The chest comprises the pectoralis major (located on the front of your rib cage) and the pectoralis minor (located underneath the pectoralis major). Both areas need to be targeted from every angle for optimal results. When training your chest or any other body part, dont forget to breathe properly and squeeze with each repetition. While this might sound cliche, it’s important to feel the muscle working when you train a particular body part. Its all about the mind-muscle connection.

You must give yourself at least 3 days rest between your chest workouts when training it 2x per week.  In the gym, you may see others doing crazy 50-60 set routines but you can literally do more than half of that with proper form, consistency, and with intensity. Some of those individuals are able to recover faster with those added skittles (if you know what I mean) that is in their system. Nonetheless, the routine Im giving you is more than enough as you will be shredded with this program.

While you might be sore from mere quantity, doing a few dozen sets is actually counterproductive—especially when completing a shorter routine will effectively train and immediately stimulate the body part you target. More isn’t necessarily better when it comes to muscle growth—proper form is.

Here are two routines you can integrate into your weekly routine to help sculpt your chest. They work all parts: incline exercises to target the upper region, flat-laying exercises to target the middle, and decline exercises to target the lower region. When executing these exercises, focus on achieving a full range of motion.

Rest for no more than one minute between sets to enhance muscle growth. Train with intensity, then get back up, and attack the next set to achieve a fuller physique.

Equipment/Accessories Used

Exercise Routine

His puddle of back sweat left for you to workout on. What the f*ck?… 

There’s etiquette that needs to be followed at the gym. Additionally, you run into people you know. Possible business opportunities.

Single men, you’re on the alert because gyms are hotspots for attractive women. The point is – gyms are social hubs and any public space has a code of etiquette.

Nobody wants to use the sweaty machines after you’ve dropped half a kilo of perspiration on the bench press. The power of a first impression is applicable in the gym too. 

Wearing the right clothing, with the right workout gear and practicing good hygiene can make a huge difference between an enjoyable workout and 60 minutes of misery.

What are some of the things you see at the gym which you wish you didn’t see at the gym?

Enter waist training: wearing a corset-like contraption (yes, like the ones from the 1500s) to cinch your core, hips, and back. The idea is to wear it for a certain amount of time every day, and eventually, your body “molds” itself into a slimmer figure. Sounds easy enough—Jessica Alba told Net-a-Porter she used this to lose the baby weight and Khloé and Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Amber Rose have posted selfies sporting the waist-cinching tool. Now to the big question: Should you try it? Well…probably not.

When you wear this 500-year-old device, you squish your lungs and ribs, which makes it hard to breathe. (Duh.) Some women have actually passed out from wearing one for too long, says Christopher Ochner, Ph.D., weight loss and nutrition expert at Mount Sinai Hospital. And if you keep wearing it for an extended period of time? It ain’t pretty: Think crushed organs, compressed lungs, and fractured ribs.

Plus, experts say it doesn’t really work. (*Mic drop.*) “Spot reducing doesn’t exist,” says Ochner. “You can’t reduce the collection of fat in any one particular area of your body. If you push your stomach in, all the fat will go right back to where it was no matter how long [you wear the corset] for.” Yes, some people can get away with wearing the waist trainer without any real harm done. But for a real, long-term weight-loss plan, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries. You know that exercise does your body good, but you’re too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there’s good news when it comes to exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you’re not an athlete or even if you’re out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

• It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.
• It’s meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you’ll often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements.As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.
• It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Put exercise and stress relief to work for you

A successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

• Consult with your doctor. If you haven’t exercised for some time and you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
• Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and possibly even injury.For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (such as brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running). You also can do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.Also, incorporate strength training exercises at least twice a week.
• Do what you love. Virtually any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.
• Pencil it in. Although your schedule may necessitate a morning workout one day and an evening activity the next, carving out some time to move every day helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority.

Stick with it

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or reinvigorating a tired workout:

• Set SMART goals. Write down SMART goals — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited goals.  If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life and recharge your batteries, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week or, if needed, finding a baby sitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to attend a cycling class.
• Find a friend. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation and commitment to your workouts.
• Change up your routine. If you’ve always been a competitive runner, take a look at other less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, such as Pilates or yoga classes. As an added bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing your stress.
• Exercise in increments. Even brief bouts of activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk, try three 10-minute walks instead. Interval training, which entails brief (60 to 90 seconds) bursts of intense activity at almost full effort, is being shown to be a safe, effective and efficient way of gaining many of the benefits of longer duration exercise. What’s most important is making regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.

Whatever you do, don’t think of exercise as just one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy — whether it’s an active tennis match or a meditative meander down to a local park and back — and make it part of your regular routine. Any form of physical activity can help you unwind and become an important part of your approach to easing stress.

Vitamin D RDA (Required Daily Amount)

The amount required depends on your age and sometimes other factors such as a woman being pregnant. 

Life Stage Recommended Amount

Birth to 12 months=>400 IU

Children 1-13 years=>600 IU

Teens 14-18 years=>600 IU

Adults 19-70 years=>600 IU

Adults 71 years and older=>800 IU

Pregnant and breastfeeding women=>600 IU

Vitamin D and Foods

Very few foods naturally have vitamin D. But you can find them in these foods:

• Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are the best sources.
• Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks provide small amounts.
• Mushrooms provide some vitamin D. In some mushrooms that are newly available in stores, the vitamin D content is being boosted by exposing these mushrooms to ultraviolet light.
• Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified.
• Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages; check the labels.

Vitamin D and Sun

The body makes vitamin D when our skin is directly exposed to the sun and most people get their vitamin D this way. Skin exposed to sunshine indoors through a window will not produce vitamin D. Cloudy days, shade, and having dark-colored skin also cut down on the amount of vitamin D the skin makes. But despite the importance of the sun to vitamin D, there is a limit to exposure of skin to sunlight in order to lower the risk for skin cancer. 

When out in the sun for more than a few minutes you should wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 8 or more. Tanning beds also cause the skin to make vitamin D, but pose similar risks for skin cancer. People who avoid the sun or who cover their bodies with sunscreen or clothing should include good sources of vitamin D in their diets or take a supplement. Recommended intakes of vitamin D are set on the assumption of little sun exposure.

Deficient in Vitamin D and the Effects

People can become deficient in vitamin D because they don’t consume enough or absorb enough from food and their exposure to sunlight is limited, or their kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form in the body. In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, a condition in which the bones become soft and bend. It’s a rare disease but still occurs, especially among African American infants and children. In adults, vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia, causing bone pain and muscle weakness.

Vitamin D is being studied for its possible connections to several diseases and medical problems, including diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Two of them discussed below are bone disorders and some types of cancer.

Can vitamin D be harmful?

Yes, when amounts in the blood become too high. Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. And by raising blood levels of calcium, too much vitamin D can cause confusion, disorientation, and problems with heart rhythm. Excess vitamin D can also damage the kidneys.

The upper limit for vitamin D is 1,000 to 1,500 IU/day for infants, 2,500 to 3,000 IU/day for children 1-8 years, and 4,000 IU/day for children 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and lactating teens and women. Vitamin D toxicity almost always occurs from overuse of supplements. Excessive sun exposure doesn’t cause vitamin D poisoning because the body limits the amount of this vitamin it produces.

Now, I recommend that everyone should enjoy some time in the sun every day without sunscreen protection in order to optimize levels of vitamin D, which is made in the body with exposure to sunlight. Only a few minutes daily is required to raise your vitamin D to appropriately high levels, which are critical for healthy bones and protection against many forms of cancer and multiple sclerosis. If you do stay out a bit longer, most people do use sunscreen which block D synthesis. So I do recommend 2000 IU of supplemental vitamin D daily no matter where you live.  Do get further medical advice if you feel any health concerns in this area.  You now have some general knowledge so go out and enjoy yourself with some sunshine. Why not have a picnic with a tuna sandwich?!