Thursday, July 31, 2008

3 Food Groups That Are Vital For Muscle Growth

By Michael Jans


You've been diligently working out day in and day out, lifting those weights and are encouraged with some results you are getting. Now, you know its time to be a little more serious, you want to know what foods you want to eat so as to help you with your building.

Build muscle with these 3 major food groups in you diet

#1 - High Quality Protein

High quality protein is easily absorbable and is available in foods like lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, skim milk, cottage cheese, peanuts and whey. Protein repairs and builds muscles that are damaged. It also plays a major role as a nutrient for people who are increasing their lean mass.

#2 - High Fibers, Low Glycemic Carbohydrates

Include Carbohydrates in your diet to help you build muscle and maintain maximum hormonal environment within your body. Carbs help absorb proteins and most importantly, provide your body and brain with necessary energy to last you all throughout the day.

Foods like oatmeal, yams, brown rice and whole wheat products slowly release low glycemic sources of carbohydrates which will enable a steady flow of sugar all throughout the day.

#3 - Healthy, Unsaturated Fats

Essential fatty acids will not make anybody fat; actually, they are very beneficial in the muscle growing process. They boost testosterone levels in your body which helps in building more muscle and also improve metabolism which helps in absorbing your food faster.

Foods that are loaded with these fats are to occupy major part in your diet. Fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and liquids like flaxseed and olive oil etc all come under this category.

The three food groups that are included in the above discussion should form a major part, if not all, of your diet. Your meals should be spread over 5 to 7 meals a day. It might be really hard to juggle between training and healthy eating, however, these small things can reap great benefits in the longer run.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Raises for big shoulders part 2

By Caleb Lee


Here we go again on shoulders. For beginners, or serious bodybuilders, everyone wants to fill out their clothes better, without those shoulder pads that are out of fashion anyways. In my last article I dealt with presses and now (as you can see from the title) I'll be talking about raises.

Raises work the deltoids and compliment press exercises for building up the shoulders. Raises use isolation, meaning you use lighter weights than you normally would, but still get excellent results. Each of the exercises below works a different part of the deltoids: front, back and side.

Front Dumbbell Raises:

In standing position, hold a dumbbell at each side with your palms turned towards your body. Raise one dumbbell up, using a sweeping motion, until it is over your head. Lower to starting position while you sweep the other dumbbell up. Repeat.

You will find this is a very effective but simple exercise for the front deltoids.

Lateral Raises-Standing with a Dumbbell:

With a dumbbell in each hand bend forward 45 degrees. Let the dumbbells hang at arm's length; palms facing each other. While bent over, lift the dumbbells out to either side. Slowly return to beginning position and repeat.

Bent-Over Raises (Lateral):

Stand while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend Forward 45 degrees. Let the dumbbells hang at arms length. Your palms should face each other. Remaining bent over, lift the dumbbells out to either side. Slowly return your arms to the starting position and repeat.

Whew! If you haven't done shoulder work before you will find this a bit of a challenge but I can guarantee you'll love the results. Catch ya later-I'm off to the gym.

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Steroid Hormones And Stretch Marks: The Connection Between Them

By Maia Pells


Stretch marks is usually defined as the scarring when the dermis tears just underneath the skin due to rapid skin expansion or growth. The area where the tearing occurs redden over time then takes on a color that is silvery to the naked eye. It is these silvery areas that we know commonly as stretch marks.

Since stretch marks occur when there is rapid growth or stretching of the skin, this can lead to the assumption that steroid hormones and stretch marks actually do have a connection. This is because steroids stunt ordinary growth which is something that our skin is not ready for naturally.

Stretch Marks & Athletes

Muscle Building - In order to vastly boost athletic performance, some people work out so that it will build their muscles faster and make them more efficient. Most athletes have stretch marks because of this heightened physical activity. It is simply because their dermis is not ready or strong enough to hold together from all the muscle growth and therefore the tearing begins and the stretch marks start to form. This is a common occurrence mostly in bodybuilders. Stretch marks that do occur usually are found where the greatest muscle mass has formed in a short period of time.

How Does This Happen?

Glucocorticoids - There are many different theories today that are being tested so that people understand stretch marks even more. One of these theories suggests that they are a result of what are known as glucocorticoids. When these substances are richly present in the bloodstream, they are assumed to cause stretch marks more than anything else.

The interesting part is that these substances are a class of steroid hormones that are produced by the body. We can actually cause the substance to be released when we are in a state of physical or mental stress by producing cortisol which is a group of hormones glucocorticoids belongs to. Bodybuilders do go through a lot of physical and mental stress and this is how we connect the steroid hormones and stretch marks formation.

How It Works - When this hormone is released, the body is sent signals and the body will react in many different ways to the stress that released the hormones. This leads us to eat more so that we can balance the glucose that we feel is lost when we are stressed. If this stressed state is prolonged, then there is a greater tendency for the body to burn excess fat a lot slower. We therefore gain weight a lot quicker than normal and this can produce numerous stretch marks around the body where skin is stretched.

It is essential to get to the root causes stretch marks so that we might be able to counter the effects or prevent the marks from occurring. But other people who are more wary of their skin can take more natural methods in making sure that they do not produce stretch marks. This involves a good diet and just the right amount of time of exercise.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Bicep Exercises for Beginners

By Caleb Lee


Well, friends, here you have it ? the third and final installment of my series of articles on exercises meant to work out your biceps. Since I get asked often about what the best way is to work these muscles, I created a few articles to give everyone some of the best and most commonly used bicep exercises. Without further delay, here are a few more to get you started on your bicep workout.

Preacher Curls:

This exercise is great for your biceps (and none too shabby for working out your forearms!). You?ll need a preacher bench for this one, so if you haven?t got one at home, keep this one in mind for when you?re at the gym next,

Sit on a preacher bench, with your upper arms resting on the pad, palms facing upwards. Have someone hand you a barbell. Lower the barbell until your arms are nearly straight ? you should be feeling a good stretch in your bicep now.

Using your biceps and moving only your forearms, curl the barbell to shoulder height. Hold for a moment to get the maximum benefit for this curl, then repeat.

Dumbbell Concentration Curls:

This one is a little tougher for beginners, but provides a great bicep workout by isolating the muscles.Sit at the end of a bench, legs spread. Use a lighter than usual dumbbell for this one, the isolation will give you the same results with less weight. Reach down between your legs and grab a dumbbell. Brace your elbow on one knee, and place your other hand on your leg for balance. Using only your bicep and moving just your forearm, slowly curl the dumbbell to shoulder height. Hold this position for a moment then slowly lower back to starting position and repeat. This exercise should be done for both arms (but not at the same time!).

That?s it for now. I hope these exercises have been beneficial to beginner and pros alike. Maybe I?ll see you at the gym!

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Muscle Definition: everything you need to know

By Caleb Lee


Do you know what muscle definition is? Most people aren't quite clear about it - we know when a muscle looks defined, but what makes it that way and how do you achieve it?

"Ripped" is another name for definition. Have you ever seen the outline of a muscle against someone's skin? That is the goal of anyone into bodybuilding and naturally everyone would like to achieve that look themselves. Definition makes muscles look larger-you might have a bicep that is 12 inches around and it looks bigger than someone who has a less defined bicep of 15 inches.

So exactly what constitutes "being ripped"? Basically, definition depends on two things. One is muscle size and the other is body fat percentage. Basically, to become defined you need to build muscle while losing fat. This is of course what most people who work out are hoping to do.

Wow! I can hear you saying "Caleb sure knows his stuff. He can surely tell me what exercises I can do to get ripped." While I am flattered and humbled, I have to say this is the one thing I can not do for you. Why? There is no such exercise.

Simply stated, to get ripped, you need to build muscle while you lose excess fat. One thing that bothers me when I see people get into weightlifting, they neglect working out in other ways. Many drop out of bodybuilding when they neglect other fitness areas, simply because they can't get the results they are looking for.

To get an all around fitness workout, I recommend low impact, low intensity cardio exercise. This can be done by biking or hiking. Much has been said lately about the damage running can do to the knees so I don't recommend running. Especially for weightlifters.

For building muscle mass, my advice is low reps with heavier weights. This will build the muscle fast. Use enough weight so that you can't do more than your planned set of reps. This along with low impact cardio and a healthy diet will get you the look you want-ripped!

See you later; I'll be at the gym.

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The Right Way To Develop A Wide, Muscular Back

By Ricardo Daryans

It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly misguided the vast majority of the population is in the gym. Everyone is desperate for that wide, powerful and muscular physique, yet very few understand how to properly channel their efforts to get there.

And if you are not training your back in the right way because that's an area you cannot check in the mirror or because you think it's just doesn't worth the effort, then its clear that you doesn't know how important that area is.

70% of your upper body muscle mass resides in the back area! Nothing can replace the upper body thickening effect of big, bulging lats and a set of wide, tall trapezius muscles. That's how important your back is. I am, of course, talking about the major muscles of the back: the lats, traps, spinal erectors, rhomboids and lower back.

There are 4 major movements that you must perform to properly develop your back. And here they are:

1) Deadlifts. There is not a single exercise out there that can even come close to matching the effectiveness of a basic, bent-legged barbell deadlift. This should be the most important part of your routine.

2) Vertical pulling movement. Examples of vertical pulling movements are chin-ups (overhand or underhand), lat pulldowns and v-bar pulldowns.

3) Horizontal pulling movement. There are a ton of different rowing movements to choose from: bent over barbell rows, dumbbell rows, seated machine rows and cable rows just to name a few.

4) A shrugging movement. A basic barbell or dumbbell shrug will be enough for this part. Why is it necessary to perform this movement after your workout? To develop that mountainous, diamond-shaped look from behind.

So, all you have to do is to perform 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps of every single exercise i mentioned before. That will do the job.

Perform this workout once per week with full effort and I guarantee that your upper body will appear thicker, wider and more muscular than ever before. What about specific routines for the chest? What about the biceps, triceps and shoulders? How about the thighs, calves and abs? Don't worry, i will write about them in future articles.

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Muscle Growth, The 60 Seconds That Make The Difference

By Ricardo Daryans

In the same way a small fraction of a second is crucial in a sprinter's race during a 100 metre dash, fractions of seconds can mean success or failure in a bodyduilding process. That seconds will make or break your body's muscle growth response in the gym.

In fact, your entire margin of success in the gym can ultimately be reduced to just a short time span of 60 seconds. That's correct, how you choose to handle a short 60 second time period during your workouts will translate to either poor, mediocre or significant muscle building results. Although each entire workout will last for about an hour, only 60 seconds of that actual time will determine what kind of gains you achieve.

How does it works? Well, the first reps in your set means just a little bit than nothing in terms of muscular growth. However, they play an important role.

Reps 1-4 are only performed in order to get to reps 5 and 6. But there's more than meets the eye in that. The last reps you perform in a set actually are the ones that will determine if the results of your workout are or not the results you desire.

What's important then, is to overload the muscles on reps 5 and 6. And the most important thing to achieve better results is try to keep that stress level as long as you can at the end of each set.

The best way to trigger your body's adaptive responses is training until your muscles cannot move the weight another inch. Drop the weight some seconds before the guy next to you and you will see the difference between his and your muscles after some weeks.

The closer and closer that you can come to muscular failure, the more dramatically your body will respond. This time frame is literally measured in single seconds. If you drop the weights 5-6 seconds earlier than the next guy (the margin is probably even smaller than this), you'll be significantly sacrificing your muscle growth.

Then, your succes in the bodybuilding process is measured by the short moments at the end of every single set you perform in the gym.

As long as you can force yourself to train to all out muscular failure, you'll see the best possible results. If you drop the weight 3 or 10 seconds before muscular failure, it will mean a great difference in muscular growth terms.

You have to train really hard and with full effort every single day. When your muscles aches and you can feel they're burning, if you feel the weight really heavy, that's the right moment to give your maximun effort until true muscular failure is reached.

You must train hard and with full effort at all times. When the weight feels heavy and your muscles ache and burn with discomfort, you must push through and continue until true muscular failure is reached.

If you stop short, even a second short, your gains will be compromised. Keep this in mind at all times in the gym and you'll experience better results than ever before.

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Keeping at Your Workout Plan

By Caleb Lee

The thing all of us who are bodybuilders or fitness enthusiasts have all struggled with from time to time is motivation. It can be hard to drag yourself out of bed to get to the gym before work; it can also be hard to summon up the energy to do anything other then going home and lying in an exhausted heap in front of the TV after a long day at work. However, all of us also know that working out actually gives you an energy boost and makes you feel better (and sleep better so you're more refreshed for the next day at work).

How can you stay motivated when you feel like skipping one workout, which sometimes leads to another and another, until we quit going altogether? We know we get great benefits from exercise, not only for our physical well being but mentally, too. Here's some helpful tips to get you up and moving.

About Setting Goals:

It's hard to achieve success if you don't have a clear goal for yourself. Tell yourself "By next week, I want to be able to do 5 more reps". This way you have a plan to work towards and hopefully make it to the gym to meet that goal!

About Burning Out:

Sometimes we get so excited at how good we look and feel we work out everyday. Your body really doesn't need this; in fact, it's good to rest between workouts. 3 times a week is a good schedule. Your body needs recovery time. Most muscle injuries occur when you don't let your body rest between workouts. Working out everyday or too often can lead to burn out fast-trust me, I've seen it more than once.

Progress, Progress, Progress!

Make sure to measure your progress from time to time. There is nothing to keep you motivated like knowing that your hard work is getting you somewhere. If you are trying to lose weight, weigh yourself once a week. If you're trying to lose fat and build muscle, measure your BMI. If you're just trying to build muscle, go ahead and measure your biceps. The excitement you'll get from making progress will keep you on track with your fitness plan.

Try out these tips next time you feel yourself getting into a rut with your workout or just are feeling like there's no way you can face up to going to the gym again. Stick with it and you will get results -- I did!

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3 Core Strengthening Exercises for Killer Abs

By Michael Jans

Rock hard abs are the hallmark of a sexy body today. No abs? So sorry... goodbye!

Getting a six pack abs is not so easy. You must do it the old fashioned way, work for them. There are no machines that will do the work for you. To get those amazing abs you need to start with core training.

If you have lower back problems check with your doctor before attempting to work on these exercises. These exercises are designed to build up the core which is the foundation for developing killer abs.

The three exercises are:

1. The Plank 2. The Side Plank 3. The Superman

1. The Plank

Keeping your body straight is absolutely important in this exercise. Get into a push up posture and support your upper body by using your forearms.

Keep your body absolutely straight and make sure that you don't lift your butt, drop your head, or arch your back, doing this can make the exercises easier and that will make the exercise less effective. Once you are in position hold your position for 30-60 seconds or as long as you can hold.

We will now make this exercise harder for more effectiveness. Lift and hold one foot a few inches higher from the ground while doing this exercise. Uneven load on the core makes the plank tougher and hence more effective.

2. The Side Plank

The side plank is an exercise that's tougher than the plank. Lie down on the side with your fore arm firmly planted on the ground. Lift your hips above the floor in such a way the only your for arms and your feet are on the ground.

Remember to keep your body in a straight line... don't bend forward. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds or as long as you can.

To get more benefit from the Side Plank, try lifting the top foot just a few inches while you are in position. It's surprising how really tough this exercise is -- but it is also a very effective exercise for strengthening your core.

3. The Superman

You've seen superman fly, right? SO lie down on the floor on your belly and stretch your arms out in front of you. Spread your arms so that they make a "V? with your head.

While keeping your legs together, raise them up till your knees are lifter off the ground. Hold your position for 30-60 seconds or as long as you can.

These three exercises are like the foundation for building up killer abs. Instead of wimpy ab machines, these exercises are an effective way to start.

But remember what Vince Lombardi said, "The dictionary is the only place where 'results' comes before 'work'." That sums it up when it comes to conquering that belly flab -- without core training, no results!

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Starting Smart on Strength Training

By Caleb Lee

I know, I know. You're champing at the bit to hit the gym after that New Year's resolution to get ripped this year. You're eager - but hold on there. You need to start slow and work your way up, trust me. I was once like you; amped to get into the gym and start pumping iron. And if I haven't caught you before that first visit, maybe you're like me where I ended up being too sore to work out for a week afterwards? Where did I go wrong? I wondered.

The truth is, I had gone too fast and just jumped in when I should have taken things slow and built my strength gradually. Now for me, everything worked out fine in the long run, but a lot of would be weight lifters get discouraged quickly because they failed to start small in their bodybuilding plans -- and they never end up getting back on track which is a shame and something I want you to avoid!

It's not only this that concerns me (although I do hate to see people drop out and fail to reach their potential). Injuries can easily result as a product of newly minted body builders getting too enthusiastic about those first few workout sessions.

I'd like to give those of you who are new to strength training a few pointers on getting started the right way. It can make all the difference between success and failure in weightlifting; so please, read on!

The first thing you want to do is help your body be prepared for the rigors of strength training -- we call this anatomical adaptation in the "nerd" circles. Before you even hit the weight room, consider starting with a routine of full body workouts to build overall strength and endurance.

When you feel ready (or simply cannot wait), try just one exercise per area of the body you want to focus strength training on and keep your number of reps low; even if you don't feel "pumped" right away don't worry. You are laying the ground work for serious bodybuilding later. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were the weightlifting pros. Be patient.

After a few weeks, you can gradually increase the amount of weight you are lifting and add a few more reps - stick with this new weight and number of reps for a few weeks before increasing. One more thing; the pros know this, but it's extra important fro the beginner: make sure to take a day off in between workout days (two days if it has been an exceptionally strenuous workout).

Remember, slow and steady is the smart way to start strength training. Why? Because proper form and performance of exercises is MORE important than how much weight you lift. Don't let your ego get in the way. You'll begin building muscle before you know it, but you have to start small. Have a great workout!

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Big Shoulder Exercises!

By Caleb Lee

Everyone wants to have bigger, stronger shoulders; whether you are a long time bodybuilder or someone who just wants to look better on the beach.

To help you get on your way to bigger, stronger and more defined shoulders, I am providing a few exercises to get the results you want.

Two kinds of shoulder exercises are most common; the press and the raise. I will be writing about the raise in future articles so be sure to keep checking back in. The presses are wonderful exercises for the shoulders which primarily work the triceps, but involve other muscles as well.

Sitting or Standng Military Press:

This exercise can be done while standing ? though for beginners, I?d recommend starting out with seated military presses, on a bench with good back support.

Sitting or standing, use an overhand grip to grasp barbell. Hold it at shoulder height; hands slightly farther apart than your shoulders. Slowly raise the barbell up until your arms are as far up as they can go without straining. Slowly lower the dumbbell to shoulder height and repeat.

Dumbbell Seated Press:

This is similar to the Military Press except you will be using dumbbells. This mainly targets the front and side deltoids so consider mixing it in with other press exercises.

Your sense of balance gets a workout here, and this one requires using less weight than you normally do.

While sitting on a bench, take a dumbbell in either hand. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing outward. Press both dumbbells up slowly until your arms are locked out. Slowly return the dumbbells to shoulder height and repeat.

These are just a few of the many presses you can do for building bigger shoulders, but this will hopefully give you enough of a taste to seek out some other press exercises (of course, I?ll cover more in my articles at some point). Keep working those shoulders and I?ll see all of you at the gym!

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Your Own Gym, In Your Own Home

By Ricardo Daryans

Some people have asked me if the only way to have a strong, muscular body is to spend a lot of hours working out in the gym. Well, yes...and no. Yes, you'll have to work out for hours if you want to have huge muscles, they will not magically pop up. But no, you don't have to spend that time exactly in the gym. You can do it in your own home and achieve the same (or even better) results.

You may have a lot of reasons to not want to go to a gym. It doesn't matters. Whatever your reason, there are still a lot of options if you want to workout and have huge muscles. And, as i told you, your home may be the best gym for you.

There are guys who like a lot doing the workout in their own house. They have their gym just down (or up) the stairs waiting for them. And they don't spend their time trying to go there and back.

And working out in your own place have some extra benefits. You can grunt and scream through your sets if you are in the mood without disturbing anyone, the music you hear is the music you want and you can focus in yourself and your training.

When the workout was over, I could sprawl out on the floor in exhaustion and know that my post workout shakes were just a few steps away, and that I wouldn't have to hobble to my car and spend anymore time driving home. It was great.

The only real disadvantage is that your exercise selection will decrease because you won't have access to certain pieces of machinery such as a leg press or calf machine. You can purchase certain machines if you have the money to spend and plan on training at home over the long term, but for the majority of people this simply won't be possible.

But, even if you can't afford that machinery, you can plan out a proper bodybuilding routine. All that fancy equipment is not crucial, and you can swap some of that exercises for freeweight substitutions.

The basic equipment that your home gym should contain is: a) An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates. b) Adjustable dumbbells. c) A bench with incline adjustments. d) A chin-up bar. e) A squat rack.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. Don't ever squat without a safe place to drop the bar! Most full squat racks will also provide a chin-up bar on top, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone if you decide to purchase one.

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Monday, July 28, 2008

Achieving Larger Lats

By Caleb Lee

Everyone is always impressed by huge, defined lats, bodybuilders especially. Latissimus Dorsi (you didn't think I knew Latin, did you?) in a competition setting can make the crowd gasp when the competitor turns arounds and flexes those gorgeous, defined back muscles.

Not all may want to build competition quality muscle, but many of us would like more definition. This article will give you 2 exercises to help you get started.

Dumbbell Rows:

1. Holding a dumbbell with one arm, take your free arm and hold onto the bench for balance ? it is helpful to also let your knee on this side rest on the bench for extra support.

2. The arm with the dumbbell should be reaching to the floor.

3. Keeping your elbow against your body, slowly raise the dumbbell up towards your side. Make sure your lats and your elbow do the work-don't let your bicep or the momentum of the weight interfere.

4. Pulling the weight up to your hip hold for a moment to get the most of the contraction, then slowly release to starting position.

5. Repeat 10-12 times before to switching to the other side.

This next exercise requires the cable pulley machine. If you don't have one be sure to try it at the gym.

Front Pulldowns Close-Grip:

1. Grip the handlebar with both hands.

2. Pull the weight towards your body slowly. Slightly arch your back and push your chest forward.

3. Try to use your elbows, not your biceps to pull the weight ? this is the key to this exercise.

4. Pull the handle down to your chin and hold for a moment, slowly releasing the weight and allowing your arms to go up along with the handlebar for a stretch.

5. This is one fantastic lat builder, as long as you use your elbows and not your biceps, to do the work. Nothing wrong with bicep work, we're just working on the lats now!

These will give you a good start in getting the powerhouse lats you want - or just to get more definition. The key here is to keep at it and you will succeed!

See ya at the gym!

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Sunday, July 27, 2008

What you should do when you hit the plateau

By Caleb Lee

Everyone, at one time or another, has hit this or will hit, what is called the plateau.

You train and train, but no matter how hard you try, you don't feel you are making any progress. It's really discouraging: I know, I have been there and done that myself. You can break through that plateau and continue on making progress in your bodybuilding routine.

Most people make one common mistake in their fitness routines, bodybuilders included. The plateau is noticed by all, but more so in the bodybuilder, than say, a tennis player.

The mistake is: working out too often. Forgive me for sounding like a broken record, but...your muscles need recovery in between workouts! If you want to build mass, you have got to give them a break.

When you workout you are stimulating the muscle to grow, but in order for that growth to happen, you have to give the muscle a chance to rest in between workouts. You know you need to work the muscles to exhuastion to build muscle. This doesn't mean, though that you have to overdo or strain the muscle. Remember, this is the number one thing that will help you move out of that plateau: rest!

Anaerobic exercise is a good thing to concentrate on at this point in your routine. Your legs are the strongest part of your body. By concentrating on, for instance, leg presses, you will actually benefit your entire body and this will help you get past the stagnant plateau.

Don't give up! The human body does have it's limits, but you can't throw away all your hard work because you think you have reached your limit. Try my tips for working through the plateau-they have worked for me! Good luck to you all as you strive to meet your fitness goals.

See you at the gym!

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How to make the pool a muscle building tool

By Caleb Lee

Summer is here and like everyone, I love escaping the summer heat with a dip in the pool. Guess what? I am going to talk about swimming.

As well as being a fitness guru, and bodybuilder, I love to swim. Why? It's fun. Better dig out that swimsuit!

What kind of cardio is best for bodybuilders? You guessed it: swimming. A lot of cardio exercises are great for the lungs and heart but puts too much stress on your joints, like running for instance. If you are into squats you need to take care of those ankles and knees.

Swimming gives you a great full body workout. What is so wonderful about it is: No Impact! For the bodybuilder, it strenghtens your muscles and cardiovascular system without putting any stress on your joints.

There is the added benefit of swimming being good exercise to build flexibility (although you should always stretch before you swim too ? remember what Ol? Uncle Caleb?s told you about always stretching!). This is great for bodybuilders, many of whom spend too little time on building flexibility.

Bodybuilders beware; don't let swimming become your only form of exercise. Swimming is great for your health, no two ways about it. It won't help you get that ripped, defined look, though, that all competitor bodybuilders are looking for.

The reason for this is that your body reacts to the cool temperatures of the water by distributing your body fat differently. Body fat is more evenly distributed, but is stored just under the skin, making it difficult to have a lot of muscle definition.

Swimming is still an all around excellent exercise, just make sure to work it into the rest of your cardio program (hiking, walking). Don't replace all your cardio with this enjoyable activity.

Until next time, see you at the gym (or the pool)!

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Large Lats

By Caleb Lee

People are impressed by big, ripped lats (short for Latissimus Dorsi, in case you were wondering if I paid attention in Latin class), especially those of us in the bodybuilding community. There are few sights, even at a bodybuilding competition which are more dramatic than when the contestants turn around to show off these impressively defined muscles ? there are often gasps of admiration from the crowd and a little applause.

Although not everyone wants to build competition quality lats, many of us wouldn?t mind at all having a little more definition from our back muscles. In this article, I?ll give you a few exercises to get you started.

Dumbbell Rows:

1. You will need a bench for this one. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, take your free hand and hold onto the bench for balance. You can also place your knee on the bench for extra support.

2. Your arm holding the dumbbell should be reaching all the way to the floor.

3. Keeping your elbow against your body, slowly raise the dumbbell up towards your side. Make sure your lats and your elbow do the work-don't let your bicep or the momentum of the weight interfere.

4. Pulling the weight up to your hip hold for a moment to get the most of the contraction, then slowly release to starting position.

5. Repeat this 10-12 times before switching to the other side.

You?ll need a cable pulley machine to do this next one ? if you don?t have one at home, try this one next time you hit the gym.

Front Pulldowns Close-Grip:

1. Grip the handlebar with both hands.

2. Pull the weight down towards your torso slowly while pushing your chest forward and slightly arching your back.

3. Try to use your elbows, not your biceps to pull the weight ? this is the key to this exercise.

4. Pull the handle down to your chin and hold for a moment, slowly releasing the weight and allowing your arms to go up along with the handlebar for a stretch.

5. Remember to work with your elbows, not the biceps. After all, we are talking lats and not biceps here! This is the greatest back builder as long as you work those elbows.

These will give you a good start in getting the powerhouse lats you want - or just to get more definition. The key here is to keep at it and you will succeed!

Until next time, see you in the gym!

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Big Shoulder Exercises!

By Caleb Lee

Summertime is here. All bodybuilders want to develop their shoulders. Even those who don't consider themselves serious weight lifters, want bigger, stronger shoulders to fill out their shirts or just to look good on the beach!

Well, to help all of you out with this, I?ve provided a few shoulder exercises to try out which will soon have you on your way to bigger, stronger, more defined shoulders.

Basically there are two kinds of shoulder exercises - raises and shoulder presses. This article I am covering presses. Raises are coming in the future, so keep checking back! Presses are great shoulder exercises, mainly targeting the triceps, but they do involve other muscles as well.

Military Press:

This exercise can be done while standing ? though for beginners, I?d recommend starting out with seated military presses, on a bench with good back support.

Sitting or standing, use an overhand grip to grasp barbell. Hold it at shoulder height; hands slightly farther apart than your shoulders. Slowly raise the barbell up until your arms are as far up as they can go without straining. Slowly lower the dumbbell to shoulder height and repeat.

Seated Dumbbell Press:

This is similar to the Military Press except you will be using dumbbells. This mainly targets the front and side deltoids so consider mixing it in with other press exercises.

This exercise will also train your sense of balance, but remember to start this one off with a little less weight than you would normally use.

Sit on your bench with a dumbbell in both hands. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing outward. Again, you are going to press the dumbbells slowly up until your arms are locked out. Slowly return the dumbbells to shoulder height and then repeat.

These are a couple the many presses you can do to build stronger, bigger shoulders. Hopefully these will cause you to seek out other press exercises. Until next time, maybe I'll see you at the gym!Of course, I will be adding more in my writings at a later date. Keep working out and I'll see you soon at the gym!

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Friday, July 25, 2008

Beginners bicep exercises

By Caleb Lee

We have made it to the third and final installment of my articles on achieving the biceps you always wanted. The most common question I am asked is what exercises are the best to get the results I want. Without delay, here are more to get you on your way.

Preacher Bench Curls:

This is great for the biceps and has the extra benefit of working the forearms! You'll need a preacher bench for this, but if you don't, remember this next time you are at the gym.

Sitting on the preacher bench, rest your arms on the pad with your palms facing up. Let someone hand you a barbell. Now lower your arms until they are straight out. You should feel a great stretch (and burn!) in the bicep.

Making sure to move only your forearms, use your biceps to curl the barbell up to shoulder height. Slowly lower back to starting position. Hold the barbell here for a moment to make the most of the bicep stretch and then repeat.

Concentration Curls for Dumbbells:

This can be tough for a beginner. It isolates the bicep giving you the maximum workout (and burn!). You will use a lighter weight for this because of the isolation, but you will get the same results. Sit on the end of the bench with legs spread. Reach down between your legs and pick up the barbell. Bracing your elbow on one knee, place the opposite hand on your leg for balance. Using your bicep only, and moving just your forearm, slowly curl the dumbbell to shoulder height. Keep it there for a moment, then slowly lower to starting position, then repeat. Do this for both arms, alternating left and right.

Well, I hope that these exercises have been helpful to all of my readers, novices and old pros alike who are interested in building better biceps (a good slogan for a gym, if you ask me). Until next time, I?ll see you in the gym!

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Muscle Growth, The 60 Seconds That Make The Difference

By Ricardo Daryans

In the same way a small fraction of a second is crucial in a sprinter's race during a 100 metre dash, fractions of seconds can mean success or failure in a bodyduilding process. That seconds will make or break your body's muscle growth response in the gym.

There's more...although each entire workout will last for about an hour, only about 60 seconds will determine what kind of gains you achieve. That's right, how you choose to handle that 60 second time period could means great, mediocre or poor muscle building effects.

Let me try to explain. Every set of execises that you perform in the gym will give you benefits on the last 1-2 reps. Why? Because muscles respond to stress, so, the first reps you perform are nothing but a mechanism to trigger the stress your muscles need to grow.

Then, reps 1-4 are only performed in order to get to reps 5 and 6, the ones that really matter in the bodybuilding process. The first ones, do very little in terms of stimulating muscular growth.

What's important then, is to overload the muscles on reps 5 and 6. And the most important thing to achieve better results is try to keep that stress level as long as you can at the end of each set.

The best way to trigger your body's adaptive responses is training until your muscles cannot move the weight another inch. Drop the weight some seconds before the guy next to you and you will see the difference between his and your muscles after some weeks.

So, if you perform 10 sets per workout, and the last six seconds are the ones that mean success or failure, there you have that 60 seconds i've been talking about. That crucial 60 second will give you, or not, the muscular growth youre looking for.

Then, your succes in the bodybuilding process is measured by the short moments at the end of every single set you perform in the gym.

It really is true; your bodybuilding success is literally measured by the short, precise moments at the very end of each set and the amount of effort you are willing to exert during this time.

You have to train really hard and with full effort every single day. When your muscles aches and you can feel they're burning, if you feel the weight really heavy, that's the right moment to give your maximun effort until true muscular failure is reached.

You must train hard and with full effort at all times. When the weight feels heavy and your muscles ache and burn with discomfort, you must push through and continue until true muscular failure is reached.

If you stop short, even a second short, your gains will be compromised. Keep this in mind at all times in the gym and you'll experience better results than ever before.

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Best Bicep Exercises #1 For Beginners (and everyone else)

By Caleb Lee

I get asked a lot about this. A lot of bodybuilders are always on the lookout for a better way to build bigger biceps, or just some different exercises to break up the tedium of doing the same routines for the old guns. Whether you're entirely new to weight training or an old pro like myself, these bicep exercises will help you to get on your way to those big upper arms you've been wanting.

Curls - Standing Barbell:This has been used by long time weightlifters for quite awhile. I am including it here for the beginners as well as more experienced lifters as a refresher.

Stand with feet placed shoulder width apart with the barbell underhanded. Keep the elbows close to your torso and let the barbell hang in front of you at arm's length. Remember it is very important to keep your elbows tucked in throughout this exercise.

Pull up the barbell using your biceps alone - only your forearms should move when doing this exercise. Curl the barbell up to shoulder level and hold it there for a moment; this will make the most of this exercise. Slowly lower and repeat.

Now I get asked this quite often too: how many reps should I do of a given exercise and with how much weight? The answer is that you should decide on a number and use sufficient weigh that you can only do that many reps before you have to rest.

Curls - Standing Dumbbell: Similar to the barbell curl, only done with dumbbell. This will work the forearms; a nice bonus to this exercise.

With your feet shoulder width apart, grab the dumbbells. Again, with dumbbells at arm's length and elbows close to torso, curl the dumbbells to shoulder height. Now rotate your hands so palms are facing up-this maximizes the exercise. Slowly return to beginning position and repeat. For variety, you can do this one arm at a time.

For more bicep and other exercises, keep coming back. I have plenty of other articles on building muscle and keeping fit!

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Training Techniques - Training The Largest Muscles (Part 2)

By Mick Hart

The all important water can also be used to help flush nutrients (e.g. amino acids, vitamins etc.) through your body, which enables these nutrients to bathe all your tissues optimally and ensure their optimum health, which is vital for good gains: this could not be achieved in a low water intake environment. It's also important to note that the amino acid L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue, and so it's well worthwhile to supplement your diet with extra L-glutamine.

The importance of a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement cannot be overlooked either, as the growth processes cannot proceed unless all factors necessary for growth are present, and these include vitamins and minerals, in addition to the necessary amino acids supplied from dietary protein, and other dietary constituents.

I am always being asked the same question about when to start with steroids and I always give the same answer. The decision to start with steroids must be a responsible action and must be backed up with at least 8 years natural training. Don't rush into things and you will see when natural growth stops so just be patient.

If the truth is known only a well trained body will get the optimum results from anabolic steroid use, so why start before you are completely ready. When that time comes you will need to be informed correctly by an international bodybuilding coach called Mick Hart who provides loads of free information on steroid cycles and natural training tips on his blog. Don't mess up and get the best advice.

Mick Hart coaches the elite in bodybuilding but gives advice to everyone cause he believes that it is his duty to give support to any bodybuilder that wished to try steroids as a means of increasing muscle growth. All you have to do is click on one of the links below and you will become part of a very select group of successful bodybuilders.

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How to get started the right way with strength training

By Caleb Lee

I know, I know. You're champing at the bit to hit the gym after that New Year's resolution to get ripped this year. You're eager - but hold on there. You need to start slow and work your way up, trust me. I was once like you; amped to get into the gym and start pumping iron. And if I haven't caught you before that first visit, maybe you're like me where I ended up being too sore to work out for a week afterwards? Where did I go wrong? I wondered.

The truth is, I had gone too fast and just jumped in when I should have taken things slow and built my strength gradually - although everything worked out fine in the long run, a lot of would be weight lifters get discouraged quickly because they failed to start small in their bodybuilding plans.

It's not only this that concerns me (although I do hate to see people drop out and fail to reach their potential). Injuries can easily result as a product of newly minted body builders getting too enthusiastic about those first few workout sessions.

I'd like to give those of you who are new to bodybuilding, weight lifting, strength training (and fitness in general) a few guidelines on getting started the right way. If you follow this advice it can make all the difference between success and failure in your strength training; so please, read on!

Let's start with anatomical adaptation (a big word, but it's easy to understand): you just want to help your body be prepared for the rigors of strength training. So before you even hit the weight room, consider starting with a routine of full body workouts to build overall strength and endurance.

Remember this: "Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were the weightlifting pros." So after a few weeks of the general strength training of your whole body, when you feel ready (or simply cannot wait), try just one exercise per area of the body you want to focus strength training on and keep your number of reps low; even if you don't feel "pumped" right away don't worry. You are laying the ground work for serious bodybuilding later. Be patient and just get a feel for all the exercises (this is especially true if you've never been in the gym or it's been a LONG time!).

After a few weeks, you can gradually increase the amount of weight you are lifting and add a few more reps - stick with this new weight and number of reps for a few weeks before increasing. One more thing; the pros know this, but it's extra important fro the beginner: make sure to take a day off in between workout days (two days if it has been an exceptionally strenuous workout).

Remember, slow and steady is the smart way to start strength training. You'll begin building muscle before you know it, but you have to start small. And the benefit is that you'll be focusing on having good form, staying injury free, and doing things the RIGHT way... which means you can enjoy strength training for a lifetime. Have a great workout!

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Bicep Exercises for Beginners and Everyone Else

By Caleb Lee

This is my 3rd and final installment on building bigger and better biceps. Everywhere I go I am asked how to get bigger biceps. I have written a few articles to give beginners and pros some of the tried and true bicep excercises. Let's get started now on your bicep workout.

The Preacher Curls:

This exercise is not only great for your biceps but works those forearms at the same time. You will need a preacher bench for this one. If you don?t have it, remember this the next time you are at the gym.

Sit on a preacher bench, with your upper arms resting on the pad, palms facing upwards. Have someone hand you a barbell. Lower the barbell until your arms are nearly straight ? you should be feeling a good stretch in your bicep now.

Make sure to move only your forearms. Using the the bicep, curl the barbell up to shoulder height. Slowly lower to beginning position then repeat.

Dumbbell Concentration Curls:

This can be tough for a beginner. It isolates the bicep giving you the maximum workout (and burn!). You will use a lighter weight for this because of the isolation, but you will get the same results. Sit on the end of the bench with legs spread. Reach down between your legs and pick up the barbell. Bracing your elbow on one knee, place the opposite hand on your leg for balance. Using your bicep only, and moving just your forearm, slowly curl the dumbbell to shoulder height. Keep it there for a moment, then slowly lower to starting position, then repeat. Do this for both arms, alternating left and right.

Well, I hope that these exercises have been helpful to all of my readers, novices and old pros alike who are interested in building better biceps (a good slogan for a gym, if you ask me). Until next time, I?ll see you in the gym!

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Raises for the shoulders part two

By Caleb Lee

Here we go again on shoulders. For beginners, or serious bodybuilders, everyone wants to fill out their clothes better, without those shoulder pads that are out of fashion anyways. In my last article I dealt with presses and now (as you can see from the title) I'll be talking about raises.

Raises work the deltoids and are a great compliment to presses when you want to build up your shoulders. Raises incorporate the element of isolation, meaning you may want to use a little less weight than you are used to using ? don?t worry, you?ll still get good results. Each of these exercises works a different part of the deltoids; front, side and back.

Front Dumbbell Raises:

In standing position, hold a dumbbell at each side with your palms turned towards your body. Raise one dumbbell up, using a sweeping motion, until it is over your head. Lower to starting position while you sweep the other dumbbell up. Repeat.

Very simple but very effective exercise for the front deltoids.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises:

Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand bent forward slightly and hold out the dumbbells at arms length. Lift both dumbbells outward, to either side and then turn your wrists gently (sort of a pouring motion). Lift the dumbbells slowly to just a little above shoulder level, then lower them slowly and repeat, Remember to use your muscles to move the weights in this exercise, not the momentum of the weights.

Bent-Over Raises (Lateral):

While standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend forward 45 degrees. The dumbbells should be hanging at arm's length and your palms facing each other. Staying in this position, lift the dumbbells out to your sides. Slowly return to your beginning position and repeat.

Whew! These exercises will be a little challenging if you haven?t done any shoulder workouts before, but they will get results for you, guaranteed. Well, you?ve got some work ahead of you and as for myself; I?m off to the gym! Until next time!

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Bicep Exercises #1 - Beginner or Pro ? Part 2

By Caleb Lee

I addressed the question about how to get bigger biceps in my last article. Here are a few to make those arms bulge!

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curls:

This next exercise is a body builder's dream come true; it works out your biceps and forearms at the same time.

With feet a shoulder's width apart, grab your dumbbells, letting them hang at arm's length. Keep your elbow's tucked in close to your sides and your palms facing each other throughout this exercise. Curl the dumbbells up to shoulder level using biceps and forearms only. Hold for a moment to gain the maximum effect of muscle tension, then slowly return dumbbells and repeat.

You will need an incline bench for this next exercise. Keep this one in mind for your next trip to the gym if you don't have the bench at home. This one uses less weight as this exercise isolates the muscles so you don't have to lift as much!

Inclining Dumbbell Curls:

Get your dumbbells and sit back on an incline bench. Your feet should be shoulder's width apart. Go ahead and let the dumbbells hang at arm's length, behind your body, on each side of the bench. Curl the dumbbells to shoulder level, using your biceps only, and hold them for a moment. Slowly return to starting position. Only your forearms should have moved during this exercise.

That's it! Keep checking back for more exercise, general fitness and health articles. There are more bicep exercises to come, too. See you next time you're in the gym!

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

3 Ways To Get Rid of Belly Fat

By John Wiley

There is a misconception that sit-ups and crunches help get rid of belly fat, but that is not true. Actually, sit-ups and crunches have very little to do with getting rid of belly fat, there are other things you have to do first.

Nutrition is the key to getting rid of belly fat. Weight lifting, sit-ups and crunches only become very important once the belly fat is no longer an issue and you're working towards having a six pack.

Websites such as "six ways to get rid of belly fat" has more resources on the nutritional needs to melt away belly fat.

Here are the three best diet tips on getting rid of belly fat and having six pack abs:

1. Avoid sugar

Sugar will become bad carbohydrates and the first place this extra carb is stored is in your lower stomach. Staying away from sugar is going to get rid of a large number of the bad calories that are the first to turn into belly fat.

You'll find excessive sugar in foods such as soda, cakes, candy and most of the junk food products that you eat commonly.

You should also avoid high carbohydrate foods such as breads, pasta and rice. This does not mean to completely avoid carbs, but you definitely need to limit the intake.

2. No more fried foods

Greesy foods are high on bad fat that is also stored in the prime areas to turn into "belly fat".

Rather than frying your food, start baking or grilling all of it and never bread your food. Getting away from fried foods and grilling your food alone is going to make a big difference in helping reduce your belly fat.

3. Removing junk food

Junk food such as chips, cookies and fruit snacks are the most popular foods in the US, a multi-billion dollar industry. This is exactly why Americans are the fatest population in the world. Junk food is bad for your health and also adds straight to your belly.

All you need to is implement the diet tips I just gave and you're already well on your way to getting rid of your belly fat. Add in about 30 minutes of exercise and some weight lifting and you'll start toning, this will the final step to getting rock hard six pack abs!

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Monday, July 21, 2008

10 Easy Ways To Elevate Your Natural Testosterone Output

By Ricardo d Argence

The amount of muscle you can achieve is regulated by testosterone, also known as the Holy Grail of muscle growth. Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle you can ultimately build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with: Increased muscle size and strength, decreased body fat levels, increased sex drive and sexual endurance, improved mood and decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

It sounds pretty good because it is great, and in this article I'm going to outline 10 simple steps to naturally increase your testosterone levels and achieve all of these incredible benefits. While these steps will not result in "steroid-like" muscle gains, they will definitely contribute to your overall bottomline results.

1) Your workout exercises should have compound exercises as a foundation. I'm talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. At the gym, you can maximize your workout with these exercises because they provide the greatest muscle resistance and make your body produce more testosterone.

2) Your intensity and effort should always be at 100% when you are training. If you want to see real muscle mass increases, you have to push yourself to your limit when you work out at the gym. Increasing muscular stress by working out will produce more testosterone.

3) Exercise your leg muscles just as hard as your exercise your upper body. You may already know that growth in the chest, back, and arms will be stimulated by intense training of the legs. The increased testosterone produced through leg training exercises is one of the reasons for this.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

5) Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body's levels of estrogen, the main female hormone, and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

6) Do not drink so much alcohol. It has been revealed that alcohol has a remarkable affect on testosterone production, therefore try to limit the nights you might "binge drink" and consume alcohol in moderation.

7) Take in more cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of "cortisol", a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production, the "feel-good" chemical, and this also raises testosterone.

10) Be sure that you are getting a decent amount of sleep each evening. Your level of testosterone will decrease when cortisol production increases, which can happen when you don't get enough sleep.

To boost your muscle size and gain strength, implement these techniques regularly for a noticeable difference.

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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Training Techniques: Training Massive Muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

To get optimum conditions resulting in a highly anabolic environment within the body, it is important to train the muscles on the biggest of the body's muscles paying attention to aspects of training and stimulation. Some good examples here would be squats, deadlift, and leg-pressing as these would force the thigh, hip and lower back muscles, due to the fact that they are the largest muscle mass in the body. The resulting in not only these masses growing through intensive training stress but also other muscle areas within the body.

These large muscle areas play an integral part regards physiology and mechanisms throughout the whole body. They need support from smaller muscles in order to perform correctly which in turn creates the need for growth and recuperation to be generated in these muscles areas too. Examples of support muscles are the stomach which is needed for digesting the nutrients required by the muscles. This action will increase as the muscles grow so your stomach ends up adapting itself to these new needed requirements as it become more efficient. It is amazing what power training has over our body and just how well it can adapt to new needs.

The stress thus placed on your body is obviously greatest from expending enough time and intensity training the largest muscles of your body. This creates a highly anabolic environment in the entire body, due to the need created in the body for extensive growth and repair of muscle tissue, which will translate into greater gains from the training of your smaller muscle groups, since the body works as a whole, and not in separate, isolated parts.

The Importance of Protein and Water... It is very important that your body takes in enough proteins and carbs so that it can adapt to training stress. The most popular nutrient diet is through high protein and lower carb level intake, but everyone needs to find out for themselves how their body is better suited.

Water though is probably the most important component that is required by our body and is most needed when training hard and accompanied by a high protein diet. Water as a component is about 70% of muscle mass as to 30% protein. It plays a crucial role in the elimination of waste products and reduces the stress placed on our kidneys. (Coming soon Part 2)

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Training Techniques: Training The Largest muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

The best way to create the conditions of a highly anabolic environment within the body is to focus on the largest bodily muscles, so pay close attention to training and stimulation. These would include those training exercises like squats, deadlift, and leg-pressing that would in general work on the muscles of the thigh, hip and lower back. This is due to the fact that these areas make up a high percentage of our total muscle mass, so this means that any training stress of any great intensity causing these muscles to grow will do the same on the rest of the body.

These large muscle areas play an integral part regards physiology and mechanisms throughout the whole body. They need support from smaller muscles in order to perform correctly which in turn creates the need for growth and recuperation to be generated in these muscles areas too. Examples of support muscles are the stomach which is needed for digesting the nutrients required by the muscles. This action will increase as the muscles grow so your stomach ends up adapting itself to these new needed requirements as it become more efficient. It is amazing what power training has over our body and just how well it can adapt to new needs.

The stress thus placed on your body is obviously greatest from expending enough time and intensity training the largest muscles of your body. This creates a highly anabolic environment in the entire body, due to the need created in the body for extensive growth and repair of muscle tissue, which will translate into greater gains from the training of your smaller muscle groups, since the body works as a whole, and not in separate, isolated parts.

The Importance of Protein and Water... In order for your body to adapt to training stress, it is vital that you are ingesting enough protein and carbohydrate. Most people find that a high protein diet, with lower relative carbohydrate levels, is better for them: this is something that you have to experiment with for yourself.

Water though is probably the most important component that is required by our body and is most needed when training hard and accompanied by a high protein diet. Water as a component is about 70% of muscle mass as to 30% protein. It plays a crucial role in the elimination of waste products and reduces the stress placed on our kidneys. (Coming soon Part 2)

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Saturday, July 19, 2008

Training Techniques: Training Massive Muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

In order to create a highly anabolic environment within the body, it is important that the largest muscles of the body (primarily those that are involved in the squat, deadlift, and even leg-pressing to a large extent, i.e. the muscles of the thigh, hip and lower back) are trained and stimulated to grow. Why? Since these muscles comprise such a large amount of the total muscle mass on the human body, any training stress of sufficient intensity to cause these muscles to grow will also place great stress on the body overall.

These large muscle areas play an integral part regards physiology and mechanisms throughout the whole body. They need support from smaller muscles in order to perform correctly which in turn creates the need for growth and recuperation to be generated in these muscles areas too. Examples of support muscles are the stomach which is needed for digesting the nutrients required by the muscles. This action will increase as the muscles grow so your stomach ends up adapting itself to these new needed requirements as it become more efficient. It is amazing what power training has over our body and just how well it can adapt to new needs.

When a maximum amount of training is applied on these large muscle areas the effect of stress placed on the body is clearly at a high. A highly anabolic environment is then produced throughout the body leading to the production of growth and repair on all muscle tissues that need attention.

The Importance of Protein and Water... It is very important that your body takes in enough proteins and carbs so that it can adapt to training stress. The most popular nutrient diet is through high protein and lower carb level intake, but everyone needs to find out for themselves how their body is better suited.

Water tops the list though in components that our body needs especially when under heavy training and taking on a high protein diet. The muscle mass can be divided up into 70% water and 30% protein, showing just how necessary water really is. It also helps our body to flush out waste products and more important of all is that it reduces the amount of stress released on the kidneys. (Coming soon Part 2)

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Bodybuilders Discovering IGF

By The Steroid Encyclopaedia Team

IGF is responsible for cell growth and differentiation in many different cell types. IGF stimulates the Type I IGF receptor and thus induces a higher level of activation of intracellular signaling molecules which are responsible for promoting cell survival by inhibition of apoptosis.

If you are already scratching your head don't worry as this is just some technical jargon for the increasing the presence of cells that will proceed to split and finally form new cells. At the same time though other cells will be saved from reaching cell apoptosis which is commonly known as cell death.

Skeletal muscle tissue increases from IGF are due to increases in satellite cell activity, differentiation, and increased protein synthesis. IGF is also believed to suppress the myostatin gene, which regulates ultimate cell growth, as well as by suppressing cortisol levels.

IGF is in fact responsible for the growth of new cells otherwise known as hyperplasia. Although this product is a lot more anabolic than standard growth hormone it is still thought more effective to use a peptide type androgen to stimulate optimum growth in the newly formed cells. The majority of people that use IGF claim that they notice an immediate effect on their appetite.

This is because the peptide uses carbohydrates faster which must be replaced since they are protein sparing. Intense pumps are noticed within the first week of administration, lipolysis is usually noticed near the end of the cycle, but usually by way of increases of lean mass which cause a higher thermogenic effect.

The majority of bodybuilders will see average lean muscle gains of between 4 and 7 pounds in completing their first IGF cycle. This is a great way to see quick muscle gains although you should see the correct guidance before you start. A great site called steroid-encyclopaedia has a link at the bottom of the article and would be a great starting point for anyone considering IGF cycles.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Training Techniques: Training Massive Muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

In order to create a highly anabolic environment within the body, it is important that the largest muscles of the body (primarily those that are involved in the squat, deadlift, and even leg-pressing to a large extent, i.e. the muscles of the thigh, hip and lower back) are trained and stimulated to grow. Why? Since these muscles comprise such a large amount of the total muscle mass on the human body, any training stress of sufficient intensity to cause these muscles to grow will also place great stress on the body overall.

These large muscle areas play an integral part regards physiology and mechanisms throughout the whole body. They need support from smaller muscles in order to perform correctly which in turn creates the need for growth and recuperation to be generated in these muscles areas too. Examples of support muscles are the stomach which is needed for digesting the nutrients required by the muscles. This action will increase as the muscles grow so your stomach ends up adapting itself to these new needed requirements as it become more efficient. It is amazing what power training has over our body and just how well it can adapt to new needs.

The stress thus placed on your body is obviously greatest from expending enough time and intensity training the largest muscles of your body. This creates a highly anabolic environment in the entire body, due to the need created in the body for extensive growth and repair of muscle tissue, which will translate into greater gains from the training of your smaller muscle groups, since the body works as a whole, and not in separate, isolated parts.

The Importance of Protein and Water... It is very important that your body takes in enough proteins and carbs so that it can adapt to training stress. The most popular nutrient diet is through high protein and lower carb level intake, but everyone needs to find out for themselves how their body is better suited.

Water tops the list though in components that our body needs especially when under heavy training and taking on a high protein diet. The muscle mass can be divided up into 70% water and 30% protein, showing just how necessary water really is. It also helps our body to flush out waste products and more important of all is that it reduces the amount of stress released on the kidneys. (Coming soon Part 2)

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Build Muscle Fast With A Good Diet

By Frankie Mills

Have you ever looked at a guy with big muscles and thought, "He must eat a great diet to look like that!"? Chances are you just assumed he spent a lot of time in the gym, right? Interestingly, individuals in the best shape not only practice consistent bodybuilding workouts but they also adhere to a strict muscle building diet to get those lean muscles.

Specifically, body builders require more fats and proteins than others. These greater requirements are due to the intense physical demand placed on them through hard workouts. Protein and fat sources are especially helpful during the thirty minutes after a workout to encourage repair and build new muscle.

Fat is sometimes tricky because some of it is helpful and necessary while others are unhealthy. Avoid saturated fats including anything fried. Olive oil and other healthy fats are ideal as well as the fat found naturally in fish and poultry. Be careful not to avoid fats completely since the good ones enhance your workouts and they provide health benefits to you.

Many strength trainers get both fats and proteins from meats such as beef, chicken, pork or fish. Chicken and fish are particularly popular since they are lower in fat than the other choices. Red meat can be healthy as well and is often referred to as the complete protein since it contains every amino acid the body needs. Egg whites are also a popular lower fat protein source for many. Good fats are sometimes obtained from healthy oils and nut butters too.

In addition to removing fried foods and saturated fats, body builders should avoid refined sugars, white bread and potatoes. These white foods are classified as simple carbohydrates and they cause a sudden burst of energy that quickly drops. The body is tricked into believing it has more energy than it actually does and then will crash and burn during a tough workout. Likewise, many so-called energy shakes and specialty bars are bursting with sugars and may not help much.

On the contrary, unprocessed grains and sweet potatoes are good additions to the diet and provide benefits when eaten several hours before a tough workout. These complex carbs are burned slower than simple carbs and offer a consistent amount of energy supply to remain strong during workouts.

One secret of several body builders is including baby food in their diet. Baby food is very easy on the stomach and digestive tract and is filled to the brim with vitamins. Any foods or substances that might irritate your stomach should be avoided at least 12 hours before a workout. In addition, a lot of body builders like to remove all dairy products during the 12 hours before a workout to minimize the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles.

Take action now to develop your own muscle building diet to get even better results from your efforts. It only makes sense to implement every strategy you can to increase your bodybuilding efforts for greater results.

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Sunday, July 13, 2008

Muscle Growth While You Sleep

By Lena Hellsten

Working out at the gym is of course the basis to build from if your intention is to gain a muscular body. However there are other aspects that are essential if you are to grow with ease, and if you feel like you're doing most of it right, there might be an often overlooked aspect that your missing out on.

Sleep.

By giving your body a full nights sleep you give it the base it needs to be able to build stronger muscles. Examine your sleeping patterns; do you have a deep sleep or one that is light with interruptions? Is it easy for you to fall asleep or do you toss and turn for hours? Do you feel rested when you wake up or do you take hours to get going?

Most of the bodily growth is happening while we are sleeping and this includes muscle growth. Look at the kids; you might sometimes think they grew an inch while sleeping and this is not so far from the truth. They sleep a lot more than adults and it is during these valuable hours that their bodies grow the most.

40 minutes into your sleep the body starts to raise the number of growth hormones in the body, including testosterone which is the main hormone for muscle growth. The energy that's been provided to the body is then being used to renew the cells and to increase the number to give it the ability to handle the new activity level it's been facing during the day.

Without a proper deep sleep this process will fall behind since the body will be set on work-mode all the time, not being able to switch to the relax-mode where this all happens naturally.

If you find it hard to fall asleep, don't worry about it. Those worrysome thoughts doesn't do you any good anyway and there are so many ways that can help you to get a good nights sleep. Let the evenings be the time of relaxing and calmness that they are so well suited to be. Have some tea such as peppermint or chamomile, or a cup of warm milk. This can helps you to unwind and let go of the day.

More ways to relax can be to listen to some calm music, reading a good book or spending some time with a pet. There are also a lot of relaxing exercises, such as hypnosis, on the market that can be helpful to bring you into sleep. Find what works for you.

When you have a meal an hour or so before going to bed with a high amount of protein, you give your body the nutrition it needs to build muscles while resting. Make sure you don't eat just before going to bed since this might decrease the quality of your sleep. Let your body digest the food properly and then you can rest and let it do its work.

Sleeping medicine can surely make you fall asleep easier, but it lessens the quality of the sleep and shouldn't be taken over a long period of time since they might cause your body to get dependent on them.

Just find the ways that work for you to relax deeply and your body will naturally be able to go into the sleeping state. Give your body the opportunity to do the work that it knows so well how to do. All you need is a good rest and the results come naturally.

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Training Techniques: Training Massive Muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

In order to create a highly anabolic environment within the body, it is important that the largest muscles of the body (primarily those that are involved in the squat, deadlift, and even leg-pressing to a large extent, i.e. the muscles of the thigh, hip and lower back) are trained and stimulated to grow. Why? Since these muscles comprise such a large amount of the total muscle mass on the human body, any training stress of sufficient intensity to cause these muscles to grow will also place great stress on the body overall.

The whole physiology and mechanisms throughout our entire body evolves round these larger muscle areas, which in turn depends on the smaller muscles for support leading to these other muscles needing growth and recuperation. One of the most important support muscles is the stomach which has to increase the digestion rate as it is having to deal with the extra nutrients required by our muscles. As this action continues and increases, the stomach is able to adapt as it too becomes stronger and more efficient. The power of training is a mystery at times but when you can really understand how your body works, then you can really appreciate just how amazing it is.

The stress thus placed on your body is obviously greatest from expending enough time and intensity training the largest muscles of your body. This creates a highly anabolic environment in the entire body, due to the need created in the body for extensive growth and repair of muscle tissue, which will translate into greater gains from the training of your smaller muscle groups, since the body works as a whole, and not in separate, isolated parts.

The Importance of Protein and Water... It is very important that your body takes in enough proteins and carbs so that it can adapt to training stress. The most popular nutrient diet is through high protein and lower carb level intake, but everyone needs to find out for themselves how their body is better suited.

Water tops the list though in components that our body needs especially when under heavy training and taking on a high protein diet. The muscle mass can be divided up into 70% water and 30% protein, showing just how necessary water really is. It also helps our body to flush out waste products and more important of all is that it reduces the amount of stress released on the kidneys. (Coming soon Part 2)

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Sunday, July 6, 2008

Training Techniques: Training Up Big Muscles (Part 1)

By Mick Hart

In order to create a highly anabolic environment within the body, it is important that the largest muscles of the body (primarily those that are involved in the squat, deadlift, and even leg-pressing to a large extent, i.e. the muscles of the thigh, hip and lower back) are trained and stimulated to grow. Why? Since these muscles comprise such a large amount of the total muscle mass on the human body, any training stress of sufficient intensity to cause these muscles to grow will also place great stress on the body overall.

These large muscle areas play an integral part regards physiology and mechanisms throughout the whole body. They need support from smaller muscles in order to perform correctly which in turn creates the need for growth and recuperation to be generated in these muscles areas too. Examples of support muscles are the stomach which is needed for digesting the nutrients required by the muscles. This action will increase as the muscles grow so your stomach ends up adapting itself to these new needed requirements as it become more efficient. It is amazing what power training has over our body and just how well it can adapt to new needs.

When a maximum amount of training is applied on these large muscle areas the effect of stress placed on the body is clearly at a high. A highly anabolic environment is then produced throughout the body leading to the production of growth and repair on all muscle tissues that need attention.

The Importance of Protein and Water... In order for your body to adapt to training stress, it is vital that you are ingesting enough protein and carbohydrate. Most people find that a high protein diet, with lower relative carbohydrate levels, is better for them: this is something that you have to experiment with for yourself.

Also as I have mentioned before, water is a vital component in the diet, and you can't really get enough of it when in heavy training and consuming plenty of protein. Not only does it serve the most important purpose of being the most abundant constituent of muscle (muscle cells are 70% water, with the rest being mostly protein), but large amounts of water also helps to flush waste products from your system, and helps avoid stress on the kidneys in this way. (Coming Soon Part 2)

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