In today’s world it is very hard to find good quality muscle building tips because of the fact that a lot of these tips have been drowned out by all the advertising of the newest and greatest muscle building supplements or products that have hit the market. The truth of the matter is that only about 5-8% of these products ever work and are worth actually taking a look into.

In order to be successful at building muscle and building the muscular physique that you’re after there are a few crucial things that you need to make sure you are doing. Here are some muscle building tips that will have you building muscle and maximizing your results in no time at all.

Muscle Building Tips:

Tip #1 – Stretch/Warm up

This is a step that is very rarely done by anybody building muscle. The purpose of warming up and stretching is to increase the blood flow to the muscles as well as warm up and increase the flexibility of the muscles fibers. This not only helps you to avoid injuries but also helps to increase your range of motion which allows more muscle fibers to be when lifting weights. More muscle fibers worked = bigger muscle gains.

Tip #2 – Get Enough Rest

It is very important that you hit the gym hard and that you really get a good workout but it is more important that after that workout you allow enough time between that workout in order for your body to repair the damaged muscle tissues. If you do not allow enough rest when you workout your muscle fibers which are still damaged will become more damaged and instead of gaining muscle you will begin to lose it.

Tip #3 – Up your Protein Intake

Protein is the building blocks of your body plain and simple. In order for your muscles to heal and repair themselves they need protein. It is recommended that when trying to build muscle you take in anywhere from 1 to 1.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Tip #4 – Leave your Ego at Home

It never fails, you see it all the time in the gym, people are lifting weights way too heavy and are just going to the gym to show off or to try and prove something. Look building muscle is all about hitting the muscle and really concentrating to get the most out of a particular muscle group. Using slow controlled movements with proper form even with less weight will do more for you than throwing around a ton of weight with poor form will.

You may have heard that a cardio workout for abs is the best way to get six pack abs. This is absolutely true. Cardio workouts will lower your body fat and allow your abs to be displayed. Workouts isolating the abdominal region will simply strengthen the abs that are hiding behind a layer of fat.

With such a large scope of cardio workouts, it can be difficult to determine which exercises are better than others for burning fat. However, there is one type of workout that has been becoming more and more popular amongst fitness professionals and workout gurus. This cardio routine is referred to as high intensity interval training, or HIIT. Recent studies have proven that this form of exercise produces many more benefits than a traditional lower-intensity workout.

There are some major benefits to using a high intensity interval program as a cardio workout for abs. Such a workout will:

* Increase metabolism. This allows your body to process food and nutrients faster and more effectively. This also leads to a greater amount of calories burned throughout the day.

* Burn fat more effectively. A high intensity workout with the duration of 15 to 30 minutes will keep your burning fat all day. In contrast, hours spent on the treadmill will bring your body into a catabolic state, burning off muscle in order to use for energy.

* Greatly increase your stamina. HIIT exercises have been shown to increase VO2 levels. This is the amount of oxygen you are able to take in during a workout.

The first thing to do to accomplish these lifestyle changes is to analyze your daily calorie intake. This is done easily by writing down everything you eat each day for at least a week. Look up the calorie count for all the food. This will help you further analyze what changes need to be made, so that you can lose weight effectively.

Most of these lifestyle changes just call for replacing unhealthy foods with healthy alternatives. You can substitute low fat or no fat dairy for high fat dairy. This will allow you all the nutrition of dairy, with less fat and calories.

Cook more of your dishes from scratch and try to stay away from fast food or processed foods. Processed foods are counterproductive to weight loss many times, because they can contain too much salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Shop the fresh foods in the store and create your own unique dishes flavored with olive oil and healthy herbs.

Make sure all your sources of protein are lean ones. High fat meats are not only high in calories, but can be hard on your circulatory system and heart. Lean meats and other healthy protein choices will help the weight loss for women to be more successful.

Aim for a daily caloric intake that is at least 500 calories less than what you normally eat, to lose weight. If you still do not lose weight with this decrease, then decrease your food intake a bit more until you start to gradually shed some of those unwanted pounds.

Stay away from sugar, except on very special occasions. Sugar will make you blood glucose levels spike, and this will prevent your body from burning its own glycogen stores. Also, simple carbohydrates such as white bread, regular pasta and white rice should be avoided just as sugar should be for the same reason. Whole grain products and brown rice are okay because they take longer to digest and do not cause the blood sugar to go up as quickly. When your body burns these glycogen stores, instead of just the food it takes in, weight loss will occur.

Also, watch your salt intake to make sure you do not get over the recommended amounts. Too much salt (listed as sodium many times) could lead to water retention for women and for that fact men and slow down efforts at losing weight.

Eat more of the fresh, green, leafy vegetables. These are not only low in calories, but also highly nutritious. Some believe that half of your plate should consist of this type of green vegetables and the rest of you plate can be starches and meat. Add some fresh fruit in place of a high calorie dessert such as cake. Fruit provides vitamin C and other antioxidants that support the immune system.

Above are some simple ideas for being successful with weight loss for women. Eat to live a healthy life and you will lose weight and be able to maintain your ideal weight successfully.

Losing fat is easy but ONLY if you have a solid plan. This article will show you exactly what you need to do to get rid of stubborn belly fat, as much as ten pounds in 2 weeks!

One of the major benefits of this fat burning plan is you will not feel hungry or tired at all during the process like other diets.

What this plan is not…

This is not low fat, no fat, restricted carbohydrate, or restricted calorie dieting nonsense. These types of diets are very short term solutions that destroy your metabolism and leave you tired, hungry and miserable.

Actually, this corporate market driven low fat diet craze will keep your body storing fat while you lose muscle. No wonder people quit after an average of 2 weeks.

The best fat loss diet is based on mainly 3 things:

First, you need to control blood sugar not count calories.

If you keep your blood sugar in the proper “zone” you have won the battle. It’s very simple, your appetite is dependent on fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

Big spikes in blood sugar from eating the wrong foods will actually signal your body to “store fat”. So control blood sugar first; forget about counting calories.

Second – Eliminate sugar and simple carbohydrates.

These foods cause huge spikes in blood glucose as we just described.

Once your blood sugar sky rockets your body will use the glucose in the sugar and carbs as an energy source first and will store the fat cells around your waist.

Third – You need to eat high protein, complex carbohydrates, and good fats. These foods will keep your metabolism burning and your energy level high.

Eating good fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts and coconut oil will keep appetite suppressed and your blood sugar in the “fat burning zone”.

These are the basic 3 concepts to burning fat. Don’t let the simplicity fool you this system works amazingly well.

I’ve deliberately simplified this process to make it easy to understand, yet these 3 steps are the backbone of the best fat loss diet.

If you’re serious about really burning fat PERMANENTLY, I urge you to take another step and watch the free information packed video that takes you step by step into this amazing fat loss process.

Gyms are busy. Too busy. And it is always busiest when you settle in for your fat loss workout with its awesome fat-blasting supersets.

I know it drives you nuts when you are trying to pair lunges and presses while someone is taking up valuable workout space chatting or doing some pointless fluff exercise. Why can’t they just get out of your way and let you finish your super effective TT workout?

Crowded gyms are such a big problem that I designed the following TT workout that helps you perform my trademark “noncompeting” supersets – the most effective way to lift for fat loss – without letting anyone get in your way. This new version of TT lets you get it done right, even in a busy gym.

The secret to this workout is the pairing of two exercises that can be done at the same bench and often with the same weights. So you won’t lose your spot between exercises. Camp out in your little area, work hard, and you’ll get lean and lose fat faster than ever.

NOTE: This workout originally ran in Men’s Fitness magazine, but I’ve actually improved the workout just for you!

Workout Guidelines

· Workout 3 days per week alternating between workouts A & B. Rest 1 day between sessions.

· In week 1, you will follow an A, B, A schedule. In week 2, a B, A, B schedule. In week 3, an A, B, A schedule, and in week 4, a B, A, B schedule.

· Each pair of exercises constitutes a “Superset”. In each Superset, do one set of the first exercise followed immediately by the next (1A & 1B) and then repeat.

· Rest 1 minute after completing the exercises in the Superset (i.e. after 1A & 1B).

· Repeat each Superset until you’ve completed a total of three sets of each exercise in the pair, then move on to the next pair.

· Use a 2-0-1 lifting tempo for all exercises (except for any holding exercises like the plank). Take 2 seconds to lower the weight, pause briefly, and then take 1 second to lift the weight.

· Finish each workout with stretching for the tight muscle groups only.

· For full exercise descriptions and photos, see the Turbulence Training manual.

Warm-up

· If you are limited by time, reduce the number of sets in the workout, but always perform the full warm-up.

· Never skip a warm-up.

o Perform this circuit 2x’s using a 2-0-1 tempo:

– 10 reps of bodyweight squats or step-ups

– 20 seconds for the plank

– 8 reps of kneeling pushups or regular pushups

– 10 reps of inverted bodyweight rowing exercise or band pull

– Perform 2 warm-up sets for each exercise in the first Superset.

– 1 set of 8 reps with 50% of the weight you will use in your “real” sets.

– 1 set of 8 reps with 75% of the weight you will use in your “real” sets.

Turbulence Training Interval Training Guidelines

· Research has shown that interval training is very effective for fat loss.

· It is recommended that the stationary cycle be used for interval training because it allows for an easy transition between work and recovery.

· Finish each interval workout with stretching for the tight muscle groups only.

Beginner Interval Workout:

· Warm-up for 5-minutes.

· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a hard pace (at a subjective 7/10 level of intensity) – i.e. fast walking.

· Follow that with “active rest” for 90 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity) – i.e. slow walking.

· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Advanced Interval Workout

· Warm-up for 5-10 minutes.

· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a very hard pace (at a subjective 9/10 level of intensity).

· Follow that with “active rest” for 60 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity).

· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Workout A

1A) Wide-stance Squat (8 reps)

– Set your feet 4-6 inches wider than shoulder width, your toes pointed forward.

– This superset works best if performed in a squat rack that also has a chin-up bar.

1B) Chin-ups (6 reps)

– If this is too hard, perform a Reverse-grip Lat Pulldown.

– Rest 1 minute and then go back to Squats.

– Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

2A) Barbell Step-ups (8 reps per leg)

– Use a step that’s high enough so that your knee is bent 90 degrees.

– If you have to use DB’s for the step-ups, take an extra 30 seconds rest when going from the step-ups to the rows.

2B) DB or Barbell Row (8 reps)

– Keep your lower back naturally arched.

– Rest 1 minute and then go back to Step-ups.

– Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

3A) Side Plank (5 reps per side)

– Contract and brace your abs for 10 seconds per repetition while keeping your body in a straight line.

3B) Stability Ball Jackknife (12 reps)

– Rest 30 seconds and then go back to Side Plank.

– Do this Superset 3 times and then go to the Intervals.

Workout B

1A) Low-Incline DB Chest Press (8 reps)

– Set the incline to one notch above the flat-bench position.

1B) DB or Barbell Romanian Deadlift (8 reps)

– Keep your lower back naturally arched for the entire movement.

– Rest 1 minute and then go back to 1A.

– Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

2A) DB Close-grip Chest Press (8 reps)

– Push the dumbbells straight up, not together.

2B) DB Rear-deltoid Lateral Raise (8 reps)

– Keep a tight arch in lower back and lean forward as far as possible.

– Perform this exercise extra slowly so that you don’t use momentum.

– Rest 1 minute and then go back to 2A.

– Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next Superset.

3A) Elevated Push-up (12 reps per side)

– Place one hand on a 4-inch step or box and lower your body as far as possible.

3B) Stability Ball Rollout (15 reps)

– Keep your body in a straight line at all times–don’t allow your back to round or bend backward.

Out of all the muscle building exercises that exist, there are three essential big exercises you must do to get muscle fast.

Here we will look at three of the most basic exercises to start you off with a strong foundation that you can build your own individual program around. Don’t get me wrong when I say “basic”, these core exercises can really put some big muscle on your body.

When performing these exercises for either strength training or muscle building, how many sets, reps, how much weight to use etc., will depend on your starting strength and your individual exercise program. These exercises are very demanding of your body and should be performed first in your workout session for the specific muscle group that you are working on that day, but only after proper muscle stretching and warm up is done.

Exercise #1: The Bench Press:

• This is one of the most basic weight lifting exercises and is very powerful for your front upper body muscle building and strengthening.
• You lie flat on your back on a weight bench and grip the barbell slightly wider than your shoulders, then with your arms straight up let the weights press straight down to your chest and push up and repeat.
• Target muscles are your pectorals(chest muscles), triceps (back of arms)and deltoids (front shoulders).

Exercise #2: Squats:

• This being one of the most important weightlifting big exercises in your lower body training routine, the squat uses the primary group of leg muscles and a secondary group of lower back and some shoulder muscles. That is why this exercise has the potential of being the biggest muscle builder in your whole individual training routine.
• While standing up straight holding and resting the barbell behind your head across your shoulders, bend your knees and squat until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor, then push back up to the starting position, stop and rest a second and repeat. This exercise is strenuous to the lower part of your body so make sure you are fully warmed up.
• Targeted Primary muscle group: quadriceps (front thigh muscles), hamstring (back thigh muscles) and glutes (muscles of the buttocks). Secondary muscle group are lower back muscles and some shoulder muscles.

Exercise #3 Chin Ups or lat pulldowns:

• One of the best back exercises that you can perform is the wide grip chin ups. This one workout can build up your arms and upper back muscles and give you that great looking v shape torso and is a great addition to any training routine.
• Start with a grip wider than your shoulders, hold the chin up bar with your palms facing away from you. You should be in a hanging position, feet not touching ground and arms fully extended. You then pull yourself up until you can get your chin over the bar and then lower yourself back down to the starting position pause for a couple of seconds, as not to create any assisted momentum by bouncing up, and repeat.
• You can use a lat pulldown machine and build up some strength before moving up to chin ups. Whatever the case is, this is one of the big exercises used to get muscle fast.
• Target muscles: entire upper back like the latissimus dorsi(lats-that give that v shape)and trapezius muscles(middle upper back on each side). Also the biceps(front upper arm) and forearms.

Real cardiovascular exercise for real results has to include a lot more than just walking or jogging. Anaerobic exercise such as resistance training or high intensity interval training are a better option for superb fitness. An even better option for you to achieve a tremendous cardio workout is by implementing the use of kettlebell training into your cardiovascular and fitness workouts. I have included 2 great kettlebell exercises here for you to obtain a tremendous cardio workout.

1. Timed Kettlebell Swings: Timed kettlebell swings are a great cardiovascular workout if you are looking to burn a ton of calories and getting a super ripped body. Kettlebell swings are one of the base strength endurance lifts that you can perform with this ancient device and this particular exercise is highly exerting for both your muscular and cardiovascular system. This single exercise is done by you literally swinging the kettlebell from between your legs up to at least chest level back and forth like a pendulum. By engaging in this lift you access the use of hundreds of your working muscles to pull it off. To properly perform the lift you must pick up the bell with both arms and allow it to hang at your groin. From here you must initiate the hip snap motion by flexing and extending forcefully and smoothly at both your hips and knees in order to build the momentum to swing the bell. To intensify this drill for maximum cardiovascular benefit you can do your sets with a time limit. For example, if you are going to perform a set only allow yourself about 30 seconds to complete the set. The objective is to execute as many form perfect swings as you can within the 30 second time limit. This is sure to get your heart pumping!

2. Kettlebell Snatches: For this particular kettlebell exercise you will need the availability of a single bell of moderate resistance. This particular lift is explosive and enduring in nature. To perform this lift you must pull the kettlebell from either the ground or from between your legs to lift it above your head in one smooth explosive motion. To do this you must once again perform the hip snap motion to generate the force you need to lift the bell. Once you initially pull the bell you will want to elevate it to a high pull position just lateral to your head. Once the bell reaches this high pull position then to complete the lift you must vertically punch your palm towards the sky to lock it out overhead. When performed properly you can do many reps continuously and smoothly which will yield you a tremendously high level of cardiovascular fitness. This is anaerobic exercise at its best my friend. If you haven’t taken the time to include kettlebells into your cardio exercise routine then you are missing out. Remember that most anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart my friend!

You are smart enough to know that your eating habits will contribute to your well being. Many of us lead busy lifestyles and as a result of which look for short cuts to health. This is understandable but not necessarily smart. You need to think outside the box a little, the box being your regular old habits.

When it comes to diet, nutrition is the key factor relative to healthy aging. Nutrients are critical to human health. You essentially need protein, carbs, minerals, oils, fats and vitamins.

When your diet consists of fruits, vegetables and whole grains you reduce the possibility of disease. Good eating habits also help control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When all of this is in check you will feel and look better. Nutrition is one of the greatest resources we have to fight against disease.

Essentially nutrition is the study of everything related to food which covers anything from food preparation to its consumption. It also covers how the body handles food. This in effect teaches us how our health can be affected by food choices.

On the other hand wellness is not just about how you feel it’s more about how you function. Wellness is mainly considered as a holistic concept, holistic in the sense that it covers physical, spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, and environmental dimensions.

As we know, eating nutritiously and exercising are necessary for a healthy lifestyle, but that is only part of the picture. Wellness therefore is largely determined by the decisions you make and how you live your life.

As a consequence wellness is about looking at the total picture such as blood pressure, body fat, exercise behavior or what you eat on a daily basis. Health and wellness is about balance.

Diet basically refers to what you eat. Often when we hear the term diet we tend to think weight loss, in other words eating less food in order to lose weight. Diet not only refers to food it also refers to liquid. Drinking water is part of your diet.

When it comes to altering your diet as in the amount you eat and what you eat it is always wise to make small incremental changes. This way your chance of success when making these changes is far greater. As we all know what you eat and how much you eat plays a significant role when it comes to weight loss.

Fitness also covers the subject of nutrition. When we refer to fitness it includes good nutrition, flexibility, relaxation, sleep, and more. Fitness is much more than cardio, it is also about strength and resistance training The combination of all of the above adds up to health and wellness because it is all relative and even when we talk about diet for weight loss those who exercise and eat healthy are more likely to succeed for obvious reasons.

While you can exercise to lose belly fat, there isn’t a specific exercise you can do which will target just the belly fat in your body. In other words: You can’t spot target specific areas to lose fat from.

Exercising specific areas of your body will target those particular muscles of course, so you can tone, firm, strengthen and grow the muscles themselves. But targeting specific muscles or muscle groups won’t necessarily help you lose the extra fat from around those same muscles.

This is why doing tons of situps or crunches every day won’t usually help you lose belly fat. All it does is help firm and tone the muscles which are underneath of your belly fat instead. To actually lose the belly fat, you must do exercises which help your body burn fat in general.

Burning belly fat is done by burning fat on your body. Since you can’t just burn fat from one area, you must instead work at burning fat all over. And the best way to burn extra fat from all areas of your body, is by increasing your metabolism.

Increasing the body’s metabolism means that you’re improving the rate and efficiency at which your body burns extra fat, calories, and other fuels it gets from the foods you eat. A body with a high metabolism rate is burning fat and calories at a faster rate than one which has a slow metabolism. And in order to lose the belly fat you’ve put on over the years, you’ll get the best results from burning more fuel than you’re consuming.

If your body is not given enough fuel to cover the amount it’s using in your day to day activities, it starts burning the stored fat reserves instead. And once you’ve gotten your body to start burning those reserves, that’s when you’ll start noticing the belly fat disappearing.

Increasing your metabolism can be done through changes in the foods you eat, through exercise and physical activity, or both. Eating foods which your body must work at to digest for example, is one excellent way to boost your metabolism. Broccoli is a food for instance, which your body spends more energy digesting when you eat it raw, than it actually gives you in the form of calories.

So if you eat 40 calories worth of raw brocolli but it takes your body 80 calories worth of energy to digest it, then you’ve essentially given your body a negative calorie state, which boosted your metabolism a little at the same time. And since your body needs more calories to digest that food than what it’s getting from the food, it must find the source of energy somewhere else. One of the things already in your body which can be burned for fuel is the stored source of fat in your stomach area.

You can also lose belly fat by increasing your metabolism with exercise… and almost any kind of exercise can work. Building up your muscles helps because muscles take more energy for the body to maintain. In other words, your body will burn more fat just because you have extra muscle for it to take care of.

Bursts of activity are excellent for burning belly fat and boosting metabolism too though, because these cause your body to quickly use up any of it’s immediate fuel reserves from recent foods you’ve eaten. And once those immediate reserves are used then it has to start taking fat from the stores around your belly instead.

There are actually many forms of exercise to lose belly fat too. These can include interval training, playing sports, doing aerobics, hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, gardening, house cleaning and others you may not think of. We’ll cover several of those in future articles.

When it comes to getting six pack abs, people will tell you that it is not possible to get them in a short period of time. They will tell you that it will take a long time, probably more than 6 months, to get a six pack. But this is not a necessarily true. You can actually get six pack abs in less than six months by focusing on the two points that are provided here. All you will have to do is to follow the tips and the steps which are described below and you will see the difference.

First thing that you need to know is that getting six pack abs will require hard work and dedication. Without these two, you will never be able to get a 6 pack. You will have to train hard and you will have to remain consistent. You will also have to sacrifice a lot when it comes to your diet.

There are three major steps you will need to follow in order to get 6 pack abs quickly. The very first step is nutrition and diet control. You will need to change your diet and your eating habits at the same time. This is of great importance. You are going to be burning your extra fat. If you are not taking care of your diet, then you will have to put in extra hard work.

You will also have to build-up your muscles and this will require exercise. Your exercise pattern should focus on two major things:

1. Burning fats
2. Building muscles

If your exercises are not focusing on the above two, then it will indeed take 6 months plus to get those flat and hard six pack abs.

You will have to follow some sort of weight training program in order to get rid of the extra fat. This means that you will have to be systematic. Remember that being systematic with the exercises will help you save a lot of time before starting to see results.

You will have to choose high intensity exercises in order to remove body fat quickly. If you are not willing to work harder you will not be able to remove the body fat quickly, which will mean a longer time to get a six pack.

You will also have to concentrate on the muscles that you are working on. Different muscles will burn fat at different rates. Normally, the lean muscles will burn the fats faster and this is what you need to choose. If you can work on the lean muscles, you will get the results faster.

Another important thing for beginners is to know the right strategy when it comes to getting harder and stronger abs. If you want your abs to be solid and hard, you will have to build the muscles first and then you will have to cut them. This means you will first work on making yourself muscular and only then focus by working on your abs muscles to get that six pack effect.