LOST SECRETS OF BODYBUILDING
PART 3: INTENSITY CYCLING
by David Gentle
Intensity cycling refers to the regular varying of training
intensity through changes in poundage’s used and the
effort level given forth. Very simply you build up to your
previous best weight over a five to eight week period and
then slowly add very small drops of weight for as long as
possible. When increases stop, have a few weeks off lifting
and start again. By taking two steps back in order to travel
three steps forward, persistent sticking points and
plateau’s are removed and progression can he seen and
predicted.
The human body can not be pushed to failure week after
week, month after month. year after year, no matter how
geneticallv advantaged one is. Linear progression cannot be
sustained forever, but linear progression can be maintained
for an individual cycle, where progress is seen relative to the
previous workout and absolute progress observed at the end
of the cycle
For novices and the genetically gifted, intensity cycling is not
essential, but for average men of intermediate level it is
impossible to become as big and strong as one possibly can
without cycling training intensity. There are many forms:
Modified powerlifting cycles, mini-cycles, alternated volume
intensity cycles, long cycles. periodisation etc. I have tried
them all, but the one that works best for me, is the simplest It
consists of building up to my previous, personal best weight
for a fixed number of reps over a period of 5 or 6 weeks Then
I add tiny bits of weight to the bar and keep the reps the same.
If I fail to get all the targeted reps in a workout. I stick with the
same weight the next workout and make dam sure to get all
the reps on all the sets I then add a tiny amount of weight
and continue. The key is to supply your body with a running
start and then add just a small amount of iron to the bar. Your
body can become 2 lbs stronger for a very long time, but if
you are impatient and add too much weight to the bar too
quickly, the momentum produced in the cycle will be lost
As an example. I have used an excerpt from an actual
training cycle which shows progress in the bench press. All
weights are in kg. e.g. 30 kg for 5 reps with two warm-up sets.
followed by two working sets My personal best was 87.5 kg
for 5 reps before this cycle.
WEEK 1 30X5 60X5 70X5 70X5
WEEK 2 30X5 60X5 75X5 75X5
WEEK 3 30X5 60X5 80X5 80X5
WEEK 4 30X5 60X5 82.5 X5 82.5 X5
WEEK 5 30X5 60X5 85X5 85X5
WEEK 6 35X5 65X5 87.5 X5 87.5 X5
WEEK 7 35X5 65X5 88.5 X5 88.5 X5
WEEK 8 35X5 65X5 89.5 X 5 89.5 X 5
WEEK 9 35X5 65X5 90 X5 90 X5
WEEK 10 35X5 70X5 91 X5 91 X5
WEEK 11 35X5 70X5 92 X5 92 X3
WEEK 12 40X5 70X5 92 X5 92 X5
WEEK 13 40X5 70X5 93 X5 93 X5
Note that the second set on week 11 was a triple so the next
workout I stuck with the same weight. After 13 workouts I was
totally exhausted, so I finished the cycle 6.5 kg stronger in the
bench press This might not sound a lot, but a 6.5 kg net gain
per cycle adds up to about 19.5 kg in a year. And how many of
you out there can honestly say your bench press increases
that much per year?
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Friday, April 30, 2004
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
LOST SECRETS OF BODYBUILDING
PART 2: THE NEED FOR REST
by David Gentle
This article looks at the importance of allowing enough time to
pass between workouts and what happens if you train too
frequently. To build size and strength we undertake what
scientifically it is known as the over compensation factor.
Very simply if you stress the body by lifting a heavy weight
the body will adapt to the demands placed upon it. Once
recovered, you will be able to lift more weight or do more reps
because the body has overcompensated for the initial
stress and has built a reserve. It is easier to visualise what is
going on if you imagine being chased by a lion one day and you
just manage to escape. If you got into the same situation your
body will have adapted, and because you are able to run faster,
the chances of being killed are far less. Now that you understand
this simple, natural mechanism you will be able to see the
importance of allowing your body to fully recover before you
next train.
Once you have stressed you body in the gym, you need time to
allow it to recover and overcompensate for the stress. If you don’t
rest long enough, the body will not have had time to
overcompensate and you will be no stronger than the last time you
trained. For an average man, recovery from a truly hard workout
may take between 3 and 10 days. It is not true that after 48 hours
your muscles begin to degenerate. Just recently due to a busy
work schedule I was unable to train for 16 days. According to
modern misconceptions I should of lost considerable amounts of
strength, in fact I was able to lift more than the previous workout.
I had not lost any strength, for if I had, it would be impossible to lift
more than the last workout. Actually I train a lift (bench press,
deadlift, squat etc) once every 10 days, when I am working truly
hard at the end of a training cycle. It actually takes me that long to
recover.
The harder you work out, the more you stress your body and the
more time needed to recover. The more advanced a lifter is, the
more time is needed in order to fully recover because they can
generate more intensity than a beginner. Age, work and family
commitments are another factor to consider because they all
use energy that is needed to build your body. The more pressure
you are under and the more commitments you have, the longer
you must wait until you have another workout. The consequence
of training too frequently is something I am sure you are familiar
with overtraining. As you can now see, this common term refers
to the body being unable to fully recover before it is stressed
again. But how do you know when one is recovered I hear you
say. I go on how my body feels. If I am full of energy and cant
wait to get into the gym and have a demanding workout, then
you can bet, I’m fully recovered . This may be three days after
my last workout, it may be ten or somewhere in between. My
cut off time is 10 days, because I don’t want to make excuses
not to train and baring an illness, I’m confident my body will
have fully recovered by then.
So the moral of the story, is don’t be afraid to have that extra
days rest, science has proven you need time for your body to
grow bigger and stronger. Unless you are a genetic abnormality
or on ‘gear’ training more frequently than twice a week is counter
productive and I would strongly advise every intermediate or
advanced lifter to train three days every two weeks or have
four whole days between workouts. So go out and experiment
on having an extra days rest, assuming you are serious about
your training and are working hard enough to NEED it.
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PART 2: THE NEED FOR REST
by David Gentle
This article looks at the importance of allowing enough time to
pass between workouts and what happens if you train too
frequently. To build size and strength we undertake what
scientifically it is known as the over compensation factor.
Very simply if you stress the body by lifting a heavy weight
the body will adapt to the demands placed upon it. Once
recovered, you will be able to lift more weight or do more reps
because the body has overcompensated for the initial
stress and has built a reserve. It is easier to visualise what is
going on if you imagine being chased by a lion one day and you
just manage to escape. If you got into the same situation your
body will have adapted, and because you are able to run faster,
the chances of being killed are far less. Now that you understand
this simple, natural mechanism you will be able to see the
importance of allowing your body to fully recover before you
next train.
Once you have stressed you body in the gym, you need time to
allow it to recover and overcompensate for the stress. If you don’t
rest long enough, the body will not have had time to
overcompensate and you will be no stronger than the last time you
trained. For an average man, recovery from a truly hard workout
may take between 3 and 10 days. It is not true that after 48 hours
your muscles begin to degenerate. Just recently due to a busy
work schedule I was unable to train for 16 days. According to
modern misconceptions I should of lost considerable amounts of
strength, in fact I was able to lift more than the previous workout.
I had not lost any strength, for if I had, it would be impossible to lift
more than the last workout. Actually I train a lift (bench press,
deadlift, squat etc) once every 10 days, when I am working truly
hard at the end of a training cycle. It actually takes me that long to
recover.
The harder you work out, the more you stress your body and the
more time needed to recover. The more advanced a lifter is, the
more time is needed in order to fully recover because they can
generate more intensity than a beginner. Age, work and family
commitments are another factor to consider because they all
use energy that is needed to build your body. The more pressure
you are under and the more commitments you have, the longer
you must wait until you have another workout. The consequence
of training too frequently is something I am sure you are familiar
with overtraining. As you can now see, this common term refers
to the body being unable to fully recover before it is stressed
again. But how do you know when one is recovered I hear you
say. I go on how my body feels. If I am full of energy and cant
wait to get into the gym and have a demanding workout, then
you can bet, I’m fully recovered . This may be three days after
my last workout, it may be ten or somewhere in between. My
cut off time is 10 days, because I don’t want to make excuses
not to train and baring an illness, I’m confident my body will
have fully recovered by then.
So the moral of the story, is don’t be afraid to have that extra
days rest, science has proven you need time for your body to
grow bigger and stronger. Unless you are a genetic abnormality
or on ‘gear’ training more frequently than twice a week is counter
productive and I would strongly advise every intermediate or
advanced lifter to train three days every two weeks or have
four whole days between workouts. So go out and experiment
on having an extra days rest, assuming you are serious about
your training and are working hard enough to NEED it.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
LOST SECRETS OF BODYBUILDING
PART 1: STRENGTH = SIZE
by David Gentle
In this series of articles, I have tried to bring together three
principles of successful training that have been either
forgotten, ignored or misunderstood. I am not trying to
pretend these ideas are my own 'invention'. Instead, I am
bringing them to the attention of the many in the hope of
helping them, as these secrets have helped me. If you are
serious about getting bigger and stronger, have an open
mind and feel that things are not going to plan at the
moment, then these articles are for you.
Magic Formulas
I am sad to report that in today's society people are looking
for short cuts to success or 'magic formulas' that will make
their dreams come true and this is reflected most vividly in
the body building fraternity. If this wasn't the case then
the newsstands would not be full of glossy magazines with
pictures of Mr. Olympia and the routines he used to build his
prize-winning physique. Sadly, very few people realise that
the routines accompanying the pictures are designed
for advanced men who have already built a huge, muscular
physique and want to sculpt it into a work of art in order to
win contests. The isolation exercises they use are designed
for just that, isolating a muscle NOT BUILDING IT. One of the
most painful things for me to watch in a gym is a 1201b, 6 foot
fifteen year old beginner hammering out sets of lateral raises
with 10 lb dumbbells and wondering why his shoulders aren't
growing.
Putting The Building Back Into Bodybuilding
It is about time that the building is put back into BODYBUILDING.
Forget about trying to keep muscular symmetry while you are
building (unless you are an extremely easy gainer and look huge
before you even pick up a weight) get huge first, then worry about
sculpting. But how do you know when one is advanced and ready
to gain from isolation exercises. Simple, if you have a medium bone
structure (that's 7 to 7 1/2 inch wrists measured ABOVE the
protruding bones) until you have built 17 inch upper arms, 45 to 47
inch chest, 24 to 26 inch thighs and the ability to curl 150 lbs for
reps, squat 400lbs for several reps and bench over 300lbs, then
forget about cable crossovers.
Strength And Size
What has strength got to do with muscle size I hear you say.
Weightlifters train for strength while body builder's train differently
for size. The two are totally separate issues. Rubbish! Strength and
size are interlocked and the only way to get bigger is to get stronger.
If you double your bench pressing strength over a number of years,
how on earth can the muscles of your arms, shoulders and back
stay the same size? If you dont believe me load a bar with 170 lbs
and hold it as if you were to perform a curl. Now do you think your
biceps will be the same size if they can curl this weight. Of course
not, how could they, a famous old bodybuilder called Reg Park
regularly performed 3 sets of 5 reps with 300 lbs in a behind the
neck press. It is impossible for a man to be that strong and have
small muscles. You must concentrate on the big compound
exercises such as squats, deadlifts, presses, pulldowns and rows.
Remember that YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIRECTLY STIMULATE A
MUSCLE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME BIGGER AND STRONGER.
This is why compound exercises work, bench presses indirectly
stimulate your triceps, shoulders and even your back. So forget
about 30 lb concentration curls unless you already posses a huge,
strong physique.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
PART 1: STRENGTH = SIZE
by David Gentle
In this series of articles, I have tried to bring together three
principles of successful training that have been either
forgotten, ignored or misunderstood. I am not trying to
pretend these ideas are my own 'invention'. Instead, I am
bringing them to the attention of the many in the hope of
helping them, as these secrets have helped me. If you are
serious about getting bigger and stronger, have an open
mind and feel that things are not going to plan at the
moment, then these articles are for you.
Magic Formulas
I am sad to report that in today's society people are looking
for short cuts to success or 'magic formulas' that will make
their dreams come true and this is reflected most vividly in
the body building fraternity. If this wasn't the case then
the newsstands would not be full of glossy magazines with
pictures of Mr. Olympia and the routines he used to build his
prize-winning physique. Sadly, very few people realise that
the routines accompanying the pictures are designed
for advanced men who have already built a huge, muscular
physique and want to sculpt it into a work of art in order to
win contests. The isolation exercises they use are designed
for just that, isolating a muscle NOT BUILDING IT. One of the
most painful things for me to watch in a gym is a 1201b, 6 foot
fifteen year old beginner hammering out sets of lateral raises
with 10 lb dumbbells and wondering why his shoulders aren't
growing.
Putting The Building Back Into Bodybuilding
It is about time that the building is put back into BODYBUILDING.
Forget about trying to keep muscular symmetry while you are
building (unless you are an extremely easy gainer and look huge
before you even pick up a weight) get huge first, then worry about
sculpting. But how do you know when one is advanced and ready
to gain from isolation exercises. Simple, if you have a medium bone
structure (that's 7 to 7 1/2 inch wrists measured ABOVE the
protruding bones) until you have built 17 inch upper arms, 45 to 47
inch chest, 24 to 26 inch thighs and the ability to curl 150 lbs for
reps, squat 400lbs for several reps and bench over 300lbs, then
forget about cable crossovers.
Strength And Size
What has strength got to do with muscle size I hear you say.
Weightlifters train for strength while body builder's train differently
for size. The two are totally separate issues. Rubbish! Strength and
size are interlocked and the only way to get bigger is to get stronger.
If you double your bench pressing strength over a number of years,
how on earth can the muscles of your arms, shoulders and back
stay the same size? If you dont believe me load a bar with 170 lbs
and hold it as if you were to perform a curl. Now do you think your
biceps will be the same size if they can curl this weight. Of course
not, how could they, a famous old bodybuilder called Reg Park
regularly performed 3 sets of 5 reps with 300 lbs in a behind the
neck press. It is impossible for a man to be that strong and have
small muscles. You must concentrate on the big compound
exercises such as squats, deadlifts, presses, pulldowns and rows.
Remember that YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIRECTLY STIMULATE A
MUSCLE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME BIGGER AND STRONGER.
This is why compound exercises work, bench presses indirectly
stimulate your triceps, shoulders and even your back. So forget
about 30 lb concentration curls unless you already posses a huge,
strong physique.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Friday, April 23, 2004
PRE-EXHAUSTION
Pre-exhaustion is a technique that can be used every
now and then to shock a muscle and bring it to a
greater level of failure than when one reaches failure
on a single exercise. This is an advanced technique
and requires high intensity levels in order to carry
out the second of the 2 exercises involved in the
"super set".
The idea behind pre-exhaustion it is that certain
exercises target a specific muscle while working other
secondary muscles involved in the lift while certain
exercises completely isolate the target muscle. For
example, bench presses work the chest primarily while
the delts and triceps are invloved, where as dumbell
chest flys can be performed such that the triceps and
majority of the delts are removed.
As an example with with chest. start with a set of
dumbbell flys or pec deck to failure then immediately
go to barbell or dumbbell bench presses--flat or
incline. You won't be able to use as much weight on the
pressing movement as normal, but you will shock your
muscles--possibly into growing.
When blasting biceps, start with hammer curls, which
hits mainly the brachialis part of the bicep. Hit
failure and go right to barbell curls. this will reall
shock the biceps.
Many think you must ALWAYS start with bench presses,
heavy curls or heavy tricep movement in order to grow.
What I have found from my experiences is that muscles
respond to INTENSITY! Hardcore intensity! Not
necessarily the load applied--however that is an
important factor. And remember for the drug-free
lifter, as intensity increases volume should decrease.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Pre-exhaustion is a technique that can be used every
now and then to shock a muscle and bring it to a
greater level of failure than when one reaches failure
on a single exercise. This is an advanced technique
and requires high intensity levels in order to carry
out the second of the 2 exercises involved in the
"super set".
The idea behind pre-exhaustion it is that certain
exercises target a specific muscle while working other
secondary muscles involved in the lift while certain
exercises completely isolate the target muscle. For
example, bench presses work the chest primarily while
the delts and triceps are invloved, where as dumbell
chest flys can be performed such that the triceps and
majority of the delts are removed.
As an example with with chest. start with a set of
dumbbell flys or pec deck to failure then immediately
go to barbell or dumbbell bench presses--flat or
incline. You won't be able to use as much weight on the
pressing movement as normal, but you will shock your
muscles--possibly into growing.
When blasting biceps, start with hammer curls, which
hits mainly the brachialis part of the bicep. Hit
failure and go right to barbell curls. this will reall
shock the biceps.
Many think you must ALWAYS start with bench presses,
heavy curls or heavy tricep movement in order to grow.
What I have found from my experiences is that muscles
respond to INTENSITY! Hardcore intensity! Not
necessarily the load applied--however that is an
important factor. And remember for the drug-free
lifter, as intensity increases volume should decrease.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Thursday, April 22, 2004
BUILDING MUSCLE MASS!
How do I build mass? I want to put on some weight.
I need to bulk up for sports.
This is what I am asked all the time. Building mass is
not difficult to plan, but you MUST plan. There are a few
basic principles you must understand first.
Stimulation:
In order to gain muscle, you must place a demand on the
body which triggers your survival mechanism, causing
overcompensation. Your body does not want to be
stressed by muscle fatigue, so it adds muscle to alleviate
the stress caused by strenuous activity. You must
adequately stimulate your muscles to be able to expect
growth.
Rest/Recuperation:
Rest is probably the most overlooked aspect of bodybuilding.
You do not grow while working out! Growth takes place when
you are at rest. You should avoid as much aerobic activity as
possible. The more rest you get, the easier it is for your body
to grow.
Nutrition:
You must eat to build mass! I hear all this crap about not needing
to consume more than the Daily Recommended Allowance. How
are you going to grow without excess calories? You are not. You
should eat six quality meals per day. A good ratio is 40 - 40 - 20,
Protein - Carbs - Fat.
Consistency/Frequency:
You must go to the gym regularly. You can't go every now and
then and expect to grow. At the same time, you cannot work 7 days
a week and expect your body to recover! Work each body
part ONCE a week and work no more than 4 days a week!
Variety:
People say that you need to add variety to confuse your muscles.
Whatever. You can't confuse your muscles. Add variety to break up
the monotony of doing the same thing every workout. This can be
as simple as using dumbbells instead of barbells.
Recovery:
DUH! DO NOT NEGLECT RECOVERY! The recovery process is
enhanced by following all of the principles outlined above! Eat a
small meal consisting of about 25 - 70 - 5, protein - carbs - fat
within 45 minutes of your workout!
Exercise Selection:
Chest:
Bench Press (with dumbbell or barbell)
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Dumbbell Flye
Triceps:
Dips
Lying French Curl (lying barbell extension, skull crushers)
Tricep Pushdowns
Close Grip Bench Press
Back:
Deadlift
1 Arm Dumbbell Row
Chins/Pulldowns (all variations)
T-Bar Row
Low Row
Biceps:
Barbell Curl (to include E-Z Bar Curls)
Alternate Dumbbell Curl
Preacher Curls
Hams:
Leg Curl (all variations, ie lying or standing)
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Quads:
Squat
Leg Press
Shoulders:
Military Press (not behind the neck, shoulder wrecker)
Dumbbell Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Calves:
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises
Donkey Calf Raises
Toe Raises on Leg Press
Traps:
Dumbbell Shrugs
Barbell Shrugs
Bench Shrugs
Forearms:
Reverse Curl
Wrist Curl
Hammer Curl
If you apply ALL of these principles, you will be on your way to
a great physique without the need for pharmaceutical aid!
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
How do I build mass? I want to put on some weight.
I need to bulk up for sports.
This is what I am asked all the time. Building mass is
not difficult to plan, but you MUST plan. There are a few
basic principles you must understand first.
Stimulation:
In order to gain muscle, you must place a demand on the
body which triggers your survival mechanism, causing
overcompensation. Your body does not want to be
stressed by muscle fatigue, so it adds muscle to alleviate
the stress caused by strenuous activity. You must
adequately stimulate your muscles to be able to expect
growth.
Rest/Recuperation:
Rest is probably the most overlooked aspect of bodybuilding.
You do not grow while working out! Growth takes place when
you are at rest. You should avoid as much aerobic activity as
possible. The more rest you get, the easier it is for your body
to grow.
Nutrition:
You must eat to build mass! I hear all this crap about not needing
to consume more than the Daily Recommended Allowance. How
are you going to grow without excess calories? You are not. You
should eat six quality meals per day. A good ratio is 40 - 40 - 20,
Protein - Carbs - Fat.
Consistency/Frequency:
You must go to the gym regularly. You can't go every now and
then and expect to grow. At the same time, you cannot work 7 days
a week and expect your body to recover! Work each body
part ONCE a week and work no more than 4 days a week!
Variety:
People say that you need to add variety to confuse your muscles.
Whatever. You can't confuse your muscles. Add variety to break up
the monotony of doing the same thing every workout. This can be
as simple as using dumbbells instead of barbells.
Recovery:
DUH! DO NOT NEGLECT RECOVERY! The recovery process is
enhanced by following all of the principles outlined above! Eat a
small meal consisting of about 25 - 70 - 5, protein - carbs - fat
within 45 minutes of your workout!
Exercise Selection:
Chest:
Bench Press (with dumbbell or barbell)
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Dumbbell Flye
Triceps:
Dips
Lying French Curl (lying barbell extension, skull crushers)
Tricep Pushdowns
Close Grip Bench Press
Back:
Deadlift
1 Arm Dumbbell Row
Chins/Pulldowns (all variations)
T-Bar Row
Low Row
Biceps:
Barbell Curl (to include E-Z Bar Curls)
Alternate Dumbbell Curl
Preacher Curls
Hams:
Leg Curl (all variations, ie lying or standing)
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Quads:
Squat
Leg Press
Shoulders:
Military Press (not behind the neck, shoulder wrecker)
Dumbbell Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Calves:
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises
Donkey Calf Raises
Toe Raises on Leg Press
Traps:
Dumbbell Shrugs
Barbell Shrugs
Bench Shrugs
Forearms:
Reverse Curl
Wrist Curl
Hammer Curl
If you apply ALL of these principles, you will be on your way to
a great physique without the need for pharmaceutical aid!
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
You might be a bodybuilder if....
Written by: Jeremy Huddleston
1. You grunt when you are not in the bathroom.
2. Any meal in your day involves a blender.
3. You spend more on bills for the gym and supplements
than on your wife or girlfriend.
4. You intimidate more than five other men a day.
5. You can't wear a sleeved t-shirt.
6. You can't fit in a xxx-large t-shirt.
8. The WWF calls you once a week for a job opportunity.
9. You eat more than 4 square meals a day.
10. You intimidate more than five other women a day.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for entertainment
purposes only! It is not intended to degrade any athlete
or bodybuilder in the world.
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
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Written by: Jeremy Huddleston
1. You grunt when you are not in the bathroom.
2. Any meal in your day involves a blender.
3. You spend more on bills for the gym and supplements
than on your wife or girlfriend.
4. You intimidate more than five other men a day.
5. You can't wear a sleeved t-shirt.
6. You can't fit in a xxx-large t-shirt.
8. The WWF calls you once a week for a job opportunity.
9. You eat more than 4 square meals a day.
10. You intimidate more than five other women a day.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for entertainment
purposes only! It is not intended to degrade any athlete
or bodybuilder in the world.
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Tuesday, April 20, 2004
DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS
By John C. Yobst AS.,CPT,CSTS
You know the feeling, it comes usually the morning
after a great workout.. the soreness which is sometimes
unbearable. Well this is what is known as DELAYED
ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS (DOMS). In this article, we
will explore some of the causes and remedies of DOMS.
Most scientists are in agreement on one thing when it
comes to DOMS, that it is caused by an eccentric muscle
contraction. An eccentric contraction is defined as the
lowering or lengthening of a muscle against some form
of resistance (ie. weights or gravity). Eccentric muscle
contractions have been shown to cause a greater
amount of tissue damage to the contractile tissue in the
muscle. On the other side are concentric muscle
contractions or the shortening of a muscle against a
resistance. These are less likely to cause large amounts
of damage to a muscle cell.
Other points that have been studied in relation to DOMS
are tissue being torn at the microscopic level and that
these "microtears" are the cause of the pain. The next one
is the overstretching of connective tissue
(ie. tendons/ligaments) that are attached to muscles
(tendons) are responsible for the pain. The last theory is
that inflammation caused by training is the reason for the
pain due to the body trying to heal itself. The following are
things that are known about DOMS:
1 - The pain from DOMS will begin to manifest itself within
24-48 hours after training is completed. The pain will usually
peak within 24-72 hours post-excercise and will be gone
within 7-10 days.
2 - Skeletal muscle is the only type of muscle that is
affected by DOMS, however it can occurr in any athlete
regarless of fitness level.
3 - DOMS is not caused by a buildup of lactic acid in the
muscle. Lactic acid buildup, however, is responsible for the
intense "burning" sensation which usually accompanies a
hard training session. The use of over the counter
anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen may be of help in
only extreme cases.
4 - DOMS is not an indicator of whether or not you had a
"good" workout. Many people think that if they are not sore
following a workout that they wasted their time. That is
nonsense! To have a productive workout, you don't have to
be sore for days following it.
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By John C. Yobst AS.,CPT,CSTS
You know the feeling, it comes usually the morning
after a great workout.. the soreness which is sometimes
unbearable. Well this is what is known as DELAYED
ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS (DOMS). In this article, we
will explore some of the causes and remedies of DOMS.
Most scientists are in agreement on one thing when it
comes to DOMS, that it is caused by an eccentric muscle
contraction. An eccentric contraction is defined as the
lowering or lengthening of a muscle against some form
of resistance (ie. weights or gravity). Eccentric muscle
contractions have been shown to cause a greater
amount of tissue damage to the contractile tissue in the
muscle. On the other side are concentric muscle
contractions or the shortening of a muscle against a
resistance. These are less likely to cause large amounts
of damage to a muscle cell.
Other points that have been studied in relation to DOMS
are tissue being torn at the microscopic level and that
these "microtears" are the cause of the pain. The next one
is the overstretching of connective tissue
(ie. tendons/ligaments) that are attached to muscles
(tendons) are responsible for the pain. The last theory is
that inflammation caused by training is the reason for the
pain due to the body trying to heal itself. The following are
things that are known about DOMS:
1 - The pain from DOMS will begin to manifest itself within
24-48 hours after training is completed. The pain will usually
peak within 24-72 hours post-excercise and will be gone
within 7-10 days.
2 - Skeletal muscle is the only type of muscle that is
affected by DOMS, however it can occurr in any athlete
regarless of fitness level.
3 - DOMS is not caused by a buildup of lactic acid in the
muscle. Lactic acid buildup, however, is responsible for the
intense "burning" sensation which usually accompanies a
hard training session. The use of over the counter
anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen may be of help in
only extreme cases.
4 - DOMS is not an indicator of whether or not you had a
"good" workout. Many people think that if they are not sore
following a workout that they wasted their time. That is
nonsense! To have a productive workout, you don't have to
be sore for days following it.
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Monday, April 19, 2004
FITNESS QUIZ
ARE YOU TRAINING RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE?
1) My bone structure is:
__ (a) Very Large
__ (b) Large to Medium
__ (c) Small to Frail
2) My body tends towards:
__ (a) Carrying too much fat
__ (b) Being lean and muscular
__ (c) Being too skinny
3) My body looks:
Men answer here:
__ (a) Round and soft
__ (b) Square and rugged
__ (c) Long and tenuous
Women answer here:
__ (a) Pear-shaped
__ (b) Hourglass-shaped
__ (c) Mostly straight up and down
4) As a child I was:
__ (a) Chubby
__ (b) Normal
__ (c) Too thin
5) My activity level is:
__ (a) Sedentary
__ (b) Fairly Active
__ (c) Over active, can't sit still
6) My approach to life is:
__ (a) Laid back
__ (b) Dynamic
__ (c) Worrisome
7) My metabolism is:
__ (a) Slow
__ (b) Just right
__ (c) Too fast
8) People tell me:
__ (a) I should lose some weight
__ (b) Stay the same, that I look fine
__ (c) I should gain some weight
9) If you encircle your wrist with your other hand’s middle finger and thumb:
__ (a) Middle finger and thumb do not touch
__ (b) Middle finger and thumb just touch
__ (c) Middle finger and thumb overlap
10) Concerning my weight, I:
__ (a) Gain weight easily, but find it hard to lose
__ (b) Gain or lose weight fairly easily. Usualy stay about the same weight
__ (c) Have trouble gaining weight
11) I am hungry:
__ (a) Almost all the time
__ (b) Just at meal times
__ (c) Rarely
12) People would describle me as an:
__ (a) Emotional person
__ (b) Physical person
__ (c) Intellectual person
RESULTS
Give yourself a 1 for each A answer, a 2 for each B answer
and a 3 for each C answer. Add them up and devide by 12.
Look below at the number you now have. If you come up
with a fraction, for example 1.5, then you are somewhere
inbetween those two body types. And recomendations
would be a middle approach.
1
You tend towards being an Endomorph, your biggest concern
should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it
off.
Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio
and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast
training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises).
You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself)
and should eat frequent but small meals. Sugars, sweets and junk
food should be eliminated from your diet.
Engage daily in some activity like brisk walking, biking, etc., and
try to increase the amount of time you spend each week.
2
You tend towards being a Mesomorph and have a naturally
fit body but to maintain it or improve it you should exercise
and diet corretly for your type.
Strength training can be done more often and for longer
sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must
still be carefull not to overdo it. You should train with moderate
to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long
between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some
women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this
won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle
size simply train to maintain it).
Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and
watch for any slow creeping fat gains.
Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, sports, etc. but do not
overdo.
3
You tend towards being an Ectomorph, you should
concentrate on gaining weight in the form of good lean
muscle tissue (some women that are too thin may also
want to put on a little fat to look more feminine).
Weight training should be done but not too often or for too
long each session. Weight should be fairly heavy and
workout pace slower (longer rest periods between sets).
Diet should be high in calories (good quality food not junk)
and you should eat more then you're used to and often.
Aerobic and other activities (sports, dancing, etc.) should be
kept to a minimum, at least until you are happy with your
weight and looks.
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ARE YOU TRAINING RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE?
1) My bone structure is:
__ (a) Very Large
__ (b) Large to Medium
__ (c) Small to Frail
2) My body tends towards:
__ (a) Carrying too much fat
__ (b) Being lean and muscular
__ (c) Being too skinny
3) My body looks:
Men answer here:
__ (a) Round and soft
__ (b) Square and rugged
__ (c) Long and tenuous
Women answer here:
__ (a) Pear-shaped
__ (b) Hourglass-shaped
__ (c) Mostly straight up and down
4) As a child I was:
__ (a) Chubby
__ (b) Normal
__ (c) Too thin
5) My activity level is:
__ (a) Sedentary
__ (b) Fairly Active
__ (c) Over active, can't sit still
6) My approach to life is:
__ (a) Laid back
__ (b) Dynamic
__ (c) Worrisome
7) My metabolism is:
__ (a) Slow
__ (b) Just right
__ (c) Too fast
8) People tell me:
__ (a) I should lose some weight
__ (b) Stay the same, that I look fine
__ (c) I should gain some weight
9) If you encircle your wrist with your other hand’s middle finger and thumb:
__ (a) Middle finger and thumb do not touch
__ (b) Middle finger and thumb just touch
__ (c) Middle finger and thumb overlap
10) Concerning my weight, I:
__ (a) Gain weight easily, but find it hard to lose
__ (b) Gain or lose weight fairly easily. Usualy stay about the same weight
__ (c) Have trouble gaining weight
11) I am hungry:
__ (a) Almost all the time
__ (b) Just at meal times
__ (c) Rarely
12) People would describle me as an:
__ (a) Emotional person
__ (b) Physical person
__ (c) Intellectual person
RESULTS
Give yourself a 1 for each A answer, a 2 for each B answer
and a 3 for each C answer. Add them up and devide by 12.
Look below at the number you now have. If you come up
with a fraction, for example 1.5, then you are somewhere
inbetween those two body types. And recomendations
would be a middle approach.
1
You tend towards being an Endomorph, your biggest concern
should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it
off.
Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio
and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast
training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises).
You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself)
and should eat frequent but small meals. Sugars, sweets and junk
food should be eliminated from your diet.
Engage daily in some activity like brisk walking, biking, etc., and
try to increase the amount of time you spend each week.
2
You tend towards being a Mesomorph and have a naturally
fit body but to maintain it or improve it you should exercise
and diet corretly for your type.
Strength training can be done more often and for longer
sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must
still be carefull not to overdo it. You should train with moderate
to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long
between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some
women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this
won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle
size simply train to maintain it).
Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and
watch for any slow creeping fat gains.
Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, sports, etc. but do not
overdo.
3
You tend towards being an Ectomorph, you should
concentrate on gaining weight in the form of good lean
muscle tissue (some women that are too thin may also
want to put on a little fat to look more feminine).
Weight training should be done but not too often or for too
long each session. Weight should be fairly heavy and
workout pace slower (longer rest periods between sets).
Diet should be high in calories (good quality food not junk)
and you should eat more then you're used to and often.
Aerobic and other activities (sports, dancing, etc.) should be
kept to a minimum, at least until you are happy with your
weight and looks.
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drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
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Sunday, April 18, 2004
NUTRITION TIPS
Protein powders and meal replacment drinks can help you add
protein to your diet and are easily digestible.
For those on a budget, here's a protein drink recipe I used to use
(before I became rich and famous...LOL):
*2 to 3 eggs
*16 oz. milk
*non fat dry milk powder
*Some kind of flavoring. Some times I used a couple scoops of ice
cream or some chocolate Ovaltine.
(Unfortunately for you low carb guys, this is not a low carb
protein drink.)
If you're concerned about the eggs and salmonella, you can drop
them in boiling water for 45 to 60 seconds.
Here's a low carb protein drink:
*2 to 3 eggs
*4 oz. heavy whipping cream
*Sugar free Tang (or a generic equivalent).
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Protein powders and meal replacment drinks can help you add
protein to your diet and are easily digestible.
For those on a budget, here's a protein drink recipe I used to use
(before I became rich and famous...LOL):
*2 to 3 eggs
*16 oz. milk
*non fat dry milk powder
*Some kind of flavoring. Some times I used a couple scoops of ice
cream or some chocolate Ovaltine.
(Unfortunately for you low carb guys, this is not a low carb
protein drink.)
If you're concerned about the eggs and salmonella, you can drop
them in boiling water for 45 to 60 seconds.
Here's a low carb protein drink:
*2 to 3 eggs
*4 oz. heavy whipping cream
*Sugar free Tang (or a generic equivalent).
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
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Saturday, April 17, 2004
OVERTRAINING
This is usually the biggest reason that most people are not making
gains.
Overtraining is every bodybuilder's nightmare. It is a condition in
which your body catabolizes it's lean muscle as fuel due to putting
too much a demand on your body.
Training too often, for too long causes your body to go into a state
of shock and store your food as energy and use your muscles as
food. Quite the opposite of what we as bodybuilders want, huh?
Training while overtrained will cause you to grow weaker and get
smaller. Roughly translated, if you are not progressing, you may
need to take a rest. Most people think that if they are getting
weaker they aren't doing enough so they add in more sets or train
more often, putting them deeper and deeper into the overtraining
trap.
Symptoms of Overtraining
1. A loss of appetite.
2. A lack of motivation to train.
3. Irritability.
4. Insomnia.
5. Unexplained strength loss.
If these symptoms apply to you, I advise you to take 2 to 3 weeks
off and evaluate your training. Find out where the problem lies, fix
it, and get motivated for your new workout!
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This is usually the biggest reason that most people are not making
gains.
Overtraining is every bodybuilder's nightmare. It is a condition in
which your body catabolizes it's lean muscle as fuel due to putting
too much a demand on your body.
Training too often, for too long causes your body to go into a state
of shock and store your food as energy and use your muscles as
food. Quite the opposite of what we as bodybuilders want, huh?
Training while overtrained will cause you to grow weaker and get
smaller. Roughly translated, if you are not progressing, you may
need to take a rest. Most people think that if they are getting
weaker they aren't doing enough so they add in more sets or train
more often, putting them deeper and deeper into the overtraining
trap.
Symptoms of Overtraining
1. A loss of appetite.
2. A lack of motivation to train.
3. Irritability.
4. Insomnia.
5. Unexplained strength loss.
If these symptoms apply to you, I advise you to take 2 to 3 weeks
off and evaluate your training. Find out where the problem lies, fix
it, and get motivated for your new workout!
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
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Friday, April 16, 2004
TRAINING JOURNALS
Keeping records of what you do and how you do it is vital to
bodybuilding success. I think keeping a journal is one of the best
things I've done to help myself improve. If you keep track of what
you've done in the past, it will be easier for you to see what works
for you.
When assessing a problem such as an extreme soreness or a lack
of pump, you could look back in your journal to see either what
you ate differently and see if that is the culprit.
Or, maybe you did an exercise that you normally don't do and
you've hit an area you never get at.
Or, it may still be a different method of supplementation.
Any way you look at it, relying on your memory isn't the best way
to get maximum growth in minimum time.
Also, by keeping track of poundages, you can continually see how
much stronger you've gotten. Or you could try to beat what you did
last week by adding 5 pounds.
A journal would also be very helpful in preparation for a contest
or even just getting in shape for summer or spring break. You can
find out what works for you and use it.
Tips On How To Keep A Productive Journal
1. Write down when you worked out.
2. Write down how much weight you used in each exercise.
3. Write down how the movements felt, i.e. "50s are too light".
4. Write down how you looked and what was going on in your
mind.
5. Write down what you wore or what music you listened to.
6. Write down what you ate and when you ate it.
7. Write down how you looked when you woke up, went to
sleep, etc.
8. Write down how much cardio you did.
9. Write down your body weight.
10. Write down the other aspects of you life i.e., if you had a
good day, a bad day, it was raining, dog ate your shoes, you
had a fight with your girlfriend.
This will help you attribute outside factors into your performance
in the gym.
So, say you had a bad workout on February 1st and you can't
figure out why since your diet and supplementation were the same
as your last training session which was good. If you see that you
got into an argument with your spouse that morning, you might find
the reason your workout sucked was because your head wasn't into
it. This would stop you from radically changing your diet or
supplementation unfoundedly.
A training and dietary journal can be your best friend when
assessing progress.
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
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Keeping records of what you do and how you do it is vital to
bodybuilding success. I think keeping a journal is one of the best
things I've done to help myself improve. If you keep track of what
you've done in the past, it will be easier for you to see what works
for you.
When assessing a problem such as an extreme soreness or a lack
of pump, you could look back in your journal to see either what
you ate differently and see if that is the culprit.
Or, maybe you did an exercise that you normally don't do and
you've hit an area you never get at.
Or, it may still be a different method of supplementation.
Any way you look at it, relying on your memory isn't the best way
to get maximum growth in minimum time.
Also, by keeping track of poundages, you can continually see how
much stronger you've gotten. Or you could try to beat what you did
last week by adding 5 pounds.
A journal would also be very helpful in preparation for a contest
or even just getting in shape for summer or spring break. You can
find out what works for you and use it.
Tips On How To Keep A Productive Journal
1. Write down when you worked out.
2. Write down how much weight you used in each exercise.
3. Write down how the movements felt, i.e. "50s are too light".
4. Write down how you looked and what was going on in your
mind.
5. Write down what you wore or what music you listened to.
6. Write down what you ate and when you ate it.
7. Write down how you looked when you woke up, went to
sleep, etc.
8. Write down how much cardio you did.
9. Write down your body weight.
10. Write down the other aspects of you life i.e., if you had a
good day, a bad day, it was raining, dog ate your shoes, you
had a fight with your girlfriend.
This will help you attribute outside factors into your performance
in the gym.
So, say you had a bad workout on February 1st and you can't
figure out why since your diet and supplementation were the same
as your last training session which was good. If you see that you
got into an argument with your spouse that morning, you might find
the reason your workout sucked was because your head wasn't into
it. This would stop you from radically changing your diet or
supplementation unfoundedly.
A training and dietary journal can be your best friend when
assessing progress.
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
Click Here To Sign Up Free
Thursday, April 15, 2004
HIGH INTENSITY WORKOUT ROUTINE
Mon - Chest, Triceps, Delts
Incline Barbell Press - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Flat Flye - 1 set - 8 reps
Shoulder press - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Side raises - 1 set - 8 reps
Pressdowns - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Wed - Legs
Squats - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Leg ext. - 1 set - 8 reps
Leg curls- 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Standing calf raises - 1 set - 8 reps
Seated calf raises - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Fri - Back, Biceps
Hyperextentions - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Barbell row - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Pulldowns or Narrow Chins - 1 set - 8 reps
Barbell curls
Superseted with incline hammer curls - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Barbell shrugs - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
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Mon - Chest, Triceps, Delts
Incline Barbell Press - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Flat Flye - 1 set - 8 reps
Shoulder press - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Side raises - 1 set - 8 reps
Pressdowns - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Wed - Legs
Squats - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Leg ext. - 1 set - 8 reps
Leg curls- 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Standing calf raises - 1 set - 8 reps
Seated calf raises - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Fri - Back, Biceps
Hyperextentions - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Barbell row - 3 sets - 10, 8, 6 reps
Pulldowns or Narrow Chins - 1 set - 8 reps
Barbell curls
Superseted with incline hammer curls - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
Barbell shrugs - 2 sets - 8, 6 reps
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Wednesday, April 14, 2004
VINCE GIRONDA'S ROUTINE FOR FAST ARM GROWTH
1 . METABOLIC STIMULATION (BREATHING SQUATS):
Squats, heels about 20 inches wide, knees a comfortable width about
24 inches. In the erect position, take 2 very deep breaths and hold the
second breath and squat (back straight) and return to upright position
and exhale. Perform 3 sets of 15 repeats, 2 to 3 minutes rest between
sets. This gets your adrenal activated for your arm program.
2. BICEPS:
Stand in front of the dumbbell rack and pick up a pair of
5# dumbells. and with palms facing thighs, curl left dumbell slowly
turning palm up and bending to the left. Watching dumbell travel up to
shoulder, hand should be outside deltoid at contracted position. At this
point, turn your head to the right and start to curl right dumbell
simultaneously. As you curl the right dumbell, lower the left dumbell back
to starting position. Counting with your left hand, complete four repeats
only. Next step: put dumbells back on rack and take 2 deep breaths and
shake your arms and pick up the next heavier set and do 4 repeats.
Proceed until you have curled the heaviest set of dumbells you can
handle (creative cheating is ok). Next step: work down the rack to your
starting set. That's it for Bicep. Don't do any other Bicep work.
TRICEPS:
Barbell pullover and press: lie on your back on can lower barbell below
head. Take a 12" grip (over-hand) lower barbell down and back over
head and slightly below bench level, with elbows in and up, pull barbell
over face to low pec line. At this point, swing at arms length over
stomach (forward press). Lower barbell back down to chest and roll
elbows in, parallel position (4 sets of 12 reps).
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1 . METABOLIC STIMULATION (BREATHING SQUATS):
Squats, heels about 20 inches wide, knees a comfortable width about
24 inches. In the erect position, take 2 very deep breaths and hold the
second breath and squat (back straight) and return to upright position
and exhale. Perform 3 sets of 15 repeats, 2 to 3 minutes rest between
sets. This gets your adrenal activated for your arm program.
2. BICEPS:
Stand in front of the dumbbell rack and pick up a pair of
5# dumbells. and with palms facing thighs, curl left dumbell slowly
turning palm up and bending to the left. Watching dumbell travel up to
shoulder, hand should be outside deltoid at contracted position. At this
point, turn your head to the right and start to curl right dumbell
simultaneously. As you curl the right dumbell, lower the left dumbell back
to starting position. Counting with your left hand, complete four repeats
only. Next step: put dumbells back on rack and take 2 deep breaths and
shake your arms and pick up the next heavier set and do 4 repeats.
Proceed until you have curled the heaviest set of dumbells you can
handle (creative cheating is ok). Next step: work down the rack to your
starting set. That's it for Bicep. Don't do any other Bicep work.
TRICEPS:
Barbell pullover and press: lie on your back on can lower barbell below
head. Take a 12" grip (over-hand) lower barbell down and back over
head and slightly below bench level, with elbows in and up, pull barbell
over face to low pec line. At this point, swing at arms length over
stomach (forward press). Lower barbell back down to chest and roll
elbows in, parallel position (4 sets of 12 reps).
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Tuesday, April 13, 2004
HOW TO MAKE HIGH-PROTEIN CANDY BARS
(Taken from The Bodybuilders Cookbook)
These very high protein candy bars are so full of
protein...and other nutritious ingredients that you
could almost exist in the peak of health by eating only
the candy bar recipes I'll give you now! Many people
in this world live quite well on a diet that is far less
nutritious. But, for the bodybuilder who wants to make
fast, lasting gains in strength muscle size and energy,
these High-Protein Candy Bars are fantastic!
To accurately determine the nutritional analysis of
each bar, simply divide the number of bars you cut from
the whole mixture -- I will give you an example with
recipe #1.
C'bar #1:
2 cups natural peanut butter:
Protein-134.6g Carbs-108.4g Fat-246.6g Calories-2,972
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk:
Protein-21.3g Carbs-32.2g Fat-1.4g Calories-217
4 tablespoons brown sugar:
Protein-0 Carbs-52.4 Fat-0 Calories-204
2 tablespoons honey:
Protein-0 Carbs-16.7 Fat-0 Calories-62
TOTAL:
Protein-155.9g Carbs-209.7g Fat-248g Calories-3,455
Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl (if mixture is too
dry, add a little whole milk; if too moist, add a little
nonfat dry milk -- be sure to measure these other
ingredients and see back of book for nutritional
break-down so you can add this to total). Mix with your
hands, thoroughly mixing everything. Now, very lightly
butter cookie sheet, large, flat pan,or sheet of wax paper
and spread mixture out on it about 1/2" to 1" in
thickness, and in the shape of a square; than refrigerate
until it hardens. Remove from refrig. and cut into equal
pieces. Now, roll bars in sesame seeds that are spread-out
on wax paper, etc. Each bar will take about 1 tablespoon
sesame seeds.
Let' s say that you made 12 equal-sized candy bars from
this recipe, each bar would have this nutritional analysis
including the sesame seed):
1 Candy bar:
Protein-13+g Carbs-17.6g Fat-20.8g Calories-289+
That's a whopping handful of protein and other nutrition!
And it's so inexpensive, too! Keep these bars refrigerated
and eat one whenever you need protein power.
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(Taken from The Bodybuilders Cookbook)
These very high protein candy bars are so full of
protein...and other nutritious ingredients that you
could almost exist in the peak of health by eating only
the candy bar recipes I'll give you now! Many people
in this world live quite well on a diet that is far less
nutritious. But, for the bodybuilder who wants to make
fast, lasting gains in strength muscle size and energy,
these High-Protein Candy Bars are fantastic!
To accurately determine the nutritional analysis of
each bar, simply divide the number of bars you cut from
the whole mixture -- I will give you an example with
recipe #1.
C'bar #1:
2 cups natural peanut butter:
Protein-134.6g Carbs-108.4g Fat-246.6g Calories-2,972
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk:
Protein-21.3g Carbs-32.2g Fat-1.4g Calories-217
4 tablespoons brown sugar:
Protein-0 Carbs-52.4 Fat-0 Calories-204
2 tablespoons honey:
Protein-0 Carbs-16.7 Fat-0 Calories-62
TOTAL:
Protein-155.9g Carbs-209.7g Fat-248g Calories-3,455
Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl (if mixture is too
dry, add a little whole milk; if too moist, add a little
nonfat dry milk -- be sure to measure these other
ingredients and see back of book for nutritional
break-down so you can add this to total). Mix with your
hands, thoroughly mixing everything. Now, very lightly
butter cookie sheet, large, flat pan,or sheet of wax paper
and spread mixture out on it about 1/2" to 1" in
thickness, and in the shape of a square; than refrigerate
until it hardens. Remove from refrig. and cut into equal
pieces. Now, roll bars in sesame seeds that are spread-out
on wax paper, etc. Each bar will take about 1 tablespoon
sesame seeds.
Let' s say that you made 12 equal-sized candy bars from
this recipe, each bar would have this nutritional analysis
including the sesame seed):
1 Candy bar:
Protein-13+g Carbs-17.6g Fat-20.8g Calories-289+
That's a whopping handful of protein and other nutrition!
And it's so inexpensive, too! Keep these bars refrigerated
and eat one whenever you need protein power.
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Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
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drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
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Monday, April 12, 2004
SIT-UPS OR CRUCHES WHICH IS BETTER?
Traditional sit-ups emphasize sitting up rather than merely
pulling your sternum down to meet your pelvis. The psoas
muscles run from the lower back to the front of the thighs.
This muscle action is to pull the thighs closer to the torso.
This action is the major component of sitting up. Because
of this, when you are doing sit ups your psoas muscles are
the primary muscles being engaged and not your abdominal
exercises. So sit-ups are a pretty useless exercise if you want
to get your abs in shape. Instead, use crunches, because they
directly work your abs.
HOW TO DO CRUNCHES THE RIGHT WAY
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet
together flat on the floor and about 10-15 inches from your
buttocks. Your hands should either be crossed on your chest,
by your side, or cupped behind your ears. Without moving your
lower body, curl your upper torso up and in toward your knees,
until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can
get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift--not your back.
As you come to the highest point tighten and flex your abdominals
for a brief second. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting
position. Repeat for reps.
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Traditional sit-ups emphasize sitting up rather than merely
pulling your sternum down to meet your pelvis. The psoas
muscles run from the lower back to the front of the thighs.
This muscle action is to pull the thighs closer to the torso.
This action is the major component of sitting up. Because
of this, when you are doing sit ups your psoas muscles are
the primary muscles being engaged and not your abdominal
exercises. So sit-ups are a pretty useless exercise if you want
to get your abs in shape. Instead, use crunches, because they
directly work your abs.
HOW TO DO CRUNCHES THE RIGHT WAY
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet
together flat on the floor and about 10-15 inches from your
buttocks. Your hands should either be crossed on your chest,
by your side, or cupped behind your ears. Without moving your
lower body, curl your upper torso up and in toward your knees,
until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can
get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift--not your back.
As you come to the highest point tighten and flex your abdominals
for a brief second. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting
position. Repeat for reps.
Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Shape Up. Sign up for our Free
Weekly Bodybuilding, Fitness and Health Tips Newsletter,
and you will be automatically entered in our monthly
drawing to win Free Supplements and other great prizes.
Stay informed, stay motivated, win free stuff, join today!
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Sunday, April 11, 2004
I've created this weblog as a companion to my website:Truly Huge - Bodybuilding, Health and Fitness. Free Fitness Tips.
Many people are keenly interested in health today. You don't have to sacrifice a healthy lifestyle to reach your ultimate size and strength potential as a bodybuilder. To help you accomplish this I publish a weekly newsletter with tips and suggestions.
I will be posting selections from my Bodybuilding / Health / Fitness newsletter here to share with althetes who want to live healthy drug-free lives.
Many people are keenly interested in health today. You don't have to sacrifice a healthy lifestyle to reach your ultimate size and strength potential as a bodybuilder. To help you accomplish this I publish a weekly newsletter with tips and suggestions.
I will be posting selections from my Bodybuilding / Health / Fitness newsletter here to share with althetes who want to live healthy drug-free lives.
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