Archive | June, 2017

The Extremism of Bodybuilders and What it Has to Do With Building Muscle and Getting Rid of Fat

Have you ever wondered why bodybuilders are also extremists? Can we simply say that their extremism helps them with their body building? Or maybe it's that bodybuilding inevitably compels them to become extremists? Whichever is true, we can not deny the fact that the bodybuilders go for the extreme.

During the period in which they are gaining weight or bulking up, bodybuilders take in higher amounts of calories than the usual for them to become bigger. These people usually do this in an out of control or do as they please manner. They do not care either the food they eat is healthy or not as long as they take in large amounts of food. This is certainly a face of the bodybuilder being an extremist.

What the body does is that it immediately stores all the extra calories as fat and considers these fat deposits as 'gold reserves.' The body then utilizes all the needed nutrients and calories for its different processes such as cell repair and maintenance. After which, it opts to store as fats all the excess calories and nutrients.

Bodybuilders who are still in their beginning phase aim to practice two things at the same time: get rid of fat, and build muscle. It is important to remember though that lifting weights will not actually result in loss of weight even if it causes muscle gain. Bodybuilding starters who need to lower their weight will have to reduce their calorie intake and do aerobic exercises that do not cause muscle buildup.

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5 Tips to Build Muscle As Fast As Possible

Learning how to build muscle fast is easy, putting it into practice is the hard part. Most people think that if you lift more, you will gain more muscle mass. This simply isn’t the case.

Building muscle has just as much to do with diet as it does with training, if not more.

You can’t build muscle without a calorie surplus, just as you can’t build muscle without resistance training.

To build muscle fast, you have to optimize your diet as well as training regimen. Here is how to do it.

1. Avoid Low Carb Diets

While low carb diets are great for cutting fat, they won’t help you with gaining muscle mass. You need carbs for fuel so you can exercise more efficiently.

Carbohydrates are important before training sessions, and immediately after training sessions. Carbs are your muscles primary fuel.

By consuming complex carbs you restore glycogen stores within your muscles[1] for further activity and fullness. This is a major factor in how effective a training session is.

2. Avoid All Alcohol

Alcohol, even in small amounts, can have major effects on sleep, and recovery. In a study conducted in 1980, alcohol in small doses (0.8 g/kg) before bedtime, suppressed plasma growth hormone by 70%-75%[2].

If you add in the effects of dehydration and release of cortisol, it’s nothing but a recipe for disaster.

3. Get More Protein

There is a lot of confusion surrounding protein these days. One article says your not eating enough, the other says your eating way too much.

So what is the key?

For moderately active, and highly active adults, it is reasonable to consume around 2-3 grams of protein for every kilogram of bodyweight.[3]

Studies show that too much protein intake has an extremely low chance of negative side effects. Plus, protein is essential in so many bodily functions.

4. Lift Heavy Weights

Protein alone cannot build muscle. To really add-on size, you must lift heavy weights. Or use your bodyweight to achieve the desired resistance.

In the gym, you could focus on lifting 6 sets of 6 reps with a heavy enough weight to reach failure in the last couple of sets. This should be enough to make some serious gains.

5. Switch-up Your Workouts

This doesn’t necessarily mean changing the exercises. Vary your sets and reps, rest time, and intensity. This will help you break through those dreaded plateaus.

I hope this list helps you in achieving your desired physique. But this can only help you if you continually take daily action. Avoid analysis paralysis, and just get to work.

References:

1. Louise M Burke, Bente Kiens & John L Ivy

Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery

Pages 15-30 | Accepted 07 Aug 2003, Published online: 18 Feb 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140527

2. Prinz, P.N. et al., The effect of alcohol on sleep and nighttime plasma growth hormone and cortisol concentrations, J. Clin. Endocrinal. Metabol., 50(4), 759-764, 1980

3. Paul Hovan Jr., May 10, 2016

https://www.issaonline.edu/blog/index.cfm/2016/how-much-is-too-much-protein-myths-busted

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Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups, and the Raw Power They Build

Pull-ups (and chin-ups) are an exercise that every serious strength athlete needs to master. They build brute, raw, unadulterated STRENGTH in the upper body -the kind that you cannot get from lifting weights, and certainly not from working out on machines in the gym.

This exercise is more than worth it’s weight in gold, but is unfortunately ignored these days by most people. Let’s face it, when was the last time you saw someone working his butt off on a tough set of pull-ups? Personally, the only thing I’ve seen people do on the monkey bars in the local parks around where I live (and by the way, those monkey bars are great for doing pull-ups) is hang their jackets on them, or loiter by them while yammering on about the latest exercise fad. And that pretty much explains why most people have weak backs, and suffer from a plethora of back related problems.

This ONE exercise will build the back muscles to their fullest. The back is the true foundation of super strength in the upper body (as opposed to the chest, which most people are obsessed about), and this one exercise will work it to the max.It will also build a powerful grip, and strengthen the forearms beyond belief. And the benefits do not stop there – the biceps, triceps, chest, and core are all heavily taxed during the movement. If there was only one upper body movement that you could do, that would give you the biggest “bang for your buck”, I would advocate the pull-up (or chin-up).

Pull-ups also provide a true test of one’s strength. How many people these days can complete ten, proper pull-ups in one set, regardless of their bodyweight? Not very many I’d bet, and this includes the “muscleheads” at the local gym as well. There is a very solid reason that this exercise is a mandatory requirement for the US Marines and other elite forces around the world – that being that the exercise builds true strength, and lasting endurance.

Remember that pull-ups should always be done in proper form to gain the utmost out of every repetition. Amongst other things, correct form involves pulling with your back muscles rather than arms, and keeping your legs as still as you can. You should never use momentum to complete a rep. Allow your MUSCLES to complete the movement, rather than your ego. Most people avoid pull-ups because they find them to be too tough, and are forever stuck on the lat pull-down machines while achieving little by the way of back development and true strength. Don’t be one of these people. Master the pull-up and it’s variations fully, and you will move to an elite level of strength that few people these days will ever attain in a lifetime of training.

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Dieting Tips – Learn How to Lose 9lbs in 11 Days!

Irregardless of the fact that losing weight is a simple process that anyone could go through without any complications met, most people agree that it is a vague and complex process. Many think that it should embrace special exercises, strange diets, or even pills that would work like magic. Nutritionist suggests that sticking with simple process as long as the person can faithfully follow the regimen is the right way to start. Are you aware that a dose of discipline will allow you to lose 9lbs in just a matter of 11 days?

Weight loss 4 idiots had become one of the most viewed site starting January of 2005 given that they aim to help individual curb their fat in just a matter of few days. The good thing is the person is allowed to consume foods as much as they want. But wait, you need not to drink diet pills since all it takes is for you to consume small dishes in one day. Yes you are reading it right since they would not ask you to binge over tasteless foods or skip meals just to have the right calorie amount that will suit your wanting-to-lose-weight attitude.

The problem with starving yourself to death is that it allows a person to lose the interest since they would have the insight that dieting is all about the sickening process of saying goodbye to rich and tasteful foods. Also, when limiting calorie, your body will of course opt for reserves in the body to burn fat which leads in losing weight. The setback is, when you begin to eat again, the body will save the needed calories which result for the digestive system to slow down. It will also store calorie in such a way that you are getting back what you had already lost.

In view of this, if you wish to lose 9lbs in 11 days then eat several small meals in a day. Doing this will trick the body to employ both the Fat Storage and Fat Burning Hormones thus you can say goodbye to unnecessary pounds faster and in a more convenient manner. Doing this will also benefit you in such a way that you are getting the privileged of eating foods that are really close to your heart thus you will enjoy what you are doing and you’ll never feel as if you are forced to eat tasteless something which they happen to still call as ‘foods’.

You’ll have a sure way of getting your dreaded body since there is a small chance that you’re going to cheat with your diet. Boredom is off the bay because there are various dishes offered during the day; in fact you can even enjoy what you are doing. Most of the foods advised are just available on the nearest grocery store thus this is really a hassle-free way of dieting! Many people are now convinced that they can really lose 9lbs in 11 days so who knows if the diet is just waiting for you so you too can benefit from it? Try it right now!

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5 Ways To Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Schedule

Finding time to exercise when you have a full schedule can be tough. When you change your mindset from exercise being one more thing that’s crowding your to-do list daily, to thinking of it as a getaway from your daily routine, you’ll find yourself looking forward to your “time away” exercising. Even if you only fit in 20-30 minutes a handful of times per week, it is putting you on the path of making it a regular part of your schedule. You’ll begin really enjoying it when you start feeling the benefits of your exercise! Finding time is not easy so we must make time.

Here are a few tips on how to fit in a good workout with your busy schedule…

1. Schedule it. Write down when you plan to exercise on your calendar or in your mobile calendar. Schedule the workout in like it’s an important meeting that you can’t miss. You can also set reminder alarms on your mobile phone to prompt you to exercise.

2. Do it at home. Whether you purchase some home workout equipment such as a treadmill or an exercise bike, use online workouts or exercise subscription services, it’s much easier to fit in a workout when you don’t have to leave your home for the gym during gym hours.

3. Start your day with it. As the day goes on and your energy lessens, you may be less likely to exercise. Waking up 30 minutes earlier than normal to fit in a walk on the treadmill or a yoga DVD can start your day off on the right foot.

4. Do the small things. Small things such as parking further away from your workplace or the grocery store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or using the restroom in your office on a different floor. Even standing up during television commercials or marching in place is an idea. Doing these small things every single day will soon add up and get you in the habit of thinking of ways to better your health on a daily basis.

5. Accountability. Find a workout partner or someone like a coach to hold you accountable. Despite your best efforts, it’s sometimes hard to stay motivated. Having someone hold you accountable maximizes your chances of sticking to your workout schedule. If your workout partner is on the same mission as you they are less likely to bring you down with negative comments that we sometimes receive from others. Friendly challenges are a great way to push each other to work harder too.

Those are some tips to help you fit exercise into your busy schedule. At the end of the day though, it’s important that you do your exercise and push past any excuses. The only person who can stop you is you.

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3 Simple And Effective Methods To Improve Your Strength

There are various good reasons why someone would want to improve their strength. Probably anyone who might really benefit from beginning to improve their strength may need to do further research into it. It could possibly provide you with the results you’ve been trying to get for some time, but for different reasons could never achieve.

There are many possible workouts, diets, and methods to improve your strength. It’s just a matter of figuring out which one’s right for you.

Improve Your Strength In Days

There is no “one size fits all” solution. Several methods exist to deliberately produce specific results. Some are for functional strength for athletic sports. Other methods are strictly for inside the gym. Each method has its good points and its restrictions or not-so-good points.

Consequently, it’s always best to survey the field initially and have an understanding for this. Understanding the merits and drawbacks of each workout routine will help you to choose wisely amongst them. However, the methods in this article have produced excellent results for many gym goers and athletes.

Here then will be a brief survey of three of your most common methods to improve your strength:

1) The 6×6 Technique

If you’re an avid weightlifter, you may have heard of this already. A variation of Reg Park’s 5×5 workout routine, the 6×6 technique basically keeps the same principles but adds both a set and a rep to your workout. Now I know you’re probably thinking that you may not have time for another set, but the 6×6 is designed to use slightly lighter weight and execute lifts at a higher intensity.

Contrary to what your mind may tell you, slightly reducing your weight to add another rep or a set will not hamper any strength gains. As a matter of fact, you may see that it actually helps you have better form in your workouts, increasing the effectiveness of the movements.

2) Eat Plenty of Fats

Sure, protein is critical in muscle repair and recovery. But many people underestimate the importance of carbs and fat. Especially the latter. Usually, when people are trying to gain strength, they’re also trying to add muscle without fat. As a result, people frequently skip out on good fats while focusing on carbs and protein.

This is unwise since fats provide both your brain and body the ability to tap into fuel during a vigorous workout. As an athlete, your body needs fats not only for the extra calories they provide but also for nutritional purposes. You need fats to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

3) Tighten Your Core During Every Workout

Certainly, this may raise some eyebrows, but let me further explain. Your core is the centerpiece of your body. The muscles in your core serve as the bridge connection between the muscles of your upper body and the muscles of your lower body. What this means is a strong core increases the effectiveness of the muscles throughout your body.

Tightening your core during your workouts not only increase the durability and strength of your muscles and thus increasing your overall strength, it also helps to better protect your spine from awkward movements.

These Methods Are Not Only Effective, But They’re Simple

Needless to say, there are additional methods to improving your strength too, however, these shown above are generally used and are highly effective. All of them can be used, and work nicely. All three of these methods are currently being employed and are generally producing the gains on the machines that weightlifters, bodybuilders, and athletes are looking for.

Choose the method or blend of methods that best suits your requirements and begin to improve your strength!

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How to Choose the Health Nutrition Supplements Your Body Needs

Everyone understands that health nutrition supplements provide the user with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and many other nutrients that his body requires. Taking them in correct doses keeps a person energetic, and burns off the unwanted fat in the body. These are reasons enough to make the taking of these supplements a habit. Besides that, there is another logic to having health nutrition supplements.

Taking it routinely subjects you to some sort of discipline so that you are unlikely to deviate from the diet plan while you are having it. These supplements do not come cheap and once you are spending money on them, you will be conscious of the need to see through the whole process the right way so that the money is not wasted.

The health nutrition supplements that you need will depend upon what you want to achieve. If you are a bit obese and want to shed some weight and be shapely, you might need to use just a far burner and protein powder that will help you to lose weight.

But if you want not just to lose weight but build up some muscle mass as well, it is best to invest in some form of testosterone booster as well as protein powders. If you have some vitamin deficiencies, that should also be taken into consideration while choosing your health nutrition supplements.

Multivitamin supplements are a must, whatever your diet plan is, and whatever your goal is. It is a must for the smooth running of the various organs of the body, for burning extra fat by turning the body into an excellent fuel burning device, and for removing body toxins. The building blocks in multivitamin supplements help in repairing the wear and tear of the body as well. Most of the health nutrition supplements that you need will be available at local pharmacies or GNC stores.

Health nutrition supplements can be purchased online as well. These do not come cheap and you should first of all understand which are the ones that your body needs. Some people are under the erroneous impression that the more supplements one takes, the faster will the weight loss regimen progress. Nothing can be more far from the truth.

Nutrition supplements can only be taken in the correct amounts, after precisely identifying the need of the body. Whether you plan to buy health nutrition supplements online or offline, you will see heaps of them everywhere. It will be available as tablets, powders, bars, pills, and energy drinks. Choosing the right one from that jumble is your job.

You might have to go through a blood check or a thorough check done by your physician to find out exactly what your body needs to achieve what you want.

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The Importance of Nutrition and the Role It Plays in Your Daily Workout Regiment

So you just finished a long hard workout, the question always asked over and over is do I need carbohydrates or protein? You actually need both! If you work out long and hard in the gym and we’re not talking just an hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine, then your body needs both carbohydrates and protein. Let’s explain here.

Once consumed, carbohydrates are stored in the muscles as glycogen. Glycogen is actually used by the body to supply energy for bursts of power. The longer and harder the workout, the more glycogen your body will require. And we’ve all felt what it is like to run out of glycogen, right? Your energy level will drop, you don’t feel as strong and it will become harder and harder for you to contract the muscle. For the more intense workouts (2+ hours), the rule of thumb in the industry is three to four grams of carbs per pound of body weight is required each day. Without enough carbohydrates, your body will make muscle to use as “fuel.” Definitely not what you want! Instead, just eat the “good” carbs. What are some of them you might ask? Try some whole grains, maybe a vegetable, a fruit or even some beans or legumes. No leftover pizza from the night before! Note: Personal carb requirements depend on your workout intensity as well as your body size and will vary from person to person.

Protein, on the other hand, helps to “rebuild” your muscles after your intense workout or training session. The rule of thumb here (from the USDA) for strength and weight training, is to consume the average 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, not to exceed 2.0 grams per pound per day. Too much protein will not make any difference so don’t overdo here. And spread out your protein intake throughout the day. Your body can only process around 30 grams at any one time, so spread your carb intake out over your five or six small meals that you are already eating every day.

What foods contain Protein? They are actually broken down into several categories: plant-based proteins such as beans, peas and nuts; fish and seafood, poultry and chicken; most cheese and eggs.

I, personally, can’t eat that much food so I mix protein supplements and shakes into my daily food intake to get the maximum protein I need. If that is you, check out the supplements market to get the protein you want and need.

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3 Different Stages of Muscle Building You Need to Know

Before you jump head long into any muscle building training program you must know the three basic principles of what it takes to garner those big rippling biceps! After you have begun to understand the process of how the body goes through different stages of building muscle only then will you be able to initiate into a long-term muscle building training regiment.

Muscle Stimulation

The first phase is referred to as muscle stimulation. It is within this phase that you will learn how the audio treats its muscles when it comes to adding on lean muscle mass to compensate for previous failures. This may sound a bit contradictory but this is how the body works on a muscle to improve its maximum of elegy to either left or move something of massive weight. The body breaks down the muscle in order to compensate for the over strenuous activities of the weightlifting exercise only days before.

Learn about Nutrition

The second phase is to learn all you can about nutrition and what your body needs to grow big giant muscles. When you have a diet that’s full of fruits and vegetables and good wholesome grains and wheat and vitamins you’ll develop a body that is fit for ‘Schwarzenegger School of Bodybuilding Studs’ in California. If you do not treat your body like a temple that it is and you are trying to work out and negate the nutritional-aspect then the workout will be left unaffected and you will not gain muscles that all the girls at the beach want you to do. As long as you know that you need to eat a healthy, nutritious diet then your workout regimen will be just fine and your body will reward you with muscles upon muscles.

Learn the Golden Rule of Working Out then Resting

Many of the most-novices of muscle builders understand that you have to rest the body. Especially any of the targeted-muscles that you have just worked out the day before in order for them to grow into ‘anything’ bigger. Time and time again well-intentioned sincere young men who want to add muscle mass onto a relatively lean-body structure will forget this golden rule and work out every day religiously.

They do not give their muscles the time needed and required to produce more muscle tissue to make up for the failure of the past. The bottom line is that you should rest every day in between the weekly workout days and a good schedule beyond would look like this: Monday Wednesday Friday workout Tuesday Thursday rest, Saturday and Sunday cardiovascular workout or spend some time with the family. The most dependable factor you will need to learn of these three factors and three different stages of muscle growing experiences will be to be committed to your cause. Those guys and gals that one add-on muscle fiber to their body learn and follow these three phases of any workout regimen and are rewarded with fine tuned and muscular bodies.

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Exercises and Workouts – Three Great Bodyweight Cardio Moves To Do At Home

Short on time and need to get in a quick workout? Not to worry, you have plenty of great options. When it comes to cardio training, the great news is you need little more than some open space and your bodyweight. There is a lot you can do to get your heart rate up, burn calories, and have fun at the same time.

Here are three great bodyweight exercises you can use, structuring them together as one workout protocol…

1. Burpees. Burpees are a fantastic exercise which will work your entire body and ensure your heart rate is boosted to the max. Of all the bodyweight exercise you could do, these may be the most intense, so keep that in mind as you perform them. Be patient if you cannot do many in a row – they are very challenging.

When doing these, you will want to jump as high as possible to get the best strength gain possible. Remember to wear proper supportive footwear as well as you will have a good degree of stress coming down on your joints.

2. Jumping Jacks. Next up are jumping jacks. This exercise is well-known as you have likely done it many times as a kid so the movement will come naturally.

As you do these, focus on taking a deep knee bend each time you land, which is going to help bring the quads and glutes into play to a larger degree.

3. Mountain Climbers. Finally, the third must do exercise to get your heart rate up and allow for an at home cardio session is mountain climbers. These are great for working your core muscles and will also recruit the shoulders as well as the lower body as you support yourself through the exercise movement pattern.

When doing these, make sure you keep your head looking down to avoid placing excess strain on your neck muscles.

Ready for your workout? Try this fast and easy circuit next time you need to burn calories in less than 15 minutes. Perform as many reps of each exercise as you can in a one-minute time frame. Once each minute is completed, rest for 20 seconds and then move onto the next exercise. Repeat this circuit three times through…

  • burpees,
  • jumping Jacks, and
  • mountain climbers.

So, if you want to get in a quick workout at home, try these effective routines to work your entire body, get your heart rate up, and burn calories.

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