By Barry Cross
To build quality muscle fast as a natural bodybuilder you need to be consistent and disciplined with your eating habits. A natural diet for bodybuilding will get you amazing results as long as you plan ahead and have the right knowledge as well. This article will cover 4 tips to help you boost your muscle growth in the shortest time possible.
Natural Diet For Bodybuilding Tip # 1:
- Protein foods & amounts - Aim to consume 1 - 1.5 grammes of protein per day per pound of your body weight as this is vital for repairing torn down muscle tissue. Around 40 grammes of protein per meal is a good guide as your body can only assimilate so much in one sitting. Don't forget protein is valuable as it burns twice as much energy as carbohydrates do.
Don't skimp on quality and go for lean meats like turkey, chicken and ground beef etc. Fish can be orange roughy, tuna and salmon. As for dairy choose skimmed cheeses, cottage cheese and yogurt. Egg whites are a great fat & carb free protein form. When your life is hectic go for whey protein shakes to mix with water for convenience.
Natural Diet For Bodybuilding Tip # 2:
- Good carbohydrates - You will need to source some quality carbs from a variety of low glycemic index, complex and high fiber ones versus the simple carbs which are just loaded with sugar. The latter can be found in junk food, fast food, fried food and processed food. Complex carbohydrates are the key ones as they release a slower and long lasting energy which is required for your intense training. Just keep a close eye on your intake of complex carbs as if you have too many they can increase the size of your waistline. If this happens you have 2 options, either add a few cardio sessions or cut back on your carb intake.
Natural Diet For Bodybuilding Tip # 3:
- Eat the right fats - A good 20 - 30 % of your diet should be consumed with fats, but they must be the correct fats. At all costs avoid trans fats and aim to eat a good combination of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The right fats are a key fundamental in boosting your testosterone levels for muscle growth.
Natural Diet For Bodybuilding Tip # 4:
- Your biggest meal times - Without doubt the best time to eat your 3 biggest meals are at breakfast and before and after your workouts. We will not get into nutrition timing within this article but you will get the best results from following this principle.
Building muscle fast naturally is easy when you know how.
Get a hot looking strong body. Train, eat, rest and learn here: rel=nofollow build muscle fast http://www.fastmusclebuilding.info
Barry Cross has 30 years experience in bodybuilding/health/fitness/wellness and the weight loss arena.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
What Carbohydrates are Best for Bodybuilding?
by: Barry Richardson
When you are on a muscle-building program, carbohydrates provide very important nutrients. It’s important to know what carbohydrates are best for bodybuilding because they are our bodies’ main source of fuel. Since they aid in the absorption of protein and help prevent catabolism, they should be included in every meal you eat.
Besides providing fuel for your brain and muscles, carbohydrates also have another important function. They help maintain an ideal environment in your body by raising levels of testosterone and insulin.
However, eating high-glycemic carbohydrates results in an insulin spike. While you should avoid this at other times of the day, this insulin spike plays an important role after a workout or in the morning. At any other time of the day, an insulin spike causes your body to deposit excess blood sugar into your fat cells.
For this reason most of the carbohydrates you eat should be of the low-glycemic type. Such carbs break down slowly and provide your body with a slow, sustained release of sugar. This provision lasts throughout the day. In so doing, they moderate your insulin and blood sugar levels, which keeps you from storing excess fat. It also maintains energy levels.
To tell whether a carbohydrate is high-glycemic or low-glycemic, you can use the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic index is a chart that rates carbohydrates depending on the speed at which they increase blood sugar levels, within two hours after consumption. These rankings vary from 0 to 100.
This is one of the most accurate ways of telling if you’re eating the correct bodybuilding carbs.
Regarding the glycemic index, high GI ranks aren’t necessarily bad for you, it's just that natural carbohydrates with low GI rankings usually make the best bodybuilding carbs. The reason for this is that when you eat high GI foods in combination with other foods, it does not cause your insulin levels to spike.
What really changes the GI effects in your body is eating carbohydrates with other food sources like proteins and fats. Therefore, it’s not always wise to blindly follow the Glycemic Index when choosing which carbohydrates to include in your diet.
Your diet should include foods like oatmeal, potatoes, yams, brown rice and whole grains; these help you get the correct bodybuilding carbs because they contain natural, unrefined carbohydrates. When they are part of a full meal, these foods will have a negligible effect on blood sugar levels because they will break down slowly.
You should also include other bodybuilding carbs in your diet like low fat dairy products and fresh fruits. Vegetables are also good, but they’re not the best choice when you want to maximize your calorie-burning without over-eating; they’re not as high in caloric value.
Only eat refined carbohydrates on rare occasions.
When you are on a muscle-building program, carbohydrates provide very important nutrients. It’s important to know what carbohydrates are best for bodybuilding because they are our bodies’ main source of fuel. Since they aid in the absorption of protein and help prevent catabolism, they should be included in every meal you eat.
Besides providing fuel for your brain and muscles, carbohydrates also have another important function. They help maintain an ideal environment in your body by raising levels of testosterone and insulin.
However, eating high-glycemic carbohydrates results in an insulin spike. While you should avoid this at other times of the day, this insulin spike plays an important role after a workout or in the morning. At any other time of the day, an insulin spike causes your body to deposit excess blood sugar into your fat cells.
For this reason most of the carbohydrates you eat should be of the low-glycemic type. Such carbs break down slowly and provide your body with a slow, sustained release of sugar. This provision lasts throughout the day. In so doing, they moderate your insulin and blood sugar levels, which keeps you from storing excess fat. It also maintains energy levels.
To tell whether a carbohydrate is high-glycemic or low-glycemic, you can use the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic index is a chart that rates carbohydrates depending on the speed at which they increase blood sugar levels, within two hours after consumption. These rankings vary from 0 to 100.
This is one of the most accurate ways of telling if you’re eating the correct bodybuilding carbs.
Regarding the glycemic index, high GI ranks aren’t necessarily bad for you, it's just that natural carbohydrates with low GI rankings usually make the best bodybuilding carbs. The reason for this is that when you eat high GI foods in combination with other foods, it does not cause your insulin levels to spike.
What really changes the GI effects in your body is eating carbohydrates with other food sources like proteins and fats. Therefore, it’s not always wise to blindly follow the Glycemic Index when choosing which carbohydrates to include in your diet.
Your diet should include foods like oatmeal, potatoes, yams, brown rice and whole grains; these help you get the correct bodybuilding carbs because they contain natural, unrefined carbohydrates. When they are part of a full meal, these foods will have a negligible effect on blood sugar levels because they will break down slowly.
You should also include other bodybuilding carbs in your diet like low fat dairy products and fresh fruits. Vegetables are also good, but they’re not the best choice when you want to maximize your calorie-burning without over-eating; they’re not as high in caloric value.
Only eat refined carbohydrates on rare occasions.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
How to Increase Muscle Mass
By Donald Guerra
There are various websites, magazines and even e-books that are dedicated to exploring new ways to increase muscle mass. Of course, some work better than others, but in theory, most systems are all the same. There is basic process that all systems will use which is to bulk up, work out and then to rest. Of course along the way, factors such as dieting and hydration play extremely important roles as well, but the below process is the basic outline of what should come into play when aiming to increase muscle mass.
Bulk up
Bulking up is generally the first part of the process when deciding to increase muscle mass. Basically, if you feel that there is not enough flesh on your body to be converted to muscle, then bulking up will allow you to convert the new mass, into muscle, a lot easier.
The bulking up process is extremely simple, as it involves it increasing calorie intake. Most people tend to increase their calorie intake by around 10-15% to achieve the best results. Protein is an extremely important part of dieting. In general individuals should aim to consume somewhere in the region of 1 gram of protein, for every 1lb of their body weight, every single day.
Work Out
Remember to keep up with your diet when moving onto the work out. This involves working intensely on certain parts of the body. Increase intensity and length of the exercise as your body becomes accustomed to it. Of course, don't over exercise, as this won't do your body any good and the chances that you will be able to increase muscle mass will be greatly reduced. Instead, follow advice from health professionals or gym instructors.
Rest
Resting is one of the most important parts of the process when aiming to increase muscle mass. Many people decide to work through their rest days, in an effort to build up muscle faster. In fact, this is actually the wrong thing to do. Rest allows muscles to repair and grow, so all you will be doing by working out throughout these periods is not allowing that to happen. Protein is something that helps the above process, as it helps muscles to repair and grow, hence why so many supplements are advertised as 'high in protein'. As mentioned, rest is key to increase muscle mass, so it is wise to try and get 8-9 hours sleep every single night.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
There are various websites, magazines and even e-books that are dedicated to exploring new ways to increase muscle mass. Of course, some work better than others, but in theory, most systems are all the same. There is basic process that all systems will use which is to bulk up, work out and then to rest. Of course along the way, factors such as dieting and hydration play extremely important roles as well, but the below process is the basic outline of what should come into play when aiming to increase muscle mass.
Bulk up
Bulking up is generally the first part of the process when deciding to increase muscle mass. Basically, if you feel that there is not enough flesh on your body to be converted to muscle, then bulking up will allow you to convert the new mass, into muscle, a lot easier.
The bulking up process is extremely simple, as it involves it increasing calorie intake. Most people tend to increase their calorie intake by around 10-15% to achieve the best results. Protein is an extremely important part of dieting. In general individuals should aim to consume somewhere in the region of 1 gram of protein, for every 1lb of their body weight, every single day.
Work Out
Remember to keep up with your diet when moving onto the work out. This involves working intensely on certain parts of the body. Increase intensity and length of the exercise as your body becomes accustomed to it. Of course, don't over exercise, as this won't do your body any good and the chances that you will be able to increase muscle mass will be greatly reduced. Instead, follow advice from health professionals or gym instructors.
Rest
Resting is one of the most important parts of the process when aiming to increase muscle mass. Many people decide to work through their rest days, in an effort to build up muscle faster. In fact, this is actually the wrong thing to do. Rest allows muscles to repair and grow, so all you will be doing by working out throughout these periods is not allowing that to happen. Protein is something that helps the above process, as it helps muscles to repair and grow, hence why so many supplements are advertised as 'high in protein'. As mentioned, rest is key to increase muscle mass, so it is wise to try and get 8-9 hours sleep every single night.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Increasing Your Metabolism to Gain Muscles
By Irsan Komarga
Enrolling yourself to a muscle exercise program is one better way to gain more muscles. But you don't have to limit yourself in doing such way alone. You also have to have a proper diet. You don't have to cut off your daily calorie intake. You just have to prioritize more on foods which could dramatically increase your metabolism.
One way to know what foods to eat which could increase your metabolism is to consult a dietitian. A professional dietitian will provide you a complete list of proper meal combination of which you can follow at home. A certain level of calorie intake is required in order for you to keep up with your daily workout routines at the gym.
Getting rid of your excess fats may seem slow on process. You may notice that you don't lose weight at all. Well, think again my friend. Actually, you are losing several amounts of fats. Your weight would more likely have fewer changes for you are also gaining muscles at the same time. Keep in mind that as you gain muscles, you also gain weight.
Increasing your metabolism is very important when you are trying to get buff. When your metabolism is increased, you will have more energy in keeping up with your daily workout exercises. Even when you're sleeping you need energy. So just imagine how much energy you need when you're doing your workout.
You will need all the energy to be able to work on your muscles efficiently. Heavy weight lifting all day long requires more energy than you could ever imagine. Strength training is also a very strenuous routine which could be quite tiring. So you see how important energy is in gaining muscles? It is the core to help you achieve your goal of being buff.
Hard work and much dedication to your workouts and other measures you have to do for muscle growth are very essential in order for you to achieve your goal. You have to be focused and disciplined to every aspect there is. You don't give up easily when you feel tired and weary. One way to cope up with frustrations is to take it as a challenge and going for more.
So work your way in gaining muscles with the proper diet. Both aspects work hand in hand for you to gain muscles with much pleasure and less pressure.
Irsan's passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at [http://www.acuvuecontactlenses.org]acuvue contact lenses which contains reviews on [http://www.acuvuecontactlenses.org/contact-lense.html]contact lense and other information about contact lenses.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
Enrolling yourself to a muscle exercise program is one better way to gain more muscles. But you don't have to limit yourself in doing such way alone. You also have to have a proper diet. You don't have to cut off your daily calorie intake. You just have to prioritize more on foods which could dramatically increase your metabolism.
One way to know what foods to eat which could increase your metabolism is to consult a dietitian. A professional dietitian will provide you a complete list of proper meal combination of which you can follow at home. A certain level of calorie intake is required in order for you to keep up with your daily workout routines at the gym.
Getting rid of your excess fats may seem slow on process. You may notice that you don't lose weight at all. Well, think again my friend. Actually, you are losing several amounts of fats. Your weight would more likely have fewer changes for you are also gaining muscles at the same time. Keep in mind that as you gain muscles, you also gain weight.
Increasing your metabolism is very important when you are trying to get buff. When your metabolism is increased, you will have more energy in keeping up with your daily workout exercises. Even when you're sleeping you need energy. So just imagine how much energy you need when you're doing your workout.
You will need all the energy to be able to work on your muscles efficiently. Heavy weight lifting all day long requires more energy than you could ever imagine. Strength training is also a very strenuous routine which could be quite tiring. So you see how important energy is in gaining muscles? It is the core to help you achieve your goal of being buff.
Hard work and much dedication to your workouts and other measures you have to do for muscle growth are very essential in order for you to achieve your goal. You have to be focused and disciplined to every aspect there is. You don't give up easily when you feel tired and weary. One way to cope up with frustrations is to take it as a challenge and going for more.
So work your way in gaining muscles with the proper diet. Both aspects work hand in hand for you to gain muscles with much pleasure and less pressure.
Irsan's passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at [http://www.acuvuecontactlenses.org]acuvue contact lenses which contains reviews on [http://www.acuvuecontactlenses.org/contact-lense.html]contact lense and other information about contact lenses.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
4 Muscle Building Mistakes - Are You Making Them?
By Roger Ruzzier
With so many people becoming aware of the importance of building lean muscle to maintain a healthier body and just look good, why are so many people failing to achieve their muscle building goals too? We'll discuss some of the common muscle building mistakes made by people wanting to get a well built body.
1. Giving up before allowing your body to get stronger, bigger!
Building lean muscle mass will take time. Period. I don't care who you are, while some people may find that they put on muscle easier, they will still have to work for it. Instant gratification isn't going to happen, and it's certainly not going to happen over night. There are no shortcuts here, if you want to build raw muscle you'll need patience, persistence and just plain hard work. No special diet, exercise machine or supplement will ever replace those three factor, so ensure you stick to it, and don't give up.
2. Allowing too much testosterone to take over
I've seen it so many times where younger less developed guys or beginners trying to build muscle will check out the muscle bound bloke on the bench and try and match his weight. All to find that he can lift the bar and the moment it hit's his chest he can't even lift it off after just one rep. Testosterone is good and it helps us build muscle, but too much will lead to showing off and it will just get you in trouble. Injury can occur and more commonly cheating to move the weights which is just counterproductive can cause you to target the wrong muscle for the specific exercise, meaning less gains. Everyone's different so try and beat your previous best and not someone elses.
3. Not keep track
That leads me to the next point of keeping a journal. Keeping a journal where you see what weight you lifted last week and trying to increase the load each week is the only way you'll see the results and keep progressing. Especially if you doing 3-4 workouts a week, I don't know about you but keeping track of all the weight, reps and sets you do each session should be impossible. And while you think you might be increasing each week the only way to truly know is to see what you wrote down last session. As you can't remember what you did last, you might find yourself in the comfort zone and just sticking to the same weight, which is another good reason to keep a journal.
4. Not setting short term goals
Long term goals are great and are crucial to your long term success and vision. But what about short term goals. Probably equally important and will keep you accountable. For instance you could have a short term goal of just performing 4 weight workouts this week, or maybe putting on 4 pounds of muscle this month. Having short term goals will ensure you are making progress towards your long term goals.
If you feel you are making any of the above rel=nofollow muscle building mistakes then I highly recommend you take the time to rectify it. Ensuring you don't make the above mistake will ensure your muscle building efforts don't go to waste and your long term goals becoming real.
Check out http://NoBullFitnessCoaching.com and Discover the 5 little dirty lies in the body building industry that are responsible for scamming people and 20 more muscle building mistakes you may be making in the gym and killing any chance of getting bigger!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
With so many people becoming aware of the importance of building lean muscle to maintain a healthier body and just look good, why are so many people failing to achieve their muscle building goals too? We'll discuss some of the common muscle building mistakes made by people wanting to get a well built body.
1. Giving up before allowing your body to get stronger, bigger!
Building lean muscle mass will take time. Period. I don't care who you are, while some people may find that they put on muscle easier, they will still have to work for it. Instant gratification isn't going to happen, and it's certainly not going to happen over night. There are no shortcuts here, if you want to build raw muscle you'll need patience, persistence and just plain hard work. No special diet, exercise machine or supplement will ever replace those three factor, so ensure you stick to it, and don't give up.
2. Allowing too much testosterone to take over
I've seen it so many times where younger less developed guys or beginners trying to build muscle will check out the muscle bound bloke on the bench and try and match his weight. All to find that he can lift the bar and the moment it hit's his chest he can't even lift it off after just one rep. Testosterone is good and it helps us build muscle, but too much will lead to showing off and it will just get you in trouble. Injury can occur and more commonly cheating to move the weights which is just counterproductive can cause you to target the wrong muscle for the specific exercise, meaning less gains. Everyone's different so try and beat your previous best and not someone elses.
3. Not keep track
That leads me to the next point of keeping a journal. Keeping a journal where you see what weight you lifted last week and trying to increase the load each week is the only way you'll see the results and keep progressing. Especially if you doing 3-4 workouts a week, I don't know about you but keeping track of all the weight, reps and sets you do each session should be impossible. And while you think you might be increasing each week the only way to truly know is to see what you wrote down last session. As you can't remember what you did last, you might find yourself in the comfort zone and just sticking to the same weight, which is another good reason to keep a journal.
4. Not setting short term goals
Long term goals are great and are crucial to your long term success and vision. But what about short term goals. Probably equally important and will keep you accountable. For instance you could have a short term goal of just performing 4 weight workouts this week, or maybe putting on 4 pounds of muscle this month. Having short term goals will ensure you are making progress towards your long term goals.
If you feel you are making any of the above rel=nofollow muscle building mistakes then I highly recommend you take the time to rectify it. Ensuring you don't make the above mistake will ensure your muscle building efforts don't go to waste and your long term goals becoming real.
Check out http://NoBullFitnessCoaching.com and Discover the 5 little dirty lies in the body building industry that are responsible for scamming people and 20 more muscle building mistakes you may be making in the gym and killing any chance of getting bigger!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Body Building - Choosing the Right Weight Training Exercises
By Parthasarathy Rengaswami
Truth is often bitter. Truth also hurts. If body building is your aim, take note of this. You know about the importance of exercises. But the exercises most bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most problems. It is my wish that you don't fall into this trap. It is better not to do any exercise than to do the wrong exercises. Choosing the right weight training exercises is the key.
But before we get into the question of how to decide whether an exercise is right for you or not, let us understand what body building is. The goal of bodybuilding is not to make your body grow as big as you can, but to build a balanced body. A balanced body should be strong, in every sense of the word. A freakishly big body may get people's attention but it is not going to help you in any way. This is where the right weight training exercises come in.
There are certain qualities associated with a strong body. A strong body should be powerful. Power denotes energy and the ability to do things. The body should be able to move very fast. It should make you agile as an acrobat or athlete will be. The body should also be flexible. These three qualities viz. power, agility and flexibility are the attributes of a strong body. Right weight training exercises will help in developing these attributes.
There are several body builders who build massive amounts of muscle but are unbelievably weak and inflexible. Muscle Building is a passion for many people but they do not know what they are aiming for.
The kinds of weight training exercises you choose and how you perform them not only determine how big, strong, powerful, agile and flexible you are, but also affect how your body functions. They also decide whether you will suffer from aches, pains, and injuries.
Understand the basics of a right [http://right-weight-training-exercises.blogspot.com/]weight training program before venturing into one.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Truth is often bitter. Truth also hurts. If body building is your aim, take note of this. You know about the importance of exercises. But the exercises most bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most problems. It is my wish that you don't fall into this trap. It is better not to do any exercise than to do the wrong exercises. Choosing the right weight training exercises is the key.
But before we get into the question of how to decide whether an exercise is right for you or not, let us understand what body building is. The goal of bodybuilding is not to make your body grow as big as you can, but to build a balanced body. A balanced body should be strong, in every sense of the word. A freakishly big body may get people's attention but it is not going to help you in any way. This is where the right weight training exercises come in.
There are certain qualities associated with a strong body. A strong body should be powerful. Power denotes energy and the ability to do things. The body should be able to move very fast. It should make you agile as an acrobat or athlete will be. The body should also be flexible. These three qualities viz. power, agility and flexibility are the attributes of a strong body. Right weight training exercises will help in developing these attributes.
There are several body builders who build massive amounts of muscle but are unbelievably weak and inflexible. Muscle Building is a passion for many people but they do not know what they are aiming for.
The kinds of weight training exercises you choose and how you perform them not only determine how big, strong, powerful, agile and flexible you are, but also affect how your body functions. They also decide whether you will suffer from aches, pains, and injuries.
Understand the basics of a right [http://right-weight-training-exercises.blogspot.com/]weight training program before venturing into one.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Mind Muscle Connection - Bodybuilding
By Joseph Fradelakis
Greetings fellow mutants!
A topic I would like to discuss is the mind-muscle connection. It is often an overlooked subject and it shouldn't be. So drop down and give me 20! Now get up and pay attention.
Many times, especially at commercial gyms, trainees go through the motions of the exercise while their mind is in la-la land. They simply go through a workout like a zombie, doing their curls (weaklings! start dead-lifting!) while thinking about who is going to get kicked off American idol tonight. They are also the same people who break in half like a kit-kat bar when confronted with a heavy weight. So if you didn't laugh at all during the last paragraph, then you are one of these people, read on!
Never underestimate the power of the mind. It is capable of extraordinary things. It can take your body to unheard of levels, in terms of building muscle or performing amazing feats. If you think Arnold Schwarzenegger was thinking about tonight's episode of Tila Tequila while lifting, I want what you're smoking. You have to engage the muscle while lifting, focusing on what you are working on very hard. In this way you will see the best results.
You sometimes hear athletes talk about the zone. What is this mythical place they're talking about? Let me tell you, its not mythical, it's very real. It comes with extreme focus. It is like a meditative state while actively participating in your chosen sport. It's Wilt Chamberlain scoring over 100 points a game, it's Joe Lewis in a karate tournament. It's Bruce Lee against Bob Wall in Enter the Dragon. It's that feeling like you are one with your activity, just doing without thinking but at the same time completely unattached from it. OK enough Zen, it is extreme focus! Period.
When you apply this to lifting weights, you start to do certain things correctly automatically. You match your breathing pattern to the rhythm of your lifts. You activate the proper muscles for the lift keeping perfect form. You are able to tense significantly harder resulting in heavier lifts. Watch a power lifter go for a world record lift and you'll see what I mean. In order to do this, deliberately contract the muscles you are working on while you lift. This will teach you muscle control, the ability to contract muscles at will in isolation. As an example, let's take your barbell curl that you all love so much. Most people will do whatever it takes to lift the barbell from the bottom extended position to the top contracted position. Instead, contract your biceps, don't use your back, concentrate on the muscles that are intended to be doing the exercise and make those muscles do the work. If you can't do that, maybe the weight is too heavy, or maybe your mind is still wandering. Lower the weight if need be, concentrate on the muscles being worked, and control the weight through the whole range of the movement.
One way to help train this is to lift the weights in a very slow manner. Because you are not jerking the weight around, you will be forced to pay attention to the tension of your muscles. Take 6 seconds to raise the barbell, and another 6 to lower it. That will make you pay attention because you won't be worrying about slinging the weight around to make another rep. Of course don't do this for all the reps for every workout, but use it to learn how to focus on the muscle at hand. Sure you will have to lower the weight to do this, but ego's are a great hindrance to all progress. So like the waffle commercial "Leggo your eggo!" I mean ego. Hehe. Learn what it feels like to feel the muscle doing the work. Learn what it feels like to activate your lats during a pull-up. Learn to control your muscles.
Follow this advice, as it is not just words on a page. Focus is the difference between victory and defeat in every sport, and bodybuilding is no different.
Joseph Fradelakis
[mailto:joeyfrad@gmail.com]joeyfrad@gmail.com [http://www.joefradelakis.com]
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Greetings fellow mutants!
A topic I would like to discuss is the mind-muscle connection. It is often an overlooked subject and it shouldn't be. So drop down and give me 20! Now get up and pay attention.
Many times, especially at commercial gyms, trainees go through the motions of the exercise while their mind is in la-la land. They simply go through a workout like a zombie, doing their curls (weaklings! start dead-lifting!) while thinking about who is going to get kicked off American idol tonight. They are also the same people who break in half like a kit-kat bar when confronted with a heavy weight. So if you didn't laugh at all during the last paragraph, then you are one of these people, read on!
Never underestimate the power of the mind. It is capable of extraordinary things. It can take your body to unheard of levels, in terms of building muscle or performing amazing feats. If you think Arnold Schwarzenegger was thinking about tonight's episode of Tila Tequila while lifting, I want what you're smoking. You have to engage the muscle while lifting, focusing on what you are working on very hard. In this way you will see the best results.
You sometimes hear athletes talk about the zone. What is this mythical place they're talking about? Let me tell you, its not mythical, it's very real. It comes with extreme focus. It is like a meditative state while actively participating in your chosen sport. It's Wilt Chamberlain scoring over 100 points a game, it's Joe Lewis in a karate tournament. It's Bruce Lee against Bob Wall in Enter the Dragon. It's that feeling like you are one with your activity, just doing without thinking but at the same time completely unattached from it. OK enough Zen, it is extreme focus! Period.
When you apply this to lifting weights, you start to do certain things correctly automatically. You match your breathing pattern to the rhythm of your lifts. You activate the proper muscles for the lift keeping perfect form. You are able to tense significantly harder resulting in heavier lifts. Watch a power lifter go for a world record lift and you'll see what I mean. In order to do this, deliberately contract the muscles you are working on while you lift. This will teach you muscle control, the ability to contract muscles at will in isolation. As an example, let's take your barbell curl that you all love so much. Most people will do whatever it takes to lift the barbell from the bottom extended position to the top contracted position. Instead, contract your biceps, don't use your back, concentrate on the muscles that are intended to be doing the exercise and make those muscles do the work. If you can't do that, maybe the weight is too heavy, or maybe your mind is still wandering. Lower the weight if need be, concentrate on the muscles being worked, and control the weight through the whole range of the movement.
One way to help train this is to lift the weights in a very slow manner. Because you are not jerking the weight around, you will be forced to pay attention to the tension of your muscles. Take 6 seconds to raise the barbell, and another 6 to lower it. That will make you pay attention because you won't be worrying about slinging the weight around to make another rep. Of course don't do this for all the reps for every workout, but use it to learn how to focus on the muscle at hand. Sure you will have to lower the weight to do this, but ego's are a great hindrance to all progress. So like the waffle commercial "Leggo your eggo!" I mean ego. Hehe. Learn what it feels like to feel the muscle doing the work. Learn what it feels like to activate your lats during a pull-up. Learn to control your muscles.
Follow this advice, as it is not just words on a page. Focus is the difference between victory and defeat in every sport, and bodybuilding is no different.
Joseph Fradelakis
[mailto:joeyfrad@gmail.com]joeyfrad@gmail.com [http://www.joefradelakis.com]
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Friday, June 11, 2010
Vince DelMonte's No Nonsense Muscle Building
By Sarah Brownss
No Nonsense Muscle Building is is an extensive bodybuilding training manual created by Vince Delmonte. It is an easy step-by-step fitness system that shows you how to pack on solid muscle mass without using harmful supplements, steroids or having to spend mush time at the gym. By reading No-nonsense Muscle Building fitness program, you are pointing yourself toward success.
Who is Vince Delmonte?
Vince Delmonte is a fitness coach, co-writer of "No Nonsense Muscle Building program". He is also a well respected fitness champion in Canada. He is featured in Several Fitness magazines because He transformed his own body from 149 pounds into a buff 200 pounds, and being crowned Canada's National Fitness model champion. That is why No Nonsense Muscle Building Program has a nickname- the "Skinny Guy Secret". He will teach you how to gain rock solid muscle in the nex few weeks.
Vince Delmonte discourages the use of supplements of steroids.
No Nonsense Muscle Building program is designed to be effective without any supplements, because they will prevent and slow down progress towards your fitness goals. He uses natural methods for weight loss and muscle gain.
Diets and nutrition information
Vince believes that it is very important to take a proper diet and nutrition plan to gain muscle mass. At the end of the day, if you want to get big, you need to eat big. Most skinny people failed as they never eat enough to gain a significant amount of lean muscle. Vince will provide you many effective meal plans. You will have access to 84 days worth of Meal Plans at 5 different calorie levels from 2,000 to 6,000.
Limit your workouts time
Many people believe that they will gain muscle fast by training long hours in the gym, but doing so is not advisable for beginners. Long hours in the gym can benefit fitness professionals. The program emphasizes that you can limit your workouts to an hour of intense exercise 3 times a week, you must give your body plenty of time to rest and recover to get better results. In addition, No Nonsense Muscle Building can be done at home too, so those who don't have a gym membership won't have to spend the extra money on one when they use No Nonsense Muscle Building.
In Conclusion
When all is said and done, [http://musclebuilding.fitnessonlinetips.com/]No Nonsense Muscle building is a comprehensive well thought out and detailed program designed to enlighten you to the myths of the fitness and weight loss world while motivating you throughout program to gain muscle mass naturally. It will allow you to do all this and much more without risky pills and potions or drugs that damage your wallet and maybe your liver!
The fact that Vince advertises on his website that he has helped over 20,000 people in 21 countries, should speak volumes. Learn more about [http://musclebuilding.fitnessonlinetips.com/]No Nonsense Muscle building.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
No Nonsense Muscle Building is is an extensive bodybuilding training manual created by Vince Delmonte. It is an easy step-by-step fitness system that shows you how to pack on solid muscle mass without using harmful supplements, steroids or having to spend mush time at the gym. By reading No-nonsense Muscle Building fitness program, you are pointing yourself toward success.
Who is Vince Delmonte?
Vince Delmonte is a fitness coach, co-writer of "No Nonsense Muscle Building program". He is also a well respected fitness champion in Canada. He is featured in Several Fitness magazines because He transformed his own body from 149 pounds into a buff 200 pounds, and being crowned Canada's National Fitness model champion. That is why No Nonsense Muscle Building Program has a nickname- the "Skinny Guy Secret". He will teach you how to gain rock solid muscle in the nex few weeks.
Vince Delmonte discourages the use of supplements of steroids.
No Nonsense Muscle Building program is designed to be effective without any supplements, because they will prevent and slow down progress towards your fitness goals. He uses natural methods for weight loss and muscle gain.
Diets and nutrition information
Vince believes that it is very important to take a proper diet and nutrition plan to gain muscle mass. At the end of the day, if you want to get big, you need to eat big. Most skinny people failed as they never eat enough to gain a significant amount of lean muscle. Vince will provide you many effective meal plans. You will have access to 84 days worth of Meal Plans at 5 different calorie levels from 2,000 to 6,000.
Limit your workouts time
Many people believe that they will gain muscle fast by training long hours in the gym, but doing so is not advisable for beginners. Long hours in the gym can benefit fitness professionals. The program emphasizes that you can limit your workouts to an hour of intense exercise 3 times a week, you must give your body plenty of time to rest and recover to get better results. In addition, No Nonsense Muscle Building can be done at home too, so those who don't have a gym membership won't have to spend the extra money on one when they use No Nonsense Muscle Building.
In Conclusion
When all is said and done, [http://musclebuilding.fitnessonlinetips.com/]No Nonsense Muscle building is a comprehensive well thought out and detailed program designed to enlighten you to the myths of the fitness and weight loss world while motivating you throughout program to gain muscle mass naturally. It will allow you to do all this and much more without risky pills and potions or drugs that damage your wallet and maybe your liver!
The fact that Vince advertises on his website that he has helped over 20,000 people in 21 countries, should speak volumes. Learn more about [http://musclebuilding.fitnessonlinetips.com/]No Nonsense Muscle building.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Bodybuilding - The Role of Protein
By James Pswarai
In every single guide to building muscle you will find that they all say the same thing about nutrition - you should have a high protein diet. No matter whether you look on the internet or in magazines, it will all say the same thing...have a high protein diet. Have you ever wondered why though, have you ever wondered why on earth do I need to consume so much protein to build muscle, why can't I just eat healthy and lift my weights? As great as that method would be, building up is harder than that and in this article you will discover why protein is so important and when you should have it.
Firstly why is protein so important?
When you workout you break down your muscle fibers which is actually a good thing. By breaking down this fiber you actually stimulate growth. The growth however doesn't occur when you are working out but instead when you are resting.
Resting could be sleep, taking naps and also (and more importantly) taking rest days from working out. You should sleep for at least 8 hours a day (or less if you take naps) and you should only exercise for 3-5 days with 2 days rest for recovery.
So what does protein have to do with what I've just mentioned above?
Protein is important because it is the building blocks for bulking up. A high protein diet will ensure that your muscles are supplied with the right "goods" to recover and rebuild whilst you rest. This is why it is essential to have a high protein intake.
You should be looking to consume the same amount of protein as your body mass, so if you're 180 pounds then you eat 180 grams of protein.
To work out how much protein you need in each meal you have to get your body weight and divide it by 6 (the amount of meals you will have to eat). Again if you are 180 pounds you should look to eat about 30grams of protein every meal.
After reading this article you should realize how important protein is for body building. Just as long as you eat a lot of protein over you 6 meals you will have no trouble building up muscle (make sure you eat a healthy diet too, that is also important).
Want more information on building the body you have always desired? Then check out [http://www.squidoo.com/muscle-build1ng]my site to help you max your muscle.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
In every single guide to building muscle you will find that they all say the same thing about nutrition - you should have a high protein diet. No matter whether you look on the internet or in magazines, it will all say the same thing...have a high protein diet. Have you ever wondered why though, have you ever wondered why on earth do I need to consume so much protein to build muscle, why can't I just eat healthy and lift my weights? As great as that method would be, building up is harder than that and in this article you will discover why protein is so important and when you should have it.
Firstly why is protein so important?
When you workout you break down your muscle fibers which is actually a good thing. By breaking down this fiber you actually stimulate growth. The growth however doesn't occur when you are working out but instead when you are resting.
Resting could be sleep, taking naps and also (and more importantly) taking rest days from working out. You should sleep for at least 8 hours a day (or less if you take naps) and you should only exercise for 3-5 days with 2 days rest for recovery.
So what does protein have to do with what I've just mentioned above?
Protein is important because it is the building blocks for bulking up. A high protein diet will ensure that your muscles are supplied with the right "goods" to recover and rebuild whilst you rest. This is why it is essential to have a high protein intake.
You should be looking to consume the same amount of protein as your body mass, so if you're 180 pounds then you eat 180 grams of protein.
To work out how much protein you need in each meal you have to get your body weight and divide it by 6 (the amount of meals you will have to eat). Again if you are 180 pounds you should look to eat about 30grams of protein every meal.
After reading this article you should realize how important protein is for body building. Just as long as you eat a lot of protein over you 6 meals you will have no trouble building up muscle (make sure you eat a healthy diet too, that is also important).
Want more information on building the body you have always desired? Then check out [http://www.squidoo.com/muscle-build1ng]my site to help you max your muscle.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
5 Tips to Help You Design a Bodybuilding Programme That Works For You
By Ged Mccabe
You often hear the mainstream bodybuilding press say that 80% of success in bodybuilding is down to diet - do yourself a favour and ignore this nonsense!
A well thought out bodybuilding program is the 80% - just think about this for a second - if your diet is good, but your bodybuilding program is lousy, you won't make any gains - you have to give the growth stimulus to your muscles or they won't grow, no matter what your diet consists of.
People who tell you that the 80% is diet are probably trying to sell you bodybuilding supplements.
In reality, success in bodybuilding is down to:
1. A good bodybuilding program - 80%
2. Decent diet - 10%
3. Getting properly recovered - 10%
This article looks at how you can design your own routines - which is very valuable information to have, because you will always be your own best trainer as nobody will ever know your own body better than you.
Lets look at designing your own bodybuilding programs, so that you become the best that you can be. Here are five things to think about;
1. Two or at the absolute most three workout days a week.
Muscle grows at rest - fact. If you're in the gym four, five or even worse six times a week you have almost no chance of making muscle gains - assuming you're not doing drugs - and I really hope for your own sake that you're not.
2. Your programme needs to cover all the major muscle groups in the body in the fewest number of exercises - for this reason you should focus on major compound exercises like the squat, dead lift, and bench press.
If you tried to train your entire body using small isolation movements like the pec deck fly, tricep kick back and so on, it will take ages to cover all the muscle groups in the body.
But a couple of really hard sets of the squat will cover the entire lower body, and a good part of the upper body muscle groups as well.
3. You need to pay special attention to the lower body and the back areas - this goes against mainstream bodybuilding instruction, where you see endless queues at the bench press or the pec deck stations.
The legs and lower back form around 70% of the entire muscle mass in your body - never forget this. The fastest way to get bigger is to build the biggest muscles in the body - which means the major leg and back muscles.
4. Your workouts should be hard and brief - try and keep them under the hour - this gives you the maximum chance to recover - but the workouts must be hard.
Each workout should build on the workout that went before it - which means adding small amounts of weight to the bar whenever you can, whilst keeping your exercise form really tight.
5. Eliminate any dangerous exercises from your bodybuilding program, for example, the upright row, bent over row, smith machine squat and any pressing movement behind the neck. All these exercises (and there are others too) are very bad for the joints, and can cause long term damage. If you get injured you can't make any gains in muscle.
So there are five things to consider when you design your own bodybuilding program - good luck.
For more information, Ged McCabe has put together a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you must know about designing your own bodybuilding programme." - this is also available as a written report and a 2 hour MP3 recording.
To download this instantly, visit http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
You often hear the mainstream bodybuilding press say that 80% of success in bodybuilding is down to diet - do yourself a favour and ignore this nonsense!
A well thought out bodybuilding program is the 80% - just think about this for a second - if your diet is good, but your bodybuilding program is lousy, you won't make any gains - you have to give the growth stimulus to your muscles or they won't grow, no matter what your diet consists of.
People who tell you that the 80% is diet are probably trying to sell you bodybuilding supplements.
In reality, success in bodybuilding is down to:
1. A good bodybuilding program - 80%
2. Decent diet - 10%
3. Getting properly recovered - 10%
This article looks at how you can design your own routines - which is very valuable information to have, because you will always be your own best trainer as nobody will ever know your own body better than you.
Lets look at designing your own bodybuilding programs, so that you become the best that you can be. Here are five things to think about;
1. Two or at the absolute most three workout days a week.
Muscle grows at rest - fact. If you're in the gym four, five or even worse six times a week you have almost no chance of making muscle gains - assuming you're not doing drugs - and I really hope for your own sake that you're not.
2. Your programme needs to cover all the major muscle groups in the body in the fewest number of exercises - for this reason you should focus on major compound exercises like the squat, dead lift, and bench press.
If you tried to train your entire body using small isolation movements like the pec deck fly, tricep kick back and so on, it will take ages to cover all the muscle groups in the body.
But a couple of really hard sets of the squat will cover the entire lower body, and a good part of the upper body muscle groups as well.
3. You need to pay special attention to the lower body and the back areas - this goes against mainstream bodybuilding instruction, where you see endless queues at the bench press or the pec deck stations.
The legs and lower back form around 70% of the entire muscle mass in your body - never forget this. The fastest way to get bigger is to build the biggest muscles in the body - which means the major leg and back muscles.
4. Your workouts should be hard and brief - try and keep them under the hour - this gives you the maximum chance to recover - but the workouts must be hard.
Each workout should build on the workout that went before it - which means adding small amounts of weight to the bar whenever you can, whilst keeping your exercise form really tight.
5. Eliminate any dangerous exercises from your bodybuilding program, for example, the upright row, bent over row, smith machine squat and any pressing movement behind the neck. All these exercises (and there are others too) are very bad for the joints, and can cause long term damage. If you get injured you can't make any gains in muscle.
So there are five things to consider when you design your own bodybuilding program - good luck.
For more information, Ged McCabe has put together a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you must know about designing your own bodybuilding programme." - this is also available as a written report and a 2 hour MP3 recording.
To download this instantly, visit http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Four Most Important Factors For Building Muscle Fast!
By Russ Yeager
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.
o 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.
o 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!
o 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.
o 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.
o 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
rel=nofollow 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
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.
o 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.
o 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!
o 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.
o 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.
o 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
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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
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