One common thing I notice in the gym is people ignoring the tempo at which they do their reps and sets. Tempo happens to be just as important as reps and sets when it comes to constructing the perfect workout for building muscle. Before I begin talking about tempo just let me give you my explanation. Tempo is the speed at which you lift and lower the weight at, the pauses at the top and bottom of each rep, and the overall time of the set. Next let me tell you how to read tempos because they are written out normally with just numbers in a line. An example of a tempo written out would be 4242. This means you raise the weight for four seconds, pause for two seconds at the top of the rep, lower for four seconds, and finally pause for two seconds before you move on to the next rep.

Some people write them out with just three numbers such as 313 and ignore the pause at the bottom. I prefer the pauses because they stop momentum, and if you are just swinging the weight up and down this takes a lot of tension off of the muscle. Another thing to be aware of is if the tempo contains an “X.” All that means is to explode as fast as you can on the way up. Seems simple enough so lets get into common manipulations of tempo. One thing to note really quick. Some people write tempos the opposite way I do. Some have the eccentric or lowering the weight part first. Just be aware because their is no universal law to writing tempos.

Quick Tempos

Quick tempos are typically not used for muscle building workouts because they do not keep the muscle under tension long enough. Instead they are great for explosive training. A common explosive training tempo would look like X0X0, or as I call the hugs and kisses tempo. Explosive training is just fast movements meant to reflect those in sports normally so athletes can gain strength to call on and use fast. Normally explosive training is not done with to many dumbbells and barbells, but instead you use mostly bodyweight exercises and medicine ball exercises. Medicine balls are great for explosive training because you can throw the ball and do movements that are impossible with a dumbbell. Bodyweight exercises are easy to manipulate for explosive training because you can lift yourself off the ground. Push ups where you push away from the floor as hard as you can so you go into the air, and jumping squats are both fine examples of bodyweight explosive training.

Slow Tempos

Truthfully I do not see much value in really slow tempos, and by slow I mean greater than 15 seconds a rep so the tempo would be like 6262. As the saying goes “Train slow be slow.”

Muscle Building Tempos

Now to get to the bread and butter of manipulating tempos. If you wish to do this for muscle gains you probably already know that you should use 8-12 reps. At least that is commonly known, but to even get more detailed in your workout plan for muscle building you want to use tempos that can keep the muscle under tension for 40-60 seconds. Anything under that will come out with a strength gain and anything above 80 or so seconds will come out with aerobic gains. The best is between 40-60 seconds. To get our time between those recommendation we need to do about 5-6 seconds a rep. So my recommend tempos would be 1131, 1121, or even 1221. Any one of those will be great because with 8 reps the seconds come out to about 40-48, and with 12 reps they come out to 60-72 seconds.

If you are thinking of becoming a nutritionist, there are many career opportunities available. The demand for dietitians and nutritionists is growing, as more people are turning to changes of diet for better health, and to treat medical conditions. You will need educational training and certification to work in this profession, and there are many benefits to taking nutrition courses online.

Travel Time

When you attend a university or community college, you will need to drive to classes. Not everyone lives in close proximity to these learning institutions, so you may need to spend a great deal of time traveling to and from classes. You also will spend money on gasoline, and these days, gasoline can be a major expense.

When you take training on the Internet, you are not traveling. You can sit in the comfort of your own living room and receive your training. This is much cheaper than driving, as there is no gasoline to buy. You also do not have to worry about finding a parking space.

Hours

You may work in the evenings, or you might have flexible work hours. Some people may be on call, and have to leave for work on short notice. When you take classes on the Internet, you can choose your own hours. This makes scheduling your time much easier. For example, when you have classes you must schedule everything around your class times. This is not necessary, with Internet classes, as there is no set time.

Learning Pace

When you attend classes, you will be with many other people. The instructor will move at a pace that benefits most of the students. However, students that learn slowly may not understand what is going on. They can get left behind, and get very little from their training.

Students that learn at an accelerated pace will not find classroom work conducive to learning. They will have to wait on the rest of the class to catch up with them. This can cause the advance student to become bored and disinterested.

Online classes are not in a normal classroom. There is no set pace for you to learn at. If you want to take your time and finish the course in greater time than average, you are free to do so. On the other hand, if you are a fast learner, you can finish the course much quicker, and be working at your new job in a relatively short amount of time.

The classroom environment can be intimidating to some people. People with disabilities and other problems may not feel comfortable among other students. Internet classes can be taken alone, in your home.

Jobs in the nutrition industry are expected to grow in the future, and provide a lot of opportunities. Proper training and certification can be obtained with nutrition courses online. These classes can be easier than normal classes, as there is no travel time needed. You can have a flexible class schedule that conforms to any hours that you choose. Internet learning allows you to learn at your own pace, and not be intimidated by a public classroom environment.

If you have been shopping around for a Bowflex then you might want to know the truth about the Bowflex workouts. Can you really build a muscular ripped body using a Bowflex home gym?

As a personal trainer I have tried just about every piece of exercise equipment and home gym on the market today. You will find in this article is what I consider to be the very best Bowflex workouts and as they claim “For Real Results!”

Here’s a list of equipment you will need to have a mind blowing Bowflex workout.

1. Of course, you’ll need a Bowflex home gym

2. A clock or timer to keep track of your rest interval.

3. A notebook or workout log to keep track of your sets and repetitions and exercises

4. Your workout schedule will be 3 to 4 times a week on nonconsecutive days.

5. You will perform 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

How To do your Bowflex Workouts:

1. Select a resistance that you can perform at least 12 sets with.

2. Rest for the more than minute between exercise..

3. Watch resting between exercises record resistance and the repetitions you performed

4. Use this Bowflex workouts routine for 6 to 8 weeks.

If you would use discipline, a smart diet and perform a cardiovascular workout four times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes you will notice a change in your body. You will begin to look more muscular and leaner.

In time at all, you’ll be able to show off your new muscular and ripped Bowflex body. muscular look. You’ll be able to show off our new muscles in as little as 6 weeks if you complete this program.

Shawne Merriman, known for his hard hits and intense defense, is one of the best players in the NFL. He has spent years sculpting his body into the machine it is today. In order to build a body Shawne Merriman’s you need the proper mix of lifting, running, and diet which, together, can help you build strong, defined, and toned muscle throughout your entire body.

Shawne Merriman Workout

A good workout plan should be easy to follow. To maximize new muscle growth, you need to balance working out and recovering. One of the best plans for this involves the following workouts. The numbers in front of each exercise indicate the number of sets and the number of reps in each set.

Workout A

3×5 Back Squat

3×5 Bench Press

3×5 Power Clean

Workout B

3×5 Back Squat

3×5 Overhead Press

1×5 Deadlift

Simple, huh? Alternate workouts 3 days per week, with one day off between each workout. Monday, Wednesday, Friday is good. You can add supplemental work like sit ups or pull ups, but your goal should be add weight every single time you lift. To start, simply work with the bar until you are comfortable.

Nutrition

A solid diet is key to building a fundamentally strong and well-rounded body. You should be eating lots of calories to build muscle. Each pound of muscle is approximately 3,500 calories, so eating 500 calories above your regular bodily needs (usually 2,000 calories / day) will result in a pound of muscle per week!

For each pound of bodyweight, eat 1 – 1.5 grams of protein, which can be found in foods such as red meat, chicken, tuna, and nuts. Leafy greens like spinach and arugula are also good. A healthy amount of fruits and vegetables will help your body recover faster and feel fitter. Finally, protein shakes can help boost metabolism and augment your natural protein intake.

Don’t worry too much, though! You’re trying to build muscle. That means your body will take whatever you throw at it (pasta, pizza, Chinese food, whatever) and use the nutrients in that food to build your beautiful new body.

If you’re serious about building a body like Shawne Merriman diet and exercise will only get you halfway there. Supplements like Nitric Oxide will help you boost blood flow to muscles. It will give your muscles exactly what they need to grow, bigger, stronger, and more powerful with each workout. It will enhance your recovery time and give you a boost to your energy and metabolism.

The word “mucusless,” or mucus-free, refers to foods that are not pus or mucus-forming inside the human body. Such foods digest without leaving behind a thick, viscous, slimy substance called mucus in the gastrointestinal tract. These foods include all kinds of fat-free, and starchless, fruits and vegetables. The term was coined in the early 1900s by dietitian and healer Prof. Arnold Ehret in his book the Mucusless Diet Healing System. The Mucusless Diet consists of all kinds of raw and cooked fruits, starchless vegetables, and cooked or raw, mostly green-leaf vegetables. The Mucusless Diet as a Healing System is a combination of individually advised long and short-term fasts, menus that progressively change to non-mucus-forming raw foods, and other therepies such as sun-bathing, exercise, colon irrigation, etc. Ehret observes that the accumulation of uneliminated waste materials by eating pus, mucus, and acid-forming foods, is the foundation of human illness.

The following list is certainly not exhaustive, but these are some of the most common mucusless (mucus-free) foods. Eating more of these foods in the right combinations is an important part of transitioning toward a mucus-free diet.

ACID-BINDING, NON-MUCUS-FORMING, OR MUCUSLESS

(MUCUS-FREE) FOODS

GREEN LEAF VEGETABLES (MUCUSLESS)

• Arugula
• Bok Choi
• Cabbage
• Collard
• Dandelion Leaf
• Kale
• Leafy Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, etc.)
• Lettuce (Green, Red, Romaine, Boston Bibb, Iceberg)
• Mustard
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Turnip
• Watercress

RAW VEGETABLES/ROOT, STEM, FRUIT (ALL OR RELATIVELY STARCHLESS/MUCUSLESS)

• Asparagus
• Black Radish, with skin
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Dandelion
• Dill
• Endives
• Green Onions
• Horse Radish, with skin
• Leeks
• Onions (mildly acidic but okay on the transition diet)
• Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
• Red Beets
• Red Cabbage
• Rhubarb
• Sea Vegetables
• Sprouts (Alfalfa, Brassica, Green-Leaf, Radish)
• Sugar Beets
• Tomatoes
• Young Radish
• Zucchini

BAKED VEGETABLES ROOT, STEM, FRUIT (ALL OR RELATIVELY STARCHLESS/MUCUSLESS)

• Acorn Squash (Baked)
• Asparagus
• Broccoli (Baked or Steamed)
• Brussels Sprouts (Steamed)
• Butternut Squash (Baked)
• Carrots (Steamed)
• Cauliflower (Steamed or Baked)
• Green Peas (Steamed)
• Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
• Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
• Pumpkins (Baked or Steamed)
• Spaghetti Squash (Baked)
• Sweet Potato (Baked)
• Zucchini (Steamed or Baked)

RIPE FRUITS (MUCUSLESS)

• Apples
• Apricots
• Banana
• Black Cherries
• Blackberries
• Blood Orange
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Honeybell Tangelos
• Honeydew
• Lemons
• Mandarin
• Mangos
• Nectarine
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Pomegranates
• Prunes
• Raisins
• Raspberries
• Sour Cherries
• Strawberries
• Sweet Cherries
• Sweet Cherries
• Tangerines
• Tangerines
• Watermelon

DRIED OR BAKED FRUITS (MUCUSLESS)

• Apples
• Apricots
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Currants
• Currants, (Dried)
• Dates
• Dates, (Dried)
• Figs
• Figs (Dried)
• Grapes/raisins
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pineapple
• Plums/prunes
• Strawberries

100% FRUIT JELLIES, SYRUPS, AND HONEY

• Agave Nectar
• Fruit Jellies (no sugar added)
• Maple Syrup (100%, no preservatives)
• Molasses (no preservatives)
• Honey (bee)

The Transition Diet

It is very important that people learn how to transition from the most harmful mucus-forming foods to the ones that leave behind the least amount of waste. Many people mistakenly believe that Ehret’s work is inherently, or only, raw-foodism or fruitarianism. Yet Ehret emphasizes moving away from all mucus-forming foods above all else. Although the highest levels of the Mucusless Diet are raw mucus-free foods, Ehret advocates using cooked mucusless foods, and even some mildly mucus-forming items, when necessary during the Transition Diet. To learn more about this transitional process, check out Arnold Ehret’s Mucusless Diet Healing System: Annotated, Revised, and Edited by Prof. Spira.

For those who are new to weight training/lifting and have no idea who Ken Patera is here’s a little background for you.

Patera is a former Olympic Weightlifter and USA powerlifter. He won several medals at the Pan American Games (including gold), and finished second in the 1971 World Weightlifting Championships. He was the first American to clean and jerk 500 (503 1/2) lbs, which he achieved at the 1972 Senior Nationals in Detroit. He is also the only American to clean and press 500 lbs, and he was arguably the last American to excel at weightlifting on an international level.

Patera also competed in the first World’s Strongest Man contest in 1977, finishing third behind Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Young.

Patera went on to have a long career on professional wrestling. Here is a typical Patera workout. Patera would switch up his routines constantly, as well as sets and reps. Use your own judgement based on your comfort level.

The Ken Patera Workout

Snatch

Clean and Press

Bench Press

Squats

Notes: Lift 2-3 times per week using whatever set and rep scheme your comfortable with except for squats. Perform one set of each squat exercise and one set only. Get plenty of rest, eat good food and drink lots of water. Remember to lift heavy and with max intensity.

Understand that to be successful in any weight training program – hard work is a must! Half-hearted effort does nothing for you. If you’re new to weight training or grossly out of shape, consult a physician first. End of disclaimer.

The average guy will always benefit from adding extra lean body mass to his frame… To be honest everyone will benefit by adding lean body mass to their frame. The problem is, building body mass can be difficult if you do know the correct steps. You could spend years training and only make minimal gains, because you’re not going about it in the right way. In the following paragraphs I will show you the right way. You will learn the key steps to building body mass fast.

Step 1. Strength train with heavy weight

The first key to building body mass is strength training. In order to gain muscle, you have to lift weights. But there is a right and a wrong way to go about this. The wrong way would be following the routines you find in bodybuilding magazines. Those guys having been training for years and most use anabolic steroids. Those workouts won’t work for you.

The right way is to find a plan that aims to help the average guy put on muscle. This plan should consist of compound lifts and should train the whole body. If you follow this you’ll be building body mass in no time.

Step 2. Eat a lot of healthy food.

The second key to building body mass is eating enough calories. The wrong way to go about this is using your goal of build muscle as an excuse to eat everything in sight. Eating junk food will not help you reach your goals…unless that goal is to be obese.

The right way is to eat a whole lot of food, but make sure your eating clean and healthy food. For example, egg whites, chicken, tuna, fish, steak and lots of leafy green vegetables. Some good ones are spinach, collard greens and arugula. Also makes sure you drinking tons of water.

Imagine yourself in a room full of tempting food, jellies, chocolates, pastries, cakes, pizzas and much more mouth watering dishes. Slurp… I know by now you are too tempted to get to the market and buy yourself a nice, juicy burger, coke and an ice cream tub or are ready to order a pizza, rather than reading.

Just for a moment think of the chefs who stay in the kitchen all day long that is loaded with scrumptious cuisines giving out such enticing and alluring aromas. It must be really tough for them to resist the delicacies they prepare for their customers. One the other hand, if they start tasting every dish they prepare it will be extremely tough for them to sustain good health.

It is said, ‘People judge a book by its cover’, and the same applies to a cook too. A healthy and fit chef ascertains us that he is health conscious and knows all about good and rich cooking. This might not prove true in all cases; some guys do not have such luck. There are many professional chefs are surrounded by buttery carbohydrates, rich sauces, creamy puddings and fine succulent meat but are thin like a Cornish wafer.

The roly-poly chefs that we were accustomed to once, are replaced by much more disciplined, controlled and healthy chefs. There was a time when a thin chef was not trusted but today the scenario has totally changed. The more lean and fit a chef is the more energetic he will be. A chef should be prepared to bounce around the kitchen in order to do everything just right.

Being a chef, it is important to taste every dish and every dessert prepared to ensure it is delicious. In doing so the fats keep on settling on the stomach, in turn making you fat. To avoid this, it is better to take small mouthfuls in intervals. Small meals ensure better metabolism. Some chefs believe in drip free food and indulge in raw fresh fruits, raw vegetables and much water. They also avoid any sort of meal in between lunch and dinner. Lastly, a good 20 minutes walk each day. In case you do feel hungry at night, eat a bowl of cereal.

A chef is however known for his skills in cooking and preparing meal yet his physical appearance and nutritional habits also play an important role. Not only does it attract more customers for him but is also important for his own good.

Nutrition is also an important aspect of cooking delicious foods. And chefs are not an exception to this rule. While pursuing their education in the culinary arts, one of the subjects that these aspiring chefs study is Nutrition. Here, they learn about the amount of nutritive elements present in each ingredient – and how to analyze and determine which foods have how much nutritive value.

No doubt, this knowledge goes a long way in helping these chefs create delicacies that are not only tasty but also healthy for their customers.

With the arrival of the New Year, you may be feeling extra motivated to set some goals to go after. You have some ideas in mind on what you hope to achieve with your workout program and nutrition plan and now just need to put those into action.

Setting goals at any time of the year is always a wise idea as it gives you a clearer picture of what to do to go forward. Unfortunately, many people do not realize success with their goals only because they are not planning them properly. What can you do to set up goals that will leave you experiencing maximum success?

Let’s look at four smart tips to make the most of your resolution…

1. Be Specific. As often as you can, be specific. What exactly is it you want to accomplish with your training program or nutrition plan? If you are vague, it leaves room for questioning. You want to know exactly how close you are coming to realizing success. There should be no doubt in your mind how far you have to go to see the success you desire.

2. Get Support. Next, make sure you have support. Anyone who goes after goals with the backing of others sees far greater success and adherence than those who do not. Enlist your friends to be support buddies and also recruit all the “experts” you may need to help you stay on track. Include personal trainers, nutritionists, and anyone else you may require.

3. Assess Your Previous Goals. One important “must-do” for success is to evaluate your previous targets. How come you failed at your last attempt – if you did – to reach this goal? Identify the reason and make sure you have a plan to overcome it this time around.

If you do not take this step, chances are high you will repeat the same over again. It is imperative you are learning from the mistakes you have made.

4. Keep A Progress Journal. Finally, be sure to maintain a progress journal. A progress journal helps you identify how far you have come and exactly how your day-to-day progress is looking. It is also an excellent way to stay motivated.

Put photos and images in this journal if you want, or only write down exactly what you have done in the gym to get the results you are seeking.

There you have the top tips to help you achieve your New Year resolutions. Put these tips into action, and you will be well on your way to seeing maximum results.

Tricep are a good addition to the big guns of biceps in the front of the arms.

There are three parts to the tricep; the lateral, medial, and long heads. In order to fully develop the tricep, it is crucial that you work each of these three parts. One tricep exercise will not be enough to work all three parts of the tricep.

The best routine for big triceps is immediately after you work out your chest since most chest exercises also target the triceps. It is a good warm up for your tricep muscles. Work the triceps two times a week with at least 48 hours between workouts. Follow this exercise routine for the biggest tricep growth.

1st Tricep Workout Day:

Standing Dumbbell Extension: Sets 3, Reps 8-10

To do this exercise you need a dumbbell at your preferred weight. Stand with the weight over your head, gripped by both hands with the arms extended. Lower the weight behind your head as you bend your elbows and bring it back up.

Lying Tricep Extension: Sets 3, Reps 10

To do this exercise you should lie down on a bench holding the barbell with both hands less than shoulder width apart and your arms fully extended over your head. Then move the weight back slightly and lower it down to the top of your head. It is important that you keep your elbows in during the whole movement.

Tricep Dips: Sets 3, Reps 8-10

This exercise is done on the parallel bars. You should place yourself between the bars with the bars at the sides of your shoulders. Grip each bar with your palms facing each other. Push yourself up until your arms are almost completely extended but not locked out. Bend your knees and cross your feet. Bring your body weight down slowly as you bend your elbows.

2nd Tricep Workout Day:

Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets, Reps 8-10

This is like a traditional bench press except the hands should be closer together on the bar. Perform it like a regular bench press.

Tricep Push downs: 3 sets, Reps 10

This workout is down with a cable pulley with a bar at the end. Place both hands on each side of the bar with your palms facing away from the body. Pull the bar down and straighten your arms all the way.

Tricep Push Ups: Sets 1, Reps 20

This move is close to the traditional push up. The only difference is the placement of the hands. Instead of having them shoulder width apart, bring them in closer until the thumbs are almost touching. Come down until your nose is close to the floor.

This workout should be done for the first 4-6 weeks. After that, change it up with some different moves or heavier weights. Remember that the body gets used to a routine. To keep the muscles in shock and still growing you have to give it something new to do.