Bodybuilding Techniques

2012-05-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

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2012-04-30T03:19:00.000-07:00

eMAG.ro

2012-04-30T02:29:00.000-07:00

2012-04-30T00:45:00.001-07:00

QUESTION 13:  What Are the  REAL Effects of Alcohol on  My Body? 

If you are curious as to the effects of alcohol on the body, this could be the most

eye-opening article you will ever read. 

Many of us associate the effects of alcohol on the body with the heart, lungs, liver,

brain, memory, etc. Furthermore, if asked about effects of drinking alcohol in terms

of our fitness goals, most people will let you know about the infamous beer belly.

You know what I'm talking about right? 

Drink too much and you end up storing too many calories as fat.
Many people will choose low calorie alcohol drinks or low carb alcoholic beverages in

an attempt to avoid the fat storage issue.  They feel that by making this choice the

only bad effects of alcohol - increased fat storage - will be minimized.  But what you

didn't know is that only about 5% of the calories from alcohol are stored as fat! Then

it hit me as it should hit you right about now... The effects of alcohol on the body are

far more damaging than can be predicted by the number of empty calories in some

alcoholic beverage. 

The truth is... 

1- Alcohol really affects the amount of fat your body can and will burn for energy! 
In a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Research they concluded that just

a mere 24g of alcohol consumption showed whole-body lipid oxidation

( the rate at which your body burns fat) decreased by a whopping 73%!

When alcohol goes thru the liver, the by-product is called Acetate. It would appear that

acetate puts the proverbial brakes on fat burning. Your body can use many types of fuel.

Protein, carbohydrates and fat. In many cases, the fuel used is dictated by its availability. 

Trouble is... Your body tends to use whatever you feed it for fuel right?  As your acetate

levels increase, your body burns more acetate as fuel. 

What this means is... Fat burning takes a back seat! 

 What it all boils down to is this... 

       a) You consume a couple of alcoholic drinks or more. 

       b) Your liver metabolizes that into acetate. 

       c) Your body uses the acetate for fat as fuel. 

2- It Leads To an Increase In Your Appetite 
 In another American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, there was evidence to suggest

that consumption of alcohol lead to an increase in appetite over that of any other

carbohydrate type drink.  

 Researchers over in the Research Department of Human Nutrition and Center for Advanced

Food Studies in  Denmark concluded that consumption of alcoholic beverages, and wine in

particular, may enhance total energy intake at a meal relative to a soft drink,

when served with no restriction. 

3- Decreases Testosterone and Increases Cortisol 

A study of 8 healthy male volunteers observed that after drinking alcohol, the effects of a

significant decrease in testosterone and an increase in cortisol (a muscle destroying hormone)

lasted up to 24 hours! The only real question to ask yourself is this... If you are serious about

building muscle and burning fat, you want all the free testosterone levels you can get and you

want to reduce cortisol in any way you can.  That means go lite on the drinking because it does

affect your hormones. 

What more...  Is that the effects were even worse if you exercise before drinking. This means

that if you are going out and will be drinking more than a small amount of alcohol, you might as

well skip the gym. Not shocking is a study done by the Department of Radiology,

Sahlgrenska Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden that determined increased waist to hip ratio of alcoholics

may include not only changes in adipose tissue, but also in muscle tissue distribution. In layman's

terms... that means fatter around the waist and less overall muscle mass. 

When you consume large quantities of alcohol, your liver is busy converting the alcohol to acetate

and any vitamins and minerals that it might process are taken up by the detoxification process.

Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of most vitamins, and with the absorption of many nutrients.

Alcohol stimulates both urinary calcium and magnesium excretion. This just means that you'll get

less of a benefit from the "healthy" meal you may be consuming. Food in the stomach will compete

with ethanol for absorption into the blood stream. It is well known that alcohol competes and

influences the processing of nutrients in the body.

5- Decreases Protein Synthesis of Type II Fibers 

This means the actual building of muscle is slowed down by 20%+ or more. This included a

35% decrease in muscle insulin-like growth factor-I (GF-I).

6- It Increases Dehydration 

A common side effect of alcohol is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic. Drinks containing 4%

alcohol tend to delay the recovery process. Considering how important water is to muscle

building and general health, it's clear that dehydration can put a damper on your progress.

After alcohol consumption the first thing you might want to do is drink coffee.  But that's a

diuretic as well.  How to avoid dehydration?  Drink more water. 

7- It Reduces Sleep 

Alcohol consumption, especially at the times when you would normally sleep, can have

effects on the quality of sleep. Clearly high quality sleep is extremely important to the rebuilding

and growth process of muscle. Without proper rest and recovery, your gains will be affected.

Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders by disrupting the sequence and duration of

sleep states and by altering total sleep time as well as the time required to fall asleep. 

8- Makes the Next Day Not the Best Workout Day 

A rather obvious conclusion but if you plan on drinking on a Friday night in excess then the

leg workout you thought of doing on Saturday morning won't be top notch. It takes a bit to

recover, your body to detoxify and for you mentally to be prepared to workout. Not to mention

you need energy for the workout ahead. 

Sure you can hit the weights but my point is... It's not going to be the best workout you've ever

experienced. At this point you might be totally discouraged to ever drink any alcohol again.

But there's some good news. 

Here's proof... 
In the November 2004 issue of the International Journal of Obesity they did a study on the

effects of moderate consumption of white wine on weight loss.  Each group consumed 1500 calories.

150 calories came from white wine in one group and 150 calories from grape juice in another. 

Conclusion: An energy-restricted diet is effective in overweight and obese subjects used to

drinking moderate amounts of alcohol. A diet with 10% of energy derived from white wine is as

effective as an isocaloric diet with 10% of energy derived from grape juice. 

It's simple: Moderation is the key! (With first place being abstinence as you already know). 
In any event... The effects of alcohol on your body when it comes to building muscle and burning

fat are quite clear. It is a lot more than just some extra calories stored as fat. If you consume

too much, it can derail your goals a lot longer after your head has hit the pillow and you've gone to sleep.

2012-04-30T00:44:00.005-07:00

QUESTION 12: Can Bodybuilding Be Fun?

What you don't know is that most people go about gaining muscle or burning fat

completely the wrong way.  Not only in the technical aspects of it but they don't

have any fun doing it. It's a stinking chore to go to the gym.  They hate the food part.

It's a nightmare and any excuse they can find not to go, they'll find it.

This is why about April, all the New Year's people are gone. 

Fun.  That's right.  It's called the Romantic Stage. You know what I'm talking about right? 
The romantic stage of fitness where it‟s fun to get in shape.  You pick up a weight, you

did bicep curls everyday and you liked it. Nobody was coaching you telling you were

doing things wrong. It was enjoyable.  You were excited to just workout.

You want to know why I was able to keep working out 16+ years and hardly miss a beat?

Because I enjoyed fitness. I wasn't criticized for the way in which I worked out.

If I worked biceps every day, nobody told me otherwise. If I did the wrong chest exercise,

nobody said boo. It was fun. I loved it! I started out in the romantic phase of fitness and

beat to the rhythm of my own drummer.  While some might call me a fool (that's fine),

I consider it the single MOST important reason why I have made fitness part of my life.

Simply because I was allowed to enjoy it until I was ready to move to the next step. 

Once I learned more about strength training, I started to get more into the technical

phase of and then when I learned I was doing something wrong, it wasn't such a big deal.

I wanted to get better.  I didn't drop out and quit because I was discouraged.

I had a lot of fun doing it. 

Soon enough I entered the mature phase where I'm performing at a high level. 

Imagine when you started learning about all this technical mumbo jumbo, using belts,

straps, and nutrient ratios and maybe at that point you dropped out.  It wasn't fun anymore.

People were always saying that whatever you were doing wasn't the right way. 

Bodybuilding can be extremely fun. Being active, getting in shape should be enjoyable.

Learning about it as you go along should be interesting and not the worst thing

you've ever done in your life.

2012-04-30T00:44:00.003-07:00

QUESTION 11: What can I do to keep motivated to work out ?

 
Here are some tips to help you get motivated to get to the gym in the short term.

This list is not all inclusive but it does have some things you can use to keep yourself

going to the gym long after the New Year's crowd has quit. 

Photos: Pictures can be very inspirational! Regardless of what you think of those magazines,

having a picture to look at is helpful in letting your mind capture an image of what you want.

Once your mind has the image, you will start to take actions in life to accomplish that.

I recall when I wanted my first motorcycle, I used visualization techniques. I kept looking at

the pictures over and over each night. Eventually I got my motorcycle! This worked for getting

a new car, a house and just about everything else. Once I could visualize what I wanted, my

mind helped take actions to set my body in motion. 

Set Small Goals: Sometimes it much easier to think of getting around the next corner then

it is to look at the big picture. When I hiked Yosemite's Half-Dome, I used many small goals

to keep me going. Rather than look at my final objective all the time, I used land markers to

keep me going from one point to another. A technique you can use at the gym. Set weekly

goals (1 lb a week) rather than looking at what you want to accomplish a year from now. 

Music: A classic motivator. Personally it distracts me. But for many, their favorite mix jam is

just what they need to get into the zone and feel amped up. If you like music and it doesn't

bother you at all, then consider it for an extra boost when you don't feel like working out.

Music can easily put you into the mood. 

Workout Partners: The best motivation is somebody else with a like goal that wants to accomplish

what you want as well. When you feel down and out and not really into it, this person might

pull you along. When you can't get that last rep out, they are there to give you a spot. It's so

much easier to have a training partner you can trust that motivates you. If they are a little

competitive that might not hurt either. You can both use each other's energy to push yourself.

When you areaccountable for something, it's harder to back out. 

Classes: Many people want to workout but feel without structure, they just get lost and bored.

Being in a class can really help focus in on your goals with structured objectives in mind.

If you don't like working out alone, a class might be an ideal option. Especially when you

don't know where to being and you like the idea of instruction. 

Personal Trainer: A times they get a bad rap, but if you find a good one, then paying for a

mentor is precisely what you need. Shelling out $70 or more for a package of training sessions

can really motivate you to keep going. They are also your paid training partner. They can help

push you and adjust your program for progressive resistance and growth. Not only are you

accountable (spending money) but a good personal trainer can help design you a program

and nutritional plan that meets your needs. Everybody should have a personal trainer at some point.

Their watchful eye on your exercise form is critical as well. Not all personal trainers are worth

their weight in gold so be aware and find somebody you like and trust. 

New Routines: One of my favorite motivational techniques is to try something new.

When your routine becomes boring and stagnant, there's nothing like trying new stuff to spice

it up and keep you interested. You are engaging in fitness for ife. That doesn't mean you have

to do the same old boring routine for the rest of your life! Having a new plan of action can keep

you mentally fresh and your body challenged. 

These are just some of the techniques you can use to keep yourself motivated in the short term.

How to make it to the gym day in and day out no matter what the weather is like or how you feel

(unless you are sick of course).

2012-04-30T00:44:00.001-07:00

QUESTION 10: What Can I Do To Gain Weight?

  
So here's what you do: 

Step 1: You need to figure out how many calories a day you need to consume.

3500-4000 might be a goal but how do you know that is what you need? 

Step 2: You have to track your daily caloric intake closely or you are just guessing.

It does not need to be accurate down to the last calorie but it needs to be an

ACCURATE (within 10% or so) portrayal of what you have eaten during the day.

Most people are greatly surprised to learn that they are consuming more calories per

day than they had originally thought, sometimes THOUSANDS of calories more.

This does not mean that you start skipping meals; it just means that you need to have

an accurate understanding of what you are putting in your body so you can balance

that against what your body needs to achieve your goals. 

Step 3: No more excuses for not eating. Going to college and having to work nights

means you will have to plan on making meals in advance. Eating 5-6 times a day is a must.

When I went to college I didn't do this. And I didn't gain weight either.

I ate my 2-3 meals a day and had fun at college. I never planned a meal.

 And I stayed a skinny kid. 

So there you have it. You can figure out a training program all you want.

You can do a very basic, somewhat heavy, 4x a week program and make more

gains if you eat right then a guy who has the perfect hardcore routine and just

eats to get by. 

By the way, many of these hardgainers train hard and too frequent. If you have a

high metabolism, you will make better gains by going heavy and training less.

If you can dedicate time to training at a specific time, you can prep some food,

put in it Tupperware, baggies or whatever, throw it in a backpack and eat at

sheduled intervals. 

And yes, being in college makes that very hard.

2012-04-30T00:43:00.007-07:00

QUESTION 9: Do Nitric Oxide Supplements Work?

( Really Do Any Supplements Work?)

      Work to do what? Give you better pumps?  Yes. Build more muscle?

Where’s the proof.

Okay, before I go on, I'd like to point out that most of the research on NO products has

been done by supplement companies that sell the products. Unlike creatine and protein

which has a wealth of other information sources including credible scientific institutions,

I would like to see the same for NO. 

Now wait.  Does that mean if you took this type of product and it worked for you that we

should all just say, forget science, if it worked for Bob then it must work for everybody. Who

cares how, it just does? Make no mistake; NO type products are great for pumps.  And there

might be truth to the statement that it opens up nutrient pathways to allow you to absorb more

muscle building nutrients. And maybe pumps do build muscle. Although I personally think

overloading the muscle does more for that then any pumps. More important than that…if you

don't take NO supplements are you missing out on gains?  My strong hunch is that you

aren‟t missing out. 

Bottom line, if you take NO and you fail to eat properly you won't gain anything.

So if you aren't 100% focused on nutrition and training, then all these supplements will do

is pretty much make you broke. 

Now, listen to this very carefully: Not all supplements are worthless. Taking some supplements

will help you achieve your goals. But only if you have the other 98% in check. 
So let me ask you… are you positive that your nutrition and training are complete?

If so, then NO might be something to try out and see for yourself. And that statement goes for

every supplement (minus vitamins, protein, essential fatty acid complexes). 

NO and supplements alike only account for 2%. Make sure you have the rest down solid and

that 2% will be very noticeable!

2012-04-30T00:43:00.005-07:00

QUESTION 8: Can You Lose Fat And Build Muscle At The Same Time?

      Look, there's a great Zen story that basically answers this question. 

      HE WHO CHASES TWO RABBITS, ENDS UP WITH NONE 

      Please understand that while it's not impossible it's just not efficient.

            You might as well pick a goal and work towards it.

Losing fat and building muscle are two different goals with very different paths to get there.

2012-04-30T00:43:00.003-07:00

QUESTION 7: Why Is Working My Legs That Important?

Believe me… I hated leg workouts.  Until I realize the true potential that a simple set

of squats could unleash. Frankly… I see the same people on the leg press machine,

leg extensions, doing lunges and doing squats week after week.  But for every other

muscle group, it's like a new day.  There are the familiar faces of course, but there are

always new people.  It's like working legs is an exclusive club. 

And yet that is 50% of your body!  Your entire lower body you will neglect because: 
-You don‟t like working legs 
-You don‟t want bigger legs 
-Your legs are big enough 

But let‟s suppose… you do work legs.  And without much weight at all. Just enough to

stimulate your entire body propelling it into new levels of growth.

Do you think that is possible? 
How can doing squats increase our bench press?  If you are stuck on bicep curls,

how can incorporating legs into your routine break you thru those plateaus? 

I'm here to tell you right now, as you read this, that doing leg workouts is a whole lot

more than just getting bigger, more toned, or stronger legs. Think about it.

Testosterone is a primary ingredient of building muscle. So you do a hard set of tricep

pushdowns. Your body responds by making more testosterone.  Let‟s just guess at 10%

more for the day.  Phew.  Hard workout.   

Good job! 

Do you qualify as one of those people? 
But … let's say you do a set of breathing squats at 100% intensity. 
You just boosted your testosterone production 1000%. 
Do you think I'm being facetious? But back to the purpose of this question.  Working your

legs isn't an option.  It's something you do.  So you don't want bigger legs?  Fine.

Don't pile on the weight.  Don't overload them. Just stimulate your metabolism, and stimulate

your body changing.  So you don't like legs?  Get over it. 

Fact is, by incorporating legs into your workout, you will see more gains in 6 weeks then

most people do in 3 months. 
Don't take my word for it.  Look around at your gym?  The guy with a huge upper body and

tiny chicken legs.  Do you want to look like that?  Who are the bigger guys in your gym?

Who are the women that you most want to look like?  I can assure you those people do legs.

Any top notch physique does legs. 

Doing a cardio machine that uses legs is not the same. 

So that's why working your legs is so important.  Please do not make excuses.

You do not have to train to failure where you cannot walk. You don‟t have to squat 600 lbs.

You simply must train the 50% of your body that pretty much 80% of everybody just doesn't do. 

Next time you are in the gym take a good look around.  Notice the leg equipment.

Notice the same people using that week after week. Become one of the individuals at

your gym that trains legs and discover the secret to growth. 

     HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY WORKING EVERY MUSCLE

               - NOT JUST CERTAIN ONES -

       IS THE SUPERIOR METHOD OF GETTING THE RESULTS YOU WANT: 

-Builds lean muscle 
-Reduces body fat levels 
-Increases energy 
-Balances blood sugar in the body 
-Increases neuromuscular efficiency 
-Improves sexual performance 
-Lowers cholesterol in the body 
-Protects against heart disease 
-Improves mood 

All the above reasons are by-products of increased testosterone.

For men, this means better muscle gains.  For women, don't worry you don't

have enough testosterone to get big and bulky like a man.

For everybody, working legs will help you with the above factors and assist

you in reaching your goals.

2012-04-30T00:43:00.001-07:00

QUESTION 6: What Do I Do If A Body Part Is Stronger or Bigger Than Another?

 Should you skip it? Stop working the bigger side out? 
 You could… 
 Or you could let the non-dominant arm/side be the deciding factor when the set is over. 
 You probably won't notice this with chest presses. Most people are concerned with this

  when it comes to arm exercises. Especially biceps. If I curl 50 lbs 8 times on my left arm

  and only 4 times on my right what should I do?
 Do 4 reps.  And quit. 

The idea of using a different weight has been suggested but in order for a body part to grow

it must be overloaded. I'd let the non-dominate side dictate the weight. Or have a spotter

help you out.  I usually start the set off with my right (being I'm left handed) so that I know

when I've reached failure. 

If you were to use unequally weighted dumbbells, then your stronger side would need a

heavier weight so that you reach failure about even. But that idea, while in theory sounds

good, only serves to keep the gap growing.  Why not let the weaker side catch up? I'd use

the same weight. But I would let my weaker side dictate.

Do you really want your stronger side growing faster? Probably not.

2012-04-30T00:42:00.005-07:00

QUESTION 5: What Is The Best Fat Burning Supplement?

Despite what you may have heard, the banning of Ephedra did not destroy the

best fat burning supplement known. And it's not even a supplement at all. 

The answer to the best fat burning supplement is a diet that increases your metabolism

combined with cardio. Those two factors alone will burn more calories than any chemical

combination.  And you'll be safer and the effects will be long term. 

But before we go into that… you can incorporate things like caffeine, green tea, and other

herbs to give you a boost. But nothing will be as permanent and long term and building a

basic understanding of nutritional fundaments. Armed with the basics of nutrition and what

foods burn fat, your meals during the day and the muscle you will gain will do far more fat

burning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year than any pill you might find on the

market today.  And rest assured, food won't be banned for a very long time. 

It‟s a shame that people will spend countless dollars on supplement products when just

eating 5-6 meals in a day that will burn more calories than any pills. And eating food is

something you should do anyway so it's not likely to be cut from the budget if things get right.

And it's not likely to cause any unwanted side effects if you have some reaction to some herb

in some product. 

Not only will a good diet burn fat you'll also be able to build muscle.

What pill burns fat and builds muscle?  None.

2012-04-30T00:42:00.003-07:00

Beginner’s Routine: 

Day 1 (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part       Exercise                             Sets  Reps 

Upper Abs      Crunches                         3 sets 10-20 reps 
Chest             Bench Press                    1 set 12-15 reps 
           Bench Press                   3 sets 10-12 reps 
           Machine Flys                  3 sets 10-12 reps 
           Incline Press                   3 sets 10-12 reps 
Triceps           Triceps Pushdowns          3sets 10-12 reps 
Dips                                                     3sets     8-10 reps 

Day 2 (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part     Exercise                         Sets  Reps 

Lower Abs    Leg Raises                     3 sets 10-20 reps 
Back            Cable Rows                     1 set  12-15 reps 
         Cable Rows                      3 sets 10-12 reps 
         Lat Pull Downs (front)         3 sets 10-12 reps 
         T-Bar Rows                       3 sets 10-12 reps 
Biceps         Barbell Curls                    1 set     10-12 reps 
         Barbell Curls                    3 sets     8-10 reps 

Day 3 Day Off 

Day 4                 (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part         Exercise                         Sets   Reps 

Upper Abs        Crunches                         3 sets 10-20 reps 
Quads/Hams     Squats                           1 set  12-15 reps 
            Squats                           3 sets 10-12 reps 
            Leg Press                        3 sets 10-12 reps 
            Leg Extension                  3 sets 10-12 reps 
            Leg Curls                        3  sets 10-12 reps 

Day 5      (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part      Exercise                                         Sets   Reps 

Lower Abs     Leg Raises                                  3 sets 10-20 reps 
Shoulders      Military Shoulder Press (to front)    1 set 12-15 reps

          Military Shoulder Press (to front)    3 sets 10-12 reps 
          Barbell Upright Rows                    3  sets 10-12 reps 
          Side Dumbbell Lateral Raises        3 sets 10-12 reps 
Calves          Standing Calf Raises                     1 set  12-15 reps 
          Seated Calf Raises                       3 sets 10-12 reps 
                                                            
Day 6  Day Off 
Day 7  Day Off 

Advanced Routine

Day 1                (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part    Exercise                          Sets  Reps 

Legs           Squat                             6 sets  15, 12, 9, 7, 7, 9 reps 
         Leg Press                       3 sets  7, 7, 9 reps 
         Hack Squat                     3 sets  9, 9, 11 reps 
         Romanian Deadlift            3 sets  7, 7, 9 reps 
         Lying Leg Curl                  3 sets  9, 9, 11 reps 
Calves        Donkey Calf Raises           6 sets 10-15 reps 
         Seated Calf Raise              6 sets 10-15 reps 
                                                            

Day 2                 (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part    Exercise                           Sets   Reps 

Chest          Swiss-Ball Push-Up             2 sets 15, 15 reps
Chest          Incline Barbell Press            4 sets 12, 7, 7, 9 reps 
         Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press  3 sets 7, 7, 9 reps 
         Incline Dumbbell Flyes         3 sets 10, 10, 12 reps 
         Parallel-Bar Dip                  30 reps

                               (as many sets as necessary to complete 30 reps) 
Biceps        Standing Barbell Curl            5 sets 15, 12, 7, 7, 9 reps 
         Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curl     3 sets 9, 9, 11 reps 
         Cross Body Hammer Curls           3 sets 8, 8, 8 reps

 Day 3                 Day Off 

Day 4                 (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part    Exercise                           Sets   Reps 

Back           Deadlift                             5 s     15, 12, 10, 8, 8 reps 
         One-Arm Dumbbell Row     3 s      8, 8, 10 reps 
         Weighed Pull-Up                4 s   12, 10, 8, 8 reps 
         T-Bar Row                         3 s  12, 12, 12 reps 
Calves         Leg Press Calf Push          3  s    12-15 reps 
         Seated Calf Raise                3  s    10-15 reps 

Day 5            (10-15 minutes of some type of cardio before workout) 

Body Part    Exercise                              Sets   Reps 

Shoulders    Seated Front Barbell Press    5  s    15, 12, 8, 8, 10 reps 
         Machine Press                       3  s    10, 10, 12 reps 
         Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Rise      3 s     10, 10, 12 reps 
         Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise    3 s     10, 10, 12 reps 
         Front Cable Raise                 3  s    10, 10, 12 reps 
Triceps       Smith-Machine Close-Grip Bench Pres  3  s    15, 10, 10 reps 
         Reverse-Grip Pressdown           3  s    9, 9, 11 reps 
         Lying Dumbbell Skull-Crusher     3  s     10, 10, 10 

     Day 6                 Day Off 
     Day 7                 Day Off

2012-04-30T00:42:00.001-07:00

QUESTION 4: What Is A Good Basic Workout?

Here's a clue… it involves every major muscle group.

 A good basic workout should include: 

-Legs (squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press) 
-Shoulders (military press, dumbbell raises, side laterals) 
-Chest (bench press, flyes, dips) 
-Back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs) 
-Arms (ez-bar curls, barbell curls, dumbbell curls) 
-Abs (hanging leg raises, incline crunches) 
-Cardio (for the heart) 

I could go on and on with this question and post 500 routines and reps and sets and

you'd still be confused.  So let me ease the confusion by saying this.

THERE IS NO GOLDEN ROUTINE THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE! 
      
I.ve tried several routines.  Max-OT, Tom Venuto's supersetting, Optimum Anabolics

and I'll tell you something. I‟ve gotten gains out of all of them and they all have various

 philosophies.  For less than $100, I have enough programs   to try for a year. 

Here's proof.  Do you see the same people in your gym, doing the same things, and

 a year later they look the same? It's really quite simple.  If you keep doing what you've

always done, you will keep getting what you've always gotten.   

There are many variations on exercises and routines you can do .  And you'll find out

 a ton of them while browsing  around on forums and reading fitness sites.  And while

 you might be tempted to stick with just one. Don't.  Try it, evaluate it, and try another one.

 After about 6 months, you'll know your body very well and what it responds to. You will

 have tried many exercises and you'll know if you like something and if something else

 just doesn't work out.

2012-04-30T00:41:00.005-07:00

QUESTION 3 : How Much Protein Do I Need Every Day? 

    The secret to figuring out how much protein you need is not by just taking some number

you found like 30g and apply it to yourself.  If everybody had the same needs we would

all be the same.  And we both know that just isn‟t true.  Each person is slightly different. 

   Let me explain.  We‟ve all heard that a person can only digest 25-30g of protein in one

sitting.  B.S.! 

  Just think about it.  Does an IFBB professional bodybuilder intake the same amount of

  protein as the guy who's 135 lbs just starting out?

Even if there is a 200 lb weight difference? 
The answer might shock you.  NO 

    Needless to say, so many people just take some number, multiply that by their body

 weight and that's what they think  they need a day. Tell me, if a person is 35% body fat,

 should they use their weight or their lean weight to figure out how much protein they need?

 Simple.  Lean weight.  Your daily protein requirements are based on your lean body weight.

 And how do you figure out your lean body weight? Use the skin fold caliper home test.

Step 1: 

Take your body weight in pounds 
Example:  194 lbs 

Step 2: 

 
Example:  15.7% (which is .157 for the step below) 
Step 3: 

Take your body weight in pounds and subtract the % body fat 
Example:  194 lbs – (194 x .157 = 30.45 lbs of fat) = 163.54 lbs of lean body weight 

Step 4: 

Take your lean body weight and multiply by 1.14 
Example:  163.54 lbs x 1.14 = 186.4g of protein a day 
   
Step 5: 

 Divide your daily protein requirements by 5-6 meals and that is what your protein target

 is for each meal.

 Example:  186.4/6 meals = 31.07g of protein per meal 

 As you will see, a person who is 286 lbs of lean body weight will require a lot more protein.

 And a person who is  286 lbs should not be consuming the same amount of protein if their

 percentage of body fat is 35%. 

But why use 1.14 for protein requirements? 
The Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) is 0.8g of protein.  But thats been shown to

be too low for active athletes. 

 Some sites will recommend 2.0g of protein. But that seems a bit high and your body will

 have trouble absorbing that not to mention you will probably have a lot of excess calories

 which can lead to fat gains. 

 1.14-1.5 is the most efficient range for most active, healthy adults.  This range will help

 build muscle but not lead you into a high protein diet. Feel free to adjust within that range

 if you feel you need more protein.

2012-04-30T00:41:00.003-07:00

QUESTION 2: How Can I Get 6 Pack Abs? 

 What forum, what article, what supplement and what eBook doesn't talk about this?  We all want

 to know how to get a 6  pack of abs for the summer.  Am I right?  Is it that hard? Honestly it is.

 It's not just as simple as taking a pill.  But it‟s also not as grueling as doing 1000 crunches a day. 

What I‟m talking about is… the less body fat you have, the more visible a muscle becomes. This

means, if you incorporate some ab work to build the muscles up a bit and then have a low enough

percentage of body fat, you now have a 6 pack or 8 pack of abdominal muscles showing! 

Getting a six pack is only as simple as working your abs in a normal fashion (maybe 2x a week)

and having a diet that boosts your metabolism to help you burn fat. 

You start by losing body fat.  The less fat you have, the less there is between the muscle layer

and the skin. Things start to show up when the middle layer (fat) starts to disappear. 

This is not just my opinion. Getting a six pack of abs is more about nutrition and cardio then it

is about ab exercises.

2012-04-30T00:41:00.001-07:00

QUESTION 1: What’s Better? Free Weights Or Machines?

 Most everybody asks this question. Either the first time they walk into a gym and

 see the selections or at some point they wonder if the bench press machine is

 better than the regular flat bench press with free weights. I was a machine person

 for quite some time…then it hit me! 

 Why not incorporate a little bit of both!  That's right… there's not some rule that says

 if you use a machine you will never get the results you want.  And there's no rule that

 says you must only use free weights.   

 Fact is…. By doing a little bit of both for certain exercises, you will target various areas.

 Let's take the bicep curl as an example. There you are with the straight bar. Working

 your biceps.  But really, you are working a lot more. Your forearms are being stimulated.

 Your shoulders are taking some weight, and you'll notice your abs are tight as they

 stabilize your body.  So doing a bicep free weight curl entails a little more than just a

 bicep workout. Compare that to the preacher curl machines. You are sitting down.

 There are no legs involved. Your abs really aren't that tense.  And there's much more

 direct focus on the muscle. Truthfully, you are not alone in asking this question.  By

 incorporating machines and free weights you can target a muscle group and isolate

 it while doing some compound movements to hit the entire body. 

 Bottom line is, there is no better than. If you only do free weights, you are missing out

 on a vital component of variety.  If you only do machines, you are forgetting about the

 all important but hidden stabilizer muscles that help balance you. By combining both,

 you can get the best of both worlds and a super varied workout.

2012-04-30T00:40:00.001-07:00

Bodybuilding Techniques For Getting Muscle Fast

People often look back on their lives and say, "If only I knew then what I know now." 

As someone interested in bodybuilding or fitness, you probably realize just how true this is

when it comes to gaining muscle and losing fat. 

If you don't know exactly what you're doing, right from the beginning, you will make many

costly diet and training mistakes, and it can take years to get the type of body you want

and deserve, if you ever get there at all. In fact, if you listen to the bad advice most “experts”

are spitting out these days, you might even go backwards and actually gain fat or lose

muscle! 

These tips you are about to read will pretty much give you some good insight on how to get

started with fitness and bodybuilding quickly and avoid the mistakes I made during my

teenage years and into my adult years...Don't worry...

These answers will be detailed enough for you but not so technical and scientific to confuse

you... By now, you‟re probably wondering… what's in this for me? FACT:  You would

have to search approximately 60 minutes to find all the answers to these questions.  And with

so many posts and so many conflicting opinions, it might not really help you in the end.  So

I'm here to take these questions and give you the facts. No hype, no sales, just answer the

questions. Very unlike a political debate! 

My strong hunch is… that one of these questions, if not all of them, you've looked for when

you first started your fitness journey .  Armed with this short informations, you can quickly

start your program and reach your goals faster than ever.  More important than that… You will

immediately increase your knowledge of fitness and bodybuilding!  There's nothing better

than getting a head start and getting the basics down fast.  The faster you understand the

quicker you will be in reaching your goals. So it adds up to this… I've put together these

important questions so that you can take the information and put it to work today.

You'll reach your goals faster and you'll make fewer mistakes saving your countless hours of

research and trial and error. 

When I was about 17 years old, I had a door poster that showed about 6 of the most

powerful motorcycles in the world.  Every single night, I‟d stare at that poster.  I‟d imagine

myself on those bikes riding thru Calistoga, California.  I could see myself clearly hanging

on turns. I swear I even felt the wind on my face. Seriously, that vision every single night

seemed so real. I just looked at that poster and dreamed of myself riding a motorcycle.

Needless to say, I was able somehow to save up, get a loan and buy my first motorcycle.

I enjoyed riding several bikes over the next few years. It had to happen.  Everything I did

lead me to that purchase. 

The Secret to getting the body of your dreams is to see what you want in your mind.

Bob Proctor said “If you see it in your mind, you're going to hold it in your hand. ” Visualize

what you want to look like and all your actions will take you one step at a time to that goal.

I think about working out even if I'm not able to physically do it that day.

You might say that I did my workout in my mind before ever picking up a single weight. 

Look, you might brush this last tip off as mumbo jumbo but I'm yelling you from the bottom

of my heart that it's the ONLY thing that kept me going after making so many mistakes.

Think about that for one second. 

How does a person who‟s made so many years of mistakes keep going? 
“Our job as humans is to hold on to the thoughts of what we want, make it absolutely clear

in our minds what we want, and from that we start to invoke one of the greatest laws in the

Universe, and that's the law of attraction.  You become what you think about most, but you

also attract what you think about most.” -John Assaraf 

That last line is the home run and it's exactly why I never quit working out to achieve my

dreams. Even after mistake after mistake, it's precisely why I'm sharing that with you

right now. I saw what I wanted in my mind and I never quit. I thought a lot about bodybuilding

and fitness. I dreamed of building muscle and becoming more fit. You might say it took

me a long time but the fact remains that it's why I didn't quit and it's exactly how you'll

achieve what you want.  No pill, powder, training program or guru will ever be able to give

you the actual keys to success.

That my friend is what you need to do right now with a single thought.

What do you want to look like?
I am telling you it's the secret to your success.  Start right NOW visualizing and thinking

of how you want to look like and all your actions will lead you to that goal little by little.

With this guide it's not going to take you 16 years! 

So, without further adieu, here they are: The biggest bodybuilding tips - revealed !