Showing posts with label mass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mass. Show all posts

Monday, May 12, 2008

Fast Muscle Mass Building: The Ten Success Principles

Muscle Mass Building

As the saying goes, "methods are many, principles are few, methods may change, but principles never do." This has just as much validity with weight training and bodybuilding as it does anything else. Every day we hear of revolutionary new workout programs, exercises, tricks, quick fix's, you name it. Though I can't say I agree on many of the different "methods" of gaining weight and building muscle mass these days, the principles for reaching your goals will always remain the same.

As a result, I have created what I call, "The Ten Success Principles for Fast Muscle Mass Building." I have listed these principles so that even the skinniest hardgainer can apply and grow from. Follow these principles, ingrain them in your mind, and you will be on the right track for long term success from your efforts. If you're wondering what is the best way to build muscle fast, then your answers are below. All you have to do is apply these principles.

Principle 1: You Don't Know what You Don't Know - Become a Student

When we realize that you don't know what you don't know, we can become more teachable and absorb knowledge that we can apply to better our results from the gym. If you have the "know-it-all" attitude, that simply means you are stagnate and your mind will never grow past its current state. Become a student for life to weight training and bodybuilding, read as much material as you can about each subject: training, diet, supplements, the whole works. One word of caution is this: be careful where you get your opinions and information. Only seek those with proven results, and watch out for "arm chair experts" and "magazine bodybuilders."

Principle 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Far too many trainees today just wonder aimlessly around in the gym doing whatever exercise they like and working out whenever they feel like it. If you don't have a target, you're going to hit it with amazing accuracy! In other words, if you don't know EXACTLY what you are trying to achieve by going to the gym each day, you're never going to get anywhere. Always make sure you're on a program, and stick with it to the end. Figure out your "why" and you will be able to overcome any "how." Always go to the gym knowing exactly what you are going to do down to the last rep of the last exercise.

Principle 3: You Get What You Picture

As David Schwartz says in his fantastic book, The Magic of Thinking Big, "Belief, strong belief, triggers the mind to figuring ways and means and how-to...Disbelief is negative power. When the mind disbelieves or doubts, the mind attracts "reasons" to support disbelief." Always go to the gym with a positive attitude and a firm belief that you are progressively gaining muscle mass. Wipe out all negative belief about your success or you will pay the price of getting exactly what you pictured.

Principle 4: There is No Great Success without Great Commitment

If you are not committed, you can be swayed. Fix in your mind exactly the results you want, and commit to yourself that you will do what it takes to get it. When you are committed, truly committed, no petty thought or inconvenience will ever stop you on your way to your goal. You will be unstoppable and your end in mind will be a forgone conclusion. As Yoda said, "There is no try, only do."

Principle 5: You Are Only Defeated When you Accept Defeat as a Reality, and Decide to Stop Trying

Failure is a HUGE key to success. The price of success is thousands of failures. Those not willing to pay that price will not succeed in getting the body they want. As long as you learn from your experience you will always be moving forward. Continue to learn and perform, and do this cycle over and over and over until you succeed. Success is often right after where most people quit. Remember, "Quitters never win, winners never quit."

Principle 6: Less is More - Quality, not Quantity

When you goal is to gain weight and/or build muscle mass, always keep your workouts short. All your muscles need is an intense workout with compound exercises and 110% effort, a few days a week. Don't think that by training 7 days a week for 2 or 3 hours a day will produce better results. Focus on a few exercises, a couple days a week for no longer then 90 minutes tops. Overtraining is one of the major causes of failure when trying to gain weight and build muscle. Don't confuse ambition with workout time, it's not how much time you put into the gym, it's what you put into the time you're at the gym that counts.

Principle 7: Major on Compound Exercises

Though there are literally thousands of workout programs you can find today, one truth that will never change for gaining muscle mass is that compound exercises have and will always be the best of the best. Exercises such as squats, the bench press, and bent-over rows will always remain at the top of any successful bodybuilders list. Focus on these and other core compound exercises and you'll never be disappointed in your results.

Principle 8: Hard Work

Nothing beats good old fashioned hard work, and what better way to express it than weight training. Unfortunately, the media today is always trying to make your workout and exercises "easier." If you want to build a mass of muscle, you're going to have to poor out some blood and sweat and tears, no two ways about it. As long as you follow a few solid workouts for muscle mass and are using safety cautions and common sense, then push yourself to your limit each and every workout. You're never going to ease your way to true muscle mass, even if you trained easy for a thousand years.

Principle 9: Progressive Overload

If you want more muscle mass, you're going to have to continue to add weight on a regular basis, period. This is one of the most basic but overlooked principles in gaining muscle mass. Get in the habit of progressively adding weight whenever you can. The moment you settle and stop pushing yourself is the moment your muscle mass gains will begin to stagnate. Resistance is the only opportunity for growth. The worst thing you can do is hit a goal without setting another one in advance.

Principle 10: A Proper Diet

I couldn't leave this one out. After all, the food you eat is the direct fuel for your muscles to grow. You can workout until the cows come home but without a proper diet plan for building muscle mass your body simply will not grow, it's not physically possible too! It is an absolute must to know the correct food to eat to build muscle properly. Refer to the first principle and learn all you can about dieting for muscle mass so that you can get the most for your efforts in the gym.

Muscle Mass Building

Derek Manuel is the author of the best-selling, "How to Gain Weight and Build Muscle for Hardgainers". If you want to learn how you too can gain 20 to 30 pounds of solid muscle in as short as 8 weeks, or if you just want more quality information on how to gain weight and build muscle, please visit http://www.hardgainers-weight-tips.com

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

10 Simple Natural Testosterone Booster Steps

Testosterone Booster

If there were one substance that could be considered the "holy grail" of muscle growth, testosterone would be it.

Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determine how much muscle you can ultimately build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with...

Increased muscle size and strength.
Decreased body fat levels.
Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
Improved mood.
Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well it is, and in this article I'm going to outline 10 simple steps to naturally raise your testosterone levels and achieve all of these incredible benefits. While these steps will not result in "steroid-like" muscle gains, they will definitely contribute to your overall bottom line results.

Natural Testosterone Booster 1

Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. These exercises will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress in the gym and will force your body to increase testosterone production.

Natural Testosterone Booster 2

Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.

Natural Testosterone Booster 3

Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

Natural Testosterone Booster 4

Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

Natural Testosterone Booster 5

Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

Natural Testosterone Booster 6

Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

Natural Testosterone Booster 7

Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

Natural Testosterone Booster 8

Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of “cortisol”, a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

Natural Testosterone Booster 9

Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.

Natural Testosterone Booster 10

Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.

Start implementing these techniques on a consistent basis and you should experience a noticeable increase in your muscle size and strength gains.

To learn more insider techniques for building a powerful, muscular body, I strongly suggest paying a visit to my website by clicking the link below. You can sign up for my free muscle-building email course to learn even more great tips...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Must Have Body Building Supplement: Glutamine

Body Building Supplement

One of the most important body building supplement is glutamine. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the human body and is arguably the most important in the process of building muscle and gaining strength.

It can be found naturally in food sources such as beans, poultry, fish and dairy products, but in order to consume a highly beneficial amount you should probably consider buying it in powdered form as a nutritional supplement. Most serious weightlifters and bodybuilders would consider glutamine as one of the most important body building supplements out there, and for good reason.

What exactly does glutamine do, and how is this beneficial to the muscle growth process?

Glutamine is best known for being an “anti-catabolic” agent. What this means is that rather than directly promoting the growth of new muscle tissue, glutamine works by preserving the muscle tissue that you have already built.

You see, muscle breakdown is occurring all the time. This naturally happens when you train intensely, when you don’t provide your body with enough protein or during the time that you are sleeping. This process is completely natural and is to be expected.
However, if you are training and eating properly, then your body is also synthesizing new muscle tissue throughout the day. Taking the rate of muscle growth and subtracting the rate of muscle breakdown can calculate your overall muscle gains. Glutamine helps by minimizing the rate of muscle breakdown, resulting in greater overall net gains in muscle mass.

Glutamine is also highly beneficial in the positive effect that it has on the immune system. Not only are your muscles heavily stressed from your workouts, but your entire immune system is stressed as well. Glutamine will help you to recover quicker in between your workouts and will also help to prevent you from getting sick.
I would recommend supplementing with this body building supplement with 10 grams of glutamine daily in order to see the best results. Although glutamine will not provide any immediately noticeable results, you will definitely achieve greater muscle gains in the long term by using it.

Here are the two most important times to supplement with glutamine:

1) Within 30 minutes of completing your workout.

After an intense workout your body’s glutamine levels can drop by as much as 50%. In order to restore these levels the body will typically tap into the glutamine reservoirs within your muscle tissue. You should consume 5 grams at this time in order to keep your hard earned muscle in tact.

2) Right before bed.

Taking 5 grams of glutamine right before you decide to doze off will help to minimize muscle breakdown while you sleep and will also increase your body’s natural secretion of growth hormone, a powerful anabolic substance.

Here is a quick recap of the recommended dosages for this body building supplement:
Workout Days: 5 grams post-workout, 5 grams before bed.

Non-Workout Days: 5 grams with an afternoon meal, 5 grams before bed.
Although glutamine will not provide any instant, dramatic muscle increases, you should be able to see by now that it is quite important in the overall muscle-building process and is a supplement that no serious weightlifter should be without.

If you're interested in learning about 4 other highly effective body building supplements that I would definitely recommend including in your program, click the link below to visit my website. I'll also teach you about several heavily marketed muscle-building supplements that you should steer clear of, and this could potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of your hard-earned dollars...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/



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Friday, October 26, 2007

Proper Squats or Get Out!

Squats

Simply put, squats are the most difficult, intimidating and painful exercise you could possibly have in your arsenal. They require massive amounts of discipline and willpower to perform correctly. After you have performed a set of squats to failure, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. They are also a challenging exercise to master from a technical standpoint.

All this aside, squats are one of, if not THE most effective, growth-producing exercises you could possibly include in your workout routine. They will pack more size and strength onto your lower body than any other exercise out there, and due to their high level of difficulty, they also force your body to release higher amounts of important anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. This increased secretion of hormones will pack muscle size onto your entire upper body as well.

In addition, squats cause what is known as a "spillover effect": a strength gain in almost all of your other exercises. When I started squatting to failure, my bench press virtually increased by 20 pounds overnight. If you're looking for serious muscle gains and you don't already squat, you'd better get started.

Quite simply, they really, really work.

Unfortunately, many people have yet to experience the benefits of heavy squatting. It seems that people will come up with just about any excuse they possibly can in order to steer clear form the squat rack.

How many times have you heard the all too common "They're too hard on my knees", or "I heard they stunt your growth." What do I say to that? Nonsense!

If you're in the gym with the goal of maximizing your total body muscle gains, squats are an absolute must.

Proper Squatting Technique

For safety reasons you should always perform your squats in a power rack or cage. This way you can adjust the height at which you clear the bar, and you can drop the bar on the safety pins if you need to bail. The safety pins should be set at just below the depth you are squatting and the J Hooks should be set at about the level of your nipples.

At all times during the squat your head should be pulled back, your chest raised and you should have a slight arch in your lower back. You should always be looking straight ahead, and at no time should you be leaning too far forward, or be looking up or down.

Step up to the bar, placing your hands at about the same width as a bench press. Before clearing the bar, make sure it is placed evenly along your traps. The bar should rest on the lower portion of your traps and across your rear delts. It should almost feel as if the bar is going to roll off your back.

Now that you have cleared the bar, take only as many steps back as necessary. Most squat injuries occur when backing up, so make sure that you only back up as far as you need to. Your feet should be placed about shoulder width apart or slightly wider, and they should point out at a 45-degree angle.

Take a big, deep breath, and make your descent. You should not lower yourself straight down, but rather as if you were sitting in a chair behind you. At all times your knee must remain in line with your feet, and they should never bow in. Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground.

As soon as you have reached the bottom position, rise up immediately. Do not relax in the bottom position! Drive up with your heels and straighten your back as quickly as possible.

Once you are in the upright position again, take another deep breath, and continue the lift until you have completed the desired number of reps.

Final Thoughts

You have all the reason in the world to get into the squat rack, so go ahead and do it. Treat this lift with respect and you'll be shocked at the resulting muscle gains. I would recommend performing your squats once per week, for 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps. Focus on pushing yourself hard on this exercise and continually strive for more weight and more reps.

To learn about more highly effective, growth-producing exercises that you can include in your routine, visit my website by clicking the link below. Most trainees have no idea how to pick and choose the proper exercises and they dramatically limit their gains as a result...

Click here

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Squats

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

How To Get Bigger Arms Revealed

bigger arms

It’s no secret that every serious lifter out there desires an impressive pair of strong, muscular and bigger arms.

Who wouldn’t be happy with tall, peaking biceps sitting on top of rock-hard, horse-shoe-shaped triceps? Who wouldn’t love to have a pair of ripped, well-developed guns forcefully bursting through the sleeves of their shirt?

While developing muscular and bigger arms is usually at the top of many peoples’ agenda, the reality is that the majority of lifters out there have a very poor understanding of how to properly train their arms for maximum gains.

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In order to gain the proper insight into effectively stimulating arm growth, we must first recognize three basic truths:

1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups.

2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back.

3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.

What do these 3 points tell us about effective bigger arms training?
The most important thing for you to realize is this:

For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!

So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?

It’s very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.

Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the “spark” that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue.

Because of this, it is vital that you do not over train your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.

If you’re looking to seriously get bigger arms, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep press downs. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training.

This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample bigger arms routine that you can use as a part of your program:

Routine #1

Barbell Curls – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Curls – 1 set of 5-7 reps
Routine #2

Close-Grip Bench Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Cable Pushdowns – 1 set of 5-7 reps

Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.

If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible.


bigger arms

The King Of All Upper Body Workouts


Upper body workout

Okay, so you’re looking to pack on some serious muscle mass, right?
You want to build a ripped, rock-solid physique that demands respect and turns heads everywhere you go, correct?

Good.

In this article I’m going to talk to you about one single exercise that will help you to achieve that powerful body quicker than you ever thought possible.

No, it’s not a bench press or a barbell curl.
It doesn’t involve cables or chrome machines.

You won’t need a swiss ball or any other fancy gym gadgets.

All you need is a good old-fashioned barbell and a flat surface. Load the bar with as much weight as you can handle and pick it up off the ground while keeping your back straight.

Sounds simple enough, right?

I’m talking, of course, about the undisputed king of all upper body workouts: the deadlift.

If you’re looking to pile as much lean muscle mass onto your frame as humanly possibly in the shortest period of time, the deadlift is your best friend in the entire world.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that deadlifts are without a doubt one of the most painful and discomforting exercises you will ever come across. When performed properly, they’ll leave you lightheaded, nauseous, gasping for air and will temporarily have you wishing that you hadn’t come to the gym in the first place. But if it’s serious results that you’re after, this is the price you must pay.

The deadlift will work you from finger to neck to toe. It is a raw, basic power movement and will literally stress every single muscle in your entire body to some degree. The main areas of stimulation are the back (lower and upper) and thighs, but once you start deadlifting on a consistent basis you’ll see gains just about everywhere.

The high intensity nature of this basic lift will also force your body to secrete higher amounts of powerful anabolic substances such as testosterone and growth hormone. This causes what is known as a “spill over effect”, and will result in new, total body size and strength gains. For example, after a few weeks of heavy deadlifting you should notice that your other lifts, such as the bench press and barbell row, will suddenly increase.

There a few different variations of the deadlift, but in this article we’ll focus on the basic, standard bent-legged version. Let’s go over the proper technique...
Position your feet about shoulder-width apart and grip the bar with your hands just outside your legs. You can either hold the bar with an overhand grip or with one palm facing in and one palm facing out. Choose whatever grip is most comfortable for you.
Start the movement in a squatted position with the bar close to your shins. With your back flat, abs tight and head looking up, lift the weight off of the ground by driving upward with your legs. Pull the weight up until you are in a standing position. Now lower the weight back down by following the same path as when you lifted it.

Rest the plates on the ground briefly, regroup, take a deep breath and pull the weight back up again. Continue the lift until your legs reach muscular failure or until your form starts to slip.

Maintaining proper form is of high importance when performing deadlifts. You should be able to handle a reasonable amount of weight here, and this increases your chance of injury. The most important thing to remember is to keep your back flat at all times and to keep the weight close to your body. Keep your abs tight as well as this will minimize the stress on your lower back.

Practice this lift with light weight in order to get the form down before you start going heavy. You may also find it useful to use lifting straps when performing deadlifts, as this will prevent your grip from giving out before the rest of your body does.

I recommend performing deadlifts once a week for 2 all-out sets to muscular failure.
How many reps should you perform for each set?

Well, deadlifts are such an incredibly effective exercise that they’ll work no matter what rep range you use. My suggestion is to stay in the range of 5-7, but some people go as high as 20. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Treat your deadlifts with respect, and be prepared for the gains of your life.

To learn about some other highly effective, growth-producing exercises, click the link below and visit my website. Most trainees get their exercise selection all wrong in the gym. Luckily you won't be one of them.

Get fantastic upper body workout programs here!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Body Building Workout: The Key Essence To Put On Mass

body building workout

Body building workout is a workout with the key goal in mind which is to pack on as much muscle as you can and as proportionate as possible. The thing here about building muscle and not fat is not just to simply lift weights blindly and expect to look like Jay Cutler in a year or two. If that is the approach that you are using, then you might even look like an amateur in your life time!

Time is money! You want to build muscle with as little time as possible because you do not want to discover the right technique of body building at the age of 50 and miss out all the benefits including health, glances from babes and the right to brag.

In any body building workout, the most important element is continuously challenging yourself by over loading your muscles. Of course dieting is very important as to build some serious mass, you need the raw materials which are proteins and carbohydrates. That is another topic all together. Here we are discussing about the essence of your body building workout which can make or break your body building physique.

According to ACE, American Council on Exercise, in order to build muscle, you need to stimulate the fast twitch muscle fibers which are the ones that grow in size. In order to blast those muscle fibers, you need to out those muscles under tension up to and no more that 30 seconds, anything more than that and you will be stimulating the slow twitch muscle fibers and you will end up like a marathon runner.

Have you ever wonder why body building magazines always advice you do ten or 8 reps? This is because in your body building workout, the exercise you do requires 1 second on the eccentric phase and 2 seconds in the eccentric phase. This sums up to 3 seconds per rep and then for 10 reps its 30 seconds. Make sense right?

The amount of rest between your sets is also important. You should rest between 1 to 2 minutes if you are doing a muscle building program. You need to let the ATP which is the source of energy to recover. Even you have catch your breath does not mean that your muscle are ready for the next set. Don’t rush through your body building workout or you are just wasting your time.

How many times should you do your body building workout?

Well, if you’re starting out, aim for 3 workouts per week. Your muscles need 72 hours of rest. A lot of newbie can’t get this right because they are just too excited. You will end up getting smaller instead of bigger because the broken down muscle fibers are not getting enough rest to rebuild back. Muscles get bigger during rest periods not during exercising. When you are a seasoned body builder, then you can aim for 5 days of workout per week, splitting one muscle group per day.

I hope these tips on body building workout helps. There will be more tips to come! Keep on reading you iron junkie folks!

body building workout

Saturday, October 6, 2007

The Best Tricep Workout Ever


Best tricep workout

The best tricep workout I have ever done is a seven exercise tricep workout. This is because I really have long stubborn triceps. It is really hard for them grow. Then I decide that I will hammer them with seven exercises, seven intense tricep exercises that include free weights and cables.

I do this best tricep workout once a week. It is powerful enough to keep my triceps sore for 2 days.

The first exercise I will do is the standing cable triceps press down. This is an excellent exercise to warm up the triceps. I will do 3 regular sets, going heavier as the sets progress. Then on the final set, I will do a drop set. This will have my triceps on fire and well prepared for my second exercise, then awesome lying tricep extension.

This is the best exercise to build size on the triceps. But I will not be doing regular single sets; instead I will super set it with bench dips to boost up the intensity. There are 3 sets involved. On the first set, it will be 12 reps, on the second set, 10 reps and on the final set, it will be 8 reps. All the bench dips will be done till failure.

For the fourth exercise on this best tricep workout, I would do overhead tricep rope extension. The angle that this exercise is executed gives an amazing soreness in the triceps until it rides up all the way to the shoulders! Remember to keep your back straight and your abs tight.

Then, I would use overhead dumbbell tricep extensions. By using dumbbells, it puts much more pressure on the muscle as it needs to work harder to balance the weight.

Then, for the belly of the triceps, I would do dumbbell tricep kick backs. Use light weight on this exercise and focus on form. Squeeze hard on the peak of the contraction.

Last but no least, this best tricep workout will end with some hardcore body weight dips till failure. This is a very good exercise to out some meat on the triceps.


The Best Tricep Workout Ever Plan

1. Tricep press down and drop on the last set
2. Lying tricep extension superset with dips till failure
3. Over head tricep rope extension
4. Overhead dumbbell tricep extensions
5. Dumbbell kickbacks
6. Dips till failure

For all the exercises, do three sets, starting with 12 reps, then 10 reps and then finally 8 reps. Remember, it is super important to use weights that really challenge the body. It must be intense enough to make you scream!

best tricep workout

Friday, October 5, 2007

Ultimate Chest Workout

Ultimate chest workout

Everyone wants a huge chest, plain and simple. It is all too common to see inexperienced lifters slaving away on endless sets of bench presses and cable crossovers in search of full, thick pecs. The reality is that there is nothing complicated about building an impressive chest. The bottom line for huge chest gains is consistency, effort and steady progression in weight and repetitions.

To stimulate the chest using weights you will be using one of two motions: a press or a flye. If you want the greatest bang for your buck from your chest workouts, the true gains lie in your pressing movements.

Flyes may have their place from time to time, but nothing can compare to the overall anabolic effect of high intensity pressing movements. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as heavy barbell presses, dumbbell presses and wide-grip dips.

There are no secrets, magic formulas or killer techniques that will "shock" your chest into massive growth. Stick to your basic presses, focus on overload and progression, and I promise that you will see impressive gains.

Here are the most effective lifts for packing muscle onto the chest:

Flat/Incline/Decline Barbell Bench Press:

A standard barbell press is the meat and potatoes of any ultimate chest workout. This basic compound movement will allow you to handle the most weight through the given range of motion. The incline press will shift more of the stress to the upper region of the chest while the decline does the opposite, targeting the lower/outer region. The flat bench press works the upper and lower regions equally. I highly recommend a standard barbell press as a basic component of your chest routine.

Flat/Incline/Decline Dumbbell Press:

Dumbbell presses are another basic and highly effective movement for stimulating chest development. The main advantage that they have over the barbell is that they allow you to move through a more natural range of motion, helping to prevent shoulder injuries. They also prevent strength imbalances from occurring since one arm can't cheat for the other. The only drawback is that you are not able to handle as much weight. In any case, a standard dumbbell press is an awesome movement that allows for great chest stimulation.

Wide-Grip Dips:

An amazing movement for the chest that is often overlooked. Make sure to use a wider grip and lean forward to shift the stress from the triceps onto the pectorals. If pressing your own body weight is not sufficient then you can always add resistance using a weight belt. Dips are an excellent compound movement for overall chest development.

Here are a couple ultimate chest workout
:

1) Flat Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Wide-Grip Dips: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps

2) Incline Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Wide-Grip Dips: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Flat Dumbbell Press: 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps

All sets should stay within the 5-7 rep range and should be taken to complete muscular failure. Write down the details of each workout you perform and focus on progressing in either weight or reps from week to week.

To learn about the proper methods for training all of your other muscle groups, visit my website by clicking the link below. You can gain instant access to a complete online video lesson series outlining the most effective techniques for training your shoulders, arms, back, legs and abs, all in step-by-step detail.

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

ultimate chest workout

Shoulder Muscle Workout For Mass In Minutes

Shoulder muscle workout

If you’re looking to develop an impressive, muscular physique, well-developed shoulders are an absolute must. Thick, round “cannon ball delts” will make your upper body appear wide and powerful and will help immensely in creating the v-tapered look that all bodybuilders strive for.

Many serious lifters will argue that underneath clothes, muscular shoulders make the greatest contribution toward the overall appearance of the upper body.
The shoulder is a 3-headed muscle that performs the function of lifting and rotating the arm. It consists of the anterior region (the front), the medial region (the middle) and the posterior region (the rear). These heads can be stimulated in the gym using two different movements: an overhead press and a raise.

The overhead press is the meat and potatoes of effective shoulder training. There isn’t a single lift out there that can match the incredible shoulder-stimulating effect of a basic overhead pressing movement. Both a barbell and a dumbbell can be used for this exercise, but dumbbells are the best overall choice.
Dumbbells allow you to move through a more natural range of motion and also don’t allow one arm to cheat for the other. They also place a greater amount of total stress on the shoulder region in comparison to the barbell, which shifts some of the stress to the upper chest.

I would recommend using the seated overhead dumbbell press as your core shoulder movement. Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on a bench with a vertical back support. Press the dumbbells overhead until your elbows are just short of locking out, and then lower them back to shoulder level.

The next exercise to look into is a basic side lateral raise, which can also be performed with a pair of dumbbells. Side laterals are an isolation exercise and will shift the majority of the stress to the medial head of the shoulder. This will build greater shoulder width and will contribute to that wide upper body look. Stand with your knees slightly bent and hold a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing inward. With a slight bend in your arms, raise the dumbbells up to shoulder level and then lower them back to the starting position.

When it comes to training your shoulders for maximum size and strength, a basic overhead press and a side lateral raise is all you need. It’s very important to realize that the shoulders are stimulated on virtually every single upper body exercise that you perform and therefore they do not require a lot of direct work.
Most people perform far too much work on their shoulders and actually hinder their gains as a result. Because of this I typically do not recommend that you perform isolation exercises for the anterior and posterior heads.

The anterior heads are heavily stressed during all chest pressing movements while the posterior heads are hit equally hard on all rowing movements for the back. A couple of extra sets won’t hurt, but you should try to minimize the volume as much as you can.

The key to massive shoulders is quality, not quantity.

Here are a couple of sample shoulder muscle workouts that you can use:

Shoulder Muscle Workout #1

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Side Laterals – 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps
If you insist on performing isolation exercises for the front and rear heads, you can use this routine:

Shoulder Muscle Workout #2

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Side Laterals – 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps
Standing Front Dumbbell Raise – 1 set of 10-12 reps
Seated Rear Lateral Dumbbell Raise – 1 set of 10-12 reps

There you have it.

All sets should be taken to complete muscular failure where no additional reps can be completed using proper form. Keep a detailed record of each workout and strive for continual improvement from week to week by either increasing the resistance or the number of reps performed.

If you want to learn the specific training methods for hitting all of your other muscle groups, check out my website by clicking the link below. You can gain instant access to a complete online muscle-building video lesson series that outlines the proper techniques for maximizing your muscle gains in your chest, back, arms, legs and abs, with a special lesson dedicated to each...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

shoulder muscle workout

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Best Workout For Bigger Back

Best workout for bigger back

It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly misguided the vast majority of the population is in the gym. Everyone is desperate for that wide, powerful and muscular physique, yet very few understand how to properly channel their efforts to get there.

For most aspiring lifters, it's all about building a huge chest and arms. Week after week they slave away on endless sets of bench presses and barbell curls in search of the rippling muscle gains they want so badly.

Not surprisingly, those gains never appear in any significant form.

While a well developed chest and arms is clearly an important part of any complete physique, the truth is that these muscles only play a small role when compared to a much larger, much more intricate muscle group that most people severely neglect in their training programs.

I am, of course, talking about the major muscles of the back: the lats, traps, spinal erectors, rhomboids and lower back.

It's obvious why most lifters neglect these all-too-important muscles…

1) The back is not a “showy” muscle and you can't see it in the mirror.
2) Back training is far more stressful and taxing to the body than chest or arm training.
3) Most lifters are simply unaware of how important the development of these muscles really is.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret…

If you want to appear as wide, thick and powerful as you possibly can, nothing will allow you to achieve this goal faster than a well developed back.

In fact, 70% of your upper body muscle mass resides in this area!

Nothing can replace the upper body thickening effect of big, bulging lats and a set of wide, tall trapezius muscles.

Please, get up off that bench press and put down that EZ-curl bar for just a moment and let me share a simple, step-by-step workout that you can use to build the muscular back you so desperately need.

There are 4 major movements that you must perform to properly develop your back…

1) Deadlifts – I cannot possibly stress the importance of this lift enough. There is not a single exercise out there that can even come close to matching the effectiveness of a basic, bent-legged barbell deadlift.

The deadlift will work you from finger to neck to toe and is irreplaceable in developing strong, thick back muscles. The deadlift will stimulate growth throughout the entire back complex and should be the cornerstone of your routine.

2) A vertical pulling movement – These exercises mainly target the lat muscles and will help you to attain that wide, v-tapered look from behind. Examples of vertical pulling movements are chin-ups (overhand or underhand), lat pulldowns and v-bar pulldowns.

To get the most bang for your buck I recommend a basic overhand chin-up. This is the bread and butter of vertical pulling movements and will stimulate growth in the lats like no other exercise.

3) A horizontal pulling movement – Otherwise referred to as “rows”, horizontal pulling movements place their emphasis on the upper/middle portion of the back and also stimulate the lats. There are a ton of different rowing movements to choose from: bent over barbell rows, dumbbell rows, seated machine rows and cable rows just to name a few.

For maximum results, stick to a basic freeweight rowing movement. I usually recommend bent over barbell rows, but bent over dumbbell rows are an acceptable choice as well.

4) A shrugging movement – While not quite as important as the above mentioned lifts, a shrugging movement should still be performed at the end of the workout to target the upper traps and develop that mountainous, diamond-shaped look from behind. A basic barbell or dumbbell shrug will do the trick.


Okay, let's put it all together…

Deadlifts – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Overhand Chin-Ups – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Barbell Shrugs – 2 Sets of 10 to 12 reps

For optimal gains in back size and strength, the above routine is ideal.

It may not seem like a lot, but as long as you take every set to muscular failure and focus on quality rather than quantity, this routine provides more than enough stimulation for maximum back growth. I've used this same routine for many years and continue to see steady progress in both back size and strength.

Make sure to keep a written record of every workout that you perform, and focus each week on increasing either the weight that you lift or the number of reps that you perform within the given rep range.

Perform this workout once per week with full effort and I guarantee that your upper body will appear thicker, wider and more muscular than ever before.

What about specific routines for the chest? What about the biceps, triceps and shoulders? How about the thighs, calves and abs?

For specific training information on each of these body parts make sure to visit my webpage below and find out how you can finally get the rock-solid muscle gains you deserve without spending endless hours in the gym...

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Killer Arm Workout Big Gun Arms


killer arm workout

A killer arm workout is a workout that makes driving home hard after your workout sessions. A fantastic arm workout for me should include drops sets as well as super sets to keep the arm burning like crazy. Imagine pouring gasoline over your arms and light it up!

Let hit the triceps first. Triceps should be the one suffering first because it is a lager muscle group and it requires a lot more focus on it. First, do the triceps press down with cables. Do around 3 sets. Moving the weight up as you drop the reps. Then on the fourth set, do a drop set. For example, move the weights down from 25 kg to 20 kg to 15 kg and the reps from 8 to 10 then to 12 non stop.

The when the triceps is all warmed up, lying triceps extensions with the EZ curl bar is next. This totally a true triceps mass builder. It hits all the three triceps muscle heads and it is a perfect exercise for mass. Take 3 solid heavy sets to really over load the triceps muscles.

If you want to get a killer arm workout, do close grip push ups after each set of heavy lying triceps extension.

Do not miss out on over head cable triceps rope extension. This exercise can really give mass on the upper triceps as well as the lateral head. This exercise is a isolation movement there for it should be done towards the end.

After hammering the triceps, proceed to the killer arm workout for biceps. I always start out by doing standing barbell curls. This is also another must do exercise for big biceps. This is because you can carry heavy weights on this bicep exercise. Do three heavy sets on this exercise. Start out moderate heavy and do 10 reps. Then pile on the weights and on the weight and do 8 reps. Finally, for a real killer arm workout, do 6 reps with heavier weights and make your biceps swell!

Then move on to incline 45 degree dumbbell biceps curls. This exercise really hits the biceps because it prevents momentum from helping in the biceps exercise. Here is a tip for getting a high bicep peak. During the top of the curl, rotate your wrist outwards.

For the last exercise to complete this killer arm workout, do three sets of heavy preacher curls and on the last set, do a drop set. This will really burn the biceps and light them on fire. Make sure during this exercise, use the EZ curl bar and go for the full range of motion.

You can also option to do heavy standing cable bicep curls. The good thing about using cable curls is that you it works the entire bicep equally. What this means is when you use free weights, the top of the motion is always easy and the mid point of the curl is the toughest. If you use cables, the force of tension is the same throughout the motion is equal. There for you get a full development for the entire muscle.

Use this killer arm workout for 3 months. Give full determination and you will get the results you want. You also have to eat lots if protein and carbs to supply the raw materials for you muscle to recover.

killer arm workout

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Revealed: The Truth About Massive Biceps & Triceps

It’s no secret that every serious lifter out there desires an impressive pair of strong, muscular arms.

Who wouldn’t be happy with tall, peaking biceps sitting on top of rock-hard, horse-shoe-shaped triceps? Who wouldn’t love to have a pair of ripped, well-developed guns forcefully bursting through the sleeves of their shirt?

While developing muscular arms is usually at the top of many peoples’ agenda, the reality is that the majority of lifters out there have a very poor understanding of how to properly train their arms for maximum gains.

In order to gain the proper insight into effectively stimulating arm growth, we must first recognize three basic truths:

1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups.
2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back.
3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.

What do these 3 points tell us about effective arm training?

The most important thing for you to realize is this:

For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!

So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?

It’s very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.

Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the “spark” that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue.

Because of this, it is vital that you do not overtrain your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.

If you’re looking to achieve serious arm growth, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep pressdowns. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training.

This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample arm routine that you can use as a part of your program:

Routine #1

Barbell Curls – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Dumbbell Curls – 1 set of 5-7 reps

Routine #2

Close-Grip Bench Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps
Standing Cable Pushdowns – 1 set of 5-7 reps

Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.

If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible.

To learn about the proper methods for training your chest, back, legs, shoulders and abs as well, visit my website by clicking the link below. You can gain instant access to a complete online video lesson series outlining these techniques in detail...

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Body Building Leg Workout for Mass


Leg Workout for Mass

Leg workout for mass sends tingling excitement whenever body builders hear about it. It is just the word mass and legs that some how excites them because in the sport of body building, legs are one of the most important aspect when assessing a persons physique.

There is no point having a huge v tapered cobra like back and big gun biceps when they come down to twig like legs. Legs are the foundation of a body builder and when a person have huge and string legs, they usually are strong in other body parts as well.

Training intensely with legs will also boost up growth hormones which are super important for building muscles.

When it comes to leg workout for mass, you definitely cannot rely on machines. It must be solid hardcore free weights. No puny machines like the butt machine. Spending quality time on the squat rack is more like it.

There are a few important exercises that must be included in any leg workout for mass. Core exercises like barbell squats, heavy leg press, dead lifts and lunges are a must. These are compound exercises or multi joint exercises that work lots of muscles at once. These bread and butter for massive legs can boost growth hormone and propel you to huge tree trunk legs.

Remember, for leg workout for mass, you must include heavy weights and compound exercises. Leg workout for mass also needs volume training. This means at least 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps. In order to build mass, the muscle must be working more than 10 seconds and under 30 seconds. If you want power, go for 6 reps but if you want size, go for 8 to 10 reps with the tempo of 1 second up and 2 second down.

You also need rest between sets. At least 2 minutes between sets. If you rush through the exercise, you will then compensate on strength because the ATP of the muscles have not recovered yet.

So, a sample of a leg workout for mass is:

Squats 4 sets



1 set: 15 reps (warm up)
2 set: 10 reps
3 set: 8 reps
4 set: 8 reps (heavy)

Leg press

1 set: 10 reps
2 and 3 set: 8 reps

Dead lifts

1 set: 10 reps
2 and 3 set: 8 reps

Lunges

1 set: 12 reps
2 set: 10 reps
3 set: 8 reps

Standing calf raises

1 set: 20 reps
2 set: 18 reps
3 set: 15 reps

Calf muscles are unique. If you want diamond calves, you need to hammer them with high reps and heavy weights. This is because calves are fast recovery muscles.

Try this leg workout for mass. Train them super hard once a week and always challenge the muscles. Your muscles will only grow if they are over loaded. No comfort zone here!

body building leg workout for mass

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

10 Tips For Bigger Biceps

Tips For Bigger Biceps

1. Prior to the actual biceps workout, stretch the target muscles, then warm up thoroughly with a couple of light high rep sets. I have bone that from day one and have never experienced any injury problems.

2. Find your own strength levels in line with the descending reps program. (Again the poundages shown in the chart are for informational purposes only.)

3. For growth, you have to train as heavy as possible within the recommended rep range.
4. For the first two sets (16 and 12 reps, respectively), use a weight that allows you to just complete the required rep range without failure occurring.

5. For the last two sets, use a weight for which failure occurs at the 10th and eight rep marks, respectively.

6. Don't go past failure into the forced rep zone. Not doing forced reps is another reason (besides warming up thoroughly) why I feel I've remained uninjured.

7. Use strict style without bending your torso. During a real heavy set of barbell curls, you may have to cheat a little to complete the last two reps or so, but don't cheat until it's impossible to complete the set without doing so.

8. As you complete each rep, visualize the biceps working, make mental contact with the muscle as it rolls into a contraction, and form an image of the peak swelling.

9. Particularly during the last two sets of each exercise, aim for the maximum pump and a killer burn.

10. Rest between sets only as long as it takes your partner to do his set. One arm cables are an exception.

Source: http://www.getbig.com/articles/biceps.htm

Tips For Bigger Biceps