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 - Facts About How To Lose Fat And Build Muscle - 7 Effective Tips For Your Diet And Workout

How do you lose fat and gain muscle? It's a contradiction, actually because a lot of people think that in order to gain muscle mass, you have to gain some fat, too. This is not applicable for most people. Unrealistic expectations of building more muscles lead many muscle building enthusiasts to believe that they cannot gain muscles and lose fat at the same time.

Facts about gaining muscles state that mature adults normally gain 15 pounds of muscle at most every year.

Quality calories mean quality muscle

However, many people tend to gain only 5 pounds of muscle at the same time duration. This is equivalent to only 1.25 pounds of muscle gained every month while maintaining the same amount of body fat. To gain more muscles, you have to add more calories in your diet. Take in 100 more calories each day so that in one month, you have an additional 3125 calories per month.

What about losing fat? You can lose fat faster than gain muscle. That is, in order to lose fat, you have to reduce your calorie intake per day while increasing your calories output. For an average person to lose weight, he or she should take in 400 calories lesser per day than they normally do. That totals to a reduction of 12,000 calories intake per month. It results to 1 pound lost per week which again totals to 52 pounds lost in one year.

Considering this equation, you'll realize that the calories increase you need to gain muscle is relatively very small compared to the calories reduction that you need to lose fat. Now, how is it to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? It basically means that you have to eat more and eat less altogether. To get this straight, you have to first get rid of a particular muscle gaining myth, and that is the myth that you need to eat more so that you'll gain more muscles.

To get a better scenario about this endeavor, take a look at what your body does to the calories that it consumes. Twenty-five percent of your energy intake goes to your brain while 50% of the calories your body consumes goes to the activities that keeps you alive, such as breathing, regulating body temperature, pumping blood and replenishing dead cells.

Most calories are needed simply to keep the body going

Another 20% of your body energy is allocated to your physical activities such as moving, walking and lifting. Surprisingly, only 5% of your energy is contributed to adding muscles. As you notice from this calculation, only a small amount of the calories you consume are distributed to exercise and building muscles.

Your body has 2 main requirements in order to keep you alive:

· Carbs or fat for energy that you burn

· Protein amino acids

If the food that you take in is scarce, your body comes to the rescue by way of its emergency back up system. If it deems that you are in dire emergency, your body activates this nuclear power plant that cannibalizes your muscles. You have to stop the activation of this nuclear reactor so that it doesn't eat up your muscles. Here's how you lose fat and gain muscle:

1. Take 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight. That means eating 5 to 6 equal portions of protein consumed evenly throughout the day.

2. Eat just enough calories to stop sending signals to your body that you are starving. Be wary of consuming too much calories or else you'll gain fat. A good value for this plan is to eat 10% less of your energy consumption every day. In other words, 10% calorie reduction.

3. Eat proper nutrition, make every calorie count. Skip eating processed foods. Add lots of fresh vegetables to your diet

4. Make a 30% calorie reduction from fat. Eat good fats instead, such as from nuts, olives and avocadoes.

5. Add more whole grains to your meals as well as low G.I. carbs.

Consume good fats 

Skip consuming simple carbs from alcohol, sugar and white flour. Have a daily intake of omega 3's from salmon and flax, among other food sources.

6. Be consistent in doing hardcore exercises. Ask a fitness trainer to design an appropriate workout plan for you.

7. Do 30- 40 minutes of cardio daily. Cardio helps in your endeavor to lose fat and build muscle.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Walter_H_Menuet/1833556

Monday Muscle - Do You Really Need to Spend Hours at the Gym to Build Muscle?

To build muscle you do not need to spend too much time at the gym. You actually have to spend less time lifting weights and more time recovering, that is, sleeping and doing nothing physically demanding.

Most people think they have to train for hours because bodybuilding magazines and professional bodybuilders promote some ridiculous training routines that will not give optimal results to a normal person.

Pills are not the answer

The truth is that professional bodybuilders do work out that much, but they can only do it because of two things, which are privileged genetics and using steroids.

Natural bodybuilders can't recover as fast as these professional bodybuilders, simply because steroids help these people have unbelievable progress.

On the other side, since we are not considering using steroids to enhance our performance, it is important to know that you can have important gains in muscle by doing one or two whole body workouts every week.

These workouts shouldn't even last too long, because your body can only function optimally in these sessions for about 45 minutes.

What you can do is follow a routine that uses compound movements. You should train to failure in order to promote muscle growth, since your body will have absolutely no reason to increase muscle mass if there is not enough stress.

Now, the frequency of your workout depends on your rate of recovery.

Recovery equals muscle

You're going to be pretty tired after working out the way it was mentioned above. You should have your next workout until fully recovered.

To measure this, do the next workout after three days. If you can beat your previous session, that is to carry more total weight during the same time period, then you were fully recovered. If not then try to decrease your training frequency until you find what's optimal for you.

If on the other side you actually were fully recovered, then try increasing your training frequency. Some people need as much as seven days to be fully recovered, but you might be an exception, so test it out.

By doing these kinds of workouts you will gain considerable muscle mass, while only doing one or two workouts per week. You don't need to spend hours at the gym in order to gain muscle. You just have to train smart, eat well, and sleep enough.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dan_F._Johnson/754138

Wednesday Video - Muscle Fibers Explained - Muscles of the Body

How do muscles work? What exactly is your skeletal muscle system? What are the types of muscles in the human body? Learn about muscle anatomy in this short video!

We look at the different types of Skeletal Striated Muscle Fibers found in the body

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 - Can High Intensity Training Help You?

Workout tips and weight loss advice can be found everywhere you look. They are online, on television, in advertising and just about anywhere you turn. But is there any value in any of these tips?

Unfortunately, the answer is generally no. Most people offering their advice are more interested in taking your money than helping you lose weight or get healthy. It really is sad but all too true.

So are there any good health tips online? Have any studies led to fitness breakthroughs? Is there something all the scam artists don't want you to know?

Mike Mentzer popularised High Intensity Training

This time the answer is yes. Scientific research has been conducted into a relatively new field of exercise known as High Intensity Training, or HIT. These studies have uncovered incredible results that you absolutely need to know.

First, High Intensity Training is the premise that by decreasing the duration of exercise and increasing the intensity, you can still get a good workout. Instead of the traditional workouts of mild intensity and long duration, HIT followers workout for about 10 minutes and exert almost all the energy doing so.

The benefits are staggering. Research has shown HIT to increase metabolism and weight loss as well as increase muscle mass faster. The exercises to achieve these results are not the same, but the principles are.

If you want to achieve optimal weight loss, then HIT can work for you. Incorporate sprint intervals into your jog for a month. If you normally jog on a treadmill for thirty minutes, try jogging just fifteen minutes, then every five minutes try to do an all out sprint for thirty seconds.

This simple change in your routine can dramatically improve your results. Not only will you burn more fat during and after exercise, you will sleep a lot better as well. As you get more fit, increase the duration of your workout and decrease the time between sprints.

If you want to increase muscle mass dramatically, then HIT is perfect for you. Instead of doing endless sets of various weight lifting routines, you only need to do three exercises: bench press, seated row and squats.

The bench press is a "core" exercise

These three exercises will work nearly all of your muscle groups.

Start with the bench press. Find a weight you can barely lift ten times. Now cut that weight in half and do ten reps, only take ten full seconds per rep.

That means take five seconds to put the bar up and another five seconds to let the bar down. This will be much slower than you are used to doing the bench press. It will also be a lot harder than you think to get to ten reps.

After the tenth rep, have a spotter help you do two negative reps. This means they will lift the bar for you and you simply have to let it down. It is a lot harder than it sounds.

Immediately after finishing the bench press, move to the squats. Follow the same format as with the bench press. Use light weight, move slowly and get the negative reps at the end.

Finally, finish with the seated rows. Follow the same principles as before. Once you are finished your muscles will feel more fatigued than they ever have.

This method of working out has shown incredible results for those who have been following a routine. Try High Intensity Training for just one month and see if you notice incredible results like thousands of others.

Cade Lennox is a fitness and health expert who writes articles about exercise, nutrition and more. He has also authored hundreds of treadmill reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cade_Lennox/873575



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Monday Muscle - How I Blasted My Arms Past The 18 INCH Mark Without Drugs!

Picture this! You embark on a new training regime focused specifically on building your arms. You follow the best nutritional practices, train like a maniac, and in just over two months you add just over an inch to each arm. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

While up until a few months ago I would have been a bit skeptical myself until I experienced the above scenario firsthand. That’s right! After 18 years of training, thousands of hours in the gym and hundreds of training routines I finally discovered the secrets to building truly impressive guns.

Build biceps to be proud of

Let’s qualify a few things first. I have logged over 20,000 hours in the gym training people as well as I have written one of the most popular natural bodybuilding books of all time Freaky Big Naturally. I have won 5 divisional titles in 4 different weight classes including 4 overall trophies and a National Championship.

I have had the good fortune to train with some of the worlds’ best coaches and on occasion rubbed shoulders with many of the legends of bodybuilding such as Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, Larry Scott, Lou Ferrigno, and many of the champs of today.

Now you would think after all this I would really know how to build arms to be proud of but the fact is… I DIDN’T!!!

You see although I have learned how to build a great physique even though being “genetically challenged”, my arms always lagged behind the rest of my physique. I tried all the strategies, philosophies, and training styles possible. I bombed, blasted, and fried my arms every possible way I could. Although my arms did look good and were above average they still had never reached the sleeve busting, jaw dropping, stove pipes that every trainee desires.

Now I am not one to quit and even though I had been at it for 18 years I was not about to give up. I knew there had to be a way to increase the size of my arms, without resorting to the use of steroids or other drugs. Fortunately, I finally cracked the code on building massive guns to be proud of. Here’s how I did it.

First since I’ve tried everything I decided to do the exact opposite of whatever one else is doing. That meant instead of training 4-5 times a week to build size. I decided to train 6 times a week.

Since so many people are following low volume high intensity routines (and getting nowhere fast) I decided I am going to do mega-volume with moderate intensity. That’s right I stopped training to failure completely and I dramatically increased the amount of sets I was doing for my arms directly and indirectly.

How many sets? How about 30-40 sets per workout?

Target your biceps directly & indirectly

How many reps? I kept my reps in the 6-10 range per set.

NO drop sets, forced reps, negatives, partials, or anything else.

How many times per week? I did two full arm workouts per week plus I hit the arms indirectly on the other days when I trained shoulders and legs on two days and chest and back on the other two days. So my arms got trained every single day!!!

Because I was hitting the gym with so much frequency and volume it would be impossible to train to failure. So I would just train each set until the last rep seemed tough but it was certainly not an all out effort.

Needless to say the routine worked like gangbusters. Every workout I kept adding weight to the bar or reps to each exercise. I did the same exercises each workout for a whole month and then I switched the exercise to a new set on the next month.

What happened?

I packed on over 12 pounds of muscle and 1 inch on each arm. My left bicep (the bigger of my arms) measured 18 inches cold. The right one is a little smaller and I am working hard on blasting that one over the 18 inch mark as well. Even so these measurements are not too bad for a guy who barely makes 5’8” and weighs 205lbs.

Finally, people are expressing positive comments about my arms. The comments used to be “if you could only bring up your arms you would look great”. Boy after 18 years it’s great to hear. Wow look at how thick your arms are!

I also want to add that I followed a very specific diet protocol during this training. Each day I consumed about 1800 calories.

Quality nutrition is also important

And once per week on my non-training day I consumed about 6000 calories. This way I could stay lean without adding fat while I got bigger and stronger.

Here’s the really shocking fact that has most seasoned veterans of the gym stunned and mystified. I only consumed between 50-80 grams of protein per day. However almost all of this protein came from live protein sources such as Hemp protein.

So there you have it. It is possible to build 18 arms without drugs. I have done it and you can too. Remember don’t let anyone steal your dreams.

Wade McNutt

Natural National Bodybuilding Champion

IFBB Mr. Universe Competitor

Wade McNutt is a Natural National Bodybuilding Champion and an IFBB Mr. Universe World Champion. He combined the secrets of Eastern Yoga Masters with, scientific, muscle building to produce a revolutionary new health system, called Freaky Big Naturally, find out more athttp://www.freakybignatural.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Wade_McNutt/40585

Monday Muscle - Muscle Building Diet - The Role of Protein and High Biological Content in Food

If you're looking to build muscle quickly,such as bodybuilding or training for a specific sport then you need to understand that muscle gain is not an easy task. 70-80% of building muscle naturally and fast is related to having the correct diet plan plus a very smart weight training program.

Always include fresh vegetables

The main thing to follow in any muscle building diet is that you should concentrate on the top sources of protein while maintaining a intake of natural carbohydrates such as of fresh veggies, fruits, fats, oils, and nuts (the best nuts being almonds and raw peanuts). If you are looking to build muscle then you should also include supplements (such as Creatine) which will assist you to in muscle recovery and therefore allow you build muscle much faster.

To put on muscle and grow it fast, the bodybuilding or muscle diet needs to consist of about 25% of its calories made up of both animal and vegetable protein. Complex carbohydrates, should really only ever be consumed and plus vegetables that contain protein as well. 25% also needs to come from Fats and stay clear of refined sugars or starches. Caffeine and alcohol should be kept to a minimum although caffeine is quite useful to consume about 20 minutes before a training session as it stimulates your metabolism, gets the blood flowing and you feel more mentally 'switched on' to train - plus the fact that caffeine assists in mobilizing fat stores for energy.

You should always supplement your muscle building diet with whey protein powder

Whey protein is convenient

and mix it up with milk or water and look at making protein pancakes or sprinkle some on your oats for breakfast. Always use protein boosters like eggs or desiccated liver. Soluble oils such as wheat germ will also assist your body to metabolize protein faster and give an additional endurance.

The top principle to follow these days to go along with your diet is that you just don't have to work every muscle group for 2 hours a training session. This was the way of old world bodybuilding, when nobody knew a single way to build muscle fast. 20 years ago one go to the local gym and train for two sometimes three hours daily and cycle through all body parts. Then at the evening the objective was to rest and get 8 hours sleep a day while having 2 or 3 rest days away where you wouldn't go to the gym.

Because human tissue is exactly 100% biological, it's essential that you eat foods containing elevated levels of biological content so you build muscle tissue as quickly that is possible. Never make the assumption that foods that are high biological content must be high in protein content, this is not always correct because not all protein is the same. Biological content actually means food that is equivalent to a protein anatomy that's the same to protein found in human tissue.

One thing many people find surprising and are amazed by once they know - is the fact that the highest biological content is the simple egg! Others include milk, liver, kidneys heart, sweetbreads, lamb, poultry, steak and fish. Beans and other vegetables are also good sources of natural protein, so another reason to make sure you have them in your diet as well.

By way of comparison soybeans, while known to be high in protein, is 22% biological.

Always add variety

Therefore eating large amounts must be done to match the amino acid levels of previously mentioned foods. So it's obvious for practical reasons you need to still eat those foods that contain the full set of essential amino acids such as eggs, meat, poultry and whey protein powder.

The above diet concept follows science in giving your muscles a big influx of biological protein as it reaches a new level of strength and fast repairs any damage. After about 2 months a reduction in amounts to about one or two per day, allows you to achieve your goal.

So to conclude, to build muscle quickly a sound muscle building diet should be followed and needs to be centered on protein, fats, good carbohydrates and fiber. Best nutritional breakdown to follow is around 25% protein, 40% natural carbs (strictly no refined, processed sugars). Add to this a training regime that is about exercising each main muscle part a lot smarter, and not long or harder with the right amount of rest - this is the way to fast muscle growth Combine this with a solid muscle building diet program about exercising each muscle group smarter, not harder.

Learn more about the evolution of the muscle building diet at: The Muscle Building Diet [http://www.themusclebuildingdiet.com/bodybuilding-diet/].

Mike is an expert advisor and book/online author in the areas of nutrition and diet plans for muscle growth. He currently is a writer working for a blog on muscle building diets, The Muscle Building Diet.com where he provides articles for following the best diet in getting rapid muscle growth.

Article Source:By Mike Strong

http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Strong/870022

Monday Muscle - Muscle Building Tips: Do's and Don’ts

Packing on Muscle mass involves a lot of dedication and care. At times, trying too hard can have its negative effects too. Right guidance and proper techniques make the perfect recipe to MUSCLE BUILDING. Muscle Building is no joke, but at the same time, very much possible. The bottom line is to workout in the right direction and not to harm your body. Here are some Do's and Don’ts for Muscle Building.

Muscle Building Tips: Do's and Don’ts

1) Popping a pill to reach your health and fitness goal is not the answer!

Popping pills is not the answer

Results are temporary and effects the body adversely in the long run.

2) Remove the tag " Short cut" from your workout schedule. There is no such thing as quick-fix. Dedication and hard work hold the key for MUSCLE BUILDING.

3) Dietary Supplements can be helpful in achieving your goals. Supplementation is designed to supplement your healthy eating and exercise habits.

4) Don’t go in for any supplement you come across. Before taking a supplement, consult your trained or a physician. Always buy supplements from a reputed DRUGSTORE. Do your research before taking in a supplement.

5) Supplements shouldn’t be misunderstood as steroids. Steroids should be a BIG NO. Gather more knowledge on supplements at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Supplements.htm

6) Muscle Building Diet: It occupies a prominent area in MUSCLE BUILDING pie-chart. You should be highly careful related to your muscle building diet.

The right diet can be key

Always ask your trainer to write down a diet schedule for you.

7) Give rest to your body between two sets, say for two minutes.

8) Not work on more than two muscle groups at a time. Train those muscles in a group which work with each other. This technique has proven to be effective. For e.g: Chest and Triceps or biceps and backs.

9) The most effective time to do muscle building exercises is in the morning. You have consumed a lot of carbs by evening. So, carbs become the source of energy for you when you do your exercises in evening. But in morning, body depends on its alternative source i.e FAT for energy. Hence fats get burned up more in morning.

10) Last but not the least, Don’t be biased to any body part. Proper balance is a necessity. Having big upper body and skinny legs is no good. Work out on entire body.


Source: Jasdeep Singh Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Monday Muscle - Why Training Different Parts Of A Muscle Is Outrageous

Training a certain part of a particular muscle is ridiculous as it goes against the basic laws of anatomy and physiology. It is physically impossible to dissect a muscle and only train part of it. Here’s why.

If you ever spend any time in a gym you will probably here questions asked like…

“How do I build up my inner pecs?” or “How do I improve my biceps peak?”

You cannot train only "parts" of a muscle

Many times, people will respond with re-hashed answers that they have heard from someone else, or they have read in a magazine. Such things as doing incline bench press for your upper pecs, decline bench press for your lower pecs or even concentration curls to improve the peak of your biceps are false and go against the basic laws of anatomy and physiology.

First of all, you cannot change the shape of your muscles by doing different exercises. For instance concentration curls will not improve your bicep peak. The shape of your muscles is determined by your genetics. What you can do though, is make the muscle bigger through proper training, or make it a lot more vascular, cut and defined through proper dieting techniques.

Now onto doing different exercises for different parts of the muscle. What many people don’t understand is that when you stimulate a muscle, you stimulate the whole muscle, from it’s origin through to its insertion. It is physiologically impossible to train a certain part of a particular muscle.

A perfect example is the chest. The chest is one large muscle.

Bench presses stimulate the whole chest

There isn’t an upper or a lower pec.

Whether it be decline, incline or regular bench press, you are stimulating the whole chest muscle. A muscle fibre either contracts fully, or not at all.

Again, genetics play a large part in the natural shape of your muscles. If you want to improve a certain part of your chest, for instance the inner pecs, all you have to do is build your chest muscles. Continually training your chest muscles will eventually result in an increase in size throughout the whole muscle, filling in your weak points.

This training certain parts of a muscle could be one of the main reasons why so many people don’t get the results they want. They are doing way too much work. Doing this exercise for that part of the muscle, another for this part, is too much work and will only cause you to overtrain.

Remember, to successfully increase the size of your muscles, you need plenty of rest and recovery. Doing too much will only lead to diminishing gains. So, if you are doing incline bench press, decline bench press, flat bench press and dumbbell flyes all in the same workout, you will never increase the size of your chest, because it is way too much training. Simply train hard with 1 or 2 of these exercises, and then give them plenty of rest and food to grow.

Source: by Luke Johnstone at Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

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

Wednesday Video - Are sore muscles growing?

You've heard the phrase "No Pain, No Gain" but what does it mean? Does it imply that in order to gain new muscle we have to subject ourselves to pain? Or does it mean that unless we put ourselves through pain that is the only guarantee that our muscles are growing?

This short video has the answers

Wednesday Video - What is creatine?

You may have heard about this supplement but are not sure what it is or what it does. There's a lot of misinformation out there about Creatine and you may be wondering what is Creatine? Is it safe? What does it do? Find your answers here!

Wednesday Video - What is Protein?

You may think you know about Protein - it's the stuff you need to pack on muscle right? And that bodybuilders consume a lot of it.


Well it's that and more. Protein is one of the three main macro-nutrients, the other two being Carbohydrates (covered last week) and Fats. Protein means "of vital importance" and this video explains why.

Monday Muscle - 5 Popular Misconceptions About Weight Training For Women

In spite of great efforts by the weight trainers the myths associated with weight training for women does not seem to go away ever. Weight training for women has a lot of controversy surrounding it. Read below and learn the five popular misconceptions about weight training for women:

1. Training makes the women look masculine and bulky: 

Whenever we hear weight training for women the first image that comes to our mind is of the women bodybuilders. It is a fact that women can't produce testosterone, responsible for increase muscle size and thus it is very difficult for the woman to have muscle mass simply by doing some weights. The women bodybuilder who develop their bodies rely on synthetic testosterones and anabolic steroids. The results are also a combination of genetics and rigorous training programs wherein, they lift very heavy weights. Women who regularly do weight training without the steroids have fit and firm cellulite-free body.

2. Exercise increases the chest size: 

It is a myth that breast size increases with weight training.

Bench Presses

The breast is made of fatty tissues. In case your body fat decreases by 12 percent the size of the breast decreases considerably. The myth was born because weight training increases the back size and thus there is an increase in the size. Just remember that breasts size can be increased either by gaining fat or breasts implants.

3. Weight training makes you muscle-bound and stiff: 

If you do all the exercises through a full range of motion the flexibility is bound to increase. Exercises like dumbbell presses, flyes, chin-ups and stiff-legged deadlifts stretch the bottom muscles. All these exercises improve your stretching capacity considerably.

4. When you stop weight training the muscles turn into fat: 

This is like saying that gold if not used turns into brass. Fats and Muscles are two different entities. After women quit weight training there is a certain loss of muscle and drop in diet. Bad eating habits lower the metabolism system, low muscle mass all make muscles look like fat. Though, the truth is as simple as fat starts to accumulate after muscles are lost.

5. With weight training fats convert into muscles: 

This is like saying brass turns into gold. If you want to transform the body then you must try and lose extra fats by taking a nutritious diet and gain muscles by following a planned weight training schedule for women. Remember you can't change muscles into fat.

Therefore we can say that weight training for women has no actual side-effect. It is just the popular myths that stop women taking up weight training sessions. But remember, when you start with the weight training for women it is very important to do it under a well experienced trainer. This will ensure your well being and safety. Take it slow and steady for healthy weight training!


Article source: Rakesh Vasoya  5 Popular Misconceptions About Weight Training For Women http://www.sooperarticles.com/health-fitness-articles/weight-loss-articles/5-popular-misconceptions-about-weight-training-women-983955.html#ixzz3recRu8GF

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

The mineral you cannot do without

Want to Know the Importance of Calcium Supplements?

Calcium deficiency is not at all good for your health. In order to keep up the level, people should turn to calcium supplements.

When discussing the crucial role of calcium, it is no surprise that this mineral deficiency can cause havoc in your body. Many of the problems caused by calcium deficiency will not only impact your body, but they can be also be life threatening.

It is no hidden fact that calcium is indispensable when it comes to strengthening of bones. It is also essential to maintain a normal heart rhythm; offer relaxation to your muscles, aid in hormone function and also blood pressure regulation. In simple words, it is important to maintain the well-being of your body.

However, in order to get rid of calcium deficiency, you can always take calcium supplements. You can buy calcium supplements online from a reputable store.

In order to understand the intensity of the problem, this post will give you a detail know how about two kinds of calcium deficiency. However, you all know that calcium deficiency is always linked with health problems, such as renal failure and osteoporosis. There exist two more kinds of deficiency that you may not know:

First Deficiency

Dietary Calcium Deficiency-Individuals who fail to get enough calcium intakes from their food suffer from this problem. In such a scenario, natural calcium storage in the bones gets depleted. Consequently, it leads to weaker bones. This deficiency also causes osteoporosis, a humped back, high risk of fractures and other dangerous problems.

Indications of Dietary Calcium Deficiency

* Back or neck torment
* Bone torment
* Bone breaks as a result of minor or no injury
* Loss of stature
* Stooped posture 

Second Deficiency

The second type of calcium deficiency is hypocalcemia. It lowers the calcium level in the blood. This deficiency generally occurs due to certain medications, or medical conditions, such as hypoparathyroidism. This disease is really hair-raising because the body tries to get the calcium from bones. This is to support the functioning of nerves, heart, brain and muscles.

Signs of Hypocalcemia

* Muscle issues
* Depression
* Poor appetite
* Bleeding inside the skin that appears like modest red dabs

On the whole, the best thing to avoid these problems is to make sure that you get sufficient calcium every day. You can fulfil the daily requirement by taking calcium supplements. You can buy calcium supplements online from a trustworthy vendor. Go online today and do your research in order to find the best product. You can go through the reviews, testimonials and peoplesEUR(TM) feedback; this will help you find the best product. Eat calcium supplements and keep the above-mentioned problems at bay.

by Raman kumar

The easiest way to get started with exercise

What is the easiest way to get started with an exercise plan for weight loss? Without spending countless sweaty hours slogging away in a gym? Without bone jarring sports that seem more like a torture session rather than “fun”? If you have been reading this blog you will know the answer. By walking of course.

Walking is so natural that most people simply don’t give it much thought. Which is a shame as it is one of the easiest ways to get started on a safe and effective weight loss exercise programme. You may think that it’s not so much of a big deal as you have been walking for years and yet the pounds have still refused to budge. Well what if I told you that ways to charge up this most simple of activities and get it to work for you in?

Before getting started it might be a good idea to read the previous article about walking. Use the search box to look it up. Walking is so natural for many of us that we rarely think about it. Yet it is one of the safest exercises going because it is low impact with added health benefits. What do I mean by low impact? Well traditional sporting events have you running or jumping which put an enormous strain on your joints and muscle system.

Every time you run or jump the force on your knees is many times your body weight. Even light jogging impacts your body. For those who need convincing that jogging is possibly the worst exercise invented take heed of what happened to James “Jim” Fixx. For those who don’t know who Jim Fixx wasan American who authored the 1977 best selling book "The Complete Book of Running". He is credited with helping to start Americas's fitness revolution, popularising the sport of running and jogging and demonstrating the alleged health benefits of regular jogging. he died of a heart attack while out for his daily jog at the age of 52. so much for jogging!

So how do you get started with walking? And how can you make it work for you? Try to make it part of your everyday routine. Get into regularly going for a walk outdoors if possible. It is not only good for your health but waking outdoors is therapeutic as well, specially if you can find natural spaces such as parks, beaches or shady paths away from traffic. If you pop in an audio book on your MP3 player or smart-phone you can be entertained further on your daily walk. You could even grow intellectually while growing fitter physically

If you have a pet such as a dog not only will you get get exercise but your pet will as well. Studies also show that dog owners get up to 8 hours extra exercise per week compared to those non-dog owners. The same is not true however if you have a pet tortoise or goldfish!

You could also incorporate climbing the stairs. It's a great way to train your heart, lungs and cardiovascular system. It also acts as strength training because it is a load bearing exercise so strengthens your muscular system! Studies also show that climbing 1 flight of stairs (the average flight is 12 steps) just three times per day burns up an extra 15 calories. All in the comfort of your own home!also as you grow fitter and stronger you can take the stairs two at a time or even sprint up them.

In no time at all you will be well on your way to losing the fat and getting fitter and healthier - all from an activity that you started years ago. So give walking a go.