If you’ve spent any time in the bookstore browsing through magazine articles on bodybuilding, you’ve no doubt come across some pretty strong claims about how the latest supplement fad can provide you with unbelievable results. You may have also seen some recommendations on improving your workout technique and other such advice.
What was probably missing from the discussion is the importance of a solid recovery phase when embarking on a new strength training or bodybuilding program. If you seem to spend all your time in the gym without making any progress, or if your initial muscle gains have reached a plateau, take a moment to think about your recovery plans (or lack thereof).
If you know how muscle grows in the first place, you should understand why a recovery period is so important. It has to do with our body’s basic need to survive. If you want muscle to grow, you have to challenge it beyond its previous limits. By lifting heavier and heavier weights, the muscles will grow in response to these challenges.
In fact, the muscle fibers are actually being broke down at the cellular level. The body rebuilds these muscle fibers in order to prevent the situation from happening again. This is why you continually have to increase your weights if you want your muscles to get bigger and bigger.
If you don’t give muscles rest in between your workouts, they will not be ready the next time you put them under stress. If you continue to work out without giving your muscles rest, you will really hurt your progress.
As a matter of fact, some well known muscle building experts recommend only training a few hours per week. Too many people go way over this because they think that more is always better.
Along with simply having a pause in between your workout sessions, you need to make sure that you’re getting plenty of sleep as well. Sleeping, not just resting or taking it easy, is crucial for muscle growth to occur as effectively as possible.
Sleep helps the body repair itself, which is absolutely relevant to the topic of muscle building. Your muscles need to be rebuilt bigger and stronger, and proper recovery methods are crucial to help this happen.
Filed under Exercise by Jon Cardozo
There are many programs that assist you in losing weight/body fat or building muscle. When you achieve those goals you become fit n sexy but there’s steps that needs to be taken to keep those results. A program guides you through the process but everyday activities needs to be put in consideration and its easy stuff like eating certain foods or drinking plenty of water, easy as 123.
1. Drink a lot of water, the body often sends a signal that represents thirst as hunger tricking your brain thinking your hungry when you’re just thirsty. Best way to approach drinking more water would be drink water first thing in the morning and all throughout the day, especially during and after exercising (required). Drink minimum eight 8 ounce glasses of water or more daily.
2. Decrease intake on teas and coffee, back off of fizzy drinks.
3. Eat a piece of fruit or more a day, eat real whole fruits not fruit juice. Fruit juice is high in calories and difficult for you to digest.
4. Stay away from sports drinks it will just replenish all the calories you burned from your workout. Nothings better than a bottle of water, grab one of those instead and drink plenty of it.
5. Make sure you get your breakfast; studies have shown that people who eat breakfast lose more body fat weight than those who do not. You cannot achieve your goals and exercise efficiently without eating properly.
6. Late night snacks are no good, try not to eat past 9 o’clock. It takes as long as 3 hours just for your body to digest food. When sleeping and your food are not fully digested it sits there, for men it takes a lot longer to digest, for women it slows way down slower than men.
7. Get vegetables in your system daily, vegetables are a big deal to your health and staying fit. Vegetables aid in burning calories.
8. Get enough sleep; a goodnight sleep is an important part to staying fit as well. It’s a big part of burning fat and building muscle, in your sleep you burn fat/calories and recover muscle tissues that were broken down during your exercise.
9. Do what you can to get all food groups in your system daily, turn it into a daily routine.
10. Keep your routine don’t break it! Number one problem people have is they do a great job with there progress or keeping there results but they miss one workout then two then it’s broken. Turn it into a habit.
Filed under Exercise by Mike Walker
Before we look at the four steps you can take in order to get six-pack abs, we need to realize that no matter how much training you do, and no matter hard your six-pack is, if it’s hidden away behind a layer of Belly fat, nobody will be able to see it. Although this may sound a little strange at first, there are in fact 4 ways to get six-pack abs from the kitchen. If you give it a little thought, it really does make sense because as I’ve already pointed out, unless you shed your Belly fat, those abs you just not going to be visible.
No matter what some products claim, the only way you’re going to get six-pack abs, is through diet and hard work. Another fact you need to be aware of, is that in order to reach a point where your abs actually become visible, your body fat percentage needs to be very low. In fact, men need to reduce their body fat to 10% or lower while woman on the other hand, need to get theirs below 14%. For most people, reducing body fat to such an extent requires urgent changes to their diets.
The best way to burn fat is to put yourself into a calorie deficit. That means that we need to be using more calories than we eat. There are about 3500 calories per pound of fat. If you want to lose one pound of fat (3500 calories) per week you need to have a calorie deficit of 500 per day. You need to be eating 500 less calories than you burn. To lose weight you need to be eating less than what your body needs. That way it will start dipping into your food reserves. Working out is going to be the best way for you to use up that energy.
Here are 4 things that you can do in the kitchen to put you in that calories deficit and make it more likely for you to have your Six Pack abs revealed.
1. Eat less carbohydrates. Your body will use carbs before it turns to fat to be used for fuel. The lower the amount of carbs you have, the quicker your body will turn to fat. The problem with this is that when you are building muscle your body need all the carbs it can get to be used for good energy and by cutting them out you are taking away the best energy supply. This is, however, the best way to get your body to burn fat.
2. Eat more protein. The hardest thing about dieting is that your body has to do away with a lot of the fuel it needs for muscle growth and a very common thing that happens when people diet is that not only do they lose fat, they will lose muscle. Make sure that any major cuts you make in carbohydrates be replaced with protein. Still keep in mind that you need to be putting yourself at a calorie deficit so remember to eat less than your body can use in a day. Normally when you are trying to build muscle you should be having about 20-30% of your diet come from protein but doing this protein needs to be about 40% of your diet.
3. Most people nowadays are aware of the fact that there are good fats and bad fats. Good fats actually play a part in increasing your metabolic rate which then in turn increases the rate at which your body burns fat. These good fats are not stored for future energy requirements and are essential in a healthy diet. Bad fats on the other hand can be used for energy so the body tends to store them for later use, in form of body fat. Everyone should be cutting out as much bad fat as possible from their diets, but if you’re on a diet, then it’s essential that you do and also that you increase your intake of good fats.
4. Drink more water. Your body is 70% water and needs plenty of it to function properly. When it feels that it isn’t going to be getting enough it stores whatever water you give it to make sure it has some in reserve. When you drink a lot of water not only does it do a great job of cleaning your body out but it also has little need to store it. Drinking water will also help you feel full, so drink lots of it throughout the day.
Filed under Exercise by Rob Molloy
It is important to build chest muscles if you want to have a body that you can be proud of. Many men have the same problem that women do, of wanting a well-sculpted chest. It’s far more desirable than the less than firm chest that they probably already have. To build chest muscles is hard work but there are several things that you can do to help you get that big muscular upper torso.
As always, the most effective way for you to build muscles in your workout, is to to concentrate on the muscles working, rather than the weight moving up or down. To help you focus more, it will help to know more about the muscles that you are going to be working, what the muscles are and what they do.
Of the two main muscle groups in the chest area, the pectoralis major muscle is the most visible and is situated at the top of the chest. Most people think that the pectoralis major is the muscle they need to focus on in their workout but this is in fact not the case. Also near the top of the chest, situated near to the shoulder and beneath the pectoralis major is the second of the two main muscle groups in the chest called the pectoralis minor. By focusing your workout on targeting the pectoralis minor, you will develop them so that they effectively push the pectoralis major muscle out, which results in them looking larger.
The chest muscles enable you to cross your arms and to an extent your shoulders, too, in front of the body. Like all muscles, they contain fibers. To exercise them effectively, you need to target them from different directions, because the fibers do not grow in the same direction.
In order to focus on the chest area for the purpose of increasing size and definition, there are two types of exercise, or movements, that will help to build these muscles, called presses and flys. Presses are exercises that involve not only the chest muscles but the shoulders and triceps as well. Whenever more than one muscle group is involved in this way, they are called compound exercises. Lifting weights involves several areas simultaneously, which naturally helps you to maximize your time and energy. Presses are exercises that involve moving the weight out and away from the body by the straightening of the arms. The second type of exercise, the flys, involve more than one joint movement but are more effective at isolating the chest and increasing the bulk. For this particular exercise, you begin with arms outstretched to form a “T” and then bring them together in the front of the body.
Flat bench presses are considered to be the most effective way to build the chest muscles and this is the exercise you will be doing the most of. It is important to prevent injuries and so, if you are at the gym with nobody assisting you, you should make use of the different machines. By varying the exercise, you will affect the parts of the chest differently. For example, by holding the bar with your hands close together, you will be targeting the inner chest. Holding it with your hands wider apart will affect the outer chest. The angle of the press will also affect the muscles differently. A press on an incline will target the upper chest and a declining press will target the lower.
To build chest muscles use either cables or dumbells for the flys. Both are effective and you should vary what you use. Use the fly exercises on an incline to work the upper part of the chest, use a decline to work the lower part of the chest and use a flat bench to work the overall chest.
The best way to build chest muscles is to decide on the amount of sets, reps, and weights that best suit you. Ideally, it is advisable to do 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each exercise. Beginning with the first set you will warm the muscles in preparation for the second, heavier set. The final set will help to cool you down. Efficacy depends on doing each of the motions slowly, although it is quite likely that by doing them slowly you will find that you are only able to do them using less weight. But this is no reason to feel discouraged, though, so do not give up. You will be getting the best possible workout and achieving better results. Remember to only increase the amount of weight you lift gradually, and soon you will see changes as you are on the way to developing that desired sculpted upper torso.
Filed under Exercise by Rob Molloy
Muscle building supplement – how to choose the right one? Choosing the best supplement for enhancing your muscle building workouts is a troublesome work, because there are too many types and brands on the market. What we say “right” or “best”, we are talking about the muscle building supplements that bring you the best results.
The very first body building supplement you should take into account is protein. Most muscle building experts agree with that. The necessary muscle building nutrients will be taken to the place they need to be by protein. To have more muscle building exercises, you need protein to enhance your energy level.
Protein supplement can help a lot in your muscle building program, one of them you should not miss is whey protein. With the right dosages and right amounts, the natural whey protein can give you the best results.
Creatine is another bodybuilding supplement you should take into account. Creatine is good for combating tiredness and enhancing your muscle building workout. Creatine is good and can boost your muscle building results. Though your body will produce it but you can still take creatine supplement to enhance its level.
Muscles will get pressured or stressed while doing working out exercises recommended by your bodybuilding program. Your body will generate NO (nitric oxide) against this stress or pressure. If your working out exercises is extremely stressful, then you will need reload nitric oxide with muscle building supplement. Nitric oxide would also have some side effects with sexual health; so if you think this is the best body building supplement for you, by all means, choose it.
Achieving the best outcome of working out, you can also check out another bodybuilding supplement – glutamine. The required nutrients for building muscle need to be taken to muscles for functional. And glutamine can do that for growing bigger and more toned muscles.
Everyone has his own opinion of the number 1 body building supplement. While picking supplement, you have to take your goal into consideration and select one to help you accomplish the goals. Each specific supplement provides for certain results, so picking the right one will make the difference between having an effective workout as opposed to an ineffective workout.
Study various brands and choose a company that provides proven results. The results usually exaggerated by the supplement companies, so you should careful while choosing a muscle building supplement. User reviews are very important before making any supplement purchase. In order to accomplish best results in muscle building, you should incorporate best supplement in your program to help your workout routine and build beautiful body.
Filed under Exercise by Allen Brian
Individuals with the six-pack abs have probably worked hard in getting rid of those love handles. Needless to say, in every workout, a great deal of discipline and determination is needed. Caring for their health and how they look could be their greatest motivating factors. Doing the best exercise is just one of the basics in knowing how to lose love handles. Other considerations must be in place too. As you get this in your mind set, you’ll be keeping your shape permanently.
Learn and understand about muscles. Knowing which muscles you should target and how is essential. This will tell you what type of exercise you need to work on which muscle.
- The Abdominal Routines. Love handles are located around the waist line. This is because excess fats that your body cannot use are stored here. There are several types of abs workout that you should learn. If you are aiming to build muscles in belly area, try doing either of these exercises: (1) captain’s chair; (2) the bicycle maneuver; (3) the exercise ball crunch; (4) vertical leg crunch; and even the (5) traditional abs crunch. The traditional abs crunch was very popular but not anymore. Today’s most recommended in how to lose love handles are the first two in the list. Each targets the rectus abdominis and the oblique muscles.
- The Cardio-vascular Routine. Although love handles are in the waist section, other types of resistance exercise also help. The stored fats in your belly are the hardest to get rid of. A cardio-vascular exercise is one of that keeps your energy used up, burns calories, and keep those unwanted fats out. Energy is extracted from fats. Cardio-vascular workout includes walking, running, biking, swimming, and calisthenics such as bench dips, squats, pushups, and lunges. So put these items in your how to lose love handles list.
- Aerobics exercise. This is an exercise that is more about losing weight than building muscles. Just like cardio-vascular exercises, aerobics burn calories and helps in the circulation of your blood. Of course, when calories are used up, fats melt down. Your love handles shrink.
- Watch what you eat. This means that you must never eat too much. Don’t wait until you burp. If you do, that means you ate more than enough. Flabby waist lines are usually caused by the fats generated from too much food. Being conscious of your diet also means to watch over what nutrition you are getting from your meals.
With love handles, you will know that it’s not just about physical activities. In the last item mentioned above, nutrition and habit forming is part of it too. Since fats come from food, it is therefore important to know what kind of food you should enjoy.
Two other reasons may exist for this. First one is that you want to stay healthy with the right food and the right nutrition. Second is that you don’t want all those calorie burning activities go to waste. Now that you got the basic tips in how to lose love handles, work on them religiously and keep those fats away from you forever. Keep doing all the items above and you’ll be in good shape all the time.
Filed under Exercise by Corey Namesse
If you are trying to build muscle, there are exercises that can help you get the most out of your workouts. Some moves are definitely more effective than others in helping you achieve your goal.
What are the keys to building muscle and keeping it on?
1. Supersets work complementary muscles one right after the other.
To get the best results from your workout, make them short and difficult. Building muscle is not about marathon-length exercise sessions but about challenging your muscles.
Supersetting is the best way to exercise for muscle building. When you superset, you do two exercises consecutively and skip the rest periods.
Supersetting involves working two different muscle groups. In between sets, there is a very short rest period. The benefits are that you work more muscle in less time and reduce your risk of injury because the strain any given muscle or tendon is less intense.
An example of a superset is pairing bicep curls with tricep kickbacks. You can also work back and chest muscles together or quads and hamstrings. You will see results more quickly and make your workouts much more efficient and safe.
2. Increase workout intensity with compound exercises.
Building muscle fast requires very intense, very difficult exercises for the body. The good news is that your workouts are shorter ? only about 35-40 minutes.
A great way to both increase your intensity and see results is to use compound exercises, in which more than one muscle is required to do the move. Some examples are:
* Walking lunge with overhead press
* Completing a pushup with side planks
* Pairing squats with overhead presses
* Doing lunges with bicep curls
* Executing pushups with one armed rows
Compound exercises help you improve balance and coordination and functional fitness, as well as reduce your risk of injury. Your workouts will be much more efficient, which means you will see results sooner.
3. Rest to allow muscles time to rebuild.
It is important to build rest into your workout routines. Your muscles develop when you are resting, not when you are working them.
Daily workouts or working the same muscles in consecutive workouts causes your muscle building efforts to stagnate. You are not giving your muscles the chance to grow.
Try this routine for effective muscle building:
* Exercise only three days per week.
* Assign each part of the body one day (shoulders, triceps, and shoulders on day one, back and biceps on day two, and legs on day three).
* Build in rest periods.
* Start over again!
Working out according to a schedule like this can help you build muscle more effectively and keep your body injury-free.
When you add supersets, compound moves, and rest into your workout, you will be able to build muscle fast. These are the most effective means of increasing your workouts’ potency.
Filed under Exercise by Brad Morgan

