Monday Muscle - Muscle Memory - Can Muscles Actually Remember?

Ask any bodybuilder what muscle memory means and they will readily answer that it is the ability to regain muscle mass more quickly after a period of inactivity than it took to gain the same mass originally. However, if you type the term "muscle memory" into a search engine on the internet, you will find there are many different interpretations of this term. And depending on which authority you consult, the meanings are diverse.

Some believe that muscle memory is simply the application of learned processes much like a baby learns to walk or feed itself.

Repetition can bring success

After many repetitions of the same action, parts of the body are able to react without the person thinking about what they are doing, and the action involved seems to come naturally. If this is true, then muscle memory is actually a neurological function that is built into all humans. According to Andersen, et al. (2005), some studies have shown that neurological and physiological changes occur during skill training, but not during strength training alone.

Others believe that there is an actual physiological change that occurs in the muscles during strength training, altering the function of certain muscle fibers, causing them to bring about muscle growth more readily than before training. In both cases, the muscle's ability to regain both strength and size may be enhanced if training is stopped for a period of time and then started again.

Resistance training and weight training require a combination of strength and motor skill. As a person learns how to perform certain exercises, it is important to learn the right patterns of movement that will achieve the desired muscle growth (Jensen, Marstrand & Nielsen, 2005). Many people define muscle memory as muscular hypertrophy, kinesthesia, proprioception or a result of neuromuscular facilitation. To some extent, all of these definitions play a part in muscle memory. Let's start by defining these terms and showing their interaction with one another to facilitate "muscle memory" during strength training and bodybuilding (as well as other types of exercise).

Muscular Hypertrophy Hypertrophy is the increase of the size of an organ or select area of tissue that occurs due to an increase in the size of cells. Muscular hypertrophy occurs through increased contractile proteins. Myosin heavy chain isoforms, or MHCs, refer to the types of protein seen in a given muscle fiber.

MHCs determine how the muscle fiber functions.

Some moves give more muscle

There are two types of MHCs - IIX, which are neutral until they are put to use by the muscle, and IIA, which have a specific purpose of causing muscle growth. Certain MHCs undergo a change in response to resistance exercise and serve as a reservoir of sorts for muscle hypertrophy because they can transform themselves into the types of fibers which grow easily in response to training (Haycock, 2004). Many scientists believe that once these types of muscle fibers are generated by regular resistance or weight training, they remain in the muscle, waiting to be reactivated. If a person does not exercise, or detrains, for a long period of time, and then begins an exercise regimen again, the fact that there are an abundance of muscle-growing fibers already present from previous workouts helps to regain muscle more quickly the second time around. In fact, certain types of strength training advocate detraining for a period of time in order to facilitate this type of response in the muscle, therefore eliminating the possibility of hitting a plateau that is difficult to overcome (Haycock, 2002). Without that plateau, a bodybuilder is better able to continue growing in muscle size and strength.

Kinesthesia Kinesthesia is the body's ability to sense the position and movement of all parts of itself, such as limbs and muscular tension. For example, if a person closes their eyes and holds their arms straight out in front of them, they are able to tell without looking if their palms are facing up or facing down. For a bodybuilder this translates into the body's ability to know the precise location and position to stop during a repetitive exercise in order to achieve the right amount of flex and tension to maximize the results. If you've taken part in a good program of resistance training, you will retain the ability to repeat the correct movements even if you stop training for a while.

It is important to note, however, that learning the correct way to perform an exercise is the key to achieving the best results. If a person learns the wrong movements, they will not achieve the same results. It is best to use a personal trainer or receive some sort of instruction when learning to exercise the different muscle groups, because learning the wrong form can cause damage or result in a workout that does not meet the exerciser's goals. And the time and effort involved in unlearning bad technique can be substantial and can totally demoralize the individual.

Proprioception/Neuromuscular Facilitation Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is the term used to describe stretching exercises that increase range of motion in a muscle, thereby increasing strength and flexibility. It is often used as therapy after an injury or long periods of inactivity such as bed rest. By stretching and contracting and rotating a muscle, sufficient use can be regained even though the muscle has not been used as much as it would be normally, thus allowing a person to regain normal function. Stretching is an important part of physical fitness because it prepares the muscles for the physical activity involved in performing certain movements. It can reduce muscle strain and the danger of injury during a workout session. In order to be in top physical condition, a person must have good flexibility. Of course, there are different types of stretching for different routines.

Is Muscle Memory a Myth or Fact? Many articles and studies exist that discuss whether muscle memory in relation to bodybuilding and weight training is a myth. Some experts believe that muscle memory is simply a normal function of the body, that it is more related to the way the brain sends signals when performing any movement.

Correct movements mean optimum benefit

However, we'll use the term to define the memory of a learned pattern of behavior, such as how to make the correct movements while performing resistance training exercises to obtain optimum benefit.

Based on my interpretation of the literature, as well as my own experience, muscle memory is real and does have an impact on a person's ability to regain muscle mass quickly after a period of no exercise when they previously practiced a regular exercise regimen. A good analogy is learning to ride a bicycle or learning how to swim - once a person learns how to do these things, even if they don't do them for a long period of time, they are able to operate the pedals and retain their balance on a bicycle, or kick their feet and rotate their arms to stay afloat when swimming.

Sources:
Andersen, L. L., Andersen, J. L., Magnusson, S. P., Suetta, C., Madsen, J. L., Christensen, L. R., & Aagaard, P. (2005). Changes in the human muscle force-velocity relationship in response to resistance training and subsequent detraining. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99, 87-94.
Staron, R. S., Leonardi, M. J., Karapondo, D. L., Malicky, E. S., Falkel, J. E., Hagerman, F. C. & Hikida, R. S. (1991). Strength and muscle adaptations in heavy-resistance-trained women after detraining and retraining. Journal of Applied Physiology, 70, 631-640.
Trappe, S., Williamson, D., & Godard, M. (2002). Maintenance of Whole Muscle Strength and Size Following Resistance Training in Older Men. Journal of Gerontology: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 57A (4), B138-B143.

Darrin Clement runs http://worldfitnessnetwork.com, a blog covering the Art and Science of Building Lean Muscle Mass and An Awesome Physique. Sign up and get our free e-book on bodybuilding.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Darrin_Clement/96563

Monday Muscle - Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail: Top 10 Reasons Why Bodybuilders Fail To Grow

Are you frustrated with the lack of growth you’re experiencing? Then read on…

FACT ONE 

What state are you currently in?

The reason bodybuilders don’t grow is because they don’t know what state their body is in to start with. Without accurately assessing your current state you cannot determine which system of training will help you reach your goals.

FACT TWO 

Bodybuilders don’t know how to change the state they are in to induce growth. . Guess what? If you do not train properly you will never stimulate you muscles to grow. Improper training is one of the biggest reasons why most people never get the desired results form training.

FACT THREE 

Bodybuilders do not know what route to take to get there (build muscles). Most bodybuilders have no real system that changes as their body gets used to the training stress they are currently handling. They walk in the gym, pick random exercises and rep ranges, put their time in and come home. Where is the science in that?

FACT FOUR 

(which occurs primarily with steroid users who artificially build their muscles) is athletes can’t keep the muscles they built with drugs because they don’t know how to train or eat in the first place. Once they stop taking drugs their muscles disappear, leaving them skinny, fat and in a worse state than if they had never used drugs.

FACT FIVE 

Most bodybuilders do not regularly monitor biofeedback to determine when to change their training to continue growing.

Record keeping is vital to track growth

If you are not keeping records of your training there is no way you are maximizing your gains. Journal keeping allows you to track your process over years enabling you to fine tune your training and keep the gains coming continuously.

FACT SIX 

Most people select exercises that work only work their strengths. Seldom or rarely do they work on their weaknesses and create a truly outstanding balanced physique.

FACT SEVEN 

Bodybuilders get sucked into bogus well marketed supplements and glitzy magazine ads to look for quick fixes instead of implementing a systemized, training and nutrition program.

FACT EIGHT 

Most people do not generate enough intensity in the gym to force the body to grow. Intensity is a very misunderstood term in bodybuilding and most individuals are kidding themselves into believing they are training intensely enough to really grow.

FACT NINE 

Very few bodybuilders actually invest in professional specific coaching to help them achieve their best results. Consider this, what athlete in the world got to the top of his game without coaching? I will tell you, absolutely none! Many bodybuilders erroneously think that they can maximize muscle growth without coaching. Guess what? They are dead wrong!

FACT TEN 

Don't let your ego get in the way

Most people let their EGO get in the way of learning the correct and most efficient way of training. They do not listen to or follow sound science or consider what other people have to say. They spend their time shooting down authorities in the sport or spouting off about their own hare brained training routine. Great athletes are life long learners. They check their ego at the door and are always looking for ways to improve, integrate and apply new training information.

I could go on about these failure reasons for a whole book but you get the idea. Analyze your own thoughts and training and see if there is anything holding you back. Then eliminate your weaknesses and move forward on the path to greatness. By constant and honest self analysis you can be sure to achieve greatness in any field.

True bodybuilding is about right training, nutritious eating, a positive mental outlook, and a deep respect for yourself and others.

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Article Source: By Wade McNutt http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Wade_McNutt/40585

Monday Muscle - 3 Must Do Exercises For An Impressive Back

If You Want An Impressive Back Then These 3 Moves Are Crucial

Your back is one of the most important body parts to train and train hard to ensure that you have a balanced physique. I've seen guys who have an impressive chest or arms but then their back is underdeveloped and it makes that physique look weak, unimpressive and unbalanced. There are a lot of different exercises that you can do for your back because your back is one of the largest muscle groups so training with different angles and exercises is key.

In this article I'm going to share with you 3 very important exercises that you must incorporate into your back routine if you're looking to get that mind blowing back to complete your physique. These 3 moves are crucial when it comes to building your back because they hit your back from the lower section to the top.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a crucial exercise

Main Muscle Worked: Lower Back

Secondary Muscle Worked: Arms, Legs, Front Delts, Middle Back

Sets: 5 Reps: 10 Weight: Heavy but controlled

Deadlifts should be a staple in any back routine as it's an excellent power move to build your lower to mid back. A lot of guys will shy away from doing deadlifts because they believe that it's a dangerous exercise which is only true if done with improper form - any exercise done with improper form is dangerous. The key to deadlifting is to build up your strength slowly, this means that one rep max shouldn't be utilized until you have full control of the weight you're lifting and you have nailed down the proper form. Once you have done this, you can then start to increase set weight by 10-20lbs each week or every other week. Don't try to lift too much too soon, if you're lower back isn't developed well enough, the stress could cause serious injury, especially if your form is not right.

Wide Grip Lat Pull down

Main Muscle Worked: Lats

Secondary Muscle Worked: Arms, Shoulders

Sets: 5 Reps: 15 Weight: Moderate but keep intensity high

Wide grip lat pull downs are one of the best lat builders that you can incorporate into your back workouts. Make sure that you're pulling weight that you can control - this means a stretch at the top followed by a squeeze of the lats at the bottom. If you cannot do this then you have to lower the weight, as you won't be doing much good for your lats.

Bent Over Rows

Correct form for bent over rows

Main Muscle Worked: Middle, Upper back and lats

Secondary Muscle Worked: Arms, Lower Back

Sets: 3 Reps: 12 Weight: Heavy but controlled

One of my favorite exercises and a very good back builder to add thickness to your back as well as your lats. Bent over rows should be done by keeping your chest up while bent over and using your hips to stabilize yourself. If the weight is too heavy, either lower it or use a weightlifting belt to reduce stress on your lower back. Make sure to pull the barbell toward your belly button, not your upper chest or middle of abdomen. Pulling toward your belly button will hit your lats nicely and also activate your middle and upper back muscles as well. Try to keep a nice pace throughout each set and as always make sure you can control the weight.

I hope you enjoyed this article!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alex_Ghaznawi/2292583

Monday Muscle - How To Bench Press 225

Today I will be teaching you how to bench 225 pounds.

Step 1: Get a training partner. 

Train with a partner

I put this as number one because you need someone who is going to challenge you. Not only this, but you need someone that is going to be there to spot you if the weight is too heavy and it gets stuck on you. You have to be fearless in the bench press. If you are bench pressing alone and you are scared the weight is going to get stuck on you, then you will not use as much weight as you possibly can.

Step 2: Get on a program. 

A 225 bench press is not miraculous by any standards, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. If you tell a person that you have a 225 bench press, they will definitely be impressed to say the least. The reason that you need to get on a program is because you need to develop overall strength. You do not want to have toothpick legs while your upper body is the size of a house. Getting on a program will teach you the essentials for weight training. Whether this is switching up volume, sets, or reps.

Step 3: Start small. 

A big mistake that many people make when on the adventure of increasing their bench press is that they start too big. The idea of strength training is to make gradual gains every week. You may want to start each week by adding 5 pounds, after starting at a weight that you can easily manage. After this, you may want to add 2.5 pounds per week. It shouldn't be a surprise that many people should start with just the bar (45 pounds) and work up slowly from there adding 5 pounds per week. This will not only help you not plateau, but it will improve your form and avoid injuries until your muscles and joints get used to a heavier weight.

Step 4: Be consistent. 

Be consistent

This is the most important step. If you are not consistent with your training, you are going to end up with a lousy bench press. You have to bench press at least one time a week. This will improve your form and it will get you better at the movement. If you are not consistent with your training you will never make any progress. Even if you are not increasing the weight each week, that is okay. The key is to stay patient and keep hitting the weights week in and week out. Eventually your numbers will start to increase.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jeff_Keller/2281961

Monday Muscle - 4 Secret Muscle Building Principles They Don't Want You to Know

The desire to gain muscle and lose fat is common.

The people who actually achieve an uncommon body are few and far between. Fortunately, whether you want to start a new muscle building workout routine or improve the one you're already on, knowledge is power.

The more you know about how your body works the better off you'll be.

Interestingly, there are some keys to building muscle or muscle building principles that, once you know them, can help you build a new body, literally.

The smartest and best way to build muscle is to discover the truth about how your body works so that you'll be in control of how it looks.

That fact is, you are an artist.

You can actually choose to mold, create and shape your body into any shape you want.

Your tools? Instead of a paint brush or clay, you have a fork and heavy resistances.

Progressive Overload

To build muscle overload them safely

The overload principle states that the neuromuscular system must be placed under stress in order to achieve adaptations such as the building of muscle and connective tissue. Specifically, "progressive overload" is a systematic and gradual increase in the demands placed on the muscles and systems of the body. This increase in demand, if supported nutritionally, will result in the strengthening of the body as an entire unit. This is one of the most fundamental principles of body building, muscle building and strength training.

Muscular Hypertrophy

When a specific muscle group is overloaded (or over stressed) with heavy resistance, among the many adaptations, the body responds by building more muscle. This is known as muscular hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an increase in muscle mass. This increase in muscle mass is always coupled with an increase in strength. Hypertrophy is a one of the many natural by products of a progressive overload resistance training program.

Specificity Principle

The term specificity, as applied to body building and muscle building, is the idea that the body will respond to the specific demands placed on it. If the body is trained like a cross country runner, it will respond to those demands and become more efficient at running cross country.

If the body is trained like a body builder, it will respond to those demands in a specific way and become better at building muscle.

The principle of specificity in athletic training and muscle building requires the training mode to reflect the desired outcome.

Mechanical Advantage

Learn about where levers are

The human body is composed of many different systems. For people that want to build muscle and who understand the overload principle, it makes sense that if you know more about where levers occur in the muscular and skeletal system you'll be better equipped to place stress and demand on the body exactly where you want to and where to eliminate it, if necessary.

The more you know about how the human body works the better you'll be at controlling its function and appearance - at will, if you choose. The application of the muscle building principles of progressive overload, hypertrophy and leverage are three terms that will help you build muscle fast.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Curtis_J_Ludlow/108202

Monday Muscle - Skinny Guys - Here's the #1 Ingredient for Muscle Growth (part 1)

If you consider yourself a skinny guy who has a fast metabolism, this article is for you.

What do you think is the most important ingredient for "gaining weight"?

Protein alone is not enough

Should you pile down truckloads of calories and perform squats, dead-lifts, and bench presses three times a week? Should you slow down; you know, make sure to walk everywhere and never run? How about protein? Should you be taking in a gram, a gram and a half, two grams per pound of body weight? Will "eating cottage cheese" make you bigger?

The tactics listed within the questions above are all things you're being advised to do in one article after another. You've been told that you're different, burn energy faster than normal, and therefore need to simply eat a bunch of food and work out hard on "big" exercises. They're telling you that it's harder for you to put on muscle because you burn energy so fast.

I'll get straight to the point: If you are a thin person, you have no disadvantage in putting on muscle compared to everyone else. You'd be at a disadvantage in a fat-gaining contest, but I'll assume you don't want to enter one of those anyway. Every "expert" seems eager to point out that muscle can't turn into fat and fat can't turn into muscle. So what makes anyone think that a proclivity to not put on fat equates to difficulty in gaining muscle? It's not the same tissue - it's not the same biological process.

You don't need to "gain weight" - you need to gain muscle. If your muscle building routine is less than optimal and you start stuffing down more calories than you're burning, you'll have the joy of becoming a bona fide fat-ass like I did. When I see a testimonial from a guy who says he gained twenty-five pounds in eight or twelve weeks, I know he's either lying or he's gone from slender to fat. Muscle doesn't grow THAT fast. I've seen guys at my gym who've taken steroids and not gained that much muscle. Think about it; those are powerful drugs. What makes you think there are natural bodybuilders gaining solid flesh that quickly?

If you're really slender, there are probably three reasons for it working in conjunction. You probably burn calories fast which prevents you from gaining fat (good thing). You might also have small bones (genetic thing). You might also be starting out with naturally small muscles (also genetic, but reversible).

But you only want to gain muscle and that's the same formula for everyone. That's a matter of being diligent in your breaking down of muscle tissue and having it recuperate adequately. In fact, this is the number one ingredient for muscle growth.

Rest and recuperation are vital ingredients

You simply need a long series of workouts in which you adequately tear down muscle tissue, coupled with a long series of recuperation periods between those workouts in which you adequately recuperate that tissue. It can work wonderfully even if you're skinny and it can work terribly even if you're fat.

So how much does the above have to do with metabolism? If you work your biceps today, they'll need a certain number of days for protein synthesis to occur which will provide repair and growth. They won't repair and grow any faster if you stuff down mega calories. That's like thinking a Ford Pinto will go as fast as a Maserati just because you topped off the gas tank on the Pinto. In fact, mega calories can be extremely energy-taxing on the body. We're talking about energy required for recuperation that ends up being wasted on simply processing excess food. That's how your quest to get big can turn you into a fat-ass without much muscle, as it did to me.

So there's the biggest ingredient for steady muscle growth. If you don't get that right, it won't matter if you use big exercises like squats and bench presses. It won't matter how much food you stuff down. It won't matter if you eat thirty grams of protein or fifty grams at each meal. The latest supplement breakthrough won't help. Psyching up for a workout will mean nothing. Eating cottage cheese won't make a difference.

If you don't have your muscle breakdown and recuperation schedule ideally worked out, everything else is meaningless conversation.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Scott_Abbett/91209

Fat Loss Friday - 5 Unusually Fast Fat Loss Tips

TIP 1: EXERCISE EFFICIENCY

The idea here is that we're all very busy, and I don't have time to spend hours at the gym or workout nearly every day of the week. I know most people are in the same boat.

So what is needed is an exercise routine that can be performed infrequently and takes very little time, but still gives you great results...

...now the only way to do this is to use a form of exercise that produces fat loss in the time that you're NOT working out.

Most popular forms of exercise provide most of their calorie and fat burning during the exercise...but this is not efficient because we can only exercise so much...even the aerobic and cardio fanatics out there can only stand say 5-10 hours a week of exercise.

There's only so much cardio you can do in a week

So with 24 hours a day times 7 days, that gives us 168 hours in a week... so even working out 5-10 hours a week still leaves us with 160 or more hours that we won't be working out...

...it is these 160 hours we should be focusing on if we want maximum fat loss in minimum time...

...and when you can do that, now you've got exercise efficiency. So the idea is to get the most fat burning out of those 160+ hours that you're not working out...

...and the best way to do it that I've found is by using a very high level of intensity combined with resistance training exercises performed in fairly rapid succession.

This type of exercise will burn fat for up to 2-3 days after the workout is over, so you can see why just 2-3 sessions a week of this type of exercise can double or even triple the amount of fat loss that can occur with typical type of exercise in the so called "fat burning zone".

TIP 2: FOCUS ON MICRONUTRIENTS FIRST

Perhaps the most important tip I can give anyone trying to get and stay lean is to look at food from a micronutrient standpoint.

This is not something you'll hear from most nutrition experts, in fact they'll tell you just the opposite, to look at your food from a macronutrient view (protein, carbs, fats)...

...this is what most people end up doing, and it is still important for fat loss, but the big turning point in my personal fat loss journey happened when I started to focus on eating most of my calories from foods that are super loaded with nutrients instead of stressing out over my protein, fat, and carb ratios.

The foods I'm talking about are vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds.

Now don't mistake this for a vegetarian or vegan diet, that's not what I'm talking about, but a diet that supplies the body with the nutrients it requires to burn fat optimally.

Now, you'll notice that I didn't include lean animal meats on this list. Well, that doesn't mean these foods won't help you burn fat, they will, but what I'm saying is you need to take your focus off of the whole protein first mindset and instead go with a "nutrient first" mindset.

Make sure your meals are balanced

I was raised, as I'm sure a lot of people are, that any good meal needs to start with a big portion of beef or poultry, and that the nutrient rich foods (like vegetables, fruits, beans, etc.) are a small part of that meal, if at all.

I'm saying you have to flip that equation entirely and that most of your meal should be based in the nutrient loaded foods, with a smaller bit of the animal proteins.

The fact is that these foods have the most nutrients, and when you give your body the required nutrients without overloading it with foods that have little nutrients, fat loss become so much easier because the hunger and cravings that plague dieters almost disappears.

TIP 3: STOP DOING SITUPS AND USING ABS GIZMOS TO LOSE STOMACH FLAB!

OK, so this is a big one because six pack abs are like a status symbol these days on whether or not you're lean.

I mean back in the 70s and 80s, it was enough just to have a flat stomach, but now it's all about the six pack...for whatever reason.

It probably has more to do with the fact that people are fatter than ever and things like six pack abs are becoming more rare and of course they are that much more desirable because of it.

So, a lot of people are still mystified by the spot reducing myth that you can do exercise a specific area of the body and create localized fat loss.

I should know because I hammer my newsletter subscribers with this myth several times, but I still get question after question about which abs or belly exercises or gut blaster 3000 will get them a set of six pack abs!

Look, you really can't lose fat from one area of your body specifically...

...the only way you can lose belly fat, thigh fat, butt fat or any other fat is by lowering your overall body fat percentage. In other words, losing overall body fat.

The reason you have problem areas or body parts is because you simply have more fat cells stored in that area genetically.

And we can't lose these fat cells, we are stuck with them unless we resort to surgery, but we can shrink them, and that's what happens when we lose fat. We shrink the fat cells.

So the key here is forgetting about all those abs specific exercises for a while and instead focus on lowering your overall body fat percentage by creating a calorie deficit through the right diet strategies and adding lean muscle to your body.

Truth be told, a good set of barbell squats to muscular failure done a couple times a week will do more for losing belly fat and getting six pack abs than 1000 crunches a week because the amount of calories and fat that will be burned from the squats will far outweigh those crunches.

Yeah, you'll need some abs specific exercises to build the abdominal muscles, but no one will see them if they're covered up by layers of body fat.

TIP 4: DON'T JUDGE YOUR FAT LOSS PROGRESS ON A SCALE

Alright another huge mistake people make when determining how successful their fat loss program. First off, we're talking about fat loss here, not weight loss.

Weight loss is the predominant term, unfortunately, because that's what we are taught at an early age.

But when it comes to losing actual body fat, we have to look at our body composition, not how much we weigh on the scale, but how much of our body is fat weight.

This is really the only way to know if you're losing fat or just losing water weight or muscle, which is very common on most crash or fad diets...

...people will end up losing a few pounds really fast and get excit, but they don't look much better in the mirror!

Don't rely on scales to measure progress

I mean they could look better in clothes because water loss and muscle loss will make you look smaller in clothes sometimes, but when the clothes come off...

...yikes!

This is the skinny-fat look that a lot of people have...they have high body fat percentages, but because of a small bone structure they look acceptable to people while in clothes.

I know nobody wants to look like that, which is why body fat percentage must be the key measurement for fat loss.

OK, another reason we can't rely on the scale is because of muscle mass...

...if we're doing this right, our exercise is going to be geared toward gaining lean muscle as this is the best way to create a calorie deficit almost immediately.

Especially as we age because our bodies naturally lose muscle mass every year once we hit our mid 30s or so... by the way that's the main reason so many people who were in good shape in their 20s and 30s wake up in their 40s 20-30 pounds of fat heavier.

So if you're measuring your progress by the scale and you gain 5 pounds of muscle, the scale could show no fat loss or even a small gain because muscle weighs more than fat...

...it's more dense and takes up less space. This can cause you to freak out and think your efforts are causing weight gain when in reality your creating the perfect environment for 24 hour a day fat burning.

So, easy ways to track your bf% are with a skinfold caliper, which you can find online, some of those body fat scales or hand grippers (though there are some tricks to using those correctly).

I actually have a body fat percentage analyzer available for my newsletter subscribers for free which you can get on my website...this is a great little tool and it's there for anyone who wants to accurately track your fat loss.

So that's the idea here... track your body fat percentage, not just your bodyweight! It's fat loss, not weight loss we're after.

TIP 5: KNOW YOUR FAT LOSS NUMBERS

I'm talking about keeping score and knowing your numbers here...

...if you don't know the numbers, you have little chance of success in fat loss and fitness.

Just like anything else in life, if you're not tracking what works and what doesn't work, you'll be using a shotgun approach that will take much longer and not work as well as an approach that includes tracking.

This is especially important in relation to your exercise and fat loss and fitness progress. Let's look at the business world for a moment. In any business, at the end of the day, results are measured by revenue, or the money that was made.

If the business owner doesn't know the numbers, they won't know if they've made any money. And thus they literally have no business! It's crazy and pretty simple, but the most powerful metric a business owner can track.

I'm a big NBA basketball fan, but do you think I'd enjoy watching my favorite team if they didn't keep score? Of course not!

If they don't keep score, we don't know who's winning, and thus there is no "game" to win or lose. They have to know their numbers to know who wins and who loses.

Again, strikingly simple, but the fact is that most people don't track their exercise routines at all. How do they know if they're winning or losing the fat loss game?

In fat loss and fitness it's all about monitoring a few key numbers, primarily strength gains, inches in your body part measurements, and body fat percentage.

Knowing your numbers help your progress

If you don't know these numbers from week to week, month to month, you'll have a tough time judging your progress...and thus you'll second guess yourself, the methods you're using and have little change of succeeding.

This is also important because with any type of exercise or diet plan, you'll need to make slight adjustments as you progress, and how the heck are you going to do that if you don't know what or when to adjust?

So recording your progress on a weekly and month basis is key to getting that lean and fit body you desire... and if you're not doing it, you're using the shotgun approach: just spraying bullets and hoping you hit something.

This is a big reason people give up on their programs...

...not measuring their progress accurately. When you do this right, it can also give you that positive reinforcement to work even hard toward your goals.

Once you sniff something that actually is working, I don't know about you, but I'll do everything I can do magnify that effect for as long as I can.

So, bottom line, make sure to keep accurate records of your workouts and your progress. Just like in any business or in sports, you won't know if you're winning if you don't keep score.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sean_A_Keats/1193814

Monday Muscle - 3 Muscle Growth Tips For Older Lifters

Muscle growth for when you're over 40

When guys that are 40 or older come to me for workout advice they are often skeptical whether the advice is solid. After all, I primarily train athletes, and what does some 25 year old pro athlete have to do with a 45 year old business man?

Continue growing muscle even when you get older

Well, to tell you the truth, there really isn't that much of a difference between the training for these two people, especially if the focus is on gaining muscle and strength. There are typically only 3 things that need to be factored in when you pass 40:

1. Hormones

Somewhere between the ages of 35 and 40 testosterone levels begin to fall. This drop in levels has been termed "andropause." This has huge consequences for building muscle, as anabolic hormones are the signal for our body to repair and rebuild. With less of these hormones you cannot repair your muscles as quickly as a 20 year old. This fact should be kept in mind when designing the training program. Options for increasing hormone levels should also be considered.

2. Injuries

Over time everyone begins to accumulate injuries. Even if it's nothing big those little aches and pains can prevent you from training as hard or as often as you would like. Because of this a good physical therapist and/or chiropractor are a definite must. If you are serious about gaining muscle then you need to be serious about training hard. And you need to be serious about taking the steps necessary to able to train hard on a consistent basis.

3. Mindset

Experience leads to wisdom

Call it wisdom gained through experience, or cautiousness due to age, either way it is often difficult to get people who are set in their ways to try something new. I have talked to more than one guy in his 40s who was still doing the workout he got from his high school football coach! Look, if you are serious about changing your body then you need to be ready to change the way you train and eat. Embrace new training programs and diets. What you've been doing isn't working, so try something new. Remember, the definition of stupidity is doing the same thing and expecting different results!

Keep in mind that I am pointing out the differences here. The basics of a good scientific training and nutrition program still hold true no matter your age. Anyone at any age can make fantastic improvements in their physique. Remember this the next time someone tells you (or you think to yourself) that you're too old to be training hard!


Article Source:Anthony Schwartz http://www.eArticlesOnline.com

Monday Muscle - Compounding growth

Compound Exercises Vs Isolation - Which Among the Two Is Better?

Compound and Isolation exercises are the two main categories of weightlifting exercises. Compound exercises focus on more than one muscle group in your body, while isolation exercises are exercises that isolate a certain muscle group by focusing only on that certain group of muscles. Remember that the type of exercises that you based your workouts on is very important because this would determine whether you will end up successful or not - so which is better among the two? Find out by reading this compound exercises vs. isolation.

Compound Exercises Are Time-efficient Workouts

Compound exercises are highly recommended if you prefer time-efficient workouts because such exercises could simulate all the major muscles in your body. Furthermore, these exercises are responsible for creating a big change in your body composition within the shortest time period only. And as an added bonus, these exercises are great at developing your body proportionately.

Isolation Exercises Are Recommended for Correcting Muscle Imbalance

Isolation exercises are the type of exercises that are recommended to correct any muscle imbalance on your body or to treat muscle weaknesses that often occurs right after you suffer from injury. Isolating a certain muscle group is necessary in order to get it activated and increase muscle strength, because usually, our muscles are weak right after we develop an injury, while other muscles work to compensate for that weakness. If you will not be able to retrain your injured muscles to function properly again, this could lead to a biomechanical imbalance that will be too difficult to heal.

Which are better - Compound Exercises vs. Isolation?

If you are more interested on achieving a complete, proficient and functional full body workout, then performing compound exercises during your workout training is the best choice. However, there are times in your workout training where there is a need for you to isolate a specific muscle group or joints, and this is where isolation exercises are highly recommended. If you are not sure which exercises are best for you, consult with your personal or athletic trainer, because they are the best persons that could give you the best advice. They also have the means to locate any muscle imbalance or muscle weaknesses that you may have, and they will be able to design a specific workout program to address your needs.

In conclusion, compound exercises are highly recommended for muscle builders, especially if you are still a new trainee. These exercises will not only focus on certain muscle groups in your body, and therefore, they tend to develop your body muscles as a whole, rather than as a collection of seemingly unrelated body parts. If you are already a pro at body building however, and belong to the 200-lb and above bodybuilders, then isolation exercises could work for you - in fact, you will reap some benefits out of doing these exercises. But when it comes to knowing the best, compound exercises is obviously way better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kevin_Nolan_Hill/970809

Monday Muscle - The Foundations Of Your Temple

Imagine for a moment a lean, muscular, toned body. This person is standing on a beach gazing out across the waves. As your eyes take in the the good looking body you start to track downwards to come a cross a pair of stick thin, almost toothpick like legs!! Whoa - what happened there? All of a sudden that body atop those legs doesn’t look so good anymore. In fact it looks faintly ridiculous.

You see that is the problem. Most people who train with weights, to achieve the body they dream of, pay ample attention to their upper halves but when it comes to the foundation they tend to be sorely lacking. It’s easy to understand why - working the legs is hard, extremely so, and most people reckon that most of the time the legs are covered anyway so it doesn’t seem to matter so much.

Unfortunately in order to achieve a complete physique strong legs are a necessity. Most sports also require strong legs (soccer, running, cycling, swimming and so forth) and since they take up almost half of a fully functional body it’s a shame to neglect them.

There is no other animal in the world that can run for as long or for as relatively long distances as humans. If you doubt the truth of that statement name 1 animal that can do so. People run marathons, tri-athletes demand even more. Horses, by comparison, only run for a relatively short time before slowing to a canter. Camels, zebras, wildebeest, bison and so forth all the same. Only humans have the capacity to keep running for great distances and for great lengths of time.

So what to do? Well since your legs are designed for arduous work they need to be worked intensely. I remember that the first time I ever picked up a set of weights (as a very young teenager - around the age of 13 in a dark corner of the school gymnasium with a group of other young boys) the first exercise I did was squats. Since then whenever I have trained with weights I have never neglected my legs.

Conventional wisdom has it that squats are the primary exercise for legs. However because they tax so much of your body they are a great overall exercise. So if you want strong shapely legs, a stronger chest, a better back, firmer arms, to be stronger generally - you should squat. See the video below for pointers on how to do this correctly.

However, this is a technically difficult exercise and some people genuinely cannot squat. It may be because of body mechanics, back problems or some other reason. If this is the case then try leg presses with your back supported. If even this is not possible then leg extensions and leg curls can be used. However, these are not really full substitutes for full proper squats.

Remember - if you want your body to be a strong temple you need to build the foundation first. So go ahead and build that strong foundation. Go ahead and squat.

Monday Muscle - How to increase testosterone levels naturally

Testosterone is what makes men “men”. Although women also produce testosterone generally it is on a much lower level. The interesting thing is that “normal levels” of testosterone can range from 348ng/dl – 1197ng/dl. This means that some men can naturally produce 3x more testosterone and still be considered normal. If you are interested in fitness and increasing muscle, you need to be on the high end of that range… and here’s HOW:


Tip 1.) Lose the excess body fat: As your waist size goes up, your testosterone goes down.

The more fat you have on you body the more aromatase you produce, which will causes your body to convert testosterone into estrogen (the “female” hormone and this is one of the reasons behind the development of “man boobs” or “moobs” in overweight men)


Tip 2.) SLEEP! A lack of quality sleep can dramatically diminish the amount of testosterone your body produces, thereby reducing muscle growth and fat loss! Research has demonstrated that the amount of sleep you get is associated with morning testosterone levels. Researchers at the University of Chicago recorded the sleeping patterns of healthy men and found that participants' testosterone levels increased the longer they slept... generally it is recommend that you get 7-9 hours of sleep per night to optimize the testosterone response.


Tip 3.) Don’t completely avoid cholesterol: Testosterone is derived from cholesterol, so it should come as no surprise that if your diet is lacking in cholesterol, you're also more than likely shortchanging yourself when it comes to the muscle-building hormone.

Try incorporating small portions of lean red meat, whole eggs or seafood like shrimp or lobster.


Tip 4.) Add Multi-Joint movements to your workout routine: Essentially, the more muscle mass you stimulate, the more testosterone you'll secrete. A recent study conducted on trained subjects showed that squats stimulated a greater testosterone response when compared to leg presses. Stick with multi-joint exercises like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts—as they are prime examples of the kinds of compound lifts that'll help significantly jack up your testosterone levels!


Tip 5.) Limit Your Alcohol intake: Happy hour can wreak havoc on your manly hormones. In a recent Dutch study, men who drank moderate amounts of alcohol daily for 3 weeks experienced a 7 percent decrease in their testosterone levels. Limit your drinking to one or two glasses of beer or wine a night to avoid a drop in testosterone.

So there you have it - 5 tips to boost your t-levels inside and outside of the gym.

Exercise your lower abs and hips - without leaving the bed!

Wouldn't it be great if you could exercise in bed? In this video see how you can get those toned abs and hips in just this way

How do I squat properly?

A core exercise for anyone involved in weight training the barbell squat can also be a technically difficult exercise to perform.

As with any weight training programme always get clearance from your healthcare professional or doctor first.

Also as with all exercises get a qualified personal trainer to take you through ALL the exercises you will be performing. In addition ALWAYS start with a light weight that you can easily handle in an emergency. Once you have your form down and can perform the exercise properly you can start adding weight.

Having said that here is a short video that shows how to squat properly