prepared to continue your diet in order to establish a new fat setpoint.

- Remember, protein is king. To assure consistent intake for muscle adaption and weight control a protein powder should be on your shopping list along with the eggs and apples.

- Always and forever, plan a disciplined low calorie day following any unusually high calorie days. Enjoy an extended workout and the subsequent high blood sugar pump.

Ok, so i've heard a bunch about crunches and sit ups, but what really is the correct way to do them?

do you see results when you do a lot of them.. or is how slowy and concentrated they are? do you put your hands or your chest or behind your head?

i just want these answers because i do them everyday, and im not seeing any results.
Thanks

The correct way to do a crunch is not just going up and down as fast as you can and trying to bang out 50 of them at a shot. Very very wrong. You need to concentrate on the contraction that you feel in your stomach and hold it for at least 2 seconds (Called the Peak Contraction Principle) and slowly go down and repeat until you can't do another. Speed is not the issue with a crunch- the quality of the contraction that you put into it (like any exercise) is what counts. You don't see results from them because you're probably under the impression that if you do a bunch of crunches it will burn the fat away- that's not how it works...you need to get your diet in very very clean order and stay consistent and when you finally do reach the point of great abs you need to work 10x harder to maintain their shape so it's really a lifelong endeavour.

As far as your hand positioning- that's really all preference, some people like to lock their hands behind their head, I personally like to keep my elbows up at my sides, and some like to have their hands on their chest- it's just comfort.

alright, so im 15/f and i want to lose just like 10 to 15pounds. im exercising but i was wondering if weight watchers could help me. i would do the point counting, but idont know how many points i should have a day. i already have how much everything is because my mom used to do it, so i dont need to pay. i weigh like 130, does anyone know about how many points i shouldeat a day?

The Weight Watchers program is the best for beginners in my opinion because it teaches what so many diets fail to teach- and that is portion control. This is more valueable than just knowing what to eat- it teaches you when to eat and most important- how much of it to eat. I recommend you try it.

15/f
hey
im 5'6" and 154 pounds. I carry it pretty well and im not that jiggly and my stomach just need some toning and so do my arms but..
1. is that overweight
2. How do i get slimmer legs.. they're so bulky, not even jiggly just like big, and i dont know how to slim them down.

i rate high. thanks

1. No, if you're not very "Jiggly" from what you described than you're alright. Don't worry about your weight, it's very deceiving- use a mirror as your best guide.

2. You have to exercise and diet- those 2 go hand in hand and that's really it. Stick with it enough and you will see your results and best of all...you'll be able to keep them. You need consistency and a good mental attitude :-)

ok so i am a little chunky what can i do to get rid of that chunky ness? I want at least a 2 pak right now i cant say i am fat but i have just a little chunk and i want it to go away....

chunky

You're not going to get a 2 pack, what you really need to do is quite simply get your diet in order because dieting is harder than exercise in both physical and mental aspects. Eat 4 small meals spaced 3-4 hours apart a day and exercise for 45 mins to an hour 3 to 4 times per week and you're set, just stay consistent and the results will come.

why are u soo buff

Well thank you if that's a good thing lol.

I've tried to be disciplined in fitness and I work very hard to develop as a bodybuilder and a trainer.

how can i tone my inner thighs and the backs of my upper arms??? thanks!

Don't use the "T" word lol. You can "Better Sculpt" your inner thighs by direct work on an adductor and abbductor machine and your triceps you can help by doing pushdowns with all kinds of bars and ropes and Overhead dumbbell extensions. This will build muscle, but as far as defining, that all comes down to diet.

Ok, every summer i have the same sleep scheduel, like 3a.m.-2p.m. but now that i'm getting older and that i have a job i just am tired all the time. By the time i wake up over half the day is gone. So now i see mostly night and thats tiring too. I don't want to go on sleep aids but if i try to fall asleep i can't its just gotta happen naturaly. Any ideas? I rate high for good advice!

Fortunately there is an all natural sleep aid that is available if you don't want to keep taking Excedrin or Tylenol PM

This is called Melatonin and it's our body's sleep hormone which keeps us in deep sleep. Very cheap to buy and widely available at all health food stores and best of all...it's all natural. Look for a 2mg dose minimum and follow the instructions on the label for usage.

I am 13/f and 5'3". I've hit puberty and everything but I was just wondering how much I should weigh. I do sports and everything (i play lacrosse and go to the gym once and awhile) but I weigh 125 lbs. Like I'm a size one in pants and a size small in shirts, but why do I weigh this much? Is it my muscle or something or what? Just wondering since you know about fitness and stuff.
-Jess
p.s. Keep up with the good answers =)

Jess-

Weight is such a relative and misconceiving tool to go by with determining your fitness level. Let what you see in the mirror be your best judgment.

Case in point is your own situation- if you were a 5'3" female at your age who weighed 125 lbs of fat you would look like you're in very bad condition. Your bodyweight is mostly muscle from what you have described to me so keep up your good fitness ways and you'll continue to excel :-)

I want to lose a couple of pounds and i got the whole exrecise portion covered but my problem is healthy eating. I don't know what to eat that's healthy for me. I only want HEALTHY FOOD and the only thing that i know that is healthy is salad and i don't want to be eating that over and over again. It's breakfast time and i'm hungry. What are some healthy alternatives for breakfast, lunch and dinner?? I can go out and buy the foods i need just name some.

Don't go by breakfast, lunch, dinner....go by meal numbers.

Meal 1:
1/2 cup oatmeal w/skim or 1% milk and your choice of fresh fruit, peanut butter, 1tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp of sugar
2 eggs any style- preferably poached
8 oz juice, milk, or water

Meal 2:
8 oz skinless chicken breast (preferably grilled)
8 oz pasta, or 2 slices of whole wheat bread
Diet soda, Milk, Juice, Water

Snack:
1 handful assorted nuts or-
1 low fat string cheese

Meal 3:
8 oz chicken, meat, or any fish
1 medium baked potato w/ pat of butter or sour cream
small salad (Easy on the dressing)
Water

This is a good beginners diet, it breaks down good high quality protein sources, and I tried to order your carbs ranging from slow digesting in the morning to faster digesting towards your last meal so you don't store much body fat at rest.

Simple question: What exactly are crunches, how do you do them, why should you do them, what do they help with? Thanks!

Crunches are the most Ab-Specific exercise one can do. They are the most direct because they involve the abs in their most natural movement- bring the chest closer to the pelvis; hence a "Crunch". They will help to increase the muscularity of your midsection, the 6 muscles which make up the "Rectis-Abdominis" or more commonly known- Abs, but will not increase definition.

People who read my advice know that Iam not very into showcasing the cosmetic parts of a good body over the health aspect, but the cosmetic aspect certainly is gratifying so that is one reason.

The main reason people SHOULD do crunches instead of looking good is because a strong set of abs helps to counterract many lower back problems that plague vast amounts of people.

Execution:

-Lay flat on your back
-Bring your knees up as much as possible
-Get comfortable by either locking your hands behind your head or keeping them out to your sides during the movement (This is what I do)
-In a very slow and concentrated movement act as if you are trying to make your chest touch your pelvis and hold the peak contraction for 2 seconds and lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat.

Tips:

-Inhale on the way down, Exhale on the way up
-Most importantly- do these SLOW, you will see lots of people just going as fast as they can...this is very wrong, feel the contraction in the stomach and hold it and make your movements very deliberate...speed is not a factor here, but rather quality of contraction.

15 F Chicago and i'm always hearing disrespectful things about President Bush and how he is so insuboordinate(to sum it all up becuase i probably cannot swear on here) so basically my question is..why do so many people hate Bush? I mean he is our president and its a hard thing to do, i suppose? Just opinions guys. Thanks so much.

Because people watch NBC,ABC,CBS,CNN (Clinton News Network lol) which are all left wing liberal stations for their news since they're convieniently on cable TV and only a few channels away from MTV when a kid wants to decide to watch something on the news. All they tell you is the bad things and not the good things such as the fact that the economy is in excellent condition. Why do they do this? Because Democrats are jealous that they can't get elected so they slander Republicans on their major popular news networks. Want the truth? Tune into the Fox News Channel and watch The O'Reilly Factor.

People don't like him because he doesn't kiss everyone's ass by claiming they have "Rights" and I think this a great showing of character and we should be proud that he isn't influenced by the Absurdity that is the Democratic party.

That's why we Republicans are the Elephant and the Democrats are the Donkey :-)

ok i plan to do the special k plan thing

1.Does it work?
2.exactaly how do you do it?
3.will i really lose 6 puunds if i do it right?

and if i do 50 crunches in the morning and at night everyday when will i see results?

The only thing I can say that I like about the Special K plan is that it is better than the Hot Dog and Eggs diet (Real).

Unless its a hot cereal like Oatmeal or Farina then it really isn't that good for you especially since most people don't use skim milk with the cereal. The saturated fat of the whole milk causes a layer of fat to build between the muscle and skin leading to a smooth, undefined look. Not good.

I can however recommend a good diet plan for beginners and that's the Weight Watchers Point system. What I like most about this is that it teaches the most important fundamental in dieting and that is portion control.

Go ahead and try out the Special K plan and just see how it works for you- for some people it works like a gem. If not, then go ahead and try out that Weight Watchers system because it teaches you well.

I'm impressed with your experience in fitness, so I'm going to ask you a question!

I'm 4'10'' and 90 lbs. I'm not getting much taller so im not expecting my weight to fluxuate. I know my BM is fine and nothing to worry about since im 13, but my stomache has some flub on it. I eat a very healthy diet and do situps regulary, but i find that it never goes away. What things should i be doing. I run and dance a lot. Also i have a crease under my sorta "pot belly" and my doctor says its from doing situps. I really don't belive that...is it true?

First of all- Thank you :-)

Your problem is that you are doing sit-ups and not crunches for the exercise aspect. Sit-ups are not what you would call an "Ab-Specific" exercise but rather they target primarily the Hip Flexor or "Illiopsos" muscles which run from behind your hips just above the glutes to right in between your lower ab and pelvis region.

Try this experiment-
- Stand up and use one hand to hold onto something
- Lift one leg in the air and hold your free hand on the lower part of your stomach and lower your leg down.

Notice anything? That you didn't feel a real contraction in your lower stomach but you kind of felt a little pull underneath the lower stomach. This is essentially what is happening when you do a Sit-up. Final verdict- for targeting the abs, crunches are king. Your doctor was wrong.

Your doctor and many doctors (unless they are sports medicine) usually aren't exactly "Fitness Buffs" and they're pretty quick to discourage exercise simply because they really don't know much about it. Case in point- the FDA recommendations of nutritional minimums are about 70 years obsolete and that's sad.

Listen to your body and above all with the effort and strain and all these things- enjoy it and learn to embrace and learn from all of the great disciplines and characteristics a life of fitness can offer you.

I have a horrible time dieting. I seem to not be able to NOT eat alot. That is horrible but it is the truth, however, when I'm with someone else who doesn't eat alot I'm fine.
What is wrong with me?

I believe your problem is that you're either a boredom or emotional eater. When you're in the company of one who doesn't eat much then you're subconsciously aware of this and you have a motivation to not show you are a big eater so you play the part.

When you're alone then you have no motivation to not eat a lot so you let your emotions get the best of you and almost like kind of get a fix for your addiction so to speak. This is a problem that faces many people and its cure really comes down to developing a personal and spiritual discipline to kick the overeating habit and your enviornment plays a big role in this too- if you're around healthy people most of the time then most likely this is going to rub off on you and the same is true for unhealthy or careless eating people as well.

Also remember that dieting isn't about "Eating Less" but rather "Eating Better" and don't slave over the amount you eat but rather the quality of the foods you take in and your activity level.

ok like im workin on losing some weight.. and like well i go on my tredmil land its syas like you lost 360 calories or sumtin (just givin a random number) but how do i kno like how many pounds i lost. like how many calories are in a pound of fat or sumtin. or is that like impossible to tell...??

Don't go by calories and numbers...go by what you see in the mirror or you will become a slave to a tool that doesn't work very well.

Did you know that muscle is a natural calorie burner and that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just doing nothing but sitting instead of painstakingly running on a treadmill?

By the time you burn 360 calories on a treadmill you really haven't burned anything and this is what the manufacturers neglect to tell you. Just because it says that you have burned 360 calories on the readout doesn't mean you really burned that many...it just means that you have done 360 calories worth of work. Your body can acclimate at an amazing rate and will make any change it needs to to make stress put upon it easier. This is why weightlifters always strive to go heavier all the time...because their body has acclimated to a particular workload where it once was beneficial but now does nothing.

If you are spending anymore than 15 minutes on a cardiovascular machine then you are wasting your time because your body acclimates to that workload very fast.

What you can do to counterract this is to employ what is called "Intensity Priniciples" and this includes Interval training. This is when you train at the maximum for 30 seconds, then go at a regular pace for 1 minute and then repeat to see how many intervals you can do. This forces your body to acclimate to different workloads so that it continues to burn calories instead of just doing the same thing for a set time where you really do nothing despite what the treadmill says.

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