Do you know which of the amino acids is frequently used by dieters and bodybuilders to build muscle tissue? Amino acids are the chemical components that are the basic elements of proteins. Each Amino acid performs specific functions in the body. The benefits of Amino acids are numerous and varied and will be discussed in this article, especially with regard to the benefits for bodybuilders.

To understand the importance of these chemicals, you must understand how important proteins are to life. Proteins are found in every living organism, from the largest animal down to the tiniest microbe.

Proteins form the structure for every living creature. The proteins making up the body are not derived from dietary sources. The body breaks down dietary protein into its Amino acid components, which the body then uses to create the proteins it needs.

In its various forms, protein participates in numerous chemical processes necessary to maintain life. They assist with the transportation of oxygen, the contraction of muscles, and with the exchange of nutrients between intracellular fluids and body tissues, blood, and the lymphatic system.

Next to water, protein is the most abundant substance in the human body. It is found in muscles, tendons, bones, hair, nails, organs, and glands.

There are twenty of these acids found in protein. Of these twenty, humans can produce 10 of them, with the remainder supplied in foods.

The 10 acids that humans are unable to produce are called essential acids. Failure to obtain even one of these chemicals causes a degradation of the proteins in the body. Unlike fats and starches, these chemicals are not stored for later use.

The remainder of these amino acids is considered to be unessential. This means they do not need to be obtained through the weight gain diet as the body can manufacture them on its own.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are three essential amino acids, including Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. They can be easily obtained from protein foods and are the three most important amino acids in the manufacture, maintenance and repair of muscle-tissue.

First on our list of essential Amino acids is Isoleucine. Isoleucine helps with the formation of hemoglobin and regulates levels of sugar in the blood. It also participates in the formation of blood clots.

Our next item is Leucine. Leucine is another branched-chain acid that protects muscles and acts as fuel. If also helps to build muscle tissue and is commonly used by bodybuilders for this purpose.

It promotes the healing of muscle, bone, and skin after traumatic injury.

The last Branched-chain Amino acid is Valine. Valine is needed for muscle metabolism and for tissue repair and growth.

It is useful in treating a deficiency of Amino acids occurring as a result of drug dependency.

The Other Amino Acids

The next amino acid we will discuss is Alanine. Its main function is to help the body metabolize Tryptophan and Pyridoxine.

It helps the body to metabolize glucose, a simple carbohydrate the body uses for energy.

Next we have Arginine. Arginine promotes immune system function by increasing the size and activity of the Thymus gland, which produces white blood cells called T-Cells.

Arginine is used to make a chemical called Nitric Oxide.

Nitric Oxide causes the blood vessels to relax and may help with conditions such as Atherosclerosis, Intermittent Claudication, and Erectile Dysfunction.

The next item in our list is Asparagine. Asparagine helps the nervous system to maintain a calm equilibrium. In other words, it helps prevent you from becoming overly excited or overly calm.

It helps the body to metabolize ammonia. It is considered to be a nonessential Amino acid.

Next we have Aspartic acid. Aspartic acid helps to increase stamina and combat fatigue. It is sometimes used as a treatment for Depression.

Chronic fatigue may result from low levels of Aspartic acid.

On a cellular level, it assists with the functions of RNA and DNA, which carry genetic information.

Our next item is Cystine. Cystine is involved in the production of collagens, which is the main protein of connective tissue.

It is necessary for proper utilization of Vitamin B6 and helps heal burns and wounds.

It promotes healing after surgery and severe burns.

Now we have Glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is converted to Glutamine where it functions as a neurotransmitter.

It is useful for metabolizing fats and sugars.

It helps transport potassium across the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system.

Glutamine is our next Amino acid. Glutamine easily crosses through the blood brain-barrier into the brain where it is used for fuel.

It is frequently use by dieters and body builders to build muscle tissue.

Next on our list is Histidine. Histidine is an essential Amino acid that helps with the growth and repair of various tissues.

It helps to maintain the myelin sheaths, a protective outer layer covering the axons of neurons in the nervous system.

The next item in our list of Amino acids is L-lysine. Lysine is necessary for proper bone development and growth in children.

It helps with the production of hormones, antibodies, and enzymes.

L-lysine is used as a treatment for lesions of the mouth and genital regions caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Next on our list is Methionine. Methionine helps to prevent fat buildup in the arteries and liver that might block blood flow to essential organs.

It is a beneficial antioxidant as the sulfur in it neutralizes free radicals. Some studies have shown it may help improve memory.

The next item in our list of Amino acids is Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is an essential acid that, once inside the body, can be converted into Tyrosine, which is needed for the production of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine.

Phenylalanine is a neurotoxin and high levels of it can lead to cellular death in the brain. It constitutes half of the artificial sweetener Aspartame, a sweetener that is found in diet sodas.

One animal study has shown it may be a useful treatment for Parkinson’s disease. More research in this area needs to be done.

Next we have Proline. Proline helps keep skin healthy by assisting with the production of collagen.

It works to maintain and heal cartilage, which makes it useful for conditions such as Osteoarthritis.

Next is Serine. Serine helps the body to properly metabolize fats and fatty acids.

It assists with the production of immunoglobulins. Immunoglobulins play an important role in the immune response, by destroying foreign substances such as bacteria.

We now come to Threonine. Threonine is an acid that helps to maintain a proper balance of proteins in the body.

It helps produce elastin and collagen, two elements needed for healthy skin.

As it is found in the Central Nervous System, it may be helpful in treating some types of Depression.

Our next Amino acid is Tryptophan. Tryptophan is used by the body to produce Serotonin which is needed for normal sleep.

It helps to alleviate insomnia, as it is a natural relaxant.

It helps the immune system to function properly and minimizes the severity of Migraine headaches.

As it helps to produce Serotonin, it may help with certain types of Depression.

Our last Amino acid is Tyrosine. Tyrosine is a precursor to the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, which function as mood elevators.

A deficiency of Tyrosine may result in inadequate amounts of norepinephrine in the brain that may lead to Depression. It increases alertness while simultaneously fighting fatigue.

Alcohol and muscle building does not mix. I think if you are serious about your health and muscle building development and you want the maximum possible benefit from your weight training program, then you should drink alcoholic in moderation or NOT at all.

Moderation is usually considered as having 1-2 drinks a day. If the aim is building muscle, it likely won’t do much harm, and may even have some health benefits such as increased HDL. I know everyone has heard that drinking wine is good for you and that is true to a certain degree. The actual truth can be found in the grape skin. It has an enzyme that is good for you and you can get it from grape juice.

However, excessive alcohol consumption will undoubtedly compromise the results you’ll get from your weight gain diet and training program. The truth is that you should not want to consume these types of alcoholic drinks because you are in constant training of some type or another. Hangovers are a result of dehydration. Alcohol dehydrates the body since it draws water from the cells and increases water loss through the kidneys.

Dehydration cannot only hinder muscle growth, but it can be dangerous also. For example running requires water within the body to keep you cool. If lack the proper hydration you are risking over heating such as heat exhaustion, muscle cramps, or heat stroke.

Alcohol consumption hinders your body from absorption of the proper nutrients for muscle growth during weight lifting. Remember we are dieting to have their proper fuel for our type of training. We don’t want to block the vital nutritional gains. We want to enhance them.

Alcohol suppresses your body’s ability to burn fat. The main reason is the oxidation of the alcohol takes top priority over the oxidation of other macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, and fats. In other words, while your body is busy metabolizing alcohol it cannot properly utilize the fats, carbohydrate and protein. As long as the alcohol is in your system, your body will simply convert most of the calories you normally eat into body fat.

Alcohol also decreases natural production of testosterone in the body, which is one of the main anabolic muscle building hormones.

Due to alcohol beverages being calorie dense, some people may think it’s a good way to gain weight. However, due to the lack of nutritional value it provides and interference that excessive amounts of drinking can have on your schedule, it just isn’t worth it if you are serious about seeing good results.

Bruce Lee is famous for one reason – he worked hard. His training was brutal and he was very dedicated. In this post I want to look at a few things that Bruce Lee can teach us about reaching our muscle building goals.

Bruce Lee stressed repetition

If you want to be good at something you have to repeat it over and over again. When you are feeling tired you need to repeat it some more. There is an old martial arts saying that Bruce Lee often said to his students:

“It is not the 10,000 kicks you have practiced once that I fear. It is the one kick you have practiced 10,000 times.”

Bruce Lee was often seen to be performing the same punch or the same sidekick out on his heavy bag for hours at a time. Just one punch, over and over and over. This is how you become good at something.

Bruce Lee tried new things

“Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it.” – Bruce Lee

One of the great things about Lee was that he was open to trying new things. He always learned new martial arts from people and he even looked into other sports to better his martial arts. For example, he started fencing lessons because he thought that it would help him learn to spring forward faster to deliver quicker punches and kicks.

Bruce Lee made things thoughtful

“The meaning of life is that it is to be lived, and it is not to be traded and conceptualized and squeezed into a pattern of systems.” – Bruce Lee

One of the best things you can do for your workouts is to take them to a spiritual level. If you go to the gym everyday and spend hours working out it is a little silly to just leave it at the physical level. Fitness, martial arts, bodybuilding, etc. all need to be taken to a deeper level where you learn new things about yourself and the world. Bruce Lee was always looking at his martial arts as a microcosm of his life and as such learned how to deal with hardships and teach people wonderful lessons.

Bruce Lee made progress

“Make at least one definite move daily toward your goal.” – Bruce Lee

One thing that bodybuilders often do is get stuck on a plateau. They forget to keep adding more weight, more intensity or more reps. It is important to make sure that you are always progressing and getting closer to your goal. Bruce Lee says that each day you should take one sure step closer to your goal. Make sure you do to.

Conclusion on Bruce Lee’s lessons

Bruce Lee’s life work was so vast that you could continue to study it for the rest of your days. It is important to look at great people like Lee and learn from their example. It will help you grow as an individual and it will help you take your training to an all new level.

If you’re a beginner when it comes to working out, you will not be able to do the same building muscle program that a seasoned competition body builder would use. The first thing you need to assess when looking for the right muscle building program for you is what is your health and fitness levels like and whether supplements can help achieve your goals. Are you extremely overweight? Have you been working out for many years and are a looking for a new muscle building program because your progress seems to be stalling? These factors will all determine what build muscle program will work for you.

After you have decided how you want to improve your body and what your physical fitness level is, you will want to then decide how much time you can consistently work out each week. Whenever you are starting a new muscle building program, you need to stick with it. So many trainees fail to see good results due to program hopping and not sticking to the one system.

By setting up a muscle building program that you can realistically keep every week, you will have more chance of success. When you are setting up your weekly schedule, you should schedule the minimum that you can do. It is with in reason to do more if you are feeling good and would like to, however, you should never do less than you have scheduled.

For those who are trying to bulk up after working out for a good amount of time, you should keep your muscle building program to three days a week and make sure you get adequate recovery in between sessions. Remember you don’t actually build muscle in the gym your body needs plenty of rest and recovery for repair and growth. It’s also important not to ignore post-workout nutrient with protein powder supplementation when your body needs the nutrients the most.

For beginners who are new to working out, make sure you set realistic goals for yourself. As you begin to improve your fitness, you can change up your program to meet your new needs. But if you have unrealistic expectations it’s just going to kill your motivation and your lack of results will show because of it.

As your body gets stronger, it will need a change in routine in order to challenge it further. The No-Nonsense Muscle Building program does exactly that. If you do not know how to workout at all, you can always follow the step-by-step instructions of a proven muscle building system which will be able to help you with all the exercises and meal plans you will need to do.

Movement is caused by the contraction of muscle fibers attached by the tendons on either side of a given joint (i.e. the elbow joint is flexed by contraction of the biceps muscle attached to bones of the upper and lower arm). In athletic weight training this is called dynamic or “active” ROM (range of motion), where the movement of the joint is caused by a muscular contraction. Active ROM, or athletic specific movement, is most effected by the force of the muscle contraction and the flexibility of the joint being moved.

In discussions of flexibility, people most often refer to their ability to stretch a muscle that is at rest. This is called static or “passive” ROM because the joint is being moved with assistance. The maximum static ROM achievable at any given joint in the human body is effected by the elastic properties of the muscle and tendons that attach across joint. It is these elastic properties that are most effected by flexibility training. Joint structures vary greatly between individuals and this has to be considered when assessing flexibility.

Research has shown that the greatest limiting factor of passive ROM in individual athletes is the structure of the joint itself and not the tissue connected to it. So, even after regular flexibility training there will be a limit as to how much movement the joint can achieve.

Does flexibility training improve performance?

There is a good deal of research into the effects of flexibility in “working muscles” that suggests that making muscle tissue more pliable can have a positive effect on performance. Under similar conditions, pliable muscle is more mechanically efficient and will fatigue at a slower rate than stiff muscle. Muscle that is tight tends to be more susceptible to cramping and muscle pulls.

Tight muscle can also expose a person to overuse injuries. While it has not been clinically proven that more flexible muscle has the capacity to produce more power it has been shown to hold up better under the stresses of exercise and is less susceptible to common soft tissue injuries that disrupt the training process and delay positive training effect.

Passive vs. Active ROM and Performance

Holding a passive stretch is a completely different motion than that caused by sports specific muscle contraction and repetitive joint movement. This makes passive ROM a less reliable measure of flexibility when related to athletic performance.

Active ROM relates to the force of an opposing muscle that is required to stretch a previously contracted (resting) muscle back to the ready position in a sports-specific movement. While increased passive ROM does improve mechanical efficiency and reduce the risk of injury it seems that increasing active ROM and not passive ROM has a greater impact on performance.

Improving active ROM

The principle of specificity applies to flexibility training just as it does with other components of training like speed, power and endurance. Any exercises intended to increase active flexibility need to be progressive, specific and similar to the movements of your sport/activity. The first thing to consider is the specific joint movement and muscle recruitment required for the activity.

Active ROM training for weight lifters

It is important to warm up at the beginning of every training session. Active ROM stretching requires the muscles to contract, which engages the energy systems that fuel the muscle and generates heat. In preparation for an intense workout, a warm up session using active ROM flexibility training would look something like this.

It is also important to address stiffness and flexibility in the upper body during active ROM training. The lumbar spine, upper back, neck shoulders, chest, arms and hands are all actively involved in weight training and need to be prepared for intense workouts.

The active ROM in all these areas can be increased using simple flex/extend and rotate movements. Gentle twisting of the torso and bending front/back and side/side at the waist will loosen the truck. Arm swings and shoulder dislocations with a broomstick or resistance band will loosen the upper back and shoulders. Don’t worry, the shoulder dislocation exercise won’t actually dislocate your shoulders. They are perfectly safe if you do them correctly. Just don’t rush the exercise and be persistent. Joining the hands behind the back will stretch the chest, front of the shoulders and biceps. The neck area can be stretched using gentle front/back and side/side movements. With any type of neck exercise great caution should be taken not to over extend the small muscles in the neck and upper spine.

What do other stretching exercises to improve flexibility look like?

Luckily for you, Vince Delmonte, author of the No 1 selling No Nonsense Muscle Building program, dedicates an entire chapter of his book to injury prevention using stretching and flexibility training. Vince views this type of training as an essential component for the intense “progressive overload” workouts you will embark on for gaining massive amounts of lean muscle mass.

ROM, flexibility and injury prevention

Stiffness and restricted ROM will increase the risk of soft tissue injury and joint strain. Flexibility requirements vary greatly between sports and it is important to identify these before developing a flexibility routine. For weight lifting the main concern is injury prevention. A lack of flexibility when lifting heavy weights can cause sever muscle strain and result in a painful and debilitating injury. Adequate flexibility in all of the major muscle groups being targeted is important to injury free weight training.

The best time for active stretching exercises

Contrary to popular belief, the best time to perform stretching exercises is after you have completed your workout. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence to suggest that stretching before working out lessens the risk of injury. A solid warm up before working out is more important then stretching. Stretching helps to maintain functional flexibility and correct muscle imbalances and other weaknesses. Correcting these weaknesses will ensure that you maximize your muscle building efforts as you are only as strong as your weakest link. For weight lifters, a workout routine should pay special attention to proper strengthening and stretching techniques for the major muscle groups you are training to ensure continued flexibility in the muscles and ROM in the joints.

Conclusion

Flexibility training is important to your health and muscle development. Choosing the proper methods and movements for a flexibility program for weight lifters is very important. It is not wise to pattern you’re stretching and flexibility training after what you see other weight lifters doing. You will need to do some personal assessment of your own flexibility and determine what areas need work and which exercises are most appropriate. Consulting a professional trainer at your local health club is a good place to start. They will take you through a flexibility assessment session and can prescribe an appropriate stretching program based on your goals. If you approach flexibility training with a good plan you will be able to improve your performance and prevent unnecessary injury.

If you have been trying to build muscle for any amount of time then you may have noticed that there is a load of conflicting information around, especially in magazines and online forums. The problem is that most people do not know the truth about building muscle and they may mean well but they are just repeating what they have read in muscle building magazines which most of the time is just not true.

Here are my top 5 muscle building tips that have been tried and tested. So forget what you have read and heard and learn the real way to get the right nutrition for building muscle now.

Muscle Building Tip No 1

Do enough reps the right way. Most people seem to think that the best way to build muscle is to spend all day in the gym doing a thousand reps. This is not true. The best way to use reps to gain lean pounds is to do them right. You should do them slowly and then hold the exercise at the peak position for around 5 or eight seconds at a time. This will really make you feel the burn and get your muscles working hard. make sure that you have good form too. You need to do the rep properly in the first place. Doing 20 good reps is better than doing 100 bad ones. It is a more effective use of your time and efforts working out.

Muscle Building Tip No 2

Have a protein drink or bar before or after a workout and not natural protein. Natural proteins are great for most of your day. For post workout sessions however you need to turn to artificial protein like whey protein powder or bars. This is because this is the fastest digesting and absorbing protein you can get. This is one of the best building muscle nutrition tips you can get. This is exactly what you need when you have just done a workout and your muscle need to grow and repair.

Muscle Building Tip No 3

Always make sure that you get enough rest into your schedule. You should have at least 7-8 hours sleep each night to allow your muscles some time to build and repair. This is just as important as working out itself and should not be ignored. If you do not get enough rest then you are doing more harm than good.

Muscle Building Tip No 4

Drink enough water. Water is really important to any kind of fitness regime and muscle building is no exception. Your muscles need water in order to work properly. Make sure that you keep yourself hydrated after a workout.

Muscle Building Tip No 5

Creatine is one of the few effective muscle building supplements backed with credible research. Creatine supplements help to improve your energy and performance and makes your muscles appear bigger by bringing extra water into muscle cells. They should be taken as a supplement and not be relied upon too heavily. They are meant to enhance your performance only and your body will require more water when taking creatine. Using Bodybuilding.com Coupons is a smart way to help save money when shopping online at www.bodybuilding.com

Not many people think about it, but sleep is simply your best workout partner. Lack of sleep not only reduces your coordination and mental focus but also severely inhibits your muscle growth. This is because during sleep your body releases most of its growth hormones.

In fact, 90% of your growth hormones release occurs during the first 4 hours of sleep! You don’t get bigger during a workout but when you are resting. During this period your body feeds and nourishes your muscles so it’s mightily important you have an ample supply of muscle building and muscle repairing protein and nutrients.

How much sleep is enough?

If you get a bad night’s sleep its effects can be felt straight away. Generally you will feel sluggish and run down, and the negative effects will persist until your body gets the rest it so desperately needs. Not only is it extremely important to have a regular and constant sleeping schedule but its just as important to get GOOD SLEEP. Optimally, you should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

No matter what your age there are some things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep.

Better Sleep Tip No 1

Most people dislike sleeping on their back which leaves them with 2 options: sleeping on either side, or, on the stomach. The problem is further complicated when the individual can sleep on one side, but not on the other. For those of us that prefer to sleep on either side in what is known as the ‘fetal position’, there is a solution to the problem which can enable you to sleep on either side, even if the preferred side is the painful one!

The answer is the body pillow which supports all the body parts and limbs that are normally unsupported without it. Because of its full body length, there are more points of contact between the body parts and the body pillow. This provides equal weight distribution, as opposed to one part of the body bearing the load. In addition, the body pillow conforms to the contours of any body type and allows for a restful sleeping position.

Better Sleep Tip No 2

The second option to help restless sleepers is to consider taking melatonin. N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, or melatonin, is a hormone produced naturally by the body’s pineal gland. The release of melatonin correlates with the body’s cycle of day and night. As light inhibits its production, and darkness stimulates it, melatonin regulates the body’s internal clock. Research studies show that this hormone shortens the number of awakenings in the night and improves the quality of sleep. But if you are thinking about taking melatonin supplements, consider any potential melatonin side effects.

From my personal experience, melatonin definitely works! I will supplement with Optimum Melatonin when my regular sleep schedule gets thrown off track and needs to be put back on track. Although I haven’t noticed any of the negative side effects listed in the article above, I will sometimes sleep a little bit longer than usual when taking it.

Better Sleep Tip No 3

The third thing to consider if you always struggle to get quality sleep is the time of day you exercise and how it can affect your ability to fall asleep. Sleep specialists will often recommend avoiding exercise before bed. The reason behind this is that exercise tends to stimulate the body and raises body temperature, which can make getting to sleep more difficult. However, there really isn’t substantial evidence to prove this.

If it’s practical to do so, you can determine the time of day that is best for you to workout by rating your quality of sleep. First, work out in the evening for two weeks, and then rate your quality of sleep each morning. Then switch up your training program to work out every morning for the next two weeks, and rate your quality of sleep again. Compare the ratings and it should give you a pretty good indication if your training schedule is affecting your ability to sleep well.

Hopefully the tips in this article will help put you to sleep faster and give you the good nights rest your body needs.

Building muscle is simple, right? Eat more food, train hard in the gym and get plenty of rest. Add consistency into the mix and you are well on your way to transforming your physique. So why do so many people find it difficult to put on weight and build muscle? Here are 3 top reasons why you are not building muscle and seeing results from your training:

You Are Not Counting Your Calories!

This is the number one reason why most people are not building muscle. People who do not count their calories run the risk of under-eating. Without the proper number of calories your body simply cannot grow.

For muscle growth to occur you need to be eating a calorie surplus. A calorie surplus is best described as eating more calories than your body needs to put on weight. Without a calorie surplus you cannot expect impressive long term results. Sure you may build some strength and possibly even muscle tissue if you are a complete beginner, but do not expect this to last long.

In order to build muscle try consuming around 500 calories over your body’s maintenance level. If you don’t know what your maintenance level is, use an online calorie calculator. For a quicker way, take your bodyweight in pounds and times it by 16 and you should be left with a rough estimate of your maintenance level of calories.

To ensure you are gaining weight remember to weigh yourself once a week. This should be done once a week and first thing in the morning. Ensure you weigh yourself on the same day and on the same set of scales each week so you can measure your weight gain more accurately.

If you find you are not gaining weight then bump up your calorie intake by another 300 a day. Gaining around a pound of bodyweight each week is a good indication that your calories are on track. If you are a hardgainer you can possibly get away with putting on two pounds a week.

Be warned that consuming too many calories and putting on too much weight each week will lead to fat gains. There is only a certain amount of muscle tissue your body can build in a week so be careful not to go overboard with your calorie consumption.

Neglecting Protein Intake

Proteins are regarded as the building blocks for your muscles. Without protein the body will struggle to grow and rebuild damaged muscle tissue. Neglecting your protein intake will hinder your results so be sure to accurately measure how much protein you are consuming on a daily basis.

So how much protein do you need to build muscle? It’s best to shoot for at least one gram of complete protein per pound of body-weight to help you build muscle and recover sufficiently between workouts. If you weigh 200 pounds you need at least 200 grams of protein every single day. Some people will look at this and say wow, that’s a hell of a lot of protein, but with good preparation and planning we can hit this number with ease.

The secret is to consume around 4-6 meals a day. Write down what you are going to eat in these meals and track how much protein and calories are in each one. The main staple of each meal should be a rich protein source such as fish or chicken. The best protein foods for muscle growth are chicken, fish, turkey, beef, salmon, tuna, eggs, milk and whey protein powder. These are all complete protein sources which means they contain the full spectrum of amino acids that are necessary for optimum muscle growth.

Other foods such as nuts and peanut butter are also great protein foods. These foods contain considerably more calories due to their higher levels of fat content, so they can be a convenient way to consume extra calories for persons trying to build muscle fast. There is the misconception that fat is bad in your diet. Fat is not bad for you, learn why you need to eat fat to build muscle.

Sitting in the Comfort Zone

Sitting in the comfort zone is one of the worst things you can do in life. What exactly do I mean by sitting in the comfort zone? I’ll tell you. Sitting in the comfort zone is where we go through the motions. It’s where we get comfortable with something and no longer feel the need to change it or challenge ourselves. To continually improve and better ourselves we need to step out of the comfort zone. Whether your looking to gain muscle or burn fat, get yourself out of that comfort zone for even better results!

Ask yourself this, are you really pushing yourself in the gym? Are you giving it 100% in every workout, in every set and in every rep? Think about that for a minute. Are you doing just about enough to maintain what you have or are you constantly pushing yourself to achieve something better? When was the last time you increased the weight on your heavy compound exercises?

If you took your time to think about that then you may already be sitting in the comfort zone. You see the problem with the comfort zone is that subconsciously we are unaware when we are in it. It creeps up on us and is only confronted when we take a step back from our training and analyze our progress. This is one of the reasons why a training journal is so important in a persons training. Tracking progress while it floats around in your head is hard and things will often get forgotten. If you have it written down in black and white that you have not progressed in any of your lifts for 4 or more weeks you will instantly know you need to change something. Is your poor diet the cause or is it your training routine?

Switch your training schedule up and incorporate new exercises or rep ranges into your routine. Change the order of your normal exercises and try adding more weight to the bar. If you feel you are slightly over-trained then deload for a week along with a new routine. Lift lighter weight while focusing on perfect form and controlled movements. After a week or two start adding 5 pound increments to the bar every workout and see how far you can get. Since you are lifting lighter weights to begin with progress should be consistent in your workouts for a number of weeks and can help you break through a stubborn weight training plateau.

So there you have it, 3 of the top reasons why you are not building muscle. If you have each of these three points in check then you should see some great results from your training. Don’t forget to pay close attention to your workout schedule and ensure you have sufficient rest periods between workouts and muscle groups. For example, don’t train chest on a Monday and then triceps on the Tuesday. This is counter-productive. Allow your triceps at least 48 hours to recover or work them on the same day as chest. Design your workout program intelligently and you will get better results. Consume enough water throughout the day and get at least 7-10 hours of sleep every single night. If you follow these guidelines I can assure you that you will dramatically improve your results in the gym!

As you would know, the bench press should form the foundation of your mass training routine as it’s one of the best chest exercises for building masculine pecs. However, with all of the bench press variations such as the flat bench press and incline bench press, what should you focus on then?

Some people love the incline bench press, while others hate it. If you try to tell a person who benches on a flat bench press that the incline is better then you better watch your back because they might want to fight you!

What are the main advantages of the flat bench press?

Before I talk about why the incline bench press is good I thought I would get out a few nice things about the regular bench press.

The main advantage of the flat bench is that you can handle more weight. The motion is very natural and it is easy to master the technique. This usually means that you have all the elements of a good weight training workout. It is an excellent strength and power motion as it is so simple and brute forceful.

The position that your body is on when you lay on the flat bench is also very comfortable. Again, it is natural and easy to do and usually doesn’t leave you lifting a heavy weight in a strange way. You are able to push off of the bench and it supports you well. However, the incline has certain advantages. Here’s why…

Why is the incline bench press better for chest growth?

Now I move onto the dangerous waters – the incline bench press is better for your pectoral muscles than the flat bench. By far.

You see the main disadvantage of the flat bench is that it works your shoulders a lot. This is why I am not a fan of it. People think that the flat bench is all triceps and chest but they are wrong. The anterior deltoid muscles get worked quite hard and as such your pectorals get a lot of help. This is not good for muscles growth.

If you want to target your pectoral muscles you are much better off using an incline angle for your bench press. You are also better off using a pair of dumbbells instead of your barbell. Now I am really getting into controversial territory! As I mentioned in this post the dumbbell allows you to get a much better stretch and range of motion. These two things are vital for good muscle growth.

In summary, next time you want to target your pectoral muscles and remove as much shoulder work as possible try using an incline bench with some heavy dumbbells instead. Although the flat bench press has a huge role in effective strength training and muscle building, it is not the be all and end all of weight training exercises as many trainees would have you believe.

Read the other articles on this site to learn how to do the incline bench press and flat bench press with good lifting technique.

When I first got started with improving my physique much was said about the importance of high protein consumption for building muscle. If you ask any bodybuilder about why you should have a high protein intake if you want to build muscle mass, you will get a detailed response explaining the way protein builds muscle tissue. However, not much is said about the very important nutrient, carbohydrate.

Carbs, which are converted into glucose or glycogen in the body, is the only macronutrient which can provide an immediate source of energy, which is essential for any type of weight training. Just because you are consuming a lot of protein for building muscle doesn’t mean that you should exclude carbohydrates in your muscle building diet. Not only do carbohydrates provide the best source of energy required for intense weight training sessions, but they are also protein sparing because their availability allows the body to use protein for it’s primary function, which is to build muscle tissue instead of having to rely on protein to supply energy which is not as efficient.

Carbohydrates are often overlooked when planning a muscle building diet. If you want to optimize your diet for muscle gain it’s important that you know how to integrate carbohydrate foods into your diet and training. It doesn’t need to be complicated you just need to follow a few simple rules.

Eat plenty of complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are basically of two types. Simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Most of your carbohydrates should come from complex sources because they supply muscle glycogen, the long lasting fuel that your body needs to train hard. The amount of carbohydrates which are stored in muscle tissue can influence whether or not your muscles remain in an anabolic mode, which is essential for muscle building.

Just how important are muscle glycogen stores? Consuming more protein then what your body requires for building muscle tissue is not the answer and won’t increase muscle mass if glycogen stores are too low. On the contrary, if muscle glycogen stores are full it can promote muscle growth.

Good sources of complex carbs include whole foods like whole meal bread, whole grain cereal, potatoes, brown rice, pasta, fresh and tinned fruit and dried fruit.

Eat plenty of carbohydrates post workout

Post workout nutrition is very important if you want to build muscle. When you are training hard you need to replenish muscle glycogen stores. Eating a large amount of carbohydrates and at least 1 gram of protein per lb. of body weight. directly after a workout session provides your body with an insulin spike. This insulin spike puts your body into an anabolic state as it will promote a spike in growth hormone. The reason for consuming a lot of protein with the carbs post workout is that insulin increases protein synthesis by a very substantial margin.

Eat smaller amounts of carbohydrates more frequently

The best approach for gaining weight in the form of lean muscle mass is to eat smaller meals with carbohydrates more often. Instead of having 3 large meals throughout the day, make a habit of eating 5 or 6 smaller meals, and make sure you get plenty of carbohydrates with each meal to release a steady flow of insulin into the body. If you eat large amounts of carbohydrates in one sitting your body is much more likely to store them as fat.

For natural bodybuilders, carbohydrates are very important because you have to rely on the maximum efficiency of food for your energy production and muscle growth instead of using steroids. If you follow these simple rules it will enable you to build muscle faster.

When you think about gaining weight you should really think about gaining muscle. No one wants to gain weight in the form of body fat. You need to be consuming extra calories but you don’t want them hanging around as fat. You want to convert those calories into muscle. If you want to gain more muscle and not excess body fat then you really want to make sure you are not consuming additional calories then what your weight gain diet requires.

If you have skinny genetics and have a hard time gaining weight at all, gaining some fat should be the least of your concerns. You naturally have very little body fat to begin with, so gaining 5 pounds of fat won’t look unsightly at all, and with the increased muscle mass it won’t look out of proportion with the rest of your body.

For years, the common method in the bodybuilding world to gain muscle mass has been to eat everything in sight in combination with intense weight training during the “bulking” cycle, followed by a period of dramatic calorie reduction in addition with cardio exercise during the “cutting” cycle to burn off the unwanted fat covering the newly gained muscle, just before a contest.

Since this has been the common methodology to gain muscle and lose fat, it must be the way to gain healthy weight and improve your physique, right? Well, believe it or not, there is a better way to gain muscle mass and not fat.

Realistically, you will always gain some fat when on a high calorie weight gain diet. This is an unavoidable fact and anyone who tells you differently is misleading you. Although you can’t totally prevent gaining some fat, you can keep it to minimal levels if you are disciplined with your diet and training.

Eat to Build Muscle, Not to Bulge

Nutrition is fundamental to gaining lean muscle mass. It makes sense that you need to eat more calories to fuel your workouts. However, this doesn’t mean eating everything and anything within your reach. The main reason I see people gain significant amounts of fat on a weight gain diet is usually because they are eating too many calories. Yes, you need plenty of calories to fuel muscle growth when lifting weights, but keep in mind too many calories will simply be stored as fat. Include foods in your weight gain diet which will help build lean muscle mass and avoid the bad fats.

What I recommend is increasing your calories in small increments (300-500 extra calories per day) while closely monitoring your body fat percentage. If you notice that you are starting to gain more fat, then reduce your calories slightly.

How Much Muscle Can You Expect to Gain Without Getting Fat?

There is no simple answer to this. How your body responds to implementing a weight gain diet and workout plan will be influenced by your body type, training intensity, and how strict you are with your diet. With that said, if you do eat well and train hard, you can expect to gain about 1lb of muscle per week within 8 weeks.

The question of whether genetics plays a role in bodybuilding success has been debated for years. In order to answer this question you need to define exactly what you mean by bodybuilding success? If by bodybuilding success you refer to increasing muscle mass to the point where you are bigger and have a much better physique then what you had before, then I can tell you that anybody can accomplish that.

If you have poor bodybuilding genetics it means it will take longer to see the results. A hardgainer will never get the same physique as someone with perfect bodybuilding genetics, at least not naturally. This isn’t to say hardgainers can not gain muscle mass. They just need to work harder in order to see results.

Your genetic make-up affects things like personality (introverted/extroverted), appearance, intelligence, and you guessed it, your ability to gain weight and muscle. Bodybuilding is an ego driven sport so people are not going to want to admit that they can’t look like Arnold if they weight 140 lbs. They will convince themselves if they just try a little bit harder on their diet or routine they will eventually be the biggest in their gym. It’s simply all fantasy unless you use steroids, and even then it’s probably still a dream.

If a person with hardgainer genetics lifts weights they will get more muscular, but will never look as good as someone with great genetics if they do the exact same diet and workout. People with these inferior genes won’t look as ripped or as muscular if they do exactly the same thing as someone with better genetics.

Even steroids are not a magical drug. They give you a boost and get you through plateaus, but watch what happens when you get off them after a year or two, you drastically shrink again. And you don’t want to be relying on them indefinitely for heart, liver, and sexual health reasons.

So what genetic factors affect your ability to gain muscle?

Muscle fiber type and density are influenced by genetics. The more gifted larger bodybuilders often have more muscle fibers and more of them fast twitch (anaerobic) on average. Myostatin is another factor which plays a role in muscle growth. When Myostatin was manipulated in mice they grew muscle at unbelievable rates. Testosterone levels play a huge role also. People with large testosterone levels should have a easier time building muscle and keeping lean.

So if you have been following a strict diet for a few months and a solid heavy weight lifting routine with compound exercises and you still don’t look that great, just accept that the gains will be slower. You may have to accept you’ll never reach your ideal goal in your mind. However, you will look a heck of a lot better than if you did nothing! And that is all that matters in the end.

Vegetarianism does not have one definition with as many as five different types of eating habits which qualify as being a vegetarian. For most vegetarians, their diet is primarily made up of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, fish, and dairy products. Some vegetarians will also consume eggs or even poultry. Vegan is the strictest form of vegetarianism, their diet not only excludes all meat products but dairy products are also restricted, so basically no animal products are consumed. Due to the more limited food choices vegetarians have, it means they are required to get more creative with food to ensure their diets include enough nutrients and calories to fuel muscle growth and stay healthy.

What you eat isn’t the only factor vegetarians can look at when it comes to gaining weight. Your metabolism ensures that the calories you consume are burned and that the nutrients are processed by your body. Having a high metabolism can affect your ability to gain weight. One consideration would be to trick the body into slowing down your metabolism so that you are not burning as many calories. This is particularly useful for people with a fast metabolism to begin with. The trick is to eat a heavy meal late in the day. Consuming a high calorie meal late at night will help make sure that your body won’t be able to burn the calories off so quickly.

Protein is an important part of any weight gain diet. This is no exception for a vegetarian wanting to gain weight. Vegetarians need to make sure they get enough protein by consuming legumes, nuts and seeds in combination with whole grain breads and cereals, as well as soy products. Getting enough protein is such a critical component in repairing and building lean muscle.

Nuts such as almonds are the most healthful. They have the most mono-saturated fat and the least saturated fat. An ounce or so can be a good source of protein and healthy fats. Fresh roasted almonds can be a great substitute for bacon. If you roast or bake an ounce or so to the point where they are quite brown, but not burned, in an oven of about 375 degrees or a bit more – and serve hot, they taste crispy and slightly smoky – just like perfectly done bacon; but almonds don’t have the saturated animal fats and preservatives that bacon has; and the almonds don’t taste greasy or make a greasy mess!

Legumes like lentils and black eyed peas are the best. They tend to produce the least gas, have the lowest glycemic index and have the most soluble fiber. Both can be use for soups and stews; and, lentils can be used to make a great vegetarian chili. Any of these dishes can be made nonfat or with just a bit of olive oil when appropriate. They can be a good cold weather addition to breakfast.

Some people consider themselves semi-vegetarians and eat fish. Fish can be good one to three times a week. Salmon has by far the most healthful oil and is quite satisfying. Halibut is one of the lowest fat fishes and is also good. Tuna is good. And, if you know and like other kinds by all means try them occasionally.

It would be a good idea buying a well written raw diet cook book which provides information on tasty foods and cooking methods to help you in your quest for size. One such book I would recommend is The Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon, which provides good nutrition information on the raw food diet for the natural bodybuilder. It teaches you about what foods to eat, protein and carb content, tips in combining raw food dishes, facts to support raw food benefits, and how the body functions in conjunction with switching to this type of diet.

There is also a newly released product put together by master chef Michael DeSanti and well known trainer Jason Ferruggia who went vegan a few years ago and has thrived on the diet. The book is called the Plant Based Recipe Guide and it contains 134 recipe ideas for vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike, offering exciting new ways to prepare their meals and teaching them how to build muscle and burn fat eating strictly plant based foods. Nearly 100% of these plant based recipes are free of any animal products; although there are a few meals with eggs, but no dairy.

Steroids can increase muscle mass and performance – but they also have potentially deadly side effects. Before you start taking steroids to fast track your muscle gains, you better learn about the potential negative side effects of anabolic steroids abuse. The desire to be the best is one of the reasons some athletes turn to anabolic steroids – performance enhancing drugs that can make them stronger and faster. But no matter what the benefits, steroids can have severe negative consequences, both physical and psychological. They should never be used unless prescribed by a physician to treat a medical condition.

Exactly what makes anabolic steroids so powerful? They are the synthetic version of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone. (Anabolic steroids have no relation to corticosteroids, used to treat asthma.) Anabolic steroids appeal mainly to the competitive athlete, from high school track runners to professional bodybuilders. These athletes use steroids primarily to improve athletic performance, enhance appearance, and increase muscle mass and strength.

Steroids allow both endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners, and power athletes, such as weightlifters, to train more frequently, with higher intensity, and for longer periods of time. They also help athletes recuperate more quickly than they would without the drugs.

Because of this performance boost, there are more than one million current or former users of anabolic steroids in the United States today. Since it’s illegal for physicians to prescribe steroids for non-medical uses, most steroid users must obtain the drugs on the black market, estimated by the Drug Enforcement Administration to result in more than $400 million dollars of sales each year. Many steroids are produced in underground laboratories in Europe and South America and smuggled into North America.

Studies show that numerous steroid users start as teenagers: As many as 3 to 11 percent of high school boys and up to 2 percent of senior girls have used steroids. Steroid use involves taking several tablets a day or many injections a week, in cycles of six to 12 or more weeks.

The long-term effects of anabolic steroids haven’t been studied, but much is known about the short-term effects. In both men and women, anabolic steroid use promotes acne, muscle mass, and secondary sex characteristics, including permanent deepening of the voice and facial hair growth, as well as increased libido. Steroids are also believed to increase aggressiveness, though there’s no strong consensus as to whether “roid rage” – sudden outbursts of violent behavior – is actually caused by steroid use.

The more serious effects of steroid use depend on the form in which they are taken. There are several types of anabolic steroids: orals, injections, gels, patches, and nasal sprays. Adolescents and less sophisticated users tend to use injectible or oral steroids. Oral steroids have more negative effects than injectible; they’re associated with liver abnormalities, as well as tumors.

After several days of oral steroid use, a person’s “good” cholesterol (that is, high-density lipoproteins or HDLs) can plummet to single-digit levels, which are dangerous and can increase risk of heart disease. (Ideally, HDLs should be above 35 milligrams per deciliter of blood in adults 20 years of age or older.) However, these problems usually disappear within a month of discontinuing steroid use.

All steroids shut down the production of testosterone by the testes in males, which stop sperm production. As a result, anabolic steroids have been tested as a male contraceptive, though the findings are still inconclusive.

Studies also suggest an association between anabolic steroid use and heart attack and stroke, probably due to increased blood clotting and spasms of the arteries. There have also been a number of cases of cardiomyopathy, an enlargement of the heart muscle where it becomes weakened and can’t pump blood efficiently, sometimes leading to congestive heart failure.

Though anabolic steroids aren’t addictive in a physical sense, users can become dependent on them. Like with any drug the user can easily become psychologically addicted.

Though using anabolic steroids may sound like a recipe for health problems, they do have legitimate medical benefits in certain cases. Anabolic steroids have been used as replacement therapy for men whose testes aren’t producing testosterone, helping them maintain their sex drive and their primary sex characteristics. They’re also given to HIV-positive individuals to increase appetite, give a sense of well-being, and maintain muscle mass.

Despite the risks, without better detection, education, and treatment, anabolic steroids will continue to be the drug of choice for athletes concerned about being the best, even when their overall health is at stake. You have to ask yourself this serious question. Is the possible performance enhancement benefits worth the associated health risk? I think not.

These are some of the common mistakes people make when trying to build muscles.

1. Paying more attention to the quantity or weight of the lift, and not enough attention to the quality of the movement performed.

Why this is bad?
It is during the negative phase (eccentric contraction), not the positive phase (concentric contraction) that promotes blood flow to the muscles causing the micro trauma which is what builds muscles.

2. Not training their muscle groups in an organized, systematic fashion. You should always do every set and every exercise for a specific muscle group together. For example; if you chest routine consists of two or three chest exercises, do all of those chest exercises together. Do all sets of bench press, then all sets of incline bench press, until your chest routine is complete. Then you can move on to the next muscle group.

Why is this bad?
Blood is not being targeted in any one muscle group. This mistake “teases” your different muscle groups without ever targeting enough blood to cause much stimulation for improvement.

3. Eating right before your training program, or eating too soon after you program causing your heart and digestive system to work too hard.

Why is this bad?
Because digestion takes a lot of blood, eating just before or after your workout will not allow you to get enough blood into the muscles you are training. You should wait 60 minutes after eating before you start training, and 60 minutes after your session before you eat a meal.

4. Working out on an empty stomach.

Why this is bad?
The nutrients in your system will enhance performance and energy, just try to eat an hour or more before work outs. Your meal should includes food that rich in complex carbohydrates and protein, and low in fat, sugar and cholesterol.

5. Training too long. By wanting to get fast results, many people push themselves too far with 2 or 3 hour sessions.

Why this is bad?
You will lose strength in the next session. Keep your session to an hour max. any longer and you are either breaking your body down or not working hard enough to get results.

6. Doing too little or too much cardiovascular training.

Why this is bad?
Too little cardio will leave your unhealthy and unbalanced. Too much cardio will decrease your strength and muscle mass. Instead, try short, intense sessions that will spare your muscle mass and boost your metabolism more effectively.

Here is some information about foods that build muscle. When you start an exercise program with the goal of building muscle, you must change your diet accordingly. If you start exercising and burning more calories, and do not increase your food intake, you will lose muscle mass.

Protein

If you start exercising regularly, you need to eat more protein. If you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, then your body starts using its own sources of protein for energy. 60-70% of the body’s protein is found in muscle tissue, so your body will eat away at your muscles, which will slow your metabolic rate, reduce your strength and stop all muscle growth.

In order for muscle growth to occur, you must consume more protein than you utilize. The body can store carbohydrates and glycogen, however it cannot store proteins. To maintain the optimal environment for muscle growth, complete proteins must be eaten with every meal. This explains why nutritionists recommend that we eat up to six small meals a day, equally to about every three hours.

Best sources of lean protein for building muscles:

Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Fish
Shellfish
Egg Whites
Lean red meats
Nonfat or low fat dairy products
Protein Powders (eg. Whey protein)

Protein myth

Some people claim that the human body can only digest 3 grams of protein per sitting. This is not true, and no research has ever proved otherwise.

Recommended daily amount

1 gram per pound of bodyweight as a starting point for daily protein needs. Many body builders go higher than this, up to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight. During pre-contest phases when carbohydrates are restricted, some body builders eat as much as 2.0 grams per pound.

Example 1:
You are female
Your total body weight = 130 lbs.
Your protein requirement = 130 grams per day
If you eat 5 – 6 meals a day (like you should) that’s 22 – 26 grams of protein per meal

Example 2:
You are male
Your total body weight = 190 lbs.
Your protein requirement = 190 grams per day
Spread over 5 – 6 meals per day, that’s 32 – 38 grams of protein per meal

Carbohydrates

A low carb/high protein diet is usually the best way for body builders to get that “ripped” look. Most bodybuilders go on some version of a low carb diet when getting ready for competition. However, this is done while working towards a specific goal and is not necessarily suitable for someone just wanting to build muscle. If you are a hard gainer wanting to put on more weight, a diet high in carbs would be the way to go.

Problems with a low carb diet

A problem caused by very low carb diets is loss of lean body mass. Many people don’t realize that if you lower your carbs, you are more likely to lose muscle along with fat. Another problem with very low carb diets is that once you add carbs back in, you are likely to gain the fat back very quickly.

If you wish to significantly increase a muscle’s strength and size, you need to do resistance exercises with that muscles on a regular basis (one to three times a week).

Resistance Training
Resistance training, also called strength training, is performing an action against some kind of resistance, most commonly a weight. The resistance can also be provided by different exercise equipment like fitness bands, or even the weight of your own body or body parts.

In order to be effective at increasing muscular strength and/or endurance and/or power and/or size (which is why many people resistance train) you need to make sure that the resistance is sufficiently large that you can fatigue yourself in a relatively small number of repetitions. Remember to continually push yourself to do at least 1 more rep (or more weight) than you did in your previous workout.

Less Aerobic Exercise
Too much aerobic activity can slow your muscle gain. Aerobic exercise will increase a muscle’s endurance and tone and make it slightly larger, only by a small percentage.

However, you don’t need to necessarily cut back on the total time spent on cardio, rather then number of days. Also try to do the cardio at different times in the day from your weight lifting. For example, if you are doing four sessions of cardio for 30-45 minutes a week, try instead to do two session of 1-1.5hours.

If you want to build muscles, it is important to understand exactly how muscles are built. It is also important learn how to tell if your form is correct or not.

How are Muscles Built?

Muscles are built when blood is forced into your muscles during a weightlifting program, it activates the “micro trauma” or tiny little tears in your muscles, and your muscle tissues repair and rebuild themselves bigger and stronger than they were.

However, only if you allow ample resting time. It is important never train the same muscle group two days in a row, or you will cut off the rebuilding process. It is during the Eccentric Contraction or negative phase, that promotes blood flow to the muscles and causes micro trauma which builds muscles.

Therefore it is more important to let the weight come back slowly on the negative phase, then on the concentric contraction or positive phase. The speed that is recommended is one to two seconds for each positive phase (lifting movement) and three to four seconds for each negative phase (lowering movement).

If you are doing the exercise movement correctly, you should have a feeling of warmth, some fatigue and a “burning” sensation at the end of each set. This indicates use of proper form. If you are not getting these feelings, you may need to review the proper form for your exercise as this is probably an indication that a common mistake is not allowing blood to be fully targeted to your muscles.

Best Exercises to Build Muscles

So, are these the best exercises? Well, that depends on what you want. Do you want mass or definition? Do you want width on thickness? Do you want overall mass? Do you want lower abs? Do you want upper chest?

For the back
Seated cable row
Front chin (pull-up)
Pulldown behind neck
Barbell row
Front pulldown
Narrow grip pulldown/-chin
Chin behind neck

For the chest
Dumbbell flye
Bench press
Incline bench press
Cable crossover
Parallel bar dip
[Cross bench] pullover
Dumbbell press

For the shoulders
Press behind neck
Dumbbell side lateral
Upright row
Cable side lateral (one hand)
Dumbbell press

For the abs
Roman chair sit-up
Bench/Incline leg raise
Crunch
Hanging leg raise
Incline sit-up
Cable crunch

Here is our hand picked list of best muscle building exercises:

Overall mass: Deadlift
Back width (upper lats): Front pull-up (weighted)
Back mass/thickness: Barbell row
Lower lats: Chin (narrow grip) (weighted)
Lat isolation: Stiff arm pulldown
Lower back: Back extension
Overall chest: Bench press
Upper chest: Incline press
Lower chest: Dip (weighted)
Shoulder mass: Press behind neck
Side delts: Dumbbell side lateral
Lower abs: Reverse (incline) crunch
Overall abs: Crunch (weighted)

When people train to get bigger, they must train to get muscularly stronger. No matter what you read or are told, legitimate researchers will tell you that they have all kinds of bits and pieces as to what goes on when muscle tissue is stimulated. They know what has to be done to get the muscle bigger and stronger, but they’re not sure exactly how it happens. The end result is obvious, but not so the process.

It is also very much accepted that in order to get muscularly larger, one first has to develop muscular strength. If one is as strong as possible at a particular body weight, the only way to significantly increase the amount of muscle tissue mass of any specific muscle or muscle group, is to gain body weight. Thus, most individuals, especially those not using drugs, must strive to gain weight muscular weight, but weight nonetheless in order to be stronger, and bigger.

Training for ultimate “cuts” or extreme definition is not healthy and, in my opinion, not aesthetically pleasing. A well-trained athlete with minimal body fat for any purpose other than competitive bodybuilding, looks very hard in person. However, when compared to the drug-aided, oiled, properly lighted, shaved and diuretics-assisted physiques seen in the magazines and then considered as “the norm,” they will not be so impressive, especially in photos. Most athletes are decidedly not fat. If they carry a legitimate 10-12% body fat, this is quite low, especially when one weighs 220 lbs or more. At 300 lbs, this is quite amazing and, frankly, startling in person.

What may look “fat” in clothing or even in photos, isn’t “fat” when you actually see it. It’s just a big, strong, muscular guy, albeit without the “cuts” seen in the glamor magazines. There is no correlation between being fat and strong. Some extra body fat, or a particular body build, may allow for improved leverages in some movements, but fat cannot contract and produce power, so it is a disadvantage, also serving as a friction brake during muscular contraction.

The following 21 muscle building tips are bullet form for quick and easy reference. You’ll find more detailed discussions on each point on the rest of the site:

1. Workout your daily energy requirements and add 500k calories per day. Click here for the formula.

2. Eating enough quality protein is essential for muscle building. Aim for 1g per lb of bodyweight.

3. Eat unrefined carbohydrates with a low glycemic index i.e. whole grains.

4. Take an essential fatty acid supplement like flaxseed oil.

5. Lift heavy weights in the 6-12 rep range for muscle building.

6. Train 3-4 times a week at most.

7. Train each body part intensely, once a week.

8. Cycle your program over a 6 week period or so to avoid over-training.

9. Drink plenty of water, about 2 to 3 litres per day.

10. Consider using creatine monohydrate and weight gainers, two of the only effective muscle building supplements.

11. Keep rests between sets to about 90 seconds.

12. Limit your workouts to 45-60 minutes.

13. Free weights are superior to machines for muscle building.

14. Get plenty of rest and sleep between workouts.

15. Use a meal replacement powder if you struggle making 5-6 meals a day.

16. Accentuate the negative movement on all exercises.

17. Have one day a week off from dieting or one week every 12 weeks.

18. Concentrate on compound exercises like squats, bench press and dead lifts.

19. Avoid doing drop sets and supersets every set and every session.

20. Limit your intake of alcohol to no more than 2 units a day.

21. Stick to a muscle building program which has been proven to work, like the one by Vince Del Monte.