The worse thing you can do when you start trying to build muscle is to imitate what you see in muscle building and body building magazines. Don't try to do the stuff the pro bodybuilders do. You're just starting out and they are on lots of steroids (which means they can make gains on just about any program, even unhealthy ones).
If you're an average guy or gal you need to follow a basic, no-nonsense approach to get started building muscle fast. And you also need a guide to follow to make sure you don't overdo it in the beginning (which ultimately harms your progress).
With this in mind, keep reading to discover...
How to build muscle - ten tips to help you build muscle fast!
Here we go, the only "no-nonsense" guide you'll ever need:
1. Focus On Strength First - More strength will always equal more muscle. Plus, it's embarrassing to be really big and have no strength. Also, strength is the basis for every physical skill. If you're an athlete and you want more endurance, more speed, more agility, etc all these physical qualities will improve when you improve your strength.
* Body Weight Training - I recommend starting with bodyweight (BW) training first because you should master your own bodyweight before you try lifting more weights in the form of iron. Practice the basics: Pushups, Pullups, Dips, Squats, Pistols, Crunches, V-Situps, etc. Move on to harder versions of each move when those get easy. Also BW training is great for strengthening your tendons.
* Weight Training - Weight training is great for building strength. And you don't need a lot of expensive equipment. An Olympic weightlifting bar set is all you need to start. You want to always make sure to lift with proper technique though. Make sure you start with an empty bar and work your way up from there.
* Kettlebell Training - Is a great strength builder as well. You build strength at odd angles and you can do olympic lifting style moves like the snatch, clean and jerk, etc with much less training than with a barbell. You can get relatively good at these exercises fast. And if something goes wrong there is less weight to drop on yourself or the floor.
2. Always Use Free Weights - Avoid weight "machines" like the plague. The exercises which will make you strongest are performed with a barbell. Compound exercises like the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press will do more for your strength levels and physique than anything else.
Here's some other reasons to only lift with free weights (barbells specifically):
* It's Safer - you're not performing unnatural, assisted movements like with machines. Barbells and free weights build strength in the movements you need them in. You increase the strength of all your stabilizer muscles simultaneously too.
* More Efficient - Because you're using more muscles (more stabilizers) to lift, press and pull barbells and other free weights - you build more muscle with less effort.
* More Functional-When you lift heavy objects off the floor... over your head and explosively you're doing the same types of activities that you do in real life. Which means the strength you build in the gym will transfer over to every area of your life.
* All-in-One - You can do every exercise you can imagine to get stronger, build muscle, burn fat and get in great shape with just a barbell and weights. You don't need a ton of weight training equipment to take up a lot of space (ideal for a home gym).
* Kettlebells are like a whole gym - in just a couple little iron balls. You need even less space for kettlebells which makes them ideal for the home gym or traveling.
3. Always Do Compound Exercises - you want to build strength and muscle throughout your whole body, so train it as one unit. The only exception to this is when you discover you have a muscle inbalance and then you need to do isolation exercises to strengthen the weak muscles and stretch the "too tight" muscles (otherwise injuries will occur). For example:
* For arms: Do not do tricep kick backs and lots of curls - do pullups, pushups, presses and snatches
* For legs: Do not do leg extensions and hamstring curls - do squats, kettlebell pistols and deadlifts
* For your chest: Do not do flys and pec deck - do bench press, overhead presses and dips, etc
4. Work Your Legs. Hard. - Squats and Deadlifts are full body exercises. Because of this they help put muscle on your whole body. (You can actually put muscle on your chest and arms by working your legs) Also, you don't want to have "chicken legs" with a huge upper body. Give yourself something stable to stand on-strong legs.
You'll look good once you can squat 1.5 times your bodyweight (it won't take long!) and you can deadlift the same (or more likely 2 times).
5. Full Body Workouts are the rule - You need to do full body workouts. You don't need to do isolation exercises. Why not get the best bang for your buck? Why not get maximum results in the gym for the least amount of time. Here's 7 reasons why full body workouts are better for muscle building and fat loss.
If you play any sports you'll be more athletic and perform better if you do full body workouts. Kettlebells are great full body tools as many of the exercises you do with them like snatches, clean and presses, etc work the entire body.
6. Recover as Hard as You Work Out - The more you overtrain the slower your progress will be. Also, the bigger your muscles, the more rest you need. You can actually gain 30lbs of muscle by only working out a TOTAL of 4 hours - the key is recovery. You muscles always grow OUT of the gym, not IN it. Here's what to focus on:
* Rest. You don't grow in the gym - get your three intense workouts in a week and get out. Rest when you're outside the gym. Meditation and Relaxing are good because they reduce stress and cortisol levels which help you build muscle and burn fat. Think quality, not quantity when it comes to how much time you spend in the gym.
* Good Sleep. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Growth Hormone and Testosterone levels are increased during deep sleep. Get 8 hours of good sleep if possible. Deep sleep is more important than quantity though. If you can get a quick 20 minute nap in after working out that is great.
* Eat Enough. Your body needs food to fuel it and for recovery. Eat clean (more on that in a moment).
* Drink Water. I try for a gallon a day. Drink at least 2 cups at each meal. You need pure water to stay hydrated and it's great for a million other reasons too.
7. Eat Clean. You want muscle weight, not fat weight right? Eat clean. Anything that is in a box is BAD. Just accept it. Schedule in one "cheat day" per week so you don't go crazy trying to eat clean. Pig out on the foods you're trying to quit that are bad for you on that day, that way you will be sick of them and not want to eat them the rest of the week. It's hard to hit perfection, so aim to eat good 80% of the time. You need (in order of importance):
* Protein: Lean beef, chicken, eggs, whey protein and milk ...
* Vegetables. broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, etc ...
* Fats. Fish oil, Olive Oil, real butter, Nuts, etc ...
* Fruits. Bananas, apples, oranges, avocados, etc ...
* Carbs. Whole grain and brown, no starches except post workout
8. Supplement - Some people don't think you need supplements, I say our food supplies suck for nutrition. What should you take...
* Whey Protein - helps you get protein (more on that in a moment)...
* Fish oil - is the best supplement for absolutely everything health wise
* Superfood/Green drink - to get the vegetable/green goodness you need
* Multi-vitamin - to get all your vitamins AND minerals
* Enzyme formula - for faster recovery and boosting overall health
* Creatine - for building muscle fast and a ton of other health benefits.
9. Focus on Protein. It's said you need 1gram per pound of bodyweight to build muscle. I've never been able to do that consistently, and I still build muscle and burn fat, but I always focus on protein (it's not a meal in my mind without protein). Also, protein has a higher thermic effect than other macronutrients so it's good for fat loss too. Here's good sources of protein:
* Red Meat. Ground round, steaks, deer, buffalo, ...
* Poultry. Chicken breast, whole chicken, turkey, duck, ...
* Fish. Tuna, salmon, flounder, etc ...
* Whole Eggs. (yes even the yolk.) Or do 80/20, 80 percent white, 20 percent yolk
* Dairy. Milk, cheese, yogurt, and whey protein...
10. Never Give Up - Don't get frustrated if you're not getting results right away. Stay positive, a positive mental attitude is a must. Focus on the basics, get stronger, make progress in small steps and before you know it you'll have come a long way. Subscribe to this site and visit often for more tips to help you.
About the Fitness expert: Caleb Lee knows a lot about building muscle. His website will teach you ways to build muscle fast.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caleb_O_Lee
Saturday 9 January 2010
Quickly Build Muscles - Top 3 Muscle Building Tips
Building hard, lean muscles isn't as hard as you think. It's actually quite simple. Especially if you follow the simple 3 muscle building tips I'm going to share with you. So, if you're serious about learning how to quickly build muscles, continue to read on.
The top 3 muscle building tips are:
1. Training. This is the most obvious of the muscle building tips. When working out, be sure to include compound lifts into your plan. These lifts include bench press, squats, deadlifts, and standing barbell curls. Compound lifts are the best mass building exercises.
Also, be sure to change your workout every month. Don't do the same sets, reps, and exercises every workout. By changing your workout frequently, you'll force your body to grow rapidly. This is how you'll be able to quickly build muscles.
Another great tip is if you're always lifting low reps, let's say 3 to 6 reps for every lift, during one month when you change your workout, increase your reps to 10 to 20 reps. This will cause your muscles to adapt to the stress. You'll be amazed at how fast your muscles grow.
When you design your workouts to quickly build muscles, make sure you don't work the same body part in two consecutive workouts. What I mean is, don't bench press on Monday and then do it again on Tuesday.
A great example of a workout would be Monday- chest and triceps, Tuesday- Legs, Calves, Abs, Wednesday- off day, Thursday- shoulders and abs, Friday- back and biceps, Saturday- off, and Sunday- off.
2. Nutrition. This is the most overlooked muscle building tip. In order for you to quickly build muscles, you have to eat alot of protein and carbs. Also, eat frequently. You should try to eat every 2 hours. Make sure you eat at least 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight and at least 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight.
An example would be if you weigh 190 pounds, your protein intake would be 285 grams per day and your carb intake would be 380 grams a day. You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day as well.
Some great muscle building foods include meats (chicken, beef, fish), eggs (have been shown to really help add muscles), yogurts, cottage cheese, wheat pastas and breads, apples and bananas, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and yams just to name a few.
3. Track your results. After every workout, write down what exercise you performed, the sets and reps for each one. The next time you enter the gym for that same workout, try to lift more weights than you were able to do previously.
Let's say you benched 225 pounds for 4 sets of 8. The next time you bench press, you should try to do 230 pounds for 4 sets of 8. This will ensure that you're always getting stronger, which will help you quickly build muscles.
Make sure you get plenty of rest. Have fun. And use these 3 muscle building tips to quickly build muscles the easy way.
For more powerful tips on building muscles quickly, visit http://www.build-muscles-quickly.blogspot.com now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_B._Smith
The top 3 muscle building tips are:
1. Training. This is the most obvious of the muscle building tips. When working out, be sure to include compound lifts into your plan. These lifts include bench press, squats, deadlifts, and standing barbell curls. Compound lifts are the best mass building exercises.
Also, be sure to change your workout every month. Don't do the same sets, reps, and exercises every workout. By changing your workout frequently, you'll force your body to grow rapidly. This is how you'll be able to quickly build muscles.
Another great tip is if you're always lifting low reps, let's say 3 to 6 reps for every lift, during one month when you change your workout, increase your reps to 10 to 20 reps. This will cause your muscles to adapt to the stress. You'll be amazed at how fast your muscles grow.
When you design your workouts to quickly build muscles, make sure you don't work the same body part in two consecutive workouts. What I mean is, don't bench press on Monday and then do it again on Tuesday.
A great example of a workout would be Monday- chest and triceps, Tuesday- Legs, Calves, Abs, Wednesday- off day, Thursday- shoulders and abs, Friday- back and biceps, Saturday- off, and Sunday- off.
2. Nutrition. This is the most overlooked muscle building tip. In order for you to quickly build muscles, you have to eat alot of protein and carbs. Also, eat frequently. You should try to eat every 2 hours. Make sure you eat at least 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight and at least 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight.
An example would be if you weigh 190 pounds, your protein intake would be 285 grams per day and your carb intake would be 380 grams a day. You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day as well.
Some great muscle building foods include meats (chicken, beef, fish), eggs (have been shown to really help add muscles), yogurts, cottage cheese, wheat pastas and breads, apples and bananas, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and yams just to name a few.
3. Track your results. After every workout, write down what exercise you performed, the sets and reps for each one. The next time you enter the gym for that same workout, try to lift more weights than you were able to do previously.
Let's say you benched 225 pounds for 4 sets of 8. The next time you bench press, you should try to do 230 pounds for 4 sets of 8. This will ensure that you're always getting stronger, which will help you quickly build muscles.
Make sure you get plenty of rest. Have fun. And use these 3 muscle building tips to quickly build muscles the easy way.
For more powerful tips on building muscles quickly, visit http://www.build-muscles-quickly.blogspot.com now.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_B._Smith
Building Muscle - The Concept That Makes Muscle Building Easy!
Introduction to Building Muscle
Building muscle is something that most people have trouble mastering. Unless you really know what you're doing, muscle building can be like winning the lottery. It's hit or miss with too many people. I've built over 60 pounds of muscle onto my small frame, so I know how to build muscle. I'm here to help you understand a single concept that will take your muscle building efforts to a whole new level!
Weight lifting combined with a calorie surplus is needed for muscle building. Many people realize they need a good diet, more calories than their body burns, and a stimulus created from weight lifting in order to build muscle. Many people follow those three guidelines and still cannot build the amount of muscle that they want. Why?
The Muscle Building Concept
Do you really want to know how to build muscle? Here's what you do. You concentrate on getting stronger in the muscle building rep ranges over time while gaining 1 to 2 pounds of body weight per week. It's really that simple. In order to fully understand that concept, you must know how to get stronger in the correct rep ranges, how to gain 1 to 2 pounds per week, and how many reps to lift.
What are the muscle building rep ranges? These rep ranges are not set in stone, but I've always believed in the rep ranges of six to twelve. You get progressively stronger in these rep ranges over time and eat a calorie surplus, and I guarantee you will build muscle. The rep ranges of 6 to 12 is where I've built over 60 pounds of muscle.
How do you gain 1 to 2 pounds per week? Gaining weight is easy. All you have to do is set aside a specific time each week to weigh yourself. You will want to weigh yourself under the same conditions so that you get the most accurate reading possible. For example, weigh yourself as soon as you wake up every week on Sunday morning. Count calories each day of the week and obtain a weekly average. Use your weekly average along with your body weight measurement to adjust your calorie intake for the coming week. If you did not gain weight, raise your calories until you are gaining 1 to 2 pounds per week. Weigh yourself each week and adjust your calorie intake each week.
Getting stronger in the rep ranges of 6 to 12 requires a little more planning. A good weight lifting program will have components built into the program to help you build strength. You need to find a good program that will help you with that. For example, the WLC Program has you lift sub-maximal weight for 12 reps to start the program. You then progress throughout the weeks by increasing the weight lifted while decreasing the reps to 6.
Summary
What do you think will happen to the size of your legs if you start out lifting 135 pounds for 12 reps and finish by lifting 315 pounds for 6 reps over 10 weeks all while gaining 1 to 2 pounds per week? I know what happens! You build slabs of muscle onto your legs and your whole body.
The right weight lifting program will help you build strength in the muscle building rep ranges. Getting stronger in the correct rep ranges while gaining weight will build muscle. You control how much muscle you gain with your diet and your effort in the gym. Be consistent with your diet and your weight lifting and get the results you want! You're in control.
To find more information about the WLC Program, please visit http://www.weight-lifting-complete.com/wlc-program.html
The WLC Program is a free weight lifting program developed by me. I've used all the knowledge over my 9 years of weight lifting experiences to build the WLC Program. Read everything you can about the WLC Program, and you'll understand why it works so well!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Tapp
Building muscle is something that most people have trouble mastering. Unless you really know what you're doing, muscle building can be like winning the lottery. It's hit or miss with too many people. I've built over 60 pounds of muscle onto my small frame, so I know how to build muscle. I'm here to help you understand a single concept that will take your muscle building efforts to a whole new level!
Weight lifting combined with a calorie surplus is needed for muscle building. Many people realize they need a good diet, more calories than their body burns, and a stimulus created from weight lifting in order to build muscle. Many people follow those three guidelines and still cannot build the amount of muscle that they want. Why?
The Muscle Building Concept
Do you really want to know how to build muscle? Here's what you do. You concentrate on getting stronger in the muscle building rep ranges over time while gaining 1 to 2 pounds of body weight per week. It's really that simple. In order to fully understand that concept, you must know how to get stronger in the correct rep ranges, how to gain 1 to 2 pounds per week, and how many reps to lift.
What are the muscle building rep ranges? These rep ranges are not set in stone, but I've always believed in the rep ranges of six to twelve. You get progressively stronger in these rep ranges over time and eat a calorie surplus, and I guarantee you will build muscle. The rep ranges of 6 to 12 is where I've built over 60 pounds of muscle.
How do you gain 1 to 2 pounds per week? Gaining weight is easy. All you have to do is set aside a specific time each week to weigh yourself. You will want to weigh yourself under the same conditions so that you get the most accurate reading possible. For example, weigh yourself as soon as you wake up every week on Sunday morning. Count calories each day of the week and obtain a weekly average. Use your weekly average along with your body weight measurement to adjust your calorie intake for the coming week. If you did not gain weight, raise your calories until you are gaining 1 to 2 pounds per week. Weigh yourself each week and adjust your calorie intake each week.
Getting stronger in the rep ranges of 6 to 12 requires a little more planning. A good weight lifting program will have components built into the program to help you build strength. You need to find a good program that will help you with that. For example, the WLC Program has you lift sub-maximal weight for 12 reps to start the program. You then progress throughout the weeks by increasing the weight lifted while decreasing the reps to 6.
Summary
What do you think will happen to the size of your legs if you start out lifting 135 pounds for 12 reps and finish by lifting 315 pounds for 6 reps over 10 weeks all while gaining 1 to 2 pounds per week? I know what happens! You build slabs of muscle onto your legs and your whole body.
The right weight lifting program will help you build strength in the muscle building rep ranges. Getting stronger in the correct rep ranges while gaining weight will build muscle. You control how much muscle you gain with your diet and your effort in the gym. Be consistent with your diet and your weight lifting and get the results you want! You're in control.
To find more information about the WLC Program, please visit http://www.weight-lifting-complete.com/wlc-program.html
The WLC Program is a free weight lifting program developed by me. I've used all the knowledge over my 9 years of weight lifting experiences to build the WLC Program. Read everything you can about the WLC Program, and you'll understand why it works so well!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Tapp
How to Build Muscle Quick With Three Fast Muscle Building Tips
We live in a McQuick world today and we want everything NOW! So how do we build muscle quick? Unfortunately, there really is no McQuick method to build muscle fast if your idea of fast is yesterday. However, if your idea of fast is like six weeks then we can build muscle quick if we work on it. In fact, we can build muscle and see a quick difference within three weeks. At least I began seeing a great difference in my muscle building in about three weeks.
Let me give you three tips on how to build muscle quick:
Tip # 1 The first tip in building muscle quick is to stop eating all that junk food. It is real hard to build muscle period, let alone quick, if we are constantly eating the wrong kinds of fat. You need to read the nutritional labels on the foods you eat and learn how to understand them. I was a junk food junkie eating just about anything I wanted to eat and it was showing big time in my big belly and flabby arms. Until I was willing to change my eating habits I had no chance of building my muscles. It is not easy to change bad habits but it can and must be done.
Tip # 2 The second tip in building muscle quick is to spend time actually exercising your muscles. What you need to do is to set aside a specific amount of time and then stick to it. I work at my muscle building weight program for 20 minutes three specific days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. The other days I simply watch what I eat and touch my toes. If you do not set that time aside you will not build muscle quick and in fact won't build muscle at all.
Tip # 3 The third tip to build muscle quick is choosing the right exercise routine. Get some expert advice before you start this process and it is not a bad idea to talk with your physician and make sure your heart is up to it. However, if you eat right, set the time aside and stick to a good exercise routine you too can add muscle to your physique. I have reviewed two good muscle building programs that have helped me in setting my goals and fulfilling those goals when it comes to eating right and exercising right. Check out my website for more details.
I have lost my belly fat, my arms are no longer flabby, and even my wife says I am looking pretty good. Age does not play a part in this I am 58 years old and feeling and looking great. A simple small change in my eating habits, a simple home gym used only three times a week twenty minutes a day using the right exercise program will do wonders for you as well.
The Author writes on many subjects including health and fitness. You can find more informational articles at the website http://www.homegyms4u.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Snyder
Let me give you three tips on how to build muscle quick:
Tip # 1 The first tip in building muscle quick is to stop eating all that junk food. It is real hard to build muscle period, let alone quick, if we are constantly eating the wrong kinds of fat. You need to read the nutritional labels on the foods you eat and learn how to understand them. I was a junk food junkie eating just about anything I wanted to eat and it was showing big time in my big belly and flabby arms. Until I was willing to change my eating habits I had no chance of building my muscles. It is not easy to change bad habits but it can and must be done.
Tip # 2 The second tip in building muscle quick is to spend time actually exercising your muscles. What you need to do is to set aside a specific amount of time and then stick to it. I work at my muscle building weight program for 20 minutes three specific days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. The other days I simply watch what I eat and touch my toes. If you do not set that time aside you will not build muscle quick and in fact won't build muscle at all.
Tip # 3 The third tip to build muscle quick is choosing the right exercise routine. Get some expert advice before you start this process and it is not a bad idea to talk with your physician and make sure your heart is up to it. However, if you eat right, set the time aside and stick to a good exercise routine you too can add muscle to your physique. I have reviewed two good muscle building programs that have helped me in setting my goals and fulfilling those goals when it comes to eating right and exercising right. Check out my website for more details.
I have lost my belly fat, my arms are no longer flabby, and even my wife says I am looking pretty good. Age does not play a part in this I am 58 years old and feeling and looking great. A simple small change in my eating habits, a simple home gym used only three times a week twenty minutes a day using the right exercise program will do wonders for you as well.
The Author writes on many subjects including health and fitness. You can find more informational articles at the website http://www.homegyms4u.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Snyder
Build Muscle With These Simple Tips
Build Muscle now with these fantabulous tips. Convert your flab into abs the easy way. They are not hard to achieve but you got to be disciplined to keep them that way.
Avoid artificial means of muscle building however tempting they may sound. Steroids etc. play havoc with your body and in the short time result of fabulous abs they cause irreparable loss.
Weight lifting is the fastest and surest tool to build muscle. Buy weights, so that you don't have to go to the gym. Eat right after weightlifting. Start with a protein shake.
If you need to do muscle building exercise after a meal let a couple of hours pass by.
Eat lots of protein,preferably vegetable protein . They are the muscle builder and repair torn tissues. Protein is one thing you have to include in all your meals. These include eggs and bacon for breakfast, beans and legumes for lunch and dinner and a protein shake after lifting weights. Protein is present in generous amount in dairy products also.
Have whole wheat products like oatmeal, brown bread and muesli.
Fats in your diet should include olive oil and flax seed oil. They do not build cholesterol only muscle.
Situps and pushups are goods exercises for you to build muscle. Do them along with weightlifting.
Have a healthy diet. No junk food and alcohol. Sounds harsh but you got to lose some to gain some right?
For those of you who are overweight and trying to build muscle, fats and sugars should be a complete no-no. Have lots of salads, sprouts, skimmed milk and vegetable protein. And of course the essential whole wheat products to energise yourself. You have 2 goals, one to reduce weight (see my blog for more details) and to build muscle. So double your motivation by eating healthy always.
You got to drink lots of water to replenish the loss of water caused due to muscle building exercises. Have lots of high water content foods for the necessary enzymes needed to build muscle.
Chill out after exercise. Your muscles need rest to build up. For this reason exercise on alternate days, not everyday.
For those of you who are really starved of time to exercise, but want to build muscle contract your leg, abdominal, hip and arm muscles at frequent intervals while sitting or standing. This is not the substitute for muscle building exercise but can be done on the days you don't or can't do heavy exercises like weightlifting or push-ups.
Try to be stress-free. Stress inhibits muscle building. However, stress is an integral part of our lives, but it is after all under our control. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones, plan ahead to avoid stress and wear a smile always.
Walk or cycle whenever you can. Avoid the car for short distances. Both these exercises build your leg muscles and you can do your bit to stop global warming.
Remember that there is no overnight dose to build muscle. First build up your perseverance and then build muscle. Things will be a lot more easier.
http://best-foods-for-quick-weight-loss.blogspot.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suparna_Sinha
Avoid artificial means of muscle building however tempting they may sound. Steroids etc. play havoc with your body and in the short time result of fabulous abs they cause irreparable loss.
Weight lifting is the fastest and surest tool to build muscle. Buy weights, so that you don't have to go to the gym. Eat right after weightlifting. Start with a protein shake.
If you need to do muscle building exercise after a meal let a couple of hours pass by.
Eat lots of protein,preferably vegetable protein . They are the muscle builder and repair torn tissues. Protein is one thing you have to include in all your meals. These include eggs and bacon for breakfast, beans and legumes for lunch and dinner and a protein shake after lifting weights. Protein is present in generous amount in dairy products also.
Have whole wheat products like oatmeal, brown bread and muesli.
Fats in your diet should include olive oil and flax seed oil. They do not build cholesterol only muscle.
Situps and pushups are goods exercises for you to build muscle. Do them along with weightlifting.
Have a healthy diet. No junk food and alcohol. Sounds harsh but you got to lose some to gain some right?
For those of you who are overweight and trying to build muscle, fats and sugars should be a complete no-no. Have lots of salads, sprouts, skimmed milk and vegetable protein. And of course the essential whole wheat products to energise yourself. You have 2 goals, one to reduce weight (see my blog for more details) and to build muscle. So double your motivation by eating healthy always.
You got to drink lots of water to replenish the loss of water caused due to muscle building exercises. Have lots of high water content foods for the necessary enzymes needed to build muscle.
Chill out after exercise. Your muscles need rest to build up. For this reason exercise on alternate days, not everyday.
For those of you who are really starved of time to exercise, but want to build muscle contract your leg, abdominal, hip and arm muscles at frequent intervals while sitting or standing. This is not the substitute for muscle building exercise but can be done on the days you don't or can't do heavy exercises like weightlifting or push-ups.
Try to be stress-free. Stress inhibits muscle building. However, stress is an integral part of our lives, but it is after all under our control. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones, plan ahead to avoid stress and wear a smile always.
Walk or cycle whenever you can. Avoid the car for short distances. Both these exercises build your leg muscles and you can do your bit to stop global warming.
Remember that there is no overnight dose to build muscle. First build up your perseverance and then build muscle. Things will be a lot more easier.
http://best-foods-for-quick-weight-loss.blogspot.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suparna_Sinha
Muscle Building Made Simple - The Essential Framework For Building Muscle Simply And Efficiently
People tend to make muscle building a lot harder than it should be. I can't say I blame them. With a plethora of muscle building magazines, stores full of hard to pronounce supplements, and advertisements promoting the latest fitness fad it's pretty easy to get overwhelmed quickly.
The truth is...the basic concept of muscle building is actually pretty simple. To gain muscle you must do two things:
1. Eat more calories than you expend
2. Break down muscle fibers through physical exertion in order to grow them back bigger (usually through weight-training)
These 2 critical principles are the foundation for any sound muscle building program.
Now...here's where things can get tricky. If you don't already know how to eat or weight-train properly then you must to learn how to do them CORRECTLY.
To tell you the truth, this is hard part. It takes many hours of research and many, many grueling weeks and months of real live application to master nutrition and weight-training.
The reason that it is so hard is because nutrition and weight-training for muscle growth have many in-depth intricacies, rules and best practices.
So rather than try to teach you everything, I will provide you the essential framework for muscle building in a simplified fashion.
Eating Made Simple:
* Determine Your Daily Muscle Building Calorie Intake Level. There are many advanced formulas to do this. A very basic one is to multiply your body weight by 20. (So if you weigh 140lbs eat around 2800 calories a day)
* Eat 5-6 Times a Day. Yes it's possible. Initially it will be hard, but your body will adapt if you are disciplined enough to make yourself eat every 2-3 hrs.
* Eat Well-Balanced Meals. Feed yourself the right way. Just because you are eating more calories does not allow you to eat unhealthy. NO JUNK FOOD. You should eat balanced portions of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fats.
* Consume Plenty Of Protein. Protein is an essential ingredient for muscle building. An old rule of thumb is to consume at least 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight a day (If you weigh 140lbs consume 140g of protein).
* Drink A Lot Of Water. It cannot be overemphasized how important water is. For a very basic calculation drink a minimum of ½ your bodyweight in ounces. (If you are 140lbs drink at least 70 ounces a day)
Training Made Simple:
* Develop A Weight-Training Routine. Weight-Training Routines are widely available through books in print and on the internet. A weight-training routine will outline which exercises need to be performed, when they should be performed and how many times they should be performed.
Any sound muscle-building weight-training routine will require you to...
* Weight-Train INTENSELY. Place your muscles under stress far above and beyond normal circumstance to promote growth. This means train with maximum effort every repetition of every exercise.
* Lift Heavy Weights. Lift HEAVY weights to achieve maximum muscle fiber break down.
* Progressively Increase. Systematically increase the difficulty of your workouts to continually challenge your muscles. This means increase weight or repetitions performed (or both) for each workout.
* Allow Adequate Time To Rest. Muscles need time to FULLY RECOVER after being subjected to intense stress. Do not work out a single muscle group directly more than twice a week. (Working a muscle group directly only once a week is often the recommended standard)
* Limit The Length Of Your Workouts To 60 Minutes Or Less. Prolonged intense physical exertion beyond one hour can lead to increased muscle loss.
* Workout No More Than 3-4 Days as a Beginner. Over-training is a fundamental error of many beginners. To reiterate your body needs time to FULLY RECOVER from previous weight training sessions.
* Workout All Of Your Muscles. Incorporate weight lifting exercises to stimulate muscle growth throughout your ENTIRE body for maximum overall muscle growth and to keep muscular symmetry.
* Be Safe - Exercises performed with free weights can be very dangerous if not performed properly. If you are inexperienced it is highly recommended to do adequate research on the matter to perform the exercises safely and correctly.
Where To Go From Here:
Remember what I have provided is just the essential framework for building muscle in a basic simplified format. If you follow the key points here you WILL gain muscle, however, you still should continue researching to gain a FULL understanding of the principles I have laid out.
There are many great guides on the internet that will give you an in-depth, comprehensive review of the basic information I have provided you.
Just remember everything you learn about muscle building going forward should relate back (in some fashion) to the two the simple overarching principles outlined here (Nutrition & Training).
Good luck on your muscle building journey!
CK Clark is a fitness author, fitness advocate, and founder of http://www.bestmuscleprograms.com which provides reviews of the top internet muscle building programs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CK_Clark
The truth is...the basic concept of muscle building is actually pretty simple. To gain muscle you must do two things:
1. Eat more calories than you expend
2. Break down muscle fibers through physical exertion in order to grow them back bigger (usually through weight-training)
These 2 critical principles are the foundation for any sound muscle building program.
Now...here's where things can get tricky. If you don't already know how to eat or weight-train properly then you must to learn how to do them CORRECTLY.
To tell you the truth, this is hard part. It takes many hours of research and many, many grueling weeks and months of real live application to master nutrition and weight-training.
The reason that it is so hard is because nutrition and weight-training for muscle growth have many in-depth intricacies, rules and best practices.
So rather than try to teach you everything, I will provide you the essential framework for muscle building in a simplified fashion.
Eating Made Simple:
* Determine Your Daily Muscle Building Calorie Intake Level. There are many advanced formulas to do this. A very basic one is to multiply your body weight by 20. (So if you weigh 140lbs eat around 2800 calories a day)
* Eat 5-6 Times a Day. Yes it's possible. Initially it will be hard, but your body will adapt if you are disciplined enough to make yourself eat every 2-3 hrs.
* Eat Well-Balanced Meals. Feed yourself the right way. Just because you are eating more calories does not allow you to eat unhealthy. NO JUNK FOOD. You should eat balanced portions of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fats.
* Consume Plenty Of Protein. Protein is an essential ingredient for muscle building. An old rule of thumb is to consume at least 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight a day (If you weigh 140lbs consume 140g of protein).
* Drink A Lot Of Water. It cannot be overemphasized how important water is. For a very basic calculation drink a minimum of ½ your bodyweight in ounces. (If you are 140lbs drink at least 70 ounces a day)
Training Made Simple:
* Develop A Weight-Training Routine. Weight-Training Routines are widely available through books in print and on the internet. A weight-training routine will outline which exercises need to be performed, when they should be performed and how many times they should be performed.
Any sound muscle-building weight-training routine will require you to...
* Weight-Train INTENSELY. Place your muscles under stress far above and beyond normal circumstance to promote growth. This means train with maximum effort every repetition of every exercise.
* Lift Heavy Weights. Lift HEAVY weights to achieve maximum muscle fiber break down.
* Progressively Increase. Systematically increase the difficulty of your workouts to continually challenge your muscles. This means increase weight or repetitions performed (or both) for each workout.
* Allow Adequate Time To Rest. Muscles need time to FULLY RECOVER after being subjected to intense stress. Do not work out a single muscle group directly more than twice a week. (Working a muscle group directly only once a week is often the recommended standard)
* Limit The Length Of Your Workouts To 60 Minutes Or Less. Prolonged intense physical exertion beyond one hour can lead to increased muscle loss.
* Workout No More Than 3-4 Days as a Beginner. Over-training is a fundamental error of many beginners. To reiterate your body needs time to FULLY RECOVER from previous weight training sessions.
* Workout All Of Your Muscles. Incorporate weight lifting exercises to stimulate muscle growth throughout your ENTIRE body for maximum overall muscle growth and to keep muscular symmetry.
* Be Safe - Exercises performed with free weights can be very dangerous if not performed properly. If you are inexperienced it is highly recommended to do adequate research on the matter to perform the exercises safely and correctly.
Where To Go From Here:
Remember what I have provided is just the essential framework for building muscle in a basic simplified format. If you follow the key points here you WILL gain muscle, however, you still should continue researching to gain a FULL understanding of the principles I have laid out.
There are many great guides on the internet that will give you an in-depth, comprehensive review of the basic information I have provided you.
Just remember everything you learn about muscle building going forward should relate back (in some fashion) to the two the simple overarching principles outlined here (Nutrition & Training).
Good luck on your muscle building journey!
CK Clark is a fitness author, fitness advocate, and founder of http://www.bestmuscleprograms.com which provides reviews of the top internet muscle building programs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CK_Clark
Learn How You Can Build Muscle At Home
Is it possible to effectively build muscle at home? Can you
build your muscle mass from the comfort of your home without
expensive home gym equipment? Yes, you can build muscle at home.
You can build the body you want with just a cheap set of weights or
resistance bands.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the advantages of building
muscle from home. We will cover how to set up an inexpensive home
gym as well as discuss what equipment you will need. And we will
take a look at which muscle groups are most important to exercise in
order to build muscle.
When you build muscle at home you gain many advantages over the
bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who trudge off to the gym every
day. One of the main advantages is the time you save by doing your
workout at home. You can do your workout in about the same time that
you would have to spend traveling to the gym and getting ready to
workout. You will not have to wait your turn to workout on a piece of
gym equipment during the busy times. By building your body at home
you can workout at your convenience.
Memberships at a gym can be expensive. If you build muscle at home,
then you do not have to pay those high monthly fees. The privacy you
have when you workout at your home is another advantage when
compared to doing your workout in a crowded gym. If you are self-conscious about your physique,
building muscle at home can simply be more comfortable.
Any open area in your home can serve as your workout space. I use an
open space in my computer room that is about six feet wide and twelve
feet long. I also use an area in the garage to do pullups. As you can see, a
fairly modest area will be just fine for most workout routines. If you have
an elaborate home gym you may need more space, but if you are using
basic equipment such as dumbbells and barbells most any clear area will
do.
You will only need a few basic pieces of weight lifting equipment in
order to build muscle at home. I use dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands,
and an overhead beam in the garage. You could even build muscle without
any equipment by using your body weight as resistance. At the other end
of the spectrum, you could invest in one of the popular home gyms and
do a great variety of exercises.
In order to build muscle, I believe you should concentrate on the large
muscle groups. These large muscle groups include the chest and back,
the biceps and triceps, and the legs and gluteus muscles. Work these
muscles with heavy weight to exhaustion. I also like to add variety to my
workout routine. I do yoga to develop my entire body and core exercises
to strengthen my core muscles.
As you can see, there are many ways for you to build muscle at home.
We have looked at the many advantages working out at home holds
over traveling to a gym. We explored how much space you will need to
properly do your workout program. And we discussed exercises and
exercise equipment. Setting up a workout space at home is a great
choice for many of us. You can successfully build those muscles in the
comfort of your own home. I wish you good luck and good results.
For more information on the best ways to build muscle fast try visiting http://www.squidoo.com/buildmuscleburnfat/ a popular lense that is currently offering a free 40 page report on fat loss success.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Westley
build your muscle mass from the comfort of your home without
expensive home gym equipment? Yes, you can build muscle at home.
You can build the body you want with just a cheap set of weights or
resistance bands.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the advantages of building
muscle from home. We will cover how to set up an inexpensive home
gym as well as discuss what equipment you will need. And we will
take a look at which muscle groups are most important to exercise in
order to build muscle.
When you build muscle at home you gain many advantages over the
bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who trudge off to the gym every
day. One of the main advantages is the time you save by doing your
workout at home. You can do your workout in about the same time that
you would have to spend traveling to the gym and getting ready to
workout. You will not have to wait your turn to workout on a piece of
gym equipment during the busy times. By building your body at home
you can workout at your convenience.
Memberships at a gym can be expensive. If you build muscle at home,
then you do not have to pay those high monthly fees. The privacy you
have when you workout at your home is another advantage when
compared to doing your workout in a crowded gym. If you are self-conscious about your physique,
building muscle at home can simply be more comfortable.
Any open area in your home can serve as your workout space. I use an
open space in my computer room that is about six feet wide and twelve
feet long. I also use an area in the garage to do pullups. As you can see, a
fairly modest area will be just fine for most workout routines. If you have
an elaborate home gym you may need more space, but if you are using
basic equipment such as dumbbells and barbells most any clear area will
do.
You will only need a few basic pieces of weight lifting equipment in
order to build muscle at home. I use dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands,
and an overhead beam in the garage. You could even build muscle without
any equipment by using your body weight as resistance. At the other end
of the spectrum, you could invest in one of the popular home gyms and
do a great variety of exercises.
In order to build muscle, I believe you should concentrate on the large
muscle groups. These large muscle groups include the chest and back,
the biceps and triceps, and the legs and gluteus muscles. Work these
muscles with heavy weight to exhaustion. I also like to add variety to my
workout routine. I do yoga to develop my entire body and core exercises
to strengthen my core muscles.
As you can see, there are many ways for you to build muscle at home.
We have looked at the many advantages working out at home holds
over traveling to a gym. We explored how much space you will need to
properly do your workout program. And we discussed exercises and
exercise equipment. Setting up a workout space at home is a great
choice for many of us. You can successfully build those muscles in the
comfort of your own home. I wish you good luck and good results.
For more information on the best ways to build muscle fast try visiting http://www.squidoo.com/buildmuscleburnfat/ a popular lense that is currently offering a free 40 page report on fat loss success.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Westley
Best Way to Build Muscle Fast? 5 Muscle Building Tips
There is no single best way to build muscle fast, but rather a combination of factors that will help you to see major gains in a short period of time. Building muscle is not an overnight process, and will take effort, but serious muscle gains can be seen in a matter of a few weeks if done correctly, and without the need for pills or other drugs.
Here I'm going to show you the best ways to build muscle fast, so if you're a hardgainer who struggles to gain weight and build muscle, then pay close attention as these tips will be especially important for you.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.1 - Eat More Often
Probably the best way to build muscle fast is by changing your diet so that you eat more quantity and more often. 3 square meals a day just doesn't cut it I'm afraid, since there is too much of a gap between meals resulting in your body searching for and using your muscle tissue as a source of energy, effectively stunting your muscle growth - this is particularly true for hardgainers and ectomorphs. 3 meals a day also means that we tend to overeat on those meals, meaning we store more fat and find it harder to digest and make use of for energy.
6 smaller but regular meals a day will keep your metabolism and energy levels constant. Focusing on protein-rich foods (like lean meats, fish, egg whites), good carbohydrates (oatmeal, white potatoes, wholegrain rice), and good fats (oily fish, nuts, avocadoes), will feed you and your muscles, resulting in more consistent muscle growth.
An average male looking to build muscle fast, should look at consuming 3,000 to 3,500 or more of good quality calories per day, particularly if he's a typical hardgainer.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.2 - Stick To The Basics, Don't Isolate
You've probably heard a lot of people talk about isolation exercises and they'll say things like "Monday is my arms day, Tuesday is my legs day...", and they'll spend like an hour or two doing all the exercises under the sun that require just those muscles.
Unfortunately, this is not the best way to build muscle fast, for three reasons.
1) Spending so much time on one muscle group will tire that muscle group too quickly, and so for most of the workout you'll be performing at half intensity, and not benefit that muscle's growth.
2) Too much isolation can mean you only work out each muscle group maybe once per week. This is not enough if you want to see big muscle gains.
3) By performing isolation exercises you are often not employing other supporting muscle groups in your efforts, which can lead to a problem of muscles that may be strong but not "functional", i.e. they don't work well together. This is also the argument as to why many people prefer free weights to machines, because of the extra muscle groups needed to support the weights throughout the exercise.
My advice: Sticking to the Big Basic exercises is one of the best ways to build muscle fast. The big basics involve multiple muscle groups, and include: Squats, Deadlifts, Chest Press, Bicep Curls, Bent Over Rows, Woodchoppers.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.3 - Heavy Weights And Low Reps
Heavy weights and lower numbers of reps is definitely the way to go to build muscle fast. Progressively heavy weights mean your muscles are always being "forced" to work harder each time you hit the gym - it is this pressure that will enable them to grow strong and large. High reps are good for toning and muscular endurance, but don't work when trying to build muscle because high reps suggest that you are comfortably lifting those weights and not really trying to push your muscles.
Always aim to lift heavy, but you MUST maintain good technique and posture throughout - don't force it, as that can result in injury.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.4 - Workout Less
You may hear a lot about people who workout every day and that you should do the same, like those folks who spend each day on a separate muscle group. Well, if you're looking for the best way to build muscle fast then working out every day is the surest way to NOT achieve your goals.
The body requires rest and recuperation in order for it to grow. You see, when you workout and lift weights, your muscle fibres suffer tiny tears, and therefore require time in order to recuperate and repair those fibres. It is this process that actually enables your body to build stronger and bigger muscles, as they are being forced beyond their comfort zone and need to adapt to withstand the pressure being applied to them.
3 workouts per week is ideal to build muscle fast. Working out more than 3 times per week on any one muscle group is not the best way to build muscle fast as it leaves adequate rest in between your workouts, for your muscles to repair and grow.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.5 - Get Adequate Sleep and Rest
A proper night's sleep is not just good for your mental well-being, but also as one of the best ways to build muscle fast. You see, when you sleep your natural anabolic hormone levels rise. These anabolic hormones are also known as growth hormones and aid your muscles in repairing themselves. Studies have shown that folks who get a proper night's rest of a good solid 8 hours have far better anabolic hormone production than those who only get 5 or 6 hours at best, or have a disturbed sleep pattern.
Not sleeping enough actually increases the levels of catabolic hormones in your system. As all bodybuilders know, catabolic hormones are muscle building enemy number 1, since they have the reverse effect of anabolic hormones, i.e. they reduce muscle tissue and prevent muscle growth.
So, one of the best ways to build muscle fast is to make sleeping a necessary part of your workout routine.
Bonus Tip - Stretch For Extra Strength Gains
Stretching is often overlooked as a strengthening exercise. It not only helps to prevent injury, but if done correctly can help to build muscle faster and stronger, because as a muscle is stretched is weakened slightly, and so when it repairs itself it not only becomes more flexible but stronger too. Always perform a good stretching routine before and after your workouts for 5-10 minutes. When performing each stretch, hold it for 5-10 seconds, and then slowly try to stretch a little more, hold it again, and try a tiny bit more. NEVER bounce or try to stretch abruptly - these stretches should be performed in a controlled way. When holding a stretch, try tensing the stretched muscle and holding that tension - this will give an extra boost to your muscle gains.
Following the right plan from someone who's been there before, is the key to building muscle fast. Take a look at these workout plans and see the difference that 6 months can make ==> Best Way To Build Muscle Fast
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wheeler
Here I'm going to show you the best ways to build muscle fast, so if you're a hardgainer who struggles to gain weight and build muscle, then pay close attention as these tips will be especially important for you.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.1 - Eat More Often
Probably the best way to build muscle fast is by changing your diet so that you eat more quantity and more often. 3 square meals a day just doesn't cut it I'm afraid, since there is too much of a gap between meals resulting in your body searching for and using your muscle tissue as a source of energy, effectively stunting your muscle growth - this is particularly true for hardgainers and ectomorphs. 3 meals a day also means that we tend to overeat on those meals, meaning we store more fat and find it harder to digest and make use of for energy.
6 smaller but regular meals a day will keep your metabolism and energy levels constant. Focusing on protein-rich foods (like lean meats, fish, egg whites), good carbohydrates (oatmeal, white potatoes, wholegrain rice), and good fats (oily fish, nuts, avocadoes), will feed you and your muscles, resulting in more consistent muscle growth.
An average male looking to build muscle fast, should look at consuming 3,000 to 3,500 or more of good quality calories per day, particularly if he's a typical hardgainer.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.2 - Stick To The Basics, Don't Isolate
You've probably heard a lot of people talk about isolation exercises and they'll say things like "Monday is my arms day, Tuesday is my legs day...", and they'll spend like an hour or two doing all the exercises under the sun that require just those muscles.
Unfortunately, this is not the best way to build muscle fast, for three reasons.
1) Spending so much time on one muscle group will tire that muscle group too quickly, and so for most of the workout you'll be performing at half intensity, and not benefit that muscle's growth.
2) Too much isolation can mean you only work out each muscle group maybe once per week. This is not enough if you want to see big muscle gains.
3) By performing isolation exercises you are often not employing other supporting muscle groups in your efforts, which can lead to a problem of muscles that may be strong but not "functional", i.e. they don't work well together. This is also the argument as to why many people prefer free weights to machines, because of the extra muscle groups needed to support the weights throughout the exercise.
My advice: Sticking to the Big Basic exercises is one of the best ways to build muscle fast. The big basics involve multiple muscle groups, and include: Squats, Deadlifts, Chest Press, Bicep Curls, Bent Over Rows, Woodchoppers.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.3 - Heavy Weights And Low Reps
Heavy weights and lower numbers of reps is definitely the way to go to build muscle fast. Progressively heavy weights mean your muscles are always being "forced" to work harder each time you hit the gym - it is this pressure that will enable them to grow strong and large. High reps are good for toning and muscular endurance, but don't work when trying to build muscle because high reps suggest that you are comfortably lifting those weights and not really trying to push your muscles.
Always aim to lift heavy, but you MUST maintain good technique and posture throughout - don't force it, as that can result in injury.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.4 - Workout Less
You may hear a lot about people who workout every day and that you should do the same, like those folks who spend each day on a separate muscle group. Well, if you're looking for the best way to build muscle fast then working out every day is the surest way to NOT achieve your goals.
The body requires rest and recuperation in order for it to grow. You see, when you workout and lift weights, your muscle fibres suffer tiny tears, and therefore require time in order to recuperate and repair those fibres. It is this process that actually enables your body to build stronger and bigger muscles, as they are being forced beyond their comfort zone and need to adapt to withstand the pressure being applied to them.
3 workouts per week is ideal to build muscle fast. Working out more than 3 times per week on any one muscle group is not the best way to build muscle fast as it leaves adequate rest in between your workouts, for your muscles to repair and grow.
Best Way To Build Muscle Fast - No.5 - Get Adequate Sleep and Rest
A proper night's sleep is not just good for your mental well-being, but also as one of the best ways to build muscle fast. You see, when you sleep your natural anabolic hormone levels rise. These anabolic hormones are also known as growth hormones and aid your muscles in repairing themselves. Studies have shown that folks who get a proper night's rest of a good solid 8 hours have far better anabolic hormone production than those who only get 5 or 6 hours at best, or have a disturbed sleep pattern.
Not sleeping enough actually increases the levels of catabolic hormones in your system. As all bodybuilders know, catabolic hormones are muscle building enemy number 1, since they have the reverse effect of anabolic hormones, i.e. they reduce muscle tissue and prevent muscle growth.
So, one of the best ways to build muscle fast is to make sleeping a necessary part of your workout routine.
Bonus Tip - Stretch For Extra Strength Gains
Stretching is often overlooked as a strengthening exercise. It not only helps to prevent injury, but if done correctly can help to build muscle faster and stronger, because as a muscle is stretched is weakened slightly, and so when it repairs itself it not only becomes more flexible but stronger too. Always perform a good stretching routine before and after your workouts for 5-10 minutes. When performing each stretch, hold it for 5-10 seconds, and then slowly try to stretch a little more, hold it again, and try a tiny bit more. NEVER bounce or try to stretch abruptly - these stretches should be performed in a controlled way. When holding a stretch, try tensing the stretched muscle and holding that tension - this will give an extra boost to your muscle gains.
Following the right plan from someone who's been there before, is the key to building muscle fast. Take a look at these workout plans and see the difference that 6 months can make ==> Best Way To Build Muscle Fast
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wheeler
The Top Ten Weight Training Exercises for Building Muscle
1) Deadlift -
Not many weight training exercises work as many muscle groups and build muscle as fast as the deadlift. The neck, traps, upper, middle, and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, quads, biceps, forearms, and abs are all utilized in the deadlift. No other exercise is a better test of overall body power. While uninformed people always ask, "how much can you bench," the question they really should ask is, "how much can you deadlift?" A deadlift is the most basic exercise anyone can do. Bending down and picking a weight up off the floor is the one weight training exercise that mimics everyday real life situations. Most people will rarely find themselves on their back needing to push a heavyweight off their chest but everyone has to bend down and pick things up. If you could only do one exercise to build muscle this would be the one to do.
2) Squat -
The squat has been known for years as the "king of all muscle building exercises" and for good reason. I'm not talking about sissy boy half squats either; I'm talking about real below parallel, full squats. If you don't at least break parallel it's not a squat. Like deadlifts, squats involve an enormous amount of muscle mass and stimulate the release of anabolic hormones such as testosterone. This is great for building muscle fast. The squat is probably the most revered exercise among serious lifters and the power rack is considered our sacred ground. If you ever want to develop any kind of real lower body strength and build muscle fast, you have no choice but to squat.
3) Chin up -
Not many exercises will build muscle in the upper body like chin ups. Known as the upper body squat, chins stimulate nearly every muscle from the traps down to the abdominals. Any exercise that allows you to move your body through space as opposed to moving a weight or fixed implement around you has a much higher degree of neuromuscular activation, and therefore a much greater potential to elicit gains in size and strength. Look at the development of male gymnasts and you will see for yourself what years of chin ups and dips can do for the upper body. If you want to build muscle fast, be sure to include chin ups in your weight training program.
4) Parallel Bar Dip -
A close second to chin ups as one of the best upper body exercises for building muscle fast, and for all the same reasons. If you want big arms you had better include dips in your training program. No other weight training exercise will add slabs of muscle to the triceps as effectively as dips. A huge chest and enormous pair of front delts are also a pleasant side effect that comes with regularly performing this outstanding muscle building exercise.
5) Hang Clean & Push Press -
A total body muscle building exercise which hits the calves, hamstrings, glutes, quads, lower and upper back, traps, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms. Although it is, by definition, an Olympic lift, it can be done in more of a strict manner to really target the traps, upper back, and shoulders. When done in this manner, it is not performed solely with the intention of developing explosive speed like most Olympic lifts are performed. Doing the clean and push press in this manner is a form of power bodybuilding and will really blow up the traps and shoulders. If you could only pick one weight training exercise for building muscle, this might be the one. It's a shame you don't see this in more bodybuilding programs.
6) Bench Press -
This is one of the three powerlifting exercises and along with Military Presses, is the greatest of all pressing movements for building muscle in the upper body. When looking at the effectiveness of an exercise, the questions to be asked are what will allow the lifter to use the most weight and what exercise involves the most muscle mass. The bench press meets both of these prerequisites and besides being incredibly effective as a muscle building exercise, it is one of the best measures of upper body power.
7) Military Press -
Also known as the front press, this was once considered the number one measure of upper body power and was the premier muscle building exercise for the upper body. In the old days of strength training most people didn't even do bench presses; every weight training exercise was done standing up. Bench pressing was looked down upon as a show lift and real men only did overhead presses to build muscle. Bench pressing took over with the development of powerlifting and bodybuilding and the military press took a back seat. It is still however, a great measure of upper body power and should be done by anyone interested in building an impressive set of shoulders and building overall muscle mass throughout the upper body. Even though some uninformed doctors will have you believe that overhead pressing can be dangerous, old time strong men argue that there would not be as many shoulder injuries as there are today if the military press had remained the upper body weight training exercise of choice. Equally effective variations of the military press include the push press, push jerk and split jerk.
8) Bent Over Rows -
When it comes to building muscle in the upper back and lats, bent over rows are hard to beat. This weight training exercise can be performed many different ways; palms up, palms down, wide grip, close grip, to the abdomen, to the sternum, with an ez bar or with a straight bar. However you do them, nothing will develop thickness in the back like rows will, and anyone who has been involved with bodybuilding for a while will tell you there is nothing more impressive than a well developed back, muscular back.
9) Good Mornings -
Although they are a rarely performed weight training exercise by a large majority of bodybuilders, good mornings remain one of the staples of a good size and strength gaining program. Powerlifters seem to be the only ones who know about the muscle building properties of this outstanding exercise. The reason this muscle building exercise is often avoided is that good mornings are brutally hard work. But that hard work brings huge rewards. Good mornings will build muscle fast and pack tons of size on your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. They are also one of the best weight training exercises to help improve your squat and deadlift, which is the main reason they are a mainstay in powerlifting.
10) Pushup -
Yes, you read that right, I said pushups are one of the best weight training exercises to build muscle fast. For a beginner pushups are the absolute best muscle building exercise to do for the pecs, delts, and triceps. However, as you make progress and get stronger pushups become too easy and are usually forgotten about. That is a huge mistake. There are several varieties of pushups that can be used by intermediate and advanced lifters such as elevated pushups on pushup handles, dumbbells, or chairs. Pushups can also be done on gymnastic rings hanging from chains and suspended a foot or so above the ground to make them even more challenging. When either of these versions of this awesome muscle building exercise becomes too easy you can have a partner hold weight on your back, use a weighted vest or even drape heavy chains across your back. If you are looking for more variety, Hindu pushups are another great version of this exercise and can sometimes humble even the strongest of men.
So there you have it, the best weight training exercises for building muscle fast. All the food and supplements and drugs in the world are worthless if you train like a Nancy boy. Machines and isolation movements are as effective as running on a treadmill when it comes to getting big and strong. Stick with the weight training exercises above; make them a staple in your training, and start saving up for a new wardrobe. Its time to build muscle fast!
Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert based out of New York City. He is the head training adviser for Men's Fitness magazine and has authored hundreds of fitness articles for numerous other magazines and websites. He is renowned for helping thousands of men build muscle and burn fat in 45 minutes or less, three days per week.
To find out how you can start building muscle than you ever thought possible, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Ferruggia
Not many weight training exercises work as many muscle groups and build muscle as fast as the deadlift. The neck, traps, upper, middle, and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, quads, biceps, forearms, and abs are all utilized in the deadlift. No other exercise is a better test of overall body power. While uninformed people always ask, "how much can you bench," the question they really should ask is, "how much can you deadlift?" A deadlift is the most basic exercise anyone can do. Bending down and picking a weight up off the floor is the one weight training exercise that mimics everyday real life situations. Most people will rarely find themselves on their back needing to push a heavyweight off their chest but everyone has to bend down and pick things up. If you could only do one exercise to build muscle this would be the one to do.
2) Squat -
The squat has been known for years as the "king of all muscle building exercises" and for good reason. I'm not talking about sissy boy half squats either; I'm talking about real below parallel, full squats. If you don't at least break parallel it's not a squat. Like deadlifts, squats involve an enormous amount of muscle mass and stimulate the release of anabolic hormones such as testosterone. This is great for building muscle fast. The squat is probably the most revered exercise among serious lifters and the power rack is considered our sacred ground. If you ever want to develop any kind of real lower body strength and build muscle fast, you have no choice but to squat.
3) Chin up -
Not many exercises will build muscle in the upper body like chin ups. Known as the upper body squat, chins stimulate nearly every muscle from the traps down to the abdominals. Any exercise that allows you to move your body through space as opposed to moving a weight or fixed implement around you has a much higher degree of neuromuscular activation, and therefore a much greater potential to elicit gains in size and strength. Look at the development of male gymnasts and you will see for yourself what years of chin ups and dips can do for the upper body. If you want to build muscle fast, be sure to include chin ups in your weight training program.
4) Parallel Bar Dip -
A close second to chin ups as one of the best upper body exercises for building muscle fast, and for all the same reasons. If you want big arms you had better include dips in your training program. No other weight training exercise will add slabs of muscle to the triceps as effectively as dips. A huge chest and enormous pair of front delts are also a pleasant side effect that comes with regularly performing this outstanding muscle building exercise.
5) Hang Clean & Push Press -
A total body muscle building exercise which hits the calves, hamstrings, glutes, quads, lower and upper back, traps, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms. Although it is, by definition, an Olympic lift, it can be done in more of a strict manner to really target the traps, upper back, and shoulders. When done in this manner, it is not performed solely with the intention of developing explosive speed like most Olympic lifts are performed. Doing the clean and push press in this manner is a form of power bodybuilding and will really blow up the traps and shoulders. If you could only pick one weight training exercise for building muscle, this might be the one. It's a shame you don't see this in more bodybuilding programs.
6) Bench Press -
This is one of the three powerlifting exercises and along with Military Presses, is the greatest of all pressing movements for building muscle in the upper body. When looking at the effectiveness of an exercise, the questions to be asked are what will allow the lifter to use the most weight and what exercise involves the most muscle mass. The bench press meets both of these prerequisites and besides being incredibly effective as a muscle building exercise, it is one of the best measures of upper body power.
7) Military Press -
Also known as the front press, this was once considered the number one measure of upper body power and was the premier muscle building exercise for the upper body. In the old days of strength training most people didn't even do bench presses; every weight training exercise was done standing up. Bench pressing was looked down upon as a show lift and real men only did overhead presses to build muscle. Bench pressing took over with the development of powerlifting and bodybuilding and the military press took a back seat. It is still however, a great measure of upper body power and should be done by anyone interested in building an impressive set of shoulders and building overall muscle mass throughout the upper body. Even though some uninformed doctors will have you believe that overhead pressing can be dangerous, old time strong men argue that there would not be as many shoulder injuries as there are today if the military press had remained the upper body weight training exercise of choice. Equally effective variations of the military press include the push press, push jerk and split jerk.
8) Bent Over Rows -
When it comes to building muscle in the upper back and lats, bent over rows are hard to beat. This weight training exercise can be performed many different ways; palms up, palms down, wide grip, close grip, to the abdomen, to the sternum, with an ez bar or with a straight bar. However you do them, nothing will develop thickness in the back like rows will, and anyone who has been involved with bodybuilding for a while will tell you there is nothing more impressive than a well developed back, muscular back.
9) Good Mornings -
Although they are a rarely performed weight training exercise by a large majority of bodybuilders, good mornings remain one of the staples of a good size and strength gaining program. Powerlifters seem to be the only ones who know about the muscle building properties of this outstanding exercise. The reason this muscle building exercise is often avoided is that good mornings are brutally hard work. But that hard work brings huge rewards. Good mornings will build muscle fast and pack tons of size on your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. They are also one of the best weight training exercises to help improve your squat and deadlift, which is the main reason they are a mainstay in powerlifting.
10) Pushup -
Yes, you read that right, I said pushups are one of the best weight training exercises to build muscle fast. For a beginner pushups are the absolute best muscle building exercise to do for the pecs, delts, and triceps. However, as you make progress and get stronger pushups become too easy and are usually forgotten about. That is a huge mistake. There are several varieties of pushups that can be used by intermediate and advanced lifters such as elevated pushups on pushup handles, dumbbells, or chairs. Pushups can also be done on gymnastic rings hanging from chains and suspended a foot or so above the ground to make them even more challenging. When either of these versions of this awesome muscle building exercise becomes too easy you can have a partner hold weight on your back, use a weighted vest or even drape heavy chains across your back. If you are looking for more variety, Hindu pushups are another great version of this exercise and can sometimes humble even the strongest of men.
So there you have it, the best weight training exercises for building muscle fast. All the food and supplements and drugs in the world are worthless if you train like a Nancy boy. Machines and isolation movements are as effective as running on a treadmill when it comes to getting big and strong. Stick with the weight training exercises above; make them a staple in your training, and start saving up for a new wardrobe. Its time to build muscle fast!
Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert based out of New York City. He is the head training adviser for Men's Fitness magazine and has authored hundreds of fitness articles for numerous other magazines and websites. He is renowned for helping thousands of men build muscle and burn fat in 45 minutes or less, three days per week.
To find out how you can start building muscle than you ever thought possible, please visit http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Ferruggia
3 Simple Steps for Building Muscle Mass
If building muscle mass is a goal of yours, this is your lucky day because I am about to simplify the process down to 3 easy to follow steps. The challenge of building muscle mass in this day and age is there is so much bogus information floating around out there that it is difficult to know what is fact and what is fiction. You start to follow one piece of advice and when that doesn’t work you move on to the next, and the vicious cycle begins. As I pointed out earlier, building muscle mass can actually be broken down into 3 simple to follow steps, so let’s get to them.
1. Dedication and Proper Mindset
The first step in building muscle mass is having dedication and the proper mindset to start with. Without this, you’re destined for failure. Your probably asking yourself this question right now, “Sure, that’s easier said than done”. Guess what, you’re exactly right. However, there are many ways you can help get yourself into the proper mindset to succeed in your muscle building endeavors.
The first thing you must do is set goals for yourself, but make these goals specific. Don’t just write, “I want to build muscle mass,” but instead write, “I want to build 8 pounds of muscle mass in 1 month.” Do you see how much more specific that is? You will feel much more compelled to work towards that specific goal than for the more general one. Once you have written your goals, post them in a place where you will see them everyday, and be forced to read through them. This will keep you focused on a daily basis.
The day-to-day process of building muscle mass can become mundane, so it’s important to have a strategy to raise your intensity level before entering the gym. Visualization is a great tool to use to raise your focus and intensity. Throughout your day or before you workout, visualize yourself having success in the gym. That may be you see yourself finally getting that 7th rep of 235# on the bench press on your last set or reach a new max on the squat. Whatever you visualize, be very specific. Visualize every detail about the situation. The more detailed you can be in your visualizations the more success you will have with this technique. Pro athletes in every sport utilize this technique to reach their goals, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t be using it either.
Building muscle mass can be achieved while training by yourself, but it is much easier to maintain your focus and dedication if you have a training partner that is counting on you being at every workout. The trick is picking a good partner because if you pick a bad one this can have negative effects on your muscle building quest, as well. The most important thing you must look for in a partner is that they have the same dedication and desire towards building muscle mass, as you do.
These techniques should help you maintain your motivation towards building muscle mass. Now that you have step 1 mastered, let’s move on to step 2.
2. Proper Weight Lifting Program
The second step in building muscle mass is to follow a proper weight lifting program. If you do a search on any of the popular internet search engines, you can easily find a dozen or more weight lifting programs that all claim to pack pounds of muscle on your frame. Some of these programs may work, but many do not because they forget to focus on one simple principle. In order to build muscle mass, you must build strength. Think about it; have you ever seen a 225# bodybuilder maxing out on the bench at 150 pounds? I didn’t think so. As your strength improves, your muscles adapt by growing bigger.
The best way to increase your strength and therefore build muscle mass is to ensure the core of your weight lifting program consists of compound lifts such as the bench press, squat, dead lift, chin-ups, dips, etc. These lifts will allow you to lift the maximum amount of weight which will in turn recruit the most muscle fibers resulting in greater improvements in strength and muscle mass.
To achieve the greatest improvement in strength and therefore muscle mass, you should do all your lifts for 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps. This rep range has been shown to maximize strength and muscle mass gains. For your main muscle groups such as your legs, chest, and back, you should do about 3-4 exercises for a total of 6-8 sets for each muscle group. For your abs, triceps, shoulders, and biceps, you should do an additional 2 exercises for a total of 3-4 sets for each muscle group. The reason we do less exercises for the latter is that they have already received some work during the compound movements we did. A good workout split would be to train three days per week with day 1 being Legs/Abs, day 2 being chest/shoulders/triceps, and day 3 being back/biceps/forearms. This should be all the training you need to reach your goal of building muscle mass.
Now that you know how to develop a proper weight lifting program for building muscle mass, it is time to move on to the last and final step.
3. Proper Muscle Building Nutrition
The third and final step in building muscle mass is ensuring you eat correctly to maximize your muscle building potential. Without proper nutrition, you will never reach your full potential. You must feed your muscle with enough nutrients for them to grow.
In order to build muscle mass, you have to create a calorie surplus of between 300-500 calories above your maintenance level. This simply means you must eat more calories than you burn, so there is enough energy left over for building muscle mass. The simplest method for calculating your caloric requirements is the basic multiplier. For this method, you simply multiply your bodyweight by 17-20 to give you the amount of calories you will need to consume to create a calorie surplus within your body. This will work fairly well for the majority of people with average body types. There are other methods, but they are beyond the scope of this article.
The timing of your meals is also very important because you are going to need to eat every 2-3 hours your awake for a total of 5-7 meals per day. Each meal should consist of approximately 40% lean protein, 40% complex carbohydrate, and 20% fat. Your muscles require protein to grow, so eating every 2-3 hours ensures that there is always a good supply of protein to fuel muscle growth and keep you in an anabolic (muscle building) state. If you don’t supply your body with all of its protein requirements, it starts breaking down your muscle tissue to get this protein, which is exactly what you don’t want to happen.
I hope you can see that nutrition is a vitally important component of building muscle mass.
Well, there you have it. These 3 steps of dedication, proper weight lifting program, and proper muscle building nutrition are all that is required to start building muscle mass. Now all you have to do is hit the gym and put what you’ve learned here about building muscle mass to use. Good luck!
Mark Petersen is a healthcare professional who specializes in sports medicine and physical fitness. To get more information about building muscle and to sign-up for our free muscle building email course, please visit [http://www.MuscleGainTruth.net] Also, to discover which muscle building program Mark and his online team ranks above all others, please visit http://www.MuscleProgramReview.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Petersen
1. Dedication and Proper Mindset
The first step in building muscle mass is having dedication and the proper mindset to start with. Without this, you’re destined for failure. Your probably asking yourself this question right now, “Sure, that’s easier said than done”. Guess what, you’re exactly right. However, there are many ways you can help get yourself into the proper mindset to succeed in your muscle building endeavors.
The first thing you must do is set goals for yourself, but make these goals specific. Don’t just write, “I want to build muscle mass,” but instead write, “I want to build 8 pounds of muscle mass in 1 month.” Do you see how much more specific that is? You will feel much more compelled to work towards that specific goal than for the more general one. Once you have written your goals, post them in a place where you will see them everyday, and be forced to read through them. This will keep you focused on a daily basis.
The day-to-day process of building muscle mass can become mundane, so it’s important to have a strategy to raise your intensity level before entering the gym. Visualization is a great tool to use to raise your focus and intensity. Throughout your day or before you workout, visualize yourself having success in the gym. That may be you see yourself finally getting that 7th rep of 235# on the bench press on your last set or reach a new max on the squat. Whatever you visualize, be very specific. Visualize every detail about the situation. The more detailed you can be in your visualizations the more success you will have with this technique. Pro athletes in every sport utilize this technique to reach their goals, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t be using it either.
Building muscle mass can be achieved while training by yourself, but it is much easier to maintain your focus and dedication if you have a training partner that is counting on you being at every workout. The trick is picking a good partner because if you pick a bad one this can have negative effects on your muscle building quest, as well. The most important thing you must look for in a partner is that they have the same dedication and desire towards building muscle mass, as you do.
These techniques should help you maintain your motivation towards building muscle mass. Now that you have step 1 mastered, let’s move on to step 2.
2. Proper Weight Lifting Program
The second step in building muscle mass is to follow a proper weight lifting program. If you do a search on any of the popular internet search engines, you can easily find a dozen or more weight lifting programs that all claim to pack pounds of muscle on your frame. Some of these programs may work, but many do not because they forget to focus on one simple principle. In order to build muscle mass, you must build strength. Think about it; have you ever seen a 225# bodybuilder maxing out on the bench at 150 pounds? I didn’t think so. As your strength improves, your muscles adapt by growing bigger.
The best way to increase your strength and therefore build muscle mass is to ensure the core of your weight lifting program consists of compound lifts such as the bench press, squat, dead lift, chin-ups, dips, etc. These lifts will allow you to lift the maximum amount of weight which will in turn recruit the most muscle fibers resulting in greater improvements in strength and muscle mass.
To achieve the greatest improvement in strength and therefore muscle mass, you should do all your lifts for 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps. This rep range has been shown to maximize strength and muscle mass gains. For your main muscle groups such as your legs, chest, and back, you should do about 3-4 exercises for a total of 6-8 sets for each muscle group. For your abs, triceps, shoulders, and biceps, you should do an additional 2 exercises for a total of 3-4 sets for each muscle group. The reason we do less exercises for the latter is that they have already received some work during the compound movements we did. A good workout split would be to train three days per week with day 1 being Legs/Abs, day 2 being chest/shoulders/triceps, and day 3 being back/biceps/forearms. This should be all the training you need to reach your goal of building muscle mass.
Now that you know how to develop a proper weight lifting program for building muscle mass, it is time to move on to the last and final step.
3. Proper Muscle Building Nutrition
The third and final step in building muscle mass is ensuring you eat correctly to maximize your muscle building potential. Without proper nutrition, you will never reach your full potential. You must feed your muscle with enough nutrients for them to grow.
In order to build muscle mass, you have to create a calorie surplus of between 300-500 calories above your maintenance level. This simply means you must eat more calories than you burn, so there is enough energy left over for building muscle mass. The simplest method for calculating your caloric requirements is the basic multiplier. For this method, you simply multiply your bodyweight by 17-20 to give you the amount of calories you will need to consume to create a calorie surplus within your body. This will work fairly well for the majority of people with average body types. There are other methods, but they are beyond the scope of this article.
The timing of your meals is also very important because you are going to need to eat every 2-3 hours your awake for a total of 5-7 meals per day. Each meal should consist of approximately 40% lean protein, 40% complex carbohydrate, and 20% fat. Your muscles require protein to grow, so eating every 2-3 hours ensures that there is always a good supply of protein to fuel muscle growth and keep you in an anabolic (muscle building) state. If you don’t supply your body with all of its protein requirements, it starts breaking down your muscle tissue to get this protein, which is exactly what you don’t want to happen.
I hope you can see that nutrition is a vitally important component of building muscle mass.
Well, there you have it. These 3 steps of dedication, proper weight lifting program, and proper muscle building nutrition are all that is required to start building muscle mass. Now all you have to do is hit the gym and put what you’ve learned here about building muscle mass to use. Good luck!
Mark Petersen is a healthcare professional who specializes in sports medicine and physical fitness. To get more information about building muscle and to sign-up for our free muscle building email course, please visit [http://www.MuscleGainTruth.net] Also, to discover which muscle building program Mark and his online team ranks above all others, please visit http://www.MuscleProgramReview.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Petersen
Find Out How To Build Muscle Fast
Would you like to learn how to build muscle fast? It is easier than you may think. Many bodybuilders and gym rats are confused and frustrated as they try and fail to build muscle quickly. They spend hours in the gym or at home working out with weights and never build the muscle mass they desire. They have not learned the secrets of how to build muscle fast. In this article we will examine why muscles get bigger. We will show you the ideal number of sets and repetitions needed to build muscle fast.
We will examine why you need to train your legs in order to properly build up your whole body. And we will show you why it is so important to get the proper nutrition after you finish your workout.
The human body is an amazing machine. It is tremendously adaptive. We can use this ability to adapt to help build muscle fast. The goal in weight training is to tear down your muscles.
Choose a weight that puts the proper load on your muscles and they will adapt by growing back bigger and stronger. The proper load will cause your muscles to slightly tear and weaken. Muscles repair and grow stronger while resting after your workout. Doing the proper number of sets and repetitions while weight training is a key to learning how to build muscle fast. Too little stress on the muscles will lead to little increase in muscle mass. Too much stress on the muscles will also lead to disappointing results.
What is the proper number of sets to build muscle fast? Do 5 to 7 sets on the large muscle groups such as the chest, back, and thighs. Do 2 to 4 sets for the smaller muscles. For most exercises 5 to 7 repetitions will best build your muscle mass most quickly. Use a weight heavy enough to get the most out of those 5 to 7 reps. The exceptions to this rep range are the calves and abdominal muscles. Go for 10 to 12 reps with these muscles. How do you build muscle fast ? By training with a heavy enough weight to limit your repetitions.
It is important to train the entire body. Have you ever seen someone who trains their upper body and neglects their legs? The funny thing is that neglecting the legs can also retard upper body development. Since the muscles in the legs and buttocks are so large, they cause the body to release more of the hormones that are essential to muscle growth. These hormones benefit muscle mass throughout the body.
When you exercise these large muscle groups think of them as factories that produce muscle building hormones. Do not neglect the crucial period after your workout. Remember muscles repair and grow stronger while the body rests and recovers. The first few hours after your workout is the period of time your muscles are most ready to take in nutrition. Be sure to give your body the nutrition it needs to build muscle back fast.
Hopefully this article has helped you learn how to build muscles fast. We have learned why muscles become bigger. We have shown you the proper number of repetitions and sets to build muscle fast. We have discussed the importance of training your lower body. And we have shown the importance of getting the proper nutrition after your workout.
Building muscle fast can be done with the proper techniques. Follow the steps outlined in this article and you should start to see results quickly.
Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to learn more about how you can build muscle quickly, visit How To Build Muscle And Burn Fat at http://www.squidoo.com/buildmuscleburnfat/ and get the free 12 part mini-course.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Westley
We will examine why you need to train your legs in order to properly build up your whole body. And we will show you why it is so important to get the proper nutrition after you finish your workout.
The human body is an amazing machine. It is tremendously adaptive. We can use this ability to adapt to help build muscle fast. The goal in weight training is to tear down your muscles.
Choose a weight that puts the proper load on your muscles and they will adapt by growing back bigger and stronger. The proper load will cause your muscles to slightly tear and weaken. Muscles repair and grow stronger while resting after your workout. Doing the proper number of sets and repetitions while weight training is a key to learning how to build muscle fast. Too little stress on the muscles will lead to little increase in muscle mass. Too much stress on the muscles will also lead to disappointing results.
What is the proper number of sets to build muscle fast? Do 5 to 7 sets on the large muscle groups such as the chest, back, and thighs. Do 2 to 4 sets for the smaller muscles. For most exercises 5 to 7 repetitions will best build your muscle mass most quickly. Use a weight heavy enough to get the most out of those 5 to 7 reps. The exceptions to this rep range are the calves and abdominal muscles. Go for 10 to 12 reps with these muscles. How do you build muscle fast ? By training with a heavy enough weight to limit your repetitions.
It is important to train the entire body. Have you ever seen someone who trains their upper body and neglects their legs? The funny thing is that neglecting the legs can also retard upper body development. Since the muscles in the legs and buttocks are so large, they cause the body to release more of the hormones that are essential to muscle growth. These hormones benefit muscle mass throughout the body.
When you exercise these large muscle groups think of them as factories that produce muscle building hormones. Do not neglect the crucial period after your workout. Remember muscles repair and grow stronger while the body rests and recovers. The first few hours after your workout is the period of time your muscles are most ready to take in nutrition. Be sure to give your body the nutrition it needs to build muscle back fast.
Hopefully this article has helped you learn how to build muscles fast. We have learned why muscles become bigger. We have shown you the proper number of repetitions and sets to build muscle fast. We have discussed the importance of training your lower body. And we have shown the importance of getting the proper nutrition after your workout.
Building muscle fast can be done with the proper techniques. Follow the steps outlined in this article and you should start to see results quickly.
Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to learn more about how you can build muscle quickly, visit How To Build Muscle And Burn Fat at http://www.squidoo.com/buildmuscleburnfat/ and get the free 12 part mini-course.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Westley
6 Simple Tips To Effectively Build Muscle Fast In 30 Minutes
Sick of devouring every single piece of muscle-building material with different
muscle-building techniques and methods, all claiming to have the 'solution' to Build Muscle fast?
Here are 6 basic guides to build muscle fast without wasting countless hours at the gym!
1) Build Muscle with Short Intervals And At High Intensity
Scientific test has shown that blood sugar level decreases after 20 minutes. Therefore, look at compound multi-joint movements, as it requires more use of muscle from every muscle group, and hence offers more muscle stimulus.
Examples of multi-joint movements are squats, dips, bench press and chin-ups. These exercises will target all the main muscle groups.
Performing these 4 exercises during a session with high intensity will have growth effect and build muscle fast.
In contrast to isolation exercises (focusing on 1 muscle group at a time), compound movement exercises are far more effective to build muscle fast!
After a day's workout of high intensity of compound multi-joint movements, muscle recovery is required to allow the muscle to strengthen and adjust to new muscle growth.
At the next session, increase the repetitions at the same weight to build muscle fast!
2) Work it Hard With A Single Set Per Body Part
Single set training are far more beneficial than multiple sets which prevents over-training, but saving energy for other lifts required during a high intensity workout.
To build muscle fast and effectively, you must put in 100% effort for each set till you cannot move the bar after the last rep or exert the same force for another set.
Thereafter, move on to the next exercise and repeat the 100% effort to
work the muscle hard.
Exerting such intensity will stimulate the muscle, and thus build muscle fast.
3) Do Not Overtrain To Build Muscle Fast
As mentioned earlier, blood sugar levels (energy) decrease with time.
Hence, high volume of training will not have any positive outcome. Another adverse affect of over
training is the negative impact of 'cortisol' have on the muscle tissue.
The longer the training time, the more cortisol is released into the body's blood stream which
breakdowns the muscle tissue.
Needless to say, to minimize the effect of cortisol, limit the workout between 20-30 minutes.
Therefore, aim for a short intense workout for maximum effect on the muscle group followed by rest.
4) Vary The Intensity
When strength training to build muscle, the intensity should be varied, not fixed.
In order to build muscle fast, the intensity of workouts must progress upwards. If the intensity
remains the same, there is no reason for new muscle growth.
Hence the muscle groups must be jolted with varied intensity through changes in repetitions and
weights used.
Varied intensity will be build muscle fast and is an effective way to maintain progress and
avoid training plateaus.
5) Do Not Cheat To Build Muscle Fast
Concentrate on the quality of technique used for each set and focus on the movements on the muscle.
To build muscle fast, Why not start with a light load and work the muscles to lift the load.
Once the technique is perfected, increase the load upwards progressively.
Do not kid yourself with reps by shortening the range of motion and swinging the weights up.
With the cheating method, it has limited impact on growth and will not build muscle fast.
6) Drink Plenty Of Water
Water helps to build muscle and transport all the necessary nutrients throughout the body, and
helps to flush out excessive protein. And without the required amount of water, the muscles will not perform adequately.
Not only that, we need water.
As you can see With these 6 simple tips, you do not have to be an athlete to build muscle.
Follow these simple, effective guide to build muscle fast without wasting too much time at the gym!
-Discover How To Build A Powerful, Muscular New Physique in 12 Short Weeks Or Less.
The Truth About Building Muscle will reveal a simple, step-by-step solution that will allow you to pack inches of lean, shredded muscle mass onto your chest, back, arms and legs as quickly and efficiently as possible. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/thetruthaboutbuildingmusclescam/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Oh
muscle-building techniques and methods, all claiming to have the 'solution' to Build Muscle fast?
Here are 6 basic guides to build muscle fast without wasting countless hours at the gym!
1) Build Muscle with Short Intervals And At High Intensity
Scientific test has shown that blood sugar level decreases after 20 minutes. Therefore, look at compound multi-joint movements, as it requires more use of muscle from every muscle group, and hence offers more muscle stimulus.
Examples of multi-joint movements are squats, dips, bench press and chin-ups. These exercises will target all the main muscle groups.
Performing these 4 exercises during a session with high intensity will have growth effect and build muscle fast.
In contrast to isolation exercises (focusing on 1 muscle group at a time), compound movement exercises are far more effective to build muscle fast!
After a day's workout of high intensity of compound multi-joint movements, muscle recovery is required to allow the muscle to strengthen and adjust to new muscle growth.
At the next session, increase the repetitions at the same weight to build muscle fast!
2) Work it Hard With A Single Set Per Body Part
Single set training are far more beneficial than multiple sets which prevents over-training, but saving energy for other lifts required during a high intensity workout.
To build muscle fast and effectively, you must put in 100% effort for each set till you cannot move the bar after the last rep or exert the same force for another set.
Thereafter, move on to the next exercise and repeat the 100% effort to
work the muscle hard.
Exerting such intensity will stimulate the muscle, and thus build muscle fast.
3) Do Not Overtrain To Build Muscle Fast
As mentioned earlier, blood sugar levels (energy) decrease with time.
Hence, high volume of training will not have any positive outcome. Another adverse affect of over
training is the negative impact of 'cortisol' have on the muscle tissue.
The longer the training time, the more cortisol is released into the body's blood stream which
breakdowns the muscle tissue.
Needless to say, to minimize the effect of cortisol, limit the workout between 20-30 minutes.
Therefore, aim for a short intense workout for maximum effect on the muscle group followed by rest.
4) Vary The Intensity
When strength training to build muscle, the intensity should be varied, not fixed.
In order to build muscle fast, the intensity of workouts must progress upwards. If the intensity
remains the same, there is no reason for new muscle growth.
Hence the muscle groups must be jolted with varied intensity through changes in repetitions and
weights used.
Varied intensity will be build muscle fast and is an effective way to maintain progress and
avoid training plateaus.
5) Do Not Cheat To Build Muscle Fast
Concentrate on the quality of technique used for each set and focus on the movements on the muscle.
To build muscle fast, Why not start with a light load and work the muscles to lift the load.
Once the technique is perfected, increase the load upwards progressively.
Do not kid yourself with reps by shortening the range of motion and swinging the weights up.
With the cheating method, it has limited impact on growth and will not build muscle fast.
6) Drink Plenty Of Water
Water helps to build muscle and transport all the necessary nutrients throughout the body, and
helps to flush out excessive protein. And without the required amount of water, the muscles will not perform adequately.
Not only that, we need water.
As you can see With these 6 simple tips, you do not have to be an athlete to build muscle.
Follow these simple, effective guide to build muscle fast without wasting too much time at the gym!
-Discover How To Build A Powerful, Muscular New Physique in 12 Short Weeks Or Less.
The Truth About Building Muscle will reveal a simple, step-by-step solution that will allow you to pack inches of lean, shredded muscle mass onto your chest, back, arms and legs as quickly and efficiently as possible. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/thetruthaboutbuildingmusclescam/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Oh
7 Strength Training Tips To Build Muscle
Want to build muscle effectively? Are you progressing no-where with strength in the gym? If you feel frustrated, why not take a few steps back, and start with some simple basic guidelines that many people overlook, but have stood the test of time.
1) Build Muscle With Less Training
Over-training is your number one enemy.
Excessive weight training without sufficient recovery time between workouts will not assist in
muscle growth. The key thing to building muscle is, infrequent, short, high intensity workout
sessions will jolt your muscle growth process, and body adapts to build muscle with size and strength.
Research has shown that to build muscle effectively, up to a week's rest is required
after the previous workout of high intensity weight training.
Remember the most effective way to build muscle is to combine the intensity of the exercise and the recuperation after the exercise!
Therefore, limit the number of days and the amount of time at the gym each week.
No more than 3 weight sessions a week, and each workout should not be more than 1 hour.
2) Push Your Body To The Limit Safely
For outstanding gains, be prepared to train hard and shock your body signals with an intense
workout. Your body will respond by increasing the size and strength of the muscle.
If you are serious in the pursuit to build muscle and change the physique of your body quickly
and efficiently, be prepared to train your muscles to failure.
3) Push to Failure With One Set
Research has shown that the single set training is more beneficial for building muscle and more effective than multiple set training.
Therefore, pour 100% effort into the first set and exercise hard till the bar cannot be moved after
the last rep. If that happens, there will be no need for another set on that specific exercise.
Consequently, more energy and effort can be used for another focused exercise during the workout.
4) Number of Repetitions Per Set
Vary the intensity in repetitions and weight training throughout a given period of
time. It is an effective way to build muscle and avoid slumps in strength.
Higher repetitions will promote endurance, whilst lower repetitions will result in muscle gain.
By varying the repetitions and weight through out a ten week period, you will build muscle.
Not only that, it will stop your workouts from getting boring!
5) Limit The Training Frequency For Each Muscle Group
In order to allow an appropriate recovery time, each muscle group should only be focused on
once per week, and perform only what is necessary. So avoid the temptation to build muscle with
increase in frequency.
6) Drink Water To Build Muscle
80% of the human body is made up of water, and drinking water to hydrate yourself is an absolute
must.
Not only is water beneficial to your health, it aids in building muscle by carrying healthy
nutrients throughout the body and flushing out excess protein from the kidneys. AS well,
water plays a large role in injury prevention.
Again research conducted has shown that a slight dehydration will result in decrease in strength and physical performance significantly.
7) Build Muscle With No Ego
To put it simply, heavy weights are not necessary to build muscle.
Why not take off a significant load off the weight, and concentrate on slower movements to stimulate the muscle group. Build muscle with the feel of the strain of the muscle and not the weight.
Poor technique and form with too much weight will take the stress off the target muscle! The momentum moves the weight, not the muscles. To build muscle, focus on strict form with controlled movement, temp tension.
So don't be shy to use lighter weight for a better performance. Remember, your objective is
to build muscle and strength, not to show off!
Therefore, depending on the goals you have personally set to build muscle and the time needed to acheive it, start with the above basic principles and focus on quality not quantity.
Doing the right amount of sets and repetitions combined with strict form and exercises to build muscle is far more important than how often and how long you need to build muscle.
-Discover How To Build A Powerful, Muscular New Physique in 12 Short Weeks Or Less.
The Truth About Building Muscle will reveal a simple, step-by-step solution that will allow you to pack inches of lean, shredded muscle mass onto your chest, back, arms and legs as quickly and efficiently as possible. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/thetruthaboutbuildingmusclescam/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Oh
1) Build Muscle With Less Training
Over-training is your number one enemy.
Excessive weight training without sufficient recovery time between workouts will not assist in
muscle growth. The key thing to building muscle is, infrequent, short, high intensity workout
sessions will jolt your muscle growth process, and body adapts to build muscle with size and strength.
Research has shown that to build muscle effectively, up to a week's rest is required
after the previous workout of high intensity weight training.
Remember the most effective way to build muscle is to combine the intensity of the exercise and the recuperation after the exercise!
Therefore, limit the number of days and the amount of time at the gym each week.
No more than 3 weight sessions a week, and each workout should not be more than 1 hour.
2) Push Your Body To The Limit Safely
For outstanding gains, be prepared to train hard and shock your body signals with an intense
workout. Your body will respond by increasing the size and strength of the muscle.
If you are serious in the pursuit to build muscle and change the physique of your body quickly
and efficiently, be prepared to train your muscles to failure.
3) Push to Failure With One Set
Research has shown that the single set training is more beneficial for building muscle and more effective than multiple set training.
Therefore, pour 100% effort into the first set and exercise hard till the bar cannot be moved after
the last rep. If that happens, there will be no need for another set on that specific exercise.
Consequently, more energy and effort can be used for another focused exercise during the workout.
4) Number of Repetitions Per Set
Vary the intensity in repetitions and weight training throughout a given period of
time. It is an effective way to build muscle and avoid slumps in strength.
Higher repetitions will promote endurance, whilst lower repetitions will result in muscle gain.
By varying the repetitions and weight through out a ten week period, you will build muscle.
Not only that, it will stop your workouts from getting boring!
5) Limit The Training Frequency For Each Muscle Group
In order to allow an appropriate recovery time, each muscle group should only be focused on
once per week, and perform only what is necessary. So avoid the temptation to build muscle with
increase in frequency.
6) Drink Water To Build Muscle
80% of the human body is made up of water, and drinking water to hydrate yourself is an absolute
must.
Not only is water beneficial to your health, it aids in building muscle by carrying healthy
nutrients throughout the body and flushing out excess protein from the kidneys. AS well,
water plays a large role in injury prevention.
Again research conducted has shown that a slight dehydration will result in decrease in strength and physical performance significantly.
7) Build Muscle With No Ego
To put it simply, heavy weights are not necessary to build muscle.
Why not take off a significant load off the weight, and concentrate on slower movements to stimulate the muscle group. Build muscle with the feel of the strain of the muscle and not the weight.
Poor technique and form with too much weight will take the stress off the target muscle! The momentum moves the weight, not the muscles. To build muscle, focus on strict form with controlled movement, temp tension.
So don't be shy to use lighter weight for a better performance. Remember, your objective is
to build muscle and strength, not to show off!
Therefore, depending on the goals you have personally set to build muscle and the time needed to acheive it, start with the above basic principles and focus on quality not quantity.
Doing the right amount of sets and repetitions combined with strict form and exercises to build muscle is far more important than how often and how long you need to build muscle.
-Discover How To Build A Powerful, Muscular New Physique in 12 Short Weeks Or Less.
The Truth About Building Muscle will reveal a simple, step-by-step solution that will allow you to pack inches of lean, shredded muscle mass onto your chest, back, arms and legs as quickly and efficiently as possible. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/thetruthaboutbuildingmusclescam/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Oh
The Four Most Important Factors For Building Muscle Fast!
First, I want to make sure that there is no confusion with the title of the article. When I say “building muscle fast”, fast is relative in comparison to the rate at which you will build muscle if the muscle-building factors I am going to discuss are not in place. The fact is building new muscle is NOT a fast process. It takes weeks, months, and years of hard work and dedication, both inside and outside of the weight room. This slow “rate of return” on muscle-building is one of the main reasons people give up on building muscle all together.
We live in a society where if we want something we want it RIGHT NOW. Well, a lean muscular body just cannot be obtained that quickly. Building your ultimate physique is like an ongoing art project that takes years and years to complete. However, the time and effort required is far outweighed by the masterpieces we are able to create.
So, even though it is going to take some time to build your masterpiece, adhere to these four essential ingredients for muscle growth so that you can get the job done in the most effective and efficient manner as a natural bodybuilder.
1) Train heavy and with as much intensity as possible
If you want to build the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time then stick to the basics and train heavy! We have all seen the guy in the gym loading up the machines until they simply cannot hold anymore weight. He goes through his workout routine swinging the weights around like a madman using terrible form and way too much momentum. Just about everyone stares and some of the faint of heart even leave the weight-room in fear. This guy obviously either 1) has no idea what he his doing or 2) has an ego that is farther ahead in development than his muscles. But you know what? I’ll bet you a box of meal replacements that the guy is carrying around some pretty decent muscle.
Even though his form is very poor, lifting all that weight forces overload upon his muscles and overload is the single most important factor in stimulating muscle growth in the weight room. Now, before you go out and try to do one arm curls with the 100 lbs dumbbells (unless you are Skip LaCour who really can do this), let me make it clear that I am NOT advocating that you train like our friend I described above. The point is that even with less than perfect form, lifting heavy weight with intensity will produce muscle overload and muscle growth. Your goal should be to train heavy while using proper execution and allowing for some momentum. The best muscle building exercises to train heavy are the basics, such as squats, dead lifts, barbell bench presses, and barbell curls.
The best training program I have found that enables you to continue to make gains by overloading the muscles is the Max-OT or Maximum Overload Training Program, created by Paul Delia, President of AST Sports Science. Max-OT is centered around basic compound exercises using heavy weight and progressive overload. The workouts are relatively short (30-45 minutes) which is why INTENSITY is very important. These short intense workouts build muscle in a more efficient manner compared to longer workouts and also eliminate the concern for decreased testosterone and increased cortisol levels that can occur with longer workouts. You can sign up for the free Max-OT training course at the AST website (www.ast-ss.com).
2) Feed your body to grow all day long
Alright, we have stimulated our muscles to grow in the most effective and efficient manner with heavy weight training. However, that is only half the battle. No, actually that is only like 20% of the battle. At least 80% of your success in an attempt to build muscle is based on how well you feed your body the 23 hours that you are not in the gym. Science has proven it, I have seen it in myself, I have seen it in my clients, and anyone else who has made the commitment to make nutrition a priority has seen it as well. Once you begin to practice proper nutritional habits on a consistent basis the results from your workouts will improve by leaps and bounds. The key word here is consistency. You can’t eat right for a couple of days then have a day where you miss two meals and eat junk food for a few others. You must eat properly on a consistent basis to really obtain the powerful benefits that proper nutrition has to offer.
There are many different nutrition plans that can help you build muscle and I am not going to go into the details of any specific plan. However, I will give some general guidelines for eating to build muscle.
• Include a source of lean protein with each meal
High quality protein provides your muscles with the proper nutrients to build muscle. Examples include chicken, turkey, egg whites, lean beef, tuna, and meal replacements, such as Ny-Tro Pro 40.
• Eat enough calories to put your body in a positive nitrogen balance
A positive nitrogen balance is needed in order to build muscle. This is obtained by consuming enough high quality protein (at least 1 gram per pound of body weight) and enough carbohydrates so that the protein you consume goes towards building muscle and does not get converted to glucose for energy. Just because you need a lot of nutrients to build muscle does not mean that you must eat massive amounts of food. Eating high fat low nutrient food just because you are “bulking” will do nothing for building muscle and everything for making any definition you have disappear quickly!
• Limit saturated fat but include some "good" fat in your diet
Diets low in saturated fats protect against many problems such as heart disease and high cholesterol. However, if your total fat intake is too low then testosterone levels will decrease and your body will become less efficient at performing many mandatory functions. You need a certain level of "good" fats containing Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Examples of foods containing these "good fats" include flax seeds and flax seed oil, olive oil, canola oil, and CLA, or Conjugated Linoleic Acid.
• Eat frequent smaller meals throughout the day
Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day ensures that your muscles are constantly supplied with the proper nutrients they need in order to grow. Breaking up your normal 3 meals per day into 6-8 smaller meals per day is the one nutritional strategy that will have the biggest impact on the amount of muscle you are able to build. Eating this way also increases your metabolic rate helping you to stay leaner, keeps blood insulin levels stable, and increases energy levels throughout the day.
• Drink lots of pure water throughout the day
Our bodies are made up of 1/3 water and our muscles are 70% water! Water plays a vital role in proper hydration, transport of nutrients through the body, digestion, the flushing of toxins from the body, and other important functions of the body. All of these things help equal more efficient muscle growth.
3) Get plenty of rest between workouts
New muscle tissue is not formed from weight training unless proper nutrients are provided to the body as discussed above AND enough recovery time occurs before the muscle is placed under the stress of an intense workout again. In addition to the recovery time between workouts your body needs sleep to allow your muscles as well as all of your other body functions to operate properly.
How much sleep is enough and what is the optimal time to wait before working the same body part? There are many different opinions and theories on both of these subjects, and the “right” answer can be debated all day long. I would say that the “right” amount of sleep each night is however much sleep it takes for you to have enough energy to train intensely and stay awake and alert to perform all of your daily tasks. As far as the optimal time to wait before training the same body part again, this is going to vary based on a number of factors including how long you have been training, how many sets and reps your performed during your last workout, and how intensely you trained during your last workout, just to name a few.
Personally, I have found that I perform and feel my best by getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I also have gotten very good results by training each body part once a week very intensely as prescribed in the Max-OT program.
4) Live a healthy lifestyle and provide the right environment for muscle growth
If you are really serious about building muscle then you must structure your lifestyle in a certain manner. This is not always easy because so many of the normal activities in society involve things that can sabotage your muscle-building efforts. With office parties, lunches, and dinners, family cookouts, happy hour, etc. it can be difficult to stay on your bodybuilding diet plan. Eating un-healthy foods and drinking with your friends are enjoyable activities but they will not help your muscle-building efforts.
Sure, its tough to pass on these activities, but everything worth having in life has a “price tag” on it and the “price” for having a lean muscular body is to train when you are supposed to train, eat when and what you are supposed to eat, and rest when you are supposed to rest. It would be great if we could work out when we felt like it, try to eat pretty good most of the time, go out drinking on the weekends, and still build muscle and stay lean, but life just doesn’t work that way.
The good news is that you don’t have to become a boring hermit who never does anything fun. Go out and do things with your friends. As long as you train, eat, and rest like you are supposed to there is no problem. It helps to find people who have similar interest and healthy goals like you do. Instead of having others trying to tempt you to stray from your workout or nutrition plan, you will be able to encourage each other and help each other succeed.
Conclusion:
Follow the rules above with consistency and dedication and you will build muscle. Even if you just build 4 lbs of solid muscle a year, which is very reasonable, after 10 years of training that is 40 LBS and after 15 years that is 60 LBS! It won’t happen overnight, but if you are patient enough and persistent enough you can build your own masterpiece physique. Train hard, eat right, rest, and reap the benefits of not only more muscle but a healthy life as well.
© Russ Yeager's Health and Fitness 2006 All rights reserved. Use of this article is permitted for your newsletter, website, or other publication as long as the content is not altered including all active links.
To learn how to get a free copy of Russ's brand new E-book "27 Must-Have Tips For a Complete Physique Transformation" visit
http://www.completephysiquetransformation.com
Russ Yeager has been called a "Physique Transformation Expert." His passion is helping others make dramatic improvements to their physiques, health, and level of life happiness. Russ is a Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT), writer, amateur bodybuilder, nutrition and fitness coach, and owner of Russ Yeager's Health and Fitness. For more information visit http://www.russyeager.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russ_Yeager
We live in a society where if we want something we want it RIGHT NOW. Well, a lean muscular body just cannot be obtained that quickly. Building your ultimate physique is like an ongoing art project that takes years and years to complete. However, the time and effort required is far outweighed by the masterpieces we are able to create.
So, even though it is going to take some time to build your masterpiece, adhere to these four essential ingredients for muscle growth so that you can get the job done in the most effective and efficient manner as a natural bodybuilder.
1) Train heavy and with as much intensity as possible
If you want to build the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time then stick to the basics and train heavy! We have all seen the guy in the gym loading up the machines until they simply cannot hold anymore weight. He goes through his workout routine swinging the weights around like a madman using terrible form and way too much momentum. Just about everyone stares and some of the faint of heart even leave the weight-room in fear. This guy obviously either 1) has no idea what he his doing or 2) has an ego that is farther ahead in development than his muscles. But you know what? I’ll bet you a box of meal replacements that the guy is carrying around some pretty decent muscle.
Even though his form is very poor, lifting all that weight forces overload upon his muscles and overload is the single most important factor in stimulating muscle growth in the weight room. Now, before you go out and try to do one arm curls with the 100 lbs dumbbells (unless you are Skip LaCour who really can do this), let me make it clear that I am NOT advocating that you train like our friend I described above. The point is that even with less than perfect form, lifting heavy weight with intensity will produce muscle overload and muscle growth. Your goal should be to train heavy while using proper execution and allowing for some momentum. The best muscle building exercises to train heavy are the basics, such as squats, dead lifts, barbell bench presses, and barbell curls.
The best training program I have found that enables you to continue to make gains by overloading the muscles is the Max-OT or Maximum Overload Training Program, created by Paul Delia, President of AST Sports Science. Max-OT is centered around basic compound exercises using heavy weight and progressive overload. The workouts are relatively short (30-45 minutes) which is why INTENSITY is very important. These short intense workouts build muscle in a more efficient manner compared to longer workouts and also eliminate the concern for decreased testosterone and increased cortisol levels that can occur with longer workouts. You can sign up for the free Max-OT training course at the AST website (www.ast-ss.com).
2) Feed your body to grow all day long
Alright, we have stimulated our muscles to grow in the most effective and efficient manner with heavy weight training. However, that is only half the battle. No, actually that is only like 20% of the battle. At least 80% of your success in an attempt to build muscle is based on how well you feed your body the 23 hours that you are not in the gym. Science has proven it, I have seen it in myself, I have seen it in my clients, and anyone else who has made the commitment to make nutrition a priority has seen it as well. Once you begin to practice proper nutritional habits on a consistent basis the results from your workouts will improve by leaps and bounds. The key word here is consistency. You can’t eat right for a couple of days then have a day where you miss two meals and eat junk food for a few others. You must eat properly on a consistent basis to really obtain the powerful benefits that proper nutrition has to offer.
There are many different nutrition plans that can help you build muscle and I am not going to go into the details of any specific plan. However, I will give some general guidelines for eating to build muscle.
• Include a source of lean protein with each meal
High quality protein provides your muscles with the proper nutrients to build muscle. Examples include chicken, turkey, egg whites, lean beef, tuna, and meal replacements, such as Ny-Tro Pro 40.
• Eat enough calories to put your body in a positive nitrogen balance
A positive nitrogen balance is needed in order to build muscle. This is obtained by consuming enough high quality protein (at least 1 gram per pound of body weight) and enough carbohydrates so that the protein you consume goes towards building muscle and does not get converted to glucose for energy. Just because you need a lot of nutrients to build muscle does not mean that you must eat massive amounts of food. Eating high fat low nutrient food just because you are “bulking” will do nothing for building muscle and everything for making any definition you have disappear quickly!
• Limit saturated fat but include some "good" fat in your diet
Diets low in saturated fats protect against many problems such as heart disease and high cholesterol. However, if your total fat intake is too low then testosterone levels will decrease and your body will become less efficient at performing many mandatory functions. You need a certain level of "good" fats containing Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Examples of foods containing these "good fats" include flax seeds and flax seed oil, olive oil, canola oil, and CLA, or Conjugated Linoleic Acid.
• Eat frequent smaller meals throughout the day
Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day ensures that your muscles are constantly supplied with the proper nutrients they need in order to grow. Breaking up your normal 3 meals per day into 6-8 smaller meals per day is the one nutritional strategy that will have the biggest impact on the amount of muscle you are able to build. Eating this way also increases your metabolic rate helping you to stay leaner, keeps blood insulin levels stable, and increases energy levels throughout the day.
• Drink lots of pure water throughout the day
Our bodies are made up of 1/3 water and our muscles are 70% water! Water plays a vital role in proper hydration, transport of nutrients through the body, digestion, the flushing of toxins from the body, and other important functions of the body. All of these things help equal more efficient muscle growth.
3) Get plenty of rest between workouts
New muscle tissue is not formed from weight training unless proper nutrients are provided to the body as discussed above AND enough recovery time occurs before the muscle is placed under the stress of an intense workout again. In addition to the recovery time between workouts your body needs sleep to allow your muscles as well as all of your other body functions to operate properly.
How much sleep is enough and what is the optimal time to wait before working the same body part? There are many different opinions and theories on both of these subjects, and the “right” answer can be debated all day long. I would say that the “right” amount of sleep each night is however much sleep it takes for you to have enough energy to train intensely and stay awake and alert to perform all of your daily tasks. As far as the optimal time to wait before training the same body part again, this is going to vary based on a number of factors including how long you have been training, how many sets and reps your performed during your last workout, and how intensely you trained during your last workout, just to name a few.
Personally, I have found that I perform and feel my best by getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I also have gotten very good results by training each body part once a week very intensely as prescribed in the Max-OT program.
4) Live a healthy lifestyle and provide the right environment for muscle growth
If you are really serious about building muscle then you must structure your lifestyle in a certain manner. This is not always easy because so many of the normal activities in society involve things that can sabotage your muscle-building efforts. With office parties, lunches, and dinners, family cookouts, happy hour, etc. it can be difficult to stay on your bodybuilding diet plan. Eating un-healthy foods and drinking with your friends are enjoyable activities but they will not help your muscle-building efforts.
Sure, its tough to pass on these activities, but everything worth having in life has a “price tag” on it and the “price” for having a lean muscular body is to train when you are supposed to train, eat when and what you are supposed to eat, and rest when you are supposed to rest. It would be great if we could work out when we felt like it, try to eat pretty good most of the time, go out drinking on the weekends, and still build muscle and stay lean, but life just doesn’t work that way.
The good news is that you don’t have to become a boring hermit who never does anything fun. Go out and do things with your friends. As long as you train, eat, and rest like you are supposed to there is no problem. It helps to find people who have similar interest and healthy goals like you do. Instead of having others trying to tempt you to stray from your workout or nutrition plan, you will be able to encourage each other and help each other succeed.
Conclusion:
Follow the rules above with consistency and dedication and you will build muscle. Even if you just build 4 lbs of solid muscle a year, which is very reasonable, after 10 years of training that is 40 LBS and after 15 years that is 60 LBS! It won’t happen overnight, but if you are patient enough and persistent enough you can build your own masterpiece physique. Train hard, eat right, rest, and reap the benefits of not only more muscle but a healthy life as well.
© Russ Yeager's Health and Fitness 2006 All rights reserved. Use of this article is permitted for your newsletter, website, or other publication as long as the content is not altered including all active links.
To learn how to get a free copy of Russ's brand new E-book "27 Must-Have Tips For a Complete Physique Transformation" visit
http://www.completephysiquetransformation.com
Russ Yeager has been called a "Physique Transformation Expert." His passion is helping others make dramatic improvements to their physiques, health, and level of life happiness. Russ is a Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT), writer, amateur bodybuilder, nutrition and fitness coach, and owner of Russ Yeager's Health and Fitness. For more information visit http://www.russyeager.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russ_Yeager
Thursday 7 January 2010
Avoid Building Muscle The Wrong Way - Part 1
How would you feel if you discovered that almost everything you were doing with building muscle was dead wrong? Imagine all the time, money and effort you have spent in the gym was contributing to building muscle – the wrong way! Everything you have read on building muscle has left you with little to show for your hard earned efforts...
There are dozens of muscle building mistakes that we all fall victim to which results in bringing you progress to a complete halt. Don't be too hard on yourself, because like all things in life, building muscle is a learning process. That does not mean you must forfeit years of personal trail and error when we can learn the mistakes of seasoned trainers who walked before us.
Here are the first three biggest and baddest ways to building muscle the wrong way. Erase these mistakes from your thought process and you will be one step closer to earning beach body worthy status:
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #1 – Skipping Out On Your Cardio
Before you disagree take note that I was once a long distance triathlon and running champion so my cardiovascular standards and perceptions of 'fit' are much higher than your local trainers or expert bodybuilding author. It drives me crazy when I hear fitness experts preaching that weight training is just as good for keeping your heart and lungs in prime condition. Who are they kidding?
Weight training, designed for bodybuilding, is almost useless for stimulating your cardiovascular system. Bodybuilding style weight training for your cardio is just about as good as spending the day playing video games. Sure, I know your leg training workouts and super sets make you feel like you sprinted up the street for 100 m but this is far cry from a optimal cardio system.
Do not buy into the latest fad that cardio will kill any chance of building muscle. Cardio must be in your program even if your goal is maximal muscle gain and you are the skinniest of skinny. Aerobics plays a vital role in building muscle and has been shown to speed up recovery from weight training by transporting oxygen and blood flow to the muscles.
The circulatory system is developed because more oxygen is pushed through your blood resulting in a greater number and size of blood vessels. Since there is a greater cardiovascular density of blood vessels, your circulatory system has more 'supply routes' to shuttle oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues, including muscles, and shuttle away waste products that can slow muscle growth, repair and recovery. In the end, this means you will create a more optimal environment for building muscle!
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #2 – Overtraining The Biceps And Triceps
I'll bet any money that you would do almost anything for a set of sleeve-stretching set of arms. Any money that you would do almost anything for a pair of bulging biceps and rock-hard triceps!
Interestingly, every time I 'm at my gym, I see small and weak dudes spending a full hour doing every bicep and tricep exercise imaginable. They do set-after-set, week-after-week with nothing to show but the same skinny noodle arms. What they fail to realize is that for maximum muscle growth and strength, the biceps and triceps require very little direct stimulation!
Do me a favour and take a close close at the size of your thigh. Now compare the size of your thigh to the size of your bicep. Does it make sense to spend the same amount of time training arms versus your legs when your legs are over 4x as big? Of course not! Now compare the overall size of your back to the overall size of your arms. Now compare the size of your overall chest to the size of your overall arms. You should now realize that a larger muscle group should be trained differently than a smaller muscle group.
Focus the majority of your training on the large muscle groups – that is chest, back, shoulders and legs. Focus on increasing the strength and size in these big muscle groups and rest assured, building muscle in your arms will become easier.
Now hear me out. I'm not saying that direct arm training is a waste. I'm simply leading you to discover that less is often more when training small muscle groups such as your bi's and tri's.
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #3 – Not Focusing On Getting Stronger
I can't count how many times I have down a fitness consultation with a young new trainee and bring up the idea of including a strength cycle early in the program and he instantly fires back, “But I don't care about how much I can lift, I just want to get ripped and muscular.”
I get his short attention span back by stating, “Building muscle will almost always follow if you simply focus on getting stronger, I mean getting really stronger.” Unfortunately, training to get stronger seems to no longer be apart of the average trainees training regime.
Since the fitness industry has become more commercialized with balls, balance pads, fancy selectorized equipment and ridiculous infomercials, people have neglected the necessary time building requirements to build a solid foundation for long term success. Including bodybuilders.
Consider that the stronger you become the more sets and reps you will be able to lift for more specialized movements. The better your technique. The faster your recovery. The longer and harder you will be able to train. And rest assured, when you get stronger from week to week, the muscle mass will follow!
Don't believe me? Next time you go to your gym check out who the biggest guys are. Don't be surprised if they are also the strongest. Have you ever seen anybody will a small frame who can deadlift four plates, squat three plates, bench press two plates or curl 1 plate (per side respectively).
I didn't think so!
Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com
He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vince_DelMonte
There are dozens of muscle building mistakes that we all fall victim to which results in bringing you progress to a complete halt. Don't be too hard on yourself, because like all things in life, building muscle is a learning process. That does not mean you must forfeit years of personal trail and error when we can learn the mistakes of seasoned trainers who walked before us.
Here are the first three biggest and baddest ways to building muscle the wrong way. Erase these mistakes from your thought process and you will be one step closer to earning beach body worthy status:
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #1 – Skipping Out On Your Cardio
Before you disagree take note that I was once a long distance triathlon and running champion so my cardiovascular standards and perceptions of 'fit' are much higher than your local trainers or expert bodybuilding author. It drives me crazy when I hear fitness experts preaching that weight training is just as good for keeping your heart and lungs in prime condition. Who are they kidding?
Weight training, designed for bodybuilding, is almost useless for stimulating your cardiovascular system. Bodybuilding style weight training for your cardio is just about as good as spending the day playing video games. Sure, I know your leg training workouts and super sets make you feel like you sprinted up the street for 100 m but this is far cry from a optimal cardio system.
Do not buy into the latest fad that cardio will kill any chance of building muscle. Cardio must be in your program even if your goal is maximal muscle gain and you are the skinniest of skinny. Aerobics plays a vital role in building muscle and has been shown to speed up recovery from weight training by transporting oxygen and blood flow to the muscles.
The circulatory system is developed because more oxygen is pushed through your blood resulting in a greater number and size of blood vessels. Since there is a greater cardiovascular density of blood vessels, your circulatory system has more 'supply routes' to shuttle oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues, including muscles, and shuttle away waste products that can slow muscle growth, repair and recovery. In the end, this means you will create a more optimal environment for building muscle!
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #2 – Overtraining The Biceps And Triceps
I'll bet any money that you would do almost anything for a set of sleeve-stretching set of arms. Any money that you would do almost anything for a pair of bulging biceps and rock-hard triceps!
Interestingly, every time I 'm at my gym, I see small and weak dudes spending a full hour doing every bicep and tricep exercise imaginable. They do set-after-set, week-after-week with nothing to show but the same skinny noodle arms. What they fail to realize is that for maximum muscle growth and strength, the biceps and triceps require very little direct stimulation!
Do me a favour and take a close close at the size of your thigh. Now compare the size of your thigh to the size of your bicep. Does it make sense to spend the same amount of time training arms versus your legs when your legs are over 4x as big? Of course not! Now compare the overall size of your back to the overall size of your arms. Now compare the size of your overall chest to the size of your overall arms. You should now realize that a larger muscle group should be trained differently than a smaller muscle group.
Focus the majority of your training on the large muscle groups – that is chest, back, shoulders and legs. Focus on increasing the strength and size in these big muscle groups and rest assured, building muscle in your arms will become easier.
Now hear me out. I'm not saying that direct arm training is a waste. I'm simply leading you to discover that less is often more when training small muscle groups such as your bi's and tri's.
Building Muscle The Wrong Way #3 – Not Focusing On Getting Stronger
I can't count how many times I have down a fitness consultation with a young new trainee and bring up the idea of including a strength cycle early in the program and he instantly fires back, “But I don't care about how much I can lift, I just want to get ripped and muscular.”
I get his short attention span back by stating, “Building muscle will almost always follow if you simply focus on getting stronger, I mean getting really stronger.” Unfortunately, training to get stronger seems to no longer be apart of the average trainees training regime.
Since the fitness industry has become more commercialized with balls, balance pads, fancy selectorized equipment and ridiculous infomercials, people have neglected the necessary time building requirements to build a solid foundation for long term success. Including bodybuilders.
Consider that the stronger you become the more sets and reps you will be able to lift for more specialized movements. The better your technique. The faster your recovery. The longer and harder you will be able to train. And rest assured, when you get stronger from week to week, the muscle mass will follow!
Don't believe me? Next time you go to your gym check out who the biggest guys are. Don't be surprised if they are also the strongest. Have you ever seen anybody will a small frame who can deadlift four plates, squat three plates, bench press two plates or curl 1 plate (per side respectively).
I didn't think so!
Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com
He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vince_DelMonte
Wednesday 6 January 2010
7 Body Building Tips To Improve All Body Building Programs
These body building tips are very important to your success because in addition to making almost all body building programs much better, they will also help you to prevent common injuries that a lot of bodybuilders suffer from.
When it comes to body building or any physical activity you have to be ready for the possibility of an injury and do everything possible to prevent one from occurring in the first place.
That's what these body building tips will do for you.
If you ignore this possibility or train in such a way that you are putting yourself at risk you'll never reach your goals. Any injury even one that is very minor can lessen the effectiveness of your body building programs and prevent you from training altogether.
Let's take a look at how to prevent injuries from happening and how what the best methods are for quick recovery if you do experience an injury.
Here are some body building tips that work just as good for beginners as they do for the more experienced bodybuilders.
Body Building Tips # 1: Prevention is the best medicine.
You've heard body building tips like this one before because it's true. You can prevent most injuries in the gym from occurring in the first place. Keep your mind on what you're doing and go to the gym with a plan.
If you're just walking from one exercise to another with no clear goals or plan in mind you will eventually injure yourself. This can occur when you create a muscle imbalance.
For example, if you always work your quadriceps (the muscles on the front of your thigh) and don't work your hamstrings (the muscles on the back of your thigh) in the same manner, you will create a muscle imbalance.
You will have one stronger muscle pulling against a weaker muscle. In this case, you will likely injure you knee.
Body Building Tips # 2: Warm up properly.
Warm up before you lift weights and do it every time you go to the gym. Regardless if you're doing high reps with light weights or low reps with heavy weights, you must adequately warm your muscles.
Start by doing 5 - 10 minutes of light cardio work on a stationary bike or treadmill. Then before each exercise take approximately 40% of the weight you'll be using and do a couple sets of 10 - 12 reps.
Body Building Tips # 3: When to stretch. Do your stretching at the end of your workout for best results. The more flexible you are the less likely you are to get injured during a lift. It also reduces recovery time.
Body Building Tips # 4: Always use proper weight lifting techniques.
Using a proper weight lifting technique on each and every lift on all of your weight lifting exercises is crucial when bodybuilding.
Improper weight lifting techniques include bouncing or jerking motions and even using an unsafe grip. Performing your body building programs like this can cause your muscles to over extend, among other things, resulting in an injury.
If you are not using proper weight lifting techniques 100% of the time you will at the very least not make the gains you are capable of. In addition, the possibility of injury greatly increases.
Injury caused by a failure to adhere to proper lifting techniques can range from ligament & tendon strains to more severe injuries such as a tearing of the muscle itself.
Body Building Tips # 5: Stay focused on what you are doing.
If you are not focused on what you are doing you will not be able to push your body enough in order to make positive gains. A lack of concentration or becoming distracted can result in serious injury as well.
Constantly staring at members of the opposite sex or talking with friends during body building programs has led to many people hurting themselves over the years.
You also run the risk of injuring someone else in the gym.
Almost all body building programs will require a period of lifting heavy weights. During these weight lifting exercises you have to concentrate and pay close attention to everything you are doing, from the second you walk into the gym until you leave.
Body Building Tips # 6: Don't wait for any body building injury to get worse. Rehabilitate as soon as possible.
One of the biggest mistakes most body builders make is not getting the proper treatment immediately. In addition, if you feel even the most minor amount of discomfort during any body building exercise, stop and leave the gym.
If you continue on with any body building programs after a minor injury, you could make the injury much worse. It's much better to leave the gym early rather than make the situation worse and end up missing many weeks of training.
Injuries that can be considered very slight will usually just require a day or so of rest and maybe application of ice. If you suffer a more severe injury then you need to consult a doctor just to be on the safe side.
Body Building Tips # 7: Use specific supplements.
There are some body builder supplements available that may help to strengthen joints, repair minor injuries and get you back on your body building programs much quicker.
Key body builder supplements will enhance recovery and support your body building efforts
These body building tips are basic but they are also very important. Incorporate all of these body building tips into your routine and you'll see better results and avoid injury.
Patrick Mckeeman has very quick, easy & effective health & fitness solutions for you. For extensive information on body building tips & information on good body building programs please go to: http://www.man-health-fitness-solutions.com/body-building-tips.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Mckeeman
When it comes to body building or any physical activity you have to be ready for the possibility of an injury and do everything possible to prevent one from occurring in the first place.
That's what these body building tips will do for you.
If you ignore this possibility or train in such a way that you are putting yourself at risk you'll never reach your goals. Any injury even one that is very minor can lessen the effectiveness of your body building programs and prevent you from training altogether.
Let's take a look at how to prevent injuries from happening and how what the best methods are for quick recovery if you do experience an injury.
Here are some body building tips that work just as good for beginners as they do for the more experienced bodybuilders.
Body Building Tips # 1: Prevention is the best medicine.
You've heard body building tips like this one before because it's true. You can prevent most injuries in the gym from occurring in the first place. Keep your mind on what you're doing and go to the gym with a plan.
If you're just walking from one exercise to another with no clear goals or plan in mind you will eventually injure yourself. This can occur when you create a muscle imbalance.
For example, if you always work your quadriceps (the muscles on the front of your thigh) and don't work your hamstrings (the muscles on the back of your thigh) in the same manner, you will create a muscle imbalance.
You will have one stronger muscle pulling against a weaker muscle. In this case, you will likely injure you knee.
Body Building Tips # 2: Warm up properly.
Warm up before you lift weights and do it every time you go to the gym. Regardless if you're doing high reps with light weights or low reps with heavy weights, you must adequately warm your muscles.
Start by doing 5 - 10 minutes of light cardio work on a stationary bike or treadmill. Then before each exercise take approximately 40% of the weight you'll be using and do a couple sets of 10 - 12 reps.
Body Building Tips # 3: When to stretch. Do your stretching at the end of your workout for best results. The more flexible you are the less likely you are to get injured during a lift. It also reduces recovery time.
Body Building Tips # 4: Always use proper weight lifting techniques.
Using a proper weight lifting technique on each and every lift on all of your weight lifting exercises is crucial when bodybuilding.
Improper weight lifting techniques include bouncing or jerking motions and even using an unsafe grip. Performing your body building programs like this can cause your muscles to over extend, among other things, resulting in an injury.
If you are not using proper weight lifting techniques 100% of the time you will at the very least not make the gains you are capable of. In addition, the possibility of injury greatly increases.
Injury caused by a failure to adhere to proper lifting techniques can range from ligament & tendon strains to more severe injuries such as a tearing of the muscle itself.
Body Building Tips # 5: Stay focused on what you are doing.
If you are not focused on what you are doing you will not be able to push your body enough in order to make positive gains. A lack of concentration or becoming distracted can result in serious injury as well.
Constantly staring at members of the opposite sex or talking with friends during body building programs has led to many people hurting themselves over the years.
You also run the risk of injuring someone else in the gym.
Almost all body building programs will require a period of lifting heavy weights. During these weight lifting exercises you have to concentrate and pay close attention to everything you are doing, from the second you walk into the gym until you leave.
Body Building Tips # 6: Don't wait for any body building injury to get worse. Rehabilitate as soon as possible.
One of the biggest mistakes most body builders make is not getting the proper treatment immediately. In addition, if you feel even the most minor amount of discomfort during any body building exercise, stop and leave the gym.
If you continue on with any body building programs after a minor injury, you could make the injury much worse. It's much better to leave the gym early rather than make the situation worse and end up missing many weeks of training.
Injuries that can be considered very slight will usually just require a day or so of rest and maybe application of ice. If you suffer a more severe injury then you need to consult a doctor just to be on the safe side.
Body Building Tips # 7: Use specific supplements.
There are some body builder supplements available that may help to strengthen joints, repair minor injuries and get you back on your body building programs much quicker.
Key body builder supplements will enhance recovery and support your body building efforts
These body building tips are basic but they are also very important. Incorporate all of these body building tips into your routine and you'll see better results and avoid injury.
Patrick Mckeeman has very quick, easy & effective health & fitness solutions for you. For extensive information on body building tips & information on good body building programs please go to: http://www.man-health-fitness-solutions.com/body-building-tips.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Mckeeman
Sunday 3 January 2010
Build Muscle Fast - 4 Tips For Super Fast Muscle Building
Are you ready for your January 2010 muscle building goals? Start getting ready for the new year and your new workout program to build muscle fast by adding a few of these top muscle building tips to help you succeed. Building muscle takes hard work and dedication but it also takes using smart techniques so that you don't waste your time in the gym. Here are 3 tips to help you build muscle. Fast muscle building makes it more fun!
BCAA's
Branched Chain Amino Acids are the 3 most broken down amino acids in muscle tissue during a workout. To build muscle fast a good strategy is to make sure you are supplementing with extra BCAA's during your workout. They are part of any protein but a very popular ratio is 4:1:1 or 4 parts leucine, 1 part isoleucine, and 1 part valine. Cheaper versions will have lower levels of leucine and that is the amino that has really been proven to help promote muscle recovery for fast growth. Add BCAA's before your workout and during to speed up recovery and promote an environment to build muscle fast.
Protein Timing for Muscle Building
Everyone talks about how you need a high protein diet to gain muscle mass but the truth has been greatly exaggerated and you don't need as much as you think. The best way to build muscle fast with protein is by timing the consumption correctly. There is a 1 hour window after your workout in which the body needs a lot of protein for recovery. This is the most important protein meal of the day and you need a fast digesting protein. Use whey protein as it will digest the fastest and get to your muscles for optimal recovery and muscle building.
Sleep for Better Recovery and Muscle Building Hormones
A lot of people can get by on not that much sleep and only get anywhere from 6 to 7 hours per night. Even though you may feel like you function fine without getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep it is a muscle recovery killer. The hormones in your body are largely responsible for your muscle growth and proper sleep is needed to keep them at peak levels.
A lack of sleep will increase the stress hormone cortisol and this eats away at muscle tissue and adds fat to the midsection. Then fat on the midsection decreases insulin sensitivity making muscle building even tougher. Reduce cortisol by getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. Plenty of sleep will also ensure release of growth hormone which will keep you leaner and more muscular. Optimize your hormones through sleep and muscle building will accelerate.
High Frequency Training
We have now touched on supplements, protein timing, and sleep so now it's time to talk about training for optimal muscle growth. Don't be afraid to ramp up your training frequency from time to time by training your muscles more often. Too many guys are stuck on the one body part a day or once a week method and suffer from slow and non existent gains.
Try high frequency training for 3 weeks for a super muscle building blitz. My favorite HFT program is by Chad Waterbury in his 10 10 Transformation. He has two separate 3 week high frequency training workouts that will build 5 pounds of muscle in only 3 weeks. Do both of these workouts and you are 10 pounds bigger. Whenever I am starting to plateau I bring out the HFT workouts and my interest in building muscle reignites as I see rapid results. It is a lot more fun going to the gym when you build muscle fast so try these techniques and see what you can do in 2010.
Build Muscle Fast with This High Frequency Training Program
Try the most effective workouts for a total body transformation with the 10 Pounds of Muscle Transformation.
Check out some other top picks here and read these Muscle Building Workout Program Reviews to help you find the right system to deliver results.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Porter
BCAA's
Branched Chain Amino Acids are the 3 most broken down amino acids in muscle tissue during a workout. To build muscle fast a good strategy is to make sure you are supplementing with extra BCAA's during your workout. They are part of any protein but a very popular ratio is 4:1:1 or 4 parts leucine, 1 part isoleucine, and 1 part valine. Cheaper versions will have lower levels of leucine and that is the amino that has really been proven to help promote muscle recovery for fast growth. Add BCAA's before your workout and during to speed up recovery and promote an environment to build muscle fast.
Protein Timing for Muscle Building
Everyone talks about how you need a high protein diet to gain muscle mass but the truth has been greatly exaggerated and you don't need as much as you think. The best way to build muscle fast with protein is by timing the consumption correctly. There is a 1 hour window after your workout in which the body needs a lot of protein for recovery. This is the most important protein meal of the day and you need a fast digesting protein. Use whey protein as it will digest the fastest and get to your muscles for optimal recovery and muscle building.
Sleep for Better Recovery and Muscle Building Hormones
A lot of people can get by on not that much sleep and only get anywhere from 6 to 7 hours per night. Even though you may feel like you function fine without getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep it is a muscle recovery killer. The hormones in your body are largely responsible for your muscle growth and proper sleep is needed to keep them at peak levels.
A lack of sleep will increase the stress hormone cortisol and this eats away at muscle tissue and adds fat to the midsection. Then fat on the midsection decreases insulin sensitivity making muscle building even tougher. Reduce cortisol by getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. Plenty of sleep will also ensure release of growth hormone which will keep you leaner and more muscular. Optimize your hormones through sleep and muscle building will accelerate.
High Frequency Training
We have now touched on supplements, protein timing, and sleep so now it's time to talk about training for optimal muscle growth. Don't be afraid to ramp up your training frequency from time to time by training your muscles more often. Too many guys are stuck on the one body part a day or once a week method and suffer from slow and non existent gains.
Try high frequency training for 3 weeks for a super muscle building blitz. My favorite HFT program is by Chad Waterbury in his 10 10 Transformation. He has two separate 3 week high frequency training workouts that will build 5 pounds of muscle in only 3 weeks. Do both of these workouts and you are 10 pounds bigger. Whenever I am starting to plateau I bring out the HFT workouts and my interest in building muscle reignites as I see rapid results. It is a lot more fun going to the gym when you build muscle fast so try these techniques and see what you can do in 2010.
Build Muscle Fast with This High Frequency Training Program
Try the most effective workouts for a total body transformation with the 10 Pounds of Muscle Transformation.
Check out some other top picks here and read these Muscle Building Workout Program Reviews to help you find the right system to deliver results.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Porter
Muscle Building Tips - What Can I Do to Build Muscle Faster?
If this information does not help you get some muscle building progress started, than nothing will!
For a long time, I have watched people enter the gym, with the goal to build muscle mass, but find themselves in a constant struggle to achieve their bodybuilding goals. From listening to late night infomercials, listening to the gym rats, or just simply searching the internet for a website to answer their questions...
People are trying to build muscle mass, but are being fed misinformation, and this is exactly what happens when "Non Bodybuilders" start talking about how to build muscle mass.
You want to build, but are taking information in, from people who barely do any weight lifting at all, and are more into the idea of making money by promoting their products.
So what do you do? Well... Turn off your T.V., close your magazine, and read this!
Muscle building has a formula, and it takes time and patience to achieve your goals. The second you hear someone tell you "build muscle fast", you will know they are a phony! Or if you hear someone tell you that you can gain 15 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks... You should no better than to believe something that far fetched... I make the claim that you can build muscle faster than what you are right now, but by no means do I make the claim that muscle building happens fast! Anyone who has a clue on how to build muscle would never make such a claim!
Muscle building has a formula and it contains 3 parts:
1. Intense muscle building, done by weight lifting over months or years of dedicated, consistent weight training.
2. Diet - Eating healthy, and continuing to eat healthy over a long period of time. You cannot eat fast food all day, and then have a side salad and convince yourself that you are doing good.
3. Recuperation. You do not build muscle in the gym. I bet you didn't know that. You build muscle when you allow your muscle to recuperate. So, workout every other day.
Now if you are serious about weight lifting, and you are beginning to understand what it takes to build your best body, keep reading...
My success to building muscle has come down to the routines, and my eating strategy to allow me to put on pounds of muscle. And one way to approach your routines is to have variety. Make sure that when you are weight lifting, that you offer your muscles different exercises to effectively build and sculpt ever angle of the muscle.
Attempt 4 exercises for each muscle. Only workout each muscle once a week, nothing more. That will actually help you build muscle faster, because the muscle will have time to rebuild. Remember, the building process takes place when you are recuperating.
Day 1 - Chest, Back, Abs.
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - Biceps, Triceps.
Day 4- Off
Day 5 - Legs, Shoulders.
Day 6 - Off
Day 7 - Take a day off, or repeat Day 1.
Now this is an example, but if you approach your routines in a similar manner, you will build muscle a lot faster!
Now let's build you a workout routine: http://www.how2muscleguide.com/workout-routines.html a must read!
You've heard of Yahoo Answers right? Well check this out! Ask a muscle building question and have it answered immediately! http://www.how2muscleguide.com/muscle-building-questions.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_O
For a long time, I have watched people enter the gym, with the goal to build muscle mass, but find themselves in a constant struggle to achieve their bodybuilding goals. From listening to late night infomercials, listening to the gym rats, or just simply searching the internet for a website to answer their questions...
People are trying to build muscle mass, but are being fed misinformation, and this is exactly what happens when "Non Bodybuilders" start talking about how to build muscle mass.
You want to build, but are taking information in, from people who barely do any weight lifting at all, and are more into the idea of making money by promoting their products.
So what do you do? Well... Turn off your T.V., close your magazine, and read this!
Muscle building has a formula, and it takes time and patience to achieve your goals. The second you hear someone tell you "build muscle fast", you will know they are a phony! Or if you hear someone tell you that you can gain 15 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks... You should no better than to believe something that far fetched... I make the claim that you can build muscle faster than what you are right now, but by no means do I make the claim that muscle building happens fast! Anyone who has a clue on how to build muscle would never make such a claim!
Muscle building has a formula and it contains 3 parts:
1. Intense muscle building, done by weight lifting over months or years of dedicated, consistent weight training.
2. Diet - Eating healthy, and continuing to eat healthy over a long period of time. You cannot eat fast food all day, and then have a side salad and convince yourself that you are doing good.
3. Recuperation. You do not build muscle in the gym. I bet you didn't know that. You build muscle when you allow your muscle to recuperate. So, workout every other day.
Now if you are serious about weight lifting, and you are beginning to understand what it takes to build your best body, keep reading...
My success to building muscle has come down to the routines, and my eating strategy to allow me to put on pounds of muscle. And one way to approach your routines is to have variety. Make sure that when you are weight lifting, that you offer your muscles different exercises to effectively build and sculpt ever angle of the muscle.
Attempt 4 exercises for each muscle. Only workout each muscle once a week, nothing more. That will actually help you build muscle faster, because the muscle will have time to rebuild. Remember, the building process takes place when you are recuperating.
Day 1 - Chest, Back, Abs.
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - Biceps, Triceps.
Day 4- Off
Day 5 - Legs, Shoulders.
Day 6 - Off
Day 7 - Take a day off, or repeat Day 1.
Now this is an example, but if you approach your routines in a similar manner, you will build muscle a lot faster!
Now let's build you a workout routine: http://www.how2muscleguide.com/workout-routines.html a must read!
You've heard of Yahoo Answers right? Well check this out! Ask a muscle building question and have it answered immediately! http://www.how2muscleguide.com/muscle-building-questions.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_O
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