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Does Sex Affect Muscle Growth Or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (Gym Guide) — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 14:40:00 +0000

Does Sex Affect Muscle Growth Or Not?

The question of whether the last time an athlete got lucky makes or breaks a championship game is as serious and personal as the rest of the player’s pre-performance ritual. Most guys fall hard on one side or the other. NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, for example, announced a few years ago that he was abstaining until marriage. Rocky Balboa swore off sex before every major match (as did the real-life Marciano before retiring 49-0) and Muhammad Ali famously said no to nookie for the six weeks before a fight. Most of the World Cup players were sexually frustrated when they hit the field as per their coaches’ instructions.

On the other hand, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath famously prepared for the Super Bowl III game by logging plenty of hours between the sheets. Like Tebow, New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamaraa was waiting until marriage, and interestingly, he ended up having his best season yet last year the same year he tied the knot. And Russell Wilson helped the Seahawks win the 2014 Super Bowl before his pledge to celibacy with his girlfriend, Ciara.

So when it comes to a championship game or even your daily workout, does recent whoopie help or hurt come go time? “This is actually a fairly complex topic,” says Joel Seedman, Ph.D., founder of training studio Advanced Human PerformanceOpens in a new Window. in Atlanta. “There are multiple factors that come into play including physiological, psychological, hormonal, as well as ethical and moral aspects.”

For the most part, research shows little difference in how having or abstaining from sex the night before affects performance markers or testosterone levels. A small study in the mid-90sOpens in a new Window. found that men performed just as well on a treadmill 12 hours after getting laid as when they abstained from sex, while a later Swiss studyOpens in a new Window. found pretty much the same thing on stationary bikes. However, many coaches and athletes claim the opposite that getting down less than 24 hours before a competition does in fact negatively impact performance, Seedman says.

So which is it?

It’s All About Testosterone
Higher testosterone levels equal better athletic performance that’s why athletes go to great (sometimes illegal) lengths to boost how much of the hormone is in their body on game or race day. For some sports, it’s about more than just being able to push harder and run faster more testosteroneOpens in a new Window. also means more aggression and intensity to channel out on the field. It’s so important, in fact, that Seedman says anything that could potentially decrease your testosterone during competition should be avoided.

The problem? Science isn’t exactly sure if abstaining from sex helps or hurts your T levels.

Research definitely supports the notion that having sex on a semi-consistent basis is in fact healthy and leads to increased testosterone levels, Seedman says. However, there is also evidence to suggest going without can give you a boost. A study in the World Journal of UrologyOpens in a new Window. found that men had higher T levels after abstaining for three weeks. Meanwhile, Chinese researchersOpens in a new Window. had men refrain from ejaculating for one week and found that after six days, their serum testosterone levels were unchanged, but on the seventh day, their levels peaked and then proceeded to decline rapidly.

Science aside, there’s almost irrefutable anecdotal evidence from athletes and coaches that orgasms will cause a temporary drop in the attributes associated with testosterone, like aggressiveness, energy, power, focus, and recovery, Seedman says.

Plus, some experts ascribe to the “use it or lose it” philosophy the idea that prolonged periods of abstinence can cause a temporary shutdown of testosterone production since the body already has more than it needs, he explains.

In short: The jury’s still out on how exactly an orgasm (or lack thereof) influences testosterone levels.

Consider Your Sport

There’s an optimal balance of anxietyOpens in a new Window. and calmness before a competition. In certain sports or positions, it’s crucial for the athlete to stay calm, focused and relaxed quarterbacks, golfers, tennis players, long-range shooters in basketball, for example. “In these scenarios having sex the day or night before may help assist the athlete by calming their nerves and relaxing their nervous system,” Seedman explains.

In contrast, football lineman, wrestlers, hockey players, boxers, and MMA fighters will typically benefit from the aggression, adrenaline, built up energy, and increased neural drive that can come from abstaining, he adds.

Interestingly, the seemingly zen sports of marathon running and triathlons also fit in the abstaining category. Endurance activitiesOpens in a new Window. decrease testosterone and increase cortisol and estrogen, so while scientists are deciding whether orgasms do in fact decrease your T levels, skipping sex means you’re starting the race without potentially depleted levels.

Plus, in the paraphrased words of legendary New York Yankees coach Casey Stengel, it’s not so much the sex that destroys the athlete—the real culprit is staying up all night looking for it. If you’re out on the prowl, you’re, at the very least, drinking and staying up late, both of which would affect just a regular workout, let alone a race or competition, Seedman points out. And even if you’re getting down with your wife, you’re probably still compromising that good night’s sleep.

Time It Right

Science is mixed on the helpfulness of long-term game plans like Ali’s six-week celibacy stints. But one thing that most researchers and athletes will agree on? Having sex the same day as the competition especially in the hours before is rarely a smart decision, Seedman says.

When Swedish researchersOpens in a new Window. gave both endurance athletes and weight lifters a series of mental and physical tests post-coitus, they found that having sex earlier that day didn’t mess with anyone’s ability to concentrate—unless it was within the last two hours, in which case the athletes had a harder time bringing their heart rate back down after their workout.

In fact, science shows that sex negatively impacts your heart rate, recoveryOpens in a new Window., and perceived exertion, all of which can lead you to fatigue quicker and make you have a harder time focusing, Seedman adds. “If there is a drop in testosterone, the athlete is likely to experience a host of unwanted effects, like less energy, impaired recovery, decreased aggression, and even reduced force and power producing capabilities,” he explains.

Seedman says among all the pro-athletes he has worked with, the common consensus is that abstaining at least 48 hours before competition is best. Anything sooner may help them relax, but it also seems to decrease aggression and testosterone.

It’s About What’s Real to You

Science can study the physiological and hormonal effectsOpens in a new Window. to death, but there’s no power like that of the psyche: If an athlete thinks something will impact their performance in a certain manner, more than likely it will, Seedman points out.

And science agrees. Psychologists at the University of CologneOpens in a new Window. in France found that athletes who have a lucky charm actually perform better, both physically and mentally, because their belief in their own abilities is boosted. Another study in Journal of Applied Social PsychologyOpens in a new Window. found that an athlete’s ritual may indeed be psychological placebo, but their commitment to it is especially important for performance at big events, like the playoffs or race day.

If You’re Going to Do It, Have a Game Plan

Whether it’s your pre-race ritual to de-stress between the sheets, or whether your girl looks like Ciara and you don’t have Wilson’s admirable self-restraint, if you’re going to jump on the bandwagon of pre-competition coitus, you need to recover right.

Immediately after, hit the weights for a hormonal-boosting mini strength session opens in a new Window., Seedman advises. Aim for a few light-to-moderate sets of compound explosiveOpens in a new Window. movements, like jump squats, speed bench press, speed deadlifts, medicine ball throws, or low-intensity plyometrics. Three to five reps of these movements will help counteract the questionable drop in testosterone and re-energize your nervous system to avoid fatigue, he explains.

Next, re-fuel. If it was a pre-race quickie, you probably only burned max 50 calories, but crazier romp sessions can burn up to 300 calories, which you’ll want to replenish ASAP to be fueled for competition, Seedman says. Stock up on fats for hormonal optimization and protein to minimize any catabolic effect on the muscles, like a protein shake with a handful of almonds.

Related Article: Can Masturbation influence your workout?

But whether you’re indulging or abstaining before kickoff, you can take solace in the celebration. “Post-competition is typically the ideal time for sex, as this optimizes the hormonal response of training, enhances immune-system function, as well as helps to promote recovery both physically and mentally,” says Seedman. Cheers to that.

TRUTH About Bodybuilder Gear Supplement

noreply@blogger.com (Gym Guide) — Sat, 01 May 2021 00:53:00 +0000

TRUTH About Bodybuilder Gear Supplement

What is GEAR and How Does it Help in Bodybuilding? what is the gear in bodybuilding?

GEAR is the name that is used for denoting the most effective bodybuilding supplement to have been formulated for building lean muscle mass at warp speed. Leading bodybuilders from across the globe are always looking for ways and means for increasing their existing muscle size using the best supplements. One of the main reasons why bodybuilding enthusiasts stop gaining muscle mass after a certain stage is because they are unable to feed their muscles with the required nutrients that would enable quick muscle growth. Well, here is why GEAR is ideal for building lean muscle mass at warp speed:

1. You Are Missing Nutrients

In order to build muscles, you need to use a supplement which has the potential to allow the nitrogen to remain within your muscle groups for a longer duration. To develop the muscles of a human body, you need to try and take amino acids regularly. You can increase your muscles by using a supplement that can retain the nitrogen levels in your muscle groups. The proteins which we eat pass through the large intestines and then the small intestines before being absorbed into our bloodstream.is gear in bodybuildin

2. The Advantage Of Super Plasma Serum

Supplements which contain a high quantity of super plasma serum have a greater chance of helping people develop muscles as this ingredient is already present in the blood plasma of a human body. Hence, supplements such as GEAR, which contain super plasma serum, can help your muscles grow by more than 20%. As this can be disbursed all across the intestinal tract of the human body, the chances of an individual gaining lean muscle mass increase four folds as greater dispersion leads to greater nitrogen retention in the human body. At the same time, super plasma serum contains four times the proteins which are present in eggs, weigh, and meat.

3. Hydrolyzed Protein Concentrate

Whenever you are planning to build strong and lean muscles, you need to try and understand that this is only possible if you train your muscles in the most appropriate manner and eat the required diet. Unless and until your protein supplement has adequate amounts of pre-digested proteins, you simply cannot increase your existing muscle mass at warp speed.

Hence, you need to use only those supplements which have adequate amounts of hydrolyzed protein concentrate as your body does not require digesting the protein by breaking it down into smaller molecules. As far as the taste is concerned, hydrolyzed protein concentrate tastes horrible and hence, it should only be consumed in the form of an edible capsule.

4. The Power Of Branch Amino Acids

While proteins are supposed to be the building blocks for muscles, it is, in reality, BCAA's which help your muscles grow at warp speed. Branch chain amino acids have a natural tendency to convert into glutamine, which in turn is the most important muscle-building protein in the human body.

GEAR does not contain glutamine because in its natural form, glutamine is not utilized by the human body and almost 99% o it is wasted. Hence, glutamine formulated after the digestion of branch chain amino acids is supposed to be the most effective form of building human muscle. In GEAR, you also get an additional dose of L-Lucine, which in turn allows muscle growth at warp speed.

5. Weigh Fraction Peptides

Fractioned peptides are also supposed to be the most effective means of building human muscle at warp speed as they contain high concentrations of Lactoferrin and Immunoglobulins. The fractioned form permits the amino acids to slit up before separating within the digestive tract of the human body. Intestines are like a huge sponge that permits the dissolution and distribution of proteins within the human body and hence when an individual takes GEAR, he can build greater muscle mass as weigh fraction peptides create nitrogen sub-particles, which in turn are dispersed and then magnified within the intestinal tract of the human body.

6. How Can GEAR Be Used?

This body-building supplement is undoubtedly a breakthrough in the scientific development of the human body. The inclusion of Bromelain has also ensured that the proteins are fully absorbed by the human body. At the same time, the inclusion of amino gen makes sure that the free forms of amino acids derived from wholesome food are liberated within the human body's digestive tract. The usage of this supplement is also diverse and it can be used in numerous ways.

Ideally, this bodybuilding supplement can be used in between meals in the form of a meal replacement drink. This ensures that your muscles are provided with the essential nitrogen levels at all times. In order to prevent catabolizm, you can also have it before your workout cession in the form of a pre-workout drink.

At the same time, you may also use it post your workout cession to provide the missing energy to your exhausted muscle groups. In fact, these capsules can be had along with any meal in order to ensure that your muscles get the required flow of nitrogen on a regular basis. what is gear in bodybuilding

Conclusion

The biggest problem which most aspiring bodybuilders face while trying to develop their physique is the inability to build adequate muscle mass. The reason for this is the absence of a suitable protein supplement. Hence, whenever you want to build your muscles without actually bothering to get trapped in the use of steroids, you need to make sure that you use the very best protein supplement available in the online market.

GEAR has been used by millions of individuals the world over and it is also considered to be the 1 food supplement in the world and it is used mainly by individuals who want to build lean muscle mass at warp speed. Just remember that in order to build muscles, you need to fuel your muscles with the required amounts of proteins and hence, you need to choose the most appropriate protein supplement available in the market.

So, if you want to build lean muscle mass at warp speed, simply read through this informative article and achieve your goals with ease!

Would you not like to Build Lean Muscle Mass and get the perfect body that you always wanted? Of course you would! Click here to start your journey of getting Lean Muscle Mass in just 2 weeks Flat.

By PUREGYM

Supplements You Need After The Age of 40

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 14:17:00 +0000

Supplements You Need After The Age of 40

As you age your nutritional needs change – you begin losing bone and muscle, your metabolic rate drops, maintaining a healthy weight becomes more difficult than ever, and the risk of chronic diseases begins to increase. Unfortunately, aging is not a reversible process and humans have yet to discover a way to halt it.

But until then, there is a lot that you can do to ensure your body gets proper nourishment and stays optimally healthy at any age. Although eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can offer amazing benefits for everyone, these activities become truly crucial around age 40, when many bodily systems become more vulnerable to injury and disease and the weakest areas of your health that could be overlooked at age 20 are now more prominent than ever.

In the past few decades, researchers successfully unlocked many of the mysteries of the body’s aging clock and found out that specific nutrients are of vital importance for combating the negative aspects of aging. Proper nutrition can help to slow down the aging process and fight off age-related ailments, and adequate intake of certain essential vitamins and minerals can greatly contribute to keeping your body and mind strong and young.

Here are the top 7 age-fighting vitamins that you should become a staple in your wellness and longevity regime after age 40.

VITAMIN B12

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin with a plethora of key functions in the body – it keeps your nerves and red blood cells healthy, it allows the smooth functioning of critical body processes such as the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose for energy needs, it helps fight off the negative physiological effects of stress, promotes digestive health, aids cell reproduction and helps control blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Many people, especially heavy drinkers and smokers and vegetarians develop vitamin B12 deficiency, characterized with fatigue, anemia, constipation, loss of appetite, depression, poor memory and vision problems.

Children and younger adults are likely to get all the vitamin B12 they need from their diet, which is most abundant in chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products, but as the body ages, its ability to properly absorb vitamin B12 deteriorates. This process is most noticeable after age 50, but the sooner you start getting B12 from a supplement or multivitamin, the better.

This will help combat brain shrinkage and stimulate a healthy regulation of the nervous system, as well fortify your organism’s defenses against breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer. Aim for 2.4 mg per day, which is the current recommended dietary allowance.

CALCIUM

Calcium is important for optimal bone health during every phase of your life. The body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones, but your heart, muscles and nerves also need it to function properly. If you don’t get enough calcium, you could face health problems related to weak bones, such as osteoporosis.

Since adults age 40 and older are already prone to bone loss, they require larger amounts of calcium to maintain their bone health and dental health. With so many low-calorie diets trending around us, we often tend to demonize and avoid calcium-rich foods like dairy products, which severely worsens the problem because when the body doesn’t get enough calcium from the diet it resorts to stealing it from your bones.

Certain studies suggest that increased calcium intake offers other important benefits for older adults besides osteoporosis prevention, such as protecting against cancer, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Calcium will help strengthen your bones and keep them in their proper shape, alleviate back pain, protect your heart muscles by helping them contract and relax properly, and normalize the pressure in your arteries.

The best news is that you don’t need to take calcium supplements because eating a well-balanced diet with calcium-rich foods will provide adequate amounts of this valuable nutrient. Calcium is available in milk, dairy products like yogurt and cheese, nuts, salmon and seeds. Also, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, leafy greens including spinach, as well as most varieties of peas can significantly increase the calcium levels in your diet.

VITAMIN D

Every vitamin and mineral has its role in the healthy functioning of the body, but vitamin D is a part of the “big league” of nutrients that are involved in pretty much every body process and when they’re not around in healthy amounts, multiple health issues tend to arise. Among other things, vitamin D maintains the health of bones and teeth, helps regulate insulin levels, supports the health of the immune system and even influences the expression of genes involved in cancer development.

According to research, vitamin D is especially important after age 40, because its role in the prevention of age-related ailments is pretty much invaluable. One 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that getting enough vitamin D can reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis, while another one published in Circulation claims that optimal vitamin D levels drastically decrease the chance of developing heart disease in older adults. In addition, vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium in the body. On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency usually manifests as osteoporosis, the most common bone disease in people over the age 50.

How can you get optimal doses of vitamin D? Dietary sources of vitamin D include fish, dairy products and grains, but unfortunately the D we get from food is poorly absorbed in the body, and the best source of this vitamin (that’s actually a pro-hormone) is – the sun. Our bodies are designed to produce vitamin D from sunlight, a process that begins by the conversion of cholesterol on the skin into calciol, which in turn gets converted by the kidneys into the active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol.

Multiple reliable studies have suggested that calcitriol can reduce cancer progression by slowing the growth of new blood vessels in cancerous tissue and increasing cancer cell death. However, if you live somewhere where sunny days are scarce, you can get a vitamin D3 supplement, which is the next best option after the type that you would get from the sun. Aim for 600-800 IU per day.

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is one of the six essential macro-minerals that make up 99% of the body’s mineral content, and hundreds of studies have proven magnesium’s benefits toward health. Without the presence of magnesium in the organism, energy could not be produced or used in the cells, muscles could not contract and relax, and crucial hormones could not be synthesized.

Therefore, magnesium can play a major role in protecting health and preventing chronic diseases and malfunctions. According to the National Institutes of Health, adequate magnesium levels are required for maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, steady heart rhythm, bone strength and density and a healthy immune system.

But perhaps the most important function of magnesium in people over the age 40 is blood pressure regulation. High magnesium intake has been shown to reduce the risk of developing hypertension and heart disease in adults, as well as providing powerful protection against inflammation.

Furthermore, new clinical studies also suggest that magnesium supplements can effectively treat chronic migraines, which tend to be very common in women between ages 40-60. If you strive to eat a healthy, balanced diet, you’re probably getting good amounts of magnesium and don’t need to take supplements. But just in case, up your intake of dark leafy greens, beans, soy, nuts, seeds and avocados.

However, if you think you might be deficient, consult your physician for further advice. Magnesium supplements are fairly inexpensive and available in a variety of forms with different absorption rates – magnesium chelate, magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate are absorbed better than other forms.

POTASSIUM

The most important health benefits of potassium include protection from heart stroke and kidney disorders, as well as enhanced muscle strength, improved metabolic rate and lower levels of stress and anxiety. This is the third most abundant mineral in the human body that contains the components for maintaining optimal well-being and health. For starters, potassium contributes to keeping brain function at a normal level by allowing more oxygen to reach the brain, thus stimulating neural activity and enhancing cognitive function.

Furthermore, thanks to its vasodilating properties that help relieve the tension of blood vessels, potassium plays a key role in keeping blood pressure in check in people of all ages, but especially in older adults. Research has shown that older adults who eat foods higher in potassium are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure and experience heart strokes than those who eat less potassium-rich foods, but it has also found that the majority of older American women do not eat the recommended amounts of potassium from foods.

A balanced diet should offer adequate amounts of potassium. The recommended daily allowance is 4.7 grams, but significant health improvements can also be seen in people increasing their intake to as little as 2 grams per day. The most important dietary sources of potassium are citrus fruits, bananas, avocados, vegetables and grains.

Second best choices include salmon, chicken, milk, potatoes and almonds. But when it comes to potassium supplements, you should be very careful – too much of this nutrient can cause harm to the gastrointestinal tract and even trigger dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.

OMEGA-3

Omega-3 fatty acids deserve a special place on this list because of their powerful health benefits for older adults, including combating the negative changes that accompany aging, the most prominent of which are increased heart disease risk and cognitive deterioration.

Several health agencies have established omega-3 recommendations based on research findings which clearly show that omega-3 supplementation can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, lower triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol levels, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. According to these, the daily amount of omega-3 fatty acids, including both EPA and DHA, required for adults of both sexes is 800 to 1,000 milligrams daily.

The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on human health have been well-documented by countless studies, especially in terms of brain function. Most recently, one large study found that people with higher blood levels of omega-3s had bigger brains and performed significantly better on memory tests and tasks that demand abstract thinking than individuals who had lower levels.

You can get omega-3s from oily fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, soybeans and leafy vegetables, but you can also make sure you’re getting enough by taking a fish oil supplement.

Read More: Modern Bodybuilding Techniques : Nutrition and Workout Plan

Shoulder Workout Routine for Mass

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 14:38:00 +0000

Shoulder Workout Routine for Mass

If you are an advanced lifter and you want to improve or shock a bodypart (or in our case the shoulders) you should try this intense Shoulder Workout Routine. The system is called – Power/Rep Range/Shock or shortly P/RR/S. The workout represents a three-week phase that is performed three times over the course of nine weeks.

This workout aims to improve a weak body part or, if you can handle it, you can train your entire body with it. P/RR/S prevents from getting bored doing the usual workout routine.

But first, we need to warn you: If you just started training or training less than a year, you’re not ready for a program of this intensity. Meaning, you must have a basic understanding of how the muscle groups work, you need to have some good strength developed, and a good mind-muscle connection with the muscles being trained. If you are not advanced, you should be better off with some of these shoulder workouts.

Week 1: Power Phase

The main intensity section comes from Power week that is set for three sets of four to six reps with four to five minutes’ rest between sets. The delts consists of three sections, heads — anterior, or front; lateral, or side; and posterior, or rear — so you perform one exercise for each head.

Front Delts

Seated barbell presses 3 x 4-6

Side Delts

Lateral raises 3 x 4-6

Rear Delts

Upright barbell rows 3 x 4-6

You need to hit the aimed muscles hard to the point of failure within the four-to-six-rep range, but don’t go extremely heavy. You shouldn’t sacrifice form in favor of doing more reps. You’re trying to build muscle, so don’t aim to reach max weight.

Week 2: Rep Range Phase

After grueling Power Week comes Rep Range week. Follow the same principles as described for Power week, but the rep range is different for each exercise. First exercise for sets of eight to nine reps, the second exercise for 10 to 12 reps and the third exercise for 13 to 15 reps. Your rest between sets is two and three minutes.

You can switch up the order in which you train the heads. You start with the side heads then hit the rear and, finally, the front.

Side Delts

Seated lateral raises 3 x 9

Rear Delts

Bent-over dumbbell or cable laterals 3 x 10-12

Front Delts

Seated dumbbell/barbell presses 3 x 13-15

Make sure you squeeze at the top of each movement in order to perform a proper contraction of the muscles.

Week 3: Shock Phase

Shock week includes high intensity-boosting techniques that aim to challenge the muscles, so when they recover, they will grow and become stronger. The techniques can include supersets, drop sets, partial reps or rest/pause method. For the sake of simplicity we’ll go with the drop set technique.

With drop sets you do a set with a heavy weight and when you get to failure you drop the weight by about 25% and continue to do more repetitions till you get to failure again. Take two minute breaks after each drop set.

Once again you can change the order in which you train the deltoid heads — start with the rear, followed by the front and, finally, the side delts.

Rear Delts

Bent-over lateral raises
warm-up 2 x 15-20
Drop Set* 1 x 8-10(4), 8(4), 8(4)

Front Delts

Smith-machine or hammer presses

warm-up 1 x 15-20
Drop Set* 1 x 8-10(3), 8(3), 8(3)

Side heads

One-arm cable laterals
warm-up 1 x 15-20
Drop Set* 1 x 8-10(3), 8(3), 8(3)

Drop Set* is a drop set, and you will execute it as follows:

– You should analyze carefully and pick a weight with which you will reach failure at 8 to 10 reps and do a set;
– rest five seconds,
– Drop the weight by 25% and then go to failure again.
– Rest for 10 seconds
– Then reduce the weight by 25% again and go to failure again ;

After Week 3

You can start all over again the processes with Power week again, followed by Rep Range week and Shock week. Then repeat the overall three-week cycle one last time for nine weeks total. After three rounds of P/RR/S take a week off to recover and prepare for the next nine-week phase — if you feel up to it.

Read More: Exercises For Stronger Shoulders

Must Do Back Moves to Build A Massive Back

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Feb 2021 14:41:00 +0000

Must Do Back Moves to Build A Massive Back

People usually focus on growing incredible-looking chests, and while that is certainly deserving of respect, it’s not the only thing in the world. You can have a great chest without working on anything else, but why would you want to leave your back behind and not have a detailed, muscular back that any champ would be proud of?

Physique shows are usually decided by how developed the backs of the competitors are, with development meaning width and thickness, as well as muscular definition of the entire area. Of course you want a great-looking back, everyone does! Today we’re going to talk about how to get one.

Here is the workout that will help you in this quest.
6 sets of pull-ups, 8-10 reps each with 90 seconds of rest between sets. 3 wide grip sets, 3 neutral grip.
5 sets of pendlay rows, 5 reps each with 90 seconds of rest between sets.
3 sets of one-arm dumbbell rows, 8 reps each with 90 seconds of rest between sets.
3 sets of straight-arm dumbbell pullovers for 10 reps with 90 seconds of rest between sets. You can also do this exercise on a machine.
3 sets of barbell deadlifts for 12 reps each with 90 seconds of rest between sets.

Let’s get into a little bit of detail about all of this.

1. PULL-UPS

This exercise needs to be in this line-up for one simple reason – they’re great at pumping up your muscles and actually making them grow! You should do three sets with a wide grip and three with a neutral grip because you’ll be trying to hit as many angles as possible on your lateral muscles. If you can’t really do these, get someone to help you or get a band. Worst case scenario (or best, depending on your sources), use a pull-down machine. If you’re feeling too light, put some weight on you with chains, a vest or a belt.

2. PENDLAY ROWS

Normally, people will bend over just a little bit to do barbell rows, but this is the hardcore version of that exercise, where you have to pick up the weight from the floor instead. This exercise will activate your entire muscular system, from your toes to your head.

If you think you can go extra-hard, get some straps but make sure to keep proper form and don’t jerk too hard. The first few times you do them, they’re definitely going to be hard, but after that you won’t want to stop doing them.

3. SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROWS

This exercise is in this routine because you need to work each side of your body, and it’s more efficient to do them both individually. Make sure to devote sufficient attention to the negative of the exercise here – you don’t want your weight to just drop down and you might even injure yourself while allowing that to happen. Get it to the bottom, stretch out your muscles and pause before lifting it back up. There should be absolutely no momentum in this exercise.

4. DUMBBELL PULL-OVER

You can also do this on a machine, which you should if your gym has them. It’s unlikely though, since gyms rarely have this machine lately, in which case you should do the dumbbell version of the pull-overs. Make sure you use your lats as much as possible and don’t worry so much about the weight you’re lifting.

The rows and pull-ups in this list are more than enough for that. Make sure you stretch out as much as you can without hurting yourself –this will help you get your range of motion to a whole new level. Contract your muscles and make sure to give it a little squeeze before continuing with the exercise.

5. DEADLIFTS

You’re probably thinking we shouldn’t have deadlifts at the very end of the routine, but here they are, and there’s a good reason for this order. You’ve already spent a lot of energy and your body won’t have the ability to lift a lot of weight, which means that you’re just going to have to focus on the way you do them instead of focusing on lifting a lot.

Read More: Back Workout For Huge Back & Traps

After doing this for a long enough period of time, your technique will definitely improve, but so will your lower back muscle group, raising your maximum deadlifting weight. Your lower back should be able to handle all of these exercises pretty well, and if it doesn’t I suggest you get a rack pull and set the bar at about knee level. This will make your laterals burn, as well as your upper back and overall your entire body. Just make sure to always practice proper form so you don’t hurt yourself and you should be on your way to glory.

Steps Towards Gaining More Muscle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 14:57:00 +0000

Steps Towards Gaining More Muscle

Gaining muscle size is sometimes called bulking up. To some, bulking up means gaining a lot of fat along with some muscle. While this method of bulking does indeed work, gaining too much fat is not a very good idea. In this step by step guide, you’ll learn how to bulk up without gaining too much fat. Remember that any fat gained will probably have to be stripped off if you want your muscular physique to look its best.

STEP ONE – CREATE A CALORIFIC SURPLUS

You can’t build a house without bricks and you can’t build muscle without a calorie surplus. Aim to eat 500 calories per day more than you need to maintain your weight. If you aren’t gaining muscle size add another 250 calories a day. Continue adding 250 calories per day until you start to gain muscle. Track your waist measurement though – if your waist measurement is increasing noticeably, you are probably gaining a lot of fat along with your muscle. If this is the case reduce your calorie intake slightly.

STEP TWO – GET ENOUGH PROTEIN

To build muscle, you need around 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight so if you weigh 175 pounds, you need anywhere between 175 and 262.5 grams of protein per day. The protein should come from foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs or dairy. If you struggle to consume sufficient amounts protein, you may want to consider talking a whey protein supplement.

STEP THREE – GET STRONGER

Muscles get bigger ( a process called myofibrillar hypertrophy) when they get stronger. This means lifting relatively heavy weights and focusing on the exercises that are known for developing strength; squats, deadlift, bench press, pull up, shoulder press and bent over row. Getting stronger in these exercises will develop almost all of the muscles in your body. Focus your training on this “big six”, add in a small amount of work on exercises such as biceps curls and calf raises and you’ll be well on your way to stimulating new muscle growth.

STEP FOUR – EVALUATE YOUR PROGRESS

Use before and after pictures, circumferential measurements and your body weight to assess your progress. If you are not seeing improvements from your efforts to bulk up, you are either not eating enough or not training hard enough. There is also the possibility that additional factors are holding you back e.g. too much stress, not enough sleep or training too long/too hard. Make changes to ensure you see progress on a month by month basis.

STEP FIVE – KEEP AT IT!

Rome wasn’t built in a day and nor are muscular physiques. Building muscle is a slow and laborious process that can take months if not years. Make sure you think about the “long game” and make haste slowly. Every workout and every well thought out meal will take you one step closer to your muscular ideal. Stick with it and eventually, you’ll get to where you want to be.

Developing a stronger, more muscular physique is not easy but the results are worth it. Good luck with your training!

Read More: The Basics Of Extended Set Techniques

Build Your Upper Chest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:03:00 +0000

Build Your Upper Chest

For those that are not genetically blessed, the upper chest (cough…and calves…cough ) can be one of the toughest places to put mass on. It is not as simple as doing a few sets of barbell or dumbbell presses to trigger growth in the upper portion of the chest.

Most of the pressing you do for your chest tends to hit the middle and the lower part of the pectoral muscles because the upper chest muscle fibers are attached to the clavicle which makes them very hard to engage.

So which exercises hit the upper chest most effectively ?

1. REVERSE GRIP BENCH PRESS

When you mention exercises that hit the upper chest, the first thing that comes to people’s mind is probably the incline bench press. Yes, the incline press is a good exercise to engage the upper chest, but the reverse grip bench press is a way better option to recruit more muscle fibers in the upper chest.

Research says that the wide reverse grip bench press activates up to 30% more muscle fibers in the upper chest when compared to incline bench press. Of course you won’t be able to push big weights on this exercise, but if you concentrate on squeezing your chest at the top position of the lift you will trigger new growth without a doubt.

– Grab the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
– Press in an upward curve motion
– Pick a weight that you can push for 12-15 repetitions in a controlled manner.

2. INCLINE BENCH PRESS

Ok, we already mentioned this one, but it’s still one of the best upper chest exercises. It was actually Arnold’s favorite chest exercise for that metter. The incline chest press is performed in a similar fashion as the flat bench press:

– Position yourself on an incline bench
– Grab the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
– Lower the bar to your upper chest
– Push upwards until you completely extend your arms and squeeze your chest at the top of the movement.

3. CABLE FLYES FROM A LOW PULLEY

The low pulley cable flies is another great exercise for the upper chest. What’s good about using cables on this exercise is that it keeps your chest (and specifically the upper chest) under constant tension throughout the whole set.

– Grab the handles and turn your palms upwards
– With slightly bent elbows bring your arms up until your hands reach the height of your chin
– Slowly lower your arms to the starting position
– Be sure to to squeeze the chest at the top of the movement

Read More: Method 8 x 8 For Chest Training

Reasons You Should Join a Gym Today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 15:02:00 +0000

Reasons You Should Join a Gym Today

Joining a gym is a big step for anyone who lives a busy lifestyle. It costs money, time, and energy to make your membership worthwhile. That said, it’s one of the best things that you can do for your health and overall happiness. Keep reading to find out some of our reasons why joining a gym ASAP can change your life for the better!

1. HAPPY HORMONES

Whenever you work out, your body releases a boost of happy hormones called endorphins. They don’t just improve your overall mood, they also make you more confident because they rewire your brain to focus on positive things about yourself. The great thing about endorphins is that they also stimulate the part of the brain that craves activity.

Joining a gym gives you the opportunity to trigger these happy hormones regularly. You can also track your progress and see which exercises are the best for your body. Do this by logging the types of exercises you do and how you feel afterward. Keeping a journal has never felt so rewarding.

2. AEROBIC POWER

Aerobic Power refers to your body’s ability to bring oxygen to your cells. Living a stagnant lifestyle can give you circulation issues because your blood vessels get clogged with unnecessary fat deposits.

Moving around trains your circulatory system to work faster and more effectively. When you work out on a regular basis, your body learns to circulate oxygen efficiently on its own.

3. LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases among young adults and those in their thirties. It’s very persistent in people who aren’t active on a regular basis. Work requires people to spend most of the day sitting down in front of computers, most likely snacking on something unhealthy to relieve stress.

Working out regularly is a better way to relieve stress and lower blood pressure. When you exercise regularly, your blood vessels widen and the blood is able to clear away fat and lower cholesterol. By going to a gym and making sure you get regular exercise, you’re making sure your body gets the nourishment it needs.

4. LOWERS RISK OF DIABETES

Diabetes isn’t just a genetic condition. It’s something that can be prevented, to a certain extent. When you have diabetes, your body is unable to properly process glucose from food intake. The scary thing about Diabetes is that it’s irreversible. It isn’t cured–only managed.

One of the leading factors in diabetes is body weight. Studies show that when your body is closer to the right BMI, the risk of diabetes is less. When you workout at a gym, you’re able to track your vital statistics on a regular basis. You can keep a record of what your weight goals are and how you’re trying to achieve them. Exercising on a regular basis gives your body the kickstart it needs to process glucose right.

5. LOWERS RISK OF CARDIAC ARREST

Nearly 325, 000 people die of cardiac arrest every year. Almost 95% of those who suffer from heart attacks die before they even get to the hospital. Cardiac arrest is terrifying because it’s sudden–there are hardly any signs. What most people don’t realize is that there are a lot of ways to prevent cardiac arrest.

When you work out regularly, you train your heart to be stronger. Remember that the heart is also a muscle: when you use it a lot, it becomes a lot better at regulating body functions under pressure. By increasing your heart rate and forcing your body to deal with it, exercising becomes like a vaccine. It makes your heart stronger, healthier, and more resilient.

6. BOOSTS IMMUNE SYSTEM

When you exercise intensely, you’re basically teaching your body how to deal with difficulty. Your body becomes so used to adapting and bouncing back from strenuous activities that it’s able to deal with common viruses and bacteria easily.

Working out also reduces the effects of free radicals on the skin. Free radicals breakdown a lot of collagen in the skin and plays a big role in aging. They also affect how the immune system develops as we mature. By signing up with a gym you can supplement your workout with the right food and nutrition.

7. REDUCES BODY FAT

Oxygen burns fat. When you exercise, your breathing becomes heavy and rapid because you’re forcing your body to breathe harder. Although reducing bodyweight may not necessarily be healthy, reducing body fat often is. It puts less stress on your heart and makes it easier for your body to process nutrients.

Plus, the more you exercise and build muscle, the faster your metabolism gets. The more active you become, the easier it is for you to lose weight according to your needs. For those who want to gain weight, working out can also help you put on those extra pounds by developing muscle mass.

8. STRENGTHENS BONES

Bone mass relies a lot on gravity and resistance. Bone strength and density are triggered when bones feel the vertical weight of gravity working on them. This is why one of the major problems astronauts face in space (where everything is weightless) is that they are prone to calcium deficiencies and osteoporosis. When you perform exercises that are dynamic and which require a lot of cardio–jumping jacks, burpees, or even just jogging in place–you are also giving your bones the signal for strength.

CONCLUSION

In the beginning, you might feel like joining a gym is not for everyone. But the truth is that working out at a gym can provide that sense of community and routine to motivate you. Gyms allow you to be more methodical with your exercise. In this day and age, time and money aren’t things that we can afford to waste. Check out this great piece if you’re still wondering if it is worth joining a gym.

Along with that sense of belonging, gym-goers can also build friendly competition, especially physically. You can share techniques, best practices, and favorite workouts. After all, who doesn’t want to be strong and live a long life? By encouraging yourself through group activities, you can find your gym groove!

Make Sure You’re Doing It

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:47:00 +0000

Make Sure You’re Doing It

Everybody knows about the core strength exercise known as planking. If you weren’t someone who was into fitness and has been aware of it for years, you certainly would have become so this decade when it became a huge global phenomenon.

People were everywhere. At home, on the street, in the park, on rooftops and anywhere else that they could find a flat surface. And that’s great because it’s a very beneficial exercise, but the lesser-known side plank is probably even better.

It’s a little bit tougher because it requires more balance and it works a couple of muscles that you wouldn’t normally be working, but the position itself is relatively straightforward:

Get yourself into a regular plank position first and foremost. Forearms resting on the floor with your elbows below your shoulders and your core engaged.
Shift your weight onto your right side, rolling over onto the side of your foot and resting on your right forearm.
With your entire body facing the opposite wall, raise your left arm and extend it towards the ceiling.

Hold for about 20 seconds, then repeat a couple of times. Do the same on the opposite side.

Unlike a regular plank where you should just hold the position for one extended set, you’re better off doing this one a couple of times with short rest breaks. So what’s the benefit? There’s a couple:

Variety of Muscle Groups

The side plank works a whole bunch of different muscles and muscle groups. Of course, it’s as effective of a core exercise as a regular plank so you can count on building up your abs and getting all the benefits of core strength.

But it will also help you build up the strength in your arms, provided you don’t lock your elbows. It will help work your shoulders too and it’s also a great exercise for your wrists which is a hard area to work on.

It’s good for your legs too and it’s a fantastic oblique exercise. If you were trying to lose weight, side planking would be a good exercise to include because it would help tone your abdomen afterward.

Coupled with other exercises and a diet plan that helps you keep control of your calories of course. So overall it is one of the best weightless exercises you can do because of how varied it is.

Balance

Balance is something that we quite often take for granted until we are in a situation where we need it. We think, well I can stand up straight so my balance is fine, and then you need to carry a box of fine china up a set of stairs and all of a sudden your lack of balance becomes abundantly clear.

Side planking will help you out though, and it will also help with other exercises that require balance, especially ones where you’ll need to balance using your arms. All of the muscles important for that are being worked with this exercise.

And it also forces you to concentrate on holding the position, which will in turn force you to concentrate on maintaining your balance.

Posture

Once again, here is something that we take for granted until it becomes a problem. And it is more likely to become a problem the older you get and the less you pay attention to it. Posture is extremely important.

Good posture ensures that all of your joints are in the correct alignment, that your muscles are being used properly which prevents fatigue, that you can avoid unnecessary backaches and pains and a bunch of other benefits too.

In side plank, you are holding your shoulders, your spine and your pelvis in an appropriate alignment, encouraging a strong healthy posture.

To sum this all up, side plank is one of those underappreciated exercises that you can do very easily at home and get a whole bunch of benefits from. Incorporate it into your routine and you’ll see the difference in no time.

Read More: Leg Workouts Increase Testosterone Levels

Leg Workouts Increase Testosterone Levels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:18:00 +0000

Leg Workouts Increase Testosterone Levels

The human body performs a vast amount of functions every second, whether we are lying still or moving around, and needs various systems within to achieve this. Hormones are among the most important elements in the body – they effectively communicate with different systems in the body that need to work together for various functions – and in men, testosterone is among the most important of all the hormones.

Testosterone governs, among other things, the male libido – that is the sex drive – and also helps with muscle strength, bone density, and more. It is known as ‘the male hormone’ thanks to its association with sex, and it is produced in the testes. Testosterone is also found in females but in far lower quantities.

It is a biological fact that, as a man grows older, testosterone production will naturally reduce. This is why men are in their sexual prime in their late teens and 20’s. It is not unusual for testosterone production to fall quite dramatically for men in their 30’s, the result is reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and also changes in behavior and depression.

Every young man wants to keep his sex life alive for as long as possible, and also to remain fit and healthy, so what can be done to increase testosterone levels? If you are looking for ways to increase testosterone levels naturally, then there are several methods, and most of them center around your diet, lifestyle, and the amount of exercise you take. This article will go on to look at whether leg workouts increase testosterone levels, and talk about the best exercise you can take.

Leg Workouts and Testosterone

Let’s start this section by saying that, in fact, most forms of exercise will stimulate testosterone production. One reason for this is that exercising helps you burn fat and lose weight. Consider the way we live: there is a theory that people were fitter than now a century ago as far less of their lives were automated. Few people had a car, for example, and most would walk a lot more.

In the 21st century, we spend – without thinking about it – a lot of our time sitting around, whether at work or in the home and when we want to go somewhere, we tend to get in a car and drive. The lack of exercise in all of these areas has led to a population that is more overweight than ever. Also, our diet tends to veer towards the ‘quick and simple’ with little emphasis on primary health; busy working and family lives have led to us becoming lazy here, too.

What has this to do with testosterone and leg workouts? Quite simply, with sedentary lifestyle, you will gain fat. Fat cells contain enzymes that naturally convert testosterone into the ‘female hormone’ estrogen. In effect, the two hormones fight for space, and where fat is present, estrogen wins. This means that testosterone production will certainly fall.

Testosterone is briefly increased after an intense workout. The larger muscle groups you use, the more testosterone gets released, and legs cover more than 60 percent of the musculature of the body.

Also, taxing bigger muscle groups will burn more calories than working small muscle groups, which means you’ll lose more fat, and with less fat on you, the estrogen levels will also decrease.

Which Leg Workouts are Best?

Here is a great article covering the relationship between leg workouts and testosterone in some detail. It is worth a read if you want to plan a workout for your legs, but we’ve put together a summary below.

A simple and yet effective workout will involve a combination of barbell squats, leg presses, stiff leg deadlifts, and seated and standing calf raises. Each of these is a pretty standard exercise that you can perform at your gym, and you should start slowly and build up to a more rigorous routine.

It is important that your chosen leg workout – it does not have to be the combination above, there are many more suggestions to be found – is carried out regularly. This routine will not only burn fat – and therefore reduce estrogen so that testosterone has less of competition – but will also tone your muscles, and you will start to feel better while regaining your sex drive too!

Conclusion

We asked the question in the title: do leg workouts increase testosterone levels? The answer is undoubted yes, as reducing the fat in your legs – and elsewhere – stimulates the production of the male hormone, and reduces the level of estrogen in the body. Take a closer look at detailed ideas for leg workouts, and you’ll soon find you are enjoying an invigorating exercise routine and feeling more like a man every day!

Read More: Get Your Low Testosterone Back To Normal

4 Possible Reasons Pain Behind the Knee

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:27:00 +0000

4 Possible Reasons Pain Behind the Knee

If you are a runner, experiencing knee pain is a fairly common occurrence. But feeling pain behind the knee, sometimes swelling or even stiffness can pose a serious problem when it comes to winning that marathon next week or joining your friends for a run in the park over the weekend. Pain behind your knee means that there is a bigger problem here and it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible, since ignoring it won’t make it go away. In this article, we present to you four possible reasons why you experience pain behind your knee and how to resolve the problem and get back to running as soon as possible.

4 POSSIBLE REASONS FOR PAIN BEHIND THE KNEE:

1. HAMSTRING TENDONITIS

If you start feeling stiffness or mild pain behind the knee when you start running, but eventually it subsides, then it’s very likely you have hamstring tendonitis. This condition usually appears in runners that run longer distances and are often participating in marathons or half-marathons and in the end don’t receive enough flexion in their hips due to improper running technique and accumulated fatigue.

When running, the hamstrings fatigue and are unable to slow down your feet when they are accelerating. As the same motion is repeated you will soon start experiencing pain behind the knee. This overuse happens when your lower leg goes too far forward in a pendulum-like swing, putting too much strain on your hamstrings repeatedly while running.

How to fix it: you should consult with a sports specialist that will manage to pinpoint the exact cause of the pain by performing an analysis of the way you walk. The analysis will help find the exact muscles that don’t activate properly and give a broad picture of the running technique and style. Very often, weak gluteus muscles are the main cause for experiencing pain behind the knee, however making your pelvic stabilizers and your hip flexors stronger can also be beneficial. You can try the so-called “clam opener” movement, which is an oft-used treatment for this type of pain. Lie on the back, bend your knees and put a resistance band loop around the knees. Then open the legs by pushing against the resistance band. Do 3 sets of 20 reps.

2. BAKER’S CYST

It’s very likely you have Baker’s cyst if you feel a swelling in the form of a lump behind the knee, as you bend and straighten the leg. It feels like touching a water balloon. Because runners do the same movement over and over again, too much of it without too introducing variations in distance or speed can be the cause of excessive friction between the cartilages surrounding the knee, resulting in an irritation of the soft issues within as well as the posterior surface of the knee cap.

How to fix it: The repetitive bending and straightening of the legs which is the basis of running often lead to fluid accumulation, resulting in a cyst appearing behind the knee. Even though taking some time off of running is a good idea, the best fix for this condition is getting an injection or aspirating the cyst in order to take out the accumulated fluid. A special type of manual therapy is also suggested or the implementation of active release techniques, which are all basically types of massage. These can break up the scarred muscle tissue in the hamstrings and help alleviate the problem by making the symptoms subside. However, the cyst can reappear if you have a tear in the meniscus or arthritis.

3. TORN MENISCUS

The meniscus is a cartilage in the form of a horseshoe situated between the upper and lower leg bone. It can get torn due to a sudden fall or knee twist or a simple wear and tear. The meniscus keeps the knee stable, but as we age it gets worn down. A minor tear can result in a small swelling which will improve over the course of 2-3 weeks. A moderate-level tear is painful when bending the knee. Even though the pain can subside after a couple of weeks, overuse can cause it to get re-injured. A severe tear will make walking extremely difficult. The knee might start to “wobble”, or it can all of a sudden become stiff and stop moving.

How to fix it: An MRI scan can give a precise indication of how severe the injury is. Also, icing the injury and resting can help tremendously with a torn meniscus. The doctor may even suggest a physical therapy consisting of specific movements which you’ll need to do on a daily basis, like exercising the quadriceps in order to strengthen the joint and the previously mentioned clam openers. If these don’t alleviate the pain and there is still swelling, then surgery is the best solution to repair or remove the cartilage. Post-surgery treatment may require you to use crutches for several miles, but in the end, it’s well worth the effort.

4. GASTROCNEMIUS TENDONITIS

This is basically your calf muscle which forms the back of your lower leg and goes behind your knee and attaches above the joint. The tendons tend to receive a lot of strain when the knee is extended and the toes are pointing upward, which in turn pulls on the tendons. This condition is much more present in cyclists in comparison to runners because of improper fit or some other fatigued muscle in the body. If the bike seat is positioned too high or it is too far back, the calves will be in a vulnerable position. They can be put on a lot of strain if the gluteus muscles aren’t properly doing their job, like with uphill riding, running or climbing.

How to fix it: First thing is that you rest properly, ice the painful spot and massage it to decrease the swelling. You can also try a calf sleeve which will compress the spot while running. The right sleeve will offer good support to the painful area and decrease the strain while the muscle continues to heal itself. In the case of bike riding, you can also get yourself a professional bike fit.

Read More: exercises that will help you get them

Method 8 x 8 For Chest Training

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 15:06:00 +0000

Method 8 x 8 For Chest Training

Conventional bodybuilding wisdom tells us that we can’t build muscle and lose fat at the same time and any such overly ambitious effort will only lead to frustration and even loss of precious muscle mass, and it’s much smarter to separate these goals into two separate phases of the training process. Yet a deeper inspection into the subject reveals that accomplishing both ends simultaneously is not an impossible goal after all, at least not for individuals who have the right combination of favorable genetics, substantial amount of experience and rigorous dietary discipline.

But what about the normal guys like yourself, who lack one or more of these requirements?

According to legendary coach Vince Gironda, there’s a tried-and-true way for you to achieve this feat as well. Check it out and try it right away – the results will be more than convincing.

THE 8×8 PROGRAM

The eccentric bodybuilding guru Vince Gironda strongly believed that anyone, yes anyone, can increase his lean mass while getting rid of excess fat for good at the same time. And he didn’t only believe that to be true – he created a simple regime based on an 8×8 training pattern that can allow any dedicated lifter to accomplish this goal. And why not? Believe it or not, your genetics are not the most important factor in determining your bodybuilding success. Training hard with the right tools can help you make the most out of what you were born with and get you as close as possible to the physique of your dreams.

The 8×8 program basically means that you will perform 8 reps of an exercise for 8 sets. You can use this approach to effectively train any body part by using relatively heavy weights and short rest pauses between sets.

Since we know how much you love training your chest, we created this killer chest workout based on the 8×8 approach. Use 70% of you 1RM and take only 30 seconds of rest between each set. If the weight is too heavy, you’ll soon know it. Still, be prepared to drop reps before lowering the weight, and strive for week-by-week weight progression. Thanks to the high intensity of the workout, you’ll experience great metabolic ramping, rapid chest growth and stunning fat loss benefits.

Put your best gym face on and let’s get started!

#1. BARBELL BENCH PRESS

Unrack the bar and slowly lower it towards your chest until it almost touches it. It should take you around 3 seconds to perform this part of the lift. Without pausing at the bottom, explosively lift the bar back up until your elbows lock out.

Repeat the movement for 8 reps, then rest for 30 seconds and go again until you complete a total of 8 sets. It’s okay if you can’t pull off 8 reps on every set – just try to give your maximum and don’t go below 5 reps. A severe burning sensation in the chest will indicate that you’ve done it right.

And by the way, make sure to get a spotter as it’s highly likely that you will fail.

#2. DUMBBELL FLYES

Lie down on a flat bench and lift the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width, making sure that the palms of your hands face each other. Slightly bend your elbows, then slowly lower your arms out at the sides in a wide arc until you feel a good stretch in the chest muscles. Raise the weights back to the starting position and repeat.

Aim to complete 8 sets of 8 reps with 30 seconds of rest between sets.

#3. INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS

Lie back on an incline bench set to a 30-degree angle, holding a pair of dumbbells. Lift the weights above you at shoulder width with the palms facing out. Slowly lower the weights down for 3 seconds, then explosively push them back up. Make sure to perform the movement under maximum control.

Repeat until you complete 8 sets of 8 reps with 30 seconds of rest.

#4. SMITH MACHINE DECLINE PRESS

By now your chest should be pretty decently fatigued, so it’s time to hit it even harder and squeeze out all remaining power from your muscle fibers.

For this movement, you will place a declined bench under the Smith machine and set the bar at a height that’s reachable from a lying position with almost fully extended arms. Using a grip that’s only slightly wider than shoulder width, unlock the bar and slowly lower it down until it touches your chest. Pause for a moment before returning to the starting position, then go again until you complete 8 sets of 8 reps. Take no more than 30 seconds of rest between sets.

#5. INCLINE CABLE FLYES

This will be your finisher, so make it brutal!

Place an incline bench (45-degree angle) between two pulleys. Grab a handle with each hand, lie on the bench, extend your arms and bring your hands together in front of your face. Maintaining a slight bend at the elbows, slowly lower your arms out at the sides in a wide arc until your chest is fully stretched. Bring the arms back to the starting position and repeat until completing 8 sets until failure, allowing yourself only 20 seconds of rest between sets.

The 8×8 workout routine has yielded fantastic results for many bodybuilders from all types of backgrounds, so as long as you are consistent there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work great for you too. You can apply it to any body part to get a really good pump and improve conditioning, and it works especially great for arm training. Use it until you get the results you’re looking for, but not more than twice per week, as you will need plenty of rest to repair the damage.

That being said, if your objective is increasing strength, it’s best to skip this regime and find a workout that’s more suitable for strength gains. But if you’re trying to lean down while increasing muscle size at the same time, this workout will prove to be the most effective one you’ve ever tried

Read More: Build Your Upper Chest . Best Upper Chest Exercises

Grow Your Pecs and Target Your Inner Chest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 14:24:00 +0000

Grow Your Pecs and Target Your Inner Chest

Your pecs aren’t as full as you’d like them to be? Don’t stress too much about it – these muscles are one of the slowest to grow, so it’s probably not your fault entirely. Developing a thick, round chest is especially hard for beginners, who unfortunately want great results ASAP and often forget that chest chiseling demands smart exercise choices and plenty of patience. Even then, you may find it difficult to make your inner pecs grow, even though your outer pecs are doing great. What gives?

Many people are convinced that you can effectively isolate your inner pecs by performing specific exercises, but this is nonsense. By taking a closer look at the anatomy of the pectoral muscle and the way in which its clavicular and sternocostal fibers run, you’ll understand that it’s impossible to specifically isolate your inner chest without also training the middle and outer fibers. Is this bad news?

Not at all! It only means that the best way to make your inner pecs grow is by providing enough growth stimulation for the whole chest in the shape of a well-balanced workout that targets the muscles from all three angles. That being said, even though you can’t really isolate your inner pec fibers, you can modify the way you train so that you can focus more intensely on this area and add thickness to your pecs right where they run up against your sternum.

Here’s what to do:

#1. USE A CLOSER GRIP ON BARBELL PRESSES

The close-grip bench press is a more challenging variation of the standard bench press which powerfully targets the triceps brachii, so it’s mainly considered a great triceps move. But the closer grip also provides a major benefit for chest training, as it allows for a greater activation of the inner fibers of the sternal and clavicular portion of the pectoralis major.

Using a decline bench will maximally stimulate the lower part of the inner pecs, while an incline bench will make sure that the upper part of the inner pecs gets thoroughly worked. You can also set an adjustable bench on a Smith machine to some intermediate angles you’ve never used to shift the focus on in-between areas of your chest that are poorly targeted from typical angles.

Don’t rush into it, though, as proper form and technique are vital to making the gains you want. Once you’re completely comfortable with the standard-grip bench press, you can add a few sets of close-grip presses to your routine to provide greater stimulation for your inner pecs. Simply position your hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart on the bar and focus on achieving optimal contraction.

#2. EMPHASIZE THE PEAK CONTRACTION ON CABLE FLIES

Unlike single-joint dumbbell variations, cable crossovers and flies, including those performed on the peck deck machine, allow you to flex your pecs in the top contracted position on every set, thereby working the chest hardest in the full contracted position and calling for a greater involvement of the inner pec fibers. Hold the peak contracted position for 1-2 seconds at every rep and flex your muscles hard. Keep in mind that when your hands are far apart, your outer pecs receive more stimulation, and the inner pecs get more work when your hands are positioned closer together.

Also, use the one-and-a-half method on cable crossovers and flies to speed up inner-pec development even further. This technique involves performing whole reps followed by half reps done at the top of the range of motion, each pair counting as one single rep. Alternate like this until the set is finished.

Insert these two techniques into your regular routine and you’re guaranteed to see substantial progress in your chest development. Pause for a moment and squeeze your chest at the top portion of the movement to fully engage the inner fibers during any chest exercise, and manipulate the hand position to increase the focus on the targeted area. Swimming will also help build your inner chest and it’s perhaps the best way to develop all layers of your chest muscles due to the amazing range of motion.

Get Your Low Testosterone Back To Normal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:32:00 +0000

Get Your Low Testosterone Back To Normal

If you’re middle-aged and you’ve been diagnosed with low testosterone levels you will probably be looking for ways to deal with that. Some of the possible ways include testosterone replacement therapy, changing your diet and so on – but there is a natural way to boost this hormone’s production as well. I know that testosterone replacement therapy is growing into an industry worth billions of dollars right now and you have really great ad campaigns that push more men to try this type of therapy to solve their problem.

However you should think long and hard before you try testosterone replacement therapy – it’s not a small step and you should look into the details and the fine print before you sign off your decision.

One of the major things that are always pointed out is that doing testosterone replacement therapy will change your life – literally. You can’t just take testosterone once and expect it to last – you will have to take it your entire life. This is because when you take testosterone for the first time, it shuts down your testicles and they no longer synthesize it.

This leaves your body without a testosterone production system and as soon as you stop taking it, you will get a brutal response from your body because of the complete lack of testosterone. You will get depressed, you will lose weight, your sex drive and motivation will plummet and all of this will happen extremely quickly, quicker than you think even.

Some people never get their hormones in check after starting testosterone replacement therapy. This is why you need to know that a lot of reasons can contribute to a low testosterone level and these are things as simple as diets that won’t provide your body with enough material to create testosterone, lack of physical ability or as complex as exposure to chemical estrogens or modern food lacking nutrients.

If you want to supplement well enough so that it positively influences your testosterone levels, you want to start taking vitamin D. If you supplement with this vitamin you should check out your blood levels just to make sure that your body is having its fill. A blood level of 50ng/ml is recommended, so make sure to keep it around that number.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a bunch of other nutrients that influence your testosterone production – it’s not just the vitamin D. However, one of the best things you can do for lowered testosterone is take vitamin D. This is information fresher than most – a study at the end of 2011 revealed that men who didn’t take enough vitamin D (under 20ng/ml in blood level) had a much lower testosterone production and a higher estrogen coefficient.

Also, they had more body fat and less lean muscle, had a much greater percent of depression as well as all types of heart disease. This is all horrible, but they also experienced poorer fertility in comparison to men who had normal and higher vitamin D percentages. The optimum level is anywhere from thirty to fifty ng/ml – the tested men with these levels had the leanest bodies, the highest levels of free testosterone and much better health overall.

Also, right after the study about vitamin D and testosterone, there was another one that showed how supplementing with vitamin D when you actually have a deficiency in the same vitamin. The two groups of men were given two different pills – one was given a placebo daily for a year and the other one was taking 3332 IUs of vitamin D. The group that took the Vitamin D boosted their free testosterone levels by a fifth, which is 20 percent! Also, the supplementing raised their vitamin D up to 36ng/ml which is an optimum level which will provide the best possible health. The guys that took the placebo pill didn’t experience any changes in testosterone or vitamin D blood levels.

Testosterone production is boosted by vitamin D because the cells of the glands that make testosterone have vitamin D receptors. Also, this vitamin inhibits a process called aromatization which makes testosterone turn into estrogen in men. However, as important as Vitamin D is, it’s not the only thing to help with testosterone – you can also take zinc and magnesium supplements.

I strongly suggest you try these fully natural, harmless ways to get to your testosterone goal before signing up for any life changing decisions. Remember, you can always try harder when you’re going the natural way, but you will have to switch to a life of taking artificial hormones if you choose to do testosterone replacement therapy. It’s much easier to go the natural way but it might be just as efficient!

Read More: The 4 Elements of Fitness

Exercises To Help You With Bad Shoulders

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 15:04:00 +0000

Exercises To Help You With Bad Shoulders

Concentrating on some exercises too much, such as the bench press for example, can lead to structural problems with your shoulders as well as shoulder injuries over time. This is why we always recommend doing a higher number of pulling exercises than pushing ones. As an option you can also add some structural balance exercises for your shoulders.

Let us give you a couple of examples of how you can integrate corrective and structural balance exercises into your routine.

The first example that we’re going to look at is a bodybuilding workout that will work on your upper back, but before it ends it has two exercises for structural balance, and you should do these as a superset.

Workout 1

For the first workout, you’re going to start with some sternum chin-ups. Do 5 sets of them with 6 to 8 reps each and rest for two minutes.
After that, do EZ-bar pronated-grip bentover rows for three sets with eight to ten reps each. Rest for 10 seconds and then do a superset with some seated rope rows, pulling up to your neck. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each and rest for a minute and a half.

After that, do wide lat pulldowns with a pronated grip, for 3 sets and 12 to 15 reps of each.

Rest for a minute and do some 30-degree low-pulley external rotations for 3 sets and 12 to 15 reps for each. You should put this exercise in a superset with some 30-degree incline prone trap-3 raises for three sets and ten to twelve reps for each set. Rest for a minute and you’re done – that’s six exercises so it shouldn’t be too hard if you train with the appropriate weight.

The second workout is an arm workout. This example has a superset that will help you with your structural balance as well, but this time it’s at the beginning instead of at the end of the workout.

Workout 2

Start off with some arm-abducted external rotations for 4 sets with 6 to 8 reps each. Superset with some supported bent over trap-3 raises for the same amounts of sets and reps. Rest for a minute and a half after the superset.
After that, do some dips for 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps. Superset this exercise with some one-arm scott curls with supinated grip for the same number of sets, reps and rest. Rest for minute and a half between the superset.

The third superset will consist of two exercises with 3 sets each, with 5 to 7 reps per set and two minutes of rest in between. You will be doing 15-degree DB triceps extensions followed by 45-degree incline DB hammer curls.

You will see which system works better for you. These workouts are just examples, you don’t have to do them word to word. Just follow their founding principle and you should be fine.

Read More: Exercises For Stronger Shoulders

Scientific Reason why Women Need to Go Heavy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:57:00 +0000

Scientific Reason why Women Need to Go Heavy

More and more women step out of their comfort zone and lift weights these days, which is great news because the benefits of weight training greatly outweigh those of cardio. Cardio may burn calories, but that effect stops the minute you get off the treadmill – with weights you get to build more muscle and keep burning fat all day long.

Unfortunately, most ladies still avoid going heavy, believing the myth that heavy weightlifting would make them big and bulky, so they never pick up enough weight to get a great training effect. That’s really a shame, because new studies show that women may benefit from heavy training even more than men.

Any bodybuilder can tell you that gaining muscle isn’t exactly a walk in the park and that’s especially true for women. The women with massively muscular physiques at bodybuilding competitions didn’t get there by heavy lifting alone, as women in general don’t produce nowhere near as much testosterone as men do – they rely on hormone injections to get big and bulky.

In other words: you’re safe! Moreover, you should know that strength training can help you unlock some amazing health benefits that you shouldn’t miss out on just because someone told you that women should only lift two-pound, pink dumbbells.

GO HEAVY FOR LESS FAT AND POWERFUL MUSCLES

Since women cannot get bigger muscles than men, they should lift heavier to improve their muscle strength and definition. When it comes to weight training, one of the main differences between the male and female body is that the first relies more on testosterone while the latter relies more on growth hormone to increase muscle and bone strength. Lifting heavy weights (3-4 reps per set) helps maximize growth hormone production in women, which is a good thing because this hormone is vital for metabolic function and muscle and bone development. And the more growth hormone stimulated, the bigger the benefits of the workout.

One recent study that investigated the effects of different kinds of weight training on growth hormone production in women found that growth hormone was most responsive to moderate (about 12 reps) and heavy (about 3 reps) lifting regimens. “Women need to have a heavy loading cycle in their resistance training routines,” said the lead researcher William J. Kraemer.

There’s no need to be afraid of heavy weights because that will only limit your gains. In order to melt the fat away and build lean and strong muscles you need to vary the training stimuli, and this is the best place to start. Keep in mind that cardio only burns calories and fat while you’re exercising, while weightlifting causes your body to consume more oxygen both during and after the training. This increases your metabolic rate and keeps it elevated long after your drop the last weight. Also, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest and the faster you will achieve your goal body.

And that’s not even the end of the list of the benefits that women can get from lifting – many large, longitudinal studies have shown that strength training lowers blood pressure and levels of bad cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, helps increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis (which is more common in women), normalizes stress levels and even eliminates symptoms of depression. Last but not least, regularly engaging in strength training will improve the quality of your sleep and increase energy levels throughout the entire day.

Basically, the type of training you do and the diet choices you make can powerfully affect every area of your life, including your physical and mental health, self-confidence, work performance, romantic relationships and much more. But first you will need to step out of your box and put your fortitude to the test.

So do you want to get stronger, leaner, healthier and happier? Step off that treadmill, pick up some heavy iron and watch the magic happen!

Read More: Sex After a Workout: Why It's the Best Ever

The Triceps Workout for Bigger Arms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:25:00 +0000

The Triceps Workout for Bigger Arms

For most people, arm training is all about the biceps, which, ironically, constitute much less of your arm size than the triceps. If you’ve been murdering your bi’s with heavy workouts for a while now but still haven’t seen significant improvements in your arm size, that might be a sign that you need to pay more attention to your triceps development. Moreover, you need to train your triceps directly, because as great as it is, heavy chest training is rarely enough to maximally exhaust these muscles.

To save you the time you would otherwise spend fine-tuning key variables like exercise choice, rep ranges, volume and intensity until you compile the perfect triceps routine, we’ve created a straightforward but highly effective triceps workout that presents an optimal blend of bodyweight and machine training as well as compound mass-builders and isolation detail-carving moves, and is guaranteed to produce substantial results for almost anybody.

Let’s get to work!

#1. DIPS

Sets: 4
Reps: rep out to near-failure on the first two sets; go to failure on the last two sets

Triceps Dips

If you haven’t mastered the bodyweight dip yet, here’s a reason to give it another try because this is one of the greatest compound upper-body pressing exercises that strengthens the shoulders, chest and triceps, and it can powerfully propel your triceps growth.

Grab the parallel bars, squeeze your core muscles and lift yourself up until your arms are locked out. For maximum triceps activation, keep your torso upright. You can cross your legs and bend your knees for better stability, but make sure to keep your head up and look straight ahead. Lower yourself down until your triceps are parallel to the floor, keeping your elbows at your side at all times. Explode back up and repeat.

#2. LYING EZ-BAR TRICEPS EXTENSION

Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12

Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension

Lying triceps extensions are a remarkable isolation exercise with a big range of motion that allows you to fully stretch and maximally activate your triceps, while also providing the additional benefit of improved trunk stability.

Lie on a flat bench with an EZ-bar placed on the floor behind your head. Grab the bar with an overhand grip and raise it in front of you at arm length so that your arms are perpendicular to the torso. Keeping the upper arms stationary, slowly lower the bar toward your forehead and perhaps let it lightly touch it, but avoid flaring your elbows out. Squeeze your tri’s hard to push the weight back up to the starting position and repeat.

As long as it doesn’t wreck your form, go as heavy as you can on this one.

#3. CABLE OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION

Sets: 3
Reps: 12-15

Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

Unlike free-weight versions of triceps extensions, cable overhead triceps extensions provide continuous tension on the triceps – even in the final position – so you can really feel your tri’s working overtime on this one.

Attach a rope to the bottom pulley of the machine and grasp the rope with both hands using a neutral grip. Extend your arms above your head until they are perpendicular to the floor, keeping the elbows neutral. Without moving your upper arms or your torso, slowly lower the rope behind your head until your triceps are fully stretched. Pause for a second and give your tri’s a hard squeeze, then return to the starting position.

#4. CLOSE-GRIP TRICEPS PUSH-UPS

Sets: 2
Reps: go to failure, rest for 15 seconds, then rep out to failure again

Close-Grip Triceps Push-Ups

Just like the traditional version, the triceps push-up primarily targets the pectorals, delts and core muscles. However, research has shown that due to the narrow hand position, the triceps push-up is also one of the most effective exercises for exhausting your triceps, and you want to make sure you reap that benefit!

Get in a plank position with your hands closer than shoulder width. Keeping your elbows tight to your sides, tighten your abs and slowly lower your body down until your chest gently touches the floor. Engage your triceps to push yourself back up and repeat.

It would be a bit pretentious to say that this is the only triceps workout you’ll ever need, but believe us, it’s pretty close to that!

Like any other muscle group, the triceps should be trained directly twice per week on nonconsecutive days. Keep in mind that your triceps are also getting work on the days you train chest and shoulders, so plan your workouts accordingly.

Perfect your form and keep blasting your triceps until you get the desired horse-shoe shape at the back of your arms.

Read More: A step by step guide: Tricep dips

exercises that will help you get them

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 15:26:00 +0000

exercises that will help you get them

Let’s be real here: Not everyone was born with the hips of Beyoncé or Serena Williams. But that’s no reason to fret. If a big booty and wide hips are your goals, then you should know that you can totally get them with consistent and hard work. Of course, don’t expect to get them overnight, however, there’s a way to tone the muscles and lose fat around your hips and butt in such a way that over time you will achieve a rounder and firmer look.

All the “equipment” you need to make this happen is a light or medium weight dumbbell. If you’re a beginner, you can start out by using only your body weight and then switch over with the dumbbells once you feel stronger. Then, choose 5 of the exercises listed below and do them 3 times a week. You need to do each at least once in one week’s rotation. Make sure that you rest 30-60 seconds in between sets, as well.

Once you start to feel that the exercises start to get easy, increase the weight or add one more set to continue challenging the muscles, and before you know it, you’ll have a brand new booty. A few notes, before we begin. Reps are the number of times you repeat an exercise. A set is a group of reps you do that exercise. This means if you did 12 reps for 4 sets, the total number of times you did an exercise is 30. So, let’s dive into it.

SIDE LUNGES

Working your booty muscles in different planes of motion will make it shapelier overall. Our bodies are moving in 3 different planes of motion: sagittal, frontal and transverse. The joint you’re currently moving will determine the plane of motion that your body is working in. This exercise, for example, will work your butt muscles in the frontal plane. If you want to make the movement heavier you can grab a couple of dumbbells. This is how you do it:

Stand straight, your feet touching each other, with a light or medium-weight dumbbell in each hand.
Whilst leading with the right foot, begin stepping out wide, directly to your right.
Bend the knee and push the hips back. Lower the arms in such a way that they form a “sandwich” with the right leg.
Keep the torso upright and your gaze forward at all times.
Then prepare to return to the starting position: push off the floor with your right foot and shift your body weight to your left leg, and return to a standing position.
Perform 12 reps with each leg for 3 sets.

SIDE DUMBBELL LEG RAISES

This exercise targets the core and outer thighs.

Start with the feet together and with a small to a medium-sized dumbbell in your right hand.
Keep the right leg straight and then slowly raise your leg directly out to the side. Allow the dumbbell’s weight to rest against the leg. You should do this as slow and controlled as possible, and as high as you can raise your leg.
Then, slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Perform 12-15 reps on each side for a total of 3 sets.

SIDE LEG ABDUCTIONS

This exercise is similar to the previous one, the only difference being that you’re lying down. It targets the hips and glutes more directly.
Lie down on the floor on your right side with your head, neck, and back in a neutral position.
Rest your head on your arm, which needs to be extended above the head.
Put your legs together, i.e. on top of each other.
Keep your core firm and begin to raise the left leg as high as you can. When you reach the top, pause for a while.
Then, slowly return to the starting position.
Perform 15 reps with each leg for 3 sets.

HIP RAISES

Hip raises are sometimes also known as “a bridge”. They target the glutes.
Lie down on the floor. Keep the back rigid and straight and bend the knees at a 90-degree angle. You should keep your feet flat on the ground.
Keep the arms straight at your sides touching your torso with your palms facing down.
Take a deep breath and push through your heels. Raise your hips by squeezing the glutes, hamstrings and pelvic floor.
Rest the upper body on your shoulders and back, by forming a straight line with your knees.
Hold this position for 1-2 seconds and then return to the starting one.
Perform 15 reps for 4 sets.

SQUATS

Squats are one of the most basic exercises that the human body is capable of doing.

Stand upright with your feet places a bit wider than shoulder-width. The toes should be pointing slightly outwards.
Bend the knees and push the butt and hips back as if you’re trying to sit on a chair.
Tuck your chin and keep your neck in a neutral position. Keep lowering the torso until the things are parallel to the floor.
Make sure that your balance your weight on your heels with your knees bowed outwards.
Then, extend your legs and get back to an upright position.
Perform 15 reps for 4 sets.

SQUAT KICKS

You consider this exercise as a type of cardio move as well, which means you get two for the price of one.
Start by standing with your feet at a shoulder-width apart distance and your arms bent out in front of you.
Squat down, by pushing your butt and your hips back, until the thighs become parallel to the floor.
Once you start rising again, kick the right foot out to the side as high as you can. Try to imagine what a kickboxer would do.
When the right foot comes back to the ground, squat again immediately.
Repeat the whole process with your left foot.
A single repetition is counted as 1 left and 1 right kick. For starters, perform 12 reps for 3 sets. You can then increase this to 15 reps for 3 sets.

DUMBBELL SQUATS

For this exercise, you’ll follow the same steps you did for the squat kicks, but this time you’ll hold a dumbbell in each hand. You’re going to place the dumbbell in such a way that it’ll rest on your shoulders, just below the chin. This is considered a more advanced exercise, so you may need to start with a lighter weight if you’ve never done it before.
Stand up straight, with the feet placed slightly wider than shoulder-width and your toes pointed out. Grab a dumbbell in each hand.
Bend the knees and push the butt and hips back like you’re trying to sit on a chair.
Keep the chin tucked and your neck neutral. Lower yourself down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your body weight centered on the heels with your knees bent slightly outwards.
Extend your legs and go back to the starting upright position.
Do 12 reps for 3 sets.

SPLIT SQUATS

Split squats are also popularly known as Bulgarian split squats. They target both your legs and glutes and improve your overall stability.
Get yourself a bench or anything resembling a bench and stand at a lunge-length distance from it with your back facing it.
Put the top of your left on the bench.
Do a lunge with your right foot, whilst keeping your torso rigid and upright until the left knee nearly touches the floor and the right thigh is parallel to it.
Then, go back to the starting position.
Perform 10-12 reps for 3 sets, then switch legs.

SUMO WALKS

This exercise is excellent for strengthening your quads.
Get yourself into a squat position with your arms bent in front of you.
Maintain this position and begin to step to your right.
To get an intense burn in your muscles, stay in a low position for as long as you can manage.
Walk 10 steps first to the right, and then 10 steps back to the left. Do 4 sets.

HIP-LIFT PROGRESSION

When the standard hip lift becomes too easy for you, you can try the single-leg hip lift.
Start by lying down on a mat face up and bend your knees. Keep both feet on the floor. Put your palms at your sides facing down.
Raise the right leg up off the floor and straighten it out in front of you.
Keep the left leg bent.
Push the left heel into the ground and raise the pelvis up towards the ceiling.
Once you get into a bridge position, squeeze tight.
Then, slowly lower your torso to the floor.
Repeat the process for 30 seconds. Then, switch with the opposite leg and complete 30 seconds again.

DONKEY KICK

To get the most out of this exercise, you need to make sure your back doesn’t sag which would make the glutes do all the work.
You will begin by being on all fours, with the knees placed at hip-width, your hands under your shoulders with your spine and neck neutral.
Brace the torso and start raising your left leg. Keep the knee bent, with the foot remaining flat and hinging at the hip.
Use the glutes to push the foot straight towards the ceiling. Squeeze them tight once you reach the top.
Make sure that the pelvis and hip you’re using are pointed towards the floor at all times.
Get back to the starting position.
Perform 15-20 reps using each leg for 4 sets.

CHAIR POSE AND OTHER YOGA POSES

There are many different yoga poses that can specifically target the glutes and hips, like the chair pose. To do the chair pose:
Stand up straight with your feet placed together and your arms down by your sides.
Keep your feet in place, and slowly bend the knees and move your arms straight over your head.
Keep your neck neutral.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Some other yoga poses you could try are
Side plank, which directly engages the hips.

SUMMARY

Aside from practicing the proper training regimen, you should also pay attention to your diet, not to mention that genetics is crucial when it comes to hip anatomy. Before you try this out consult with your doctor or trainer about what you can expect to achieve. When you’re realistic about your expectations, you will have a clearer goal in mind and you won’t be disappointed in the end. Trust the process and know that if you put in the hard work it will pay off.

Read More: Bodybuilding Nutrients: The Key To Building A Great Body

A step by step guide: Tricep dips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 00:52:00 +0000

A step by step guide: Tricep dips

When people think of big muscular arms, the first muscles that immediately spring into people’s minds are the biceps. When people flex their muscles, which muscles do they flex? Almost always the biceps. People think of bodybuilders and muscular people as people with big arms, which is absolutely right. However, a common misconception is that people think it’s the bicep muscles that are responsible for big arms, when in actual fact it is the triceps muscle that is responsible for how big a person’s arm is.

The triceps muscle actually has three separate heads, hence the name TRI-cep, and it is the muscle that runs on the underside of the upper arm. If you build up your triceps, you can add inches to the size of your arm, and for that reason, here’s a look at one of the most effective triceps exercises you could ever wish for…triceps dips.

Read More: Barbell Pull Over

– Begin by standing on a set of dipping bars, holding your entire body at arm’s length, with your arms almost entirely fully locked above the dipping bars.

– Next, take a deep breath, and begin by slowly lowering your body downwards, making sure that your elbows are as close to the side of your body as possible, and that your body itself is upright.

– Lower yourself down as low as you can, until your forearm and your upper arm form a 90 degree angle between one another.

– Next, breathe out, and power your torso back upwards, generating power from your triceps, until your body is back in the starting position.

– Repeat for as many reps as required, making sure to concentrate on maintaining strict form throughout the exercise.

Things to remember

• Always keep your elbows tucked as close to your side as possible, this helps to isolate the triceps muscles, thus making the exercise that little bit more effective.

• Make sure to really work the muscle to absolute failure. By the time you’ve actually completed this exercise, your triceps should burn ever so slightly, and your arms should feel extremely pumped.

• If you’re not used to this exercise, or do not possess the strength, ask a spotter to help you by gently helping to lift your legs as you raise yourself up.

• If you’re a more experienced lifter, you can add additional weight with this exercise by wearing a weight belt with a specially fitted chain that allows you to attach weight plates to the belt before you perform the exercise.

Foods That Actually Slow Down Your Metabolism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:08:00 +0000

Foods That Actually Slow Down Your Metabolism

Let’s start this article on a positive note. Everything you consume during the day has the potential to naturally boost your metabolism and help you gain muscle and lose weight faster, like anything in the range from green tea to extra spicy peppers. Every time you put something in your mouth you are either heating up your metabolism or slowing it down.

The purpose of this article is to help you make the right choice. Here we will list the foods that are totally screwing up your metabolism and setting you back from your goals, even though you might have never guessed they did this until you’re having trouble buckling up. So, we present the 5 foods you need to avoid anytime you can:

1. WHITE FLOUR

White flour is the main ingredient in regular bread and pasta and even though they might have a better taste than the ones made of whole wheat, that’s about the only positive characteristic that white flour products have. White flour is made of wheat, however, during the processing, all the grains’ best characteristics, like antioxidants and fiber are taken away. All you’re left with is something that tastes better and has a better texture but has a very low amount of quality nutrients.

And to make it worse, white flour contains low amounts of fiber, which usually slows down digestion, the stomach digests it quicker than whole wheat foods. This way the body needs less extra calories to burn in order to digest these foods which make your metabolism function at a slower rate. On the other hand, foods that contain higher amounts of fiber like whole wheat foods boost your metabolism because the stomach needs to burn extra calories to break down the ingested fiber which is much harder to digest.

2. BEEF FROM FARM COWS

Traditionally farmed beef contains more antibiotics than beef fed with grass does. Nutritionists were unaware for years on the detrimental effect these antibiotics could have on people’s health. One study has found that the antibiotics that were found in beef coming from cows raised on farms can produce a harmful effect on the good bacteria in our intestines. This way their amount can decrease which would cause an increase in weight gain because it affects the food digestion in a negative way. Simply said, the antibiotics in the meat make us fat. The solution is simple, choose grass-fed beef as often as possible.

3. APPLES

We all know the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Well, it has turned out that that is not entirely true. A recent study has found that a certain variety of fungicide that is sprayed on vegetables and fruits caused fat gain in mice and scientists say that the same may hold true for humans.

So, if you think you’ve finally started eating right and got yourself an apple, think again, since it might be stopping you from losing excess weight. The way you can counteract this is by limiting your exposure to various pesticides by buying organic foods of those vegetables and fruits that are more likely to soak up the pesticides and the bad bacteria. It goes without mentioning that you should always wash them first thoroughly before consuming them.

4. OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS

By now, everyone has heard about the amazing benefits omega-3 fatty acids provide, that are found in walnuts, chia seeds, eggs yolk, salmon etc, however, they should not be confused with the similarly sounding omega-6 fatty acids. The latter which can be found in pork, chicken, butter and various sugary foods, could be slowing down your metabolism. Our ancestors’ diet used to have the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but today, modern food processing technology has left us with hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils, which are rich in omega-6, making them pro-inflammatory and correlated with obesity.

One study, in fact, has found that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids and a high omega-6/3 ratio is connected to fat gain in both humans and animals. On the other hand, high amount of omega-2 intake lowers the risk of gaining weight. What’s even more interesting is that the study found that omega-6 increase insulin resistance, which makes our bodies convert a big amount of the ingested carbs into fat.

5. SODA OR HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

There have been a lot of warnings in recent years that you should avoid high fructose corn syrup. Its consumption is proven to be related to “metabolic syndrome” which is a common name for a group of risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. It can be found in many foods that are processed and in many soft drinks, which people usually buy because of how seemingly tasty and cheap the products are.

It’s also been discussed among scientists that fructose that is ingested in the same amounts as any other sugar can have more damaging effects on your metabolism. One study has found that high fructose corn syrup leads to obesity because of the negative effects it has on your metabolism.

Read More: The Biggest Mistake You Can Make When Trying to Lose-weight

Simple Movements For a Stronger Core

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:25:00 +0000

Simple Movements For a Stronger Core

One of the main reasons you aren’t seeing the results you want in the gym could be because you aren’t training your core enough. It isn’t called “the core” for nothing. It sustains the balance and strength of the entire body. The stronger it is, the stronger you’ll become in all other exercises. And you’ll not only get the coveted six-pack, you’ll also see yourself becoming stronger and more muscular in every part of your body.

In this article, we present to you simple movements which will give you a stable and strong midsection. Some of the exercises are done on your knees; when you eliminate the feet and legs from keeping you stable, you are forced to work your core harder, which will have a great impact on your abs.

Incorporate these movements into your training regimen and you’ll see really fast results in the form of a flatter stomach, shrinking waist, more endure and more muscle which translated into more calories and fat being burned.

Always remember to keep the abdominal muscles tight and engaged throughout the movements to get the most benefit.

KNEELING TRICEPS PUSHBACK

Strong abdominals will not only keep the body stabilized and balanced while you’re doing arm exercises, the triceps will also get a workout as well.

Get down with your arms and legs on the floor and grab a dumbbell. Keep the hips over the knees and your shoulder over the wrist of the stabilizing arm. Keep your back flat and rigid and your working arm beside you at the height of your hip holding a dumbbell. This is the lowest your arm needs to go. With your palm facing the ceiling, press the dumbbell upwards about six inches. Take it back to your hip. Do it on one side for 10 reps, then do 10 reps on the other side.

PLANK

Do a plank for 30 seconds as the second exercise. Plank is an excellent isometric exercise to correct all the imbalances we have acquired from improper body position while hunched over desks in our office, over tables, the steering wheel. Crunches may not be the best corrective exercise since they may only exacerbate our neck and back problems. A plank will force the core to support the entire body.

Lie with your face down by resting on the forearms. Press up from the floor on the toes and rest on the elbows. Keep the back rigid and flat, contract the abs while holding the body in a straight line from head to heels. Don’t let your behind sag or stick it upwards. Keep the head up and your shoulders down.

CRAB TWIST

Your oblique abdominals will get the greatest effect from this movement. Use the arm and the foot that are placed on the floor to help the core stabilize. If that’s too hard for you, place both hands on the floor.

Sit on the ground with the knees bent in the front, with your feet hip-width apart on the ground. Place the hands at shoulder-width apart on the ground behind you. Lift the butt in a way that the body is in reverse tabletop position. Extend the right leg and put the left leg behind the head with your elbow out.

Crunch in a diagonal direction, bringing the right knee to the left elbow. That constitutes one rep. Do 10 reps, and then do 10 reps with the opposite knee and elbow.

BIRD DOG

This is a movement which is practiced a lot in Pilates and yoga and it uses the core to extend and contract the legs and arms.

Get down on the floor on your hands and knees and keep the palms flat on the floor at a shoulder-width. Relax the core in a way that the lower back and abs are in a natural position. Brace the abs and raise the right arm and left leg until the form a straight line with the body.

Hold that position for 5-10 seconds and then go back to the starting position. Brace the abs and raise the right arm and left leg until they form a straight line with your body. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds. Then go back to the starting position. Repeat the same movement with the left arm and right leg.

Read More: Best Six-Move Workout To Sculpture Your Abs

Should You Avoid Sex Before a Workout?

noreply@blogger.com (Gym Guide) — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 17:41:00 +0000

For thousands of years, sexual abstinence (and the resulting frustration) has been thought to boost performance and aggression. Both Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson supposedly swore off sex in the weeks leading up to fights. And there's that infamous scene in Rocky when Mick tells Rock to “lay off that pet shop dame” because “women weaken legs.”

But even though you've probably heard that abstinence boosts performance before a competition, this idea has always had its detractors. Ronda Rousey, for instance, famously said she has “as much sex as possible” before a fight.

So who’s right? Well, a new study weighs in on Rousey’s side of the debate. Sex before a competition or a big workout isn't just verboten — it may actually boost your performance.

In the study, researchers asked a group of 12 men to perform lower body exercises the morning after they’d either had sex or had taken a night off from sexual activity. “This night-before design was to mimic the timeframe that some athletes may face,” says Todd Astorino, Ph.D., co-author of the study and a professor of kinesiology at California State University, San Marcos.

Astorino and his colleagues found that sex had no effect on the men’s ability to perform weight training movements. During five sets of two lower-body exercises, both peak and average performance held steady regardless of whether a man had had sex the night before.

While the study was admittedly very small, “our data would suggest that sex does not impair muscle force when performed within 12 hours of a gym workout,” Astorino says. But there's a caveat, he adds: “at the world-class level, athletes win and lose by very small margins.” Whether or not sex could subtly influence a competitor’s performance is a difficult nail to hammer down. (Pun intended.)

Additional research on the subject of pre-competition sex sheds a little more light on the debate.

“There are thoughts that testosterone levels may change before and after sex, and this can alter things like mood as well as performance,” Astorino says.

One 2003 study from China, for instance, found that a man’s testosterone levels remain relatively steady in the days after an ejaculation. But if he can hold out for a full week, his T levels can jump by almost 45% on his seventh day of abstinence. (Testosterone levels do not, however, continue to climb after that day-seven peak, the authors of that study say.) Meanwhile, a similar study found no such jump in T among men who abstained, and in fact, found testosterone tends to be slightly elevated after sex.

As if mixed results like those weren’t frustrating enough, experts also point out that every sport is different.

↚

A comprehensive 2016 review of all the existing studies on sex and athletic performance found a lot of conflicting data and a general lack of evidence on performance in the context of different types of competition. “Given the variety of sports, and their different metabolic and situational differences, generalization is not possible,” the authors of that review said.

What to make of all this? Whatever you want. It doesn’t seem to matter much whether an athlete gets it on before competition — as long as he doesn’t have extremely strenuous sex right before a match.

So if you feel like sex relaxes you and helps you focus during competition, feel free to get busy. Or if you think abstaining helps you stay aggressive, go ahead and skip sex. There’s not enough evidence today to suggest switching up your pre-game routines.

BY MARKHAM HEID

Ways to Improve Mind-Muscle Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:06:00 +0000

Ways to Improve Mind-Muscle Connection

Where the mind goes the body follows.

There are lots of quotes and statements like this that all have the same overall principle. You need to have the right mindset to make the most out of whatever it is you’re doing.

As with everything else in life, this also applies to your training and fitness goals.

Specifically, when it comes to the actual training, your mind needs to be right. That leads us to a popular phrase that you have likely seen a lot.

The “mind-muscle connection” is something that can be a big factor in helping you achieve personal fitness success.

What Is Mind-Muscle Connection?

The mind-muscle connection means you are mentally connected to the body and how it’s working while you’re performing activities. Most of you reading this lift weights and are dedicated to training for a variety of reasons. I doubt this is something you simply do nonchalantly. You probably go into the gym to make the most out of the workout and accomplish your goals.

So you should do all you can to have a successful session. Having a great mind-muscle connection can be an integral part of making that happen. If this is something you have trouble with or if you’re new to the lifting game and can benefit from advice, then consider these seven tactics to make your mind work and your muscles will follow suit.

1. Focus on Training the Muscle, Not Lifting the Weight

This is the overall mindset you need when you go to the gym. It can be tempting to focus more on the number on the weights and doing what you have to do to get it up when you start to reach failure.

The main idea you need to establish before you start is that you’re there to train the chest, not bench x number of pounds. You want to focus on quadriceps, not leg press every plate in the weight room. The weight has to be the means to an end and that “end” is working the muscle.

Establishing this at the start is vital if you want to make the most of the entire workout. It will be more difficult to do by the end of the session but keeping the mind strong is what will help the muscles get stronger.

2. Visualize

You can watch the muscles working when you’re training in front of a mirror but that may not be available at all times so that’s when this can come into play.

Arnold Schwarzenegger used to be a big believer in visualization and felt it helped him maximize his physique when he was in his prime winning Olympias against the likes of Sergio Oliva Sr. and Lou Ferrigno. When he trained biceps, he visualized them as mountains and would see them grow with each rep. At his peak, his upper arm measured close to 23 inches so you can’t argue the results.

You don’t have to have that exact image in your mind but you should think about the muscles and how they are working while you’re completing the rep. Take yourself inside the muscle and watch the fibers break down. Think about the blood that is going to flood the area to create the pump. Seeing it in your mind before it happens will help you make it a reality once you start lifting.

3. Warm Up Sets on Each Exercise

Now that you’ve started the session, you need to reinforce that mindset we covered earlier. One way to do that is to do at least one warm-up set of each exercise you’re going to do that day.

Let’s think about the chest. You might do incline barbell press, flat dumbbell flys, seated chest press, and cable flys. Do a warm-up set with a lighter weight with the goal being to feel the chest contracting and stretching on each rep.

This can also help the overall quality of your work sets. If you don’t feel what you’re supposed to be feeling, you can make adjustments going forward. Change your position or adjust the weight you’re using. When you feel the muscles working properly, you’re doing effective reps.

4. Slow Down the Reps

This is a popular method for increasing time under tension but it’s also a good way to improve your mind-muscle connection. Performing the reps slower helps you feel the muscle working and stretching from start to finish.

Do this one with exercises like concentration curls. Isolation movements like this are much more effective with slower reps and you will know for sure that the muscles are working. You might reach failure sooner than expected but the overall purpose will still be served.

5. Flex in Between Sets

I know the image that may have entered your mind when you read this one but don’t jump the gun on me. I’m not asking you to stand in front of the mirror and perform all the mandatory poses like you’re onstage at a bodybuilding show.

Instead, I’m suggesting that you take a few seconds where you are and flex the muscle you’re working on while you’re recovering. Let’s talk triceps for a minute. You just finished a set of rope press downs. After you release the rope, simply stand where you are, straighten your arms to your sides, and flex the triceps for a few seconds.

Read More: Best Super Food for Pre-workout

Try to feel all three heads when you do this. Do it again before you start your next set. It’s a subtle way to contract the muscles and you don’t look like you’re trying to win the Mr. Hometown Gym contest.

What this will do is help reinforce that the triceps are the focus and will keep you connected to the back of the arms when you start that next set. You’ll want each rep to feel like it did when you were flexing just a few seconds ago.

6. Have Your Partner Touch the Muscles

This is one that is most beneficial for the muscles that you can’t see like the back or rear delts. You might have seen clips online of a coach or trainer touching the back or rear delts of someone training. This actually can be a very effective method to help the athlete training have a productive set.

You can’t see the muscles behind you working unless there are mirrors that are just in the right position. So when you feel that person touching that area and you feel it, it helps you feel those muscles working too. It is a small gesture that can help you maximize each rep, set, and workout.

You don’t need your partner to do this on every rep but the first rep or two can be beneficial.

Back Workout For Huge Back & Traps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 15:11:00 +0000

Back Workout For Huge Back & Traps

Let’s be real about this – building a back of comic book proportions can only be achieved through brutally heavy, exhausting workouts, over a long period of time, which is the exact reason why bodybuilders with massive, thick backs, huge traps and three-dimensional rhomboid muscles get instant respect as soon as they walk into a gym. But the good news are that there is no such thing as a too big back. While focusing too much on the growth of almost every other aspect of your physique can potentially harm your proportions, more is always better when it comes to back development. Also, keep in mind that the back is the prime mover in the deadlift, which means that the strength of your back has a major influence on your deadlifting progress.

So if you consider yourself a serious lifter and you want your back to be one of the first things people notice about your physique, read on because we’re about to uncover an excellent back workout routine that will help you significantly speed up your back development.

This routine is fairly simple, because the number of different exercises isn’t what makes a great workout – instead, it’s all about obtaining the right intensity needed for optimal muscle activation as well as enhanced testosterone production. To get there, ditch the straps and prepare for some heavy lifting.

Read More: Add Mass And Definition To Your Traps

#1. DEADLIFTS WITH SHRUGS

Perform 5 sets of 5 heavy reps. In addition, perform three shrugs once you have lifted the weight. So each sets should consist of 5 deadlifts and 15 shrugs. Make sure that your form is flawless, otherwise you will only reap back injury.

#2. PULL-UPS

Hang on a bar with your hands positioned slightly wider than shoulder width apart, then pull up until your chin reaches the level of the bar. Pause for a second and repeat. Perform 3 sets until failure, then have a spotter assist you for an additional 5 reps.

#3. BACK ROWS

According to popular bodybuilding advice, you got to row to grow, and we couldn’t agree more. Choose your favorite variation of this exercise (cambered bar row, dumbbell row, trap bar row, one-arm barbell row, etc.) but increase the volume and perform 4 sets of 15-20 reps.

#4. REVERSE MACHINE FLIES

Grasp the handles with your hands facing inwards and pull out to your side and back in a semicircular motion, squeezing your rear delts. Your arms should be slightly bent all throughout the movement. Perform 4 sets with at least 10 reps.

This heavy routine is guaranteed to naturally boost your testosterone levels and engage your back muscles and triceps in the most favorable way. The end result? Colossal muscle growth and increased work capacity. That being said, you don’t have to perform it five times per week in order to get best results – in fact, it’s most advisable to limit your back training to once or twice in the week.

Ways to Boost Workout Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 13:42:00 +0000

Ways to Boost Workout Motivation

Let’s face it, if you have the motivation to consistently train with a high intensity you’re setting yourself up for success.

When you pursue anything in life you need to incentivize. Incentive is what motivates and gives you the enthusiasm to put the effort into reaching your goals.

Without motivation, channeling the full-force intensity needed to translate reps into results is all but impossible.

We all have those days when we experience a total lack of motivation when gearing up for the gym.

For some, the enthusiasm that fueled incredible workouts in the early stages of training evaporates over time and never returns.

While most devoted and disciplined lifters quickly override the urge to take it easy in the gym, an unlucky few remain on cruise control, never really giving it their all despite their best intentions.

So how do these people recapture the willingness to make each workout the best workout of their life?

It all comes back to incentive.

1. Make training non-negotiable

Some things are non-negotiable. On the health front, sleep, food, and hygiene are accepted without question as part of our daily schedule. So why not consider training another of life’s non-negotiables?

Make the idea of not training a big time deal breaker that is absolutely not acceptable. By adding training to your list of non-negotiables, there is less chance of cancelling a session should a friend call in for coffee unannounced. Feeling a ‘little under the weather’ becomes nothing more than a lame excuse to cut a training session short.

Placing training high on your list of priorities sends a message to others that you are serious about the gym. People will come to understand and respect the importance you attach to working out. By giving training non-negotiable status, the incentive never to miss a workout is increased. Working out will have a whole new level of importance in your life.

No excuses. No compromising.

Read More: Must Do Back Moves to Build A Massive Back

2. Set workout goals

Gaining X amount of muscle by May or achieving a new personal best on the bench press by July are examples of typical training goals. But how many people set specific workout goals?

Failing to achieve a goal you’ve set for yourself can be disheartening. But without goals there is no direction. When it comes time to up the intensity, if you have no goal to strive towards you’re just as likely to quit than rise to the challenge.

Having gym goals gives incentive to up the intensity despite your muscles crying out in pain. Knowing exactly what you expect to achieve from a training session leaves little room for uncertainty and doubt. Before your next workout, map out the exact weights to be lifted, number of sets, and rep ranges.

Write out what you know is achievable but also challenging enough to induce extreme effort. Thrive on the challenge of a hard workout and the thrill of victory. A set of specific goals for each workout will incentivize your training like never before.

3. Prepare

Pre-training preparation is as important as the training itself. A good pre-training ritual includes visualization, pre-workout nutrition, inspiring music, and positive self-talk to provide extra incentive to hit the weights hard.

The physical ability to train all out for an hour or more can easily be damaged by poor focus and a lack of direction. Focus and direction can be reinforced by increasing your mental pump. Eat a nutritious meal an hour before and take a pre-workout supplement just before your start.

Mentally rehearse your workout and visualize a positive outcome. Tell yourself “I WILL press 300lbs today”. Listen to music that gets your blood pumping. A pre-workout ritual should be viewed as essential in supporting solid muscle gains.

4. Be accountable

A major method for boosting training accountability involves sharing the training journey with family, friends, and on social media. Putting training goals out there for all to see provides the incentive to follow through. Failing in front of many is a far worse prospect when compared to failing and no one knowing about it.

Whether we will admit to it or not, nobody likes to be seen as a failure.

Sharing the training process with others also allows you to keep track of your progress. By putting training goals and expectations in writing you become more attuned to what has to be done to complete your mission. It also builds a supportive network of well-wishers that can encourage you to do your best.

5. Partner up

Besides increasing accountability, a training partner is often all the motivation you need to up your gym game. A gym buddy can challenge and inspire you when your motivation is at its lowest.

Missing a workout is not an option if your training partner has honored their end of the bargain. Getting to the gym on time and having a killer workout is encouraged ten-fold when a willing partner is waiting for you.

Finding a compatible training partner can be difficult. A few ‘auditions’ may need to be held to find someone who is reliable and committed to the training process. But when you find that perfect swolemate the ongoing incentive to make each training session count and push yourself to your limits is worth it.

6. Train for something big

Specific workout goals provide direction and help to channel focus. Having a major goal (a bodybuilding event or photo shoot) provides a foundation for workout goal setting and, with its specific timeframe, provides an incentive to make each workout better than the last.

Presenting your best possible physique in a bodybuilding contest cannot be achieved through half-measures. Any skimping on workout intensity or reduction in training volume may be reflected onstage.