Muscle Building

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.

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.

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.

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.

Do you want a quick
simple and instant way to increase the amount of weight you can lift on virtually every back exercise you perform? Sound too good to be true? I speak the truth
my friend
and the reality is that if you aren’t utilizing this basic piece of gym equipment you’re missing out on some serious muscle size and strength gains. What tool am I talking about?

A pair of lifting straps!

This is such a basic and highly effective piece of equipment yet so many people neglect to use them. For those of you who are unaware
these are basically a set of thick straps made of extremely strong material that are placed around your wrists and then wrapped around the barbell
dumbbell or cable attachment. The purpose of lifting straps is to “eliminate” your grip from the equation by forming a secure connection between your wrist and the weight. If you use these straps properly you can basically hold onto the bar and perform your exercises while expending almost no energy from your forearms.

Why is this so valuable?

Picture this scenario…You’re performing a set of deadlifts (arguably the most powerful muscle-building exercise known to man) with the goal of performing 8 reps. You psych yourself up
grip the weight and clear the bar from the ground. The set is going well
but by the time you reach rep number 5
the strain on your grip is so great that you can no longer hold onto the bar. You’re forced to stop the set because your forearms reached muscular failure.

What exactly happened here?

Well
you gave yourself an amazing forearm workout! Congratulations! Unfortunately you severely limited the amount of muscle stimulation you could achieve on your back
shoulders
legs
and just about every other muscle in your body that the deadlift targets in the process. This is not a good thing!

Lifting straps completely eliminate this problem by making sure that you reach muscular failure in the major muscle groups that you are intending to target rather than on your forearms and grip. They can be used effectively for almost every back exercise or any other lift where the grip is of concern.

The main argument against lifting straps is the idea that they are a “crutch” and will negatively affect the development of grip strength and forearm size. Let’s get real here. What would you prefer
greater muscle mass and strength in your lats and upper back (and just about every other muscle group on your body) or greater ability to crack open a jar of pickles? Take your pick.

The positive effect that lifting straps will have on your overall muscle mass and strength gains will far outweigh any negative effect that they have on your forearms and grip. Besides
you can easily incorporate specific forearm movements into your routine to develop your grip strength and forearm size. If you aren’t using lifting straps already
get on it! You can find them at almost any store that sells sports or fitness equipment or you can order them online. They sell for about 10 or 15 bucks and are well worth the price!

Like methandrostenolone (Dianabol)
oxymetholone does not bind well to the androgen receptor (AR)
and most of the anabolism it provides is via non-AR-mediated effects. It is therefore a Class II steroid and is best stacked with a Class I steroid. The drug appears to give the same benefits as dianabol. Unlike Dianabol
however
it seems that oxymetholone is progestagenic. It has been observed to cause nipple soreness or to aggravate gynecomastia even in the presence of high dose antiestrogens
strongly suggesting that the effect is not estrogenic. That effect can be reduced by concurrent use of stanozolol (Winstrol)
which is anti-progestagenic. This
progestagenic effect of oxymetholone is only a concern when using aromatizing steroids. With androgens such as Primobolan
oxymetholone stacks very nicely and is a surprisingly friendly drug. In contrast
with testosterone it is a very harsh drug.

Oxymetholone does not convert to estrogen
and thus antiestrogens are not required if no aromatizable AAS are being used. However
in concert with aromatizing drugs
oxymetholone is notorious for worsening "estrogenic" symptoms
possibly by producing progestagenic symptoms which the bodybuilder
confuses as estrogenic
or by altering estrogen metabolism
or by upregulating aromatase.

Compared to what bodybuilders expect of it
the drug is reasonably mild when no aromatizing steroids are present. I consider its potency approximately comparable to Dianabol. It is not unusual for a first time user to do quite well on an oxymetholone-only cycle
but more advanced users will want
to stack with another steroid. Typical use is 50-150 mg/day
which should be divided into several doses per day.

Because oxymetholone is 17-alkylated
it is stressful to the liver. It is better to limit use to no more than 6 weeks or preferably four weeks before taking a break of at least equal length. Many users feel that it is more effectively used in the beginning parts of the cycle
rather than in the last few weeks.


Trivial name Oxymetholone
Systematic name 5-alpha
17
17
number 434-07-1
ATC code A14AA05
Merck Index Number 7036
Chemical formula C21H32O3
Molecular weight 332.477 g/mol
Bioavailability 95%
Metabolism Hepatic
Elimination half-life 9 hours
Excretion Urinary: 95%
Pregnancy category X
Routes of administration Oral

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions
so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that training to failure has to play in intensifying the training effect.

Anything less than maximum effort will reduce the effectiveness of your muscle building workout. The only way to force an optimal reaction in any muscle is to train it to failure - in other words
no matter how much effort you put in you are simply incapable of completing one more rep of a given exercise.

Too many people seem to finish a set when they reach a certain number of reps
but the body will only show significant change if you ask it to do something extra. Only by passing through the break-over point of momentary muscle failure will you stimulate the muscle to grow.

Anyone starting out on their bodybuilding career should not attempt this method of training as it could lead to serious injury. Spend several months perfecting exercise form and conditioning the body to lift heavier weights before gradually introducing training to failure.

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions
so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that pre-exhaustion has to play in intensifying the training effect.

When an exercise employs two or more muscles it will be impossible to achieve failure for the primary muscle as the weakest muscle will give out first. This is perhaps best explained by giving an example. When targeting the chest
most exercises involve use of the triceps which is a relatively small and weak muscle. When performing the incline bench press for example
the triceps will fail before the pectorals have the opportunity to work to failure thus limiting the value of the exercise.

How do you get around this? By first performing an exercise that isolates and tires the pectorals before immediately moving on to the main exercise. For maximum benefits there should be no rest between the pre-exhaust exercise and the main compound exercise.

Beginners don't need to worry about pre-exhaust routines but when they advance to intermediate level they can be introduced once a week for each body part.

Examples of pre-exhaust routines commonly performed by bodybuilders are listed below:

Biceps - barbell curls and close-grip
palms-up pulldowns.

Triceps - pressdowns and dips.

Pectorals - flyes and bench presses.

Lats - dumbbell pullovers and barbell rows.

Deltoids - dumbbell laterals and presses behind neck.

Traps - shrugs and upright rows.

Thighs - leg extensions and squats.

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions
so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that partial repetitions have to play in intensifying the training effect.

One of the biggest dangers confronting serious bodybuilders is the tendency to overtrain. Bodybuilders at the advanced level must resist the temptation to seek improvement by simply adding more exercises or extra workouts to an already demanding schedule.

One way to maintain progress yet avoid overtraining is to make constructive use of partial repetitions. This allows the introduction of additional intensity without adding significantly to the duration of training. To get the most out of partial repetitions you should follow these simple steps:

1. Use a much heavier weight than you would for the full range version of the same exercise.

2. Perform partial reps only from the halfway stage or mid-point of the exercise.

3. Use this method primarily on lagging body parts.

4. Perform only one exercise for one set per body part.

5. Use only as a supplement to full range movement exercises
not instead of.

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions
so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that negative repetitions have to play in intensifying the training effect.

At the most basic level
human muscles have three types of strength:

1. Positive strength - the ability to raise a weight.

2. Static strength - the ability to hold a weight.

3. Negative strength - the ability to lower a weight.

Many bodybuilders concentrate primarily on their muscles' positive and static strength but equal focus should be given to negative strength
or lowering the weight
if true muscle failure is to be achieved. You can emphasize this aspect of training by completing a set of negative reps after reaching positive failure.

You'll need one or two partners to lift the weight to the top position so that you can lower it under your own control. Once you can no longer control the descent
the set ends. Take special care with leg exercises and avoid negative squats to protect the knees.

Beginners should not attempt negative reps while intermediate and advanced bodybuilders can be imaginative in how they incorporate negative reps into their training programs.

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions
so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that forced repetitions have to play in intensifying the training effect.

When you reach the point of muscular failure it is impossible to manage one more complete repetition of any exercise
at least not without losing form or correct technique. There is
however
one way in which you can increase the intensity even further and that is by completing one or more forced repetitions with the help of an experienced training partner.

The best way to achieve this is by keeping the same weights on the bar and have your training partner do no more than is necessary to allow you to complete up the three extra repetitions with good lifting form.

Beginning bodybuilders should avoid forced reps until they have learned good lifting techniques and have prepared their muscles for the stresses involved in this particular approach. Intermediate lifters should consider adding forced reps to one exercise in the pre-exhaust sequence. Advanced bodybuilders can utilize forced reps based on their own needs and judgement.

So you want to get big huge muscular arms. Do not ignore your triceps exercises.

In gyms everywhere
you will see people doing bicep curls after bicep curls. If someone were to ask them to show their muscles
they will most likely flex their biceps. How about you? Well
since you are reading this article
then you must have known that to own huge muscular arms
you must build huge triceps.

Do you know why? It is because your tricep is 2/3 the size of your arm. Just imagine
your bicep is only 30% while your tricep takes up 60%. So if you are neglecting your triceps
you are neglecting 60% of your arms while working on the miniscule 30% called the biceps. Of course you still need to work on your biceps for that well rounded balanced muscular look.

Furthermore
since your triceps are involved in many other body building exercises such as military presses
bench presses and many other exercises
having strong triceps will help you to lift heavier in those other exercises and thus will be encouraging further muscular growth in other body parts.

Your triceps consist of three main muscle whereas your biceps has only 2
the their respective names begins with “tri” and “bi”. That is another reason why your triceps should be bigger.

Tricep Excercise Form

So you have been training your triceps but do not see good results. It could possibly be due to your movement during your reps where the exercises are not performed to its full range of motion. You see
the mass concentration of tricep muscles is at the top of the arm and therefore you have to stretch your arms beyond what you feel that is natural in order to reach the deep fibers of your tricep muscles.

On top of that your form must be strict with minimum elbow movements when performing tricep exercises like skull crushes and tricep extensions. These exercises reach deep into your triceps muscles when you do it with full range of movement.

Tricep exercises like close grip bench press
diamond pushups and cable pushdowns do not give you that range of movement as the range of these exercises are limited. This is not to say that you don’t do these exercises
just concentrate on them less.

So in order to build big huge triceps
you must feel the pull of your tricep muscles when the weight is at its lowest position before pulling them back.

Want those big muscular arms? Then do not forget to work on your triceps hard and do it in good form.

If you want to increase muscle mass and gain weight
remember that in order to effectively bulk up
you will need to be persistent in your efforts. Increasing your caloric intake is an important part of gaining weight and building new muscle tissue. When you feed your body more food than it can burn
you gain weight. Weight training is also an important part of gaining weight and increasing your muscle mass. Weight training stimulates the muscles and promotes growth. The combination of weight training and proper diet is the best
most effective way to gain weight and increase muscle mass.

Failure to eat properly while weight training could result in loss of muscle tissue. Make certain you get plenty of protein
fats
and carbs and in large enough quantities to allow your body to gain weight. Supplements can play a role in building body mass if taken while adjusting your diet and training with weights. Meal replacement bars
powders
and protein drinks can be an excellent way to increase your daily caloric intake. In order to increase muscle mass
you must give your body approximately 500 more calories per day than the number of calories your body uses.

Exercise and diet are the most important things to consider when attempting to gain weight and increase muscle mass. Weight training and the adequate food intake will leave your body with no choice but to gain weight and add mass. Make sure to get enough rest between workouts to give your body time to recuperate and build new muscle tissue.

If you want to get the maximum benefit from your mass building routine
you must avoid the most common reasons that cause people to fail at building muscle and gaining weight. A quality mass building routine combined with proper nutrition and plenty of rest can produce results that you never dreamed possible. Consistency
smart eating habits
the proper weight lifting techniques
and lots of rest are the common elements shared by every successful body builder.

Building muscle is a slow process and it could possibly take several months before you see noticeable results. If you are determined and consistent in your muscle mass building routine and your eating habits
you efforts will pay off in time. Nutrition is also crucial in building muscle mass. The right amounts of protein
carbohydrates
and fats must be included in your diet in order to give your body the fuel it needs to add muscle tissue. The trick to building muscle is to find the combination of foods that allow you to add new muscle mass. Trial and error combined with sound dietary guidelines will allow you to find just the right nutritional plan for you.

The proper weight lifting techniques are a very important part of a muscle mass building routine. If you don't work your muscles
they won't grow. You will need to find the right amount of weight and the right weight lifting exercises for your body. Determination
trial and error
and a consistent effort will eventually give you the results you want. The most important thing is to stay focused and realize your reward is waiting for you down the line.

For many thin guys around the world
gaining weight without using illegal steroids has been a challenge. For thousands of lean young men
the dream is to gain weight
but no matter how much they eat they remain thin. Some people are naturally thin; that means their genetic makeup is in such a way that the body burns more calories than others. The very basic method of weight gain is to eat more calories than your body burns off. By providing the body with more calories
this balance can be altered and body mass can be increased. Weight training is of great importance in this context
which enables the body to absorb more nutrients from the food by increasing the level of certain hormones and increasing the muscle mass.

There are many incorrect beliefs and theories bout building muscle. The type of food to be eaten is an important factor which decides the type of weight gained
whether it is muscle mass or mere accumulation of fat. Some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle; because most processed junk food contains empty
totally nutritionless calories. These foods promote accelerated fat storage
and do not provide the body with the correct nutrients essential for gaining muscle. High quality protein
which the body breaks down into amino acids
should be the centerpiece of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids
which support muscle repair and growth.

Another factor is the selection of the right type of weight training. Resistance exercises will help with muscle growth. Whereas aerobic exercises can result in the reduction of weight. For maximum muscle gain
the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises
rather than machines or bodyweight exercises. To get a very effective workout
you must stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible
and machines do not do this. The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift.

The results of weight training can vary from person to person
and will usually depend on your consistency and commitment to your program. You should have the patience and motivation for building a powerful body with a consistent diet and exercise schedule.

Exercise Guidelines for building muscle:

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of free weights like barbells and dumbbells
machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight
and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips. The more stabilizers and synergists you work
the more muscle fibers stimulated. The exercises that work the large muscle groups are called compound (or multi-joint) movements that involve the simultaneous stimulation of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the foundation of any weight training program because they stimulate the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift.

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

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

The following are some proven basic exercises to encourage muscle and strength gain unlike any other exercises.

Bench Presses - works the chest
shoulders
triceps

Overhead Presses - shoulders
triceps

Pull-ups/Barbell Rows - back
bicep

Squats - legs
lower back

Dead lifts - legs
back
shoulders

Bar Dips -shoulders
chest
arms

To build mass
you must weight train with heavy weights. To consider a weight heavy
you should only be able to do a maximum of 4-8 reps before your muscles temporarily fail. A weight is considered 'light' if you can do more than 15 reps before muscle fatigue sets in. Heavy weights stimulate more muscle fibers than lighter weights which result in more muscle growth. Heavy weight training puts a huge strain on your body
so adequate rest and recuperation after your workouts is essential.

Eating guidelines for building muscle:

A high protein diet is an inevitable part of any weight training programme
importantly
protein derived from animal sources. Proteins you need to be concerned with are those found in whey
casein (cottage cheese)
eggs
beef
poultry
and fish. Soy protein
tofu and bean curd are some alternatives. Eating the right amount of foods consistently will force your body to grow beyond what you may think possible. The diet also should contain an adequate amount of carbohydrates (potatoes
sweet potatoes
yams
oatmeal
cream of wheat
cream of rice
rice
beans
bread
pasta
all cereals) and fat. Green leafy vegetables and fruits also should be included.

When you train with weights
you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You also must have protein at every meal. To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the all the calories you will ingest
you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller
more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients.

During the past 20 years there have been great developments in the scientific understanding of the role of nutrition in health and physical performance. Studies shown that adequate dietary carbohydrate should be ingested (55-60% of total energy intake) so that training intensity can be maintained. Excess dietary saturated fat can exacerbate coronary artery disease; however
low-fat diets result in a reduction in circulating testosterone. So the balance between protein
carbohydrate and fat should be maintained.

So the focus on weight gain programmes must be on two components
lifting heavy weights
which will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass and secondly eat more calories than your body is used to. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats
your body has no other choice but to gain weight.

A Mass Gaining program is incomplete without the timely measurements to monitor your progress. Without it
you won't know how exactly your body is responding to your diet and training routine. Just looking in the mirror and guessing is not acceptable. If you want to start getting great results
you must develop the habit of accurately tracking your progress. This also provides the motivation to continue with the weight gain schedule and for the further progression. So even though you have a very thin body type
and haven’t been able to gain weight no matter what you try
you will definitely succeed with a well planned weight gain programme.

Wondering how to gain muscle? There are many fads
gimmicks and "quick fixes" to be found
but there is really only one healthy way to gain muscle mass. You don't need to be gifted with great genetics or use potentially dangerous illegal hormones or steroids.

The "how to gain muscle" question has a relatively simple two-step process:

1) increase your caloric intake
and
2) workout. This combination will provide the desired results.

Don't be embarrassed to look in the mirror! You CAN have the body that you strive to achieve. When you first begin thinking about how to gain muscle
the first instinct may be "But I don't want to gain fat". Losing fat and gaining muscle mass are two different objectives
and are tackled in two different ways. At this point you have to realize that dieting and exercising to lose weight is different than dieting and exercising to gain muscle.

In gaining muscle mass
the caloric intake must be increased. You have to take in more calories that your body is used to: take in more proteins and fats-your body has no choice but to gain weight. While nutritional supplements may be utilized
this should NOT be used as a substitute for a healthy diet. The increased calories are then offset by working out with weights in order to achieve the increased muscle mass you desire. This workout will stimulate growth by "overloading" the muscles. The combination of caloric building blocks (which help rebuild and repair muscle tissue) along with the increase workout.

If you are among the millions who constantly try to gain weight and build muscle mass
remember that a firm commitment
the proper diet
and a good weight-training regimen are the best ways to succeed in reaching your goal. A muscle mass building diet includes plenty of protein and enough calories to promote weight gain.

A good place to start is to multiply your current weight by 18. This number will give you a rough idea of how many calories your body needs in a day to bulk up. If you are extremely active
play sports
or have a faster than average metabolism
you may need to increase your caloric intake even more. A muscle building diet requires a lot of effort on your part. It's not easy to consume enough calories in three meals per day. A good suggestion would be to eat several small meals each day rather than three large ones.

Protein is a critical element in any mass building diet. Ideally
you should eat one and a half grams of protein per pound of body weight. While this seems like a lot of protein
spread over several small meals each day it will be a lot easier to meet this goal. Fish
poultry
eggs
and lean red meat are excellent sources of protein. Lots of fresh vegetables and simple carbohydrates combined with plenty of protein should allow you to meet your calorie quota each day. The best muscle building diet is a combination of consuming adequate calories and the proper types of foods.

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.

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.

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.

Every guy who steps into the gym dreams of achieving that great classical V-shaped upper body that commands respect and attention. Many have trained for months
if not years and yet that V-shaped upper body just isn't forth coming. Ever wondered why?

Before I show you various ways to achieve that glorious 'V'
you must also be aware that the 'V' shape is also an illusion. If you have a wide thick back with a powerful chest
coupled with boulder-like deltoids
your 'V' will show up commandingly because those attributes will make your waist look small and thus accentuating the 'V' illusion.

To have a stupendous upper body
you MUST train your lower body. V-shapes will just be an ugly upper body shape if your legs are like bamboo poles. The excellent full body shape is called the X-frame. Just like those super heroes you see in comic books. If you don't train legs
you are missing out on training the largest muscle mass. When training legs
many other upper body muscles especially the back and abs will be involved. This gives you the most muscle mass trained in one go. And because you are training so many muscles at one go
you secrete tons of growth hormones when you sleep
further enhancing overall muscle development for that perfect X-frame.

Another muscle group many people fail to pay attention to is the back. The back must be trained for thickness as well as width. Many back exercises also develop the rear deltoids and the trapezius which are very important to getting that 'V'. When your back is thick
you will look powerful and with the width
it will make your waist look narrower
thus making the 'V' more pronounced. Do bar-bell row
deadlifts for a thick and powerful back. Chin-ups and push-ups (weighted and doing them in a slow controlled motion) will provide you the width or more commonly called 'wings'.

Another very obvious V-shape illusion creator are your triceps. But most people pay more attention to the biceps than triceps. Why triceps then? Because your triceps
as the name 'tri' suggests
has three 'heads' and each 'head' must be dealt with when you exercise them. They are also 1/3 bigger than your biceps. By training the triceps hard
your upper arms will grow bigger faster
giving more berth to your upper body and again creating a narrow waistline illusion.

The best illusion-shapers are your deltoids. Your delts have 3 'heads'. However
most of the time
I see people only working out the front delts. When you develop your delts well
they will be round and boulder-like
and they make your shoulder wide and strong. Now
close your eyes and have a mental image of yourself with a wide thick back
big strong triceps... now
do you see that 'V'? Add lateral raise
bent-over lat-raisers and upright rows to your routine.

How to have a beautiful 'V' if your abs are flabby? Forget the side crunches and side bends. It will only make your waistline thicker. Go on a lose fat program by combining weight lifting
cardio exercises and eating correctly. Your abs will show in no time.

Ahh... to finally stamp your authority in the gym and at the beach
a wide and powerful gladiator's chest will put you ahead of the pack! Train your chest heavy with dumbbells
barbells and cables machines. Use incline benches rather than flat or declining ones. You want to build the upper chest and not targeting the lower chest in case it gets you the droop or saggy chest which we call 'bitch tits'. Although the pec is one huge muscle
it can be targeted at different places to recruit different fibres to shape it.

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.

Muscle is an amazing tissue of the body. It is the very part of our body that gives us the control that we want and need in life. The mind is a useless thing often if it doesn’t have muscle to put thought into action. It is also a major part of our body’s defense mechanism. It protects things structurally (joints
bones
etc.) and metabolically
and physically whether by means of escape or defense from the dangers both human and non that we encounter. I want to talk more specifically about these things that I have mentioned in order to help you to understand that it is good to gain muscle.

Protection is the first area to mention when discussing why you should gain muscle and is true in so many different ways. Muscles are major protectors of the joints and bones in our body. Strong muscles that span joints serve as braces for the forces that would otherwise separate and render these joints useless. The same goes for muscles that support long bones. If we didn’t have muscles that were able to absorb the impact of forces that we experience every day than we would always be dealing with fractures and immobility. In fact the activities that promote muscle building are the very same activities that increase bone mineral density
which is especially important for women later in life after menopause. Muscles also help us to maintain our balance protecting us from falls. Muscle tissue is also huge regulator when it comes to blood pressure
and thus has indirect protection of many different major organs including the heart
brain
kidneys
and eyes.

Metabolically muscle is very important in maintaining a healthy weight and absorbing the harmful effect of the typical American diet. This is not to say that if you work out and gain muscle that you are automatically at a healthy weight and can eat whatever you want. But it does mean that those people who spend good amounts of time every week doing weight bearing exercises are less prone to things like diabetes
hypertension
cancer
heart disease
and atherosclerosis—all things that come with obesity—because muscle is a very good metabolizer of the extra fuel (glucose and fat) that we have every day in the typical “unhealthy diet.”

Lastly for this article I want to talk to you about the importance of doing things that only having strong muscle will allow you to do. I am talking especially about your mental health here. Basically if you aren’t strong than you likely aren’t active (they go hand in hand) and if you aren’t active than you are so much more prone to things like inactivity and depression its not funny. So take my advice and start lifting weights to gain muscle which is one of the most precious commodities that you have on your body.

Surprising it may seem
but tracing the history of anabolic steroid will reveal that there was prevalence of its use among professional athletes in ancient Greece. In those times
athletes used natural steroidal substances in order to enhance androgenic and anabolic growth in the body.


As the history of anabolic steroid unfolds
one would find that in early 1930s
German scientists discovered the drug in modern pharmaceutical form - albeit accidentally. There was however no immediate interest to pursue research into the drug's utility.


After a hiatus of nearly 2 decades
the first serious scientific attention to anabolic steroid came upon in 1950s when methandrostenolone or Dianabol was approved by the FDA for use in US in 1958 after it was known to have had promising trials in other countries.


In spite of sporadic trial and use of anabolic steroid from 60s through 80s
doubts remained as to whether it had any real effect. In 1972 a study was done whereby no big difference could be noticed between those who received anabolic steroid injection and those who were given placebo.


Later in 1996
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) decided to examine the effect of the drug by injecting testosterone enanthate in high doses intramuscularly at the rate of 600 mg/week for 10 weeks. The results gave clear indication of increase in muscle mass and decrease in fat mass among those who took the test as against those who took placebo injections.


Meanwhile
the US Congress approved the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990
and accordingly the anabolic steroids are placed into Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).


It is not known how the history of anabolic steroid will trace its route in future. For now
as recently as on January 20
2005
the CSA has been further amended to make way for Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004
vide which both anabolic steroids and prohormones are now controlled substances.

Ask any body builder and everyone will say they will feel light headed
nauseous and even sometimes even puke when they train big muscle groups with exercises such as squats and dead lifts. Some great bodybuilders even take pride that they puke after an intensive bout of weightlifting as an indication that they have had a fantastic workout. But to many
these symptoms are unpleasant
disruptive and could be even be dangerous and cause injuries. Perhaps
you may also have experienced these symptoms as well.

What happened? Well
there could be several causes.

• First of all
you may have eaten or drunk too much before your gym workout. So you blood is channeled to your digestive organs for your digestive process. But when you begin to exercise intensively especially on big muscle groups
a lot of blood is channeled away from your digestive organs to the muscles. When that happens
food is now in your digestive system left unattended and therefore undigested and thus causing you to feel nauseous.

• Your blood sugar level may be low. This could happen when you are on a low carbohydrate caloric restriction diet or have not eaten for sometime and is now lifting heavy weights. You will feel giddy
tired and may even develop a headache and suffering muscular weakness. It simply boils down to a decreased of energy level for not having enough energy nutrients prior to your workout.

• The most common cause of nausea when weight lifting is low blood pressure. It could be inherent that you have low blood pressure and if not
it is caused by change of body position. Have you ever felt giddy when you are sitting stationary for sometime then suddenly gotten up and stretch? Well
if you have had that experience
then the same logic and science applies. The sudden fall of blood pressure happens when you are in a squatting position and then suddenly bursting upwards to a standing position with the blood pooled in your lower body and not sending the blood fast enough to your upper body and your brain.

These are some of the reasons why many of us will experience giddiness
nausea and even puke when we do exercises like squats and dead lifts with heavy weights and when working on big muscle groups.

Now that we know the reasons
we can avoid these unpleasant symptoms by taking necessary precautions during our gym workout on heavy weight days.

Anaerobic fitness is the force component of fitness in general
which also contains at least two other essential components: aerobic fitness (the part of cardio-vascular resistance) and joint mobility. Speed and skill are native qualities and they are not very relevant for the health state – which is the main concern in mass fitness
the one meant to keep the body in good shape.

The purpose of anaerobic training programs is developing the force
the fortifying of the body or the muscular mass. There are situations when only force or muscle fortifying is intended. The typical example for these situations is given by the sports organized in categories
in which physical force (with the interdiction of going over a certain limit of weight) is tested. Growth of muscular mass determines increase of force and fortifying of the skeletal muscles. In this case
the fitness programs are very similar to body building trainings
without being followed by the spectacular
yet dangerous changes
specific to body building.

The purpose of anaerobic fitness is uniform
balanced and harmonious development of all the muscles
without ignoring their functionality. This last idea is important for making a clear difference between fitness and the tendencies
many times narcissistic
manifested by body building practitioners. The sportsman who takes up fitness wants to be able to and is able to do something with his muscles
more than showing them in contests or in different other occasions and places (disco
swimming pool
clubs
etc.).

One of the important characteristics of anaerobic fitness trainings is the use of general programs
during which all or almost all the muscles are worked out in one training session. In body building the programs are divided and trainings are focused every time on one
two or at most three groups of muscles; while in fitness one training can be focused on a certain area
but it does not exclude the other muscles
which will benefit
directly or indirectly
of at most one exercise for each group of muscles. This way
the programs are not excessively long; they take an average of one hour and fifteen minutes; thus the catabolic faze is avoided; this usually appears in very long training sessions (two hours or even more).

Another modality of reducing the time of training is doing super-series whose object is to train two antagonistic groups of muscles (chest and back or biceps and triceps
etc.). Thus
for each group of muscles must be performed a series of exercises
without a break in between; the break is taken only at the end of this double effort. The programs can also contain triple series or even giant-series (more than three exercises one after the other). The intensity of the training can be considerably increased: many muscles can be trained in a short time.

The weekly frequency of the training remains the same (three sessions); so the aerobic phase can be covered in the free days. If only three or even two weekly sessions are possible
mixed programs can be adopted: after the anaerobic fitness
always done at the beginning of the session
15
minutes of aerobic fitness are added for balancing the two phases (anaerobic and aerobic). In this case
also
training must not take longer than one hour and a half; otherwise the phase of catabolic processes is initiated – a phase in which muscles 'self-cannibalize'.

Anaerobic fitness is recommended to all somatic types
with specific differences of modality of training.

In the cases of ectomorphic and mezomorphic types
all the series (3 or 4) performed on the same machine must be finished
and then the machine and the group of muscles which is trained must be changed at the same time. This system is also called 'workshop training'.

In the case of the endomorphic type (the overweight)
circuit training is preferred: the group of muscles trained is changed after every series and the whole circuit must be repeated three or four times. This type of training consumes more calories because an aerobic component is introduced by not having breaks between series and slightly increasing the cardiac frequency.

Growth of muscular mass through fitness programs can't exceed one weight category (5-6 kg)
but they do not misbalance the other motion parameters.

You can only build muscle if your body is in the correct anabolic balance to allow growth to take place. Intensive exercise is clearly an important part of the muscle building process but achieving the maximum muscle mass depends on putting the building blocks in place. This is achieved through sound nutritional practices so you need to be aware of the following anabolic enhancing principles:

1. Protein is the basic raw material needed to build muscle. Protein supplies the amino acids that the body uses to repair and build muscle following intensive exercise. Aim to consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day from food like beef
fish
poultry
eggs
milk and whey. Spread the load over at least six meals to derive the optimum benefit and avoid overloading the liver.

2. Carbohydrates are needed to energize the muscle building process. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin which pushes the amino acids into muscle cells to begin the process of repair. The body uses carbohydrates as a source of energy - consume too little and the body will steal protein that would otherwise be used for repairing and building muscle. Aim to consume 1.5 to 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight each day from foods like potatoes
pasta
rice
vegetables and whole wheat bread.

3. Boost your calories. Unless your main aim is to reduce fat you need a positive caloric balance if you want to build muscle. Make sure that your daily calorie intake is 10% higher than your energy expenditure for daily maintenance and that the calories are acquired from a diet characterized by a ratio of 50% carbohydrates
40
proteins and 10% fat.

4. Get plenty of rest both in terms of adequate rest days between training sessions and sufficient sleep. Your muscles won't grow if you don't build adequate recovery time into your training program. Similarly
you can only optimize your body's levels of testosterone and growth hormone if you spend enough time sleeping.

5. Consume quality supplements to support a sound nutritious diet. For most people it should be enough to add whey protein
creatine and l-glutamine to your daily diet.

6. Don't overdo the aerobic exercise. Your aim is to increase muscle mass therefore you don't want to burn excessive calories that could be utilized for bulking up.

7. Drink plenty of water. Failure to drink sufficient quantities of water will lead to dehydration and adversely affect your muscle mass. Don't forget that muscle is 70% water so a generous intake will maintain muscle volume and help growth.

Creatine is a naturally formed amino acid that is found in the human body
especially around the skeletal muscle. The human body generates Creatine naturally
partly from the diet we take and partly on its own. A healthy person has about 120g of Creatine
most of it being in the form of a compound called PCr. The body can store a maximum Creatine quantity of 0.3 g per one kilogram of body weight. The body produces about 2g of Creatine per day. The chief food sources of Creatine are fish and red meat. Half a pound of raw meat provides about 1g of Creatine for the body. Creatine that does not come from food is produced endogenously by the body from amino acids.

There are several benefits of Creatine. Creatine boosts anaerobic energy in the body. It provides instant energy to the body. It improves muscle strength and makes the muscle suitable for high-intensity
short duration exertion like weightlifting or sprinting. It is also found to speed up the recovery of energy. It delays fatigue significantly. It promotes lean-muscle mass and reduces muscle wasting in post-surgical patients. It is also believed to help heart patients by increasing their exercise capacity
reducing heart spasms and thus increasing heart function. Creatine is generally taken as a supplement by athletes who need heavy bursts of energy. Creatine acts as a catalyst to a special chemical reaction that occurs in the body when a person does high-intensity
short duration work. The body generates enough Creatine to accommodate such kind of a reaction. For additional exertion
Creatine has to be taken additionally through food or through other forms.

Creatine has become very popular among athletes because of its many benefits and very few side effects. The only side effect documented till now is weight gain. However
overdose of Creatine or use of Creatine over a long period of time may have some other side effects also
and tests are still being conducted to determine the effect of using Creatine in the long run. Creatine is available as a supplement like vitamin pills in the form of over-the-counter drugs. Creatine is categorized as a “dietary supplement” and can be purchased even without a prescription as per the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Then again
Creatine is not tested by the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and certain side effects like vomiting
diarrhea
and deep vein thromboses have been listed under a 1998 FDA report.

There are several Creatine supplement products in the market today. Creatine is available in capsule
chewable and powdered forms. One teaspoon of the powdered form contains 5g of Creatine monohydrate. The recommended dosage is 1-2 teaspoons with 8 ounces of water per day. Nevertheless
the dosage can vary depending on the body exertion. Athletes usually follow a dosage cycle comprising of loading and maintenance phases.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The chest area is one of the easist muscle groups for beginning bodybuilders to strengthen and develop. It consists of a large muscle (pectoralis major) to either side of the breastbone and a smaller muscle (pectoralis minor) underneath. The pecs are relatively easy to develop in the early stages simply because they can be trained intensively although care needs to be taken to work them from different angles to ensure full development.

For beginners
three safe but effective exercises are recommended:

1. Incline dumbbell press - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. When you feel comfortable with the mechanics involved in this exercise you can move on to using a barbell instead
remembering to maintain proper form.

2. Incline dumbbell flyes - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Done properly
this exercise is good for inner and outer pecs.

3. Push-ups - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Keep your body straight from head to knees and lower your body until your arms form right angles. Done properly
the old fashioned push-up still offers benefits to the chest muscles.

As with all exercises you need to take care in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate your chest exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:

Day 1: Biceps
Back
Abs

Day 2: Hamstrings
Shoulders
Abs

Day 3: Quads
Forearms
Calves

Day 4: Triceps
Chest
Abs

For the first couple of weeks complete one set but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level exercises.

Many experts feel that supplementation with growth hormones offers exciting possibilities to adult bodybuilders
especially those aged over thirty. They should not be taken by anyone aged under twenty. In the past growth hormone was available only in injectable form but recent years have seen the development of HGH precursors and more advanced delivery systems. The most popular means of taking growth hormone boosters today include sub-lingual spray
homeopathic pills and capsules containing HGH secretagogues.

That's all very well
but do these supplements have any place in bodybuilding? To answer this
we'll need to look first at what growth hormones actually do.

Human Growth Hormone is responsible for the regulation of insulin
protein synthesis
transportation of amino acids across cell membranes and fat metabolism. Clearly
these are processes that are of relevance to serious bodybuilders. Users have reported higher energy levels
enhanced libido and greater cardiac output. In addition
superior immune function
lowering of blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels have been documented. Add in other potential benefits like improved sleep
shorter recovery times
quicker regeneration of damaged muscles and you can begin to understand why some experts are excited by the possibilities offered to bodybuilders.

No adverse side effects have been reported when used as directed but persons aged under twenty should not use growth hormone boosters without consulting a health care professional familiar with HGH therapy.

Many people these days take antioxidants to counter the detrimental effect of free radicals. Antioxidants mopped up free radicals and convert them into harmless substances. Free radicals are known to cause body cell decomposition and therefore are the main culprit in our aging process. Free radicals are linked to aging diseases such as cancer and heart problems besides making us age more quickly. Since free radicals cause our cells to decompose
then free radicals will also degenerate our muscle cells.

Staying clear of situations that cause a surge of free radicals to surge is one way of prevention and taking antioxidants as a supplementation is another. There are many situations that will increase free radical activities such as sun burn
stress
smoking
alcohol consumption
pollution
exercise workout amongst others. Yes
we get a surge of free radicals when we exercise especially intensive exercises because we are putting our bodies under tremendous stress when we exercise. These muscle destroying activities will continue for hours and even days depending how intensive your exercises are.

This is where antioxidants supplementing comes in. Since antioxidants neutralize free radicals
it helps your muscles to recover faster and stop the ravaging effects of free radicals on your muscle and thus allowing better muscle growth.

So if you want your muscles to recover faster and want to grow bigger muscles after your workouts
supplementation with antioxidants may help. There are many antioxidants supplements in the market. Vitamin A
C and E are perhaps the better known free radical fighters out there. Some other excellent free radical scavengers are Green Tea extract
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Beta Carotene etc

So our mums although may not have known about antioxidants and its effect of free radicals on our body was right when they insisted that we take our vitamins. Do protect your muscles and general health with antioxidants.

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.

Five times a week
two hours each visit. You've been more faithful to your gym schedule than you've ever been to any girlfriend you've had. And for a while it paid off: those muscles started rippling and the girls started paying attention.

But then
like a bad dream you wake up from
your muscles suddenly wasn't growing like what it used to do. Your muscles stop responding to your heavy workout no matter how intensely you've been training. So you said to yourself
now I will train harder. So now you put in three hours a session and but even as you upped your gym dosage
horrors of horrors
your muscles are actually shrinking.

Ahhhhh
the Gym Plateau. It afflicts all of us and few of us ever gotten out of it. In fact
most people don't even know that they have hit the dreaded plateau and thought that their muscles can only grow so much due to inherent genetic factors. Not to worry though
if you read the following fitness tips
and follow these tips to the latter
I can assure you that your muscles will start growing again and grow bigger they will.

Here are your free fitness tips.

Fitness Tip #1
Take A Break

This tip is easy to comply for most of us but very difficult for some gym rats. Simply take a break from your workout. Do not step into the gym or do any workout for 2 weeks. Its time to let your body recover from the punishments you are dishing out to your muscles. Some bodybuilders may find this difficult to do because working out is addictive. You produce endorphin when you workout and endorphin is also known as happy hormone. The same hormone you produce when having sex.

Professional bodybuilders take a break after every 4-5 months of hard training and when they are back in the gym
they shock their well rested but complacent muscles back into massive muscle gain.

Fitness Tip #2
Are you training too often?

If your exercises are intense enough
you need only to train each muscle group once or twice a week. Your training schedule shouldn't repeat muscle groups in the same week. Every time you train
you do your muscles damage. Muscles need time to repair and it does so in the after your training when you are resting. This means that if you lift weights on consecutive days
there isn't sufficient time for the body to recover. Try to have one day rest between each weight lifting day.

If your routine requires intensive weight training
remember not to prolong your gym time longer than an hour. This is because your cortisol
a muscle eating hormone level will be elevated and thus will be counter productive to your efforts. It eats your muscles.

Most of all
you must sleep! Eight hours or even better
go for ten hours. Muscles do not grow in the gym; they grow when you sleep. When you sleep
you are secreting growth hormones for many bodily functions and one of those functions is to build muscles. That is why they called it beauty sleep!

Fitness Tip #3
Are you using the correct weight lifting techniques?

If your technique or form is incorrect
not only is your training retarded
you are also inviting injury. Don't laugh. But when you exercise you must think and focus
instead of mindlessly repeating the motions
do take note of how you perform each exercise and rep. Do so with deliberation and at the beginning and end of every lift
pause and squeeze the muscles you are exercising. Mind and muscle must connect! Never never use momentum of the swing to lift the weights and let gravity pull the weight down. That is why you must lift slowly and lower slowly feeling the tension in your muscles and resisting the load all the time.

In order for muscles to want to grow
you have to stress them to the maximum
and then further. Do enough repetitions until you feel you cannot go any further using good form. You must then either increase the weight or the number of repetitions at the next session. This is called progressive overload
and progressive overload is what forces your muscles to grow. As a general guide
if you can lift more than 12 reps the weight is probably too light and it is too heavy if your muscles fail you in less than 5 reps. You may wish to consult your physical fitness trainer on the correct form and technique for each exercise.

Fitness Tip #4
Are you using free weights?

Most machines do not involve as much of the synergistic muscles (supporting muscles) as free weights do. And
therefore
do not build as much muscle mass. Synergistic muscles are the smaller muscles that aid the main muscles in balance and strength in each lift. Machines has its uses
but for beginners and for smashing plateaus
use free weights.

Fitness Tip#5
Workout with compound exercises

Compound exercises are exercises that involve 2 or more joint movements and thereby employing bigger muscles and more synergistic muscles . Bench presses
dead lifts
squats
and barbell curls amongst others are fantastic compound exercises . For example
when you squat
all the muscles in your lower body get a workout and that alone is about 60 percent of your overall musculature . Squat also works your back and abs too. Using more muscles at one go means that you get a better overall workout. To add icing to the cake
because of the massive utilization of your muscles
you will pant
huff and sweat more. That means your routine also has a cardio effect and you will burn calories even hours after you stepped out of the gym .

Fitness Tip#6
Are you working out your legs?

Your body is programmed to grow proportionately with only slight variations. If you do not train your legs
your upper body mass will stop growing before it becomes large. Surely
you've heard of chicken legs! Just because leg training can be brutal
it doesn't give you reason to hide your legs in your pants. To get that super hero X-frame
pepper your routine with squats . A word of caution though: compound exercises such as dead lifts
squats
and bench presses must be done in excellent form and a spotter is highly recommended. This is where your physical fitness trainer will come in handy as your spotter. If not
injuries are bound to happen and that may put you permanently out of the gym.

Fitness Tip#7
What are you eating?

Muscle building requires protein - the more
the better. Meat
especially red meats and fish
are the best source. It is in your food that your body will draw nutrients from
for strength and necessary fats for joint and organ protection.

To have massive muscle gain and help in muscle preservation
you need about 2-3 grams of good protein per kilogram of your body weight . If you want to get serious about muscles
you may need to supplement them with protein shakes . Eating a meal and having a protein shake immediately after your workout also maximizes the window for rapid absorption of nutrients. This is important as you need to feed the muscles now that you have damaged them. You should also 6 small meals a day so your muscles are constantly fed throughout the day. This will help rev up your metabolism to burn fat too. This will tremendously help you in your build muscle lose weight program. Remember to take your protein shake half an hour before you workout too.

Fitness Tip#8
How about Carbs?

Glycogen is the main energy source for any muscle-building exercise. The body stores whatever carbohydrates you eat as glycogen and muscles use it to give you energy during your workout. After an intense workout
do consume carbohydrates immediately to replace the used glycogen. You can even indulge in high glycemic carbs such as ice creams and white bread as these will turn into insulin and shuttles nutrients such as protein to your muscle cells quickly.

Fitness Tip #9
And Fats?

Yes
your body do need do need fats . But try to avoid saturated fats such as animal fats or worse
trans fats which are artificial fats found in pastries
confectionaries and preserved food. Consume healthy unsaturated fats such as olive oil
canola oil
fish oils
flax seed oil.

Fitness Tip#10
Water Water is essential.

Water is essential. It is the most underrated macronutrient. You need at least eight glasses of water every day but when you exercise
you lose even more water because of the sweating. So drink before
during and after your workout. Weigh yourself before and after the workout
and compensate for the loss by drinking at least 16 ounces of fluid for every pound or half a kg lost.

Fitness Tip#11
Creatine

While meats are the best source for creatine
which is a nutrient that helps speed up muscle gain and power you up during workouts
those who do not get enough from their regular diet must be supplemented. Creatine puts volume into your muscle cells and gives you that muscle pump thus your muscles feels tighter
look bigger and overall illusion of superb muscularity . It also helps to prevent muscle breakdown.

Fitness Tip#12
Glutamine

When supplemented
it may help bodybuilders reduce the amount of muscle wasting away or used up as energy. It also helps in muscle recovery.

Fitness Tip #13
Do you change your routine?

The human body is fantastic at adaptation. So whatever routine you are on
your body will get used to it. So do change your routine every 6-8 weeks. For example
instead of working out your chest muscles at the start of your workout
work your back muscles instead. You can reverse your whole routine or change the variations of your exercises or add new ones and take away some old ones. By changing your routines
you not only shock your muscles to new growth
it will also prevent boredom by doing the same thing all the time.

Most people think that in order to get that V shaped upper body like comic book super heroes
they only have to develop big broad back muscles and lats. Well
by having broad back muscles and well developed lats is only part of the equation to get a V shape upper body. For complete V shape upper body development
you will also need to build a powerful chest
big strong shoulder muscles or commonly called deltoids or delts for short and a slim waist.

We shall discuss how to build big shoulder muscles in this article. You see
you may have a wonderful six pack abs or well defined chest muscles
but when you are in your street clothes
no one can see them. But if you have that massive V shape with bulging shoulder muscles
your body frame will tell the world that under those clothes is a well defined body of a gym warrior.

As with building any muscles in your body
intensity is the key to building big deltoids. Your shoulder muscles are made up primarily of the anterior deltoid (front delt)
medial deltoid (middle delt) and posterior deltoid (back delt). All 3 parts of your shoulder muscles must be targeted to build well defined and big strong deltoids that threaten to burst through your shirt. The problem here is that most people do not know that they must work on all 3 shoulder muscles and do most shoulder workouts by just concentrating on the anterior delts with exercises such as military press. Furthermore
working only on anterior delts could lead to over training your shoulder muscles because many other exercises like the bench press
dips and push ups also recruit shoulder muscles for its movements.

Your should be careful when working on your shoulder muscle exercises as your shoulders joints are very susceptible to injuries and therefore proper form in executing the exercises is crucial. Don’t let bad exercise form cause you injuries that may be permanent and put you out of the gym forever. One common injury prone exercise is the narrow grip upright row. Although this is a great trapezius and shoulder muscle exercise
it should be avoided because this exercise invokes unnatural and awkward shoulder joint movement.

So what exercises are good for building big strong deltoids? Well
besides the military presses
try Arnold Press
Lateral Raise
Bent Over Lateral Raises
Shoulder Width Upright Row and Shoulder Cable exercises. Ask your personal trainer or read up on how to perform these exercises in excellent form for great shoulder muscle development.

Remember that you must also develop other aspects such as a big broad chest
wide back muscles and flared lats as well as a slim waistline to get that much coveted V shaped upper body.

So you want to build big muscles? Simple isn't it? Just join a gym and hit those weights regularly and viola
in a couple of months
you will gain so much muscle mass that you are ready to take on any bodybuilding contest. Is it really that simple to build big muscles? Well
to gain muscle mass
there is much more than just hitting the gym regularly. Here are some muscle mass gaining tips :-

a) Eat and Eat - To build muscles
you must eat. Your calorie consumption must be more than your calorie expenditure. If you expand all the calories you have eaten
then where are the calories to build muscles?

2) Protein - Make sure that you eat enough protein. You should eat at least one gram of protein per pound of your body weight everyday if you want to gain muscle mass fast. If you don't get enough protein
your muscles won't grow big.

3) Supplement - If you cannot have adequate protein from your normal meals
supplement with protein shakes. If you want more strength so that you can lift heavier weights to grow bigger muscles
take Creatine supplement.

4) Weight Training - You must lift with heavy weights and to add on more weight consistently to progressively build your muscles. But it is very important not to sacrifice correct lifting techniques and form for the sake of lifting heavier.

5) Lift Free Weights - Use free weights like dumbells and barbells to recruit more muscle fibers so that more muscle fibers can be worked on.

6) Compound Exercises - Work with compound exercises like bench presses
squats
barbell rows
chin ups and dead lifts to build big muscle mass. If you concentrate on working your puny muscles like your biceps
then you will only have puny muscle growth.

7) Get Enough Rest - Have rest days in between your workout days and do not work the same muscle group more than twice a week. Your muscles need to recover from your workouts in order to grow big.

8) Get Enough Sleep - Sleep at least 8 hours a day. More even better. Your muscles grow when you sleep.

If you practise the above 8 steps consistently
your muscles will grow fast and big. Of course there are many more things you can do to achieve a competitive bodybuilder's physique of which I cannot cover in just an article here. So do research for more knowledge.

In every gym that you go to
you will see people pumping their biceps. Biceps along with the pecs and abs are sometimes called vanity muscles because they are the most visible and therefore commands the most respect. Invariably
when you ask someone to show you his muscles
he will probably flex his biceps.

Before we discuss biceps development
I want to point out that the biceps make up only one third of your upper arm with triceps the other two-thirds. So to have an impressive arm
you must build your triceps too or the effort on your biceps will not show good results. Many people fail to realize this and that is why you see them doing curls after curls without much improvement. We will touch on triceps exercises in another article. For now
let's talk about biceps.

Here are some exercises that will blast your biceps. Most of you would have done some or all of these exercises. The question I am asking is
are the exercises done in the correct form and techniques because if they are not
you will most likely be wasting your time as your biceps will not grow to its full potential. Perform each exercise for 3-5 sets once or twice a week and at reps between 6-10
but make sure that at the high end of the reps
you will not be so fatigued that you can't perform another rep in good form.


a) Standing Barbell Curl/ EZY Bar

You can perform this exercise with either a straight bar or an ezy bar. This is a great mass building exercises for your biceps.

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and grasp the bar with an underhand grip
hands should also be about shoulder width apart. Curl the bar up slowly focusing intensely on the biceps contraction. Do not swing or use momentum to curl especially at the later stages when your biceps get weaker. Never swing or move your body
only your arms are moving. Keep your elbows locked to the side of your body and do not pivot them.

Then lower the weight
taking 3-4 seconds resisting the weight on the way down to emphasize the negative part of the exercise. Never let gravity pull the weights down.

At all times
do not curl or bend your wrist which must always be in a straight neutral position.


b) Incline Dumbbell Curls

This exercise will hit different fibre in your biceps and gives you the peak bicep look.

Sit back on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand
keep your elbows well forward throughout the movement
curl the weight upward and toward the shoulder level. Then squeeze your biceps hard at the top position. Lower the weights again
slowly under full control. The speed and techniques are similar to what was described earlier.


c) Preacher Curl

Similar to barbell curl but using the preacher curl station. This is an excellent bicep peaking isolation exercise.


d) Hammer Curl

Hammer curl gives your biceps the full look and your forearms are also working hard.

Similar to incline dumbbell curl except you will be using the hammer grip on the dumbbell like holding a hammer knocking nails in and standing up instead of sitting down.


e) Build Biceps Tips

Focus on the movement of your biceps all throughout the motion. Don't lift weights that are too heavy that will compromise your form and techniques to show off.

By slightly turning and squeezing
you'll build more peak on your biceps. Like all exercises
pose and stretch the biceps between sets. This is to flush out lactic acid and help your biceps recover better for the next set.

Remember to change the order of the exercises you perform after 6-8 weeks to shock your biceps into new growth and watch those arms grow!

To supplement or not to supplement – that is the question on more bodybuilder’s lips than ever before. Are they safe? What works and what doesn't?

Lets have a look at the basics.

There are various reasons why athletes may be interested in supplementation.

 Concern about getting adequate nutrients from our food supply.

 Suspicion of pharmaceuticals.

 Belief that diet alone will not achieve optimal nutrition

Supplements include the following:

 Vitamins
 Minerals
 Amino Acids
 Herbs

The concerning thing about supplements is that anything classified as a dietary supplement is not required to meet any FDA or other standards! Think about that! there are no regulations in place that guarantee the safety or purity of something sold as a supplement.

They are also not made to meet the similar safety requirements as prescription drugs or any other manufacturing standards. They are not required to meet product potency or purity ratings and are not required to prove the effectiveness of any health claim that is made.

Studies suggest that a number of supplements may deliver on advertising claims. However
trainees are spending large sums of money on products that have little or no proven usefulness.

Personally I find the use of supplements over rated and as with strength training
supplementation asks the same question “if a little is good then maybe more has to be better”

Supplementation and steroids started to proliferate when volume strength training became the training system of the day. Young strength trainees slaving in the gym for five to six days a week was seen as normal. All this without making any progress or putting on any size whatsoever.

They then turned to the latest supplement or steroid thinking that this is the magic bullet to put on that added muscle when all the time they were just plain "overtraining"

The cold hard facts are that the majority of the regular trainees in your gym are overtraining. The sad reality is that the type of training that you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and used by the stars) are irrelevant to the majority of
the population and has a high failure rate.

If more bodybuilders started using more infrequent
short
high intensity weight training sessions
followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger…

MOST OF THE WEIGHT GAIN SUPPLEMENTS AND STERIODS AVAILABLE TODAY WOULD NOT BE NEEDED.


The bottom line on weight gain supplements

 Before taking a supplement try to make modifications to your diet that might achieve the same goals.

 Only choose products that show the amount of active ingredients on the label that are required.

 Be aware that “natural” does not mean ‘safe’

 Some herbal supplements may have unpleasant side effects.


Listed below are some popular bodybuilding supplements available on the market today:


Creatine monohydrate

Creatine was first introduced to the market place some eight years ago and has since become the most popular bodybuilding supplement of all time.

Creatine is said to significantly increase lean muscle mass

improve performance
increase energy levels and speed
up recovery rates. Creatine also stimulates the uptake
of amino acids in the proteins
which means that the
more that it's used the more muscle that may be grown.

Dosage: A loading phase of 20grams a day for the first five days then a
maintenance phase of 5grams a day from then on.


Whey Protein isolate

The highest yield of protein currently available
and is extracted from milk. This is another popular supplement
for athletes and bodybuilders because of its high proportion of
amino acids. It is supposed to be high in potassium
which is essential
for muscle growth and is an antioxidant and a good
immune system builder.

Dosage: 20gms - 100gms a day.


Tibulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is a plant that grows in many
tropical and moderate areas of the world and is
very rich in chemical compounds such as saponins

flavonoids and alkaloids.

Tribulus terrestris is supposedly a testosterone enhancer.
and increases sex drives in both men and women.

Dosage as per bottle.


Glutamine

Is a non-essential amino acid
which makes up to 60% of the amino acids in the bodies muscles. Glutamine containing products are protein
shakes and good quality protein powders; it can also
be added to protein shakes for added potency.

Dosage: 5grams to 15 grams per day.


So please remember a supplement is something added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency or imbalance they are not intended to substitute for eating a balanced diet. If they are to be taken at all they should only be used to supplement the diet and not replace it.