Monday, January 28, 2008

Diet Tips For Anyone Who Wants To Gain Muscle Mass Fast

By Davion Wong

With the fast-spaced life that people these days have grown accustomed to, people have begun to believe that they can gain muscle mass fast overnight. Unfortunately, the well-sculpted abdominal muscles or the tight biceps did not happen while that person was sitting down. A lot of hard work and discipline went into getting their much-envied bodies, which makes the public admiration much-deserved.

Those who want to seriously consider bodybuilding have to recognize the role that nutrition plays in successfully growing desired body mass. A combination of healthy eating and exercise is what makes it possible to gain muscle mass fast. Forgetting the role that nutrition plays can completely cause one to backtrack on any progress in bodybuilding, and hurt the body. However, keeping track of one's diet doesn't have to be difficult when important considerations are always kept in mind.

1. Eat a well-balanced diet from four nutrient groups.

Incorporating a healthy diet in the process of trying to gain muscle mass fast requires some effort and thought. One can't simply pick from a couple of food items that are believed to be healthy, and ignore others. Instead, a combination of carbohydrates, fats, fiber, and protein must be incorporated into one's diet in their correct recommended portions. Each of these four nutrient groups plays an important role in the body, and as such, must be duly included in a healthy, well-balanced diet.

2. Take smaller meals.

While it is often advised to take three meals a day on time, another alternative is to instead spread the food taken during these three big meals over four to six meals a day instead. What this will do is speed up metabolism and burn unwanted fat much faster. With meals spread, there's less likelihood that hunger pangs that cause giving in to the temptation of a fatty burger or a box of fries will happen. These small, frequent meals also provide enough energy for regular workouts that help to gain muscle mass fast.

3. Eating natural food goes a long way

Any experienced bodybuilder will tell you that processed foods are your worst enemies that can easily nullify all your sweat in the gym by covering your muscles with a layer of fat. Sugar, white flour and fries are some of the foods you need to completely avoid. Instead, your diet should include plenty of natural and fresh products.

4. Get some variety in your protein

In order to gain muscle mass fast, a lot of protein intake is usually required. However, acquiring protein from usual sources like red meat is unhealthy, and can cause toxins to become deposited in the body. Get creative by looking up a variety of readily available protein sources that can serve as alternatives to red meat. To name some, these include milk, dairy products, fish meat, and even a huge slew of beans. Depending on its source, a bodybuilder can derive whey protein, casein protein, soy protein, and other protein forms.

5. Drink sufficient water during workouts.

Water intake is something that is not usually recommended for those who want to gain muscle mass fast, as water can mask genuine muscle mass gain with just water bloating. However, sufficient hydration is important when a person wants to gain muscle mass fast, especially because bodybuilding requires tons of workout and exercise. The body being dehydrated, in fact, will cause the body processes-including burning fat during workout-to become slower than it should be.

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Thursday, January 24, 2008

What Are Steroids?

By The Steroid Encyclopedia Team

Anabolic steroids are commonly known as steroids or even roids and consist of synthetic hormones whose function is to increase muscle mass and strength in body builders. The term steroids actually covers a whole bunch of muscle building related products.

Steroids range in products from various synthetic testosterone esters to oral products. Steroids are used primarily by weight training athletes, but athletes from every sport played use them to gain a competitive advantage. Everything from speed in tennis, to hitting home runs in baseball, steroids assist the athlete with faster recovery times, increased performance, and lean muscle mass.

Anabolic steroids are currently not permitted to be used in competitions due to the so called UNNATURAL edge they would have over other competitors. Steroids are also illegal in the majority of countries meaning that you have to break the law in order to acquire them. As steroids are used for muscle growth, they are also taken by non athletes although your average gym goer doesn't use them for vanity reasons.

Every form of anabolic steroid is synthesized from testosterone which is and always has been the most commonly used steroid. There are a long list of popularly used steroids such as estosterone enanthate, testosterone cypionate, deca durabolin, dianabol, anadrol, equipoise, and many more. These are all derivatives of synthetic testosterone and have been changed in order to make the anabolic steroids more anabolic or androgenic.

Competitive body builders and lifters as well as casual users would normally choose Anabolic Steroids due to the minimal of consequent side effects although this is not always the story we hear through the press. It is in fact Androgenic steroids that are the guilty party for unpleasant side effects such as increased body hair, male pattern baldness, acne, and oily skin. Although they do result in quicker muscle mass increases, be aware as they are not always 100% lean ones and they can also lead higher water retention.

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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

What Are The Best Types Of Abdominal Muscle Exercises?

By Allison Thompson

If you want to improve the condition of your abdominal muscles not only utilizing the exercises which have been designed to improve the condition of this group of muscles. You will also need to take a closer look at yourself as who you are will ultimately determine the shape of your abdomen. Both your genetics, your age and your gender play a major role in the type of body shape you have. Even so as long as you incorporate the right types of ab exercises in to your fitness routine will help to improve and strengthen them.

When it comes to finding the right kinds of exercises to use in order to improve the strength and tone of your ab muscles use ones which involve resistance training. As you will soon discover when you use resistance training for helping to improve the condition of your body these types of exercises are much more effective. They work well not only a person's ab muscles but also those found in their arms, legs and back.

Also choose those exercises which are actually going to make your muscles feel tired even though you may only have done 20 repetitions. Using these kinds of exercises will ensure that you are actually utilizing the muscles more effectively and the results that will be achieved are far better as well.

When you want to improve the shape of your abdominal muscles the best types of exercises you should be using are the standard and combination crunch ones as well as the reverse curl. However along with exercising you should also be looking closely at your diet as well. You will not be able to achieve your ultimate goal of having a great looking stomach if you find yourself still eating the same types of food which caused you to put on the weight in the first place. Below we take a look at the exercises mentioned and the ways in which they should be carried out.

With the standard crunch you will first need to get yourself in to a prone position on your back on the floor. It might be wise to put a mat or blanket underneath you especially if you are laying on a wooden floor. Then slowly raise your legs up until your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are bent. As soon as you are in this position comfortably you should start to raise your shoulders up off the floor and make your ribs move towards your hips. But you need to actually prevent your should from raising up above your shoulder level and the easiest way to do this is by pretending that you are holding on to a piece of fruit which has been placed under your chin. When first using this exercise and to avoid putting too much strain on your body you should place your hands on your chest. Then as your muscles begin to grow stronger then you can choose to place your hands either at the side or above your head.

The reverse curl specifically targets the fibers to be found in the lower and side abdominal muscles. Again lay on your back on then floor and then bend your knees towards your chest to a position that you feel comfortable with. But you must ensure that your hips remain on the floor. Then in order to lift up your hips off the floor you need to start contracting your abdominal muscles and this in turn will bring your knees closer to your chest. It is important that whilst you are doing this exercise you make sure that your legs do not swing.

However if you are looking for an exercise that is more challenging then do the combination crunch which is where you carry out the standard crunch and the reverse curl at the same time.

No matter if you are a man or a woman when it comes to improving the condition of your abdominal muscles you need to be aware that not all the exercises people use will work for everyone. Therefore it is important that you yourself spend some time looking at the ones that others are using and may be try a few of them out. It is only through trying them out are you likely to find the exercises which are ideally suited to you and your body shape. Also by doing this you will find that in the long run being able to achieve your goal of having great looking abs will be much more easily achieved.

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Top 5 Tips For People Looking For The Fastest Way To Build Muscle

By Tyler Whitman

People today don't just want to know how to build muscle, they want to know the fastest way to build muscle. There are hundreds of fitness gurus out there who all claim to know exactly how to do just that, but do they really? One good way to tell is to verify that their programs focus on some of the five key rules of muscle building.

1. Cardio Does Not Build Muscle

With the exception of swimming, conventional cardio does not build muscle. Cardio exercises like running and biking are just not intense enough to fatigue muscles to the point that is necessary for muscle-building metabolic reactions to occur.

2. Eat More Meat

You should eat more meat when you are trying to build up muscle mass. That's because meat, especially red meat, is full of protein that supplies muscle building nutrients and energy to your body. There are other good sources of protein, but red meat is definitely the way to go if you are looking for the fastest way to build muscle.

3. Multiple Muscle Groups Are Key

You need to target multiple muscle groups instead of focusing on them one at a time if you want to build up muscle mass fast. So instead of exercising back muscles one day, leg muscles another, and abs the day after that, include them all in each of your workouts. That way it will take less time to achieve the results that you want.

4. Maximize Your Workouts For Maximum Gains

The more you put into your workouts, the more you will get out of them. So if you want major muscle gains fast, you need to put in major effort. Lifting heavier weights is the best way to do this because lower reps with heavier weights will build up muscle mass faster than higher reps with lighter weights.

5. Don't Forget Recovery

You should not train every single day because your body needs sufficient time to recover from each workout. When your muscles are not given an opportunity to rest, they weaken and become more easily damaged. So punishing your body with daily workouts is not the fastest way to build muscle, it is a good way to really hurt yourself.

Sure, there are lots of people that ignore this advice and appear to be healthy and muscular. Keep in mind that you really have no clue how healthy they are, or how much long term damage they are actually doing to their bodies. Be smart and take care of your body by allowing it proper recovery time.

Programs that incorporate these five important rules of muscle building are probably not going to be very useful to those of you looking for the fastest way to build muscle. So make sure that you take the time to find one that does, otherwise you will have a very difficult time achieving significant muscle gains.

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James Bond Workout - Get A Ripped Body Like 007

By Rusty Moore

How I Would Structure a James Bond Workout

Have you seen Daniel Craig's famous swimsuit scene in Casino Royale. Well if you have, you would realize that he has instantly become the new male role model when it comes to a fit and toned body. Seven years before the most recent James Bond flick was Fight Club. In Fight Club, Brad Pitt set the standard for the ideal male physique. While Brad Pitt looked amazing in Fight Club, I would say that Daniel Craig may have set the new standard for men to shoot for. Daniel had a bit more muscle than Brad, but Brad was a bit more toned. Brad's Fight Club Workout most likely consisted of considerably more cardio than Daniel's. If I was to to teach someone to look like Brad, they would only spend 25% of their time on lifting and the rest on cardio. Daniel's workout was most likely a 50/50 split between cardio and lifting.

The James Bond Workout Eating Schedule

Daniel Craig is obviously more muscular than Brad Pitt was in Fight Club. Brad Pitt was on the Zone Diet before Fight Club to become the super-toned Tyler Durden (main character in the movie). When Daniel Craig was interviewed about his diet before Casino Royale, he said that he ate quite a bit of protein. So while Brad was eating about 30% of his daily caloric intake from protein, the new James Bond was most likely eating about 50% of his calories in protein.

James Bond Should Eat More Calories Than Tyler Durden

Brad Pitt was absolutely ripped in Fight Club. Judging by the sharpness of his abs and facial definition, I would say that he was around a body fat percentage of 4-6%. Daniel Craig was most likely around 8% body fat for Casino Royale. James Bond has it easy compared to Tyler Durden! Daniel got to eat quite a bit more than Brad could in preparing for his movie role. While Daniel most likely ate the standard 6 meals a day, I doubt that Brad got away with more than 3-4 super low calorie meals. James Bond had a more sustainable and realistic body in Casino Royale.

The James Bond Workout Would Use Moderate Cardio

I'm a big believer in High Intensity Interval Training. I believe that to get down to a really low body fat percentage like Brad Pitt did in Fight Club, one would need to perform this type of cardio for sure. To get down to 8%, High Intensity Interval Training is probably the quickest and most effective route, but not mandatory. When I heard Daniel Craig getting interviewed, he described the more traditional moderate level of cardio for 30-45 minutes. So in reality, the James Bond Workout was focused on more traditional cardio...even though he probably would have get better results with Interval Training.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Steroids And Your Blood (part 2)

By Mick Hart

Glucose is not normally a concern for the weight trainer, but should be as some medicines can affect blood sugar levels adversely, as well as the fact that a weight trainer will take in more carbohydrates than a normal person, raised levels can indicate onset of diabetes.

Aspartate transferase; You will find that this enzyme works in the heart and the liver and its normal count is about 45. If you encounter higher levels it may indicate either alcohol or viral hepatitis, but it could also indicate the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissues, which also happens as the result of heavy weight training.

Alaine Transferase; A primary liver enzyme elevated from alcohol abuse, viral illness or diseases of the liver. (I get an elevated level from my Sarcoidosis, other diseases will also elevate this enzyme marker). Usually higher in males. Normal count is 40.

Alkaline Phosphatase is an enzyme present in both the liver and the bones and its medium range varies while the bone plates are growing, so it presence will naturally rise with age. Heavy workout sessions won't alter this enzymes presence unless you are taking a growth hormone within your cycle. If you are, then tell your Doctor or you might be diagnosed as having bone disease. As a point of interest the normal range is between 30 and 95.

Creatine Phosphatase is my favourite as it is always elevated. In normal sedentary individuals high levels may indicate renal disease, muscle injury or acute injury. If your Doctors get bent over a high level of creatine remind him the muscle injury is probably due to the 600lb deadlift you did the day before! I also have elevated levels as I supplement with creatine monohydrate, so that's 's another reason for elevated levels. Normal rate is 225.

BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) levels is another good one as elevated levels (normal 9 - 24) can indicate a high protein intake or excessive protein breakdown (Duh! Remind the Doctor about the 3 - 4 whey protein or protein isolate powder preparations you take in a day). Now this is one where your Doctor needs to be reminded that as a heavy weight trainer you will be taking lots more protein than the normal or sedentary person.

You will find there is a 17-alpha-alkylated chemical attached to almost all oral steroids, which prevents the liver from destroying the active ingredients when it has passed through. This will result in causing wear and tear so if you are prone to liver problems then try and avoid oral steroids which have been 17-apha-alkylated treated. If you should have any doubts whatsoever then buy the Layman's Guides I and II and find a more liver friendly anabolic stack.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

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Saturday, January 12, 2008

A Strong History Of Women's Bodybuilding

By Horace Jurdon

The history of bodybuilding spans hundreds of years, although relatively few pages are dedicated to the role of women athletes. While this chapter may be relatively short in length, it is rich in character and accomplishment.

History dictates that bodybuilding was typically a male-dominated pastime, and women had a relatively late start entering into the sport. In spite of this delayed introduction, these athletes quickly rose to the top. Their strength in spirit, as well as body, allowed them to heartily overcome the sexist stamp that was placed on them when women's bodybuilding competitions first took place.

The first important chapter in women's bodybuilding features a Californian by the name of Lisa Lyon. Born in 1953, Ms. Lyon was a UCLA graduate and a student of the Japanese martial art Kendo. While still a budding bodybuilding enthusiast, Lisa was encouraged by premier bodybuilding promoter Arnold Schwarzenegger to join a women's competition. Schwarzenegger saw big potential in Lyon's small dancer's physique, and his vision paid off; Lisa Lyon took top honours in the first women's bodybuilding championship.

Rachel McLish is another important name in the history of women in bodybuilding. This powerhouse was crowned champion at the first Miss Olympia bodybuilding women's competition, sponsored by the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFFB). McLish combined aesthetic good looks with sheer muscle, and was considered by many to be the epitome of women in bodybuilding. More than just a sports icon, this Texas-born athlete helped to define the popularity of women's bodybuilding.

If McLish was seen as the feminine embodiment of women in bodybuilding, Bev Francis represented the muscular extreme. An Australian shot putter-turned-bodybuilder, Ms. Francis co-starred with Rachel McLish in the movie "Pumping Iron II: The Women". Her incredible appearance and muscular bulk inspired both shock and awe in spectators at women's bodybuilding competitions.

Event organizers and sponsors of women's bodybuilding competitions began to ask, "how much is too much"? Since Francis first stole the spotlight as a finalist in the 1986 Ms. Olympia competition, this has been a topic of debate within the sport of women's bodybuilding.

A newer, "less is more" trend in women's bodybuilding became apparent in 1991 when the extremely muscular Bev Francis placed second to Lenda Murray, a more slender athlete. Ms. Murray then went on to claim victory at eight more Ms. Olympia titles. Her last win was in 2003, but Lenda Murray continues to be hailed as one of the most popular and successful women's bodybuilding figures.

Of course, there are many other important names in the history of women's bodybuilding. Juliette Berman, also known as the "Dutch Superwoman", won the 2001 Ms. Olympia competition. IFBB fitness professional competitor Mandy Blank was a leader in the new movement of the more slender women in bodybuilding, focused on shaping the muscular body into an aesthetic form rather than beefing it up to become hugely muscular.

Monica Brant, another important figure in women's bodybuilding, was named Fitness Miss Olympia in 1998. Another important name is Sharon Bruneau, a Canadian model who left the runway, entered the gym, and became a hardcore female bodybuilder and fitness competitor.

Despite the efforts that these incredible women have undertaken, men still have a hand in the sport of women's bodybuilding. Many men and women disapprove of (or fear) extremely muscular women. For this reason, the women's bodybuilding industry saw a decrease in financial support of traditional competitions that promoted muscle mass, and an increase of funds designated to competitions featuring more slender physiques. It's an obvious sexist double standard, but it has not halted the decline of the sport for women.

The history of women's bodybuilding, and women's sports in general, owes a great deal to the strength that these women have displayed. Great obstacles have been overcome to bring the sport to where it is today and now, all women have the opportunity to work hard and achieve their full potential.

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Purchasing Anabolic Steroids

By The Steroid Encyclopedia Team

The Purchasing of Anabolic Steroids is treated differently depending on the country you live in. In some countries they can just be purchased without prescription, but in many such as the US they are controlled substances and only available when prescribed by a doctor.

Buying anabolic steroids is a risky venture if you are in a country where they are controlled. You can buy anabolic steroids over the Internet from countries where buying anabolic steroids is not illegal and have them shipped to you, but you will be breaking several laws, and can risk jail time.

When buying anabolic steroids, it is best to know the laws of the country you are in. If they are available over the counter without a prescription such as in Mexico, you can legally obtain them for personal use.

But for the majority it will have to be the internet, and with just a few personal details you can receive your anabolic steroids at your door stop within several days. It must be stressed again that if your package does get intercepted you could face arrest for the purchase of an illegal substance.

Is the risk of buying anabolic steroids worth it? Most athletes would say yes, the risk to benefit ratio is worth it because most over the counter legal supplements do not work, and certainly do not work as well as buying anabolic steroids.

As we know, purchasing products on the internet can be dodgy so when it comes to Anabolic Steroids we have to extra specially careful. It will take time and research and we can only suggest that you check out any site on the social markers such as Stumble upon.

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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Bodybuilding Regime Tips

By Bud Sayce

If you're like a lot of people, you want to get in shape but don't know where to begin. Going to the gym is the first step, but what's really important is having a great bodybuilding regime and sticking to it.

There are so many bodybuilding routines and programs available that it can be a hard to find the one that's best for you. How can you be sure that you'll get the results promised in the sales brochure? Why choose one plan over another? Will you find a bodybuilding regime that you can actually stick with?

The following tips can make it a little easier to find a great regime and get the results you want:

* Ask For Advice

Ask around, read the blogs, do your homework. When you find a bodybuilding regime that sounds promising, check to see what others have to say about it. Find out if the product or program has been tested.

Ask for advice from other athletes and instructors. Search online for consumer ratings and fitness blogs. Sales brochures should never be taken as gospel, so conduct your own research to find proven data and experimental results.

* Fitness For You

It's important to ask yourself if the program is right for you. It's even more important to answer correctly. Don't choose a bodybuilding regime that is too taxing for your body, or settle for one that won't challenge you to your full potential. You need to know whether the routine is right for you. Commit to a bodybuilding regime that meets your personal requirements based on your age and training level, the duration of the workouts, and whether you fall into the product's target demographic.

Your body is unique, so the program that worked wonders for your neighbor might not be best for you. Some routines, for example, are simply too taxing for teenagers with smaller and less developed muscles. A seasoned bodybuilding veteran, on the other hand, won't benefit form the degree of training offered in a beginner's program.

* The Whole Routine

Successful bodybuilding routines provide results by combining a number of elements. Your routine should clearly state your goals and encourage your future success. Look for a program with clearly stated training loads, progress monitoring and recovery periods. Don't invest your time, money and energy into a simple "just do it and see" semi-promise. Make sure you have assurance that your chosen program will bring major results.

Look for a bodybuilding regime that incorporates progressive training. The routine that you choose must offer guidance on changing your workout loads, as well as periodic progress monitoring. Do one-rep maximums, take regular measurements and be a common visitor to the weight scales; it's the best way to directly measure your progress and success.

Recovery periods are frequently overlooked in bodybuilding regimes, but are essential to your success. Your body will be working hard and it will also need to rest. Periods of recovery are absolutely necessary, so look for a routine that incorporates regular rest periods into every phase of training.

* Stick it Out

You success may not lie in the exercise itself, but rather in the duration of the routine. Repetition is an important element to realizing optimal results in any fitness routine, but it's also important to implement a gradual progression from level to level.

Look for a bodybuilding regime that clearly indicates the length of time that you should spend on each level, before progressing to the next. Don't move too quickly, or push yourself too hard. If you suffer an injury or feel like a failure in the early stages of your routine, it will lessen your chances of working hard and achieving your goals.

If you're serious about realizing your full fitness potential, take the time to find the bodybuilding regime that will work best for you.

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Saturday, January 5, 2008

Simple Muscle Building Tips

By Idonea Caris

If you're working out to tone your body and build your strength, you may be on the lookout for ways to make your workout better. So here's a list of some of my best muscle building tips, which will give you the best workout possible for your muscles.

You will have heard of some of these tips before, no doubt, but it's good to review them. People have a way of dismissing effective tips that sound way too simple.

If you think simple tips can't help you, think again: The very best muscle building tips are often the simplest. If you incorporate them into your workout, you will enjoy tons of benefits.

The first of the muscle building tips that I will offer is to remember that you need to make sure the training program you are participating in and/or creating needs to be formed so that it will incorporate all of the muscle groups.

If you build up just your arms, and not the rest of your body, you're going to look a bit out of whack. Make sure you are working out all of your muscles so that your body will be symmetrical and proportional to the rest of you.

Here's another simple but important muscle building tip: Make sure you're not doing the exercises wrong! It's not going to do your body any good if you use the wrong technique for any exercise.

If you're now wondering whether you're doing an exercise technique right, you're probably not. Go to a local gym and get some help from a trainer or a muscle builder, who can help you out a lot by showing you how to do exercises and correct you if you're not doing it quite right.

If your goal is to be more muscular, you will definitely want to change your diet. This is one of the more common muscle building tips.

You need to eat food that's packed with the nutrients that will give your body the energy it needs to build muscle. Generally that means consuming one gram of protein for each pound of your body weight every day.

You might want to take supplements if you find that it's too difficult to eat enough protein through your meals. Just make sure you choose exactly what you need, and don't buy a supplement on impulse just because it sounds good.

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