On the blog I previously outlined the basic training philosophy which has worked for me. Here are some more advanced training techniques which will put your training workout sessions into overdrive.

Train Heavy. I believe great physiques should have awesome proportions with powerful size and mass. I believe strength training with heavy poundage is vital in developing awesome mass. I always train for strength all year round in all exercises, especially in the basic power movements such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

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Someone once said, “It is the little things you do in life that make the big difference.” This principle can apply to creating better training sessions which, over time, will lead to a better physique. This month, I want you to consider a small adjustment in the way you plan your weight training sessions. I believe it is a strategy which can lead to significantly advancing the development of your physique with the aim to gaining weight and muscle.

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Myth: Preacher Curls “lengthen” the biceps, filling in the “gap” between the muscle belly and the elbow joint.

The truth is that the preacher curl, or Scott curl as it is often called, is a valuable tool/exercise for developing the biceps. Performed correctly, it can be one of the many exercises that will help your biceps hypertrophy (grow). But as your muscle grows, it gets larger within the shape predetermined by your genetics and congenital structure. Now you may not know what that is going to appear to be, exactly, until you have been working out for a while. But it is not determined by the specific biceps exercise. The shape of the biceps muscle itself is primarily due to the length of the tendon versus the length of the actual muscle bellies. Performing the preacher curl will not shorten the tendon nor lengthen the muscle bellies.

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How many of us have fallen prey to the hope of mystical results from a magical biceps exercise.

Common biceps myths:

“The barbell curl is the number one mass exercise for the biceps.”
The truth is that the biceps haven’t a clue whether you have a barbell, dumbbells, or really heavy Snickers’ candy bars in your hands. Although the barbell curl is a great exercise for most individuals, it offers no more, or no less, opportunity for mass muscle building than any other biceps exercise. Most people assume this because, typically, more total weight can be used on the standing barbell curl than most other curl variations.

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Think back…way back. Back before the words fitness or strength training were even part of your vocabulary. Can you recall the first muscle you ever learned? Chances are it was the biceps…long considered by the general public to be the hallmark of weight lifting, strength, and, should I dare say… even masculinity. The exercise traditionally regarded as the key to biceps size was the barbell curl. This will be the focus of our biomechanical analysis this month.

The biceps is situated on the front of the upper arm and actually has two muscle bellies lying side by side, thus the name. Although the muscle bellies attach at two different points on the shoulder blade, they are joined at the distal ends by a common tendon of insertion. This tendon weaves between the two bones of the forearm and attaches on the back of the radius (outer of the two).

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When people train to get bigger muscularly, they must train to get 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.

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This is a question I received from a blog reader which I have answered on the site for the benefit of all.

Question: I have often seen it recommended that bodybuilders should drink a lot of water. Is it really necessary to drink several liters of water a day in addition to other fluids, even when you are not thirsty? How much would you recommend?

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Do you keep asking yourself, “Am I eating enough?” when it should be apparent, from the fact that your scale isn’t giving you higher readings, that the answer is “No.” If you were eating enough, you would at least be gaining some fat. And the question is almost irrelevant, for the more muscle mass you have, the more food you’ll need. If you think gaining 10 pounds from your current weight takes a lot of eating, wait until you try to gain 10 pounds after you’ve put on 30 pounds of muscle. You have to eat progressively.

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Whilst on the subject of talking about the benefits of drinking milk post workouts, it makes for a good opportunity to discuss other things you should consider post workout to make for a more efficient training routine and to encourage fast muscle gains.

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. Optimally, you should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

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