Exercises For Better Chest Growth - I

One of the articles I found useful; read it if are looking for chest growth specifically!

For most bodybuilders, the chest responds faster and more favorably than any other body part. That's due mostly to the fact that the pectorals are made up of type II (white) muscle fibers. These muscles are characterized by their fast speed of contraction and their high capacity for anaerobic glycolysis. In other words, they're easy to "pump."

 

1) Dumbell flyes This is most definitely an isolation move, geared more as a warm up and to pre-exhaust the muscle group. It also works well as a nice stretch. While lying on a flat bench, hold two dumbells overhead, palms facing inward. Lower the weights out to the sides with slightly bent arms. Raise and repeat for 10-12 reps. There's no need to go heavy on this movement. Dumbell flyes are not mass builders. This is merely preparing the muscles for the oncoming onslaught. Do only 2 sets and move onto... When working any fast twitch muscle group for size and strength, it's best to use compound movements. These can be defined as basic exercises that allow for the use of heavy weights.

 

Compound movements not only place greater stress on the targeted muscle but they implement many of the stabilizing muscles as well. In contrast to the compound movement is the isolation exercise.

 

These are movements that are designed to hit specific parts of a muscle and bring out detail. A perfect example of a compound exercise is the bench press. Keep in mind that the chest is the "showpiece" of your body. You can be muscular beyond belief but if your abs are soft, to most people you're just a big fat guy. But someone with an average physique and killin' abs can look spectacular! Without that granite-like muscularity, coupled with diamond sharp abs, Frank would look like any of thousands of guys who work out. Instead, he was Mr. Olympia three times in a row and deservedly so. If you don't think so, I'd like to take a look at your abs!

What Do The Word Calorie & Body Fat Means!

All the talks and discussion around weight loss and muscle building niche are centered around body fat and calories. You find people looking upto the calorie count on every food carton and sometimes they even ask if the product is made for fat loss. However, if you happen ask that person to explain it then most of them give you a blank expression as if it is the most naive question that could be asked. Just try asking some very simple questions like how are calories stored in your body, what exactly does the term calories mean, what is the relationship between fat and calories, do you need body fat, what is the best way to maintain a good fat level. These questions are quite simple but will leave many of them in a troubled state of mind.

Here is a technical definition of calorie that can be used by everybody - "The technical definition of a food calorie (kilocalorie) is the amount of heat required to raise 1 kilogram (1 liter) of water 1 degree Centigrade. A calorie is simply a measure of heat energy. When food is burned, it releases a certain amount of heat (energy), depending on the type of food. The more calories that are in a food, the more energy will be released when it is burned." This definition comes from the Review Sean Nalewanyj bodybuilding course known as 'truth about building muscle' or the muscle gain truth The word calorie is commonly used to describe the amount of energy in the food. It is also used to represent the amount of energy that is stored in the body as adipose tissue (body fat) and stored carbohydrates in form of glycogen.

Calorie is the word that is commonly used to quantify amount of energy stored in the food. Calorie also represents the how much energy is stored as body fat or adipose tissue and glycogen (stored carbohydrates). This should clarify in your mind that body fat and calories are very closely related. You can think of body fat as a reserve of calories maintained by the body for its varios needs. Calories are burnt and used like a fuel by your body everytime you need to do some activity. They are used as the energy source for your various muscle movemements. When we say burn the fat, we mean doing an activity that accelerates that fat consumption process. However, this is also the reason why not bad is fat and why your body needs fat to perform its essential funtions. Without fat your body is like a car without gasoline, and excess fat makes it like a tanker that neither looks good nor is of much use.

You need to understand that body fat balance equation. When you are idle and not working, your body's consumption of fat goes down and hence as a result you start accumulating it. If you do that for too long then get ready for becoming a fat tanker. On contrast, activity reduces that fat storage and keeps you in a better shape. The equation in itself is quite simple. The fat stored in body is equivalent to calorie intake by calorie spend subtracted.

This should clear up the idea of calorie as well as body fat. If you are looking for some good bodybuilding program that is effective in fat loss too, then you can read more about it out here review musclehead

Why extra fat is not always deadly and might even help people survive

 

Why extra fat is not always deadly and might even help people survive some illnesses is unclear and in fact disputed by many health experts.

But University of South Carolina obesity researcher Steven Blair, who says people can be fat and fit, is a believer. He called the report a careful and plausible analysis, and said Americans have been whipped into a "near hysteria" by hype over the U.S.'s obesity epidemic.

While the epidemic is real, the number of deaths attributed to it and to being overweight has been exaggerated, Blair said.

People should focus instead on healthful eating and exercise, and stop obsessing about carrying a few extra pounds or becoming supermodel thin, Blair said.

He says his hefty grandmother used to justify her extra padding, saying, '"That way I have protection in case I get sick.' Maybe there is something to that."

A little extra weight might provide "additional nutritional reserves" that could help people battle certain diseases, Flegal said.

Dr. Robert Eckel, a spokesman for the American Heart Association, argued that the results may be misleading. For example, diabetes and heart disease often occur together and both often afflict overweight people. So when diabetes is listed as a cause of death, heart disease could have contributed, he said.

Eckel also said the study results might reflect aggressive efforts to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol or other conditions that can lead to fatal heart attacks. Those conditions often occur in overweight people and can be costly and debilitating even if they are not always deadly, he said.

Obesity researcher Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, agreed, noting that the study "is about death. This is not about health and sickness."

Original Source Out Here !

Yahoo Health Articles - Exercising for a healthy heart!

 

Introduction

When you have coronary artery disease, it is very important to exercise regularly. If you aren't already active, your doctor may want you to begin an exercise program. Even if you can only do a small amount of exercise, it is better than not doing any exercise at all.

Answers the following points/things.

Key points:

Why do I need a regular exercise program?

Exercising 3 or 4 times a week consistently is important because it takes only a short period of inactivity to weaken your muscles and cardiovascular system.

 

How can I get started on an exercise program?
To get started:
Have a thorough physical examination before beginning any exercise program. Your doctor may do an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), a test that measures the electrical signals that control the rhythm of your heartbeat, and possibly an exercise stress test to assess what level of activity your heart can handle.

Calculating your heart rate

One of the best ways to measure your exercise intensity is to take your pulse and calculate your beats per minute or heart rate. See taking a pulse.

 

Calculating your rating of perceived exertion (RPE)

A rating of perceived exertion, or how hard you think your body is working, is a fairly accurate way to tell how much strain is put on your body during exercise. The original Borg scale can be used (6 to 20 levels) to approximate the HR values from rest to maximum, or a revised 0 to 10 scale may be easier to use. For more information, see monitoring the rate of perceived exertion (RPE).

 

How often should I exercise?

How often you should exercise depends on several factors. Many exercise programs recommend exercising a minimum of 3 to 5 times a week. However, the best number of days for you may depend upon your time availability, exercise intensity, the duration of each session, and of course, your overall goals. If you exercise at a lower intensity level, you may want to exercise more frequently. Studies have shown that no significant differences in aerobic capacity are found whether these are consecutive or alternate days. If you are trying to lose weight, regular daily exercise is encouraged.

The article is from yahoo health. Here is the original yahoo health link. Check It Out!

Building Better Abs

It's a common mistake in most people who want visible abs to do abdominal exercise only. Sure, you develop abdominal muscle but it's only hidden under a layer of fat. In fact, you may find your ab getting bigger as a result of the increased muscle mass.

Here are ideas for losing belly fat effectively and permanently.

1. Nutrition

Eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep your energy levels stable. Choose wholesome, natural foods, preferably organic, and avoid processed foods. Avoid refined and simple carbs that contain white flour and white sugar. Your main sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and to speed up fat loss.

2. Interval training

If you don't have long hours to spare in the gym, interval workouts enable you to achieve the most fat loss in the least amount of time. Some examples of interval workouts are wind sprints, hill sprints, swimming sprints and speed rope jumping. You can also do intervals on a treadmill, stationary bicycle, stairclimber, rower and elliptical machines.

3. Resistance training

Resistance training not only sculpts your body but is important for building muscles. Like interval training, it raises your post workout metabolism so your body continues to burn calories even when you are doing nothing.

Aim for low rep resistance training, i.e. 8 reps per exercise, as it has been shown to boost metabolism after the workout.

4. Reduce stress

Stress has been associated with belly fat. In stressful situations, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. Excess cortisol production leads to build up of belly fat. A fat belly is more than ugly looking. Accumulated fat in the abdomen increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The good news is that you can attain a set of lean or six pack abs through a healthy diet plan and effective training program that promote fat loss.

A lot of programs out there are just scams so take care you don't fall for one of them. You can take a look at this link if you want to know about sean nalewanyj scam or vince delmonte scam.

Should You Grunt During Bodybuilding Workouts?

Jane Ross, a 42-year-old Boston area gym buff, is honest about it: When exercising, she sometimes grunts. "I think it's part of going to a gym -- I grunt during a workout, and I think that most people do," said the mom and former personal trainer. "When you are exerting yourself, it's a release." But not everyone is so accepting of those loud fitness club exhalations. A real good story.... Complete Story

Here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20071024/hl_hsn/expertssoundoffonworkoutgrunting;_ylt=Ah1fGA2CoqA0DeIVjIuh__fVJRIF

10 Things To Make Note Of Before Your Next Step Into Gym

10 Things To Make Note Of Before Your Next Step Into Gym

Most of the people go for their workouts as if they are going out for a stroll along the road to relax themselves. The commitment is entirely missing. Entering your gym is only the first step to muscle building, it is not enough to go to gym daily to get a godlike physique, you need much more desire and commitment than that. What you do before, during, after your workout all contribute to the success or failure of your muscle building quest.

Your muscle building success is defined by a lot of factors inside and outside your gym. Your selection of exercises may be taking away your muscle growth instead of contributing to them. Similarly, your food habits or personal social life may be effecting it in more of a negative way than helping you with it. Combine, all these together and you may will get to know why your muscle building program has not yielded the way it has for some other people.

Out here we are going to take five of the factors that make some contribution in some way to your muscle building success and at the same time try to identify the possible problems and their solution.

This article will come up as a series of five articles with two points to consider in each article. The objective is that one should compare his current routine with the points mentioned in particular article and if there are faults they should be rectified upon immediately before jumping to next step. So follow the series closely and eliminate each fault as you start identifying it.

1) Jumping To The Podium Without Proper Practice Or Rehearsal

This is a mistake that most amateur bodybuilders do. They hear about an exercise and watch someone do it and they feel they are all ready for it. Next day you see them doing the same exercise with utmost intensity but with poor form. Remember, doing an exercise without proper form or doing it too quickly either can increase your chances of injury. Also, exercises not done properly don't really add up to muscle gain. Injuries bring a break in your workout program and  may force you to break in between or push you out of the rhythm.

So, don't jump to stage directly, take your time. Before you start doing an exercise learn it properly from a trainer and perfect its form. Ask someone to watch you do it and tell you if you are not doing it in the proper manner.    If you are following an online muscle building program than most of them come with proper instructions on each exercises, so make sure you do follow them in a proper manner. Don't do an exercise if you are not confident about it. It will save you from injuries and you can direct those efforts somewhere else.

2) Digging Up Roads That Lead To Nowhere.

Another common trait of newbies and unsuccessful bodybuilders. They are just about doing everything. I see most of the newbies come to gym without any proper plan or exercise. Most of them are there just to throw weights and go home contended that they are building up muscles. Nothing more than a waste of time. If you regard muscle building as a hobby, I seriously advise you to stop doing that. It is something that demands commitment and planning. If you have not done it already then develop a proper workout plan.

Although, I will advise you to get a good trainer or at least a good professional muscle building program but some of you may not be interested in spending any bucks, so spend some time and develop a good workout plan. Assess where you are right now and determine what you want to achieve by next month. If you can't imagine your growth or if you can't figure out where you will like to see yourself in next 30 days, then stop going to gym, you will not build any muscles if your mind is not ready for it. Get down to the basics again, do everything in writing - from where you are in terms of body measurements and photographs, to where you want to go, again in terms of body measurements, to how you are going to achieve that - your workout schedule and plan. Don't just fidget around in the gym, go there like a pro, a man on mission and do it accordingly.

 

Recommended Muscle Building Programs

I recommend following two muscle building programs to all the readers. You can find in depth review of these programs at given link.

Muscle Gain Truth

The Musclehead

Additionally if you need a software to track your growth or come up with a plan then you can use this free bodybuilding software.

One Common Theme Across All BodyBuilding Programs : Perform To Your Maximum To Build Muscles

This is one concept that gets emphasized in most of the Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs but is ignored by most of the trainers most of the time. The idea is in fact quite simple - train your body to a point where it can take no more. This concept is often referred to as High Intensity Training. In simple terms it means that you should push your muscles to the point where they really cannot take anymore of the stress. It is at this point that you achieve that phenomenal growth.

This idea is vital and perhaps the biggest barrier between those who are successful in building muscles against those whose efforts go in vain and they do not achieve the maximum output of their workouts. More than often the difference is a result of something very minor and negligible. More than often the difference comes up because of that last 1% of effort that is neglected. Having said that let me elaborate on idea a little more. The main mantra of bodybuilding success that is highlighted in most Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs is intensity and progression. It is just about how much intensity you are ready to put into your workouts. In simple terms it turns out how much effort do you put in your each workout, each set, each rep. This is going to determine wether you are going to trigger that adaptive muscle response or not. Remember your first few sets are just to warm up those muscles and bring you to that state where your muscles become fatigued and every extra rep that you do demand a lot more effort from them.

The second mantra in most Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs is progression, explaining in simple terms it is continuously increasing the load that you can take. After sometimes your muscles get accustomed to the weight, performing 20 push ups daily for a year will not help you really gain a lot of muscle mass. You need to make a progress by gradually increasing the weights or stress that you are putting on your body muscles.

Most of the people miss out on these two by a small margin. The most common cause is that little lazy attitude where they walk into a gym as if they are out to stroll and relax. They will do few push ups and then look around and then do the rest of them or they will just throw around a few weights and think they are done. It is this approach that lets them down. When one enters the gym the focus should be on putting your hundred percent. When you are doing push ups try to do them in the fastest time with maximum effort. Try to minimize your gym time accordingly by focussing only on your workouts and giving them your hundred percent attention.

Most of the Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs focus on the same idea only. Sean Nalewanyj's Truth About Building Muscle, is one such program that pus the maximum emphasis on this kind of intensity training. It is one of the top BodyBuilding Program and bodybuilding program. Here is an in depth sean nalewanyj program. Other really good BodyBuilding Program is The Musclehead. You can read complete review of The Musclehead for more details.

If you are looking for a Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs for building up muscle I suggest you to read this detailed article on Weight Training Programs & BodyBuilding Programs . It gives you a much better idea on how to choose a BodyBuilding Program that completely meets your needs.

The Basics of Muscle Building

The Basics of Muscle Building
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield]Thomas Sinfield

Let's start with the basics of muscle building, because with a little knowledge on the science of building muscle, you will be stimulate your own muscles into growth better.

Firstly you need to realize that you body really doesn't want to gain muscle. The bigger you are the more nutrients that your body needs to consume to maintain these muscles, which means you will have to eat more. Everything inside of you is going against you with your muscle building goals. Obviously even though I have just said that your body doesn't want you to build muscle it is still very possible to do so. What you need to do is something called progressive overload. What this is, is where you continue work your muscles to overload, stress them to a new level, and do this progressively. So add more weight on each workout.

When you body is under stress your muscle fibers will break down, and with rest and the correct nutrients will build back stronger than ever before. With each workout your muscles will break and tear, which explains the soreness, and then rebuilds themselves stronger and more efficient than before. Of course this means that you have to always be increasing the weight applied to your muscles.

Rest is so important in muscle building, as it is in the time of rest that you allow your body the chance to rebuild and repair all the tears that you inflicted upon it in your last workout. So make sure that you are giving your muscles adequate time to recover.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Visit: http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Basics-of-Muscle-Building&id=771012

Does Muscle Memory Occur?

Does Muscle Memory Occur?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Prior]Sandra Prior

The concept of muscle memory is controversial. Most bodybuilders have experienced this phenomenon, yet virtually no discussions of this topic have appeared in scientific and athletic publications. Although there is some speculation herein, these ideas are sure to help you better understand your body’s response to training after a layoff.

Before you know it, a month has gone by. Two months. Six months. I’ll get back to it sometime soon, you keep saying. You’re finally ready – a year later.

Don’t worry. Life can get in the way of even the most dedicated bodybuilder’s workouts. Be glad that you’re ready to commit to consistent training again. For those of you who haven’t attempted a small comeback before, here’s good news.

Gaining muscle size seems to be easier the second time around – even if you starting from the same place. That’s right. It appears that your muscles can reach their former size (their size when you stopped working out) in a much shorter time than it took to achieve that size that first time you trained.

If you’re an experienced bodybuilder who has returned to square one more times than you wish to remember, you probably know exactly what I mean. In fact, even many scientists and coaches are convinced this phenomenon occurs – having witnessed first hand. No one has a clue how this happens. Why should you pack on muscle size quicker when ‘retraining?’ It just doesn’t make sense.

With so many athletes and others observing this mystery of the iron game, some plausible explanation must exist. I’ll describe some possible reasons why your muscle may appear to have a memory. While understanding that the following ideas might help you make a comeback, keep in mind that these are just good guesses – not dogma.

Mind Games

Certainly, we can’t overlook the possibility that muscle memory doesn’t really occur at all. In other words, it’s completely possible that these changes have nothing to do with muscular adaptation. Then why do muscles seem to progress faster during a comeback? Well, it could all be in your head. Here’s what I mean.

The first time you trained consistently, you were probably a bit hesitant with the weights. You weren’t too sure how your muscles would respond and most importantly, you didn’t have a good idea how much weight you could lift. So you were cautious when it came to big weight increases – at least until you felt you could handle the heavier weight safely.

When making a comeback, that initial fear is gone. You know you can handle heavier and heavier weights because you’ve done it before. You probably expect to attain your former strength soon, anyway. For these reasons, you are more likely to add weight to the bar at a faster rate – pushing yourself as never before. Of course, this progressive overload will lead to quicker gains in strength and size.

The Nerve of those Muscle Cells

Perhaps the most likely explanation of muscle memory involves the neurons (nerve cells) that stimulate your muscles. These neurons tell all the muscle fibers (muscle cells) they innervate to contract. But, depending on the amount of weight being lifted, only a small percentage of neurons innervating a particular muscle may be recruited to stimulate their fibers. More weight on the bar – more neurons involved and more fibers stimulated. Simple enough, right?

Here’s something really interesting. Even during maximal voluntary contraction (attempting your max on any lift), you’re still not recruiting all the muscle fibers in your working muscles. In fact, it is this discrepancy between the percentage of fibers we normally recruit and what we theoretically can recruit (100%) that may account for those rare, but documented feats of superhuman strength.

What has that got to do with muscle memory? Well, one way your muscles may adapt to the stresses of consistent training is to increase over the long run the total percentage of fibers recruited during maximal and near-maximal lifts. Here’s the possible scenario:

The first time you trained, you recruited a certain percentage of muscle fibers during maximal lifts. As you trained more and more, this percentage increased. Then you stopped working out. When making a comeback, this ability to recruit a greater percentage of muscle fibers remains intact. Therefore, you’re starting with a capacity to develop more force within a muscle (since more fibers can be activated). Compared to the first time you trained, you’re one step ahead.

If you can develop more maximal force, then you can lift more weight – you’re a bit stronger. Although you may think you’re starting from the same place, this greater strength will enable you to progress faster, resulting in an ability to regain muscle size at a quicker pace.

The second way that neurons may be involved in muscle memory deals with skill development. When you start working out, your muscles interpret most of the lifts as new movements. So your neurons must develop the appropriate pattern of stimulation to get the weight up. Remember how shaky the bar was the first time you tried the bench press?

Fibers must be activated in just the right sequence to perform complex movements like the bench or the squat. And learning a new skill (just like trying to swing a golf club, etc.) may take quite a long time. The first time around, it may have taken you weeks to feel steady on the bench. Now those neural patterns have been developed and though they may be rusty, they can return very quickly after a layoff. What may be happening here is that after you stop working out you lose some of those neural patterns. When you work out again the neurological changes come faster. This accelerated restoration of neurological control will enable you to stimulate your muscles more efficiently, eventually causing the leveling off you reach in muscle strength and hypertrophy to be higher. You may be stronger and bigger when the neural patterning is done the second time around.

Muscular Adaptations

Another possible explanation of muscle memory concerns certain changes in your muscles that regular training may produce. Your muscles may adapt in two ways that could translate into faster gains during retraining. First, you may be able to increase the capillary bed surrounding muscle cells, creating a greater blood supply to the working muscle. If this happens, and many scientists believe it does, you would then be able to enhance the nutrient (glucose, branch-chain amino acids, etc.) availability to the muscle cell. Also, you might remove the waste products of repeated muscular work and energy production (lactic acid, heat hydrogen ions, etc.) at a faster rate. Since these waste products can limit performance, with the increased capillary bed, you would be in a position to train harder and longer.

Either or both of these situations would probably enable you to create a more effective muscular stimulus. This is the key in terms of muscle memory. These positive changes from an enhanced blood supply would be restored soon after a comeback since the capillary beds would quickly reopen. Thus you would have the advantage of a greater muscular stimulus from the start of retraining. This would lead to a greater adaptation – stronger and bigger muscles – and give the illusion of muscle memory.

Second, the enzymes that are involved in important bio-chemical reactions may be responsible for muscle memory. For example, we know that enzymes in reactions leading to the storage of glycogen (your energy source during anaerobic work) can be enhanced with training. It is plausible that enzymes involved in protein synthesis may increase in concentration and activity following repeated muscular stimuli and damage. It may actually be those enzymes that have a memory, quickly returning to their former increased concentrations and turning on these processes earlier. If this occurred, you’d be able to work out harder, possibly recover faster, and gained muscle mass more quickly than when you first trained.

Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website. http://bodybuild.rr.nu

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Prior http://EzineArticles.com/?Does-Muscle-Memory-Occur?&id=759493

How To Gain Weight Fast!

How To Gain Weight Fast!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield]Thomas Sinfield

You have to understand the process of building muscle if you looking to gain weight fast. A lot of people really struggle to put on weight, but once you understand how the body works you will start to understand how easy it is to gain weight quickly.

I have created a simple 3 step process that will be the cornerstone of your success. Once you understand how these three components work together you will be on your way to gaining weight and bulking up quickly.

Here’s the process:

1) Train hard and heavy.

You need to continually be pushing your body. Your muscles will only build if you give them a reason too. Your body adapts to your training and starts to get comfortable if you stay at the one intensity. So keep adding extra weights and pushing your body to the max.

2) Get the right quantity of nutrients into your system.

You need to feed your body with the right amount of nutrients to allow your body to rebuild after a hard and heavy training session.  The work out will tear your body down, you the nutrients act as a fuel to keep your body going, and rebuild. So plenty of good quality nutrients.

3) Make sure you get plenty of rest.

After you have trained your body it is in a state of chaos, and pretty much broken down. You need to give your body the chance to use the nutrients and rebuild the muscle before you go and do it all over again.

The relationship of the nutrients only works when your body is resting, and it is essential if you are wanting to gain weight.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Visit http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield [http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Gain-Weight-Fast!&id=770359 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Gain-Weight-Fast!&id=770359

One Little Secret About Muscle Building That BodyBuilding Programs Don't Mention

One Little Secret About Muscle Building That BodyBuilding Programs Don't Mention

One Little Secret About Muscle Building That BodyBuilding Programs Don't Mention
By Nick K

I know even before you read this article you would be more than willing to jump in to find out what that muscle building secret actually is and why after all it is not mentioned in bodybuilding programs. The truth is that, that secret is no secret. Almost everybody knows it but does not really captures its importance. Not to test your limits of patience, I will mention it straight - Water. Cool, isn't it.

I don't need to mention that water is important, you won't be living without it any ways. Each of your body part will needs it and so each function of your body depends on water for one or the other reasons. And, it is a hundred percent true case where more is better. Still it is hard to comprehend who do people neglect it all together.

So the million dollar question is why don't you drink more water? My question is specially for those people who do regular workouts and are trying to build muscles faster especially the beginners.

If you are still not into habit of drinking water while you workout than it is a habit that you should get into. Keep a water bottle with you and make sure it is never empty while you are doing your workouts. Take a sip or two between workouts when you rest. This is one healthy habit in the process of muscle building that will take you a long way towards owning a good physique. Water provides immense benefits to your body and is one of the most important ingredients of your body (think blood). Don't keep your body in a dehydrated state when you are going for workouts. Your muscles won't like it and are less likely to respond in a positive manner.

Water is one important thing to add to your workout checklist.

I recommend muscle building programs like The Musclehead or Truth About Building Muscles. If you need you can go through this musclehead review. Similarly you can read this review of truth about building muscle. Another good program that has a lot of fitness related stuff is the no-nonsense muscle building

Nick Clipton

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_K
http://EzineArticles.com/?One-Little-Secret-About-Muscle-Building-That-BodyBuilding-Programs-Dont-Mention&id=769733

Yes, You Can Build Muscle-Lose Fat at the Same Time

Yes, You Can Build Muscle-Lose Fat at the Same Time
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Abbett]Scott Abbett

When I was just a youngster in my twenties, I desperately wanted to gain muscle mass. Like many guys at that age, I longed to have big arms, wide shoulders, powerful and sweeping thighs, and a V-shape that tapered down to a small waist.

Unfortunately, that's not how I looked. When I glance at old pictures, it appears that I was fooling myself into believing I looked less like the Pillsbury Doughboy than I really did. What was wrong? I pumped iron, downed high quantities of protein, ingested carbs during the so-called "two-hour window" after my workout. And most importantly in my mind; I kept my calorie intake high because all the available information said I needed to "bulk up" – to eat many more calories than I was burning so I could gain that desired muscle mass.

Now in my forties, I'm easily gaining natural muscle that I longed for twenty years ago. Not only that, I'm doing it while staying lean. Just recently, I decided to lean down even further – getting my body fat down in the mid-single digits. I was actually gaining strength and muscle while doing it.

How can that be? We're told over and over that in order to gain muscle size, we need to eat a lot. Oh... and if you have a "fast metabolism" (i.e. blessed with really low body fat), they'll tell you to turn yourself into a gorging pig because that's the magic bullet for "getting big"... right? Well, that will get you "big", but not with the kind of size that helps you land dates on Saturday night.

The fast metabolism people are being told to eat a lot more calories than they burn so they can gain muscle. They are assured by their muscle building gurus that they'll go to a different phase after they've gained the muscle; a phase in which they'll burn the fat.

Those with unwanted body fat are being told they'll need to focus on losing the fat before they can gain any appreciable muscle. It's said that the restrictive diet they'll need to adhere to will prevent them from gaining muscle size.

So here's a quiz question: If the skinny person can't gain muscle without eating a lot of excess calories and the fat person got fat by eating excess calories, how is the former fat person ever going to gain muscle without gaining back fat and how is the skinny person going to lose fat once he's "bulked up" without ending up skinny again? Maybe someone's feeding us something other than food.

The answer: Fat and muscle are completely different tissues sitting side-by-side on the body. Don't confuse the method by which one is gained or lost with how the other one is. If you're slender and you shovel down truckloads of extra calories while inadvertently missing the ideal muscle breakdown/recuperation ratio, you'll just end up fat.

Here's a question for the "fast metabolism group". Have you ever followed the advice of bodybuilding experts and didn't gain the muscle you expected? You know the advice I'm talking about; eat A LOT of food, train "HEAVY" (relative term – how about "make heavy weights into light ones"?), use big compound exercises, try to sit on your ass as much as possible, and uh... set your alarm to go off in the middle of your sleep so you can chug some 2AM whey protein. Ugh... I don't know about you, but you'll never pull me out of a good night's sleep just to force down some chalky powder.

Would you like to know what doing tons of compound exercises, forced reps, three, four and five-day splits and eating a lot of calories did for me? It turned me from a slim guy into a fat guy. When it was time to lose the fat, the muscle gains were disappointing. Anyone who's been to my website can attest; whatever muscle was lying dormant under my body fat – it didn't amount to much.

So the big question: How did I recently gain strength and muscle size while getting super lean?

I did it by eating slightly more protein than usual. I used 45 minutes of low-intensity cardio work to burn fat as soon as I got up in the morning. Above all, I made sure my muscles continued to be trained and recuperated at the ideal ratio and in my unorthodox manner. That's what's more important than adhering to some precise caloric regimen.

I'll never again listen to anyone who claims you can only do one or the other; you CAN gain muscle and lose fat (or remain lean) simultaneously.

Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success. To see his personal transformation, visit [http://www.hardbodysuccess.com/]www.hardbodysuccess.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Abbett http://EzineArticles.com/?Yes,-You-Can-Build-Muscle-Lose-Fat-at-the-Same-Time&id=775272

How To Become Fit Fast And Build Muscle

How To Become Fit Fast And Build Muscle
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Damian_Power]Damian Power

If you are wanting great results without wasting time, in your own home. A work out routine that does not take long and can be integrated with even the most hectic life style with great results.

This system of training is very intense but well worth the results. Most people think that in order to be fit they must exercise often or everyday go for walk, runs or go to the gym. But this is not so using this system you can exercise 3 times a week for 45min.

But exercising like this can be dangerous without the right techniques and advice. The way the workout works is on the basic principle of weight over reps which will make you sweat buckets and burn that fat, tone and build muscle fast which is what were looking for,

This is not for everyone as it can be quite hard you will be pushing yourself hard but the harder you do the faster the results will show. For older people this can be dangerous as you are not as young as you use to be and injuries can happen quite easily such as torn ligaments and slipped disc. Which is why the training program is so important knowing your limits can be hard but we will be able to show you how to train safely in you own home.

Using Turbulence Training you can achieve that body you want, that fitness and health that comes with the training have more energy and strength than ever before. If you decide to choose this system of training and stick with it for only one month you feel the difference and want to continue and you will look and feel great.

To Learn more : [http://dpowermarketplace.blogspot.com/]Click Here!

I personally use this system and love it, as I have very little time on my hands.
This is a way for me to get the most out of my body, and not feel guilty as i did before about not being in shape which can have a very negative affect on your personality.
I personally felt ugly and to feel like that about yourself is not right.
But now i am so positive in all aspects of life.

So if you feel unhappy about your health or want to build muscle and look the way you want i would definitely suggest this system for you.

Thank you and i hope you achieve what you want out of life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Power http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Become-Fit-Fast-And-Build-Muscle&id=772009

Fast Muscle Building For Hard Gainers!

Fast Muscle Building For Hard Gainers!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield]Thomas Sinfield

Are you one of the many people out there struggling with your weight? Lack of weight that is! You are constantly complaining that you are too skinny, and that no matter how much food you eat, or how hard you train, you cannot seem to gain any weight.

Wouldn't you just love to add another 10 pounds of muscle mass? But usually it just ends in disapointment when you check the scales and see the same weight as always. It makes you want to feel like quitting, or spend more time in the gym because you think that more gym time will result in extra muscle mass.

But don't give up. There is hope for you! You can gain weight quickly but you have to train intelligently.

Here are 4 simple weight gain tips:

1. Workout Less;

Yes it does say 'less'. Working out less is the key in helping hard gainers to break through the thresh hold. Straight away lower you body building sets to one per exercise, and only 2-3 exercises per muscle group. Once you have decreased you sets, it is essential to increase your intensity. This means performing the set until you feel your muscle is about to fail you.

2. More Days Off;

Since you are increasing your intensity it is vital that you take even more days off between training sessions to allow your muscles the time to grow, and recuperate. By working out less you are also burning less calories, allowing those calories to be used for muscle growth.

3. Limit Cardiovascular Exercise;

Any cardiovascular exercise will burn calories that you need for muscle growth. So limit any cardiovascular training to an absolute minimum.

4. Determine Calories Needed;

You have to start eating more calories! If you are limiting your cardiovascular exercises and eating more calories you will have an excess supply of calories that can be used to gain weight and repair your muscles.

It is recommended that you eat at least 500 calories more than you are currently eating to start gaining weight. If you are having difficulties eating more, use supplement shakes to help.

Want to learn more about gaining weight and building muscle? Visit: http://www.gain-weight.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Sinfield [http://ezinearticles.com/?Fast-Muscle-Building-For-Hard-Gainers!&id=770866 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?Fast-Muscle-Building-For-Hard-Gainers!&id=770866

The Top 5 Most Effective Abdominal Exercises

The Top 5 Most Effective Abdominal Exercises
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ben_Stacy]Ben Stacy

If you had to pick one part of your body that you would change, what would it be?  For many of us the answer is our stomachs.  We all want to have ripped abs to complement our Greek god-like physique, but oftentimes the workouts we do are ineffective and merely slow the growth of our belly fat at best.  Sound familiar.

The truth is that many people are strongly motivated to lose weight, bulk up, and have a physically fit body, but the reason why they don’t is because the exercises that they are doing are not good enough.  Luckily, there are abdominal exercises which are proven to be extremely effective in developing core muscle strength, and most of them do not require any sort of equipment at all.

1)    Hanging Leg-Raises:  A strenuous exercise, the hanging leg raise is a product of true gymnasts.  All you need is a chin-up bar or equivalent setup.  Grab the bar with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, and while bending your knees raise your hips and curl your back as you bring your thighs to your chest.  Lower slowly, and repeat.

2)    Fat-Bar Holds:  Again with a chin-up bar or equivalent, hold onto the bar with an overhand grip and hang with your arms and body completely straight.  Hang for as long as possible until you can’t hold on any longer, then rest for a minute and repeat.  Remember you want to improve your strength, so aim to hang for a longer amount of time during each rep.

3)    Overhead Reverse Lunge:  All you need for this exercise is a light barbell or long wooden pole or equivalent.  Hold the bar high above your head with arms straight, and step backward with one leg and slowly lower your body until your knee is bent at a right angle.  Do multiple sets of 15-20 reps with rests in between.

4)    Leg Raises:  While lying on your back extend your legs and raise them off the floor to the highest degree while keeps your knees only slightly bent.  Slowly bring your legs back down towards the ground, at about 6 inches from the ground, curl your legs towards your chest.  Repeat 15-20 times.

5)    Planks:  While in push-up position, bring your arms in close to your chest, elbows tucked in and fists up near your face.  Raise your body up off the ground and maintain a straight “plank-like” posture for 60 seconds.  Only your toes and forearms should be touching the ground.  After each rep, switch positions.  Flip over and have your back towards the ground and chest pointing skyward, again only your feet and forearms should be touching.  Keep your back straight and hold position for 60 seconds.

These 5 simple exercises can be done in your house or outside which makes them convenient.  Also, remember that these abdominal exercises must be executed with proper form.  Don’t push yourself to do more reps or an extra set of an exercise if you feel like your are unable to do it properly; you’ll just end up hurting your body more than helping it.

Ben Stacy writes health and fitness articles for a number of publications, and he maintains his on website, Keys to Building Muscle.  If you are interested and would like to learn more tips and techniques, please visit http://keystobuildingmuscle.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Stacy http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Top-5-Most-Effective-Abdominal-Exercises&id=645534

Stretching Before Workout: Should You Include In Your Muscle Building Program?

Stretching as a part of fitness program has always been one of the most common advice. Stretching out of muscles, significantly decreases chance of injury. It also adds to flexibility of the muscles. However, the question is, Is it something desirable before workouts?

If you are looking to build up muscles and not following a fitness routine in particular, then the effect of stretching may be rather counterproductive. The reason is simple, the goal of your bodybuilding program is to make you lift as much weight as you can possibly lift in a given set and rep range. In such a scenario it is very important that before you start your workouts, your strength is at its peak.

One of the most effective way to prepare your body for the coming workouts as well as minimizing the chances of injury is to combine a set of some light cardio vascular activities followed by progressive resistance training. This is one of the most effective, easiest method to effectively and efficiently warm up before the exercise workouts. Not only this procedure easy to follow but does not takes more than 20 minutes. Once done with this you can move into your workouts with your strength at its peak and with minimal chances of muscle injury.

If you are looking for more information on better muscle building ideas or more details on progressive resistance training, then you should consider the muscle building program of sean nalewanyj - truth about building muscle. It is one of the best muscle building programs available and has changed a lot of lives. There are very few programs that can stand in comparison to this muscle building program. The Musclehead Guide is one such program that is at par with truth about building muscle.

You can use the following links to get more information on The Musclehead Or Sean Nalewanyj. If you are looking for better information on muscle building programs, you can follow these review of muscle building programs.


-The Musclehead

If you’re not gonna squat, get out of the squat rack! By The Musclehead

Has this ever happened to you? You hit the gym early in the morning, all pumped up for a great session. It’s leg day and you know what that means, so you put your serious face on and trudge into the gym. Only to find that some 16 year old pipsqueak is standing in the squat rack doing bicep curls!

I’ve got nothing against 16 year old kids in the gym, trying to improve their bodies. I used to be one of them myself, once upon a time. What I do hate is when those kids spend their time in the squat racks, doing bicep curls. They’re called squat racks for a reason people.

And it’s not just the young guys, oh no, this is a far bigger problem. People of all ages think it’s fantastic to use the squat rack to do bicep curls. Is it because you can leave the barbell on the supports so you don’t have to actually bend down to pick the bar up? Probably.

If you’re one of these people, stop doing it. This is what you need to be doing instead. Head into the squat rack and load up a bar with a good weight for you. Get under the bar and then start squatting. I guarantee if you only made this change to your workouts, you would see startling results.

At my local gym, I love it that no one squats. Apart from those idiots who do their bicep curls in it, I pretty much have it all to myself. But when I’m trying to be nice (And that’s not very often) and actually help people out, I tell people squatting is a must. It’s such a powerful exercise, you would literally be a moron to not do it.

The thing that holds people back is pain. I won’t sugar coat it. The squat, when done correctly, takes a lot of effort and a fair bit of discomfort. But it’s this pain and discomfort that forces your body to grow, so unless you can get out of your comfort zone and push through the pain barrier, you’re going to be in trouble.

So I hope you now realize what you need to be doing. If you are one of those pesky guys doing bicep curls in the squat rack, stop immediately. Quite simply, if you don’t squat, you’re really holding yourself back. So go and do it!

The Musclehead is a natural bodybuilder and the author of the brutally honest and revealing book "The Musclehead's Guide to a Godlike Physique". For more hard hitting information on how to get the body of your dreams, visit the official musclehead com website. Or If you are looking for good review of the musclehead's guide you can read this musclehead review.

Also, If you have already read about the musclehead's guide and are looking for some other program, I recommend you to try SeanNalewanyj's - Truth About Building Muscle. A brief review of muscle gain truth is available here. Another good program is Vince Delmonte's No Nonsense Muscle Building.

Are you a bicep warrior? By The Musclehead

Of all the jokers that I see in the gym, the bicep warrior is one of my favorites. I’d pretty much guarantee you that you have a few of these guys at your gym. Heck, you’re probably one yourself.

For those of you who are unaware of what a bicep warrior is exactly, let me explain. They are usually motivated by ego, travel in packs and may even wear their best clothes to the gym. But the thing that makes a bicep warrior is the way he trains.
You see, a bicep warrior is at the gym so he can look good in front of the ladies. Nothing wrong with that. If you saw how much attention I get from the girls, you’d be at the gym too. But what is really wrong with how he goes about it.

This is how the bicep warrior thinks. “Ok, girls love big biceps, a nice chest and abs. So I’ll go to the gym every day and do the same workout. That will have me looking awesome in no time. 50 sets of bicep curls, followed by 20 sets of bench press, then I’ll finish up with 1000 crunches. Ooh yeh“

Let me tell you now, that is a dumbass way to think. Sure, girls might love biceps, but thinking like that is the wrong way to go about it. There are so many things that are wrong with that mindset and it will really kill your results if you go about it like that.

Instead, you need to realize that building muscle is more than just doing a few bicep curls and bench presses. For maximum results you need to take an intelligent approach. I know the word intelligent makes you cringe, but hold on a second, it doesn’t have to be scary.

You just need decent advice and that’s where I come in. Instead of just hitting your biceps and chest, start working out your entire body. I know the concept may seem foreign at first, but it’s a sure fire way to increase the level of results you’re having.
There are a few reasons why exercising your entire body will help you greatly, but they’re beyond the scope of this article. If you’re interested, go check out my package, if not, just listen up anyway. Doing exercises like squats will actually help you build bigger biceps. Don’t believe me? Try it for a few weeks and see if you notice any differences. What have you got to lose?

Of course there is more to this than just what’s written here, but if you have been a bicep warrior up until this point, now’s a good time to stop and learn the proper way to build some serious muscle.

The Musclehead is a natural bodybuilder and the author of the brutally honest and revealing book "The Muscleheads Guide to a Godlike Physique". For more hard hitting information on how to get the body of your dreams, you can visit this official musclehead website . If you are looking for more information about him or his program you can read this musclehead review.