Sunday 30 October 2011

Rip Yourself a New One




Attaining workout intensity should be top priority for anyone interested in physical training. It will determine your results more than just about any other factor involved in a successful program. This is more of a mental challenge than a physical one. Train your mind to do what you want it to, and you will be able to push your body to its absolute maximum. Also, there are techniques you can use in your training to intensify the stress a workout will apply to your body. You must first learn to discipline your mind. Once you are able to withstand any amount of discomfort physical training can cause and truly push your body to the max through any amount of pain, you will be ready to make gains you never believed possible. I truly believe that intensity matters much more than genetics.
I am certain that 99% of trainers are limited by their weak minds, not their weak genetics. hats a cop out, my "genetics" were total weakling when I started training.110 pounds @ 5' 7.I have gained nearly 100 hard pounds since then. I was stuck at 155 for 3 YEARS!I still refused to quit and raised the intensity and have got much further than I ever believed I could. Do not let your mind believe such weak excuses. You must look at the details of your mental habits during your workouts. Change them for the better and know that you will not gain anything without working harder than you ever have. Point made, now on to the actual training intensity boosters. For one refer to my pre-workout energy stack in the previous article. I would also like to suggest a rather unusual method. Self hypnosis through mental suggestion. Get a book on it if you are interested in the power of your mind once it is absolutely programmed on a directive. Mindset is what sorts out losers from champs. Here are some workout boosters that raise intensity in your training.
#1 Pure Negatives
With these, load a weight on any exercise you choose about 30% heavier than your one rep max. Have a very strong spotter to help you get it up at first. You do only the lowering of this extreme weight and do it very very slowly. This method is particularly effective on benches, pull-ups and curls. Try to exercise more caution when using this on delts but still works great for them. Do remember to not go overboard with pure negs as they stress everything to the max .I always constantly rotate my intensity methods from week to week. Your body can adapt to anything so remember to change things up.
#2 Partials
This booster has without a doubt improved my pushing strength more than anything. This method seems to be more effective on chest, delts, tris, and quads than on the pulling muscles. Full range is always needed on back, bis, calves, and hamstrings. With partials, keep loading weight on the bar till you can barely handle the weight in the first few inches of the exercise being performed. It takes advantage of the strongest part of the rep when your body has maximum leverage on the bar. This method allows you to use loads that are way beyond the norm for your training and this helps your body adapt.
#3 Superslow Reps
Everyone has a muscle group or two they have a hard time feeling contract and work. These are most commonly the lats and delts. Lots of people have big pecs and bis and their lats and delts are nowhere near. These slow-mo reps are the perfect fix for harder to feel groups. Most muscles can benefit from these. The training load will be less but the stress on the targeted tissue will be different and challenging because it is more evenly applied and will last for a longer period of time than it is used to. You will be tempted to speed up the reps as you get tired and that mega burn hurts but here is the perfect time to examine your mental habits during your training. Keep them super slow no matter what. Have a spotter to help get a few extras when you truly can do no more and you got yourself a damn good burn you can feel exactly where it needs to be. Please quit bouncing that bar off your chest 3 times during benches so you can briefly wear out your delts and tris if you really want to fry your pecs. No bouncing, just very slow incineration of the exact tissue you wish to develop. Try to keep these sets at least 20 -30 seconds long and never let that constant tension off no matter how bad it burns. This is exactly where your mental discipline will determine your results.
#4 Drop sets
This is definitely one of my favorites. It is a good obstacle course for your mind as well. Doing drop sets stimulates all the muscle fiber types from fast twitch(strength) to slow twitch(endurance) and everything in-between It can help you develop cuts and size because of this. I have noticed size and hardness from using this method. A triple drop set of 5 reps each is excellent. Grab a weight you can do only five times. After your done, reduce the load (somewhat-20-30 percent) and do as many reps as you can with that. After that one, reduce the load again and do as many as possible. To really work the area hard, have your spotter help so you can do a few negatives on the end of the last set and you'll have the blowtorch effect! Also remember to moderate your volume so you don't overtrain.
#5 21s
Most commonly used for bis, this method is a great shocker for any body part. Use a moderate weight you can do for many reps. Do 7 reps in the lowest part of the rep, 7 reps in the middle, and 7 reps in the top. These are best if used later in the workout after the heavy training is out of the way. They produce an awesome pump and burn. They are great for searing definition into a body part and can even help with mass. I love to use these when supersetting opposing muscle groups.
#6 Pre-exhaustion Supersets
This is an excellent plateau buster and works great on any muscle group. In this superset method, you will be performing an isolation movement first and then a compound movement directly afterward with as little rest as possible. An example would be side lateral raises for delts directly into barbell military presses. The isolation movement tires only the side delts and then they are immediately worked more in the military presses with help from the tris to push them even harder. This is definitely one of the most effective methods for shocking a stubborn body part.
#7 11/4 Reps.
This is one of my favorite methods for back. It is useful on all groups if done correctly. Perform a rep of any exercise you want, just perform it like this. Complete the rep and then at the point of completion, lower a little and then push or pull it right back into the contracted position. This way you get 2 peak contractions for every one rep you do. Some say this is the most important part of the rep and this takes full advantage of the contraction. Since this locks the fibers up very hard, if you do a few negatives on the end of your set it will stretch and tear them causing soreness and additional development.  

Friday 28 October 2011

Why Exercise Without Supplements?

Do you need to take supplements – protein powder, vitamins, minerals – to help you get the most from your workout? The simple answer is YES!
Good nutrition is just as important as exercise for your good health. What’s more, athletic workouts, distance running, and body building all put your body through punishment that you need extra nutrition to repair.


Protein
Hard, vigorous exercise damages your muscles and puts stress on your bones. “No pain, no gain,” the saying goes, but pain is a sign that your body is being tested beyond its normal limits and damage is happening.

In fact, that’s how a workout works: it damages your muscles, and your body repairs the damage, making the muscles stronger. But it needs the right materials to do the job. The single most important nutrient for repairing the damage caused by exercise, the building material for the increased strength and endurance you want from your workout, is protein.

Although you can get protein from foods, such as lean meat and legumes, a quickly-metabolized extra boost from protein powder is something serious body-builders swear by.

Antioxidants
Another way exercise can damage your body is by producing free radicals. Free radicals are a natural, unavoidable by-product of exercise. But they can also cause harm to your immune system, trigger cancer-causing oncogenes, and even accelerate the aging process.

A number of important vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium, counter the production of free radicals. These nutrients are called “antioxidants.” They are an important part of any diet, and can help reduce the risk of cancer and other serious illness.
Antioxidants can also buffer your body against the extra production of free radicals from your workout. Supplements high in antioxidants should be a part of your daily routine.

Minerals
Strenuous exercise increases your body’s demand for minerals, and also increases mineral loss through urine and sweat. It’s important to replace the minerals that your workout costs you. Minerals are essential to many aspects of your health, from metabolism to bone density.

The main minerals that are lost due to hard exercise are copper, magnesium, zinc, and iron. Calcium and chromium, although not lost as readily due to exercise, are essential to repairing any bone damage, such as bone bruises and the stress on the bones of many types of exercise including running and weight-lifting.

General Nutrition
Here’s a good rule of thumb: if your body needs it, your workout program means you need more of it. A good, high-quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement is even more important when you are engaged in a serious, hard exercise program.

The bottom line is that what you put into your body is at least as important to your health and performance as how hard you work out. So why would you exercise without supplements?
Always check with a nutritionist before changing your diet and exercise. If you don't have a nutritionist yet, use a background check service before you make your decision
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Tuesday 25 October 2011

WHAT ARE BCAA (BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACIDS) AND HOW ARE THEY HELPFUL ?


BCAA - We’ve all read this acronym somewhere. Yes, that little box behind the big whey box you always pick up. Did you ever wonder what it stands for, and how it worked for you? If you have, we’re to give a brief overview.
BCAAs stand for Branched Chain Amino Acids. Now, there are 9 essential amino acids in a complete proteinsource. These cannot be produced by the body, and need to consumed by the individual through food.Three of them – namely Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine – are especially important for protein synthesis and constitute the bulk of a BCAA product. These can be put to great use by the body if they are taken correctly.
Now, as a responsible reader, you may have wondered why you need BCAAs when you have quality proteinsources in your diet, such as whey, eggs, chicken et al. Those contain all the aminos we need, right? Yes, they do. But all of them, even whey, need to be digested by the body first. BCAAs skip the entire digestion process and are transferred straight to your musculature. It is the equivalent of a direct injection to the bloodstream.
But do you really need them? Let us consider a common scenario. During and right after workouts, the body quickly runs out of its primary source of fuel – glucose and other carbohydrate derivatives – and reaches into your muscle, breaks it down into amino acids in the bloodstream, and uses them instead. This is also common during fasting or during a crash diet. At this point, the body is literally burning through skeletal muscle for menial work - and of course, we don’t want that.
At such stages of glycolytic depletion, if the body already has some amino acids in its bloodstream, it will use these acids instead, and spare the muscle we have built up with so much difficulty. These muscle-saving acids will come from dietary BCAAs.
The reason why the usual protein supplements won’t help here is because they take time to digest, during which skeletal muscle will be lost. BCAAs also push the body into a muscle-building state due to the ready presence of leucine, the most important amino acid in its entire family for muscle synthesis.
In a study conducted by two doctors for J Sports Med Fitness in 2000, it was observed that BCAA supplementation played a significant role in reducing levels of plasma markers associated with muscle tissue damage after intense resistance exercise.
These are especially useful while trying to lose fat mass, as during such a period, it’s rather easy to slip into a catabolic state and begin to lose muscle as well. A single dose of BCAAs will halt this loss. Most professionals use them in the off season. Apart from that, before and after your workout, and in the morning when you first wake up is a good time to consume them as well.
BCAAs come in pill and powder form. The MIH store stocks on several such formulations here:
http://www.madeinhealth.com/aminos-muscle-recovery
A common dosage scheme goes something like 5-10g in the morning and the same amount before and after your workout. This can be tweaked up or down according to your body weight and strength.
Hence, Branched Chain Amino Acids are a great tool in helping you preserve and build muscle. They are a great addition to anyone’s diet.
Train hard, eat right, and stay strong!

Friday 21 October 2011

To achieve results outside of the gym

Does supplements help you recovering a bodybuilding workout? If you are concerned with bodybuilding and maintaining your body then you have to know that there is much more to do in order to achieve results outside of the gym, after and in between your workouts. Actually, muscles grows only outside of the gym. It's just like destroying your muscles with each workout, to facilitate rebuilding them stronger each time. It is in the recovery from training where you can really achieve results and recently a lot of attention has been focused on post-workout nutrition. This is because the body is most able to absorb nutrients after a good workout.
 
A good post-workout meal can help the body as it trying to recover from the strain of exercise. It increases protein synthesis to create a more anabolic state. By aiding the body's recovery it will lead to better gain while training.

Directly after training there are several things you can do to help the recovery process. Contrasting showers, switching between short bursts of hot and cold water can improve circulation in the trained areas. If you alternate between having the water as hot as you can stand and as cold as you can stand, then repeating it 4-6 times you will increase the size of your vessels during the hot periods and decrease them in the cold sections. This is known as vaso-dilation and vaso-constriction and helps free up circulation.

Ice massages are another way of stimulating muscles immediately after training. If you take a cube of ice and rub it along the muscle belly you have been working on, you will reduce the tightness of the contracted muscle. This will also pump free the waste products within the tissue that have built up in training. Avoid rubbing the ice over your joints.

After training it is important you replenish your body with the nutrients and calories it has lost through exertion. Directly after training try eating fruit, milk and protein supplements to quickly replace what you have lost. After this quick meal, wait an hour then try eating a full meal consisting of carbs and protein.

In between your workout sessions, it is during sleep that our muscles grow the most. With this in mind it is important you get enough sleep to allow for this. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night to give your muscles sufficient time to relax and grow. If you suffer with being unable to sleep there are herbs like camomile you can take to help you. It is advisable not to take these any more than 2-3 times a week.

It is essential to have this time in order to help your body improve and continue to grow long after you have called it a day in the gym.


Thursday 20 October 2011

Full Week Hardcore Workout Plan



Bodybuilder workouts firstly let me start off by telling you this. If you want to workout, get big, stronger, or just more healthy understand this: It is a long road to travel with many bumps and hills, but in the end if you'll be glad you took it. I've decided instead of doing one article on Training then one on Nutrition and so on, I'd write one on all the topics touching on everything.

Goals in Bodybuilder Workouts: 
Step 1: The first and up most important step to become a successful bodybuilder is setting goals. Think about it right now. Do you want to be the strongest man alive? Do you want to be able to protect yourself from others? Do you just want to look good and improve your charisma? Improve your skill in a sport? Anything you chose you should write down. Writing things down will help you remember. Do it every day, this way you won't forget and it only takes you a couple of minutes.

Step 2: Choose a deadline. This way it will be that extra push you need to get through the bodybuilder workouts. It will put a good kind of pressure on you, making you aware of the date and striving harder to reach that goal by the date. Most of the time you'll reach you goal before the deadline because of that positive pressure you put on yourself. Pressure is a good thing!

Step 3: Take action. get a calendar or a notebook and write down what you need to do each day in order to reach your bodybuilder workouts goals. Knowing what to do each day is a proven way to reach your goals. Make sure you finish everything on the same day you wrote it. Falling back will cause bad pressure and eventually make you quit training/working out altogether.

NUTRITION
Nutrition plays a crucial role in gaining results. Eating fast food and junk isn't going to get you those six pack abs now are they? For our diet we are going to use a mass gain diet. here is an outline of what you will be eating/doing.

1. Eat healthy
2. More Protein
3. More Calories

I know you’re thinking more?! Yes more. Calories=mass no matter which way you put it. Eat earth foods like Potatoes and Beans. Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. You should have around 2g for every pound of you per day. Don't go to your local Burger King and eat. Never eat fast foods or fatty food. Eat some salads or vegetables. These are good ways to be healthy and stay strong.

Most people tell you what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I like to let you judge. I don't know what you like eating so you have to do a little research and find out what you like that you can eat and you can’t eat. Remember when putting on muscle you will put on fat. Thats why when this is all said and done you cut.

THE 11 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ATTEMPTING.
Before getting started with anything you’re going to have to learn about what training/working out is.

1. Weight training/working out is something you pick up for a week and quit. Its long and tedious but can be very rewarding.
2. Weight training/working out will not get you faster or help cardio activity. It is for Muscle growth and Strength gain.
3. Weight training should not be done without supervision or at least an understanding of the subject.
4. Always stretch before working out. Pulling a muscle and/or injury is easy avoided by stretching.
5. Don’t train all day every day, that is called over training which we will learn about later.
6. Understand that you won't get big in a day, it takes months for growth but you will see results in weeks.
7. Understand Supplements are not bad, although some are.
8.Learn form period. Don't go swinging the weights. Swinging is only hurting you chances of muscle gain and improvement.

9.Eating right will not only help you at the gym (or home equipment) it will also give you an overall good feeling.
10.Get at least 8-10 hours of sleep this belive it or not is a big part of weight training.
11.Last but not least enjoy your workout, don't go in stressed,tired, or sick. Better to sit out, then have you body in a world of hurt. You want your body in a good condition ready for training.

MY WORKOUT PLAN
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Arms      Legs       Arms           Legs        Arms    Back    Chest/Abs

You can mix and match your bodybuilder workouts how you like and you don't have to take an off day but sometimes you just need it.

Days 1,3,5 Arms bodybuilder workouts

Alternate Hammer Curl - Biceps
Preacher Curl - Biceps
Barbell Curl - Biceps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl - Biceps
Hammer Curls - Biceps
One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl - Biceps
Incline Dumbbell Curl - Biceps

Bench Dips - Triceps
Lying Triceps Press - Triceps
Reverse Triceps Bench Press - Triceps
Seated Triceps Press - Triceps
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension - Triceps

Bench Press - Shoulders
Inclined Bench Press - Shoulders
Declined Bench Press - Shoulders
Standing Military Press - Shoulders
Upright Barbell Row - Shoulders

Days 2,4 Legs bodybuilder workouts

Barbell Deadlift - Legs
Barbell Full Squat- Legs
Barbell Lunge - Legs
Dumbbell Lunges - Legs
Rocking Standing Calf Raise - Legs
Standing Barbell Calf Raise - Legs

Day 6 Back bodybuilder workouts

Upright Barbell Row - Traps
Dumbbell Shrugs - Traps
Pull-ups - lats
Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up - lats
Bent Over Barbell Row - Middle Back
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row - Middle Back
Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift - Lower Back
Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift - Lower Back

Day 7 Chest/Abs bodybuilder workouts

Dumbbell Flyes - Chest
Incline Dumbbell Flyes - Chest
Barbell Bench Press - Chest
Inclined Barbell Bench Press - Chest
Decline Barbell Bench Press - Chest

Lying Hip Thrusts - Lower Abs
Ab Crunches - Upper Abs
Lying Hip Thrusts - Abs
Ab Crunches - Abs
Air Bike - Abs

The Most Common Ab Workout Myths


First - Performing Sit-ups are the best method to acquire a six pack

Through years, the sit-up has been commonly known as an effective abdominal workout. Thus, for somebody just getting into the game of abdominal workout, the sit-up is the reasonable selection. Though, fresh studies show that the sit-up movement is not only uneffective but puts an unhealthy level of tension on your spinal cord. The actual "six-pack" muscle, the rectus abdominis (extends the entire length of the abdomen) muscle gets little stimulus during the sit-up movement. Actually, it is the hip flexor muscles that get the most stimulation. Thus, if you wanted to definitely target the rectus abdominis, the sit-up would be a poor choice of an abdominal exercise. Furthermore, it would be a mistake to focus on any one exercise. A core exercise program should be one that includes all of the major muscles that support the spine, including but not focusing on the abs. Focusing on a specific muscle or a few specific muscles could lead to posture problems and awkward and unhealthy care of the spinal cord.

Second - Ab Workouts aid you lose inches off your belly 

The idea that you can remove excess fat in a specific area - or spot reduce, by exercising the muscles in the proximity of the fat is a theory that has been disproven over and over again. Ab exercises tone and firm the muscles. Losing inches off your waist can not be accomplished by ab workouts only. The best way to lose inches off your waist is by creating a caloric deficit - burning more calories a day than you consume. A fitness routine that is most effective involves cardiovascular exercise, strength conditioning, and a healthy diet that promotes fat loss.

Third - Electrical stimulation is the finest way to get a six-pack 

Abs belt devices use EMS (Electronic Muscle Stimulation) technology which sends electronic impulses to the muscles via electrodes placed on the skin. Although this technology has been shown to be effective for rehabilitative physical therapy, it has never been proven to be effective for weight loss or muscle toning. There is not a single independent clinical study that supports the claims of weight loss, muscle growth or muscle strengthening by the manufacturers'. The American Council for exercise conducted a study using an average in home model EMS, the Body Shapers International BM10112BI. A total of 17 subjects underwent electrical stimulation for 8 weeks. After eight weeks of EMS training, it was concluded that "subjects experienced no significant changes in weight, body-fat percentage, strength or overall appearance".

Fourth - Ab Machines are better than the traditional Ab Workout Methods 

Let’s face it, the popularity of ab machines and ab devices have little to do with the real end result obtained, but as of slick advertising that overstates the benefits. Who can battle trying out the modern and best ab machine on the market shown in the commercial with claims such as: "Get ripped abs in a week!" or "lose 20 lbs. in 2 weeks!" or "best way to get ripped!" A "quick fix" key is becoming a much more attractive option than other "mundane" solutions such as "watching your diet". The primary benefit of ab machines on the market today is to provide support for the back and neck. By taking the strain off the back and neck, you are able to target muscles such as the abdominal rectus and oblique's more effectively. However, the most obvious limitation of ab workout equipment is they are designed for ab exercises performed only in one position. Let's say, the ab roller and equally designed equipment are intended for exercises achieved lying flat on your back such as the conventional sit-up and crunch. However, vital to abdominal development is variety. The supreme effective way to fuel your muscles and promote growth is accomplished by changing up your ab workout routine by doing a variety of exercises that work your abdominal muscles at different angles. This is where ab machines fall short
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Bodybuilding Diet Plan For a V-shaped Body

You would like to go on a bodybuilding diet plan to the gain muscle mass that you have always dreamed of. You would like the V-shape formed in your lower abdominal that you see pro bodybuilders and fitness models with. To acquire the body that you see in the popular fitness magazines you should first spotlight on your diet plan. If you ask any one of those people who you see in any of these magazines they will tell you the first thing that you must focus on is your diet. You are completely wasting their time in the gym if you have not created a proper diet that is going to aid you in reaching your goals.

Each bodybuilding diet plan consists of some common but very necessary components. The first thing that you will find in a diet such as this is that you must eat at least 5 to 6 meals a day. You must be eating one meal every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day, this is going to keep your metabolism high and provide your muscles with a constant supply of nutrients that is going to allow your body to produce the muscle that you desire. The old ways of eating three meals a day and being done is not going work at all, it is literally impossible to get all of your nutritional needs in three meals.

An additional item that you must focus on is your protein, carb and fat intakes. You must have specific macro nutritional ratios that are going to fit the goals that you have set out to achieve. Protein is going to be very important in a diet such as this and you should always keep your protein intake to at least 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.

Furthermore you must calculate the specific number of calories that you must consume daily. This is very important in the muscle building process because you must provide your body with enough fuel to produce the muscle that you want. This is something that is going to vary from person to person, if done wrong you will either add unwanted fat gain or make no muscle gains at all.
One more thing that you must constantly provide your body with is water. You can ask any fitness model or bodybuilder about how important water is in maintaining and building muscle mass. Water plays a much major role in muscle functions, and other bodily functions for that matter.

while approaching a bodybuilding diet plan you must have details about exactly what your body needs. You can't jump into something like this without proper knowledge as you could easily make a costly mistake and render all of your efforts which useless. You need something that is going to provide you with all of the essentials in a journey such as this. The wrong approach could be disastrous, if you want to build muscle that you deserve

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Golden Six, a muscle building workout

There are a thousand different workout routines out there, employed by a million different lifters. It can be difficult to find the one that is best for you, as the most effective routine is usually the one you're not using! Here is a routine known as the Golden Six, a muscle building workout employed by many bodybuilding greats of the 1960s and 1970s to build a solid foundation of muscle.

* Squats: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
* Bench press: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
* Deadlift: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
* Barbell Rowing: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
* Military Press: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
* Barbell Curls: Three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

This workout will effectively stimulate every large group of muscle fibers in the body, several times over. You should complete this workout three times per week, usually on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to avoid the crowds that tend to stick to the Mon-Wed-Fri routines. Once you complete three solid months of this routine, you will be ready to return to your most traditional "train each body part once a week" routine, carving some detail into the new slabs of muscle.

Remember that it is highly important to sleep adequately and consume plenty of protein when using this routine. This is a higher volume routine which will truly tax your recovery ability. If you are sore from the squats or deadlifts when the next workout arrives, you can use lighter weight - just enough to draw enough blood into the region to stimulate some growth and break up lactic acids. Overtraining is your enemy, but the body is remarkably able to adjust and adapt fairly easily to the demands you place upon it. So don't hold back!

You can make adjustments to this muscle building workout to better suit your needs and abilities. If you are unable to recover adequately from these workouts, you should consider dropping the number of sets to two per exercise (making the routine 12 sets total, instead of 18). You can also use less weight, or even fewer repetitions. Make adjustments for the first several weeks until your body adjusts to what is a pretty tough workout!

Users of anabolic steroids in particular may find this kind of muscle building workout to be ideal. Slow or hard gainer bodybuilders might discover it's just too much for their system, at which time they can move it to an "every three day" workout to allow for that extra day of recovery twice each week. You may be tempted to train more than once per day, as are many users of steroids, but this is typically not the best way to go! You can also create your own variations of the Golden Six as you work to find the ideal muscle building workout. Stick with compound movements, sets of 6 to 15 repetitions, and keep your total set count under 25. Good luck in your heavy training!

Exercises for gaining mass & strength

There's lots of gym exercises, but which of them ought to you do? This is the list of most important gym exercises for gaining mass & strength.
1) Deadlift. Deadlift is the most important gym exercise. It exercises all of your body parts, including legs, back &; arms. Deadlifts are essential for immense back & forearms. they work on your abs much , so with doing deadlifts you can a six-pack.

2) Squats. Squats is the only exercise that works out all muscles in your legs. Squats are essential for muscle growth in other areas , because when you do them, your testosterone levels goes up. High testosterone is important, because the higher the testosterone, the more your muscles will grow. Squats also work on your abs, so in case you want to have six-pack, you must do them.

3) Bench Press. Most bodybuilders think about bench press as most important upper body exercise. it is essential in case you want to have immense chest, shoulders & triceps. This exercise will create brilliant strength in your arms.

4) Pullups. Most of people can't perform even single pullup, so this exercise is a actual challenge for lots of people. in case you want to have "v" type back, this exercise is essential. It will build immense lats, as well it works on your middle back & biceps. in case you want to have immense back & strong upper body, this exercise is a must.

5) Dips. This is the best triceps exercise. Dips works on your chest &; triceps, shoulders. important exercise, because in case you have weak shoulders your body won't be able to strong arms. as pull ups &; bench press, this exercise is important for upper body strength.

 

Monday 17 October 2011

Best way to recover from muscle fatigue


I am sure you have all experience in the past this feeling where you feel you Muscles sore and aching after a hard workout or even during it. It is the certain point where you feel that your muscles are abandoning you, and you have to try much harder to lift an amount of weight for which you would normally need less effort. That is when muscle fatigue occurs. It is a term known for several years in sports. Our concern is to determine how it affects us in bodybuilding.

First of all, we have to establish how it is caused. During hard workout where our muscles are being pushed to their limits, they burn energy. Glycogen is the energy that muscle cells are using while we train them. As glycogen breaks anaerobically down it produces inorganic acids, which are being accumulated in the cells. The most important one is Lactic Acid. That is responsible for all those symptoms of fatigue we are experiencing. A recent study suggested that calcium flow inside muscle cells can cause muscle fatigue. We have to wait and see if that theory is in did accurate.

There are two main types of muscle fatigue. Genetically, or from sickness generated muscle fatigue where medical assistant is required. And the one concerning us, which is being caused from excessive exercise.

The best way to recover from muscle fatigue is to give each muscle part you have been training enough resting time. Normally, two days would be enough, but in case we are feeling any of the symptoms mentioned above just rest longer. Don't worry if you experience muscle fatigue often. It is normal in bodybuilding and if we stick with our strength training muscle routines and our ideal protein intake then muscle development is unavoidable.

 

Cheap method to prepare Whey Protein

I would like you to know at the beginning that this method gets very little whey from how much milk you use compared to the manufactured Whey Protein. In Fact it’s a very cheap method to prepare Whey Protein supplement for bodybuilder Rather Than buying an expensive whey protein.

From an experience I've done in chimestry, you can seperate casein form milk with acetic acid (mostly found in vinegar) then filter the solid. So here we go..

Ingredients :
- 1 Litre full cream milk

- 1 or 2 tpsn vinegar/lemon juice
- strainer
- container

Firstly: transfer your milk into a container.

Next add vinegar one by one tpsn and stir. Till the vinegar separate the milk in to curds and whey.

after adding vinegar
The curds you can use to make cheese if you wish. To get the whey out of it, you would strain the entire mix and the liquid strained off is your whey. You can stop right here and keep the liquid for without adding any flavours or making the powder. If you stopped here put it to cool 3 hours in the fridge.

Homemade Whey liquid

Next put the whey in a pot and bring it to a boil, lower the heat a bit to maintain a gentle boil, and stir it occasionally. Here I add vanilla extract so it will have flavor. But that’s just me.

When it became thick and caramel coloured, stir it more rapidly. When it is thick and deep golden in color, remove it from the heat and pour it onto a polished paper covered baking tray. Allow cooling and hardening.

Break it into pieces about 1 - 2 inches wide, and allowed it to dry thoroughly for a few weeks. Then take the hard pieces, and smashed them into smaller pieces, Place the pieces into a blender and blend till a powder is formed. Sift the powder and blend any pieces that are too large to go through the sifter. This powder dissolves in water quite well. If you have a friend who makes cheese you can get their whey. You get very little whey from how much milk you use. I recommend becoming friends with someone who has a cow.


 

Tuesday 11 October 2011

10 Power Foods



When it comes to the infinite number of foods that you can put in your body, there are good foods and there are bad foods. Clearly, you know to avoid the bad foods whenever possible, but when it comes to choosing the very best foods for your physique goals, that's an even harder decision. FLEX is here to make it easier for you to find the best of the best--we call them Power Foods.

1. EGGS

WHEN: Any regular meal
WHY: The perfect protein, eggs are loaded with cholesterol, typically thought of as an evil food ingredient, but in reality, full of positive benefits, such as maintaining testosterone levels and the integrity of muscle cell membranes.
* In one study, subjects who ate three whole eggs per day while following a strength-training program produced twice the gains in muscle mass and strength than those who consumed just one egg or no eggs each day.
* In studies, 640 milligrams per day of additional cholesterol from eggs decreased the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol particles associated with atherosclerosis.
AMOUNTS: 3 extra-large eggs: 255 calories, 21 g protein, 1 g carbs, 18 g fat

2. ORGANIC BEEF

WHEN: Lunch or dinner
WHY: This meat is important due to its protein content, cholesterol and saturated fat, all of which maintain high testosterone levels.
* Organic beef has much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised cattle, because organically raised cattle are primarily grass fed as opposed to grain fed.
* CLA, a healthy fat, has been proven in numerous clinical trials to help shed bodyfat while helping to boost muscle mass and strength at the same time.
AMOUNTS: 8 oz of 90% lean ground organic beef: 392 calories, 48 g protein, 0 g carbs, 22 g fat

3. SALMON

WHEN: Lunch or dinner
WHY: It's rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids).
* Subjects consuming higher levels of omega-3 fats reported greater muscle strength than those taking in lower levels of them, according to a study.
* Omega-3 fatty acids enhance insulin sensitivity, which boosts muscle protein synthesis (muscle growth) and increases glucose and amino acid uptake.
* Omega-3s are readily burned for fuel, sparing muscle glycogen to keep muscles bigger. Additionally, omega-3s have been found to blunt muscle and joint breakdown, as well as enhance their recovery.
* Omega-3s convert into beneficial prostaglandins, hormonelike substances that promote numerous processes in the body.
AMOUNTS: 8 oz of Atlantic salmon: 416 calories, 45 g protein, 0 g carbs, 24 g fat

4. HERRING

WHEN: Between-meal snacks
WHY: Rich in omega-3s, it also has one of the highest contents of creatine--which can help boost muscle strength and growth--of any food source from the land or sea.
AMOUNTS: 3 oz of kippered herring: 185 calories, 21 g protein, 0 g carbs, 11 g fat (about 2 g of those are omega-3s)

5. WHEAT GERM

WHEN: 30 minutes before workouts and any time of day you want slow-digesting carbs (use it as breading on chicken or fish)
WHY: It is rich in zinc, iron, selenium, potassium and B vitamins, and high in protein with a good amount of branched-chain amino acids, arginine and glutamine.
* It's high in fiber, making it a great source of slow-digesting carbohydrates.
* It's great before workouts because it provides a good source of octacosanol, an alcohol that can increase muscle strength and endurance, as well as enhance reaction time in athletes by increasing the efficiency of the central nervous system.
AMOUNTS: 1/2 cup of wheat germ: 207 calories, 13 g protein, 30 g carbs (almost 8 g of those come from fiber), 6 g fat

6. BROWN RICE

WHEN: Lunch or dinner
WHY: Brown rice is a whole grain that provides fiber to help slow down digestion and keep insulin levels steady, supplying you with energy to last throughout the day.
* It's high in gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is an amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter in the body and which boosts growth hormone levels by up to 400%.
* You can prepare brown rice in a way that will boost GABA levels: soak it in hot water for two hours before cooking to induce slight germination or use a Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer (zojirushi.com), which has a special setting that gives brown rice a two-hour hot bath before cooking.
AMOUNTS: 1 cup of cooked brown rice: 218 calories, 5 g protein, 46 g carbs, 2 g fat

7. WATERMELON

WHEN: Immediately after workouts
WHY: Although we typically suggest that you eat fruit as a preworkout carb, since most fruits are slow digesting, watermelon is one of the few fruits that are fast digesting. That means it spikes insulin levels, making it a good postworkout carb.
* The red flesh and especially the white rind of watermelon are high in the amino acid citrulline, which is readily converted to arginine inside the body and boosts arginine inside the body and boosts arginine levels even better than taking arginine itself.
* Higher levels of arginine lead to higher nitric oxide levels and higher GH levels after training, both of which are critical for enhancing muscle strength and growth. Boosting NO levels after workouts means there's more blood flow to the muscles, which will enhance recovery and aid muscle growth.
AMOUNTS: Two wedges of watermelon: 172 calories, about 4 g protein, 44 g carbs, 1 g fat, approximately 3 g citrulline

8. SPINACH

WHEN: As a side salad with lunch and dinner
WHY: Spinach not only promotes health through its rich supply of antioxidants, but it has ingredients that increase muscle strength and size.
* It's a great source of glutamine, the amino acid that is highly important for muscle growth, immune function and gastrointestinal health, as well as for boosting GH levels and even metabolic rate.
* In addition to glutamine, spinach provides octacosanol (see wheat germ) and beta-ecdysterone, a phytochemical that stimulates protein synthesis.
AMOUNTS: 10 oz raw spinach: 65 calories, 8 g protein, 10 g carbs (6 g of those being fiber), 1 g fat

9. EZEKIEL 4:9 BREAD

WHEN: Any time of day when you would eat slow-digesting carbs
WHY: Made from organic sprouted whole grains such as wheat, millet, spelt and barley, and from legumes such as lentils and soybeans, this bread is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine of the amino acids your body needs for muscle growth.
* These whole grains and legumes also digest slowly, promoting superior fat burning throughout the day and more energy during exercise.
AMOUNTS: Two slices of Ezekiel 4:9 bread: 160 calories, 8 g protein, 30 g carbs (with 6 g of fiber), 1 g fat

10. BROCCOLI

WHEN: As a side with any meal
WHY: Broccoli contains a phytochemical that gets converted to another naturally occurring chemical called diindolylmethane, which reduces the strength of estrogens by converting them to weaker varieties in the liver.
* This helps to diminish estrogenic effects (fat gain and water retention) and strengthens testosterone's anabolic effects (muscle strength and growth).
* It also contains the antioxidant sulforaphane--a compound that forms from the inactive compound glucoraphanin when you chew it. Sulforaphane works in synergy with DIM to provide antiinflammatory properties, which enhance joint and musclerecovery, as well as fight cancer.
AMOUNTS: 1 cup of chopped broccoli: 31 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g carbs, 0 g fat

If you want size you have to do deadlifts



BACKGROUND
In tandem with squats, deadlifts rank as the most productive size-blaster in the repertoire of bodybuilding movements. Deadlifts are one of the most overlooked exercises, particularly by novice and intermediate bodybuilders, who may mistakenly view the exercise as more of a powerlifting move than a bodybuilding exercise. Deadlifts are a challenge, but you won't fulfill your back potential without them. Perfect form is critical with this exercise, because so many muscle groups are involved. For this reason, five reps are sufficient for all sets, including lighter sets. Performing higher reps with lighter weights can fatigue stabilizers before larger muscles have been challenged to their full extent, creating a risk of injury.
Develop good habits by first using light weight. Do more warm-up sets if you feel it will help you develop your groove. Never get sloppy with deadlifts.
STARTING POSITION
Stand facing the bar; your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. The bar should be roughly over the center of your feet. Bend over and grasp the bar with either an overhand or alternate grip (one hand with palm forward, one with palm facing back). Keep your chest up, your shoulders back and down, and your lower back arched and "locked." The upper part of your thighs should be about parallel with the floor. Your glutes and hams should be as tight as a compressed spring as you force yourself into the start position. Keep your head up: Look at a spot on the wall facing you that will be eye level when you stand up -- don't look down at any time during the lift. Inhale deeply. Tense your triceps and flex your abs hard. Drop your hips down and push your butt back as far as possible, keeping your shins straight. If you want to use lifting straps, employ them sparingly, such as when your grip becomes limiting in terms of your exercise form or the weight you can lift.
EXECUTION
  • Keeping your weight on your heels, your head up and your back arched and tight at all times, pull the weight off the floor by pushing through your heels using the power of your thighs.
  • Use your hands as hooks on the bar.
  • Do not pull on the bar as that will not only diminish your strength tremendously, but will also activate inappropriate muscles and biomechanics, greatly increasing your risk of injury.
  • Keep your knees in line with your feet (pointed in the same direction) and never twist or turn your head.
  • As you drive through your heels, think about pushing or leg pressing the ground away from you rather than about pulling or lifting the bar.
  • The bar should stay close to your legs at all times. It may help to visualize the bar as moving toward your midsection rather than straight up.
  • As the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes hard. Keep your chest high, your lower back arched and your shoulders down. Don't exaggerate the finish by leaning back.
  • Exhale and take another deep breath, push your glutes back, and keep the weight on your heels. Don't drop the weight, but let the bar down relatively quickly and without a lot of resistance.
  • Pause momentarily. Take a deep breath before starting the next rep.
    INJURY PREVENTION
    Deadlifts are one of the most complex of all exercises and our experts caution that to avoid injury not only must strict form be followed, but also an adequate warm-up should take place. Younger bodybuilders in particular tend to leap into the core of their training without a proper warm-up. If you take the time to do two sets of hyperextensions using your body will be ready for the stimulating work to come.
    Stay focused on your larger goals of overall muscular growth, but concentrate also on each smaller goal, whether that's keeping your spine properly aligned or holding your shoulders in the proper position.
    To say that the final rep of a set is the most important and that the effort on that last rep is what determines the rate and amount of growth is misleading. If it were true, a program of all-out single attempts would be the fastest route to a physique like Dorian Yates' or Ronnie Coleman's. It takes little experience to realize that this is not the case. Every rep counts. Perform each rep of every set of every exercise (regardless of how many you're doing) as if you were attempting a maximum single. Remember, bodybuilding success is achieved one perfect rep at a time.
    SUGGESTED WORKOUT INCORPORATING DEADLIFTS
    Hyperextensions* -- 2 sets of 15 reps
    Deadlifts** -- 2 sets of 5 reps
    Deadlifts** -- 3 sets of 5 reps
    Close-grip cable rows -- 3 sets of 8 - 10 reps
    Close-grip pulldowns -- 3 sets of 8 - 10 reps
    Dumbell shrugs -- 3 sets of 8 - 10 reps
    * Perform as a warm-up.
    ** Perform two warm-up sets with light weight; do only five reps to avoid fatiguing smaller supporting muscles before the heavier working sets to follow.