Three Steps to Strength and Stamina

Sets and reps get old. This routine from Jim Liston, C.S.C.S., founder of Catz Sports in Pasadena, Calif., builds muscle and endurance through pyramid repetitions.
After the warmup (No. 1), do one rep of exercise pair No. 2, then two reps, then three, then four, and then work back down to one rep. Repeat with exercise pair No. 3. Do as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes.
1. Boxer's Punch + Dumbbell Squat
With a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, throw 32 punches, alternating lefts and rights. Then let your arms hang loosely at your sides and place your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then press back up. Complete 16 squats. Repeat the sequence once.
2. Push-Up + Prone Row
Push-up: Place two six-sided dumbbells on the floor and grip them while you do a full push-up. (Lower in two seconds, push up in one.)
Prone row: In the up position of the push-up (still holding onto the dumbbells), bring your right-hand weight up to your armpit and squeeze your shoulder blade back. Lower the weight and repeat the move with your left arm. (Take one second to raise the weight and two seconds to lower it.)
3. Jump Squat + Curl
Jump squat: Assume a squat position as you hold dumbbells at your sides, your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Press through your heels to explode up quickly. Then land softly on the balls of your feet and sink back onto your heels.
Curl: After landing, let the dumbbells hang at your sides. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights up. (Take one second to raise them and two seconds to lower.)

Content Provided By Men's Health

Red Means Go!!!

Choose your workout clothes carefully.According to psychologists, red can increase blood circulation and body temperature, which can boost workout efficiency. Light waves enter the eye and are converted to electrical impulses in the brain, explains environmental psychologist David Alan Kopec, Ph.D., an associate professor at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego. "Red is a long light wave that affects the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature, appetite and energy levels." He adds that reds and oranges increase body temperature, which pumps you up for exercise and keeps you energized for a longer workout.

Content Provided By: msn.com

Power Fruit To Make Your Mind Younger

Blueberries
Compounds in this fruit may help protect you from two processes that age your brain cells (and are linked to Alzheimer's). We mean inflammation and oxidation, not asking your kids to clean their rooms (for the 20th time) and getting behind someone who's driving 50 mph in the high-speed lane.

Content provided by:
Real Age

Healthy Foods We Should Be Eating

Most of us are in a food rut. The Belly Off! Diet will break you out of it by introducing you to delicious foods that’ll surprise your taste buds while maximizing nutrition—making the most of every calorie you consume. Here are seven that we recommend you rotate into your meal plan for variety and to reap their rich health benefits. You just might find a favorite that’ll become a staple on your table.

Koreans are among the leanest and healthiest people on the planet. Could it have something to do with this spicy pickled cabbage, which they eat the way Americans eat French fries and baked potatoes? Eaten at almost every meal in Korea, Kimchi is packed with vitamins and immune system-boosting phytochemicals. Its main ingredient, fermented cabbage, contains lactic acid, which helps with digestion and may weaken infections. Several years ago, kimchi made big news when Korean researchers found chickens infected with the avian flu recovered more quickly after being fed an extract of kimchi. More recently, a study at the University of New Mexico suggested that eating cabbage might help ward off breast cancer. Kimchi is low in calories and rich in dietary fiber.

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Men's Health

Is The Boot Camp Trend Good Or Bad For You?

Based on military-style training, boot camps combine the instructor's expertise with the support (and/or peer pressure) of other participants. The drills range from power skipping to reverse flies, all to increase cardio, strength and core fitness.Pros: "Because the exercises are infinitely combinable, each workout is new," says Karen Rooff, a certified personal trainer in Austin, Texas. "Novelty is great for keeping both muscles and minds engaged. Plus, classes with small numbers offer a trainer's personal attention at a fraction of the usual cost."
Cons: "Participants may overestimate their fitness level, overdo it, and stop working out," says New York City–based certified personal trainer Ariane Hundt. "And, high- intensity workouts can cause injuries if the instruction isn't personalized." To avoid injury, listen to your body and inform your instructor of any pre-existing injuries or conditions, and don't be afraid to modify any moves if they're too difficult for you.

By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen for MSN Health & Fitness

Lowering Cholestrol

Soy
Soybeans, soy nuts and edamame, plus any products made from soy (like tofu, soymilk, etc.) can help to reduce the production of new cholesterol. A little can go a long way—aim for about 25 grams of soy protein a day (the amount in a cup of edamame). And those who are at an increased risk of breast or prostate cancer may want to skip it since too much of soy’s phyto-estrogens can act similarly to the body’s own estrogen (which has been shown to feed some hormone-dependent tumors).