This week's exercise tips actually lead into one another. If you perform the "do" to the maximum, then you'll ironically enough beg for the "don't". Pushing yourself to the limit, in an intelligent way—a way that your body is ready for, gives your muscles the best chance to build at an impressive rate. Subsequently, once you have beaten your body up, you will need to invest in the downtime required for the muscles to regenerate. So, check out the advice below to make your workouts more effective and your body that much more powerful.

The Do

Perform drop sets to completely burn the muscles. Going to failure and then dropping the weight and performing the same movements will break down the muscle entirely. As a result, although the drop sets will seriously fatigue you and decrease your ability to put up considerable weight each set, they will give you the depth of burn you need to truly work out the entire muscle and not just a smaller portion of it. Despite its effectiveness, electing to do this type of workout each time you exercise a specific muscle is a mistake; instead, use it periodically—once every two weeks or so—to give your training variety and the boost it needs to stay fresh and progressive. Sample drop set: Chest press beginning with 50 pound dumbbells to failure. Then pick up 35 pound dumbbells and go to exhaustion. Then do a final set with 20 pounds. Make sure you have a spotter, or perform these on machines.

The Don't

Do not, under any circumstances, avoid rest. Too many people, especially those looking to get in shape quickly or train for something coming soon, overlook the importance of rest days. Adequate rest is not just the normally recommended 72 hours between working out each muscle, but it also, and more critically, entails taking one entire rest day, one with little to no designed training whatsoever. General rule is to have one day off per week. Resist the urge to just do abdominals or light cardio. Take the day off, eat healthy, and plan your next six days of workouts. Your body will make gains and pay you back tenfold. Best of luck.

Allowing yourself to become extremely intense during a workout normally permits you to reach your goals and make the gains you desire. However, within that intensity must reside a calmness that lets you understand what you are doing and allows you to make good decisions. Blindly pacing yourself through a workout without regard for how you do it and what it creates could cause serious issues down the line. So, in order to avoid some common pitfalls, check out this week's exercise do and don't.

The Do

Focus on breathing. Many people breathe erratically while running or lifting weights. What they fail to realize is that oxygen flow impacts you abilities. Rather than rushing air in and out at irregular intervals, which normally causes early fatigue and dizziness, try breathing slow and steady. Generally speaking, pull air in through the nose and exhale through the mouth. When lifting weights, breathe in while recovering and preparing the weight and out when exerting energy. If running or doing other cardio workouts, try breathing one breath in for every three steps taken. While no perfect formula exists, you'll be considerably more balanced if you pay attention to how you breathe. A calmer approach will produce greater gains.

The Don't

Never ignore pain. The old saying "No pain, no gain" couldn't be more wrong. Sure, a hard workout will stress the muscles and break them down, but you will know the difference between a workout reaction and pure pain. Pain, which is essentially your body's way of warning you of trouble, should make you stop what you are doing; thus, leave your pride at home. Often times, a slight adjustment in your form or resistance will eliminate the pain; however, if it persists, stop immediately and consult a trainer and/or doctor. The goal is to generate life-long fitness. If you try to "man up" and push through legitimate pain, you'll have long-term injuries that obstruct your health and fitness for years.

When it comes to working out at home, for those people who do not have the time to run off to the gym or just want to supplement what they do in the gym by training elsewhere, the need to understand the basic successes and failures of training becomes paramount, as doing solo work takes away the chance to bounce ideas off those around you. Keeping small tips in your mind as you plan a daily in-house workout can keep you from making needless mistakes and allow you to see progress in a relatively short time. Therefore, take these two suggestions and make them part of your daily plan.

The Do: Always work to improve what you do not do well. All too often people stick to their comfort zones, as they know that some level of achievement can be had. Rather than risk failure, they do the normal routine. The problem that, however, is that routine thwarts progress. To truly progress and strengthen muscles, you need to tackle the movements that give you the greatest difficulty. For example, if you know that pull-ups are nearly impossible, set a goal to improve in that area. It doesn't matter if you can only do one at the start. Keep going and you'll see yourself improve steadily. As a result, you'll not only get stronger and more built, but you'll also enhance your overall confidence.

The Don't: You hear stories of people doing a thousand sit-ups a day. No way. To dispel the common myth around getting that washboard stomach, understand that abs cannot be worked every day; in fact, you should schedule serious ab training no more than three times a week. Do not listen when people claim that abs are different from other muscles and can absorb more abuse. Contrary to that perspective, the abs are just like any other muscle in that, once broken down and depleted, they need time to recover, so give it to them. Moral of the story: Don't train abs on a daily basis, no mater what others say.

Every person wants a more defined and rigid chest; no one likes the idea of getting flabby. So, as a result, people turn to all types of gadgets and machines to buff up and get the toned look they have always wanted. Yet, for all the knowledge and intelligence floating around out there, it is amazing that people don't see the simplicity of building chest muscles.

You see, the most basic movement in chest work is to push weight away and resist it coming back. Sure the directions and angles can change, but the foundation of push and resist never goes away. Therefore, all you really need to make that chest tighten and grow is a floor and a dedication to the oldest exercise move on the planet: the push-up.

The push-up, which has seemingly gone by the wayside in favor of fancy machines, represents the best overall movement for the chest. Pushing body weight to failure is an intense, satisfying workout. Therefore, follow the chest blasting routine below, complete with five basic positions, in the privacy of your own living room to get the results you've always wanted.

Standard width push-up: Hands a little more than shoulder width apart, lower your body to the floor and then push your body back up to starting position.

Wide width push-up: Just like the standard push-up but with hands extended out underneath the elbows to provide more resistance.

Change of Speed push-up: Complete 3 fast and 3 slow push-ups.

Fly push-ups: Just like the regular position, but with each movement up reach one hand out into a wide position (you will be supporting your weight with one arm) and then complete the motion back down to the starting point. Repeat the process and alternate arms.

Military push-up: Hands beneath the shoulders. Keep elbows tight against the sides.

Do all movements to failure, but keep track of your final number. Write it down so you can chart your progress with each workout. Focus on form over the number completed and repeat the routine multiple times during a single workout to increase the burn. Best of luck!

Check back soon for advanced chest movements.

When you've made the commitment to hit the gym after the office, or are one of the disciplined few who gets up during the wee hours of the morning for the workout, you'll need to fuel up with the right types of foods to make it through the challenge ahead. Eating certain foods before the workout can help you push harder on your gym circuit and also help your muscles recover properly.

No matter how busy you may be, a few minutes packing a tote or lunch bag with a pre-workout meal is all it takes to keep yourself on track. Here are some of the best pre-workout foods to snack on before your trip to the gym:

1. Bananas with yogurt. One of the most energizing snacks, bananas support healthy muscle function and will prevent major cramps during the workout. The yogurt will give you a boost of protein and stave off hunger.

2. Energy bars. One of the easiest snack foods to tuck into your tote bag or gym bag, a natural energy bar made with soy protein, oats and other healthy ingredients will give you a boost of energy before your workout. Since these are typically high in calories, you can eat half before and half after your workout to help with muscle recovery.

3. Almonds. Almonds contain essential fatty acids that will keep hunger at bay during your workout, and also give you a boost of energy. Just a handful of almonds (about 10 to 15) is all you need to enjoy the benefits of this healthy treat before the routine.

4. Pasta. Cook up some whole wheat pasta (any shape will do) and eat about half a cup of it about 30 minutes before your workout to enjoy some extra fuel. Your body will burn up the carbohydrates within the first 15 minutes of the workout, and then move into fat burning mode easily.

5. Oatmeal. You can either cook up a cup of all-natural oats (no added sugar variety) and enjoy it with some soy milk for a natural energy boost, or snack on a natural granola bar to enjoy the benefits of oats. Oats will keep you full and keep those energy levels up for up to an hour through your workout.

You most likely know who Alyssa Milano is, but did you know that she had her own workout video in the 1980's. Alyssa Milano's Teen Steam was released in 1988 and was actually quite popular with teen girls and young women.

In this 80's workout video Alyssa along with two of her friends leads you through an aerobic dance party that will have you sweating at the end. Although the whole plot of the workout video with her two friends popping in out of thin air and working out with her is a little cheesy, the exercises still work to burn fat and calories. Alyssa starts the video with a short warm up before getting started into different aerobic exercises. The workout then goes into a dance section in which Alyssa and her friends pull out some great 80's dance moves to get sweating.

Although this workout video is no way on the level of someone like Jane Fonda or Denise Austin, it's still a great change of pace for a workout, especially if you really want to laugh at the 80's. There are basic exercises that can be done at any time, but beginners may learn a new thing or two.

Alyssa Milano's Teen Steam is a unique workout video that will most likely benefit beginners of exercising or women looking for a fun and unique workout every once in awhile. Although the moves are very basic, if you put in the true effort, you will be sweating at the end.

Alyssa, who rose to fame on the television show Who's the Boss?, was only 16 at the time of Teen Steam. The music to the workout was done by her father while her mother worked as the stylist on the show. You may get just as good of a workout from the video as from your laughing with the outfits and workout gear, hair and music.

If you are looking for a professionally choreographed workout video, then this video is not the choice for you, but if you are looking for something fun that will still work your body, you may be able to find a tape of Alyssa Milano's Teen Steam.

Squats and lunges are among the most powerful moves you can do for getting in shape fast, but only some of us actually get around to including these exercises into the weekly routine. Squats and lunges give your glutes and thighs a killer workout, and they can be performed without any special equipment. Whether your goal is to tone up your legs or strengthen your hamstring muscles, you'll need to do a series of squats and lunges each and every week. Make sure you're performing both of these essential exercises properly by following these tips:

For Squats:

1. Keep feet shoulder-width apart at all times. Whether you're doing a basic squat without weights or going with the gold by holding heavy weights by your side, you will get the best results when your feet stay shoulder-width apart.

2. Breathe in as you rise up, and exhale as you descend. This might feel awkward at first but a little practice is all you need. Pay attention to your breathing pattern so you are giving your body enough oxygen at just the right time.

3. Hold your squat position for more than a few seconds. Squats are among the hardest types of resistance exercises to perform, but you need to hold your squat position for several seconds in order to get the most benefits. Count between 4 to 8 seconds in your head when you can.

For Lunges:

1. Use weights if you don't feel any resistance. Too many people perform lunges that aren't really challenging their muscles. Add handweights to the routine to give your lower body a real workout.

2. Don't bend your knee beyond your ankle. Proper form is essential for a successful lunge, so don't make the mistake of letting your knees bend beyond your ankle as you take the deep step.

3. Exhale on the lunge. Check your breathing pattern so that you are exhaling and inhaling at the right times.

And of course, don't forget to stay well-hydrated throughout your resistance routine. Even though you might not be sweating up a storm during these exercise sessions, you will need to keep your muscles hydrated through each exercise. Just fill up a water bottle before you begin and sip it throughout your routine to supercharge your workout!

Previous posts have given you specific advice on what exercises or movements to integrate into your home workouts, yet before actually plugging along on those and making your own plan, getting yourself set mentally and organizationally is critical. You can design the greatest workouts in the world, buy the nicest equipment, and wear the latest gear, but without addressing the following four ideas, you are destined to fail. While home workouts can be advantageous and effective, the distractions the home offers can seriously inhibit your progress. So, check these out and consider each one. Doing so will give you a far better chance to make the gains you have always hoped for.

Set Specific Goals

You cannot just workout without direction each day. Trying to do so will make each training session unimportant, and without establishing a true purpose, you'll never invest the type of energy and focus required to see results. Be clear and defined in your goal setting. No gray areas, as this will give you a chance to make excuses.

Create a Logical Workout Plan

Do not attempt to become the world's strongest man in the comfort of your living room, especially if you have never trained before. Consider what your goal is and set up a plan that makes sense to reach that goal. Realistic plans generate positive results. Unrealistic ones lead to frustration.

Dedicate Yourself to the Plan

Making a perfect plan is all well and good, but sticking to it is an entirely different beast. Have a defined time and place to workout. Limit the possible distractions. Know that once you have entered the room that you have to work. Do not permit excuses. Again, training at home takes discipline, so make sure this is in your personality before undertaking such a venture.

Tell People

Many people keep their workout plans and goals a secret, as this allows them to fail and not have anyone else know. In reality, however, telling people makes you accountable. Put a little pressure on yourself... it's not a bad idea.

In the end, make sure you are prepared to workout at home. It is not easy to do, but it can change your life if done well. So, use the keys above and get going. Success awaits.