Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Chest

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.
Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we'll look at the chest exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.
1. Dumbbell flyes - this exercise provides a useful means of isolating the pectorals and preserving the triceps for the subsequent exercise. The exercise should be performed as follows:
- Hold dumbbells directly overhead.
- Lower them to sides with elbows slightly bent, pulled back and to the side. Lower no further than level with the torso.
- Use the pectorals to pull the weights back up to the starting position.
2. Incline bench press - you can move straight on to this exercise if you have reached an appropriate level of experience. If you perform this exercise as the second part of a pre-exhaust routine you may have to use lighter weights than normally.
- Take a shoulder width grip.
- Lower the bar to the chest with the elbows pointed to the side.
- Return to the starting position.

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Is Your Muscle Building Potential Limited By Your Genes?

 

It is clear that certain traits are handed down to us by our parents and unfortunately our ablility to grow muscles beyond certain limits is no exception. That doesn't mean to say hard work and carefully planned training won't have a positive effect on your physique - it just means that some people will inherit a greater abundance of the favored physical characteristics than others. Not everyone possesses the physical traits to become a champion, but you can work wonders with the raw material you do possess.
How responsive you will be to physical stimulation can be predicted to a certain extent by examining your somatype or natural body shape. Basically, there are three recognized body types:
1. Endomorphs - these individuals tend to be squat with a round torso, thick neck and short limbs.
2. Mesomorphs - these individuals tend to be musclar with broad shoulders, powerful chest and limbs and little body fat.
3. Ectomorphs - these individuals tend to be slim and are usually tall with little muscle and body fat.
The ideal bodybuilding physique tends more towards the mesomorph with broad shoulders, narrow hips with arms and legs of medium length. Two further inherited features have a role to play in determining muscle building potential, and these are muscle fiber density and neurological efficiency. Fiber density determines the size potential of a muscle while neurological efficiency refers to the relationship between the nervous system and muscles. This is relevant because, in all out effort genetically blessed individuals have the ability to activate up to 50% of the fibers in a given muscle compared to the average person's 30%. This allows greater scope for stimulating growth.
The fact that there is no easy way to measure fiber density or neurological efficiency is actually a blessing because the incentive remains for all of us to train hard and strive for improvement. Only a tiny minority of people have the genetic tools to become champions but the rest of us can go a long way to fulfilling our own personal goals.

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How To Build Muscles With BodyBuilding Exercise

A well-planned exercise routine will not only help you replace fat with muscle, it will help you gain strength and flexibility.
A bodybuilding exercise plan also improves bone strength, and lowers blood pressure. Whether you are a professional bodybuilder or you just enjoy hitting the weights hard at the gym, setting a goal for your bodybuilding exercise plan will help you achieve maximum results. Remember to make your goal challenging but be realistic.
Plan a routine that will help you reach the goals you have set. You may choose to plan on paper or on computer; whichever method you chose in planning your bodybuilding exercise goal, state your goal in a positive, precise way. It is best to choose performance-oriented goals instead of outcome-oriented goals. You can only control your own bodybuilding exercise goals, you have no control over other peoples routines, so don't make you goal winning a competition. You might make your goal to gain a certain amount of muscles mass, or lose a specific amount of body fat. This type of goal works whether you compete or not.
Planning before you begin helps you get organized and stay focused. Putting it in writing makes it more formal, and more likely that you will stick to the plan. You should include short-term goals that help lead to your main long-term goal. Breaking down your main goal into smaller goals makes it easier to stay on your bodybuilding exercise routine.
Set a deadline for achieving your main goal. Without a deadline it can be easy to put off your bodybuilding exercise routine. Keep track of each workout you complete successfully. Plan on rewarding yourself once your long-term goal is met.
The most important step in planning is to include a proper warm-up period. Warming up reduces the change of injury and improves your performance. Warm up exercises of your bodybuilding exercise could include an aerobic activity such as treadmill walking, stepping, rowing or stationary cycling, or it could be arm circles, knee bends and shoulder circles. A third alternative is to lift light weights with a high number of reps.
The next step of your program will be tailored to the specific goal that you have set or area that you want to improve. If your goal involves your legs plan a bodybuilding exercise that works your legs, such as barbell squats or leg presses. Choose specific exercises that will increase your chest, like the barbell press, if that is your goal.
Perform each exercise carefully to avoid injury. To build mass, do fewer reps but include more sets and heavier weights, Rest at least 1 minute between sets. Another important part of your bodybuilding exercise plan is to eat properly and drink plenty of fluids.

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Halotestin – Often Used For Strength Rather Than Muscle Building

The Pharmacia & Upjohn Company's product, Halotestin is an oral steroid. Halotestin contains Fluoxymesterone, which is an androgenic hormone. The anabolic factor of Halotestin is slightly pronounced. Fluoxymesterone is a white or nearly white, fragrance-free, crystalline powder, which is practically indissoluble in water, thinly soluble in alcohol, and slightly soluble in chloroform.

The chemical formula of Halotestin is C20H29FO3, and its molecular weight is 336.4457. The corresponding word used for Halotestin include 9a-fluoro-11b-hydroxy-17a-methyltestosterone; 9fluoro-11, 17-dihydroxy-17-methyl-androst-4-en-3-one; 9-Fluoro-11beta, 17beta-dihydroxy-17-methylandrost-4-en-3-one, Androfluorene and Fluoxymestrone.

Each Halotestin pill has 2 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg fluoxymesterone. Its other inactive ingredients include sucrose, sorbic acid, corn starch, lactose, FD&C Yellow No. 5, calcium stearate and tragacanth. Additionally, the 2 mg tablet of Halotestin contains FD&C Yellow No. 6 and the 5 mg and 10 mg contain FD&C Blue No. 2.

Halotestin is primarily used when the jocks are more interested in forting up strength rather than building muscles. Weight lifters or power lifters who must stay within a definite weight class frequently make use of Halotestin as they are primarily interested in gaining strength without adding up body weight.

The common side effects linked with Halotestin are increased production of the sebaceous gland, acne, nasal bleeding, headaches, gastrointestinal pain and reduced production of the body hormones, irritation, aggressiveness, gynecomastia, high blood pressure level, and masculinization symptoms.

In muscle-building, Halotestin is taken while preparing for a competition. With a lower body fat content, Halotestin gives the muscleman a distinguishing muscle rigidity and distinctness. The normal dosage of Halotestin is 20-40 mg/ a day. Normally, muscle-builders are satisfied with 20-30 mg/ per day whereas weight or power lifters often take 40 mg/day or more. The daily quantity is generally broken up into two equal quantities taken mornings and evenings with lots of fluids. As the pills are 1 7-alpha alky-lated, they can be taken during meals without any loss in effect.

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How Long Should You Rest Between Muscle Building Sessions?

In an earlier article we concluded that muscles must be worked to failure if an adequate hypertrophic response is to occur. Whether this involves one or more sets is irrelevant as in either scenario the muscles must be worked to failure and beyond. This causes significant microscopic damage to the muscle tissues and it is during the period of recovery that protein synthesis undertakes the repair process that results in bigger muscle fibers.
But how long does this process take and when is it safe to expose those same muscles to further intensive exercise? Scientific studies suggest that muscle fiber degradation takes approximately five to seven days to repair and recover. Any further exposure of the affected muscle to intensive activity will interfere with the recovery process and actually prevent it from achieving maximum growth. However, using the muscle to assist in exercising other body parts or even taking part in low intensity aerobic exercise will not prevent recovery.
It follows therefore that each muscle group should be trained intensively only once each week in order to allow full recovery. This can be achieved by incorportating a split training regime that allows you to work out several times each week but still exercise each muscle group intensively only once every seven days.

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Can Bodybuilding Supplements Perform The Muscle Miracle?

 

If you Google "bodybuilding supplements" you will see the search returns almost 10.5 million results. It shows how much importance people are giving to get muscle using bodybuilding supplements. The sheer volume of these products is overwhelming. Their popularity is very strong.

Do bodybuilding supplements work?

While many know that these products exist, they may not be aware of how these body building muscle supplement products work. Unfortunately, because these products are in such fierce competition with one another they have a tendency to employ a ton of over the top advertisement campaigns so as to stand out in the marketplace. Also a number of these ad campaigns leave the false impression. It is if there is a miracle out there that will maximize one's ability to grow muscle.

The Truth About bodybuilding supplements

First, what must clearly be understood about these supplements is that no body building muscle supplement is a miracle product. There is no product that will magically burn fat and enhance muscle growth while eliminating the need for working out. Of course, there are a number of products that make these promises, but these products are less than honest and even less successful in terms of actually delivering what they promise.

Be Realistic

We need to be realistic about what to expect from body building supplements. They are not miracle products that will pack on 50 or 60lbs of muscle nor will they magically burn off 10 or 20lbs of fat. Body building supplements have their values.

These values and benefits are based on realistic nutrition and science and not over the top advertisements. Often, the advertisements and their claims act as substitutes for actual science and this is unfortunate.

Mass gainers and whey protein supplements

Most of the products that advertise as body building supplements fall into two categories. Either mass gainer or whey protein supplements.

What is a mass gainer?

A mass gainer is a drink that provides a massive amount of calories in liquid shake form so as to help someone who is having difficulty gaining weight the ability to gain weight without packing on fat.

Whey protein as a body supplement

Whey protein provides the body with quality protein so as to aid in the repair and growth of muscle after a solid exercise program.

Best bodybuilding tip.

The most important bodybuilding tip to follow is to avoid over training. Over training is working out too many times per work or working out for durations that are excessive. Excessive is anything longer than one hour straight in duration. Also, it is also unwise to work out if you feel sick or are seemingly suffering from an injury so as not to aggravate the injury.

Now, many would say, If you don't work hard, you won't make any gains. Well, this is partially true. One of the most critical of all body building tips, however, is that not only must one work hard one must also work smart!

Conclusion

There is no body building muscle supplement that can provide any miracles. So avoid looking for them. Instead, look for those products that provide an honest and sensible result. Ultimately if you stick with legitimate products you will achieve the results that you desire.

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Building Muscle: How Is It Really Done?

Most people believe that in order to build noticeable muscle size, they have to devote many hours in the gym, 5 or 6 days a week for many years. This is untrue, yes, hard work is required, but to devote that much time is unnecessary.

Substantial muscle growth can be achieved with 40-minute sessions 3 days a week, sometimes much less if done correctly. Muscles will only grow in size when they have fully recovered from the gym workout, then, and only then will muscle growth happen. If your goal is to achieve maximum muscle growth in the shortest possible time then there needs to be more rest days than actual workout days.

It's difficult for some people to believe that substantial muscle growth can be induced with only 2 or 3 days a week at 40 minutes a session, or less. It can be done and it is being done by many, however, there is a catch:

These "few and far between" gym sessions will have to be short and extremely intensive. More intense than ever, you have to justify your days off. You have to give your body a very good reason to grow bigger muscles. The sessions will be about what you thought you could not do, but somehow managed to do.

Eg: if you're lifting a certain weight and you know you can only get 8 reps, you will push yourself further than ever before and squeeze out another 2 reps of that weight, with the help of your training partner or someone else of course. You will need help with the last 2 reps but the idea is to execute a greater effort than you are used to doing, this creates the environment for greater muscle growth (all other things being equal).

Below is an example of an 8 Week "every other day" muscle building routine. It's an example of how short the training sessions should be. It can also be done taking 2 days rest in between training sessions. I am assuming that you have weight training experience behind you, and also that you are familiar with the jargon. If not, then I would not recommend that you push yourself too far until you have built up your strength and fitness level. You should always get the go-ahead from your GP or health professional before starting or changing any physical exercise program.

Warm ups are not included in the below.

Day 1: Chest - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Biceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.

Day 2: REST.

Day 3: Thighs - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Hamstrings - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Calves - 2 sets 12 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.

Day 4: REST.

Day 5: Shoulders - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Triceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.

Day 6: REST.

Day 7: Back - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Abdominals - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.

Day 8: REST.

Day 9: Start again.

Notes: You will need someone to help you for the last 2 or 3 reps of every set.

So if you're doing a set of 10 reps, the weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps on your own, and you will need help to get the other 2 reps to make it 10.

If you're doing a set of 8 reps, it's really only 5 or 6 reps that you can get on your own; help will be needed to complete the 8 reps.

Increase the weight every week, even if it's only 5lbs in total. Safety takes priority over ego. On the 4th week reduce the rep range by 2 for all sets and continue.

The idea is to put forth a much greater intensive effort than you imagine you can. The reward for these infrequent efforts is, shorter training sessions and more rest days away from it and of course much Greater Muscle Growth. Many people are now achieving greater results through smarter training methods, spending less time in the gym with more free time to enjoy other activities. Excessive hours and days in the gym is, at last! No longer the way to go.

For more information on how to achieve the greatest Muscle Growth in the shortest possible time visit

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Body Building Supplements For Beginners|Supplementation To Gain Muscles Fast

"Do I need supplements to gain muscles fast?", "What supplementations are needed for body building beginners?", "Are the nutrients from my daily meals enough for me to gain bigger muscles fast?"
All body building beginners must have asked themselves these questions. You are reading this article because you would have probably asked these questions yourself.
The answer to these supplementation questions is an affirmative yes. Body building supplements are necessary if you want gain bigger muscles faster. This is because various supplements have their own benefits and they work together complementing each other to support muscle mass gain. You will probably not be getting enough of them through your normal meals and that is the primary reason why you need supplementation.
Since there are so many body building supplements in out there, choosing the correct and effective supplementation to gain muscles fast is a daunting task for a body building beginner.
Well, your anxiety will be solved in this article. As a body building beginner, you need only the basic supplementations to gain muscles effectively. You may need some other supplements when you are at the intermediate or advanced stages of body building.
So what are the basic supplementation to help a beginner to gain muscle mass?
•Protein Supplements – Without protein, you will never gain muscles. Protein is the fundamental supplement for every bodybuilder. You need 1 gram of protein for every pound of your bodyweight per day to faster gain bigger muscles. This is a lot of protein and most people will never get enough of protein from their meals.
•Creatine Supplements - Creatine can significantly increase muscle volume along with protein. It will also improve your weightlifting performances and raise your energy levels so that your workouts are more intensive and this provides for greater muscle gain.
•Glutamine Supplements – Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, which makes up to 60% of the amino acids in the muscles. Glutamine helps in your muscle recovery after your workouts and also prevents muscle lost due to muscle catabolism.
•Multi Vitamins / Minerals Supplement – Your muscles need many vitamins and minerals for every stage of its function and recovery. Some vitamins and minerals are antioxidants and will also help in protecting muscle waste, help in muscle recovery and mopping up free radicals after your muscles are stressed out and damaged during your gym workouts.
As a bodybuilding beginner, these are the only supplementation you will need to help you gain bigger muscles fast.

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Are you having trouble building muscle?

Have you been going to the gym regularly for months and haven't been able to put on any serious poundage? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's time to take a step back and make some plans. Building muscle is not rocket science. There are four key factors that will mean the difference between building muscle and staying skinny. You have to ask yourself these four questions.
Is my diet optimized for building muscle?
It's time to get out of the "3 meals per day" mentality. If you want to gain (or lose) weight you need to feed your body whole foods, six times per day. This means splitting your large meals up and eating about once every three hours. Not only is this good for your metabolism, but your body will use the foods instead of storing them as fat.
Your six meals per day should consist of mainly complex carbohydrates and protein. You should aim for at least thirty grams of protein per meal. High protein foods include lean meat, chicken, fish, egg whites, cheese and milk products. Complex carbohydrates are found in brown rice, brown bread and potatoes. Stay away from foods high in salt and sugar
Should I be using supplements, and when should I be taking them?
If you can afford supplements you should be using them. The basic three you should be considering are protein, carbs and creatine. Whey protein supplements are the fastest known way to deliver quality protein to your muscles. This makes shakes particularly effective after your workouts, when your body is craving protein for muscle re-growth.
There are three key times that supplements should be taken. First thing in the morning, after your workout and before bed. If your diet is up to scratch you shouldn't need supplements at any other time. Don't use supplements to replace meals. Supplements are supplements, not meal replacements.
Am I training hard and not smart?
The biggest mistake the new lifters make is thinking that the more they workout the bigger they'll get. This couldn't be further from the truth! Two basic rules you must remember when it comes to weight training. First, quality is better than quantity. Second, compound exercises are the kings of building muscle.
Compound exercises require at least two joint movements. Big compound exercises are the squat, bench press, wide grip pull up and seated row. These movements recruit many more muscles fibers to use to move the weight. This means more muscle groups are worked, the exercise is more challenging and the potential for growth is much greater.
Generally you should be doing three compound exercises for one isolation exercise. For example your back/biceps workout might consist of wide grip pull ups, seated row, bent over row and standing bicep curl. You might think this is not enough work for your biceps? Wrong. Your biceps are worked heavily in all over these exercises; the bicep curl just finishes them off.
The length of any training session should not exceed one hour. And you only need to train one muscle group once per week. This means a split routine should only need to be three days per week. In fact, most professional bodybuilders only train four times per week. Remember, it's quality not quantity.
Do I get enough rest and recovery time?
When you workout you're not building your muscles, you're breaking them down. The reason why you looked "pumped up" when you're in the gym is because your muscle tissue is swollen and damaged. Your muscles actually grow when you are resting. So in simple terms, no rest equals no muscle growth.
So take it easy when you're not working out. Ease up on the cardio. And make sure you get plenty of sleep. Sleep is the body's number one time for building muscle. This is also why it's important to eat before bed, so your body has the fuel to repair muscle in your sleep.
Simple isn't it?
So you can see that despite what you read in magazines or on the web about building muscle, it's surprisingly simple. If you get the four aspects I have mentioned in this article right, you will build muscle. If you've got any questions, I'm available on the forum on my site. See links in my bio.

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Add Intensity To Your Muscle Building Workout

One of the biggest difficulties facing bodybuilders is how can they be sure that all muscle fibers have been recruited and exhausted during a given exercise and it is only by achieving this that muscle gains can be maximised.
The simple answer is, you have work beyond failure and experience a higher level of training intensity than before. This also ensures that workouts remain challenging and continue to engender progress over time thus reducing the likelihood of regression.
But how do you go about intensifying your training? Fortunately there is a tried and tested path to follow as outlined below:
1. Increase resistance - increasing the weight lifted in meaningful increments ensures the muscle is pushed beyond its previous point of failure thus maintaining the muscle building process. Aim to increase the weight when you reach six to eight reps and failure does not occur.
2. Change the exercise - to achieve maximal gains all muscle fibers in a body part must be trained. Changing the angle (e.g to incline bench press) or introducing a new exercise will stimulate growth.
3. Reduce rest intervals - giving the muscles less time to recover before exposing them to further work has the effect of increasing intensity.
4. Pre-exhaustion - when an exercise involves two or more muscles the weakest will prevent you from working the primary muscle to failure. The answer is to first isolate and tire the primary muscle before immediately moving to another exercise that works the set of muscles to failure.
5. Introduce supersets - this involves performing two exercises for the same muscle group without a rest interval. This means you have to utilize different muscle fibers which stimulate greater growth.
6. Use partial reps - at the point of failure you will not be able to complete the full range of movement for a given exercise. Completing a partial rep that uses only a segment of the lift will still work your muscles beyond the point of failure. This technique is especially useful to advanced bodybuilders as it allows them to increase intensity without adding extra routines that could cause overtraining.
7. Use isometric contractions - this involves holding the weight still at the point of failure to stimulate a static contraction in the muscle.
8. Employ forced reps - this involves completing one or more final reps after the point of failure has been reached. You will need the assistance of an experienced helper to attempt this.
Once you have added these techniques to your training regimen you'll know you've done your best to maximize muscle growth.

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15 Muscle Building Rules For Skinny Guys And Gals! (Part 2)

 

In part 1, I touched on general weight gain rules and reasons why you can't gain weight. Now it's time to get into workout specifics...
WORKOUT RULES
4. Stop listening to every ridiculous piece of advice you hear in the gym or read on a message board.
Recently a client of mine informed me that someone in the gym stated that he was training all wrong and he needed to train 5-6 days a week, and aim for more reps during his workout. Somewhere in the range of 15-20 reps per set.
The person giving the advice was quite confident about his recommendations, and he had an impressive physique that typically elevates him to the elusive "listen to me if you want to look like me" level in the gym. He was bigger than my client, so even though my client's "intellectual" mind knows that advice is absurd; his "unrealistic dreamer" mind took this information very seriously. So seriously that he changed his program and didn't inform me until a week or so later. This particular person had been making great progress on his current program, yet he allowed this one person's comment to overshadow that progress and convince him that his program was inadequate. This is a mistake and it showed in his lack of further progress.
In addition, don't judge the validity of what a person says by how they look. Just because the guy is huge doesn't mean he is spewing pertinent advice for you. Many people that have big physiques are big despite of their training, not because of it. I know some huge guys that know very little about training and dieting correctly. They can do whatever and still gain muscle; unfortunately we are not that way, so we much approach things in a more intelligent way.
5. Workout Infrequently
This is the most difficult concept for many to grasp simply because it involves less action, instead of more. When we get motivated and start a new program, it's natural to want to do something. We want to train and train and train. Thinking all along that the more you train, the more muscle you will build. Unfortunately, this could not be farther from the truth.
More training does not equal more muscle growth. Understand that the purpose of weight training is to stimulate muscle growth. That takes very little time. Once that has been done, the muscle needs to be repaired and new muscle needs to be built. That only happens when you are resting. You do not build muscle in the gym, you build muscle when resting! If you never give your body any essential "non active" time, when will it have a chance to build muscle? Think about that.
Now, add in the fact that you have a difficult time gaining weight and the importance of rest increases. Individuals who are naturally thin and have difficulty building muscle tend to require less training and more rest.
6. Focus on Multi-Jointed Lifts
Multi-jointed exercises are those that stimulate the most amounts of muscle fibers. Unlike isolation exercises which only work individual muscles, multi-jointed lifts work many different muscle groups simultaneously. For those needing to gain weight, this is ideal because these lifts put your body under the most amount of stress. This is the stress that will shock your nervous system and cause the greatest release of muscle building hormones. This results in increased muscle gain all over the body.
You can still do some isolation work; however it should not be the focus of your workouts, and should only come after your multi-jointed lifting is complete.
7. Focus on Using Free Weights
Free weights are preferred over machines for many reasons, but most importantly because they allow the stimulation of certain supporting muscle groups when training. Stimulating these stabilizer and synergistic muscles will allow you go get stronger, and ultimately build more muscle faster. Yes, some can most likely still build large amounts of muscle using machines, but why make it more difficult if you already have a difficult time gaining weight?
8. Lift a weight that is challenging for you
Building mass involves lifting relatively heavy weight. This is necessary because the muscle fibers that cause the most amount of muscle size growth (called Type IIB) are best stimulated by the lifting of heavy weight. A heavy weight as one that only allows you to perform 4-8 reps before your muscles fail.
Using a lighter weight and doing more reps can stimulate some Type IIB fibers, but again if you have a difficult time gaining weight, why make it more difficult? You need to try and stimulate as many as you can with the use of heavy weights.
9. Focus more on the eccentric portion of the exercise.
When you lift a weight, it can be divided into three distinct periods. The positive, the negative and midpoint. The concentric or "positive" motion usually involves the initial push or effort when you begin the rep. The midpoint is signaled by a short pause before reversing and returning to the starting position. The eccentric, or "negative" portion of each lift is characterized by your resistance against then natural pull of the weight.
For example, when doing push-ups, the positive motion is the actual pushing up motion. Once you have pushed all the way up, you hit the mid point. The negative motion begins when you start to lower yourself back down. Most would simply lower themselves as fast as they pushed up, but I recommend extending and slowing down this portion. Slowing down the eccentric part of the lift will help to stimulate more muscle growth. It actually activates more of the Type IIB fibers mentioned about in Rule 7.
10. Keep your workout short but intense.
Your goal should be to get in, stimulate your muscles and then get out as quickly as possible. It is not necessary to do large amounts of exercisers per body part trying to target every muscle and hit every "angle". This should only be a concern of someone with an already developed, mature physique who is trying to improve weak areas.
If you have no pec, don't concern yourself with trying to target inner, outer, upper, lower or whatever. Just work your chest. You should do no more than 2-3 exercises per body part. That's it. Doing more than that won't build more muscle, faster. In fact it could possibly lead to muscle loss. Long training sessions cause catabolic hormone levels to rise dramatically. Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue resulting in MUSCLE LOSS. While at the same time, long training sessions suppress the hormones that actually build muscle.
If you don't want to lose muscle during your workouts, I suggest limiting your sessions to no more than 60-75 minutes MAXIMUM. Less if you can.
11. Limit your aerobic activity and training
Honestly, I do not do any aerobic activity when I am trying to gain weight. This is mainly because it interferes with the important "non-active" time my body needs for muscle building and recovery. I do understand that people have lives and other activities that they don't want to give up, so it must be kept to a minimum. It won't hurt your progress as long as you don't over do it. If you find that you are doing more aerobic activity weight training, that's overdoing it.
I also don't recommend it because people tend do it for the wrong reasons. Many start aerobic activity because they believe it will help them to lose fat. While that is true, it won't do so on a high calorie mass diet. To lose fat, you need to be eating fewer calories.
12. Don't program hop
Here's how it usually happens. You've just read about a new exercise or workout that is supposed to pack on the mass. Now, even though you had already started another training program a few weeks ago, you are tired of it and really want to start this routine instead because it sounds better.
I call these people, "program hoppers". They are very enthusiastic when starting a new program, but they never follow it long enough to actually see any results. They are easily distracted and love to drop whatever they may be doing to follow the latest "hot" workout or exercise.
My advice is don't do it. This is a bad habit that never leads to a positive outcome. Understand that it takes time for any program to work. To be successful, you must follow your program consistently. Yes, there are many different training methods and interesting routines out there, but you can't do them all at the same time and jumping around won't allow enough time for any of them to actually be effective for you. Pick one that is focused on your current goal and stick with it. There will be plenty of time to try the others later, but NOT NOW.
In Part 3 of this article, I will cover your eating rules and guidelines to MAKE SURE you know how AND what to eat to build muscle mass.

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15 Muscle Building Rules For Skinny Guys And Gals! (Part 1)

WHY CAN'T YOU GAIN WEIGHT?
Though there may be many reasons why you may be thin, the most apparent reason is because of your genetics. If your parents are naturally thin or have a small body frame, then you will most likely have the same small body type.
To some degree, your size can also be controlled by your metabolism. If you have a difficult time gaining weight of any kind (fat or muscle) then you most likely have a fast metabolism. That simply means that your body burns calories at a faster than normal rate. You must take this into account whenever you are considering a particular diet or training program. Is it geared towards someone with your metabolism and goal?
Now as you know, there are many ways to train. Hundreds, thousands even. Some work and some do not, but for the specific goal of gaining weight, there are a few UNIVERSAL things that all skinny guys must do.
Though much of the information I cover here is not as "magical" as you may like, I consider these rules to be the basics with regard to weight gain. These are not all of the answers, but they are definite elements that MUST be addressed in any successful weight gain program.
You should be able to easily integrate these rules into your current program to make it more suitable for your particular body and goals.
GENERAL RULES
1.Get the proper information that pertains to your SPECIFIC condition and goals.
The first big problem I find in most people is the lack of correct information. Yes you are motivated and doing things, but your effort is wasted on incorrect dieting and training information. Basically, skinny guys are taking advice from people who have never had a weight gain problem. Want to know how to gain weight? Then find someone who has walked your shoes. Someone who has been where you are.
2.Set a specific goal and create a plan of attack.
If you were to drive cross country to another city, would you just start driving randomly, or would you plan a route that would get you quickly and efficiently?
Think of your plan as a road map and your goal as your destination. Without a plan and a specific goal you will be without focus and can easily get lost or side tracked. This happens more often than you know. I see many people in the gym just doing whatever, or just eating whatever -- no plan or specific goal. They wonder why they don't make progress. They have no focus.
Having a specific program to follow allows you to take action each day. This action is focused on specifically getting you to your destination quickly. There is no thinking, debating or guessing. You just do it. A specific plan provides necessary daily structure that not only keeps you on the road moving forward, it also helps to develop good eating and training habits that will benefit you long after you have reached your destination.
3.Have confidence in yourself and belief in what you are doing.
Let's face it; we live in a cruel world. Hate and jealously is everywhere. For most people who begin a fitness program to improve themselves, getting started will be half the battle. The other half will be staying motivated throughout the constant onslaught of negativity from others. A few negative words can do serious damage if you allow it.
The most insulting things you hear may be from friends, co-workers and acquaintances at the gym. People hate change. It makes them insecure, because they suddenly discover there's more to you than they were probably willing to admit. They fear that you may actually achieve your goal. It makes them look less "superior".
Once you have begun your plan, you must have faith and believe in what you are doing. Stay focused and avoid overly critical or negative people. If you have to, keep your business to yourself. When I first began my program, I stopped talking about what I was doing because I got tired of hearing things like "you can't do that", "that's impossible", "you're wasting your time and money". Funny thing is, now those people are constantly bugging me for advice.
It's your life. It's your body. It's your dream. Don't allow your success or failure to rest in the hands of others.
In Part 2 of this article, I will cover your workout rules and guidelines to MAKE SURE you gain muscle.

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4 Harmful Muscle-Building Myths Uncovered

If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs" on you that you don't really need. If you don't watch your step you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I'm going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.
For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.
Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky". Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.
Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.
While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It's very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will actually work against you rather than for you.
Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must "feel the burn!"
This is another huge misconception in the gym. The "burning" sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above.

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A Muscle Building Tip That May Work Wonders

Maybe you want to build up your muscles for your health, or maybe you just want to look good - there's nothing wrong with that. Whatever your reason, there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. The truth is, any kind of mass building program is beneficial to your heart as well as to your muscles. But if you're trying to build up your muscles, there are particular muscle building workouts that are designed specifically to help you.
In order to increase the size of muscle, the muscle must be stimulated. One way of providing the stimulation your muscles need is to exercise so your muscles will grow in size.A muscle building tip that has helped many to attain their goal is to begin training with free weights. Strength and resistance exercise will also help by motivating your muscles to develop.
A workout routine of lifting weights combined with strength training exercises will begin to gradually bulk up your muscles. Muscle building workouts done on a regular basis will not only develop muscle mass but will add to your overall health. If you are a beginner, you will want to start out with lighter free weights and slowly increase the amount of weight you lift and the number of repetitions you perform.
Free weight training along with strength and resistance training will gradually help your body develop muscle. You can use this muscle building tip to your advantage if you remember that Rome wasn't built in a day, and your muscles won't be built in a day either. Building muscle is a slow process, but perseverance is the keyword to success. Anyone who has gone through the process of building up their muscles will confirm that they have been discouraged by the apparent lack of progress, but eventually they reached and maintained their goal.
Mass building workouts along with strength training will further enhance your chances of success in building muscle. Bench presses, pull-ups, push-ups, squats, and/or other exercises that target specific muscles are very effective in building muscle. It is important that you rest in between muscle building workouts to allow your muscles time to recover.
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, one common occurrence while doing muscle building routines is the possibility of muscle spasms. A muscle spasm occurs when a voluntary muscle (those you can control)bunches up and tightens. Muscle spasms can occur for several reasons or no reason at all, with the result being a painful muscle contraction, or muscle spasm. Muscle spasms can sometimes be relieved by resting the muscle, massaging it or by moving around. The best way to avoid these painful spasms is to do proper warm-up exercises, and let your muscles rest in between workouts.
If you want to be successful in your efforts to build muscle mass, it is important to follow these and other muscle building tips when you begin your muscle building routine.

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Anabolic Steroids Are Muscle Building Steroids

Anabolic means muscle-building, androgenic means masculine growth, and Steroids refer to the class of drugs. It means that anabolic steroids are androgenic steroids. They are often referred to as AAS (androgenic anabolic steroids) in the medical terms. AA Steroids play catalystic role in anabolism, which is the metabolic process that builds larger molecules from smaller ones.

Anabolic steroids are sometimes also known as muscle building steroids in general terms. The anabolic muscle building steroids belong to the class of synthetic derivatives of testosterone that helps promoting muscle and bone growth. These muscle building steroids promote cell growth and cell division that result in growth of tissues, muscles, and bones

There are a number of androgenic anabolic muscle building steroids available on the market. Some of the androgenic anabolic muscle building steroids include Anadrol ® (oxymetholone), Dianabol (methandrostenolone), Testosterone, Anadur (nandrolone hexylphenylpropionate), Anavar (oxandrolone), Andriol (testosterone undecanoate), AndroGel® (testosterone), Cheque Drops (mibolerone), and Danocrine (danozol).

The muscle building steroids are legally available under prescriptions. Medically, androgenic anabolic muscle building steroids are often used to treat conditions, such as delayed puberty and some types of impotence, which occur due to abnormally low amounts of testosterone production in the body. The muscle building steroids are also used to treat uncontrolled weight loss in wasting diseases, such as AIDS and other diseases that result in loss of lean muscle mass. The muscle building steroids are usually used by bodybuilders, weightlifters, and athletes to enhance their muscle mass, strength, and stamina, but such use of anabolic muscle building steroids for competitive purposes is legally banned. This is steroid abuse that may lead to elevated cholesterol levels, liver disease, blood clots leading to heart attack or stroke, increased aggressiveness and irritability, permanent stunting of growth in adolescents, etc.

According to a 1988 federal law, the distribution & use of androgenic anabolic muscle building steroids for nontherapeutic purposes is illegal. The androgenic anabolic muscle building steroids are controlled drugs in the United States, Canada, Britain, and many other countries of the world.

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Body Building Gain Mass Muscle Supplement

Protein is key to building muscle, and even beginner bodybuilders will tell you this. However, it is important to understand that not all proteins are alike, even though they have the same basic makeup. So, when it comes to body building gain mass muscle supplements, what exactly is it that you need?

Obviously, you need protein, but not just any protein. Of the 22 amino acids that are contained in protein, there are eight that are not produced by our bodies. This means that we must get those proteins through food or supplements. Of those 22 amino acids, there are also seven that our bodies do produce, but which cannot synthesize when certain conditions exist.

The fifteen amino acids are vital to bodybuilding, and not all proteins contain all fifteen of them. Proteins that do not contain all of them are called incomplete proteins, while proteins that do are termed as complete proteins. Furthermore, even if a protein contains all of the amino acids, if it doesn't contain them in the amounts that we need, it cannot be called a complete protein.

The body building gain mass muscle supplements that contain the protein that we need are measured even further. Protein quality must be measured, and this is done using a method created by the Food and Agricultural Organization. The amino acid profile of the protein is compared to the essential amino acids that we require as human beings. Those that closely or exactly match what we require as humans are considered high quality proteins, while those that are lacking are considered to be lower quality proteins.

Overall, it has long since been determined that the best proteins come from low-fat dairy products, fish, lean meats, egg whites, and soy products. However, the chances are good that you cannot take the time to prepare and eat these foods each day, in the amounts that you will require, which is where body building gain mass muscle supplements come in.

Experts recommend supplementing your diet with protein powders, sports bars, or meal replacement drinks. These supplements are very convenient, and make it easy to determine that you actually are getting the right amount of protein, and the right protein in your diet. However, do not replace solid food with these supplements altogether, as this is unhealthy, and quite dangerous. Note the word 'supplement.'

Before you start wondering which are the best body building gain mass muscle supplements on the market, go back and read over this information. There are many, many great brands on the market, and any one of them that contains the protein that you require will do the trick. It doesn't have to be the most expensive brand on the market, and it doesn't matter whether it is pre-mixed or powdered. The only thing that matters is that you use the product appropriately.

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Building Muscle, What Is It Worth To You?

It seems like steroids are everywhere you turn your head these days. On the news, in most sporting circles, in high schools, on the street, in foreign drug rings, and on and on. It's amazing what people think they know and really don't know about building muscle. While most people are probably getting sick of it, I for one and glad that this is happening. I as a bodybuilder think that it is about time that this became "dinner table" talk because people's perceptions really need to be changed in order for this sport that I love to be a legitimate endeavor.
Building muscle is a very complicated and often abused activity. I believe there are good and bad reasons for doing it. Human strength and the muscular body are amazing and beautiful things, in my opinion, but only if it takes hard work to do it and only if it is done in a healthy way. Pushing the limits of human performance in athletics is awesome and a great motivator for people to stay healthy and fit, but the problem is that these have stopped being the prime movers in the "business" of sports. The whole problem is that is has become a business and whenever money becomes the motivation the dark side starts creeping in.
It is amazing what people will do for power whether it is prestige, or wealth, or popularity, or visibility, or whatever. All that happens is that people get hurt and the sport is denigrated and ends up losing the respect and all of the above things that people are craving when they become involved in it. I mean come on can it be that fun to be better than everyone else, when it means that you have to resort to cheating to do it? Aren't the best things in life those things that don't come easy? And since when did the risk of death become worth it to so many people in exchange for a few fleeting moments of "respect" that you're give? Well I want to be the first to tell you that all people who spend a lot of time building muscle are vain.
Why do I spend lots of time building muscle? Well for one thing it is a healthy thing to do when done correctly. It protects you from all sorts of injuries and pains. It keeps you fit as muscle is one of the best metabolizers in your body. It makes your bones strong, it protects your joints, it gives you good balance and control of your body, it allows you to do activities that you enjoy for longer. It also has positive effects on you mental health. It gives you a sense of accomplishment, it elevates your mood, makes you more confident, gives you the same kind of high that a runner gets by releasing natural endorphins, etc.
So by all means get into sports and get strong but do it for the right reasons and in the right ways or you are going to end up exactly where you don't want to be—an object of scorn and ridicule and lying on your back in a hospital bed.

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Exposing Hidden Secrets Maximum Muscle Body Building

When you hit the gym, what body building result are you most interested in? Are you strictly interested in overall fitness and conditioning, or are you looking to maximize your physique and develop impressive mass? If you're like me, you want to get ripped and show off that amazing bulk that turns heads. If it's your desire to maximize your workouts and explode your gains, then these proven techniques of muscle body building are for you:
First, set goals and be prepared to meet them. Building impressive muscle doesn't happen over night, in fact you'll probably need to put in hundreds of hours to experience the gains you're looking for. That means you've got to have a plan and stick to it. Getting sidetracked or changing your routine because you don't think you're seeing the growth you expected can set you back. You want to have impressive success in body building? Well, I can tell you right now that won't happen unless you have a plan.
Second, focus on the three primary weight training exercises for solid muscle body building success: the bench press, the squat, and the dead lift. These classic exercises are the shortest, most direct and most efficient route to developing strength, improving condition, and providing those impressive gains you're looking for. They may not be "sexy" or trendy, but every muscle body building routine needs to include these three core exercises.
Third, push each exercise to your limit of fatigue. By this I mean that you should design each of your exercises so that by your third set you can't do another repetition due to fatigue. For example, you might start a three set exercise with a weight that you know will lead to failure by fatigue in your third set. That means you might plan to do fifteen reps in your first two sets, but due to fatigue by your third set you're only able to accomplish twelve reps. That means you've properly designed your three sets to push your limit of fatigue.
Fourth, eat the right amount of food for muscle growth. Generally speaking, you're probably going to struggle to build muscle at a high rate if you're dieting at the same time. If you do intend to lose weight while at the same time muscle body building, make certain that your food intake doesn't diminish to the point that you're not capable of actually building new muscle. Everyone's body is different, so for specifics you should check with your doctor or dietitian. If nothing else, make certain that you keep your protein intake up.
Finally, get plenty of rest. I know you want to be a workout warrior and train hard at muscle body building every waking moment, but you cannot underestimate the need for rest in order for your body to recover and repair. In fact, a serious lack of recovery time will have a negative impact on muscle growth. Train hard, but get the rest you need.
These are the hidden secrets to muscle body building: set goals, focus on the three core exercises, push yourself to your limit of fatigue, and get plenty of rest. Combined, these techniques will help you maximize your success.

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High protein diet and foods for muscle building.

High protein diets have always been popular with athletes. Their popularity increased tenfold during the past 5 years with the introduction of the low carb type diets to the public that include high protein foods.
Regular people who do not exercise can eat moderately high protein foods. On the other hand athletes and people on muscle building diets must eat at least 1gram per lb of bodyweight in order to build muscle. A high protein diet is the staple of bodybuilders. Bodybuilding athletes always include a high protein food source in their daily diet.
High protein foods you can include in your diet are:
Turkey breast Chicken breast Lean cuts of red meat Lean cuts of pork Fish (most fish is high in protein) Eggs & Egg Whites Skim Milk Low fat cottage cheese Protein powders & bars
Whether you are going for muscle building or fat loss, a high protein diet plan can certainly help you either way.
If you are trying to build muscle, you need a high protein intake in your daily diet in order to recover from workouts and build muscle tissue. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle and without it muscle building and growth simply will not occur. During weightlifting and hard training, muscle tissue is broken down. In order for that muscle tissue to be rebuilt and grow stronger, we need to eat a diet high in protein. It's pretty simple.
If fat loss is one's goal, a high protein diet is also an absolute must. Most high protein foods are very low in carbs and saturated fats. Therefore by eating high protein foods in your diet, you also also eating quality low calorie foods. In order to accelerate the fat loss process, reducing carbs and overall calories is usually recommended. High protein foods can help you in achieving that.
An average person who trains hard and weighs 180lbs requires a minimum of 180grams of protein in his diet per day. This means at least 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Anything less and muscle building/recovery will not be optimal. Some hard training athletes consume up to 2 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight in order to accelerate the muscle building process. This is not recommended for most people who require a moderately high protein intake. The total amount of protein taken every day should be spread over 5 to 6 meals throughout the course of a day.
Timing of high protein foods is also very important. You should be consuming high protein foods at all times but more for your breakfast, post workout meal and before-bed meal. Start your high protein daily diet by giving your body good quality protein to start the day. Then, right after your workout, consume a protein shake that will help kick start the muscle repairing process. Last but not least you have your before bed meal where you must consume a slow digesting form of protein (casein mostly) that will give you a steady release of high quality amino acids throughout the night.
Eating high amounts of protein in your diet can be very demanding. It requires a lot of time to cook high protein foods like chicken and turkey. The best way to get all of your protein is to use protein powders. Protein powders are extremely high in protein and they are very convenient to use. Just one small scoop of protein can provide 20-24 grams of the highest quality protein available. Make sure you choose your high protein supplements wisely. Do not get caught up in the marketing frenzy of magazines. A tub of high quality protein should not cost you more than $30 at any given time.
For more information on protein foods vs. protein supplements, check out: you decide to embark upon a high protein diet, make sure you include a lot of vegetables and fibrous carbs with your meals in order to help protein digestion. Try to eat at least two salads per day and/or steamed vegetables. Furthermore, try to stay consistent with your high protein diet, day in day out, in order to keep a steady influx of aminos to your muscles. Always remember that if you are not eating enough protein & calories in your diet, your body will use existing muscle tissue to repair itself.

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How To Build Muscles With Body Building Diets

Are you trying to get buff this summer? Okay, first of all, let me inform you that this can indeed be a process.
Don't expect to hit the gym a few times and see some significant results. For some odd reason this always bothers me. People go to the gym for a mere week and expect to be ripped like Van Dam. That's just nonsense. However, with the right weight training program and the correct body building diets, you can see a great difference in a couple of months. You see, it's all about how hard you train and how well you eat. If you are one of those folks who consume fast food twice a day, you'd better get ready to make some drastic changes. This will sadly get you nowhere. In order to get stacked you'll need to start one of the many recommended body building diets. I'm talking about a lot of protein, vitamins and minerals, but hardly any fat, sugar, and salt. Remember, you truly are what you eat. Just take a gander at the American population.
Are you currently searching for decent body building diets? These are easy to come by in this super age of technology and cyberspace. I too was looking to gain muscle a few months back. Although I'm not looking to acquire a body builder physique by any means, I do prefer some decent muscle mass. My first thought when it came to body building diets and weight training regimes was to hop online. I knew that the World-Wide-Web would have much to offer. After about an hour of surfing and reading, I had come to the conclusion that Whey protein is the bomb right now. We're talking it's all the rage in the body building circuits. Therefore I decided to weigh the options at hand. Because when it comes to contemporary whey protein, there are many products to choose from. In the end I purchased a whey protein mix from Wal-Mart. Go figure! Anyway, this nuance to the modern-day body building diets is basically an all-natural source of high quality protein. You can get a whopping 26 grams of it with one 8 ounce glass of milk. That's a hefty dose of the muscle building stuff if you ask me. Do this three times a day in addition to your weight training and you should surely see results soon. Now, when it comes to body building diets, you can't disregard you regular three meals. Make sure you consume healthy meals containing all of your daily vitamins. The collaboration of health food and whey protein is a sure win. It's time to get pumped.

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Human Growth Hormone (hgh) And Muscle Building

 

Human growth hormone or HGH as it is also known has been the talk of bodybuilding and muscle building circles for a number of years now. Research has shown that having high levels of human growth hormone can be beneficial if you are trying to build muscle especially as you get older (you produce less HGH as you age). However, the use of human growth hormone via injections is a contentious issue as there are a number of side effects associated with injecting human growth hormones.

Before you do anything consult your doctor, find out the advantages and disadvantages and take their advice. If you can, avoid injecting human growth hormones, there are ways to raise your HGH levels naturally and safely which this article will discuss.

So What Is Human Growth Hormone?

Human growth hormone is found in all of us, it is most prevalent when we are children, as it is required for the rapid tissue growth that occurs at this stage in life. HGH also plays a role in regulating our metabolism. You should never use HGH as you are growing as it can be very dangerous, after puberty though HGH levels start to decline in the body and continues to do so as we become adults. This is why bodybuilders see HGH injections as a means to build bigger muscles, as usually their natural HGH levels will have fallen. However there are effective natural ways to raise the level of HGH in your body.

Natural Ways To Raise Levels Of HGH

The most effective is to get an early night and get into a strict sleep routine. The human growth hormone is released naturally in your body in the first part of your sleep. So by ensuring you get a good night sleep you'll optimize the release of HGH and increase tissue growth and repair. If you aren't getting enough sleep, you're 'shooting yourself in the foot', as you're actually inhibiting the release of HGH and thus the growth of your muscles.

Here's What Arnie Did…

It is reported that Arnie would get up at 3 am and do a weights training session, so that his HGH levels were at their highest, he would then go back to bed and have a proper sleep ensuring more HGH would be released and thus increasing muscle growth.

HGH levels are also increased naturally when you workout, as weight training has a beneficial effect on the HGH levels, so getting down the gym will help in itself. As you get older counteract lower HGH levels by training harder and getting more sleep, also ensure that you have a good diet and you should never need to consider HGH injections, because you don't need them. If you have a proven training program stick to it, you shouldn't need to use HGH.

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Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Back

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.
Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we'll look at the back exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.
1. Lat machine pulldowns - this exercise has been chosen because it allows you to isolate the lats and rest the biceps for the compound exercise to follow.
- Take a shoulder width grip.
- Pull arms towards the thighs keeping the arms straight.
- Pause.
- Return the bar slowly to the starting position.
2. Pulldowns - you can move straight on to this exercise if you are sufficiently experienced. Using the same machine, take an under hand grip because this will make better use of biceps strength thus maximizing the effects of the workout.
- Take a shoulder width grip.
- Pull bar to the chest area.
- Pause.
- Return the bar slowly to the starting position.

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Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Legs

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you. It is useful, however, to take stock of your progress every so often and carry out an analysis of where you are and what changes, if any, are needed to move onwards and upwards.
Part of this analysis should include an assessment of the core exercises that make up your bodybuilding training program. In this article we'll look at the leg exercises that have proven their worth to serious bodybuilders for many years. Where appropriate a series of exercises suitable for achieving pre-exhaustion will be presented. All exercises should be performed to failure with one set of six to eight reps.
1. Leg extension - this exercise will allow you to isolate the thigh muscles preserving the strength of the other leg muscles for the compound exercise to follow.
- Push the pads until the knees are almost locked.
- Pause.
- Lower with control to the starting position.
2. Leg press - you can move straight on to this exercise if you are sufficiently experienced.
- Place your feet firmly at shoulder width on the foot board.
- Bend the legs until they are almost touching the chest.
- Pause.
- Return with control to the starting position.
3. Calves - the best way to work the calves is to perform raises on special gym equipment that allows standing raises and sitting raises to work both calf muscles.

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What is "Muscle Building Food?"

In the bodybuilding world, you may hear about "muscle building food." What exactly is "muscle building food?" Is this food that actually builds muscles for you? "Muscle Building Food" is essentially food that aids in building muscles. It does not, by any means, build the muscle for you.

Most "muscle building food" is high in protein. Protein is essential to bodybuilding, because it aids in muscle growth, and it quickly repairs any damage done to muscles during workouts. Protein also has the ability to enhance your body's natural pain relieving hormones, which enables you to workout day after day, with minimal pain. The benefits of protein go on and on, but all you really need to know is that it is essential to your bodybuilding program.

Foods that are considered "muscle building foods" include eggs, beans, meats, poultry, fish, and dairy foods. Your diet should contain all of these foods, but you must use caution. Some of these foods, such as an abundance of meat and dairy, can also quickly put on body fat, which is not what you want. You must determine how many calories you need to consume daily, based on your own personal needs, and make sure that you are not consuming more than that in food.

Because of this, "muscle building food" isn't the only thing that you need. You also need protein supplements. If you are a bodybuilder, you cannot get the amount of protein that you need simply from the "muscle building food" that you eat. A good whey protein supplement is recommended, and you will hear a great deal of discussion and debate concerning protein supplements in your local gym.

There is a great deal more to "muscle building food" than just eating the food. The time of day that you eat the food matters as well. You will hear many theories and recommendations concerning this. The first step is to make sure that you and your muscles have enough energy for your workouts, which means that "muscle building food" needs to be consumed before workouts, including protein supplements. It is suggested that you consume pre-workout food and supplements about one and a half hours before your workout, so that the food has time to digest.

"Muscle building food" must also be consumed after a workout, preferably within twenty minutes, to prevent your body from going into a catabolic state. A carbohydrate is recommended, as well as more protein supplements. If you fail to eat within twenty minutes of a workout, and your body goes into a catabolic state, your body is essentially breaking down other muscles to replace what the muscles you have worked lost during the workout, which kind of defeats your purposes.

One thing is certain, if you are serious about bodybuilding, you must be serious about your diet, including "muscle building food," and you must be serious about protein supplements as well. Other issues that should be important to bodybuilders include the intake of vitamins and minerals, water, and of course, adequate sleep.

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The Truth behind "Muscle Building Supplements"

A good "Muscle building supplement" will make you stronger, faster. When you visit your local gym for your first workout, you will hear this advice over and over. But what does it really mean, and is it true? The fact is that you can build muscle without any "muscle building supplements." However, it will take you years and years to do this. If you are serious about bodybuilding, you will definitely want to get serious about "muscle building supplements" as well.

When many people start bodybuilding, once they hear about "muscle building supplements" they start looking for these paragon products…for all of the wrong reasons. It is important to realize that while these products do aid in muscle building, they do not actually build the muscle without you adding proper diet and working out. The products won't do all - or even a great deal - of the muscle building for you.

When you first enter a health food store in search of "muscle building supplements" you will quickly find two things. First, there are literally thousands of products that all claim to be the best. Second, the guy working the register in these stores doesn't have a clue what you need, although he will try to sell you the most expensive product in the store.

First and foremost, remember that the "muscle building supplement" that you choose is not going to build the muscle for you, despite any claims otherwise. They can only help you to build muscle faster. Second, know in advance which "muscle building supplements" are the ones that you need. These include protein, which is always at the top of the list, creatine, glutamine, multi-vitamins, and many others.

The third thing you are going to notice when you start looking for a "muscle building supplement" is the cost. Yes, these products are quite expensive. Therefore, if you are like most newcomers to bodybuilding, you might want to focus on the most important "muscle building supplement" first, which is, of course, protein. This doesn't mean that you don't need other supplements. This one is just the most important, and it is a good place to start until you learn more about the bodybuilding process, and have a better idea as to what you need for your body, and your goals.

Protein is the most important of all "muscle building supplements." There are many different types of protein, but for bodybuilding, you should definitely look towards whey protein isolate or whey protein concentrate products. Your diet should also consist of high protein foods, but you cannot get the amount of protein that you need from food alone when it comes to building muscle, so you do need the "muscle building supplements" as well.

Overall, you will hear a great deal about selecting and using a "muscle building supplement," and this is something that you should listen to, to a point. However, it is important that you educate yourself concerning "muscle building supplements" before you start spending your money. Know what your goals are and what your body's needs are, and you will be able to select the right "muscle building supplement" for you.

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The Secrets to Building Muscle in Less than Ten Seconds

An Introduction to Isometrics
In 7 SECONDS you can develop new muscle tissue. That mean in less than 4 hours a year you can develop a whole new body adding anything from 12 – 25 lbs of muscle on to your frame while substantially reducing your body fat.
A statement like that seems unrealistic. Fantastic - a figment of a delusional comic book writer explaining how a superhero became incredibly strong. I wouldn't blame you for thinking that. I though the same and I'm approaching it form the cynicism of a seasoned fitness instructor and personal trainer.
There's just one little, teeny-tiny problem though. It's possible. More so that that it's a reality for thousands of people everyday.
And no, they're not on steroids or drugs or part of military experiment creating super soldiers. They are everyday people like you and me. They hold down 9-5 jobs and don't have time for exercise between the kids and mortgage payments.
So how are they doing it?
The answer is Isometrics and I'm going to explain what Isometrics is and how you can start doing it as you read the rest of this article. That's right. By the time you have finished this you will have completed two exercises, the first to trim and tone your waistline the second to tone and firm your chest.
Ready ?
Isometric Abs
1.     Sit up tall and straight in your chair. 2.     Breathe in deep and suck in your stomach as hard as you can. 3.     Now tense your stomach hard as though bracing for a punch – still keeping it sucked in 4.     You feel that tightness, a slight quiver in the muscles? Good, that's the start. 5.     Breath out tightly making an SSSSSSSSS sound. You'll feel your abs getting tighter. 6.     As you breathe out crunch your abs really hard rotating your pelvis upwards and your rid cage inwards. 7.     Breathe all the way out 8.     Relax
How did that feel? If you did it right it should feel great. Yours abs will be warm, worked, feel relaxed and slightly tired. Now do it again and repeat until you've finished this article. Your abs will be tighter, firmer and more toned tomorrow morning then they are right now. Diligent practice of this one exercise will tighten and tone your stomach faster than 1,000 sit ups.
Now to give you something entertaining to read as your tighten and tone your stomach here's the fascinating and scintillating science behind Isometrics.
Iso (meaning the same) and metric (meaning distance) is a method of tensing the muscles without moving the angle of the joint they are connected to. The abs exercise above is an example of this. So is pushing against an immovable object. Try as hard as you can, tense every ounce of muscle fibre against something that can't move, you'll feel you've done great workout and in many ways you have!
Back in the old school days of physical culture, the Victorian era's introduction to bodybuilding and strong men Isometrics was all the rage. Skinny weak sickly kids turned to tensing their muscles in a specific way and transformed themselves into well toned living Greek Statues, strong enough to press grown men over their heads with one arm. Their feats of strength astonished the men of the time and women marvelled at their physiques. Okay, they couldn't leap tall buildings in a single bound, or hold back a locomotive but they could easily walk up walls lift horse over head and in one demonstration lift a platform on top on which ten men were standing.
One such guy was Maxick. Maxick, born Max Sick was a very weak child from birth and was not supposed to live. But he fought on and survived. A young Max once saw a strong man at the circus and determined to be as strong as the Greek Hero Hercules (their equivalent of Superman). So little Max started lifting weights.
Fortunately his parent soon put an end to this – as he was too weak and fragile to take the strain. Still determined Max began to experiment with his body. Tensing his various muscles as hard as could and learning to control each one individually. Soon Max started to get stronger, more muscular.
One day in his teens Max went in to a local gym, too young to join he just watched. Then on invitation from one of the chief physical culturists (an old school name for bodybuilders) tried to lift a weight. Of course they were expecting Max to fail and have a good laugh at his expense. Max out-lifted the strong man.
People were stunned. Max became a local celebrity in his home time, demonstrating feats of unbelievable strength and muscle control. He could make his muscles jump and dance with a simple thought. And lift seemingly impossible weights.
He travelled to England where he developed a reputation as being incredibly strong. It was here he teamed up with fellow strong man Saldo and developed his Isometric Training system called Maxalding. You didn't lift weights; you did Isometric Exercises where you tensed and relaxed your muscles, just like your abs.
How are they doing by the way? Pretty tired? Okay give it a rest. Instead let's try this one for the chest.
Isometric Hand Press
1.     Stand tall and straight 2.     Hold your arms out in front of your chest 3.     Make a slight bend at the elbow, creating a triangle from the wrist to the elbows 4.     Press your palms together 5.     As you do so concentrate on making your chest as tight and hard as possible. 6.     After a few seconds you should feel you're chest and arms shaking all over – this is the muscles tiring as they work really hard – this is Isometrics. 7.      Hold this Position for 30 seconds. 8.     Slowly release – this is important, after intense contraction your body needs time to unwind.
Now how does that feel. Repeat it ten times as you scroll down.
The Maxalding system was an early whole body Isometric Training system. His students got stunning results, and they weren't the only ones. Years later, a man named Charles Atlas achieved phenomenal fame as the Worlds Most Perfect Man while promoting an Isometric System he called Dynamic Tension. It's still around.
However time advances, people on the look out for new fads move on and Isometrics was forgotten until recently. With a new fitness and physical culture renaissance approaching people are turning back to the old methods. And science is discovering some amazing things.
Like it only takes 7 Seconds to stimulate new muscle growth.
That said, there is one small detail – it has to be incredibly intense stimulus. Isometrics just happens to be the most intense exercise in the world and in a little as 7 seconds you can completely exhaust your muscles. The wonderful thing is it doesn't matter what your current level of fitness is, because the force you generate while doing Isometrics is in direct proportion to your current level. You can't really go too far. Isometrics is also incredibly safe because it does not require any weights (except at very advance levels) making it ideal for rehabilitation, seniors and everyone else too busy to get to the gym.
If you've followed the directions in this article you will have just worked out two of the biggest muscle groups in the body, the chest and the core muscles of abs. In future articles I'll explain a little more about some of the specific benefits of Isometrics and give you some more exercises, as well as reveal how it blowtorches fat, and strengthen your digestion system, your internal organs and even reverse the again process. For now enjoy, the feeling of a firm toned waist and a lean powerful chest. Practice these two techniques every second day and remember to breath correctly.
If you can't wait for the next article and need to know how to get in the best shape of your life RIGHT NOW, check out my website – the largest online resource dedicated to Isometric Training – Isometric Expert and Personal Trainer,
Paul J.O'Brien

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The Role Of Repetitions In Your Muscle Building Program

Repetitions are the basic building blocks of any strength or muscle building program but it is something that many lifters take for granted. How often do you see people at the gym speed through their reps, breathe haphazardly or fail to complete each rep correctly from a technical perspective? There is much more to the simple rep than meets the eye.
The first thing to note is that a repetition consists of three elements - namely lower, pause and lift. The speed at which this is achieved depends on the desired outcome, but to maximize muscle growth a slow, controlled tempo is required. The process should never be rushed, jerky or bouncy but instead should be controlled and smooth.
The second consideration relates to how many reps need to be performed. Once again, this depends on what you hope to achieve but you can use the following as a basic rule of thumb:
1. A single repetition maximum (1RM) increases muscle strength.
2. A six to eight repetition maximum increases muscle size.
3. A higher number of repetitions will have more effect on muscle endurance and little impact on size or strength.
Your aim therefore should be to complete six to eight reps of a load equivalent to 75-80% of your 1RM. This will maximize your muscle building potential, provided you complete each lift with perfect form in a smooth controlled manner.

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The Most Powerful Muscle-Building Tool Available

The bodybuilding debates will never end. The endless arguments over how an effective muscle-building program should be structured will most likely continue until the end of time. Just scour the Internet message boards, flip through any muscle magazine or talk to the sales rep at your local supplement store. No matter who you talk to or what you read, it seems that everyone is an expert these days.
If everyone is an expert, confident in their own ideas and beliefs, how can the average beginner possibly know who to listen to? He or she is instantly confronted with endless questions that seem to have no clear-cut answer.
How many days should I train per week? How many sets should I perform for each muscle group? What type of rep range should I be using? What are the most effective exercises for stimulating muscle growth? How long should my workouts last?
These questions go on and on until he or she is eventually led to believe that building muscle is an infinitely complex process involving rocket-science precision and an intimate understanding of human physiology. I mean, that's what takes to build muscle, right? Wrong! Believe me, there are answers to these important questions, and if you are willing to put in the time and effort you will most definitely find them. But that's not what this article is about.
You see, amidst all of the confusion and endless debating, the majority of lifters end up losing sight of the big picture. Beyond all of the specific workout principles, such as rep range and exercise selection, remains one crucial principle, a principle that lies at the very heart of the muscle growth process. If this principle is not given full attention, or even worse, completely ignored, building muscle becomes next to impossible.
The bottom line is that muscles grow as they adapt to stress. When you go to the gym and lift weights, you create "micro-tears" within the muscle tissue. Your body perceives this as a potential threat to its survival and reacts accordingly by increasing the size and strength of the muscle fibers in order to protect against a possible future "attack". Therefore, in order to continually increase the size and strength of the muscles, you must focus on progressing each week by either lifting slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or two. In doing this, your body will continue to adapt and grow to the ever-increasing stress.
Building muscle is all about building strength!
So what is the most powerful muscle-building tool available? Quite simply, it is a pen and a piece of paper!
Every time you go to the gym you must write down exactly what you accomplished and then strive to improve upon it the following week. If you aren't always getting better, then you're either staying the same or getting worse. Every week you should have an exact plan of attack ready to be executed. You absolutely cannot afford to start throwing weights around aimlessly without a clear-cut goal in mind.
The specifics of building muscle are important to understand and implement, but regardless of what style of training you're currently using the ultimate deciding factor between success and failure is progression. You can sit around all day obsessing over specific principles, but the bottom line is that if you aren't getting stronger every week, you absolutely will not be getting any bigger. Examine your training approach closely. If you haven't been paying laser-like attention to the amount of weight you've been using, the number of reps you've been performing, and then striving with every ounce of your energy to improve upon those numbers each week, you are completely ignoring the very foundation of the muscle growth process. If you want to see the best gains in muscle mass and strength that you possibly can, a pen and a piece of paper is the most important tool you could possibly have in your arsenal.

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The Importance Of Creatine In Building Lean Muscle

Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occurs in many foods so it's unlikely to be banned from any sports or competitions.
Let's first establish what creatine actually is. In brief, creatine is produced naturally in our bodies to help supply energy to the muscles. It is produced in the liver, pancreas and kidneys before being transported in the blood to our muscles. It is then converted into phosphocreatine which is a powerful metabolite used to regenerate the muscles' ATP source of energy.
From a bodybuilder's perspective, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass quickly, improve performance in high intensity exercise, raise energy levels and speed up recovery rates. Creatine's ability to raise energy in muscles is due to its muscle protein synthesizing action whilst reducing the breakdown of protein. This happens because creatine has the effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It also improves muscle growth adding size and strength to muscle fibers.
Creatine is normally taken in two ways. The first involves loading the muscles with 20 to 30 grams of creatine per day for four to seven days. At the end of this phase maintenance involves a regular intake of 5 to 15 grams per day. The other method is more gradual in that it skips out the loading phase and simply involves supplementing with 5 to 15 grams per day for an extended period.
Two questions remain to be answered - does it work and is it safe? Creatine has undoubtedly been proven effective in recent years - over twenty scientific studies have concluded that creatine can increase energy levels and result in enhanced strength, endurance levels and recovery rates. As a training aid it therefore has many merits. In terms of safety, no study to date has shown creatine to be anything other than safe, provided manufacturers' instructions are followed.

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The Best Bodybuilding Gain Mass Muscle Supplements

If you are interested in bodybuilding, it is important that you learn about the best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplements that you need. Without these supplements, you will find that your bodybuilding efforts are not only quite slow, but also quite painful. Here is a breakdown of what your muscles require:

Protein: Protein is essential to muscle growth. Furthermore, not just any protein will do, because protein comes in a variety of qualities, with a variety of physical make ups. You need to learn as much about protein as you possibly can if you are serious about bodybuilding, but understand that protein isn't the only best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplement that is important.

Amino Acids: Amino Acids are important, and you will hear about them. These are the building blocks of protein, and important to metabolism. While they are important, the chances are very good that if you are getting enough of the right kinds of proteins, you are getting the right amount of amino acids that you need as well. Learn more about protein.

Creatine: Creatine helps you have better workouts. It enhances your performance. Creatine is not considered to be illegal in any sport, and most bodybuilding trainers will recommend that you include creatine in your nutrition plan.

Glutamine: Glutamine, also known as L-Glutamine, is essential to bodybuilding. Without Glutamine, you will lose muscle, and it also aids in muscle recovery after a workout. Without the proper amount of Glutamine, glutamine will be supplied to other parts of the body, instead of to the muscles where you really need them, as a bodybuilder.

Vitamins: Vitamins are incredibly important - not just for bodybuilding, for but your general good health. We don't get the vitamins that we need in the foods that we eat. Make sure that you are getting at least the recommended daily allowance, and also do a little research to find out which vitamins bodybuilders need more of.

Beta-Hydroxy Beta Methylbutyrate: Also known as HMB. HMB is a new supplement on the market, and the bodybuilding world is very excited about it. HMB is important in the synthesis process of muscle tissue; it burns fat, and helps to build muscle faster with exercise. It essentially causes the muscles to use a higher rate of the protein that you are providing.

There are, of course, other supplements and nutrients that you need in order to reach your bodybuilding goals. However, these are the best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplements in existence, and it is important that you learn as much about these supplements as you can, and include them in your nutritional plan.

Too often, people mistakenly think that protein is the key, but it is really a high amount of protein, combined with these other nutrients and working the muscles through exercise, that does the trick. Again, bodybuilding is more than working out. It is a combination of working the muscles, and feeding the muscles properly. Make sure that you take the time out of the gym to learn more about the best bodybuilding gain mass muscle supplements that you need.

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