Fast Muscle Building

Fast Muscle Building

You have to give special attention and effort to finish any task and bodybuilding is no different. To build your muscles, you should follow a special routine and diet. Without relevant determination, commitment and information, muscle building cannot be achieved within few days. As it takes considerable time frame, the person's patience is of paramount importance, as being impatient can spoil the exercise agenda as well as the dietary system.


In order to add muscle tissue you must force the body to add it. Your body won’t just add a pound of muscle just because you followed a 3-set workout that you read about in Muscle + Fitness. You need to give the body a reason to make improvements – in this case add muscle tissue.

You have to provide what I call a “stimulus”. This can be done in many ways and I’ll address a few in just a moment. Basically, you need to force the body to add muscle by subjecting it to levels of stress it is not used to. Some methods are more obvious than others but all can work. Here are a few examples of how this can be done effectively.

First, the basic and common methods:

• Increase weight or resistance
• Perform more repetitions
• Perform more sets
• Move the resistance slower
• Rest less between sets and exercises
   

Now for the more advanced methods:

• Pre-exhaust (perform an isolation exercise first and immediately continue with no rest on a compound movement. ex. chest flye and then chest press)
• Static holds (hold the resistance in the hardest position of the range of motion. ex. the top position during a leg extension)
• Partial reps in weak range (perform a portion of the rep where you are weakest. ex. the top half of a rep of leg extensions)
• Strip-set (after a warm-up set, perform 3 sets back to back with no rest while starting with the heaviest weight possible and each time strip off some weight to allow you to continue)
  1 ½ reps (perform one full rep and then on the second rep only perform half the normal range of motion and then return to starting position to begin the next rep. ex. one full rep of lat pull downs, pull second rep all the way down, resist weight back up but only half way and then pull back down)

These are just a few examples of methods of increasing intensity to ensure progress. The key point to remember is that whatever you do it must be progressive in order for it to elicit a physical change. This is even more critical for those looking to add muscle size.

Although this article is geared towards individuals who are interested in gaining muscle size, the principles can also be used for individuals who want to build strength, increase metabolism, or tighten and tone muscles.

Here are some general recommendations for different goals…



If your goal is to tighten and tone muscles:

• Focus on increasing reps, decreasing rest, and changing exercises frequently
• Train each muscle group twice per week

• Perform fewer sets of many different exercises (1-2 sets per exercise)

Strength and power

If your goal is to increase strength and power:

• Focus on increasing weight
• Train each muscle group once every 7-10 days
• Perform multiple sets of each exercise (2-5 sets per exercise) 

Increase muscle size

If your goal is to increase muscle size

• Focus on shocking muscles by changing variables frequently (exercises, set and rep schemes, rest time, etc)
• Train each muscle group on a variable schedule (experiment by training a muscle group 3 times a week and then once every ten days)
• Perform multiple sets for a while and the perform single sets for a week or two

Some final reminders:

The recommendations above are general and of course would need to be adapted and adjusted for your personal goals and experience. For those of you who are advanced and may be thinking there’s no way you can build strength by training once every 10 days I challenge you to try it for at least 4 weeks, or those of you who think that you need to stick to the same basic movements like bench to build size I challenge you to try shocking the muscles by changing the exercises you perform each week for 4 weeks, and those of you with little experience I hope that you’ll throw away the fitness magazines and learn what really works.

Amino Acids And BCAAs Supplements

Amino Acids And BCAAs

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Bodybuilders can especially benefit from supplementing amino acids because they aid in repair, growth, and development of muscle tissue. Among the most beneficial and effective supplements in any sports nutrition program are branched chain amino acids. These are the essential aminos leucine, isoleucine, and valine. If you are looking for better results, make sure you are taking your amino acids! You'll be surprised at how well they work.

Amino acids supplements

Natural Testosterone Boosters

 Testosterone Boosters

Raising your testosterone helps you to gain muscle, enhance your mood, maintain a healthy libido, and more! Steroids do a great job of raising test levels, but they are not legal for use. These all-natural products would be perfect for you!
You can also use these natural products when you are off of your prohormone cycle.
This category includes popular products with ZMA, Tribulus, and much more.

Testosterone supplements

Vitamin supplements

 Multi-Vitamins

Vit-supplements

You can't forget about this! It seems so basic and simple, but it's very important! If you are deficient in even one vitamin or mineral, your gains can really be hampered. A good multi-vitamin is a must for the best gains in muscle mass, not to mention good health.
People who are working out need more vitamins than the average couch potato, so your supermarket brands won't cut it.

Human Growth Hormone Supplements

  HGH

Growth Hormone, a polypeptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, is the latest advance in bodybuilding supplementation! Human Growth Hormone levels decline rapidly after age 30.

HGH supplements

Other Muscle Building Products

Other Muscle Buildong Products

Many other products help with your adventure in gaining muscle. Here are some of the best, with links to full info:

• Protein Bars - Get the protein and calories you need.
• Anti-Estrogens - Decreasing estrogen can give you better results.
• Dessicated Liver - Great source of amino acids.
• DHEA - For men over 35.
• Ribose - Have more energy for your workouts.
• Hardcore Products - Our most extreme products.
• Muscle Building Combos! - We put together the best stacks!

Anabolic Flavones (Methoxy, Ecdy) Supplements

Anabolic Flavones

 Methoxyisoflavone and Ecdysterone are the latest advancements in supplementation for anabolic gains. They are non hormonal flavones that naturally increase protein synthesis, nitrogen retention, and muscle growth. They work very well taken in conjunction with protein because they increase the absorption of protein. Some companies even combine the Methoxy into the protein for you.

Anabolic Flavones (Methoxy, Ecdy) Supplements

HMB Supplements

HMB

It is a new and exciting supplement that is one of the most popular body building supplements today. HMB is a metabolite of leucine, one of the body's essential amino acids. Many of the world's champions and athletes are using HMB and receiving dramatic results. Specifically, HMB plays a role in the synthesis of muscle tissue. It has the ability to burn fat and build muscle consistently in response to exercise. A seven week long study showed a much greater gain in muscle when a group of 28 participated in a regular weight-training program.

HMB Supplements

ZMA Supplements

 ZMA

ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula. It contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6, and is an all-natural product that has been clinically proven to significantly increase anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes. It is all natural! Studies have shown that supplementing with 30mg of Zinc and 450mg of Magnesium per day can elevate testosterone levels up to 30%! In a recent study, the strength of a group using ZMA increased by 11.6% compared to only a 4.6% increase in the placebo group.
This is a great choice for people wanting to avoid prohormones.

ZMA Supplements

Creatine Supplements

 Creatine

Creatine works very well for increasing muscle mass. It is naturally occurring in the body. It's safe and very effective for anybody, especially if you've never used it before. We have tons of great articles on creatine, so you can become an overnight expert on it! The basics behind it are this: it increases ATP (the main energy source muscles use for explosive power) availability so that you can perform more reps and sets and lift more weight, consequently growing more muscle tissue. Creatine should be cycled. Many have found great results taking it for four weeks, followed by one to two weeks off. There are quite a few different types of creatine which you can view by top sellers. For example, there is pure creatine monohydrate, liquid creatine, micronized creatine and many more.
Okay, so now your head's spinning with different creatine products and types. What's best? The creatine supplements with built in dextrose, aminos and other goodies are probably the best, but cost-effectively a good micronized creatine taken with grape juice wouldn't be a bad choice. Take creatine post-workout. 

Creatine Supplements

Glutamine Supplements

 Glutamine

L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in muscle tissue. It helps prevent muscle wasting and improves recovery. The better and quicker you recovery, the sooner and harder you can hit it in the gym! Glutamine is safe to take year-round. Some of our favorites are listed below.
Glutamine should not be taken at the same time as creatine because they compete for receptors to be absorbed. Take glutamine pre-workout and creatine post-workout.

Glutamine Supplements

NO(Nitric oxide) supplement

NO(Nitric oxide)

 

NO supplements

Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. The fact that nitric oxide increases blood flow should make it of interest to bodybuilders, as increased blood flow will serve to deliver more nutrients to muscles, thus helping muscles become larger when subject to stress. People are noticing huge increases in muscle pumps while using this product!

Protein products

 Introduction

Protein is made of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of muscle. Therefore, protein is an essential ingredient for muscle building. You can't build muscle without it! You will want to take in about 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight throughout the day. So an average person who weighs 150 lbs would want to consume between 150 and 300 grams of protein in a day. Protein shakes and bars are convenient and provide high quality protein.

Protein supplements

There are several forms of protein including: Whey, Soy, Egg, and Casein. So which kind is best? Well that depends on how and when you want to use them.


Whey - Basically, whey protein is awesome for post-workout supplementation because that's the time when your body needs protein the most, and whey is digested very quickly (about 30 minutes).

Casein - Casein, on the other hand, is digested very slowly (over 2 - 7 hours). This means it's great to use a protein supplement with casein before bed because the longest time your body goes without protein is during the night while you are sleeping.

Egg - Egg protein (albumen) digests at a medium pace (1.5-3 hours) so it's a good anytime protein to provide a good sustained release of aminos to the body.

Soy - Soy protein is the vegetarian's friend because it's one of the only complete protein sources derived from plants. Soy is a good overall protein, although it's not as effective in terms of absorbtion as whey or egg albumen. Additionally, soy has many recognized health benefits for women.

Blends - Either protein supplements are straight whey, soy, egg, or casein; or they are a combination of any or all of these kinds of proteins. What can a blend of proteins offer that a straight protein cannot? Basically, different rates of digestion. This means you can take a blended protein any time to get quick, medium, and prolonged absorption of protein. ProM3 is one of the best in the blended proteins category.

Low Carb - Of the many protein supplements, the two other main categories are weight gainers and low carb protein shakes and bars. These two are on opposite spectrums of each other. Yep, you guessed it low carb protein shakes are good for those dieting or trying to lose or maintain weight.

Weight Gainer - Weight gainers are high calorie protein products that are great for people who are looking to bulk up. If you are having trouble gaining weight, taking in extra high quality calories will usually do the trick.

Bodybuilding Supplements

 Introduction

First of all, you don't necessarily need supplements to gain muscle. However, they will definately help you build muscle a lot quicker. Supplements are simply tools to increase your muscle building potential. Read Big Cat's articles on nutrition and supplementation for more in-depth information. Most people start out with a multi-vitamin, protein, and creatine.

Supplements

First off, there are several types of supplements that make muscle grow, recover, and rebuild faster. Here's a list of the top supplement types people use to produce the best results:

Protein Creatine Glutamine Multi-Vitamin Natural Test Booster HMB Growth Hormone NO (Nitric Oxide) Anti-Estrogens Protein Bars Amino Acids Methoxy, Ecdy ZMA

Bodybuilding Tips For Men

 Tips For Men

Everybody wants not only a healthy body but also a body figure that one can flaunt. This resulted in various means and bodybuilding methods and techniques to get the ideal figure through bodybuilding. Techniques can be innumerable to get the result that you want. But among these, there are the most effective bodybuilding tips for men that can be followed without overloading yourself with the information found in different websites, in the magazine features and television offering equipments, supplements and classes that not only claim to be great help in achieving your goal but also can cost you thousands of bucks.

Workout at gym

* Stretching before and after any exercise routine. It is essential that you perform warm ups properly before any exercise routine. This will prevent the body from forced stretching of the muscles. It is recommended that warm up must be done at least for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not engage in cardio exercises before weight-training exercises.

* Another bodybuilding tips for men is the proper use of equipment, as well as ensuring the equipment is properly maintained. There is a variety of bodybuilding equipments in the market and it is important you select the proper equipment and not be convinced by pure marketing hoax.

Proper technique

* Establish the proper technique in lifting weights. This can be done by concentrating on large muscle groups first and start slowly and work up to heavier weights.

Weight lifting

* Resistance is the key to effective exercise. Slowly lower weights.

* Moreover, in executing the body building tips for men, it is very important that one focuses on the training. Without proper focus, injuries can result.

* Alternate routine and follow a diet regimen. Workout 3 times a week for no more than 2 hours each time. Junk foods must be eliminated in the diet and also the body must be kept hydrated. It is very vital that a person drinks 10 to 12 glasses of water in a day.

* Proper breathing techniques are important. This will help you relax and supply the needed oxygen in the body so as not to get exhausted quickly.

* With the training and food regimen in the bodybuilding tips for men it is equally important that you get the amount of rest required is usually 2 to 10 days. This will help the body to recover and increase the metabolism, thereby contributing to the optimal level that you need to continue with the training.

* Good posture is required to avoid injury. Bodybuilding tips for men requires weightlifting and other exercise. It is necessary that you are informed on how to perform these exercises and maintain good posture while performing them.

Posture

Taking these bodybuilding tips for men in mind will help you achieve the ideal figure that you want. Exercise, proper diet and rest are the key ingredients in bodybuilding regime. It is also important that you keep a plan on how to work these out along with the tips and opinions of your doctor and trainer. Take extra precaution, and enthusiasm and it will surely take you a long way.

>Fitness Tips

 Components of fitness

When I first start training a client I typically introduce them to what I consider to be the four components of a good fitness program: Consistency, Effort, Nutrition, and Rest. 99% of the time, if a client is not achieving the goals that they’ve set for themselves, one or more of these components needs to be altered, tweaked, or improved in some way.

1) Consistency - By this I mean that you workout on a regular basis over an extended period of time. You need to decide how often you can workout (and for how long each session) and then stick to that schedule as much as possible. The only way to stimulate your muscles to higher levels of growth and strength is to regularly challenge them. By regularly, I mean at least 3-4 times a week over a period of months (and years).

Consistency

2) Effort - This component goes hand in hand with Consistency. If you’re working out on a regular basis, you’ve got the first step down. Now, you need to make sure that you’re putting in the effort and challenging yourself while you’re exercising. A workout is called a workout because it’s “work”. Your heart rate and breathing rate should increase, your muscles should fatigue, and you should sweat. The people I see at the gym strolling on the treadmill while yammering away on their cell phones or the people in the weight room just going through the motions with a bored look on their faces, are not putting in the effort they need to in order to achieve their goals. Obviously, some workouts will be harder than others (when you’re feeling better or stronger and want to push yourself) but all of your workouts should challenge you in some way. The only way to spark growth and strength gains and force your body to adapt is to challenge your muscles and do it on a regular basis.

Efforts

3) Nutrition - For me, this item includes everything you put in your mouth outside of the gym. It means eating smart, keeping your protein high and your fat intake low. It also means taking all of your supplements on a regular basis and at the appropriate times (i.e. some supplements are designed to be taken before working out, before or with meals, etc.). Be sure to do some research if you’re unsure about when to take a particular supplement.

Nutrition

4) Rest - This is ostensibly the simplest component as it literally involves doing nothing. However, getting the proper amount of rest is a very important part of any training program and overtraining can be very detrimental to your gains. A general rule of thumb to follow is to allow at least 24 hours of rest in between working the same (or similar) bodyparts but listening to your body is probably the best thing to do in order to determine if you need more rest. Signs of overtraining can include fatigue, delayed muscle soreness, eye twiching, and more.
If you find you’re not achieving the goals you’ve set for yourself, take a look at these elements in your own training program and see if there’s anything you can improve upon.

Exercises At Home

Muscle building at home

If you don’t have the time or the inclination to join a gym, but wish to have a muscular figure then you can devote yourself towards building your muscles at home itself. But the fruits won’t come so fast and easy. Since you will be exercising with the minimum equipment or without it, there won’t be quick muscle development. And you have to work twice as harder. The main challenge that most people, who exercise from home face, is the task of continuing with muscle building. Since, results are not visible instantly many people get discouraged and stop in the middle. The advantage of muscle building from home is that, since you are not using equipment, you won’t be dependent on it. That’s the reason that, after building muscles in a gym, when they leave and stop using the equipment, their muscles shag. Another is that, once you cultivate an exercise regime at home it will stay with you throughout your entire life. In the pointers below are given tips to help you build your muscle at home.

Tips On Muscle Building At Home:

Push- ups

To develop the triceps and pectoral muscles, without any equipment, can be best done with push- ups. Doing this exercise regularly will build the muscle mass and strength. Start slowly by doing five minute push- ups.

• Medium grip press ups - 3 sets
• Wide grip press ups - 3 sets
• Medium grip press ups - 2 sets
• Wide grip press ups - 2 sets 

Pull- ups

This exercise is very effective for developing the back muscles and biceps. Select a place in your house where you can place a metal or wooden pole and do this exercise regularly. The pole should be placed in such a height, so that you have stretch your entire hand and body to reach it.

Squatting

Squatting develops the lower back and quadriceps. It is one of the best and quickest method to develop muscle mass. Start by doing eight to twelve squats a day and go on increasing gradually.

Curl- up

To strengthen the abdominal muscles this is the best exercise. Also known as abdominal crunches, various forms of this exercise can be done to develop the thigh and back muscles.

• Lying leg raises - 3 sets
• Twisting Crunches - 3 sets
• Regular Crunches - 3 sets

Take rests of sixty seconds between sets.

Running

Running is the best form of developing the overall body fitness. Run regularly for forty minutes every morning to tone the muscles. Running or brisk walking triggers the muscle to develop.

Diet

Include lots of green leafy vegetables and fruits in your diet. Take proper diet consisting of proteins like meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, milk etc. and whole grains like oats, brown rice.

Routine

Maintain a daily routine. Exercise regularly. If you exercise in fits and starts, then it won’t help you build any muscles but may even be detrimental to your health. Muscles get conditioned to a particular routine, and exercising with a regular regime will help the muscles develop faster.

Water

Drink plenty of water to maintain the moisture level of the body. During exercise sweating removes a huge quantity of water which should be replaced. Also have plenty of juice or sport drinks.

Nutrition and Diet

Bodybuilding diet

Definition of Diet:

Usually people associate the word diet with days of starvation and pain. However that is not the correct definition of a diet. The word diet refers to the food choices that we make on a daily basis. Even if you don’t think you that you are on a diet, guess what?! You already are following a diet. Whether you eat candy all day everyday, or oatmeal, that is your diet.

Everything you need to know about bodybuilding nutrition such as the role of carbohydrates, proteins and fats when eating for lean muscle mass gains or for fat loss. You will also learn about the importance of caloric cycling for continued results and also about the effectiveness of low carb diets. 

Sample Bodybuilding Diet For Men:

Meal 1 (7 AM)

1 cup of dry oats mixed with water
1 cup of egg beaters

Meal 2 (9 AM)
Meal replacement packet like Prolab's Lean Mass Complex (which has a 40/40/20 nutrient ratio) mixed with water or a protein powder (with around 40 grams of protein) mixed with 40 grams of carbs from cream of rice, grits, or oatmeal.
1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (Spectrum brand is best)

Meal 3 (12 noon)

1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 4 (3 PM)

Same as Meal 2

Meal 5 (6 PM)

1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 6 (8 PM)
Same as Meal 2

Tips For Beginners

Tips For Beginners

• Choosing a gym becomes one of the foremost concerns of bodybuilding. Make sure that the gym you choose is a clean and well-equipped one, with a good ambience. A gym that is nearby to your place will save your time apart from being convenient.
• It is very important to set realistic goals for yourself. Remember, you need to strengthen your muscles, before building them. Time does not have a relation with bodybuilding. It does not count how fast you build your body, but how much you can.
• Your mental frame of mind has important connection with your body. Remember, when your mind thinks positively that you can develop, your body respond automatically.
• Finding a training partner can prove to be very beneficial. You can have healthy competition with him. It would also help in motivating you to workout harder.
• Since you are in the initial stages, explore the different exercises. It will give you an idea about which exercise works best for you. A greater understanding of your body will lead to better results.
• A frequent change in training program can act to your advantage, such as a change in the rest time between sets and exercises. Remember, to train every body part once a week.
• You must realize that every day is not the same and that some days your body would work better than the rest of the days. Do not stress out your body, when it calls for rest.
• Before plunging to weight lifting exercises, make sure you indulge in some basic warm-up and light cardio stretches. This would improve your body flexibility and also minimize the risk of injury.
• Balanced diet is also an important consideration to make during bodybuilding. Consume four to seven small meals a day. Indulge in a lot of protein and carbs diet. Taking carbohydrates after the workout acts beneficially. On the contrary, impinge on fat, sugar and salt usage. Instead, go for low-fat or non-fat products.
• Choosing an exercise routine can be advantageous. An effective workout will include legs (squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls and leg press), shoulders (military press, dumbbell raises and side laterals), chest (bench press, flyes and dips), back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts and lat pull-downs), arms (ez-bar curls, barbell curls and dumbbell curls), abs (hanging leg raises and incline crunches) and cardio (for the heart).
• It is very important that you should keep breathing while performing workouts. This way you would supply oxygen to the body, which is very necessary for muscle growth.
• Proteins are the building blocks of our body. Consuming protein powder supplement or shakes can be useful in achieving lean muscle mass.
• Lastly, take appropriate rest and do not over stress your body. Remember. It the only way your body would regain back the strength for the next day's workout.