5 Tips for Building Muscle Now

5 Tips for Building Muscle

If you're frustrated with your muscle gain or fat loss goals,
I sympathize with you completely, and understand exactly what
you are going through. I worked out for years before finally
figuring out the correct ways to build muscle and lose fat.

I finally figured ou that the routines and body building tips
touted by professional bodybuilders and the muscle magazines
just aren't going to work for most people. But take heart,
you can reach your muscle mass and fat burning goals.

Putting together a program that incorporates the following
body building tips will point you in the right direction and
get you making gains you hadn't thought were possible.

Tried and True Body Building Tips

Train Intensely - You must work each set until you can't do

another repetition in good form. There is no point in

stopping at a set number of reps (such as 8), if you are

capable of doing 12. Your body needs to be challenged or it

will not adapt by building new muscle or burning off body fat.

Cycle Your Intensity - In order to prevent burnout and overtraining

from training intensely, it's important to take a week off from

training every 8 - 12 weeks. If, like me, you can't stay out

of the gym that long, you should train for a week at a very low

intensity level.

Train Briefly - Your workouts need to be short. This is

a very important weight lifting tip. You should never need

to do a weight lifting routine that takes over an hour. If

you are in the gym that long, you aren't working intensely

enough. You can workout hard or long, but you can not do

both. And to succeed in building muscle, you need to workout hard.

Train Infrequently - Your body needs time to recover

from your weight training routine, so that in can adapt and

grow. If you train with weights before your body is completey

recovered, you won't add new muscle and will eventually over

train, a big no no.

These are extremely important body building tips. It seems

that your body's potential for strength increases far outweighs

your body's ability to recover. What this means is that as you

grow stronger, your body needs more time between weight training

sessions in order to recover.

Bench pressing 300 pounds is a far greater stress on your body

than bench pressing 50 pounds, even if both were maximum attempts

at the time.

Train Progressively - You need to constantly challenge

what your body can do by continuing to add more weight and/or

repetitions to your previous best effort as often as possible.

Following is a sample weight training routine that incorporates

the above weight lifting tips. If you put the other pieces in

place, such as your nutrition plan and supplementation plan,

you'll be well on your way to great gains and transforming your

physique.

1 - Squats

2 - Deadlifts

3 - Chin Ups

4 - Dips

5 - Bench Press

6 - Military Press

Here's another weight lifting tip - break in to this routine.

For the first few weeks, try working out 3 times per week on

nonconsecutive days, performing 2 working sets of each exercise,

doing 12 - 15 reps per set.

Don't train to failure.

After about a month, you can lower the reps on everything but

Squats and Deadlifts, to the 8 - 10 rep range. Start training

to failure on some sets.

After another month, begin training to failure on all working

sets and consider only weight training two times per week to

accommodate the higher level of intensity and strengh that you've

developed.

Gregg Gillies is the founder of [http://www.buildleanmuscle.com] His articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine. He has written two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine. He publishes a free fitness newsletter available at his site that includes lots of weight training tips, fat loss, nutrition and exercise program information to help you build your best body as quickly as possible. 

How To Get Big Muscles Fast

                                                          How To Get Big Muscles Fast 

How To Get Big Muscles Fast With These Home ExercisesIn this article you'll learn some workout routines that you can use at home to help you with fat loss and also to gain big muscles fast. The routines will basically target primarily at your body without any fancy gym equipment.

Your days to work out are as follow:

Week 1 - Tuesday and Thursday

Week 2 - Tuesday and Thursday

Week 3 - Monday, Tuesday, Friday

Week 4 - Monday, Tuesday, Friday

Week 5 - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Week 6 - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

The duration of break between sets is 1 minute.

Begin with a set of dumbbells. You will then be performing about 12-15 repetitions per exercise set. The weights should not be too heavy or too light, but of one that can exceed 15 repetitions.

You can start out with 2 or 5 lbs dumbbells for upper body exercises and 5 or 10 lbs dumbbells for your lower body exercises.

The next step is to warm up. You can warm-up by doing jumping jacks of 2 sets x 20. You can also warm up with high knee drills of 1 set x 20.
This is to prepare your joints, cardio-respiratory system and also your connective tissues for your workout.

Once you've warmed up, it's time to go on to the exercises.

Lower Body Exercises

Exercise 1: Dumbell squats 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Instructions:

1) Hold the dumbbells and let your arms hang loose down at both sides.

2) Stand with your feet just a little wider than your hip width apart and bend your knees slightly.

3) Lower your body by flexing the hips and knees. Your upper body then flex forward at the hips just a little (maybe about 5°) during movement. Be sure to "sit back" sp that your knees stay over the feet.

4) Once your thighs are parallel to the floor, return to the start position.

5) Keep your head and back straight in a neutral position. Keep your weight over the middle of foot and heel, but not the toes.

6) Do not allow your knees to go beyond the toes. Also keep your abdomen tight throughout the routines by drawing your stomach towards the spine.

Exercise 2: Dumbell Sumo Squat 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Instructions:

1) Hold the dumbbells in each hand between your legs. You may also hold one larger dumbbell in both of your hands.

2) Place your feet to be wider than your shoulder width and make sure your toes are pointed out slightly outward.

3) Next, squat down until the dumbbells are almost touching the ground.

4) Drop your hips back and down while at the same time, your knees should be directly above the feet.

5) Repeat the process until your desired repetition of routines.

Upper Body

Exercise 3: Dumbbell Fly 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Instructions:

1) Sit an upright position on a bench. Hold the dumbbells in both your hand.

2) Slowly lie onto your back while brining the dumbbells in our hands towards the shoulders. Put the dumbbells above the chest facing each other.

3) Lower the dumbbells away from each other while keeping your elbows slightly bent.

4) Position the upper arm to be parallel to the ground before returning to the start position and repeat the process.

Exercise 4: Bench Press (dumbbell) 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Instructions:

1) Sit in an upright position on a flat bench with your dumbbells in your hands.

2) Start by lying onto your back and bring the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Press the dumbbells above the chest while your palms are facing forward.

3) Lower the dumbbells and keep your forearms vertical to the floor and your hands aligned at the mid chest area.

4) Let the upper arms go slightly parallel to the floor and press the dumbbells back to the start position.

5) To end the routines, position the dumbbells on your shoulders and return the seated upright position.

Remember to stretch your muscles after the workouts. If you feel dizzy, do take a 2 to 3 minutes break. Consume water before and after you workout.Discover The Best Programs Of How You Can Gain Big Muscles Fast And The Body You Want Naturally Without Steroids In Less Than 12 Weeks, Whether You're A Skinny Guy Or Someone Who Wants To Lose Big Fats!

Discover The Best Programs Of How You Can Gain Big Muscles Fast And The Body You Want Naturally Without Steroids In Less Than 12 Weeks, Whether You’re A Skinny Guy Or Someone Who Wants To Lose Big Fats!

3 Sleep Tips for Bodybuilders for Optimal Muscle Recovery

Sleep Tips for Muscle Recovery

Like everyone else, I enjoy an occasional late night out with friends. This is where memories are made and fun is abundant. You’re probably the same way. However, if you want this to be your normal lifestyle, then bodybuilding may not be the sport for you.

Most people don’t know this, but sleep is the most important time of the day for your body to heal itself. Your brain doesn’t have as many functions to regulate (like when we’re awake), so it can focus on repairing damage and getting ready for the next day. Some of this damage includes microtears in your muscles you created while lifting. Since the healing of these tears is what leads to muscle growth, sleep is absolutely essential.

I go through a lot about the ideal routine for building your body. But you can’t do it without proper sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping or you are really trying to get into a sleep schedule that suits your lifestyle, then here are some tips to get disciplined and help you sleep (and grow) at night.

Follow Your Diet to the T

In this case, the “T” means time, because you really have to schedule the times you eat every day. That means if you eat breakfast at 6:00 AM and you have dinner at 6:00 PM, you need to make sure you follow that pattern every single day. 

The reason is that our bodies like a routine, and working against that routine can really throw things out of whack.

While we’re on time, you need to make sure you eat at least two hours before going to bed. 

Your body simultaneously releases nutrients while digesting the food you have eaten, which means you will feel an energy kick an hour or so after eating. While you might get the urge to sleep immediately after eating, resist this urge for more restful sleep.

Supplements

If you realized you forgot to take a supplement during the day, don’t try to catch up at night. 

Just wait until the next day. Missing one dose really won’t mess up your muscle growth, so chill. 

Taking a supplement at night is risky because your body chemistry might end up working against your urge to sleep and you’ll end up tossing and turning at night.

Schedules

In following with your diet schedule, you also need to look at your overall daily schedule, especially when it comes to sleep. A person, on average, needs at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night. 

Elite athletes often require even more – 8 to 10 hours. That might seem like a lot, but when you are working your body to the max at the gym, it will need it.

The time you take to sleep is the time your body takes to repair your muscles. So basically, more sleep means bigger muscles.

These tips are just a few of the best ways you can get a good night’s sleep while you are working out. 

Steroids for Bodybuilding

Steroids for Bodybuilding

There's no doubt about it - if you are serious about bodybuilding and making your body huge is a priority, steroids can help you do it quickly.  It's a proven fact.  Synthetic hormones will help you grow muscle quickly and make your muscles look beautiful in the process.  The reality is that although steroids will help you build an amazing body, they can do more harm than good.

The simple truth is that steroids, although they will build body mass, will harm your body more than it will help it.  What will steroids do to you?  Consider the following:

* Steroids lower sperm count making the possibility of having a child lower
* Steroids will make you more aggressive
* Steroids will cause you to become sterile --- eventually
* Steroids will bring you problems that you never wanted to have

Basically, if you choose to use steroids, do so at your own risk.  There are way more bad things that can happen from steroid use than good things.  It's true, they will help you build your body to new proportions, but at what cost?

For females, do you want to walk, talk, and look like a man?  If so, go ahead and take steroids as part of your bodybuilding routine.  But we will never condone steroid use in any way.  The downfalls very much outweigh the advantages.

Not only do steroids cause serious health problems, they actually make the anabolic environment less conducive to serious muscle building.  The actually true way towards serious muscle building involves natural methods as opposed to synthetic methods.  When you focus on your diet to give you the nutrients you need to make well-toned muscles, you will be way better off than if you resort to the "easy way out".

When you use steroids to build muscle mass, you are not only endangering your health, but you are also endangering your muscles.  When they get used to synthetic hormones, they will expect to have that type of enhancement all of the time.  But the long-ranging implications of steroid use completely outweigh the problems that will occur.

In general, you should focus on natural bodybuilding as opposed to working your muscles with the use of steroids. You will not only be a healthier person, but you will also be able to know that you have made a beautiful body without the use of steroids in your bodybuilding program.

Hardcore Bodybuilding

Hardcore Bodybuilding

The sport of bodybuilding, for many people, can be quite hardcore.  By that, we mean it can be intense and all-consuming.  But another way to look at hardcore bodybuilding is gaining mass and muscle tone in a natural way without the benefit of artificial hormones such as steroids.

Some people who are really into bodybuilding think of the sport as hardcore in and of itself.  Building body mass and toning muscles involve hard work and dedication.  Hardcore bodybuilding is having a commitment to shaping the best body possible with hard work and sweat.

It’s easy for hardcore body builders to fall into the trap of obsession with the sport.  They want to be the biggest and the best.  The quickest way to achieve this is to take synthetic steroids or growth hormones.  However, hardcore bodybuilding doesn’t have to involve these substances.  You can still grow your body without them.

bodybuilding is a whole body and mind experience that focuses on training specific muscle groups and growing those muscles to often extreme proportions.  This is achieved through a proper diet, a safe workout plan, and a mentality that lends itself to hardcore growth.

There are natural supplements on the market for the hardcore body builder that are safe to take and will allow amazing growth of muscles with the right weight lifting regimen.  You have to be dedicated, you have to stick with it, and above everything else, you need to know how to perform the exercises correctly.

bodybuilding as a sport creates beautiful, well-sculpted bodies in the men and women who are willing to work hard for their physiques.  When you undertake a weight lifting program, you will want to pay special attention to the way your muscles respond to the weights and feel the resistance that the weights provide.

The old adage “No pain, no gain” really applies in hardcore bodybuilding.  You must push yourself and your body if you are interested in sculpting a well-toned body.  However, you must also be aware of your limits and not push too hard as you can cause injury to your body.

The sport of bodybuilding can be quite hardcore if you want it to be.  If you are interested in becoming a hardcore body builder, you must pay special attention to each muscle group on your body and work it until it is toned and defined.  Hardcore bodybuilding is not only a sport, it’s molding a beautiful body.

Muscle Building Programs

Muscle Building Programs

There are tons of muscle building programs out there to choose from, all claiming to be the best of the best when it comes to helping you to bulk up.

The question is, how do you choose the right one out of so many muscle building programs?

Well, the first thing you need to do is ask yourself a few questions:

• Are you a hard gainer? (Do you have trouble gaining weight?

• Do you need to lose weight? (fat)

• What specifically are your goals? (lose fat and gain muscle, gain muscle in one area of your body, add definition)

Asking yourself these important questions will help you determine your needs, and therefore, help you pick a program out of all the muscle building programs available to you.

Secondly, carefully review a few muscle building programs before you commit to a purchase. Look for credentials. Is the program written and taught by a person who is a personal trainer, bodybuilder, gym owner etc. ?

And do not be fooled, you may not necessarily want to follow muscle building programs from a bodybuilder because maybe he is blessed with wonderful genetics that allow him to quickly and easily build muscle. If you are not one of those people, you certainly do not want to learn from someone that is. You should look for a program taught and created by a person who also has poor genetics, but overcame them and actually shows pics to prove his claim of success.

If you think you have found a decent guide, but not sure, ask questions. Contact them through their contact page and ask any questions prior to purchasing.

Make sure there is a solid money-back guarantee in place. Any good muscle building program will have a 30 or 60 day money-back guarantee. If they do not, then you have to wonder why they are not standing behind their product.

Also, many muscle building programs are now offering a trial package. You get to try their product for usually a 3 week period for a very minimal cost of $9.95-$19.95. If you cancel during that time you are still refunded the trial cost, and if you like it, and do not cancel you will be billed the remaining amount of the total price.

This is a great way to test out a program before fully committing.

Three weeks should give you plenty of time to notice some differences in your body;at least enough to make an informed decision on whether to buy or not.

Not only that, but how confident in their product are they if they are giving you access to it before you pay in full?!That to me says a lot about credibility!

My name is Kris Frederiksen.

I am a successful bodybuilder,who is passionate about helping others achieve their goals to a better body. I am a personal trainer, and have helped countless people obtain their fitness goals,whether it is to lose weight and/or build muscle.

Weight Training in Bodybuilding

Weight Training in Bodybuilding

If you want to really concentrate on bodybuilding, weight training is an important part of your workout program.  Weight training in bodybuilding is a very huge part of any exercise regimen, but it's not the only part.  However, when you have a strong weight training plan, your bodybuilding goals become easier to achieve.

In order to work certain muscle groups, you need to lift weights that will provide resistance to those areas.  As you start your weight training bodybuilding program, remember to start small and work your way up.  That means start out with a weight that is difficult to lift, but you are able to do it with some effort.  As that weight gets easier to lift, add more.  The idea is to build up slowly so you don't risk injury to your body.

When you are weight training, you need to be sure that you are doing the exercises correctly.  Use extreme caution and feel the muscles as they work to lift the weights.  Your form is just as important as how much weight you are lifting, so pay special attention to how the exercises are done and perform them safely.

You will be doing some heavy lifting during weight training, so safety is very important.  When you are doing squats or dead lifts, you put a strain on your lower back.  It's a good idea to wear a weight belt when performing these exercises to minimize the risk of injury.  Weight belts provide support to your lower back as well as keep your spine aligned so you don't do an exercise improperly.
One important result of weight training in bodybuilding is increased physical performance.

Muscles quite literally utilize energy to produce movement, functioning as the engine or powerhouse of the body. Strength training increases the muscles' size, strength, and endurance, which contribute to improvements in our work, our favorite sports and hobbies, and our general day-to-day activities.
Your physical appearance will improve with a weight training program as your body burns fat for energy to lift those weights.  When you burn fat, you lose weight and gain muscle tone.  Weight training also prevents muscle loss that can lead to a flabby body.  Obviously, the resist you get during weight training will help develop your muscles in new and exciting ways.

Weight training is a big part of a bodybuilding program.  If you want to have well-defined muscles, you must incorporate weight training in your exercise plan.  You will realize huge results with your efforts and have a better looking, healthier body in the process.

Bodybuilding for Males

Bodybuilding for Males

When you start a bodybuilding program, be aware that this has generally always been a male sport.  That doesn’t mean that females can’t be body builders, but male bodybuilding has always been the norm.  The reasons are far reaching actually.

Males naturally produce a large amount of testosterone in their bodies.  Testosterone lends itself to longer, more intense workouts.  It’s a natural part of male bodybuilding.  Testosterone makes men more aggressive, and as a result, they are able to work out more intensely.  That means their muscles work harder and grow larger because of their bodybuilding program.

When the talk begins to turn toward male bodybuilding, it’s natural to speak of bodybuilding supplements.  Many males can benefit from bodybuilding supplements just as many females can.  However, because of the male anatomy as well as the naturally produced hormones by men, they can benefit much more by adding supplements to their workout programs.

Males are better able to focus on bodybuilding because of their natural constitutions.  Their muscles are just waiting to be worked to the point of toned as opposed to females.  That’s not to say that females are not able to work out with the same intensity as males.  What it means is that men grow differently that women do and so do their muscles.

When males are undertaking a bodybuilding program, they need to keep in mind a few specific points. Among these include maintaining an adequate diet that will give you the vitamins and minerals that you need to bring the nutrition to your muscles that will help you to build muscle mass.

An effective male bodybuilding program also needs lots of rest as well as lots of water intake.  You need to hydrate yourself along with your muscles to make sure that the water works for the good of your workout.

bodybuilding for males means working muscles beyond what you ever thought they could do.  As a male, you are naturally able to build your muscles because of the hormones that you produce.  That makes you at an advantage over the women, but not always.  The effectiveness of a workout depends on how hard you work your muscles and how you concentrate your energy.

Bodybuilding for males requires you to concentrate on certain muscle groups so that you can make some huge muscle mass.  If that is your goal as a male body builder, then by all means, pursue it!  Male bodybuilding means making a gorgeously toned body while becoming fit and trim at the same time. 

Exercises to Get a Six Pack Fast

Exercises to Get a Six Pack Fast - Your Path to Washboard Abs

exercises to get a six pack

Here are a few exercises to get a six pack fast that you can do anytime from the comfort of your own home. Don't be fooled into thinking you need that magic machine that claims to give you abs with no effort. What people don't realize is that those machines often come with pamphlet with a diet and exercise program. Why? Because they don't work without the added support of a low body fat percentage. So let me help you out with a few simple but effective exercises.

Pulse Up: Lie on your back with your hands by your side and your legs point straight up in the air. Now using your hips, push legs into the air and raise your hips just a few inches off the flower. Pause and return to the starting position. Repeat.

Clam: This is another one of the great exercises to get a six pack fast. Lie on your back and bend your knees and hips at right angles. Place your hands behind your head. Slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor (like a crunch) but at the same time crunch your knees up towards your chest.

Toe Touch: Lie down on your back and extend your legs and arms towards the ceiling. Curl upward and slowly lift your head and shoulders. Try and reach as high as possible with your hands. Hold and return to the starting position. Repeat. Exercises to get a six pack fast couldn't be simpler!

As you can see exercises to get a six pack fast aren't complicated. In 15 minutes you can punch 3 sets of each. Do this 2-3 times a week and I guarantee you will get a six pack. However the catch is in order for your six pack to show, you're going to need to lower your body fat. This is the only path to fast washboard abs.

Exercises to get a six pack fast are useless without an overall healthy eating program to support them. Don't groan and think dry salads and celery sticks. There are fantastic 20 minutes meals that are high protein, low fat, low carb, and most importantly, highly delicious. For faster results, add in some 20 minute cardio sessions every second day and you could have a six pack in as fast as a month. Are you willing to do what most people aren't? If so you're the one that will have the sexy six pack abs on the beach.