Certain actors go to extremes when it comes time to prepare for a role.

And these Hollywood celebs were not messing around!

Check out how far they went in terms of diet and exercise to prepare for big movie parts.

To prepare for Top Gun: Maverick,Miles Teller said, For me to gain weight, that was the toughest part, man. For breakfast, it was like six eggs, and then, you know, you work out, and then you have a shake and then it was two lunches.

Each lunch would be like a chicken breast, a full potato, and some broccoli, and I would have two of those and then I remember there would be another snack after that. And I remember for dinner specifically, it was 20 ounces of certain fish or steak. And so youre just eating so much. Thats really what I didnt enjoy.

Cooper packed on the pounds to star inAmerican Sniper.

The Hollywood star said, It was a real shock to my body. If its pizza and cake, thats one thing. Putting 6,000 calories a day in your body gets old quick.

His diet for the role included five meals a day.

Efron got absolutely ripped for his role inBaywatchbut it sounds like he never wants to do anything like that again.

Efron said, Really, it was so hard. Youre working with almost no wiggle room. Youve got things like water under your skin youre worrying about. Making your six-pack into a four-pack. Shit like that. Thats just not its just stupid. Its just not real.

And he missed carbs in a major way. He said, I went, like, years without eating carbs. When I shot Baywatch, I didnt have a carb for like six months. I almost lost my mind. You need this. Like, its so good.

Swedish actor Skarsgrd trained for eight months for his role in The Legend of Tarzan.

For three months he ate 7,000 calories a day and then switched to six small meals a day that he claims drove him crazy with hunger.

Talk about commitment.

Bale is known as an intense actor and he lost an incredible 63 pounds in four months to get ready to filmThe Machinist,which was released in 2004.

Every day he only ate an apple, a can of tuna, and he drank coffee.

In 2019, Bale said, Im older and I feel like if I keep doing what Ive done in the past, Im going to d**.

The rapper/actor quickly lost 50 pounds in two-and-a-half months for his role as a cancer patient in the film All Things Fall Apart.

He ran for three hours on a treadmill every day and stuck to a liquid diet to drop the pounds.

He said he didnt want to see a doctor during this training because I had to match the look in my mind. I was so into what I was doing that I wasnt really concerned with that. I just kept looking at myself in the mirror feeling like I have to be smaller. I had to match.

Hemsworth survived on only 500 calories per day and lost 33 pounds in one month for his part in the filmIn the Heart of the Sea.

Hemsworth said, At one point, a days rations were a boiled egg, a couple of crackers, and a celery stick.

Damon wasnt yet a huge star when he appeared inCourage Under Firein 1996.

In fact, it only took two days to film his scenes in the movie, but Damon lost a whopping 50 pounds for his role as a drug addict by consuming only 100 calories per day. He also ran 13 miles every day to lose weight.

But the training came at a price. Damon ended up damaging his adrenal gland and needed to be on medicine for a year-and-a-half to try to fix it.

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8 Hollywood Actors Talk About the Crazy Diet and Exercise Habits They Did for Movie Roles - Twisted Sifter

The model Kate Moss has been named the latest creative director of Diet Coke. She will work across projects including a collection, advertising campaign films and events around the brands 40th anniversary.

Moss said on Friday she was thrilled to join the Diet Coke family, adding: I love the past collaborations theyve done with such incredible names in fashion.

Michael Willeke, the integrated experience director for Europe at the Coca-Cola company, said the company was honoured to appoint Kate Moss as our new creative director, continuing Diet Cokes rich history of collaborating with some of the biggest names in fashion and culture.

It is striking that, in an era of body positivity, a diet drink has partnered with a woman known for her slender physique and the famous pronouncement that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

The fashion industry publication Womens Wear Daily suggested the collaboration harked back to a time when waifish physiques were in fashion. The writer Tianwei Zhang described Moss as a poster child for the skinny model trend in the early aughts which was associated with models drinking this sugar-free beverage backstage and off-duty.

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Diet Cokes connection with fashion is longstanding. Moss follows other fashion faces who have occupied the creative director role. Diet Coke has previously partnered with the designers Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs, and the drink was a sponsor at London fashion week in February.

The drink has previously been namechecked by former models as part of a meagre diet to stay thin enough to succeed in the industry. In her 2017 memoir, the former model Victoire Maon Dauxerre wrote about limiting her calorie intake to three apples a day and Diet Coke, while the former Vogue Australia editor Kirstie Clements called cigarettes and Diet Coke dietary staples for models.

This appointment is aligned with the drinks 40th anniversary. First launched in 1982, Diet Coke was the second most popular soft drink in the UK in 2021, second only to full-fat Coke. Its market share was valued at 217.1m.

Moss denounced nothing tastes as good as skinny feels in 2018. Theres so much more diversity now, she told NBCs Megyn Kelly. I think its right. Theres so many different sizes and colours and heights.

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According to the CDC, 37.3 million people in the U.S. have diabetes (11.3% of the population) and 96 million have prediabetes (38.0% of the adult population). "Diabetes happens when you have too much sugar, also called glucose, in your blood," says Adrian Vella, MD. "Normally, when your body digests food, sugar goes into your bloodstream then into your cells, where it serves as fuel for those cells. Sugar gets into the cells with the help of the hormone insulin. When you eat, your pancreas secretes insulin into your bloodstream. As insulin circulates, it acts like a key that allows sugar to enter your cells and lowers the amount of sugar in your blood. In people with diabetes and prediabetes, this process doesn't work the way it should. Instead of fueling your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream." Here are the main causes of diabetes, according to experts. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

People infected with COVID-19 are 40% more likely to develop diabetes up to a year later, according to recent studies. "The real question is whether there's an association to the viral infection, or if the coronavirus illness simply brought out the diabetes sooner than it would have otherwise been identified," says Kathleen Wyne, MD, PhD.

One study of over 200,000 people published in PLoS Medicine showed that a diet consisting of foods such as fruits, beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains helped prevent diabetes, whereas people who consumed refined grains and excessive amounts of sugar were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. "Given the dramatic increase in the incidence of diabetes in this country, studies that identify preventive approaches are worthy of attention," says Robert H. Shmerling, MD. "Besides providing some of the strongest support to date for recommendations for healthier diets, perhaps the biggest impact of a study like this should be for people at increased risk of disease."

Exercise is important in helping prevent diabetes, experts say. "People with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than their sedentary counterparts, and those who exercised three to four hours a week cut their risk even more," says Harvard Health. "Women with diabetes who spent at least four hours a week doing moderate exercise (including walking) or vigorous exercise had a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who didn't exercise. These benefits persisted even after researchers adjusted for confounding factors, including BMI, smoking, and other heart disease risk factors."

One study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that women who spent prolonged periods of time sitting throughout the day were at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes. "This study provides important new evidence that higher levels of sitting time have a deleterious impact on insulin resistance and chronic low-grade inflammation in women but not men and that this effect is seen regardless of how much exercise is undertaken," says Dr. Thomas Yates, senior lecturer in physical activity, sedentary behavior and health at the University of Leicester. "This suggests that women who meet the national recommendations of 30 minutes of exercise a day may still be compromising their health if they are seated for the rest of the day. It therefore suggests that enabling women to spend less time sitting may be an important factor in preventing chronic disease."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Being overweight or obese is one of the main drivers of insulin resistance and diabetes. The link between excessive fat and diabetes is so strong it's resulted in a new term: "diabesity." "Diabesity is a disease with enormous potential to cause ill effects on the body in the long run," says endocrinologist Jay Waddadar, MD. "Some people don't understand the importance of taking the steps to manage it because they're feeling well at the time of diagnosis. But that's a big mistake. Diabesity is a silent disease that damages your body if it's not controlled, even while you feel fine."

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The #1 Cause of Diabetes, According to Physicians Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Rebecca Puhl is the deputy director of UConns nationally renowned Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health. The center, based at UConn Hartford, promotes solutions to weight bias, food insecurity, and poor diet quality through research and policy.

Puhl, who is also a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, was part of a panel discussion called Spotlight on Weight Stigma on June 29 in New York City. The event concentrated on how weight stigma is portrayed in the media and was moderated by Deborah Roberts of ABC News. The panel was sponsored by the Media Empathy Foundation and Puhl was the only researcher in the group. Other panelists included Mike Paseornek, the founder of Lionsgate Films, and David Sloan, a producer at ABC News.

Tell us about the event and how you got involved.

The Media Empathy Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to change perceptions of people in popular culture who have stigmatized conditions. They try to harness the media to play a key role in creating content that promotes empathy and respect for people who have stigmatized identities. This event was specially focused on weight stigma in popular culture and this is an area of my research expertise.

I had two roles in this event as I was part of the expert panel with media moguls and I also gave a presentation at the beginning of the event to set the stage. We see a lot of negative stereotyping of people who have a higher body weight or larger body size in the media. These bodies are portrayed as something to gawk at or projects that need to be changed. The objective of this event was to bring experts and media people together to discuss where changed is needed and what the steps are to initiate that change.

Does the media have a responsibility in changing weight stigma?

I do think the media think has a very important role to play in tackling all forms of stigma, including weight. The media has such a profound influence on shaping public attitudes, beliefs, and opinion. Its really only by implementing changes in the way we perceive people in the media that we can have lasting changes that will help create a society where people of all body sizes are treated with respect and dignity.

We need to see characters in television and film who have larges body sizes, but are portrayed as multi-dimensional, complex people with interesting lives where their size is not the story line. It is rare to see that and it needs to change. The media has such an important opportunity to shift societal attitudes about weight, but this requires media content creators learn about weight stigma and take the initiative to address it in their work. These creators are really well intentioned people and they dont want to do harm, but they need to know the information.

It requires change at all levels, not just decision makers like producers, but writers, editors, advertisers, costumer designers. Everyone in these fields need to be educated about weight stigma and really take steps to promote more positive and respectful representation of people with higher weight in their work.

What can the average person do about weight stigma?

You want to take a look at the interactions you have in your own life and think about the thoughts you have when you interact with a person that has a larger body size. Take note of those thoughts and what stereotypes are going through your mind. Instead of making assumptions, try to challenge those stereotypes and look for examples of people, whether it is in the media, your community or your friends and family, that challenge those stereotypes. Most people with larger body sizes do not reflect the negative stereotypes that our society has created, so its about active challenging yourself on a day-to-day basis.

We know from the obesity field that weight is very complex, but thats not the message that gets out to the general public because its not an easy soundbite and it doesnt help the weight loss or diet industry. Its much more challenging than personal willpower or choice.

Has the social media explosion helped or hurt the issue?

Its both. Social media platforms have become a place where body shaming occurs frequently and where people, particularly women, are disparaged about their bodies. We see this really unhealthy movement of airbrushing and changing what peoples bodies look like in an artificial way because no one feels confident enough to be who they are.

At the same time, we have seen movements like the Body Positivity Movement gain traction on social media that are calling out weight stigma and bringing attention to the issue. I dont think the positive has outweighed the negative. My biggest concern is what young people are seeing and how it influences who they are by what is being posted. Its very harmful.

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New research suggests the health impacts of shift work persist over time.

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As most Americans wind down for bed,15 million peopleare just clocking into work. These hospital workers, emergency responders, factory operators and others are among the 20 percent of the worlds population who do shift work. Their different sleep-wake cycle elevates their risk for numerous health disorders, including diabetes, heart attacks, cancer and strokes.

Now,new researchpublished inNeurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythmsshows the adverse effects of shift work can be long-lasting, even after returning to a normal schedule.

Shift work, especially rotating shift work, confuses our body clocks and that has important ramifications in terms of our health and well-being and connection to human disease, said David Earnest, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine. When our internal body clocks are synchronized properly, they coordinate all our biological processes to occur at the right time of day or night. When our body clocks are misaligned, whether through shift work or other disruptions, that provides for changes in physiology, biochemical processes and various behaviors.

Aprevious study done by Earnest and colleagues found animal models on rotating shift work schedules hadmore severe stroke outcomes, in terms of both brain damage and functional deficits, than those on regular 24-hour cycles of day and night. Males were distinguished by worse outcomes in which mortality rates were much higher.

This new study took a different approach. Rather than examining immediate effects of shift work on strokes, the researchers returned all subjects to regular 24-hour cycles and waited until their midlife equivalent when humans are most likely to experience a stroke to evaluate stroke severity and outcomes.

What was already born out in epidemiological studies is that most people only experience shift work for five to eight years and then presumably go back to normal work schedules, Earnest said. We wanted to determine, is that enough to erase any problems that these circadian rhythm disruptions have, or do these effects carry over even after returning to normal work schedules?

They found that the health impacts of shift work do, indeed, persist over time. The sleep-wake cycles of subjects on shift work schedules never truly returned to normal, even after subsequent exposure to a regular schedule. Compared to controls maintained on a regular day-night cycle throughout the study, they displayed persistent alterations of their sleep-wake rhythms, with periods of abnormal activity when sleep would have normally occurred. When they suffered strokes, their outcomes were again much worse than the control group, except females had more severe functional deficits and higher mortality than the males.

The data from this study take on added health-related significance, especially in females, because stroke is a risk factor for dementia and disproportionately affects older women, said Farida Sohrabji, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics and director of the Womens Health in Neuroscience Program.

The researchers also observed increased levels of inflammatory mediators from the gut in subjects exposed to a shift work schedule. We now think that part of the underlying mechanism for what were seeing in terms of circadian rhythm disruption causing more severe strokes may involve altered interactions between the brain and gut, Earnest said.

The results of this study could eventually lead to the development of interventions that block adverse effects of disrupted circadian rhythms. In the meantime, shift workers can improve care of their internal body clocks by trying to maintain a regular schedule as much as possible and avoiding a diet high in fat, which can cause inflammation and also alter the timing of circadian rhythms.

This research has clear implications for shift workers, but it could extend to many other people who keep schedules that differ greatly from day to day.

Because of the computer age, many more of us are no longer working from nine to five. We take our work home and sometimes work late at night, Earnest said. Even those of us who do work regular schedules have a tendency to stay up late on the weekends, producing what is known as social jet lag, which similarly unwinds our body clocks so they no longer keep accurate time. All this can lead to the same effects on human health as shift work.

To avoid some of these health hazards, Earnest says the best approach is to maintain a regular schedule of awake time, sleep time and mealtimes that doesnt vary drastically from day to day. In addition, avoid the usualcardiovascular risk behaviorslike eating a high-fat diet, not getting enough physical activity, drinking too much alcohol and smoking.

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Shift Work Increases The Severity Of Strokes Later In Life - Texas A&M University Today

When most people think of cactus, a prickly plant probably comes to mind. But pretty soon, cactus water, a beverage with trace minerals and a natural fruity flavor, may also be on everyones radar, available at your local health food store next to the coconut water and sea moss gel.

Cactus water is hot in the functional beverage space, just like coconut water, because its a plant-based beverage that contains electrolytes and antioxidants, says Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, the Chicago-based creator of the podcastNourishing Notes.

Still, not all commercial cactus waters are created equal. They could be healthy or [they] could be adulterated and not beneficial, says Ann Marie Chiasson MD, MPH, the director of the fellowship in integrative medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine in Tuscson, Arizona.

Heres what you need to know about cactus water before you head to the store to stock up.

Cactus water is sourced from prickly pear cactus pads, also called nopals, and fruit according to aMay 2020 article in Food Reviews International. Prickly pears originated in Mexico, and the Aztecs used the plant medicinally, as theUniversity of Chicago Illinois Heritage Garden notes.

While most people buy it at the store, it is possible to make cactus water yourself (more on that later).

Cactus water is sometimes compared to coconut water, thanks to its naturally occurring electrolytes minerals such as potassium that are needed for multiple bodily functions, according to Cedars-Sinai.

That said, some cactus water brands claim to contain less than half the calories and sugar in coconut water. And that's a reasonable claim: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 milliliters (ml) (about cup) of coconut water contains the following:

Not all cactus water is the same. The minerals in your water will depend on the brand you choose. Two popular companies, Caliwater and True Nopal, offer small amounts of carbohydrates, as well as the electrolytes magnesium and potassium.

True Nopal

According to the USDA, 100 ml of True Nopal contains:

Caliwater

Meanwhile, 100 ml of Caliwater, according to the USDA, contains:

Scientific research doesnt support most of the proposed benefits of cactus water. But here are some of the theoretical perks of the ingredient.

According to an article posted by the Mayo Clinic, prickly pear cactus contains antioxidants that may lower inflammation. The registered dietitian-nutritionist queried refers to a study published in Food & Nutrition Research in August 2018, in which healthy volunteers ate prickly pear cactus fruit for two weeks and had statistically lower pro-inflammatory markers than a control group of people who didnt eat the fruit.

Prickly pear also contains betalains, anti-inflammatory pigments known for their pink hue and antioxidant properties.

And just how much cactus water would a person with diabetes need to drink to garner those touted benefits? Theres not enough research, and the dose is not determined, says Dr. Chiasson. A review published in May 2019 in the journal Medicina even notes a lack of evidence for the use of prickly pear products to mitigate type 2 diabetes risk or to manage the disease. Specifically, the authors wrote that it doesnt appear to have a significant effect on glucose or insulin.

Then theres the added sugars in some of these products, which could be harmful to people with diabetes.

Theoretically, a swig of cactus water after a night of drinking may offer a hangover remedy because it contains electrolytes. As MedlinePlus notes, electrolyte solutions can help you replenish some of the electrolytes you lose after drinking alcohol heavily.

Retelny points out that people have traditionally used cactus water as a topical elixir for wounds and overly sun exposed skin. (Alaboratory study published in December 2017 in Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters of prickly pear cactus extracts on human skin cells exposed to UV light supports this.) That said, scientists havent tested this hypothesis on commercial cactus water beverages, just concentrated extract, and more studies are needed.

A few studies show this drink may benefit people living with certain digestive issues, but the research is preliminary and in animals. For example, astudy published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that prickly pear cactus protected against stress-induced acute gastric lesions in rats. Another study, published in January 2017 in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that prickly pear relieved constipation in rats. That doesnt mean those effects would happen in humans. In general, more human studies are needed to determine cactus waters beneficial effects in the body, says Retelny.

Mayo Clinic notes that cactus water may have some side effects, including diarrhea and nausea. Adds Retelny, Cactus water may cause gastrointestinal distress due to its laxative nature. It may also cause headaches and hypoglycemia. Though the latter risk may be low, judging by the results of the aforementioned Medicina paper, Retelny says people on blood-sugar-lowering medications, including people with diabetes, should be cautious about drinking cactus water check with your healthcare team first (that goes for anyone who is on medication or managing an underlying health condition).

Another thing to be mindful of, nutritionally speaking: If theres added sugar in cactus water, moderate how much you drink, says Retelny. Check the label of any store-bought cactus water to see if it's loaded with added sugar. Aim for less than 10 percent of daily calories from added sugars, Retelny adds.

If your doctor says you can safely drink cactus water, you may consider DIYing it. To do so, acquire a prickly pear cactus fruit that's had its spines removed these are available at Lowes and other stores. Boil the fruit in water and scoop out the flesh, then strain it through cheesecloth to extract the liquid, says Retelny. You can add water or sweetener if its too concentrated or the flavor of the plain fruit is too strong, and then you can store it in the refrigerator for up to three days, she suggests. (Note: Don't add too much sweetener, or it'll lose its status as a healthful drink.)

Some people will freeze [the fruit], which allows it to pop open and then defrost it and squeeze it through cheesecloth to remove the spines, says Chiasson, who says she makes cactus water in the summer months and adds it to recipes.

Research on cactus water is lacking, and it has few proven health benefits, but overall it seems to offer a relatively low-carb, low-calorie alternative to coconut water (and it may have a more pleasant taste) if you want a hydrating drink that will replenish electrolytes. I always say theres nothing wrong with trying new products, such as cactus water, but know your own health limitations and start with small amounts, says Retelny.

Remember to always check out the label so you know whats in there, too. Look at almond milk some are good and some are not; some use very few almonds and add a lot of sugar, says Chiasson. And understand that this drink isn't a magic potion. Nothing beats a balanced diet filled with whole plant foods and plenty of water throughout the day, Retelny adds.

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Many people want to be strong and fit, but not bulky like a bodybuilder. The right exercises and nutrition make it possible to become powerful without excess mass.

Bodybuilding is a popular form of body modification, especially within the United States. Bulking up and building a body that looks as though it was chiseled out of marble to resemble the Incredible Hulk is the goal of some, but it isnt ideal for everyone.

Having a bodybuilders physical isnt necessarily healthy, regardless of how it looks. Some cultures, such as Asian and some Middle-Eastern ones, typically find it unattractive, preferring something slim but powerful. Some people dont like it just because they find that such a body hinders functional strength and flexibility.

Indeed, many martial artists try to avoid having a massive, lumbering body. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan both designed workouts meant to increase functional strength while still leaving them slim and fast enough to perform their martial arts and stunts.

Bruce Lee did try bulking up for a while but found that it slowed him down and made him too large a target, so he focused his energy on building strength without mass.

Not everyone wants a bulky bodybuilder body. Yet most people dont have to worry about this, because it takes tremendous effort and nutrition to achieve. For many body types, gaining strength and fitness without big mass gains is possible.

First of all, its not incredibly difficult to gain strength without mass. It takes specific diets and supplements to achieve a bodybuilders body type. Just going to the gym isnt going to make you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Hulk Hogan, so you can leave those fears outside where they belong. This is true for both women and men. After all, gymnasts are the strongest athletes, per pound anyway, on the planet, yet theyre very slim.

You will gain some mass. Thats inevitable as your muscles grow, but you still wont find yourself looking like the Macho Man, Randy Savage. Look at the physic of Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee vs that of David Tennant or Johnny Depp back in his Edward Scissorhands role. Both sets of men are slim, but Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan have slightly bigger muscles.

Gymnasts are typically very strong, yet still slim.

The following are some of the best exercises for building strength. Remember to stay safe. If you feel any pain (not burn; thats different) or discomfort, stop immediately. Pain is your bodys way of warning you that something isnt right and you can easily suffer injury if you persist.

Squats

Squats are fantastic strength-building shortcuts, as they work virtually every muscle in your body from the waist down. The hips, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quadriceps are all given a thorough workout during this exercise.

Beginners should perform a squat by lowering themselves into a sitting position. You dont crouch when youre at your lowest point but pretend instead as though youre sitting in an imaginary chair. Pause when youre at your lowest (you determine how many counts you can handle) and then rise.

Intermediate squatters can add a jump to the end of their squat instead of simply rising back into a standing position. Around this stage, some people prefer not to hold the squatting position, allowing the explosive rise into a jump to work most of the muscle training.

Advanced practitioners can add hand weights, an exercise band, or place a barbell across your shoulders. Some advanced squatters also prefer not to pause and hold when theyre at the bottom of their squat but to rise again immediately, allowing the weights to strengthen and tighten their muscles rather than simply holding their own body weight.

Remember to keep your back straight as you perform squats, especially if you have weights across your shoulders. Inhale as you rise and exhale as you go into the squat.

Burpee

A burpee is similar to a squat, but it has added steps to increase its cardio and help strengthen shoulders as well.

You begin with a standing position then drop into a squat and place your hands on the ground. It may look like youre getting ready to lift something off the floor.

Next, you extend your legs into a plank position. If youre having trouble visualizing this, itll look like youre about to do a push-up. Your arms are extended, not folded beneath the weight of your upper body.

Dont lower yourself to the ground as you would in a push-up; rise back into a squat position. Try to keep the motion fluid before finally raising yourself back into a standing position.

Burpees arent meant to be performed in a leisurely manner. Instead, you should see how many you can do per minute, trying to increase the number of burpees you can successfully perform. The United States army likes its soldiers to be able to perform around 40 burpees within 20 seconds. Remember not to push yourself beyond your limit, though! Everyone starts at a different number and most wont achieve the kinds of numbers required by the military.

Rotating Sit-Up

Sit-ups are an exercise staple when it comes to strengthening your abs or your core. There are many ways to perform sit-ups with rotating sit-ups being more advanced.

Beginners can start with the basic sit-up. Lay on the floor with your legs bent and place your hands behind your head or across your chest. You can mix up these methods as youll get different benefits from each. Just use your abs to lift yourself up and lower yourself down.

When youre comfortable with that, you can move into a rotating sit-up. There are two different kinds of these.

The first is to place your hands behind your head and lift yourself up. However, when youre upright, twist your torso so that your left elbow swings over to your right knee. Lower yourself back to the floor and do it again, this time swinging your right elbow to your left knee. Continue to alternate.

The second variation is when your arms are across your chest. When you rise, you alternate between touching your right ankle with your left hand and touching your left ankle with your right hand.

Clean and Press

Before you read on, be advised that clean and press exercises should first be demonstrated by an instructor or fitness coach. At the very least, you should watch a video of how to safely perform them, as its easy to hurt yourself with this exercise.

That being said, its a very effective exercise to incorporate into your workout routine. It strengthens your abs, shoulders, back, and arms all in one exercise, potentially cutting down the number of different exercises needed to work these muscle groups individually.

You begin with a barbell resting on the ground. If youre just starting out, dont pile the weight on. In fact, you should never just pile weight on, as its too easy to accidentally injure yourself if the barbell slips from your grip. You want just enough weight to make the muscles do some work when youre going through the movements.

Squatting down, you pick up the barbell and, in an explosion of energy and driving through the heels, bring the barbell to rest on the front of your shoulders. Dont lean back to balance the barbell or you could hurt yourself!

Next, you bend your knees slightly and, driving through the hips, thrust the barbell up and hold it above your head, arms extended. You may choose to pause and hold for a count or two or you can bring the barbell back to the floor right away. Its lowered back to the ground in a single movement, so dont first return the weight to your chest.

Again, start with light weights and work up. It can be dangerous to perform this exercise with a lot of weight, and if you start feeling any pain, stop immediately.

Pullover

Though this exercise is less common nowadays, its effective at strengthening the triceps, biceps, back, and chest area. Beginners should use a dumbbell but more advanced practitioners can use a barbell.

Lay flat on a bench and place the weight in your hands. The dumbbell should be gripped on one end by both hands while a barbell should be gripped shoulder-width apart. Bring your arms behind your head, bend the elbows, then reverse to bring the weights level with your chest again.

This is a simple exercise and is appropriate for all fitness levels.

Curls

This exercise can be done with either dumbbells or barbells and it primarily works the biceps and forearms and improves grip strength. Youre probably already aware of this exercise to some degree.

You take two dumbbells, one in each hand, or grip a barbell shoulder-width apart, palms facing inward. Bend your knees slightly and contract your biceps, curling the weights up to the upper pectorals. Then you slowly lower the weights back to their starting position.

This is another simple, safe exercise for building strength in your hands and arms.

Bench Press

Time to end on a classic. This exercise is incorporated into many peoples fitness routines and is a great way to improve strength in your grip, biceps, and chest. Be aware that this exercise can add some size to your chest, so martial artists and those looking to keep a slim figure advise you to curtail them.

Lay flat on a bench, to begin with. Grip a barbell at the shoulder-width length and push the barbell off the support pins, extending your arms as far as they can go. Slowly bring the barbell back down to your chest, exhaling as you do, then push it back up.

Remember not to start with too much weight. Some people have become pinned beneath their own weights, and this can be fatal. Use caution and common sense and this exercise can become one of your favorites.

Feeling the burn is normal, and feeling some minor aches or cramps in the muscles is normal, too. However, any pain means you should stop. Try re-evaluating how youre performing an exercise, move on to a new one, or maybe see your doctor if you feel that your experience is particularly abnormal.

Its easy to build functional strength without packing on a lot of mass and by focusing on exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once, you can cut down on your workout time.

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Slim, but Powerful: How To Build Strength Without Bulk - SciTechDaily