T able of Contents 1. How To Gain Weight And Build More Muscle! 2. Bodybuilding Nut rit ion And Balance 3. How To Build Muscle And Lose Fat While Traveling 4. Fit ness Is The Best Revenge 5. How To Get The Best Out Of Your New Bodybuilding Program. 6. Muscle Building Supplement Advice 7. Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders 8. Basics Of Bodybuilding 9. 5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Dest roy Your Muscle Gains 10. Healt h & Fit ness eBooks: The Less Embarrassing Alt ernat ives t o t he Happy, Healt hy Lifest yle You Seek 11. Females Pump up t hat BUTT! 12. Bodybuilding Training Or Powerlift ing Training? 13. Nat ural Body Building 14. Top 10 effect ive bodybuilding supplement s 15. Loose Fat & Gain Muscle Nat urally 16. Body Building Gain Mass Muscle Supplement 17. Increase Your Training Int ensit y - Pre-Exhaust ion 18. Body Building Gain Mass Muscle Supplement 19. Buy St eroids, If Bodybuilding Is A Passion For You 20. Best Bodybuilding Supplement s 21. How To Prevent Bodybuilding Injuries 22. Increase Your Training Int ensit y - Negat ive Repet it ions 23. 4 Harmful Muscle-Building Myt hs Uncovered 24. A Look At Bodybuilding As A Sport 25. What Causes Muscle Growt h? 26. A Primer On Bodybuilding Techniques 27. The Fact s About Anabolic St eroids 28. The Most Powerful Muscle-Building Tool Available 29. Bodybuilding Workout s 30. Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - Tribulus 31. What A Few Good Heros Taught Me About Bodybuilding
32. The Advant ages and Disadvant ages of Whey Prot ein 33. Weight Loss is all t o do wit h Calories 34. The Shell Game That Is The "Propriet ary Blend" Nut rit ional Supplement 35. The Top 10 Muscle Building Fact s You Need t o Know! 36. Bodybuilding And Overt raining 37. First Aid Treat ment For Bodybuilding Injuries 38. Bodybuilding And Overt raining 39. The Role Of Whey Prot ein In Achieving Significant Muscle Gain 40. How healt hy are t he st rengt h supplement s t hat we are using t oday? 41. The Perfect Rep Range For Building Muscle 42. 12 Secret s for gaining mass 43. Essent ial Bodybuilding Supplement s 44. Use A Deck Of Cards For An Aerobic Workout 45. St rengt h Training St rat egies t hat Act ually Work 46. Inst ant ly Increase Your St rengt h On Every Back Exercise 47. The Best Bodybuilding Gain Mass Muscle Supplement s 48. Using Supplement s To Enhance Your Bodybuilding 49. Add Int ensit y To Your Muscle Building Workout 50. Arm Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
1. How T o Gain Weight And Build More Muscle!
For many t hin guys around t he world, gaining weight wit hout using illegal st eroids has been a challenge. For t housands of lean young men, t he dream is t o gain weight , but no mat t er how much t hey eat t hey remain t hin. Some people are nat urally t hin; t hat means t heir genet ic makeup is in such a way t hat t he body burns more calories t han ot hers. The very basic met hod of weight gain is t o eat more calories t han your body burns off. By providing t he body wit h more calories, t his balance can be alt ered and body mass can be increased. Weight t raining is of great import ance in t his cont ext , which enables t he body t o absorb more nut rient s from t he food by increasing t he level of cert ain hormones and increasing t he muscle mass.
There are many incorrect beliefs and t heories bout building muscle. The t ype of food t o be eat en is an import ant fact or which decides t he t ype of weight gained, whet her it is muscle mass or mere accumulat ion of fat . Some t ypes of calories are not equal t o ot hers for gaining muscle; because most processed junk food cont ains empt y, t ot ally nut rit ionless calories. These foods promot e accelerat ed fat st orage, and do not provide t he body wit h t he correct nut rient s essent ial for gaining muscle. High qualit y prot ein, which t he body breaks down int o amino acids, should be t he cent erpiece of all your meals. Int ense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growt h.
Anot her fact or is t he select ion of t he right t ype of weight t raining. Resist ance exercises will help wit h muscle growt h. Whereas aerobic exercises can result in t he reduct ion of weight . For maximum muscle gain, t he focus of your workout s should consist of free weight exercises, rat her t han machines or bodyweight exercises. To get a very effect ive workout , you must st imulat e as many muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do t his. The main reason for t his is a lack of st abilizer and synergist muscle development . St abilizer and synergist muscles are support ing muscles t hat assist t he main muscle in performing a complex lift .
The result s of weight t raining can vary from person t o person, and will usually depend on your consist ency and commit ment t o your program. You should have t he pat ience and
mot ivat ion for building a powerful body wit h a consist ent diet and exercise schedule.
Exercise Guidelines for building muscle:
Weight t raining involves t he use of equipment t hat enables variable resist ance. This resist ance can come in t he form of free weight s like barbells and dumbbells, machines t hat use cables or pulleys t o help you lift t he weight , and bodyweight exercises like pullups or dips. The more st abilizers and synergist s you work, t he more muscle fibers st imulat ed. The exercises t hat work t he large muscle groups are called compound (or mult i-joint ) movement s t hat involve t he simult aneous st imulat ion of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be t he foundat ion of any weight t raining program because t hey st imulat e t he most amount of muscle in t he least amount of t ime. Mult i-joint ed free weight exercises like t he bench press require many st abilizer and synergist ic muscle assist ance t o complet e t he lift .
Free weight exercises like t he dumbbell press or squat put a very large amount of st ress on support ing muscle groups. You will get fat igued fast er and not be able t o lift as much weight as you did on t he machine. But you will gain more muscle, become st ronger very quickly and have a t rue gauge of your st rengt h.
If you use machines in your program, t hey should be used t o work isolat ed areas and only aft er all mult i-joint ed exercises have been complet ed. Beginners should begin wit h a limit ed combinat ion of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and mult i-joint ed free weight exercises. Before increasing t he weight levels, t hey should work on becoming familiar wit h t he proper form and execut ion of each.
The following are some proven basic exercises t o encourage muscle and st rengt h gain unlike any ot her exercises.
Bench Presses - works t he chest , shoulders, t riceps
Overhead Presses - shoulders, t riceps
Pull-ups/Barbell Rows - back, bicep
Squat s - legs, lower back
Dead lift s - legs, back, shoulders
Bar Dips -shoulders, chest , arms
To build mass, you must weight t rain wit h heavy weight s. To consider a weight heavy, you should only be able t o do a maximum of 4-8 reps before your muscles t emporarily fail. A weight is considered 'light ' if you can do more t han 15 reps before muscle fat igue set s in. Heavy weight s st imulat e more muscle fibers t han light er weight s which result in more muscle growt h. Heavy weight t raining put s a huge st rain on your body, so adequat e rest and recuperat ion aft er your workout s is essent ial.
Eat ing guidelines for building muscle:
A high prot ein diet is an inevit able part of any weight t raining programme, import ant ly, prot ein derived from animal sources. Prot eins you need t o be concerned wit h are t hose found in whey, casein (cot t age cheese), eggs, beef, poult ry, and fish. Soy prot ein, t ofu and bean curd are some alt ernat ives. Eat ing t he right amount of foods consist ent ly will force your body t o grow beyond what you may t hink possible. The diet also should cont ain an adequat e amount of carbohydrat es (pot at oes, sweet pot at oes, yams, oat meal, cream of wheat , cream of rice, rice, beans, bread, past a, all cereals) and fat . Green leafy veget ables and fruit s also should be included.
When you t rain wit h weight s, you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of prot ein per pound of body weight . You also must have prot ein at every meal. To enable your body t o act ually assimilat e and use t he all t he calories you will ingest , you have t o reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Split t ing your calories int o smaller, more frequent port ions will enable food absorpt ion and ut ilizat ion of nut rient s.
During t he past 20 years t here have been great development s in t he scient ific underst anding of t he role of nut rit ion in healt h and physical performance. St udies shown t hat adequat e diet ary carbohydrat e should be ingest ed (55-60% of t ot al energy int ake)
so t hat t raining int ensit y can be maint ained. Excess diet ary sat urat ed fat can exacerbat e coronary art ery disease; however, low-fat diet s result in a reduct ion in circulat ing t est ost erone. So t he balance bet ween prot ein, carbohydrat e and fat should be maint ained.
So t he focus on weight gain programmes must be on t wo component s, lift ing heavy weight s, which will st imulat e t he largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds t o t his st imulus by increasing your muscle mass and secondly eat more calories t han your body is used t o. When you overload your syst em wit h plent y of prot ein and fat s, your body has no ot her choice but t o gain weight .
A Mass Gaining program is incomplet e wit hout t he t imely measurement s t o monit or your progress. Wit hout it , you won't know how exact ly your body is responding t o your diet and t raining rout ine. Just looking in t he mirror and guessing is not accept able. If you want t o st art get t ing great result s, you must develop t he habit of accurat ely t racking your progress. This also provides t he mot ivat ion t o cont inue wit h t he weight gain schedule and for t he furt her progression. So even t hough you have a very t hin body t ype, and haven't been able t o gain weight no mat t er what you t ry, you will definit ely succeed wit h a well planned weight gain programme. Click Here For Recommended Program
2. Bodybuilding Nutrition And Balance
Many inexperienced (somet imes even experienced!) gym regulars believe t hat muscles grow while lift ing weight s. However lift ing weight s forms only a small fract ion of t he muscle building process. Muscle development t akes place at night during deep sleep when t he body synt hesizes new cells wit h nut rient s from our diet . Therefore nut rit ion forms a very import ant part of a bodybuilding program.
The body ut ilizes nut rient s in food t o perform daily met abolic and what 's commonly referred t o as t he "wear and t ear processes". Wit h bodybuilding, addit ional st rain is put on t he body t o make new muscle t issues. Therefore t he nut rient requirement s also shoot s up t o st ay wit h t he demand.
The best bodybuilding nut rit ion comes from a balanced int ake of carbohydrat es, adequat e prot ein, vit amins, minerals, fat s and large amount s of wat er. So if you are serious about get t ing lean and ripped it 's t ime t o say goodbye t o mayo burgers, colas and ot her synt het ic foods. Adopt eat ing habit s imbibing fruit s, whole grains, milk, eggs and fresh farm product s.
How much prot ein do you need?
Your growing muscles need amino acids t o creat e new t issues. The amino acids are provided by prot ein in diet . There is a lot of debat e on t he exact quant it y of prot ein required in bodybuilding. The caut ion t o maint ain is t hat ext reme amount s of prot ein in t he diet can cause gast ric and renal complicat ions. Recent st udies have suggest ed t hat a prot ein int ake of 1 t o 1.4 grams per unit of body weight is adequat e t o sust ain t he bodybuilding process. This means t hat t he prot ein requirement of a 70 kg individual should be around 70 t o 98 grams. To give an est imat e of t he amount involved consider t he following: A 100 gm chicken breast has 22 grams of prot ein, a glass of milk has 8 grams,an egg approximat ely 5 grams and a slice bread 3 grams.
A word of caut ion against t he t ide of bodybuilding supplement s in market s. Many t imes you come across advert isement s proclaiming, 'Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 mont hs
flat !'. St ay clear of t hese money hungry advert isers. Building lean muscle t akes t ime and effort . Making use of synt het ic product s which alt er body's nat ural mechanism would offset what should be your real purpose in bodybuilding which is t o keep t he body fit and healt hy.
Last ly in bodybuilding it 's not , 't he more t he bet t er'. Rat her it is 't he more precise t he bet t er'. Don't over exert , eat balanced food and include plent y of rest . Wit h everyt hing good in life, pat ience, commit ment , and balance will guarant ee your success. Wit h t hese t ips in mind you are all set t o pump iron! Click Here For Recommended Program
3. How T o Build Muscle And Lose Fat While T raveling
As a bodybuilder t ravelling is one of t he most t est ing t imes, as t ravelling and bodybuilding don't go hand in hand. As t he majorit y of people have t o t ravel at some point , whet her it 's for business or pleasure, even if you are in t he minorit y of professional bodybuilders you'll st ill have t o t ravel bet ween compet it ions. Travelling can creat e some serious problems for bodybuilders as it can very difficult t o t ravel and maint ain your discipline and t raining while t ravelling. While it 's difficult t o cont inue t raining and st icking t o your diet , wit h a bit of discipline you can keep pumped and lean all year round even if you are a regular t raveller.
Go t o t he gym before...
Whenever you are about t o t ravel, get down t he gym t he day before or on in t he morning before you leave. Ideally t ry and st ay somewhere wit h a weight room, however more t han likely if t here is a weight room t he opening hours will be varied and t he equipment limit ed. If t here isn't a weight room or t he equipment is lacking t here is no reason why you can not do plent y of cardio t raining, such as running. If you do a heavy weight session before you leave your body will have some t ime t o recover while you t ravel, ideally t ry and schedule your t ravel so t hat t hey coincide wit h your normal rest days.
Pack your prot ein shakes and healt hy snacks
One of t he biggest challenges which bodybuilders have during t ravel is having t he right nut rit ion and eat ing t he right foods. Always aim t o eat healt hy and if you can st ick t o t he foods you eat normally, don't let yourself be t empt ed int o eat ing junk foods it 's not wort h it . If you are faced wit h a long flight make sure t hat you pack healt hy snacks and prot ein shakes so t hat you your nut rit ional needs are met , as airplane food is not designed for bodybuilders, make up a packed meal if necessary. Remember always t o t ake a bot t le or t wo of wat er when you fly as it 's easy t o be come dehydrat ed on flight s and paying for drinks can quickly become expensive.
Think st rat egically
Once you arrive in your dest inat ion, t hink st rat egically. Speak t o your recept ion and find out where t he nearest supermarket or grocery st ore is and buy in some good, nut rit ious healt hy food, and t hen find out about your hot el's gym facilit ies or local what gyms t here are locally if your hot el doesn't have one.
Don't overindulge
If you eat out don't over indulge, as you bodybuilder you should know what foods are good for you and which are bad, t ry t o st ick t o your diet plan and if you do over indulge, put in some ext ra cardio work t o burn it off. In conclusion if plan ahead, be disciplined and do everyt hing you can t o ensure t hat you st ick t o your t raining and diet plan, t here is no reason why you cannot t ravel and maint ain t he body of your dreams. Click Here For Recommended Program
4. Fitness Is T he Best Revenge
St aying Fit Is The Best Revenge
There are more people get t ing fit t er aft er fort y t han ever before.
We now know t hat it is possible, and desirable, t o keep exercising int o old age.
Exercise will help prevent t he onset of many diseases associat ed wit h old age, i.e. art hrit is, rheumat ism, poor circulat ion, heart disease, obesit y. The benefit s are endless.
Exercise is also known t o improve t he libido. This is due t o improved blood flow t o all t he organs.
OK, Hugh Heffner needs t o use a lit t le Viagra, but when you are as act ive as him, at his age, it 's t o be expect ed. Last I heard he had t hree lovers who he was fait hful t o and kept sat isfied. I can't wait t o get t o his age!
There are senior weight lift ers set t ing new records almost daily. Senior bodybuilders are dest roying t he younger compet it ors. At hlet es in every field are being amazed by t he seniors.
This is not t o say t hat t he oldies are as fast as t he youngst ers in t op compet it ion, "but t hey are darn close"
You do not have t o compet e against ot hers t o enjoy fit ness. Just find somet hing t hat is fun.
Walking is a great exercise and if you get away from all t he t raffic it is most relaxing. If you feel st range walking on your own why not t ake t he dog out more oft en. If you don't have a dog, borrow one, I'm sure t here is an elderly person near you who would be glad of a dog walker.
How about st art ing a dog walking business? There are loads of people who are working long hours and do not have t he t ime t o walk t heir dogs. Get t ing paid t o exercise sounds like a winner t o me. It 's also a good way t o meet like minded people and make friends.
Swimming is a fant ast ic way t o keep fit and healt hy. Most pools have adult only sessions so you will not be dive bombed by spot t y yout hs. Swimming is a gent le exercise t hat t akes t he st rain of joint s and t oday's heat ed pools are a great benefit t o sufferers of art hrit is and rheumat ism.
If you have not done any exercise for a long t ime you need t o st art of gent ly. It t ook years t o t urn you int o a couch pot at o and you can not become an Adonis overnight .
The main t hing is t o st art slowly wit hout forcing anyt hing. If you have not done any walking (except t o t he hypermarket ) for a few years t hen a walk of a few hundred yards may feel like a marat hon but it will be a st art . Walk a lit t le furt her each day and it will become easier. If you are wit h a dog, play fet ch, it will get a few more muscles working and t he dog will love you more.
If you can only swim a few feet before st opping for breat h, t hat 's OK. Go again a few days lat er and swim a bit furt her before cat ching your breat h. You will soon be swimming lengt hs of t he pool wit h ease.
If you decide t o work out in t he gym, do not t ry t o lift t he whole rack of weight s on your first day, maybe day 2. St art out wit h an empt y bar unt il you get a feel for t he exercises and t hen slowly add weight as you mast er t he movement s.
Perform only one set of each exercise t he first few t imes you work out . You will feel like doing more but t his will only set you up for sore muscles t he next few days, and may even make you t o sore t o go t o work.
Take t ime t o learn st rict form wit h each exercise and do not jerk t he weight s. Ask advice from t he inst ruct ors, it 's what t hey are paid for.
Do not forget t o warm up and do some st ret ches before st art ing any vigorous exercise.
This warm up becomes more import ant as we get older and will help prevent injuries and lay offs.
The programs you see on t he TV are not real life (t hat goes on out side in t he real world) t hey are script ed. Do you want t o be a lazy couch pot at o or yout hful and act ive? The choice is yours. Click Here For Recommended Program
5. How T o Get T he Best Out Of Your New Bodybuilding Program.
Not everybody who enrolls int o a body building program becomes a bodybuilder. This is because it t akes a t remendous amount of pat ience, commit ment , effort and discipline in order t o be successful. Many t ake up t he challenge of undergoing a bodybuilding program just t o whit le t heir t ime away, or t o look good for a speacile event .
Commit ment Should Equal Effort t o Succeed in a BodyBuilding Program
Looking good for a dat e is definit ely not t he right mot ivat ion t o st art a new bodybuilding program. You can get mot ivat ed t o go for a week, for a mont h, maybe even a lit t le longer, but t his will never be enough for succeeding. In order t o succeed, you will need iron det erminat ion and long hard hours in t he gym. It is by no means fun t o enroll in a bodybuilding program. Hence, if you are looking for glamour and fun, forget t his.
What will you get out of a bodybuilding program? You will learn self disaplen. You cannot miss a night of exercise; you cannot splurge at your cousin's wedding. You can forget about doing t hings on impulse. What you eat count s, what you drink count s, and it count s how much you sleep and when you sleep.
There is a fad among women t o enroll for body building programs nowadays. This is not a sporadic happening. In fact , women t ook t o t his sport so seriously t hat t oday t here are global championships held for women as well. Women seem t o like t he hardships t his t ype of t raining involves.
In fact , women body builders look sexier in spit e of what people may t hink. Women look great because t heir body is t rained t o enhance t heir nat ural beaut y. However, once women t ake t o a bodybuilding program, it should be underst ood t hat t his is a lifet ime commit ment . Women being more prone t o gain weight will suffer great ly if t hey leave pract icing t heir workout s.
When you choose your program, ensure t hat you go t o a reput able gym wit h t rainers t hat know what t hey are doing. The number of people already enrolled and word-of-
mout h recommendat ions and praise can judge t he reput at ion of a gym. Wit h proper det erminat ion, great result s can be achieved. Click Here For Recommended Program
6. Muscle Building Supplement Advice
Building muscle is more t han just working out , and it is more t han just using muscle building supplement s. There really is a right way - a scient ifically proven way - t o build mass muscle. Here are some t ips:
1.Make sure t hat you are get t ing enough prot ein, t hrough food and muscle building supplement s. Furt hermore, make sure t hat t he prot ein t hat you are get t ing is high qualit y prot ein. Wit hout t he proper amount of prot ein, your muscles will not only st op growing, but you will lose muscle as well. You need 1.75 grams of prot ein for every kilogram of body weight , each and every day. Some people consume up t o 1 gram per kilogram, just t o be on t he safe side.
2.You must const ant ly feed your muscles. Muscles are always busy - even when you are at rest . They are const ant ly doing one of t wo t hings: t hey are eit her building up, or breaking down. If t hey aren't fed, t hey are breaking down, and t he only way t hat t hey build is by out pacing t he breakdown process wit h t he build up process. This requires t he const ant presence of prot ein. This is why bodybuilders t ypically eat six meals a day.
3.Make sure t hat Your Prot ein is doing t he right t hing. If you consume not hing but prot ein, which is a mist ake t hat some bodybuilders make, you will find t hat you aren't growing muscle. Inst ead, t he prot ein is used for ot her body funct ions, such as t urning int o blood sugar for energy. It 's import ant t o eat a well balanced diet , even t hough you will be t aking in more prot ein t han what t he 'normal' diet consist s of. The best way t o do t his is t o include low-glycemic carbs wit h your prot ein. This way, t he carbs can be used as fuel, and t he prot ein can be used t o build muscle.
4.Your muscles are 70% wat er, and wat er is essent ial t o t heir growt h. Wat er is used t o move t he prot eins t hrough t he muscles. You can do everyt hing else right , but if you aren't get t ing enough wat er, your muscles simply won't grow. The rule is t o drink one ounce of wat er for every gram of prot ein t hat you eat .
5.Eat immediat ely aft er your workout s. Eat a meal t hat is high in prot ein, wit h low-
Glycemic carbs as well. This meal should be eat en wit hin one hour of finishing your workout . Aft er t hat t ime, you lose your window of opport unit y t o help your muscles grow even more. Not only does t his help your muscles t o grow bigger, fast er, it also helps t hem t o heal fast er.
There is a great deal more t o learn about muscle building supplement s, but t his is a st art , and it will get you headed in t he right direct ion t o help you reach your bodybuilding goals. Remember t hat bodybuilding is more t han working out , and it is more t han using muscle building supplement s. It is a combinat ion of many t hings, and leaving just one element out can severely hinder your bodybuilding effort s. Click Here For Recommended Program
7. Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
The lower body cont ains some of your biggest muscles which are capable of bearing significant weight s. The t empt at ion for beginners t o go for broke by performing heavy squat s should be resist ed. To begin wit h you should concent rat e on building t he muscles safely by using machines t hat isolat e muscle groups. The squat is an excellent compound exercise t hat t rains numerous lower body muscles but it is one you should learn properly aft er spending t hree mont hs st rengt hening t he individual muscles t hat will be ut ilized lat er.
The muscles of t he lower body can be divided int o five groups:
1. Quads - t his is t he big muscle group consist ing of four muscles at t he front of t he t high. These are t he primary muscles used when performing exercises such as squat s, leg press, lunge and leg ext ension.
2. Hamst rings - t hese are t he main muscles at t he back of t he t high. These are t he primary muscles used when performing leg curls.
3. Glut eals - t hese are t he muscles t hat make up t he but t ocks.
4. Hip flexors - t hese are t he small muscles at t he front of t he pelvis t hat allow you t o raise your legs t o t he front .
5. Calves - t hese are t he t wo muscles found in t he lower leg.
For beginners t hese muscles should be exercised as follows:
1. Leg press - 1 set of 10-15 reps. This is a useful exercise for t he quads but it also works t he hamst rings and glut es t o a lesser degree.
2. Leg ext ension - 3 set s of 10-15 reps. This is a useful exercise for adding definit ion t o t he quads.
3. Hamst ring curl - 3 set s of 10-15 reps. This exercise isolat es t he hamst rings.
4. St anding calf raise - 3 set s of 10-15 reps. This exercise works t he gast rocnemius muscle.
5. Seat ed calf raise - 3 set s of 10-15 reps. This exercise works t he soleus muscle underneat h t he gast rocnemius muscle.
As wit h all exercises you need t o t ake care in scheduling specific body part s. To begin wit h you should incorporat e your lower body exercises int o a program similar t o t he one suggest ed below:
Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs
Day 2: Hamst rings, Shoulders, Abs
Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves
Day 4: Triceps, Chest , Abs
For t he first couple of weeks complet e one set but t hen add one set each week t o a maximum of t hree. At t he end of t hree mont hs you will be ready t o move on t o more int ensive int ermediat e level exercises. Click Here For Recommended Program
8. Basics Of Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a sport of building muscle. Bigger and st ronger is t he name of t he game. One of t he great t hings about bodybuilding is t hat you can achieve great result s wit h only very basic equipment and a few hours of t raining t hree t o four t imes per week.
The key t o building bigger and st ronger muscles is t o keep progressively adding more and more weight over t ime. Building bigger muscles is about consist ent regular t raining, eat ing properly, get t ing plent y of rest , and lot s of weight at low repet it ions.
As a st art ing any new exercise program, is import ant a first check wit h your physician before st art ing a bodybuilding program. In t he beginning is import ant t hat you st art slow and learn proper t echnique. Time and t ime again professional body builders have said t hat t echnique is one of most import ant aspect s of get t ing a good workout . It might be helpful t o schedule a session wit h a professional t rainer in t he beginning so you st art on t he right t rack. If t his is not an opt ion for you t here are various inst ruct ional books on t he subject of bodybuilding. Above all t ake t he t ime t o learn proper t echnique.
Lift ing heavy weight damages muscle fibers. It is only when t he muscles repair t hemselves t hat t hey grow larger and st ronger. For t his reason it is very import ant t hat each muscle group is given plent y of rest following each workout . This is why most body builders alt ernat e muscle groups. For example, you might work on your back on Monday, your legs on Tuesday, your chest on Wednesday, and your arms on Friday. Most successful body builders will recommend t hat you not work a part icular muscle group more t han t wice per week.
The quest ion may come up of whet her it is best t o use weight machines or free weight s. The general consensus is t hat free weight s are your best opt ion for increasing muscle mass. Machines are t ypically used for isolat ing muscles and t his is somet hing t hat only professional body builders need t o do before cont est .
The following are some basic exercises for t he major muscle groups.
Chest
1. Flat Bench Press
2. Dips
3. Incline Bench Press
Legs
1. Squat s
2. St raight Leg Dead Lift s
3. Leg Press
Back
1. Pull ups
2. Barbell Rows
3. Deadlift s
Biceps
1. Curls
2. Incline curls
Triceps
1. Lying Tricep Ext ensions
2. Close Grip Bench Press
Shoulders
1. Milit ary Press.
Remember t o increase muscle size you will need t o progressively increase poundage. Be pat ient . Overworking your muscles can act ually have adverse effect s. If you maint ain a consist ent regular workout rout ine coupled wit h proper nut rit ion and rest you will begin t o see result s in no t ime. Keep in mind it is common t o see more obvious result s init ially and in overt ime your gains will seem less apparent . This is because your body becomes used t o your work out rout ine and in a sense knows what t o expect . It is helpful t o keep your body guessing by changing your workout rout ine on a regular basis. Click Here For Recommended Program
9. 5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Destroy Your Muscle Gains
I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over t he world, and one of t he most common quest ions I'm asked is "does drinking really affect t he muscle growt h process?" I'm sorry t o say it , but yes, t oo much alcohol will almost definit ely have a significant negat ive impact on your muscle-building result s. Alcohol is far more harmful t han most people t hink, and it 's very import ant t hat you underst and how t his drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affect ing your progress. This is not an ant i-drug speech, but if you're serious about achieving a t ruly impressive physique, you should definit ely be aware of t he 5 main ways t hat alcohol is slowing down your gains...
1) It negat ively affect s prot ein synt hesis.
Prot ein synt hesis is t he process where amino acids are joined t oget her t o form complet e prot eins. Excessive alcohol consumpt ion slows t his process down by up t o 20%, and since your muscles are made up of prot ein, you can see how t his is a problem.
2) It lowers t est ost erone levels and increases est rogen.
Test ost erone is t he most import ant muscle-building hormone in your body. One of t he limit ing fact ors t hat det ermines how much muscle a person can gain is t heir level of freeflowing t est ost erone.
3) It causes dehydrat ion.
The kidneys must filt er very large amount s of wat er in order t o break down t he alcohol, and t his can result in severe dehydrat ion wit hin t he body. Wat er plays an absolut ely crucial role in t he muscle-building process, and being even slight ly dehydrat ed is a recipe for disast er. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% wat er.
4) It deplet es t he body of vit amins and minerals.
Alcohol consumpt ion causes vit amins A, C, t he B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus t o all be
drained at rapid rat es. Vit amins and minerals keep every lit t le process in your body funct ioning properly, and many of t hese processes involve muscle growt h and maint enance.
5) It increases fat st orage.
Wit h 7 empt y calories per gram, alcohol can act ually be quit e fat t ening. Alcohol also disrupt s t he Kreb's Cycle, which plays an import ant role in fat burning.
It 's import ant t o have fun in life, but t oo much fun can lead t o problems. If you're serious about achieving significant muscle-building result s, you definit ely need t o monit or your int ake of alcohol and make sure t hat you are consuming it in moderat ion. A few drinks here and t here shouldn't be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost cert ainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.
If you do decide t o go out and part y, make sure t o drink plent y of wat er and t o properly nourish yourself wit h vit amins/minerals and a prot ein rich meal.
I don't recommend revolving your ent ire life around your muscle-building program, so don't be afraid t o go out and have a good t ime once in a while. Just make sure t o keep your drinking night s infrequent (no more t han once a mont h) and properly nourish yourself t o lessen it s effect s. As long as you monit or what you're doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at t he same t ime. Click Here For Recommended Program
10. Health & Fitness eBooks: T he Less Embarrassing Alternatives to the Happy, Healthy Lifestyle You Seek
Did you know people shoplift boxes of condoms more frequent ly t han any ot her it em found a pharmacy's shelves? Think about it for a second. The reason becomes fairly obvious: people are t oo embarrassed t o be seen wit h condoms in t heir possession, let along buying t hem. And perhaps you're one of t hem-t he "embarrassed," not t he "shoplift er," t hat is... Afraid a friend might ent er t he pharmacy at t he point of purchase. A family member. A neighbor. Your boss! Even confront ing t he cashier who rings up your, um, purchase, or t he person st anding behind you in line is a pot ent ial source of discomfort . Suddenly anyone you encount er equat es what you're holding wit h your blushing face, immediat ely realizing what you'll be (or at least hope you'll be) doing t hat evening. Of course, you could be among t he brave who march st raight t o t he count er, box in hand held like it were a t rophy, greet ing everyone as you go. If you are, you're luckier t han many who become overwhelmed t o t he point of simply replacing t he box and leaving, or, because t hey cannot do wit hout , shoving t he condoms int o t heir pocket and, well, hoping t hey remembered t o lace t heir sneakers t ight t hat morning.
Of course harrowing experiences for t he easily embarrassed do not limit t hemselves t o t he pharmacy. In fact , have you ever considered what books people shoplift most frequent ly from your local bookst ore (t o likewise avoid embarrassment )? If you guessed self-help books, you're right . (Int erest ingly, as a genre, t hey st ill manage t o out sell any ot her cat egory on t he shelves despit e t he hordes of shoppers wit h part icularly st icky fingers and deep coat pocket s). And not just self-help books relat ed t o sexual t echniques, marit al problems, infidelit y or ot her relat ionship issues, but also t hose relat ed t o our physical well being, i.e. how t o(s) on Healt h & Fit ness.
For example, you may have an issue wit h acne, bad breat h or your weight ; browsing t he self-help sect ion for a cure of fit ness regime only indicat es t o ot hers t hat you're selfconscious about what may be equally obvious t o t hem. Or, you may have an issue wit h somet hing previously unrecognized by t he public including premat ure ejaculat ion, int ense social anxiet y, or wart s t hat suddenly, even wit hout wit nessing your issue first hand, become apparent t o ot hers as you flip t hrough t it les on t he lat est remedies. Thus self-
help books, while part ly t he bookst ores "bread and but t er" are also t heir "condoms," so t o speak. Shoppers, likewise, are not only t oo embarrassed t o be caught browsing t he self-help shelves, but are doubly embarrassed t o t hen parade t hroughout t he st ore carrying whichever book applies t o t heir specific issue or perceived inadequacy, only t o hand it over t o a cashier, immediat ely let t ing him or her in on t he shopper's previously kept secret . Harrowing indeed!
But , inst ead of eit her not buying a book because you are t oo embarrassed (t hus allowing what ever issue ails you t o fest er and grow), or worse yet shoplift ing what is supposed t o be self-help, not self-hurt , and pot ent ially subject ing yourself t o criminal charges or jail t ime, you can now find similar informat ion, and oft en t he exact same books, online in an eBook format . Any reader, formerly t oo embarrassed or ot herwise noncommit t al about owning up t o and confront ing t heir respect ive issues, perceived inadequacies or habit ual vices, can now pursue t he diet s, cures and ot her life-enriching met hods from t he comfort and privacy of t heir own homes. No more scouring t he bookst ore shelves or ent ering t he diet cent er beneat h t he scrut iny of t he public eye. Thanks t o Healt h & Fit ness eBooks, anyone can conduct t he requisit e in-dept h and educat ed research needed t o t ackle t heir problems and improve t heir life, head on, wit hout furt her worries about answering t he prying quest ions of peers or enduring t he judgment of family members.
Download a Healt h or Fit ness relat ed eBook when you want , on your t erms; leave a print ed version lying about , or keep t he digit al file t ucked safely away on your comput er. The choice is yours. Let everyone know (friends, family, neighbors, even your boss!), or limit t hose who know t o t hose you t rust or even t o no one at all. Eit her way, you can begin improving your life immediat ely at a level of comfort you deserve.
Begin by conduct ing your research t horoughly, and wit h t he knowledge t hat eBooks relat ed t o Healt h & Fit ness just like t heir count erpart s on t he bookst ore's shelves, t ackle virt ually every issue under t he sun, under your roof, or simply wit hin yourself, from how t o conquer panic at t acks t o ast hma, jet lag t o unsight ly moles; t urn fat int o t he muscle mass, a belly int o bulging biceps or volupt uous breast s; or even learn t o maximize your mind's pot ent ial.
Finally, eBooks, now t hat most expert s writ e t hem in addit ion t o t heir t angible world publicat ions, offer met hods t o improve your life t hat simult aneously accommodat e any and all lifest yle choices and belief syst ems. Examples included hypnosis pract iced while sipping a cup of coffee before work, nat ural alt ernat ives t hat appease bot h body and spirit , wit h or wit hout supplement s, some secular, ot hers associat ed wit h religious pract ices, and so on. What ever your lifest yle or beliefs, you're likely t o find a cure for what ails you or a program for your fut ure, wit hout necessarily breaking t he bank, and perhaps most import ant , wit hout t he embarrassment of confront ing your issues wit h t he whole world wat ching... Now, if only t he same could be done for t hat box of condoms...
Copyright 2006, Robert K. Blanc. All Right s Reserved. Click Here For Recommended Program
11. Females Pump up that BUT T !
I have not iced at t he gym and on t he int ernet discussion boards, t hat many females don't get t he respect of hard-t raining at hlet es like most men do. I would love t o blame it all on you guys out t here for being sexist and disrespect ful, but unfort unat ely, I feel if we as females don't get t he respect we want from our male gym count erpart s, it is largely our own fault . So many women have fallen vict im t o t he mind set t hat we don't have t o t rain hard t o get ""Toned"" Or maybe most t hink t here are cert ain exercises t hat are MAN exercises and t here are t hose t hat are ""Girl"" exercises. Let s get somet hing out of t he way here - when it comes t o changing our bodies men and women are t he same. We can make our fat bigger or smaller, and we can make our muscles bigger or smaller - t hat 's about it . Men have t he abilit y t o do t his on a much larger scale due t o t he hormonal differences. Women, if you t hink you are going t o t rain your arms heavy and hard and wake up one day and have biceps like Arnold , you're not .
The ""Toned"" look t hat we all desire, is a result of increased muscle mass, and decreased body fat . Our muscles usually have t o get BIGGER t o achieve t his look. In t his art icle I am going t o share some of my views on how t o get t hat at hlet ic, yet ""Feminine"" figure t hat so many of us are aft er.
First off, what do we as a societ y look at and consider, ""Feminine?"" 36-24-36? Maybe not t hose numbers exact ly, but t hat t ype of body shape st ill holds t rue wit h most . Now how do you make t his at hlet ic-looking, wit hout det ract ing from t he female shape? Each person is different of course, but choosing cert ain body part s t o emphasize over ot hers can really help here. For example, it seems accept able for a woman t o have very round and shapely delt oids, but if t he biceps and forearms as well as t raps are t oo developed, it 's seen as ""Manly."" So wisely choosing which body part s t o maximize and which ones t o minimize can go a long way. Here are my t hree key principles for looking st rong, at hlet ic, and yes, like a woman!
1) Maximize your shoulder t o waist rat io. For t hose t hat have t eeny-t iny waist lines, t his could be very simple. Maybe just t raining delt oids first in your schedule is all t hat is needed. For t hose of us t hat are not 24"" or less in t he waist , t his might t ake quit e some
effort . I feel delt oids MUST be t rained first , very hard, and frequent ly t o get t he desired look. Back widt h also plays a big role in making t he waist seem smaller t han it really is, so it is a close second. Keep in mind t hat t his part of it is exact ly t he same as what a bodybuilder would t ry t o do, so one shouldn't get caught t hinking t hey have t o do ""Girl"" exercises, or feel rest rained from doing heavy weight s. I have personally been as high as 55 lb dumbbells for bot h overhead presses and lat erals t rying t o get my delt s t o grow. I also don't underst and why most females don't st rive t o do wide grip chin ups, ot her t han t hey are hard. Don't shy away from hard heavy exercises for delt s and back.
""We are not going t o get t hose perky round glut es by doing leg kickbacks and but t squeezes!""
2) Pump up t hat but t ! How many women have said in t he same breat h ""I don't want my but t t o get any bigger, but I don't like t he way it sags."" As a woman I can t ell you t hey mean t hey don't want t heir rear t o get any""Fat t er"",and ""Bigger"" means ""Fat t er"" in t heir minds. So many women have given in t o t he idea t hat it is just a genet ic t rait t hat can't be changed. Well guess what ? Glut es are just like biceps - you guys out t here know if you want impressive arms, you have t o t rain progressively on cert ain exercises and force t he muscles t o develop. Girls, it 's t he same for us. We are not going t o get t hose perky round glut es by doing leg kickbacks and but t squeezes! We have t o do exercises t hat allow for progression in weight and reps bot h. If you've been doing say walking lunges wit h no weight for t he past year and st ill aren't happy wit h t he way t hings look from behind, you need more st imulat ion. Add some weight t o t he exercise and PROGRESS! You want t he glut es t o get bigger while simult aneously st ripping t he fat away. Have you ever seen a girl wit h a really t ight but t and t hink it s st ill t oo big? Probably not .
""I believe you are what you eat , and someone t hat eat s 2000 calories of most ly prot ein, healt hy fat s and complex carbs, will look much different t han one t hat eat s 2000 calories of crap-carbs and greasy fat s.""
3) Cont rol your bodyfat ! I will admit t hat a woman who is 20% bodyfat wit h no muscle, looks smaller and bet t er in clot hes t han one wit h t he same amount of fat and much more muscle. To have t hat at hlet ic look, most of us end up in t he 12-15% range. I will
cover in det ail my met hods of fat -loss in up coming art icles, but in a nut shell, I will t ell you t o eat your prot ein and veggies. I believe you are what you eat , and someone t hat eat s 2000 calories of most ly prot ein, healt hy fat s and complex carbs, will look much different t han one t hat eat s 2000 calories of crap-carbs and greasy fat s. I don't believe it s about t he numbers, it s about t he qualit y of t he foods. Cardio is also a key element in bodyfat reduct ion and cont rol. This is where people differ t he most I've found. Some women can get by wit h 20-30 minut es 3-4 t imes per week. I oft en have t o do 6-7 days a week and usually for 45-60 minut es each t ime. I have t rained some girls t hat have had t o do double sessions 7 days a week t o achieve 12% body fat . So go wit h what works for you and your body t ype.
I hope you ladies reading t his are ready t o go t o t he gym and hit it hard and heavy. Keep in mind t hat heavy is a relat ive t erm, if 5 lb dumbbell presses are all you can t ruly do, push t hem hard and you will get st ronger. In t he process you will earn t he respect of t hose around you t hat are doing t he same. It is not where you are at now, it s about where you are going! And I hope t hat t he guys reading t his will show some gym et iquet t e t o t hose ladies t hat may not be as st rong as you, but pushing just as hard t o get bet t er. Click Here For Recommended Program
12. Bodybuilding T raining Or Powerlifting T raining?
The sport of powerlift ing is one t hat was spawned from bodybuilding t raining as many of t he desired out comes are essent ially t he same for bot h sport s. The t echniques and pract ices in bodybuilding t raining and powerlift ing t raining can benefit each ot her, however t he major difference is in t he compet it ions which powerlift ers and bodybuilders ent er. As a bodybuilder t he aim is t o look as big and as defined as possible, whereas in powerlift ing t he aim is t o lift as much weight as possible.
If you want t o ent er powerlift ing compet it ions you'll have t o compet e over t hree sect ions, t he squat , t he bench press and t he dead lift . The winner of t he compet it ion unlike bodybuilding is no based on how good you muscles look but how much weight you can lift in t ot al. If you ent er a compet it ion you'll be put in a cert ain cat egory or class depending on a number of fact ors such as age and experience. You don't have t o worry about your body's aest het ics as you do in bodybuilding, so you can focus 100% on t raining your st rengt h inst ead.
Like bodybuilding, powerlift ers st ill need t o eat well balanced healt hy diet s incorporat ing plent y of prot ein and enough calories t o ensure opt imum muscle growt h. Avoid fried foods, fast foods and ot her sources of bad fat s and bad carbohydrat es. Try and eat plent y of veget ables, past a and high prot ein sources such as t urkey and chicken. Don't forget t hat powerlift ing is not about having t he lowest body fat percent age or having t he highest muscular definit ion, so you don't have t o worry about a bit of ext ra fat .
If you want t o power lift you need t o follow a st rict t raining program as you would if you were t raining t o be a bodybuilder. Make sure t hat you schedule rest days int o your t raining program t o allow your body and muscles t o grow and repair bet ween t raining sessions. Many serious powerlift ers and bodybuilders oft en t ake a rest week, every t welve weeks or so t o reduce st ress and allow t he body t o rest and recover which will enable you t o keep t raining harder and longer and give you a chance t o properly reassess your goals and t raining rout ine.
Like any sport , you need t o set goals and have a det ailed t raining program as a power
lift er t o keep you focused and on t rack. Reassess your goals oft en; st ay posit ive and dedicat ed and you'll be winning compet it ions in no t ime. Click Here For Recommended Program
13. Natural Body Building
The body building indust ry has t aken a very firm st ance on t he use of illegal and art ificial subst ances - especially in compet it ions. There are even specific cont est s geared t oward nat ural body builders. Most compet it ions will t est part icipant s prior t o allowing t hem t o compet e, and if someone is found t o have an illegal subst ance in t heir body, t hey are banned from part icipat ing.
While synt het ic product s will grow your body very quickly, t hey can have horrible side effect s. The t rend t oward nat ural body building is about growing your body, maximizing your nut rit ional int ake, as well as st aying healt hy while you are growing your muscles.
When you decide t hat nat ural body building is t he rout e you want t o go, it 's import ant t hat you get t he right amount of nut rient s and vit amins t hat will maximize your workout sessions. That means t aking a mult i-vit amin and eat ing properly in ways t hat will send muscle building prot eins t o t he right part s of your body.
It is more t han possible t o grow your body nat urally t hrough an effect ive weight t raining program coupled wit h good nut rit ion. There is no reason why st eroids or growt h hormones need t o be int roduced int o t he body for ult imat e muscle mass.
One of t he key component s of a nat ural body building program is t o eat healt hy and maint ain a posit ive mindset when it comes t o your workout program. Supplement s are also import ant when you want t oned, fit muscles. The ingredient s in supplement s like creat ine and glut amine are nat urally produced in t he human body anyway. What t he supplement s do is increase or enhance t hose subst ances t hat are nat urally t here anyway.
Proponent s of nat ural body building will agree t hat an effect ive workout program coupled wit h effect ive supplement s and nut rit ion can make for a healt hy, t oned body. Nat ural body building is definit ely t he way t o go if your goal in a body building program is t o get healt hy and feel good. St eroids and growt h hormones should be avoided at all cost s.
Body building t he nat ural way is best for everyone. St eroids are not . Don't t ake t he chance t hat you will suffer ill effect s from st eroid use. Just know t hat a st rong workout program and a commit ment t o your body building goals will grow your body in a nat ural way not an art ificial way.This art icle was published using Art icle Submit t er Click Here For Recommended Program
14. T op 10 effective bodybuilding supplements
Thousands of body building supplement s have been int roduced and t est ed. Some are proven t o work while some are just wast e of precious money. Experienced body builders and at hlet es have list ed t he t op 10 effect ive bodybuilding supplement s and t hese are t he following:
1. Probiot ics.
Probiot ics are made from good bact eria like acidopilus and bifidus. They help t he digest ive syst em t o work properly. Manufact ured product s cont aining probiot ics includes special powder, yogurt s, probiot ic drinks, and capsules. Probiot ics are very import ant t o body builders because t hey lower cholest erol level and t hey st imulat e t he body t o produce alpha-int erferon t hat regulat es t he immune response.
2. Meal replacement powders.
These are great subst it ut e for smaller meals t hat bodybuilders must t ake t hroughout t he day. Meal replacement s are great in accelerat ing weight loss and increasing lean muscle mass quickly. They are packed wit h vit amins, friendly fat s, minerals, exact amount of carbohydrat e and prot ein.
3. Weight gain formulas.
These gain powders have always played an import ant role in bodybuilding. These are especially creat ed for beginners who are t oo skinny and having difficult y consuming sufficient amount of food t o gain weight .
4. Malt odext rin.
Also known as glucose polymer powder or mult idext rose. A synt het ic polysaccharide is being used by people who are involved in sport s t o meet t he energy demands of ext reme exercise. It is a food addit ive produced mainly from cornst arch. It can be quickly
absorbed like glucose making it quicker for body builder t o gain needed weight .
5. Prot ein powders.
Most bodybuilders rely heavily on prot ein powders so t hat t hey get amount of prot ein t hey need t o gain weight . Prot ein powder does not only help bodybuilders get t he body t hey desire, but it also helps t hem build a st ronger immune syst em and healt hier skin. In addit ion, it also helps in developing muscle st rengt h.
Prot ein powders are made from soy, rice, egg, and whey. These are purchased in powdered form t hat can easily t urn t o prot ein shake by just adding wat er or mixing it wit h milk or fruit juice.
6. Pre-workout drinks.
These are energy drinks t hat cont ain one or more of st imulant s like ephedra, guarana, or caffeine. These help bodybuilders in energizing t heir day's workout . Pre-work out drinks generally cont ains carbohydrat es, prot ein, vit amins, minerals, creat ine, and amino acids.
7. Creat ine monohydrat e.
This is t he leading bodybuilding supplement t hat was scient ifically researched and was proven t o improve overall performance. It 's all-nat ural and can be found in many food like salmon, t una, herring, and beef.
8. Creat ine formulas.
These usually come in powdered form t hat cont ains pure creat ine monohydrat e, carbohydrat e dext rose, and sodium. St udies show t hat most bodybuilders choose t his supplement because t hey get amazing result in no t ime.
9. Nut rit ion bars.
These are useful for at hlet es who cannot find t ime t o eat . There are different t ypes of
nut rit ion bars; t hese are high prot ein bars, sliming bars, and energy bars. These are not highly recommended for body builders because t hey usually cont ain fat s and addit ives. They are also very expensive.
10. Glut amine.
This is import ant because it increases t he bodybuilders' abilit y t o secret e growt h hormone t hat aids in support ing muscle growt h and met abolizing body fat . Bodybuilders use glut amine t o lose weight wit hout sacrificing t he size of t heir muscles.
Supplement are definit ely need for bodybuilding. Use t he informat ion above t o get t he best supplement and get your money's wort h. Click Here For Recommended Program
15. Loose Fat & Gain Muscle Naturally
Almost every at hlet e, weekend warrior, or gym regular want s t o build bigger muscles while losing body fat at t he same t ime. This can be a challenging t ask because t he "t radit ionalist s" will t ell you t hat one must sacrifice eit her definit ion or gains in muscle.
While it 's easier t o focus on one or t he ot her t here are a few t ricks you can use t hat will have you on t he right t rack in no t ime.
First t hings first ... The "Tradit ional Approach"
To gain muscle a person has t o consume more food, prot ein, carbs, fat s, nut rient s, and vit amins t han t hey need t o get bigger and less overall calories if t hey wish t o get leaner.
This of course is t he main reason bodybuilders t end t o "Bulk Up" in t he off-season.
This means t he individual will eat loads of calories in t he hopes of gaining more muscle mass. The ext ra muscle gain is achievable but t he individual also will experience a significant gain of fat in t he process, oft ent imes more t han t he muscle gains.
Aft er t he "Bulking Up" period t he individual will usually want t o "rip up" for summer or for a cont est . Then t hey usually have t o subject t hemselves t o a rigorous t raining and rest rict ive diet for 3-6 mont hs t o get t hey're body fat levels where t he muscles are clearly defined.
The cont inual up and down Yo-Yo in weight gain plays havoc wit h t he physical body not t oo ment ion t he psyche of t he individual. This generally accept ed pract ice in bodybuilding has also led t o t he widespread use of drugs used by many at hlet es t o bulk up or t o get ripped.
Bodybuilding Tradit ionalist s "Dirt y Secret "
The Trut h of t he mat t er is t he edit ors and writ ers for t he big magazines won't t ell you is t he widespread use of performance enhancing drugs by t he t op amat eur and professional at hlet es who use an array of pharmaceut icals t o build and maint ain t heir muscles while diet ing.
It 's Dirt y Secret s like t his t hat lead t he unsuspect ing populat ion t o quest ion why t heir programs don't work, or why t hey are not so "genet ically gift ed". Tradit ional met hods have creat ed a t radit ion of drugs going all t he way back int o t he 50's. The problem has got t en worse not bet t er.
Bot t om line t hese drugs are dangerous have consequences, and can leave you and your body in a lot furt her away from your goals in t he long run. St ay away from t hem!
Unfort unat ely, t he pressure t o be in shape and t o become t he next Ronnie Coleman has t rickled down even t o t he "regular Joe" in t he gym who want s t o look good in a pair of Calvin Klein's, and now you have guys and girls walking int o gyms for t he first t ime asking what t he "should be on."
This abuse of drugs has led t o t he overall dysfunct ion of t he bodybuilding communit y on mult iple levels ment ally, physically and psychologically. What 's weird is t he "Drug Program" t oday is so commonplace it has become "t radit ional t hinking" as opposed t o nat ural bodybuilding principles which are: good healt hy food, rigorous t raining of t he mind and body, and an overall expression of healt h and vit alit y.
It 's t ime for a new way because t he old ment alit y of t radit ional bodybuilding is over.
Gimme A Break From Tradit ion Thinking!
Fort unat ely, t here is a bet t er way t o gain muscle and t o lose body fat at t he same t ime. It 's called t he "Cycle Diet " and it is fast becoming t he most popular way t o st ay lean year round while cont inually gaining muscle. Let 's examine first how t he cycle diet works and t hen how you can incorporat e it int o your t raining rout ine.
Every bodybuilder who maint ains t here body fat levels below 7 percent knows as soon as t hey st art eat ing t he first few days of high calories t heir body explodes wit h new growt h before any body fat gains occur.
The reason for t his is t he body is in a super-compensat ion st at e and init ially st ores t he ext ra calories as glycogen in organs such as t he liver as well as int ramuscularly. Fat s are also st ored int ramuscularly as well as prot ein is ut ilized for t he growt h and repair of muscles.
This super-compensat ion st at e only last s for maybe 24 hours before t he body st art s t o shut t le t he ext ra calories int o fat cells. But before t hat occurs t here is a window of explosive growt h available wait ing t o be t apped int o and here is how you can do it .
Bodybuilding Legend Scot t Abel Cracks The Code
The ent ire process was init ially developed and coined t he Cycle Diet by legendary t rainer Scot t Abel. I believe t hat anyone int erest ed in t he deeper met abolic science behind t he diet order one of Scot t 's DVD's as it 's well wort h t he money. Scot t 's a brilliant innovat or t hat has cont ribut ed more t o t he science of bodybuilding t han any ot her person in t he last 50 years and he has had a profound influence on my own t raining.
I have creat ed a variat ion of Scot t 's Cycle Diet geared specifically for nat ural t rainees. While I feel Scot t 's breakt hrough and t he science behind it is sheer brilliance his prot ocol does have some challenges for nat ural at hlet es as well as for individuals who may be enzyme deficient already.
I st rongly recommend picking up a copy of enzyme pioneer Dr. Howell and his book "Enzyme Nut rit ion" for det ails on how rampant enzyme deficiency is in t he populat ion at large.
The 2 Main Challenges Of The Tradit ional Cycle Diet
The first problem is Met abolic Damage from Enzyme deficiency. While t he cycle diet works for mont hs even years t here is an 'unseen cost ". Over t he long haul t he Enzymat ic cost of eat ing so much enzyme deficient foods and t he pot ent ial damage and loss of met abolic enzymes. This can lead t o t raining let hargy, poor recovery, early aging, and injuries.
The second cost is t he long-t erm effect s of t his t ype of eat ing st ress on t he digest ive t ract , which can lead t o t hick deposit s of mucoid plaque. This plaque is a breading ground for unhealt hy bact eria t o proliferat e, which generat e t oxins t hat can lead t o major healt h complicat ions down t he road.
This prot ocol allows you t o build muscle while losing body fat as well as keeping your body free of t oxic buildup.
Here is how it works.
First , you need t o get your body fat levels below 7 percent for t he maximum benefit of t he prot ocol. The cool t hing is once you get down t o t his level you can maint ain t his body fat level year round. If you are unsure how t o get ripped you will want t o follow one of my cut t ing up t raining and diet ary prot ocols. It usually t akes bet ween 12-20 weeks t o hit single digit s for anyone under 30 percent body fat . I use t he percent age a week met hod t o det ermine how long it will t ake you t o get in t he single digit zone.
Second you need t o be t raining a minimum of 5 days per week. In ot her words you need t o be an int ermediat e or advanced t rainee capable of handling significant volume and int ensit y in your t raining.
Third you need t o keep your calorie int ake about 500-1000 calories below expendit ure daily. If you are following one of my five-day t raining programs simply mult iply your Lean Body Mass (LBM) by 12. What ever t he t ot al is, use t hat number as you're st art ing caloric int ake.
Of course t his should be divided up int o 5 meals of t he right combinat ions of prot ein, carbs, fat s and nut rient s. For more informat ion see my art icle on "Get t ing Ripped
Wit hout Get t ing Ripped Off"
I also suggest t hat you follow a 5 day Body Part per day program such as t he one's on my websit e. Once you have your workout program and your diet ary int ake down you are ready t o go for t he Ult imat e Nat ural Training Cycle. Virt ually anyone who follows t he syst em will be as ripped as t hey want t o be in less t han 6 mont hs but before we get ahead of ourselves we must first begin by...
"Priming The Pump"
Now for t he first 3 days of your t raining you will keep your caloric int ake in t he calculat ed range all on t raining days. On your first rest day, which usually will occur on t he 4t h day you will perform one of t he juice fast s I recommend for t he whole day.
Consume as much juice as you like on t he fast day and be sure t o t ake some fiber t o help remove accumulat ed mucoid plaque in t he digest ive t ract . There are many herbs t hat can aid in t he process as well which we out lineat t he freaky insider forums. I call t his cleaning out t he int est inal t ract "Priming t he Pump".
Keep in mind t hat only nat ural juices, preferably organic are used on t he juice fast day free of sugars, addit ives, preservat ives, sweet eners or anyt hing else. I recommend t he Jack Lalanne power juicer t o make your own fresh super juices. Int ermediat e and advanced at hlet es may wish t o use one of my more aggressive cleansing fast s for even bet t er result s.
On t he 5t h and 6t h days of t he week you will resume your t raining and diet schedule, wit h t he concurrent calorie deficit . This is really import ant as maint aining a st rict cont rol
over calorie t ot als on t he t raining days is essent ial t o make t he program work. That means no cheat s, t reat s, or deviat ions from your diet .
On t he 7t h day, which should be an off day from t raining as well, "EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT".
Is This 7t h Heaven?
That 's right all t he t hings t hat you would like load up on t hem. It 's a good idea t o schedule social occasions or int eract ions on t hat day, so you can eat Grandma's apple pie, or have some pizza and ice cream wit h t he guys during t he big game. It 's best t o schedule t he High Calorie day on a rest day and be sure t o consume as many calories as you can.
Keep in mind t hat you st art in t he morning of your rest day and you st op in t he evening. So you keep t he t ime frame down t o about 18 hours, as t his will ensure no fat will be gained.
It is a good idea t o st art wit h fat s in t he morning first so t hat you don't experience t oo much digest ive discomfort . It 's also a good idea t o double or t riple your enzyme int ake for t he high calorie day as well as on t he juice fast day for maximum absorpt ion of nut rient s.
For t he finer det ails on t raining, diet s et c be sure t o check out my free newslet t er at my websit e.
Why The Cycle Diet Works
The Cycle diet works because of t he 3 basic reasons:
1)Short t ime frame of high calorie consumpt ion
2)The init ial caloric deficient st at e set s up a super compensat ion st at e
3)A rigorous t raining schedule which creat es st imulus for fat loss and muscle gain
The bot t om line is once you get t he prot ocol down t o suit your own met abolism it 's pret t y much impossible for your body t o add body fat .
The cascade of anabolic hormones during t he brief high calorie int ake will be used t o fill up energy st ores and build more muscle. This is t he ideal condit ion for growt h of muscle t issues t o occur. Many at hlet es are shocked by t he giant leaps in muscle size, leanness, and muscularit y t hat occur while on t he cycle diet for a few mont hs.
Fine Tuning The Process
You will need t o fine-t une t he process over t ime but it 's pret t y simple once you get t he rout ine down. Best of all you don't have t o rest rict calories for long periods of t ime. Once every week you get a break and t he juice fast day helps clear out any plaque built up form t he high calorie day.
Most at hlet es find t he cycle diet much easier and more a more fun way t o st ay in shape all year. What 's even bet t er t hat Nat ural At hlet es everywhere can build can build mass while st aying lean year round and st ay healt hy. No harmful chemicals or drugs needed.
Who said you can't have your cake and eat it t oo! Click Here For Recommended Program
16. Body Building Gain Mass Muscle Supplement
Prot ein is key t o building muscle, and even beginner bodybuilders will t ell you t his. However, it is import ant t o underst and t hat not all prot eins are alike, even t hough t hey have t he same basic makeup. So, when it comes t o body building gain mass muscle supplement s, what exact ly is it t hat you need?
Obviously, you need prot ein, but not just any prot ein. Of t he 22 amino acids t hat are cont ained in prot ein, t here are eight t hat are not produced by our bodies. This means t hat we must get t hose prot eins t hrough food or supplement s. Of t hose 22 amino acids, t here are also seven t hat our bodies do produce, but which cannot synt hesize when cert ain condit ions exist .
The fift een amino acids are vit al t o bodybuilding, and not all prot eins cont ain all fift een of t hem. Prot eins t hat do not cont ain all of t hem are called incomplet e prot eins, while prot eins t hat do are t ermed as complet e prot eins. Furt hermore, even if a prot ein cont ains all of t he amino acids, if it doesn't cont ain t hem in t he amount s t hat we need, it cannot be called a complet e prot ein.
The body building gain mass muscle supplement s t hat cont ain t he prot ein t hat we need are measured even furt her. Prot ein qualit y must be measured, and t his is done using a met hod creat ed by t he Food and Agricult ural Organizat ion. The amino acid profile of t he prot ein is compared t o t he essent ial amino acids t hat we require as human beings. Those t hat closely or exact ly mat ch what we require as humans are considered high qualit y prot eins, while t hose t hat are lacking are considered t o be lower qualit y prot eins.
Overall, it has long since been det ermined t hat t he best prot eins come from low-fat dairy product s, fish, lean meat s, egg whit es, and soy product s. However, t he chances are good t hat you cannot t ake t he t ime t o prepare and eat t hese foods each day, in t he amount s t hat you will require, which is where body building gain mass muscle supplement s come in.
Expert s recommend supplement ing your diet wit h prot ein powders, sport s bars, or meal
replacement drinks. These supplement s are very convenient , and make it easy t o det ermine t hat you act ually are get t ing t he right amount of prot ein, and t he right prot ein in your diet . However, do not replace solid food wit h t hese supplement s alt oget her, as t his is unhealt hy, and quit e dangerous. Not e t he word 'supplement .'
Before you st art wondering which are t he best body building gain mass muscle supplement s on t he market , go back and read over t his informat ion. There are many, many great brands on t he market , and any one of t hem t hat cont ains t he prot ein t hat you require will do t he t rick. It doesn't have t o be t he most expensive brand on t he market , and it doesn't mat t er whet her it is pre-mixed or powdered. The only t hing t hat mat t ers is t hat you use t he product appropriat ely. Click Here For Recommended Program
17. Increase Your T raining Intensity - Pre-Exhaustion
You can only build muscle t issue if you can generat e progressively st ronger muscular cont ract ions, so t his calls for an emphasis on finding ways t o increase exercise int ensit y. This should not be confused wit h exercise durat ion as maximum t raining int ensit y will act ually short en t he t ime needed t o achieve maximal muscular growt h.
In an earlier art icle I out lined t he ways in which you can int ensify your t raining. Here we'll focus on t he role t hat pre-exhaust ion has t o play in int ensifying t he t raining effect .
When an exercise employs t wo or more muscles it will be impossible t o achieve failure for t he primary muscle as t he weakest muscle will give out first . This is perhaps best explained by giving an example. When t arget ing t he chest , most exercises involve use of t he t riceps which is a relat ively small and weak muscle. When performing t he incline bench press for example, t he t riceps will fail before t he pect orals have t he opport unit y t o work t o failure t hus limit ing t he value of t he exercise.
How do you get around t his? By first performing an exercise t hat isolat es and t ires t he pect orals before immediat ely moving on t o t he main exercise. For maximum benefit s t here should be no rest bet ween t he pre-exhaust exercise and t he main compound exercise.
Beginners don't need t o worry about pre-exhaust rout ines but when t hey advance t o int ermediat e level t hey can be int roduced once a week for each body part .
Examples of pre-exhaust rout ines commonly performed by bodybuilders are list ed below:
Biceps - barbell curls and close-grip, palms-up pulldowns.
Triceps - pressdowns and dips.
Pect orals - flyes and bench presses.
Lat s - dumbbell pullovers and barbell rows.
Delt oids - dumbbell lat erals and presses behind neck.
Traps - shrugs and upright rows.
Thighs - leg ext ensions and squat s. Click Here For Recommended Program
18. Body Building Gain Mass Muscle Supplement
Prot ein is key t o building muscle, and even beginner bodybuilders will t ell you t his. However, it is import ant t o underst and t hat not all prot eins are alike, even t hough t hey have t he same basic makeup. So, when it comes t o body building gain mass muscle supplement s, what exact ly is it t hat you need?
Obviously, you need prot ein, but not just any prot ein. Of t he 22 amino acids t hat are cont ained in prot ein, t here are eight t hat are not produced by our bodies. This means t hat we must get t hose prot eins t hrough food or supplement s. Of t hose 22 amino acids, t here are also seven t hat our bodies do produce, but which cannot synt hesize when cert ain condit ions exist .
The fift een amino acids are vit al t o bodybuilding, and not all prot eins cont ain all fift een of t hem. Prot eins t hat do not cont ain all of t hem are called incomplet e prot eins, while prot eins t hat do are t ermed as complet e prot eins. Furt hermore, even if a prot ein cont ains all of t he amino acids, if it doesn't cont ain t hem in t he amount s t hat we need, it cannot be called a complet e prot ein.
The body building gain mass muscle supplement s t hat cont ain t he prot ein t hat we need are measured even furt her. Prot ein qualit y must be measured, and t his is done using a met hod creat ed by t he Food and Agricult ural Organizat ion. The amino acid profile of t he prot ein is compared t o t he essent ial amino acids t hat we require as human beings. Those t hat closely or exact ly mat ch what we require as humans are considered high qualit y prot eins, while t hose t hat are lacking are considered t o be lower qualit y prot eins.
Overall, it has long since been det ermined t hat t he best prot eins come from low-fat dairy product s, fish, lean meat s, egg whit es, and soy product s. However, t he chances are good t hat you cannot t ake t he t ime t o prepare and eat t hese foods each day, in t he amount s t hat you will require, which is where body building gain mass muscle supplement s come in.
Expert s recommend supplement ing your diet wit h prot ein powders, sport s bars, or meal
replacement drinks. These supplement s are very convenient , and make it easy t o det ermine t hat you act ually are get t ing t he right amount of prot ein, and t he right prot ein in your diet . However, do not replace solid food wit h t hese supplement s alt oget her, as t his is unhealt hy, and quit e dangerous. Not e t he word 'supplement .'
Before you st art wondering which are t he best body building gain mass muscle supplement s on t he market , go back and read over t his informat ion. There are many, many great brands on t he market , and any one of t hem t hat cont ains t he prot ein t hat you require will do t he t rick. It doesn't have t o be t he most expensive brand on t he market , and it doesn't mat t er whet her it is pre-mixed or powdered. The only t hing t hat mat t ers is t hat you use t he product appropriat ely.
THOUSANDS QUALITY but FREE PLR ARTICLES @ www.BuildWebPage.org
You can say t hanks for t he art icles by giving us a link back at ht t p://www.BuildWebPage.org on your links page. Click Here For Recommended Program
19. Buy Steroids, If Bodybuilding Is A Passion For You
You're oft en ready t o do anyt hing t o bulk up your muscles, if bodybuilding is a passion for you. You're just int erest ed in your body, and don't oft en see anyt hing bad in using anabolic st eroids. If you are really t hat passionat e and crazy about your bodybuilding, you can cert ainly buy st eroids.
Definit ely, you can buy st eroids, if you really care about your appearance and want t o become a real bodybuilder. There are plent y of nut rit ious food mat erials available t o increase your muscle mass, but t hey definit ely need more t ime t o offer you good result s. Anabolic st eroids however can do t he same in much lesser t ime. Anabolic st eroids cert ainly are t he right st uff t o make you successful easily and quickly.
But , before you buy st eroids, you must know t he right kind of st eroids for you. Your medical doct ors can bet t er prescribe you beneficial anabolic st eroids. Ot herwise, you can spend some t ime browsing a number of int ernet sit es t o have complet e knowledge and informat ion on t hese drugs. You doct or can best advise you t he right anabolic st eroids and t heir right dosages, or you can also check out such useful info online.
It 's really very import ant for you t o know t he right amount of doses for part icular anabolic st eroids. These drugs, if t aken right ly in right doses, do not cause severe side effect s. You can also use several medicines t o neut ralize and mit igat e t he side effect s of anabolic st eroids. Your doct or can bet t er advise you a number of such medicines, or you can find a lot of informat ion on such medicines on int ernet . You can also seek such informat ion from t he sit e where you buy st eroids.
Generally, such useful informat ion on anabolic st eroids is available in st eroid profiles. You should t ry t o find st eroid profiles from some reliable sources. Aut hent ic and honest st eroid profiles provide you useful informat ion on t he right ways, right doses, and right quant it ies of using anabolic st eroids. So, you can buy st eroids, if you're sure t o use t hese drugs right ly in right amount s.
One more t hing t hat is import ant for you t o know, before you buy st eroids, is STEROID
STACKING. You must know right way and right combinat ion of anabolic st eroids. It can be really hazardous t o st ack t wo incompat ible anabolic st eroids. So you must know t he anabolic st eroids t hat are compat ible for st acking wit h t he anabolic st eroids t hat you int end t o use. Click Here For Recommended Program
20. Best Bodybuilding Supplements
The days when body builders t ook st eroids t o boost t heir muscle mass have long gone, and t hose who at t empt t o use anabolic st eroids in an at t empt t o get a compet it ive edge run a very high risk of being caught and st ripped of any t it les t hey have won some would say t hat being caught is inevit able.
So how, t hen, do body builders manage t o build such huge muscles t hat seem far larger t han t hose of ot her professional at hlet es? Is it because t hey spend so long in t he gym and are very dedicat ed? Well, yes, body builders have t o have great dedicat ion, but t hey also t ake supplement s. These supplement s are 100% legal and don't have t he nast y side effect s of t he old anabolic st eroids, such as "roid rage". You will find several product s t hat are designed t o boost your body's levels of anabolic hormones or are describes as having an "anabolic effect ".
Unlike t he old illegal st eroids, t hese bodybuilding supplement s do not add any hormones int o your syst em. Inst ead, t hese supplement s st imulat e your body so it produces more of it s own androgens and t est ost erone - t he male hormones t hat enable bulky muscles t o be laid down on t he skelet al frame. Some of t hese body building supplement s increase energy levels as well - common ones include creat ine, NOx (nit ric oxide) increasers, HGH (human growt h hormone), and ZMA (which is a combinat ion of zinc and magnesium, bot h of which are vit al in t est ost erone product ion). These supplement s are eit her used singly or in a "st ack" or combinat ion of several product s. Some lines of body building supplement s include product s t hat come ready "st acked" for ease of use - t o see some examples of common pre-prepared st acks(complet e wit h celebrit y endorsement by a Mr Olympia champion) , follow t his link.
Of course, t hat 's not all. Muscles aren't built of air. All body builders t ake prot ein supplement s and eat a very high prot ein diet . When building muscle mass - and t his advice works for t hose who want t o look a bit more t oned or bulk up, as well as for t hose who want compet it ion-level muscle bulk - t aking a high prot ein supplement , usually in a shake or as a bar, is essent ial. This prot ein should be t aken in combinat ion wit h a small amount of glucose. The powder t ype of bodybuilding supplement is part icularly handy for
increasing t he amount of prot ein in t he diet , which all bodybuilders do.
Cast ing a glance over a discount supplier of t hese supplement s, you can see t hat t he prot ein supplement s available t o bodybuilders (and ot hers) come from a range of different sources. Dairy-sourced prot ein supplement s are t he most commonly seen, wit h whey a popular choice, closely followed by casein (casein, just in case you were wondering, comes from t he curds in t he combinat ion enjoyed by t he legendary Miss Muffet t before t he spider arrived: curds & whey). Egg prot ein is also very popular and is suit able for t hose wit h dairy int olerance. Egg prot ein is sourced eit her from t he whole egg or from t he egg whit e only (just as an aside, powdered egg prot ein is also used in t ree plant at ions - it 's applied t o young t rees t o det er rabbit s and hares from nibbling on t hem). And for veget arians, soy prot ein supplement s are also easy t o find.
Ot her supplement s t hat are commonly market ed as bodybuilding supplement s but can be t aken by anyone include mult ivit amin t ablet s and diet pills, especially t he t ypes of pill t hat increase energy levels and/or t he met abolism, as t his not only st rips away excess fat (no point in having a really ripped t orso and abs if t hose abs are buried beneat h a spare t yre) but also supplies t he ext ra st amina needed for t he gym sessions (an hour or more) needed t o build serious bulk.
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21. How T o Prevent Bodybuilding Injuries
As a bodybuilder you are going t o be t raining hard, so it is essent ial t hat you do your ut most t o t ake care of your muscles and prevent injury. Before you do anyt hing you should read up on safe bodybuilding pract ices such as proper lift ing t echniques, warming up and cooling down. Here we shall discuss some t ips on how t o st ay safe down t he gym.
This Is Essent ial...
The most import ant t hing t hat you should do is a proper warm up followed by a warm down at t he end of you session. Spend at least 15 minut es warming up; 5 minut es of light aerobic exercise such as jogging t hen 10 minut es of st ret ching t o loosen off and prepare your body for act ivit y. Lift some light weight s before you get st art ed on t he serious st uff t o prepare your muscles for t he st ress you're about t o put t hem under.
Know Your Limit s
The next import ant t hing you should know is your limit s for each exercise, everyone is different , so don't t ry t o lift more t han you feasibly can, as you could get injured. Make sure t hat your workout is int ense, but never sacrifice good form t o t ry and lift heavier weight s, as t his is a recipe for disast er. If you are lift ing weight s you should be able t o do at least eight reps, if you can't , reduce t he weight unt il you build up your st rengt h. You'll get bet t er result s by pushing yourself close t o your max t han you will if you overexert yourself. You'll find you'll get bet t er definit ion and muscle increase by being close t o t his t hreshold t han t rying in vain t o t rain above it .
Spot This...
When you are lift ing large amount s of weight s you need t o have a spot t er, especially for when you are doing exercises such as t he bench press. Ideally your spot t er should be someone of a similar st rengt h as you, as t hey will be able t o help you out if you get in t rouble. Make sure t hat you help t hem by ret urning t he favour once you've finished on
t he machine. Ideally your spot t er should be your t raining part ner as if anyt hing were t o happen t o you t hey would know you, and be able t o help st aff cont act t he necessary people. Plus your t raining part ner will help you hit your goals and keep you mot ivat ed.
Once you know your t raining program and have been shown t he proper form, t ry working out in front of a mirror t o keep your form in check, as it is easy t o pick up injuries by not maint aining t he correct form. If you have a t raining part ner ask t hem t o keep an eye on your form t oo, if not , ask a gym t rainer t o help you out . Follow t he basic fundament als and use your common sense and you shouldn't go t o far wrong. Finally, make sure you have a solid and proven t raining program, don't just t ry and 'wing it ' as you go or you'll come unst uck, get injured and won't get t he result s you want . Click Here For Recommended Program
22. Increase Your T raining Intensity - Negative Repetitions
You can only build muscle t issue if you can generat e progressively st ronger muscular cont ract ions, so t his calls for an emphasis on finding ways t o increase exercise int ensit y. This should not be confused wit h exercise durat ion as maximum t raining int ensit y will act ually short en t he t ime needed t o achieve maximal muscular growt h.
In an earlier art icle I out lined t he ways in which you can int ensify your t raining. Here we'll focus on t he role t hat negat ive repet it ions have t o play in int ensifying t he t raining effect .
At t he most basic level, human muscles have t hree t ypes of st rengt h:
1. Posit ive st rengt h - t he abilit y t o raise a weight .
2. St at ic st rengt h - t he abilit y t o hold a weight .
3. Negat ive st rengt h - t he abilit y t o lower a weight .
Many bodybuilders concent rat e primarily on t heir muscles' posit ive and st at ic st rengt h but equal focus should be given t o negat ive st rengt h, or lowering t he weight , if t rue muscle failure is t o be achieved. You can emphasize t his aspect of t raining by complet ing a set of negat ive reps aft er reaching posit ive failure.
You'll need one or t wo part ners t o lift t he weight t o t he t op posit ion so t hat you can lower it under your own cont rol. Once you can no longer cont rol t he descent , t he set ends. Take special care wit h leg exercises and avoid negat ive squat s t o prot ect t he knees.
Beginners should not at t empt negat ive reps while int ermediat e and advanced bodybuilders can be imaginat ive in how t hey incorporat e negat ive reps int o t heir t raining programs. Click Here For Recommended Program
23. 4 Harmful Muscle-Building Myths Uncovered
If you're serious about making a solid commit ment t o a muscle-building program, you need t o be very careful of who you t ake advice from. Bodybuilding and fit ness is lit erally a mult i-billion dollar indust ry wit h new websit es popping up every single day. Many of t he so-called "expert s" out t here really don't have a clue of what t hey're t alking about and are only mot ivat ed by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs" on you t hat you don't really need. If you don't wat ch your st ep you may end up falling for some fat al muscle-building pit falls t hat will lit erally dest roy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving t he impressive, muscular physique you desire. In t his art icle I'm going t o expose 4 very common muscle-building myt hs in order t o keep you on t he proper pat h t o t he mind-blowing muscle and st rengt h gains you deserve.
Myt h #1: In order t o build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout . The great er t he pump you achieve, t he more muscle you will build.
For t hose of you who are just st art ing out , a "pump" is t he feeling t hat you get as blood becomes t rapped inside t he muscle t issue when you t rain wit h weight s. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, t ight er, st ronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fant ast ic, it has very lit t le, if anyt hing t o do wit h properly st imulat ing your muscles t o grow. A pump is simply t he result of increased bloodflow t o t he muscle t issue and is cert ainly not indicat ive of a successful workout . A successful workout should only be gauged by t he concept of progression. If you were able t o lift more weight or perform more reps t han you did in t he previous week, t hen you did your job.
Myt h #2: Building muscle will cause you t o become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back t o t he old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky". Cont rary t o what you may t hink, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will act ually speed you up rat her t han slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement t hat your body makes, from running t o jumping t o t hrowing. The bot t om line is t hat t he st ronger a muscle is, t he more force it can apply. Having st ronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as
having st ronger and more muscular shoulders means t he abilit y t o t hrow fart her. St rong muscles are able muscles, not t he ot her way around.
Myt h #3: You must always use perfect , t ext book form on all exercises.
While using good form in t he gym is always import ant , obsessing over perfect form is an ent irely different mat t er. If you are always at t empt ing t o perform every exercise using flawless, t ext book form, you will act ually increase your chances of injury and simult aneously decrease t he t ot al amount of muscle st imulat ion you can achieve. Remember, we are not robot s! It 's very import ant t hat you always move nat urally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a t iny bit of body moment um when execut ing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move t he way your body was meant t o be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will act ually work against you rat her t han for you.
Myt h #4: If you want your muscles t o grow you must "feel t he burn!"
This is anot her huge misconcept ion in t he gym. The "burning" sensat ion t hat result s from int ense weight t raining is simply t he result of lact ic acid (a met abolic wast e product ) t hat is secret ed inside t he muscle t issue as you exercise. Increased levels of lact ic acid have not hing t o do wit h muscle growt h and may act ually slow down your gains rat her t han speed t hem up. You can limit lact ic acid product ion by t raining in a lower rep range of 5-7, rat her t han t he t radit ional range of 10 and above. Click Here For Recommended Program
24. A Look At Bodybuilding As A Sport
Compet it ive bodybuilding is a sport in which at hlet es at t empt t o develop and maint ain t he perfect muscular body. As bodybuilding compet it ors show off t heir physique and perform wit h a number of poses, t hey are judged by a qualified panel of expert s who will render t he final decision as t o t he winner.
When it comes t o bodybuilding, t he appearance of a compet it ors physique is much more import ant t han how much he/she can lift . The sport of bodybuilding, t herefore, should not be confused wit h or compared t o a compet it ion of st rengt h. Inst ead, it is one of visual appeal. Bodybuilding is open t o bot h men and women wit h specialized cat egories for each.
For t hose who regularly compet e in bodybuilding compet it ions, or are int erest ed in part icipat ing, t he main st rat egy for cont est preparat ion includes a combinat ion of resist ance weight t raining, a cust omized nut rit ion plan and plent y of rest . Resist ance t raining is very import ant in bodybuilding as it is t his t hat causes an increase in muscle size. The import ance of nut rit ion comes int o play as muscles grow, are injured and repaired during t he bodybuilding process. In order for t he body t o properly heal it self, a cust omized nut rit ion plan is a must . Generally, bodybuilding compet it ors will eat a larger number of meals per day, but in smaller quant it ies. For inst ance, rat her t han eat ing t hree normal meals a day, a bodybuilding compet it or may divide t heir food up int o six or seven small meals.
Because of t he st renuous regimen required of any bodybuilder, at hlet es oft en enlist t he help of a nut rit ionist and a professional t rainer. These individuals can work t oget her t o make sure t hat t he at hlet e is t raining properly and also receiving t he proper amount of nut rit ion. Rat her t han having t o figure out how much t o eat , when t o eat and how oft en t o work out , t he t rainer and nut rit ionist will handle all of t he det ails while t he at hlet e concent rat es on building muscle.
At t he end of t he day, which is oft en exhaust ing for many bodybuilding compet it ors, rest is essent ial. Not only for t he obvious reasons, but it is during rest t hat t he muscle
growt h occurs. Wit hout eight hours of sleep every night , some bodybuilding compet it ors find it difficult t o regain energy and rebuild st rengt h aft er an exhaust ing workout . In addit ion, many compet it ors find t hat an aft ernoon nap may furt her increase t heir body's abilit y t o increase muscle.
Individuals who are int erest ed in ent ering int o t he world of bodybuilding should consult wit h local t rainers in t heir area. If t here are no t rainers t o be found, a st op at t he local gym may provide answers as t o finding a qualified t rainer. Bodybuilding is a sport t hat requires a lot of dedicat ion and even more hard work, which is evident in t he physique of most compet it ors.
The informat ion in t his art icle is int ended t o be used for informat ional purposes only. It should not be used in conjunct ion wit h, or in place of, professional medical, nut rit ional or t raining advice regarding bodybuilding as a sport or as a hobby. If you are considering a vent ure int o t he world of bodybuilding, you must consult wit h a physician prior t o beginning any exercise and/or nut rit ional regimen. Click Here For Recommended Program
25. What Causes Muscle Growth?
In order for muscles t o grow, t hree t hings are required:
1. St imulus - exercise is needed t o make t he muscles work, use energy and cause microscopic damage t o t he fibers.
2. Nut rit ion - aft er int ense exercise t he muscles need t o replenish t heir st ores of fuel.
3. Rest - it is during t he rest or recovery phase t hat t he muscles repair t he microscopic damage and grow.
Muscle size increases due t o hypert rophic adapt at ion and an increase in t he cross sect ion area of individual muscle fibers. Int ensive exercise impact s more on t he st rengt h influencing fast t wit ch t ype II fibers, t herefore t he increase in muscle size is accompanied by great er st rengt h.
This will deplet e t he muscle's energy st ores and cause microscopic damage t o t he muscle t issue. During recovery, t hese st ores of glycogen and phosphocreat ine will replenish from carbohydrat es and creat ine ingest ed as food or supplement s. Amino acids supplied in t he diet will t rigger t he prot ein synt hesis t hat repairs t he damaged muscle and lead t o t he creat ion of bigger muscle fibers.
To achieve cont inuous improvement you will need t o keep reaching for higher levels of t raining int ensit y ot herwise t he improvement process will grind t o a halt . Fort unat ely, t his is relat ively easy t o plan for provided cert ain basic principles and rules are clearly followed. Subsequent art icles in t his series will examine t hese principles in det ail. Click Here For Recommended Program
26. A Primer On Bodybuilding T echniques
There are cert ain st eps t hat a bodybuilder must follow when doing weight t raining. These t echniques almost always include improved form t o make t he exercising harder as opposed t o easier.
There are many different bodybuilding t echniques can you can use t o improve your physique. These include pyramids, negat ives, drop set s, t went y-ones, giant st eps, part ial reps, and forced reps. These are all wonderful t echniques t o be used according t o your requirement s.
Using t he t echnique of const ant t ension wit hout reaching t he locking point is very effect ive in some exercises. Full cont ract ion plus full range st ret ch is import ant , which means t he bodybuilder must perform every rep of every exercise at t he full range of mot ion.
A bodybuilding t echnique t hat enables t he bodybuilder t o t horoughly work out a single muscle group is called t he giant set . The giant set consist s of t hree different exercises performed successively, focusing on a specific muscle. This can be done for every muscle but one must use it sparingly on t he back.
Drop set s are a good way t o round off a workout for specific muscles. They give you a pumped-up feeling in t he muscles and consume t he last bit of energy left in t he muscles.
Twent y-ones is a t echnique t hat works every area of t he muscle as opposed t o a single range.
Anot her good t echnique is const ant ly t hinking "maint ain t ension," while you int ent ionally increase t he t ension on t he muscles while doing t he rep.
Ot her bodybuilding t echnique t hat you can use super set s t hat are good for exercising a part icular range of muscles, complet ely exhaust ing t he muscle fibers, and working t wo
separat e groups of muscle.
Slowing down wit h your reps can also help. Slow repet it ion is oft en more effect ive repet it ion, because t his small change in t echnique can help improve form as well as boost muscular development .
You can employ any one of t he many bodybuilding t echniques. You need t o vary your t echnique frequent ly so t hat your muscles do not get used t o a part icular exercise. Click Here For Recommended Program
27. T he Facts About Anabolic Steroids
Anyone involved in t he world of bodybuilding, and compet it ive sport generally, will underst and t he pressures t hat go wit h st riving t o achieve opt imal performance. Somet imes at hlet es feel t hey cannot reach t heir peak wit hout art ificially enhancing t heir powers of recovery from int ensive t raining. One way t o speed up t his process is t hrough t he use of anabolic st eroids. In t his art icle we'll examine what anabolic st eroids act ually do. In a second art icle we'll focus on t he dangers associat ed wit h st eroid use.
The main act ive ingredient in st eroids is t est ost erone which is well known as t he major male hormone. Test ost erone affect s t he body in t wo ways, eit her as an anabolic or an androgenic influence. The anabolic act ion helps build body t issue by increasing lean muscle mass and bone densit y. The androgenic act ions are t hose t hat affect secondary sex charact erist ics in men.
In recent years research has provided some int erest ing informat ion in relat ion t o t est ost erone:
1. It affect s muscle size t hrough muscle fiber hypert rophy wit h an increase in t he crosssect ional area of muscle fiber.
2. It t akes a dose of at least 300 milligrams of t est ost erone t o raise t he body's level above normal.
3. It act s direct ly on t he muscle it self.
4. It st imulat es t he release of growt h hormone.
5. It has an ant i-cat abolic effect .
From t hese fact s we can deduce t hat t est ost erone is an effect ive aid t o muscle building and t hat it must be t aken in significant quant it ies t o have t his effect . As far as bodybuilding is concerned t he science beyond t his is somewhat limit ed as most users
base t heir st eroid regimes on lit t le more t han t rial and error or t he advice of 'vet erans'. Due t o t he illegal nat ure of st eroid use lit t le scient ific dat a exist s t o confirm t he effect iveness of t he many st eroid supplement s in use.
It is perhaps t he t endency of some bodybuilders t o use a combinat ion of powerful st eroids and ot her drugs t hat present s t he very real dangers t hat have somet imes led t o t ragic conquences. Click Here For Recommended Program
28. T he Most Powerful Muscle-Building T ool Available
The bodybuilding debat es will never end. The endless argument s over how an effect ive muscle-building program should be st ruct ured will most likely cont inue unt il t he end of t ime. Just scour t he Int ernet message boards, flip t hrough any muscle magazine or t alk t o t he sales rep at your local supplement st ore. No mat t er who you t alk t o or what you read, it seems t hat everyone is an expert t hese days.
If everyone is an expert , confident in t heir own ideas and beliefs, how can t he average beginner possibly know who t o list en t o? He or she is inst ant ly confront ed wit h endless quest ions t hat seem t o have no clear-cut answer.
How many days should I t rain per week? How many set s should I perform for each muscle group? What t ype of rep range should I be using? What are t he most effect ive exercises for st imulat ing muscle growt h? How long should my workout s last ?
These quest ions go on and on unt il he or she is event ually led t o believe t hat building muscle is an infinit ely complex process involving rocket -science precision and an int imat e underst anding of human physiology. I mean, t hat 's what t akes t o build muscle, right ? Wrong! Believe me, t here are answers t o t hese import ant quest ions, and if you are willing t o put in t he t ime and effort you will most definit ely find t hem. But t hat 's not what t his art icle is about .
You see, amidst all of t he confusion and endless debat ing, t he majorit y of lift ers end up losing sight of t he big pict ure. Beyond all of t he specific workout principles, such as rep range and exercise select ion, remains one crucial principle, a principle t hat lies at t he very heart of t he muscle growt h process. If t his principle is not given full at t ent ion, or even worse, complet ely ignored, building muscle becomes next t o impossible.
The bot t om line is t hat muscles grow as t hey adapt t o st ress. When you go t o t he gym and lift weight s, you creat e "micro-t ears" wit hin t he muscle t issue. Your body perceives t his as a pot ent ial t hreat t o it s survival and react s accordingly by increasing t he size and st rengt h of t he muscle fibers in order t o prot ect against a possible fut ure "at t ack".
Therefore, in order t o cont inually increase t he size and st rengt h of t he muscles, you must focus on progressing each week by eit her lift ing slight ly more weight or performing an ext ra rep or t wo. In doing t his, your body will cont inue t o adapt and grow t o t he everincreasing st ress.
Building muscle is all about building st rengt h!
So what is t he most powerful muscle-building t ool available? Quit e simply, it is a pen and a piece of paper!
Every t ime you go t o t he gym you must writ e down exact ly what you accomplished and t hen st rive t o improve upon it t he following week. If you aren't always get t ing bet t er, t hen you're eit her st aying t he same or get t ing worse. Every week you should have an exact plan of at t ack ready t o be execut ed. You absolut ely cannot afford t o st art t hrowing weight s around aimlessly wit hout a clear-cut goal in mind.
The specifics of building muscle are import ant t o underst and and implement , but regardless of what st yle of t raining you're current ly using t he ult imat e deciding fact or bet ween success and failure is progression. You can sit around all day obsessing over specific principles, but t he bot t om line is t hat if you aren't get t ing st ronger every week, you absolut ely will not be get t ing any bigger. Examine your t raining approach closely. If you haven't been paying laser-like at t ent ion t o t he amount of weight you've been using, t he number of reps you've been performing, and t hen st riving wit h every ounce of your energy t o improve upon t hose numbers each week, you are complet ely ignoring t he very foundat ion of t he muscle growt h process. If you want t o see t he best gains in muscle mass and st rengt h t hat you possibly can, a pen and a piece of paper is t he most import ant t ool you could possibly have in your arsenal. Click Here For Recommended Program
29. Bodybuilding Workouts
Bodybuilding workout s are t he most import ant part of your bodybuilding endeavors, but many people have not done enough research t o fully underst and, and get t he best from, t heir workout s. Here in t his art icle we will show you how t o maximise t he result s from your bodybuilding workout s.
St ep 1
Put some real effort int o it . Not hing import ant is ever achieved in t his world wit hout some effort , and if you are approaching bodybuilding in a half heart ed manner, t hen you will only get half heart ed result s. Any result s you will see will be far less t han you would have seen if you had been dedicat ed t o t he t ask. If you really want t he muscles and body you are working for, why not put in a full effort ?
St ep 2
Maint ain your ent husiasm. One of t he most import ant fact ors in keeping t he right level of ent husiasm for your t raining is t o t ime your gym visit s judiciously. All gyms have some compet it ion t o use t he equipment , and if you cannot get access t o it , you may end up not being able t o perform some of your most import ant rout ines. This is not only frust rat ing, it can lead t o set backs in your progress. If you can plan your gym visit s for quiet er t imes of day, such as morning opening, or early aft ernoon, t hat will help.
St ep 3
Maint ain your energy level.. Someone who is muscular is not necessarily fit , so you should work at being bot h. If your gym has a t readmill or an exercise bicycle, t hese provide t he ideal opport unit y t o do some aerobic exercise in t he middle of your bodybuilding exercises. Alt hough t his will add a bit of t ime t o your overall workout , it will increase your int ensit y.
St ep 4
Make sure each exercise is performed correct ly. To maximise t he effect of your bodybuilding workout s, t hey need t o be performed as t hey are writ t en in t he t ext book. Try t o keep your back st ill while you are doing barbell curls. A large amount of your t ime will go t o wast e if you are not maint aining your effect iveness wit h correct t echnique. Get t his part right , and you will gain far bet t er result s for your t ime.
Bodybuilding workout s need t o be t ailored t o t he needs of t he individual, but t he hint s in t his art icle should provide you wit h somet hing t o work on during your next gym visit . Click Here For Recommended Program
30. Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - T ribulus
Tribulus t errest ris is a herb t hat comes from a plant found in Asia. It has been used in t he past by many cult ures for t he t reat ment of liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. It has also been used as a diuret ic and t o t reat infert ilit y. In recent years st rengt h at hlet es in east ern Europe are reput ed t o have used it t o enhance performance.
It is believed t o enhance t est ost erone levels by encouraging t he product ion of lut enizing hormone. St udies have shown t hat when lut enizing hormone levels are increased, t he nat ural product ion of t est ost erone also increases.
It is difficult t o assess t he validit y of t ribulus as a muscle growt h enhancer because none of t he st udies carried out have appeared in peer-reviewed scient ific journals. It s proponent s do suggest t hat it can prove useful when st acked wit h 100 mg of DHEA and 100 mg of androst enedione but t his t akes us int o t he equally uncert ain t errit ory of prohormones which we have covered in a separat e art icle.
If you do wish t o experiment wit h t ribulus you can t ake 750-1250 mg per day divided bet ween meals. Some people experience st omach upset s but t his can be minimized by t aking it wit h food. There's no guarant ee t hat t ribulus t errest ris will help you grow bigger muscles but many users report a much improved sex drive! Click Here For Recommended Program
31. What A Few Good Heros T aught Me About Bodybuilding
Copyright 2006 Marc David
Post ed on a Bodybuilding Message Board:
Hi everyone I'm 15 and was wondering what I can t ake for my muscle t o grow? I have heard of muscle boost ers or somet hing like t hat so I was just wondering if t here was anyt hing like t hat t hat I could t ake in order for my muscle t o get huge.
I might be t hinking of st eroids.
Answer:
St op! What t he HECK are you t hinking? Why are we always looking for t he short cut t o t he biggest gains while st ill being able t o wat ch T.V.? I guess t he word "hard work" isn't somet hing you really need t o do if you know some handy-dandy SECRETS t o building muscle.
Clarence Darrow, a famous t rial lawyer, once said:
"As long as t he world shall last t here will be wrongs, and if no man (or woman) object ed and no man (or woman) rebelled, t hose wrongs would last forever."
List en closely! The t erm 'lifest yle' means ON-GOING and NEVER ending. A short cut has no place in bodybuilding and cert ainly no place in get t ing int o t he best shape of your life.
So what ?
I can already hear t he voices now like waves crashing against a rocky wall "why should I care?" Or t he ot her one "what 's in it for me?"
A Blueprint for your Success:
* The more you know, t he more educat ed you become from a cast of reliable sources and PASS t hat informat ion on t o your friends...
* The bet t er off t his indust ry will become...
* The FASTER you can AVOID mist akes...
* The FASTER you can make bet t er LONG TERM progress!
FACT: According t o t he Nat ional Inst it ut e on Drug Abuse for Teens(NIDA):
"As part of a 2002 NIDA-funded st udy, t eens were asked if t hey ever t ried st eroidseven once. Only 2.5% of 8t h graders ever t ried st eroids; only 3.5% of 10t h graders; and 4% of 12t h graders."
Add t o t his an art icle I read in t he May 2004 issue of Flex magazine by Tom Prince. He profiled his career in a very t hought provoking art icle called "When t he Posing St ops."
Tom Prince went on t o explain his st eroid use, his mad as a hat t er like rush t o t he t op, and event ually t he pain he endures and his event ual kidney failure t o reach a peak. The descript ions of his crumbling shoulder socket and t he pain he must be in made me as sick as a dog.
At t he t ime of t he art icle, Tom Prince was 34 years old! He said:
"I will probably die younger t han normal, 65 or somet hing like t hat , but 65 is bet t er t han 35."
STOP and ask yourself t his key quest ion:
Are t he yout h of t oday any different t hen me 16 years ago when I was looking at bodybuilding magazines and want ing t o be ripped and muscular? In my mind, I was willing t o t ake all kinds of supplement s and do what ever t raining program I could t o look like
t hose guys in t he magazine ads. They were my HEROS and inspirat ion.
Thankfully I didn't go down t hat pat h.
Just last week, my friend (Yes I really have spoken on t he phone wit h him several t imes) Tom Venut o sent out a issue asking people t o t ake a look at t he nat ural bodybuilders all over t he Int ernet for inspirat ion.
Tom Venut o wrot e:
"There ARE heroes and role models t o look up t o t oday, and you will find t hem in t he drug-free bodybuilding movement ."
He's RIGHT. In fact I know an older gent leman, Scot t Hult s, who's a big fan of nat ural bodybuilding and has done wonders in t his sport t o educat e himself and ot hers around him t hat t aking short cut s isn't t he way t o go and t hat hard work can pay-off at any age. If I can be in as good of shape as Scot t when I'm older, I'd be lucky.
Think about it .
Toss t his idea around, if you want t o get bet t er at somet hing, you should do everyt hing in your power t o make t he exercises HARDER, not easier.
Clearly you can see by now short cut s simply don't come wit hout a price. If you are one of t hose people who want s t o make working out and building muscle or losing fat easy as cut t ing t hru a banana cream pie, you'll never reach t he goals you've set .
Richie Smit h, a personal t rainer wit h more horsepower in t he gym t hen a Bugat t i Veron, said "When you are child, your parent s t ell you t o keep your hands off t he st ove-t hey t ell you not t o put your hand int o t he flame, because if you do, you'll get burned. If you're serious about bodybuilding, you have t o un-learn what you were t aught as a child. When I t rain people, basically I'm t elling t hem t o put t heir hand right int o t he fire and keep it t here. I have t hem t rain int o and beyond t he pain zone. That 's what makes you grow."
Are you beginning t o see how building muscle and changing your body is work but it 's fun? Building your body isn't like FedEx ... it simply, posit ively DOESN'T happen overnight . But one could also say ... it 's human nat ure t o avoid hard work.
Tom Venut o wrot e in his nat ural bodybuilding blog, "Most people are on a const ant search for t he pat h of least resist ance. A drug, a supplement , a 'breakt hrough t echnique' a new machine, a short cut in exercise form-anyt hing and everyt hing t hey t hink will help t hem reach t heir goals wit h less effort and in less t ime. This is t ypical human nat ure. Unfort unat ely, t his is also fault y t hinking and you will NEVER become a champion wit h t his t ype of at t it ude.
You can clearly see what I'm saying is cert ainly t rue...
If I could give you a t raining st rat egy t hat is GUARANTEED t o increase your muscle and burn more fat , would you be int erest ed? Click Here For Recommended Program
32. T he Advantages and Disadvantages of Whey Protein
When it comes t o bodybuilding, you know t hat prot ein int ake is vit al t o your success. Unfort unat ely, even if you are a big meat eat er, you will find t hat you will not get t he amount of prot ein - or even t he right prot ein - in your diet wit hout t aking supplement s. One of t he most import ant supplement s t hat body builders need is whey prot ein. Whey prot ein has many advant ages and disadvant ages.
The advant ages of whey prot ein are t oo numerous t o list , however, here we will discuss some of t he more import ant advant ages. For example, whey prot ein st imulat es t he lGF1 product ion, which st imulat es growt h. When you use whey prot ein isolat es, you will be get t ing about t en percent of immunoglobulin prot eins t hat are int act . This means t hat t he prot eins have t wo pairs of polypept ide chains. While t hat may be t oo confusing for t he average person t o underst and, what it means t o you is t hat your immune syst em get s a boost on t op of helping your muscles t o grow.
No ot her prot ein source in exist ence cont ains as much branched chain amino acids. You need t hese amino acids because you act ually lose t hem when t he muscles cat abolize. Most people don't realize t hat muscles are damaged as much as t hey are built in body building, but whey prot ein essent ially replaces everyt hing t hat your muscles are losing during and aft er your workout s.
Whey prot ein helps t o det oxify t he body by making t he body's product ion of endogenous glut at hione great er. This t oo helps t o make your immune syst em st ronger as well, and t his is just anot her of t he many advant ages of whey prot ein.
You may wonder how body builders can work out day aft er day, wit hout muscle soreness. In fact , beginners oft en quit following t heir first couple of workout s, simply because t hey can't bear t he pain. Here is anot her advant age of whey prot ein. Whey prot ein isolat es have prot ein chains t hat cont ain four essent ial amino acids t hat also act as nat ural pain killers. Overall, whey prot ein is t he best prot ein for t he body, because t he body makes excellent use of it ...bet t er use of whey prot ein in fact t han any ot her t ype of prot ein.
But , as wit h anyt hing else, t here are disadvant ages of whey prot ein. First , t he best whey prot ein product s on t he market are fairly expensive, making t hem inaccessible t o most people who get int o body building. There are whey prot ein product s t hat are affordable, but t hese are usually of a much lower qualit y, and are oft en full of sugar. Furt hermore, t hese cheaper product s are not digest ed as easily as a qualit y product .
Overall, however, most serious body builders will search high and low t o find a whey prot ein product t hat is of high qualit y, and affordable at t he same t ime, because t he advant ages are so plent iful, while t he disadvant ages of whey prot ein t ypically only involve t he cost of t he product . Simply put , you can't go wrong wit h a qualit y whey prot ein product when you are serious about body building. In light of how beneficial whey prot ein is, it is ironic t hat it was once considered a wast e product in t he process of making milk and cheese. Click Here For Recommended Program
33. Weight Loss is all to do with Calories
What is a calorie? The definit ion of a calorie is "t he amount of energy, or heat it t akes t o raise t he t emperat ure of 1 gram of wat er 1 degree Celsius". A calorie is a unit of energy t hat is associat ed wit h food and drink and is a measure of t he energy, or heat , t hat food produces as your body uses it as fuel.
The first st ep in count ing calories for your personal weight loss is t o calculat e how many calories you burn in a day (your t ot al daily energy expendit ure), t his is t he t ot al number of calories t hat your body expends in 24 hours, including all act ivit ies. This is known as your maint enance level and will be t he reference point (number of calories) from which t o st art your diet ing.
The average calorie maint enance level for women in t he Unit ed St at es is approx 2000 per day and t he average for men is approx 2500 per day. These are only basic averages and are usually much higher for at hlet es or act ive individuals.
A quick and easy met hod t o find out how many calories you require per day for weight loss and maint enance is t o calculat e a calorie value wit h a mult iplier as set out below.
Fat loss = mult iply your bodyweight in pounds wit h 12 calories (12 x lb).
Maint enance = mult iply your bodyweight in pounds wit h 15 calories (15 x lb).
This is a very easy met hod t o est imat e your daily caloric requirement s, but it has it s drawbacks as it doesn't t ake int o account your part icular act ivit y levels or body fat levels. Despit e t his it will give you a good est imat ed figure t hat you can work wit h.
The maint enance figure t hat you get is t he amount of calories t hat you need t o consume t o st ay at your current weight . To lose weight your calorie int ake must be lower t han t he calories you burn.
In order t o lose one pound of fat per week, you must reduce your weekly calorie int ake
by 3,500 calories, which works out at five hundred calories per day. This can be done by reducing your calories by 500 or combining a diet wit h physical act ivit y. The bot t om line is t o balance your caloric int ake wit h t he amount of calories t hat you are burning, t hat 's t he secret t o successful diet ing and weight maint enance.
Becoming more conscious of count ing calories in your everyday eat ing regime is imperat ive if you are t rying t o lose weight . St udies have shown t hat men and women underest imat e t heir daily calorie consumpt ion by 500 t o almost 1000 calories. You can get a t ruer pict ure by keeping a, seven day eat ing plan of what you t ypically eat and drink during t he day.
At t he end of each days eat ing, add up t he t ot al amount of calories consumed and writ e t hem down on t o t he eat ing plan. At t he end of t he seven days, add t he t ot al calories for t he whole week and t hen divide by seven, you now have your daily calorie int ake.
Using a calorie calculat or can make count ing calories easier - you can t ot al how many calories you will need for your daily act ivit ies t o give you more cont rol over how many calories you should include in your daily diet . Anot her t echnique for low calorie eat ing is t o wat ch your fat int ake as t his has t he most calories.
Moderat ion is always import ant when you are count ing calories, severely rest rict ing calories, causes t he body t o lower it s met abolic rat e, which reduces it s abilit y t o burn fat . At t he same t ime, hunger signals increase and you quickly st art t o crave high-energy foods loaded wit h fat s and sugar, t he same foods you are t rying t o do wit hout .
This is because when you ret urn t o normal eat ing habit s, t he drop in met abolic rat e caused by t he rest rict ion in calories means t hat your old eat ing habit s act ually represent excess in calories. Not only do you regain t he fat st ores just lost , but also you may even gain a bit ext ra.
Diet ing by count ing calories means t hat all foods are allowed, not hing is forbidden as long as t he calories consumed don't go over your daily calorie allowance. Count ing calories can also be flexible enough t o accommodat e most busy lifest yles.
Healt h professionals agree t hat healt hy eat ing which includes count ing calories and a low fat diet are essent ial for long-t erm healt hy weight loss. The way t o lose body fat and maint ain muscle is t o have a food program for life. Qualit y food and more energy out put are t he basics you'll need t o go for.
Bulk foods t hat fill you up and don't fill you out , foods t hat are low in fat and sugar which aren't refined should be t he ideal. Small frequent meals should be consumed during t he day each cont aining a lit t le prot ein t o maint ain muscle mass and energy levels.
As before get t he calories from high qualit y food but if you can't , ut ilize a blender t o make mixt ures from skim milk wit h what ever nut rient addit ives you want t o use, just as long as you keep count of t he calories for your daily t ot al.
Now use t hese out of t he blender mixt ures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day inst ead of t he t radit ional t hree meals a day. Click Here For Recommended Program
34. T he Shell Game T hat Is T he "Proprietary Blend" Nutritional Supplement
Recent ly I wrot e an art icle ent it led "Terms, Terms, Terms, An Inside look t o buying supplement s" which can be found on t he Gurus and Guest s sect ion of my privat e forum. The art icle covered many of t he misleading market ing t erms buyers have t o deal wit h in an at t empt t o make informed decisions on t he supplement s t hey spend t heir hard earned money on. Some of t he more pot ent ially misleading commonly used market ing t erms I covered were:
"Clinically proven"
"Pat ent ed"
"Doct or recommended"
"All nat ural"
"Scient ifically formulat ed"
"Research proven"
"Used for t housands of years"
Readers int erest ed in underst anding why t he above t erms can be so misleading, can read my writ e-up on each of t hose t erms.
In a nut shell, I went ont o cover each of t hese common market ing t erms t hat are used t o sell supplement s t o unwit t ing consumers and explained each in det ail as t o what I view as t heir common misuse wit hin t he market place.
However, one t erm I didn't cover, was "propriet ary blend? which in many cases is t he most pot ent ially misleading t erm of t hem all, t hough not a t erm always seen in ads per
se, but at t he side of t he bot t le.
Thus, why I felt it was a separat e t opic t o be covered at a lat er dat e as it does not fit under t he classic definit ion of a commonly used market ing t erm found in ads. I also decided t o cover t his t erm in a separat e art icle as it requires much more space dedicat ed t o it t hen t he ot her t erms needed for reasons t hat will be apparent short ly.
Propriet ary blends are not inherent ly a negat ive for t he consumer, t hough t hey are inherent ly confusing for t he buyer in most cases.
A supplement t hat list s a "propriet ary blend" on t he bot t le can be t here for one of t wo reasons:
(a) t o prevent t he compet it ion from knowing exact ly what rat ios and amount s of each ingredient present in t he formula t o prevent t he compet it ion from copying t heir formula exact ly (commonly referred t o as a "knock off") or
(b) t o hide t he fact t hat t he formula cont ains very lit t le of t he act ive ingredient s list ed on t he bot t le in an at t empt t o fool consumers.
Sadly, t he lat t er use is far more common t hen t he former. They see a long list of seemingly impressive ingredient s list ed in t he "propriet ary blend" none of which t here is amount s t hat will have any effect s. This is commonly referred t o as "label decorat ion" by indust ry insiders. The former use of t he t erm is a legit imat e way for a company of a qualit y formula from having t he compet it ion copy or "knock off" t heir formula and t he lat t er use of t he t erm is t o scam people.
So how does t he consumer t ell t he difference?
They can't , or at least t hey can't wit hout some research and knowledge, which t he scam art ist s know few people have t he t ime and energy t o dedicat e in finding t he answers. Alt hough t here are a few t ips t he consumer can use t o decide if a product wit h a "propriet ary blend" is wort h t rying, no one, not even me, can figure out exact ly how much of each ingredient is in t he blend or in what rat io of each is cont ained wit hin t he formula,
hence why t he honest and not -so-honest companies employ "propriet ary blends" so oft en.
Thus, we have somet hing of a conundrum here and conflict bet ween a company making a qualit y formula at t empt ing t o prot ect t hat formula from ot her companies vs. t he company simply looking t o baffle buyers wit h BS.
There are at least some basic t ips or food for t hought here regarding t his problem. A formula t hat cont ains say 10 ingredient s in a "propriet ary blend" is by no means defact o superior t hen one wit h t hree ingredient s in it . It 's t he dose t hat mat t ers. Clearly, it 's bet t er t o have higher amount s of ingredient s t hat will have some effect s vs. a long list of ingredient s in doses t oo low t o have any effect s.
Somet imes it helps t o look at bot h -- what 's in t he blend and how much of t he blend act ually exist s. As an example, if say t he blend is 300mg t ot al and cont ains t en ingredient s, t hat 's only 30mg per ingredient , assuming (and you know what t hey say about assuming!) t hat each is found in equal amount s. Clearly, for most compounds out t here, 30mg wont do jack sh*&.
On t he ot her hand, if say t he blend is 3000mg (3 grams) and cont ains t hree or four ingredient s, t here is at least a bet t er chance t hat t he formula cont ains enough of each (and remember, we can't t ell how much of each is in t here as t hat informat ion is "propriet ary") t o have some effect s you are looking for such as an increase in st rengt h, or a decrease in bodyfat , et c.
Unfort unat ely, t he above examples are so vague as t o be close t o wort hless as it 's easy enough t o formulat e a 3000mg blend where all t he ingredient s are wort hless t o begin wit h or a 300mg blend t hat cont ains compounds t hat only require small doses t o have an effect and or can be t oxic at higher doses.
For example, t he mineral zinc t ends t o be no more t hen 30mg in most formulas and no more is needed nor recommended. Much of t his comes down t o t he consumer knowing what t he various ingredient s are and how t hey work (t o decide if t hey are even wort h using in t he first place) t hen deciding if t he said blend appears t o at least cont ain a dose
t hat would have t he desired effect s, which just brings us back t o my prior comment : most people have neit her t he t ime or inclinat ion t o research all t hat info just t o decide if t hey want t o use a product and t hus t he many "propriet ary blends" on t he market t hat are no more t han a long list of under-dosed ingredient s.
Wish I could be of more help giving specific advice t o readers of t his here art icle as t o what makes a good blend and what const it ut es a poorly made blend, but t he above advice is t he best I can do under t he circumst ances. Alt hough a "propriet ary blend" is not by default a negat ive t o t he consumer, it is by all means t he post er child for t he well-known Lat in t erm Caveat empt or which t ranslat es int o English as "let t he buyer beware". Click Here For Recommended Program
35. T he T op 10 Muscle Building Facts You Need to Know!
1. Building muscle has a lot t o do wit h genet ics.
If your parent s are nat urally t hin or have a small body frame t hen most likely you will have t he same t rait s. This doesn't mean you have no chance of building a st rong muscular body. It just means you are going t o have t o work hard.
2. Your met abolism has an effect on your size.
If you have difficult y gaining weight whet her it 's fat or muscle, t hen you most likely have a fast met abolism. Your body is burning calories fast er t han you can consume t hem.
3. There is no universal weight t raining program t hat is going t o get massive result s for every individual person.
The best way t o find a program t hat works for you is t o find someone who had t he same t ype of body as you before and st art walking t heir walk. There are cert ainly st andard exercises t hat will build muscle but t here is more t o building muscle t han weight lift ing.
4. More t raining doesn't mean more muscle.
This is one of t he most difficult concept s for many t o grasp. The purpose of weight t raining is t o st imulat e muscle growt h... t hat 's all. Once t hat has been done, your muscles need t o repair and new muscle needs t o be built which only happens when you are rest ing.
5. Isolat ion exercises aren't going t o get you big fast .
The best exercises t o put on t he most amount of overall size are mult i-muscle exercises. These are exercises t hat require more t han one muscle or muscle group t o get t he job done. These lift s put t he most amount of st ress on your body. This is t he st ress t hat will shock your nervous syst em int o releasing t he great est amount of
muscle building hormones.
6. Free weight s build muscle quicker.
Free weight s are preferred over machines because t hey make your body work harder. They require great er concent rat ion and allow t he st imulat ion of support ing muscles. Machines are good for beginners t o help wit h form and basic cont rol, but limit t he effect iveness of t he exercise.
7. No Pain, No Gain.
Lift ing t he same weight s over and over isn't going t o get you big. In fact it will do t he exact opposit e.
To build muscle you need t o go heavy. This st imulat es Type IIB muscle fibers which cause t he most amount of muscle gain. Lift ing heavy is when your body fails aft er 4-8 reps.
8. Long t raining sessions are a NO-GO
The idea is t o st imulat e muscle, not hit it from every angle possible. This is only a concern for developed body builders looking t o t one muscle. Long t raining sessions cause cat abolic hormone levels t o rise dramat ically. Cat abolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle t issue result ing in MUSCLE LOSS. Your weight t raining sessions should go for no longer t han 60-75 minut es maximum.
9. You don't need aerobic act ivit y t o lose fat .
The t ime spent running or swimming is muscle building and recovery t ime lost . Building muscle is t he fast est way t o lose fat . Aerobic act ivit ies will help you lose fat but not so if you are on a high calorie mass diet for building muscle.
10. 3 square meals a day isn't going t o help you build muscle.
Eat ing is an import ant part of muscle building. You need t o eat more oft en and eat more prot ein. You should be eat ing roughly every 2.5 hours which is about 6 meals per day. Spreading your meals t hroughout t he day will improve muscle assimilat ion, and make sure t hat your body always has t he calories it needs for muscle building and repair.
For more informat ion on weight t raining and t o meet ot hers like you looking t o make a difference t o t heir physique, t hen head on over t o ht t p://muscle-body.com Click Here For Recommended Program
36. Bodybuilding And Overtraining
One of t he biggest problems a newbie bodybuilder faces is det ermining how much t o t rain. When t hey st art a bodybuilding program, aft er having never exercised wit h weight s before, t he body generally responds relat ively fast . The new bodybuilder can see gains in muscle size and a firming of t he body wit hin t he first few weeks and t his encourages t hem t o t rain harder.
This is where t he problems st art t o begin. Aft er t he init ial burst of muscle development , t he body will begin t o plat eau for a while, and increasing t he t raining will only lead t o a case of over t raining. Over t raining occurs when t he muscles haven't had sufficient t ime for recovery.
When t he muscles are subject t o weight t raining, t he main process of development occurs during t he recovery period when t he muscle cells are rebuilt , t o cope wit h t he increased demands of t he weight lift ing. It is during t his 'rebuilding' process t hat t he muscles become bigger, and wit hout sufficient recovery t he muscles won't have t ime t o rebuild t he cells.
This leads t o t he muscle get t ing over worked and growt h is st unt ed. Wit hout t he correct knowledge, t he newbie bodybuilder t hinks t hat t hey need t o t rain even harder t o maint ain t he gains t hat t hey were seeing in t he init ial st ages of t heir weight lift ing program. Thus begins t he downward spiral of more and more over t raining, and t he result ant lack of muscle growt h and fat igue.
Wit h correct guidance t he bodybuilder will be able t o see when t hey are get t ing int o a st at e of over t raining and allow t hemself a lit t le more t ime t o recover. This might involve having a few days rest from exercise, or more rest days bet ween t raining sessions. Alt ernat ively, t he over t rained bodybuilder might need t o reduce t he amount of weight s lift ed during a t raining session.
Reducing t he int ensit y of t he t raining will help t o eliminat e t he possibilit y of injury and ot her healt h relat ed problems as t he body's immune syst em is put under st ress.
People who are just beginning bodybuilding for t he first t ime need t o be made aware of t his process before t hey st art t raining so t hey can plan t heir weight lift ing program in such a manner t hat t hey will cont inue t o see gains in muscle size and fit ness and reduce t he possibilit y of t he plat eau periods where t hey appear t o be making lit t le or no progress. Click Here For Recommended Program
37. First Aid T reatment For Bodybuilding Injuries
Prevent ion is bet t er t han cure, so avoid bodybuilding injuries by having proper warm ups before exercising and use correct form and t echniques when t raining wit h weight s.
Many of you who have followed my art icles will know t hat I am a serious advocat e of avoiding bodybuilding injuries by const ant ly emphasizing on proper warm ups and using proper form and t echniques during weight lift ing in t he gym. Okay, if you t hink t hat t hat I am a long winded nagger, t hen t his art icle, alt hough it is st ill about weight lift ing injuries, is no longer about avoidance of such injuries, but t o t reat t he injuries already sust ained.
This art icle will cover t he immediat e first aid t reat ment you will need t o recover from a bodybuilding induced injuries. That is assuming t hat t he injuries sust ained are not t oo serious t hat need immediat e medical at t ent ion.
Okay, so somet imes bodybuilding exercises hurt . But how do you know when it 's a good hurt or a bad hurt ?
The good hurt t ends t o occur aft er a bodybuilding workout and feels like a dull ache in t he muscle or commonly called t he "delayed onset muscle soreness" (DOMS). This t ype of ache usually indicat es t hat you have been working on t hat part icular muscle hard enough and is a response t o t he effect iveness of your weight lift ing workout alt hough not always necessarily so.
The bad hurt , which generally signifies an injury, is usually sharp pain and t he pain comes from a specific spot like in a specific joint or muscle spot . It usually st art s as an uncomfort able feeling, which you t hink will go away. Next t hing you know, you are in fullblown pain! Oh dear, what next ?
Treat bodybuilding injuries wit h "RICE"
The acroynym RICE is for t he general t reat ment of minor weight lift ing injuries such as sprains, joint pains, t endonit is, pulled ligament s et c
R = Rest
I = Ice
C = Compression
E = Elevat ion
Rest -- Avoid all act ivit ies t hat aggravat e your injury. You may even need t o skip your gym workout for a couple of weeks. Rest can mean t he difference bet ween a long recuperat ion (and possibly medical invasive procedures) or just a few days or a few weeks off.
Ice -- Ice helps reduce swelling by rest rict ing blood flow. 15-20 minut es, t hree t o four t imes a day is recommended as long as t he pain remains.
Compression -- Put pressure on t he injured sit e t o help keep swelling down. You want t o wrap a bandage or a t owel t ight ly enough t o feel some pressure but not enough t o cause numbness or affect ing blood circulat ion.
Elevat ion -- Elevat e t he injured area t o reduce swelling.
Your condit ion should improve wit h "RICE" t reat ment . Most of t he t ime, you should see some result s wit hin 20 minut es of t reat ment . However if t he pain persist s or get s worse, t hen it t ime t o see your doct or or a sport s physician as your condit ion may be worse t han what was init ially t hought t o be. Click Here For Recommended Program
38. Bodybuilding And Overtraining
One of t he biggest problems a newbie bodybuilder faces is det ermining how much t o t rain. When t hey st art a bodybuilding program, aft er having never exercised wit h weight s before, t he body generally responds relat ively fast . The new bodybuilder can see gains in muscle size and a firming of t he body wit hin t he first few weeks and t his encourages t hem t o t rain harder.
This is where t he problems st art t o begin. Aft er t he init ial burst of muscle development , t he body will begin t o plat eau for a while, and increasing t he t raining will only lead t o a case of over t raining. Over t raining occurs when t he muscles haven't had sufficient t ime for recovery.
When t he muscles are subject t o weight t raining, t he main process of development occurs during t he recovery period when t he muscle cells are rebuilt , t o cope wit h t he increased demands of t he weight lift ing. It is during t his 'rebuilding' process t hat t he muscles become bigger, and wit hout sufficient recovery t he muscles won't have t ime t o rebuild t he cells.
This leads t o t he muscle get t ing over worked and growt h is st unt ed. Wit hout t he correct knowledge, t he newbie bodybuilder t hinks t hat t hey need t o t rain even harder t o maint ain t he gains t hat t hey were seeing in t he init ial st ages of t heir weight lift ing program. Thus begins t he downward spiral of more and more over t raining, and t he result ant lack of muscle growt h and fat igue.
Wit h correct guidance t he bodybuilder will be able t o see when t hey are get t ing int o a st at e of over t raining and allow t hemself a lit t le more t ime t o recover. This might involve having a few days rest from exercise, or more rest days bet ween t raining sessions. Alt ernat ively, t he over t rained bodybuilder might need t o reduce t he amount of weight s lift ed during a t raining session.
Reducing t he int ensit y of t he t raining will help t o eliminat e t he possibilit y of injury and ot her healt h relat ed problems as t he body's immune syst em is put under st ress.
People who are just beginning bodybuilding for t he first t ime need t o be made aware of t his process before t hey st art t raining so t hey can plan t heir weight lift ing program in such a manner t hat t hey will cont inue t o see gains in muscle size and fit ness and reduce t he possibilit y of t he plat eau periods where t hey appear t o be making lit t le or no progress.
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39. T he Role Of Whey Protein In Achieving Significant Muscle Gain
Most bodybuilders would agree t hat supplement ing wit h whey prot ein is an import ant element in achieving serious muscle gains. This art icle will examine t he fact s relat ing t o whey prot ein as a supplement and help you decide whet her you need t o follow t his part icular st rat egy.
Whey prot ein is produced during t he process t hat sees milk t urned int o cheese. It is also found nat urally in dairy product s, eggs, soy and veget able prot eins but none of t hese compares in qualit y t o whey prot ein powder. It also scores highly in providing t he branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) t hat are import ant in t he building and ret ent ion of muscle.
Whey prot ein is highly favored by bodybuilders because it provides t he necessary building blocks t o produce t he amino acids t hat t he body uses t o build lean muscle t issue. Many st udies have shown t hat whey prot ein cont ains t he perfect combinat ion of amino acids, in just t he right concent rat ion for opt imal performance in t he body. It is also t hought t hat whey prot ein has a role as an ant i-oxidant and immune syst em builder.
It is best t aken in powder form mixed in juice or milk, spread t hroughout t he day t o maint ain a posit ive nit rogen balance. Serious bodybuilders oft en consume up t o 150 grams each day but as a rule of t humb, daily prot ein int ake for act ive t rainers can be calculat ed by t aking your weight in pounds and mult iplying by 1 or 1.5. But remember, you need t o work out how much prot ein is t aken from food and ot her sources, and t hen spread t he remaining whey prot ein balance over t he day.
Whey prot ein is a relat ively safe supplement but no more t han 30 grams of prot ein should be t aken at one sit t ing as excessive single doses could overload t he liver. The safet y of whey prot ein has been well document ed in many scient ific st udies and t here is clear proof t hat t aken consist ent ly, coupled wit h regular exercise, it will result in meaningful muscle gain. Click Here For Recommended Program
40. How healthy are the strength supplements that we are using today?
We've all heard of st eroids, prohormones, and prot ein powders. And we know t hat t he supplement indust ry is a billion dollar indust ry, oft en feeding on t he weaknesses of people hoping t o make dramat ic changes t o t heir physiques in a short period of t ime. But how do we know which muscle building supplement s are t he most popular, and how t hey affect t he healt h of t heir users?
We could look at some ret ail websit es and see t he t op-selling supplement s on t heir home pages, or, alt ernat ively, we can examine what people are searching for on t he Int ernet . (It is reasonable t o assume t hat t he most searched supplement s are also going t o be purchased relat ively more frequent ly.) This art icle will look at t he lat t er opt ion. Since we don't have solid st at ist ics, one reasonable way t o est imat e search t raffic is t o t ake one websit e which has supplement reviews as t he major component of it s cont ent , and analyse t he web server logs.
What we found was rat her t roublesome in some respect s. The number one supplement in t erms of Int ernet searches leading t o t his websit e, by a fact or of great er t han 2 over t he next product , is RPN Havoc. This is t hought by many people t o be a prohormone, but it is, in fact , a "designer st eroid". How, might you ask, is a st eroid generally available t o t he public when st eroids are supposed t o be illegal? As it goes, t he well-known st eroids and prohormones of t he "past " are cont rolled subst ances, meaning t hat you need a prescript ion t o buy and use t hem legally. But in t he past few years t here has been a gold-rush of market ing modified versions of old st eroids; t his is t echnically legal, since t hese modified subst ances in part icular have not yet been banned. They are being sold OTC t o an unsuspect ing public t hat does not know t he pot ent ial perils of using t hem wit hout proper monit oring, support , and post -cycle t herapy. In fact , one such OTC "supplement " known as Superdrol, was t he culprit for kidney and liver failure of one bodybuilder, who used it according t o direct ions on t he label. Superdrol was discont inued by it s manufact urer, but it s ingredient is st ill used in ot her OTC product s t oday, some of t hem purport edly even more pot ent .
Reading t he forums, one get s t he impression t hat many of t hese st rengt h and muscle supplement s are used by t eenagers and early-t went ies bodybuilders who have not yet reached t heir maximum pot ent ial from nat ural, i.e., non-hormonal, t raining and nut rit ion met hods. What does not seem t o get discussed is whet her t hese hormonal product s are act ually beneficial in t he long t erm. In t his cont ext , we deem beneficial t o mean t hat t he user has reached some st rengt h or muscle mass goal wit h minimal side effect s, and managed t o hold ont o t heir gains by swit ching t o nat ural met hods. Apparent ly, all or most people believe t hat wit h proper "PCT" (Post Cycle Therapy), t hey can hold ont o t heir gains indefinit ely. However, t his fundament al assumpt ion has been challenged - just do a Google search on "anabolic st eroids +permanent +gains", and you will find some very int erest ing result s. At least several highly experienced bodybuilders, who have used large quant it ies of st eroids in t he past , have cat egorically st at ed t hat wit hin a period of six mont hs t o a year, t hey had lost all of t heir st eroid-relat ed gains, even t hough t hey had pract ised good nat ural t raining and nut rit ion upon cessat ion of t heir st eroid use. Ot her people claim ot herwise, however. It is, nonet heless, common sense t o assume t hat t he human body will revert back t o nat ural, genet ically-predisposed hormone levels aft er a while. The point here is t hat it is not fully known whet her gains can be held ont o or not in t he long run.
In conclusion, people are spending vast sums of money on hormonal supplement s t hat may not produce any long-t erm benefit s, and may cause undesirable side effect s. Perhaps wit h more research and enough educat ion, we might come t o realize t hat nat ural met hods of t raining and nut rit ion are far more healt hy for us and can produce t he best long-t erm gains. Ot her popular t ypes of supplement s used for building muscle mass and st rengt h, such as creat ine, whey prot ein, and qualit y carbohydrat es, are known for t heir healt h benefit s, and can be used long-t erm wit hout any cause for concern. In any case, it is import ant t o read reviews of muscle building supplement s t o learn about ot her users' experiences wit h t hem, and hopefully avoid pot ent ial problems down t he road. Click Here For Recommended Program
41. T he Perfect Rep Range For Building Muscle
No mat t er what you read or who you t alk t o, everyone has t heir own opinion of what t he "perfect " rep range should be t o allow for maximum muscle st imulat ion and growt h. In t his art icle I'm going t o clear up t he confusion once and for all and t each you t he t rut h about choosing t he most effect ive rep range for opt imal muscle-building result s.
Set s t hat ut ilize heavy weight and low reps are wit hout a doubt t he most effect ive means of st imulat ing muscle growt h. For every set you perform in t he gym, you should ut ilize a rep range of 5 t o 7. This means t hat for every set you perform, t he weight should be light enough t hat you can complet e 5 reps in good form, but heavy enough t hat you cannot complet e more t han 7. What 's so special about 5 t o 7, you ask? Well...
1) Each set will only last bet ween 20-30 seconds.
Maximizing your muscle gains is all about int ensit y and efficiency. By ut ilizing a lower rep range, your set s will only last a short period of t ime, allowing you t o generat e 100% ment al focus and effort . Training wit h 100% int ensit y is crit ical t o st imulat ing muscle growt h and it is much easier t o maint ain t his level of effort for short er periods of t ime. You will not have t o psyche yourself up for marat hon set s last ing minut es on end, but rat her for a short burst of all-out effort last ing only several seconds.
2) Muscle st imulat ion will be maximized.
Our bodies are made up of 2 main t ypes of muscle fiber: slow t wit ch and fast t wit ch. Slow t wit ch fibers cannot generat e large burst s of power and are ut ilized during prolonged act ivit y. They have a high t olerance for endurance exercise but do not have a very high pot ent ial for increased growt h. Fast t wit ch fibers on t he ot her hand produce large burst s of power and are ut ilized during short , explosive movement s. They cont ain a large amount of mit ochondria (an area in t he muscle cell where energy is produced) and have t he highest pot ent ial for increases in bot h size and st rengt h. By ut ilizing a rep range of 5 t o 7 you will t ap int o t hese ext remely responsive fibers and t his will result in t he great est amount of muscle growt h and st rengt h gain possible.
3) Maximum resist ance can be used.
By performing only 5 t o 7 reps per set , you will enable your muscles t o handle heavier amount s of weight t han you could wit h a higher rep range. Building muscle is a byproduct of building st rengt h, and t raining in a lower rep range is t he most effect ive way t o accomplish t his. Since your st rengt h will shoot up much fast er using 5 t o 7 reps per set , so will your muscle size.
4) Lact ic Acid product ion will be kept t o a minimum.
Training in t he range of 5 t o 7 will also decrease t he amount of lact ic acid t hat is secret ed wit hin t he muscles. Lact ic acid is a met abolic wast e product t hat is produced as t he body burns carbohydrat es for fuel. Lact ic acid accumulat es in t he muscle t issue at increased rat es t he longer you exercise. By limit ing t he amount of lact ic acid product ion you will decrease muscle cat abolism and creat e an environment in t he body where great er amount s of energy can be generat ed. This will t ranslat e int o great er power out put and maximum st rengt h pot ent ial.
Okay, so we've est ablished t hat a rep range of 5-7 is t he absolut e most effect ive means of st imulat ing muscle growt h. However, t his does not apply all t he t ime or on every single lift . There are a few select muscle groups t hat should be st imulat ed using a slight ly higher rep range. These are t he calves, abs, forearms and upper t raps. These muscle groups are predominant ly made up of slow-t wit ch fibers, and t herefore will respond bet t er t o higher reps. For t his reason, a rep range of 10-12 should be ut ilized for t hese muscle groups. Again, t his means t hat t he weight should be light enough for you t o complet e at least 10 reps, but heavy enough t hat you cannot complet e more t han 12. Click Here For Recommended Program
42. 12 Secrets for gaining mass
by Scot t Whit e
If You really want t o gain size st op reading art icles out of magazines and find a t rainer t hat knows what t hey are doing.
Eat organically, you are what you eat (if you give yourself a 59 cent hamburger you are giving your body 59 cent muscles t hat makes you look like garbage.)
Eat According t o your met abolic t ype, "t he met abolic t yping diet "
Lift mainly in t he 8-12 rep range
Your t empos should range from 3-1-3 t o 4-1-4 and no more
You t ot al t ime under t ension for each lift should only last 60 sec or less (t his is because you want t o produce as much Test ost erone and Growt h Hormone.
Don't lift longer t han 45 min per workout , less at a higher int ensit y equals more.
This would be different if you were on pro-hormones or juice, because of t he recover t ime.
You shouldn't be performing any cardio
Lift according t o your genet ic makeup and your muscle fiber t ype if you t end t o be more of an endurance at hlet e you will do bet t er lift ing a lit t le higher reps, if you are more of a speed at hlet e you will do bet t er lift ing a lit t le lower reps heavier weight .
Supplement s and ot her t hings can help in achieving mass, as we all know what t he pros use and most amat eurs lift ing in t he gym.
Though follow science it can do way more for you t han just t aking some pill.
Mass is easy t o gain when you lift correct ly, don't wast e years t rying t o reach your goal when you can invest in a t rainer t hat can get you t ons of result s now. And if t hey don't get you result s fire t hem immediat ely
Words of wisdom
work harder
Less is more
Scot t Whit e
Personal Power Training
ht t p://www.personalpowert raining.net
ht t p://www.fit nessmodelbook.com Click Here For Recommended Program
43. Essential Bodybuilding Supplements
Essent ial bodybuilding supplement s are an area which is oft en overlooked. However much t ime you spend in t he gym, you st ill need t o be nourishing your body wit h t he right nut rient s, ot herwise you can fall int o t he t rap of damaging your joint s and even programming your body t o digest it s own muscles. Here in t his art icle we show you how t o use essent ial bodybuilding supplement s.
Tip 1
There is no doubt t hat t he essent ial bodybuilding supplement is prot ein. Your muscles are built from prot ein, and a regular int ake is necessary t o ensure t hat t he muscles are properly repaired following your gym work. Prot ein is a nut rient which t he body cannot creat e for it self, and t here are no alt ernat ives t hat can be used inst ead. Your muscles will not grow t o t he size you would like if you are not t aking in enough prot ein.
Tip 2
Anot her essent ial bodybuilding supplement is one which you will need only if your life is ext remely busy, or if you are t raveling. These are Meal Replacement s. Meal Replacement s are powders which are dissolved int o milk or wat er, and t hey provide some of t he nut rient s t hat you will be missing if you can't eat your regular diet . Essent ial nut rient s like prot ein, carbohydrat es, fat t y acids, vit amins and minerals are provided, and quickly absorbed int o your body. Nobody would ever go t o a posh rest aurant t o "eat " one of t hese, but t hey are ext remely useful in maint aining a st eady food int ake when you are busy.
Tip 3
One essent ial bodybuilding supplement , at least for many st art ing out on t heir bodybuilding journeys, is weight gain powder. As wit h t he Meal Replacement s, t his is dissolved in liquid. It gives t he body a huge boost of carbs and calories which will help t he novice bodybuilder put on weight . Oft en t hose just beginning bodybuilding find t he first
few pounds difficult t o gain.
Tip 4
Pro biot ics. There are t hose who quest ion t hat t hese really are an essent ial bodybuilding supplement , but t he most successful and effect ive weight lift ers use t hem wit hout hesit at ion. Pro biot ics cont ain bact eria which help your st omach digest food. More of t he nut rient s you t ake in are absorbed by t he body, and fewer are wast ed.
Essent ial bodybuilding supplement s is an area which can confuse t he beginner t o bodybuilding, so t his guide is designed t o st art you off properly. Click Here For Recommended Program
44. Use A Deck Of Cards For An Aerobic Workout
The Deck of Cards.
The first t ime I heard about t his was an in art icle about Clive (Iron Fist ) Myers. It was one of his favourit e rout ines.
The idea is very easy t o put int o pract ise and will help build st amina, st rengt h and energy. All you need is a deck of cards and some space t o exercise. You could do t his rout ine while on vacat ion if you want t o maint ain peak fit ness.
First you need t o decide on 3 exercises t o do 1. Chest 2. Legs 3. Abdominals.
1.push ups.
2.Free st anding squat s.
3.Crunches.
Each exercise will be done in st rict form wit h no cheat ing.
For t he push ups, st art in t he low posit ion and push up wit h slow st eady mot ion unt il t he t op of t he movement and t hen slowly lower back down under cont rol. Breat he in as you go down and in as you push back up. This is one rep.
Free st anding squat s, fold your arms across your chest and perform deep knee bends slowly, under full cont rol. At t he bot t om of t he movement push wit h your t highs and come back t o t he t op posit ion. Breat he in as you go down and out as you come up.
Crunches, st art by lying on your back on t he floor wit h your feet on a bench or chair. Hold your hands beside your head (NOT BEHIND). Raise your upper body from t he floor as high as you can. Breat he out as you raise and in as you lower your upper body. Do not hold you hands behind your head and pull as t his will put excessive st rain on your neck.
Now t ake t he deck of cards including t he jokers. Give it a good shuffle and t urn over t he t op card. What ever t he value of t his card is t he number of reps for t he exercise. Face card values
Jack 11
Queen 12
King 13
Ace 14
Joker 15
Wit h each card you t urn over, do t hat amount of reps for t he exercise, and t hen t urn t he next card over and move ont o t he next exercise.
When you are st art ing you may be unable t o do a full deck of cards. No problem. St art wit h t he number cards up t o t he eight . Add one more card at t he beginning of each workout unt il you can use t he full deck.
Make sure t o breat he regularly as you perform t hese exercises and do not hold your breat h at any t ime.
Shuffle t he deck of cards each t ime you work out as t he will randomize t he number of each exercise.
You can change t he exercises if you are unable t o do t he ones recommended. There are a mult it ude of variat ions on free st anding exercises t hat can be performed wit h lit t le or no equipment . If you do change t he exercises t ry t o do one upper, one middle and one lower body exercise.
The main idea is t hat you move from one exercise t o t he next as quickly as possible t o
keep up your heart rat e and build up aerobic endurance.
When you have done t his rout ine for a while you will be able t o complet e t his workout in 20 minut es. If you want t o you could add anot her deck of cards or t wo.
I recommend t hat you do t his rout ine every ot her day t o improve your healt h. There is no reason why it could not be done daily if you want ed t o.
The purpose of t his workout or any ot her fit ness program you undert ake is t o make you fit t er and healt hier. If you st art t o feel unwell or have any pain while working out , slow down and list en t o your body.
As wit h any new program it is recommended t hat you st art slowly and build up gradually as you gain experience. Even Arnold had t o st art wit h low weight s and learn from more experienced bodybuilders.
This art icle is provided as ent ert ainment and no responsibilit y can be t aken for loss or injuries incurred during physical exercise. If you have not undert aken any form of exercise for a while, please consult your doct or before st art ing any new exercise program.
Fit ness is not a compet it ion wit h anyone else. It is just for you, so find what you enjoy and go have some fun. Click Here For Recommended Program
45. Strength T raining Strategies that Actually Work
Over t he years t here has been a surge of different st rengt h t raining t echniques t hat have come ont o t he market and just faded away. Here we discuss t he t raining st rat egies t o gain t he maximum amount of muscle in t he short est t ime possible t hat have st ood up t o t he t est of t ime.
Most of t hese st rengt h-t raining st rat egies have been around for years but are not followed by many t raining syst ems t hese days. Let s look at a few below t hat act ually work.
1. Training Frequency
The t wo main component s of st rengt h t raining are t he int ensit y of t he exercise and t he recovery aft er t he exercise. Infrequent , short , high int ensit y weight t raining sessions, followed by t he required amount of t ime t o recover and become st ronger is what is needed t o increase funct ional muscle size in t he short est period of t ime.
The lat est research has repeat edly shown t hat muscles over-compensat e (become st ronger) up t o a week aft er t he previous workout , provided t hat t he muscles are t rained t o failure.
Remember it 's not t he t raining volume but t he int ensit y and recuperat ion t hat are import ant when it comes t o gains in st rengt h and muscle.
2. Exercises Per Session
Test s under st rict gym condit ions have revealed t hat you've only got a limit ed amount of (readily available) energy t o use for a weight t raining session. Blood t est s on individuals have also revealed t hat blood sugar levels (available energy) drop dramat ically aft er 20 t o 30 minut es of high int ensit y t raining.
As you only have a short period of t ime t o t rain before our blood sugar level drops,
"Exercise Select ion" is crucial. You have t o use Mult i-Joint or Compound movement s, as t hese offer t he most t raining st imulus for t he available amount of t ime. In ot her words, we can t rain many muscles simult aneously and t hus use our energy more efficient ly.
Performing t hree t o four exercises wit h high int ensit y during a session are what most people are capable of. All t he main st ruct ures of t he body are worked hard during t his t ime. Working on t hese big compound movement s has a knock-on effect t hroughout t he whole body; t here is no need for specializat ion t echniques or isolat ion movement s.
The fact is, t he whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperat ion is allowed t o t ake place and at t he next exercise session we push out a few more reps t han before wit h t he same weight , t hen we have got t en st ronger i.e. more muscle.
3. Number of Set s per Exercise
Aft er performing one complet e set a compound exercise t o t ot al failure, it should be just about impossible t o generat e t he same force and int ensit y for anot her complet e set of t he same exercise.
If you're able t o generat e t he same force and int ensit y for t his second set t hen it 'll be pret t y obvious t hat not enough effort has been put int o t he first set . Thus you'll have t o raise t he int ensit y level you put out for t he first set .
If you give t he first set 100% effort and work t he exercise hard t o t ot al failure (eg. you cannot move t he bar aft er t he last rep) t hen t here will be not more requirement for furt her muscle st imulat ion on t hat specific exercise.
If you t hink t hat volume t raining (mult iple set s) is more effect ive t hen you're wrong! The lat est research shows t hat single set t raining is as beneficial as mult iple set t raining. Training one set will decrease t he chances of over-t raining. It will also allow you t o save more energy for ot her exercises required during t he workout .
4. Number of Repet it ions per Set
The development of muscle and st rengt h is int errelat ed, it always has been. St rengt h t raining Sessions produce increases in st rengt h t hat is equal t o increases in funct ional muscle. (You'll become st ronger and grow muscle).
Cycling int ensit y t hrough changes in repet it ions and weight t hroughout a t en-week program is an effect ive way t o maint ain progression and avoid t raining plat eaus (slumps in st rengt h).
Repet it ions can be cycled, t he higher repet it ion range will st imulat e t he slow t wit ch muscle fibres and promot e endurance. Moving furt her down t he scale, t he lower repet it ion range will act ivat e t he fast t wit ch muscle fibres and increase st rengt h and muscle size. Click Here For Recommended Program
46. Instantly Increase Your Strength On Every Back Exercise
Do you want a quick, simple and inst ant way t o increase t he amount of weight you can lift on virt ually every back exercise you perform? Sound t oo good t o be t rue? I speak t he t rut h, my friend, and t he realit y is t hat if you aren't ut ilizing t his basic piece of gym equipment you're missing out on some serious muscle size and st rengt h gains. What t ool am I t alking about ?
A pair of lift ing st raps!
This is such a basic and highly effect ive piece of equipment yet so many people neglect t o use t hem. For t hose of you who are unaware, t hese are basically a set of t hick st raps made of ext remely st rong mat erial t hat are placed around your wrist s and t hen wrapped around t he barbell, dumbbell or cable at t achment . The purpose of lift ing st raps is t o "eliminat e" your grip from t he equat ion by forming a secure connect ion bet ween your wrist and t he weight . If you use t hese st raps properly you can basically hold ont o t he bar and perform your exercises while expending almost no energy from your forearms.
Why is t his so valuable?
Pict ure t his scenario...You're performing a set of deadlift s (arguably t he most powerful muscle-building exercise known t o man) wit h t he goal of performing 8 reps. You psych yourself up, grip t he weight and clear t he bar from t he ground. The set is going well, but by t he t ime you reach rep number 5, t he st rain on your grip is so great t hat you can no longer hold ont o t he bar. You're forced t o st op t he set because your forearms reached muscular failure.
What exact ly happened here?
Well, you gave yourself an amazing forearm workout ! Congrat ulat ions! Unfort unat ely you severely limit ed t he amount of muscle st imulat ion you could achieve on your back, shoulders, legs, and just about every ot her muscle in your body t hat t he deadlift t arget s in t he process. This is not a good t hing!
Lift ing st raps complet ely eliminat e t his problem by making sure t hat you reach muscular failure in t he major muscle groups t hat you are int ending t o t arget rat her t han on your forearms and grip. They can be used effect ively for almost every back exercise or any ot her lift where t he grip is of concern.
The main argument against lift ing st raps is t he idea t hat t hey are a "crut ch" and will negat ively affect t he development of grip st rengt h and forearm size. Let 's get real here. What would you prefer, great er muscle mass and st rengt h in your lat s and upper back (and just about every ot her muscle group on your body) or great er abilit y t o crack open a jar of pickles? Take your pick.
The posit ive effect t hat lift ing st raps will have on your overall muscle mass and st rengt h gains will far out weigh any negat ive effect t hat t hey have on your forearms and grip. Besides, you can easily incorporat e specific forearm movement s int o your rout ine t o develop your grip st rengt h and forearm size. If you aren't using lift ing st raps already, get on it ! You can find t hem at almost any st ore t hat sells sport s or fit ness equipment or you can order t hem online. They sell for about 10 or 15 bucks and are well wort h t he price! Click Here For Recommended Program
47. T he Best Bodybuilding Gain Mass Muscle Supplements
If you are int erest ed in bodybuilding, it is import ant t hat you learn about t he best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplement s t hat you need. Wit hout t hese supplement s, you will find t hat your bodybuilding effort s are not only quit e slow, but also quit e painful. Here is a breakdown of what your muscles require:
Prot ein: Prot ein is essent ial t o muscle growt h. Furt hermore, not just any prot ein will do, because prot ein comes in a variet y of qualit ies, wit h a variet y of physical make ups. You need t o learn as much about prot ein as you possibly can if you are serious about bodybuilding, but underst and t hat prot ein isn't t he only best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplement t hat is import ant .
Amino Acids: Amino Acids are import ant , and you will hear about t hem. These are t he building blocks of prot ein, and import ant t o met abolism. While t hey are import ant , t he chances are very good t hat if you are get t ing enough of t he right kinds of prot eins, you are get t ing t he right amount of amino acids t hat you need as well. Learn more about prot ein.
Creat ine: Creat ine helps you have bet t er workout s. It enhances your performance. Creat ine is not considered t o be illegal in any sport , and most bodybuilding t rainers will recommend t hat you include creat ine in your nut rit ion plan.
Glut amine: Glut amine, also known as L-Glut amine, is essent ial t o bodybuilding. Wit hout Glut amine, you will lose muscle, and it also aids in muscle recovery aft er a workout . Wit hout t he proper amount of Glut amine, glut amine will be supplied t o ot her part s of t he body, inst ead of t o t he muscles where you really need t hem, as a bodybuilder.
Vit amins: Vit amins are incredibly import ant - not just for bodybuilding, for but your general good healt h. We don't get t he vit amins t hat we need in t he foods t hat we eat . Make sure t hat you are get t ing at least t he recommended daily allowance, and also do a lit t le research t o find out which vit amins bodybuilders need more of.
Bet a-Hydroxy Bet a Met hylbut yrat e: Also known as HMB. HMB is a new supplement on t he market , and t he bodybuilding world is very excit ed about it . HMB is import ant in t he synt hesis process of muscle t issue; it burns fat , and helps t o build muscle fast er wit h exercise. It essent ially causes t he muscles t o use a higher rat e of t he prot ein t hat you are providing.
There are, of course, ot her supplement s and nut rient s t hat you need in order t o reach your bodybuilding goals. However, t hese are t he best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplement s in exist ence, and it is import ant t hat you learn as much about t hese supplement s as you can, and include t hem in your nut rit ional plan.
Too oft en, people mist akenly t hink t hat prot ein is t he key, but it is really a high amount of prot ein, combined wit h t hese ot her nut rient s and working t he muscles t hrough exercise, t hat does t he t rick. Again, bodybuilding is more t han working out . It is a combinat ion of working t he muscles, and feeding t he muscles properly. Make sure t hat you t ake t he t ime out of t he gym t o learn more about t he best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplement s t hat you need. Click Here For Recommended Program
48. Using Supplements T o Enhance Your Bodybuilding
For at t aining peak performance in body building it is imperat ive t hat t he bodybuilder uses t he right nut rit ional supplement s.
Supplement s play a big part in male body building diet programs because our diet s oft en do no cont ain t he necessary vit amins and nut rient s our bodies require t o for increased muscle mass and fat loss at t he same t ime.
Luckily for t he bodybuilder, t he nut rit ional supplement indust ry now provides more pills and more powders t han ever before.
Wit h a choice of chemical-based and nat ural supplement s, it is always wise t o place preference on t he many nat ural body building supplement s available t oday. Not only do t hey help t o speed up t he muscle building process, t hey are also more in harmony wit h t he body t han t heir chemical count erpart s.
Nat ural bodybuilding supplement s play a vit al role because t hey feed t he body wit h t he nut rient s required for muscle growt h. These nut rient s are not necessarily present , in t he required quant it ies, in t he st aple diet s t hat have reduced nut rit ional value due t o cooking.
One must choose body building supplement s wisely, because t here are supplement s t hat are very dangerous if not used properly or if used in incorrect quant it ies. Furt hermore, t he right t ime, wit h food, wit h wat er, and avoidance if you have cert ain medical condit ions are also import ant considerat ions.
Some supplement s are made t o prot ect muscles and joint s against injury, some are used when you want t o put on weight , ot hers improve your circulat ion, plus a host of ot her supplement s for very specific applicat ions and benefit s. You must pay at t ent ion t o each body building supplement t hat you plan on t aking t o ensure t hat t here will not be int eract ion bet ween supplement s t hat could affect your healt h.
If you are unsure, t hen it is wise not t ake a body building nut rit ional supplement . Alt ernat ively, ask your doct or or pharmacist about t he supplement in quest ion.
You need t o finalize your diet and supplement s only aft er a professional has evaluat ed your body weight and height so t hat t he person can recommend t he best combinat ion of supplement s for maximum fat loss and maximum muscle gain.
The goal of bodybuilding as a sport is t o improve your healt h while providing you wit h an enviable physique t hat is at t ained t hrough long hours of t raining and st rict diet s. The correct supplement s will help maint ain your healt h by feeding your body wit h vit amins and t he nut rient s t hat are missing from your daily diet . Click Here For Recommended Program
49. Add Intensity T o Your Muscle Building Workout
One of t he biggest difficult ies facing bodybuilders is how can t hey be sure t hat all muscle fibers have been recruit ed and exhaust ed during a given exercise and it is only by achieving t his t hat muscle gains can be maximised.
The simple answer is, you have work beyond failure and experience a higher level of t raining int ensit y t han before. This also ensures t hat workout s remain challenging and cont inue t o engender progress over t ime t hus reducing t he likelihood of regression.
But how do you go about int ensifying your t raining? Fort unat ely t here is a t ried and t est ed pat h t o follow as out lined below:
1. Increase resist ance - increasing t he weight lift ed in meaningful increment s ensures t he muscle is pushed beyond it s previous point of failure t hus maint aining t he muscle building process. Aim t o increase t he weight when you reach six t o eight reps and failure does not occur.
2. Change t he exercise - t o achieve maximal gains all muscle fibers in a body part must be t rained. Changing t he angle (e.g t o incline bench press) or int roducing a new exercise will st imulat e growt h.
3. Reduce rest int ervals - giving t he muscles less t ime t o recover before exposing t hem t o furt her work has t he effect of increasing int ensit y.
4. Pre-exhaust ion - when an exercise involves t wo or more muscles t he weakest will prevent you from working t he primary muscle t o failure. The answer is t o first isolat e and t ire t he primary muscle before immediat ely moving t o anot her exercise t hat works t he set of muscles t o failure.
5. Int roduce superset s - t his involves performing t wo exercises for t he same muscle group wit hout a rest int erval. This means you have t o ut ilize different muscle fibers which st imulat e great er growt h.
6. Use part ial reps - at t he point of failure you will not be able t o complet e t he full range of movement for a given exercise. Complet ing a part ial rep t hat uses only a segment of t he lift will st ill work your muscles beyond t he point of failure. This t echnique is especially useful t o advanced bodybuilders as it allows t hem t o increase int ensit y wit hout adding ext ra rout ines t hat could cause overt raining.
7. Use isomet ric cont ract ions - t his involves holding t he weight st ill at t he point of failure t o st imulat e a st at ic cont ract ion in t he muscle.
8. Employ forced reps - t his involves complet ing one or more final reps aft er t he point of failure has been reached. You will need t he assist ance of an experienced helper t o at t empt t his.
Once you have added t hese t echniques t o your t raining regimen you'll know you've done your best t o maximize muscle growt h. Click Here For Recommended Program
50. Arm Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
Most people new t o bodybuilding pay a lot of at t ent ion t o building big arms, somet imes t o t he point of overt raining. Don't forget , t he arm muscles are brought int o play during most exercises aimed at ot her body part s so care must be t aken not t o overdo t hings.
Having said t hat , t he arms are complex body part s in t heir own right and deserve a properly focused exercise program. In basic t erms t he arm consist s of t hree main muscle groups:
1. Biceps brachii - t wo muscles at t he front upper arm t hat run from t he elbow t o t he shoulders.
2. Triceps brachii - t hree muscles at t he rear upper arm t hat run from t he elbow t o t he shoulder.
3. Forearm - several smaller muscles t hat run from t he elbow t o t he wrist .
There are seven classic exercises t hat will allow beginners t o get off t o a good muscle building st art wit hout overst raining t heir bodies. For all of t he exercises t hat follow, use a weight t hat is light enough t o allow bet ween 10-15 reps.
Three biceps building exercises are recommended for beginners:
1. St anding barbell curl - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
2. Alt ernat ive st anding dumbbell curls - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
3. Preacher bench curls - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
Three t riceps building exercises are recommended for beginners:
1. Dips - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
2. Close grip bench press - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
3. EZ bar lying ext ensions - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
One forearm building exercise is recommended for beginners:
1. EZ bar reverse curls - 3 set s of 10-15 reps.
As wit h all exercises you need t o t ake care in scheduling specific body part s. To begin wit h you should incorporat e your arm exercises int o a program similar t o t he one suggest ed below:
Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs
Day 2: Hamst rings, Shoulders, Abs
Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves
Day 4: Triceps, Chest , Abs
For t he first couple of weeks complet e one set but t hen add one set each week t o a maximum of t hree. At t he end of t hree mont hs you will be ready t o move on t o more int ensive int ermediat e level exercises. Click Here For Recommended Program