best body building supplement

The Roots Of Modern Bodybuilding

2008-03-17T04:35:00.000-07:00

As a sport, bodybuilding goes all the way back to the 12th century in India where we find the first training techniques and bodybuilding specific nutrition. By the 1500s in India, bodybuilding had become a national pastime and people from all over the world had also taken up the practice and used stone and wood to create the first dumbbells, thus giving birth to the crucial component of bodybuilding which is lifting weights.

Among the general public, bodybuilding first became recognized as a widely popular sport for commercial purposes in the late 1800's with the introduction of strongmen like Eugene Sandow. National and International competitions began taking place by the early 1900's. Sandow was one of the main figures in the early bodybuilding movement and was known as The Father of Modern Bodybuilding. He consistently pushed his ideas and theories on bodybuilding and fitness to the world through exhibitions, personal appearances and his breakthrough magazine, Physical Culture.

It was the persistent efforts of Sandow that led to the incorporation of weightlifting into the Olympics at the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 1904, Sandow was chosen as an honored judge at a major bodybuilding event held at the Royal Albert Hall in London that attracted over 2,000 people to watch.

The sport became even more popular and profitable as a business in the 1920s with newcomers like Charles Atlas coming on the scene. Who doesn't remember his ads that appeared in magazines, comic books, and newspapers all over the world? Remember, the bully kicking sand in his face? That was the first bodybuilding course I bought back in the mid seventies. The manufacture of dumbbells and barbells started gaining momentum all over the world and new innovations in training, dieting, and exercise equipment were coming out more every year.

Bodybuilding developed a cult following from the forties to the seventies with movies like Hercules featuring the incredible Steve Reeves, as well as the popular Tarzan series of movies that was played by many different bodybuilding actors. Some of the notables of this time period were Joe Gold, the founder of Gold's Gym and World Gym franchises, Harold Zinkin, Two time Mr. America John Grimek, and Great Britain's Reg Park. Bodybuilding was now beginning to set itself apart from weightlifting and became even more popular. The early seventies saw the introduction of a young bodybuilder who would become a pop icon and a household name all over the world, Arnold Schwarzenegger who used his superb talent and charisma along with a never before seen physique to become the best developed man in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Roots Of Modern Bodybuilding

2008-03-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips

2008-03-17T03:13:00.000-07:00

After thousands of bodybuilding fitness consulting sessions, and publishing a popular weight training guide, I constantly teach bodybuilders a results proven gym workout routine that builds muscle fast.

All you have to do is follow my 8 Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips and you will soon see your muscle building results double.

8 Gym Bodybuilding Workout Tips

1. Have a clear weight training routine purpose.

Upon entering the gym it is imperative to have a clear cut bodybuilding routine plan of action. You should know exactly what exercises you will perform, how much weight you will need to lift, and how many reps you must beat. Therefore, your whole bodybuilding routine is 100% planned, set in stone, prior to beginning your gym workout. You must walk into the gym with a definite plan, and purpose.

2. Be in a "warrior" high intensity weight training state of mind.

It is crucial to enter the gym workout focused. I can remember entering the gym and instantly beginning to perspire. I mentally had worked myself up into state of high intensity weight training desire. This is even before I lifted one weight. It is called focus, and anticipation.

Bodybuilding results are only seen when you force yourself to grow. That takes high intensity weight training, as well as ultra high mental focus. Your mind should be totally focused on conquering the next rep. It is important to imagine yourself forcing out that one additional muscle building repetition.

In an effective gym workout, your attitude, and drive will determine your altitude of muscle development.

3. Focus on effective pre- gym workout bodybuilding nutrition.

Make sure you ingest a small amount of complex carbohydrates, and protein approximately 2 hours prior to beginning your gym workout. This will assure you of getting the adequate amounts of energy producing nutrients to expel in your high intensity weight training session.

Another extremely important gym workout tip is to make sure you are properly hydrated with, preferably, water. You should be consuming at least one-half of your bodyweight in ounces each and every day.

Bodybuilding training preparations are similar to space shuttle preparations. Your goal should be to get your system ready for a high intensity weight training blast off.

4. Did you bring your bodybuilding workout log to your gym workout?

One of the biggest mistakes bodybuilders consistently make is neglecting to track their weight lifting progress. Without measuring progress, there generally is little improvement. How do you know what you are suppose to beat if you have no data? How can a department store set sales goals if they don't track sales? It is just absolutely silly seeing bodybuilders completing their gym workouts without recording any data. That what is not measured will not improve.

5. Gym workouts are for training, not socializing.

Remember, you are in the gym to get muscle building results. If you are talking and goofing around, how in the world can you be ultra focused on going to war with the weights? Get your work done, and then socialize if you wish. I tell my clients to stay focused, and don't allow distractions. Focus on conquering that near impossible, muscle growth repetition.

6. Use only proven bodybuilding program principles.

Don't listen to Joe Bodybuilders newest theory on building muscle. Stick to what has been scientifically proven to work. Beware of all the gym chatter floating around. To discover all of the most advanced proven bodybuilding principles visit my muscle building weight training guide presented in digital audio. Bodybuilding Done Right is a how to bodybuilding audio revealing the proven scientific bodybuilding program principle the pros use, but refuse to share.

7. Avoid Overtraining.

Once you have completed your pre-designed 100% high intensity bodybuilding routine, it is time to get out of the gym, and go home and grow. Hold yourself back from doing one extra set. Remember, more is not necessarily better. Stick to your plan. With high intensity weight training you need less volume of work. Any extra basic weight training exercises could be counter productive to your bodybuilding muscle growth.

Get out of the gym, and let your body compensate, and later overcompensate with added fat burning muscle tissue.

Also, make sure your body has fully recovered from the previous gym workout before you train again.

8. Begin the recovery process with optimal bodybuilding nutrition.

You have an hour after your high intensity weight training workout to replenish your glycogen levels, thus, aiding in the muscle building, and recovery process. Take in two parts complex or simple carbohydrates with one part protein. This is an important bodybuilding tip that has been proven to aid in the muscle recovery, and building process. So power your gym workout with these proven tips.

These are 8 important gym workout tips that should be followed. Following these bodybuilding workout tips will do wonders for your weightlifting, muscle building results.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners ***

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your eZine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way. Thank you!

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist

9461 Charleville Blvd. #312

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

1-866-935-5967

Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips

2008-03-17T03:01:00.001-07:00

All you have to do is follow my 8 Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips and you will soon see your muscle building results double.

8 Gym Bodybuilding Workout Tips

1. Have a clear weight training routine purpose.

2. Be in a "warrior" high intensity weight training state of mind.

In an effective gym workout, your attitude, and drive will determine your altitude of muscle development.

3. Focus on effective pre- gym workout bodybuilding nutrition.

Bodybuilding training preparations are similar to space shuttle preparations. Your goal should be to get your system ready for a high intensity weight training blast off.

4. Did you bring your bodybuilding workout log to your gym workout?

5. Gym workouts are for training, not socializing.

6. Use only proven bodybuilding program principles.

7. Avoid Overtraining.

Get out of the gym, and let your body compensate, and later overcompensate with added fat burning muscle tissue.

Also, make sure your body has fully recovered from the previous gym workout before you train again.

8. Begin the recovery process with optimal bodybuilding nutrition.

These are 8 important gym workout tips that should be followed. Following these bodybuilding workout tips will do wonders for your weightlifting, muscle building results.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners ***

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your eZine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way. Thank you!

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist

9461 Charleville Blvd. #312

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

1-866-935-5967

Senate passes island-hunting bill

2008-02-21T04:52:00.000-08:00

More animals would be hunted on Antelope Island under a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate.

SB187, sponsored by Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, would allow hunters to bag bighorn sheep and mule deer in addition to bison.

The bill, passed 18-11 after considerable debate, now goes to the House.

Hickman, who has earned the nickname "Wild Bill," said the Great Salt Lake island is "not a sanctuary" and should, like other state parks, be available for multiple uses including hunting.

Currently, the state issues six bison permits for an annual four- hour hunt. Hickman's bill adds six permits a year -- two each for bison, bighorn sheep and mule deer.
The permits are expected to raise as much as $200,000 from big- game hunters. Hickman said the hunt would also serve to harvest what he described as "some of the older, unproductive animals."

But Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, said there is no biological reason for the hunt. "This bill is not about thinning out the herds on Antelope Island. What it's about, pure and simple, is cash," McCoy said.

The state Division of Parks and Division of Wildlife Resources both oppose the bill, as does the Davis County Commission and a number of wildlife groups.

"I think locals should be heard," Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R- Syracuse, said, calling Antelope Island one of the state's top tourist attractions.

He said "safari tours" started this year would be affected by the additional hunting. "There's more than one way to skin a mule deer as far as finances go," Killpack said.

Sen. Tom Hatch, R-Panguitch, said hunting is allowed in several other state parks. "I don't know what makes it so special," he said of Antelope Island. Hatch said hunting was not inconsistent with keeping the island wildlife "tame and gentle" to make them more "watchable."

Senate Majority Leader Pete Knudson, R-Brigham City, voted for the bill but raised concerns about creating a game preserve for trophy hunters. "In my heart of hearts," Knudson said of the additional permits, "I think it has some merit."

Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

Changes coming in elk-hunt program

2008-02-21T04:50:00.000-08:00

It is generally agreed that Utah has a good elk management program.

A study by a 15-person Elk Management Plan Advisory Committee concluded it could be better. Last week, the Utah Wildlife Board agreed.

Sweeping changes will take place with respect to the elk hunting program here in Utah that will, ultimately, increase hunting opportunity, increase chances on special hunts and increase the number of trophy bulls within the state's boundaries.

"The committee worked hard to find ways to allow more people to hunt bull elk on limited entry units without negatively affecting the bull elk population we have," said Jim Karpowitz, big game coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. "The committee came up with some great recommendations, and the Division of Wildlife Resources supported those recommendations
The recommendations approved by the board are:

-- The hunter cap on spike bull units has been reduced from 19,000 to 11,000 permits, and the general season on spike units has been shortened from 13 to nine days.

"This will reduce the take of spike bulls and allow more of them to grow into mature animals. Also, by shortening the spike-bull hunt, there will be about 10 percent fewer elk killed. These elk will carryover and be old, more mature bulls for the following hunt," Karpowitz said. "Almost 13,000 hunters participated in the spike bull hunt in 2004."

-- Bull elk on limited entry units are managed under three age class objectives. The board accepted the committee's recommendations to change the age classes.

It voted to keep the 3- to 4-year age class, but changed the middle and highest categories.

Units managed under the middle category, which had been 5 to 6 years, will be managed for 4- to 5-year-old bulls, while units managed under the highest category, which had been 7 to 8 years, will be managed for 5- to 6-year-old bulls.

"Lowering these age categories will still allow hunters a chance for a very nice bull but because we'll be managing for a slightly younger animal, we can offer more permits," Karpowitz said. "There are plenty of bulls on these units, so offering more permits should not affect bull numbers or the quality of the animals much."

-- A late season rifle elk hunting opportunity will be available away from the rut. The late season hunt will run Nov. 12 to 18 in 2005. To accommodate the late season hunt, the general muzzleloader elk season will start and end three days earlier than it did this year. About 30 percent of the limited entry rifle permits for 2005 will be used for the late season hunt.

"Fewer elk should be taken (during the November hunt) because this hunt will be held outside of the rut," he said. "The benefit to hunters is the chance to hunt elk when virtually no one else is afield. The long-term benefit should be more elk and more limited entry permits for hunters in the future."

Karpowitz said the committee looked at the way Arizona, considered to be a model for elk-hunt programs, issued permits.

"There is no general season. Everything is limited entry," he responded. "Everything goes into a draw. The only hunt during the rut is the archery hunt. Everything else, about 90 percent of the tags, are for the late-season (November) hunt."

Utah's season currently falls during the rut in early October.

Despite some objections, the board also approved a Legislature- approved premium elk tag. Last session, the Legislature voted for a more expensive premium tag but did not make implementation mandatory.

Five percent of the limited entry tags will be sold as premium tags. The cost will be $508, as compared to $280 currently charged for a limited entry tag, and will allow the purchaser to hunt all three elk seasons -- archery, muzzleloader and general rifle.

Karpowitz also believes this will increase chances for drawing out for a regular limited entry permit because some of those who would typically apply will now shift to the premium draw.

"Changing the spike regulations and having a late-November hunt are both long-term fixes," he continued. "Lowering the age classifications in our elk-management plan will have immediate effect.

"Not changing the age classes could result in fewer hunting opportunities in the future, not more."

This past year there were 7,000 new applications submitted for limited-entry hunts. With some changes in the regulations to offer more hunting permits in the future, "someday, if we continue to get more applications, the chances of getting a limited entry elk permit will be astronomical. Currently, hunters have a one-in-30 chance of drawing a permit."

In other action, the board approved two deer hunting recommendations requested by the Southern and Southeastern citizen regional advisory councils.

The five-day general rifle buck deer hunt will continue in the Southeastern Region. In the Southern Region, the general rifle buck deer hunt has been reduced from nine to five days across the region. The 2005 general rifle buck deer hunt in the two regions will run Oct. 22 through 26.

Louis Dorman rules from pud … to stud!

2008-02-19T05:48:00.000-08:00

Using the resources at BodyBuilding.com, Louis Dorman developed 10 rules that are the key to his successful transformation. ANYONE can use these rules to melt away fat and grow lean muscle--quickly and easily. Says Louis, "You would not believe the changes in my life. The world treats me like a completely different person, in the best way imaginable! Not only am I getting the women I always dreamed about, I'm getting the respect and admiration that I've always wanted." Get the rules that Louis developed FREE at BodyBuilding.com, as well as the supplements he used to aid his transformation. Picking the right supplements was easy for Louis, using BodyBuilding.com. "When I perfected the combination, the fat literally melted off of my body at a rapid rate I never thought possible!" Now you too can get rock-hard abs, bigger biceps, and sizzling sex appeal--just like Louis--thanks to BodyBuilding.com! And you get it all at an even greater discount than our already low low prices! PLUS, we offer the Dorman Combo in three different packages, to fit anyone's budget. So there's no excuse--come take advantage of this special offer today! Order your combo right now, and we throw in a free BodyBuilding.com T-shirt! The path to successfully transforming your life begins just 2-3 days after your visit to BodyBuilding.com--that's how fast we deliver! This is what you've been searching for. Don't waste another minute waiting! Get the transformation results you've been looking for, in one stop--BodyBuilding.com. Your supplement store, and so much more! Learn how Louis Dorman achieved the look and confidence that changed his life beyond his wildest dreams--and how you can too! Exclusively at BODYBUILDING.COM

RULE 1: Motivation
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RULE 10: Visit BodyBuilding.com Daily

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Muscles in a bottle: beyond the sport supplement fanfare - Nutrition - Brief Article

2008-02-19T05:34:00.001-08:00

"Is it safe for my 16 year-old son to take creatine?" "What is the best protein supplement to build muscle?" "Should I use Ripped Fuel[R] to lose weight and boost my energy level?"

Competitive athletes commonly take sports supplements to enhance their health, performance and recovery. Yet questions arise: Is the supplement safe? Does it work? This article examines a few popular sports supplements and separates hype from truth to help you make wise choices.

Supplements to Build Muscle

Protein Powders If you are dazzled by photos of ripped body builders in muscle magazines, you may believe protein bars, powders and shakes are linked to magnificent muscle mass. This is a misconception. The key to building muscle is lifting weights, not consuming excessive protein. Certainly, athletes who want to build muscles need adequate protein. However, the required amount is easily consumed through customary foods, such as milk, eggs, meats, fish, beans, soy and nuts.

The safe and adequate amount of protein recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association and the Dieticians of Canada is 0.5 to 0.6 gm of protein per pound for endurance athletes and 0.7 to 0.8 gm of protein per pound for strength athletes. Hence, a 200-pound body builder who needs 140 to 160 grams of protein per day can easily acquire that amount by consuming a quart of milk (40 gm protein), a 6-oz. can of tuna (40 gm protein) and an 8-oz. chicken breast (65 gm protein). Consuming additional protein from supplements is unnecessary, costly and displaces the carbs needed to provide fuel for strenuous workouts. Vegetarian athletes who fail to consume adequate beans, tofu or other plant proteins may benefit from protein supplements. For these individuals, taking a protein supplement is better than not consuming enough protein.

Creatine

Popular among strength athletes and individuals who perform repeated bursts of brief, explosive exercise (e.g., weight lifting, sprints, ice hockey), creatine is reputed to enhance recovery from one bout of exercise to the next. For example, some body builders report better results from their workouts when they use creatine. By being able to repeatedly lift heavy weights, they stimulate muscle growth, thus creating more strength and body mass. However, not all athletes respond to creatine in the same manner--some athletes have little or no response.

Athletes who consume creatine should know larger than recommended doses are unnecessary. If you are a parent who questions if creatine is safe for your high school athlete, you'll be relieved to know medical research suggests creatine is safe. To date, creatine, taken in the recommended doses, has not been linked to medical problems. However, due to poor quality control in the supplement industry, a wise motto with consuming creatine (as with any supplement) is, "Take at your own risk."

Nevertheless, I discourage the use of creatine by young athletes. I recommend training hard, wisely and an optimized sports diet (i.e., eating a substantial breakfast and lunch to fuel themselves for a strenuous afternoon workout) to reach performance goals.

Supplements for Endurance

Caffeine

Touted to enhance endurance and the ability to work harder with less effort, caffeine is popular among endurance athletes and individuals who want a pre-exercise energy boost. Like most ergogenic aids, caffeine's effects vary from person to person. If you rarely drink coffee, you may end up with the jitters and a bad case of "coffee stomach." As with any dietary experiment, consume caffeine during training so there will be no surprises on competition day.

Caffeine also has the reputation of being a diuretic and contributing to dehydration. According to Dr. Larry Armstrong of the University of Connecticut, caffeine's diuretic effect is insignificant--especially among regular coffee drinkers. If you prefer to abstain from pre-exercise caffeine, eating appropriately before working out is a reliable method of enhancing endurance and performance. Research suggests athletes who consumed 400 calories at breakfast, three hours prior to endurance exercise, exercised 27 minutes longer than those who did not have breakfast (136 minutes versus 109 minutes). If you will be exercising for more than 90 minutes, you can further enhance endurance by consuming carbs (i.e., sports drink, gel) during exercise.

Ephedra/Ma Huang

Ephedra (also called ma huang) is a stimulant banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Ephedra is commonly contained in decongestants, cold medications, diet pills and Ripped Fuel[R]--a popular supplement used to lose weight and enhance energy.

For more information on the effects of ephedra, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site (www.cdc.gov) to see the number of medical problems and deaths associated with ephedra. In general, athletes and non-athletes should be wary of products containing ephedra and not consume more than 24 mg. of ephedrine a day.

Body Building Workouts - Stopping Is As Important as Starting

2007-06-19T02:19:00.002-07:00

One of the best ways for someone to get into maximum shape and shed those unwanted pounds is by starting body building workouts. Weight training will both increase the resting metabolism, turning the body into a 24/7 fat-burning machine, and tone and define the muscles for that sculpted look. Seems easy enough, doesn’t it?

There is, as there always is, where getting into shape is concerned, a catch. Body building workouts demand a huge effort and an iron will if you are going to stay with them long enough to see results. And the effort and will power to not merely that you will stay with your chosen program of body building workouts; they also mean you will make the effort to educate yourself about when it’s time to stop.

Stop When You Are Tired Many people, in the eagerness to achieve their perfect new bodies, get carried away with the difficulty and duration of their body building workouts. They don’t want to stop until they are literally falling down with fatigue, and in pushing themselves are simply increasing their risk of injury.

Any form of exercise, when done to the point of exhaustion over and over again, can stop being fun and start being an ordeal. And many people facing ordeals find it easy to avoid them. If your body building workout feels like it is becoming an ordeal, you need to take a break. You probably needed to take a break anyway, just to give your body a chance to recuperate and build new muscle, but now you need an emotional break as well.

If you are new to body building workouts, you may not have done enough research to learn that your body experiences the greatest benefits from them during the days when you are idle. Those days are your recovery days, and it is during them that the muscle you so long for is actually created. Muscle mass does not increase while you are exercising; its too busy working. It increases for the two days--or even longer--following your workout.

Lower Body Exercises For Bodybuilding

2007-06-19T02:19:00.001-07:00

While many people think that bodybuilding has to do with building the muscles of the upper body, you also have to pay attention to lower body exercises. This is because the largest muscles in your body are actually located in the lower part of your body. You need to develop them in order to support a bigger upper body. When beginning a bodybuilding routine, many people start off with heavy squats. This is something you should avoid and work into gradually.

Get started working out on exercise equipment that will train many muscles in the body at once. You do need to learn how to do these properly and it will take about three months to strengthen the individual muscles that you will need later.

There are five groups of muscles in the lower part of your body:
* Quads - these are the large muscles at the front of the thigh. Exercises that will help strengthen these muscles include squats, leg press, lunges and leg extensions.
* Hamstrings - these are the muscles at the back of the thigh. The exercises that will help you strengthen the hamstrings are leg curls.
* Gluteals - the muscles of the buttocks
* Hip Flexors - small muscles at the front of the pelvis. If you practice raising your legs, it will go a long way to strengthening them.

Best Bodybuilding Supplements for Teens

2007-06-19T02:15:00.000-07:00

In every competition, the main objective of each athlete is to win. For them winning is almost everything, that is why they take huge dosages of various nutritional supplements just to take advantages over their rivalries. One of the most popular bodybuilding supplements used by athletes including teens and adults is the creatine supplement. Creatine is taken to optimize the power or strength and improve the performance of every sport minded individuals.

Doctors are still conducting a thorough study about the benefits and health risks of taking creatine supplement, since they are still unspecified until now. They’re not even aware of its side effects duration, especially on the physical aspects that are still under the process of growing. Condition like this, hinders teens and young adults under 18 years old including pregnant women to take creatine supplements. Further, people who are suffering kidney troubles should be prohibited from taking this supplement and it is important to seek first some professional advice before jumping into final decision.

Creatine supplements are easy to get because it is used popularly. It comes in wide arrays of product brands and is accessible over the counter, in any drug stores, department stores and you can even order it online. The use of this supplement is expected to increase every year because of the increasing population of various users. Most of them are male, although there are also some women who are on the edge of using this. In the case of power sports such as wrestling, hockey and football, creatine supplement also top as the best. Aside from teens that are on the “hot” of indulging themselves in any sports activities, creatine is also taken as the best body building supplements.

In other words, starting from amateur up to professional, from high school going up to college, and in all degrees of performance, the use of creatine supplements is found. Almost 44 percent of young athletes aging from 6-12 admitted that they are taking creatine.

Creatine is the origin of energy for the contraction of the muscles that is why it is highly recommended as bodybuilding supplements. Our own body can also produce creatine in our pancreas, liver and kidneys. You can also obtain higher creatine substance if you’re eating more fish and meat than taking vegetarian diets. Creatine is stored on our body most especially on the skeletal muscles to be able to utilize it during the body movements or exercise. The remaining substances are distributed all throughout to your brain, heart and the rest of the tissues.

Hot stacks: the best supplement combinations for muscle gains and bodyfat reduction - Nutrition

2007-06-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

Two questions bodybuilders ask most frequently are "What supplements Should I take to get big?" and "Which ones will help me rip up?" First, it's important to keep in mind that adding muscle mass requires a calorie surplus coupled with adequate protein intake. Second, the opposite is true for cutting up--rippling abs a la Ahmad Haidar come from reducing your overall caloric intake. In other words, the best supplements out there won't increase your muscle mass or rip you up unless you are chowing down on the correct amount of high-quality food. Once you have the foundation set, the following supplement stacks can facilitate your progress.

1. WHEY PROTEIN, GLUTAMINE AND OATMEAL

Whey is a quickly digested protein source that is rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Supplementing with BCAAs can help prevent the breakdown of muscle. Research has shown that a small protein/carb snack taken before training can promote a more anabolic hormonal environment. That's where oatmeal fits in. Oatmeal is a source of slowly digested carbs, which can help prevent drops in energy and glycogen levels. When combined with whey protein and stacked with glutamine, the carbs in oatmeal can help the body maintain muscle during training.

New supplement review: get the inside scoop on six star™ body fuel—the scientifically developed line of sport performance nutrition

2007-06-18T05:44:00.000-07:00

What Is six star Body Fuel All About?

six star body fuel is a cutting-edge line of advanced sport nutrition engineered for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to achieve their goals faster and are focused and committed to being the best they can be. The six star body fuel line consists of Advanced Whey Protein, Nitric Oxide Stimulator, Advanced Creatine, Creatine Ethyl Ester, Calorie Burn, and All-Day Energy. Each one is scientifically designed to support your individual goals. So how does six star body fuel measure up?

The, six best supplements you've never heard of: these secret weapons can help balance your hormones, keep your heart healthy, detoxify your body, lif

2007-06-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

SAW PALMETTO, GLUCOSAMINE, CO-ENZYME Q10--these are the Brad and Jen and Angelina of the natural health world, adored by millions, hounded by the press, and nearly ubiquitos. But for every supplement that makes it big, there are others waiting in the wings that are just as talented and worthy of attention. We turned some of the country's top experts into our talent scouts, getting a sneak peek at the products they're recommending to their patients or using themselves. Here's their hot list pf six impressive performers that may help you prevent disease and maintain a healthy, energetic lifestyle. You'll give two thumbs-up to all six of these rising stars.
Selenium

POWER BENEFIT Essential for proper immune function; may reduce the risk of certain cancers; helps rid the body of free radicals.

THE SCIENCE While some people have already crossed paths with selenium, few know how critical it is to overall health, or how agricultural and processing practices degrade food sources of this essential trace mineral. A powerful antioxidant, selenium works especially well with vitamin E to fight damaging free radicals. It's vital for the immune system, boosting the body's defenses against bacteria and viruses, and it may reduce cancer risk, particularly in the prostate, colon, and lungs. The National Cancer Institute is currently sponsoring a study on whether supplementing with selenium and vitamin E can help prevent or delay prostate cancer.
Selenium is found in meat, wheat germ, nuts (particularly Brazil nuts), eggs, oats, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. "But modern farming practices have depleted the soil, so many people don't get sufficient selenium from their diets anymore," says Tanya Edwards, M.D., medical director for the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Refining and processing also reduce selenium levels, which is why eating whole, unprocessed, organic food is the best way to obtain the nutrient.

Since this isn't always possible, Edwards recommends supplementing with selenium, which can be found by itself or in multivitamins. Taking selenium is particularly recommended for people with certain digestive conditions, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

How TO TAKE IT 200 micrograms per day, in combination with vitamin E for best results. Since vitamin C can interfere with the absorption of selenium, take them at separate times.

CAVEATS Over time, high doses (over 900 meg per day) may lead to depression, nervousness, vomiting, and nausea.

hormone balancer

Chasteberry

(Vitex agnus castus)

POWER BENEFIT Relieves symptoms of PMS and pert-menopause and may be helpful for some kinds of infertility.

THE SCIENCE A shrub in the verbena family, chasteberry bears a fruit that has been used medicinally for centuries. As the name suggests, it was once thought to dampen sexual desire; it's also called "monk's pepper," since brothers in orders reportedly chewed the dried berries to decrease libido. Contemporary studies have found that the herb can help regulate hormones, and it has become a standard European treatment for premenstrual syndrome--it's especially effective in helping decrease symptoms of cyclic breast tenderness and fibrocystic breast disease.

"Chasteberry can be particularly helpful during peri-menopause, when the hormones can go completely crazy," explains Edwards. During this time, progesterone levels often start to decline before estrogen levels fall, which can lead to depression, headache, bloating, fatigue, irritability, and breast tenderness. Unlike creams that introduce progesterone from an outside source, "chasteberry helps the body increase its own natural levels of progesterone," notes Edwards. It may also be helpful for infertility caused by high levels of prolactin, since chasteberry can suppress the release of this hormone from the pituitary gland.

HOW TO TAKE IT One 400-milligram capsule daily.

CAVEATS Discontinue if nausea, rash, headache, or agitation occurs. Chasteberry's influence on hormones can interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, and its effect on prolactin makes it inadvisable for women who are pregnant or nursing.

heart helper

Inositol Hexaniacinate

POWER BENEFIT Improves cholesterol profile.

THE SCIENCE A compound made of two vitamins in the B family (niacin and inositol), this is considered the best-tolerated form of niacin supplement. Also known as vitamin [B.sub.3], niacin is a natural agent for lowering cholesterol levels. But at the high doses necessary for effectiveness, other available forms--nicotinic acid and nicotinamide--often cause unpleasant side effects. "People can experience flushing, like a massive hot flash, or liver problems," advises J. David Forbes, M.D., founder and director of Nashville Integrated Medicine in Tennessee and a board member of the American Holistic Medical Association. "Inositol hexaniacinate is better on both counts, with fewer people experiencing flushing and liver toxicity." Sometimes marketed as "no-flush niacin," the compound can have comparable benefits to statin drugs, lowering LDL cholesterol by 5 percent to 25 percent and triglycerides by 25 percent to 50 percent, and raising HDL by 15 percent to 35 percent.

New supplement review: get the inside scoop on six star™ body fuel—the scientifically developed line of sport performance nutrition

2007-06-08T03:38:00.000-07:00

It SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME YOU WALK into your local nutrition center, there's another new product on the shelf promising increased strength, more muscle, more calorie burning, or more energy. But how do you decide if a supplement is bogus or the real deal? You invest a lot of time and money into training, eating right, and supplementing. The last thing you want to do is sell yourself short with mediocre supplements without proven ingredients shown to deliver results. That's why we decided to take a critical look at the newest line of sport-nutrition supplements out there, six star[TM] body fuel. There has been a lot of buzz lately throughout the industry about six star body fuel, and we wanted to see if all the hype was really justified. We've reviewed six star body fuel in terms of quality, value, taste, and effectiveness to help you make an informed decision. Before we get to the review, let's see what six star body fuel is all about.
What Is six star Body Fuel All About?

six star body fuel is a cutting-edge line of advanced sport nutrition engineered for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to achieve their goals faster and are focused and committed to being the best they can be. The six star body fuel line consists of Advanced Whey Protein, Nitric Oxide Stimulator, Advanced Creatine, Creatine Ethyl Ester, Calorie Burn, and All-Day Energy. Each one is scientifically designed to support your individual goals. So how does six star body fuel measure up?

Bodybuilding - Let's Do a Fun Set

2007-03-04T20:54:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for a Fun Set? You may be asking yourself what set could fun? Let me describe the situation by using typical bicep routine.

Let's suppose when I go the gym today to blast my biceps, I start off with standing barbell curls. I work four sets with 8 to 10 reps. My partner is no way letting me off easy, so he loads the bar to make every set heavy. On the last set, I know 4 reps is going to be tough, the 5th will be almost impossible and 6 through 8 will be done only with his help. My "bi's" are beginning to fry and I have just gotten started.

Next we move to seated alternating dumbbell curls. The movement is more concentrated because you only have to focus on one arm at time. Again, my partner sees an opportunity to torture me a bit more. He forces me through the last reps of every set. Remember I said fried before; well now we are really pumping in the blood. The head of the bicep is getting down right full from this workout. I feel the growth coming on!

Now I move to another bi blasting exercise, the seated curl machine. This machine isolates the bicep movement and eliminates any possibility of cheating. Again, I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps.

So what the heck is FUN SET? None of the above sounded like fun...right? Hold on I'm getting there. I just had to set the stage for defining the Fun Set.

The Fun Set is a set that you do in addition to your normal routine. However, with the Fun Set you choose any weight and number of reps you want to do. In my mind, if you have just pounded out the hard and heavy sets, the Fun Set should be light weight and done with higher reps. Often I will stay with the last exercise in my arm routine and just lighten up and rep out. In this case the curl machine does the trick for my Fun Set.

My biceps will flush with blood for the best feeling pump on the planet. Try it; you'll know what I mean. Heck I might even do 2 Fun sets if the feeling is there. You'll know when to stop. Do too many and the Fun Sets will become counter productive.

You can do a Fun Set with any muscle group! Some suggested funs for other body part are:

* Triceps- do bent over tricep kick backs with a light weight dumbbells

* Pecs- do light weight cable flies or flat bench dumbbell flies

* Back- do wide grip cable pull downs

* Legs- do high rep squeezing leg extensions

* Calves- do calf extensions on box or other elevated surface with just your body weight

The key to a Fun Set is to add it periodically to your regular routine. Keep it spontaneous. Also, keep it light and increase the reps. You will have a blast.

This technique was introduced to me by a very good friend (Tom Hahn) in Louisville, KY. My thanks to him. There is nothing like a FUN SET!

Bodybuilding - Are Your Workouts Strictly Business

2007-03-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

In my previous article, I talked about training each body part twice per week. Well let me say this is only half the recipe. You can come to the gym and work your body parts but if you lack intensity, you might as well go home. The gym floor should be a place of strictly business.

Let me explain. Normally when I go to the gym today, I will see guys working out but also laughing, talking and standing around. Honestly, they will take 5 minutes between sets. I often wonder if this workout or a Social Event. Let me tell you what is not happening during this kind of workout:

* There is no focus to psyche up to the next set. They'd rather talk about the weekend then get motivated to do their best..

* The body is cooling down and thinking No Pain here which means No Gain.

* Don't expect the muscle to get pumped or flushed with blood.

In short this approach to a routine is just going through the motion. Oh sure it is better than doing nothing, but it worth the time.

To me the time on the gym floor is time to focus, push every rep to the limit and drive the muscle to greater size and definition. To do anything less is mediocrity...and this defines the men from boys.

So how do you achieve this level of intense training?

1. Don't socialize on the gym floor. The first time someone wants to do small talk or maybe ask you a bodybuilding question, simply say "I'd enjoy explaining this but I currently in the middle of my routine, could we do it later?" They will get the point and not bother you in future. Use the locker room, juice bar, check in desk or any NON gym floor place to be areas of friendly conversation but also take time to define the gym floor as a place of strict business for your workouts.

2. Concentrate on thinking about your next set during your rest period. Your eyes will naturally focus on fixed objects in the gym rather looking around and catching someone's eye for conversation.

3. Talk to yourself internally. Encourage yourself with thoughts "I can do this weight" or "I will push to limits on this one".

4. Get a training partner that is every bit as serious as you. Motivate each other. Limit conversation to aspects that have to do with the routine at hand.

5. Avoid long rests. This is not power lifting! The muscle recovers to 80% to its original strength less than 1 minute.

6. Take every set to failure. Unless you are doing a warm up set, why stop at 10 reps if you could have done 12 reps.

7. Get a spotter to push beyond the number of reps you can do on your own and help take you to failure.

If you don't walk off the floor drained from your workout (at least in trained muscle group), you likely did not do the intensity required to grow you body.

Bodybuilding - No Wimpy Workouts!

2007-03-04T20:52:00.002-08:00

Perhaps Arnold said it best when he said NO PAIN, NO GAIN. Our mindset in today's bodybuilding is that we want results and we want it now but many are unwilling to dedicate the necessary intense time required to achieve the results. Many would rather research the next quick fix drug than spend the time in the gym. As I say at the end of all my articles, "Sweat Eventually Hardens to Muscle". I observe that 99% of the guys or gals that I see in the gym loaf through their workouts and for crying out loud don't even work up a sweat. I can't say it strong enough or often enough that your workouts need to be more intense, longer and more frequent. Don't whine to me about overtraining... that is a modern day excuse for not doing you duty in the gym. Working out is serious business. I did these levels of routines and you can too. If you have made this far in this article, it appears to me that you are a cut above the rest and are serious about getting the most from your gym time.

Okay so what does it mean to work longer? Does it mean to spend 2 hours on chest and 3 on legs during a workout? Well not exactly but I think the idea of working each body part longer will add value. The focus of this article is to dispel the myth that working each body part one day a week is acceptable to achieving the results for competitive bodybuilder. Frankly it is not! If you really want to gain muscle size you have to force the muscle to grow.

Ever see the mammoth size of the thighs on an Olympic sprinter? I'd kill to have thighs that size. Do you think that sprinter only trained his legs once a week? Give me a break. He was on the track multiple days per week blasting the 50 Meter dash. And on the days he wasn't running, he was training with weights.

It is not expecting too much for you to work you body parts twice a week!

If you want to be successful in bodybuilding, if you want to grow out of your shirt and pants, start working your body parts twice a week. The routines in this section will help you gear yourself to train muscle groups twice a week, attain adequate recovery time to achieve a rapid muscle growth. If you take this challenge:

* You will get twice a many workouts compared to regular guy in the gym

*Expect more dramatic and rapid muscle gains.

*Expect the routine to create better muscular definition and vasularity

*Expect the mind to feed on the physical success and further motivate you. You will look forward to your gym time.

Bodybuilding Magic In The Last Rep

2007-03-04T20:52:00.001-08:00

Bodybuilding enthusiasts, as well as strength training participants, all want quick, visible muscle defining results. Their main goal is to add different degrees of lean tissue or fat burning muscle to their bodies all according to personal objectives. Bodybuilders want to add as much muscle mass as possible, while fitness enthusiast want to either maintain muscle mass, or slightly increase strength and size. It all depends upon the specific goals and objectives of each participant.

Bodybuilding magic occurs not during the first rep, but the last. Do you know the last, most difficult, repetition triggers 90% of muscle building results?

The main principle in increasing muscle strength and size is overload.If you place a greater stress on your muscles than you had during the previous workout, that specific muscle will be stimulated, and overloaded enough causing an adaptive responsive. This event results in greater strength and muscle tissue development. The adaptive response is dependent upon the intensity of that last magic, muscle producing rep.

Bodybuilding and strength training participants should really focus on conquering that last, near impossible muscle building repetition.A valiant effort of trying to move that last rep will trigger the muscle group to adapt, and grow stronger.

Don't give up too easily when you feel the weight is challenging. Battle that rep for at least 4 seconds. Even if you are unable to complete the full rep, you have succeeded, and the muscle building growth process will follow. That is, only if you have had sufficient rest between workouts. It is not during the bodybuilding workout when muscle building results occur, but rather after consecutive rest days to allow for muscle building compensation followed by overcompensation.

The last rep is the stimulus that triggers this whole process which bodybuilding and strength gains are based upon. Please note, this whole process can be short circuited by not allowing enough rest time between workouts for overcompensation to occur. If you allow your body sufficient rest, your muscle strength will continue to increase with each subsequent bodybuilding workout. If not, you need more days off to recover from the previous workout. You only have a limited number of resource recovery abilities available, so don't short circuit your results by not allowing the recovery process to finish.

Instead of focusing on which bodybuilding supplement brings good bodybuilding fortune, focus on what really matters - the last, muscle building rep. Then allow your body to do the rest.

Your primary goal should be to reach that repetition you can't complete after struggling four or more seconds. If you follow this last rep, maximum stress, followed by sufficient rest principle, then you will see magic in your bodybuilding results.

Explode Through Your Bodybuilding Plateaus with Anabolic Priming

2007-03-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard a bodybuilder say, “You need to work your legs to build your arms”? While there is in fact quite a lot of truth to this advice, it also hints at a solution to break through training plateaus and pack on muscle when you’re a hard gainer. This article explains how to use exercise to anabolically “prime” your body to boost workout gains and offer a natural alternative to the use of dangerous and illegal steroids.

Exercise and adaptation responses

Most serious bodybuilders and exercisers will have experienced the frustration of training plateaus - that is the more they work out, the harder it is to make gains in muscle size and strength. Why is this? To put it very simply, the reason is that the once wide window of adaptation when beginning a workout routine for the first time has now shrunk several fold.

Weights and exercise intensities that used to stimulate muscle size and strength no longer have the same effect. Under natural (non-steroid/drug enhanced) development conditions, the human body places restrictions on adaptation to ensure survival and balance or homeostasis.

It would appear that the solution to this problem would be to increase the body's anabolic hormone response to allow for further adapation however, the “natural regulation” process frustrates many bodybuilders and causes many to look to steroids for a solution.

Exercise and the anabolic hormone response

In an earlier article on our website we discussed the interaction of bodybuilding-type exercises and the hormonal responses associated with them. Anabolic steroids we explained are responsible not only for “building up” and enlarging various types of tissue such as muscle and bone but also for directly increasing strength, which indirectly leads to further gains in muscle size. In the same article, we mentioned that anabolic hormone response can be manipulated with exercise.

According to the NSCA – the world’s leading authority on strength and conditioning, manipulating one or a combination of the following factors can naturally boost testosterone levels:

· Exercises that use large muscle groups

· Exercises that use heavy resistance (85-95% 1RM)

· Moderate to high exercise volume (multiple exercises/sets)

· Short rest periods between exercises (<>

Similarly, it is possible to increase Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and its associated growth factors such as Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) by manipulating one or a combination of the following factors:

· Exercises that generate higher lactate levels

· Exercises that require a high total work (e.g. 3 x 10 RM)

· Short rest periods between exercises (<>

· Power output is a key factor in anabolic hormone responses

Power output is a measure of the ability to perform work in a set period of time or alternatively, the ability to generate force at a particular speed. High muscle power output would then be an indication of the ability to perform a high level of (muscle) work in a short period of time.

Now if we take this concept and apply it to the above-mentioned factors, it is clear that total muscle power output is one of the primary factors contributing to the testosterone and HGH/IGF-I response during resistance exercise.

So exercises such as heavy squats and deadlifts that target the very large, powerful muscles of the legs (quads, hamstrings and glutes) and back (erector spinea) are ideally suited for “anabolic priming.”

How does this type of exercise create a more anabolic environment in the body?

The following are some of the suspected mechanisms leading to the increased anabolic state:

· Since control of anabolic hormone release is directly dependent on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (the link between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland), it is possible that intense physical exercise/stress itself may stimulate increased concentrations either directly or indirectly

· Fluid shifts from the blood into the cells during intense exercise may concentrate hormone levels with no actual increase in secretion levels

· Venous pooling of blood (muscle “pump”) in the exercised muscle may increase hormone concentrations by reducing clearance and degradation in organs like the liver. It is also suspected that retention of blood in the veins of the exercised muscle may increase the time of exposure and the likelihood of the hormone binding with its specific receptor in muscle tissue

· Sarcolemmas (membranes surrounding muscles) of involved muscles are mechanically sensitized (stretched) from force generation stress and made more permeable to available anabolic hormones and growth factors

What is the suggested protocol for using exercise as an anabolic primer?

A good way for a bodybuilder to take advantage of the body’s natural anabolic priming system is to perform a combined upper and lower body routine. In other words, upper and lower body exercises are performed in the same workout session.

This type of routine can, for example be performed 2 – 3 times per week to separate any upper/lower body split programs. On the split days, you can still choose to perform just the “priming exercises” before exercising the arms and back for example.

The hormone “spike “ induced from the exercising of the large muscles of the legs early in the routine creates a greatly boosted anabolic environment for exercising the smaller, less powerful muscles of the upper body like the chest and arms. Increases in testosterone will also boost strength levels via increased motor nerve activity which will in turn, allow for more exercise-induced muscle damage and muscle growth (ideal for “hard arm size gainers”).

So to anabolically prime your body, try performing the following:

Begin your weightlifting session with 3 - 4 sets of deadlifts or squats at 85 – 95% of your 1 RM (if you don’t know your 1 RM, aim for 2 – 6 repetitions)

· Rest no longer than 60 seconds between sets

· Perform your traditional combined upper body/lower body routine or split routine as normal

· Drink a carbohydrate and protein mix drink during and after your routine as this has shown to boost IGF-I levels

In closing, this article has briefly explained the concept of “anabolic priming” using exercise. It is suggested that you experiment with other exercises that will have the same effect as squats and deadlifts to avoid boredom and ensure a varied training stimulus and sufficient anabolic response.

Utilizing Bodybuilding Basics to Achieve Success

2007-03-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Bodybuilding is the sport of developing muscle fibers through the combination of weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Competitive bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points.

The sport is not to be confused with strongman competition or powerlifting, where emphasis is on actual physical strength, or with Olympic weightlifting, where emphasis is equally split between strength and technique.

Though superficially similar to the casual observer, the fields entail a different regimen of training, diet, and basic motivation. Bodybuilders aspire to develop and maintain an aesthetically pleasing (by bodybuilding standards) body and balanced physique. A bodybuilder's size and shape are far more important than how much he or she can lift.

The growth and repair, however, cannot occur without the necessary building blocks. These are supplied by high quality nutrition. Bodybuilders require a very specialised diet. Generally speaking, bodybuilders require anything between 500-1000 calories (2000 to 4000 kilojoules) above their maintenance level of food energy while attempting to increase lean body mass.

A sub-maintenance level of food energy is combined with cardiovascular exercise to lose body fat in preparation for a contest. The ratios of food energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats vary depending on the goals of the bodybuilder.

Supplements can help muscle gain, although some are unproven and many are ineffective. Two supplements which have been proven to help bodybuilders gain and maintain size (without unhealthy side effects) are Creatine and L-Glutamine. Like all supplements, these only help if used in conjunction with a solid nutritional base and weight training program.

Some bodybuilders may use drugs to gain an advantage over results due to natural hypertrophy, especially in professional competitions. Although many of these substances are illegal in many countries, in professional bodybuilding the use of anabolic steroids and precursor substances such as prohormones are sometimes essential to competing in world-class competitions.

Most steroids allows the human body to be in a more anabolic state. Significant negative side-effects accompany steroid abuse, such as liver damage and negative feedback leading to a decline in the body's own testosterone production, which can cause testicular atrophy and possible infertility.

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 2 of 2)

2007-03-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is part 2 of the 2-part "7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding" series.

4. You Must Track What You Eat

That's right! Needless to say... not a lot of people do this. They just bulk so they eat anything in sight. Or they want to burn fat so they just quit eating. If you don't track what you are eating, you are just guessing.

And guessing is no way to meet a goal. Once you know how much you need to eat, you can easily track that and meet your daily goals. Once you get into a routine (certain foods and portions) you'll have a very good idea of what you eating.

Tracking what you eat is a must. At this point, in only 4 steps, you've just outlined the foundation for nutrition!

5. Choosing An Exercise Routine

Here's a clue... it involves every major muscle group. A good basic workout should include:

• Legs (squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press) • Shoulders (military press, dumbbell raises, side laterals) • Chest (bench press, flyes, dips) • Back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs) • Arms (ez-bar curls, barbell curls, dumbbell curls) • Abs (hanging leg raises, incline crunches) • Cardio (for the heart)

I could go on and on with this question and post 500 routines and reps and sets and you’d still be confused. So let me ease the confusion by saying this.

THERE IS NO GOLDEN ROUTINE THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE!

I've tried several routines. Max-OT, Tom Venuto's supersetting, Optimum Anabolics and I'll tell you something. I've gotten gains out of all of them and they all have various philosophies. For less then $100, I have enough programs to try for a year.

Here's proof.

Do you see the same people in your gym, doing the same things, and a year later they look the same? It's really quite simple. If you keep doing what you've always done, you will keep getting what you've always gotten.

There's many variations on exercises and routines you can do. And you'll find out a ton of them while browsing around on forums and reading fitness sites. And while you might be tempted to stick with just one. Don't. Try it, evaluate it, and try another one. After about 6 months, you'll know your body very well and what it responds to. You will have tried many exercises and you'll know if you like something and if something else just doesn't work out.

6. Deciding On Supplementation

While 97% of your progress will come from nutrition and training there are still a few basics to consider. There's also a point when you might want to go beyond the basics if you want the optimal amount of gains.

But what are the basics of supplementation?

Daily multi-vitamin Omega 3 and 6 EFA complex (fish oil, flax seed) Whey protein (specifically for after workouts)

Just that small amount of supplementation is all you should need to bring your nutrition levels to 100%. Those are the basics. It's pretty simple.

As you progress down the line, you might want to consider going beyond the basics.

7. Monitoring Your Progress

I cannot tell you how many people do not follow this rule. If you don't take measurements, track your progress or inspect yourself in a mirror, it's pretty difficult to impossible to know where you've been to know where you are going.

Making small daily goes is a wonderful method of keeping the momentum moving forward and keeping yourself motivated to reach your goals. This is difficult when you don't keep track of what you just did in order to beat a personal best.

It’s also the #1 reason why people get so frustrated with nutrition and training and progress in general. They just look at themselves at that very moment and decide immediately if the last 4 months of effort was worth it. They don't take into account they did better then the last workout and they don't quite realize they lost a pant or dress size. They just make judgments on what they perceive to be reality at that moment.

Methods of tracking your progress include:

Tracking what you eat Tracking your workouts in a notebook or other method Taking periodic measurements of standard body areas using a variety of methods Taking periodic photographs

When you measure your progress on a frequent but not daily basis, you will soon see that your efforts are paying off. And if there is a course adjustment necessary you can quickly correct it before it's too late. This critical stage is often overlooked because most people barely can figure out what to eat let alone be bothered to track their progress.

You will start to notice people around you year after year complaining of the same things they complained about the year before.

Would you build a house without tracking its progress? Would you drive your car without monitoring its performance and getting regular tune-ups? For those of you with children, you look at report cards and homework quizzes as a method of tracking your child’s scholastic performance. You know where there might be a problem and can correct it before it becomes a major issue. Many of you track the performance of your portfolio holdings.

So why not track the progress of your workouts?

With just a few simple fundamental steps, you can ensure that all of your workouts and waking moments are spent on the right path to fitness. No matter what your goals may be, male or female, if you follow these steps, you will ensure your success.

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 1 of 2)

2007-03-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

When I was 16, I asked myself this very same question that I received from a frustrated 16 year old. It went something like this...

"A Little Help Please! I am 16 and I am VERY skinny! I don't have much fat on me so... you could almost see my bones if I am not wearing anything baggy. I only weight 105 lbs and I know I am tooth pick mainly because I don't eat too much." - Frustrated and Skinny

You have NO IDEA of how close that cry for help sounds like me. When I was 16, I took a picture of myself in front of the family Christmas tree. Somehow I convinced my sister to take the picture and I flexed with all my might.

Anyway, your question was the same thing I wondered myself. I was 16 and tired of being skinny. I thought I did everything I could to gain weight but I was wrong. And I'm going to give you 7 simple steps you can do today to get on the right track to healthy weight gain and make that cry for help, a shout for joy!

If I could get into a time machine I would go back and hand myself a small brochure called:

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding

This would be written by me for me. But I'm positive the next few steps will apply to you as well and any other 16 year olds out there who are frustrated but are in a position to waste a lot of time if they start down the wrong path.

Please don't be confused... these simple steps are for anybody, no matter what age, male or female, who might be looking to start off on the right foot and not waste a lot of time.

Okay, so what can you do? Let's go step by step and figure this out.

Pre-Requisite - Body building isn't just about getting massive. It's not just for men. The word should actually be two words all the time so there's no confusion. You are building your body. That can mean anything to anybody. So the first step is...

1. Pick A Goal

No matter what, if you don't have a short term and long term goal in mind, you'll just wander around, like a zombie with your arms out, going to anything in sight. And 5 years later, you'll wonder what the heck happened!

Having a clear goal is the ONLY way to start. If you want to gain, maintain or lose, that is a goal. Know what you want before you start.

You'd be floored to find out just how many people are frustrated with their results but when asked exactly what they are trying to do, they have no idea.

2. Figure Out How Many Calories A Day You Need

In your case, you say you are skinny and tooth-pick like. But in the next sentence you state you know you don't eat.

[Snap Rubber Band On Wrist Here For Behavior Modification]

When I was 16, I didn't eat either, I skipped many meals (especially on weekends) and I tried all kinds of protein powders and supplements when I was clearly failing at nutrition.

My mom would cook big meals and I'd barely finish my plate before running off to do something. All the while wishing I was bigger and not so skinny.

There's so many simple ways to calculate your calories. That should be your very next step. Once you know what you want to do, you need to know your nutritional intakes in order to obtain that goal. It's not going to be hard at all but if you don't know, you cannot possibly get anywhere.

In other words, if you don't know how many calories a day you need for a certain goal, then don't expect anything different.

3. Figure Out How Much Protein You Need A Day

It's the building blocks of muscle and it's also the only way you are going to build more muscle or keep the muscle you already have today.

Even for burning fat, it's proven that getting enough protein will actually make you leaner.

Again, there's very simple formulas for this that do not require a degree from MIT to perform. And once you know how much protein you need every day, it's really easy in Step 4 to find out if you are getting what you need.

These steps will be continued in part 2

For those who are curious to see what I really did look like, the picture is at:

http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Scroll down. You'll see it. It's 100% un-edited. I didn't even remove the glow in the dark plastic eagle necklace I found somewhere.

Bodybuilding Workouts for Maximum Muscle Gain

2007-03-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

Exercise machines are a lot like the training side wheels on your first bike. While you're learning, they serve an invaluable purpose. They provide support, and prevent injury. But once you've learnt the right posture and balance, the same wheels can be a drag.

Unlike training wheels, however, it's tough to know when you've outgrown an exercise machine. And that can really hamper your progress down the line!

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of 'free weights' like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips.

For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises. Not machines or bodyweight exercises.

To get an effective, muscle-blasting workout, you must stimulate the most muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this. The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift.

The more stabilizers and synergists worked, the more muscle fibers stimulated. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press, require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift.

On the other hand doing a bench press using a machine will need almost no stabilizer assistance. Since machines are locked into a specific range of motion and help to support the weight along that path, they fail to stimulate the muscles that surround the area you are working (stabilizers). This is a mistake. If your stabilizer muscles are weak, then the major muscle group will never grow!

Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat, for example, put a very large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. That's why you will get fatigued faster and not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the machine. But you will gain more muscle, become stronger very quickly and have a true gauge of your strength.

If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated areas and only after all multi-jointed exercises have been completed. Beginners should begin with a limited combination of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and mult-jointed free weight exercises. Before increasing the weight levels, they should work on becoming familiar with the proper form and execution of each. Soon, bodyweight exercises will become insufficient to stimulate growth and they will need to focus on more free weight exercises.

Bodybuilding Basics: The Do's and Dont's to Maximum Muscle Mass

2007-03-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Resistance training requires a lot of physical and mental exertion. The feeling of knowing that you will be grabbing cold iron and then lifting it until you’re exhausted can be invigorating for some, yet very stressful for others. Stress and lack of knowledge can lead to loss rather than gain unless you brace yourself with some of the basic foundational principles which lead to muscle growth.

First, it’s important to understand that weight training can be very serious business. I strongly encourage my clients to check with a doctor before beginning any exercise program. In fact, depending on the client’s health risk identification factors, I may absolutely require it. Helping a prospective client to identify possible health risk factors can be the most valuable service one can offer and it should be a priority for a personal trainer and the client. It’s also important for a trainer to be aware of any medications that the client may be taking, and if so, to then direct them back to the appropriate health care individual who can then discern if the fitness program is right for them.

Now, let’s move on to some of the finer points of the do’s and don’ts to maximum muscle growth. This is not extensive and only reflects what I consider to be some of the necessary basics.

1. Do a Brief Warm-up with Mild Stretching

Don’t make the mistake that many bodybuilders do by grabbing the barbells and dumbbells without proper warm-up. Stretching is an extremely important component in any and all fitness programs—no matter your goals, sport or level of experience. The more flexible someone is the more they can lift and the less they will get injured at any given intensity. It is important to first warm-up with a low intensity aerobic exercise (walking, stairclimber, bike) for 5-10 minutes. After a brief warm-up you’re ready for the stretching. Five minutes on the muscles to be worked is sufficient. I do not recommend intensive stretching to take place before resistance training. A host of recent studies has shown that it can actually make you weaker, not stronger. Intensive stretching such as “Fascia” stretching is excellent and beneficial, but never before the workout. Here are some considerations regarding stretching:

--All stretches should be held at least 15-20 seconds in a static position.

--All stretches should isolate a given muscle (specifically the muscles to be worked)

--Stretches should be done between sets and immediately following workout. Stretching that follows the workout can actually help with recovery by helping circulation of the proper nutrients to the worked muscles. There are studies that try to disavow this truth, but they are weak at best. In any case, it can’t hurt only help.

2. Don’t choose Dumbbells over Barbells

If you’re a beginner or even an experienced bodybuilder and maximum muscle and strength increase is your goal, then you should choose barbells over dumbbells. The additional distraction of trying to balance and stabilize the weights can cause a significant decrease in the overall total poundage that the individual can lift. This will result in less muscle and strength increase. A good rule to follow is this: if you can lift more weight with the barbell overall than you can with dumbbells separately, choose the barbells. I’m not against dumbbells and I believe that they are an integral part of a resistance program. But I would not recommend them to the individual that wants fast gains in strength and size.

3. Don’t lock out on Heavy Pressing Movements

It is important to keep the joints bent through the entire range of motion, especially when performing low rep, heavy sets. This prevents the potential dangers of allowing for a relaxed muscle. Here is the problem with relaxing the muscle during a set: if the muscle is relaxed that means it is not supporting the weight, but rather the weight is being supported by non-contractile tissue such as ligaments and bones in the joints, which can lead to injury. It’s important to understand, as well, that you can cause just as substantial of a contraction without the lock out. Keep in mind that it is acceptable and good practice to do so in lighter weight sets as it can help with the removal of wastes and increase oxygen uptake. I always have clients perform both heavy and light movements to incorporate the benefits of both.

4. Do use Training Straps

If size and strength increase is what you want, then you must invest in a set of training straps. Since the forearms, wrists and hands can tend to weaken long before the intended muscles, straps are a great way to push out more weight and reps. The forearms can be what we call the “weak-link” in a heavy set, particularly when working a large muscle group. And so, straps can add some much needed support. I also find that they can help bring about a good mind/muscle connection since there will be less focus on trying to “hold” the weight. Straps are imperative. If you don’t have them, go buy a pair right now.

5. Don’t use Sloppy Form. Focus on Muscle Contraction

Using sloppy form in an effort to lift heavier weight is not smart. In fact, it is a formula for injury and can limit your long term growth. That is not to say that it is not beneficial to utilize what is called the “cheat” principle, which allows for some less than perfect form in pursuit of a heavier lift. However, you must have a good spotter alongside you, and you still must be in control of the weight even with the “Cheat” principle. Barring injury, here is what I see as the biggest problem with sloppy form: it cuts the ability to link mind with muscle with unyielding concentration. Sloppy form will always rob you of some degree of focus. Your mind must be focused on the muscle being worked and on the contraction achieved by that muscle. You can’t do that to the fullest if your heart and mind is more invested in heaving the weight up. The greatest tool at your disposal in your pursuit of muscle is your mind. Don’t compromise it. Lift with strict form and focus on the muscle being worked. As you workout, visualize the muscle growing.

6. Don’t wait too long to ingest Post workout Nutrients

If you’re waiting longer than 30-45 minutes following a workout to consume quality proteins and carbohydrates, you have wasted away an incredible opportunity to increase muscle size through Advanced Anabolic Recovery (A.A.C). Muscles are their hungriest and most receptive following a post resistance routine. The post workout food should be a beverage consisting of protein and carbohydrates (both simple and complex). Studies abound as to the positive anabolic impact related to muscle cell volumization and increased protein synthesis.

These are just a few basic principles to keep at the forefront of your mind in your quest for muscle.

The Truth About Bodybuilding Myths

2007-03-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

You might disagree, but hear me out on this; the vast majority of myths about weight gain are mostly passed down from "gym talk" and so-called experts who know nothing about the body's workings.

Myths that lead to wasted time, frustration and if are taken blindly as truth, can really set back your progress in the gym. Don't believe everything you hear when it comes to exercise and weight gain, do the research yourself.

Lets take a look at some of the most common weight gain myths:

High repetitions burn fat while low repetitions build muscle.

Progressive overload is needed to make muscles bigger. Meaning that you need to perform more reps than you did for your last workout for that particular exercise.

"If you perform the same amount of reps at each workout nothing will change on you" also "if the weight doesn't changes on the bar nothing will change on you, you need to become stronger"

Definition has two characteristics, muscle size and a low incidence of body fat. To reduce body fat you will have to reduce your calories; the high repetition exercise will burn some calories, but wouldn't it be better to fast walk to burn these off?

Better still; use the low reps to build muscle, which will elevate your metabolism and burn more calories (less fat).

Vegetarians can't build muscle.

Yes they can! Strength training with supplementation of soy Protein Isolate has shown to increase solid bodyweight. Studies have shown that athletic performance is not impaired by following a meat free diet, and people strength training and consuming only soy protein isolate as a protein source were able to gain lean muscle mass.

Strength Training will make you look masculine.

If it is not you're intention to bulk up from strength training you won't. Putting on muscle is a long hard slow process. Your strength-training regime coupled with quality food will determine how much you will bulk up.

To bulk up you also require more food. Women don't produce enough testosterone to allow for muscular growth as large as men.

By working out you can eat what ever you want to.

Of course you can eat whatever you want, if you don't care how you want to look. Working out does not give you an open license to consume as many calories as you want.

Although you will burn more calories if you workout than someone who doesn't, you still need to balance your energy intake with you energy expenditure.

If you take a week off you will lose most of your gains.

Taking one or two weeks off occasionally will not harm your training. By taking this time off every eight to ten weeks in between strength training cycles it has the habit of refreshing you and to heal those small niggling injuries.

By having longer layoffs you do not actually lose muscle fibres, just volume through not training; any size loss will be quickly re-gained.

By eating more protein I can build bigger muscles.

Building muscle mass involves two things, progressive overload to stimulate muscles beyond their normal levels of resistance and eating more calories than you can burn off.

With all the hype about high protein diets lately and because muscle is made largely of protein, it's easy to believe that protein is the best fuel for building muscle. However muscles work on calories that should predominately be derived from carbohydrates.

If I'm not sore after a workout, I didn't work out hard enough.

Post workout soreness is not an indication of how good the exercise or strength-training session was for you. The fitter you are at a certain activity, the less soreness you will experience after.

As soon as you change an exercise, use a heavier weight or do a few more reps you place extra stress on that body part and this will cause soreness.

Resistance training doesn't burn fat.

Nothing could not be further from the truth. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue and has a role in increasing the metabolism. The faster metabolism we have the quicker we can burn fat. Cardio exercise enables us to burn calories whilst exercising but does little else for fat loss afterwards.

Weight training enables us to burn calories whilst exercising but also helps us to burn calories whilst at rest. Weight training encourages muscle growth and the more lean muscle mass we possess, the more fat we burn though an increased and elevated metabolism.

No pain no gain.

This is one myth that hangs on and on. Pain is your body signalling that something is wrong. If you feel real pain during a workout, stop your workout and rest. To develop muscle and increase endurance you may need to have a slight level of discomfort, but that's not actual pain.

Taking steroids will make me huge.

Not true, strength training and correct nutrition will grow muscle. Taking steroids without training will not make you muscular. Most steroids allow faster muscle growth through greater recovery, while others help increase strength which allows for greater stress to be put onto a muscle.

Without food to build the muscle or training to stimulate it nothing will happen. Most of the weight gain seen with the use of some steroids is due to water retention and is not actual muscle.

Strength training won't work your heart.

Wrong! Strength training with short rest periods will increase your heartbeat well over a hundred beats per minute.

For example, performing a set of breathing squats and you can be guaranteed that your heart will be working overtime and that your entire cardiovascular system will be given a great overall body workout.

Any intensive weightlifting routine that lasts for 20 minutes or more is a great workout for your heart and the muscles involved.

I can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.

Wrong. Only a few gifted people with superb genetics and on steroids can increase muscle size while not putting on body fat. But for the average hard gainer, they have to increase their muscle mass to its maximum potential and then cut down their body fat percentage to achieve the desired shape.

In conclusion, simple basic principles that apply to all weight and muscle gain such as progressive overload, variable frequency of reps and high intensity workouts are the way to go.

Bodybuilding While Traveling

2007-03-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Despite all of the busy airplane lines, cramped hotel rooms, and uneasy feelings of meeting new people, staying fit while traveling is easier than most people realize. If you are motivated enough to stay fit then there is no doubt that you will achieve whatever you want. Okay so now I`m motivated, but what will help me maintain a decent physique while i`m 500 miles from home? You are going to learn the basics of bodybuilding while traveling and be able to use this information to your advantage.

The equipment you choose is going to be one of the toughest choices you make because access to gym equipment may not become available. You are going to have be creative and develop a split based on your goals. Pushups will work your front delts and chest and is a good way to for getting your heart rate elevated. Squats and lunges will work your quads, glutes and hamstrings. Dips from a chair with feet on the floor will work your triceps. Jumping rope for 2 - 3 minutes will get your sweat flowing so don`t forget to pack a jump rope in your suitcase before leaving.

The other part of the bodybuilding equation is eating right. Before you leave and are hitting up the local grocery store, you should be shopping for protein bars, canned tuna, chicken breasts, eggs. Just make sure you remember to refridgerate the eggs and freeze the chicken breasts. When packing your meals, you need to choose foods that are slow digesting and have an adequate amount of protein. Vegetables contain a numerous supply of vitamins and minerals and they also keep you energized throughout the day. Sandwiches may be frozen overnight and will be ready to eat by lunch time the next day. For the bread, you should be eating whole grain breads but it also must freeze well. Be sure to also drink just enough water to satisfy and do not go overboard. You don`t want be having to urinate every ten minutes or you`re vacation will start to become a nightmare.

If you have ankle weights, use them to add resistance to your exercises or stick them to your wrists if your dumbbell is not heavy enough. Make sure that you watch your diet, if you eat more than you should, add more jumping jack sessions to burn the extra calories. How well you sleep will depend on many factors and will vary from person to person. You may want to pack some tylenol PM just in case.

As I stated previously, being motivated is the only way you are going to be able to maintain a decent body while you`re on the road. I see way to many people, who are into fitness, go on vacation, gain five pounds, and come back wondering what had happened. You do not want to be one of these people. Doing this can also make you quit bodybuilding altogether just from the week vacation you took . On the road, do whatever you can do, it doesnt matter if it`s very little exercise, that`s still better than doing none since you keep your mind trained that it needs

Who Wins Bodybuilding Contests?

2007-03-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

If you think that you win bodybuilding contests by taking supplements and eating special diets, you've been reading too many magazines for bodybuilders. Champion body builders are born, not made; and exercising against resistance, not eating, enlarges muscles. Many bodybuilders also use steroids or other banned substances, even though they will deny that in public.

The best body builders have the largest muscles. How large your muscles can grow depends on the size of your bones and the ratio of the length of muscle to tendon. Large muscles attach on large bones. Muscles that are too strong for bones can break them when they contract forcibly. Most people have a calf muscle that ends half way down the back of the lower leg to become a tendon that extends to the bottom of the heel. That's why most people can never be champion bodybuilders. If your calf muscle extends from the back of your knee to your ankle, you may have the potential to be a champion body builder.

Muscles enlarge only when you exercise them against progressively greater resistance. Many bodybuilders think that the more time that they spend in the gym, the larger their muscles will be. You do not have to spend many hours lifting weights. The greater the resistance, the larger your muscles become.

Seven Biggest Bodybuilding Mistakes: Avoiding Common Obstacles to Muscle Mass

2007-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Bodybuilding is hard work. As far as athletics and sports go, it may very well be one of the hardest. I have spent time in competitive boxing, martial arts, powerlifting and yet I think I can say with confidence that bodybuilding caused me to face some of my greatest challenges. All sports present different challenges that are unique only to that specific sport. My boxing taught me that I needed to take a punch, shake a punch and more importantly do my best to avoid getting punched. Boxing also taught me how to achieve incredible endurance. My martial arts training caused me pain in parts of my body I never knew existed. I learned the importance of stretching, flexibility and mental discipline.

Bodybuilding is completely different. Some of the same factors are there. Bodybuilding requires steadfast discipline, both mentally and physically. However, true bodybuilding is much more than a sport—it’s a lifestyle. From the diet, to the supplements, to the workouts that impact your daily schedule, bodybuilding requires dedication unlike anything else. Then, on top of all of that, you must look in the mirror every single day and see progress in the form of new muscle with greater degrees of definition. It can be very disheartening when the mirror doesn’t represent gains that you believe you have earned and worked hard for.

That’s why it grieves me to see novice bodybuilders and even worse, experienced ones, making mistakes and succumbing to obstacles that are avoidable and inhibit their progress. As we consider the following obstacles, let’s remember that they can make or break a bodybuilder.

1. Stick to the basics

Here comes Johnny Newcomer. He skips squats. He skips heavy bent over rows. If you asked him to do a deadlift he would look perplexed and wonder why you asked him such a ridiculous question. He would rather use the machines, swing the light dumbbells, and toy around with the cables. Oh yes, I forgot, he loves to bench press too. None of these things are bad and they all are important, but they must not replace basic, heavy compound movements (barbell). Compound movements involve more than one muscle group (squats, deadlifts, etc) and tax the body in such a way so as to cause the most favorable metabolic and hormonal environment—provided that you do not overtrain. If you incorporate heavy movements like squats, heavy bent over rows, deadlifts, and standing military presses into your regimen, you will see and feel the difference. Give it shot and let me know. I’m sure you will come back smiling even though they will take their toll physically.

2. Go home—enough already: Stop overtraining

You see them every day in the gym. They move from machine to machine and never seem to want to go home. Sometimes I sit in awe and I wonder, “Does he have a home to go to?” They work 20-30 sets for biceps and then still have the nerve to do some back training after all that. If you’re training for more than an hour, you are overtraining. As far as I’m concerned you have reached what I call the point of no return. After forty-five minutes of intense resistance training your body’s defense mechanisms engage and that in turn causes a sharp increase in cortisol (stress induced hormone). You will also have significant decreases in testosterone and human growth hormone levels. If you cut your workout time and increase your recovery time and your post workout nutrients, you will grow.

3. Exchange light & fluffy for heavy & intense

Put down the light weights and stop looking at yourself in the mirror with such lust in your eyes. If you have the wherewithal to take smoldering glances at yourself in the mirror as you smirk and blow kisses, you may not be lifting a weight that is heavy enough. Muscles will grow only if they are forced to the adaptation necessary to lift something heavier than they are use to and normally recognize. In other words, lift heavy and lift with intensity. Working out hard and working out with intensity are two different things. Intensity is what you should strive for if muscle mass is your goal. How can you lift with more intensity? Lift heavier weight. I say that because I know the word “intensity” gives some people the wrong idea. You can yell and scream in the gym, but that doesn’t mean you’re lifting with intensity.

In order to understand the true meaning of intensity I like to equivocate intensity with overload. I know that there can be a problem with this as well. Some can lift heavy, but lack the mental intensity. But keep in mind that when I use the word intensity I’m not only referring to the mental aspects, but also force, strength and velocity. Keep your rep range in the 4-6 area and do 9-12 sets per body part maximum. Heavy weight would be considered a weight that you can not get more than 6 reps with on your own while using strict form. When you get to this point and you can do 7 reps, add more weight until you continue to fall in this rep scheme. Drop the light & fluffy. Heavy & intense is where the muscle lives.

4. There’s no happy hour here: Focus, focus, focus.

I think that some people see gyms as bars, nightclubs or social societies. I’m amazed when I see people stop in the middle of a set to engage in conversation for 15-30 minutes or more. It’s unbelievable. It’s one thing if you’re done with your workout and you’re cooling down. But that is not the case most of the time. I once witnessed a girl walk up to a friend and begin conversation. Just by the duration I assumed she must have been done with her workout. Well, you know what they say about assuming—never do it. She turned around 35 minutes later as I was leaving and she picked up on the same machine she left off at. Focus and concentration is directly related to your degree of success and muscle growth. Save the conversation for after the workout. Think about and focus on nothing else but the muscle you are training. The only thing you should do between sets is mildly stretch the muscle you’re working on. And I’m not talking about the one in your mouth.

5. Now is the time: The importance of pre/post workout fuel

Last week a guy in the gym approached me and asked me if he should take a protein drink after his workout. I told him that if he didn’t plan on having a protein/carbohydrate drink following his workout, it would have better off for him to stay home. How can anyone think that it is okay to put the body through serious stressful resistance training and then not know how crucial it is to give the body the nourishment it needs to grow and repair? You have a window of opportunity immediately following a workout which could lead to the foundation of an incredibly anabolic (building) environment or one that is catabolic (tearing down). You should always ingest a good protein source at least an hour before your workout and then a protein/carbohydrate drink immediately following your workout. Make sure the pre workout source is pre-digested. It’s never a good idea to workout with anything undigested in your system. I would recommend 5 grams of glutamine before and after every workout. Never miss taking your glutamine.

6. The giver of life: Drink your water.

Your body can last months without food, but only days without water. Your muscles are made up of almost 70% water. Water is responsible for almost every single physiological function in your body. Lack of proper hydration can cause muscle weakness, stunt your muscular growth, cause joint pain, bring a lack of focus and concentration and inhibit your body’s ability to burn fat. That is just to name a few. Drinking your water is the most important thing that you can do—period. Drink a minimum of one gallon a day.

7. Put down the pills: Eat your food

He walks into the local health food store and the salesman smiles as he sees the eager young bodybuilder with his wide-eyed hunger for muscle. The young bodybuilder then walks out with a box of supplements that he can now get home only with a truck. The biggest mistake that most bodybuilders make is wasting tons of money on pills and potions when they are not eating the proper amounts of solid foods to begin with. Supplements have their place. But supplements must never take precedence over healthy eating habits. Eating 5-6 solid muscle-building meals each day will build more muscle than any pill or powder. Make sure to have a balance of Protein/carbohydrates and fats. For muscle gains I would recommend a ratio of 25% Protein, 50% Carbs, 25% fats or depending on your metabolism another good ratio I put my clients on is 35/45/20. If maximum weight gain is your goal then add 500 calories above your maintenance & total expenditure levels.

Avoiding the common pitfalls can bring about rapid gains in muscle. Try to implement these basics if you’re not currently doing so.

Bodybuilding Nutrition - Take It Seriously

2007-03-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

When you first begin weight training, your view and understanding of the bodybuilding process is entirely different from those that have been around for a while.

I frequently get asked for training advice and what should be done when starting out. Well, the first thing I do is turn the question around. Instead, I inquire about what they already know about building muscle. The first thing to come up is obviously weight training and secondly they mention eating chicken and pasta or something.

While weight training is a fundamental aspect of bodybuilding, it by no means completes the equation. The unfortunate thing is, if they had a better understanding of the importance of nutrition, results would come sooner and the success rate would be higher.

Most of us, myself included, only learn this after months or even years of training.

You know that statistic that says nutrition counts for approximately 70 to 80 percent of bodybuilding success. Well, this is so true. In fact it is as true as two and two are four.

Nutrition absolutely governs the type of results you'll experience. What you put in you get out.

Now back to the issue as to why so many young people who start out with the intention of building muscle do not succeed. It basically comes down to the fact that they do not have a firm grasp of what it takes to succeed. Unfortunately this learning process takes time and requires consistency.

If you are new to the muscle building process, keeping the above two things in mind can assist you tremendously.

My advice is, train hard and eat right. If that does not work, come back and do it better next time.

Six Bodybuilding Dieting Mistakes

2007-03-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

You have probably noticed that muscle doesn't miraculously appear overnight. Building muscle takes time, patience, and accuracy in training and nutrition. Let's fact it, bodybuilding is a science, and with all the information available to us, it's that much easier to make costly mistakes that can hamper muscle gains.

We have all made the same bodybuilding mistakes, but many fail to acknowledge, or even realize they are even making them. Bodybuilding errors can slow muscle gains and decrease fat loss. It can also be the leading cause of plateaus. To prevent you from being a statistic, let's go over a few bodybuilding errors.

Mistake #1 - Being Impatient
The most common mistake bodybuilders make is dieting impatiently. Far too many constantly jump from one diet to the next without giving any of them a chance to work. Come on now, I know you are guilty of it too. It takes at least twenty-one days for your body to adapt to any dietary change, and changes do not happen overnight. Give your current diet a chance to prove itself. Then, if you need to make adjustments, include small tweaking.

Mistake #2 - Eating Haphazardly
The second mistake bodybuilders make is eating haphazardly. Are you still suggesting you are guilt free? Did you know that random eating works against you because it does not keep a steady flow of nutrients moving through your system? In order to build quality muscle, your body must continually have a positive nitrogen balance. The secret to building muscle and losing body fat is consistency! Yes, it is that simple! In order to be consistent, it is best to plan your meals. Pre-cooking helps to take the guess work out your next meal. So this means you will have to invest in some Tupperware and perhaps an ice chest so you can have meals handy.

Mistake #3 - Overeating
The third mistake bodybuilders make is overeating. Come on now, we have all done that. It is true that many calories are needed to provide energy for training and building muscle, but excess calories that are not absorbed will be stored as fat. Keep macro nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) in balance, and shock the body every once in a while with a high calorie meal. Eating is good, eating to grow is great, but overeating is unacceptable.

Mistake #4 - Not Logging Calories
The fourth mistake bodybuilders make when dieting is not logging calories, which can lead to either overeating and/or under-eating. I am not saying a thing because we all dislike tracking every blessed calorie. Not only should calories be logged, but also each macro nutrient, the time eaten, and the amount. To properly add muscle and lose body fat you must keep accurate records of food consumption. Estimating caloric intake leads to miscalculating, hence, failure.

Mistake #5 - Using the Scale
The fifth mistake bodybuilders make is using the scale solely to gauge progress. A hand raise please for all who have used this method only. Yes, it is true that a scale is a measuring tool, but it is unable to distinguish between water, fat, and muscle. The best method is to track your progress through body composition. Scales are beneficial if used in conjunction with body fat instruments.

Remember, bodybuilding is a visual sport so photos are an excellent source to gauge progress, as well as taking precise measurements. Also, having an unbiased eye to provide you with constructive criticism will keep you on the right track. A body fat composition is a starting point, and if you don't know where to begin you will just keep running around in circles.

Mistake #6 - Copying Pro Bodybuilders
The sixth mistake, which is made by many beginners, is relying on professional bodybuilders for advice. This is like spitting in the wind, as it will only come back to smack you in the face. We have all admired the physique goddesses that take over the stage, thinking they have all the answers. This is true, but professional bodybuilders have accomplished a great deal. They are on a professional level, and there is a big difference between professionals and amateurs. Professional bodybuilders have been training for years, diet for months, and supplement heavily. Learn to read between the lines about what is displayed in the latest muscle magazine and what reality is.

Bodybuilding, the Symmetrical Side

2007-03-04T20:37:00.002-08:00

Symmetry is how the body parts fit together to form your structure and how your upper and lower body are balanced, as well as your left and right side.

Flex Wheeler and Lenda Murray have to have some of the best symmetry I have ever witnessed in the sport of bodybuilding. They both possess cannon ball deltoids, wide lats, extremely small waists, large quads with flaring sweeps, well-developed calves, and full muscle bellies. Every body part is in balance with the other.

Symmetry is genetic, but there is a lot you can do with what you are given. If you want great symmetry like the pros, then you have to start thinking like a pro and not train harder per se, but train smarter.

Obviously, wide shoulders and back with a small waist looks exceptional. Therefore, structure your upper body training to meet that standard.

The Upper Body
Heavy shoulder presses will build the foundation and lateral raises will further enhance the symmetry. Chins and lat pull downs will build a wide back to give you that well-known "V" taper, and the rows will thicken your back.

The Waist
Your waistline can have a dramatic effect on your symmetry. Small hips are a plus, but if this category is working against you, then you have to put more emphasis on your back and shoulder width to make the waist appear smaller. Also, steer clear from twisting movements and weighted side bends, as these can thicken the mid-section.

The Lower Body
Legs are the final aspect to extraordinary symmetry. You can't just train legs; you have to BUILD them. Pack on the mass with heavy squats and bring out the outer sweep with hack squats.

On the flip side, if you are holding extra non-muscle weight in the lower body, you will be better off using light to moderate weight with the squats and leg press. This basically comes down to your body type and genetics.

These are just the basics to great symmetry. While they are effective for making a symmetrical difference, don't forget the chest, all angles of the shoulders, arms, and calves.

Bodybuilding and Overcoming Daily Workout Fatigue

2007-03-04T20:37:00.001-08:00

"How can you have a great workout without having to feel so tired the rest of the day." The answer might surprise you.

You probably know women and men that are so busy, that the only time they can workout is at 5:00 in the morning. Maybe you have to do that too. I worked out with several of these people and found out what they do for a living and why they're working out so early.

Turns out that they are doctors, lawyers, sports therapists, construction workers, security guards, parents, one was even a US Congressman. They all enjoy working out, but several mentioned about feeling fatigued the entire day (after having a good workout).

So I set out to find an answer to this problem.

Many of these people were taking protein supplementation. It's great for helping you to be relaxed, but can contribute to the feeling of being tired. Kind of like the "sleepy" feeling after having a large meal. But with a good workout, you really have to be taking protein to fully realize the benefits of these "intense" workouts.

I also found that many of these people weren't getting enough sleep. They were lucky to get 7-8 hours of sleep, although some claimed only 5-6 hours at most, as the rest of their lives were very busy (hence the reason for early morning workouts). So even just adding an hour of sleep each night, if possible, can really help.

Some of these people were drinking workout drinks with caffeine. While this is great to get "going" in the morning, the residual effect can be a "tired" feeling the rest of the day, unless they drink some more caffeine (which can then keep one from being able to go to bed that night to get enough sleep).

But... the most surprising answer came from someone that had been working out for 25 years. He told me he found a new supplement that was college documented to improve strength in the gym, and yet prevents fatigue while working out. He said he did not get nearly as much fatigue during his workouts anymore, and he did not feel fatigue during the day either.

The supplement he was referring to is called GAKIC from Muscletech (GAKIC is their trademark). I'm not putting any type of self-serving affiliate link in this article, as you'll have to find this supplement on your own. I got some at GNC. This guy said he'd just started taking it and has felt great during the day, after an intense workout.

GAKIC stands for Glycine-l-Arginine-alpha-Ketoisocaproic Acid Calcium. It doesn't have creatine or any stimulants (as far as I can tell). You may recognize that it has l-arginine which is the main ingredient in many of the nitrous oxide type of supplements... but I can't tell if this product enhances the NO pathways or if it's the calcium that seems to delay fatigue. Either way, I heard it's good stuff. The manufacturer claims that it works the first time you take it and that it's powerful enough that you are supposed to only take GAKIC on workout days, so one container lasts about a month.

I tried it and did not get a tired feeling when working out, and did indeed feel good all day long. If you find yourself just getting exhausted during or after a workout, GAKIC could be worth checking out.

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Off-Season Training

2007-03-04T20:36:00.001-08:00

It would be safe to say that most competitors who gain a lot of weight and let themselves go during their off season have a shorter bodybuilding career than others. Why is this? Who won the race the Tortoise or the Hare? Why?

All or nothing, fat in the off-season- lean in the on-season behaviors never finishes the race.

Becoming a champion is like training for a marathon for twelve months. There is no taking off a month of running expecting to be right were you left off, neither is there a off-season to gain too much weight or for some not even train. I never understood that. Sure some weight gain is necessary an unavoidable, but to let yourself go in quest of size and strength, give me a break.

One big goal of your off-season training program is to bring weaker developed body-parts up proportionally. This can be accomplished without gaining a lot of weight in the off season. The most weight over my contest weight that I reached was twenty pounds and that was after I won my first contest. From then on I maintained fifteen pounds over my weigh-in weight during the off-seasons.

Another mindset is, allow the off-season to be a time of trying new training techniques and foods. The Art of Bodybuilding lies in the process of learning not the trophies. Do not be afraid to change things up every so often. Off-season training times are good days to learn.

This accomplished numerous things like:

1. Cuts down on the muscle tissue that you potentially lose during the dieting phase.

2. You don’t tend to go into depression because you feel you are losing size before a show.

3. You have a better understanding of the sport and the meaning for doing it.

4. You continue to see the true muscularity and development of the weaker muscles that you need to work on.

The Art of off-season training is the consistency, variety and the efficiency of training both your mind and body for the long haul. Your biggest competitor most likely will be your ego!

Depression from Bodybuilding

2007-03-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

How could bodybuilding cause depression? Afterall, bodybuilding is supposed to get the endorphins going and as you see positive progress, you feel good about yourself. With all those endorphins running around, there shouldn't be even the slightest case for depression.

For the most part, lifting weights, doing aerobic exercises and overall physical activity can be very effective to keep depression away and help with a cheerful outlook. Although sometimes things don't always come out the way we expect them to and our mood can swing up and down, even with proper exercise.

Ask anyone that exercises and they'll time you the time spent is worth it. But if depression hits while doing these things already, the depression can be really hard to shake.

Let me show you some of the symptoms. Anyone that's lifted weights for a period of time has hit that proverbial "wall" where it just feels like you can't make any progress. Or sometimes there can be a period of time where one feels "burnt out" or just tired of lifting weights. If these feelings last longer than three weeks, these could be signs of depression.

Fortunately, I've talked to lots of bodybuilders and found something that may offer a quick "real" solution. If you're feeling tired, unexplained sadness, or you don't want to work out or you just feel like you're not making any progress in the gym, this may be the answer you're looking for.

In my research on how to overcome bodybuilding induced depression, I uncovered a supplement called Vinpocetine. It is known for helping mental concentration and is a derivative of an extract taken from the lesser periwinkle plant (Vinca minor), an evergreen undershrub. The shrub is native to Europe, where it has been been studied since the 1950s and has been found to boost stroke- and age-related declines in brain function.

Vinpocetine also enhances the brain's use of oxygen by increasing the amount of available ATP (adenosine triphosphate, those in bodybuilding are familiar with this as being the body's cellular fuel). So far, there hasn't been any serious side effects found with this supplement, however if you feel a dry mouth, continued weakness or accelerated heart rate, then discontinue the use as you may have a more serious condition requiring expert medical care.

What I found in my research is that vinpocetine works well in conjunction with vincamine and vinburnine (both are also extracts). It has been noted that these help with cognitive function to enhance memory and concentration.

As a result of this, it appears that these help the brain to feel "peppy" and thereby reduce the effects of depression. That's what it did for me.

My purpose in writing this is not to endorse any single product but to let you know that there is a supplement that costs less than a single visit to the doctor, yet has the right amount of vinpocetine (and vincamine and vinburnine) and it helps with other functions of bodybuilding and muscle development. It is called NO-Xplode from BSN. I'm sure there's other supplements out there that have the vinpocetine, you'd have to do some checking around.

I really like NO type products, and my first choice is NO2 by MRI and then the Trac-Extreme NO by MHP (both can be found at General Nutrition Center).

But if I start getting that "burned out" or sad feeling, I'll buy some NO-Xplode (one container will last me over a month) and I'll have a scoop once a day in the early afternoon. That seems to help me feel more cheerful.

So... if you're doing good workouts and yet start to feel burned out, tired, sad or depressed, try some vinpocetine and see what happens. This article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you feel any prolonged symptoms for a lengthy period of time, see your medical professional. Copyright 2005, all rights reserved.

No Time For Your Bodybuilding Routine?

2007-03-04T20:32:00.001-08:00

Time Is a major factor in your bodybuilding routine. It can cause you to focus your thought elsewhere, instead of your training. Your mind wanders onto something else while you perform a set of curls. Your thinking --

"Yep, I need to get this done later. Oh! What about that other thing I've got goin' on? Right, I'll finish up here quickly and get it done".

Get the idea?

Do you ever find yourself having a conversation in your head, all while you're performing your training routine?

Time waits for no man It can interfere, especially when you don't have enough of it. It's often difficult to get the time to train, or do other things in your life. You can explain it anyway you like. But there's no getting away from the fact --

Everybody, Everywhere, Only Has 24 Hours A Day.

"So, how come others manage and I can't?" I hear you say. "Obviously they don't have as much to do as I have."

Like I said, we all have the same amount of time. Here's another comparison for you:

Look at rich people. They only have 24 hours in a day too. Yet they're still rich and others are working and are living on the bread line. That's a little extreme, I know.

But, do you get what I'm saying here?

Here’s what it boils down to --

Time Management: In this scenario 'Time Management' is the key to your bodybuilding routine, and your life too. If you don't manage your time properly, you're setting yourself up for a fall.

If You Fail To Plan - You Plan To Fail.

So, just how do you manage your time properly?

By allotting a certain amount of time per activity in your life. For each task, job or item you have to do in your life everyday, you must allot a certain amount of time to each one.

Don't just do this for your bodybuilding routine. Look at your life right now. Determine how much you actually do with each day. Write it down, including your bodybuilding routine.

Then count the number of activities you do on a daily basis. Once you've done this, determine how much time you can afford to all of these activities in a day.

Divide the time you have available between all the activities you need to do. Give a little more time to the things you place more importance on such as, your bodybuilding routine.

Then create a schedule around this. It's that simple. My suggestion is that you write those activities down and allot a certain amount of time to each one. The total time for all ativities combined shouldn't exceed the time you have available each day.

Professional Bodybuilding: Under Construction

2007-03-04T20:31:00.002-08:00

Professional bodybuilding is one of the less popular sports in the world. Almost everyone knows players like Lebron James and Barry Bonds, but if you asked someone who Ronnie Coleman is, chances are good that they are not going to have any idea. What has happened to the sport of bodybuilding since the days of Arnold, Columbo, and Haney? The media has pulled the plug on these great athletes, which makes you wonder why this horrific downfall has happened to our sport.

The present age of bodybuilding has a few kinks that need worked on. Some will argue that the voting system is rigged because there has been the same Mr. O the past eight years. There is also the issue of steroids in pro bodybuilding, and the media giving steroids a bad reputation doesn`t make things easier In 2005, the IFBB finally decided to raise the winner of the Olympia`s prize money to a staggering $661,000, but I don`t think this upgrade in prize money will put an end to the problems of bodybuilding.

In the past, you could turn to channels like ESPN and the Fox Sports Network to catch a glimpse of what professional bodybuilding was all about, but now you`ll be lucky to catch a live show on pay-per-view. Almost everyone in America knew who Arnold, Columbo, and Haney was. Everyone seemed to want to become the next Arnold and it looked as if bodybuilding would become the next big sport in the United States. In the year 1977, Arnold admitted the use of performance enhancing drugs to help him maintain muscle while preparing for a contest. This set the stage for the use of anabolic steroids in professional bodybuilding and before you knew it, ninety percent of bodybuilders were juicing.

Everyone knew Arnold and his popularity was as asset to the sport. The top bodybuilders of today`s industry are not well known athletes or celebrities which is one of the leading downfalls to the game. Look at how the World Wrestling Entertainment became so popular over the years. Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Macho Man Randy Savage were all icons that everyone adored. Even outside of pro wrestling, these guys transformed the entertainment industry and brought more fans to the sport. Ben Weider needs to smarten up and use some of the marketing techniques Vince McMahon used to transform his company into what it is today.

Bodybuilding is slowly starting to get where it needs to be. The new bodybuilding web video and radio show being broadcasted on bodybuilding.com is a step in the right direction, but there is more work that needs to be done. They should consider getting a small television contract . They also need to somehow change the structure of the event to make it more entertaining. The fans should be able to vote at contests on who they beleive won. In bodybuilding, there is really no champion except for the Mr. Olympia contest held that determines the best bodybuilder in the world. There should be a point system like in Nascar or the BCS for college football to determine who the leaders are for the season and use the Mr. Olympia as a means of gaining more points to the bodybuilders`s yearly total. This will make smaller shows more interesting and make the bigger guys like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler have to compete more. I really believe this would be a huge step in the right direction for the sport and should be considered by the promoters of the IFBB. I am currently working on a website for all of my articles and I will post the link as soon as possible. Thanks.

Bodybuilding In Jail

2007-03-04T20:31:00.001-08:00

We all make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes lead us into jail. While you`re sitting in your cell complaining about how stupid you were to be there, why not do something positive for yourself like bodybuild? Why not turn your life around and actually be in control for once? "So now what?" you say. Well now is when knowledge will become your best friend. Training, nutrition, and rest are three important factors when it comes to building a great body in jail.

Creating a good workout routine will depend on what type of equipment you use. Books, drawers, shoes are all good alternatives to dumbells if you don`t have access to any. You can also do plenty of exercises with your own bodyweight such as push ups, crunches, leg raises, supermans, bridges, bench dips, air bike, freehand jump squat, and glute kickbacks. Choose from some the exercises above and create your own routine. My jail cell had an exercise bike which is a good form of cardio other good methods are jumping jacks, burpies, and if you`re desperate just walk or jog around in your cell. If you can, try to find a good training partner as well to help you stay motivated. It also will look better when you`re not the only person exercising.

Since your only fed three meals a day, getting good nutrients is going to be tough. Most meals consist of high GI carbs, foods high in saturated fat, and not much protein so you`ve got to be smart when choosing what you eat. A good trick is to eat all the healthy foods on your tray and afterwards go around looking for leftovers to help fill you up. Since most trays consist of at least one sort of junk food, you should trade that junk to somebody for something healthy. Just don`t let the security guard catch you. You`re also going to have to time your meals so you can perform your exercises and do your best to get your post workout nutrition afterwards. You also have to remember to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. A good rule is to look at your piss and if it`s yellow then you need to drink more water.

In my jail, getting enough sleep is very difficult. People are always complaining and yelling stupid stuff in the dorm so it`s very difficult to get enough. One way I found is asking for earplugs if they allow them which will help out alot. You`re not going to be very active and you will be sitting around alot so you shouldn`t have any reason to worry about overtraining. On your last meal of the day, try to eat fibrous or complex carbs because they will help you sleep better.

Those are some basic bodybuilding principles to use while you`re in jail. You should be able to keep your goals even while in jail if you want it enough. I wrote this article sitting in a jail cell with the hopes that other bodybuilders survive while being locked up. Until next time keep your head up and stay hungry. Peace.

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Presentation!

2007-03-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

If you think becoming a bodybuilding champion is all about weight lifting, sadly you will never become one. Some of the most gifted physiques have fallen short because of lack of preparation in their presentation.

One of arts of becoming a champion that is not talked about is how you present the finished product the day of the competition. You may have a winning physique, but if you fail to show it to your advantage you may lose. I have won many of contests not just because I was in the best shape, but I learned how to hide weakly developed body parts with more well defined ones within my presentation.

Bodybuilding is an art through and through. While there is a selective number of posing required to go through during the judging portion and personal presentation rounds, it is how you do them that can make or break you. Here are some very important things to remember that could directly or indirectly win you championships.

Proper Planning:

This should go with out saying; practice posing long before the contest. As important as any other time in the gym is practicing posing, over and over and over again, until it is second nature. Judges can tell immediately if you have practiced.

Transitions:

The only smooth thing you want during a bodybuilding contest is the transitions from one pose to another. You want posing to look effortless. Smooth transitions are only a small detail, but they speak volumes to the judges. Going from one pose to another should not be noticeable if done correctly.

Relax But Don’t Relax:

Judges will say to the group of competitors, “relax” after they call out a certain pose. DON”T! Well, relax but stay tense. If you are lean, every detail of muscle needs to show. If you relax between call outs, the muscularity will show that. In other words, your lines may temporarily disappear.

Music:

Pick music that fits your physique more so than your personality. You can turn off a judge if both are not connected. Too many make the mistake of fitting their personality. Judges don’t care about your personality; they care about your presentation of the finished product.

Oil:

Depending upon your physical shape and skin type it is very important to apply just the right amount of oil to enhance the muscle definition. You can make your body look “smooth” if you put to much oil on, or you can look thin if you apply to little.

Remember, you can have the best product, but if the fine details are not practiced and presented right, you will be put right back on the shelf.

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Visualization!

2007-03-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

See the ball, be the ball! Heard that before? See the muscle, feel the muscle. Bet you have not heard that one. Before a muscle can develop you have to feel it move. It is more about feeling the muscle work through the minds eye than the weight itself. The ultimate goal is to be able to do your entire workout in your head and with your eyes closed.

Winning competitions is also about timing. Four months prior to the 1988. Jr. Mr. Michigan bodybuilding championships I wrote on a piece of paper, “I am Mr. Michigan” This allowed my minds eye to visualize it and help it come to pass. The day of my competition was the best shape I had ever been in. The power of visualizing and writing became my minds eye’s reality. Never underestimate the power of seeing things first.

Here are some visualization techniques to help you get closer in becoming a champion:

Pre-Workout Exercise:

Each time you go to the gym exercise your mind before you enter the place. Go over your entire workout in your mind first.

Pre-Set Exercise:

Before every set take a few extra seconds to go through every rep of that set in your mind. You may be surprised what this can do for muscle growth.

Blind Sets:

Depending upon which exercise it is, try closing your eyes while you perform a set. This forces you to feel the weight more.

What ever technique you use is up to you just remember though, before you achieve something you have to see it in your head.

Bodybuilding While Working Full Time

2007-02-27T00:46:00.000-08:00

Many of us don`t have the luxury of being able to focus all of our attention on bodybuilding. Unless your getting paid by a sponsor or making some serious cash doing bodybuilding shows, you almost have to have a stable job to afford the necessities that are needed to having a good body. Assuming most of us work the typical eight hour job, how do we achieve balance between work, bodybuilding, and all the other things we deal with on a daily basis. This article was written for the bodybuilders who want to bodybuild as well as work a full time job.

When we come home from work, most of us feel to tired to even cook dinner, let alone exercise. Not only do we have to motivate ourselves to put down the remote and hop on the treadmill, but we also have to sacrafice some things for the sake of bodybuilding. We have to develop a balance between our jobs, bodybuilding, family, and our social life. Who wouldn`t rather go to a club with a group of friends instead of going to the gym putting yourself through an hour of torture? This is when dedication becomes very important.

When we bodybuild we already create a bit of discipline for ourselves so making sacrafices is just a part of the game. It`s going to become tougher to maintain that discipline when working a job full time because of all the added stress a job can do to you. You have to be able to persevere through all the obstacles. Once you do that, you will feel on top of the world once you achieve your fitness goals. Just don`t get cocky and have to restart the process all over again. Set yourself up with a goal to improve on the goal you just met and never become satisfied.

So how can you accomplish any of your fitness goals when your locked up a job eight to ten hours a day? It`s very simple! Get organized. Write down everything you can do to achieve your goals. You also need to write down everything that gets in your way of achieving those goals and always look for a way forward. If your job is manual labor where it is physically demanding then you should consider work as part of your training routine. That way you kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Find out how many calories you`ve burnt throughout the day working and replenish your glycogen stores during and after work. Then you can exercise some of the muscle groups you didn`t hit at work and you will feel good about yourself for making an attempt to better yourself.

You are going to have days where you feel overworked, stressed, and feel that everything in the world is coming down on you. These are the days when you should treat yourself to something out of the ordinary like a cheat meal or consider going out to the club with a group of friends. Just keep everything in moderation. You can can accomplish anything you want in life if you stick to your plan of attack and stay focused. Good Luck.

Bodybuilding Diet Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs

2007-02-27T00:45:00.000-08:00

1) Eating very little or excessive protein.

Protein is the key nutrient in any bodybuilding diet plan. In order to build muscle one should consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. Less protein can actually hinder one's progress significantly and result in frustration and lack of results. On the other hand excessive protein calories in a diet can be stored as body fat or in some cases used as energy. One gram per pound of lean bodyweight spread over 6 nutritious meals is a great starting point. If you want to build more muscle or you train harder OR you find that you are not recovering as fast you can slowly increase your protein intake to 1.1 grams per pound or 1.25 grams. Protein is the building block for muscle tissue and if you want to build mass OR get ripped you have to start eating more.

2) Eating the wrong types of carbs.

This is one of the most common nutritional mistakes I come across. I see people who want to add muscle and they eat anything for carbs, from chocolate bars & dohnuts to rice & potatoes! Fact of the matter is, not all carbs are created equal and you will be what you eat, eventually! Most people tend to overeat simple carbs (sugars) which give them an almost immediate rise in energy but also an equally sudden slump. A proper bodybuilding diet, whether it's for mass gaining purposes or leaning out, should consist mostly of complex carbs. Complex carbs are digested slowly and released into the bloodstream steadily over a period of time. This provides a steady source of energy for muscles throughout the day. With complex carbs there are no highs and lows in energy as they stay steady throughout the day.

Imagine your energy as a line in a graph. With complex carbs, your energy is a completely straight line, always staying high. With simple carbs, your energy line is like a few mountain peaks. It has a few extreme highs but it's followed by extreme lows as well! Carbs have a very significant effect on the way the body utilizes protein. Carbs have a "protein sparing" effect ie when you eat enough carbs, your body will use the protein you give it only for muscle repairing/building purposes. If you don't give your body enough carbs throughout the day, it will automatically break down protein to synthesize glycogen for energy. It's a process called glycogenesis and it will take place when your body is running low on carbs. If your body starts to break down proteins you will enter a catabolic state and your metabolism will slow down significantly. You will also lose muscle & strength.

3) Cheating too much with the wrong foods.

Cheating in any bodybuilding diet is an absolute must. Whether you are dieting for a contest or trying to gain muscle, you should set a specific day of the week where you will be able to have a cheat meal of your liking. The way you cheat depends 100% on how strict you are with your diet. Bodybuilders who are dieting for a contest are the most strict, limiting their cheat meals to once a week or once every two weeks. On the other hand, bodybuilders who are trying to gain muscle mass cheat more often, maybe 2-3 times a week. It is important however to cheat sensibly and not go overboard! If you eat a gallon of ice cream in one sitting and consume over 3000 calories, what do you think will happen? Most likely, the extra calories from sugars & fat will be stored as body fat! The KEY to cheating is to do it with moderation. If you want to be a bodybuilder you should forget about eating anything you want. I don't care how fast your metabolism is! If you eat a ton of cheat meals, it will backfire on you and your progress will slow down.

4) Thinking supplements as the "holy grail".

Nutritional supplements are exactly what they describe! They are there to supplement your diet in case you cannot eat enough nutrients from solid natural foods. Nothing on earth can substitute the power and metabolic effects of natural foods. Supplements provide mostly conveniency when we don't have time to cook but they are in no way better than food. Do not look at supplements as the "solution" to your lack of progress. Yes, some of them do provide an extra boost in strength or fat loss BUT if you do not have a solid diet & training program as the foundation of your bodybuilding goals, supplements will do very little for you.

5) Not eating enough fats & fatty acids.

All fat is not created equal! Eating some fats can actually help you gain mass and keep your body healthy. Most people try to avoid fats like the plague but this approach can actually hinder their mass gaining or fat loss efforts. Egg yolks, virgin olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, natural peanut butter & fish oils are all excellent sources of healthy fats. These not only support a healthy metabolism & hormone production but can provide healthy calories for your bulking up bodybuilding diet. Stay away from saturated fats & trans fatty acids at all costs! They will ruin your physique and cause havoc to your body & health.

6) Not having variety in your diet.

I asked a bodybuilder friend of mine recently how his diet was. His reply was typical: "You know, Kostas, chicken breasts, brown rice, steak, tuna, more rice, baked potatoes..the usual". Don't get me wrong, all of these foods are top of the line for your bodybuilding diets but you can add MORE! Eating the same thing day in day out is really boring. I have eaten so much canned tuna that i cannot even stand to look at it anymore! A bodybuilding diet is a HEALTHY diet first and foremost. Variety is very important - not only for health's sake but also for your mind's sake. Having variety will help you enjoy your nutritional program for years to come and you will also cheat less. There are so many bodybuilding recipe cookbooks out there that give you an immense amount of choices, ideas & healthy alternatives to the staples of chicken & rice.

For an absolutely 100% free bodybuilding recipe e-book visit http://www.bodybuildingapplied.com/bodybuilding_recipes.asp

7) Failing to track calories on a daily basis.

Experts say to measure portions, measure plate fulls or just eat as much as you can (when bulking). I find all this completely wrong. In order to make real progress and see how your body is reacting to your specific diet, you need to accurately track calories. If you do not, you are setting yourself up for frustration. Knowing how many calories you are consuming on any given day can help you make necessary changes if you are not seeing the results you want. You can either keep a diary of your daily calories or you can add them up in excel. Counting calories can be a tedious process at first but you get used to it really fast. Eventually you'll be able to add everything up in your head automatically!

8) Overeating.

If you are trying to gain weight be careful not to fall pray to the "experts" who say that you have to eat everything in sight. Yes, you most definately have to eat a large number of calories & meals every day but that does not mean that you have to stuff yourself like there's no tomorrow! Overeating calories & especially sugars will only make you gain body fat. You can gain a tremendous amount of weight & mass even if you eat clean foods! The only thing you have to do is eat more of them!!

9) Making big changes all at once.

Changing your diet all of a sudden and following a Mr. Olympia's diet will not do you any good. You will end up gaining body fat or starving your muscles. If you want to change your diet, make sure you do so by either increasing or decreasing your calories over a period of time. Start by adding 100 calories every 3-5 days until you have reached the desired caloric intake. Once you reach the desired caloric level keep close track of your body weight & body fat percentage in order to assess whether the new changes in your diet are beneficial or not.

10) Not drinking enough water.

Water is probably one of the most important ingredients for life. Over 70% of our muscles consist of water. Water is needed for all metabolic processes, including protein synthesis. It helps get rid of toxins, it is important in fat metabolism and it can reduce fluid retention. A good rule of thumb is to drink 10 cups of water per day, increasing it during the summer months and during hardcore training sessions. Even the slightest bit of dehydration can make you feel sluggish and hold you back during your training sessions. Never ignore water intake!!

All Natural Bodybuilding Secrets

2007-02-27T00:44:00.001-08:00

Natural bodybuilding refers to bodybuilding without muscle enhancing drugs or anabolic substances. In other words natural athletes who choose to build their body with all-natural have to stick to a regimen of well structured bodybuilding diet along with some performance enhancing supplements like whey protein, creatine & l-glutamine. There are however other natural athletes who go all out ie they don't even use over the counter products to help them supplement their daily diets. Their nutrition consists solely on natural foods!

Natural bodybuilding is a very specific sport. There are national bodybuilding organisations that organize natural bodybuilding contests for men and women. For more information or if you are interested in entering a natural bodybuilding show please get yourself a copy of Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness magazine at your local newsagent. Some of these shows are drug tested and some are not. The choice on which one you compete is completely yours.

A natural bodybuilder must learn to build his body in the most precise way possible. Learning as much as possible about natural bodybuilding dieting, training, supplementation is essential if one is to successfully build a natural physique of national caliber.

One of the keys to a great natural body is persistence. I don't care how well you eat or how hard you train! If you do not have the necessary persistence to keep it up for months & years you will just be spinning your wheels with no results to speak of. Building natural muscle mass takes time - sometimes a lot of time! Always be patient and expect success through your nutrition, contest diet and training.

Along with persistence you need to set up some specific, clear cut goals for yourself. If you do not know what your goals are chances are you will not make significant progress in the gym. Short term goals set up every week are great for short term progress in the gym. For example you can set a goal of increasing your bench by 2 lbs in your next week's incline bench press session! Take these small goals and add them up over 6 months and they really make a big difference. Long term goals need to be set up as well. For example - "12 weeks from now my goal is to have lost 15 lbs or pure body fat and win my upcoming natural bodybuilding contest". You need to sonstantly remind yourself of your big goals in order to not lose track of the reasons you are training and dieting so hard. Reading your goals every day helps you stay on track, train harder and not cheat on your diet. Trust me! When you are carb depleted for 3 days and pizza is calling your name, a reminder of your goals is what puts you back in track.

Nutrition is probably half the battle to getting muscle to grow OR to burn body fat. A general guideline is to eat 12-13 calories per lb of body weight if you are trying to get ripped and 17-19 calories per lb if you are trying to gain muscle. 30% of your calories should come from protein, 50% from natural carbohydrates and 20% from healthy fats (olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil etc). Try to avoid sugars & processed foods at all costs. Most of all, make sure you get 1 gram of protein per lean pound of body weight per day no matter what! Hardcore weight training breaks down muscle fibers and it is absolutely necessary for our body to be able to recover from these hard workouts with the use of protein.

As far as working out is concerned, forget all you read in the most popular bodybuilding magazines in the market. The routines posted in most magazines by the "pros" will do absolutely nothing for you if you want to grow muscle naturally. Fact of the matter is, most people who start bodybuilding DO follow these routines blindly. They do the same thing week after week, expecting results but nothing ever happens. Sure they gain some strength in the beginning but plateaus soon hit them. They then decide to buy the next "magic pill or powder" in the market that will "jump start" their results. The result is a very rich supplement company and a very frustrated athlete. There is a large amount of information out there that is totally unsuitable for the majority of people who want to grow muscle naturally. My point is to educate yourself on how the body works before you start training haphazardly just because you read an article in a magazine. Stick to the basic exercises that have worked for years for most people and do NOT overtrain. Each muscle needs to be fully trained only once per week for muscle growth to occur. Ovetraining is the biggest single mistake most people do and is the reason why people quite bodybuilding & weight training.

Bottom line? You are either 100% natural or you aren't! There are no shortcuts and there are many obstacles. In the end however, you will be satisfied in knowing that you achieved results that are comparable to those of drug enhanced athletes, 100% naturally. Trust me, it's the best feeling in the world and it IS achievable. All you have to do is set goals, work hard, be consistent and have patience.

Beginner Bodybuilding Diet Guidelines & Tips

2007-02-27T00:43:00.001-08:00

Beginner’s Advice:

1) The first thing an absolute beginner should do is visit his/her doctor and get the all clear to begin a workout program that will include cardiovascular and weight training.

2) Decide on what are your goals. Do you want to lose body fat and tone up or do you want to gain weight? Doing both at the same time can be achieved too but is very difficult and can lead to zigzag diets.

3) A general guideline is that if your body fat is below 14% you should be ok to bulk up and gain some weight and body fat. If you are above 14% then you should try to first lose some fat and then try to gain the weight. Generally anyone who has a body fat percentage of over 30% is considered to be obese.

4) Have a set nutrition plan before you begin training. 5-6 meals a day are an absolute MUST whether you want to lose bf or gain weight.

5) Have a set training regimen. If you have to, hire a personal trainer for a couple of sessions to show you how to perform the basic exercises. Ask for advice on your routines, either from knowledgeable people in the gym or in our forum.

6) Choose a gym that will have all the basic equipment (benches, squat racks, smiths etc). If you go during peak hours (5pm-8pm) you should try and join the gym with the most equipment around. This will help you finish your workout faster and not wait for someone to get off your machine. Make sure your gym has personal trainers and helpful staff. Cleanliness is also a MUST!

7) Don’t just go to the gym to train chest and arms! If you want your progress to be fast you MUST train all muscles at least once per week.

8) Do not tax your body with unnecessary time in the gym. Go in, train hard and get out of there as fast as you can! Growth takes place OUTSIDE the gym while you are eating healthy meals and while sleeping and resting.

9) Cardio training is a good tool for all beginners in order to help them gain some cardiovascular strength for strenuous weight workouts.

10) Always remember that you will progress faster if you contantly apply te following equation to your lifestyle:

TRAINING + MEALS + REST = GROWTH! If one or more components are missing, growth simply won’t take place and you'll end up being very frustrated.

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Weight Lifting

2007-02-27T00:42:00.001-08:00

In no disrespect to weight lifters, but bodybuilding and weight lifting are two totally different mindsets and training techniques. People will ask me the typical questions in the gym, “How much do you bench press? How much do you squat?" Quit frankly, I do not know. I do not pay attention to that part.

Weight lifters lift the weight, bodybuilders FEEL the weight. Becoming a bodybuilding champion is not determined by how much you can lift on a certain day, but how you look and how you got to that look on a certain day. Beauty contest it is not, but an art form it has become. Sure you have to lift a certain amount of weight; however achieving champion status has more to do with nutrition, training technique and discernment than lifting a given amount of weight.

Nutrition as a Science:

Becoming a champion bodybuilder is a mixture of food and science. The right types and amounts of foods at the appropriate times all need to fit into a scientific formula in order to achieve the ultimate goal at the precise time. Food combining, calorie cycling, mineral supplementation, and vitamin taking are just a few important elements to any championship performance.

Training Techniques:

To achieve a champion physique has mostly to do with three things; genetics (what cards you are dealt with), developing a program for you, and hard work. Exercise and body part rotations, sets and rep variations, and intensity level manipulations are all things to be aware of constantly.

Discernment:

Champion bodybuilders become masters at knowing their body’s reaction to foods, exercises, and mental games played in their heads. Bodybuilding is not only a science but an art. While internally focused it may be, learning about ones body is no more taught than in the sport of bodybuilding. Learning how your body will react and keenly keeping your body off guard and adapting requires a discerning spirit. While most will see only muscles on the exterior it is the work of art on the inside that is priceless. It is there where champions hold their most prize possessions.

Here are some bodybuilding techniques that have won many of championships for me:

1. Design your workout programs in twelve week cycles.

2. Exercise each body part twice in seven days.

3. Exercise your chest, back and leg muscles prior to your shoulders and arms.

4. Alternate between strength (heavy) training and endurance (light) training days.

5. Set a time frame to your workout session.

6. Learn to take an active recovery period. Overtraining can end a career!

7. Learn to workout with your eyes closed.

8. Leave your ego at the door. Go by the feel of the weight not the amount!

9. Alternate between machines and free weights.

10. Have fun and realize you will never know everything!

Quick Tips for Older Than 40 Bodybuilding / Weight Training Trainees

2007-02-27T00:40:00.000-08:00

Recuperative massage

Trigger point therapy (fancy name for massage)is a common method for relieving chronic pain related to sports injuries.

It is the most important tool in any athlete’s tool box; you might be surprised how many old nagging injuries can be dealt with just very simple massage techniques.

But you need to do it the right way, the idea of massage is never to massage the pain area, instead the muscles surrounding it.

Specifically, you need to find spots that are tender for pressure.

These spots are so called trigger points, and massaging them can be a huge help to many musculoskeletal pain problems. (More information below)

Joint health Supplements

As we age joint cartilage starts to thin down and loose its elasticity.

This can eventually cause pain as the bare bones starts to rub on each others.

Nutrient called glucosamine can help to slow down this process and help to rebuild lost cartilage.

Many of my weightlifting friends use it successfully and have gained additional mileages to their training years through it.

I’m not talking about training with those pink dumbbells here, but real heavy training.

Aerobic exercise for cardiovascular health

If you like training and you want to enjoy it as long as possible, you better keep your heart in shape too.

Aerobic exercise, even though it hinders and limits the muscle building potential, becomes more important as we age, as it helps to promote heart health better than just lifting.

Stretching for proper movement patterns

Adding some extra stretching and joint mobility work to your training regime might be useful, especially if you aren’t doing exercises with full range of motion. - Some key muscle croups to stretch for proper lifting bio-mechanisms; glutes, hamstrings and psoas.

And always remember that you aren’t really stretching muscle, but rather tricking your brains to command your muscles to lengthen. (get them used to new range of motion, and new movement patterns), so don’t hinder this effect with overly painful stretches, but take it gentle instead.

How to Become a Bodybuilding Champion - The Art of Focusing!

2007-02-27T00:39:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods is the only one I know who has the ability to stop his down swing on a dime when it just does not feel right to go through with it. How does he do it? Over the years I have been able to teach myself one of the most important elements in making the most out of my workouts. What is it? It’s the ability to tune everyone, everything and every sound out in a blink of an eye.

We see it played out in movies where a baseball pitcher blocks out all the roaring fans and only concentrates on the catcher’s mitt in silence. This is the keen ability to focus with lazar like power.

One of the main reasons I became a champion bodybuilder at very young age is because I have mastered this technique. Today, I walk into a gym, step on a treadmill, or go out for a walk and the only thing I am aware of is the task at hand. I block every one and every thing out. No it is not always easy, but it is very effective.

This is not a technique you can read about in an anatomy book, it will take practice on your part. It is a discipline within itself.

Here are some general workout rules that have helped me master the art of focus during my workouts;

1. Go through your workout in your mind first before you even get to the gym.

2. Take a water bottle – eliminate all excess wasted time.

3. NO cell phones during a workout – This goes without saying.

4. Visual the muscle that is moving the weight.

5. Work the room just like a social gathering.

6. Keep a flow into your workouts.

7. Practice every single workout – over and over and over again.

If you want to get the most from your workouts you need to work smarter rather than harder. Focusing on the task at hand in a lazar like fashion may be the key to you being a champion in your own right.

The Anabolic Evolution of Modern Bodybuilding

2007-02-27T00:38:00.000-08:00

Since the early days of physical culture, modern man has been searching for the elusive ''Fountain of Youth''. The promise of radiant health, enduring strength and a Herculean physique has drawn millions on this quest for physical perfection.

Through the early decades of bodybuilding, the forefathers of physical culture established basic guidelines for the muscle enthusiast to follow. Natural foods, resistance training, plenty of rest, and a positive outlook in life were the primary ingredients for achieving ones goals. The demand for knowledge on 'how to' reach the stars would result in millions of booklets being sold by mail order, while magazine stands and bookshelves were continually restocked with the latest 'muscle building secrets'. Tons of steel and exercise equipment would find its way into the homes of thousands of Americans all across our nation. Health clubs and iron gyms would sprout up in local neighborhoods and towns, while physique competitions were held to determine whom the best in the land was. The strong roots of physical culture were taking grip in our society, and the mighty oak of bodybuilding would soon branch out through every city in America.

A new 'way of life' became a reality for many as the 'body beautiful' movement swung into high gear. For decades the much traveled road to muscledom kept its promise, then by the mid-60's what seemed pure and natural took a wrong turn setting the course of modern bodybuilding down a dead end. The introduction of anabolic steroids into the sport of bodybuilding would usher in a new era of super sized and equally strong muscular physiques that would attract millions of young men with a desire to achieve the same naturally unattainable goals.

Along with the growth of the sport, the physiques continued to become bigger and more vascular as bodybuilders experimented with 'stacking' the latest in designer muscle enhancing pharmaceuticals. Magazine and ticket sales were at a peak and bodybuilding competitions were seen regularly on network TV. The popularity of the sport was soaring high. Then, what could have been mostly prevented by not promoting and rewarding individuals whose physiques were chemically altered became a reality as the widespread use of drugs in the sport became relevant.

Words such as steroids, cycling, and growth hormones became common place in our gyms, and juicing no longer meant enjoying your favorite health drink. Reports of bodybuilders on dialysis and with heart ailments became a frequent occurrence while the eventual death of several competitive pros hit home hard. What had been a dark cloud in a sport with such great potential turned into a storm that spread its vast shadow on a culture that once shined.

Organizations dedicated to natural bodybuilding and a healthy lifestyle would soon respond to the call for a return to the ideals set forth by the forefathers of physical culture. Physique promoters throughout the land created natural bodybuilding competitions so athletes could compete on a level playing field without running the risk of ruining their health. Publications featuring natural bodybuilders began to spread the gospel of healthy living through proper nutrition and exercise. The televised media developed new bodybuilding and fitness programs to inspire future generations of natural iron pumpers. And as the age of cyber space came upon us, the Internet became a resource of concepts and opinions for bodybuilders to learn and express their views with other physique artist throughout the World. The new millennium is here and those dedicated to physical culture have begun to prevail as the radiant beacon of light from the torch of natural living begins to shine through the storm.

Bodybuilding on a Budget - It Doesn't Have to Put Your Wallet in a Wheelchair

2007-02-27T00:37:00.000-08:00

As you probably remember the last time you looked at a proposed grocery list or visited the nearest supplement store, you realized you needed to take out an equity loan first in order to get your month’s supply of food and supplements.

Believe me…

I’ve had my fair share of large bills especially when I’m trying to bulk up and gain weight.

Am I right about this so far?

Don’t’ worry… there are some really overlooked and rather inexpensive methods to get all the food you need without breaking the bank. But I have an even better idea… let me just start off with a quick list of foods that you can find at most grocery stories and warehouse locations that are cheap and are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Low Cost Bodybuilding Foods (no particular order):

1. Tuna
2. Nuts
3. Olive Oil
4. Whey Protein Concentrate, in bulk
5. Pasta
6. Chicken legs
7. Beans

Of course you’ll want to get servings of fruits and veggies but normally it’s the other foods that are expensive in bulk. With just the above foods, you can get many of them in bulk or for discounts and have plenty of wholesome foods for your bulking, cutting and bodybuilding endeavors.

By now, you’re probably wondering…

Okay, that’s a nice list of general foods I can use but I am taking some supplements. And they aren’t so cheap. I’d like to try everything I see in the latest muscle magazines but I really only have time for what works. Where’s the cheap list of supplements?

Inexpensive (best bang for your buck) supplements:

1. Multi-vitamin
2. Fish oil
3. Whey concentrate
4. Dextrose
5. Creatine Monohydrate

Fact is…

I try a lot of supplements myself. I’m curious. I want to know what works and sometimes I stumble across something that is worth it. But the above list is the basic supplement list that I always return to no matter what. It’s part of the vitamin closet in the kitchen. If I have no time, no money or no desire to try anything new, I know that above is the only stash I need to make any gains I’ll need.

So let me summarize and review…

Bodybuilding on budget is real. If you look for specific foods that are great sources of protein, carbs and healthy fats and mix and match, you have a really well rounded selection to make many meals. No matter if you are on a bulk phase, cutting phase or just want to eat healthy, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive things you’ve ever done.

Success came to me at an early age. However, it did not come without a price. Bodybuilding found me; I did not go looking for it. At seventeen I knew

2007-02-27T00:36:00.002-08:00

What helps make comedy also builds muscle…

This is key to getting the most out of your bodybuilding protein intake. There’s not much point in stuffing down that half chicken and protein shake…only to roll over and have a nap.

No, we need discipline here…and that means properly timed meals to give a little helping hand to the natural processes that are stimulated by intense exercise.

After a weight training session, your muscles will have been traumatised and at a microscopic level there will be tears and damage to the tiny fibres that make up each muscle. All this means that the real muscle building happens outside the gym!

The recovery stage begins immediately after exercise and is in full effect for around 24-48 hours afterward.

By timing your intake of nutrients to key ‘windows’ it is possible to radically increase the effectiveness of each exercise session on muscle growth.

Taking a combined bodybuilding protein and carbohydrate drink or meal straight after training has been shown to kick start several well known processes that result in anabolism (or muscle growth).

The ‘window’ of opportunity is open up to half an hour after exercise …yes, its not a hard and fast rule…but the sooner the post work out meal is taken, the quicker the ‘recovery’ processes are assisted.

A typical post-workout meal would include 0.5 gram protein per kilo of bodyweight, taken together with perhaps a high carbohydrate drink with 1.5 gram carbohydrate per kilo bodyweight - containing maybe dextrose, maltodextrin or another high glycemic rated carbohydrate.

This might sound complicated, but its easily done…the protein is equivalent to that found in a small tin of tuna…for someone weighing 150Ib.

An easy way to meet these requirements is perhaps to use a meal replacement supplement as this will have both the bodybuilding protein and carbohydrates in the right proportions – and can be taken easily with you to where you train.

Have you heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?...not for people who weight train…the results of a properly planned post workout meal are impressive…

You might already know that Growth Hormone release will be stimulated by this combination of nutrients taken after exercise…also, the higher insulin levels brought on by the carbs will stimulate the movement of glucose and amino acids into the cells to trigger the recovery process.

That's all for now.

Bodybuilding Benefits - The Price for Confidence!

2007-02-27T00:36:00.001-08:00

Success came to me at an early age. However, it did not come without a price. Bodybuilding found me; I did not go looking for it. At seventeen I knew nothing about weights, eating right, let alone having any sort of discipline. Here are a few things I learned along the way that I believe it takes to make a champion in your own heart.

Hope:

Deep in side you only need a small amount of HOPE to get you to the next day. In the beginning of my career that’s all I had.

Belief:

Confidence can grow inside. If you don’t have it, take your ego out of it and sooner or later bodybuilding will give it to you. Whether it comes from you or someone else, you really have to belief. For me, I had two friends that believed in my first, then after a while they began to rub off on me.

Pure Motives:

Have pure motives of being healthy verses just looking good. If you have desires to truly feel better health wise and about your self, then you will have more motivation in the down times. Early on, I started to feel the benefits both physically and emotionally of what bodybuilding was doing to me.

Here are some common mistakes people make that keep them from being Champions!

1. Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is NOT about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

2. Afraid of Change: Most thinks their way works best. Wrong! Bodybuilding is an art. Art is subjective. Each person is different. The minute you think you know everything is the time you should give it up.

3. Ashamed to ask for help: The smartest thing I did when I was first started bodybuilding and competing was to ask for help. Knowledge is power when you adapt it to your personality. You are not living up to your potential if your pride is in the way.

4. No goal of mission. If you are just going to the gym to go, you are not being smart in your training. Map out your training one year in advance. Having purpose promotes focus.

5. The more is better trap. The more you do the bigger and leaner you will be. NOT! Work smart and efficient rather than long and hard. The smartest thing I ever did was set a time frame to my workouts.

6. Off season blues. People slack off after an event of competition. You should be in it for life. You should be sold out to exercise. If you are not, and only train when you are getting ready to compete, you are in the sport for the wrong reasons. Forget it; you will never be a champion. Champions are sold out!

What ever your goals are or level you are at, remember what bodybuilding truly is about. What is truly is about are not what you see, but what you feel. Yes, being a Champion comes with a price. But what price would you pay for the freedom to live your life with confidence.

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 3

2007-02-27T00:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to article number 2 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article:1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises
2. Article:2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article:3 - Targeted Stretching
4. Article:4 - Targeted Exercises
5. Article:5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article:3 - Targeted Stretching

Stretching can be great, but it can also make existing injuries worse or even bring about new ones!

The key to making stretching work for you is knowing which stretches you need to be working on… and just because a muscle feels tight, that doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be stretched.

For example, many people stretch the hamstrings because they feel tight and they think the hamstrings are limiting their flexibility…

the fact is, most of the time the hamstrings are “tight” because they are constantly being pulled / lengthened due to muscle imbalances that tip the pelvis forward.

As you can, when the pelvis tips forward the hamstrings get pulled upward and are constantly held in a stretched position…

And this is why millions of people can stretch their hamstrings every freakin day and never make any improvement in their flexibility….

Are you one of those people?

If you are, you need to stop stretching your hamstrings and find out exactly which muscles you need to be targeting by reading the rest of this article…

Not only does this forward tipping of the pelvis (which is caused by muscle imbalances) keep the hamstrings tight and make it very difficult to make improvements in the muscles flexibility, but it also leads to the following:

• increased stress / wear and tear from the ankles all the way up the spine

For example, the forward tipping of the pelvis places uneven pressure on the ankle, knee and hip joints and also many of the vertebrae in the spine.

• weakens the hamstrings, inhibits normal functioning and increases the likelihood of hamstring pulls

When the hamstrings are constantly being strained because of the muscle imbalances, the muscle is weak, not able to function as it normally would, prone to injury and without correcting the muscle imbalance recover can take up to 9 months to a year, or longer!

• creates excess curvature in the lower and middle spine

This tipping of the pelvis places excessive amounts of abnormal stress on the muscles, vertebrae and discs in the lower and mid spine and this sets you up for potential injuries to the muscles of the lower and middle back…

Plus, it also causes the discs between your vertebrae to wear down and deteriorate much faster than they normally would and this sets you up for degenerative, bulging, protruding and herniated discs along with numerous other spinal conditions like arthritis, spinal stenosis, and the oh so popular sciatica!

This hamstring example is just one of many… muscle imbalances are responsible for nearly every ache, pain, injury and condition out there!

Here are a few more examples of injuries / conditions that are caused by muscle imbalances and can easily be prevented and/or eliminated with targeted stretches and exercises:

• upper back and neck pain
• shoulder injuries (rotator cuff)
• elbow and wrist pain (carpal tunnel, tennis/golfer/baseball elbow, etc)
• knee pain (runners knee, chondromalacia, ligament tears, etc)
• hip pain (IT band syndrome, bursitis, etc)
• ankle pain (Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, etc)

All of these conditions are caused by muscle imbalances and will NOT go away unless you work towards correcting the imbalances… and the only way to know for sure which imbalances are causing your pain or injury is to do a series of physical assessments like the ones covered in our Lose the Back Pain Video which is designed for anyone suffering from back pain or sciatica.

What the heck is a targeted stretch?

This is a question we are asked often and here’s the definition we give it:

Targeted Stretch - a stretch or stretching exercise that is chosen, based on physical assessments, to target a specific muscle or muscle group to increase the flexibility and range of motion in that area and bring the bones and or joints back towards the normal position.
When you compare a targeted stretch to general stretches like the ones found in Yoga, Pilates and the corny ones your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist gives you, it’s no surprise they give little or no pain relief and almost always fail to get rid of the problem.

Conclusion

Remember, the key to eliminating injuries and preventing future ones is to identify what areas you need to target. In the next article we’ll be discussing in detail, how to address various injuries like back, hip, knee, and shoulder pain with targeted exercises. In the meantime, be sure to read thru all of our detailed Pain Articles and post any questions you have on our discussion fourm.

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 2

2007-02-27T00:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to article number 2 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises

2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results

3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching

4. Article #4 - Targeted Exercises

5. Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results

Bodybuilders are a stubborn bunch… almost as bad as runners! And they tend to follow the “HERD” doing whatever exercises and routines the “pros” are doing...

Now, if your goal is to be as big as possible and you are not at all concerned with your health and fitness, don’t even bother this article… this article is for bodybuilders who ARE concerned about their health and want to be big, strong, powerful, and agile… if that’s you, read on…

The reason so many bodybuilders suffer from so many different injuries is because there are several things the “pros” don’t tell you…

First off, the articles that you see in all the muscle mags aren’t even written by the “pros”… and the workout routines they recommend are always extreme and often not even used by the “pro” who supposedly wrote because their main goal is to sell magazines… not give you the real deal on bodybuilding.

If you are serious about bodybuilding and want to achieve your true peak, you need to stay injury free… and that’s just about impossible if you train they way most bodybuilders do.

There are several key strategies that you can use right now to not only eliminate any aches, pains and injuries you currently have, but also keep from creating more muscle imbalances in the future.

Strategy #1 - Target the Weaklings!

No, we don’t mean the exercises you think your weak at, or even the muscles you think are underdeveloped… what we mean is the muscles that are weak in relation to the opposing muscle group.

For example, in the first article we talked about why the Leg Extension is not a great exercise and why it’s responsible for so many cases of knee, hip, and back pain… and the reason is, most people, especially bodybuilders, are already over developed and stronger in the quadriceps… and usually have a significant imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Another reason bodybuilders tend to develop so many severe muscle imbalances is because they emphasize the front of the body more than the back… a great example of this is what we call “The T-shirt Muscle Workout” and it usually consists of dozens of sets of chest and biceps…

you know what we mean… in just one workout you do flat bench, incline, decline, pec deck, dumbbell fly, cable cross overs… and then for biceps you’ve got barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, machine curls, and the list goes on…

So instead of emphasizing the muscles that are already strong, why not really hit those weak and under worked muscles like: neck, upper back, shoulder rotators, hamstrings, glutes, hip rotators, lower abs, and shins.

These areas tend to be weak, tight, out of balance with their opposing muscles, prone to muscle strains and pulls and most importantly, these imbalances lead to major injuries and conditions like back pain, knee pain, rotator cuff tears, tendonitis and others.

All of these conditions are caused by muscle imbalances and will NOT go away unless you work towards correcting the imbalances… and the only way to know for sure which imbalances are causing your pain or injury is to do a series of physical assessments like the ones covered in our “Lose the Back Pain Video”.

Strategy #2 - Experiment!

Here’s a personal challenge for you: Replace at least 1 of your normal weekly workouts with something totally different like combat martial arts, kettle bell training, functional training, or even strongman style exercises.

For example, instead of doing your super heavy, 3 inch partial rep leg presses, try a single leg squat… and if that’s easy, try adding weight! Or instead dozens of sets of shoulder presses and lateral raises, see if you can do 1 handstand push-up.

Those are just a few examples… do yourself a favor and experiment with other types of exercises. You can find hundreds of different types of training styles by taking classes, reading books, watching videos, surfing the web, hire a personal trainer, etc.

We aren’t asking you to give up your traditional workouts… but just cross-train a bit so you not only work towards a balanced body but also towards a stronger, more powerful and usable strength. Again, what good is muscle if you can’t use it!

Strategy #3 - Switch It Up!

Another great way to minimize the number of missed workouts due to injuries is to vary the exercises that you do for each muscle group. For example, if you always do barbell squats try rotating in other exercises like single-leg leg presses, trap-bar dead-lifts, d-bell squats, etc.

Conclusion

Remember, the key to eliminating injuries and preventing future ones is to identify what areas you need to target. In the next two articles we’ll be discussing in detail, how to address various injuries like back, hip, knee, and shoulder pain with targeted exercises and stretches. In the meantime, be sure to read thru all of our detailed articles and if you have questions, please post them in our discussion forum.

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 5

2007-02-27T00:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome to article number five in our 5-part series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to cover some basic, yet powerful training principles that are often overlooked and are responsible for nearly all bodybuilding injuries…

If you missed any of the previous articles, you can view them using the links below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises
2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching
4. Article #4 - Targeted Exercises
5. Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #5 - Rest, Recovery and Injury Prevention

Many of the injuries that bodybuilders suffer from could be easily prevented just by allowing the body enough time to rest…

While most bodybuilders dread hearing the word “rest”, many fail to realize that there is far more to rest than just avoiding overtraining. When you perform a tough workout you not only stress that muscle or muscle group, you also place stress on the cardiovascular, neuromuscular and components of the immune system…

For example, many bodybuilders will train their chest 2-3 times a week and spend an hour or more performing dozens of exercises just for the pecs…

While this may sound ok to some, when you add in the stress of other workouts it can quickly add up to too much stress in one or more ways. I hear bodybuilders all the time say “I let my body rest by splitting up my workouts” and “I worked chest yesterday so today I’ll train my back”… that’s NOT rest!

When you train your back, your chest still gets worked, stressed and it also slows down your bodies ability to recover from stress and repair damage from previous workouts…

So don’t kid yourself and think that you can train this way over the long term… it may take years or just a few weeks, but sooner or later your body will break down!

Let me give you a real life example from my experience…

I, like nearly every single bodybuilder out there, created muscle imbalance unknowingly by following the workouts recommended in all the books, magazines, etc…

I trained 4,5 and sometimes even 6 days a week and thought that I was resting enough by splitting my workouts… to make a long story short, after just a few years I had tendonitis in both triceps because I worked chest, tri’s and shoulder too often, too intensely and didn’t balance out my training…

I also had lower and middle back pain, knee problems and IT band tendonitis because my lower body workouts weren’t balanced… I spent too much time doing heavy squatting, too often and neglected important muscles…

These injuries stayed with me for months, years and I still can have an occasional flare up if I don’t stay consistent with a balanced training program. I was able to create all this damage by the age of 22… I am now 28 and will have to spend the rest of my life trying to prevent these old injuries from coming back and causing more pain and problems…

Don’t do what I did! And if you already have, you better act fast and take a serious look at your training and your goals because if you don’t, you will spend the rest of your life in pain and frustrated by all the injuries, big and small.

So here’s my…

5-Step Formula for Quickly Eliminating and Preventing Aches, Pains and Injuries

Step 1. Rest and Recovery

The first thing you need to do is REST! And no, I don’t mean take a day or two off… I mean no workouts for at least a week or more… you need to give your body a chance to reduce the inflammation before you can begin work on eliminating or correcting the cause of the problem. You may also want to use things like a heating pad, hot tub or massage to help reduce the inflammation and speed up the healing and recovery…

Step 2. Identify Muscle Imbalances

The next thing you need to do is find out which muscle imbalances have created your injury or are causing your pain and work towards correcting them… you can do this quickly and easily by performing physical assessments in which you are looking for strength and flexibility imbalances in all opposing muscle groups.

You can do these assessments yourself and they are covered in our Lose the Back Pain Video http://www.losethebackpain.com

Step 3. Increase Flexibility in Tight Muscles with Targeted Stretching

In order to correct a muscle imbalance, you need to increase the flexibility and range of motion in the muscles that are too tight and causing a problem.

As we discussed in the previous articles, you have got to know what muscles NEED to be stretched before you start stretching. General stretching may or may not help… it may even make things worse! You have got to target the right areas and the only way to ensure that you are, is to do assessments and find out.

Step 4. Strengthen Weak Muscles with Targeted Strength Exercises

The other major step in correcting muscle imbalances is to strength the weak muscles that are being overpowered by the strong and tight opposing muscle(s).

The same is also true for strengthening… you have to make sure that you choose the right exercises and the only way to know for sure is thru assessments… don’t use guesswork when choosing exercises!

Step 5. Monitor and Modify Your Program

The key to long term pain relief and injury prevention is to consistently monitor your progress and adjust your program… for example, as you work on correcting and preventing muscle imbalances the strength and flexibility of your muscles will change and therefore, you must then re-assess and change your program and workouts accordingly.

You will typically see changes in your strength, flexibility and bio-mechanics in as little as 2-4 weeks so I recommend that you re-assess yourself at least every 4-6 weeks.

So there you have it… 5 simple steps that you can take right now to work on eliminating any pain or injuries you currently have AND make sure you never create any new ones to deal with in the future.

Following these steps will not only help you eliminate aches, pains and injuries and it will also allow you to train more intensely and productively to get you the results you want.

Hope you enjoyed and benefited from this article series and we look forward to hearing of your success.

Bodybuilding: Effective Ways To Handling Criticism

2007-02-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

It's important to set the way we'll respond to different critics throughout the journey of achieving our personal and bodybuilding goals. As are other areas of life, Bodybuilding is a sport of opinion. When we step on that stage, or conduct our daily business, whether with associates or judges, it's our relationships with these people, and their opinions and impressions that will determine our personal and bodybuilding successes and victories.

The more dedicated you are to your bodybuilding goals, the easier it will be to show the judges your best physique. The greater your ability in controlling and handling daily communication, the more successful you will become with people and in personal endeavors.

Yet at various instances, opinions, that we may not necessarily condone and desire to receive will come through from other people.

The levels of our flexibility in handling outside feedback will greatly determine the impressions that others hold toward us, the way we view ourselves, and the results of our goals. You see, the way we respond to events reflects whom we are within.

Thus, by developing the ability to positively respond to events and changes that occur in our life, and respond to them in a constructive matter will greatly enhance the quality of our actions, create positive impressions about who we are for ourselves and others, and enable us to rise to higher levels of quality and results.

I believe there are three forms of opinions. More precisely, there are three roots from which they manifest. Criticism is a way of justifying one's own weaknesses. First are the people who are jealous and will criticize your achievements to lower you to their level, thus making themselves feel better. Those people usually accompany words like "can't", "impossible", "I don't have time", and so forth.

Steer clear, by nodding your head with disguised agreement, as anything further would be just a waste of time.

A second scenario would involve an advice that is in our control to determine whether it is perceived as offensive or constructive. For example, if a gym member or someone with more experience and knowledge, comments that your legs are small, avoid get offended by shouting back "Huh, do you know how hard I blast my legs, they are not small at all". This automatic response is perfectly fine, due to the desire to avoid negative feedback, also since we don't like to be put down. Even if we know what's stated is right. Especially when there's hard work involved.

Yet I believe there's always room for growth. Always. So welcoming these types of suggestions could be even beneficial to help us excel and achieve greater results. So the next time some one criticizes your legs, say "Thanks!", and make a note to use that as an advantages on your next leg workout.

A third opinion is a compliment. Use the compliment to appreciate your achievements, and enjoy the ride along your journey. Often times we don't appreciate our efforts enough, and what we have achieved. Yet at the same time, avoid letting that compliment put you in ease. Continue striving for your goals, with full dedication and persistence, and you'll achieve what you set out to do.

And remember, Be patient. Build it, and it will come.

New Bodybuilding Study on the Benefits of 'Deadlifts'

2007-02-26T23:59:00.000-08:00

Deadlifts are a very potential muscle-building exercise, that will rejuvenate your entire physical condition, to a whole new level -- if executed astutely.

Here are some facts, on how Deadlifts can dramatically improve your physical power, to singularly maximized levels:

Deadlifts Will Quadruple your Natural Testosterone & Growth Hormone Levels each time your subject yourself into this exercise (performed once / or twice a month.)
Deadlifts Will Increase your Metabolism at Incredibly Fast Rates and Transform Fat into Pure Energy.
Deadlifts Will help your urination, detoxification, and "gas-liberation" (don't Cackle - it's a fact)...
Deadlifts Will Enhance your Sexual Performance & Desire, if performed Methodically.
Deadlifts Can Improve your Lung's Functionality and Heart's Efficiency, Dramatically.
Deadlifts Will Boost your Immune System to recovering fast from various Illnesses.
Deadlifts Will make you speedy, powerful, leaner, reactive, energetic...

I lust the feeling of small in duration, highly intensive Deadlifts which successfully force my body, to excrete a constant flow of testosterone, that awakens a voracious beast inside me...

After a 'Deadlift Workout' I can feel my sexuality rise so sky-high... my muscles so engorged, that my poise is automatically triggered and empowered to the absolute maximum.

5 Familiar Bodybuilding Troubles...Which Do You Want To Overcome?

2007-02-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

In my 3 decades of training experience I have identified 5 major bodybuilding troubles or problems. These are:-

1 Overtraining...training too much...too often and too long. Not taking a complete week off every 3 months...

2 Under eating...Not eating enough...you need 6 meals per day minimum...every day, including weekends...

3 Neglecting the window of opportunity for rapid growth by not taking Whey protein and creatine immediately after training...

4 Not stretching properly to facilitate easy growth...

5 Not focussing your mental muscle on who you want to become...

PART ONE

1 Overtraining...training too much...too often and too long. Not taking a complete weeks break or rest every 3 months.

This would have to be the most common trouble that hinders many would be successful bodybuilders from realising their full potential. And it's a particularly insidious trouble because we have been taught that to get things in life , we have to work hard. Well that's true to some extent both in life and weight training. In weight training we have to train hard as far as intensity goes...if you want to get big you need to push big weights. But where the problem creeps in is that we apply rules from other places that don't apply to weight training. The rules I am talking about can be best illustrated with an example. I want to grow a big bank account...So I work a few jobs or set up a few businesses that give me multiple streams of income. Hey presto...that works...my hard work and long hours returns lots of money and a big fat bank account.

The problem is when we apply this more is better to weight training, with the underlying premise that if training 3 days per week made me gain 3 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks...then if I train 6 days a week I should be able to put on 6 pounds of muscle in the same time. Or if training 30 minutes per workout made me gain 3 pounds...then if I train an hour and a half(3 x as long) I should be able to put on 9 pounds(3x as much) BIG MISTAKE...BIG TROUBLE...The logic on the surface sounds OK...but the underlying reality is quite different. The only thing the extra training does is burn you out and frustrate you with diminished returns. When I owned and operated my two bodybuilding gyms I used to see this all the time...and you just can't tell some people.

They are so caught up in the belief that more is better that they are too scared to cut back on their routine lest they slip back...the irony is they won't "slip" back...they will actually burst forwards because they are unaware that they are being held back by over stressing their body. Don’t get me wrong...hard work isn't bad...and sometimes its the persistence factor that gives (lands) us the big win. But the way to burst through sticking points is not to add exercises or volume (sets, reps)...but to add or increase intensity.( bigger weights...higher resistance...less rest between sets) Now since volume and intensity are inversely proportional, it is only logical that to increase intensity you also need to reduce volume. To overcome this block or obstacle requires you to do less...but make what you do even harder.

Another trouble related to this is the myth that as you become more advanced...you need to train more. Nothing could be further from the truth...you actually need to train less (but smarter...with more intensity) The reason for this is because although your strength and size becomes greater over time...your recovery ability does not increase to the same extent...your ability to recover improves only marginally compared to your ability to get stronger. Why does this happen? Think of it this way...when you first started and had, for example 12” arms...

If you did a set to failure of bicep curls, the amount of stress being inflicted on your total body wasn't that great because 12” arms don't require that much blood flow and the small muscle cell size isn't much of a drain on your energy or nervous system. However, when your arms have grown to say 18” and you do a set to failure...the weight will be huge compared to when you were a beginner...and the subsequent drain on the bodies total energy system and the shock effect this has will be immense. Although your strength may have improved by over one hundred percent, your bodies ability to recover won't have...your arms might be 50% greater in size...but your capacity for recovery won't have increased by 50%(more like 30% maximum)... and this leads to the condition of overtraining that we are talking about. So as you become more advanced...keep thinking of ways to make your training harder (more intense) but shorter in duration and less in volume.

I remember years ago I was at a sticking point with my own training...and I was getting really frustrated. Nothing seemed to work for me. I thought I was doing everything optimally...eating right...getting plenty of sleep etc...but my weight hadn't budged for months. I was at 89 kilos and I desperately wanted to break the 90 kilo barrier, but nothing seemed to work...I suppose the 90 kilo barrier to me was like Roger Bannister's four minute mile...this was my four minute mile...which the final solution was to be a four minute instead of four hour (I’m exaggerating here, but I hope you get my drift) exercise workout!

Time to try something different I thought...what I was doing obviously wasn't working...so I had nothing to lose. I had read Mike Mentzers Heavy Duty training book, which had just been released. His Arthur Jones based training ideas were quite revolutionary...Incredibly heavy, hard intense workouts that were very brief. So I started experimenting with this style of training. I remember everybody thinking what the hell is he doing...some were even chuckling behind my back...despite the fact that I was by this stage a successful competitive bodybuilder. I remember one exercise session vividly...the first time I did heavy negatives on the dip rack. I got my training partner to help me suspend a 100-pound dumbbell via a chain from my training belt. He would help get me to the top position of the dip by lifting me at the knees, and I would have to lower myself slowly under control to the bottom.

The weight was so heavy I couldn't even do a single positive rep on my own. I finished my first set of 4 reps, and when I looked up I noticed the whole gym had stopped to watch what I was doing. At first people just dismissed this radical for the time style of training...but when after only 3 weeks I had busted through my sticking point and my weight soared to 92 kilos... people weren't laughing anymore. I was stoked. I purposely had not weighed myself for three weeks because I was hoping to get a pleasant surprise...I felt and knew this new style of training was working for me based on the mirror and judging by the fact that my strength was rapidly improving (100 pound db was too light for the dip now because I was capable of doing positive reps with it).

I would have been happy to have just hit 90kg...but I overshot it by 2 kilos (4.4 pounds). I was sold on this new style of training...a 3 kg (6.6 lb) gain in only 3 weeks...after months of not putting on an ounce...and with a fraction of the amount of work I had been previously doing. At first everyone wanted to know what I was on! What I was on was an incredibly effective training routine, and soon others started copying and getting similar results. And it wasn't before too long 90 kilos seemed like a joke as I crashed through the 100 kg barrier(220 pounds) But this never would have been possible for me if I had just followed the masses and continued with my 20 sets per body part training systems.

So my advice to avoid this problem of overtraining is to continually be searching for ways to make your workout harder, not longer. Do less, but achieve more. Bigger weights...less sets...higher intensity...less rest period between sets...less exercises...less training days...more rest days...this will ultimately make your workouts super effective...and more fun!

For parts 2-5 of this five part series…Visit http://ironpower.biz/download.htm and download yourself a FREE copy of ”5 Familiar Bodybuilding Troubles…Which Do You Want To Overcome?” E-Book. Part 4 of the eBook reveals a secret stretching technique for unleashing phenomenal muscle growth.

About the author: Richard Hargreaves is a former Mr Australia, and personal trainer with 25 years experience. He has written numerous bodybuilding and fitness books, and articles for magazines such as Australian Ironman, Australian Musclemag, Taekwondo, Blitz martial Arts, Kickboxer, Natural Bodybuilder, Network Fitness, Australian Personal Trainer, Personal Training On The Net, and Women’s Fitness. Visit http://ironpower.biz/download.htm to download Bodybuilding and Fitness eBooks valued at $70, absolutely FREE.

"Bodybuilding Sins" That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts

2007-02-26T23:55:00.000-08:00

It’s one thing for someone who sits at a computer all day and never exercises to have back pain, but for a bodybuilder, someone who spends hours and hours each week pouring everything they’ve got into building muscle, it should be criminal!

The reason we say this is because, if you are going to spend so much time, money, and energy trying to build the “perfect body”, you have to make sure that you not only look good, but also feel good…

We’ve identified what we call “Bodybuilding Sins” that lead to back pain, sciatic pain, and other injuries… read em and take action now if you are serious about bodybuilding and are fed up with your back pain.

Because there is so much information to share with you, we’ve broken it down into a series of 5 articles, each covering a different component of how back pain affects bodybuilders.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises (below)
2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching
4. Article #4 - Targeted Exercises
5. Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #1 - Choosing the WRONG Exercises

Get ready, this is gonna hurt! The exercises most bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most problems… hopefully, you’re different J

But before we share with you what those exercise are, let’s talk real quickly about what bodybuilding is…

The goal of bodybuilding isn’t to get as big as you can, or at least to us it isn’t and shouldn’t be, but to build a balanced body that is as strong as possible in every way. For example, while being freakishly big may get people’s attention, it serves you no purpose at all…

while on the other hand, what if you were not only big, but also extremely strong and powerful, lightning fast, flexible, and agile enough to kick ass if needed?

So many bodybuilders build massive amounts of muscle yet are so unbelievably weak and inflexible… for example, we know a guy who can bench press over 350 lbs but can’t do a measly 50 push-ups!

The point is, the exercises you choose and how you perform them not only determine how big, strong, and flexible you are, but also affect how your body functions and whether or not you suffer from aches, pains, and injuries like back pain and sciatic pain.

Ok, here they are… the exercises that create the most problems and are most likely to lead to back pain:

1. Bench Press
2. Leg Extension

So, any of your favorites on this list?

While there are others, these are the two that cause the most damage.

There are several reasons why these exercises made our list of the “worst bodybuilding exercises”. First, all of them target areas that already tend to get worked a lot in everyday life and often times are overdeveloped…

and by focusing so much on these exercises you end up creating muscle imbalances, or worsening existing muscle imbalances, which pull your bones and joints out of their normal position…

and this leads to uneven pressure and wear and tear on your muscle, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints and will sooner or later lead a break down or injury.

For example, chronic overuse of the bench press, coupled with little or no exercises targeting the upper back, leads to an overdevelopment of the chest and a lack of strength and development in the upper back…

This all too common combination leads to what we call “Turtle Back”. You know what we’re talking about, when the shoulders are pulled so far forward, lats are as wide as barn, and from behind, their back looks like a giant sea turtle shell!

This “Turtle Back” posture can create neck, upper back, and shoulder pain and injuries faster than you can pop an Advil!

Plus, how many times during your day are you forced to lie on your back and push up a bar loaded with weights? There are so many better exercises for chest development that not only stimulate more muscle, but also build more usable strength.

Now let’s talk about the fabulous thigh builder, the leg extension…

Not only does it place an unbelievable amount of strain on the knee joint, but it also will quickly overdevelop the quads, which are already getting far more work than their counterpart, the hamstrings.

An imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings, which is also extremely common in bodybuilders, is a key contributor to back pain. This imbalance is easily identifiable by what people often call “Bubble Butt” or “Ghetto Booty”.

So hopefully you can see how important it is to choose your exercises wisely. We strongly recommend you cut out these exercises, or at least cut back on using them and add in targeted exercises for the opposing muscle groups and targeted stretches for those tight, overdeveloped muscles.

The key to eliminating back pain, or any other ache, pain or injury for that matter, is to bring your body closer to balance…

What good is muscle if you can’t use it? How many more workouts are you going to miss because of back, neck, or shoulder pain? How much bigger and stronger could you be if back pain and other injuries weren’t ruining your training?

Just imagine how bad things will be 10, 20, or 30 years from now if you don’t make changes to your training now… but don’t take our word for it, ask some of the older bodybuilders who are paying the price now... you can spot them easily at the gym because they limp around trying to find something they CAN do.

Look for the next article, “Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results” very soon and in the mean time, if you are suffering from back pain or sciatic pain, here’s what you need to do…

Head on over to our website http://www.losethebackpain.com now to find out exactly what’s causing your back pain and the specific steps you need to take to get relief fast and get back to training at 100%.

Moving From Beginner To Intermediate Level Bodybuilding

2007-02-26T23:54:00.000-08:00

By now you've made significant progress in your bodybuilding career. For the past three to six months you've learnt how to perform the core lifting exercises in a technically correct manner. You've also conditioned the body and developed sufficient core strength to prepare yourself for a whole new level of intensity. Hopefully you've also built some rock solid muscle! But that's only the beginning.

In recent weeks your workouts have probably lost some of their effect so, even though you're lifting bigger weights, your muscles now need even greater stimulation to generate maximal growth. Don't expect miracles though - from this point onwards, every little bit of improvement will take even greater and more intensive work than before.

Because you'll be working your muscles more intensively, they'll also need more recovery time to adapt and grow and that's why you'll be reducing your workouts to three a week. Each primary muscle group trained will now need one full week to recover. After being used to whole body sessions and more workouts per week it may seem as if you're not doing enough but the point is, you'll be working your muscles very, very intensively and making better use of your time.

As you gain more experience you'll be able to tweak or re-design your basic muscle building program to suit your own individual needs, but the program described here should provide a useful starting point. What I'm proposing is basically a 3-split of the body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

MONDAY (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)

1. Chest Exercises

Incline dumbbell press - this is a compound exercise that targets the chest but also works the triceps and shoulders to a lesser extent.

Pec-deck flye - this is an isolation exercise that works the pectorals.

2. Triceps

Dips - this compound exercise targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulders.

3. Shoulders

Front military press - this compound exercise targets shoulders but also works the triceps.

Dumbbell lateral raises - this isolation exercise works the shoulders only.

Bentover dumbbell laterals - this isolation exercise works the rear delts.

WEDNESDAY (Back, Biceps, Forearms)

1. Back

Front lat pulls - compound exercise that targets lats but also works the biceps and mid-back.

Deadlifts - compound exercise that targets the back and quads but also works hamstrings, calves and glutes.

Dumbbell rows - compound exercise that targets mid-back but also works biceps and lats.

Dumbbell shrugs - isolation exercise that works traps.

2. Biceps

Dumbbell biceps curl - isolation exercise that works the biceps.

Dumbbell hammer curls - isolation exercise that works the biceps.

3. Forearms

Barbell wrist curl - isolation exercise that works the forearms.

FRIDAY (Lower Body)

1. Legs

Squats or leg press - compound exercise that targets the quads but also works the hamstrings, calves and glutes.

Leg extension - isolation exercise that works the quads.

Leg curls - isolation exercise that works the hamstrings.

Standing calf raise - isolation exercise that works the gastrocnemius calf muscle.

Seated calf raise - isolation exercise that works the soleus calf muscle.

You could start this program by aiming for two sets of 8-10 reps per exercise but as your strength and size increase you should really introduce techniques that boost the intensity even further. This can be achieved in a number of ways including the use of pre-exhaustion, super sets, partial reps, isometric contractions and forced reps. These techniques are covered in detail elsewhere in this series of articles.

Choosing The Right Bodybuilding Supplement

2007-02-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

Before wasting your money on a pile of bodybuilding supplements you really need to work out what you are hoping to achieve. Don't lose sight of the fact that sound nutrition forms the basis of any muscle building program and no amount of supplementation with the latest and greatest products will make up for bad eating habits. The bottom line is, bodybuilding supplements should be used IN ADDITION to regular food, not INSTEAD OF it.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's go on to think about what supplements could be of use and this is something that can only be determined by your physical and performance goals. Don't make the mistake of copying your training partners or believing all the garbage spouted in magazine ads. Decide first what you want to achieve and then choose the supplements that will help you reach your goals.

To help you make an informed choice, the most popular and useful bodybuilding supplements available today are listed below, broadly divided into two goal-related categories.

Determined to build muscle? This cannot be achieved without dedication, sheer hard work and sound nutrition. With a solid foundation in place you can help the process along with supplements like creatine, whey protein, prohormones, testosterone boosters and amino acids.

Need to lose fat? There is no point in building awesome muscles if they're covered by layers of fat. Once again, the key to success is hard work but you can boost fat loss by using products from supplement categories that include fat burners, stimulant-free products, appetite suppressants and carb blockers.

Many more supplements are available to support your bodybuilding endeavors. These include energy boosters and products aimed at enhancing the condition of your mind and body. As we progress through this series of articles we'll look at each of these in turn.

In the meantime you can find out more by visiting the web site listed below.

Bodybuilding Nutritional Supplements - The Most Popular

2007-02-22T02:17:00.000-08:00

Bodybuilding nutritional supplements are “concentrated nutrition” created from higher-quality sources and are absorbed easily by the body. Nutritional supplements are a worthwhile addition to a daily diet because they provide the body with extras that it might not always obtain from food sources.

These include vitamins and minerals the body requires, an extra boost of energy, substances to help build stronger tissues and so on. Bodybuilders in particular can benefit from taking nutritional supplements as they help to burn fat while also building muscle.

When it comes to bodybuilding there are various types of nutritional supplements with the most common being protein, amino acids, creatine, fat burners, cartilage/joint products and testosterone boosters. Bodybuilding nutritional supplements can be broken down into three groups- muscle-building supplements, weight (or fat) loss supplements and joint/injury-preventing supplements.

The muscle building supplements include amino acids, creatine and testosterone boosters while the weight (fat) loss supplements include fat blockers, ephedrine-free fat burners and the all-in-one kits. Finally, the third group, the joint/injury-preventing supplements consist of chondroitine sulfate and glucosamine sulfate.

While building a tremendous physique is not only about taking nutritional supplements, they can go a long way in helping to improve the situation. Most bodybuilders are encouraged to include nutritional supplements into their daily diets, whether it is one kind or a variety of types. It all helps when it comes to the end result.

The top most widely toted bodybuilding nutritional supplements include meal replacement powders (MRPs), protein powders, weight gain formulas, maltodextrin, probiotics, nutrition bars, pre-workout drinks, fat-burners and thermogenics, creatine monohydrate and glutamine.

Meal replacement powders (MRPs) are made up of high protein content, essential fatty acids, moderate levels of carbohydrates as well as all of the vitamins and minerals that are deemed as essential. Protein powders today are made of superior quality ion-exchange whey powder that is digested and absorbed very easily by the body to be used efficiently by the muscles.

Weight gain formulas are most recommended for the novice bodybuilder who is thin to start out with. These formulas usually contain approximately 600 calories and 50 grams of protein per serving and have lots of carbohydrates in them. It can be mixed with skim milk or water to drink.

Maltodextrin is a synthetic polysaccharide (otherwise known as a complex carbohydrate) and is excellent for high-energy demands put on the body. Probiotics are "healthy" bacteria that live in the digestive system and promote the healthy functioning of it. The most common name for probiotics is Lactobacillus acidophilus and taking supplements, helps keep the digestive system on track. Probiotics can be found in special drinks, yogurts, powders and capsules.

Nutrition bars are a healthy way to snack but it is important to note that most nutrition bars do contain traces of trans-fat and also additives. Pre-workout drinks are energy drinks that come in a variety of delicious tasting flavors. Some just contain a sugar base while others are laced with stimulants such as caffeine, ephedra and guarana. Always avoid the ones that are extremely high in sugar and therefore calories.

Fat burners contain ingredients that effectively burn fat by way of thermogenesis. Look for one that comes from the herb ephedra. Creatine monohydrate helps to improve energy levels and therefore performance. It is the most highly researched of all bodybuilding nutritional supplements. Glutamine is highly debated because bodybuilders say it helps build muscle while researchers have yet to find a link between the substance and muscle mass.

Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips

2007-02-22T02:16:00.000-08:00

Gym workout programs can vary dramatically from bodybuilder to bodybuilder. One gym bodybuilding workout for one bodybuilding enthusiast can deliver outstanding results while another gym workout can be a disappointment for another bodybuilder.

After thousands of bodybuilding fitness consulting sessions, and publishing a popular weight training guide, I constantly teach bodybuilders a results proven gym workout routine that builds muscle fast.

All you have to do is follow my 8 Gym Workout Bodybuilding Tips and you will soon see your muscle building results double.

8 Gym Bodybuilding Workout Tips

1. Have a clear weight training routine purpose.

Upon entering the gym it is imperative to have a clear cut bodybuilding routine plan of action. You should know exactly what exercises you will perform, how much weight you will need to lift, and how many reps you must beat. Therefore, your whole bodybuilding routine is 100% planned, set in stone, prior to beginning your gym workout. You must walk into the gym with a definite plan, and purpose.

2. Be in a "warrior" high intensity weight training state of mind.

It is crucial to enter the gym workout focused. I can remember entering the gym and instantly beginning to perspire. I mentally had worked myself up into state of high intensity weight training desire. This is even before I lifted one weight. It is called focus, and anticipation.

Bodybuilding results are only seen when you force yourself to grow. That takes high intensity weight training, as well as ultra high mental focus. Your mind should be totally focused on conquering the next rep. It is important to imagine yourself forcing out that one additional muscle building repetition.

In an effective gym workout, your attitude, and drive will determine your altitude of muscle development.

3. Focus on effective pre- gym workout bodybuilding nutrition.

Make sure you ingest a small amount of complex carbohydrates, and protein approximately 2 hours prior to beginning your gym workout. This will assure you of getting the adequate amounts of energy producing nutrients to expel in your high intensity weight training session.

Another extremely important gym workout tip is to make sure you are properly hydrated with, preferably, water. You should be consuming at least one-half of your bodyweight in ounces each and every day.

Bodybuilding training preparations are similar to space shuttle preparations. Your goal should be to get your system ready for a high intensity weight training blast off.

4. Did you bring your bodybuilding workout log to your gym workout?

One of the biggest mistakes bodybuilders consistently make is neglecting to track their weight lifting progress. Without measuring progress, there generally is little improvement. How do you know what you are suppose to beat if you have no data? How can a department store set sales goals if they don't track sales? It is just absolutely silly seeing bodybuilders completing their gym workouts without recording any data. That what is not measured will not improve.

5. Gym workouts are for training, not socializing.

Remember, you are in the gym to get muscle building results. If you are talking and goofing around, how in the world can you be ultra focused on going to war with the weights? Get your work done, and then socialize if you wish. I tell my clients to stay focused, and don't allow distractions. Focus on conquering that near impossible, muscle growth repetition.

6. Use only proven bodybuilding program principles.

Don't listen to Joe Bodybuilders newest theory on building muscle. Stick to what has been scientifically proven to work. Beware of all the gym chatter floating around. To discover all of the most advanced proven bodybuilding principles visit my muscle building weight training guide presented in digital audio. Bodybuilding Done Right is a how to bodybuilding audio revealing the proven scientific bodybuilding program principle the pros use, but refuse to share.

7. Avoid Overtraining.

Once you have completed your pre-designed 100% high intensity bodybuilding routine, it is time to get out of the gym, and go home and grow. Hold yourself back from doing one extra set. Remember, more is not necessarily better. Stick to your plan. With high intensity weight training you need less volume of work. Any extra basic weight training exercises could be counter productive to your bodybuilding muscle growth.

Get out of the gym, and let your body compensate, and later overcompensate with added fat burning muscle tissue.

Also, make sure your body has fully recovered from the previous gym workout before you train again.

8. Begin the recovery process with optimal bodybuilding nutrition.

You have an hour after your high intensity weight training workout to replenish your glycogen levels, thus, aiding in the muscle building, and recovery process. Take in two parts complex or simple carbohydrates with one part protein. This is an important bodybuilding tip that has been proven to aid in the muscle recovery, and building process. So power your gym workout with these proven tips.

These are 8 important gym workout tips that should be followed. Following these bodybuilding workout tips will do wonders for your weightlifting, muscle building results.

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Get Fast Results - Tips to Successful Bodybuilding for Beginners

2007-02-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

With so many ads and free bodybuilding regimen in magazines and the Internet, it is easy to go wrong. DO NOT use the bodybuilding regimen of professional bodybuilders when you start off.

Begin slowly. It is natural to be enthusiastic at this stage. But your body needs only 3 non-consecutive days of workout a week. To be successful, your bodybuilding regimen needs to focus on:

* The right kinds of exercises
* The right technique
* Breathing technique
* Diet

Mastering technique is the most important part of a beginner’s routine. If you are doing the right exercise in the wrong way, you are wasting your time. Once you have mastered the technique, you can push your body harder and do the number of recommended reps. This way you can achieve more number of reps without having to worry about injury.

Gaining muscle mass is not just about exercising. This has to be coupled with a bodybuilding diet. Good nutrition is an important part of your muscle building program. You should ideally be having five or six small meals a day. Here are some changes you need to make:

* Cut fats
* Say ‘no’ to refined sugar
* Take in lots of water
* Increase your protein intake

The best time to work out is in the morning, on an empty stomach. Your body needs food after the workout because your last meal would probably have been 8-10 hours before the exercise. So, you should NEVER miss your post workout meal.

Your ideal diet should include potatoes, rice, pasta, lean red meat, egg whites, banana, turkey, cottage cheese and tuna. Natural fats like natural peanut butter, olive oil and flaxseed oil are good because they are rich in monounsaturated fats.

Warm up before you start your bodybuilding exercises. Perform all exercises through their full range of motion. Keep your movements slow and controlled. This will help keep resistance on the muscles. You may need to rest between exercises, especially in the beginning.

There are a number of exercises that you can choose from to build the body of your dreams. For the exercises to work in peak form, you need to cycle the exercises so that all the major muscles receive their fair share of resistance training. Change the sets, switch the order of body parts, choose different exercises and vary the rest time between sets.

Do not start on any supplements right away. The need for supplements comes in only after you hit a plateau – the stage when you are doing all the right things, but not seeing any results.

While bodybuilding success depends on pushing the limits, never ignore pain. Set small and achievable goals. Do not give up. Remember bodybuilding is not just about exercises, it is a lifestyle in itself.

Bodybuilding is serious business. So, the first thing you have to do is get a physical done. It is absolutely essential to ensure that all your organs are in perfect working order. A healthy heart, liver and kidneys are a must if you dream of body building success. Your hormonal balance also plays a very important part in bodybuilding.

Six Unforgivable Bodybuilding Sins Part 1

2007-02-22T02:14:00.002-08:00

If you are a hardgainer or natural bodybuilder, you already know how difficult it is to get sleeve-busting muscles. Learn how to avoid these common unforgivable bodybuilding sins that not even the Pope will excuse!

Unforgivable Bodybuilding Sin #1: Training through the motions instead of training for results

How many times have you gone to the gym and casually lift the same weights; same exercises; same workout order; and same lack of progress? This is called insanity; doing the same thing but expecting a different result. It is also known as training through the motions. Your body is present but your mind is absent. Training through the motions is fine if you are simply interested in stress release and improving your energy levels, but if you are trying to build a body you can be proud of, this won't cut it.

Only results matter, if you expect to see progress.

Consider the analogy of starting your own business. Starting your own business may earn you praise for being a hard worker, disciplined, skillfulness and many other nice compliments but if your business does not make money, the latter perks don't really matter. Whether you agree or not, money is a measurement of whether your hard work, discipline and skillfulness are paying off or not. Lifting more weight, squeezing out more reps in a workout, and completing more work in less time are all signs of measurement.

How to make this sin forgivable?

Stop training through the motions and you will no longer have the illusion that you are improving. Focus on measuring your results and out doing yourself from workout to workout and there will be no doubt that you are moving forward.

Unforgivable Bodybuilding Sin #2: Not keeping a training journal

Not keeping a training journal piggy backs on the last sin. Imagine trying to run your brand new business without keeping records. You have no idea what's coming in or what's going out. You have no idea why you had a bad month. You have no idea why you had a good month. Training is no different.

History has a tendency to repeat itself

If something worked in the past, why would it not work for the future? If something did not work in the past, than most likely it won't work in the future! If you are not tracking what works and what fails, than your training progress is doomed.

Instead of just recording what you did at each workout, start recording the details. If you had a great workout, let's determine why?

# Is it from the amount of sleep you got the night before?
# Was it a new workout drink you used?
# Was it a different time of the day?
# Did you warm up or stretch longer?
# Did you take an extra day off?
# Were you in a better mood?

How to make this sin forgivable?

The more you know, the more control you have of experiencing the same feeling the next workout. On the flip side, if you had a terrible workout, consider all the same factors to prevent it from happening in the future.

Human nature always want to out do itself.

Your natural instincts will strive for improvement. If you know what the numbers were last workout, you will want to out do yourself. You will want to complete your workout in 47 minutes instead of 50 minutes. You will complete all ten reps instead of eight. You will increase your weights 2.5 lbs instead of stay the same.

The numbers don't lie.

A training journal will keep your progress honest and not deceive you. You might feel incredible after a workout and consider that a sign of improvement but than be disappointed when you realize that you were actually weaker meaning no sign of improvement. Treat your training like a business and it will catapult your muscle progress forward.

Unforgivable Bodybuilding Sin #3: Broken focus

Here is how I see many people live life. First you want to open up a restaurant. Next week you want to become a police officer. The week after that you want to go to Vegas to become a professional poker player! You will most likely fail at everything you do because of your broken focus and lack of discipline to finish what you start.

How to make this sin forgivable?

A lack of focus equals a lack of results. Start treating your training the same way you would treat your career. If you change your career, every few weeks, you will inevitably become a jack of all trades, master of none. It will not become a question of if, but a question of when. Your training, to build a jaw dropping physique, is no different.

Pick one training program and stick with it

There are a lot of options and it can be difficult to choose just one. However, look at this has a positive, and make your life simple by choosing just one and stick to it for it's entire program length. Don't start a 12 week strength program and than go back to a bodybuilding style program after three weeks because it wasn't working.

You must trust the author of the program and take responsibility for your decision. Do not consult others about a program someone else has written, they are not the author of the program and will only confuse you. Go straight to the source and consult the author of the program if you require clarification, otherwise execute every single detail as prescribed. Stay completely focused and committed to the program you have chosen and squeezing out every ounce of muscle that it promises.

How to pick the right program

Don't start a high-volume training program if you are not prepared to get extra sleep, spend some extra money on supplements and find extra time in the day to eat more food. Don't start a fat loss program if you don't have the time to do double day workouts as sometimes necessary. Don't pick a bulking program if summer is coming up and you want to be ripped for summer. Bottom line, make sure you know exactly what your program entails and that you will be prepared to invest whatever is involved with the desired outcome.

Bodybuilding Health

2007-02-22T02:14:00.001-08:00

Bodybuilding and nutrition are the key to a healthy life. With an adequate nutrition and physical exercises, you can perk up your life. It is important to understand that you have to combine bodybuilding and good nutrition in order for them to have effect on your body and to improve your life. Bodybuilding and nutrition go hand in hand. A healthy nutrition will provide you with the energy you need to function properly, and you will certainly need energy if you want to start a bodybuilding program. It is well known that physical exercises and bodybuilding will help you maintain a healthy life. Research had shown that bodybuilding will help prevent cardiovascular illnesses by reducing the body fat in you organism and increasing your muscular mass.

In addition, bodybuilding reduces the aging process and it will increase your confidence. Any one can practice bodybuilding from a teen age to a rather older age. You do not have to be a professional bodybuilder in order to feel the effects of these trainings.Bodybuilding will increase your muscular mass, bone strength and combined with the right nutrition it will increase your energy levels. Being a bodybuilder has many advantages but the most important one is a healthier life achieved by reducing fat and cholesterol levels, stress levels, regulating blood pressure, cleansing the internal organs, and preventing illnesses.

Working out will boost your self-esteem increase your moral help you relax more easily and reduce the stress in your life. Bodybuilding will for sure make you feel better and look better therefore drawing attention to you. Looking great the opposite sex will find you more appealing.Overall bodybuilding will help you improve your life from all points of view.

Bodybuilding

2007-02-22T02:13:00.002-08:00

Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibres through the combination of weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. As a sport, called competitive bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their aesthetic appearance. Bodybuilding has contributed to the success of many public figures worldwide. Examples from North America include Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.

Female Bodybuilding

In the 1970s women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions. Extremely popular at first, the interest in the competitive side of female bodybuilding has waned sharply in recent years even though more women than ever are training with weights. In recent years, the related areas of fitness and figure competition have gained in popularity, providing an alternative for women who choose not to develop the level of muscularity necessary for bodybuilding.

Teenage Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding also has many competition categories for young entrants. There has been some controversy surrounding teenagers competing in bodybuilding, as critics argue the pressures for teens to resort to steroid use is much higher, as their muscle development may not be fully matured yet. However, the sport does attract a fair amount of teenage competitors. It is a popular sport due to its emphasis on fitness.

Bodybuilding and Nutrition

In any case, whether male or female, or teenage, nutrition is a big part of proper bodybuilding. The high levels of muscle growth and repair achieved by bodybuilders require a specialised diet. Generally speaking, bodybuilders require between 500 to 1000 Calories (2000 to 4000 kilojoules) above their maintenance level of food energy while attempting to increase lean body mass. A sub-maintenance level of food energy is combined with cardiovascular exercise to lose body fat in preparation for a contest. The ratios of food energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats vary depending on the goals of the bodybuilder.

After the weight lifting workout a recovery drink is necessary in order to fill the muscles glycogen stores and repair the microtears done to the muscle.

The important role of nutrition in building muscle means bodybuilders may consume a wide variety of dietary supplements. Commonly used products include: essential fatty acid; amino acids; vitamin and mineral formulations; glucosamine and/or chondroitin; MSM (methylsulfonylmethane); thermogenics and creatine.

5 Strategies For Getting Started In Bodybuilding

2007-02-22T02:13:00.001-08:00

Bodybuilding is not just a sport; it is an investment in your body and your life. If you think it is as simple as getting in a few reps at the gym every now and then, you’ll be sadly mistaken when you can’t see results or you begin to injury yourself. Instead of putting yourself through that torture, make sure that you know what to do and how to do it in bodybuilding first. Here are some tips to getting started with bodybuilding.

* Find A Great Gym. While you can purchase a membership to many gyms, that doesn’t mean that it is a good one. If you are serious about bodybuilding, you’ll need more than just a standard gym offering yoga. You need a gym that is packed with the equipment that you need and all of which is in good solid working condition.

* Find A Trainer. The best way to bulk up is to use a professional trainer. If you can afford the investment, interview a few people and find the one that challenges and motivates you the best. Sure, you know what needs done and you know you can do it by yourself, but when you use a professional, you’ll see results faster and safer.

* Safety is necessary no matter what. While you want to push yourself for the next set of reps or you want to go just a little longer, you need to realize that too much can tear muscles, and possibly injure them permanently. This is destructive of what you are trying to do. Develop a personal plan, hopefully with the help of a professional, to help you reach your bodybuilding goals.

* Eat right. Not only do you need to eat a good amount of food, but it is also important to eat the right foods. Your body will crave meats and proteins as it builds muscle. If you don’t give it good stuff, though, you’ll hinder its ability to expand and grow.

* Dedicate yourself. Not only is it enough to get to the gym, work with the trainer and eat right, but you’ll also need to make sure that you are 110% motivated and dedicated to becoming the bodybuilder that you want to be.

Successful bodybuilding can only come from hard work.

Bodybuilding: Building a Standout in the Crowd Chest

2007-02-22T02:12:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning of bodybuilding time, men have wanted to build a chest that enters the room a good 2 seconds before the rest of their body. They want a chest that stands out and commands attention, a chest that steps up and sticks out. A broad chest that women seek to lay their head upon.

And ladies too, seek a beautiful chest, one that accents their natural assets. But they also want their chest to be sleek and feminine like the rest of their physique at the same time.

Well, achieving either of those goals is easily attainable with a thorough chest routine. And add a few expert tips and tricks into your overall plan, and you’ll have the chest of your dreams without the shoulder injuries of your nightmares.

Shoulder injuries have always been the rain on the chest training parade. Injuries are often due to overtraining, improper form, or simply not applying a back training ying to the chest training yang.

So when you do this routine, it will train your entire upper, upper body. By that I mean your chest, your rear delts, the rhomboids between your shoulder blades, your traps, and your rotator cuff muscles. From your ribs to your collarbone, at both the front and back of your body, your muscles will be exhausted, but trained to just the right level of exhaustion.

With just the right volume, but without overloading the shoulder joint, we are going to use basic chest exercises, but with a twist in a few cases, to make the most of the least. By training with supersets, you’ll get in and out of the gym if you do only the 6 exercises below. Talk about a beautiful chest fast.

While the full program offers the optimal volume for mega-chest-mass, I’ve included some substitutions for women that are a little concerned with adding too much mass too fast to their chests. So make sure to read training substitutions, included below the workout, so you can customize the program to your goals.

I’ve also included a summary of the methods, and a bonus instant chest building technique you probably never think of, after the workout. As well, a complete set of exercise descriptions is included at the end of the article.

THE UGN STANDOUT-IN-THE-CROWD CHEST workout

Superset 1:
Rest 60 seconds between exercises. Rest 90 seconds before repeating the superset.
A1) DB Flat Chest Press (4 sets x 6 reps) Tempo: 3-0-1
A2) Barbell Row or Seated Wide-grip Row (4x8) 2-0-1
Superset 2:
Do not rest between exercises. Rest 60 seconds before repeating the superset.
B1) DB Incline Press (3x8) 2-0-1
B2) DB Chest Fly (3x10) 3-0-1

Superset 3:
Do not rest between exercises. Rest 60 seconds before repeating the superset.
C1) Medium-grip Bench Press (3x12) 2-0-1

C2) DB External Rotation (3x10) 2-0-1
Female exercise substitutions:

Do only 2 sets of each exercise.
For exercise A1), substitute the maximum number of pushups you can do in place of the DB Flat Chest Press.

How to Instantly Increase Your Chest Size

This is something that everyone should be doing, several times per day. If you work at a computer, you should be trying to hold this position all of the time.

Here’s what to do:

In a seated or standing position, hold your arms down by your side. Externally rotate your shoulders so that your palms are now facing forward. Use the muscles between your shoulder blades to bring your shoulder blades together. Squeeze extra hard and pull your shoulders back by contracting your rear delts. At the same time, try to pull your shoulders down (you might feel a stretch running along your neck between your shoulders and your ears – the more stretch you feel, the more you need to work on holding this position). This should pull your shoulders back and pop your chest out at least two inches. You should feel tension between your shoulder blades as your muscles work to hold that position. You might also feel a stretch in your chest. Now hold this proud posture as much as you can all day and when standing around in the clubs or in line at the grocery store. Trust me, someone will notice!

Exercise Descriptions

DB Flat Bench Press

Hold the dumbbells above your chest with your palms turned toward your feet. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. Press the dumbbells straight up above the chest. BB Row

Stand with your torso bent and parallel to the floor. Contract your glutes, brace your abs and keep your spine in a neutral position. Keep the lower back in a neutral position and your knees slightly bent. Grasp the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Row the barbell to the abdomen and bring your shoulder blades together. Slowly lower to the starting position and repeat. Do NOT round your lower back. Wide-grip Seated Row

Use a long bar and take a greater than shoulder-width overhand grip. Keep your arms and back straight, knees slightly bent. Row the handle back as far as possible bringing your shoulder blades together. DB Incline Press

Lie on a bench with the backrest inclined at 45 degrees. Hold the dumbbells above your chest with your palms turned toward your feet. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. Press the dumbbells straight up above the chest. DB Fly

Lie flat on your back on a bench and hold the dumbbells with your palms turned towards your body (palms will face each other). Maintain a slight bend in your elbows at all times. Slowly begin to lower the dumbbells out to your side until your elbows reach shoulder level. Don’t lower the dumbbells any further. At this point, squeeze your chest and bring the dumbbells up and in to the start position under control.

Medium-Grip Bench Press

Keep your feet flat on the floor, legs bent, and upper back flat against the bench. Grip the bar half-way between shoulder-width and your normal bench press grip. Keep the elbows close to the sides to emphasize the triceps. Have your spotter help you take the bar from the rack. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, lower the bar straight down to the bottom of your chest. Pause briefly and then press the bar back up above the chest in a straight line. DB External Rotation

Sit on a flat bench holding a light dumbbell (start with 5lbs). Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the end of the bench. Rest your right elbow on the top of your right knee and hold the DB in the bottom position. Slowly, using the small muscles of your rotator cuff, externally rotate the DB up and back until it is in the finish position (your forearm is perpendicular to your body at the top of the movement).

Bodybuilding: Big Calves Without High Rep Sets

2007-02-22T02:11:00.002-08:00

"Get big calves with only 10 sets of 20 repetitions every other day". Just imagine the amount of time required for that program! Unfortunately many calf-training articles preach ridiculously high-repetition sets and training frequencies in comparison to routines for most other muscles. Granted, the calves are a difficult muscle group to increase in muscle mass, BUT/ there is no evidence to support the notion that the muscles respond better to high-repetition and light load training.

Alternatively, some people completely neglect the calves in their training routines. Obviously this is not the way to go either. The calves are a very large and strong muscle group and are important in bodybuilding and many athletic events. If you improve your calf strength you will be stronger in other standing leg exercises such as the lunge, squat, and step-up. Furthermore, the large muscle mass of this muscle group makes it essential to include in any metabolic-weightlifting programs designed to increase the metabolism and reduce body fat. Everyone in the gym will benefit by giving the calves some work!

The calf area is composed of two muscles, the underlying soleus and the prominent gastrocnemius (it is the gastrocnemius that most people traditionally identify as the "calf" muscle). Muscle biopsies of these muscles reveal both to be generally higher in T-I or "slow-twitch" (ST) muscle fibers. The gastrocnemius averages ~60% ST fibers and the soleus ~75% ST fibers in comparison to the 50% ST fiber composition of the vastus lateralis (quadriceps) or 30-40% ST composition in the triceps brachii.

These differences in NO way support calf-training programs to require the extreme workout prescriptions presently recommended by other trainers. Fast-twitch fibers have repeatedly been shown to have a greater potential to hypertrophy (get bigger) and the best way to recruit the FT fibers is with a high-intensity load. As well, the gastrocnemius can hardly be considered a slow-twitch muscle as only about 60% of its fibers are ST and in elite sprinters the ST proportion may be as low as 25%!

Calf training, like strength training and bodybuilding for any other muscle group, requires the correct application of basic strength training principles in order to add muscle mass to the area. The basic function of the "calf" is to plantar flex the ankle (raise the heels off the ground and support the body weight on the balls of the feet), so we simply must overload it in this position.

"Overload" is the most important concept: you must demand more of your muscles than they are regularly accustomed to and in response the muscle will adapt by growing and becoming stronger.

The problem is that most athletes and bodybuilders forget the overload principle and end up failing in their calf training attempts by continuing to train with countless repetitions and an intensity that is too low. Remember that muscle growth occurs in response to the intensity of the stimulus imposed. More specifically, the muscle grows in response to lifting a heavy load for a sufficient number of repetitions. I therefore suggest the number of repetitions be reduced and the magnitude of the weight increased. The muscle fibers are not going to respond and grow if the load is too light!

As far as calf-training exercises go, don't concentrate on the seated calf raise. This does not provide the optimal stimulus for the gastrocnemius, but rather for the smaller, deeper soleus muscle. You want your calf exercises to require plantar flexion with only a slight bend at the knee joint. This will ensure the optimal recruitment of the larger and more prominent gastrocnemius.

Let's take a look at a "high-intensity, moderate-volume" training program...You will be sore for a couple of days after this workout, BUT/ more importantly, your calf muscles will be stimulated for growth not endurance!

Single-leg calf-raise

* hold DB in hand and support yourself with other hand

* perform on platform and allow heal to drop as far as possible

* do 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions for each leg with no rest between sets

Leg press calf-raise

* place only the balls of the feet on the bottom end of the leg press platform

* contract the calf muscles to plantar flex the ankle

* do a set using a weight that allows 10 repetitions, then quickly remove 20% of the weight and perform another set to failure (X), then quickly remove 10% percent of that weight and perform the third "drop-set" to failure (X)

* rest 1-2 minutes

* repeat for a second "drop-set"

Eccentric machine calf-raise

* use either a standing OR angled calf-raise machine (OR continue to use the leg press)

* set the pin at weight that can be comfortably lifted with both legs

* perform the concentric phase with both legs (plantar flex the ankles), BUT/ use only one leg to lower the weight to the starting position

* alternate between legs and perform 6 eccentric reps for each side

* quickly reduce the weight by 10% and perform 6 more eccentric reps for each side

* continue for a third set if desired (yeah right!)

How Do I Start Bodybuilding?

2007-02-22T02:11:00.001-08:00

Do you want to become a world class bodybuilder? Do you want to create a spectacular body and win competitions because of it? Are you ready to take the next step towards the body of your dreams? Are you asking yourself “how do I start bodybuilding?”?

In order to start bodybuilding you need more than just some weights, a protein supplement, and the time to work out. There is a lot more to bodybuilding than just simply lifting weights and eating protein rich foods.

Bodybuilding is a career and like most careers you have to be willing to invest a large amount of time and energy into it. Most bodybuilder spend the better part of 5-6 hours at the gym 5 days a week. They also spend time registering for competitions and making sure their bodies get the necessary food to grow.

Most bodybuilders don’t start out with their own trainer, but eventually they will hire one. In order to become a bodybuilder you are going to need a solid workout routine, the desire to succeed no matter what, and the right combination of nutrition and supplements.

You could try to put this all together on your own, but you will just end up frustrated and confused. You need to start by consulting your doctor about your new workout and eating habits. Your doctor will be able to give you some advice on what to do, but then you will need to do some research.

You need to know what supplements bodybuilders are taking and why. You want to find out their secrets to their exercise routines and the reasons they use them. You also need to find out what they do for recovery and how they work out when a competition gets closer.

These are the things you will need to start bodybuilding. It is a journey and will take some time and serious dedication, but you can achieve your goals if you set your mind to it.

Cutting Exercises A Bodybuilding Myth?

2007-02-02T23:01:00.003-08:00

One of the most common goals of fitness enthusiasts is to have low levels of body fat covering their hard-earned muscles. Whether the individual is an athlete that wants to look good in and out of uniform or a fitness instructor that wants to have “toned” arms, everyone is looking for the most effective exercises to reach their goals.

There is certainly no shortage of opinions when it comes to training programs and exercises that trainers and magazines seem to promote to reach these goals, so it is understandable that many bodybuilders and gym-goers can be overwhelmed by information. But what really confuses me is the claim made by gym employees and fitness authors that certain resistance training exercises are for definition and “cutting up”.

Believe it or not, but no strength coach or exercise physiologist has been able to prove that one exercise rather than others can promote more “definition” or “toning”! Can someone explain how leg extensions are a better exercise for muscle definition than squats? This article will dispel these myths and will reveal the best exercises for meeting the goals of increased muscle definition, which is the correct term for “toning”, “cutting up” or “getting ripped”. In fact, let’s just eliminate “toning” from our vocabulary all together.

First a little background for those without a long history of weight training experience. Bodybuilders (that includes any man or woman that is seeking to improve their body’s appearance!) traditionally perform a number of exercises for a body part during a single resistance training session. For example, in a chest workout one might start with bench presses, move to incline dumbbell press, and finish with dumbbell flyes or the pec-deck.

Now according to many personal trainers and fitness magazines, the rationale behind this type of program is that the pressing exercises are best for strength and mass development and the pec-deck would provide for definition. Also, people believe that these “definition” exercises should be emphasized in order to develop a “ripped” body (that is, low levels of body fat). Unfortunately, it seems bodybuilders and fitness buffs alike have been led astray, and the end result is a poorly planned program that does not lead to the desired results.

Next we need a brief, yet simplistic, review of human anatomy and physiology to reason why these “cutting” exercises (i.e. pec-deck) do not do the job. For our purposes there are 2 components determining body composition, muscle and fat. For most people it is the amount of fat that is the limiting factor for them in the development of muscular definition and not the “quality” of their muscle. If an overweight individual were to be stripped of all their fat, they too would have muscle definition.

On the other hand, a skinny individual can increase their muscle definition by lifting weights and increasing muscle hypertrophy (growth). The body cannot tell the difference between exercises! It responds according to the demands applied to the body. If you lift weights the muscle will grow so that it is stronger and can lift the weight easier the next time. If you eat too much and do not exercise, the energy is deposited as fat and your muscle definition will be lost. It is a very simple equation!

The pec-deck can still be incorporated into workout designs, but it is not the best exercise for promoting a better body composition. In fact, this isolation exercise recruits only the chest muscles and ignores the triceps and deltoids, unlike the previously mentioned presses. And remember that more muscles result in greater energy expenditure and a greater overall training stimulus.

Another myth that seems to propagate is that sets performed for a very high number of repetitions are most effective for “cutting up”. Refer back to the basic anatomical principle that the body’s appearance is determined by the amounts of both muscle and fat, and most importantly that low levels of body fat are necessary for muscle definition. Using a lightweight to do a huge number of repetitions might not “show off” your muscles better than using a moderate weight and performing a moderate number of repetitions.

Why not? Because there would likely be no difference in the amount of total calories burned between the two workouts provided each performed a similar exercise volume in the workout. The greater number of repetitions in the one workout would be offset by the greater intensity (weight) used in the other workout. However, a heavier weight will stimulate more muscle growth. More muscle results in a faster metabolism and theoretically greater energy expenditure at rest. So over the long haul the more intense (heavier lifting) workout may be the optimal choice for reducing body fat. In addition, larger muscles are easier to see!

Okay, so what is going to bring you the results (i.e. definition) that you want? Keep the exercises basic and intense (i.e. moderate to heavy weight). Most bodybuilders are better off to do 4-5 sets of bench and incline presses (for a total of 8-10 sets) rather than including 3 sets of pec-deck in the traditional manner. The volume of exercise will be the same but the difficulty of exercise will be harder and the cumulative effects will greater.

Aerobic exercise is not essential for low levels of body fat but can certainly promote greater cardiovascular fitness and help prevent excessive weight gain. Interval training has now been shown in 2 studies to be more effective than slow cardio.

So stick with multi-muscle strength exercises and interval training to burn more calories out of the gym. It really adds up to more calorie burn and less body fat. That is a far better approach than relying on cutting exercises.

And finally, make the proper dietary changes to promote muscle gains and body fat reductions. Nutrition is the #1 factor for fat loss. If you don't have good nutrition, no exercise program will help you lose fat. In the end you will be healthier and will achieve superior muscle definition!

5 Noticeable Benefits that You can Get Out of Bodybuilding

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The Benefits of Bodybuilding

When taking up bodybuilding for the first time, you may notice some benefits after a few months. You may feel more energetic and seem to have more self-confidence. You will have the resolve to complete task that seemed impossible just a few months ago. Below is just a short list of the many benefits that can be gained by taking up bodybuilding.

Increased Strength

When you take up bodybuilding, you will start to carry weights to build up your muscles. Your muscle strength also increases as you steadily increase the poundage. As a result of the stress placed on your muscles, they become more efficient and stronger. An increase in strength also helps prevent muscle atrophy as you become older. Muscle atrophy is defined as the wasting or loss of muscle tissue that results from disease or the lack of use.

Prevent injuries

Having stronger muscles will lead to a better control of your reflexes, balance and body coordination. You can perform daily more efficiently and effectively. Having stronger muscles, bones and tendons that is provided by taking up bodybuilding, will lessen the risks of injuries.

Helps Control Your Weight

When you take up bodybuilding either to put on mass or to lose weight, you will be following a proper diet. You will avoid junk foods and foods that are high on sugar and calories. When training regularly, you will increase your metabolic rate. This will cause your body to burn more calories throughout the day.

Improves Appearance

One of the most noticeable effects of bodybuilding is that your appearance will change for the better. As you train regularly, you will notice that your muscles will become bigger and more defined. After a few months, people around you will start making comments, as they will be able to see the marked changes in you. Your posture, the way you walk will all change for the better, as you will feel more confidant of your body.

Strengthens Bones

Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become brittle. This usually happens when you grow older. Bodybuilding delays the onset of this symptom. This is because, when you carry weights, stress is placed on your bones. This causes the bones to become stronger.

In conclusion, this is just a few of the many benefits that can be derived from taking up bodybuilding. To find out more on how to get started without spending months on instructions and guides that do not work, visit the link below now

A Beginners Guide to Bodybuilding – The Basics

2007-02-02T23:00:00.004-08:00

As a beginner to bodybuilding there are few basics you need to know before you head off head first down the gym to start training to ensure that you maximize the effects of your work outs and minimize the risks of injury.

One of the biggest mistakes many people do when they are starting out in bodybuilding is to fail to do any research and so they don’t see the results they want, so if you’re reading this you’re a step ahead of the game. A failure to see results causes serious frustration and many people stop training, so do your research first.

You need to learn the most effective and efficient methods to build muscle, burn fat and tone your body, plus learning how to live a healthy lifestyle is essential especially in terms of your nutrition.

One of the first things you need to do before you start any new training program or exercise regime is to get in touch with your doctor and get a full check up. If you are in your teens, a young adult or have had any health problems in the past this is especially important. Also your doctor should be able to give you advice about training programs, your diet and do general checks to ensure your body is in good order. Plus your doctor may be able to recommend good gyms to join.

As a beginner bodybuilder you should make a concerted effort too learn as much about your body and bodybuilding as possible, as it’ll help you in your efforts to get that perfect body if you know what you’re training and why you’re doing it. A good way to get started is to do train your entire body first by working the largest muscle groups, and then focus on specific areas that you want to tone and define. So don’t just go down the gym every day and do a few hundred sit ups and expect to get a six pack, it won’t happen. Don’t forget to warm up before and after you session and stretch thoroughly to encourage muscle growth, keep you flexible and avoid injury.

If you don’t eat healthy you won’t build the quantity of muscle you could do otherwise and you’ll never get the definition you want. Self discipline is essential. You also should speak to a nutritionist and learn the difference between good fats and carbs and bad fats and carbs; also you need to identify the optimum amount of protein you need in you diet.

When you are training make sure that you drink plenty of water to ward off dehydration. If you eat the correct foods and live a healthy lifestyle, such as not smoking, not drinking and ensuring you get enough sleep, you’ll maximize all your training efforts significantly.

Finally speak to other gym goers and find a coach to teach you how to use the equipment properly and to design you a personalized training program to optimize you efforts. If there’re professional bodybuilders at your gym, speak to them and ask them about how they did it. Follow your training program carefully to avoid overtraining and learn your body’s limits so you don’t injure yourself. If you eat and live healthy and stick to your training program you’ll have the lean and toned body you desire in no time.

Simple Tips for Starting Competitive Bodybuilding

2007-02-02T23:00:00.003-08:00

As a bodybuilder you should be aiming to enter into the competitive bodybuilding area and show off your body in a bodybuilding fitness competition, especially given the amount of time, effort and money you are putting into your training. Competitive bodybuilding fitness competitions take place all over the world and display some of the finest, athletic bodies on the planet.

Each competition has numerous categories and levels, so even if you are still a novice you can still find a competition that is at your level. However, if you are going to enter you’re going to have to put in a lot of training before hand, so you’ll need lots of self discipline and dedication in terms of actually getting down the gym and training and also your diet.

If you are serious about taking up competitive bodybuilding you should really try to find your self a training partner and coach. As having the guidance and support of an experienced coach and the support from a training partner will definitely help improve your chances of success in the competitive bodybuilding arena. You and your coach need to determine your training programme, your diet and what competitions or events you want to train up to compete in. Also you need to decide whether you are going to be a ‘natural’ bodybuilder or whether you will use performance enhancing supplements such as steroids. The natural route is best for your body, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t supplement your diet with essential vitamins and nutrients to help optimum growth and repair of your muscles, especially if you have to eliminate some foods from your diet to lose weight.

The next step is to put some time into investigate and find local competitive bodybuilding competitions near to home, as they are a great place to ‘dip your toe’ in and get started. If you can’t find any locally you might have to travel to further a field to find competitions, so you’ll need to schedule this into your training plans.

Competitive bodybuilding and fitness competitions often vary in terms of the price to enter and the competition rules and regulations, so make sure you do your research carefully. Usually you’ll have a tour or guide the day before or on the morning of the event, so the more prepared you are, the more professional you will appear to the other competitors and judges.

Prior to the event, make sure that you have covered and mastered in training all the poses that you need to be able to do for the competition, and learn how to tense up your muscles for each pose while appearing relaxed. Other things you might want to do or take into consideration are tanning and removing excess hair and anything else that might improve your chances of winning. Ask your coach for advice on this or ask other bodybuilders you have met through your training.

Once you’ve done the competition, critically assess how well you have done, both positives and negatives, if you try and learn from your mistakes you’ll continually increase you chances of winning in future events. See what the other competitors are doing and ask them questions too. You should also try and speak to the judges after the event to get their opinion on how you did and get some tips for your next competition. Listen carefully to all their hints and tips and sooner than you think you’ll be the one winning all the prizes!

Fast Muscle Growth - Bodybuilding 101 What They Don't Teach In Muscle School

2007-02-02T23:00:00.001-08:00

Are you working out like a madman or mad person, to be P.C. and still not getting the results you want? Then the answer may be found in this article. So take a moment to read these quick steps you can take to GUARANTEE your muscle growth.

Do you want to be bigger, stronger, faster, and have more endurance?

If that's what you want then consuming more protein in your daily diet may be the ticket to accomplishing your goals.

Secret To Fast Muscle Growth I've heard from hundreds of clients, fellow Rangers and Bodybuilding buddies that they desire to get bigger, stronger, faster and have more endurance.

Often, when I propose that the solution may be just as simple as eating more protein, many get dismayed and feel that I'm giving them a blown-off response.

But the simple truth is that most athletes don't eat nearly enough protein to help them recover from their training, much less grow bigger and stronger.

Why is protein so important for me as an athlete and bodybuilder?

Of the three macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) protein is the only one which contains nitrogen. Nitrogen is necessary to muscle growth. Consuming sufficient protein can help keep you in a "positive nitrogen balance" meaning that your body is retaining more nitrogen than it is excreting.

Being in a positive nitrogen balance is indicative that you are in an anabolic (tissue building) state. That means you are in a position to build bigger, stronger muscles.

The best times to consume your proteins are:

1. First thing in the morning upon awakening, to stop the catabolism (tissue breakdown) that results after several hours of sleeping, and jump start your body into an anabolic (tissue building) stage. The best protein for this meal is a complete protein such as scrambled egg whites or a protein shake containing a multi-blend of proteins. Be sure to also consume some carbohydrates with your protein, such as oatmeal or whole grain cereal.

2. Every 3-4 hours thereafter as part of a complete meal. Giving your body protein every 3-4 hours promotes a positive nitrogen balance and will ensure that your muscles are supplied with the nutrients they need to grow. Remember to wait at least 1-1.5 hours after a meal to train.

3. The best proteins to consume during your daily meals are lean chicken, fish, or turkey or a protein shake. These proteins are broken down and absorbed slowly over a period of hours, providing long lasting nourishment to your muscles.

4. Pre-exercise meal. Using proteins that are mostly isolates will digest the fastest. Take a high quality whey protein isolate about 30-60 minutes prior to exercise to allow for proper digestion. Take in 30-60 grams, along with a piece of fruit such as a banana.

5. Directly after your training. Within 30 minutes of training you should consume 75-100 grams of carbohydrates in the form of potatoes, whole grain bread with jam, bananas, rice, or whole grain cereal with skim milk. You need this to raise blood sugar levels in your body.

This sugar will be deposited in the cells of your muscles and liver. The insulin released by your body in response to the carbohydrates will promote the uptake of amino acids into muscles as well.

For this meal, you should consume 40-60 grams of a high quality whey protein isolate. Unlike protein blends which take hours to digest Whey Protein is digested very quickly (within 30-45 minutes) so that your body can begin post workout muscle repair right away.

Then, one hour later, have a complete whole food meal consisting of a protein such as chicken, turkey or fish, along with a complex carbohydrate such as sweet potatoes, rice and beans, or whole grain rice.

6. Right before bedtime. Using a protein with a high casein content will allow for absorption over an extended time period and help stabilize your insulin through out the night. This should allow you to sleep better through the night. A light protein will provide time-release amino acids that your body can use to repair and build muscle all night long. Take in between 30-60 grams, depending on your duration of sleep and ability to digest protein.

The Most Shocking Bodybuilding Myths Finally Revealed

2007-02-02T22:59:00.003-08:00

The bodybuilding and fitness industry has the highest number of myths out there, even some of the 'professionals' are under the influence of myths. Knowing what stuff is true and what is false can be critical to achieving great results and staying injury free. This article should hopefully educate you and you'll be one of the few people that know the truth.

1.The workouts of professional bodybuilders are the best – You want to become massive and ripped, so it makes sense to follow Mr. Olympia's routine...right? Wrong, Pro-bodybuilders are on a lot of steroids, therefor their bodies are capable of recovering faster from the workouts they do. If you or me did their workout for a while, we'd probably just over train and injure ourselves. Pro's also have many years of experience, meaning their bodies are capable of going through such vigorous workouts so often.

2.There is one, and one only perfect workout plan for everyone – Some magazines or articles may try to say that there's only one workout that produces the greatest results for everyone. Funny thing is, I see hundreds of different perfect workouts! Everybody is different, a workout that works for you may not work for me, and so on. This is why it's important to educate yourself so you can make a workout thats 'perfect' for you. If you're a real beginner, you can get an experienced trainer to make a program designed exclusively for you.

3.(eg. Protein) supplement ABC is 500% more effective then (eg. Protein) supplement XYZ – There are many supplement companies out on the market today, with a huge range of different brands available, its hard for consumers to choose one product over another. Thats why supplement companies say negative things about each others products to get a sale from you. They exaggerate the statistics by a long, long shot. At the end of the day, the difference between supplement companies is minimal in the single percentages. Unless the supplement company you buy from is your neighbor, who mixes the ingredients in his basement, its very unlikely that there's a 500% difference between the different big name companies.

4.You need to exercise to burn fat – Nobody gains body fat because of a lack of exercise. You gain body fat if you eat more calories then you burn. For example; If your daily caloric requirement is 3000 calories, you only need to consumer 3000 calories that day.

If you consume more then 3000 calories you will gain fat.

If you consumer less then 3000 calories you will lose fat.

If you combine exercise to a good diet you will burn more calories, resulting in you losing fat faster.

Adapt Your Bodybuilding Routines for Your Body Type

2007-02-02T22:59:00.001-08:00

It's fairly obvious that no two humans beings are exactly the same, thus it should come as no surprise that different people need to train in different ways and have different bodybuilding routines. One of the primary factors that will help you become a successful bodybuilder is to understand your own body, to realize what your limits are and to appreciate how your body will react under stress. Therefore in order to make the most of your bodybuilding routines and workouts you must know your body type and understand how it will affect your training.

Scientists have developed a body type classification system based on a number of factors and everybody falls into one of the following three categories (you may fall in-between, as these are quite generalized): endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Once you have established your body type, you can them adjust your bodybuilding routine, training program and lifestyle accordingly. You should also speak to your doctor to get their advice before you start training and to get a check up.

The first category we shall look at is the endomorph body type. Endomorphs usually find it really quite easy to gain muscle mass, but also they find it very easy to put on weight. Thus having a great deal of self discipline is required to control your diet if you’re to be a successful bodybuilder. A great tip for endomorphs is to eat 6 small meals at regular intervals throughout the day to ward off hunger and snacking on junk food. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and don’t eat anything for at least a few hours before going to bed to facilitate fat loss. Endomorphs tend not to have too much difficultly putting on muscle mass, however if you want good definition in your muscles you’ll need to do plenty of cardiovascular training such as running. Doing this should increase your muscular definition by burning off excess fat. If you can, do your cardio training after your weights to burn off even more fat.

The next category we shall look at is the ectomorph body type. These are people who are generally tall, thin and have long arms and legs; they naturally have virtually no fat. Most ectomorphs often find themselves in endurance sports such as x-country running or athletics (high jump), however they can and do also become professional bodybuilders. The main thing that ectomorphs need to do is to start eating more of the right healthy foods, thus increasing the calorie intake to put on weight and build muscle. They should focus on weight training as opposed to cardio vascular training and train to failure so you can’t lift the last weight of a set. Make sure that you’re lifting weights at least 3-4 days a week, with a rest day between sessions to allow optimum recovery and muscle growth.

The final category are the mesomorphs, which fall in between the other two categories and are often the envy of the other two body types, as mesomorphs find it easy to build muscle and keep off fat. However, this can often lead to a false sense of security as having this mindset leads to missed training sessions, which eventually catches up with them. If you are a mesomorph just starting bodybuilding, don’t change the amount you eat, but eat healthier and make sure you are eating enough protein to facilitate muscle growth. Mix up your training sessions to incorporate both full body work out sessions and those to target specific muscle groups to improve definition.

It doesn't matter what your body type is if you want to be a successful bodybuilder, just adjust your training routines and your eating habits accordingly. Be dedicated and passionate and you will achieve your goals.

Bodybuilding And Fat Loss - How Do We Speed Up The Process?

2007-02-02T22:58:00.004-08:00

Fat loss is essential in any weight loss and fitness program. No only will you lose the unwanted pounds, but you will also tone and strengthen your muscles.

When you experience fat loss with your fitness and weight loss program, you will not only notice that you are losing weight, but you will also lose inches. The basic element in any weigh loss program is exercise. In order for it to be effective, you should exercise at least 20 minutes five times a week. This does not necessarily mean that you should have a vigorous workout, but walking and jogging can really add to your routine, if you do these types of exercises on alternate days.

In addition to exercising, which is the number one tip for weight loss, there are several other things you can do.

* pump iron lift weights, even if they are hand or ankle weights while you are exercising. These increase the resistance on the muscles and help to tone them up.

* keep a food diary this helps you to see where your extra calories and coming from and helps you to better regulate your diet.

* stay focused on the fat loss you want to achieve there will be times when you get discouraged, but you have to keep encouraging yourself to stick to the program you have set for yourself. find out what causes you to overeat many people overeat to compensate for stress in their lives.

Learn other coping techniques that keeps you from regaining the fat you lose.

* get support join a gym or a weight loss program, such as Weight Watchers, for example. Even having a friend to work out with helps to keep you focused on your goal.

* watch the portions of food you eat cutting down on calories results in the loss of fat. If you eat calorie rich foods try switching to snacks that do not contain calories and have lots of protein.

* slow weight loss is good do not try to lose all of your unwanted fat in a short period of time. A healthy weight loss is about 2 pounds per week and you may even have weeks where you do not lose any weight.

* slow down when you are eating. Eating fast helps to put on pounds and eating slowly fills you up faster.

* water is essential drink lots of water at least 8 10 glasses per day. This helps to flush the fat out of your system.

Natural Bodybuilding Muscle Training - Does It Still Exist In Today's Age Of Steroids?

2007-02-02T22:58:00.003-08:00

Maybe you are interested in knowing what natural bodybuilding is all about. This page will help you decide if this is for you.

Natural bodybuilding has emerged as a way of distancing bodybuilding from the many reports of drug use and steroids to help people have the prefect body. This involves strengthening your body through exercise and diet and not relying on extras such as drugs to help you make rapid gains.

This practice relies solely on exercise as a natural way of toning up the muscles of the body through strength and weight training as the athletes of long ago did. It also combines this exercise routine with a healthy diet to help increase the body metabolism to burn fat. This method helps people lose weight and become fit.

Those who follow a natural method of bodybuilding use natural dietary supplements to help with their diet.

These products contain all natural ingredients that the body needs, such as whey protein and proteins and minerals that are naturally found in the body. They also need to supplement the essential nutrients that the body loses through intensive workouts.

Using this method of bodybuilding, means that people are more informed about the needs of the body. When the body is fit and healthy, the chances of illness and injuries are less, therefore the long term benefits of having a strong toned body cannot be underestimated.

Those who are fit and exercise on a daily basis tend to look better and feel better about themselves. They are also better able to cope with lifes stresses and tend to live longer.

Bodybuilding Nutrition - A sound bodybuilding Diet Plan

2007-02-02T22:58:00.001-08:00

Beginning a new nutrition program is never easy, especially for beginners. If you are looking to learn how to structure your diet for building muscle and adding mass then follow the following proven principles of proven success.

Bodybuilding nutrition does not have to be a chore as many people think of it. You certainly do not have to starve! A bodybuilding diet plan is very healthy, and includes all of the major food groups, making it a complete nutrition solution that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. A sound nutrition plan has to include all of the essentials for health but muscle growth as well.

Therefore, a bodybuilding diet plan has to be higher in protein and healthy fats than most other diets. It’s also higher in energy potent carbohydrates and uses much different types of foods than most people consume in their normal daily eating habits. Bodybuilding diets do not include most of junk foods and unhealthy treats such as candy full of simple sugars, fried foods, white flour products and alcohol. If you want to follow a healthy lifestyle then you certainly must minimize your consumption of these unhealthy treats.

Here’s a sample bodybuilding diet plan that will work very well for pretty much anyone who is looking to add muscle mass. Depending on your weight and body fat levels, you may need to increase of decrease the amounts of foods consumed.

Meal 1: 6 egg whites, 1 yolk 2 slices low fat cheese, 3oz oatmeal, 1 apple or banana, 1 cup of low fat milk.

Meal 2: 6oz tuna in water, 1 whole wheat bagel, 1 tablespoon low fat mayo, 1 tomato.

Meal 3: 8oz grilled chicken breast, 2 baked potatoes, 2 cups salad, low fat dressing.

Meal 4: 4oz turkey breast, 2 slices whole wheat toast, 2 slices low fat cheese, 1 cup of low fat milk.

Meal 5: 8oz grilled steak, 1.5 cups brown rice, 2 cups salad or steamed vegetables, 2 tablespoons olive oil for dressing.

Meal 6: 6 egg whites, 1 yolk, Half cup oatmeal, 1 cup low fat milk.

You can also include a daily multivitamin supplement to ensure you are getting all of the essential micronutrients needed for proper muscle growth and recovery.

This diet plan will provide you with all essential proteins for muscle building, carbohydrates for ample energy & glycogen replenishment and healthy fats for additional calories. Try to space meals three hours apart and always remembers to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

4 Bodybuilding Exercise Tips To Really Pump You Up

2007-02-02T22:57:00.003-08:00

You only need two types of bodybuilding exercises to craft a really effective routine. Efficiency is a thing of beauty, unless you actually prefer to spend half your life at the gym, breathing sweaty air, and getting frustrated when you don’t get results. Use your brain before your brawn, and you’ll work smarter and see success sooner.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #1:

Know your muscles. This doesn’t mean giving them cute little nicknames, this means knowing the size and function of each muscle. What kind of bodybuilding exercise will work each muscle? You want to create a physique of evenly developed muscles, and still be able to put your arms down by your sides.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #2:

OK – pop quiz. What will give out first, your triceps or your chest?

When you’re doing bench presses, what starts to hurt first? Your poor little triceps! By the time you can bench enough to exhaust your chest, your triceps are shot.

The solution? Use isolation bodybuilding exercises first. These, by definition, isolate individual muscles and work them hard. If you isolate a larger muscle and work it thoroughly, it evens the playing field when you move on to a bodybuilding exercise that uses a group of muscles.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #3:

After you’ve put your larger muscles through the paces, it’s time to let the smaller fellas join in. Bring in the compound bodybuilding exercises, the ones that use groups of muscles.

Take the simple push-up for example: Wrist, forearm, biceps, shoulders, core, and chest all working together. Since some of the muscles involved are smaller than others, they normally fatigue more quickly. If you’ve isolated the larger muscles first, the push-up becomes a much more efficient bodybuilding exercise, because your whole body gets exhausted at about the same time.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #4:

Let it rest! The two sides of the coin are smart exercises and rest. They’re both necessary to getting the results you want.

Using efficient isolation and compound bodybuilding exercises, you’ve got the work side covered. You’ll get a more valuable workout in less time. But, it’s all in vain if you don’t allow for sufficient rest for your muscles afterward. Since muscle growth takes place during the recovery period, as your body knits itself back together, you can’t interrupt that process by working those muscles again too soon. Give your muscle groups a full week to recover.

Half the battle in bodybuilding is having good information. Good info lets you create a good plan for your diet, bodybuilding exercises, and rest periods. Follow a good plan, and you’ll get the results you want.

Make Your Muscles Fail To Build Maximum Muscle In The Shortest Time

2007-02-02T22:57:00.001-08:00

Are your workouts giving you the results you want? Do you look in the mirror and see bulging muscles growing more massive? Or have you been spending hours at the gym and still seeing the same "old" you in the mirror?

If you have been seriously trying to build muscle month after month with only modest gains in muscle mass, you're doing it wrong! But, you're in good company. 95% of the people in the gym are failing and never achieve their goals.

Building muscle is really quite simple but not easy to do. It is simple in theory but it takes hard work. You must be willing to work harder than you have ever worked before. This doesn't mean that you need to spend more hours in the gym. Quite the opposite. More intense body building workouts of shorter duration are what you need to achieve muscle growth.

I realize that this may be counter to popular belief. Conventional wisdom says that the harder and longer you work, the more you get. This has been applied to our professions, school, physical fitness - virtually everything we do.

But it does not apply to building mass muscle. Work hard, yes. Work long, NO. If you want big muscles, you have to train big but not long.

Muscles grow due to a natural survival response, and if you don't give them a good reason to grow, they won't. Entering the gym and simply going through the motions without breaking a sweat just is not going to do it. Muscles have to be overloaded with heavy weight and high intensity to see real results. This is without a doubt the most effective means of stimulating muscular growth.

Muscles gain strength and size in response to a threat. If we tear our muscles down one session, they will recover and grown back slightly stronger. But we have to give them time to recover. If we trained to the maximum every day, our muscles would never recover and never gain strength.

We have a natural tendency to ease off or stop our routines when they become difficult, so we never threaten our system. We know deep down that we could do another rep or add an extra 10 pounds, but when it becomes difficult we quit. Then the next day at the gym, we use the same amount of weight, the same routine, the same number of reps. We do what we are comfortable with.

Guess what. Our muscles are comfortable too. They get used to our routine and never have to get stronger to survive.

To gain maximum muscle mass, it is necessary to break down our muscle tissue in the gym. The time to stop is when you physically can not do another rep. The mind says "yes" but the muscles just wont do it. They have failed. The body sees this as a threat and rebuilds the muscles to get bigger and stronger so it will be better able to handle the threat in the future.

Then you add a little weight and your body responds by adding a little more muscle. It doesn't take much more weight to be effective over time. Ten more pounds every few workouts and your body doesn't even notice it. But the gain over a few months will be significant. Your mirror wont believe it.

Obviously you can not and should not try to overwork any one muscle group each time you work out. Muscles need to rest and rebuild. Train hard 3 days a week for no more than an hour at a time to build maximum lean muscle in the minimum amount of time.

5 Tips for Bodybuilding at College

2007-02-02T22:56:00.002-08:00

When you come to move into college it can be an exciting and some testing time, especially if you are serious about your weight training and bodybuilding. As you'll no longer have access to your favourite gym or all the healthy food you'd normally be able to have at home and you'll probably find that sharing fridges and kitchens can be a headache.

You'll need to be dedicated and motivated

It might take you a week or two to get settled in and it can be daunting starting at college, however once you find your feet, if you have high levels of commitment and drive you'll have no problems keeping in shape and getting that perfect toned body. However there are a number of essentials tips that'll help you on your way.

Set goals and plan ahead

Before you start college it is essential that you set out clear and specific goals and devise a training program for the year and make a commitment to stick to it. Don't forget this includes your nutrition and diet as well as your workouts.

Get the right nutrition

If possible try and stay in self catered accommodation so that you can have maximum control over your nutrition and ensure that you're eating the right foods. If not you are going to have more of a difficult job, as college food in catered accommodation is average at best and most certainly not ideal for packing on muscle and burning off fat. If you find yourself in this situation don't over do your eating on the college food, especially if its food your body isn't used to, instead save up for a small fridge for your room. Budget for some healthy food week and stock up your fridge with good nutritious food which your body will thank you for.

Stock up on protein shakes and healthy snacks

Before you go to your lectures or classes each day, make up a healthy lunch for yourself so that you can avoid the canteen, take some protein shakes or snakes as well to ensure you don't go hungry and your body stays fuelled. If you have to go into the canteen, don't be tempted by the unhealthy food, it'll just undo all the good work you've been doing down the gym. Try to stick to the food options you'd normally go for such as chicken, eggs, pasta, tuna, salads and cottage cheese.

Find your local gyms

As soon as you get there spend some time orientating yourself with the area you are staying, find the local gyms, have a look around and see which ones are best suited to your needs. Speak to some of the instructors and find out the best routes for running so you can get your cardio training in. Don't forget to check the opening times of the gyms and their prices, many will give you a student discount on membership, so make sure you ask.

Form good habits and avoid the booze

Watch your habits and try and form good ones, make sure you get enough sleep and organise your time so that you get your work and training done, as well as making the most of the social activities. Try to avoid the drinking as you'll be throwing your training away; if you are just bodybuilding for fun and to look and feel good don't feel bad about having a few drinks at the week end, but remember drink in moderation and be responsible. If you are bodybuilding for competition then there is no way any alcoholic drinks should be getting past your lips. As alcohol lowers your testosterone, dehydrates and will cause you to put on fat. Abstain from drinking and your friends will soon respect your for discipline and commitment.

How To Build Muscle and Lose Fat While Traveling

2007-02-02T22:56:00.001-08:00

As a bodybuilder travelling is one of the most testing times, as travelling and bodybuilding don't go hand in hand. As the majority of people have to travel at some point, whether it's for business or pleasure, even if you are in the minority of professional bodybuilders you'll still have to travel between competitions. Travelling can create some serious problems for bodybuilders as it can very difficult to travel and maintain your discipline and training while travelling. While it's difficult to continue training and sticking to your diet, with a bit of discipline you can keep pumped and lean all year round even if you are a regular traveller.

Go to the gym before…

Whenever you are about to travel, get down the gym the day before or on in the morning before you leave. Ideally try and stay somewhere with a weight room, however more than likely if there is a weight room the opening hours will be varied and the equipment limited. If there isn't a weight room or the equipment is lacking there is no reason why you can not do plenty of cardio training, such as running. If you do a heavy weight session before you leave your body will have some time to recover while you travel, ideally try and schedule your travel so that they coincide with your normal rest days.

Pack your protein shakes and healthy snacks

One of the biggest challenges which bodybuilders have during travel is having the right nutrition and eating the right foods. Always aim to eat healthy and if you can stick to the foods you eat normally, don't let yourself be tempted into eating junk foods it's not worth it. If you are faced with a long flight make sure that you pack healthy snacks and protein shakes so that you your nutritional needs are met, as airplane food is not designed for bodybuilders, make up a packed meal if necessary. Remember always to take a bottle or two of water when you fly as it's easy to be come dehydrated on flights and paying for drinks can quickly become expensive.

Think strategically

Once you arrive in your destination, think strategically. Speak to your reception and find out where the nearest supermarket or grocery store is and buy in some good, nutritious healthy food, and then find out about your hotel's gym facilities or local what gyms there are locally if your hotel 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, try to stick to your diet plan and if you do over indulge, put in some extra cardio work to burn it off. In conclusion if plan ahead, be disciplined and do everything you can to ensure that you stick to your training and diet plan, there is no reason why you cannot travel and maintain the body of your dreams.How To Build Muscle and Lose Fat While Traveling

5 Basic Bodybuilding Supplements

2007-02-02T22:55:00.000-08:00

The only way to increase your muscle mass is to stick to a good bodybuilding program. You cannot get massive muscle by downing a quart - or a gallon - of a supplement product. Supplements are not needed to build muscles bigger or stronger. The supplement industry would like you to think otherwise, but it just is not so.

If you are putting your self through standard routines to stay in shape and maintain the strength and lean muscle that you have, you will get adequate nutrition by eating a good balanced diet. If you are a vegan, you will need to supplement with some nutrients found only in animal protein, but that is about it. There is no easy to swallow substitute for hard work - you are not going to find it by using any miracle bodybuilding supplement. There is no substitute for maximum effort on your part.

On the other hand, supplements are needed if you want to become as big and as strong as you possibly can. If you are seriously dedicated to working yourself as hard as it takes to build the most lean muscle possible in the shortest time possible, you absolutely need to use supplements. There are several that are considered essential when you work yourself to the max.

High-Potency Multivitamin

The importance of multivitamin and mineral supplements is overlooked by many bodybuilders. No, they don't pack a lot of lean muscle on you. But they are extremely important in the chain of reactions that occur to produce that lean muscle and contribute to your overall fitness. The thousands of chemical processes that go in your body are all dependent upon vitamins. Taking a high-potency multivitamin is cheap insurance in your bodybuilding program.

Glutamine

L-Glutamine is an amino acid which is normally produced in sufficient quantities by the body itself. However, during times of stress such as during exercise, illness or an immune disorder, your body cannot keep up with the demand. Glutamine helps in energy recovery, muscle rebuilding, fueling the brain and strengthening the immune system. It also encourages the production of Human Growth Hormone. Pure glutamine is available and inexpensive but it is quite bitter. Because of this, many suppliers offer it combined with other supplements to mask the bitterness.

Whey Protein

Building muscle mass quickly requires a protein supplement and there is no better source than whey protein. It is pure protein from cow's milk. Whey protein contains little if any fat, lactose or cholesterol and is a rich source of essential amino acids. Whey protein isolate is the purest form and is an ideal supplement for our use.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids are the 'good fats' omega-3 and omega-6. EFAs help boost the immune system and have been claimed to improve a number of conditions including arthritis, depression, brain function, dry skin and hormonal balance. Like all fats, they are a source of energy but unlike saturated fats which we try to avoid while building lean muscle, they are a good source. EFAs can provide adequate energy levels for good performance and ensure metabolic function.

Creatine

Creatine is synthesized in the liver which produces sufficient amounts for normal activities. The function of creatine is to help supply energy to the muscles. It is found naturally in skeletal muscles and studies have shown that ingesting creatine increases the level in the muscles. They have also shown that supplementing with creatine does increase performance and help build muscle mass. It is not considered 'doping' and its use is not banned by sports bodies. Certain forms, however are banned from sales in several countries.

The underlying goal of these 5 basic bodybuilding supplements is energy supply and lean muscle building. Evaluate any supplement you consider putting into your body with that goal in mind. If it doesn't measure up, do not take it.