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3 Ways to Get Broader Shoulders

1. Build Your Traps With Shrugs
Professional athletes from contact sports have many traits in common--and one of them is broad shoulders. American football players lower their shoulders to deliver bone-crushing hits, while hockey players lower their shoulders to punish opponents with brain-rattling checks. The key upper-body muscle for contact is the traps. You don't have to be a professional athlete, though, to intimidate with developed, flared traps; you just have build your traps with shrugs.

Shrugs must be performed with perfect form in order to avoid injury and ensure effective repetitions. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbells at your sides and keep them straight ahead, not slanted or tilted. Maintain perfect posture, and be sure to keep your head facing straight and the traps even with your ears. Pull the weight straight up as if you are attempting to touch your ears with your shoulders. Do not tilt the head up or down as this movement will quickly recruit secondary muscles and put the neck and shoulder at a greater risk of injury. When you have developed a general physical preparedness, use a heavy weight with a repetition range under 12. The upper traps are quick-twitch muscles, so they respond well to heavy weights.

2. Use Overhead Presses to Work Deltoids
While the traps provide an intimidating physique, a well-developed deltoid muscle gives definition between the shoulders and arms as well as the appearance of extra width. The deltoid muscle wraps around the shoulder joint and has heads in the front, side and rear of the body. Front, side and rear arm raises are popular exercises that can help muscular definition but will not provide size. Overhead presses, though, will grow the deltoid muscle.

Perform overhead presses standing instead of sitting because while standing, the stress is dispersed evenly throughout the joints. Use dumbbells, which prohibit dangerous behind-the-neck pressing, because a barbell inhibits proper posture. Hold the dumbbells in line with your ears and press the weight straight up and down. The weight of the dumbbells is not an issue as the deltoids respond well with high and low repetition ranges.

3. Prevent Should Injuries With "Prehab" Exercises
It's impossible to get broad shoulders if you have an injury. "Prehab" exercises teach exercise enthusiasts to worry about injuries before they occur, rather than waiting until it is too late. Stretch the shoulders daily, and work on stability and joint strength on off days or after workouts. Hold a push-up position with your hands on a Swiss ball to increase joint stabilization. Hold very light dumbbells and lift the arms in multiple directions and perform arm raises to the front, side and overhead. Another popular way to do "prehab" is to move the arms in the likeness of letters of the alphabet. Shoot for repetitions between 25 and 50. Arm raises will make the tendons and ligaments stronger, keeping the shoulders healthy.

4 Ways to Get in Shape After a Knee Injury

1. Take It Slow and Low
It is never a good thing to blow out an ACL or suffer from a debilitating knee injury. But it is far worse to do too much too fast and re-injure the afflicted area. Be patient. Start off doing slow, controlled exercises at a slow pace. It is important not to do any high-impact maneuvers that can put you right back in intensive care where you started. The only race you are training for now is the race to recovery, in which everyone who finishes 100 percent healthy is a winner.

2. Back it Up
A great way to get a knee back in shape is to walk or jog uphill backwards. It is very hard but extremely effective. Your joints are safer than when you are running forward, and you recruit a lot more muscle fibers in the legs. Disregard any strange looks or finger points you might get from the neighbors or people in the gym. Eventually, they will follow your example and do the exact same thing.

3. Keep Both Sides Up
One of the biggest things you need to concern yourself with is re-strengthening the connective tissue around the knee and ankle. There is a good chance there has been a serious amount of atrophy there due to immobilization. To elaborate on connective tissue, this would consist of the tendons, ligaments and cartilage around the joints. Balance training is the best remedy for this problem. Try standing on a BOSU or balance discs on two feet, then progress to one. After you have mastered this, find a training partner or any passerby and do some medicine-ball passes while standing on top. The fun thing about the BOSU is that you can use it on either side. Just make sure to have a spotter when you start out, and progress slowly.

This type of exercise will help strengthen the connective tissue. It will work the smaller muscles on the bottom of the foot and around the ankles and knees, and it will also help prevent knee injuries from happening in the future. In the unfortunate event that another one should happen to occur, the rehab will be a lot faster. This type of training helps create more awareness of sport-specific situations that will also bleed into daily activities, such as walking on uneven surfaces.

4. Stay Safe and Impactful ... Without the Impact
If you have gained some unwanted pounds during your rehab and you want to crank your cardio up a notch, try doing anything that is non-impact. Elliptical trainers, stair masters and stationary bikes are all great tools. The joints remain safe, and nobody gets hurt.

5 Ways to Get in Shape After Pregnancy

1. Own It!
You've given birth, 4 to 6 weeks have gone by and you are ready to get back into shape. The first thing you need to do is get yourself mentally prepared. Create a reality in your mind that you are already in the shape you want to be in. Live it, breathe it and act like you are in possession of it. Create a positive mind frame, and the goal of getting back your beach body will come a lot easier.

2. Reach for the Sky
Get up out of your chair and stretch. Even if you were exercising regularly up until delivery, you are still probably suffering some flexibility issues. It's a great idea to engage in flexibility training two to three times a week. Yoga works wonders to satisfy this need. If you suffered from the abdominal gap that often occurs with pregnancy, make sure this has closed up before you do any serious ab work. You might want to investigate the wonderful world of Pilates.

3. Balance Makes Perfect
Practice does not make perfect; balance makes perfect. If you don't have balance, then you can't practice. It is no secret that your balance gets worse the further you go into your pregnancy. One of the key things to focus on after delivery is regaining your balance and stability. This can be something as simple as alternating standing on one foot while preparing baby formula or touching your foot with your opposite hand five to 10 times, then switching to the other side. You can easily tailor these exercises to your schedule and perform them throughout the day.

4. Alternate Cardio and Strength Training
The best way to get definition and get your metabolism cranking is by doing a 3-day cardio, 3-day weight-training routine. Work your muscles in a circuit-style format. For example, do chest, shoulders, back, triceps, biceps and legs. Do one routine of each with 1 minute breaks in between, then repeat the circuit three times. Do your cardio on alternating days in an interval format.

5. Starving Yourself Is Not the Answer
In most situations, your body will go back down to its normal prenatal size or at least close to it. Eat sensibly and aim at no more than 1 lb. per week of weight loss. This will not be too overwhelming, and it will be a meaningful lifestyle change.

Tummy Time for Infants

Infants need "tummy time" and this daily activity should be fun for both you and your child. Tummy time has become more commonly recommended by pediatricians since babies started being put on their backs to sleep in the last couple of decades. Babies must sleep on their backs to greatly reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. One of the small and minor problems associated with sleeping this way is that babies do not develop good upper-body strength. Playing with babies on their tummies for 15 to 20 minutes each day can help with this. Tummy time can also help keep your baby's head from getting too flat in back.

The best way to help your baby enjoy tummy time is by starting with only a minute or two and then slowly extending the time. Start within the first couple of months of life so she gets used to it. Always get down with your baby so he can see your face, because it can be scary for him to see only the ground and your ankles. Bright toys that move or make music can be placed near her face to entertain her, but seeing your smiling face is all she usually needs. Try to avoid tummy time immediately after your baby eats because he will often spit-up. Encourage your baby to look in both directions and use her neck muscles. Place a few objects or toys slightly out of reach to help teach grasping skills as well.

Although tummy time is very important, we all know some babies are very stubborn and it can be hard to keep them happy in that position. It is possible that your baby will be delayed or even skip the developmental motor skills of rolling over or crawling. However, it does not usually delay walking. Sitting upright without support may be delayed to 8 months but should not be skipped. Bring this delay to the attention of your pediatrician. If you feel like your baby is not getting any tummy time and she is getting significantly behind in her motor skills, your pediatrician may recommend a physical therapist.

3 Ways to Get a Full Body Workout with the Cable Cross Machine

1. Criss Cross Your Way to a Buff Body
The cable cross machine is a system of cables attached to a pulley system with a variety of attachments to help you get a full body workout. The cables have attachments like handles, straps and ropes that can work out your upper or lower body. The nature of the cable cross machine also works out your core as you stabilize your body to complete the exercises. The big advantage of a cable cross machine is its hybrid nature combining the benefits of free weights and a machine. The cables allow a more intense full body workout while the steel beams and pulleys that support the cables help to prevent injury by eliminating dropped weights--no spotter needed here. You easily cycle through a variety of strength exercises that target all of your major body parts while using the cable cross machine to get a full body workout. Perform exercises at 70 to 80 percent of your maximal lift for 3 sets of 10 reps.

2. Speed Up Your Circuit Training
A great way to do cardio training and strength conditioning together is by conducting a circuit of full body exercises on the cable cross machine. The ease of moving the cables and switching the attachments makes this an ideal machine to use in circuit training. Minimize the resting period in between your exercises so you keep the burn going by deciding what exercises you want to do before getting started; this way you will not waste time standing around deciding what to do after finishing a set. This can be hard to do if you're at the gym during peak hours because the versatility of the cable cross machine can work against you-- many people can use different parts of it at the same time. Do as many exercises as you can in a row and then come back to the cable cross later when no one is using it.

3. Mix Up Your Exercise Regimen
Perform each of these exercises for three sets of 15 reps at 50 percent of maximal lift. Take 30 seconds between each set, then quickly move to the next exercise. If you alternate body parts during exercise you can reduce fatigue and enhance your workout time before burnout. Try doing a 2-1-2 pace to maximize your total body workout, where your concentric work takes 2 seconds, the isometric or holding phase takes 1 second, and your eccentric movement lasts 2 seconds. For example, when doing a hammer curl with the rope attachment. your initial phase of the curl should last 2 seconds, then hold the curl for 1 second at the top of the exercise, and slowly return the rope to starting position over 2 seconds. Circuit training is an awesome full body workout when you use all the possibilities of the cable cross machine, but watch out--it's a burner.

Exercises (and the primary body parts worked): Crossover (chest), crunch (abdominals), hammer curls with rope (biceps), hip adduction (quadriceps), hip abduction (hamstrings), leg curl (calves), internal rotation (shoulders), lying triceps extension (triceps), rope rear-deltoid rows (lats) and shrugs (traps).

3 Ways to Get Your Child in Shape

1. Sign a Seasoned Veteran
Sometimes it takes inspiration to motivate your child to get in shape. That is where the help of a seasoned veteran might be handy. If your little couch potato loves watching sports but not playing them, have him meet up with an expert in your area for classes or one-on-one time. If your daughter loves watching TV shows about dancing, but isn't moving to the beat of a healthy drum, sign her up for a class so she can learn more from a veteran about the activity that captivates her attention. Meeting a real live athlete can encourage children to move more and get in shape.

2. Go Beyond the Court and Field
Some children do not like the rigid structure of sports that offers more or less the same activities day in and day out. So spice it up a little with non-conventional forms of physical activity to get your child in shape. Think rock climbing, inflatable bounce houses, in-line skating and mountain biking. It can take a little longer to find places to do these activities, but the payoff is worth it if your child gets in shape. Call around to reputable locations and ask about details like age requirements, cost and equipment. Many of these activities are offered indoor and outdoor, so find the best of what's around and introduce your child to a new way to get in shape--and stay that way.

3. Use a Team Effort
While some kids are not likely to go off and do an individualized physical activity, they may be more likely to get in shape by participating on a team or in a group atmosphere. Don't just encourage these sports at schools; look for outside clubs and groups that provide physical activities as well. Sometimes the pressure of performing in front of peers at school keeps a child from joining a school team. Offering the same activity in a different setting may be all you need to motivate your child to join in. Some leagues even eliminate score keeping, preferring to focus on movement and fun instead of competition, which can lead to benching players not as physically gifted. Look around to find something that is the perfect fit. The key to getting your children in shape is simple: Get them moving and keep it that way.